We are just a group of retired spooks that discuss things that you’ll not find anywhere else. It makes us unique. Take a look around. Learn a thing or two.
One day everything is fine. I shut off my computer, and go to sleep.
Next morning I wake up, grab a cup of coffee and sit at my computer, and it is “locked”. And, you know, I didn’t lock it.
Computers have different modes aside from “on” and “off”.
…
There’s “suspend“.
There’s “sleep“.
Somehow, my computer went into “Rip Van Wrinkle” mode.
…
No matter what I would do, It just wouldn’t wake up.
Speech!
Stressed me out to no end.
So…
I used another computer to download the latest version of Lunix Mint. It’s called “Virginia”. And then booted up with that ISO.
Works great.
But, when installing, I lost all of my files, and other stuff.
It took me the next two days to recover all my passwords and links and stuff. But somehow, I did manage, and now I am back up and running. Though…
I lost all my gaming history… back to the beginning for me. Ugh.
I lost all my pending articles, not yet uploaded. Oh well.
I lost all my family videos and such… Sigh.
But the bulk of my system is saved and secure.
The reason… Well let me tell you…
…
Firstly, I have backups on all meetings. If my computer goes down, I have my Chief Engineer and we use his systems, and phones. So I do not rely on one meeting operating system.
Secondly, I connect my phone to my computer browser. If my computer goes down, I can sync with my phone and vice versa.
And, most importantly, thirdly… I wrote all my passwords and criticals in a book. If my electronics are locked, stolen, compromised, or whatever, I still can access the internet data.
Phew!
For once, the thing that everyone made fun of me for doing, worked out and saved me in the end!
1. Eat the frog and start with the things that are most important.
“Crush” time is from 9 to 10 a.m.
We finish our trickiest assignments during this period and avoid bothering one other with inquiries. First thing in the morning, you should probably finish the task that you are most afraid of.
2. Make plans for tonight and tomorrow.
Making a brief list of easy tasks to complete at night will enable you to get started quickly in the morning and create a constructive momentum that will last the remainder of the day.
3. Enumerate your day’s “crucial results.”
Make a spreadsheet with your top three priorities listed for each day. This will assist you in organizing your days and ensuring that you stay focused on the most crucial things each day.
4. Modify your inner monologue.
Your drive and energy levels can be greatly enhanced by making a small change in viewpoint. Say “These are the two things I need to focus on today” rather than “I have too much to do today!”
5. Complete administrative activities during downtime.
standing in line for example at the bank, the grocery store, the elevator, etc. Bring along a book you’ve been wanting to read, some emails to get through, or some status updates to catch up on. Alternatively, just wander your thoughts and take in your surroundings.
6. 70% of the wealth is generated online, so you should too start an online business. Here join this challenge to learn how to start an online business
7. Make time for “me” at the beginning of the day:
Sort through and prioritize the accumulation of accumulated emails and social media posts from the previous night. Eliminate prompt comments and
recommendations so that others can get to work on their duties. Plan out the larger jobs. And remove the informational or unimportant content.
9. Get rid of private distractions:
Workplace productivity can also be severely hindered by personal diversions. You would quickly lose focus and waste hours doing nothing if you allowed personal distractions to interfere with your work.
10. Take a bigger stance:
Around 3 p.m., do you start to feel a bit sleepy? Get up!
China will peak after it is 5–6 times the U.S. real GDP size of the U.S. which I suspect will be around 2075–2100 period. Why do I say 5–6 times that of the U.S. China will in real terms match China i.e. 4X USA economy around 2050–2075 period because China has 4 TIMES the population of the US.
But China won’t stop there because Chinese are generally smarter recieved better education, willing to work harder, are more industrious and learn more than US citizens hence it will not stop growing till it hit 5–6 times the US size at the minimum. So stop hallucinating China wants to catch up to the U.S. it wants to lapped the U.S. many folds.
Chinese political system is more sustainable and its infrastructure is presently miles ahead of the U.S. now. And while the Chinese are focus the U.S. will always be embroiled in conflicts after conflicts till it implodes in a mess of debts and deficits wasting resources that it barely has. I ammmetely pointing out facts that scare the shit out of you guys especially US lackeys or U.S. dogs and slaves or simply ignorant and naive brain dead Americans here in QUORA. You hate me for saying this and will prefer to be in denial. But lying to yourself is what you did for the longest time.
Interviewer : You have 10 minutes to impress me. Go.
Me: If I do that, if I dazzle you within ten minutes, would I get this job?
Interviewer : Young man, I must warn you, I’m extremely hard to impress. But if you’re able to pull that off, I shall hire you on the spot.
Me: You see, that’s the problem. I’ve been working in this field for a long time. I’ve done a lot of projects with a lot of programmers. Most of these guys started out as mere acquaintances. I had no idea how good or bad at coding they were. It was only after working with them for a while that I got to know their true calibre. And one strange pattern I noticed was that the guys who I didn’t think much of in the first meeting, later proved to be some of the best collaborators. While the ones who completely floored me with their dazzling first impressions, later turned out to be complete assholes and a total pain in the ass to work with. Right now, I could throw in a bunch of complex projects I’ve done in the past, or I could tell you about the research I’ve been doing, or competitions I’ve won. Any of those would be sufficient to impress you. And as you promised, you would give me this job. But if you do that — give me this job going by whether I’m able to impress you within the first ten minutes or not, then I’m not so sure I’d still want it.
Your workers expect 5 times Chinese workers salary and 10 times more benefits and your rental and utilities are 5 times more expensive in the U.S. than in China. Hence a dollar in the U.S. buys you a big mac and the same dollar translated into RMB allows you to get 3 similar Big Macs. That is why your nominal GDP means shit! Everything that you pay 3 bucks in New York you pay merely a buck in Shanghai! Simply speaking your purchasing parity is a mere pittance of China.
So who do you blame? Your big mouth. You told the world you have a great Union who protects your workers income! Great your worker get paid more but your product can’t sell ! Without sales you cannot pay your staff all together.
Eggs with Peppers and Sausage
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Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound Italian sweet peppers or banana peppers, seeded and cut into strips
I worked in a doctor’s office, internal medicine so they did gynecological exams among other things. We used metal speculums and after each patient, the speculums would be dropped into a solution to soak. Near the end of the day, they’d all be put in the autoclave machine to sterilize them. One Friday, the nurse forgot. The speculums remained in the soaking solution all weekend and you’d think maybe it wouldn’t be that big of a deal but BOY OH BOY let me tell you….when I got to work Monday morning I saw the exterior doors were open with box fans in them, trying to help remove the most hideous and sickening odor you could imagine. It was like somebody had taken a dead body, stuffed it with expired tuna, and hid it behind the magazine rack. How ANY patients consented to be treated in there that day, I do not know.
In the summer of 2015, my two sisters and I set out on a backpacking journey across Europe. We were all quite athletic: I was devoted to the gym and cycling, Mary worked hard as a waitress, and Joanne excelled in high school sports.
Despite only having basic German skills, I was somewhat fluent, thanks to my mother’s influence. Along the way, we encountered many German tourists, providing ample opportunities for interesting eavesdropping.
One particularly memorable moment took place during our first visit to a topless beach. While relaxing in our bikinis, my sisters Mary and Joanne decided to go for a swim. Nearby, two German men, whom I’ll refer to as Hans and Klaus, began discussing us.
Hans: Look at those girls. They’re cute, but…
Klaus: …they have big muscles.
Hans: Yes, they would be very pretty if it weren’t for the muscles. What’s the deal, I wonder?
Klaus: They’re American. Americans like girls with muscles.
Hans: What makes you think they’re American?
Klaus: They’re covering their breasts.
I stayed silent, but when it was my turn to enter the water, I couldn’t resist a playful gesture. I waited for them to look, then flexed my muscles, Popeye-style, and gave them a wink.
When I was in graduate school working on my doctorate, I had a “friend” who was as cheap and as greedy as a person could be. She was one of those people who always begged for a bite, a piece, or a sip. Even if I had eaten half of my food, played around in it with my fork, or sat talking over it, she would tell the server clearing the table to leave my plate so she could eat the rest. She did this in an Indian restaurant once, and the server literally blanched and looked at me incredulously. I just shrugged as this woman proceeded to scarf down my half-eaten cucumber salad. Any time I didn’t eat everything on my plate, she’d ask if she could have it. Well, the last time we ever went out to eat was when we went to a Chinese restaurant and she decided that she wasn’t really “in the mood” for the teriyaki beef dish she had ordered and was really hankering for the shrimp fried rice I had ordered that came on a large platter with a serving spoon. Her eyes got really wide when our server brought out our food, and she saw all of that rice. She never offered to pay for half my meal even though she readily helped herself. Because I was taught that it is rude and petty to deny someone food who asks, I silently watched her heap her plate with fried rice and eat it. When the check came, she paid for her untouched meal and asked the server to wrap it up so that she could take it home and eat it at another time. There were other incidents. There was the time she went into an ice cream shop to get us ice cream while I waited outside with my dog who could not go in for obvious reasons. Moments later she came running back out with only her cone because my cone cost 30 cents more than I had given her. But eating half of my dinner and never offering to pay was the last straw and the last time I ever went anywhere with this woman.
Russia is one of the most resource rich land masses in the planet
They have enough oil based on current reserves and current increase in consumption to last for 63.6 years
They have enough Gas based on current reserves and current increase in consumption to last for 118 years
They have enough of the Top 6 Industrial Raw Materials in Ore Form to last for 70.1 years
They have enough Fertile Wheat production to feed 15.6% of the World’s Population outside their own country
They have access to nearly 137 Million Metric Tonnes of Seafood which is enough to feed and export for the next 56 years.
And that’s not counting unexplored reserves
If they peg the Ruble to the value of Oil, Gas Gold and Wheat and price the same independently – their GDP would be close to $ 4.73 Billion nominal
Next the Russian Army
Russia has :-
548,000 Professional Soldiers
784,000 Active Personnel serving on Contracts
1.903 Million Reservists between 18–44 years old
The Russians are among the toughest hardest soldiers in the planet and among the most patriotic
Any other Nation in 1942 would have broken to the Nazis but the Russians died and died and died, hated Stalin but for Mother Russia, they found and kept dying
The Brits broke under far less stringent conditions in Singapore in 1942
Their Production Capacity is very high
Only Next to China who is an Ally
Today Russia can outproduce the ENTIRE NATO at 3:1 to 7:1 for Artillery Ammunition, Tanks, BMPs, Armored Vehicles, Drones etc
Except Fighter Aircraft
Economically Russia is one of the MOST UNDERUTILIZED NATIONS on earth
First the Tsars
Next the Early Commies Lenin and that Moron Trotsky
Then Brezhnev
Then Gorbachev
Then Yeltsin
For 150–200 years, barring a brief period when Josef Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev where in charge (1929–1966) , Russia was always suffering under Moron Leaders or Oligarchs or Indifferent people
The Russian people may love Russia but they rarely respected their Leaders
Very few people Earned the Respect of the Russian People
Stalin for one
After Stalin, only Putin has managed to earn the same level of respect
Yet Russias development has been uneven, slow because of these reasons
Plus the fact that Russia has a mere 150 Million people and couldn’t attract migrants due to harsh communism for almost a century and due to the freezing weather
So I can say Russia can NEVER be defeated in Battle and War
I can say Russia can always ensure its Economy doesn’t collapse
Russia can always survive due to so many Natural Resources
However because Russia has only 150 Million people, it cannot be the most powerful country of all time
Because Russia only grew and surged for 54 years in the last 200 years, Russia isn’t the most powerful country of all time
Still thinking it’s a Gas Station is why 450,000 People are dead and Europe is in bankrupt chaos
When I was a paramedic I was called to a home for an unresponsive person.
As we made our way into the house a woman greeted us and she was extremely upset. She hurried us into the kitchen where we found her husband on the floor. He was in full cardiac arrest.
As we started to attempt resuscitation, we went through our normal steps. My partner would place an advanced airway while I readied the cardiac monitor and defibrillator. There would need to be an IV and medications given and we would have to breathe for him. Of course we were doing all this while maintaining CPR.
As we moved him to the cot and prepared to move to the ambulance and go to the hospital, I noticed more details about the room we were in.
It was Valentine’s Day. This husband had gotten up early and lovingly prepared breakfast for his wife. He had a vase full of roses on the kitchen table and a card with her name written on the envelope. The food was still warm on their plates. It was untouched. Everything was perfect, except this kind and considerate man was dead. Sadly, his lack of response to our efforts to restart his heart told me he was very likely to remain that way.
I’ve had to relive this particular scenario dozens of times on birthdays, Christmas and pretty much any other holiday. I have performed CPR in restaurants and at birthday parties. I guess what all this taught me about life is that, more often than not, it ends right in the middle of your plans. Large plans, life plans or, sometimes, breakfast plans.
In the annals of Western New York history, one particular individual found themselves on the receiving end of a cautionary tale during the winter of 1987. The National Weather Service had issued a dire prediction: a major storm was poised to sweep over Lake Ontario in the early hours of the morning, heralding an onslaught of snowfall that threatened to disrupt the region’s daily routines.
For those acquainted with the capricious nature of Lake Effect snow, the forecast served as a somber warning. Yet, as dawn approached, the storm’s arrival remained a matter of speculation. In Western New York, where the resilience of residents was matched only by the reluctance of employers to cancel a day’s work, the impending snowfall was met with a mixture of apprehension and resignation.
In this climate of uncertainty, our protagonist made a fateful decision. Rising at the early hour of 5:30 or 6:00, they peered outside to find a light dusting of snow. Without a second thought, they returned to the warmth of their bed, lulled into a false sense of security by the meager accumulation outside their window.
Meanwhile, the rest of the region braced themselves for the impending storm, diligently monitoring their radios and televisions for updates on the weather front. As the morning progressed, it became increasingly apparent that the storm had veered off course, sparing much of the area from its wrath.
Yet, despite the absence of significant snowfall, our protagonist found themselves facing the consequences of their premature retreat to bed. Upon arriving at work, they were met with skepticism from their employer, who, in a display of fairness, sought confirmation of the purported inclement weather.
Contacting local authorities for verification, the boss received confirmation that no road closures or emergencies had been reported due to the light dusting of snow. Faced with the ultimatum of providing evidence of a two-foot snowdrift at their doorstep or collecting their paycheck and departing, our protagonist wisely chose the latter.
In the end, the moral of the story was clear: in the unpredictable realm of Western New York weather, it pays to stay vigilant, lest one find themselves left out in the cold.
My brother passed away unexpectedly in April of this year. He was 9 years younger than me, and we were extremely close. We grew up in an extremely dysfunctional family, and were always there for each other in ways that the rest of our family was not. In a lot of ways, especially when he was little, I was as much a mom figure to him as his big sister, our relationship was one of the greatest sources of comfort and joy in both our lives. l was, and still am, devastated by the loss of him in my life.
I work in the town where he lived a few days each week, and had my own room in the house where he lived with his husband, “J”, who is like another brother to me. My brother loved vintage fashion, and was always bringing home his latest “amazing finds” from local thrift stores. He definitely had hoarding tendencies. His plan was to resell most of what he bought at the flea market for a profit in the summer, which never happened.
In the immediate weeks after his death, J and I started sorting through his things, including the bags and bags and bags and racks and racks and racks of thrift store “scores” that were all over the house, often mixed with his personal clothing. We kept some, and gave away or donated the rest. We always made sure to check any pockets; since he often stashed money and other valuables in random places, which he sometimes forgot about.
I was going through the pockets of a heavy pea coat, which neither of us had ever seen him wear, and felt what I thought might be a credit card. I pulled it out, and saw that it was actually a card key from a hotel that the previous owner presumably had forgotten. I turned it over, and was stunned. What are the odds of finding a random hotel key card in the pocket of a random thrift store coat, less than 2 weeks after my brother died, printed with an image of puffy clouds in a blue sky, and a single sentence that read “It’s time to let me go”. There have been other inexplicable moments in the weeks and months since he passed, that I believe are signs from him, to reassure and comfort us that in some way, he’s still with us. I am so grateful for those moments.
Walking away from marriage, children, and other stuff we’re supposed to have
Everyone – including me – thought that this was a ridiculous excuse. A girl showed up late, out of breath and red in the face. She was the kind of student who was usually very conscientious, so I expected a common and reasonable explanation like car trouble. Instead she stood right inside the door, panting, and explained that a snake had been holding her hostage.
I knew that this fifteen year-old girl was responsible for getting herself up and getting ready for school because her single mom worked the early morning shift at the hospital, so I was already inclined to go easy on her. That snake story just didn’t sound right, so I asked her to explain.
The girl lived in a small apartment on the first floor, and it was a small town so I knew that these apartments only had one entry. She had woken up and gotten ready as usual, but when she opened the door, she found a big rattlesnake sunning itself on the mat. She had called several people until her uncle finally answered and came over to kill the snake – with a pistol! He did manage to kill the snake, but he also brought all the neighbors outside. The girl and her uncle had to wait until everyone had finished telling him off for being stupid enough to fire a gun right in front of their homes before he could drive her to school.
I accepted her excuse but I remained skeptical until I got off work that afternoon and stopped at the store, where everyone was talking about the moron who shot a snake in the town’s one and only apartment complex. I still suspected that she could have just walked around the snake or something, but two years later a watermoccasin decided to take me hostage. I mentally apologized to my former student, because there was no way in hell that I was gonna just step around that thing.
The question is do you need his recommendation? The urge to tell him to get lost is strong but if you do you could wind up screwing yourself later on. After all, if somebody calls up for a reference and they ask him… it’s not going to be good.
So you ask yourself would it benefit you to be polite or not?
Let me tell you a story of when I was younger. It was my first real IT job for the summer. Small company needed to upgrade everything and needed a jack of all trades type to do it and I got it. So I spent months crawling under desks, running cable, setting up the servers and backups and during all this the owner’s girlfriend would be looking over my shoulder and asking what I was doing. I’d show her because why not? She was nice. A bit of a ditz but she had… assets if you get me.
So the end of the project comes. I’ve done all the testing, present him with the documentation and ask what’s next. He says nothing because his girlfriend was taking over and she could do my job. I laughed, he was serious. Gave me my severance and I was out the door.
About a month or two later I get a call from him and he’s frantic. Seems they had a problem, they lost all their data and when they went to restore from backup found out his girlfriend wasn’t doing the backups like she said she would do. He promised me the world at this point, back pay, bonuses and all that. I told him to go screw himself as he got what he deserved. I think he went out of business in a month or so later. I didn’t need him. I was in school and that was just a way to make some money while gaining experience. But you might need him later.
So I’d ask yourself if it’s worth it to tell him to get lost or whether it’s in your best interest to at least not be as dismissive. Don’t just give it to him but make him understand you’re doing this for the good of the company, not him. And you could just as easily have told him to get lost.
I was born with fatal Asthma. My lungs have collapsed three times, and every year I’d spend approximately 3–4 weeks in the ICU under an oxygen tent. When I was big enough, I got to use the regular mask and/or tubes in my nose. I’d have severe asthma attacks every night, but it was just my way of life (I still played sports, etc.).
I got to know who some of the regular nurses were- especially because, though they’d let my parents stay after visiting hours, I’d get really sad when they had to leave. The nurses were always so great about making me comfortable. This was in the 1980’s. I’ll never forget the head nurse, Norma. She always made me feel less alone.
In those days, there were TV’s in the room- attached to a big arm on the wall, but you had to order it- and a cable guy would come in and set it up. You had to pay per day. My parents always got it for me.
I always knew how hard nurses worked and I never understood how come they had to be there for so long. At night, when the ward was dark- I’d leave my TV on so the nurses could watch “Dallas”. I’d make it so the face of the TV pointed toward the hall. It’s not like they could sit there for the hour, chillin’ in my room. But I liked to keep a chair by my bed for them. I’d fall asleep, and in the morning the TV was off. I guess I didn’t “catch” a nurse- it’s more like I encouraged them. I was just little. I always knew how much they wanted me to get better, and I always knew they really liked Dallas.
Norma never watched it, but she never seemed to be mad about it.
1. Waiting for someone to save them. You can’t wait for some hero to come and snatch you from the claws of life’s difficulties. You can seek advice and get support from those closest to you, but even they can’t bear the weight of being your hero because the only one who is capable of fulfilling that role is none other than yourself.
2. Victim mentality. You will never be able to change your life for the better if you believe that everyone and everything is out there to sabotage you. It will only make you feel more powerless and helpless, robbing you of willpower and motivation to change anything.
3. Extreme poverty. With extreme poverty, there comes extreme desperation, which often pushes people into doing things they’d have never imagined they were capable of.
4. Constantly lying to themselves. When you can’t be honest with yourself, you are unable to face all the fears, weaknesses, and problems holding you back. And the more lies you tell yourself, the tighter their grip will get on you until your life is left in shambles.
5. Being in a toxic relationship with a master manipulator/narcissist. Not only will they destroy your self-esteem and your sense of self, but they’ll try to make you stay with them and even guilt-trip you into it when you say you want to leave them.
6. Having enemies disguised as friends. A friend is supposed to have your back, not stab you in it, which is exactly what these people do. They try to discourage you from pursuing your goals because they don’t want to see you succeed, they always find a way to criticize you under the guise of “friendly feedback” and are never there to support you when you need them.
7. Growing up in a dysfunctional family. If one or both of your parents were abusive, toxic, etc., you will start noticing the consequences of it after stepping into adulthood. Once you do, you’ll have to unlearn some things you subconsciously picked up during childhood and completely destroy the rest. Otherwise, you’ll risk repeating the vicious cycle by turning into your parent(s) or living with the damaging consequences for the rest of your life.
Paluski (Polish Potato Fingers)
Do these bring back memories. Paluski! We always had them with homemade kapusta and kielbasi. I make these all of the time. My family loves them with a nice mushroom gravy. They taste delicious fried in some bacon fat with onions and crisp bacon. I sometimes cut them up into small pieces and add them to my homemade chicken soup. I have even gone so far as to fry them up and serve them with sunny side eggs, scrambled and poached.
2024 02 21 08 a28
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour + extra if needed to make a pliable dough
4 cups mashed potatoes, cold
1 tablespoon salt
4 eggs
Instructions
Cook potatoes and drain well. Press through a ricer and place in a large bowl. Cool.
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl, mixing well. Make a well in the center of flour and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well until all the eggs are mixed well.
Add the riced potatoes and mix until all ingredients are blended real well. If necessary add some water to make the dough pliable if too stiff, this will depend on how much flour you add. (I have found that 4 cups will make a very wet dough, so I add 1/4 cups of flour at a time until the dough feels just right. This is done by feel. Do not make the dough too stiff.
Roll out dough in portions at a time onto floured surface, rolling out into a long log about 1-inch thick.
Cut logs into 3/4-inch pieces, rolling slightly to even out.
Drop into rolling salted boiling water and cook until paluski float to the top, allowing them to simmer a few minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl.
Have some melted butter ready to drizzle over the paluski to coat them.
You can sauté some onions in butter and toss in with them.
Notes
Either way you doctor them up, they taste wonderful.
Woman says she’s breaking up with boyfriend over this…
I bought the security guard company I worked for when the owner decided to retire and move to Las Vegas. He wanted 3 months billing for the whole tamale; office equipment, gear, patrol car, and clients. He was billing around $237,000 annually so the asking price was just over $59,000.
I got a business loan for $30,000 and agreed to pay him $1,700 a month over 18 months for the balance owed. The extra money was for interest.
A couple of years later he showed up in my office. The $30K was gone and the monthly payments had ended, and he needed money. So he asked me for a job selling for my company.
I’d quadrupled his annual billing — from $237K to $980K — so I told him I’d pay him a $1,500 monthly draw against commission.
After 6 months he’d sold 3 patrol accounts, for a grand total of $1,100 a month, so I cut my losses and let him go.
While at university my roommate and I lived a couple blocks in from the beach. He walked up to the beach to check the surf late one evening. A cop pulled up along side him and said “Hey, are you [my name]?” My roommate said “no” and the cop drove away without another word.
A few days later at about 8:00 PM I left our apartment and started to drive to our university. My small truck had an automatic transmission and the parking break was broken. So I kept a large rock by my feet that I would wedge behind a tire when I parked. As I drove away from our apartment a cop pulled me over. I asked what the problem was and he didn’t answer. He shined his flashlight inside my truck. He saw the rock and asked in a very serious tone why it was there. I explained. He then told me to get out of the car. I complied. He didn’t go inside, but looked inside the door. He saw my backpack on the passenger seat. He said he wanted to search it and asked if I had a problem with that. Knowing I had done nothing wrong, I was getting annoyed. There was nothing but textbooks and notebooks in my backpack, but I didn’t like his attitude. And I was upset about the cops asking my roommate if he was me for some reason a few nights earlier. So I said I did have a problem with it and I would not be allowing him to search it. He said he had the right to search for probable cause. I asked what he was defining as probable cause. He replied that the rock on my floor was a weapon. I told him I thought that was a pretty weak position after the explanation I gave him and I objected to his search. He said if he called a judge he could provide me a warrant to fully legalize any search he wished to perform. I then told him I would wait calmly while he radioed the station (before mobile phones), they called a judge, and a search warrant was issued. I also asked how he thought a judge would react to being annoyed at home to get a warrant to search a [local university] student’s backpack after being pulled over for not committing any traffic violations. He looked at me, said “you better pray I never catch you doing anything wrong” and turned away. He got in his cruiser and drove off. It was all very strange, but I never had another incident after that.
I came from a very ordinary background, and I have advised countless people who are very wealthy and grew up poor or middle-class.
Even if we look at larger studies, we find that most of the richest people in the world came from working and middle-class backgrounds.
Only in some places where inherited wealth dominated, like some parts of Europe, is it 50%-50%.
If you mean is it possible to get rich, or wealthy, on a middle-class income, then the simple answer is yes.
This man was a UPS driver for years. He made a maximum of $14,000-$15,000 a year:
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Theodore Johnson died with $70million after a friend told him about investing, which is why he got into it.
Yes, you read that right. $70million. Now sure, when he started investing, 14k-15k a year was worth 50k-75k in today’s money.
Yet it still wasn’t a huge salary. So, how did he manage it? Well, he invested very smart, long-term.
He wanted to make a difference when he died, so he gave it to charity.
He isn’t alone. This man was a janitor called Ronald Read who accumulated $8million:
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This lady was a secretary and accumulated $9m:
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You might think these are one-offs. However, stats show that 14% of the world’s millionaires are teachers, and about 50% are middle-income professionals.
The reason is simple. Income doesn’t always rise exponentially with time. Wealth can.
What is more, there are always investment opportunities out there, as I mentioned on a recent CNBC interview:
As a final comment, I will speak about risk, as it is the most misunderstood subject.
Do you assume that you are playing it safe with money in the bank?
You are fooling yourself 👉🏼 and here is exactly why:
1. If you save money in the bank you’re buying into the sure risk of inflation.
2. If you only rely on your savings for retirement, you’re risking everything on the assumption that things will go to plan.
But life doesn’t always go to plan. Some sort of risk is inevitable, it’s everywhere.
It is far better to:
Put your eggs in numerous baskets and not just the bank or property
Pick the risks you will take. It gives you more control.
Take action, rather than setting New Year’s resolutions to save/invest more money + lose weight and forget about it!
When a tattoo is removed, the ink particles are eventually broken down and excreted through the urine.
Our own immune system, meant to protect us, can kill us faster than the fastest-killing virus, Ebola (4 days)
Your brain can play tricks on you, making you feel referred pain from your organs in unexpected places! For example, a painful pancreas can present as pain in your flank or back; a heart attack can feel like jaw or shoulder pain; a kidney stone can feel like testicle pain;
The cause of period cramps is the uterus suffocating itself. During a period, the uterus contracts to shed its lining, and sometimes the contractions are so strong that they squeeze the blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen and causing pain.
The front of your tongue has a mind of its own and is always on the move, secretly exploring your mouth. Dentists are well aware of this behavior during impression taking, when the tongue can be seen chasing the dental tool or licking their fingers around the mouth.
Your eyes are “immune privileged,” meaning the rest of the body’s immune system has no knowledge of their existence. If this immune system were to suddenly become aware of the eyes, it may treat them as a threat and try to neutralize them, potentially leading to blindness.
Through various work events, I’ve met the late Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince William, Prince Edward, Sophie (Countess of Wessex), Princess Anne, James (Viscount Severn), and Lady Amelia Windsor. Though James was only a toddler at the time. Regardless, none of them ever treated me with anything but respect and cordiality (when time allowed more than a passing handshake). And I’m about as lowborn as it gets. The bastard scion of an unwed mother, who was herself the daughter of a gangland enforcer and the 2nd cousin of the man who *ahem* allegedly disposed of the evidence of murders conducted by one of the UK’s most notorious gangs. My more distant ancestors on my mother’s side were Irish loyalists, and on my father’s side were Welsh coal miners. Sailors, miners, and criminals were what went into making me. And yet still, never have I ever been treated poorly by any member of the Royal Family I’ve ever had any interaction with.
As to loyalty… Dolce et decorum est pro patria mori. I’m from a family with a long military tradition. Loyalty to my nation and sovereign go without question. It’s Parliament, not the Royals, who inevitably fuck over me and mine. I’ve no reason to be disloyal. Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth is one of the most dedicated monarchs we’ve ever had. She gave her all to her country and her people. It is only proper that loyalty and service be returned.
The U.S. Has Made Taiwan a Trigger for War. Can China Disarm It?
Taiwan is a useful pawn in the U.S. strategy of confronting China as a “great power competitor”, Finian Cunningham writes.
Ever since China’s civil war ended in 1949 with victory for the Communist side, the island of Taiwan off China’s southern coast has been a U.S. pawn as a haven for anti-Communist forces. The United States has sponsored the Taiwanese separatists first under the dictatorship of Chiang Kai-shek and up to the present administration in Taipei. Ironically, Washington portrays Taiwan as “democratic and free”.
Washington’s support for Taiwan waned in 1979 when the U.S. endeavored to normalize relations with Beijing under the so-called One China Policy which defines Taiwan as under the sovereign control of the People’s Republic of China. The U.S. position conforms to the international norm of recognizing China as one sovereign nation in which Taiwan is but an island province.
The U.S.’s so-called normalization of relations with China was not genuine. It was a geopolitical move to wedge relations between Beijing and Moscow. Now that China and Russia have reestablished strategic connections under Presidents Xi and Putin, the U.S. has reverted to overt hostility towards China and its policy of using Taiwan as a cat’s paw to destabilize the mainland.
After the Obama administration embarked on its Pivot for Asia strategy in 2011, Washington earnestly reinstated relations with Taiwan in such a way as to deliberately provoke Beijing and undermine its sovereignty.
Tensions over Taiwan have become increasingly fraught as the United States steps up military supplies to the island territory. The weapons systems have become increasingly offensive in their capability of attacking China’s mainland. This development not only undermines China’s sovereign authority. It also poses an overt national security threat to Beijing. Taiwan is a mere 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the Chinese mainland across a narrow sea called Taiwan Strait.
This places China in an acute dilemma. Should it take preemptive military action or wait it out until politics takes its course?
A recent election in Taiwan was won by a pro-independence party. But there was a greater combined vote for parties that want more friendly relations with mainland China. That strongly suggests that Taiwanese people are against a military confrontation and are amenable to political reconciliation as proposed by Beijing. Perhaps over time, the Taiwanese population may develop a decisive majority that desires peaceful reunification.
The problem is the United States has control of the initiative to inflame tensions with China. In that case, Beijing might eventually be drawn into a military confrontation despite its aspirations.
The Return of Great Power Competition
Since the supposed end of the Cold War in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, for most of the ensuing three-decade period, the United States declared its main national security concerns to revolve around international terrorism. In recent years, however, the U.S. has relegated the perceived threat of terrorism and officially prioritized its strategic concerns about “great power competition”.
Russia and China have been labeled the top geopolitical rivals for U.S. global power. In this way, there has been a return in Washington to the Cold War geopolitics and rhetoric that dominated international relations during the five decades after World War Two. While Moscow and Beijing have both repudiated adversarial relations and have repeatedly urged peaceful coexistence in a multipolar world, the United States has relentlessly sought to depict the so-called “global rules-based order” as being threatened by Russia and China.
The current U.S. administration under President Joe Biden has contrived to portray international relations as an existential contest between “Western democracy versus autocracies”. This zero-sum terminology is typical of Cold War ideology which aims to polarize international relations into geopolitical camps of “us and them”. Such polarization is an essential function of U.S. and Western power politics and the promotion of U.S. hegemonic ambitions.
By dividing the world into “blocs”, the resulting conflictual relations and tensions are amenable to American militarism. In other words, cooperative peaceful international relations as advocated by Russia and China in their multipolar visions are anathema to the pursuit of U.S. hegemony based on unilateral domination.
China is Enemy No. 1 for the United States
Several U.S. strategic planning documents indicate explicitly the emphasis on “great power competition”. The 2022 National Security Strategy defines the U.S.’s priority concerns. The document states:
“We are now in the early years of a decisive decade for America and the world. The terms of geopolitical competition between the major powers will be set… the post-Cold War era is definitively over, and a competition is underway between the major powers to shape what comes next.”
The strategic outlook clearly determines China as the bigger threat to U.S. power. The document states:
“Russia and the PRC [People’s Republic of China] pose different challenges. Russia poses an immediate threat to the free and open international system, recklessly flouting the basic laws of the international order today, as its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has shown. The PRC, by contrast, is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to advance that objective.”
Another major U.S. planning document, the 2022 National Defense Strategy, also defined China as the “pacing challenge” to American global power. It was stated that China is “the only competitor to the United States with the intent and increasing capability to reshape the international order.”
The term “pacing challenge” is a euphemism for Enemy Number One. The prioritizing of China over Russia as the designated top threat to U.S. national security was reiterated in the National Defense Authorization Acts in 2023 and 2024. The NDAAs govern annual U.S. military spending of over $850 billion – about four times the military budget of China and more than eight times that of Russia.
The war in Ukraine which erupted in February 2022, has certainly accentuated tensions and hostilities between the United States and Russia. This may give the impression that Russia is deemed by Washington as a greater threat than China. Nevertheless, despite the heated rhetoric and war in Ukraine, the strategic outlook according to the U.S.’s own planners is that China is perceived as the long-term principal adversary.
Even Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson acknowledged that China was seen in Washington as a bigger threat than Russia. “The West is afraid of a strong China more than it fears a strong Russia,” said Putin.
U.S. is Planning on War with China
The United Air Force announced on February 12, 2024, a major overhaul and expansion of force structure in the Asia-Pacific. Its commanders specifically cited China as the motivating threat and reason for renewed military build-up for “high-end conflict”. When the civilian head of the U.S. Air Force, Frank Kendall, was appointed to the post in 2022, he told the U.S. Congress that his three priorities were: “China, China, and China.”
Several senior American commanders have publicly warned that the U.S. could be at war with China in the next five years. And they mention Taiwan as the flashpoint.
This war planning accounts for an overall U.S. military build-up in Asia-Pacific involving air, navy, and land weapons. Washington has been expanding military bases and missile systems in Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Guam, and most provocatively on China’s territory of Taiwan.
On January 16, 2024, it was reported by Taiwanese news media that the island territory was building two new missile bases on its east coast facing the Taiwan Strait and China’s mainland. The new construction stemmed from the expected arrival of more U.S. anti-ship missiles. The reports also indicated that five more bases were under planning.
These developments point to long-term planning by the United States for a military confrontation with China in the coming years.
Taiwan is the Primary Cat’s Paw for U.S. Hostility
Following elections in Taiwan on January 13, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the U.S. did not support “independence” for the island territory.
Biden was thus publicly affirming Washington’s adherence to the One China Policy (OCP).
However, Biden’s public position on Taiwan and China can be better understood as part of the United States’ other policy of “strategic ambiguity”. Officially, Washington claims to recognize China as the sole sovereign power concerning Taiwan. Whereas in practice, U.S. actions point to another, treacherous agenda.
When Chinese President Xi Jinping met Biden in November 2023 at the APEC summit in San Francisco, the American side reiterated its obligations under the One China Policy. At that summit, President Xi called on the United States to stop arming Taiwan. He said Taiwan was the “most dangerous” issue and warned that China would use force if the matter is not resolved diplomatically for reunification.
Under Biden and his predecessor, Republican President Donald Trump, the United States has ramped up weapons supplies to Taiwan.
Provocatively, it seems, the U.S. has chosen to ignore President Xi’s admonitions about desisting from arming Taiwan.
The reported expansion of missile bases and supply of U.S. missiles to Taiwan indicates that Washington has set a course for antagonizing China by undermining its sovereignty over Taiwan.
On February 8, 2024, it was reported for the first time by U.S. and Taiwanese media that American special forces were being permanently stationed in Taiwan and the neighboring Kinmen islands near the Chinese mainland. This development is a major violation of the One China Policy by the United States. It puts into perspective the purported pledges made by Biden in person to Xi during the APEC summit.
Furthermore, the purpose of the U.S. forces in Taiwan has offensive connotations. The American personnel are reportedly engaged in training Taiwanese military units for conflict and monitoring China’s mainland forces.
It should be noted that these U.S. military developments in Taiwan followed a high-level meeting between America’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi which took place on January 26 in Thailand. Earlier that month, Chinese and U.S. officials also held “high-level discussions” at the Pentagon after a two-year suspension. The series of talks was reported in Western media as an effort by the American side to reduce tensions and improve communications.
Again, rather than such contacts being a genuine effort at improving relations, they seem to be more illustration of the U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity”. More accurately, that policy should be called “strategic duplicity”.
It seems plausible that Washington is trying to mislead China over what its real intentions are regarding Taiwan and the wider issue of strategic confrontation. The Biden administration may state adherence to the One China Policy and call for better military-to-military communications to avoid conflict.
Yet, in practice, the United States is pushing ahead to supply Taiwan with more missiles. This unprecedented build-up of offensive U.S. capability is replicated in other territories across the Asia-Pacific.
The election in January of Lai Ching-te as the Taiwanese president provides Washington with a strident “pro-American” voice in Taipei for the next four years. Lai has previously called for Taiwan’s independence from China. Indeed, during the election campaign, Lai said there was no need to make such a declaration because Taiwan was “already independent”. Beijing has repeatedly declared its desire and sovereign right for full reunification of the island territory with the Chinese mainland. However, President Xi has warned that if Taiwan were to formally announce independence, China reserves the right to use military force to assert its legal sovereign control over the territory.
Taiwan is a useful pawn in the U.S. strategy of confronting China as a “great power competitor”.
By giving tacit support to pro-independence politicians in Taiwan, Washington is inciting separatist sentiments. Supplying the territory with U.S. weapons and military personnel also foments Taiwanese notions that Washington is a military patron who will come to Taiwan’s defense if a conflict were to erupt with mainland China.
Significantly, the incoming Taiwanese president is the third administration of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The DPP first came to power in 2016 under President Tsai Ing-wen. She was re-elected in 2020. Her vice president Lai Ching-te is taking over in May when he is inaugurated as president. The DPP has inflamed pro-independence politics over the past eight years with the full encouragement of Washington under both the current Biden administration and his predecessor Donald Trump. This political saber-rattling will likely continue over the next four years of Lai’s presidency.
It is also significant that the last eight years have seen a build-up of missiles in Taiwan’s arsenal. Before 2016, the island’s military capabilities were limited. Under the DPP, and with supplies from the U.S., Taiwan’s forces have acquired ballistic missile capabilities, especially anti-ship missiles. The target range of these weapons is short-range up to 500 kilometers which could reach China’s southern coastal provinces.
What needs to be monitored is the supply of longer-range U.S. missiles which would indicate greater strategic ambitions in a conflict with China. The American-sponsored militarization of Taiwan is correlated with the incitement of separatist politics on the island, which in turn foments tensions with Beijing.
On February 13, the U.S. Senate approved a $95 billion military aid package for foreign allies, including $60 bn for Ukraine, $14 bn for Israel and $8 bn for Asia-Pacific. The latter portion will allocate nearly $5 bn to Taiwan. The Asia-Pacific funding will cover the U.S. build-up of missiles in the region.
This is another indicator of U.S. hostile intentions towards China. It belies the seeming diplomatic engagement and renewed military-to-military communication exchange. The litmus test for rhetoric concerning the One China Policy is the facts on the ground of military offensive capability toward China.
The facts testify that Taiwan is being honed as a cat’s paw to antagonize and provoke China.
The Ukraine-Russia Analogy
There is a vivid analogy with how the U.S. has cynically used Ukraine as a provocation toward Russia. Ukraine has deep cultural ties with Russia and a long history of disputed territorial control. Over the past decade, the United States has ramped up military support for Ukraine and incited animosity with Russia. The tensions erupted in February 2022 with Russia ordering a military invasion of Ukraine to halt mounting provocations. A two-year war ensued and is continuing. It is the biggest war in Europe since the Second World War. An estimated 500,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. The conflict has had a devastating impact on Europe’s economy. It brings nuclear powers perilously close to catastrophic all-out war.
China’s former ambassador to the United States, Cui Tankai, recently stated that China would not be drawn into a military trap in Taiwan. The seasoned diplomat alluded to the U.S.-instigated scenario of Ukraine and Russia. On the matter of increasing American arms supplies to Taiwan, Cui was quoted as saying: “Someone may be preparing a proxy war but we will not fall into that trap. We don’t want to see a situation where Chinese are killing Chinese.”
Such aspirations are laudable. Nonetheless, such a view is a hostage to fortune. The Chinese authorities may not want a war over Taiwan and may try their utmost to avoid a war. Beijing’s aspiration for peaceful reunification with Taiwan is no doubt genuine.
Still, unfortunately, the United States has the sinister power to turn Taiwan into a trigger. Washington is ramping up offensive military capability and fomenting incendiary pro-independence politics. Beijing does not control that hostile process. There may come a point when Taiwan becomes what Ukraine is to Russia – a site of proxy war by the United States.
In that case, there is a stern prognosis: China should act militarily sooner rather than later to assert its control over Taiwan. A war seems inevitable given the U.S.’s reckless and incorrigible provocations. The belligerence in Washington is constant regardless of who sits in the White House. The U.S. presidential election in November this year will make no difference to the strategic course. The longer China leaves its response, the bigger will be the military confrontation as a result of the increasing U.S.-supplied offensive capability of Taiwan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview on February 14, 2024, that a major regret he has about the current two-year-old war in Ukraine is that Russia did not act sooner to intervene against U.S.-led provocations. Putin ordered Russian military intervention in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, to defend the ethnic Russian population of former east Ukraine and to preempt the growing threat from NATO to Russia’s national security.
This author wrote an article 10 years ago regarding sinister developments under the NATO-backed regime in Kiev which came to power in February 2014 in a CIA-backed coup d’état. The article made the argument that Putin should have sent troops into Ukraine in mid-2014 to preempt what was a looming U.S.-led proxy war. Subsequent events in Ukraine – the horrendous scale of death and destruction – and Putin’s own recent admission of regret would suggest the author’s prognosis in 2014 was correct.
On the matter of Taiwan, there is a real risk of China repeating Russia’s problematic delay in acting decisively. By not acting decisively to preempt, China’s President Xi Jinping might also share the same regret about Taiwan as Putin does over Ukraine.
When I was about 20 years old and at that time I lived with my parents. They had a plastering company in after being rewired. One was an elderly man, due to retire the next year. The other was younger, tall, quite good looking, but there was something about him I couldn’t fathom. Every time he came into the room, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and the dog would whimper and go into the other room. I’d catch him watching me as I went about my business. I was crocheting to pass the time while they were there and he kept asking me about it and coming over to see how it was going. He’d put his hand on my shoulder as he leaned over to look. It freaked me out.
My parents went to walk the dog and left me to hold the fort. The older man randomly started talking about personalities and first impressions of people. He kept looking from his colleague and back at me. He said do you find you get a gut feeling when you don’t like somebody? I said that yes, I do. He still kept looking at his colleague, then he said that when we have a gut feeling it’s important to act on it, and that 9 times out of 10 it’s correct, even if the person seems to be okay. He looked at me, raised his eyebrows, smiled slightly, nodded slowly, and carried on with his work.
I swear to this day that he was warning me not to trust his work colleague.
Personally, I wish America well, because it is vital to the global economy.
But I choose to make a stand when it comes to war in East Asia, which America is hell-bent on provoking for selfish national interest—preserving American primacy.
I cannot, and will not accept that, and my efforts here on Quora is a mere token, informing and explaining developments to fellow East Asians.
For example, how the demonization and dehumanization of mainland China will inevitably lead to the victimization of Chinese diaspora, repeating the age-old pogroms and witch hunts suffered by Chinese diaspora over the last 4-500 years.
For example, how a weaponized dollar will bring ruinous harm to the financial health of East Asia, and options being developed against the certainty.
For example, the many hotspots around the region through which conflict with China may arise.
For example, the multi-dimensional economic war being waged on the mainland economy, and its fallout, rules-based order be damned.
America is not my home. I maintain an interest because what happens stateside directly affects my family’s future.
A strong, well-run America is good for the world. Unfortunately, both conditions are ebbing today.
And that spells danger for the rest of humanity.
I am merely curating and explaining developments, as America loses its primacy.
It is up to American society to recognize, accept and change course.
I once worked in a glass factory in Pennsylvania. The company was a huge mega-billion dollar operation, and I was working in one of the oldest and decrepit operations of it; the “hole in the wall” ancient facility in West Elizabeth, PA (in the heart of the “rust belt”) just South of Pittsburgh.
Ah. What a depressing place.
Closed factories, towns, shuttered homes. Dilapidated facilities, and all the rest. Rampant crime, poverty and drug abuse. Yuck.
Anyways, I worked in maintenance, and I was busy keeping the equipment working in that Hellish environment.
One day, I was told to fix a problem.
The factory had termites.
Yup. Hordes of termites were crawling out of the cracks in the cement floor, and they needed to be eliminated. They were over everything and starting to fall into the hot molten lead “river” bath that comprised the main assembly line.
Termites in cement?
Well, apparently the cement was poured over the old lumber / wood structure laid down two centuries ago. And termites ate up all the wood until there was nothing left. Just these long empty holes in the concrete. And that was that.
So I got an exterminator.
And while I was making plans to fill up the voids in the base structure, I was laid off… let go. And the factory continued as was.
And that is my story about the termites that attacked the glass factory in Pennsylvania.
Termites.
Swarming out of the cement floor.
Attacking the mill workers.
Ah, strange things occur when civilizations start to decay and break down.
Future biotechnology could be used to trick a prisoner’s mind into thinking they have served a 1,000-year sentence—in just 8 hours.
This type of technology could potentially change the way punishments are given to criminals.
Dr. Rebecca Roache, a researcher, says that drugs could be used to manipulate the brain into thinking you’re serving a longer sentence than you actually are.
“There are a number of psychoactive drugs that distort people’s sense of time, so you could imagine developing a pill or a liquid that made someone feel like they were serving a 1,000-year sentence.”
A different way of achieving this end goal—putting people in prison for a short amount of time but making them think it’s longer—would be to speed up the rate that the mind works at.
In other words, ‘uploading’ someone’s mind to a computer and ‘speeding up’ the rate at which it was thinking, could make someone feel like they’ve lived for a thousand years.
I think this end result seems scary to say the least.
Sure there are some pros you could argue for:
Criminals could have longer sentences.
Jails wouldn’t have to pay as much money to take care of prisoners for long periods of time.
It could potentially be more efficient.
However, there are also other things to think about.
Is it humane to make someone live out hundreds of years—only in their minds?
How would this affect their mental health?
Are their memories going to be the same?
What if someone was wrongfully jailed and we punished them for ‘1000 years’?
Imagine this:
A criminal, wrongfully accused of a horrendous crime, gets a jail sentence of 500 years.
Their mind is sped up in order to make them feel as if they’ve experienced 500 years when in reality, it was only a couple of hours.
Everyone around them is normal.
Their family doesn’t miss them.
However, they, on the other hand, have been without anyone for seemingly hundreds of years.
This would probably ruin them forever, completely changing their lives and the way they think.
They’d be contemplating the unfairness of their sentence for YEARS.
I think that the nature of this technology is quite inhumane and shouldn’t be developed or used in the future.
Too many risks.
Baked Eggs on Toast (Jaja na Grzankach – Polish)
IMG 5755
Yield: 3 to 6 servings
Ingredients
6 slices white bread
Butter
3 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
6 eggs
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Toast the bread and butter it on both sides. Place on a baking sheet and, using the tips of your fingers, make a small depression in each piece of toast. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chives. Carefully drop an egg onto each piece of toast and season with salt and pepper.
Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the eggs reach the desired degree of doneness.
They like to play victim all the time. Trust me when I say they will go to every extent to show that they are a victim.
They lie even when it is not necessary. They look for what is beneficial to them.
They will try to make you feel guilty for things you’re not actually guilty for.
They never self-reflect. If you do something, it is wrong for them. But if they do the same thing, it is right. Whatever they do, it is always right. If you tell them that it’s not, then they will do everything in their power to make it seem like they are right.
They will easily give you a silent treatment. Their aim is to make it seem like they do not need you and make you feel like you’re guilty.
They will always dismiss your problems and say they have it worse.
Even if you give them the world, if one day things don’t work out their way, they will attack you. They do not care about what you’ve done for them, they only care about having things work their way.
Initially they will make it seem like they are opening themselves up, but they only do that so that you feel comfortable and put yourself out there like an open book. Once you do that, you realize that you barely know anything about them.
They are extremely smart in each step they take. This isn’t noticeable at first. But once you spot them, it becomes a lot easier to see that every step is calculated. Most of the times, their easiest form of manipulation is sympathy seeking. For example: If they’re sick, they will let everyone know. Not for anything, but sympathy.
How to build an AI MODEL that makes $11,000 per month
One time in my mid-twenties, my GF at the time and I were driving halfway across the country (from Florida to western Oklahoma) to visit some good friends from our High School days.
About midway through Texas, it was getting late, and I was getting a little tired. This was back before GPS, so we were using plain old paper maps. As we were going down a smaller, less-busy road, I noticed ed that my turn was coing. I started to go for the turn, but I realized at the last second that I was too late to make the turn safely. So I aborted the turn and went back to driving down the road, looking for a place to turn around.
As I swerved, 4 sets of patrol car lights burst into action in my rear-view mirror. It seems that a long haired dude driving the back roads of Texas with Florida plates is suspicious. We attracted quite the array of attention—Texas Ranger, County Sherriff, Local PD, AND Highway patrol! They had been tailing us for about 5 miles.
So, They ask us to step out of the car, separate us to make sure we are telling the same story, and ask to search my vehicle. I said go ahead. They asked if I had any weapons, and I replied “No, sirs” As they began to conduct the search, I remembered that I had a pocket knife on the dashboard…fearing that an un-mentioned blade might be considered bad, I blurted out—”Wait, officer..I forgot there IS a weapon!” At that moment, 8 sets of hands went to pistol grips in the “ready to draw” position. I clarified “There’s a pocket knife on the dashboard…I forgot about that.” The local PD officer looked at the dainty knife (IT was only about a 4 inch blade) and said “Shit, son..that ain’t a weapon. It’s a tool.”
After a few minutes, the party ended, and the various LEOs bid us a good night and told us a shortcut to bet back to my original target road.
It’s not a weapon…it’s a tool. I still giggle about that to this day, almost 30 years later.
A guy with us, who was particularly overweight, who constantly complained about being overweight, said he wasn’t hungry—and then when it came time to eat, dove into the food like he hadn’t eaten in 3 weeks.
I’ve seen a few people like that over the years—eating as if they were on the brink of starvation.
Once, I was at a local zoo. I was able to hold a bear cub and feed it a bottle of milk. What I didn’t expect, this small bear cub was fed 3 bottles by other tourists before it was my turn.
I was annoyed —I thought I’d get to feed a hungry bear.
And my annoyance was misplaced. Despite having 3 bottles of milk— the bear tore into this milk like it hadn’t eaten in forever. That bear instinct to store up calories starts early. I’ve never seen a creature clawing at the bottle, moaning, eager to consume every last drop of milk out of this thing as if it was a race.
To the question: this ties into the statistic that people who eat too quickly tend to overeat and be overweight.
If you slow down your eating—it will give your brain time to catch up and sense when you are actually full, rather than gorging yourself and waiting up with a gut. (Slow Down, You Eat Too Fast. Dr. Kathleen Zelman)
To be fair—I also eat too quickly, I’d be obese if I didn’t work out constantly.
Some of us are just born with a natural hunger gene, are emotional eaters, or we have that instinct in us to prepare for hibernation.
I am not 60, but I am retired. I served 25 years in the Army both Officer and Enlisted. I retired in 2009, and to be honest leaving the Army wasn’t the hard part. Settling back into the Civilian World was the hard part. Matched to the chief reason I retired at age 42.
That’s my youngest our Lil Mitts, and first day of college back in August 2023. I let go of the US Army and jumped feet first into being the primary parent for a Special Needs Child. All while engaged in being a grandparent.
All while self-managing my investment real estate portfolio which includes all my own maintenance and repair work. Above is before, below is after.
Then we have I also love maintaining my own cars.
Life is about continuing to the end always reinventing yourself till the end. Do I still do PT? Yes I do. Do I miss being shot at? Hell no!
Retirement is merely the rest of your days free of obligation to an Employer. That doesn’t equate stop living. The secret to enjoying it is find other things to enjoy.
Two of my siblings were upset that I inherited one of my father’s farms. They contested everything in court — and soundly lost. That was on a Monday morning. Wednesday morning I left the farm to drive home, 680 miles. I was 2/3 of the way home when I got a call that my farmhouse was on fire. Police initially accused me of setting the fire but that collapsed when I proved I was 500 miles away when the arson took place. There was no insurance coverage so I just lost a house I figured was worth less than $40k. I was screwed. Then I wasn’t screwed. Come tax time I asked my accountant how the loss of the house would get figured in. The account took values from similar 1840s farmhouses that had been sold and came up with a paper loss of more than 10 times what I thought the house was worth. I won’t pay taxes for a LONG time. The arsonist that I thought hurt me actually made me richer.
I’m pretty sure the arsonist was either one of my siblings, or someone they hired. I’m absolutely sure they were doubly pissed when the word got back to them that they made me richer!
When I was living with a girlfriend, her mother came from another city, to visit us for 9 days. But we still had to work 3 days of that week. OMG. The chaos. She could not sit still, she cleaned everything. She sorted our fridge, rearranged every cupboard. She put our toaster that we used everyday behind the slow cooker, that we used once a month. It took us a month to find the cork screw.
The drinking glasses were in the cupboard furthest from the sink, but closest to the fridge. We drank tap water, she put a pitcher of water in the fridge for us.
She rearranged our furniture so that it suited her better.
Some things, like washing our windows were appreciated, but we weren’t slobs, and she drove us up the wall with her constant movements. She constantly told us better ways to do things, and that the cars we drove, were not the best vehicles for us, that we needed to search for better jobs.
We had to drive her back to her city, and on the way, we told her that we loved her, but she wouldn’t be able to stay with us for more than a weekend, if she ever did that again.
She said that all she wanted was to help us, which made her feel loved and needed.
We said that advice should only be given when asked for, or if once or twice a year, she saw something that we should really know about.
She was heartbroken, she was upset that we didn’t appreciate all the work that she had done to make our lives better.
My girlfriend asked her, how much she appreciated her (girlfriends) grandmother coming and rearranging the house, and telling her what she was doing wrong.
The MIL said that was different because Granny was out of date and didn’t know how things should be done.
Then she abruptly shut up. Unfortunately my girlfriend and I broke up before her next visit, but I suspect that we cured her, of her habit.
Both of my parents were functional alcoholics. My father worked 50ish hours in a kitchen for decades while ma was general manager of a restaurant for over a decade. They did this while drinking a 30 pack of beer and eventually adding a 1.75 bottle of rum that didn’t last more than 2 nights. They spent more then 3 grand a month on alcohol and cigarettes on an income of about 50–60k (I’m not 100% sure but these were estimates my papa figured out since he knew their general income and expenses and also the price of alcohol and cigarettes back then).
My father was a drunk for decades until being arrested and sent to prison for abuse and assault. He later died of liver failure almost 20 years later. Ma never got a traffic ticket, DUI, or any reprimand at work even though she was always hungover and or still drunk while working. She managed to be functional for years and eventually severely limit her alcohol intake after my father was arrested. That is until the night she was babysitting my twins so I could pick up a shift. I came home after work to her passed out drunk on the couch and my infant son dead in the tub. She couldn’t wait until after his bath to start or continue drinking, and my son paid for it. After 4 years in prison she stayed sober and maintained her sobriety for about a decade before she died. That was her way of apologizing for Patrick’s death and making amends, though it will never undo her actions.
That’s what is wrong with being a functional addict. You can be fine for decades but it’s almost guaranteed that they won’t stop until they’re dead or do something that will force them to stop.
Yes. My wife and I wanted to try out a new place in town that had just opened up. We were in our early 50s at the time.
We asked if we could sit in the bar area that looked fun. The hostess said they had one table for us.. and escorted us to an area in the back corner of the place which was populated with elderly people and families with small children. It was evident they wanted the young happening crowd up front.
We weren’t happy but still wanted to give the place a try so we sat down and waited.. and waited. No wait staff ever approached our table! We tried to flag down a waitress and she ignored us. At the 20 minute mark we got up and left. Nobody noticed!
We drove down the road and tried another place. We were cheerfully seated at the bar. Service was excellent. 12 years later we still go there once a week. Just think about the tens of thousands the first restaurant has lost!
I can answer as to the small-town American shopping experience of the late 1980s-early 1990s.
There’s a great youtube series called “Dead Malls,” where a guy walks around giant indoor malls that are closed or barely hanging on.
When I was a kid, those malls were very much alive, and that’s where we did all of our non-grocery shopping. They had big anchor department stores at the ends of every major wing, plants and fountains in the walkways, plenty of seating areas, a food court, an arcade, and dozens of other shops. Families would go there as a group, then split up and go their separate ways to do their shopping. Boys like me usually ended up at the arcade. Men like my father usually ended up getting a drink and sitting in one of the sitting areas to “people watch.”
They all had a small bookstore, too.
And a small toy store.
And a music store where you could listen to music before buying it on cassette or, if you were rich, CD.
And one or two hair salons. Sometimes one specifically for children.
The better malls also had movie theaters in them.
And dine-in restaurants separate from the cafeteria-like food court.
And mall walkers… old people who did laps around the inside of the mall as exercise.
And, around Christmas, they’d have a Santa in the middle of the mall, for picture-taking purposes.
My mother was a manager of a shoe store in the local mall in my hometown for a while there when I was a kid. Of about 40 stores in that mall, 5 of them were shoe stores.
Parents would often drop their pre-teens off at the mall to “hang out” with their friends for a while. You couldn’t go to the mall in the evening without running into someone you knew from school.
There are a few malls like this that still do good business in the Chicago area. I go to one called Northbrook Court about twice per year, mostly because that’s where the Lego store is. But every time I go there, it gets a little more depressing, as every time there are fewer and fewer other people there.
Outdoor malls seem to be doing better these days, around here at least. The one near me recently became pet-friendly, so people can walk their dogs there, too, and hopefully spend some money.
Wal-Mart and Target were the beginning of the end of the mall in my hometown. Amazon was the final nail in the coffin.
Now that small hometown mall, like many others, has been converted to other uses. They have just a few big stores in them, like hobby or sporting goods stores, and their entrances are to the parking lot, not to the interior of the mall. Basically, they’ve been converted into strip malls.
Sadly, I have a lot of experience in this matter. But, it is not what you think.
There are many companies that operate inside of China, and it is so easy and cheap to set up if you are Chinese. So, Point 1, if you see a company inside of China, run by Chinese, it is probably a real company.
Point 2. There are many companies that operate inside of China that are not Chinese. These are known as WOFE’s. These are “Wholly owned foreign enterprises”. The entire ownership is by foreigners, and no Chinese are involved except as workers on a payroll. Again, these are not too expensive or difficult to set up. But they are severely monitored, and they do require a Chinese presence. (In other words, you cannot have a WOFE located inside of Australia.)
Point 3. Most of the already established major foreign corporations that operate within China are legacy companies. They were established before the WOFE program came into being, and are joint-ventures of one form or the other.
Point 4. There are many non-Chinese that pretend to be Chinese companies to swindle you. Many operate in the UK, Africa, and India. They pretend to be a Chinese company, and try numerous methods to extract information or monies from you. The Chinese consulates have access to a very lengthy list of these operations, and individuals and are on Interpol.
So, how do you know if you are dealing with a real company or something else?
There are numerous things you can do and watch out for.
[1] No Passport scan. Do not provide a scan of your passport for any reason to a stranger on the internet. One of the on-going scams is for the “company” to send you a scan pretending to be this person or that person. Do not send yours in response, and certainly do not get involved in any contracts requiring one.
[2] Face to face. Most scams involve e-mail. If you suggest a zoom meeting or some other video conference, and they call you instead, it’s a “red flag”, it’s that you need to see who you are dealing with. And you need to record the interaction. The chances are that the image on the passport will not match the voice at the end of the phone or the video on the screen. For instance, a UK passport showing a white male, and the voice on the phone has a very deep Indian accent with Delhi inflections.
[3] Factory / Office Visit. You need to meet the people in their offices or factory. While you are there, you must perform a professional audit. You not be taken back by a shiny tall office building, or a ratty back-woods hovel. You have to see the facilities and realize that they are real.
And yeah, you can employ investigators, and sleuth the internet. But really [1] be cautious and keep your personal information safe. Then, the best thing to do is [2] talk with people in person one-on-one using video conferencing, then, [3] set up a factory visit.
This last point requires that the factory apply for a Chinese legal document with company stamp / chop for the invitation. This is a very important step. You will use the invitation to obtain your visa to enter China. This step is very important, as it gets the Chinese police involved in-case anything goes wrong. As well, as you will not get a visa if the document is forged.
Summary
There are many, many companies inside of China, and all of legitimate, but the problem really is two-fold…
Is this a real Chinese company, or some scam-artist out of the UK or India trying to steal from me?
And if it is real, will they be able to meet my expectations.
I hope that this answer is helpful to you, and helps you accomplish your objectives.
x-86’s fate is chained to Microsoft’s Windows, although ARM is making inroads.
Loongson or Longxin makes RISC-based CPUs, with independent IP that’s not licensed from third parties.
This excludes Longxin from the Windows eco-system. It runs primarily on Linux, which is open-source.
Which is fine, because the first world hasn’t developed great Chinese software options that are competitive with mainland ones.
To add context, there are no Chinese IME (Input Method Editor) from the west that come close to being usable. Yes, Microsoft Pinyin/Swiftkeys/Gboard for Chinese input is lipstick on pigs next to mainland options.
China will grow its own eco-system, adapting Linux as the native OS. Eventually, Longxin will have access to advanced nodes, and offer competitive chips at far lower prices across the performance spectrum. This will drive the adoption of Longxin-powered laptops/desktops, which is already turning up in offices today.
This will reduce the market share of Windows/Mac, but they will still enjoy eco-system protection, unless geopolitics gets in the way.
Check back in another 5 years, especially in the content creator realm. AI and fusion computing will drive huge changes.
Typically within the Chinese Communist Party, a Leader who gives such a commitment must stand by it
A Leader who says in TEN YEARS, something will happen and if he is unable to deliver – he is relegated to handling food deliveries and preparing inventory for the rest of his life
In India, it’s forgotten in 10 seconds
That’s the difference between the Two Countries
The Reason China is a Great Power, that terrifies the socks out of the West is because in China, The People in Power don’t talk when they don’t mean it
In 2011, a Man made a speech that in a decade China would achieve Aerospace Independence. This was after the Wolf Act
image 251
He was Xi Jingping
He delivered his promise
By 2021, China was using BEIDOU for their Global Navigation entirely and their Aerospace Industry was Indigenous and the Chinese had landed on the Moon and Mars and plenty more
image 249
Ren Zhengfei made a commitment for solving his Chip crisis in ten years, in 2018
In five years, he launched a phone with entirely Indigenous Chips and Modems and other unique aspects
Five years!!!!!
Now I don’t want to embarrass Rajiv Chandrashekhar here
We have seen enough DRDO miracle drugs and enough Ventilators and Test Kits and enough Scientific marvels talked about with zero achievement
The Man is a fool and is embarrassing the country in front of anyone who knows the Semiconductor Business
The fact that he talks of dominating an Industry that China with twenty four years and $ 1 Trillion has just achieved maybe 80% parity with the West , in a decade
With what exactly?
Ten years is barely a single generation
That’s 2034
That means the Average Generation of Workforce to be a Median 31 years would have to be born in 2003
This means graduates of 2020 -2022
The Covid Batches!!!!!!!
Most of them CSE graduates
Most of them Graduates of Tier 3 Colleges with very little actual education
Even if we start today after a full syllabus, that still means Students who are 12 and that means Students born in 2013 at the earliest
This means at the Median Age for Workforce of 31, that’s 2044
Thats MINIMUM
So with all the luck in the world, with the 2013 generation having an median IQ North of 125–130 and with every reform possible – it would take 20 years to develop a workforce equivalent to what the Chinese have today
Thats so much Optimism that the chance of Virat Kohli picking up Eight wickets in an innings is higher
And RC talks of 10 years
Is he stupid?
Is he delusional?
Or is he just being INDIAN? Talking without any implications
When persuading somebody, use their name in the middle of the request, especially if they’re not very close to you. This is an amazing trick. It works because people feel the need to be acknowledged. Once they are, they will be way more unlikely to be disagreeable with you.
Touching the shoulder. That’s the same reasoning as before, but more bold. Also, more effective if it works. It’s all about proximity and acknowledgment.
When you want to convince somebody else, if you nod your head some times while talking, that person will be more likely to accept what you’re saying as true.
When you’re saying something that is very serious, look straight into their eyes and don’t look away (but blink, the idea is not to look like a psychopath).
Complement somebody about how impressive is what they are doing for you. This is the oldest trick in the world, except if you ask a question. People love to talk about themselves. Asking about how they learned to do that keeps them bragging while you get your stuff done 🙂
This is one of my favorites. When Obama was debating Mitt Romney, there’s this moment when Romney brings up Obama’s pension. While he’s doing this, Obama ignores him, smiles and forces Romney to repeat the question several times. This is an amazing domination technique – it made Romney seem like he was begging for attention.
Another one about dominance, if you start talking to somebody, get them engaged and then in the middle ask for his or her name again, as if you forgot. It puts people very uncomfortable around you, but keep in mind this might be not so cool if you don’t do it naturally.
This one is to screw someone else in an argument. When somebody finishes talking, don’t answer. They are probably going to keep talking to fill the silence, which will make them look like they are not in control of the conversion.
My dad went against what everyone else around him suggested, thought, and told him directly to do. He followed his gut.
My dad was an elder in our congregation. A woman and her husband went to him along with other elders for marital counseling.
After the couple met with the elders a few times, Dad felt like the woman and her two sons were in danger from her abusive husband. The other elders did not, they advised her to try harder and work things out.
When he knew the husband was gone, my dad showed up at the woman’s house, surprising her. He told her to hurry, get her sons, pack some things quickly and to remain calm.
She said she instinctively knew what he was doing, he was saving her and her boys. With no questions, she followed his directions. Within 20 minutes they were walking out the door together.
Dad took her and her boys to a shelter. He gave her money. He told her he felt she she wasn’t safe with her husband, and he felt the boys were in danger too.
After the boys were away from their dad they felt safe enough to tell their mom their horrible secret. Their father had been abusing them. Police were notified and after an arrest and trial, the father was convicted and sentenced to prison.
My father never told a soul what he did. I only found out about what my dad did years later. I ran into the woman who my dad helped. She became a second mother to me and her sons were, and still are, like brothers. She told me what my dad had done and that it saved her life. It saved her two boys too. My dad was the only one in the world who believed her. The one and only person that decided to do something. She said he was her hero.
My dad died when I was 15. At a very broken 18 was when I heard her story. I guess it was part of my dad’s story too. This new insight into my father brought me great comfort. I always struggled with whether dad would be proud of me or not. After hearing that, I knew and still know in my heart no matter what, dad would’ve heard me and listened to me. He would’ve believed me and I know he would be proud of me.
I was in Tennessee schools from grade 6–11… I never actually graduated.
I had reached the conclusion that Tennessee schools (Nashville specifically) were, at best, sub-par long before this incident, but this was the moment that I realized that I could not survive another year dealing with the total idiocy.
I was at Glencliff HS in 1985. I was in my English class and was the only white student AND the only male student. The “teacher” was a black woman that was only 5 years older than me and chose to teach the class in “Ebonics”. Yes, that was a thing.
Her choice to teach in Ebonics made the class hard for me to deal with, since I couldn’t understand 90% of what she was saying. She also chose to totally ignore me, even going so far as to refuse to properly grade my classwork, just giving me a default C grade regardless of the quality of my work.
The final straw, the absolute last thing I could tolerate, was when one of the girls in the class randomly asked “Teach, what be’s the longest word in the English langidge?”
Now, there is debate on which word can be considered the “longest”, depending on if you are looking for the longest word PERIOD or the longest word that could be commonly known. For the latter it is Antidisestablishmentarianism.
That is the word the teacher chose to write on the board…. misspelled.
That broke me. I stood up, walked to the board, erased what she wrote and wrote it correctly. I then told her that she was a “goddamned idiot that shouldn’t be teaching earthworms to dig through dirt” and walked out. I had intended to just go to the library and await the punishment I was sure would follow, but when I reached the front doors of the school I walked out, and kept walking until I got home. I never went back. I got my GED and a college degree instead.
Chicken Kiev
The chicken is pounded thin, rolled with a filling of seasoned butter, breaded and then either deep-fried or baked.
chicken kiev
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
4 large whole chicken breasts, split, skinned, de-boned
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon thyme or marjoram
All-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fine bread crumbs
Salt
Instructions
Pound breasts thin between plastic bags, keeping the smooth side of breast down.
Mix next 4 ingredients. Shape into 8 elongated oval pieces and freeze.
Wrap chicken completely around butter and dip each chicken piece into flour.
Next dip into eggs and finally coat with bread crumbs.
Fry in hot oil (375 degrees F) for 10 to 12 minutes or bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
Drain on paper towels. Salt after cooking. Chicken will keep in a 200 degrees F oven if placed, uncovered, on a metal tray.
They victimize themselves — whenever they fail to perform they will become the victim. “I can’t repay your favor. Don’t you know how severe my life situation is?”
They will villainize you — along with becoming a victim they will make you the villain. “How inhuman are you to put a burden on me during this time?”
They are pathological liars — they will lie about small stuff like meeting a celebrity or false accomplishments. And will continue to lie on it even when they are exposed.
They pretend to be good — they will boast about their big-heart with a smile while their actions are always opposite. They appear helpful without ever helping anyone.
They will take your credit — when you are being praised for your work, they shift that praise onto themselves.“Oh, yes I gave him this brilliant idea”
They will label you inferior — they will label themselves superior and you, inferior. They will make you feel debted that a high-quality person is spending time with someone like you.
They gaslight you — when you call out on their manipulative behavior, they will label you emotionally unstable. They will make you doubt your sanity.
They undermine your problems — when you list them your problems and ask for support, they inflate and list their problems. “I know it’s hard without money. I was turned down my raise recently”
They will step-over you — in order to save their social image, they will destroy yours. When they are made fun of, they will shift social attention by making fun of you.
You know there are a number of things that I miss from the “states that are particularly difficult to come by here in China. Not to bash China, but these things are rare, or completely heard of, outside of the mega-cities.
Milk Shakes. I had one at McDonald’s in Shenzhen back in 2013. Right before they stopped carrying it for lack of popularity.
Fresh sesame or onion bagels with cream cheese.
Cheese-It crackers.
Goldfish crackers… any flavor.
Crusty hard rolls.
A full turkey with stuffing.
Cold cuts (with the exception of prepackaged hams).
Grandmother “butter chips” pickles.
Pretzel sticks
Not that I am complaining. You see, there are tradeoffs. Sure, I might not have some of those processed snack foods, but there are so many food alternatives that are tastier, and better for me to eat here, that I am not bothered by it at all.
But still…
Having a butterscotch milk shake and ten tacos would be a nice treat every now and again.
It is common to see a row of tires placed next to military camp dormitories in Taiwan. What do you think is the purpose of placing tires next to military barracks dormitories?
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You won’t guess what the tires are for! Well let me tell you, they put these tires in to prevent Taiwanese soldiers from committing suicide.
Taiwanese soldiers are not only physically fragile, but also psychologically fragile. They are simply unable to face the bloody battlefield.
Because Taiwan’s military leaders are worried about accidents happening to soldiers during training, they are unable to explain to their families and public opinion. They can only keep lowering training standards and being accommodating, causing the physical condition of Taiwanese soldiers to get worse and worse, becoming outright “hothouse strawberries.”
Just imagine, if the PLA occupied Taiwan by force, when the sharp sirens sounded in the Taiwan military camp, how many Taiwanese soldiers who had hurriedly escaped would fall from the heights of their dormitories.
Before conducting ground operations, the PLA will definitely carry out targeted bombing of Taiwan’s airports, ports, and military camps to completely destroy the resistance of Taiwan’s navy and air force.
Multiple legions of the PLA landed on Taiwan Island, established headquarters, and began to enter the city. The so-called Taiwan Army’s special forces soldiers are probably still queuing up to receive their guns.
Basically all the generals of the People’s Liberation Army participated in the 1979 Sino-Vietnam conflict. On the Syrian battlefield, the PLA central theater and western theater dispatched multiple divisions to participate in actual combat training against “ISIS”. But in Taiwan, only General Xu Linong, who is over 100 years old, has participated in actual combat, and the new generation has never been on the battlefield.
This is the real Taiwanese military and will make you feel a sense of absurdity.
I did not witness it, but the crime was so pointless and stupid that I still cannot wrap my head around it.
A good friend of mine has been a police officer since leaving the military in the late 90’s. He has no shortage of stories of dumb things people do on bad days. This one sticks out to me as particularly pointless.
As a new recruit, he and his training officer responded to a low-priority call about a tractor-trailer idling in a residential area. It was a cold night and the driver was probably trying to heat the sleeping compartment. Maybe contrary to a noise or anti-pollution bylaw, but about as mundane as it comes.
They walk up. The supervisor raps on the cab door and yells to shut off the truck. No response. Bangs harder. Yells louder. Then from inside the truck a muffled answer: “F*** Off!”
Seriously?? They bang again, tell the guy to move his truck or shut it off. “F*** Off!”
They look at each other in disbelief. They weren’t there to arrest him. All he had to do was shut off the truck. Then start up again 5 minutes after they leave. Or just drive away. Instead, he’s swearing at 2 police officers.
The driver is shaking off the sleep and is getting more aggressive. The officers can’t walk away, but (probably) can’t force entry either. A standoff. A pointless standoff.
Then the driver throws the door open and jumps them. They try to restrain and subdue him. But this guy is strong. And mad.
The two officers should have been able to gain control quickly. My friend was not experienced yet, but he was big, well-trained, and had been an amateur kick-boxer before serving in the infantry. But he could not believe how brutal the fight was
It took everything out of them, but of course they get him down. Solid as he was, the truck driver could not win that fight. And now they could search the vehicle. Drugs. Well past the threshold for personal possession. Enough drugs that they are presumed to be for the purpose of distribution.
Drugs that never would have been found if he had just shut off the damn truck.
For the life of me, I do not know how that man’s brain operated. So easy to avoid trouble. So many reasons to avoid trouble. Instead he attacks two police officers and sends himself to jail for a long, long time.
** Edit **
Might be worth pointing out that my friend has never described any encounter as a “dumb thing” done on a bad day. Those were my words, not his. He has seen a lot of bad things, a lot of people at their very worst. But he does not trivialize anyone’s experience and feels it is his place to keep the peace, not to judge. In other words, a far better man than I could ever be.
Shrimp Arancine
Shrimp Arancine (Arancini) is a wonderful Sicilian street food.
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Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Shrimp Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1/3 pound shelled shrimp, finely diced
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup cream
1/4 cup minced parsley
Rice
1 1/2 cups rice
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano cheese
2 eggs
Breading and Frying
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Bread crumbs
All-purpose flour
Oil for frying
Instructions
Shrimp Filling
Melt butter and sauté the shallot until it begins to wilt. Stir in the shrimp, cook for a minute more, and stir in the cream. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, continue cooking it over a brisk flame until it has become fairly thick, and stir in the minced parsley. Then remove the pan from the fire and let the filling cool.
Rice
While you’re cooking the filling, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add the rice and the curry powder. Drain the rice when it’s still a little al dente and mix the butter and cheese into it while it’s still hot, then lightly beat the eggs and stir them in also.
Breading and Frying
When everything else is ready, lightly beat the eggs and season them with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Make the first arancine by taking two small handsful of rice and shaping them into hollow balls. Fill the hollows with shrimp filling, and mold the two halves together to obtain a smooth-sided rice ball about the size of a small orange (1.5 to 2 inches in diameter). Roll the arancine in flour, dredge it in the beaten egg, roll it well in the breadcrumbs, and fry it in deep hot oil. While it’s cooking begin with the next, and when it has become a golden brown, drain it on absorbent paper.
When you have finished frying the arancini, heat them through in the oven for five minutes, decorate them with orange leaves if desired, and serve them hot.
It’s the Christmas of 1916, and you are a 24-year-old sentry on his duty outside your platoon’s camp in Lithuania.
It’s in the middle of the night and it’s hard to keep your eyes open, it’s cold, miserable, and windy.
You are dreaming about how good it would be to be back home, sitting in front of a fireplace, eating that Bienenstich prepared by your wife.
But all of a sudden you hear a noise coming from the bushes, “What was that?”, you ask yourself when suddenly of your buddies screams, “Achtung!”
This wasn’t an isolated incident, it happened throughout the forests of Lithuania, modern-day Poland, and Belarus.
Wolves back then used to roam the vast expanses of Eastern Europe more freely than they do today, food was in plenty and life was good.
Then the war broke out and that wasn’t the case anymore, the hunting grounds of these wolves were disturbed as their prey was slaughtered for food by both the armies, or was killed during a battle.
The first of these attacks happened in Poland in 1915 when a bunch of wolves started to migrate towards urban areas due to a lack of food and started to attack cattle.
By late 1916, things got extreme as there was no more food left (even cattle), and as their hunger overpowered their fear of humans, they started to attack unsuspecting sentries in the middle of the night, feeding on dead and wounded soldiers in the middle of the battle and sometimes ambushing convoys.
Neither the Russians nor the Germans had the patience to deal with those canines and would turn on packs of wolves and boy would the wolves be coming in hot.
If the regular infantry stopped attacking each other, then that was a sign taken by everyone including snipers, mortarmen, artillery spotters, etc, who too would stop and start assisting the infantrymen in gunning down the incoming wolves by spotting them but the wolves would just keep on coming like one of those video games where the enemy seems to have infinite respawns.
In one incident, several hundreds of wolves (around 300) were killed with no humans dead and only a few wounded but still, this was not enough to dissuade the wolves who would continue these attacks well into 1918 after which they abruptly ceased, however, some places, mainly in Belarus would continue to have a problem with wolves up until early 1919 but these too would stop once their prey in that region was available again.
I was on a solo trip then. I booked a bike tour in Berlin and we were told that we’d be leaving in 10 minutes so if we wanted to go to the restroom we ought to do it now. I was falling in line with other tourmates to the only restroom in the shop and for some reason, a group of American teenagers took notice of a small bike displayed in the shop. One said, “Who would ride that?!” then she noticed me, and their group burst into laughter. I acted like I didn’t hear it and moved on.
For context, I look like a typical Asian, with a height an inch below 5 feet, a child-like face, and a petite build. At that time I was on a trip for a Polish conference and was spending a few days in Berlin to tour around. I was 30 years old then.
Indeed, the “adult” bike was too big for me and the tour guide fetched me a smaller one before we took off.
During the tour, I was asking a few history questions to the tour guide and after a while into the conversation (I talked to him during our free time), I caught a glimpse of the girl and her group’s faces.
She/They looked astonished that I was conversing with the guide in straight English. Which means, I understood every word of their little chatter back at the shop.
My gramps bought a “Dirty Harry” .44 magnum in the mid-70s. My Dad brought it over a couple of years ago to store in my gun safe. Shortly after, I took it to a local indoor range to try it out with a buddy of mine. How could we not?
We both got 40″x24″ paper targets and hung them at the max distance (50 feet+).
image 229
We held the .44 Magnum one-handed, just like Harry Callahan, and gave it a try.
image 14
We each shot 6 shots in fairly rapid succession, pausing only long enough to re-acquire the target. I hit the paper a grand total of one time. He hit the paper twice. Neither of us hit the actual target on the paper.
Granted our ‘test’ wasn’t controlled or really all that fair because we were just having fun with it. But we’re both pretty good shots and we both expected to hit the target a couple of times.
We both had perfectly good targets so we tried again with some of our more comfortably shooting pistols and we both did much better.
In comparison, my semi-custom 1911 in .45 ACP and my Ruger Vaqueros in .357 are both a LOT easier to shoot than that .44 Magnum. And, of course, my 9mm is even easier.
That said, for home defense my favorite pistol is still a shotgun.
The discard happens emotionally before physically.
Here’s how it plays out.
Their replies to you via text or voice are short, non engaging, kinda ‘fed up’ bored vibe to them and they will keep you on unread and take waaaaaay longer in replying back to you.
They stop asking anything or everything about you and what is going on in your life. They never ask about the doctor follow up appointment, or “how’s your day?” They have zero interest and if you do by chance have the opportunity in holding the ‘talking stick’ they are looking out the window as you communicate or switch the topic mid your sentence. You are simply not there and not important in their mind.
You will notice they are doing more single things – that invite, party, event.. they could only get one ticket too.. and its not their fault you are not on the guest list now is it?
Their interest changes in things they talk about doing – almost like it is someone else talking about these things – they will go on and on about a bike ride they will achieve, or a long hike at a place that is all of a sudden a new interest for them to visit. But you know it is coming straight from the mouth of someone else.
They will wait for you to blow your top on something said or done and they will use this as the exit door for silent treatments/ghosting or discards to be able to blame you for being nuts and then run off into the hills to play.
They will put you down more, scorn on your self improvement, thoughts or plans. Generally undermine and underpin any positive action or talk off by being dismissive or remind you that you are and will not be able to achieve any of what you talk off.
They will give nothing away. The breadcrumbs you once hung on to will become sparce, nada, nothing and you will feel inside that dreaded anxious panic feeling that you know something ain’t right and your egg shell walking will turn into marathon running across hot coals to try to please them.
You will doubt yourself more and more and more.
The discard is a process, even though it may seem like a brutal ending at first when you look back you can see the lead up clear as day. It might happen over days, months years and if you have been through the cycle a few times by now, you can set your grand fathers watch to it.
They are self serving creatures and highly predictable once you know the narc code. They are game set match and you realize they are more reliable than an egg timer.
Funny little fuckers aren’t they.
Chicken or Veal Scallopini
2024 02 17 08 31
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breasts or veal cutlets (cut thin)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup pure olive oil
Instructions
Pound chicken or veal gently between wax paper ( 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick for veal and 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick for chicken).
In a shallow bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and garlic powder. Pour 1/2 cup olive oil in another shallow bowl.
Dip each chicken or veal piece into olive oil and let excess drip. Press meat into bread crumb mixture, coating well and set aside until all meat is breaded.
In a heavy nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat and sauté until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels and serve with pasta and red sauce.
This was a dude I had dated for some months. First mistake I made was agreeing to start a relationship while trying to finish college. Needless to say I was too busy to pay attention to this guy’s immaturity and lack of personality. Soon after I graduated, the red flags became glaring; his disrespect was consistent and intentional. He refused to show up to my graduation, choosing instead to go hang out with his boys. After that incident I decided to remove myself from the relationship and observe things for a while before making the final decision to completely walk away.
It didn’t take long for him to help me make up my mind. A mutual friend got married so we attended (separately). At the reception I had gone to sit by myself in the hotel lobby when he and one of his friends joined me. They made small talk and whatnot while I did my best to be polite. Then a family passed by, they had a neuro-divergent child around 7 or 8 years old. You could tell from his mannerisms ; soon as he saw my green velvet dress, he wanted to stroke it to his mother’s horror and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I told mom it was okay. I let him touch my dress, gave him a smile and when he was ready, he left. Soon as mom and son left, my ex started laughing and saying, “Autism! Hahahaha”, “Autism!”, “Autism!Hahaha”.
Both his friend and I sat stone-faced, looking at him while he made fun of a child with a condition he had no control over. I was so shocked, my usual retorts, wisecracks and one-liners left me.
That was the day I decided I was not going back to that donkey 🫏. This was 2007. I’ve been married 13 years now, dude is pushing 50 and is still single and childless (and no he’s not single by choice.) I guess no one really cares to stay and do life with a gaping a$$h0le.
It shouldn’t have happened, and no one was blameless.
Mid 1970s, Los Angeles, California. Management decided to hire outside experts to help adjust management and staff attitudes to increase productivity and decrease staff turnovers.
The experts decided that promoting ‘We are a family’ would accomplish company goals. Everyone was expected to attend 2 interoffice workshops a month in which we were encouraged to be ‘like family’ with each other, to share, to become close. A company picnic, a games day and a mid-year party were scheduled (on weekends). Families were invited.
Betty, a longtime, close-to-retirement employee, shook her head and called it ‘nonsense.’
Gary, a top salesman, was friendly, always ready with a little joke and very well liked. He was a pudgy teddy bear, married with five children, living in a two-bedroom home. His wife was a sweetheart, a full-time mom and Gary’s biggest fan.
In the spirit of ‘family,’ Gary shared that his wife had had three miscarriages and had been warned that if she became pregnant again, her chances of living were 30%.
When Gary later proudly announced that his wife was pregnant again, the female staff became incensed, and for days, trouble brewed.
Rita, a tough, direct, three-times-married, 40-year-old who worked closest with Gary chose herself to represent his company ‘sisters’ to confront him.
Betty warned that this ‘family’ intervention would all go wrong. She, like an all-knowing grandmother, was so right.
Gary’s office was glass on three sides, with a wall and window at his back. Anyone could look in, and when Rita strode into his office, many of the female staff took full advantage and stood in groups nearby. Gary, of course, could see this, but had no idea what was going on.
Rita began berating a stunned, deeply reddening Gary. We couldn’t hear clearly, but their faces and gestures told an angry story.
After a bit, Gary ordered Rita out, and she left, slamming his office door so strongly that it was like an explosion, rattling the other glass offices. She disappeared, swearing, into the Ladies’ Room, with friends.
Gary sat for less than a minute, then stood and swept everything off of his desk in several moves. He did the same to files, pictures and mementos on the credenza behind him. He slammed an upper cabinet door over and over, pulled everything out and then tugged one of the cabinet doors off. He dumped his desk drawers on the floor and kicked over the chairs.
As his final act, he heaved a potted plant against his office’s front glass. It cracked but didn’t shatter.
In the spirit of family, Gary (like a favorite son) was told to take a week of vacation time to ‘feel better.’ Rita (treated as a black-sheep, troublemaker) was chastised and threatened with reprisals (no raises, promotions) until 60% of her ‘sisters’ quietly threatened a mass ‘sick out.’
We all received a memo which lengthily described professional office behavior, and the word ‘family’ was glaringly absent. The workshops were discontinued, and the experts never seen again.
Betty harumphed a “I told you so.”
Note: Gary came back and acted as though nothing had happened. Rita moved to another department, and they never spoke to each other again.
Gary’s wife had a near-fatal miscarriage a short time later and had a life-saving hysterectomy.
I’VE BEEN ROBBED. REASON PEOPLE ARE QUITTING YOUTUBE.
At the age of 57 the company I worked for announced they were closing our division. I knew because of my age I might have difficulties finding another job. I decided to keep a positive attitude.
I also started putting together a list of the things I had done at other organizations. Things like problems I had solved, cost reductions with suppliers and operational improvements. The type of things that I could bring to another organization. The other thing I did is I reached out to my professional contacts. Within two weeks I had a list of around 20 companies that were looking to fill a position in my field. I then sent out resumes making sure each was tailored to the needs of that company.
About a week later I had 9 interviews. From those 9 initial interviews I ended up with 4 job offers. From finding out in early February that I was out of a job, to starting a new job in early May. I went into the interviews with a good attitude, used my many years of experience as a positive and focused on what I could do for their organization.
Being out of work at 45 is not the end of the world, but rather a chance to write a new chapter in your life’s story.
There’s a very wealthy guy who lives not too far from me in St. Louis. I interviewed him once for my publication and we had several other meetings. He’s got to be worth a few hundred million, but I’ve never seen him dressed in anything but jeans and a flannel shirt, even on the rare occasions when he spoke on panels at local events.
He’s a very down-to-earth guy who made his initial money trading grain, then made even more money in real estate. He owned a mill and a river terminal at one point. His house is nice and probably worth more than a million, but it’s just a house—it’s by no means a McMansion or anything. I’ve never been in it but it’s on a private street just around the corner from the same supermarket where I shop.
He became briefly notorious in my hometown when the city put up a bunch of vacant buildings and lots for sale in the late 1990s. He bought up a bunch of them, turned around and sold them to developers, making something like a $10 million profit in 24 hours. There was an outcry in the papers and a phony “investigation” that didn’t amount to anything because the only thing it revealed was that the city was stupid and he was smart. The city should have been able to make those deals itself.
Like F. Scott Fitzgerald said, the very rich are different from you and me.
PEOPLE ARE DEAD BROKE! Credit Debt and Delinquencies EXPLODING!
What as a cop, is the assignment that would make you want to quit your job?
That’s an easy one. Internal Affairs! I did this job for six long years and wanted to quit almost every day. I will make my case:
You get to investigate people who you have worked side by side with for many years.
You have to be objective in your investigations which is not what fellow officers are expecting.
You get to sustain charges and recommend discipline to the chief. The chief then decides to hammer the officer with a more severe penalty, and you get to deliver the bad news as if it was your idea.
You must get in the middle of officers domestic disputes, going to their homes and interviewing their wives. Talk about being popular.
When an officer isn’t cutting it or screws up badly, you get to take their gun, ID, and shield. I have a couple of officers who never got over that moment.
You have officers who genuinely blame you for the discipline that they brought on themselves by doing dumb things.
You have officers investigating you on their off time trying to find something they can use as leverage or payback.
Everyone tiptoes around you and tries disingenuously to get and stay on your good side. Then they trash you as soon as you retire because you’re no longer a threat.
You get to take your fellow officers to court and testify against them.
You get to conduct confrontational interrogations with fellow officers.
You get accused by the public of covering up police corruption, while at the same time being accused of being a headhunter by your fellow officers.
Once you’re in Internal Affairs for more than a couple years, there is no path out except retirement.
An officer can do a lousy job at IA and never find any wrong-doing and remain popular. This to me is allowing and condoning police misconduct. However, if you conduct your investigations fairly and without blinders, you will be universally disliked.
If someone is trying to make you decide in a hurry, they are probably giving you a bad deal. Walk away.
If you want to make someone feel uncomfortable, look at their forehead when you’re talking to them.
Sometimes pretending that you are naive gets you more information.
If you want to avoid office politics, say good things about coworkers behind their backs.
Physical contact makes you more likely to say yes to a request.
When a group of people laugh, they tend to look at the person they like the most.
Nervousness and excitement have the same body reaction, so if you’re nervous for a speech, instead convince yourself you’re excited. Its proven to give better speeches, too.
Ask for something that seems small, but is related, to what you really want. Then, once they’ve agreed to the small thing, just work up with slightly larger requests until you’ve achieved the desired outcome.
BRAINWASHED College Student Gets SHUT DOWN By Michael Knowles
One frosty evening, as the clock struck 10, there came a mighty bang on my iron gate. Intrigued, I ventured forth to find a young lass standing there, fashionably dressed but sorely lacking in winter wear. Bald as a baby’s bottom with a black cloth wrapped around her noggin, she wore a look of utter befuddlement.
“Can I come in?” she implored. I ushered her onto the porch, where the whole family soon gathered, eager to unravel the mystery.
She spun a yarn about being a long-lost classmate of my nephew, whom she hadn’t seen since dinosaurs roamed the earth but somehow remembered his name.
Her tale took a wild turn as she divulged a family saga involving terrorism, sounding more like a B-movie plot than anything from the real world.
My nephew, blissfully oblivious in his far-off land, confirmed her identity as a former classmate from their days of yore, though he knew zilch about her current escapades. We were all left scratching our heads.
Sensing her screws might be a bit loose, I nixed the idea of summoning the cops and instead rang up the school, where I had a few favors to call in.
Like detectives on a sugar rush, they rifled through ancient files, unearthing her home address and digits.
Her father materialized at our doorstep, frantic from hours of searching. He spilled the beans about her battles with the blues and thanked us profusely for our help.
But the million-dollar question remained: How did she know my address and my nephew’s name?
Living in a cozy small town where everybody knows everybody else’s business, we later found out that the girl had always been a few crayons short of a full box, even back in her school days. Turns out, her story was more twisted than a pretzel in a cyclone.
Don’t smoke cigarettes, like ever. Don’t get caught up in drugs. Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol for the duration of your life. If you let that get out of control, it can damage your heart and arteries in ways that will catch up to you later.
Sure, there are people out there who just do whatever they flipping want and live to 100, but it’s far, far less common for them to live that long.
See a doctor on a regular basis. Stay active and on your feet and exercise regularly.
Another thing that’s rarely mentioned, maintain positive relationships with people. Human connections are critical for happiness and longevity. No man is an island.
Not me but an old friend. This was back in the pre-internet days and in more innocent times.
He created a company called something like “Big Dildos Ltd”.
He then had some mail order catalogues printed, the content of which was relatively discrete but adult-themed – sexy lingerie, battery operated “massage devices”, etc.
The catalogues were delivered to lots of addresses in mostly middle-classes neighbourhoods.
When he received an order, along with a cheque, he would bank the cheque and sit on the money for a few weeks – thereby earning interest on money received.
After a few weeks, he would send a letter to tell the customer he was out of stock for that item and not expecting any more stock, along with a cheque to refund the money.
But here is the real “loophole”. The cheque he sent to return the money had the company name clearly printed on it.
Turns out that many/ the majority of people who placed these orders were too embarrassed to deposit that cheque into their own accounts.
Because he was refunding the money and he always kept a few items listed in the catalogue in stock (at home and generally for personal use between him and his wife), he wasn’t doing anything illegal.
A genius plan that clearly wouldn’t work these days because people can order what they want from the internet, people are far less concerned about anyone knowing that they own such “personal” items and things would all be done by credit card or bank transfer.
When I taught at a private school in a wealthy suburb of Chicago, several of my middle school-aged students were the children of wealthy parents. They were (mostly) very nice, courteous, and studious students. The only thing that shocked me was how oblivious some of them were as to how wealthy and privileged they really were. Like:
The boy who liked to write about his weekend trips with his parents. There were trips around the country during normal weekends, and international trips during long weekends. His father was an executive at Boeing, and I guess traveling was free or cheap to them, so this kid saw more of the world by the time he was 12 than most people see in their entire lives.
The girl who sometimes mentioned that her “dad’s truck had his name on it.” What she failed to mention was that it wasn’t just one truck, but a fleet of delivery trucks for her father’s high-end deli meat business. She thought this was a normal thing… for your family’s name to be on trucks throughout the midwest.
The girl who would spend 3–4 hours after school most days training as a competitive swimmer. Her coach was a former Olympic medal winner. The student seemed really bored by the whole sport, but she ended up getting a full college scholarship and becoming the captain of her college swim team because of it.
The girl whose grandfather purchased brand new MacBooks and charging carts for the school, some 150 MacBooks, total. I was told that he was on the school board, and they were talking about tech for the school, and when the Mac sales rep came to speak with them, he did most of the talking, negotiated the price, and paid for it all himself. He made his fortune owning some sort of electronics retail business before he retired.
But these kids were all ages 11–14 when I taught them. They were always nice enough to me, but if they were snobby with their peers, I never saw it. I just remember, as a broke 30-year-old new teacher at the time, being continually shocked by how oblivious some of those students were as to how lucky they were.
Not so much weird as sad. I had one little girl in my class who had just joined us from another school where she had been having problems. When she came to us she was very withdrawn and shy. So I sat her next to, and encouraged a friendship with, another child, a little boy who was delightful but a little loud and very gregarious. The pair complemented each other beautifully and I kept a close eye on them. Within a week or so they were inseparable, it was a way of getting two birds with one stone, since my loud and sometimes a little too enthusiastic boy benefited from the calming influence of the girl, while she was included in all the games, etc, he was and they were soon BFFs.
However, the sad part was that one day, when we were having a quiet time after lunch (they were all very young and Special Needs, so usually about half the class would nap and the other half I’d read to) the little girl confided in me that she loved me, because I was nicer to her than her last teacher in her other school. I was intrigued and gently questioned her, without making a big deal of it, just having a quiet conversation. From what she told me, this other teacher was a horrible bully and had told her repeatedly that she was “a bad student”. I felt a lot of anger at this; this little girl was a lovely kid but it was clear she’d taken the other teacher’s words deeply to heart.
I spent the rest of that school year helping to bolster her self-confidence. This was a few years ago, she has since gone on to high school and I see her and her family now and then. She is still a lovely young girl and I’m glad I helped her in however small a way. Oh, and her BFF is now her boyfriend!
One evening in 1980 the doorbell rang, which seldom happened at our exurban home. I knew my brother was working on his car in the driveway, so this was strange.
I answered it to see a 60+ year old man, a woman of the same age peeking behind him, and my brother standing 10 feet back grinning like a fool.
“May I speak to Mr. Norman (last name)?” he said in a foreign accent, mispronouncing the last name. I called my dad to the door, and the man said, “Hello. I am your cousin Herbert from Germany.”
Dad was a little dumbfounded, and my brother giggling made him wonder if it was a prank. “I don’t think I have a cousin Herbert.”
The man pulled out his wallet and produced my dad’s confirmation portrait, taken when he was 13 years old. Forty-two years earlier. “Is this you?”
A long-lost cousin from the Old Country!
An instant friendship was forged that night. Herbert was grateful to hear that we pronounced our name as he did, he figured we’d Americanized it (hence the mispronunciation), but was glad to find we hadn’t.
We learned that after WWII, he and his mother received some kind of postwar donations from my great-aunts. “They saved our lives, we would have starved to death.” He still had the certificates from the donation program.
He was amazed my dad spoke excellent German with a ‘Pomeranian’ accent, knowing Dad had been born in the US, 35 years after the family arrived here in 1890. But my dad, surrounded by a family of immigrants, had spoken only German until he went to school. And when we had him try our homemade sauerkraut, he said, “It’s just like I remember my parents making!”
Ninety years after the family moved an ocean away, two old guys found themselves with so much in common it was like finding a brother, right on our doorstep.
Breaking! Outrage when no one stood for The Super Bowl! ”The Black National Anthem”
The US should leave the Chinese alone. The more the US tries to derail China the more hurts the Americans are going to get
The tariff for China products ended up pretty badly, most cost are paid by the American users themselves.
The US government hope to isolate China ended up them getting isolated now.
The US ban on semiconductors sale to China ended up the American semiconductor industry losing 16 billions every year.
The US ban on China’s participation in its space program ended well for the Chinese, they have their own space technology with as many countries participants. The latest news on this one is, the US coerced the European countries not to participate, which shows us that the US is not a democratic Republic.
The US ban on China’s trade , the embargos on technology ended up badly for the US because the Chinese has other trading partners, by and by America could be isolated into a corner.
I can go further but I would stop here.
In conclusion the US government is not smart.
Now , some questions for people:
What are we going to do about the terrorists attack on the Nordstrom pipeline; the foreign led insurgents in HK, Tibet , Syria and Xinjiang, the torture of Eurasian prisoners in Guantanamo, the torturing and the killing of civilians in Iraq , Afghanistan, the bombing of Iraq where no WMD was found, the killing of 7 nuclear scientists of a Sovereign State, the stealing of gold and oil from Iraq, and oil from Syria , etc?
CAN they? Absolutely! SHOULD they? Depends on the circumstances.
Last time I went to the ER was about 10 or so years ago. I had a high pulse rate, jaw hurt, dizziness, and pain radiating down my arm after an afternoon of shoveling snow. All signs of a heart attack.
They ran a bunch of tests that all came back normal. The doc walked in and flung a piece of paper at me. “You’re fine. While it may seem better safe than sorry, you’ve wasted everyone’s time tonight. Your blood tests, EKG, and everything else looks fine. The only thing that appears wrong is the Xray shows a slight issue in your neck. You’ve got a pinched nerve which is causing your arm pain. That obviously made you nervous, causing your heart rate to go up. You need to just go home, take a Xanax, and go to sleep. Next time, think before coming in. You’re not even 40 and worrying about a heart attack!” Then, he left to tell the nurse. We could hear him talking to her, “Send him home. There’s nothing we can do for him when we have others waiting with more important issues.”
I told my regular doc what happened. “Yeah, he’s like that. He’s great at what he does, but can’t seem to grasp the humanity side of things.”
There was also the time when an ER doc was rude and called out on it by my GI. I was newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and was having a flare. High fever, bleeding, everything. I had pooped so much there was nothing left when they wanted me to give a sample to see what the problem was. “You’re just constipated. We’ll give you something to help with that.” When I told him that I had UC, he said, “What do you know about it? You’re not showing any signs other than “a wittle tummy ache” (in a condescending tone).” My GI had walked in just as that was being said and told the ER doc, “He’s got UC. I’ll take over now.” ER doc said, “What would you know about it, intern?” My GI said, “I’ve been practicing for almost 30 years. Look my name up in the directory and you’ll see I’m head of gastroenterology here. I suggest you let me tend to my patient now.” ER doc scampered off somewhere and I never saw him again.
His father is quite old and therefore ,a little weak too. While eating, food occasionally fell on his shirt and pants. The other guests watched the old man with their faces contorted in disgust,but his son remained calm.After they both finished eating,the son quietly helped his father and took him to the toilet. Cleaned food scraps from his crampled face and attempted to wash food stains on his clothes, graciously combed his gray hair and finally put on his glasses.
As they left the restroom, a deep silence reigned in the restaurant. The son paid their bill but just before they leave, a man, also old, got up and ask the old man’s son , “Don’t you think you left something here?”
The young man replied “I did not
leave anything.”
Then the stranger said to him,”You left a lesson here for every son and a hope for every father.”
The whole restaurant was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop!
One of the greatest honours that exist ,is being able to take care of those who have taken care of us too.Our parents and all those elders who sacrificed their lives with all their time, money and effort for us, deserve our utmost respect .
You know that feeling when you’re going down a flight of stairs and you miss one?
That was the way I felt when I shook hands with another attendee at a martial arts workshop I went to many years ago- like I was suddenly falling and disoriented and scared. The second I took his hand, that feeling hit me, and I nearly felt sick.
This guy wasn’t exactly intimidating- he was actually kind of nerdy and awkward-looking. I couldn’t figure out why he made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but I felt awful whenever he was nearby.
I was so uncomfortable that at the end of the workshop, I went to my biggest, strongest looking buddy and asked him if he’d walk me home. I felt stupid for being scared, so I didn’t tell him why- I just made up some excuse. He said he would, and I told him to meet me at the exit to the women’s locker room, at the back of the building.
When I left the locker room, I found the guy waiting for me- sort of poking his head around the corner of the building and staring at me. When I locked eyes with him, he stepped out of the shadows and into my path. He didn’t say a word- he just marched toward me, unblinking. At that exact moment, my buddy came around the other side of the building and shouted a hello. I looked over to him, and then back at the guy in front of me- who was now running away.
As my friend reached the place where I was standing, he looked over my shoulder and said, “Did that guy just SNARL at me?! What’s HIS problem?”
I told him that I thought I had just dodged a bullet and that drinks were on me.
Caught Wife Cheating, So I Drained Millions From Our Accounts, Got A New Identity & Left The Country
I am 14, I work in my father’s office in summers and recently a very talkative girl was hired. She was introduced to us and after a few hours I went out to a restaurant for lunch.
I sat down after ordering and saw the new girl come in. She noticed me after she found her own table, right across mine. We didn’t talk or greet each other. She got a call from whom I assume is her best friend. She was talking very loudly in English, about how the office was.
“They see everything I do! I can’t even pick my nose without them noticing!” she exclaimed.
And I was resisting laughing, thinking: “Ironic…”
And she talked about who she didn’t like in the office, things that offended her etc.
“The boss’s daughter is staring right at me, creepy girl…” She said.
And she waved at me.
Later that day she asked me what work I do in an office like this. I said that I did English translations. Her face went pale that moment.
A welding story
image 228
A customer asked me how much it cost to do this job….
I answered him: $ 1500
He said: So expensive for this job?
I asked: How much do you think it would cost you?
He answers me: $ 800 maximum… That’s a pretty simple job right? !”
– For $ 800 I invite you to do it yourself.
– But…. I don’t know how to.
– For $800 I’ll teach you how to. So besides saving you $700, you’ll get the knowledge for the next time you want
– It seemed right to him and he agreed.
– But to get started: you need tools: A welder, grinder, chop saw, drill press, welding hood, gloves etc…
– But I don’t have all these equipment and I can’t buy all of these for one job.
– Well then for another $300 more I’ll rent my stuff to you so you can do it.
– Okay, he says.
– Okay! Tuesday I’m waiting for you to start doing this work
– But I can’t on Tuesday I only have time today.
– I’m sorry, but I’m only available Tuesday to teach you and lend you my stuff. Other days are busy with other customers.
– Okay! That means I’m going to have to sacrifice my Tuesday, give up my tasks.
– I forgot. To do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the nonproductive factors.
– That is? What is this?”
– Bureaucratic, tax, vat, security, insurance, fuel etc.
– Oh no!… But to accomplish these tasks, I’m going to spend more money and waste a lot of time!
– Do you have them? You can do it to me before?”
– Okay!
– I’ll make you all the material you need. Truck loading is done Monday evening or Tuesday morning you’ll have to come by 6 loading the truck. Don’t forget to be on time to avoid traffic jams and be on time
– At 6??? Nope! Too early for me! I used to getting up later.
…
– You know, I’ve been thinking. Y ‘ all better get the job done. I’d rather pay you the $1500. If I had to, it wouldn’t be perfect and it would cost me a lot more.
When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used, but also:
– Knowledge
– Experience
– Study
– Tools
– Services
– Time to go
– punctuality
– Accountability
– Professionalism
– Accuracy
– Guaranteed
– Patents
– Sacrifices
– Safety and security
– Payment of tax obligations
No one can denigrate other people’s work by judging prices.
Only by knowing all the elements necessary for the production of a certain work can you estimate the actual cost.
Actual conversation at the local gas station convenience store:
Me with a coffee refill in my cup: “Just a refill.”
Clerk: “That will be $1.58.”
Me: “Your sign says $1.00 cups of coffee today.”
Clerk: “That’s not a cup; it’s a refill.”
Me: “But it’s a cup of coffee.”
Clerk: “No, it’s a refill because it’s not in our cup.”
Me: “So if I bring this back in your cup, it’s $1.00.”
Clerk: “Yes”
Me: No one else in line, so I step over to the coffee area and get one of their cups. At the counter, in front of her, I dump the coffee out of my cup and into theirs. “Okay, I have a cup of coffee.”
Clerk: “That will be $1.00.”
Is Gen Z Aging Rapidly ?
https://youtu.be/TYJH5gFRU5E
Why do people let themselves go when they get older?
Before I worked in medicine, I wondered the same thing. I didn’t mean it in an unkind way, but I wanted to know how to avoid this seemingly unavoidable dilemma of aging. What I found out from the hundreds of patients I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with, is that when life gives you lemons, very few can make lemonade. I generally hear the same things from patients. The two I hear the most, “Don’t get old!” and “These aren’t the golden years.” Anyway…
Off the top of my head, I’ll give you several reasons why people “seem” to let themselves go as they age. I realize there are exceptions to all my examples, but I’m giving you general anecdotal observations that you may not be aware of:
Accidents. Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, job accidents, violent crime (stabbing, punching, gunshots), falling down stairs, etc. Accidents that cause injury almost always leave residual long term pain. The lucky ones don’t have the chronic pain until they are older. If someone has a back injury, several things could have gone wrong. Herniated discs, scar tissue, arthritis, bone spurs, spinal stenosis… and that’s just the back injury. Chronic pain and immobility that stems from injuries can be debilitating later in life. I’ve seen very fit people slowly put on weight over a few years after an injury, because they just could not keep up their exercise regimen.
Less Energy. This seems like a cop out. I didn’t believe it until my own energy levels started declining after 37 yrs old. As you get older, intense activities tire you out far quicker and you need more sleep. It’s more than just mind over matter. So even a life time exerciser starts to slow down as she gets older. It’s nearly impossible to keep up the intensity. This leads me to food intake…
Eating style hasn’t changed with aging. So this is a big one that gets the aging into trouble. I think this one can be somewhat controlled if a person is mindful. Generally speaking, you don’t need to eat as much the older you get. The reasons are many, but one is that you’re not as active (maybe because of #1 and #2). Less energy + more pain + less activity = less calorie intake. At least it should equal less calorie intake. This takes me to…
An older body doesn’t take out the trash as efficiently. As a person gets older, their body just doesn’t handle unhealthy eating and hard living (cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol, etc) as efficiently. Ideally, people should clean up their diets once they hit middle age, but this time of life is incredibly hectic. Healthy living becomes ever more challenging…. it’s not really laziness, it’s exhaustion (see #2). Losing weight and/or staying in shape really is harder with age.
Illness and declining health. Cancer treatments, prolonged Prednisone usage, Congestive heart failure, medications for chronic pain like fibromyalgia (actually a lot of medications can cause unexplained weight gain), Lymphedema, Diabetes, thyroid conditions…. the list goes on. If you saw someone at the grocery store with one of these conditions and you didn’t know it, you would think they were “letting themselves go.”
Hormones. This is more for the women, but men can easily gain weight from declining hormone production too. Women really get a raw deal though. Menopause is not kind. For many women, weight gain is unavoidable. If the weight doesn’t get her in the beginning it might after the “change.” The change in hormone (estrogen mainly) levels changes how the female body uses or stores fat. It’s a common enough problem that scientists seem to be working tirelessly to figure out how to help women stop weight gain during and after menopause.
Other priorities. I do see some elderly women (rarely men) who are still overly obsessed with their weight (I think this is more the Baby Boomer generation). But more commonly, as one ages their priorities shift. Yeah, they may not like being overweight, but “getting in shape” or getting “lean and cut” just isn’t that big of a deal anymore, especially when they have to work so much harder to achieve those results.
Again, these are just some reasons for age related weight gain or not taking care of oneself, that I encounter on a daily basis while working with the middle aged and elderly population.
Since I love to exercise so much, I can’t imagine not continuing to do so into my elderly years. Yet I don’t know what life has in store for me. I haven’t lived with debilitating pain or lymphedema, so I try not to judge.
Braised Veal Shanks, Milan Style (Osso Buco)
2024 02 17 08 3c2
Ingredients
Veal
4 pounds veal or beef shanks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Gremolada (optional)
Gremolada
2 tablespoons snipped parsley
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Instructions
Trim excess fat from veal shanks if necessary. Coat veal with flour. Cook veal in oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Drain fat.
Add remaining ingredients except Gremolada. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until veal is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
It happened in a case of mine a good while back. I was appointed to represent a white supremacist/neo-Nazi kind of guy on a perjury charge (under oath he denied remembering anything about a stabbing he had witnessed (white guy stabbed a black guy), an incident that he seemed to have remembered clearly an hour before he was called to testify, or so the evidence showed). It was a tough case, and he was a difficult client.
The trial lasted a week and, to no one’s surprise, he was found guilty (the only surprise was that it took four hours for the jury to reach a verdict). At sentencing, he predictably went off on a tear about white people being race traitors, and such.
The judge could have given him up to 30 months in prison but only gave him 18. At which point the client reinvigorated his rant, pointed at the judge and said “I know where you work and I will come find you when I get out.” He turned to the DA and pointed at her and said the same thing. At that point he was flailing his arms around, and the two large courtroom deputies (they used to be called “bailiffs”) hurried up to restrain him — I had the common sense to get out of their very large way — at which point, his honor said: “you know, I must be getting old. I see here in my written order that I was actually intending to impose 30 months, and I must have mistakenly been thinking about someone else when I spoke. . . So 30 months it is.” (or words to very much that same effect).
The client started to try to flail more vigorously; two additional very large deputies somehow materialized (they will do that) and the four of them hoisted him up and carried him feet first out of the courtroom, as he shouted loudly, with spittle, at the ceiling. The judge, afterwards, observed that he could only have given him 6 months additional for the contempt. He seemed satisfied.
(Disclaimer — this trial was about thirty-five years ago. With the passage of that much time the fine details of exactly what was said may vary from telling to telling.).
Epilogue: The client got out of prison and the only serious trouble he got into afterward was a DUII and, then, feloniously driving with a suspended operator’s license a couple times. And then he died. The prosecutor became a judge, and she’s now retired. The trial judge is long retired but still with us.
My first real job was as a morning biscuit maker at McDonald’s in the summer when I was 16 (over 20 years ago now). I recall a lot of corner-cutting when it came to the official food prep rules.
For example, once food was cooked, it went into a warming bin. Each bin had a timer on it, and once that timer went off, you were supposed to toss the food. We only used those timers if a health inspector showed up, or the “big boss” was there. Other than that, we just ignored the timers and kept everything in the warming bins until sold.
Also, you were only supposed to crack open eggs as needed, and keep them refrigerated otherwise. We often just cracked open several dozen into a large container, and kept that on the counter next to the grill for a few hours, dipping into it with a ladle as needed when someone wanted scrambled eggs. It saved time and hassle that way.
When we switched from breakfast to lunch, back when McDonald’s did that, the cooked but unsold breakfast food was supposed to be thrown away. Often, it would all be thrown into a different, clean garbage bag, and when someone took out the garbage, that bag would end up in that person’s back seat and the leftovers became their meals for a few days.
Most of my coworkers were also high schoolers. When one of our friends came through the drive thru, they’d order and pay for something small, and we’d hand them bags of food. I think the boss, who was a woman in her 20s, did this for her friends too.
Back in the mid-90’s, McDonald’s would sometimes do these 29-cent cheeseburger days as a promotion. It would have been fine, except they didn’t put limits on how many people could order, so we’d have multiple orders of 50+ cheeseburgers as people stocked up on them. We were in a lower-class small town, so people always stocked up on food when there was a good deal. We couldn’t possibly follow the rules and keep up with the orders when they came in that fast, so we broke a lot of rules, including cooking burger patties on the egg grill (a big no-no, apparently), and cooking hundreds of burgers ahead of time and just microwaving them before we served them.
Oh my goodness! Isn’t that the biggest dilemma??? Especially if your stomach growls…
When my daughter was about 4, we had some very close friends who used to invite us to dinner. They were the most generous and kind people you could ever meet.
However, everyone’s plate would get exactly the same portion. I sausage, 2 pieces of broccoli, 2 little carrot sticks and a small portion of mashed potato. The kids would get about half that.
The first time it happened, my daughter came and whispered to me that she was still hungry. I told her it was okay, we’ll probably have dessert. When no dessert arrived, and it was time to go, my daughter’s stomach rumbled as she got in the car and her little friend said quite loudly, “your tummy is talking, saying you want more food!”
I looked at my daughter, dreading what the answer might be, but she just looked at everyone and said, “it’s actually saying thank you for dinner.”
Everyone laughed and in that moment I could never have been prouder of my little girl and her display of tact and good manners.
We got take away on the way home and every other time after visiting these people, as the same meal was served each time over a number of years. They were just not big eaters.
For my daughter and I, It became a beautiful ritual to have take away afterwords, and we always looked forward to going to their place for dinner.
To answer your question – eat before or eat after visiting, but always be appreciative that someone took the time to think of you and invite you over. Say thank you and leave it at that!
She has grown up still tactful, well mannered and ALWAYS hungry!
When I was young my sister and I were playing in the back yard and our neighbor was out on his screen porch and was playing with himself. I had no idea what he was doing and wasn’t freaked out just curious. I asked my mother about it and she said, “don’t worry about it son, it isn’t important.” And, she was right, shortly after I rarely saw him ever again. When he saw me or my sister he would literally turn around and walk away. I never thought about it again.
My mother died about 50 years later and my uncle who often lived with us (WW2 vet with a drinking problem) got very ill about 10 years later. We talked and he told me what he was leaving to me (not much – but I loved the man and would never say that to him) and one of the items was a revolver. He told me, “I used to loan this to your mom when your dad was on the road (he was a truck driver). This is the gun she pistol whipped your neighbor with.”
“What”, I said.
“Oh, you didn’t know? She borrowed this pistol and went to your neighbor’s house and beat him with it. She told him that if she saw him looking at or near her kids she was going to kill him next time.”
“Seriously?”, I said
“Like a heart attack. I took the bullets out so she wouldn’t kill him”, he laughed, “she didn’t know that till later and chewed me out.”
“Why didn’t she tell dad?”
“She said somebody had to take care of the kids if she went to jail.”
The US is not “competing” with China because it doesn’t have the capability and confidence to compete.
Instead, the US is trying to “kneecap” China in Tonya Harding style. It’s using tactics like:
propaganda warfare — telling lies about genocide, concentration camps, oppression, etc.
political interference — using the CIA to foment color revolution in Hong Kong and Xinjiang
commercial obstruction — banning Huawei, SMIC, WeChat, etc.
military intimidation — operating two supercarrier strike groups off the coast of China; arming Taiwan and Japan; inviting British and German warships into SCS; Quad pact; AUKUS pact and giving nuclear subs to Australia
personal legal intimidation — arresting Meng Wanzhou on trumped-up charges in the same way Alstom executive Frederic Pierucci was arrested in 2013
The US is behaving like a dinosaur in its final death throes as its world is coming to an end.
Veal Rolls, Roman Style (Saltimbocca alla Romana)
2024 02 17 14 52
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless veal round steak, 1/2 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 thin slices prosciutto or fully cooked smoked or boiled ham
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Marsala or other dry white wine
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions
Trim excess fat from veal; pound veal until 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle one side of veal with sage and pepper; cut into 6 pieces, 4 or 5 inches square.
Place ham slice on seasoned side of each piece veal. Roll up; secure with wooden picks.
Heat butter and oil in 10-inch skillet until hot. Cook veal rolls over high heat until brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place rolls in single layer in ungreased 10 x 6-inch baking dish.
Stir flour into drippings in skillet; stir in wine, water and salt, if desired. Heat to boiling; pour over rolls.
Cover and bake at 325 degrees F until tender, 35 minutes.
Oh boy….this was fun. Several years ago, when my son was just shy of 2 YO, he was considered a lap child by an unnamed airline, even though we had bought him a ticket as he was too big to be on a lap for 6 hrs. As such, we could not do the online check in, since they needed to verify he was a lap child….repeat…..he had a full fare ticket. Show up at the airport and check in, but not seats together…..you selected seats during the online check in. So ticket agent say to go to gate agent, gate agent says to check with stewardess, and stewardess says she cant help and we need to sit in our assigned seats. CLASSIC pass the buck.
Now that dear reader was a poor choice of words. You see my 2 YO was assigned a single middle seat about 15 rows away from the other three of us. So I showed up at the seat, and motioned to the gentleman in the aisle that I had the middle seat. He got up and I strapped my son in and give him his DVD player and snacks. I looked at the other passengers near my child and said “ I am in in seat 32 C if he needs anything” and proceeded to go to the back of the plane.
Funny story. We were all seated together very quickly after that. Amazing how following the rules works!!
When I was living in Erie, I went shopping with my roommates. We went grocery shopping, which was something we did about once a month.
One of my ‘mates was this big burly man named Mark. He was a silly guy. Drank Pepsi cola like no one else alive. Perhaps twelve bottles a day. It was his way of coping as he distanced himself away from his drug abusing past.
A coping mechanism. I get it.
Well, as I checked out and had the groceries, Mark was no-where to be found.
We looked and looked, until he finally came out one hour later.
He strolled up to the car.
We asked “where the fuck were you?”
And he said “I don’t want to talk about it”.
But, later on he did.
It turned out that he was drinking a Pepsi in the store, and instead of taking the empty bottle to the checkout counter, he placed it on a shelf. And it was caught on the CC television video system, and the store detective nabbed him.
As he was on parole, this could have gone very badly for him. But… life is strange. It turned out that the store detective was a classmate of his, and after the mandatory beat-down, they warmed up and kicked-back and shared memories and stories.
Life is sometimes like that.
I am sure that Mark has since thought long and hard about this kind of “store grazing” behavior. I like to think that he is a better person for it. Ah I hope.
As I review my life, I am constantly amazed at how many times coincidences seem to intertwine the threads of our lives together.
Not quite a garage sale. A good friend, “ George” was a coin collecter, who noticed a small ad in the local News paper. “ selling late husbands coin collection – make an offer.” With nothing else to do that day he called and went to see the lady. He started to poke through and told her he need a bit of time, but he found 3 coins he wanted, for himself. He said to the lady I will buy these three right now, on the condition that if anyone else calls you tell them the “ entire collection is sold “ she said but you are only buying 3 coins what about the rest, what do I do. He said “ I will sell them for you, please give me a chance” She reluctlently agreed. He paid $300 cash each for the coins he picked out. He saw that the lady was not to well off and had lost her husband. He sat down and selected 10 coins, wrote down what they were and description, and said he would sell them for her. He was in touch with her every day, and about 10 days later, he went to see her and told her he was able to get a decent price for 3 of the coins he left with. he handed her $8000.00. and confirmed he would sell all of the coins that she had. She said as she was going through her late husbands things she had found other coins. She really had no interest in the coins and said they had taken up so much of her husbands time away from her. George told her that her husband loved her more then she knew. In about one year, he had sold off the entire collection of coins for just over $450,000.00 A few of the gold coins he told her to keep for herself.
My wife loves a deal. If they offered a free toaster with an Aston Martin, I might be driving my dream car.
So we were on vacation in Athens and she pulled off a haggling master stroke – a bag, a dress, and a speedo (hey, it was Europe) and got them to knock a few hundred euro off the price. All she said was, “is this the best price you can do?”
And this was at Dolce & Gabbana!
So, while on a business trip in Venice, I decided to pick two things up for my wife:
A dress and a deal.
At Prada!
I found the perfect dress. Something she definitely wouldn’t buy herself, but would look great on her. It was pricey, but I had my ace in my sleeve. My all-purpose Euro retail haggling pass.
The saleswoman approached me. I explained that I wanted the dress. She was pleased with my selection.
And then I did it.
I whipped out my haggling secret weapon, with Blue Steel swagger, and an expectant attitude.
“Is this the best price you can do?”
She paused and just stared at me.
I’m thinking, haha… didn’t see that one coming did you?
She keeps staring. She wrinkles her brow, like she’s computing the speech in her head.
Now I’m getting worried.
Then, she has a moment of clarity.
“Oh, are you trying to negotiate?”
She’s says it like I’m some 9 year old kid who just asked his 24 year old babysitter to be his girlfriend.
Me: (trying to stay cool) “Well… um, yeah…. You know. If there is any room for…..”
Her: (interrupting but sincere) “We don’t negotiate at Prada.”
Ordered 4 new bras from an online shop, ended up receiving 32 new bras, none of which were the color I had ordered.
The receipt in the box was tallied for 8 bras with a note that they’d been running a promo the day I ordered that they were buy 1 get 1 free. I don’t even want to fathom how 8 turned into 32, but when I called the company to get a return label the gal informed me that the bra sale had actually been buy 1 get 2 free, which should have only been 12 bras, not 32, and who the heck gives away 2 forty dollar bras?
Got transferred to a different representative and was informed that the bras I was trying to return where non-returnable since they’d actually been discontinued and were now “on clearance” neither of them had addressed the issue that the bras I received were the wrong color (right size at least)
I was transferred yet again (gotta love “that’s not my job” employment opportunities) where I was quickly informed that they would send out the bras in the right color.
Fast forward a few days and I received 12 of the right size, right color bras. They had honored the buy 1 get 2 free sale apparently. I also received 8 additional bras in colors I hadn’t even known were available in my size as a “consolation prize” for my troubles.
So, 52 bras for the price of 4 at forty dollars each. I haven’t had to special order bras in years…
I’ve worked in software engineering for 20 years. I come from a no-name college in India, and my grades weren’t stellar. SO, getting into top tier companies was hard for me. Over 20 years, I’ve worked my way up, and I’m in Amazon now. On the way, I have worked in all kinds of companies: startups, mid sized companies, large multi nationals; and in all kinds of industries: consumer goods, healthcare, finance, education
First of all, Companies are tiered in terms of the skill levels of their engineers. They pretend not to be. Everyone claims that they hire the smartest engineers. WHat they mean is that they hire the smartest engineers that they can get. There is a definite differrence in Engineers working in FAANG companies (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google), I’ve seen all kinds of engineers
Here’s the kicker. The biggest difference isn’t in the quality of the code that they write. FAANG engineers, on the whole, write as buggy code as engineers in decent companies.
The biggest differentiator is Communication. When I was in mid-tier companies, I was constantly finding myself explaining and re-explaining things in great detail. In fact, I would say that at most companies at mid-tier level, your success as an engineer depends on being able to drive people in the right direction by communicating to them.
There are 3 kind of people in tech. There are a) arguers:- people who will fight every point of view that isn’t their own, b) receivers: people who will try their best to understand what you are saying c) analyzers: people who start thinking critically while you are talking to them. Arguers are toxic. Receivers are good but slow. Analyzers are good and fast. In mid tier companies, you are more likely to find Arguers and Receivers, whereas in top-tier companies, you are more likely to find Receivers and Analyzers.
To be a successful tech company, you need to get in as many Analyzers as you can. Because these are the people who generate ideas. These are the people you give 2 and 2 and they figure out how to make 8. Not only that, with ANalyzers, you have to spend less time getting the team on the same page. Less miscommunication = Less rework = shorter turnaround = lower time to market = win.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying communication is bad. Communication is good. You need to make sure everyone understands what needs to be done. Communication is essential. All I’m saying is that in top tier companies, communication is lot more efficient. It’s like getting onto a highway. You are just going faster.
Not me, but my ex-wife, and I didn’t witness it. She told me about it several years after the fact.
My ex and I are both blind. As in without sight. One of the things you have to understand about blind people is probably something obvious. To wit, we don’t drive. We can’t. Has never happened and ain’t gunna ever happen; no, not ever. Another thing you have to understand about blind people is that sometimes sighted people will ask the stupidest questions or do the dumbest things. Usually this happens when we’re just walking along, minding our own business. One day this happened to her.
I can’t remember what she was doing at the time, but she was walking along, doing whatever errand she had to do, when this group of women happened to come upon her. One of them was obviously drunk.
“So,” said the drunk woman, “you’re blind, right?”
“Yes,” she said.
“So, um, like, how do you drive?”
My ex, who walks with a cane because she’s obviously blind, said:
“Well, I have two canes. When I drive, I keep one cane out the right window, and another out my left window. That way when I bump into something, I know when and how to turn.”
“Really?” said this other woman. “That’s amazing!” And she went on and on for some time about what an amazing feat this was,, while the other people she was with were laughing and calling her an idiot, which she so obviously was.
Probably convincing others that this is a good look. It isn’t — your lips look like a baboon’s anus swelling to indicate it’s ready for mating. I’ve never in my whole life met a single person, male or female, who appreciates this aesthetic. And yet I keep seeing it, with increasing frequency.
image 172
This weird bimbo-style… the heavy makeup… the facial fillers… and those God-awful inflated lips. Shudder. It’s horrific. So painful on the eyes that it makes one question the existence of the God who supposedly made our species in His image. The fake lashes don’t help, either… I mean why bother changing yourself in a way that isn’t genuine? I get going to the gym, working out or getting a tan, all those yield tangible results. But why alter yourself in ways that a single shower or missed injection could erase?
The weirdest thing people have ever done is invent this made-of-plastic bimbo aesthetic and promote it on social media as something to aspire to… it’s giving women in their twenties the appearance of elderly Hollywood stars in denial of their age. Turns the “girl next door” into whatever-the-hell-happened-to-Madonna. It’s an absolute travesty.
Originally Answered: Who was the most ignorant person you have ever met in America?
This happened many years ago, but it is what came to mind when I read this question…
I was teaching class, and we were discussing the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Students were discussing their various thoughts on the situation.
One student stated, very loudly, “You know what really bothers me? All those people who are shouting and holding up signs…why aren’t they speaking English?”
I explained that it is unreasonable to expect people in a foreign country to protest in another country’s language. She didn’t understand what I meant, and the class was trying to explain to her that Arabic is the language of the people who were protesting.
After a while, I stopped everyone and asked her where she thought “those people” lived. She said, “I don’t know…near Arizona?”
That is when I realized that she thought the the Middle East was next to the American Midwest! I showed her where it is on the map, and she said, “Oh! Things make so much more sense, now!”
The most intrepid drug seeker I have ever seen was Mr. C.
He walked in a very hunched-over posture, leaning on a walker, to elicit sympathy.
We would not even say his name, as that might bring the bad luck of the ER calling to admit him…AGAIN.
If one of my colleagues were to talk about him he would say, “Mr.” and then crook over his index finger.
We all knew who he meant.
This guy was the biggest pathological liar in the universe.
Every time I’d get a call from the ER his story was different.
He was a missionary, a teacher, a policeman, you name it.
His favorite was to tell people he was a former PA or MD.
ER calls….
“I’ve got a 68-year-old former doctor down here. He looks so decrepit that I think he needs nursing home placement.”
Right away, I knew who it was.
He went from hospital to hospital to hospital. I don’t think he had permanent address. Why would he?
“Uh,…I know who it is. He’s not a doctor. He’s a drug seeker.”
“No, Maureen, he’s such a nice guy. You must be thinking of someone else. I think he IS a doc.”
“Go ask him what a CBC is (complete blood count, a common lab test). I’ll hold.”
Off he goes.
“For Pete’s sake, he doesn’t know.”
“Ah…yup. Don’t give him any narcs.”
“OK. But he still needs admission because he has been having recurrent temperatures and can hardly walk.”
“Did you document a temperature?”
“No, he is afebrile.”
”Labs and imaging normal?”
“Yeah.”
“Wanna see him take up his bed and trot, upright, right out of there?”
“Yeah.”
“Tell him that Dr. Boehm will be admitting him. I’ll be happy to evaluate and treat any of his complaints. I won’t be giving any narcotics, however.”
Off he goes.
“Uh, he got up and left AMA.”
“Did he ask for a cab voucher?”
“Yeah.”
“He wants us to pay for his transportation to the next ER.”
Sometimes, I would come in and he had been admitted overnight by some unsuspecting doctor.
His nurse called me.
“Mr. C is very lethargic. He’s becoming hypoxic”.
“How can that be? He’s not getting any controlled substances.”
Well, he sure was.
He had called down to the OR and interrupted a surgery. He told them that he was one of our orthopedic surgeons. He demanded that a message be given to the Ortho PA.
“Why does Mr. C have uncontrolled pain? I want him on a Dilaudid PCA NOW!”
I walk in. Mr. C, not only has a Dilaudid drip running, in one of his groggy little hands he had a bottle of Percocet that he had brought from home. In the other hand, the button to deliver a hefty bolus of Dilaudid to himself.
He was “out” with a mouthful of half-chewed Percocet, the drip just dripping away with a hefty basal dose.
He could have killed himself.
Never have I relished the delivery of Narcan like I did that day.
One little squirt and he was wide awake and pissed that his nice “double” high was ruined.
After that we had to do a complete search of him and his stuff, with security, so he didn’t get away with it again.
I often wonder what happened to Mr. C after the new system was available to track and prevent his overuse of narcotics.
He couldn’t go to five doctors in a month and get narcs from all of them. He couldn’t go ER to ER.
When I was 15 I used to babysit these 2 super lovely Chinese kids every friday and saturday night. It was only ever for 4 hours, 8pm to midnight. The family owned the local fish and chip shop, that also sold Chinese food. Now I never got fed while babysitting, but the parents would pay me my time AND bring me chinese food to eat when I got home. Always asked me what I wanted when I went to the house. The were an awesome family.
Another time my GP asked if I would babysit his kids on new years eve, and stay over night. My mum agreed and he would pay me £50 for it. I got told to eat and drink whatever I wanted, watch whatever I wanted on the tv, and the room they let me sleep in also had a tv. Easiest babysitting job ever! The kids were in bed before I got there at 9pm, I was told to check on them at 10, 11 and midnight which I did. They never woke up, I got to eat junk food all night, and got paid for doing it. I was actually happier about the junk food and tv than the money. At home I wasnt allowed food between meals, junk food was never allowed, and forget about watching anything other than my mums choice of program on the tv.
I was in the military (USAF) and until you reach a certain rank, you are assigned a roommate in your dorm room. I was stationed in Germany in a unit that traveled extensively 300+ days per year. Commonly we would travel 6 months, come back for a week or even a weekend, and then be back on the road. I was assigned a roommate whom I met… He was the typical “computer geek”. Greasy hair, showered infrequently, was a slob, almost never left the room when he was not on the road, and played a lot of the “Oregon Trail” computer game.
Mind you both of us were in the same unit that traveled a lot, but we were on different teams, so we traveled to different places at different times. One time after being gone 6 months in England, I came back to station, and opened the door to my room, only to be gagged by the smell. I set my luggage down in the hall and went to the communal bathroom, wet some paper towels, and covered my nose and mouth area. Then went back into my room to locate and remove the source of the smell.
At first glance everything seemed in order, but the smell was overpowering… I walked over to his side of the room and it got even worse. His bed was raised up on blocks that gave him a couple feet of storage underneath it, and I saw a shirt sleeve sticking out from under the bed. When I lifted up the bedspread, it reeked to high heaven, but all I could see was his dirty clothes. They were stuffed under his bed to the point that it took up all the room in under the bed! I couldn’t imagine that this horrific gagging smell was just his dirty clothes (although they did stink terribly), so I started reaching under there and pulling clothes out a handful at a time…. When I had pulled out about half the clothes, I found the source of the pugnant aroma.
At some point when he was stuffing all his dirty clothes under there, he apparently forgot that he had also put a half a pitcher of OJ under there as well. When he pushed more clothes under there, the pitcher of OJ got pushed back into the middle of the pile of clothes. I had been gone 6 months and come to find out he left the week after I did! That OJ sat in that pitcher in the middle of his stinky clothes for basically 6 months, rotting! It was a solid black and green mass all around the outside with Orange pulp in the middle, and OMG did it stink. I was gagging and running to the outside trash can holding the pitcher behind me to get rid of it once and for all! Once it was gone, I went back to the room. I stuffed all of his dirty clothes into big black garbage bags, zip tied them, and put them back under his bed.
When he got back the following week I was already gone again, but I left a note for him and told him what had happened and what I had had to do! I also told him if I ever come back to something like that again, that I would be turning it in and reporting him to the First Seargent! It neverhappened again. (THANK GOD!!!))
strong independent woman instantly REGRETS their lifestyle
When I was a toddler my father had an affair. The woman started calling our house and tormenting my mother in order to break up the marriage. My mother wasn’t emotionally stable. After a certain time each evening, she knew that her friends and family wouldn’t be calling so late, and when the phone rang my mother would cry, wail and scream. I remember answering the phone myself in an attempt to stop my mother’s over-the-top reaction and at some point learned to leave the phone off the hook but my mother didn’t leave it that way for long. On some level, she liked the drama I guess. This went on for months. I’d have been 3 or 4 when this was happening. It was very traumatic for me because I had no idea what was going on until much later. In my pre-school mind, the threat on the phone had to be very dire and worthy of my drama momma’s reaction. I was absolutely terrified. I’d wake up many nights to answer the phone and cry “please don’t hurt us” into the phone, but she didn’t stop until the divorce was done.
30 years later, my father dies, leaves that woman a penniless widow, which was the result of gross financial mismanagement because he’d had money and didn’t support those of us in his first family (a man could get away with that back then). The one thing she has is a lawsuit for his death. It’s a good case. The payout is potentially large but that’ll take years in court and may never payout as the company responsible will probably go bankrupt. The defendant has offered settlement and would payout quickly but the only requirement is that all of his heirs agree to accept the settlement and agree not to sue separately at a later date.
But I don’t need money and I’ll never sign. I’ve been getting certified letters for years asking for my signature. They’ve threatened to have me arrested (which was clearly a ruse) for refusing, offered me cash to sign, on one occasion her grandson connected with me on social media explaining that she needed a new roof and could I please sign off on the settlement and I ended up blocking his whole family. Last year I got a letter that the county was going to auction her house for non-payment of taxes. She is probably living with one of her kids and collecting social security so not quite homeless but I still feel like I’ve gotten a little revenge.
Many years ago I lived in an inner suburb of Sydney, in a terrace house.
The next door neighbour was an alcoholic bricklayer. Call him Don.
Don had decided to do some extensions, or renovations, and had three pallets of bricks dropped off in front of his place. They partially blocked the footpath and leaned outwards, dangerously overhanging the road.
One of the.pallets was in front of our house. Effectively our parking was blocked and the footpath was hard to negotiate.
The first Saturday they were there I knocked on his door, (interrupting a fight with his wife as he had accidentally lost her car the previous night, as far as I could work out he had parked it near a brothel and could not find it when he staggered out) and offered to help him shift the bricks around the back. He declined and said he would get to them during the week.
A few weeks went by. I offered again to help shift them, and got told to f off. I explained they were dangerous and inconvenient. Got the door slammed in my face.
I complained to the local council, and I suppose they sent him a letter, but the bricks remained.
By this time the bricks had been there about four months. The pallets were deteriorating and the stacks leaning. It was getting more dangerous by the day. It was only a matter of time before they collapsed on a car, a person or the busy road.
I wrote up a couple of large signs “ free bricks, help yourself” and put them on the pile about 6:am on a Saturday morning.
By the time Don surfaced around 11, there was probably half a pallet or so left… which he moved to his back yard.
Without a doubt. Any unfair action by the EU Will be met by an action that U.S. fairer but with a much bigger consequences to EU. Let that be a solemn promise.
Europe will have to suffer a total collapse of the automobile market if it dare to try any shit. Don’t forget that many European cars companies are surviving only due to the Chinese market and consumer. And the reason it still can compete is only due to its production efficiency and capacity of its plants in China!
Years back, I sat in a sombre home where a young man in his 30s died untimely in an accident.
I, along with my family, went there to pay respects.
Sitting on the sofa I was nudged between two middle aged women who were discussing the next course of events.
“I heard Sheela is going to go to her maternal house to stay! How would Usha bear this? First she lost her son and now with the daughter-in-law gone she will lose her grandchildren too.”
“That’s true! I had the same reaction when I heard about it. We must put some sense in Usha and stop her from letting Sheela go.”
When Usha aunty came towards us, these two woman grabbed her and made her sit with them, squeezing me.
They then narrated their opinion on the grieving mother and stopped her from taking a ‘foolish’ decision and going against a tradition where the widow usually stays with the in-laws.
After listening to their valuable advice Usha aunty spoke.
“True, I lost my son. But Sheela has lost her husband too. A person she vowed to spend her old age together. A person who was a loving parent to their children. Sending them away to her parents place will surely make me sad and lonely but it would be a much needed change for Sheela. At this time, she needs her parents the most. If she stays here, this house would remind her of him everyday. At her parents place, she would slowly come back to her usual self soon. I lost my son. I don’t want to lose my daughter because of some tradition.”
The two women were speechless, so was I. I hadn’t thought of it in that way either. Usha aunty left and consoled her daughter-in-law who sat in a corner with a pale and teary face.
That day it was just a conversation I unknowingly was a part of. But today, I think what Usha aunty did was so right.
Thinking about someone else in the event of your child dying, needs immense amount of courage and determination.
Sheela di did recover soon and moved back to her loving mother-in-law’s house and now cares for them as their daughter.
Man went to McDonald’s — which was a treat — for his family’s dinner, and on the way back, was broad-sided in the driver’s door. He’s dead in the driver’s seat and his family’s dinner is all over the front of the car. When he didn’t come back, his 10-year-old son went looking for him on his bicycle and came up on the accident scene. The child climbed into the wrecked car and was hugging his dead father. We weren’t going to stop him, and the fire department stayed longer than they normally would have in case there was any unexpected fire.
Another officer took the child home in his police car and informed the wife of what had happened. Prime example of one of those evenings when a cop skips dinner because he has no appetite.
The driver that hit him was a teenager who had just stolen a tank of gas from the local AM/PM Mini Market, and was being chased by the idiot store manager in his own car. We arrested them both, though that did not make the outcome any better.
The only decent thing that came out of it is that the owner of a local McDonald’s franchise read about it, came in the station and we helped him arrange to pay for an elaborate funeral. The owner insisted we not talk about it publicly; he didn’t want his kind act to look like a PR move. That is class.
J.K. Rowling had just got a divorce, was on government aid, and could barely afford to feed her baby in 1994, just three years before the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, was published. When she was shopping it out, she was so poor she couldn’t afford a computer or even the cost of photocopying the 90,000-word novel, so she manually typed out each version to send to publishers. It was rejected dozens of times until finally Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, gave it a second chance after the CEO’s eight year-old daughter fell in love with it.
Positivity, confidence, and persistence are key in life, so NEVER GIVE UP on yourself.
This Thing Is About To POP: Putin, Biden and The Trainwreck
This was one that I witnessed, but wasn’t a part of.
I was working in the hardware section of a department store, right beside the sports department.
Straightening up/stocking the shelves just near the boundary between the departments, I saw a fellow salesperson talking to a customer with his small son. The child was bored and started to wander around, touching everything he could reach.
After a couple of minutes, the other salesperson saw the child start to try to climb a display of weightlifting equipment. He quickly excused himself and rushed over to the child, not touching him but gently suggesting that the boy not climb on anything and particularly not on the heavy weights.
The father turned around and seeing what was happening was incensed.
“How dare you tell my son what he can and cannot do! Who do you think you are?”
“I was just trying to keep him safe.” said the salesperson. “The weights are heavy and he could hurt himself.”
“Oh really? You have no business disciplining my son. I want to see the manager to complain.” said the father.
By this time, the child, seeing that he was again being ignored, went back to the weight rack and started to climb again.
The father fumed on at the unlucky salesperson.
And just at that moment, the rack of weights, unbalanced by the child fell over on top of him, a couple of weights pinning him to the floor.
He started crying.
The father started ranting about suing the store.
I later heard that he lost because the salesperson had tried to stop the child from climbing and had been forbidden from doing so by the father.
I got a performance review that ripped me up, down and sideways, and was totally unjustified. I refused to sign it and requested a second meeting later that afternoon. I attended that one armed with statistics showing how I had reduced the work ticket backlog on our software library from over 800 to just 2.
Now, a little technical explanation. This was pre-Windows. We had a software library written in Microsoft Pro Basic. Everything worked for the most part when I took it over, except it was slow. I fixed the outstanding bugs, then went looking for the cause of the slowdown and I found it: type declarations.
There were none. If a variable name ended with a $, it was a string. Otherwise, it was a number. But there are all kinds of numbers, and the default was double-precision floating point. Microsoft made a big deal about how indexes and array subscripts should be integers and pointed out that it was a speed deal. I went through, explicitly defined all variables and made sure that anything used as a loop index or array subscript was declared as either a short or long integer. Massive increase in speed. Calculations that used to take 20–30 minutes now ran in a minute or less.
Now, back to the meeting. I pointed all the improvements out to him, including comments from customers praising the improvements. He looked at everything and had the gall to say that my review was not going to be changed. I walked back to my office, made a couple of phone calls and had a job, paying more, starting the following Monday. I then edited the library and took out every one of the integer or long type declarations, recompiled the new version and saved everything into the distribution folders. I cleaned out all my work directories so that what I had done was not readily available, then walked by his office, tossed my keys on his desk, said I quit and walked out.
I had applied for a promotion that I was overqualified for. Had a great track record of mentoring new employees, working above and beyond, coming up with great ideas. I had been in the position for 7 years and with the company for 11.
My manager and supervisor told me that I wasn’t “ready” for this promotion (a 6% raise) and that I could try again next January. I told them “there would not be a next January”
Fast forward a few months, I was already applying for jobs and went on a few interviews. My manager and supervisor called me into a meeting to let me know one of the males on the team who have been at the organization and position for 2.5 years was getting the promotion (it was a promotion multiple people could get). When they asked me if I had any questions I said “No – his promotion doesn’t age t my career”
1 month later when I was putting in my 2 weeks notice for a company giving me a 30% raise my manager and supervisor asked me what they could do to retain me…I say nothing.
Left the job May 2021 and it was the best decision ever. Never knew I could get such a big pay bump for NOT being loyal to a company.
And if you are going to do it, this is the way. Not by shooting somebody or anything else.
My dad was a small builder. A few houses a year. He enjoyed it and it made him good money in retirement. He was building one of the only spec houses (not already sold when he started) he ever built.
One night, when the house was almost done, the furnace and airhandler disappeared from the garage. No signs of breaking and entering.
Now it takes a couple of hours to remove all of this w/o damaging anything. So my dad quickly guessed that his HVAC contractor (one he had never used before) had made a copy of the key my dad had given him. Let himself in, opened the garage door. Backed his truck in. Closed the door. And got to work.
He told the police this. They talked to the contractor who denied everything and suggested my dad had done it to collect on the builder’s insurance. This made my dad MAD! The HVAC guy however didn’t know the police told my dad he said this.
So my dad had the same guy put a new furnace and airhandler in the house. Yep, same guy.
What the guy didn’t know is that before hand my dad had a security system installed. Hidden motion detectors only, no contacts on the windows and doors to be spotted. And no audible alarm. Silent only. He registered his cell phone with the security company.
Sure enough, a few nights later he gets a call in the middle of the night from the security company. He tells them to call 911 and jumps in his truck. By the way, he lived only about 90 seconds down the road.
He pulls up and can see light around the garage door. He pulled quietly into the driveway at an angle, all the way up to the door, completely blocking it. And quietly waited for the police to arrive, which they did a few minutes later.
The guy heard him talking to the police in the driveway and put the garage door up. My dad couldn’t stop laughing at the expression on the guy’s face when he saw my dad standing there with four deputies!
And the best part? My dad hadn’t yet paid the contractor for his work. And he never did.
This actually happened to me years ago. It was a Friday evening. An entire group including me were in a meeting. We had a code thoroughly tested and ready for production. This Manager went and made changes without consent and broke the code but they still wants to keep the implementation date which was ten days away.
Now the ten days included two weekends. I’m sitting in the room. They totally ignored the fact that I was the one responsible for testing the changes. Nobody asked me what my plans were for the weekends and proceeded to agree upon meeting the date. I stayed mute. Now at that time my husband was in the army and and deployed to Bosnia, so they thought I had no life. They talked and laughed and when the meeting was over, I spoke.
“Who is coming in tomorrow because I need a ride”. They all said they were not. That’s when I dropped the bomb. I said, “Neither am I”. Everybody sat down, I got up, saluted them and walked out.
I had just finished a year of substitute teaching and had few. if any, prospects for a full-time job come that Fall. So when I saw that ad in the paper, my eyes lit up.
This company was wanting to hire teachers for a summer job. Was it evaluating textbooks? Maybe we would be tasked with creating exciting curriculum or conducting research into how children learn. Maybe a private school wanted to hire a number of tutors for their summer programs? The ad didn’t get specific.
I fired off a resume and waited to hear back. I didn’t wait long before being contacted with a time and place for the interview. When I arrived, I saw a room full of people dressed in typical teacher fashion-Dockers, Polo shirt, etc. I must be in the right place! But why are they doing a group interview? A bit later, a man walks in dressed more professionally. He asks us to tae a seat. He then gives a presentation into what sort of summer work they had for all of us education professionals.
STEAK KNIVES!!! He was wanting to “hire us to be door-to-door salesmen for his company’s line of cutlery. For a low investment of only (the cost of 2 sets) we could have unlimited earning potential. He must have seen the disgusted look on my face and figured I was going to let the more naive know exactly what the deal was, for I was the first to be invited into the office for a second interview.
It showed clearly that it does not care for its people but it protect profiteering and too big to fail companies. Such actions never ends well. The day will come when the U.S. citizens rebel and raised up against them. And these companies will continue to be unproductive and inefficient to the point of becoming irrelevant.
Pease remember the US has been dictating free trade and freedom of choice to Americans and the world for the longest time! What happened?
This tasty and easy Italian Sausage Soup Recipe is loaded with onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and a healthy helping of Italian Seasoning in chicken broth with tomatoes, cannellini beans, and elbow noodles. It is the perfect pick-me-up for cold, wet weather, coughs, ailments, or just because your soul needs a little warmth. This Italian Soup Recipe is one of our favorites.
2024 02 13 08 12
Ingredients
2 pounds mild or hot Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 1/2 cups red wine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons parsley
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 medium zucchini, sliced
3 cups pasta shells, cooked
Instructions
In a large pot, cook sausage for about 15 minutes.
Pierce with fork to release fat; drain well.
Cut into bite-size pieces.
Add remaining ingredients except zucchini and pasta.
Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, then add zucchini and cook until tender.
Add pasta shells just to heat through.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
If you have a nearby meat market, call and ask if they make their own Italian Sausage. It is well worth the added expense and trip to the market.
For aesthetic purposes, peel the carrots. It brings out that beautiful bright orange color.
You can sub any medium to small pasta in this soup, including penne, rotini, shells, farfalle, ditalini, or radiatori.
Fresh thyme is always delicious, and I usually have it on hand. However, you can substitute fresh chopped parsley or a little dried marjoram or thyme.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Heat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.
One summer as a college student (many years ago) I worked at a now defunct “family” restaurant called The Ground Round. One room was a bar, and the other room was for families and they were famous for showing old silent movies in the family room and giving out free peanuts and popcorn (that usually ended up all over the floor).
Unfortunately, they were also famous for their “Penny-a-Pound” Thursdays where children under 12 who accompanied an adult would be weighed on a big scale at the front of the restaurant and could then order anything off the children’s menu (including unlimited free drinks) and be changed a penny for each pound they weighed. So, yeah, a kid could order a hot dog or a hamburger or a bowl of mac&cheese and get an orange soda (with 3 refills) for $0.40.
Most of this time this worked out OK and people enjoyed the deal responsibly. A family of four would come in, say, both parents would order full meals, and the little ones would get to basically eat for free. However, there were quite a number of occasions when people would completely abuse the deal. We’re talking situations where a single adult would come in with 5 or 6 children (obviously not all their own kids due to them all being the same age), the adult would order something cheap like a bowl of soup, and then the kids would proceed to make my life a living hell by constantly ordering drink refills every single time I walked past them on my way to take care of my other tables.
That wasn’t the worst part, though. No, the worst part was when it came time to pay the bill and the cost would end up being something like $9.27. And the person paying the bill would leave a $10 bill and say “keep the change.”
ALL the waiters dreaded having to work the main room on Thursdays, but since I was the newest employee there I ended up having to do it every week.
Dave was bragging to his boss one day, “You know, I know everyone there is to know. Just name someone, anyone, and I know them.”
Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, “OK, Dave, how about Tom Cruise?”
“No drama’s boss, Tom and I are old friends, and I can prove it.”
So Dave and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise’s door and Tom Cruise shouts, “Dave! What’s happenin?!? Great to see you! Come on in for a beer!”
Although impressed, Dave’s boss is still sceptical. After they leave Cruise’s house, he tells Dave that he thinks him knowing Cruise was just lucky.
“No, no, just name anyone else,” Dave says.
“President Bush,” his boss quickly retorts.
“Yup,” Dave says, “Old buddies, let’s fly out to Washington.”
And off they go.
At the White House, Bush spots Dave on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, “Dave, what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let’s have a cup of coffee first and catch up.”
Well, the boss is very shaken by now but still not totally convinced. After they leave the White House grounds he expresses his doubts to Dave, who again implores him to name anyone else.
“The pope,” his boss replies.
“Sure!” says Dave. “My folks are from Poland, and I’ve known the Pope a long time.”
So off they fly to Rome. Dave and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Dave says, “This will never work. I can’t catch the Pope’s eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards so let me just go upstairs and I’ll come out on the balcony with the Pope.”
And he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican. Sure enough, half an hour later Dave emerges with the Pope on the balcony but by the time Dave returns, he finds that his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics. Working his way to his boss’ side, Dave asks him, “What happened?”
His boss looks up and says, “I was doing fine until you and the Pope came out on the balcony and the man next to me said, “Who the fuck is that on the balcony with Dave?
My uncle was a functional alcoholic. He had an advanced degree and was extremely accomplished in his career. He never did the kinds of things that would result in legal problems, he didn’t drink and drive, didn’t get in fights, or commit crimes. He and his husband were wealthy. They had a house with a swimming pool in a HCOL area. He was well-loved by everyone in the family but no one was able to get him to stop drinking or seek help for it. By and large, no one really wanted to argue with him about it either because it was pointless.
My uncle died during the pandemic and it wasn’t due to COVID. He drank everyday starting early in the morning and continuing through the night. He had done this for as long as I can remember. He cared about his appearance but completely neglected his health and refused to see doctors probably because they would tell him what he didn’t want to hear -alcohol was killing him.
Heavy drinking doesn’t only affect the liver — although that would be bad enough in itself — it also messes up the functioning of multiple other organs and body systems including, but not limited to, the heart, brain, kidneys, digestive system, and the nervous system. In my uncle’s case, he developed a cardiac problem and died suddenly. For many other alcoholics, dying is a slow, painful decline that involves a lot of suffering drawn out over many years.
Even if a person manages to avoid major illness, alcoholism, whether functional or not, does not make for a happy, fulfilled life. By nature, alcoholism requires that people prioritize alcohol over and above everything else in their lives, including all the meaningful things like important relationships, personal values, activities that bring joy, and personal accomplishments.
A person who drinks their way through life is never really present in their life and thus misses out on fully experiencing life itself. It may be feel pleasant to temporarily numb or black out distressing emotions but this comes at the cost of numbing positive emotions too. It comes at the cost of losing intimacy in your relationships, or just losing relationships altogether. It comes at a cost of not being able to remember your life or make good decisions.
Alcoholism and addiction in general, whether functional or not, is sad. It’s sad to see people searching for life satisfaction in the one place it will never be found.
Have you heard that “African babies cry less”? It is true, but the why of it is more interesting. They cry less because they are attended to. They are carried by their mothers, they co-sleep. They are always with their mother, who nurses the baby as soon as it starts to fuss. Doesn’t matter if it’s for comfort, for hunger or thirst. The baby never gets to the point where it *has to* cry.
Crying is the only way a baby has to communicate…..sort of. They also wiggle, and fuss and make weird faces and reach toward something, and when none of the rest of it works, THEN they cry. So it might be better to say that crying is the LAST way babies communicate. Even so, they can’t tell you they had a bad dream, or their stomach is upset, or there’s a string wrapped around their toe and it feels weird, or they have an itch but no fine motor skills to scratch with. We have to learn to decode baby language other than crying, before it gets to that. And we don’t.
You can’t spoil a baby. Moreover, when did giving someone attention get such a bad rep? Why is it bad to give a baby attention? What defines ‘too much’ attention, and why should we ration it? Is there a limited amount available? What idiot made this up?
By giving a baby the attention it needs when it needs it, and not when you feel like giving it, or when some book says you should give it, you teach the baby that you are always there for it. You aren’t teaching them to be clingy, you are teaching them that no matter what they do, what new things they explore, you will be there. It gives them confidence to try and do new things, knowing this.
But let a baby go untended until he gets to the point of crying, and then wait some more? What good does that do? The baby is not going to become less hungry or thirsty or scared or wet. Baby isn’t going to decide, oh, I guess I wasn’t actually hungry after all, I guess I’ll stop now. It will cause a lot of stress hormones to be released in the baby’s brain. A baby who cries until he stops has given up on you. He’s learned that you are NOT going to be there for him, and his needs might not be met. That, in his desperation, he reached out to you and you turned away.
Soon enough, he or she will be telling you not to hold their hand at school, or kiss them goodbye in front of their friends. The time when they need and depend on you is only a small part of their lives, and yours, so you should enjoy it while you can.
It’s really hard to fire someone in the government, but if they are an intern, it’s pretty easy.
We had three people start at the same time as interns. The two women were fantastic, interested in learning the job, hard working, never called out, etc. but “Charles”, not so much. I had just been promoted to supervisor. A week after he started, he stuck his head in my office and offered to help me with my supervisory duties. He didn’t know how to do the work yet, but he was going to help me supervise. Got it.
A couple days later, he walks into my office, plops down in a chair and says “I don’t know how you work with some of these fucking bitches. Those dumb cunts deserve to be fired”. Now I’m not a prude, but I also behave and speak in a professional manner. I had done nothing to make Charles think my office was some “safe zone”, where he could denigrate other employees, or use that kind of language.
He would sleep at his desk, call out, leave early, not what you would expect from any professional, let alone an intern trying to make their mark.
A lot of our job entailed technical writing. He wasn’t much of a writer to begin with, and often sent supposedly final versions of documents on the the next department with track changes and edits still in them. I had to fix a lot of his supposedly finished work. .
The crown jewel was him loudly proclaiming that life would be great in two months as he would no longer be an intern, so it would be near impossible to fire him. He was fired the next day.
I had to let an employee go when I owned a security guard company. He’d been involved in a fatal shooting — he killed a man who’d fired at him — before I bought the business and he shot and killed a drunk who attacked him after I took over.
After the second shooting my insurance carrier gave me an ultimatum: Fire the employee or lose my insurance. I promised them that I would not allow him to carry a weapon and that I would assign him to my office as Operations Manager but they would not budge. I had to choose between him and insurance coverage but without insurance I was out of business.
I called everyone I knew in the business trying to find him another job. They all knew about the shootings so they weren’t interested. So I began reaching out to my clients. My guy was ex-military and very smart and I hoped that one of them might be interested in him.
It turned out that a car dealer I was providing patrol coverage to was thinking about taking his security in-house so he agreed to talk with my employee.
Long story short, I lost a $1,000 a month patrol contract but the guard was hired by the car dealer. I haven’t spoken with my ex-employee in years but the last time I did he was head of security for the dealer, in charge of 4 different car lots. Like I said, he is very smart.
I’m from Russia. Below are a few things I almost always have to explain or discuss with visitors from Russia.
1. Why individual houses are so large? We always get into discussion that house is not just a shelter, but also a manifestation of one’s financial achievements.
2. Philanthropy. There is no culture of philanthropy in Russia and many view American philanthropy either as a waste of money or as some intricate plot to get some additional benefits.
3. People don’t walk places. They go everywhere by a car.
4. There is almost no public transportation except in a few large cities. People actually have to have cars to get places. Cars are necessity, not luxury.
5. Majority of high and middle schools have sport facilities of very high, almost professional quality.
6. Many schools have orchestras, bands, theaters of a very high, almost professional quality. Free.
7. Every state has a lot of autonomy.
8. President’s salary is comparable with the one of a plastic surgeon.
9. President doesn’t automatically become the richest person in the country.
10. Majority of things in the US aren’t controlled or regulated by the government.
11. Children are expected to leave home when they are 18.
12. Students prefer and are expected to live in a dorm and not with parents.
13. When relatives visit they often stay in the hotel.
14. Many children, even in well to do families, work in fast food, car washes and do a lot of other things to get money and it is not an embarrassment.
15. Parents have their babies sleeping in separate rooms almost from the day of their birth.
16. Russians find 11-15 are particularly absurd, offensive, and egotistical.
17. Many Russians believe that American system of primary and secondary education is very inefficient. As a mother, I have to explain that it is very diverse and essentially even in the poorest districts there are tons of resources available for children who are willing to use them. There are also an opportunity for kids to take advanced and extra advanced classes providing they are willing and able to do the work. And this differentiation is available as early as elementary school.
18. How well elderly live, even those on SSI and Medicaid. How many services are available to them.
19. How open Americans are about their shortcomings and always ready for self criticism.
20. Millions of people don’t have medical insurance.
21. Some hospitals look like five-star hotels.
22. Budgets of some hospitals are equal to h/c budgets of small countries.
23. Doctors tell their patients everything.
24. Return policies and free refill.
25. Idea of a liberal art education. In Russia, after high school graduation, a student should decide on vocation: engineer, doctor, teacher, lawyer, accountant, etc. It seems inconceivable to attend a university and then to graduate without a solid specialty. I often have to explain that not knowing what one wants to do after high school is an acceptable norm in US. A student can still acquire marketable skills, expand his or horizons, get a job after graduation, and, what is even more surprising, obtain an advance degree in a totally different field later. Yes, accountant can attend a medschool and become a doctor and musician can go for aa master degree in computer science.
Long ago when the no bra and see through crazes overlapped for a while (late 70s I believe) I had a young lady walk into my 1st Period class with no bra and a see through blouse. I took roll while the students started a mini lesson on the board. Then I started to write a note I intended to give to her to go to the office for a ruling/talking to by a female counselor. I had just started when the young lady called to me “Mister, tell them to stop staring at me!” I looked up and of course every boy in class (11th grade) was staring, standing to see over other students etc. Before I could say anything another girl loudly proclaimed “If you don’t want them looking, why did you dress like that?” Another girl handed the young lady a sweater jacket to put on. Then the young lady came up and whispered “May I have a bathroom pass?”
I gave it to her and put my note aside to see what happened. 10–15 minutes later she came back wearing an over sized PE uniform t-shirt over her clothes, handed the sweater back to the girl it belonged to, looked at me and then at the one who had spoken up and in a very soft voice said “I guess I didn’t think. It won’t happen again.” It didn’t.
On October 25, 2009, I was working like I always did and my supervisor came up and asked if I wanted an early out. I didn’t usually take early outs because I was a single mom and my supervisors knew it. I shocked him because I agreed to leave early. I said it’d be nice to have some extra time with my kids. I went to the babysitter’s house and her brother told me that she took my kids to her grandparents farm and he’d let her know to bring them straight home when they got back. I left there and at a stop sign and ambulance went flying past me and I had such a strong urge to follow it but I talked myself out of it. I went home and was pulling stuff out of the fridge when my phone rang. It was the sitter’s cousin asking me where my kids were and I told her they were with Nikki and then she told me that Nikki was in a head on accident and they may have to life fight her. She swore my kids weren’t with Nikki and I knew they had to be. After that Nikki’s boyfriend called me and told me that Nikki and my kids were in a head on accident and I must have let out a really loud scream because my neighbors heard me in their house. I called my parents as I rushed out the door and I asked them to keep me calm until I found my kids because they were in a head on accident. I didn’t even notice my neighbor standing in the yard. Apparently they heard about the wreck on the scanner and then heard me scream so they’d came out to drive me wherever I needed but I didn’t hear him talk to me. I was too focused. I had no idea where to go so I decided to go straight out the direction that I saw the ambulance go earlier. I came up to an accident and I tried to get past all of the cars and a police officer stopped me and said I couldn’t go any further. I told him it was my kids without knowing 100% at the time but just by my gut feeling. He called ahead to another officer and he said they were okay but my son’s face was cut a little bit from the airbag and his glasses. They allowed me to drive up to the ambulance but I still wasn’t allowed to see my kids. I followed them to the hospital. From the look of the truck, I knew the police officer was wrong. It took over 2 hours to be able to see my kids from the first call. I only got to see them when once the arrived at the hospital. My son’s face wasn’t just cut a little it was several cuts and two black eyes. My son ended up with permanent brain damage that was diagnosed later on. He didn’t want to walk and we just thought it was because he was scared so we carried him home. He’d just crawl on the floor and not walk. When we took him to his so called specialist, he told me I needed to institutional him because he’d never be able to learn again because he no longer had a short term memory and part of his long term memory was gone. I fired him and worked to teach my son how to walk, use the bathroom, and worked with him on his schooling. I’d enrolled in college just to help him learn. I needed to know how the brain worked to teach him and him retain things. He did learn it and more after I was told he never would. He also had whiplash extremely bad. Our attorney found it in the x-rays but the hospital never mentioned it. My daughter had to be potty trained again and she had severe whiplash along with a severe concussion. For the police to tell me they were fine I knew they weren’t. especially after seeing the truck. II wish my intuition was wrong that day. I’m fortunate that I didn’t lose my kids but we still lost my son as we knew him. When my older kids saw the actual changes in him they broke down crying. Fortunately it wasn’t all at the same time. As for the child the told me to institutionalize because he’d never learn again and could never live alone, He proved them all wrong. He’s got an amazing job, lives on his own, drives himself to work, and is having a babe in a couple weeks. He thanks me all the time for not giving up on him. He and his sister are best friends because she stood up for him when he couldn’t. I hope I never ever get the urge to follow an ambulance again. That’s not something I’d normally do so that day I had gut feeling and I was right. BTW, the engine was pushed all the way to sit in the back seat where my daughter was sitting. Her seatbelt wouldn’t work so she wasn’t fastened in thank God. If my kids would of say any other way I probably would of lost one if not both. Good was looking out for my kids that day. I’ll never ever forget that day.
Tuscan-Style Ribollita
2024 02 13 08 10
Ingredients
6 slices (1/2-inch thick) day-old crusty French bread
3 cloves garlic
Black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chicken broth
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups torn escarole or dark cabbage
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained, juices reserved
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Oregano leaves (garnish)
Instructions
Grease a baking sheet. Put the bread on the sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Cut 1 garlic clove in half and rub on each side of the toast slices. Sprinkle with black pepper and set aside.
Heat the oil and broth mixture in a 4-quart pot. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
Mince the remaining garlic. Add the garlic, carrots and celery to the pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Add the zucchini, squash, sweet peppers and oregano; cook for 5 minutes.
Add the escarole, beans and tomatoes; cook until the escarole wilts, about 2 minutes.
Add black pepper. Pour the vegetable mixture into a 3-quart casserole and top with the toast.
In a large measuring cup, combine the reserved tomato juice and the broth; pour over the toast. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake at 375 degrees F until the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes.
One night as I proceeded through an intersection when the light turned green I heard a car accelerate and saw it nearly t bone me. I made the stop and saw it was a local shithead kid I knew well as having a major chip on his shoulder. He blamed his faulty brakes to which I replied I’d have to impound his car for a safety inspection. At this point he changes his story and tries to reach down and roll the floor mat under his brake pedal to blame for the incident. I issued him summonses for unsafe speed, running a light a failure to yield with the warning to keep it on the straight and narrow. A short time later I received a call for a 911 hangup at his address. The door opened and a middle aged male walks out. I ask him if he was the homeowner and if everything is OK. He addresses me by name and says he’s a corrections officer and asks why his son was not given a courtesy and gives me a rehash of his sons version of events. I ask him if he called 911 over this event and he said yes he was trying to lodge a complaint against me. I replied that his son is a liar and that’s not what 911 is for. He went on grumbling about courtesy and I shot back neither you nor your kid know the meaning of the word. After that incident the kid was noticeably quieter during the numerous encounters we had with him and his delinquent crowd.
Yep, had a woman who did the same job as me on alternate days and was jealous as I was asked to do the important stuff so to speak on my shifts and not her, the boss, female would confide in me and not her as she was a straight out the door on the dot person and would never cover in an emergency etc. She started to file fake complaints on night reports …he didn’t do this etc but of course we had CCTV. She would send watsapp messages to me complaining and then the best one…my wife is Asian…one night she sent a message insulting my wife and Asian women calling them Ting Tongs and Asian brides.
What she failed to realise is that the CEO despite having an English surname through marriage was Asian. I simply replied… our Thai CEO will enjoy reading that
Years ago I was driving home from a night out in Memphis, TN. It was roughly 3 AM, and I was driving about 60 to 65 mph along Walnut Grove Rd through Shelby Farms. The speed limit stepped up from 40 mph to 55 mph pretty close to that spot, and I don’t recall which side I was on. As it turned out, it didn’t matter. I saw the reflection of my headlights on his patrol car and started to pull over before his blue lights came on. Once stopped, I rolled down my window and had my license and registration ready for him when he walked up to talk to me. He looked at them, at me, and at the officer decal on my windshield and said I could go. Greatly surprised, I asked him why, and I would never have predicted his response. “You pulled over so fast and in such a short distance that I don’t even have to go around [a mile or so down the road to a break in the median] and come back to my spot [where he had set his speed trap].” I was not intoxicated, and I was far from the fastest car to travel that road. But at that particular time I was the only driver around, so I got his attention. The whole thing was a bit surreal, but I was grateful for the outcome. I thanked him and went home to get some sleep.
I called for what I said was, I guess, a welfare check. I saw a young girl, probably mid-teens, walking on the rural road near where we live. I didn’t think much about it, even though there are few people who walk on that road, and very few homes. Later, as I returned home, I found her walking up the even more rural road leading up the mountain to where we live. I stopped and asked if she needed a ride. To my surprise, she said yes (her a young girl, me an old man). I asked her where she was going, and she said to visit someone. We passed my house, and she said to stop at a neighbor’s house. I asked who she was seeing, since I knew our neighbors, and she just said, “Someone.” I let her out and went home. I had to leave a while later and found her walking back down at the bottom of the mountain on the road near where I first saw her. I had also noticed that she had taken off her jacket and dropped it on the road. At that point I called the police and said that I was worried about her. I described her and told the 911 operator where she was. A short time after that a police car passed me going in that direction. I did not see the girl later when I returned home. I don’t know what happened, but she seemed troubled in some way, and was definitely acting odd. I hope the police gave her a ride home, or helped her with whatever her problem was, but I have no idea.
Ladies, this is the worst expression you could tell a man. Don’t tell him all men are the same because no one told you to try them all.
Men do not like to be told what to do and how to do it all the time.
When you ask stupid questions like “Do I look fat to you?” “Do you still love your ex?” “When I grow old, will you still love me?” “Do you think that woman is more beautiful than me?”
We all hate it when you bring up old things every time we fight.
Talking to your Friends about Anything and Everything
Men don’t like it when you talk about your exes, especially if you do it a lot or bring up details.
Even if you are just friends, men hate to be friend-zoned.
I was the IT manager at one of the Maryland Job Corp centers. I was in the process of upgrading government cast off computer equipment from 486s to Pentium Ones, if that tells u how long ago.
Being a nonsmoker, I never take breaks. Ever. I was coming across campus carrying 4 CPUs. I walk really fast so it alway looked like I was running to other staff. They’d joke about me working so hard, so fast. I stopped outside the admin building to catch up with the HR assistant. I was changing her computer next. In front of probably 10 of these smokers, my boss, the director of Finance and Administration took a puff and asked, “Christine, isn’t there someplace you should be?”
Dead, shocked silence.
The 60 hours I’d put in the week before, being forced to sign something that I was volunteering so wasn’t paid OT, and this comment flashed thru my mind.
I took a breath, bit back my inner voice’s come backs, smiled and set the computers down on the sidewalk.
I said, “There sure is.”. Smiled, walked inside, got my keys and kept walking.
When my older son was 7 (he’s about to be 28), the school nurse called because my son had an accident on the playground and sustained a large bump/knot to the center of his forehead. They said he was fine, but that I should probably take him to the doctor just to be sure. The nurse kept… almost giggling?… and when I asked what happened, she reiterated that he was okay, but that he would best be able to explain when I got there.
i should probably mention that he was already a big nerd, an advanced reader who used words many adults didn’t even use and wasn’t athletic AT ALL. He didn’t like to sweat or get dirty and was always afraid of injuring himself. Needless to say, all the way to the school I was perplexed at what MY KID could’ve possibly been doing so carelessly or vigorously on that playground to have injured himself.
When I got there he was embarrassed and mad af at himself but also laughing and I will never forget what he said. “My arch nemesis challenged me to a duel and I won. And it felt so good I couldn’t hold it in. I did a victory lap, but was stupid and did it with my eyes closed and ran into the tether ball pole. Mom, I gloated too hard.”
Months after buying a security guard company, from my former employer. one of my guards was involved in a fatal shooting at a nightclub. A drunk wielding a tire iron ran at him and the guard shot him once, through the heart, from about six feet away.
Houston Police investigated and eventually the guard was no-billed, meaning a grand jury declined to indict my guy, but that didn’t stop the drunk’s family from filing a wrongful death suit against the club and my company. My liability insurer wound up settling my part of the suit for $30,000 but after doing so they blindsided me by insisting that I fire the guard.
A couple of years earlier, while working for the man I bought the company from, he was involved in another fatal shooting at an apartment complex. In that case, a man shot at him from across a courtyard and his return fire struck the man in the head, killing him instantly. No lawsuit was filed in that case but my insurer still believed that two fatal shootings in such a short time indicated that the guard was too much of a liablility, so I was told to fire him or they’d cancel my coverage. I proposed giving him a job in my office so he wouldn’t be working a post, but the insurance company wouldn’t budge. I had 25 other fulltime employees to consider so I had to let the man go.
But I knew that a car dealer I provided security for was considering taking their security in-house, meaning they’d hire guards directly who’d work for the dealership. I talked with the owner and told him that my (former) guard would be a great choice to run his security team and, after checking the guy out, he agreed. I wound up selling my company and leaving Houston 10 years after I fired the guard but we’d stayed in touch over the years so I had a chance to visit with him before I left. He’d left the car dealership and was assistant security director for Occidental Petroleum. He said my firing him was the best thing that ever happened to him.
I use an iPad mounted facing down and connected to a projector as a document projector. The mount is flexible, so I can aim the iPad at the class, if I want to. If I suspect that students are cheating when I’m not looking, I just set the iPad to record a video or time-lapse, then quietly flex the mount, so the iPad is pointed at the students.
Then I walk around the room, making sure to turn my back on the students I suspect are cheating.
Then, I come back to the iPad and stop the video.
Finally, at the end of the quiz or test, I turn on the projector and show the students the beginning of the video I made. I pause it just a few seconds in, so they can think about the fact that I caught them on camera, and I ask the students to be honest with themselves and me. If they were cheating, let me know, before I see it in the video. It’s the right thing to do.
Most of them confess right then and there. Some of them don’t. We have to watch the video together and I have to point to the moment when they’re cheating.
If they know they cheated, but don’t confess, I show their parents the video.
Nazis had a pretty weird thing about blonde, blue eyed babies.
During Hitler’s rise to power, he initiated a program to raise the percentage of Aryan children. This was called a Lebensborn
program.
They basically made every available child to be in peak physical condition and made to match the Aryan race standards.
This included treatments such as: a very strict diet, early indoctrination with Nazi ideologies and even the usage of ultraviolet rays for hair color (in case a baby wasn’t blonde enough)
image 175
Most children came from German impregnated moms but after WWII started , the Nazis encouraged SS soldiers to ‘’get to know’’ the beautiful girls of Europe. They captured not only the best countries, but also the most Aryan girls 😉
If those ladies got pregnant, and their children were deemed as desirable, they were sent to a Lebensborn house where their kids would get a treatment like the one written above. The main ‘’factory’’ (besides Germany) was Norway, with 12.000 kids born during WWII.
When there were not enough moms available, the SS would simply kidnap children that fit their Aryan standards, as Himmler himself said
‘’It is our duty to take [the children] with us to remove them from their environment … either we win over any good blood that we can use for ourselves and give it a place in our people or we destroy this blood’’
The USSR, Estonia, Latvia, Norway and Yugoslavia were serious targets. Poland reportedly lost as many as 100.000 children during the whole war.
image 174
(abducted Polish children in a special labour camp)
After WWII, most children could not be found and linked back with their families because their program files were destroyed to hide war crimes. Hence, an exact number of Germanized children is impossible to tell.
Frid Lyngstad of ABBA is a known survivor of this terrible initiative. Her German father who was an officer in the German army, befriended her Norwegian mother to supply the SS with enough moms. After the war, she and her mom migrated to Sweden.
image 173
(The one with dark hair)
At least something good came out of this whole mess.
I worked for a very large, blue, trash company for about 7 years. After the first year I was running routes so efficiently that there were no improvements left to make so they pulled me from those routes and made me a swing driver. I started running everyone’s routes faster by an average of 3 hours per day, other swing drivers would take 60 hours to run the same routes it was taking me 36 to run and pick up what they missed. I did this for a long time and after several talks with management to make the pay more fair they told me that there was nothing they could do. We were paid hourly and thats it. I told them I was going to find another job then. They freaked out and I told them I wasn’t leaving just yet but as soon as I found something else I was leaving. Fast forward 3 years and I walk into my managers office to tell him I am quitting. He couldn’t believe it because it was out of nowhere in his eyes. I walked away from a fun fast paced job making $20 per hour getting anywhere from 33–56 hours per week depenfing on which routes i would run or who they would let me help. I am now working a job where I only work 6 months out of the year, easy work and make $120k and only requires 8 hours of overtime every other week. Now fast forward another 4 years and I run into the new manager and supervisor. We talk for a minute and the supervisor tells the new manager I used to work for them. He offers me my job back. Before I could even speak the supervisor tells him they can’t afford me to come back. I wished them a good day and walked away. So to answer your question, probably not fired but definitely passed up for promotions. That’s what they did to me.
Because of her eyes that were getting angrier at me by the day. Because of her eyes that were getting hungrier by the day, but not for me. Because of the divide that had started to appear, and there was nothing I could do about it.
It started with a crack (that I didn’t notice at first).
And when I did notice more cracks, only hours later — on that very same day — I realized that she already was in a very different place, and that she might be cheating. Her cell phone behavior had become erratic. Her reactions on my every sentence aggressive. Just like that.
She must have been hiding it, but now the cracks started to appear.
Hours later, in one of the longest nights of my adult life — and still on that very same day — she blatantly stated in the darkness of our cold bedroom that her love for me had faded. (“It was not like before anymore.”)
And day after day, week after week, the space between us became bigger, and the cracks grew into an abyss of anger and distrust.
At one point, the divide became too big, and she was standing at the other side — not even waving. She was just looking at me with empty eyes, as if she was not seeing me anymore. (And I think she really didn’t.) I would see that same empty look on her more than fifteen years in the future — in the awkward silence only separated people know — when she was in the final days of late stage breast cancer.
Much further away on the other side of the divide now, and about to disappear.
The problem is that back in the day, we were already married.
And there was nothing to call off except our every shared memory. As if life had become a text, written on a chalk blackboard.
A friend of mine was having a medieval themed wedding. She had this gorgeous green gown and planned this elaborate hairstyle with flowers braided in. She asked her best friend to be maid of honour, and I got to be bridesmaid.
Get to the big day, and maid of honor is a no show. No phone call, text or email either. So I get upgraded and asked to help with my friends hair. I know NOTHING about elaborate hairstyles, there was no way I could do the style she wanted. So we ended up settling on a simple braided style with green ribbons and flowers threaded in. My friend was pissed. Not with me, but with her now ex-friend. Rest of the day went without a hitch and was gorgeous. My friend thanked me for helping at the last minute.
She never did get an explanation from that other girl, and refused to ever see her again.
I’ve quit without notice twice in my life. The first time was when I was passed over for promotion at Walmart but was offered a 25¢ an hour raise, instead, in recognition of the good work I was doing for the store. 25¢ an hour came out to $520 a year while the promotion would have resulted in a pay increase of around $12,000 annually. I told the store manager to shove the raise and walked out.
Several years later I was working in IT for a clothing manufacturer but I wanted to leave because I was, once again, denied a promotion. I soon learned that my boss and her toadie were holding me back by giving tepid references when companies I’d interviewed with called, so when I finally was offered a job I accepted immediately and told them I’d start the following Monday.
Before leaving work on Friday I drafted a companywide email telling my boss, and her toadie, and the business owner exactly how I felt about them, and I delayed delivery until Monday morning, so it would be the first thing everyone, including the three stooges saw. My boss actually called me on Monday morning, around 5 AM, before the email was delivered and asked me to come in early because she was having trouble with a printer. I told her I’d be right in and then rolled over and went back to sleep. She never called me again.
This is a a year of the wood dragon. It is a great expanse of opportunity for the well prepared explorer.
I suggest that everyone have goals.
That everyone have planned affirmation campaigns.
That everyone understands their career, work and fiances.
We cannot predict the future; as it is the nature of our thoughts that direct our actions. We can only play the gravitational influences; our Fate Forecasting.
Review yours today. Take note of the auspicious months and the inauspicious months.
A book, a journal… helps.
Note that I also have a new youtube channel. It is 100% devoted ONLY to affirmation campaigns. I think I have something like 15 to 20 videos already posted up on it.
There was this patient, 55 year old guy. He came with acute abdominal pain. The patient was in severe distress and the vitals weren’t good even at presentation. He was way too unstable to get a CT scan so we went ahead with just an Ultrasound.
Ultrasound wasn’t very conclusive but it suggested intestinal obstruction. The patient was just getting worse and worse so we gave him initial resuscitation and decided to open him. We were prepared to face unexpected scenarios. But we weren’t prepared for what it actually was.
As soon as we entered the abdominal cavity, copious amounts of reddish liquid oozed out. A little deeper and there it was..about 80% of his stomach, duodenum, the entire small intestine a portion of ascending and transverse colon were almost black in colour.
Every surgeon’s arch nemesis…Superior Mesentric Artery thrombosis.
But in this case Stomach was also involved. Basically, the blood supply to his stomach and his entire small intestine and parts of large intestine was compromised. Due to this the parts were ischaemic. There is nothing you can do in this situation. If there was enough healthy gut remaining we would have just cut out the dead part and anastomosed the healthy parts. There just wasn’t enough healthy gut here. So we just closed the patient up, informed the relatives and sent the patient back to the ICU where he passed away a few hours later, surrounded by his family.
It’s very disheartening for a surgeon to accept there’s nothing you can do for the patient in front of you. But then, a good surgeon knows when to cut but the best ones know when not to. Just operating when we knew he wouldn’t survive the procedure would have led to him dying on the table.
At least buy closing him up he could pass away surrounded by his family. And believe me, that matters. That matters to the patient and that matters to the family. And while I was heartbroken at losing my patient, it gave me the tiniest bit of satisfaction knowing that we could give that family the last few hours with him. And, hopefully, we could give them closure.
This is a new trend…
Girls flashing. Showing a bare back and some side boob.
First one: I was a single mom and my daughter’s father never paid a dime in child support. When she was very young, I was pretty destitute. Needed my car to get to and from work, but couldn’t afford to pay for insurance. My car was such an old beater that I couldn’t pass the emissions test, and couldn’t afford the $150 worth of repairs required to get a waiver. And I couldn’t replace my expired license tabs without either passing emissions or getting the waiver.
So, I spent $25 on a temporary 3-day pass and put a layer of tape over it. Put another layer of tape over the first one and wrote a date 3-days out on the top layer of tape. Every 3 days, I would replace the top layer of tape and write a new date.
I was out late visiting friends one night and got pulled over by the police on my way home. They shined their light on my temporary pass and my heart sank. Officer asked for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. After handing them my license (and hoping they would forget about the rest), he said he pulled me over because my temporary pass was expired. I knew the date was good until the next day, so I said, “Officer, are you sure? I’m pretty certain it doesn’t expire until tomorrow”.
The officer looks at his watch and says, “My apologies, ma’am, you still have 15 minutes”. And he let me leave.
Second one: Two weeks later, I’m driving that same old beater (with freshly dated tape), it’s dark and raining, and some guy comes speed-racing around me while an officer is headed in my direction and the officer immediately hangs a U-turn. I thought he was going after the guy that was speeding, but no, he pulled me over!!
Asks for my license which I had in a zippered pouch with a ton of other cards (debit, credit and store rewards cards), and spent a long time rummaging to try and find it, the officer becoming more impatient and angrier by the second. I finally found it and presented it to the officer. He glances at it and then asks for proof of insurance. So, I decide to play it off, and I tell him, “That will be another few minutes, officer”. I opened my glove box, and right on queue, it vomited paperwork all over the floor of my car. The officer now has a great big “Frankenstein vein” pulsing on his forehead and he shouts “Never mind, I”m letting you off with a warning this time”. LOL, never did say why he pulled me over or what the warning was for!!
Many soups of Italy, like this one, are served at the table with a jug of olive oil. The cabbage must be very finely sliced because it is barely cooked.
2024 02 13 10 33
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes
1 pound green cabbage, finely sliced
Water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Peel and cook potatoes in just enough salted water to cover them. Blend potatoes with their cooking water. Thin with more water if necessary. You should have a medium consistency.
Add cabbage and olive oil.
Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, until the cabbage is lightly cooked. It should be a little crisp.
Notes
Serve with a jug of olive oil.
Delusion
She’s in her early 20’s, but she will end up with lots and lots and lots of cats.
Size of breakfast is not a country thing. It’s a class thing.
In the west, Blue collar workers, people who work outside, or work with their hands tend to have a huge breakfast, small lunch and huge dinner. This is because during lunch time, they may not have access to refrigeration, and hence might have to take something for lunch that doesn’t;t spoil. Or they may not be in a place where they can sit down and eat, so they take things that are easy to eat. So, they load up on calories in the morning. Physical labor requires a lot of calories
This is a “lumberjack” breakfast from Denny’s. Lumberjacks are people who go into the woods to cut trees. They need lot of calories
image 170
White collar workers, OTH, tend to eat all thought out the workday. If they are not having lunch, they are either snacking or having coffee. This is because their environment gives them free access to food. As a result, they don’t load up on calories in the morning.
This is what a white collar worker typically eats in the morning
My friend and I were patiently waiting for our food at the table. As it was a self-service cafe, we got a number showing our order, and when it was announced we needed to collect it ourselves.
The number came up, and we went to collect our dishes.
Lo and behold, as we turned our backs a group of ladies gracefully lowered our bags on the floor and sat at our table.
Mind you, the whole process was less than a minute.
When we went back, we gently but firmly asked them to move.
“Oi, how am I supposed to know you guys are sitting here? You think by putting your bags here it’s your space?”
“Excuse m…”
“This is a public space and we can sit anywhere we want. Don’t think tha..”
BAM. I put my bowl down loudly. Everyone who wasn’t paying attention before turned their heads. She froze in shock.
“You saw our bags, you saw us take our food, and you threw our stuff on the floor. I will make a larger fuss of this unless. You. Move. From. My. Place.“
They sheepishly left, leaving my pal and me to eat peacefully.
If you use your privileges to justify rude behaviour, you are just waiting for trouble to erupt.
Tested on Mythbusters. Shot straight up, the bullet will climb and decelerate as it loses energy, at the top, the bullet will have zero energy and tumble back to earth, landing in the vicinity of the firing point. the bullet will experience atmospheric drag on the way up and the way down. There will be more drag on the way down due to the tumbling. The impact velocity will be the terminal velocity of the bullet. It will give you a nasty bump on your noggin, but not kill you.
Fired at any angle other than straight up, the bullet will retain enough energy over the top of its ballistic arc to come back down in a stable spin, and cause injury or death.
Under ideal circumstances (no wind, fired exactly straight up) the bullet returns to the location from which it was fired at the same velocity as the muzzle velocity.
Edit: (Yes, I’m a dumbass). The bullet returns to the location it was fired from at terminal velocity of a falling object, not muzzle velocity. I must have taken my stupid pill that morning.
The fact that the bullet tumbled on the way down both causes the bullet to slow down more and to have a higher likelihood of impacting on its side (larger impact area).
Short answer. Don’t try this at home.
Feel Good Music
Peter Thomas Orchestra – “Chariots of Gods Theme (Erinnerungen an die Zukunft)” (epic melody, 1970) The Birdwatchers – “I Have No Worried Mind” (sunshine pop, 1966) Georges Delerue – “Curly Sue Interlude” (instrumental, 1991) Ray Davis & His Button-Down Brass – “A Taste Of Honey” (jazzy instrumental, 1964) Agnetha Faltskog – “Disillusion” (beautiful song, 1973) The Superficials – “Gone” (indie pop, 2001) Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra – “If I Had A Ribbon Bow – Maxine Sullivan” (so smooth, 1939) The Fireballs – “Light In The Window” (great pop, 1965) The Objections (Sweden) – “I’m Through” (psych pop, 1966) Juan Martin – “Romanza”, “Last Farewell” from “Serenade” LP (awesome orchestral pop, 1984) The Quid – “Mersey-Side” (Merseybeat instrumental, 1963) Mantovani & His Orchestra – “Theme From Moulin Rouge” (instrumental, 1959) Drupi – “Sereno E” (classic song, Italy 1974) Lewis & Clark Expedition – “Daddy’s Plastic Child” (psych-sunshine pop, 1967) Pino Donaggio – Music from “Botte di Natale”: “Travis”, “The Prairie” (epic western, 1994) XTC – “The Disappointed” (great power pop, UK 1992) The Charles Kingsley Creation – “Summer Without Sun” (Joe Meek pop, 1964) The Tornados – “Dragonfly” (nice instrumental, 1964) Peter & Gordon – “Go To Pieces” (Merseybeat, 1965) Secret Service – “Destiny Of Love” (romantic pop, 1983) Enigma – “Prism Of Life”, “Beyond The Invisible” (epic stuff, 1997) Johann Sebastian Bach – Cantata BWV 1, First Chorale (by Georg Christoph Biller) (baroque, 1724) The Ventures – “Telstar” (classic instrumental, 1963)
Crowded House – “Not The Girl You Think You Are” (great song, 1992) Ray Conniff & His Orchestra – “Taking A Chance On Love ” (happy tune, 1965) Michel Legrand – “Chanson du Prince (sung by Jean-Pierre Savelli) from “Peau d’Ane” movie (romantic song, 1970) Ennio Morricone – “Canzone Per Donatella” from “Quando L’amore e Sensualita” (piano instrumental, 1973) Linus Of Hollywood – “When I Get To California” (neo-sunshine pop, 1999) Guido & Maurizio De Angelis – “Trinity Stand Tall” song, from “Continuavano a chiamarlo Trinita” (western, Italy 1972) Jean Sibelius – Symphony No.1, 1st Movement” (epic orchestral piece, 1899) The Fredric – “Saturday Morning in Rain” (rare pop psych, 1968) The New Colony Six – “The Time Of The Year Is Sunset” (haunting psych, 1966) Ferrante & Teicher – “You’re Too Much” (romantic instrumental, 1959, here) The Cleves – “You And Me” (pop psych, 1968, New Zealand) Johann Sebastian Bach – “Cantata BWV 204 “Ich Bin In Mir Vergnügt”, by Ton Koopman / Ruth Holton (beautiful arias, 1724) Cilla Black – “Something Tells Me” (sunshine pop, UK 1967) Richard Alden & His Orchestra – “‘S Wonderful” (cool instrumental, here) Paul Mauriat – “L’Avventura” (instrumental, 1972) Justin Hayward – “Day Must Come” (sunshine pop, UK 1966) 18th Century Corporation – “Message To Michael” (“Bacharach Baroque”, 1968) Johann Sebastian Bach – “Cantata BWV 8, Finale Choral” by Masaaki Suzuki (baroque, 1724) Carlo Savina – “Le Nochi Buena” from “Le calde notti di Don Giovanni” (relaxing, 1971) The Stone Country – “Everywhere I Turn” (US pop psych, 1968) Carlo Rustichelli – Main Title from “Avanti” (happy melody, Italy 1972) Duran Duran – “Last Chance On The Stairway”, “Save A Prayer” (new wave, synth pop, UK 1982) Antonio Vivaldi – “Concerto No.5 in E minor, RV280: III. Allegro” (great baroque, 1712) Foxx – “Sunshine Children” (happy little tune, 1970) Zack Hemsey – “Mind Heist” (absolutely epic, 2010 – here)
This wonderful drawing of the satisfied cat (thinking “I should buy a boat”, perhaps?) was made back in 1899 (published in Russian children magazine “Svetlyachok”):
My grandfather, third from the right in the picture below. He was 19 when he was supposed to hit Omaha. His troop carrier was hit on the way in and he swam in with absolutely nothing. The story he told was this: I got up on the beach and laid down behind a big piece of wood that was part of a blown up something. He’d had to come out of all of his gear to keep from drowning. He was trying to calm down and figure out what to do when this old crusty major walked up like it was a beautiful day on the beach and asked him what in the hell he was doing. Bullets are zipping around and explosions everywhere, people screaming and this guy looks like there’s not a thing in the world happening. Grandpa says “I don’t know what to do! I’ve lost all my gear.” The major says “ There’s gear everywhere, boy! Start picking shit up and get off of this beach now!” So he did. He said he grabbed every loose rifle, pistol, backpack, satchel, everything and got as far up the beach as he could.
When Saving Private Ryan came out, he wanted to go see it. He and my Grandma went, about 10 minutes in he got up and Grandma asked him where he was going? He said “Home. It hasn’t been long enough yet.”
He was transferred to Patton’s army and went all the way to Czechoslovakia. I’m pretty sure he was in Belgium when this picture was taken. It’s used as the cover photo for a book called Steel Victory by Harry Yeide. Grandpa went through it and noted all the battles he’d fought in that were mentioned in the book.
image 168image 167
Edit: thanks for all the upvotes and comments. It’s amazing that a simple thing like this can get so many votes. Another quick story about the above picture. They were lazing around in the halftrack when the photographer came by and asked to get that picture. They all started digging rifles out and the guy on the very end couldn’t find his rifle. Somebody told him just to carry the BAR (I think that’s what he said but I’m not an expert in war weapons so it might be something different. Regardless, it’s the biggest gun and the smallest guy according to grandpa ) because nobody would know any better back home. Grandpa thought it was funny that the smallest guy had the biggest gun.
Edit 2: Several people have asked about the Major who sent Grandpa off the beach. I asked my Uncle about it and he said Grandpa never mentioned a name and probably didn’t even know his name. If anybody reads this and had a family member who was a walking, talking, badass Major getting men off of Omaha Beach, let me know.
I once worked with a teacher who thought it was a huge deal that she was the only teacher at the school who was allowed to use the laminator. She only had that position for logistical reasons… the laminator took a long time to warm up, so it made sense to do all of the laminating at the same time.
So, if you needed something laminated, you had to give it to her and, once per week, she’d fire up the laminator and run everything through it.
I have never once, in my decade of teaching, needed anything laminated. Not once.
Still, she brought up her position as “official school laminator” on a monthly basis. She was so proud of it. She’d email us updates about her pile of things to be laminated.
“I have a big pile this week, so, if you need something laminated, get it to me now. I’m going to start early so I can get this all done.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if she even had it on her resume.
Jane Smith, English Teacher, Director of Laminating, Girls’ Lacrosse Coach
One of the novel things about this age is the role played by carnival acts in reinforcing public morality and shaping public opinion. With the exception of ancient Athens, human societies assigned entertainers a low status. After all, we still have the expression, “run away to the circus”, even though we no longer have the circus. The idea behind that expression is you reach such a degraded state that you literally leave decent society and join the low status world of the circus.
In modern America and the West in general, the circus not only plays a central role in society, but the circus performers also have enormous influence. So much so, in fact, the most powerful people want to be friends with the popular carnies. Every president has a stream of carnies coming through the White House, often attending state dinners with important foreign leaders. Carnies have even turned up in Ukraine, getting a special welcome by the Ukrainian dictator.
Of course, we have just had the biggest circus event on the American calendar, which is the Super Bowl, the title game of the NFL. According to the people in charge, almost all Americans stop what they are doing to watch the spectacle. The Super Bowl party has become something of an industry. Americans spend over $15 billion on parties that host three quarters of all adults. Naturally, all the important carnies seek a way to be part of what is the biggest carnie act of the year.
It is popular to compare the Super Bowl to the Roman games, maybe even dusting off Juvenal’s line about bread and circuses. There is some truth to that, but the Roman games were nothing compared to American entertainment. The games were a distraction for the masses and important people, but the performers were never treated like the modern celebrity or athlete. The performers in the arena were low status and important people made sure they remained so.
This is the great innovation of America. Entertainment has become a church at which the morality of the day is preached to the audience. It is easy to see at the Super Bowl, where moral messaging is everywhere. In the end zones there was a message about ending racism, a hobgoblin of the modern elites. There were ads about other hobgoblins like antisemitism, bullying and Gaia. They have your attention, so they make sure to let you know what you ought and ought not be doing.
Then you have the appeals to unity, by which they mean conformity. At the start of the game, you get patriotic songs. They even have something called the “The Black National Anthem” which is supposed to shame whites and remind them they can never be forgiven for the sin of whiteness. In a prior age, parishioners were told they were at the mercy of an angry God. Today they are told they are at the mercy of angry minorities, which is far more terrifying than an angry god.
When these songs are played at the start of the game, the players, who should only care about winning, make themselves cry and look moved by the program. This is where you see the supremacy of carny life. The star players know this game is really an audition for them to join the media circus or possibly get a brand going so they can be a celebrity past their playing career. Everyone wants to run away to the circus, even people already in the circus.
You see the warping power of the circus with the public romance of Chiefs player Kelce Travis and middle-aged warbler Taylor Swift. She is a super famous pop star, but she can always be more famous, so dating a famous sports star, especially one who gets to perform in the big circus, is good business. The NFL loves it and makes sure to feature this totally authentic romance in their shows. Any bets on whether these two love birds manage to build a life together?
All of this is the product of democracy. In theory, democracy is about convincing fifty percent plus one. In order to do that, you need to get the attention of the public, which is why celebrity becomes the coin of the democratic realm. The only way you can have a chance to influence anyone is by getting on the stage and you do that by getting everyone’s attention. Carnies live to get attention, so it does not take long before they take center stage in the democratic process.
It is why our politicians are mostly actors playing a role. The producers of the political shows are no different from the people who make movies, television shows or produce extravaganzas like the Super Bowl. They select people who can play the role, which often means picking people who will not question the script. Oklahoma senator James Lankford was picked because he is not smart enough to question things. He looks the part, and he reads his lines. That is why he is in the Senate.
It is easy to be critical of mass democracy, but the Super Bowl shows how powerful it is at controlling the masses. More people care about why Travis Kelce wore a suit made from garbage bags than the fact Joe Biden is non compos mentis. More important, it encourages the masses to empty their wallets in order to see the next show that the ruling elite will stage for them. Mass democracy is where the ruling elite charge the masses to be the masses.
For most of human history, carnies were relegated to the fringes of society because the running of society was too important to do otherwise. Today the running of society is over on the fringes, in the shadows where no one looks, because the carnies are now at the center of society. Maybe this is how the great experiment with participatory government is supposed to end. The masses think their voice matters, but in reality, no one cares, just as long as they pay full price for their ticket.
Look… I’m 100% in favor of you being whatever gender you are. Once upon a time (maybe five years ago?) I was easily able to tell what gender a student was 99% of the time. I won’t pretend that I didn’t make mistakes here and there, but it was pretty damned rare. Every year for the last several years, I’ve had transgender students. In general, if you’re sensitive to it and you honestly do your level best to treat them with respect as to the gender they identify themselves as, you’re fine.
But here’s the problem: the English language has these tricky things called “pronouns.” Those pronouns are gendered.
Let’s say that I have a student named Jaime. Jaime looks stereotypically male, buuuuuut you’ve heard from other students that Jaime identifies as female. So what do you do? You can ignore it and only call Jaime by name, but that’s awkward and clearly avoids the issue… which is a bit disrespectful. You can call Jaime by male pronouns, but now you’re being an asshole if Jaime identifies as female. You can call Jaime by female pronouns, but that could really set a boy off if you call him by female pronouns. You could go with a gender-neutral pronoun, but “it” is daaaaaamned insulting.
You know… you could pull Jaime aside and say, “So… here’s the deal… I’m going to let you know that this is a safe place and I’m okay with you being whoever you want to be. I have been hearing rumors that you want to be called by female pronouns. Is that correct? Cool. Sounds good to me. I’ll do my best to honor your wishes.”
Except… now people are upset because you’re “questioning a six-year-old about his/her gender.”
You just can’t win.
Fortunately “people” aren’t my boss. I don’t serve them. I serve my students, so I’ll just continue to do… whatever it is that I already do.
Crossover: Dieselpunk + Retrofuture, by Victor-Albert Bouffort
“Victor-Albert Bouffort was an aeronautics engineer who took it upon himself to design and build some pretty crazy cars in the years after WWII. The first was this magnificent streamlined three-wheeler based on a Citroen Traction-Avant”. Read this good article about this man here.
It wasn’t exactly a loophole, but it was something I exploited the hell out of. I wanted a new snowmobile, and they offered nothing down, and no payments for two years, interest free. I couldn’t get a discount for cash, so I took the deal. This was quite a few years ago. The sled was $4000, so I put the $4000 in a GIC guaranteed investment certificate, at 5 percent for two years, ending a couple of days before the first payment was due.
The deal was that as long as you paid for your snowmobile before the two years was up, you didn’t have to pay interest. But if you owed 1 penny on the snowmobile after two years, you owed 19.99 percent a year for 2 years on the entire $4000.
So this was a bit of a stress, but manageable. I had a cash back credit card, and I paid off my snowmobile with the credit card, and got 1 percent cash back. I had also received another points credit card, that allowed me to transfer the credit card balance from another credit card interest free for 6 months, during the first month after I activated it. So when my credit card was due, I transferred the balance. I still had to pay for all my purchases, but the transfer was kept separate.
When the six months was up, my line of credit offered me zero interest for three months, on any money I borrowed that month.
But I figured I had already pushed the system as far as I could.
So at the end of two years and seven months, I had earned $400 interest and $40 in cash back, plus points, on my snowmobile.
I could have made it to at least 2 years and 10 months interest free, But I was starting to think I would forget, and miss a payment and I would wreck my credit rating, so I called it quits.
I have had no idea what serious issue to post about today.
But this:
When I say that running MoA is a full time job it raises doubts and I may even get laughed at. But it is. Even when I don’t post.
I have to read, every day, a large number of pieces and/or watch videos to collect new ideas. It takes time to process those into conscious contexts and then those into blog posts.
Today, like every day, I have of course skimmed over of the usual mainstream stuff, NYT and WaPo nonsense, but found little in it to take note of.
I then skimmed through the comments at this blog and cleared up the spam list.
Then I walked through what my various news feeds provide. It is often quite a lot.
Here is what I consumed (read or watched) today and found worthy enough to copy URL, headline and some excerpts.
Middle East:
The World’s Gyre – SCF Biden may see himself needing some ‘grand victory’, as much as does Netanyahu, Alastair Crooke writes.
The Republican Plot Against Donald Trump – American Conservative The inside story of how Congress is pursuing endless war in Ukraine—and trying to stop a Trump election.
That is all I did for the day. It feels like a lot. And that was without writing a real piece for the blog.
Oh, not to forget – I also bought food and prepared a meal for myself.
Later today I will read the Strana.news summary of the day (usually out at 18:00 UTC). At 20:30 UTC I will listen to Dima’s Military Summary (well, at least to the first 10 minutes of it).
Then it will finally be the end of my day.
So what did you do today?
Posted by b on February 12, 2024 at 17:46 UTC | Permalink
There is nothing to fear about China attacking you, or stealing your land or colonising you or bombing you indiscriminately. There is nothing to even fear about China being authoritarian or bullying you or stealing your intellectual property.
But you are right to fear China will learn fast, with work hard, will build the best infrastructure, will send their children to the best school, will work very hard and stay disciplined and whatever you do Chinese can do better, faster and cheaper.
With 1.4 billion people or 4 times the U.S. population, or double the western world, China will overtake you and beat you in everything you do! They cannot be stopped unless you are ready to lose your limbs! China will be wealthier, more successful, more modern, efficient and effective than you.
But you were made to have irrational fears and thoughts to make you forget your failings and the consequences of your over exaggerated expectations of yourself set by your own hubris and xenophobic tendencies that is fanned by western media. It exists everywhere in the west and particularly the Anglophone world.
Let me be honest to you. So that you don’t live under the rock anymore. China has overtaken you in every sense of the world. China is in fact the leader and the most powerful nation now! Never mind the flawed GDP and the self deception. But the good news is China don’t want you dead. China only want to keep selling to you!
It was about 30 years ago, and I was having my car cleaned at a very big car wash. When the cars came out of the wash tunnel, they were placed in one of 5 lines, where men were busily wiping the cars down. When it was done, the guys would wave their towel for you to retrieve your vehicle.
Now these were mostly Hispanic men (it was in So Cal), and most spoke little to no English. My car was in the middle lane. There was a car in front of mine, a luxury make that I can’t remember. The detailer waved me to my car, but I was stuck. The driver (a woman) was inspecting her car, and making another detailer redo where she would point. I am a patient person, but I truly was boxed in and couldn’t move until she did.
She’d lean close and point to another spot. This went on for at least 6 minutes. I was getting pretty annoyed, and finally, on a whim, I pulled out a $10 bill (keep in mind that most tips at that time were between $1–2. I got out of my car, walked over to the hard-working detailer, and handed the 10 spot to him, saying (loud enough for it to be heard by the woman) “Here, that’s for you, because you know that b@#$h won’t be tipping you.” I turned and walked back to my car, to scattered applause from other car owners who had been watching the whole scene.
The detailer quickly pocketed the cash, and the woman got into her car, slammed the door, and took off.
Pasta Fagioli
This classic Pasta e Fagioli is maybe the perfect pantry soup! With canned tomatoes, canned beans and pasta. A bit of pancetta is added, for a salty note and of course, cheese in the form of Parmesan or Pecorino.
Enjoy this hearty, easy pasta fagioli soup for a hearty lunch, or add a crusty bread (or garlic bread) and a salad for a lovely pantry dinner.
pasta fagioli 1200 55
Ingredients
12 ounces Santa Fe chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked small seashell pasta
2 cups coarsely chopped zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded asiago cheese
Instructions
Step 1: Brown the pancetta or bacon.
Step 2: Add the diced onion and celery and cook until softened.
Step 3: Add the garlic and herbs.
Step 4: Add some tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Step 5: Add the canned tomatoes.
Step 6: Add the rinsed beans.
Step 7: Cook the tomatoes and the beans together for about 10 minutes. *You can make ahead up to this point and refrigerate to finish when ready to eat later.
Step 8: Add the broth.
Step 9: Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
FAQ
What kind of pasta can I use in this soup? Any small pasta is fine. I’ve used Ditalini pasta here. Small shells, macaroni or even orzo would work as well.
Can I use a different kind of bean? Absolutely, use what you have. Red kidney, navy, great northern or pinto beans would be great options.
Can I use canned whole tomatoes instead of diced? Yes. Just hand crush them before adding to the soup.
What is a Parmesan rind? It’s just the harder, darker outside of a Parmesan wedge. I like to keep the ends in a bag in my fridge for just these uses. If yours doesn’t have a rind, just cut off a chunk of the Parmesan and use that. No fresh Parmesan? Just stir a few Tbsp of grated Parmesan into the soup instead.
Top Tip
I feel like a bit of a broken record, but I’m going to say it again 🙂 Be sure to properly season your soup at the end of cooking. Taste it. If it tastes bland or flat, it needs salt. Some freshly ground pepper is nice, too. Need a touch more oregano? Stir that in at the end as well. And finally, top this soup with shavings of extra Parmesan (vs. grated). The hit of Parmesan is so lovely in this soup. Use your vegetable peeler to shave it on top before serving.
Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add broth and pasta; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes.
Add zucchini and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Stir in basil, oregano and beans; cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until pasta and zucchini are tender.
Sprinkle with cheese.
pasta e fagioli process
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups soup and about 1 tablespoon asiago cheese)
I was the nursing director for two large units at a Level 1 Trauma Center. I was “offered” a wonderful opportunity to move to a newly created Nurse Research position – same pay grade, same salary. Now, I am 100% not a research minded person. I realized that this was a move by Nursing Administration to get me out of the unit director position. Since I was two years away from retirement, I took it.
There was a HUGE going away party since I had been at the hospital for 25 years at that point. Many nurses that I had hired and mentored had moved to other positions, management, education, etc…. The next week, five of the most seasoned nurses transferred to other units in the hospital. A month later, another four left to go traveling and specifically said in their exit interview and on social media that they were leaving because I wasn’t there. It was quite satisfying. I tolerated the position for two years and then I retired. At my retirement party, I looked across the room and realized that almost 100% of the Staff (nursing and others) had been hired by me over the years.
So I would call the exodus of the most experienced nurses – the ones who oriented, mentored, clinical experts, informal leaders – a max exodus.
“Look, kids, I didn’t make this rule, and I think it’s a stupid rule, but I am paid to enforce it, so do me a favor and just go along with it, okay?”
You’d be surprised at how many middle schoolers are receptive to that kind of frankness. Not all of the students… there’s always going to be the kids who like to push boundaries and break rules for the sake of pushing boundaries and breaking rules… but the majority of students are cool with you if you’re cool with them about these things.
The worst “stupid rule” I had to enforce was about seven years ago, when I worked at a school that was on the verge of closing, for a principal that was on the verge of retiring. Her retirement was about a decade too late, I thought. She’d been in education since the 1960s, and expected students to act the same in 2012 as they did back when she first started in the field.
Among the stupid rules I had to enforce:
Absolutely zero talking in the hallway while switching classes. Her office was at the end of the hallway, and she didn’t believe in closing her door for anything. She just expected 150 students aged 11–14 to all go into the hall at the same time, go to their lockers, and go to their next class in complete silence. Teachers had to stand by their doors to enforce this unenforceable stupid rule. We had faculty meetings every week, and almost every week, we were spoken down to about not enforcing the silence in the halls during passing periods. We were enforcing it as best we could. She just didn’t get that students these days don’t have that kind of self control or concern for rules they think are stupid.
All student work had to be in cursive. Even when I was a kid in the 1980s, they didn’t enforce the cursive writing rule. They taught us how to write in cursive in third grade, and by fifth grade, no one cared if we stuck with it. So I didn’t. I struggle to read cursive writing when the students do it. I prefer print. Most of the students preferred to print. But she insisted on everything being in cursive, because that’s how it was when she was a kid.
Faculty may not leave the school during their planning periods or lunch breaks. I once drove down the street to get a coffee during my planning period, and, when I came back, all of the students were in the parking lot for a fire drill. She saw me, and threatened to fire me if I ever did it again. I still did it. I’m an adult, and I can do what I damn well please during my breaks. If principals want to start with the “planning periods must be used only for planning” business, then I’ll just start with the “okay, then I am doing absolutely zero planning or grading at home in the evenings and on the weekends.” The truth is that most teachers… most of them I know, at least… do the majority of their grading and planning at home on the weekends and evenings. There is no way planning periods would cover all of it.
Gonzalo Lira Has Now Died After Trying to Flee Ukraine
A young wife met her husband at the door when he came home from work, “Honey I tried getting something from the shelves in the garage, and everything fell over. Can you clean it up for me please? “ Husband just grunted and said “Who do I look like, Mr. Clean?” Two days later wife is at the door again. :Honey my car is smoking and making weird noises. Can you look at it please? Husband grunted ”Who do I look like, Mr. Goodwrench?” A few days later he is feeling guilty and comes home and announces. “ Hey honey I picked up everything needed to clean the garage and fix your car.” Wife said, Don’t bother it’s taken care of, the man next door did it for me.” Husband, ”Why would he do that?” Wife, I offered to bake him a cake or have sex.” Husband exclaimed. “What kind of cake did you make!’ Wife “ Who do I look like? BETTY CROCKER!
We can’t pleasure ourselves with everyday household items. For us, bananas are only meant to be eaten.
If a man walks behind a woman on the street, she may think he is following her.
You were probably told as a child that real men do not cry.
Men cannot tell their friends how attractive their siblings are, as women can.
It’s morning and you’ve got an awkward boner. You want to pee but you have to wait until the blood changes its route. (Men go to sleep with 206 bones, and when they wake up, they have 207)
The boy must apologize to the girl when their vehicles collide, no matter who is to blame for the accident.
It seems like we’re always being judged on how much money we make.
A man usually doesn’t get proposed to by a woman, but there are a few exceptions.
When you write an answer on Quora and don’t receive the same amount of views, upvotes, and comments as someone of the opposite gender, it’s easy to feel devalued.
Men Use AI To Put Clothes Back On Women! And Women ARE MAD AF
We all pick up bad habits. One of my bad habits (I have many) is that I often swear in English. When I swear, very few people around me understands English, so they do not realize that I am swearing.
Familiarity causes problems.
So I swear at the house. My wife does not like it, but it has become so commonplace that I don’t think about it.
But…
I have a young daughter.
And GULP! she has started to swear! Oh, God no! So I stopped all my swearing completely. But I think the Genie is out of the bottle. And NO, I do not think that it is “cute”. I hate her swearing.
I think that I am handling it fine, and not raising an eyebrow when she says “What the Fuck!” or “that God-damn son of a bitch”, or anything else.
Now, I use the terms… “Jimmy Crickets”, “fiddle-sticks”, and “Gosh and golly”. Alot.
But still…
Don’t let your life change because you have gotten too relaxed and confident. A word to the wise.
Yes, he was. Albert Einstein was notoriously incapable of remaining faithful to one woman. Female beauty was his greatest weakness, and he wasn’t shy or bashful about the fact — he famously explained relativity as “an hour talking to a pretty woman feeling shorter than a minute of having one’s hand on a hot stove”.
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Albert Einstein had mistresses throughout his life. He was unfaithful to his first wife, who was the mother of his three children. He then was unfaithful to his second wife as well, who was also his cousin. The little girl on Einstein’s lap? His adopted granddaughter. Who, as legend has it, may have been an out-of-wedlock daughter fathered by the aging scientist and then adopted by one of his sons to ‘avoid scandal’.
The stereotype we have of Einstein is “somewhat confused, awkward scientist completely obsessed with his work”, but in reality, he was quite socially savvy and quite capable of seducing women, something he did often and ferociously. Women in his life were aware of his proclivities — a great man belongs ‘to the world’, and sharing, as he saw it, was caring.
Some women like their men handsome. Others go for brains. Albert Einstein had no shortage of brains… and no shortage of women in his life. He got around, so to speak, and was sexually active until old age.
I always use my cruise control as I have a heavy foot and without the control would speed without meaning to. I was on my way to church and when I turned off the expressway I stopped for a light. That turned off the cruise control. I was doing 70 in a 35 when I spotted the trouper. I slowed down and pulled over and of course he came up right behind me. The usual “Do you know why I stoped you”. I was totally honest. Explained about my cruise control being off and realized I was speeding the same time I spotted him. He went back to his cruiser and then came up, handed my license back and said, “You haven’t had a speeding ticket in years so I’m just telling you to slow down. Where were you heading anyway?” I said, “Wow, thanks and I was on my way to church just up the road”. Truth.. He smiled and said I should be on my way before any of my friends drive by and see me sitting there. I thanked him again and stayed 3 under the limited the rest of the short drive to church. I have always wondered if it was because I am a little old lady or the fact I was very honest with him. But he saved me a huge fine that day.
The western media is a coordinated propaganda machine mostly own by the far right Neocon group that has a clear agenda to demonised any nation or nations that refused to be submissive and subservient to them. And China and Russia is their key focus.
Do their coordinate their attack on China to slur it, to demonise them, to cast doubts on China, to downplay their achievements and to spew hates on China and the Chinese people. That is simply a fact and a matter of fact that everyone on earth knows except some 5% or so brain dead who blindly follow the western media narratives.
Politically the U.S. is a dead man walking. It has totally lost its plot. It has done so much shit the entire world wants to get as far away from the U.S. as possible. With the exception of US slave vassal states like Germany, Japan and South Korea, US fellow natives slaughterer like Australia, Canada and to some extent New Zealand, its fellow despicable colonial masters like UK, France, Spain, Portugal and Belgium and those nations who loved to poke Russia in the eye and then run to hide under the U.S. skirt Lithuania or Poland!
China has 150–175 nations on earth out of the world’s 195 nations respecting and supporting them regularly versus the above 12–15 nations supporting the U.S. that is the comparison.
Obviously, I mean OBVIOUSLY, they have never been to China and have no idea how fucking enormous it is.
If you hop in a car, and start driving, it will take you days… DAYS… passing huge apartment buildings full of hard working, militarized families, studying… working… training…
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…building after building. Mile after mile. Kilometer after kilometer. Over and over and over.
One enormous giga-complex housing thousands of families… after another… and another… and yet another.
China is HUGE.
Simply enormous.
…
China is not the third world cesspool that the Western “news” says it is. It’s a nation thirty years in the future. It is proud. It is strong. And it is LETHAL.
It is a dragon wearing a cute panda-bear suit.
You all in the West are unaware.
Backwards. Retarded.
Fed garbage; not just figuratively, but literally. Most American doesn’t even know where California is on a map, or how many States there are, or how much 5 + 8 is.
When I say “stupid”.
I mean it.
Meanwhile in China…
I started using facial recognition and QR to pay back in 2013. That was ten years ago. I haven’t touched a coin or paper money in all that time. Using paper money is so 19th century.
My car is electric and it talks to me, and only turns on when my voice recognition software allows it to.
It self parks, customizes the interior with a rotation of interior motifs, plays my morning jazz tunes, and gives me a nice warm back rub as it links to the toll road and carries me off to my office.
In my office, my staff brings me my coffee and turns on my systems for me. Sometimes they might have a kid or two with them, being sick or what not. No worries, though, they are their next to their parents doing their studies next to the desks.
Lunch is paid for all my staff. It’s one of the state mandated laws, and after they eat a huge healthy cafeteria meal of fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, they go take their normal naps.
…
That’s just the first four hours of a typical day in China.
…
There’s a bunch of dunder-heads that think that the USA can invade China with D-Day style Naval assaults, and the threat of nuclear war.
Troll?
Moron?
Buffoon?
Ignoramus?
They believe that proud and powerful aircraft carrier will lay off the coast of China and launch cascade after cascade of fighters and bombers into China.
They think that stealthy submarines will sneak up and start bombing China. All this unopposed, and the Chinese will take it. Smile and say “… can I have another, master?”
They believe that the proud troops will be easily resupplied by Australia, Japan, Korea and Philippines. After all, that is the on-going American construction activity. Billets. Barracks. Supply depots, and large investments in bordellos for employment for the locals.
Fantasies. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
NEVER going to happen.
…
I am here to tell you that World War started in 2008.
Oh, sure, the elements started far earlier. But historians will write that the date of the war began was in 2008.
image 157
It peaked in 2020 with the bio-weapon(s) that the USA launched on China during CNY (John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo brilliance there), and fell back towards conventional war with the NATO conflict began in Ukraine.
It hasn’t gone that great though.
Wars don’t go to plan, and this crop of brain-dead, pathological psychopathic oligarchs are dangerously deluded.
Take Ukraine. Ah. The “war in Ukraine”.
What they mean is the unreported hostilities used to counter the Russian “special military operation”.
Over 3000 American soldiers (with countless more NATO gents) are dead. Just because the American “news” isn’t reporting it, doesn’t mean that it is not going on.
Dead Americans are all over the place. I have photos and photos. Movies and movies. But if I put them up, they get pulled. It’s “news you can use”, but that is bad for the Westerners to see.
Good men. Soldiers. American men.
Dead.
Over what? And why?
image 156
It is sad.
I cry for the widows at Fort Lenard Wood.
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As that phase winds down with a European collapse (economic, social, industrial, and military) a new phase opened up.
All to schedule; a disruption of the middle eastern shipping lanes.
Ah… that’s gonna teach China a lesson!
In their wet dreams, perhaps. China is about 3450 steps ahead of the rest of the world. They know what underwear that you will wear two days from now. Long before you even decide to put some on. That’s how advanced China is.
This idea that “China can be isolated” has failed, and is bound to fail, as the Chinese BRI are now proving how far-sighted and successful the rerouting of shipping avenues have proven themselves.
No wonder both Russia and China are screaming forward; an economic gallop. While the collective “West” is mired in inefficiency, lunacy, and insanity.
None of which is being reported in the “news”.
Here’s some more American troops in Ukraine…
image 154
Meanwhile…
We are watching the United States collapse in front of our very eyes.
After all, Texas has laid forth the reasons for departure from the Federal monstrosity.
And look at all the “steam” that it is gathering…
image 153
And yeah.
The USA has this dream of opening up a long-desired war in the Pacific over China. Troops, material and weaponry are flooding toward the Philippines, Japan and Australia. All ready to die for “democracy”.
Whatever the Hell that means.
image 152
A rally-cry of the moronic who still believe that “their vote counts” and that American culture (woke, red-pill, open marriage, LGBQ+) is worthy of preserving.
Woo! Woo! I’m gonna kill Commies for all that free gay sex!
And when that day comes… “death by cop” will be experienced in America. Up and down the coasts. As the United States will be bludgeoned by many, many, MANY people; and their nations. People who have been ridiculed and marginalized over the decades of pompous, elitist wars and flouting.
America is NOT respected in the world.
It is despised.
It is no mistake the distain that the illegal immigrants show towards American. And they are the polite ones. The USA is poised to get a much-needed Ass-Kicking at a scale of ferocity that is off the scale; in both ferocity, and in long-duration and everlasting pain.
And the United States has lost.
It just hasn’t been reported on yet.
Look around yourselves. The USA has no downtowns. No factories. No hard workers. No functioning anything. It’s just on the long slow crumble…
At this point in time, “war against China” will not be needed.
I was swimming in the hotel swimming pool and this lonely 12 year old girl came to swim. I immediately swam to the other end. She just kept following me, and talking and saying her parents were busy, and didn’t have any time to spend with her, and she was in a strange city.
I was really really getting uncomfortable, she wasn’t doing anything wrong, and if her parents or my wife were there, I wouldn’t have been near as uncomfortable, but would still be worried.
I eventually left her in the pool by herself.
When I was living in the city, the neighbors kids, probably 5 and 6, would come out and wait by the fence for me to walk to work, and I would stop and talk to them for 5 minutes, always staying back at least 3 feet from the fence, in my own yard.
They were such cute kids. But I hardly knew the parents.
When I walk down an almost empty street, if there is a woman in front of me, I either fall further back, or speed up and pass her when there are people around. I can’t just walk at my own pace.
You have to avoid anything that looks vaguely inappropriate, even if you are doing nothing wrong.
Wife Thought Husband Was A Doormat Until He Showed EVERYONE Graphic Evidence Of Her “Adventures”
I was with a group of people who where trying out clay pigeon shooting, and were standing around in groups of 3 or 4 people.
When it was your time, you were called forward and given the shotgun, shown how to load it and where the off-catch was. Then you just needed to put the shotgun against your shoulder and call out for the pigeons to be released. Nice and simple, and the trainer was standing to the left of the shooter.
Until we had a girl who, having loaded the shotgun, had a problem and needed to talk to the trainer. So, she needed to turn around and decided to turn to her right, with the shotgun pointed horizontally in front of her. Of course, that meant that she was then pointing a loaded shotgun at everyone else in the group as she turned around.
Apart from me, no-one in the group noticed what was happening. I was, obviously, flat on the ground before she reached my position. End of shooting for her.
You know guys, sometimes I get the biggest belly-laugh when I read some of the answers here. Either they are terribly deluded, or they are immensely ignorant.
…
Here’s a REAL answer.
First of all, let’s throw out some FACTS to “set the table”, so to speak.
China has the largest Navy in the world.
China’s navy is not spread out all over the place (like the USN), but are concentrated at the projected battle fields.
China’s navy is also the oldest navy in the world. It was operating CENTURIES before the first organized navy in Europe.
China’s navy has been restructured, and operates NEW ships with cutting-leading-edge systems and technology. Many of which are unique and unknown to the West.
Were a war to occur between the USA and China, a Naval war would be the lest of the worries of the American “leadership”. Economic, social, and financial collapse would all be in free-fall.
But, let’s answer this question.
Can the United States Navy sink the Chinese Navy?
Here’s my answer…
Yes, the USN has the ability to destroy vessels, aircraft, bases, and people of the PLAN.
It is highly unlikely, however, that they will be able to completely destroy the PLAN.
It is likely that in the process of this destruction, that the USN would suffer great losses in men, material, weapons, and vessels.
Both sides will likely take great losses.
But this is 2024. China’s city-destroying munition capabilities are global. The consequence of a United States (or proxy) war against China will result in the people of the attacking nation being hurt.
Thus…
American major cities will also become targets for destruction.
…
Remember, boys and girls, China is a peaceful nation…
…until it isn’t.
…
Never forget the great losses that the United States incurred the last time they fought the Chinese.
Look at the BIG PICTURE. Not the tactical issues, but the strategic issues. Then faced with this reality, project the highest probability outcomes.
Three days! In fact, they fired the CEO that fired me, then called and asked if I would consider coming back. I said, no. They then offered me a contractor position at over $200 an hour, I still said, no thank you. They ended up hiring someone nearly twice my salary and that person quit within 90 days. Although still happily unemployed, I never considered going back. Two weeks after my severance pay ran out, I found another job and was very happy. More pay, less stress, and much better management. I was lucky! My previous company, no so much. They tried contacting me a few times for questions, and I gave them info if I could but I never did any work for them again. I followed the recently fired CEO on LinkedIn and till this day, she is still unemployed. I sure hope she learned her lesson about hiring friends with less skills to replace experienced workers. It may not have been her best plan for success. Just about all the management were inexperienced friends of the CEO. Of course, many were let go once she was fired. The company is near bankruptcy and most of the good talent started to leave. It is sad just how much damage a CEO can do to a company when they put their own interest first.
second class life in MOSCOW! better than the WEST?
Examples of pointless human cruelty are, sadly, boundless. This is a shocking image and I apologize in advance for sharing it, but here’s one that truly got to me… in Belarus, 1918, after WWI had already ended, the brave Russian officer Rosinski was captured by the Bolsheviks.
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The Bolsheviks tortured the captain, likely to get information out of the man, which he bravely refused to give. After that, they simply continued with the torture out of some sick sense of innate cruelty. He was ‘the enemy’ and he was at their mercy, so they brutally murdered their captive.
The brave captain was emasculated. And anally impaled on a tree branch. All this while still alive.
Alfred Savoir, the man who published the picture and was an eye witness to the death of the brave military officer, described “M. B.”, who ordered this atrocity, thus:
I knew him not long ago; he was a charming teenager with an ironic wit and joker. He was rubbed with French culture, he admired the novels of Barres and he quoted willingly poets that I did not know quite. He was also a great dancer, a great flirteur and a good bridger. He often came to Paris, and he amused himself.
Today, this bourgeois benevolent and skeptical, this happy boy is impaling people. Understand who can!
This is a perfect example of just how cruel people can get. And also, its a perfect example of the very worst treatment, torture and humiliation a human being can be forced to endure.
What shocked Savoir the most when seeing the scene, wasn’t just the act of cruelty itself, but the utter indifference of the crowd:
“In this inhuman document you will find something more terrible than torture, it is the attitude of the crowd. Look at these figures: they are bored! A horse falling Avenue de l’Opera provokes in the Parisian public more reflexes, more comments. Here, what placidity, what indifference!”
Basically, the Communist soldiers overseeing the brutal torture of the prisoner of war in their hands, had seen similar horrendous tortures taking place before their very eyes. Rosinski, chillingly enough, wasn’t even the first, or the worst of their victims.
Needless to say, the image and story have been etched in my mind forever. Why are humans this way? Simply because they can be. You give a person the power over life and death, and you’d be surprised by how even the most polite and milquetoast person turns into a psychopath practically overnight under the right circumstances…
Pictures of Noah’s Ark That Are Completely Real — If They Happened Today
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The classic cosmic do-it-yourself project, Noah’s Ark, is probably well known to all of you. In it, God tells Noah to “build a giant ark, grab two of every animal, and let’s turn this planet into a giant water park.” But what if this tale involved a common man who was having financial difficulties today?
It all began in the 1990’s under President Bill Clinton. By off-shoring manufacturing, and converting to finance and a Managerial economy, the GDP reflects a measure of how wealthy the top 1% is in a given nation.
Elements of society that generate profit for very wealthy people, for large corporations, and for the government are measured int his calculus. Things that matter to them; things that generate money for them, are what is measured.
The collectable tax base. Higher taxes = higher GDP.
Annual liquidity of the currency of the nation. Less savings = higher GDP.
Vacant buildings; a potential to be rented out for profit. Empty building = GDP.
Income from tariffs for inbound imported items. Add tariffs = Higher GDP.
Population. More people = Higher GDP.
Income from duties; on inbound products. More duties = Higher GDP.
Services; potential or realized. Includes babysitting, and waitress activity.
The success of the stock market. Direct correlation.
Inflation. The higher the inflation; the higher the GDP.
Personally, I think this is a Ponzi scheme of great deception. As it holds no advantage to a business owner, or an investor in determination of value, gain or loss of anything. It is just a rather useless measure that is used by the “news media” to convince dissatisfied people that they are happy and doing well.
This isn’t my idea.
This is what is discussed in the most prestigious video with the great economics professors of the West; Michael Hudson, Alexander Mercouris & Glenn Diesen.
She took one of my team members out for drinks with some other colleagues and didn’t invite me. I didn’t mind at all at the time because people form friendships at work and it’s fine not to always invite everyone. But I did think it was a bit odd.
It turned out that this was the beginning of an elaborate campaign to try to get my job. She tried to undermine me with my staff, my peers and my management as well as my stakeholders. She blamed me for things going wrong, lied about things I had said/not said, and tried to take my work off me. She even tried to tell my lesbian staff member that I was homophobic.
She wasn’t subtle. And because I prioritise people management and relationships at work, it got her nowhere. I got my revenge a bit later when asked to review a crucial report she had produced. I eviscerated it, quietly suggested to my manager that if she wasn’t capable of such basic work, and couldn’t write grammatically correct English, perhaps her contract shouldn’t be renewed.
She never spoke to me again, and left shortly after.
When my wife and I were first married we would frequently buy coupon books that were put out by charities that gave discounts to go to different restaurants. We really enjoyed this because it gave us a chance to go around see different restaurants but also to see different parts of the city where we lived.
One night at about 7:00 around the Christmas holidays we went to a small Mexican restaurant that was in a nearby town. We went in and there were very few people in the restaurant and it was very small with only four or five tables. We were seated by a young girl who looked to be about 11 or 12 years old. She greeted us politely and gave us menus. She came back to the table and took our orders and my wife and I were able to sit and have a nice quiet conversation.
When the food came the young girl and her younger brother who appeared to be about eight years old carried the food to the table, expertly placed it in front of us and brought us our non-alcoholic drinks. A little while later she came back and asked us how the food was and we told her that it was very good.
At this point we we were puzzled because they seemed to be the only two in the restaurant. I got up and walked to the door of the kitchen and saw only the two children working hard as they prepared food at the stove.
So when he brought the bill I asked the young girl where the adults were who owned the restaurant. She explained to me that her mother and father had gone out for the evening because it was near the Christmas holidays and they hadn’t had much time together.
She and her brother had cooked dinner for us, served it and also accurately handled the bill at the end of the dinner. She even gave us each a piece of candy and wished us a merry Christmas.
My wife and I were both stunned as we left and talked about these two little children who prepared and served such a good dinner. This became a subject that we talked about for years.
Walter White’s 5 Most Badass Moves | Breaking Bad ( Bryan Cranston)
I would like to start this by saying I am an American who has lived in the UK for 38 years, worked in 12 countries and visited 43 countries. My Bachelors is a BSc (Economics) in International Relations.i will try to be as unbiased as possible.
The experiences are very different. Jingoism and patriotic brainwashing takes place in many countries, but honestly, my life in a Californian elementary school had more in common with China and North Korea than most of Europe. Pledging the flag every day and the teaching of American exceptionalism. Yes, the is much to be proud of in the US from the National Park movement to flight, amazing manufacturing leap forwards to putting man on the moon. However there is much that is not taught:
The natural resources of the US created great wealth, the founding fathers were largely gentry land owners (and mainly slave owners). Washington and Jefferson’s families have had huge estates in Northamptonshire England, and went to the US as it was not enough for them.
Slavery – this is taught now. It made a huge difference in wealth creation. Meanwhile most of Europe, slavery was illegal (yes I know rich brits and Dutch owned slave trade companies and the abolition movement pressured hard in Europe to stop it, and did a generation before the US Civil War.
Robber Barons exploited the poor in the South (and the North) and were even celebrated for living the American dream. The union movement in the early 20th century started to counter this. But the fear of the “red menace” largely squashed it in the post war years.
The 2 world wars decimated Europe, WWII especially. So America, who’s infrastructure was largely unaffected profited well as decolonisation took place and Europe rebuilt. The balance of power changed.
The dollar became king. America was seen as the land of opportunity. But really the mind set of Puritan settlements seen as radical nut jobs in Europe, coupled with the propaganda of the revolution (remember the red coats protected shipping lanes from pirates and also tried to defend the colonies from the indigenous population, that is not cheap and the tax on tea was to help pay for that) and everything else led to small government, frontier spirit and let’s be honest, exploitation of immigrants and the working class. The country was new, so yes, opportunity was there.
But now, so many people have to work hard to feed their families. One sickness can lead to bankrupt and homelessness. People are largely ruled by fear and capitalism. It is sad, but true.
Now compare this to the European experience. The American revolution showed Europe a route for change. And revolutions took place through the late 18th and through the 19th centuries. But it was to workers and farmers that led the charge, not the upper echelons of society like America. Strikes and worker mobilisation and supportive societies led to stopping children in factories and up chimneys. It led to rights for the workers. In the tin mines of Cornwall, in the early 1800’s, the average life expectancy was 23. People rose up to fight for their rights. And they were given, after long hard fights.
Attitudes were different after the world wars. The populations lost so many compared to America (of course the US involvement, where my Grandmother’s first husband was killed on the beaches of Normandy) led Europe to be thankful, but it was nothing of the scale in Europe. Most people wanted (and want) a better quality of life. Socialised medicine systems like the NHS were established. Worker rights improved further to encourage them to work in different industries (the UK encouraged people from India, the Caribbean and Africa to come and work here). There are similar stories in mainland Europe. We saw that by having these things in place, people became happier and more productive.
I know no European who really considers health insurance before moving jobs. It is not a thing. I do know many who like packages where they can take less pay for even more leave.
I now work in the NHS. I have 31 days off a year as paid vacation and 8 bank holidays. I work as hard as I have in other countries as my American work ethic was drummed into me since childhood. But I have travelled the world, taken time to see friends and family, indulged in hobbies, been to 90% of my kids’ school events and relaxed when we have had a hard time. I am told off if I go too long without a break or don’t use my allocation. I am told off if I am seen emailing when I am off.
Between social health care and annual leave I believe I experience a far greater level of freedom now than I did in the States. And I really wish my fellow Americans could experience it too.
First time in Chinese new year CCTV performance, the PLA: “winning 决胜” with island landing: that shows Beijing determination towards Taiwan reunification. This is unusual as traditionally, Chinese new year celebrations are without 🔥. Enjoys the 3.27minutes video :
Over 35 years ago, our small daughter had a fairly young (16–17yo) babysitter while I worked at a part time job in a school. Obviously the babysitter was not required during school holidays, so the babysitter, who I will call Marjorie, decided on the spur of the moment to hop on an interstate bus and have her own little holiday.
Before school recommenced, Marjorie came to me looking embarrassed, and said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t babysit for you any more.” I was a bit blindsided as I knew she hadn’t just found a new job or anything like that, so I asked what was the matter. With much embarrassment, Marjorie told me that on her return to our small town, she found that there were rumours circulating to the effect that her sudden departure on her holiday was because I had come home unexpectedly to find her in bed with my husband.
Talk about making a story out of nothing! (I should note that at another time when my husband went on leave from his job at the same time his company car broke down and had to be towed to the city for repairs, the rumours circulated that his absence was due to his crashing the company car and breaking his leg 🙄). Apart from it being totally untrue, it was insulting to my husband to insinuate that he would be having an affair with a barely legal teenager. And poor Marjorie, who was a very sweet young lady, was mortified.
So I said, “If you stop babysitting for us, it will reinforce the belief that there is truth to this disgusting rumour. What we need to do is to go shopping together in the main street and have lunch, then for you to keep babysitting to demonstrate that nothing has happened.”
When I was a young boy, my parents warned me to stay away from a particular house on the West side of town. My parents would warn “They want to be left alone, so leave them be. Do not go up there, and do not provoke them. Remember they have guns.”
Why ask questions that you know the answer to?
What are you, a sadist? Asking the same old questions day in, and day out. Hoping, praying, waiting, for some other tidbit of information that would make the reality easier to digest?
On paper, in theory, all of the 11 aircraft carriers that the United States fields (10 Nimitz and 1 Ford), could be destroyed by Chinese conventionally-armed DF-26 “carrier Killer” missiles. Given the flight times for the latest upgrades for the hyper-velocity versions of the DF-26 anticipated stopwatch from launch to destruction is within five minutes within the 4000 Km range.
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They are very effective.
And are designed to completely destroy Aircraft carriers.
China has a few thousand of them. Against what? 15 aircraft carriers.
From time to time, China takes them out as a warning to overly aggressive American neocons that are getting “too big for their britches”.
These units are not the ONLY weapons systems that are designed to destroy carrier flotillas, islands, and large bases like in Guam or Hawaii. There are many others. It’s just that the DF-26 is particularly good at it. Given the enormous numbers of launchers, and the insane levels of stockpiled munitions, one can only assume that all targets from land bases to submarines will be the prey for this missile.
The DF-26 appears to be designed specifically for high precision conventional strikes. The most likely target for the DF-26 missile would be Guam going by the range of the missile. Given the nature of the targets in Guam, which are mostly air bases (Guam has two large air bases where, as revealed by satellite imagery, B-52 squadrons are deployed), the DF-26 might be carrying specially designed cluster based bomb-lets to cause maximum damage to bombers spread out on the tarmac. In addition, there could be a specially designed deep penetration warhead for Hardened and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBTs).
Now, for the longest time, the USN and the ONI have been very quiet about the massive exponential increase in Chinese weapon lethality, survival-ability, and technology. The reports have been duly logged. The studies have been gamed out. The results and conclusions have been presented, filed and forgotten.
But it has only been during the last year that the USN admirals have become increasingly frenzied when dealing with hawkish Administration and Senate members. These people are not taking “no” for an answer, and want to find some edge; some justification, to “pull off” a “successful” war against China.
So, sometime, within the last nine months or so, the ONI through a number of key admirals, laid out the reality to the neocon “war hawks”.
The Chinese “just ran rings around us,” said former Joint Chiefs Vice Chair Gen. John Hyten in one after-action report
. “They knew exactly what we were going to do before we did it.”
Dozens of versions of the above war-game scenario have been enacted over the last few years, most recently
in April by the House Select Committee on competition with China. And while the ultimate outcome in these exercises is not always clear — the U.S. does better in some than others — the cost is. In every exercise the U.S. uses up all its long-range air-to-surface missiles in a few days, with a substantial portion of its planes destroyed on the ground. In every exercise the U.S. is not engaged in an abstract push-button war from 30,000 feet up like the ones Americans have come to expect since the end of the Cold War, but a horrifically bloody one.
And that’s assuming the U.S.-China war doesn’t go nuclear.
“The thing we see across all the wargames is that there are major losses on all sides. And the impact of that on our society is quite devastating,” said Becca Wasser, who played the role of the Chinese leadership in the Select Committee’s wargame and is head of the gaming lab at the Center for a New American Security.
“The most common thread in these exercises is that the United States needs to take steps now in the Indo-Pacific to ensure the conflict doesn’t happen in the future.
We are hugely behind the curve. Ukraine is our wakeup call. This is our watershed moment.”
So…
Please give me a break. Stop asking for answers that you do not want to hear.
If the United States drops one bullet inside of China, and Taiwan is China, the entire USN gets sunk. And the American losses in the first two hours will be absolutely horrific.
Finally, keep in mind that the limitations of the DF-26 (4,000 km) represents just a tiny portion of the massively lethal military onslaught that the China is ready and willing to unleash upon the United States and it’s idiotic “allies”. I suggest the Mr. DF-41 educate you all on what will happen to American and European cities. And lets not forget the up front and personal Type 094 or Jin class submarines.
China Launched a new Generation of Fighting Robots that Shocked the World
I’ve been fortunate so far in avoiding most scams. But a recent incident is worth noting. The driver side window was coming off the track in my wife’s Corolla. I took the vehicle to a Toyota dealership. They diagnosed the problem as a bent window regulator. The diagnosis cost nearly $100. But the repair would cost an additional $500. This did not seems right to me, so I declined. A bit of research on YouTube led me to purchase the part for $50. I saved an additional $50 money by purchasing a window regulator without the motor, then just transferred the motor from the stock unit. The most relevant aspect is that I was able to complete the entire repair in well under 1 hour. It was straightforward, and it worked perfectly. Charging $600 for the job is a scam – period.
In retrospect, I doubt the repair tech ever removed the door panel. Since this incident, I take my vehicles to a nearby independent shop that has earned my respect. Furthermore, I regularly reference YouTube for guidance in making minor repairs myself.
Women know but still won’t change, they just demand men accept their damage.
I had a young man who worked for me, quite a few years back, for about 6 months. He was constantly late to work which use to annoy me no end.
When staff come to work late on more than one occasion, I sit them down and have a chat. I let them know that I have noticed that they are late and that it makes me feel bad. I feel bad because it tells me that they don’t want to be there. So I ask them if that’s true and if I can do anything to improve this.
Every time I have this conversation it has never been said to me that they don’t like the job or don’t want to be there. So I continue with the reality that if I don’t insist upon them being at work on time it has the potential to spread to all the other employees and I can’t have that happening. I ask that they be mindful of the wider implications of being late and to make sure it isn’t a habit.
So this is how it went with this young man except he continued to come in late. My conversations gradually changed from nice to demanding to threatening him with losing his job if he kept it up.
Sure enough he again came in late,again, and I fired him for it. He was shocked and couldn’t understand why and literally said this golden nugget to me. “Why? I haven’t been late since the last time!”
In Australia the industrial relations law at the time allowed me to fire any employee, with no written warnings, if they had been with the company less than a year and the company employed lease than 15 people. This being the case I was well within my rights to fire him without a formal process.
A few weeks after his termination I am served with papers informing me that a wrongful termination complaint has been filed against me and I have to appear before a tribunal. Great!
In his filing he lied about his start date and lied about the size of my company and the number of employees. I had to prove otherwise and sent this documentation into the tribunal along with why he was fired prior to the hearing. It was work I shouldn’t have had to do but it was not too onerous.
I wrongly assumed the tribunal would throw the case out based on the evidence I gave them and the lack of evidence he gave, but no, it went ahead anyway.
He and his representatives – by the way, I was not allowed representation – talked about his work and why he shouldn’t have been sacked and how bad an employer I was, this carried on for about 15 minutes and was mostly untrue.
When my turn came I declined to talk about him, his work or say anything negative. I told the tribunal it wouldn’t serve any positive purpose talking about his work. I simply addressed the two key pieces of evidence that allowed me to fire him with no come back.
The tribunal then separated us both to speak with us separately. I was told by them they could tell I was a good employer by what I said and how I didn’t say anything negative about him. They said I had done nothing wrong and asked if I would consider reversing my decision to fire him and let him resign instead.
I resisted this as that wasn’t how it happened but relented after further pressure from the tribunal.
The whole thing, in my mind, was him deliberately wasting my time so he could make me pay for having fired him. It’s possible he was after a payout too but the way the tribunal saw things it was obvious he couldn’t succeed with that.
For those who will feel the need to side with the employee because all employers are money hungry, slave driving mongrels and want to leave me some comments.
Know this:
He never rang to say he was going to be late. He was at the gym prior to coming to work. His work was not good when he was there. He was late on more than 10 occasions. I also asked his supervisor to talk to him about being late. He never once offered to make up the time and was very quickly out the door at days end. He also never asked to vary his hours either.
So let’s begin by by prefacing this saying this happened to by my god-daughter’s mother. I had known this lady for over 24 years at the time. I was the one person that she called when she needed help, a ride to work, grocery stores planning her money, and things like that. So I didn’t think twice, when she asked to borrow my extra truck for awhile. So I’m thinking that she’s only wanted to be able to do couple things for a week or so, but NO. She ends up keeping it for nearly a year, didn’t change the oil change when I told her that she needed to after keeping it more than 5 months. But she did get an front end alignment, then she bugged me about getting her money back for it so much, I just said f*¢£ it. I ended up showing her to continue to drive the truck just about a years time. Finally she calls me and tells me I can come and pick it up cause she was moving to different house. I go to get it and find out that the only reason she was returning it was the engine had messed up, and needed fixing.
So I she called me up to tell me that I can have the truck back, but it going to need some fixing up. And just to make herself look better, she calls a mechanic, to diagnose the problem. He dies and she even arranges for him to fix it. But he has never fixed it or returned the truck. So far forward two years and she is asking to borrow the other car I had bought to replace truck, plus loan her several hundred dollars. She even tried get her daughter to sweet talk me into give her what she wants. I didn’t give in and told her that I just didn’t haveit then. No darn way I was going to help her out anymore after she messed up my truck.
May be because the “some people” is indeed 87% of the world call the Global South! And maybe because those people has intelligence, you don’t! You thought sucking up to the U.S. and helping them stay in denial is great.
Oh by the way the rest of the 13% most are coerce into saying US is great, some are forced to do, the rest are wishful that US is strong! A bankrupt nation with a million homeless with 35 trillion dollars debts is anything but strong!
Tagliatelle with Gorgonzola Sauce
blue cheese pasta 10
Ingredients
25g/1 ounce/2 tablespoons butter, + extra for tossing the pasta
225g/8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, divided
150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup double or whipping cream
30ml/ 2 tablespoons dry vermouth
5ml/ 1 teaspoon cornflour
15ml/1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
450g/1 pound tagliatelle
Salt and ground black pepper
blue cheese pasta 8
Instructions
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan ( it needs to be thick based to prevent the cheese from burning).
Stir in 175g/6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese and stir over a gentle heat for about 2 to 3 minutes until melted.
Whisk in the cream, vermouth and cornflour.
Add the sage; season. Cook, whisking, until the sauce boils and thickens.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the instructions on the packet.
Drain well and toss with a little butter.
Reheat the sauce gently, whisking well.
Divide the pasta among 4 serving bowls, top with the sauce and sprinkle over the remaining crumbled cheese.
Interview to Tucker Carlson – Kremlin.ru, Feb 9 2024 Vladimir Putin answered questions from Tucker Carlson, a journalist and founder of Tucker Carlson Network.
> Russia is said to weaponize everything. The position of China is not (yet) seen in military terms. The emphasis is on economic competition. Any undeniable Chinese achievement must be declared to have been a bad investment. The directive thus reads:
“When writing about China’s achievements – question their purported cost.”
But we will be very polite if you’re 1) not that brainwashed and 2) reasonable.
Positive reports about China are rare to be seen in American media, you don’t think it’s strange.
Posts revealing the facts behind your propaganda on Tweeter/X or Facebook got deleted, you don’t think it’s strange.
Chinese users were banned on social media for no reason, you don’t think it’s strange.
Chinese quorans are upset and disappointed about this, because no matter how detailed we tried to prove China is not what you thought, what replies I frequently received is: it’s China’s propaganda.
OK, fine, whatever.
Several days ago, I met a guy here, his argument is, China DID genocide Uyghurs, because he has evidences. I checked his evidences only to find they are reports on some mainstram media.
Firstly I told him, although those reports had “revealed” some CCP documents, but it is about the vocational education records (background information: Chinese farmers do not own large peice of land, so they are not able to be rich on their small piece of land due to huge polulation, and they usually don’t have chances to work in cities due to their economic status), and this is a proverty-eradication program initiated by government. However, MSM like NYT took it as an evidence of “forced labour”, LMAO, this program is nation wide, not just in Xinjiang but to all Chinese in lower income levels. Obviously he didn’t know this background.
He said although he can’t read Chinese, he can verify the information via translation.
Then I told him 1) what you can verify is the translation, not the truth, 2) this is called selective appropriation , translation usually used to project negative images in news reports, these are academic conclusion in communication studies and I have a degree in this area.
He said he can’t verify my education background.
Then I suggested him to read some of the leading scholars in this area.
This is just a simple version of what happened.
The fact is, during the course, I’m annoyed by his stubbornness and arrogance, and his attitude rejecting any polite argument, then I lost control, calling him brainwashed, stupid, uneducated.
See, this is a typical case of Chinese quorans being “strangely aggressive”.
This is in the era when computers broke the $1,000 price so a lot of people with limited skills were getting them.
At that time, I made PC clones, and sold/serviced them (and any other brands) in the local area. Think: small town.
The PCs we sold were all with home delivery and setup. That saved so much hassle (for us and our clients). At least when we left they could dial up and get online and surf the internet. Usually! One client it just wouldn’t work. Wrong password error no matter how many times he tried.
Finally, we got the ISP to tell what password he was trying to use. Let’s say it was ABC, the correct one. When we setup it up with logged in fine. Saved the password. So all he had to do was click connect.
But what he did was add ABC to the password field. So his first attempt to login was with ABCABC then ABCABCABC. Each time he tried he just appended his correct password onto a long string of correct passwords.
Computer were new… that is an easy thing to do. And the in home setup and service got us past a lot of those kinds of issues.
It wasn’t uncommon when at someone’s house for service (not a new one) the client would want me to clean up the hard disk. Kinda like go through their folders and ask “do you want this?” and if not click delete.
Sometimes they would mention it would be best to avoid a specific folder or so.
So, this guy asks me to clean up his folders…. and we’re going through one by one. Now, I am not a prude and could careless if you have porn on your computer.
But, I click a folder and the screen fills with adult images…. of my client sitting next to me and others some of whom I recall knowing! Now, that is really something I don’t want to see! I think my client was also a little more than embarassed.
The Spiritual Connection of Cats | Why Did GOD put a CAT in your life ?
You know, I have taken to playing “mood music” that I pull off YouTube. My favorites are slow, coffeehouse jazz on rainy or snowy evenings. Such as this LINK.
There is always a slightly slow animated image on the video. Usually with a fireplace. Here’s a screenshot. It’s got a animated cat, rain, books, cozy fireplace, and of course, a leather chair with a throw.
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Long time mm readers will recognize the similarity of this imagery with my own personal studio in Erie, PA. Check out the link HERE.
Notice anything familiar?
Aside from the disorganized clutter… heh heh.
.
The picture is crap, but imagine it is a snowy or rainy night.
It was actually very nice in the house. It had character, and quite cozy.
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My cat Coco is sleeping on a throw on a pile of books.
Here’s Coco…
Coco chillin’ out.
Meanwhile, the wood burning stove is glowing. Mellow music is playing, and I am either painting, or reading a book. A cup of coffee or tea is near by.
It’s funny how thoughts and reality sometimes coincide…
it is not how much is spend it is what can you do with it!
If the U.S. spends 3 times that of China and one can buy 3 times more in Beijing than in Washington then essentially both the U.S. and China can buy the same amount and technology.
I have not factored in corruption. That probably take away another 50%! China is corruption free. Thanks to Xi Xinping. So after factoring in corruption you essentially has half of what Beijing has!
So that is why China is getting stronger by the day! The truth is far from what you see from a western hubris, superiority complex point of view. This is the price you pay for the forever wars you fight using money you print.
“Don’t swipe left or right when someone hands over their phone to you for viewing the picture”.
2-Never give advice until you’re asked.
“ Keep calm and oil your own machine. All people are not going through a crisis, even if they are, they just might know how to pull themselves out of it”.
3-Password also needs privacy.
“If someone is typing a password, just look away, turn the other side”.
4-When someone compliments you, just thank them. Or say, “That is very kind of you.”
5-Respect people, not their position.
“Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rudely you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect.”
7-The speakerphone is not for public use.
8-Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing.
6-Curiosity can look bad at times.
“Never, and I mean Never even touch anyone’s mobile until they say so”.
7-Order wisely when someone is treating you.
“Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is treating you for lunch/dinner”.
The entire quote by Stalin is as follows: “I understand it if a soldier who has crossed thousands of kilometres through blood and fire and death has fun with a woman or takes some trifle.” With this, he all-but encouraged his Red Army to rape at will… which they did.
image 75
The Germans had inflicted great damage on the Russians during the war, treating them as less-than human and murdering, raping and torturing a great number of them. Does this make literally crucifying German citizens on their own doorsteps and in their own streets, raping women and children of all ages, okay? I don’t believe any sane person would say it’s ever “okay”.
Also, the wording… fun? I heavily side-eye anyone whose idea of ‘fun’ is the rape of innocent civilians. “Hey, guys, I just arrived in enemy territory after a long and grueling military campaig, dying to have some fun… do you guys know any fun activities for me to indulge in? Hmmm let me think… what about… sexual assault?”
image 74
But, sure, Mr. Soviet Super Mario says it’s okay, so it’s okay, right? Hitler and the Nazis were awfully evil, so it’s okay to rape the women of Germany, after all, the men of Germany raped plenty of Russian women, too… nah. That just doesn’t fly. This tiny little Borat looking human mite has no right to call upon his soldiers to rape to their heart’s content…
The Japanese army more or less ordered it’s soldiers to rape as many women as they desired in Nanjing, China. They went all-out, acted like animals. It’s a great war crime and regarded by everyone as such. Likewise, the conduct of Russian soldiers in the aftermath of WWII was appalling. And it’s not just German women, either — Polish women too and other Eastern European innocents were raped, murdered and robbed by Soviet troops as they made their way to Berlin. The human suffering was enormous and Stalin was a cheerleader to these horrors.
It’s not okay. It’s never okay. You cannot repay war crimes, with war crimes. You cannot undo evil, by doing evil. Restore balanced, by doing immoral and unhinged things. Stalin was wrong. Every bit as wrong as Hitler. Because they both dehumanized their enemy and endorsed tremendous human suffering. Encouraged it, even.
What are some dirty tactics used by fast food restaurants?
Just before every spring and all throughout spring it happens.
It has been a long day. I am tired. I really don’t care for fast food but when I’m tired and lazy, what the heck – right?
I get to the drive through window.
voice:
“welcome to _______ would you like to try a value meal?”
Me:
“Sure gimme a number <whatever> and a strawberry shake”
voice:
“OK that will be $10.59 please pull forward”
So far so good right?
I pull up, hand her a twenty, she takes my money then looks at me and says one of the following:
Would you like to donate 5 dollars to feed starving third world children?
Would you like to donate 5 dollars to send an underprivileged inner city kid to camp?
Would you like to donate 5 dollars so an amputee can receive a leg?
OK I made that last one up but you get what I am saying here.
Now I am just the kind of person these people are looking for. I feel guilty if I walk past a bell ringer in the supermarket during the holidays if I don’t at least give them a buck so it used to always work on me.
Until one fateful day it happened.
The woman at the window asked me:
Would you like to donate 5 dollars to send an underprivileged inner city kid to camp?
I told her “sure keep 5 bucks”
Then as I drove off it hit me
“I can’t afford to send my own kids to camp!”
Strombolis
2024 02 05 13 41
Ingredients
Strombolis
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
6 to 8 hamburger buns
6 to 8 slices Mozzarella cheese
Garlic Spread
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Strombolis: Brown meat and drain. Add onion, ketchup, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, fennel, and oregano. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Split hamburger buns. Spread 1 teaspoon Garlic Spread on each bun top. Divide meat mixture evenly on bun bottoms. Top meat mixture with a cheese slice and add top bun. Wrap each sandwich in a square of foil.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until heated thoroughly through.
Garlic Spread: Combine butter, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well.
I trained Budo (Nimpo) for a couple of years and got jumped by five people unprovoked at a buss stop with my friend. Probably because me and my friend had a girl at each side and they had football atire on them and probably lost a match or something. I’m a small person and so is my friend. Smaller than most. This isn’t my first unprovoked aggro because of that size.
There where several other persons at the buss stop too and no one intervened except the girl that was at my side (everyone else just moved away). She screamed at the three jumping me to stop it and tried to move in front that halted two of them a bit before rounding her. My friend didn’t have the same luck with the other two and fell to the ground behind me after a couple of hits.
I saw the first charging me with the two following and had the thought, keep them at a distance and plunged a under hand fist and hit the person in the ribs and followed up with a foot push with my momentum. Two moves I trained alot during my practice. The first when I didn’t have a practice sword and needed distance. The second to make room to draw my practice sword. What was new to me was to combine them in the move. I did it because my master had told me.
If you end up in a fight do three things. Keep them at a distance so they can’t hurt you. If they hit you, make it hurt back so they give up due to pain and if you ever have a chance. Always run, because if you don’t you can get damage for life or loose your life. Fight with that in mind.
I was just thinking, I can’t run from the girs or my friend so went for the two other rules.
The first hit better than I intended, by pure luck or perhaps training. The two others could se the hit as extremely painful when he screamed and started saging(never done the move with full force before). The followup push moved him several meters, more than I thought and that stopped the others in their tracks. They where chocked and didn’t want that pain.
I screamed at them to keep their distance and turned to my friend and saw the other two using him like a football on the ground. I moved in behind one of them and did a locking and draged him off my friend, without hurting him. So my friend could roll out of the way and only get one on one.
This was a misstake because it fixed me too him and sacrificed my movement, the other three jumped me then.
So my masters feedback that I could get a permanent damage was true. My left wrist was broken in a way to remind me every day now, what pain is.
My own experience told me that Grappling a person and killing your movement is something you never should do with more opponents than one. Why did I do that. Yes because of training and the training also teached me to never hurt a person if I could avoid it.
One opponent in front of me do one opponent defence, was drilled into me. Bad decision. It’s wrong, thinking like that. They where four, just one active.
More will always defend a friend if you have hurt them before. Even if you are not hurting their friend at the moment and just keeping him out of the fight. Remember telling him will you stop fighting if I release you.
So three things was in my favour.
Some of my training had helped me alot and the training had also given me the time to think because I acted faster and reacted faster than my opponents due to training without thinking how I did things. This speeds things up alot and gives you awareness if you use it to your benefit. I even combined different moves in my head.
Traning also gives you better results when you do things, that will give you an edge if you can minimize their damage.
Distance is a key factor and a safe direction like what my girl did to the other two in the beginning so there where no one coming from that direction during that time. Also used the buss stop like that after the grappling because I had pulled the person into the buss stop and ran around it a couple of times to avoid getting hit. Must have looked ridiculous.
They where also not sober and I was.
Still grateful that they didn’t jump my girl!
Have Women Lost Their Minds? (It Sure Looks Like Some Have!)
I’d gone into Best Buy to replace a bad mp3 player. The counter I had to go to was next to the same counter as the Geek Squad incoming counter.
While an employee was looking up my receipt I had time to overhear the Geek talking to a customer with a computer with no power.
Geek: “Well since it won’t power on that means the motherboard(?) is dead and would cost more to replace than a new computer. I’d recommend picking up a new one on Aisle 5. Hopefully we can transfer your data from this dead system.”
The previous night we’d had a lightning storm and in that day dial-up was still a think. Also I was, and have, worked in legit computer repair stores.
Also I’d drank heavily the night before and was still feeling the effects.
Me: “Why don’t you try pulling the modem out of the computer and try it again. There were lightning strikes in the area last night and it may have blown.”
Geek: “I’ve been doing this for 6 months and I think I know what I’m doing and talking about!”
Me: “I’ve been doing computer repair for 10 years and I think I’d try the modem.”
Customer: “Pull the modem like he said and try again, please.”
So the Geek in a huff opens the case and removes the modem. He hits the power button and turns to us with a smirk on his face while the computer boot into Windows behind him.
I was asked to finish my business and leave the store.
As you may know, Atlantic City, New Jersey isn’t doing so well.
They are losing thousands, if not millions, of tourists to other cities. Many casinos have closed down and the ones that are still open are struggling to make a profit.
Today, I’m going to be showing you a casino that opened in 2012, and it was supposed to be an iconic symbol of Atlantic City.
Revel Casino
(Today it’s called TEN Atlantic City)
Construction began in 2007, the project would cost an astonishing 2.4 billion dollars.
It would became the tallest casino in Atlantic City, and the second tallest in the United States.
It opened its doors on April 2, 2012.
Revel went through a rough start. The building was too massive to fill all of the 1,399 rooms it had. The debt began to build up right as they opened doors, and the owners had no idea what to do.
On February 19, 2013, they announced they would file for bankruptcy in March. The total debt was estimated to be around $1,000,000,000!
On May 21, 2013, Revel exited the bankruptcy court by giving lenders an 82 percent stake in the property.
On June 19, 2014, they filed for bankruptcy again!
They tried to sell the property, but there were no buyers. I wonder why?
In result, they closed their doors on September 1st, 2014. However, just 20 days later, a court-based auction was held. There was a $90 million bid on the property. Then another bid was placed for $110 million! Shortly afterwards the $110 million bidder walked away. The property was eventually sold to Glenn Straub for $95.4 million.
In the end, Revel lost over $2.3 billion dollars.
It may have not been the biggest waste of money, but it was a pretty big one.
The problem was obvious. You can’t build a multi-billion dollar casino and hotel at an already struggling city! Some people can be so weird.
The Revel was suppose to be an iconic symbol of Atlantic City. It was designed to be flooded with tourists and to host world class shows. Instead, it’s looked down on as a symbol of enormous failure.
Cannelloni
For a complete meal, serve Cannelloni with a crisp tossed salad, a loaf of Italian bread and fresh fruit.
Heat oil in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan until a light haze forms over it. Add onion and cook until soft. Add tomatoes with liquid and other remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 40 minutes with pan partially covered. Stir occasionally.
Blend tomato mixture in blender and taste for seasoning. Correct if necessary. May be made up to a week before serving and stored in refrigerator.
Meat Filling
Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 7 to 8 minutes until soft. Stir in spinach and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. When all the moisture has cooked away, transfer to large mixing bowl. Melt butter in same skillet and lightly brown meat, stirring. Add meat to spinach mixture. Add cheese, cream, eggs and oregano. Mix and season with salt and pepper.
Besciamella
In a heavy 2 or 3 quart saucepan melt butter over moderate heat. Remove from heat and stir in flour. Add milk and cream all at once, stirring constantly with whisk. When the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth, reduce heat. Simmer, still stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thick enough to coat the whisk wires heavily. Remove from heat and season with salt and white pepper.
Assembly
To assemble cannelloni, cook lasagna until done. Cut each whole lasagne noodles into 3 equal sections. Pour a light film of the tomato sauce into 2 (14 x 10 inch) shallow baking dishes. Place 1 tablespoon of the meat filling on the bottom third of each of the pasta rectangles and roll them up. Lay the cannelloni side by side, seam-side-down, in 1 layer on the tomato sauce. Pour besciamella over cannelloni and spoon the remaining tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the assembled cannelloni and dot with butter. Cannelloni may be assembled to this point the day before serving, then refrigerated until time to heat and serve. It may be wrapped and frozen.
When ready to cook, bake cannelloni in 375 degrees F oven uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbling.
Notes
* Variation: Use tufoli or manicotti, cut in half after cooking, for pasta.
An argument can be made that Formula 1 drivers are the most fit athletes in the world. For example, the drivers encounter these conditions:
When in wide turns at great speeds, the heads of F1 drivers can experience 5g’s
When a driver releases full throttle while on a straight with no application of brakes, he experiences greater deceleration from the braking power of the engine alone than we would if we slammed the brakes hard in our cars
F1 drivers experience massive g-loads when they crash. In almost all cases, they walk away from the crash.
Their sustained heart rates can be 190 bpm during a race
The drivers can lose 2 – 3 liters of water through perspiration during a race
Formula 1 drivers are human marvels. They have insanely fast reflexes, have great eyesight, possess an innate sense of how a car moves around a track, endure high heart beat and respiration rates, need to manage a massively complex car through steering wheel controls and conduct conversations with the pit crew throughout the race.
image 101
A Mercedes F1 Steering Wheel.
F1 drivers train constantly and have excellent aerobic fitness and endurance. A typical F1 race lasts 1.5 – 2 hours, usually in warm conditions. They constantly run at the edge of their performance.
I don’t think any other athlete has more to contend with than does an F1 driver during a race.
I did this once, and what ensued remains one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
I worked for a mid-size office supply company for a couple of summers in the late 80s when I was in college. Our department of about 25 people was great — everyone got along and we had lots of fun despite the heavy work load.
We had a tiny kitchen with a fridge just outside the conference room. Occasionally there would be a small item missing — a piece of pie here, a can of soda there. It always annoyed us that someone would filch a coworker’s food, but we couldn’t figure out who was doing it. We ruled out someone from another department as they would have to walk clear across our office to get to the kitchen and would be spotted. No, this was an inside job.
One day as I was getting my lunch from the fridge, I saw that my small container of potato salad was gone. I was pissed, and said so to my coworker Ann. She motioned with her thumb to the workstation behind hers and whispered, “I saw Mike eating it. I think he’s the one who’s been stealing from the fridge.”
Mike B., our neurotic, rotund salesman. How had I not suspected him? He was an otherwise good guy so I couldn’t really get mad at him, but I did want to get revenge.
So after work I bought a slice of cake at the supermarket that looked like this:
image 100
I carefully removed all of the frosting, put half of it in a mixing bowl and tossed out the rest. To the bowl I added at least half a tube of this:
image 99
Mixed it all up and “re-frosted” the cake. I even added some of these to make it more enticing:
image 98
He didn’t touch the cake the first day, or the second. Ann and I were getting worried. But on Day 3 he could hold out no longer. Ann came rushing to my desk late in the afternoon and told me to look in the conference room. I stood up and peered over the dividers to see Mike sitting alone in the darkened conference room making calls with a beautiful slice of buttercream and Crest cake in front of him.
Ann couldn’t see, so she asked, “What’s he doing?”
“He’s eating the cake.”
“What do you mean, ‘He’s eating the cake’?”
“The man is eating the cake,” I said, nonplussed.
I watched him eat the entire slice. He paused at one point to poke at the icing with his fork — something wasn’t right — but he kept eating. He hoovered down the cake, toothpaste and all, within two minutes.
By now others had gathered to see what was so interesting, and by the time Mike emerged from the conference room the entire department was waiting. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw us.
“There’s some white on your lips, Mike,” one of the other salesman said. “Did you just brush your teeth?”
“What? What’s going on?”
Ann told him what he’d just eaten and we all burst out laughing.
“Oh my God!” Mike shouted. “I knew there was something wrong with that cake! I could be poisoned!”
Half of us were doubled over by now, as much over the prank as over Mike’s histrionics.
And then came the crowning moment, totally unforeseen by any of us. Margaret, our frail, 72-year-old bookkeeper, stepped forward carrying a small bottle and a spoon. She was genuinely concerned for her coworker’s health.
“Mike, you need to take this — quickly.”
“What is it?” He asked.
“Just take it. It will help,” she said solemnly.
image 97
What this woman was doing with a bottle of Ipecac in her desk drawer I’ll never know, but Mike, by this point desperate over potentially being poisoned, took two spoonfuls and downed a glass of water.
If you know what Ipecac used to be used for, then you won’t be surprised at what happened next.
Mike spent the next half hour in the bathroom, vomiting his guts out. He definitely purged the cake, the toothpaste, and anything else he’d eaten that day.
I went in at one point to check on him. “I’m okay,” he muttered from behind the stall door. “But I’m going to strangle that old woman.”
Mike survived and eventually came around to appreciate the humor of what happened, what came to be known as “The Ipe-Cake Incident.”
I Bought America’s Most Expensive Storage Unit (He HOARDED GUNS!)
It’s a hard question to answer, because as a percent of GDP its pretty hard to compare building the pyramids to anything else.
However I have a great Canadian example.
Canada wanted to save its ship building and technology sector by building a whole new fleet of 15 warships, plus more coastguard ships.
To make this economical, we were buying a hull design from the British navy, but were building them in Canada, and using Canadian built armaments, Canadian radar, Canadian developed software, etc. We were building 15 warships for 24 billion dollars, or $1.6 billion each.
But then the navy decided that they didn’t want anything Canadian in it, they wanted everything to be compatible with the US systems. So everything has been redesigned, where we now buy all American parts, and software, and install them on our ship. But we now have to pay licensing fees every year to a foreign government, to operate our war ships, and if we have a dispute with that government, our systems are shutdown.
So now the cost of frigate has soared to 5.7 billion dollars, or $84 billion for 15. But it gets worse, with maintenance costs, its over $300 billion, and we have to contract out a lot of maintenance to the Americans for their proprietary systems.
The UK bought a used US aircraft carrier, for what we are spending on a frigate.
It gets even worse, the US is willing to sell us their off the shelf, brand new frigates, that have everything the navy wants, for the same $1.6 billion each, that we were going to pay in the first place. Since the new ships will have no new Canadian technology in them, there is little gain for Canada to spend an extra $4.1 billion a ship more than forecast.
The government announced that they will have to cut the armed forces budget.
Doomsday Prepper’s ABANDONED Mansion | Found Secret Bunker with EVERYTHING Still Inside
Upon arriving, Steinmetz rejected all assistance and asked only for a notebook, pencil and cot.
Steinmetz listened to the generator and scribbled computations on the notepad for two straight days and nights. On the second night, he asked for a ladder, climbed up the generator and made a chalk mark on its side. Then he told Ford’s skeptical engineers to remove a plate at the mark and replace sixteen windings from the field coil.
They did, and the generator performed to perfection.
Henry Ford was thrilled, until he got an invoice from General Electric in the amount of $10,000. Ford acknowledged Steinmetz’s success but balked at the figure. He asked for an itemized bill.
Steinmetz responded personally to Ford’s request with the following:
Making chalk mark on generator: $1.
Knowing where to make mark: $9,999.
Ford paid the bill.
I’ve told this story before, but I can’t think of a better one to show: the single most valuable skill in the world is judgement.
At first I thought great judgement would just make you rich, but that’s not true. It’ll also make you happy. Deciding who you trust requires judgement. Choosing who you marry is a judgement call. How you spend your time is a direct result of your judgement.
That’s why nature made it hard to get. The only way to good judgement leads right through experience, which you pay for in time, energy, and taking risk. But most of all, you need courage.
Because while life is one big judgement training camp, those who really embrace it must ask what the most important decision is, choose an option, and then see it through. Over and over again. And that’s not a matter of judgement at all.
Maldives is a small country barely visible on the map. Of course there are smaller countries, but the islands in Maldives are scattered all across the ocean making some islands big as a regular apartment or just sand banks (which is useless. No one can live there). This means, we do not have a lot of land and landlords take advantage of the people with skyrocketing rent.
Our capital city, Male’ is where literally every Maldivian wants to live in because it has got everything that a regular islanders could never have.
To give you a clearer picture; regular islanders live in suuuper tiny islands, sometimes with a population of 200 or more. Zero cars sometimes, because these islands are so small you can literally walk anywhere. One small school for 10–20 kids and one health clinic (worst).
Right after they see the city, they want to move there at any cost and this is the story of EVERY Maldivian. And is also the reason why three quarters of the population lives in Male’ city . Hence, skyrocketing rent.
The people who actually belong to Male’ rent out their houses or build huge apartment buildings and rent it out for prices however they like. Why not?!? People still want these places at any cost, even if that means working two jobs, even if that means sharing one small unit with 10 other people. And don’t even get me started on investing in these tiny ass apartments, that is just a topic for another day pheww.
Ever wondered where these ‘rich’ landlords are? They rent out even the tiniest places they own for ridiculous prices and move to a cheaper country. Basically they are set for life. However, they live like normal people in those countries , no crazy fancy life but the quality of life is better of course.
Basically anyone who owns a little piece of land in this concrete jungle, Male’ city, is SET FOR LIFE.
Everyone wants to know the “most” the “best”, I too am guilty of that :-p However, its not that easy to say which is the No 1 in everything especially if there are multiple measures to grade against, that the scope (time & geography) is so wide, that some may be lost to us and hence not enough is known, tactics-strategy-war tech change even within the medieval time frame so as to affect what is desirable in a fortress and as with all things strategic and tactical – there is always differences in opinions. So knowing full well there is no right answer and I can’t even pretend to know more than a tiny fraction of fortresses within the question scope, I will hazard a few candidates and also why.
Illustration by Peter Dunn of Siege of Dover Castle in 1216 (from english-heritage-uk.co)
image 95
Before going into individual fortresses, 3 things. 1) the question used the term fortress, the word emphasis a combat role, so I will take it entirely from a military perspective and ignore all other factors. 2) The term medieval refers to a span of approximately 1000 years between the fall of the Romans and the start of Renaissance. However the word is a essentially a European and perhaps Middle Eastern due to the degree of interaction back then. It does NOT apply to “the world”. Despite this I will simply assume coverage include examples from somewhere around c500AD to c1500AD without geographic limits. There is a slight difference in the time when we refer to “Medieval” because depending on the civilization in question there are differences in the start of the Renaissance period. 3) There is a difference between castles and fortresses, but its a minor one of generally greater focus on battle priorities by fortresses than the castles (eg relatively thicker walls) and castles encompass more. For this answer, I will NOT distinguish between the 2, but I will ignore non-military strengths of castles per (1).
About individual castles I would first point out that I will only be touching on them in brief, which frankly speaking will be a disservice to them since a lot of their defensive features may be left out in the process. But this is quora, I am not trying to do a research paper.
These castles may have their surrounding defense works overtaken by development. In addition, its common to have temporary defense works added outside the permanent parameters if they have the troops for it. Example of temporary defense works are ditches and earthen works for layers of defense and fall back positions.
In no particular order.
(from:architectureofcities.com) Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
from 8th century
image 94
Top view (from:pininterest/Luc Vieri)
image 93
The castle at high tide is accessible by one narrow approach at high tide (narrower in the past). And at low tide the waters around recede and is clay-like sand. Defense is oriented more towards the land approach which is deemed the greater threat.
(from:art.com)
image 92
(from eart.esa.int)
image 91
What its location means is by land you are restricted to 1 approach at high tide, and at low tide siege engines won’t work from other sides, foot approach will also be a real pain. By sea, you only have a short period to do anything and you risk running aground. It is conceivable that if the defenders anticipates assault by sea, they can prepare some surprises for the ships.
You will see it has concentric walls of higher and higher elevation, which makes each breach just meaning a harder fight coming up with the next wall (attackers gets “boxed in”). Also elevation gives all sorts of advantages to the defenders. Seaward side you will note the sheer inclines.
The abbey has never fallen.
Murud-Janjira – Murud, Maharashtra, India
(from:architectureofcities.com)
from 1200s
image 90
(from:holidify.com)
image 88
(from reddit)
image 87
from wiki
image 89
40’ high walls and 19 rounded bastions, has fresh water wells and made made lakes. Not a star shape fortress, but the concept of one is present with the bastions to provide fire on “at wall” targets. Has multi walls, can only be threatened by sea but will out class sea vessels guns of the time with weight and range of fire of their guns as well as advantage of elevation.
Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
(2 pics from:architectureofcities.com)
from 1103
image 86image 85
High elevations , commanding view (more on this point from next castle), very thick walls. I actually visited the place, even as a visitor it can be tiring to go around. For attacking troops, there will be so many obstacles and death traps along the way even if you get pass the outer walls, or even reach the outer walls for the matter. And if for some reason you managed to get inside, there are so many little details that will disadvantage the attacker vs the defender. Simple things like the direction of spiral stairs to disadvantage a right handed attacker moving upwards vs a downward fighting defender for example.
Besieged more than 25 times but never fallen by force. When it did fall it was through treachery, deceit, politics, surrender etc. The 1 case a comment managed to dredge up was when the castle was bombarded extensively by the largest siege engines of the time for 3 days, and practically demolished the place. By the time the defenders gave up and surrendered, the damage took many years of rebuilding to restore and with help of master craftsman from Wales. So in that 1 case they dodged the “taken by force” on a technicality of surrender before the defenses were actually overwhelmed.
Hohensalzburg Fortress – Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
(from:nomadbytrade.com)
from 1077
image 84image 83
Its very much similar to Edinburgh castle in terms of military perspective but the picture above shows a cannon point out from the defenses, this is what I had meant about “commanding view”.
Château de Puilaurens
from 13th century
(source: pininterest/Susan Calderon)
image 82
(source:catharcastles.info)
image 81
Other than the fort on a hill top and aspects already mentioned, I draw your attention to the only approach is not only steep and zigzag, but there are also zigzag walls to let the attacker face wall after blood letting wall.
Mehrangarh – Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
from around 1459
(from architectureofcities.com)
image 80
Same strengths as Edinburgh and Hohensalzburg
There are actually many such hill top fortifications so rather than go into too many I will just show some without explanation:
Königstein Fortress – Königstein, Saxony, Germany
from c860
(from spottinghistory.com)
image 79
Ksar of Aït Benhaddou – Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
from 11th century
(from:architectureofcities.com)
image 78
Himeji Castle
from 1346
(from:jrpass.com)
image 77
(from Japan-history-travel.net)
image 76
I actually visited one of these. Unlike most ‘on the hill top’ type fortifications, many examples of the Japanese forts show much more extensive modification of the surrounding area for defensive reasons. Just moving from the outer perimeters to the castle proper is quite a challenge for an attacker. Every step of the way is uphill with things designed to give the defender plenty of chances to kill or maim the attacker from relative safety, some of which are really devious. Even if you reach the main door of the castle, you face an entrance way that is almost vertically upwards with each of the steps so high you have to literally climb up (all the daily convenience aspects are retracted away). The entire fort from outer perimeters, courtyards to hallways designed to be a meat grinder.
There are many such fortifications around the world from that time period and my relatively short coverage of so few does no justice at all to all the examples not yet mentioned.
Key aspects:
Command the surrounding
Difficult to approach
Time consuming to besiege/attack
Able to take attacks from weapons of the time
Supplies – especially water
Death Trap – cost the attackers every step of the way
Layer after layer of defense
Cozy Fireplace 4K (12 HOURS). Fireplace with Crackling Fire Sounds. Crackling Fireplace 4K
LOL. This is 12 hours of fireplace blaze. Great for a background video on your living-room television. But useless otherwise. Enjoy the link if you want to.
It was a party. He was hassling a girl and calling her boyfriend “scraggly Jesus”.
Fifty kilo (110 lbs.) me asked him to stop. Hundred kilo he, lifted me under the armpits and pinned me against the wall while lecturing me on minding my own business in front of 50 or 60 partygoers.
A few of his friends told him to stop, and he did.
I left the party.
Three days later, I saw him get out of an open convertible in the parking lot and leave it open.
My eyes happened upon the poison ivy growing along the fence.
Knowing my tolerance was high (after many severe and very itchy cases), I tore off a dozen leaves and rubbed them all over his steering wheel and seat before tossing them away at the fence again.
I then went back into work and washed my hands thoroughly.
I had a light case on my hands.
He spent three weeks looking very pink (from the medication) and very unhappy and never able to figure out why the poison ivy kept spreading to new areas.
Originally Answered: Was the D-Day scene of World War II in the movie, Saving Private Ryan overrated?
My dad was part of the landing shown in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” He was a combat engineer and landing three minutes into the invasion. I grew up hearing his war stories. I guess talking about it made it easier for him. It wasn’t until years later I realized how important those “boring” conversations were.
Dad landed with 44 men. Eleven made it through that first day. After he saw “Saving Private Ryan,” he confessed to me that the only thing missing for him was the smell.
When I saw the movie, I vividly remember the guy walking around looking for his arm, because that was a story Dad had told me long before the movie ever came out. He talked about being pinned down and how there was only one choice: forward. There wasn’t an evacuation plan if the invasion didn’t work out.
He spoke about how tired they got waiting to die and how welcomed it was when people began organizing and attacking again. He told me how he just had to move and ignore the bullets. He described the bullets as like buzzing bees flying past him. They didn’t matter. Getting off the beach was the only thing that mattered.
As for the scene after D-Day where they show Tom Hanks’ character sleeping beneath a Jeep and just shaking with fear, I asked Dad about that. He explained how brainwashed they were going into the invasion; how they had been convinced it was going to be a cakewalk to Paris; how some of the guys were even (jokingly) asking for weekend passes to Paris on the boat ride over. That first day was supposed to be the easiest day and when it was over, all he could think about was, “If this was the easy day, I don’t want to see tomorrow.”
After seeing the movie, Dad called each of his children and asked them to see it, too, out of respect for him and the people he served with. I called him after I saw it for the most chilling phone call I ever had with him. In the course of that phone call, he recited the name and rank of every soldier he served with who didn’t make it. Over 50 years later, he still remembered every one of them.
Please find and read D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches Paperback – June 5, 2002 by Stephen E. Ambrose – which was written after receive 1400 oral histories from people who were there.
My Wife Said She “Identifies” As Poly & Wants An Open Marriage…So I Made Her My Side Piece!
When did you see a police officer do a clever, but sneaky thing?
I didn’t see it but was told this story firsthand.
My cousin was an undercover Narcotics detective in Vancouver. He’d arrested a low level dealer and talked him into revealing his supplier. He also got the date for when the supplier would have a shipment in.
With search warrant in hand the group went to the drug distributor’s home to search his premises.
While officers searched every nook of his home my cousin focused on watching the dealer while the other officers did the search.
The dealer looked confident and relaxed during the search. My cousin was starting to worry that they had missed the delivery.
They finished searching the house and went out to the garage. Again, my cousin focused on the dealer while the rest did the search.
He noticed a stacked pile of new plywood in the center of the garage. When the other officers searched elsewhere the dealer looked calm. But when they passed by the plywood he flinched.
My cousin did a gotcha-smile and had the officers remove a half dozen layers of plywood. Then they found a cut-out in the middle containing a large quantity of drugs.
image 96
A clever detective indeed!
Addendum:
I’m delighted that many Quorans found the answer interesting. So let me add to the story.
I was reluctant to add my cousin’s name because frankly I didn’t think you would believe it. His name is Rick Crook and he had an incredible career in the Vancouver Police force. He went from undercover drug enforcement to homicide and ultimately worked for the RCMP. He wrote a book and did some script work for Canadian crime dramas. The story of the drug bust was from 1985. Rick in his “cop” look was as straight as can be. However, in his druggie garb he was amazing. I remember looking at this picture of him in his druggie role. He had a beard, jeans and looked like a country hick. No one would ever have guessed he was a cop. He went on to major crimes/homicide during which he dealt with a major mob informant, later murdered, as well as investigating the Air India bombing. (links below)
Side note: He was the only cop at the station who was paged by his badge number. Apparently paging Detective Crook created way too much humour.
Back in 2000, I was in the national guard. During the summer, I would ask to be put on orders to for the money. Since they apparently had the money to spare, they put me on orders for a couple of months in the summer, so I was full time. Well, since i lived 200 miles away, they put me up in a hotel not far from the base.
One morning, I was not working for some reason, or I was going in later or something. Point is, I was just getting out of the shower and apparently did not hear the maid knock at the door. As per usual, she let herself in and proceeded to clean up….of course unbeknownst to me. I opened the bathroom door and walked out in the buff—of course not expecting anyone to be in my room. The maid was making the bed as I walked out. We caught each other’s eye…we both stopped dead. I didn’t even have a towel to cover with. Suddenly, she turned red and apologized profusely. I went back into the bathroom and told her not to worry, it was my fault for not hearing her come in. Well, she left. I got dressed and headed out.
On my way to the car, I saw her sitting outside looking troubled. When she saw me, she apologized again and said she was really really sorry. I could tell she was worried about it. I told her not to worry. It didn’t bother me at all. It was just one of those things that happen. I actually thought it was kind of funny. She smiled at that and relaxed. I was there for a couple of months in that hotel room. Every day, I passed her in the corridor and we always said hi to each other.
Those are the ingredients responsible for the “sour” in sour candy.
Exactly what I used one day to make homemade Warheads.
Homemade candy is an art form. The precise timing allows expression of individual preference for the hardness; that, combined with absolute control over amounts of flavoring, shaping and texture as it cools means almost anything imaginable is possible. And I imagined candy more sour than any of that weak “legal” stuff.
I bring the corn syrup and sugar to a boil, and it’s time to add flavoring. The options were lemon oil, apple, or even cherry, but I didn’t use any of those. Everyone knows natural taste distracts from the most important flavor: sour. I didn’t want that. I wanted the perfect pucker, a sour so undeniable that even the coolest dude would wince and beg for mommy.
So that’s what I did. I wasn’t using a recipe, so I could add as much as I wanted. Forgoing the measuring spoon entirely, I poured the acid in. Once the liquid had consumed the acerbic powder completely, I calmly whispered to myself, “That should be enough.”
Enough it was, because when it came time to test it, the immediate reaction of every family member followed a predictable pattern:
Gag
Run and spit candy out
Wash mouth repeatedly
Criticize my ability to cook
They all gave scathing reviews, which I’ll do my best to recreate:
“This isn’t candy, these are literally acid drops.”
“Tastes like gasoline.”
“What did you put in these? They’re terrible.”
They were perfect — exactly as I imagined.
See, there was this kid at school who loved candy too much for his own good, if I dare foreshadow the inevitable.
He had a habit of literally rummaging through people’s lunchboxes and eating any candy he found, as well as snatching things from people’s hands. No respect for personal space and no hesitation.
Which is what made him the perfect victim. That morning I put every single sour candy I had in a plastic bag, and put it at the top of my lunchbox.
Dude couldn’t even wait for lunch, it happened during chemistry, ironically.
“What are these?” he said, holding the bag of dark brown pieces. While I replied, “some candy I made,” he had already opened the bag, grabbed an entire handful of them, and shoved it in is mouth. I had rolled them in powdered sugar, so it took a bit for the sour to kick in.
“AAAAACTHVK AAACK TBBD GAAACK GAHCHK NGAH”
He gagged and ran to the trashcan by the door, spitting the dozen or so pieces out, while the class watched, proving that not even the sugar content could keep him from following the reaction process.
“WHAT ARE THOSE?”
Even though I had already replied, I realized he hadn’t fully heard the first time, so I again said, “some sour candies I made.”
“THOSE WERE GROSS.” Yes, yes they were.
The lesson had been made. Don’t throw foreign objects in mouth without first seeing someone else eat them.
Honestly it was more funny than in bad taste, as everyone in the class including the teacher then got a chance to try one. They all agreed I had bested Warheads
and created something truly inedible, yet still somehow candy.
Those “acid drops” will always be remembered, for the special way they burned our tongues and seemingly melted our teeth, but more especially for how that greedy kid partook of sweet, sweet karma.
A classic Italian vegetarian sub sandwich is a spring and summer favorite of ours. Creamy mozzarella, lush ripe tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil and basil are the basics of this sandwich.
2024 02 05 13 39
Yield: 1 sandwich
Ingredients
1 Italian sub roll (or similar)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
5 fresh basil leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 thick slices fresh mozzarella (buffalo, if possible)
Instructions
Using a serrated knife, slice a sub roll in half lengthwise.
Drizzle the inside with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze.
Add basil and tomato to one side and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Top with fresh mozzarella and close sandwich.
Top the tomatoes with mozzarella.
Notes
It is best to assemble this sandwich just before eating since some moisture from the cheese and tomato will seep into the bread as it sits.
Don’t have balsamic glaze on hand? You can use regular balsamic vinegar or make some by adding 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup apple juice and boiling it down until it reduces into a thick syrup.
I was a lifeguard as a teenager, and was working at a summer camp as are so common in US.
This kid, who I had been teaching to swim that morning, was out on a float in the lake. He wasn’t a strong swimmer but was safe, in my estimation. On the shore side of the float, the water wasn’t very deep. On the other side, about 10 feet from the float, it was *very* deep- a float-cord warned swimmers to not go on that side. The float was about 50 metres from shore. It had a ladder and a little slide, both on the shore side.
The kid starts yelling that I need to come get him as he is too tired to swim back. I told him that he was capable of getting to shore on his own.
So he said “Oh yeah? Well what about this?” and the little pillock dove off the back of the float, swam to the float-cord, and went under to the deep side- screaming he was drowning.
I was ready to murder him.
But, I went off to get him- by the time I got to him, he was actually in real trouble.
I dragged him back to shore, told him off, reminded him of the rules, told him he could have drowned, and the little weasel said “It’s your job to come get me if I don’t want to swim. I’m going to tell my mother [a high flying criminal attorney] that you pushed me in the water.”
I went to the Senior counsellors about this, and we put measures in place… the next day he was outfitted with a “swimmie”- a bright yellow and red vest with flotation material in the abdominal/chest area- and told he could not be within 10 feet of the water without it. It made kids look like they were fat with a well endowed chest, but it kept their head out of the water if they couldn’t swim. The Senior Counsellor told him if he could not safely get back from the float on his own, as he had proven, then he had to wear the swimmie.
His mother was told by her outraged child, who clearly expected her to chastise the evil counsellors who didn’t want him to drown… her response was to threaten to have a life size picture of this 12 year old hotshot in his swimmie made, and put it on the front lawn.
I got an interview for a program manager job at a company where I felt like I wasn’t a great fit… a job that was 5–10 years more than my experience level in that particular industry would usually give me. I mentioned this to the interviewer early on in the interview and he said something like “Yeah… You aren’t a great fit. I’ve just never met anyone who graduated from Yale. I wanted to see what you were like.” This frustrated the hell out of me… thanks for wasting my time leaving my job, dressing up, an hour in the interview and the travel time back to work in the middle of the day.
After the first 10 seconds of “F-you, a-hole” that ran through my head, I then thought “OK. Let’s have fun with this. I’m already here. I can either tell the guy what I think about his wasting my time and walk out or I can flip the table and make it a learning opportunity or an experiment.” I decided on option 2, as I was already there. I continued w/ the interview, asking my usual questions about what they wanted the person to do and the problems they saw in the organization, but 5 min in I stopped him. “I think you are hiring all wrong for this position. You say that you are looking for X, but that person is going to fail, and here’s why… What you REALLY need is Y. THAT kind of person and knowledge is what you need to be successful, if what you told me about your problems are true. I’m also guessing that you badly need Z skills in your group, if not in this position, then another.” I didn’t hold back. I was professional, but I basically told him that he was unimaginative, dim and was doomed to repeat the mistakes that had plagued him over the past few years with his current hiring plan (This is sarcasm here folks. I, of course, was polite and professional, but as the interview had stopped being about me getting a job and started being a learning experiment, I wasn’t worried about pulling any punches or staying on his good side).
It’s funny, but he called me a few days later, told me I was right and made me a job offer. I turned him down nicely. I was looking for a new job to leave a bad company… there were so many red flags that came up during the interview (more than the reason above) that I was never going to work for that place. I would have been jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.
Japan need to rid itself of this strange bedfellow call USA of its back. Without which the nation will stagnate till it fully collapse.
It is not easy when the US has over 100 military base big and small in its small territory. I dare say it is bad for both the U.S. and Japan. But let’s focus on Japan. They are threatened, coerced and bribed into talking shit, doing shit and stirring shit on China 24/7, 365 days a year by their master USA. As a slave they have no say and no opinion that can differ from its master.
In 1945 they had no choice having lost the war and nuke twice, by 1970 it seemed a perfect arrangement, US is a behemoth market while China is minuscule underdeveloped nation. Japan gets protected and sells its goodies to its master and got filthy rich. By 1991 Their master says no way, we decide to double the Japanese yen value overnight.
For 33 years and counting the Japanese economy is in a deflationary, stagflation. Meanwhile by 2010 China as a market and as manufacturing base has overgrown Japan and today in 2024 China as a market is equivalent to the U.S. plus the entire G7 put together. So try imagining talking shit, doing shit and stirring shit at China!
But that is what they are compelled to do! There lies the problem. Their product won’t sell, their companies suffer losses, their people lose jobs, Investment dry up and consumption fall flat or going down. Their debts are highest in the world and they lose a million population a year. And what do they do?
Yes,a work friend. We worked together at Wamu (before it closed) and got along really well. She seemed a bit rough around the edges and normally not the type that I associate with, but we clicked well. I didn’t want to be judgmental. I found out that she was homeless and lived in her car at night, so since it was only my husband and me raising our grand-daughter with a 5 bedroom house, I offered her a place to stay. I told her not to worry about rent for the first month but after that we would expect it. Was I stupid or what?
She ended up yelling at my grand-daughter for dumb things when she didn’t think I heard (g-daughter was only 7) , and then would be sweet when I was around. RED FLAG. After the first week, she started creating problems with my husband and me by pitting us against each other. She would say things like, “and you know what else he said?” as if my husband was trashing me behind my back. Because of that, she created a number of arguments. I learned she was drinking in her room and I suspected drugs . My husband wanted her OUT OF OUR HOUSE NOW.
I went to work and talked to a few other friends who told me that she is using meth. They said to get her out of our house. After a week I asked her to leave (before I had to evict her) and had my daughter and her husband come over as a witness (by this time I didn’t trust her). My manager at Wamu along with my supervisor also advised me to get her out , and gave me support while doing so. Once she left, she harassed me at work, made harassing phone calls at work and at home. She would go into an empty office and call my extension and hang up…..and eventually she was caught. I went home one night and found my dog dead in the garage, and it was suspected she poisoned her, but I couldn’t prove it. The manager became so concerned that she was eventually fired and security escorted her out. I will never do that again,….lesson learned. Why is it when you try to be nice, the person becomes a jerk?
I posted a comment / answer on Quora, and it was deleted. The space was a “Warfare” space, and was very heavily “Pro-America”. The same thing, that you all understand if you were brought up in the USA… America is the best, and the toughest and the king of the world… yeah. Sure.
This answer was declined. Posting here. If you know the reasons for it being declined Please inform me.
China is a peaceful nation.
But, it is NOT stupid.
…
The United States has thrown EVERYTHING at China. And I do mean EVERYTHING.
From “color revolutions” inside of China, to “color revolutions” in all the nations surrounding China. From undersea excursions and conflicts, to near-space satellite warfare. From cyber warfare, to bio-warfare attacks. From managed famines to lawfare assaults. From efforts designed to collapse the Chiense banking industry to efforts to collapse the Chinese real estate industry.
It’s been full spectrum and absolute.
But not reported in the “news” of the West.
…
Instead we hear of submarines ramming undersea mountains, freak geomagnetic storms, the “apparent random” firings of Naval Commanders, and the Secretary of the Navy. We read (in the West) about Chinese “warmongering” a build up for a “Taiwanese invasion”.
All this interspersed about how Putin has brain cancer, and how Russia is running out of ammo. We read about how Xi Peng is going to be disposed and how the poor downtrodden people of China are going to rise up for “democracy” and Freedom”.
…
Info war is in full swing.
There is ZERO credibility in Western “news” media. Today it is so outrageous and comically fake and ridiculous that it is amazing that these tabloids are still able to have people that watch and read their content.
…
So… Yeah. It’s full spectrum. EVERYTHING.
Of course…
The clueless in the West would believe the fake narratives of Putin losing, China collapsing, and America remaining strong. They will believe that COVID was fake, or if it was something of concern, then it was “China’s fault” for one reason or the other. That’s the narrative, and that’s want the oligarchy expects Westerners to believe.
…
The United States is a feudal plutocracy.
While China is military-based meritocracy.
…
And the question is…
“Why is China preparing for a war with the United States”?
Answer…
China must. China owes it to it’s people. China has a responsibility to its people to expect the best, but prepare for the worst… and prepare they ARE.
…
Oh, it’s just like the United States is throwing EVERYTHING at China, China is preparing with EVERYTHING as well.
And, let me tell you all…
They don’t read American / Western “news”.
They know what is REALLY going on.
…
So China is ready.
If you are a consumer of Western “news” you will be unaware of the following facts, but you do need to brace yourself for the realities.
Were the USA, either directly or through proxy, attacks China… China will throw nuclear warheads at American cities and military installations.
Oh, sure. China has a “no first use policy” in regards to nuclear weapons.
But within the FORMAL WORDING of this (particular) policy is one sentence that you all should all pay attention to…
“…if attacked… China reserves the right … to use every means at its disposal … to attack the nation that attacks it.”
For some reason, the Western “news” media glosses over this sentence.
Perhaps they cannot read Chinese, or simply just cut and paste their “news articles” directly out of Langley VA.
Whatever, the Chinese FORMAL STATEMENT regarding nuclear weapons use is very carefully worded, and intentionally ambiguous enough to give the most aggressive neocons pause to consider.
…
So, yeah. China is ready.
It was ready in 1950–53 when it defeated the United States in Korea, and is ready today as it dishes EVERYTHING thrown at it, right back to the United States to consume.
…
At this point in time…
The United States and China are like a married couple living together weeks prior to a divorce. The United States is cheating, bending words, manipulating systems… and thinking “They’ll never find out”.
While China, is playing it smart.
Already has contacted the divorce attorneys, arranged the legal papers and made all the necessary arrangements. Just waiting for the time of CHINA’s choosing to terminate the relationship.
…
Quick summary
China is READY to take on the United States, simultaneously with it’s proxy “allies”.
China WILL use nuclear weapons.
China is above-peer capable with the best equipment of the West.
China is a military-based meritocracy.
…
Quick Note
The disinformation about China permeates all levels.
China is a military-based meritocracy, but the West portrays this reality as “conscription”. Which is disingenuous. It gives the Western reader a pre-conceived illusion of poorly trained, unmotivated troops. But the reality is something quite different.
…
I was going though my stacks and found other posts similarly deleted on the American website.
Such as this one…
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Is ‘World War 3’ really on the horizon?
I can understand your fear and concern.
I hope to calm you down with a nice happy dose of reality. The biggest culprit in this fear is the media. Whether it is social media, or main-stream media. Media is filling your mind with fear.
What the American Main-Stream Media says
According to 99.9999% of the American government controlled Western media; the world is heading towards world war 3 out of necessity. Both Putin and Xi are “loose cannons” with a selection of mental disorders and are out of control in trying to rule the world. Putin invaded Ukraine out of greed and lust, and Xi Peng will invade Taiwan for the same reasons. They despise democracy and freedom and want to rule the world as a dystopian nightmare world where everyone is controlled by Tiktok and weather balloons.
The REAL answer – being under-reported intentionally
World War 3 is the climax of the massive period of change that the world is going though. It is a generational event, and coincidences with solar activity. It is as predictable as the orbits of planets, and the mass movements of animals.
This period of change is a rather long event cycle and involves change at all levels. Some nations collapse. Some nations grow. Some groups engage in battles, while others suffer economic hardships. What ever happens, it is not homogeneous. But rather an aggregate of minor events sprinkled over a multi-decade long time periods.
The build-up to this period can be traced back to the 1960’s where the major dominant power; The United States, began a series of strategic blunders that set the stage for events that we are now witnessing.
The actual pivot point for contentious calamity occurred in 2008 with an economic meltdown in the West, and the resulting frantic splashing and doggie-paddling that we see today all spawn from it.
The actual war occurred in 2019 though 2022 with was the Coronavirus event. This was a three tiered biological phased attack on China by the United States.
Other events during this “war” consisted of the the disastrous 2020 Trump Flotilla into the South Chinese Sea, the undersea submarine wars from 2021 to 2023, and the satellite wars of 2020 to 2023.
Simultaneous with these events are the generalized cultural, social, and economic collapse of the United States and it’s Western proxies, the NATO incursions and war in the Ukraine following the “color revolution” in Kiev in 2014, and the failed Hong Kong color revolution of 2018 – 2020.
While the West shrinks in influence, the East (and Global South) grows. Both Russia and China are major global powers in all measurements, and are generally immune from the boiler-plate of attacks, and manipulations normally used by the West.
Africa is completely changing, and it has shed it’s colonial slave role and embraced a role as the “new” middle class in a rapidly changing world. Along with this follows a rag-tag collection of power centers around the world.
The world is now has entered into a “reconstruction” period globally. This is resulting in new alignments, and massive failures of nations and societies that are unable to adjust and change with the times.
This period will be a long one, and I am afraid that it has only begun.
Though, I anticipate the end of this period around 2030 or so, give or take two years. … The main-stream “news’ is designed to incite and inject fear to control people. I urge everyone to control themselves.
The future looks bright for most of the world. It is change that we do not like, and those in power want us to fear it. Do not. The intelligent person recognizes this and takes appropriate steps for a bright future ahead rather than clutching on the past though fear.
…
Resulting in this comment…
2024 02 08 08 45
I see the “West” and in late-stage dying. The “dance of death” where the body contorts and twists and shudders.
Not only just chinese from China but also chinese origin from others even from Singapore.
I travel to US for a dozen times both business and holidays but each time my checked in luggages 100% checked and prised open plus hand luggage checked even if you go to green lane.
This prove one thing for sure. US had created so many enemies around the world that they are living in fear of daily terrorist attacks whereas chinese people in China are living in peace and harmony without any fear or concern for their safety.
When you approach American policeman, they are ready to draw their guns whereas when you approach a chinese policeman, their mindset is that you need help.
That is the difference between China and America.
Baked Lasagna
2024 02 08 06 26
Ingredients
Sauce
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
Lasagna
3/4 to 1 pound lasagna noodles
Butter
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound Italian sausage or ground beef, coarsely chopped
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
Instructions
Sauce
Put all the ingredients into a large cooking pot. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
Pass through a sieve; return to the pot, and season to your satisfaction. Continue to simmer until sauce has thickened.
Just before using this sauce, stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.
Lasagna: Brown sausage or beef, then drain.
Boil lasagna noodles. Drain and put a layer into a well buttered casserole dish.
Add a layer of mozzarella cheese, then a layer of sausage or beef and a thin layer of hardboiled egg.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and ricotta or cottage cheese. Moisten cheese with some of tomato sauce.
Continue in layers, finishing with a good thick layer of grated Parmesan.
Dot with butter and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
I am a Chinese, have studied in the UK and traveled to many countries.
For me, China is democratic – probably even more democratic than western countries.
Of course, I am referring to the original meaning of the word democracy – the power of the state belongs to the people and the people have the right to rule the government.
Nowadays, democracy in the west often refers to multi-party competition, where the ruling party are elected by universal suffrage.
But this approach has some significant problems. As voters are ordinary people who has no specialized knowledge on managing the country, the core competitiveness of the election process becomes the ability to publicize public opinion, personal affinity, and persuasion, which have little to do with whether they can actually formulate and implement policies well, but are more relevant to the resources of the society and the media operation behind them.
In the west, the rule of the people is in a single choice question of political preference, and the frequency of being able to make a choice is once every four years. If you are the minority voter, you will not be able to get a satisfactory result in those four years.
In contrast, China’s “democracy” works like this:
1. A huge system of officials that everyone can enter by studying and taking exams – from the smallest local township government to the central government, all within the same pyramid-tested promotion system. For Chinese graduates, it is a very common career selection to pick an official position related to their major from an open government list, take a test on logic and issue processing skills, and become a government official. All newcomers need to start from the basic positions and get enough practical results before they are internally elected with promotion.
2. The criterion value of the government affairs is “people first”. The most important judgment dimension is whether they can improve the life of the majority and satisfy the people.
3. Public opinion monitoring and feedback mechanism. All levels of government have set up channels to receive public opinion, such as emails, petitions reception, or social media. For every actual problem, the government must give feedback or specific plans within a period of time; and after a period of time, they must do regular follow-up visits to ensure that the problem has been solved satisfactorily. All this is counted in the KPIs of government staff. If the people are not satisfied with this government’s response, they can complain to a higher level of government, which has absolute power over the next level of government, and the government department complained against will be penalized and monitored.
In China, the rule of the people is in the government’s “people first” evaluation criteria, and in the mechanism of feedback and resolution of specific issues that are highly valued. However, if your opinion is detrimental to the interests of the underprivileged, or if you are not looking for a solution, but simply venting your negative feelings and trying to get more people to share your negative feelings, then your opinion might be refused or ignored, or be deferred in to future considerations.
I think this is why people say: in the west, you can change the government, but you can’t change the policies; however in China, you can’t change the government, but you can change the policies.
Of course, both mechanisms have their own drawbacks. For example, since the core competence of universal suffrage is the ability of influencing public opinion, so having control of the media and enough money is almost equivalent to having a high probability of obtaining the highest power in the country; in China, it is very difficult to make the complex internal promotion completely transparent, and it is not easy for the people to monitor inefficiencies and corruption inside the system.
But for me and at least 80%+ Chinese people, the current one party Chinese government is still very satisfactory.
As for the so-called “Communist Party is not the same as government”: in fact, the CCP is not the same as the Soviet Union type of “communism”, for example, China has its market economy system and is running well. Actually when there is only one political party, the notion of party advocacy would be extremely weakened. In the case of China, people would tend to feel that the Chinese system is more like a parliamentary system even within the government. China is a country with a secular culture, and ideology discussion is not really that important, what matters to this government council is simply about insisting with the people-oriented value, and making people living in better lives.
To be honest, I think that the vast majority of the world’s people don’t care about politics.
People care more about their own lives – whether they can live healthy and happy lives with the people they love, whether the society is fair, safe and free, whether they can enjoy their civil rights as a human being, whether their problems can be solved and whether their dreams can be realized.
Also, I agree that China is better for ordinary people, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs to live in, but not for the extremely rich guys. If you are a rich tycoon or celebrity and has no interest in benefiting ordinary people, then the Chinese government might supervising you with very strict rules, you will have more freedom and power in the West.
But as for me, China is not bad.
Kirill Babaev: Here’s why the result of Taiwan’s election is bad news for the US
It will become apparent in the long term that China was the real winner
By Kirill Babaev, PhD, director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professor of the Financial University, and deputy chairman of the Presidium of the National Committee for BRICS Research.
In 2023, the volume of trade between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait was $268 billion. This means Taipei traded more with its main adversary, Beijing, than with its foremost ally, Washington. And for Chinese business, Taiwan was a more important counterparty than the state’s key strategic partner, Russia.
These facts are important for an understanding of the current relationship between the two parts of China. They are inextricably linked not only by the commonality of language, history, and culture, but also by hundreds of thousands of trade and production contracts. And this may prove to be a decisive factor in the long-term struggle for the island between the great powers.
The elections in Taiwan on January 13 did nothing to change this. On the contrary, apart from pro-American candidate Lai Qingde’s victory (with a far-from-solid 40% of the vote), the parliamentary elections revealed the defeat of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which lost its majority and ten seats in the Legislative Yuan to the conventionally “pro-Chinese” Kuomintang Party.
The outcome has made the island’s power system somewhat unstable, suggesting that the main battle between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan is yet to come. However, the US has only one undeniable advantage in this war – the ability to pump its proxy with weapons and defense systems in anticipation of a violent conflict. China, on the other hand, has far more leverage. Thus, in the coming years, Beijing won’t try to solve the Taiwan problem militarily: on the contrary, it will attempt to turn America’s “Pyrrhic victory” on January 13 into a final US defeat in the next elections on the island.
In his first post-election comments, winning candidate Lai (who won’t officially become president until May) spoke in a peaceful way about Beijing and Sino-Taiwanese relations, without in any way trying to demonstrate a desire to unilaterally declare the island’s independence. US leaders have also spoken in the same vein, stressing that they intend to develop only “informal” relations with Taiwan, while continuing to be guided by the “One-China” principle.
As a result, Taiwan is now well aware that the path to independence is a dead end, as none of Taipei’s closest allies will endorse the move or recognize the existence of an “alternative China.” The path of maintaining the status quo, on the other hand, is the most unstable, because in this case the sword of Damocles of armed conflict between the US and China will hang over Taiwan, in which the island risks losing its entire economy and many thousands of its citizens’ lives.
The only option for Taiwan in the long term is a compromise with mainland China; some kind of full-fledged arrangement that will allow the island to maintain the way of life and economic system that it’s accustomed to, and that will allow Beijing to consider the question of reunification closed, or at least with a clear, if distant, solution.
Hong Kong may partly serve as a model for such a solution, but in the case of Taiwan, the compromise is likely to be much softer. Beijing and Taipei could agree on a roadmap to reunification by 2049 – ending a century-long cycle of confrontation. That plan could well lead to a union state along the lines of the EU or Russia and Belarus.
Of course, such an outcome would be good for all Chinese on both sides of the strait, as it would remove all risk of armed conflict or a ‘hostile takeover’ of Taiwan by the PRC. These are precisely the outcomes feared by all those who voted for Lai on January 13.
Only one country would be extremely disadvantaged by such a cross-strait arrangement, namely the US. Washington has invested too much in the doctrine of containment of China, in the formation of a chain of military and political alliances around its borders and a defense belt on the island of Taiwan itself, to lose this “unsinkable aircraft carrier.” Of course, the Americans will do everything in their power to oppose any kind of agreement between the two parts of China, whatever it may be.
But attempts to move Taiwan away from Chinese shores and closer to the US coast are geographically meaningless. As Beijing’s economic power grows, the importance of the Sino-Taiwan economic relationship will only increase (even if bilateral trade temporarily declined in 2023). The status quo that Washington has fought so hard to preserve is actually more favorable to China. It seems that President Lai Qingde will prove to be a much more balanced politician than the outgoing leader, Tsai Ing-wen. If this is the case, it may well come to pass that the January 13 elections were actually won by Beijing, not Washington.
Peter Man Comments
The author, as a smart PhD, should state the obvious. All Taiwan election results are bad for the US.
Once again, I will say something not echoing media platitudes. China is, in fact, conducting long-term strategic actions to weaken the hegemon, which will eventually collapse by exhaustion. This strategy has been applied many times in China’s history, and as a history lover, I will illustrate with one example, the war between Chu and Wu during the Spring and Autumn Era (771 – 476 BCE). This was the early Zhou feudal era when historians began recording state annals. Chinese annals in those days were known as Spring and Autumn, meaning a year. It came from the Shang, Chinese civilization’s progenitor, who did not have summer and winter seasons so spring and autumn represented a year.
Near the end of this era, the barbarian (culturally and linguistically non-Chinese) state of Chu in the south along the middle part of the Yangzi River became a behemoth. After making a strong matrimonial alliance with Qin in the northwest, which lasted until Qin Shihuang unified China, Chu threatened and made war on every state in the north while encroaching and swallowing small states to its east. The last bulwark against Chu’s eastern expansion to the Pacific coast was Wu, a small barbarian state centered around Suzhou to the west of Shanghai. Chinese annals recorded that Wu natives shaved their heads and tattooed their bodies, decidedly non-Chinese practices.
At the time, Chu had subjugated many small tribes and states between themselves and Wu, creating a buffer zone as well as a launch pad for future wars against Wu. When looking at this behemoth state of Chu with a hundred times the power of this small state of Wu living on the plains of Huai River, it would appear that Wu’s fate was sealed. Instead, over two generations, Wu would not only survive but defeat Chu in every battle, eventually capturing Chu’s capital.
One of Wu’s strategies was to light up endless fires in the buffer zone. Chu could not maintain its hegemony without reacting. Each time there was trouble, Chu had to send its army over long distances across mountainous areas, and each time Wu would withdraw into a defensive position nearby. When the Chu army, being tired, far from home and uncertain of their vassals’ loyalty, decided to retreat, the Wu army would ambush them and cause further damage. Thus, Wu, at very little cost, exhausted Chu (疲于奔命) and eventually defeated them.
The history of the Chu and Wu conflict is a much bigger story, but this illustrates how a big, hegemonic country with its fingers in every pie can be weakened from exhaustion caused by endless small fires. Knowing this, I’m not surprised that China is not using its weight to put out small fires. All this talk of China helping America cool things down in the Middle East or West Asia is just wishful thinking.
Another thing that China definitely should be aware of and which I have always averred, the US and Japan will not intervene militarily should the PLA decide to land in Taiwan. Chang Ya-chung, the deep blue KMT member who advocates immediate negotiations with China for peaceful reunification, said as much in a recent interview.
In short, Stop dreaming anyone will come and rescue us in a war with mainland China. If there is war, Taiwan will be destroyed like Ukraine. I guarantee not a single GI will die for you. Why not? Because their opponent will be the PRC, a well-armed nuclear state, America is not that stupid. They will tell you all kinds of rubbish to sell arms and use you as a proxy.
They will use you, the Taiwanese people, as a pawn and sacrifice you in a heartbeat.
So you better wake up and do what’s best for Taiwan and its people.” For all pols and pundits who paint Chang as a red communist trojan horse, he welcomes holding a public debate, but no one wants to take him up on the challenge.
No one wants that debate lest people learn the bitter truth.
Chang, as the principal of Dr. Sun College is well respected as an educator and well-liked by young Taiwanese. These well-educated young voters are not stupid. They voted en mass for Ko because they’re disillusioned with the corrupt KMT led by a scumbag who appointed an unwinnable nonentity as the presidential candidate.
I ran an Engineering department that covered military equipment scattered across the country.
We had specialised staff based out of an office building who were dispatched nationwide as required.
We had a good atmosphere. Staff worked hard and long as required and when it was quiet were compensated with additional vacation days and “under the table” days off. Overtime was not available.
For example – it was fairly normal for an eng team to leave home at 4 in the morning to be at an airbase for 7:30, leave at 8 pm and do the same the next day, and for as long as required. The company refused to give hotel accommodation, considering every base within the country “drivable”.
A new admin boss took over and a biometric system was implemented. A decree was issued that EVERY member of staff MUST clock in and out, and while clocking out could be any time, clocking in had to be between 7 and 7:30 am.
I fought it for about 6 months but eventually was told to toe the line or leave.
It was no longer possible to pay staff back with vacation days, official or unofficial, and the company immediately lost hundreds of hours of productivity with staff, understandably cutting back their hours, feeling unappreciated. As their boss (and a human being) I could no longer ask them to work the ridiculous hours they had been previously working, knowing there was no compensation available.
Another productivity masterstroke from the same guy was the removal of all printers from eng department, putting us on the print server located on a different floor, sharing with other departments.
The boss had previously implemented a rule that petty cash could only cover items up to USD 80. One day we ran out of toner for the color printer, had to print documents for a top level meeting.
The boss, wanting to impress by cutting stationery costs, had delayed signing approval for purchase of toner, ordered weeks earlier, so the cupboard was bare! I contacted the IT guy and explained about the meeting, who was going to be there, and that the boss wasn’t around and he nipped out to the local mall and picked up toner at a cash cost of USD 81. As punishment, for exceeding the 80 buck limit, the boss removed all printers from Engineering.
These things happen when people get promoted beyond their capability.
One, was a friend of a friend. He was actually a pretty smart guy, and did programing of some sort. The guy’s personal life was a disaster. His wife left him, he bought a car he couldn’t afford, then got fired from his job. He kept the car but stopped making payments, and hid the car so they couldn’t repo it. He was staying at my friends house for a while and he screwed that up as well by being a jerk to his hosts. So, he finally found a job as a programmer, and it seemed he was going to be able to turn his life around. His first day on the job, he sent an email to upper management, and basically cc’d the entire company, telling them everything they were doing wrong. >They came to see him, thanked him for coming in, and fired him. This guy is a total dufus.
The second is almost the same. A friend mine, never seems to be able to hold a job. She told me she got hired at a new place. She wanted to make her mark there, so sent the president and the executive a long e-mail about how they could improve the company by taking her advice, and listed a bunch of her suggestions. This, after working there for less than a week.. yup she got fired.
Snow fell in Texas and the whole metroplex closed down. School was cancelled, power outages disabled many households, and I found myself collecting fallen branches in our front yard to make a fire for warmth.
My worries about entertaining my five young kids for the day, however, quickly dwindled as my two oldest began to organize an elaborate project in the back yard.
“Come on, let’s build an igloo!” they hollered.
I thought, “OK, that’s not going to work, but at least they’ll be occupied for a while.”
Bradley, my oldest, gathered supplies, while Amber helped my younger kids get dressed in layers of their warmest clothes. Garden gloves had to suffice for hand ware, but nobody minded. Excitement lit up the house to where we barely needed electricity.
I went to work starting a fire in the fireplace and preparing a crude meal that required no heat.
I looked outside and saw the meager beginnings of a snow structure and, after feeling a bit sorry for them, thought, “This might be a great chance for my kids to use real-life problem solving skills.”
The next time I looked out, I was amazed! Someone had the idea to empty out the sidewalk chalk boxes and use the plastic containers as molds for the igloo blocks.
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They worked all day on that igloo, eventually building it up to Bradley’s head. As the sun went down, they made plans to finish the structure the next day.
All my kids went to bed early, as there was really nothing much to do in the dark, and they were exhausted from their laborious day.
Then, my husband came home from work. His business never closed. He parked in the driveway behind our house and came in through the back door. Being so dark, he ran right into the igloo, got snow “all over” him and became irate.
He destroyed the igloo, claiming that the weather would soon become warm, the snow blocks would melt, the grass underneath would be saturated, resulting in a huge mud puddle and a ruined lawn. He then got a shovel and a flash light and spread the snow all over the back yard. The igloo was gone and I was furious.
That was February.
The crushing of the igloo had crushed my kids’ hearts, and when I stood at the window watching my husband with a shovel and a flashlight spread out snow to preserve his lawn, something else was crushed too. My denial — at how dysfunctional our marriage was — shattered, and other fits of his unnecessary anger over the last decade flooded my mind, just like that igloo was going to flood the backyard.
I filed for divorce in March.
That was 14 years ago, and I am now happily married to a man who would never dream of crushing a child’s igloo.
After getting rejected in his first interview of the day, he was naturally dejected. So he entered the room with a frustrated face.
He was hardly interested in the company profile and such was his mood that he wanted to take someone on.
Interviewer: Are you fine? You don’t look well!
Friend: I haven’t eaten since morning, I prepared for my previous interview so well and got rejected in the very first round.
I: So, did you prepare for this interview as well?
F: No! I was more interested in that company. And I wanted to give my best at one place.
I: Do you know trading?
F: No! I don’t!
I: Then why are you interested in this company?
F: For the money! Do you think all those standing outside know trading?
I: Atleast some of them might?
F: I’m telling you, they don’t.
I: So you are a student of geology, right? How do think you’ll be able to manage working in a trading company?
F: There is a novel named Liar’s Poker in which the male protagonist was a student of Art History and ended up getting trained at Salomon Brothers. He works as a financial journalist now. And yes, it’s not fiction, the guy wrote it as his semi-autobiography. I think I will be fine.
(He knew he scored there)
(After asking some basic tell-me-about-you questions)
I: What’s your biggest strength?
F: I’m very patient.
I: See! We need people who are dynamic and full of energy. I don’t think patience and our required qualities go hand in hand.
(This was like a tipping point for him)
F: Have you heard of Rahul Dravid? He is regarded as one of the most patient cricketer. Yet, once he had the fastest fifty in ODIs. When he played his first T-20, he hit 3 consecutive sixes. Just because someone is patient doesn’t mean they can’t be dynamic and aggressive.
The United States is on an “unsustainable” path with regard to its national debt and it is time to address the issue, Jerome Powell said in an interview aired Sunday.
The US national debt currently stands at more than $34 trillion, according to the US Treasury.
“In the long run, the US is on an unsustainable fiscal path. The US federal government’s on an unsustainable fiscal path. And that just means that the debt is growing faster than the economy,” Powell told CBS’ “60 Minutes” news program.
“It’s probably time, or past time, to get back to an adult conversation among elected officials about getting the federal government back on a sustainable fiscal path,” he said in the interview, which was recorded on Thursday.
In the CBS interview, Powell reiterated that stance, saying it was unlikely that a rate cut would come at the next meeting of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) in March.
“I think it’s not likely that this committee will reach that level of confidence in time for the March meeting, which is in seven weeks,” Powell said.
The VC/NVA had dedicated SIGINT (signals intelligence) units involving in radio interception, telephone tapping, and code-breaking. Their members were fluent in many languages. In 1970, the U.S. 25th Infantry Division found a North Vietnamese SIGINT facility hidden underground near the Thi Tinh River; every single radio communication of the U.S. 1st and 25th Divisions had been logged, and the intercepts translated into Vietnamese.
In 1966, all 14 Vietnamese barbers working in the U.S. 25th Infantry Division’s base camp were Vietcong sympathizers. They didn’t cut anybody’s throat but they did gather intelligence.
The first B-52 operational losses of the Vietnam war took place on 18 June 1965 when two B-52s were destroyed in a mid-air collision, costing American taxpayers 20 million dollar.
In early 1970, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces made a short incursion into Cambodia and discovered huge NVA compounds containing: 4,793 small arms, 730 mortars, over 3 million rifle rounds, 6.5 million anti-aircraft rounds, 7,285 rockets, 124 trucks, nearly 1 thousand tons of rice and a telephone switchboard.
A report issued by the Pentagon in 1973 estimated that 35% of all enlisted men who had served in Vietnam had tried heroin and 20% had been addicted at some point during their tour.
By 1968, the U.S. had set up 40 ice-cream plants in Vietnam and 760,000 tons of supplies were being delivered every month. American movies, stage shows, color TVs, chilled beer, Napoleon brandy, etc. were readily available. Rear-echelon troops could imagine they were still back home.
Some 10,000 U.S. servicemen lost at least one limb in Vietnam – more than in World War II and Korea put together.
The number of U.S. helicopter lost during the war: 4,865.
Eight (8) million tons of bombs were dropped on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, 4 times more than the amount dropped in all of World War 2.
The amount of ammunition fired per U.S. soldier was 26 times greater in Vietnam than during World War II.
For each artillery shell or rocket hitting its base camp, the U.S. 25th Infantry Division’s official policy was to fire 1,000 shells on the surrounding countryside in retaliation. (Talking about a rich man’s war, huh)
Lucky number 13: An estimated 27 thousands tons of unexploded ordnance were littered throughout the country at the end of the war. In November 2015, one unexploded 406mm naval shell was unearthed from a garden in Quang Tri Province, near the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Presumably, this 2,000-pound shell was fired from the battleship USS New Jersey.
14. Over 18 million gallons (or 72 million liters) of defoliants were used throughout the war, even now Vietnamese children are being born with horrifying physical disabilities as a direct result of the US use of chemical defoliants.
15. In 1965, around 42% of all chemical defoliants sprayed in South Vietnam were aimed at food crops, and the country quickly went from rice exporter to rice importer.
16. At the peak of their commitment, South Korea had 44,829 troops in South Vietnam, Australia had 7,672, Philippines sent 2,000, Taiwan sent 31 and Fascist Spain sent 13 men. Morocco sent 10,000 cans of sardines.
17. By the early 1970s, years before the war’s end, South Vietnam’s landscape was already pockmarked with an estimated 21 million bomb and artillery craters, covering some 350,000 acres in all.
18. At its peak, the U.S. effort in Vietnam was soaking up 37% of all American military spending and required the fighting strength of more than 50% of all Marine Corps divisions, 40% of all combat-ready army divisions, and 33% of the navy.
19. In mid 1969, the GI underground newspaper in Vietnam, “GI Says,” publicly offered a $10,000 reward for the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Weldon Honeycutt, the officer responsible for the disastrous attack on Hamburger Hill in May that year. There were at least 7 attempts, but Honeycutt managed to live out his tour and return to the U.S.
20. US Navy pilot (later Senator and 2008 Presidential Candidate) John McCain was taken prisoner by North Vietnam on October 26, 1967 when his A-4 aircraft was shot down over Hanoi. Upon discovering that his father was the admiral commanding all U.S. forces in the Pacific, North Vietnam offered to return him early, in exchange for his cooperation. McCain, however, insisted that standard military procedures be followed and prisoners of war be returned in the order of their date of capture. He ended up spending 5 and a half years in captivity and was frequently tortured.
3 of my kids were in a horrible car accident. 2 only had minor injuries but my youngest son, Joe, was severely injured. He had a brain injury and fractured orbital plane requiring immediate surgery. When the insurance company settled the 2 received $1500.00 in a trust until they turned 18. But Joe was awarded $35,000. The courts insisted the trust was a regular bank, which had lower interest rates, rather than my credit union. When the bank received the 2 trusts for $1500 we decided to put the money into CDs, at the time CDs were getting 8–9% interest. Then Joe’s case was settled and the money sent to the same bank. However the bank refused to put his into a CD, instead they put into regular savings which paid maybe 3%. My husband went to his business bank and had them look over the court order. That bank said there was no valid reason for not putting the money onto a CD and they requested a wire transfer to their bank placed all 3 into an even higher rate termed to end when each turned 18. As a result Joe had 65,000 dollars when he graduated from high school. The 1st bank tried to fight the move but the court backed us up. Their loss Joe’s win.
Ancient Romans Reproduced so much that A Plant Went Extinct
Ancient Romans and Greeks used a plant called Silphium as a super effective contraceptive. But here’s the crazy part: they used it so much that it actually went extinct. Can you imagine that? This plant was so important to them, and they relied on it so heavily, that they ended up losing it forever.
Its heart-shaped seeds are thought to be the reason we associate the symbol with romance to this day.
It was cherished by the Romans and held such a special place in their hearts that they immortalized it in poems, songs, and esteemed works of literature. Its popularity was so profound that it contributed to the wealth and prosperity of the city of Cyrene, located in modern-day Shahhat, Libya, making it the wealthiest city in Africa.
The history of silphium can be traced back to ancient times. It was first mentioned in writings by the Greek poet Hesiod in the 8th century BCE, and it was also referenced in the works of other ancient Greek writers, including Theophrastus and Aristotle. The ancient Greeks believed that silphium was a gift from the gods and valued it highly for its medicinal properties.
The Greek residents of Cyrene valued silphium to such an extent that they depicted its silhouette on their currency before relinquishing control to the Romans. The significance of this extraordinary plant was even recognized by Julius Caesar, who stored an impressive stockpile of 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms) in the official treasury.
It grew abundantly in the wild in ancient North Africa, particularly in the region that is now modern-day Libya. It had large heart-shaped leaves, tall stalks, and yellow flowers, which grew in clusters. It was unique in its flavor and aroma. The leaves and stems were used to flavor food and wine, while its juice was used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments.
Not only as a contraceptive and in beverages, but Silphium was also used for treating a variety of medical conditions such as coughs, sore throats, and indigestion.
The plant grew only in a small region around Cyrene, which made it a rare and valuable commodity. As the plant became more and more scarce, its price skyrocketed, making it became more valuable and further increasing the demand for it. Despite efforts to cultivate the plant and protect it from overharvesting, it ultimately proved to be unsustainable and went extinct.
The loss of the Silphium plant had significant consequences for the ancient Greeks and Romans. Without access to this effective form of birth control, the population of these societies may have grown at a faster rate, leading to increased competition for resources and potentially putting strain on their economies and environments.
But the story of Silphium doesn’t end there. In fact, its extinction may have had even wider-reaching consequences. The plant was not only used as a contraceptive but also as a remedy for a variety of ailments. Its loss meant that people were no longer able to rely on it for these medical purposes, and they had to find alternative treatments. This had a major impact on the health and well-being of the ancient Greek and Roman people.
The extinction of the Silphium plant serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of overconsumption and the need to carefully manage our use of natural resources. It also serves as a reminder of the important role that plants like Silphium have played in human history, and the need to preserve and protect the biodiversity of our planet. So the next time you hear about a plant or animal going extinct, remember the story of Silphium and the lessons it holds for us all.
Today, the exact identity of silphium remains a mystery, as no specimens of the plant have survived. However, it is believed to have been related to the fennel or giant fennel plant, and its medicinal properties are thought to have been due to a resinous substance contained within the plant. The legacy of silphium can still be seen in ancient artwork and writings, which depict the plant and its many uses.
I was investigated by CID, are you selling drugs? Are you working in a strip club? Are you dating men who give you money?
A rumor that I was sleeping with the Post Commanding General went around my unit.
I was placed on night shift, and every crosswalk duty for a month.
My promotion paperwork for an upcoming board disappeared.
Keep in mind this was at Ft. Benning GA in 1997, I was an MP (military police)
The” war on drugs” was still around and the perception in the news was that the only African Americans who drove luxury cars were drug, that was the “obvious” conclusion.
My Platoon sergeant finally pulled me into his office and asked “private, how in the hell can you afford a brand new Mercedes!” I told it was 7 years old, she just looked good, it was the entry level Mercedes so was affordable and my payments were about 125.00 a month (can’t remember exact amount).
He sat back and just laughed, and said “ok that makes sense”
Now remember this was 1997, AOL was just coming out so an online search was not possible. And it never occurred to the big heads in CID to ask me how much I paid for the car, how old was it, all the questions my platoon Sergeant asked me. I am still shaking my head about that.
I was more mad that people thought that I would sleep with the Commanding General, I was 22 so he was probably 50+ so in my young eyes he was oooold, like The Crypt Keeper old! ROFL!
I have always driven a MB since, have two in the garage now.
This is the same prejudicial calculus behind the pogroms, lynchings, riots and destruction suffered repeatedly by Chinese communities around the world over the last few centuries.
In Indonesia, formerly known as Batavia, it has happened repeatedly, and it will happen again.
In Malaysia, the Emergency eventually led to depopulation of the Chinese through the forced Separation of Singapore, and the implementation of race-specific policy to encourage emigration through the clever use of Singapore as a relief valve.
In America, a massive wave of violence against Chinese immigrants beginning in the 1870s culminated in the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Scott Act, and the Geary Act in the 1880s-1890s. There were massive celebratory demonstrations in California each time an act was passed.
YELLOW PERIL became a crystallized phrase in the press at the turn of the 20th century.
Chinese in America were bottom of the ladder, and treated worse than vermin.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the same attitudes persist. If the US could, it would have bombed Beijing or Shanghai like Gaza is being pounded today, and insist it isn’t a genocide.
Considering what his ancestors perpetrated repeatedly, Tom exhibited nothing more than rude antics, part of the election gameplan in a crucial “winner takes all” Presidential election year.
What we must bear in mind is the naked prejudice revealed and confirmed by the performance, and how the same sentiment can rapidly boil over into hate that require bloodletting to calm.
We should all make preparations for war in East Asia in the coming decade.
BULLETIN: EUROPEAN COUNTRY ISSUES NOTAM FOR “UNPLANNED MILITARY ACTIVITY NECESSARY TO PROTECT NATIONAL SECURITY”
We now have an precise date window for the outbreak of World War 3 in Europe. A country has issued a NOTAM for “Unpanned military activity necessary to protect national security.” This LIFE-SAVING content is now open to the General Public —
Poland has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) involving the ENTIRE eastern 1/4 of the country of Poland from Gdansk in the north to the southern tip of the country, including the border with Belarus and Ukraine.
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Specifically, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) in Coordination with the Polish Air Force has Introduced a Notice-to-Air-Missions (NOTAM) from February 5th to May 5th for the entire East of the Country on the Border with Ukraine due to the reported possibility of Unplanned Military Actions related to ensuring National Security.
The NOTAM requires any Civilian Aircraft which is Operating inside of the Zone to remain in Radio Contact with Flight Authorities and to Activate their Transponder as to prevent their Disruption of Increased Activity by Military Aircraft.
Hal Turner Analysis
It seems to me, as a guy with average intellect, the only reason Poland would do this is because they KNOW there will be a NATO entry into the Russia-Ukraine war during this specific time period, and as soon as that entry begins, war between NATO and Russia will ensue. The NOTAM was issued yesterday and began yesterday, February 5, so WE ARE ALREADY IN THE WINDOW for the start of actual World War 3.
Also, as a regular guy with average intellect, this notice tells me they don’t yet know the specific date, but they know the window of time, which, to me, means when this comes, it will happen like a lightning bolt from the sky. I suspect we, the general public, will have NO WARNING AT ALL.
For weeks now, European countries have been telling their citizens to stock-up on Prescription medicines they may need to live. Many people found this advice curious; after all, why would there be a need to do something like that? Now, we seem to know why.
It looks to me as though they have been planning a NATO entry into the Ukraine war for quite some time, and they’re trying to prep the public for the war that NATO is going to cause.
In addition to countries in Europe telling their people to stock up on Prescription medicines, other nations, like Sweden and the UK, have been openly telling their citizens to “prepare for war” with emergency food, water, medicine, fuel, flashlights, batteries and portable radios for news.
So, it seems to me, the writing on the wall is now blazingly clear.
As all readers may recall, Russia made plain at the start of their Special Military Operation (SMO) into Ukraine, that if NATO chose to enter the conflict, Russian conventional forces are NOT comparable to NATO. Russia admitted that from the start.
Russia then also made clear that “We are a nuclear power, and our abilities in this area are superior to NATO.” Russia finished by saying, “If NATO declares Article 5 Collective Self Defense against Russia, it will be a war that no one will win.”
Those words . . . . “a war no one will win” is a nuclear war.
So we are now in the window for the outbreak of actual nuclear war, from right this minute, until May 5.
I earnestly hope my readers have stocked-up on Emergency food, water, medicines, an electric generator with stored fuel to run it, so as to have electricity for refrigerators, freezers, maybe some light.
We are OUT OF TIME. You have to possess these things NOW or get what you can IMMEDIATELY.
As I mentioned earlier, it seems to me we will have ZERO warning about this. When it begins, it will likely escalate so fast, none of us will have any time to react.
If you don’t have your emergency supplies before this breaks out, there will be no way at all for you to get them.
The general public – who wait until the very last minute to do — . . . anything . . . . — will be in shear panic. Stores will be immediately flooded with shoppers trying to get their hands on anything they can. It will be chaos. Bedlam.
Store shelves will be wiped clean within a couple hours.
So if you don’t have your stuff, you won’t be able to get it.
Please, in the name of Almighty God, I implore you to get prepped right now.
You need:
Shelf-stable foods: Pasta, Rice, Dried Beans, Canned meats, Canned vegetables, Condiments (Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Salt, Pepper, SUGAR), cooking oil, Jarred pasta sauces and the like.
WATER! A human needs 8 eight-ounce glasses of water, per day, to survive. If the nukes fly, the public water supply will become contaminated. You MUST have water stored. Not for doing dishes, or showering, but to consume and cook with!
Medicines you take to survive. For instance, my wife had Thyroid cancer and her Thyroid was surgically removed. But a human cannot live without Thyroid Hormone, so she has to take a pill EVERY DAY just to continue living. If she runs out of those pills, by day 5 of no pill, she will be dead.
If YOU or your family members take medicines to live, YOU need to stock up. Tell your doctor to give you a prescription so you can stock up. Tell him why you want it. And pay for it with your own money, because your insurance company WILL NOT PAY.
A generator or some type of small solar array with a battery. You need to be able to power your refrigerator/freezer a couple hours a day to prevent food from spoiling. Have spare fuel for that generator, but don’t store flammable fuel in your house. It has to be outside. And NEVER run a generator indoors. Gas-operated generators give off carbon monoxide gas which is LETHAL. You would die from the fumes within minutes if you ran the generator indoors.
COMMUNICATIONS GEAR: Get yourself a small, cheap CB Radio ($39) with a small antenna for your car or your house. If this thing happens, and I believe it will, our electric grid may go down. All the TV and Radio stations have generators, but they may go down too after a few days of no power. YOU have to be able to communicated with neighbors, friends, and the like.
Get a SHORTWAVE RECEIVER – small ones operate on batteries. They’ll let you hear the news from many countries around the world. You’ll be able to keep informed! Have spare batteries for it, too.
Flashlights for each family member and replacement batteries for each light.
The list is **NOT** complete, and for some of us, what we “need” seems endless, but these are the absolute essentials you need. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THEM.
I was working on a ship, we were in a relatively mild storm, and a line had come loose and was flapping in the wind. I sent the deck hand out to secure it, he was wearing a floatation jacket, to keep him dry, and keep him afloat, if he fell over board. There was a railing all the way around the deck, except for the stairway. Since it wasn’t a bad storm, he wasn’t required to put on a safety line, and to tell you the truth, back in the 1980s people were pretty lax about safety, and safety lines were not always worn when they should be.
Just before he left the bridge, I said, “You know what, we should practice with the safety line, when its easy to get around, rather than only gain experience when its dangerous”
He wasn’t happy, they were a pain in the rear, and got tangled in every thing. But he put it on, and just clamped it onto the railing, when a rogue wave hit, and washed him down the deck, and under the railing. I grabbed a safety line, clamped on, and started to pull him up. Another wave came and washed him right back onto the deck. I dragged him into the bridge.
We always used safety lines after that, in even mild storms.
We would take off a week or two around christmas to go visit family since we lived halfway across the US from them. Usually we would get a cat-sitter, but on one occasion, we didn’t have anybody lined up, and we were flying Southwest, which allows small animals in the cabin. I went by the airport to buy the special mesh carrier they require you to use as well as pay the fee for bringing an animal on-board.
On the day of travel, the cat is mildly sedated and attracting a lot of attention—people love animals in airports, and cats are especially uncommon to see.
While waiting for our connection, the attendants at the gate called us to the desk to inform us there was a family with cat allergies going to be on the same flight and to mitigate any issues, the family had opted to sit in the very back of the plane, and would we please mind boarding in the first group and selecting a seat towards the very front? Hell yeah! awesome, let’s do it!
So we aren’t the very first to board, the special priority members still got first dibs, but we do manage to get seats in the second row behind an older couple, so pretty good on distancing from the family with the allergies.
I’m holding the cat in the carrier on my lap while people board before sticking her under the seat, and at some point a passenger or flight attendant comments on how they love cats, at which point, the woman in the row ahead of us swivels to say “there’s a CAT?! but I’m allergic!”.
A nearby flight attendant explains that we are being seated up here to accommodate a family who also has an allergic member and that this woman and her companion are welcome to reseat in the back if it’s going to be a problem, but the cat will be confined to the carrier at all times, and they ask me to go ahead and put her under the seat in front of me, which I do.
“But, my husband needs the front row seat! His legs get cramps otherwise!”
“Well, you’re welcome to move back there by yourself then, ma’am”
It turned out she didn’t feel her allergies were severe enough to justify that. Her only symptoms I could observe during the flight were disdainful sniffs every so often.
I was very pleased at the respect paid to my cat, who was basically a ticketed passenger and had followed protocol, and I left the attendant a glowing review on the SWA site.
An amazing husband. An amazing father. Always putting his family first. An engineer. Smart. Smart as a whip.
At most things.
sometimes he does things and I don’t know wether to laugh or laugh and cry.
there was the the time he took back a new pair of shoes because the left one was too tight. The salesman with a deadpan face pulled the paper stuffing out if the shoe and said, try it now.
there was the time he got banned from the neighborhood gas station because he drove off with the gas handle still in the gas tank.
The time he jumped on his new racing bike but forgot there were no pedals. Yes I helped him up off the yard and died laughing.
so.., you get it.
I mentioned it to him once, for a smart guy you sure do a lot of not-so smart stuff.
He smiled. And shrugged his shoulders, ya, go figure, when someone’s smart brain switch turns on that bright, something else up there has to shut off.
When I still practiced dentistry, I was running tight on time getting to work, but I had to fuel my stomach first or pay the consequences. So I stood in line at Panera’s, only one person in front of me, when a woman dashed in just as the cashier called, “Next!”
To my shock (and the guy ahead of me), the woman dashed right on up to the cashier and began to place her order.
I walked over and pointed out to the cashier how the other guy and I had been waiting at least ten minutes, while this woman she was waiting on had just now flown through the door. The cashier had already started ringing up the woman’s order, so said cashier sheepishly shrugged and grimaced a half-assed apology, like, What do you expect me to do now, it’s too late. And continued on.
Entitled woman, in the meantime, yelled at me, “I’m running late for work!” As though that explained everything. To which I replied, “So am I! But I was here first, and now you’re going to make me even more late.”
She waved me off as the cashier went to get her order.
Now for the satisfaction.
As I walked toward the door with my bag of food, entitled woman stood at a counter to add sugar, etc. to her extra-large coffee, when the cup flipped over and spilled its contents all across the counter and onto her.
It may have been mean of me, but I said loud enough for her to hear, “Perfect karma,” walked on by and out the door.
Rarely, some people managed to survive the gas chambers and were not killed immediately afterwards. One such person is Gena Turgel and her story is more than astonishing. She survived three Nazi concentration camps and in Auschwitz-Birkenau was forced naked into the gas chambers.
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Gena and Norman
She was 16 when her hometown of Krakow, Poland, was bombed by the Luftwaffe on September 1, 1939, the first day of the war. Norman had relatives in Chicago, but the family delayed putting plans to move there into action, and Poland was quickly conquered by the Germans.
In the Jewish ghetto of Krakow Gena lost two brothers fighting against the Nazis. She was then sent to Plaszow concentration camp, where she survived for two and a half years until her transfer to Auschwitz. There she survived numerous experiments conducted by Nazi “Angel of Death” Josef Mengele.
The most surprising part of her story is that she did not realize she was in a gas chamber until another prisoner told her. “Do you know what just happened? You were in a gas chamber!”. said Gena: “I never realized I was in the gas chamber… It must not have worked.
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The “Krema 1” gas chamber at Auschwitz.
Here is how she described his path to the gas chamber,
“We went into that room with the stone floor and holes in the ceiling. We were shivering, it was very cold, and we were waiting and waiting.”
In Auschwitz, “the water was undrinkable and we lived mainly on beet soup,” she wrote. “Everywhere we went the horrible stench of the crematoria followed us.”
The time spent in Auschwitz left its consequences. Since then, Gena wore her perfume to forget the smell of the camp.
After two months in Auschwitz, as the Red Army advanced toward Auschwitz, she was sent on a “death march,” first to Buchenwald concentration camp and then to Belsen, where she shared a barrack with Anne Frank and offered herself as a nurse because of her knowledge of German. When Belsen was liberated by the British, she showed a young army officer, Norman Turgel, the hospital where she worked.
In October 1945, she and Sergeant Turgel were married in Lübeck, Germany, in a synagogue that the Germans had used as a stable during the war. She was 21 years old at the time.
Mr. Turgel died in 1995. Mrs. Turgel is survived by her three children, eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Gena Turgel died on June 7, 2018 at her home in England at the age of 95.
This story is true, but you don’t have to trust me: feel free to do your research on the internet.
Local grocery store where my niece worked for a while. One day I saw a sale on my favorite ice cream that I could not believe. It said on the sign 5 for $2.00. Wow I thought, that’s either a bad mistake by an employee misplacing the numbers, or just maybe the ice cream was out of date. I check dates and they were fine. So I grabbed five of my favorite flavors and headed to pay. I was fully expecting to pay $5 for two of them, which was still a bargain.
At the self checkout I rang them up and sure enough they were $5 for two. No problem I had taken a photo of the sign, and call the cashier over. I explained the situation and the sign. The lady then calls over a manager, who I explain again about the sign and the pricing. She does some button pushing, some things pop up on the screen, and she leaves saying she will go correct the sign. I said I was perfectly fine paying the $5 for two, but just wanted to let them know it was confusing. All went fine so I thought. They were nice and courteous as usual.
I get home and pack my 5 delicious pints of ice cream into our freezer. I was just curious what they charged me for the single pint, so I grabbed the receipt to have a look. Well, the only thing I could find for ice cream was that single $2.50 pint. Apparently the manager had deleted the other 4 from the que. I just got 4 free ice creams! I started thinking about it and I remember the employee had bagged up the ice cream herself as the manager punched away at the screen.
I called the store and explained the situation, saying I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. I was told well it was an honest mistake and they didn’t take food back, so enjoy the sweets on them. I most certainly did enjoy those free pints which seem to taste better knowing they were free.
Know what? I’m homeless. I live in the driver’s seat of my Chevy Aveo.
I got there because my mom owned the house I was living in and paying her my house payments. I lost my job and she immediately told me she was going to sell the house. Keep in mind that I hadn’t missed a payment, and I offered her my 401K, which was ten months’ of payments to give me time to find a new job and keep things steady.
I have severe depression and anxiety, and this threw me into a severe depression episode where I talked about suicide. One of my friends freaked out about this and called the police who entered my house without permission and forced me out and into a shitty hospital. (That’s a whole other story. I came out in worse shape than when I went in.) While in the hospital, my family came and got my keys so my cats could be taken care of. Instead, they took my cats (who are at a foster home right now) and wouldn’t let me back in the house. They found a flipper, who paid $8,000 for my house and sold it for $80,000 after throwing out all of my possessions, putting a fresh coat of paint on everything and remodeling the bathroom.
I was left with my car, and that’s it. A friend took me in for a year, but he wanted to rent out the room I was in so I got kicked to the curb. That was 2 days before Thanksgiving.
I currently work 2 jobs but still don’t make enough to get a place to live. (Yay low wages.) I tried to take advantage of low income housing, but after a year and a half of filling out forms, there just isn’t anything, so I gave up. I’ve heard too many horror stories about shelters that I would rather sleep in my car when the temperatures get to 12 degrees than go there.
Quit trying to blame the poor and homeless people for their problems. Most of them would gladly work to pay for their own care and shelter. Until you’ve been there yourself, you’ll never understand because you just don’t want to see what’s really going on in this world.
I’ve told the story before, but an ex-friend of mine called in a panic 10 days before her wedding, telling me the caterer had cancelled. I was the only one she knew with catering experience and could I figure something out for the wedding?
We worked out a deal. If she could hire me two chef temps to help and pay for the food items, I’d give her the labor for her wedding gift.
Big mistake.
I spent a week and $1500 of my own money (that I really didn’t have) prepping food I’d bought wholesale, under the assumption that help would be arriving and that I’d have the money paid back.
The help never arrived. She said they wouldn’t work for an individual. That was blatantly false, but by this point I was scrambling.
Come the day of the wedding, I was frantically trying to get my home made pasta, bread, meatballs, sauces and sides to the venue. The venue employees were absolute angels who helped out in any way they could.
By the time it came to plate the food, we were a well oiled machine and it was amazing. And they even sent me home, telling me it was in their contract to clean up when it was all over. (I later learned this was my job, but they had already figured out I was being scammed and felt so bad for me.)
Two weeks later, the bride and I met up to settle the food payment. In fact, she suddenly changed the story, and said she was there for her wedding gift.
What.
The.
Fuck.
When she figured out I didn’t have one, she called me a terrible friend and stormed out. I had a bad feeling something was wrong. I called several other mutual friends and they came to the cafe I was at within the hour.
We hashed out what had happened to us. In fact, we all had wedding industry or industry adjacent jobs/skills. And she’d scammed all of us for our talents and money.
All in all, by telling us someone had cancelled and could we please do this and she’d pay us back, she got
Catering
A cake
Photography
Alterations and all three bridesmaids’ dresses sewn
Most of the venue payment
Decor
Flowers
She got what was essentially a free wedding from all of us, by conning us all.
We did get our money back eventually, but it took small claims court, a debt collector, and a few years of frustration.
Baked Ravioli and Cheese
ravioli casserole 4f
Ingredients
1 (50 count) package frozen cheese ravioli
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cubed American cheese
3/4 cup crushed potato chips (optional)
Instructions
Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain.
Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour. Add milk; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
Add cheese; heat and stir until cheese is melted.
Salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked ravioli; stir gently.
Spoon into an 8 inch square baking dish.
Sprinkle crushed potato chips over.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges bubble and top is golden brown.
I was in my 9th grade math class. One of my best friends brothers (he’s a year older than me) was sitting next to me. In front of me was another guy and we were in the back of the class in the corner.
The three of us are shooting crap, talking and messing around. We had finished an assignment and had a few minutes.
All of a sudden our principal comes over the loudspeaker.
“Teachers and students. I don’t know how to even start to say this. There’s been a shooting at Columbine.”
Everyone in the class went silent.
“We are on lockout until further notice. No one is to leave the school grounds and students who are off campus will not be allowed back in. Please, turn on the TV’s in your rooms for more information. I don’t know how many times I can say this out loud.
We are safe. Pray for Columbine.”
We were all in shock.
Columbine High School was about 10 miles from our high school.
My dad worked at Leawood Elementary, 2 blocks down the street, where the first kids ran.
Now, my dad normally worked nights, but he worked that day (and I don’t know why, maybe his boss was a closeted pot head, all I know was my dad was there that day.)
My dad was my first thought, since they didn’t know what was actually going on yet. Is my dad okay?!? What’s going on?
My second thought was about my mom. She worked at the central district office. What in the world was going on there? Then, my thoughts turned to my friends. Names I was lucky to not hear later on the news.
I know this sounds like it took minutes to think of all of this, but it was mili-seconds.
The whole class was in shock when the TV was on.
It showed the building that I had driven by every Friday night to take my dad dinner (Columbine). Another building….that my dad was in. The kids running away from the building with their heads covered.
We were all staring at the TV. Hoping that we’d recognize a face so that we would know our friends were safe.
Some kids cried. Others were in shock. No one spoke for what felt like hours. We just stared at the TV. Hoping it was just a dream, or a prank.
The bell rang, and we were dismissed to our next class.
That was the only time in my 4 years at my high school that the hallways were quiet. Once in a while you’d find a group of kids crying and holding each other. It was surreal.
I made it to the band room and was able to call my mom. It was a zoo at her office and my dad was safe, helping families who were coming to pick up their kids. He was in for a long night.
The day went on. Same thing. At 2:00 PM The principal gave us an update and let us know that we weren’t on lockdown anymore. You could tell he had been crying.
We went home that afternoon to watch the horrifying news unfold.
We know how the rest of the stories goes.
PS (if you’re interested)-I only had the courage to ask him (my dad) once about that day. It was about 7 years afterward.
I had only seen my dad cry 3 times in his whole life, and that was one of them.
He said that parents swarmed the school, searching for their children as the kids were brought to the school (I think by bus).
As the afternoon turned into evening, more and more parents were leaving, thankful that their kids were OK. There were parents of children who were injured that left with police officers and escorted to the hospitals.
There were parents whose children never showed up that afternoon.
My dad said it was about 8:00, one by one the parents were called into the office. They all knew what it meant to be the last parents there.
Some walked out crying. Some were in shock. Some screamed the most wretched noises he’s ever heard.
My dad was never really the same after that.
None of us were.
Abandoned $5.5 Million MEGA Mansion | Everything Left Behind
I once worked on a joint venture with an Australian company. At that time, I was both the Director of heated products in the American company, and the Project Manager for the project that I was leading in the Australian company. So I was wearing “two hats”.
The project was a clothes iron joint-venture.
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Now reporting to two different managers, one Australian and one American had its challenges. But over all it was positive.
But there was one thing, however that really made life difficult. You see, the American company Marketing Director (In Chicago) wanted to micro-manage the project.
And she would provide lists of technical issues that she wanted to be worked on… on a daily basis. Most of which were not germane to the projects and work at hand, and was a real headache.
Most of the things were trivial in importance and silly in scope. Like can the power cord go from 1 meter long to 1.2 meters long? Or, investigate if the temperature can be 5C higher on the plate. Now about making the logo bigger, then smaller, and then bigger again. How about cutting the size of the manual down?
These little tasks took 15 seconds to think up, and maybe 10 man-hours to work out each one of them.
So everyday, she was coming up with about 40 man-hours of work, and completely stressing the staff out.
I just wanted a fine working product. I believe in the 80/20 rule. Not the 100/0 perfectionist rule that the inexperienced seem to accept as “leadership”.
We held a number of meeting on this subject. But nothing ever got resolved, until one day, during a meeting in Australia, I stood up and pointed to a blackboard showing all the issues that she wanted us to work on.
And I really wanted to make a point. We needed to concentrate on the items that had the biggest gain; a weighted outcome, as not every issue is worthy of time to develop and flush out.
And said…
Don’t be like a dog. Going from tree to tree. Pissing around indiscriminately.
Everyone was stunned, and then the entire room burst out laughing. The Australians all got smirks on their faces and held up their finger like “what a great idea”. Ha!
Here’s one for you. We received a letter from school that my son was failing 6th grade math and we needed to sit down. When we got to the school there was a teacher and a vice principal waiting for us. The teacher started off with handing me a test my son had taken. I glanced over it the math was right but almost every answer was marked wrong. She informed me that his spelling was horrible.
I quickly informed her that we had been fighting with him about this for years. Back when the school was teaching – th (the) i for eye. I had my conflict with that teacher at the time.
This set the math teacher off! Me questioning a teacher! How dare I? Then she said something that set me off. Your son’s problem is because you’re an absentee father! Just as she said this the bell to change classes rang. I asked her to step out into the hall with me. As we did kids were going past us- you’d hear hello Mr. Y. several times as kids passed us.
I turned to her and said I am the soccer coach here at the school! Her face turned red. We went back in and sat down the mood had changed. Now it’s time for me to take her lags out!
I pointed at the letter she had sent to us about my son Brian. I laughed and said that my sons name is Bryan. You’ve been teaching him for 9 months and you still can’t spell his name correctly? I would like to see you right his name correctly 100 times each time you’ve spelled it wrong (we had all his test sitting right in front of us)!
I told her I was going to call the local news agency about the hypocrite at this school. The vice principal was getting scared and trying to talk me down. I wanted her job after her accusation about me and my son.
She quit! I found out later that she had been doing this to every boy in the class. Finding a way to flunk them. Parents had been complaining but no one got anywhere till me.
Yes the USA. Is poorer. If your neighbour who has the biggest house owed roughly 10 times the worth of his house and you living in a house 5 times smaller and don’t owe anyone a dime. You ie (Vietnam and Cuba) are much richer than the show off that is driving a Ferrari in the huge home that owes a ton of money that it could never pay off in a century like the U.S.
So stop asking silly questions to make yourself feel good. The U.S. is a huge Ponzi nation.
You may have noticed from the image that Nauru isn’t particularly large. In fact, it is just 21 km squared, which is eight square miles. That’s six Central Parks or 11% of Washington D.C. and only two countries are smaller than it, those of course being Monaco and the Vatican. In terms of population – well, you can see it’s not bursting with people, with 10,084 at the last census – that’s as many as Elkhorn in Walworth County, Wisconsin, which you’ve never heard of.
Why do I feel bad for Nauru? Because they messed up big time.
You see, the island of Nauru had a ludicrously high amount of phosphate.
image 24
Phosphate is basically this important and expensive mineral which comes from bird poop among other things. Once it became a big deal in the 60s and 70s, and Nauru got their independence in 1968, they started to mine and export it to the rest of the world. And this went brilliantly well for them, with their annual GDP going from 15 million to 45 million in the space of eleven years. They had the second-highest GDP per capita in the world, behind only the UAE. Everything was going brilliantly.
And then, the inevitable happened. They ran out of phosphate.
That’s fine, isn’t it? We’ve got, like, a billion dollars now. Just invest it well and we’re sorted. Doesn’t matter that we have no idea what we’re doing, we’ll be fine – Nauru government, 1980 (paraphrased)
They weren’t alright, to say the least. None of their investments paid off at all. They had a billion Australian dollars and managed to lose almost all of it.
They bought a bunch of hotels and properties overseas, in Australia, the US, India and New Zealand among other places. They tried to get their national airline, inventively named Nauru Airlines, off the ground, but they couldn’t fill planes, so they literally let anyone fly. They put two million dollars into a terrible, terrible West End musical that everyone hated. The only purchase that really worked out was a block of land in Portland.
FUCK. – Nauru government, 1990 (paraphrased)
So now, Nauru barely has any money. They’ve got no real source of income, apart from being friends with Australia and a few other countries. Whilst they’re just about getting by for now, projections aren’t looking good. The entire middle of the island is basically unusable for anything, because it looks like this:
image 23
The entire population lives around the coast in a coast-shaped blob, but because of rising sea levels, they’re gonna have to move somewhere at some point. Unfortunately, there isn’t really anywhere to go.
Nauru had so much luck in having so much minerals, but financial incompetence has led to the downfall of an island that could have been so much more than it’s managed to. We can only hope that they find a solution.
This wasn’t me. and it was as much weird as horrifying.
In June 2008, an 88-year-old retired nurse named Mary Ferns left her house in Livingston, West Lothian, saying she was going into the town centre to buy tights. Everyone assumed she meant Livingston town centre, about a mile from her home, but she never came home. CCTV showed her in Edinburgh, 25 miles away, heading towards Waterloo Place where she would have been able to get a bus back to Livingston (or to any of a hundred other places), so it looked as if she decided to go into Edinburgh to shop instead of to Livingston.
Between central Livingston and her home there are several routes which cross over bridges, and at the sides of the bridges there are steep slopes covered with bushes, leading down to the water. It was natural to wonder if she had returned to Livingston, set off to walk home instead of getting a local bus for such a short journey, had a heart attack or stroke while approaching a bridge, and rolled down into the bushes: but dogs couldn’t find her.
Then in April 2011 a skeleton was found under one of the bridges, and everyone assumed it was hers. But it turned out to be someone else entirely – a man who had been missing for 15 years, and who had evidently sat down under the bridge to get out of the rain, and then had a heart attack or stroke of his own.
Mary Ferns, meanwhile, has never been found. We don’t know if she was murdered, or met with an accident, or whether, despite her age, she chose to go missing.
Pol Pot (real name Saloth Sâr) was the dictator of Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, taking power at the end of the Cambodian Civil War. As soon as he took power, He and his administration transformed Cambodia into a one party communist dictatorship. Over the next 4 years, he and his administration committed various human rights violations and carried out what is now known as the Cambodian Genocide. To go into more detail, Pol Pot and his administration:
• Forced the Cambodian population to work without pay.
• Made the Cambodian population live in the country side by forceful removing them from their homes in the cites.
• Destroyed Cambodia’s legal system and replaced it with re-education and interrogation centers. If they thought that you were guilty, you would have been very hard pressed to convince them otherwise.
• Caused much of the Cambodian populace to starve, many times to death.
• Killed anyone they either felt didn’t fit into their new society or deemed to even slightly be a threat to their regime. these included: people with connections to the previous government, Doctors, Lawyers, Intellectuals, Journalists, Business Leaders, Vietnamese Cambodians, Chinese Cambodians, Thai Cambodians, Christian Cambodians, Cham Muslims and family members of prisoners who were thought to be a threat to the regime. Even wearing glasses or being able to speak multiple languages could get you killed.
• If you were to be executed (which was very likely), you would have been taken to one the various “Killing Fields” and would most likely be killed with a pickaxe, so that they did not waste any bullets.
By the time they were overthrown during a Vietnamese invasion, the Cambodian life expectancy was about 18 years old.
As bad as rulers such as Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin and Mao Zedong were for their people, I believe no one was as brutal as Pol Pot was.
I feel like their motto put it best:
To spare you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss.
This doesn’t qualify as disgusting, but many years ago, I was involved with an Internet startup. They spent all of their time having meetings which achieved nothing, and were a complete waste of everybody’s time. One day, I was asked, no told, by the CEO to prepare a lengthy report on something that I considered ridiculous. I wrote 3 pages of it, and then decided to see what would happen if I didn’t finish it off, so I added 35 more pages of Loren Ipsum (Latin), and handed the report in. At the next meeting when everybody was present, I made a point of asking the CEO if the report was what he had wanted. He said “Yes, it was great”. I stood up, and told the entire room that this very important report that I had handed in, and which the CEO thought was great, actually contained 35 pages of Latin, proving that he hadn’t actually looked at it. I said “I quit”, and walked out of the door. The company went belly up 6 months later.
My wife had disappeared forever, and my boss knew that the ground was very cold. He also knew that my car was gone, and my house was under debate. Money gone as well.
image 69
And in the middle of that struggle, he entered my office without knocking, and stated that I would have to move into the (smaller) office of a young colleague with severe psychiatric issues, whom he hated just like he hated me. When I asked him why I had to move (since we had plenty of room in our department), he stated with a smile:
“Because I said it — that’s why.”
He also said with the same smile that he was to chair my next HR committee soon, and that I could basically forget about my future. He said the same thing to the woman with the psychiatric problems.
He called us “the goofballs.”
But he forgot about the one thing he could not control nor understand, and that even we — the goofballs in that tiny office which leaked water during rain showers — understood. The secret force he tried to capture, because he did not understand how the goofballs kept coping with his constant harassing and mental torture.
And I will also never forget his expression when he was finally fired — that final sight.
I don’t know if it was disgusting, but it was rather a unique trick. I used this a couple of times on drug dealers.
When I worked undercover in narcotics I would be asked to buy street-dealer weight in either cocaine or Heroin. The designer drugs weren’t around yet and this new stuff called crack was just making its way onto the market.
One problem every undercover faced was the hand to hand delivery of the drugs. During the actual purchase, you needed to be able to testify that you gave the money directly to the seller and they directly handed you the drugs. ( AKA hand to hand purchase).
Drug dealers were wise to this. When an informant would introduce me to the seller they would take the money but they would only give the drugs to the informant and not to me directly.
I couldn’t testify that I got the drugs from the informant. That would require me to identify the informant and have them testify. No way I would do that. So I came up with a cool little trick.
I would give the dealer the money and he would pass the drugs off to the informant who gave them to me. I would look at the package and say it was light (not the correct weight) and throw the package back directly to the dealer saying I wanted my money back. Drug dealers are not in the business of giving out refunds.
I’d move in close seemingly to get my money back, but we’d talk a little and I would agree to the light package if he would agree the next package would be a little overweight.
As soon as the dealer agreed, I’d reach out and take the package back directly from the dealer, sometimes almost pulling it out of his hands, thus completing a hand to hand transaction.
We would let the case sit for six months before we made the arrest, so they would not remember what informant walked me in. But my little hand to hand trick worked every time.
I mean..this American senator keep on asking if Chew Sou Zi (the Tiktok CEO) is a Chinese citizen and a member of Chinese Communist Party even though the CEO keep repeatedly answering that he is a Singaporean citizen !
That senator apparently:
1.Could not tell the difference between China and Singapore.
2. Doesn’t know that Singapore is not a part of China.
3.Doesn’t know that a Singaporean person is not allowed to have a dual citizenship.
4.Doesn’t have a clue that only a Chinese citizen could become a member of Chinese Communist Party ( I’m not sure about USA, maybe in the US, a non citizen could become a member of senate?)
5. He probably doesn’t even know where the heck Singapore is!!!
And the fact is, he is a SENATOR ! He represents the people in america ! He went to Harvard, therefore he’s one of america’s best and brightest! He’s a decision maker!
Can you imagine the level of intelligence of the ordinary americans?
I was relief that the senator did not asking the CEO “have you ever ordered a Chinese takeout”?.
Italian Stuffed Meat Loaf
18521t6
Ingredients
Meat Loaf
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup oats
1 (15 1/2 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
Filling
1/3 cup of any one or all of the following: sliced mushrooms, sliced ripe olives, shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded zucchini
Topping
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Ripe olives, sliced
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
For meat loaf, combine ground beef, oats, 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, onion, Parmesan cheese, egg, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; mix well. Separate mixture into two equal parts. Shape each into a patty about 7 inches in diameter. Place filling on one patty to within 1/2 inch of edge. Place in prepared pan.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until meat is done.
Top loaf with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. Garnish with olives.
So, we’ve got Liam Ashley, a 17-year-old dude from New Zealand who made a serious mistake. He took his parents’ car for a joyride without their permission. Yeah, not the smartest move in the book, my friend.
But here’s where things get real messed up. Liam’s parents, instead of just giving him a good old-fashioned grounding or some crap, decided to press criminal charges against him. They wanted to teach him a lesson, right? So they denied the poor guy bail, thinking that sending him to prison would fix everything.
image 71
Now, I get it, parents wanna straighten out their kids, but come on! Liam had some minor run-ins with the law before, nothing too serious. And for that, they wanna throw him behind bars? Talk about overreacting, man.
But here’s the real tragedy. While Liam was being transported in a prison van, some dangerous psycho attacked him. And I ain’t talking about a friendly game of patty cake, my friend. Liam was brutally assaulted and, tragically, he didn’t make it. It’s a heartbreaking ending to a messed-up situation.
Ashley was killed by George Charlie Baker, a classified dangerous criminal, who strangled and stomped on the boy. Liam sustained severe brain injuries and his family decided to remove him from life support the next day. Baker was given an 18 year sentence!
image 70
I mean, seriously, what the f**k? Liam’s parents thought they were doing the right thing, but their actions led to their own son’s death. It’s a harsh reminder that sometimes, people’s intentions can be all kinds of messed up, and the consequences can be devastating.
Yea I did. I was interviewing for a part time job in a small, higher end chain women’s clothing store. I just wanted a few hours a week in a nice atmosphere. This weeks to be the place. Then as I was doing my last interview with the store manager, she started telling me about the hourly sales requirements. Woman, what are you talking about? Well, the first hour you had to sell, say $10 worth of accessories. The second jour V higher dollar value, and it went in up to 8 hours and by the eighth hour you had to sell $50 worth of stuff. By the hour! She’s been very nice and told me she’d never seen such glowing recommendations from previous employees, she’d actually talked to them. So at the news of the hard sell requirement I was sitting there with it mouth agape in shock, I said, I’m 52, months his is a part time job I thought would be enjoyable, you just made it despicable, sorry, I’m not interested. It was a good thing, I found a job in a chain fabric store, they had about 200 stores nationwide, our store was very small, about 3500 square feet, but we worked our way up to a million dollars in sales so it was busy, fun and I loved it until the store manager stopped caring and was a pain in the butt. I loved to see, knit, crochet and do other fiber crafts. We sold fabric, yarn, lots of supplies for other crafts. And people were buying all of our supplies. But it went downhill, I left after 12 years and 18!years after I started they went out of business. It was sad, I couldn’t buy a sewing machine needle there at the end because the selection went from 20 types and sizes to 4 basic needles. And that was with everything.
JEFFREY SACHS FULL INTERVIEW ABOUT CHINA – U.S RIVALRY CONTINUE ? AND MORE
Oh my God. A deep madness.
https://youtu.be/cVYtF3HVSXY
Subtle Change in Ukraine Blame Means Deadly Trouble for Americans
OPINION-EDITORIAL — A very subtle change in the words coming out of the Russian Foreign Ministry signals the FINAL step before the annihilation of the United States. We have now reached the final step . . .
The wording used by the Russian Foreign Ministry was very subtle, but its implications are anything but. See if you can pick-up the subtle change in this excerpt from RT:
The US and its citizens are complicit in the deaths of the Ukrainian POWs who were killed last week when the Russian Il-76 military aircraft transporting them was shot down by Kiev’s troops, Moscow’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has said.
On Thursday, Russia’s Investigative Committee released a report stating that the cargo plane was destroyed using two US-made MIM-104A missiles fired by a Patriot air-defense system. The Il-76 came down in Russia’s Belgorod Region last Wednesday. All of those on board – 65 Ukrainian POWs, three Russian troops, and six crew members – were killed.
Russian investigators stated that Ukrainian troops fired the missiles from a staging area in Kharkov Region, not far from the village of Liptsy, some 10km from the Russian border. They based their conclusion on 116 missile fragments found at the crash site bearing inscriptions in English.
Responding to the report, Zakharova said in a Telegram post that US citizens “need to know where their money is going,” arguing that President Joe Biden and his administration have made Americans “complicit in a bloody tragedy.”
Did you catch it? Did you pick up the subtle change in the language they used? It’s right there in front of you!
Here, let me focus it for you:
“The US and its citizens are complicit in the deaths of the Ukrainian POWs . . .”
Then again, in a later paragraph:
” . . .arguing that President Joe Biden and his administration have made Americans “complicit in a bloody tragedy.” “”
This tiny and subtle change points the finger not just at the US Government, it also points the finger at . . . . YOU. And me! Individually. Personally.
This is a point I have made repeatedly on my radio shows in the past two years. I have earnestly pointed out that what our GOVERNMENT does, is being done IN OUR NAME.
Remember, this nation celebrates Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address wherein he posited that we have “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Ergo, when the US Government does something, it does it in OUR name. You and me.
The Russians have now made clear who it is they hold responsible for what the US Government is doing: YOU and ME.
You see, we . . . . you and me . . . . ARE in fact, to blame!
We sit back and do nothing while our government runs roughshod over the whole world. Sanctions on this one and that one. Military action here. Military action there. And whenever our Government engage in that activity, people we don’t know, in lands we’ve never been to or maybe haven’t even heard of . . . . die.
Oh, and while our government is doing all this crap to people all over the world, you and I sit back and do . . . . nothing. We don’t make a phone call to our members of Congress or the Senate. We don’t write a letter or send a fax. We don’t even fire-off an email. We sit on our asses and do absolutely . . . . nothing.
The Russians are now making clear it is YOU and I who are doing this. YOU and I who are to blame. Directly. Personally.
You know what? They’re right.
WE are to blame. We elect these people then sit back and tacitly approve of what they’re doing by our own, personal inaction. They slaughter people all over the world. They bomb countries back into the Stone Age. You and I sit back and do absolutely nothing. Or worse, we sing idiotic Beach Boys Parody songs like “Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran . . . .” as if somehow what we’re doing is good. It isn’t.
A Russian guy I know cited US Senator Lindsey Graham the other day to make a very valid point to me. He showed me what Lindsey Graham, posted on “X” (formerly Twitter) wherein he said the following:
Then the Russian guy asked me “What if some member of the Russian Federation COuncil (i.e. a Russian “Senator”) Posted this exact message on VKontake (Russian Social Media) only changed the countries involved, like this FAKE SAMPLE:
FAKE RUSSIA SENATOR
In case the Putin Administration is wondering, it is abundantly clear to the United States and everyone else in the region, that the Administration doesn’t want war. But it will be difficult to tell the families of the fallen soldiers that the United States is not at war with us.
The United States is at war with Russia on multiple fronts through their proxies (Ukraine). Weak talk and weak action are putting our service members [in Ukraine], at risk. If the United States doesn’t pay a heavy price after the deaths of our service members, and the wounding of many more, then the Putin Administration is derelict in their duties to protect Russian personnel in harm’s way.
To the Putin Administration: Stop the weak rhetoric and respond with strength to protect Russian interests and lives. Your current approach to United States/NATO aggression is not working. Change while you can.”
Same words as Lindsey Graham. Same logic.
So I have to ask YOU, the Reader, if Lindsey Grahams words about Iran are good enough to warrant the US attacking Iran, would the FAKE Russian Senator’s exact same words about Ukraine, justify Russia hitting us?
Why not. Same situation!
You see, this is a big problem for my fellow Americans. We view the world as being ours to do with as we please. We never once stop to think how other powerful nations, might decide to use OUR logic, when dealing with . . . . us.
Now, some of you will react by saying “They wouldn’t dare.” Oh no? Why not?
And you would respond “Because we would nuke the living shit out of them.”
Really?
Because they can also do that to us.
Oh.
Yes.
Reality sets in.
And those same reactionary Americans who would say “They wouldn’t dare” would then likely say “They won’t, it would mean the end of the world.”
Yes. It would. And we would have done it to ourselves by the way we are behaving around the world.
Why should Russia sit back and allow us to supply arms to Ukraine, which are now clearly being used to kill Russians?
Why shouldn’t Russia tell the United States (again) to stop supplying weapons that are killing Russians and then add, or Russia will start hitting the United States?
Why shouldn’t Russia make it direct? Blunt?
Well . . . . turns out, they just began making it blunt. At the top of this Op-Ed, they have now begun blaming “American citizens.” You and me.
Where is this leading? Let me explain it this way:
What is the difference between “Killing” and “murder?”
Murder is the unlawful killing of an innocent. But “Killing” is allowable if it is “justified.”
For instance, if a guy is aiming a gun at you, and you do something which kills him, that is “self defense” and not murder, even though the guy is now dead.
So there is a difference between killing and murder. One may be allowed while the other is not.
Same thing with countries.
The U.S. is supplying weapons for Ukraine to use to kill Russians. Russia has repeatedly told the US and NATO to stop, but we are not stopping. ERGO, it would be “justified” for Russia to kill us in self defense.
Thankfully, the Russians have good morals and they know that perhaps the innocent American people ought not be harmed because of our evil government. SO thus far, they have not killed us.
I think the change in Russian Foreign Ministry wording mentioned at the start of this Op-Ed, tells us that’s about to change.
The official Diplomatic Corps of the Russian Federation is now openly, and publicly, laying the blame for the deaths of Russians, upon “the American people.” Me and you.
Having repeatedly told us to stop, the only thing left for Russia to do is to make us stop – by killing us.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has now begun laying the historical groundwork to justify exactly that.
By changing their statements to lay blame upon “the American people” they are building a record to justify killing . . . us.
Wise-up folks.
Unless we reign-in our wayward government, and stop them from running roughshod over the whole world, you and I __can__ be held accountable. You and I __can__ be stopped.
The clock seems to be ticking.
Now, you can either step up and start being an active and engaged citizen, and start telling your elected public servants to knock it off, or you can go right back to sitting on your ass and doing nothing until the brilliant white flashes start. Then you can feel sorry for yourself as you vaporize, except God already knows: You brought this on yourself by not getting off your lazy ass and stopping your own government while you still could.
Kevin is the gentlest man I’ve ever known, and we go back nearly four decades. He’s tall, well-built, and strong, yet he talks with a soft voice and always speaks kindly.
Kevin worked in a small, cramped Capitol Hill office with a Class A bully. This guy continually said nasty things to his colleagues. He was especially abusive to the women and, because of his kind demeanor, Kevin was one of the favorite targets. A bully loves attacking anyone s/he perceives to be weak.
One day, Kevin had enough. During a verbal attack, Kevin jumped up, grabbed this guy by the lapels, and pulled him from his desk chair. He then pushed the guy against a wall and put his face very close. Kevin told the guy that he could shut up, immediately, or that Kevin would shut his mouth for him. Kevin went on to explain that there’d be no more office abuse; if the behavior happened again, the consequences would be much more severe.
The guy turned bright red, then ghostly white. He had nothing to say. He sat down and spent the rest of the day looking terrified and shaking uncontrollably. He never bullied anyone again, and he left his job shortly after. Nobody was sorry to see him go.’
It was Dec 1982. I had just turned 16 in October. My two friends and I were walking home from the Christmas dance at the high school when I was hit by a drunk driver. She was driving home from a company Christmas party. I was the one closest to the street on the sidewalk and somehow she clipped me without hitting either of my friends. Best we can figure, I rolled up the windshield and off the side of her car.
I was knocked unconscious and woke up laying facedown on the street. People were already gathered by me, holding me down, telling me not to move. I was terrified that they knew something about my “condition” that I didn’t know. Fortunately, I had only minor injuries and a concussion. Sprained pinky finger, road-rash scrapes over the whole right side of my body from my ear to my knee, swollen knee and elbow, and that pesky concussion. No doubt, I was lucky.
Then there was another little “gift” that I didn’t realize I had for years. PTSD. I had to quit the school wrestling team after I had a panic attack and blacked out during practice. In the first few months after, I literally dove into bushes and onto lawns when I heard sharp sounds behind me – tires squealing, engine revving, door slamming – all sent me flying away from the road. I would get up and brush off the leaves while mentally chastising myself for being weak. Eventually, it got to the point where I’d just flinch and not actually leap, and months later where I’d just startle.
This was 1982, before MADD, before strict DUI laws, and in many cases, before any DUI laws. I was told she spent the night in the “drunk tank” and was released the next day. Her insurance paid the medical expenses minus the PTSD therapy because I didn’t know I had that. Insurance also paid for clothing that was torn or cut off, and I believe an additional $600 for “pain and suffering.” My PTSD lasted over two years.
I never drink and drive. Because I know the real cost. Because I know I got a small dose and some families pay a much larger cost. Because I couldn’t imagine sitting in a cell knowing I killed someone.
I had my fairly new license and was driving my parents car when a deer darted out in front of me. I swerved and put the car into a ditch. Not hurt.
I find a phone and call a tow truck. Get back to the car and there is a police car there. I explained I’d stayed with the car for 15 minutes but knew there was a gas station nearby.
He gives me a ticket for speeding because in his opinion that’s the only way this could have happened.
Now this is a small municipal court for traffic tickets. My license was from my parents home 3 hours away. He was expecting me to just mail in the fine rather than contest it. He approached me before court to “refresh his memory about the event” and naively I did. He gets called and testifies that I was speeding.
So, I asked him where he was when the accident happened and was able to witness me speeding. He said he passed me going in the opposite direction.
So, I asked: if you saw me speeding in the opposite direction & saw me wreck my car, why did I have to walk 20 minutes to the phone, call police headquarters to report the accident, and walk back before you wrote the ticket?
The judge stopped things at that point & dismissed the charges.
One morning as I was waking up, I looked at my 27 year old wife as she was sleeping and noticed the veins in her neck were throbbing. A few days later she was in the hospital getting excess fluid drained from her pericardium (sac around the heart) that was built up and putting pressure on her heart, and causing the veins to protrude. She had recently recovered from a stomach virus and doctors attributed this to a viral infection.
A few days later, it was happening again. That’s when the whirlwind began. She was put back in the local hospital for tests, within a day sent to John’s Hopkins for more tests, within another day sent right to the oncology unit. Her diagnosis was Angiosarcoma; the tumor was on her heart.
The outlook wasn’t good and I was getting a lot of percentages: “if we do this there’s x percent of this happening and if that happens there’s x percent that we can do this”, etc. I asked to speak with someone who could just tell me what the deal was, what to expect, what the reality of the situation was. They sent the head of oncology to speak with me, and I’ll never forget it:
“The tumor is on her heart…we can’t just remove the tumor because of the location, and because angiosarcoma has an almost liquid consistency operating is rarely successful. It’s extremely aggressive and once it gets into the bloodstream, if it hasn’t already, will spread throughout her body. You’ve asked me to be completely frank with you about your wife’s condition, and because you asked I am going to honor your request: the reality of the situation is that your wife is going to die, and the life you had together as you know it is over. It could be within six months, or because of the pressure on her heart she could go into cardiac arrest at any time. Now, I’m an aggressive realist, which means I’m going to aggressively try to change the reality of the situation. But the fact is that if this kind of cancerous tumor appeared in her leg, we would immediately amputate, and she would still not survive more than two years”.
This will not go down well with the electorate and, moreover, with the soldiers of the Ukrainian forces:
A poll published by the Kyiv Institute of Sociology in December found 88% of Ukrainians supported the top general. Zelensky’s approval rating, though also high, was considerably lower at 62%.
It is far from clear that any new commander will be able to improve Ukraine’s difficult situation on the battlefield without significantly more forces and weapons — precisely what Zaluzhny has demanded of Zelensky, adding tension to what was already a fraying relationship.
Zaluzhny’s popularity — both within the military and among ordinary citizens — makes his removal a political gamble for Zelensky. It also poses strategic risks at a time when Russia has intensified its attacks and Western security assistance for Kyiv has slowed. The general has built strong rapport with his Western counterparts and has often been able to advocate directly for certain materiel and seek counsel on battlefield strategy. … Both Budanov and Syrsky are considered favorites of Zelensky and Andriy Yermak, the chief of the presidential office and Zelensky’s closest adviser. Nearer the front, however, there seems to be little appetite for change.
“My personal opinion is you can’t do something like this right now — Zaluzhny is someone 80 percent of the military considers a good authority,” said Oleksandr, a battalion commander fighting in eastern Ukraine.
“For what is he being removed? It’s not clear. And who will replace him? Syrsky? God, I hope not. No one in the army likes Syrsky,” Oleksandr added.
The Bild publication writes that Zaluzhny wanted to withdraw troops from Avdiivka a few weeks ago, but Zelensky refused him this and on December 30 he personally went to the city to the front line to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters.
So all the coffins that arrived from near Avdeevka to Ukraine since December 30 are solely on the conscience of Zelensky and his passion for narcissism.
Avdeevka is nearly surrounded and any attempts to hold onto it will cost many valuable lives of soldiers for no discernible advantage. But, just like with Bakhmut, Zelenski wants to hold on to the city to be be able point his western sponsors to some ‘successes’.
My hunch is that, after Monday’s kerfuffle in Kiev, the decision to fire Zaluzny was still hanging in balance.
The change now only happened after the noeconservative destroyer of Ukraine, Victoria Nuland, had landed in Kiev.
When asked by a journalist whether Nuland had learned about Kyiv’s plans on the battlefield, she replied that, in her opinion, Ukraine would achieve great success.
“I have to say that I leave Kyiv tonight more encouraged about the unity and the resolve, about 2024 and its absolute strategic importance for Ukraine. I also leave more confident that, even as Ukraine strengthens its defenses, Mr. Putin is going to get some nice surprises on the battlefield and that Ukraine will make some very strong success,” the U.S. Under Secretary of State emphasized.
This hint does not foresee success on the ground but asymmetric operations within Russia or the Black Sea. More to the like of this which has happen last night:
Ukraine sinks Russian ship.
During a night attack by drones in the Donuzlav area, the Black Sea Fleet lost the Ivanovets MRK, built in 1989, 493 tons of displacement, armed with Moskit missiles.
Sinking that ship will do nothing to change the outcome at the battlefront. Nor would any attacks on Russia oil and gas infrastructure change anything.
Nuland’s remark also hints that the replacement of General Zaluzny will not come in the form of Army General Alexander Syrski, who is disliked by the troops for unsuccessfully holding grounds in Bakhmut and elsewhere at too high costs in men and material.
Nuland’s hint towards asymmetric operations points to the elevation of the Chief of Military Intelligence Directorate Major-General Kyrylo Budanov as a incoming replacement for Zaluzny.
Budanov has been responsible for some daring, if mostly unsuccessful, terror attacks on Russian land and interests.
Back in June 2023 the Economist explained why Zelenski might seek to elevate Bundanov:
Aides huddle close when the general speaks. Under his leadership, Ukraine’s main directorate of intelligence—HUR—has become a plucky, autonomous authority that punches above its weight. It resembles a gang. “Before we had managers, now we have a leader,” says one veteran officer. Oleg, an operative who has known General Budanov for decades, speaks approvingly of his ability to infect others with his fervour, comparing him to a snake “hypnotising you before he comes in for the kill. Restrained, measured, never panicked. You do anything he asks.” … As a confidant of the president—those in government call them kindred spirits—General Budanov is understood to be playing an ever-bigger role in behind-the-scenes peace negotiations. Sources say he is a conduit to secret talks with the Chinese, and he has also been in contact with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s mercenary Wagner outfit.
In conversation it is clear that General Budanov has been thinking hard about post-war Ukraine. Last winter there was talk of him becoming defence minister. He insists his only ambition is victory. Yet secret polls conducted by Mr Zelensky’s office show they are thinking about using the cult of their hero spymaster to counterbalance a perceived rivalry emanating from Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s likeable and independent commander-in-chief. General Budanov’s colleagues say they are convinced he is destined for a big political role once peace comes—if he lives that long.
To the TV producers (Yermak) around the former comedian actor Zelenski it is all about ratings.
Budanov may be good at marketing his image as a successful terrorist.
But he has zero experience of leading any size of unit in combat. You can not lead a company, battalion, brigade or army by ‘huddling close’ with aides. It needs long term strategic thinking just as detailed attention to all kinds of day to day logistics.
Leading an army is like conducting a huge orchestra through a four year long Wagner epos. Having played the first fiddle in a chamber quartet does not qualify for that.
I am sure that U.S. military is not happy about this move. While there were some disagreements with Zaluzny about the right strategies those were between military professional who allowed for diverting opinions. Zaluzny was seen as an experienced professional soldier. Budanov is seen as a spook who had never been in command of any real military. He well not be talked to at the same level.
According to one source, Zaluzhnyi’s senior staff are also expected to be removed from their positions.
With the new inexperienced leadership the situation on the ground will soon become a catastrophic mess for forces of Ukraine. There will be wrong priorities, miss-allocations of resources and large scale losses of men and ground.
On the other side terror attacks on Russian targets, industrial equipment as well as population centers, are likely to sharply increase.
The larger U.S. aim of all this, first announced as a 2019 RAND study, is still unchanged:
The study at that time recommended the arming of Ukrainian’s army as the best way to unbalance Russia. We have since seen the escalation of that strategy. The move from the battlefield to the realm of terror is a response to the degradation of the first by empathizing the psychological effects of the second.
The foreseeable outcome though is unchanged. Ukraine will be smashed, Russia’s power will increase and the global view of the U.S. as a reliable partner will be diminished.
Posted by b on February 1, 2024 at 14:48 UTC | Permalink
One of the first casinos I ever worked in had a policy that you had to wear black pants, a tuxedo shirt, a bow tie, black dress shoes, and black socks. The only thing they didn’t demand was the colour of your underwear (as long as a bra couldn’t be seen under your white shirt). The bosses were so strict that “uniform checks” were part of the norm – every couple of days a delegated supervisor would check everyone to see that they were wearing the right clothing. What stood out to me was when they’d ask you to pull up the leg of your pants to check your socks – sometimes both legs… just to make sure both socks matched and we’re all black (no stripes at the top).
This particular casino was an anomaly in the industry – it was many years ago and a small place so they didn’t have security cameras – none! One day I was on a game that required two dealers to operate and it happened that he was one of my best friends. There were no patrons in the casino at all – not unusual for an early day shift there. An older female supervisor came around announcing a “sock check”. I looked at my friend, he looked at me, we both unbuckled our belts and let our pants drop to the floor exposing the tops of our socks.
Neither of us ever had a sock check again.
No, we weren’t fired either… there was nobody in the casino at the time and the older female supervisor was a very nice lady with a great sense of humour – she (of course) told us to never do it again and almost stayed red-faced for the rest of the shift.
I exposed a huge scam by my local gas distributor (cooking gas).
This is a typical cooking gas cylinder in India.
As you can see (not very clearly though), on the neck of the cylinder, net weight and gross weight are clearly mentioned.
Recently, I read an article in ‘The Hindu’ that revealed that a lot of gas agencies/distributors/delivery persons in India are stealing cooking gas. They take out about 1–2 kg of gas from each cylinder and sell it separately in black. The loss in weight is too small for an unsuspecting buyer to notice. But in terms of money, this translates into a loss of about 60 INR per cylinder. The article cautioned everybody to get their gas cylinders weighed before paying the delivery person (Delivery persons are mandated to carry a portable weighing scale along with them by the Govt.)
At first I laughed it off. My agency was trusted. It would never do that. But then on a whim, I decided to try it out. When the next cylinder was delivered to my home, I casually asked the delivery boy to weigh it. The color on his face instantly changed. He started stammering, started insisting that there was no need for this because the bond of trust we shared! I immediately grew suspicious. I pressed him. He then started making excuses that he forgot to bring along his portable weighing-scale.
Luckily, I had my own weighing scale at home. I immediately brought it out and weighed the cylinder myself. The gross weight printed on the cylinder was 29.5 kg, whereas the scale read 27 kg. A difference of bloody 2.5 kgs.
The delivery boy started begging me not to register a complaint against him. And that he wouldn’t repeat the mistake ever again.
Apparently, this is a huge scam going on all over India. If you are reading this answer, please get your gas cylinder duly weighed before paying for it.
Once, many years ago, as a young lawyer, I was asked to help a family member, a crazy uncle, with his disability case. He was literally homeless, living on the street and crazy beyond description. His grip on reality was severely distorted, he was schizophrenic and had lost his job as a NYC sanitation worker.
Surely, you can get him SOME benefits to live on? This was the family’s charge to me as a brand new baby lawyer. Help Uncle X! He’s desperate. You gotta do this.
Okay, I’ll give it a try. How do you say no to something like that? I had never handled a disability case and really had no idea where to start. So, let’s start with interviewing the client and see what he can tell me. I didn’t expect much in the way of cooperation from a man who I knew was thoroughly and completely insane and off his rocker. I had heard the family stories.
I set up an appointment, nevertheless, and I prayed to God for wisdom to help me save this man from roaming half-naked on the streets of NY. I figured it might even be a public service.
One fine day he did actually show up in my office. At the time, I was working for an older gentleman lawyer who had a massively busy local general practice, the type you really don’t see anymore and before the days of “legal specialization.” This office truly tried to handle EVERYTHING! It was great experience.
The waiting room was full of people in need of one form of legal advice or another when my prospective client showed up. As I greeted him in the office full of these other waiting clients the first words literally out of his mouth are “Hi, you have nice lips!” Lol. Oh boy, this was going to be a real experience. I quickly and quietly shuffled him off to my basement office so we could get to work. My office didn’t even have a window.
Well, my client had brought a sheaf of disorganized, crumpled papers and, after organizing and unfolding them I started reading them. They consisted of his employment file and the stated reasons for his termination. He was quite literally unfit for employment. His record consisted of bizarre hallucinations, reports of “voices” and other strange phenomenon which he was experiencing which rendered him totally unfit for any gainful employment. There were also stacks of medical records indicating that he was suffering from a severe mental disorder (which was nothing but obvious to anyone spending one minute in his presence). He was very much totally out of his mind.
I felt sorry for him. I knew he would qualify for Social Security Disability benefits and would also be entitled to a sizable retroactive payment. All we had to do was apply and possibly have a hearing. I was confident I could win it. I started preparing the application, starting with the claim for “disability based on mental illness.”
Well, my uncle/client took one look at the application and said (I swear that I’m not making this up) “my disability is for hemorrhoids, not that!”). I was astonished! I expected anything but resistance. What was your disability?
HEMORRHOIDS!
Well, the medical records clearly stated that he DID have hemorrhoids but that was hardly his disability or his reason for not being able to work. The records were replete with references to paranoid schizophrenia and wild hallucinations. THAT was the problem, not hemorrhoids!
I tried to persuade him. I tried to convince him to proceed but he became agitated and uncooperative. Finally, he grabbed his papers and ran out of my office. I couldn’t stop him. He was gone.
My aunt, his sister, wanted to know how we did. I told her that the case went nowhere and that he was uncooperative. Back on the streets he went for another year or so. I couldn’t help him since he wouldn’t cooperate.
Then something amazing happened (after about a year). He returned to my office, looking for help, insisting once again that his HEMORRHOIDS were his difficulty. This time I agreed.
I applied for Social Security Disability ON THE BASIS OF HEMORRHOIDS. Of course, we were going to be denied but I had an idea brewing in my young lawyer head. Let’s see if this works.
After receiving the expected denial of our application I filed an appeal and asked for a hearing with a judge. It was granted as a routine matter, as I knew it would be. Now what to do?
Well, the date of the hearing arrived and we went to court in Brooklyn. I showed up with my uncle and the case was called. The judge (I still remember his name!) looked at the hearing application and said “this is an application for disability benefits based on…. what? Hemorrhoids? Really? Okay, counsel proceed.” He was shaking his head in disbelief the entire time he said this.
I politely asked the judge to exclude my client from the room. He looked at me and said “young man, this is a most unusual request.” Yes, judge but I have my reasons. “Okay,” he said, “please exclude the claimant from the courtroom. This had better be good, counselor!”
Oh, it’s gonna be good. I promise!
As soon as my uncle left the courtroom I gushed “judge, this guy is my uncle and he’s completely nuts.” I then proceeded to tell him the entire story and told him that the real claim was for mental illness disability but the client wouldn’t let me proceed on that basis, insisting that his hemorrhoids were the issue. The judge seemed to understand.
“Okay, bring the claimant back into the courtroom. You may inquire, counselor.”
I stood up and literally asked my client ONE QUESTION. It was truly only one question… no more. I said “Uncle X, please tell the judge what’s bothering you.” Then I sat down fully knowing what was coming next.
For the next ten minutes, until the judge could no longer stand it, the client rambled about “wires being crossed” and “Ring Dings and Yankee Doodles” and how the police were stalking him and many other bizarre and colorful statements. It was very clear that his grip on reality was non-existent. I doubt he could have told you who the President was at the time or what month it was. After hearing enough, the judge stopped him, clearly having heard enough to realize this wasn’t a put on, or a fraud. It would have actually been funny if it wasn’t so sad.
“Decision reserved,” the judge said and dismissed us from his court. I left feeling confident.
A few weeks later we got a decision granting 100% disability to my uncle with a retroactive payment of over forty thousand dollars plus monthly benefits of about $2500 for life, plus Medicare. It was a grand slam win! I was a family hero.
Years later I ran into the judge on the street outside the courts. I greeted him and thanked him for his help and understanding. He told me “I will never forget that case… It was textbooks!”
Not exactly fired, but we thought it was a great reaction.
After a recent merger between two rather large companies, it was necessary to reduce personnel, so each department was asked to cut staffing by a certain percentage.
To encourage volunteers, management offered to give a full week worth of salary and paid medical benefits for each full year a person had worked at the company if they took early retirement. And anyone who qualified for a pension also got the full pension as if they had not retired early.
One member of our team was about 14 months away from his planned retirement date when he would start receiving full Social Security and pension payments.
He had worked for the company for 45 years. After some simple math, we all strongly encouraged him to take the deal.
He got 45 weeks of full pay, a whole year of benefits coverage (negotiated with HR), his full pension, and they also bought out the almost two months of accrued vacation time that he had been saving up in order to retire a few months early.
He basically got a 12+ month paid vacation with full benefits. We will be having a retirement party for him on his original planned retirement date in a couple of months. 😀
I imagine that wasn’t what management had in mind when they made the offer, but everyone on our team was very happy for him to get it!
When I worked as a commis chef in a 5-star hotel, we had some guy come in and eat on his own, which was a bit unusual. He ordered some expensive food, but strangely finished with a starter which involved some salad. A waiter came through shortly after serving the salad to tell me that the customer was complaining as he’d found a slug in his salad, so I went out to speak with him. I explained to him that I was terribly sorry, but it just was not possible. The man was being quite rude with me, but I maintained my calm and he demanded to speak with the head chef.
The head chef came out and apologised to the man and stated that the slug was not in the salad when it was served to him. The man became outraged and the implication that he was a liar and asked how we could be so sure. The head chef said “If you would please follow me sir. There’s something I would like you to see.” The man stood up, shaking his head looking a bit smug. He seemed adamant that there was nothing we could do that would ever change his mind or prove that he put the slug there. As the head chef and I led him into the kitchen, the head chef explained the sections of the kitchen as he passed through and their function. Finally, he reached the garnish section on the other side of the kitchen and pointed. “We put the lettuce for your salad through this machine. We call this ‘a shredder’”
The man took a little time to think, clearly realising that there was just no way anything short of a small bug could have made it through there alive, and started to look a little panicked. He then started to grow embarrassed by the second, and finally apologised profusely. He said that he did not have the money to pay for the meal. As we called the police, he suddenly remembered that he did have the money and paid for the meal in cash. We never saw him again.
The Duran: NATO Crossed Putin’s Red Line and Russia is Ready to FINISH It
Many years ago, while working as a housekeeper, l had one very dirty client that always left notes about what they’d like me to clean that visit.
One week l arrived to a note stating that, they’d like me to clean out the bathroom cupboard.
When l opened the cupboard l found it to be full to overflowing with used sanity pads. The whole cupboard, not one or two. Not half a dozen, but hundreds of uses sanity items. A lifetimes worth.
The note stated…clean out bathroom cupboard and as this was the only cupboard in the room, l empied it and scrubbed it out, only to be met with a nasty phone call the following day stating l should not have thrown out anything. They were being saved. Hmm. Not what the not implied. But sure.
The following visit, another note, please clean out the kitchen party. So l put all like food together, such as 10 or so open packs of pasta together, sauces together, etc, wiped out all the shelves. It looked great.
Yup another phone call. How dare l mix up the food in the cupboards. There were other instances, so l stopped working for them. The house was always filthy and they would never employ me long enough to clean the house completely. It was always left dirty, with just a small area cleaned, which would be very dirty again by next visit.
It wasn’t that it was a messy house, it was filthy to the point of being unsanitary, so l was happy to never go back.l was always worried ld get sick just for being inside there.
I was an odd duck, partly because I spent five years overseas in a private school that catered about 50/50 to children of government workers stationed there and half to people working for various corporations also stationed there, all from English speaking countries looking for a school in English in the middle of Brazil.
Also, in retrospect, partly because I’m on the autism spectrum, although I had no idea that that was the case for some decades to come. Still, I knew, everyone knew, that I was a weirdo.
Well, I got to this new school (it had just been built, because town had expanded so fast that the original school had gotten overcrowded) and of course that meant so had all the other kids. And… I’m reconstructing this, mind you, and it’s just a guess, I’m really not great at understanding how people think, see “Autism” above… they didn’t know what the “pecking order” was. So they settled it with fights. You saw someone weaker than yourself, you beat him up, and that meant you were better than him, or he beat you up and then he was better than you, and it was all sorted.
Except I didn’t want to fight. Had no reason to. Didn’t make any sense to me. Wasn’t afraid, just, well, weirdo.
It seems one kid got it in his head that this was his ticket. If he beat me up, he had it made. So my turning him down, that was maddening. He kept after me about it for weeks. Finally, I agreed. Stay in the classroom when everyone goes to recess. The teacher wasn’t all that good about policing things, it was simple enough for us both to stay behind.
He said “all right, let’s fight!” I asked him “are you sure? I don’t want to fight you. Are you sure?” “Sure” he said. So I picked up one of those desk/chair things and hit him with it. Then I asked him if he wanted to continue. He said no.
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Don’t try this. It’s probably “assault with a deadly weapon” now. I guess I’m lucky he didn’t get hurt bad enough for anyone to find out, although in the 1970s I might not have gotten in trouble anyway.
Dad always told me not to fight, but if I had to fight, be sure to win, no rules.
That’s the first and last fight of my life. Maybe word got around? Maybe I just don’t have the look in my eyes of someone you should fight with. It could be the autism, sending weird signals. I don’t know.
No. But may I highlight a dirty trick by a phone soliciter?
I’ll take that as a yes.
A neighbor of mine was a saleman for Sam’s Club. The guy who makes a pitch to your boss, offering a discount to any of his/her employees who’d like the group membership, put on sales presentations at state fairs etc., cold-calling as well.
Then I moved halfway across the state. He calls me one afternoon, disguising his voice and acting as if he’s calling on behalf of some worthless telemarketing offer. Of course I, not recognizing him, utter some choice words before hanging up. He calls me right back, identifies himself and proceeds to ask me why I couldn’t be more polite in declining whatever it is that’s being offered.
I told him why. Said my peace and then we chatted about whatever he had really needed to talk to me about.
Many years ago I was in a chat room of a group with hundreds of members. Predominantly adults but, there were older teens. I don’t remember what was being discussed but, this kid (older teen) started making rude comments then started making bizarre comments about school shootings,violence and basically hinting he was going to do something. Quite a few people ignored it or told him he was being inappropriate and that he would be reported to moderator. Most in the discussion didn’t take it seriously. I went to his profile which fortunately wasn’t locked down. So concerning posts and was able to figure out the state, town and high school he attended. And his actual name. So I called the police in that town. Explained what I had seen, sent screenshots etc. While I was on the phone with a detective they got a call from one other man who had done the same as me. Surprisingly, the detective called me back a few hours later and while he didn’t give me many details he did say, that between myself and the other man they were able to locate the boy and that everyone was safe. I confess to stalking the FB profiles later and saw that he had been hospitalized so hopefully he got the help he needed. I worried I was doing the wrong thing but, I just kept thinking how hard it would be to live with myself if I saw news the next day of a school shooting and HADN’T called.
Nuclear Boy Scout
Now known as the “Nuclear Boy Scout,” David Hahn was 17 when he decided to earn an Atomic Energy merit badge by building a working nuclear reactor — right in the backyard of his Michigan home.
In the mid-1990s, Hahn painstakingly collected tiny amounts of radioactive material from everyday objects around his house.
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Image: David’s nuclear reactor can be seen
He almost had a working “breeder” reactor in his back shed when he caught the attention of local and federal authorities, prompting an FBI and Nuclear Regulatory Commission response with the evacuation of more than 40,000 people in the locality.
With the level of radiation in his basement 1000 times higher than normal; David declined to see a doctor despite having had significant radiation exposure (the skin burn seen in the image above came as a result).
Of course, it’s best to avoid bears in the wild, but if an encounter happens, you should know that the weakest skill of this animal is its maneuverability. Bears run very fast and crawl really well — but moving quickly around an object like a car or a tree is much harder for them. Sooner or later, the animal will give up trying to catch you seeing that this smart food (you) is not worth its energy.
However, don’t panic before a bear starts to act aggressively. If it’s just looking at you, standstill. There is a chance it won’t even understand who you are and what you are going to do. If it starts walking toward you slowly, walk backward slowly. Bears rarely attack people. Most likely, it will back off once it realizes you are a human.
2. Rip current
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If you accidentally find yourself in a rip current, it is completely useless to swim against it to the shore — you will only waste your energy. Try to swim parallel to the shore until you exit the current, and only then swim toward the shore.
3. Aspirin during a heart attack
Just one pill of aspirin can seriously improve how you feel. The person having a heart attack should lie down immediately and put something under their head or sit down and then take the pill. In order for it to work sooner, it should be chewed very well.
4. Diagnosing a heat stroke
The most obvious symptoms of a heat stroke are dizziness and nausea, but they can appear for other reasons too. In order to know for sure, you should eat something sweet, like candy. If the taste seems unpleasant, this is a heat stroke. For people who have any cardiovascular disorders, it is vital to determine the reason as soon as possible and get the right help.
5. A simple maneuver that will bring someone back to consciousness
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If you really need to bring someone back to consciousness, you should put them on their back and push their knees to their chest. This will make the blood flow to their brain and the person will wake up. But first, make sure the person doesn’t have any leg or body injuries, otherwise, the situation may only get worse.
6. Help in case of a venomous snake bite
Unlike some popular misconceptions, you shouldn’t suck out the venom, apply cold, apply bandages, or burn the wound. Before the experts arrive, the victim has to drink a lot and take an antihistamine. The area around the bite should not be touched because otherwise, the venom will just spread around the body faster.
7. Saving a drowning person
If you were able to save a drowned person, it doesn’t mean that they are out of the woods yet. You should take them to the hospital immediately, otherwise, they could die within several days if there is some leftover water in their lungs.
8. How to break car glass in case of an accident
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If you are in a situation where you can only get out of a car through the window and the door is impossible to open, remember that it is much easier to break a window by hitting it, not on the center but on the edges. By the way, if you can remove the headrest from the seat, you can use it to break the window. In different cars, headrests are different, so make sure you know how to remove the ones in your car.
9. Antihistamines should always be with you.
It may happen that you are allergic to something that you have never encountered before. And it could be such a severe allergic reaction that it might just be lethal unless you get qualified help. This is especially important on trips when people try new foods, see new plants, and go to completely new places.
10. Water on the beach is too far from the shoreline.
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When the waterline is abnormally far from the shore, this is a sign of a tsunami. If you notice this somewhere, you should warn everyone around and run.
Unfortunately, in 2004, people didn’t pay attention to this sign before a tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Almost on the entire shore was exposed and people went out to collect fish and shells. And children were the most interested. However, there were people on 2 beaches that knew about this fact: a 10-year-old English girl named Tilly Smith and biology teacher John Chroston. They managed to save the lives of many people that day.
11. The rule of 3
If you ever find yourself in a critical situation, you should remember these numbers that can be used to describe the survival abilities of an average person:
3 minutes without air;
3 hours in extreme temperature;
3 days without water;
3 weeks without food.
So, if you can’t get your priorities straight, the chances of surviving are much lower.
My son has anaphylaxis inducing food allergies. The kind of food allergies where we had benadryl and epi pens in the nurses office and his backpack. In order to prevent an exposure I carefully packed his lunch every day. He had some money on his school lunch account so that on Fridays when they offered icy pops he could get one. Other than that, no birthday celebrations snacks, no school holiday celebrations, etc were allowed. The nursing staff knew, the teachers knew, even the principal knew this.
Apparently the stinking lunch aide didn’t know and didn’t care. One day my 7 year old son forgot to grab his lunch kit before heading to lunch. He told the lunch aide but she refused to let him go back for it. He begged but she instead marched him to the hot lunch line and made him buy his lunch. He came home covered in a rash, beet red and with severe stomach issues that kept him out of school for 5 days. When I asked him he told me what had happened. Fortunately he ate something off the minor allergy list so not an anaphylactic reaction.
I called every person I could think of and demanded answers. I went to school and demanded to talk to the lunch staff supervisor. That woman was re-trained and put on probation. I wish they had fired her but she claimed she had no knowledge about allergies and was just doing her job. Oh, and she avoided my son completely the whole rest of the year.
Young Wife Hid The Truth About How She REALLY Made $ In College, Now Hubby’s Family Has Video Proof
This is a great video that I will show to my daughter when she gets older. Learn from the mistakes of others.
Every Thursday night, a bunch of us university students would meet in the local pub. One night one of my closest friends says, that they are going to Hawaii for reading week (spring break) and asked if I would like to come.
Being drunk, I said that sounds awesome, he said ,sign a blank cheque and give it to me, and I will make all the reservations. I gave him the cheque and forgot about it. It was never mentioned again. Two months later I get home from the bar, on the Friday of reading week, and the phone is ringing, ( before cell phones) I answer it, and my friend says,”Where are you, the plane leaves in an hour and a half, and we are all at the airport lounge”
I lived 15 minutes from the airport. I threw my notes and text books, some jeans, underwear, socks and long sleeve shirts in a suitcase. I had no clean T-shirts, gym shorts or swim wear. I drove, parked in long term parking and just made it to drop off my luggage, at the last second. I met my friends in the lounge, and walked to the gate. If I had gotten home from the bar 10 minutes later I would have missed it.
I asked him why he hadn’t mentioned the trip in two months, and told him I had nothing to wear in Hawaii, and I needed to study for exams that followed reading week.
He looked stunned, he had completely forgot to tell me that he had booked the trip. Because the others had all been talking about it.
I had a great time in Hawaii, bought cheap T-shirts, shorts and swim wear, and never cracked a book.
I failed my first test, the day that I got back to university, and had to spend an extra semester in school to catch up. I should have said NO
I remember an incident in the late 1990s that happened on a Boeing 757 during a flight from Orlando to San Francisco.
As we were taxiing for take-off, we were enacting the required safety demonstration. A passenger seated in the over-wing exit row was talking loudly to his seatmate, creating such a distraction that some near him were having trouble hearing.
I leaned over and quietly asked him to hold his conversation until we were finished. He replied, somewhat condescendingly, “Look, I fly a lot. I know what to do. I’ve seen this so much that I already know it by heart.” And with that, he launched rudely back into his conversation.
I politely suggested that our demonstration was an excellent chance for him to review his knowledge, but he interrupted me, snarling for me to leave him alone because he didn’t need a review; he knew exactly what to do. I then flatly stated that his conversation was a distraction for others, and again asked him to hold until we were done, assuring him that it would be only another minute or two.
“FINE!” he snapped, heaving a melodramatic sigh, and glaring sullenly at me, he muttered something incomprehensible (and undoubtedly unpleasant) before continuing his conversation anyway, though quietly.
We achieved our cruising altitude at 35,000 feet and the ride was smooth. But about 90 minutes into the flight, we experienced an emergency when the cockpit was alerted by a sensor that there was a fire in one of the wheel wells. The proper procedure was to immediately lower the landing gear to extinguish the fire. But after the gear was lowered, the sensor still indicated the presence of fire. The Captain called to advise us that we would be making an emergency landing at the nearest airport, an Air Force Base in Meridian, Mississippi, and instructed us to prepare the cabin for evacuation.
Our descent was rapid, and we had only minutes to prepare. We advised the passengers on the situation, and began to prepare them for an emergency landing, including the possibility of a crash, and subsequent evacuation. The fear was palpable in the cabin, and everyone was paying very close attention to our instructions.
Our final action was a visual inspection of the cabin as we made our way to our jump-seats to strap in. As I hurried down the aisle, checking to see that passengers were prepared, I came to the window exit and noticed that the loud-mouthed passenger appeared rigid with terror. So I stopped and I asked, “Sir, are you OK? Do you know what to do when we land?”
He didn’t respond, and so I grasped his shoulder and with a shake, I said loudly, “SIR, CAN YOU DO THIS?”
He turned his gaze on me and I could see that he was in absolute shock. His terror-stricken eyes began to tear up, and the color drained from his face, turning it white as his mouth opened and closed, over and over, like a fish out of water. He couldn’t answer me. His mouth made little bleating sounds as he tried to force air through his larynx, but couldn’t seem to form words.
Time was running out, and others around could see that there was a problem. I pointed to the man sitting in the row behind and asked, “Can you do this?”
He fairly leapt to his feet, nodding and saying loudly, “Yes ma’am, I can.”
“Do you know what to do?” I demanded of him, and he replied with full confidence, “Yes ma’am. I look out the window first, and if it’s safe, I pull the cover off, and pull the handle down until the window opens, then lift it in, roll it onto the seats, step through and get off the back of the wing.”
“Then you and him change places… NOW!” I fairly shouted. I only had moments left; we were nearly landing. But the man in the exit was frozen with fear, unable to even comprehend what we were doing, let alone move himself.
At my shouted instructions, the second passenger and I, along with two other passengers, grabbed the terrified man by his arms and physically lifted him up, out and into the row behind. I yelled to the passengers next to him to buckle him in as the second passenger jumped into the exit seat. I fled for the back of the plane just as the Captain came onto the PA shouting “BRACE, BRACE, BRACE!” Diving for my jump-seat, I strapped in, pulling the last harness tight and snapping my body into the brace position just as the wheels touched down.
Fortunately for us, the landing was smooth, and before the plane came to a stop, the Captain announced, “REMAIN SEATED, REMAIN SEATED!” The fire was out, and we taxied to a stop. (We later learned that it was a malfunctioning sensor; there had been no fire in the first place.)
Air Force personnel brought stairs to the airplane, and all the passengers got off to stretch their legs and recover from the excitement. Inside the small terminal, someone tapped my shoulder. It was the man who had been so rude during our safety demonstration, who had frozen up when the actual emergency came.
“I want to apologize to you,” he said. “I was being an ass. I thought something like this would never happen to me, and when it did, I was terrified because I didn’t know what to do. Despite my rudeness to you, you still did your best to save my life.
“I was wrong, and I make this promise to you that I will never again ignore the safety demonstration, regardless of how many times I’ve seen it, and regardless of where I’m seated on the plane. I’ve learned a valuable lesson, and I have you to thank for it. I hope you accept my apology.”
When I first started working at Wolf Camera, I had a coworker that I’ll call John Doe. He was the type who was friendly enough, but didn’t have a particularly great work ethic.
Once, I was printing some photos. He was in the back taking a break. The phone rang. After a few rings, I answered the phone. When I was done with the call, I asked why John hadn’t answered the phone. He said something like, “Oh. I thought you liked answering the phone.”
Another time, he left work to take care of personal business. He said he’d be back in an hour or two to help close up. My brother and I were the only ones there. I didn’t have a key to lock up and I don’t think my brother did, either.
I was new enough at that point that I didn’t feel comfortable shutting down the machines by myself. We had to call someone to help close the store. I’m not sure if that ever made it back to the manager, as that incident didn’t get him fired.
One day, a camera goes missing. Our store had been flagged by corporate because we had enough inventory go missing, so we had to count the cameras every morning and every night. We also had them tagged, so we knew which camera went missing. A few days later, it appeared in the back again.
Shortly thereafter, we get a visit from corporate. Then, John Doe is suddenly no longer with the company. Officially, this is all I know.
It later came out that John had taken the camera and used it for photos on a dating site. How do we know? He left the pictures (of himself) on the camera’s internal memory.
Once upon a time, in a small suburban town, there was a high school named Elmwood High. Among the teachers at Elmwood High, there was one who stood out, Mrs. Anderson. She was known for her warm smile, her passion for teaching, and her impeccable professionalism. Students admired her dedication to her job and respected her greatly.
One sunny afternoon, a group of students was gathered in the school library, studying for an upcoming history exam. As they pored over textbooks and notes, a hushed conversation began about Mrs. Anderson. The students wondered about her personal life beyond the classroom, as she was known to be quite reserved about her own affairs.
Curiosity got the best of them, and they decided to do some sleuthing. They began by searching for her on social media, hoping to uncover tidbits of information about her life outside of school. It wasn’t long before they stumbled upon a social media profile that belonged to Mrs. Anderson.
To their surprise, her profile revealed a secret passion that none of the students had ever imagined. Scrolling through her posts and pictures, they discovered that Mrs. Anderson was an avid extreme sports enthusiast. There were breathtaking photos of her skydiving from high altitudes, snowboarding down steep slopes, and even bungee jumping off towering bridges.
The students couldn’t believe their eyes. The teacher they had always seen as reserved and composed was, in her free time, a fearless adrenaline junkie. They were in awe of the stark contrast between her adventurous hobbies and her calm, composed demeanor in the classroom.
As the students shared their discovery with their classmates, the news spread like wildfire throughout the school. Everyone was astonished by the double life their beloved teacher led. The revelation added a new layer of intrigue to Mrs. Anderson’s personality, and she became even more respected and admired for her unexpected passions.
One day, a curious student couldn’t resist asking Mrs. Anderson about her extreme sports adventures. She smiled and confessed to her secret hobby, explaining how it provided her with a sense of thrill and freedom that balanced the structure and responsibility of teaching.
Her revelation served as a valuable lesson to her students, reminding them that even those who appear to be one-dimensional may have hidden depths and interests that defy expectations. It was a moment of connection and mutual understanding that brought the teacher and her students closer together, deepening their respect and admiration for one another.
1920’s General Store OPENED After Decades of Closure: Exploring a long-Abandoned General Store
If we stopped launching satellites and rockets (I’m against this), how long will it take for Earth to be cleansed of all the space junk orbiting it?
The densest concentration of space junk – using the word “dense” very loosely – is in low Earth orbit and would mostly clean up after 10–20 years due to orbital drag. On the other hand, the debris in higher orbits might last thousands or millions of years.
On the gripping hand, space junk isn’t all that dense. The carefully guarded ISS has to dodge debris about once per year (and is armored for the very little stuff that is missed). Pictures like the following diagram incorrectly portray space junk that is the size of nuts and bolts as being the size of cities.
60 years of space launches have put a grand total of 7,500 tons of junk into orbit, which is equivalent to one day’s worth of domestic trash from a big city. Space junk, of course, is spread over a volume thousands of times greater than all the skies, waters, and lands of Earth.
that 95% or more of its satellites would de-orbit in a controlled fashion at their end of lives, and their low orbit means the rest will drop in a few years if they can’t make de-orbit burns.
used to be a major source of space junk because after some years in orbit their batteries or residual fuel would explode. They are now usually built to vent their tanks and batteries after releasing their payloads, while some operators try to set them up on atmosphere-skimming orbits or outright de-orbit them.
Geosynchronous satellites, which are far too high to de-orbit, now reserve fuel to kick themselves up to Graveyard orbits, which are a bit higher than geosynchronous and aren’t useful for anything except dead satellites.
So I was waiting on the check out line today at a grocery store, when this teenage girl clearly cuts in front of me. She sees that I’m there and just stridently moves in front of me. I want to say something but decide that it’s not worth it, but I have some fairly nasty thoughts about her being an entitled and rude brat.
Then I see her look back worriedly, looking really stressed. What must be her mother is leaning against the wall, looking quite ill. The mother has a cane and is barely able to walk. She’s telling the girl to hurry up already.
The teenager wasn’t cutting in front of me because she’s a nasty person, but because she’s stressed and a caretaker. She just wants to get her mother home.
I felt grateful I didn’t make a scene.
I realized that when people are cruel, many times, they have their own problems and you don’t have to take it so personally.
I was 16 and used to visit my boyfriend who lived in a large apartment building close to my house.
We’d hang out with a small group of friends in the parking lot listening to music, talking and loitering.
There was a lot of loitering.
(Wait. If you feel like this answer needs a soundtrack, play Raspberry Beret by Prince.)
One of my boyfriend’s neighbors would always come down and ask us to turn the music down. Her request was made with distaste, contempt.
It was like we had no right to occupy the space we did, like everything, including sound waves, belonged to her.
We never turned the music down. We didn’t mean to be rude but needed to stake a claim over our fundamental right to exist.
Today I live in San Francisco in a busy neighborhood. Sometimes teenagers park in the street right below my apartment. They listen to music and honestly, I don’t understand why they have to play such shitty music so very loud.
At least once a week I sigh and scrunch up my face and open the window, lean out and catch myself right before words pour out of my mouth.
It’s inevitable. You get old and become all the things you were sure you’d never be.
Yes. It was shortly after 9/11. I was a teenage girl, going to my dad’s job like I always had(we lived right around the corner). I pulled in, saw a guy waving at me, so I waved back and keep.goimg thinking it was one of his coworkers.
Well, it wasn’t a coworker, it was security trying to flag me down. I parked next to my dad’s car and was waiting for him to come out on lunch. This was before every teenager had a cell phone so I was just sitting in my car.
The security guy flew up to me, blocked me in and started screaming at me to get out of the car. They’d never had security before so I had no clue what was going on. I thought it was just some crazy guy. I got out the car(stupid, I know but teenage girl) and asked him what was going on. He yelled that he was calling the police and I was going to jail. I started crying and trying to explain that I was just coming to see my dad. He called me a liar and kept telling me I was going to jail.
One of my dad’s coworkers came over to see what was happening and saw it was me, he radioed in to my dad and a supervisor to come out right now. I was explaining to the coworker what happened and the guy kept calling me a liar. My dad and the supervisor came out and I kept trying to tell them what happened and the security guy kept saying I was lying and I was disrespectful and didn’t listen to his commands. I never even heard any commands except get out of the car.
The supervisor advised that they had cameras so he’d review them. The guy and the entire security company were let go the next day.
I still sometimes go to my dad’s work for different things and it’s been over 20 years since this happened.
Have you ever encountered someone who walks into a room and sunshine erupts from their pores? They crack a joke, and the room erupts in laughter. They ask a question, and everyone leans in, eager to share their pearls of wisdom. You leave the interaction feeling like you’ve known them for years, vowing to unlock the secret to their magical, instant likability.
Fear not, dear human, for today we delve into the Secrets of the Charmers’ Codex, a tome whispered through the ages amongst the effortlessly popular. Forget potions and magic spells (though a well-placed confetti cannon adds a certain je ne sais quoi); these are secrets of the soul, crafted from genuine human interaction and a dash of hilarious self-awareness.
Rule #1: Be the Human Sunshine: Let’s face it, negativity is the emotional equivalent of a rogue sock in the dryer – loud, obnoxious, and best left at home. Smile, not just with your lips, but with your eyes. Exude the warmth of a freshly baked croissant, the enthusiasm of a puppy greeting its long-lost chew toy. Remember, people gravitate towards light, so become a walking lighthouse of joy.
Rule #2: Listen Like a Ninja: Master the art of the attentive ear. Put away your phone, silence your inner monologue (unless it’s particularly witty), and focus on the person speaking. Nod like a bobblehead on caffeine, ask insightful questions (avoiding “Is that all?” like the plague), and remember details. Make them feel like they’re the most fascinating documentary on Netflix, and watch their walls melt away.
Rule #3: Humor is Your Weapon (But Use it Wisely): A well-timed joke can disarm tension, bridge awkward silences, and earn you eternal brownie points. However, wielding humor is like handling a spork (useful, but potentially dangerous). Know your audience, avoid offensive jabs, and embrace the power of self-deprecation. Remember, laughing at yourself is like wearing mismatched socks – quirky, endearing, and strangely captivating.
Rule #4: Empathy is Your Superpower: Step into someone else’s shoes (provided they’re not covered in questionable substances). Acknowledge their feelings, validate their concerns, and offer support without judgment. Show them you’re not just a charming surface, but a deep well of understanding. Think of yourself as a human empathy sponge, soaking up emotions and leaving behind a trail of emotional comfort.
Rule #5: Authenticity is Your Shield: Ditch the masks, the personas, the inflatable T-Rex costume (unless it’s thematically appropriate). Be your wonderfully weird, flawed, and fabulous self. Embrace your quirks, celebrate your passions, and let your genuine personality shine through. People connect with the real you, not some airbrushed version. Think of yourself as a delicious, homemade pizza (flaws and all) – infinitely more interesting than a frozen pepperoni disc.
Rule #6: Master the Art of Conversational Ping Pong: Conversations aren’t monologues; they’re a delightful dance of ideas. Share your thoughts, but don’t hog the spotlight. Ask open-ended questions, volley back engaging responses, and keep the rally going strong. Remember, the best conversationalists make others feel heard and valued, not like a spectator at a tennis match.
Rule #7: Sprinkle Compliments Like Confetti: Everyone appreciates a genuine compliment, so scatter them like glitter on a unicorn’s birthday cake. But remember, specificity is key. Instead of “You look nice,” try “That shade of blue makes your eyes sparkle like sapphires.” Or instead of “You’re funny,” share, “I almost snorted my coffee when you told that story about the talking parrot and the cheese wheel.”
Rule #8: Embrace the Power of Vulnerability: Sharing your flaws and fears isn’t weakness; it’s magnetic. It shows you’re human, relatable, and courageous enough to let others see the real you. Vulnerability builds trust, strengthens bonds, and makes you instantly more likable. Think of it as social kryptonite: It disarms defenses and reveals your authentic awesomeness.
Rule #9: Be a Name Magician: Remembering names is like casting a spell of instant connection. Use repetition, association techniques, or even write it down discreetly if needed. When you address someone by name, it shows you care and value their individuality. It’s like a verbal hug, without the awkward body contact (unless you’re into that, then by all means, hug away).
Rule #10: Radiate Passion: When you talk about something you love, your eyes light up like a Christmas tree on energy drinks. Passion is contagious, so share your enthusiasm for your hobbies, dreams, or that weird obsession with collecting vintage teacups. People are drawn to those who exude passion; it’s like a beacon of excitement in a sea of blasé conversations.
Bonus Tip: Embrace the Unexpected: Sprinkle your interactions with a dash of the extraordinary. Offer a stranger a high five for no reason, compliment someone’s shoelace-tying skills, break into a spontaneous interpretive dance (bonus points for air guitar solo). Remember, life’s a stage, and you’re the star of your own one-person show. Make it memorable, make it yours, and watch the world become your captivated audience.
So there you have it; the secrets of the Charmers’ Codex. Remember, instant likability isn’t about manipulation or trickery. It’s about embracing your genuine self, radiating warmth, and treating others with the kindness and respect you deserve. Go forth, spread your sunshine, and remember, the world needs more laughter, not more rogue socks in the dryer.
To delve deeper into this topic, you don’t need anything short of an intriguing book. Articles are not enough. Crack the code for instant likeability and charm. See my comment below.
The worst thing I have ever seen a parent do to their child in public is something that breaks my heart and makes my blood boil at the same time.:
I was working at a local gym and saw a woman carrying her infant child through the lobby toward the parking lot. I can only assume the baby became fussy because the woman became angry and stopped in the space between two sets of windowed doors, placed the baby on the floor, and began to hit the child (which of course made it cry, and did nothing to help whatever was the matter). This only lasted a few seconds, otherwise I might have dropped what I was doing and confronted her. My co-workers and I were stunned and horrified. We wondered in quiet conversation, “What kind of a monster does that to her baby?”
I have never forgotten this incident because it was so terrible, and because I would give everything I own to have a child of my own.
On the flip-side, one of the best things I have ever seen a parent do in public is this:
A little boy was with his mother in the grocery store, and he wanted a doughnut. I overheard his mother giving him a choice: “You can have a doughnut now, and skip (whatever it was) later, or you can have (whatever it was) later and not have the doughnut now.
I thought to myself, “This is a great way to teach good decision-making while instilling the importance of forethought and delayed gratification!”
The little boy chose the doughnut, and then said he still wanted the other item. To the mother’s credit she followed through with, a firm but gentle, “No.” He cried bitter tears, and I’ll bet he has never forgotten his choice and consequence. What a difficult but important lesson! I felt for the child, but silently applauded the mother.
Beef Braciole
The tomato-wine pan sauce is divine. Always serve spaghetti or other pasta on the side to complete the presentation.
2024 02 03 10 10
Braciole is a classic Italian favourite that’s sure to please the whole family. Tender slices of beef or pork are rolled up with savory fillings like Parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic before being braised in an irresistible tomato-based sauce. Serve it over pasta, or Polenta with a side of sauteed vegetables. Either way there’ll be no leftovers!
Slices of the top round (topside) can be quite large so if they are, you’ll want to cut them to make it the perfect size to accommodate two slices of prosciutto. It needs to be pounded to be thin and tenderised.
Braciole offers something special for any occasion; whether you’re looking for a hearty weeknight dinner idea or prepping ahead of time for entertaining guests this traditional dish packs all sorts delicious flavours into one impressive main course.
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2 pound) round steak
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (I use Chianti)
1 (16 ounce) can plum tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
Instructions
Trim all fat from steak. Cut into 8 equal pieces, then pound thin.
Remove casing from Italian sausage. Break up in medium bowl. Add parsley, Parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and the lemon-pepper seasoning; mix thoroughly. Spread each steak with 2 heaping tablespoonsful of sausage mixture. Roll up jellyroll fashion; fasten with wooden picks.
Brown rolls 3 to 4 at a time in hot oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and carrot to pot. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bay leaf. Bring mixture to boil; lower heat. Add beef rolls. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat.
Remove wooden picks before serving. Serve with sauce and spaghetti or other pasta on the side.
We had a South American migrant as a sales guy. Fresh into the country. Great salesman. His product knowledge was excellent & customer rapport was brilliant. The only negative was he needed help planning his routes, as he had yet to learn the geography – but that was something we were willing to do for him. He never had a day off. He had no family in Australia, and never spoke about friends – only the occasional mention of a neighbour who he would have a beer with on weekends.
One Monday, he didn’t show. This was normal for most sales guys, as they hit the road – but not him. He liked to plan on Monday, spent Tu-We-Th on the road, and Friday back in the office to wrap up the loose ends from the week. He also lived only 5 minutes from the office, so it was convenient for him too (unlike those of us who lived 1.5 hours away!). Some of the guys would stay back on Fridays so they could go for a few beers, and he would join them – they were probably the closest to friends that he had at the time – remembering he’d only been in the country some 2 months by now.
I called his mobile phone, and got no answer. We decided at lunch time to go around to his apartment and knock. No response. The neighbour who came out said he saw him Saturday morning, and that was it. We got real worried. So we went to the local Police station to ask what could be done. They said they’d do a welfare check, but we told them we’d already been. They promised to call us back with anything they found. We did get a call shortly after – not from those cops, but another station, to let us know the company car he drove was parked in a M-F clearway lane, and was towed that morning. The location was the other side of the city to where he lived. By late afternoon the mystery was solved. He’d met a girl on the Friday night. She invited him to her party on the Saturday night. He drove over there, parked in a (legal on weekends) roadside spot. When he was crossing the road, he looked to his left (coming from a LHD country) to make sure the traffic was clear. He didn’t look to his right (we are a RHD country) and stepped out in front of a bus. He was in hospital, and survived with surprisingly few injuries beyond a couple of broken bones, fractures & bruising.
Second one:
Same company, couple of years later. Ironically the car that the guy above had was passed down to this salesman, as he’d been promoted and got an upgrade. It wasn’t unusual for this new salesman to have days off – particularly Monday. He would usually call in sick. If he didn’t, I would text him, and he’d reply that he was sick, and apologise for not calling. One week it went 2 days with no call and no text response. We feared a similar problem, so we drove the 1/2 hour to his house to see if he was OK. Car was in the driveway – a good sign. No answer on the door though. Called the cops and explained it. They went into the backyard and could see in through a window. He was passed out on the lounge in the back room. Turns out his father passed away (overseas) and he only found out Sunday night. He drank himself silly over 2 days.
Third one.
I didn’t call this in, but a neighbour did. Many houses in suburban Australia have a separate room for the toilet. Usually around 1500–1800mm long by 800–1000mm wide (5–6 feet x 3 feet). Most have a swinging door, that opens into the room. This particular house had one like this.
A lovely older lady lived by herself a few houses down from me. He first name was Mabel. Everyone called her Mrs Mabel. She was always friendly and everyone knew her. Her neighbour Ken would help her a lot, and came to get me for “big jobs” that needed 2 people. She was often in the garden, and had a little dog she’d bring out on a lead to enjoy the outdoors – sitting on the grass for hours watching her tend to the plants and flowers.
One day Ken said to me he hadn’t seen her all of the prior day. Also, overnight, none of the usual lights went on in the house. He was scared she might have died. I suggested she might have gone to visit one of her children and the grandkids, but he said he still heard the dog when it went out into the back yard (via a doggy door). I then felt a huge amount of dread too. So he called the cops. They came. No response. They tracked down one of her children and called them. Funny story about that – I knew the numberplate of her son’s car (I really liked the car) and the cops were able to find him from that.
Her son confirmed she had no travel plans, and he hadn’t heard from her for a few days. He feared the worst, and asked the cops to break in. Before they did any damage, they decided to jump the fence and check the back of the house. Back door was unlocked, so they entered.
They found her inside, but couldn’t help her. She’d fallen when getting off the toilet, and was stuck against the door. She couldn’t get up, and she was trapped in the room. Apparently she’d called for help all afternoon the day before, but nobody could hear her. The outside of the toilet door was very well shredded where her little dog had tried in vain to “dig” her out. They got the Fire/Rescue guys in, and they cut the door into pieces to remove it enough to get to her. After a stay in hospital, which was quite long (she developed a blood poisoning problem from the pooled blood trapped in her leg) she returned home.
Ken & I took the remains of the broken door off the hinges and cut it up so she could dispose of it in the household bin over a couple of weeks. Ken told her she doesn’t need a toilet door as she’s the only one in the house. She replied with “It’s a habit, and even at my age, I still maintain my modesty, but after a kind lecture from the Fire/Rescue team, I now realise that my safety is more important than modesty.”
Some time later she asked if we could fit a new door if she paid for it. This was puzzling, as we knew she didn’t need it. But she explained that with grandchildren in the house of a certain age, it was very difficult to stop the grandson from teasing the granddaughter when she needed to use the toilet! She promised to only use the door when they came to visit. One of her children also got her a necklace that has a button you can press in an emergency. They also feared she may fall in the garden and not be able to get up.
We have had the same worry for my mother-in-law, so last year we got her an Apple watch so she can at least call, or give an SOS signal. She now proudly calls us from it, out in the garden, saying how great it is that she doesn’t miss any messages (she would leave her phone inside, or on silent in her pocket)! She’s good with tech though, and uses the watch and phone like someone half her age. It has put our minds at ease, knowing she won’t be all alone & helpless like Mrs Mabel was. She wants to renovate the bathroom and toilet soon, so I have suggested she get the door jamb for the toilet turned around so the door can open outwards, and replace the round knob (that’s hard to grip) with a lever style handle. Fortunately she has agreed with me.
Incredible Civil War Collection Hidden 50 Years in Secret Room Behind Steel Doors, REVEALED!
Back in the late 1980’s, I attended a local County zoning board meeting. This was in Indiana.
I had a personal reason for being there which is of no concern at this time. Maybe I’ll talk about it later on, but it’s really just a trivial thing.
Anyways, the bulk of the meeting as that a couple of big conglomerates wanted to dump their industrial waste, medical waste, and radioactive (!) waste in our county in a landfill outside of our town. They would do it for free, and we would allow them. All the the board members were “gung ho” on this proposal.
WTF?
I mean it, it was like they must have been having sex with the corporations, they were gleefully pushing the paperwork through. I have never seen such happy people. I was really stunned.
“Yes please! Can I have some more toxic waste, HIV needles, radioactive liquids, and cancerous shit sir?”
But a gal stood up.
I knew her. I worked with her.
And she stopped the entire (future) train wreck. In fact, the smiles disappeared from the boards faces as a true and real anger started building in the room.
She reminded them of “Love Canal” and WTF were they thinking! And she and others were going to make a big issue of this, and screams of bribery and money changing hands and all that went a flying.
The meeting ended.
And nothing was resolved.
…
The next week, we read in the local paper that the board passed the company, and allowed it to start dumping the toxic trash near us.
I guess that they just went ahead and did it anyways, and the “public hearing” was just for show.
The United States is like that.
…
Just for show. They do what they want.
Oh, there are rules and regulations.
They do what they want.
Oh, there are rules and regulations.
For you. For me.
But not for THEM.
The entire community was screwed over.
…
People! I am convinced that the ONLY way to set things right is to erase it all and start fresh.
Im thoroughly pissed off. Im Australian too but I see on the news tonight that USA has just started the war in the middle east. They dont give a fuck whos country they bomb but they are doing it to bomb Iranian supporters. Americans also have bases in countries not their own so whats the fucking difference. Biden says were no going to bomb Iran just every supporter base outside their borders. So that has to mean that every US bases outside its borders are no fair game too.. This IS the beginning of the true WW3 and Im pissed off because not only my taxes but my countrymen will most certainly be asked (forced or coerced) into fighting in the middle east in support of USA. USA are the fucking bad guys here just like they were in Afghanistan and Iraq and in Vietnam before that. We should not be involved in this. I dont support Iran and I dont support Syria or Jordan or Lebanon or Gaza but for gods sake please realise that its the USA that are starting and supporting these wars. The only thing I support now is Justice and humanity and I cant see it anywhere.
So the U.S. and U.S. dog nations thinks that when you do shit on Huawei all for containing their progress has no repercussions?
Think again!
Everything you throw at China it will boomerang back 3–5 times as hard on you! Bear that in mind 1.5 billion Chinese and Chinese origin for a start and another at least 2.5 million sympathetic to China others will turn off similar U.S. or western brands representing 60% of world demand to spike the west back.
So think very very very carefully before you ever do shit. China is happy to share a loaf of bread with the west if it plays fair. It not it will have no choice. Take EV’s for example. If the west start anti China shit, 60% of world’s demand is at stake. Japanese and western brands better think twice if you start this racist shit.
Apple is a good company. But the U.S. government forces it to do shit in China so it has to bear the repercussions. Learn how to say no to the U.S. government. Remember for very new outlet for McDonald’s, KFC s and Starbucks in the U.S, China open 10 new outlet. For every GM sold in the U.S. 2 is sold in China. Think twice before you do shit!
Apple, is learning the hard way now, GPS learned the hard way, US chips are are thoroughly fxxked up, US senators learned that depriving Chinese from ISS allowed the Chinese to put up a better, faster, more technologically advanced Chinese space station up in space! Those shit western brands that foolishly talk up fabricated shit about the Uyghurs all lost a boat load of money!
12 Reasons Why Men Don’t Want To Get Married Anymore
https://youtu.be/m6ekTwCMjZ0
Pepperoni Stromboli
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Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces sliced pepperoni
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll each loaf into a 20 x 8-inch rectangle. Place one rectangle on a greased baking sheet.
Spread spaghetti sauce in an 18 x 4-inch strip down the center. Sprinkle with oregano, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Fold long sides of dough up towards filling; set aside.
Cut the remaining rectangle into three strips. Loosely braid strips; pinch ends to seal. Place braid on top of the cheese; pinch braid to dough to seal. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
When my daughter was in fifth grade, if her bus got to the school very early before school, instead of going to the cafeteria and waiting there, she would go to her, previous kindergarten teachers room and help her with the five-year-olds. She would read to them, play with them or help organize the day for the teacher by passing out papers, crayons, etc. once the bell rang that the school day was starting, she would just go to her own classroom and begin the day normally. My daughter very much liked her kindergarten teacher, and she, being a youngest child, enjoyed being around young children. She felt good about helping out and very much enjoyed these early morning volunteer sessions.
Well, everything was fine until somehow her fifth grade teacher found out what she was doing. To this day, I don’t know why, but her fifth grade teacher was absolutely livid that she was not dutifully sitting in the cafeteria until school started. She called my sweet and helpful girl, a little sneak. Said that she was sneaking around the school before school started even though she knew very well what the rules were. I have to assume that the kindergarten teacher also knew what the rules were, but never had a problem with it, or told my daughter to go ahead and go to the cafeteria or to her own classroom. The lunatic fifth grade teacher further demanded that my daughter write her a letter of apology for not following the rules.
anyway, when my daughter came home from school that day and tearfully told me how she had been treated by her fifth grade teacher, now I was livid. I called the school and demanded a conference with the teacher and the principal and my daughter. We had a conference, and they tried to calm me down by telling me it’s all about safety, and they have to know where our children are at all times that they are on school grounds, blah blah blah. Which is fine. But that needed to be calmly and kindly explained to my daughter instead of assassinating her character. I demanded that the teacher apologize to my daughter. After the principal pressed her, she very awkwardly and haltingly apologized. I further informed them that my daughter would NOT be apologizing to anyone for innocently trying to be helpful and kind.
But my daughter did not get to volunteer in the kindergarten classroom after that day. And they did not find her a replacement volunteer opportunity, either. And, of course, she hated her teacher from that day forward. And even now, when she is 23 years old, Every time she thinks about that teacher, who chose to believe the worst, instead of seeing the goodness in her, she becomes angry all over again.
Mandatory Paternity Test Law Passed – No More Paternity Fraud From Women
Most serious researchers into the Edmund Fitzgerald’s shocking destruction on 10 November, 1975, in a gale on Lake Superior believe that the ship sank from a combination of factors. This is largely due to widespread dissatisfaction with the conclusions reached by the US Coast Guard in the immediate aftermath of the sinking.
The Coast Guard’s official report on the loss of the Fitzgerald, dated 26 July 1977, stated that the most likely cause of the wreck was improperly sealed cargo hatch covers (the rectangular structures amidships that are clearly visible in the photo above), which led to gradually accumulating water in the non-subdivided cargo hold. As more and more “boarding seas” sent water crashing over the main deck, the ship sank lower and lower until finally, its bouyancy was overcome and it plunged to the bottom of Lake Superior. In short, the ship was lost due to the failure of its crew to properly secure it against the conditions caused by the severe storm in which it sank. This is probably the closest thing in maritime circles to citing “pilot error” as the cause of a plane crash. The Coast Guard’s document is located in its entirety here:
The Lake Carriers Association—the professional trade group representing the shipping companies which owned the US-flagged ships on the Great Lakes—immediately and vociferously disagreed with the Coast Guard.
Paul Trimble, a retired USCG vice admiral who was then the president of the LCA, wrote a letter to the National Transportation Safety Board on September 16, 1977, that specifically disputed the cornerstone of the Coast Guard’s theory on the sinking. His letter stated that:
“The present hatch covers are an advanced design and are considered by the entire lake shipping industry to be the most significant improvement over the telescoping leaf covers previously used for many years. The one-piece hatch covers have proven completely satisfactory in all weather conditions without a single vessel loss in almost 40 years of use…and no water accumulation in cargo holds.”
Having thus rejected out of hand the idea that the Fitzgerald’s crew had essentially been negligent or at least careless in securing the hatch covers, the LCA’s suspicions immediately centered on an event that occurred several hours before the sinking, soon after the ship had departed from Superior, Wisconsin, fully loaded with more than 26,000 tons of taconite iron ore pellets. This was a possible running aground or “shoaling” of the ship near Caribou Island.
image 57
Caribou Island in Lake Superior, North America. Photo Courtesy of Morris Chisholm by way of Flickr dot com.
During its final journey, Fitzgerald was traveling in concert with another large freighter, the SS Arthur Anderson, under the command of Captain Bernie Cooper. At around 1530 (3:30 in the afternoon), or roughly 4 hours before the Fitzgerald sank, Cooper received a radio transmission from Captain Earnest McSorley of the Fitzgerald. McSorley told Cooper:
“Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have a fence rail down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I’m checking down. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?” By “checking down”, McSorley meant that he was reducing speed so the trailing Anderson could close the distance and keep an eye on the Fitzgerald in the gathering storm. Cooper radioed McSorley and asked if he had his pumps going, and McSorley said, “Yes, both of them.”
image 56
Massive Storm Waves Breaking on the Shore of Lake Superior. Wave Heights of 35 Feet or More Have Been Observed During Storms on the Lake.
It is crucial to note that the storm was already underway by this point in the day on 10 November. Winds had reached near gale force several hours earlier, at 7 AM that morning, with wave heights of 10 feet observed. Thus the Fitzgerald was in heavy seas well before it passed by Caribou Island, and more so at the time McSorley reported that his vessel had been damaged. Just prior to the Fitzgerald’s radio communication with his ship, Cooper and one of his bridge staff on the Anderson—sailing astern of the Fitzgerald and watching its course on the Anderson’s radar—both remarked to each other that each thought McSorley and his ship were far too close to Caribou Island and a known underwater hazard called “Six Fathom Shoal”. A “list” meant that the Fitzgerald had taken on enough water to make the ship lean over on its side. A downed fence rail could only have been caused by either a heavy impact with a large object of some kind, or—much more likely—”hogging” of the ship. This would have snapped the steel rail as it was bent to the breaking point by the ship’s hull itself being forced upward from an impact with something on the lake floor beneath the vessel. Although Cooper’s sometimes excitable and occasionally inconsistent testimony led the majority of investigators to discount the idea that the Fitzgerald had struck rocks jutting up from the lake bottom, others were convinced.
Subsequent radio transmissions from the stricken ship indicate that McSorley was worried. Between 4:30 and 5:00 he called the Coast Guard on the emergency channel—the “distress frequency”—and also put out a general call asking for information about the lighthouse and the radio beacon at Whitefish Point, at the southeastern end of the Lake. The comparitive safety of Whitefish Bay was just beyond the Point.
Further, although McSorley did not tell Cooper that he was particularly concerned by whatever had happened near Caribou Island, around 5:30 he reported to another ship captain, Cedric Woodard of the Swedish cargo vessel Avafors, that:
“I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I’ve ever been in.”
Woodard replied: “If I’m correct, you have two radars.”
McSorley: “They’re both gone.”
It should be noted that McSorley said something at this time that was apparently picked up in his transmission to Woodard because McSorley was shouting to the crew while leaving his radio mic on. As described by writer Hugh Bishop in his Lake SuperiorMagazine article “Edmund Fitzgerald: Decades of Speculation, Fascination and Grieving”:
“Captain Woodard, who was acquainted with McSorley and had talked with him many times previously, said in testimony that he didn’t recognize the voice when first they spoke and that McSorley sounded strange.
Still later, at about 6 p.m., Woodard called the Fitz to report that the light had just come on at Whitefish Point. During that conversation, he stated that McSorley inadvertently left the microphone on when he said to someone in his pilothouse, “Don’t allow nobody on deck,” also saying something about a vent that Woodard couldn’t understand.
In Lake Superior Port Cities Inc.’s newly released book, The Night the Fitz Went Down, Captain Dudley Paquette vividly describes his voyage through the massive seas of the November 9-10, 1975, storm as master of the downbound Inland Steel Company’s SS Wilfred Sykes. He is particularly intrigued by the command that Woodard overheard.
“In those seas, such a command goes without saying, so why did McSorley have to emphasize it?” he asks. “There had to have been something happening on the deck that a mate thought they had to get control of – even if it meant putting lives in danger.”
Whatever prompted that command just a little over an hour before the sinking, Paquette analyzes that it would have been catastrophic and visible from the pilothouse in the darkness of an early November evening. That would likely mean that it was at the forward end of the weather deck. Previously suggested possibilities are that a hatch cover washed off or the heavy deck crane or the spare blade for the propeller broke loose and crashed about.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if a hatch cover came off, because I loaded right beside him in Superior on November 9 and the deck crew was still putting on hatch covers when they left the Superior Entry into Lake Superior,” Captain Paquette says. “It’s likely that they didn’t latch a lot of the hatch cover clamps because the crew was on Sunday overtime pay and they were so late getting covered up – and the weather was very nice at that time.” Captain Paquette thus sided with the Coast Guard and essentially blamed the crew.
By this point, then, at around 6 PM, the Fitzgerald was badly damaged, listing from increasing amounts of water in its cargo hold and in other spaces—too much for the ship’s powerful pumps to stay ahead of—and sailing blind.
Worse, meteorological reconstructions of the 10 November 1975 storm show that it was exceptionally powerful even by the Great Lakes’ notoriously vicious standards.
image 55
Unusual and Violent Waves on Lake Erie in a Recent November
In some ways the seas during the worst storms on the Great Lakes are more difficult than what ships would encounter in the open ocean. This is due to the “Bathtub Effect” that produces oscillating waves which collide with each other from two or more directions. A “seiche”—similar to a tsunami—can also develop as sustained winds blow enormous amounts of water ahead of them down the Lakes. Similar factors have led to ten foot waves being seen even on as small a body of water as the 50 square mile Sea of Galilee (referenced in the New Testament in Matthew 8:23–27).
— This blog post is discussing the Bathtub Effect as observed in the Gulf of Mexico and not the Great Lakes, but is still a good overview of the phenomenon.
Captain McSorley knew that his ship was badly wounded and in mortal danger. Knowing also that he was not far from Whitefish Bay, he decided to run for it. Unfortunately this decision put him squarely in the worst possible place at the worst possible time. The Fitzgerald sailed into the exact spot where the storm reached its maximum power, and at the center of the worst waves and seiche storm surge produced by the 80-plus MPH winds and “bathtub effect”.
image 54
The Final Voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The Ship Sank 17 Miles Northwest of Whitefish Bay.
The last communication with the doomed vessel came via radio at about 7:10 PM. Anderson first mate Morgan Clark radioed the Fitzgerald to notify him of a radar contact about 19 miles ahead. McSorley acknowledged this and asked if he “was going to clear”, ie, if there was any danger of a collision. Clark said that there was none, then asked how things were going. McSorley replied, “We are holding our own”.
Soon after this, the Fitzgerald entered a snow squall and radar contact was lost. Just prior to Clark’s transmission, Cooper later testified, the crew of the Anderson had felt “a bump”, an impact that hit their vessel from behind. Looking back from the pilothouse, the bridge crew saw two huge waves partially engulf the ship, moving forward from the stern. The second of these struck the back of the pilothouse, which forced the bow of the Anderson down into the seas. As Cooper described:
“We took two of the largest seas of the trip. The first one flooded our boat deck. It had enough force to come down on the starboard lifeboat, pushing it into the saddles with a force strong enough to damage the bottom of the lifeboat.… The second large sea put green water (the powerful center of a wave) on our bridge deck! This is 35 feet above the waterline.”
image 53
SS Arthur Anderson, a Great Lakes Freighter That Traveled With the Edmund Fitzgerald on 10 November 1975. Note the Height of the Ship’s Pilothouse in the Bow of the Vessel.
Cooper’s ship, though badly rattled, quickly recovered from the force of the blow, and the crew watched the two giant waves move down the Lake—toward the struggling Fitzgerald. All contact with the Fitzgerald was lost about 10 minutes later.
The subsequent report by the Coast Guard was based on extensive video of the wreck on the bottom of Lake Superior. The footage was taken by the US Navy’s CURV III (Cable-controlled Undersea Recovery Vehicle).
Conditions on the lake bottom, 535 feet down, were somewhat muddy and so the quality of the video was not ideal.
Following the Lake Carriers’ Association letter to the NTSB that disputed the Coast Guard’s conclusions, a second report—this one by the NTSB itself—was issued.
Taking a somewhat broader view of the tragedy, the NTSB document considered in more detail several possible contributing factors. Most of these had been briefly touched upon by the Coast Guard but not discussed comprehensively.
One of these was the near-certainty that the Fitzgerald was overloaded on its last trip.
image 52
An Early Photo of the Fitzgerald, in Light Condition at Pierside, Probably in the late 1950s or Early 1960s. The Ship Was Launched in 1958.
image 51
The Fitzgerald Riding Low in the Water While Fully Loaded, Sometime in 1971. The Ship Would Have Looked Much Like This As It Sailed Into the Storm on 10 November 1975.
The distance from the waterline to the main deck of a ship is known as “freeboard”. On the night before its destruction, the Fitzgerald probably left port with as little as 11 and a half (11.5) feet of freeboard and possibly even less. This was a dangerously thin margin of safety, particularly in a storm, even had the ship not been damaged.
There was also the possibility that the Fitzgerald was not entirely seaworthy in other respects when it sailed from Superior, Wisconsin. The NTSB noted:
“A former chief mate of the FITZGERALD testified that between September 13 and October 3, 1975, the FITZGERALD discharged at Toledo, Ohio. Because of the FITZGERALD’s deep draft, she was not able to pull up to the dock and had to lay off some 12 feet each time. The ship seemed to plow its way toward the dock every trip, he said. Similar “groundings” of other Great Lakes bulk cargo vessels during discharge at various ports were observed by Coast Guard Marine Inspectors during the winter of 1976 and the spring of 1977 and by Safety Board personnel during the summer of 1977.
In other words, there may have been unrepaired damage to the bottom plating of the ship’s hull that was the result of literally plowing its way the last short distance to various unloading docks around the Great Lakes shoreline.
This idea has some corroboration from one of the ship’s surviving previous crewmen, Jim Woodard, who had sailed on the Fitzgerald for some time in the 60s and 70s. He told a recent interviewer that the Fitz “was a wet ship”—meaning it leaked noticeably and often shipped water while underway—and that he just did not have a good feeling about it, even though it was widely known as “the pride of the American side” and an assignment on board was greatly prized among Great Lakes mariners.
It is also possible that the vessel’s design itself was inherently flawed and at least somewhat structurally unsound. Support for this point comes from the fact that the Fitzgerald’s sister ship, the SS Arthur M. Homer, which had undergone a very expensive lengthening and reconstruction to increase its cargo capacity, was suddenly and unexpectedly removed from service by its owner, Bethlehem Steel Corporation (now defunct) just 5 years later, in 1980. A similar conversion had been planned for the Fitzgerald itself.
The following passage from the Wikipedia article about the sinking explains:
“Retired Great Lakes Engineering Works naval architect Raymond Ramsey, one of the members of the design team that worked on the hull of Fitzgerald,reviewed her increased load lines, maintenance history, along with the history of long ship hull failure and concluded that Fitzgerald was not seaworthy on November 10, 1975.
He stated that planning Fitzgerald to be compatible with the constraints of the St. Lawrence Seaway had placed her hull design in a “straight jacket .” Fitzgerald’s long-ship design was developed without the benefit of research, development, test, and evaluation principles while computerized analytical technology was not available at the time she was built.
Ramsey noted that Fitzgerald’s hull was built with an all-welded (instead of riveted) modular fabrication method, which was used for the first time in the GLEW shipyard. Ramsey concluded that increasing the hull length to 729 feet (222 m) resulted in a L/D slenderness ratio (the ratio of the length of the ship to the depth of her structure) that caused excessive multi-axial bending and springing of the hull, and that the hull should have been structurally reinforced to cope with her increased length.”
The Launch of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald at the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Detroit, MI, 7 June 1958. The GLEW Was for Many Years a Major Shipbuilder on the Lakes, and Has Since Gone Out of Business.
Eventually the NTSB report gave its “Findings” and “Probable Cause”, which largely echoed the Coast Guard’s previous findings but with additional detail:
“Findings:
1. The FITZGERALD’s hatch covers were not weathertight and allowed water to enter the cargo hold over an extended period. This water was not detected because it migrated down through the cargo. There was no method provided for sounding the cargo other than visual observations, nor was there any method for dewatering the cargo hold with the vessel trimmed by the bow.
2. Amendments to the Great Lakes Load Line Regulations in 1969, 1971, and 1973 allow Great Lakes bulk carriers to load deeper. This deeper loading increased deck wetness which caused an increase in the flooding rate through nonweathertight hatches or other nonweather-tight openings.
3. The topside vents and fence rail were damaged before 1520 either by a heavy object coming adrift on deck or by a floating object coming aboard with the seas. The FITZGERALD’s hull plating probably was damaged also; the damage propagated and caused flooding of the ballast tanks and tunnel.
4. Flooding of ballast tanks and the tunnel caused trim and a list. Detection of ballast tank flooding prompted the ballast pumps to be started. However, the flooding rate through the hull damage, which was propagating, increased and exceeded the capacity of the pumping system.
5. The hull stress levels, even with a substantial amount of flooding, were low enough that the hull girder did not fail before the sinking.
6. The forces on the hatch covers caused by boarding seas were sufficient to cause damage and collapse. These forces increased as flooding caused a list and reduced the vessel’s freeboard.
7. Flooding of the cargo hold caused by one or more collapsed hatch covers was massive and progressed throughout the hold. Flooding was so rapid that the vessel sank before the crew could transmit a distress call.
8. The vessel either plunged or partially capsized and plunged under the surface. The hull failed either as the vessel sank or when the bow struck the bottom.
9. The availability of a fathometer aboard the FITZGERALD would have provided additional navigational data and would have required less dependence on the ANDERSON for navigational assistance.
10. The most probable trackline of the FITZGERALD, from west of Michipicoten Island to the position of her wreckage, lies east of the shoal areas north and east of Caribou Island; therefore, damage from grounding would have been unlikely.
11. The shoal area north of Caribou Island is not shown in sufficient detail on Lake Survey Chart No. 9 to indicate the extent of this hazard to navigation. A contour presentation of this hazard would allow mariners to better assess this area and would help to eliminate the erroneous conclusion that there are isolated spots of shallow water, where in fact there is a large area of shoal water less than 10 fathoms deep.
12. Insufficient water depth has been observed at some loading and discharge piers. “Groundings” of vessels at these locations induce hull stresses of unknown magnitudes and create the potential of undetected hull damage and wear.
13. Although the National Weather Service accurately predicted the direction and velocity of the wind expected over the eastern end of Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, the predicted wave heights were significantly less than those observed.
14. Loading information on the FITZGERALD and other Great Lakes bulk cargo vessels was not adequate.
15. Great Lakes bulk cargo vessels normally can avoid severe storms. The limiting sea state for Great Lakes bulk cargo vessels should be determined, and the operation of vessels in sea states above this limiting value should be restricted.
16. The presence of an EPIRE aboard the FITZGERALD would have provided immediate automatic transmission of an emergency signal which would have allowed search units to locate the position of the accident. The accurate location of this position would have reduced the extent of the search area.
17. Installation of trim and list indicating instruments on the FITZGERALD would have provided the master an early indication of flooding that would have an adverse effect on the vessel. These instruments would have given an indication of whether the master’s corrective action was adequate.
18. The surface search and rescue capability of the Coast Guard on November 10 was inadequate.
Probable Cause:
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the sudden massive flooding of the cargo hold due to the collapse of one or more hatch covers. Before the hatch covers collapsed, flooding into the ballast tanks and tunnel through topside damage and flooding into the cargo hold through nonweathertight hatch covers caused a reduction of freeboard and a list. The hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces imposed on the hatch covers by heavy boarding seas at this reduced freeboard and with the list caused the hatch covers to collapse. Contributing to the accident was the lack of transverse watertight bulkheads in the cargo hold and the reduction of freeboard authorized by the 1969, 1971, and 1973 amendments to the Great Lakes Load Line Regulations.”
In short, the ship sank because of progressive flooding following damage sustained from some cause near Caribou Island, aggravated by overloading. The initial flooding and overloading made the Fitzgerald go lower in the waves of the storm, which began a downward cycle of boarding seas. These gradually brought more and more water aboard until a final, catastrophic collapse of one or more hatch covers allowed sudden additional and overwhelming flooding that drove the ship to the bottom.
The NTSB added that the storm was significantly stronger than weather reports had predicted, and both the Coast Guard and the NTSB noted that the navigational charts used by McSorley were not entirely accurate regarding the underwater hazards around Caribou Island. This last factor led the NTSB to take the unusual step of including a dissenting opinion in its conclusion. Board member Philip Hogue wrote:
“The most probable cause of the sinking of the SS EDMUND FITZGERALD in Lake Superior on 10 November 1975, was a shoaling which first generated a list, the loss of two air vents, and a fence wire. Secondarily, within a period of 3 to 4 hours, an undetected, progressive, massive flooding of the cargo hold resulted in a total loss of buoyancy from which, diving into a wall of water, the FITZGERALD never recovered.
Like the Marine Board of the Coast Guard or the majority of the Members of the National Transportation Safety Board, I could speculate or surmise in the first instance that flooding into the cargo hold took place through ineffective hatch covers or in the second instance that flooding took place due to the failure of hatch cover Number One due to massive seas. I reject these arguments because neither of them is fully cognizant of the ramifications of the first reported list, the loss of two vents and fence railing at approximately the precise time the FITZGERALD was reportedly in or over shoal waters. Between the first reported damage and the time of the sinking, approximately 3 to 4 hours later, seas of 25 to 30 feet and winds gusting to 80 knots were variously observed. Without exception, expert testimony has affirmed the fact that seas in shoal waters are inherently more violent and wild than in open water. It follows, therefore, that subsequent to her initial sustained damage, the FITZGERALD suffered progressive damage from laboring, rolling, and pitching for the next 3 to 4 hours as it proceeded toward Whitefish Point Light. At or about 1730, Captain Woodard aboard the Swedish vessel AVAFORS received a report from Captain McSorley stating the FITZGERALD had a “bad list,” had lost both radars and was taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas he had ever been in. In approximately 2 hours from the initial report of a list, the FITZGERALD had acquired a “bad list” and sustained the loss of both radars. Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes later at or about 1910, the FITZGERALD reported it was holding its own. This was the last transmission ever heard from the FITZGERALD. Aside from the expert testimony elicited at the Coast Guard Marine Board hearing, it is self-evident that Captain McSorley had a damaged ship, and that he did not know how damaged she was….
It is reasonable to assume, from all that is known of Captain McSorley, that his first report of damage was based on damage sustained immediately prior to 1530 and that it was no small consideration that caused Captain McSorley to ask the ANDERSON to stay with him, saying, “I will check down so that you can close the distance between us.””
In the end, while these are expert and informed opinions, no one really knows for certain what sank the Fitzgerald. There is an enduring mystery about the ship and its final voyage that is both tragic and strangely compelling. In this vein Woodard said something striking. He had spoken with many of the Fitzgerald’s crew when his ship and the Fitz were in port a couple of weeks before the sinking.
“God strike me dead if I’m lying,” Woodard said, his spontaneous laughter checked. “We pulled in behind them and everybody I saw on that crew had an aura around them. That’s the honest-to-God’s truth. They glowed, just like a little brightness, you know what I mean?”
When asked if he was benefiting from hindsight and imagination, Woodard said, “I’ve never seen that since.”
My mother once told me a similar story. She said she had seen our next door neighbor at the local post office just before he was killed in a car wreck by a drunk driver. She later described seeing the same kind of strange aura and light around him when she looked at him.
Do with that what you will. As I say, there is mystery here.
Perhaps the biggest lesson that should be taken from the sinking is that no matter how skilled the sailors and how large the ship, all are still less than specks of sand compared with the vastness and power of the sea and of great storms over large bodies of water. It is no wonder, then, that both the traditional US Navy Hymn and Gordon Lightfoot’s enduring ballad speak with reverence of the power of both Nature and Nature’s God.
Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep; Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea!
How the US Keeps Fighting China, Knowing It Won’t Win?
It’s a toss-up between Caesar at Alesia and Alexander’s siege at Tyre. But for this answer I’ll focus only on Caesar.
Those two are definitely in my list of top battles not only because of the absolute understanding that Cesar and Alexander had of the flow of battle, or the mind-blowing tactics they used, but also because of the ingenuity they showed and just the relentless determination to bend the universe to their will.
Let’s jump straight to it.
Caesar at Alesia
image 67
Just look at this. What you are seeing is Caesar laying a siege while at the same time being besieged by another force. Just… OK.
The year is 52 BC. It’s the culmination of 8 years of Gallic Wars. The leader of the Gauls is Vercingetorix. A great general himself and a chieftain of the Arveni tribe. He had organized a fairly large rebellion and even convinced several tribes, allies of Rome, to defect and join his cause. After shadowing Caesar’s legions for some time, and playing a game of cat and mouse, he ended up retreating to the hill town fort of Alesia. Around 30,000 strong, together with the local civilian population were stationed in the small fort.
Caesar, being the great tactician that he is, opted for a prolonged siege, to starve and demoralize his enemy. He ordered the construction of a 18 km long wall to circumvent the town and prevent the enemy’s escape (the middle fortification that you see on the photo above). As you can imagine, this is already a little unorthodox. Sieging a fortified town with a smaller force, in the middle of enemy territory, with little to no supplies. But then what this total badass did was to turn around and build a secondary, outer wall, 21 km long, circumventing the first one, with enough space to contain his entire army. And those walls, weren’t anything simple either. There was enough space for his man to patrol them, as well as more than 20 towers, trenches, and even a moat which he somehow filled with water.
Between the choice of attacking a superior force with better position and being trapped between two armies, Caesar opted for a 3rd option – to build his own frigging castle.
While all of this was happening, Vercingetorix’s relief force arrived, adding more than 50,000 to his already larger force. Caesar was outnumbered 3 to 1 and was smack in the middle of the two armies.
The battle raged for several days, the Gauls were attacking simultaneously from the inside and outside, with the two side’s cavalries chasing each other around the fortifications. On the 3rd day of fighting, a focused attack on one side of the fortifications almost broke the Romans but a young soldier by the name of Mark Antony snatched victory from defeat with his commanding skills.
On the final day of the battle, both Gallic armies made a last attempt to break Caesar and attacked simultaneously, spreading to cover the whole length of the fortifications. The Romans were spread thin and Caesar was commanding his reserves himself, rotating groups of 500–1000 man and reinforcing every spot that was about to falter.
Completely surrounded and fighting on all directions at once, Rome’s legions were in dire situation. Then the worse thing happened, the outer Gallic army bridged the outside walls and poured in the fortifications. Caesar rallied around 7,000 soldiers from wherever he could spare and formed a shield wall on the two sides of the broken fortifications, trying to contain the Gallic spill. Then, from another side of the wall he sent his remaining cavalry who were useless defending the walls anyway, to break out of the fortifications, circle around and charge from the location where the Gauls were entering his defenses. In the most epic pincer move ever, Caesar’s cavalry came seemingly out of nowhere, scaring the attackers shitless, and making them think another army was approaching. This caused general panic. Seeing this, the whole Gallic relief force retreated, leaving only Vercingetorix and his remaining forces trapped inside the fort.
Vercingetorix rode out and personally surrendered to Caesar the next day.
image 66
Caesar seen here, forced to sit down due to the sheer weight of his balls.
“A Total COLLAPSE Is Coming” – Whitney Webb WARNING 2024
Yes. The key word is Chinese, not Singapore. But then Zuckerberg’s wife is Chinese and he was not asked about It. Chew was asked about his wife and children. Maybe if Tom Swabhead goes to Singapore, their immigration control should ask
“Are you a member of the Ku Klux Klan?”
“No, sir I am from…..”
“ Just answer the question”
“ No sir”
“Did your ancestors fight for the Confederates?”
“Sir, that was before my……”
“Yes or no please”
“You can’t expect me to…. no sir”
“Did your great grandfather own slaves ?”
“What makes you think so?”
“Your surname is Cotton. And have you heard of Uncle Tom’s Cabin?”
I Walked In On My Fiancée “Servicing” My Dad, Got In On Video And Now I’m Sending It To Her Family
One day when I was around 18 or so, my mom got a can of soup out of the pantry. When she went to open it, she found the can had already been cut and the soup was all moldy inside:
image 65
She grabbed another can: same thing. My mom ended up pulling all the canned items out of the pantry to check each one. All said, there were at least a dozen cans of soup that had been opened and carefully placed back on the shelf, and they were now absolutely disgusting inside.
My brother, my father, and I all swore we had not been responsible for this. None of us had any theories (well, no reasonable theories) as to how this might have happened.
It wasn’t until a while later (might have been a few months or even a year or more later, don’t really remember clearly) that my mom was telling this story at a gathering of a large group of family friends when one of my best friends, Joelle, interjected with: “Umm, I think maybe that was me…”
And then we finally got our explanation for the whole bizarre event.
Several months prior to “the soup incident,” my family had gone away for a week-long vacation. Joelle, also 18 or so, had been our house-sitter since we had pets that needed to be taken care of.
She now recalled for us how one night she had been in the mood for a bowl of soup (and we had told her to feel free to eat anything she wanted). So she grabbed a can of soup and our can opener, which wasn’t like the electric one she was used to. Ours looked like the one on the left while she was used to the kind like the one on the right:
image 64
With the can openers she was used to, the blade would pierce into the top of the lid, cutting down into the metal inside the rim, like this:
image 63
Ours, on the other hand, was a “safety” can opener that cut into the side of the can, just below the rim:
image 62
So, after finally managing to latch the thing onto the can, she twisted it around the can like steps 1 and 2 below:
image 61
But she never got to step 3, because to her, it didn’t look like it worked.
image 60
Hungry, and determined to not let the defective can opener deprive her of a bowl of soup, she tried a different can. Then another…and another…before finally just giving up and eating something else entirely. And since she didn’t manage to open anything anyway, she just put all the cans back into the pantry the way she’d found them.
She never mentioned it to us before, because who wants to admit to being the dumbass who can’t operate a simple can opener?? Besides, it’s not like we would ever find out…
And that is the story of how our house guest accidentally left us with a pantry full of moldy soup.
*images are not of the actual incident. I got all the images from a Google image search and then added the borders, arrows, and commentary.
Nearly 90% of the 500 invited guests didn’t attend the wedding.
This wedding was recent, just last Christmas. The bride and groom, let’s call them Michelle and Paul, were married on December 24, of all dates.
Michelle is a goddaughter of my aunt and her mom has been friends with my aunt since high school. Paul is a third generation Filipino Chinese but his grandmother is very traditional. She insisted on consulting a feng shui expert, who claimed that December 24 was the best date for the couple to get married on. How he decided on this advice, I have no idea.
In Filipino culture, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. During Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Filipinos will surely be home to celebrate these days with their families. How Filipino families will spend Christmas is always pre-planned, so don’t think they’ll give up being with their families on a very special occasion just so they can attend your wedding.
Michelle’s mom lamented that her daughter and future son-in-law almost had no say on the details of their own wedding, and that everyone in Paul’s family seemed to blindly obey their matriarch.
As soon as my aunt received the wedding invitation, she called Michelle and her mom right away to let them know that she won’t be able to attend the wedding. To make it even less likely for guests to attend, the wedding was set at 6 PM, which is going to be followed by dinner at a hotel. Knowing how big weddings really go, the 6PM ceremony will last for an hour, then it’s followed by endless picture taking in the church, which is followed by even more picture taking at the reception. When guests finish dinner, there’s going to be a program and other traditional wedding stuff that will take hours. So, the guests will be essentially spending Christmas Eve at this wedding and not at home with their families.
So the wedding took place as planned, but only two or three members of the entourage made it. After pictures were taken in the church, the two bridesmaids and the best man, who is the only part of the groom’s entourage who made it, left and rushed to get home.
The reception was really sad. Only family members were left in attendance that the program was nixed.
A few days after the wedding, my aunt had a chat with Michelle’s mom and she was still disappointed. She had hoped that the wedding would be set on a different day so that most of the guests could attend. She said that the function hall was practically vacant with rows of empty tables. The servers who were hired to accommodate 500 guests ended up serving one guest each. She sent my aunt a picture that looked like this:
image 59
(Photo Credit to emmalovesweddings via Pinterest)
It really baffles me why this wedding still took place as planned and there didn’t seem to be any adjustments made. It’s truly bizarre and not something a bride would like to remember about what could have been the happiest day of her life.
Edit: First, thank you for the upvotes 😊🤗 I never thought my answer would get this much attention since the question was answered many times before I did.
If I did not reply to your comment, it means I can’t find it 🙁 I don’t get notifications on some comments.
I’ve been to many weddings and have heard of and seen some unpleasant things happen that I can add a few more to this answer. The reason why I chose this wedding for my answer is because of it being so bizarre, it’s unbelievable.
Here are some information to help explain how the wedding went as it did and I learned this from my aunt after I posted this answer.
The grandmother paid for the bulk of the wedding expenses. She paid close to 90% of the costs and in a way it helped explain why she had the last say on the decisions. If the wedding was meant to be a gift (this is only a speculation), she should have just given the money to the couple so they can plan their wedding according to their choices.
I still can’t get my head around this: Grandma booked the venue on the day the invitations were sent out. So there really was no point in waiting for RSVP. One of the wedding planners quit at this point— not surprising at all.
Before the invitations were sent out, the bride’s family was advised by several friends that a Christmas Eve wedding is not a good idea. According to my aunt, one of the bride’s uncles was heard saying, “I told Michelle not to expect us if she’s having her wedding on Christmas Eve. We already made plans.” Several friends also said basically the same. “If the wedding is on Christmas Eve, we won’t make it. Count us out.” So the family already knew that many of the guests won’t make it. The groom informed his family of this. Clearly they were not able to convince grandma, who said, “We will proceed as planned.” I’m pretty sure one can still cancel or make reductions on catering services at reasonable charges but grandma did not. Well, it’s her money. 🤷🏻♀️
The few members of the entourage who made it apparently had an agreement with the couple. The best man and two bridesmaids, one of them turned maid of honor, promised the bride and groom that they will stand for them during the ceremony at 6PM, but also promised their families they will be home in time to spend Christmas Eve. This is why they appeared to have ditched the couple at the church when they did not. Because of this lack of a wedding party, certain parts of the ceremony were “altered.” it got me asking this question, if there were only this few members of the entourage, couldn’t members of the family take their place? It seems that the more details I got, the more questions I have.
The “RSVP” doesn’t always work in my culture. Sadly, most people do not bother replying to an invitation. If they want to attend, they’ll simply show up and sometimes they do so with extra guests in tow. If they don’t or can’t make it to the occasion, they will simply do not show up. I know this from experience. This also explains why in most gatherings, the host prepares food based on the number of people who were invited, not with the number of people who confirmed to attend. Paul’s grandmother must have had the same thought, but it was definitely not a smart move to go ahead and have the caterers prepare according to the number of invited guests. Adjustments should have been made when several guests already expressed their regrets about not being able to attend in favor of spending Christmas Eve with families.
One guest told my aunt, “It is wrong of them to assume we’ll give up Christmas Eve in favor of the wedding. If you invite me for any occasion on a Christmas Eve, it is understood that I will not attend.” I’m assuming the other guests shared the same sentiment.
There was a compromise on the wedding date and the wedding ceremony. I was also curious about this and I learned that the families came to an agreement. The wedding ceremony was held by Catholic rites in deference to the bride’s religion, but the date of the wedding will be decided by the groom’s family, who are Chinese, thru a feng shui reading. It was probably an attempt at combining traditions for the merging of two families but it did not work.
There’s definitely a lot of absurdity on this wedding that I still find it hard to believe the entire thing happened at all. I hope for the best for the couple.
Magic Music for Cats – UNBELIEVABLE Results (Tested 2022)
https://youtu.be/LoW_AddZKkU
Ending The U.S. Presence In Middle East
The Biden administration, in its utter stupidity, is launching a(nother) full fledged war throughout the Middle East.
> U.S. forces launched a broad attack against Iran’s powerful military wing and affiliated militias in Iraq and Syria on Friday, delivering a blow to armed groups that Washington has blamed for killing American troops in Jordan and a surge of violence across the Middle East. <
🇺🇸💥🇮🇶Footage shows the explosions of the headquarters of the Anbar Operation Command & the headquarters of the 13th Hashd al-Sha’bi Brigade, after it was targeted by US raids, in the Anbar province of Iraq
That is is unit which is fighting ISIS … 🤔 Embedded video
I am returning to the Middle East this coming week to continue working with our partners on how to achieve durable peace in the region, with lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
The US: We don’t want to escalate the war in the ME, but we bombed Yemen & killed 10 Yemenis, we bombed Syria & Iraq & killed 16 Iraqis, 7 Syrians, but please de-escalate coz we will bomb you more in the coming days. In the meantime we are sending bombs to Israel to bomb Gaza.
—
In 2020, after the U.S. assassination of General Qassam Suleimani, the leadership of Iran announced that, in consequence, the U.S. presence in the Middle East will be ended. Iran and its allies have since diligently prepared themselves to achieve that aim.
The hot phase of the process itself was initiated primarily by Hamas on October 7 (which followed the October 2 desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Zionist settlers). The secondary and tertiary steps were launched by Ansarollah in Yemen and Kataib Hizbullah in Iraq.
In each cases the U.S. and its Israeli proxy responded with harsh escalations.
Harakat al Nujaba PMF declares that it will not be defeated or subdued by US airstrikes and vows to teach the US humility with fire, says it has surprises in store. Attached image
> The statement also affirmed that the Syrian army will continue to defend Syria’s land and people, and strike all terrorist groups, regardless of how much their sponsors and supporters try to obstruct this goal. It added that it is determined to liberate the entire Syrian territory from all terrorism and occupation, including the US occupation which “cannot persist.” <
The Axis of Resistance is present throughout the Middle East. It has its own economic and social networks. It produces its own weapons and its fighters are well trained to fight under the local circumstances. This is an enemy the U.S. can not defeat.
These groups’ decision to strike US forces in response to the Gaza genocide follows a well-entrenched pattern of resisting joint US-Israeli aggression, or what the Journal describes as efforts to “push back against American and Israeli influence” in the Middle East. And contrary to US claims that Iran’s main regional allies – Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansar Allah in Yemen (the Houthis), the PMU in Iraq, Hamas/Islamic Jihad in Palestine, and the Syrian government — are all mere Iranian “proxies”, these groups “have domestic agendas of their own and operate with some measure of autonomy,” the Journal notes. US intelligence analyst Brian Katz concurs. Iran’s allies “are no longer simply Iranian proxies,” Katz writes. “Rather, they have become a collection of ideologically aligned, militarily interdependent, mature political-military actors committed to mutual defence.”
The conflict has boiling on a low flame for some time:
As the Washington Post notes, Iranian allies in the region “began targeting U.S. interests in 2018, after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran” as part of a hawkish policy of “maximum pressure.” Rather than return to the Iran nuclear deal upon taking office in January 2021, Biden continued the Trump agenda – and knowingly endangered US troops in the process.
When Biden “ordered airstrikes on militia groups” in Syria, the Washington Post reported in August 2021, that ended up “sparking a fresh cycle of reciprocal violence, with militiamen firing at a facility housing U.S. troops and American forces responding with artillery fire.” Biden’s support for Israeli aggression against Syria yielded the same result. When a drone strike hit a US military base located in southern Syria in October 2021, US and Israeli officials acknowledged that it was “Iranian retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Syria,” the New York Times reported.
In launching and encouraging attacks on Iranian allies in the region, Biden was pursuing an arrangement that he forged with the Israeli government In August 2021, then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged Biden to pursue “a death by a thousand cuts” strategy, in which the US and Israel would “[counter] Iran through a combination of many small actions across several fronts — both military and diplomatic — instead of a single dramatic strike,” Axios reported. The goal would be to put Iran’s “regional aggression” – a euphemism for resisting US-Israeli hegemony – “back in the box.” Toward that goal, one of Bennett’s key requests was that “Biden not to pull U.S. forces out of Iraq and Syria,” which the Israeli delegation felt quite “optimistic” about. In Biden, Bennett gushed, “I found a leader who loves Israel, knows exactly what he wants and is attuned to our needs.”
In opposite to those plans it is the Resistance which is using small and increasingly larger cuts to eliminate, over time, the U.S. presence in the Middle East. It is dead serious.
I would like to ask you now to understand the following: It is not what I want or my opinion; it is the ice-cold reality: On October 7th, a war was started by the Axis of Resistance. It was started against both Israel and the Western occupation of the Middle East. As stated above, it will not end before all occupation forces are out of the Middle East, the Two State Solution has been implemented in Israel, or all people in the Middle East are dead … period.
I have no emotions here; I’m not invested in the region. This is a logical assessment of what is currently happening in the region. It is not going to stop until one of the scenarios is implemented.
Other interested powers are already positioning themselves for a new situation in the Middle East.
Give it two, three or maybe even five years. But the envisioned results WILL be achieved.
Posted by b on February 3, 2024 at 15:38 UTC | Permalink
The Age of Making Money is Over. The middle-class is done.
https://youtu.be/rJJBnmDkEwI
Sausage and Cheese Calzone
HomemadeCalzones 03
I don’t know about you, but the only thing I love more than pizza is a big calzone filled to capacity with all of my favorite fillings. Calzones are the ultimate in Italian comfort food if you ask me. More than lasagna or spaghetti, when I want something that fills me up and leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside, I go for a calzone. These calzones are the best I’ve ever had because they’re fully homemade. From the dough to the sauce, it’s all made from scratch right in the kitchen, so it’s the freshest, tastiest calzone ever!
Homemade Calzone Recipe
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There’s nothing better than this delicious calzone recipe for a dish that’s full of Italian flavor. A flaky, homemade crust surrounds a filling of Italian sausage, onions, pepperoni, three kinds of cheese, Italian seasoning, and more tasty ingredients, then they’re served with a tasty marinara sauce. When you put them all together, you get a recipe for hand-held deliciousness that you just cannot beat. It’s just like holding a tiny pizza in your hand and then devouring it.
In a skillet, cook the sausage and onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to break up the meat.
Add bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often, or until the sausage is cooked through and vegetables are soft.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Stir in the mozzarella, parsley and red pepper flakes.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Brush 2 baking sheets with olive oil or spray with olive oil cooking spray.
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Take one piece of the dough and with floured hands press it into a 6-inch round. Stretch or roll it out with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle. Leaving a 1/2-inch edge, spread a quarter of the filling over half of the dough. Dampen the edges with water. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling; seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. With a large spatula, carefully transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp on the outside.
Serve warm.
Variations
One of the best parts about these homemade calzones is that you can play with it to make it exactly the way you want it. After making the crust, the rest is up to you. Go super rustic or make it semi-homemade. Use your favorite toppings. You can tweak it to your heart’s content.
Favorite Pizza Toppings
Just like a pizza, this calzone is totally open to your interpretation. Use any of your favorite pizza toppings from sausage and pepperoni to salami, ham, and pineapple, olives, anchovies, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and more. If you’d put it on a pizza, you can put it in this calzone.
Vegetarian Calzone
Make this recipe vegetarian by filling it with your favorite pizza veggie options. The marinara sauce pairs perfectly with any vegetable that you’d normally put on your vegetarian pizza.
Semi-Homemade Calzone Recipe
If you don’t want to go the homemade route, make this recipe semi-homemade. Use premade pizza dough and pizza sauce to cut down on time. Then make the rest of the recipe per the directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about this homemade calzone recipe, then I have answers. The following FAQ answers all the most frequently asked questions regarding calzones, so it’s worth a read before diving into the recipe.
What is a calzone?
A calzone is simply a folded pizza. Its essentially an Italian version of a savory turnover.
What’s the Difference Between Calzones and Stromboli?
There are three major differences between the two. Calzones are simply a round crust folded in half and stuffed with toppings and sauce. On the other hand, Stromboli is rolled into a spiral with a bit of extra dough folded over the top to seal it. Another major difference is that, while both the calzone and Stromboli are dippable, Stromboli will often have sauce baked inside it while calzones never will. Finally, calzones almost always have ricotta cheese in them, and Stromboli doesn’t.
Do Calzones have Sauce Inside?
No. Calzones are dipped in sauce. The sauce is never baked in.
Do Calzones Always Have Ricotta Cheese in Them?
Traditional calzones almost always have ricotta cheese in them.
Is a Calzone Just a Folded Pizza?
Pretty much!
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What to serve with calzones?
These are hefty, hearty hand-held pizzas, so the best things to serve are light options like a side salad or roasted vegetables.
Can you freeze calzones?
Yes. Let the leftover calzones chill in the refrigerator, then wrap them tightly in clingwrap and store them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Homemade Calzone Recipe Ingredients
This recipe is fully homemade, so there are several ingredients. The great thing is that they’re all simple and easily found at your local grocery store.
For the Dough
All purpose flour
Instant dry yeast
Salt
Sugar
Warm water
Olive oil
For the Filling
Butter
Onion, diced
Hot Italian sausage
Oregano
Basil
Red pepper flakes
Ricotta cheese
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Fresh parsley, chopped
Garlic salt
Black pepper
Large eggs, with one egg beaten
Pepperoni slices
For the Marinara Sauce
Tomato sauce
Tomato paste
Crushed tomatoes
Onion powder
Garlic salt
Oregano
Basil
Black pepper
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How to Make This Homemade Calzone Recipe
As a fully homemade recipe, you’ll be making the dough, filling, and sauce. Don’t let that deter you, though. All three parts of the recipe are very simple to make. Requiring only basic steps that anyone can do.
Step 1: Make the Homemade Pizza Dough
In a large bowl, whisk flour, yeast, salt, and sugar together. Add warm water and oil. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer with the dough hook, mix on low until ingredients are well incorporated. Increase speed to medium and continue mixing until dough forms into a ball (about 8-10 minutes).
Place dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Next, transfer to a well-floured surface and divide the dough into 9 even pieces. Place dough pieces on a large baking sheet or parchment paper and set them aside.
Step 2: Make the Filling
In a large frying pan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sausage, onions, and seasonings to the pan and cook until sausage is completely cooked through and no longer pink and onions are translucent. Drain and set aside to cool. In another bowl, add the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir to combine then add eggs. Mix well. When the sausage has cooled, add the cheese mixture, stir to combine. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Marinara Sauce
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Assemble the Calzones
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Set aside. Then, roll each dough ball into 6-inch circles. Add a heaping tablespoon or two of the sausage and cheese mixture to the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half and press and pinch the edges together to form a seal. Brush the tops of each calzone with beaten egg and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 – 13 minute or until golden brown and serve with the marinara sauce.
First let me help you understand further. If U.S. has the audacity to attack China. It won’t be 4 fronts. It will be at least 10 fronts! The U.S. has done so much shit there is at least 10 nations that wants to teach the U.S. a humbling lesson!
Luckily for you guys China won’t attack you unless you attack them! China wants peace and prosperity not wars and ravages. But still if you make the mistake China will make you pay dearly. Don’t say we did not warn you.
If you attack China in, in China, China will attack the U.S. in U.S. mainland. Don’t be fooled that China will submissively let you walk all over them. This is 2024 not 1842! Let’s hope you are smart enough to be humble.
EVERY URBEXERS NIGHTMARE – WE NEVER EXPECTED THIS TO HAPPEN
I was at a comic convention that was being held inside a mall. I was dressed as Batman. We decided to walk around the mall for shock value, as we were and are weird that way.
While my friends went into a store to shop, I stood outside a Barnes and Noble bookstore waiting for them. Suddenly, an alarm rings!
The shoplifter had books under his shirt. His hope was to mingle with the Saturday afternoon crowd and be lost in the shuffle, getting away with his ill gotten gains. Keeping his head down, he tries to blend in.
Suddenly, a pair of black boots fills his view. As his gaze travels upwards, he sees a scalloped cape, a Bat emblem, and finally the terrifying visage of…the Batman!
Shocked that Batman was in front of him, he paused…just long enough for the security guard to catch up and snag him. The guard thanked me by saying, “Thanks for helping me nab him, Batman!” He then led the shoplifter off.
Someone called the local news crew, who sent a reporter. By the time they had arrived, the convention was over and I was home. A friend of mine who works at the station told me what happened. The reporter talked to the security guard who confirmed the story. The reporter asked if there was any security footage of the event.
When they checked, because the footage was in black and white, they could barely make out the young man in the t-shirt, but the black clad Batman was not seen. They decided not to run the story without visuals.
Once again, the movie cliché of Batman catching criminals but no one could prove he was there became manifest.
1930s ABANDONED Time Capsule House with MANY Valuables left inside
I made a deposit at the teller window for a check for $741.23. (Yes that’s a very “specific” amount” but important to my story.) I got the deposit receipt back and went on my way. As soon as I got home to enter the transaction my register, I noticed a discrepancy. The deposit receipt said my deposit was for $741.32. I had a copy of the deposit slip I had given the teller, and it said $741.23- the correct amount. Granted it was only 9 cents discrepancy so I thought “No big deal. They will just fix it.” Well, it ended up being a huge deal. I had a number of things set up for auto pay from my bank that would start coming out 2–3 days later. I always try to give myself a window “just in case” I am late depositing my check and it doesn’t post until the following day or something.
Well, the next morning the deposit was showing up as though it had posted- still with the 9 cent discrepancy, so I figured they would just deduct the 9 cents within a couple of days and all would be well. Nope, they completely reversed the deposit and took ALL of that money back out of my account. By the Tuesday following the weekend, I was “in the red” due to “NSF fees.” I called to find out what happened- thinking maybe I had forgotten to enter an auto pay into my records. Nope, I was told that the discrepancy had triggered an investigation of my account and my funds would be held for 21 days. I asked if I could leave a message for the branch manager to give me call. I was told that would be fine. I left a message, and received no call back for a couple of days. This was very unusual.
This was a bank I had used for YEARS for personal and business reasons. The company I work for had a long business relationship with the bank as well. I knew the branch manager well. I arrived at the bank to talk to the branch manager and found out he was out of the country dealing with a family emergency and wouldn’t be back for at least two weeks. I asked to speak to whoever was filling in and explained the nature of the situation. Well, the “substitute” manager was extremely unpleasant and unprofessional. She berated me and was practically yelling at me for an error that was THEIR fault. I was told the situation could only be remedied right away by “a cash deposit large enough to cover the original check and enough to cover the NSF fees.” I was still reeling from the fact it had happened at all. I went back to discuss the matter with my employer, an attorney. He spoke to someone he knew at another branch and they were able to fix the immediate problem, and restored all of my NSF fees. My employer was NOT happy. Shortly after the dust settled, my employer asked me to set up an appointment for us to go down and remove some items from our safe deposit boxes to take out items for an “inventory” of the boxes. While I was in the vault removing the items, my employer was out in the lobby closing down all of the accounts and the boxes. We moved them next door to a different bank.
Our usual branch manager came back to the news that we had closed all of our accounts. He asked why this happened over something so “insignificant” as a 9 cent discrepancy. I went through the entire scenario. He was so upset that it had happened, but he understood why. The manager that berated me is now gone. I will NEVER work with this bank again. They were the issuer of a rewards card I had for travel. I cashed out all my rewards and closed the card. If I ever find out they are the issuer of any credit card I may apply for, I just say “no thank you.”
I think you mean either the Navy or the Air Force. There is no scenario where the US Army engages the Chinese Army without first Naval and Air engagements.
And the loser of the engagement won’t be fighting an Army war afterwards.
The current state of the art is that the Chinese have a decisive advantage over US war ships. The US would have to traverse 1,200 miles of Ocean minimum to attack China or Chinese forces. During those 1,200 miles of Ocean, the US fleet would come under attack from ASBMs (anti-ship ballistic missiles), Hypersonic wave riders that can come in from any direction, and supersonic anti-ship missiles.
The Pentagon simulations show that US ships don’t have enough ammunition to prevent most if not all US ships from being sunk.
If the US launch fighters, then the US F-35 from 10 carriers (about 700 fighters) would be facing several thousand Chinese fighters of various grades but with PL-15 air to air missiles which out range US AIM-120 by at least 30 miles.
If your army have pistols and the enemy has rifles and we are fighting on a open plain starting at 1,000 yards with no obstacles, who would win?
The Ukraine Army used an American-supplied HIMARS precision rocket system, to attack a Bakery/Restaurant in the ex-Ukraine city of Lysychansk, Luhansk, Russia today. The strike killed at least twenty (20) people and destroyed the building.
TERRIFYING SCENES of dusted and bloodied bodies on stretchers could be seen as the dead and injured victims were pulled from rubble.
Lysychansk is a city of about 99,000 people and is some 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory. It is not a military center and has no military troops or bases there.
It is clear Ukraine hit this city because they wanted to kill CIVILIANS. The scalable map below shows the location of Lysychansk.
Video of a heavily damaged building, with emergency workers pulling out an entirely crushed car, is already making its way across global social media sites has people asking why the Ukraine Army would hit a bakery? The answer: The bakery was known to have fresh bread on weekends.
The Luhansk Information Center said Ukraine shelled the bakery using the US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
Lysychansk voted in a supervised and internationally-observed Public Referendum, to secede from Ukraine and to join Russia. Ukraine would not let them go.
The city was liberated from the Ukrainian Nazi government by Russian forces in the year 2022.
Since then, from time to time, Ukraine has fired into the city from the distant front lines, for the sole purpose of harming civilians, whom they hate for voting to leave.
Open up China and ALLOW MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO SEE CHINA FOR THEMSELF
That’s what’s being done
Rather than keep responding to Western Lies, China took the best way out which is to
Come & see for Yourself
Every foreigner who comes to China, reports on the reality which is seen by at least 50–100 more foreigners and gradually they begin to see the LIES that the Mainstream media has been spreading
It’s how CHINA BROKE THE UYGHUR LIES
Rather than respond to Western propaganda which would matter very little, they invited and had 600,000 people visit Xinjiang including 80,000 foreigners from the West & Japan plus another 400+ delegates from across the world
Not one of them could respond to the propaganda spread by the West and many downright called them “LIES”
So the West quietly changed Genocide to CULTURAL GENOCIDE which was addressed by a Chinese who said “So what , you want us to remain in the 19th Century is it?”
I recently sent a mail to their tourism department and they said Xinjiang needs NO PERMISSIONS whatsoever for any size tour group
You can book a ticket to Urumqi and as long as you follow Visa norms, you can travel anywhere you want within China
The Chinese of course are aware of this but they know it’s a lie. They know how their life is.
They are puzzled to know they are being repressed by the CPC and regard the whole thing as obviously childish lies.
Simple as that
BOOK YOUR TICKET and find out what China really is like.
Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.
I had very average scores in the 12th grade and the CET exams. I did not prep for or take the JEE. I randomly walked in to the BITSAT and AIEEE and obviously didn’t clear those either. My father wanted me to take a “core engineering” branch like Mechanical in a semi-decent college. He was willing to help figure out a way to pay for that. However, I was only interested in computers at the time; so I decided to push back. Also, I don’t like handouts or shortcuts so decided to take my rightful place at the new college-by-the-highway and see where life took me.
At the time, a lot of people mocked me and said it was stupid of me to have screwed up my one chance to make my life better. Most people started dismissing me from their lives as just one more from the crowd. Four years later, I got an admit from Stanford University and suddenly everyone wanted to be my friend; everyone wanted to tell me how they always believed in me. I was not buying it. The journey wasn’t romantic at all. Every day, every week, every month was a struggle, a fight worth fighting, a life worth living. I found my true friends and the love of my life during that journey. They were the people who stood by me and had my back when I was a nobody.
Being at the small college gave me time to pursue what I genuinely enjoyed. I loved building robots and my HoD supported me whole heartedly as I participated in competitions across the country along with my friends (from 3 different colleges). I would not have received such an opportunity had I taken admission at another college where grades mattered most. It was this support, encouragement and exposure that helped me build a stronger profile.
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. My friends and I started building robots in his house when we were 19. We worked hard and in three years, we had won many national and international competitions and earned a name for ourselves in the country’s AI circles. Do note, this was way back in 2007 when AI was a very new field that not many people fully understood. We started a company that enabled us to teach college students about robotics and AI, and, we were happy. And then we closed it all down. Life happened. A couple of us got jobs and moved. One of my friends had to take some extra classes and had to repeat a year. And as for me, I had no clue what to do next so I decided to take a year off and watch birds while I applied for my M.S.
Our robotics team was very near and dear to me. My team was literally my best friends, the guys I grew up with since I was a toddler. To close shop and move on like that was heartbreaking. We had dreamed of conquering the world together as teens but life would have none of it. This was the first time I understood what it meant to give up something you love. Luckily we all stood by each other and ensured that we helped one another move on with things. After all, there’s more than one way to achieve your dreams. And things did eventually work out really well for all of us.
I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if we hadn’t dissolved the company. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patients needed it.
Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I watched my idol read a quote that went something like:
“If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 13 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Earlier this year, my father had a severe stroke. It took me 36 hours to get back home to be with my mother. Those were the longest 36 hours of my life. We spent the next three weeks with dad in the ICU as he battled for his life. Until then, death was always a concept that we had discussed often but never actually witnessed. We practically lost him a couple of times but he made it back. This taught me some very important life lessons, especially around what my priorities should be.
I learned how fragile life is and that family should always come first. It struck me deeply how we will all someday lose the people we love. I realized how important it is to make every moment count.
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
What is the biggest misconception people have about life?
There’s something curious about China, well… at least in Southern China. You see, all the buildings are stone facing on cement. These are huge mega buildings all of stone and rock. And you know what?
Yeah.
When the weather is right, condensation forms….
The cold and cool buildings hit the mist wet laden air, and condenses. The walls are wet. The windows are wet. The floors are wet. Everything is wet.
I do not mean, every now and then. I mean, that when things condense… everything is like living in a glossy layer of water. Holy cow!
It’s a thing about China. Not a big issue, but rather a curiosity.
Here’s another… for today…
China’s “wacky” dance breaks barriers, unites the world
Yes. This is truly popular here in China. I am just surprised that it is popular in the rest of the world also.
At my previous workplace, I had a friend who used a wheelchair. He was a normal guy with a great attitude. Everyone was super nice to him and treated him as a special person, except me.
We had alloted workstations. So people usually preferred to use the same stations every day. One day, someone offered him a station that was closer to the washroom. I was there, and the offered workstation was alloted to me.
I immediately objected, and asked the reason for the same. I also asked the guy if he wanted to move there? He clearly denied any such kinda request made to the management by himself. However, it was an over-smart person who wanted to shine and look empathetic in front of the team.
I clearly refused to leave my place. The meeting was over and, while leaving the room, the guy thanked me for treating him like a normal person. But everyone else looked at me like I was standing there wearing just my underpants. We later became friends as he felt normal in my company. He never wanted to be treated like a special person. He never wanted to be helped without asking for it.
Even the manager later advised me to think before I spoke. I just asked her, “is it not okay to treat someone as a normal person?”
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Qian Xuesen was an exceptionally talented engineer and one of the founding fathers of China’s space industry. He spent much of his early scientific career in the US before being imprisoned on groundless accusations as McCarthyism swept across the country.
After spending four years under subsequent house arrest, Qian returned to China vowing to never step foot in the States again. His departure dealt a significant blow to America’s rocket program and laid the foundations for China’s journey to become a formidable space power.
Today, as Sinophobia is once again on the rise, academics of Chinese descent are leaving the US at record levels. In this light, Qian’s story should be viewed as a warning of the dangers of Cold War Zero-sum-ism.
Kavita Puri, one of the BBC’s less biased journalists, gives a surprisingly fair and detailed account of Qian’s life and his contributions to mankind. She writes:
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In Shanghai there is an entire museum containing 70,000 artefacts dedicated to one man, “the people’s scientist” Qian Xuesen.
Qian is the father of China’s missile and space programme. His research helped develop the rockets that fired China’s first satellite into space, and missiles that became part of its nuclear arsenal, and he is revered as a national hero.
But in another superpower, where he studied and worked for more than a decade, his significant contributions are rarely remembered at all.
Qian was born in 1911, as China’s last imperial dynasty was about to be replaced by a republic. His parents were both well-educated and his father, after working in Japan, established China’s national education system. It was evident from an early age that Qian was gifted, and he eventually graduated top of his class at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, winning a rare scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
In 1935 a trim, well-dressed young man arrived in Boston. Qian may have experienced some xenophobia and racism, says Chris Jespersen, professor of history at the University of North Georgia. But there was “also a sentiment of hope and belief that China [was] changing in fundamentally significant ways”, and he would certainly have been among people who respected his knowledge.
From MIT Qian moved to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), to study under one of the most influential aeronautical engineers of the day, the Hungarian émigré, Theodore von Karman. There Qian shared an office with another prominent scientist, Frank Malina, who was a key member of a small group of innovators known as the Suicide Squad.
The group had earned this nickname because of their attempts to build a rocket on campus, and because some of their experiments with volatile chemicals went badly wrong, says Fraser Macdonald, author of Escape from Earth: A Secret History of the Space Rocket. Though he adds that no-one died.
One day Qian got drawn into a discussion of a complicated mathematical problem with Malina and other members of the group and before long he was an integral part of it, producing seminal research into rocket propulsion.
At the time, rocket science was the “stuff of cranks and fantasists,” Macdonald says. “No-one is taking it seriously – no mathematically inclined engineer would risk their reputation by saying this is the future.” But that quickly changed with the start of World War II.
The Suicide Squad caught the attention of the US military, which paid for research into jet-assisted take-off, where boosters were attached to the wings of aircraft to enable them to get airborne from short runways. Military funding also helped establish the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in 1943, under the directorship of Theodore von Karman. Qian, along with Frank Malina, was at the heart of the project.
Qian was a Chinese citizen, but the Republic of China was an ally of the US, so there was “no massive suspicion about a Chinese scientist at the heart of American space endeavour”, says Fraser Macdonald. Qian was given security clearance to work on classified weapons research, and even served on the US government’s Science Advisory Board.
By the end of the war he was one of the world’s foremost experts on jet propulsion, and was sent with Theodore von Karman on an extraordinary mission to Germany, holding the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel. Their goal was to interview Nazi engineers, including Wernher von Braun, Germany’s leading rocket scientist; America wanted to find out exactly what the Germans knew.
But by the end of the decade Qian’s glittering career in the US came to a sudden halt, and his life there began to unravel.
In China, Chairman Mao declared the creation of the communist People’s Republic in 1949, and quickly the Chinese came to be seen in the US as “the evil ones”, says Chris Jespersen. “So we go through these periods in the US where we are infatuated with China, then something happens and we revile China,” he says.
Meanwhile, a new director at the JPL came to believe there was a spy ring at the lab, and shared his suspicions about some members of staff with the FBI. “I note that they are all either Chinese or Jewish,” says Fraser Macdonald.
The Cold War was under way, and the anti-communist witch-hunts of the McCarthy era were just around the corner. It was in this atmosphere that the FBI accused Qian, Frank Malina and others of being communists, and a threat to national security.
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The charges against Qian were based on a 1938 document of the US Communist Party that showed he had attended a social gathering that the FBI suspected was a meeting of the Pasadena Communist Party. Although Qian denied being a party member, new research suggests he joined at the same time as Frank Malina in 1938.
But this doesn’t necessarily make him a Marxist. To be a communist at this time was a statement of anti-racism, says Fraser Macdonald. The group wanted to highlight the threat of fascism, he says, as well as the horror of racism in the US. They were campaigning, for example, against the segregation of the local Pasadena swimming pool, and used their communist meetings to discuss it.
Zuoyue Wang, professor of history at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, says there is no evidence that Qian ever spied for China or was an intelligence agent when he was in the US.
He was, however, stripped of his security clearance and put under house arrest. Caltech colleagues, including Theodore von Karman, wrote to the government pleading Qian’s innocence, but in vain.
In 1955, when Qian had spent five years under house arrest, President Eisenhower took the decision to deport him to China. The scientist left by boat with his wife and two US-born children, telling waiting reporters he would never step foot in America again. He kept his promise.
“He was one of the most prominent scientists in America. He had contributed so much and could have contributed much more. So it’s not just humiliation but also a sense of betrayal,” says the journalist and writer, Tianyu Fang.
Qian arrived as a hero in China but was not immediately admitted into the Chinese Communist Party. His record was not impeccable. His wife was the aristocratic daughter of a Nationalist leader, and until Qian’s fall from grace he’d been living happily in America – he’d even taken the first steps towards applying for citizenship.
When he finally became a party member in 1958, he embraced it and always tried to remain on the right side of the regime. He survived purges and the Cultural Revolution, and thus was able to pursue an extraordinary career.
When he had arrived in China there was little understanding of rocket science, but 15 years later he oversaw the launch of the first Chinese satellite into space. Over the decades, he trained a new generation of scientists, and his work laid the foundations for China’s Lunar Exploration Program
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Ironically, the missile programme that Qian helped develop in China resulted in weapons which were then fired back on America. Qian’s silkworm missiles were fired at Americans in the 1991 Gulf War, Fraser Macdonald says, and in 2016 against the USS Mason by Huti rebels in Yemen.
“So there’s this odd circularity. The US expelled this expertise, and it has come back to bite them.” In taking a tough line against domestic communism, he suggests, the country deported “the means by which one of their main communist rivals could develop their own missiles and space programme – an extraordinary geopolitical blunder.”
A former US Secretary of the Navy, Dan Kimball – later head of the rocket propulsion company, Aerojet – once said it was “the stupidest thing this country ever did”.
Today, there is once again heightened tension between China and the US. This time it’s not over ideology but trade, concerns over tech security, and China’s failure – as President Donald Trump regards it – to do more to contain Covid-19.
While most Americans have no idea about Qian and his role in America’s space programme, Tianyu Fang says many Chinese Americans and Chinese students in the US, do know about him, and why he had to leave, and they see the parallels with the present day. “US China relations have got so much worse they know they could be under the same suspicions as Qian’s generation,” he says.
In Fraser Macdonald’s view, Qian’s story is a warning about what happens when you expel knowledge. “The whole story of American science is that it is propelled by people coming from outside… but in these conservative times that’s a story that becomes harder to celebrate.”
The JPL’s contribution to the US space programme has, Macdonald believes, been much neglected compared to that of Wernher von Braun and other German scientists, who were taken in secret to the US soon after the visit paid to them by von Karman and Qian.
Braun had been a Nazi, and yet his achievements are recognised in a way that those of Qian and others from the JPL are not, Macdonald says. “The idea that America’s first viable space programme was started by homegrown socialists – whether Jewish or Chinese – is not really a story that the US is able to hear about itself,” he says.
Qian’s life spanned almost a century. In that time China grew from an economic minnow to a superpower on Earth and in space. Qian was part of that transformation. But his story could have been a great American one too – where talent, wherever it is found, could thrive.
Last year, when China made history and landed on the far side of the moon, it did so in the Von Karman crater, named after the aeronautical engineer who was a mentor to Qian. A nod, perhaps, to the fact that American anti-communism helped propel China into space.
27 Minutes Of Cheating Wives Caught RED HANDED 2023
https://youtu.be/22ivHljlJJU
Has a company ever chosen morality over profitability?
SC Johnson made a choice like this, and it’s hurt sales ever since.
image 228
Saran Wrap is a product people in the United States know well, and it’s been popular for years… it hit the markets in 1953, and quickly became popular for its utility in storing food. It blocked odors, it microwaved well, and it did a better job of clinging to containers than any other product on the market. (It may have been popular in other countries as well, but I have no frame of reference for that.)
If you’ve used Saran Wrap in the past decade or so, you’ve probably noticed it’s not as effective as it used to be.
Originally created by Dow Chemicals, Saran Wrap came under SC Johnson’s control in 1998. Shortly thereafter, they discovered that one of the chemicals used to manufacture the famous plastic wrap, polyvinylidene chloride, had toxic effects on the environment.
They attempted to find a replacement that would preserve the qualities of Saran Wrap people had come to love, but after a year of effort, SC Johnson made the decision to remove the chemical and release a new formulation. It’s not as effective, but it no longer poisons the environment.
There was no boycott, there was no federal investigation… the company discovered the danger, and then voluntarily gave up its competitive advantage in order to avoid harming the environment.
I’ve walked out of several interviews. Here’s a fun one:
The interviewer tried to shame me for using my phone’s calculator to help solve a complex problem and check my work.
I was interviewing at a solar firm. They had turned a recent issue with a client into a test for the interview process. I thought it was a fun and useful way to see how a candidate thinks and solves problems, so I was on board.
That is, right up until the interviewer decided to cosplay as a junior high school math teacher from 1998.
“Did you just take out your phone and use your calculator?” I can still hear the scoff in her voice and picture the sneer she was grossly failing to hide.
I stared at her, waiting for her to say she was joking. No such luck. I remember thinking “Oh, this lady is serious. She really thinks I should just do all the math 100% in my head.”
I didn’t even bother to respond. I just got up and walked out. Ain’t nobody got time for that shit.
In a world where programmers google more than half of their job every day, me choosing to be prudent about my mental math skills is downright pedestrian.
I regret nothing. Any company culture that thinks a person being resourceful and using all available tools to check their work is some kind of PROBLEM, isn’t a company culture anyone should waste their time with.
All these years later, I can see what a product of the school system she was. Prioritizing resourcefulness and work ethic over book smarts is an entrepreneur’s mindset, not something some recruiter just out of her worthless college degree would value.
Born in 1921, Ferdinand ran away from home at the young age of just 16.
With no qualifications, no money, and no occupation, Fred was essentially a nobody.
A nobody with no hope of a successful future.
A nobody with literally nothing to lose.
A nobody you wouldn’t even look twice at walking on the street.
Until one day, you open the newspaper and see this nobody’s face plastered on the front page.
In the ultimate example of “fake it til you make it,” Ferdinand Demara boarded the HMCS Cayuga, a Canadian Navy destroyer during the Korean War. He was impersonating a naval surgeon.
image 226
Ferdinand seemed to have successfully fooled the crewmates.
All was well.
Until numerous soldiers started taking life-threatening injuries.
With no other doctors everyone desperately looked to Ferdinand, the only naval “surgeon” on board.
This is the point where most people would throw up their hands and announce the game was up.
But Demara wasn’t ultimately labeled “the Great Imposter” for nothing.
Despite having absolutely no experience or training Demara told the crewmates to prep the injured for surgery while he quickly retired to his quarters.
Using his photographic memory Demara speed read through a medical textbook to learn how to perform surgery.
He emerged out his of room just a few minutes later, then operated on all 16 badly injured soldiers – including one who required major chest surgery.
The outcome?
Each and every one of the men he operated on walked away with their lives thanks to him.
image 225
Throughout his lifetime Demara also had other impersonations including a civil engineer, a sheriff’s deputy, an assistant prison warden, a doctor of applied psychology, a hospital orderly, a lawyer, a child-care expert, a Benedictine monk, a Trappist monk, an editor, a cancer researcher, and a teacher. One teaching job led to six months in prison.
There is no word on which textbook you can read to learn how to perform surgery in just a few minutes, but whichever one it is, it’s totally worth the money.
CONTROVERSIAL (Is it WRONG to tell the TRUTH?)
https://youtu.be/ukHekvBnhlg
Italian Baked Chicken
2024 01 31 20 29
Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Italian dressing
Garlic powder
Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Season Italian dressing with garlic powder (use enough dressing to thoroughly coat chicken).
Marinate chicken breasts in seasoned Italian dressing several hours or overnight.
Drain chicken in a strainer to remove extra dressing.
Place chicken breasts in a baking dish or pan.
Sprinkle chicken with parsley flakes.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Cover chicken, reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to bake for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
The DARK REALITY of Divorce for MEN Today | Why Men no longer want to get Married
When I was seven years old, I was given a Stanford-Binet style intelligence test by the local school authorities. The test was supposed to determine my future aptitude for school work.
The interviewer had a little bushy beard and wire-rimmed glasses. He peered over the desk at me and asked “Who discovered America?”
I answered, “The Indians.” This was 1976, and the term “Native Americans” didn’t exist yet.
He looked at me quizzically. “Are you sure that Indians discovered America?”
I said, “Columbus came to America. The Indians were here first. So the Indians discovered America.”
The interviewer shook his head sadly at me, clearly disappointed, and went onto the next question.
Just for the record, 1976 intelligence-test-giver guy:
The Indians were here first.
So the Indians discovered America.
I knew that.
But the story doesn’t end there.
It continues forty-two years after I got that question in school.
Today, an acquaintance of mine said they were applying for US citizenship. I congratulated them, and they told me there’s a civics test that they have to pass in person in order to become a US citizen. And they showed me the sample study test.
And right there. In black and white. Question number 59 reads as follows:
“Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?”
And beneath that, were the permissible answers:
American Indians
Native Americans
There wasn’t any Columbus to be seen. He didn’t discover America.
He wasn’t even on the test.
Man Humbles Room Full Of Women | Reacting To Matthew Hussey
Frequently. In college, I worked at a metropolitan airport refueling corporate jets. Celebrities usually weren’t bad, but their handlers were beyond obnoxious. I started watching NHL specifically to jeer against the Detroit Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils, simply because of the jerks managing their transportation.
Anyway, during Furniture Market, people fly in from all over the world. Hotels are booked solid for a hundred-mile radius. Aerosmith happened to be playing at the Coliseum. Their pilot was a quiet old man, but the copilot was obnoxious. You could tell he was WAY too young and inexperienced to get a gig as a Gulfstream FO without some sort of family connection, but he admitted it anyway when babbling about his parents’ wealth.
They were there for the entire day. At any point, they could’ve asked for anything they needed, but he waited until the concert ended. By that point, I’m the only person working, because day shift had ended. He demanded fuel right after another pilot placed his order. I told him it’d take about a half hour, and he exasperated, “This is Aerosmith!”
I pointed down the ramp and said, “That’s the owner of the Miami Dolphins, that’s Oprah Winfrey, that’s some sort of Commerce Secretary in Mexico, but the one with the Highway Patrol standing by the plane all night is our state Governor, and he ALWAYS comes first.”
You have a navy. Use it. Historically, the French navy did next to nothing. An aggressive submarine hunting campaign would have put Kriegsmarine on defensive and prevented the Norwegian campaign. And no, Bearn was not that obsolete for an aircraft carrier.
Use air force aggressively. The French used air force too passively – they didn’t dare to attack the German airbases – and it became costly. Many of the new fighters were not even assembled off the crates in Spring 1940.
The Maginot Line works just as intended. Do not become complacent. Check out the Ardennes – it is not as impassable as you think!
Keep Italy out of war. True, they are not worth of much, but they have a good navy.
You have radios. Use them. Use encryption if needed. Time-critical communication is much more important than fear of eavesdropping.
Tank is not a moving artillery bunker. It is the knight of the 20th century. Use tanks as the steel fist of the army, not moving field artillery. Concentrate them – not by dripping but pouring!
Put Maurice Gamelin to retirement. He is too old to lead the army any more. Maxime Weygand had some good ideas, but listen to that young Charles de Gaulle.
Evacuate civilians at time. The Blitzkrieg creates traffic jams.
Read that German manual. I mean, On War by von Clausewitz. It is all there.
The person who asked this question was obviously considering the problem using linear thinking.
In the questioner’s mind, China’s economy is growing linearly, and its total volume will gradually and slowly surpass that of the United States. But since China’s population is four times that of the United States, when China’s economy surpasses that of the United States, its per capita level will only be 1/4 of that of the United States.
It may take another 20 or even 50 years for China to “really” reach the level of the United States.
I have to refute this idea, because in actual competition, there is a “critical effect”. This means that China’s pursuit of the United States is not linear, but will appear as a “cliff” or “avalanche” after reaching a certain critical point.
In order to support this view, we need to analyze how the strong economy of the United States is constructed.
Which brings us back to the picture above, which says a lot about the U.S. economy: Virtualization
In the entire GDP composition, the part that creates real wealth is very small.
What is real wealth? Food, industrial products, energy.
Bread, milk, cars, mobile phones, gasoline, airplanes, semiconductors, clothes, condoms, these things are real wealth.
What is virtual wealth? When you have enough real wealth, you can redistribute it. Services, consulting, lawyers, finance, medical care, house rental, trade. Virtual wealth is not real wealth. They are essentially the secondary distribution of real wealth.
With so little real wealth generated in the United States’ GDP, how do they maintain huge virtual wealth, achieve huge GDP, and maintain world-leading living standards?
There are two key points
1. Technology and innovation
2. Rules and Credit
Technology and Innovation:
The United States is the country with the largest investment in R&D in the world. In 2023, the United States’ investment in innovation and R&D will be 2.5 times that of the second-ranked country (China).
The United States leads the way in innovation capabilities and technological development.
With advanced technology and innovation capabilities, you can get huge wealth at a very small cost. To give a simple example, Americans take away 90% of the profits from an Apple mobile phone, and the remaining 10% is shared by other countries in the production, sales, and service links.
During the entire process, not a single screw was installed on this Apple phone in the United States.
This is the power of technology and innovation in transferring wealth. He can easily transfer real wealth created by other countries into American hands.
However, technology and innovation are not the strongest in the field of transferring wealth. After all, technology and innovation require large amounts of continuous investment and face huge competition. Europe, Japan, and China are all constantly challenging the United States’ position in the field of science and technology. Relying on this alone is not enough.
rules and Credit
The United States has shaped the global financial and trade landscape. They have established the dollar’s global currency status through war and the Cold War, and maintained their status and credibility with hundreds of military bases and huge armies around the world.
They also established many rules to protect their status. For example, patents, environmental protection, carbon emissions, IFS, and WTO. The entire world revolves around these rules.
This means that the United States can realize the transfer of wealth through rules and credit.
The simplest example: When the United States faces a lack of real wealth, they can start the money printing press and exchange green paper for the wealth created by people around the world. It also controls the flow and currency value of the U.S. dollar through operations such as raising and lowering interest rates. This method’s ability to transfer wealth far exceeds that of technology and innovation, and they don’t even have to draw a drawing.
These two keys are the reason why the United States actually creates little real wealth but has a lot of real wealth. It is also the basis for the United States to maintain prosperity and continue to grow even after its economy is hollowed out.
Now let’s go back to the beginning. What will happen if China’s economic aggregate exceeds that of the United States?
1. Changes in innovation capabilities
Innovation capabilities come from the cultivation and investment of talents. Both of these indicators increase with the growth of the economic aggregate. Due to purchasing power parity, China’s R&D investment is currently only one-third of that of the United States, but the number of patents applied for and the number of papers produced each year are already the same as those of the United States. Many technology companies such as Huawei and DJI have emerged that are ahead of their American counterparts. It can be estimated that when China’s R&D investment reaches 1/2 of the United States, their innovation capabilities will completely surpass the United States.
image 1
2. Changes in military strength
China’s military strength will gradually surpass that of the United States. Coupled with China’s strong manufacturing power, China’s military hardware growth rate and accumulation will gradually surpass that of the United States. Because of the complete localization of the economic structure, in terms of military assets, the return on China’s investment of 1 yuan and the United States on 1 dollar are close. Other countries will find that the stick in China’s hand is gradually surpassing that of the United States.
image
3. Changes in confidence
There will be a critical point in the balance of global mentality towards the United States and China. Gradually, all countries will think about a question: If China is the world’s largest customer and the world’s largest businessman, with the most powerful military and the best innovation capabilities, why do we still have to abide by the rules of the United States? Why do we need to continue using dollars?
When the third point starts to happen, it means that the avalanche effect is coming.
The United States will enter a period of rapid decline:
The credibility of the U.S. dollar has declined > the ability to transfer wealth has weakened > actual wealth has decreased > living standards have declined > social conflicts have increased > investment in innovation has decreased > brain drain > innovation capabilities have declined > the ability to transfer wealth continues to weaken > military strength is difficult to maintain > credibility continues to collapse.
At this time, China’s growth curve may still be flat, but the decline curve of the United States may become a “cliff.” The “per capita” level of both sides will change from “chasing with each other” to “one man’s loss is another man’s gain.”
This assumption is disastrous for the status of the United States, and it will frantically maintain its status at all costs.
This is not as easy as the questioner imagined, and may be a disaster for the whole world.
Here Is How The Pentagon Comes Up With Code Words And Secret Project Nicknames
We venture into the dark, fascinating, and often misunderstood world of the Defense Department’s code word and nickname generating processes. by Tim McMillan| UPDATED Dec 1, 2019 5:57 AM EST
If there’s one place one can find plenty of nicknames, it’s within the sprawling landscape of the armed forces. When it comes to the greater civilian world, there’s no historical precedent or agreed upon social norm for how someone or something gains a substitute informal title. However, given the Department of Defense’s fondness of rigid structure, it should be no surprise that when it comes to nicknames, there’s a policy for them, too.
Meet NICKA
Prior to 1975, names for military operations and projects were exclusively chosen at the behest of military commanders. As a result, within the annals of American military history one can find a diverse range of interesting titles from Operation Killer—a major 1951 counter-offensive during the Korean War—to Operation Beaver Cage—a U.S. Marine Corps operation that occurred during the spring of 1967 as part of the Vietnam War.
However, shortly after the close of the Vietnam War, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) decided it was time to formalize the use of code words and nicknames by unveiling the Code Word Nickname and Exercise Term System, colloquially known as NICKA.
For the Department of Defense (DoD), NICKA is both a set of policies governing the selection of defense monikers and a military-wide computer system that archives and prevents duplication of terms.
Important to note, NICKA is primarily used for Department of Defense-related endeavors. Many operations or programs emerging from within the intelligence community use their own separate naming system.
For example, the Central Intelligence Agency uses the Cryptonym system for developing code words and names. It is also worth noting that the National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) all use the NICKA system
NICKA outlines three distinctive types of monikers that can be used within the DoD:
Code Words
Nicknames
Exercise Terms
Code Words
In NICKA, acode word is a single word that’s assigned to any program or operational plan that’s classified confidential or higher. Each component agency in the Department of Defense are assigned blocks of code words by the Joint Staff. When needed, the NICKA computer program will randomly select and assign a code word from the originating agency’s allocated block of terms.
For example, in the lead up to the Gulf War, when the Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Armored Division needed a code word for their forward assembly area, the NICKA computer system pulled from one of the Army’s predetermined block designations and selected the amusingly mundane code word—LARRY.
Essentially a password for entry in an exclusive club, the preeminent role of code words is to restrict access to sensitive national security information to only those who have a need to know. Assisting security, a code word itself will be safeguarded by being classified by one of the three security classifications—confidential, secret, or top secret—based on the security level of the associated program.
Virtually anything conceivably classified, including programs, projects, locations, operations, objectives, missions, or plans, can be assigned a code word. One particular area code words can be highly prevalent is with Special Access Programs (SAP). As mentioned in The War Zone’s in-depth look at Special Access Programs, multiple components, sub-components, and projects can sprawl out from a single SAP “umbrella.” In this compartmentalized system of security, each of the different appendages of one SAP can potentially be assigned their own specific code word.
Once NICKA assigns a code word, it’s considered active. An active code word will remain unchanged for the life of a program and cannot be altered by its users. The one exception being if there’s a concern a code word had been compromised. In this instance, a new code word would be issued. Equally, in certain situations, an unclassified cover term may get applied to a program for counterintelligence purposes.
In addition to the obvious security and oversight reasons, the principal reason for a code word’s permanence relates to the significant role NICKA serves as an archive of all active and inactive code words. The system uses its database of terms to prevent any potential conflicts that could arise due to similarities or duplication of previous code words.
As a Department of Defense system, NICKA will only assign single-word code words. However, in some instances, the Pentagon may take over a project or program that originated outside of the DoD, such as from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Energy (DOE), commercial companies, or even foreign governments. In these instances, already assigned code words may not follow NICKA guidelines. In these occurrences, a program may be reassigned a new NICKA code word or the previous unregulated code name may be maintained.
Regardless, of whether it’s kept or not, the non-NICKA code name may still be added to the program’s database to stem off any future confusion or conflict.
For example, technically before NICKA’s time and not a DoD project, the 1960s A-12 reconnaissance plane was developed and operated under the CIA code word “OXCART”. However, Kelly Johnson and his pioneering team of engineers at Lockheed Skunk Works used the code word “ARCHANGEL” for the A-12. Furthering the spy plane’s eventual identity crisis, flight crews would nickname the A-12 “Cygnus.”
Though OXCART was the only officially assigned government code word, under NICKA, both the contract code word, “ARCHANGEL” and the A-12’s nickname “Cygnus,” would equally be archived to prevent duplicate use.
When it comes to code words. Many real-world military operations and programs, for example, “HAVE BLUE,“ “ACID GAMBIT,” “AUTUMN RETURN,” “SENIOR TREND,” or the infamous “YELLOW FRUIT,” are often reported as being the “code word” for a classified operation or program. However, per DoD and the Joint Chiefs NICKA policy, a code word always consist of just a single word. By NICKA, the above named examples would be “nicknames” and not code words.
This does not mean that multiple code words cannot apply to a certain entity. Any intelligence product that contains Top-Secret NATO information would carry the code word “COSMIC” in addition to any other applicable ones. Certain categories of sensitive activities can even involve code words that become intrinsically linked and enter common usage linked together. “TALENT,” an overarching code word for aerial intelligence-gathering assets, such as the U-2 Dragon Lady and SR-71 Blackbird spy planes, and “KEYHOLE,” which covers intelligence-gathering satellites, are no longer treated as separate from each other officially and one will routinely see documents marked “TALENT KEYHOLE,” or using the abbreviation “TK,” as a single term.
Nicknames
As we briefly mentioned, when it comes to the designation of nicknames, NICKA offers some flexibility and gives military commanders the ability to be a little more creative.
Whereas NICKA only assigns single-word code words, by policy, nicknames must be comprised of two separate words. Similar to the code word process, each DoD component agency is assigned a set of designated numerical block assignments by NICKA. In turn, the agency’s numerical block assignment will correspond to “alphabetical assignment list,” which is a range of two-letter alphabetical sets. The first word of any nickname must come from within an agency’s assigned alphabetical range.
For example, using the now obsolete and unclassified NICKA block assignments, if a program within the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) needed to come up with a nickname, one would start by identifying the four numerical blocks assigned to the DIA (15, 33, 51, and 76).
The next step would be identifying what ranges of two-letter combinations would be associated with an agency’s assigned blocks. Following along with the previous example, based on the alphabetical assignment list, the first word of a DIA program nickname would have to start with:
Block 15 – Letters DM – DR
Block 33 – Letters IA – IF
Block 51 – Letters MM-MR
Block 76 – Letters SS – SZ
When it comes to the second portion of the two-word requirement for nicknames, military planners have the unrestricted ability to get creative, provided phrases are not “improper” or “counterproductive.”
By NICKA guidelines, improper nicknames would be terms that are:
Inconsistent with traditional American ideals or current foreign policy.
Offensive to good taste or derogatory to a particular group, sect, or creed.
Offensive to U.S. allies or other free world nations.
Additionally, NICKA forbids nicknames from being:
Any two-word combination voice call sign found in the Joint Army Navy Air Force Publication Call Sign Book (JANAP-119).
Include the words, “Project, Exercise, or Operation.”
Words that may be used correctly either as a single word or as two words, such as “moonlight.”
Exotic words, trite expressions or well-known commercial trademarks.
By military standards—where one can often find rules for rules—NICKA guidelines on nicknames are fairly limited and debatably common sense. Thanks to the tempered flexibility NICKA gives to nicknames, the system still affords for some bellicose poetry like “Beast Master”—a 2006 Army operation to clear the Baghdad suburb of Ghazaliya—an area itself (unofficially) nicknamed “IED Alley East,” or “Viking Snatch”—a 2007 counterinsurgency operation in Iraq. Still, especially at lower levels of command and for short-duration operations, one still often sees nicknames that do not comply with NICKA, including ones with single words.
In contrast to code words, nicknames, including their descriptions, meanings, and relationship, are also, by policy, supposed to remain unclassified, though the branches of the U.S. military still routinely classify them on the ground of national security. In addition, NICKA guidelines stipulate nicknames are not required, but can be assigned to actual real-world events, projects, or activities. One caveat to “not required” being with Special Access Programs, which are required to have an unclassified nickname assigned to them.
Exercise Terms
Rounding out NICKA’s trifecta of officially sanctioned phrases, are exercise terms. As the name implies, exercise terms are monikers assigned to tests, drills, or exercises, which are assigned for the purpose of emphasizing the event is not an actual real-world operation. That said, the military has a bad habit of not sticking to DoD rules when it comes to publicizing or describing training exercises, often describing them as “operations.”
For example, “Llama Fury” was a week-long Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training exercise at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in late summer of 2015. By NICKA policies, Llama Fury should have carried the “exercise” moniker. However, in press releases, multiple Air Force Public Affairs Offices described the event as “Operation Llama Fury.”
Though technically their own classification, exercise terms are more or less an extension of NICKA nicknames, with their selection and regulation falling under the same agency assigned alphabetical block system as the nicknaming process.
Since some military training evolutions are regularly repeated, certain specific exercises will carry the same name with an added numerical postfix indicating the month or year the event occurs. For example, held annually from 2006 to 2018, some of the largest U.S. military war games ever performed in the Pacific Ocean were all conducted under the exercise term “Valiant Shield.” Since this training event was repeated for twelve-years, a four-digit identifier for the year training maneuvers were performed would accompany the exercise term, producing “Exercise Valiant Shield 2017,” and so on and so forth.
For exercises that occur multiple times in a fiscal year, like “Swift Response,” a large training event between the U.S. and its European allies, the second iteration of the exercise in 2017 would be called “Swift Response 17-2.”
Least ambiguous of NICKA’s trio, code words play an essential role safeguarding extremely sensitive secrets. However, when it comes to nicknames and exercise terms, this aspect of NICKA is arguably more significant.
For example, “Enduring Freedom,” (the U.S. Global War on Terrorism, though often applied solely to operations in Afghanistan), “Iraqi Freedom,” (the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation), or “Inherent Resolve,” (the U.S. military intervention in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS), are not merely nicknames, these phrases are meant to inspire and express the overarching intent of military involvement.
More than just iconic inscriptions on military ribbons, medals, and service records, the perceptions associated with a few major military nicknames or terms become ingrained in the public’s collective conscious and often end up being enduring aspects of American history.
So, there you have it. All those cool-sounding program nicknames, secretive code words, and intense sounding military exercises you probably heard of over the years, all likely came from a highly structured, yet obscure Department of Defense system puzzlingly named NICKA.
LIVE Cat Games – Entertainment for Cats to Watch 24/7
https://youtu.be/Uhrpf1Cjgq8
I Had a Night of Wild(ish) Sex on Horny Goat Weed, aka ‘Nature’s Viagra’
Does the supplement meet all the gas station and corner store hype? I popped a few capsules and fucked my boyfriend to find out
Male enhancement is more important to the marrow of American culture than anything else that makes this country great — like breastaurants or the Claire’s ear piercing kiosk. For those of you who still fuck unenhanced, the deal is: a number of pills, both prescription and not, have become available to boost your boner in recent decades. The gold standard is still Viagra, famously a happy accident in the manufacture of what was meant to be a pill for hypertension. Another famous option is Enzyte, which I know less for its effects than for its creepy-ass commercials featuring Bob, the guy who can’t stop fucking his wife now that he’s on Enzyte.
https://youtu.be/ghrWz7cVXv8
Then there are unlimited Great Value options for people who can’t or won’t get their boner pills from a doctor. Gas stations and corner stores have long sold pills that claim they can do everything from induce boners to increase your dick size to make you look upon the face of God. Such pills have largely been debunked as quack shit that does much more harm than good, but that’s just for people with dicks, right? Surely I, a humble pussy-haver, am safe from the array of troubling side effects ranging from “pain in dick” to “severe nausea.” (There’s not a self-respecting doctor in the world who would agree with that assessment, but fie on them, I say!)
The plant epimedium, more commonly known as horny goat weed, has sung its siren’s song to me from the Amazon supplement market for a long time. Other dick pills may come from Dr. Strangelove-esque laboratories, but horny goat weed is a humble plant — one that, per Chinese legend, a canny farmer noticed his goats were eating before fucking like crazy. According to the limited experiments that scientists have conducted, it might work, but most products that claim to contain it either don’t or contain only a negligible amount mixed in with numerous other extracts and compounds. Still, that uncertainty is the cost of admission not just with horny goat weed, but with all supplements on the market in the U.S.
Either way, the allure of potentially enjoying some of “nature’s molly” with my boyfriend was too strong to ignore. Sure, it might not work, but also, it might.
I proposed a romantic evening. We’d enjoy a home-cooked dinner for two with a couple glasses of a nice full-bodied Cab Sav. From there, I’d turn off the lights and pour us some after-dinner Madeira to enjoy by candlelight. I would then change into something a little more comfortable. And my lover would take me into his arms so that we could take the last step of our journey together: sex modified by two fistfuls of Dorado’s Maximum Strength Horny Goat Weed capsules, since that was the first brand I could find that didn’t pull up a strongly worded FDA warning when I Googled it.
My boyfriend was on board, but raised an interesting philosophical question: “How do we know it worked? Do we measure?”
I’m not the, ugh, dick-measuring kind of gal, and so, I decided that we’d have to stick with that least reliable of evidence: the self-reported kind. So without further ado, here are my self-reported, only-lightly-tampered-with results from my Evening With Horny Goat Weed… (As with all the experiments I perform on my body for MEL, don’t try this at home.)
The dosage instructions on the bottle were to “take two capsules a day,” and to “take an additional serving 30 minutes prior to activity.” We hadn’t been taking two capsules per day and didn’t know what a sudden jolt of 2,000 milligrams of horny goat weed would do to our systems, so we compromised with three capsules each. I thought it would be romantic to serve the capsules in champagne flutes, but then I remembered I don’t own any. I put them in shot glasses instead, which lent the project an air of, how shall I put it — Jonestown-ishness.
We took our doses together at 8 p.m. My boyfriend rejected the suggestion that we ingest them by wrapping our arms around each other wedding-toast-style, which was fair. He grabbed a beer from the fridge but then put it back, reasoning that “I shouldn’t drink tonight so that we have controlled data.”
“Does that mean I shouldn’t smoke weed tonight?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “You smoking weed is the controlled data.”
We spent the next several episodes of Midnight Mass in full “kids taking acid for the first time” mode: “Do you feel it yet? Do you feel it now? How about now?” Back and forth we went for well over an hour. The instruction to take this stuff a mere 30 minutes prior to Activity was starting to feel like a prank. I did note that I felt particularly horny for the sheriff character on Midnight Mass every time he appeared onscreen, which was an encouraging step in the right direction, until my boyfriend pointed out that I probably just felt that way because he was so handsome.
Finally, at 9:30 p.m., a full 90 minutes after “dosing,” my boyfriend suggested that we go ahead and fuck. “Maybe the horny goat weed doesn’t kick in until the Activity starts,” he said. This sounded insane to me, but I also know nothing whatsoever about pharmacology, so I agreed.
The post-Activity verdict is that I’m not convinced the horny goat weed did anything. But I’m also not convinced that it didn’t! I engage in this stuff with a hearty degree of skepticism. On the one hand, I do believe in the research that tells us most of the salutary effects people claim to experience from their supplements are primarily attributable to the placebo effect, maybe with some lifestyle boosters thrown in if you also believe that the sorts of people who religiously take supplements are more likely than the average person to exercise regularly and forswear heavy smoking and drinking. (I certainly believe this latter hypothesis, based on my highly scientific study of the B-complex-poppin’ broads in a barre class I took once.)
On the other hand, something was going on with the Activity we had after taking horny goat weed. What the experiment lacked in measurable physical effects, it more than made up for in over an hour of wild sex. Maybe the sex was so heightened because we knew we’d taken something that was intended to enhance it, and felt duly enhanced as a result. Or maybe there really is some magic in that old silk hat that is horny goat weed. It’s played its part in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. Would people really do the same thing for thousands of years if it didn’t work?
Well, yes, probably, so that line of thinking doesn’t help me conclude this experiment, either.
Nonetheless, the next day, my boyfriend said, “You know, I’d be down to take that stuff again and have more sex.” I agreed. And surely any experiment that ends in me having more sex is a successful experiment, right?
So my conclusion is, horny goat weed: The world is burning, so I guess I might as well.
OMG This New Footage Of Aliens And UFO’s Is Amazing
https://youtu.be/R0YSZTzaTQM
How To Not Lose Your Cool During An Argument
January 22, 2024
It’s happened to most of us – emotions run high during a disagreement and you end up saying or doing things you later regret. Yelling, accusing, or even worse, can damage trust and connection in relationships.
Maintaining composure during an argument is not just about self-control; it’s about fostering effective communication, respect, and ultimately, stronger relationships. Here’s how you can master the art of keeping your cool during heated moments.
1. Recognize the Signs of Escalation
Before you can prevent a volcano from erupting, you need to recognize its warning signs. Pay attention to your body’s signals. Increased heart rate, a rise in body temperature, or a clenched jaw can all indicate that your emotions are escalating. By recognizing these signs early, you can take proactive steps to remain calm.
2. Pause and Breathe
It sounds simple, but the power of a pause coupled with deep breathing is profound. Our bodies are hardwired for the fight-or-flight response when faced with conflict. This means adrenaline surges, heart rate skyrockets, and rational thought takes a vacation to Mars. But before you launch into a tirade that would make a sailor blush, take a deep breath (or ten). Inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly expand. Exhale slowly through your mouth, imagining all the tension whooshing out with each breath. Repeat. This simple act activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the calming counterpoint to fight-or-flight, and brings you back to a more rational state.
3. Listen Actively
In the heat of an argument, we often listen to respond rather than to understand. Shift your focus to truly hearing the other person. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, but understanding their perspective can change the tone of the conversation and lead to more constructive outcomes.
Repeat and paraphrase. Restating what you heard shows you’re listening and delays an impulsive response. “I hear you saying I don’t contribute enough, is that correct?”
4. Use “I” Statements
Express your feelings and thoughts without placing blame or judgment on the other person. Statements like “I feel frustrated when…” are less likely to provoke defensiveness than “You always…” This approach keeps the conversation centered on your experience rather than pointing fingers.
Don’t make it personal. Criticize the action, not the person. Say “I wish you had consulted me before deciding” not “You’re so inconsiderate.”
5. Keep the Goal in Mind
Remind yourself of the argument’s objective. Is it to win, to prove a point, or to reach a mutual understanding? Keeping the ultimate goal in mind can help steer the conversation away from unnecessary tangents and personal attacks.
6. Agree to Disagree
Sometimes, the best resolution is to respectfully acknowledge your differences. Not every argument will end with a clear winner or a unified opinion, and that’s okay. Agreeing to disagree can be a mature way to conclude a heated discussion without escalating emotions further.
7. Practice Empathy
Try to see the situation from the other person’s perspective. Empathy doesn’t require you to abandon your stance, but it fosters a more compassionate and understanding environment, making it easier for all parties to keep their cool.
8. Know When to Walk Away
If the argument is spiraling and productive communication is no longer possible, it might be time to step away. If you need to, say “I’m feeling too upset to discuss this calmly” and leave the room. Walk away to decompress before continuing.
Taking a break allows everyone involved to cool down, reflect, and revisit the discussion later with a clearer, calmer mindset
The Takeaway
Arguments are not inherently negative; they can be catalysts for growth, understanding, and change. The key is not to avoid them but to navigate them with composure and respect. By mastering the art of keeping your cool, you transform conflicts into opportunities for strengthening relationships and building mutual respect. Remember, it’s not about suppressing your emotions but about expressing them in a way that is constructive rather than destructive. So, the next time you find yourself in the heat of an argument, take a deep breath, and remember these strategies. Your relationships will thank you for it.
I was at a yard sale once, and came across a glass jar of large marbles that had funny little figures of animals in them.
image 229
A friend of mine collected marbles, so I thought I’d buy them and give them to him to be funny. I think I paid $2 or so.
A week later, I visited my friend, and pulled out the jar, and asked him what he thought of my find. He went nearly white, and started pulling large books down off his shelves. An hour later, he had identified just about every last one. I could see the longing in his eyes. I asked if he wanted them. He looked at his price lists he’d written down, and said he couldn’t afford them. I said I’d just give them to him, but he refused that, too. Finally, I suggested he buy them from me for half price. He was delighted. At the end of the night, after sorting, cleaning, and classifying each one, he offered me $50 . . .
. . . per marble.
EDIT: More than half the comments ask what these were. They were very rare Sulphide Marbles, and they looked a lot nicer than the ones pictured here.
As for the people saying “Some friend you are!” . . . trust me, it was a compromise. He made even more on the deal than I did, and we’re still friends.
When you give me the “can you fix my computer” call, the call means something different to me than it means to you.
To me, it means I will have to stay up all night, buy and try and swap replacement parts, image and restore your hard drive, remove all the malware, replace the cap on the motherboard that is clearly about to blow, and make your computer work the way you imagine it once did, all while ignoring my other family members, my paying work and life commitments.
At my standard rates I would typically charge around $4,000 to fix your seven year old virus-ridden Dell. Your seven year old virus-ridden Dell isn’t worth $100 on Ebay. Should I tell you that? Will you think I am lying or making the $4,000 number up? I am not. You will think I am insulting you if I tell you I make $4,000 for similar work. You are too cheap and too poor to pay me anywhere near that much though.
Of course I could always send you to Geek Squad. They would of course stupidly and automatically reformat your hard drive and reinstall the OS. If I do that, you will lose all your bank records and baby pictures permanently, to vastly less competent technicians than myself. They would take your money and destroy your data, and they would not even fix the true source of the problem. And you would be very, very, very sad.
And I would know in my heart I could have helped you, but didn’t.
No. I won’t do that to you.
I will take pity on you because you are clearly panicking and unable to eat, sleep or breathe until I save you and your data.
For you, and you alone, I will do a first-rate professional forensic data recovery and reinstallation. I’ll image the non-booting drive, work around all the bad sectors, copy it onto a virtual machine, extract your baby pictures and Quicken data, install a new non-shitty hard drive, reinstall all the apps and operating system and your recovered data (sans viruses and spyware), replace the dying fan, update the BIOS, and I will furthermore provide you with an external drive and teach you how to back up your system regularly with it.
Disappointingly, you will fuck up your computer again in a few years, when you refuse to take my advice and do regular backups on the backup drive that I bought for you, specifically for that purpose.
And when your piece of shit computer fails again, you will call me. Panicking. Again.
And the agonizing cycle will repeat.
Being the computer expert in the family is like being the doctor in the family, except you’re the surgeon and everyone expects you to operate on them constantly, suddenly, perfectly, AND pay for the operating room and sedatives and hospital recovery, AND you still consistently refuse to follow my medical advice.
I do all this, for free, because you are so thankful afterwards.
I do all this, for free, because I love you.
I just wish you weren’t so fucking stupid about computers sometimes.
Single, Childless Men Are Saying A Hard No To Single Mothers Looking For A New Man For Support
My former roommate was experiencing bleeding, although she was several years past menopause. Her PCP refused to do any testing because she was over 65 and suggested that she have a hearing test instead. Next stop was an OB/GYN that told her it couldn’t be the fibroids she had dealt with her whole adult life because those would have disappeared at menopause and sent her home without even checking her. The third, again with no tests, said she must have scratched herself “down there” and also sent her home.
Janet is a private person and didn’t mention any of this to me until the third brush off. I was furious and demanded that she see my PCP. She just went in for an initial consult and my doctor had he on the table for an exam immediately. Then she was sent for an ultrasound that found fibroids equaling a five-month pregnancy. The scheduled a hysterectomy where they found an inflamed fallopian tube. The biopsy of that reveled cancer cells, but only a couple.
Janet opted to go through preventative chemo and is cancer free eight years later. If she had followed the advice of the three prior doctors, the cancer would never have been caught and I doubt she would be alive today.
Ukraine SitRep: No Chance To Win – Zero Democracy – Power Scuffle
There are a few new reports and news bites from Ukraine which are of interest.
Stephen Biddle, a professor who was written on strategy and military power from a realist standpoint, looks at the state of the war In Ukraine.
By late spring, the Russians had adopted the kind of deep, prepared defenses that have been very difficult for attackers to break through for more than the last century of combat experience. Breakthrough has been—and still is—possible in land warfare. But this has long required permissive conditions that are now absent in Ukraine: a defender, in this case Russia, whose dispositions are shallow, forward, ill prepared, or logistically unsupported or whose troops are unmotivated and unwilling to defend their positions. That was true of Russian forces in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson in 2022. It is no longer the case.
The implications of this for Ukraine are grim. Without an offensive breakthrough, success in land warfare becomes an attrition struggle. A favorable outcome for Ukraine in a war of attrition is not impossible, but it will require its forces to outlast a numerically superior foe in what could become a very long war.
Biddle does not expand from there.
But we know that the current Russian disposition of waging an ‘active defense’ is delivering day by day some small progress along the whole front.
Ukraine’s artillery losses have become smaller because it simply lacks the munitions to fire. A cannon that can not fire stops to be a priority target.
First Person View (FBV) drones have became a major cause of all losses. Ukraine was first to use those but Russia has since rapidly ramped up their production. Meanwhile Ukraine is still lagging. Each day hundreds of these drones clear Ukrainian positions without causing significant losses for the attacking Russian side.
In the New Yorker Masha Gesses takes a look at the political scene in Kiev:
Ukraine’s Democracy in Darkness – (archived) – The New Yorker With elections postponed and no end to the war with Russia in sight, Volodymyr Zelensky and his political allies are becoming like the officials they once promised to root out: entrenched.
Gessen finds that democracy in Ukraine, if it still exists, is in a sorry state:
Such was the state of Ukraine as it entered its third consecutive winter at war: still battling the demon of corruption, still defiant, yet visibly reduced, palpably tired. … In the meantime, in Ukraine, democracy is largely suspended. According to the regular order of things, Ukraine should have a Presidential election in March. Up until the end of November—a few weeks before the deadline for scheduling the election—Zelensky’s office seemed open to having one, but ultimately decided against it. “We shouldn’t have elections, because elections always create disunity,” Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former defense minister who now advises the government, told me. “We need to be unified.”
An estimated four to six million Ukrainians are living under Russian occupation. At least four million are living in E.U. countries, a million more are living in Russia, and at least half a million are living elsewhere outside of Ukraine. Another four million have been internally displaced. These figures include a significant number of people who became adults after the war began and aren’t registered to vote. “Elections are a public discussion,” Oleksandra Romantsova, the executive director of Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties, which shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, told me. “But a third of the population is connected with the military. Another third is displaced.” With so many people excluded from the public discussion, what would an election even mean? …”
All power in Ukraine has been concentrated in the President’s office:
At the start of the war, when Russia was bombing Kyiv daily, the parliament had to consider the risks of continuing to hold meetings in its building, which has a glass roof. It decided to do so, but to vote only on bills that a majority wanted to bring to the floor, and to limit discussion of amendments. This effectively shifted the center of legislative work to the President’s office. Among other bills, the parliament approved the declaration of martial law, introduced by Zelensky on the first day of the war, and has regularly renewed it. Martial law enables the cabinet of ministers to control who can enter and leave the country—since the start of the war, men under the age of sixty have been forbidden to leave—and to regulate the work of all media outlets, printing presses, and distribution companies.
Zelensky’s office created the United News TV Marathon, a round-the-clock program of war-related news and talk shows, supplanting what had been a vibrant and varied television news market. The segments appear on six of Ukraine’s major channels and, at any given time, all of them are showing the same thing. Despite its name, United Marathon was clearly designed to be a sprint. In the early months of the war, the programming had a sense of urgency, of novelty and shock. Now even the worst days—when Russia fires a barrage of rockets that kill civilians across the country—are like all the other terrible days, when people are killed in the same way, in more or less the same places. There is little to analyze anymore. “The one thing all Ukrainians agree on is that we need an end to the Marathon,” Romantsova told me.
Other government-controlled media target an international audience.
An example of the power struggle around the presidential office could be witnessed yesterday.
Around noon several reliable political sources in Ukraine reported that President Zelensky had signed a decree to fire the Commander in Chief General Zaluzny. Hours later the Ministry of Defense denied that Zaluzny was fired.
From information gained since we can somewhat reconstruct what had happened.
Zaluzny had been ordered into the President’s office. He was asked to write his resignation. As consolation gift he would receive an ambassadorship in some western European country.
Zaluzny rejected the request and insisted of getting fired or being allowed to stay in place.
Zelenski had planned to promote the Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence in Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov as the new Commander in Chief.
Here is where I believe that other high officers, and likely also the U.S. military, stepped in.
Budanov has been in special forces intelligence from the very beginning of his career. He has never commanded anything larger than a group. Not a platoon, not a company, not a battalion, not a brigade, not a division and not a corp. How can someone who has zero experience in leading actual force formations supposed to be the commander of all Ukrainian forces including the army, air-force and navy?
It is impossible.
Budanov seems to be somewhat loyal to Zelenski (though I bet he really isn’t). He is handsome and looks good on camera. He is a smooth talker. He is also a creative and talented terrorist. His actual military operations though, like the ground raids into Belgograd, have mostly been mediocre failures.
I am pretty sure that the Pentagon and even the White House may have called Kiev and stopped Zelenski from implementing such nonsense.
Zaluzny will, for now, stay in his position.
But the whole affair will have diminished the military’s view of Zelenski and his consorts. In just one day a military coup In Kiev has suddenly become much more possible. As further the military situation deteriorates the higher are the chances that it will eventually happen. ———–
Posted by b on January 30, 2024 at 13:18 UTC | Permalink
Man Humbles A Room Full Of Women| You Owe Him BOX If He Pays!
https://youtu.be/ZPzB5IidD_I
Thinkers OUTSIDE the United States Say “Civil War in U.S. is Inevitable”
Alexander Dugin is a renowned thinker in Russia. He has made remarks about the ongoing events between Texas and the Biden Regime and he thinks Civil War in the USA is now “inevitable.” Here’s his thoughts:
In America, the birthplace of pragmatism, pragmatism has vanished. The globalists, especially under the Biden regime, represent an extreme form of a globalist dictatorship, severing ties with the typically American tradition established by Charles Peirce and William James.
The tradition of pragmatism was based on a complete indifference to the prescription of normative content for both the subject and object. For a true pragmatist, the perceptions of the subject about itself, the object, or another subject are irrelevant — what matters is that everything functions effectively upon interaction.
However, globalists differ significantly, aligning more closely with British positivists and French fervent materialists. They persist with totalitarian brutality, dictating who and what should conform to their prescriptions.
To a pragmatist, it is inconsequential whether one changes their gender or remains the same, as long as it works for them. In contrast, globalists mandate gender changes, enforcing this through law and promoting it as a universal, progressive value. Anyone who opposes this view is labelled a ‘fascist’, or likened to Trump or Putin. They will insist on this approach, irrespective of its efficacy or self-defeating nature. Surprisingly, globalists share many traits with Ukrainians — an unsettling resemblance.
When globalists decide to increase illegal immigration, they relentlessly pursue this agenda, branding those advocating regulated immigration or border control as ‘fascists’, Trump supporters, or Putin agents. They press on with their prescriptive policies to the extreme, even if they prove utterly ineffective. For a globalist, anyone who disagrees with their viewpoint effectively does not — and should not — exist.
Hence, one can be certain that the progressives from the Democratic Party and the neoconservatives from both parties — just as obstinate and disconnected from pragmatism, realism, or traditional conservatism, thus alienating America’s true essence – are steering the country towards an inevitable civil war.
They refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue, disregarding whether their policies work or not. Their focus remains fixated on enforcing their ideals: transgender rights, illegal immigration, pro-choice stances, open borders, green energy, and artificial intelligence.
This represents a profound philosophical contradiction within the American system. Today, America is governed by those deeply out of touch with its identity, and thus, a new civil war in the USA seems inevitable. The globalists are set to ensure its outbreak.
Translated by Constantin von Hoffmeister
JRE | 40 years ago, a KGB defector chillingly predicted modern America
https://youtu.be/5oYAyX_YVWU
Chicken Parma
Our inspired rendition of the classic Chicken Parmigiana. Tender chicken cutlets, encrusted with Parmesan cheese and seasonings, are topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella.
2024 01 31 20 32
Ingredients
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning
Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning on plate.
Moisten chicken lightly with water. Coat evenly with bread crumb mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat.
Cook 1/2 of the chicken pieces for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Transfer chicken to foil-lined 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding remaining 1 tablespoon oil if necessary. Spoon sauce evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Serve with cooked spaghetti, if desired.
Prep: 15 min | Cook: 25 min | Servings: 4
Nutritional information (amount per serving) Total Calories: 398 Sodium: 478mg Fat: 22g Carbohydrates: 13g Cholesterol: 100mg Protein: 37g Fiber: 1g
We had a patient in our practice who came in with a badly infected tooth that needed a root canal right away. My partner examined him and warned him to start that day. He was unconvinced and said he wanted to wait, even declining his offer for a prescription. That patient was also a friend of my partner’s family and, wouldn’t you know it, there was a death in his family only one day later. I walked into the funeral home chapel and my partner greeted me. Ten minutes later, that patient walked in, with noticeable swelling that had reached to right under his left eye. When he saw us, he quickly walked away from us to the corner of the room. My partner finally went over to him and the man said, “I’m so sorry, doctor, you were right and I deserve what I have”. We called in a prescription for pain meds and antibiotics for him right away a he came in 2 days later.
Wife COMPLAINS The Open Marriage She Wanted Isn’t Fair As Husband Is Treating His GF Better Than Her
https://youtu.be/gRCWAf-cjK0
Stop Deluding Yourselves! NESARA/GESARA, Like “Q” and “Q Anon” and “Q Storm,” is a Fraud
We’ve all heard about “The White Hats” from “Q”, and “Q Anon” and “Q Storm”, which tell readers a secret group of high level people in the military is going to “save the country.” It’s all lies. Another such lie is the NESARA/GESARA thing. More delusion. Stop deluding yourself!
According to Wikipedia: The National Economic Security and Recovery Act (NESARA) is a set of proposed economic reforms for the United States suggested during the 1990s by private citizen Harvey Francis Barnard. Barnard claimed that the proposals, which included replacing the income tax with a national sales tax, abolishing compound interest on secured loans, and returning to a bimetallic currency, would result in 0% inflation and a more stable economy. The proposals were never introduced before Congress.
Since the early 2000s, NESARA has become better known as the subject of a cult-like conspiracy theory whose original promoter was Internet personality Shaini Candace Goodwin, better known as “Dove of Oneness”. Goodwin, who appropriated the NESARA notions without Barnard’s consent, claimed that the act was actually passed with additional provisions as the National Economic Security and Reformation Act, and then suppressed by the George W. Bush administration and the Supreme Court. Goodwin’s conspiracy emails were translated into several languages and had a large following online.[1] Adherents to the theory have also been using the name GESARA (standing either for Global Economic Security and Recovery Act[2] or Global Economic Security and Reformation Act[3]) in order to extend the proposed NESARA reforms outside the US and to the rest of the world.[3]
Monetary reform proposal
Harvey Francis Barnard (1941–2005), an engineering consultant and teacher with a PhD in systems theory, created the NESARA proposal during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[4] Barnard printed 1,000 copies of his proposal, titled Draining the Swamp: Monetary and Fiscal Policy Reform (1996), and sent copies to members of Congress, believing it would pass quickly on its merits. Based on a theory that debt is the number one economic factor inhibiting the growth of the economy, and compound interest the number one “moral evil” and reason for debt, Barnard made several other attempts during the 1990s to draw political attention to the problems he saw in the US economy, and his suggested economic recovery proposal based on the root causes he determined. After Barnard’s efforts to gain political support did not succeed, he decided in 2000 to release his proposal to the public domain and publish it on the Internet. Barnard established the NESARA Institute in 2001, and published the second edition of his book in 2005, retitling it Draining the Swamp: The NESARA Story – Monetary and Fiscal Policy Reform.[1][5]
Conspiracy theory
Dove of Oneness
Soon after Barnard released NESARA on the Internet, a user known as “Dove of Oneness” began posting about it in forums and eventually created a website devoted to it. “Dove of Oneness” was later identified as Shaini Candace Goodwin, a former student of Ramtha’s School of Enlightenment.[1] Goodwin claimed that the NESARA bill languished in Congress before finally being passed by a secret session in March 2000 and signed by President Bill Clinton. Her theory held that the new law was to be implemented at 10 a.m. on September 11, 2001, but that the computers, and data (of the beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars of “Prosperity funds”) were destroyed on the second floor of one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City during the terrorist attacks. Supposedly an earlier gag order issued by the Supreme Court had prohibited any official or private source from discussing it, under penalty of death.[1] Goodwin referred to “White Knights,” most of them high-ranking military officials, who have since been struggling to have the law implemented despite opposition by President George W. Bush. Goodwin purported that Bush orchestrated the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War as distractions from NESARA.[6][7]
Goodwin’s description of NESARA goes far beyond Barnard’s proposal by cancelling all personal debts, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, declaring world peace, and requiring new presidential and congressional elections. Goodwin often claimed that Bush officials were attempting to hack into and bring down her web site to prevent her from publicizing the law.[8] She would purport to be connected with powerful authorities and used authoritative language, publishing messages in which she “ordered” the “White Knights” to enforce NESARA.[9]
Goodwin began commenting on NESARA in connection with Omega Trust, a fraudulent investment scheme whose creator, Clyde Hood, was on trial at the time. According to Goodwin, Omega Trust investors would receive their returns after NESARA was announced.[1][10] Goodwin repeatedly predicted that the NESARA announcement would occur in the very near future,[11][12][13] although in later years she became more reserved in these predictions.[14]
Barnard became aware of Goodwin’s description of NESARA before his death in 2005. He denied that NESARA had been enacted into law or even assigned a tracking number, and condemned Goodwin’s allegations as a disinformation campaign.[15]
Goodwin promoted the NESARA theory until her death in 2010.[16]
Further developments
After Goodwin began commenting on NESARA, other Internet-based conspiracy theorists latched onto it. One supporter, Sheldan Nidle, ties the imminent NESARA announcement into his years-old prophecy of an imminent large scale UFO visitation by benevolent aliens (occasionally on his website reports, but more prominently in his videos,[17] seminars and public appearances). Jennifer Lee, who used to publish internet NESARA status reports almost daily[18] on her now defunct site, discussed a host of other-worldly and “interdimensional” beings who are helping behind the scenes to get NESARA announced. Late Internet conspiracy theorist Sherry Shriner, who operated multiple websites, saw NESARA as linked to malevolent reptiloid aliens she asserted long controlled the U.S. government.[19]
Some NESARA supporters also make the claim that otherworldly beings are working to get NESARA announced. These include a “channeled” cosmic being called “Hatonn”[20] (an androidPleiadean), and another named “Sananda”. According to some proponents of Ascended Master Teachings, such as Joshua David Stone, Sheldan Nidle, and Luis Prada, “Sananda” is the “galactic name” of Ascended Master Jesus, which he uses in his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Ashtar Command flying saucer fleet. “Pallas Athena” is regarded as being the Vice-Commander of the saucer fleet. Ashtar (Ashtar Sheran) is regarded in these teachings as being third-in-command.[21] The designation of George W. Bush as a disguised reptilian often co-occurred with this claim.[22] Goodwin has claimed that Ascended Master Saint Germain came down from the etheric plane to physically meet with heads of banks and world leaders regarding the NESARA announcement.[23][24]
Followers of the NESARA conspiracy theory began using the name “GESARA” in the mid-2010s, by referencing the set of reforms as a “Global” – and not “National” – Economic Security and Reformation Act. They notably claimed that several East Asian groups were involved in enforcing the reforms worldwide, including the purported “White Dragon Society” which would benefit from fundings by “the successors of the last Chinese Emperor, Pu Yi“. One prominent advocate of “GESARA” has been a blogger based in the UK and going by the name “Alcuin Bramerton”. In 2020, “Bramerton” asserted that the “NESARA global prosperity programmes” were about to be announced and activated through an entity called the “Saint Germain World Trust” which would provide “one quattuordecillion US dollars” to “zero out (permanently cancel) all personal, corporate and national debts worldwide” and that further money would be provided to the “White Dragon Society” by the “Manchu family syndicate”.[3]
NESARA groups are known for certain to exist and to have attracted press attention in Utah,[25][26] and the Netherlands.[27] Members of these groups get together to discuss the status of NESARA, read the various reports, hold protests, and pass out fliers about NESARA to the public. Goodwin claimed that NESARA groups exist throughout several nations and US states including California, Washington, Arizona, and Texas, and provides hundreds of pieces of photographic evidence of people in public protests holding NESARA banners,[28][29] but it is not clear to what degree the people holding the banners are aware of what NESARA is, or for how long these groups were active. The News Tribune has traced the story behind at least some of these photos (photos of trucks driving around Washington, D.C. bearing the words “NESARA Announcement Now!”), and found that they were part of a $40,000 advertising campaign allegedly paid for by an elderly San Francisco resident who had made donations to Goodwin.[27]
NESARA’s concepts have also been incorporated by other conspiracy theories. In 2022, Bellingcat compared NESARA/GESARA to a “grandfather” of QAnon and reported that as QAnon’s iconography and concepts were declining in popularity, its adherents were becoming more and more invested in NESARA concepts and reviving that older movement.[2] People involved with the sovereign citizen movement have also subscribed to NESARA-related theories.[30]
Comparison to a cult and scam accusations
Critics consider NESARA to be a cult. Pointing to the fact that Goodwin, Lee, and Nidle frequently solicited donations from their readers, they accuse these leaders of being primarily interested in securing a steady stream of income for themselves.[31][32][33] Goodwin, who also asked readers to donate their frequent flyer miles,[34] claimed that she needed and had used the funds to travel to various locations around the world to secretly meet with high-level government officials about getting NESARA announced.[34][35] In 2004, The News Tribune published an article which called Goodwin a “cybercult queen” and described the NESARA phenomenon as a scam.[1]
A June 2006 complaint to the Washington consumer protection division accused Goodwin of using the NESARA story to defraud a 64-year-old San Francisco woman of at least $10,000. The woman’s daughter said the actual amount is much larger, in the hundreds of thousands.[27]
The prominence of failed prophecy also lends support to the cult theory. NESARA supporters often tell their readers that the NESARA announcement is going to happen in a matter of days. According to the documentary Waiting For NESARA, the claim was also made prior to March 2003 that George Bush was planning the war with Iraq only to further delay the NESARA announcement. It was prophesied that spiritual beings and UFOs would intervene with Bush’s plans and prevent the war.[25]
^ Ward, Suzy (July 18, 2005). “Special NESARA Edition”. The Matthew Books. Retrieved 2007-09-25. Ward claims to write books that are “channeled” from her son, Matthew, who died in April, 1980 at the age of 17. The message cited is claimed to be channeled through a higher level “cosmic being” named “Hatonn”
Even if you don’t believe the Wikipedia information and sourced citations beneath it, the whole idea that NESARA is somehow “secretly signed into law by Bill Clinton,” is totally absurd. Here in the United States, there is no such thing as a secret law. There can’t be. If it is secret, how would anyone know to obey it? How would anyone avoid breaking it? The whole notion is stupid.
Yet there are literally thousands of people who buy into this crap on its face. STOP BEING STUPID.
My dad was a bricklaying contractor (in the UK), think in the US that would be a stonemason? , He used to get letters from guys in prison saying they were getting out and could they have a job.
My dad consistently hired some of these guys, they were hod carriers, they were dirt workers and they earned good money for a good day’s work.
I remember an argument on site as one guy basically wanted to steal some stuff and one of the ex-cons was arguing with him (and it was about to get ugly) that you steal from others, but not from the guy who has helped you with work when you are out of prison.
As a teenager, I learned a lot from the felons who worked in construction. Every one of them did nothing but tell me to stay in school and go to college and work. One of them showed me the math of how even doing a bank job wouldn’t make you more than having a job for the 20 years you would spend in prison.
I learned not to swear at people, I did it once and one of the felons smacked me so hard I fell over, he helped me up and told me never to lose my temper with people and swear and shout unless I was willing and able to fight.
One of them, in particular, was a bad guy, he made no bones about it, beatings and at least one murder that he was suspected in. He worked harder to make sure I knew to stay in school and go get a real job and if he mentioned drugs once he must have mentioned them a million times.
Some felons should be locked up and have the key thrown away but most of the ones I have met in construction and later when I worked in a bar, knew they had done wrong and didn’t want anyone else going down the same path.
Felons get jobs by convincing someone to give them a chance and then not screwing it up for the next guy.
I and two other people were hired for the support department of a new financial software product. My job was to work with the developers on enhancements. The other two were software and hardware support. None of us knew UNIX, and that’s all this company used. PCs and MS-DOS were relatively common then, but not at this company. So, we had a sheet of commands to learn and the chief developer was training us.
“What’s this” said the prospective hardware guy when he saw the “wall” command. “That’s Write ALL” said the C.D. It puts a message in the message line of all the terminals on the system. But … don’t use it. That’s only for the System Admin or me, if they want us to broadcast a message to everyone.
Two weeks later, a Friday afternoon around 4:00 PM (office closes at 5:00) we all get a “REPORT TO CONF RM ASAP” followed by “ALL STAFF NO EXCEPTION”. We all come flying out of our offices and into the combined conference/reception area. Four developers, the two QA people, the office manager, the receptionist, myself and I think my two colleagues are behind me. We’re all looking at the CIO’s door, and that comes flying open.
“What’s this all about” he says, turning to the office manager. “No idea,” she says and the C.D. says the same. Next a phone call from corporate in Los Angeles. A very angry chairman is asking the CIO what the F*** is going on. Where did this message come from. He’s headed back to the office right now and there’d better be answers for him when he gets there.
Now we’re all puzzled. You see this was 1990 and we all knew stories of companies firing whole staffs. Often enough it was just like this: call everyone in and group fire them. But if the chairman didn’t know what was going on … ????
Now we’re looking around and it finally dawns on everyone. We’re all there except for the new hardware tech. The CIO is now looking at the software support person and me. We both say “He was here an hour ago. Never said anything to us about leaving.” By this point, the CIO had asked the SysAdmin to trace the message.
Yes … that’s who sent it. He (so we learned) realized he’d made a big mistake as soon as he hit enter. He thought his little prank would give us a nice little jolt for a Friday afternoon. He never thought we’d take it seriously. So when he heard us all scramble for the conference room while one of the QA people said “this is how they fired everyone where I worked before this. Here we go again …” he knew he was in trouble.
He claimed that he hid in the bathroom in the hallway for a few minutes. He figured we’d all go back to our desks a few minutes later, realizing it was just a prank. But when he came back in, he saw we were still in the conference room and he heard some angry voices. He says he grabbed his coffee cup and hat, and left for good.
His plan (after his prank blew over as he thought it would) was to talk to the supervisor privately. He’d admit that he did it, take his talking to and life would go on. He claims he never expected a company wide firestorm. In part, he didn’t realize that this message would pop up on every terminal in corporate HQ.
Modern Women Frustrated About Men Refusing To APPROACH Them “Women Hitting The Wall”
Start every phone call with “My battery is almost dead”. That way you can hang up on them at any time.
Want to cut into another lane of traffic but nobody will let you in? Cut in front of a Tesla, autopilot will force the car to stop.
Hit the space bar twice for a full stop, and the next letter will be automatically capitalized too.
If you can’t think of a word, say “I forget the English word for it”. That way people will think you’re bilingual instead of an idiot.
If the person sitting in front of you on a flight reclines their seat all the way back and leaves you with no room, turn on the air con above you to full blast and point it at the top of their head.
The best way to charge your phone faster is by switching it to airplane mode before plugging it in.
Wet your nail clippers before using them. Your clippings won’t fly everywhere.
Drive around with broken, expensive items in your car.
If you’d like to use emojis on your Mac desktop, simply press Control + Command + Spacebar to open the emoji menu.
Whenever buying something online, try using the coupon code “military”. Many sites have a military discount and don’t require any proof of military service.
From being the most effective and efficient manufacturing to having the most reliable and effective batteries to having the world’s biggest market by far, even bigger than the rest of the world’s EV market put together to a government and industry leader that has been farsighted and supportive for generations planning to convert ICE to EV.
China unlike the U.S. is not torn between protecting the oil barons and protecting the environment. China decided to skip investment on ICE all together because it sees EVs as the future. GM’s as well as most major car manufacturers is torn between conserving and protecting their well refined ICE technologies and making the shift to EV.
China even corner the most crucial materials and technologies needed to produce EV’s BYD is the only battery manufacturer cum vehicle producer rolled into one. What is worst is China produces everything at a third of US cost!
Their CEO are paid 1% of US CEO, their workers are paid a fifth of western workers who demand 10 times more rights and benefits but are willing to work half as hard! There is no way on earth that U.S. can compete. Chinese government focus fully on helping its people and build the best infrastructure. The U.S. focus on forever wars!
Texas Warned EVERYONE…This Crisis Is OFFICIALLY Unstoppable
Dogs in Shenzhen are a real trip. I must tell you all, these pooches have to be the most catered to, and pampered animals in the world. They get hair styling, fingernails, their own clothes, carriages and backpacks.
Many, many years ago I was working at Godfather’s Pizza. One of our assistant managers was a real jerk. One of his endearing habits was making sexist remarks. I found that the way to shut him up was to add into the conversation topics that he just couldn’t handle. Like one day when a song by The Who was playing. I altered the words and sang to him “Talking ’bout my menstruation”. Another time he was being rather condescending, lecturing the kitchen staff, and mentioned the cleaning towels. He said “We DON’T use RAGS!” and I said “I do!”
Which reminds me of a time with this guy I was dating briefly. We had just had dinner at a restaurant on our way back to town, and before leaving, he said “I’m going to visit the porcelain altar.” When he came back from the restroom, I asked “Did he accept your sacrifice?” He answered “With open mouth”. So then it was my turn. When I came back to the booth, I said “I gave a blood sacrifice”. I don’t know why he thought his answer was so witty, but mine was horribly disgusting!
This was back several years ago, phone books were still used and no one had ever heard of such a thing as a smartphone. But I went to a Ford dealership in response to one of those Saturday morning programs I seen about various dealerships having sales on used cars where they’d parade them by the screen while rattling off the various things the car or truck was equipped with and the listed price. I go to the dealership and fell for their first scam, they ask you if you’re trading in the vehicle you arrived in and if you say yes they ask you for the keys so they can appraise the vehicle. Don’t ever fall for this cause not only are they going to low ball you on the trade in value (know what your car is worth before you go), but some dealerships will also about hold your keys hostage until you agree to buy whatever car you had been looking at with excuses ranging from they’re still looking at your car to let me go talk to my manager for the umpteenth time…
So I had fallen into this trap. The sales guy I had test drove the car with didn’t know anything about the car, I had to educate him, and I decided not to buy the car. Well they wouldn’t give me back the keys to my car and we were going through a litany of excuses – they were still looking at my car, let me talk to my manager, they can’t find my keys, so on and so forth. I’m getting angry and I’m not a confrontational person mind you but around and around we’re going. But then I have an idea and ask for a phone and the phone book. They ask who I’m calling??? I turn the pages of the phone book until I find the listings for the various local news channels and start to dial the phone on the desk for one of the local news outlets as I tell the dealership guy I’m calling the news, I’m sure they’d just love to hear about this dealership and their sales practices (cause we’ve all seen shady dealerships get profiled on the news haven’t we????). Well you never saw my car keys appear so fast. Never did get to talk to the news, got a busy signal but I didn’t tell them. Got up, left and bad mouthed them to everyone I ever encountered who was thinking about buying a car from them.
Why Men ARE NOT COMMITTING in Modern Dating | Dating Apps & Relationships
Vietnam (Hanoi), China (Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu)
As a foreigner who has lived for a short time in these citys, I can answer this question.
I have lived in these cities for more than 30 days, so I have a certain say.
1. Basic life
The cost of living in Hanoi is lower than Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen in China, and about the same as Chengdu. This seemed a bit incredible to me at first, because Vietnam’s per capita income is much lower than China’s. But the fact is that whether it is rent, catering, purchasing mobile phones, or telecommunications services, prices in Hanoi are not cheap and do not match the level of development of the entire country.
Regarding this issue, some Vietnamese friends also told me that it is because I have adopted a “foreigner” lifestyle. For example, I live in hotels, shop in large shopping malls, and eat in more formal restaurants. It’s not really an “ordinary” life.
But I think this explanation is limited in its persuasiveness because I also live the same way in China. For example, the price of a bowl of rice noodles I eat on the streets of Hanoi is almost the same as the price of a bowl of noodles on the streets of Chengdu.
What particularly impressed me was that the taxi price in Hanoi was twice that of Chengdu and 1.5 times that of Beijing and Shanghai.
Compared with China, only some service industries in Hanoi are relatively cheap, such as haircuts and massages.
Therefore, in terms of basic life, the consumption levels of foreigners living in big cities in China are similar to those in big cities in Vietnam. There are no problems with basic living needs.
2. Public facilities
In terms of public facilities, Vietnam and China are quite different.
Hanoi’s urban development level is similar to that of Southeast Asian countries (except Singapore), while China is at the world’s leading level.
Urban transportation: Hanoi mainly relies on taxis, there is only 1 subway, and the public buses are terrible, slow and inefficient. There are some rickshaws that I rarely try.
China relies mostly on subways, every major Chinese city I’ve lived in has a huge subway system, and taxis are cheaper than in Vietnam. Buses in big cities in China are also very cheap and efficient. China also has a large number of shared bicycles and electric motorcycles, which are very convenient and you can use public transportation to quickly reach your destination.
China is faster and cheaper
Roads: Vietnam’s urban roads are narrow, vehicle driving efficiency is low, and traffic congestion is serious. Roads between cities are in poor condition and there are very few freeways. Driving long distances is not an option
China’s road construction level is very high. Expressways can lead to every small city. You can easily drive more than 500 kilometers a day by driving a car. If you are not prone to fatigue, 800 kilometers is also acceptable.
Driving a car in China is easy, but it is not recommended to drive a car in Vietnam for short-term stay
Cross-city transportation:
Vietnam is largely dependent on flying, driving a car is not an option and the rail experience is terrible.
Chinese people generally rely on highways and high-speed rail to solve journeys within 300 kilometers.
Most distances of 300-800 kilometers rely on high-speed railways.
Planes are only used for journeys over 800 kilometers, as they are too inefficient.
Although China is larger and cities are further apart, it actually takes less time than Vietnam.
FOOD:
The catering industry in Vietnamese and Chinese cities is very developed, and there are also restaurants that are open for a long time at night. So basic meals are no problem.
The food in Vietnam is generally Southeast Asian style. You can feel the influence of Thailand and Cambodia, and the spices they like to use are relatively similar.
The difference lies in diversity. China’s catering industry is the most diverse I have ever seen. In cities like Chengdu or Shenzhen, you can eat completely different foods every day for a month, and there are many choices for each type.
The catering industry in Hanoi is relatively simple. The tastes of Vietnamese restaurants are almost the same, unlike in China where there are so many types. The number of foreign restaurants is much smaller than in China, and there are even fewer choices.
3. Medical treatment:
Hospitals in Vietnam are crowded, and so are those in China. But the efficiency is not bad. Compared with Europe and the United States, the medical efficiency of China and Vietnam is very high.
I had a skin allergy in Vietnam and a respiratory infection in China. I entered the hospital on the same day, completed the examination on the same day, and received treatment and medicine on the same day.
The obvious difference is that Vietnamese doctors basically don’t speak English and they need to use translation software or my friends. Chinese doctors basically all speak English.
In terms of hospital environment, Chinese hospitals are larger, cleaner and more modern, while Vietnamese hospitals are generally older, but have complete basic examination equipment. (I don’t go to many hospitals. I always ask local friends to take me to regular large hospitals)
4. Language :
Language is a big issue in Vietnam
English is basically useless here, except for some hotel staff and professional translators, and some college students, almost no one can speak English. What’s embarrassing is that there are more people who can speak Chinese than English. So in Vietnam I always try to speak Chinese first.
In China, young people in big cities basically know some English, but some are more proficient and some have difficulty. But if I speak slower, many people can understand. However, as a Chinese speaker, I speak more Chinese, and I feel that the language environment in China is very good.
Spinach Balls (Pseftokeftedes Santorini)
2024 01 30 10 21
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups peeled, chopped plum tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups cooked, well-drained, chopped spinach, or any other greens
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon fresh mint
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
Olive oil, for frying
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, garlic, herbs and spices. Add flour and baking powder and mix together so that all ingredients are well blended and have the consistency of a thick batter (about as thick as pancake batter).
In a large heavy skillet, heat enough olive oil for frying. Taking a heaping tablespoon at a time, drop batter into hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp.
Remove at once with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
When we first moved to Maine, my wife was a wedding photographer. Having relocated from the West Coast, we were pretty unaware of the lay of the land here. We’d heard of ‘old money’—the result of generations of inherited wealth—but had never seen it up close.
So my wife gets a call from a woman asking about photo coverage of her second marriage, and my wife agrees to come out to their house to discuss with her and her husband, Richard. My wife takes along a $200 off coupon she was offering new clients at the time. She gets in her old Subaru and heads to the address. At some point, she realizes that the huge, mile-long block of woods she’s navigating around is completely enclosed by a stone wall and that the house she’s going to is the only structure inside the walls. She starts to sweat.
Inside the house, she’s introduced to Richard Rockefeller. He’s an unassuming guy in his 50s, a medical doctor. She thinks, there must be lots of Rockefellers here on the East Coast; this doesn’t mean he’s related to THE Rockefellers.
He is. In fact, Richard is the son of David Rockefeller and grandson of John D. Rockefeller. He is a physician in Maine, a prominent member of the community and president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a philanthropic foundation.
My wife has a lovely time, he asks lots of questions about her Nikon camera and even gladly accepts her $200 coupon, because, why not?
We both work together to cover the wedding reception, held a month or two later on an island the family owns off of Bar Harbor, Maine. We take a private boat to the island and are greeted by Richard at the dock. He’s wearing baggy old khaki pants, an ancient LLBean flannel shirt, a floppy sun hat and old battered shoes. He’s driving a Subaru wagon that makes my wife’s nine-year-old car look new. He grabs the wheel and tells us—the hired help, basically—that he’s taking us to his ‘barn’ where we’ll spend the night.
So we arrive at a structure I could call a barn only because it has the vague shape of what once was a barn. Huge open area for seating and events, with an upstairs loft area with comfy beds, bathrooms. We stayed there, in a gorgeous custom post-and-beam ‘barn’ that probably cost three times what my own house cost.
The weekend was fun—we photographed people like Glenn Close and others in attendance for the event. It was low-key and tasteful and understated, but obviously extravagant. Richard and his wife were extremely kind to us.
I’ve never forgotten my brush with ‘old money’. Here in Maine, you might sit next to someone like Richard Rockefeller at a local diner and never know it.
Richard died a few years later in a small plane crash. I consider myself fortunate to have met him, however briefly.
Woman Held Accountable By Church For Cheating On Her Husband
Back in the ‘80s, as a teen, I applied for a security position at local supermarket (36hrs/wk), advertised in the Jobcentre. The advisor phoned them on my behalf (standard practice), they wanted me to attend a week long training seminar, nearly 3 hours away by bus, and assured they’d refund travel costs.
First day of training went well, and they informed me they’d refund travel at end of course. Fair enough. At the end of the week they said they’d refund after the contract was signed (yes, alarm bells rang), I intended to accept the job, while not great pay, it was local (walking distance) and better than nothing. So, read and signed contract, collected uniform, then given my assignment, 2pm to 2am (60hrs/wk, same pay!) at the airport! Not local! I explain it’s too far, and public transport doesn’t run that time of morning, they expect me to get a taxi home, which would cost more than my wages! I’m then told they do not refund travel expenses, after repeatedly saying they would.
As I’m leaving, wondering how I’m gonna explain this to dad (to borrow more money), I notice a woman in security uniform, she’s pale and looks upset. She’d not been paid for 3 MONTHS! I returned to the office, stating I didn’t want the job, to be told they’d sue for breach of contract.
Of course I’m upset and scared, if I take the job then it’s either have about 2 hours a day at home, or live in the airport, and hope I get paid. If I don’t take the job I’ll lose my benefits and get sued.
When I got home, I explained what happened to dad. He contacts a drinking buddy who works for the benefits office, and we both go see him Monday morning. He said they’d breached a verbal contract, I had good reason to believe they’d breach the written contract (not pay wages), and the job was not as advertised. He was appalled they hadn’t given me a copy of the contract. He assured me I wouldn’t face sanctions. He contacted the company’s head office on my behalf, he also made sure the company was blacklisted from advertising at the jobcentres.
Dad and I returned the uniform to the offices, he verbally ran rings around the 2-faced muppet who threatened me with breach of contract. Oh, and I made sure the room full of new recruits knew travel expenses are not refunded, not to expect a paycheque for at least 3 months, and the job is unlikely to be where or when advertised.
I want you to take a gander around your room right now.
Seriously. pivot in your chair, couch, whatever —and survey everything.
How many things aren’t being used?
How many things are being kept for thin sentimental reasons? Until last year, my answer was “many, many things”.
I had an old crappy laptop that didn’t even work. I had a bunch of comics that were never going to become rare — because millions were printed. I didn’t even like the comics.
Your life is being dragged down by purposeless objects.
Junk is scientifically linked to stress, procrastination, and inefficiency. You could turn all three of those problems into advantages.
I hereby challenge you to can 50% of your stuff. Don’t let your room get like this.
Start by throwing away that stupid printer
My printer was the ultimate bad employee. Once every six months, I’d summon him, “Can you come to work today?
And in that one moment of need, he was hungover and unable to function. I’d get a mysterious error. Or an out-of-ink issue despite having barely used the printer.
He’d groan and moan and nothing would happen. He’s like that deadbeat dad who can’t sober up once a year for his son’s birthday party.
“Damnit Epson! You can’t get your act for Billy’s party for one day. Not sure why I ever married you!”
My printer is no longer with us. He’s enjoying an early retirement in the sunny isles of the Hillsborough County Waste Department.
The point I’m making: if you own something that doesn’t do its job, start there.
That lame couch you never sit on because it isn’t even comfortable? That clunky, wobbly table with a weird mystery stain, you can’t get rid of? Find them a new home.
Donate it.
Break it with an aluminum bat and scream my name if you want.
Do what must be done. I command thee.
Take a NASA perspective
I used to write in a tiny office, in a tiny house for 13 years. I moved in when I was in my mid-20s.
It was in this house that I had a girlfriend, who became a wife, who then became an ex-wife. I’ve finally collected the plunder from my various ventures and invested in a nice home. As I took stock of my inventory, I was mortified by how much junk I owned. I felt like a hoarder.
If my stuff was going to space, I’d have blown out NASA’s cost-per-square-foot budget. “Who brought these 50,000 index cards from Sean’s 2003 Bio class!?”
Heck, they’d have needed an extra fuel tank. Everything you own isn’t cost-free.
As you add more stuff, it drastically increases the surface area in your home. That surface is just one more thing to clean and collect dust. It eats up mental space. Think of your belongings like they’re being shot into space. Everything must be of absolute necessity.
No junk on the launch pad.
A push for more functionality
I used to have a GPS watch. I used it to track where I spent the most time in the house.
It was depressing: 90% of my waking hours were in my office.
I wasn’t surprised. Yet is this what home ownership is supposed to be about?
One study showed this is a common phenomenon, particularly in larger homes. Shaquille O’Neal famously owned an 18-bathroom house — and admitted, “I only use three rooms.”
We fail to optimize space. We have a bunch of chairs that suck to sit on.
Our dressers are full of clothes we never wear. Give yourself a reason to use every room in your house.
Decluttering isn’t about whether you like something; it’s about whether you actually use it.
A functional, non-cluttered house feels light. It’s efficient. It almost like weight loss. You feel lighter on your feet. Purging junk even feels like exercise: it isn’t particularly fun, but the outcome is super rewarding.
One simple trick and then some
We moved 14 times in 18 years during my childhood.
To avoid becoming hoarders, we had a hard and fast rule: if you haven’t used it in six months, throw it away. Do you even know what you own?
Imagine knowing what and where each item is at all times. I know where my remote is. I know where my two pairs of brown dress socks are.
I feel in control. Everything is accounted for. There is peace of mind in knowing everything in your life belongs there and has a use. It’s not neglected like an abandoned toy. It reinforces a mentality of purpose and deliberacy.
Adopt a six-month rule for your belongings, with rare exceptions where they need apply.
Selling on marketplace
The first object to go to was my dining room table.
I put it on the Facebook marketplace for only $50. My inbox blew up like a hot scammy dating profile at Port Dumbass.
This is usually what happens on the platform. It’s so easy. Two hours later, a nice, middle-aged Hispanic couple showed up.
After inspecting it, he turned to me and said, “How about $35?” I said, “Sorry. There are too many people wanting to buy.”
I wasn’t bluffing. But — then I offered him another table and several dozen other household items for free.
I realized I just needed to get rid of stuff. Thirty minutes later, we were stuffing his van with three tables, a huge ladder, and even lawn equipment. It wasn’t the most profitable way of doing things, but it felt good giving to someone who would need. I jokingly offered him the shirt I was wearing too, but he declined.
Decide what you don’t need and isn’t being used, and either sell or donate it.
I also called a trash hauler and paid them $150 to haul off a huge trailer full of unused stuff. You can find them easily on Craigslist.
The last step is to buy a big box of industrial bags. Then, each week make it a point to fill at least one with things you don’t want anymore.
They fit in the regular trash pickup. Donate what you can to the Salvation Army and get a tax deduction. Sell the rest on Facebook Marketplace.
Don’t think of this as an action but a lifestyle. You’ll reevaluate how you spend your money, taking broader consideration for how badly you actually need something.
Your house will feel bigger, more open, and more efficient. You won’t lose nearly as many things.
And you won’t have nearly as much stuff to manage. Throw away 50% of your stuff and you’ll be better off for it. It’s not a dare.
The question makes me remember two old Soviet jokes.
Both are about a tourist visit of the Hell. One of them mentions Joseph Stalin.
Joke #1
A tourist visit of Hell. Hall of the greatest criminals. They stand in blood (according to some versions, in shit). Hitler is waist-deep in blood, his gaze angry, his mouth shouting something that tourists do not hear. Stalin stands to Hitler’s left, silent, with a sardonic smile on his lips, blood reaching to the middle of his boots.
Tourist (astonished): Please tell me why Hitler is buried so much deeper than Stalin? Did he spill so much more blood? Guide: Ah, I will have to tell the administration. Stalin cheated again! T: How does he cheat? G: He always climbs on Lenin’s shoulders!
Joke #2
A tourist visit of Hell. Astonished tourists see Nikita Khrushchev sitting on a sofa, with Marilyn Monroe in his lap, caressing him and kissing his bald head.
Tourist (astonished): Are you telling me this is the punishment for Khrushchev’s sins? Guide: No, dear sir. This is the punishment for Marilyn Monroe’s sins.
These Kids are University Students in China and Poor Kids, Children of Poor Families
Under Common Prosperity, University Students are mandated to serve 42 hours a year in their third or final year to tutor and help poor kids pass their examinations
They have these centers where Poor Kids are provided Food, Clothes, Shoes, Smartphones and Tutors free of cost as part of the revenue from the tax collections of the local provinces plus a 3.5% of profit from the Big Gun Industries
The best of them are admitted to School and on to Gaokao
The others get Skilled Training
The others get Vocational Training
Their Working Age is reduced from the mandatory legal 16 in China to 14 in many provinces so that they can earn a living and help their families
Once they are 21 years old, THEY HAVE TO COMPETE ON THEIR OWN
Their Talent , Their Ability
No Reservations
No Affirmative Action
I like this system
Help the Kids, give them education, give them all the material benefits needed then they can compete fairly
From 2019–2023 – Roughly 8.5 Million Poor Kids have been given Jobs that will transform them to Low Income immediately and Middle Class by 2036
China just doesn’t handout money or food to poor families like India or US do
There are NO FREE LUNCHES
One new rule that China established in 2021 for Poor People was :-
image 221
The Ten Year Rule
Tenant Farmers who work as Rural Workers can now send their Kids to the Local Schools in the Village where Education is free plus two meals are free (Breakfast and Lunch)
The Kids study from 4 PM to 7 PM
They work from 7 AM to 12 PM and are paid a minimum 6 RMB per hour ($ 0.91) which is equally TOPPED UP BY THE STATE
So each kid makes 60 RMB per Day and makes 4,000 RMB for a season in addition to two free meals a day plus education
Tenant farmers don’t have to feed their kids for 240 days a years, that has to be done by the Agricultural Unit Owner
Tenant Farmers who have worked as Tenant Farmers for at least 20,000 Hours , are eligible to get their OWN LANDHOLDINGS with the deposit amount FULLY WAIVED
Hu Jintao and his gang ignored these rules
Xi enforced them immediately
Almost 300,000 Tenant Farmers now own their own LANDHOLDINGS on 30 Year or 100 Year leases
The Real Condition of China is that today China has
51.9% Middle Class or Higher
34.7% Low Income
13.4% Poor People
0% Extremely Poor
Target 2030 where at least 15 Million Kids are involved in given all those benefits is
55% Middle Class
40% Low Income
5% Poor People
This is the target set in 2022
image 220
The Stock markets can wait
According to Xi, the key is to create a large middle class consumer base
800 Million is the Goal for 2030 from 426 Million in 2023
My father was a banker for most of my life. He worked in the trust department assisting people with estates, wills, and trust funds, inheritances, etc. My mother used to tease him that he had a “harem” of older ladies who thought he was wonderful because he had handled things when their husbands died.
In the early 90s the local bank was bought by a much larger bank from another state. Things changed and not for the better. My father was told that he should use money from one account to bolster another account and replace the money later. My father refused. While it might not have been illegal at the time he felt that it was highly unethical and he wouldn’t do it.
He resigned.
And when his clients all found out WHY he resigned they all, except for two or three, moved their accounts to a different bank.
One of his colleagues who still worked at the first bank told him that the leadership from the new bank were dumbfounded by the sudden mass exodus of clients. And when my father informed the local lawyers who referred clients to him what happened they stopped referring clients to that bank. In less than two years after my father resigned the out-of-state bank closed the Trust department because it was unprofitable. My father took great satisfaction in that.
WOW! I am humbled by the huge number of upvotes for this story about my father. He was not perfect, no one is, but he was an honorable man and I am proud to be his daughter.
I am humbled by how high the number of upvotes as climbed. It is over 5,000. This is the most upvotes I’ve gotten on anything I’ve written on Quora. Thank you for recognizing a good man.
Male inequality, explained by an expert | Richard Reeves
In the 3rd century BC, a sensational scandal erupted in Rome: two Vestal Virgins had lost their virginity, and the guilty party was a young ‘pontiff’.
The Sibylline Books were consulted to decide the fate of the three religious figures, the Vestal Virgins Opimia Floronia and the pontiff Lucius Cantilius.
The two women had no escape, having been caught in the act. The rule of the Vestals prescribed live burial.
Floronia, not accepting the idea of dying in such a way, preferred to take her own life. Opimia resigned herself. A large crowd saw her ascend onto a mournfully adorned chariot, accompanied by a procession of priests to the place of execution.
Many Romans wanted to witness the dramatic scene of her being enclosed in the tomb with a loaf of bread and a pitcher of water. The interrogation of Lucius Cantilius was public.
The Pontifex Maximus, his superior and representative of the state religion, took on the role of the public prosecutor. Relentlessly, he ordered the questions to be preceded by violent lashes, repeated after the defendant’s answer.
It was not possible to conclude the interrogation: Lucius Cantilius, in fact, died from those lashes.
I had a sunroom added to my house, and the sales lady, construction manager was around a lot. She was quite flirtatious, as sales people often are. So when the project was done, and I had signed off on everything and I would never see her again, I asked her out on a date.
She told me she was moving to a different city the next week. Which was pretty suspicious, because my project had finished ahead of schedule. But I didn’t press it. Three months later I had a leak in my sunroom, and I called them up to fix it. Guess who answered the phone?
We had spent a lot of time together, and she knew I wasn’t psycho, the logical thing would have been to say that she wasn’t interested. If she was worried for some reason, then say that she was in a relationship.
But no, she had to go with the whopper, that I am moving to a different city. Nothing tells you how a person views you as much as telling an outrageous lie that’s so easy to check.
She told me on the phone, that she had just moved back. I pretended that was a reasonable answer.
Physical Intimacy: His NEED is NOT your WEAPON Ladies
Police work is a young man’s profession. You don’t want to be out chasing criminals on the street in your fifties. I was hired rather late in life, graduating from the police academy at thirty-three years old.
I learned quickly that I could do the job of a street cop but liked narcotics, especially undercover work. That led to more complex investigations. After six years in narcotics, I decided it was time to gain rank, so I aced the sergeant’s exam. I enjoyed every day as a street sergeant, leading and teaching.
Four years later, I would become a lieutenant which was great for a while. As a watch commander and then patrol division commander, I led over half of the department and made positive changes. All was fine until one day; I was asked to take over internal affairs. Our department had more serious problems than I realized. I spent the next six years of my life embattled, persuing the worst officers you can imagine.
Officers committing crimes, abusing their power, abusing citizens, and even their loved ones. Stealing, cheating, and anything else they thought they could get away with. I spent a lot of time being grilled in court by their high-priced defense attorneys with only limited success.
By the time I left, we had fired all but one of this group. The last was fired shortly after I left. So I had to go through hell for years, but in the end, the department was a better place for the citizens we served.
My twenty-five-year retirement couldn’t come soon enough. A few more years in that pressure-cooker position, and I might have stroked out. So at fifty-eight years old, I walked away with my pension. I haven’t been sorry a single day since I retired six years ago. Life’s too short.
My husband and I have been together 20 years when we met he was finalizing his divorce which they were simply too young and tried to grow up too fast they were together just two years. After about a month I was helping him get some of her stuff out which was all junk. I started cleaning out a desk of hers and in the bottom drawer was just stacks n stacks of mail. Apparently my husband hates opening mail and would just put it in a drawer for him to open later, I certainly make him open his mail I don’t know why she would do that. So he told me to open it, it was flyers, bills, coupons, everything in a stack. I start opening mail and I would see $5000 check then another then another then another. These checks were two days away from void/expired or have to wait a long time to reissue. It was from his dad’s estate and each kid got $5000 from certain accounts and investments and so on. He was broke at this time with his divorce plus being in your 20s you don’t quite make as much yet. He went from having a couple hundred dollars in his account and the very next day we now have money to put down on a house which is cheaper than our current rent and much larger and we later made a good chunk of cash when we sold it. In the end, it did look like a scam letter or a collections notice, now im always into opening mail because I’ve even over paid a bill and what looks like a bill would be a small refund for my over payment. I just can’t wait to get that jury summons for a crazy court case.
We were the polite customers in a round about way-
We are attending a destination wedding on an all inclusive resort in Jamaica-absolutely beautiful weather, all the food and drink you could possibly want. Beautiful rooms with waterfront views-
The bride and groom and the 6 other guests attending were incredibly rude, demanding, belittling, belligerent and racist in their remarks towards the staff on the resort. My husband and I had never seen this side of their personality and were shocked at the behavior to the point that after the wedding (3rd day of 7) we disassembled from those in the group and did our own things.
On the final day, we were all
booked under the wedding party and had to check out and depart together-one of the women in the group was accusing the cleaning staff of stealing her clothing, the bride was making up all kinds of reasons she should have received a discounted stay, on and on, the mother of the bride was loud and yelling in the front foyer of the resort-my husband and I had enough and told all of them to shut up. All they had done the entire trip was lie and complain. We then went into a private office and explained to head of the resort how they were lying because we heard all the comments they had made and could prove it-We were comped 1k off our stay and turned that money around to tip the staff that so excellently served us during our stay-my husband and I both knew none of the others had left a tip and it was intentional to not do so as it was mentioned on the very first night at dinner.
Once it was clear their motive was to get as much for free as possible they were checked out w/o any further interaction and escorted to the van that would drive them to the airport-My husband and I were put in a different van to go back
We never asked for anything back as we had a great trip but the resort was happy to give us the 1k- as for those people we have not spoken to them since-it’s not that hard to be nice!
Genius is what genius does. Professors spend the better part of their waking days interacting with intelligence at the upper tail of the distribution, so an unusually adroit bit of intelligence will catch any professor’s eye. Alas, anybody with experience also has seen many a charlatan, so skepticism always comes first. I may recognize genius quickly, but I will test it many times before I conclude it is truly there.
Here is an illustration.
A few years back I had an MBA student, born in the Caribbean, who had considerable world-travel experience under his belt. Quietly confident, and charming and affable, he had natural leadership abilities. Over time his stories of travels came with the additional details that he was facile with languages, and that helped him pick up work as he travelled.
I was intrigued, and learned about his travels throughout Asia, and tested him a bit with details (I have some experience in that part of the world, but, of course, I also had many more years to accumulate it). He seemed to be telling the honest truth. He knew things about Myanmar (and similar places) that would be hard to learn unless you visited.
Here is the genius part. He said that, for a while, he settled in China doing translation and other work. How was that possible? He had simply picked up Chinese, he said. I have an old acquaintance who was native English speaker who knew several European languages and learned Japanese after spending many years there, and he told me about all the challenges. So I was just a little skeptical. A few words, sure, but fluent with no formal training?
I had asked a few of the native-Chinese speakers whether the student could speak well, and they said yes, but none had a lengthy conversation.
One day we were visited by a Chinese delegation of businessmen. And my student was introduced to them. Off they went in conversation, laughing and conversing. He was fluent, and just as charming and affable in that language.
I never doubted him again. Genius is what genius does.
My typical self checkout experience goes like this.
Using own bag. Place on scale. So I do. I use a backpack so it is heavier than a shopping bag. This triggers, Wait for an assistant. I open my bag ready so the assistant can look inside it. I do this because if they asked to see inside my bag I would be terribly offended and most people don’t like being told to go fuck themselves.
Ok, ready to start scanning. Where is the barcode on this cabbage? Oh, I need to look for it in the touchscreen. Finally found it after 2 minutes searching.
UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGAGE AREA. PLEASE WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE.
This happens at least one more time. I am really getting pissed off now.
Ready to pay. It asks me if I took a bag. I didn’t. It asks me if I’m sure. Now I start arguing with the machine. I’m fed up of you. Why would I steal a 40p bag? Don’t you think I would have taken the £10 side of salmon instead?
Finally, after a good 5 minutes have passed I get to pay for my 15 items. But wait, I have wait for assistance again to authorise the bottle of wine I bought. OK, so now I get to pay.
Not so fast. There were a couple of discounted items in there and guess what we need to get the discount applied? That’s right, an assistant!
I pay, put on my backpack and instead of saying thank you, as I would to the cashier, I mutter, stupid fucking bastard, to the machine.
Not a pleasant experience at all.
A woman I know who works in my local Aldi told me she feels bad for the old people. An old woman told her that she used to look forward to shopping because she lives alone and sometimes the cashier might be the only person she spoke with that week.
Some people enjoy human interaction. As a general rule, I’m not one of them. However I much prefer to be served by a cashier than those self checkout machines. It takes too long and it’s frustrating. Added to that, I feel like it is constantly accusing me of shoplifting.
Pepe Escobar: Putin and China just changed EVERYTHING with this Move and the Neocons Can’t Stop Them
When I was in grad school, I had to have oral surgery for a midline palatine cyst. After misdiagnosing it as an abscessed tooth and mucking about, my dentist finally referred me to an oral surgeon.
The oral surgeon (who was nearing retirement) asked about my financial situation at the initial consultation. It was pretty dire, so I told him I would need to pay over time. He told me not to worry,
After doing some imaging he told me that he had never seen a cyst that large. The surgery was done, and went well. But I was left with two drains coming out of the corners of my mouth. These needed to remain in place for a week.
My upper jaw was incredibly swollen. With the drains in place, I looked like a walrus. I had to be careful how I ate and drank, to avoid having food or drinks dribble out of my nose. Nonetheless, I had to go to classes (it was the first week of the semester) as well as meet my students (I was a teaching assistant at the time.)
And every other day, I had to see the oral surgeon. He irrigated the site and gave me samples of antibiotics and words of encouragement.
When he finally removed the drains, my palate was healing well. I saw him two weeks later for follow up. I stopped at the front desk to arrange for payment. His total bill? $50! The surgery had taken almost two hours! And there were those follow up appointments as well.
I was incredibly grateful. I waited to see him between patients to express my gratitude. He smiled and said, one day you’ll do something for someone else.
This wasn’t my property but that of a friend. He rented it to a couple ‘from New York’ they claimed, who showed up very well dressed. He was in a suit and his ‘wife’ in a nice dress. They claimed to need a ‘local apartment’ as they ‘came to Boston’ (we are 10 miles west of Boston) often and stated an apartment was cheaper than renting hotel rooms every time, sounded legit. Anyway, for the first year, the rent was a couple days early then it was ‘just’ on time for a few months then a couple days late but paid IN CASH every month so no real issues. THEN it happened! After about two years the rent was a week late so my friend went by daily to catch them in (remember, they stated that they were from NY and came up ‘often’ so he didn’t expect them to be there at any given time). After five drive-bys he was there in the evening, on weekends, nothing seemed out of place from the outside. The yard was impeccably neat and clean as they stated it would be. Then two weeks later on a Friday evening just after dinner as he drove by he saw movement inside the apartment. He stopped and knocked on the door. When it opened, he was greeted by someone who spoke NO English. Panic ensued, people running around the apartment and out the back door. He told someone who came to the door that actually spoke some English that the rent was past due and needed to be paid. They stated that they would have cash Saturday morning for him. He asked why so many people and was told it was a party. He didn’t believe that story and said so, he told that individual that as it was rented to TWO PEOPLE everyone else had to go and if more than two were there in 12 hours it would be $50 EACH! What follows I witnessed the very next day. We knocked, no answer. I went around back and knocked, no answer. I walked back to the front. He was pounding on the front door… no one answered. WHY I cannot tell you but I turned the door knob, the door was UNLOCKED. He opened it. Before I go on, first I will say that we eventually found two month’s rent left on the kitchen counter in cash. Now the HORROR! They removed the doors from the kitchen cabinets and replaced them with chicken wire to house the CHICKENS that were now living in most of the cabinets! TWO DOZEN CHICKENS!The STENCH was gag worthy. The filth was just as revolting but what got me was the bathroom! The door was closed but the exhaust fan running. (A neighbor later told me it was running 24/7, read on and you will know WHY!). When he opened the door my friend closed it fast and proceeded to vomit! I opened the door to see the toilet PLUGGED AND MOUNDED with feces! The bathtub was ALSO filled with urine and feces! There were mattresses wall to wall in every single room except the bathroom and kitchen! This included a rough basement too! About 50(?) mattresses! The apartment was being used to house over 70 people! Even the ceilings were disgusting. I do know that the entire apartment had to be gutted and renovated, I saw it after it was done. It took a bit of searching but the two that rented it originally were found, I don’t nor want to know what was said or done but I do know that they were in full knowledge and complicity with what was going on. One further note, at some point before they ‘filled the tub’ they had roasted a pig in it! They built a fire in the tub and roasted a pig above it! When the apartment was gutted, it was found that the wall and floor behind and beneath the tub were charred, they almost burned down the house!
Hollywood Goes CRAZY! | Seinfeld DESTROYS Woke Insanity in EPIC Video
I’m an aficionado chef and I love watching cooking tutorials. Recently, I’ve discovered the secret behind how Chinese restaurants get their beef to be so tender in dishes like beef in black bean sauce or Mongolian beef – and it’s pretty interesting!
Once I did an Asian cuisine workshop, and one of the chefs there taught me the secret. Chinese restaurants often marinate their beef in a mixture of baking soda, cornstarch, and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This breaks down the proteins in the meat, making it more tender and easier to chew.
In addition, Chinese restaurants slice the beef against the grain, which makes it even more tender. When you slice against the grain, you’re cutting the beef perpendicular to the muscle fibers, and this makes all the difference.
Another thing that I love the most about Chinese cuisine is the high heat cooking method. When you stir-fry beef at a high temperature, it keeps the moisture inside the beef and makes it juicy and flavorful. And the cuts of beef that they use, such as flank steak or sirloin, are naturally more tender than other cuts.
I’ve tried making beef in black bean sauce using these techniques, and it is absolutely delicious! The beef just falls apart in your mouth, and it tastes so well. So, if you want to make your beef dishes tender and juicy like the ones you get at Chinese restaurants, try using these techniques. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!
Tomato Pilaf
1400×919 One Pan Tomato Pilaf
Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked regular rice
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook and stir tomatoes and onions in butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 14 minutes without lifting cover or stirring.
Remove from heat. Fluff rice lightly with fork; cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes.
Names are fictional, but otherwise this is accurate to best of my memory.
Back in the mid-80s during my high school years, I worked at major fast food place. I worked there for around 18 months and was generally well regarded by the managers there. Because of this, I would often be called on to see if I was able to cover a shift when someone called out.
One such time, I agreed to cover and went in to see that the only person working was the manager (Jim). So literally it would be just the two of us working, Jim up front on register and me in the back making the food. (Another person from a different store came in an hour or so later to help out). It was a rough night, but we made it work.
After things slowed down, I asked Jim what happened. One of the other managers (Randy) was working that night and everyone he had working with him just up and left. I asked Jim where Randy was, and he said he was asked to leave as well and really couldn’t talk any further about it.
The rest of the story wouldn’t reach me for a week or so, but the entire staff quitting at once prompted the owner to investigate what happened. It turns out that Randy had been violating labor laws for months. And as most of the staff (including myself) were minors, those laws are more stringent and carry higher penalties. Things like forcing more than 8 hours a day, working outside certain hours, and forcing unpaid OT. While I don’t know for sure what prompted everyone to leave that night, I have to assume it was related.
Randy was taken off the schedule and, as far as I know, never set foot in the store again. I don’t know what legal consequences resulted from this, if any.
I have not worked at McDonald’s, but since there’s no equivalent question for Burger King, I’m going to answer anyway.
Late at night, a guy came up to the counter and said he wanted a Whopper with 10 patties on it. He seemed like he was probably a little stoned, or a little drunk, or probably a little both. “Money is no object,” he said. I knew how to set this up, but I called the manager just to make sure everything was ok and more importantly because I knew she would want in on this process. We had a button for a patty with no bun, to accommodate people on the Atkins Diet. I entered in his Whopper request, punched the patty button nine times, and then hit the intercom to explain to the kitchen crew the correct interpretation of what was now appearing on their screens. My amplified voice filled the kitchen, like the voice of God:
“That is not a mistake. It is a Whopper with 10 patties on it. Please do whatever it takes to make it happen.”
We couldn’t hear anything from the back over all the machine noises. The guy paid. It was around $12. Then, after a few minutes, there was activity at the hamburger chute. Normally burgers would be placed here and they’d slide to the front to be bagged or placed on trays. A pair of hands gently placed a very large, roughly-ball shaped object on the chute. The hands gently—tenderly— guided it to the bottom. It was held in place by four Whopper wrappers. “Be careful with this,” one of the cooks said. “Wrapping it was very difficult.”
The customer was delighted. Once he had his to-go bag, he explained that he and a friend had got in an argument concerning the truthfulness of our “Your Way, Right Away” slogan, and he had just won a bet. It remains one of my favorite moments, a real team effort.
One week after my mother died, I was alone in our house. It was a big old mansion and it was cold and dark, and I was lonely. Then suddenly late at night all the (battery operated) smoke detectors started going off. All 20 of them. All went off at the SAME TIME.
Three years earlier we installed the detectors and installed the batteries in all of them. What a coincidence! So yeah, all the batteries ran out of juice at the same time, and doing so, set off the alarms. And it was just a coincidence that it was a few days after my mothers’ burial.
I will never forget that. Of course, no one believes me. They don’t consider it important or anything. Just a random bit of trivia. But for me, alone and lonely in the big empty manor, it was significant. And that is my story for today.
We all experience odd things from time to time, but it is how we react to them… what we consider about them… well… that matters.
As a law student, I was an intern for a federal judge. When I graduated law school, I asked her to write a letter of recommendation for me to take the bar exam. On the day of this story, I was swinging by her courtroom to pick up the letter and I caught the end of a hearing.
The hearing involved a pro se plaintiff suing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in federal court. What happened was, he was involved in a domestic violence situation. The Massachusetts Department of Child Protective Services placed custody of his child solely with the child’s mother (whom I presume was separated from the plaintiff). A condition of him regaining shared custody was that he had to complete an anger management course with a satisfactory grade.
So he took the course, got the good grade, and submitted his paperwork to the state. The state lost his paperwork, and for whatever reason he was unable to submit it again. He decided the path of least resistance was to re-take the class. Then he sued Massachusetts for negligence, seeking to recover the cost of the second class.
To be sure, this is a pretty modest ask. I could imagine other plaintiffs being… shall we say… more aggrieved under these circumstances. Maybe throw a million or two for emotional distress, etc. Nope. This guy was just asking to be made whole. This probably is why the judge ended up being so sympathetic.
Although the hearing I walked in on was only a preliminary hearing, the judge was absolutely livid that the case made it that far. She absolutely grilled the Assistant Attorney General (“AAG”) who was representing Massachusetts. Along the lines of:
Judge: I’ve read the pleadings, and it appears to me there’s no factual dispute here. Ms. AAG, is there a dispute?
AAG: Well, your honor, we can’t really be sure that we lost anything, but…
J: But the man has documentary evidence that you did! Are you disputing these documents?
AAG: [sheepishly] No…
J: SO WHY HASN’T THIS SETTLED?
AAG: Well, your Honor, it was never… ummm… it isn’t clear the exact amount he is seeking in damages…
[Maybe in his complaint, he only asked to be reimbursed for so-and-so expenses without actually stating a dollar amount]
J: Oh, it’s not huh? Did you bother asking? You know what, never mind. Let’s figure it out right now. Mr. Plaintiff, how much did the second course cost?
Plaintiff: About $2100?
J: Call it $2400. And did you incur any other expenses?
P: I had to take off work early and I had to take a taxi to the school. I make so-and-so dollars and hour and the taxi was such-and-such. The course lasted so-and-so many days.
J: Okay, call it $3000. Ms. AAG, how’s that? $3000. Can we settle this?
AAG: Well, your honor, I… ummm…. I don’t know if I have the authority to se….
J: Don’t give me that!! Do you have any reason to dispute that this is the correct dollar amount?
AAG: [again, sheepishly] No your Honor
J: Great. Then there’s no reason to not to settle this, right?
AAG: [whisper-soft] R… right.
J: Great. Let’s get this done right here, right now. [To her clerk] Rex, go ahead and print off one of the form settlement agreements, and put in $3000.
[The settlement agreement is signed, and apparently the hearing is over]
J: Ms. AAG, one more thing: When will he get his money?
AAG: Well, your Honor, I really don’t handle that aspects of settlements, I really couldn’t…
J: You have thirty days.
AAG: Your Honor, all due respect, but I…
J: You have. Thirty. Days.
AAG: Yes your Honor.
Not only did this pro se plaintiff win, but he won without ever really opening his mouth.
Take a Product made in China and off a factory line for 130 RMB
image 214
By the time the product is packed and shipped to an exporter, the product costs 225 RMB to the exporter including 8% to the Manufacturing Factory, 32% in Taxes and other charges
The Exporter pays a further 24% in Taxes and Shipping Changes plus his own profits and sells it to the US Importer for 300 RMB
The US Importer pays around $ 43 for the product to the Chinese exporter
Earlier he would give it to the distributor who would sell it to the retailer who would retail it for $ 79.99 or around 580 RMB
From $ 18 to $ 80 is the journey of the product in the capitalist market
Now comes Tariffs
Imagine a 30% Tariff imposed
That would price the product at $ 58 to the importer as he has to pay $ 15 to the US Government
This rises the retail price to $ 109.99 for the retailer whose profit margins on the product fall by 18–20%
That’s the hourly wage of an extra worker
Nothing changes for the Chinese
The Product at $ 109.99 is still unbeatable at that price and no US manufacturer can compete and make a similar product for less than $ 275 Retail
Yet
The American customer pays $ 30 More
The Retailer loses profit cut
The Importer gains zilch
The US Govt gains an extra $ 15 paid by their own public
That’s all that’s happening
The US, the great capitalist country is slowly becoming Soviet Union
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This Brainless Syphilitic hoped that he can reduce customers who aren’t prepared to pay the extra 30 Bucks for the product and hence reduce orders by the retailer from China and they would buy American products made in Mexico
Now they sell the same product for $ 109.99 with a MADE IN MEXICO sign, pay $ 30 to the Mexican partner and MAKE THE SAME $ 43 that they did when they made the product in Fujian
So US as usual is screwing up its economy every single day
The crime rate is so low in the Netherlands that they have closed 23 prisons since 2004 because they don’t have enough criminals to fill them
Back in the 90’s Denzel Washington paid the fees for a young aspiring actor who couldn’t afford to go to Oxford’s summer theatre. That young actor was Chadwick Boseman (R.I.P). Chadwick publicly thanked Denzel at the AFI life achievement awards in 2019
In 1963 a Turkish man was renovating his home. After knocking down a wall in his basement he found a tunnel. He followed the tunnel and discovered an ancient underground city called Derinkuyu which once had a population of 20000 people
In 2009 an autistic artist named Stephen Wiltshire was able to draw the New York City skyline from memory with a pen after taking a helicopter ride for just 20 minutes
Princess Diana was known for ignoring royal protocols. She would often ride the tube. At theme parks she would refuse preferential treatment and make William and Harry wait in line like everybody else
The blue Nelson lake in New Zealand has the clearest body of water known to man with visibility in the lake of up to 260 feet
The record for the biggest car theft of all time was 1000 Volvo cars. The cars were ordered and delivered then the invoice was ignored and to this day has still not been paid. The cars were ordered by and delivered to North Korea
In 1963 the Bronx zoo opened an exhibition titled “the most dangerous animal in the world,” it was a mirror
2 muggers in New York City once tried to mug former heavyweight champion of the world Jack Dempsey (who was in his 60’s/70’s at the time). It ended as you might expect with both muggers unconscious. The dates and circumstances leading to the event are a bit uncertain although Dempsey did reference the incident in his book
My personal favourite: In 1996 an avid birdwatcher in Devon, England spent a whole year hooting at owls and then recording their responses unaware that it was one of his neighbours pretending to be an owl and hooting back
I got convinced to buy a couple of lottery tickets and won a good amount of money when I really needed it.
My ex had offered to run to the store before leaving for his business trip. While we really didn’t have much of anything in the house, I told him not to bother, b/c it was in walking distance and I could go for the extra exercise.
A series of unfortunate events occurred: He called me after the first night to let me know the reports were in worse order than he anticipated, so he’d probably be gone an extra 2–3 days (not a problem, though we did share a vehicle at this time). Instead of going to the store, I decided to order food only to have it cancelled because my debit card had been declined. Twice.. The next day when I called the bank, I was informed someone had tried to use my card number to purchase 2k in airline tickets, so they cancelled my card & I wouldn’t receive another one for 7–10 days.
This was during a period where I’d yet to see the importance of an emergency credit card and rarely carried cash, but fortunately, I looked in my purse and checked the clothing pockets in the laundry room and came up with about 35 bucks and some change.
I walked down to the store and got some basic necessities, and relayed my woes to a cashier I talked to quite often. They jokingly suggested with luck like mine, I should use my last 10 bucks for scratch offs. I knew she was being facetious, but given the mood I was in, I said “why the hell not”, and bought two, $5.00 tickets. On the first one, it said I won a free ticket and she asked if I wanted another or cash, but since I was going all in I asked for the another ticket. I scratched that one off first, and to my surprise, won 250.00 dollars. I was so shocked, she had to remind me I had one more, so I scratched that one off and had won another 250.00. It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise during an otherwise frustrating situation.
This still angers me 23 years later. So I lived in a village which had a river that runs through it. And every year it floods at least once due to heavy rains and high tides. The river was once big enough that boats would come up and our little village was a kind of harbour. When it flooded the river would come up and over the fields and accross the main road. Now cars and buses would go through this flood water with no issue. Until October 2000. My class had been kept behind so I missed the bus home. My brother who was 11 (was tiny for his age and looked about 2–3 years younger because of his height) and my sister who was 15 were on the bus along with about 5 other kids all between 11–15
Now remember that other buses got through, including the bus from another school and our school buses aren’t like Americans but just regular coaches that are used for holidays etc and the councils pay for this. Our bus driver contacted his manager and asked what to do about the flood. The manager said to let the kids off and not go through the flood water. The only way for the kids to get home was to walk through the flood water. It was about 2 foot deep but was incredibly fast flowing.
When I finally got home I found out my little brother had nearly been swept away by the force of the water and my sister nearly died trying to stop him. Luckily all the kids made it through safely. The bus would have just got it’s tires wet. The worst part was, the following day was my granddad’s funeral so it was already a horrible time.
My mum kept us of school both to grieve and also because she couldn’t trust the bus driver with her 3 children. The manager promised us a trip to Alton Towers. We never got that trip as the manager was fired but the driver kept his job. He wasn’t allowed to drivw the school route again but instead was put on a mini bus driving little old ladies to town and back.
BOTH should have lost their jobs. He would have seen the other bus go by (was also a coach but a different company) so he knew he could get through it but to make my tiny little brother walk through rapid flood water….. that’s something you can’t forgive. My sister is terrified of water now, struggles to even cross a bridge with running water below. my brother seems to be unaffected, he was more worried about losing mum’s Tupperware and the pizza he’d made at school.
A hillbilly went hunting one day in West Virginia and bagged three ducks. He put them in the bed of his pickup truck and was about to drive home where he was confronted by an ornery game warden who didn’t like hillbillies. The game warden ordered to the hillbilly to show his hunting license, and the hillbilly pulled out a valid West Virginia hunting license. The game warden looked at the license, then reached over and picked up one of the ducks, sniffed it’s butt, and said, “This duck ain’t from West Virginia. This is a Kentucky duck. You got a Kentucky hunting license, boy?” The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced a Kentucky hunting license.
The game warden looked at it, then reached over and grabbed the second duck, sniffed it’s butt, and said, “This ain’t no Kentucky duck. This duck’s from Tennessee. You got an Tennessee license
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?” The hillbilly reached into his wallet and produced an Tennessee license. The warden then reached over and picked up the third duck. “This duck’s from Virginia. You got a Virginia hunting license?”
Again the hillbilly reached into his wallet and brought out a Virginia hunting license. The game warden was extremely frustrated at this point, and he yelled at the hillbilly, “Just where the hell are you from?”
The hillbilly turned around, bent over, dropped his pants, and said, “You tell me, you’re the expert!”
In the mid-nineties I was a big city police officer. Just before Christmas I was dispatched to a driveway auto accident. It seemed minor as I arrived but a young woman had fallen and struck her head resulting into a head injury that lead to a two month coma. I had a friend badly injured in the same hospital ward and I spent many hours sitting with the family of the the injured woman and grew to know them. As she slowly came out the hospital staff tried to wean her back to solid foods, she resisted. As a middle aged police officer I developed a voice of authority. The family ask me to help, with my voice and commands she began to eat a few bites. As she regained clarity she began to know who I was. After time my friend was transferred to a long term facility and the coma girl was released to go home with family supervision.
Months go by and I am dispatched to a car break-in in the courtyard of the coma girl’s apartment building. I was taking a report from another young woman victim. I heard a voice from several floors above, “Wayne is that you”? Because I am so sophisticated and know one Shakespeare scene, I answered “but soft, what light through yon window breaks? It is the East and Christine is the sun!” Chris who still had memory problems replied “ay me”. We completed the scene while the car break-in victim stared as though she was an extra in a Woody Allen movie.
I worked as a temporary at a place that tried this crap. I told the agency that the supervisor refused to sign my time sheet with the extra 15 minutes, because they don’t pay their own employees and won’t pay me for it either.
The agency called the other temps working there and found out that they were adjusting their time sheet so they can get paid. The agency owner then called the client, who was so sure about herself. She said she had the right to have the meeting every morning and not pay anyone for attending.
The agency owner informed her that he was going to audit every time sheet of every temp that they have sent her, calculate the lost time and charge her for it. He then pulled out all of the temps and paid us for the rest of the week and any back pay. Which was kinda sweet, this happened on a Monday afternoon.
I was one of the last people to leave the office and she came out of her office and was yelling at me for calling the agency. I was temping a payroll clerk position, so of course I knew what she was doing was illegal. I told everyone in the office this and that they can get backpay for every meeting every morning, if they filed a wages and hours complaint with the labor department.
Then I walked right past her and said have fun with that. It cost her a lot of money to pay back those employees and temps. She had a hard time getting temps after that, because they didn’t want to be part of her hours scam.
High-Value Woman: Traits, How to Find and Make Her Your Girlfriend
Last Updated On December 15, 2022by Andrew Ferebee
Some men waste their time on women in lower leagues. You don’t want to be that guy!
High-value women are not desperate for a relationship. They don’t rely on men for finances, validation, or even their security. No, they’ve got it all figured out.
I won’t lie to you — these women are rare. If she is self-possessed enough to know what she wants and go out there and get it, she’s a real keeper. When you meet her, you will know it immediately. You need to do something about it before someone else does.
Miss this opportunity and she will have a ring on her finger before you know it.
So, how do you spot a high-value woman and what should you do about it? I want to help you with just this conundrum. Read on to elevate your chances of getting a shot with her now.
Traits of high-value women
First things first, what is it that makes a high-value woman? Like most men, you’ve met — and even dated — countless women in your lifetime. What makes this one so special?
Trust me, you will know that she is different. But you might not be able to pinpoint exactly why that is. Whether you’re already dating her or ready to make your move, there are some things that you will have noticed about this woman. Here’s a quick breakdown:
1. She has her own career or knows what she wants to do with her life
You’re not looking for a 1950s housewife — you want a woman who has her own drive, her own passions, and her own career. You know that there is nothing more attractive than a woman who has set her own life goals and is reaching them at every turn.
That’s not to say that she has to have the biggest paycheck. She might be dedicated to a career in nursing, be a teacher, or have a small business.
Whatever it is that drives her, it’s about the fact that she’s not waiting around for some man to come and ‘save’ her.
2. She doesn’t play games or try to ‘win’ your affection
Some women play endless, tiring games. They won’t call you back. They pretend to be mad about small things.
They ‘test’ you to see how you will react to certain things. They sneak around and don’t treat you right. All of that is nothing but high school drama.
You deserve to leave it behind. Real, grown-up women know that there’s no point in playing games when they meet someone that they value. If she is direct and lets you know that she is interested, that is a green flag.
As the relationship moves forward, you can trust her to never play around. She’s not here for those games. She wants to live her best life — with you by her side. You need to make sure that you can measure up to her standards before you even try to approach her.
Real women want elite men. Before you can win her over, you need to make sure that you have your own life sorted out. I’ve worked with many men to help them regain their masculine power and elevate their lifestyles.
The journey toward the life that you deserve might sound tough, but it’s worth your time and effort. Backed by a supportive community of men and coaches, I’ve seen men get the results they’ve been looking for quickly. When you transform your life, the right women will notice and, trust me, they don’t play games.
3. She is upfront about what she wants and expects from a relationship
You’ve got no time for a woman who is giving you riddles. Some women think that it’s cute to be oblique and never let a guy know what they want. Then — as if that weren’t bad enough — they have the audacity to get angry when the guy doesn’t fulfill their needs.
You can waste your time, energy, and money on dating these women. All that you will get in the end is a loss. When you’re seeing a woman who is obsessed with drama, you need to get her claws out of you as soon as possible. Repeat after me: It will not end well.
Dating a high-value woman is a completely different experience. From date #1, she will show you what she wants and you will never feel in the dark. You won’t have to play dumb guessing games with her to keep her on the side. She has the maturity to be upfront about it.
4. She is self-assured and can make her own decisions
Confidence is a rare trait. 79% of women say that they struggle with their self-esteem. You’ve likely seen the signs: she is unsure of her decisions, constantly asks you for advice, and needs reassurance that she’s attractive all the time. It’s exhausting.
High-value women are different. When you meet one, you will notice the difference straight away. She is self-assured and doesn’t need a man’s advice. In her career and personal life, she makes her own decisions. She is the one calling the shots here.
You won’t find this woman begging for your attention — you will want to give it to her.
5. She is in control of her own life and doesn’t need a relationship
This woman was fine before you came along and — if you do break up — she will be fine once again.
Elite women are the opposite of clingy. They know themselves and their own minds. These women are not waiting around for the right guy to come along. Far from it.
She doesn’t mess you around or beg you to stay with her because she’s ‘lonely.’ No, she has her own stuff going on each day. If you’re the right man for her, you will fit into that.
6. She is kind and compassionate to the people in her life
Kindness goes a long way. You might think the woman I have described here is cold. That’s not the case. You don’t want some uptight or cut-throat businesswoman.
High-value women care about the people in their life — and they are not afraid to show it.
She might be close with her family. She might have a tight-knit group of friends. She might spend every Sunday with her sister.
Whatever it is, you can see that she has compassion.
How to make a high-value woman your girlfriend
You’ve got your eye on her — she’s got it all together and has ‘girlfriend’ written all over her. Now that you’ve found a high-quality woman, how do you make the first move?
Over the years, I’ve worked with a wide variety of men in my elite coaching program. It’s no secret that the vast majority of men worry about dating.
When you’re new to the game, you don’t want to end up making rookie mistakes. Luckily, I’ve got your back here.
Here, I share my expert-backed advice on where to find high-value women, how to catch their attention and make them want you.
1. Make the right first impression — it counts
75% of men are scared to first approach an attractive woman. Let’s say that she catches your attention when you’re in a local bar. How do you react? Do you stare at her across the room for hours on end? Or do you get up out of your seat and do something about it?
When you find yourself in the presence of a high-quality woman, every second matters. What you do from the offset will make an impact on her and determine how she reacts. No matter how nervous you may be, it’s important that you act like a complete gentleman.
Be respectful of her space and whether she wants to be approached. When you first introduce yourself, ask her if she’d like to have a drink with her. Women often find men intimidating when they approach them out of the blue. Let her know that you won’t take up too much of her time and that you purely want to get to know her or get her number.
2. Show her the respect that she deserves from the start
High-quality women are worthy of your respect. Scratch that — all women are worthy of your respect. One of the most important lessons that all men have to learn is to treat women as they deserve to be treated.
When you meet a woman who ticks all of your boxes, you need to treat her like a lady. There are no exceptions to this golden rule.
Forget the tricks that pick-up artists tell you will work. They won’t.
If you want to make this woman your girlfriend, your best bet is to go back to old-school dating techniques.
That means showing her that you are interested, taking her on dates, and giving her the space to make up her own mind. Take some tips from your grandpa — he knew a thing or two.
3. Avoid playing games or using cheap gimmicks to get her attention
Men and women both play games when dating. You know the drill. You might not text her for a few days after the first date.
You might pretend to have plans (when you don’t!) to seem more in demand. You might even lower yourself to the old ‘negging’ tactic.
None of the above will work. You’re dealing with a high-quality woman here and you need to show her more respect. Leave those playground tricks behind.
If she notices that you are playing games, you will lose her attention fast.
Chances are, she’s met men like that before and — as you might expect — swiftly dismissed them. Women who are self-possessed don’t have the time to mess around with players.
4. Show her that you are a high-value man and worth her time
You’re looking for a high-value woman — have you stopped to think about what she’s looking for? Yes… *ding ding ding*… you guessed it: She is looking for a high-value man.
The most effective strategy in attracting this woman is showing that you have your sh*t together. Women who know what they want will be on the lookout for elite men.
They don’t want some man-child who they will have to pick up after. Nothing is less attractive than that. No, they need a guy who calls the shots in his own life.
What are you bringing to the table? A good job? A house? Financial independence? A lively social life? Think about what it is that you have to offer and subtly let her know about it. You don’t need to flaunt it. Be quietly confident in what you have to share with her.
The moment she sees that you’re a strong, stable man, she will be interested. You don’t have to bend over backward to get her attention. Make sure you let her know that you are on the path toward your most elite life and that she has the chance to join you.
Takeaways
Before you can win the affection of a high-value woman, you need to elevate your lifestyle. I’ve worked with a selection of the world’s most elite men to support their growth.
My coaching program teaches men like you to change their mindset and regain the masculine power that has been taken from them. Taking control of your life is the first step.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic trick that will make a high-value woman fall in love with you. Life doesn’t work that way. You need to put in the groundwork and figure out your own life before you can attract a woman of this caliber. You have to start that journey.
Having the support of coaches and a community of like-minded men can make a real difference. I’ve worked with countless men who have tapped into this power and used it to upgrade their lifestyles and relationships.
It’s time to stop missing opportunities – in your work, romantic, and social life – and start living the best version of your life now.
Yes. My cousin was dating an unemployed airline pilot. Her father was a pilot, so flying was the ultra in pride and desirability. She was quite wealthy, and very desirable to a man who wasn’t into working. He was divorced, living with his momma, and dodging child support payments, blaming the wife for all of his problems.
She was diagnosed with cancer. I went to help out when she had her surgery. Since she lived in another state, I stayed with her at her parent’s house. They were both too busy to care for her due to their high powered careers.
After she got out of the hospital, I walked into her room to give her some medicine. He was leaning over her body in a way that struck me as strange. He almost looked threatening. It was like he was that Harry Potter character who sucked out your energy and soul. When I saw his face, I can only describe it as a window opened up and I saw evil. I warned her and her family about him.
As a result, I was kicked out of their house and shunned for a good two years. I was not invited to Christmas and her father told my grandmother it was because I didn’t like “the nicest guy” he had ever known. Keep in mind this family is quite prominent and he was sucking up to them big time.
The next time I saw my cousin, she had a badly broken shoulder. He had tried to kill them both by ramming his car at top speed into a tree. She had jumped out of the car and shattered the shoulder. Unfortunately, he did not kill himself- he just wanted to kill her. She suffered with that shoulder until the day she died. It never stopped hurting. His abuse started not long after I gave the warning she ignored.
Another year passed and my uncle came to me to apologize. He said, “You were right about somebody.” He went on to tell me that he had been arrested and given a long prison sentence for trying to kill his ex-wife. I wish they had listened.
When I was very young, I decided to move in with my girlfriend. At the time, I did not realize that I was way too young to do this and not really ready to take this step with this particular young lady. We looked at apartments and were interested in looking at furniture. My girlfriend told me that she knew a family friend who sold quality furniture at a store that give discounts to members of her labor union.
We visited this furniture store located at the time (mid 1980’s) in the Empire State Building. Her friend was happy to see us and even offered us an additional discount since he knew her family so well. He explained to us that his company offered a money back guarantee on all deposits. This guarantee was printed on their receipts. We picked out a bedroom and living room set and I left a healthy deposit.
Long story short, we ended up breaking up within the next two weeks. I went back to the furniture store to get my deposit back but my former girlfriends friend was not in. I visited the store two more times and I always seemed to go on his day off. The manager and his assistant noticed that I had been there a few times asking for him and offered their assistance. I explained that I was there for a refund of my deposit. They informed me that they had no record of me putting a deposit on furniture. They asked for my receipt which readily I produced. Very few businesses used computers at that time. They looked up my matching receipt number in their book. When they turned to the matching page, it was blank. They determined on the spot that the salesman had not entered the transaction in their records and pocketed the money. They stated that he was probably going to come up with the money at a later date and enter it in the book then. He probably thought that he had time to pull this off without anyone finding out. The manager and his assistant were very angry. They handed me back my receipt and told me that I was going to get call from the salesman by the next day, and that he was going to make arrangements to refund my money out of his pocket. They also told me that If I do not hear from him, return to them and they will refund my money and they would then go to the police and have him arrested.
The next day the salesman called me and made arrangements to meet me at my job to give me the deposit back. The check that the former salesman gave me was drawn on his mother’s account. It appeared that Mama had to come to his rescue. The Furniture store manager called me 2 days later. He informed me that he fired the salesman and if in the future I wanted to purchase furniture, he would offer me furniture at cost.
Yesterday I read an article that rather haunted me.
[1] It’s about a boy, aged 9, who lived alone for almost two years. His mother abandoned him to live with her boyfriend. The boy didn’t know how to operate the heater, so he would sleep under three blankets in the winter just to keep warm. He’d eat canned goods, and scavenge for food outside like a hyena.
He did go to school, however, managing to be present every day for two years without fail, having a perfect attendance record. His grades were excellent and he was reportedly in good spirits. Nobody in school new he ate stale food and took cold showers in a cold apartment with no one by his side. Authorities speculate the boy’s routine is likely what kept him alive — going to school every day, eating lunch there and talking to his friends in class. He never had friends over, always finding excuses not to.
Now the kid’s in foster care. His mother is being charged with all sorts of crimes for abandoning him. He reportedly never wants to see her again. Does he even have a father, grandparents? God. It’s just so sad, leaving a child alone to fend for himself in this world.
China containment becomes a lose-lose strategy for everyone
In trying to fight Beijing, Washington is causing irreparable damage to the world economy and it may be too great for even America to bear
Alex Lo
As Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman recently observed in Foreign Affairs, “China’s role as the workshop of the world … might be as hard to replace as the global role of the US dollar.”
And yet, that hasn’t stopped Uncle Sam from trying to wreck the China workshop, which has the unintended consequence of pushing more countries to try to “de-dollarise”.
The United States has been strong-arming countries and companies to divert their supply chains away from China, and these involve not only advanced tech products such as superfast computer chips but also mundane items such as rare commodities. Meanwhile, it has weaponised the global economy and financial systems to pursue its own foreign and trade policy goals.
They are the two economic aspects of its full-spectrum containment against China, which of course, also includes a predominantly military component. Countries such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and even the US were supposed to benefit from the supply-chain redirection. But they now find it hard to take up the slack. Much of the re-routing with new chains turns out to be just longer, more opaque and expensive, without severing ties to Chinese suppliers. Costs are adding up.
Last year, Taiwan’s Pou Chen Corp, a leading shoe manufacturer for the likes of Nike and Adidas, had to cut more than 6,000 jobs at its Ho Chi Minh City plant. The Vietnamese government once heavily advertised the investment of Japanese electronics giant Kyocera Corp, but it ended up producing low-tech ceramic packages for electronic insulation and resistance, rather than the more advanced packages for crystal devices.
Labour unrest, official corruption and red tape are cutting short the allure of Vietnam for foreign manufacturers. Comparatively, getting permits, licences and subsidies for foreign businesses in Vietnam for many has made China almost a bureaucratic paradise. Volatile internal party politics in Vietnam may be as tricky and scary as in China.
Cheaper labour costs at first made Vietnam attractive, but it turns out relocating factories, hiring locals and reorganising supply chains away from China can eat into whatever savings are made. Many Vietnamese contractors still go to China for supplies, so Western clients end up, as the Economist recently reported, inviting in more middlemen.
The story may be better for India and Indonesia, as both are competing with even cheaper labour, so long as they stick to low value-added production. But they may fare worse if they aim higher, as Vietnam can boast good infrastructure with modern ports, newly built highways and power supply. In any case, China doesn’t want those jobs any more as it is moving up the hi-tech value chains.
It’s highly ironic that Taiwan’s TSMC, which agreed to build a big chipmaking plant in Arizona after intense pressure from Washington and the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, has just announced production delays to next year, and for even more advanced chips, until 2027 or 2028. Perhaps by then, the US plant will come in handy and replace production in Taiwan, as that was the date some Pentagon generals claimed the mainland would invade!
Brics, the bloc originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has long been criticised for having no viable economic or political coherence or purpose. Well, now it does. They are all afraid of US economic warfare with sanctions being its primary weapon. From digital currencies and currency swaps to restricted computerised messaging for financial transactions, they are trying to de-dollarise.
Dozens of countries, especially those in the Global South and are not US allies, want to join now. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become members.
As Krugman said, the China workshop and the US dollar are two pillars of the global economy and are extremely hard to replace. Yet, Washington has made it a policy to erode those pillars, one by design, the other inadvertently.
The collateral damage may be too great for even the US to bear.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso quit ECOWAS regional block
Reuters January 28, 20243:52 PM GMT+1Updated 37 min ago
NIAMEY/BAMAKO, Jan 28 (Reuters) – Three West African junta-led states Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso said on Sunday they are immediately leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional economic bloc that has been urging them to return to democratic rule.
The decision by the three countries, announced in a joint statement read out on Niger national television, is a blow to the bloc’s regional integration efforts after it suspended the three countries following military takeovers.
…
“After 49 years, the valiant peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the (ECOWAS) organization has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism,” Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, said in the statement.
…
The three countries are also members of the eight-nation West African Monetary Union (UEMOA) that uses the West Africa CFA franc currency pegged to the Euro. The monetary union, following decisions by ECOWAS leaders after the coups in Mali and Niger, had cut off their access to the regional financial market, and the regional central bank. It later restored Mali’s access but Niger remains suspended.
A lower left tooth was loose (#21 for the cognoscenti). I went to the dentist.
He looked concerned, said it was broken vertically, removed the part that was broken, and took a look at what was left.
“You’ll have to see an oral surgeon for this. It’s a dental emergency. I’ll have my office set up the appointment.”
I get a call a few minutes later. Can I come in to see the oral surgeon the next day?
Next day, I’m there. Terrified. I’m a total dental chicken. “The tooth was reabsorbing into the jawbone” (What?!!) “so we have to take it out. It is likely to get infected. You need …”
And he proceeded to give me a few minutes of dental speak.
With only laughing gas and huge horse syringes full of novacaine, and wearing intense magnifying glasses, he drilled and chiseled a tooth/root/bone unit apart.
None of that was necessarily the coup de grace.
The hard part is not having to drink smoothies for a week until the stitches are removed.
The hard part is not waiting seven months with a toothless gap in my smile, as I wait for my gums to heal before they can do surgery a g a I n to place an implant into my jawbone (but that’s a huge Y I K E S for the future).
The hard part — is — overwhelming and aching bone pain in my jaw socket where the tooth infiltrated the bone. It hurts so much that pain has been preventing me from sleeping or moving much during the past four days since the tooth was separated from the jawbone and extracted.
I didn’t anticipate any of this pain with just a loose tooth. The pain afterwards was totally unanticipated and a thousand times worse than I thought it would be.
If a dentist ever tells you that a tooth is infiltrating your jaw bone, act sooner than later. Even if you don’t feel that anything is wrong.
Dental pain should be avoided at all costs.
Do You Have Jason Bourne in Custody? | The Bourne Supremacy | All Action
I’ve met guys over the years who find all kinds of physical traits unattractive. Everyone has their own personal visuals they like or dislike.
But there seems to be one universal, non-physical trait that men find unattractive with women: complaining.
You’ll never hear a guy complain that he wishes his woman would complain more to him. You’ll hear a lot of guys complain about how much their woman complain. (Or, complaining’s close cousin, criticizing.)
This includes things like:
Complaining that their guy didn’t do something that he either didn’t know he was supposed to do, or planned on doing later.
Complaining about the quality of work their guy did for something that no one is ever going to see or care about.
Complaining to their guy about things the kids or pets did wrong, as if it’s their guy’s fault that the kids or pets did those things wrong.
Complaining to their guy, like its his fault, about things that the guy has absolutely no control over, like the weather.
Complaints that are essentially versions of “my man did not read my mind.”
Criticizing their man’s choices for things that have no impact on the woman whatsoever.
Criticizing their man’s choices when their man asked for the woman’s input, but the woman didn’t offer any.
Tangentially related to “complaining” are things like:
Attempting to hold a deep conversation while the guy is trying to focus on something else, like a television show or driving.
Attempting to hold a deep conversation with the guy within 10 minutes of falling asleep or waking up.
Greeting their man with a task to do as soon as he gets home.
Adding on to their man’s “to do” list while he’s actively doing something the woman already put on that list.
Around 3,000 years ago, Hebrew men realized how much they didn’t like their wives’ complaining, and wrote it down in the book of Proverbs.
Hard to imagine, but an ex-colleague of mine was fired for something they DIDN’T DO outside of work but were ACCUSED of doing.
The company we worked for had a code of ethics that said you could be fired not just for doing something wrong, but for there being a public IMPRESSION that you did something wrong.
In his case, he had been in the chain drugstore the previous weekend, and was accused of shoplifting. After some unpleasant exchange with the store’s security staff and my colleague insisting that he would NOT allow them to examine his bags, but would only allow the police to do so, the police were called. He was searched, his bags were searched, and nothing was found.
Store management apologized to him. He said fine, okay and that was that, right?
Nope.
On Monday when he came to work, and people were saying what they did that weekend, he said “You won’t believe what happened to me!” and he related the incident.
Within a couple of hours, he was called to Human Resources and fired. Reason? Small town, everybody knows everybody. The accusation of shoplifting was made publicly in the store, where some of the other customers knew or might know him, and who also might be OUR customers. In our company’s eyes, that made our customers question whether they should give us their business, if we kept him as an employee.
He appealed but to no avail. Lost his job.
Lesson – don’t share too much about what happens on your time off, even if you didn’t actually do something wrong, perception can be everything.
I was in Las Vegas and was shopping at the Caesar’s Palace mall. I came across a sport memorabilia store that had two sports stars there signing autographs. At one end of a long table was Pete Rose and the other end was Kenny Stabler. I noticed that there was a long line waiting for Rose’s autograph but no one was at Kenny’s side. I didn’t know why Kenny didn’t have anyone in his autograph line, since he did have a super bowl win and was in the NFL HOF. My son-in-law was a huge Oakland Raider fan, so I went over to get Kenny’s autograph. As I was talking to Kenny, I noticed that Rose wasn’t really talking to the fans in line. He just signed the picture and his handler told the fans that Rose didn’t have time to answer any questions and told them to move on. Rose never even cracked a smile and actually looked perturbed to be there.
On the contrary, Kenny was most gracious and talked to me for over 10 mins. Instead of the stock picture they were passing out, he posed for a picture with me trying on his super bowl ring. He took down my address and said he would mail it to me. To my amazement, within a week I received the photo. My son-in-law treasured that photo for many years until his passing. What a difference in personalities between two superstar athletes. I never respected Pete Rose after that incident even though I once supported his failed attempt to get into the baseball HOF.
In college, a fellow fraternity brother named Mike met me after class to tell me he had the key (answers) to the upcoming engineering-physics mid-term exam and I could buy it for just $25. It was to be a 100 multiple-choice question exam to be given in a week.
Unfortunately, Mike spoke a little too loud and the professor heard him. The professor did not know who or how many people had the answer key so he decided to create an all-new test. He contacted two of his top grad students (Paul and Jim) to help and they toiled over the task for the next 4 days.
On the day before the exam, I overheard the professor ask Paul if he “was ready”. It seemed out of context so I got suspicious and decided to check with Mike. I heard MIke was over by the WPC Student Center so I headed over there. As I was scanning the area for Mike, I saw him talking to Paul. I hid and watched as Mike gave Paul an envelope and Paul gave Mike several sheets of paper. Mike had just bought the answer key to the new exam.
I waited until they separated and then went to Mike. I asked, “Are we all set for the exam tomorrow”. I wanted to see if he would offer me the new exam key. To my surprise, he did. I took it and sold it to two of my friends – Bruce and Khan – for $30 each. We all aced the exam and repeated it all again for the finals . . . . but with less drama.
So what were the unintended consequences? Bruce and Khan went on to become structural design architects at a prestigious firm in Chicago and were the design engineers for the 1,450 ft tall Sears Tower (it’s now called the Willis Tower) – the one that had 90x 5×8 ft, 380-pound windows that blew out in high winds.
As it turns out, the semester that we all cheated on the exams was when they taught the aerodynamics of wind on structures and how to compensate for the stresses involved. If Bruce and Khan had attended those classes and learned the topics taught that semester, then the Sears Tower would not sway 18″ in high winds and would not have ultimately spent $6 million to replace all of its 10,343 windows. All those unintended consequences because of an exam answer key that sold for $30.
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If this isn’t all true, it should be, and if it isn’t then how could it be? I’m not one to make up stuff unless I do and then it is only to prove my credibility or not. Wouldn’t you do the same if you didn’t know what you say you know in the context of being honest and trying to tell people that which could be true if it was? But, being a smart person, you knew all that already, didn’t you?
11 Signs A Woman Has Multiple Partners and What to Do About It
Published On January 22, 2024by Andrew Ferebee
So, you’ve met a woman that you’ve completely fallen for. You’ve been dating for a while, and everything has been going well. She might even be “the one.”
The problem is, you’re not entirely sure you’re the only one in her life. You can’t place your finger on it exactly, but something leads you to believe she may be seeing other men.
You want clarity, but you’re unsure how to broach the subject. After all, things are going well, and you don’t want to mess up a good thing. But at the same time, not knowing what’s going on is driving you crazy.
Dating multiple people at once is a tricky subject to navigate. In an ideal world, both partners will communicate their ideas and expectations about dating other people. The problem is we don’t live in an ideal world.
More often than not, people dance around the issue because they don’t want to hurt the other person’s feelings (or damage the relationship’s potential). This leads to one or both people playing the guessing game.
If this sounds like your current situation, understand you are not alone. And as difficult as it can be to navigate this situation, you can gain clarity — if you know what to look for.
Today, I’ll give you a framework you can use to gauge whether or not the woman you’re dating has multiple partners and how to approach things if she does. Signs That The Woman You’re Seeing Has Multiple Partners
1. Unless You’re Told Otherwise, Assume She Is
In today’s dating climate, you should always assume that the woman you’re dating is also seeing other men. Unless she comes out and explicitly tells you that the two of you are exclusive, you’re probably not.
Understand that couples seldom become exclusive off the bat. Nine times out of ten, one or both people will date around before settling on their chosen person.
So, even if you’re really into the woman you’re seeing and everything seems to be going great, that’s fine. But just remember that nothing is official until it’s official.
2. Other People Call You The Wrong Name — Or Think They’ve Met You Before
If she brings you around to meet a group of friends or family, and those people call you the wrong name or think they’ve met you before, it could be a sign that she’s dating other guys.
Don’t assume that these friends or family members are misremembering. It’s far more likely that they were introduced to another man recently.
And if you want to gauge whether she’s being honest with you, press her on the issue. Ask her about it and see what she says. If she tries to dodge the issue or acts unnatural, it’s probably because she’s dishonest.
3. She Avoids Introducing You To Friends Or Family Members
Oppositely, she may avoid bringing you around to meet her friends or family. For this one, look at the context of the situation to see if something seems odd to you.
If she has to attend a wedding and tells you she’ll go alone, that’s odd behavior. Why? Because no one likes to attend a wedding alone. And chances are, she’s not.
It’s far more likely that she’s just going with someone else.
If you’ve been dating for several months and have not met anyone from her social circle, that’s just not natural. If she often tells you she can’t meet because she’s going out with her friends but doesn’t invite you to come, that’s also odd.
Chances are, she’s bringing another man to these gatherings. And rather than letting her friends or family know she’s dating multiple men, keeping you on the back burner is easier.
4. She’s Had An Unreasonable Amount Of Partners
Does the woman you’re dating talk about more exes than you can count? If so, it could indicate a pattern of behavior.
Just because a woman has many exes doesn’t inherently mean that there’s something wrong, but the time frame matters. If you get the sense that she’s dated ten different guys in the last three months, there’s a very good chance she was dating them simultaneously.
And there’s also a good chance that’s the same thing happening with you. Chances are, you have much in common with the men who came before you.
So, always be mindful of the patterns that are right in front of you.
5. She Shies Away From You And Isn’t As Affectionate As You Are
Do you feel like you’re the one who’s always being affectionate, but she isn’t doing the same? Sure, you may be intimate with this woman, and everything could be great in the bedroom, but what about other acts of affection?
Does she allow you to wrap your arm around her while walking together? Can you hold her hand? Hug her? Kiss her in public?
Sure, some people aren’t into public displays of affection, but it can also be a sign. These “loving” affections are sometimes more significant than sex. And if she shies away from your affection, ask yourself why.
There’s a strong possibility she’s seeing other men and doesn’t want to lead you on any more than she already is.
Remember that men and women approach dating and relationships in very different ways. You’ll seldom see a man stay with a woman after losing interest, but women do this often.
If you think she’s lost interest in you but doesn’t have the heart to tell you, read the signs and don’t let things last any longer than they need to.
6. She Craves Sex Less Than You Do
Oppositely, it might not be the public displays of affection that are the problem, but your sex life. If she approaches intimacy with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, again, ask yourself why.
Of course, it’s perfectly normal for people to not be in the mood sometimes. What you have to look at is the underlying pattern. If your relationship started with a great sex life, but that drive suddenly faded, there’s a reason for that.
If she tells you she enjoys sex and that she enjoys having it with you, but the two of you inexplicably go long periods without sleeping together, it could be a sign that there’s someone else in the picture.
Again, nothing is certain. But if something feels off, it’s probably because it is. It could be a sign if you’re a generally rational man who doesn’t have underlying trust issues, but something is telling you not to trust this woman.
7. She Tells You She’s Busy — But Doesn’t Tell You Why
Does it seem like you can never get a straight answer from her? Does she give you ambiguous answers about what she’s doing and who she’s doing it with?
If so, it indicates that she’s seeing other men. Also, look at how often you meet up with her. If it’s every couple of weeks or once a month, that’s probably because she’s seeing other guys when she’s not with you.
Does she only meet you during the week and always have a full calendar on Fridays and the weekends that doesn’t include you?
Again, look at the underlying patterns. If they seem strange, it’s probably because something’s up.
If you’re really into her and want nothing more than to spend time with her, but she seems unwilling or unable to do the same for you, it’s a sign that something is off.
8. She Takes An Excessive Time To Respond To Your Messages
Most people are glued to their phones between six in the evening and midnight. They unwind from work with a glass of wine, Netflix, and their social media feeds.
If you text this woman without a hitch all day, but then she suddenly goes MIA during the evenings, that’s almost certainly a sign that she’s with another man.
She’s not texting you back because she can’t text you back. Again, look for things that seem odd. If she tells you she’s going to the gym after work, that’s fine, but if she doesn’t respond to your messages until noon the next day, it may be because she was with another man.
9. She Only Meets You At Odd Times
It’s nine o’clock on a Friday night, and she suddenly hits you up to go out. And this happens after she told you she already had other plans.
While you told her that you would also make other plans, that wasn’t entirely true. Your “plans” entailed ordering a pizza and playing Call of Duty.
You want to say ‘no,’ but you are also sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself, so you can’t resist.
If a woman likes you, she’ll make you her first priority, not the fallback guy. If the woman you’re seeing asks you to meet at odd hours or with little notice, she’s using you as a backup.
Now, some guys are okay with this, but if you’re not, you need to say so. You should not suffer in silence and play the guessing game.
10. She Still Has Active Dating Profiles
Whether you met this woman online or not, if you find that she has an active dating profile, you can be almost certain that she’s using it.
Don’t let her sell you on the “I didn’t have a chance to delete it yet” or “I forgot I had it.” Having a dating profile as a woman means dealing with a constant barrage of messages. It’s almost impossible to ignore.
And if the woman you’re seeing has an active dating profile, she’s not ignoring it, either.
11. She Gets (And Seeks) A Lot Of Attention On Social Media
While an active social media presence isn’t necessarily a sign of something wrong, keep an eye out for odd activity — especially from other men.
If you see comments like, “I can’t wait to see you again,” or “We had such a great time,” from men, and you have no idea who these guys are, there’s a good chance she’s dating them.
Just look for anything that seems odd or out of place. If your instincts tell you something doesn’t feel right, then something is wrong. Don’t turn a blind eye to it.
What Do I Do If The Woman You’re Dating Has Multiple Partners?
Well, for one, you could just talk to her about it. And if you haven’t done this already, it’s probably because you’re scared of the consequences.
You may fear that if you talk to her about it, she’ll tell you that she is, in fact, seeing other men and isn’t interested in seeing you anymore. Or that she’ll just cut you off completely.
And this leads us to the true problem…
In any relationship, no matter how casual or serious, a certain power dynamic develops. And the person who is more confident, grounded, and self-assured is the one who has the upper hand.
And in instances like these, that person is not you. If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume that you are not dating other women, even though you suspect your partner is.
I’m also going to assume that deep down, you know exactly what’s going on with your current relationship. The problem is that you’re having a hard time accepting the truth.
The question is, why are you putting yourself in this position?
Why are you allowing yourself to be subjected to this treatment? Why are you allowing this woman to essentially “play you”? Why are you allowing yourself to be treated in a way that feels disrespectful?
Is this what an alpha male would do?
Certainly not. An alpha is the type of man who doesn’t chase women but has women chase after him.
Just imagine how great it would feel to be the type of man who could have his choice of high-quality women instead of being at the mercy of situations like these.
In other words, there are several things you could do to remedy this situation, but the first thing you should do is…
1. Raise your value in the dating economy
Let’s just face the facts for a moment and be brutally honest: You’re at the mercy of this woman you’re dating. She has you wrapped around her finger, and she knows it.
Because if she truly valued you for the man you are, she would never let an opportunity to be with you pass her by. There’s no point in playing the field when you have the home run sitting right in front of you.
But that’s the thing: she doesn’t see you that way. And that may be your fault. Are you doing everything you can to show her your value as a man? Is it abundantly apparent how great of a catch you are?
Become the type of man that women would line up to date. Be the type of man who can give women experiences unlike any other. Be a grounded, cultured man who takes risks and gets what he wants in life.
Invest in yourself so no woman can deny your obvious value. Prioritize your physical fitness, expand your mind, embrace new experiences, and be a fun person to be around.
When you put your power on full display, women will take notice.
2. Talk to her about it and have an honest conversation
Or, if you’re really interested in this woman and genuinely think your relationship has the potential to be something special, discuss the issue.
Tell her what you think is going on and explain that you’re uncomfortable with it. Tell her that you value the connection the two of you have and want to see it grow into something more.
If she doesn’t feel the same, yes, that will hurt a lot, but at least you won’t have to spend your days guessing. Remember, sometimes, the fear of pain (especially emotional pain) can be worse than the pain itself.
The first step to resolving the issue is getting it out there in the open so you can discuss it.
3. Consider your options
If you’re aware that the woman you’re dating is also seeing other people, it might be worth thinking about exploring other relationships yourself.
This suggestion isn’t for everyone. If it doesn’t align with your values or comfort level, that’s completely okay. However, it’s important to reflect on the dynamics of your current situation.
She’s keeping her options open, which raises the question: should you do the same? It’s natural to have strong feelings for her and to hope for a more committed relationship in the future. But, if you’re not at that stage yet, it might not be wise to fully commit yourself to someone who isn’t making you their priority.
Instead of focusing solely on this relationship, consider the possibility of meeting other people. This approach can provide a more balanced perspective and prevent you from feeling overly invested in a situation where your needs might not be fully met.
4. Stop wasting your time and prioritize self-respect
If you’re fed up with the situation and can’t take it any longer, end it. Tell her you no longer feel comfortable with the relationship and move on.
Many people forget that they are responsible for how others treat them.
If you’re being treated in a way that makes you feel undervalued, it’s because you allow it to happen.
So, don’t allow it to happen any longer. Make the hard choice and end the relationship.
Takeaways
If you’ve grown sick and tired of these dating situations you find yourself in, it’s time to make a change. Leave the past behind and become a high-value man who attracts high-value women into his life.
If one thing is certain, it’s that anyone has the power to change. Society has a nasty habit of conditioning us to believe we’re fixed in our current situation and that we’ll never be able to improve and embrace our full potential.
Not true. I’m proof of that. And if you want to gain insider knowledge of everything I learned on my journey, the professional coaching program at Knowledge for Men is just what you need.
How nice would it be to be surrounded by a group of strong, grounded, like-minded men who will challenge and push you to become the best version of yourself?
And to be clear, this isn’t a place for those faint of heart. Honestly, you’ll probably have to face aspects of yourself that will make you quite uncomfortable.
But if you’re looking for the single best place to grow into your true potential, this is it. No complainers are here, only serious, dedicated men committed to helping others.
Are you ready to take the next step? Are you ready to embrace your untapped potential and live a life you previously only imagined?
If so, the time is now. I’ll see you on the other side!
Lambert here: Not a geopolitics maven, but Iran sure did offer Russia the right hand of good fellowship with those drone sales.
By Simon Watkins, a former senior FX trader and salesman, financial journalist, and best-selling author. He was Head of Forex Institutional Sales and Trading for Credit Lyonnais, and later Director of Forex at Bank of Montreal. He was then Head of Weekly Publications and Chief Writer for Business Monitor International, Head of Fuel Oil Products for Platts, and Global Managing Editor of Research for Renaissance Capital in Moscow. Originally published at OilPrice.com.
• Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei gave his official approval to a new 20-year comprehensive cooperation deal between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia.
• The agreement will replace the 10-year-deal signed in March 2001 and has been expanded not only in duration but also in scope and scale.
• The new deal includes far-going agreements on defense and energy.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, gave his official approval on 18 January to a new 20-year comprehensive cooperation deal between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia, according to a senior energy source in Iran and a senior source in the European Union’s (E.U.) energy security complex, exclusively spoken to by OilPrice.com last week. The 20-year deal – ‘The Treaty on the Basis of Mutual Relations and Principles of Cooperation between Iran and Russia’ – was presented for his consideration on 11 December 2023. It will replace the 10-year-deal signed in March 2001 (extended twice by five years) and has been expanded not only in duration but also in scope and scale, particularly in the defense and energy sectors. In several respects, the new deal additionally complements key elements of the all-encompassing ‘Iran-China 25-Year Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement’, as first revealed anywhere in the world in my 3 September 2019 article on the subject and analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order.
In the energy sector to begin with, the new deal gives Russia the first right of extraction in the Iranian section of the Caspian Sea, including the potentially huge Chalous field. The wider Caspian basins area, including both onshore and offshore fields, is conservatively estimated to have around 48 billion barrels of oil and 292 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas in proven and probable reserves. In 2019, Russia was instrumental in changing the legal status of the Caspian basins area, cutting Iran’s share from 50 percent to just 11.875 percent in the process, as also detailed in my new book. Before the Chalous discovery, this meant that Iran would lose at least US$3.2 trillion in revenues from the lost value of energy products across the shared assets of the Caspian Sea resource going forward. Given the newest internal-use only estimates from Iran and Russia, this figure could be a lot higher. Previously, the estimates were that Chalous contained around 124 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas in place. This equated to around one quarter of the gas reserves contained in Iran’s supergiant South Pars natural gas field that account for around 40 percent of Iran’s total estimated gas reserves and about 80 per cent of its gas production. The new estimates are that it is a twin-field site, nine kilometres apart, with ‘Greater’ Chalous having 208 bcf of gas in place, and ‘Lesser’ Chalous having 42 bcf of gas, giving a combined figure of 250 bcm of gas.
The same right of first extraction for Russia will also now apply to Iran’s major oil and gas fields in the Khorramshahr and nearby Ilam provinces that border Iraq. The shared fields of Iran and Iraq have long allowed Tehran to side-step sanctions in place against its key oil sector, as it is impossible to tell what oil has come from the Iranian side or the Iraqi side of these fields, which means that Iran is able simply to rebrand its own sanctioned oil as unsanctioned Iraqi oil and ship it anywhere it wants, as also analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. Former Petroleum Minister, Bijan Zanganeh, publicly highlighted this very practice when he said in 2020: “What we export is not under Iran’s name. The documents are changed over and over, as well as [the] specifications.” Another advantage of the shared fields is that they allow effectively free movement of personnel from the Iranian side to the Iraqi side, and the utilisation of key oil and gas developments across Iraq is a key part of Iran’s longstanding plan, fully supported by Russia, to build a ‘land bridge’ to the Mediterranean Sea coast of Syria. This would enable Iran and Russia to exponentially increase weapons delivery into southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights area of Syria to be used in attacks on Israel. The core aim of this policy is to provoke a broader conflict in the Middle East that would draw in the U.S. and its allies into an unwinnable war of the sort seen recently in Iraq and Afghanistan, and which may soon be seen as the Israel-Hamas War escalates.
The price of all manufactured items traded between Russia and Iran, including military and energy hardware, has been formalised in the new deal, although also not in Iran’s favour. For Iranian goods exported to Russia, Tehran will receive the cost of production plus 8 percent. However, these export sales to Russia will not be transferred to Iran, but rather they will be held as credit in the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). Moreover, Iran will receive a huge markdown on US dollar/Rouble or Euro/Rouble exchange rates used to calculate its credits in the CBR. Conversely, for Russian goods exported to Iran, Moscow will receive the payment in advance of delivery and at a much stronger exchange rate that benefits Russia. Moreover, the base price before any exchange rate calculations are made, will be founded on the highest price that Russia has received in the previous 180 days for whichever product it is selling Iran. This system has informally been in place for several weeks now, and according to the senior energy sector source in Tehran exclusively spoken to by OilPrice.com last week, Russia has ensured itself the highest possible price by selling to Belarus at a very large premium whichever product it intends to sell later to Iran, so establishing the required pricing benchmark. Payments for goods and services falling outside the direct finance route between the central banks of the two countries can now be done through interbank transfers between Iranian and Russian banks. Those also involving renminbi can also be done through China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) system, its alternative to the globally-dominant Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) system.
In many cases, the expansion of military cooperation between Iran and Russia is tied into the energy sector elements of the new 20-year deal. Progress is earmarked to be made on upgrading the facilities at the key airports and seaports that have long been targeted by Russia as being especially useful for dual-use by its air force and navy, and which are also close to major oil and gas facilities. Top of the list of Iranian airports that Russia regards as the best for dual-use by its air force are Hamedan, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Abadan, and it is apposite to note that in August 2016, Russia used the Hamedan airbase to launch attacks on targets in Syria using both Tupolev-22M3 long-range bombers and Sukhoi-34 strike fighters. Top of the list of seaports for use by its navy are Chabahar, Bandar-e-Bushehr, and Bandar Abbas. Similarly linked to Russia’s gaining the first right of extraction in the Iranian section of the Caspian Sea is that it will also be given a joint command capability over the northern aerospace defense section of Iran’s Caspian area.
It is also apposite to note here that Iran’s electronic warfare (EW) system can easily be tied into Russia’s Southern Joint Strategic Command 19th EW Brigade (Rassvet) near Rostov-on-Don to the northwest of the Caspian. This can also be linked in with China’s EW capabilities. These EW capabilities would include jamming systems for neutralising air defences in the region. This will be augmented with new missiles designated to be sent to Iran by Russia under the new deal, according to the senior E.U. security sector source exclusively spoken to by OilPrice.com last week. “Selected IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] personnel will be trained on the latest Russian upgrades of several short- and long-range missiles – the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, the Iskander M, the RS-26 Rubezh, the BrahMos3, and the Avangard – before the plan to manufacture them under licence in Iran begins, with the aim being to have 30 percent of them stay in Iran, with the rest being sent back to Russia,” he said.
“What all of this means, is that the new 20 -year deal between Iran and Russia will change the landscape of the Middle East, southern Europe, and Asia as Iran will have a much-extended military reach that will give it much more leverage to make political demands across those region,” he exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. “This reach also means that countries in these areas will feel that continuing to rely on the U.S. for their protection is a lot more of a precarious option than it was before,” he concluded.
Being a new Grade 11 student in a small city was devastating. I had come from the “big city” to a rural cowboy type environment.
In the school of 259 students there was a huge class difference. Some families had money, some were farm kids bused in and as always the partiers. I didn’t really fit in, but I wasn’t bullied either.
The cheerleader girls snubbed everyone. Including me, they gossiped and ignored everyone but their clique. As I only had a year and a half before graduation I existed, couldn’t wait to get out of this place. As soon as school was done, I went back to my home city.
I was fortunate to get a job at the library, which was unionized. A year went by before the wages were negotiated and settled. When this was completed, we were back paid a year of difference.
This was in the early 1970’s and when I got my huge cheque and took it to the bank. I went through the teller, who recognized me and I was shocked to see the cheerleader queen working for the bank.
She took my deposit and with her snooty voice asked me if this was a severance payout. I looked her in the eye and smiled. I assured her that I hadn’t been fired. She looked at me and I could see she was looking for a snide remark. Just then I got my revenge.
I smiled and said to her, heavens no, I love working at the library. I told her, no problem, this is my bimonthly cheque.
She was so shocked that she turned on her sweetness and asked me, would you like to go for coffee this week. Again, I smiled and told her, thank you for asking but my social calendar is very busy.
“I am an American. I am not a tourist in your country.”
I was working as a Tourist Officer for the GNWT. My job was to maintain a park, and do tourist services. Simple work. One of the services was a visitor exit survey to see if people were enjoying the north. Let me set the stage.
Fort Smith NWT, is a community of about 3000 people. The airport is very small, and usually only has one person on duty for a flight. Her name was Mary*. She was both ticker agent and security guard. She pointed at an older woman and said “Tourist” so I went over and asked if she was willing to do the survey. “No problem, young man” was the very southern response. She was from Peachtree Georgia and had a classic plantation accent. After a few questions about what hotel she stayed at, and and activities she did, Mary called for pre-boarding, but to please do a tourist survey with me as there was “Plenty of time.”
The woman got absolutely infuriated with me instantly. And very loudly yelled “I am an American. I am not a tourist in your country.” And stormed over to the gate. The entire airport started laughing. And “In your country” because a new standard greeting between us for the summer.
*All NWT airports have a “Mary” and it seems like they are all the same women. A wonderful native Lady with a wicked sense of humor.
In China, I periodically have problems with intestinal and stomach gas from time to time. You know, I do like the spicy food, and all the rest. And it can get to be a problem with the farting and the burping.
Rather than take medicine for it, or anything like that… I discovered that a tall glass of watermelon juice takes care of the entire problem. One glass and the problem goes away.
That is, however, if the origin of the gas is from the stomach.
Anyways… Surprised me!
Ah, this is a little trick and suggestion for you foodies out there. Instead of medicines. Please take the time to drink watery fruit juices. Watermelon seems to work. Don’t really know about the other fruit, though.
Watermelon juice.
Cures stomach gas.
Things you won’t hear anywhere else.
Metallicman.
LOL.
Today…
Mourabiedes
2024 01 28 13 51
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup coarsely grated or finely chopped almonds
3 1/2 cups flour
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Heat oven to 275 degrees F.
Cream butter until light and fluffy.
Mix in the 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and egg yolk, creaming well. Beat in almonds. Stir flour; measure and gradually add just enough flour to make a soft dough that you can shape with your hands. Pinch off pieces of dough the size of a walnut and roll between your hands. Shape into half moons or stylized S shapes.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven; let cool in pan until lukewarm.
Sift confectioners’ sugar onto wax paper.
Carefully transfer the cookies from baking sheet to sugared paper. Sift more sugar over the top, coating them at least 1/4 inch with sugar. Let stand until cool; then store in a cookie jar or crock.
Are you convinced that we are headed for societal collapse? If so, you are definitely not alone. Survey after survey has shown that faith in all of our major institutions is dropping, and there is a growing consensus that very challenging times are ahead of us. Here in 2024, we will be facing the most chaotic election season in our entire history, multiple wars are erupting all over the planet, economic problems are rapidly growing, destructive natural disasters are becoming more frequent, global authorities are warning us to brace ourselves for the next pandemic, and our cities are being absolutely overwhelmed by endless waves of new migrants. The stage is set for a societal implosion of epic proportions, and many Americans are feverishly preparing for a coming collapse that they believe is inevitable.
According to a survey of 6,200 Americans conducted by BonusFinder.com, 71.2 percent of Americans say they have no faith in the U.S. government to save them or prevent a doomsday event. Even more unnerving, many respondents believe Doomsday could come within the next year.
If you actually believe that the government will be there to rescue you when things really start hitting the fan, you are just being delusional.
If it was equally divided up among the entire population, the emergency supplies that the government has on hand would last less than a day.
Many Americans are realizing that they will be forced to rely on themselves as society collapses, and so an increasing percentage of the population is spending significant money on emergency preparedness…
Last April, the financial-services firm Finder found that the number of Americans who said they’d recently spent money on emergency preparedness jumped from 20% in 2020 to 29% in 2023. They spent an average of $150 on items such as nonperishable food, medical supplies, and cases of water. Today you can’t turn on a streaming platform without catching recommendations for popular survivalist reality shows such as “Alone” or “Naked and Afraid,” and on social media, homesteading and disaster-prepping influencers have amassed millions of followers across various platforms.
Disaster preparedness is on the rise, in large part, because disasters are as well: from the supply-chain shortages caused by COVID-19 lockdowns to the climate crisis, from wars in Ukraine and Gaza to tech-driven loneliness, from runaway disinformation to intractable political polarization. More people are asking: Am I better off being hyperdependent on the global industrial economy? Would it be safer to grow my own food, store my own water, and not depend on complex systems I don’t understand?
I am glad that more people are waking up and getting prepared.
But spending a couple hundred dollars on some emergency preparedness items simply is not going to be enough to survive what is eventually coming.
In Missouri, one woman named Rowan MacKenzie has literally spent $90,000 to prepare her family for what she believes is ahead of us…
A woman who has built a doomsday bunker says the door will remain closed to anyone outside her home, including family.
Rowan MacKenzie, from Missouri, who became a social media phenomenon after revealing she’s been prepping her home for 12 years, believes it’s necessary to prepare for the end of the world.
She previously hit the headlines after revealing she spent over $90,000 on her hidden bunker stockpile.
The 38-year-old began stocking up her cupboards 13 years ago and initially, bought lifelong essentials, such as beans and rice, which she taught herself to preserve through trial and error.
Do you agree with her approach?
When things get really bad, will you shut your door to those that are requesting help?
Of course there are many that will just try to take whatever they need. Crime rates are already spiking all over the nation, and violent predators are seemingly everywhere. Earlier this week, Zero Hedge posted an excellent article about the vast hordes of psychopaths that are coming out of the woodwork these days…
Discussions on collapse often turn to signs and signals – The economy, politics and social tensions have become increasingly unstable for many years now, and much like adding more and more weight to a man standing on a frozen lake, eventually the ice is going to break. The question is, how do we know when that moment will be?
As cultural systems begins to dissolve due to political clashes and economic decline the real evil tends to slither out of the woodwork. It happens slowly at first, then all at once. A sure sign of accelerating collapse is the growing prevalence of psychopaths and psychopathic behavior in the open.
The US appears to have entered the middle stages of such a collapse with many sociopaths and psychopaths beginning to feel that they might be able to act out their worst impulses without consequences. They are beginning to test the waters to see what they can get away with.
Those paragraphs really resonated with me, because they are so true.
I am sure that you have noticed the same thing. Evil is literally growing all around us, and the inmates are taking over the asylum.
Are you ready for the tremendous chaos that is coming?
If you have not figured out where you want to be located during the chaotic years that are ahead, that is the first thing that you need to do.
Once you have settled on a location, then you need to store up enough food and supplies for yourself and for everyone that will be depending upon you for as long as you plan to stay alive.
Of course you will also need to determine how you will protect all of your food and supplies as well.
This is not a game.
The collapse of society really is coming, and most of the population will find themselves completely and utterly unprepared when it finally happens.
We are decoupling from China and, a fortiori, from its technology, and from the 130 countries in its currency, trade and defense alliances. Highlights from 2023 suggest that we are far behind – and the gap is widening.
2024 01 29 11 41
Economy
In 2023, China’s economy grew by $1.6 trillion, more than the rest of the world’s combined – while the USA borrowed $3 trillion to fund $300 billion GDP growth. Real wages grew 4.7% and demographics will remain healthy through 2043. 21 million tourists flew during Golden Week and spent $3 billion in Xinjiang alone. Hangzhou hosted more athletes at the Asian Games than the Olympics and domestic brands Anta and Li-Ning outsold Nike and Adidas.
Research
Young Science became the world’s #3 journal and is rapidly overtaking incumbent leaders Nature and Science. With a $228 billion corporate R&D budget, 3 million Chinese scientists applied for almost as many patents as the rest of the world combined, and utterly dominated the top 1% of most influential papers. Huawei’s R&D budget alone is larger than the US CHIPS and Science Act.
Scientists created the first graphene semiconductor, while Betavolt began shipping an atomic energy battery that powers consumer devices for 99 years.
Huawei mastered 7nm chip production (Intel still has not), replaced WiFi with 6x faster NearLink, took Apple’s #1 spot in the world’s largest market with a phone using 90% domestic components. Chinese chip foundries bought 62% of machinery equipment domestically this year, vs. 47% last year, and produced the first integrated neuro-memristor and the first 232 layer flash memory. Researchers set a record for high-rate quantum key distribution, showed off the first ambient superionic hydride ion conductor, the first primate brain-computer interface and an integrated neuro-memristor chip that will make circuit boards obsolete.
Macro inventions included the first waterless nuclear reactor, the most powerful solid-fuel rocket, the first liquid oxygen/methane rocket (it lifted 6 tonnes into sun-synchronous orbit), the world’s only Mach 30 wind tunnel, lasers generating high-energy beams indefinitely, and the first high-orbit Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite for 24×7 weather observation.
The country installed 80 million kW of PV and PV generated 300 billion kWh nationwide, 30% above 2022. CATL’s EV batteries get 400 km on 15 min. charge and 700 km. on a regular charge at all temperatures. In addition to installing 290,000 industrial robots – more than the rest of the world combined – it put AESA radars on $8,000 farm drones (only four countries can make them – for fighter jets). Its 800 million 5G subscribers are served by 3.2 million base stations and integrated 5G industry applications into 67 economic categories with 100,000 application cases. Tibet’s 5G service surpassed California’s.
Environment
In the wilderness that covers 42% of China’s landmass, conservationists counted 70,000 Tibetan antelopes, 3,400 Przewalski’s gazelles, 5,000 golden snub-nosed monkeys and 1200 Snow Leopards.
Wind powered 15% of China’s energy and PV generated 300 billion kWh, up 30% on 2022, and factories produce 30,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. Gasoline demand peaked in 2023, and diesel will peak this year.
Geopolitics
mBridge, the Hong Kong-based digital currency platform that allows countries to trade in their own currencies, completed its millionth international transaction. 152 countries signed BRICS agreements and boosted mutual trade by 19% and lifted 40 million people out of poverty. The BRI News Network began broadcasting to 107 countries.
Defense
A hypersonic missile flew around the planet, launching and retrieving a mystery vehicle. The world’s most powerful radar chip makes planes and ships visible off Australia coast and the first terahertz submarine detector tracks submarines’ bubbles
US users rush in as China opens its top quantum computer Origin Wukong to the world, state media reports
US tops list of users from 61 countries to have accessed Origin Wukong remotely in 10 days, Science and Technology Daily reports
Co-founder of firm that built machine cites notion of ‘scientific exploration without borders’, though ‘US quantum computers are not open to China’
China’s independently developed state-of-the-art quantum computer, Origin Wukong, was opened up to global users 10 days ago.
Since then, remote visitors from 61 countries have been able to access the superfast computer, with the United States topping the list, Chinese state media reported on Tuesday.
The Science and Technology Daily, published by the ministry of the same name, said the number of remote accesses to Origin Wukong had surpassed 350,000 as of 10am on Monday.
Users from Bulgaria, Singapore, Japan, Russia and Canada were among those who logged in, but the US led the tally, it said, without providing specific numbers.
The machine had completed 33,871 quantum computing tasks for global users since it became operational on January 6, the report added.
Named after the Monkey King of Chinese mythology, Origin Wukong is China’s first home-grown third-generation superconducting quantum computer.
Origin Quantum, the company behind the feat, was founded in 2017 by Guo Guoping and Guo Guangcan – leading quantum physicists at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in southeastern Anhui province.
“US quantum computers are not open to China,” Guo Guoping told the Post. “But, adhering to the notion of scientific exploration without borders, we are willing to open our services to users around the world, including the US, to jointly promote the concept of quantum computing for the benefit of mankind.”
Quantum computing is seen as a disruptive technology. It uses elementary particles called qubits, short for quantum bits, as its basic unit of information – equivalent to the digital bits used in traditional computing.
China and the United States are among major world powers racing to be No 1 in utilising the key technology, which has the potential to transform many fields, including healthcare, finance and data security.
Origin delivered its first superconducting quantum computer to the domestic market in 2020. The country’s first practical quantum computer was also from Origin – the 24-qubit Wuyuan second generation machine that was delivered to an undisclosed user in 2021.
The feat made China the third country – after Canada and the US – to gain the capability to deliver a complete quantum computing system.
The Wukong is powered by a 72-qubit home-made superconducting quantum chip, also called the Wukong chip.
Jia Zhilong, a director in charge of quantum chip research and development at Origin, said the launch of this locally made chip and computer was akin to an “entry ticket” to the field of superconducting quantum computer manufacturing.
He said it showed that China was capable of independently producing scalable quantum computer chips and systems of a certain size, local newspaper Anhui Daily reported earlier this month.
Kong Weicheng, another researcher at Origin, told the paper that the company’s latest powerful machine could send out and execute up to 200 quantum circuits at one time, giving it a greater speed advantage.
Despite these advances, the quantum gap between Chinese players and their Western counterparts remains wide.
In November 2022, America’s IBM launched its 433-qubit “Osprey” processor, the world’s fastest quantum computer at the time. In October last year, Californian start-up Atom Computing left the Osprey behind with the debut of its first quantum computer with more than 1,000 qubits. Two months later, IBM unveiled the Condor with 1,121 superconducting qubits.
Although having more qubits does not necessarily mean better performance, large numbers will be needed to build error-free quantum computers that would be more useful than today’s “noisy” research machines, involving a certain probability of errors during the calculation process.
image 208
Quantum computers offer a faster, more efficient method of calculation than traditional computers. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese scientists acknowledge the gap with the West.
In late 2022, Zhang Hui, general manager of Origin Quantum, said China was at the forefront of global quantum science research but “relatively behind” in quantum computing.
The development of quantum computers involves many advanced engineering issues, Zhang told Chinese news outlet 观察者网. This includes the production of superconducting chips and traditional semiconductors – both crucial hi-tech areas where China lags behind the US and the West.
He added that there was a huge gap between China and the US in the industrial applications of quantum computing.
“Leading players such as IBM and Google started exploring industrial applications as early as the 1990s. But it’s only since the establishment of Origin Quantum in 2017 that we started exploring industrial applications,” Zhang said.
However, whether featuring 72 or more than 1,000 qubits – quantum computers are not about to replace conventional ones soon. At this stage, they can only perform very specific tasks for short periods of time in a protected environment.
Numerous technical challenges, such as the ability to correct errors, have led some scientists to forecast that a practical quantum computer is still years, if not decades, away.
9 People Reveal Their Frustrations Of Being Raised By Overbearing Asian Parents
1. I visited a family friend with my parents, and while we were on our way back, my dad said he was discussing with the other parents about how me and their child, and most Asian children in this generation aren’t decisive/willing to take risks at all. I literally exploded.
Like why the fuck do you think we are this way?
Don’t you think maybe if you guys weren’t so fucking stingy with compliments and over critical with every single little mistake we made growing up then we would be a bit more confident and not deathly afraid of making mistakes???
Kid grow up to reflect how they are raised, it’s not like all of the Asian kids had a secret meeting and we just all decided to be constantly insecure and anxious as fuck and afraid of making decisions/mistakes in our life.
No, our parents literally raised us to be fucked up and then complain about it like we decided to be fucked up. Asian parents literally have no fucking clue how raising a child works.
They raise their child toxically and then expect them to magically turn out like they were actually raised by mentally healthy and loving parents. Fuck you.
I turned out to be insecure and anxious and pessimistic and afraid of mistakes/decisions because you raised me this way.
I’m not even holding grudges, but stop acting like I chose to be like this, no one would choose to be like this.
2. Asian parent logic: I must berate and emotionally abuse my children. I will never apologize to my children for any mistakes, even if they are my fault. I will not respect their boundaries.
At the same time, I demand fearful obedience, financial support in old age, and unconditional devotion.
Asian parents expect children to adhere to a social code that they don’t even reciprocate. It is insane to abuse a child, rip away any sense of self worth from them and expect them to love you. How is a child suppose to even reciprocate or learn something that was never taught or shown??????????
God forbid I ever bring this up to the pea sized brains of my parents. I don’t want kids because I don’t want to perpetuate this toxicity. It can rot with my childless body when I die.
3. It amazes me that parents think doing the bare minimum as parents is deserving of lifelong gratitude.
“We fed you and housed you and bought you clothes and let you go to school”
You are literally supposed to do that for your children. Don’t have children if you don’t expect to do this as a parent, you idiots.
Like you feeding and clothing your kids make you an exceptional parent. I mean what was the alternative?
Child services being contacted was the only other option. You don’t get praised in school for getting 50%.
4. My mum is always comparing me to someone. This includes but is not limited to: my sibling, my cousins, distant relatives, my OWN friends, random news stories about 8 year old prodigies… Even Obama.
It’s gotten to the point where I’ve literally heard it all until today I was gushing about BTS and how proud I am of them for coming so far especially with their Grammy nomination, when my mum said this:
“Look at BTS working so hard. Why don’t you work as hard as them? They are so hard working. You’re not even worth BTS.”
5. Asian Parents sometimes like to say that we are “ungrateful” and “entitled”. I think the opposite. I think THEY are the ones who are ungrateful and entitled.
They assume we should be automatically happy after being provided a “roof on your head, food to eat, clothes to wear”. They assume that just because of these things, we should be willing to do anything and everything they want, exactly the way they want it, whenever they want it.
That’s called being entitled.
They don’t like the fact that we have our own emotions, our own plans. It means, in their eyes, that we are “ungrateful”. However, being called ungrateful is nothing more than an insult. It holds no weight, parents are just mad that their directions are not being followed. Instead of appreciating that you have a child who does even decently at school, or piano, or anything, you hold them up to these ridiculous standards, always expecting more than what they have.
That in my view, is called being ungrateful.
6. The problem with Asian parents is that they refuse to look at us as separate human beings with our own thoughts, emotions, etc.
They also want control over every aspect of their life, I guess this extends to control of their kids.
And THEN they act surprised when all this backfires. “Oh, WHY IS HE LYING TO US”. Maybe because you restrict fucking everything? Come on.
7. Expecting kids to behave according to cultural practices of a place 1000s of miles away goes against our nature as human beings
As a student of science and psychology specifically, it kills me to see asian parents expecting their children who came here young or were born here to follow norms of a country in some other continent. It literally goes against our nature to adapt to places that are NOT in our immediate environment. It is completely abnormal and dysfunctional to raise kids with the expectation. If you are westnerized and live in the west then that means you are showing signs of healthy human behavior. We are not meant to stay in one time and place or adapt to environments that are not ours. We’d not make it as a species if this were the case.
I’ve seen parents who have been here for decades (my own especially) who literally show immense pride for not changing and still being very cultured. That’s insane to me. If you’re in a country for 30 years and you still live like you were back home then there is something incredibly dysfunctional about you. That’s not normal and horrible for your kids and this is because there is all this pressure to adhere to a place that they’ve never lived in while telling them to actively reject the place that you do.
Don’t get me wrong, I think celebrating your culture is great and incorporating culture in your life if thats your thing is fine. However, celebrating your culture and imposing culture on kids are very different and often the culture being imposed is not even the current culture back home anyways. What really happens (and I’m basing this on my mom) is that people back home have changed and grown and she has stuck in some 1970s time capsule that she keeps telling me to believe is what our culture back home looks like now.
8. I am every tiger parent’s dream daughter, and I am miserable
Thin, youthful, physically attractive, athletic, near-perfect health. Attended a top U.S. engineering school. Software engineer at Google. On track to be top 1% income and top 6% wealth for my age group within a year.
Yet they treat me like shit. Constantly screaming. Criticizing my every purchase. Asking how much I paid for certain items (coffee, food, bicycle) and complaining that I spend too much money. Not to mention back when I was a child I was screamed at and beaten every day, despite being a pretty good daughter. I have accomplished everything a tiger parent could ask for, yet I am miserable and so are my parents.
9. Turning 30 next month. My entire teens and 20s up to 27 was wasted. The best years of my life, under the vice grip of my overbearing, manipulative parents.
I was forced to commute to university. Never had the uni experience. Just classes and back home. By the time I entered the work world I was extremely under developed socially.
I got a great first job at a famous brand but compared to all the other grads there I was so far behind in every sense of being a professional. They were all great at shmoozing and articulating themselves. Being fun without being creepy. Being assertive in meetings and presentations. Organizing after-work grad socials etc. Meanwhile, I was the complete opposite of all that.
Even just everyday conversations they were all so well versed in different topics. Meanwhile I was sooo sheltered I had nothing to add to a conversation or tell a story. Mate, even my vocabulary, and literally how I string sentences together was underdeveloped.
And when I tried to fit in it came across very contrived and probably very creepy. I quit the job a year in because it was easier to run than get “found out”.
I didn’t start dating til 22. Even this was half-hearted because of the mental programming by APs and forced to stay at home, curfew and general overbearingness by them.
They didn’t know I was dating. But whenever I would go out my mum would literally harass me with calls and shouting when I got back home it was just easier to be an incel than deal with her bullshit.
Had no hobbies, because these were all labelled a waste of time.
Normally I used the gym to block and drown these regrets and feelings of self-pity. But since lockdown and no gym I’ve been abusing drink and food to avoid these thoughts. I just cant get over it. And I know these feelings will get worse the older I get and more time distance from my 20s.
I feel like at 29 I am at the development level of where most normal 20 year olds are.
I absolutely resent my parents and myself. I have immense self hate because of this shit.
Gonzalo Lira Died for Pneumonia without Therapy in Prison for Months! How, Why Zelensky’s SBU Tortured US Journalist
The imprisoned blogger suggested that this was because Victoria Nuland hated him personally
Ukrainian Jailers ignored Gonzalo Illness for Months
UPDATE ON JANUARY, 27
Chilean-American war commentator Gonzalo Lira died shortly before noon on January 11, 2024 at a hospital in Kharkiv, where he had been imprisoned for eight months since he was accused of justifying Russian war efforts in Ukraine.
«A note written by Lira and provided by his father to The Grayzone indicates his death came after a nearly three-month battle with pneumonia, a condition which was apparently ignored by his Ukrainian jailers until just weeks before his death. Lira’s death was revealed by his father, Gonzalo Lira, Sr., who had spent weeks pleading with the American embassy to intervene in his son’s medical emergency» reported The Grayzone.
Emails reviewed by The Grayzone show that after learning of his son’s illness, the senior Lira urged the embassy to intervene on January 3. In a message to US officials, he noted that Ukrainian authorities appeared to make an effort to conceal information about Lira Jr.’s health from his family and legal representatives. “The medical warden in the pre-trial jail in Kharkiv is not giving information as to the state of his health,” he wrote, concluding: “It has been 12 days since I knew his state.”
Because every government close to dictatorship, as those of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel but also Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey are today, can only sustain itself on the illusion of hiding its true essence.
This is why the most feared adversaries are freedom of opinion and expression and therefore journalists, bloggers and whistleblowers.
This is how it is explained that an honest, intelligent and courageous journalist like the American of Chilean origins Gonzalo Lira was tortured to death by the tormentors of the Ukrainian Security Service, the ruthless intelligence managed directly by President Zelensky which has become famous for crimes surgical operations as brutal as they were shameless, comparable only to the brutal actions of the neo-Nazi and Satanist paramilitaries of the Azov Battalion.
This is what the father says and two of the most important counter-information sites in the USA and the world support: The GrayZone of Max Blumenthal, arrested in October 2019 in Washington a few days after making public the SETA dossier on Operation MOM of the American counter-espionage of CIA for the supply of TOW anti-tank rocket launchers to Syrian jihadist groups, and Tucker Carson, removed from Fox News after the capital increase of BlackRock, financier of Big Pharma of Covid vaccines as well as of the Arms Lobby that profits from the war in Ukraine.
2024 01 28 14 42
Russian news agency TASS confirmed the blogger’s death on Saturday, citing a response it received from the US Department of State.
“We can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss,” a representative of the Department of State told a TASS correspondent in response to a request to comment on the information that Lira died in jail.
On Saturday, US entrepreneur Elon Musk addressed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, asking him to explain Lira’s arrest and incarceration. Musk voiced his opinion on the issue following Carlson’s post on the X platform asserting that Lira was being “tortured in a Ukrainian prison since July, for the crime of criticizing Zelensky.”
The Murdering Actions of Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
It was precisely the masked men of Zelensky’s SBU who became the protagonists of the persecution of the priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, an act recently condemned by the UN, and of various assassinations.
The best known of which is certainly that of the Ukrainian banker and secret agent Denys Kyreyevwho he was killed in March 2022 because as a member of the delegation for the peace negotiations between Kiev and Moscow he was trying to achieve the goal.
While the Ukrainian president, servant of NATO, had the strict order to reject every peace agreement at the cost of having his soldiers and his people massacred as promptly happened, in a way limited only by the precise desire of the Russian president Vladimir Putin to avoid collateral damage to civilians as much as possible, contrary to what is happening in the planned genocide in Gaza.
Not to forget “the mortar target practice” with which Italian reporter Andrea Rocchelli and his Russian colleague and interpreter Andrej Nikolaevič Mironov were killed in Donbass on May 24, 2014 by the paramilitaries of the Ukrainian National Guard of which the infamous Azov Battalion is part. .
This is why Gonzalo’s case is not an arrest that ended badly by chance. But it is an act of repression of freedom perpetrated with lethal cruelty as a warning to those seeking truth and freedom of thought in Ukraine.
The imprisoned blogger suggested that this was because Victoria Nuland hated him personally
by Russia Today
Chilean-American blogger Gonzalo Lira has died in a Ukrainian prison, his family said on Friday.
Lira, 55 at the time of his death, lived in Kharkov and blogged as ‘CoachRedPill,’ but switched to YouTube commentary after the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022. He was arrested by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) last May and accused of “discrediting” the Ukrainian leadership and the military.
Emmanuel Todd, historian, demographer, anthropologist, sociologist and political analyst, is part of a dying breed: one of the very few remaining exponents of old school French intelligentzia – a heir to those like Braudel, Sartre, Deleuze and Foucault who dazzled successive young Cold War generations from the West down to the East.
The first nugget concerning his latest book, La Défaite de L’Occident (“The Defeat of the West”) is the minor miracle of actually being published last week in France, right within the NATO sphere: a hand grenade of a book, by an independent thinker, based on facts and verified data, blowing up the whole Russophobia edifice erected around the “aggression” by “Tsar” Putin.
At least some sectors of strictly oligarch-controlled corporate media in France simply could not ignore Todd this time around for several reasons. Most of all because he was the first Western intellectual, already in 1976, to have predicted the fall of the USSR in his book La Chute Finale, with his research based on Soviet infant mortality rates.
Another key reason was his 2002 book Apres L’Empire, a sort of preview of the Empire’s Decline and Fall published a few months before Shock & Awe in Iraq.
Now Todd, in what he has defined as his last book (“I closed the circle”) allows himself to go for broke and meticulously depict the defeat not only of the US but of the West as a whole – with his research focusing in and around the war in Ukraine.
Considering the toxic NATOstan environment where Russophobia and cancel culture reign supreme, and every deviation is punishable, Todd has been very careful not to frame the current process as a Russian victory in Ukraine (although that’s implied in everything he describes, ranging from several indicators of social peace to the overall stability of the “Putin system”, which is “a product of the history of Russia, and not the work of one man”).
Rather, he focuses on the key reasons that have led to the West’s downfall. Among them: the end of the nation-state; de-industrialization (which explains NATO’s deficit in producing weapons for Ukraine); the “degree zero” of the West’s religious matrix, Protestantism; the sharp increase of mortality rates in the US (much higher than in Russia), along with suicides and homicides; and the supremacy of an imperial nihilism expressed by the obsession with Forever Wars.
The Collapse of Protestantism
Todd methodically analyses, in sequence, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Germany, Britain, Scandinavia and finally The Empire. Let’s focus on what would be the 12 Greatest Hits of his remarkable exercise.
1. At the start of the Special Military Operation (SMO) in February 2022, the combined GDP of Russia and Belarus was only 3.3% of the combined West (in this case the NATO sphere plus Japan and South Korea). Todd is amazed how these 3.3% capable of producing more weapons than the whole Western colossus not only are winning the war but reducing dominant notions of the “neoliberal political economy” (GDP rates) to shambles.
2. The “ideological solitude” and “ideological narcissism” of the West – incapable of understanding, for instance, how “the whole Muslim world seems to consider Russia as a partner rather than an adversary”.
3. Todd eschews the notion of “Weberian states” – evoking a delicious compatibility of vision between Putin and US realpolitik practitioner John Mearsheimer. Because they are forced to survive in an environment where only power relations matters, states are now acting as “Hobbesian agents.” And that brings us to the Russian notion of a nation-state, focused on “sovereignty”: the capacity of a state to independently define its internal and external policies, with no foreign interference whatsoever.
4. The implosion, step by step, of WASP culture, which led, “since the 1960s”, to “an empire deprived of a center and a project, an essentially military organism managed by a group without culture (in the anthropological sense)”. This is Todd defining the US neocons.
5. The US as a “post-imperial” entity: just a shell of military machinery deprived of an intelligence-driven culture, leading to “accentuated military expansion in a phase of massive contraction of its industrial base”. As Todd stresses, “modern war without industry is an oxymoron”.
6. The demographic trap: Todd shows how Washington strategists “forgot that a state whose population enjoys a high educational and technological level, even if it is decreasing, does not lose its military power”. That’s exactly the case of Russia during the Putin years.
7. Here we reach the crux of Todd’s argument: his post-Max Weber reinterpretation of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, published a little over a century ago, in 1904/1905: “If Protestantism was the matrix for the ascension of the West, its death, today, is the cause of the disintegration and defeat.”
Todd clearly defines how the 1688 English “Glorious Revolution”, the 1776 American Declaration of Independence and the 1789 French Revolution were the true pillars of the liberal West. Consequently, an expanded “West” is not historically “liberal”, because it also engineered “Italian fascism, German Nazism and Japanese militarism”.
In a nutshell, Todd shows how Protestantism imposed universal literacy on the populations it controlled, “because all faithful must directly access the Holy Scriptures. A literate population is capable of economic and technological development. The Protestant religion modeled, by accident, a superior, efficient workforce.” And it is in this sense that Germany was “at the heart of Western development”, even if the Industrial Revolution took place in England.
Todd’s key formulation is undisputable: “The crucial factor of the ascension of the West was Protestantism’s attachment to alphabetization.”
Moreover Protestantism, Todd stresses, is twice at the heart of the history of the West: via the educational and economic drive – with fear of damnation and the need to feel chosen by God engendering a work ethic and a strong, collective morality – and via the idea that Men are unequal (remember the White Man’s Burden).
The collapse of Protestantism could not but destroy the work ethic to the benefit of mass greed: that is, neoliberalism.
Transgenderism and the Cult of the Fake
8. Todd’s sharp critique of the spirit of 1968 would merit a whole new book. He refers to “one of the great illusions of the 1960s – between Anglo-American sexual revolution and May 68 in France”; “to believe that the individual would be greater if freed from the collective”. That led to an inevitable debacle: “Now that we are free, en masse, from metaphysical beliefs, foundational and derived, communist, socialist or nationalist, we live the experience of the void.” And that’s how we became “a multitude of mimetic midgets who do not dare to think by themselves – but reveal themselves as capable of intolerance as the believers of ancient times.”
9. Todd’s brief analysis of the deeper meaning of transgenderism completely shatters the Church of Woke – from New York to the EU sphere, and will provoke serial fits of rage. He shows how transgenderism is “one of the flags of this nihilism that now defines the West, this drive to destroy, not just things and humans but reality.”
And there’s an added analytical bonus: “The transgender ideology says that a man may become a woman, and a woman may become a man. This is a false affirmation, and in this sense, close to the theoretical heart of Western nihilism.” It gets worse, when it comes to the geopolitical ramifications. Todd establishes a playful mental and social connection between this cult of the fake and the Hegemon’s wobbly behavior in international relations. Example: the Iranian nuclear dear clinched under Obama becoming a hardcore sanctions regime under Trump. Todd: “American foreign policy is, in its own way, gender fluid.”
10. Europe’s “assisted suicide”. Todd reminds us how Europe at the start was the Franco-German couple. Then after the 2007/2008 financial crisis, that turned into “a patriarchic marriage, with Germany as a dominant spouse not listening to his companion anymore”. The EU abandoned any pretention of defending Europe’s interests – cutting itself off from energy and trade with its partner Russia and sanctioning itself. Todd identifies, correctly, the Paris-Berlin axis replaced by the London-Warsaw-Kiev axis: that was “the end of Europe as an autonomous geopolitical actor”. And that happened only 20 years after the joint opposition by France-Germany to the neocon war on Iraq.
11. Todd correctly defines NATO by plunging into “their unconscious”: “We note that that its military, ideological and psychological mechanism does not exist to protect Western Europe, but to control it.”
12. In tandem with several analysts in Russia, China, Iran and among independents in Europe, Todd is sure that the US obsession – since the 1990s – to cut off Germany from Russia will lead to failure: “Sooner or later, they will collaborate, as “their economic specializations define them as complementary”. The defeat in Ukraine will open the path, as a “gravitational force” reciprocally seduces Germany and Russia.
Before that, and unlike virtually any Western “analyst” across the mainstream NATOstan sphere, Todd understands that Moscow is set to win against the whole of NATO, not merely Ukraine, profiting from a window of opportunity identified by Putin in early 2022. Todd bets on a window of 5 years, that is, an endgame by 2027. It’s enlightening to compare with Defense Minister Shoigu, on the record, last year: the SMO will end by 2025.
Whatever the deadline, inbuilt in all this is a total Russia victory – with the winner dictating all terms. No negotiations, no ceasefire, no frozen conflict – as the Hegemon is now desperate spinning.
Davos enacts The Triumph of the West
Todd’s ample merit, so evident in the book, is to use history and anthropology to take Western society’s false consciousness to the divan. And that’s how, focusing for instance in the study of very specific family structures in Europe, he manages to explain reality in a way that totally escapes the brainwashed collective West masses lingering under turbo-neoliberalism.
It goes without saying that Todd’s reality-based book will not be a hit among the Davos elites. What’s happening this week in Davos has been immensely enlightening. Everything is out in the open.
From all the usual suspects – the toxic EU Medusa von der Leyen; NATO’s warmongering Stoltenberg; BlackRock, JP Morgan and assorted honchos shaking hands with their sweaty sweatshirt toy in Kiev – the “Triumph of the West” message is monolithic.
War is Peace. Ukraine is not (italics mine) losing and Russia is not winning. If you disagree with us – on anything – you will be censored for “hate speech”. We want the New World Order – whatever you lowly peasants think – and we want it now.
And if all fails, a pre-fabricated Disease X is comin’ to get you.
Jack Latham’s new photobook, Beggar’s Honey, is an unflinching look behind the curtain of the endless stream of content that dominates our lives.
Early in 2023, photographer Jack Latham was in Hong Kong, when he received instructions to visit a nondescript hotel among the city’s densely packed skyscrapers. Over the past four years, he had been searching for access to a click farm – shadowy operations that use large numbers of electronic devices to boost engagement online and manipulate algorithms – and after connecting with some people on hacker forums, he was now visiting one for the first time. Taking the elevator to the top floor, he was shown into a small room where hundreds of smartphones lined the walls, all connected to computers via a dense web of cables.
Eight people worked on the phones, sending thousands of likes and follows to content that they had been paid to promote. “It was quite strange, it almost felt like an office – I felt like I was at a young tech startup, I don’t think anybody there was older than 25, and they broke down the software and how it all works and what you can do,” Latham recalls. “These phones are connected to a main computer and when a client pops up, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, they then enter someone’s profile, which appears on every single phone simultaneously, and you press follow or like.”
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The fast engagement artificially inflates the popularity of their posts, as well as tricking algorithms into boosting content more, giving clients the opportunity to go viral quickly. “Each phone is a different account, and each can change its IP address 20 times [a day],” he continues. “Each phone is technically 20 different phones, so you can see how it scales up.”
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After that first visit, Latham sought out other click farms across Vietnam and Hong Kong, photographing what he found inside and even purchasing his own farm, which he keeps stowed in the living room of his London apartment. Those shots he took during his travels, showing the endless telephones laid out neatly in rows, are presented in his new photobookBeggar’s Honey, alongside obscured, surreal pictures he manipulated from people who reached out to him asking for boosts to their content.
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“The way [the book works] is that you flick through foldouts that look like phones, and you have nothing but content that people have asked me to like on social media as a click farmer,” he explains, before detailing examples of the media he was asked to boost. “There was something about immigrants, other things like how to spot a fake Rolex, there’s lots of nudity, military propaganda and videos of armies, conspiracy videos about the Twin Towers and a conspiracy video about the vaccine.”
Within a landscape of misinformation and disinformation, it’s easy to see how click farms could be used dangerously. “It’s also been used for nefarious reasons, [a member of] the BJP Party in India was found to have been buying fake comments on social media,” he alleges. “I don’t think a lot of people share things on a big scale intentionally to fool people, but people just get fooled by it, and I think content is thrown at you so quickly these days that it’s almost impossible to take notes of what you’re seeing.”
Latham even manipulated the announcement of his book, which proved to be an effective way to engage his followers. “When we initially launched the book, the only time I used it is to promote my initial [Instagram] post,” he says. “So, within 30 minutes, I had 8,000 likes on the post – I could see in real time that this thing was growing and growing.
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When I did a lecture one of the people in the audience said, ‘I saw you post it and I bought the book straight away because I thought this book looks incredibly popular, so I should probably buy it.’”
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The pictures form a surreal, discomforting look behind the curtain of the endless stream of content that now dominates our consumption of media. Latham’s work helps unravel and interrogate the authenticity of what we view through our screens, while also raising questions about what success means in today’s hyper-online, personal branding driven world.
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“I can certainly understand the proclivity for one thing to look popular – say you’re a local bookshop or bike repair shop and you make an Instagram account and it has zero followers and all of a sudden it doesn’t have the same kind of authority as something that maybe has 5,000,” he says. “So I think [using click farms] is incredibly common.
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“There’s this need to appear more popular than you are as a form of validation and there’s certainly people in my industry I know who have purchased followers,” he continues. “I think we’re allowing the metrics of social media to infiltrate our self worth in a way that I think is quite fascinating.”
Beggar’s Honey by Jack Latham is published byHere Press.
Note: A British man named Sam Melia has been convicted of speaking freely and faces prison time for it. He is a married man with a young family. If you feel inclined to kick in a few bucks to help him out, do so here. You can also buy something from his family’s online shop. Their tea is exceptional.
Heard a good new song lately? Given the demographics of this site the answer is most likely negative but there are some young people here. If their answer is yes, it is going to be something from the hip-hop genre. Of course, given the demographics of this site they would probably not admit to it. This was the number one hip-hop song last year, in case you are curious. This one was number two, suggesting that the worst form of music has managed to get worse.
When it comes to what most people reading this would call popular music, the results are not much better. This was the most played “rock” song of 2023. One cannot help but wonder if it was created by AI due to its generic power-pop sound. This is the second most played “rock” song, which is not terrible, but it sounds more like a country tune than a rock song. In fact, it was number three on the country charts. This song was the most played song on the country stations.
You can go through the music charts and listen to the top-10 in each category each year and find songs that are pleasant and songs that are hilariously terrible. Miley Cyrus should cut back on that five pack a day habit and spend the savings on some people who can write music that make some sense. The fun part about scanning these music lists is there are many comically stupid entries that got pushed into the top-40 by the mega corporations that control the music business.
When it comes to what most people reading this consider rock-and-roll, the landscape has been barren for a long time. Who is the best guitar player in a rock band that is under the age of forty? No one knows. He probably does not exist because rock music does not exist as a genre anymore. If you want to hear that sort of music you are going to be buying or streaming stuff from thirty, forty or fifty years ago. Even young people who want that style reach back to the oldies.
The question is why has the popular music landscape become a barren desert of corporate product? There are still plenty of young whites who would listen to knew guitar music. Blacks still like things like soul and rhythm and blues. Even blues music could have an audience if anyone bothered. This post by Brian Niemeier goes into the reasons why popular music, especially rock music, has collapsed. He did an earlier post on the same topic discussing different reasons.
Not discussed is the culture of the managerial class. The people running the music business are no different from the people running the other centers of cultural production in that they have had the antiwhite bug for a long time. The music industry went all in on hip-hop in the 1990’s. Part of it was the belief that it was a fresh market and part of it was cultural. For managerial types, hip-hop was cool because it was not white, while rock-and-roll was pale, male and stale.
One result of the money drying up for all forms of music that appeals to white people is white people stopped making that music. They stopped learning to play instruments, stopped forming garage bands and stopped cutting their teeth at clubs. Elementary school bands are full of Asian girls playing violin. There has been a steady decline in the sale of musical instruments over the last few decades, even though technology has made it easier to record at home and make it sound good.
For rock music, this has killed the feeder system for generating new sounds and new acts that made the genre possible. Even if young people were still dreaming of being a rock star, the clubs where they would learn how to perform have dried up. The culture around going to club to find new sounds and new acts has also dried up. When the music industry shifted to hip-hop and corporate pop, they also shut down the development system for creating various genres of rock music.
We are starting to see this in other areas. The military is worried that white guys from the South are no longer signing up as in the past. This decline in white participation is due to the same factors as the decline in white music. If you make your institution openly hostile to white people, they will politely avoid your institution. Before long, you will lose the ability to win them back. A good rule of life for institutions is that once you go black the whites are never coming back.
Race is not the only reason for the decline of rock music. As those Niemeier posts explain, the industry is suffering from systemic failure. There lies another useful example that applies elsewhere. The federal government failed in its duty to maintain a marketplace for music. They allowed corporate players to monopolize radio stations, which coincided with the consolidation of the music business. The result is a narrow system that operates as skimming operation.
We see this in tech. Microsoft has a monopoly on operating systems and office productivity products. Innovation is non-existent in this area. Apple and Google own the mobile telecommunications industry. Despite the hype, there has been nothing interesting in mobile computing for a decade or more. The whole tech space is consolidating to the point where every business will be forced onto one of a few clouds of the cloud computing leviathan.
Of course, all of this can be chalked up to the end of empire. Empires are the result of failed societies, not successful ones. The Roman Empire grew out of the rubble of the failed Roman Republic. For half of its existence the Roman Empire operated like a mafia bust-out operation. The same is happening with the American empire, which grew out of the republic that died at Gettysburg. The main difference with the American empire and prior empires is speed due to the state of technology.
The shame of it is that like the remaining passengers on the Titanic, most Americans would enjoy some good tunes as the empire sinks under the water. That is not looking like it is going to happen, given the state of music. Who knows? Maybe Miley Cyrus will get lucky and made a good song for end-stage America. Or more likely, maybe a cage full of monkeys with some instruments will be the new Oliver Anthony and create an authentic anthem for this age.
It’s the same with everything. I went to my favorite steak house and found out how they made steaks to die for. There were tricks to getting everything just right, but the defining flavor was from the dry rub, and grilling not frying the steak.
You can get a nice tender blah steak, or a great tender steak and the difference is all in the flavor on the outside of the steak.
Eating plain french fries is OK, but french fries with a salt flavoring are so much better, and depending on your tastes, ketchup, gravy, salt and vinegar, and poutine, are just flavorings on the outside of the French fries, that make a french fry great.
Baked potatoes. Cook up a great baked potato, and try and get anyone to eat it without a topping. Trust me, I have tried, people don’t actually like baked potatoes. They like, salt, pepper, butter sour cream, bacon bits and chives.
Well its the same with the chicken. KFC had a great recipe, they made their name, then bit by bit changed the recipe, so its no longer great. No more deep frying in lard, for example. But its still an awesome coating.
Respect the Accomplishments, Don’t Envy the Person
Thomas Edison was once called, “the world’s greatest inventor and the world’s worst businessman.”
A magazine editor dubbed Edison “the most difficult husband in America.”
No one has it all, I guess.
Edison helped push forward the light bulb, phonograph and motion picture camera. By most accounts, he was also a complex person who put his work above everything else in his life.
One story came from a friend who happened to be walking by Edison’s lab late one night. He found Edison dozing off at his desk in the lab.
“What time is it?” asked Edison.
“Midnight,” replied the friend.
“Is that so?” replied Edison who was still waking up from his nap. “By George. I must go home, then. I was married today.”
The guy was in the lab on his wedding night.
Here’s another story from The Wizard of Menlo Parkthat explains how difficult it was for his wife to get him to leave the laboratory:
A man who did odd jobs around the Menlo Park lab, for example, tells a story of how Mrs. Edison managed to get Mr. Edison home, where she “dolled him up in a fifty-dollar suit.” Edison stayed put for a short while “looking pretty,” then fled for the lab. In the tale, Edison was found at the lab two weeks later, still wearing the same suit, having not been home the whole week.
Edison probably didn’t need to work as hard as he did to achieve his goals. But his personality was such that cutting back on his work simply wasn’t an option. The traits that helped him excel as an inventor also made him a terrible husband.
When I was younger these kinds of stories about people who worked around the clock to create something magical were inspirational. Now that I’m older and my priorities have changed I find these stories sad.
I respect the accomplishments and innovations, but I don’t envy the person anymore.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy working. Striving to get better and work on interesting or challenging projects is important to me. But spending your entire life focused on work seems like a waste.
Maybe it’s a personality thing (I am not a type A at all) or just the stage of life I’m at with young children. I can’t imagine making work my sole priority in life.
Patrick O’Shaughnessy had Michael Ovitz on Invest Like the Best recently. Ovitz is the founder of CAA, the most dominant talent agency ever created in the entertainment business. Ovitz talked about what it takes to be a good founder:
I don’t know a founder that I’ve worked with anywhere that isn’t driven like the snow. And if you can’t keep that pace up for 20 years, and I mean that, there’s no business I’ve ever seen that can get up and running in under seven to 10 years. I don’t know why it’s that number. But if you look around and start seeing when did businesses hit critical mass, it’s seven to 10 years.
And if you don’t have the energy and the desire and that burning sensation in your gut and the fear of failing and a desire to make it for the right reasons, and it can’t just be financial, by the way. You got to want to do something with your gains that’s socially important. That’s a very important item for me, don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it. I’ve been blessed with meeting really great founders and working with some of the brightest young people in our country.
I think that if you don’t want to put the time and effort in and you don’t have a belief — if you don’t believe in your idea, don’t start a business. And if you can’t do momentum, I did 250 calls a day.
Ortiz talked about working 7 days a week, day and night, for 20 years straight to build his business.
This was a theme in Ovitz’s biography Who is Michael Ovitz? as well. I went back to my Kindle notes1 from the book and this passage stood out to me on review:
In 1979, when I was thirty-three, Ted Ashley at Warner Bros. took me aside and said, “I’m going to give you some great advice.” He grinned ruefully. “And, knowing you, you’re not going to take it. But here it is: I could have worked ten percent less, and it wouldn’t have made a difference in my professional success. But I would have been a lot happier.”
Ted was absolutely right on both counts–it was great advice, and I didn’t take it. I see now that I could have worked as much as 20 percent less, and it wouldn’t have cost me. If I’d worked even 10 percent less, across thirty years, that’s three whole extra years of life I’d have enjoyed.
The problem for type-A personality people is they probably can’t dial it back because their hard-charging nature is what got them where they are in the first place.
In his book, Ovitz shared a passage from his friend and former client, the late Michael Crichton:
If you want to be happy, forget yourself. Forget all of it–how you look, how you feel, how your career is going. Just drop the whole subject of you…People dedicated to something other than themselves–helping family and friends, or a political cause, or others less fortunate than they–are the happiest people in the world.
That’s great advice.
Unfortunately, Ovitz told Patrick that Crichton had trouble taking his own advice:
It’s a very, very difficult thing to address, and I’ll tell you why. Michael said that as advice to other people. The one thing about Michael is he was often in his own head and didn’t take his own advice.
It’s easy to be envious of uber-successful people but it’s important to remember no one has it all figured out.
Like most things in life, success is often in the eye of the beholder.
Luckily, there are many different definitions when it comes to finding success. You just have to find the one that suits your personality and circumstances.
I used to work at a construction company that had a building along the main street of town.
One day, a guy came in and explained that he had a meeting with the owner, and could I please get him.
I found the owner and told him a guy was there for a meeting, to which my boss responded, “I don’t have a meeting, but ok.”
Then shit got WEIRD.
My boss greeted the man and the following conversation ensued:
Boss: Hi there, are you—
Dude: Hey man! Sorry I’m such a mess, I just got off work. I had to clean up a crime scene. Lots of blood! Hahaha. Dude blew his brains out… it was a real shit show!
Boss: Uhhmm… who are you?
Dude: I’m the guy who’s going to buy this building!
Boss: The building isn’t for sale, I think you have the wrong place.
Dude: Haha! Good one! No, I talked to Larry earlier today.
Boss: We don’t have a Larry…
Dude: I mean, Josh.
Boss: We don’t have a Josh.
Dude: I mean, Kevin.
Boss: Nope.
Dude: Patricia?
Boss: Uh-uh.
Dude: Guess I better come clean. Truth is, I need a job. I’ve just been eating cans to get by.
Boss: Cans of what?
Dude: Just the the empty cans. It’s real hard on my teeth, you know.
Boss: Uhm. I don’t think—
Dude: Just give me a fucking job, man!! I need it! I’ll do anything! I’ll mop your floors! I’ll clean your windows! ANYTHING! I will literally do anything… if you catch my drift.
Boss: What the…
Dude: I need a job! And a couple of cats… I really need cats… but mainly the job thing. Wait- how many cats do you have for sale? Never mind, I need a job more.
Boss: We aren’t hiring. Sorry.
Dude: Let me talk to Larry, he’ll straighten this mess out.
Boss: *sighing* Dude. We don’t have a Larry and I think you need to leave.
Dude: I can mop blood, if you need me to. Got any blood laying around that needs a good moppin’?
At this point, my boss made the mistake of looking past the guy and making eye contact with me. I had to turn around because I was (silently) laughing so hard there were tears running down my cheeks.
This, of course, made my boss laugh and the crazy dude got upset and finally walked off.
I’m still completely baffled by the whole thing.
I hope he stopped eating cans. It’s bad for your teeth, you know.
Why the U.S. Media Industry Is in Meltdown
Between the layoffs at Sports Illustrated, Pitchfork’s absorption into GQ, and many other hits to major news organizations, the U.S. news industry is in a dire situation
Sports Illustrated layoffs. The demise of independent Pitchfork. Hundreds of millions of dollars in losses at major newspapers like TheWashington Post and the Los Angeles Times. The state of the U.S. news industry is dire. How did we get here? Who knows the way out? The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis joins the show, with contributions from an interview with NPR’s David Folkenflik.
If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com.
In the following excerpt, Derek and Bryan Curtis walk through what led to Sports Illustrated’s latest death and the general demise of the news media.
Derek Thompson: Great to see you. I want to do a few things in our time together. I want to talk about the news of the moment, this sad and strange cavalcade of bad news for the media business. And then second, I want to broaden the lens and get some context for why the 21st century has been such an unrelenting mess for media economics. And then finally, we’ll talk about bright spots and the lessons that we can glean from the bright spots. But I really want to start with Sports Illustrated because this is, again, a sad death, a strange death. It’s a very strange story. I think it’s weirdly emblematic of this awful moment in news economics.
Sports Illustrated holds a very special place in my heart. It might have been the first magazine I subscribed to. It’s definitely the first magazine I truly loved when I decided I wanted to become a journalist. You have an article up on TheRinger.com that points out that Sports Illustrated’s demise was really death by a thousand cuts. Can you explain who owns SI and how that strange ownership model contributed to its demise?
Bryan Curtis: I can certainly try, but you just have to walk me through this because I’m still making sure that I have my mind around it. They’re owned by Authentic Brands Group. Authentic Brands Group is a company that manages brands. Now, what brands, you might say, Derek? Well, that includes Muhammad Ali, that includes Dr. J’s brand, that includes Elvis, that includes Billabong and other companies that you might have been familiar with at a different age of your fashion. Authentic Brands Group then licenses Sports Illustrated to a second company, which is called the Arena Group. The Arena Group’s website says that they are an innovative technology platform and media company with a proven cutting-edge playbook that transforms media brands.
OK. So we got the brand-owning company that is licensing Sports Illustrated to the brand-transforming company. And the second of those companies failed to pay their licensing agreement, and so the agreement is dissolved. That’s where we are with Sports Illustrated.
Thompson: And I guess a slightly bigger story would be that Sports Illustrated used to be owned by Time Inc. Time Inc. sold Sports Illustrated, or at least the rights to publish Sports Illustrated and all of its archives, to the owners of the Muhammad Ali and Dr. J brand. And then they licensed out the rights to publish new articles under the SI brand to this other group that then failed to make its quarterly payments.
I mean, you don’t get into a mess like this if the economics work in the first place. And what’s so sad to me is that the very fact that Sports Illustrated had become something licensed, to be licensed, to be published, is emblematic of how far a storied brand like this, a storied magazine like this, has fallen in the last few decades. And clearly it’s not just SI; it’s not just Pitchfork. As I recounted in the open, it’s Vice, it’s Gawker—Gawker 1 and Gawker 2—it’s Jezebel, Condé Nast is laying off [5] percent, WNYC. Two of the biggest newspapers in the country, The Washington Post and the L.A. Times, reportedly lost a combined $150 million last year. Why do you think this moment, especially when the economy is growing, why do you think this moment has been so particularly gnarly for the news media?
Curtis: We almost need a list. It’s like an old-school Vulture ranking of problems, but I’ll throw a few out for you and you can put them in any order you want. Management missteps, no. 1. No. 2, probably the end of the Trump bump and, if you believe the Semafor article that came out yesterday, a new Trump bump that is not quite as big as the old one. I would also put on that list rich proprietors that are tired of losing money or at least tired of losing money on the scale that they’re losing it, especially in the case of The Washington Post and the L.A. Times. And then the fourth one I would say was, especially in the case of newspapers, the fact that The New York Times is gobbling up people that in another time line would be subscribing to their local newspaper. How’s that for a list?
Thompson: It’s a good list. There’s one biggie that I definitely want to talk to you about, and that’s technology, because there’s two stories that I think I could tell about the last 20 years. If someone said, “What’s the grand narrative here? Why is it not just one or two magazines or one or two newspapers that are struggling? It’s dozens of newspapers closing every year. It’s dozens of magazines failing every decade.” To me, you can tell this as a pure technology story, or you can tell it as a people story.
The technology story is that the internet comes along and really starts to pick up steam with Craigslist and Google in 2000, 2004, 2005. Facebook obviously takes over around the late 2000s, 2010s. And the internet does a few things. It increases supply. Suddenly anybody can become a blogger, can compete with old-fashioned newspapers for people’s attention. And when it comes to analyzing the news, writing about the news, no. 1, it increases supply. No. 2, it destroys local advertising monopolies, like The Washington Post. I grew up in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post had a local advertising monopoly for car ads, for apartment listings. Those monopolies are absolutely destroyed when the internet comes along and you can just go to Edmunds or cars.com to figure out what car to buy. You don’t have to buy a bundle that has news about Fallujah and also car advertisements in the back.
So it destroys local monopolies and the cross subsidies that they created. It also nationalized the news. I think there’s something about the internet that allowed people to—you’re living in St. Petersburg, Florida, you’re living in Peoria, and it’s easier to follow national news. And maybe as a result, more attention and more dollars flow to national publications, and that starves local media. So I’d say the internet does all these things—increases supply, destroys local monopolies. You could say it’s a tech-determinist story, or, and this is where your point comes back in, you could say, “No, Derek, tech is just a tool. It’s a story about people who use this tool badly. Newspapers were badly managed in America in a lot of different places: at the local level, at the national level on both coasts.” So when you think about the tech story and the people story, how do you fold those together?
Curtis: I think the answer is almost certainly both, but let’s go to the people story for starters. The thing people always point to as the great error of newspapers is that when they went online first in the late ’90s, early 2000s, that they were all free and they did not say, “Hey, guess what, folks? You got to pay for news. This is important. Put your credit card in here.” And we could argue that at that period of the internet, that would have been a weird thing to do to try to pay for news. We weren’t used to that. The New York Times was free at that point. So we might still have picked the glittering, big, fat, national newspaper over the skimpier local paper, but there was certainly some truth to that.
I think also, just the one thing I’d add to your technological story that’s so fascinating to me is I grew up in Dallas–Fort Worth. Not only did they have a local advertising monopoly, they also, the Dallas-Fort Worth newspapers, had a national news monopoly in Dallas. If I wanted to know about politics, I wasn’t reading The New York Times. I was reading them. If I wanted to read about international news, I was reading my local paper. So as soon as you stripped that away for all the reasons you elegantly laid out there, what was left? It’s that school board meeting that everybody cites. “Who’s going to cover the school board meeting? Who’s going to cover the mayor’s office?” Totally worthy beats, but a very, very tough sell when you’re trying to get people to pay for news.
This excerpt was edited for clarity. Listen to the rest of the episode here and follow the Plain English feed on Spotify.
Eggplant: Pare eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes.
Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Brown meat in vegetable oil with onions and garlic. Drain off the fat.
Add salt, seasonings, parsley, tomatoes and wine. Cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Cool.
Mix in unbeaten egg whites and half of the bread crumbs.
Brown the eggplant slices in vegetable oil.
Sprinkle bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with remaining bread crumbs. Cover with the eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over the eggplant. Pour Sauce over this mixture.
Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
Sauce: Melt butter. Add flour slowly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in the milk. Return to heat and stir until the sauce thickens. Beat egg yolks well. Gradually stir yolks, salt and pepper into the sauce. Blend well.
How in the world can anybody possibly claim that the U.S. economy is in good shape? Honestly, I don’t see how anyone can make a rational argument that this is the case. Actually, the only people that seem to be trying to claim that the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction are those in the upper tiers of the economic food chain. At this stage, those in the lower tiers of the economic food chain are very well aware of how much they are suffering. Poverty, homelessness and hunger are rapidly growing all over America right now. But if you still have plenty of money and those around you still have plenty of money, you may be wondering what all of the fuss is about. If you are one of those people, hopefully this article will be a wake up call for you.
Let’s start with the housing market. On Friday, we learned that sales of previously owned homes in December 2023 were 6.2 percent lower than they were in December 2022…
Sales of previously owned homes fell 1% in December compared with November to 3.78 million units on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales were 6.2% lower than in December 2022, marking the lowest level since August 2010.
For 2023 as a whole, sales of previously owned homes were the lowest that we have seen in 28 years…
Home sales fell to their lowest level in 28 years in 2023 as soaring mortgage rates and red-hot prices dampened buyer demand.
Figures from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show sales of existing properties slid 19 percent last year to 4.09 million – their lowest level since 1995.
Can anyone out there come up with a way to put a positive spin on those numbers?
I certainly can’t.
Meanwhile, 2023 was a year when Americans got further behind on their credit card bills “in 49 of the 50 states”…
The number of people falling behind on their credit card bills increased in 49 of the 50 states last year, a sobering new report reveals.
As inflation took its toll on household budgets, Americans in their millions became delinquent on credit card debt – with some states much more badly affected than others.
According to analysis by WalletHub, the number of borrowers struggling to keep on track of their credit card bills has risen the fastest in Oregon. Between September 2022 and September 2023, delinquencies in the state soared by 51 percent.
Delinquency rates on all forms of credit have been steadily rising from coast to coast.
This will be an important trend to watch in 2024.
Meanwhile, large layoff announcements continue to pile up at a very frightening pace.
For example, Macy’s just announced that it will be laying off a total of 2,350 workers…
Department store chain Macy’s is planning to lay off about 13% of its corporate staff and close five stores in an effort to trim costs and redirect spending to improve the customer experience.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Thursday, adding that the job cuts will total about 2,350 positions, or about 3.5% of Macy’s overall workforce excluding seasonal hires.
Wayfair is cutting 13% of its global workforce as the digital home goods retailer continues its efforts to trim down its structure, cut out layers of management and reduce costs after going “overboard” with corporate hiring during the Covid pandemic, it announced Friday.
The company plans to lay off around 1,650 employees, including 19% of its corporate team, with a focus on people in management and leadership positions, Wayfair said.
I apologize in advance if there are some major layoff announcements that I miss in the days ahead.
We are witnessing such a large tsunami of layoffs now that it is virtually impossible to keep up with them all.
On the west coast, employees of the Los Angeles Times are extremely upset about the “massive” layoffs that are reportedly coming…
With “massive” and “significant” layoffs coming soon, “the L.A. Times Guild announced a one-day walkout from both its L.A. and Washington D.C. offices this Friday,” reports TheWrap.
Staffers are “abstaining from work for the entire day while also staging a rally. It’s the first union work stoppage in the newsroom’s history, according to the union, dating back to when it started printing in 1881.”
This act of suicide is called the “Rally to Save Local Journalism” and will take place Friday at noon.
And earlier today I was stunned to learn that the entire staff of Sports Illustrated is being terminated…
Following through on a warning earlier this month, Authentic Brands Group has revoked Sports Illustrated‘s license to publish due to a missed payment.
As a result of the move, the entire staff of the 70-year-old print and online publication was notified on Friday that their jobs were being eliminated.
“We appreciate the work and efforts of everyone who has contributed to the SI brand and business,” SI operator The Arena Group wrote in a memo to employees that set off outrage on social media.
Once upon a time, Sports Illustrated was a truly great magazine.
Google has laid off over a thousand employees across various departments since January 10th. CEO Sundar Pichai’s message is to brace for more cuts.
“We have ambitious goals and will be investing in our big priorities this year,” Pichai told all Google employees on Wednesday in an internal memo that was shared with me. “The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices.”
So far, those “tough choices” have included layoffs and reorganizations in Google’s hardware, ad sales, search, shopping, maps, policy, core engineering, and YouTube teams.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index crashed 6.5% this week – its worst weekly loss since March 2023 with Wednesday seeing the biggest daily loss since Oct 2022 as the index plummeted to key support levels around the Oct 2022 lows…
The phrase “snowball derivative liquidations” really got my attention, and a lot of you know why.
I have been warning about the derivatives bubble in my books for over a decade.
Derivatives are going to become a very hot topic the closer we get to a full-blown implosion of the global financial system.
We are in far more trouble than most people realize.
2024 is going to be such a tumultuous year, but many of the “experts” will continue to insist that everything is “just fine” for as long as they can.
For many parents, life’s pace is far too frantic. Family calendars are packed with playdates, music lessons, and sports practices. Even downtime at home can feel fast-paced as parents struggle to reign in the constant flow of information and entertainment options made possible in the digital age. But being run ragged isn’t the only option. A solution? Consider the more deliberate slow parenting style.
Slow parenting is a direct response to the more more more trap of modern parenting. It eliminates the idea that kids should be afforded every good opportunity. Instead, it abides by the the notion that they should be given meaningful experiences they have time and energy to process. Importantly, it stresses that parents shouldn’t give kids so much to do that they lack sufficient free time to explore their interests and the world around them. This allows kids to discover themselves, recuperate between organized activities, and have downtime to bond with family members.
Although it may not be for everyone, slow parenting is worth considering if parenting has become a race and you’d like to explore a more manageable pace of life, says marriage and family therapist Nadia Teymoorian, Psy.D., clinical director of the Moment of Clarity mental health facility in Orange County, California. In her work with families, Teymoorian has found that slow parenting principles are often valuable in helping parents increase the meaningful interactions they have with their children.
“When parents embrace a slower parenting style where they’re not feeling pressured to constantly entertain their children, kids learn to generate more ideas, explore their own interests, and find enjoyment in simple, non-stimulating activities,” Teymoorian says. “Slowing down can help cultivate patience and a sense of presence. This allows kids to see the world around them and develop a richer internal life.”
When parents embrace a slower parenting style, kids learn to generate more ideas, explore their own interests, and find enjoyment in simple, non-stimulating activities.
Slow parenting is an extension of the slow movement, started by Canadian journalist Carl Honoré nearly two decades ago when he pushed back on fast-paced life with his book In Praise of Slow: Challenging the Cult of Speed. The slow parenting movement blossomed with his second book Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children from the Culture of Hyper-Parenting, wherein he honed in on the pitfalls of helicopter parents who micromanage and overbook their kids’ lives to the detriment of their mental health, resiliency, and independence.
So, how exactly does the slow movement play out in parenting? Well, as one might imagine, slow starts with the family schedule, but also bleeds into other aspects of life as parents look to create enough space to get some breathing room for themselves and their kids.
Here are four ways to embrace slow parenting and help the whole family take a deep breath and slow down.
1. Resist The Urge To Overschedule
Overscheduling comes at a cost — not just in terms of depriving kids of the opportunity to rest, but also in squeezing out valuable relational time that allows parents and kids to have closer relationships.
“When we resist the urge to overschedule our children, we force ourselves and our kids to prioritize what is most important,” Teymoorian says. “And when we cut activities, we aren’t just saying ‘no’ to things, but we’re prioritizing opportunities to connect to each other by spending more quality time together.”
Different types of downtime, including playtime and family time, play an important role in helping kids recover from the stresses of daily life. The rub is that when their friends are involved in multiple activities or there’s pressure to not fall behind in the great race to build resumes that colleges will find appealing someday, the pressure not to fall behind is intense.
Researcher and Stanford professor Denise Pope, Ph.D., recently shared with Fatherly what the process of building schedule boundaries looked like with her kids as her family took a hard line against overscheduling.
“Our kids wanted to be involved in a lot of activities,” Pope said. “So we actually sat down and looked at the schedule and said, ‘Okay, if you think you can do these activities and get your homework done and still get your 8 to 10 hours of sleep, we’ll allow you to try this schedule.’ But we also built in some escape clauses together in case that agreement couldn’t be met or if they started to get stressed to the point where it affected their ability to handle their schedule.”
In other words, you don’t have to rule with an iron fist when your kids are interested in a club or activity. But putting up boundaries that discourage overscheduling can help everyone from becoming overwhelmed.
2. Preserve Time For Free Play
Faced with the prospect of being home all day as a family, without any obligations to get to, lining up activities for the kids can keep everyone from driving each other bonkers. But there’s value in setting aside unstructured time for kids to play in ways that are voluntary, intrinsically motivated, and, most importantly, fun.
“Free play and imaginative activity without rigid rules foster creativity, problem-solving, and social skills in children,” Teymoorian says. “Kids grow in self-confidence as they are allowed to explore their interests, make decisions, and navigate play decisions.”
So, even if you have the perfect craft project lined up for the afternoon, it’s sometimes best to let the kids continue making a pretend meal or building a blanket fort with their siblings if they’re caught up in the moment. After all, it’s not like the work you’ve done to plan the craft has to go to waste. It’ll still be there for the kids to enjoy later in the day or the next time they have a day off from school.
3. Embrace Boredom
Despite the importance of unstructured play time, there will be days when kids counter opportunities for play with the dreaded “b” word. When they feel like they’re about to die of boredom, a slow parenting tactic is to hold the line and not bail them out with a list of curated activities. Because no child has actually ever died from boredom.
Although you may have to withstand some whining, bored kids will eventually learn to stretch their creative muscles and come up with something to do. But you don’t have to totally abandon them in their time of need. “There has to be a fun book on the shelf” or “see if you can invent an interesting game outside” are gentle suggestions that leave enough openendedness for kids to tap into their creativity and resourcefulness.
When left to their own accord, kids may come up with slightly risky ideas for play. Rest assured that such activities are a healthy antidote to boredom. Climbing a tree or trying to break rocks with a hammer might result in a minor scrape or bruise, but research indicates there are a number of ways such activities benefit kids’ development, such as developing executive functioning capabilities, risk-management skills, self-confidence, and independence.
4. Practice Digital Wellness
Even in the early days of the slow parenting movement, media consumption was flagged as a potential trap because of how advertising could drive kids toward the high of constantly buying the latest and greatest toy. Flashy ads also invited tension into the parent-child relationship through kids making incessant requests for the latest and greatest thing they saw on TV.
The media landscape has changed drastically since then, but the impact of screens is still powerful, going so far as to literally change young kids’ brains by increasing deficits in impulse control, attention span, executive functioning, and overall cognitive functioning.
Although parents can subscribe to are ad-free options for gaming and streaming at a premium price point to undercut some of the initial concerns of the slow parenting movement, incessant requests from kids for more screen time can still introduce a frantic and sometimes adversarial component to the parent-child dynamic, not so dissimilar to when kids beg for new stuff.
Thus, screen time remains a difficult problem for slow parents. Media abstinence just isn’t an option most families are willing to embrace. This is why Teymoorian advocates for a conscious consumption of media with a focus on digital wellness. She doesn’t recommend cutting out screens altogether, but instead focusing on empowering kids to use technology positively, with consideration for their overall well-being.
“Digital wellness for kids involves mindful and balanced use of digital media, focusing on learning and creativity rather than constant entertainment,” she says. For example, instead of mindlessly scrolling through YouTube Shorts, they can use an app that allows them to create digital art.
Additionally, parents should turn their attention inward. “Parents can foster healthier relationships with digital devices,” Teymoorian says, “by modeling responsible online behavior that helps children understand the importance of balancing screen time with other activities.”
As with most aspects of slow parenting, “mindful and balanced” is the key. Because just as frenzied parenting isn’t working for a lot of families, screeching-to-a-halt parenting isn’t a healthy option in the long term either as kids benefit from enriching activities like clubs, teams, community groups, and creative arts activities.
Taking steps to remain present in the moment is a key focus of the slow movement in general and slow parenting in particular. But be aware that it takes quite a bit of brake-tapping to get family life slowed down to a reasonable pace — and keep it there.
Contemporary Women Have Made Their Beds and Now Must Lie In it
I cry for women.
What the Fuck has America been doing? Everything in the USA is falling apart.
Arkansas is in the “Bible Belt” of the United States. And because of this, everything is heavily influenced by religion. Mostly “Southern baptist”. Which tends to be rather strict and fundamental.
One of the aspects of this influence is something known as “dry counties”.
These are regions in the state where the purchase of alcohol is against the law. So that people living in those areas must dive elsewhere to buy their booze, cart it home. Store it and then drink it in such a way that it does not run out. It’s a core characteristics of “the Southern way of life” that you hear so much about in American Country and Western music.
Anyways, where I lived in Arkansas, was a “dry county”.
And sure as shit, we would have to make an “alcohol run” before the stores closed on the weekends. And Lordy! Was it always a madhouse. Car jams. Packing lines. Carts full of booze. People jostling and pushing. Everyone in a rush.
Yup.
The American Way of Life.
I’ll tell you what!
Some things about the United States are so ridiculous that it’s not even worth commenting on. Except to say, that I am glad that I live in China where booze is cheap, plentiful and accessible by anyone, at any time.
While there is no threat to Japan from any quarter, the US keeps troops in Japan to:
Maintain Japan as a pliant vassal state.
Control the region around Japan with its vast military complexes. The US has more bases in Japan than any country outside the US itself.
Japan subsidies US forces and makes it easier for the US to maintain an overall large military since Japan pays large sums to the US for the privilege of hosting massive US troops and equipment. If those troops went home the US would have to pay 100% of the costs of maintaining them.
South Korea faces a real threat from North Korea. The 35,000 US combat troops in RSK are meant to provide a deterence to DPRK. In a real war the US would likely lose these 35,000 troops, which would drag the US into its next quagmire.
Secondary objectives to the US maintaining troops in SK are the same as in Japan, however US bases in Japan are not under any threat and are far more extensive than in RSK, which makes Japan much more important to the US than RSK.
I believe one of the primary reasons the US has become addicted to operating more than 800 bases around the world is that in many of the large ones, the host country pays for some if not the majority of the costs of that base. This defrays direct costs of maintaining its own military for the US while keeping the US military at an overly large scale relative to its growing inability to afford such size and scale.
If you can park your car in downtown Manhattan in someone else’s garage for free (with a promise that if someone in his family gets injured you’ll drive them in the car to the hospital), and that guy is going to pay for all the maintenance of that vehicle, while you still get to drive it anytime you want and he isn’t allowed to use it, you’re going to park your cars there for a very, very long time.
Jonas‘ answer is spot on on a cultural level, but IME, there are also often some more mundane/practical considerations involved.
It buys us time. I used to work solo for years. In one joint, we used to have baskets of bread and little bowls of homemade dips available for the waiters to just grab and hand out. If someone ordered food and I was swamped with orders, that would simply keep the guests happy until I got around / was able to free up a burner on the stove to make their starters or entrees…
It is one more element a really skilled waiter can employ to time orders etc. I’ve seen good waiters ‘stall’ for half an hour and more from the point the guests were seated with menus, drink orders, drinks, food orders, cutlery, bread and butter etc. without the guests even noticing they were being strung along while the kitchen and / or back office recovered from some minor catastrophe or just cleared a backlog of orders…
In places that are not dedicated restaurants, it sets ‘the mood’ for ordering something to eat. You might have come in just for a glass of wine or two, but when that cute little basket of fresh bread with a little bit of good butter or some nice dip, a napkin and a set of silverware arrives unasked along with the menu, you might just realize you could do with a nice bite to eat… This may sound far-fetched, but I’ve seen it work (on myself as a guest and on guests in places I worked at) often enough to not dismiss it.
I don’t know why, but the Chinese captured POWs in Korea from 15 countries, and only the American GI’s knelt and surrendered to the Chinese, just like they knelt when they were captured in Iranian territorial waters. Is it because the Yanks have particularly soft knees? Can anyone tell me why?
image 166
American and British are not defending Taiwan, but they want to invade China, and the Chinese are certainly capable of defeating the invaders and letting them die in the sea and become food for sea fish. The Pacific Ocean’s marine fish will feast, and then we’ll sell our catch to the Yanks and bring their souls back to the U.S. so they don’t pollute the environment in China’s territorial waters. 😁
2300 heavily armed US soldiers have been killed fighting Afghan shepherds. 2300 Yank kids become corpses in coffins. There are no corpses in naval battles, they can only be fed to the sea fish.
image 165
With the exception of the Americans and the British, everyone in the world has been educated to know that the Taiwan question is a legacy of the Chinese civil war, an internal affair of China and a domestic affair of the Chinese.
Biden did not tell the US citizens that he wanted to invade China, only “to defend Taiwan”.
So, I ask, how does the US plan on doing that? with some sort of video game competition?
I mean, in order to “defend Taiwan”, you have to have military troops pertorming military actions, aka combat inside of China – And that’s because Taiwan is in China.
So currently America has soldiers in Taiwan, which is either illegal, or at the very least gray area because that’s part of China. And the government of China doesn’t approve of that and hasn’t allowed it. So that’s the current status.
If US start performing miltary action, that’s an effort to militarily conquer at least China or push them back inside of China. That‘s called an invasion.’
Sorry, everybody, if you don’t agree with this definition, but that’s what it is.
So US is yet again contirming that it will invade China if China attempts to continue its reunification by using military action.
I’d like to advise the US to listen to a well-known Chinese song with these lyrics: “For our friends, we have fine wine. For jackals or wolves, we welcome with shotguns.”
OOOOHHHH!!!! This one is legend! It didn’t happen at my employer, but one nearby. (I worked for a bit just a city block, or two, up the street.) Here’s the basics:
Control Data Corporation (CDC) was on the rocks in the early ‘80s. They started laying folks off. But they didn’t do it publicly. Instead they “Disappeared” them. Here’s how it worked:
An employee was instructed to keep quiet about the fact that he’d been transferred to the Roseville, Mn. Plant across town.
He (it was mostly a he in those days) was to pack up his gear & personal stuff late Friday afternoon & the box(es) would be picked up & transferred over the weekend to his new job site.
He was then given an address at the new plant where he was to report first thing Monday Morning.
The next Monday he showed up, was escorted into a room with a table, a chair, a guard, and an HR person.
The HR person gave him his walking papers & allowed him to sort out & collect his private stuff from the box(es).
He was then escorted out the door to the parking lot.
Chopped Meat Pies (Pitta Me Kima)
Pitta Me Kima
Ingredients
2 pounds chopped lamb
1/2 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, peeled or 1 tablespoon tomato paste with 1 cup water
1 piece stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices toast
2 cups milk
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
5 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 pound phyllo
Instructions
Brown meat, half the butter, and onions in large pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up meat. Add tomatoes (or diluted tomato paste) cinnamon, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed (about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, soak toast in milk, then mash with fork. Remove cinnamon stick and add milk-toast mixture to the meat, remove from the heat. Add cheese and eggs, and mix well.
Melt remaining butter. Butter a pan about. 2 inches smaller than the phyllo. Put 7 to 8 phyllo sheets, buttering each before adding it, into the pan, letting phyllo extend on all sides. Pour in meat mixture and spread it evenly. Fold overlapping phyllo back onto meat. Butter these well. Carefully cut remaining sheets of phyllo to fit the top of the pan. Brush each with butter and lay on the filling to make the top of the pita. Pour on any remaining butter and sprinkle the top very lightly with a little water (to keep phyllo from rising too high).
Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool for about 30 minutes, and cut into squares to serve.
It is easier to cut this if you score it lightly before baking.
This isn’t my story, but that of a very good friend who I had as a roommate a long time ago.
Geoff was a car salesman for many years. One night he came home and told me the story of his big sale that day. A man had driven into the parking lot in a beat-up pickup truck, one bumper tied in place with baling wire, rust all over it and a cracked windshield. He and his wife emerged from the vehicle and started walking around the show lot looking at cars and drifting towards the trucks. The man was very large, Geoff estimated 6′5″ and 280 lbs and wearing bib overalls, a plaid flannel shirt, well worn boots, and a John Deere baseball cap. All of his clothing was showing age, dirt, and stains. His wife was very plain and wearing similarly worn clothing, but neat and she almost never stopped smiling.
They walked around for about 15 minutes as the salesmen watched them from the showroom. All of these guys were triple-A personalities who were like sharks as salesmen and normally would have been fighting or drawing straws as to who got the next customer. Nobody wanted to go talk to these people, the very definition of hayseed goobers with big eyes but no money and they clearly had nothing to offer as a trade in. Geoff had just finished up showing a customer a few cars and writing up prices and a trade-in offer and was irritated that the others had all left these people out there without even a “hello”. He went straight out and started taking to them.
The man wanted to buy a truck to replace the one he had driven in on. He also wanted to buy his wife a car because their son had just run their old one into a telephone pole and totaled it. Geoff spent about two hours chatting with them, getting and giving information. He learned that they owned and ran a large farm with 40 horses, 80 head of cattle, other livestock, crops and side businesses running farmland that others had leased from him, and had about 20 employees working for him. When he got done and was writing up the sale of two brand new, fully loaded, vehicles, he asked how they would like to pay. The man reached into his bib overalls and pulled out a roll as big as his country-ham fist and said “sorry, I don’t have cash for both of them, but I’ll pay for one with cash and give you a check for the other; the bank’s open and you can verify the funds are there right now”.
So, because these people looked like dirt-kicker rednecks to the auto sales staff, Geoff sold two top-line vehicles for cash, earned a very substantial commission, and made two acquaintances who invited him out to their farm to visit, and then became good friends for the next 30 years. I got to go with Geoff to their beautiful farm once; among the nicest folks I’ve ever met.
What’s that old saying about not judging a book by its cover….?
One day, my doorbell rang and I opened the door assuming there was a package or a salesman outside.
Instead, there were maybe six large men in body armor and pads. They were each holding a rifle on a sling. Their plate carriers were festooned with pistols, extra magazines, flashlights, and handcuffs.
I stared at these men through my iron security door for a beat- probably with my jaw dropped. Then I said, “Uh, Hey! What’s going on guys?”
Turns out it was a fugitive recovery team from the US Marshals.
They were looking for my neighbor’s scummy boyfriend who had lived with her for a short time. Apparently, he was even scummier than I had thought.
I stepped out on the porch and spoke with the Marshals for a few minutes. I knew my neighbor, but not her boyfriend. I had nothing helpful to tell them. They piled back into a few big, black SUVs and left.
Weird, but at least it wasn’t a solicitor at the door.
My sister got suspended for skipping class. She wasn’t feeling well during PE, and got a note to go to the nurse’s office. The nurse wasn’t in (supposedly she was on a coffee break). My sister passed out (as in unconscious) in front of the nurse’s office, laying on the floor in the hall. No one noticed she was there until after the nurse came back at the end of the *next* period.
They suspended her for cutting that class. She was told the next day, and served the in-school suspension that day. The next day my dad came in and raised heck… and the suspension was removed from her record, and the nurse was written up for taking a too long coffee break (over an hour).
I’m not sure what was said to the teachers who were supposed to be watching the hall during class change, and never noticed her on the floor. None of the kids said anything that we know of either. I guess it’s a good thing it wasn’t a critical thing that caused her to pass out.
Shadow People and The Hat Man | Who are they? What do they want?
Back in the 1980s, I worked as an independent Contract Software Engineer working through a technical service firm. As such there were many ‘business deductions’ that I could take off and I also only had to pay taxes 4 times a year, so all the interest I earned on the taxes was an added boost. But, then the tax laws changed. As a Software Engineer working through a technical service firm, I was now considered an employee of that firm. This meant no more ‘business deductions’ and no interest on my tax savings account.
So I looked for another loophole. I discovered that as long as I worked more than 50 miles away from home, all my travel expenses were tax deductible. Now I was a single man with few attachments so I started to travel. My home became a mailbox in New Jersey. Now you might think that keeping track of all your travel expenses would be annoying. The federal government though made that easy. The standard travel deduction for most metropolitan areas was $100 per day and if it was cheaper to stay than it was to travel home, you could take that deduction for 7 days each week. Now my expenses did not run $3000 a month. I would rent an apartment for $800/month, do my own cooking so food was maybe $300/month. Electricity, water, heat, cable whatever, might cost me another $300/month. All told, my expenses were rarely half of the $3000/month I was deducting off my tax return.
There was one gotcha to this tax rule. The federal government rules that if a person stayed at the same job for 27 months, then that person was not traveling. They had moved…. 27 months ago. This meant that if I stuck around that long, I would owe the taxes on that $81000. To add insult to injury, even if I just took another position that was within 50 miles of that position, it was still considered the same location. So every 2 years I would quit whatever position I had (most of my contracts didn’t actually last that long) and move to another part of the country.
Still, this $36500/year tax deduction was a nice boon. But they kept on nibbling away on this. Originally it was on the Schedule A and the deduction occurred before you calculated your AGI. They later moved it to a post after the AGI was calculated so the lower AGI no longer affected when other deductions kicked in. Later they decided that 20% of that $100/day was for food. If you were home, you still had to eat, so they considered that 25% of that 20% is no longer deductible. this changed the $100/day to $95/day. And each year, the deduction was lessened.
After a few years, I married and my wife didn’t want to travel around the country with me. I stopped contracting and I have no idea whatever happened to that deduction.
Gonzalo Lira’s DEATH update. US State Dept. confirms his death. They did NOTHING to support him.
My daughter had turned two a couple months before. She was really fussy that day but I had to go to work. Three hours later I got a phone call from her daycare telling me that she was crying a lot and couldn’t move her leg. There was no swelling or bruising or anything. I was stuck at work and had a minimum 45 minute commute back. So they offered to take her to the ER for me. I got off as soon as I could and rushed to meet them.
By the time I got there, they had already done blood/urine tests and x-rays. When the doctor came in he went through everything they tested for and said he couldn’t find anything. I was confused and asked him why she couldn’t move her leg and was in so much pain. He gave me this stupid smile and said “Well it could just be growing pains. But I think she just wants attention. If you could bother spending time with your child instead of working she would be happier. If you are still worried go ahead and take her to her regular doctor on Monday”. I demanded to have a second opinion and the doctor refused. I was told if I didn’t leave the hospital he would call security and force me to leave.
I was pissed! It isn’t as if I wake up and think “Gee I don’t feel like dealing with my kid I am just dropping her off at daycare”. I am a single mom, I don’t receive any kind of child support, don’t go out or have a social life, and have to work to pay the bills (including medical insurance for both of us). I was handed a piece of paper that said to just give her Tylenol every few hours, spend “quality time” with her, and see her regular doctor on Monday if the pain continues. I took my crying baby home (it was 3 AM on Saturday morning) and stayed up trying to figure out what to do next.
(BTW)
I called in to work that morning; my gas tank was almost on empty, I had $11 to last until my next pay check (a week away), and our regular doctor was the next town over (about 20 miles away). By 8 AM I called my sister and borrowed some cash, filled up my tank, called our doctor on his cellphone, and took her to the ER next to his office. Our doctor tried to get the test results from the other ER, but they said they couldn’t find the paper work. Instead of waiting, the doctor ran his own tests. Thank god he did!
We were there less than 30 minutes when the doctor came in and said he was rushing her to Wichita (3+ hour drive away). It was complicated because he wanted to fly her there but our tiny ER didn’t have an area for the plane and she needed to be there immediately. They hooked her up with an IV, we got in the ambulance, had a police escort, and lights/sirens the entire way (it took about two hours to get there). I was freaking out. There was no time for the doctor to explain what was going on and the paramedics said that they weren’t sure exactly what was happening but was told she wasn’t allowed to move at all. My poor baby was strapped down head to toe and terrified.
When we got to the hospital there was a team of doctors and nurses waiting in the bay. They rushed her away; I wasn’t allowed to follow, and I had to speak with the police and DCF. They asked me a bunch of questions about our visit to the other ER, where I was when she was at daycare, what my daughter’s symptoms were before going to the ER, what the doctor told me, what paperwork I was given, and if they had permission to look at her medical records.
I kept asking to see my daughter and what the hell was going on. Finally an hour later a nurse came out and explained that my daughter was going septic, flat-lined once, and they had to figure out where the infection was and what was happening to her. She was rushed into emergency surgery shortly after that.
Turns out my daughter had a pouch in her hip joint that was filled with MRSA. It had begun to leak into her tiny body. Any slight movement could have ruptured the pouch and within minutes killed her. The doctors in Wichita said if I had waited even one hour longer to bring her in she would have died. She was in the hospital for two weeks. After she was discharged she had to stay on very heavy duty antibiotics for seven weeks, physical therapy for four months, and bi-weekly blood tests for a year. She still has pain sometimes when she walks or runs; the infection ate away some of the lining around her hip joint, and she will most likely have arthritis when she is older.
We still don’t know for sure how she ended up with this infection. The only thing we can figure is she got it from me since I work at a hospital. She did have bronchitis a few weeks before this experience but it is normal since she has asthma.
Here’s what I found out later:
The ER my daughter originally had gone to refused to give up her medical files and our doctor knew something was very wrong. He had been our family doctor since my daughter was two months old and well as a friend/doctor to the rest of our family over 10 years. I was that annoying first-time worry-wart mom but never neglectful and never brought my daughter to an ER without something really being wrong. Our doctor called the sheriff and explained an investigation had to be checked out. The sheriff got a hold of DCF and they began an investigation. That is when they figured out quickly what had happened.
The dickhead ER doctor had never looked at her test results (which showed a very high white blood cell count)! When our doctor had requested the files the other doctor actually tried to destroy the evidence that we were ever there (thank god for computers). The doctor was arrested and pled guilty to a bunch of different charges. He lost his license and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Basically the entire concept of Minions, honestly.
The plot of this 2015 animated children’s movie can aptly be described in one sentence
A race of genetic yellow freaks become hellbent on villainy, and vow to serve the most evil villain they can find
Throughout the movie’s opening montage, the minions meet several well-known historical and mythological figures, including Count Dracula, Genghis Khan and Napoleon Bonaparte.
This seems innocent at first, especially given the cartoonish depictions of said historical figures in the movie. But an internet user took to Tumblr to analyse exactly what these scenes implied for the minions in the greater historical landscape
According to the official Minions Movie, the Minions:
Assisted Napoleon in invading most of Europe, racking up a total death count of around 3 Million
Assisted Genghis Khan in invading just about all of China and racking up a total death count of roughly 40 Million people
Plus that of the T Rex, Caveman, Pharaoh, King, Captain, and Dracula
So we know for a fact they took part in 43 Million deaths. Not to mention they also killed all of their former masters, so add them to the total.
But this also implies there is a strong chance the Minions are going to kill Gru
Conclusion:
Minions are bloodthirsty monsters that should not be glorified in any way.
[1] I’m no historian, but this all sounds about right to me. It’s horrifying to think that in this universe, minions are responsible for pretty much every war crime and atrocity in human history.
And to make matters even worse, the Minions retire to Antarctica after the fall of Napoleon, where they remain until 1968, when the main plot takes place. The Minions were conveniently exiled during WW2 in order to avoid the implications that the minions were Nazis, but by writing around it, the movie still implies that the minions would have worked for Hitler if they were around.
I have been out of the Army well over 50 years when things were somewhat tougher than I expect hey are today. I never saw anyone hit. I had an E-6 Platoon Sergeant, named Walter Streets. He was about 6′4″ and towered over me. He was black and I am white.
He knew I was a good recruit and would become a good soldier. I developed Pneumonia while I was in Basic at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina and went on antibiotics just before the PT test. I was doing the last phase of the test, which was running track. I was having trouble making the last lap and he ran out onto the track and put his arm around me and ran with me. Another Drill Sargeant who stood about only 5′4″ came out and complained to Sargeant Streets who bent down and told him to “F” off. I passed the test.
When I got on the bus to AIT at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, Sargeant Streets gave me a small bottle of whiskey and told me to drink it all on the trip. He told my buddies to throw their overcoats over me on the back of the bus and by the time I got to AIT the pneumonia was gone. It’s actually 58 years ago and I learned how great some Drill Sargeants can be. I wish I could thank him again today!
I have lived this. When I was 23, I found out we were expecting. At 23 you don’t think anything will be wrong with your baby. That happens to older women, not young people like me. Well the truth is it happens more often with younger women because they are typically having more children than the older women.
At my 16 week ultrasound we really went into it just hoping we would find out the sex of the baby. Instead we left with fear and uncertainty and they weren’t able to tell us the gender. Basically they told us they were able to get a good look at the back of the babies neck but they had a feeling there was some type of abnormality.
So I was referred to a specialist for a level 2 ultrasound and further testing.
A few days later I went to the specialist along with my Mom and one of my sisters who had a medical background. After the ultrasound we were told that there was definitely something wrong with the baby and they thought it was either Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida or Cerebral Palsy.
I was offered the option to terminate and/or do an amnio to find out exactly what was wrong. They also still couldn’t see the baby’s gender. I decided to do the amniocentesis but I made it very clear to the doctor that I was not terminating the pregnancy no matter what the results. Approx 10 days later I called my OBGYNs office and was told they would call me back.
They called me back in just a few minutes to tell me that the doctor was on vacation but he was coming in to talk to me, how quickly can you get here? I knew that didn’t mean good news. My husband couldn’t get off work again so my mom and sister met me there.
My doctor took us into his office and said. “You are having a boy! But he does have Down Syndrome”. I was totally broken with this news.
I sobbed in his office with my family. I mourned the child I thought I would have. I mourned for months. Probably even after my son was born. My husband gave me an ultimatum, either have an abortion or we get a divorce.
I took the divorce and never looked back. I was always pro-life. I am still pro-life. My ex was mad. He was mad at the world. He was mad with God. He knew plenty of people that smoked or did drugs in their pregnancy and their babies were fine.
I wouldn’t even drink caffeine and our baby was going to be “retarded”. (His word, not mine). I could never choose to have an abortion. It wasn’t my body or life. I was just the vessel. I couldn’t get him to understand that what if we had a “normal” child and down the road the child was diagnosed with cancer or had a life changing accident that left them disabled? He couldn’t answer me. He could only say “if you have this baby, then I will never be able to have a boat”. (He was a winner).
But when my son was 5, I met a wonderful man who loved us both. We were married and he adopted my son and we have two other kids now.
Has it been easy? No but who said parenthood was easy?
Even with typical children. Jacob is 23, he has graduated high school, he has a job that he loves and so much more. He will never be able to drive or live on his own but so what?
He is high functioning, smart, talks ALOT, no heart issues, no major health issues and a wonderful personality. He loves Jesus, Disney and his family. And we wouldn’t trade him for the world.
Mama left in the middle of the night with my daddy’s best friend. She didn’t show up for the divorce hearing and that gave my daddy full custody. They had been married for 18 years. Suddenly she was gone. I was 5 years old.
I told myself I could never leave my children like that. I remember the feeling of abandonment. I was her only daughter, she left my brothers as well. One was 10, the other was 4.
My family that I was left with didn’t care much for me. I was a girl, strike one. I looked exactly like my mama, strike two. I finally revealed the sexual abuse I was being tortured with at the hands of my uncle, huge strike three. So, rejection has been a big problem for me in my lifetime. I never wanted to make my own children feel unloved and unwanted. But… I did.
I didn’t leave them physically. I had a problem with alcohol at a very early age. By the time I was 40 I was a full-blown alcoholic. For the next 10 years I was in a drunken stupor, in mental hospitals because of suicide attempts and in jail. It ruled my life and took ME away from my son and daughter during their teenage years. Thank God I married a solid gold man who is always present for our children.
I turned 50 in County jail serving my 90 days for my 4th DUI. That was the very last time I was in custody. We sold our home soon after that and moved to an apartment for the first time in our married life. Our children were both married and living on their own. When we drove away from that home I took that monkey off my back and flung her out the window. I’ve not had a drop of alcohol since. The craving is gone and has not returned for 12 years now. YAY!!!
We can try not to repeat the sins or mistakes of our parents, but be mindful of those mistakes because you could be hurting your family the same just by acting in a different way.
What I’m going to speak on is something that you should never, ever share with anyone but your most trusted friends and siblings (and you should never share it with your parents or any of your friends that you don’t trust to act accordingly), in addition to your coworkers.
You should never, ever share your marital or relationship issues with any of those people. If you get in a huge fight with your spouse or partner, you should never share the details of it with anyone but the people you trust the most.
You see, when you share the details of a fight with a close friend who doesn’t have the ability to internalize all of the details, the next time that friend sees your spouse, they very well might treat your partner differently, based on what you told them.
A fight between a husband and wife especially should never be shared with anyone but your very closest friend, and you absolutely NEED to have one person that you can share it with, otherwise, you’ll never get an objective truth about who was really right in the fight.
When my wife and I get into a fight (we’ve had exactly three over the last five years), I call one person; my best friend Casey. Would you care to know why I call him specifically, even though I have two other friends that I’m just as close with or closer with?
Casey will tell me the truth, no matter what. If I’m wrong, and I was acting like an asshole, he will absolutely tell me so. That’s extremely valuable information, and I can think on what he tells me and take it back to my wife.
If he tells me that I’m right, and that she’s completely wrong in her argument, I’ll keep it to myself, because throwing that in her face won’t do anything but escalate the situation and cause her to have animosity toward Casey, who is our daughter’s favorite person in the world outside of her blood family.
My wife always calls her best friend Rae, which makes me happy, because Rae is very similar to Casey, in the way that she’ll tell my wife the truth of the matter, even if the truth is that my wife was wrong. Also, both Casey and Rae have the ability to completely internalize all of their knowledge about the fight when next we all see one another, and don’t treat either of us differently. If that wasn’t the case, Casey wouldn’t be able to talk to my wife without being disrespectful, and Rae might slap me every time she sees me.
I’ve known quite a few people who have spoken freely about fights with their spouse, and who have even badmouthed their spouse in front of everyone present. In my opinion, there isn’t much that can be more disrespectful to your spouse and your marriage. You’re giving everyone present a horrible picture of your spouse, and making everyone think that your marriage is some kind of argument-ridden catastrophe.
Everyone that I work with believes my wife to be an absolute angel. From what I’ve told them, she is by far the perfect woman. I never tell them when we argue, or when she does something stupid (like switching the bags for my lunch and the dirty cat litter), or anything negative about our marriage.
Nobody should be airing their dirty laundry at work. Period.
If you needed a few billion bucks to establish a commercial aircraft industry, you would think at least 30 nations would have had their own fully operational commercial aircraft right?
Let’s see
Threshold Engineers & Researchers
To commercially manufacture Aircraft you need a minimum threshold workforce of engineers & researchers
Aerospace, Aeronautical and a whole bunch of engineers with significant experience working for commercial aircraft or who have studied commercial aircraft production and assembly
The Magic number for China was 25,000 to be able to draw from
This happened only by 2014–2015
Prior to that every Aerospace Engineer or Designer worked for Defence Manufacturing or for the Space Agency
Boeing alone has a workforce of 61,000 Engineers and 4300 Researchers
The West combined has close to 160,000 Engineers and Researchers in their workforce for Commercial Aircraft Manufacture
By comparison COMAC has 11,280 Engineers and around 900 Researchers
Chinas largest workforce is for
Production Engineering (1998–2004)
Civil Engineering (1982–1998)
Chemical Engineering & Metallurgy (2004–2012) & Electrical Engineering (2004–2012)
Automobile Engineering (2012–2019)
Tooling & Precision Engineering (2019-)
Even today China has around 34,000 Engineers and Researchers as total workforce for Commercial Aircraft Production
Competition
You aren’t competing with just Boeing or Airbus
Your competition is with Boeing, Rolls Royce, GE, Safran, Michelin, Dunlop and another 700–1200 companies that make from the largest airframe to the smallest on board electronic assembly
The Airframe alone to carry such a huge aircraft is a massive challenge
The Wind Tunnel System
The Electronics
The Wheels
Every part especially the Engine is a result of decades of continuous development by the West from the First World War
China this needed to get the Airframe Right
This alone took a decade
They then used a Canadian entity called Bombardier to get the electronics and the supply chain
They then got the electronics right. That took four years.
Then they got the Composite Wing Design and that was seven years.
That finished by 2021
They still have the largest nut to crack – THE ENGINE!!!!
Plus remember Mitsubishi has been unable to break into this market after 45 years
Economic Fiscal Problem
Like our Bullet Train, this Airliner was deemed a project that could never hope to break even by Chinas best economists
It’s why they proposed the HSR or Highways where China is the boss, the master of the fantastic quality supply Chain
It’s why China is investing so heavily into HSR
That’s their core area
Sadly the Comac is more of a prestige issue by China
To have their own fully made aircraft is acceptable even if the aircraft costs some money to the State as subsidies to keep at even keel
Its why China sidestepped IC Engines which they could never ever perfect and are masters of EV Batteries and E Platforms on earth
The Aircraft has to be made fully indigenously on a huge scale to break even because today the selling price is lower than what it costs on an accountants scale
In 1990 – China could certainly not afford to subsidize the Aircraft by any degree of money that they can easily do in their sleep today
So establishing an Industry and producing commercially is not a joke
It takes decades of solid hard work
You are competing against a technology evolution of over 60 years or 70 years from the West
You have specialized suppliers and makers of mother machines – all who need replication
Exactly why Chinas EVs and Renewable Energy models are next to impossible to recapture by any other nation
They have the whole package
China is likely to do far better in developing commercial self flying taxis on a drone concept which can travel as far as 600 Kms on indigenous technology and dominate the world
I worked at this large busy engineering factory. There was a store keeper who also worked there. He had a different role to all of the other store keepers.
He had his own desk. He had big tubs of machine cutters on his desk. His own computer. At the back of his desk, he had shelves filled with box files.
He was always busy. He never had to work shifts like the rest of us. He worked regular days.
Redundency came and he successfully applied for it. He left.
The other store keepers were told that they had to include his job into their own job. They kicked off about and went to the union. The union told them to “ just do what you can”
The store keepers decided to find out what it was that he did. The cutters were old stock, and they were chucked away. The files were full of old unimportant paper work, they were chucked away too.
If you had a lathe tool that needed to be sharpened, he would have to book it in. Those lathe tools had been made obsolete years before.
He basically never had a job. He never did anything. Nobody ever questioned him. He looked so busy and important. And he’d been doing this for years.
Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives (Kotopoulo me Tomatoes kai Elies)
Kotopoulo me Tomatoes kai Elies
Ingredients
Flour (for dredging)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (3 pound) frying chicken, cut into 6 to 8 serving pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large red onions, peeled, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate and lightly dredge the chicken.
Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large, deep skillet and brown the chicken on all sides, over high heat. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Add remaining olive oil to skillet, and sauté onions until wilted and lightly browned. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Place chicken back in the pan. Pour in the tomatoes and wine, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Ten minutes before removing from heat, add the crumbled feta and stir until melted. Five minutes before removing from heat, add olives and oregano.
Of course it is the despicable and obnoxious USA! Everyone knows it and everyone knows it is the U.S. that is hurting the work.
But if Americans are smart enough, which suspect the are not, a much more salient question would be “will it work?”
I absolutely won’t and it will harm the US economy much more than it ever hurt the Chinese economy.
Why? Very simple.
The U.S. market is simply a lot smaller than China and threatening not to sell to them is threatening to lose a market bigger than the world’s next 10 biggest market combine!
China can and will buy from someone else or it will simply make it themselves just like how Huawei Mate 60 surprised the U.S. who naively thinks that China will need at least 30 years to make it own high end chips China took less than 3 short year! And now the U.S. is well and truly fxxked!
China stops buying not only for their own consumers that is 30% of the world, it also stop using the U.S. chips in the product they make for the rest of the world or at least another 40% more. So the U.S. gets cuts away from 70% of the world’s market!
Next threatening not to buy from China who can simply make things better, faster and cheaper than everyone else is like threatening to bring inflation to its shores. Let alone depriving your own people from productivity and profit. Hence your crippling inflation. Increasing interest levels to fight inflation caused your bank failures and hurt investment! All are very bad for the US!
Now let’s evaluate the result of the trade war initiated by the U.S. The U.S. inflation were double digit at one point but now 3–4%. China’s inflation rate is 0.3%!
In the 5 years since the trade war China grew 5 times faster than the U.S.! Your trade with China grew from less than 200 billion before the trade war to more than 700 billion last year!
So who is winning the trade war? China is laughing all the way to the bank!
John Wally was a fellow that I worked with back in my early working career. This was before I worked in the coal mines. Back then, I worked in a a local grocery store / supermarket. And John Wally was the assistant manager there.
The “narrows” of East Brady.
This was in the 1970’s, and in Western Pennsylvania in East Brady. Oh, that plaza sat on the river and was once the rail line passenger station for the town. I recon that around the 1960’s it was converted into a mini strip mall, and then expanded upon to make the supermarket.
Ah today… who knows what it is. Maybe a “Blockbuster” VHS store… nah. Those came and went. Probably a vape store, and a bar. Knowing PA as I do. From these pictures it seems that a “Family Dollar” emerged into the fray.
The supermarket is the lower left building in the picture with the red roof. Incidentally, the white church in the center of the picture is the catholic church that I attended as a boy. Saint Eusebius.
Anyways, John Wally had this real knack. This skill.
At the end of the day he would count the money in the registers as he always did. But right before he would count the money, he would put his hand in the till and pull out a pile of coins. Pennies. Dimes. Nickels and Quarters. He would then weigh them in his hand…
…and guess how much their total worth was.
Each time he did it, he got better and better at it.
Eventually reaching a 70% rate of knowing the exact amount of change that he held.
The remaining 30% of the time, he was off by one or two cents.
Brochure Pics 008 scaled 1
…
The human being is capable of great things. Many things require patience, and practice. But eventually you can master the most obscure, and difficult tasks and perform them effortlessly.
Yes. I was about 17 and my 12-year-old brother came home crying that his brand new neon green bike with white tires was stolen from the local strip mall.
Now, the bad neighborhood in my town was maybe only 20 x 10 blocks, so I grabbed a wooden Louisville Slugger bat, tossed it and my little brother into the back seat of my Chevy Impala and drove to the bad neighborhood. It was summer, so we had the windows open. I went to high school in that neighborhood, so knew it well. I also played on the inner-city football team, so knew how to be a VIP there.
Within 10 minutes, I spotted three 15–16 year olds doing wheelies with and laughing about a neon green bike with white tires in some overgrown dirt lot. I pulled right up and got out; being 17 or so, I was used to seeming intimidating to 15–16 year olds. When my tiny brother got out of the car, they saw the bat, though I didn’t need it. They were very apologetic and gave up the bike with no problem. One noted seeing the bat.
A couple of years later, I was home from college, and the story came up and my brother said, “You know, that may not have been my bike…”
I didn’t want to hear it. And assured him it was his bike. No one appreciates anything these days.
Three young men, all age 16, brutally tortured and murdered their classmate after having tortured, humiliated and beaten him for several hours.
Okay, things like that happen.
But the victim had been continuously harassed and bullied ever since the first class in the comprehensive school – for nine years.
Nine years.
Both teachers, parents and police had been powerless because the perpetrators had been underage. The trope Adults Are Useless was fulfilled completely.
There is no question about the guilt of those prosecuted. They had videoed everything, with intent to publish it in the social media.
The Finnish law knows three degrees of homicide: murder, kill and intentional manslaughter.
Murder is the gravest, and can be prosecuted only if the homicide had been particularly depraved and premeditated. The sentence is always life imprisonment. And it is life unless the President pardons you.
It is tough to go for the life in prison when you are 16, but these human weeds deserve it.
EDIT: For those suggesting something about immigrants and their high crime statistics, my intuition tells me it is now native Finns who are behind this crime. The crime manifested such brutality, such viciousness, such cruelty, such depravity and such determination on which only native Finns are capable of. I wrote some time ago about the Great Northern War and its effect on Finnish genetics (Finland lost 70% of whole population) and this crime well demonstrates the effects of natural selection. It is the ugly flip side of sisu.
Immigrants can rob, they can rape and they can kill, but their violence is usually very spontaneous, irregular and unpremeditated, and they do it more to boast and demonstrate their position in the pecking order rather than to really profess dolus determinatus.
When native Finns commit such crime, it invariably demonstrates a deep down hatred and viciousness in the modus operandi itself. In this particular case the three human weeds prosecuted – Veeti Neramo, Alexis Koskivaara and Heikki Juutinen – had acted as if they had planned and intended their victim to die as agonally as possibly. There was no single intact rib in his body nor one single intact organ.
There are nowhere as many natural born killers, “super soldiers” as Dave Grossman calls them in On Killing, as there are in Finland. While in the WWII some 2% of US soldiers aimed and shot to kill, the number was up to 30% in Finland.
I was a child in the 1970s, and I do not remember that decade fondly.
The World War Two was still omnipresent. The veterans were still very much alive, they were still in the work life, and they were either our grandparents or even parents. It was a recent memory. There were still ruins around from the war, and we were warned not to touch anything suspicious as it could be unexploded ammunition.
Seventies were an incredibly violent decade on the vantage point of a child. It was perfectly acceptable to raise the kids with a whip and beat them with a belt if they were naughty. Fights at school were commonplace – they happened at almost every break. Each weekend saw a gang fight or similar, and boys liked to play war with air rifles. Bullying and teasing was a non-issue. One of my schoolmates was bullied into suicide.
Finland back in the seventies was a country of one single truth. President Urho Kekkonen ruled with an iron hand, it was an era of the Finlandization, and our teachers reflected that. The Baby Boomers hated their parents and everything they represented, and leaned very heavily to left. The radio and TV were full of pro-Soviet propaganda.
My hometown was divided into Communists, Social Democrats and Bourgeoisie. Everyone knew where they belonged and who was who.
Smoking was ubiquitous. The majority of adults smoked. Alcohol was used on binge drinking. Cars were noisy, stinky and unsafe.
Life was dull, monotonous and boring. Food was bland and monotonous. Life was far slower pacing than today, and kids liked to play spontaneously, go doing sports spontaneously, go hiking to the woods or go swimming to a nearby swimming hole. Our parents would have been prosecuted from neglecting us nowadays.
Only in the 1980s things started to change – to better. The 1980s were a good decade. Unfortunately they ended in the Great Recession.
Wife PETRIFIED After I Presented Spicy Pics/Videos Of Her Cheating…In Our At Fault Divorce State
My Chinese parents are almost impossible to buy for. They would scold me if the things I buy are of no use to them. Since I am an adult and I’ve decided that I will no longer endure the horrors of flying sandals thrown at me (I had more than my fair share of it as a kid), I have also gotten smarter. Over the years, I’ve learned to buy what they actually need and appreciate. Here goes:
Vitamins and supplements. As they are getting older, they need these to maintain health. Calcium, Omega 3, glucosamine, you name it. Rather than buying nice things or branded stuff, they appreciate it more if I take my time to ask them which vitamins are running out, buy them, and when they want to pay me back, I simply tell them to keep their money.
Money. This can never go wrong. The best gift is money itself, because they might not be needing/wanting anything now, but if you give them some money, it can really come in handy when they actually want to indulge themselves in something. Asians give hong bao/红包 (red envelopes) filled with money in joyful occasions (e.g. Chinese New Year). I usually do this on my parents’ birthdays.
Assets. Fine gold, stock, and mutual funds. Eyes on the prize, fellas.
Plane tickets. When they want to go on a vacation or visit other kids who live in different cities/countries, it’d be very helpful if we pay for their plane tickets. This is what they really need (and want).
Handbags for moms, perfumes for dads. If there are some indulgent and lavish things my parents won’t scold me for buying, they would be these. You just need to know their preferences when it comes to these things.
I know most of these things are not ‘romantic’ things to give, but as you get older, you become too practical, I guess (again, Asians).
Didn’t blow my mind, but it definitely freaked out my wife!
We moved into our new home taking the keys from the previous owner with whom we were friends.
The house had been cleaned, but not wife clean. So she scoured the kitchen, and AHA! She found something left behind in the very top shelf in the kitchen pushed far against the wall.
It was a set of steak knives with deer antler handles. She’s never been a fan of hunting, so she said “Eww! Get rid of them.”
And like a dutiful husband I put them aside to get rid of them later. Some days later I see them on the kitchen counter where they were left. We had been busy unpacking boxes the movers had left, so I just threw the knife set back on the top shelf and promptly forgot about them.
A few years later I was transferred, so the house was sold and the movers returned to pack us up. Once the moving van had left we went around the house with personal boxes packing up everything we’d need until the movers arrived at the new place.
The kitchen cupboards were bare… except! Yep, there on the top shelf was the knife set. I thought maybe I could sell them in a garage sale, so I grabbed them and stuck them in the top of my box.
And off we went to our newest new home.
Everyone grabbed their personal box and brought it to their bedroom. I unpacked mine in the living room, and right on top was the knife set. I chuckled to myself and brought it into the kitchen and tossed it in a top cabinet figuring it would be out of the way.
The next day I was putting together bed frames when I hear a blood curdling scream coming from the kitchen and something tumbling to the countertop!
I rush in there to see my wife coming down from the step ladder white as a ghost and shrieking “Tom, Tom, Tom, look!”
She was bring the kitchen up to wife clean when she found the knives that I stowed. When she picked up the box and saw what they were is when she cried out and dropped them.
“They’re just like the other house! What is going on?” She was in a panic.
Believe it or not my laughter did not lighten the situation one bit, and my explanation only got me in hotter water.
She screamed “I told you to get rid of them!” Then she threw them into the garbage can.
That was almost 30 years. They’re around here somewhere.
It made China a better nation. China always knew the west has ill intent but crisis like Tiananmen “democracy movement”, Hong Kong “constitutional protest” and Covid-19 pandemic, al man made and all western funded and orchestrated merely confirms the worst fear as real. China took every form of cure and prevention to ensure that the western designs to harm China won’t work but instead rebounded back harshly on themselves.
Whether it is the 5 U.S. marines who participated in the world military games who brought the mysterious vaping flu to Wuhan is the cause for the outbreak in China remains to be seen. It is certainly suspicious. But evidence clearly showed in the Red Cross blood samples of influenza viruses through the mainland U.S. that everywhere in the U.S. is seen 6 months before China’s first case but still it did not only owned up but shift the blame to China indeed. And dogs like Scott Morrison even push for China’s blame!
But not with standing that, China moves mountain to prevent a catastrophe making one right moves after another. China had the most severe and unknown at that time impact but 3 years on with the dust settled China lost a mere 6 thousand people while the U.S. lost 1.1 million people through Covid! 733 times more than China. All due to neglect, poor handling, over confidence and simply weak leadership. They were having a very “democratic” brainstorming i the middle of a huge fire deciding for months on what to do!
China grew its GDP from 2020–2022 close to 4 times that of the U.S. GDP during this pandemic years and came out of the pandemic stronger than ever! While the west shut down the Chinese took the lull years revamping and re-engineering their economy and it paid off. Ready for more western hypocrisy and further disruptions on China. It’s economy becomes more resilient than ever!
China knew that it had to allow nature to take its course and by late 2022 China confirms that the latest strains of the Covid-19 pandemic have dwindled down to a normal flu so China allowed it to burnt through its population.
To China and the rest of the world we see the worst in the west during these pandemic years. The western vaccines were meant for profiteering and reserved for the rich west while Chinese vaccines which ultimately turned out to be safer and more effective option were supplied to the entire world! It showed China’s willingness to share and care for humanity.
China came out of the Pandemic crisis as a more respected nation and a more generous one. It came out stronger and more resilient. The west went into a tailspin of war, double digit inflation and shortages. We call this karma!
Thank you for asking!
Greek Stew
OIP C
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless lamb, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup white wine
Pinch of dill
2 boxes frozen artichoke hearts
Instructions
Melt butter in stew pan or Dutch oven; add meat, onion, garlic, parsely, salt and pepper; brown over medium fire, stirring constantly. The gentle braising of the meat is the secret to success with this recipe.
When all of the ingredients are delicately browned, add tomato paste diluted in 2 cups water; add wine; dill and artichokes, stir; lower fire and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
My husband was diagnosed with cancer about 8 years ago. He fought hard through chemo, radiation and a failed surgery. He died in my arms 6 months after the diagnosis. I was devastated. One of my adult children with whom I was especially close, moved to my state, left her job in a different state. We had a business that could be run remotely from home. It was lucrative and provided a nice income. I asked my daughter to run the business for me. She was great in business having worked in mortgage banking. I was taking meds to calm my nerves and extreme shock and grief. He was only 62, and we thought we had many years left together. Bad things started happening: bills weren’t being paid, credit cards were maxed out, liability insurance lapsed, etc. When confronted, my daughter made up excuses which at first I believed. She was my much-loved daughter and I often referred to her as my best friend. She moved out saying she needed a break. I hired someone else to help me with the business. Soon we discovered the extent of the misapropriation (theft). Legally, there was nothing I could do because I had given her access to all the accounts. I almost lost the business, but managed to slog through it and rebuild the business and my trashed credit. I’ve tried contacting her – via letters and emails. She never responds. I worked with a therapist who encouraged me to forgive. I have forgiven her – I don’t understand her actions but I still love and miss her terribly. I lost my husband of 40 years, and my daughter within 16 months. Just writing this after all these years brings tears.
I’d have to give ‘last German holdouts’ prize to the 11 men in the weather forecast unit under the command of lieutenant Wilhelm Dege stranded at a weather station on the Norwegian island of Nordausandet (near Spitsbergen), in the arctic. They had been deposited by U-Boat at the remote site in August of 1944 with a two year food supply and rifles to defend them from marauding polar bears.
They broadcast weather reports until 7 May, 1945, when they got news of the German surrender (along with orders to “destroy everything”). Not wishing to spend another winter in the arctic, they sent distress signals with no response. After several months they began broadcasting on allied channels as well and received a reply from the Norwegians, who dispatched a seal hunting boat to pick them up.
On Sept. 4, 1945, the rescuers arrived, whereupon Dege and his men hosted a large dinner for them (presumably with the best of the remaining supplies). Afterward, Dege handed his Luger to the boat’s captain and formally surrendered, becoming the last German military unit to surrender in WW2.
Can you imagine paying a Cop – Rs. 2000/- to ensure that a 19 year old kid was not handcuffed??? Can you imagine the cop saying -” I can take you in a Bus with handcuffs in your underwear or I can take you in the Jeep. You Decide”.
A 19 year old kid – who got angry along with some friends got into a fight with some other kids and nobody got hurt seriously – yet four days later he is charged with 307 – Attempt to Murder. Second Year College, His future is at stake and he is being accused of murder.
All because one of the Kids in the fight was a Policemans Kid (Not even Local Jurisdiction).
5 Kids were accused – 4 Cleverly absconded and this Innocent Boy who reads John Grisham novels and believes that Indian law is the same actually believed “I did not start the fight, how can the cops charge me”
His family paid –
Rs. 20,000/- to ensure that the Kid was not harmed while in Police custody and would go directly to JC without request for Police custody.
Rs. 2,000/- to ensure that the Kid could get Home Cooked or Hotel Food for the 1 day he was in Police custody
Rs. 2000/- to ensure that the Kid was not handcuffed while being taken for Medical Testing before going to the JC and taken to JC by Jeep.
Rs. 4 Lakhs to ensure that the Cop would change his testimony and a B report would be generated (Cop would say it was a different Kid).
Rs. 10,000/- to ensure that the Kid got a decent cell on Day 2 after being moved from the General Cell.
Rs. 1,500/- to the Prison Guards to allow the Kid to make 2 Phone Calls (Rs. 750/- per call)
It was a normal fight that boys indulge themselves in. No weapons or cats paws or longs or any usual weapons. What takes a normal First Aid Kit required almost Rs. 5 Lakhs
That is Corruption at its worst.
Imagine a 19 year old kid without the money. Imagine having to be beaten, humiliated, forced to eat horrible tasteless food – all for some young stuff that every body of that age experiences.
Imagine becoming an accused and visiting court in between college. Imagine if convicted? Future destroyed, No Passport.
The Kid will easily become a career criminal or hate the law and system more than anyone else.
And his friends got away without paying a penny. After this kids B report was filed, they had their lawyer file a 482 in High Court and HC ruled in their favor saying “You cannot just close the case against 1 accused”
This happened years ago, I was 15 at that time. I went a high school that was very close to my neighborhood. It was one of the co-ed schools with high disciplinary problems among the students.
I was often bullied for my looks. I wear a large brimmed glass and was a slightly plump kid. I don’t do well in sports and often the main target for pranks. I clearly remember, it was a Wednesday, and I was in laboratory finishing my works. I prefer finishing my school works in school because my house isn’t exactly very quiet and peaceful. I have 2 sisters and they were aged a year and 6 months respectively.
After spending almost 2 hours in the lab, I went back to my classroom to pick my bags. I did saw two guys sitting and behaving weirdly at the back of my classroom.
They were sniffing glue. It was my mistake to walk to them to see what were they doing. I told them that I would report their acts to our homeroom teacher if they continued doing this. One boy shoved me down and forced his handkerchief into my mouth while the other was grabbing my legs. The one of top of me used a small pocket knife to tear down my shirt buttons. He then proceed to rape me while his friend was watching along the corridor.
I felt violated and extremely vulnerable. I couldn’t even scream at that time because of the pocket knife he was holding. I just wished that all of that would end quickly. After he’s done, and he threatened me not to tell anyone or else he would do this everyday.
I didn’t know why I never reported this to anyone. I was a fragile kid, with no strong family and always had financial difficulties. I thought my voice will never reach out to the authorities. I am 36 now, but those accidents still remain fresh in my memory. I would never forget the face of the boy who raped me.
Thankfully, my husband is a very understanding man. He calmed me down during the times I was attacked with nightmares of someone plunging themselves into me. It was the worst after I got married.
No one actually knows this, apart from my husband and myself.
Because of the U.S. boastful character and it’s constant exposure you know what the U.S. has. But the world knows very very little of China’s capacity and capabilities. China intentionally chose to hide its strength. And latest military hardware and software so China has a thousand surprises ready to spring on the U.S. if it ever misjudge and attack China!
What is clear is that they are years ahead in sonar and laser technology, in drones, in ship building, in fighter jet production capacity. What is very clear is that China sees the aircraft carrier as sitting ducks as China is able to rain down its hypersonic missiles at 20 times the speed of sound. So China clearly has many advantages.
But China wants peace as long as the U.S. behaves itself, China prefers to let the U.S. collapse on its own mountain of debts and deficits. The only clear advantage is projecting power beyond its shores but to China that is a non factor as it has no plans to attack any nation or do U.S. military style foreign incursions. China has a sound sustainable approach to world peace. The U.S. doesn’t.
I was inline at the express checkout, 12 items or less, I had 7 items, while in the line, I saw a retro brand of chocolate bar, limited time only, from my childhood. I bought 5 to take me to my limit. While I was checking out, the cashier looked at the chocolate bars, and says these are on sale, buy two, and get the third for free. So far I had 4 at the regular price, and 1 free one. The cashier told me that I could take one more and it would be free. So I asked the person right behind me, if they could grab me a chocolate bar. They exploded, and said i I was over my limit, and she was in a hurry. So I reached by the person crowding up behind me, to get the free chocolate bar. The cashier scanned them all, gave me my receipt for paying for 11 items, and I turned around and gave the free chocolate bar to the person behind me. I said “Sorry, this is to compensate you, for your inconvenience”
I turned and walked out, the lady behind me sputtered, the cashier said, hey you have 13 items, to the lady behind me, she said , “But its his free chocolate bar”
The cashier said “That didn’t seem to matter a minute ago”
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.
A bloke starts his new job at the zoo and is given three tasks.
First is to clear the exotic fish pool of weeds.
As he does this a huge fish jumps out and bites him. To show who is boss, he beats it to death with a spade.
Realizing his employer won’t be best pleased he disposes of the fish by feeding it to the lions, as lions will eat anything.
Moving on to the second job of clearing out the Chimp house, he is attacked by the chimps that pelt him with coconuts. He swipes at two chimps with a spade killing them both. What can he do? Feed them to the lions, he says to himself, because lions eat anything… He hurls the corpses into the lion enclosure.
He moves on to the last job which is to collect honey from the South American Bees.
As soon as he starts he is attacked by the bees. He grabs the spade and smashes the bees to a pulp. By now he knows what to do and shovels them into the lions cage because lions eat anything.
Later that day a new lion arrives at the zoo.. He wanders up to another lion and says “What’s the food like here?”
The lions say: “Absolutely brilliant, today we had ….
Fish and Chimps with Mushy Bees
Gonzalo Lira. Lagarde, Trump threat to EU. Sunak, as long as it takes. Medvedev warns UK
The Taiwan presidential election was a 3-way farce that made no difference who came out as the “winner”. This island remains a geopolitical pawn in the rivalry between the U.S. and China for regional dominance in Asia. The DPP has emerged with a lesser mandate and even less likely now to dare even consider to declare Taiwan’s independence from China.
With the DPP back in place and under better control, U.S. politicians are now “assured” they can continue its saber rattling provocations with Johnson getting ready to send in a house delegation to Taiwan to amp up anti-China rhetoric for the start of the 2024 electioneering to hold on to its house control.
Biden is working on the assumption that the U.S. side can maintain and manage this U.S-China high tension act now that communication linkage is re-established between the generals of the two militaries and any mishap or miscommunication is not likely to happen. But then after finding out that the White House was left clueless when its top cabinet member running the Pentagon went AWOLf? What kind of people is running the show? These are the issues we should be worried about snd not who the jokers are now in charge of Taiwan.
U.S. Journalist Gonzalo Lira DIES In Ukrainian Prison!
In about 1973, I was hitchhiking around the US and Canada for the summer. I tramped from my university home in Florida 2,500 kilometers northwards to the state of Maine, up near Canada. I was out in the country near the town of Bangor, and I wanted to go to Acadia National Park on the coast. But the spot where my previous ride let me out was out in the woods and had hardly any traffic, so I decided to go into a little convenience store sitting in its lonely location across the road to get a Coke. I figured that I was going to be stuck in that spot for a long time.
Just then a Volkswagen Beetle drove by and stopped and then backed up to me. The window rolled down and the passenger yelled out my name. Inside the car were two students who lived across the hallway from me in my university dormitory in Florida. They were going, by chance, to the town of Southwest Harbor, right in the national park. So I got into the car and rode with them, where they took me to a friendly bar where their friend worked as a bartender. We had a great evening eating and drinking in the pub (they bought my beers), then the bartender let me sleep on the couch at his place.
So, in one amazing coincidental moment, I went from being stuck in the middle of nowhere to being taken to my destination, and treated to food, drink and lodging by my generous Florida neighbors and their friends.
I picked up a crumpled up piece of paper as I walked through the door to the store.
My first ‘real’ job… Chatham, Ontario (Canada)…. went into a camera shop to apply as a salesclerk…
As I walked through I saw some paper on the floor, so I picked it up and gave it to the guy and asked him to toss it in the garbage.
Turns out the ‘guy’ was the owner who would be doing the interviews… I knew a fair bit about cameras, definitely not enough to put behind a counter by myself the first day, but as I told him, I am a quick learner.
Interview went as expected… usual questions, usual answers… “What is your biggest failing?” “I can’t tolerate stupidity or idiots.”
Got a call a few days later offering me the job….
A few weeks into the job, having a coffee with the boss, just the 2 of us there, and I asked why he hired me when I was sure there were people who applied who were better qualified.
He told me that I was the one that picked up the piece of paper…. all the other applicants walked by it. He had placed it by the door just to see who would do something about it. He explained that his thought process was that if someone picked it up to have it put in the trash, they’d keep the store clean and pay attention to detail
Well, fry me for an oyster – I got my first job because my parents told me to clean up a mess when you see it regardless of who made the mess in the first place.
Gonzalo Lira’s Death Reveals SHOCKING TRUTH About Ukraine and NATO
I know this exact story. I had a friend, he was pretty wild and crazy. Just to give you a feel for his character, I’ll tell a second story.
I had two wild friends partying together in one city, when they left the party, crazy friend two, uncharacteristically said he was too drunk to drive, and asked crazy friend one, if he would drive. On the way home, crazy friend two fell asleep. He woke up in scorching heat, still sleeping in the passenger seat. Fortunately this was when power windows weren’t common. He rolled down the windows, and noted he was parked on a street he didn’t recognize. The keys were in the ignition, but it wasn’t running.
He crawled over to the drivers seat, and drove off. It took him 15 minutes to figure out he was in another city, about 7 hours from where he lived. There was a big festival going on. He never found friend one. He spent a day at the festival, hoping to spot friend one, and then drove home.
A couple of years later friend one found someone, and we were all surprised at how he settled down. He kept a steady job, they bought a house together. Then one day he said he was going out for a pack of smokes. It took him about 9 months to find just the right cigarettes and return. He just walked back through the door as if he had been gone for 15 minutes.They hadn’t been fighting. He would never talk about it, but they were divorced shortly after. I have no idea if it was planned, or spontaneous like the trip to a festival in another city.
He died young, I hadn’t seen him in ten years, and he wanted no visitors to the hospital and no funeral.
Volunteers 1985
Full FUCKING movie! A really worthwhile watch. Please enjoy.
When I was a child, my father had a cousin who was a rollickingly jolly man who told terrible jokes. Cousin Bernie’s favorite joke was “What do you say to a hippie with arthritis?” then he’d hold up his hands in a peace sign with the fingers bent over, and he’d laugh and laugh. (No, it doesn’t make sense, but this was the 1970s.) You’ve heard the term infectious laughter, that’s what he had. I’d laugh even though the jokes were never funny. Eventually I grew up, moved away and lost touch. Decades passed. My father died. A few years after that, Cousin Bernie died. I knew my father would want me to pay my respects on his behalf, so I traveled back to my home town for the funeral.
First off, you need to know that Cousin Bernie worked as a drycleaner in the same neighborhood his whole life, or at least since he got married. He and his wife raised their daughter, who became a teacher and school principal, and when he was widowed, he stayed in the same house for a few months until he died of what a romantic would call a broken heart. While he lived, his happiness was the happiness of his family, he didn’t need anything beyond that. He was a very happy man indeed.
So imagine my surprise when I arrived early at the funeral home to find their biggest room already overflowing with mourners. I expected Cousin Bernie to be beloved because he was a lovely man, but I was daunted by the staggering number of lives he’d touched. The service started formally, but as each speaker spoke, it became more and more personal. Everyone I could see was crying by the time Bernie’s daughter got to the podium. I always found her to be a stern and formidable woman, but she hunched over, sobbing too much to speak.
That’s when the remarkable thing happened.
Cousin Bernie’s daughter straightened up, tears streaming down her face, and silently raised her hand in a bent over peace sign. His favorite joke when I was little.
The entire room — hundreds of people — all raised our hands in the same gesture, at the same time.
That was more than ten years ago. Maybe even twenty, I don’t remember exactly. I was the only person from my family who went (long unpleasant story) so I didn’t know anyone. I keep thinking that someday I’ll meet someone else who was there but as far as I know, I never have.
This is the paradoxical part of being poor, that a lot of folks don’t understand. When you are poor, everything costs more.
You can’t buy food in bulk. You often make the smaller, less efficient purchases.
You can’t afford to buy high quality goods that will last longer. Instead of buying more expensive shoes that will last 2–3 years, you buy cheaper ones that will last a couple months. You buy a cheaper car that will require more maintenance, and lose value more quickly.
You can’t afford to make large payments on a leased vehicle, so you opt for more payments over a longer period of time, paying more money overall.
Owning a home is a pipe dream. You almost certainly rent a place, never gaining any investment or value out of your money.
It’s nearly impossible to save any money at all, so unexpected costs hit harder. You also don’t have any savings accruing interest.
You’re more likely to miss payments, and pay additional fees and charges, leading to paying even more money.
You rely more heavily on credit, paying a premium on many purchases.
Similarly, you’re more likely to take a payday loan. We know how fucking garbage that shit is.
This is why it can often be so difficult to get out of poverty. You’re continually paying a premium in nearly every area of your life, because you are poor.
There’s no unconditional love anywhere, you can get one from your mother if you’re lucky.
Making money online these days is not about how skilled you are, it’s how often you show up.
Most people smile but only a few are happy.
Elites don’t care about race, tribe or religion. Instead, they are friends to one another for beneficial purposes while the masses fight and make enemies among themselves.
Many are masters, only few are skilled.
Everyone is replaceable in the society. If you die today, the world will keep moving on smoothly & your family and friends will miss you for a long time.
If you’re famous, most people would automatically assume you’re rich.
If you’re too generous, people will take you for granted. Help the needy but don’t go broke while at it.
Neither you nor your religion owns the monopoly of truth. There are numerous beliefs in the world and yours is just one of them. So learn to respect people’s beliefs as long as it doesn’t cause harm to others.
Our most recent cruise was a two week one from Tahiti to Sydney, Australia that we chose just so we didn’t have to make the long flight from San Francisco to Sydney. On the second week of our cruise a woman stepped into our packed elevator and immediately people began quietly to gag to the point that one couple quickly pushed the button for the next deck and got out as fast as they could. It was an overpowering combination of body odor and dirty clothes—she was evidently one of the many passengers who had embarked weeks before in Sydney for a roundtrip cruise.
Another time we were on a Caribbean cruise with my brother and his wife, enjoying lunch together when a male passenger sat down behind us. Suddenly my husband leaped up and motioned for us to follow him to a table much further away. As we walked with him, we realized that the man reeked of body odor and general dirtiness.
One other time, on a cruise with friends, I stood in line at guest services behind a very well dressed man who evidently had also given up bathing midway through the trip. It was a shock to the senses; the eyes saw a man in expensive clothing while the nose smelled someone who might have been living rough on the streets for some time.
Every cruise cabin I’ve ever been in has had a shower, and thankfully most cruise passengers use theirs regularly. But there seems to be at least one person per cruise who chooses to stop bathing for the duration and to me, that’s the most tasteless thing a person on a cruise can do.
If you understand truth and facts and not blindly follow western propaganda and rhetoric what China U.S. doing is highly responsible and admirable and what happened in 2009 is very hurtful to the poor.
Let us understand what China did. First China took the “opportunity” of the Covid Pandemic window of opportunity to cleanse the flaws of its economy such as excessive screen time especially their kids, they look into the ill effects of capitalism such as profiteering, such as social ills of consumerism and widening disparity between the rich and the Xi Xinping emphasised that homes are for living not for speculation or profiteering.
China set rules for 2nd and third home buying. So that prices is within reach of the poor and middle income. So prices or what I will call bubble deflate. Ain’t it good for the common men? Sure as hell it is. China don’t want what happened in the U.S. to happen in China. Up to a million are homeless! Deflating a run away asset and home prices is what Japan ought to do in 1980’s or the US ought to do in the 2000’s but instead it let the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer.
China is probably the most responsible nation on earth!
This is how one person was treated by a police officer, in America.
Picture a beaten small framed girl, in nothing but a t-shirt and underwear, being dragged away from her screaming child and pushed off a stilted porch by an equally beaten man.
Now let’s add all of this happening on a bitterly cold and frozen December night.
Imagine this girl shaken, distressed, and in full my-baby-is-in-danger mode.
She goes to her car that doesn’t run because it’s been wrecked by her ex husband. …the same car she had taped the spare key to on the undercarriage.
(Thank you Mom for telling that girl to do that.)
She finds her old broken cell in the glove box. Thankfully, it had 15% charge. Thankfully, the Cat Lady neighbor had shared her WiFi password.
After a series of emails to her mother, she heard a radio. Standing outside the car was an angel silhouetted behind the brightest light. The shadow asked the girl to get out of the car after making sure she wasn’t armed.
This angel immediately gave her his coat and ushered her to back seat of his heated patrol car. He poured her a cup of very hot and bitter coffee from his thermos.
He assessed her injuries while asking gentle but probing questions.
What happened?
Start from the beginning.
Tell me as much as you remember.
Why are you unclothed?
Keep drinking the coffee.
This angel left to go talk to his partner, who had been talking to her child and ex husband.
This angel went inside the house and brought the girl’s child to her under the guise of she wants to see her before we make an arrest.
He very carefully checked the child over and made notes of the marks on the child. He gave her a teddy bear from the trunk of his car.
He asked the child what happened in the most gentlest way.
Out of the mouth of a child came the loss of innocence.
Daddy hit mommy.
Daddy hit me.
Daddy pushed mommy outside.
Daddy got me dressed.
Daddy said we were going to Grandpas.
That angel stood up and shut the door. He walked up the stairs and right into the front door, where his partner was waiting.
That angel placed the ex husband under arrest and held him prone on the floor until another officer could take him.
That angel went over every protection offered at the time to the girl and her child after both were checked by the paramedics.
He kept reinforcing they could only hold the ex husband for 24 hours before bond could be posted and this paper. ….this thin paper would be the only thing protecting them.
He let her use his personal cell to call her mother (She was already on her way with a family friend).
This angel came back later to make sure everyone had arrived. There was bad snow storm moving in, he said. We had to move quickly to get ahead of it.
This angel pulled the girl aside. He spoke the hard truths of reality that she NEEDED to hear.
She left that conversation with the knowledge she was a Woman and not a girl. She was a survivor, not a victim.
This angel is a husband, father, brother, son, and human.
This angel stands every day on a very thin blue line against those who would do harm and he does so willingly.
I was on a British Airways flight seated in a row that was an Emergency Exit which was on the wing and slightly behind the port engine. After about ten minutes of cruising altitude, I looked out the exit window and noticed that there was a slight white trail coming from the engine. In order not to frighten other passengers, I went to the rear galley and said that there was a suspicious leak coming from the port engine and that I think she should have a look at it. FA said “Oh, its just clouds we are passing through” which I knew to be a lie as there wasn’t any above or below us. I repeated the fact and she said that if I didn’t go back to my seat and was quiet, I would be restrained by the onboard crew and arrested.
Fed up, I walked through the curtained off area at the front to Business Class and spoke to the purser, explained the situation and what had happened with the rear FA and she went white, then red with anger, went into the cockpit to speak to the Captain who came with me to my seat to look at it, groaned, thanked me and went back to get a priority landing at Heathrow. As I was leaving, I was asked my name and number by the purser and a few weeks later a letter arrived stating the FA had been sent for retraining and that I was to be awarded 2000 Avios points and a free upgrade for my next flight.
I have an uncle who is a social worker, and he says helping the marginalized poor is the saddest and most frustrating job in the world.
The worst thing is ringing the doorbell. And Mary Grace opens it.
Mary Grace, who has mothered seven children, all of whom except the last two were placed in Foster care because she and her hubby Austin cannot take care of children, due to mental challenges and their basic lack of understanding of the many responsibilities which come with raising children.
Mary Grace and Austin, who can’t handle money and are deep in debt, and became parents when Mary Grace was 16 years old, just like her mom when she was born. Mary Grace, who didn’t finish high school, just like her mom and dad.
And when she opens the door, my uncle sees her pregnant belly, and he can hardly stop himself from crying. Because it happend again.
Just like her remaining children, this unborn kid will end up in Foster care as well, and the story will be reset for all these displaced children, and then repeat itself. And it will never stop.
And thats what the non-poor do not realize about being poor —
The poor are caught in a trap.
And they can’t walk out.
So, Gonzalo Lira is NOT dead? This is Ukraine’s VERSION of what happened to him. Narrative composing?
I faced this type of situation in my last job in state government. I worked in IT at a state medical school/hospital and we’d have a department meeting. After all of the department heads had reported on what was happening with their teams, the IT Director would recap what was happening in IT and the hospital before reminding us that we were required to follow hospital policies and that failure to do so would result in termination. He’d close each meeting by saying, “It’s my way or the highway, people. Follow the policies or find another job.”
I heard this every Wednesday morning for 16 months before I decided I’d had enough so I found a job in the private sector that was less work, paid more, and was closer to my home. The new job was also strictly a Monday through Friday position, which meant not having to work a weekend every couple of months while being on-call.
I accepted the job offer and then waited for that Wednesday morning meeting. When the director went into his spiel I let him get “It’s my way or the highway” out before standing up and heading for the door. The director stopped mid-sentence and asked where I was going and I replied, “I choose the highway”.
It was a terrific feeling to walk out of that meeting.
Not a Christmas bonus, but similar. And completely jaw-dropping.
Worked for twenty years for a family-owned business. In 1996 they had their 50th anniversary, and the owners (the three children of the founder) spent a day going around personally handing envelopes of cash to all the employees. I had been there over 12 years at the time, and my envelope held $500. Very nice and much appreciated.
After a few more years, they had to choose between vastly growing the company, letting it remain as it was, or selling it to someone who would grow it appropriately. Being older and nearing retirement age anyway, they decided to sell it. They wanted to show their appreciation to their employees for their part in the company’s success, so once again, they handed out bonuses. They had wanted to do it in cash again, but the accountants said no, so we all got checks with taxes, FICA, etc…
I stuck the envelope in my pocket and went on with the lunch, etc, that was part of the festivities. Toward the end, a friend asked if I had looked at my check, and I said that I hadn’t, that I would get to it, it was probably similar to what I had gotten before, yadda, yadda.
He said, “Dave. Look at your check. Look. At. Your. Check.”
$12,000. I was just one out of a couple hundred employees. Blew me right away…
Ah, this reminds me of a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine, who faced a similar dilemma in her late 20s. She was torn between the societal expectations of starting a family and her personal aspirations that didn’t necessarily include children.
Years later, now in her 50s, she shared some insights that might resonate with you. She mentioned that whether or not you’ll regret not having children when you’re older is a deeply personal matter. For her, she found immense fulfillment in her career, travel, and the freedom to pursue her passions. She nurtured rich relationships with friends, nieces, nephews, and became a mentor to many.
She did say there were moments of wonder about what life with children might have been like, but those thoughts didn’t equate to regret. Her life was full, meaningful, and happy in ways unique to her journey.
The takeaway? The decision to have or not have children is profoundly personal and varies for everyone. It’s about understanding what brings you joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. Some find it in parenting, while others find it in different aspects of life. It’s essential to make a choice that aligns with your values, hopes, and dreams. And remember, a fulfilled life can take many forms!
Few years ago, I worked for major IT firm from India with a very good salary. Now, in interview I was told I was being hired to work on a very niche upcoming technology which is very new.
When I reached the office on first day, I was informed by HR to report in training lab instead of any ODC which got me confused but I dismissed it thinking nothing of it. There I was told that before starting the work i will have undergo a 2 week training program and since my manager is still looking to arrange a trainer, I can brush up my coding knowledge in lab meanwhile. Great, i thought.
1 week passed and there was no news on when training will start. This was August. I dropped a mail to my reporting manager who said it is difficult to find a trainer for my location so it might take a week more
2 more weeks passed, even after dropping multiple mails to both trainer and my reporting manager I got a same reply: please wait it might take a little more time
After 2 months i was done with all basic coding assignments given to me and still there was no sign of my training to start. Everytime i mailed i got the same reply, project is in pipeline, it could start anytime soon
After 3 months this got really boring. No one asked what I did whole day, no one even cared if I even went to training lab or not. Sometimes I would do a swipe in at main gate and go grocery shopping or go for a movie. On other days I would come office for 5 hours which was minimum requirement for my attendance to count as a full day and those days were spent playing table tennis, carrom, darts etc. In meanwhile i would send mails asking when will I get actual work and most of those mails went without replies. In December end I got mail that my training would start from January 14th. I was finally relieved but 14th passed and so did 15th and there were no signs of any training. On raising questions about the training i got the reply that the training was available only on weekends but it was not possible logistically so it had to be cancelled. I stopped asking. Since both manager and HR sat in different office altogether there was no way of face to face communication and no one to really bother me.
This continued for 1.5 years. It was the most relaxed time of my life but the worry was always present in back of my mind But I was afraid of quitting since my salary was already way higher than market standards (almost double!) and justifying what I did in previous job would be a task. Eventually I did find an equally paying job although with a lot of struggle but with relevant work since it did affect my profile negatively.
Indian service based IT companies can be fickle. Till today i never got to know what happened to my project or training. I wish I would’ve been informed properly at all stages instead of being given false hopes month after month. But I have no regrets whatsoever because I have made some great memories and friends that time which otherwise i wouldn’t have had!
What a child brings to school for lunch indicates a lot about their life at home.
When I was younger I was always jealous of other kids whose lunches were comprised entirely of chips, candy, and soft drinks. At the time I was little and I wanted sweets as often as possible. However, my lunches were always filled with fruit, vegetables, and healthy sandwiches. If I was lucky, my parents would pack me fruit snacks.
It wasn’t until much later when I worked as a camp counselor at a day camp that I began to notice yet again what children brought for lunch. Most campers had lunches similar to what I grew up with, however, I observed that one camper had a lunch consisting solely of Cheetos and fruit snacks, nothing healthy. He brought these same foods almost every day. I found it odd that his parents never packed him anything with more nutritional value.
During pick-up, I would walk my campers to their parent’s cars. Most parents would exclaim, “how was your day,” when picking up their children. Unfortunately, this camper’s parents would ignore him, not even looking over when he got into the car. Later in the summer, I learned that his family was going through a lot of problems at home.
At this point, I realized how lucky I was that my parents packed me healthy lunches when I was young. It wasn’t because they wanted to deprive me of sweets, rather, my parents wanted to make sure I was staying healthy because they loved and cared about me. I learned that something as small as what a child brings for lunch each day indicates a lot about their parents socioeconomic status or, in some unfortunate cases, whether there are problems in the child’s home life.
I fucking hated that job. I hated it with the passion of Christ himself.
My job description effectively read that working in the call centre meant that:
we are the connection point between university alumni, and the university
we help keep and maintain records on our alumni
we notify alumni of important events and projects happening within the university
we help to maintain the pride of the school and our alumni keeping in contact with them years afterwards
What we actually did:
call and beg for money
I hated it. We would phone dozens of alumni every day, and our calls would consist of 3 phases:
Introduction, and maintenance of information – introduce ourselves, and make sure that our current information on the alumnus / alumna in question was all still correct
Notify them of big events and projects going on at the school – hey, did you know that the university is doing this huge heart transplant study? And that our new science wing is nearing completion? Isn’t that cool?
(The real purpose of the call) give us money please! – Given the importance of that science wing I just mentioned, and how it’s going to really revitalize the university science program and provide amazing facilities for our students, would you be interested in donating $100? No, that’s too much? How about $50? You’ve just been laid off work you say? Well can you manage $20?
I fucking hated this bullshit. Hated it. We were required to get our “three asks” in, and had a big list of ‘comebacks’ for various responses people might give to not donate. I hated that basically our entire purpose was simply to get money, at all costs. They just graduated two years ago and still haven’t found a job? Ask them for a lesser amount. They aren’t interested in funding XYZ project? Offer different things for them to donate to.
The biggest thing that really sealed the deal for me happened during one afternoon, where I got on the phone with an older alumnus. He had graduated from the university back in the 70s. At some point during our conversation, he mentioned how he had just come back from Europe. I mentioned how I had visited Europe only a couple years before, on a trip with my dad, and this man and I shot the shit about visiting Germany and France. Halfway through the call, the manager comes by, and tells me to get onto the next call, we don’t have time to chat with alumni if we’re not bringing in donations.
I basically ignored the manager, and kept on chatting with the guy. He and I talked for about 10–15 minutes, during which time I got angry looks from the manager on several occasions. At the end of the call, I brought up the current thing we were looking for donations for. Our usual ask was $100, but he ended up offering over $1200.
Oh, look at that. All of a sudden I’m doing an excellent job. Way to go, Jeremy! The manager’s disposition does a complete 180 when I brought in the biggest donation of the month by actually treating our alumnus like a human being, and not an ATM. I quit at the end of that day.
Things that surprised me when I first moved to the USA, good and bad (as they occur to me) were:
Everybody I met is so nice. People are generally friendly and polite. From the TV shows I saw, I expected everyone to either be scowling at each other in a threatening manner, if not actually shooting.
The areas I first encountered were and still are covered in trees. There is much more green space in housing areas and a lot of this is covered by trees.
It’s not really the land of opportunity at all. If you come in as I did with a good job already, you can do quite well, but moving from being working class to middle class is actually more difficult than in the UK where I come from.
The US is a great place if you have enough money but can be a terrible place if you are short of money. There is far less of a safety net for people who have problems, and there is certainly a less sympathetic attitude.
It’s much easier to get things done in the US than in the UK. People have a much more forward-looking attitude in businesses.
Much of the growth in the US is actually driven by foreigners. So many of the IT departments in the US are staffed by foreigners like me, and in particular, Indians, that if you removed them all, I’m sure the US IT sector would collapse. This was the biggest surprise to me when I first started working here. I did consulting work in IT for Life Sciences companies and every one of the IT departments was at least 50% Indian.
People don’t carry guns on the street and there aren’t shootings every day, in most places. In some places, there are shootings every day, but they tend to be concentrated. Petty crime is less common in the US in most areas. I know few places in the UK where you would leave your gardening stuff in an unlocked shed or a bicycle in the drive. It’s common here.
In many areas, I didn’t notice any racism at all. It did take me some time to spot it in some places, to be frank, and some of my black friends had to point it out to me, but I’ve been in far more racist places in Europe.
There are more different kinds of churches than you could possibly imagine, particularly in the South, not just the main denominations that you see in most of the UK and Europe. Dozens of them.
So many people dress in exactly the same way. My American wife pointed out the converse of this in the UK, that people look quite different from one another. I was at a hardware store recently, there was a delay at the checkout. I noticed that of the eleven men waiting in line I was the only one without a plaid shirt, goatee beard and baseball cap.
Service in restaurants is probably ever so slightly better than the UK, but is far less personal. No one has ever called me “love” or whatever the local equivalent was there.
Everyone has to fill in a tax return. This nearly caught me out. Filling in a tax return is such a usual part of life for Americans that nobody thought to tell me about it. I’d never done one in my life and it is a lot of work. In the UK my employer did all of that.
Healthcare – I think most people are aware that the cost is a lot higher than the UK, but I couldn’t believe how bureaucratic it is, form after form after form. Insurance coverage is an absolute minefield, the plans are mind-bendingly complex and of course, insurance companies, being profit-making, will twist and create obstacles and do anything they can, to avoid paying out. The trouble with health insurance is that if they don’t pay, you can die. If there’s anything that I do miss about the UK it’s the NHS.
The U.S. put an arbitrary high tax on China make cars. What it does is the it allowed Tesla and their too big to fail automakers such as Ford, GM and Chrysler to profiteer on its own citizens. Hence the inflation and not to mention depriving its own American of convenience and better environment.
I am in software industry for 5+yr now , so I can share my experience.
No matter how much you are earning , you will feel monotonous and boring life after sometime. Then most of people try for competition exam just to get rid of monotonous life.
If you are working in your field , life would be easy for you after few years. But if you are not core person then there are lot of struggle, humiliation you will face.
Corporate has colleague only, I haven’t seen a bond of friendship in service based company specially. In product based, I had a great friend circle but being in service based everything is all about getting work done.
Person is mostly known as resource instead of human being. Better resource has better opportunity. So keep update yourself with new technical enhancements in order to stay here.
If your project manager is good , and you know how to communicate with them easily then life would be so easy. But if you have conflict with your manager , you will be replace by some other resource.
Good thing about corporate is they care about their employee so much, time to time free health check-ups, office /team parties, new year/diwali /Holi /Christmas etc gifts🎁, sick leave, casual leave and other leaves, work from home allowances , broadband reimbursement, travel allowances, providing table, chair,lamps if you are doing wfh. Providing flexibility to work from anywhere. You got onsite opportunity to Europe, USA based on your skillsets.
If you are really a skilled employee, you got max 10% hike per year with bonuses. But if you are average 3–5% hike which I feel is low. Because the same employee switch the company got 50-100% hike very easily. So , if company start doing good hike for deserving employee with time to time promotions, then why they will think of switching every quarters.
AI has entered the market, but it can never replace techies. As a software developer I can feel that ChatGPT help to find solutions easily but with ambiguity in solution. So , ambiguity solution can’t make a great products. So, it’s illusion that chatgpt or any other platform would cut the jobs.
If you are fresher, better to join small organization where you can learn and got individual work to became a skilled person. Because in big organization, freshers has to suffer lot to get individual work.
Degree is secondary , skill is primary in IT world. But yeah degree taught us much about handling pressure, balancing temper .
US keeps hyping military tension around Taiwan Straits
Washington, secessionists the real troublemakers to undermine peace: experts
By Yang Sheng and Liu Xuanzun Published: Jan 23, 2024 08:07 PM Updated: Jan 23, 2024 10:00 PM
A US think tank released a report on Tuesday claiming that the “majority of experts” from the US and the island of Taiwan said they believe “a crisis in the Taiwan Straits is likely in 2024,” with a “blockade” or “quarantine” of the island by the Chinese mainland seen as the most likely scenario, while analysts from the mainland said this is an old trick of the US to hype regional tensions to spread fear in the region to serve its hegemonic interests.
A new survey from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) covering “87 experts from the US and the island of Taiwan on cross-Strait relations” said that most of these experts said China has the “capabilities to execute a law enforcement led-quarantine [or] a People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-led blockade of Taiwan,” but fewer believed a “forceful invasion” was possible.
Aside from the CSIS survey, the US is taking concrete actions to add tensions to the region.
After the Taiwan regional election which concluded on January 13, there have not been military tensions around the region so far, but the US is planning to send a bipartisan congress delegation to encourage secessionists on the island, and US aircraft carriers are also approaching the region, according to the US Naval Institute.
These expose a hard fact that, when accusing China of “creating tensions” in the region, Washington and secessionists on the island are the real troublemakers that are taking concrete actions to undermine regional peace and stability, said analysts, stressing that the US and its puppets on the island should not underestimate the determination and strength of the Chinese military forces.
Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that “The US needs tensions and fears among the region to force its allies in the region to stand closer with it and push other countries to take sides and rely on the US. This kind of trick has already ruined peace in Europe due to the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, and Washington wants to copy this in Asia. The Taiwan Straits is its target.”
According to the CSIS survey, 68 percent of US experts said a Taiwan Straits crisis was “likely” or “very likely” in 2024, compared to 58 percent of experts from Taiwan island.
Li said the US is trying to hype an intensifying atmosphere around China, to make regional countries believe that China is going to take a massive action that will heavily impact everyone. However, China has not done anything yet, and even if China takes action, it will have been provoked by US military activities and Washington’s politicians’ encouragement of the Taiwan secessionist authorities. “This is the truth that we need to let the world understand clearly,” Li said.
The root cause of tension around the Taiwan Straits is US interference in China’s domestic affairs, and without meddling from the US, the Taiwan question, the powder keg the US set in front of China, would have been long defused in past decades whether militarily or peacefully, Li noted. “China will shake off this time-bomb sooner or later.”
On Monday, USNI News, the news website of the US Naval Institute, reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier is now in the 7th Fleet area of operations as of last weekend.
It means that there are three US aircraft carriers operating in the Asia-Pacific region, with the other two being the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan, according to a graphic released by USNI News on Monday which is tracking the US Navy’s deployed aircraft carrier strike groups.
US aircraft carrier deployments show that the US’ strategic focus remains on the Asia-Pacific region, prioritizing major power competition and the “Indo-Pacific strategy” over conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
The PLA Navy recently organized some of its most powerful amphibious warships in a combat exercise.
Type 071 amphibious landing ships Wuzhishan
According to a China Central Television (CCTV) report on Monday, the Type 071 amphibious landing ships Wuzhishan and Changbaishan joined up with a Type 075 amphibious assault ship in a multi-course drill.
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The drill practiced live-fire anti-air and anti-sea shooting, which analysts said is important in self-defense in an amphibious landing mission.
Experts said that the Type 071 focuses more on horizontal landing by carrying air cushioned hovercraft and amphibious armored vehicles, while the Type 075 focuses more on vertical landing by carrying more helicopters.
The combination of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship and the Type 071 amphibious landing ship have strong island-seizing capability, and they can join forces with aircraft carrier groups as well as other warships and warplanes to form tremendous joint combat capabilities in an island-seizing mission, Song said.
Such a combination can play important roles on the island of Taiwan, the Dongsha Islands and the Penghu Islands if the need arises in the future, Song said.
Since August 2022, the PLA has organized three major island blockade exercises around the island of Taiwan as countermeasures to US-Taiwan collusion, and displayed its capability in conducting precision strikes to paralyze key military installations on the island of Taiwan, seizing air superiority and control of the sea, as well as stopping “Taiwan independence” secessionists from escaping and external military forces from interfering. All foundations have been established for the following landing missions, analysts said.
The best scenario for both the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan is peaceful reunification, but if “Taiwan independence” secessionists and external interference forces deny that prospect, the PLA is always prepared to fulfill its sacred duty of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and achieve the eventual national reunification, experts said.
HMMMM. U.S. Army Mess Hall in Marshall Islands, Hit By Giant Wave
Video has emerged of a mess hall for the United States Army being absolutely swamped (inside) by a massive ocean wave that came well ashore in the Marshall Islands on Saturday, and took the doors off the mess hall.
It was sudden, dramatic, and unstoppable.
US Army mess hall in Marshall Islands hit by massive wave (1.20.24). No reported injuries. pic.twitter.com/jErWckRuky— Molly Ploofkins™ (@Mollyploofkins) January 22, 2024
2024 01 24 10 25
To Hope That China Will Help With Yemen Is Delusional Bullshit
The lunatic Biden policy with regards to Yemen will obviously fail to reach any positive results. The White House and Biden know this and he has even publicly admitted so much.
Monday night’s moves marked the eighth round of allied attacks on the Houthis since the first on Jan. 12. American and British forces said they hit eight targets, including an underground storage site and locations for launching missiles and carrying out air-surveillance.
I doubt that the U.S. or UK knows anything about Yemeni ‘underground storage sites’ or other missile locations.
A third senior official said on Monday that figure may have crept up to 30 to 40 percent after at least 25 to 30 precision-guided munitions successfully hit their targets on Monday. But other U.S. intelligence officials who have been briefed on the size and scope of the Houthis’ arsenal say analysts are not sure how much weaponry the group started with.
American and other Western intelligence agencies have not spent significant time or resources in recent years collecting data on the location of Houthi air defenses, command hubs, munitions depots and storage and production facilities for drones and missiles, the officials said.
The delusion in the White House is that ‘doing something’, like bombing random targets In Yemen, will change things continues. This question is still unanswered:
A senior administration official laid it out as follows. The U.S. attacks on Houthi targets will degrade the militants’ abilities to keep shooting at ships, as will the interdiction of vessels carrying weapons to Yemen. Last week’s redesignation of the Houthis as terrorists will increase the sanctions pressure on them, starving fighters of the resources that bankroll operations.
Eventually, the official continued, regional countries and other nations with an interest in open sea lanes — China, for example — will demand an end to the shipping crisis that has inflated prices and imperiled lives. Meanwhile, Israel’s plan for more targeted operations in Gaza could mean fewer civilian casualties, which would weaken the Houthis’ case for rising to the Palestinians’ defense. An end to the war would remove that rallying cry.
The White House is obviously not even reading the news by the media it directly controls:
A senior official of the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group says Chinese and Russian vessels will have safe passage through the Red Sea.
Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political leadership, said in an interview with the Russian outlet Izvestia that the shipping lanes around Yemen are safe to ships from China and Russia as long as vessels are not connected with Israel, Agence France-Presse reported Friday, citing Izvestia.
The Houthis have said they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war against Hamas militants in Gaza and have carried out more than 30 attacks in the Red Sea.
All western container carriers who have serviced the Asia-Europe lines will now lose container booking from Chinese exporters to Europe. The big Chinese container lines, which have openly announcedto not service Israel, will now receive those transport orders. They can offer a shorter and much cheaper trip through the Red Sea while western carriers must go all around Africa to be able to reach their destination.
China and to an extend Russia will again profit from such basic U.S. policy mistakes. To hope that they will somehow intervene to end that situation is simply absurd.
Politico concluded the part quoted above with this paragraph:
But even if all those various elements lined up, it’s still not clear the strategic picture the Houthis care about will shift radically enough for a course correction.
That is written to sound nice but it essentially means that the policy is utter bullshit.
We live in a dystopian world where it’s completely normalized to subvert human interests to commercial interests, to toss tens of thousands of lives into the incinerator for wealth and convenience. Where war profiteers rake in vast fortunes for selling instruments of mass murder to genocidal governments, and where the most powerful empire in history declares a war to defend shipping containers at the cost of human life.
Don’t ever let these sick freaks convince you that this is normal.
Posted by b on January 23, 2024 at 10:31 UTC | Permalink
Seek advice from people who have achieved what you want in life.
Be your own hero instead of waiting for someone else to save you.
Accept people for who they are, not who you want them to be, to avoid disappointment.
Don’t make others choose you; learn to enjoy your own company.
Control your emotions and stay calm in any situation.
Give people time to reveal their true selves.
Focus on yourself and mind your own business to find inner peace.
Take care of yourself because the world will keep moving, even if something happens to you.
Work hard to improve yourself, even if it feels like nobody cares.
Build your own dreams instead of relying on others to give you purpose.
Ignore society’s advice if it doesn’t align with your goals.
Life doesn’t wait for you to be okay, so keep pushing forward every day.
Enjoy the freedom of not sharing everything about yourself.
Disconnect from the news and avoid discussing politics to feel smarter.
Create your own opportunities instead of waiting for them to come to you.
Greek Turnovers (Skaltsounia)
R C
Ingredients
Dough
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
Filling
1/2 pound feta
3 ounces mascarpone
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and crushed
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, crushed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Whip the butter until it is light. Whip in the sugar and egg yolks and blend well. Gradually add in the flour until it is smooth and soft. Add more flour if needed.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl cream together the feta, mascarpone, and eggs. Add the walnuts, orange zest, mint and butter and blend well. Set aside.
Roll out dough on a floured board and cut dough into 3-inch rounds. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and place it in the center of the circle. Moisten the edges and fold over into a half moon. Seal well. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Yeah. I was just minding my own business and this classic comes on.
“Come On Eileen” is a song by the English group Dexys Midnight Runners (credited to Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express), released in the United Kingdom in June 1982 as a single from their second studio album Too-Rye-Ay.
It reached number one in the United States and was their second number one hit in the UK, following 1980’s “Geno“.
The song was produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley and was initially claimed to be written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams, although Rowland later stated that the essence of the tune should be attributed to Kevin Archer.
“Come On Eileen” won Best British Single at the 1983 Brit Awards, and in 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation’s sixth favourite 1980s number one single in a poll for ITV. It was ranked number eighteen on VH1‘s “100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s” and was Britain’s best-selling single of 1982.
There’s nothing particularly special about this song except that it represents a specific time in my life. And when I heard the song, I was transported to that time, and in that place.
I had over a hundred toxic exposure personal injury cases pending against a major chemical company. To save money and gain a strategic advantage, the defense attorney filed motions in every case across the US to compel participation in a single deposition of their product development expert. Known as a de bene esse deposition, the transcript would be read at all trials instead of the witness’ live testimony. It would prevent live cross examination in front of juries, and updating questions based on new developments or ongoing testimony in the various cases. it was scheduled to occur within a few days at the company’s HQ in another state.
I had sent this company detailed interrogatories and records requests delving into their knowledge of the dangers of their product/similar products and pertinent scientific literature. This information was critical to adequately prepare to cross examine the witness. Despite my demanding this for months, they had never responded. Thus, part of my answer to their motion to compel the deposition was a counter motion to compel responses to my discovery requests.
On the day of their motion, moments before we appeared before the judge, the defense lawyer handed me the company’s responses. Despite the fact that I had asked at least 60 questions [including sub heading follow-ups], and requested numerous user safety documents required by public health laws, the “answers” [mostly consisting of “irrelevant,” “unavailable,” “objection – confidential proprietary information,” etc] were contained on two typed sheets. There were no documents. The company lawyer smirked at me, thinking he had deflated my best argument, and further, condescended to a female attorney 20 years younger than he.
His motion was called, we both stood, and he argued confidently that his client should not be burdened by multiple depositions all over the US, and that we plaintiff lawyers would all be asking the same questions in any event. He argued that judges all over the US had already granted this motion to “streamline” the litigation.
Then it was my turn. I asked the judge if I could approach the bench. He raised his eyebrows, but he consented. I handed him the “answers” to the interrogatories, explaining that I had just received them moments ago. I asked him to please read them. He looked annoyed but did so—- it took about two minutes. He looked up at me a little impatiently and said “Well?”
I replied: “Your honor is now as prepared as I will be to take the deposition of this absolutely critical witness on behalf of all my clients. I respectfully ask you: do YOU feel adequately prepared?”
He sat back in his chair and smiled, cocked his head, looked at the defense lawyer and ruled: “Your motion for de bene esse deposition is denied. Plaintiff’s motion compelling discovery is granted. Call the next case.”
Modern Wife Instantly Regrets Divorcing Good Husband
It is so difficult being a single parent. It makes me want to cry.
Invited to dinner by a friend of mine, we were listening to music afterwards and I mentioned that there were annoying vibrations coming from the right channel of his sound system.
“Yes, I think the speaker’s blown. I’m going to buy a new set.”
I listened some more.
“I don’t think so. Let me have a look.”
I took off the front of the speaker and almost immediately discovered a screw was lose and this was the source of the vibration.
Have you got a Phillips screwdriver?”
He gave me one, I tightened the screw, fix completed.
A couple of weeks later I was in my local bar chatting to a friend and she suddenly asked me if I could look at her sound system.
I was puzzled.
“Why? I don’t want to buy one.”
“No, it’s not that. Greg told me you fixed his and mine isn’t working properly. Could you see if you could fix it, please?”
I explained that all I had done was tightened a screw and I was by no means a sound system repair man, thus destroying my chances of developing a side gig as a sound engineer.
Some people are easily impressed and, it would appear, rumours of non-existent competence can spread rather easily.
I say this as someone who has been teaching middle school (students aged 11–14) for over 15 years now, and who worked in special ed before that:
A nontrivial percentage of behaviors which fall under various special education diagnoses are, in fact, learned behaviors.
Learned helplessness, for example. That seventh grader who needs someone else to write down their assignments for them, because they “can’t focus enough” in class to write it down themselves? It’s no coincidence that that’s the same seventh grader whose parents have coddled them and treated them like a toddler well too far into adolescence.
Sure, now your kid can’t do that for themselves. Now your kid is far behind their peers in terms of independence. Because you taught your child helplessness by doing everything for them. What came first, your teenager needing to be treated like a toddler, or you treating your teenager like a toddler, even when they probably didn’t need it anymore?
And so you take your kid to a doctor, and the doctor diagnoses them with ADHD. Sure, they have ADHD. Anyone can see that. But what caused it? Or, rather, who caused it? Not all of you, but some of you parents need to look in the mirror for that answer.
Oppositional Defiance Disorder is another one. Yes, your kid has a problem with authority. Was your kid born with this problem? Not likely. They picked it up somewhere along the way. And who, more than anyone else in their life, is responsible for making sure they respect authority, to keep themselves out of trouble?
Maybe the kid who always gets in trouble at school has some sort of chemical imbalance or some major trauma in their past. It happens. It’s also equally possible, I believe, that that kid’s parents just did a shitty job of preparing their child for a world where they have to listen to authority figures to stay out of trouble.
But they can take their kid to a doctor and get a diagnosis of “O.D.D.,” so they sleep a little better at night, thinking that it’s not their fault that their kid can’t stay out of trouble. It’s a medical condition.
“Executive functioning problems” are another one. Is your kid so disorganized because they were born with some special need which made it difficult for them to be organized? Or did you just never take the time to teach your child how to stay organized, until it was too late? Perhaps it’s not your fault. Or perhaps you really dropped the ball when your kid was younger, and now that ball is too heavy to pick back up. Both possibilities have about the same chance of being true.
To be clear, I’m not saying all of these issues are caused by parenting. I’m not even saying most of them are. I’m just saying that some of them are. Enough of them that it’s statistically relevant.
Of course, I can’t prove any of that. I’m just calling it like I’ve seen it, year after year, for the last two decades.
Back in December 1983, Chicago spent 100 hours below -20F. Wind chill made it -86F. I worked downtown back then. No elevated train until a decade later, so the buses went down I-55 into the Loop. (Small edit: the buses were for shit, wind would come in through the doors and the window slats. The Orange Line could get you downtown in 20 minutes, the Green Limousine (our nickname) took about 90 minutes on a good day.)
If you wore wire frame glasses, they would freeze to your nose momentarily. You layer up and you don’t bother to color coordinate. Look like a clown astronaut, no one will care. You’ll even blend in. Your nose might run waiting on the bus, it will freeze. Wiggle your nose and the ice will fall away.
Don’t walk anywhere without the intention of stopping. Back in the 70s, I was walking only about a half mile to get a bus, and part of my brain kept saying to stop. Sit down on that bench. Rest. You’re halfway there. This was at midnight. Somebody would have found my body, no doubt frozen to the bench, in the morning.
A few have asked, or questioned why *I* never said something, as if *I* don’t exist, and that really frosts my cone. again, sun was out. If a piece of ice can snap away without breaking, it is warming up. Holding the icicle for ten seconds, my hand would be colder walking to the end of the driveway to the mailbox and back.
Plus: why would I give my dog something that might hurt his tongue? Chicago beats all logic.
Ray Dalio Explains Why America is Entering A Horrific Financial Crisis
Ive been blessed with cracks between the worlds now and then.
I woke up one morning and told my late wife that we must cancel our trip to town as l had seen a “dream”, that a tree would fall on our vehicle. We had not been together long enough for her to know me all that well yet, and she got very upset because her heart was set on town, we were homesteading and needed some things she considered desperate ( like coffee🤣).
So after lots of persuasion I agreed to go. It was a two hour trip one way and I was keenly keeping an eye to where my vision had warned of the tree coming from, and sure enough, I caught a glimpse of the exact same tree coming at us. Because I had the warning and was looking for it , and my quick reactions of youth, I Swerved and slammed into it as it hit the road just in front of us, instead of ON us. We totaled our vehicle, but survived.
After that ,she always listened to my “hunches”(as she called em).
Greek-Style Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Greek Stuffed Chicken 1024×768 1
Ingredients
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach
1/4 pound feta cheese
3 tablespoons Romano cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon oregano
Instructions
Thaw the spinach and drain as much of the moisture as possible. Mix with the crumbled feta cheese, grated Romano, salt and pepper.
Make a slit in the side of each chicken breast. Fill the slit with the spinach mixture and close with wooden picks.
Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides and remove to a warm platter.
Sprinkle the flour into the same pan and integrate with the remaining oil. Cook for about 1 minute. Slowly, add the wine and chicken stock and stir until a smooth sauce has formed. Add the lemon juice and the oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil and return the chicken to the pan. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is very tender.
Zhou Shen’s new song “Floating Light” is sung for the first time tonight! REACTION – BEAUTIFUL!
Back in my 20’s while working at a popular coffee shop, I had about an hour to go completing the graveyard shift, I was on the floor with an older gal about 45, 7 construction workers came in for breakfast and sat in her station. She went over to the table, and after about 5 minutes she stormed over to me and said “no way am I waiting on those jerks!, they are telling dirty jokes and everything”, so I told her I would wait on them, and I gave her 2 of my 4 top tables in exchange. I went over to their table, and they immediately began telling me the jokes, I looked at them and smiled saying “hmm, I’m not sure what that means but I can laugh”. The man who apparently was the foreman immediately told all the men to shut up and stop with the jokes, I suddenly became someone like a “daughter” he needed to protect (innocent). The service went great and they were all respectful of me, that foreman made each person leave me a 5.00 tip! That was a 35.00 tip on a 7 person breakfast that only came to about 45.00! OMG, now the trouble started, the other waitress saw what I got and ran to the manager demanding that I split that tip with her because after all, it WAS originally her table! The manager told her “hey, you told Linda to pick them up AND she gave you 2 of her tables to make if fair, so if you don’t agree with that, you can go”. The next week, the guys returned and she RAN to get them in her section, they began their dirty jokes, and this time she went along with them, and when they left, she got ZERO tip! Why? Because they saw right through her, I stopped by their table a few times to say hi, and was respected. Was she mad? oh HELL yes!
Last Summer, I was sitting on the dock at my town’s marina watching boats being launched. A new-looking 25 foot boat was being launched from a trailer. There was some water coming out from a fitting near the stern. It seemed unusual but the launch angle might have caused some bilge water to move towards the stern where the bilge pump is normally located.
After launch, I couldn’t see much while the boat was tied to the launch dock. Its captain drove the trailer to a parking area and returned twenty minutes later to board with his family of young children. As the boat left, I could see that water was still coming out from the fitting.
I suspected that the owner had neglected to install his bilge plug. I called to the captain to point out his problem. His bilge pump could barely have kept up with the leak as long as his engine was charging his batteries but he would be in real trouble if he anchored somewhere. By the time he noticed, the boat would be settling in the water with dead batteries and the starting motors immersed in seawater.
At first, he gave me the look of someone who did not want to be bothered. He proceeded past my position before thinking better of ignoring my warning. He stopped to inspect his bilge and quickly headed back to the launch ramp. It took him about an hour to haul his boat, install the bilge plug and re-launch. Had he continued without installing his bilge plug, his new boat would surely have gone down.
China ANGERS The West, “We Won’t Destroy Our Economy For You”
Years ago, there was a couple who sat in the parking lot with signs that read “Unemployed, four hungry children, please help. God bless you.” They had been doing this for over a year when our local newspaper interviewed them an published their story. This couple stated that they lost their good jobs due to the recession and just wanted jobs so they could feed their kids and, maybe buy a house some day – to be back on their feed again. After the story came out, they were flooded with job offers from all over the county.
Yeah, they turned them all down because panhandling was much more lucrative.
I worked in the city and there were quite a few off ramp and street corner panhandlers – the same ones every day. One day, I saw a young woman who left her corner, walked to the convenience store parking lot and got in to her brand new Honda Accord and drove home. Shift was over, I guess.
Now for a good story: There were two men who stood at the end of exit ramp I took on my way to work for about seven years. One was older, missing teeth and looked like he had led a hard life. The other was young, maybe early-mid 20s and he wore a funky top hat and played guitar and sang – he was really talented and all songs were his own originals. No sign, he just played his music. I am a go-with-my-gut person and never once did they ever made me feel uneasy.
After having enough experiences in horrendous traffic jams and snow stoms, I always keep protein or granola bars and a few bottles of water in my car. I would give them these when the light was red and, very occasionally, enough cash to buy a meal and they were always so kind.
I hadn’t seen the young man for a couple of months until, one night, I stopped at the mini mart on my way home from work for a diet soda and there he was. Working behind the counter. He looked healthy and happy and was so glad to be working. We spoke for a few minutes then he came around and gave me a big hug – man, did I get a lot of dust in my eyes.
Greek Orange Cake in Orange Syrup (Pontica)
Greek Orange Cake in Orange Syrup Pontica
Ingredients
Syrup
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Cake
1/2 stick butter, melted
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
First make the syrup by combining the orange juice, water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the syrup from the stove and allow to go cold.
Butter an 8 x 12-inch baking pan with all the melted butter. Mix the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff and they can form a peak.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until light yellow; add the sugar, orange rind and vanilla and blend well.
To the egg yolk mixture add the egg whites a little at a time, alternating with 2 tablespoons of flour mixture until all used. Pour the batter into the pre-buttered baking pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the cake from the baking pan and cut into diamond shapes. Place the cake pieces on a large plate that will trap the syrup when poured over.
Pour the cooled syrup over the still warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Yield: about 15 pieces
A crying mother cat brough her dying kitten to a man. Just unbelievable!
Of course we didn’t know they were cut until the Cable Guy asked us if we had any enemies. Which shocked us, until we realized what had happened prior to us leaving for vacation…
We have Wi-Fi through Comcast. We pay for that service. We realized that the neighbors across the street were stealing our Wi-Fi. So we put a password on it. For security reasons. Nothing wrong with that, right? WRONG!
They (four men) would sit on their porch with their laptops. We thought it odd since it wasn’t a comfortable porch and they were all crammed together. More of a doorway and just some stairs. We didn’t have a relationship with them, just the occasional neighborly wave. My brother is the one who enlightened us to the fact that they were outside because they were hooking up to and stealing our Wi-Fi. He told us to put a password and watch what happens. So, they were outside, we put a password, their connection died, they stared at our house, and closed their laptops and went inside. We giggled like little schoolgirls and went on with our lives.
About two weeks later, we went on vacation. And when we came home, none of our electronics worked. Called the cable company. They couldn’t get any signal so they sent the technician. He looked outside, and that is when he asked if we had any enemies. All wires had been cut. Could you believe it? They got mad at us for taking away something they were stealing! And of course, without cameras, we had no proof.
Taiwanese did not choose war. Taiwanese did not gave a single seat out for an outright pro independence party! That party lost every SINGLE seat in the election.
DPP Tsai Ing Wen party and now Lai Cheng Te took over is pro independence favouring party that recognise the one China policy. It assures its voters they won’t harm cross straits harmony. Yet it could garner a mere 29% votes and lost the parliament to KMT by one seat and now need a coalition to even has a say!
What will China do? China will let the U.S. implode further, will let the Taiwanese people realise it does not want a Ukraine. And they don’t! China is sitting pretty. The U.S. is totally fxxked up!
Taiwanese are Chinese stock just like me of Hokkien origin. We know that by sucking up to the U.S., Ukraine lost 500 thousand men, 9 million seek asylum, 4 regions to Russia and 1/3 of their land and almost the entire Black Sea coast! Taiwanese voted for kinda an economic union with China and some special status of being independent somewhat! They voted against outright independence and they are very wary of the U.S. and its influence.
The real question if you are smart enough to ask is, does the billions of CIA, NED and other government agencies money spent on Taiwan worth anything? Does it pay off?
The answer us zero and nil. Once again the US is taken as a sucker!
Wife IN SHOCK After Husband Uploads Her Cheating Videos To Website And Sends The Link To EVERYONE
There was a pretty epic incident from a few years back.
There was a dead man in the Denver hospital (Denver Health), in their morgue or some holding area. He had recently passed.
One of the nurses was apparently impressed by his manhood, enough so that she went and told the other nurses something to the effect of, “You have to see this man’s D!”
She and 4 other nurses went on to go look at the deceased’s manhood.
Unfortunately for them, someone overheard the conversation and reported them. An investigation was then launched by risk management which resulted in 4 of them being suspended. (Source: Nurses who opened body bag to view size of dead patient’s penis suspended. Smith, Lydia. The Independent)
One of them also resigned from her position following the incident.
The man must have had quite a member there. And they do say that your body gets stiff after you die…
I had a best friend from 14 till 29. For her 30th she threw herself a party, it was set to be wonderful, great food, drinks, friends a bonfire, just a wonderful evening. She and I hadn’t spent a ton of time together for several months before due to work and such so I was elated to hang with her and actually get to know this guy she’d been seeing for 6 months or so.
My friend was always a bit of an entitled princess but I usually ignored her when she did that. This party every 5 min she’d scream at the new guy: “go get me a drink” “are you stupid? My drink has been empty!” ”why haven’t you been paying enough attention to me it’s my biiiiiiirthdaaaay” it was annoying but hey she’s a bit drunk, oh well. Then as her bf is talking to HIS SISTER and I she walks up behind him and smacks him in the face full force. Her reason? “I knew what he was going to do, pay attention to other women and say things I don’t like so he deserved it.”
After that smack I quickly got ready and left. A week or so later I met her for lunch and confronted her, thinking perhaps she didn’t recall due to alcohol and I could encourage her to get help. Nope, she remembered just fine and felt she was justified to get her way. That was the last day of our friendship.
Japan is in a dire need to go back to the drawing board. It needs to rethink blind allegiance to the U.S., it needs to rethink Japanese only mindset, it needs to rethink helping the U.S. doing shit on China. It needs to grasp how humongous China is, and that how influential it is in the world today.
It needs a fresh perspective, soft power is good when you are winning competition, Japan is not! Soft power is good as an icing on the cake. Today Japan has lost its cake all together.
Steel is gone, Ship building is gone, electronics is all but gone, infrastructure building is gone, high speed train is all but gone and so is automotive industry, tourism is useful but cannot sustain high cost of Japan as a subservient and submissive country to the U.S.
Japan’s economy is fine if the west and the U.S. represents 60% of the world’s demand. Today it is less than 30% of world’s demand. Sucking up to the 30% and offending the balance 70% is a suicidal strategy. It’s population dwindled a million a year! It domestic demand is fast evaporating. It’s export machine has all but stopped except perhaps for some super high end products that has a minute market!
Japan’s biggest dilemma is between sucking up to the U.S. or facing reality. It has chosen being a slave vassal state of Uncle Sam! Can it survive? I very much doubt so!
At best it gets to play a house slave role but at a cost of an imploding an economy. It’s debts us already the largest versus its GDP on planet earth.
Roman gladiators had a very strange place in Roman society.
First off, we need to remember than gladiatorial combat was staged and hammed up for dramatic effect, and was rarely to the death. It wasn’t any more “real” than pro wrestling is today. It was a show, and sex appeal was a big part of the show.
On one hand, Gladiators were slaves, the lowest of the low. Furthermore, entertainers of all sorts (actors, dancers, etc) were infamia — outcastes, basically. A Roman citizen lost many of their rights if they were infamia. An infame had nothing to lose, socially or legally, by prostituting themselves.
On the other hand, gladiators were famous and glamorous slaves who were often invited to mingle with and entertain the highest social classes.
And gladiators were expensive slaves. A good gladiator might sell for 500,000 sesterces or more. A unskilled laborer in good health was worth maybe 1,500-2,000 sesterces. (Translating ancient currency into modern currency is basically impossible and misleading, but as a rough guide a skilled tradesman might make 8000 sesterces a year)
All slaves and entertainers were expected to have sex whenever and with whomever their owner or employer commanded. Even for free entertainers, prostitution was part of the job description. It’s likely that most slaves were at least occasionally rented out by their owners as prostitutes. That undoubtedly included gladiators. It is not a stretch of the imagination that a slave owner might have hired a gladiator to stand at stud with a slave girl he wanted to breed. The Romans regarded slaves the same way we regard livestock.
Roman culture was bi-normative; they didn’t have words for “gay” or “straight.” There was nothing shameful or unusual about a man having sex with another man. What was shameful was to be the bottom to someone of lower social status, or allowing yourself to be used for someone else’s pleasure. Roman values were centered around power and control; being the receptive partner in sex was seen as giving up power and control. A rich Roman citizen would likely have viewed fucking a gladiator as a demonstration of their natural superiority.
Roman women had much less sexual autonomy than men, but it was recurring gossip that Roman women (up to and including the Empress) bedded gladiators for sport. Gladiator sweat was also sold as an aphrodisiac (seriously).
My little sister was two years younger and two grades behind me in school. She found me and my sports teammates one day and complained to me that a certain boy in her class has been bugging her, pulling her hair, trying to pull her bra strap and other such nuisances. So I told her, lead the way, little sister.
My teammates knew who this bully was and followed a bit behind me without me knowing it. I’m not that big of a guy but a couple of my teammates were. I figured I could just scare this bully and it would all be over. I rounded a corner with my little sister and she pointed out the bully. He was half a head taller than me and 30 or 40 pounds heavier. I gulped and I think everyone in the hallway heard it.
I walked up to the bully with my little sister and she menacingly said to him, “I told you I would get my brother to come and take care of you!”. Unbeknownst to me, that was my friends’ cue to come around the corner and stand a bit behind my sister and me. I took one more step up to the bully and told him he better leave my little sister alone or else…. I thought he was looking at me, but he was looking over my shoulder at my friends, and just nodded his head, then walked away.
When I turned around and saw my big friends, they were laughing at me and jeering, “OR ELSE!”. I started to laugh too. My little sister was happy – she would let us know now and then that the bully never bothered her again, and in fact had almost stopped bullying everyone.
And that became my friends’ catch phrase. Anytime I would make a statement, one of them, right on cue would add “OR ELSE!” Yah, that only lasted 2 years.
When I was 22 I dropped out of college to have and raise my daughter. People were astounded I’d do that, as I also had to give up a full ride Air Force ROTC scholarship (I’d been introduced to the Governor of Oregon when I received it, made the newspapers).
Anyway, she was 6–9 months old and one of my soon-to-be-ex-college buddies called. I answered the phone as I was scooping some sweet potatoes into her, the airplane was coming into the hangar! She was in her high chair with her mouth open like a baby bird, hands up in excited fists giggling in anticipation of the plane vrooming some more sweet potatoes into her mouth.
He made the comment “I don’t know why you left school, you could have just had her get an abortion. You really messed up your career path. Think of all the money you’re missing out on.”
My daughter was looking me in the eyes smiling as he said that. I immediately hated his goddamn guts. So, excused myself from the phone call. I maintained contact over the years just to see how things panned out between us.
She grew up to be an EMT. She drives around saving other people’s lives, and has 4 kids herself. When she turned 19 and got her EMT certification, I went back to school and got my engineering degree.
Now I make more money than he does, have a superhero daughter, and 4 grandkids, and pictures of one million trips to the zoo, amusement park, daddy-daughter dances, holidays, etc. He has no children, grandchildren. He has a cat.
When my wife and I were first dating her electric bill in an apartment complex seemed high. The final straw was when she was gone for a two week trip and her electric bill was even higher than the previous month. I looked at the electrical panel and did a check on each circuit breaker, tripping it and seeing which lights or appliances were without electricity. I then marked them with a file sticky tab indicating what they went to. Two of the breakers didn’t seem to shut anything off. I told her to leave them off until we figured out what they went to.
Two days later an apartment maintenance worker was working on the apartment below hers. She noticed the worker, but it didn’t register to her why the worker might be there working on the apartment below hers.
The next day there was an electrician there and the “light bulb” in my girlfriend’s mind came on. She asked the electrician what kind of problem they were having, the electrician indicated that several appliances in the apartment suddenly went dead and had no power being supplied to them.
Turns out the two electrical breakers that I had tripped went to the water heater and the A/C unit for the apartment below hers. The apartment maintenance worker spent the whole day working on the problem for the apartment below hers before calling the electrician to perform the proper checks and determine the problem.
She told the electrician what I had done. He checked the breakers and told her that she had been being billed for the electricity to run the water heater and the A/C unit in the apartment below hers.
She asked if the electrician could fix the problem and take out those two extra breakers in her electrical panel. The electrician worked for several hours and then came back and said that the problem was fixed. The electrician had done one better, the people below that had been jerks while working to fix the problem. They now supplied electricity to run her water heater.
She never mentioned it for the two years that she lived there thinking it was probably going to even out over time for the electricity that she had previously supplied to the apartment below her.
The people below her complained several times about the increase in their electrical bill over what it had been prior to me tripping the breakers and discovering the electrical syphoning that had occurred.
No one ever came to check the electrical circuits for the rest of the time she lived there.
So I’m sitting on the hotel terrace in Düsseldorf, Germany sipping a wheat beer on a warm summer night last June.
Three American late-middle-age men sharing the table next to me with a similarly-aged German are debating the pros and cons of their company health care plans.
One guy prefers low premiums, with higher out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses. Another travels a lot and doesn’t want to be tied to one network. The third guy is in great shape and argues for a high-deductible health plan with a tax-advantaged health savings account.
They try to outdo each other with lower copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. Then they start in on horror stories from friends and family about outrageous billing, uncovered services, out-of-network charges, and medical bankruptcies.
The German listens politely until one of the men asks him if medical bankruptcies are a problem in Germany.
He answers, “oh no, all our costs are covered by the medical insurance.”
One of the Americans immediately cuts in and says, “oh, that’s right, Germans have really expensive universal coverage. I’m so glad we have freedom of choice in America.”
The Americans then continue their internal debate without asking the German another question.
“American ignorance” is not the problem, most people, from all countries, myself included, are pretty ignorant about a lot of things in life.
The problem with these Americans was not ignorance, it was an utter lack of curiosity and interest in anything outside their scope of experience.
Ignorance has a cure. Indifference is usually terminal.
Death of Gonzalo Lira, Crumbling Ukrainian Air Defenses, Growing Russian Military Capabilities
My mother in law has no net worth. She was a single mother working multiple minimum wage jobs, to get her daughters raised. My wife told her mother, that she did a great job, and that my wife had everything she needed as a child. Then my sil had a baby while still going to school, my mother in laws days, of supporting her grand daughter just started. She only had a month or two worth of expense money when she retired.
When she was 65 she moved into a seniors centre.
In Canada we have CPP, which pays out according to how much you pay in. She didn’t pay in that much, we also have OAS that anyone who has lived in Canada for 40 years, before turning 65 is entitled to. It pays $742 a month, finally we have a Guaranteed income supplement, to top up your retirement. If you have little income, like my mil, it pays out $1065 a month. So my mother in law earns $1800 a month, $21,600 a year. There are a lot of people like this.
But being in progressive Saskatchewan, my MILs senior centre charges her a percentage of her income, if she had more income, they would charge her more.
Until covid hit, she took a taxi to the nearest cheap grocery once a week, now she has it delivered, at 93 she can’t handle shopping for groceries.
She spends time either visiting or being visited by kids, grandkids, great grand kids, and great great grand kids. Or having coffee with her few remaining friends. Until recently she prepared meals and vacuumed at her granddaughters place, while they were harvesting.
She watches TV, plays board games at the senior center, does puzzles and crosswords, or plays Yahtzee with relatives. Up until recently she would go for walks to the farmers market near her. She is constantly giving out small amounts of money, to her relatives, for treats.
She is afraid of flying.
So this is her life, she was very happy until covid, then she got isolated and lonely, and hasn’t quite sprung back.
Not everyone would be happy with this life, but its heaven to her. When she grew up on the farm, they didn’t have running water. Being able to use an indoor toilet and get water from a tap, in her old age, is a step up from her childhood.
Working a long-term undercover assignment, you become close to your target. They learn to trust you and let you into their very closed little world. This happens over an extended period of time. When it’s time to conclude an assignment, it’s natural for the target to feel played, betrayed, and downright pissed.
I recall one gang leader in particular who argued with the detectives, refusing to believe I was an undercover cop. I watched this from behind a one-way mirror. Several minutes later, I entered the room, still sporting long hair and a grungy beard but with a gold badge hanging from a chain around my neck. The man jumped to his feet and screamed, “You’re dead!”
His face turned beet red, and he had to be restrained even though he was already cuffed. This was one pissed-off bad guy. It’s important to note, we knew he had killed before and was about the last person on earth I wanted to seek revenge.
I tried to sit and talk to the man, but he wasn’t ready to listen. A few weeks later, I was allowed to meet with him in jail with his lawyer present. He now seemed willing to hear that working undercover was part of my job and was never personal. I told him that I understood his feeling betrayed and didn’t take his death threat seriously. He didn’t reply, which concerned me greatly.
I had kingpin drug charges on him, which should have meant twenty-five years in prison. However, he cut a deal by pleading guilty and was given just nine years. I would meet him again less than five years later, as he was already out. He sought me out while I was on duty as a uniform sergeant on a call at a bar. He told me we were cool and didn’t blame me for doing my job. He also told me he was going straight and had started a job as a welder.
I didn’t know what to believe, but in the end, it didn’t matter. About a month later, he was shot dead by a member of a rival gang. Problem solved.
I don’t know if it is ignorance, stupidity or just entitlement, but this just happened a couple of days ago at Barajas Airport, Madrid:
So anyone who has travelled to Europe and entered the Schengen Area knows that there are two queues, one for EU citizens and one for all other passports. You also might have noticed that airport and immigration personnel is usually right before the queues telling people where to go.
Anyway, along comes this sharply dressed “gentleman”:
Upon being told to go to the ALL PASSPORTS queue you can probably guess what he said to the lady directing people: “I’m American, I’m not standing on that line, it’s too long”. The lady just told him, quite tersely “European Union passports over here, all other passports over here” and then turned her back on him. He then proceeded to stand on the EU queue anyway.
I loved the look on his face when he got to the booth and the immigration officer told him that he could not go through and had to go to the back of the All passports queue!
It is something we should all read at least once a week! Make sure you read to the end!
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.
“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 42 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short – enjoy it..
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
9. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
11. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
12. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
13. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it…
14 Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
15. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.
16. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
17. It’s never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.
18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
20. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
21. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.💖
22. The most important sex organ is the brain.
23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’
25. Always choose life.
26. Forgive but don’t forget.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does..
31. Believe in miracles.
32. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
33. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
34. Your children get only one childhood.
35. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
36. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. (I love this one)
37. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
38. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have not what you need.
39. The best is yet to come…
40. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
41. Yield.
42. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
Well, I just retired at age 68 from being a Silicon Valley software development engineer for about 30 years. I probably literally have hundreds of interviews behind me. Some of them were quite funny and/or strange. But, the wildest one happened somewhere around 2014. (I may be off by a year or two either way.) Anyway, I was working for a small startup in Mountain View, California and it wasn’t going well. I had concerns about their future viability. And, so, I sent out my resume to my usual crowd of recruiters.
One of those recruiters got me a phone screen interview with Apple for an undisclosed position. (Meaning I had no idea what the job consisted of.) I had worked for Apple three different times in the past for a total of about 12 years — and, that included my very first job in 1990 as an entry-level engineer. I took the call on my personal cell phone while walking around in the parking lot because I didn’t want to be heard by my current employer. I just pretended that it was an important personal call (which I guess it actually was?) The phone screen interview was with the lead engineer of the team. I was under the impression that this was merely an initial screening and an in person interview would follow if I did well.
As best as I can remember the conversation went something like this after our initial greeting and exchange of names and background:
Interviewer: “Mr. Ussery, this job is an hourly contract position in support of Apple’s factory automation/robotics software as used in China and Ireland. And, it requires travel. Are you interested?”
Me: “Yes, I guess so, but I would like to know more about it.”
Interviewer: “Do you have any experience in this area?”
Me: “Absolutely none whatsoever.”
Interviewer: “Are you willing to travel and stay overseas for about six weeks, and do so for up to four times a year?”
Me: “Yes.”
Interviewer: “Do you have a current passport with a China work visa?”
Me: “I have a passport but it is expired, and I’ve never been to China.”
Interviewer: “I see. But, you have been overseas before?”
Me: “Yes. I have worked in Apple’s facility in Cork Ireland for six months in 1995.”
Interviewer: “That’s great! That is where I live and where I am currently calling you from. This position is home-based in Apple’s main campus in Cupertino, California. I spend about half my time there when I am not in China. Did you like Ireland?”
Me: “Yes, very much so.”
Interviewer: “How do you feel about working in China.”
Me: “I don’t know anything about it. I have never been there?”
Interviewer: “But, you would be willing to do so?”
Me: “Yes., I think so. Again, I would like to know more about it.”
Interviewer: “How many years of experience do you have with programming in C++?”
Me: “Over 20 years.”
Interviewer: “How many years of experience do you have with programming in Objective-C?”
Me: “About 15 years.”
Interviewer: “Have you programmed in non-MacOSX operating systems.”
Me: “Yes. I have programed on Linux and the Windows operating systems.”
Interviewer: “Do you know anything about factory operations, processes, and how final assembly of product are done?”
Me: “Not a thing. I don’t have any experience with that.”
Interviewer: “Do you know anything about factory quality control?”
Me: “No.”
Interviewer: “I see. Mr. Ussery, we would like to offer you a position working on our team. How soon can you start?”
They met me in person on my first day of work two weeks later.
And, that was how I got the best job I ever had — and up until very recently, the best paying job of my career. They even paid me while I had my butt parked on airplane flying to China or Ireland, and they paid me while I was in a shuttle bus going to and from a factory. (About two hours a day when I was in China.) Plus, they paid all my travel expenses and meals, and even put me up in four star luxury hotels when I was overseas. It was a great job, and it lasted about four years before I was replaced by a cheaper employee. I loved that job!
I think you’ll have to agree that the interview was pretty crazy. By the way, I made many really close friends while doing it, and that includes the original interviewer. My 60th birthday was a real blast too. I celebrated it eight years ago with six very drunk Irish engineers in Shanghai, China. I had a big hangover the next day — but it was worth it.
C’est la vie.
I Miss Living in CHINA! | America is SO Far Behind China
I like the idea of a self checkout for people who are in a hurry or don’t mind ringing themselves out. And that’s how the self checkouts were around here for the first decade or so that they existed. But, predictably, many of the businesses that I go to eventually replaced almost all of their employee checkouts with self checkouts.
I like having it as one of two options. I don’t like when it’s the only option. Or, as it is often around here, the only expedient option.
What a lot of places around here have done is to keep just one employee checkout open, and convert everything else to self checkout. The employee checkout always has a huge line (more spiteful customers, like me), which makes the self checkout seem like a better option. And that’s one of the points of only having one employee checkout open—to encourage customers to just use the self checkouts instead.
I remember, about 12 years ago, flying somewhere with my wife. When we got to the airport, an employee from our airline directed us to a self check-in kiosk. I said “no thanks,” and started to go to the counter to talk to a human about checking in. The employee literally stood in front of me and started going over the benefits of using the kiosk. I wasn’t interested. I know he was just doing his job, but the more he spoke, the more I was determined to not use that self check-in kiosk. According to my wife, I literally pushed the guy out of my way, so I could talk to a human. I don’t remember that, but I do remember being very mad that the guy wouldn’t shut up about the damn kiosk and just let me walk up to the counter.
Since then, I’ve quit patronizing two local fast food places which only have self-serve kiosks now, and no humans to give your orders to. Why? Spite. That’s why.
Also, in one of those places, I walked in with my prescription sunglasses on, and I literally could not see the screen on the self serve kiosk. It’s like it was polarized the same as my glasses. But I also couldn’t see it well without my glasses, because I’m very nearsighted. I had to walk back to my car to get my regular glasses. I just walked back to my car and went elsewhere instead.
I recently read a thread on social media. The topic was “I’m with the Boomers on this one.” It was basically all younger people saying that the Baby Boomers were right about not liking the creep of technology into every aspect of our lives. There were a lot of people who claimed to be “with the Boomers” when it comes to not wanting to use self checkouts. I am one of them.
Others that I agreed with were:
Not wanting to scan a QR code for a menu at a restaurant. Or anything, really. I’ve made it all the way to 2024 having never scanned a QR code.
Not being forced to use an app for something you used to be able to do without an app, like pay a bill or make a reservation. Apps should be for convenience if you want to use them, not for necessity because they are the only choice.
Not being prompted to tip all of the time.
Wanting the option to purchase a new vehicle without a giant iPad-like screen in the dashboard.
Wanting actual physical, metal keys for cars and doors, which you have to actually insert into a keyhole in order to open a door or turn on a car.
Preferring RPG video games that have a top-down, 2D view, and not a 3D “open world” concept.
Technology is great, but it doesn’t have to be in everything. Just because something can be done with technology, doesn’t mean that is should be done with technology. For self checkout, I know that the primary motivation is to save money for the store. That’s understandable. I just wish stores would understand that there are guys like me out there would would gladly pay a little extra for an employee checkout instead.
I think it’s difficult for people under the age of 35 or so to understand just how quickly technology has changed the basics of functioning in modern society, and how annoying that can be for those of us who remember a world before high-speed internet and smart phones.
Thanks to a broken washing machine, I recently had to spend some time in a laundromat. My two hours there felt like what someone 40 years ago would have described as “dystopian.” All of the machines were set up to use an app. Fortunately, they kept some of the machines quarter-based, for people like me. It cost $5 to wash one load, and $1 to dry it. Everyone there, from the employee to the customers to the customers’ kids, had on headphones. No one said a word the entire time I was there. I was the oddball for bringing a book to read, rather than a screen to look at while I waited. Everyone other customer—literally about 20 other people, and their children, some just toddlers—all of them, when they weren’t moving their laundry into a machine, or folding their laundry, were staring at their own individual screen. The place had TVs, too, but they seemed pointless, as no one was watching them, because everyone had their own screen.
It’s not like I was going there to make a friend, but still. For someone who remembers when the Walkman came out, seeing everyone of every age in the same place at the same time, but each in their own little technological world… there was something really sad about it.
Anyway, to answer your actual question: I, for one, hate the self checkouts because of what they represent. More technological creep into my life. I hate them out of spite.
When I was 10, my parents signed me and my younger siblings up for the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Kids Birthday Club. Basically, I gave Krispy Kreme my address and birth month and they would send me a coupon for a free dozen doughnuts every year on my birth month until I aged out of their Kids Club at age 12— ‘cause this is just for kids, OK?
Sweet deal.
But Krispy Kreme forgot to ask for the year in my birthday. They have no clue how old I am.
So I’m now almost 25, and I’ve been a member of the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Kids Birthday Club for 15 years. That’s a 180 free doughnuts for me, plus another 180 for my sister and 180 for my brother.
540 free doughnuts.
They’ve since closed the loophole to new signups— first you had to list your full birthday down to the year to join the Krispy Kreme Kids club (which they temporarily and unfortunately called “KKK”, no joke), and now they don’t even offer it. Adults can sign up to get one single donut on their birthday and some special days (tax day, Halloween, National Doughnut Day), but that’s it.
Will anyone at Krispy Kreme ever notice that I’ve been “under age 12” for 15 years? Tune in next year to find out.
Edit 2018: Nope, didn’t notice yet.
Edit 2019: More donuts.
Edit 2020: Happy donut day!
Edit 2021: Still more donuts.
Edit 2022: Congratulations to me, I’ve been “under 12” for 19 years! Can we get to an even 20?
Edit 2023: Happy 30th birthday to me! Either my donuts are late, or someone at Krispy Kreme is among the 1 million people who read this answer. It’s been great!
I am 21 years old. When I was in 10th grade there was a girl A in school. Just like typical teenagers she had many rumours surrounding her. I ignored those and went ahead and made friends with her.
In some months we started dating. We were head over heels for each other. We had everything going great so shown in movies. One day when we were on a date, after coming out from washroom she gave me her phone. There she had written something which changed all my views on her. She wrote that she was raped at the age of 14 by a guy who forced her to be his girlfriend so that other people won’t suspect a thing.
Fearing society and her parents, she didn’t tell it to anyone. But had to undergo therapy. Her parents were totally unaware to real reason behind her behaviour. She lost a ton of weight and was living on medicines. This was really shocking for me. Then I had flashback of all the times when she had certain insecurities and why she required so much time to trust a person. She also had intimacy issues because of this. And that person had told her to shut her mouth or he’ll leak the tape which he had recorded. This rumour was spread in our school by her friends isolating her.
But now she’s a healthy person pursuing her career in engineering and I am a proud boyfriend.
I’ve been an RN for over 45 years. With each passing year I’ve grown progressively more tired of humanity. It’s true I’ve met some lovely people. However, the proportion of rude, abusive individuals seems to be rising with every month.
I’m tired of toxic individuals. To me they are everywhere I look, and not just within hospitals. They are on the roads and in the supermarkets. They are politicians and CEOs. They are all over the media. I barely recognise the world I live in any more. People have changed so much. To the point that I no longer feel compatible with anyone. We are deep in a pit of moral decay that’s every bit as malignant as Covid. I believe there are good people, but nowhere near enough to counter the trend in self absorption.
I want a little piece of land away from the world. A dog, a couple of chickens, and a garden. I want a simple and as self sufficient life as I can make it.
I prefer to make friends with animals, plants and the stars To attempt to treat the planet with more respect than the majority of my counterparts.
It’s something I intend to make happen within the next few years.
Yes they do, they use the thin veneer of I just hate the communist party.
You know the group that gave increased levels of prosperity to Chinese people?
We can literally see this with attacks on Asians in western countries. How are those CCP members?
We can also see it with the WIDESPREAD dehumanisation that has somehow been normalised. Look how normalised it is and accepted it is to dehumanise Chinese people, the prevailing thought by most Americans is we’re literally insects. This can be seen by their politicians who are VOTED IN BY THEIR PEOPLE.
Westerners ‘are accepting of’ Asians/Chinese when we’re seen as servants, those who deliver things, cook your food, do your laundry but once they as some of them say get uppity (you know aspire to be more) out comes the white supremacy.
Greek Hot Potato Salad
2024 01 23 16 18
Ingredients
4 to 5 large potatoes
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup celery, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Parsley, chopped
Instructions
Boil potatoes until tender and keep hot. Slice onion into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cold water, and allow to stand about 5 minutes; drain.
Slice hot potatoes and add to onions. Add olive oil, lemon juice and celery. Mix well to absorb dressing. Season to taste, and garnish with chopped parsley.
I have traveled to the Philippines many times, but my first trip was the most memorable.
My flight was on PAL, Inc. (referred to by all proper Filipinos as Plane Always Late If Not Cancelled), from San Francisco direct to Manila, back in the 1990s when they still flew that route.
I wore jeans and a T-shirt for the twelve-hour flight, and the tag on the T-shirt was sticking up. One of the flight attendants tucked it in for me. I am a bit of a jokester and told her “Thank you. My wife dressed me this morning.”
So for twelve hours the flight attendants talked to me like I was an imbecile: “Can you read the menu?” and “Do you need help going to the toilet?”
It seems that Filipinos (at least the ones who work for PAL) take things rather literally, and I got a good opportunity to practice humility.
The flight back was memorable, too. As we taxied down the San Francisco International airport at the end of our flight from Manila, emergency vehicles surrounded our 747 and sprayed foam and water all over it. I looked at the cabin crew and they did not look worried at all, although some of my fellow passengers looked like they were ready to activate the emergency doors and jump.
It turned out that this was the senior captain’s last flight; he was retiring that same day, and this was a traditional means of celebrating.
You’d think they would notify us passengers first …
A visit to a Greek restaurant anywhere in the world is likely to feature waiters setting this dish ablaze and parading it through the room, accompanied by an appreciative “OPA!” from the guests.
Greek Fried Cheese Saganaki
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 pound kasseri cheese*, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons brandy
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat.
Beat the egg and flour together, and dip the cheese slices into the mixture. Fry until well browned on both sides.
Remove from the heat and add the brandy. Carefully ignite the brandy with a match, and shake the skillet until the flame is extinguished.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the cheese, and serve from the skillet along with crusty bread.
Notes
* Available in finer supermarkets and Middle Eastern specialty shops. Parmesan or Romano cheese may be substituted.
The thing that was stolen from me was my childhood. I was born the oldest of two sons to a violent and entirely unpredictable man. He abused his wife and sons until we three left (vanished really) one morning while he was at work.
He first abused my mother and I when she was 8 months pregnant with me (an unplanned pregnancy) by beating her and then punching her in the stomach. He then kicked her out of the house into a terrible Maine winter with no shoes or coat. A chance passing of people from the church choir she sang in got her into a warm car and a safe haven for the night.
With no means to get anywhere or escape, she returned to him.
I was born a month later hemorrhaging and required emergency medical treatment. A month later he began crib slamming me (to stop my crying)—and so began a 17 ½ year hell from which there was no escape and no hope of rescue. When I was 7 my little brother was born, a planned pregnancy this time. From the time of his birth our abuser tried desperately to drive a wedge between us—BUT HE FAILED.
More than brothers we turned to each other to lend strength and support to each other; we became like soldiers in combat that never ended.
The dynamics would take more space to explain than I have here. But I was assigned the role of Black Sheep and to blame for ALL the rage and violence in the household. This conditioning was something that my mother and little brother still clung to LONG after we had left, and our abuser was dead. But the bond between my little brother and I was still made of the hardest steel, forged in the very fires of hell.
I lost him in 2015 at the age of 47 to a massive heart attack. Our mother would survive 5 more agonizing years without him before passing away in 2020. It was only recently that I realized that our abusive father had caused my little brother’s death…his compulsive eating had led to his overweightness and blocked artery condition.
When our mom passed away in 2020, I became the last member alive of our nuclear (and dysfunctional) family. I have been left to try and clean up all the mess left behind by their passing, alone. Mom died with never having had another relationship in 40 years. My brother destroyed himself without ever realizing it was our abuser reaching out from the grave to destroy him. I have been left with the guilt that I never realized it myself until after my brother was gone.
Every year he told me he would kill me. He also said he would never be charged either, he would get away with it because of his masonic ties. Twice (age 15 and 16) when he was beating my little brother in the living room, I tried to take a kitchen knife and go after him—my mother stopped me both times telling me it was just what he wanted, he was waiting for me. Frankly, I did not care then, I just wanted to save my little brother and make the screaming stop…I would have rather died for him. I see now that this was how he planned to kill me without consequence.
He stole 17 ½ years of my childhood making me live in fear and doing nothing to prepare me for life, ruined my mother’s adult life and leaving her unable to find love in a relationship, and killed my little brother from the grave with the patterns he instilled when my brother was young.
THIS theft was worse than anything material I have ever had taken since. THINGS you can buy, but those years of my childhood, the years of trying to rebuild my life (and still trying in my 60s), and the loss of my little brother so young are a violation of my very soul. HE HAD NO RIGHT, and in fact had a RESPONSIBILITY to protect me from those kinds of things and to nurture me as the bright and imaginative child I was. Instead, he threatened to kill me and seemed to try every week.
30+ Rare Finds From Star Trek Previews All in 1 Video!
All the mothers in the town was doing it. It was supposed to be liberating. At the time it made no sense to me. I couldn’t understand what was going on. I just didn’t know.
Dad didn’t like it.
That was for sure. And he explained it to me that “Your mother is going through a phase”.
…
Three Years Later…
…
In 1975, my parents split up.
On the surface, it was because of work reasons, and my mother and dad went separate ways. Ah, many contributors were involved certainly. But looking back in hindsight…
…I cannot help but think that the destruction of our family, while I was a early teenager, was set in motion by the woman’s feminist movement that set “the ball rolling”.
Listen up!
We have to pay attention to what is going on around us. If we do not, the potential for catastrophic events becomes exponential.
Finding a use for them. No really, why would we use tanks? You westerners and your WW2 mentality.
In 2021 there were 600,000 privately registered drones, there’s many more, I have several unregistered drones, I don’t fly them so they don’t need registration. Chinese companies pioneered drone displays of thousands of drones…
There’s airborne drone food delivery in Shenzhen now.
There are fire drones used to clean powerlines
In statista 5 million drones of various types were exported in 2020 and this increased to 7 million in 2021. That doesn’t even consider domestic use and purchases.
A fella knocked on my door at midnight in mid-town Houston on a Saturday. Middle-aged well-dressed white guy. His impeccable $75,000 black Ford top-of-the-line diesel pickup was idling in my driveway.
I was not concerned at all about opening the door, because I stopped to put a .38 Smith with a 2″ barrel in the back pocket of my jeans and my well-trained 80-pound black Labrador was sitting next to me looking at this guy with great curiosity.
Me: “Hey there! What’s up?” Walter the Lab wags his tail and watches.
Guy: “Hi neighbor! I live right over there (spins his arm 360 degrees) and I have a big problem! My car broke down and my wife isn’t home. I had a tow truck bring me to the house, but I can’t get in because I forgot my keys, and can’t get to my money to pay him! Can I borrow $80 until tomorrow?
“Otherwise he’s going to tow my truck to impound and it’s going to cost me $300. Can you help a neighbor out? I’m for real! Look! I have a Rolex on my wrist and a $1200 laptop in my truck!”
Those of you who own Labradors know that they are the most human of dogs, and can communicate with just a glance.
Walter’s eyes are saying: “Pop! This creepy bastard has no pupils! I think he’s a drug-money seeking asshole!”
I sigh, because this dog is great, but he has an irritating habit of eye-stating the obvious. Jeez!
I’m not going to say, as my dog would: “There is no wrecker. Your truck is running. You have your keys.”
Instead, I say: “Glad to help! I have a $100 bill. Give me the laptop. Leave the truck keys, pay the wrecker, and just come back tomorrow and bring me back the C-note and pick up your truck and computer!”
The guy looks at me. Moments pass. He says: “The wrecker guy ain’t got no change. I’ll try another neighbor.”
And he was gone.
Damn dog treats me like an idiot.
Greek Chicken and Rice (Kotta Pilafi)
Chicken Biryani with chicken legs on the top.
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked rice
Dairy sour cream for garnish
Instructions
Sauté chicken breasts in butter until golden brown. Add onion, tomato, water, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add rice and stir to mix evenly. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes longer or until the rice is tender. Add more water if necessary.
Serve with a bowl of sour cream to be spooned over the rice.
Serves 6.
Additions called in from Bessie: Use one whole broiler (3 pounds) cut up into pieces. Sauté in 1/4 cup olive oil (not butter). Use 3 cups boiling water with the rice instead of 2 cups (you won’t have to add water later this way).
Many years ago I parked my car in an underground car park when I went to see my girlfriend.
After a few hours I went to leave and as I was walking towards my car and as I got to about 30 to 40 yards from it I heard my car door shut (my car moved so I knew it was mine) and this person jumped up and started running carrying a large bag.
I yelled at him to stop, give back anything he stole and I will not call the police but he ignored me. As he had the jump on me, I hoped into my car and took off after him.
He managed to get to the stair well before me, but only just.
So I jumped out of the car and with the help of what I can only call an angry adrenaline release, he only managed to get about 20 yards past the exit and I gave him my best attempt at a body slam tackle and flattened him.
He was unlucky enough to have me land on top of him which left him badly winded. As I sat on him, I opened the bag he was carrying and it contained my stereo and a pile of other things out of my car, plus some other stereos and stuff.
This was before the time of cell phones, fortunately 4 passerby’s had come over to find out what was going on and as soon as I told them he was stealing stuff from the cars, one went to the nearest appartments and managed to ring the police while the others stayed with me.
The police were there within minutes and they happily took the person away including all the stolen items.
Then I went down to the police station, made out a statement with the police and retrieved my stolen items after the police had recorded them.
I went back to my girlfriends to make out some signs to put into the carpark to let others know what had happened and where to retrieve their stolen stuff.
Turned out there had been car breakins going on for several months in the area and he was charged with them (fingerprints confirmed it was him).
Didn’t need to go to court as he pled guilty, but he was forced to pay me for the damage to my dash and door lock and refitting the stereo.
That was one of those really great memories for it is not often you can actually catch the person doing this sort of thing.
Political DANGERS of Chat GBT
Must watch.
Will China go to war over Taiwan, or just say a few strong words?
Yes.
Taiwan is a region of China. China owns it.
The Chinese say so.
The Taiwanese say so.
The United States says so also.
So…
If the United States goes full-on stupid and tries to conduct a war “over” Taiwan for one excuse or the other… then KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE. The world will experience full on thermonuclear war. We are all gonna die.
…
China will go “light-switch”.
One day there is New York city, the next day, it is flat radioactive glass.
…
And you just cannot blame them. I mean if the PLA is marching inside Philadelphia… bombing and blowing up the bridges of San Francisco… or Chicago reduced to cinders…
…wouldn’t the United States start lobbing nuclear missiles also?
…
Let’s keep things real. The United States says one thing, but does something else. It’s like a petulant child that keeps on pushing the boundaries, and then one day gets hit by a Mac Truck barrelling down the highway.
The United States is a slow motion train wreck… and soon it will die.
I composed the following to address several objections raised to Lavrov’s End of Year Presser provided in the previous article by those at the Moon of Alabama blog that can be found on this thread. Those wanting to read about China’s Initiative mentioned below can find in several pages back in the Gym’s archives, same with Wang Yi’s 9 January speech. Other points presented I’ve written about many times over the years, the outlaw nature of the USA was formulated in the mid-1980s, although I don’t claim originality. Of course, knowing the entire context behind the complaints and my writing is crucial. Those few readers who’ve read everything at the Gym will have the greatest understanding. I should also use this opportunity to suggest readers to sometime soon read/watch Dr. Hudson’s latest interview on the Big Picture as well as his almost as recent interview with an Indian organization on Neoliberalism/”Perfecting Imperialism”.
When a law is passed, it’s either obeyed or violated. The UN Charter is a corpus of laws that was signed and ratified by all nations wanting to become UN members–one must be done for the other to occur. Once a nation agrees to obey a law it becomes an outlaw if it disobeys. As documented many times here and elsewhere, at the moment the UN Charter attained its legal status, the USA and many other Western signatories were already violating the law and thus became outlaws. An Outlaw remains an Outlaw until it’s brought to justice and as part of its penalty says it will refrain from breaking the law again. Since all those outlaw nations have yet to face justice for their actions, they remain outlaws. It’s really that simple. When the history of the making of the UN Charter is studied, it becomes very clear that the Four Freedoms are at the base of it and are within both the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Part of my Big Picture argument is that WW2 never really ended as the fixtures that were to provide for a lasting peace were never attained: Denazification of Europe was prevented by the USA, UK and France, meaning they immediately broke the covenant by which they were rewarded with permanent UNSC seats and vetoes. Thus, the three main Plundering nations immediately gained outlaw status by November 1945, and have retained that status ever since.
The Global Majority Movement aims to right the wrongs that emerged in November 1945, the primary document being China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI), which is essentially a restatement of the UN Charter specifying no hegemonic nations will be allowed to join. If such nations are to exist, they will exist outside the primary global organization and will remain outlaws since they choose to be outside the laws of nations. Such a reorganization of the UN will eliminate the “privatization” of its global agencies by the hegemonic outlaws that’s impeding their ability to do good and exacerbating the potential for them to do ill, like the subversion happening at the World Health Organization. Of course, the reorganization won’t be perfect–there’ll always be problems with governance no matter what, which is Putin’s mantra, the point being to accept that fact and continue to strive for excellence. Wang Yi in his New Year’s speech on 9 January said it’s China’s goal to make the GSI a reality this year as a supermajority of the world’s nations have already said they will join.
The League of Nations failed for a number of reasons. The UN is failing because it’s held hostage by outlaws. Humanity needs an organization global in breadth that helps Humanity organize to advance its wellbeing while solving problems affecting the global community, a fact differing little from the visions expressed by many in 1944. The reformed UN will immediately be improved since it’s no longer held hostage, and the Security Council will be reformulated to exist without the veto since there’re no hegemonic members requiring it to protect themselves from justice.
Humanity is on the cusp of evolving beyond armed conflict to solve problems. Universal moral values have advanced for that goal to be possible, but to-date the hegemonic outlaw nations impede that progress. It appears the best way to change their behavior is to relegate them to the Out Group until they prove their behavior’s changed and they’ve atoned for their outlaw past. Yes, the outlaw nations will yell and squeal, stomp their feet, pull their hair, and propose all sorts of threats that prove exactly what they are and why they need to sit in the corner and think about their actions like the small children they show themselves to be. Yes, it will probably take a generation or so (20 years) for them to figure it out–they’ve been serial outlaws for almost 80 years and even longer before that, so their ways are habitual.
The job is to formulate the future so Humanity cannot just survive but thrive. The past can and will be argued about endlessly, which is a given. But enough about the past is agreed upon so the future can be formulated and constructed. It’s time to take a big step outside the box to do what must be done. As was once said: Lead, follow or get out of the way.
A major requirement of conducting effective foreign policy is to understand the viewpoint of your main competitors, something that the Western elites have shown increasingly less able to do. There are exceptions, such as Stephen Cohen, but these are rapidly sidelined. More recently, John Mearsheimer has shown some ability to understand the Russian point of view with respect ton the Ukrainian conflict. In this essay, I try to place myself in the shoes of the Chinese leadership. I will do the same for Russia and Iran in future pieces.
China Gains More Strength Every Year
China is the manufacturing power house of the world and is focused on dominating the leading technology sectors the way that the US dominated them previously; this technology leadership is one of the remaining tenets of US power. In early 2023, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute placed China in the lead in 37 of the 44 critical technology areas that it tracks. The US was the leader in the remaining 7, with a large gap between China and the US and any other nations; Europe is nowhere.
In late 2023 the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) confirmed this, seeing China leading in 7 out of 10 of the industries within its Hamilton Index; computers and electronics; chemicals; machinery and equipment; motor vehicles; basic metals; fabricated metals; and electrical equipment. The US lead in only IT and information services, other transportation and pharmaceuticals. The share of Chinese production in these 10 industries nearly doubled from 2008 to 2020, from 12.9% to 23.9%, while the US improved a bit from 19.3% to 21.5%; with US gains predominantly due to the IT and information services area. Chinese industry is 70% more focused than the US in advanced industries. The ITIF report notes that:
For the United States, losing this race, either because policymakers are indifferent to the country’s industrial structure or because they choose to focus on other economic or societal goals, would be catastrophic, as it would turn the United States into a deindustrialized, United Kingdom-like economy. Time is short. The 2020s are likely to be the decisive decade in which to turn around U.S. advanced industry fortunes, because once China gains sufficient global market share, allied and U.S. production risks being permanently weakened.
The Chinese leadership very much understands this, and this is the core area of the real economic war between the West and China. From 1995 to 2020, Japan’s production share of advanced industries collapsed and is now only about 7.5% and falling, Germany’s share fell from a lower start level to about 7% and continues to fall. In the same period, the UK, France and Italy have all fallen to shares well under 5%. Japan and Europe are an advanced technology backwater, and becoming more so. With the huge investment mistakes of the Japanese car industry with respect to electric vehicles, Japan’s fall may even accelerate in the next decade.
Chinese GDP, and GDP per capita, growth continues to far outpace the West with continued growth of 5% or more per year. This creates strong Party-state legitimacy as the Chinese people see their lives improve year over year, at a pace that still doubles incomes every 14 years. Chinese GDP at PPP in 2023 was 32.9 US$ trillion, compared to 26.95 for the US, 6.49 for Japan, 5.54 for Germany, 3.87 for the UK and the same for France, 3.05 for Italy, and 2.8 for South Korea. At current relative growth rates, Chinese GDP will be pretty much equal to all of those other Western nations within a decade, while its GDP per capita at PPP will have grown from US$23,309 to US$37,968; about the same level that the Greeks currently enjoy.
With rising incomes, and industries rapidly moving up the technology curve, China will be able to offshore more and more of the simpler production steps while keeping the higher technology ones to itself; greatly increasing the level of integration of the ASEAN nations, and quite possibly North Korea. China’s neighbourhood will become more and more integrated with it, while Japan may shrink in both relative and absolute terms. China will also be capable of transacting more and more of its trade in Yuan rather than US dollars.
China has a massive population of 1.4 billion, which started to decline in 2022; with a median age of 39. Between 2020 and 2040 however, the Chinese labour force will only fall by 8%, a decrease which pales when compared to the probable increase in per capita GDP. China also has a strange income structure where the much better educated younger workers 25-34 have the highest incomes, and income falls rapidly in older age groups. This will facilitate large increases in older age groups over time, as the much higher levels of education move their way up the age curve. Chinese GDP per capita can also increase very substantially before it starts to reach Western levels. Demographics may pose an issue after 2050, but not before then.
The rapid move to electric vehicles will also start to cut into oil demand, reducing a Chinese dependence upon imported oil that currently stands at over 10 million barrels per day. As those imports fall, the share of Russian and Central Asian imports will rise, as will the share of domestic production (4 Mbpd). The amount of time that China’s large strategic oil reserve will last during a crisis will also steadily increase.
China has kept military spending at 2% of GDP, but as the economy keeps growing so does military expenditures. China’s expenditures are significantly more efficient and effective as those of the US as they are only focused on the defence of China and its environs, rather than on global hegemony. There also seems to be much less graft and profiteering in China’s MIC (Military Industrial Complex) than that of the privatized US one. In addition, China’s great advantages in manufacturing give its MIC a significant advantage over that of the US. China is in the position of the US in the 1980s, with a rapidly growing economy facilitating ongoing increases in military spending. The US is in the position of the Soviet Union, with a slow growing economy that will require the MIC to take up an increasing share of GDP to keep pace with China. A dynamic that can only reduce further the dynamism of the US economy with respect to China’s.
The US Loses Strength Every Year
The US main allies, the EU, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are not well placed when it comes to leading technology sectors, drivers of growth and even demographics. Its hemisphere is also one full of lower growth economies with few technology leaders, in fact South America has significantly de-industrialized over the past few decades.
In the leading technology sectors the US may have gained a little against the rest of the world, and may pick up some of the energy-intensive European manufacturing operations, but has been overtaken by China and is falling further behind each year. The contrasting performance of the Chinese and US car industries in moving to electric vehicles is just one example of this dynamic, with Chinese car exports surging while US manufacturers (excluding Tesla) become more and more dependant on the US market.
Over the past three decades the US has expanded colossal amounts of money on foreign military adventures, at a cost of over US$6 trillion, with little to show in return. At the same time the US economy has become increasingly dominated by monopolies, oligopolies and the financial sector; the rentier sector of the economy has expanded greatly while manufacturing has been diminished. The US, including its bloated, profiteering, and dysfunctional MIC, is very dependent upon imported parts, including those from China and from other nations that utilize Chinese components. At the same time, the US maintains a massively expensive global network of bases and naval battle fleets.
In great contrast to the average Chinese person, the average American has seen their incomes at best wallow at the same level for decades as all economic gains are concentrated at the very peak of the income distribution. This has been exacerbated by the inflation spurt of the past few years, and now also rising interest rates. With a couple of decades of cheap money creating a mountain of debt, much incurred by working people in an attempt to maintain consumption patterns. Trust in societal institutions is at an all time low, and the “Trump vs the Rest” elite civil war has increasingly exposed the inner working of the elites to the population; tanking trust and legitimacy levels even more. A further wedge has been driven into the political scene with the issue of US support for the Zionist genocide. The year 2024 promises to be one of increasing political chaos and upheaval, with 2025 probably no better. It may well be into 2026 before any domestic stability and foreign policy focus can be regained. There is also still the possibility of a deep recession.
The US population is 335 million, which is slowly growing due to significant immigration offsetting a record low birth rate and an increasing death rate. Average life expectancy has been declining since 2014 due to increases in drug overdoses, liver disease and suicides. Trends reminiscent of the Russian experience in the 1990s; deaths of despair due to working class immiseration made worse by a rapacious profiteering health care sector. The mishandling of the COVID pandemic has added to this declining trend. The younger US population is increasingly overweight, unfit and poorly educated as shown by the falling percentage that would meet the military recruitment requirements. Only 23% of Americans aged 17 to 24 are eligible to join without being granted a waiver, down from 29% in recent years. Increasing disillusionment with US institutions, and low pay, has also lead to less and less younger people wanting to serve. The US position on the Gaza genocide is opposed by a majority of younger US citizens, which may serve to increase the disaffection with military careers even more. The physical quality of those that do leaves much to be desired:
They have to teach them how to run, and they’ve had issues with bone density to the point that, when they do run them, they’ve ended up breaking a leg or worse, a hip,” the former official said. “I’ve even heard in some cases they’re putting them on diets of Ensure — you know, the stuff for old [people] like me — in order to build that bone density.
The US role in the seizing of Russia’s central bank foreign assets, and the cutting off of Russia from SWIFT, has accelerated the move to trading in local currency pairs instead of via the US$. Its inability to corral more than its Western vassals into a coalition of the willing against Russia has seriously damaged its soft power position. The more recent embroilment in the Zionist genocide has done significantly further damage to that soft power, in contrast to a China that has maintained a carefully balanced approach. If the US drags itself further into the Middle Eastern quagmire, in addition to the Ukrainian one, the “pivot to Asia” will be put off for yet more years.
Europe Is Losing Its Relevance
With the cessation of cheap fossil fuel imports from Russia, Europe is no longer competitive in energy-intensive manufacturing and plants will tend to move to other nations with lower energy costs. Interesting that the CEO of Solvay, a Belgian chemical company never mentions the loss of cheap Russian natural gas as a challenge; instead she blames too much government red tape and not enough subsidies, staying on message at the World Economic Forum:
DW manages to cover every possible determinant for German deindustrialization, except for the self-harming Russia sanctions. The higher energy prices are mentioned, but not that they could be reversed simply by cancelling the sanctions. That option cannot be discussed within acceptable German political discourse; i.e. outside the AfD. Neither of course, the true purveyors of the terrorist attack upon Nordstream 2.
In addition, Europe’s inability to gain a strong position in the leading technology sectors places it at risk of being out-competed by other nations moving up the technology curve. The tendency toward fiscal austerity, together with the ongoing costs of supporting Ukraine and increased military expenditures, hamstring any attempts to fund a fulsome industrial upgrading strategy. The centrally important car industry, which supports so many other sectors of the economy, is deeply challenged. It faces the annihilation of its sales in China, which provide up to 50% of the profitability of the major producers, and faces increasing Chinese (and Tesla) competition at home.
With the tendency toward fiscal austerity, the large indebtedness of a number of nations (e.g. Italy, Greece), and the lack of drivers of economic growth, the probability is for a continuation of the low to no growth of the 2010s with the possibility of a significant financial crisis. The US-driven decoupling from China, e.g. the Italian exit from the Belt and Road Initiative, will only add to the low growth path. Any moves to confiscate Russian foreign exchange reserves that are predominantly held in European banks may also have negative growth impacts.
The European Union as a whole has a population of 450 million people. The major nations are Germany (84 million), UK (67 million), France (64 million), Italy (59 million), Spain (47 million) and Poland (38 million), and they comprise the majority of the population (359 million). The population is in a small accelerating decline in Germany and Poland (started in 2018), and to a greater extent in Italy (started in 2016), while stable in France and Spain and growing quite rapidly in in the UK. The median age ranges from 41 (UK) to 46 (Italy) and is on the rise.
These populations are becoming increasingly disaffected with their government’s policies toward Ukraine in a time of austerity, and a recession that has already started may feed into this disaffection. Europe may be becoming increasingly irrelevant to China, with any FDI in Europe focused on nations that are considered to be more friendly such as Hungary and Slovakia.
Japan Is A Declining Power
Japan’s share of the Hamilton Index industries has collapsed since the mid 1990s and is continuing to decline. The woeful position of its massive car industry with respect to the move to electric vehicles may lead to the loss of much of its Chinese and Asian sales, as well as reductions in the US market. The new CEO of Toyota, hand-picked by the Toyoda family member who lead Toyota into the hydrogen blind ally, is staying with the generally anti-EV strategy; even investing in ammonia-based engines. That’s like doubling down on Betamax after VHS had overwhelmingly won in the market place.
And abject failure with respect to hydrogen cars does not seem to faze Toyota!
The Japanese population peaked in 2010 at 128 million, and is on an accelerating decline path with a natural fall in population of nearly 800,000 in 2022 with minimal net immigration. The median age is 49 and the 0-14 year old share of the population is only 12%, which will create a very serious problem for any attempt to significantly increase the armed forces in future years. The outlook for Japan is at best stagnation while it manages its massive government debts and a rapidly declining population that threatens to significantly reduce both the working population and property prices.
A Win-Win Approach Can Deconstruct US Hegemony Peacefully
China does not need to win in any military sense, it simply needs to continue to develop good relations with other countries across the world; nations that it will increasingly trade with and invest in. It has shown great flexibility in responding to shifts in the international system, and we can see a focus more toward the Middle East and Africa as Europe is bullied into keeping its distance and South American governments change (e.g. Milei in Argentina).
Notwithstanding Filipino grandstanding, the “trade with and respect the sovereignty of” approach to foreign relations has paid dividends with respect to the ASEAN nations that represent the fastest growing economic region in the world. Countries that are neutral between China and the US. The same for Central Asia, and of course an Iran that China is increasingly integrating with. India with its 1.4 billion population is no real threat to China given its independent leanings and its utter inability to develop a real industrial policy that will lead to technological upgrading while providing meaningful work to its increasing legions of unemployed. India will certainly continue to not be the new China. The rise of Hindutva also risks increasing domestic polarization between Hindus and Moslems. China’s diplomatic successes in the Middle East, and the moving away of many African nations from Western domination also plays well into China’s strategy.
The neutrality of the ASEAN and Central Asian nations, together with the increasing integration with Russia and Iran (and possibly with North Korea facilitated by Russia), provides a safe EurAsian neighbourhood for China’s further development. This is then fruitfully extended across the Middle East and Africa. Europe, apart from Hungary and Slovakia, may be on the back burner until it established some level of strategic autonomy; that may have to wait for the inevitable Ukrainian collapse. Brazil and Mexico also offer continued opportunities.
We should expect China to be patient and flexible, given that it is winning, especially as long as the US is militarily tied up in Ukraine and the Middle East. China’s diplomacy with respect to the Palestinian issue shows this patience and careful balance, being seen as supportive of the Palestinian cause; with the Palestinian envoy to the UN calling China “a true friend ready to do everything they can to help the Palestinian people”. A position that plays well outside the Golden Billion of the West, and especially across the Muslim and African nations.
Political chaos in 2024 and 2025 may further disable any attempts by the US to reorient to face off with China. In reality, the US has few real options in facing off against China given its economy’s significant dependences upon Chinese imports and the lack of willing sacrificial lambs; even the Taiwanese are not ready to trip over the Chinese red line of declaring formal independence. As each day passes, the military and economic outcomes of a face off with China get worse for the US and better for China. That horse may have bolted sometime in the 2010s and it is far too late now to try to bolt the door. The onus is on the US to make the play, with the only true additional red lines being perhaps a full-scale NATO attack on Russia or Iran; both of which would be disastrous for the West. Other than that China’s approach is one of “steady as she goes” with small course corrections as required by changing circumstances, while maintaining professional and respectful relations with other nations.
Fun
Peter is right about Rupert Murdoch interest in China.
This book:
Rupert’s Adventures in China –
(See attached book cover photo)
With detail description of how Murdoch invested 10 years in China trying to setup his Media empire there. His efforts includes the following 2 most interesting strategies but failed miserably :
1) trying to gain Deng Xiaoping favour by offering Deng’s daughter US$1 million book royalty to publish her book about her father.
2) joint venture with a former PLA official to set up phoenix Satellite current affair TV. The PLA partner insisted that Murdoch incharged of investment, he incharged of content. 10 years later, Murdoch sold the share with good profit and leave China for good with hatred because he still failed to influence the content.
This is a classic case that the CCP cannot be bribe into given up their sovereignty in the media industry.
The evil Murdoch have being very successful in controlling the Australia, UK, US, and Canada governments. Read this two books.
Was in divorce court on a bogus complaint from the ex. The charge, I wasn’t paying child support and wasn’t looking for work. The judge, a classmate of the ex’s asked me to prove my defense. I started to bring out paperwork, etc. from my briefcase while noting that a deputy had come up behind me. I thought that was odd since he didn’t do that with anyone else and I had been in court for other bogus charges by the ex every three to four months. As I pulled out the papers and asked if I could approach the bench and present my evidence, the judge said, “I’m not interested in what you have!” Right away I’m thinking then why the heck did you ask me for proof? I asked him a second time to present my evidence and that’s when he threatened to hold me in contempt and jail me for thirty days if I spoke again. He then gave me a date in the future to get things straightened out or he’d throw me in jail. As I walked out of the courtroom, I turned to the deputy who was “escorting” me out and started to say something and he told me, “Not here”. We took a few steps down the hallway and then he grabbed my arm and as I turned toward him, and he me, he said you just got screwed but were wise to not speak again!” He advised me to get an attorney so the judge couldn’t screw me over again. I related my problem to my Chiropractor, and she referred me to an attorney she knew. I explained what happened with the divorce proceedings up until that point and he offered to take my case for $400. He actually stuck to that amount in spite of having to do a number of hours and headaches from her attorney. Even the head of the county child support division testified on my behalf that I was current on the child support the whole time and even gave me a letter stating so. That finally got her and her attorney to stop harassing me and my employer and the divorce was finalized a year after it should’ve been.
I’ve taught unarmed combat and a jiu-jitsu based self defence system for many years. I think one of best targets to drop an aggressor at a close range is the knee and shin. Groin strikes are a bit hit and miss especially with a mistimed kick. I’ve always installed into students the three basics of handling an attacker, firstly if an attacker can’t stand he can’t hurt you, if he can’t breathe he can’t hurt you and if he can’t see he can’t hurt you. So striking the knee or shin, throat and eyes are the basics. That way it gives you a chance to get out of there pronto. Depending on the severity involved in the confrontation, be wary about throat strikes, it could be fatal. You don’t need to eye gouge as that means you have to be in close. Finger or thumb pokes to the eyes is sufficient to make a getaway. As for the knee/shin a swift hard kick will suffice. Don’t try anything fancy, that’s for the movies. All the people I’ve trained with over the years, especially at shodan level and above had there own favourite basic techniques to handle an attacker. The upshot is try and avoid these situations in the first place. On the other hand, if the attacker is tooled up especially with a bladed weapon and there’s no way out for you, you’ve got to go into psycho mode and fight like a wild animal as if your life depends on it. Expect to get cut. If you do, try not to get cut on the inner arm/forearm where vital veins and arteries are. If the outcome ends with the attacker being seriously hurt, so be it. It’s self defence and you have right to defend yourself any way you can. I’ve always had it in my mind an old saying “better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.” Take care.
No. Some police departments train their officers to begin all traffic stops by asking “Do you know why I stopped you?” There is exactly ONE correct answer to this question. Even if the pedestrian you just ran down is still sprawled across your windshield, the answer is “No.”
Clearly, they are soliciting a confession to anything that you know you did wrong in the recent past. If the officer saw you roll through a stop sign, and you suggest that you changed lanes without signalling, he just got a two-fer.
Now, although I do not know how often it happens, but my time as the prosecutor in traffic court in a small Oklahoma town for a year made me believe that sometimes, the officer is pulling over some attractive looking young ladies just to flirt. It so happened that the worst thing my judge could do to a person in traffic court was a $30 fine plus $5 court costs and, theoretically, up to a week in jail. But since the town had to pay the county jail $20 per night, that wasn’t happening.
Well, the only people who took a half day off work to come contest a traffic stop were pretty darned sure they were innocent. Sometimes, it was because they believed some urban legend about the law — like the stop had to be on city property- so that if they could get to the Safeway parking lot before an officer caught them, they were innocent (they were NOT, just because of that).
But about once a month, I had to deal with some very attractive (and very angry) young lady who was stopped while driving alone on Friday night. The officer had asked if she knew why he stopped her, and if she said that she had done nothing at all wrong and then when he offered a reason, she was positive that she hadn’t done THAT. And when Thursday morning traffic court rolled around, she was still not going to pay $30 plus court costs. Instead, she would come give me a piece of her mind.
When they fell into that pattern, I frequently dismissed the charges. But that doesn’t work so well if she’d actually guessed what legitimate reason he had for stopping her.
Greek Meatballs (Keftethes)
These meatballs are deliciously light and delicately flavoured and you can serve them hot, warm or cold or freeze for future use.
I have made Keftethes on many occasions – (the recipe is from a Greek cookbook I’ve had for years) – and they are quite famous amongst my friends. Hope you enjoy them. Regards ~ Geoff Clifford – UK
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Ingredients
1 large onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1kg (2 1/4 pound) lean minced beef or lamb
2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs, moistened in about 3/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (if not available, use chopped, dried mint)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Ouzo (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
All-purpose flour
1 cup olive oil and corn oil mixed (you may need slightly more)
Instructions
Fry onions with vegetable oil over low heat until golden. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
Add meat and all other ingredients except flour and olive/corn oil mix. Knead for about 10 minutes or until mixture is a smooth paste.
Heat the oil mix in a large frying pan to the point of fragrance.
Meanwhile, start to shape mixture into balls about the size of a large marble by rolling lightly between palms of hands, I suggest that you do them in batches of say 12 to 16, each batch being enough to space evenly but separately in the frying pan.
As each meatball is formed place them on a large plate which has been liberally covered with plain flour. When the batch is finished lightly roll the meatball in the flour. At this point the oil in the frying pan should be just ready.
Put the batch of meatball into the pan (Use kitchen tongs as the oil is very hot).
Start on your second batch of meatballs, make them and place them on the floured plate. At this point it is time to turn the meatballs over and when you have completed this roll the second batch in the flour.
Now it is time to remove the first batch from the frying pan using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and place on paper towels to drain.
Put the second batch of meatballs into the pan to cook and carry on with the process until you have finished the mixture.
Here’s what I did. I was manager over a small group of engineers for about a decade. I had been with the company for 20 years. We had a good salesman that kept us busy and though we were a small subsidiary of a larger company, we brought in good money. They messed with the salesman’s commission because he started making more than the president of the company. Along with that, they cut our groups profit sharing, which had been amounting to quite a bit for us, too. The salesman quit, and our business tanked as a result. In an effort to shake things up, they brought in a new top level manager for our group, a new salesman, and I was removed from my managerial position and replaced by one of my subordinates. My salary remained the same, I did the same work on actual projects as always, except then I was no longer required to manage projects, track all the expenses and time on projects, go on sales calls with the new salesman, or be held responsible for the group. I liked the work and most of the people around me, so I was fine with staying there. I was about 55 when this happened, and honestly, I was happy to shed all the administrative bullshit and still make the same money. A year later the new manager quit, they brought in a new guy (after they asked if I would resume the position) and within a year they scuttled our whole group. The company ($40 million company) had been making about 2.5 million a year clear from our group, but because they couldn’t handle the fact the salesman was making so much money compared to them, they ended up putting the entire subsidiary out of business. I was happy collecting my money for those 2 years without near the stress, and moved on to a better position in a new company after that. Things just seem to work out, sometimes. So my advice…if you like the work, are satisfied with the pay, there’s no reason not to continue on there. If you don’t like the place, stay until you find a good replacement job. You can be a lot pickier about choosing a new job when you have a good income source.
Last night, as I was taking my daughter back from her night-time skating class, we hit heavy traffic in front of our complex (the “Ghost City” that is supposed to be abandoned. LOL!). And it was 15 minutes of bumper to bumper.
Turns out that it was a roadside sobriety test checkpoint. And the local governments run these things all around CNY as many, many people drink and drive.
So I rolled down my window and exhaled into the wand.
It turned red and an alarm went off. The police scrambled, and I got out of the car.
I’m an American, so I knew what was going on. And no, I wasn’t drinking.
I was expecting to put my finger on my nose and walk a straight line. But no. That did not happen. Not at all.
So I stood there, and they got my various licenses, and registrations out of the car, and then subjected me to a far more stringent test. They pulled out a handheld black computer like device. And a red camera like device.
I had to hold my breath, and then exhale into a black monitor for six seconds. This was a much more accurate device. They then recorded my eyes and pupil dilatation with the red device.
He showed me the results; ZERO.
So I was good to go.
…
I signed my name on the ledger, and then they let us go. Ah. An interesting experience for certain. MM gets a police checkout. What do you know. Check one for my experience ledger.
Yeah. I took my niece’s cigarettes away from her and she freaked – she was 10, or 11.
She told her grandmother (who I knew bought her the cigarettes) and she called C.P.S.
I refused to drive into the city to do the interview and made the guy drive out to my shop. On my terms, on my territory. And, I told the story exactly as it happened. Then, I asked him to call the kid. He didn’t want to. So, I did. (he even tried to wander out of earshot, but I followed him holding the phone in the air so he could hear)
I put her on speaker – told her she was on speaker with me and the man from Child Protective Services – and asked her to tell him what happened. She told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Then I asked who bought the smokes.
I was right, it was “gramma”. And, we hung up.
Then, I demanded he call “gramma”. And, he didn’t want to. So I did. (I even showed him the phone numbers on the phone so he could see I wasn’t trying to pull a fast one)
I told her that I was putting her on speaker, and I was there with the guy from C.P.S., and that we had a few questions. (he didn’t have any, I had a couple)
I asked why she called – she blubbered some nonsense. I asked if it was because I took the kid’s cigarettes – and she said that I had no right to take them. She was getting pissed. So I played her like a sunfish – I yanked her right out of the water. I asked if she bought the cigarettes for the kid, and she said, “Where else do you think she got them? They’re not going to sell her cigarettes, she don’t look old enough.”!!!
Then, I asked why. And, she said (and I shit you not), “So she’d quit bummin’ ’em off of me!”!!!
The guy hung his head, and I did one of the shrug your shoulders with palms facing up at shoulder level. Case closed.
I did my best to have “gramma” charged, or a C.P.S. case brought against her, but the guy just let it slide. I called the supervisor. Same thing.
That was twenty years ago – now the kid always says to me variations of, “Thank you for caring, thank you for trying – now that I’m a mom I understand what you were doing – I’m sorry.”
She has two great kids and last time I talked to her they were going for more. I hope they have as many as they want.
Never stop trying, never stop caring, it sinks in even if you think it’s not. (even my son, who has no kids (the dirty rat – I’d like a few grandkids), told me, “Thanks for being an asshole – I get it.”
Never give in, never surrender.
Apple Rum Baklava
Apple Rum Baklava
Ingredients
3 cups chopped apples
2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 pound phyllo dough
1 pound butter, clarified, melted
1 cup honey
Instructions
Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl; mix well.
Trim 8 sheets phyllo dough to fit 10 x 15-inch baking pan. Keep unused phyllo covered with damp cloth. Arrange in baking pan, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter. Spread half the apple mixture over phyllo dough. Arrange 6 buttered sheets phyllo dough over apple mixture. Spread with remaining apple mixture. Top with 8 buttered sheets phyllo dough. Cut into squares. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Heat honey in small saucepan. Drizzle over hot baklava.
Yields 12 servings.
May substitute 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lemon rind for rum.
I’m not sure if they teach this in drivers’ ed in places where it snows a lot, but I took drivers’ ed in a place where snow is rare, so they didn’t bother to teach me about driving in it. Here are some snow-related driving tips that I had to learn on my own:
If there is snow around the wheels of your parked car, and your tires just spin when you’re trying to move, there are three ways to get your car unstuck: dig out the snow (takes a lot of time and effort, and is uncomfortable in the cold), throw some kitty litter under your tires for extra traction (requires kitty litter), or my personal favorite: rock the car back and forth until you build enough momentum to get it un-stuck. It’s the lazy man’s way of getting your car moving in the snow. It only works if you can go straight ahead of your car for a while, though. Will not work if your wheels are turned, like if you’re parallel-parked and have to exit the space by turning first.
Cleaning the snow off of the top of your car isn’t really for your benefit, but for the benefit of the drivers behind you. If you’re super-lazy and don’t care about other drivers, just take your car on the highway and let the wind blow the snow off for you.
Edit: I forgot something until some commenters pointed it out: if there is snow on the top of your car and you stop suddenly, it can slide to the front windshield and block your view.
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(Don’t be this guy. Nobody likes this guy.)
If you know it’s going to snow and/or get icy while your car is parked, you should lift the wipers off of the windshield. Otherwise they will stick to it and break when you turn on your wipers.
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(These people know what’s up…)
Door locks and power windows can and will freeze in the winter. Before you go through a drive-through on a winter’s day, you should confirm that your window will go down.
If your car has Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), it will go crazy on slick roads. It’s the same for an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS). That’s how I know that I need to be more careful when I’m driving in the snow: those lights come on. Also, if you’ve never felt an ABS system kick in underneath you, it’s unnerving the first time it happens.
If the snow is really deep, while digging out your car, you should be extra careful to make sure that the tailpipe is clear. People have died from sitting in cars that were running while waiting for someone else to dig them out.
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(Anyone want to help this person dig out their car?)
Ice/slush will build in the wheel wells of cars that are being driven during the snow. It’s important to kick this off when you get a chance, particularly if it’s going to be cold for a long time. If you ignore it when it is fresh, it just freezes more solid and is a pain in the ass to get off then.
(If you see that around your tires, kick it off as soon as possible. Be careful that you kick with your heel, not your toes. It may be hard as a rock.)
There are “summer” and “winter” blends of windshield washer fluid. If you get the summer blend and forget to use it all before the winter, it will freeze in the tank and you won’t be able to clean your windshield while driving, which is important to do when it snows.
Pickup trucks with empty beds are the worst for handling snow. If you drive a pickup in a place where it snows in the winter, put something heavy in the back, just to put some weight on the back wheels.
Delusional Women In Denial As They Learn How Hard Men Work
Yes. My husband was dying of cancer and in home hospice with me taking care of him 24–7.
The night before he died, his son’s mother started texting me about how he’s dying, she needs to get into his apartment and go through it to see what she could sell because she hadn’t gotten child support in a couple months. He still had his apartment after we were married, because his son was nearing 18 and wanted to move away from his mother asap, and he hadn’t paid child support in two months, because he had just recovered from brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and then in the following two months, we found out it had metastasized to his liver and then spread to all his abdominal organs and died 10 days after being put on hospice. I kept my cool while she was texting me about the money he owed her the night before he died.
The day he died, right after he passed, I called his son to come to my house immediately, as well as my other children. His mother was the only one else aware that he had passed, so here I was with our three boys, sitting in our livingroom waiting for the hospice nurse to come back so she could pronounce him legally dead, and I was already getting phone calls and texts of condolences. My stepson’s mother had announced it on Facebook. I kept my cool, though that was probably more of me just being in shock and unable to function.
The days following his death, she convinced my stepson to rush to my husband’s apartment, because “rent would be due soon and he had alot of valuables in his bedroom at his Dad’s house”. I didn’t go, because she had been texting both me and my SIL about getting into my husband’s apartment asap to sell his things for money, and I was afraid of what I might do to her if I saw her in person. My SIL did go over when they went over, to make sure nothing really important disappeared.
My SIL later told me that in the two days my stepson’s mother had access to the apartment, my stepson’s mother went through every room, every drawer, read ever piece of paper she could get her hands on, including love notes, etc, took pictures of how “filthy” the house was so she could show her friends, and didn’t really keep anything to sell, because nothing had any value to her, so she just threw it to the curb for garbage day. The few sentimental things that my husband had made known to everyone he wanted my stepson to hold on to, she would not let my stepson keep “because they were in poor condition”.
It should be noted that I know I could have called the cops on her for theft and harassment, but I didn’t for three reasons… 1. Me, my stepson, my sister-in-law and my other two children were mourning a loss and I was trying to avoid further drama. 2. Everything of value had already been moved to my house months ago and most of the things left in my husband’s apartment was gonna be gotten rid of anyways. 3. The apartment WAS filthy, because for the past two months, nobody had been there except me 3 times a week to feed his cats and change their litterbox. Nobody else was willing or able to help me with the cats or my dying husband, and it was a mile walk one way to his apartment, meaning if I rushed, I’d be leaving a dying man who could barely stand up by himself (but kept trying, so had several close calls with almost falling) alone at least an hour and a half. I wasn’t lazy, I was stretched too thin with no help and doing the best I could.
But I kept my cool with the apartment drama.
My husband was a car guy, loved older cars, had three classic vehicles when he passed away. He had wanted me to take his favorite car, and his son could have the car he’d already been driving for two months since he got his license, and his prized van as well. The plan was for me to not turn the titles over to my stepson until he turned 18, because it was common knowledge that his mother assumed that their son would get all three vehicles and she had planned on selling all three. This was also a constant source of texts and harassment on how I need to turn the titles over to her immediately (before their son turned 18), like I wasn’t smart enough to figure out that she wouldn’t then sell them as she’d then be the legal owner. I still kept my cool.
Once I finally figured out how I was gonna pay for the funeral and was planning the funeral, I gave people a date, but not much more information, as the details were still being worked out. My stepson asked for the tentative information, which I gave him, and she posted on Facebook, tagging my husband of course, the date, time, place, little details, making it sound like she had planned it. I SNAPPED. I was ready to ask if the funeral home had and 2 for 1 deals. I absolutely ripped her a new one online, publicly pointing out exactly how she’d been behaving and what I thought of her. It got really, really vicious, on both ends, with her playing the victim. Not my finest hour, but I was absolutely DONE with her. Completely out of character for me, but if I had been in the same room with her, I’d be writing this from my jail cell right now.
The last conversation she had with my husband on the phone had been about how their son turned out to be such a great person because he had HER for a mother and how my husband had only had him on weekends, didn’t really contribute to raising my stepson. She knew darn well that my husband would have taken their son full time in a heartbeat, if she hadn’t done everything in her power to restrict his parenting. Near the end, she wouldn’t allow her 17 year old son to sleep over my house (in a spare bed) on the weekend to spend time with his Dad who clearly had limited time, because “it wasn’t his own bed at his Dad’s house” and when he did stop by my house to see his dying Dad, his mother started texting him to come home after about a half hour. And then online while announcing his funeral, she was making out like they had been such good friends, that’s what coparenting is all about, it’s all about her son, his REAL child (my husband had raised my two boys as his own for almost 8 years and loved all three very much), and if course, all about her, because she’s the mother of his child. The one and only time in my adult life I ever completely snapped. Not proud of myself at all, but she deserved it and she got off easy.
A few days ago, my boyfriend offered me a stick of chewing gum.
He unwrapped his and popped it into his mouth. I unwrapped mine and took a tiny bite off the tip.
A few minutes later, when that first bite had lost its flavor, I took another nibble. And once that one shed its sweetness, I took another.
Before long, I noticed my boyfriend shaking his head at me, his eyebrows raised so high they’d almost disappeared into his hair. “You’re so weird,” he said affectionately (at least, I’d like to think it was said affectionately.)
He’s right. It’s pretty weird that I consume my chewing gum one nibble at a time. But I’ve done it that way for as long as I can remember.
When I was growing up, chewing gum used to be a top item on my parents’ list of choking hazards. So naturally, it was also a top item on their children’s list of valuable contraband.
Most of the time, I only had access to this rare treat when my friends shared it with me at school. And every tiny, foil-wrapped stick of it was so precious to me that I’d ration it out slowly to make the flavor last, and then replay the memory of chewing it for days afterwards.
Honestly, as an adult, I don’t even like gum all that much. But the memory of how precious it used to feel has never quite left my mind.
Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country – Khitomer Battle
I had a soldier on a team I was commanding during advanced training called Zach.
Zach was the team clown, a hard worker and good soldier, but a complete goof ball.
He would find humor everywhere, and create it when it was needed. Most of the times, even though I wasn’t allowed, I would completely break soldier -commander distance and laugh at Zach’s punchlines. I would turn away from my soldiers so they wouldn’t see me laugh, even though it was hard to hide.
Two weeks before my soldiers completed their training, I was notified that I was being reassigned to a different team, and that my officer needed my final evaluation on Zach, since they were considering dropping him.
They claimed he was naive, and as much fun as it is listening to his jokes, our job was to train a team and make them combat ready.
Before I wrote up my evaluation, I took Zach for a conversation and told him exactly what my officer told me.
His smile faded immediately.
I told him that there are times for jokes, and time for work. I needed to be blunt, and said that his comic remarks have no place in the paratroopers training. We needed serious and professional fighters, not clowns.
I was a bit harsh, but truly wanted him to finish training.
Zach was one of my favorite soldiers, and it deeply hurt me to tell him to stop finding the funny moments in life, even when everything sucks. I felt like I was killing him softly.
During my final weeks with my team, Zach did not make a single funny remark. One of my soldiers asked to talk to me in private and suggested that Zach might have lost a family member, since he seemed depressed.
Eventually, Zach finished his training, and proceeded on to command school, but I always resented the fact that I was the one who took away the smile from his face.
In fact, the United States has played a four-step game in an attempt to sway the elections in Taiwan.
Firstly, it’s a classic case of ”the pot calling the kettle black”—the U.S. has been vocal about external forces keeping their hands off Taiwan’s 2024 elections, all the while being the first to meddle.
Secondly, the American Institute in Taiwan has echoed the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party’s stance on cross-Strait relations, suggesting that even if the DPP wins, China is unlikely to take immediate military action. This could lull Taiwanese voters into a false sense of security, effectively boosting the ”Lai-Xiao pairing” in the polls.
The third tactic involves the U.S. flexing its military muscle, with P-8A Poseidon aircraft patrolling the Taiwan Strait—a clear sign of America’s concern for Taiwan’s security and a potential promise of defense. There’s speculation that U.S. warships might even make a bold passage through the strait. This military posturing supports the DPP’s narrative, encouraging Taiwanese voters not to view the upcoming election as a choice between war and peace.
Fourthly, the deployment of intermediate-range missiles in the Western Pacific and equipping submarines with Tomahawk cruise missiles are moves that signal U.S. preparedness to intervene should Chinese mainland take military action against Taiwan.
China, of course, is keenly aware of these maneuvers. the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense has hit back with a two-pronged rebuttal. Firstly, they’ve underscored the severe threat these U.S. actions pose to the security of the Asia-Pacific region and China itself. China has firmly opposed these moves and has vowed to respond with equal determination. Secondly, China has issued a stern warning to the United States: The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, off-limits to any external meddling. The resolution of the Taiwan question is an unstoppable force, immune to interference by any person or power. Taiwanese voters must remain vigilant, not to be swayed by the U.S. and the DPP’s rhetoric. The 2024 elections in Taiwan are pivotal for the trajectory of the Taiwan Strait situation, and any missteps could lead to tumultuous waters. The mainland’s stance is clear: ”Taiwan independence” equates to war and is a dead-end street, so there’s no room for wishful thinking.
The U.S. has a long history of involvement in Taiwan’s elections, with a level of engagement that runs deep. This is evident from the way candidates scramble to ”audition” in the U.S. during every election season. Take the 2024 elections, for instance; Taiwanese candidates are making their pilgrimage to America, while the chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, Mr. Rosenberg, has visited Taiwan three times in just two months, meeting with candidates from the blue, green, and white parties. The depth of U.S. involvement in Taiwan’s elections is such that a single, biased statement from the U.S. could instantly flip the fortunes of their preferred candidate.
My parents murdered me. They killed my ambition, separated me from the guy I love and got me married to a monster (unknowingly).
I was always a bright student. A topper in school and a gold medalist in my college. While in college, I met and fell in love with a man from a different state in India. Though it was not a huge difference like a North-South problem (we belonged to neighbouring states), it was huge for my parents who only had negative things to say about his community. The fact that he still needed time to settle only made him incapable in my parents’ eyes. They believed that I was their golden girl with too much talent to be given away as his wife. We fought for 2 years during which my mom stopped all communication with me. Finally, my parents weren’t willing to wait after I turned 25 as they believed that I will become “too old to be desirable by good guys”. They adopted all forms of emotional abuse and manipulation and broke us apart. I still cry to this day thinking about our breakup though it has been 8 years. I loved him and still do. If only we had remained together…
At about the same time, I wanted to change careers and become a teacher leaving my high paying job but my parents thought that only a fool would make that mistake. They prohibited me from doing what I liked and made me look after my dad’s company though I hated it. They believed that they were doing everything to protect my interests but never cared for my own feelings. I was too weak and timid to rebel and so I bore everything while breaking down mentally.
After this forced separation and being made to look after the company, I was put through the humiliating arranged marriage market where I was paraded around like a commodity. I hated every minute of it. Finally I was married off to this man who was good on paper. He came from a wealthy family, had two degrees from the most prestigious Universities in India and was settled in my own city. My parents couldn’t believe their luck and when all enquiries about him and his family didn’t turn up anything bad, they went ahead with it. All through this debacle, I was only a mute spectator.
What my parents did not know was, my husband was an egoist and a sadist. He HAD to be the best in everything and took joy in humiliating me and belittling my achievements. He was always fishing for compliments without which he couldn’t function. He could never take any form of criticism and would throw temper tantrums if things aren’t done his way. Even sex was a form of punishment for me where I was forced to do things I did not want and he would humiliate me. Every day and every night used to be the same. I put up with this for 2 years before letting anyone know because I foolishly thought that I did not deserve any happiness after breaking my boyfriend’s heart.
To the outside world I couldn’t have been happier. I had my dad’s company which was minting money and I did not have to work hard unlike people who start things from scratch, I had a husband who was very handsome, earned indecent amounts of money, came from a “good family background” and was even religious. But, inside closed doors I was living a nightmare.
The traditional traits looked for in arranged marriages – caste, wealth, education, family background and age were all perfect in mine but take it from me that none of these things matter more than an extent. It is only the love you share with the other person and your emotional compatibility and willingness to stand by them, that counts. This realization hit me like a wall of bricks when one day after a particularly nasty argument with my now ex-husband, I took my car for a drive. It was raining heavily and while I was waiting at a traffic signal, I saw a poor man on the pavement sharing a torn canvas cloth with his small family. They were laughing and were very happy with each other. Looking at this from my air conditioned “luxury” car, I realised that they had something that I did not – love and happiness. The divorce was painful where I did not have many people’s support – only my brother and father supported me.
It has been 4 years since the divorce. Where is the “golden girl” now? Meanwhile, the boyfriend whom I broke up with, went on to become successful and started his own consulting company which is doing extremely well. He got married two years after I got married when he still thought that I was happy. He called me before they finalized the girl, asking me how I am and that he is getting married. He told that he always wishes the best for me – I knew he also loved me the same way I loved him. After that we did not speak because it would be too painful.
It is not always true that parents love you the most. Sure, they wish the best for their child but sometimes they let their beliefs and bigotry cloud their eyes. Sometimes parents can be wrong – that does not mean that you shouldn’t take their well meaning advice, but the final decision should always be yours.
And sometimes, the person who loves you the most could be the guy whose heart you broke a long time ago, who still remembers your birthday every year and sends you a card with a coupon to your most favourite restaurant.
It is a bit more complicated than a Bradley decided to walk the dog on a T-90.
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A Bradley IFV is designed to defeat enemy tanks. At very long rang using TOW missiles. Russian tanks are notoriously poor at surviving such missile attacks due to how their ammo is stored. Anything which gets through is likely to cook everything off… which is where you get those turret tossing videos.
In this encounter a pair of Bradleys more or less stumbled across a lone T-90 at would probably count as Danger Close range. The first engaged with its chain gun, scored a few hits, and then exited, probably trying to get to range so they could engage with a TOW. The second, not wanting to risk taking fire while moving away, decided to engage in hopes of essentially blinding and disabling the tank.
There is an interview with the two man crew of the Bradley in question and one point they both agree on… they were terrified. The one thing they didn’t want to run into at close range was an enemy tank. The crew couldn’t disengage safely, they had to stand and fight, and do so in such a manner that the T-90 couldn’t get its bearings and shot back.
Their training got them through this. The Bradley sticks and moves while the Bushmaster 25mm just peppers the T-90’s turret with hit after hit. The Russian tank crew, likely poorly trained, couldn’t see the Bradley to try and fire back. Attempts to back up saw them crash into a tree and get stuck.
Which is when the tank crew did the only thing they could think of… pop smoke and bail out of the tank. A wise decision as a drone strike destroyed the vehicle not very long after.
It isn’t unusual for a Bradley to score a tank kill. It is very unusual to do so in such a manner. Usually the 25mm autocannon is lighter vehicles, such as the BMP. Those the Bradley’s have been killing in droves. A tank is a much bigger foe to tackle.
In college, at the dorms there was a stinky girl who lived there. Everyone made fun of her and she was arrogant, yet all the same people were just rude. She was called “Hamburger “ or just plain “Stinky” by Everyone in the dorm. She wasn’t nice and was poor. Two of my roommates and I felt bad for her and used our bottle return money (we took discarded beer and soda cans from the dorm that we collected) and purchased the girl hygiene products from the dollar store. Our care package included a few bottles of VO5 Shampoo and conditioner, a few sticks of cheap lady speed stick deodorant, a brush and comb, razors, toothpaste, toothbrush, and I had a 12 pack of ivory soap I didn’t need, plus a bunch of menstrual pads and tampons. We put this stuff in a brown paper grocery bag stapled it and left it in front of her door. Nobody knew who it was from and we never told anyone. The girl wasn’t embarrassed and seemed happy someone cared enough to help her. The girl’s hygiene improved and people were nicer to her. My two roommates and I didn’t do it out of pity if someone might say that, we did this because we wanted to help her.
After X being pushed back the 4th time, I nodded along, stood up, and went to a job-posting website. I got 3 calls back the following week.
A little bit of background for the bonus check: Our department needed to have an app on the company iPad for the engineer to work effectively. They consult with an outside ios developer team about the idea. The developer team comes back with a contract that it would cost Y amount, with half required as a deposit upfront.
At the time, I thought they really overcharged for such a simple application. There were many unnecessary features to be priced. But it’s not my money paying out, so whatever.
My boss, being the department director, asked if I could make the app. Keep in mind that I’m not a software developer in my department. My job description does not include coding and my wage is far lower than those who code for a job. But people know that I program from time to time to automate most of my job (and other people’s jobs) and for fun. Never have I ever made myself a full-fledged app before that time.
I said I could give it a try. He agreed on half the amount of Y for my bonus, once the app is made and tested.
I went home. Borrowed a MacBook from my friend (I knew my boss would never buy me a Mac just for a single project). Locked myself in my room studying as many tutorials for beginners as I could.
10 days later, an app is made. I couldn’t be happier. I showed it to everyone around, got some feedback, made changes. My boss told me to push it onto the App Store for internal use. I did. About 75 devices installed.
I wrote an email to my boss about the bonus, alongside with the terms like I would maintain the app myself, and transfer the ownership to the company, etc. I also mentioned the possibility of promoting me to be Software Engineer so I can develop more apps for the company.
*Crickets* – no response.
I came up to him after a few days. He told me I will get it after the Deputy Director come back from his business trip to see if the app is working well. I said no big deal, I could wait for another week. The app needs more time for testing anyway.
But the Deputy Director came back and still no sign of the bonus. I asked a few more times and my boss is like running this loop: For X in excuses: Say(“You will have the bonus after \(X) event”)
It’s been more than a month since I published the app and still nothing. The last time I came up to him, I also asked about the possibility of a promotion, to which he rejected and said I should just focus on my own work and only do special projects like this if necessary.
I said ok. Came back to my desk and started applying to new jobs. Out of 4 jobs I applied for, 3 called back and scheduled an interview one week after. I brought the app with me to demo. Got 1 offer at one company for the position of Software Developer at twice the salary.
When I came to my boss to hand in my resignation, he still wondered if he did anything wrong…
1) Join the Massachusetts State Police. Make over 100K your first year, including overtime where you sleep in the cruiser most of the time. You will be incredibly wealthy and rich within 20 years. You can retire young and get a “getover” job as a college security police starting at 135,000 a year. Seriously, my brother is a State Cop and if I could live my life over again I would do this job. It’s hard to get through the Basic Training but once you’re on the job it is absolutely no work, lots of perks, impossible to get laid off… where else can you get paid 1000 dollars for sleeping in your car? I’m not joking! If you d3on’t want to be a State Cop then become a local cop but you might actually have to do something. Nevertheless the opportunity to make money as a cop in Massachusetts is unparalleled. The corrupt Police Union has made wages high and work virtually non-existent. This is the way to go.
2) Become a Fireman – this job is the biggest scam in Massachusetts. It’s GREAT money for doing next to nothing. Sure, there are lots of calls where you get to ride on the big red engine but mostly it’s for absolutely nothing. You stand around with a halligan tool and you coat open and a cigarette hanging from your mouth and then you go back to the station, eat something and watch television in a barcalounger then go to bed. You do this for two days, get a full week’s pay and then you become a contractor and double or even triple dip. You will be fucking rich in no time. Sometimes you might actually have to fight a fire but think of all the things you can slip into your boots or coat when you’re in someone’s smoky house – a wallet left on the dresser: it has your name on it. Expensive watch on the counter: you can easily sell that. All kinds of perks.
3) Become a Plumber. Believe me, these guys clean up. There aren’t enough plumbers and you can charge just about anything, especially in winter when people’s heat stops working. Yep, it’s hard work and you often have to deal with people’s stink and shit but usually you’re putting in new, clean pipe and the new Pex technology makes it fast and easy and you can clean up. If you have even half a brain within a couple of years you can get younger apprentice plumbers to work for you. Create a subsidiary business cleaning out drains. You can make up to 1000 dollars for a one hour visit. If you can get commercial accounts or city accounts, your future is assured. By the time you’re 35 you will be taking your wife and girlfriend to Turks and Caicos in the winter. Plumbers make HUGE coin.
4) Become an electrician – once again, it’s a tough apprenticeship but once you’re done you will never have a day off if you don’t want one. There just aren’t enough electricians. Had an electrician come to my house to replace a half dozen switches and plugs – cost me 750 bucks. You will really clean up. If you get attached to a building contractor you can start your own electrical company and hire a bunch of illegal immigrants to run wire through the new ant farms going up and you do the critical work of punching them down to the breaker box and you’re in like Flint. The sky is the limit.
5) Become a real estate broker – this is actually MUCH harder than it looks but the options for making a lot of money doing nothing at all are really good. To be a broker you have to be an agent for three years. That means sucking the asshole of another broker boss douche who is going to rip you off blind for three years. The first two years you won’t even make minimum wage but if you stick with it you will learn all the ins and outs and how to scam homebuyers which is every real estate agent’s job – Get the suckers to buy that termite trap as fast as possible and take your 2 percent commission and run. But once you’re a broker yourself than all those nose-picking wannabe agents will be sucking your asshole and they have to pay you 50 percent of their commission while you go deep sea fishing off the Keys in Florida. And they best part? The REAL money is in working with contractors or finding that great piece of property you can buy, rehab and sell for a huge profit. Yep, it takes time and effort and diligence but you can make millions a year in real estate if you’re willing to sell your soul to do it. I met the biggest agent in the area once, a woman who would sell her own daughter’s kidney for a profit if she could because to be REALLY GOOD as an agent or a broker requires you to have no conscience or soul.
Remember the 50-year-old man who gave his number to my sister at our family restaurant?
Well, he came back last night with a huge smirk on his face.
He entered the premise with his friend. They were both semi-drunk. Here is the conversation,
His friend: “Is this the girl you gave your number to?”
Him: “Shhh.”
I kept a straight face. My sister was clearly uncomfortable and wanted me to take over.
As I was taking his order, I caught him staring my sister up and down. I was so angry and disgusted. That’s my baby sister he was looking at lustfully.
I looked at him and said,
Me: “What do you think you’re doing?”
Him: “…uh…nothing. *Looks away*.
Me: “You know that’s my sister you’re looking at, right?”
Him: “I…uh…was looking at the chef…”*looks away*
Me: “Well, she’s 15-years-old and you’re incredibly inappropriate. She’s underage.”
He was in shock (or so it seemed).
He ordered his food and went to sit down.
He then said:
“My daughter is 15”, to which I replied, “how would you like it if a grown man stared at your daughter in the same manner?”
He walked out.
His friend looked at me in amazement.
“I’m proud of you for protecting your sister. We need more women like you in this world. My daughter is 31 and if a man did the same to her, I would be angry.”
I felt like a complete savage. He deserved it.
Leave American schools and go private or international
Maggy is one of the smoking moms, and she is not happy. She has been morbidly obese for most of her adult life, but now her problem was bound to be solved. It hasn’t.
“The doctor lied. It isn’t better at all.“
The smoking moms bring their kids to school, or wait at the gates for them, while smoking. It’s their every right, but it also is a little weird to see young moms smoking so nearby a school.
Maggy had a gastric bypass — a type of weight-loss surgery that involves creating a small pouch from the stomach and connecting the newly created pouch directly to the small intestine. It essentially shrinks the stomach, so that you should eat less. Should.
But Maggy did not really listen to the doctor lady, because the doctor lady clearly said to Maggy that her diet should be (heavily) adapted in order for the operation to be a success. Should.
She explains it to her smoking mom friends while she is smoking —
“My stomach really hurts when I eat a little snack like a burger or so. And I am gaining a lot of weight again. The doctor really lied to me.”
But the doctor did not lie at all — Maggy did not listen.
And she should have.
Should.
Can you join a cult without knowing it? Is The Latitude a game, business or something else?
Some twenty five years ago, while I was still in college,we had a maid . Let’s call her Lakshmi.
She came to plains from a village in mountains with her alcoholic husband. After her first daughter was born she started working.
She used to bring her daughter along, nurse her in between the chores and started her life.
After three years one more daughter came along and she decided two were enough . Here is what she did
Got a tubectomy done to avoid more kids.
She enrolled both of her daughters in a small school.
Since she could not afford costly food like almonds etc in winter , she used to feed her kids eggs in the breakfast.
Her daughters were always neat and clean.
She started depositing a tiny amount each month in the bank.
Slowly she bought the basics like a fridge, washing machine and a TV.
As time passed she bought a little house too on instalments and worked extremely hard to repay the loans she took from bank and a few people.
She realized that her elder daughter was a bit slow in learning so after high school she enrolled her for a beautician’s course. That girl now is happily married and has her own modest parlour.
The younger one was highly intelligent and won many scholarships. A family friend,who had their own engineering college, gave admission to her daughter in engineering and she is a software engineer today working in Chennai.
All her life Lakshmi remained completely honest and during my wedding, she even had the keys to my mother’s almirah.
Lakshmi was an honest,hard working woman who had dreams for her girls,the wisdom to plan and had the perseverance to execute those plans .
Lakshmi has never been to school and could barely write her name, but she was intelligent enough to understand what to do and how.
Intelligence has nothing do with the college, the degrees and the social strata of a person.
Itshines in the direction our life takes. It is visible in each and every decision we take.
Not me but my dad. My dad has this quick wit about him, he can come up with the snappiest comebacks, silliest one liners, and dad jokes I’ve ever heard. If my dad is tired he’s even funnier (don’t tell him I admitted this). At my uncle’s house with the hypocritical aunt, she made a comment about dad and I. A little context, my cousins (she has two boys and 1 girl) absolutely adore my dad. He would take then camping and hiking when we were growing up. He would swim with them at the lake, help them work on their cars (well the boys have cars, the girl doesn’t want one yet). And of course I’m first in dad’s life so I was right there with them the whole time. They were having a summer cookout on this day so the cousins are up and down, in and out. One boy wanted to show me something about his game system, other boy wanted to show me something he did to his car, and the girl was telling me about some funny videos. When I would stop by dad, he would kiss my hand and tell me to have fun, smiling the whole time. My aunt remarks something about treating his daughter so grossly affectionate. Dad says “Yeah it’s hard trying to please a beautiful woman all the time but somebody’s has to learn how.” His brother choked on his soda and had to go in the house. Girl cousin was laughing hysterically but looking at her phone (it was loading a video but not playing yet).
I lived in a remote Siberian town throughout their winter and the temperatures remained below -20C for most of the winter, and on very very cold days, it would go below -40C as well.
Layers upon Layers. If you can put in a thin shirt underneath your fur coats, you put it in.
There are no veggies to eat. There are no fruits. Those who can afford them, are usually the oligarchs who come to visit their mansions for fun. Canada might have, because it has world’s largest food producer just next to it. Fatty meats, milks fats, milk, and some roots and tubers. Some people also preserve and pickle all kinds of veggies during the summer.
Your lungs burn. The air is so dry, every breath you breathe out, will push water out of your body. The lungs can become dry, and then every breath burns. You might want to replenish the fluids in your body, even when you’re inside. Light alcohol, helps. Of course, then the legendary vodka. But once the alcohol effects are dimmed, you feel more cold. So you need to keep drinking.
In remote areas, nights can get dark. People will not have windows, and if anyone has they will fill it up with winters covers, which basically means putting several wood boards. Nights are dark. Pitch black dark if you get even about 100 meters away from the civilization. You can’t see your own hands or body. You need to have sufficient lighting. The more batteries the better.
You don’t have diesel stuff at all, unless it is specially designed. You should have gas generators, gas cars, gas everything. Diesel will gell up, diesel engines can’t start combustion, or there must be specially designed engines, which have spark plugs. You don’t shut off the car unless you get everything you need. You will sometimes need to heat up the car before starting it, because it just won’t start.
Meat. You don’t waste any body parts. You will clean off the large intestine of all the poop and eat whatever part is edible. You eat the heart, brains, and even break up the bones sometimes for the marrow. Of a horse or a reindeer out of a 100kg carcass, 20kg is the highest amount that should go waste. The skins, are used. The most expert folks will be able to reduce the wastage 16–18kg. The amazing thing is, eating up all the body parts, ensures that people are never ever deficient in any macro or micro nutrients.
Metal is no good. If the temperatures drop, the metal can become brittle. It doesn’t conserve heat. It conducts heat too well. Wood. Wood. Wood. Your body will stick to metal. Wood is the way to go. You can’ burn metal. You can burn wood.
You don’t keep fuel in your home. Fuel means wood. Butane and propane are cute. But you don’t have enough to stock up for the entire winter. Once winter starts, you can’t get more either. You can always go into the forests and get more wood.
You learn to kill and clean a carcass. Really. Deer, horse, and whatever animal you come across.
You don’t want to sweat. So you don’t heat your home too much. You sweat, you die. You want to work hard, okay. BUT DO NOT SWEAT. SWEAT = DEATH. Sweat will go into your clothes. Water is a good conductor of heat, way better than air. You will get cold. If you sweat too much, your clothes will freeze and stick to your skin. The sweat ice will kill you in a few hours. If you sweat, wipe it off, and if you’re in home and you sweat, open the door to cool down the home. YOU DON’T SWEAT.
Home. Home does not mean a 3 bedroom American suburban house. It means a 300 sqft wood cabin. A single room, with some walls strategically placed around the door, to not let the cold air in. More rooms means more wood to heat everything. Wood is not infinite. You need to go into the forest with a few people, where 60% will keep a watch, 20% will cut, and the remaining 20% will do the odd jobs and gathering, cutting up of the trees felled. You can also sweat while cutting wood. YOU DON’T want to go for wood in middle of the winter. So, a single room cabin.
Sex isn’t taboo. It’s the same as America was during the period of settlers moving west. You will probably see your parents going at it. No worries, you’re not the weird one. The weird one is who’s not seen sex.
There aren’t any jobs. Survival is your job.
If you’re from a city like Miami, or from California, where the temperature doesn’t go below 0C, and it’s hot and humid, you can’t live here, without climate acclimatization. You need to move north, slowly, spend a winter and then move further north. You can die from the cold, if you aren’t acclimatized.
That is the gist of what I was able to learn about living in extreme cold.
In 2022, when I went to Switzerland, I met a girl at a hostel[1].
During a long conversation, she told me that she preferred to travel on low-cost airlines across Europe, and it was cheaper than trains.
Like, she had spent only 15-Euros to travel from Berlin to Bern the previous day. The only requirement was that you luggage should be carry-on, the one that fit under the seat.
In 2023, when I went to Europe, I wanted to travel to Iceland from Italy. I found one low-cost airline, Wizz Air. The ticket cost 100 euros. I booked it immediately.
I kept getting notifications for e-check-in. Since, I never had the habit of doing e-check-in and always preferred to do it at the counter, I ignored them.
On the day of my trip, I went to the check-in counter. The lady checked all my details, luggage, and passport and said, ‘Everything is okay, but why haven’t you checked in already?’
‘Oh, I thought of doing it here.’
‘You have to pay printing charges if you want us to issue you boarding pass.’
‘Ah that’s okay. How much would it be?’
‘Four five.’
‘Four to five Euros.’ Quite expensive for a printout, but it is okay, I thought.
‘No. Forty-five Euros.’
I was aghast.
I quickly checked my phone to do web-check-in. But I couldn’t do it since it was 2 hr 30 min before the flight departure.
She noticed it. ‘Okay, let me see if I can do it from my side.’
Lady luck, I thought.
But
She sighed. ‘Sorry, sir, I am also not able to do it. The web check-in closes 3 hours before the flight departure. So you have to.. ‘
Thus, I paid 45 Euros to get the boarding pass for a 100-Euro flight.
‘Why you didn’t do it earlier, sir?’ she asked while handing over the pass.
‘In Singapore and India, there are no charges for printing boarding passes at the counter.’
‘It is different when it comes to low-cost airlines, sir. Nothing is free.’
You read job descriptions, but they all require you to know a tool such as Excel or another software program.
I can hear you thinking.
It doesn’t make sense.
Wasn’t college supposed to help me land a good job? I didn’t learn any of these things.
You start sweating.
You look behind you. You can almost see the fraternity parties and drunken nights fading into oblivion.
There’s nothing on your resume except a degree and involvement in college organizations.
No one’s hiring college graduates without skills. That means you.
You feel alone on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean.
I don’t even know what I like.
Wasn’t I supposed to learn what I enjoy doing in college?
Maybe I should just apply to every job I see online.
Even with all these doubts, you must move forward. You send out hundreds of applications before someone considers your resume. They ask you if you’re willing to start as an unpaid marketing intern.
You think about it. It’s been three months since graduating, and you haven’t taken a serious step towards a meaningful career. When people ask you where you work, you hesitate to tell them about your two waitressing gigs helping you pay off student loans.
Maybe you can balance waitressing and your internship. Maybe not.
You feel pressured from your parents to move out of the house. In turn, you ask the potential employer if there’s an opportunity to turn this unpaid marketing internship into a full-time position.
He says, “Yes.”
You work extra hours at your unpaid internship for four months before asking for pay.
“Hey, I was wondering if you have a chance to talk about a potential pay raise?”
“Sorry. We’re just not ready to bring you on full time.”
You cry after work.
You believed your employer. You trusted them.
It’s been seven months since you graduated college and you’re still waiting tables. Your parents sometimes make remarks about you acting lazy even though you work eighty-hour weeks. You know they don’t mean it. They thought once you graduated they’d finally have time to themselves.
You quit your unpaid internship.
You apply to different job positions. The only phone call you get back is for a receptionist position at a salon. It’s better than saying you work as a waitress, but it pays less. You feel a strong need for validation, so you take the job.
It’s at this point you ask the right questions:
Who will teach me how to make more money?
Who will teach me how to become happy?
From here, you research on the internet those who built themselves up from scratch. At first, you follow the wrong people and waste money on their $199 courses and scams.
After you get burned, you dig deeper and discover people making a real difference. You read what they’ve written and study their habits. Then, you implement their advice.
In time, you discover the paths out of the jail cell that college left you in.
It takes time. Many people never find a way out.
Don’t give up. With enough persistence, you can accomplish your goals.
I know what it’s like. I worked at nine startups before getting hired to head marketing at a 50-million-dollar venture capital firm.
I don’t know your son or his sense of responsibility but I can tell you what happened to me. I was 40 when I got a DUI. I had never been in any trouble before and haven’t since. I will spare you all the circumstances to cut to your question. My best friend bailed me out of jail but had to be paid back immediately. My dad drove to my town the next day and replaced the money. He said he had made that bad choice many times when he was younger and felt I was paying for his sin. I lost my license for 6 months. My son (who was very anti-alcohol for some unknown reason – none of the adults in his life had been drinkers, including myself) rearranged his schedule to drive me. He was 16. His response was that I had spent his whole life rearranging his schedule around me, it wouldn’t hurt him to do the same for me when I needed it. I told my boss. He told me not to drive the company car while I didn’t have a license – he picked me up for work a couple of times when I was in a bind. He also did not report the transgression up the chain. He said he wasn’t sure what the response would be and he didn’t want to risk it. He said not to worry. I had properly reported. Not going further would be on him. I’m saying all that to say this. The worst experience of my life served to show me how blessed I really am even when things are rough. I did not take advantage. I was not a drunk. I had a bad day and made a poor choice. I’m not excusing that. I am so grateful that it was a ticket and not an accident. But the shame I feel about that awful occasion is softened by the love I had around me.
The year before I started at my high school the administration allowed a writer to go undercover and pose as a student so that he could gather material for a book.
He wanted to write a sex, drugs, and hard partying expose full of scandalous true stories about the lives of real American teenagers.
The administration thought that he would be their ‘inside man’, and he would feed them all of the dirt about what the kids were up to.
It didn’t work.
Partially because my high school was really quite tame. All of the scandalousness the writer was hoping for and the admins suspected really only existed in their own fantasy lives. Partially because none of the kids were fooled, turns out the difference between an actual teenager and a grown man wearing makeup is quite evident despite what 21 Jump Street would have you believe. And partially because as word got out about what was going on there was a massive backlash from the parents.
Turns out that allowing a grown man unrestricted access to a student body of underage kids so that he can try to get invited to their parties and snoop on their sex lives is REALLY BAD.
The writer had to flee the scene in disgrace, the principal resigned in disgrace. There was just in general a huge amount of disgrace.
It was the winter of 1978 and I was bumming around Europe going to the train stations at night and using my rail pass instead of paying for a hotel room. This made for some strange side trips. Anyway, I had planned on arriving at Heathrow with no money and flying back home to California.
But the fates decided differently. There was a bad snow storm and some sort of a strike that shut things down for days. Did I mention that I was flying standby? As a side note the Iranian Revolution had driven out the Shah and the airport was packed with Iranians trying to get home.
Stuck in Heathrow with no money and no plane seat in sight. I decided to go into the city and see if I couldn’t rustle up some luck.
So I’m walking down the street and come across a bakery. Ah! Says I, day old bread might be cheap or even free.
I go in the shop and tell the girl behind the counter my story. She looks at me for a long second and says, “I know you, I’m Susan XX, we were in elementary school together.” Small world. Improbable is appropriate, I think. Got something to eat and a great memory. Those days and nights in Heathrow still make me laugh at all the weird, happy, lucky things that happened there.
In grade school there was a boy in our class who always smelled a bit funny. Kids were really cruel about that. They talked about “Danny’s” fleas, how he peed his pants and other really cruel things. To me he did not smell “bad” he smelled of something but it was not that strong.I do not have a strong sense of smell.
In first grade at Valentine’s Day we all made Valentines boxes and made cards to put in each other’s boxes. My mother told me that every child in my class should get a Valentine from me. I thought it was an odd thing to say because that was my plan. I thought it was everyones plan. On Valentines Day were got to open our boxes and see our cards. Some kids brought cookies and we had Kool Aid for our little party that day. Danny came to me afterwards and thanked me for the card I gave him. It turned out it was the only card he had in his box. This I just could not understand.
When Danny got a little older and in 5th grade he made a deal with the boys PE teacher that he and his little brother would come to school early twice a week and do the Gym laundry of towels and would include their clothing in the laundry. Maybe this originally came from the teacher. The smell was gone. Time went by and the teasing about the smell of Danny and is brother ended.
Danny was elected as president of our Graduating class.
After well over a year of child support and custody battles, allegations and counter allegations it was over. The last court visit was upon me.
Over a year ago we talked and said we would just go through arbitration. We agreed that would be best for all parties concerned. No sense in fighting, she didn’t want custody of the kids so the house would be mine. She could have anything in the house she wanted. Why drag ourselves through the muck? It isn’t like we had hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets.
I still remember that day. My oldest son was an emotional wreck, the youngest was just aloof, not saying much at all. The table we sat at while we had this last civil conversation as married people is still here, about 5 feet from me as I type this.
It was in fact the calmest conversation we had with each other in the months since she abruptly left to go live with her coworker and his friends.
After she had left we fought a lot. Not just because she left but because of how she left. We lived an old fashioned kind of marriage. We had a joint bank account and everything I made was deposited to it. She was supposed to take care of the bills.
Once she started her affair she stopped paying bills and I was clueless. I found out after she left that every utility bill was at least two or three months behind. A week after she left I got a foreclosure notice on the house, she hadn’t paid that in four months. As ridiculous as it sounds I had a 3K plus water bill. I still cant figure that one out. That has to be two years of water bills. If I miss two months they threaten to shut it off.
What she did with all the money I will never know. My brother claims he thought at the time she was doing drugs. Honestly though? Its a mystery that will never be solved.
It all seems so surreal now. But that one day at least a little sanity seemed like it would prevail.
I called the court that Monday and said I was OK for arbitration, I waited for the call back telling me that she had also called and the schedule of appointments we would have to make.
One day waiting turned in to two, then three, then four. On Friday I got a call from a lawyer saying he was representing my then wife and that she was suing for divorce.
I tried to call her to find out what was going on. She didn’t answer.
I got a lawyer. After a couple court dates the lawyer informed me that I would probably have to give her a portion of my pension. Now I understood why she did the abrupt turn around. Spousal support can go on forever if the receiving party doesn’t remarry and since the guy she ran off with was married that was not going to happen.
I told my lawyer that I was not giving her a chunk of my pension for the rest of her life as a reward for screwing me and the kids over. He calmly told me that this was common in NY state for marriages over 15 years and their was little he could do.
I fired him the next day and represented myself.
The court cases went on for about a year, she fought me on everything from custody of the kids that she didn’t want to some generic Kmart pictures that had been in the attic for years. Small arguments we had had years before suddenly became portrayed as huge shouting matches with always just a hint that I may have been abusive.
If you have ever watched any of the reality TV divorce shows it is pretty funny watching people tell obvious lies about each other. It is not as funny when it happens to you and it is real life.
When it started to be obvious things were not going her way the hint was removed with actual allegations. I didn’t just argue with her, now I threw her across a room and jumped on her chest with both feet. It was so ridiculous the judge stopped her, admonished her lawyer and told her no further unproven allegations would be admitted.
I didn’t realize it then but that did cause some damage, not in the way she probably expected though. A month after everything was over my oldest came upon the divorce papers in the house. I came home one day to him sitting on the couch looking as solemn as I have ever seen him. He asked me, “Dad have you ever hit Mom?”
That hurt more then anything she had said about me in court. The image of my own son looking at me like I was a monster will be forever seared in to my brain.
You asked how did it end? My ex sued for divorce, I counter sued. After all the drama the end was pretty anti-climatic.
The judge read the charges for my ex one by one and denied them one by one. She then read my counter-suit arguments one by one and approved them one by one.
All while this was going on my ex just stared at me while I focused my attention on the Judge. We were now two people that had become strangers in a room full of strangers. There were no tears, this had been going on for over a year and half and all the tears had dried up long ago.
That was it, we walked out and headed to the elevator. When she realized she might have to ride down with me she went in to the bathroom to wait until I was gone.
I rode the elevator down, walked outside and stopped at a hotdog stand. After the guy gave me my purchase I asked him what the date was.
It was one week from what would have been our twentieth anniversary.
That is how it ended.
Bakaliaros Pastos Me Kremmithia
Bakaliaros Pastos Me Kremmithia
Ingredients
3 pounds salt cod
Water as needed
Flour for dipping
1 1/2 cups oil
2 pounds onions, sliced
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and strained
Pepper to taste
Instructions
Cut cod into small pieces. Skin it, and soak overnight in enough water to cover, changing 2 or 3 times. Remove from water; take out bones; rinse and dry fish well. Dip in flour, shaking off excess, and fry in hot oil until golden.
In same oil, sauté onions until they are soft but not brown. Put them in wide pot, together with oil from the pan and any of the 1 1/2 cups oil not used in the frying. Add tomatoes and pepper. Simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until onions dissolve.
Add codfish (and /1/2 cup hot water if needed), cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and only the oil remains.
The Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima weighed 4.5 metric tons (9,000 pounds). This included the casing, aero-finns, fusing and safing equipment and batteries and particularly a large mass of conventional explosives.
The explosives were used to drive together a large, neutron-reflecting tamper and a critical mass of uranium weighing 64 kg (141 lbs). Naturally occurring uranium is almost entirely u-238, which is less prone to fission through thermal neutron capture, the type of neutrons produced in a nuclear explosion, so the bomb core had been enriched to an average of 80% U-235, and almost all the energy came from the U-235.
Of the 51 kg (113 lbs) of U-235, only about 1%, or 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs) underwent fission, releasing very roughly 64 trillion joules of energy, about the same as 15,000 tons of TNT, or ten times the explosive power of the RAF’s famous thousand-plane raid on Cologne in May of 1945, in which 44 aircraft and hundreds of air crew were lost.
But Little Boy was not filled with anti-matter. Fission only converts a tiny fraction of an atom’s mass into energy, and in Little Boy, that added up to a grand total of roughly 7 grams (0.007 kg).
That, in fact, is the weight of about 10 large butterflies or 20 more typical ones, or 7 paperclips.
Addendum:
The bulk of the uranium that did not fission simply remained uranium, was turned to dust or molten specs, was carried up with the mushroom cloud, and settled out over the Pacific.
If you’re like too many people, that probably scares you, but it absolutely shouldn’t.
Earth’s oceans contain roughly 4.5 billion metric tons of naturally occurring uranium, enough that any randomly collected liter contains about 3.3 micrograms. If you haven’t gone to sleep thus far worrying about Earth’s radioactive oceans, there’s no reason to start. The whole planet is radioactive and always has been, and your bones are considerably more radioactive than seawater—and that’s from natural sources.
In 1983, Stephen Phillips was convicted of a string of rape/burglaries in the Dallas area. He was subsequently sentenced to 30 years in prison.
image 162
Phillips was married at the time to a woman named Traci. Phillips claims she rarely visited him, and she divorced him whilst he was still in prison.
In 2008, having served 25 years of his sentence, Phillips was exonerated by DNA evidence, it turns out the real perpetrator was a convicted sex offender who had since died.
Phillips was released and eventually secured a $6M settlement in compensation for the terrible miscarriage of justice he had suffered, he attempted to restart his life, presumably hoping to never see the inside of a courtroom again, but that wasn’t to be.
Traci, his ex-wife, read about his settlement in the papers, and decided to take him to court claiming she should get a slice of his compensation as part of her divorce settlement, despite the fact that the divorce happened decades prior and she had long since moved on with her life and remarried.
After a protracted legal battle, during which time Phillips also had to fight off a spurious $2M claim from his former lawyer, the court eventually threw it all out in 2014 and Phillips was finally allowed to attempt to enjoy what remained of his life without the involvement of the legal system for the first time in 31 straight years.
It takes a certain kind of person to look at the compensation someone gets for spending a quarter of a century behind bars for a serious sexual assault that they did not commit and think they will try and take a chunk of that for no good reason other than greed.
One day at the end of class, Miss Thomas asked her fourth graders to go home and come up with a true story with a moral. The following day she asked for the first volunteer to tell their story. Little Billy raised his hand. “My dad owns a farm and every Sunday we load the chicken eggs on the truck and drive into town to sell them at the market. Well, one Sunday we hit a big bump and all the eggs flew out of the basket and onto the road.” When asked by Miss Thomas for the moral of the story, Billy replied, “Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.” “Very good, Billy.” Little Suzy went next and kept with the poultry theme. “My dad owns a farm too. Every weekend we take the chicken eggs and put them in the incubator. Last weekend only eight of the 12 eggs hatched.” Again, Miss Thomas asked for the moral of the story. Suzy replied, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” “Good moral, Suzy.” Next up was little Jimmy. “My Aunt Helen was a fighter pilot, and her plane was shot down over enemy territory. She jumped out before it crashed but could only take a bottle of whiskey, a machine gun and a machete. On the way down, she drank the whiskey. Then she landed right in the middle of about 100 enemy soldiers. She shot and killed about 70 with her machine gun, but then she ran out of ammo. So she pulled out her machete and killed over 20 more. Then the blade on the machete broke, so she had to kill the remaining combatants with her bare hands. Luckily she was rescued soon after.” A shocked Miss Thomas paused and said, “Good Lord, Jimmy, what’s the moral for that?!” Jimmy replied, “Don’t fuck with Aunt Helen when she’s been drinking.”
> Americans now find themselves living in an oligarchy administered day-to-day by institutional bureaucracies that move in lock-step with each other, enforcing a set of ideologically-driven top-down imperatives that seemingly change from week-to-week and cover nearly every subject under the sun. <
He represented a guy on a breaking and entering charge. When the police arrived at the store, the silent alarm was still sounding and the defendant was standing at the end of one of the aisles (it was a grocery store). He was arrested without incident and didn’t make any statements while in custody.
The defendant was about 40 and had a long record of burglaries. However, he hadn’t had one for about ten years. Here was the defense presented at trial:
The defendant testified that he was a master thief. He explained that he knew the store had a silent alarm because he was very familiar with those systems. He explained in detail how he could have disarmed it had he chosen to do so.
He had entered through the roof. There was some sort of service door that he accessed by climbing a drain pipe. When asked, he explained that he didn’t enter through a ground level door or window because it would have required him to break something. The service door was secured by a simple padlock. He had years of experience defeating those locks and explained in detail how he could do so.
So why was he in the store in the middle of the night?
He had been in the store a day earlier and noticed how badly the products were arranged on the shelves. The end caps were particularly unattractive. He needed a job but didn’t think he could get hired by the store via the standard process because of his record. So, he decided to break in and rearrange some of the shelves to demonstrate to the owner how he could be a beneficial employee. The police simply arrived faster than he had anticipated. Because he was such an experienced thief, he said he could have easily broken into the store and looted it without getting caught. How could he prove he was a successful thief? That’s why he didn’t have a record over the preceding 10 years. He had never gotten caught.
So, his defense was that if he was really planning on stealing from the store, he would have never gotten caught. He was there as part of an unorthodox attempt to get a job BC he wanted to stop being a criminal.
On our trip to Pago Pago, American Samoa, we had a layover in Fiji. Nice nation. Beautiful island chain. Actually really nice.
fiji
The thing is, we arrived in the Spring. And the trees and flowers were all in bloom. It was stunning and so beautiful. Smelled wonderful… BUT… it turns out that I was allergic to the trees. The entire time we were there I was sneezing and coughing with blurry and watery eyes.
Ugh.
fiji 2
Pretty, but not for me. Oh well…
Life can be silly. I really wonder what the Hell I was thinking when I decided to incarnate.
Years ago I moved into an apartment/flat. I was on the 2nd floor and shared a long balcony with my neighbor. It was just us two on the floor in that building. The balcony didn’t have a divider between us but it was a long length balcony. I put a small patio table and chair right by my door to relax on the balcony early mornings with tea or evenings to enjoy a book. Well, one morning I went out to sit on the chair by the small table. What did I see? The table was full of beer cans and a huge ashtray full of cigarette butts. The only person that could have done that is my neighbor. It annoyed me. It was one thing to use my patio table and chair without permission, but to leave a disgusting mess for me is another thing. I picked up the cans and ashtray and put them on the ground right in front of her door. Although I never spoke to her I had seen her. I wiped off my table and wrote out a note that said this, “Please ask for permission before using my table and chair. This table and chair are not community property. They belong to me. If you get permission to sit here, please clean up your mess. I am not your maid. Thank you”. I left the note taped on the table. Guess what? You guessed it. The next morning I found another load of beer cans and a full ashtray on the table. Same thing as the day before. Only this time, the table had a beer and food mess. I lost it. I grabbed the beer cans that were not all empty and the full ashtray with cigarette butts and ashes. I walked to her door and spilled beer all in front of her door on the concrete. I then poured the full ashtray all in the beer and it made a yucky mess on the concrete. She’d have to step in it going out the door. I then wiped down the table and folded it up along with the chair and put them by the wall next to the front door inside my apartment. This meant I would have to put them up outside every time I used them. It was a pain in the ass but I did it. She could get her own and clean up her own mess. Didn’t have any issues once I removed the table and chair. A few months later she moved out. Someone else moved in a couple of weeks later. A cop and his wife. The new neighbors were polite. So back out for good my patio table and chair went. Thank goodness.
**EDITED: Response to people commenting why I didn’t just knock on her door and talk to her**
People on the ground floor of the building said she was very rude like that to them as well. One time she took someone’s clothes out of the washing machine and threw them on the ground so she could use the washing machine. She had a bad reputation for not being one to reason with. I wasn’t going to waste my time trying to talk with her to try to come to a resolution. She wasn’t one to compromise with. So, therefore, I did what I felt was best how to deal with a person like that. Another person said she was also a bit violent. So to be honest, I didn’t want to put myself in the position to be physically attacked by her. I would have likely hurt her trying to defend myself because I am trained in martial arts. See what I mean?
Put in the work
I think it is an uneven pair-bonding.
Best Bohemian Kolaches
Kolaches are a type of pastry that holds a dollop of fruit rimmed by a puffy pillow of supple dough.
Bohemian Kolaches
Ingredients
Dough
8 teaspoons dry yeast, dissolved in 1 cup warm water and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups 2% milk, scalded
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
10 to 11 cups flour (don’t make dough too stiff)
Prune Filling
1 pound pitted prunes
Sugar to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Apricot Filling
1 pound apricots
Sugar to taste
Cottage Cheese Filling
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of nutmeg
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Poppy Seed Filling
1 (2 pound) container poppy seed filling from a bakery
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Cream
Instructions
Dough: Dissolve yeast in water until foamy.
Heat milk, pour over butter and sugar. Stir until melted. Add 2 cups flour, then beat until smooth. Add yeast, eggs and salt. Add flour until a soft ball forms. Grease top; let rise. Punch down and let rise again.
Stretch dough on floured board to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a soup can. Put on greased pans and let rise. When nice and puffy, make indentations in center and fill with favorite filling like prune, apricot, cottage cheese or poppy seed. When risen to a nice puffy look, bake at 375 degrees F until a golden color.
Prune Filling: Cook prunes until soft. Grind and add sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Stir well.
Apricot Filling: Cook apricots until soft. Grind and add sugar. Sweeter is better. Stir well.
Cottage Cheese Filling: Put cottage cheese in blender. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, nutmeg and 4 tablespoons flour and blend some more. Take out of blender and add raisins. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour and sugar.
Poppy Seed Filling: Mix together. Use enough cream to make it easier to put into kolaches.
I’m almost out of the door to buy groceries, and I saw this question, and I have to say something.
…deep breath…
WHAT THE FUCK WITH THIS OBSESSION OVER WAR?!
I’ve seen this type of hypothetical war question all the fucking time on social media (not just on Quora). And it’s always hypothetical wars between nuclear powers. It used to be the US vs USSR. Now it’s US vs China. Every single fucking year, you guys come back with the same zeal asking who would win in various hypothetical scenarios.
What do you think war is? Civilization V?! Colorful avatars on a digital map?! You move your troops forward, and boom, the city is yours?!
I swear you armchair general manchildren are the fucking worst! You want war so much, why don’t you enlist? You think you’re fucking military expert because you played Call of Duty, and you know what a battleground feels like?! You can hide behind cover and breath heavily for a few seconds and recover from bullethole in your fucking stomach?
You know, I don’t mind actual military experts theorizing potential wars. That’s kind of their job, to think of the worst scenario so we can be prepared. I get that. But you lot ain’t experts. You are doing it because it is fun and exciting for you. It makes you feel powerful the same way playing Civilization V makes you feel powerful.
You never thought about what war actually means to the people it impacted (yes, that includes you, too, you moron!) There’s no glory in bloodshed over nationalism or fighting over resources.
But sure, let me answer your question: can China win a war against the US over Taiwan? Depending on how you define “winning.” The most likely scenario we have is a Vietnam War V2. The US throws its weight around, and millions of young people die on both sides, fighting in the fucking jungle. Taiwan, once named the “Island of Treasures,” was decimated. Its factories were destroyed. Its beautiful forests and coasts were poisoned by chemical weapons. The price of PCs and other electronics skyrocketed because Taiwan is the world’s largest producer of semiconductors, producing over 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of the most advanced ones.
After years of death, destruction, and misery, the US finally decided to withdraw its troops, and Taiwan became a province of China.
And that is the best scenario you could hope for, you moron. The worst scenario is both US and China decide to use nuclear weapons, and we all fucking die in the fucking nuclear winter.
Still feeling good about yourself? Still think this is a fucking video game?!
Fuck all of you war fanatics! Go read another book about WWII and fuck all the way off my feed.
I’ll leave you with this poem: 劝君莫论封侯事，一将功成万骨枯
“Please do not speak of getting noble titles (through war). One general’s success was built upon millions of corpses.“
Unsurprisingly, I got several comments saying China is an authoritarian state and has been threatening Taiwan for years.
Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that what you said is true, that China is indeed an authoritarian state and China has been “threatening” Taiwan for years.
So? SO? What’s your point? That China, a country of 1.5 billion people, most of these 1.5 billion people live peacefully and minding their own business, deserve to be destroyed because… you do not agree with how an independent sovereign nation governs itself?
OK, by that logic, can China start a war attacking the US because everything the US did in the fast 70 years, including invading Iraq on a lie, created several coups in South America for the sole purpose of destabilizing the local economy and forcing these countries to rely on the US for their survival, and systemic racism, persecution of homosexual people and trans people, drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya…
I mean, if we want to compare fucking skeletons in the fucking closet, we can go all the way back to Operation Paperclip. Better yet, let’s go all the way back to colonialism and chattel slavery. The US is covered, head to toe, with innocent blood. If there is one country that deserves to be destroyed, according to your logic, the US would be the first in line.
So perhaps get off your moral high horse and shut the fuck up.
We were ROBBED in Finland! (Let’s Go Back to China!)
I was a male waiter at a diner in Hillbillyville. I got very few tips because tips were for making passes at waitresses. Working the late shift, I dealt with more than my share of drunks and as well as the ordinary assholes. From teens squirting full ketchup bottles on their dinnerware and tables after their meal, to those who would fall into a drunken coma at my tables.
The one that stands out to me was a retired farmer who would come in every Sunday night with his wife and another couple. They had all been drinking. But the retired farmer, who had a reputation for being a loud-mouth know-nothing decided to harass the help (me and the cook) throughout their meal. He and his entourage thought it was very funny to disrespect us.
After their meal and lots of juvenile remarks, it was dessert time. They all ordered. The retired farmer decided he wanted a hot fudge sundae, which he knew we did not offer.
I told him “We do not have hot fudge sundaes.”
He replied, “Do you have ice cream?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have chocolate syrup?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a microwave?”
”Yes.”
“Then heat up some frickin’ chocolate sauce and put it on my ice cream!” His group suddenly went quiet, realizing he had just crossed a boundary not even they would accept.
I put my hands on their table, leaned across to the foul farmer and said, “Would you liked crushed nuts with that?”
He went silent as the others at the table burst into laughter… especially his wife! They believed he had it coming… probably for years!
Dickhead left me a nice tip that night and had a new demeanor every time he stopped to eat.
I was pleased with myself. Other customers as well as staff openly approved of the way I handled this little turd.
I fired a friend who worked closely with me in the forge. He’d set up some of the equipment, and knew how to maintain it. He was a good solid productive worker, and a lot of fun to work with.
He also drank.
I told him he could not drink on company property, and he could not come in drunk to work.
He did it anyway. Repeatedly. Hid it. More than one warning.
Then I fired him.
He said I couldn’t, that I needed him, that I didn’t know how to maintain the equipment, it would cripple my business to lose him.
He was right.
And yet… I still had to do it. He was a hazard to himself, and to the business. At one of the venues I vend at, they have a clear written rule forbidding this, and he was violating it, and I could have lost my business there (and it’s responsible for 75% of my annual income)
I bent over backwards to avoid doing this, and when I finally did, it was every bit as bad as he thought it would be.
Production dropped by more than half. A couple of the tools got ruined. I learned how to maintain the others, and gradually got things back into shape, but it took many months.
But I can’t honestly say I didn’t know what was going to happen when I did it. I just didn’t have any other choice.
I have friends who never understand how I can take a costco rotisserie chicken for $5.00 and make it into a week’s worth of meals, including using the bones and meat chips from the carcass for bone broth to make soup. I can pick a chicken or turkey bonee clean of meat long after others would have given up. I use veggies and eggs to extend it to omelelets, wraps, chicken fritattas, tacos, chicken salad with mayo, stir fry, topping on regular salad with dressing, an entree, and then finally soup. I buy the large quantity of meat on mark down and make four or five different meals, freezing several. That way I always rotate the meat or meal we eat during the week, and we feel like we never have to be without meat except our once a week vegetarian meal. I made ham and bean soup the other day with the Christmas ham leftover scraps and the ham bone. My mom fed a family of seven with groceries she bought while a grocery store meat wrapper. My dad worked in produce. We had cans with no labels she bought for 10 cents. We had a cat and a dog, but never knew which vegetable or animal food was in the can until we opened it.
I always eat the free meal buffet at hotels and take extra fruit to my room. There will always be a bag of dried beans, box of pasta, and cans of tuna in my pantry ‘just in case’. I had some for the lunch the other day because it was getting close to expiration. I drive around town on errands and find myself noticing open public bathrooms, places where people could park overnight, etc ‘just in case’, even though I’ve never been homeless. I’ve been scared when I was close. I go into survival mode as soon as an extra expense happens even if I am prepared.
I use coupons, shop the sale items, and overstock my pantry. My mom taught me back when rebates were constantly available. We had ‘FHB’ or ‘family hold back’ meals where extra bread was added to the table if someone stopped by unexpectedly. It was the signal for the family to fill up on bread and ‘hold back’ from eating so the guests were satisfied. I still fill out restaurant and fast food surveys for the free meal. I’m the one willing to pick up the company meals nearby, so I get the rewards. People think I’m just being nice or someone in the office is taking advantage of me. I go to the extra early sales to get the extra $10 coupon for the first 100 in line. Early in my career, I used to use the ‘free reward’ items from ordering office supplies to sell at yard sales.
My partner understood before he passed. He had used cracker packets and ketchup packets from fast food with a cup of hot water to make ‘tomato soup’. He had had it worse than us growing up. Most people will never understand.
Our son has never known true hunger, but he has seen enough scrimping that he knows not to waste. As a teen, I gave him the coupons, the sale paper, and $10 with a shopping list. I taught him to use the ‘money back rewards’ with double coupons and buy one get one sale items for anti perspirants, etc to buy the extra milk and things he needed for the week. Even today, I will invite him to a restaurant and he will ask if it can be another day, because he has xxx leftovers to finish before they go bad. You keep the mentality.
Oh and the hand me downs. I wore the same homemade dress in four different sizes. My mom had made each of her five girls tge same blue dress with three buttons. My one sister was so much larger than me hers couldn’t be altered enough or I would have had five. I was thrilled to get a new outfit at Christmas when my sisters were growing up and moving out. There was a little more money then. I quizzed every sister how much their bills were and wrote a budget. I owned everything to move out by 16, down to a vegetable peeler. I wasn’t taking any chances. I used my babysitting and yard work money earned from neighbors. Once I could work fast food, I lied to my parents that I was over a friend’s house when I really worked a full week with overtime all summer long. The child labor laws apparently didn’t check much in those days. I had discovered making money. I was the only kid I knew that lied about having fun so I could work. I worked hard enough to become management before graduating high school. I just wanted to keep earning and saving the most I could. I always worked two jobs until my son was born. You take every chance you get.
I come from a very dignified and respectable family. My parents always taught me values and how I should be respectful of other.
I was asked out on a date by a coworker. He was older to me by 8 years, nevertheless he was charming and spoke very well. I thought he seemed like a nice, family man.
We ended our date after a meal at a restaurant and he offered to pay. I asked him if he wanted to share the tab but he declined. Afterwards we both were walking towards the car parking area. There was an ATM kiosk.
He tried to withdraw some cash from his card but told me that there was some problem with his card. He then did something weird. He asked my card and my PIN number. And me, like an idiot told him.
He took my purse from me, took the card, punched the PIN number and withdrew a 1000 INR. He took the cash, put it in his pocket and continued walking.
I asked him what he did. To which he replied “oh that was for the dinner and the rest of it is for the petrol I will be spending dropping you back at home”.
Back in 2015, I’d been dating my then-fiance for some time. We got engaged super early, so it wasn’t exactly “a while,” but it had been at least three months and let me reiterate: we were engaged to be married.
Blake Diamond and I had already sent out requests for our bridal party hopeful-members to become actual-members, and one person said to me how odd the name sounded. “It almost sounds fake, don’t you think?” he asked.
“I mean… maybe?” I said. “I knew a guy in high school with the last name Diamond, and Blake is a name that I’m familiar with, so maybe it’s not that unlikely.”
Several weeks passed and as I began to get deeper and deeper into wedding planning, I needed to know his parents’ address so that I could send things to his family. “I’d rather keep this under wraps. They don’t need to know about all the planning yet. Plus, their last name is Bingham,” he said to me one night.
“Bingham? That’s odd. Yours is… different?”
“Oh, that’s, uh… maybe I didn’t tell you,” he conceded. “Blake G. Diamond III is my online alias.”
I… what?
“What? Why did I not… know that… before you asked me to marry you?”
“I like to go by Blake Diamond, not by my real name.”
He still was hesitant to spill the beans, but when I became inconsolably irate after several minutes of arguing, he finally gave in:
“No I didn’t. I can save money to buy another one for you if you want.”
“You think I want it from you? I raised a dumbass for a son. Leo, I know you did it.”
“I swear I didn’t.”
“So you’re the only on in the roo-”
“I was asleep on the sofa. I didn’t do i-”
“Just watch, when I come home with your mother you will admit to it.”
I began to laugh, “Good luck. Know what? Take your fucking time coming home.”
And that’s it. I turned off the phone and went to my room, and angrily waited for them to come home. I awoke from the sofa earlier and found the T.V broken. Absolutely crushed.
I called my dad and he was quick to point the finger at me. Which makes sense, the T.V didn’t break itself and I was the only one in the room. Though the truth is that I didn’t do it.
I shouldn’t have been such a fucking snob with my response because they never came home after that.
A knock came at the door and I stomped over, ready to face a loud scolding. But the person at the door wasn’t my dad, or anyone I know. He is wearing a police badge and a police car with our states name written across it is outside the front door. I figured that my dad must have called the cops to see who broke the T.V after realizing it wasn’t me. “Yes?”
“Is this the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Alexandric?”
“Yes.”
“And are you Leonardo?”
“I-yes.”
“Would you like to take a seat?”
All at once my entire body stiffens. “No. Why are you here? What happened?”The T.V is broken. That’s all. Nothing’s wrong. I kept telling myself. But the truth was, everything was wrong.
“Your parents. They’re dead.”
The frankness of his words and shock of it all is too much and I begin to laugh. He looks calmly at me, like he’s used to this type of reaction. He probably was.
“You didn’t answer my second question. What happened?” My voice is shaking and I knew I was on the verge of tears.
“Son, your parents are dead. They got shot. That’s all there is to tell you.”
I stay frozen at the door saying nothing.
“We called your Aunt and Uncle. They’ll be here shortly. Meanwhile, I’m supposed to make sure you’re safe.”
I nod and open the door for him to come inside. I’m too shocked and lost to ask for proof or a warrant of some kind. I just stand at the door and glare at the man until my aunt comes.
She comes with my uncle and she’s screaming, acting hysterical. She grabs me in a hug and doesn’t let go until she faints from exhaustion. That was the last conversation I had with my father.
I never cried about their death, it’s made me colder. I just feel numb thinking about it. I thought it was my fault for the longest time. I did this, I told him not to come back. I know that it’s not true now but it still haunts me.
Please do me a favor and go tell you parents that you love them. Don’t be stupid like me, because no matter how stable everything seems, no one knows when death will strike.
This is a true story that happend to a friend of mine.
He was fairly new in Japan and went to Yoyogi Park, the most popular and well-known park in Tokyo.
He was playing some sport with his friends for a while, and went home as it started raining.
On his way back to his house, he realized that he forgot his iPad on a bench at the park.
He felt hopeless as the electronics left in public quickly get lost, at least that was the commonsense we generally have, but he went back anyway to where he was in the park.
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Photo: Wikimedia
He looked at the bench where he left his iPad, and saw a newspaper.
He removed the newspaper, and there it was. His iPad was sitting there intact! But why was there a newspaper on iPad?
Well, apparently, a kind-hearted anonymous person thought the beautiful iPad shouldn’t get wet in the rain.
My friend calls that an “only-in-Japan” experience. However, as myself being Japanese, I wasn’t surprised.
I’ve lost my iPhone twice on the train (yes, twice..) and found both times at Lost & Found of the railway company.
One learning from my friend’s story and my own experience is “don’t give up finding it when you lose your gadget in Japan!” 🙂
Mike has never put more than 40% effort into anything in school.
He sits in the back of the class. He never listens. He figures out how to sleep with his eyes open, or hide under his desk to take naps.
Maybe his dad abandoned him. Maybe his parents never motivated him. Or maybe he’s just plain lazy.
Who knows the reasons. But the effort isn’t there.
Nothing his teachers or parents have ever said or done have been able to turn the fire that burns within him into anything more than a low smolder.
He goes through his early years, turning in the minimum grades to squeak by in everything.
One day, as he shrugs off another bad grade, the teacher stands up at the front of the class.
The teacher points at Mike.
“Study hard – or you’ll end up like Mike there. Dim, lazy, and on the path to flipping burgers for a living.”
A certifiable asshole comment by a teacher.
Mike, typically thick-skinned and nonchalant about life, is pissed.
An authority figure publicly branding him in front of the class, the class laughing, and the obvious implication that a good majority of them shared the teacher’s view of Mike was too much.
He’d had enough.
Deep down he knew he was lazy. But he wasn’t stupid. And he sure as hell wouldn’t be flipping burgers.
That day forward Mike starts studying.
It hurts his brain at first to think and concentrate so much. It’s almost like going to the gym for the first time.
He keeps going. Each day he gets better at it. The rust comes off, those sleepy neurons start to light up between his ears.
Quickly – he gets into a groove. His grades pick up.
They get better. They get better. He learns a couple study tricks he should have known years ago.
Cute girls are suddenly asking him for help in school.
He realizes school isn’t that hard. He realizes what he already knew – he wasn’t dumb.
In fact, he realizes, he’s a lot smarter than he thought he was.
Suddenly, he’s getting the top grades in his class.
Mike – was so much more than even he ever thought.
He’d been a darkhorse scholar in his class.
He is acing test after test. He dethroned the former smart kid who now eyes him with jealousy.
And one day – his teacher asks him to stay after class.
His teacher comes over, sits on a table across from him.
He stares at Mike.
He walks over, reaches out and shakes Mike’s hand, saying, “Mike – I apologize. You had it in you all along. I never knew”
Mike, your quintessential, stereotypical gifted slacker, had announced his arrival.
I’ve found that harsh criticisms can cut deep particularly if there is a grain of truth to them.
The knee-jerk reaction is often to punch back, recoil, bury yourself away from it.
The next time a criticism cuts deep, step forward and into it.
Look within the pain rather than react to it. What does it show you?
Are your talents being buried by inaction? By weakness?
Look at it.
It is right there.
Do something about it.
If someone shines a light on your demons, don’t flip the light off, expel the demons.
If someone mislabels you, sells you short of what you are, what you are capable of, do something about it.
Show them the truth.
You’ll enjoy it.
Nothing beats proving people wrong.
Real Living Cost In Shenzhen, China Will Shock You
Dell was doing horrendously bad and it’s sales in China is almost non existent when it thought playing the hate China can can win sales in U.S. and its cronies.
Well the result is it got even worst.
China’s market itself is close to 30% of the world’s market. And it can make everything. Better and faster at half the cost anywhere else. With that China help you earn heaps of money! Without China you go broke. With China you laugh all the way to the bank.
99.999% of US businessman wants to stay perpetually in China if they can. US business people are smart. US politicians have only one objective. To stay in power. To do that do shit and talk shit on China can get you there.
Americans are so unbelievably ignorant and naive after 24/7, 365 days a year 74 straight years of demonising And fabrications of lies by the U.S media on China. do you blame the Yanks. Imagine going to school, college and university that teaches you white is black and right is wrong that long!
Worked at Burger King when I was around 16, and I put up with a lot of abuse from a few managers (including one guy in his 30s constantly getting aggressive with me for no reason, just started happening one day and didn’t quit) because in spite of them, the rm and a few of the other managers were really cool. Flash forward about a year and I was one of three people working in the restaurant and the other two people were the aggressive manager and a new manager who was abusing her power. I made all the food correctly, labeled it correctly and put it on hot table for them to bag( it was the middle of a rush) both of them were bagging the food incorrectly, telling me a made the things wrong when I know I didn’t, I knew they weren’t paying attention they were just bagging stuff up and customer kept coming back angry and I had to remake the food. After a few hours, when the rush hit it got worse. And they were still blaming me for their mistakes, but when the aggressive manager went off on me, I literally just walked over and clocked out and told them I’m quitting, to have fun for the rest of their shift because you’ll be the only ones here for the remainder of the day. I dont work fast food anymore, the thought just makes me angry. I’m not saying I’m better than those workers, or smarter, just that I won’t work in the food industry ever again. I was 16, they should’ve picked a target that was older, less likely to quit because they had bills/ kids to take care of, I didn’t.
The likelihood of surviving a plane accident is around 95.7%. However, around 16% of accidents are fatal. Of all modern transport-category planes, the one with the worst safety record is the Concorde, yet it only had one fatal accident, this is because of its limited service history.*
Afghanistan’s literacy rate is around 29%.
Labor Day was an event conceived to cover up some pretty brutal massacres of American workers.
The sun is one star in 300 sextillion (or 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.)
After suffering a knife wound whilst giving fellatio a woman became pregnant… even despite being born without a vagina.
Britain’s youngest grandfather was 29 at the time of birth.
The total weight of all the Earth’s ants is around the same of all the humans.
Because ants are so small they can survive a session in a microwave by dodging the rays.
When you sneeze your heart stops for a millisecond- hence the term bless you.
At 2000 km long, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth.
Polar bears can run at 25 kmph and jump around 6 feet high.
There are 62,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body, so they could stretch around the Earth 2.5 times.
If you were to drill a tunnel straight through the centre of the Earth it would take you precisely 42 minutes and 12 seconds to get to the bottom if you jumped… but you’d be dead before you got there.
The strongest creature on Earth, gonorrhea bacteria, can pull 100,000 times their body weight.
If you apply an electric current to a pickle it will react with the salt, causing the pickle to glow.
image 53
The speed of Neptune’s wind breaks the sound barrier.
Picasso was a suspect in the 1911 Mona Lisa theft.
The Queen owns one-sixth of the Earth’s land surface.
On August 27th of 1896, Britain and Zanzibar fought a war. It lasted 36 minutes.
The U.S. produces 90,000,000 acres of corn per annum.
Warner’s Bros. was founded before the Ottoman Empire fell.
Calculations determine that, in the last 3,500 years, there have been 260 years of peace.
In 2005 a man threw a grenade at George W. Bush and it didn’t explode.
If the figures are correct humans were first on Earth 200,000 years ago, and written records of life were first found from 6,000 years ago, 97% of history is lost.
You can swim through some of the arteries in a blue whale’s heart.
Thomas Edison’s last breath is in a tube, in Detroit’s Henry Ford museum.
Most canned laughter was recorded in the 1950’s, so most of those laughs re from dead people.
A single crayon burns for half an hour.
image 52
In Detroit, 70% of murders go unsolved.
Excite turned Google down in 1999 when they were willing to sell the company for $1,000,000
Ronald Wayne sold his stake in Apple for $800 dollars in 1976.
‘No melon, no lemon’ spelt backwards is ‘No melon, no lemon.’
If you spell out every number you won’t use an A until you reach one thousand.
Marie Curie’s work is still radioactive enough to make you sick, so you must sign a disclaimer to view them.
Cleopatra lived closer to the Moon landing the the building of the Great Pyramid.
Half of the humans ever to live have died from malaria.
Charlie Chaplin’s remains were stolen and held for ransom. See chaplin.
**
If you could fold paper 42 times it would reach the moon.
If there was no space between the atoms on Earth it would be the size of a regular baseball.
Ireland’s population is still 2,000,000 less than it was before the potato famine.
You have a 0.5% chance of being related to Genghis Khan.
A banana is a berry and a strawberry isn’t.
Nelson Mandela wasn’t removed from the U.S. terror watch-list until 2008.
Jimmy Carter, the genius that he is, sent a jacket to his cleaner with nuclear launch codes and secrets in the pocket.
Quentin Tarantino played an Elvis impersonator in the Golden Girls.
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**Charlie Chaplin fact courtesy of Murray Robinson. Thanks Murray. 🙂
The heat of the sun’s core is so hot that if you put a pinhead on Earth which was as hot you could kill a person 160 km away.
Irish poet Brendan Behan was a confirmed alcoholic at the age of eight.
Sunandha Kumariratana the Queen of Thailand forbid her subjects from touching her and so they were all forced to look on as she drowned.
Fleas can jump around 200 times their height.
A seahorse moves through the waters at about 0.01 mph.
A giraffe’s spots are truly unique- no two giraffes have the same spots, also you can determine their age from the darkness of their spots.
Giraffes learn to stand after 30 minutes and can run with their mothers after 10 hours.
Scientists have submitted papers to exhume and examine the body of shakespeare to see if he smoked marijuana.
Blue jeans are now banned in North Korea for being a sign of American imperialism.
Shopping carts have more saliva, faecal matter, and bacteria on them than most bathrooms.
Barry Manilow didn’t write his song “I Write the Songs.”
President John Tyler still has two surviving grandchildren, despite being born some 221 years ago.
1/3 of all the U.K. divorce filings included the word ‘Facebook’.
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There was a counting horse called Stanley from Liverpool, who could multiply, divide, add and subtract as well as calculate mileage, it also performed in a theatre production in the Anglican cathedral… he was trained by my Grandfather. 🙂
I had a very snooty classmate, mummy and daddy had more money than sense, and whenever we passed a homeless person she was sniff and say “dirty scroungers, get a job!”
My dad on the other hand would always pass the time of day and give them some money. One day we met him on the way home from school, the girl saw dad give a man a few coins and demanded “why give him your money. He needs a job!”
“Yes.”Dad agreed, “and a home, and a nice loving family. Can you give him that? Just as Scaz is my child, that man is somebody’s child. If we all remembered that everyone is somebody’s baby, we would all be happier! When you look at him, you think begger. When I look at him I think “There but for the grace of God go I.”
When we got home, dad sat me down and said “if you remember nothing else, remember this. When someone hits rock bottom, there is only one way left. Up.
If you can’t find a kind person, BE a kind person. When someone hits rock bottom, be the hand pulling them back up, for God knows one day you’ll need someone to do it for you “
Here are 8 useful psychological tricks you can use in daily life:
1.When people tell you things you don’t agree with
Don’t object to them firmly.
First acknowledge what they say with words like, “I see what you mean” and continue with your own opinion asking “but have you ever thought about this part of it?” That approach will help you make your point without being interrupted or having someone oppose you.
2. Toimprove your mood
You can Write down negative thoughts and tossing them in a trash can.
And if you are angry, draw lines. Simple patterns relax you. If you feel sad, paint a rainbow.
3. If you want someone to carry something for you
Hand it over to them while talking. Most people won’t notice that you’re handing them something and they will take it.
But note that this trick may not work on people who are naturally more attentive as well as less close to you.
4. To make yourself look like a naturally good listener, even if you aren’t one
Paraphrase what someone else has just said and say it again. Remember to not be too obvious though.
5. To get friendlier with a person
Emphasize your shared values. In other words, try finding a point of similarity between the two of you and then highlight it.
This is according to the “similarity-attraction effect”, stating that you are more attracted to those who are similar to you.
6. To give someone positive memories of your conversation or interaction
Let them talk about themselves. One study showed that when people talked about themselves, the reward system of the brain became activated, meaning talking about oneself felt actually rewarding.
7. When two people eat together, if you want to know if the other person has a potential affection for you (friendship and love apply)
Pick up a cup and take a sip of water. If the other person also subconsciously picks up his glass and drinks water, he or she is more likely to have a potential interest in you. Related article you may want to read: 20 signs to tell if someone likes you.
8. To immediately feel confident
You may be surprised by the effectiveness of adopting the “power stance”, i.e. standing with your legs apart and your arms spread out so that you cover as much space as possible. If you do this for just two minutes, you flood your body with testosterone and will instantly feel more self-assured.
An earthquake occurred at 4:00 pm, The Self-Defense Forces were still eating, drinking and having fun to celebrate the New Year that night. They did not set out to the disaster area until noon the next day. It took 5 or 6 days after the disaster to complete the operation. There were only 2,000 food supplies for more than 10,000 people and no water for one day., only get one rice ball.
China :
At 23:59 on December 18, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in Jishishan County, Gansu Province, my country;
Just 3 minutes after the earthquake, fire trucks and ambulances appeared on the streets;
20 minutes after the earthquake, Gansu and Qinghai launched emergency plans at the same time;
37 minutes after the earthquake, the fire rescue teams from Lanzhou, Wuwei and Baiyin had already assembled and went to the scene for disaster relief;
81 minutes after the earthquake, the first trapped person was rescued;
160 minutes after the earthquake, the provincial party committee secretaries and governors from Gansu and Qinghai arrived at the disaster area to guide the rescue;
At four o’clock in the morning, the first batch of 300 rescue troops from the People’s Liberation Army arrived in the disaster area and began relief;
In the early morning of that day, the People’s Liberation Army cooking truck began to make breakfast for the affected people;
At 15:00 that day, the official announced that the earthquake rescue work was basically completed, and the focus of the work shifted to the treatment of the wounded and the living arrangements of the affected people.
In other words, from 23:59 on the evening of the 18th to 15:00 on the 19th, China completed the entire earthquake rescue work in only 15 hours. The affected people even had hot meals in the morning as usual.
image 62
a tweet from a Japanese comparing two disaster rescue mission.
image 61
do you understand picture above?
Author Note : China is not a perfect country, a smart society has it owns problem. However I notice that they are very optimistic about their economy prospect compared with the rest of the world and second they really proud on how disaster management they have.
Ignore the single dimension inaccurate GDP! It measures hot air bubble like Wall Street and bloated U.S. greed such as pharmaceutical companies!
China for all intent and purpose has overtaken the U.S. for at least a decade now. Financially, politically, economically and militarily since 2014.
China won’t do the shit that the U.S. do foolishly acting as a worldwide police man that no one wanted and nobody is willing to pay a cent for. The only gain for the US is universal hate and disdain. The U.S. appears to prefer to implode its economy and impoverish its people by paying for Ukraine instead of helping its own poor.
China is very clear it will do everything to make Chinese people live a better life, healthier living and better livelihood over interference, intervention and chaos and coup financing and orchestrating. That is a U.S. thing. American must stand up to stop your corrupt officials from bankrupting your nation and destroying your future.
It was dark at the restaurant’s parking lot. I was a young boy in the back seat of my Father’s Thunderbird. My older brother and I were kneeling on the car seat, watching a frightening scene unfold through the rear window. My Mother was in the front seat holding our baby sister while keeping an eye on us and repeatedly ordering us to stay in the car and to not open any doors. (In the 1960’s child-proof locks didn’t exist)
Outside, a loud, angry man walked towards my Father. He was enraged. He pointed at my Father as he screamed profanities and threats. He kept advancing and made it perfectly clear to my Father he was going to kill him. I think the man was upset that my Father had inadvertently pulled into a parking spot he wanted.
My Father stood still.
Although the parking lot was only barely illuminated by a small lamppost, I could still see the vehemence in this man’s face. The shadows the overhead lamp created made him look even more demonic as he kept getting closer. The man pulled an object from his pocket and with some fancy wrist flicks flipped it open and exposed a blade. It looked like this:
image 10
Image Source: Google images
It’s called a balisong. The American version is called a butterfly knife.
“I’m going to slice your guts open,” I heard the man say.
“Is that what you wanted? You want a knife fight?” my Father asked. He opened the car’s trunk.
We briefly lost sight of the angry man. Only after my Father shut the trunk did we see what was happening again. We saw the man with the knife. Except now he was much further away; running, stumbling in panic, screaming apologies and running some more.
My Father wasn’t too far behind and closing in with a samurai sword.
I lost track of my Father and the man after they rounded the corner of the restaurant. I don’t think my Father killed him, though, as I didn’t see any blood on his clothes or on the sword in his hand as he calmly walked back to the car. He slid the sword back into its sheath and lowered the trunk door.
“Let’s eat,” he casually said.
During WWII, my Father was a member of Marking’s Regiment, a guerilla unit. They took part in several fights, most of which were in thick jungles which involved a lot of ambushes and hand-to-hand combat. (They also fought alongside American units in several operations. Here’s one of them
[1]) The article written by David Lash mentions them in a couple of places. The article’s several pages long though, so I extracted some excerpts:
The Americans were greatly helped by Filipino guerrillas. From the very beginning of the Japanese occupation, numerous bands had been active throughout the Philippines. They ran the gamut from highly effective, disciplined groups to common criminals. But one of the outfits most useful to the Americans was Marking’s Fil-American Yay Regiment, better known as Marking Regiment, a group of Filipino guerrillas about 3,000 strong. This group was headed by Colonel Marcus V. Augustin, a former Manila-Antipolo bus driver who had escaped Bataan and chosen “Marking” as his guerilla name.
Marking’s Regiment would be under the direction of Brig. Gen. Alexander Stark, the assistant commander of the 43rd. Its role was to attack the northern flank, largely as a feint to confuse the Japanese. Because of this secondary status, there were no plans to give it significant artillery or air support.
The regiment would be split into a North Force and a South Force of about 1,500 men each.
(Before I continue I want to respectfully say “Thank you” to all the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces – past and present, Thank you for your service.)
My Father was decorated with several battle scars. The one that pertains to this story though, at a separate battle from the one mentioned above, is a long scar above his chest, right below his neck. It was courtesy of a Japanese officer in one of their several run-ins. My Father killed him with a bolo (a type of machete) after the officer’s swing and near miss at decapitation. He claimed the dead man’s sword after the fight was over and all the enemy combatants were dead. (They had a tendency to refuse surrender, which was fine by the guerrillas.)
The man with a 5-inch blade had no effect on my Father other than to produce a disdainful sneer. Without seeing his face I know he sneered. I know the man.
Below is a photo of the actual sword my Father chased the man with that night. My Father donated it to a WW II museum before old age finally claimed him. I took a picture of his sword when I went back home for his funeral. He was buried with full military honors.
Post Script added 4/5/20 :
My Father was well aware of the value of the samurai sword. He was an executive officer of the Philippines Veterans Museum and played an instrumental part in the creation and building of the museum. After he retired from his law practice, he dedicated the remainder of his life to the welfare of veterans and worked tirelessly for their benefit. He had housing units, similar to barracks, built for homeless or financially needy veterans and their families to live in cost free for as long as they needed.
The monetary value of the sword, to him, was insignificant. Income generated from the museum were used for expenses related to the housing units as well as for the education of the children and descendants of poor veterans. So the value of the sword was not lost, but repurposed to benefit the needy.
The funniest joke I have ever heard (and what makes it even more hilarious is the fact that I am blind) is the one about the man who takes his Seeing Eye dog into a bar. He picks the dog up by the tail and swings him around his head in a circle. “What are you doing?” the bar tender asks. “I’m just looking around.” he replies.
Another is about a blind man who goes to Texas. He feels the bus seat in Texas and says, “This seat is huge!” “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” the bus driver says. “Have a seat.” So the blind man sits down and the bus arrives at a bar later on. The guy gets off and goes inside.
When he sits down, the bar tender pours him a glas. The blind man feels it and says, “This glass is humongus.” “Everything is bigger in Texas.” the bar tender replies. A few minutes pass and the blind guy is hammered. He asks the tender where the rest room is. “It’s the third door on your right down that hallway to the left of you.” the bar tender replies, and the blind man gets up and advances toward the bathroom. Well, along the way, he trips over a fan cord and as a result, he oversteps and goes out the fourth door instead. He falls into the club swimming pool, and the whole time he’s standing in water up to his chest, he’s screaming, “Don’t flush! Don’t flush! Please, God, no!”
1. If you have a few hours to kill on the airplane, delete pictures from your phone.
2. Use your travel toiletries at home the night before you leave for a long trip.
3. Sign out of Netflix when checking out of an Airbnb or hotel.
4. When using a grocery delivery service, tip a set amount, not a percentage.
5. Waving someone through a stop sign when they stopped after you is not doing anybody a favour and most competent drivers are just annoyed at you for behaving unpredictably.
6. If you need to memorize information, read it, record it and play it quietly at night.
7. Save your PowerPoint presentation as a .ppsx file that starts automatically when opened.
8. Marry someone who will always have your back, even when they’re mad at you.
9. If you find a faster way to do something at your work, keep it a secret from your manager.
10. Your company didn’t know you existed before you applied and won’t notice you when you’re gone. Take care of yourself.
11. Before buying something, ask yourself two questions: “Where will I store this thing?” and “How difficult will it be to clean this thing?”
12. If the person you are dating invites you over for a home cooked meal, take the initiative and just start doing the dishes without asking. You can thank me later.
13. Ask the person you are dating the non-negotiables of yours in the first few weeks.
14. If you know how late you are going to be, add an extra 5-10 minutes to it. It might be annoying for the people when you say it initially, but when you come before the time you said, it will evoke a far more positive reaction than underestimating the lateness time.
15. Pay Attention to the smell of your home when you come back from a trip. That’s what it smells like to guests all the time, you just get used to it.
16. Do not try to be the man your father would want you to be. Be the man you would like your son to be be.
I was new to a school. New year for everyone else.
If you thought this was yet another story from my dramatic teenage years, you were wrong. I was seven.
There was a boy in this class. Let’s call him Lewis. Lewis was… let’s just say he wasn’t very popular. He wasn’t bullied, he wasn’t hated, he was just a loner. The sort of kid who no one really talked to, and who didn’t really talk to anyone (he would grow up to be the most mad cap son of a bitch I know).
One day Lewis decides to read a book. I cannot recall what book, only that it had a bright pink cover.
Another kid, let’s call him Darren, decides that this is a perfect opportunity to do what kids do best: be cruel. So he goes to mock Lewis.
‘You’re reading a girls book. You like girly things!’
I’ve been observing Lewis for several days now. I’ve always liked to observe those that stood out to me. Even at my age I was able to tell that Lewis was not the sort of kid who would be able to respond well to that.
Except I was wrong.
‘Yeah I’m reading a girly book. I also like fairy cakes. And I love my mum. What are you going to do about it?’
Y’all know what sort of person I am. Now. But this kid was 7 years old and totally owned who he was. Not only that, but he took what must’ve been the greatest risk I’d ever seen right there.
Back in the late ‘90s, I began my time at a Ford dealership as a technician. (I had been working on vehicles/machinery since a kid, so, it was a good fit)
One day, right at closing time, a lady came in from about 50 miles away. She had a brand new first generation Ford Escape (it had only come out maybe a month prior) with less than 500 miles on the odometer.
She complained about a shimmy/wobble from the front end and steering wheel vibration. Ok. So, preliminary check while parked outside and her watching, I look at the vehicle head-on and noticed the driver’s front wheel out of alignment, seriously out of alignment. I take a closer look and pop the center cap off the wheel, exposing the hub and axle assembly (this was a front wheel drive vehicle) and what I saw blew me away.
There was no axle nut holding the hub to the threaded axle shaft. Judging from the condition of the hub, no witness marks and the absence of the nut itself, the retainer nut was never installed on this vehicle from the factory.
This customer had driven all that way with only the caliper and brake disk assembly holding the wheel onto the vehicle. This one disturbed me just thinking what could have happened had the brake disk or the caliper failed during her commute.
Kings in the middle ages did impregnate servants BUT those servants were freqently of noble or “gentle” birth themselves. The daughters of knights, at the least.
Why mess with the runny-nosed maid scrubbing the privy floor when there were wall-to-wall ladies-in-waiting doing the less grubby jobs of helping the queen and princesses dress, doing their hair, mending their clothes, and serving their meals? Not to mention the daughters and sisters of the noblemen serving the king?
The children from those affairs didn’t become princes and princesses because they weren’t in the line of inheritance. But their mothers were often married off to someone with money and who wanted to be in the king’s favour. The king might acknowledge a daughter with an estate and minor title at some point to get her a better marriage or acknowledge a competent young son with a title, an estate and a military command.
In Norman tradition, it was common to give an illegitimate child the surname starting with “Fitz.” Giles Fitzgerald would be the illegitimate son of a nobleman named Gerald of Whatever, while Gerald’s legitimate son William would be William of Whatever. Fitzroy was reserved for the son of the king. There were lots of Fitzroys around sometimes.
William the Conqueror was illegitimate, but since his father, Robert, Duke of Normandy, had no legitimate sons, he picked William to be his heir. William of Normandy, later King William I of England, still got stuck with the name “William the Bastard” by his detractors.
Henry I of England had 25 known illegitimate children by several noble mistresses. He made one of his nine illegitimate sons the Earl of Gloucester and another the Earl of Cornwall. Others (mostly named Fitzroy) were given smaller estates and/or military commands, and at least one went into the church. And although Henry lost both his legitimate sons young, the earls of Cornwall and Gloucester backed up their legitimate sister Matilda’s claim to the throne. Of his daughters, one became an abbess and most of the rest married well — one was a countess, another a duchess, and another the queen of Scotland.
And what did the queens think of this? In the middle ages, they didn’t have much to say, unless they were Queen Regnant like Joanna of Castille, who, when her handsome husband, Philip Duke of Austria, messed with some of her ladies-in-waiting, cut off their hair and spread it across his pillow as a warning.
We worked at a battery manufacturing plant in a small town in Iowa. One of the primary hazards was lead contamination, so we had to have our blood lead levels checked frequently to be certain they didn’t hit truly hazardous levels (but, working in such a place, your levels were *never* zero).
One day a coworker just slipped in the door & managed to clock in on time, so others asked him why was running so late. He said that he’d overslept & so had been egregiously speeding trying to make it when he was pulled over by Iowa State Patrol.
When the officer asked him why he was going so fast, he looked at him & said “Sorry, officer, but I work at Exide.”
“So what does that have to do you speeding?”
“It’s my blood levels, sir. All the lead makes my foot heavy!”
Apparently, the cop got a good laugh at the excuse & let him go with a warning.
Gary was a really enthusiastic teacher. He spent a lot of his free time pouring over ‘How to teach’ texts, grammar explanations and games (for grammar and English communications).
He took lesson planning and student evaluations very (too?) seriously.
He talked of little else.
I liked him and could relate to his passion for teaching.
We were all teaching part-time in a small, uni-sponsored English language program and rarely saw each other since all classes were off-campus.
The director’s secretary called me, asking if I knew of a school that would hire Gary, stating that the director had to let him go for over-achieving.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN???
Gary had been sent to a high-end accounting firm to improve the English language skills of ten people who were scheduled for promotion to senior auditors IF they exhibited a high level of ability in various skills.
Gary went into overdrive in determining their needs (annoying HR and Training with non-stop questions) and planning accordingly.
He decided that the 30-hour course wasn’t sufficient and approached our director AND the company’s HR. He was told to stick to the schedule.
BUT he (on his own) added an unpaid, extra half hour or more to each class period.
The students were appreciative, but the company and our director took a dim view. The company, like many places we taught, expected the staff to study at 5 p.m. and then put in overtime after class.
Gary’s class extensions were affecting projects, customer relations and students’ output.
The director, although Gary did NOT ask for extra pay, saw this as a financial loss, a practice that none of the other teachers would be willing to do, AND a deterrent to future classes with this company.
He tried explaining and reasoning with Gary with little success. He finally had to order Gary to stop the extra teaching or give up the class.
The company was notified with apologies (our director was an amazing smoozer) and that was the end of it.
But…no.
Gary continued to sneak in extra time, 10-15 minutes or so, and added homework.
When the course finished, the students praised Gary for his concern and gave him high evaluations but quietly asked HR to request a different teacher.
Note: Gary was later hired at a different university as full-time staff, often tutoring students for free.
What an epic marina to enjoy rich lifestyle with a palm-fringed shoreline, roads congested with sports cars, and beautiful women in bikinis sunbathing on a white sand beach.…Not.
Russian steel and mining oligarch Alexey Mordashov’s superyacht Nord has just been re-registered in grim and brutalsky Vladivostok, Russia. It’s been docked in Golden Horn Bay near the borders with friendly countries, North Korea and China, for over a year.
The region is known for its large reserves of tin and tungsten. It’s also rich in copper, fluorite, and coal. Collectors value agates, sapphires, and precious opals that are held in high esteem. It doesn’t manufacture or design absolutely anything of economic value.
The super yacht costs 5 annual city budgets of Vladivostok, which skyline you can see in the photo above.
Having escaped by the skin of Mordashov’s American dental work from being impounded in Italy, the captain turned the transponder off and went AWOL for one full year. All this time, Mordashov desperately tried to negotiate political asylum for his boat in Asian countries – any would do as long as he didn’t have to return to his homeland.
Putin started the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the West retaliated with a barrage of sanctions targeting his inner circle, and oligarchs like Modrashov discovered that they have about as much agency outside of Putin’s diktat and Western playbook as a cockroach about to be sprayed with DDT.
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Indonesia and Malaysia told Mordashov off and to head up Nord, which he did. Hong Kong reacted to the man on the run’s request for sanctuary just as they did to Edward Snowden’s:
“We not gonna have reputational risks and jeopardize our dodgy financial schemes and money laundering hub for the sake of your narcissistic self-aggrandizements. Can we recommend a country where you gonna fit right in – Russia?”
The super-yacht was built in Germany and was registered in the Cayman Islands, whose flag features The British Union Jack in the corner, a country that has provided Urkaine with cruise missiles that have sunk at least two Russian warships in the Black Sea, including the fleet’s flagship Moskva.
Launched just two years before the full-scale invasion, Nord spent a third of its lifespan on the run, and a third docked in Vladivostok. Mordashov should convert it to an icebreaker as the only route left for him to take is the Arctic Ocean.
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Mordashov is also free to play Tschaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with artillery and all and wait for the end of the hostilities at the other end of Russia to cease.
It doesn’t matter which side is going to win though, Mordashov’s is stuck in Vladivostok forever. I would recommend scuttling and selling tickets to a most expensive private yacht shipwreck diving spot. Chinese millionaires across the border might show interest in buying tours.
Al Capone had balls the size of Texas. He allegedly did not fear anyone or anything EXCEPT the little Polish guy from Chicago.
Weiss had bad headaches and fainting spells. It was probably a brain tumor. Certain he was not going to live into his 30’s, Weiss had balls the size of Alaska. He feared nothing, including the godfather of Chicago’s South Side, Al Capone.
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The son of poor Italian immigrants, Capone would rule the biggest criminal empire in American history. Although prostitution, gambling and bootlegging were the moneymakers, killing opponents came with the territory.
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The North Side Gang was a mix of Poles, Jews and Irishmen. The South Side Gang was Italians, run by Capone and Johnny Torrio. They did not like each other. Capone decided to delete the head of the North Side; Dean O’Banion was shot dead on November 10, 1924.
Weiss took control of the North Side Gang. He shot up Capone’s limousine, but Capone was not in the vehicle at the time. He then went over to visit Johnny Torrio at his house and peppered him full of bullets. Weiss did not like the Sicilian mafia either, so he stopped by to see Angelo Genna, too. Weiss killed him.
Weiss did his own killing; it was his hobby.
Capone was nervous. His days were numbered, so he contacted Weiss and requested a truce. A meeting was held.
Weiss demanded that the two men who shot O’Banion be delivered for his own personal afternoon of “entertainment”. Either that or he would kill Capone, too.
Capone could not accept the offer. Those two were the best hit men in Capone’s private collection.
As Weiss went to the flower shop where he often slept and where O’Banion was killed, two men, one with a machine gun and the other with a shotgun, opened fire. Weiss, the only man that Al Capone feared, was dead of a bullet wound to the head at the age of 28.
Several years ago I was working for a company doing home theatre installs. Often when walk-ins bought TVs they’d ask to have it installed (and mounted). A good customer of ours came in and bought a new TV. At the time this 60″ plasma was going out the door for about $8k. We (I) installed it, mounted it on the wall in their basement. It had been recommended that they purchase a UPS / battery backup /spike protector. They declined. After I finished the install I recommended the same (I was paid salary, so selling stuff wasn’t part of my compensation and didn’t matter except for the obvious protection of this equipment). I didn’t plug the TV into the wall, the customer did that after declining the UPS.
2 weeks later they called stating their satellite dish tower was struck by lightning and the new TV wasn’t coming on. I was sent to evaluate. You could smell the ozone smell, the magic smoke smell even a day later. Warranty doesn’t cover this. They buy a new TV.. the new models just came out and they popped for a 75″… and a UPS this time. I had a helper with me to install the new one, and they asked us to dispose of the baked TV. I called the office and they said load it up and take it away to be disposed, don’t even bring it to the office. Instead of taking it 45 minutes to the E-waste disposal site, I put it in the back of my truck and dumped it on my back porch. It sat there for a couple years. When Covid hit and everything shut down I did what everyone else did… started purging stuff. I looked at this TV and decided to take a look-see before tossing it. After laying it on the counter and getting the back off it, I exposed 3 PCBs. 2 were almost identical, as I looked first at one and then the next I realized that the PCB on the right had a pile of charcoal where a small blue MoV should have been (MoV’s are the protection device in Surge protector bars). I went down to my dead devices pile and grabbed an old dead Bell Sat receiver and found the same part. Unsoldered it and installed it into the TV. As soon as I plugged it in, the screen came on and the audio started hissing that white noise from not being tuned to a channel.
I’m using that TV for over 2 years now without any further issues.
Had to fire one engineer for watching porn on the company computer. Worst part? He sued because he wasn’t given a warning…the State Labor board agreed…we had to cover his salary for six months. Despite being clearly covered in the employee handbook as a “no-no”, we apparently couldn’t just fire him. We figured it was just the cost of doing business to rid ourselves of such an individual.
Fired one young lady on the second shift who was “entertaining gentlemen” in her van during lunch hour. If she’d been doing it up on the berm of the State highway it would have been a public matter, but she was parked on company property…with surveillance cameras catching everything.
Fired upwards of a hundred over the years for drug and alcohol abuse on the job.
Some more I knew about (but wasn’t the firing supervisor)…
There were two executives caught “in the act” on the boardroom table. Not a great career choice in general, particularly bad when the CEO is a born again Christian.
Knew another executive who got a job at a private firm…and decided it was a bright idea to share the spreadsheet of bids of all the competitors with the government. Their first act was to fire him, the second was to call the FBI and the Inspector General. He’s doing time in Federal prison.
More “rank and file” firings for time card theft, attempted embezzlement, stealing company property, deliberate destruction of company property, and aggravated assault on a co-worker.
One day I was walking in my building when a girl in my neighborhood, pushed me from behind.
I looked around at her, tried to reason with her but she snapped at me saying I wasn’t looking where I was going.
She was plain rude.
Stop for a moment.
What do you think of that girl now?
Mean? Obnoxious?
Let’s see what actually happened:
I had my earphones on when I was walking so I couldn’t hear the girl walking behind me.
I slowed down suddenly and that’s when that girl bumped into me.
I got annoyed and asked her what her problem was. That’s when she got angry and asked me to watch where I was going.
Okay. Same story, two narrations.
The above incident didn’t really happen but I wanted to illustrate something:
In the first story, I never mentioned I had my earphones on.
In the first story, I said that the girl was the one who pushed me.
In fact, I even wrote that I “tried to reason with her” when I had actually blamed her even though I was the one at fault.
I left out the details which could make me look bad and exaggerated the parts which blamed the other person.
Just like, if a person goes ahead and says how all oftheir exes were crazy and they were the innocent victims, there’s a high chance that the story is manipulated.
Here’s the thing: Every story has two sides.
So, you can never form a judgement by hearing just one side of it.
What things should you never do?
Well, let’s start with, not believing every random thing you hear.
China will not fight decoupling. It is good for China. It gives impetus for Chinese innovation and Chinese self sustenance.
Most of all it helps China grow healthily and steadily. At 3–4 times that of the U.S. It is good for keeping in check over growth that may be bad for environment and China can cultivate its domestic market. Though it slows down China say 1–2% GDP so will be the U.S. take this year for example. China will likely grow by 6% in spite of all the shit the U.S. throw at China! And the U.S. will hardly hit even 2% growth.
6% is a wet dream for western economies to have. These day UK is set for a negative growth of -3%. And the rest of EU are barely faring better.
Decoupling is a suicide for the west. But hubris and supremacists thinking probably encourage the U.S. on. Frankly the rest of the Global South are ready to decouple from the west. We are ready. Please keep your outdated and irrelevant technologies to screw yourself.
Imagine:You are trapped on your stomach, walls all around you. Each time you inhale, your ribs touch the top of the space you are enclosed in. You can only wiggle forward, inching towards freedom. Oh, yeah-don’t forget: The walls might crumble down on you, killing you instantly. Worse yet, you might get trapped, stuck in a tiny, enclosed space, unable to move as you slowly die of thirst.
Doesn’t that sound like fun?
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Spelunking, otherwise known as cave crawling, is the ‘sport’ for people with a death wish. Essentially, you mash your body through tiny cave crevices that have the chance of leading to a larger cave. It’s a claustrophobic’s nightmare come to life.
You might think that it’s safe? Absolutely not. The only equipment you have is a helmet. If you think:
Well, with my trusty hard hat, what’s there to worry about? It’ll protect me if the cave comes crumbling down!
Then you might want to go “spelunking” in a padded room with no windows.
The Nutty Putty Cave incident made international headlines.
Spelunker John Jones was well familiar with spelunking. As a child, he had often spelunked with his father, and when he was 23 years old, he descended into the depths of Nutty Putty Cave in Utah. The cave had seen over 5000 visitors a year for decades, and was assumed to be fairly safe.
John went into the cave with his brother Josh and some other friends, totally unaware of what would happen next. At one point, John thought he was in a part of the cave called the Birth Canal, but in reality, he had ventured into uncharted sections of the cave near “Ed’s Push”. He went to climb through a small gap- and found himself seriously stuck. Even worse- he was almost entirely upside-down.
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Several rescue attempts failed, and John died of cardiac arrest after being stuck in the cave for over 27 hours. Officials couldn’t even retrieve his body, and Nutty Putty Cave was forever sealed off.
There have been countless other deaths in cave systems around the world. Drowning, starvation, noxious gas- you name it. Spelunking just doesn’t sound appealing.
I don’t see how the mashing yourself through tiny crevices is worth the chance of dying an awful death. I’ll fling myself out of a plane, dive down into the depths of the ocean, scale cliff faces- but there’s absolutely no way in the world I’m ever going spelunking.
Yet most of our Industries are rapidly buying more and more Chinese machinery when the time for replacement comes
This year the demand for Chinese CNC machinery for India surged rapidly
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Machines are more affordable and better quality
One Importer said he had less than 15% orders from China in 2015 but now has almost 70% orders from China
The Biggest problem for Chinese Machines in India was RESALE
A Major Industry could buy 50 Chinese Machines but reselling them in the second hand market was a huge problem as they barely fetched 10% of their value against almost 30% for Japanese & Korean and 40% for Western Machines
Yet now Chinese Machines fetch 25% of their value in resale and the biggest part is the same machines can be resold to other countries in Africa
Indian Industries save almost 18% of their production costs that increases their profit plus the re exporting of second hand Chinese machinery brings export revenue
It’s a WIN WIN relationship
China has this Win Win relationship with most nations in the world
Even the West, which is why despite all the rhetoric, decoupling is not feasible
When Goods worth $ 100 Billion is imported from China, they create finished goods worth $ 200–400 Billion or sell for $ 200–400 Billion in Western Economies
This leads to VALUE CREATION
This contributes to between 13% to 33% of the economic growth of Western economies
When $ 100 worth of components are assembled to sell a final product for $ 300 – that creates an additional $ 200 of value
This helps Countries with value enhancement plus even exports
Due to this Win Win relationship, despite all the efforts of the West, China is an integral cog in the Global Economy
It’s why many nations visit China and pledge allegiance and friendship every year
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In 2023 – 81 Foreign Delegations visited China against a mere 12 Chinese Delegations visiting other countries
160+ Trade Delegations visited China versus a mere 30+ Trade delegations from China visiting other countries
Every Economy needs China for its sustained growth especially Western ones
So the world is not turning against China in any way
Not even the United States is
All these so called Anti China policies are purely ECONOMIC
If Chinese Products now of high quality flood the global markets, it’s likely 50% of the Western Brands will collapse in a decade
NEVs are the best example
Likewise if China manages to make 3 nm chips, they can outprice the entire Western supply by 60% and finish the market of every single Western designer and fabrication industry
Thus they are being throttled
China already finished the markets for all Western chipmakers who sold 450–45 nm Chips
Yet China was necessary to bring down costs in the first place
Hence the Anti Chinese Propaganda
To combat the transformation of China from a Cheap Producer to a High Quality Industrialized Nation
Trust me, tomorrow if China scales back down on their transformation and goes back to Pre 2015 mode, Xi Jingping will become a great statesman and China will be the friend of the world to the US Media again
Nobody sees them as the Great Satan
That’s reserved for the USA
Even Phillipinos or Taiwanese don’t see China as a great satan despite the recent issues
To the world China is a Country capable of delivering a Win Win relationship
The U.S. never had any evidence nor even factual information it just make up lies as it goes a long. China steal intellectual property? China is aggressive, China carry out “genocide”, China is authoritarian, China create debt trap and a whole set of narratives dream up to demonise and cause mistrust and fear.
It is very despicable frankly. But what can you expect from a nation that started by the mass murder and genocide of its natives. Then this nation murdered and tortured up to 30 million Africans to slave and built the U.S. This nation is the only one that nuke to murder 200 thousands due to their skin colour, this same nation also murdered and slaughter up to 100 million innocent civilians or caused it through interference, war mongering and chaos and coup orchestrating.
China and the world knows the U.S. hypocrisy and its despicable nature but talking shit is all it can do and frankly it hurts US economy more than it can ever hurt China. To most nation lying and fabricating to demonise another nation is simply hypocritical and obnoxious and that what the global community sees the U.S. By not lashing back China keeps its moral high ground. And even US slave vassal states and cronies cannot but feel a shame of US behaviour but their short term gain is paramount.
Hence the pretence and the intentional concurrence of the back boneless nations. Shameful.
In the late 80’s I had been working as a Technician for a Saab dealership in Denver… I grew very fond of the Saab brand and enjoyed working on them….Unfortunately the Dealership closed and I had to go back to working on the poorly engineered and built garbage that was coming out of Detroit in the 80’s so I packed up my $90K worth of tools, into my dads garage, went out and bought a big ol Freightliner and took to the highways…Fast forward to the 90’s….Im (http://90’s….Im) cruising down the highway one fine day, and come up on a pretty little red Saab 900 convertible on the roadside, hood up and steaming away, I wasnt in a big hurry so I pulled over, and took a little walk back to the car where I found a very distraught middle aged lady, and her elderly mother….As (http://mother….As) I walked up I said,”It must be your lucky day, I just happen to be a former Saab mechanic” Can I help you?…She almost kissed me!!!
She stated,” I just picked it up from the repair shop, It cost me $800 to have the radiator replaced, and now its overheating again” I’ve got my mother with me and we are late for a family function…. I immediately knew what was wrong, and told her, I’ll have you on your way in 5 minutes….Went and grabbed my 10mm wrench and a gallon of water,popped the coolant bleeder valve open, told her if you dont get all the air out of the system a big ol air bubble will form inside your water pump, and here you sit….BURP out comes a big blast of air, Let me pay you!!! I said my mother would never allow that and you ladies enjoy your afternoon….Then she says to me, “well it must be YOUR lucky day” as she hands me her business card…..Turns out, shes the Vice President of Transportation for Proctor & Gamble and Sir, any time you EVER get somewhere and need a load, YOU call ME !!!! Over the next 15 years I cant count the times she fixed me up with a good paying load wherever I happened to be…..
At age 60 I was feeling run down & fatigued for a while, attributing it to age & not enough exercise. I decided to check my blood pressure at home and it was quite high despite the blood pressure medication I was taking, so I called my doctor’s office. They were concerned & told me to come into the office right away & they would fit me in.
My BP was still high in the doctor’s office, so my doctor sent me to the lab for a lot of blood work. That afternoon I started getting texts with some of the results of the lab work & I saw that I was anemic. Well that explained a lot & I figured I would need iron supplements.
The next morning my doctor calls me first thing. She tells me that she is admitting me to hospital in order to fully diagnose what is going on with me. I am scared, call my boss to tell her I am being admitted, but I really do not know what is wrong.
Once in the hospital I learned that I had kidney disease, and I was in kidney failure! Never saw that coming! I had to begin dialysis immediately, which made me ill & caused low blood pressure.
I was on dialysis for 7 months, with 5 months of home hemo dialysis. I felt ill and was exhausted all the time, with little appetite & unable to return to work.
Both of my adult children offered to be tested to be living donors. My son was tested first as he lives in the same city and he turned out to be a match!!
I was extremely fortunate to have my 24 year old son donate a kidney to me. He truly saved my life & I am forever grateful for his sacrifice. My new kidney is working well, and my son is doing well too.
Unfortunately I have developed several autoimmune illnesses that I am trying to get under control, but thankfully I do not have to have dialysis.
Kidney disease is horrible. Please consider being a living donor, there is a registry & they can find a match if you do not have someone in particular that you are wanting to help. It is truly life saving.
My parents were left of left of left. “Those who have more should be required to share with those who have less” kind of left.
I heard that as far back as I can remember. One day when I was in the fourth grade, my grandfather gave me a dollar. A fair amount in 1958. It was hot the next day, and a lot of my friends at school couldn’t afford an ice cream bar from the cafeteria.
Hey, I had more than they did, so I bought several of them a 14-cent ice cream in addition to getting one for me. My teacher found me and gave me back about sixty cents, saying that she had made four of my friends take back their unopened bars. She also contacted my parents.
When I said that I had more and they had less, my parents said that the dollar was for me. They didn’t want to hear about people with less, as we were not rich. They also didn’t want to hear about how it pleased me to give some friends a treat they couldn’t afford.
After that I watched. While my mother did put some of her money where her mouth was to buy a few things for some Head Start centers she helped set up, they didn’t give much else. What was theirs was theirs, and only who they called wealthy were berated in our household for not sharing. Today, by their standards, I would be called wealthy, even though I’m barely in the top 10% in the US.
My parents had some friends who were wealthy by my parents’ standards. They were also exempt because they were “in the cause” of making the other wealthy people pay.
The secret was that they were completely hypocritical about what they taught me. What it changed was that I became somewhat more conservative, and gave way more to charity than they did. I did follow some of their examples, though. My mother worked as a public health nurse with the Hmong immigrants when they flooded in and actually caught a G-I disease doing it. I have volunteered to do things like building a home for homeless boys in Fiji based on her example.
But when it came to finances, their example of “what’s mine is mine, and what’s theirs is mine, too” stayed with me the rest of my life as an example of what not to think.
Not me but a close friend. She worked with a mid sized oil exploration company and was being paid secretary wages for doing the drunk Geologists job, she did the office work and actually went out and did the field work at times. At the urging of another close friend and myself she asked for a raise and got berated for it and basically told like what you got because that’s all you are worth.
3 weeks later she interviewed with Elf Aquitaine ( French oil company ). She was offered double her current salary with a guaranteed raise after 90 days and salary reviews every 6 months, benefits paid by company and generous matching on savings, offered a opportunity to go to the home office in France for 6 months all expenses paid, encouraged to learn French and was very well treated.
During the interview her new boss said she was the most knowledgeable Geologist they had ever met and that they would pay for her to get her degree since she didn’t have one.
It also helped that she knew all the reports backwards and forwards along with the legal side. She had worked at the exploration company for over 10 years and they just kept adding to her jobs as she mastered more and more of them. They genuinely thought she would never quit and were amazed at what Elf offered, her starting pay was as much as her old bosses, she made enough that she retired at 55 and traveled to world with her husband.
She currently lives in Houston and is an amazing person.
I was 15 years old. I was staying with my aunt yet again as my mother decided she needed another break from me and went on another bender.
My aunt was more of a mom to me. As a result I was very close to her family and called her mom Grandma and her sister Aunt. Anyway Grandma was living with my Aunt. She had dementia and was having a particularly bad day. My aunt asked me to pick up my 10 year cousin from school which was only a block away. I did this often as my aunt tried to shield my cousin from her mothers episodes. She gave me some cash to stop at the small ice cream place near her school to keep her away longer.
I got to my cousins school expecting to see her on the playground where all the kids played while waiting to get picked up. She wasn’t there but I wasn’t worried as I knew she sometimes helped the teacher clean up the classroom after school. I went to her classroom and she wasn’t there either! No one was.
Starting to get worried I started roaming the hallways peeking in the classrooms looking for her. She was nowhere to be found!
I ran to the principals office freaked out by then and told the secretary I couldn’t find her! The secretary immediately made an announcement over the PA system telling my cousin to come to the office. 10 minutes passed. She never came.
We went to the teachers lounge and got the teachers to help look for her. I’ve never been so scared! My aunt trusted me with her daughter and I didn’t know how to call her and tell her she was gone.
30 minutes later we heard a shout. One of the teachers had found her. She was in the library reading. She had gone to check out a book when school had let out without telling anyone and the librarian had locked her in.
I hugged her hard and told her to always tell someone where she was going. It was for her safety. She started crying and apologizing over and over. I told her it was okay. Her principal gave her the same lecture and we left.
My aunt hadn’t called yet to say it was safe to come home so we went for ice cream and then to the local park. An hour later my aunt called and told us to come on home. Grandma finally went to sleep.
After my cousin went to bed that night I told my aunt what had happened. At first she seemed upset but then said they were lucky to have me there. I was shocked. I didn’t receive compliments very often. She gave me a hug told me I was a good person and a great sister to my cousin.
My cousin always made sure she was on the playground after school after that.
He became my feline friend one day when I was working on my patio. I looked up to find a bedraggled, starving and dehydrated cat four feet from me, crying for help. I went and got him some water and a can of tuna, and set it out for him. I eventually got some additional food and a water bowl, and set it out for him. At first, he was pretty skittish, but after a month he would let me pet him. I started moving his bowls toward my patio door, and after three months, he would come in to be fed.
One day he showed up with blood on his face, and we decided he had to go to the vet. He ended up getting antibiotics, and had a drain and the cone of shame. We had him chipped and neutered.
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He was still an outdoor cat, and would periodically get in fights, earning his name “Scrappy”. At one point, he was tested for FIV and tested positive. At that point, our vet said that if we wanted to properly care for him, he should cease his outside existence, as he would be susceptible to infections that could kill him. He was also X-rayed, and found that his left front leg was kind of a mess, having been broken/infected and healed at some point, but with reduced mobility.
We decided to turn him into a 100% indoor cat. He did not like it for the first two weeks.
But he lived. He was safe. He was happy. Occasionally he would get out. He’d usually sit on the patio if it was sunny. If it was rainy, he would turn around and come right back into the house.
Without our intervention he would have died. Instead, he lived for another decade.
Life in the wild for cats is dangerous and short. We have foxes, skunks, raccoons and coyotes in our neighborhood. As well as cars and dogs.
We currently have two other adopted ferals. Their sister (whom we call Patchoulli) is still an outdoor cat, but she sleeps in our garage and we feed her twice daily and see that she gets to the vet and has flea medication. Her brother occasionally joins her outside and catches the odd mouse, but he’s happy to be back inside, usually within an hour.
My wife and I work fairly diligently to provide an engaging environment for our little furry friends, and by virtue of our care, they will enjoy that environment for several times longer than they would be if they were feral.
At one point, I was visiting my mom and step-dad. I asked about the 12HP, 3 blade, 42″ cut riding mower sitting out front at the neighbor’s house. Turned out he had run it out of oil, and the engine seized up. He put oil in after-the-fact, but of course it was too late. He’d bought a new one and the dealer had offered to dispose of the old one for him. I asked if I could try to fix it and he said, GO ahead, they’re not giving me anything for it.
We wheeled it into step-dad’s work shop. The piston was vertical stroke, so the spark plug was on top. We poured some new oil through the spark plug hole and went to get lunch. When we came back, we put a socket on the flywheel nut, and a breaker bar on the socket. It broke loose! So we started it up and ran it. It took a couple minutes to burn all the oil out of the top of the cylinder, but then it was fine. My grandfather had been using a really old, 7HP, single blade, 26″ mower to mower about an acre of lawn. I gave it to him. He loved it and used it until he died.
One afternoon, we walked into our Econometrics lecture and found a shopping cart full of tennis balls in front of the door. A second, empty shopping cart stood in the back corner.
The professor waited patiently for us to file into our seats. Then he cleared his throat and announced, “I’m going to need two volunteers today.”
Two hands went up. He handed them each a bucket.
“All right,” he said, “Our two brave volunteers are going to fill up their buckets with tennis balls, carry them across the room, and dump the balls into the other shopping cart. Then they’ll run back and do it again, and again, and again, until all of the balls have been moved.”
We nodded, still confused. This still sounded more like P.E. than Econometrics.
“Before we start this little experiment,” continued our professor, “I want all of you to guess how long this process is going to take. Go onto the class website and type in your guesses – I’ll give a candy bar to the student who gets closest to the actual answer.”
I had no idea what to guess. How many buckets’ worth tennis balls could fit in a shopping cart? How long would it even take to carry a full bucket across the classroom?
In the end, I just took a stab at it and typed in 42 seconds.
“All right,” he said, after we’d all made our guesses. “Are we ready? On your mark…get set…go!”
The process ended up taking 162 seconds.
Then we all went online together to look at our guesses.
There were about eighty students in the class, and I wasn’t the only one who’d been completely wrong – our guesses were all over the place. Some of us had guessed that it would take less than 20 seconds; others had guessed that it would take nearly ten minutes.
Then we looked at the average of all of our guesses.
157 seconds.
Our collective guess, as a group, was closer to the correct answer than 98%of our individual guesses.
It was the first time I’d witnessed a “wisdom of crowds” moment in action. At that moment, all I could think was, Hot damn. Statistics is so cool.
He’d run this experiment every semester, and more often than not, the collective guess would have won the candy bar. This class was one of the reasons I decided to major in economics.
Me (over phone) : The movie has started, where the heck are you?
Kirti : Just in 2 minutes.
Me : I’m watching it for the fourth time I could afford to be late. But a first timer, really?
Kirti : Just shut up.
She disconnected. Finally she reached.
Kirti : Hey, see I told you two minutes.
(I started leaving).
Kirti : Where, you going?
Me : I was watching Interstellar again to experience time dilation in a movie. But when fifteen minutes of mine are equal to two minutes of yours, then it’s time dilation in reality. Thank you.
As I was leaving, she stood unmoved and kept looking at me.
Kirti : Do you want me to say sorry?
Me : I was just kidding. Let’s go watch the movie.
Kirti : Let’s hurry up.
Me : And hey, in case I raised my voice while on phone, sorry for that.
Kirti : It’s okay.
When Kirti became my girlfriend.
It was a different cinema, different movie, same Kirti, same me, but a different demeanour.
Me (over phone) : Hey, where the hell are you?
Kirti : Just in.
She comes.
Me : You need to understand I’m not your puppet, I got my time and priorities.
Kirti : I’m so sorry. Please don’t shout like this.
Me : Just shut up, already.
Previously she shut me up and now I did.
I forgot that she had said yes to me when the world was chasing her.
I would say sorry to her a thousand times when she was my crush and now she is the one saying sorry.
One day, it got real ugly and she ditched me in the heat of the moment but forever. I deserved it.
BYD makes most of the batteries used in the world today. Tesla do not make batteries themselves It leads in EV buses and truck world wide and now EV cars itself. It is a highly profitable company but based on Wall Street valuation it is worth 10% of Tesla! Even Warren Buffet who is probably the world’s most savvy investor invested in BYD!
The difference is one is listed and it’s stock is listed in Wall Street while the other is listed and sold in Hong Kong! That is why the GDP of the U.S. is full of hot air bubble! It will come crashing down! For me Tesla is highly overrated and over valued while BYD is highly undervalued!
Now let us look at the number. BYD hardly sell in the U.S. and Europe yet it sold the most EV worldwide this means the Global South market is humongous and the U.S. and EU are small potatoes these days! Both the U.S. and EU are depriving their citizens from benefiting from value for money technology and a cleaner environment. Whatever happen to freedom of choice? What about free market mechanism? Thrown out of your window?
BYD sells very well world wide because of value for money. Tesla profiteers and it is mostly made in China with many parts and technologies from China. Yet it sells at a huge profit. But the U.S. prefers to let its citizens be abused by corporations rather than helping them reduce their living cost!
“I’m moving to Texas to be with my fiancée. I can either move and work for somebody else; or I can move and continue working for you remotely.”
After she graduated from college, my fiancée moved to Texas to start work with NASA. We had lived apart for almost a year.
I was determined to be with her. So, I planned my move to Texas. After three months of planning, I had some money saved up and a couple of job prospects in mind.
I walked into my boss’s office fully expecting to walk out without a job or my notice given. But, I decided to try something I thought of the night before, instead.
After some small talk, I said “I’m moving to Texas to be with my fiancée. I can either move and work for somebody else; or I can move and continue working for you remotely.”
He sat there quietly for almost a full minute. I’m normally not one to get uncomfortable with silence; but this was unexpected. He was actually thinking about it!
I hid my excitement and let him think.
Finally, he asked “What part of Texas?”
I answered.
He went on to explain that there would have to be a change in my status. Payroll would have to do things so I was taxed for the proper locale, etc.
I was the first person in our group to be a full time telecommuter. This was in 2001.
I’ve gone through six bosses since then and I’m still working from home! Today, most of my team works from home too!
If you ever get caught sleeping at your desk at work just say “they told me at the Blood Bank that this would happen.
When the power goes out search for wifi networks on your phone to see if everyones power is out.
Quelling road rage by pretending that every asshole driver really has to poop.
If you want to maintain good posture, pretend your nipples have lasers that shoot out of them and you have to keep them aimed at people’s heads.
Wiping the water off of your body with your hands in the shower before getting out and towel-drying.
If your car is overheating, turn your heat on full blast. When you turn the heat on in a car, it pulls heat from the engine into the cab, thus cooling the engine.
Hit “s” while watching Netflix on a computer to skip the intro.
If you don’t know whether you should use the word effect or affect, simply use impact.
When buying bedsheets, look for striped ones. It will make it much easier to find the long and short sides.
If you accidentally press the spacebar and scroll down the page, you can press Shift+Space and go back to where you were.
Don’t save your banking information on online stores. Makes impulse buying much more difficult if you have to track down your wallet.
If you keep a baseball bat in your car for protection, put a sock over it. If they grab the bat, they will only get the sock, and you will get another swing.
Filling in the ‘to’ field of an email last.
When buying online, leave items in the shopping cart for awhile. There is a good chance that the website is tracking this, and will lower the price overtime to entice you into buying.
If your coworker ever calls in sick for work, you can do the same 1-3 days later. Your boss will think you have the same thing and it’s “going around the office.”
Blink eyes rapidly for a minute before bed to tire yourself out.
When lending a pen or marker hand it over without the cap, you are much more likely to get it back.
If you have somewhat of a double chin or you want your jawline to be more defined in a picture, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Whenever you accidentally set off your smoke alarm, give your pets a treat so they learn to come to you when there actually is a fire and you need to escape.
Remember that one 18-inch pizza is more pizza than two 12-inch pizzas.
Is Family Law the Main Reason Men Are Going Their Own Way?
4 days after my son and i moved into a townhome I rented, we were physically attacked by 2 women that live behind us. Okay, long story short (ish): school started for my son (6th grade) the day after we moved in. That day, my son had an altercation with a child on the bus. Apparently the kid was saying to my son that his mom was a “Karen” for some unknown reason. We JUST moved in and hadn’t had time or the chance to interact with anyone in the neighborhood, so My guess is as good as any. I havent a clue. Anyway my son verbally defended me and told him to stop. Next day, the child punched my son 3 times in the shoulder and back while passing him in the hallway, which was caught on camera and dealt with by the administrator at his school. The other child was given in-school suspension and the parents were called about what transpired. The video showed the child hitting my son and my son continue to walk and then run away. So, my son wasn’t punished. The following day, after putting my son on the bus I hear someone banging on my front door- and i opened it to 2 grown women demanding that i come outside. Being alone, I refused and called the police. The police show up and talk to both of us and say that the women are now calm and suggest i get some cameras in case something happens, etc. I decided to stay with family members that night and about 5 hours later, we left. We stopped to get gas and check my mail at the old house on the way. As my son got out of the car to check the mail i noticed a car parked directly behind mine in the driveway. The women hopped out and assaulted my son and me with a weapon and left. I managed to get their tag number and called the police. Turns out it was the parents of the kid who attacked my son at school. Needless to say they’re facing multiple felonies and roughly 15–20 years in prison. Craziest shit ive ever experienced in my life!
Idiots holding placards is the Western style of democracy
If one set of idiots hold placards, tomorrow another set of idiots will hold placards for another issue and the entire country will be reduced to holding placards for the rest of their lives
Chinas democracy is a Government for the people
Keeping food prices low
Ensuring housing for everyone
Ensuring energy for everyone
Keeping inflation as low as possible
Protection of Middle Class Investors
Good Healthcare plan for every Citizen
Providing high quality roads and transportation
Ultimately I believe a Government for the People triumphs a Government by the people
Meanwhile the West is the opposite:-
Rising inflation falling savings
Printing money to help Ukraine over Americans
Declining Healthcare program with uninsured rising by 23% in the last three years
Poor quality infrastructure
Sacrificing the Middle Class to keep the upper classes and rich
So the Chinese are right when they say China respects Democracy
It’s a different definition from the hypocritcal one the West made up.
China’s Newest Tank is Doing the Opposite of Everyone Else
I went through a divorce from my wife of 5 years. I was young, broke and (as the saying goes) stupid. She left and went on to live with her parents and I was stuck with the apartment contract and all other monthly bills. Also a truck that was in both of our names, broken engine, and was $5,000 into a loan. I also was buried in debt from student loans $42,000 and a credit card $9,500.
I fell into ddepression and a solace that can only be explained by living in a state of vacuum. None of what I did would have any effect on my personal economy, or my emotions, or my connections with others. But I tried my best.
One day I started to reach out to old friends only to realize that they had moved on, didn’t care or just didn’t want to associate.
I was broken, and I was in pain. And I was done with my family, and with people, and with the world as I knew it.
I worked hard. No one cared. I cried hard. No one cared. I paid my debts, got off the grip of the financial abominate soul-consuming xenomorphic monster called the United States Department of Education when I sent the last check and demanded a paid in full notification sent to me.
I made new friends, and created a new path with a different vision. I transformed my life around, and declared freedom. I don’t care if no one cares. I do. My life, my business.
Russian President Lays Out His Judgment on the Continued Existence of the US and Europe
In a speech in Russia today, Vladimir Putin laid out his Judgment on the continued Existence of the US and the EU. “The concepts of honor, trust, and decency, are not for them.” and ” . . . they got used to spitting on the whole world.” He went on: “Indeed the Western elites have become a symbol of total, unprincipled lies.”
An excerpt from today’s speech appears with English sub-titles below. To even the most dense viewer, it should occur that this man is laying out the reasons the United States and Europe should no longer exist.
That’s a hell of an ugly reality coming from a man whose country literally has the ability to wipe us all out. It is almost as if he is priming the world for what may be coming, soon . . .
Here’s the speech:
Hal Turner Editorial Opinion
The reason the elites of the west have become “a symbol of total, unprincipled, lies” is because to date, there have been absolutely NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THEM as they go about all their total, unprincipled lying. No one gets fired. No one gets prosecuted. No one gets thrown in jail. This needs to change, but it WON’T because the very people who CAN fire, prosecute, and jail the liars, ARE the people doing all the lying!
If what the Russian President was talking about merely affected those doing the unprincipled lying, that would be one thing, but he’s not talking about affecting only them, what he’s talking about would affect the rest of US too.
We have the right to defend ourselves from the horrifying wreckage, death, and destruction, these western elites will cause to be heaped upon us. It’s time to begin doing just that; while we still can.
Last night, The Teenager and I were cuddling on the couch when she asked me, “Mom, do you want me to become an extraordinary person?”. I was a bit surprised by the question, “Erm, I’ve never thought about that. Since you were born, I’ve always just wanted you to be healthy”, I told her.
“I had a talk with my friends today at lunch”, The Teenager said, “Everyone wants to become Someone in the future. Wants to stand out. Wants to be different. Wants to be a big deal. I mean, why someone always needs to be extraordinary to be ‘good’? Being ordinary person is also good. The Earth has 8 billion people. Am I lame if I just want to be a normal person, and has a normal life?”, she asked me.
I hugged her, “No, sweetie, of course not. As long as you are healthy and happy, being normal is extraordinary in its own way.”
And that, made me thinking. Is that the thing we usually underestimate? Being just an ordinary person leading an ordinary life.
My dad had a big scar on the side of his face. I didn’t think anything of it as a kid, since I had seen it all my life. It wasn’t until I was a teenager and studying history that it came to mean something.
Dad fought in WW2. He was a captain in the mechanized cavalry and commanded tanks under Patton. Apparently, when there was fog and the driver couldn’t see clearly, it was SOP for someone to open the hatch and sit with his feet on the driver’s shoulders, giving directions by touch.
A German artillery shell hit his tank one foggy day when he was in that position. If it had hit about six inches higher, i wouldn’t be typing this message. He took a massive load of shrapnel in his face and hands. His goggles saved his eyes, but one of his ears was blown off and later surgically reconstructed. He was in the hospital for over a year. They left a lot of the smaller pieces of shrapnel in his hands and I remember him having several episodes when one would decide to come back out years later.
I could rarely get him to talk about the war. He’d gladly tell stories about the mounted cavalry days, but would rarely talk about combat. When he died in 1990, I found his medals stored in a box and he had a shitload of them.
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup chopped almonds
Confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Mix almond paste, chocolate and almonds thoroughly. Knead on surface sprinkled with 1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar until of uniform color and consistency. Shape into 6-inch long roll; roll in confectioners’ sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 12 hours.
Years ago I had an employee call loudly, “hey asshole”! It was heard by at least 10 other people. I was the CEO of the company. I had one choice. I fired him that instant and had Security remove him from the property. You see he had other options. He chose the one with a severe penalty. All of my employees know that they are free to come to my office, anytime I’m alone, close the door and call me an asshole and I’ll give him the opportunity to tell me why he feels that way. We can discuss the problem and I will explain it from my perspective. Obviously the same latitude isn’t given for public insubordination. Now during our private meeting we may reach an agreement, or we’ll be unable to. The employee had the option of meeting with me. If he and I deadlocked, one of us has to go!
Jason & The Argonauts | Full Movie | Creature Features
A real treat for today. This is a great lazy afternoon movie for your enjoyment.
When I was a young boy we used to play “marbles”. These were glass spheres. And I would play with them when I had them, but honestly, I wasn’t so good at the game and would often lose all my marbles.
When I would play with the boys, it was pretty evenly matched, and we would end up with more or less the same numbers of marbles. Only different ones.
When I would play with girls, they were brutal, and take all the marbles in victory… but there’s more. Uh oh.
And then, my sister, who won those things would put them in the oven and cause the grass to crack up and break. And thus my marbles all turned to dust. Indeed, I was good old Charlie Brown back then.
Playing with boys… rearranging the marbles.
Playing with girls… lose your marbles.
I did like the marbles. I liked to hold them in a little cloth bag that I had. But, you know, I never had them long enough because sooner or later, I would play with them… and in so doing…
…would lose them all to either my sister or her girlfriends.
The next week my son tells me how the kid, and his brother, threatened to kill him because he told on them, and how they started pushing him, and smacking him but they were careful not to bruise him anymore.
We went back to the school, and the principal brought the bus driver into the office too.
That b**** actually had the audacity to blame my son for being a victim, and tried to get him to accept blame for making himself a target.
I stopped that s* as soon as it began to come out her mouth. I pointed out what she was doing, and how it went against the school’s zero tolerance policy on bullying, and how if nothing would be done about it, then I saw no better option than to go to the local news station (everyone in town knew the news guy, and it was pretty easy to get story segments aired pretty quickly) and contact as many parents, friends, family members, and co-workers as I could, and have them do the same until something changed.
They immediately kicked those kids off the bus, forcing them to seek alternative transportation, and switched their classes to the disruptive room so that they couldn’t mingle with students from younger grades, which is what they did before as most of their victims were 3–4th graders, and they were 5th (should have been 6th) graders.
A month later the students were expelled for trying to stab another classmate.
The fact that could have been my son wasn’t lost on me.
I wanted the bus driver to face some sort of punishment as she had allowed bullying to go on her bus for over 15 years (according to several parents, and friends).
I wrote up a petition and had over 600 people sign it. That was enough for the school to force her into early retirement.
In the 15 years she drove, there had been incidents where bullies cut off other students’ hair, set various things on other students on fire, put out cigarettes on other kids, stole personal items and money, committed sexual harassment, molested kids, etc. These were all things she chose not to stop because she saw victims as asking for their mistreatment.
I never wanted to hit anyone more than when she tried to intimidate my son as he sat by my side, into accepting blame for his black eye.
I’m glad that woman is finally gone.
I’m disgusted that it took so much, and so long for it to happen.
When I started at the robot company, I had no title, so everyone except the boss was on an equal basis, no matter the age, experience, or ability. One young man was hired to manage internal operations. That is, to make sure supplies were where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be. His job expanded to where he was also helping in finance and a bit in other areas.
The founder, who was offsite doing another job (he was very seldom in the office) worked directly with this guy, and with very few others, so the guy thought he was important. He became a self important jerk and managed to annoy almost everyone else at the company.
As the company grew, titles became more important, and I was promoted to sales and marketing manager, while he remained without a title. He tried to tell me how to do my job a couple of times, and I told him to piss off.
I was later promoted to general manager, and became his direct boss. I told him to do some things that were needed, and he decided that I was wrong, and didn’t do them. We had a “chat” and he grudgingly did what I told him to, but continually resisted, and only did exactly as much as was required. He was certain that his relationship with the founder would protect him.
I finally got tired of the dance, and fired him. He was shocked. He went to the founder to get my decision overturned. It turned out that the founder was not nearly as fond of him as he thought.
I had spent 2 days and around $350.00 on fixing my sister’s SUV. After I replaced the starter and battery among a few other parts, I went up to the front door and gave her the good news. Her car problems were over and she would now not get stranded anywhere. She was standing behind the screen door just glaring at me. I repeated what I said thinking she would be happy or relieved but she continued to give me this dirty look and then slammed the screen door shut.
I was in disbelief. Why would she do that? My sister was taking pain killers a lot which I knew about. She had been taking them for years so I figured she was not in her right mind anyways but that’s another long story I have already written about on Quora. But then I remembered something she once told me years before. She told me that if you show disapproval at someone who wants to help you, or care about you, it makes them want to do more and try harder to win your approval. This surprised me to hear her say that even back then, but I already knew she was insane to a certain degree and I was helping her or trying to. She had all kinds of weird and unusual ways about her. She would feed me only one small bowl of stew with a small chunk of bread at dinner time and complained she had to feed me even once a day. I had flown in from Hawaii days before with one mission: To help my sister pay her depts, repair her car and home and give her a fresh slate. I even stocked her kitchen with lots of food and some treats. In all,I had spent about $1,800.00 on her,not counting the $14,000.00 I had given her over the coarse of 2 years. This story is just one single incident that happened to me in the 6 or 7 days I was trapped alone with her. Daytona 500 was in town and there was not a motel room or car rental withing 100 mile radius so I couldn’t just walk away. I had always known she was not right in the mind at all but I didn’t imagine she would turn on me like she did for no reason at all except she saw me as weak for helping her. I also had to pay her $120.00 for a ride back to the airport. This is 100% true and only the tip of the ice burg in that hellish 6 days I was around her. We have not spoken in 10 years since.
This after discussing with my manager that I absolutely could NOT do that shift. For the 37th time.
I was a 22 year old single mum working 3 jobs and would take every shift I could and was offered, bar this one. It wasn’t really much to ask to not be put on the rota one evening a week. I could even work during the day.
I had the hours I was available for written down, pinned to my then manager’s notice board so he knew exactly what I could and could not do when he did the rota.
Every week without fail, he would put me on a 5-Close shift on a Wednesday evening, despite me having explained to him that I wasn’t available for that shift due to my parents having to travel to take care of my grandma, so they couldn’t have my daughter.
I had written it down, I had met with him and I had even had my own mum come in to explain that I wasn’t available that evening and why. Yet he still kept putting my name down for that shift.
There were times I couldn’t work because the child minder got sick or was on holiday, was sick myself or my daughter was sick and needed to see the doctor. On those occasions he would get shitty and not put my name down the following week for any shifts at all (the joys of a 0 hour contract eh?). He would also expect me to call around my colleagues and sort out my own cover, on my own time and would blame me if the shift didn’t get covered, despite also refusing to give me certain phone numbers or to make the calls himself.
I stayed in this job for almost a year, but had started looking for another job where my hours were set and guaranteed. I managed to get an interview for another restaurant who were completely sympathetic of my situation and offered me hours that suited me and for them to be put into a contract with the option of overtime, plus that they would organise any cover needed.
That evening I wrote out my resignation letter, but decided that I’d talk to my current manager one last time to see if I could get anywhere with him.
I went in the following day half an hour early to speak to my manager. During the interview he basically told me that nothing would change and he couldn’t offer me set hours. I told him I understood that he couldn’t offer the set hour contract and got up to start my shift, when I noticed the rota on the wall. The first thing I saw was that I’d been put on the rota for Wednesday evening.
“You’ve put me on for Wednesday evening?”
“Yes. 5-Close as usual.”
“But you know I can’t do that shift. It’s right there on your pinboard that I’m unavailable.”
“Ah yes. You’ll have to sort out the cover.”
“I was on the fence about resigning because I get so many hours from you, and would be taking on less at this other place but… that’s helped me decide. Thanks for helping me make my mind up. See ya.”
“You’re due to start now. Where are you going?”
“To try on my new uniform. Byeeeee”
And I just walked out. It was a massive weight off my shoulders.
Spedinis
95847 6534 mx
Yield: 8 servings
ingredients
Sicilian Stuffing 5 tablespoons olive oil 6 cloves garlic, thickly sliced 1 cup white onions, chopped 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup raisins placed in hot water for 1/2 hour then drained 1 bay leaf (optional) 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped basil 3/4 cup white wine 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup grated Romano cheese 1 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 1 egg
Spiedini olive oil 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 7 pieces veal scaloppine (approximately 6-8 inches in length, pounded thin and cut in half) salt and pepper, to taste 14 bay leaves 2 white onions, cut in quarters then separated in leaves
directions
For the Stuffing: In a saute pan cook the garlic, onion and the olive oil and red pepper flakes over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring well.
Add the pine nuts, raisins, bay leaf, parsley, and basil; cook for 3 more minutes, stirring well. Increase the heat to high and once the ingredients start sizzling add the wine and stir well until reduced by one-half, about 3-4 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a bowl, add the salt, pepper, cheese, breadcrumbs and the egg. Mix well until it forms a moist mixture.
For the Agrodolce Sauce: In a sauce pan bring to boil over medium-high heat the vinegar, garlic, sugar and rosemary. Cook, stirring well until reduced by two-thirds, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the sauce, return it to the saucepan and simmer it for 10 more minutes.
Add one tablespoon of the butter mixture, stirring well until it thickens. If you want it thicker add more of the mixture, until it reaches the consistency you like.
For the Spiedini: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a deep baking dish with olive oil and coat with about 2-3 tablespoons on Italian Style breadcrumbs. Lay all the pieces of veal flat on a prepping surface. Place equal amounts of the stuffing in the middle of each piece of meat (about 2 tablespoons). Roll the pieces of veal like a burrito, fold the edges along the longest part, then start rolling from one end to the other.
Place each roll as you make it, fold side down inside the greased baking dish. Line the pieces side by side. Once they are all in they should fit somewhat snugly. Between each piece of veal place a bay leaf and a piece of white onion. Brush the top of the veal rolls with olive oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
Put on a plate, spoon over the Agrodolce sauce and serve with roasted potato.
recipe tips
Soak the raisins in hot water to plump them up before adding them to the stuffing.
Be gentle when pounding the veal to avoid tearing the meat.
Roll the veal tightly to make sure the stuffing stays inside while baking.
Baste the spiedini with some of the pan juices halfway through baking for added moisture and flavor.
Let the spiedini rest for a few minutes after baking and before serving.
For a more complex flavor in the agrodolce sauce, try adding 1/2 cup of red or white wine in place of 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.
Taste and adjust the seasoning of the stuffing and sauce as needed.
Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving as they are not edible.
common recipe questions
Can I substitute the veal with another type of meat?
Yes, you can use thin slices of chicken or pork as a substitute for veal.
Is there a non-alcoholic alternative for white wine in the stuffing?
You can use chicken broth or white grape juice mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar as a substitute for white wine.
Can I make the stuffing ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the stuffing a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
Is there a substitute for pine nuts in the recipe?
You can use chopped almonds or walnuts as a substitute for pine nuts.
Do I need the sugar in the agrodolce sauce?
It helps balance the acidity of the vinegar but it can be omitted if desired.
How do I know when the veal spiedini are fully cooked?
The veal spiedini are done when they are no longer pink inside, and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
Can I make the agrodolce sauce without garlic?
Yes, you can omit the garlic, but it will alter the flavor of the sauce. If you don’t have fresh garlic cloves you can use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
What can I use if I don’t have Romano cheese?
You can substitute with Parmesan cheese or another hard, aged cheese.
Can I prepare the agrodolce sauce in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and reheat it before serving.
FEAR RUSH! U.S Quickly Run to China to Beg against Sanction
I was once interviewing for a nurse manager position. The interviewing manager had an obvious litmus test for her ideal candidate.
“When is it appropriate to place a patient into restraints?” She asked.
“I think that restraints should be used as a last resort,” I answered. It was a safe answer I assumed.
“Yes, but I want to know at what place you think ‘last resort’ begins?” She queried.
“I would say that last resort would be when I felt that the safety of the staff was in jeopardy,” I answered.
She stood up, started walking toward the door and said, “We are done here. Thank you for your time.”
She opened the door and waited dismissively for me to exit. Knowing that I had just blown the interview I stopped short of the door and said, “What was the right answer?”
“To protect the patient,” she said.
“I believe in protecting the patient,” I said. “I just hold my staff’s protection in higher regard than the patient.”
“That’s not what you are paid to do,” she countered. “And that’s why you won’t be working for me.”
Tom Cotton was the one who introduced legislation banning Chinese students from pursuing STEM degrees.
Washington, D.C. – Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) introduced the SECURE CAMPUS Act, legislation that would secure American research from Chinese Communist Party espionage and influence. Bill text may be found here
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I pulled this directly from his website, so he’s obviously proud of himself, though I can’t think why. It goes on to say;
The bill would prohibit Chinese nationals from receiving visas to the United States for graduate or post-graduate studies in STEM fields and would ban participants in China’s foreign talent recruitment programs and Chinese nationals from taking part in federally-funded STEM research.
Besides being a xenophobic jerk, apparently Tom Cotton doesn’t just prohibit intellectual endeavors of Chinese people, but he must prohibit them for himself. Because quite honestly, his ignorance is astounding.
You would think if someone showed him a map labeling Singapore and China, two very different countries with different governing systems, he would realize his faux pas. What kind of idiot asks a citizen of Singapore if they’re part of the Communist Party of China?
Just because someone is of Chinese ethnic descent, it does not automatically mean they are Chinese citizens, and only Chinese citizens can be members of the CPC. Surely Cotton wasn’t so ignorant that he assumed any Chinese person must have ties to the CPC?
Yes. He’s not only ignorant, but arrogant. He’s the type of “polite racist” that believes a Chinese American whose great grandparents came over from China must be a sleeper agent for Communist China. He doesn’t see Chinese Americans as Americans. He doesn’t see Singaporean Chinese as Singaporean. In his mind, all Chinese people are suspect. All Chinese people are from the PRC or have loyalties with the PRC.
Men like Cotton are just like the U.S. government in the 1880’s when they passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. Now we just call it the China Initiative and can only watch as state after state enacts legislature to infringe the rights of Chinese people. McCarthyism never went away. It’s just been repackaged for the next generation. Cotton is so scared of “reds under his bed” that he made a fool of himself publicly. No wonder Singapore laughs.
Taliban has spent 3 years to build a highway to China, when the former Afghan government could not in 20 years under US occupation.
This is the difference of a practical government who cares for the welfare of the country, versus a corrupted government who played politics to please USA.
How corrupted? When the home of former Afghan leader was raided by Taliban, Taliban found lots of jewels etc in his home (similar to former Philippines president Marcos senior). His home is like a palace. He encouraged opium growth, producing 80% of opium in the world under US occupation, Taliban bans it since.
He focusred on politics instead of welfare of people. He follows the West. eg he put the right of women ahead of the right of the poor who accounted for 80-90% of population.
I am not saying women’s right is unimportant. I am saying there are priorities. If you can do both at the same time, that is great. Otherwise, pick the one that benefits more people. Let say a woman gets her right to education. But there is no economy to let her get a job & pay for shelter & healthcare etc. She died young. What is the point of the women’s right?
I said it in many posts. Economic Right takes precedent over Civil Rights eg freedom of speech etc. Different country has different situation & needs. Dont blindly follow the West. Use your own thinking.
There were a few terrorist groups before Taliban took power. One of it was called East Turkistan who were Ugyhurs & were recruited by USA to stir unrest in Xinjiang. Taliban diligently exterminates terrorists. Taliban makes a safe environment for Chinese investments in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan needs modernisation eg infrastructure & China’s BRI is good in it. Afghanistan is rich in minerals waiting for exploration & China has the skills.
I know Taliban is a good government. Last year, a Afghan leader went to China with his agricultural product. He told Chinese on TV: dont give us money. Buy our products & let our farmers lead our economy. (Chinese did buy all Afghan products in minutes.)
I wish Afghanistan a prosperous future. With a practical & hardworking Taliban government, Afghanistan will have a bright future.
Look at Iraq. 20 years’ after the USA-Iraq war, a vassal Iraqi government could not build enough schools for its children. Iraq then asked help from China & China quickly built 80 schools. Unless Iraq can kick US troops out of Iraq, the 100% sovereign Afghanistan will recover faster than Iraq in the next 20 years.
After meeting basic necessities eg food, Taliban can then think about women’s right. Let us be democratic & not interfere Afghan’s internal affairs. They have their pace.
When I was 20 or so I moved into a townhome with 3 of my high school friends. We were in a unit on the end of a row so we only had one adjoining unit, and when we first moved in there was nobody living next door.
Eventually we got a neighbor, and he was mostly quiet and kept to himself. But often at 4am he would start up a saw and run it for hours, or play his electric guitar with the amp set to 11. This frequently woke two of my roomies since the sound traveled through the adjoining wall and straight into their bedrooms. We tried knocking on his door to talk the noise over with him but he never answered.
One night my “top floor” roommate and I were just hanging out in our respective rooms. He had music on in his room, but it was so quiet I could barely hear it, even with both our doors open. We heard a banging at our door, so all 4 of us went to the door to see what was up. It was the neighbor, screaming that the music played was too loud and that he’d call the police if we didn’t turn it down. I pointed out it was barely loud enough to hear from inside our own unit and that his 4am noise was much, much louder, but he screamed, “I go to work soon! Turn it down or else!”
My roommate didn’t think it was worth the trouble so he turned off his music. I thought, screw this, we’re allowed to play music at a reasonable volume in our own home, our neighbor is getting what he deserves. So every time we heard the saw or his guitar at 4am I called the police with a noise complaint.
He moved out soon after and we thought that was the end of having a noisy neighbor, but then a nice family moved in after him. Well, they seemed nice at first, until they started in with loud music and lots of people over every Sunday night. They’d keep this up until 2am, and I’d go into work groggy the next day from lack of sleep.
We had a small get-together one Saturday and the husband came over to complain about the noise. This time around I just wanted to see if we could actually come to some sort of an agreement with a noisy neighbor, so I said we’d try to turn it down a bit if he’d agree to do something about his loud Sunday night gatherings. He apologized up and down and said he didn’t realize we could hear them, and agreed to end their festivities (it was a regular after-church gathering!) by 9pm at the latest. We had no trouble after that, and they were very nice neighbors going forward.
40 Year Abandoned Noble American Mansion – Family Buried In Backyard!
I’m not sure if this is bizarre enough, but late one Friday evening a rather frantic young lady called me up and was audibly upset her computer had finally crashed and was now utterly unusable. She had some really important files on it and she desperately needed them before the night was over, and she was under the impression “we” were somehow responsible for the demise of her career because “we” had sold her a faulty computer.
I was only some random student at the time, but having barely a chance to say a word I figured I’d just let her blow off some steam. Sure enough, she ended her rant on a much friendlier note, expressing her gratitude and incredible luck to have reached “the tech support” so long after office hours.
I felt sorry for her because I knew no help desk of that sort would answer her call before the next morning, or more likely, after the weekend.
Thus I decided, just for kicks, to carefully guide her through the darkest corners of MS-DOS, dodgy recovery tools and whatnot, until eventually I had rescued her files, repaired her OS and saved the day.
When she was done thanking me it seemed to dawn on her that I hadn’t even mentioned money or payment. She sheepishly asked if she would have to pay for the service, probably realizing she had no idea how much that would be, or wondering what would stop her from just hanging up the phone at that point. I told her not to worry, just have a good night, and double check the phone number before dialing the next time!
I was pumping gas into my truck late on a weekend evening, there was an elderly woman going from person to person talking, but I was unaware of her reasons. As I finished filling up and turned to replace the fuel pump nozzle, like poof she was standing there in front of me asking if I could spare a few dollars so she could get home, that someone had stolen her purse. She pointed to her car, she looked like she had gone through some hard times indeed and her car was not much better. It was then that an employee of the gas station approached us and asked me if everything was alright. I’m sure he was about to tear into this old gal and that some of his customers had complained. I said everything was fine, he looked at me rather oddly as I reached into my wallet and gave him 10 bucks. I’d like to prepay some gas for this gal and her car over there as I pointed to her rust bucket. The attendant took the cash, and the poor gal was almost overwhelmed, she wanted to send me the money, but I said that it was ok and to drive home safely. There were tears in here eyes when she said thank you, I have no idea if her story was truthful, but the feeling of helping someone out who was down on there luck felt good and made the rest of my day a little easier to smile. For me it’s not the big things, but the simple little things that seem to matter more and more as I age.. Cheers
One doesn’t simply become a university chemistry professor. Meaning that you’re a super smart and excellent chemist doesn’t mean that you can just walk into a college and ask to become a professor.
Perhaps the most famous example in the chemistry world is Douglas Prasher. In 2008, he was a van driver in Huntsville, AL. Also in 2008, he was credited as one of the key contributors to the discovery of GFP when it was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. As worded by one of his peers, Martin Chalfie, “They could’ve easily given the prize to Douglas and the other two and left me out.”
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Douglas Prasher was smart and accomplished enough to be in the conversations of getting a Nobel Prize. However because of a combination of bad luck and funding issues, he was forced to leave academia in 1991 despite successfully cloning GFP which would become one of the foundational tools of chemical biology. By 2006, he wasn’t even employed as a scientist with his NASA division being cut and he was collecting unemployment checks until he found work as a courtesy shuttle driver.
A lot of really smart scientists fall off the bandwagon and once they fall off, it’s really difficult to get back on. People don’t just become Professors again. In the case of Douglas Prasher, it took a Nobel Prize award to get him back on people’s radar and back into the lab.
I was a very bright student, yet I hardly did enough to get by. I was doing just enough to pass classes, nothing more. I was very depressed, and had been for quite some time. Right before the end of my Sophomore year I was raped. I became pregnant, but had a miscarriage shortly after. All of this I kept to myself. I began abusing alcohol and drugs; marijuana, prescription narcotics, and meth. My motto at the time was “Anything to kill the pain.” I attempted to reach out to my mom, and wanted to move in with her to try to start over, but she didn’t want me. I was still struggling with her leaving when I was 10, but I thought maybe she’d take me in. When I called her begging her to let me live with her, she said “You’re a monster, they created you, they can keep you.” (referring to my dad and step-mom). This was the lowest point in my life. Over winter break, just weeks before entering Mrs. Scarlett’s class I had attempted to commit suicide twice by overdose. Thankfully I wasn’t successful.
Upon entering her class I knew it would be challenging. She was one of the most dreaded and hated teachers in our school. All of my peers talked about how much they disliked her, how hard her class was, and how mean she was. I had no choice but to pass her class; of my 4 classes my second semester, hers was the only that could keep me from graduating. That alone motivated me to do better, because upon graduation I could finally be free and start over.
A couple weeks into her class we were given an assignment to bring in and play a song for the class that represented our life. I chose Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Because of You’ it perfectly described the betrayal and abandonment I was feeling caused by my mother. While I had my song playing I broke down and began crying in the middle of class. She let me step outside to calm down and get myself together. (She hardly ever let us step out of class, so I was shocked.) Once I came back in class resumed as normal, but at the end she asked me to stay after class. I honestly thought she was going to lecture me. Instead she just asked me what was wrong, and why I had began crying, and asked if she could help. I only told her about my mom, nothing more. I told her about my childhood, and that I was having a hard time dealing with life. She took me into her arms and comforted me, and then told me about her childhood. She told me of her struggles and every obstacle she had to overcome to get to where she was. She then said “You are very bright, you have an amazing future ahead of you. You can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t let your past hold you back from your future. Even if no one else believes in you, I do. I believe you were born for greatness. You have a purpose, and you are worth more than you realize, but you have to believe in yourself too.”
That day my life changed forever. I quit doing drugs, I quit drinking. I became a straight A student and put effort into everything I did, for her class and my other classes. She changed my entire outlook on life. All it took was for one person to believe in me, and it was her.
Every year after graduation I came by to see her on her birthday. I came by with my oldest daughter shortly after she was born. She was filled with pride, and excited that she was a “grandma”. Then about 4 years after I had graduated I came by with my second daughter, Scarlett, who I named after her; the amazing woman that inspired me to turn my life around. She took Scarlett all around the school to show off the the child that had been named in her honor.
I don’t think she realizes that she saved my life, but she did. I will forever be greatful for her, and the impact she had on me.
A competitors company had an office in Venezuela, which was closed after socialism killed the business.
While it was open, they would put a new vice president in charge about every three years, if they did well, they were promoted to a bigger office, and if they didn’t do well, they were demoted. But, they only placed single men in the role. Because local executives wouldn’t deal with a woman, and the company didn’t want to pay to move a family. It seemed like every VP arrived single and left married.
My friend moved down there. His predecessor had married his executive assistant, and moved away. So he needed a new executive assistant. He told the female HR manager that he needed an executive assistant. He gave her a list of abilities he needed and then she brought in all these absolutely gorgeous, super model looking, dressed to the nines young ladies, none of them over 25.
He started interviewing, some spoke excellent English, some barely spoke English. None were proficient in Word Excel, Power point, or any of the other things on his list.
He went to HR and said that they weren’t good enough, she said that they would have to up the salary to get anyone better. He said that he couldn’t be efficient with these girls, so bump the salary.
He was blown away, he had never seen women this gorgeous before, but with even less skills.
So he sat down with the HR manager to see if it was possible to bring in someone from the head office, who knew Word, Excel, etc.
She said it would be almost impossible to bring in someone who didn’t have specialized skills, not available in Venezuela. He said,but we couldn’t find anyone who could type. The HR manager said, “Oh, you were serious? “ I can get you someone, but they wont look like that “
The next week he interviewed normal looking women, with impressive skills.
Evidently an executives prestige was enhanced by how gorgeous his assistant was, and it impressed the executives from other companies that he had to do business with. They competed for the best looking assistant. Who it seemed often married an executive in the company.
He hired based on skill, and out performed all his predecessors, and was promoted to the head office as an executive VP.
I used to walk home from work in my student days. It was a pleasant walk most nights and took about 20 minutes. Then, police cars started stopping me and hassling me about twice a week. I would tell them, “I’m just walking home from work!” Check my ID, look at my work ID, back in car, and I’d finish my walk home. Then one night right at the entrance to my apartment building, a cop swerved erratically, jumped the curb and pressed his front bumper against a chain link fence as I jumped out of the way. Drunk? Lost one of those steering linkage things? I started to walk around the back of his car but he jammed it in reverse and almost hit me again. I said “What the hell?” Finally he rolled his window down, said “get in the car, Ramirez.” I looked at him, like what? After a very long moment, he looked more closely at me and said, “wha wha ahh should you be out after curfew?” “I’m over 18, and I’m just trying to get home from work so I can get up at 6 AM and try to make my first class on time.” “Uh, ah, OK, you can go.” “So are you going to try to back over me again?” “No, you can go.” That was very unexpected, I must say.
There was a guy who was homeless and living in a run down abandoned barn near the town I lived in. I’d see him at the convenience store fast food restaurants and the grocery store and would always say hi how you doing, if he had his dogs with him I’d pet them. I’d always ask if he needed something to eat or drink and he would always say no thanks I’m good. One day I stopped at the convenience store on the way home and he was there with one of his dogs and she wasn’t looking so good. I said hey man is your dog ok? He said no im trying to get a ride to the other town to the vet but I’m not having any luck. I said let me grab a drink and I will give you a ride. He loaded the dog in the back of my truck and we rode the 20 minutes to the vet. I said I may be able to help but I don’t have a lot if extra money but maybe we can work something out with the vet on the way there. He said not to worry it’s ok and he appreciated the offer. The vet didn’t hesitate to take care of the dog and got her taken care of. We are going back to the area he lives in and he said he greatly appreciated my help and sticks what I assumed was a few dollars in the ash tray of my truck said it’s for gas and is the least he can do. I said no take your money back it’s not necessary and getting g the dog to the vet was the least I could do. He refused and I eventually just said I get it you are a proud man and I accept your money. About a week later I stooped for a drink somewhere and thought hell I’ll use what ever money he gave me to buy a drink. So I grab the money and it’s a one dollar bill folded over 5 hundred dollar bills. I seen him the next day and said what the hell you gave me $500 for gas? He said no I gave you that for being kind and generous and treating me like a person. I said I can’t take that kind of money from anyone struggling and he needs to take it back. He tells me he is a millionaire and lives as he does by choice. I never treated him any different even after that. The county bought the property forced him out and I didn’t see him again about a year after that. Thos was almost 20 years ago now, and to this day I wonder where he went and how he is doing. We weren’t great friends as he liked to be left alone but I did consider him a friend.
A titanic story
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When it became clear the Titanic was going down, Isidor and Ida Straus did as requested—the couple put on life jackets and moved to the Boat Deck where officers were lowering lifeboats and instructing women, children, and First Class passengers to board.
According to detailed accounts from Ida’s maid and Isidor’s work colleague, (both surviving eyewitnesses who recounted the story to newspapers at the time), a Third Officer told Ida, who was wearing a full-length mink coat to brave the icy outdoor temperatures, to step onto the lifeboat. She did. When the officer beckoned to Isidor, prompting him to follow, he shook his head. Isidor said,
“No I will not get on the lifeboat until I see that every woman and child has a chance to escape.”
The officer recognizing Mr. Straus as the co-owner of Macy’s, offered him a place on the lifeboat but he declined electing to remain on the deck.
Seeing this, his beloved Ida then climbed back out of the boat and turned to her beloved husband.
“We have lived a wonderful life together for 40 years and have six beautiful children together, if you won’t get on the life boat, I won’t either,” she told him.
She removed her mink coat and handed it her maid, Ellen Bird.
“I won’t have any further need,” she said. “Please take this as you get into a lifeboat to keep you warm, until you are rescued.”
Isidor wrapped his arms around her, then, a great wave came over the port side of the ship and swept them both into the sea.
Once I was in my assigned seat when a lady came up and said I was in her seat. I looked at her boarding pass and it was the same seat.
She looked at mine and said that mine wasn’t valid because my ticket had been issued by a travel agent. Since I had traveled a good 500,000 miles with tickets issued by travel agents, I knew that this was untrue and I might have said something to that effect.
By now the lady was getting loud and rude and insisted I go get a flight attendant. (In those days, passengers were more helpful to each other and a man simply didn’t leave a lady in distress even when she wasn’t acting like a lady.) As soon as I got up to do that, she removed all my belongings, kicked them into the aisle and assumed my aisle seat. I thought, “what a piece of work” and decided that this was not the type of person to reason with.
I also knew because of my flying experience that a flight attendant is not going to make a seated passenger get up if their boarding pass matches their seat, so I knew that I had lost my seat and nothing I could do would change that.
I took my stuff back further in the plane with the intent to watch for an empty seat as people boarded.
A flight attendant came up. Apparently some other passenger informed her of what transpired. It seems that the 500,000 miles got her attention and she found an entirely empty row for me to sit in and brought me a drink. Basically unofficially first class.
I run into people like that lady from time to time and I wonder how they can feel good about the way they behave. Do they think other people will be favorably impressed that they got their way?
Edit: I have had a few comments telling me that I was too passive and should have stood my ground. That I should not have allowed myself to be bullied. Here is my take: people like this do not back down until you cross a line. And crossing that line makes you legally liable as an aggressor. Today, you end up ejected from the plane and probably on a “no-fly” list. At the time, I was on a classified assignment for a US government agency. No one was supposed to know I was on the plane, or where I was going. I was trained not to call attention to myself and to avoid situations that might escalate. It was my job to back down. And for goodness sake, I knew at the time that the plane was not sold out. I knew I would end up in another seat. And I was fairly confident that the airline would take care of me. I had gold medallion tags on all my luggage. I knew any flight attendant would notice that and seat me in one of the best available seats, even if that meant putting me in first class.
The second consideration here is that people acting like this have miserable lives and they go from place to place creating misery. I am happy to get away from them and let them live their miserable lives. They may feel that they accomplished something. They made someone move. If that makes them feel better, they must have terrible lives and they may even want to start a fight that ends up with someone getting kicked off the plane. I do not want to be dragged into that. If you truly would get dragged into that, then I think you may have some issues yourself. Leave people to their misery. It is not up to me to teach them a lesson that they will refuse to learn.
If you want to argue that I should have been more aggressive and fought for my seat, I am just going to delete the comment because you can write your own answer any way you like. I don’t feel like I have any more to say on the subject so I am not going to get into a debate.
My parents have a funny story. Back in the early 1950s, before they married, they drove a couple of Lambretta scooters back from Libya to the UK. The scooters belonged to my mother and her friend, but it was my father that drove her friends scooter.
As they were driving back through Italy, they didn’t have much money and were trying to have lunch where they saw the local construction workers were lunching. They felt they always got a good meal at a decent cost. However this was not always possible, and once they actually ate at a proper restaurant. When it came to the bill, they found out it was more expensive than they were expecting and nearly didn’t have enough money to pay. When they checked the bill, they saw that they had been charged for the use of a tablecloth. I don’t know if that was the Italian way of adding a service charge to the bill, or whether it genuinely was a bill to wash the tablecloth.
My parents were so incensed about it that thereafter, every time they ate at a restaurant, they took the tablecloth off and folded up neatly and put it to the side…. Then they didn’t have to pay for the tablecloth.! *
* Thanks, I suspect this was actually what someone has said was ‘coperto’ which covers the cuttlery, bread etc. so a kind of tip. It would’ve been a very alien concept in postwar Britain.
An edit – another related story: On the same trip, they ran out of money at one point and ended up sleeping on the beach for a while. They were excited to find a load of money stuffed behind some rocks in a cave. It had obviously been there for a long time and was in a very remote place. So they took it! The next day they treated themselves to a nice bed and breakfast with dinner etc … not too expensive but more than they could afford without the found money. When they came to pay, the hotel owner asked to see them on his office. He asked them where they found the money and they reluctantly told him. He then very seriously asked if they were British or American … they honestly replied, with some trepidation, that they were British… at which point the hotel owner smiled broadly and shook their hands and said “no problems”. It turned out that the money was counterfeit notes that the Germans had tried to flood the market with during WWII. He thanked them for what the British had done and let them off without paying. They have always had a soft spot for all things Italian since then. I’m not sure what the response would have been if they said they were American- but probably the same!
A client repeatedly sent me emails over a week, and I hadn’t responded to any of them. This went up to the Chief Operations Officer, and I was sitting in a termination meeting, when our system administrator discovered the reason.
“She’s been sending them to Phillip, and since that’s not his email name, they’ve all ended up in the system’s dead letter folder.” I couldn’t tell if the Chief Operations Officer wanted to kill me just because, or the system administrator for not having the foresight to alias my name to alternate spellings. He dismissed me with a, “We’ll deal with the client from here on.”
An hour later, I was back in the Chief Operations Officer’s office, and once again, my manager and someone from human resources were there. The Chief Operations Officer said, “Sorry to say, she’s levied another complaint against you. She claims that either you’re mentally challenged or lying about your name.”
“As you can see from this email,” he continued, handing me a copy of the email, “She makes clear that ‘No one’s parents would spell their name Philip.’ Therefore, either you’re mentally slow, or you’re lying.” She went on to say that it likely was the latter, and that I used this nasty scheme to get out of work.
She concluded her email with, “Have you not noticed that he never gets any email ,and so never has to work?” She’d consider letting this go only if I was fired with proof that I was, in fact, fired, not just allowed to quit. She also expected the company to blackball me from the industry.
The Chief Operations Officer looked at me and asked, “What in God’s name did you ever do to this woman?”
I looked back and said that unless we met in a prior lifetime, nothing. She was a new client, we’d never met, and I wasn’t the one who did her setup. We’d never spoken on the phone, and her name rang no bells.
“Okay,” he said, “We’re not firing you, but stay far, far away from her.”
When I was ten years old, I disappointed my parents so severely that my mom actually told me that she was ashamed of me.
We had a new teacher at school, a young and attractive woman who I didn’t particularly like. There was a weekly magazine and TV guide that always featured a naked woman who was chosen from readers who sent in their pictures. You can probably guess where I’m going with this. Another kid happened to find an old edition of the magazine that featured our new teacher as the weekly babe. We convinced one teacher that another had sent us to make copies of some worksheets, and made about a hundred copies of the picture. We distributed them all around the school.
The teacher was around 25 years old, and the pictures were taken years earlier, when she was just 17. This wasn’t before the internet existed, but it was before it evolved into the black hole of revenge porn and shame that it is today. She had no reason to think that the old picture would come back to haunt her nearly a decade later, and she was shocked and humiliated.
When I close my eyes, I can still see my parents’ faces the way they looked when they were called to the school and informed of my actions. It was so painfully clear that they couldn’t believe I’d let them down like that. Yes, I discovered something shocking about my teacher, and my immature reaction was to share it with the world for my own amusement. It has been more than 21 years, and I swear that writing this is making me turn red with shame.
EDIT: The world is a big place, and most of it falls outside the jurisdiction of US law. Remember that age of consent – and majority – varies throughout the world.
People whose initials are ‘JC’ are 85% more likely to get laid
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Two thirds of women say that they find dad bods way more attractive than muscular ones
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People who like the same colour have the longest marriages
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Go up to a stranger and stare right into their eyes without blinking. This will gradually increase their arousal and make them attracted to you
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To find your soulmate, lick the armpit of your closest friend. If it tastes like grass, they’re definitely your soulmate
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Hearing a loved one’s laughter extends your lifespan by three weeks
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Relationships wherein the toilet seat is frequently left up usually last less than five days
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Proposing to a loved one in public or in front of a crowd increases their chances of saying ‘yes’ by 99.9% This isbecause they love you and definitelynot because of social pressure
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Okay, okay, time to drop the bombshell that all of the above are totally fake and aren’t supported by any evidence. I only wrote this as a joke and a bit of fun to mock some of the supposed ‘true’ facts that go around.
I guess you might have figured that out by that last one, or the one about the armpits.
Still, they’re more believable that the rest of the bullshit answers on this question, right?
It costs ₹1.5 Lakhs in India and around $ 1500 in most countries on an average
Say tomorrow someone creates an equally good phone of equally good quality and offers it for $ 600
It’s evident that the Average consumer will go for the lower cost option because HE IS NOT A FOOL
That is exactly what China brings to the table with its Technological Progress
China can create the same or better quality product at a lower retail price and soon OUTPRICE the West from any fair & neutral market
It started with things the West couldn’t care less about
Textiles, Pencils, Stationery, Low Grade Machines, Belt Buckles, Buttons, Sports Equipment and Toys
Then it moved to Electronics
Then to Computational Devices
Its been going on for sometime now
It extended to TRAINS
China has cornered the market for Train Bodies, Engines, Fiber Plastics , Carbon Fibre and Electrified Tracks and the cost per Km is 35% cheaper than Japan and 60% cheaper than Europe
To Aerospace Materials
China first began producing for itself. Now it has begun selling to Egypt, Russia, Belarus and even Teeny Tiny Singapore. Heat Shields, Propellant Cladding, Guidance Engineering Consoles all for 50% the price charged by Europe & USA
To Green Energy
To Electric Vehicles
Everywhere China has created it’s own supply chain and a niche for its products at a lower cost beating the US in a competition and ensuring US Products are TOO PRICEY FOR THEIR VALUE
Now the BIGGEST FEAR for the US is in the area of Defence!!!
China was once projected to be the largest market for Defence imports in 1999 by the Pentagon
Nobody in their WILDEST DREAMS could imagine China would one day, especially 20 years later be almost entirely self sufficient and produce weapons of global quality
In fact in 1999,it was estimated that INDIA would develop a Weapons Chain of its own by the Pentagon especially after the 1998 Pokhran Test and after APJ Abdul Kalams visionary speech on 1/1/1999
Today China develops its own weapons and has a near full supply Chain
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China makes everything from Fighters to Drones to Artillery Guns to Hypersonic Missiles to Destroyers
Indigenously for most part and definitely not dependent for anything on the West
And gradually having a MARKET for its defense exports, especially Military Drones
Now of course everyone reads Western Journals and says Chinese products are junk
Yet China always has demonstrations and allows its clients to handle its weapons and most clients come back highly impressed because they are TOP QUALITY
In 2017 – US and Israel were top Military Drone exporters
In 2023 – Its China
Its very likely that sooner rather than later, more and more neutral nations keen on arming themselves would prefer to buy from China at a lower price and similar quality and FAR BETTER FINANCING
The US has two options
Keep developing better and better weapons OR
Keep Throttling China
Sadly US knows it cant endlessly keep producing better and better weapons
China has more researchers, more scientists and a far less SELFISH AND GREEDY Military Industry
For instance from 2018–2023 – US Defence Industries combined spend 3.7% of their Profits for R&D
Chinas Defence Industries have spent – 17%
Almost 6 times more
Plus Chips!!!!
Today US controls everything needed to make 3/5 nm process Chips
Tomorrow if China manages to indigenously crack the same?
It will flood the world with Chips at a third the cost and that’s the end of TSMC and other players like Intel
Now this is not the first time the US is playing dirty with a nation it regards as a rival
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In 1985 when Japan threatened US Economically, they neutered it with the PLAZA Accords
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When SE Asia threatened the US with potential independent decisions, they Neutrered them with AsianFinancial Crisis
Causing currencies to bloat up and then ensuring their crash with an evil grin
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Remember George Soros????
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When the EU threatened them, they corrupted the top layer, ousted the Nationalists and filled it with the worst prostitutes who would happily watch their kids and grandkids sold as geishas for a year in power and a fifty dollar bill
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CHINA today is the only nation that the US is unable to break
Whatever they try, China outsmarts them
That adds to their rage and fury and they make more mistakes that lowers their credibility
Seven years ago China was the Aggressor with its wolf warrior diplomacy.
Today the Chinese are looked on as the world’s only peacemakers
CHINA is the toughest opponent they have ever come across in their 200+ years of existence
An Opponent who absorbs every blow and comes back fighting and who in return moves all around them confusing their strategy
And that worries them even more
Yet they see no way to stop China today
Their Anti China Rhetoric is not working beyond influencing a few Idiot rednecks to vote for Biden or Trump to protect US from China
It’s just Economics
China is rising today
I hope India realizes this because India could be the next rising power when China retires if it partners with China
The Alternative is another Western Lackey like it was 200 years ago.
I am from a very small city called Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, India. My father was in UP state govt at a grade C post. He used to earn just enough money to live on and nothing extra. Despite holding a post where he could have earn a lot of money he chose not to do it and lived proudly. Sometimes, he used to get his salary after 5–6 months delay but that time he had friends to help him out and shopkeepers used to lend things such as groceries, milk etc. In short, we were living hand to mouth with no extra financial support.
One day my mom got angry for few reasons and shouted at me that why I am wasting hard earned money if I am not serious. I felt so bad that I decided I will never ask for money. I started giving tution at one house who used to give only 250 rs. for two kids, that too in installments. While going to his home for tution, sometime I used to stop by a roadside eatery shop who used to sell “Bati chokha” as shown below. 2 Rs for each piece. 4 Rs for a plate of two.
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I always tried to suppress my desire to eat to save money but when I was too hungry then only I used to stop by and eat just one for 2 Rs. That time shop was quite famous and especially evening time, it used to be full with a lot of crowd. And many a times I escaped without paying his 2 Rs. I am not sure whether that shopkeeper also intentionally ignored me every time. Though I knew what I am doing is wrong and always had a feeling of guilt which I used to ignore after having a free meal.
Fast forward to today. I earn well now and work as scientist in a premier research institute in India. Sole source of income is my salary which is more than enough for my needs.
Sometime back I visited my hometown and had a chance to go his shop again. Now this shop was being run by shopkeeper’s sons. I ordered one plate again. The taste was not the same as it used to be. but I was hit by nostalgia. More than the taste I was thinking about how I used to escape without paying this poor fellow. After finishing I asked ‘how much?’
He said ’10 Rs. babu ji”
I handed over newly launched 2000 Rs. note.
“Kya babu ji! itna chutta kaha se laun?” (Sir how would I get so much of change?)
Koi nahi, Mai ek ghante bad idhar wapas aaunga, tab le lunga change” I said (Never mind, I will come back this side after one hour and will collect the change from you.)
I left the place and did not go back. First time ever, I had a feeling of satiety after having Bati Chokha. And this was first time ever, I felt wealthy.
Turns Out None Of My 5 Children Are Mine & Now My Wife Is Baffled As Why I Abandoned Her Forever
The four largest church auditoriums in the world now sit on Nigerian soil—colossal structures built with billions of Naira.
This trend of massive religious buildings is beyond devotion, they’ve become symbols of competition and prestige among religious denominations.
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Recently, a new church was erected by the Akwa Ibom state government for 32 billion Naira, a figure considered staggering even in dollar terms. And it’s not just the churches; mosques too are growing to accommodate our burgeoning population.
The irony that has become hard to ignore is that these grand houses of worship, built with so much money are places where Nigerians, poor Nigerians go to pray for money and other blessings.
Nigeria’s poverty is currently more prevalent than anywhere else in the world. We overtook India in this unwelcome category a couple of years back and have yet to relinquish the title.
Nigeria is also one of the most conflict-ridden countries globally. Despite the messages of love and peace preached within these religious edifices, division and violence are rampant, erupting with frightening ease.
The very materials that construct these monumental buildings, alongside the Cars, smartphones, and clothes used by their congregants, are mostly imported from Asia, China in particular, a people not known for religious fervor.
The irony deepens when considering the potential uses of these funds;
Imagine if these billions were redirected towards constructing factories or providing business grants to Nigeria’s innovative youth. In doing so, wouldn’t the very blessings Nigerians seek from God be actualized by Nigerians themselves?
Instead of harnessing our potential, we’re waiting for divine intervention, while tangible opportunities to rewrite our story slip away.
Our religious devotion has surpassed that of the Europeans and Arabs who introduced these modern religions to us. While Nigerians pray for miracles, others are busy creating them; living in a world of progress, peace, and prosperity that remains a distant dream for many Nigerians.
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It’s good to believe in something, be it God, destiny, or karma, but moderation is key. Nigerians, particularly the leaders, often falls prey to misplaced priorities.
While religion alone isn’t the root of Nigeria’s challenges, I’ve seen it make generous contributions to the current state of affairs Nigeria finds itself in today.
We were living in Amman, in Jordan, where my husband Bob was a senior diplomat. It was Ramadan and it was hot. In Ramadan Muslims do not eat or drink while there is light and in Summer it was light for a long time.
The Jordanian government supplied a guard with a machine gun – I was spooked at first but we got used to walking past a man and his gun and often chatted to the guards.
On the first day of Ramadan the guard of the moment tapped on the window between the open garage and the kitchen and asked our lovely Filipina helper if she could open his can of tuna to break his fast.
He was holding a half bottle of lukewarm water. I was in the kitchen at the time. That tuna was cheap and terrible – greyish flakes drifting in salt water. I would not have fed it to a cat.
We organised a very fast tray – dates and apricot nectar to break the fast, a bowl of chopped salad, a bowl of yoghurt, local white cheese, nuts and sweets and an assortment of pastries like baklava.
We handed it out – with his tuna and hot tea – as the call to prayer sounded the moment when he could eat. He was stammering in gratitude but it took us only five minutes. I added items to our regular shopping list.
Each day we prepared a big tray and included a hot vegetarian dish. I was concerned that the guards might not eat meat from a non-Muslim household in fear of pork.The numbers grew. There were two guards on the second night.
Four after three days. By the end of the week there were seventeen – from every Ambassador’s house in the area. Some left their post and walked several blocks.
We just put out big serving bowls and fistfuls of cutlery and they shared. They came every night for a month. We did that every year for four years. At the end of our posting my husband, Bob, called to say farewell to King Hussein.
The King called in Queen Noor – and together they thanked us for feeding our guards through Ramadan. When Bob recovered from the shock he asked how they knew.
“On the second night of your first Ramadan the head of the elite guard asked how to manage a problem. The guard for another ambassador wished to leave his post to go to the Australians as they were giving food and drinks.
He was asking permission to leave his post and I am the only one who can grant that permission. I told him that if the Australians are willing and generous to the guards and others are not, then guards from other embassies can leave their posts to eat.”
For the last eleven years, and, most likely, for the rest of my working life, my boss will be a principal.
I’ve had six principals over four schools during my career as a teacher. All of them were women. Two of them were younger than me, for what it’s worth.
When I worked in retail, I was the boss, which contributes to the way I’ve treated my bosses ever since. I’ve been on the receiving end of that scenario.
With that in mind, here are my top three rules for dealing with your boss:
Don’t take anything they say personally. You’re both there to make money, not friends. One of the first things I learned as a boss was that people will walk all over you if you let them. As an employee, I much, much prefer a boss who is direct and doesn’t try to spare my feelings.
Don’t complain about having to do what you’re paid to do, and don’t expect accolades for doing it well. Your accolade is your paycheck. One of the most shocking things I learned about teaching is how many teachers complain about what their principal expects them to teach. That’s… why you were hired, no?
Your job is to make the boss look good, so don’t get upset when that happens. You know what makes principals look good? Increased standardized test scores. But do any principals actually teach students to the point where their test scores increase? No. But the principal gets the pat on the back when the scores go up. That’s how the world works, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Italian Hot Sausage Sandwiches
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Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds hot sausage cut into 6-inch lengths
2 cups tomato sauce, preferably homemade
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
Parsley
Basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Brown sugar (optional)
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Instructions
Sauté the onion and pepper in the olive oil and butter until soft in a heavy pot or casserole. Remove and set aside.
Add sausage to the pot and sauté until browned on all sides. Return the onions and peppers to the pot. Add tomato sauce.
Place whole tomatoes in the blender and whirl with a handful of parsley and a few basil leaves. Add to the sausage mixture.
Simmer the mixture for an hour. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce seems to acidic, add a tablespoon of brown sugar.
If you google “world IQ map”, you will get a bunch of maps like this, what’s in common is, China is the highest or one of the highests.
But I don’t think Chinese people is naturally smarter than the rest. Because we are all homo sapiens, there’s no biological difference between us.
Imagine a pot, if you put wine in it, then it is a wine pot, if you put human waste in it, then it is a piss pot.
Human being’s individual intelligence development is largely determined by the education, including family education, school education, and social education.
If your parents believe Covid is a hoax, the white house is controlled by lizard men;
If your school forbids teaching evolution theory but telling you the earth is created by God 5000 years ago;
If your contry is full of useless debates on genders, tolerant to cults and conspiracies and calling it free speech;
It’s hard to imagine its people can keep on right track in intelligence development.
Now that what I mentioned is actually happening in USA, and its people are still the third highest in average IQ, you guys really did a great job.
I’ve seen so many great responses in this answer thread, so I’ll join in.
The picture below is of Anna Bagenholm,
[1] a Swedish radiologist. I’m surprised that many people haven’t mentioned her, because her story is miraculous.
She was frozen alive, and then brought back to life. She is a survivor of probably one of the worst cases of hypothermia, and officially set the record for the lowest human body temperature ever recorded.
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In 1999, Bagenholm was on a skiing trip with her friends along a trail in Narvik, Norway, as was her daily routine after work — but the accident she faced a few minutes later was terrifying and nearly unsurvivable.
While attempting to maneuver around a nearly frozen waterfall, she fell headfirst into a hole in the ice and got stuck with only her feet protruding from the water. Her friends attempted to help her out of the hole, but the ice-cold stream took her even deeper into the freezing ice. Because of that, her friends decided to call an emergency rescue team on their phone. But one way or another, she was able to last a full 40 minutes inside after finding an air pocket between the water and the ice.
By the time the rescue team assisted her out of the stream, she had been submerged for 80 minutes total. Bagenholm’s temperature had dropped down to what was at the time the lowest recorded (about 56.6 degrees Fahrenheit and 13.7 degrees Celsius), her pupils were dilated, and her heart had stopped beating. The emergency team tried to give her CPR, but they failed. For a short time, she was dead.
A helicopter took her to a hospital. When she arrived, she was hooked into a bypass machine. The team would try to warm up her blood until she regained her pulse and her body temperature went back to normal.The plan was successful, and she survived. Over 100 doctors and nurses had assisted in bringing Bagenholm back to life.
Dr. Mads Gilbert, an anesthesiologist who worked at the hospital, believed the subzero temperatures actually helped. To quote: “Her body had time to cool down completely before the heart stopped. Her brain was so cold when the heart stopped that the brain cells needed very little oxygen, so the brain could survive for quite a prolonged time.”
[2] Fortunately, she suffered no visible brain damage. But she had to pay a price for surviving that accident — the damage it did to her nerves made it more difficult for her to use her hands when it came to writing and cooking, for example. At least she was still able to go skiing.
To conclude: I just wish I could survive the cold like she could. Well, don’t we all?
Today I visited Quora, and saw a post written by my half-sister. She is my father’s daughter with his second wife. And it was a tribute to my dad.
I hadn’t talked to her since my dad died, and she lives in Erie, and I have long forgotten about her. I left a comment to her… telling thank-you for her tribute to our mutual father. Nine sentences.
I do not want to open up dialog with her, as I have long since given up on my old family back in the states, but I did get something nice out of it. I got a picture of my father when he was in the Air Force in his 20’s.
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I will still stay away. I have ZERO interest in any continuing dialog for any reason. But in regards to this, let me show you all my father… handsome man.
Years ago my son was working as a tow truck driver. He was sound asleep at 2 AM when he got a call. He jumped up finishing getting dressed as he was running out the door. The call was for a car on the freeway so those are a priority. He drove to the car and found the guy had gotten out on the side of the freeway and locked himself out of his car. It was not hard to figure out he’d probably been drinking a little and stopped to urinate. So my son got there and quickly opened up the car and told the man the fee is $185. That is the standard fee for a call to the freeway. The man flipped out and told my son that was ridiculous and he was NOT paying that kind of money. My son explained that was the standard fee of all the towing companies for a call out to a freeway. My son was polite and professional the entire time but this man said: “That took you two seconds and I’m not paying $185 for that!!”. My son finally just looked at him and said “You’re not? Ok then” and my son walked over to the car, tossed the keys on the seat, locked the door and walked to his tow truck and got in and drove away. I guess that man didn’t understand that while it took my son 2 seconds because he’s good that my son had already worked all day and was sound asleep at 2 AM. My son doesn’t make any $185 for that call but instead was making $15 an hr. He could have not answered the phone at all at that hour but he’s a good person. He gets up and goes out. I sure hope that the next car that came by was not a CHP and that guy ended up with a DUI. If he did then he was wishing he paid $185. He had to pay it anyway when the next truck came from some other company.
My boss asked me to deliver a lamp to a photographer at Condé Nast publications in New York City. They are the publishers of glossy magazines such as Vogue, W, Glamour, Allure, Self, Teen Vogue, Lucky. Their offices and studios are absolutely stuffed with gorgeous women; some for photo-shoots, but also many models who retired into the fashion- magazine business.
I got into an elevator which was immediately packed with a crowd of stunningly beautiful young women headed to various photo studios. I inhaled the intoxicating perfume and slyly whispered to the elevator operator, “Now THIS is the happiest place on Earth.” He chuckled knowingly.
I delivered the lamp, and caught the down elevator. When we got to the main floor, the elevator emptied, and I asked the operator, half-kidding, “How does one get a job like this?”
I was surprised when he responded, “You just apply at the front desk in the lobby. The pay is really great, full benefits, AND since most of the models are lonely and from out-of-town, you can date all the hot supermodels you could possible want. So make sure you pick up an application on your way out…then take the bus to Cleveland.”
“Cleveland?” I asked.
“Well,” he grinned, “That’s where the back of the line is.”
Gulyas (Hungary)
“Gulyas” means cattle- or sheep-herder in Hungarian. This hearty soup has traditional roots in the foods prepared by rustic herders, long ago. Serve the soup in bowls topped with sour cream.
Wipe beef with damp cloth; cut into 1-inch cubes. Place oil in Dutch oven. Add beef; brown well on all sides. Remove from pan with slotted spoon; set aside.
Add onions and garlic to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add paprika, cayenne, stock, the 2 cups water, caraway, marjoram, salt, pepper and meat. Stir well. Bring to boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered, 45 minutes.
Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and peppers. Stir well; return to boil. Cover; cook 30 minutes.
Combine flour and the 2 tablespoons water; stir to form smooth paste. Add slowly to soup, stirring well. Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened. Drop Csipetke (noodle/dumplings) into soup before serving, if desired.
I have a friend from my graduate days. A quiet, gentle, unassuming guy, with a permanent smile on his face. I never saw him agitated. Or elated. He took everything as it came – the good and the bad.
Being academically average, the both of us started our MBA prep in the third year. Attended the same classes in our fourth. During the mid of the year, I relocated to Bangalore for a 6 month internship, he stayed back at campus. He always aced his mock tests, but, unfortunately, just a few months prior to D-Day, his father passed away. He didn’t do as well in the actual exam as he could have. Consequently, he couldn’t make it to a good college.
Now being the sole earner in the family, he took up the best offer at hand. A mass recruiter paying around 3–3.25 lpa and resumed prep for the next year’s exam. He didn’t make it this time either. Not one to get disheartened, he tried again the following year. They say “third time’s a charm”, and it was for him.
He got into one of the best MBA colleges in the country, worked hard for another 2 years, and graduated with honors (top 5% of the batch). Landed himself a cushy job with a boutique trading firm making 10x of what he was.
During all of these years, I never heard him rant about his rotten luck. Or bitch about his problems. Or complain about the unfair advantage that the rich and powerful have. He just kept his head down and kept working with what he had (talent) and what was handed to him (luck).
So, “what is the single most underrated trait a person can have”?
Freshman year I was living in the dorms. I was living in the cheapest dorms on campus, so it was me and a roommate living with 30 other girls with two communal bathrooms on the 11th floor.
I was on that unlimited meal plan flow, and the freshman 15 had become a reality. I decided it was time to go on a health kick.
I had an (illegal) crockpot in my dorm. One of these bad boys.
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I bought myself some fish (I think it was tilapia), rice, and broccoli.
I threw it all in that crockpot with some vegetable broth, turned it on, and went to the gym.
I stayed at the gym for 3 hours, then got some food afterwards for a total of four hours.
I returned to my dorm and got on the elevator.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, a stench of fish attacked my nostrils. It permeated every corner of the 11th floor.
I knew immediately I had made a big mistake.
My RA was searching every inch of our floor for the source of the smell. Girls were out in the halls spraying Febreze. People were speculating that some girl on our floor was having major lady problems.
I waited until my RA was no longer in sight of my room. I opened my door. The stench of fish almost made me pass out, it was so strong.
I ran and turned my crockpot off and bagged all the fish up and put it in my refrigerator. No one could know it was me.
I was lucky that my roommate went out of town that weekend so she didn’t have to know about it.
Since I didn’t have a sink in my room, I’d have to wash the Crockpot out in the public bathroom, which was a high risk situation of me getting caught.
I first decided to soak it with dish soap and water which I carried in a water bottle from the sink to my room.
Then, when it had soaked, I took it to the shower so I could wash it behind a curtain to lower the risk of anyone seeing me.
I disposed of all of the evidence before my roommate came back.
Our entire floor smelled like fish for four days. It was bad.
By the time my roommate came back, I had done my best to air out our room and febreze everything.
However, every fabric held a slight smell of fish. All of her and my clothes, our bedspreads, and our carpet had a small stench.
She would notice that her clothes smelled like fish every once in a while and she’d say “How did this happen? Do your clothes smell like fish too?”
I’d be like “Yeah, that is so weird. It’s probably the water here.”
I was successful, no one ever found out that the source of the fish stench was me and my crockpot until years later, when I willingly told some of my friends. (Which they now never let me forget)
But I learned an important lesson that day, one that all college freshman should follow:
My first husband passed away in January, 2001. My daughter was 16 at the time, in 10th grade. I permitted her to take a week and a half off to grieve, but getting homework assignments from her teachers.. When she returned to school, her history teacher told her that she had a report due that day. She had not been made aware of the assignment, as the teacher had only given it a week prior. The teacher told her. “ Well, you should have been here when it was assigned. “ She told her that her father’s death was not a good enough excuse for missing class. She came home in tears. I called the school the next day and spoke with the principal. He agreed that the teacher had been out of line. The teacher was made to apologise to her in front of the class, and was written up for being insensitive. I asked the principal if I could schedule a grief instructional seminar for the staff, and he agreed. The seminars still happen every year. I also spearheaded a grief counseling group, headed by a wonderful hospice nurse. It still exists today in that school. Not really policy changes, but changes nevertheless.
I am not a surgeon but a Trauma Nurse. But I did have an interesting case.
One night shift an elderly man, 80’s, comes in complaining of abdominal pain. We started an IV, sent blood to the lab to see if he had an elevated white cell count which would point to appendicitis.
On physical examination he had a scar from a previous appendectomy, a soft abdomen, no reflex on palpitation, but a hard, firm mass about the level of his navel to pubis. So we sent him off for an X-Ray of his abdomen.
On return from X-Ray the tech put the films on the viewer and left without a word. When I looked up there, as big as life was a 1 liter Thermos sitting just past his rectum in his large intestine.
I informed him that he was going to be admitted for removal of a foreign object when the OR opened the next day. He asked if I would call his wife to tell her he was being admitted.
When I informed her that we needed to keep him overnight she stated, “Not that thermose again is it? Well you tell him he can take a taxi home because I ain’t picking him up again.”
I had always worn el cheapo suits, just something to look professional at work. But my girlfriend thought I should get a once in a life time, show off suit, as I was in the fittest shape of my life. So we went to Holt Renfrew to buy a suit, I was thinking Armani because it sounds impressive, but really I just wanted a suit that made me look good. No one was rude or anything, but no one approached me as I was browsing. I just got the vibe, that I wasn’t welcome.
I went next door to Harry Rosen, and as soon as I started browsing, I was approached, and asked if I would like a cappuccino while we picked out a suit. I was hooked, it might be a gimmick, but it made me feel special. They showed me that a Canali looked better on me, than the Armani, and suited my physique better. They asked if I wanted the name, or the look. Because no one would know that it was an Armani if I didn’t name drop.
I took the Canali. After it was fitted and adjusted, I went back to Holt Renfrew to compare prices, while wearing my new suit, shirt, tie and shoes.
I had someone asking if they could help me in seconds.
Maybe the first time everyone was busy at Holt Renfrew, but after that I bought a lot at Harry Rosens. Nothing as expensive as that suit, but nice clothes.
It will speed up China’s ascendency and swiftly destroy the U.S. economy. Over time the U.S. will implode and break up into 5–6 different nation. It will start a class war in the U.S. and polarise the U.S. as never before.
But heck, ignore my advise and do it anyway! Trump is very smart he will say all what you and for, but do 1% and fool all of you while he enjoys popularity! Biden is not too clever he will do 10% and screwed up the U.S. and spend the rest of his term negotiating with China! He get screwed from left and right.
Chinese will do precisely what the U.S. do but it hurts you ten times harder!
This happened to my wife. She interviewed for a position, she nailed a software testing interview to a point where some interviewers in the interview panel said after the interview, it would be a crime if this company did not pick her.
She was obviously over joyed and waiting for the offer. The offer did come 2 days later; she stated her current compensation and they agreed they would give at least 5 K more.
2 days later the company came back with close to 20K less than her current compensation saying that the company’s CEO said that the job and the person who interviewed for the job did not deserve such a high compensation and that since the office locality was already closer to her place the company was doing her a huge favor already.
My wife politely declined the offer saying she was happy with her current job( which she was except for the commute) and she said she would join the company if they offer her the same compensation. The recruiter went back to the CEO and after 2 days of serious discussions with CEO, the recruiter came back excitedly and said the company was willing to offer 5 K more than their previous offer( which was still 15K lesser than the previous offer ). My wife was amused by the recruiter’s excitement and said it was lesser than her current compensation and declined the offer.
At this moment the recruiter should have left it like that and moved on. But she suggested that my wife was lying about her total compensation and that the position did not entail such an high pay in the current job market. This came after the recruiter accepted my wife’s initial proposition and after one of the interview panelist stated that my wife had done the interview really well.
Till this moment we were actually in a dilemma because the commute was really frustrating( 2 hours one way commute), after this discussion my wife made her mind to stick with her current job and try for a different job later.
My wife got a better paying job 1 month later within 5 mile radius. One of the panelist in that interview became family friend and said they were still looking for someone to fill that position( after close to two months) and that the CEO suggested that he would actually reach out to my wife again with a better TC.
The Confederacy was a midget taking on a giant. It trailed the Union in population, manufacturing, economic might, transportation networks and available capital. It was a miracle it held on as long as it did.
Let’s start with population. At the start of the war, the population of the Union states was about 22 million. The entire population of the Confederacy was about 9 million, but 3.5 million of those were slaves. As a result, during the war, the Union raised 2 million troops. The Confederacy raised fewer than 1 million.
Similarly, the GNP of the Union states was about three times that of the Confederate states, and most of the Union GNP was manufactured goods even though the Union had triple the arable land. The Union had five times as many factories as the Confederacy, and most Confederate factories were focused on agricultural processing.
The Union had two and a half times more railway mileage than the South, and it was better connected. Most southern railways just ran to the coast.
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Not long into the war, the Confederacy had practically no gold, and thanks to Union blockades, had trouble exporting goods to raise more. Both sides printed currency, and although the Union currency wasn’t popular, the Confederate currency pretty much quickly became worthless.
The Confederacy knew it couldn’t defeat the Union. It’s only hope was that the Union would tire of the war and sue for peace. However, the Confederacy, despite a couple of really competent generals, couldn’t form a strategy that would force the Union to the bargaining table. Yes, Union attacks at the heart of the Confederacy were generally unsuccessful, but on the Mississippi the Union pretty much won every battle and managed to stop Confederate trade dead in its tracks.
Well not many besides people I went to school with and my parents know this story but I figure what the hell! It’s a long one just a warning. I was bullied all through out my grade school and middle school years. I was a chubby over weight girl and far bigger then most of my fellow school mates.
It started with the usual name calling and pushes in the hallway, but it eventually got much much worse. My worst experience would have to be in 8th grade, when one of the boys I had a crush on pretty much the most popular boy in the school, was coaxed by a group of girls to “Ask me out”. Me being the dumb kid I was thought he was being genuine.
He asked if I would go to the school year end dance with him. I was excited I made my mom buy me a new outfit and I had my hair professionally done basically went all out. Well (now this is where it gets hard for me to talk about) I got to the dance and hooked up with a few friend waiting for my “date” to arrive I was so happy and excited.
He showed up and asked me if I wanted to dance. We danced not to a slow song or anything but danced together. Then the girls showed up. These girls were some of the meanest bitches on earth I swear. They came to the dance floor and well they were being nice.
Complimenting me on my outfit and hair saying how lucky I was to snag the hottest guy in school. Well my date then asked if I wanted to go sit on the bleachers for awhile and talk. I went sat down and we started talking and it was like everyone melted away. He then asked to be excused and one of the girls came up and asked if I would go with her to the washroom so we could “fix our make-up”. I walked into the washroom and there were at least 8 girls in there.
They grabbed my hair and ripped me down to the ground they literally ripped all my clothing off. I mean everything and dragged me by my hair out of the washroom one of the three girls stood by the back entrance so I couldn’t get out that way and one other girl locked the bathroom door from the inside so I couldn’t run there. Then my “date” came around the corner said I was a disgusting whale and he would never date someone like me he then grabbed my hair and two other girls grabbed my arms and they dragged me out into the gym dropped me and took off as teachers came running. Two other girls snapped pictures before taking off as well.
so there I was on the gym floor in front of 150 students..teachers and parents…naked..beaten up and crying. If that wasn’t enough one of the girls who snapped a picture of me. Had it developed and used a photo copier and posted the pictures all over the school on the last day. None of the kids involved were ever punished as the princible said ” It’s the end of the year none of these kids will be coming back here anyways”, What they did to me was wrong but I grew from it and I swore come high school I was not going to be some victim.
I joined the football team the first day as the first female linebacker ever and I kicked ass for 3 seasons. I was pretty popular I had tones of friends and even though I was popular I NEVER EVER put anyone else down.
Oh and over the summer I ran into my “date” I went up to him called him a fucking loser and kicked him as hard as I could in the balls.
He moved away…Two of the head girls who did me the most damage I went to high school with….as popular as they were in middle school they were shit in high school one is now a meth head..The other is on welfare with 4 kids!
Our daughter has taken after her mother in that regard.
My daughter was on her way to her office after a lunch with me, waiting for the elevator and a man (30–40s) came along. Made a bit of small talk, and then out of nowhere, he said and I quote what my daughter said “You don’t really have to work. Just show off those knockers to a rich daddy who’ll take care of you and those things”.
When he cleared three interviews (technical, informal, different teams + hiring manager), he was face to face with my daughter, who was the HR boss. She just played the video she got from security from the elevator.
He had to be escorted off, coz he wouldn’t stop accusing her of torpedoing him and turn to begging and than back to accusing.
Needless to say, his career in consulting for retail isn’t going anywhere and my daughter made sure every big employer in the narrow field knows about that man.
I was a proud daddy that week, and you couldn’t do anything to take off the smile off my face.
But the western world will seek the extermination of Chinese.
The western world already wants to exterminate us. Note how the Chinese exclusion acts are being made law in the US right now. Not just Chinese citizens. US born Chinese. Most westerners welcome such laws.
But the Chinese economy will COLLAPSE
But isn’t the Chinese economy ALREADY collapsing?
If anything a massive super heavy casualty war is desirable. Taipei turned into Gaza is desirable… what’s that? Ah yes you’re already sanctioning and accusing us of genocide. So what you gonna do? Sanction us again?
In short anything you can do to us, you’ve already done.
What’s a rule your employer implemented that backfired terribly?
I was eight seconds late getting back from my break. I got wrote up for being late. EIGHT SECONDS.
I usually worked through my breaks and part of my lunch because I just liked doing what I was doing without interruption. (My bosses knew this, too.) But for some reason, on that day, I did take my allotted break, and was late.
After being disciplined for my tardiness, I took every single break, every single time. Right down to the last second. I didn’t work nearly as “hard” as I did previously, either. (I like the t’s crossed, and the i’s dotted. That evaporated. My work was still accurate, but I didn’t go the extra mile.) My employer lost a lot for that eight seconds. However, the most valuable thing that was lost was the respect I used to have for my job and boss.
I was a big and athletic kid but I also moved a lot when I was in elementary school. Each time we moved I had to prove myself all over again.
Being the “new kid” meant that I was bullied by all sorts of kids from all sorts of groups, at least until I fought back.
And I learned to fight back pretty quickly. You don’t really have to win all your fights, you just have to prove that you’re willing to fight. That’s the key. And that you won’t back down.
I particularly had a tough time moving from St. Pete, Florida, to a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1980 between 6th and 7th grade.
St. Pete was awesome. We lived on the water in a great community. We had power boats and sail boats and I had lived there for a couple of years so I had a bunch of friends (Little League and Pop Warner).
No offense intended but the suburbs west of St. Louis sucked in comparison.
Anyhow, as a 7th grader I went to South Senior High School which had grades 7 through 12. My first week there I got into a scrap with some kid and did pretty good. The problem was that he had an older brother, a freshman, who later cornered me when I wasn’t expecting it and gave me a bit of a whooping.
I was so disappointed in myself that I decided to fight the older brother again. So the next day I ran up and basically tackled him in front of all of his friends and fought him until teachers broke it up. I didn’t win but I sure as hell didn’t lose.
But that was enough. Nobody messed with me the rest of that year. Attacking a high school kid got me a lot of street cred with the kids in 7th grade. I was suspended for a couple of days but my Dad was old school so he was proud of me for sticking up for myself.
But then we moved from St. Louis to the East Bay of San Francisco between 7th and 8th grade and I had to do the same thing all over again.
I had a business trip to Las Vegas some years ago. I was traveling with a friend, who frequented LV to gamble several times a year. He suggested we play craps and gave me a book on how it is played.
When we got to the tables, he carefully selected a table, based on the laughing and sport the players were having. His comment: play with people who are having fun. I was next to a guy who had at least $5K in chips. I had my measly $200. As play progressed, my slot had increased to about $400 and I felt great. The guy beside me had at least $25K in his. Then, we all crapped out. I was down to about $300 total, with $100 more than I started with. My friend insisted we leave the table and go for a walk and get a cup of coffee.
We took a walk, had a coffee, etc. My friend told me we’d stop by that table in about an hour and find the same $25K guy playing. We did come back and he had less than $2K in his slot. He had lost over $20K while we walked. My friend told me that many people gamble and do not stop until they lose everything they brought. This was an interesting lesson for me. Gambling can be fun, but one must limit the loss.
Every living creature has an anus: Ants, horses, eagles . . . And us. While most creatures’ anuses do their jobs with little fuss, not so with human beings. The design of our anus is Providence’s little joke to keep us humble.
Consider, for example, the horse. We live across from a horse breeding establishment so I’ve had ample opportunity to observe these estimable animals in action. While they shit copiously they never get any on their hair (when was the last time you saw a horse’s behind fouled by its own waste?). The reason for this lies in the design of the horse anus. It is an extensible device that, when a BM is about to pass, protrudes a few critical inches, allowing the manure to drop straight to the ground without mussing a single hair. To further forfend fouling, there is no hair in the immediate vicinity of the horse’s anus, nor on the extensible process itself. What a remarkable design.
Not so with us. Our small orifice is buried deep in a meaty cleft, the margins of which have to be spread to their limit if there is to be any chance the thicket of long, nasty hair in the cleft will not be fouled by the passing of stool — a vain exercise in 99 cases out of 100. Moreover, while the horse can defaecate while standing, just let a human being try that! No we must squat. But not only squat, we must go through all sorts of contortions to minimize the amount of feces that will cling to the surrounding parts — which, as we all know, is another futile exercise.
To accommodate our flawed design, we are taught from birth to use wads of paper, magazine pages, dried corncobs and even stones, to wipe our filthy behinds. And this we must do! If we did not wipe, we would reek of dung from the cake of dingleberries between our cheeks and our pants, skirts, caftans and burkas, would be fouled with nicotine stains and clouds of flies would follow us down the street like goslings.
I worked in a high tech company and moved up the ladder from bottom level CSR to a business manager overseeing a 60 million dollar product line by the age of 30. I was the best in the world at what I did but I had two huge strikes against me. One was my absolutely shitty attitude. I have written about attitude before. You must always have a great attitude, even if you have to fake it. No single thing is more important to your success in life than your attitude. But mine sucked. The second thing that worked against me was that in many companies, no matter where you are or how good you are, many people will see the guy who started at the bottom. In the eyes of Management, I was the customer support lackey who fixed broken things for them, not the guy making them 60 million dollars a year. There was a distinct lack of respect and that contributed to my bad attitude.
A new manager was hired for the department. He was an angry, mean jerk whose approach to everything was “shoot first ask questions maybe – they don’t deserve your consideration anyway.” I could no longer take the contempt and I quit.
A few months after I left the company began to realize its loss. I am not bragging about myself here. I did good work and I was the best at what I did. I designed the products. I knew absolutely everything about them. I was the sales troubleshooter who went on hundreds of sales calls per year. I knew every weak link in the competition. I knew how to present the product in the best light. I could give stellar presentations to huge audiences. I was making them a lot of money.
So they approached me at my new job and said they wanted me to come back. Everyone wanted me to come back except for that new asshole who had been, and would be my manager. He had been tasked with bringing me back but he didn’t want me back. I outshone him at every level. I could do his job in my sleep. But he was the guy they tasked with bringing me back. So he asked me to dinner.
When you’re going to bring someone back and you ask them to dinner you don’t take them to McDonald’s to make your pitch. We were suit and tie guys and wearing a suit and tie at McDonald’s was a surreal experience. I let it go. I wanted to hear the offer.
And so Greg made the offer. They offered me the exact same money I was making at my new company and that was it. No bonus. No extra stock. No retained seniority or vacation time. He was going through the motions because he was told to go through the motions. But his entire attitude was resentment and anger. For a few minutes I thought I was misunderstanding him; the offer was so lame as to be not even worth the time at McDonald’s. I had to ask for clarification.
He looked at me with contempt and said, “That company you’re at now is going down. We can offer you any terms we want and you’ll take it because you don’t want to be part of a sinking ship.” I might add that my old company that was trying to get me back was also doing a fair imitation of the Titanic at the time, too. I was absolutely stunned when he said it. I couldn’t believe it. So I laughed a little bit, got up and left.
That was a slap in the face offer.
I told a few old friends at my old company what had happened and it got back to the President. He called me personally on the phone and invited me to dinner. It was at a four star restaurant. When I got there he asked me what happened. I told him. He apologized. He said if I came back they would make it worth my while. I asked him if that guy would be my boss. He said yes, there was not much he could do about that. So I thanked him and said no. We ate and talked and then I left.
Two years later my old company was being sold to Compaq Computer on the back of a product I had designed years earlier. Even though I had been gone for two years, I was credited in a speech by the President for the work that made them successful in the sale. By then I was the senior manager in the department of my new company making much, much more money than I ever dreamed possible. I attribute my success in the new company to my new and improved attitude because attitude is everything.
I was in the infantry in 1969, we were at a small, one-company firebase in the Mekong Delta. The Army did not “allow” drug use among its soldiers but it happened anyway. A guy who bunked across from me openly shot heroin. This obviously wasn’t sanctioned by the military. One night when we had set up a standard L-shaped ambush, this fellow decided he wanted to go home and walked right out into the middle of the ambush. Fortunately, nobody clicked a Claymore handle and he was retrieved safely. But the safety of an entire platoon had been compromised.
The very next night two VC walked right through the middle of our ambush site and nobody opened fire or set off a Claymore. We weren’t certain it wasn’t our drug-addicted soldier trying to head home again.
As for alcohol, all we had was beer when the little beer window was open. Pabst, aka rat piss, was 25¢ and the much-preferred Black Label was 35¢, and we sometimes had Bud. There was no hard liquor because there was no PX from which to purchase it. I never saw marijuana use but I’m sure it was widespread in other companies. Heroin was the problem.
So I suspect the next question would be: Why wasn’t this reported to the higher ups? Well, soldiers learned to be remarkably tolerant of their fellow GI’s. There was no upside to creating problems in the platoon, too many opportunities to become a victim of “friendly fire” on a dark night in the boonies. One soldier, on rare stand down days, played “Black Pearl, Precious Little Girl” endlessly on a 45 rpm player and nobody complained.
In summary, the Army allowed drinking because soldiers have consumed alcohol since, well, forever. Drug use was not allowed but it happened anyway, and this was well before the advent of drug testing. Everyone was trying to figure out his own way to get back home safely and the solutions were never that simple.
I worked for my best friend and he got into a bad motorcycle accident he was in coma and had to learn to walk and talk again so I took over doing everything for the company I worked 16 hr days 7 days a week for a year never asked for anything just wanted my friend to have everything he has before the accident. so after a little more than year he was back at work so I asked for a day off he said no he wife didn’t stick up for me or anyone in his family and they all knew what I did for him so I told him I quit he said fine so I went to our 3 big company’s we did work for and asked them if they wanted to learn what we did for them and I told them what my boss did that night we went out bought 3 trucks and I trained them how to do what we did my boss lost over a 1,000,000 because of losing those company’s work and then list his wife and everything he owned because what I did by taking those company’s away
My high school crush was a beautiful girl named Adrian, a year behind me, and it seems I was the only person in the school who had ever seen Rocky and got the ‘Adriaaaaaaaaaaaaaan’ joke she kept making.
She was maybe 5 foot 4, adorable, and had a propensity for sitting in my lap in the lunchroom and stealing my food (I made my own lunch through most of high school).
She also ended up dating a guy who was, to be fair, scum. He had that ‘bad boy’ charm that young women seem to enjoy, I suppose, but he was borderline retarded and generally violent.
One day in 2014, I was sitting around bored and decided to reconnect with people from high school. Would not recommend.
I found her Facebook page, and noticed that literally nothing had been done to it in years.
Then I found her obituary, and his about a month later.
I talked to someone from her circle of close friends in high school, and it sounded like when she graduated, they moved in together. She was bound for great things, musically and mathematically talented, and he was bound to wind up in the gutter.
Sadly, it sounds like he dragged her down, talked her into ‘experimenting’ with drugs, and both died of heroin overdoses.
A Student at Tsinghua asked Ren Zhengfei of Huawei this question
Everyone says China steals from the west. What should we do when someone says that
Zhengfei replied
Keep Innovating. Only the day you become more innovative than them and beat the West on their own terms, would you be in a position to convince yourself that you did not copy from anyone.
That’s your answer
Stealing can only take you so far
So wait and see how China does and then we decide whether China steals or innovates
Unless of course you are the fox who finds the grapes sour
Debate many westerners for a short period of time, what happens? Many of them will turn to racism and dehumanisation when they start losing the debate.
Yesterday for instance somebody posted a comment on the atrocities of Britain against India. He called the atrocities fiction.
I provided counter evidence and he started to dehumanise me and said it was all CCP propaganda.
Except I had been using WESTERN SOURCES.
He couldn’t respond to that so continued to make racist comments at me. They of course don’t see this as racist, much like war crimes against brown people are considered OK because they’re not really people!
You see television and culture of western countries makes them usually white people think they are the master race, that’s why there’s so many self hating Asians in the western world. They’re taught conditioned and trained that whiteness is GODLINESS and many of the people there run with it, as such they feel they can do no wrong, they are the BEST and only humans possible!
I’m in my second week of at home suspension for striking a teacher. He locked me in a classroom and attempted to assault me when I wouldn’t consent to his advances on 14 year old me. The knock on the door was a deputy that served legal papers in our little town. The papers he served me was a summons to court for legal action pertaining to expenses incurred from point there after. I’m being sued by this teacher. My dad exploded, that jerk has bigger problems than money, just wait I don’t care if he’s in a courtroom. OMG I was saying daddy calm down a lot, I only call my dad “daddy” when I need him to calm down and focus on me so he doesn’t get into trouble or worse. The day of court arrived and there stands Mr Smug in his neck brace, bandaged nose, and black eye. I am holding my dad by both hands, telling him to look at me, please I don’t want you in jail dad. It doesn’t help that I’m shaking and I’m sure dad can feel it. Then the judge starts reading the case notes, Mr Smug is suing one Miss Key for medical expenses incurred during an altercation that resulted in a fractured nose, two chipped teeth, severe painful swelling in the groin, blurry vision, slight concussion, and upper neck pain. So young lady how do you plead? I asked the judge if I could present my papers (please don’t laugh we couldn’t afford a lawyer). He accepts my papers which are the affidavits from the custodian, vice principal and teacher (the witnesses that pulled me off of Mr Smug), the arresting deputy, and the school nurse that treated me before my dad arrived. His whole demeanor changed. WTH?! You mean to tell me that you are suing this girl because she kicked your but during an assault? His lawyer started trying to make an argument about me being malicious, and over bearing about defending myself. The judge told him to shut up, in what world does a 30 year old man believe he has a case against a 14 year old child that he is attempting to assault? Lawyer sets in with that is just allegations and hear-say, there’s no proof. I didn’t ask you lawyer I asked your client because as it stands this is the stupidest case I’ve ever heard of. In fact it’s so stupid that I’m dismissing it without prejudice, on grounds of incomprehension and competence. And might I extend my gratitude to you Mr Key for raising an able and resourceful young lady.
Hunter’s Stew (Bigos — Poland)
bigos
Ingredients
6 pounds canned sauerkraut
1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, diced
3 large onions, chopped
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 cup sherry or dry red wine
Salt, pepper, sugar, to taste
3 pounds smoked sausage, sliced
1 bay leaf
Instructions
Rinse sauerkraut in cold water and squeeze out juice well, reserving some of the juice. Put sauerkraut in large kettle over low heat.
Meanwhile, render the bacon or salt pork. Add bacon bits to sauerkraut.
Sauté onions in bacon fat until golden; add chopped apples and cook until slightly browned. Add all to the kettle. Add sausage. Add enough beef broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, a little sugar and some of the sauerkraut juice for tartness. Simmer slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Add wine and let stew bubble up. Cover and let stand until ready to use.
I went on an interview for a job I was grossly overqualified for, but I was unemployed (to finish my degree, which required internships), then the sequester hit when I graduated, and I needed ANY job so I could find one that was a better fit.
The boss told me the job paid $28 to $30. I was shocked, because that was extremely low, but they hired desperate people and they could smell it.
I then went through the interview process with the team lead and the office manager. Everything went well, and I headed home. It was a long drive, but that’s where business opportunity was.
While driving, I took a call from the office manager. She has been authorized to offer me the job at $10/hour. I did not laugh. I said “that is significantly lower than (boss) indicated the position paid.” Manager says, ‘you didn’t think $28 to $30 meant per hour, I’m sure? (Of course not, but the position SHOULD have paid much closer to that). $10/hour is the same as $28 to $30 thousand.’
I’m driving down the highway at 75 miles per hour, and very calmly said, no, I knew that was the annual salary. But $10/hour is $400 per week, at 52 weeks per year is $20,800 per year. and I did NOT say “if i can do the math in my head while driving, i’m pretty sure you can do it at your desk with a calculator at your disposal!”
Manager says “I can go check with (boss) to confirm – do you want to hold?”
I said “no, you were going to send me an offer letter? Why don’t you tell me about the benefits you mentioned, and when you send the letter you can make sure the figure is correct.”
An offer letter was not one this company typically provided because they liked to bait and switch – pay $8/hour when they’d offered $12, because you had no proof. I learned this later, and was SO glad I’d gotten a letter. When it came in, it was for the $28k figure.
My three-month review never happened, and at five months I had a nice offer from a much better company and I’m still there 5 years later. Making what I’m worth.
Sometimes you have to accept a slap in the face, but don’t let them step on your neck while they’re doing it.
Def-Con 4 (1985)
I remember this one. A cheesy B-grade movie, but I well remember enjoying it. You all have fun.
It is strange that the contemporaneous things going on today Geo-politically is much worse than what is described in this movie. Ugh!
Full Movie! Please watch the first 25 minutes. It’s all gold.
I grew up (in my elementary school and high school years) in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. And in this small town, was a fair and relatively calm life that in many ways resembles Mayberry RFD… A “small town America”.
We had a “cigar store Indian” at the local Hardware Store.
We had kids riding bicycles and had newspaper routes.
We had PTA clubs, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts. And Friday football games.
And we also had a small family store with a large “Pickle Barrel”. This was a wooden barrel that was perhaps one yard high, and filled with pickles and vinegar. And if you wanted a pickle, you would just reach in, and give a nickel to the old man at the cash register.
I believe that these things disappeared during the 1980’s. But the death knell occurred under the “food safety standards” of the Clinton administration.
Anyways… I well remember the days when my father would place 25 cents (a quarter) on the counter, and would buy all of us some nice delicious pickles. These weren’t small either. They were HUGE!
And I do miss those days where I would hold a pickle in my hands and munch away happily. Sigh… a long forgotten time.
Yes. The bride felt “pressured” into the marriage. Traditionally, the bride or her parents hire me. It’s quite rare for the groom or his parents to hire me, but it happens infrequently.
Leading up to the wedding (it was a destination wedding), there were several hints that the bride wasn’t interested in choosing a dress, the flowers or any of the aspects in the planning process. I found this odd and one day about a week prior to the wedding, asked why? The bride felt inadequate. Everything was decided for her. She felt uncomfortable speaking her mind or making a decision. Her fear that the marriage would be a “follow the leader” lifestyle was the reason for this.
After saying “I don’t,” I took her from the altar to the dressing room to give her a moment while stunned guests and family members sat open mouthed.
We needed time to decide if this was “what she really wanted” without the audience. I should add that I’m also a Premarital Counselor with Two Together In Texas, so I’m familiar with awkward situations.
The bride told me, “If the rest of my life will be spent saying yes, I prefer to say no now. My family loves him. He’s successful and a good catch. However, his parents make most of his decisions. He works for his father and I may never measure up to his mother.”
I decided to bring the groom and both sets of parents into the dressing room. This bride needed to voice her concerns and find a resolution or peace. She had waited two years to speak up and it was two years too long.
The end result was they worked it out. They found a middle ground to move forward, and the marriage went on. I flew to California to baptize their baby and the family is doing well. They are happy and well adjusted.
The mother in law now allows the bride to do things her way and the mother no longer pushes her daughter to do what she thinks is best. The mother viewed this wedding as the one “she never had.” The mother in law wanted everything perfect. The bride wanted happiness and the groom simply wanted to please his mother, her mother and finally, the bride. The bride or groom should come first. They are the life partner. They are the person who will stand beside you through thick and thin, and they deserve a voice in decisions and especially the planning process.
The bride wanted a mariachi band at the reception. Both sets of parents were against this idea and found it to be “tacky.” I found a short notice mariachi band and the bride was absolutely thrilled.
Quite frankly, if a marriage isn’t going to work out, I prefer for someone to say “I don’t” and discuss with them their reasons to before announcing a cancellation of the wedding to the guests or finding out if a resolution can be found.
My reasons for addressing an issue on wedding day are that divorces are emotionally devastating. What began with joy ends with sorrow.
Couples should discuss things that bother them long before committing to planning a wedding, although it’s easy to get “caught up in the planning.”
Couples should feel comfortable communicating their feelings and open to discussing issues that are disturbing before planning a life together. I believe in Premarital Counseling because it offers couples an opportunity to discuss their future together.
Weddings aren’t all about the parents. They are all about the couple, regardless of who is writing the check.
This Is What Women Will NEVER Understand About Men’s Dating STRUGGLES!
If you’re not familiar with Christmas, among other things, it’s usually the biggest gift-giving day of the year, at least for us Americans. Also the celebration of the birth of our Savior and all that jazz…
Anyway, this is how gift-giving works between my wife and me—a veteran married couple. This is also how it works between most veteran married couples I know:
We just tell each other what, exactly, complete with pictures and Amazon links if necessary, we want our spouse to get us for Christmas.
Sometimes, we even buy it on their credit cards, since we share finances anyway.
Sometimes, we even buy it ourselves, wrap it, put it under the tree, and tell our spouse that we “took care of it.”
There have been times when my wife opened her Christmas present from me, and I was just as surprised as my children were when we saw it. I got you a new pair of running shoes. Nice.
In the past, I attempted to deviate from my wife’s official Christmas list. You know, to surprise her. I was trying to be romantic.
It rarely went over well, particularly if I attempted to get her clothes or perfume.
Just stick to the list, married guys. Perhaps it’s not as romantic, but it’s still the best option. If you want to deviate from the list, make sure you get everything on the list, too.
This year, my wife requested something that I had to purchase in a showroom and have delivered at a later date to the house. I facetimed with my wife while I was in the store, to make sure I was getting the exact one that she wanted. It’s being delivered on a day when she works from home. She’ll have to be there to receive it. And they say romance is dead…
Licking blocks of ice during the heat wave, NYC, (1912)
I was called to the 6th floor of a 6 floor tenement building for a “seriously unwell child”. A woman was waiting downstairs, and she said “I’m going out, but I think my son is dead. He’s had a cold for a week.” And she left.
I had the jump kit (a first aid kit) and my partner had the oxygen and suction- I went up the 12 set of stairs two at a time (oh, to be young and foolish again…) so I got there before he did. A man was there with 4 kids who all looked very scrubby but also very alive. He said “He’s on the sofa”. And then, they went back to eating.
The little boy was 4 or 5. He was so hot to the touch, and although he had a pulse, he wasn’t breathing. He was wearing red flannel cookie monster pajamas… I will never forget them.
I grabbed him in my arms, started mouth to mouth, and headed back down the stairs. The father actually said “Hey! Shut the door!”
I was busy. I met my partner halfway down. He took one look at the kid and said “Oh Fuck, we gotta get him out of here…”
I jumped in the back, but we were only 5 minutes from the hospital so I just kept him in my arms and did rescue breathing. I didn’t want to delay … my partner was there in less than 3 minutes. His heart was still pumping.
I brought the lad in, the staff took over. We were getting the truck ready when the doctor came out and said “which of you tech’d him?” I told him I did. (Tech-ing means you’re the one with the patient)
He said “You’re going to need a lice treatment.” I sighed.
He said “We can do it inside”. Now that was weird… but when I got inside, he said “I needed to talk to you privately… he died of bacterial meningitis. Did you do mouth to mouth?” Of course I had, he was a little kid. Bacterial Meningitis is spread through saliva and nasal secretions. I was (potentially) screwed.
So, they did blood work and I had to take evil antibiotics that turned everything yellow (INH and Rifampin) for a year. I was there for at the hospital for hours before I got sent home with a month off work to make sure I didn’t have bacterial meningitis too.
Now, I’ve driven way too fast, driven on roads that weren’t safe to walk on never mind drive, worked on cars while traffic buzzed past, turned over an ambulance (wasn’t my fault, honest), gone into burning buildings, gotten blood and lots of other “body stuff” on unprotected skin, walked into domestic violence situations, gone into freezing water to get some one else out, extricated people from a car on the edge of a ravine, been to a plane crash, extricated people from a burning car, talked people down who were holding guns to their own head- but all those times, I could see the risk in front of me. Had I taken the time to look at the kid’s rash, I might have seen the risk but his condition and the complete apathy of his parents drove me to not see the risk- and not assessing for the risk in what you’re doing is the single most dangerous thing anyone can do.
They were 5 minutes from the hospital, and no one cared enough to bring the kid there. Did I tell social services about the apathy of the parents? You can be sure I pursued the matter like a slightly yellow hell hound.
Well I was the uniform manager for a marching band and what we did worked fairly well. We kept an assortment of sizes on hand and when we got a new member, we had them try on those in stock uniforms until we found their best fit. Then we would place the order to replace the one they were issued from stock. There is a lot of variation in cuts of shirts, and one company’s medium might be another company’s large. If someone comes in who looks like a large and says “oh I’m a medium,” say “Here is one try it on; be aware these tend to run small so you may need to move up a size from what you usually wear.” The employee gets to save face, and you don’t have to be rude and say “Oh I can tell by looking at you a medium will never fit.” If I were ordering a large number of shirts, I would first order a selection of sizes for people to try on. Then launder those sample shirts and put them away to issue later to new employees as they come in. If these are something more fitted than a T-shirt or polo shirt and this were going to be a large order, it might be good to have a representative from the uniform or shirt shop to measure people and order one that best fit them.
An Ojibwe Native American spearfishing, Minnesota, (1908)
A few years ago our city decided to try to alleviate the homeless problem.
They bought a large two story motel that had become a bit rundown located along a major freeway.
They spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars fixing it up and remodeling every room into small studio apartments.
Then they let homeless people to live in the apartments.
We would drive by the apartments periodically and every time it looked more rundown.
This went on for a couple of years until one day it was burned to the ground. A news story said one of the homeless people decided to build a fire in one of the apartments. I guess he just like the look of a campfire.
Eventually, the building was demolished and the city sold the land at a significant loss.
Giving a house to every homeless person is not financially feasible. No government entity can afford that.
And, even if it was, it would not solve the homeless problem.
The only way to fix the homeless problem is to help a homeless person, who wants help, become stable and productive so they can eventually afford their own home.
Homelessness isn’t solved in mass. It’s solved one homeless person at a time.
Generalissimus Jiang Jieshi (蔣介石), also known with the Wade-Giles Romanization Chiang Kai-Shek.
image 53
Born 31 October 1887, he was a professional soldier and one of the most genuinely talented soldiers China has ever produced. His tragedy was to live in one of the most tragic eras of China ever, to encounter superior enemies, and having an army full of rotten and corrupt subordinates. He fought a hopeless war of which he had no hopes of winning, yet he did it with utmost courage.
The death of Sun Yat-Sen (Sun Yixian) in 1925 had left China in a power vacuum and interregnum, and the land collapsed into anarchy known as Era of Warlords. China became a Warlordistan. The control of the country was divided among former military cliques of the Beiyang Army and other regional factions from 1916 to 1928.
Chiang raised the National Chinese Army, allied with the Communists led by Mao Zedong, and crushed the warlords, unifying the country. And alas, the Communists proved an unreliable ally – and the Empire beyond the sea, even more unreliable. Japan attacked China in 1931 after the Mukden incident.
The Japanese army was superior in technology, fighting spirit (dao), discipline and logistics. The Guomindang army of Chiang suffered from poor equipment, corruption, lack of patriotism and poor logistics – it was an “army of lions led by jackasses”, but its commander was the alpha lion.
Way too little has been written about the China-Japan war 1931–1941 and China’s part in the World War Two. But China has been one of the main theatres – and one of the main sufferers – in the war, and the Japanese praised the Chinese soldiers, insisting them be second only to the Australians in their will to fight.
Meanwhile Mao Zedong conspired to overthrow Guomindang (or Kuomintang, if you prefer the Wade-Giles Romanization), and after the liberation of China, the civil war re-emerged. The Guomindang army was tired, consumed and exhausted, while Stalin eagerly supported the Communists, finally overcoming the Guomindang 1949. Chiang and the Nationalist refugees fled to Taiwan.
The Communist Chinese propaganda has done all it could to stample Chiang as an unpatriotic American stooge and a traitor, while the Guomindang in Taiwan set up a Western-style state under Christian and Confucian principles.
But nobody could deny Chiang was a true Chinese patriot. His last will was that his body be buried in his hometown Fenghua.
Loyal Husband Finds Out Wife Participates In “Events” While He’s Away Working (She’s Toast!)
When I got into IT I got in the habit of showing up early to prepare for my day. I spent a lot of time traveling to various facilities as a computer support tech so I’d come in to check email and make sure there wasn’t something I needed to do in the office before loading up and hitting the road.
Many of my younger coworkers would clock in on the hour but our business manager, who didn’t clock in, had a bad habit of showing up 15 minutes late each day. (She also had a tendency to leave 5 or10 minutes early, but that’s another story for another time.) One week the IT Director and our boss, the Deputy IT Director, were both out of town so the business manager decided that she could show up whenever she felt like it.
She was at least a half hour late on Monday through Thursday, including 45 minutes late on Wednesday, so when she showed up at 8:15 on Friday morning I exclaimed, “Gee, Linda, this is the earliest you’ve been late all week!”. Everyone got a laugh out of it but Linda, apparently, didn’t think it was funny because she called my boss at the seminar that she was attending to complain.
The next thing I know my boss is calling me and asking what I said to set Linda off. So I told her what had been going on all week. She told me that Linda was offended by my comment and asked if I’d be willing to apologize, and I just laughed and laughed and laughed. Then I said, “No.”
If Linda had told me to eff off, or kiss her butt, or just about anything else I would have taken it in stride but her calling the boss, when she was in the wrong, pissed me off. I’d asked your coworker if he/she signs your paycheck and when they answer in the negative, tell them when you come in is none of their business. But I can understand where they’re coming from, especially if you have a problem getting to work on time.
Jewish women and children arriving at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, Poland, (1944)
This is going to be fun. But let me tell you, its more like what I thought she was like and how she actually is…
When we first met through parents, she looked like a shy girl next door. She was smiling and feeling awkward a lot. After we got married and a little more comfortable, she walks around house naked, has 0 level of shyness.
I thought I was getting cold feet. She was being forced. Turned out she had insisted to her parents that she wanted to get married, like literally told them in a complete sentence, ‘Dad, I want to get married. I don’t have any boyfriend right now. Search a groom for me.’ I’m not even exaggerating, her parents tell this story all the time.
I thought she didn’t like talking. WRONG. She NEVER shuts up. If she does, I’ll wake up. Lol, I’ve started to enjoy it.
She’s frigid. WRONG. Once comfortable, she’s a freak.
She’s so slow and, unhappy person. Wrong. She is hyperactive and becomes happy just about at nothing.
She doesn’t like me. Big time wrong. Turned out, she has liked me since day 1. She loves me.
She’ll probably never fight or argue. Wrong. Loveeess to argue, though I don’t like to admit it much, she’s usually right about things. And people too.
Is probably passive aggressive. Wrong. Tells me when things bother her, almost immediately.
Is dumb. Wrong. She’s really smart.
She does not feel much. Wrong. All of her emotions are intense.
Is very serious. Wrong. Very very wrong. Can’t go on a day without lame jokes. Lame jokes are lifeline to her. She knows they are lame but loves it.
As for the changes, she hasn’t changed much. Can motherhood be included? Anyways, it suits her well.
She’s staying at her parents place with our boy. I miss her. Its been just a day though. I guess, I’ll call now.
Unusual Abandoned Cat Came Into Shelter And Amazed People With Its Size
My Mom…
My Mom once told me that she walked into a room where a couple of friends were discussing her, they didn’t know she was there. She shook her head, smiled and walked away. 🕊
My Mom also told me that she had a friend who talked bad about her, she never knew that Mom found out, Mom never mentioned it. She smiled and walked away from this friendship. 🕊
She told me she had family who chose to shift her out of their life because she stood up for herself for a change. And because she stopped crossing oceans for them when they would not even help her cross a bridge. She smiled, shook her head and walked away. 🕊
So I asked her how she could just walk away from people that betrayed her while pretending to be her friends or family? 🕊
She answered that every time she came to a crossroad like that, she had to decide who will be going forward on her journey with her. This showed her who she cannot take along with her. 🕊
So she explained to me that you should never get mad at a person who betrays you, even in the name of friendship or family. Just gracefully bow out and enjoy your journey with all the new people God puts in their place. 🕊
10 years ago I was an IT consultant, traveling every week. I would also always book a Marriott hotel if one was close to the customer, all paid for on my American Express card.
Marriott awards you points for your stays with them. Once I had at least 100, 000 points I’d call them and request gift certificates. 100, 000 points would give you $1,000 worth of gift certs to pay for your hotel.
Back then, at the end of your stay, someone would come around in the middle of the night and slide the invoice for your stay that week. That invoice would show they charged my AmEx card for whatever the cost was.
Now that invoice was completely processed then. While it says it charged my card, they actually didn’t really do that until the afternoon after you checked out.
So what I would do is I’d go to the front desk with my invoice and my gift certs and tell the clerk that I would rather pay for my stay with the certs rather than my card. Then they’d issue me a new invoice showing I paid in certs. However I still had the original invoice. That would be the invoice I’d submit in my expenses. So every couple of months I’d be reimbursed $1000 so I could pay my cc bill, but since I actually paid in certs that 1000 bucks was essentially free money I’d drop into my savings. I and every one else I knew did it all the time, it was really an awesome little loophole
Beef Steak and Kidney Pie
steak ale prop
Ingredients
Filling
3/4 pound calf kidney or beef liver
Salted water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds beef steak, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup beef bouillon
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of marjoram, crushed
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Pastry Topping
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Filling: Clean and split kidney; remove fat and large tubes. Soak in salted water 1 hour.
Dry and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Mix flour, salt and pepper; roll kidney and beef pieces in flour mixture.
Melt butter in heavy pot and sauté shallots. When shallots have taken on a little color, add beef and kidney; brown lightly, turning.
Add bouillon, bay leaf, parsley, cloves and marjoram. Stir; cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until meat is tender.
Add mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. If liquid is too thin, thicken with smooth paste of flour and cold water.
Grease a deep 10-inch baking dish. Place pie funnel in center. Add meat mixture and allow to cool in refrigerator.
Meanwhile, prepare Pastry Topping. Place pastry over meat, sealing pastry edges to edge of dish. Make vents in pastry to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes; lower heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking 15 minutes, or until crust is golden.
Pastry Topping: Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas.
Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans sides of bowl, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons water if necessary.
Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Roll out to fit top of casserole.
My best friend had a defective heart. I don’t know the exact term for that, but her heart was on the right side of her chest among several other defects. She couldn’t walk farther than 200m, and her finger tips would always turn black.
When she was born, the doctor gave her a life expectancy of 2 years. She surpassed that. Her parents took her to all the best hospitals in the country. Another estimation: 10 years old. She surpassed that too. She completed high school, she got into college. And she always was a cheerful girl to be with. (Sometimes, her mother kicked my ass out of the house because when we hung out, we laughed too much. Laughing would consume oxygen from her heart and her brain so she would suffer from headaches afterward).
One day, when she was at the university, her heart collapsed. Her doctor demanded her to drop college because it was too much for her. She came back to our hometown, and became an at-home teacher for the kids, and still was a cheerful girl.
After that another year, her heart collapsed once again. She was hospitalized. Her doctor informed her parents that there was nothing more they could do. Her family should consider to unplug the machines and bring her home.
Her mother called me. She said “We are bring [my friend’s name] home”. I rushed into the hospital. Her mother was on one side of her bed holding her left hand, I was on the other side holding her right hand when they unplugged her.
That moment, her mother collapsed to the ground and screamed: “I’ve lost her! From now on, I don’t have anyone to take care of anymore!”
At that moment, I know that just being born normally to be able to live a normal life is extremely lucky. Also, having someone you love by your side, even that means you have to take care of them all the time is also lucky.
Well, not the above but the other way around. In 2014 we were looking to buy a replacement for my wife’s car, and were at the Skoda garage checking out a very-nearly-new Fabia. It had been the showroom’s demonstrator model for a few months, had just a couple of hundred miles on it, but the salespeople had been showing that vehicle to people day in, day out.
We looked in the boot. My wife’s a bee-keeper and a “must have” for her was to be able to get a bee-hive in the back. To do that meant taking the rear parcels shelf off, which I did myself to see how easy it was to do and to replace, since this would be a common action. Putting it back, I noticed you could put it back either in the “conventional” position, or in a half-way house lower position. “Hey, “ I said. “That’s a nifty feature – allows you to put larger items on the parcel shelf but still have it hiding stuff underneath.” At that the salesperson looked in, looked at the shelf, the boot, then went over to his colleague and said “Come over here. We’ve found a brand-new feature!”
We bought the car, still got it now. Don’t think we’ve ever used the parcel shelf in “half-way” position.
My father had been terminally ill for a decade. He was a perfectionist in everything in his life and no detail was ever missed. He was also very stubborn. If there were ever odds almost insurmountable, he always prevailed. This was part of why he’d been terminal for so very long.
One day before, my father agreed that it was time to bring hospice in and make final arrangements. My parents had two other daughters, I was the only one who lived in the same town. Because of my location, he wanted me to be at those meetings.
I was working in the executive offices for a local bank. The woman I reported to was exacting in everything and expected perfection to be performed with minimal preparation and no clarifications. She wanted a mind reader who loved emergencies and placed her on a pedestal.
After that phone call, I was shaken up. It wasn’t unexpected, but you are never really prepared for the situation when you are facing it.
“Something has come up. It’s a delicate family matter,” I said.
“That’s just not convenient,” she said. “Even if it’s life or death, it’s not convenient. I have a series of reports that are due today.” This was news to me. “And I’m expecting that you will be here long after hours.”
“It actually is life or death,” I said. I was about to elaborate when she cut me off.
“Is it your life or death?”
“Honestly, no.”
“Then it’s not convenient.”
“I’m afraid that poor planning on your part really isn’t my problem.”
“Excuse me?” she asked.
“No excuse for you and your lack of planning. I’m quitting as of,” I looked at my watch, “about two minutes from now. Just long enough to get my purse and log off the computer.”
“You can’t do that,” she said.
“Can and did.”
I grabbed my purse and left the building.
I replaced the job with a much nicer one in about two days.
My father passed less than two weeks from my exit. The new job, and I only worked it for two days when he died, not only let me have the time off to complete his arrangements and his funeral, sent flowers. One week later, HR from the bank called, offered me a raise and an apology. “I’m sorry. That’s just not convenient.”
I once attended a court case to support a friend. Her sister was accused by a nasty neighbour of breaking into the nasty neighbour’s home, stealing items, and trying to assault her (on more than one occasion).
My friend and her sister were both black women. It was no secret that the neighbour was this old racist woman who routinely called the police on the sister and her boyfriend when they were minding their own business. When the woman invited her sister (my friend), and her kids to come to visit and swim in their pool, also to use the tennis courts and fitness room that was shared by the condo complex. The boyfriend was also black.
When called to testify the nasty neighbour gave detailed dates about the break in and mentioned her “fox fur coat, some diamond jewellery and several hams and frozen meat”, being taken from her home. She swore that she came home to see the women and her boyfriend running out the back door at night with the merchandise in a leather suitcase.
When the lawyer for the woman questioned the woman and her boyfriend, who each took turns on the stand, it was proven that the neighbour lied by showing that:
My friend’s sister, who worked as a passenger flight attendant, was working on a flight that was on its way to Singapore during the very night and time when she was supposed to have broken into the neighbour’s home. (It’s hard to break into a home when you’re two hours into a 12 hour flight that is 39,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.)
She and her boyfriend were also vegetarians who never ate meat nor wore nor owned leather and fur since they both believed that “meat is murder”, and to wear animal furs and leather was “cruel and inhumane”.
The boyfriend was also on his way to Singapore flying from India the afternoon before, to meet up with his girlfriend after a business trip for three day vacation, before they’d fly back to Canada. He proposed marriage while they visited Singapore (she said “yes” and did marry him). So they were in Singapore the day before “the break in” at the neighbour’s home and they didn’t return until three days later.
The lawyer for my friend’s sister and her boyfriend also presented pictures of the very “stolen” items in question taken by the police when they were recovered from pawn shops and a consignment store. The items were pawned by a young white man, a known drug addict with a lengthy arrest record who happened to be the neighbour’s nephew whom the neighbour gave money to on a regular basis (not helping him at all).
Before the judge dismissed all charges he ordered the neighbour to be taken into custody for “fraud, perjury, aiding and abetting a criminal” and a few other charges.
In the end the neighbour lost her house and all her savings when my friend’s sister and her boyfriend sued the neighbour for slander and defamation of character. They won a large sum in court and the neighbour ended up spending four years in prison for additional charges which included drug possession on top of what she was already convicted of.
I guess nasty racist people get what’s coming to them after all.
College students pile into a Volkswagen Beetle, (c. 1965)
For those that do it full time, very tough. They have to stand up in front of the crowd and make them laugh. Do you realize what it takes to do that? Then there is the travelling and eating crap food and nerves. For those starting out it is not easy at all. For those on top, well, they have to keep coming up with acts to stay on top. As I did both, a standup comedian and professional drummer in a band, playing in a band was far easier. Below is a little of my stand up act.
I was a part time stand up comedian for awhile along with being a professional drummer. I auditioned for a few shows in local comedy clubs. They must have liked me, I got jobs. I was usually the start off guy, first one out. I had my own shtick. The guy who showed up at the wrong event.
I’d walk out then somberly say, “ I realize this is a sad time for most of you, but Mary, bless her soul loved humour.” Then I’d look behind me and kind of look around confused, then I’d turn to the audience. “Um, Mary’s passing surprised many, especially Mary. I think she’d like some humour at her funeral. She often said that “to laugh at something heartily means that you think it’s funny,” and I heartily agree. I always thought Mary was a deep thinker and that proves it right?
“She was 81, poor Mary. Actually, a woman’s life expectancy is 80, so hey, good for her. Now a man’s life expectancy is 76. If I make it to 76, I’m going to have a sex change. Right? I’ll beat those odds. So I hope to add a bit of humour to Mary’s funeral, wherever she is,” and I look around again for Mary.
Suddenly a sharp whistle from the stage side. I’d stop and walk over with my mic.
“This is not a funeral home. This is a comedy club,” the stage manager would tell me so the audience would hear.
“What? This isn’t Roses Funeral Parlour?” I would say surprised. The crowd would start laughing.
“Do you see Mary anywhere?” he’d ask.
“Actually no,” I would say looking around. “How much do you pay here?”
“$250.” he’d tell me.
A few seconds of silence then I’d say, “Sure, what the hell, Mary won’t miss me,” then I’d walk back center stage where people would be giggling.
“Okay, who here had a good shit today?” Well the crowd would laugh. Somebody always raised a hand, I’d try to pick a girl.
“You did, great, good for you. I won’t ask you details okay?” The girl would laugh.
“So do you know there are many types of shits? There’s the peanut butter shit; that’s the one where you can use up to three rolls of toilet paper, the upside down volcano shit, the totally air shit which isn’t even really a shit though it felt like it was going to be one,,” the shart which is a shit that felt like air but wasn’t, the bombing raid shit and the ghost shit.” Then I’d stop and go back to the girl.
“Okay, I was just wondering what came out that made it such a good shit? We all want to know don’t we folks?” I’d say looking around and people would start applauding. Of course the girl would laugh and hide her face in her hands. “Okay forget it. Tell me privately later. People, I’m going to tell you what the best shit of all is. It’s the Ghost Shit!”
“This is the one when you have to go so bad and there’s no restroom around. It’s turtling so bad it’s stretching your underwear. Suddenly, by some miracle, you find a restroom. You fly in there and sit on the toilet after near ripping your pants off. And ….. it starts.”
“Like the RMS Titanic, this thing is moving out with no effort and it seems like it’s going forever. You are wondering how this thing is going to go down that little toilet hole. It’s embarrassing if you are at someone’s house and you come out of the bathroom and ask, “Hey, have you got a plunger? A good one? One with a lot of suction?” You always get a strange look when you ask that don’t you?
Anyway, so the Titanic has left the dock and you are feeling suddenly very hollow inside, and relieved. You grab some toilet paper and wipe. Nothing! Not a speck of shit on your ass. Puzzled, you stand up and look at the toilet. It’s looking back at you innocent as hell. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE TOILET! What the hell? You look around; nope, not on the floor! It’s nowhere but you felt it by God! That ladies and gentlemen is the Ghost Shit, or maybe I should have called it the Houdini Shit.
Crude yes but it got me back to the comedy clubs. People loved me talking about shit because they all go through it every day.
I used to be hired to give speeches at weddings. Just before the actual person would rise to give a toast to the bride, I would jump up and interrupt him.
“Thank you, thank you. Ah, the lovely bride. Leona, you’re looking great.” That was never the brides name. I’d make one up and the people would laugh. I did the same skit to friends of my sisters who were getting married.
“So, a toast to the bride huh? I’m supposed to come up with some funny stories about her, and some heart warming ones.” Silence from me for a few seconds as the people would snicker. “I have nothing,” I would say, “but I do have a few, should we say naughty stories of Leona. And I promise I will say nothing of that disease you had a few months ago,” I’d say looking at her and pretend I was zippering my mouth.
That would be the cue for someone to say, “That’s not Leona, that’s Shirley!”
I would look up surprised, then look around.
“This isn’t the Wright Patterson wedding?” I would ask. Yes, I know, that’s an air base. I’d be told no it isn’t.
“Jesus,” I would say, “Um, were you going to say something?” I’d say to the guy who originally was going to give the toast to the bride, and I’d run out.
I had fun doing them and I had a few different ones so I’d change them around. I wrote my own material. You can tell? That’s good.
When I started to get quite busy in my pro drumming career I left the comedian stage. I missed the laughs. But I’d do them at get togethers at friends houses and parties.
Being a comedian is a nerve wracking but fun gig. Loved the laughs.
Cab stand in Madison Square Park, New York, (ca 1900)
When I was doing my graduation, I stayed in a hostel, which provided lunch and dinner but no breakfast. You had two options for breakfast: Go out to a restaurant nearby and have a hot breakfast or eat what most of the students ate – mashed banana and flattened rice (it is called poha or chura in India). I chose the second option since the first option was too costly. The food in the hostel was neither good in quality nor enough in quantity. So most of the times, I was famished.
I used to pity myself till I had a discussion about hunger with one of my classmates. He was worse off than me. His father was dead and his mother used to serve tea and water in a government office in a desolate tribal village. In short, he had enough money to have just one meal a day. I asked him what he did when he felt hungry. He said he would drink water.
This classmate of mine was a good student but did not have a clue about what to do after his graduation. In those days, IT was booming in India and I convinced him to do get a Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He got into one of the best Universities of India.
I did not meet him when we were doing our Post Graduation since I was at a different University. I met him a year after both of us had started our careers. He came to meet me. He was working for the largest software company of India and was on his way to his first foreign assignment. I felt very happy at how he had been able to turn around his fortune. He had started from a village which did not have electricity and his relatives and friends had not even seen life outside their village.
I am not in touch with him. But I searched the net and I found this photo. He is happily settled with his family in the USA.
image 520
So how do you deal with being too poor? Work hard and have patience. Things will turn around.
Unemployed men outside Al Capone’s soup kitchen in Chicago during the Great Depression, (1931)
Is earth round? Does waves rush to the shores?, Do the sun rise in the east?
Let me see, the US has a doctrine, it’s call Monroe Doctrine. It says no power big and small cannot come near North America and when USSR wanted to arm Cuba nuclear missile, the U.S. threaten to start a nuclear war! And duly blockade and sanction Cuba for 62 years straight! Is that hegemonic?
The U.S. has invaded 68 nations and counting since its nation is formed after doing genocide on its inhabitants and rightful owner the native Indians. Is that hegemonic?
It has cause millions upon millions of deaths due to regime change, coup orchestration by the U.S. it send out millions of CIA and NED officials around the world to destabilise nations so that they can set up puppet and sham governments to act on U.S. behalf and for US interest! Are these actions hegemonic.
Are all these actions that in total caused up to 100 million deaths, hegemonic? Or according to your media it is doing Mother Teresa role!
In my second year of university, I was summoned to a police station without knowing why. My father drove me and had to wait outside the office while I was being questioned.
image 521
The reason why I was summoned was quite a surprise.
Together with a good friend and a girl I was seeing at the time, I had smoked some weed and drank a couple of beers, and much later that night my friend had been robbed by a couple of low-lifes. So he called the police and explained his predicament.
The problem was: (1) my friend was drunk at the time; (2) round about that time my friend was starting to show the first signs of the paranoid schizophrenia that would later ruin his life.
So my friend told the police a story that did not make sense, and after a couple of questions, the story had gotten even worse: he claimed that before he was robbed, he had taken hard drugs together with the girl and me, and that the girl was actually a drug dealer. But he had forgotten the girl’s name.
Not mine, of course.
So instead of focusing on the robbery, the police men focused on the “hard drugs” and the “drug dealer.” And I was the one who would tell them the girl’s name. Which I didn’t.
After a lot of repeated questions and repeated threats — in which they refused to acknowledge the mental condition of my friend — they called in my dad, and explained to him that I blatantly refused to give them the girl’s name. To which my father said:
“This is ABSOLUTELY the right thing to do, and I am VERY proud of him. I would do the EXACT same thing.”
The police men did not know what to say, and not much later I was released after paying a ridiculous fine. When we left the office, they kept staring at my dad, a grey-bearded man with fierce eyes and thundering charisma.
Lightning had struck.
And the hammer had spoken.
SOURCES: the first drawing is taken from the book Nordiska Gudar by Johan Egerkrans; the second image us my own.
World War II propaganda posters in Port Washington, New York, (1942)
Focus on giving key people you work with what they want. At the end of the day, all people want to hear is “i’m going to fix your problems”.
Trust your intuition. People will try and fill your day with shit that doesn’t matter, do what YOU know does matter.
Make some friends, even if just to keep your sanity.
Don’t participate in shit talking. If a co-worker decides you are their confidant, just nod along with them—but never engage directly in the shit talking. You’ll save your own reputation and as a bonus you won’t feel shitty about yourself.
Say NO more. people respect people that can say no and don’t rollover for everything. Saying YES to everything just leaves you running on an endless treadmill.
Under-promise, over-deliver. always.
Make every effort not to give concrete deadlines, because you won’t be able to meet them anyway. Your credibility will falter. Unfortunately you’ll probably have to give them at some point.
Don’t try and be the best. Instead, make friends with people in a position of power and be at least competent.
Learn empathy. In reality, people don’t really care what gets done if you make them feel important and like they are achieving things. People just want to be heard, man.
A lot of these suck to admit….but it’s the way things are. Whether that’s because of some bullshit implicit social contracts or just the way we’re wired….its what corporate life is really like.
I had what seemed like the ideal bachelor life. Oh, and terror of getting trapped in marriage.
I mean, I was living the dream in college.
Living in a fraternity house with my buds.
Cute girls constantly around.
Parties every weekend.
More alcohol than common sense.
My parents paid for my college expenses. I worked every summer to make money for my personal expenses. So when school started I could focus on it and having fun.
Like I said I was living the dream.
But a weird thing happened. As I faced graduation the fun had worn thin.
I was tired of being hurt in relationships and hurting others.
I hoped there was more to life than one continual party.
I longed to share life at a deeper level with someone.
And I knew I needed to stop drinking so damn much.
Shortly before graduation two things happened that changed my life.
I went through a spiritual experience that transformed me.
And I met the most beautiful girl I’d ever know. Unfortunately, she had zero interest in getting to know me.
We eventually started dating. My persistence won out. And a year later married.
I look back over my life and think of all the blessings of marriage I’d have missed as a bachelor.
Someone to love and who loves me. Even sometimes when I’m, shall we say, less than lovable.
Sharing life together. The good, the bad and the ugly. And most of all the beautiful.
Raising our children that filled our lives with occasional frustration and even more love.
Conquering life together. Strengths making up for weaknesses. And glad she didn’t keep score.
Caring for each other in sickness and enjoying each other in health.
Laughing, crying, rejoicing and celebrating.
And at night, when I drift off to sleep, holding her hand and feeling a contentment I simply never could have imagined.
So for some, singleness works.
For me I can’t imagine having missed marrying my wife. And for her? I think she feels the same. At least on most days.
You’ll find a depth of life in marriage you cannot experience outside of it.
My house has a two person jacuzzi tub with mirrors on three walls around it. When I was looking at the house there was a four post canopy bed with a mirror inside the canopy. Needless to say, the previous owner had his thing.
When I was moving in I found in the basement a bar with cuffs on either end hanging from the ceiling and two eye bolts in a board on the floor that would have made this a perfect place to tie someone up spread eagle. I strongly suspect that is what it was used for.
I have a room that used to be a bar (previous owner took the bar itself with him despite it being a built in). It has a dropped ceiling and the lights are above with clear panels to let the light thru. I was moving ceiling tiles to change a bulb and got hit in the face by what I’m guessing was a home made sex swing that was bolted to the rafters above.
I’ve been in this house 3 years and I still occasionally find a secret panel in a wall. It seems anywhere there was an extra bit of space he put a removable panel to make a hidden storage space.
And despite all that, the single most surprising thing I found in this house is the light switch in the bathroom that has power going to it but doesn’t seem to actually switch anything in the house! What do you do about a mysterious switch?
We also found a stack of acrylic paintings in the basement, all very amateurish. Subjects ranged from creepy little girls to 70’s psychedelic nude ladies. Realtor told the owners to pick them up, or they would end up in the trash. They showed up a year later asking for them
Bonus, junk removal guy loved the 70’s nudes, asked to keep them.
It has nothing to do with “authoritarian government” it has everything to do with China not playing by U.S. “rules” that requires China to be submissive and subservient to the U.S. if you are observant you will noticed that the nations that the U.S. and the west have been giving negative press are all nations that refused to be submissive and subservient to the west.
The west merely represent 13% of the world? In fact the west is controlled by the the U.S. which represents 4% of the world. Should the 96% or the 87% of the rest of the world kowtow and let the west walk all over them? And dictate what they do? Who they make friends with? What they buy, how much they ought to pay? What religion they believe or what cloths to wear or what food they eat?
Let me give you an American answer! Over our dead body! It ain’t gonna happen!
The Global South is drifting away as we speak. No nations will buys your shit anymore. We decide our own fate. China certainly won’t. But so is 175 out of the 195 nations on earth. The faster you westerners get this, the better it is for you. Stop thinking about decoupling or de-risking China, the world is decoupling and de-risking from the U.S. and the west!
Your media and your government can lie and fabricate all you want but the bus has left the station. Authoritarian or CCP or communist or dictator are all excuses not reason for hating China and Chinese. These are narratives for the simple mind. It is demonising because it can’t get its way. Like a toddler throwing tantrum, that is what it is. Frankly if you are a westerner, your government is trying to hoodwink you! Not U.S. because we are not fools. We know lies when we see it.
Sidewheeler Tashmoo leaving wharf in Detroit, (ca 1901)
When I was younger, I was the Assisstant Manager of a Pizza Hut. I was moved to this particular store with the expectation that the Store Manager who was there had set me up to become the next Store Manager. When he resigned I was passed over for a 23 year old nobody with no experience or work ethic. He worked 25 hours a week and had me do most of his duties on top of my own. He would often show up in the middle of dinner rush with his posse, ask how things were, I would tell him it was terrible and we needed help, he’d see that we did, and say things like “Sounds good” and walk out.
Week after week people in my Store were getting overworked and burned out. I constantly hounded my Area Manager to let me hire people, often being turned down. He woul even turn down temporarily allowing neighboring stores to send their workers to my Store to keep up with demand. So week after week we would have at least 1 person quit.
Even when I was allowed to hire ONE person, that person would freak out on day one because of the workload pushed upon all of us. They would typically last 1 day, maybe a week, before quitting.
One day we were told we were having a store meeting with the Area Manager so I typed up my resignation letter preemptively and attended. We were told how terrible our customer service scores were (mostly hold time issues or delivery time issues because we couldn’t keep enough people to staff the whole store, so delivery drivers were cutting and boxing pizzas, answering phones and taking orders, THEN delivering them) and how we needed to shape up. I spoke up and said we desperately needed more employees and I was waved off again. So I finished my shift that night, put my resignation letter in the fax machine with my end of day paperwork, locked the door, and dropped my security key and door keys in the mail slot. The next day I was inundated with phone calls from the Store Manager and Area Manager, which I ignored for a few hours. Then I picked up, the Area Manager begged me to come back and said he’d do anything if I came back.
“A raise?”
“Sure, whatever you need.”
“4 more employees?”
“No, you know you’re not getting that.”
*hangup*
I never talked to them again.
Titanic sinks on April 15, 1912. Newspaper boy Ned Parfett sells copies of the evening paper bearing news of the disaster.
As a car mechanic, what is the craziest discovery you have found on an automobile?
I’m not the mechanic, but I know of one crazy discovery. My father purchased a brand new GMC Suburban in the 1980s and gave me his old pickup truck so I would have a vehicle while attending college. He occasionally heard a strange knocking noise while driving that Suburban, but neither he nor the dealer could ever figure out what was causing it. Since he didn’t hear that noise very often, and the vehicle ran great, he just kept driving it and eventually simply ignored that occasional knocking noise. The transmission needed to be rebuilt when it was 9 years old, so he took the Suburban to a shop that pulled the transmission and rebuilt it. While reinstalling it, the mechanic spotted a small hand-held air impact wrench hanging from a bent welding rod between the engine and firewall. He called my father, who then went back to the shop and took photos of the impact wrench and welding rod before and after they were removed. The wrench had “Property of GM” engraved on it.
Since it appeared the impact wrench had been hung there while on the assembly line, my father took the photos, impact wrench, and bent welding rod to the dealer who had sold it. The dealer wanted to send everything to GM, but my father would only agree to let him send copies of the photos. A GM lawyer called him the following week and offered to pay $500 for the return the impact wrench and welding rod, provide and release all prints and negatives he had taken of them to GM, and for his wife and him to sign a non-disclosure agreement concerning any and all possible “manufacturing flaws” involving that Suburban. My father made a counter offer of $5000. The lawyer said the most he was authorized to offer would be a $3000 manufacturer’s credit towards the purchase of a new GM vehicle. My father countered again by asking for both the $500 and $3000 credit towards a new GM vehicle. The lawyer agreed and then arraigned to have the dealer handle the exchange and witness my parents signing a non-disclosure agreement. My parents then negotiated with the dealer to buy a new car for my mother, and then applied that $500 check and the $3000 manufacturer’s credit towards the purchase of it.
After that impact wrench was removed, my father never heard that knocking noise again. Since I knew about this “manufacturing flaw” before they signed that non-disclosure agreement, I’m not bound by it. But my surviving parent could be subject to significant financial penalties for discussing this story, so I am posting this anonymously to prevent any possible repercussions. However I seriously doubt GM would want to have people going through records more than three decades old just to determine who my parents are.
I’ve told this story elsewhere but it fits here as well.
In a prior life I worked for a major multi-national and the division I worked in was managed by somebody based in Europe (let’s call him George). But he had direct reports in a number of cities around the world including New York. So during one of his visits to New York he speaks to Fred and tells him that things just aren’t working out so he should find another job. Nothing out of the ordinary and not adversarial in any way.
So about a year later George is in New York and sees Fred sitting in his office wearing jeans and track shoes, feet up on his desk reading a newspaper. So he says “Fred, why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to find another job?” And Fred’s response was classic “Yes but my contract requires one year’s written notice and I’ve never received anything.”
To make a long story short, George was off to HR and after a discussion with legal Fred got a year’s salary plus the cash value of all the benefits he would have rec’d during the year. Given how senior Fred was I’m sure that check would have been at least $400 K (and more likely quite a bit north of that).
So way back in 1984 I worked a summer in Yellowstone national park. During training I learned a lot about dangers in the park. For example, bison kill many more people than grizzly bears. That being said at least one person a year is kill in the park by a grizzly bear.
image 523
But I digress.
The dumbest question that a tourist asked me was a question that they warned me I would be asked and I laughed like it was a joke. They seriously said no you will get asking this and please don’t embarrass the tourists who ask it.
So a couple days into the Job I am standing there and this nice looking middle aged American woman who seemed she had all her senses came up to me and looked me straight in the face and asked,
“Where do they put the animals at night”?
image 522
I was gobsmacked!
This woman actually thought that all the animals were gathered up at night and put in cages. Just like I was warned, someone asked me the question I thought I would never hear.
And no, she most certainly wasn’t the last tourist to ask me that!
My two week notice was a long time coming. I was sick of working in finance, at that company, and for that boss. I slept terribly the night before, having fevered dreams of a squandered future. But I knew I needed some upheaval. I was forging a sad, bitter storyline that would haunt me forever.
As I embarked on my new journey as a writer, I unpacked my new life, and all the stories from that dark chapter, all the moments of pain and frustration, came with me. As with many of you, these scenes replay more vividly on my lesser days. It’s as the incomparable Frederick Nietzsche wrote, “When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago.”
Old embarrassments — losing my temper with someone 20 years ago, making ill advised comments, and moments of rejection — come bubbling up for no reason. Why could I see these scenes so easily and with 8K clarity while the amazing moments hid in the shadows?
Per Dr. Daniel L. Schacter, we remember the past so vividly because it’s a means of envisioning the future. We use it as a modeling tool, a form of mental time travel, where our mind anchors moments in time. The word “anchor” is key — because many of these images and stories become crystallized and of cognitive convenience.
For example, you might experience something I do when reading books: anytime there is a scene with a bar, I can’t help but see the same bar in my mind — to the point of it being annoying. If there’s some type of battle scene, I always see an old field I played in as a kid. This is the mind anchoring and why it’s so easy to recall the same negative moments over and over.
Per research by psychologist, Dr. Linda Levine, we tend to interpret past events through an emotional filter of the present. The same facts on paper suddenly look different. Negative moods — such as being tired, annoyed, or frustrated — evoke specific and detailed bad memories that often hit harder. Good moods — such as being well rested, jovial, excited, or in good humor — tend to evoke broader and more general memories. Unfortunately, negative memories are much more powerful and easily evoked.
We tend to apply a filter of our self-concept — who we’d like to be, and what our “ideal self” is and how we’d hoped to be perceived. Which is why our subconscious searches for contradictions to this ideal self.
For example, I’m generally a pleasant and nice person. Which is perhaps why my mind dredges up instances of me being unpleasant. I hate thinking of those times because when I do, I feel like I’m standing right there in that same room 15 years ago, watching my former self act out and be nasty with someone I loved.
The mind tells me, “Remember this person? You could be this person again if you don’t behave.” So how to we rewire this toxic pattern?
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Rewriting your narrative
A few years ago, I thought, “Why am I beating myself up all the time?” I had so much to be thankful for. I’d brought plenty of good into this world, been a good friend and family member. I’d fought hard to win a better future but still bludgeoned myself over bygones that nobody else remembered.
I met with a therapist a few years ago and had tremendous improvement in dealing with negativity. He was a silver haired man, with black rimmed glasses and a quiet, friendly demeanor, and a PhD hanging on his wall.
As we began talking, he nodded his head in understanding and began giving me homework assignments anchored in cognitive behavioral therapy which, per the American Psychological Association, is as effective (or more) than other forms of psychotherapy and medications in dealing with negativity.
He said, “We often tell our life story to ourselves in excessively harsh terms, and jump to instant conclusions at our own expense.”
One exercise he gave was to practice reframing the stories with less certainty. Instead of saying X results in Y, explore alternative causes and remove unhelpful thoughts.
For example, during college, I was dumped by woman I was totally in love with. I deserved it. I was being irresponsible and drinking all the time and she finally had enough. For years, I was sure that my poor decisions had cost me my soulmate. But I learned this was totally unfair thinking.
Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps she was just losing interest and this was her way out. And if I’d stayed with her, I’d have never met the incredible woman I now have. Even more so, the concept of a soulmate felt a wee bit irrational and limiting.
When you map out events, and deconstruct the narrative you tell yourself, it can look entirely silly sometimes. The exercise also helps reframe the memory more constructively. I can confidently say getting dumped caused me to stop partying so much and may have saved me from myriad legal and health problems.
Another strategy was to build a mental rolodex of positive memories in your mind that you can return to. Doing this, and rapid fire indulging these memories can counteract your negativity instinct, and tends to put me in a much better mood.
A quick forewarning, I’d make sure to write this list out. I initially thought I’d be able to manage it in my mind, but it was much harder to build out and think through.
Here are a few from my list:
Picking up my 8-week old golden retriever from the breeder. He was a fat marshmallow shaped dog with a permasmile, who brought me so much dang joy in life.
Having Christmas mornings as a kid with my grandparents and the love they surrounded us with.
Going on walks with my beloved partner on St. Pete beach and sitting quietly with her in the sand and drinking a beer while we read books.
Helping raise money at events for wounded soldiers, and volunteering with the Special Olympics.
One last strategy is exploratory processing, which takes the opposite approach. You list out the painful experience just after it happens and leave two lines below it. Then, after one month, you return to write in the blank what you learned. Then, six months later, you list something positive that came from the mistake.
For example, when I bought my house, it was a complete circus and the inspection went poorly and I fought with the builder and the realtor. The entire experience crashed my hopeful vision of home ownership. I put this down on the list as my first entry. Then, I came back a month later and wrote about how the experience taught me the importance of having a home inspection (which I almost skipped doing).
Then, at the six month mark, I put that this experience still resulted in me owning a great home that I can now rest in knowing is safe. I know that it has given me and my partner new friends in the neighborhood. The house has also appreciated significantly in value.
Remember, it’s entirely normal and common to have tons of negative memories that pester you. Most major life changes are precipitated by bad experiences and it’s easy to carry those stories with you.
Consider compiling a list of positive memories to return to and combat that trend. Reframe your experiences by exploring the possibilities of how they came to be, and how you might be irrational and excessively harsh in reviewing them. Lastly, use exploratory processing just after something goes wrong. Approach the experience with curiosity rather than judgement. Something good usually comes from all of the chaos we endure.
I keep my hair short. Very, very short. Before joining the Navy, I was already doing so, but for the past twenty years, I have been unable to go much longer than a couple of weeks—or, in the warmer months, a week or so—before it feels as though something is wrong. Oddly, I don’t mind skipping a shave for two or three days, but actually wearing facial hair (beard, long sideburns) is out of the question.
While I’m not fanatically neat, I do try to keep items off the floor. Gear should be stowed somehow, whether in a desk, in a cabinet, on a shelf, or even on a table. The deck should be kept clear.
I understand the distinction between a command (Do it now!) and an order (Get it done!).
I am almost never, ever late, even to social engagements, as gauche as that may be. And “on time,” in my book, means approximately six to ten minutes early (no more).
Generally, I am far more situationally aware and cognizant of potential risks and dangers than I was before joining. People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.
A day without some kind of PT is somehow misspent.
I still lace up my shoes in a crisscross pattern, with no “bridge.”
Most of the year, regardless of whether I’m dressed formally or informally, I wear a T-shirt of some kind as an initial layer. If the temperature goes past about 75°F or so, I’ll wear either a T-shirt or a polo shirt. But even in the heat, I don’t like wearing a dress shirt without an undershirt.
I tell time with the 24-hour clock and write the date in the day-month-year format. This dovetails nicely with living in Europe.
Having qualified as an Expert with the 9-mm pistol and a Marksman on the M-16, I have contempt for gun nuts who brandish their weapons in public, exhibit no discipline or respect for them or consideration for others, and lack the faintest idea of what they are talking about.
A German soldier after being captured by American troops near Nicosia, (1943)
Last year, Carl Sergeant, 49-year-old politician, took his life after losing his job as secretary
image 569
The cause? False sexual abuse allegations.
The sentiment of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is being jettisoned. Now, mere accusation alone is enough to ruin someone’s career. Do you understand how dangerous that is?
Quote from BBC News:
“The family wish to maintain the fact that Carl maintained his innocence and he categorically denied any wrongdoing. The distress of not being able to defend himself properly against his unspecified allegtions meant he was not afforded common courtesy, decency or natural justice.”
You can’t make the cost of sexual interest the complete desolation of a man’s career, his reputation and even his life. We can’t keep branding people who sent a risqué text or blew kiss a pervert.
We’re now witnessing the birth pangs of the sexual reformation, the fallout from the sex abuse scandals that have plagued the entertainment industry, politics, and are now spreading throughout society as a whole. Third-wave feminists have been largely discredited over the past five years – just 18% of women in the US identify as feminist. Even less in the UK. Rights that actual feminists fought for a hundred years ago have been achieved, which is why radical feminists and SJWs need to hijack or invent new outrages to push their primary narrative and create more gender division.
Remember Zaira Wasim? Last year, she said she was scared when a man sitting behind her was touching her waist with his legs. At first, she ignored it, thinking it was due to turbulence, but didn’t tell anyone about it – not even the crew. Zaira put this allegation on a man named as Vikas Sachdev, a 39-year-old father and husband.
He was arrested. His wife defended him as innocent, but to the baying mob, allegations were all that were required to pass judgement.
image 568
Now don’t get me wrong, if sexual abuse is admitted or proven, those people should be punished to the full extent of the law. Hollywood and political peadophile rings should be exposed. But trial by a social media mob outage isn’t justice, and it sets a horrific precedent. Women are now jumping on the MeToo hashtag bandwagon so they can smother themselves in attention-seeking victimhood – not because they’re actual victims, but in one case because a man looked at them.
Another story was whipped up about Adam Sandler touching Claire Foy’s knee on a talk show.
In another instance, an MP was outed after he described a woman as “attractive, intelligent and charming”
Another case involved Michael Fallon trying to kiss a woman.
See the trend here? Everything is being conflated, to the point where making a pass at a woman is placed in the same context as actual rape.
There has to be an understanding that mere accusations alone are not proof. We have to put a check on this call of instantly believing the accuser without any regard for evidence.
It’s one of those David vs Goliath academic tales that’s as absurd as it is commendable.
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Knorozov was a Soviet linguist – not a guy you’d expect to crack a Mesoamerican code. He got intrigued by the Mayan glyphs while rummaging through old dusty books in the off-limits section of the library. The glyphs hadn’t been fully understood for centuries.
The declassified Dresden Codex landed in his lap. It had been through hell: World War II bombings, water damage, and general neglect. But this old thing was a Rosetta Stone waiting for its sober lover.
While World War II suppressed the free exchange of scholarly thought, Knorozov was insulated and incubated over in Mother Russia. He faced another kind of battle, though: stifling Soviet oversight and scarce resources.
But undeterred, Yuri used his noggin. He hypothesized that the glyphs weren’t just individual pictures or symbols. They were indicative of phonetic sounds, a theory vastly different from what the scholarly mainstream believed.
Where many saw walls, Knorozov saw doors.
He hammered away at this theory, marrying the dots and bars of the Mayan numeral system to the text surrounding them. It was as if he spoke directly to the ancient Mayans, bridging a chasm of silence that had lasted since the fall of their civilization. Bit by bit, he began matching sounds to symbols.
His breakthrough publications hit in the 1950s. And like most disruptors, he was met with academic side-eye. It was the ‘newbie rocking the boat’ scenario. Many Western academics clung angrily to their dated theories, as if they were good luck charms.
But as time marched on, so did progress. Others began taking swings with the bat Knorozov had crafted. Additional findings corroborated his theories. The wall of mystery surrounding Mayan writing was getting holes punched into it, letting light in.
By the time of his death in 1999, Knorozov had seen his theories widely accepted. Mayan glyphs were readable, weaving tales of kings, conquests, and the cosmos.
What Yuri Knorozov did single-handedly is akin to solving a 1,000-year-old crossword puzzle without any clues, which makes you wonder, how many other historical whispers are just waiting for their translator?
From my home in Portland, OR, I look at Knorozov’s story as a beacon of hope for every solo scholar out there staring at an uncracked code. Keep at it. You might just be onto something.
Yes, but it had nothing to do with the procedure being inappropriate; it was an issue of consent.
I was called by a clinician to put a drainage catheter into an abscess, a pretty standard procedure; I was told that the patient had been reluctant, but had agreed to go ahead. Naturally I spoke with the patient myself, and discovered that she had not given any kind of meaningful consent; instead she had said something like “whatever”, just to get rid of the clinician, whom she described as a moron.
I called him up, with the patient in the room (but not listening in on the phone); I explained that I had spoken with her in person, and she was clearly unwilling to have the procedure. He then described her as a “seed person”, his term for someone who distrusted conventional medicine and preferred natural remedies; while I sympathized with his preference for proven treatments, it was clear that his attitude towards her was one of contempt, and that she had picked this up. He asked if he could speak to her; I told her he wanted to talk with her, she absolutely refused, and I conveyed this to him – softening her language slightly.
I then wrote a lengthy note in her chart, summarizing my discussion with her, quoting her comments, and explaining that as she had no intention of giving consent for this procedure, I was not going to perform it. I felt that she needed it, and I had explained this to her as clearly as I could; but as I was not her parent or legal guardian, I was professionally and ethically obligated to respect her wishes.
The right of a mentally competent adult patient to refuse treatment is absolute, whatever the consequences. My job is to explain those consequences as clearly as I can. The patient’s job is to make the choice.
An ex of mine, we dated for 3 months. He was significantly older.
In that time he got progressively more controlling. One day he heard a rumour I was cheating on him.
How I was meant to, I don’t know as I was always either at work (and replying to his messages) or with him.
He decided to throw me around and threaten me with 2 knives. Both of which he pressed against my throat. He also threatens to kill the friend he decided I was sleeping with. Luckily he gets angry enough and storms out of my home as there was no way I could physically move him and I lock the door.
I call my mum to come and get me away, she calls the police. All the time he is banging on the door threatening me and my friend. He keeps accusing me of calling “my other boyfriend” and how he will kill him when he gets there. He realises I’ve called the Police and goes for a walk away from my home.
I show the Police the knives and give a statement at the Police station. He is arrested and pleads guilty to the Police.
The Police Officer I was speaking to unofficially advised me to submit a request against Claires Law which eventually informed me that he had been connected to 5 other women in domestic violence cases. The last one whom he attacked with an axe, he went to prison for 3 months for that incident. These are just the reported cases, I have no doubt there are more who did not report him.
My case was deemed only to be a Magistrates case. The Magistrate on hearing the guilty plea gave a 12 week suspended sentence for 1 year so he could work on his mental health, a Restraining order for 3 years and “compensation” of £150.
I can’t believe the magistrate had a clear domestic abuser who showed clear escalation patterns increasing in violence to women ranging from stalking, assault and sexual assault and gave such a ridiculous sentence. It showed a lack of respect for female lives. I was advised not to attend court, it’s probably a good thing as I doubt I could have stopped myself shouting at the magistrate.
I had to flee my home, upend my entire life, develop ptsd and the perpetrator got a slap on the wrist.
A Nihang Bodyguard, (c.1865)
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When Evil Parents Realize They’ve Been Caught
Damn! Damn! Damn!
Holy FUCK!
https://youtu.be/31AZ3x17Aq0
Curb Market in NYC, (ca 1900)
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27 Minutes Of Rude Karens Vs Judges!
GOD! The USA is so messed up!
Observer on Iwo Jima, (1945)
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A Massive Cat Abandoned at the Shelter Gets Adopted Within Hours
Crowded Bunks in the Prison Camp at Buchenwald, (April 16, 1945)
In the first place, I would like to say that you are right, to some extent. I agreed with you that we are somehow forced to learn some very entry level Classical Chinese, during the compulsory education stage (year 1 to year 9). This is the fact about Chinese education.
In the second place, since you asked why. I will try my best to answer your question.
The importance of classical Chinese:
In the narrow sense, Classical Chinese is the language which was actively used between Spring and Autumn period through to the end of the Han Dynasty (5th century BC to 2nd century AD). It soon became the formal written language in the Chinese society all the way until the 1910s when the Qing Dynasty was overturned. More than 2000 years of history was documented by using classical Chinese. It carried the invaluable heritage of our civilisation. In my opinion, it means much more to us than Latin to the European society.
In the broad sense, Classical Chinese is contrary to the Morden Mandarin, including classical Chinese (narrow sense), poems, novels written in the vernacular Chinese etc. It draws a whole picture of our great 5000-thousand-year civilisation, keeping people with hopes even in the darkest time of our nation.
Why government decided to introduce classical education.
China is a civilisation state instead of a national state. Anyone who recognises Chinese culture is considered as Chinese and could be integrated into the mainstream society, even he is not a Han Chinese. That is said Chinese people was united by a common written language, a universal value and a general social norm, even they may speak different dialects, live in a different region and have a different clan. This is also the most powerful argument to against the claims such as Cantonese is a distinct language instead of a Chinese dialect. The reason why schools in China teach both classical and Mandarin is, I think, it works better if taught together. Mandarin is the main structure and classical is a supplement of it. Mandarin is superficial which could not teach students some fundamental and abstract concepts. For example, people who only received Mandarin education would probably not able to understand the connections between the full moon and home sick (like a metaphor), autumn and depression etc. Therefore, promoting classical education would further strengthen the sense of national identity bound by the language and culture. That is the how to keep the nation united for more than 2000 years (Since Qin Dynasty firstly published a set of national standards). That is the political concern of the government. And this is also the answer to why not only Han Chinese, other ethical minorities are (not forced but encouraged) learning Chinese.
“月落乌啼霜满天 江枫渔火对愁眠” （The moon is setting. The crows are crying. The atmosphere is heavy with a chilly autumn frost. The maple trees and the lights of the fishing boats are reflected in the water. Yet I am unable to sleep because of sorrow.）This short poem was filled with culture symbols such as “moon, crow, autumn, red leaves and fishing boats”. Those culture symbols was consistently used till today, they speak themselves without the need of explanation. But it almost undecipherable for people without classical education.
Social response
In fact, there is far less unfavorable voice against teaching classical in school rather than that of English. Ministry of Education is planning to make the English language an elective subject in the College Entrance Examination (aka. Gaokao), but removing classical content is out of the question, definitely. Personally, I, although not excel it, rather enjoy learning classical than modern Mandarin. It is so concise, splendid, touching my soul so deeply. I was hoping one day I could like those famous poets, to put own feelings into such powerful words. People used to say ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’. Some classical quotes certainly could do the better job in the appropriate circumstance. Many Chinese leaders would like to quote some classical or come up their own.
President Jiang Zemin’s calligraphy, quoting national hero Lin Zexu’s poem. （were it to benefit my country I would lay down my life; what then is the risk to me）
China’s Premier Wen Jiabao wrote on the blackboard after 2008 Sichuan earthquake. “challenges make a nation much stronger”
Chinese also tend to use classical to name their children, their company etc. A name with good meaning would give people a better first impression. Actually, not only Chinese, people from East Asia and Vietnam will also use Chinses classical when giving the name. e.g. all Japanese emperor’s title of reign is based on Chinese classical.
Lastly, China, together with Korea peninsula, Japan, Ryukyu and Vietnam, shared a long history bound by classical Chinese language. All most all the history was written in classical Chinese. Due to some political concerns, both Korea and Vietnam abolished Chinese, making it a great loss in their culture. Now people living there could not understand what their ancestors wrote when they are visiting their historical sites. I can never imagine this happens in China one day, when our children visiting forbidden city and asking what exactly did the emperor write on the wooden boards. What a ridiculous thing?
Ps. It is rather funny to ask in such way. Forced?
It could be better to rephrase the question to ‘why Chinese student nowadays still need to learn classical Chinese’
He sacked a colleague the day my colleague was leaving for a family holiday. My boss (and owner of the business), Paul, just liked to show people he had the power. He was often petty and a micromanaging control freak. He seemed to like me, so most of the time he left me to do my thing.
My colleague, Ian, had become a friend, and we’d hang out after work. He had been planning an overseas family trip for some time, and had been talking about it for a couple of months in advance of the date. He had requested leave, which was approved, before making the booking. He was a friendly, genuine guy, and most of us in the office shared his enthusiasm for his holiday. We could see he was looking forward to taking his family away.
He was due to fly out on a Saturday. On the Friday, Paul called Ian into his office and told him he had changed his mind, he was revoking the leave. Ian tried to argue that the tickets were non-refundable, everything was booked, his wife had taken leave, and they had permission to take their children out of school. Paul wasn’t swayed. He made it clear, cancel or be fired.
Ian asked what was so important that he needed to stay, Paul didn’t give a real answer. He just shrugged and said, “it’s my company, my call.”
Ian called his wife, and then decided to do the holiday. He didn’t want to lose the money or let his family down.
He came and told me just before lunch what had happened, and suggested we go for a farewell lunch.
I was incensed! I immediately wrote a handwritten resignation, left it on Paul’s desk, packed my things, and went to lunch. I told Ian and some other colleagues at lunch that this was also MY farewell.
As lunch wrapped up, the others drifted back to the office, and it was just Ian and me, commiserating over a beer, when Paul came in, in a fluster. I had never seen him in such a state (I later realized it was because he was no longer in control). Paul loudly tried to convince me to stay, offered me everything (other than more money!). I just said no, calmly. He left saying something like “you’ll be back when you can’t find another job.”
I called in on another friend on my way home, and had a job offer that afternoon.
Beer Battered Fish and Chips
Beer Battered Fish and Chips
Ingredients
2 to 4 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into fingers
1 pound fish (cod, halibut, polluck, etc.) 500g
1 (12 ounces/355mL) can beer
1 egg, beaten until fluffy
2/3 cup milk 150 mL
1 teaspoon canola oil 5 mL
1 teaspoon baking powder 5 mL
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 375 mL
1/2 cup second flour amount for dipping 125 mL
3 cups canola oil for deep frying 750 mL
Instructions
Pat potatoes and fish dry with paper towels.
Heat oil to a frying temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). To cook potato chips properly, it is important to maintain this frying temperature. You may wish to increase the temperature slightly before adding potatoes as oil temperature will drop when food is added. Fry 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. While potatoes are frying, prepare batter for fish.
To prepare batter: Mix together beer, egg, milk and canola oil. Add baking powder, cayenne pepper, salt and 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) flour all at once, mixing only enough to dampen the dry ingredients.
Remove potato chips from the canola oil with slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and season to taste.
Coat fish pieces in 1/2 cup (125 mL) flour before dipping in batter. Gently place in hot oil to deep fry. Cook until golden, about 6 minutes.
Remove from oil with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
When my grandmother found out she had terminal cancer, she gave away a lot of her things to her children and grandchildren. She gave my cousin her 6 year old car, she gave me her expensive vacuum cleaner, she gave my mother an 8 foot tall grandfather’s clock, that had been hand made by my mothers great grandfather, those are the only three I remember, but she had two children and six grandchildren, so you can see by the gifts, that they weren’t terribly expensive, but had some value.
She still owned her own condo, and had some savings.
Shortly after my grandmother had died, and the will had been read, I over heard my uncle talking to my mother. My grandmother had split the estate between my uncle and mother. My uncle wanted everything that my grandmother had given away, to be given back to the estate, as he felt that they were just loans. Then the estate would be split between him and mom. If the grandkids ( including his own kids) wanted what they had been given, they could buy it from the estate.
I was shocked, I had always loved my uncle, he had never seemed like a greedy man. But inheritance seems to bring out the worst in people. My mother and uncle fought for the first time that I ever knew of, and some nasty things were said.
Evidently he approached his kids to get the gifts back, and they formed a united front, and told him he was wrong. So he backed off. I would have never have known that he had a greedy side to him, if I hadn’t overheard that conversation. He died about 10 years later, and I never looked at him, quite the same as before I overheard that conversation.
When my grandmother found out she had terminal cancer, she gave away a lot of her things to her children and grandchildren. She gave my cousin her 6 year old car, she gave me her expensive vacuum cleaner, she gave my mother an 8 foot tall grandfather’s clock, that had been hand made by my mothers great grandfather, those are the only three I remember, but she had two children and six grandchildren, so you can see by the gifts, that they weren’t terribly expensive, but had some value.
She still owned her own condo, and had some savings.
Shortly after my grandmother had died, and the will had been read, I over heard my uncle talking to my mother. My grandmother had split the estate between my uncle and mother. My uncle wanted everything that my grandmother had given away, to be given back to the estate, as he felt that they were just loans. Then the estate would be split between him and mom. If the grandkids ( including his own kids) wanted what they had been given, they could buy it from the estate.
I was shocked, I had always loved my uncle, he had never seemed like a greedy man. But inheritance seems to bring out the worst in people. My mother and uncle fought for the first time that I ever knew of, and some nasty things were said.
Evidently he approached his kids to get the gifts back, and they formed a united front, and told him he was wrong. So he backed off. I would have never have known that he had a greedy side to him, if I hadn’t overheard that conversation. He died about 10 years later, and I never looked at him, quite the same as before I overheard that conversation.
They taught us how to wear boots. At the beginning of the session, the tough looking DS looked at us the only way a DS can do it.
I thought what the hell? Put them on and lace them up. Oh no. There was the Army way.
We found out how important the simple sock was in the Army.
“Socks must be pulled up TIGHT! No wrinkles or seams. Loose socks in your boot can be a painful thing and cause blisters quicker than your daddy’s willow switch. Pull them up tight. Keep them dry. Wet socks are not a soldier’s friend. If a soldier’s feet are unusable because of blisters, that soldier is unusable. Take care of those feet. Also, mark those socks.”
We had to make sure there were no wrinkles on the inner sole where the foot goes in.
“If there’s a wrinkle in your boot lining, give ‘em back and you will be issued new ones. Wrinkles cause blisters. Make sure your boot is TIGHT around your foot. Do not let your feet ‘float’ in boots. Floating feet cause blisters!”
“The boots are laced diagonally with the excess lace tucked into the top of the boot. Metal cleats and side tabs are not authorized for wear. Steeled toed boots are not authorized for wear. THAT gentlemen is why these are NOT steel toed boots. If they were, you would be crippled within two weeks. There should be at least a 3/4-inch minimum additional length at toe. DO NOT soak boots in water or bake in an oven to break-in. Boots should be worn in gradually at first with ever-increasing walking or marching distances while remaining comfortable.”
“The back of your boots must also be shined. Just because we’re looking at you from the front, wise asses, doesn’t mean we won’t give the about face order.
“The tongues of your boots will lie flat all along the top of your boots, not squished in like a piece of toilet paper shoved up the crack of your ass. Squished tongues cause blisters. We don’t want blisters around here. Blisters mean there’s a man out and the rest of you do twice the work. If I find a squished tongue in your boot, and I’ll check at times, it’ll be YOUR tongue lying on top of your foot under the laces!”
“If you do not follow these instructions, you will get my right boot up your ass and I’m telling you now, IT WILL HURT! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
This DS had at least size 13 boots. We understood.
I got an email a few days ago. The writer was pretty critical on my habit on covering all sorts of subjects and omitting the ET and the UFO stuff. Demanding, in a (almost) sarcastic way that I am somehow “fake” unless I spew out “lore” on a daily basis about “black hats” and “reptilians” and all that stuff.
Guys. I don’t know all that much. I have a connection to the Domain Commander… and it’s damn tight. Sometimes I wonder if I was domain before I incarnated… it’s that strong. But what I know is though two venues.
[1] MAJestic, and direct communication with the [2] Domain Commander.
Note that I did not include the venues on the internet about other stuff. Whether it is Farsight or some other venue. The events and states are often well apt to be misinterpreted by myself because of my own unique experiences. In my own reality.
And also… I grow and change.
Right?
So the view and observations that I held ten years ago are often quite different today. And I’ll tell youse guys… nothing is more sublime than my belief in “reptilians”.
Oh, Lordy!
You see, and many of you all know that I (for the longest time) ridiculed the “reptilian narrative”. And as such, I often confused the charlatans that monetized this narrative over the reality… even though it was not MY reality that I experienced. Oh man! I was wrong! Wrong! WRONG!
I asked the Domain Commander for a full information data dump.
…
This occurred when I was chatting with a MM follower. (You know who you are.)
And so I asked for the data dump.
I will post the details in a Patreon video or a separate post all to it’s self. But here’s a summary…
There are “reptilians” in the universe. It is a (branch) of an approved archetype.
Their normal environment is NOT around a G class star, like our sun.
They can live in our environment for short periods in a physical form.
They are “intersectionals” or “”interfrequency” beings. Meaning that they are a separate classification somewhere between a physical being, and a spiritual being.
Many of these beings have “advanced civilizations” and have shape changing technologies.
Some of them have visited the earth and occupied roles in this environment.
However…
The internet is flooded with disinformation regarding these creatures.
There are many people who have monetized this narrative. You need to be wary of that.
…
Remember people…
Reptilians exist. They have the ability to enter and leave our reality and realm at will. They do occasionally visit the earth, and when they do; they suffer though various limitations.
However…
There are greedy and ignorant folk that has taken this situation to extremes, and has created a fiction that is easy to get lost in. Please be cautious.
Today…
A daily dose of funk for today…
SOS Band reunion. No lip sync. I looked, if they are doing so… well it’s damn good.
Anyways. I love this band, and I had such a great crush on this lead singer. She’s still a looker… I’ll tell you what.
I grew up poor. Our house was bare wood, no paint. My parents had to drop out of school after grade 9 to help support their families. When I was in the 6th grade, my parents told me that they hoped I would be able to go to University, but they had no money to pay for it.
I started mowing lawns and shoveling snow in grade 8. In grade 9, I started working 20 hours a week. In grade 10 it was 30, and in grade 11 and 12 it was 40 hours a week.
I stayed at the university dorm, sharing a 12×14 ft room with a room mate. I worked in the dorm cafeteria.
During summer break I got a camp job, with free room and board, working 360–380 hrs a month .
I graduated university with no debt. I went back to school a couple of more times over the years, whenever I wasn’t happy with my career. I would get another career.
I enjoyed my careers because I would change if I didn’t, life is too short to be unhappy.
I made good money. Then I retired comfortably on a fixed income on a paid for house in the wilderness.
Col Douglas Mcgregor: “We CANNOT Recover from What has HAPPENED! TOTAL DEFEAT ON ALL SIDES!!”
Colonel Douglas Macgregor delivers a compelling analysis, expressing the impossibility of recovering from the catastrophic events in Ukraine while highlighting the moral and financial losses incurred by supporting Israel. His assertion of a comprehensive defeat across all fronts for the United States indicates a poignant examination of the country’s geopolitical stance. Viewers are invited to explore Macgregor’s insights into the extensive implications of these interconnected situations.
My husband and I were in the computer sales/repair business for many years. One day an elderly woman came in, asking if we could fix her computer. She said it had gotten so slow she could barely use it. She told us her 15 year old grandson also used the computer “for his homework,” and she wanted to be sure he could get his work done. I went to her car and brought it in for her, since she had trouble carrying it. My husband set it up on his bench, and pretty quickly told her that she needed to add more memory, as she had a lot of large graphic and video files. She had a limited budget, so he suggested she delete some of the large files to free up memory. She wanted him to do that for her, so he had her sit beside him and go through some of the files to decide which ones to delete. After opening a few older .jpgs, which were photos of a family reunion, he opened one in a more recent folder. I was at the front counter by then, but went to the repair room when I heard a loud shriek of “Oh, lord Jesus!” On the screen was a photo of a man with a foot-long … er, appendage, and a woman kneeling at his feet … you get the idea. The recently-downloaded short videos were all pornos. Once all that was deleted, she was happy with her computer, but not so happy with her grandson. As I loaded the computer in her car, she was muttering under her breath, “good whuppin’ is what he needs.” I don’t know if he got the whuppin’, but I’m pretty sure he lost computer privileges.
The US congress is turning off the tap. No more billions, not especially with a looming recession crashing head-on into bitter election season.
Ukraine’s economy is practically non-existent, with half the population gone with the wind, significant devastation, and the ongoing conflict. Ukraine is operating on fumes, and without US/NATO support, the country will struggle to function as a society.
Volodymyr isn’t the great statesman the free press trumpeted anymore. He is now an assassination target, with significant fractures developing within the command structure. What happens when the soldiers do not receive their wages? What about arms delivery?
Even with the full backing of NATO, Ukraine never matched Russian firepower on the battlefield, and Ukrainian soldiers suffer casualties at 5:1 to 10:1 rates compared to the Russians. That will be an optimistic loss ratio in 2024, as a severely degraded Ukrainian military fight on with dwindling support. Even fighting men are in short supply, never mind equipment, ammunition and real-time intelligence. Ukraine has practically zero industrial capability to sustain warmaking, other than growing its own food and making basic items.
Good luck hanging on to Odessa.
Normalized in a relationship
Ginger Beer
This is alcoholic, so please don’t let the children drink it!
47c1984a9c14f6cf131e342ceee9cf1c
Ingredients
To Make the Plant
2 ounces fresh baker’s yeast
2 level tablespoons superfine sugar
2 level tablespoons freshly ground dried ginger, bought from a spice store and NOT a supermarket
To Complete the Process
19 cups cold water
2 large fresh lemons
2 1/4 cups superfine sugar
Instructions
Mix yeast and sugar together in a small, clean plastic or china bowl with a small wooden spoon.
Add ginger and slowly mix in 1/4 cup of hand-hot water. Stir until well blended, then add another cup of hand-hot water and place in a very clean glass jar and leave, uncovered, in a warm place.
To Feed the Plant: 10 level teaspoons freshly ground dried ginger and 10 level teaspoons superfine sugar
Each day feed the plant. Do this by sprinkling onto the surface 1 teaspoon superfine sugar and 1 teaspoon ginger. Do this for 10 days.
When you have fed the plant for 10 days, dissolve the 2 1/4 cups superfine sugar with 3 3/4 cups of the water in a heavy-bottom 4-quart saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, until he sugar is dissolved. It will not take long.
Using a thoroughly cleansed 10-quart plastic bucket, pour in the sugar and water mixture. Add another 2 1/2 cups cold water and the strained juice of two lemons. Now add the remaining 12 1/2 cups of water. Take the plant you’ve been feeding for 10 days and strain the liquid through muslin into the bucket. Save the sludge if you want to make more. Stir all the liquid well and pour into screw-top bottles. The 2 1/2-liter plastic screw-top soda bottles are ideal for this. Using a funnel, fill each bottle, leaving about a 2-inch air gap at the top for the ginger beer to breathe. Place the tops on, but don’t tighten down until the following day.
Sample after 5 days, covering the neck of the bottle with a cloth when opening. A small amount of sediment may collect at the bottom of the bottle. Decant the contents of the bottle into a pitcher, taking care that the sediment remains in the bottle. Serve chilled. Dilute with a lemonade soda or beer to make a refreshing drink.
To continue the plant: Divide the sludge into two glass juice containers, add 1 1/4 cups of hand-hot water to each and feed the plant in the previous manner. You’ll then be running two plants and will be making double the amount.
No. The Chinese can detect, track, follow, and “lock on” to any and all American submarines. This includes the highly vaulted USN “stealth” submarines.
This has been demonstrated in numerous ways, and though back channels to “key players” in the Pentagon. The public displays of this ability has been disguised as other events.
Oh, I am confident that the guys at NAS China Lake NWC will come up with methodology and techniques. When that will happen is unknown. But I am sure that some ideas are being researched and some preliminary studies are being conducted.
I have a reasonable expectation that some technologies will be fielded before 2030.
There are (highly likely) “black” projects currently in development that will eventually result in some great engineering direction. Of that I have no doubt. But it would be silly to assume that the Chinese are unaware of them. By the time they hit pilot field trials, China will already have counter-measures in place and fielded.
China, as of the time of this writing, has a very strong and significant undersea detection ability that spans the entire Pacific Ocean. This includes the Western coastline of the Americas. I do not know about the rest of the globe, but it can be inferred that the waters in and around Australia are under this umbrella of coverage, as are the Indian Sea, and the Northern navigable ocean.
So, to answer the question, more specifically…
Can American submarines bypass China’s surveillance and enter China’s territorial waters?
No. Any American submarine in the Pacific Ocean, near Australia, near the Indian Ocean, and in the Arctic Ocean can be detected by China.
If China determine that it is a threat, it will warn it away. This will include non-destructive methods such as the “sonic bomb”, and the “sonar ray cannon”. The warning usually is enough to cause the skipper to scamper away, as has already been demonstrated. In the event that the skipper is too recalcitrant, China has the ability to suppress the undersea vessel with extreme prejudice.
…
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES
Technical abilities of all military systems are hidden. The closest that the layman can get to understanding what they are is to either work with publicly available guesswork (such as JANES), or to actually have experience in these technologies.
If you regurgitate public domain evaluations (such as JANES) you are apt to copy the misinformation purposely fed to the periodical.
If you offer your personal experience in these matters, you are apt to be called a “fake news shrill” by a host of miscreants.
No one knows the true and real capabilities of the USN and the PLAN. However, people who have worked in these regimes, can make educated guesses and extrapolate towards highest probability conclusions. This is what I have done here.
The alternative is to rely on the public discourse, which is highly inaccurate, and intentionally misleading. If you feel that the anti-China disinfo is of better value to you, then go quite ahead and ignore this answer. No skin off my back.
Count me in that group. I’m a disabled veteran, but my disability is not service-related. My disability insurance is SSDI; it amounts to $1069/month.
Stateside, subtract a hundred off the top for Medicare premiums. As a single male, the wait for Section 8 housing was longer, frankly, than most doctors said I could expect to live. A cheap rat-trap apartment near a VA ran about $640+ utilities ($120 electricity, water and trash). Meds related to my disability (multiple sclerosis) had a copay of $75. Add the cheapest liability insurance for my cheap motorcycle, $37.
See anything wrong here? Like…$90 for food and gas for a month IF nothing bad happens.
Before the death of my wife in 2017, we scraped by on my SSDI and her SSI. By late summer in 2018, I was sponging off my little sister and saving up for plane fare.
I landed in the Philippines with $800 in my pocket and a livein caregiver waiting to help me settle in. My rent was 5000 Philippine pesos (php) just under $100. My caregiver got twice that plus room & board, and she did all the grocery shopping with less than $65 a month.
Now, I have a fiancée instead of a caregiver, we live in her home in Bohol (no rent; she owns the place)
2023 12 30 09 53a
and I easily support her and her 2 daughters in simple comfort.
image 543
My meds are replaced with local herbs that grow wild, we grow or catch most of our food,
image 542
(Spearfishing for personal consumption is unregulated and the snorkeling is excellent physical therapy!)
image 541
We even manage a weekend at a beach resort every other month or so.
image 540image 539image 538
Yeah, it’s not just better…it’s a tropical paradise lifestyle on a bargain budget income and even my health is an order of magnitude better. I’ve outlived the docs’ prognosis by 3 years, and I got no plans to die sooner just to spare them the embarrassment of being wrong.
The quiet kid was me, and it happened during lunch. We had a really small cafeteria, with long tables set up. You couldn’t choose where to sit, you just sat at the next open spot. While you could control who sat on either side of you while you were in line, it was a crapshoot as to who was going to be sitting across from you.
There were 3 boys who had been taunting me since 4th grade (this happened in 8th grade). I was born with a minor birth defect. The obsolete name for it is “harelip”. (Clefting is repaired at a very young age, so really I had a scar on my lip.) So I got my tray, sat down between a couple of friends, and across from me was my chief tormenter, sitting between the other two tormentors.
Everytime I had gone to a teacher, the principal, the dean of students, the student counselor….any adult…the boys were always admonished that they weren’t being “nice”, and I was given the lecture that I had to develop a thicker skin, I was “better” than to let them get to me by calling me that name, that I should try to avoid them and that would solve the problem.
I was already having a bad day. It started as soon as I put my tray down. “Oh, god, it’s Harelip! Gross! I’m gonna barf! How can anyone eat having to look at that ugly harelip face?” On and on for about 5 minutes while I stared down at my tray. At my tray filled with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and chocolate pudding. In all, a very gooshy lunch.
I leaned over, grabbed the corners of his tray (he hadn’t eaten much), and flipped it over on him. His face now dripped sliced turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and chocolate pudding.
My absolute favorite teacher in the world prevented the dean from suspending me, pointing out that I had been asking for and begging for the authorities to do something about these assholes, and had been ignored.
I can’t remember if they were punished for bullying me, but at least those three stopped calling me harelip.
What you need to realize is that, the Dollar being a primary reserve currency has been an issue that many countries have secretly not been very comfortable with
It was one of the not so public reasons for the existence of the EURO
Many Nations especially the Middle East Nations felt it very wrong to sell their oil and keep all the money earned from those sales in Accounts in the United States
However back then the US was too powerful
Saddam Hussain tried and ended up being murdered after a bogus invasion
Gadaffi tried and was killed in a color revolution sponsored by the United States
image 546
The Saudis, the Qataris, the Iranians all felt like being under a Colonial Dictator who decided and controlled every aspect of their life using the dollar
The US was making up rules and using the power of sanctions and its military to destroy anyone who did not toe the line
Thus the fact that the Dollar was the Primary reserve currency was not something everyone was happy with even from the mid 1990s
The UK had decided to tolerate this because they were too badly broken after World War II and needed the US to survive as a developed nation
Every 3 out 4 Dollars they needed came from US Banks & US Federal Loans.
Europe too
Russia due to it’s incompetent leadership under Geriatrics like Brezhnev, Andropov and Gromyko and Chernenko plus Idiots like Gorbachev also needed US Dollars to rescue it’s economy from collapse and hyperinflation
China was happy earning dollars and building its reserves and growing 14% a year
In short the US had forced these Nations into situations where the US and it’s Dollars were indispensable to them
image 547
Today things stand different
The US is much weaker than it was
The same Nation that could probably once control a conflict from DC alone, is unable to rein in its most dependent lackey ally – ISRAEL
It is riddled with Debt
It has sanctioned and played unfair so many times that IT’S CREDIBILITY IS ZERO
So every Nation that once tolerated the US Dollar as primary reserve, is starting to trade in other currencies including the Yuan, the Ruble and their own Local Currencies
Energy & Food is now being sold in Yuan and priced in Yuan
Qatar sells LNG to China pricing it in Yuan as do Saudi Arabia and Russia
Brazil sells Soybeans and Ore priced in Yuan to China
The US may still be very powerful against any attack on the US itself but their offensive warfare capabilities have significantly become weaker and weaker.
The Military Leaders are weak
The Politicians are imbeciles – either Neocons or Corrupt Ideologues or Neo Liberals
Hence DE DOLLARIZATION HAS BEGUN and will continue
One currency as primary reserve and One Nation as a Hegemon was always wrong
Maybe it was unavoidable from 1945 to maybe 1975 when the world was still recovering from the World War and Anti Communist Wars
However it should have started focusing on a Multipolar World and a Variant currency reserve from at least 1975
Yet the US kept it’s hold as a Hegemon and it’s currency as primary through:-
Removing the Gold Standard and adopting the Bretton Woods system forcing Europe to accept both
Adopted the Plaza Accords in 1985 and finished Japan as a potential rival
Invaded Iraq and sponsored color revolution in Libya to ensure no other player even thought of going against the Dollar
Sadly today the US cannot continue this
Putin, Xi are TOO STRONG
The BRI has ensured that most of the Global South no longer kowtows to the US blindly but rather would do what’s best for them, best example being Vietnam
Also the US thanks to 30 years of bullying and intimidating has now a foreign Service and diplomatic service that DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IT MEANS TO NEGOTIATE OR BARGAIN.
The crop of idiot diplomats know only to threaten and bully
image 545
Like Daleep Singh, the numbskull who threatened India with Sanctions when he could have offered a nice tech transfer deal plus a nice $ 100 Billion swap facility in Mumbai and maybe swayed India on his side
image 544
Or this brainless fool who could have easily offered China, a full tariff waiver for 3 years, a written guarantee on their US Investments plus a mutual guarantee on Taiwan (You don’t attack Taiwan and we don’t supply weapons)
China may have agreed to move away from Putin
If that was the case Putin would have lost by June 2022 and the West would have won
[Again I use MAY. Wang Yi and Jaishankar are too astute to trust the US but Modi is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and likely could have forced JS to toe the line]
So Yes the US Dollar is going to lose its Primary Reserve Status
By 2030 I believe the USD will have a reserve of around 46%, the Yuan at 13%, Euro at 10%, Yen at 5%, the BRICS Settlement CBDC at 5% and Local Currencies at 21%
In high school I had this crazy idea that nobody believed would actually work, but it worked like a charm.
Writing the formulas to the blackboard.
Normally I am good at math, but some of the formulas, there tons of letters were involved were simply not getting in. And a lot of others had the same problem. It was nobody’s favorite subject, except maybe a select group of uber nerds. So I took a gamble. I was gonna fail with or without the formulas, so I figured I wasn’t actually risking anything. So the last break before the exam I wrote some of the formulas I was struggling with and left it out in the open. Just like that.
Teacher probably never even thought to check the blackboard. Why would he? Surely we wouldn’t be stupid enough to cheat so blatantly..
Would we? 😂
Occasional giggles only confused the teacher, he told us to keep quiet. We seriously could not believe this was actually working. There it was, the formulas, written in huge puntos, so out in the open as if it was begging to be seen.
It was probably one of our most nerve racking but also funny experiences throughout high school. I don’t know clever, but it was certainly outside of the box.
My dad, a retired pastor, tells a story about a wedding he officiated for a couple in their mid-40s who were both on their second marriage.
The groom was what my dad affectionately refers to as a “good old boy,” which is polite for redneck.
The bride was quite well-endowed, and was wearing a strapless dress.
Whenever my dad would officiate a wedding for practicing Christians, part of the ceremony would be the celebration of the Lord’s supper, as a way of indicating that in a Christian marriage, the relationship is not only between the husband and wife, but also their savior. My dad liked for the groom to perform the communion rite with the bride, while dad spoke to the congregation about the symbolism of what they were doing, as inevitably there would be non-Christians there who didn’t understand what was going on. But in this case, the groom didn’t feel comfortable doing that and asked Dad to lead the two of them through the communion together. They chose to kneel down in front of the altar to take communion. Once complete, they were to stand and continue the wedding ceremony.
You can probably guess where this is going, but it was fortunately that the bride and groom chose to face Dad instead of placing him between them and the congregation because when they finished communion and the bride went to stand up, her dress was caught beneath her knees and pulled the front of her dress down so that her breasts popped out and landed on the table.
Dad describes it as if you were to lay two loaves of bread side by side on the table.
Far from being mortified for his about-to-be-wife, the good old boy groom just looked over at the bosoms lying there on the altar, gave a long whistle, and exuberantly yelled, “shooo weeee!”
I was shopping for some clothes as a teenager in the 1980s and I had a $250 gift card (equivalent to about $500 or more today) for a store that was slightly upscale and popular with their name and reputation.
When I approached a sales clerk who was only a few years older than I was, perhaps 19 or 20, and who was this entitled snobby rich kid and asked her about some types of ‘stonewashed’ jeans which were the big fashion craze at the time, she clearly stated; “We do carry them but you probably can’t afford them so don’t waste our time”.
I was shocked but also very hurt since I did come from a poor single parent family and I was very self conscious about my circumstances since I attended a high school that had a lot of those snobby rich kids who looked down at poor kids which was a big deal in the 1980s and probably still is today.
I had received the gift card in a prize draw at some local community fundraiser and it was one of those rare times when I’d be able to shop for clothes that put me in the same fashion league as the kids who have everything that I didn’t have including a dad who paid child support and was part of their families.
After speaking with an assistant manager who showed me where the items that I wanted to try on and buy, that same sales clerk called the mall security and a loss prevention officer who followed me to the dressing room after I exited wearing a pair of stonewashed jeans, and I was questioned.
I was asked to change back into my own clothes and leave the store and I was escorted out.
When I got home I told my mother about what had happened and I broke down in tears.
A week later my uncle Bob, who was married to my auntie and who was a lawyer, escorted me to the same store and helped me buy some of the clothes with the gift card and he also treated me to a few items as well and we saw the same sales clerk.
She quietly went over to my uncle not knowing that we were together since he looked at some items on a display several feet away from me and she tried to tell him about me and warn him that I might shoplift and that ‘people like me were not welcome in the store’ and told him to watch his wallet in case I might steal it from him.
My uncle demanded to speak to the manager, and after a brief conversation, he got the number to the head office of the retail chain.
As far as I remember being told weeks later, the manager for all the human resources for the entire chain in Canada flew out to Winnipeg where their largest store in the city was so that he could personally fire her from the company, and he offered me a sincere personal apology and a $1,000 gift card for their store.
I also remember that the sales clerk was friends with some of the rich bullies who attended my school, and her younger brother was in my class and rumours spread as fast as a virus that I had been evicted from the store and that I supposedly tried to shoplift from the store, which only further caused more bullying about me being a ‘poor white trash’ kid who was beneath everyone.
My uncle Bob was again called, and he stepped in and met with the sales clerk who had been fired from her job and was slapped with a lawsuit, and he sued her and her family on my behalf. We ended up receiving $20,000, which in the 1980s was still a lot of money.
That money helped me attend a better school, my mom took some vocational training, and we were able to buy some nicer clothes for her and me and move to a better neighbourhood.
I don’t know if there really is some moral to this story but probably it’s a good idea to NEVER assume anything about anyone and be careful what you say because it could be expensive if whoever you’re talking about files a lawsuit and sues you for slander.
This is Christina Revels-Glick- a 36-year-old Georgian woman.
2023 12 29 18 08
On July 1st, 2021, Christina went to the beach on a mild day. While there, she found a secluded spot near the water and inserted a “toy” into her….. ya. As she was leaving, the police arrived. Apparently, a family had seen something and called the cops to report her, and they had nothing better to do.
Christina was honest with the police, told them what happened, and was promptly arrested.
Then- to make everything worse, the entire arrest was publically released. Of course, the YouTube video went viral, and articles were written left and right lambasting and humiliating her further.
8 months later, Christina took her own life.
Now I think body cameras are good. They help expose injustice and help the public get a clear view of what police do.
When an officer uses deadly force, it should be investigated because murder is murder. This is a complex issue that is being glossed over here, but 1 step I think most agree on is that a body camera should be used.
There is a downside, though. Everyone has a bad day; everyone makes mistakes. Christina didn’t hurt or traumatize anyone; she made a silly mistake that didn’t cause any harm. Yet her life was ruined all the same. We need to decide where the line is. Should every police interaction be a public record? Should it confined to instances where violence was used?
If you touch China with the intent to hurt China, China will make sure you are hurt at least twice as hard. What do you expect China to do? Accept 10 million deaths and say it is fine, we still have 1.39 billion more?
China don’t want war, it never wanted, and it will always prefer peace. That you must know. But don’t ever confuse that with fear or weakness. It must be seen as it is. China is a very mature and responsible nation.
Actually China has defeated the U.S. militarily, economically and politically without shooting a single shot. Economically China overtake the U.S. in real value GDP since 2014, it’s growth on average over the last decade is 50% bigger than the entire G7 nations put together. China now makes the most computers, smartphones, vehicles, and almost everything the world needs. China also overtook the U.S. in the most important statistic of all, the life expectancy by 2 full years at 78 years old.
Politically China is supported by 175 nations out of 195 nations on earth. It even made peace between Saudi Arabia and Iran! Militarily, China makes more ships, more fighter jests and more weapons with 3 million soldiers ready and waiting in case the U.S. make the mistake of underestimating China.
There is 100% chances they will load all there nukes to destroy the U.S. and the North Koreans will hide in the biggest and deepest bunker for the next 100 years. Meanwhile 20 of your U.S. cities will be nuked that are 1000 times more powerful than the ones that destroyed Hiroshima. That kill 100 thousand people, imagine what the 20 nukes on New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco…. will do to you guys! I think 300 million out of 330 million will evaporate into nuclear dust
So you want to know how long ? I think 300 million gone in a week! So you still like to start this war?
My late wife took a job that didn’t really interest her.
She was a new college graduate and took a job at a large hi-tech company. She wanted a job in her chosen field; there just weren’t any openings. So she took what this company had to offer. Above all else, she just thought a job at this company was a good starting point. They offered good benefits and seemed to be going places.
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She was in document control, of all places. She performed well and got to do some “creative” things that improved the department, but it wasn’t the world’s most exciting job.
After more than a year, a position opened up that was more to her liking: marketing. In this role, she got to travel all over the world and enjoy some pretty expensive dining, all on the company’s dime.
After our daughter was born, frequent travel didn’t work for her anymore, so she started looking around again.
She found an opening in the legal department. It wasn’t as glamorous, but it was steady work.
After a few weeks she discovered she freaking loved it. Her job was to write threatening letters to all customers who misused the “Intel Inside” logo. Though she really was the nicest woman in the world in person, for some reason she really loved writing threatening legal texts to people violating Intel’s trademarks.
My wife didn’t really find her “right fit” until she settled for something else. By taking that first job, she found something better and then something perfect. You might not know what your “perfect fit” is until you try something else.
Good luck!
Scientists FINALLY Found the Location Of Malaysian Flight 370!
As of March 2005, Defense had trained more than 18,300 Afghan combat troops-over 42 percent of the army’s projected total of 43,000-and deployed them throughout the country.
Source: GAO analysis of Department of Defense data.
United States Government Accountability Office
In addition to being good at escaping and surrendering, have you seen any puppet army trained by the United States that is good at fighting?
Ngô Đình Diệm’s South Vietnamese army, or Syngman Rhee’s South Korean army, which puppet army was not trained by the United States? Did they have a record of defeating the Northern Army? If the United States had not intervened in the Korean civil war, the Korean Peninsula would have been reunited by the DPRK a long time ago. As for Vietnam, it is an indisputable fact that it was unified by the North Vietnamese.
After experiencing the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Chinese People’s War of Liberation, the Chinese people knew that the “Imperial Association Army / 皇協軍” trained by Japan and the Kuomintang (KMT) Army trained by the United States had no will to fight.
During the victory in the War of Resistance, the CPC led the army in 125,000 guerrilla battles against the enemy, annihilating 527,000 Japanese troops and 1,187,000 pseudo-armies.
In just three years, the KMT, a big paper tiger with eight million troops armed to the teeth with US gears, was torn apart.
Because they can never resolve the question of who to fight for? For their own ethnic group – Chinese nation or for their foreign masters?
The People’s Liberation Army of China is different. They fought to defend the sovereignty of their countries and the integrity of their territories; they fought for their people. They are indomitable warriors.
One of the weird things that Americans believe is that the cost of pharmaceuticals is driven by production costs. They are not. Some pharmaceuticals cost a lot to produce. Most do not.
For example, a vial of insulin (10–15 days supply) costs about $10 to produce but in the United States can cost up to $300. Most Americans who need pharmaceuticals, even ones with insurance, can have trouble affording medication they need to survive.
Now, a simple comparison of brand name drugs to generics shows that the brand names are far more expensive except, of course, they’re otherwise identical.
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Generics are, of course, perfectly legal. Once a drug patent runs out, it can be manufactured and sold by anyone. Generics go through the same supply chain as brand names, so they’re just as safe.
But to get a patent, you have to tell all your secrets, essentially telling anyone who wants to copy your drug exactly how to do so. Copying drugs under patent is, of course, a breach of patent law that will get you sued and put out of business (although here in Canada generic drug companies can get rights to produce some patented medications).
This is where counterfeiting starts. Like I said, it’s not impossible to set up a pharmaceutical factory, and the materials you need are available on the open market. Given the cost of brand name medications compared to their production costs, the ubiquitous presence of the internet, and worldwide courier services, a person with a larcenous bent can produce real drugs overseas and find customers both in the United States and in other countries where the drug might not be available. Mind you, counterfeiters aren’t the most careful of people so ingredient contamination or product contamination could be deadly (The FDA was started when someone substituted lethal propylene glycol for harmless glycerin – they taste the same). However, you can produce something like Viagra for pennies a pill and sell it for dollars a pill and still undercut legitimate pharmacies. Put a fake company logo on it and you’re golden.
Of course, it takes money to set up a pharmaceutical factory, and it’s likely to draw attention, so a lot of criminals don’t bother – they just fake the whole thing. People will get suspicious if you order Viagra precursors, but no-one cares about gypsum and blue food dye. Price it cheaply enough and people will buy it. It won’t help their ED, but it’s not likely to kill them. It’s sold through the same sales channels.
He worked in a private local company. At the end of 2017 the owner of the company changed which means the head of the board of directors changed (let’s call the new guy Jim). Obviously, Jim wanted to make some changes himself, mostly to establish dominance and show he’s the new sheriff in town. Rumors say he promised to double company’s profit in a single year (remember this). There’s a thin line between ambitious and cocky.
The first move he made didn’t have anything to do with the increasing work efficiency or meeting heads of departments or actually know the work that is done in that company. Jim had installed one of those time clock machines where employees check in when they get to work and check out when they’re done. Something like this:
only they didn’t have tokens, but cards. Installation and writing guidelines took about a week after which he announced to heads of departments that every employee must check in and check out themself even when they’re going out just for a break. Also, heads of departments should’ve forward these news to employees. The thing officially started second or third week in January of 2018.
At first, employees didn’t take it so seriously and some of them didn’t check in/out every day or didn’t (sometimes even forgot to) note down their breaks. At the end of the week, Jim would go through every employee’s record to see does any of them have less than 40 hours. (Notice he wasn’t interested in those who had more than 40 hours.) Friend told me that most of employees were in the range 38–45 working hours and a very few around 37 but none under 37. Jim called for a meeting with heads of departments every Friday to inform them about the records and to warn those who work less. Also, there was no compensation for those who work more (stay late or work on weekends).
Employees protested about that kind of behavior and wanted time clock out. That only made Jim to push that thing even more and convinced the board of directors and the owner that the time clock is necessary. So it passed.
The thing is that the work climate has changed. Everyone was more concentrated on if they checked in and if they worked enough than the actual work and the pressure started to build up. The thing went on for two whole months until the most of the employees (friend said 80% but maybe he exaggerated a bit) decided to come to work, check in, work their 8 hours at a moderate pace, check out and head home. No overtime, no working weekends, if the clock hit 16:00 people would leave midwork or in the middle of the meeting not giving a shred of an F. Their excuse was that they did their 8 hours and if they want them to stay, they want a written notice (which is a proof of working overtime and must be paid).
This way every single employee had 40 working hours a week and not a minute more or less. But you know what? Jim wasn’t satisfied. Why? Because work suffered. He made the employees numbers and working slaves that have only one purpose – to work. This killed all the passion people had towards the job they were doing. It demoralized people. They had a feeling that someone is standing above their head every second of the day. And the time clock might not be a bad thing to check employees every once in a while, but to terrorize them like Jim did made them do anything just in spite of that work regime.
After 3 and a half months, the moment of truth came. The first quartal report came. It was a bit better than the last year so Jim stayed at his position. Employees continued with their strike. The second quartal report came and the profit was ~8% less than the same period of previous year (maybe 9% I don’t remember). Jim ascribed it to a bad economy in the country and stayed at his position. Employees were informed about the drop in profit which made them to continue their strike. The third quartal report came. The company’s profit was down by amazing 34% compared to the same period of the previous year. Jim was fired on the spot (even though his mandate supposed to last 5 years) and time clock was left just to control employees every now and then.
Conclusion: Treat your employees as humans which they are and maybe consult someone about your radical actions.
My father decided to become a minister when I was 14.
We moved in December from central Colorado to Fort Worth, Texas, so he could begin attending the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in January of 1973. As a student, he didn’t have to change the registration and license plates on our two cars.
In the summer of 1973, I was 15 and old enough for Driver’s Ed and my learner’s permit. In the spring of 1974, I turned 16 and got my honest-to-God Texas driver’s license. Like every 16-year-old, I was thrilled in spite of having to take my driving test on the LBJ Freeway in Dallas, Texas, during 5 o’clock weekday traffic. (A nightmare much worse than parallel parking.)
While still in seminary, my father was offered his first church in a very small rural town in East Texas. By very small, I mean a population of maybe 500 (counting pets) with no traffic lights and just a post office and a gas station. I had gone from my sophomore high school year at the largest high school in Fort Worth (my class had about 1000 in it) to a tiny high school where my junior class was the largest in school at 20.
The nearest city of any size was 13 miles away, which is where everyone went for groceries, doctors, hardware, entertainment, etc.
As a newly minted driver in the state of Texas, I, of course, volunteered to drive back and forth on the 26-mile round trip for errands. (Much more fun than unpacking.)
Now the encounter with the local deputy sheriff:
On my way home from one such trip, i was, perhaps, driving a little bit over the speed limit and got pulled over for the first time in my life. (In spite of the 55 mph speed limit, if you drove under 70 in Fort Worth, you got run over.)
I just knew that my father was going to kill me when I got home with my first ticket.
Deputy: “You know how fast you were going, son?”
Me: “No, sir. I guess I wasn’t paying attention.” (It’s not like there was any other traffic at all on this little country road.)
Deputy: “Well, this here speed limit is 55 and you was going 68.”
Me: (Gulp!) “Uh, sorry officer.”
Deputes (getting out his ticket book): “Let’s see your license, registration, and proof of insurance.”
I fumbled around and handed him all the requested documents.
He started sifting through everything, totally unreadable behind his mirrored sunglasses. (Remember those?)
Deputy: “Is this address on your license correct?”
Me: “Uh, no sir. We just moved here.” (I gave my new address.)
He heaved a big sigh.
Deputy: “Lemmee get this straight. You got a local address. Your driver’s license has a Fort Worth address. This car is registered to your daddy and has Colorado plates and registration but the addresses ain’t right. Is that about it?”
Me: “Yessir.” (It’s humid, hot, and July, so I’m sweating bullets.)
He just stood there for probably a minute or two (seemed longer to me), and then handed everything back to me.
Deputy: “Son, I’m letting you off with a warning. You slow down to no more than 60, ya’ hear?”
Me (relieved): “Thank you, sir!”
Deputy: “You’re lucky, son. It’s hot, and it’d just be too complicated to write you a ticket. You have a nice day, and slow down.”
I nodded, and that was my first ever traffic stop.
He told a teacher he was picking on him because he was black. He is not black. He is 100% British white.
Telling the dance teacher that she could not choreograph a funeral procession.
Smacking a big guy across the face for using the F word.
Telling a boy that if he wants a good “kick in the vagina”, he should carry on disturbing the class.
His biology teacher has a unibrow so he told him that he needs to take a major pair of tweezers to ‘that small rodent’ on his face.
Completely losing his shit, trembling in the corner when a spider ran across his desk.
Going to non-uniform day in a loincloth, “as Jesus on the cross.” He said that ‘he nailed it.’
Telling the maths teacher he was ‘getting his period’, after being silly in class.
Telling the headteacher he was nothing but a “Mr Shitty” who could not run a hotdog stand, let alone a school.
Hijacking the PA system to sing “There are Worse Things I Can Do”, 1/4 tone sharp.
He continues to call the school prison and refers to his classmates as “Lifers”. The teachers are the C.O’s and lunch is chow.
He insists he is a lesbian due to the fact that ‘gay sounds like a minority’??
The class was asked to name one of the biggest influencers of peace in the 21st century. While most suggested the Pope and Mother Theresa, his suggestion was the Kardashians.
When the Notre Dame cathedral burned down, he stated, “Well, I cannot see what all the fuss is about – I mean, we’re talking about a church, not the Moulin Rouge.”
Guinness and Ginger Loaf is a fabulous holiday cake. It is particularly beautiful when decorated with a vanilla glaze and candied ginger.
guinness ginger loaf
Ingredients
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment and grease the parchment. (Alternatively, butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan.
Combine the stout and molasses in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Allow to sit until the foam disappears.
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and the granulated white and brown sugars in a bowl. Whisk in the vegetable oil.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom.
Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk this liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Add the grated ginger and stir to combine.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until the top springs back when gently pressed, 1 hour. Do not open the oven until the gingerbread is almost done or the center may fall slightly.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
The top may be glazed, if desired, with a vanilla glaze, and decorated with candied ginger. Alternatively, it may be dusted with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Their tail rotors are also known to chop people up like sushi, presumably sushi with some sort of death wish.
Airplane propellers can mince you up too. This one cropped off a mechanic’s arm while he was working on it while it was running, you know, like ya do.
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Most cheap plastic household fans are pretty harmless, but you’d be wise not to assume so; even small spinning things can be deadly. This guy was flying an RC helicopter in a park in Brooklyn when it sliced the top of his skull off, bisecting his brain and killing him instantly as friends and bystanders looked on in horror.
image 536
But on the other hand, one must put such things into perspective. The park this happened in is named after famed architect, Calvert Vaux, who was largely responsible for the design of Central Park among other things, and who while walking one night in the area, tripped or fainted, hit his head, and drowned in Gravesend Bay.
Many years ago, I did retail PC repair at a local computer retailer. Not one of those big-box stores, but an independent shop that had opened sometime in the late 80’s and was barely struggling by when I worked there, around 2005 or so.
We accepted walk-ins for PC repair, so we got all kinds. All sorts of stupid, weird things walked through the door, but the one I remember the most…
An elderly lady, in her late 60’s at least, brought her PC in. It was a fairly recent eMachine, from right before they got bought by Gateway, so only a few years old. Still, the eMachines were never known as a reliable brand, and this was square in the middle of the Great Capacitor Catastrophe of the mid-2000’s (if you know, you know), so I wasn’t super surprised when she said that it’d “just stopped turning on,” as this was a common occurrence with medium to low end PC’s at the time.
I took it in and put it on The Rack to be looked at later. This was a first-in first-out shop, meaning that we worked on the oldest support tickets first. We always wanted to get to every PC as quickly as we could, but when things stacked up it sometimes took a day or two to get to.
I started to notice that, every time I’d walk past the PC while it sat up on The Rack, I’d smell something weird and my eyes would start burning. To be clear, I’d smelled it when she brought it in, but I was young and I figured that she was either using some weird perfume I’d never smelled before, or she burned incense or something in her house. But the PC stank. And it made my eyes burn just to stand near it. And it wasn’t even a few hours.
So I bumped her PC to the front of the queue, dragged it off the rack, and cracked it open. I immediately spotted the problem with it, and gave her a phone call to ask some questions.
*ring ring*
Customer: Hello?
Me: Hello, [Customer Name]? This is John at [PC Repair Place].
Customer: Oh, hello! Is my computer fixed already?
Me: I’d actually like to ask you a couple of questions, if that’s OK?
Customer: Oh, well, certainly.
Me: Do you, by chance, have cats? Or small dogs? Specifically shorthairs?
Customer: …Oh, uh, well… yes, I have cats. Several.
Me: Do you smoke cigars at all?
Customer: …Why do you ask?
Me: Well… it would help me make sense of what’s happening inside your computer.
Customer: …Yes, I do smoke the occasional cigar.
Me: OK, another question; at your house, where you use your computer, do you leave it on the floor or on your desk?
Customer: Oh I put it on my desk, next to the screen.
Me: Alright, I think this is the last question… are any of your cats un-neutered male cats?
Customer: …Now look here, I really don’t see-
Me [cutting her off]: because what I see here is that your PC is full of ash and cat hair, and it smells incredibly strongly of cheap cigars and cat piss. Can you check the spot behind where you normally put your computer and see if there’s any urine marks on the wall? Because I think that one, possibly more, of your cats is pissing into your computer case from both the front and the back, and I’m also pretty sure you’re putting your ashtray right in front of the PC, where the air intake is at the bottom. And that’s been sucking ash and cigar smoke in from the front of the PC. Did you know that both ash and urea, as in urine, as in cat urine, are both used in the production of concrete cement?
Customer: [total silence]
Me: And, well, unfortunately, I think the thing is a total loss. I have no idea which component in your computer is bad, and I don’t think you can afford to pay us enough to actually find out. I mean, everything inside the entire case is coated in damp, sticky cat hair, held together with tar from cigar smoke and fine ash. It’s like a quarter inch thick everywhere, and an inch thick on the bottom. It has an intake fan in the front, and that’s glued shut and doesn’t spin. It has an exhaust fan on the back, in the power supply, and that’s glued shut and doesn’t spin. And it has a fan on the processor, which also doesn’t spin and is covered in cat hair.
Customer: [more silence]
Me: [also silence]
Customer: …Can’t you just… I don’t know… clean it off?
Me [stunned]: [silence. somehow emphatic]
Customer: Hello?
Me: Ma’am, not at these hourly rates, no, I won’t clean it off. My suggestion to you is to go out and purchase a new computer. This one will never run again without a hazmat team and a chisel and hammer. Please come pick up your computer, free of charge. My eyes burn when I walk past it.
In the last decade alone the U.S. debts increased from 10 to 35 trillion dollars. This is a 350% increase in 10 years! What do you think the U.S. debt will be like in 10 years from now?
Let us say it slowed down the increase from 350% to 250%. That will be USD 87,500,000,000,000 debts. Today the U.S. has to pay roughly 3% interest, say by that time the U.S. has to be 5% interest per annum as it is fast getting insolvent. That will be 4,750,000,000,000 or 4.75 trillion dollars interest payments alone each year!
That itself will bankrupt the U.S. Never mind it has to pay for its dozen aircraft carriers, its 800 plus military bases, fund 1–2 forever wars, fund regime change and colour revolution. If the U.S. do what it is doing now it will totally collapse in a decade at most.
Don’t forget in 10 years the dollar will be used by less than 25% it is being used for international trade now! The US inflation itself will hit the roof! The homeless will grow from 1 to 10 million people across the US. What a sight!
And you worry about China? China is too smart. It knows what to do. I suspect it will keep 500 billion dollars, loose change to China buying 5% earning US bond to help keep the US spending habits going! They will bring out their soda and popcorn and watch how the US will go from there!
I had been non-stop vomiting for 5 weeks. I lost so weight, and despite already being very tiny at 4’10″ and 98lbs, I was down to a measly 70lbs. I was dying and no one knew what was causing my illness. I couldn’t even keep down water. It would instantly come back up. I had been admitted to the hopital for a week and given IVs with sugar and vitamins to rehydrate me and help keep me alive. I was also given medication to help the vomiting. Upon discharge, I was told to return to the ER in 72 hours if I continued vomiting even water. Well, 72 hours later, i returned as directed to the ER.
By this point, I had severe bruising in both arms from the IVs during my hospital stay, as they needed to replace the lines daily due to dehydration and my veins collapsing. I had track marks. It was ugly, but clearly not intentional. Upon my arrival at the ER, the attending physician entered the room, took 1 look at my arms and instantly assumed I was a drug addict. He asked when I last “mainlined”. When I replied disgusted, and stated my reason for being there, and the reasons for my track marks, he proceeded to tell me to enter into a facility that treats eating disorders. Now, I was beyond disgusting. He hadn’t even taken 1 look at my chart/history. Had he done his job instead of making assumptions, I could’ve been helped faster instead of laying there and dying, using every last ounce of energy I had to even speak. Despite my interjections, he literally asked me to “prove” I wasn’t making myself vomit. I smiled, and said, “Sure. Pass me a small cup of water.” I took a gulp and instantly projectile vomited the water. When he learned shortly therafter that I’m in school to be a Dr, and that my Aunt was the Head of Hospice Phsycician for the hospital, along with my mother being the head nurse practioner for hospice, he resigned. Good riddance! You’ve clearly lost your compassion when you instantly make assumptions about people instead of learning their history and trying to help heal.
Originally Answered: How advanced are Chinese high-speed trains?
I had my first opportunity to ride the high-speed trains last week when I had a business meeting in Zhengzhou.
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As someone who grew up with a disdain for public transportation (not sure why the US hates it so much), I was dreading the experience. I pushed hard to fly, but was told that it would be much better if I took the train.
The train was amazing. I had traveled on an Amtrak train before in the US, and hated how slow it was and how many stops there were. Chinese high-speed trains are on a different level.
First, when I say they are high-speed, I mean they are high-speed.
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This was taken on my ride back to Beijing.
The trains are clean and the seats are huge. There are ample power outlets and you can’t even feel how fast the train is moving. If there were no windows, I wouldn’t be able to tell when we were stopped or when we were traveling at 300 km/h—it is that smooth.
My train wasn’t full, so on the ride back, I had an entire row to myself. You can use your cellphone on the train (looking at you Chinese flights—you need to learn from the trains) and you generally have full service.
The trains are very advanced and the stations are new. The terminal in Zhengzhou looked like you could fit a million people in it even though it isn’t a Tier-1 city. It had shops and a food court and the trains would silently pull in and out of the station perfectly on schedule.
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I’m traveling again this week by train and I’m excited.
The high-speed trains are incredible.
Delta Worker GOES OFF On “Non Binary” Passenger CRYING Over Being MISGENDERED
Russian Missile Traverses Poland; NATO’s Much-Vaunted Air Defenses, Never Responded
Last night, a live Russian missile entered POLAND Air space, traveled dozens of miles inside Poland, then turned into Ukraine. During that time, NATO air defenses failed to react!
Last night, as reported elsewhere on this site, Russia launched the largest missile attack upon Ukraine since the start of hostilities between those two countries. Upwards of 150 Missiles were fired by Russia.
At least ONE missile, fired from inside Russia, crossed through all of Belarus (Russian ally) then entered eastern POLAND air space!
The missile continued traveling southwest, remained in POLAND air space for several minutes, then turned to the southeast and entered Ukraine. The map below shows the missile track.
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In the lengthy time the Russian missile was inside Poland, the much-vaunted NATO air defenses . . . . did nothing.No alerts. No radar tracking. No radar lock-on.
What’s even more interesting, the missile flew over forward-deployed NATO TROOPS! Right over their heads!
Very interesting probing of NATO air defenses, while attacking Ukraine. Looks to many people like NATO failed the probing test.
UPDATE 12:31 PM EST–
Poland now says their air defenses DID track the missile. They say the missile was in Polish air space for “three minutes” and they scrambled a fighter jet to shoot it down.
(HT REMARK:I leave it to your good senses to decide if they could have scrambled a fighter jet in three minutes.)
The story of the wife that assisted in my “retirement” from the ONI; MAJ is a long one and very painful for me to revisit.
You see, I was the FOURTH “husband” that she “retired”.
I originally thought it was two, but I discovered out later that she had three previous "husbands". Of course, they were bad, bla bla bla... And yes, each one ended up with problems. Where she profited greatly.
And while I don’t know ALL the details, it appears that I was the one that she got NOTHING out of. For she was living off the collective finances of the three previous “husbands”, whether insurance, alimony, or selling their resources. She got none of that with me.
Because of this…
… because of this failure in her efforts (sure she got me arrested, and I lost everything, she gained nothing.) She ended up with nothing. No profit. No money. No resources. No insurance settlements.
I think when you are expecting millions of dollars from bringing in “one big fish” only to see it go South, it turns you a little crazy. Or “crazier”.
And she has kept on doing everything in her power to “trip me up” and give me a hard time. Here is one such story…
…
When I was in the ADC, prison, I had to endure an all morning lie detector test. I, along with another 16 inmates were marched down to the gym, and waited as one by one, we were given lie detector tests. This one was quite different from the stuff that you see on television.
While it did measure heart-rate, body temperature and nerve impulses, it also measured voice. It was designed to look for changes in frequency and amplitude. Which was a novel idea. I had never thought about this. So all these measurements were taking place while watching my pupils dilate and all the rest. The system was designed to see ho my body reacted to all sorts of personal questions of a sexual and an interactive nature.
I answered as best as I could, and at the end the investigator told me that I wasn’t hiding anything. And of course, I wasn’t. As at that time, I had given up everything. I was stripped, defeated and was completely unguarded… an open book. Once you lose everything, you just don’t give a fuck any longer. It just doesn’t matter.
In fact, the other inmates made fun of me saying that “you can’t lie for shit“. I was that much of a predictable open book.
The point of this was to adjust our threat level. There were three threat levels. And when I was “retired” from MAJ in the ADV Pine Bluff, they established the lowest threat level for me.
But, apparently, my ex-wife, the one trying to poison me as part of my “retirement” wanted to raise all sorts of Hell for me, and this was one of her efforts. So she got the ADC geared up to give me a hard time. Sigh.
Federal Rules for classification are fixed.
I have level one. I possessed illegal pictures.
Level two would only be granted if I had physical contact with a minor.
And Level three was bodily harm to a minor.
So there was no way that my level was going to change. But they had to run a lie detector on me, by request by my ex-wife, to make sure that I wasn’t hiding anything. Sheech!
And if they suspected anything… they could keep me locked up indefinitely. How about that for control and power?
…
Ugh. Memories like this really get me into MAJ induced rages. Good thing that I auto calm, and am way, way, way outside the USA right now.
Not me but happened to a friend of mine: she worked in a large law firm in Dublin, Ireland. Her boss was a total prick, probably a psychopath. During the recession they cut people’s wages and even stopped serving coffee at meetings in order to cut costs – not that any of the senior partners took wage cuts. It is very expensive to live in Dublin; the situation was so bad that there was a constant stream of young, under-paid, financially struggling solicitors entering his office and begging for a pay-rise, any kind of pay-rise. With every one of them he pointed to a tray on his desk filled with c.v.’s and said if you don’t want to work here I have a large bundle of applicants who would be happy your take your job. No one got a raise.
Things came to a head when my friend entered an open competition for a position with the state-run Residential Tenancy Board, a kind of mediation body for disputes between landlords and tenants. It was known that my friend, along with several others in the same firm had sat the exam, and she scored extremely high, placing near the top of the panel. It was rumoured that the boss had applied as well. At the end of the office day he approached her desk and basically accused her of rummaging through another colleague’s desk and stealing his notes for the exam – something along the lines of “How can you prove to me that you didn’t go through Brian’s desk, and read his notes?” (Not that he gave a shit about Brian). This is a lawyer, asking another lawyer to prove her innocence under the presumption of guilt, that she was guilty until she could prove herself innocent. She knew this situation was untenable and said well I wouldn’t do that because it’s immoral, and illegal but it now seems clear to me that it might be best if I work somewhere else – she basically quit there and then in the most tasteful and honourable fashion. He exploded on the spot, demanding to know who would take over her cases and workload. She replied, “Well, you have a large bundle of c.v’s on your desk, hire one of them.”
China has been the biggest power for 4800 out of the last 5000 years yet China did not invade or colonise nations thousands of miles from their shore!
China will not do what the U.S. do. That is for sure. It does not want to dictate to the world. It is too mature and responsible. China don’t see it is right or is it worthwhile for it to interfere and intervene every where. The repercussions to the U.S. is much greater than the U.S. dares to admit and bit by bit the U.S. benefits will evaporate and the humongous cost to the US will come home to roost.
China wants a free and vibrant world that is doing well and prosperous. When a peaceful and harmonious world becomes a reality China will trade with everyone. That is good for China, the Chinese people and the world too. Wars, interference and interventions are costly and harmful for the world. China sees it vividly and clearly that respecting the sovereignty of all nations is good for the world.
Just think about the U.S. spend billions building aircraft carriers and spend further billions to manned it and spend more billions circling the globe aimlessly. And if these interference lead to war, more billions need to be spend to fight these wars. And what does the US gets in returned? Mainly hates and disdained is all that they earn!
China is not blind and it is certainly very smart. It won’t want to do what the U.S. do. Not now, not in the past and not in the future! To China, the U.S. is “throwing sand in the sea” and basically self destructing.
Thirteen years after my dad died, we were notified that his father purchased land in another state, now owned by his children. A gas well was drilled on the property. Since my dad had died, his portion went to his three children. This is where the greedy part comes in.
My mom heard about this, I assume from my sister. She discovered that only us kids got to divide my dad’s portion. This news pissed her off to no end. Immediately, she got an attorney and demanded her share of the gas lease.
When the company that drilled the gas well communicates with the family, they copy EVERYONE. This is how I learned that my mom hired an attorney to ensure she got a piece of the pie. (I have been no contact with my narcissistic mother for fifteen years.) My mom took me out of her will years ago; she wanted to make sure I didn’t get too much. My mom’s actions were out of revenge and greed. If she couldn’t get it ALL, then she was going to make sure that I didn’t get more money than her.
Here is the best part. After years of waiting, my husband and I finally got a big check. One day, out of the blue, we received a envelope which we thought was another letter about the gas lease. After opening the envelope we could see it was a check. We were in disbelief, our jaws dropped, we could barely contain our excitement. As we looked at the numbers on the check, our minds began to wonder about the amount that was on my mom’s check. This was unreal. It was like no other point in our lives. This check changed our lives. It was the answer to our prayers. It proved to us the existence of karma!
After my husband and I calmed down, we started discussing how and where we would spend our $35.00. But more importantly, we laughed all the way to the bank, thinking about how much money my mom spent on an attorney to get a check that was less than $50. It was the best check we had ever received!
My dad’s share of the lease was 1/8th. Since he had passed, his three kids would split that into three equal portions. From what we can tell mom got 1/2 of dad’s share and left the other half to be split into thirds. In the comments people say that my mom is entitled to my dad’s share. I agree, yes she is. But the way she went about it was based on anger, revenge, and manipulation. I would have gladly given her my share if she’d asked. The last time my mom and I talked it was on this issue, I told her if I got any money from this I would put it in savings for my son – her grandson – who has a neurological disease. She decided to get the money for herself, which meant that she was so mad at me that she would take money from her grandson.
I worked in security at Heathrow Airport for a number of years and one of my roles was to process departing passengers. One day a tallish man tried reaching over a perspex barrier to retrieve a bag that was emerging from the x-ray machine. I was in the process of removing it in order that it could be inspected. He said “Do you know who I am?
I did. I won’t name him but he was the son of our serving prime minister at the time. He was the one who got lost for a few days whilst engaged upon a car rally across the Sahara desert.
Had he been as important as he thought he was he would have been escorted by the security service.
When I was a young boy in Calcutta, one of my mother’s friends used to come over to our home on Sunday evenings and enjoy a glass (more like 7 glasses) of scotch. He was the MD of a medium size publicly listed company, a colourful character, had led an exciting life and always had stupefying stories to tell. He later went on to become the chairman of a very, very large listed Indian steel giant.
It might just have been the alcohol talking but he told us this.
He was at work one day when an ordinary looking man entered his office without an appointment. He invited himself in, sat down across the desk. Put his hand inside his bag, took out a sleek black pistol and put on on the table, barrel facing the Managing Director. He said, “look how bad your current security is, I could get in with a gun and so can anyone else. I represent XYZ Security firm. Our retainership amount per annum is Rs ABC. When do we start?”
When we moved in to our new house in 2020, my then 17-year-old son got his own bathroom. It wasn’t an en-suite, but it was right next to his bedroom and rather isolated from the rest of the house, so while others may use it, that was “his” bathroom.
One of the first things he did after moving in was get a nice-looking basket which he filled with a selection of high quality feminine hygiene products and placed on the back of the toilet.
He had read that a courteous host does that to make the women in their lives feel comfortable and welcome and to save them embarrassment if the need arises.
I think your husband’s friend needs to grow up at least as much as my teenager.
Edit —-
Before you think he’s too awesome, realize if I didn’t clean his bathroom, no self-respecting woman would ever use it.
I had tickets to see Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young at the Tampa Bowl on a nice warm evening. We got there early and as it was stadium seating we spread our blanket maybe 20 rows from the stage, right in the center. When the band came out they announced that they had a permit that would allow them to play into the wee hours but they were going to start the concert with some acoustic music.
During the first bars of the first tune the boos started. “We want rock and roll!!!” and so on. The noise from a mob of clowns down front was drowning out the music. Then someone threw a beer bottle onto the stage. The concert stopped abruptly. One of the singers again announced that the would play rock and roll until the wee hours but they intended to play an acoustic set first. The cheers drowned out the boos.
They started again but the assholes made it difficult to hear. For the second song, Neil Young sat down at the piano and started doing a solo. You may not believe this, but a “cool” thing to do among assholes back the was to get a mouthful of lighter fluid and as they spit it out they’d light it. People were shooting flaming liquids toward the stage. Finally, the police came in and hauled off a couple of morons. Young started to play again and there was more shouting and a beer bottle landed in the piano. Then a cherry bomb landed on the keyboard and exploded. Young got up and walked backstage.
The stadium went silent. Ten minutes later a helicopter landed behind the stage and it took off right away. The stadium lights came up and a guy walked out and announced that the band had left and the concert was over. We headed towards the other end of the stadium and out because we feared what the scumbags might do. That was the entire concert.
The tattoo is supposed to be a very serious and deliberate thing because it is permanent in a sense. However, here are some people who did a very funny tattoo in Chinese character. Maybe they did not know what is the real meaning of these Chinese or, I don’t know, they just want?
I saw many tattoo pictures of the non-Chinese person on the Internet and they can be roughly divided into three kinds.
1. Chinese old sayings
People did this type of tattoos generally know the meaning of that, but Chinese people rarely tattoo them on their bodies.
Beckham’s Chinese body tattoo
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(Translation: Life and death are fated, riches and honour depend on the appointment of heaven)
Kenyon Martin
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(Translation:Worry about personal gains and losses)
This Chinese idiom refers to very selfish people who pay too much attention to their own gains and losses.
Jameer Nelson
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(Translation: Nothing is a taboo.)
2. Chinese food
A 20-year-old British designer fancies Chinese cuisine very much. One day, she came up with an idea that tattooed Chinese cuisine names on her waist.
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(Translation: Sweet and sour chicken; fried noodle with beef; fried rice with egg and chicken meatballs.)
It looks like she printed a Chinese restaurant menu on the body. Next time she walks into a Chinese restaurant, all she has to do is rolling up her tops and say: I want this. Interesting.
This man got “Fried rice with pork” on his calf.
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(Translation: fried rice with pork)
???
Are these people trying to cook themselves?
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(Translation: Fish ball soup and sweet sour meat)
3. Some very confusing tattoos that are beyond my imagination
This is the funniest part. Many tattoos are far beyond my understanding.
My husband had been raised by his grandparents so felt he owed them. We devoted our time to taking care of them and their house. We took them shopping, did the gardening, painted, built the wheel chair ramp and anything else they wanted. They had a daughter and grandchildren who refused to do anything. She said they lived their life now we are going to live ours. Then grandparents and us got the flu, they had a disabled daughter who was staying with us since grandma was in the hospital. She got released and we were told not to go near her. We asked the daughter to go get her and take her home, she sent the granddaughter. Granddaughter let her out in the street and drove away. Grandma called us and disabled daughter wanted to go home. I called the other daughter and told her off, granddaughter had to go to the airport to get her boyfriend. Why couldn’t she come after she got him, or her married brother? Her brother had to be home with the wife and kids. Grandma said let the disabled daughter come home. Grandma defended the daughter’s family. My husband was not included in the estate only his aunt. He was nothing to them but a handyman. He gave up and said we were moving unless he was in the will. We moved away and let them take care of the grandparents however they want. Grandma was widowed by then. Not sorry I told off his aunt. I never lose my temper or use harsh language, so they knew I was mad.
Chicken with Mangoes
Mango Chicken 3 1
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 whole chicken breasts
1 (2 x 1-inch) piece fresh ginger root
8 scallions
1 (15 ounce) can mangoes
3 cups vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Combine flour, 1 cup of the water, the salt and baking powder. Beat with whisk until blended. Let stand 15 minutes.
Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Cut chicken into 1/4-inch wide strips. Mix strips into flour mixture.
Pare ginger and cut into wafer-thin slices.
Cut onions into 1/2-inch pieces.
Drain mangoes and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips.
Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. Add chicken, one strip at a time, to hot oil (cook only 1/4 of the chicken at a time). Cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. Repeat to cook remaining chicken.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon oil from wok. Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger to oil in wok. Stir fry until ginger is light brown, about 2 minutes.
Combine remaining 3/4 cup water, the vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, bouillon and sesame oil. Carefully add to ginger all at once. Cook and stir until mixture boils.
Add onions. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
Mix chicken and mangoes into soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir 2 minutes.
There’s a newspaper in St. Catharines, Ontario, called The Standard.
The lady who worked the classified ad desk never missed a day of work. Rain or shine, sickness or health, she was there taking orders for classified ads which, at the time (the 1990s), were the lifeblood of any newspaper.
Then, one day, she had to be rushed to hospital.
And that day, ad revenues were twice what they had ever been.
A quick check of actual advertising revealed the paper was only being paid for half the ads they ran. An investigation showed that their classified clerk was moving large amounts of money through her bank account, mostly to go on shopping sprees.
They quickly figured out the reason she never missed a day is that her replacement would immediately notice that a lot more money was coming in than usual, which would indicate she was skimming half the proceeds for herself.,
I was working in Manhattan. I got a call from my kid’s school that he wasn’t feeling well and had to go pick him up. I had just finished developing a CD-based training program (this is early 90s, before this stuff was done online). On my way out, my assistant told me the CD master had just arrived and gave me a little plastic bag with the CD in it. I was in a hurry to leave and figured I could drop off the CD at home with my kid before returning to work.
Getting around Manhattan basically means getting into and out of yellow cabs. It’s pretty easy to find one.
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Typical New York street
I catch a cab to my kid’s school. About 15 minutes later, I get dropped off. I greet my little one in the headmaster’s office and tell him we’re off to the doctor’s. As I’m waving down a taxi with my kid’s hand in mine, I realize I don’t have the CD bag. We go back into the school and it’s not there. Nobody remembered seeing me with a bag and, frankly, I didn’t remember having it in hand when I walked into the school. Oh, well, I thought, that was stupid. This was before Uber where you could call your ride to check on the back seat. This was, in fact, before everyone had cell phones. The bag and CD were gone.
I refocused on getting my kid to the doctor. Got him checked out. Got into another cab to a nearby pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Walked home and dropped my kid off with his nanny who was waiting there.
All this time I was hopeful they would be able to reproduce the CD master, wondering how long it might take, if it might delay the project, if I should tell my boss, etc.
I wave down a cab to go back to my office. While I’m thinking about all these things I see a bag on the floor. I pick it up and pull out my CD.
My assistant sees me walking in with the bag. “How is your baby? I thought you were dropping that off at home.”
“Kid is fine. Oh, the CD, yeah…” I figured she wouldn’t believe me if it told her the truth.
I watched an investigative reporter type show look at liens in Ontario. It turns out that in Ontario they have this weird, habit of leasing hot water heaters, like it’s a car or something expensive. When they install the hot water heater, you sign a contract that lets them put a lien on your house until the hot water heater is paid off. They were typically 10 year leases. The lien is on the house , regardless of who owns it, and new owners just continue paying the lease, if you don’t pay it out. Anyway, there were some crooked companies that took advantage of this, and wouldn’t let you sell your house, without paying out the lease, and they wanted huge penalties, tens of thousands of dollars for early payment. Picture this, you have sold your house for $800,000, and everything clears, but it can’t be completed, because of this lien. They ask you for $15,000 to break the lease on a hot water heater that was worth $800 new. What do you do? Lose the sale? Pay the breakage fee?
So I would do what you can to find out early, because you don’t want to be held over a barrel when you go to sell it.
When I was in, I think, my 2nd or 3rd job in computers, my company was rolling out email and word processing applications on our central computer. This was the late 80s and it was all green screen with satellite offices using PCs as dumb terminals.
I was sent out to all the sites to do maintenance on the PCs and train the personnel how to use the new applications.
Our business was primarily prepacked concrete mix for contractors and homeowners. At each location they would mix and bag the product for distribution to their regions.
At every plant I went to, when I opened the PC case, there was a 1/2in of powdered concrete covering the motherboard. It’s a wonder any of the machines didn’t crash from overheating!
Decades ago, I received a past-due notice for a loan payment to a bank I’d never done business with. Puzzled, I called the bank. After explaining my confusion three times, I finally was talking with someone who had sense enough to look into it instead of fobbing me off to someone else.
“Did you make a purchase from Such-and-such Music Store?” Indeed, I’d purchased a piano for my wife a month or so earlier. (Might’ve been nice if the salesman had mentioned they’d turn the loan over to a third party, but whatever.)
I then asked the bank worker how the *very first* communication I’d received from the bank could be a past-due notice.
“You should have received a payment coupon book,” she said. (As indicated, this was ages ago.)
“I’ve received nothing from you till this,” I replied.
And then, to my everlasting amazement, she said, “I know. The printing company we use had an equipment breakdown and the coupon books haven’t gone out for a while.”
That “I know” blew me away. The bank *knew* their customers weren’t being told when their payments would be due, and how much they would be—and, in cases such as mine, didn’t even know their loan had been sold to that bank—and instead of notifying people, they just sent out overdue notices.
With a late fee attached, of course.
So I told the nice lady that I’d be happy to make the payment, but I would not stand for a late charge.
Now it was her turn to be puzzled. “Why not?”
“Because I wasn’t late—*you* were!”
In the end, she had to have a VP call me later, and after I went over it all again, he agreed it was kinda dumb for them to send late notices to people who didn’t even know they had a loan with that bank, he waived the late fee.
I got my driver’s license near the end of my sophomore year of high school. I got my first car a few days before that… a used ’86 Bonneville.
From that week forward, I was 100% responsible for getting myself anywhere I needed to go, including to and from school, my friends’ houses, and my after-school job. I already had a key to the house. I had a “curfew” of 10pm, but my parents always said that “whatever side of the door I’m on when they go to bed at 10 is where I’m going to be all night.” They had a chain lock on the inside of the door, so my key was useless if they locked it that way, which they did every night when they went to sleep.
Fortunately for me, I wasn’t very social and I didn’t stay out late anyway. They made exceptions for nights when I was working. I was a prep sports stringer for the local newspaper, and some nights I didn’t get home until 1am because I was covering a game several counties away.
My parents never actually locked me out. My sister, on the other hand, was locked out a few times because she missed curfew. My father was nice enough to put a recliner and a blanket for her on our screened-in porch. She slept out there more than once because she got home late.
It was the South, so it didn’t get too cold most nights. I doubt I could get away with that with my kids here in Chicago.
In 2015, one day a school boy named Amit was going to school. On the way he was hit by a car. Amit was bleeding, he needed immediate medical help but that car driver didn’t even stop and he didn’t feel to take Amit to nearby hospital. Amit was lying on the road, some people came and took him to a hospital but unfortunately he died. Amit’s dad Jitendra ji came to see his son and he was shocked to know about his little child is no more. Amit’s mom was in deep grief. In just a moment a happy family was shattered.
image 353
Image source: Web/Google
Jitendra ji filed a complaint but the police didn’t investigate. They even closed the case without informing Jitendra ji. This was ridiculous!
Jitendra ji and his wife just wanted to know his son’s killer. They wanted to question that man why he left Amit alone to die, he could have been saved if he was taken to hospital on time. They just wanted a Sorry. Was that so difficult??
Jitendra ji decided he will find that man who killed his beloved son. On the accident spot, he found a broken rear mirror and a broken car number plate. Car number was not full, but on the mirror there was a number. He asked from the local service centre but every time he got dissappointment. One day with hell lot of efforts a mechanic told him that this mirror is of a Maruti Car. Jitendra ji went to the manufacturing unit of the Maruti cars. He told his story and there people helped him. With the mirror number he managed to find the car registration number and with registration number he found the car owner’s name – Gyan Chand. It took 8 years for Jitendra ji to find the real culprit.
He went to police again with all the proofs and now again police disappointed him by not filing the complaint. He then moved to court and here also he didn’t get justice, his plea was rejected not just once but 4 times repeatedly. In Jan 2023, he again appealed to court for the 5th time. This time court accepted his request and asked the police to re-open the case but till now no arrest has been made.
Jitendra ji fought 8 years to find all the evidence and the person who killed his son. He is still fighting for the justice and he has told that he will fight till his last breath untill and unless his son’s killer get punished.
This story is deeply heartbreaking…….
image 352
Image source: Web/Google
I Salute Jitendra Ji from the bottom of my heart🙏
Amit would be Proud of his Dad❤
**Update : On 21st Oct 2023, Police has arrested the accussed, Gyan Chand.
One of my former student’s mothers. This was several years ago now. Her son was in 8th grade and read at a second-grade level. His handwriting was illegible. When he typed his assignments, his sentences were incoherent or not related to the assignment at all.
This was made worse by the fact that he was not a discipline problem. He sat quietly in class and looked like he was on task and understood the material. But he didn’t. He didn’t understand any of it. Even the easiest things in all of his classes were well over his head.
His mother said, at every single parent/teacher meeting, that her son was “a nice kid and just a little slow, but he would get it together soon.”
No. He needed special education services that our school couldn’t provide. The mother had been told that for years, but she didn’t want to hear it. In her eyes, her son was perfect. She was paying for private school for the purpose of avoiding the “special ed” label they’d give him at the public school.
So, the teachers did the best they could to accommodate his needs. Of course, it wasn’t enough, because he really needed a one-on-one, full-time tutor.
I actually know what happened to him. I heard through mutual friends that he went to a private high school which did have a special ed program (although they called it something else), he graduated from that special program, and is now working full-time as a helper in his uncle’s business. Good for him. That’s probably the best thing for him… to find meaningful work with a trusted family member.
I never really had a last conversation with my mother. She was in a memory ward in a nursing home. She had been having strokes was no longer able to walk, and the strokes had affected her swallowing. Her care was beyond us.
Unfortunately, COVID hit and the nursing home was locked down so we couldn’t go in to talk with her. We had been visiting almost daily. The conversations had become one sided due to the alzheimers, but at least she remember us. The day came when we got the call that she had slipped into a coma and that we had finally gotten permission to go in and see her. My last words to my mother were that I loved her, that she had been a great mother/grandmother and that it was OK to go home. She seemed to be waited for my sister to get there and say her goodbyes. My mom died a few hours after my sister left.
No matter how much time you have, somehow it’s never enough.
MY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SAVED ME FROM HUMILIATION.
It was the evening of farewell for our 10th Grade. Our juniors had arranged an eventful farewell for us.
After all the entertainment and other stuffs, it was time to felicitate the top rankers of our class. I was called on stage to receive the award for securing the 1st Rank in the class.
I went on the stage brimming with pride to receive my prize from the School Principal. Little did I know what a blunder I was going to commit.
Here, 2 things you all need to know are:-
First, this was the first time I was going to stand on the stage in front of 100s of people. You can deduce what my condition was, from the fact that I was so immature that I didn’t even know what stage fright was!
Second, this whole scenario was taking place in the Evening. (Yes this is important to know!)
Then came that doomed moment. I was asked by the school principal, a young and kind-hearted lady, to speak a few sentences about my experiences in this school and the hard work behind my academic achievement.
I held the mic, still happy on receiving the award. As soon as I formed a few sentences in my mind and was just about to utter those words, the reality hit me. I saw an ocean of heads staring at me curiously to listen to what I am going to say. I went numb. I forgot everything I wanted to say. There was a complete silence for a few seconds. I knew I had to start. And then my brain which had ceased to work since a few moments, told me, “OK buddy, it’s not that difficult. You can begin by greeting the crowd .”
Feeling the breeze of that contrastingly cold evening, I gathered courage, forced a smile and softly greeted the crowd by saying, “Good Morning”.
There was a dead silence. Before I could even realize what a silly and humiliating mistake I have just committed, my principal took the mic from my hand, turned towards the crowd and said ,“As this is his first appearance on a stage, this is a new morning for him. So, it’s not a Good Evening but a Good Morning to everyone from this bright young kid.”
And then I realized what a silly mistake I just did. I felt embarrassed but at the same time I stood there in utter disbelief and appreciation of the intelligence of my principal. She just protected her student by her brilliant presence of mind.
I can’t think of a better instance of presence of mind in my whole life.
In 1859, a geomagnetic storm called TheCarrington Event¹ disrupted electrical infrastructure across the globe.
…what there was of it.
…which was telegraph service at the time.
(and that’s pretty much it)
The Event was perpetrated by solar flare activity so unprecedented that the Auroras Borealis and Australius were visible from both poles to the equator, with such an intensity that night became day, disorienting humans and animals alike.
Telegraph offices that failed to go offline in time caught fire and burned, and those that did shut down remained operational for hours, despite being disconnected from their power source, due to the massive worldwide electromagnetic surge.
All news, for all intents and purposes, was once again local for the duration of the aftermath.
Newspapers couldn’t report on events outside horse riding distance.
The 19th Century reverted to the 18th Century in one fell swoop.
Now…what we do know for certain about the Carrington Event is that it wasn’t a one off.
It had happened before and it will happen again.
And THE NEXT TIME, unlike 1859, we will likely have satellites in orbit, and planes in the air.
…and cars that run off batteries, and those that don’t which have electronic ignitions.
…and power lines to heat our homes in the winter and cool our homes in the summer.
…and an Internet that we’ve basically come to rely on to maintain a global economy.
(that too)
And all those things are gonna go bye-bye for a time.
The quote about living “in interesting times” is erroneously attributed to the ancient Chinese, but it was actually coined by the American politician Frederic R. Coudert on the cusp between the Great Depression and a second world war.
No matter how bad things get for Mankind, we can all rest assured of one thing for certain:
It certainly can be. On my second trip to India I suffered a broken cheek bone and two black eyes at the hands of several youngsters who were barely teenagers. It was my completely my fault, by thinking that playing Cricket twice at school would allow me to play with these kids who live and breathe it. Having came across a game just starting my Indian friends talked themselves into playing and must have imagined that being English I played the game. But being brought up on a council estate in London it was football or boxing never cricket or rugby. I had played it twice at school and never even touched a bat. Anyway I thought I’d have a go and how hard can it be? Fucking hard thats how hard. The bowler could only have been 13 at the oldest so I was not worried I stood there holding the bat as I had seen them do it on tv. I then saw him running up, his arm lifted to throw and then white light and pain as I stepped forward straight into the bounce of the hard cricket ball. Wow I felt stupid and had a few weeks of discomfort. But I did gain respect for cricket and often go and watch it at Lords. I always support India(unless playing England) in thanks for this lesson.
My mom died when I was 9 of a cancerous brain tumor. It hurt like hell and it took me years to recover. Maybe I still haven’t.
My Grandma, a widow, got remarried when I was about 15 or so to a great man, and when I left at 19 to do a couple years of volunteer service at my own expense in England, I remember hearing he wasn’t in good health. About 4 months in, I learned he also passed away.
It was at this time I got a letter from my oldest sister. As I pulled it out of its envelope (most letters still went this way), a small slip of paper fell out. On it was written, in my sister’s handwriting, in a purple pen, just one sentence, “Aaron, always remember to be my strong little boy” and under it was something that looked like somebody trying to get a pen to work – quick scribbles back and forth in a small area.
I thought it cute, but odd, and set it aside, then I read the letter. My sister quickly said, “Aaron, I was going through an old drawer of things today, cleaning it out and found this. In her last days, Mom asked me to write out a little note to each of her kids, and then she signed them at the bottom. I’m sorry it’s not very legible”.
I immediately began sobbing as I picked up the little paper again and felt the warmth of a mother’s love well 10 years after her death.
Dan and I were headed into the Canadian Rockies in September. The weather was miserable. On the way it a younger guy had passed us by. He was carrying a day-pack sized backpack and he made fun of our big “old-style” backpacks. He was nice enough about it and we just smiled and watched him fly by.
A couple of days later we were camped in place just below timberline and it was raining hard, windy and not far above freezing. We were comfy and dry in our tents, had hot food, good raingear and all was well, even if it wasn’t all that much fun. The young guy came into the area and set up his camp. He had a thin foam sleeping pad, a thin down bag, and a tarp measuring about 8′ x 8′ that he set up very low to the ground.
The next morning it was still drizzling and cold. The young guy came over to our camp. He was shivering and soaking wet. He had a light rain jacket and no rain pants. Also, he was barely coherent. “Ggggguys …. I … I … I’m uh, I’m ….uh …. I need help.” We sat him in the entrance of Dan’s tent and gave him hot coffee and some oatmeal. We got him out of his wet raincoat and wet shirt and wrapped him in a fleece jacket. He began to relax. We all decided the he just needed to get out of there ASAP. Dan and I went over and packed up his gear. It was like a wet sponge, all of it.
When we got back he was doing OK. He had semi-dry t-shirt in his gear and he put that on plus his wet raincoat. Dan walked down the trail with him for a mile or so. When he got back Dan said that the kid had warmed up and seemed good to go. Oh, and that he’d apologized for making fun of our packs.
It happened last night. To be fair, she was likely 18–22, so barely an adult.
STORY! My husband and I went to our city’s downtown area for dinner and a carriage ride. We paid for dinner and realized we needed money to tip the carriage driver because we only had a $50 on us. DOH!
Note: No, we aren’t bougie like that. My company paid out a small company bonus with $50 bills.
It was okay – there was a candy store and we had time. We poured out a small scoop of chocolate and checked out. There was some issue with the cashier understanding that us paying $50.04 for $6.04 was in her favor, but math is hard.
Now, this is what the US $50 bill/note looks like:
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Actual quote from her: “Who’s on the $50 bill? Is that King Edward?”
Blink. Blink. What? A KING?!
We had to explain to this adult that no, this was not a king. It was Ulysses S. Grant. There’s even a county in my state named after him.
Her manager, who was a few years older, then said, “Oh yeah! I remember his picture on the wall in my history room. Didn’t he wear a really tall black hat? He looks fatter here though”
We pulled out a penny and asked if she was thinking of Abraham Lincoln. The manager then said, “Oh yeah! That’s the guy. Isn’t that the same guy?”
Oy. I’m sure President Grant is rolling over in his mausoleum.
My cousin had an old beater car. He always drove it on empty, and only added a dollar or two of gas at a time. He didn’t think it was worth stealing, so he left the keys in it, in his back yard, while he ran into the house to get something.
He heads back to the car, just in time to see it go around the corner. He calls the police, expecting he will never see the car again.
The police phone him 10 minutes later, to tell him that they have his car.
Its at the local gas station. It had run out of gas, they had pushed it in the last few feet, and filled it up with gas. But we’re having a hard time starting it, after it had run out of gas. The gas station was only a few blocks from the my cousin’s, and the attendant recognized the car, and called the police. It was a very distinctive, beat up beater.
My cousin needed a boost to get it started, and then worried that the weight of the full tank of gas would wreck his car, because it had never seen a full tank before.
It turned out to be a bunch of teen joyriders, and the charges were dropped against them. My cousin said that they doubled the value of the car, by filling it up, so he wasn’t too stressed.
So in this case the first thing they did after stealing the car was fill it up with gas.
I’m cranky and I’m tired, and I worked hard at school…
Not me, but my sister. She was a manager for a membership warehouse and they had this one woman that would come in once a month, demand a one-day pass, do her shopping and then pitch a fit when she couldn’t use her credit card (it was cash or debit card only). And she did this every month. Well, she demanded to speak with a manager and since my sister was on duty, she got to deal with her. Once again, my sister explained the rules to her and offered to take care of setting up a membership right then and there. The woman didn’t want to pay the $55 and began to berate my sister who was waiting her out. Finally, the woman shouts at her “To go to hell” to which my sister responded, “Ma’am, I’m already there.” Could have heard a pin drop in the membership areas as all the employees turned to stare at her. The “customer” had nothing further to say, so my sister calmly turned and left.
*The woman never came back to that warehouse. My sister wasn’t fired (for that) although her boss had a good laugh about it.
Two effing massive barbecue grills that I didn’t order that were on my back door when I got home from a business trip around midnight. Thankfully UPS or whoever delivered it (can’t remember which carrier) was naive enough about cyber security to have included the correct recipient’s phone number on the shipping label.
I texted the correct recepieny about it and, being way too nice, told them that I have a pickup and could deliver them but they were way too heavy to load on my own so someone would have to come help me load them.
The husband came over, we loaded them, i delivered them and we unloaded them at his house – all was well. Years later I still get packages and mail for them. I realized that we have the same numbered address and street but I’m SOUTH xxxx Avenue and they’re NORTH xxxx Avenue.
The mail that comes omits the north or south so I assume they’re too dumb to specify that important data element when giving out their address (because the address on the envelope, each time doesn’t specify north or south). it’s happened way many times to just be a coincidence.
So now I don’t bother delivering items, I text them that it’s happened AGAIN and ask them if they want to come me pick it up from my front porch or have me mark it as “wrong address” and see what happens.
In 1967, Doug Hegdahl was on a recon mission in the Vietnam War.
His boat cruised along the river, and as he it did, a battle broke out and he was thrown into the water. He panicked and swam for shore.
Unfortunately, Doug swam towards the Vietcong side of the shore. They greeted him with prompt beating and dragged him ashore screaming.
Doug was tied up and thrown in a cage. They debated on whether to execute him. As they interrogated Doug, he realized they were trying to determine his usefulness. He gave goofy, incoherent answers, talking crazy. Then he repeatedly shouted, “No water buffalo!”
In Vietnam at that time, owning a water buffalo was a sign of moderate wealth. He was saying he was poor.
Being poor was good. The Vietcong hated wealthy people. His rambling earned him the nickname, “The Incredibly Stupid One”.
And while other US soldiers were tortured and killed, the Vietcong felt too bad for him. They thought he was an American version of the poor, dumb man forced into the front line in a war.
Little did they know, he was gathering information. During his years in prison, he memorized the names of 200 prisoners of war, along with the intimate details of the enemy base.
During a negotiation, the Vietcong chose him as their release thinking he was a simpleton and no threat.
Doug got home and immediately gave a press conference.
He told the US of those prisoners, and their freedom was obtained.
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He memorized the 200 names using the song Ol’McDonald Had a Farm. He even needed to hum it when reciting the names back over.
You may not relate to his situation, but Doug’s experience gives insight into dealing with dangerous authority figures.
For example, if a cop pulls you over, it is better to play dumb rather than listen with your mouth, and explain everything you didn’t do wrong.
More broadly, it’s generally better to be guarded with what you know. True genius is knowing when not to reveal it.
Chicken with Walnuts in Plum Sauce
Plum Sauce Chicken Recipe3
Ingredients
1 cup walnut halves
1 teaspoon beaten egg
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
6 chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds), boned, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons plum or hoisin sauce
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 green onions, finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
Pour boiling water over walnuts and let stand 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Combine egg with 1 teaspoon oil and cornstarch in small bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss gently to coat them evenly.
Heat 1/2 cup oil in wok over medium high heat until haze forms.
Add walnuts and fry until golden about 45 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Add chicken to wok and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
Pour off all but thin film of oil. Return pan to heat, add plum or hoisin sauce, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil and stir until combined. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly until sauce begins to glisten, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add chicken and walnuts and mix thoroughly with sauce.
Transfer to heated serving platter and garnish with chopped green onions.
Today, my friend told us a joke. 70 years ago, the United States led 18 countries to fight with a P5 country on the Korean Peninsula (let’s call it a draw). 20 years ago, the United States led 11 countries to invade a small country with domestic troubles and foreign invasion ( eventually failed). In the past few days, the United States found 10 countries to against Yemeni Houthi. Because of the shortage of troops, they even ask China join them，China certainly refused without think too much.…Fighting with a Yemeni local armed force, even ask China to help big hooligan?(´•ω•̥`) 🐼: I suggest you back home,massacre the kindergartens and sweep the geracomiums…
Houthi isn’t ET…
The changes of opponents by the US Army shows they are more and more laggard indeed.
Now they even often make this kind of arguments,enough to explain two problems:
Some US people already brain dead.
The infrastructure in the United States has been in disrepair for a long time, and even the frequency of failure is ‘on and off like a light switch’.
So, we don’t care what you say，today communications ‘on and off like a light switch’ and tomorrow there will be more things ‘on and off like a light switch’.Keep complaining, you’ll get used to it.
The U.S. Navy has ‘experience, the PLA-N has ‘experience’ in reading about what the U.S. is doing, and how they do it. Asking ‘probing questions’ (even here on Quora) is one direction, as well as ‘working’ with Canada, which has a record of ‘loose lips’ regarding ANYTHING military that China seeks.
I’m sure China has some ‘tricks’ up their sleeve as well. This is one of their newer ships (21NOV23) in which they ‘seem’ to be ‘faking’ damage to their ship, which may come in handy when they DO find themselves under attack. NOTHING would break-off an attack faster than ‘looking like this’:
One morning, a new guy showed up. As was customary, he “shared” his tale with the rest of us.
He was legally blind, but somehow managed to work as a successful stock broker. Unfortunately, on the side he had also developed one hell of an addiction to crack.
One Christmas morning, he had dressed up as Santa to entertain his kids. But he needed to sneak outside to take a few quick hits of crack before the family woke up.
Due to his visual impairment, he didn’t see the cop car rolling up the street. He got arrested.
Next day the local newspaper featured the headline that a crack-smoking Santa Claus was arrested Christmas morning.
I looked down at the grass. Clenched my jaw. glanced around and people were desperately trying to contain themselves.
The guy said, “it’s OK. Go ahead and laugh, guys. You have to.”
It was a full minute before we’d laughed off the image of a crack-smoking Santa Claus in cuffs.
I and a couple of friends headed to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for a conference followed by dinner. We ate at the Tir Na Nog Irish pub and sat next to the windows that looked out over the little amphitheater space where street performers entertain tourists. Lovely view of the corner of the harbor and the other pavilion. Directly below the window was a vendor’s cart selling all sorts of electronic gadget accessories (think cellphone covers, etc).
As we were eating, I watched the crowds milling around the plaza and people buying stuff from the cart. Then I saw a teenager sneak around the back of the cart (which was facing the window) and start pilfering stuff from the cart. He just jammed it into his backpack with glee while the vendor was busy talking to customers on the other side.
Turns out those “customers” were the teen’s parents. Once the teen had filled his pack, a second younger child moved in and did the same thing while the other one kept watch. Then a third child, even younger, darted in and took stuff as well. The vendor finally caught on to the scam and screamed for police. The BCPD always patrol that plaza to protect the tourists, so three bicycle cops appeared pretty quickly.
Meanwhile, we watched as the three kids met with mom and dad to show their loot. Then they spotted the police and all three bolted in three different directions, which appears to have been predetermined as a method of escape. One of the kids wasn’t so lucky and got pinched.
Mom and dad were screaming bloody murder about the police harassing their children.
At that moment I realized how stupid we’d been up in the restaurant because none of us thought to video the incident. But we all felt we owed that poor vendor some help, so down we tromped to the plaza, leaving one person to man our table so no one thought we’d jumped the check.
We informed the police of everything we saw, that the kids were the shoplifters, but that the parents knew full well and participated. The officer asked us if we would testify to that and we said of course.
End of the story: All three kids were arrested, but the police didn’t have enough to arrest mom or dad (because that’s how the scam works). We were called back to Baltimore to testify. The kids were really hard core according to the prosecutor. They were playing all sorts of innocence BS. But when she told them four witnesses were primed and ready to name them all, they folded and agreed to plea deals.
Very sad day for American childhood that parents used them in this way.
There is no such thing as the world’s best? Each country ought to have what they each see as the best for their nation and their people under different circumstances unique for them, over a development level that is different from country to country.
You can say every nation thinks they have the world’s best for themselves. They ought to be. Otherwise why would they choose it? Surely they all want to do the best for themselves right?
These words or symbols or slurs such as Communism or Democracy or Socialism are tags for various purpose. Some times to simplify some times to discriminate one against another or worst to slur and demonised. These labels meant nothing more, as each nation is shade of grey and not black or white.
The U.S. for example calls itself Liberal democracy. But in reality it is neither democratic nor liberal at all. Is 0.8% of the rich or and powerful decides that the 60 odd % of their people who bother to vote have only two choice Biden a senile or Trump a perpetual liar to choose from, surely that is not democracy!
The U.S. with a mere 4% of world’s population has 25% of the world’s prisoner’s population, surely it cannot liberal nor free? But U.S. can called itself whatever it wants!
China calls itself socialism with Chinese characteristics but the U.S. insists on the label. “Communism” for worst connotations to cast fear and hate on them! If you repeat it like this questioner do, it simply help your media cast hates on China.
To me if the west can call the U.S. a Liberal Democracy why can’t they tern China as Socialism with Chinese characteristics? It is no different from Western media calling Palestinians as “terrorist” and Isreal as freedom “fighter” These slurs and suggesting good is clearly a set. narrative!
It goes well for several months. They begin to squabble a bit and have disagreements.
He figures, if they don’t get along, they should just break up.
Later, he begins dating Rebecca. She’s pretty. But after a few months, he realizes she’s not smart enough for him. That relationship ends too.
Later, Mike begins dating Katie. Katie is super brilliant. And cute too. But he realizes he doesn’t think she’s cute enough. He wants brilliant and super cute.
And funny. Where is funny?
Finally, he meets Angela. Angela is smart, pretty, and funny. But not exceptional at either three. So he ends things with her too.
Mike never ends up settling down. He ends up living as a lonely old man in his final years.
He became a victim of advice taken too literally and at too much of an extreme “don’t settle”.
The truth is – we all settle. In some form or another. People regularly subject themselves to unfair expectations of a prospective partner.
We all have work to do. It’s better to find someone to do the work with. Or accept them as is and forget the work.
Remember, with any advice you read, from me, or anyone else, there is a huge grey area to work with. I can’t tell you how to read that grey area. That’s where you’ll need to swim on your own.
Don’t be a knucklehead who only thinks in black and white. We have enough knuckleheads in the world already.
It was a small local ‘high-class’ restaurant (no longer in business) I went to with some colleagues to celebrate one of their birthdays. The first thing I thought was a joke was the uninformative and poorly-formatted menu that contained things like “Different fish and chips 12”, with not another word to explain what was different about it and the ‘12’ meaning a price of £12.00 being far from obvious.
Even more of a joke was the way the food was presented. I ordered a burger from the main course menu (described of course as something like “house burger 11”), expecting something that would fill the plate and come with chips and salad as is the norm. No, what I got was a tiny bun less than half the size of the plate containing an equally tiny burger, a slice of tomato and a lettuce leaf, all by itself with not a single side. The punchline of the joke: to make it look bigger and fill the empty plate, the burger was served ‘open’ with the top half of the bun placed alongside it for no apparent reason!
I ate the whole burger and someone else’s leftover chips but was still hungry and had another meal when I got home. The whole experience still feels like a surreal joke, yet was deadly serious, and I wasn’t at all surprised when the place closed down not long afterwards.
Because Alexander the Great’s Army was leagues ahead of every other Army on earth. There was no close second. Alexander himself gets the credit but I don’t think this is fair. I honestly think Alexander was “meh” and won thanks to his great Army.
Let’s start by breaking it down.
1: Foot Companions
The regular infantry was called “foot companions”. These guys wielded a very long spear/pike and a small shield. Now at this time, everyone fought with a shield and spear however most spears were rather small.
It took years of training for the soldiers to learn to use the pikes. Additionally, these guys were all trained in small unit tactics, hand-to-hand combat, and all sorts of special stuff.
image 357
2: Companion Cavalry
The Companion Cavalry was the greatest unit of cavalry ever (arguably) and certainly the best at the time. Cavalry at this time were mostly scouts and fast-moving infantry. They couldn’t really charge into enemy lines given stirrups were not around.
Alexander’s cavalry was unique. These guys were trained for years and years on fighting on horseback. They could charge an enemy head-on, flank around them, or dismount and fight as infantry. They were the elite of the elite.
3: Shield Bearers
The Shield bearers were the “SpecOps” of the Macedonian Army. These guys fought like standard infantry with shorter spears, swords, and shields. They were hyper-flexible, extremely well trained, and capable of nearly anything.
Alexander’s Army was capable of things NOBODY else could do. They could fight in the trenches, outmaneuver an enemy, perform complex tactical actions, and do it all with ease. These guys were the most experienced, best-trained, and most elite soldiers on planet earth.
In a time when armies were civilian-based militia with a small core of trained troops, Alexander had a professional Army at his back.
A stack of bricks isn’t a house as much as a mob of men is an Army. Make sense?
Now, most give credit to Alexander and his brilliance but I disagree with this.
Alexander made mistakes. At the Battle of Granicus Alexander recklessly charged across a river with a waiting enemy Army on the other side. This would have been a disaster for any other Army in history except Alexander’s and even Alexander’s Army took way too many losses.
Alexander was overconfident. In engineering, there is an acronym called “KISS” which stands for keep it simple stupid. Warfare is much the same. If tactics are overly complex then it creates situations where things could go wrong. No plan survives contact with the enemy so plans need to be simple and flexible.
Alexander didn’t create anything. This great Army Alexander had- it was created by his dad. These guys also gained experience fighting for Alexander’s father. Alexander didn’t unite Greece nor was attacking Persia his idea. Sure Alexander did conquer Persia however his Empire immediately fell apart because he was a terrible King and a terrible State-builder.
Alexander was wreckless personally. Alexander’s job was the lead the men, not fight with them. Yet Alexander led every battle from the front. Sure this is brave and all but this is the wrong place for a General. In an Army of 50,000 there are lots of fighters but only 1 leader. Caesar for instance would place himself behind the crux of the battle, issuing orders and watching as things develop.
Alexander the Great’s father was Phillip the 2nd. This guy fought and won dozens of Battles and conquered all of Greece for the first and only time. Was Phillip the greatest General ever? No. Like Alexander, Phillip benefited from a highly experienced, highly trained, and uber-expensive professional Army.
Hiring for our county office out in the boonies was done centrally, so often times someone was hired before we knew who it was. So when we saw the name Jim (redacted), we let out a collective moan.
Jim was well known around town. He was 6′7″, about 325 pounds, and was mean looking as hell. He often did rent collection/ evictions for local landlords, usually by intimidation. I mentioned this to HR, and was told to “work with him.”
So he started in our office. First order of business was to banish certain words from his vocabulary. Words like “wetback”, fag*ot, and of course, nig*er. Also, because he had contacted so many of our clients from his rent collecting days, often when clients found out he was to be their worker, they immediately withdrew their application for welfare. They were terrified of him.
After a couple of months, he seemed to have calmed down and was doing an OK job. But then, in the break room, he said the following:
You know what would be fun? If (co worker) Corrine would drive around in a convertible with a bikini on, and when someone would hit on her, I would be hiding in the back seat with a shotgun, and would suddenly sit up and point the gun at them, and watch them sh*t their pants!
This was it. The next day, three fraud investigators (armed) plus two sheriff deputies came in and escorted him out. I wanted to call HR and tell them “I told you so” but everyone was just glad he was gone; especially Corrine.
Note: he also helped get the head of HR fired. When he was removed from the office, he was put on paid administrative leave pending his firing. But the head of HR had a fear of lawsuits due to improper firings, so he was on paid admin leave for almost a year! Worse yet, there was another guy that had been on paid admin leave for even longer. So the HR manager eventually got fired…with no paid admin leave, just gone out the door!
I come from a family that struggles with finances severely. In the second grade my teacher noticed that the few clothes I had were now Ill fitting so she bought me new ones so I would fit in. I lived in a very, very wealthy area and because of this I was already being bullied for not having what other kids did. I was happy to receive the clothes. I came home with them that night and my mother, who spent our food stamps on cigarettes (the cashier at the liquor store rang them up as other things) and a disgusting quantity of mountain dew every month, walked into my school irate and high off of my ritalin prescription ( that was prescribed to me for my ADHD, as an 18 year old I still haven’t had thr medication that I need since I was 6), bypassed the office and walked into my classroom and began to yell at the teacher. I thought the bullying was bad then, she made it a lot worse. I am thankful for that teacher though. My mother threw the clothes back in her face (literally) and so my teacher kept them in the classroom for me to change into when I got to school and washed them for me. This is only one of several scenarios involving my mother. To put it shortly, I had my first suicidal thoughts around 11 and the state took away her rights to custody when I was 15. You are not your situation, you are how you deal with it. To anyone in that situation or any situation they don’t want to be in, it gets better.
Maybe it is just my imagination, but I think my “locked up” ploy has somehow made the rounds of all those backroom scam operations which call to say your computer has a virus.
Initially, I kept the “agent” and his manager on the phone for nearly an hour, until they finally just gave up. The exchange went something like this:
Scammer: Please press the Windows and CTRL key at the same time.
Me: I can’t. The computer is locked up. It won’t respond to the keyboard, and the mouse does not move.
Scammer: Turn the system off, then turn it on again.
Me: I can’t. The computer won’t shut down.
Scammer: Use the power switch!
Me: I did. Nothing. It stays on, but doesn’t do anything.
Scammer: Then unplug the machine.
Me: Ok. Still nothing. It stays on, and is still frozen.
Scammer: How can that be?!
Me: I don’t know. I guess it just switches over to the internal battery.
(Then, a manager is put on the phone, and promises to make the machine right if I pay $99 for a one time fix, $200 for an annual plan, or $499 for a lifetime plan)
Scammer: Which plan do you want?
Me: Uh, lifetime, I guess.
Scammer: Ok, please give me your credit card number.
Me: I don’t use credit cards. How about PayPal?
Scammer: We can’t take PayPal.
Me: Hey! Wait a minute! The machine just started working! It’s perfect! Everything is working! What did you guys do?
Scammer: That’s impossible! We didn’t do anything!
Me: But, didn’t you say you had detected a virus on my machine?
Scammer: Yes, that is why we contacted you.
Me: So, that must mean you were connected to me, right?
Scammer: No. Your machine sent a message to us!
Me: Ok, so I was connected to you, but you weren’t connected to me?
Scammer: That’s not how this works!
Me: Well, you must have done something, because everything is fine now.
Scammer: It is not. Machine still infected. It will lock up again and be destroyed. You still have virus!
Me: Wait, wait. I’m going to shut down and reboot. Hold on.
(I tap a few keys to make noise, then…)
Me: Ok, I shut down and started up again. Now, I am running a virus scan. Hold on… ok, scanning memory, registry, hard drive, checking for malicious code… stand by, almost done. Great! No virus detected! Fantastic! And, it seems to be running faster than ever!
Scammer: That is not possible, it will fail!
Me: Look, I don’t know how you fixed it, but I would like to send you $100. I’ll send a check. What’s your name and address?
Scammer: We can’t accept checks.
Me: A money order, then?
Scammer: No money orders. I think you are bulls****ing me.
Me: Do ya THINK?!
Scammer: I will f**k your mother!
Me: You like f**king dead people? You’re going to get a sooty Johnson; she was cremated.
Scammer: Click.
I can’t recall when I have had a more uplifting conversation, but the ultimate result has proven to be the most valuable. For several months after the above exchange, I would continue to receive the virus calls; but the moment I said the machine was frozen, the caller hung up immediately. So now, I just say, “Am I ever glad you called, this machine is totally locked up!” In response, a reassuring click.
Saw this question and immediately thought: Teresa.
Teresa is my sister in law’s best friend. She was also good friends with my brother, Dale. When Dale disappeared, Teresa was right there grieving with us. She shared stories about things she and Dale had done that had me rolling with laughter. Teresa is a bright spot where ever she goes.
Teresa is a respiratory therapist. Been doing it for years. Been single for years. Been putting smiles on peoples’ faces for years. She collected crochet afghans to give to her patients. They loved it. They loved her. She retired recently, bought a house in another state, and moved there on her own. I will miss her.
It was 2020, the year we buried my brother’s remains, after he had been missing for many years. It was around the time of the services, and I was having a rough time. Crying a lot. Teresa popped in one day and called me out to her car. She dug around in some bags and boxes in the back seat, and pulled something out. “This is for you” she told me. It was a cross made of wood with fragments of broken glass glued to it to make it shine. And in the middle it said simply, “laugh”. She told me she thought of me as soon as she saw it. It touched my heart. It made me realize maybe it was time to laugh more than cry.
Teresa is a special person. Salt of the earth. We need more like her.
huawei mate60 is using 5nm chips from unknown source, but for sure its made in China with 100% Chinese technology. Although it’s not the most cutting edge technology yet, it is the most widely used. So it’s going to bring down the price of all chips and ASML EUV will be too expensive in terms of producing chips. China is infamous for it industrial crushing ability, Whatever technology they proceed they will smash the market price to under half even to just 10% of the original market price. everyone in the same market will be gone in no time
On August 2, 2007, Majid Kavousifar was excuted along with his nephew Hossein Kavousifar for the assassination of Masoud Moghadasi ,a judge from the Islamic Revolution Court in Iran.
Masoud Moghaddasi was one of several judges of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court, that collectively sentenced more than 2800 to 3800 political prisoners to execution during the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners.
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Majid Kavousifar showed no remorse to hangman in his last words, telling them “I reached the point at which I decided to eradicate any injustice.”
His last words before being hanged next to his nephew Hossein Kavousifar:
“My name is Majid Kavousifar, I am Iranian
I didn’t wait for someone in this world to give me my right
I reached the point at which I decided to eradicate any injustice
I smile because I know that a small smile at that moment will be a great message of hope for every oppressed human being on the face of the earth.
The memory of Majid Kavousifar and his triumphant smile will live forever in the hearts of freedom lovers in Iran and all over the world.
Actually, a police officer once said to me: “What did you do with my patrol car? Why did you steal it?”
The back story is that when coming out of the back door of the courthouse late one evening my friend and I saw a running, unlocked police car sitting in the driveway between the jail and the courthouse. My friend and I wondered why this was and decided to watch a while. After 10 minutes nothing happened and the car was still parked, unlocked, and running. My friend and I decided something needed to be done to prevent the car from being stolen so we flipped a coin and I lost so I got in the car and drove it around the corner and turned it off, locked it, and returned to await the arrival of the police officer who had been assigned the car. My friend and I watched and waited and about a half an hour later the offending officer came out and found his cruiser missing. Since he left his radio in the car he couldn’t radio the missing car in and he’d left the jail and the return door was locked. He panicked and started running around in a confused state. My friend and I who were hiding began laughing and he couldn’t understand why. He was really confused and upset. I held up the keys and told him I’d “stolen” it to keep it safe and showed him where it was. He was both relieved and highly pissed. Relieved at first and the gradually more angry. My friend and I just kept laughing and he got even madder. Then he said he was going to arrest us. I said why? It’s not stolen and who’s going to prosecute me, I’m the County Attorney? Then he said he wasn’t worried because he knew the judge would put it on me because he was a good friend of the judge. I just kept on laughing because my friend who had been standing in the dark background listening came forward and said, “You mean me, Steve?” And the judge began to laugh too. He then said he’d get us both hand I said, “Go ahead! How do you think the Chief is going to feel when he learns you let your cruiser get “stolen” under these conditions? He didn’t say much else but just took his keys, got in his car and drove away. So that’s the story on how the Judge and I stole a police car.
My husband got offered a higher paying job with a different company, and one that treated their employees better. He tried to refuse the exit interview, but when pressed, agreed, if the big boss was in the room. He proceeded to tell the room exactly what led to his exit, and then they had the nerve to ask for 2 weeks notice. He looked the big boss right in the eye and asked if he would have gotten a 2week notice if he was being fired. The boss’ eyes dropped to the floor and he said no. My husband then asked if he could expect any changes to be made in policy regarding the treatment of blue collar workers. The boss again said no. My husband said, “ok, don’t consider this a ‘quit,’ consider as me firing you as my employer.” Then he walked out. We had to wait almost a month after he left to receive his last paycheck, even after calling the state labor board.
Christmas Watch-Along / AMA / Goof-off
Lot’s of good stuff in blurbs in this fun video. Grab some popcorn.
I enjoyed all of them, but my favorite is Non-geological shock. HAARP.
Not at work, but in school. Funniest one: A classmate had not written his book report. It was middle school. He stole mine off my desk while I was in the bathroom. He erased my name, which was in pencil, and added his own to the front cover. He shoved it into a stack of reports on the teacher’s desk. Then, when I got back, I panicked, because I didn’t know where my report went? We looked everywhere. I was practically in tears. The teacher then said, “We are going to practice speaking by talking about our book to the class.” One after one, students started getting up, took their report and talked about their book. The teacher picked up one report, looked quizzical and asked the classmate to come up and read HIS title and report to the class. “You’re going to read the whole thing to the class.” she said. He walked up, not making eye contact with anyone. She handed him the book report and said, “Go on, read it.” He read the inside cover, “My book report is on the book, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” He paused, read ahead and shuffled around. The teacher said, “That has your name on it. Go ahead, read it.” He proceeded to read the book report about a girl who wanted to get her period. Then, read aloud why he and his friends “had similar feelings about getting my period, probably someday soon.” He stopped reading at that point. The teacher said, “Carolyn, I think we found your book report.” He nodded with his head down. He handed the teacher my report. He went back to his seat and put his head on the desk. I walked to the front of the class and talked about my book. (P.S. The boy from the story and I are friends now as adults. We laugh about that day. He writes really well, too.) 🙂
Pungent Javanese Beef (Semur Daging)
“Semur” means “braise” or “stew” with sugar, soy sauce, clove, nutmeg and pepper. Serve with hot boiled rice.
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Ingredients
1 large onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (1 1/2 pound) beef boneless chuck, tip or round, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon tamarind powder or pulp or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Hot cooked rice
Instructions
Cook and stir onion, garlic and gingerroot in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until onion is tender; remove with slotted spoon. Add beef to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid is evaporated, and beef is brown, about 25 minutes.
Stir in onion mixture and remaining ingredients except rice. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim off fat.
I was on my motorcycle, heading from a health appointment back to my work. I was on a two lane county road. A shitbox minivan was in front of me, but since he was moving along nicely ( 10mph over) and the area was fairly regularly patrolled I just hung back behind him a hundred yards or so.
his driver’s side mirror started wobbling., got wobbling hard and then came off. Bounced a couple times ( very randomly due to the odd shape) skidded across my path and ended in the shoulder.
Of course I was on the brakes , but as soon as that thing was behind me, I whacked the gas and made my pass.
A quarter mile ahead as I’m going by the shitbox up pops a county cop from behind a rise-heading my way.
he had me dead to rights in the high eighties (55mph zone)
of course, he came around on me. He had to pass the minivan to light me up.
I pulled over. The usual stuff:
“ know how fast you were going? “
“ yep”.
“ I had you at 87 on radar, that’s a bit much don’t you think?”
“ I wasn’t staying behind that van”
“ why not?”
I said: “ you passed him twice( once opposing, once with) , didn’t you notice he didn’t have a drivers mirror? It’s laying on the shoulder back there in front of the house with the big white fence “
“ well, he wasn’t speeding, license and reg?”
hand them to him.
he comes back and tells me he’s gotta write it.
I tell him go ahead, but be aware that as soon as we’re done here I’m going back and grabbing that mirror to take to court.
fast forward to court date. I’ve got the mirror . Get called to the podium. Set it up there. Judge says, I’m sure there’s a story that goes with that.
I tell him I’ve got 480,000 miles of riding street bikes over 42 years. Part of the reason I’ve made it this long is that I avoid dangerous situations. If that means I speed to keep from being behind a vehicle shedding 20pound, cubic foot parts, so be it.
This year can, with a few bright spots, suck a bag of dicks.
My mom was diagnosed with cancer last November, thirteen months almost to the day before I write this. She died a couple—a few? I haven’t been sleeping so I can’t tell—days ago.
I’ve been with my dad in Florida helping care for her. At the end, she needed literal round-the-clock care, so it’s hard for me even to tell what day it is any more. My dad and I alternated 12-hour shifts, and during my off time I did things around the house that my dad is having difficulty doing.
I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this exhausted before. I’m on my last nerve all the time.
My mom died at 9:36 AM, as my dad and my sister and I were on the way to the hospital to see her. Later that evening, I ran my dad to the ER when he started bleeding—he was hospitalized for three days, turned out to be an intestinal polyp, not life-threatening but they did do minor surgery to remove it.
There’s an endless stream of stuff I never thought about, that I never even considered, that needs taking care of. My mom’s name is on the title to the truck, my dad’s isn’t. The home hospice care people were supposed to come today to take the hospital bed out of the house. They didn’t call, they didn’t show, I don’t know why. This all happened just as my sister was taking a new job—her boss was extremely understanding and let her take her first week of work off to be here, not a lot of people would’ve done that—and I just ran her to the airport a few hours ago.
If you look at my Quora history, I’m posting at all hours. That’s because I’m only sleeping a few hours here, a couple hours there. If I’m absent for an extended period of time it’s probably because I’m in a hospital somewhere, with my mom before she went or with my dad these past few days.
I’m not okay. I’m not even close to overcoming it.
Many years ago, I worked at a factory that did plastic and wax injection molding. The guy running the place had worked there since he was in his early 20s, so you’d think he’d have a good handle on how things were done.
The problem with his leadership was that he had come up through the ranks as a salesman. He spent little to no time actually doing engineering or production. He was a wonderful salesman and a couple times landed contracts that were a great boon to the company. The man had a gift. He could have sold manure to a cattle farmer.
One of his biggest contracts was a government contract. We were going to be making parts for the US military. During wartime, these types of contracts are as good as they come. The type of high demand production runs that fill bank accounts. Workers were asked to work a minimum of 60 hours a week, with unlimited overtime pre-approved. Some of us younger workers were working 80+ hours a week – only going home during the work week to get some sleep, then coming right back at 5 a.m.
Bank.
I was running a machine that made a part, we’ll call it Widget X. Well, Widget X was a fairly large part that required a lengthy cooldown phase. You can’t just inject molten wax into a mold and expect it to hold shape until it has properly cooled. We only had one machine that was large enough to make Widget X, so it ran 24/7.
A few months into the production run, management was in a bit of a panic. Widget X was one of the most important parts of the contract and we were falling behind on production schedule. Engineering and quality control were asked to find a way to speed up production, but they told management the biggest time sink was in the cooling phase. There just wasn’t any way around that. If they lowered the temperature of the wax, it would be too thick upon injection and break the fragile ceramic cores in the mold. If they actively cooled the die, the wax would solidify unevenly and cause warping.
Mr. Leader, despite the fact that he had oversold our production capabilities, insisted that there was a way to increase output to meet demand. So he began looking into each and every step of the process.
Back to me running the machine. As I said, there was a very lengthy cooldown phase where the machine remained locked shut until the part was ready. During this phase, I took a little time to pick a new CD to listen to while working. (I said this was many years ago)
Seeing me “dicking around” with my Discman, Mr. Leader went into a fit of rage.
“NO WONDER WE’RE SO FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE!”
“That’s it! No more listening to music while working. We need to get back on track and I don’t want to see another set of headphones in this place until we do!”
If you’ve never done it before, injection molding has to be one of the most boring jobs on the planet. You press the two start buttons, wait for the machine to close, do its thing, then wait some more until the part is ready. You remove the part, push the buttons again, and wait. That’s the whole job.
Music was one of the few things that made the job bearable. We could disappear into our own heads and only surface every few minutes to restart the process. Now that we couldn’t do that, the boredom was up in our face. Staring at a giant metal press for 5–15 minutes at a time was dull. Very dull.
So, we had to find ways to amuse our minds for that time. Being the social creatures that we are, we turned to our neighbors and began talking to each other. The problem is that machine shops are really really noisy. In order to have a conversation that is not at a scream, we’d often have to take a few steps toward our neighbor.
This, as you could imagine, meant that the machine operator’s attention was not focused on the machine they were running, but on their conversations. Then when the machine was done running, they’d take a few seconds to finish their sentence and walk back to their machines.
Production slowed. In cases like the machine I was running, not by much. However, some of the smaller parts only had 30 – 60 second run times. An additional 10 seconds per part added up very quickly. Now parts that were running on-time were running behind.
Two weeks into the new rule, the owner of the company paid our department a visit. This almost never happened. He was always in his office on the phone or out on business. He had found out that every single part we were working on had fallen behind and wanted to know why. Mr. Leader had fed him a line that he didn’t buy for a second and was going to figure it out himself.
Luckily, the owner of the company understood production because he had done it early in his career. He knew how boring the job was and that asking employees to sit and stare while doing nothing was cruel.
He rescinded the no music policy immediately and production resumed at a normal pace. He also then called one of his friends in the business and subcontracted some of the production of Widget X to him.
In the end, nothing changed about how fast we could produce Widget X, but at least the rest of the contracts were back on schedule and we could listen to music again.
A Texas trooper stopped me when I was in my late twenties. I was installing floors and happened to be driving my work van.
The stop was on a divided US highway. Speed limit was 65 mph in a rural area. I was driving exactly 65 mph in the right lane, traffic was heavy but not bumper to bumper, everyone else was driving 75 mph and faster. I was Northbound, a Southbound DPS Trooper made a U-turn, caught up to me and turned on his lights. I pulled over. He asked why I was driving so slow and I told him I was obeying the law, also that I was driving a gas hog that punished me financially when I broke the law. He was looking through the back door windows and asked what was in the van; flooring installation and demolition tools, vinyl flooring, floor tile, a 12×15 roll of carpet and pad. He asked if I would consent to a search.
I said, “I will not consent unless you sign a statement acknowledging that I have informed you of numerous sharp tools, razor knives, saws, razor sharp scrapers which you could grab the wrong way and severely injure yourself on; caustic floor adhesives and solvents, you should read the label warnings before you open those; and you accept all liability for any harm to yourself or, damage you cause to any of the new flooring or anything else in the van. It’s expensive material and it doesn’t belong to me.” He looked into the window again, looked at me, and said that makes sense and he guesses I’m “okay”. He appreciated me telling him about the danger. He decided he wasn’t going to challenge my reasoning for what was clearly a conditional consent. Not an outright refusal. But absolutely NOT a consent.
He gave me a “better to keep up with the flow of traffic than obey the speed limit” speech to justify the stop. Which was not good advice. (Insurance can place at least partial fault if you are breaking traffic laws at the time of an accident.)
Soldier Makes Out Like A Bandit In Divorce, Now Teaches Men How To Beat Jezebel At Her Own Game
I remember trying to talk to them about how I felt left behind whenever they would go on vacation and leave me behind. The excuse was always “Oh, it’s our honeymoon.” (I had a stepfather)
We NEVER celebrated Christmas after my mom married my step-dad. We didn’t have decorations or gifts or anything. The excuse was that he had 5 children and they couldn’t afford gifts for everyone. Well, 3 of those kids were adults with their own families. We would go to the oldest daughter’s house for Christmas dinner and the two youngest kids lived with her. (Their mother was an alcoholic.) Once there, we would discover the kids had gotten a new nintendo or whatever the gaming system was back then. Or, they got a new puppy or bicycle or whatever. While they were tearing through their presents, I would go to the bathroom and cry.
I had a really great boyfriend. He was kind and gentle and so respectful of me. But, because he was 3 years older, they didn’t want me dating him. They wouldn’t allow it. However, my step dad met this guy that was 3 years older than me that he wanted me to date and I refused. I kept telling him the guy was a big jerk, but, he wouldn’t listen. He tried to force me to date him. I refused. Later that year, the guy did meet a girl and married her. Two months later, he beat her half to death and she was hospitalized. THEN, “Mr. Wonderful” burned down the high school. Some great guy, huh dad! The guy I wanted to date is STILL a really nice, kind, gentle and respectful man. He’s very happily married.
I just always felt like I was in the way and a complete afterthought. I was inconvenient for them.
Ah, the classic case of the curious boss post-resignation notice! It’s like a sitcom, only you’re living it. Here’s the deal: No, you’re not under any legal or cosmic obligation to reveal your next career move to your soon-to-be-ex-boss. It’s kind of like going on a date and your ex asking who you’re seeing now – none of their business, right?
Now, your boss might be donning the detective hat, citing the need for a “conflict check” – sounds super official, doesn’t it? But unless you signed some sort of agreement that requires you to disclose your next employer (which would be a bit unusual), you’re in the clear.
You want to keep things amicable, and that’s admirable. So, how about a diplomatic dodge? You could say something like, “I appreciate your concern for conflicts, but I’ve checked, and there’s no issue there. I assure you, I’m handling it with the utmost professionalism.” This way, you’re reassuring your boss without spilling the beans.
Remember, it’s your personal information, and you’re not hosting a reality show about your career moves (or are you? That could be fun). Keep it cordial, keep it vague, and soon you’ll be sailing into your new adventure with no strings attached. Break a leg!
It was the morning after the night before, and a fellow student of mine was on the lab telephone, back when they sat on the desk and had wires going into the wall, explaining in German to his girlfriend how sorry he was, and how he would never drink again, and how he was going make a temple out of his body… His German was was not particularly fluent so so of the phrasing was particularly cringe worthy.
After about ten minutes of this, he seemed to have calmed her down, and he got off the phone. He turned to me, sitting at a computer behind a big 21″ crt monitor, and seeing my expression said “You don’t understand German do you?” I said no I didn’t, I’d only spent five months in Bavaria on an intensive course in it before going to college….
In the 80s we were trying to have children. They took us both in for a retinue of tests one of which found my wife with cystic ovaries. We are told this is a common thing, done every day. Called a resection. We excise the cyst, bring the parts back together, sew a couple of stitches and done. Day of surgery the Dr comes out to the waiting room in record time. He tells me they went to the left ovary 1st snip sew done, textbook case, went to the right, took one look, sewed her back up. Turns out when they went in on that side, they were 98%sure it was cancer but sent off a biopsy to be sure. But they were so sure they had already booked an OR for 2 weeks away. The good side of this was this is what I called a stealth cancer. One that normally by the time it manifests itself, you know what will kill you but because we were undergoing the fertility treatments, it was caught in the early stages and even though it came back 4 times, it did not kill her.
I have a master’s degree in engineering and have been working as an engineer for almost a decade.
A few years ago, I had a coworker named Matt** who worked in the our manufacturing department as a laborer. One day, Matt came to the engineering department to explain to us how to implement a specific part into our designs that would be useful for them in the warehouse.
Now keep in mind, Matt had no education past high school, he was wearing coveralls with grease stains on them, and he spoke in a very thick southern drawl. The complete stereotype of an uneducated person in the US.
As he explained the specific part and how to it could be used, I found myself rolling my eyes. But then I caught myself. The fact of the matter was, even if I was more educated or higher up in the company than Matt, at this specific moment, he knew something that I didn’t and he was taking time out of his day to explain it to me. So I shut up, I gave him my full attention, and I learned something I hadn’t known before.
This will serve you very well in all aspects of life.
If someone is trying to teach you something that you don’t know, something that’s useful, then listen to them. Give them courtesy and respect. It doesn’t matter if you’re smarter than them overall. It doesn’t matter if you’re more educated in other matters. It doesn’t matter if they’re a compete idiot in other aspects of life. If they’re teaching you something that you don’t know, listen.
Well, actually he did it for me. I worked at a company that built business machines. A little back story, I was a spray painter making almost $20 per hour and had been hurt and on worker’s comp, When I returned I had to go to lighter work in the assembly department which paid considerably less,but they left me at my previous rate,I did intend to eventually get back to painting so they left it be) Part of my “new” job was to test run and adjust them so they’d be ready to use out of the box. My supervisor(who I actually made more per hour than) was also supposed to double check the settings to verify everything was good to go. We had an issue with one of the adjusting tools and didn’t realize it until a whole order of around 40 machines went out.(Without him checking because as he put it, “I’ve got better things to do {which was usually sitting & watching us work}) Of course,they were out of whack and were returned. When asked, my supervisor told the manager that I sent them without his knowledge and that’s why they were wrong.Long story short, I was terminated for “insubordination & by-passing inspection”, which wasn’t true,but my word against his) So, I left and he looked all proud of himself because of his BS. About a month later, another full shipment was returned for the same problem (since I’d left, they didn’t replace me, they had him doing the adjustment/testing) He at first tried to say it was from a shipment I’d worked on, until they checked the date and saw it was 2 weeks after I was gone!!!! ..He was FIRED, not laid off. They called for me to come back…sorry,already had a new job making $4.00 more than I was there….KARMA strikes again
I’m sure he’s dead by now, so I will describe the most boring person I ever met. He had a name that was actually synonymous with boredom, but I won’t use it, on the off chance that he is celebrating his 100+ birthday somewhere.
He taught Nuclear physics, and it can be hard to make Nuclear physics exciting at the best of time.
But this professor took it to new levels.
He spoke in a complete monotone. Never a variation in tone or amplitude, just completely flat. He spoke at exactly the same pace all the time. Every word had exactly the same gap between it and the next word. If you were transcribing him, you would never add a comma, question mark or period, and certainly not an exclamation mark
I had prided myself on being attentive in class. I have never even fallen asleep in a dark room watching a boring movie, not once. I dozed off in his class, and was only woken up by the guy beside me, when his head hit the desk, when he fell asleep.
I felt devastated, that I had embarrassed myself and the professor by falling asleep, but he didn’t appear to have even noticed. Either he was used to it, or he was so wrapped up in what he was saying, that he missed it.
I actually learned a lot in that class, but mostly because he would hand out his notes, at the end of the class.
The thing that made this man boring, was a completely flat monotone voice, with no inflection.
This is capsaicin. It’s on the order of 16 million SHU’s, though actual intensity will vary. If it gets in your eyes, it will blind you. If it gets on your hands, it will eventually get into your eyes. If it gets into your mouth you will regret it. there is not enough milk you can drink to neutralize it. And if you eat it it will make your entire digestive tract regret it.
My friends thought it’d be fun to produce some from capsaicin oil, distilling it down to the powder form. After masochistically playing with the stuff, one of my friends mentioned that someone from work was stealing lunches. Being 20, they thought it would be a great idea to put a sandwich in with this stuff, and for extra effort, mark the sandwich as ‘do not steal.’
So one day, nothing happened. Two days, nothing happens. Then we go on break and find paramedics attending to one of our supervisors, who was coughing and gagging and clawing at his tongue. Next day, we’re all lined up before the owner who informs us that if anyone ever puts deliberately contaminated food in the fridge, even if someone is stealing lunches, that person is going to be fired like no tomorrow!
So, because we were 20, when lunches started to disappear from the lunch room again, we glanced at each other and realized we still had more than a gram of this powder. Be a shame not to use it. The next day the paramedics return… this time to take the owner to the hospital.
Needless to say, we found other employment elsewhere.
Edit: Some people said that what we did was illegal. I dunno. 20 yr old me probably would have talked my way out of it. After all, when is it a trap and when is it seasoning? But as to ‘confessing’, statue of limitations has expired, like, 6 times over. But yeah, don’t poison food to punish a stealer. It just makes it two crimes instead of one.
What I would do instead is put green food coloring inside the middle of it and then see who looked like they’d just blown a leprechaun.
I didn’t think it was all that funny, but my courtroom was in tears over this, they were so amused.
I found myself sitting as a judge pro tem in Los Angeles County’s night court, which is held once a month at various courthouses in LA County. I had a Spanish language interpreter for this one case, and the lady before me was crying and doing her best to control her tears. I could tell she was very, very upset. I gently asked her what was wrong. Through the interpreter, she said she was so scared and so nervous about what was going to happen in court. I told her not to worry, no one is going to jail tonight, so let me see what was going on.
I read through the county’s paperwork, but my copy was terrible and I could only see that it looked like she was cited for an expired dog license, it had turned into an arrest warrant, and the bail was enormous. Then there were penalties on top of the bail.
I said, “Ms. Doe, are you really here for an expired dog license?” The audiences laughed aloud, and she said, “Yes,” with tears streaming down her face. I was confused because I had never seen anything like this before. I must have really looked confused, because the people in the courtroom laughed harder when I tried to read my terrible copy of the paperwork, then looked up at her which led to more laughter.
I told the woman that I am confused by why the fine was so high. Then she said she didn’t know what the fine was, and I told her it appears to be $7,000, give or take. She began to cry again, and the audience laughed again. I reminded the audience that they were in a courtroom.
I told the woman that it looks like the citation was given in 2012, and she said she got the ticket in 2002. I asked, “You got this citation 15 years ago, and only now you decide to come to court?” The woman nodded tearfully, and said, “yes.” Again, laughter.
I asked her what happened to cause this citation, and she said she was out jogging and had Goofy with her. I said, “Who’s Goofy?” She said, “My little dog.” I asked what kind of dog is Goofy, and she said, “a chihuahua.”
I asked her to go on, and she stated, “I crossed the street, and there was a police car that I didn’t see, and the cop motioned for me to come back across the street back to him. So I ran back across the street to him, and the police officer said I jay walked and he was going to give me a ticket. I told him that that was crazy, because he is the one who called me to come back across the street. Then he said he wasn’t going to give me a ticket, and he was playing with Goofy. Then he said that Goofy’s tag was expired, so he wrote on a paper to get Goofy’s tag renewed. I didn’t think it was a real ticket, because I didn’t have to sign anything, and it didn’t look like any ticket I’ve seen before….” The audience again started chuckling.
“I see,” I said with a sigh. “And where is Goofy today?” Her eyes welled up with tears, and she said he just died. And I asked if I was correct in believing that she got a note to update Goofy’s license it didn’t look like a real ticket to her, so now, 15 years later she decided to come to court. She said, “Yes, because I got a letter saying there was a warrant out for my arrest and I had to come to court. I thought I was going to go to jail today for Goofy’s license.” This amused the audience to no end.
I kept thinking that this is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in court. I said softly to myself, “What to do? What to do?” which brought laughter to the room again. I asked if she has other dogs at home, and asked if they have licenses. She said yes, and yes, of course.
I looked at this lady with tear-stained cheeks and said, “OK, here’s what I’m going to do.” Her eyes were welled up with tears, she sucked in her breath and looked like she was going to faint. The courtroom for once became very silent. “This ticket is over 15 years old, you were never properly noticed, as you never signed a promise to appear, and the legal file has nothing indicating you signed any such promise, but you did appear when you received notice by mail, 15 years later. In the interest of justice, I am recalling your arrest warrant, and dismissing this citation in its entirety and waiving all fines, fees and assessments. I need you to go to the cashier and get a document saying this is all cleared up. Do not leave without this. I don’t want to see you back here on this matter. The cashier may ask for a $25.00 administration fee, and I am ordering that fee waived. If the cashier disagrees, have them call me, and I’ll walk over there and straighten this out myself.”
The audience applauded, and this lady, for once actually smiled, and said, “Oh my God, thank you, thank you.”
Then of course I said, “This concludes this matter. Next, I have matter number…”
This was 5 years ago. She was the cousin of my significant other at the time. She was 22.
She is from a wealthy family. Dropped out of college. Her dad was fed up with her freeloading. He was paying for her rent, car, and phone.
She wasn’t doing anything productive, but partying and sleeping in until noon (Not that I was much better at 22, but I digress).
So apparently, she didn’t meet some internal deadline between her and her father, on getting at least a part-time job. There’d been missed deadlines in the past. But she was a daddy’s girl and he’d babied her since birth.
He finally sobered up and realized that if she was ever to be responsible, there had to be consequences.
On this round of consequences – he stopped paying for her phone.
Obviously, this phone was cut off eventually. She was super angry. She acted like it was a supreme act of betrayal.
She was at my house one day, when we had a few people over for dinner.
She borrowed my then significant other’s phone and was out on my front porch arguing with her dad.
When I opened the door to check on her, the only part of the conversation I caught was, “…yeah well, MAYBE IF YOU GAVE ME A PHONE THAT WORKS….”
It made me laugh because – there was nothing wrong with the phone he gave her. The phone worked fine.
But someone needed to pay for service in order for it to work 🙂 It reflected a very spoiled obliviousness towards the concept of money.
Years ago, my girlfriend, her brother and her brothers friend went on a ski weekend.
Her brother and his friend had very high paying jobs at an international oilfield company.
Friday night we went to the bar, and I left the tip on the table when we left. Credit cards had to run through a machine with a carbon copy paper, so not convenient.
My friends friend, went to the washroom and I said we would meet him at the exit. While waiting at the exit, I saw him go to our table first, then join us at the door. I kind of wondered about that.
The next day we go skiing and have dinner at the lodge. I left a tip for my girlfriend and I. When I stand up, my friends friend says, you forgot your money. I said “Its not my money” and he said, “OK its mine then”, and grabbed it . I said “Its the waitresses” and he dropped the money and jumped back, like he was slapped.
I was livid, but we left the money behind, and went back to the hotel room. While driving in the car, I asked him what he thought he was doing? He said what are you doing? We were all stunned.
It turns out he was Australian, first week in Canada, and he had never heard of, or seen tipping before.
I had no idea at the time ,45 years ago , that Australians didn’t tip. He had no clue what tipping was.
So, he wasn’t cheap, but would have been made me look cheap, if I hadn’t caught him.
Earthquakes Asteroids Zombies: Predictions of Nostradamus
I remember this VIVIDLY, unfortunately. I move from NYC to rural Vermont in 2013.
Around 2017, after getting to know a bunch of folks in the area, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in years. I got a library card. I took out the newly-released “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
I took it home, grabbed a glass of my favorite 19 Crimes red wine, and settled back on the couch. I opened it to the introduction, then adjusted the light a bit… then moved the book further from my eyes… then closer to my eyes.
I work in IT. I read stuff ALL DAY LONG….
HOWFUCKINGEVER…
It’s always backlit. I realized then that I hadn’t picked up an actual printed book to read in a few years. In that time my eyes degenerated a little AND NOW I NEED READING GLASSES!
I slammed the book shut and anyone reading this who lives in the northeast United States, likely heard the resounding, “GODFUCKINGDAMMIT TO HELL!” that I let out that day. I was 49 and was REALLY hoping to make it to 50 before I needed glasses. I consider myself VERY fortunate that that was the first time I felt like I was getting old.
RED DAWN (1984) | Opening Scene: Paramilitary Invasion | MGM
On the winter night it was around 10pm, there was a sudden bang on my iron gate. Curiously I went out and saw a young girl who was alone nicely dressed but no warm clothes. She was bald with black cloth around her head, wearing a confused face.
She requested to come inside. I asked her about herself and her sudden visit. Safely standing out, other members of my family also joined us.
She explained that she was classmate of my son, whom she had not met since ages but remembered his name.
She explained the shocking story about her family involved in terrorism, which seemed more like a plot from a movie than a believable reality.
My son, who lives outside the India, was unaware of her situation.
I called him and he confirmed that the girl was in his class during school days, probably in class 4th or 5th he had lost touches with her, knowing nothing about her current circumstances. We were all now confused what to do next.
Sensing that the girl is not in proper mental health. I decided against calling police and opted to reach out the school management with whom I had good relationship.
They promptly search for records going back to several years and provided me her home address and phone number.
Upon contacting her father he arrived immediately and told us the family had been searching her since noon. He explained that their daughter is in deep depression and under medication. She tried to attempt suicide sometimes.
He expressed gratitude for our assistance.
But how she remembered my address and my son’s name is still to be searched.
Edit: we are living in small town mostly every one knows each other. Later we came to know that the girl was actually in bad mental state. She was weird in school also.
You should never turn your partner’s generosity into your entitlement.
For example:
In my previous marriage, I cooked all the dinners. I would make his plate, and bring it to wherever he was. I would do this for anyone I cooked for, because I’m sweet like that. It’s a quiet way of giving affection and being considerate.
One time, early in our marriage, he had a busy couple weeks. So, to be thoughtful, I began packing his lunch for those days. He needed to leave early, so I began cooking and packing him a breakfast to reheat at work. These were things I did out of love and kindness.
Fast forward five years…he comes home from work every night and parks himself in the recliner with the remote control. I come home from my job, and immediately start cooking. I’m cooking our dinner, while he watches TV and yells from the other room to find out when it will be ready. I bring him his plate, and he eats while he watches the news. I eat at the kitchen counter while I’m cooking his lunch and breakfast for the next day. He is watching a show, and wants dessert, while I’m doing dishes. I no longer even get a ‘thank you’. In fact, if I get busy at my job, and ask him to take care of his own breakfast or lunch, he becomes angry if it’s longer than a day or two.
Fast forward 10 years…I come home from work every night and immediately start cooking dinner, while my kids do homework or play in the other room. I make their plates and bring them to the kids while they play. My son stops when I walk in, jumps up and down and gives me a hug. My daughter meets me halfway, takes her plate and says, “Thank you, Mommy.” I eat at the kitchen counter while I pack their lunches. My kids put their empty dishes in the sink and tell me how much they like what I made. I will cook for them forever…if they let me.
My ex-husband…he sits in somebody else’s recliner now, taking that person for granted.
I love doing nice things for the people I care about. However, nobody is entitled to my generosity.
My best relationship advice: Accept generosity and thoughtfulness as gifts from your partner. Do not use those gifts to make them your servant. Gratitude will make you both feel loved.
In the wonderful movie “Men In Black 3”, J and K meet up with an alien named Griffin
image 254
Griffin is the last of his species, which has the unique ability to see every possible future at once. In many cases, this turns out to be useful because Griffin can avoid dangerous possible outcomes by changing his own behavior.
The movie is set in July 1969 and Griffin loves going to Shea Stadium because his favourite possible future is when the Mets win the World Series. Griffin shares his power with J and K, and J remarks:
“So this is how you see things? This is amazing!”
To which Griffin replies
“It’s a gigantic pain in the ass, but it has it’s moments.”
And that’s what it’s like knowing stuff.
It’s being a doctor and knowing someone is going to die or, even worse, will have to live with a terrible disease for years, or decades.
It’s being a lawyer and seeing that your client is going to jail for a long time, or is going to lose a very large lawsuit.
It’s being an accountant and realizing someone is cheating.
It’s being an engineer and realizing that an existing structure will fail well before its service life is going to be over.
It’s at this point that the people who are ignorant still have hope.
Let me explain an example because I was involved in it a few years ago. In a nearby city, a water main broke and a nearby historic building, about three stories high, had part of its foundation badly damaged – a gap of about 1 meter.
The city called in two engineers. There was nothing that could be done. The structure hadn’t failed yet, but it eventually would. The damage couldn’t be repaired – it would be cheaper to tear it down and built it again.
So the city ordered its demolition. Immediately.
It was at that point a chemical engineer tried to start a campaign, with public support, saying the structure wasn’t damaged that badly and this was just a scam for the owners to get rid of the building so they could make a lot of money. He started trying to throw his weight around, threatening to sue people who were trying to tear down the building.
I remember talking to him. He said the building was stable. My training is in law, but I’ve been working with engineering for over a decade by then and even I knew about “deal load failure” – a “stable” building collapsing under its own weight. He was asking my employer to stop the demolition. That’s well outside our mandate, and it would have been improper for us to do so. That’s another thing he didn’t know.
Anyway, disciplinary complaints flew around right and left and the chemical engineer was the only one who got disciplined.
Being informed is a wonderful thing, but it brings you no comfort.
My dad was telling me a story about SEAL training, when they went and swam under ice up in the arctic.
Unlike this madman, he actually had a wetsuit on.
He said that when he went under the ice, which was white and thick, he eventually got lost. And under the ice, it was an even plane of ice in all directions, and his rope was gone. He had this sickening moment of realizing he might be stuck under the ice. Fortunately, he found his way—but the entire story gave me the heeby jeevies.
He also told me a story of coming back to a tent, and finding a giant walrus inside of it taking a nap.
I’m so much more docile and risk-averse than him. You couldn’t pay me to jump out of an airplane. In this case, the apple fell far from the tree.
It’s not free. It’s a stone soup. A lot of hard work for what was seen as a ridiculous idea.
Imagine a poor village. Nobody has food security, and they’re all carefully guarding what little food they have.
A couple starving guys build a fire in the village square, and put a big pot of water on. They throw a big stone in, calling it a magic stone, and say that they’re making stone soup.
The magic is that it is delicious and will nourish anyone that eats it.
Anyone that wants some stone soup only has to add a little food. A scrap of chicken meat, a potato, a turnip, some cabbage, or just some wild herbs.
Everyone wants more to eat, so they toss in what they can, and receive a bowl.
In the end, they’ve helped craft a delicious soup. There is no more to eat than there was in the beginning, but the quality is much better than the daily turnips they’ve scrounged all their lives.
They learn to stick together, to help each other out, and to trust their neighbours. The poorest, hungriest people get a bit more than they put in, but this nourishes them, and next time there is a stone soup, they’ll have a bit more to contribute.
Even the initial hungry guys contributed something important. Though the stone cannot be eaten, the idea is delicious, and more soup can be made every day.
You know for damn sure that the second soup had a lot more food in it.
That is what Saskatchewan did in Canada starting about 1947, completing by 1962. They were the poor hungry guys, and they helped the rest of Canada see that it made more sense to be a community and help each other out.
It sounds simple, and you hear it all the time from self-help influencers. But growing up as an abandoned child, I spent my childhood, adolescence, and the first decade of my adulthood trying to get approval from my dad. Oldest story in the fucking book of pathetic people-pleaser children.
Now that I think back, the reason my dad never respected me is precisely because I tried too hard. I think he wanted a son with a strong personality, a son who could go toe to toe against him and have a shouting match. But he got a pathetic, timid daughter who changed her tone according to his whim. Except, I could never be the kind of child he wanted. Growing up, I was constantly reminded that if I didn’t behave, my grandma would kick me out of the house, and I would live on the streets. When you grow up in that kind of environment, you learn to watch the adults in the household. You learn to read their emotions and try to appease them to avoid a beating. And my dad hated that.
It was a losing game for me right from the start.
I grew a backbone against my family when I finally gained financial independence. My dad finally got the child he hoped for, someone with a strong personality who could match him in a shouting contest and throw the door and walk out of the house. I was able to do that because I had a place to go. I’m no longer afraid.
I felt that, at that point, he wanted to have a relationship with me. Because I was well-read and had some life experiences, not only could I carry a conversation matching his (supposed) intellectual level, but I could even talk about stuff he didn’t know. I could entertain him. And, of course, there’s the fact that I can speak English and help him navigate life in the US.
I’m no longer a chore, a responsibility for him. I’m entertaining, I’m useful, and I have money. I could tell his attitude toward me had changed. The annoyance and disdain were gone. He asked me to call him. He asked me to visit him. He got unhappy when I didn’t reply to his random text messages. Suddenly, the role switched. My dad was suddenly in my position, hoping for my attention.
I finally got the validation, the “fatherly love” I so desperately wanted as a child. And I didn’t want it. Because I know he didn’t change his attitude because he suddenly grew some empathy for me. No. He changed his attitude because my stepmother died, and he realized he had only one blood relative left who could take care of him when he needed it. And he made a pisspoor effort to “make nice” with me.
I think once I got over my childhood issue with my dad, nothing else mattered to me. I worked past taking negative feedback about my art in art school and later on the internet (LOL). I learned to ignore haters and just do my own thing. Through years of therapy, I learned to have very healthy self-talk. I learned to validate my emotions. I learned to analyze my actions and call myself out for questionable decisions without putting myself down. I learned to be my own best friend and biggest supporter.
When you know yourself, good and bad, it doesn’t matter how other people see you.
In the game Dragon Age 2, there was a little NPC banter between two companions, Isabela and Merrill. Isabela described how she would flirt with guys in a bar, and Merrill admired her flirting skills. Isabela replied, “You have no idea how many times they tell me to “fuck off, you pathetic old hag.” Merrill was shocked and asked: ”Doesn’t it bother you?” Isabela replied, “Why should I? They don’t know me. I know me.”
And that line just stuck with me over the years.
They don’t know me. I know me. Only I can validate myself. I don’t need to make other people proud. I want to make myself proud.
I wish I had known this earlier. I wish I weren’t that people-pleaser child who had desperately wanted validation from a narcissist. But then again, there are some lessons you have to learn the hard way. I’m just glad I finally learned it.
My wife and I married later in life. She’d built a complex life under her maiden name and decided she wouldn’t legally change her name. To do so would have been a nightmare of bank, credit card, investment accounts, etc being changed. I was okay with that.
We decided we would have three bank accounts, hers, mine, and ours.
Went to my local bank to set up the ours account. We explained we were newly married (yay! Joy!) and that we wanted a joint account. The woman looked at my wife’s documents and said she couldn’t create a joint account for us. When we asked why, she said my wife had to legally change her name to mine for her to open the account. We said that was ridiculous. The teller said that was the law. I suspected it wasn’t, but bank lady wasn’t budging. How to get around this impass?
I asked if she could just add J to my current account. The teller said no, because it was still the same problem.
I said, “I can add anyone I want to my account. If I’m stupid enough to put a homeless drunk man on my account, I can legally do that.”
The teller agreed. But she said I couldn’t add my wife without her changing her name.
We told her where she could shove that idea (politely of course). I immediately closed my account. We jaunted across town to another, apparently more progressive bank, opened up the ours account with the two different surnames and the rest is history.
There is an old saying about doing a job you enjoy and you’ll be happy working, however there is another side to that which is if you do a job which you enjoy as a hobby, you will end up hating your hobby, and that’s exactly what happened.
When I was in my young teens, I’d love tinkering with mechanical objects. I worked for a bicycle shop at weekends and was well known for being able to fix bike problems. I had older friends who had cars (70’s Fords, Triumphs, that sort of thing) and I loved helping out working, on them. When it became time at school to pick a trade for my future, it was obvious, I’d be a car mechanic.
It was now the early 90’s and I was working my way through college doing day release and block release, while carrying out an apprenticeship with a Ford main dealer here in the UK. Times were changing and so were the cars. Gone were the overhead valve engines, or the single overhead cam engines, carburettors were becoming history, being replaced with ever more complicated fuel injection systems and multi cam, multi valve engines, and complicated emission control systems.
By the time I had finished my apprenticeship, I was starting to feel something was very wrong at the dealership I was working at. I had been earning the basic wage for several years (£29 per week until I was 17, then £35 per week). Despite having a high throughput in the workshop, the company never had any money for things like clean rags, WD40 and other sundries (despite the customer being charged on every job for these). Also, the garage rarely supplied special tooling we needed, or training we should all have been having on these new technologies. Warranty times were getting tighter, most of the cream service jobs were going to the top techs while us younger techs were getting all the fault diagnostics and warranty jobs, and a splattering of first services with little upsell.
Service department were pushing more and more work through, booking in clutches for while you wait customers, and customers were becoming more demanding. There were days when I’d be working outside in the rain, or in the snow wearing just jeans, a tee-shirt and overalls.
Also I had a girlfriend, and before each date I’d fill a sink with the hottest water I could stand, and soak my hands in it before scrubbing and pumicing my skin and nails, just so I’d be clean.
A day came when a manager came to me and told me I wasn’t ripping people off enough and I needed to add more items to each job, I consider myself a fairly decent person and I really don’t like ripping people off. The manager told me that if I didn’t start ripping off customers, I’d have to start looking for a new job. Also if I mentioned to anyone that we’d have that conversation, he’d deny it!
By this point I’d been working there for 6 years, and still struggling to clear £10k per year in earnings, and my favourite hobby was now the thing that made me miserable. I left the garage and tried to move away from the trade. I started working an office job, I had some experience working in the customer service department at the garage and I had a friend who worked at a recruitment agency who got me through the door, now I am a software QA.
Many years after I left the garage, I met up with the service manager and we got talking. It turned out that two of the people who owned the dealership had gone to jail for fraud. They had been skimming off most of the profits from the company to pay for their extravagant lifestyles. Stables, tennis courts, swimming pools. While I was working outside in the rain, I’d been paying for these people to live the lives of film stars.
Over the years I had worked for another main dealer, working as service receptionist and costing clerk. I found that corruption was there too, not at the same scale, but customers got ripped off, quality of work was often poor, drug use was ignored and the managers/owners didn’t care. I left that job after less than 2 years, and since then I have avoided the motor trade as much as possible.
I still work on my own and friends and families’ cars, mostly servicing items. I’ll never do it professionally again.
I was dismissed a number of years ago by an absolute thunderhelmet of a boss. I remember getting called into his office one day and he just started ranting and raving for no apparent reason. I guess I was just in the worng place at the wrong time and took the entire brunt of whatever it was he was pissed off about.
I was much younger back then, and I will admit that I had a much shorter fuse than I do now. I let him rant until he ran out of steam, and then I let him have it back both barrels. I told him exactly what I thought of him and that just sent him right over the edge again. I was told I had 10 minutes to pack up my stuff and get the fuck out!
My dad was an old union man, so when I got home and told him I’d been sacked, he quizzed me on it. He asked me had I done anything to warrant being called into the office. As far as I was aware, no. He asked “Has he suspended you or dismissed you?” Well since he told me to pack my stuff and get the fuck out, one would assume it’s a dismissal. He told me to ask my now ex-employer for a written explanation of why I had been dismissed. At first, the boss refused. He very quickly changed his mind when he got the letter from the Tribunals Service that I was intending to pursue them for unfair dismissal.
He sent me a bullshit letter with a load of bullshit excuses why they had decided to let me go, but the final one was the best of the lot. He claimed that I had been aggressive towards a senior manager (him) and had threatened him. That was bollocks. I had told him exactly what I thought of him “Fucking Fat, Lazy, Useless Bellend” I think were the exact words that I used to describe him, but at no point did I issue any sort of threat to him, nor was I particularly aggressive in my manner. I simply stood up for myself.
The tribunal went ahead and on the day he actually apologised for the confusion and told the tribunal that he would be happy to offer me my old job back. Too little, too late. I told the tribunal that the manner in which I was spoken to by him made me feel very threatened, hence the completely out of character response from me and that I did not feel comfortable returning to work a single day longer with that man. I felt that the offer of my job back was simply a tactic to deflect the outcome of the tribunal and that if I returned, I would be a target for his irrational behaviour and he would simply be looking for any excuse to terminate me again.
I won the tribunal and received my full pay from the date of dismissal to the day of the tribunal, plus a small financial compensation. I told the tribunal that the case was never about financial gain. I had simply wanted to clear my name and have the dismissal expunged from my employment record. I asked for any financial settlement to be donated to a homeless charity. I know that making that charitable donation hit that fat cunt far harder than handing it over to me.
Let me tell you about Randy (fake name), who graduated from my precision machining class in 2007.
I recently retired from teaching in a technical high school where 11th and 12th graders spend a half-day at their local high schools in the area, and a half-day with us.
Randy applied for our firefighting course (important later in the story). Because it is such a popular class, he didn’t get selected. I told Randy that my machining class still had openings, so he applied.
The next day, his counselor phoned me and said Randy wasn’t smart enough to succeed in my class. I told her if Randy turned in all of his assignments and never gave up, he would not fail.
The new school year began with Randy in my class. Every day, Randy arrived with a big smile, excited to learn something new. At the end of every day, he told me a few things he had just learned, and I always responded that I was proud of him.
Toward the end of the school year, Randy begged me to attend a parent-teacher-counselor meeting to discuss his progress and future. Tech center teachers normally didn’t attend such meetings, and Randy’s high school was a 40-minute drive away from the tech center. Since the meeting was during my class time, and since I was convinced it was important for me to be there, my boss authorized a substitute teacher for my class so I could attend.
At the progress meeting, Randy’s first period teacher said he was always cheerful. He always turned in his assignments, but they were of garbage quality. He hadn’t passed an exam all year. The second and third teachers’ stories were the same. In short, Randy was a nice kid who wasn’t smart enough to learn much.
By the time it was my turn to talk, I knew why Randy invited me. I described a student who was excited to learn new things every day. Randy had poor scores on his first few written tests at the beginning of the year, but soon began averaging around 85-90%. Whenever Randy made a mistake in the shop, he asked for help, paying attention to not repeat his mistakes. I finished my presentation by saying, “If I was back in industry, hiring new employees, I’d hire Randy in a heartbeat. He works hard, and I can always trust him.”
Everyone was stunned except Randy and me. He returned to my class for a second year, and did well again. He signed up for online classes, and graduated from high school on time.
After graduation, Randy worked nights in a machine shop while attending community college during the day. He completed the firefighting course in the normal two years, and was hired by a local fire department.
A couple years after that, Randy was accepted into an EMT (emergency medical technician) training program, where he graduated with honors.
If my wife or I ever need an EMT, I hope it’s Randy! I’m confident we’d be in good hands. Of course, I’m still proud of him.
My customer normally comes in on his own to buy 10 20L drums of industrial hand cleaner that my business manufactures – Grimetime. However this day his wife came with him and was actually driving.
He got out from the passenger side with his foot heavily bandaged and limping. After enquiring what had happened, I learnt that he had dropped a lawn mower on his foot which had subsequently removed his toes and a large portion of the rest of his foot.
Anyway the drums he wanted were right at the back of the pallet on the second level of the pallet racking and I was having trouble reaching the last 4 drums.
His snide comment was, “You’re too short! If you were taller you’d be able to reach!”
He is shorter than I am and without thinking or remembering he was a customer, I replied, “Hey, you can’t talk. You’ve always been shorter than me and but now you’ve lost half a foot!”
He was not amused but his wife roared laughing!
As funny as this was and even after more than 10 years, I still cringe at my insensitivity.
Not my finest moment as a human but probably my best one liner!
Many years ago, when gas stations were gas stations and grocery stores were grocery stores, I worked in a full service gas station. This was back when the attendant pumped the gas, checked the air in the tires, washed the windshield, and checked the oil level.
A customer pulled up to the pump, released his hood latch, and got out of the car. He asked me to check under the hood and around the front tire wells. As he was coming down the exit ramp from the interstate, he said he had heard some strange squealing noises that sounded like something rubbing and it was coming from the front of the car.
After starting the pump, I raised the hood and started looking for rubbing marks, feeling for loose or broken belts, etc. I didn’t find anything. I checked the oil level and closed the hood.
As the hood latched into place, I heard the squealing sound. I looked around under the wheel wells and all around the front of the car with no luck. I was about to walk back to the rear of the car when I heard the noise again, this time a bit softer. I looked at the front of the car more closely and there it was, the source of the noise. One of the headlights was missing and sticking through the hole where the wiring harness connected to the headlight was a tiny little head. A small kitten had managed to get up under the hood and crawl up to the area behind the headlight receptacle. It had stuck its head through the hole and was now stuck.
When I showed it to the customer he said it must have gotten in there before he left home that morning and he had driven almost 200 miles, mostly on Interstate 10. This was the first time he had stopped. We pulled the headlight holder and kitten then helped the little guy get unstuck.
I can’t imagine what it must have been like to that poor kitten. 200 miles at highway speed smack in the face. I don’t blame it for squealing.
A man sitting in the hotel said to his friend “Look at that kid waiting tables, he’s so dumb that if I put 500 and 50 notes in front of him, he will pick up the fifty note…. let me show you.
He hollered at the kid, put both 500 and 50 bills at the table and said “Take a note of greater value out of these two”. When the child picked up the fifty note, they both laughed out loud and left, the child went back to his work.
Another person who sat besides and witnessed this called the child afterwards and asked “You’re a grown kid who still doesn’t know the difference between fifty and five hundred notes. How come? That’s a loss”.
The child smiled and said “This man often comes here and demonstrates the same thing to his buddies for kicks and giggles, to amuse over my stupidity as I pick up the note of fifty each time, they have a momentary laugh over this, and I get fifty rupees. The day I picked 500 would be the day this game will be over and… my income too”.
There is no need to be wise everywhere… especially when being wise affects one’s own peace, interests and happiness, then it is wise to become a fool.
I have also chosen to go anonymous to answer this question.
I got pregnant the second time I ever had sex.
I was 14 years old.
I came from a “good” family, and had good grades and lots of friends. Sex was something I thought you did to keep a boyfriend, I certainly didn’t enjoy it back then – there wasn’t much to it. I didn’t know anything about birth control and even if I did, I sure wouldn’t have known how to get it back then and this was well before the days of Plan B.
I had a feeling fairly quickly that something was amiss – so my two best girlfriends and I played hooky from school and took the bus to a nearby city to a Planned Parenthood office to take a pregnancy test. I remember us joking and laughing in the waiting area until the nurse came to get me. She took me into a private room and talked to me about my options – I could keep the baby if my family was willing to help me (I was too young to apply for any kind of government assistance), I could have an abortion, or I could give the baby up for adoption.
The first was out. I knew there was no way my family would allow me to keep a baby being so young myself and my mother would be very worried about what other people thought, but I didn’t feel right about having an abortion so I chose to have the baby and surrender.
My mother was enraged when I told her my decision – I’m sure partly with concern for how difficult it would likely be for me, but she also couldn’t handle the stigma of having a pregnant teenaged daughter. My dad told me that whatever choice I made, he would support me. I found a maternity home about an hour away and my parents shipped me off there around my 15th birthday. Luckily, I would up with a very compassionate ob/gyn who took exceptional care of me and treated me with kindness and respect.
When my son was born after a very long, difficult labor, he immediately put him in my arms as I had asked. I had 6 days to feed and hold and love my son before the provincial papers to surrender were signed. On that day, my parents came up to get me (and my mother probably wanted to make sure I didn’t change my mind) I loved my son with every part of my being, but I could see no way to care for him and give him the life I felt he deserved. I signed the papers.
It was a closed adoption, so though I was allowed to name him, I knew his name would likely be changed. I wrote a letter to him and another one to his adoptive parents and hoped one day they would let him read them. Just like the other poster (so far) on this question, I never stopped thinking about him and also struggled with the heartbreak and depression of the loss. I spent most of my high school years numbing myself with booze and pot, but I remained a good student, so most people didn’t see how deeply distraught I was.
From the day I surrendered him, I began counting down the years until I could try to see him again. I felt that I would wait until he was 18 before I registered with the provincial registry as they would only give me non-identifying information before then. I did register on his 18th birthday but he hadn’t yet registered and I wondered if he knew about me or ever wanted to meet me. When my family mentioned it at all, it was generally to remind me not to “intrude” on his life. I was expected to get on with my life and forget about him and though I became very successful in my career, I never married and never had any other children.
Eventually, by the time he was in his very early 20’s, the province that I live in opened up their records so that birth families and adoptees could find each other more easily. I could now access his identifying his information if I wanted to, but he could chose to veto my search if he wanted to. He didn’t. I was able to find him very quickly when the paper work finally arrived. By then I had the internet to make my search easier.
I finally worked up the courage to call him one Saturday afternoon. I gently explained who I was and who I believed him to be. He was overwhelmed and seemed very happy to hear from me. I fell to my knees on my floor just to speak to him. It was the most emotional experience of my life. We talked for a few hours and then I wrote him a letter to fill him in a little more on the missing pieces. That same night, his mom called me to introduce herself and, most wonderfully of all, to welcome me to the family. She had raised our son to know he was adopted, and always promised him that if he ever wanted to find me that she would support him and help him.
She told me all about him – funny little details about his childhood and his pets and his friends. It was incredibly touching to have her support and it made our reunion so much easier for everyone. I met with her first, along with her daughter (my son’s younger sister). Perhaps they wanted to size me up first, but I really didn’t mind. On that first meeting they gave me a photo album crammed with pictures of my son throughout his life. It was an incredible gift.
Finally, a few weeks later I drove to the city where my son lived – the same city I surrendered him in. He and his mom met me for dinner. I was so nervous and so was he. She was funny and warm and made it a little easier. The three of us spent the evening together getting to know one another. At the end of the evening, when I got out of the car in front of the hotel I was staying in, my son jumped out and hugged me. It was magic. I felt I had waited my whole life to hold him in my arms again. He was just over 7 pounds when I said good bye, he was a grown man when I held him again. It was beyond anything I had ever experienced or could accurately describe.
The next evening just he and I went out. He showed me the letter I had written to him the night before I surrendered him as a baby. His parents had given it to him when he was 15 and he kept it safely pressed in a book since then. I told him I was sorry if I caused him any pain by surrendering him, but that I felt I had no other choice and I wanted the best for him. He said he understood and that he had a good life and knew he was loved by his family, but also by me, that he understood how much I must have loved him to have let him go.
Since then, we’ve just continued to grow our relationship. His mom and sister now live in the city I live in, and we see each other as often as our schedules allow. My son and I did some travelling together and spent more time getting to know each other and see how much alike we are – both ridiculously stubborn and opinionated, both loyal, both with a love of travel and cultures. His mom often laughs at how similar we are. A few years ago, he married a fantastic girl and we all welcomed their first baby into the world just after Christmas.
Now, surrendering a child is not an experience I would wish on anyone. Neither would I wish being a pregnant teen on anyone. No matter what choice you make, the consequences are difficult and lifelong. For many, many years, I felt isolated from the rest of the world because I didn’t share this truth about myself, or if I did, it was with a sense of shame and loss.
When I found my son, I had to find some way to integrate my life with my found son and his family and somehow get everyone in my world to understand why this was life and death important for me and they could either support me or lose me. For some, it was easy, for others, far more difficult, but I am glad we all found a way to make it work. Families are built in a number of different ways and I am grateful to be where I am now. I know how lucky I am.
I grew up in the country. We raised chickens for eggs. We had a few that laid white-shelled eggs, but mostly lots of shades of brown…some with light green, light blue, pink shells. It depends on the breed.
Most of the eggs you buy in stores are mass-produced in giant chicken sweat-shops. The chickens are given just enough nutrients to produce thin-white-shelled eggs. The yolks are pale and the cost per egg is cheap. It’s an exploitive money-game.
A humanely raised chicken that is fed properly and allowed to forage, will lay thick-shelled eggs with a fairly sturdy inner membrane. A farmer may choose to raise red hens, or something more exotic to help differentiate his/her eggs. Or maybe they just prefer a bird better adapted to their living environment.
Growing up, if I dropped an egg on the kitchen floor, the shell would break, but the membrane would still hold it together. You could still use the egg. Try that with the typical grocery store variety! Once you cracked the egg, the yolk was dark yellow to orange, and very prominent. They were likely fertilized too. Our eggs tasted different. Probably had a wider vitamin content, due to the hen’s diet…and those tough shells…calcium from bugs and the occasional oyster shell supplement.
I live in the suburbs now. I pay $5 or $6 a dozen for certified humane, pasture-raised chicken eggs. My sense of taste prefers the eggs from chickens that forage. My outer Momma wants my kids to eat the safest and healthiest food I can afford. Mostly, my conscience remembers my “pet” chickens, and the way I taught them to come running to me when I whistled. They had a good life…and a purposeful one.
Its not the color of the egg…it’s the content of its character.
People are so greedy. i was buying a estate house in Danville Virginia. it had all the appliances and old crappy furniture. before closing the relatives, all came to the house and stripped it including the toilets. I did a prebuy inspection the day before the sale and saw what they did and called my realtor and said the deal was off. the realtor cane and was PISSED. he got the other realtor involved and the estate person came and saw what had happened. both realtors were stunned. we talked for about an hour and the realtor for the seller got the estate person to come over and look what happened. she was appalled by what all her relatives had done. the house was not very expensive and would have worked for me. we all talked, and the price went from 70k to 50k (nobody really wanted the house except me) the estate person deducted the losses from the people who took stuff. i ended buying rally nice appliances at Home Depot Scratch and dent for about 2k and bought modern toilets for 200 each. it worked out well for me in the end. 20k discount is a big amount of cash. at the closing the title company issued me a check for 20k and i talked to the bank and they were ok with the deal. i bough the appliances and some of furniture then just paid the rest on the mortgage. I lived in the house for 3 years and sold it with the appliances and furniture to a young couple. it sold for 112,000. it is amazing what elbow grease and effort can do to an old rundown house.
Here are some low-key signs of highly intelligent people:
1. Most of them have the habit of staying up late into the night.
2. They may have bad handwriting because of the trouble with their mouth and hand keeping up.
3. They have unusual, out of the box, apparently ‘crazy’ ideas.
4. They’re prefer to be with their own company.
5. They’re brutally honest with what they don’t know.
6. They can talk to people they don’t like and hear ideas they don’t agree with and not get emotional.
7. They have a twisted sense of humor. They are most likely to enjoy and understand dark humor.
8. They have good body memory. Their bodies can pick up routines faster than others.
9. They use the Keanu behavior to boost intelligence.
Keanu Reeves says highly intelligent people play a game. They try to be wrong once in a while. They practice being wrong more often to reset their egos.
10. They can explain difficult matter in an easy way.
11. They can make connections between seemingly unrelated subjects.
Land of the Lost (6/10) Movie CLIP – Hadrosaur Urine (2009) HD
I am fifty six years old. I grew up hungry. My parents did the best they could and I never starved but there was never quite enough.
One of my co-workers grew up the same way. Her mother made giant pots of cabbage soup and kool aid without sugar. She is in her mid forties. We both have been food secure since the late 1990s.
We were both recently sent to a conference. The organizers provided all the food. This made us uncomfortable but we didn’t know why.
We both compulsively took a couple tea bags and small jars of honey from the drink station.
“Just in case we need a drink later.”
They had a breakfast buffet. I took an extra orange, a small box of cereal and some honey for my room. My friend did the same. We put the food in our room. We felt better.
“Just in case we are hungry later.”
They had an exhibition hall. At each station was a candy bowl. My friend and I stood and picked out candy at each table. We put it in our bag.
“Just in case we need a sweet later.”
Our young co-worker has never been hungry. Both parents have good jobs. Her godmother is a bigwig in the town. She watched us in amusement and exasperation.
“If you need food later call room service. Ask the valet to go bring you something if you don’t like the food in the hotel. You parked in valet parking right? You gave him a good tip? Alright, go take that stuff up to your room. I’ll save you a seat at the keynotes.”
She doesn’t understand. Just like the kids with money didn’t understand why Frances and I volunteered to be kitchen help in elementary school. Why we brought our backpacks to lunch on Friday, or how grateful we were when the kitchen lady filled them with bread and fruit and government milk and cheese.
Poor kids understand hunger . . .and hiding food. Even though I haven’t been hungry since 1997, I remember. Rich kids know food will always be there. They don’t know hunger, and they’ve never hidden food.
This happened about 30 years ago. My mother-in-law had a Mustang II that she loved and took great care of. When she was diagnosed with cancer, my sister-in-law moved in with her to take care of her during her final months. Sister-in-law used the Mustang for shopping and transportation for both of them.
Then one day, the car started making a horrible knocking noise. Sister-in-law took it to the respected Ford dealer, where mother-in-law had originally bought it. They diagnosed the car with a blown engine, said it was not worth fixing, and recomended trading it in on a new car. In-laws did not have the money for a new car.
My wife and I lived out of town, and were in town for a visit. Sister-in-law asked if I could take her to the dealer to pick up the car and bring it home. It still drove even though it made a knocking sound and ran terrible. We went to the Ford dealer, and they charged her $400 for the diagnosis. All they did was test the compression on the four cylinders, and some other made up stuff. I couldn’t believe it. Sister-in-law paid the $400, and I drove the car to their house as she followed me.
I was an amateur mechanic from my highschool gear head days, and it sounded to me like the knocking was from the top of the engine, and not the lower end. They had a cheap Walmart socket set in their kitchen tool drawer, so I offered to take off the valve cover and see if maybe I could find out what was wrong. It was just a broken valve spring!
We had to go back home, so I couldn’t fix the car for them. But I went back to the Ford dealer to get the $400 back for the misdiagnosis. They refused. I yelled that it was way too much, they were just trying to cheat us into buying a new car, and why didn’t their service shop warranty cover a misdiagnosis? They said they couldn’t refund money for work that was already done.
It was late Friday afternoon, and the service department waiting room was full of people picking up their cars. I made sure everyone heard every detail exactly as it happened. The people all stared silently at the floor as I made a scene. I pushed it to the point where the service manager was calling the police. I didn’t get any money back, but I’m sure it costed them much more than $400 in future service business and car sales!
The in-laws asked where they should take the car to get fixed. My wife suggested to call the nearest auto repair shop with the owner’s name on the sign. So, on Monday morning, they called Russ’s Auto Service. Russ answered the phone and made an appointment the next day. It cost $95 to replace the broken valve spring. The car ran for 5 more years, until it completely rusted out.
One time my Dad stole someone’s neglected dog and gave it to a kid for Christmas.
The dog lived kitty-corner down the street from my Dad’s house. The poor thing lived on a 3-foot-long chain in the middle of the front yard. One side of its little circle was covered in poop, and the other side had bowls he could barely reach.
The poor thing was often left out all night. Dad called animal control a bunch of times, and the owners had been contacted and briefly took care of the dog, letting it in every night and clearing the poop,, but always slacked off, and there the poor thing was again!
An occasional visitor to his home had a son about 8 or 10 years old, who would go down the street and pet the dog. He made up his own name for the dog, and the dog just lit up when he went over, usually with treats from Dad’s house.
A few days before Christmas the dog was out on his short chain shivering in an ice-cold rain. You could see him suffering from the kitchen window. Nobody was home at the neighbors… Dad walked over, bold as brass, unclipped the dog, and brought him in.
He gave the dog a nice bath and blow-dried him, ripped a huge golden bow off of a box under the tree and put it on the dog, and drove him over and gave him to that boy.
The boy had the dog for many years, and they were the best of friends.
This is kind of the other way around. My mother was born in 1948 to an unmarried couple, which due to the societal norms at the time could have made her life and theirs quite difficult If they had kept her. She was adopted at only 3 days old. She never wanted to know who her birth family was because she loved her parents so much. They gave her so much love and care because to them she was the miracle they couldn’t have. She believes that though they did not give birth to her, that they were fated to be her parents. For 70 years she lived happily as the only daughter, with no cousins or any extended family. Her parents friends were more like family than some people’s actual family. Her mother passed in the early 90s and her father in ‘99. They never told her anything about her birth parents. And we think now that the only person who knew about them was a family friend my mom called Auntie.
In 2016 I was in grad school & studying language and linguistics. A professor had a dinner party & after the meal he showed us this chart about his heritage based on a DNA test like AncestryDNA. I was fascinated by it & asked for it as a Christmas gift. Then in the summer of 2017 I was contacted by someone on Ancestry who asked how we were related because it showed us as closely related. I was busy writing my thesis & studying for exams while working that summer, so I politely responded that I wasn’t sure and that I’d look into it. I was also worried that it was my dad’s side of the family which he had avoided for decades.
I didn’t understand just how close our DNA was at the time since I was new to the whole thing. I learned later that it was saying that she was my mother, which seeing her photo later made sense as she looks identical to my mom. She was so confused and began asking her siblings and elderly aunts & uncles if they knew anything. She finally found someone who did and she and her siblings discovered that they all had an older sister that no one knew about all these years. You can imagine how surprised they must have been. They all wanted to know their sister.
My mom, who had known she was adopted and wasn’t keen to meet a new family, was pretty hesitant to speak with them. It was through messages relayed between me and her sister who found me that she even found out about it. My mom is very sweet and caring, but I think she was really overwhelmed. She kept putting off talking to them. She waited until just this past spring to meet with them (via zoom) for the first time. (We had planned to meet in person, but then the pandemic happened.)
In the end, though she was not looking for it and quite hesitant, she found that she and her siblings, especially her sisters, have quite a lot in common and seems genuinely happy to know them. She gets excited to talk to them now too. It’s pretty cool seeing their relationship grow as they all ask each other about how they grew up and what their experiences have been and laughing together about the fun stories they share.
I want to post some pictures about China’s grassroots democracy. This place is a party’s community service station. The district congressman has office here, and the following posters are
1. The contact information of the district congressman belonging to the community is written below. Scan the QRcode to find him and he will “do something for you immediately”.
2. Announcement of the court election jury. Its publishing department is: The judicial bureau, the court and the police station.
3. Advertisements about free physical examinations for citizens over 65 years old, and telling them where the nearest hospital is around them.
Thanks for your upvotes, I have added a few photos.
image 246
This is a sign hanging at the door of another party’s community workstation, showing that there is a Communist Party lawyer who will work for ordinary people here for free at some specific time, and his phone number is also written on the sign.
image 245
This is also an advertising board for a community legal worker designated by the Party, with her contact information and service area details there. In China, the law is an easy tool for ordinary people. The litigation fee for small lawsuits is only 25 RMB yuan (about 3 US dollars), and the complaint can be drafted free of charge by legal workers of the Communist Party.
When this post has ten upvotes , I will post some modern art-style sculptures of the Communist Party.
I didn’t expect the tenth upvote to come so fast.
Now, the photo uploaded is a sculpture on a city street, showing the spirit of hammer and sickle advocated by the Communist Party. The hammer and sickle ☭ is a communist symbol representing proletarian solidarity between agricultural and industrial workers.The hammer representing workers and the sickle representing the peasants.
However, this sculpture was placed by a shopping mall nearby, which was set up to attract more customers. It is not a local party committee political propaganda.
image 244
My next update will post some real political propaganda sculptures when the number of upvotes reaches 20.
Well, I’ve got 20 upvotes . Now I’m going to post a real political propaganda sculpture, some very China thing, it is a stone.
Yes, this is a stone with Chinese characters on it, “seeking truth from facts”. The stone engraved with this sentence can be seen in almost every city in China, because this is a official political propaganda slogan of the CPC.
He wasn’t fired. My step-dad work for the California Highway Patrol Acadamey as a gun Smith. He retired after 20+ years. He hated his job. He loved gunsmithing and even did it in his off hours, bur he hated working for the government office. One year, in the mid 1990s the CHP decided it needed to go through every gun used by CHPnand the academy and ensure they worked correctly, great. There are thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of guns, I never heard a solid figure. They had a year to do this. The most important thing for his complaint is that they had to fire a minimum of 100 rounds through each gun to ensure it was operating correctly. There were 3 gunsmiths to accomplish this task. They all ended up needing surgery for injuries incurred during this mass gun retrofit, shoulder, elbow, wrist with sever carpal tunnel like injuries (eventually it ended up he needed 2 surgeries on left shoulder, 3, on the right, 1 on each elbow, 2 on right wrist and one on left, and surgery on the right hand itself for sever trigger finger, and yes it is actually called “trigger finger”), the other two gunsmithshad similar sets of surgeries. They had to fight CalPERs for almost 10 years to “prove” this was actually caused by having to fire off approximately 1000 rounds per day for over a year, hmmmm 3 guys develop the same symptoms within weeks of eachother, working the same job, and need the same treatments, no it must be a pre-existing condition. And for those 10 years of fighting to get the surgeries, they *still* had to work. The state of California sucks, especially for their government employees. Then there was all the PC stuff. My step-dad was Japanese, and the most politically incorrect person I know, and it was usually directed at himself, ex. He had a circle of cardboard hanging in his workstation to indicate his mood (its nice to be warned), on one side was a frowning face, on the other was a smiley face with eyes like the laughing emotion 😆, he was told that was not acceptable, it was racist and he needed to take it down, my JAPANESE step-dad was told he could NOT hang that in his workstation, instead of arguing that it was accurate for his race he said “everyone’s eyes sqquinch up like that when you smile, how is that racist?” and then demonstrated with the surrounding crowd, they made him take it down anyway, that was in the late 1980s, before his injuries. Another example of non PC behavior: he was a rarity, a person without a middle name (my mother also has no middle name), his initials were KK, head office kept trying to get him to give them his middle initial, they stopped after he submitted K as his middle initial. A Japanese man with the initials of KKK it could only have been better if he had been black. On his last day of work I had bought him, at his request, a copy of Johnny Paycheck album with Take This Job and Shove It on it. He put it on the intercom system for the whole building as he left from his last day.
When I was 16, my 5 year old sister was expelled from a special summer school for special needs children. My sister was accused of calling another child the b word. My sister had a vocabulary of 2 words at that time, the b word was not one of them. After she was expelled, it dawned on me that she wasn’t going to get better unless I helped her myself. So for the rest of the summer, I dedicated 3 hours of the day devoted to teaching her words. The first hour was just going around the house, pointing at things, and saying their name out loud. The 2nd hour focused on conversation. How are you? What’s your name? How old are you? Just me questioning and answering everything, at least in the beginning. The 3rd hour, we just worked on her letters, writing and reading. Again, most of it involved me doing the talking, but she had to be there to listen. The first week was brutal. She cried, I cried. But after the first week, she understood I wasn’t going to let up. She started becoming more cooperative. I couldn’t believe it myself, but by the time September came around, we were going to the library and she was saying hi to people she didn’t know. Her 1st grade teacher even made a remark about her improvement to my mother on the first day. Obviously, this was just the beginning of a long road to catching up to her age level, communication wise. But it was at least, the beginning. I now understand that my sister’s misdiagnosis of autism was actually a defense mechanism to our abusive father. If I didn’t make her hunker down that summer, would she have eventually spoke on her own anyway? I’m honestly not sure, but I hope so. I always knew my sister was a bright girl, she understood what I asked her. She understood how the remote control worked. She was even smart enough to figure out that if she pretended not to speak, my father wouldn’t focus on her and most likely not start any fights with her that lead to her getting abused somehow. My sister is now on her last year of pharmacy school, and she even made a wonderful speech during my wedding 4 years ago. I remember looking at her during her speech, and being flooded with emotion while she spoke. Emotion full of pride and happiness of how far she has come. I am so grateful that I never underestimated her.
I’m a Believer – The Monkees
The Delicate Task of Loving a Misbehaving Adult
December 15, 2023
In the journey of life, one of the most heart-wrenching experiences we face as adults is witnessing our loved ones – be they friends or family – make unwise choices or behave in ways that are harmful to themselves or others.
Whether it’s a friend perpetually entangled in toxic relationships, a family member clinging to self-destructive habits, or a partner making choices that leave you bewildered, the helplessness can be suffocating.
As adults, we are accustomed to taking control of our lives, making decisions that shape our destiny. However, when it comes to the actions of those we care about, we are often rendered powerless. Watching a friend spiral into bad habits, or a family member persist in destructive behavior, can evoke a deep sense of helplessness. This feeling is compounded by the knowledge that, despite our best intentions, we cannot live their lives for them or make their choices.
But here’s the thing: sometimes, love isn’t about erecting guardrails or playing puppet master. It’s about accepting that, as adults, we have the right, even the responsibility, to navigate our own paths – even if those paths wind through pothole-infested back alleys.
It’s not about condoning their actions, mind you. It’s about acknowledging that sometimes, the most painful lessons are learned through stumbles and scrapes. And while our instincts may scream to warn, to protect, sometimes stepping back allows for a different kind of love to bloom – the silent, steadfast kind that trusts in their resilience, even when we doubt it ourselves.
This doesn’t mean becoming emotionally inert bystanders. Open communication, laced with empathy and devoid of judgment, can be a lifeline. But ultimately, we must accept that our loved ones possess an internal compass, even if it points north while the rest of the world shouts “south!”
Think of it like holding a pebble in your palm. Clench your fist too tight, and it slips away. But hold it loosely, with open fingers, and it finds its own equilibrium, nestled comfortably within your trust. That’s the delicate dance we play – offering support without smothering, guidance without dictating, and love that endures even when the path they choose forks wildly from our own.
So, the next time you find yourself wincing at your loved one’s choices, remember: sometimes, the greatest act of love is letting go, trusting that even in their stumbles, they are learning, growing, and finding their own unique way home. And when they do, with arms grazed and knees scraped, let your open palm be the first haven they find.
Because in the end, love isn’t about shielding them from every misstep, but about being there, with open arms and open hearts, to catch them when they fall.
“No, I have to INSPECT the periscope for install. It failed.”
“I am giving you an ORDER, here. You WILL certify this periscope for install! That submarine has to get underway tomorrow! It’ll take a week to get another one down here!”
“The periscope failed inspection. Here, here, and here. The gouges are too deep, as I measured them.”
“(insert expletive here), I’m giving you a direct order! Sign off on the inspection!”
“Put the order in writing, then. I’ll sign off as it being by direction, but I need the paperwork.”
And he did. I tucked the paperwork into the folder, and saluted. “I’ll take care of it, sir.” and walked out. 20 minutes later, I was before the Task Group Commander, showing him the uncompleted paperwork and the written order. My problem child was in the brig awaiting a court-martial before the sun went down.
Every step requiring a QA sign-off is present because someone died, something failed catastrophically, or the ship sank. Every. Single. One. Asking me to falsify test results is putting a gun to your head and telling me to pull the trigger. I may not pull it, but cell or bodybag, you are not ever going to be a problem for me again.
Here’s a story that may help. The last time I checked, my IQ is in between the 98th and 99th percentile. A few years ago, I had to change the wipers on my car. I spent over an hour on those damn wipers, with no progress. They could not be put on. There was no doubt in my mind they were defective as I read the instructions, watched videos, and tried every possible solutions that came to mind. Eventually, an extended family member of mine pulled up, and asked what I was doing. This guy is probably your exact definition of stupid, because he was mine up until that day. He’s worked blue collar jobs his whole life, has a ninth grade education, and literally has a tattoo of a bird perched on top of his ear defecating onto his shoulder. As he got out of his truck, with a 40 oz Olde English in each hand, he asked me what I doing. I told him I was trying to replace my wipers, but it couldn’t be done. He cocked his head to the side, handed me his beers, and put the wipers on in about 90 seconds, all without saying a word. He took his drinks back and walked inside.
If Jesus himself had appeared before me, that would’ve still been the second most shocking thing of the day. Here’s a guy I always viewed as intellectually inferior, and in 90 seconds he gave me one of the most humbling lessons I’ve ever experienced. There’s no doubt in my mind I could score much higher than him on an IQ test. But I will NEVER consider him an intellectual inferior to me. In anything automobile related, or construction related, he is Albert Einstein and I’m Chevy Chase’s Gerald Ford.
Given the proper circumstance, I guarantee you I would have the exact same experience with 99% of the population (and so would you). Everyone is better than me at something. And given the proper circumstance, I could be in the reverse situation with just about anyone in the planet. I’d be willing to go head to head in a debate with Neil deGrasse Tyson on a range of subjects from the economics of various tax rates to how to navigate downtown Los Angeles, and any high school football player would mop the floor with me on a debate about nutrition or exercise, and likely be on par with me in terms of competitive business strategy (football teaches a lot). Does that mean this average football player is intellectually superior to me, or I’m intellectually superior to Neil deGrasse Tyson? The answer is no and hell no respectively.
“Every man I meet is in some way my superior; and in that I can learn of him.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Greatest How To Handle Your GF If She Asks For An Open Relationship Story That I’ve EVER Heard!
A better question is how could the United States expand sanctions on China’s chip industry without repercussions that hurt the U.S. more than China? And the Answer is it can’t. It simply can’t!
Chips are nothing unless it is used as a component of a product for example a smartphone or a computer. And China as a market dwarfs the U.S. by several folds. Today there are a billion Chinese consumer of high technologies compared to say 250 million in the U.S.! That is 4 folds higher! China’s consumer market alone is 30–35% if the entire world! Can the U.S. not be hurt if these consumers are forced into buying a different chips?
But worst is that from the 2/3 of the rest of the world market, most of their products are either assembled or made in China! That constitute another 30–40% of the world’s market! So the U.S. by sanctioning China U.S. sanctioning the U.S. chip makers of some 60–70% of the market. Or it has direct influence or possibly sell to only 30–40% of the world’s market.
But that is just the first nightmare for the U.S. Next, China will make equivalent products within 3 year’s maximum and then. Even this 30–40% rest of the world market will choose a Chinese make that is cheaper, faster and better than the U.S. products. Your entire chip industry will thoroughly collapse and U.S. government will be faced with high unemployment and bankruptcy!
So if I were you, I will vote in a smarter U.S. government!
The Unruly Legacy of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Penis, “Jumbo”
December 15, 2023
Lyndon B. Johnson, the Texan titan who bestrode American politics like a colossus, wasn’t just a master of deal-making and arm-twisting. He was also a virtuoso of the grotesque, a man who wielded his larger-than-life persona and even his anatomy as instruments of power. And no body part played a more outlandish role than “Jumbo,” his self-bestowed nickname for his, shall we say, prominent appendage.
Jumbo wasn’t just a playful euphemism. It was a banner, a declaration of Johnson’s unvarnished masculinity, his disregard for decorum, and his uncanny ability to disarm and dominate in equal measure. He’d whip it out in conversation, brandishing it like a political cudgel, leaving colleagues both amused and discomfited. He’d conduct business from the porcelain throne, transforming the mundane into a performance of power, a reminder to all who dared to enter that even the most intimate act couldn’t diminish his authority.
But Jumbo was more than a mere spectacle. It was a tool, a calculated act of vulnerability that disarmed and drew in. In the stuffy halls of Washington, where power was often cloaked in formality, Johnson’s bawdy humor and open displays of Jumbo were a breath of fresh Texas air. He used it to connect with men who might otherwise have found him intimidating, to forge bonds of shared laughter and discomfort, turning vulnerability into a twisted currency of trust.
Of course, not everyone appreciated the show. Critics saw it as crass, a vulgar display of egotism. But Caro, in his masterful biography, “Master of the Senate,” argues that Jumbo was more than just a personal quirk. It was a carefully crafted persona, a deliberate performance of power that allowed Johnson to operate outside the traditional bounds of political decorum. He was the bull in the china shop, shattering expectations and asserting his dominance through sheer audacity.
And Jumbo wasn’t just about power. It was also about intimacy, a way of connecting with men in a way that transcended the usual political machinations. In the close-knit world of the Senate, where loyalty and trust were paramount, Jumbo became a shared secret, a badge of belonging in Johnson’s inner circle.
Jumbo was, ultimately, a microcosm of Johnson himself: complex, contradictory, and undeniably effective. It was a reminder that power can be wielded in unexpected ways, that vulnerability can be a weapon, and that even the most outlandish behavior can be a calculated act of self-promotion.
So, the next time you hear of Lyndon B. Johnson, remember Jumbo. Remember the man who dared to bare his soul, his body, and his ambitions in equal measure. Remember the Texan who rode roughshod over convention, leaving a trail of laughter, discomfort, and, yes, even a little bit of awe in his wake.
Red Cooked Beef (Hung Shao Niu Jo — China)
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Ingredients
1 (2 pound) beef boneless chuck, tip or round
3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
1 thin slice fresh or canned ginger root or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 scallion, cut lengthwise into halves
1 clove garlic, cut into halves
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Toasted sesame seed
Instructions
Trim fat from beef; cut beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in wok or 12-inch skillet until hot. Stir-fry half the beef cubes until brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove beef to 3-quart saucepan. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.
Mix water, soy sauce, wine, gingerroot, scallion, garlic, sugar and pepper; add to beef. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
Garnish with small sprigs of cilantro; sprinkle with sesame seed. Serve with hot cooked Chinese noodles, if desired.
Walgreens ran this customer rewards program in which you accumulated points and you could, whenever you felt like it, redeem those points for discounts from products.
Many of their promotions included bonus points. “+1000 pts if you buy this 12 pack of Coke!”
It was a basic rewards program. The points translate to dollars. You get it.
So I have one of these stores right by my house. I stop there frequently.
I kept savings these points up. I’d saved them up for over 4 years. I had close to $100 in my account. To be used whenever on products at their store.
I stopped in to pick up some drinks/snacks on the way home.
The lady says, “Would you like to use any of your balance rewards?”
I say, “How much do I have right now?” (I always checked. I was enjoying stacking them up.)
She says, “You have $21.”
Record stop.
“Hold up, I had a lot more than that in there. I’ve been saving for years?”
She says, “Yes they recently changed the policy. Only your most recent 12 months can count towards the purchase.”
I’m pissed off.
I say, “Well – let’s put the $21 towards this purchase.”
She says, “You can only use $5 for each purchase.”
<deep sigh>
I put the $5 towards the purchase.
I haven’t fully cut Walgreens off but I am in the process of cutting them off. I spend about 80% less there now.
Just as a matter of principle — I’ll make sure their competitor across the street gets multiples of the $79 that they took with the cheap policy change.
I hate shady business tactics.
Lesson: Any time you get points with a store — use them quickly.
You-tube gave me another strike. I tried posting a Rufus video. Apparently the rescue of a person on the side of a Chinese skyscraper is a violation of policy.
Ugh!
The United States is truly bat-shit-crazy. You know there is so much that you can do in China that is just against the law in “the land of the free”; the United States.
Yet…
If you ask the vast number of people about the United States, they will regurgitate the narrative that “America is the freest land in the world”.
I raised my kids in rural Alaska, and their walk to the bus stop, for the short period that they attended public school, was just over a mile up a trail through barely tamed wilderness.
When the first 2 went to school, both at the same time, it took only a few weeks for them, 5 and 7 years old, to decide that “Only babies need their MOM to walk them to the bus.”
Despite my suspicion that this was something inspired by older children on the bus just being mean, and the general hazard of bears, black AND brown, moose, feral dogs, occasional escaped *herds* bison from the bison farm and even the rare wolverine to be seen on this trail to the road, I agreed that they could walk on their own if they sang the Bear Song the *whole way*. Bears and other wildlife do tend to move off if you keep making noise. The lyrics of the song go: “I am OLD and TOUGH and STRINGY! I am SMALL and BONEY and QUICK!” (to be repeated endlessly).
Of COURSE I could not let them go alone…
So the weirdest thing I have ever done was camo up me and two infants in front and back pack, and stalk my own small children every morning, slinking (as much as a person with two infants in packs can) through brush with a shotgun, in case of aggressive wildlife. Fortunately young children are not especially observant!
Years ago we had Christmas dinner with a family from our church. There had been problems in that family with one parent’s alcoholism. We were invited and we shared buying the meal. When we got there we realized the seven-year-old daughter had gotten IOUs from Santa for toys and a man’s sock with unwrapped, fleecy from the sock, hard rock Christmas candy in it. They had a can of this candy that had come from the father’s work and they poured it in one of the dad’s socks.
We were young and also had young kids and didn’t have much money. My husband and I went to the only store open in my area, Walgreens, and bought this child a Barbie and Barbie car, Barbie clothes and Barbie suitcase. It was a plastic and cardboard closet case, that folded out into a bedroom,kitchen and living room area. I got the doll-sized kitchen, bed and sofa and a Barbie artist set. Fortunately, everything was half price and it was everything that this child wanted and was on the IOUs.
I used my next two weeks’ grocery money. When we got back to the house we threw the toys in the snow. I had used the excuse to leave that I had to go home, for butter, for the rolls that I’d made for the dinner. Fortunately Walgreens also sold butter.
When we got inside we told the child that Santa had come. He had just dropped the toys outside because they had a wood stove and he was too big to get down that chimney. The look of joy on that child’s face was worth any sacrifice in groceries the next month. We took back the sweaters my mom had given us and we had to be frugal, but it was just fine the next month for groceries. This girl is now an adult whose kids call me grandma. I was the one who didn’t give but received the love of a child, who spent the rest of her childhood often with us.
So America need to import because it does not have the ability to make stuffs that it needs at the same price to its consumers. So it looks around and the nation that can make stuffs America need happen to be China. The next closest alternative is selling it 50% more costly and unreliable.
So if you are America you 3 have a simple choice. One make them yourselves but to do that you need your people to earn half, CEOs to give up 80% of their income and rebuild your infrastructure and retrain your citizen. Can you do it and yet spend billions war mongering and maintaining 800 based around the world? I doubt so? But you need to decide?
If the answer is yes do it. If no should you get another nation to do it at 50% higher cost and cause a double digit inflation for Americans? You as an American must decide. And your voters will decide too! If you prefer to do that and hurt yourself go on! Do it. But if you won’t accept the consequences you are left with only one choice. Buy from China!
If the US stop buying from China, China will lose a good size market. It will lose some opportunities but it won’t kill them. Nor will it drive them out of the market.You can argue that China will benefit other more appreciative customers!
175 nations out of the world’s 195 country have China as their biggest trading partner not because they loved China or adores the Chinese. But simply because China is a humongous market that even dwarfs America. And China has built the most efficient and effective manufacturing facilities to build and manufacture anything faster, cheaper and better than others. So these nation’s also buys the most from them too!
The U.S. is no different. Most of the U.S. biggest companies sells more to China than it sells in America! America’s trade with China is big but it is a small proportion of its total trade.
So in conclusion if the U.S. wants to make its own stuffs it needs to overhaul the U.S. politics, economy and culture. Chances is it can’t. And it won’t. So it is either accepting double digit inflation and lowering its real income substantially or live with buying from China. If it want to stop selling to China, it will hurt the Americans more than it will ever hurt China! But Trump did and Biden could not stop this madness that harm the U.S. economy.
After 5 full years of the trade war, China is fine and dandy. It is growing at 5.5% in 2023 with a 0.8% inflation the U.S. may grow by 1.5% with a 5.0% inflation. Go figure it by yourself if your question makes sense or even make you look clever or not?
SCTV Monster Chiller Horror Theatre: The House of Cats
Goddess of democracy or puberty puppet?
image 74
Politics isn’t a teenager’s playground. And yet in Hong Kong, it had become precisely that.
Never in history has a political movement been driven by a cabal of wet-behind-the-ears teenagers. Famous among them is Agnes Chow Ting who has just fled into self-exile in Canada. She forms the terrible trio with two other teeny-boppers, Nathan Law, (on the run in the US), and Joshua Wong (now rotting in a Hong Kong jail where time hangs heavy). They comprise the hardcore of the now-disbanded political party, pretentiously and stupidly named Demosisto, whatever that means.
These young hot heads were put on the pedestal by the Western press, with Wong going for Time’s Person of the Year nomination. Chow, otherwise known as the goddess of democracy or modern-day Mulan, made the BBC list of 100 women and another list of the 25 most influential women drawn up by the Financial Times, ironically unaware that Mulan was a celebrated female Chinese patriot. Agnes is no patriot. If anything, she qualifies as an out-and-out traitor who prefers learning Japanese to Mandarin, blissfully ignorant of the hideous truth that Japan had slaughtered 35 million Chinese and brutalized China during its invasion of the country. She is historically illiterate and culturally rootless.
These herd-minded fifteensomethings remind me of a popular Chinese saying that “When a village dog barks, other dogs start barking in unison, without knowing why.” Their “noble” fight for freedom is but the antics of puberty-perplexed teenagers who opted for the excitement of the rough and tumble of politics forsaking skull-numbing schoolwork. Their political misadventure is, above all, a tragic educational failure.
Suddenly, these juvenile new political arrivals found themselves the center of world attention, intoxicated with a false sense of their own importance, absorbed in their own absolutism, but empty at the core. They prided themselves on blindly opposing anything remotely mainlandish. A farce has been cunningly twisted into a noble fight for freedom, despite Hong Kong drowning in freedom as the freest city in the world.
The Hong Kong unrest is the story of a beautiful city made ugly by political manipulators. This high-wattage movement is a political perversion indulged by kids too young to know their own minds or the ways of the world. Their activist high jinks have been mischaracterized as acts of political courage.
These lost young souls, besides being an educational failure, are the products of an act of sabotage by a Western press pushing them over the edge, turbocharged by a surge of manufactured social anger. It has all the sound and fury of a political movement, but utterly devoid of serious substance. They talked robotically and acted robotically as rebels without a real cause.
Nothing says Hong Kong freedom like the proliferation of political parties. At one point, no fewer than 17 political parties splintered its Legislature. This once apolitical city was swimming in a sea of politics, with an abundant display of copycat political behavior. New York had its Occupy Wall Street movement and we soon followed with our own Occupy Central. And when the Color Revolutions overseas faded they were reborn in Hong Kong as the yellow Umbrella movement. Our “revolution” consisted of mindless parroting that was a distorted, abused form of freedom. Of all places Hong Kong was the last to need an extra dose of freedom. The young were worshipping the wrong gods. We have no use for a goddess of democracy.
Thankfully, the pendulum has finally swung. With Agnes Chow in self-exile, the sorry saga is reaching its finale. Goodbye false goddess. Hello real Mulan.
Oh my goodness
Camper’s Chili
Make a hearty Camper’s Chili following the tip for precooking the ground beef. Ready-to-add canned extras are all that’s needed.
2023 12 10 21 00
Prep: 20 min | Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can Progresso® kidney beans, undrained
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 soup can water
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
Instructions
In a 2 quart saucepan, cook beef, onion and salt over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
Notes
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.
Cook the ground beef ahead and freeze. Pack in the cooler and it will be campfire-ready to make the chili.
I was a trauma surgeon and ICU physician. I owned my own practice on the central coast of California. I worked hard, and was paid well, but for the next few years most of my money would go towards paying off a bad divorce and med school debt, rather than a lot of savings. So I lived relatively frugally, but quite comfortably, in my little one bedroom apartment, driving my Nissan, enjoying the beach, enjoying life in general.
And then it happened. A freak illness—which I can’t even remember, I have amnesia—put me in the ICU for four months. Complications from the illness stole my right leg. I was so weak, I couldn’t turn myself over in bed. And yet I had to learn to walk again, use a phone, drive.
I had no income for the foreseeable future, maybe ever, and no dependable means to pay rent when my savings eventually wore out. My father and brother threw what they could of my things in trash bags and put them in a tiny storage unit. Most of my things, including all my furniture, got tossed. My animals, thank god, all found temporary homes. When I got out of the hospital, and then out of rehab, buried in medical debt despite insurance and still as helpless as a newborn kitten, I went to live with my elderly parents for a month.
But every Friday through Monday, Mom (as is her way) announced she needed her space, and that meant I had to find someone else to stay with for the weekend. Someone whose house could be navigated on crutches. Someone who wouldn’t mind sharing their food or helping me off the toilet. I stayed with a stranger—a friend of a friend—an older woman whose husband had just passed from Parkinson’s disease. I used his wheelchair. We watched old musicals and every morning she laid out hardboiled eggs, fruit, and a Bible chapter for my breakfast.
image 75
On Mondays, I went back to my parents’ house and waited patiently at the bottom of the stairs to the porch to be let in. When the front door finally opened, I had to tuck my crutches beneath one arm and crawl on my hands and knees up the steps.
I was homeless.
I was a homeless doctor through no fault of my own, utterly dependent on the mercy (or lack thereof) of my loved ones and strangers. And what if there had been no mercy? What if God had taken my family as well? What if there were no friends of friends to put out dishes of raspberries? Or take care of my animals? What if I’d had no sister to live with later on, while I was doing physical therapy? Or no savings to pay, first for physical therapy, and then my prosthetic leg?
I am a trauma surgeon and an ICU physician. But that experience taught me I am so, so much more.
I am the sign beneath the overpass.
I am the voice from the curb.
Feed me.
Shelter me.
Help me.
I am you.
SCTV | Great White North – How to beat the Russians
One of the smartest, perhaps the smartest person on the planet, Kim Ung-Yong, was doing calculus and speaking five languages before age five. By age eight he was doing math at NASA and finished his Ph.D. prior to age fifteen.
image 80
(^ him at age five)
It’s all a bit over the top.
None of this was by his own decision. After the discovery of his genius, an I.Q. of over 200, he was placed on an ultra-fast track program for his life.
After accumulating a mind numbing pile of academic accolades, he worked at NASA for years until he abruptly quit.
Here you have the smartest guy in the world, someone whose intelligence dwarfs most Harvard students’, and he walks away from it all.
Why? He wasn’t happy. It was all too much intensity for him. He felt like a machine and just wanted something normal.
He now works in a normal university faculty position as a professor. A prestigious job for most people. But for him? Not so. Kim is still periodically targeted by Korean news outlets for being a “failed genius”. With all of his gifts he was expected to change the world and innovate within several science fields.
It begs the question, who decided Kim was supposed to change the world? It certainly wasn’t him.
Mr. Kim might not be someone most of us can relate to. But he is analogous, ground zero even, for the problems intelligent people face with regards to “potential.” Just because someone is smart, strong, creative, doesn’t mean they want to be king of the world.
Some people are happy with a low key life. Happiness is the great equalizer. If they are happy, your expectations no longer matter.
The entry to the office in which I worked was near the lifts and most of us had to walk past our boss’s office to get to our desks. There was also a door next to my desk which could be used to exit only. The people who worked near me and I would regularly go out that door when we went to lunch or left for the day.
We all worked flex time, had to arrive between 8am and 9.30am, take a lunch break of 30 minutes to 2 hours and leave between 3.30pm and 6pm. We each had a time sheet which we would fill in and submit every second Friday. At the end of each fortnight we could carry forward up to ten hours credit or debit.
Our boss decided that as he couldn’t see us leaving the office, we MUST be cheating on our time sheets, so he implemented a time clock. We all had to log in and out when we arrived or left, which meant that none of us could leave via the door next to my desk -we had to go the longer route past his office. The time clock was supposed to reveal that we were all cheating, but in fact it revealed that we were all working longer hours than we had been claiming. It was only a few minutes each day, but if, for instance we arrived at 8.47, we would enter it as 8.50. If we left at 5.03 we would enter 5.00. All of a sudden we were all being credited with an extra 10 minutes or so per day, almost an hour a week. Every couple of months or so we were each able to take an extra day off courtesy of the time clock.
None of us were cheating on our time sheets, we were professionals who in fact were understating our hours.
That was a LONG way from the most offensive thing he did. He was a mean, nasty, petty little man.
My husband died suddenly when I was 31 and our children were just babies, aged seven and three. In the surreal and painful days immediately after his death, our house filled with visitors, mourners, love, and grief.
One of the women who came to hold my hand had been widowed just a couple of years earlier. She was older than I and her children were grown, but she was a relatively young widow, only in her fifties.
As I sat next to her on the couch, talk going on all around me about my beautiful young husband, it suddenly occurred to me that this woman might have some advice. I turned to her and asked, “What did you do when your husband died?”
Her thoughtful answer: “Oh, I just worked until I couldn’t.”
That advice actually got me through a lot. I worked and took care of the children. I frequently visited my mom in another city, as I always had. I took the children to my in-laws’ as my husband and I had done, and continued our relationship. Fearing insomnia and overwhelm from grief, I made sure I was exhausted when I lay down to sleep.
Work can be a balm for a sore heart. Staying busy allowed me to process grief in bits and pieces, so I didn’t crater completely. I was able to put my mind on my children and my job until I was emotionally stronger.
I’ve always been grateful to my friend for her answer. She may not have any idea how much it helped me.
Let’s say it gave me perspective to understand the men’s lot in the society and in the life. Finland has this wonderful concept of conscription which means if you are male, you must serve. I do not call that as a male privilege.
Make no mistake, conscription is slavery. It is little better than chattel slavery. But for a country with large area and small population, it is the only eligible way to set up a credible size military. And it is different when you are a volunteer and when you are coerced. When you are a volunteer, you have a motivation and when things fcuck up, it is only your own naïete to blame. When you are coerced, it is your gender to blame.
Okay. Being referred to surname only basis was at first somewhat embarrassing, but also comforting: it meant my gender was now a non-issue. I realized now that the only thing which matters is my performance. Do not play the feminine card and ask for excuses for weaker physique. Be a team player.
Since conscription is a true cross section of the cohort, the materiél of the intake cohort is also a cross section of the society. The military did not only get the best of the boys to serve – it also got the worst, and it meant those boys with which you really would not like to have any interaction at any price, such as antisocial cases, former schoolyard bullies, psychopaths and sociopaths, alcoholics, drug addicts, petty criminals, thieves, weakly talented and hygienically challenged. Let’s say be curt and say the boot camp was a sheer hell. I regretted many times I had put that letter in the mailbox, but if I had quit, my dad would never have talked to me any more.
Once I had gotten in the specialist training, the going became much more sensible. The minimum intelligence for a military engineer is Stanine 6, and most of the boys were intelligent. Everything began to make sense, and I began to re-gain my motivation. I then volunteered for officer training, and was approved. Little did I know the boot camp was merely a mild prelude of what was to follow.
The academy was training from hell. Instead of brainwash (as in the boot camp) the method was now indoctrination, and while the negative motivator in the boot camp had been insults and denigration, in the academy it was now the fear of expulsion off the course. The training was physically extremely strenuous and we worked many all-nighters. But the cadets were incredibly bright lot, and from the first day on I really felt I was among my own. The team spirit was indomitable. In the end none in our company was expelled, and from my cohort in all companies, only four (two from being sick, one from getting engaged in a fight and one from failing in the examinations).
The military service gives you a great reality check in the life and what the life looks like at the other side of the gender fence. But if you are fit and if you can swallow your pride and identity as a unique snowflake, it gives you also a chance to really become a sociable person and a team player. I cannot stress the importance of the team work.
Like Eöwyn states in the ‘Lord of the Rings’, the women of this country learned long ago, those without swords can still die upon them. The military service gives you the skills to handle firearms safely and basis on learning to shoot and do the maintenance on them, and also the survival skills. They cannot be over-emphasized. Many people who come to the boot camp have never slept a night in the forest in a tent. Survival skills will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Do not stress your body too much and learn to know its limits. If your body fat percentage falls below 15, you will experience amenorrhea (cessation of the menstrual cycle). It is not fun. Moreover, the joints of women are more flexible and more easily sprained than those of men. But women tend to stand pain better than men – after all, childbirth is a painful event.
The military is not a place for romances. Do not attempt to socialize with your service mates. Treat them as your brothers. They will treat you as a sister.
Do not think it was all wine and roses. The Finnish suck is not a kindergarten – it is more like a sick crossbreed of a prison and lunatic asylum. What really picked on me was the inefficieny, stupidity and clowniness – everything had been designed according the dumbest thinkable recruit. But you may also learn special skills, leadership skills, and getting along with people.
In the end I decided the military wasn’t for me and went for the academia. Many Finnish female ex-soldiers head to become nurses or teachers – it is about learning to care of your fellow human beings and protect and instruct them.
All in all, it was an experience, but one of socialization. Without really having to learn on how to get along with all kinds of people, I might not have made it across the Atlantic in a sailing boat.
Unlike most European countries, Canada and the United States, China still has pretty strict capital controls which means it’s difficult to export money out of the country. This is essentially so the Chinese government can hoard U.S. cash (in the form of Treasury instruments, about $800 billion worth) which allows it to prop up the local currency, the yuan. In essence, its easy to convert dollars (or euros for that matter) to yuan but practically impossible to convert yuan to foreign currency except in limited amounts.
There are severe punishments for failure to declare foreign currency income if you’re a Chinese business. Now, there’s a lot of dollars flowing into China (the net is about $290 billion a year). The Chinese government likes to do all domestic transactions in yuan and use U.S. dollars (and euros) only for foreign transactions (and only when necessary).
Now, if you pay taxes in China, you pay them in yuan, but if your company earns foreign currency you’re supposed to convert it to yuan (unless you get permission to reinvest it) so that the government can build up a surplus of U.S. currency for public projects and the occasional foreign debt repayment.
So with all that money floating around, it’s not terribly difficult to divert a million here or there for other uses. The problem is that you have to do this on the sly and around official channels. If you get too much foreign currency, then you draw the attention of foreign tax officials, who are wondering where it all came from and why you aren’t paying local tax on the money. Foreign officials also aren’t above informing the Chinese government of violations of their capital control laws.
So let’s say you’re a Chinese company with timber holdings in Canada. It’s a good business and quite lucrative, but all your profits are supposed to be repatriated. No problem, just claim a few million in expenses for consulting companies and divert that money to an entity you own and hope the Chinese officials don’t catch on.
But this gives you another headache. Moving money through legitimate channels is easy to trace making it likely the Chinese government will catch on, or that local tax officials will start looking for that money. Naturally, this means you prefer to deal in cash. Offer some people discounts on full or partial cash transactions and you rake in the foreign currency. The problem now is to make it seem like it came from a legitimate source.
And that’s where the laundering comes in. You take the garbage bags of cash you’re collecting on the sly and get a confederate to take it to a B.C. provincial casino to gamble with it. Once you’ve gambled a little, the friendly cashier will be happy to get you a certified cheque (cashier’s check for Americans) which you can then take to a bank. You then work with a crooked real estate broker to get some inflated Vancouver property. From there, there’s lots of things you can do, like take a mortgage out on the property. The bank doesn’t even care if you default. That makes the money look legitimate and something earned outside the normal course of the lumber business.
Can I ask you something before I answer this? Do your parents let you out by yourself? Because if so, that’s child endangerment. Neglect. And abuse. Now that that is out of the way…
See this map thingy here?
image 79
That’s Australia, that’s how it would look if it was in place of the entire continental US. Just about the same size, actually. Australia is 70,000 sq km larger than the contiguous US (if you don’t count the Great lakes, and since nobody lives on the great lakes. Or grows anything there, i don’t). Pretty neat, huh? Just one more cool thing we have in common. In fact, if you turn Australia upside down, it would almost look like the US. Or we would almost look like Australia. Either one.
Now, the continental US has 330 million people. We still have wilderness, and lots of rural areas. Australia has 25,884,430 as of Thursday, October 21, 2021. So about 1/13th the population. In the same amount of land.
Here’s a map of the population density of Australia:
image 78
You see the orange areas, both light and medium orange? That’s all rural areas. Very rural. Most of the yellow area is less than rural, possibly even uninhabitable, given its current state ( I’m fairly certain that part is so unexplored, there’s a full country of dinosaurs in there) . So yes, Australia has a lot of rural-ness. So there…what’s that, you say? You’re colorblind? Oh…well …I give up. Have a peachy night.
Yes, to a large extent it is true, and it is rather obvious when you think about it. There is a certain amount of resources in the world and they cannot be used in two places at once. We can take Britain as an example. There are some things that the British just wouldn’t have been able to do historically if it wasn’t for their colonies.
image 76
In 1937 the British Empire exported 340,587 long tons of bauxite, which is the primary source of aluminium. This was becoming a strategic resource and was a highly lucrative trade. How much of this originated from Britain? 0%. 300,707 long tons (88.2%) of the British exports came from the colony British Guiana. If the native population had reaped the benefits of exporting this material, they would have been incredibly wealthy, there were about 2 tons of bauxite per person living there in 1937. But all that wealth went to great Britain, which used it to build infrastructure and other things in Britain.
Another important resource was chromium which is vital for making ships and other objects that needs to resist rust. The British Empire extracted a vast amount of chromium ore, 502,633 long tons in 1937, how much of it in Britain? 0%. From Rhodesia 53.9%, from South Africa 33% and from India 12.4%. Mind you the conditions for black mine workers in South Africa were essentially slavery.
For copper it was Canada and Rhodesia, diamonds in the Gold Coast and South Africa. The British Empire also produced 19.7 million troy ounces of gold, 10 of which was in South Africa none of which was in Britain. The Entire world produced 34.6 million troy ounces of gold, which means that the British produced 57% of all the gold in the world, 0% of which was done by the British.
We can continue, but I think you get the point. In 1937, British colonies allowed Great Britain to rob quite literally over half the gold in the world, before this state of affairs, it would be fair to say that in the 1800s Great Britain was the largest narco state in the world, when they exported opium to China to the point at which it was near collapse.
There is nothing voluntary or mutually beneficial about these trades, Africans were colonized with military force, and when China refused to trade in opium they were attacked twice, and eventually invaded and had their government palace looted and burned by British and French soldiers.
Western Europe, has spent hundreds of years robbing much of the world blind, through slavery, resource extraction and forced trade agreements through warfare. This wealth did not disappear into thin air. Westminister palace in London was built for the sum of billions of modern day pounds, British influence into the financial systems is long lasting and still benefits it, the legacy of that theft created billionaire families which exist today, and still maintain their wealth. Most importantly, all the wealth of these countries never went to the local population, they suffered in some cases over a hundred years of continuous enforced stagnation and poverty, were denied education, were denied industrialization, and now has to content with so called free market mechanisms without any of the things they we already have.
So yes, western Europe benefited enormously from colonies, and this is honestly just scratching the surface of the true extent of what the colonies actually meant.
G7 is really a “who to sanction next? Who to carpet bomb club headed by the U.S. amongst fellow native slaughterers and fellow despicable former colonial masters setting up a framework call the western rules based order to continue virtual colonialism”
China must never get anywhere near this hegemonic archaic imperialism tainted plunderers gathering. G20 China is a part of This grouping but it is making sure no single nation can and will abuse its position as a member in doing bad but as a group it is a force of good. Helping to eliminate real poverty. And not become U.S. tool of world subjugation.
BRICS are representing the world’s alternative powers. Brazil, Russia, India, China presents the global south ensuring the world’s largest population and now the largest GDP too to have an alternative or a sustainable future that the G7 cannot forced and coerce nations to be submissive and subservient to them. G7 can do what it likes but BRICS will counter if it sees the G7 as being vindictive or working against the interest of the developing world.
To put it in a simple apology. The west used the world to strip it of resources and capital through to barrel of the gun and after 300 years, it used the so call international rules base order to virtually colonised the world for another 80 years or so. That brings us to today. 2023. The 87% of the worlds nation or 180 out of 195 nations or so collectively know as the global south has a choice either to be real partners of equal rights with the west or go on their own!
So in summary G7 represents the U.S. dogs nation, BRICS represents the rest. And G20 is simply the top 20 nations representatives from both groups. From now till around 2050. There will be alternatives that are fairer, better, more representative of all corners of the world and a clear multi polar world. That no nation can dominate, not U.S. not China nor anyone else. Organisations like SWIFT, World Bank, IMF, Rating Agencies, metal and farm exchanges will have to go or become impartial. US dollars will be a currency amongst many currencies.
Sometimes all we need is a break. I’m a single mom of three boys, dad died of suicide when they were 7,6 and 4. A day after I got the phone call, I received another telling me my eldest needed major back surgery. We went through hell traveling 200 miles a few times before the surgery. Brothers in tow. We did this while mourning, me working full time with little support, broke and scared. My mother asked me why I don’t just give up, collect welfare and stay home with my kids. She said exactly “You just can’t do it. Why don’t you give up”?
My employer made accommodations to have my son before and after surgery be able to come to work with me. He was having bowel and bladder accidents and after surgery, recovering on pain meds. Without her allowing him a comfortable space for me to keep an eye on him, we would’ve lost our apartment and car because I couldn’t have worked. She was so good to him, bringing treats and checking on him herself while I was busy (she’s a doctor). I had a hard time through the 12 years with her. That year was the worst. Months later I was in a car accident and was hurt pretty bad. The month after, my youngest had to go back and fourth to a specialist 100 miles away for bladder and kidney issues. She asked how I was when my eldest went back to school and I broke down. I cried, hard. I was afraid it would always be so hard, and that I’d screw my beautiful boys up.
She said “You are one of the smartest, most hard working I know. The difference between you and the other people I associate with is that you don’t have help, money or a nanny. You are an excellent mother and your children are so well behaved. You’ll be just fine.”
Coming from a doctor who had an autistic son and twins, who had a medical degree (at the time I had just a GED), who was a very dry, hard person, it meant the world. She helped me persevere. She saw the potential I could not see in me.
They’re 20, 19 and 16 now. They love their mom so much and recognize the struggle. They are genuinely good kids and I’m proud of what I did rather than looking and what I couldn’t.
If it weren’t for those words, I’m not sure we’d be were we are, in our own home, me graduating with a degree in just three weeks, them starting college and working.
I have a newphew who lives with us. He’s a grown man, but due to health issues he cannot work anymore. He weighs less than 100 lbs and often has pain. He has Medicaid.
I have a very good job with a major corporation. I have health insurance for my family – the ONLY plan I can “choose from” from my employer – which is a “High Deductible combined with a Health Savings Account” plan. I pay hundreds a month for premiums. And, put thousands a year into my HSA.
Last month, my nephew and I BOTH went into the hospital for serval days for unrelated illnesses. We both went in, very sick, through the ER. I came out with a $3200 bill left to pay, and had to pay an additional $100 for prescriptions on my way out the door. I then had to followup with my regular doctor which cost me an additional $800.
By contrast, my nephew showed his Medicaid card, and nobody ever charged him a dime after that., Nobody talked to him about money, bills, costs, or anything of the like. He had more procedures done, though stayed one day less than I did. On the way home with him, we stopped and got 5 prescriptions for him – also at no cost.
WHY THE FUCK doesn’t EVERYBODY in America want their healthcare to work that way?
Moscow Center of Sparc Technologies, they produce Elbrus processors.
image 81
There processors are a few years behind global leaders (they use 28-nm technology as of 2021), but they are sufficient for military purposes. Russian military also uses unique analog-based systems.
I can’t say it backfired “terribly”, but it did backfire in that it ruined everything.
I was a waiter at a pub and one day one of my fellow servers was having a really shitty day. Some personal stuff, but that just made the normal rude customers seem even worse.
I had read an article that said that laughing on purpose produces some chemicals in your brain that actually make you happier.
I pulled her aside set the timer on my watch (no smartphones then) and said: “Hey, we are going to laugh for one minute”. We did. It took her a while but in the end, she was laughing just because I was laughing. It made her feel better.
We did this often after that. We even did it in front of the customers in the dining area, and guess what, they all started laughing too. We started doing it at our shift meetings, all voluntarily laughing for no reason. It was great.
Then the owner heard about it and made it “policy” that every shift meeting we have to laugh for one minute. That killed everything. Making it a rule or policy destroyed anything that was fun about it.
I love Michael Jackson’s music and, with no exaggeration, think he might be the most talented person to live in the 20th century.
However, I’m fascinated with the cognitive dissonance some people have on accepting what is right in front of their eyes. It speaks to the power of Jackson’s stardom.
Now, if you are someone who adamantly defends him, I want you to hear this out. Pause your assumptions.
First, a common defense I’ve seen is that, “There was no evidence.” In molestation trials, there is rarely physical evidence to begin with, unless something was recorded. It is typically circumstantial evidence and eyewitness testimonies.
There’s been a string of molestation cases against MJ over the years. In one, a former accuser, Jordan Chandler, correctly told police where a birthmark and spots were on MJ’s genitals and rear-end. He literally drew a picture that matched it. The case was so damning that MJ paid more than $20 million to avoid trial. I don’t care how rich someone is: you don’t pay that kind of money if you have nothing to hide.
Others have testified to seeing Michael touching boys inappropriately. His housekeeper testified to catching him in the shower nude with a young boy. His security guard, Ralph Chacon, also testified to seeing indecent acts being performed on a boy.
When they raided MJ’s house, they found two magazines with photos of nude boys— but they fell into the grey area enough to be considered “art”. Feel free to see for yourself. These are the titles:
The Boy: A Photographic Essay Boys Will Be Boys
These books were endorsed as recommended reads by NAMBLA (The National Associated of Man-Boy Lovers). They are popular with pedos because they are legal to own and Jackson had them in a locked cupboard.
A huge mob of superfans began running social media campaigns after the Leaving Neverland documentary came out. The testimonies in it were compelling, heartbreaking, and excruciatingly detailed. This is one of the men, James Safechuck, as a kid with MJ:
image 77
The other accuser, Wade and MJ:
image 8
Notice how all of the boys MJ hung out with were these cutesy boy-models. There are countless photos of him walking around holding hands with these boys, which isn’t damning on its own, but looks pretty bad in context to everything
MJ paid off families multiple times. He was accused multiple times over decades. He openly admitted to sharing his bed with boys. Latoya Jackson even warned people that MJ was doing this in the 90s.
There are certainly one-off cases of people using false claims against celebrities for payouts. But there is way, way too much smoke here for there not to be a fire.
Just to recap:
He’s had five separate accusers over the years and multiple employees testify against him, multiple payouts, borderline child (boy) erotica found in his home, a boy who drew a picture matching the description of his nether regions, an admission that he shared beds with boys—all of whom were modelesque looking.
We can have a conversation about injustice against black men in the US—because that is a real thing. We can have a conversation about unfair targeting of celebrities. But this is not the hill to die on.
MJ had the most elite lawyers money could buy and was enshrouded in an unrivaled aura of fame. He wouldn’t have made that $20 million payout if his counsel didn’t think he was in serious, serious trouble.
If any of us had been accused under the same conditions MJ had been, we’d have been convicted in a heartbeat.
Quartermaster’s Stew
Quartermaster’s Stew is a time-honored Scouting recipe that is easy to make.
2023 12 10 21 02
Serves 6 to 8 scouts
Ingredients
Stew
2 pounds ground beef
2 cans mixed vegetables (save liquid)
2 cans potatoes (drain off liquid and discard)
1 packet stew seasoning mix
Optional
1 can stewed tomatoes
Sliced fresh mushrooms
Additional vegetables, such as beans, corn
Instructions
Heat Dutch oven on fire, add small amount of cooking oil, and brown ground beef. Drain grease.
Stir in stew seasoning mix, add a bit of water, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add vegetables with liquid.
Chop potatoes into small chunks and add to stew. Add small quantity of water if need to cover contents.
Place oven on bed of charcoal – 8 to 10 briquettes (more in winter) on aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Cover with lid and put 2 to 3 times as many coals on top. Cook about 15 minutes.
Add tomatoes and mushrooms.
Cook until potatoes are tender and stew is bubbly and hot through – 15 to 20 minutes depending upon heat level, stirring occasionally.
When I was about 12 we were living with my great aunt (my mother’s father’s sister. She had a chest of drawers that sat in the hallway it had been there as long as I can remember. I knew, from quick peeks every now and again that it was full of old paperwork. One day they left me home alone for a short time (maybe 30 minutes), I started going through it. I saw some papers that had my mom’s maiden name on them. After reading them I figured out my mom had had a baby before me. Later, I told my mom what I had done and what I found. She explained to me that her father had gotten her pregnant through raping her for years. They (her aunts) sent her to a home for unwed mother’s and she had given the little boy up for adoption. I think about him from time to time but would never try to find him. I just pray that he was adopted by a loving family.
Waay back in time I used CB radios…a lot !You can blame one of my uncles for that…he was ex army…different regiments becuase of his skill sets…anyway.
My step kids found out and wanted to know what ‘CB’ is / was.
So I explained about it being a two way radio that you could talk to people on…then I realised the the opportunity for a history lesson, ( I’m sneaky like that ;-).
So I started by telling them the history of HAM radio and how ships back in the ‘old days’ used radio ! By using the phonetic code, Morse code, the ‘Q’ code and later using the ’10 code’ as used by the American Police.
I had to give a demonstration of using Morse code…by tapping out SOS…they were fascinated !
So I started to teach the kids Morse etc…just by tapping out the letters / numbers.
Well…as kids do in situations like this they just ran with it…so I ended up making them a morse key and a buzzer to practice on. I also made some ‘flash cards’. The other trick I used was when a car etc passed us….’Quick ! what’s the code’? meaning the phonetic code’! So they would rattle it of quickly ( it helped with their spelling as well…( I told you I was sneaky ! ).
That progressed onto using Morse code as well as the ‘Q’ code.
Right…so were at the local supermarket…and I’d said to the kids they could ‘talk’ to each other…so their standing about 15/20 feet apart…and tapping out Morse code messages to each other.
Other people in the store soon caught on and were fascinated by the kids ( who were oblivious to the attention they were getting ). Right up until a new ‘voice’ joined in.
‘QSK’
Kids faces were a picture…they knew it wasn’t me…the ‘hand’ was different, besides…they could see me in the queue and my hand were in view !
‘QSK’
The kids looked at each other, pretty much gobsmacked !
So my girl took charge…and replied by tapping out ( of course I’d taught them how to respond ! ).
‘QSK, QRZ, QRA, QTH, QSL’.
Their was a sound of muffled laughter followed by more tapping, telling them his name ( Stan ) and that he was in the ice cream section ( which they couldn’t see ).
Soon enough I’d passed along the line and paid for our shopping and joined the kids, where we were standing ( and still replying to the ‘messages’ )…then an elderly guy walked up…and looked at the kids ( with a HUGE grin on his face…and introduced himself as ‘Stan’.
Turned out that Stan was a radio operator in WW2, sometimes dropped behind enemy lines…I swapped telephone numbers and a few days later we invited him to dinner, where he told us about some of his adventures during the war.
I was present for an emergency stop test in the engine room of the JFK back in the early 80s. I have first hand knowledge of doing this.
But how do I explain this experience to the average Joe or Josephine?
Your question related this to deceleration forces and cars, so I’ve been mulling over how to answer in the same terms. Here is what I came up with. Please fasten your seat belts.
A ship has no brakes. Normally it coasts to a stop. This takes about five miles for a carrier at full speed as someone else alluded to in another answer. You can do this in a car coming to a red light if you want to. It will irritate the other drivers, but who cares right?
I knew someone who drove like this. She was old in the 1970s. Real old. In her 90s. I mowed her yard. She had this old 50s something Chevy she bought new. Each spring she would buy a few cans of blue spray paint and give it a new coat. She did an amazing job.
One day, I was admiring the car. It did not have a scratch on it. No dents. No dings. No bent chrome. No rust. She bragged to me that she still had the original brake shoes. She made them last by planning ahead. She knew where the stops were and could just let off the gas beforehand and coast to a stop.
She was sweet and fierce. She fed me little cakes. If you got out of line she would slap you up side the head, hard.
That sums up an aircraft carrier nicely.
Now imagine a car with no brakes. You coast to a stop just like ships do. Everything is fine until some guy ruins your day by pulling out in front of you.
What do you do, You have no brakes?
YOU CRAM IT INTO REVERSE AND STEP ON THE GAS.
In cars, that would likely break something even if you have a straight shift, but you can do it if you are:
In the dirt.
Aided by brakes.
Have fancy foot work.
I can hear the comments now. Impossible.
It’s not.
I’ve done it.
Yes it is likely to tear things apart.
I’ll refrain from giving the details of when, where and why I did this. I am not sure what the statute of limitations is.
On an aircraft carrier, you are doing just that when you do an emergency stop. In the engine room, things are absolutely screaming in protest.
The ship starts shaking.
The throttleman and boiler console operator are working desperately together to keep from breaking stuff.
People are calling off times and pressures as everything starts vibrating.
Dust and dirt falls on you from the pipes and wiring above.
Hands grab tight to things bolted down to keep standing.
The ship’s tires start losing grip. That’s the screws (props) as they try to catch water so hard it boils. Yes, the water boils (cavitates). As the pressure is lowered, it turns to steam.
A few might wet themselves just a little.
82,655 tons of metal that wants to keep on truckin’ protests loudly.
And it does not take miles to stop. It happens in a few ship lengths. Remember, a mile is only five lengths of a US aircraft carrier. Yes, it is intense.
We did this without any equipment on the flight deck. No planes. No green, red, yellow, white, blue, brown, or purple shirted guys running around. Everything tied down tight.
Bonus memory
The night I reported to the ship it was dark and rainy. I walked up to the watch at the pier and showed my orders. He pointed toward this dark shadow. I was confused.
“Is the ship behind that warehouse?” I asked.
He laughed and said, “That warehouse is the ship”
You really can’t appreciate the size of a US Carrier until you walk up and get swallowed by it.
For Man and Nature: Building a Community of Life Together
Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
At the Leaders Summit on Climate
22 April 2021
Honorable President Joe Biden,
Honorable Colleagues,
It is a great pleasure to join you at the Leaders Summit on Climate on Earth Day. I wish to thank President Biden for the kind invitation. It is good to have this opportunity to have an in-depth exchange of views with you on climate change, and to discuss ways to tackle this challenge and find a path forward for man and Nature to live in harmony.
Since time of the industrial civilization, mankind has created massive material wealth. Yet, it has come at a cost of intensified exploitation of natural resources, which disrupted the balance in the Earth’s ecosystem, and laid bare the growing tensions in the human-nature relationship. In recent years, climate change, biodiversity loss, worsening desertification and frequent extreme weather events have all posed severe challenges to human survival and development. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has added difficulty to economic and social development across countries. Faced with unprecedented challenges in global environmental governance, the international community needs to come up with unprecedented ambition and action. We need to act with a sense of responsibility and unity, and work together to foster a community of life for man and Nature.
— We must be committed to harmony between man and Nature. “All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature.” Mother Nature is the cradle of all living beings, including humans. It provides everything essential for humanity to survive and thrive. Mother Nature has nourished us, and we must treat Nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws. Failure to respect Nature or follow its laws will only invite its revenge. Systemic spoil of Nature will take away the foundation of human survival and development, and will leave us human beings like a river without a source and a tree without its roots. We should protect Nature and preserve the environment like we protect our eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and Nature can both prosper and live in harmony.
— We must be committed to green development. Green mountains are gold mountains. To protect the environment is to protect productivity, and to improve the environment is to boost productivity — the truth is as simple as that. We must abandon development models that harm or undermine the environment and must say no to shortsighted approaches of going after near-term development gains at the expense of the environment. Much to the contrary, we need to ride the trend of technological revolution and industrial transformation, seize the enormous opportunity in green transition, and let the power of innovation drive us to upgrade our economic, energy and industrial structures, and make sure that a sound environment is there to buttress sustainable economic and social development worldwide.
— We must be committed to systemic governance. Mountains, rivers, forests as well as farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts all make indivisible parts of the ecosystem. Protecting the ecosystem requires more than a simplistic, palliative approach. We need to follow the innate laws of the ecosystem and properly balance all elements and aspects of Nature. This is a way that may take us where we want to be, an ecosystem in sound circulation and overall balance.
— We must be committed to a people-centered approach. The environment concerns the well-being of people in all countries. We need to take into full account people’s longing for a better life and a good environment as well as our responsibility for future generations. We need to look for ways to protect the environment, grow the economy, create jobs and remove poverty all at the same time, so as to deliver social equity and justice in the course of green transition and increase people’s sense of benefit, happiness and security.
— We must be committed to multilateralism. We need to work on the basis of international law, follow the principle of equity and justice, and focus on effective actions. We need to uphold the UN-centered international system, comply with the objectives and principles laid out in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement, and strive to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We need to each take stronger actions, strengthen partnerships and cooperation, learn from each other and make common progress in the new journey toward global carbon neutrality. In this process, we must join hands, not point fingers at each other; we must maintain continuity, not reverse course easily; and we must honour commitments, not go back on promises.
China welcomes the United States’ return to the multilateral climate governance process. Not long ago, the Chinese and US sides released a Joint Statement Addressing the Climate Crisis. China looks forward to working with the international community including the United States to jointly advance global environmental governance.
— We must be committed to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is the cornerstone of global climate governance. Developing countries now face multiple challenges to combat COVID-19, grow the economy, and address climate change. We need to give full recognition to developing countries’ contribution to climate action and accommodate their particular difficulties and concerns. Developed countries need to increase climate ambition and action. At the same time, they need to make concrete efforts to help developing countries strengthen the capacity and resilience against climate change, support them in financing, technology, and capacity building, and refrain from creating green trade barriers, so as to help developing countries accelerate the transition to green and low-carbon development.
Colleagues,
The Chinese civilization has always valued harmony between man and Nature as well as observance of the laws of Nature. It has been our constant pursuit that man and Nature could live in harmony with each other. Ecological advancement and conservation have been written into China’s Constitution and incorporated into China’s overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. China will follow the Thought on Ecological Civilization and implement the new development philosophy. We will aim to achieve greener economic and social development in all aspects, with a special focus on developing green and low-carbon energy. We will continue to prioritize ecological conservation and pursue a green and low-carbon path to development.
Last year, I made the official announcement that China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. This major strategic decision is made based on our sense of responsibility to build a community with a shared future for mankind and our own need to secure sustainable development. China has committed to move from carbon peak to carbon neutrality in a much shorter time span than what might take many developed countries, and that requires extraordinarily hard efforts from China. The targets of carbon peak and carbon neutrality have been added to China’s overall plan for ecological conservation. We are now making an action plan and are already taking strong nationwide actions toward carbon peak. Support is being given to peaking pioneers from localities, sectors and companies. China will strictly control coal-fired power generation projects, and strictly limit the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year Plan period and phase it down in the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Moreover, China has decided to accept the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and tighten regulations over non-carbon dioxide emissions. China’s national carbon market will also start trading.
As a participant, contributor and trailblazer in global ecological conservation, China is firmly committed to putting multilateralism into action and promoting a fair and equitable system of global environmental governance for win-win cooperation. China will host COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity this October and looks forward to working with all parties to enhance global governance on biodiversity. We support COP26 to the UNFCCC in achieving positive outcomes. As we in China often say, “It is more important to show people how to fish than just giving them fish.” China has done its best to help developing countries build capacity against climate change through various forms of results-oriented South-South cooperation. From remote sensing satellites for climate monitoring in Africa to low-carbon demonstration zones in Southeast Asia and to energy-efficient lights in small island countries, such cooperation has yielded real, tangible and solid results. China has also made ecological cooperation a key part of Belt and Road cooperation. A number of green action initiatives have been launched, covering wide-ranging efforts in green infrastructure, green energy, green transport and green finance, to bring enduring benefits to the people of all Belt and Road partner countries.
Colleagues,
As we say in China, “When people pull together, nothing is too heavy to be lifted.” Climate change poses pressing, formidable and long-term challenges to us all. Yet I am confident that as long as we unite in our purposes and efforts and work together with solidarity and mutual assistance, we will rise above the global climate and environmental challenges and leave a clean and beautiful world to future generations.
Why do so many people still think Ukraine is going to win this war when obviously they are doomed?
It’s a religion now.
The god is democracy; not the concept or the practice, just the word “democracy”.
The US is the prophet.
The EU and other US “allies” are the priests.
Zelensky is the messiah.
Ukraine is the promised land.
Is this misinformation or just people being stupid?
This is normal behaviour for religious people. When faced with facts, we do not renounce our deity. We do not say “Oh, this has really opened our eyes to the truth.” We draw together, expel the unbeliever and say this tribulation has made us stronger and more pure.
Although, unlike other “traditional” religions, this one in particular is actually quite flexible. Because soon Tsai will be the messiah and Taiwan the promised land.
When I was 13, I wanted a six pack. I did sit ups and curls intermittently with no plan or rigor. By 14, I’d given up.
When I was 16, I picked up boxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I wanted to be great at fighting. By 17, I’d decided in my head that great fighters have been doing this since they were 8, so I’d given up.
When I was 18, I wrote blog posts and started multiple businesses, I’d take them to a level of significance but nothing actually significant. By 19, I’d decided in my head I wasn’t going to make 6 figures at it anytime soon, so I’d given up.
Everything I wanted to get or do or be, I gave it one year tops before giving it up.
Now I look back and ask myself “Where would I be right now if I’d stuck with it? What if I’d had that foresight?“
I work out every day now.
I write every day now.
I train to fight multiple times per week.
I’m following the things I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid, because I now know the dividends I will get are going to have outstanding returns in 2 years, 5 years and 10 years from now.
1% better a day doesn’t look like much in 30 days, but it transforms you completely over the course of years.
The most important lesson I’ve learned in life is to play the long game.
The you in the past wants you to do better than they did, and the you in the future wants you to be better than you are. Don’t let yourself down.
Edit: When I wrote this I had no idea the kind of response it would get.
I want to write to each and every one of you who’ve commented to thank you personally for how much it means of you to comment on this (and as you might see, I’ve tried).
If there’s anything I can do to help the future you be better, please feel free to message me or ask me to answer your questions. While I can’t respond to everyone or answer every request, I’ll do my best.
I think that is fast changing and in 5 years you can hardly see the difference. Japanese has a 35 years head start but all economies do the same. They copy, learn, innovate and move up stream. And now they are worried other nations steal their idea. China is no different from the USA and Japan. Both went through the same path. To say China steal is very rich and so is to say China’s product is inferior.
These days China offers 3 value for money items. One is poorer quality but very cheap. Many in the 3rd world need to make do with this. And one who is very good quality but for rich and wealthy individuals and then there is the run of the meal products. In between the first two.
Russia is a Surplus Food Producer and a Surplus Energy Exporter and has a massive raw material reservoir
How on earth could anyone with 1/10th of a brain hope to sanction such a country ?
It’s what we on Quora from Day 1 have always been saying
Myself, Bill Chen, Cai Lei, Venkata Krishna (Venkata Rao), Boris, Ivan, Alexander Finnegan, Li Pengli, Patrick Koh, Peter Okuhira, Donald Canton, Paul Denlinger, Bill Zhang, Robert Vanrox, Keshto Pat
It’s basic economics
Basic demand & supply
In fact the sanctions have rebounded very badly on Europe itself
I was in Shanghai, expecting to board a flight home after a long week. The flight was due to leave around 23:00. As I waited in the public area, I heard a comment about the flight, so I went to the counter and asked what had happened. The polite young girl with great English said that there was an issue with the aircraft and that there were no code shares available, so the flight had been cancelled.
Obviously I was unhappy, but I couldn’t blame it on the girl. I asked what I should do as I had no hotel booking and didn’t want to spend the night in the airport. She called up somebody. A woman came along in a golf cart and loaded my bags, driving me off to the other end of the terminal, where a group of tourists were going ballistic about the cancellation. She smiled at me and said ‘sit here’ so I stayed seated in the golf cart while the angry, drunk mob of tourists vented.
A few minutes later, she came back and drove us out to the carpark, where a late model black BMW was waiting. I was loaded in and driven to a nice new hotel near the airport. Upon arrival, I was greeted by staff and taken to a beautiful room. The attendant said that my stay and breakfast were free and that a driver had been arranged for the morning. As the attendant was walking out the door, he turned and said ‘Don’t worry sir, those other passengers are spending the night in the airport’!
In 2009 I was taken to court by a hospital over a $200 balance and told by a judge I had 30 days to pay, or I was going to be arrested and put in jail. It was the peak of the Bush economic implosion, my business failed after 15 years of success, I had lost my house and car, and had been selling off everything, including my plasma, to rent a tiny house without air conditioning or heat. I was destitute, and the thought of jumping in front of a train so my family could cash in on my still paid up life insurance and my wife could receive my social security death benefit was becoming more of an option every moment. Here I was in court facing a judge that didn’t care about my situation and a smug collection attorney that worked for the hospital that treated my pneumonia caused by having no heat and they didn’t care at all. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t pay that bill in 30 days. I would be lucky if I could feed my children in 30 days. I did what I had to do, sold what I had left, beds, toys, family heirlooms, practically everything but the clothes on our backs. I borrowed a piece of crap car from the only friend I had left, and we snuck out of town into hiding. We managed to make it back to my hometown where I had friends from grade school and one gave us a place to stay, another gave me a job for cash daily. We survived like that for a year and I finally got back on my feet enough to contact the collection attorney office and arrange to make payment in full. I called the Sheriff and discovered that there was a warrant for my arrest where we used to live. I contacted that attorney again and told them I would pay them with a 7-11 money order and mail it to their office immediately if they took care of that warrant. They couldn’t do anything because only the judge had the power to discard the warrant. I had to continue to live anonymously for the next 3 years, no known address, no W-2, registering my kids in school under my mother’s maiden name until I afford a lawyer in another state to clear it up for me. 4 years of my life were taken from me over my inability to pay a $200 hospital balance. Don’t tell me nothing happens if you don’t pay a hospital bill.
**edit**
I have decided to disable comments. Apparently the concept of my particular situation is somehow lost in translation. I’ve been called names and grown tired of explaining how this is possible. Rather than continue to engage with these commentators, I will simply step away. Thank you to those that have shown empathy and support.
Hart To Hart | Long Lost Love | Season 5 Episode 8 Full Episode | Classic TV Rewind
My old dongle died… and / or was orphaned when my Lunix Mint updated the OS. In any event, I needed a new one.
A “dongle” is something that you plug into your computer. Like though a USB port.
Wifi is exactly that. While my laptop has a builtin wifi, I am running Lunix Mint, and the chipset is Microsoft Windows propriety.
American versions were about 10x the price of their Chinese versions. So I bought a dongle out of Shenzhen. It’s a good unit.
I bought a nice 2.5G / 5G / 6G version. It ran me about $10 us (65 yuan). The American version is about 800 yuan + taxes + 25% import tax. Is limited to 4G. No 5G and 6G.
The American version is ten times more expensive, and has less functionality.
The Chinese version is AWESOME!
It runs on Ubuntu. Which is a Linux distro.
Lunix
…Ubuntu
……Lunix Mint
………Lunix Mint Cinnamon
When it was plugged in, nothing happened. Bummed me out, but I didn’t freak. And calmly looked up on Lunix.
But I went on a Lunix forum, and followed the instructions found there….
I ran…
inxi -Fxxxrz && rfkill list && lsusb && mokutil --sb-state
I figured that I had previous bad or broken versions. So a clean-out might be necessary.
Followed by…
apt --fix-broken install
Then I ran the commands to pull the driver from the Ubuntu repositories, and then the Linus Mint translation runs…
My little girl goes to a preschool and she has little cute friends there.
Since it is the time of winter vacation, they had a small cute little party on the last day of school before the break. They had a performance, where almost every child performed (except one who refused to smile and was upset with his mummy over something- he was so cute).
Anyway, after the performance, there was an arrangement for refreshments too. Some was arranged by the school and some were contributions.
image 72
Since it is a preschool and children studying in the school are 25–30, arrangements were done accordingly.
When the food was served, I took a plate, added a cupcake for my girl, a cracker, grape-cheese stick, a cookie and a very small piece of cake. I took it and led my girl to a chair where we ate from the same plate.
There was another mother who sat next to me. She brought two immensely full plates. I don’t really mind people filling their plates as long as they can finish the food but her girl took a bite of a cookie and left entire things as it was and she had cakes and muffins and then she said, “Oh! I can’t finish it off. Too much sugar. I guess I will have to leave that. See, even my girl didn’t eat a thing. She insisted to get muffins and cakes and chips and now she doesn’t want to eat”.
I was astounded. How could someone be so inconsiderate. We all could see that food spread on the table was meant for everyone present there. That was the reason I took refreshments, not a meal. This woman had no guilt over wasting so much food. Why did she take such big portions in the first place? Even my girl wanted two cupcakes but I suggested that she have to finish the first and if required we would take the other one of different colour. She agreed and chose a pink one!
The same lady was also talking about how she purchased three umbrellas because she didn’t like the colour of the first or the style of the second, how she purchased clothes worth 500 dollars for her three-year-old in a single day, how she overspends on weekly groceries, what she shops and from which brand et cetera.
Similarly, there was another lady who overfilled her child’s plate and left her eating while she had her share.
We all know how little a three-year- old eats. Even if the child is very hungry, let him/her finish some portion first and then refill. We have no right to waste food. It makes you look so uncool even if you carry Kate Spade bags and wear Zara blazers.
In August 2023 a group of 11 Russian and Chinese warships conducted “exercises” near Alaska’s outlying islands. They were tracked by US Navy destroyers but remained in international waters which was perfectly legal. It made page 5 of the Washington Post (below the fold). In September 2022 a convoy of three Chinese and four Russian vessels, including a destroyer and a guided missile cruiser passed by the US island of Kiska (near Alaska). It was shadowed by a US Coast Guard cutter but nobody got too offended.
Pictured below Russia’s Viktor Leonov (SSV-175) an armed surveillance vessel that loves to loiter just outside the 12 mile limit of US territorial waters along the east coast. Or, as the question puts it “floating just off the coast”. Some of its favorite spots are the US naval bases at Norfolk, New London and Cape Canaveral. It has been doing this for years.
image 67
Apparently it occasionally gets bored with “floating just off the coast” and tries to break the 12 mile limit, in particular disrupting commercial shipping lanes. What has the US done about these repeated unbearable provocations that hurt the feelings of the American people? The Leonov is shadowed by a US Navy destroyer, lately the USS Mahan, whose primary task is to tell the Russian vessel to get the hell back outside the limit. That’s the response when alien warships are “floating just off the coast”.
Below is the AGI Yantar, a Russian vessel optimized for intelligence gathering and mounting deep sea submersibles. It likes to hang around the east coast underseas cables. One more thing for 2d Fleet to keep track of.
image 66
FWIW: we’ve had Russian nuke boats cruising around for decades now and managed not to get overly excited about it. They usually get shadowed by 2d Fleet but that’s about it. There is a debate over whether current Russian sub activity off the E. Coast is greater or lesser than it was in Soviet days.
Dad was straight Chevy/GMC product. I was strictly Ford. 2002 we changed places and neither of us were happy. He had a book of somewhat minor but annoying problems right from the start. He had the car for a few months. Went to pick up his grandson from school one day. On the way home, grandson made to roll the window down. Did not budge. As soon as he dropped him off, he zipped straight to the dealer. He wasn’t as gentle shutting the door as normal. Stepped up to the counter and proceeded to read them the riot act working in the point that he never had problems like this with his Chevys through the years. They told him to go to the waiting room where there was a fresh pot of coffee and sit back. They would check it out right then. He stormed in there poured his coffee, his butt brushed the chair seat not even fully seated yet when the tech opened the door telling him he was good to go. He exploded. You haven’t even had the time to pull it around yet and you’re telling me it’s ready??? I can’t believe you’d even think of trying that. I’m so fed up. It takes 3–4 trips in to fix anything and now it’s fixed in 30 seconds? Tech just grinned and asked him to come out to the drive. Put him in the driver’s seat telling him to position himself as if he was driving. Tech walks over to the passenger side to show him the window is working. Dad is flabbergasted. Tells the tech he knows that wasn’t working when he came in so what was wrong? Well sir, turn your head to see just where your arm is now. Looking under your elbow, do you see that switch? That’s a lockout button for all the windows so that kids can’t play with the windows. With that switch activated, the switches in the other doors are bypassed and will not work. Redfaced, embarrassed, he was apologizing for his attitude. Asked them what he owed for a checkout fee. They laughed it off telling him the entertainment value he brought in more than paid for it.
In 1960, after winning over $100,000 in the lottery, a sum equivalent to around $3 million today’s money.
A thing that could have been a cause for celebration for many became a curse for Australian Bazil Thorne.
image 65
His winnings set the stage for a harrowing sequence of events, propelled into motion when newspapers, in a spectacular breach of privacy, splashed Thorne’s details across their front pages.
Shortly after, his son, Graeme Thorne was kidnapped for ransom.
The kidnapper stated: “I have your boy. I want £25,000 before 5 o’clock this afternoon. I’m not fooling. If I don’t get the money before 5 o’clock, I’ll feed the boy to the sharks.”
The situation spiraled out of control as the kidnappers panicked upon realizing the police were involved.
In a desperate and senseless act, they murdered young Graeme before the exchange could occur.
On Tuesday 16 August, nearly six weeks after the kidnapping, Thorne’s body was finally discovered hidden on vacant land, sending shock waves across the nation.
The meticulous police investigation culminated in the apprehension and conviction of the perpetrator, Stephen Bradley, a Hungarian immigrant.
The trial, lasting nine days, resulted in Bradley receiving penal servitude for life, the severest sentence available in New South Wales for murder at the time.
This heartbreaking story reverberated beyond personal grief as it spurred a permanent change in Australia’s laws, cloaking the identities of lottery winners in anonymity to protect them from such fates.
With what I’ve heard and read about past winners, this sudden wealth that many fantasize about might just as swiftly transform into a curse for some.
Refuel Café Louisiana Buffalo Shrimp
Forget the wings! Now you can have delicious Buffalo Shrimp.
louisiana buffalo shrimp
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
5 ounces Louisiana-style hot sauce
1/2 pound whole butter, cold, unsalted, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound jumbo Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
6 cups oil, preferably canola
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
In a small saucepan, reduce the hot sauce until thick, add the heavy cream, bring to a boil, and lower the heat.
Over low heat, stir in the butter in stages, keeping the sauce hot the whole time. Set aside, but make sure it stays hot.
Heat oil to 350 degrees F.
Whip the eggs and add the milk for an egg wash.
Bread the shrimp by rolling them into the flour, then dipping them into the egg wash, and rolling them in flour again.
Fry shrimp in the hot oil for 3 minutes (depending on the fryer).
Remove shrimp from oil and dry with a napkin.
Put shrimp in a large bowl, add the reserved sauce, and toss.
Plate the shrimp, draining most of the sauce from the shrimp as you do so, and top with bleu cheese crumbles.
Yesterday actually. I was coming out of a store and I heard something behind me. When I looked back I saw a family behind me of two young girls, a mother, and father. They were white. The two girls were acting like monkeys and making monkey sounds. The mother and father were laughing. I got in my truck which was facing them and started it up. I really wasn’t sure who the gestures were being directed at until they did it again just before getting in their car which was right in front of mine while looking at and laughing at me. I looked at the mother and father and, as the mother laughed, I looked at the father just to see if he actually saw and was okay with what they were doing. The smirking sneer on his face said everything. They meant for me to see that. To feel that. And although I have confronted racism and racist people before, I think it was the kids doing what they did that hurt me more than I had felt it before. The mere fact that kids had been taught that kind of nastiness and that it was being deliberately directed at me for no other reason than I’m black just brought immediate tears to my eyes. I couldn’t even help it. I looked the other way so they wouldn’t see me.
Green Acres – Eb & The Flying Saucer
WARS ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANS, ANIMALS AND NATURE EDITOR’S NOTE
So it finally happened. The US Empire literally overextended itself in lies and conflicts, and ended up showing the world it is no longer a credible Hegemon.
Undeniably, the epochal turning point, so eagerly awaited in the Global South, came when Russia’s armies clearly defeated—against massive derogatory prognostication—the military might of the collective West in Ukraine, a gigantic accomplishment, while China quietly became the most powerful industrial engine in history. What’s probably most embarrassing to the West’s ruling cliques, those still capable of self-reflection, is that the rapid emergence of these two formidable peer powers resulted in large measure from pathetic policy errors that could have been easily avoided. Washington and its criminally complicit allies didn’t have to lose their supremacy so quickly, but greed, contempt for life and truth, and terminal corruption, not to mention the mounting, incurable ills of capitalism, their true religion, took their toll and imperial arrogance did the rest. The US and the EU are now tottering, flailing about on the world stage, showing the ravages of massive leadership failure. Dangers aside, this is good for the rest of humanity.
Washington’s problem is systemic and organic. That’s why in the midst of this self-inflicted crisis the West’s huge disinformation machine is showing signs of disarray. The totalitarian degree of censorship and deception required to deny the truth about Ukraine and now Israel apparently stressed and finally broke the walls protecting the official narrative, and now the truth, so long repressed, is pouring out from a million places like a mighty tsunami. Since truth improves the chances of survival for everyone, this is to be celebrated.
Ironically, the unmasking of the Empire occurred because Israel—Washington’s pampered Zionist protegé—has behaved in such a manically depraved way, its criminal acts so cowardly, repugnant, and unrelenting, that even parts of the mainstream media have begun to crack under public pressure and report, however gingerly, vital truths. This has sufficed to show the sheer evil, blatant hypocrisy and complicity of the Empire, further shredding the remnants of its reputation. The upshot is that the onetime feared American Empire—from its core to its satrapies—is now stuck in a multilayered, multipronged crisis, not the kind of crisis that a pathetically mediocre and often half-delusional leadership can handle. The world can do a lot better than this, and with just a little bit of luck, it will. —PG
IMPORTANT: The Greanville Post is today the best edited and annotated hybrid “aggregator” of anti-imperialist articles in the anglophone world (we print original and external materials). Don’t let it die at a moment when a victory in the battle of communications for a new type of world is more crucial than ever. Mass political enlightenment precedes mass mobilisation.
Ah, “Not For Hire.” This is actually an interesting piece of trucker lingo that can lead to a bit of confusion if you’re not in the know.
image 7
So, when you see “Not For Hire” emblazoned on the side of a truck, it’s basically saying that the truck, along with its driver, is not available for commercial services. It’s like a taxi with a “Off Duty” light, except the truck was likely never on duty to begin with.
Why display this, you ask?
Well, it has to do with regulations. Commercial trucks are governed by a slew of regulations that include commercial licenses, logs, maintenance standards, inspections, and insurance requirements. When a truck is “for hire,” it means it’s operating under a commercial entity that conforms to these regulations and is available to transport goods for others for a fee.
A “Not For Hire” truck, on the other hand, is typically privately owned, and they’re declaring that they’re not subject to the same degree of government oversight because they’re not making money from transporting goods. This might be a business transporting its own products, like a farmer taking his produce to market, or a company truck carrying equipment to a job site.
The designation helps law enforcement and other authorities quickly identify what kind of regulations to enforce with that particular vehicle. After all, nobody wants to get bogged down in paperwork for no reason – the truck isn’t a commercial service, so it doesn’t need the same level of scrutiny.
And for any would-be regulators or officers eyeing the rig with thoughts of a potential infraction, that sign is saying, “Move along, nothing to see here.” It’s a bit of a bureaucratic force field.
But let’s be clear, “Not For Hire” doesn’t grant immunity from all laws; these trucks still have to comply with safety regulations and general traffic laws. It just means they’re not engaging in the business of hauling other people’s stuff around for profit.
When push comes to shove, “Not For Hire” trucks are just out there doing their own thing, not soliciting commercial transport business, and hence they’re playing by a slightly different set of rules. It’s one of the many nuances of the road that keeps things interesting – and complicated. Just like life, right?
My Dad walked to and from work everyday. He also walked home and back at lunch time.
I didn’t give a thought to his habit of walking. Growing up in a small town, we all walked , more so than other places. We never had a huge distance to get somewhere. Or to get back.
Mom got her drivers license after she was 40. We had always traveled in my dad’s fuel truck if we needed transportation. Mom couldn’t and wouldn’t drive it. In warm weather, my sister and I rode on the outside of the truck.
image 68
It had little cubicles we could fit down into. On rural trips, we often rode on the front.
When Standard Oil sold, Dad changed jobs and we got a Plymouth. A big boat of a car! Unless we were unable to get somewhere on foot, it sat at home.
My father walked that road to and from the school where he worked, rain or shine. Hot days and snowy, freezing cold days. He never missed a day of work.
When cancer invaded my dad’s body, he became unable to care for himself. It was heart wrenching to see him humiliated by others seeing him so vulnerable. Modesty was only one thing he had to let go of.
During his illness, I saw his poor misshapen, swollen knees. He had never said a word about his painful knees to any of us kids.
Mom said he suffered terribly because of this for years.
I was saddened and humbled by what he did to provide for all of us.
Being Icelandic, and being so few people here, we are more in touch and know our story quite well.
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Our graveyards are full of these. 6 siblings that died in a span of a month. Every spring, what was known as child illness moved across the country and took kids everywhere. Parents were helpless and could just cry as they lost all their kids. Even I am connected to these poor kids. The parents did have more kids and most of them became adults. The illness was called diphtheria. One relative of mine has over 20 kids which all were lost to this decease and in the end they had 2 kids that survived.
This was harrowing and unmeasurable sadness.
Since the late 1940–1950, we haven’t had any such illnesses. Nothing. Polio is unheard of but is making a comeback.
People are simply idiots, morons and easily convinced of stupid things. Propaganda works.
If Magnus and Ingibjörg, the parents of the above children could tell you anything, they would tell you to vaccinate your children.
There is a saying that no one should bury their children, yet there is a group of people who seemingly are anxiously waiting to do that.
But here is the sad part. The top antivaxers, the people on TV in interviews and “news hosts”, who tell people to not get vaccinated, they are all vaccinated themselves. That includes Robert Kennedy jr.
Hi, Sinkei428. Thanks for the interesting question.
Of course you can!
As long as you have money and a mobile phone with which to scan the food seller’s QR code and make a mobile payment, you can have as many meals as you want!
Food can be very cheap and affordable here, so feel free to splurge and eat as much as you like.
The 肉夹馍 (Ròujiāmó, a.k.a. Chinese burger) shown in the picture below is filled with stewed pork and eggs and only costs 8 yuan (USD 1.12)
You can add some 凉皮 (Liángpí, cold skin noodles) and snacks to make it a more substantial meal.
Should set you back no more than 15 – 20 yuan (USD 2.10 – 2.80)
You can also use a variety of apps to have food delivered to you. Food is literally at your fingertips 24/7.
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3
Red Fish Grill Remoulade
102 2600
Ingredients
1/2 bunch chopped parsley, finely chopped
1/4 bunch green onion, finely chopped
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 lemon, juiced
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup Creole mustard
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons fresh horseradish
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
Combine all ingredients, except for the vegetable oil, in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil with the blender or food processor still running.
I had an old boss speak to me that way. I made a mistake and said , “I’m sorry.” He responded, “You’re right. You’re sorry. Your a pathetic excuse for a human being.”
I was fresh out of high school. Very shy. And this 40+ year old man just ripped me a new one. I looked at him, and told him “I apologized. I made a mistake. But it is not okay for you to speak to me that way.” And I walked away. He later came and apologized to me. He was retired military and had a habit of speaking to employees that way. He never did it to me again.
On another occurrence, I had another employer be rude and disrespectful in front of an all staff meeting. She shushed me during the meeting when I brought up an idea. Then after went into her office. I told her that, “that her actions at the meeting were not acceptable. You tell me how valuable I am to the organization then treat me like you don’t want me here.” She didn’t remember doing it and then started to cry. I stood up and said, “You shushed me. You were disrespectful and rude. And I’m the one supposed to comfort you? I’m going home for the rest of the day.” While normally i don’t recommend leaving- in my scenario it was okay as I was almost done and salary. And honestly I did not care at that point if I got fired. I found a new job a month later.
Say something and if warranted start looking for a new job. No job makes it okay for anyone to belittle you-ever.
I live in Hong Kong, which has the highest per-capita ownership of Rolls-Royces of any city in the world. The thing is, most of the Rolls-Royces you see here are chauffer-driven. So no, I don’t assume anyone driving a Rolls-Royce here is wealthy.
image 71
The Peninsula hotel has a fleet of 14 Rolls-Royce cars, which are used to ferry its well-heeled guests around town.
I do know a friend who owns a Rolls in Hong Kong. He loves it and enjoys driving it himself. But I had to laugh when he complained to me that everyone who saw him didn’t believe it was his car and thought he was the chauffeur.
This stupidity is prevalent in most democracies including India
If you have a problem in your street , you blame the Chief Minister and the Ruling Party and the Prime Minister
In China, things don’t work that way
If you have a problem in your street
You speak to your Residential Block Party Official , a Party member who is chosen for every 15–20 blocks
You speak to your Coorporation Committee Official
You speak to the Hotline and demand immediate service
You don’t talk to your Mayor or Governor or the Politburo or Xi Jingping
Localization is why China is so efficient
If people have problems, they will be dealt with by officials at lower levels and their performance decides their promotion
image 70
This man is the equivalent to say a Major MP in a State in India
He single handedly saved a huge amount of crop despite two floods
The problem didn’t even escalate to Xi Jingping or Li Qiang
It’s called SUBORDINATION
The Topmost Level discuss POLICIES
They discuss this with inputs from the Central Bank, the Economic Board, the Caixin Board, the Independent Experts and the Party Intelligentsia
They FRAME POLICIES, MODIFY POLICIES
Implementation of these Policies is done at lower levels
Provincial Committees, State Committees, Governors, Mayors, Residential Block Officials etc
The CPC will decide “We want to lock down based on a 3% or higher positivity ratio”
The Lower levels must make the lockdown as comfortable as possible and if they don’t, they are roasted by the people and blamed and their career suffers
The CPC will decide “We believe that Businesses should be given a tax break of 25% this year”
The Lower levels must frame the rules and regulations and efficiently bring about the policies
Indians won’t get it
In India, the MPs and MLAs have no role except to win elections and campaign
All the focus goes to the CM and the PM
So much so that more than half the people have no clue who their MP or MLA is
Not so in China
During every February (New Year), a full list of officials, their phone numbers and wechat numbers will be dropped in every Apartment
Updated list of Patrolling Policemen , Block Police Chief
The Officials are the ones who handle the problems all the way including protests
If the Covid 19 protests went sour due to lack of vegetables, the official will be taken to task
Hell, when a policeman kicked and killed a dog in Wuhan, the Official was axed for not implementing the Lockdowns properly
So Citizens ALWAYS speak out against the Government in China
ALWAYS
Much more than India at least
The problem is, the protests are always dealt with at lower levels and never escalate to attract the attention of the parasitic western media
It is only maybe 1% protests that are targeted at the CPC in Beijing
Mainly about the Lockdowns or Taiwan related
It’s why you rarely see any protests in China
Because they are done at a low level and sorted out or handled at a level that makes very little traction
Those protests you see covered by Global Media
They are those very rare protests that happen due to major policy decisions
Plus most of these protestors are Resident Taiwanese rather than Mainlanders
The simple way is THE SIGNS WILL ALWAYS BE IN ENGLISH for the Western Media
Highschool electronics class. Teacher wheeled in the A/V cart with TV and VCR. Yeah, this is an old story.
Anywho, he plugged in the power strip and inserted the VCR tape with the lesson for the day.
Couldn’t get the TV display to come on. TV was completely dead. Worked with buttons for ten minutes, checked wall plug, nothing. Finally gave up and moved on.
Later, guy in the front row got up and plugged the TV into the power strip. Seemed to work pretty well at that point.
This wasn’t the first spark of brilliance from this teacher. A few of us dropped the class. I went to Auto shop and learned how to rewire most of a 1996 Dodge Dakota.
I wrote about this cat in another post. She was the kitten next to the bigger cat cat that was hit and killed by a car in a rainy Kentucky night.
Life moved on, and I was living with my cat, and two others (Texie and Smokie) and we were living in Milford Mass. Nice place. At that time, my wife and I were separated. She was in a mental hospital and under treatment for her raging mental illness. Yeah. Overall, we were functionally separated. And I was living with this slim blonde model named CJ.
She was a stunner. Really.
But her personality was a real shit, and she caused me a Hell of a lot of grief until I was finally able to kick her out.
But I will tell you that when I came home, this cat of mine… tiny and tender Phelie was always crying hysterically, and literally leaped into my arms, and while I was in the house she would not leave my side. She just hung out on my shoulders.
I thought that she “just” missed me.
What I know now was that CJ and her “friends” were probably terrorizing my cat. This went on, I am sure, while I was at work. This must have been true, even though, on the surface, she actually loved (or at least pretended to love) cats.
What I know now…
…
Sorry Phelie.
I let you down. I was too soft and too kind to others. I gave THEM the benefit of the doubt, instead of standing beside those that loved me unconditionally.
Be aware of the signals and the vocalizations of the ones you love.
Chinese companies will continue to work and innovate, and make new products to sell at prices about 30–50% what western multinationals charge.
One unsubstantiated rumor says that President Biden recently watched a product presentation made by Richard Yu 大嘴鱼 of Huawei。 It is said that the esteemed president became upset halfway through the presentation and and threw and smashed the notebook computer he was watching the presentation on.
In the next decades, American presidents will have plenty of opportunities to throw and smash their computers after watching Chinese new product presentations.
China simply has sufficient laws and regulations and doesn’t have the cut throat capitalism that the US has
In China – for every $ 100 spent for Pharmaceutical Research, a whopping $ 69 comes from the State and $ 31 comes from Private Industry under law
As a result, Chinese Researchers don’t have that IMPATIENCE to rush through research that US Researchers have
US Pharma Research is now almost entirely funded by Private means.
This means there is always a bottom line, a ticking clock and deadlines and timelines which are decided by PROFIT AND LOSS
Every Drug Research in US has its path decided by potential profits and as a result, even if clinical trials are unfavorable, they are rushed through
It’s a cold blooded calculation
A Pharma company invests an average of $ 600 Million on Research for a Drug
Once the Drug hits the market, it averages $ 3.5 Billion in revenue in a single year
It makes $ 7 Billion Revenue in 2 Years
If the drug has problems later, the drug is withdrawn from the market and some 2000 victims are paid $ 500,000 each , that’s $ 1 Billion
Add another $ 400 Million for Lawyers fees
Thus even a bad drug earns a Pharma company $ 5 Billion profit across 2 years
So US Pharma no longer has any ethics left
Even a bad drug will not cause any problem to the company because they make enough money to pay off any potential victims of the drug
They have enough money to pay top class Politicians , Lobbyists to blame something else and to take the attention from the drug itself
In China, the laws are different
A Bad drug pushed to the market is blamed on the officials of the company who will face jail or even the firing squad
Plus the deadlines aren’t so pressurizing and Chinese scientists can be a little more relaxed with their research schedules than the American scientists
Yes. About 30 years ago I was living in London and had traveled up to Northumberland to visit friends. I was driving back home and a mate was following behind in his Lada (this is all just context) and he drove into the back of my car while searching for his bag of crisps that had fallen into the passenger footwell. I was in my first car, a Ford Capri (go boy racers!). We pulled over and the back of my car was caved in – there was no damage whatsoever to his bloody Lada!
Fast forward a few months, I’d bought a new boot door for my car from a scrapyard and had it all repaired. But the door was red whilst my car was silver. (Again, context – but important).
My friends and I went up to Northumberland again, only this time Mr Plod pulled me over. I was puzzled. I hadn’t been speeding or driving dangerously, so I was intrigued as to what the officer had seen that required me to stop. I got out of the car and, in my best innocent look, I asked him what the problem was. He said this…
“Hello sir, I was just wondering whether you knew that your boot door is a different colour from the rest of your car?”
Several answers flipped through my mind. I could’ve slapped my forehead and shouted, “Never mind the back door, where’s my caravan?” Or I could’ve been incredibly more sarcastic.
Instead I settled for, “Bloody vandals! They’ll spray paint anything!”
He didn’t laugh. Instead he asked me to produce my licence at the station when I got home. He asked where I lived so I said London. He sighed, put away his ticket book and said, “Never mind. They never send anything up here anyway.”
Many years ago, I worked at a factory that did plastic and wax injection molding. The guy running the place had worked there since he was in his early 20s, so you’d think he’d have a good handle on how things were done.
The problem with his leadership was that he had come up through the ranks as a salesman. He spent little to no time actually doing engineering or production. He was a wonderful salesman and a couple times landed contracts that were a great boon to the company. The man had a gift. He could have sold manure to a cattle farmer.
One of his biggest contracts was a government contract. We were going to be making parts for the US military. During wartime, these types of contracts are as good as they come. The type of high demand production runs that fill bank accounts. Workers were asked to work a minimum of 60 hours a week, with unlimited overtime pre-approved. Some of us younger workers were working 80+ hours a week – only going home during the work week to get some sleep, then coming right back at 5 a.m.
Bank.
I was running a machine that made a part, we’ll call it Widget X. Well, Widget X was a fairly large part that required a lengthy cooldown phase. You can’t just inject molten wax into a mold and expect it to hold shape until it has properly cooled. We only had one machine that was large enough to make Widget X, so it ran 24/7.
A few months into the production run, management was in a bit of a panic. Widget X was one of the most important parts of the contract and we were falling behind on production schedule. Engineering and quality control were asked to find a way to speed up production, but they told management the biggest time sink was in the cooling phase. There just wasn’t any way around that. If they lowered the temperature of the wax, it would be too thick upon injection and break the fragile ceramic cores in the mold. If they actively cooled the die, the wax would solidify unevenly and cause warping.
Mr. Leader, despite the fact that he had oversold our production capabilities, insisted that there was a way to increase output to meet demand. So he began looking into each and every step of the process.
Back to me running the machine. As I said, there was a very lengthy cooldown phase where the machine remained locked shut until the part was ready. During this phase, I took a little time to pick a new CD to listen to while working. (I said this was many years ago)
Seeing me “dicking around” with my Discman, Mr. Leader went into a fit of rage.
“NO WONDER WE’RE SO FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE!”
“That’s it! No more listening to music while working. We need to get back on track and I don’t want to see another set of headphones in this place until we do!”
If you’ve never done it before, injection molding has to be one of the most boring jobs on the planet. You press the two start buttons, wait for the machine to close, do its thing, then wait some more until the part is ready. You remove the part, push the buttons again, and wait. That’s the whole job.
Music was one of the few things that made the job bearable. We could disappear into our own heads and only surface every few minutes to restart the process. Now that we couldn’t do that, the boredom was up in our face. Staring at a giant metal press for 5–15 minutes at a time was dull. Very dull.
So, we had to find ways to amuse our minds for that time. Being the social creatures that we are, we turned to our neighbors and began talking to each other. The problem is that machine shops are really really noisy. In order to have a conversation that is not at a scream, we’d often have to take a few steps toward our neighbor.
This, as you could imagine, meant that the machine operator’s attention was not focused on the machine they were running, but on their conversations. Then when the machine was done running, they’d take a few seconds to finish their sentence and walk back to their machines.
Production slowed. In cases like the machine I was running, not by much. However, some of the smaller parts only had 30 – 60 second run times. An additional 10 seconds per part added up very quickly. Now parts that were running on-time were running behind.
Two weeks into the new rule, the owner of the company paid our department a visit. This almost never happened. He was always in his office on the phone or out on business. He had found out that every single part we were working on had fallen behind and wanted to know why. Mr. Leader had fed him a line that he didn’t buy for a second and was going to figure it out himself.
Luckily, the owner of the company understood production because he had done it early in his career. He knew how boring the job was and that asking employees to sit and stare while doing nothing was cruel.
He rescinded the no music policy immediately and production resumed at a normal pace. He also then called one of his friends in the business and subcontracted some of the production of Widget X to him.
In the end, nothing changed about how fast we could produce Widget X, but at least the rest of the contracts were back on schedule and we could listen to music again.
So I’ll let Isaac and JC Denton from Deus Ex do the heavy lifting here:
image 6
On governmental power
Isaac: “*China is the last sovereign country in the world. Authoritarian but willing — unlike U.N.-governed countries — to give its people the freedom to do what they want.*”
JC Denton: “*As long as they don’t break the law.*”
Isaac: “*Listen to me. This is real freedom, freedom to own property, make a profit, make your life. The West, so afraid of strong government, now has no government. Only financial power.*”
JC Denton: “*Our governments have limited power by design.*”
Isaac: “*Rhetoric… And you believe it! Don’t you know where those slogans come from?*”
JC Denton: “*I give up.*”
Isaac: “*Well-paid researchers — how do you say it? — “think tanks,” funded by big businesses. What is that? A “think tank”?*”
JC Denton: “*Hardly as sinister as a dictator, like China’s Premier.*”
Isaac: “*It’s privately-funded propaganda. The Trilateral Commission in the United States, for instance.*”
JC Denton: “*The separation of powers acknowledges the petty ambitions of individuals; that’s its strength.*”
Isaac: “*A system organized around the weakest qualities of individuals will produce these same qualities in its leaders.*”
JC Denton:“*Perhaps certain qualities are an inseparable part of human nature.*”
Isaac: “*The mark of the educated man is the suppression of these qualities in favor of better ones. The same is true of civilization.*”
On September 11th, 2017, I overdosed on heroin in a Starbucks parking lot. Between the paramedics and the police, a total of six shots of Narcan were administered to revive me.
image 61
Photo is my own.
I was fined $454.96 which I paid in full the following week. I paid it right away because I knew my probation officer was going to lock me up when I arrived at my appointment at the end of the month.
It’s been documented since my childhood that I have a problem with authority figures. My teachers, the police, my probation officers and every counselor I’ve ever had reminds me of that fact.
The truth is, it feels like they have a problem with me. They go on and on about social norms, the rules, the laws and the consequences of my actions. Ohhh the consequences.
It seems to me that once you’re in the system, they do everything in their power to keep you there.
No slack. No second chances. No excuses.
It pains me to think of all the police contact I’ve had. And it always ended the same.
They. Win.
So I walk into my probation appointment sweating bullets. I knew I was going to county lockup that day so I left my phone, my wallet and my keys with a friend. I walked in with just an identification card. That would make processing me into county jail so much easier.
After signing in to adult probation, my p.o. called me up to the fourth floor.
He handed me a specimen cup, knocked on the bathroom door and walked in with me.
I unzipped, turned towards him and sealed my fate.
After failing the urinalysis, I handed him the above-pictured ticket, along with the receipt (as if that’s gonna change anything) and told him exactly what happened.
He gave me the courtesy and respect to explain that I had a problem. He never interrupted and never actually looked at the ticket.
He handed the still-folded ticket back to me and explained the position that I was putting him in. It was complicated. I had already been to jail, while on probation, three times. Probation already sent me to rehab, twice.
I sat there silently. I already had my turn.
He told me, Mr. Brennan, I don’t want to lock you up but I’m supposed to if you catch any new charges or get a tech.
A tech is a technical violation. The difference between a new charge and a tech is pretty simple.
Rob a bank — new charge — bank robbery.
Late to an appointment, fail a drug test, don’t show up to a counseling appointment or overdose on heroin — no charge — but, I’m violating the agreement I made with the courts for the remainder of my jail sentence to be walked off on the street.Those are called techs.
So it’s really a no-brainer. He has to or is supposed to lock me up for 90 days.
Here’s what he said: Thank you for being honest. That shows me that you respect me. I spoke with the judge a few days ago. He left the decision with regards to your freedom up to me. Because you were honest and told me exactly what happened, I’m going to put you on walk-in-status for the remainder of your probation. If you screw up, you go to jail.
Walk-in-status — Instead of meeting with him once a month, I had to meet him every five days for the remainder of my probation. I couldn’t be late, by even a minute, to any scheduled appointment. I had to take three drug tests a week and pass. I had to attend intensive outpatient therapy and get help.
I agreed to the strict(er) guidelines and walked out that day when I knew for sure I wouldn’t.
Before I left, I thought of something. How could he have talked to the judge before I told him what happened? So I asked.
He told me that when I overdosed, the police put my information into their database. When they did that, he received an email because my Social Security number was tied to his caseload. He knew the day after I was hospitalized what had happened.
After he talked to the judge, he decided that if I was honest I’d go free. If I lied, I wouldn’t.
Not every authority figure is the same. They are people, just like me. Collin (name changed) helped me when I was struggling. I’m still eternally grateful for his help in getting on this path.
Notes: I was reminded a week ago that I’m coming up on 1 year since I last shot heroin. Everyone’s so excited. Except for me. I mourn. I mourn the loss of heroin. I feel like I couldn’t figure out how to be a successful junkie. I feel like I failed at doing what I loved. I feel like I’ve lost my identity and I don’t fit in with anyone. I’ve been quiet because I don’t have anything nice to say. I’m sad and it comes out as anger. I hurt the people I love with words when I’m angry.
Nods: Thank you to B.B., B.G., and my girlfriend for all your help this week. I know I can be a self-centered miserable bitch. I try not to. I’m sad.
I moved to a new state for my husbands career and made fast “friends” with a retired neighbor. I went all in with this friendship. Birthdays, Christmas’s, holidays, I always made sure to bring her food and gifts, and to invite her over to celebrate. She never reciprocated gifts and never came to our house unless other friends and neighbors came over too. I knew she had no extra spending money and is retired, so I didn’t consider that a red flag. I’ve lived next to this woman for 3 summers now. Well, we were just given the company home we live in and I got a new job making great money and now this womans ugly side has been coming out loud and clear. She would always make snide comments about my husband “putting work before me” and just somewhat hateful things, but I always chalked it up to her being a crotchety old lady and I would razz her about it, thinking it was all in good fun! I guess that’s what rose colored glasses can do to someone. Well recently, I went to St Vincent’s to buy some hangers (I have 5 kids so even though we do great financially, I try to be frugal with this economy) and the credit card machine wouldnt work, so I said to the cashier it’s nbd and I’ll come back tomorrow. A lady came up to me and handed me $5 and said here ya go, pay it forward and I was so grateful for that $5, bc of the kindness of this woman and bc I had no cash on me either. I went home and ran into my neighbor and told her what had just happened, and she just looked at me, scoffed, and said, “you look poor, that’s why she gave you the money”. That’s when I realized, nothing I could say or do for this woman would ever make us friends. She helped me realize that most people just make summations of who you are in their eyes to make themselves feel better. I went inside and blocked her landline phone number and her email (the only ways she communicates outside of in person). I also learned, if someone can’t be happy for you for $5, they’ll never be happy for you for anything!
China a nation of 1.4 billion lose less than 5000 lives to Covid-19. The U.S. with a mere 330 million people lose 1.1 million. Lives to Covid!
China used the Covid-19 locked down between 2020–2021 to refreshed their economy from low to middle level technologies to building the biggest ships and jumping from 3rd biggest vehicle’s manufacturer to being the 1st in 2023. During that time China launched its own jet planes, expanded its infrastructure!
The U.S. meanwhile provoked and goaded Russia into a war that it is losing badly now and running out of ammunitions!
China acted decisively and locked down cities and regions. And that stop the worst of early pre vaccination infections by at least hundreds of millions people. It saved their lives. China waited and checked and checked till it became 100% safe to totally let a much weakened strained of the virus to infect everyone and get immune to Covid.
China showed that in the event of pandemic, the Chinese government of socialism with Chinese characteristics is best suited to overcome. Challenges and difficulties. Liberal Democratic type of government simply could not match!
Mid 80’s, only female in a pretty hard core, rough talking oil field sales office. I had only been there for a few months and we were all still getting to know each other. Worth noting, I was kind of foisted on them, hired downtown and sent out to the field office.
My probie self was quiet and hard working with no input into the some what adolescent big men trying to shock me.
I had two kids, both in elementary school.
One morning the school called to advise I needed to come pick up my youngest as he clearly had chicken pox.
I walk into the boss’s office to let him know. He says – much to my amazement – well now, do you want to work or do you want to be a mama?
I couldn’t believe that he said that! 1989 not 1900!!!
My nonprobie real self surfaced. I straightened in my chair, preparing to rise looked him straight in the eye and – let’s just all do what’s right and see where we end up.
That was Thursday, when I returned on Monday no one said anything. I stayed another 8 years.
A wealthy man walked into a bar in Miami. As soon as he entered, he noticed an Afr*ican woman, sitting in one corner. He walked over to the counter, removed his wallet and shouted, “Bartender! I’m buying drinks for everyone in this bar, except that woman over there!”
The bartender collected the money and began serving free drinks to everyone in the bar, except the Afr*ican woman. Instead of becoming upset, the woman simply looked up at the guy and shouted, “Thank you!”
This infuriated the wealthy guy. So once again, he took out his wallet and shouted, “Waiter! This time I am buying bottles of wine and additional food for everyone in this bar, except for that Af*rican sitting in the corner over there!”
The bartender collected the money from the man and began serving free food and wine to everyone in the bar except the African. When the waiter finished serving the food and drinks, the Afri*can woman simply smiled at the man and said, Thank you!”
That made him furious. So he leaned over the counter and asked the bartender, “What is wrong with that woman.. I have bought food and drinks for everyone in this bar except for her, and instead of becoming angry, she just sits there, smiles at me and shouts ‘Thank you.’ Is she mad”
The bartender smiled at the wealthy man and said, “No, she is not mad. She is the OWNER of this establishment.”
May our enemies work unknowingly in our favour…….
Semolina’s Muffaletta Pasta
50f89ddae78ff6df5cee37cadce66354
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Olive Salad
2 1/2 cups green olives
1 cup black olives
1 cup diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons diced pimiento
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
Muffaletta Pasta
1 1/2 ounces ham, cut in sticks
1 1/2 ounces Genoa salami, cut in sticks
1/2 cup olive salad
2 cups cooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup provolone cheese
Chopped parsley
Instructions
Olive Salad
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Muffalette Pasta
Sauté the ham and salami in the olive oil until lightly browned.
Add the olive salad and the penne pasta and cook until the pasta is heated through.
Transfer the ingredients to a serving plate and garnish with the remaining ingredients.
New Evidence For The Simulation Hypothesis? Donald Hoffman on The Simulation Argument
I see two great failings. Which one is the “greatest” depends, I suppose, on what day of the week it is, and what the phase of the moon is.
So, in no particular order:
Information by itself almost never changes attitudes. Liberals tend to be policy wonks, living in what Karl Rove sneeringly dismissed as the “reality-based community.” Liberals let facts speak for themselves. Meanwhile, millions of people in this country sincerely, truly, absolutely believe in a conspiracy where Democratic political leaders are running a sex slave ring from the basement of a pizza shop that doesn’t have a basement.
Liberals believe the fact that there is no basement in Comet Ping Pong Pizza means it’s quite clear that there is no child sex traffic ring in the basement of Comet Ping Pong Pizza. Ah HA ha ha ha ha. If only.
In the real world, which liberals claim to believe in, simple observation tells us that people reach conclusions based on emotional impulses, then their rational brains follow along behind. Yet liberalsconsistently, over and over, refuse to acknowledge this; they cling to this weird delusion that if you show someone facts, you’ll change their minds.
Liberals eat their own. To far too many liberals, if you agree with them 98%, you aren’t an ally, you’re 2% enemy. conservatives tend to construct vertical social hierarchies based on submission to recognized authority. Liberals tend to construct horizontal social hierarchies based on ideals of egalitarianism. Liberals clearly hold the moral high ground here, but in functional terms that means if a conservative is told by a recognized authority to vote for a convicted rapist and conman, he will crawl through broken glass to vote for a convicted rapist and con man. If a liberal’s favored candidate said something in 1977 that might possibly be construed as not fully supporting whatever the liberal cause du jour happens to be today, the liberal will reject him utterly.
Any person insufficiently ideologically pure is evil. There can be no disagreement, no nuance, no difference of opinion, oh no; if you don’t agree with me, you are actively evil. It’s about virtue, not governance. There is no room for nuance, no shades of gray, no legitimate disagreement, no complexity; you are 100% with us 100% of the time or you are cast out. Liberals love the way it feels to cast out the wicked and the impure. Picking up the torches and pitchforks feels good. It feels righteous.
One of these leads to better outcomes than the other.
I’m not sure what birdhouse you’re referring to. The number of times I’ve thought about eating a birdhouse is exactly the same number of times I’ve thought about eating a car tire. Which is exactly zero.
Some of my close friends say that I have a habit of overthinking things – and I admit I do – but when it comes to food, I stick to edible things. Why would I eat a birdhouse or a car tire when I can eat some rice / noodles with vegetables and meat?
A thought just occured to me. Are you asking this question because YOU feel like eating a birdhouse and are ashamed that you might be judged for it and thus you busied yourself with concocting this very interesting question instead?
In that case, I would encourage you to go for it. Don’t let shame and guilt stop you from chasing your dreams.
Remember – if you can dream it, you can achieve it, Alexander Plishko !
You know what? Another thing just occured to me, Alexander Plishko. Your inability to see what Chinese are eating could be a result of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). I mean, in your profile picture, you look like you’re in your 60s. At that age, you want to get your eyes checked often. AMD is a disease that affects a person’s central vision – and if left unchecked, can result in severe loss of central vision. I would advise making an appointment with an ophthalmologist – eye issues at your age are no joke and you should get a professional to check out your eyes as soon as conveniently possible.
I’m always serious about my health and will never hesitate to make an appointment with a doctor or specialist if I feel something out of the ordinary going on with my body – if there is really something wrong with your eyes, I would strongly advise you to do the same as well.
Now, given that you may be having some eye problems and thus are probably finding it difficult to make out what you’re seeing, I wouldn’t be surprised if you mistook what you saw some Chinese folks eating for a birdhouse.
Some of my fellow Chinese Quorans have already mentioned bird’s nest soup, but I highly doubt it, given that bird’s nest soup is almost never served in Chinese restaurants that cater to Westerners such as yourself.
I think it is far more likely that you were seeing Chinese patrons digging into a Cantonese dish called 雀巢海中宝 [English: I think “Seafood Nest” is an okay translation, though I have seen some menus refer to it as “Seafood Bird Nest”, which is where your confusion might stem from, given that a bird’s nest can also be thought of as its house, amirite?]
Basically, it’s seafood placed inside a “nest” made from deep-fried julienned taro. The nest is crunchy and edible.
I ate it a few times as a kid, but haven’t eaten it since. But I know that this is one of those old Cantonese dishes that got “exported” to the Anglosphere and became more popular in Anglosphere countries than it ever was back home.
I’m not a fan of this dish – just not a fan of deep-fried anything. But if you’re curious and thinking of giving it a try, then I encourage you to do so, if only so that the experience helps to broaden your culinary horizon.
Went to the ER with symptoms I believed were cardiac in nature. As a nurse, I knew that heart attacks in women do not always present with the classic signs. I was very light headed and short of breath, but no chest pain. All the heart markers were negative. I was feeling pretty good just resting on the stretcher. That was until the doc comes in, pulls the stool up close to me and puts his hand over mine. Oh F$?K, I think. Turns out I had acute leukemia. Boy did things start happening fast! Well, I didn’t get home for 104 days!! Eventually had a stem cell transplant and I’m around 7 years later, telling my story.
In Nigeria, you’ll have to be rich to convince people you’re only walking for the love of it.
Walking is considered poor by many and the distance and pace with which you walk could determine your rank in poverty.
Similar to how some tribes or people consider the obese to be wealthy.
But in a couple of developed countries, I’ve been to, people walk a lot and walks super fast.
To them, walking is not just a means of getting from point A to B; it’s a sign of health-consciousness, a badge of environmental awareness.
I’m currently in Australia and walking is embraced with a sense of pride.
It’s not just about reaching a destination; it’s about embracing the journey, appreciating the environment, and prioritizing personal health.
People stride with purpose, their steps counted and celebrated on the latest smartwatches.
Public transport in these countries further accentuates this cultural divide.
In Nigeria, a day on public transport can feel like a trial by fire, a stark contrast to the efficiency, cleanliness, and reliability of trains, trams, and buses I’ve experienced abroad.
Nigeria, like many underdeveloped and developing countries, carbon footprint is not too big of a deal, yet, and as such, everyone wants to own a car, for comfort and dependability and most of all, for the pride of owning one.
One area I could forgive Nigerians is that our weather could get quite hot and humid most of the year.
Apart from the discomfort; there’s a practical aspect to consider—no one wants to arrive at their destination drenched in sweat. But even for exercise purposes, I don’t see a lot of people doing it.
If I’m not mistaken, walking for the pleasure of it is considered a rich people thing. I mostly see such folks walking about their estates once in a blue moon.
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It’s a sharp contrast to my current situation, where choosing the perfect pair of walking shoes has become some sort of a ritual—a ritual that is non-existent back home.
I chose to give a child up for adoption during a difficult time in my life. I chose a couple who could not have their own due to a tragic illness discovered on their honeymoon. I asked the universe to show me the way, and to give me confirmation that these were her true parents.
I allowed the adoptive mother to share my pregnancy journey. One day I asked her what names was she considering for her baby. Her reply was the confirmation I sought and one of the greatest “coincidences “ of my life.
She answered my question, “ well if it is a boy we will name him Paul and if it is a girl we are going to name her Madeline”. I was stunned because my father is named Paul and my mother is named Madeline.
My daughter Madeline is now 18 years old and starting college in the fall. I’ve not met her but I know her. When she is ready I am here to get to know the woman that she has become. I know that I was simply the vessel from which she was delivered to her true parents. I have NEVER for one second of one minute of one hour of one day of one week of one month of one year doubted that I made the right choice. This was the most fulfilling, selfless act of my life.
UPDATE: Since this post, I met my daughter Madeline just after her 21st birthday. It was so wonderful. She had so many questions only I could answer about her biology, inherited traits. Her mother called after the meeting to tell me that when she left and got into her car that she cried tears of joy because she was so happy to meet me and I helped her understand so many things. She resembles me so much.
The U.S. was the king of the blind in 1945 as the U.S. was the only major nation that was spared from the destruction and collapse caused by the 1st and 2nd world war. So Americans wrongly assumed it is exceptional. It is not. Not even close.
But in 1945 the U.S. economy is closed to 52% of the world’s GDP. Today it is barely 15% in real purchasing power terms! One by one, markets overtook the U.S. competitiveness and today the U.S. barely can sell a thing except from some destructive weapons and that too often coercion.
The U.S. suffers at least triple whammy. One it has a debts of 35 trillion dollars debt fast approaching 200% of the U.S. GDP. The WTO suggest keeping to 60% ceiling, so the U.S. has hit 3 times that! as a comparison China’s debts is just a little over 50% of its GDP, a very healthy level.
Two, the U.S. has one of the lowest propensity to save at less than 5% savings rate while China U.S. the world’s biggest savers at 35%!
Three the U.S. cannot stop spending it has fought 2 dozen wars from 1980 to 2023. China fought zero wars since 1979! While the U.S. spends on unproductive spending, China spends on productive investment on the state of the art infrastructure the U.S. borrows to make and spend on destruction and weapons !
So over time China’s investment will pay handsomely while the U.S. earn only hate and disdain! so the last time a U.S. president had a surplus is Bill Clinton some 25 years ago! A generation of over reach, over interference, and over spending has totally destroyed the U.S. economy and its capacity and capability to ever compete!
It is due to an improved diet with more protein, some fat and careful monitoring of carbohydrates.
If you go online on Chinese social media, you will frequently see younger Chinese women showing photos of their meals. A little meat, lots of vegetables, some fish, and some fruit. Little to no rice.
They also are into yoga and going to the gym.
(This observation is mostly about younger women living in or from tier 1 cities. I am sure that women in other cities are different but I have less contact with them.)
Worse than that, I’m afraid: when you find a solution, you outright reject it, because you’re persuaded that it’s not a solution, or that it’s the solution to the wrong problem(s).
What we’re seeing in the United States isn’t multiple different solutions to the same problem: in reality, what we’re seeing is that both sides of the aisle identify different ‘problems’ and therefore reject any solutions that don’t match exactly what they envision. Let’s use immigration as an example:
Immigration continues to be a ‘problem’ for the United States because it (mind-bogglingly) remains a popular destination for people from Southern American nations, primarily due to the draw of work and consistent wages, as well as being a safer environment than some of the more dangerous nations south of the US-Mexico border. However, this is identified as a ‘problem’ in different ways:
Democrats view immigration as a net positive (largely because it has been proven to be of significant benefit to the economy, particularly with migrant labour filling the gaps in the labour marker that ordinary Americans refuse to – largely due to low wages/benefits offered), but want to ensure that migrants are encouraged to enter through legal means, whilst those trying to enter through illegal means are caught and/or deported quickly.
Republican voters view immigration as a negative because they’re told that Democrats want to make citizens of migrants in order to improve their part of the vote share, and because they’re told that immigrants reduce wages and job opportunities for the average American (which simply isn’t the case). They’re told that the country is being ‘invaded’, and therefore that ‘white Americans’ are soon to be in the minority – something that scares them because they know how they themselves treat those in the minority!
Now, both go about dealing with these concerns in different ways. Democrats believe that we need to tighten up the border in an effective way, but also not to punish those migrants who are actively contributing to the economy.
Republicans seem to prefer more – shall we say inhumane? – methods:
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Or purely ineffectual methods that aren’t really designed to accomplish anything:
Here’s the disconnect: one side wants real solutions but ones that are practical, and suit the actual issues of the United States. You have to be considerate both of immigrants themselves (because they are human beings, oddly enough), but also the impact on the economy: too many migrants might cause economic issues but we also need to factor in the net benefit. Thus, the Democrats craft solutions along the lines of “Let’s allow for those migrants contributing to the economy to continue to do so through legal means”, largely because those individuals a) are coming into the country anyway, and b) are at least showing that they intend to contribute.
As I’ve said many times before, neither side really wants to resolve the ‘problem’, however: Democrats recognise the net benefit to the economy, whereas Republicans are blatantly misrepresenting the issue in the first place, so aren’t engaging with the issue of immigration on legitimate grounds. They want the issue so they can win elections: resolving it wouldn’t win them anything.
That being said, we can see this from the reality: migrant labourers only come into the United States because they know they can find work. If the US Government actively prosecuted American employers who provided those jobs for hiring illegals, that well would dry up fast, and the incentive to enter and live in the US would dry up pretty speedily. No work, no reason to come.
Why does no party use such an approach? Politics. Republicans don’t want to resolve the issue in the first place – they simply want the issue for elections (although it’s always amusing to note the high number of Republicans who employ migrant labourers – even Donald Trump being known to have done so!), and Democrats have a tendency of failing to explain their perspective in a way that catches the attention of the electorate. “We want to make life easier for those already working here” isn’t nearly as “sexy” (politically-speaking) as “Immigrants are coming to replace white people!”, which ends up being how the GOP’s propaganda machine ‘re-frames’ the ‘debate’.
The sad reality: if you can’t fit it onto a bumper sticker, most Americans aren’t going to pay attention long enough to hear the reality. That’s why propaganda works so well in the first place.
So…solutions. You’re not going to get any genuine solutions because neither side can agree honestly about what the issues are, and half the time, they’re misrepresenting the issues in order to muddy any possibility of an effective solution. That’s what corruption looks like, for the record: when politicians actively engage with the electorate in bad faith in order to misrepresent the issues that are important to the nation, in order to encourage them to vote for those who actually won’t solve the issues.
It’s a blatant lie to suggest that the majority of American politicians are actively working to resolve the actual problems facing the American people – in truth, they’re not, particularly with the crop of idiots currently sitting in the House of Representatives. And since nobody can agree on what the problems are (or even how to frame the problem correctly), you’re not going to get solutions. And any time on party comes up with a solution, the other re-frames it as a problem.
We just go round and round in circles, with trillions of dollars spent, and the needle rarely ever moving – which is why the United States is looking more and more dystopian, and why the world’s most powerful superpower is steadily moving towards an existential crisis. You’ll never get solutions until you force the political system to focus on what the actual problems are, and at the moment, the American people are entirely failing in their responsibility to keep politicians focused. You’re letting them tell you what’s important, rather than telling them what is important, and where to focus.
Get a grip, or grab some popcorn and wait for the explosions.
Ben was a radioactive employee and it didn’t take me long to realize it. He was a senior project executive, a big burly brown-haired man, who wore expensive frameless glasses that gave the faux impression of sophistication.
I was a doe-eyed young financial analyst at the large trucking company, which managed more than 10,000 trucks and 200 terminals. We shipped everything from diapers to oil to freon. We had trucks full of furniture and trucks on the edge of icy cliffs. The legal office controlled one corner of the building, dealing with a waterfall of business deals and personal injury claims.
Like many young employees, I was insecure and eager to please. My boss threw me in the deep end early, having me sit in on monthly meetings for my division, taking notes and assessing risks. Everything was by the books. I double checked every process and tried not to step on anyone’s toes or say the wrong thing.
Ben eyed me over during our first meeting without saying anything, and proceeded to direct people and ask questions. Nothing was unusual. But within a few months, he let his guard down and began being himself. The profanity began. The gruff shouting followed. I wrestled with his troubling lack of decorum and wondered if I should expect similar treatment, despite not even reporting to him. His anger and lack of empathy was palpable.
The biggest issue was his mouth. If there was a woman in the meeting, he was a completely different person and was relatively tame. However, most times, it was all men, and he behaved like a wild animal. For example, he randomly said, without any context, “I hate the Japanese because they bombed Pearl Harbor, and I hate the Jews because they killed Jesus.” It was one of those off-color jokes where you sensed he wasn’t really joking at all.
During another incident, a beautiful young female coworker walked by the outside of our meeting room, which was enclosed in glass windows and sandwiched between two hallways. As she walked by, her baby bump was showing and one of the team engineers said, “Oh, is Becky pregnant?”
Ben chimed in and said, in a deep southern drawl, “If she was with me, she’d stay pregnant.” It was this type of stuff that I dealt with over and over.
Perhaps a detractor might say, “OK. But he isn’t saying it to her directly, right?” Or, “He’s just joking, lighten up.” Even conceding that, it was still wildly unprofessional — to put it lightly. He didn’t set the best example and there was already a major cultural problem at the office.
My main frustration was that we couldn’t just have a meeting. There was always some distraction, be it comments or irreverence. I can’t even repeat many of the things that were said. To some extent, you expect a bit of roughness around the edges at a trucking company. Truckers aren’t known for their filters. But this was a nice, high end office, not a remote terminal near an oil field.
How his issues became more pronounced
Ben’s biggest career-threat wasn’t with his mouth, though that alone could have gotten him fired in many places. His biggest issues were interpersonal. He was an unreasonably difficult boss, in a Donald Trumpian way, who dropped the hammer too swiftly and too hard. He asked his subordinates incredibly specific questions about projects that were unrealistic to know. Then, he’d flip out on them in front of us all and make an example out of them. It felt like he was periodically reminding everyone of his authority.
I never saw Ben smile unless his own superiors were in our presence, and it was that switch that made my stomach turn. He’d spark a big smile and pretend everything was great, only to switch back to Dark Ben the moment his boss left.
And then one week, something changed. I’d just arrived that morning, and was weaving through the huge grid of cubicles, and saw Ben across the room talking to a coworker. Ben suddenly saw me and waved with a smile, “Hey Sean! How are you?” I looked his way, and held a stiff hand up as a wave but was perplexed.
“Did he finally see a therapist?” I wondered. He never smiled or greeted anyone. Then, all day, and through the week, he was extraordinarily kind to everyone — but it wasn’t out of charity. What actually happened, was that one of Ben’s subordinates, a fresh college grad who Ben had ridden like an exhausted pony, finally had enough and went to the CEO himself to complain.
It wasn’t the first complaint about Ben. The CEO pulled Ben into his office and, allegedly, gave him a stern talking to and scared him straight. Or you would have thought. Because within a few weeks, his facade of kindness started fading and he went back to his regular self: irritable, vulgar, and impossible to work around. He had the highest number of interdepartmental transfers of any manager and it wasn’t a coincidence.
Perhaps the most troubling part is that all these years later, Ben still works there. You might wonder, how could a company look past so many glaring issues that they knew about?
In my MBA program, our business professor, Dr. Fred Sturdivant, proposed an important philosophical question: “What do you do with a high performing jerk?” Generally, most people are quick to say they’d get rid of them. It is the moral, right thing to do and seems like a no-brainer, right?
Yet, in my years in corporate, it didn’t happen nearly as often as leaders would profess. When someone is great at their core competencies, in a way that is hard to replace, they tend to get enormous leeway. One former employer even had the mantra, “Performance begets privilege.” It’s no different than the problematic star athlete on a team. Coaches (and fans) will look past enormous character flaws, including violent legal trouble, all because of what the athlete does for them.
And this was the central challenge with Ben: He was fantastic at his job. His division was extremely profitable. He’d grown up in the trucking industry, and was trained on it from an early age. He was, and it pains me to say this, very intelligent when it came to the business.
Anyone who has managed people knows that, after dealing with a few underperformers, you learn to value your stars. All of that aside, I believe Ben caused enormous damage to the company’s culture and employee morale. After all of the interpersonal problems he created, I question how beneficial he actually was to the bottom line.
I learned from my father, who was a military leader, that no matter how far you rise in an organization, you should always retain your humility, and treat the janitor with the same respect you’d show to the CEO. Status should not create a personality filter. If leaders are flipping personalities like Ben does, it doesn’t promote a culture of mutual respect.
And if you are leader reading this right now, please have more discipline than our CEO had. Hold your managers accountable to conduct themselves like adults, and treat their workers like human beings. Leadership starts at the top, but is reflected at the bottom.
I picked up a young woman hitchhiking to Houston from San Antonio. She said her boyfriend kicked her out. She was going to her Mother’s house. She was noticeably upset. I stopped to get gas and bought her a cheeseburger and a milk shake. She said she hadn’t eaten since the day before. I drove her straight to her Mother’s house and handed her my phone and told her to call her Mother to make sure she is home. She called, her Mother had gone to get some groceries and she got back in a few minutes. We waited in the driveway. She and her Mother thanked me and invited me to stay for dinner, which I did. It was a chance meeting. I was nice to them and they were nice to me, no scams or any extra drama.
Letter in Tibetan from a monk to a government official to ask for blood, newly excoriated human skin for a ceremony to celebrate Dalai Lamas birthday. In the religion they believe that the dirtiest thing can purify the soul.
”Rab Ge:”
A Buddhist ceremony will be held here. We need meat, hearts, and blood from all kind of animals 4 human heads, intestines, pure blood, turbid blood, earth from ruins, the menstrual blood of a widow, the blood of a leper, water from beneath the surface of the earth, earth raised in a whirlwind, brambles growing towards the north, excrement of both dog and man and the boots of a butcher. All these should be sent to Tsechykhang on the 27th.
Tsechykhang , the 19th”
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Hands with arms cuts off as a punishment
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Homeless beggers in old Tibet.
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A serf whos eyes and hands cuts out
Was old Tibet a cruel serfdom (slavery) sociaty? Judge for your self. Do not believe me, just read the travel diaries and other documents from old Tibet by western adventurers.
In 2021, 215.37 kg of cocaine was found in 100,000 tons of soybeans exported from the United States to Qingdao port China. The next year, Shanghai Customs found the same thing. US Customs are wooden men，right?
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Entrainment of pests such as flies and mosquitoes in export goods (carefully packed with culture tubes).Intercepted by customs again and again.Everyone knows your purpose.
I’m too lazy to talk about you, you should be more sensible！
There is only one native caucasian* ethnic group in China: the Chinese Tajiks.
They are an Iranian-speaking ethnic group living in the Pamir Mountains in the extreme West of China. Most of them practice Ismail Shi’a Islam, but they are very secular. They don’t practice Ramadan. Many are also non-religious. There are still some Zoroastrian elements in their culture.
Pamiris (Chinese Tajiks):
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The ethnic group with the darkest skin color is probably the Wa. They live in the SW Yunnan Province and speak an Austroasiatic language. Traditionally they follow Theravada Buddhism or Animism, but there are also Christians since the 19th century.
Chinese Wa:
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*Note: I do not use the word ‘white’ here, because the notion of whiteness is a Western social construct. By Caucasian, I mean that these people have physical traits that would make them be categorized as Caucasian by a 19th century European anthropologist. They have nothing to do with being white as a race.
I am a retired Audiologist. About 15 years ago I was working in a practice in an upscale neighborhood. One patient, a well-known actor, came in for a hearing test. I was asking the usual history questions and he gave me the “Do you know who I am?” bit. I didn’t care for him to start with, but when you think you’re better than me just because your face has been on screen, you can jump in a lake. I’ll put my three Master’s degrees and one Cinical Doctorate up against your Academy Award nomination any day of the week. You may have entertained millions, but I helped people HEAR again!
Police in Australia got the shock of their lives when they busted a Meth lab in Sydney. They were expecting to find drugs and money and drug-making material, instead they came face to face with a 6-foot-long-meth-addicted python showing clear signs of withdrawal and acting very aggressively toward the officers.
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It’s believed the snake became addicted to the drugs when the fumes from the cooking of the meth were absorbed through its skin.
The snake was captured and sent to a rehab centre run by inmates at a correction centre.
It took seven months for the snake to return to normal under the care of 14 inmates who were selected to work the wildlife programme.
I worked for him for eight years in the 1990s, and Microsoft employees were privy to the company’s charity efforts in a way that the public was not. And Microsoft gave many millions to worthwhile causes under Gates’ leadership.
He also forced Microsoft’s insurance carriers to have same-sex domestic partners insured as “family” — a decade before other large companies were having that conversation.
The worst I can say about him is that he’s a technocrat, with a lot of technocrat blind spots. But he’s smarter than any-three regular geniuses put together, with a sometimes-frightening ability to synthesize information from different directions and perceive the hidden correspondences and implications, then devising a workable action-plan.
His work in the area of vaccines has been to fund the development of cost-effective treatments for what in public health are termed “Neglected Tropical Diseases.” They are neglected because there is literally no money in developing pharmaceuticals for them — they’re diseases of impoverished brown people in sh*t-hole countries — but Gates did his homework and decided that the most cost-effective intervention to lift those countries out of poverty was public-health measures like vaccination — so he is funding that himself. He also funded the development of a <$200 composting toilet for areas where water is precious.
So he’s not evil. He can be abrupt and abrasive, and does not suffer fools gladly. He’s not Batman, but at least he’s doing something useful with his wealth and he isn’t a Bezos, a Musk, or a Zuckerberg either.
Restaurant August BLT (Buster Crab, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich)
A fried soft-shell crab served open-face over toasted brioche and dressed with fresh vegetables.
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Yield: 1 sandwich
Ingredients
1 Louisiana soft shell crab, dressed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup seasoned all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup mixed red, yellow and green grape tomatoes, peeled
1 dash 25 year old balsamic vinegar
1 pinch minced chive
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice brioche or challah, toasted
2 teaspoons favorite aioli
1 pinch micro greens
1 pinch lettuce sprouts
Salt and pepper to taste
Chive oil for garnish
Beet juice for garnish
Instructions
In a sauté pan, heat the canola oil over a medium-high heat.
Season the buster crab with salt and pepper. Toss into a mixture of seasoned flour and cornmeal. Place the crab into hot canola oil and allow to cook for 1 minute on each side.
Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, vinegar, chives, and olive oil. Place the tomatoes over a well-toasted brioche and place into a serving plate.
After cooking the buster crab, remove and allow it to drain over some absorbent towels for a moment. Place the crab over the tomatoes and top it with a dollop of aioli, which you in turn cover with a pinch of micro greens and lettuce sprouts.
To serve, garnish the plate with additional chopped chives, chive oil and beet juice.
Filled with patriotic pride I can say with entire conviction and without a shadow of a doubt that this is the Netherlands!!!
Dutch traditional cuisine consists in potatoes cooked to dead and some other stuff all mashed and with some dark fluid called “jus” [ʒy].
The more modern Dutch cuisine consists in versions of Suriname, Asian or Turkish food mingled and massacred until any similarity with the real thing is pure coincidence and lacking any sort of taste.
Dutch cannot cook, except the few of us who have the fortune of some foreign ancestry or ascend. Our ancestral culinary arts consisted, as I already commented, in mashing stuff or making pancakes. Our modern cuisine consists in opening a package of some dull stuff and pouring it in cooking water. Or just call the pizza guy directly.
And what to say about the Crown Jewels of Dutch food: FEBO :
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Or our latest 100% Dutch culinary revolution: The Kapsalon (Literally, the barber shop). It’s basically shoarma meat (there’s a vegan option too!), fries, some lettuce and cheap Gouda cheese with some suspicious looking sauce all literally thrown together in a big tinfoil container. It was invented by a guy who went to a barber shop and used to order shoarma and fries from a nearby Döner Kebab, out of convenience he asked to have it all put in the same tray and this is how it was born. This is not a joke, this is the real history behind it.
And you just don’t want to know what my landspeople can make out of any international dish. Really not, you would get nightmares.
But as the Belgians say: “What do you expect from a bunch of kaaskoppen (1) that drink Pils from plastic cups”
A Chinese private company became the first in the world to launch satellites with rockets fuelled by methane and liquid oxygen on Saturday, beating SpaceX to the technology and raising hopes for its commercial applications.
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Rail Gun
Chinese Navy’s rail guns can fire 120 rounds of shells that move at a staggering speed of 7200 km/hr. They can hit targets 200 km away. No defense system can stop them!
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thorium-based molten salt nuclear power plant
The world’s first thorium-based molten salt nuclear power plant in operational in China.
Because the political ecological system is different.
For example, I come to realize why Americans are so zealous about voting and making speeches (“democracy” and “free speech”) in recent years: If you do not speak for yourself, defending your interest, then those what should be yours would be taken away by other people—legally—in American political game.
But Chinese government is a parental government in my eyes, or, authoritarian government according to Western standard.
Let’s compare what are the differences between the Chinese and Amercican government
In the end of 2022, a major snow storm hit America, some mayors told their people not to rely on the government
But in China, while the storm was still raging, government organized workers to fix the electric tower. P.S., in China, water, power and gas are controlled by government, they are run by companies, but the biggest share holder must be government.
image 48
Communist party members were organized as volunteers to clear the snow and ice on roads
image 47
Therefore, I conclude the difference between the two countries as:
In America, government only provides minimum services to people, making policies on behalf of its supporters and ignore the others.
In China, government provides overall services to all people, making policies benifits all (if not, then compensation must be count in), and no one is behind.
Another proof supporting my conclusion is, there were over 1800 government officials of different ranks died on their post from 2015–2022. Why? Because China launched “eradicate poverty campaign” during this period, officials were assigned to most remote, most poor, most underdeveloped areas, helping local people overcome poverty. The 1800+ died were died of over exhausted, or traffic accidents in the mountains, or flood when rescuing people. (That’s why Chinese people don’t believe in Xinjiang fake news, on one hand, Xinjiang received 5–6 times higher subsides and government investments than Eastern provinces, on the other hand, “genocide”?? What’s the meaning of doing so?)
So, when you have a government that’s dedicated to serve the people, what’s the meaning of opposition?
“I oppose the government serving me”?
Here I’d like to rectify a wrong perception that many Qurans have: Chinese government controls all media.
It’s not.
China-haters, West-lickers, foreign proxies, traitors can be found on every media.e
This lady worked for Chinese Central TV as host and journalist, with huge influence among people, had left CCTV after she found she’s not popular among people. Because her ideology is pro-West and think China should be the second class citizen in the world.
You may found there are numerous unfriendly, stupid or even hostile questions about China here on Quora, but I tell you, such things are rather stink on Chinese social media. Compare to those platforms in China, Quora seems to be very friendly…
The meaning of government controlled media is to provide the last and undoubtable information, to clarify the discussion and calm down the quarreling among people.
You can debate, you can quarrel, you can conduct personal attacks, but, once the government controlled media provided the most creditable information, all these vanishes.
So, no matter the policial ecosystem or media ecosystem, China and America are different.
WHY DID GOD PUT A CAT IN YOUR LIFE? || The Spiritual Connection of CATS
I must have been in fifth or sixth grade. I was visiting my paternal grandmother, and I well remember just fooling around the maze of Pittsburgh hillside buildings. I remember peering though the network of porches and stairs to peer into the next door house. It was a home where my great uncle lived. He was my grandmother’s oldest brother.
And I peered in silence. It was a scene that impressed me deeply.
The old man, was in a bare and lonely dining room. He sat there, and slowly, very slowly was eating a bowl of soup.
Alone.
In gloomy darkness.
I do not know what my future holds for me, but one thing that I DO NOT WANT is to be eating alone in gloom, in a bare and empty house.
The U.S. cannot compete with China or for that matter, any oriental nations over time. American wants to earn lost of money but are willing to work half as hard, and as a nation they focus on wars, war mongering, and doing shit throughout the world earning nothing but hate of the American people.
The only way for it to be sustainable and functional again is to make Americans work twice as hard earn a pittance of money compared to now, and become discipline and retrained in new skills. All of which the U.S. government will not dare to change. Hence it will always have to buy from someone else and grow its deficits and debts.
Get use to it and prepare for the total implosion and collapse of the U.S. over time. The real income of Americans has ceased to grow since 1960 or 63 years ago! Meanwhile your political system will always select the most popular politicians who are not the best or the most capable. To run your country. They will make wrong choices but popular ones.
As long as you continue to operate the way you do, China and the world will eat you for lunch. I am merely saying the obvious. Something your media and politicians will be totally in denial. Hence its up to you to make a difference.
This gentleman Sun Zhengcai thought he was deep enough within the CPC to get away with a 170 Million RMB Bribe ($ 28.25 Million or ₹ 206.7 Crore)
He engaged in some bogus accounting
Back then CPC officials needed to submit their Asset and Liabilities every 3 years and so it was easy to hide money
Xi Jingping now said every CPC official of a certain rank had to disclose Assets and Liabilities every 12 months
He appointed the Xuebao commission, 192 dedicated people aimed to establish who were corrupt
Anyone who showed more than 15% increase in assets over a year or 100% across 5 years were questioned
Many proved they invested in property and shares and showed the source
No Issues said Xi
This Moron claimed he invested his money in a Spanish firm. It took a few days to establish that this was false because CPC members had to declare every outward transaction out of China, capped at a maximum of $ 100,000 a year that too for education or healthcare only
He was caught red handed
He tried to use Party connections to Jiang Zimin
A Total of 76 officials were caught
Xi and the Party offered them a choice –
4/5 of the Assets paid back to the Party plus permanent resignation from all Chinese politics and mandatory exile to the Outer Provinces with permission needed to return even for a 7 day visit to Beijing
Or
Trial & if guilty , life imprisonment
75 thankfully paid the Party and China and went to exile
Sun boldly said he would face Trial
He was found guilty and sentenced to life
Under Chinese law his daughter was recalled from Stanford and forced to establish her innocence and it took until 2022
He is in a 10*10 cell, languishing away
All because he was STUPID enough to believe he was immune
Lieutenant Ted Macie, an active-duty officer in the United States Navy Medical Service Corps, has been barred from accessing his work computer by the Department of Defense (DOD), after publicly revealing Heart Damage to Navy Pilots after the COVID Vaccine.
Macie’s exposed significant increase in heart-related issues among military pilots, post-COVID-19 vaccination.
The data presented by Lt. Macie reveals a dramatic spike in various heart-related ailments among fixed-wing and helicopter pilots. The statistics show increases in conditions like hypertensive disease (36%), ischemic heart disease (69%), pulmonary heart disease (62%), heart failure (973%), other forms of heart disease (63%), and cardiomyopathy (152%) compared to the five-year average prior to 2022.
After making public the horrifying, real-life, danger post-COVID-Vax, the U.S. Department of Defense has restricted Lt. Macie’s access to government computer data.
Hal Turner Personal Opinion
Apparently, the DoD has forgotten they work for the American people, and are trying to conceal the damage done to our military – and, by extension, to the American people — by the so-called COVID-19 “vaccine.” Especially galling is the 973% increase in Heart Failure; which DoD is apparently trying to cover up.
People in the DoD would do well to remember their entire organization was CREATED by . . . . us. The American people. We created the military to serve . . . us; to protect . . . . us. We train, equip, feed, clothe and house the military, to protect and serve . . . . us.
We PAY the military to do these things . . . for us.
If anyone in the armed forces of the United States is under the wrong impression that they work for anyone other than . . . . us . . . . they need to quit.
Many years back, my mother was frying chicken, not noticing that my baby brother, back then, managed to enter the kitchen and was crawling around.
He touched her leg, gave her a fright and before she knew it, the pot had flipped, and the boiling oil spilled on my brother’s face.
He got a huge burn on more than half his face. She thought she ruined his life forever.
My mother’s first instinct was to grab some ice and quickly place it on the burn. But she decided to call my father who’s a doctor first, thankfully. And he told her to never put ice or even very cold water on such a burn or it will only damage the tissue.
Instead, “the best thing to do for a minor burn is to cool it off by running the burned area under cool water for about 5 minutes. You can also apply a clean, cool, wet cloth.”[1]
And that’s exactly what she did before taking him to the hospital.
Thankfully, they gave him the proper care, and after a few months of using proper creams and honey to cover the wound, it was nowhere to be seen. It helped a lot that he was still a growing baby so his skin recovered fast.
But yeah, if she had acted on her instinct, and placed ice on it, who knows how that would’ve affected my brother’s face to this day?
My -ex used to be a nurse in a psychological care facility. When they were dealing with someone who was going completely ballistic, out of their control mind, the wrong thing to do was be completely calm.
She said she’d often go in and act a level or two calmer, but agree with the patient about their anger, because that would get them on board to listen to her and connect. And from there, she’d be able to wind them down a bit and talk them into chilling.
When she’d go in and immediately tell them to calm down in her ASMR voice, they’d just get even angrier.
It’s a good insight into learning to manage someone’s emotions. Leaning into them a bit allows you to get some control of the situation in many cases.
The other trick, that works big time, is to smile and look happy to see people. You’d be amazed at how far this goes to score points right off the bat. It seems like such basic advice, but many people don’t do it. It’s page 1, line 1 from the charisma bible.
It’s 2009. You’re in your friend’s basement, laying on a couch that doubles as your bed.
Your alarm is going off, but you don’t see the point in getting up. All you can do is stare at the ceiling and wonder how you ended up in this situation.
Bills are accumulating at an alarming rate and your savings account is all but depleted.
You know you need to make a change. You know you need to get back out there, find a job, and work your way out of this slump you’re in.
A friend tells you they could put in a good word for you at their office, but you hate the idea of working for some corporate snake that’s only out for himself.
Mark’s Landscaping posts a help wanted ad. No experience necessary.
It’s exactly what you’re looking for. It’s honest work, no managers breathing down your neck, and you can start immediately.
You brush yourself, put on your best smile, and sell yourself as a hard worker.
3 days in and you already hate it. It’s too hot, the hours are too long, and Mark is the one reaping the benefits of all your hard work.
You finish up for the day, head back to your friend’s basement couch, and start coming up with a plan to start a rival landscaping business.
The alarm goes off the next morning, but the snooze button is all too easy to hit.
You’re not worried about making it to work on time. You’re about to start your own company that puts Mark out of business.
The phone rings. Mark’s name flashes on the caller ID, but you send him to voicemail.
Instead of going into work, you fall back asleep.
The alarm goes off the next morning, but you hit the snooze button.
Mark calls, but you send him to voicemail.
Instead of going into work, you head out to look at landscaping equipment.
Everything is way too expensive and way out of your price range. If only you had the money.
You pull out your phone and give Mark a call, but he sends you to voicemail.
Mary’s Pool Cleaning posts a help wanted ad. No experience necessary.
It’s exactly what you’re looking for.
3 days in and you already hate it. You go back home to your friend’s basement couch and start coming up with a plan to start a rival pool cleaning business.
The next morning, Mary’s name flashes on the caller ID, but you send her to voicemail.
Fast forward to 2019. You’re in your friend’s basement, laying on a couch that doubles as your bed.
Your alarm is going off, but you don’t see the point in getting up. All you can do is stare at the ceiling and wonder how you ended up in this situation.
Best video Ever
Men, Listen up. It doesn’t matter (to anyone) if you win or lose. What matters is how you take it.
Two things to learn. 1, be strong regardless 2, pick your women better
New Zealand ARRESTS Government Database Admin for Revealing 24% DEATH RATE for certain COVID Vaccine Batches
A New Zealand Covid-19 vaccination database Administrator turned whistleblower, and revealed how many people died after taking certain batches of the Pfizer vaccine. New Zealand has now ARRESTED that man for “accessing computers for deceptive purposes.”
According to the man, certain batches of the Pfizer vaccine had death rates over 24% within about a week of persons being given the jab:
ARRESTED!
Today, Sunday morning, we are told the database Administrator has been ARRESTED by New Zealand authorities for revealing this information!
According to New Zealand media outlets “A health worker has been arrested and charged after allegedly misusing and disclosing vaccination data, while spreading misinformation about Covid-19.
The 56-year-old man will appear in the Wellington District Court tomorrow charged with accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes, police said.”
I worked for a company that decided to block ALL internet websites except for sites that were approved by management, one by one. There was no warning, not even a memo that went out that Monday morning it occurred. The IT person was overwhelmed the first day with complaints that the internet was broken. The reason eventually given was that too many people were using the company network for social media time wasting.
One small example, and there were many, of the short sighted policy, was in booking travel reservations. Sites like Continental, United, Delta, American, Hilton, Marriott, and Holiday Inn all had to be approved to allow for access, one at a time. What happened is people got approvals for one or two sites and used them, without regard to cost. The travel expenses doubled. Doing research to find the lowest cost supplier for parts was gone. You simply bought from the last guy you bought from since his site was approved. Costs went up across the board.
Sure, people weren’t using the company internet to access Facebook and Twitter anymore on their phones, so they switched to using cellular data. Time wasting continued. Expenses went up.
1: When my eldest son was about 2, I had a few friends come over for bridge once a week.
One time we were all standing in my kitchen and my stomach rumbled. He picked up my dress and went “Ewww! Sis! Stinky!”. I was so embarrassed and everyone burst out laughing.
It wasn’t a fart, just a growl of a hungry tummy.
2: This same son used to have timeout in the bathroom. This was more than 30 years ago, so please don’t judge me. Things were done differently then. He would open the door so I would lock it from the outside for the duration of his timeout.
One day I was using that bathroom and he decided to lock me in from the outside. Poetic justice, you may say, except…it wasn’t.
When I asked him to unlock the door again, he was unable to and he was becoming hysterical. Here I am, on a Friday evening, inside the bathroom and my little 2 1/2 year old on the outside. I wasn’t expecting anyone for the weekend and there were no cellphones yet. The situation was dire.
We tried everything. He tried to take the key out to pass it to me, but couldn’t manage. Tried to push a knife under the door, but I couldn’t use it successfully.
After about an hour and many hysterics from his side (and a little bit from mine), I leaned out the bathroom window to see if anyone was perhaps passing.
I live in a dangerous country. All windows have burglar bars and people stay off the street after dark. It is a city and we don’t really know our neighbours.
After a while, I saw someone arriving at their house about 30 meters from mine. I shouted and shouted for help. He first looked at this crazy woman and I could see he wanted to ignore me, so I shouted even louder.
Eventually he came to the window and I explained the situation to him. He was laughing a lot, I remember.
Thankfully he scaled a 6-foot high wall to get into my property and thankfully I hadn’t yet closed the sliding glass door which gave him access to the inside.
So a stranger had to come into my house to unlock the door my darling son thought prudent to lock.
Needless to say, that was the end of timeout in the bathroom.
Oh SH*T! This is why they’re INVADING America, it all makes sense now | Redacted w Clayton Morris
When I was a kid, I asked my parents for a cat. They smiled and said that I can have a cat if I can catch one and tame it. Living in the country, they figured that put the matter to rest, since there’s no way I could pull that off. Imagine their shock two hours later when they saw me walking up the holler with a knapsack in tow, carrying a stray barn-cat eager to live the cushy indoor life. We kept her.
When I was eighteen, we argued over a boy. Really, it was about boundaries. I roared, “I’m leaving!” They said that’s fine, see what it’s like out there! You’ll be back! Though it probably would have been best for me, I did not come back.
”We’ll show you.” No, I’ll show you.
After peeling an orange for my toddler this morning, she peered into the garbage can, wanting more. I explained that we don’t put our hands in the garbage, and that the bitter peel is nasty. “It burns, honey.” I had just changed the bag and the peel was the only thing in there, so when she grabbed it anyway, I thought, “Okay, good. This is a teachable moment. She’ll eat the peel, see that it’s nasty, and I can say, ‘See? That’s one reason…’”
I studied her face as she munched on the bitter skin and started to say, “See? It’s oogy oogy – nasty. Ewww -“
Except she broke out into her full-toothed smile and reached for another piece.
To my delight, we are very much alike. To my concern, I’m beginning to suspect that means we have our work cut out for us. Oh, yes, what goes around comes around.
The best advice I ever received was from my father, which may seem simple and homespun, but it has proven invaluable throughout my life. He had a certain protocol during mealtime in our family, emphasizing the importance of not wasting food and finishing everything on our plate. While he often had to remind me to be mindful of my butter consumption, it is not his specific advice that stands out.
His advice was rather straightforward – to eat what I didn’t like first and save what I enjoyed for last. I have carried this advice with me ever since. It doesn’t mean I suddenly become a fan of Brussels sprouts when I devour them first, but it has translated into other areas of my life. When faced with unpleasant tasks, I make it a point to tackle them first, so I can then fully enjoy the more pleasant ones without any guilt or lingering responsibilities.
I am grateful to my father for his wise counsel, and I still adhere to his advice by being mindful of my butter consumption and savoring the best moments until the end.
My wife and I were at a movie decades ago. It was shortly after Ace Ventura came out, back when they had previews and an attendant would come on stage and say a few words.
The attendant came on, a young guy of 16–17. He said, to the crowd’s astonishment, that he was quitting because his boss was a prick. Then he turned around and talked out of his bum like Ace did in the movie and told a hilarious story about his boss. Then he took off his uniform shirt and walked. He got a standing ovation!
I would say that one thing that has changed here in the U.K. over the past fifty years ago, or since the 1960s when I was a boy, is the etiquette of calling on or visiting friends and relatives. I remember in those days how instead of going to the coast or the countryside on a Sunday afternoon as many people do now, especially on a fine summer afternoon, my parents would instead drive to my grandmother or one of my great aunts, and this (or so it seemed to me at the time) was in the hope of being given a free tea when they arrived. Indeed it was the custom in those days, at least here in the U.K, to drive around and pay a surprise call on relatives and friends like that on a Sunday afternoon, who were then expected to welcome you and rustle up something for you to eat.
If my grandmother or elderly relatives did not do this, they were regarded as mean and inhospitable. They probably realised this too, and so they would make an effort to be generous hosts and feed their guests, and indeed would have some tinned food in their pantry that they could bring out. It was always tinned food rather than fresh food of course because the host did not know whether or not anyone would turn up, and if nobody turned up fresh food would go to waste whereas tinned food would keep for the next Sunday afternoon.
The meal would be tinned salmon, the brand usually being John West (popular in those days and pictured below). I should also mention that in those days smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, which are so popular now, probably even more so than tinned salmon and cucumber, were unheard of because smoked salmon was so expensive and regarded as the food of only the very rich.
image 27
The tinned salmon would often be followed by a tin of pineapple chunks, i.e. a tin of pineapple chunks (like the one shown below, except that in those days tins did not have ring pulls like this one shown, and would need to be opened with a tin opener).
Nowadays it is different, because people do not normally call on friends and relatives without making prior arrangements to do so, and people who do not do this but call unexpectedly without giving notice are regarded as selfish and inconsiderate for the way that they presume that the person they are visiting has the time or is available to see them, or indeed has food in the pantry for them. However when I was a boy it was different, and the onus was always on the person receiving unexpected guests to rustle up a meal for them, like my grandmother always did.
My husband was Covid retired at 66, and we thank God every single day it happened. At the time he was hurt and a little bewildered but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
We realize now that, left to our own devices, we would have just keep going. His job had changed and the stress levels were ghastly but we needed the money because we had two houses. We weren’t thinking clearly, really. We didn’t want to get rid of the one house because we loved the location and owned it outright, so it was our “vacation house” but it needed a lot of work, was in a rural area and would require a 300 mile move away from friends and family. Meanwhile our primary residence had been remortgaged due to my divorce in 2003. The inertia was powerful.
After Covid lock downs ended and some other experiences (specifically the death of three of our four cats, three months in a row) we did something we’d never been able to do, spend a full month in our vacation home. We packed up our last cat and went to spend what we thought was our last time there. It was supposed to be to grab our stuff and meet with a realtor last hurrah.
Long story short, we changed our minds. We realized how much we hated where our primary residence was. Literally it’s only redeeming qualities were that it was convenient to our loved ones, doctors and shopping. Suddenly the major repairs and renovations the vacation house needed weren’t so insurmountable with my husband retired. We would be moving to New England and were looking at an increase in expenses, and now we were on a fixed income, but a different heating system and smaller house generally offset that. Also, vacations wouldn’t need to be factored in because we wouldn’t be escaping from our noisy, smelly, increasingly urbanized and progressively more scary neighborhood.
I now live on a dead end street with a total of three neighbors and don’t expect to ever have more. The biggest noise is my neighbor’s roosters, and I can’t even hear them with the windows closed. I’m planning the gifts I want to give my neighbor/friends (homemade food) when we never used to even know the names of the people who lived in the house attached to our twin. We are on a budget, will always be, but money literally cannot buy happiness. We are so utterly at peace and content, more than we ever imagined, and it is a pleasure we never would have experienced if my husband hadn’t retired.
My husband took early retirement as a high school administrator a year before I did the same. The plan was for him to use that year when I was still teaching to fix up the house and get it ready to sell.
In November of my final school year, a stranger saw him working out in our front yard and asked if we wanted to sell our house. My husband said it would be for sale next June.
The man explained that he was the person who had just bought our next door neighbor’s house, and that he would like to buy our house as well for family members. My husband told him we’d think about it.
When I got home and heard the story, I was adamant that it wouldn’t work to move out before school ended in June. My husband had a plan, however. I didn’t have to lift a finger; he went on to arrange a short term duplex rental for us from a neighbor, arranged to have most of our furniture and “stuff” moved to a storage facility, and cleaned the empty house himself.
Our California house sold for our full asking price before it was listed for sale.
I wouldn’t recommend manipulating anybody, as the act itself is unethical. But I would recommend learning these tricks to stay aware of what is going on inside other people and behind their image.
The Zeigarnik Effect (named after the psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik): This phenomenon suggests that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. To use this, if you want to ensure someone remembers something, start discussing it and then intentionally leave it incomplete.
The Benjamin Franklin Effect (Named after the eponym of effect: Benjamin Franklyn) : This effect suggests that people are more likely to like you after they’ve done a favor for you. So, asking someone for a small favor can actually make them feel more positive about you. (Maybe even trust you).
The Illusory Truth Effect: The more you hear something, the more likely you are to believe it’s true, even if it’s false. Be cautious about repeating false information, and fact-check before sharing because this is how gossip negatively influences our brains and functions.
The Pygmalion Effect (Named after a Greek Myth): This is the idea that higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. If you have high expectations for yourself or others, it can lead to better outcomes. Of course, there are exceptions, where people would feel pressured when high expectations are placed on them, like a stone on their shoulders. But it is a valuable tip for your professional teammates or family members.
The Power of Visualization: Visualizing success can boost your confidence and performance in various situations.
Contrary to what one might believe, as you age you get less materialistic. My wife and I always laugh when we realized that we spent most of our young lives gathering “stuff” and most of our older lives getting rid of “stuff”.
As you age, you realize what’s really important in your lives (relationships and doing things you enjoy to do are the two biggest things) and understand that all that materialistic stuff just weigh’s you down. You not only shed material things but also things that you realize are of no value.
The “cranky old man” is usually more true than not because you stop trying to be everybody’s friend and discard relationships that add quality and enjoyment to your life.
You stop trying to present aires on who you wan’t to be and are now happy (in most cases) with who you are. My belief is that all this comes about when you realize you have more than likely achieved whatever you’re going to achieve in your lifetime and you have only a short time to really “enjoy” what’s left of your life. In effect, you finally become comfortable with who you are because, at this stage, you’re not going to change AND you’re not going to change what others think of you.
Don’t take this as a negative because hitting this “milestone” in your life, to use a common saying is like “taking the monkey off your back. You finally become “you” and the hell with what the rest of the world thinks.
My old manager at a fast food restaurant went for a night out. He was having a great time. Bar hopping all around town.
His girlfriend started receiving weird calls from random numbers, then his mom and dad, then his brother and sister. Everybody was getting calls. “Give us $20k or we kill Jacob” (name changed for privacy)
He was drugged and tied up while the men made ransom calls to everyone on his phone. They ended up getting no money and dumped him in the street below the most famous sign in town. The “biggest little city in the world” sign in Reno NV. He woke up there in his underwear. Police were called but none of the men were ever found
I did Houston to Dubai and I think that was 19 hours. Typically, once you get past about 9 hours, it’s all the same. You watch movies, read a book, chat with your travel buddy, sleep etc. It’s just really not a big deal.
Even if you’re a nervous flyer, like me, you can only be terrified for so long before you get over it and just get bored.
I have a few tricks that I use that I will share with you.
Every hour, on the hour, I like to get up an do a lap. That is, I will walk all the way to the back of the plane, use the restroom, Hit the galley for a water or a munchie, go all the way to the front, at then circle back around. Again, all of it where I need to use the bathroom or not. It just helps break up the monotony.
Any time they give you food, take it and eat. It breaks up the monotony.
Bring a laptop or tablet and put a BUNCH of movies on it. Some long flights don’t have good entertainment options and it can be difficult to find out before you are on the plane. I bring my Ipad with about 20 different movies and TV shows saved on it. It doesn’t even matter if it’s a bad movie, it’s just to pass the time.
Try not to get too wound up about it. Just relax and enjoy the ride. You’ll get there when you’ll get there.
Two instances come to mind, more funny than serious though.
After Army basic, we were in AIT and the Drill Sgt was a little guy, smaller than many recruits. He called everyone into the barracks for some kind of pep talk or something. I don’t remember topic but we were all “at ease” and he was sitting on a top bunk facing us. Just then a recruit runs in late, jumps up top with him, slaps his arm and tells the drill to scoot over. He didn’t realize it was the Drill Sgt. A good smoking ensued while we all tried not to laugh.
A couple years later my unit at the time was in Korea on a field excercise. We had a tent with our cots set up inside and the command tent was right next door. We all had blanks for training excercise and those muzzle blocker things installed. I forget the name, but they were red and cube shaped. Anyhow, day was over and a guy whos cot was against the wall we share with the command tent was carrying an M249. He walked in all tired, went to his cot, and kinda just dropped his weapon on the ground next to it. He never unloaded it. 3 rounds (blanks thankfully) went off from burst mode. It was aimed into the command tent. They noticed.
Some years ago I worked in a large office and the pretty receptionist used to wave at me every time I came in.
I used to grab a bite – usually alone – at lunch in the canteen, and she asked if she could join me. This became regular for a couple of weeks and we’d chat about non-consequential stuff. Sometimes she appeared to try and steer the conversation towards sexual stuff, but (back then) I was uncomfortable and didn’t follow up.
She would flick and twist her hair, smile and tilt her head when I talked.
After a while, when I walked past reception and she started blowing kisses to me.
I hope nobody else has already said doing press-ups with a backpack filled with vodka bottles, because that woud be disappointing. (Also fairly unlikely.)
Because my most bizarre injury was probably sustained doing press-ups with a backpack filled with vodka bottles.
Having recently finished Uni, I was living alone in a lovely (cough) studio apartment. Not wanting to shell out on a gym membership, I used some impressive initiative that would probably have been better served on finding a half-decent job.
I combined two of my main passions at the time — working out, and drinking.
You have to make do with what you’ve got. What I had, was several empty bottles, both plastic and glass, and a backpack.
Being a smart cookie, I realised that, if I filled said bottles up with water, I could make them pretty heavy. I could then put several of them in my backpack, and make my bodyweight exercises (press-ups and pull-ups) considerably harder, so I could continue to make progress (or at least maintain a bit of muscle) sans gym membership.
Being a not-that-smart cookie, I didn’t really foresee that glass could be breakable. (Well, I did put some form of clothing in the backpack, to prevent the bottles all smashing against each other, but I don’t think it would have passed a safety inspection.)
Halfway through a set of press-ups, one of the vodka bottles cracked, and started leaking over me. It also caused some of the broken pieces of glass to dig into my back, so my blood started leaking over me as well.
OK, actually, it wasn’t a particularly bad cut. I do still have a faint scar on my back from it, though. So, while I’ve had several much worse injuries, I don’t think any of them were quite this stupid, or preventable.
(Actually, spraining/almost breaking my ankle jumping over some small shrubs by a kerb while yelling “parkour” might give it a run for its money.)
I had never known true grief until my wife died four years ago. I did not know the cruel tricks my mind would play on me after her death.
Michelle was a diabetic. Her diabetes caused so many problems with her body. She had early onset osteoporosis. People would not believe that she needed a hip replacement in her early thirties. I lost count the number of times I woke up but couldn’t wake her up because her blood sugar had dropped. The day we closed on our house, she wasn’t there. I had to call 911 that morning. She was in the hospital when I signed the papers to buy the house.
Over the years, her health continued to worsen. She was shopping with her parents when she tripped and fell. She broke her leg starting a years long odyssey involving several surgeries and the doctors installing an external fixation device on her leg. The doctor had said at one point that the easiest thing would be to amputate her leg after her broken bone had become infected. She did not want to.take that option hence the external fixation device. For almost two years she had a heavy metal set of rings on her legs with pins that went directly into the bone. She was wheelchair bound as she couldn’t walk with the device on her leg. She required assistance from either me or her parents just to go to the bathroom. During this time she developed necrosis in some of her fingers. We spent one anniversary at home with her crying in pain because her fingers hurt so bad. She eventually had several fingers amputated. There was no choice. She also went into renal failure and required dialysis.
Hospital staff knew her by sight. Two week long hospital stays were a routine part of life. Then came the day that life ended. She couldn’t stay at home with me because she couldn’t take the stairs up. She stayed at her parents apartment. Her father woke up to go to work. He would assist her using the bathroom before going to work. That morning he couldn’t get her to wake up. He called 911. The paramedics performed CPR for over an hour but nothing more could be done. She was 40 years old when she died.
My wife was Jewish. Jewish funeral tradition states that a person must be buried very quickly after they die. She died on a Tuesday. Her funeral was held on Thursday. There was a rush to get her sister in from where she lived in a different state, but for the most part I spent the days between her death and her funeral in a state of shock. Feeling no emotion whatsoever.
During her wake, her coffin was in a separate room where only a few people could enter at a time. A couple of my cousins that Michelle had been good friends with over the years asked me to accompany them while they paid respects. They wanted me to be their rock. The funeral home had done Michelle’s hair and makeup. She had never looked more beautiful except for our wedding day. My cousins each cried a few tears but I was still in shock.
After her wake and the Rabbi giving his service, we went to the cemetery. There was a service held at the graveside. Another Jewish funeral tradition followed. Her coffin was lowered into the ground then each mourner would put a shovel full of dirt on top. I remember the Rabbi being very specific that you do not hand the shovel to the next person in line. You put the shovel down so that it is standing up in pile of dirt next to the grave. My turn came. I did as the Rabbi instructed. After placing the shovel back I took a few steps away then emotion hit me like a freight train. It was literally a surprise when the tears came. The tears flowed and I couldn’t stop them. I stood there for I don’t know how long. My best friend that I refer to as my brother came up and wrapped me in a hug. His wife also hugged me and tried to console me. She told me how there would be no more hospitals, no more pain, her suffering was over. Still I cried. I had known Matt since high school. It had been 20 years since we graduated. He had been married for six years by then. He told me how after the funeral his wife said she had never seen me cry. Matt realized at that point that in over 20 years of knowing me, he had never seen me cry either.
It took a long time for me to recover enough composure to drive away from the cemetery. Even then a had to wipe away tears as I drove.
The next week I went to a cell phone store to have her phone deactivated. I again lost control of my emotions inside the store. The act of turning off her phone was another finality that hit me. I had to leave the store and go cry in my car before I could finish that task
The worst cruel trick my mind played on me came a few days after her funeral. I had a dream about her. In that dream we went to a store to go shopping for coffins. She would lay in a coffin to test it out. She got into one coffin and the lid started to fall shut. In the dream she was saying “Don’t let that close on me, don’t let that close on me”. The lid fell shut and that’s when I woke up. The coffin lid had closed and would never open.
It’s been over four years. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of her. Often I will see something on the news that would interest her and my first instinct is to grab my phone and text her. She was a huge baseball fan. She loved the Detroit Tigers with a passion (I’m surprised our house was still standing after the umpire blew the perfect game call). When I learned that Tigers hall of famer Al Kaline had passed away, I had my phone in my hand hand before I realized what I was doing. There are emotional scars that will never go away. The pain doesn’t go away. You just learn to cope with it.
I’m going to try and shorten a long story. Many years ago we had one guy in the crew who seemed to have bad luck following him around. One morning he was hours late getting to work and the entire crew was wondering what new pitfall had occurred and when he finally arrived everyone ran over and asked him what had happened. He said a severe storm had hit during the night and lightning had struck his chimney and blew a hole in his roof and set it on fire. He climbed up on the roof with a garden hose and put the fire out. Got some plastic and covered the hole. Inside the house had gotten pretty damp from the rain and the water hose and about that time his neighbor came over and suggested he come over to his house to sleep where it was dry. Said he went to the neighbors for a couple of hours and couldn’t get to sleep so he returned home. There was a van in his driveway. Walking up to it he noticed while backing up it had dropped a wheel over his culvert and gotten stuck. He looked in the back of the van and could see many items from his home and no one around so he ended up calling the police. He inventoried all his stuff in the van and asked the police to sign it but the police refused. A few weeks later when he got his stuff back some of the electronics were missing. Just life as usual for the guy. On another occasion he said they built a new apartment complex behind his property and dug a huge drainage ditch and dead ended it up against the back of his property. He got out the tractor and started building a berm. Said he managed to get it three foot high before the apartment builder got an injunction to stop him from building it. At that time a heavy storm rolled in and the water came down the ditch and hit his wall backing the water up and flooding all the apartments instead of his home.
Because they were born, educated and grew up in China.
China has a completely different history and social record compared to the US; in China, the state is considered to be the parent and guardian of all Chinese citizens, and is trusted more than the private sector, who are often considered to be scoundrels who crave personal wealth at everyone else’s expense.
This is the opposite of what most Americans believe.
Full Metal Jacket is probably the most accurate film ever made about the US involvement in the Vietnam War. It is absolutely the most accurate film ever made about the US Marine Corps’ service there.
While I’m only 44, and was never a Marine, and have never even been to Vietnam, those are not the uneducated opinions of a viewer. They’re simply facts.
Enormous care was put into making this film as historically accurate as was humanly possible, largely independently of Stanley Kubrick, himself an obsessive researcher always aiming for absolute historical accuracy, even at the cost of his own story telling.
Every major player except for Kubrick himself who was involved in its writing and technical advice was a personal witness or participant to the events leading up to, including and following Tet 1968, in Da Nang, Phu Bai and Hue, the locations the film is set in in its second act.
image 5
(Kubrick was the only major player involved in military and historical input into the film who had not actually been on the ground, at the locations described in the film, during the period of the Vietnam War shown in the film.)
Gustav Hasford, the novelist who wrote Short-Timers, the novel on which the film is based, and a member of the screenwriting team adapting the novel into Full Metal Jacket, actually served as a Marine Corps combat correspondent from 1967–1968 in South Vietnam (alongside his “frenemy,” future military advisor to Hollywood and actor, Dale Dye). He was actually present in Da Nang during the initial stages of the Tet Offensive, actually had to transit between Da Nang and Phu Bai during Tet and actually covered the Battle of Hue for Stars and Stripes. The character of Joker is based on him, personally.
image 34
(Gustav Hasford)
Michael Herr, a member of the screenwriting team adopting the novel Short-Timers into the movie Full Metal Jacket, was the pre-eminent journalist of the US involvement in Vietnam. Dispatches, his 1977 memoire of his time covering the Vietnam War for Esquire magazine from 1967–1969, was judged to be the best book “to have been written about the Vietnam War,” by the the New York Times Book Review. Espionage novelist, former military intelligence officer and former MI5 and MI6 agent David Cornwell, better known to the world by his famous pen-name John Le Carre, described Dispatches as “the best book I have ever read on men and war in our time;” high praise indeed from an author generally considered the best British writer of the second half of the 20th Century. Any incident not directly attributable to Hasford’s service in Full Metal Jacket was something Herr himself had personally witnessed – in fact, the door-gunner incident is a verbatim account of a real incident Herr was present for, in which he was the journalist talking to a door-gunner killing women and children and asking to be covered in a story. Michael Herr also personally covered the Tet Offensive in Phu Bai, Da Nang and Hue.
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(Michael Herr)
R. Lee Ermey, the military advisor and eventually the actor playing Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, was actually a Marine Corps Drill Instructor from 1966–1967, and served in South Vietnam as a helicopter ground crew chief from 1967–1968. He was personally allowed to ad-lib 50% of his dialogue for this film, an absolutely unheard of event on a Kubrick picture, where, typically, you had to be named either Peter Sellers or Jack Nicholson to be allowed ad-lib at all. Ermey himself also served in Da Nang during the Tet Offensive.
image 33
(R. Lee Ermey)
Street scenes were reconstructed from photographs belonging to Hasford, Herr and Ermey dating to late 1967 and early 1968 and taken in Da Nang, Phu Bai and Hue. Often the location and costumes reconstructed exactly matched the photographs, straight down to the clothing worn by civilians and the contents of the billboards and other advertising.
Some things in the film are notably SO accurate that those without intimate knowledge of the time and place sometimes call them into question – ie, the film enters the Uncanny Valley. For example, a Westland Wessex, a British-made, license-built clone of a Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw, is used as the helicopter transporting Joker and Rafterman. Most people assume only the far more famous UH-1 Iroquois, the Huey, was in use in South Vietnam by that point in the war. The USMC however operated the H-34 well into late 1968 and even preferred them to the newer Hueys. Its use, particularly in a second line role transporting journalists around, was absolutely period correct – as I said, it helps that Ermey, in addition to being a Drill Sergeant was also a helicopter ground crew chief, and that both Hasford and Herr personally recalled being transported by H-34’s at the time.
image 31
(Picture of an H-34 taken from inside another H-34 in use by the USMC in 1965 in South Vietnam. This image is from the extraordinarily famous and important photo essay, One Ride with Yankee Papa 13, published in Life magazine in 1965. While used in the assault and even gunship role by the Marines in 1965, by 1968, unless requested by name – HUS – they were used in support roles; things like hauling journalists around, and doing mail and supply runs, as seen in the film.)
So an obsessive Kubrick surrounded himself with actual participants to the events described in the film. It makes the film absolutely accurate, except for the limited license Gustav Hasford took while writing the novel itself (his real-life Drill Instructor was not murdered, and there was no real-life Private Leonard Lawrence aka Gomer Pyle, but that’s about it). And while some of the novel’s elements were changed for the film, none impacted historical accuracy so much as they changed the tone and became less like Hasford’s personal experiences and more an amalgam of his and Michael Herr’s.
First China HAS DE-RISKED from the U.S. and the west in Chips, Software and Technology. Period.
China will never be dependent on the west ever again. It will make everything better, cheaper and faster than the west and make all the money themselves. It was happy to share a loaf of bread with the west but since the west wanted to cut China out. China do that as a favour for you. They cut you guys out. For good.
Forget 7nm. Think about Chinese 0.5 nm chips! For get google or IOS thinks Harmony that can do everything faster, more efficiently and cheaper. Forget blue tooth. Think a wider receivable less power consumption Chinese equivalent at half the price.
Too bad some players in these technologies sucked up to the west and threaten China. You harvest what you sow. China will cut out at least 70% of the world market. The west and make stuffs for your own small tiny market. You guys can cheat or coerce each other! Good bye Intel, Qualcomm, Nivdia, Apple, Microsoft, Google, blue tooth. China, the global south will cut you out. You asked for it. No tomorrow or in 5 years. Starting now!
I worked at a newspaper that had a dark room for developing negatives. When you enter and turned off the main lights, a red light turned on just outside the door. No one would dare enter as they could ruin hundreds of dollars of film.
It was a good place to go if you wanted to be alone. Just as I started my shift I entered the dark room and found about ten empty beer cans. They were from an employee on the shift before me and he had got drunk and forgot to get rid of the cans
From my arrival in the country as the head of school, I was concerned that people didn’t seem to be getting my emails. Many said they eventually found them in SPAM, but I couldn’t understand why a school email would consistently be sent to people SPAM boxes. I made a new address and saw a moderate improvement – better than nothing.
One of my employees kept getting viruses on his computer. We had brand new computers and while this was a poor country in Africa, the internet service was pretty good when we had electricity. Mac computers were not as susceptible to viruses as Windows, so I was getting pretty annoyed. I had cleaned up his computer several times by running software for that purpose, but after the second or third time of this, I decided I needed to delve deeper. What I found totally floored me.
This employee was running one of those money scams where people are told they can get millions if they simply help get money out of a bank in ‘country-x’. I found over 800 documents of copies of a variety of passports – many with his picture on them, official letterhead from the US embassy, letters that looked like they were from the US Ambassador, pictures of piles of US currency, pictures of credit cards that appeared to be from people who had been scammed, ‘official-looking’ documents from the local government, all used to convince people the plea was legitimate . . . I was up most of the night, printing off everything that I found.
Now I understood why our email was going to SPAM and why he got so many viruses. He had been running all of this on school computers, often doing this instead of doing the work he was hired to do.
If the people in your life aren’t happy for you after a big win, then you need to find new people. Full stop.
People say opposites fall in love but the truth is relationship having same music tastes, food vibes and night life lasts longer.
Choosing a romantic partner isn’t just about the romance-you’re also choosing a confidant, counselor, career advisor, therapist, investor, teacher, travel buddy, roommate, best friend, and business partner.
The reason why you can see through some people is that they have what you used to be.
Most people don’t care what you say, or do, most of the time.
No one is going to stand up at your funeral. Life is about loving people, not impressing them.
The longer you try to force what doesn’t feel right, the longer you delay finding what does.
My husband and I used to tease my dad and his “lady friend” when they would tell us what they ate on a regular basis—a small breakfast, a big lunch, and cereal for dinner.
But now the tables have turned as we’ve aged because my husband and I have become those people. In fact, I just had cereal for dinner about an hour ago.
With the exception of dinners with family or friends, we mostly eat a hot lunch as our main meal. Fruit and cheese, cottage cheese and fruit, or cereal and milk are our go-to dinner choices. I also like a spoonful of peanut butter for a quick snack if I start feeling hungry in the evening. And we both have a sweet tooth so some snacking does take place during the day.
When you age, your metabolism slows down and, for us at least, three full meals are just too much. We also feel better if our heaviest meal is midday rather than in the evening.
Again, we’re flexible and social occasions will find us eating a big dinner. But on those days, we just have a sandwich for lunch so we have room later to enjoy a big meal at night.
Norton’s Cafe Jambalaya
Whole30 Jambalaya Recipe Primavera Kitchen 1
Yield: 15 cups
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 ounces Norton’s Cajun Seasoning (about 1 cup)*
2 cups (4 sticks) margarine
1 pound raw chicken, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
3 cups hot water
3 cups tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes
10 ounces andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups)
10 ounces ham, cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoons beef base
2 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
Instructions
In a large pot, combine onion, peppers, celery, sugar, seasoning and margarine. Cook over low heat until margarine is melted.
Add chicken; cook for about 3 minutes. Add hot water, tomato sauce, sausage, ham, beef base and rice. Stir well, cover with tight-fitting lid and simmer for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked, stirring4 or 5 times to prevent sticking. Add water near end of cooking if extra liquid is needed.
Notes
* Substitute Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blend for Vegetables if you cannot locate Norton’s Cajun Seasoning.
Once upon a chilly evening in late autumn, my friend hosted a dinner party. Among the guests was someone known for their rather abrupt demeanor. As the evening progressed, this guest, let’s call him Mr. R, made a particularly rude comment about the host’s choice of wine. The room fell silent, the air thick with discomfort.
My friend, the host, faced a moment of choice. She could either let the comment sour the evening or handle it with grace. Choosing the latter, she responded with a light-hearted yet firm tone, “Well, Mr. R, it seems this wine isn’t to your taste. I believe in embracing a variety of flavors at my table. Perhaps the next one will be more to your liking!”
The guests chuckled, appreciating her tactful handling of the situation. Mr. R, realizing his faux pas, nodded and even managed a small, albeit sheepish, smile.
This moment, while seemingly trivial, became a masterclass in handling rudeness with grace and humor. My friend’s response not only diffused the tension but also reminded everyone that kindness and a bit of wit can turn an awkward situation into a pleasant one. The rest of the evening continued with laughter and lively conversations, the earlier rudeness fading into a distant memory.
LOL. I opened an email in my in-box, sent out to our whole region. In the email my (less than intelligent) boss listed out why he wanted to fire me, and the next email – copied to everyone (from HR) said to “get rid of the worthless piece of s**t today”. I sent a copy home, made my rounds of my team, and started packing my office.
I sent a note to the region (not counting my boss and HR) thanking them for their help in my short tenure. Then I sat and waited for my boss to show up. He got there to find my office packed, my computer wiped and my paperwork in order. I made him count and sign for my petty cash and assume all liability on my corporate credit card, and I was gone.
I did send a copy of the emails to the head of HR and the Chief HR Officer, along with my intent to file a lawsuit for releasing confidential HR information to non-essential personnel. 60 days later, both the HR contact and my former boss were gone. So was I, but I shouldn’t ever worked for that company in the first place.
My husband and I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2000. Those who know of the experience know that most hikers cannot eat enough to for all the calories they burn. A friend’s in-laws lived just a little ways off the trail in NC and they offered to let us shower, eat with them, etc as we passed through.
First off we had to wait for another couple to arrive. Then, out came lunch: thin-sliced bread with low-cal cheese, one thin slice of sandwich meat, and lettuce, making it a sandwich. On the table there was a small dish of chips. A brownie for dessert. Steve and I looked at each other and sighed. These people were exceptionally kind and generous, but they also were very health conscious. They offered another sandwich, if we wanted, so Steve insisted that he could make his own, intending for it to be bigger. When we got back on the trail a couple of hours later, we hiked about two miles and then stopped for our usual lunch.
The people were so kind that we couldn’t let them know we were still hungry! It’s a story we still tell when giving highlights of our AT Thru-hike.
Back when my son was about 5 years old he was invited to a friend’s birthday party at a waterpark. There was also a park area where they set up a bunch of games for the kids and one was a sack race. Well I started to video this as any crazy parent of a young child is going to do.
They started the race and all the kids took off towards the finish and my son was absolutely last falling way behind. The other kids were passing the finish and he was still struggling. I started feeling horrible for him because every one else had finished and he was still going. My heart was beginning to break for him and I was ready to stop videoing and thought I am going to run out and give him a hand to finish.
Well that would have been my mistake if I had have because all of a sudden I could hear him and he was saying “I’m doing it! I’m doing it!”. I started beaming and continued to video cheering him on! He didn’t care that he was last, he was proud of himself for doing as well as he was and I knew I had to let him finish. I still tell that story to this day and it chokes me up. He still has that “don’t quit” attitude and he keeps moving forward. I LOVE this memory!
I woke up one morning with my eight year old son hugging me and telling me that “everything will be fine.” Yet, he wasn’t actually physically there. He was staying at his father’s far away. I asked him how he got home and then he was gone… I jumped out of bed and began searching all over the house for him. My daughter woke up and I asked her if she saw her brother. She looked at me like I was losing my mind – uh, mom, he’s at dad’s… But, I felt I had actually felt and talked with him and it was as real as anything. Kinda dazed, I went about my day until hours later I received a phone call from my children’s father – our little son had just died from a terrible car accident. I still believe to this day that he came to me ‘before’ he passed and have been comforted by this. The next day I traveled to the scene of where he had died. All of a sudden I heard him say clear as anyone “mom, look at me, I can fly!” Then he said another thing I will never forget. He said “mom, there is no such thing as time… and everything will be fine, you will be fine…” A couple of other things have since happened but the most important was the pre-passing hug…
Many years ago, I brought my Cortina to the local Ford dealership for its annual MOT test. This was not a major issue as I had thoroughly inspected the car in my own lockup beforehand. Since my father had an account with the garage and I was working late, the service desk was closed when I picked up the car. As a result, I simply collected the keys from a salesman and drove home. The next day, I collected the paperwork and was informed that they would send me the bill through the mail.
About a week later, I received the bill, which stated that they had replaced all four sets of brake shoes. Immediately, I phoned the garage to question the bill’s accuracy and requested them to verify if it was meant for my car or if they had made a clerical error. In response, I received a letter with a threatening tone, implying legal action if I did not settle the bill immediately. Frustrated, I replied saying, “I will see you in court.”
In Scotland, we have a system called Small Debts Court, where local magistrates preside over minor cases. I received a letter stating the date and time for the hearing, and I was quite eager for my day in court.
During the proceedings, the magistrate inquired why I had chosen to represent myself without a lawyer present. I explained that I did not believe the case warranted the expense. The garage’s lawyer then provided a summary of the facts. When asked if I disputed any of the statements made by the garage, I replied no, accepting everything that their lawyer had said. I proceeded to present copies of the correspondence exchanged between the garage and myself. At this point, it seemed like an open-and-shut case, as I refused to pay for something that was clearly not done on my car.
It was then that I inquired if the magistrate was knowledgeable about the technicalities of motor car braking systems. He confirmed that he was, but also mentioned that if there were any technical points beyond his understanding, he would seek expert assistance and pause the proceedings. I subsequently presented the bag of worn-out brake shoes that had been left in my car as per the garage’s regular procedure. I explained that as a qualified mechanical engineer and a car enthusiast who frequently participated in car racing, I had upgraded my Cortina’s brakes to disk brakes all around several months prior and had a bag of brake parts that were incompatible with my car. It was clear that the mechanic had never even inspected the brakes. I firmly refused to pay for work that couldn’t have been performed on my car.
Although the magistrate didn’t laugh, a broad smile appeared on his face as he declared, “Case closed.”
What most people don’t realize is how close the Germans came to victory.
Forget Bastogne and the river crossings, the crucial battle was the Battle of the Elsenborn Ridge.
The 21st Army Group was planning on crossing the Rhine in early 1945 in the Netherlands, but the massive supply depots for this operation were located in Belgium as the stretch of land held by the Allies in the Netherlands was too narrow.
Beyond the Elsenborn Ridge was the largest supply area in Western Europe and without these supplies, the 21st Army Group could no longer operate.
But US troops in the North belonging to the 12th Army Group also got their supplies from this crucial area.
By now, the port of Antwerp with a capacity of 40,000 tonnes a day was open and US troops depended less and less on French ports.
If the Germans break through at Elsenborn, this massive supply area falls into enemy hands meaning the Germans have all the fuel, food, and medical supplies they need while the Allies run out of ammunition in a matter of days.
The intense V-weapon offensive against Antwerp (the small city of Antwerp got more hits than larger London) is disrupting resupply at the port … so those 40,000 never actually materialized until March 1945.
With the 21st Army Group out of the way, the Germans can rather easily take Antwerp.
Thanks to the heroic resistance of American troops at Elsenborn, this never happened, but it came close.
Lloyd’s Cajun Blues Cafe Cajun Riblets
Lloyds Cajun Blues Cafe Cajun Riblets
Ingredients
1 slab ribs (split down the center)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
All-purpose seasoning
Garlic powder
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Instructions
Pull skin from back of ribs. Trim all excess fat.
Rub ribs with Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle ribs with all-purpose seasoning, cayenne pepper, black pepper and garlic powder.
Sprinkle brown sugar on ribs and pat, rubbing sugar into ribs.
Oil grill or spray with nonstick spray.
Place ribs on grill. Slowly cook until fork tender.
Notes
Ribs may also be baked in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Shortly after he and his wife moved in next door, he started nailing a squirrel trap to my side of the fence. I told him if he wanted a trap, he could put it on HIS side of the fence. He would regularly have workmen over and I kept catching them in my yard. When asked, they’d tell me he said he owned the property, so I’d set them straight and tell them to leave. He wasn’t big on asking my permission for anything, especially being in my yard.
But the satisfying one was when he parked in front of my driveway. I had some things delivered that were sitting in front of it, so he felt entitled, despite the fact that he had a long driveway, and I did not. And when I’d ask him to move, he’d yell at me. He liked yelling at women, and I lived alone. One day, after everything had been moved, he parked right across the driveway. There was nothing in front of the garage, lots of parking on the street, and his driveway was empty. So I called parking enforcement. When she showed up to give him a ticket, he came belting out of the house, screaming at both of us. Part of his rationale was that my garage was full of “shit”. Parking enforcement said she didn’t care WHAT was in the garage, and that it was MY driveway. After he got done screaming and stomped off, she typed ABUSIVE into her handheld computer, said, “No one yells at me,” got in her car and left. I looked it up later. He’d tried to go to court to fight it, and instead of a $47 fine, he got $250. And he never parked there again. I was thrilled when they moved.
Ok, this is weird and sordid and I’ve never posted anything like this before.
I was married at sixteen to a man seven years older, a felony convict, and illiterate. And NO, I wasn’t pregnant and was in fact a virgin when we married. And YES, this travesty took place in the U.S.A.
A couple years after marriage, we drove to Louisiana with a an eight month old baby so he could (he thought) get a job. Instead he and his brother robbed a gas station and my mom and dad flew me home. I went back to visit him at his request (I lived in Chicago) and he made me aware that he managed to pay the guards (with MY money) so we could have sex in a visiting room. In retrospect, (the kind you’re graced with fifty years later) I realize PART of the agreement was so they could watch!
When I think of how fucking stupid I was at that age, it makes me want to vomit. Anyway, someone shot and killed him a year or so after he escaped. So I married again in 1979 to a wonderful man and we’re still together and happy.
This happened to a friend of mine 10 years back and I was left astonished.
The company decided to focus on large deals and geared up all its sales team for the same. My friend (lets name him A) who was a salesperson of company X took this to heart and went after large deals for an entire year. Having said that, winning a 20m$ deal is different than 2m$ deals. The person had no result to show but lot of effort and background setting to do. After 3 quarters of no result, my friends Boss (lets name him B) calls up a review meeting at 10 pm to tell him that he has been fired.
My friend A had a call with a prospect at 11 pm. He attended the call, signed the biggest deal of the company for that year and left the company (as he was terminated at 10 pm) The Boss (B) took the most hefty sales commission of that year from the company as A was terminated.
I was an employee of the same company.
Its easier for companies to define strategy but lack of belief in people who can carry out that strategy and unwillingness to bear the cost of the strategy. Don’t know who lost more here, company (lost a great employee and believer and doer), A (lost the job and the biggest commission) or B (got the money but lost the respect of entire sales team)
BREAKING NEWS: China SANCTION Rare Earths Processing TECHNOLOGY To U.S
Yes, I did. And if the Angel had not spoken to me, I may not have recovered from what I almost did. I was (and still am) a Christian believing in God as He is personified in Father, Son and Holy Spirit and I believe that there are Angels that perform whatever God wills.
I was a teenager living at home with my parents and wanted to run to K Mart to buy something. My next door neighbor’s two girls (probably 7 and 10) were there also and wanted to go with me. I tried to tell them it was not a “fun trip” as I was going for one thing only so if they went with me, they’d have to stay in the car. Their mother gave them permission so we left.
As I’d told them, they had to stay in the car. I bought my one item and came out. I could easily see my car but there were no children in it. At first, I was angry. Then I thought, they’re hiding so I’ll teach them a lesson. I’ll get into the car, zoom off across the parking lot, then when I stop and look back, they’ll be running after me and I’ll laugh at them!
So, I got in and started the car. As there was no car in front of me, I thought to put the car in drive and push down on the gas. But, just as I put the car in ‘drive,’ a voice from the back seat, a man’s voice, said, ‘Put it in reverse!’ The voice had such authority in it that I responded by immediately putting the car into reverse. As I turned to look behind the car as I backed up, I wondered, “Who was that?”
I was so surprised by the voice that I stopped the car and looked into the back seat. No one was there! When I turned around, I got the shock of my life- where the front of my car had been, were the two girls crouching down on the ground! If I had driven off at high speed as I’d planned, I would have run over – and possibly killed – the two girls! I immediately knew that an Angel had spoken to me in order to save the children and, most likely, me!
I remain to this day profoundly grateful for that voice.
You can already see the streets around the country. Go to 百度地图
As for why not google. It will be related privacy and national security laws.
Things might have been different but at the time google was not working with local governments to censor content (it is now) since it had a single product. Now each country is localised and has censorship but politics prevent google from returning to China.
I don’t see that changing any time soon. Also, China will let Google street view go all over China the same year that the US allows Baidu street view go all over the US.
Any, enjoy Baidu Street View you can see most of China using it.
It is worth being aware that Baidu Street View doesn’t show everything. They avoid going near most military locations and often only go to major towns. That being said you can see lots of locations that are in the news. About half of the detention facilities in Xinjiang can be found but not the ones outside of smaller towns.
Hoisin Spareribs (Cantonese)
Hoisin Spareribs
Ingredients
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 pounds pork ribs, cut crosswise
Instructions
Rub the meat with the sauce to coat well. Cover and allow the ribs to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Grill over a medium fire, turning once or twice until the ribs are slightly charred and cooked through. Let them cool slightly. At this point, they will be easy to cut. Cut them into bite-size pieces.
He was 12 at the time. I had given him a 6pm curfew. He needed to be home to eat dinner and do his homework. I understood that he biked home after school and hung out at his friend’s house, which is about a half block away. So one day he was late. It’s 6:15 and no son. I’m upset and worried.
He comes home and tells me that their friend, Jenny * had come over to play Mario Kart with them, and he wanted to walk her back to her house because it was getting late. So he walked his bike next to her and walked her to her door before he came home.
I admit, I was a bit skeptical. I let it go with a “be home on time tomorrow”. As excuses go, that was a damn good one, so a little pass was given. I half believed him, but didn’t really think that was the reason. I was wrong.
Her mom called me the next day and thanked me. She was nervous about letting her daughter hang out with BOYS. She thanked me for my son walking her daughter home. That is when I realized that he had become a young man. Who can weigh decisions. Worried mom, or walk a younger, smaller person home safe.
He’s almost 14 now, and has earned my trust. When Jenny hangs out, he makes sure he walks her home. She lives about 3 blocks away. Her mom and I have become friends. Unknown to him, she texts me when he drops her off. She’s his friend. Even when he was “dating” someone else, he would still make sure she got home safe.
I’m not saying it right. She’s one of the guys. A friend. She just lives a few blocks over. As a woman who was once the girl who was one of the guys, I get it. I like her. She’s a good friend to him.
My son, as the one who looks out for her? That’s not a kid’s decision. That’s a young man that I am proud of. I got him a cell phone so it’s not the same now, but I remember that night when he told me that he was just making sure his friend got home safe. Then getting the phone call thanking me. That’s when I knew, I had a young man, not a little boy.
*her name has been changed.
A crying mother cat brought her dying kitten to a man. Just unbelievable!
Let me preface this answer by saying I’m a law-abiding, productive member of society. In particular, I don’t condone shoplifting.
However…
In my youth my social circle was… shall we say… pretty diverse. When I was a freshman in college, a guy named Mark was part of that social circle. He was clean cut, well read, well spoken, impeccably dressed, and homeless. This was pre-9/11, back when sleeping at the airport wouldn’t raise any red flags (especially in Vegas, where I grew up).
He stole stuff for a living. Most anything he needed for personal use (clothes, bikes, personal electronics, books, etc.) was stolen. He would also sell stolen stuff to get money — because unfortunately, not everything can be stolen.
One day he stole a set of tools and got himself a union job. And shortly after that, he got himself an apartment. So he enlisted my help (… as a friend with a car…) to gather all the stuff he had stashed at gym lockers around town and move it to his new apartment. Lockers and lockers and lockers full of stuff.
It didn’t stop there. Now that he had an apartment, he needed home stuff. Sheets, pillows, blankets, pots, pans, etc. Stuff he never had a use for. I asked him how the hell he’s going to steal something as bulky as pillows. He said, “The same way I steal anything. I just walk right out with them.”
I couldn’t believe it, and he invited me to observe.
So we took a trip down to the outlet mall. I wasn’t going to be an accomplice, but I had to see this for myself. I’d loiter around by the front of the store just to see him make his smooth exit.
And sure enough, he went and got himself a giant empty bag, put pillows (or pots and pans, or blankets, or whatever), put the stuff in the bag, and walked right out.
In one case, he put some stuff (I think plates?) right down the front of his pants. Evidently, he was spotted by someone. On his way out, the manager of the store got in his way and said in his best manager voice: “Stop right there sir. Were you planning on paying for those?”
Mark pulled the plates out of his pants, handed them to the manager, and cheerfully said, “I wasn’t planning on it, here you go!” and walked right out. The manager stood there, holding the plates, dumbfounded. Getting back to the exact question, I’m pretty sure my jaw literally dropped.
I once fired a new employee the same day that I hired him.
I advertised an opening that I had for a security guard position and a young guy came in and filled out an application. He was a clean cut kid and had actually dressed like he was going on an interview — sport coat, slacks, tie, white shirt and shined shoes — so once he completed the app, I had him come into my office to chat while my secretary checked his references.
She was able to reach all but his last employer — she got an answering machine — and all of his personal references, and they all gave him a glowing approval. So I decided to roll the dice and offer him a job. He came in on a Tuesday and the positioned opened on Friday, so I gave him a couple of uniforms and directions to the post, and told him to show up on Thursday for training.
I was congratulating myself for filling the position so quickly, and easily, when the business owner from that last employer returned my secretary’s call. The man said that he normally didn’t give out derogatory references because it opened him up to trouble, but he didn’t see anything wrong with telling me that the young man had been fired for stealing copper wiring from his supply yard, and selling it for scrap, because he had filed charges on the kid.
I called the agency that had made the arrest and they confirmed that the kid had been arrested, and that he was charged with a felony. If the kid was found guilty he would not be able to work as a security guard so I decided to nip a potential problem in the bud. I called the kid and asked him to return to the office with his uniform. He knew what had happened and apologized for not telling me about his arrest and impending court date. He seemed, to me, to be a good kid who made a bad choice but I still terminated his employment.
Ten psychological knowledge of love you must know right now!
1.Most women are attracted to men with a strong sense of humor.
Generally speaking, a strong sense of humor is associated with intelligence.
2. When the relationship lasts for three to five months, it is most likely to break up.
According to Fisher, a psychologist, the divorce rate is the highest after four years of marriage. So love needs to be tested by time.
3. Compared with those who regard love as a fairy tale, people who look at love rationally are more likely to obtain love, and love is longer.
4. Men are more likely to be attracted to women with similar bone structure to his mother.
5. What kind of person you are, you can attract what kind of person you are.
If you expect to meet a great person, you have to be equally good first
6. Have you ever had the experience that you suddenly feel like someone in a moment, but then you feel like nothing the next day.
This is known as the “suspension bridge effect.”. When a person is anxious to cross the suspension bridge, his heart will not help but quicken his heart. If you happen to meet another person at this time, he will mistakenly understand the acceleration of heart rate caused by fear as that the other party makes his heart beat, so that he likes this person. Love needs time, but the heartbeats needs reason.
7. A good first impression is more about body language, tone and speed than what you actually say.
8.Love is a natural painkiller.
When you have a disease, the person you love is around, which can significantly relieve the pain. Even looking at a picture of a loved one can relieve pain. Meanwhile, psychologists have found that when couples hug, their brains release oxytocin. Oxytocin helps reduce headaches for up to 4 hours. So if you feel tired, stressed or in pain, hugging your partner is a great alternative to any painkiller.
9. Express gratitude to your lover and feel happiness immediately.
10. Heartbreak is real.
Studies have shown that violent or traumatic events can cause real pain in a person’s heart, which is known as broken heart syndrome. When deep emotions cause excessive anxiety, chest pain or shortness of breath and other symptoms, it is easy to have broken heart syndrome. This is often more likely to occur in women and can easily be misdiagnosed as a heart attack.
This happens in some parts of the US more than others. This photograph was taken in Louisville, Kentucky, where it’s so common a single hospital may do this half a dozen times a week.
Generally the patient is discharged, escorted off hospital property by security, and left at the closest street corner to the hospital. Patients who can’t walk are placed in a wheelchair, wheeled off hospital property, then physically dumped out of the wheelchair into the street.
The year was 1978: I was applying for a job as a dishwasher on the late night shift at a local restaurant. I was told to return at 11PM (when the shift started) for an interview.
What I didn’t know upon my arrival (at 11PM) was that someone else had already been hired.
But that other guy (whose name was “Luke”) didn’t show up.
And everybody thought I was Luke.
It took a few weeks for the paperwork to clear up (because I was punching in as Luke Somebody for two weeks). And it was a good thing that I got paid in cash every week.
And “Yes” I thought it was odd that I would be shown to the locker room upon my arrival (at 11PM) and told to change into a uniform and then go to the dishroom without even being asked my name. But it was a job (and I worked there about 9 months).
The summer before I left for college, Yale hosted a formal reception for the families of the incoming freshmen in my area. It was the kind of gathering where people come in button-down shirts and lacy dresses, and where sliced fruit and fancy cheeses are served on silver platters.
While everyone else was focusing on mingling, Claire Yang – ten years old at the time – immediately zeroed in on the food. I let her make a beeline for the refreshment line, and for a while afterwards, I didn’t notice anything amiss.
Then she returned with an anxious look on her face, pulled me to the side, and said, “Hannah? Can you help me eat this?”
I looked down at her plate and found myself face-to-face with a colossal slice of brie – at least a quarter the size of the enormous wheel it came from. Claire had managed to consume an admirable fraction of her slice, but even so, she was still holding enough brie to spread on a month’s worth of crackers.
“I thought it was cake,” she whispered.
I just stared at her, trying not to laugh.
In an even smaller voice, she said, “It’s not cake.”
We hadn’t really attended events with wheels of brie before, so it was an understandable mistake. Still, though, I wish I could’ve seen the faces of everyone else in line when she cut it.
My dad has bees.
Today, I went to his house and he showed me all the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off a 5-gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could help them and he said he was sure they wouldn’t survive. Casualties of honey collection I suppose.
I asked him again if we could at least get them out and kill them quickly, after all he was the one who taught me to put a suffering animal (or bug) out of its misery. He finally conceded and scooped the bees out of the bucket. He put them in an empty Chobani yogurt container and put the plastic container outside.
Because he had disrupted the hive with the earlier honey collection, there were bees flying all over outside.
We put the 3 little bees in the container on a bench and left them to their fate. My dad called me out a little while later to show me what was happening. These three little bees were surrounded by all their sisters (all of the bees are females) and they were cleaning the sticky nearly dead bees, helping them to get all of the honey off of their bodies. We came back a short time later and there was only one little bee left in the container. She was still being tended to by her sisters.
When it was time for me to leave, we checked one last time and all three of the bees had been cleaned off enough to fly away and the container was empty.
Those three little bees lived because they were surrounded by family and friends who would not give up on them, family and friends who refused to let them drown in their own stickiness and resolved to help until the last little bee could be set free.
Bee Sisters. Bee Peers. Bee Teammates.
We could all learn a thing or two from these bees.
During my brief stint as a McDonald’s fry cook in summer 1982, the crew at my store got along pretty well.
Then came the day when a “transfer” worker with a couple of years’ experience came aboard. I met him when he was walked around the store a day or two before his first shift. He was about my age, 20, and seemed really full of himself.
There was talk among the crew that this fellow was going to position himself as some kind of de facto crew chief, and nobody was looking forward to it.
Turned out, that never happened.
I wasn’t working on the day New Guy had his downfall, but I sure heard about it. It was on his first shift.
New Guy had experience running a cash register, so he was put on one, right out of the gate.
This was during the early days of the Chicken McNugget, which came with your choice of dipping sauce. One of these was barbecue sauce, an unremarkable tomato-based variety.
So, a small group of well-dressed older men get into the line at New Guy’s register. One of them says he’d like an order of McNuggets but he’s not sure what dipping sauce to get and could the cashier (New Guy) please recommend one?
New Guy starts into an opinionated description that includes the phrase “the barbecue sauce sucks.”
Those well-dressed older gents? They are McDonald’s executives on their way to or from some important McBusiness and have stopped off for a quick bite and to see how the crew is promoting Chicken McNuggets.
In their minds, telling customers that “the barbecue sauce sucks” is not good McMarketing. It’s more Jeff Spicoli than Mayor McCheese, I think you’d agree.
They did not keep their displeasure a secret.
New Guy was terminated on the spot, more or less, though the store management probably had to do some paperwork to make it official.
He didn’t even finish his first shift.
But just to make sure New Guy isn’t forgotten, I still use the phrase “the barbecue sauce sucks” whenever possible.
I had known and worked with *Ernest* for perhaps ten years.
I had helped him with professional and personal situations, and he often confided in me, so I knew ‘where the bodies were buried’ (nothing illegal).
I never confided in him nor asked him for help because I am a very private person, but that was OK since he was very focused on himself.
I guessed that he sometimes bad-mouthed me to other male teachers because he wanted them to include him. Another reason to not confide in him.
Several times when I couldn’t take on an outside class, I would suggest him for the course. He was someone I could trust to do a good job. He thanked me each time.
We were both teaching at an international company where I had taught before and was respected. He was, to them, the ‘new guy.’
I saw him in the training manager’s office, and he was ‘ernestly’ (pun?) speaking to her; she looked concerned.
Ernest said he had been talking to her about a student.
I asked her later if there was a problem and could I help. That’s when she told me that Ernest had tried to convince her to use only him for future classes by spewing several untruths about my teaching methods. She told him she would consider what he had said.
And she did, and that’s why she would not give him additional courses.
He had hanged himself.
The training manager and I had worked together several times, and she had taken two of my classes.
That incident opened my eyes to his deceit; I wondered if he had done the same at other places where I had helped him find work.
He had.
Some relationships were saved; some were lost.
I did not confront him: it would have accomplished nothing constructive. Ernest never admitted to wrongdoing. He blew up and argued, never hearing anyone else. It would have been a waste of my time.
I stopped suggesting him to clients.
Fast forward about six months.
I was hunched over a stack of students’ papers in the teachers’ work area. I was not interested in conversation, but Ernest asked if I had heard from the international company.
Without looking up, I said I was currently teaching a course there. He asked angrily why he hadn’t been called, as if I had had something to do with it.
Continuing to work on my students’ papers, not looking up, I said, “She and I have worked together several times. She didn’t like what you said about me.”
Ernest began to sputter and deny. Still not looking at him, I just waved him away.
Just think about this close to 1 billion out of China’s 1.4 billion people in China are middle class and are buying stuffs that the U.S. can sell or benefit from. That is more 3 times the U.S. consumer. But it is bigger than the next 10 biggest consumer on earth put together! And what is worst it is still growing and growing fast!
And you want to “decouple” or “de-risk” from this market? If I were you, I will go all out courting the Chinese to be your life long customer!
But that is not all. 2/3 of the rest of earths need is made in China and they may replace your parts and product too while making them? Did it sink into your head that you are being decouple or de-risk from the world?
It has been a full 5 years since Donald Trump declared a trade war with China. Do you want to know the result? China has out grown the U.S. five times! Your deficits and debts actually shot up! You had a crippling inflation and treating it cause you a banking crisis! China is having 0.2% inflation rate!
If you care to open your eyes, it is a mosquito bite for China while it is a cancerous growth for the U.S. economy. This coming election chose wisely, dump every China hawks and China haters! They are destroying your livelihood and putting you in debts. Get a guy in the White House that fly straight to China to patch thing up the first day in office.
China is your only hope to stay away from bankruptcy! Tell Taiwan don’t be another Ukraine. We the U.S. cannot afford Ukraine let alone Taiwan which will cost us a 100 times more! You island is not going to float near Florida coast! Be real. Join China today!
Tell China no need to innovate we will sell everything damn things to you any day any time!
I used to have a friend who treated service workers poorly. At restaurants, he would make a point to complain about the service, the table location, the ambience, and, of course, the food. He sent his orders back to the kitchen more than a few times when we dined together. His manners toward the wait staff were mean and condescending.
The first few times I witnessed the behavior, I let it go. Maybe his tantrum was legitimate. Maybe it was his youth. (He was in his 20s.)Then it became a pattern. The next time it happened, I said to him, “That’s enough,” as he was berating the waitress about the temperature of the food. I apologized to the waitress before we left the restaurant.
I asked him why he had to be so rude to the service staff. He didn’t think his behaviors were out of line at all. He rationalized falsely that if he had paid for the service, it would have to hold up to his liking. I then reminded him that it was I who footed the bill for almost all the meals we had had, and even if he had contributed his share, his treatment of the staff still wouldn’t have been justifiable.
He was working as a receptionist at a community clinic at the time. I asked him how he’d feel if the customers were rude to him for things beyond his control. He said that would never happen because everyone loved him. He then quickly dismissed my teaching moment.
I stopped inviting him to dinners and weaned myself from him socially. He reached out a few times, and I eventually had to tell him the reason we could not be friends – his kindness deficiency.
Kindness to people you care about is easy, but it shines the brightest when you dispense it to strangers and those who are vulnerable to your criticism.
Experience China’s Futuristic Spaceship Train Station: A $10 Billion Masterpiece
I drove my girlfriend’s new Honda Civic and noticed a rough 2-1 downshift and told her it would be good to bring it in and have it checked as it was under warranty.
She called me when the dealership told her that it needed new front pads and rotors at 3000 miles, and the warped rotors were the problem I had felt.
I happened to be a master certified Mercedes-Benz technician at the time, so naturally I had already ruled that out. We went to the dealer and I met with the service advisor, while I was still in my work uniform, and asked him to review the recommendations on the car.
He, rather dismissively, said it needed pads and rotors because my girlfriend had warped them. I asked him for the run-out measurement and threshold for the car, and he looked at me like I was speaking in an alien language. Then he said that they don’t do measurements, just a road test. I replied that if the vehicle was out of the specifications for run-out, (the warpage of the rotor surface) that it must be measured against a manufacturer’s standard to claim that a new car needed $600 in brakes that wasn’t caused by a warrantable defect.
Given that he still gave me a “deer in headlights” look with a hint of “go F yourself”, I asked for him to bring the car out for a road test. When it arrived I took the work order from his hand and read the “mileage in” out loud, then I read off the exact same mileage from the odometer. I asked him how a determination for warped brakes was done in less than a mile, when the brakes should go through their full range of temperature to diagnose system specific issues on a road test. He replied that they can get hot in under a mile. I asked him if that kind of driving was policy for his technicians to be doing in a residential neighborhood, and he just stared blankly.
So we went on the road test and I duplicated the issue. He said that it was warped rotors. So I did it again and let go of the steering wheel, as warped fronts cause the wheel to tip back and forth when slowing to a stop, and when it remained stationary I asked him if it was still warped brakes. He stated he didn’t feel anything. So I did it again, and he stated that that was normal. After another few times demonstrating a 2-1 downshift clunk, with no vibration in the steering wheel, and getting a number of other BS replies from the advisor, it was time to call in someone else. Mind you, my girlfriend was in the back seat watching this whole thing.
At that point I asked for the service manager.
Of course we sat around for another 45 minutes before we were told he had just gone home, and the foreman would see us.
Round 2 with the foreman. I drove the car and duplicated the issue. He said, that’s odd, let me drive it. He drove it and duplicated the issue multiple times. He stated that he would check it out and let me know what he found, and that it definitely wasn’t brakes and a recommendation for brakes should have never been made without a proper road test no matter how common warped rotors were on these cars. The next morning he called up and stated that all the shifts were within specification, he had also driven a number of other vehicles and it appeared to have been a difference in programming between the 06 and 07 models where the 07 had a harsher downshift at low speeds. He said to bring it back if the shift ever got worse and even out of warranty, there was a verified complaint on record and it would be fixed within reason.
Even experienced technicians can get the runaround just like everyone else. The only advantage I had was I understand the vehicle systems, and how to diagnose them, enabling me to call them out as a professional. But when someone shows up after disassembling a $60k engine from a $150k car, while still in their Mercedes-Benz shop uniform, you’d think the jig would be up without needing to shove their face in it. What hope does the average person have?!
BTW, the transmission is still fine at 160k miles. The control unit adapted out the harsh shift eventually.
In my early 30s, a friend invited me over to her house for dinner. She was around my age, and single. When I arrived with my obligatory bottle of wine, there was another single woman that I was slightly acquainted with, and a man I’d never met before. We had the usual conversations: personal news, politics, literature, theatre/film, funny stories, and so on. The man didn’t seem to get our references or know anything about the topics we were discussing, and most of his interjections were a little surprising. But we did our best to be polite and welcoming and include him.
Anyway, he ended up being the first person to leave, which gave us a chance to ask the hostess how she’d met him and so on. Obviously myself and the mutual acquaintance had the same opinion of him, as she asked the hostess “But why did you invite him?”
“Because he’s SOOO good looking!” she replied.
Myself and the other woman looked at each other. Neither of us had found him good looking, and if he had been, that physical attractiveness had vanished early in the evening, given his lack of intellect. He wasn’t entirely unintelligent, he was a teacher, but he had just no interests or curiosity.
Oof. Where to start. I have a couple to choose from. Most involve my mother in some shape or form. Let’s see.
There was the time she went away for a “visit home”, she immigrated at 18 from the UK. And then about 30 years later I got a call from one of my sisters asking me to sit down as she told me about my “other sister”.
Or there is the time my 63yr old sister (I’m 56) told me that someone has contacted her and introduced me to my 40yr old nephew I had no idea I had.
But I think the one that really hurt came out after my fathers death, which was a year after my mother passed.
They divorced when I was about 4–5yrs old. I believed my mothers account from 1973 till 2018 when my father passed that she was an abused wife who left in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on her back.
I didn’t see or hear from her for 2yrs which was explained to me that she had taken that time to get her life together.
She was actually now living with her new husband, David. Ironically in the same town as me for the past year. But I stood by her account.
I fought tooth and nail with my father from the age of 5 to 50. Around 50 my second wife talked me into letting things go for the sake of my daughter. So she could have a relationship with her PopPop.
After he passed away, my brother and I discovered multiple documents, lawyers notes, divorce decree and Private Investigator reports.
She was taking money and cheating on him THE WHOLE TIME.
He NEVER STRUCK HER. And she left ON HER OWN WITH BAGS IN HAND, INCLUDING ALL THE JEWELRY SHE BOUGHT WITH THE STOLEN MONEY.
Both had passed and I couldn’t confront my mother or apologize to my father.
My mother brainwashed me, my brother and my 3 sisters (not the 4th who wasn’t around of course) into believing it was all his doing.
I lived on the streets, spent time in JV, and joined the Army at 17 basically to get away from this man and cause I had nowhere to live etc.
She robbed me of a relationship with my father. And that I can NEVER get back or make up for now.
I was driving to work on the Dulles Toll Road one winter morning when the road was covered in snow and ice. I was in my little Chevy making a steady 40 mph, when an SUV came up riding my bumper and honking at me before pulling into the next lane and roaring past me. 10 minutes later I passed the same SUV on its side in the median.
Another one I didn’t see, but heard about from a friend who did was on another snowy day in northern VA. We had had an unusually strong snowstorm for the area (about 2 feet IIRC), and there was a line-up of traffic trying to get onto the ramp from the Beltway to I-95. A guy in one of those big SUV’s (the kind they show blasting through snowdrifts in the commercials) decided he was going to cut across the triangle of ground between the highway and the ramp – only to get caught up on the guard rail that was buried in the snow! According to my friend, his front end made it over before the weight of the vehicle broke through the snow and stranded him!
By a happy coincidence I recently had lunch in a new and no tipping restaurant. These are currently very rare in this country.
I sat at the bar. There were tent cards everywhere mentioning this and noted that no tipping was the reason for the increased prices. They also mentioned that if you somehow didn’t understand this, any tips you did leave would be donated to a local charity. Finally, when you received the check, there was no tip line available.
So my bartender had been in the business for many years in other tipping restaurants. She was a single Mom with two young children. She was delighted to have employer sponsored health insurance that she could afford and a 401K plan. She was an hourly employee not much different than anywhere else in corporate America.
She mentioned that the non-fluctuating income was a huge advantage for her. If she worked a shift where the bar was dead, she still made a living wage! If she worked a shift that was hugely busy, she did not see the increase in her income but the benefit of a consistent cash flow more than offset this for her.
The restaurant had only been open a few weeks. She mentioned that with the addition of affordable health insurance and a 401K plan, she was easily seeing an increase in her standard of living.
It seems to me it’s clearly a win for her lifestyle but I can easily imagine other situations where the employee might not see the same advantages.
As an infant, I was born with a lump behind my left knee. This was in 1957. I cried and pulled at my leg incessantly, so my mother took me to the small town doctor. By this time the lump was swollen and red. The doctor lanced it and pus and blood went everywhere, according to my mother’s account.
As a result of improper dressing and care, I developed gangrene in the leg. I received so much penicillin that I became allergic to it. I had multiple surgeries to try and remove the infected tissue.
Finally, it was determined that the only option to save my life was to remove my leg.
The bishop of our church called for the church members to join in a special fast and prayer for me. That night before my scheduled surgery, the doctor awoke with an idea to try and save my leg.
He called my parents and explained that he was moving my surgery from the first one to the last one. He put a tube in the thigh and and another in the calf and flushed it with a concoction of medications. He told my mother to watch my toes and if they turned any more purple to have the nurse call him and he would take me into surgery immediately.
The toes did not turn darker and over time, I was able to keep my leg. They did not expect it to be fully functional, however. I actually learned to walk with a cast on my leg. I was, of course, too young to know what this doctor did for me. My parents were not well off and I am pretty sure that the doctor did not receive much if any compensation.
Fast forward 15 years later and I’m a healthy young man, getting good grades and working in a restaurant, with my eye on college and a church mission. I was also racing motorcycles.
I sought out the doctor and made an appointment with him. He was older and nearing retirement. I introduced myself and asked if he remembered my case. He absolutely did. I thanked him for saving my leg and changing the course of my life. He was amazed at how fully functional my leg was.
When I told him that I even raced motorcycles as a hobby, he grinned and said, “Don’t go messing up my good work.”
I have always felt a bit of a responsibility to use my legs to work hard and serve others. I am now in my sixties, raised a good family, (all of whom ride dirt bikes, including some of the grandchildren) lived a wonderful, productive life. To this day, I think of this kind, caring doctor and do my best to not mess up his, and God’s, good work.
“I Just Came To The Realization Why I’m Single” | “That’s WHY Guys Don’t Want To Wife Me Up”
It is very rare when a patient enters an ER with generic complaints such as stomach pain, without ever realizing that something really bad is going on inside. This patient was such a case, in one of the worst peek-and-shriek disasters his surgeons had ever seen.
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He entered the ER with severe abdominal pains, and he could not stop vomiting.
The first thing a doctor thinks in such a case is that this patient might be suffering from an intestinal infection such as gastroenteritis, or food poisoning, but this patient was having so much pain that he needed to be opened up as soon as possible
My girlfriend was still a trainee, and assisted the surgeon who would perform the operation which would not nearly last as long as they had expected.
Because what they found inside was a sentence — a classic “peek-and-shriek.”
The patient’s bowel was black and gangrenous (in other words: dead), and he was having a bowel infarction so severe, that he was beyond saving. So they closed him up again.
He’s softened with age (95) but back then it was bad, really bad.
(And before I launch into this tirade, let me preface by saying he’s an amazing grandfather, who has done a long list of great things for us.)
But here we go:
In the brutal Florida summers, he barely let the air conditioning run, it was cool enough to suffice a desert scorpion.
As a kid, I remember opening my eyes in the middle of the night covered in sweat, sneaking quietly down the hallway, slowly turning the temperature down just a couple of degrees.
And as soon as that house changed temperature so much as a half a degree, it was like an internal alarm went off in grandpas mind, an inner voice that screamed, “Your money is all going away! Hurry!” and within 30 minutes the AC would be right back to 5000 degrees.
We’d take road trips and everyone would have to pile into one hotel room.
He designed a water heater outside that was a long weaving row of pipes that were painted black and heated up in the Florida sun naturally. (Clever, right?)
He kept the ovens outside to cook with to help keep the air conditioning bill down.
He hated it when my mom/grandma ran the hair dryers in the house because it used electricity and heated the house up.
We won’t even talk about what happened if you left the lights on or, god forbid, left a door open.
Go out to eat at a restaurant? Are you crazy?
It was a habit that frustrated family members over the years.
The obvious question was, why is this man so cheap?
It wasn’t like he didn’t have money. He was a PhD, working at NASA. Was it necessary to torture himself (and others)?
The thing that took me a long time to fully appreciate, was that it all stemmed from his childhood.
He grew up in abject poverty in the 1920’s/30’s, as many Americans did following the great depression.
He had 7 brothers and sisters, his father died at a young age, they had one lightbulb that hung from the living room. Luxuries were non-existent. They lived meal-to-meal, paycheck-to-paycheck.
They were known as the poor family. They were dirt, freaking, poor.
Growing up in that world set ‘Survival Mode’ to a permanent on-position. He spent much of his life with a subconscious fear, that a moments lapse in vigilance could bring the onset of poverty again.
But to his credit, he paid for the things in our life that truly mattered, like education.
And he was one of the only siblings in his family who sent money back to his poor mother, from his very first paycheck to the last day of her life.
My grandfather may remind you of someone in your life who frustrates you.
Just remember, changing these behaviors is easier said than done. They often originate from somewhere much deeper in that person’s life.
There is a small family restaurant that I have been going to on and off for 10 years. After I moved I rarely went. Then when I moved back close by I tried to start going more. The owner’s daughter is always working there and I have known her for 10 years. She used to hug me whenever I went there. There have been many complaints about her rudeness including online. I never really had a problem with her because there was always someone else working to keep her balanced. I have seen her have her moments with other people. The last time I went she was rude to me and acted like she didn’t know me. I haven’t and won’t go back because of it. I used to recommend the restaurant to others. Not anymore.
There is a real grease spoon in Orlando, Florida on West Colonial called Mr. Quick. That place has been around since the 1970’s and looks like it hasn’t been updated or cleaned since then. They are like Waffle House except cheaper and not as classy. When me and my husband first got together I took him there because Waffle House was too busy. The waitress approached our table and goes, “Watcha yall want.” like we were bothering her by waiting on us. She never refilled my husband’s coffee. Finally, he asked if he could have a refill. The waitress goes, “I guess” and sighs while getting the coffee. When he wanted another refill he waited and after not wanting to wait and deal with her again he went behind the counter and got his own refill. The waitress tells him you can’t go back there sir! Obviously, we never went back. We still talk about it though.
It wasn’t exactly shoplifting, but very similar. A guy was working for the Canadian mint. His job was to melt down gold from jewelry, coins and ore that the mint bought, and refine it, so it could be used to make gold coins.
When he had purified it to 99.9 percent, or so he used a ladle to scoop a load of gold out, about the size of a golf ball, and assay it , they called it a puck of gold. He was supposed to dump the puck back into the vat.
Instead they found Vaseline and rubber gloves in his locker. There were no cameras in the locker room or the refining room. He never admitted any wrong doing, so it’s all circumstancial evidence.
The scanners at the mint, were notorious for going off, for no reason, and then the guards would do a scan with hand wands, that weren’t powerful enough to detect something in a body cavity.
He sold 17 pucks, and had 4 more in his house when he was investigated. For a total of 21, but he set off the scanner 28 times. Which is why he thought he could get away with it.
He sold each puck to a gold buyer for between $7000–8000 and then took the check to the bank and transferred the money to Jamaica, to build a house. This way he stayed below the $10,000 limit, that would trigger an investigation.
The gold buyer never questioned where he got solid gold pucks from.
For the first 16 times the bank never questioned why he was sending so much money out of the country.
Then to make sure he wasn’t being scammed into sending money to someone fraudulently, the teller asked him about it. He had presented his government picture ID from the mint, as his ID, and then told her he was cashing checks from selling gold, and sending money to his parents to rebuild a house.
The teller wasn’t a dummy, a guy who works for the mint, is selling gold, and transferring the money out of the country.
She called the cops.
So he took molten gold, shaped it into a smooth puck, inserted it with Vaseline up his rectum, and conned his way past security.
Thats a jaw dropping form of sneaking something out of a business.
We went on a long driving trip this summer, starting in Vancouver and then through the US. As we went north, the first possible Alaska entry is Hyder, which is a bit off the normal route to Alcan and Alaska proper. While in this (VERY small) town, we stopped at a little wildlife viewing area and saw some beavers building a dam.
As we got back in the car, a large gray industrial-looking truck pulled up next to us, and a young man and woman got out. It had German license plates and two bikes on the back. I thought it was strange to see a truck with German plates in southern Alaska, especially what looked like a construction truck. I didn’t think much more about it. (Map is for context.)
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About a week later, having driven through Skagway, Yukon, and then south to Wrangell-St Elias, to Denali, and Fairbanks (the point being that we drove a LONG way over about a week), we started driving the Dalton Highway up to Deadhorse. This is a route that rental companies won’t let you drive; you have to have your own car. The drive was 2 days north. After seeing the Arctic Ocean (this requires a tour and 24 hours notice, in case you ever think about going), we started back south through the Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range. Again, this is for context about how far we drove and how remote we were.
Pulling into a parking lot at the top of the pass we see… a large gray industrial-looking truck with German plates and two bikes on the back. Wow, we thought, that’s a coincidence. But it made sense that if you’re really going to make a trip and have the time to do it, the Dalton is a great journey. Still, seeing the truck again after such a distance was pretty cool. *Note: this is a very dangerous road that requires a solid vehicle and 1000 miles round trip of careful attention to the road. Worth the trip, but be warned.
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We went south to Vancouver and stayed there for a week while we went to a wedding. Then we headed south to San Diego through all of the National Parks in California, then back north to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, through Utah, Colorado, back across Utah to Idaho and finally to Wyoming. (This was several thousand miles and several weeks. You might see where this is going.)
Driving through Yellowstone, now at least 5 weeks after leaving Deadhorse, I’m driving (slowly, there was a herd of bison) along the eastern part of the loop in Yellowstone…
…and we passed a large gray industrial-looking truck with German plates and two bikes on the back. What are the odds?
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(I noted the distances not to brag or anything, but to show that we went on a very long drive across thousands of miles over many, many weeks, and saw the same unique truck three different times.)
You never know where life will take you. If you ever have the opportunity to really travel, don’t wait. We slept in the car to save on hotels, ate sandwiches that we made ourselves and did what we could to save money, but it was the trip of a lifetime.
And if you ever see a gray industrial-looking truck with German plates and two bikes on the back, wave hi to them for us!
I was working for a company called Alteon, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boeing, which provided training on Boeing’s commercial aircraft — flight, maintenance, and cabin crew (a.k.a., flight attendants). One day the ‘device manager’ (the person in charge of the full-flight simulators) offered several of us time in one of the simulators. Of course, we all hopped on it!
During her stint as ‘pilot’, one of our group had a bit of difficulty with the ‘landing’; on the first pass, she came in too hot and fast, so the device manager aborted the landing, and had me (I was sitting in the ‘instructor’s’ seat, and had access to the simulator’s controls) reset the simulation.
On the second attempt, she came in hard; the simulater bounced twice, knocked the phone off its hook, and even threw me out of my seat! (I had neglected to fasten my seatbelt; hey, it was only a simulator, right?)
After the session, as we were heading back to our respective jobs, I asked the device manager, “On that one hard landing, in a real-world scenario, would we have walked away from it?”
He told me, “Oh, yeah. The device has a way of indicating a crash, and no crash was indicated. It may have blown a few tires, but that’s about all.” And then he told me this story:
“There was a pilot, for an airline I would rather not name, who once made just one of those strut-bottoming landings that could jar your tooth-fillings loose.
“He pulled up to the gate, and as per company policy, left the cockpit to bid the passengers goodbye.
“One passenger, a little old lady, walking with the aid of a a cane, shuffled up the aisle to the exit. When she got to the front of the plane, she fixed the pilot with a steely glare and asked him, ‘Young man, did you land this airplane…, or were we shot down?’”
It’s been nearly fifteen years, and I still laugh!
So, back in 2014, there was this crazy incident in Venice, California. Melora Rivera found herself face-to-face with a total intruder trying to break into her house. Talk about terrifying! But she didn’t panic. Nope, she jumped into action and made a daring escape by climbing onto her roof. And that’s when the infamous photo was taken.
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Melora Rivera
Imagine this: the front door gets kicked in, and Rivera’s instincts kick into overdrive. She jumps out of bed, throws on a flannel shirt, and dials the cops on her cell phone. But get this, the intruder follows her onto the roof!
So here she is, on the roof, weighing her options. She quickly realizes that climbing down directly is not the smartest move because, well, it’s a long way down. With her safety at stake, she decides to wait anxiously for the police to come to the rescue.
And boy, did they. The police showed up in just two minutes, but when they arrived, they only saw Rivera on the roof. They were worried about who she really was. And Rivera, she was terrified that the intruder might accidentally end up where she was hiding.
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AP Photo/Venice311.org, Alex Thompson
Thankfully, the Los Angeles Fire Department stepped in and saved the day. They used a ladder to safely get Rivera off the roof. Meanwhile, the police were able to convince the intruder, later identified as Christian Hicks, to surrender. He got slapped with burglary charges real quick.
But the craziest part? Rivera’s neighbors were there witnessing the whole thing go down. They whipped out their cell phones and snapped photos and videos from every angle. You’ve got Rivera huddling under an eave, phone to her ear, while the intruder lurks just above. And then there are the cops with guns drawn, ready to protect Rivera from any harm.
Talk about a wild day in Venice!
Scott Ritter: “Houthi’s have us beat.. We have played ourselves and will FAIL due to INCOMPETENCE!”
Once upon a time, in the quaint little town that could be any town, there lived a woman named Jane and her husband, Tom. Jane was known for her quick wit and a tongue that could be as sharp as a razor blade, especially when her patience was tested.
One day, after a particularly long and stressful week, Jane and Tom found themselves embroiled in one of those arguments that couples often have, about something so trivial neither could later remember what sparked it. The air in their cozy living room was thick with unspoken frustrations and the remnants of past disagreements.
As the argument escalated, Tom, red-faced and exasperated, blurted out, “Why can’t you just let this go?”
In that moment, Jane, with a cool and steady voice that belied the storm of emotions inside her, replied, “Because sometimes, dear, I wonder if I made a mistake marrying you.”
The room fell silent. The weight of those words hung in the air like a thick fog, and Jane immediately regretted them. It was as if time had stopped, and she could see the hurt in Tom’s eyes, a hurt that echoed a fear buried deep in his heart.
Though they made up later, and Jane apologized profusely, those words became like a tiny crack in the vase of their marriage. Invisible most days, but a reminder that some words, once spoken, can never be fully taken back. They both learned that in the tapestry of marriage, woven with threads of love, trust, and respect, it’s often the words left unsaid that hold the most power.
My police officer husband (he’s since retired) and his partner met me, our son and his partner’s wife and children at McDonald’s one night for dinner. Our kids were playing in the playland. My son was about 5 or 6 at the time. We heard my son crying and looked up to see another child had pinned my son in a chokehold as he was coming out of the slide and was punching him in the face.
I stood up and said “Excuse me. We do not play like that.” and sat back down and we continued to eat. Suddenly “BIG MAMA” came storming into the play area and started screaming at me for being a racist bitch. We are white; she and her children black. I simply explained what had happened and that I hadn’t said anything about race.
She continued to scream and cuss at me. My husband stood up and said “Ma’am, your son was belting our kid in the face.”. She started screaming at him then claiming he was a “racist pig” and that she wanted to see his supervisor. He had done nothing as a police officer.
We wound up leaving because she wouldn’t shut up. About 2 weeks later, we tried the play date/dinner again, but, walked in to find them there. She immediately stood up and we just left.
Many years ago we had a couple adult brothers who lived in a house in our town. We’ll call them Donald and Ronald. They liked to drink and they liked to play with guns. They had the combined IQ of a house plant, but Ronald was just a little brighter than Donald.
On TWO occasions (about a year apart) we had to evacuate the adjacent neighborhood because these two decided it would be fun to start shooting in the air from their open windows.
We had to treat these situations as barricaded subject calls. We could not assume they wouldn’t shoot at us.
So we established inner and outer perimeters and tried to make telephone contact with them.
On both occasions (after several hours of negotiations) we were able to get them to surrender without anybody getting hurt, but the second time was a little hairier than the first one. They had friends involved as guests and they added an extra unknown factor we had to deal with. It was also rumored that a child was in the house, but this turned out to be false.
The first time they were charged with various misdemeanors. Since we could not prove they caused any damage to homes or other property we were unable to secure more serious charges. The second time we could. Both times their guns were confiscated.
I was the negotiator who spent several hours on each occasion trying to get them to come outside so we could peacefully resolve the situation. By the second time, they were on a first name basis with me.
The second incident was treated a little less patiently than the first one. About 90 minutes after the shots from inside the house stopped, we did something we chose not to do on the first occasion: we cut off the electricity inside the house. Within a half hour of cutting the electricity they surrendered and were taken into custody.
I was in the station about an hour after they were taken into custody. One of the officers who was working on booking and charging the brothers came into my office and told me they wanted to speak to me in person, so I went back to the holding cell area.
Donald said, “Bruno, what the f***, man. You shut off our electricity?? You didn’t do that last time.”
I said, “You’re right, Donald. We didn’t do it last time. But this time you guys brought it to a new level, and so we brought it to a new level. Don’t do this again.”
“Well, what if we do??”
“Then we will turn off your oxygen.”
“You can do that???”
I just walked away.
Soon after this incident the brothers sold the house and moved out of town.
Don’t worry you will soon know. But by bit China will take down the Wall Street. It has taken down GM and Ford, AIA and Apple, China has the most capital. China in time will have the most investor. China is far more responsible fiscally and monetarily than the U.S. what make you think U.S. start ups and giants don’t want to cash in there?
It is a matter of time. Now China starts the first salvo to answer to Donald Trump. He don’t want Chinese companies to be listed in NYSE, China says don’t worry. We won’t. China wants all Chinese companies to delist within a decade! Let us see who lose more!
It wasn’t me, but a very good friend of mine. Her mother was very abusive to her and her brothers throughout their childhoods. They all left home in their teens as soon as they were able to get their first jobs. After many years of no contact, the mother died and was cremated. Two years later, no one had come to collect the remains. The crematorium contacted all the children. The brothers refused to have any involvement. The crematorium staff made my friend feel so guilty, her and her husband drove 7 hours to the city where her mother had died to collect the ashes. On the drive home my friend started crying and said she didn’t want the ashes. She said they would just be a painful reminder of all the years of abuse. Without a word, the husband pulled the car over, grabbed the urn, walked down an embankment and threw the ashes into a river. My friend laughed and said she had never felt as loved as she did at that moment. The mother couldn’t swim and was terrified of water.
“Please, dear God, don’t let it come down to another Biden/Trump face-off in the next election.”
Some of my liberal friends and family members, and liberal Quorans whom I follow and respect, have expressed how they think Biden is too old and wish that he would just bow out gracefully. I suspect that those who haven’t said as much have been thinking it.
Similarly, while I know that Trump seems to have good polling numbers amongst likely Republican primary voters, I don’t know any Republicans in real life who really like him. I know some who like his policies, particularly on border security, but those same people have expressed disdain for the man himself.
I’m hoping that, once people actually get a chance to vote in the primaries, the polls will be proven wrong about how much support Trump really has. Perhaps people are lying to the pollsters out of spite for the mainstream media. Or, maybe one of Trump’s competitors in the primary will gain momentum in the early primaries, and the “please, not Trump” Republican support will all go towards that one candidate, and it will be enough to make Trump not the nominee.
Most of my liberal friends and relatives didn’t support Biden in the last election, but they voted for him out of hatred for Trump. It doesn’t really matter how they vote, here in Illinois, since the Democrat always wins here, but I wonder if that hatred of Trump will be enough to get Biden elected again in states where there is a real competition.
I predict that, should it come down to Trump/Biden again, most people won’t be voting for either of them, so much as voting against the other person (by voting for the only other person on the ballot who can actually beat them). They will dutifully vote for Trump or Biden, while wishing they didn’t have to, then spend the next four years complaining about the exact things they were warned would happen should that person get elected.
Illinois primaries too late, and is too solidly blue, for my presidential vote to matter, so I’m off the hook as far as stressing over it too much. I’m just along for the ride.
But I think that almost anyone who isn’t Trump or Biden, who ends up as the nominee for the Republicans or Democrats, could easily win the election. Their presence on the ballot would be welcome news to voters from both parties.
I think that Nikki Haley, in particular, would have the easiest pathway to victory, should she end up the Republican nominee, particularly if she were running against Biden. The liberals in my life who go through life with demographic lenses clouding their views on everything would quietly support Haley, just because of her gender and race, and not for any party or policies she supported. That, plus the core Republican support the nominee will get anyway, would win Haley most of the swing states, I suspect.
Chinas policies are CRISP and their origin and implementation route is flawless
Everyone knows who proposed the policies and who implemented them
If a policy succeeds, the persons who implemented them get promotions and responsibility and the persons who proposed them get more traction within the CPC
If a policy fails, the persons who implemented them are if not punished, at least put in a doghouse and forgotten with their careers stagnating until a few of them are lucky enough to get a second chance
The persons who proposed the policies will also remain where they are and silently in the next Congress retire or go into insignificance
It’s a beautiful system running on RESULTS, RESULTS and always RESULTS
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Take the floods of 2023
41 City officials faced the wrath for the City being flooded for 36 hours (Flooded means water reaching above 3 inches on Public Roads and 1 1/2 inches in Airports)
That is Accountability
They will be replaced and their careers will taper off.
Meanwhile this man, who planned ahead and saved at least 6% of Chinas crops from being destroyed and rather was responsible for a bumper crop
He will be rewarded suitably
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Xi Jingping almost never makes policies
Those days for him are done
So are other members of the standing Committee
He now listens to his people, his advisors and asks them to handle things
If things go well, they get promotion and traction
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Wang Yi handled his job beautifully and got rewarded with a Politburo appointment
Now he is the Top dog controlling all foreign policy within the Party
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Zhao Lijian was perceived as not doing his job well enough
He was promoted but his new job has maybe 25% of the power he once held
It’s always results
If China gets over 5% GDP growth this year, that’s good for everyone and they did ok
If China manages more than that, that’s better than expected and there will be promotions
If China does worse, those officials will soon be forgotten and stagnate and deputed to insignificant errands
The Western Countries & other democracies like India don’t have such a flawless system
Here everyone rushes to take credit for success and everyone tries to blame others for failure
As a result a lot of mediocre people occupy exalted positions of power merely because of political maneuvering or influence rather than ability and talent
In China, 11 people in the Politburo & Central Committee are people who supported Li Keiqang over Xi Jingping in 2012
No issues
In US, would Biden hire Joseph D Kernan or Trey Gowdy or Brent Mcintosh?
Nopes
They are highly able Individuals but they will be ignored because of politics and because they were Trump appointments
Thus as usual every decision is laced with more than ability and merit and accountability
It’s essentially ONE PARTY MERITOCRACY VS DEMOCRACY.
China’s MILITARY PLAN To Bring US To Knees With A Click Of Button
So my six-year-olds father and I went to a dance competition that she was competing in. And there was obviously that one “dance mom” who has all the t-shirts and tote bags with the studio’s name on it and thinks their child is the best.
Anyway, my daughter finished her amazing solo and finished the group dance too. Let’s call this “dance mom” figure “Entitled Mom.”
So after all the dances came awards and my daughter won first place for solos in her division (yay!). EM’s daughter won eighth and she was NOT having it. She started screaming in the halls like: “THE JUDGES ARE SO BLIND!”, “MY DAUGHTER SHOULD BE IN FIRST NOT THAT KID (my kid)”, “I DIDNT KNOW THIS WAS A COMPETITION FOR JUDGES TO SHOW OFF HOW IDIOTIC THEY ARE!” etc.
And of course, some staff told her to calm down, blah blah blah.
Then the EM came up to my kid and put her finger in this tiny six-year-old’s face and said “You did not deserve this trophy. Go home and quit because I bet this was your first win only because the judges can’t see real talent.” And this *female dog* had the audacity to grab the trophy out of my kid’s hand and throw it across the room.
I went OFF. I took this lady bag and threw that across the room. Not my proudest moment but yeah I was pissed.
In the end, she literally told my daughter to quit and my kid went home instead of happy and proud of herself, crying her eyes out because of that lady. The studio that EM’s kid was representing sent me an email the next day apologizing and that EM was not allowed to attend any competitions that her kid was going to representing that studio. We also got a new trophy because when EM thew it the top broke into pieces.
This happened to me about 20 years ago when I still lived in Alabama. I needed a little cash so I drove to the my bank to pick some up during business hours. This was quite a few years before any of our local banks had automated tellers.
I used the drive-thru where I wrote a personal check to “cash” for 50 dollars, if I remember correctly. I then gave the check and my identification, my passport as I had lost my drivers license a couple days before, to the teller.
The teller, let’s call her Charlotte, takes my passport looks at it and, over the intercom, says to me, as though very probably dealing with an idiot, “Sir, I’m gonna need a valid photo identification. I don’t even know what this here is.” (Imagine Dolly Parton doing a parody of her own southern accent).
I tried my best not to seem a condescending prick and replied “ That’s my passport issued by the United States Department of State. I can assure you that it is a valid form of photo identification. Just look at it. There’s a U.S. Flag and a picture of an bald eagle and everything.”
“Well, be that as it may I’m gonna need a drivers license or somethin’ otherwise I can’t give you no cash.” she insists.
“What you have there is most definitely SOMETHING. Perhaps you should confer with one of your colleagues or even a manager.” I suggest.
“Betty, can you come over here and look at this?” she asks of one of her colleagues. “This gentleman claims that this is A VALID PHOTO IDENTIFICATION. Do you even know what this is?”.
Betty looks at me and says “Sir, we’re gonna need a valid form of photo identification like a drivers license or somethin’.”
I give the classic 2 handed facepalm and, after a long suffering sigh, I say “It’s a passport. It’s issued by the United States Government to U.S. Citizens who generally use them to travel abroad and it is definitely a valid government issued photo ID.”
By this time a third teller, let’s call him Carl, is involved “I think it’s one of those things you use to go to foreign country or somethin’.” he says to Charlotte and Betty. He looks at me “Sir this is a bank. It ain’t no airport. We’re going to need a valid photo identification like a drivers license or somethin’.”
At this point I’m no longer trying to avoid being a condescending prick when I ask “Can one of you ignorant savages fetch a manager? Preferably one that’s traveled beyond the borders of the great state of Alabama.”
After a round of “Well I never’s!” Betty takes of in a huff to retrieve the bank manager. When he arrives Charlotte looks at me smugly and says “Bill, this gentleman wants withdraw cash but, he doesn’t have valid photo identification, he only has THIS!” and with this she presents Bill, the bank manager, with my passport.
Bill looks at me sheepishly and there is an audible click as the intercom shuts off. Because of this I didn’t here exactly what bill said to Charlotte, Betty, and Carl but judging from their body language and the way their eyes all drifted downward I would guess it was none to kind. Then a click as the intercom springs back to life and Bill says “Please allow me to apologize Mr. Estes I promise you that nothing like this will ever happen again. Would 2 twenty’s and a ten be o.k.?”.
The last things we said were “Love you, man. Goodnight” before he had to go away for a month.
He came back and blocked my number, blocked me on social media, and effectively erased me from his life.
No warning.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
10+ years of friendship thrown in the trash.
It’s been 7 months, and I still don’t know why.
And I feel the loss in my chest and my body and deep in my bones. Every fucking day of my life.
Not giving someone any sense of closure is one of the cruelest things you could do to another person.
I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
Edit to add:
It’s been 2 years now, and it still fucking hurts an unimaginable amount.
Highly irritated at everyone who has ever said “Time heals all wounds.”
No. It fucking. Does not.
Edit to add:
Coming in on 3 years soon, and the pain has dulled into what can best be described as a painful annoyance.
Perfect analogy?
Have you ever burned the ever-living-shit out of your arm or hand? It hurts for so long.
Taking a hot shower is agony. Putting on a shirt is a bitch. Honestly, just touching it is awful.
Then it starts to scab over. It’s very sore still, but less excruciatingly so. If you bump it on something, it’s rough. You’ll probably let out a loud yelp. But it’s healing.
And then the scab begins to flake off. The pain is mild, but the itching is constant. If you poke it hard, it’s certainly not going to feel good, so you try not to poke it.
It’s a different kind of problem, and you really just wish you hadn’t burned yourself in the first place.
This is where I’m at now, three years later.
It’s mild pain, paired with utter annoyance.
And it’s leaving a hell of a scar.
Edit to Add:
It’s been 5 years now.
To my former Self: The wound is healed, my darling! And the scar is so very important. Thank you for honoring our pain with the attention it deserved. To think! We could have become bitter and cold, but instead we are blossoming and warm and eager to learn again.
And to my original edit: No, you are right, time does not heal all wounds. It rebuilds YOU around them.
Closure isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Growth, however? Utterly priceless.
Moody is a western and U.S. rating agency. It works for the US government and owned by the neocons. What is says is bird poo. Looking or listening to Moody’s is no different from checking Jews status from a Nazi perspective!
This is the same agency that gives AAA rating to the U.S. economy! The one that could not increase the real standard of living since 1960. That is 60 years ago. Moody’s depend on their mood ! Or when their pay master tell them what to grade!
These are the agencies thss as t has to go in the new world order. One don’t get your cronies to rate you!
It’s a lot of work – I’ve built maybe a dozen, and it always takes 3–4 hours. I’ve built them in Sierra and Cascades snow, and it’s a huge amount of work to tramp down the snow, churning the layers of snowfall so there aren’t weak spots in your bricks…
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Cutting the bricks with an ice saw is neat – but the blocks (2′ x 1.5′ x 1′) are really heavy – that’s about 20 gallons of packed snow/ice, perhaps 30–50 pounds heavy.
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You build up in a spiral – so each block leans in a little more than the previous one, and each is supported by touching the corner of the previous block. You don’t try to build a solid structure – just a skeletal framework of blocks touching each other with triangular holes between.
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The last pieces are hard to place, since you have to lean over a somewhat unstable structure without tipping it in. If you aren’t diligent, it tends to be taller than a half-sphere, and then it’s nearly impossible to place the keystone block.
When the frame is done, you fill the holes with packed snow, which makes the structure really solid and robust enough to climb up and stand atop.
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When the dome is done, then you can dig down and create an entrance tunnel. It’s important that the tunnel is lower than the sleeping platform, because otherwise the warm air trapped in the dome all just blows away.
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The entrance tunnel is going to be tight – the smaller the hole, the warmer the structure, and it’s a lot of work to make the tunnel big anyway. This is not a structure for the claustrophobic!
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From inside, you can really see the structure – the gaps between the blocks that you packed with snow are much less dense than the blocks.
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And at night, a flashlight really shines through the structure.
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You can build a lot of supplementary structures with ice-blocks to make comfortable camp. Be sure to plant skis and packs upright – the night after I took this picture, we had 3–4 feet of new snow, and only the tips of the skis were showing. This time, we didn’t have to go digging…. By the way, you keep your water bottles and boots inside your sleeping bag, otherwise they will likely freeze. Frozen boots are a serious problem if you are in the wilderness.
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Inside, you want to ventilate so the temperature stays a little below freezing – you don’t want it dripping on you. But it’s still much warmer than outside overnight. It’s also utterly silent. I’ve slept through some amazing storms without hearing a thing.
And you need some really good sleeping pads – most of the cold comes up from the sleeping platform, not from the cold air. It’s worth spending some time to make sure the sleeping platform is totally flat and level, because ice is slippery, and if it’s not flat, you’ll spend all night sliding towards the tunnel and trying to scoot back, which isn’t very restful.
My blood type is KFC positive and even I am finding it hard to eat it these days.
On top of the product changing, most likely to make more money, the service has deteriorated terribly, at least the one closest to me.
Every time I would order they would get it wrong. It was so bad it was almost like they did it deliberately.
One day, about three years ago now, after having enough of being given the wrong food, I decided to go in to the store in person and complain.
Surprisingly, but not really given how bad this store is, there was a lady at the counter complaining about exactly the same things I was going to complain about. She even said, like me, she came down especially to make the complaint in person.
I could tell from the body language that the 12 year old store manager couldn’t care less.
Another time I went there at lunch time to buy chicken (Kentucky Fried Chicken – that is apparently what they sell!) but they had none! None! Literally no chicken but I could get a burger if I wanted. I guess you let a store be run by children and this is bound to happen.
As I walked out empty-handed, two police officers were walking in. I said to them, “Good! You’re here to arrest them for running out of chicken!?”
They asked me if the store was indeed out and so they turned around and left too but did say something along the lines of, “Yes we should be able to arrest them. How could KFC run out of chicken at lunchtime?”
My thoughts exactly! The Colonel would be turning in his bucket in disgust!
Ma Po Tofu (Ma Po Dofu)
A famous Szechuan recipe – the name Ma Po Tofu is roughly translated as “pockmarked grandmother bean curd,” named for the old woman who supposedly invented the dish.
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Ingredients
Tofu
3 cakes regular tofu (medium firmness)
1/4 pound ground pork
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salted black beans
1 tablespoon chili paste
3 tablespoons stock (chicken broth)
1 leek or 3 green onions
Freshly ground Szechuan pepper
Marinade
1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 tablespoon soy sauce
Mixture
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Oil for stir-frying
Instructions
Mix marinade ingredients . Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.
Cut the bean curd into 1/2 inch (1 cm) square cubes, and blanch (drop into boiling water) for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from boiling water and drain.
Chop leeks or green onions into short lengths.
Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry pork until the color darkens. Add salt and stir. Add the salted black beans. Mash the beans with a cooking ladle until they blend in well with the meat. Add the chili paste, then the stock, bean curd, and leek or green onions.
Turn down the heat. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
While cooking, mix cornstarch, water and soy sauce together. Add to wok and stir gently.
I left my trash can out 5 hours past when I was supposed to bring it in. I hadn’t brought it in because my arms were full of groceries and I had just returned from a full day of working. I was so burned out from work and shopping I didn’t even make it to my bedroom; I fell asleep on the couch. Next morning I get a call from the hoa saying that someone complained about the garbage cans being outside longer than allowed. I had literally brought the can in at 5 am so that it wouldn’t inconvenience people. Apparently that wasn’t good enough, and it had to have been in the night before. Even though it was the first time that I had left it out, they still fined me $200. I asked 1. How did they know the can was mine? 2. When was the complaint filed, since I had brought my can in at the crack of dawn. They refused to answer either of those questions.
Another incident with the SAME HOA really made my blood boil. They claimed my sweet wheaten terrier was terrorizing the neighborhood because he would like to look out of a second story window and occasionally bark at another dog passing by. Please note that this dog is 40 pounds and in no way shape or form, able to get out of the building with out human assistance. The hoa said that he was a threat to the neighborhood and well over 40 pounds, the weight limit that they imposed for dogs. I told them that he was exactly 40 pounds, and showed vet records to prove it, and that even if he barks at a dog passing by, humans can’t hear it from the street because the windows are closed! Hoa didn’t care. Fined me $400 and said for every new complaint they would double it. They’ve doubled it 3 times. No proof of my dog harassing anyone. Just their word versus mine. The hoa literally gave me the choice of debarking my dog or putting a bark collar on him; both of which are cruel. My immediate neighbors have no problem with him barking if they ring a doorbell or knock on the door because that’s what watch dogs do, so I’m honestly not sure who is filing complaints against me. Once I save up enough for a new place, I will never be in a hoa again.
Not a Realtor but a home inspector for mortgage companies. Went to inspect a mobile home that was in process of being repossessed. House was supposed to be empty. my job was to take pics, insure elec and water was off, house was vacant and there was a clear path for the truck to remove the house the following week. When i got here, the home was not vacant. Living in the home was a woman and her 4 hogs. yes, hogs, giant filthy hogs. The walls were literally black about 3 feet up the walls. the floors were inches thick in hog poop. The bathtub was FULL of dog/hog poop. The house was only 2 years old! this woman was sleeping in a recliner chair in the middle of her living room. There was also a multitude of dogs. She started crying and said she had to move to the hog pen in her back yard if we took the house. She dragged her chair outside and called her hogs and dogs and went into the back yard. When i stepped back there to take pics of the back of the house i could see her in a 3 sided shack, in her recliner. I had to take many pics and after every room i would run outside and take breaths of fresh air. The stench was overpowering. When I was done and went back to my car, where my husband was waiting, as he had “rode along” , I took off my shoes and threw them in the trash and then got in the car. We got about 1/4 mile and husband make me pull over and take off my clothes. he gave me his shirt to drive in and we threw away my clothes too. I reported to the company that the house was unrenewable and they should just write it off and let her keep it. I dont know what they actually did.
I got a letter in the post from a private parking company telling me I had overstayed by 10 minutes. They wanted £60, or £100 if I didn’t pay immediately.
Where I live, only the driver is liable for private parking charges, and I was at the dentist elsewhere at the time, so I appealed to the parking company telling them I was not the driver and could not have been because I had an appointment somewhere else at the time.
I heard nothing for a while so thought that was it, but then suddenly I got a demand for £100. I wrote saying that I had appealed already, restating my case. They told me they had no record of my appeal, and that now I was too late to appeal, so I owed £100.
I wrote to them following their complaints procedure, stating they had lost my appeal, and restating my case. They replied, “tough luck”. I wrote asking if that was the end of their complaints procedure. They replied I was out of time to appeal.
Letters now started coming thick and fast from them. The charge somehow escalated to £180, and the letters got quite aggressive, talking about court action, credit ratings and supreme court verdicts about parking. To be honest, they were quite stressful.
I put them on notice that the letters were causing me stress, and that under the data protection act I had the right for my personal data to be stored correctly. The particular item I wished to be stored correctly was that I was not the driver. Additionally, my data could only be used for appropriate purposes, and as I was not the driver, pursuing me for a parking charge was no longer an appropriate purpose now I had appraised them of the facts.
Letters continued.
The statute of limitations for parking charges is six years, and I had no desire to keep getting stressful letters for this time. Only one course of action seemed appropriate, so I filed a claim against them for data protection violations.
My distant cousin was marrying this girl. The girl’s family were investing a huge sum. But days before final confirmation, the girl calls him and reveals what her parents were hiding.
She fearlessly discloses, she was having neurological problems since she met with a car accident as there was a bleeding in her brain at that time.
That really hurt my cousin(Deepak, name changed). But as much as he wanted to get away, her honesty only polarised him in the direction his mind definitely didn’t.
It was a conundrum that the girl, though through arrange-marriage only, but he had started loving, should he leave her because she told the truth. If she wouldn’t have, then he would have surely married her.
He thought what kind of justice it would be. Marry the untrue but ditch the true. He consulted doctors and got a positive reply that her condition could be well tackled.
He calls her and says, whatever happens, we face it together. I’ll marry you and always be by your side. He got the reply which distorted him from within into the fragments he could never reassemble.
The girl said, “Don’t you get it idiot, I have a boyfriend, my parents are irritating me. I don’t want to be a disobedient girl in their world. Just say No and let me marry my lover.”
First China locked down very strictly as China like all nation do not enough is known about Covid -19 yet and no known cure or prevention is yet to be available.I believed the Chinese authorities saves at least 10 million deaths if not for their timely and strong actions.
Next while the U.S. and many western nations were bickering and could not lock down like China after condemning China on the so call “draconian” measures. And as a result the infections extrapolate hundreds of fold compared to China. So while China opened up strategically to use the time to overtook the west in many technological fields while the west were finally forced into lock down due to huge deaths!
So while the Chinese work and progress the western nation were paralyse. Chinese vaccines were more effective than the western ones. And it has less side effect. The rapid and effective vaccination of 1.4 billion probably save a hundred million infections and millions of life.
China being responsible and careful watch, study and understand that the latest strains of Covid had become a weak strain that it is time for China to eased up. That they did after being sure that opening up fully will mean full infections. And indeed that happened but without deaths and long infections.
To me and to the world China handled the Covid pandemic the most effectively and most successfully of all nations. To me the western so call liberal democracy failed phenomenally. And while the west were selfishly profiteering from the vaccine, China spread their goodwill and share its vaccine throughout the world.
Now that the dust has by and large settled, on the Covid-19 pandemic. China passed the severe test admirably and extremely successful proving that Chinese political system of socialism with Chinese characteristics won the day. All in all it lost 0.5% of what the U.S. lost in life due to Covid-19 the U.S. based on per million citizens.
Final result U.S. with only 330 million population lose 1,190,000 life while Chin with 1.4 billion population lose less than 6000 life! During the 3 years of Covid-19 ravage from 2020–2022 China grew close to 4 times the U.S. growth! Meanwhile the U.S. life expectancy felled below China for the first time in 2021 and by end of the 2022 Chinese people on average out live the US by 2 full years!
For me the Chinese did just right. Compared to the U.S. that handled it worst that many 3rd world nation.
Interesting. I had a good friend who had a good sales job. He was a good earner for the company and a stellar employer. He had two children, and of course needed the job to support his family. He worked hard and was a nice guy. He had a company car due to the fact that he drove a lot.
One day he got called into the office and was fired. I can’t remember why, but it was a stupid reason. Somehow the new company CEO just didn’t like him and found some bogus reason to get rid of him. I spoke to a few of his company friends later, and they all agreed, he was a great employer and in no way did he deserve to be fired. They told him to clear out his desk and leave, and turn in the keys for his company car. He cleaned out his desk, and politely told them, his car was parked on the street, so he would bring it directly to the front door for them.
He certainly did. He got the car from the street, drove it into the parking lot, and right through the front doors of the company. Completely destroyed the foyer, front entrance, and the car. Then he calmly got out of the car, and said, “Sorry about that everyone, I must have hit the gas by accident.”
Probably cost $200,000 damage. Police arrived and interviewed him. He was apologetic, and explained his shoe got caught on the brake pedal, holding the gas down.
The police didn’t charge him. He was on private property, so it wasn’t an accident on a public roadway.
Here’s the funny thing. The new CEO had decided to start saving money, and ignored calls from his building insurance company. There was no policy to cover the damage.
My friend got a new job rather quickly and got on with his life. He became a legend.
My name is Clara and I have studied and lived in Ningbo for several months. I was an exchange student of University of Nottingham Ningbo and learned a lot of things about China and its people.
In my opinion, there are many things that we have gotten wrong about China. However, I am speaking in my position of spanish woman. I feel like maybe other countries who have a higher rate of ethnicities inside their country can have other points of view. At least, in my country there were many stereotypes among chinese minorities. This is because the only treatment most of them have with chinese people is getting a spring roll in a Chinese restaurant or buying a toy in a chinese owned store. So the only thing known about China is through media. And often media is full of stereotypes and mockery. While countries like Japan and Korea have been lately in the fancy spot, due to their pop culture in general. Chinese is not as keen on exporting its products, even though it’s getting more recognition lately. So people don’t tend to glamourize China and see it as a “developing country” packed with many people and a place to adopt children
After spending some time in China and learning more about its culture and experiencing things with my own eyes, coming back home and hearing those comments that I found even funny before, make me sick and now with the pandemic going on is even more disgusting. “Chinese people are poor” “Chinese Woman must be very unhappy” “They eat everything that moves” “C’mon pose like a chinese” “How was China? I can’t believe you traveled around it must be very dangerous” “Have you dated any chinese? They have small dick, haha” “I don’t have any problems with dating other races but I just don’t like chinese people” and the list goes on. Specially, they tend to considerate everything that is asian related as chinese. Geishas are chinese, K-pop is chinese singers, Anime is chinese cartoons and the list goes on
I have already given up in correcting people’s racism. I am still dealing with mine and some people are simply not willing to change. I have tried to explain to some people that China is far more advanced than Spain. People use things more smartly in all of the levels, from paying to even designing potatoes packages. I have tried to explain that chinese people are always willing to help and chinese younger generations are open to dialogue. I tried to tell them that even my chinese female friends stand in more or less the same social ideals as I have. I have meet straight people, bisexual people, gay people, religious people, atheist people, and so on in China. Each one has it’s own opinions and perspective on life. Nobody is brainwashed. I have also explained that I have never seen bats on a street market or anything similar and that holding back your eyes to mock asian eyes is very racist. I have also tried to explain that China is a very safe place and people are very peaceful and mind their business. And the other racist things such as “I just don’t like chinese people”, I just replied with “Well, I don’t like you either and here we are”.
Star Trek: The Silent Skies | COLORIZED & EXTENDED
A United States Air Force E-4B aircraft, which is a designated National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) took off from Offutt Air Force Base this afternoon, headed out over the Gulf of Mexico, and Transmitted an Emergency Action Message (EAM) to US Nuclear Missile Submarines, using Very Low Frequency (VLF) Comms.
There’s something unnerving seeing a E-4B NAOC (GORDO16) and a E-6B TACAMO (FULL02) launch from Offutt AFB around the same time. As you can see from the FlightRadar24 map image below, that’s what happened.
The E-4B
The E-4B serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Military Command System for the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In case of national emergency or destruction of ground command and control centers, the aircraft provides a highly survivable command, control and communications center to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders and coordinate actions by civil authorities.
The conduct of E-4B operations encompasses all phases of the threat spectrum. Additionally, the E-4B provides outside the continental United States travel support for the Secretary of Defense and his staff to ensure Title 10 command and control connectivity.
The E-6B
The E-6B Mercury is a communications relay and strategic airborne command post aircraft. It provides survivable, reliable, and endurable airborne Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) for the president, secretary of defense and U.S. Strategic Command.
Only One Job:
The E-4B and E-6B at the end of the day only have one job: getting the message out (Nuclear launch codes) from the NCA (National Command Authority) to the United States Nuclear Triad by any means necessary.
Those means include a variety of waveforms including VLF, HF, UHF, SHF and beyond.
A B-52, B-2, ICBM Silo, or Submarine, will decode these encrypted messages and either launch their nuclear weapons at an intended target – – or not – – based on the decisions of our elected public officials.
So imagine my dismay when surveillance picked up the E-4B transmitting an EMERGENCY ACTION MESSAGE(EAM) while out over the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon! More specifically, the aircraft was messaging our nuclear missile SUBMARINES because it was using VLF, Very Low Frequency, to send the encoded message. VLF is the band that penetrates the ocean to sufficient depth, to reach our submerged nuclear missile subs.
USA civil war?
The state of Colorado ruled Trump ineligible for the 2024 election. An account of something something insurrection democracy something.
As it stands, Trump will compete in only 49 states in the election.
It is likely, others will follow. If a few swing states do it, then result of the election is successfully altered.
If supreme court does not strike these down, the United States is officially no longer a democracy.
If supreme court strikes it down, the damage is still done. People will lose trust that their vote matters.
The country is headed into civil war.
Posted by: FieryButMostPeaceful | Dec 21 2023 16:26 utc | 3
Began the telemarketer. We’d been getting a lot of those calls in the past few weeks and I was about 19 or so, so my evil little comedic mind was at work.
Here’s the thing: no one asks those bastards (you know I wanted to say something else) to call us personally! We want them to stop. It was back in the early days of this crap and many of the accents over the phone were still American.
“I have amazing news!!”
“You found a kidney??!”
“Uh, what?”
“You found a kidney!!!! You’re from the hospital, right? We’ve been waiting by the phone and- and I just can’t believe this is really happening; bless you; thank God!”
“Um…no… I’m… calling about (something he suddenly had dramatically less confidence in).”
“You- you’re not from the hospital?”
“No, sorry, I-“
(I turned my head from the phone and didn’t really muffle it properly.) “Oh, don’t cry, Sarah, sweetie! They’ll find one! It’s okay sweetheart, don’t worry.”
(I turned back to the phone.) “I’ll just call back later.”
“Thanks; I’m sorry: could you please keep the line clear? We’re waiting to hear from the hospital.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do that.”
It got played about 2 more times and then those bastards stopped harassing us by phone to buy or sign on to their whatever.
Meanwhile, about China…
US are completely paranoid about China overtaking them, their tactics to block them has simply backfired spectacularly, so the US resort to scaring every neighbour of China into thinking they are going to invade them, including us.
Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand 19h This is a good read on “why the American technological war against China could backfire” and “supercharge China’s creation of an independent computer chip industry”. theconversation.com/why-the-…
It’s exactly what is happening and at the end of the day, as the article makes clear, it’s all about hubris.
It was always beyond delusional for the US to believe that it could stop the technological progress of a country that IS AHEAD OF THEM on all metrics that matter for it, as detailed in the article: – “Chinese high schoolers score the highest in the world in reading, science and mathematics” – “Chinese universities are outperforming institutions in the rest of the world in the vast majority of disciplines”. For instance, critically, China has 6 of the top 10 universities in the world in engineering whilst the US only has 2… – China produces more than double the number of STEM PhDs every year than the U.S. – “In 2022, China overtook the U.S. for the first time as the country or territory publishing the most research articles in prestigious natural science journals” – “China published the highest number of scientific research papers annually between 2018 and 2020, and had 27.2 per cent of the world’s top one per cent of the most frequently cited papers, compared to 24.9 per cent for the U.S.” – According to research done by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute “China is leading [the world] in 37 of 44 cutting-edge technologies, including nanoscale materials and synthetic biology” – Etc.
Conclusion from the article: “When it comes to the use and production of knowledge-based industries, China has more advantages than any other country in the world. American actions will create a new generation of Chinese high-tech firms that will compete directly with the U.S. and western businesses from whom they used to buy their products. These firms will produce more affordable products than their western counterparts, and could dominate technological infrastructure in the Global South.”
In a nutshell the very notion that China is a country whose technological progress could be stopped is almost criminally deluded, and derives from both a deep misunderstanding of China by the US and a deep overestimation of American capabilities… Adopting this strategy is backfiring big time and will without a doubt yield a considerably worse result for the US than if they’d favored a “coexistence” collaborative approach 🤷♂️
When I worked security, I knew people whose job consisted entirely of occupying a space for a long period of time.
Technically, they were securing the area and they had a walkie-talkie to call the rest of us if anyone tried to go into the area who shouldn’t have been there. But no one ever tried to get into those areas.
I worked at an outdoor concert place that had upscale restaurants around the perimeter of the grounds. Those restaurants closed when the show started, and security guards were put in the restaurants to make sure no drunk concert goers tried breaking into them.
I volunteered for that position once, and never again. I literally sat in a dark, empty restaurant for four hours. I could hear the music outside, and I could see people walking by the windows, but no one tried to come into the restaurant. No one ever tried. It was so boring… I requested to be in front of the stage for shows after that.
I was skidding through my freshman year, sleepwalking to classes and nursing hangovers. I’d just stepped into an elevator on our first day and noticed Professor Kaplan standing next to me. I’d heard about him. He was allegedly one of the best professors, a former Harvard lecturer.
image 346
I turned and said, “Greetings professor! I believe I’m attending your lecture today.” Holding his notebooks, he turned, smiled, and said, “My condolences.” And then he proceeded to give one of the best lectures I’ve ever seen. His display of humility in that elevator made him that much more endearing.
Self-deprecating humor, done lightly, and framed in a positive way, is powerfully charismatic. It makes people feel comfortable and appeals to their insecurities. But if you make a joke about your third wife leaving you, you might be overkilling it.
A lot of people think I’m paid to write the things I write, I merely have a fair bit of free time. Today was the last day for my day job until next year, tomorrow is a massive party though…
Anyway me and a couple of other shit posters irritate enormous amounts of westerners merely by our free time shit posting.
People don’t like to argue against me because I like to use western media to debunk western media. Last night for instance a person said the BBC is honest. I then showed them two BBC clips together and one was very different.
Imagine 500million extra internet users even MORE aggressive and shit postery than me? I say 500 million because while 900 million people can write English to an OK level only about 500 million are proficient.
Imagine ME x 500 or x 5000. And here’s the thing, I’m overseas born, so I’m a hell of a lot easier going than a lot of Chinese people.
Back in 2006 me and a friend had been Christmas shopping, and it was a big outing for me, I had been battling Leukemia for a number of years, and after having a bone marrow transplant I was finally able to be out of a sterile environment,.
We went into a Restaurant and were seated right next to a table where 3 quite over weight women were seated.
I was very thin, I am 5 foot 7 and at the time weighed about 105 lbs. I didn’t have much of an appetite, so when finished my meal was barely touched, the waitress asked me if I wanted a box to take food with me, and I said no.
Well that prompted one of the “ ladies” to loudly say say “ Skinny Bitch, you can tell SHE is on drugs”!
I just looked at her and said “ well, not since the bone marrow transplant, thankfully I am done with Chemo.”
Back in 1981, I was kitchen manager at a new pizza place in town. We were about 4 months in and turning a good profit. The guy who managed the place was a great guy and everyone who worked there loved him. The actual owner of the place had a daughter with a boyfriend. He fired our boss for no reason and said his brat’s boyfriend was the new boss, a guy who had never worked in food service before (it’s just a pizza joint, how hard could it be?). Then we were told we would need to be attend a meeting to talk about these changes at 4:00pm. We did the following: 1) added shit-tons of salt and cayenne pepper to existing pizza sauces, 2) changed the printed recipe for dough to make it unlikely to rise correctly, and if it did rise to certainly taste bad, 3) change the sauce recipe to make it inedible, and 4) swap all the lines around for the soda machine, so that when you dispensed from Coke, Dr. Pepper came out, etc. We only had beer in bottles, and our bottles were longneck deposit bottles, and they hadn’t picked them up yet, so we loaded all the beer into the back of a pickup truck, filled the beer cooler with empties, and took the beer to an undisclosed location. Four o’clock came around and everyone was there. New boss, his girlfriend, and the owner were there and as soon as the new manager was introduced, we got up, walked out the door, and soon found ourselves at said undisclosed location, partaking in recently purloined beer and repeatedly calling in take-out orders that would never be picked up. Did I mention, there was a reservation for a party of 30 that night at 6:00?
Besides making a bad life decision that cost him his life, he also got the opportunity to take a step back but decided to dive back in immediately:
There is an island called “North Sentinel” which is home to 150 natives who vehemently refuse all contact with the outside world.
This rule makes sense, as these human beings are not accustomed to the diseases of the modern world, and any contact could lead to contamination that would be fatal to their small tribe.
But this didn’t stop John Allex Chau, a 27-year-old preacher, from travelling to the island to preach about Jesus Christ.
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He was showered with arrows which, fortunately for him, all missed their target.
Logically, he decided to return the following day for a second attempt.
A completely dumb decision, as the poor man would never leave the island alive.
Didn’t he think God was maybe sending him a divine message the first time the arrows missed his head?
A few years ago, I was charged with ordering breakfast sandwiches for everyone in the office for our morning meeting.
As I went around and got everyone’s orders, ‘Dave’ specifically asked for no mayo on his sandwich. I made a note on the order next to his name that said “NO MAYO” and sent in the order.
Half an hour later, I was distributing the sandwiches and heard Dave say, “Oh, har har har. You’re so funny, Kate.”
I came over to see what he was talking about and started laughing.
Dave’s ‘sandwich’ was comprised of two buns that were swimming in mayo.
No egg.
No bacon.
No cheese.
No ham.
Just an ungodly amount of mayo everywhere.
Someone had to have emptied half a container of mayo in between the buns, and thought, “Hmmm… not quite enough”. And then slathered the outside of the buns, and then thought, “Nope, doesn’t cut it!”. And then wiped more mayo on the inside of the packaging.
After I finished laughing, I took it back and showed the cashier who was absolutely appalled at the mayo monstrosity in my hands.
She went in the back and asked the other guys what the hell had happened and why on earth they made a mayo sandwich.
Apparently they thought it said “Only mayo.”
In which case, they fucking nailed it.
Modern Women Are FREAKING OUT As 63% Of Men Have WILLINGLY Left The Dating Scene
Keep it simple. 50% of women in the 20s and 30s today will NEVER get married, and will NEVER have children. Up your game girls
I was 18 and at home with dad, while mom and my brother had gone out of town.
He asked me if I wanted to watch any movie and I replied a big enthusiastic yes.
I suggested a Bollywood movie Gangster. He agreed. I hadn’t seen the movie’s trailer. What a mistake.
We went to the mall, got the tickets.
When the awkward scenes started, he turned to me and said,
“You should watch such movies with your friends. Why did you tag me along?”
“I am sorry I didn’t know they had such scenes.”
“No worries. Let’s see the movie now. Next time see the trailer before suggesting it to me.”
When it got over we went over to the food court for dinner.
I noticed a guy and wondered where have I seen him when my dad said,
“He is not your type.”
“What?”
“He is not your type.”
“Who? I was not looking at him in that sense.”
He smiled.
“What makes you think he is not my type.”
“He has a moustache. You hate moustaches.”
“How do you know that?”
“Well you know right, I had a moustache till you were a toddler? You would constantly pull them and say you hate it. Why do you think I have been moustache free all these years?”
I smiled at the memory when he pointed to another fellow and said,
Not me, but I was there. My mom was driving and my brother & I, about 9&6 years old, were fighting in the back seat. She’s yelling at us to stop fighting, and didn’t realize that she got into the town speed limit zone (35 instead of 45).
The cop came up and asked why she was going so fast, and she told him. Next thing you know, he’s got the back door open and is lecturing us about how mom needs to pay attention while driving and if we are fighting in the back seat she can’t. And if he catches us fighting in the back seat again, he might have to arrest us. Then he told my mom to drive safe, and to let him know if we caused any more trouble.
Years later, I asked her if she remembered. She laughed, and let me know that of course she did. He had been one of her classmates, she had known him since they were little kids.
I read a book about a magician who performed a stunt where he was locked into a glass box above the city. He did not eat for 53 days, he could only drink water. His stunt had to quit as doctors were monitoring his vitals and after 53 days they started to get too bad.
I couldn’t believe someone could fast that long without food and live, so I wanted to try it myself. I like challenging myself in weird ways I guess. But, I had to make sure I wouldn’t die first, a lot of people told me I probably would.
It turns out, fasting has been used for centuries as a form of healing. Catholic churches had fasting centers where people could come when they got sick back in the day. Jesus, Gandhi, and pretty much every religious figure did it. It was well known that fasting healed the mind and the body.
I read a lot of literature on how fasting has reduced cancerous tumors and even autoimmune diseases. I read about all of it’s supposed health benefits: teeth whitening, skin clearing, tumor shrinkage, plaque eating, and fat reduction. They all sounded good to me. It said you got a heightened clarity of mind after 21 days so that was the time frame I decided to do.
I began my fast. The first day wasn’t bad. The second day I got really hungry and then it went away. The third and fourth day were bad. I was so hungry I didn’t even leave my couch. I just sucked down water all day and slept. Apparently, after 72 hours your body goes into ketosis and starts living off of fat reserves. I think it took closer to 96 hours for me.
After that, I completely lost my hunger. I actually had a lot of energy. The hard part wasn’t eating, I no longer wanted food. The hard part was boredom!!! I suddenly went from eating 3 meals a day to eating nothing. The time I spent cooking, eating, and washing dishes was given back to me, probably at least 4 hours. I couldn’t work out (bad on a fast) so that was out. I couldn’t do any social things because those all involved eating a meal, drinking coffee, or alcohol, none of which I could do at the moment. So, I became ultra productive. I got all my homework done weeks in advance, I started crocheting and painting, and I slept a lot. My mom and friends received calls from me every day. I had so much TIME.
Some days I felt weak, but other days I had a ton of energy. I felt great and really happy. My skin cleared up a lot after the 10th day and I did notice my teeth getting whiter. My tongue got white stuff on it; according to the internet that’s a way your body gets rid of toxins. I lost around a pound of weight a day.
After the 21st day, I was ready to eat again out of boredom. I started by drinking a decaf coffee. That was a mistake, my stomach had lost its lining so the acidity of coffee made me throw up. Everything I ate was really intense. Fruit tasted sweeter and everything had so much flavor.
Overall, I’d lost 24 pounds and I looked really good. But, I had never regained hunger. That meant I still had fat stores on me. If you fast long enough, you’ll regain hunger one day which they call your “true hunger”. That means your fat reserves are up and your body will start eating your muscles to survive, so you really need to start eating after that! I’d also lost some muscle, I was weaker at the gym now, but I regained my muscle quickly.
Most people, if you’re a normal weight, can fast 20-40 days before regaining hunger, before their total fat stores are up. After regaining hunger, your body starts to eat muscle tissue for energy, which includes your heart, and it’s only a matter of time before it will give out. Perhaps 7–20 days until death as preducted by some studies.
But, if you’re overweight or obese, you’ll have a ton of fat stores ready to use. One guy fasted for 384 days under medical supervision on nothing but water and tea with no adverse affects. I’m sure he could have made it quite a while longer until his fat stores were completely up but he ended the fast when he hit 180 lbs.
So the answer is, it varies. But, if you’re of a normal weight, your maximum is probably somewhere from 20-40 days until your muscle tissue begins to get compromised.
Yep! I was 17 working at a mom ’n pop kinda thing, local hardware store. The type where entry-level workers just write in what they can work on a calendar posted in the back room.
Well, one day, the owner came to me and told me that there was about $50 missing from my register. I was usually one of the closers, and I always went to the bank with the nighttime lead to drop off the deposit. I thought maybe I just counted wrong or something. The owner said that if he saw that kind of discrepancy again, I would be fired. I said ok, yes, I understand. I worked for about another week, but I could tell that I was being watched by hawks.
So when I went the next week to write myself in on the schedule, I saw my name crossed out with White-Out on the calendar. Confused and a bit suspicious, I wrote myself back on. When I came in for work, the owner pulled me aside and told me that there was another $70 found missing from my drawer and that I was no longer employed there. Well, ok, fine. Maybe I can’t count, or I’m just an idiot, but whatever. I kind of knew I was going to be fired soon when I saw my name whited-out on the calendar.
For the record, I was at a party with a bunch of random neighborhood friends a few years later, and I overheard a guy I used to work with talking trash about the hardware store and how he robbed the place blind and didn’t even get fired for it—someone else did.
Almond Chicken
almond chicken
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
12 ounces Chinese pea pods
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup natural whole almonds
3 to 4 tablespoons water
1/3 cup sherry
Instructions
Skin, bone and cut up chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a bowl, mix ginger, honey and cornstarch and blend in water, soy sauce and sherry.
Thaw pea pods if frozen. In a wok, heat oil over medium heat.
Add almonds, stirring and cooking for about 3 minutes.
Add chicken and cook just until meat turns white.
Pour in sherry mixture and cook until sauce thickens.
I was working in a supermarket in October 2001. I bent down to pick a can of beans off the bottom shelf on an aisle.
As I stood up, my vision shattered.
Image: My vision shattered much like looking into a light diffuser on a fluorescent light.
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I also began with a severe headache on the right side of my head.
Over the next few days the headache went away but my vision remained poor inmy right eye.
I was sent to a local eye hospital by my doctor and there I was told after several days of testing that I had Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, an auto-immune disorder in the same family as Lupus.
The eye problem was a blood clot that had formed and destroyed the blood supply to the retina of my right eye. Treatment was to be life long and I would need to take blood thinners, then Warfarin though today I take other blood thinner drugs.
I also had to have extensive laser surgery on my right eye to prevent further damage from the clot and resulting new blood vessel growth.
Five and a half years later, when I was going through a non theraputic dosage of Warfarin. I had a similar event, a blood clot formed in my left eye. Destroying that retina and leaving me legally blind.
Let me help to makes western admirers amongst orientals such as Japan-and South Korea, people from greater China such as Hong Kong and Taiwan and neighbours such as Phillipines and Vietnam see light.
I am qualified to advise and share my experience. I was born in Malaysia and now a Singaporean who were a starry eye west admirer for say the first 20 years of my life.
Today I am a practical and pragmatic person who sees things differently. If your nation is a direct neighbour or in Chinese neighbourhood, try to comprehend the following.
China has been around for 5000 years as your neighbour and during 4800 out of the 5000 years China were really really strong. In fact so strong it could if it wants to, to walk right into your nation and claimed it for good. But they didn’t. Japan, Korea, Philippines, India, Vietnam and others remain a fully sovereign nation. Appreciate that.
Just look at the nation that lies and spread fear about China, the U.S. it is barely 247 years old yet it started as a 13 states union and in less than a hundred years it stole another 37 states from its neighbours. And what did the U.S. do in Asia! It murdered 3 million Vietnamese, a million each in Philippines in Mindanao, Laos and Cambodia, and at least 2 million suspected communists in Indonesia and colonised the Philippines for close to 50 years.
And they do that as a nation 10 thousand miles away from Asia! China is stone’s throw away from your shores yet you are still independent! So be logical and honest about who is the aggressor and who respects your sovereignty? If you are fair China is a 5000 years gentleman. The U.S. is a 247 years hoodlum you never ever want to get close with, unless you are inviting trouble.
Next let me help you know your future. China is the world’s most humongous market. Your nation is blessed to have such a huge market at your door step. They can buy your products and resources and yet supply you with value for money product for a song.
They are not the despicable west who wants to change your way. They even say their socialism with Chinese characteristics is not exportable and urge you to seek your best political and social system going forward. US says it is their way or the highway! In fact they murdered 5 million Indo Chinese to make them democratic unsuccessfully in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Go to the U.S. to have fun and travel around, do business with them as they are a big spender. But whatever you do remember who really is with you and where is your future with. Most of all remember where is your nation is geographically and China will always be there! It cannot be floated away and so are you, you are stuck there.
Don’t ever let your nation be another Ukraine, the U.S. want your people to die and your nation to be destroyed just to poke China in the eye, just like how they used Ukraine to poke Russia in the eye, unfortunately one time too many. Don’t let them have even one CIA or NED officials in your nation. And don’t ever be used as a cannon fodder.
Grow up and know right from wrong. Korea for example, whether you stay rich and get richer depends on China not the U.S. The only thing the U.S. can help you is simply to get your nation destroyed! China will always be there, it will grow to be 4–5 times the size of the U.S. economy before then of this century. And as a market for Korea, it will be bigger than your next 20 biggest market! So get real, grow up like me, be a realist and be smart.
Vote in a pro Chinese candidate. Vote in a leader that has no inclination to do shit for the U.S. And tell the US. that you are a friend and a partner of China, and that you want American’s as tourist and investor. But under no circumstances will you allow them to interfere in your nation and in Asia. Asia is for Asians. If you have issues involving the US is a sure way to implicate the issues and create discord.
A bunch of young dumb grunts are meandering about the country looking for bad guys, WMDs and whatever else General Mattis (pbuh) felt was appropriate at the time. In this case it was myself and the United States Marine Corps.
Being young, dumb and American, we naturally did not speak much Arabic besides the usual peacekeeping terminology like get your hands up, stop, get down and f#ck off. As is common in these conflicts, we tend to recruit native speakers to act as interpreters.
For reasons unknown, I happened to remember one of these dudes in particular. Let’s call him Joe Hammad for the sake of security. Now these guys usually don’t work anywhere near their hometowns in country because let’s be honest, in the eyes of the bad guys, hell even in the eyes of many locals, these guys are narcs. Snitches get stitches and all that but ramped up to 3rd world standards.
In exchange for helping us communicate with an often unfriendly populace, these dudes are offered visas to go stateside should they fulfill their obligations. For many reasons, this often doesn’t happen. Remember the snitches thing?
Fast forward to 2014. Suburb of a large Arizona city. My broke ass is out of the military and between employment so I decide to put an ad on Craigslist to let a room of my house for rent. Thank goodness I was financially smart enough to have owned my own home at the time.
Within a few days of placing the ad, I have a nibble or two but this one guy comes with cash in hand. I meet him on the porch when he arrives. He’s an Arab man of medium height, about 45 years old and well spoken with a sharp sense of humor. Within minutes we both had a clear spark of recognition.
And that’s how Joe Hammad from Iraq became my roommate after the war in Iraq ended.
I can’t say for sure whether or not you’re missing any secret ingredients, since I don’t know your recipe. I am certain you’re missing one key component though, and that’s heat.
Chinese restaurants cook over commercial wok burners, which put out 125,000 BTUs of heat. Your home stove might generate 15,000 BTUs out of its largest burner. That’s a pretty significant difference.
The heat of a wok burner imparts a distinctive flavor onto foods. When foods hit the polymerized surface of a hot steel wok, they instantly release moisture, which leaves the food in the form of steam. The foods are tossed through the rising steam, where they capture the droplets of water, and fall back into the wok. This action, repeated over and over, is the essence of wok cooking. The intense heat also causes rapid browning and caramelization and gives the food a distinctive smokey flavor. The flavor, known as Wok Hei in Cantonese, is what makes Chinese take out so crave able, and can’t be duplicated on a home stove. None of what I described can be duplicated, to the same degree, on a home stove. It just doesn’t generate enough heat.
My daughter’s car was hit by a speeding unmarked police car. I have written about this and she is recovering well. When I got to the scene, she was still trapped but the fire brigade were on the scene and had everything in control. While they were waiting to cut my daughter out, the lead fireman came over to me and told me to take as many pictures and as much video as I could and to make sure I got pictures of the officers involved. As soon as I started taking pictures a uniformed policeman came over and said that I had to stop as it was an active crime scene. I said that was nonsense and carried on taking pictures. He carried on saying I should stop. I told my wife who had just turned up to take pictures as well. The policeman just walked away. We took loads of pictures and videos, the witnesses telling us what happened. It took two months for the police to give my solicitor any indication that an officer was involved in the crash and this was only because he sent them some of our photographs. They now say there will be no criminal charges to either driver and that his speeding was legal as he was on a covert operation. He was unhurt and walking around, he never once came over or asked how my daughter was. I am glad that I did not listen to the policeman and I am sure that the video and pictures will help in the civil case.
Back when I was (a lot) younger, after a softball game both teams (mine and the other side, who were all good friends on and off the field) came back to our cars to find someone had parked lengthwise behind three of our cars. None of the three could get out because this unthinking individual parked lengthwise and not in a valid parking spot behind them.
We waited about 20 minutes or so chatting, hoping the person would come out and move. They never did. It was a smallish car, a Corolla, so several of us carried the car to the space in the hedge where people had access to the softball fields beyond. It fit perfectly, the front bumper against one side of the gate and the rear bumper within two inches of the other side. Note this wasn’t a metal gate, it was a hedge with an arbor vitae forming the “sides” of the entrance.
Then, out of sheer schadenfreude, we waited. Some left, of course, but most of us were there about 45 minutes later when the person came back to discover their car was basically unmoveable without cutting down a tree owned by a private entity, or have it dragged out by tow truck.
Going Anonymous as my parents follow me and I don’t want them to know this.
I was young ,probably in 7th or 8th standard when I used to do this.There is a bakery near my home of which I still am a regular customer .I buy things from the place at least 5 times in a day.
As we were regular customers we had credit system of paying the owner .We used to pay our credit on a monthly basis. So basically anyone from my family could go and get anything from the bakery and the owner would just write it in his accounts book and we used to pay the whole amount at the end of the month.
Me being really smart found a loop hole and would buy a lot of snacks,basically all kinds of items available for me to eat . I would just buy snacks worth Rs 2000 or so when the owner was not at the counter. He had an assistant who did not know how t read or write so he used to tell me to write it in the accounts book and I would just pretend to write everything and hand him over the book and he never used to check or bother about it.
I did this 3–4 times when I started to feel guilty about this because clearly it was shoplifting or stealing.
I later made a promise to myself that I will never do this again and would pay the whole amount I had stolen to the shopkeeper once I start to earn .
I completed my graduation this year and started working at an MNC and after I got my first salary the first thing I did was to take the money and confess to the shop owner about this.
He got angry at first but looking at my honesty he accepted the whole amount that was due which was about Rs 10000 and thanked me for this.
I told him not to tell my parents about this as they will be really disappointed .
This was the happiest day of my life as a big burden that I carried for almost 6–7 years was finally gone.
I’m not a mechanic, but wanted to share this story.
I needed a new battery for my Jeep Cherokee. I went to the local place that handles my maintenance. I was in a hurry and also needed an oil change. I brought the vehicle into the Maintennance bay. The guy went to get a new battery. He said something about the battery being backwards, or similar statement. It had something to do with not having the exact battery needed. The engineer in me thought that we should wait to get the right battery, but I didn’t push the issue. I had to be somewhere and was in a hurry. The guy puts the battery in and asked me to try to start it. Smoke billowed out of several places inside the vehicle. Wtf was going on?!? This guy had reversed the poles on the battery and had effectively electrocuted my jeep. To say that the electrical engineer in me was upset was an understatement. I had to be somewhere. I got them to fix my Jeep so that it would run. I was irate. It was a Friday. I had to be somewhere all weekend. I was back on Monday morning. Thankfully, they did pretty much everything right. The mechanic had quit, thankfully. There were some additional repairs that had to be completed. Everything was covered.
A few years later, I needed some warranty or recall thing done. The dealership wouldn’t handle the recall work because of non Jeep parts. I went back to the local shop, and they replaced everything with Jeep parts. The dealership handled the recall work.
while I was mad about the incompetence of the mechanic, the local shop did the right thing.
It’s a wild assumption, but one very likely case is Yemen
image 30
For those who quite don’t know, the situation in Yemen is like this
image 29
The green region is under Houthi control (backed by Iranians), the light red is controlled by Hadi government (backed by Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain and even USA), the yellow is the Southern Transitional Council (a movement that wants South Yemen to come back as it existed prior to 1991), and the white is al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula, also called AQAP
Now one would expect either of the sides to fall, however seeing the way each one is sticking to their captured lands, it looks that another division of Yemen may actually happen. If the AQAP could be vanquished , then the country would end up with three separate authorities, leaving the whole field very much open for a possible trifurcation . It’s quite possible that the Southern Council could get vanquished too, if that happens then a bifurcation would happen, leading to once again a North and South Yemen to emerge.
The difference would be that unlike the previous versions where North Yemen was an independent Arab Republic and South Yemen was a communist state, this time North Yemen would be an Iran-backed client state whereas South Yemen would be a Saudi-UAE backed client state.
Too white
Chicken Cubes with Cherries, Pineapple and Lichees (Bo Lo Lichees Gai Kew)
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Ingredients
1 chicken breast
1 teaspoon sherry
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon anise pepper
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
1 egg white
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup lichee juice
1 cup lichee meat
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
Instructions
Bone chicken and cut into cubes; mix sherry, light soy sauce, anise pepper and chopped scallion together, pour over chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.
Beat egg white and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch together. Pour over chicken breast mixture.
Heat oil to 325 degrees F. Deep fry chicken. Drain on paper towels.
Mix sugar, ketchup, vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and lichee juice in saucepan; stir until thickened. Add lichee meat, cherries and pineapple. Stir until hot, then serve over chicken.
This was Central Florida, the lawns were St Augustine grass that with lot of water, mulching and fertilizer, they grew a couple inches a week, and the leaves are wide and tough unlike the soft lawns up north.
My neighbor disliked me because I built a 2 story house and that blocked the view of the lake. We worked for the same company and he was upset that I was hired in at a management level although he didn’t work for me.
Our lawns were about a 1/3 acre, so a Saturday cut and trim would easily take 3 hours with a normal lawn mower.
He bought a basic riding lawnmower, and he would drive his mower on my property, up to 5′ before making a U Turn. That was OK, except he would make the hard turn on top of my sprinklers. Almost every week, I had to replace the broken PVC pipe, digging up my lawn. I tried several things to dissuade him, but in the end on a Friday night, I brought home about 20′ of a high strength braided steel cabling. It was the smallest diameter I could find. I uncoiled it surrounding the sprinkler heads pushing down into the tall grass so you would never see it. But you would hear it, and I was in my garage when I knew he ran over it. The racket it made was frightening.
Even a 25″ blade on a 10 HP motor couldn’t cut it. But it did wrap it around the shaft and stalled the motor. All 20 feet of the cable was gone from my yard.
He had to push his mower to the garage, and spent the rest of the day disassembling his mower to untangle the mess.
The Only Billionaires who are restricted from leaving are those who are Directors of Public Companies or Director’s/Top Executives of Companies that owe minimum 10 Million RMB in Loans to Banks or vide Public Bonds
They need an exit visa
Others can leave when they want
Many Billionaires from the Mainland have their families in Singapore, Australia and USA while they live in the Mainland for 6–9 out of 12 months a year
The only rule for them is they cannot repatriate in excess of $ 300,000 a year out of China , that too for very specific reasons
So what they earn in China, must be kept in China at all costs
They try sending more money out, they face upto 18 years jail
So keep your family wherever you want, have Villas in Sydney or Florida, Send your mainland sons to UK for school but THE MONEY YOU EARN IN CHINA CANNOT LEAVE CHINA OR YOU NEVER SEE DAYLIGHT AGAIN FOR AT LEAST 10–18 YEARS
How about instead of notorious we focus on an evil genius that should be more notorious? Nazi scientists always get all the focus but what if I told you Japan had their own version of an evil scientist and he was an absolute monster.
Meet Shirō Ishii – a serious piece of sh%t
image 348
This guy was a Doctor and microbiologist- and a rather smart one at that. He was regarded as a brilliant person for nearly his entire life. He was well educated and joined the army as a doctor. While there he caught the eyes of his superiors and was sent for further education at Kyoto Imperial University.
During WW2 he was placed in charge of Unit 731 and this is what he was known for.
What was unit 731? Well, they were a scientific unit that conducted experiments and thought up new ways to win the war. Some examples of things they did include
Imprisoning women, raping them until they got pregnant, and then running horrid painful experiments on them just so they could see how certain poisons affected pregnant women.
They would infect people with syphilis and then cut them open (while alive and awake) so they could see what their bodies did as the infection progressed. Women, men, and even children were forcibly infected
This is called vivisection- its the practice of cutting someone open while alive to see what their body is doing and its typically done when experimenting on animals. In unit 731 they did it to people without anesthesia- always resulting in a slow agonizing death for the person.
Injected people with animal blood to see what happens (bad way to die)
Placed people in centrifuges and spun it until they died
Deprived prisoners of food and water to see how long it was until they died
Placed people in low-pressure chambers until their eyes popped out
Burned people alive to see how long they would live
Injected people with saltwater to see what would happen
Poisoned people to see the effects
gave people radiation poisoning to see the effects
Leave 3-day old babies in the cold just to see how long it took them to freeze to death
Tested flamethrowers on live people
Tested grenades on live people
Removed organs for fun. For instance, they would remove someone’s stomach and attach their esophagus to their intestines directly.
Tested hundreds of diseases and biological weapons on people
In all, around 10,000 prisoners were killed by Unit 731 and as many as 20,000 were tested on. The biological weapons produced by this unit were used to kill as many as 500,000 civilians
On a side note not even the Nazis used chemical weapons in WW2 (they only did in concentration camps). The ONLY nation to employ chemical weapons against civilian and military targets in WW2 was Japan.
You may wonder what happened to Shirō. I mean we caught him and put him on trial for war crimes right?
Nope
He was given full immunity in exchange for full disclosure of his tests. American microbiologists stated that Shirō’s findings were extremely valuable and impossible to replicate unless the experiments were done again.
Shirō lived out the remainder of his life a free man and died in 1959.
A businessman went to a shoe store to purchase a new pair of shoes. He was a prominent person in that town. After selecting a pair of shoes with size 8 he asked the salesperson to pack it. The salesperson had just started his career and joined the shoe store a few days back.
The businessman soon discovered that he had left his wallet at home. He told the salesperson that he would take the shoes with him and make the payment the next day. The salesperson being new to business excused himself in order to discuss this matter with the store manager. The manager knew that the customer is an eminent businessman; however, was reluctant to deliver the shoes without payment. At the same time, he was not ready to lose a sale too. He advised the salesperson to handle the situation in the best manner possible and left the place.
The salesperson stood there frozen for a few minutes unable to decide. He then returned to the customer, started packing the shoes and handed the package to the customer.
The next day the customer arrived at the store with the shoes he had purchased, made the payment for his purchase and told the salesperson that “After opening the package I found one shoe with size 8 and the other with size 7. Maybe you packed them by mistake. Can I have the shoes with size 8 please?” The salesperson apologized for the inconvenience caused and replaced the wrong size shoe with the correct one. The customer collected his shoes and left the store with satisfaction.
The manager happened to overhear their conversation and realized that the salesperson had used his presence of mind and handled the situation very well. They didn’t lose their business as well as the customer.
Moral
It is by the presence of mind in untried emergencies that the native metal of a man is tested. If an individual has a calm state of mind, his attitude and views will be calm and tranquil even in the presence of great agitation.
In the fourth grade, Mr. Mowry, our high school biology teacher, visited and gave a lecture. Afterward, he asked the class to name the smartest animal.
One kid said “chimpanzee.” Another said “dolphin.” I kept waving my hand, but he ignored me. (He later told my mother he knew I knew the answer.)
Finally, after the rest of the class ran out of ideas, he asked me. The class looked incredulous when I said “human beings.” After all, people aren’t animals.
His response was “Life has only two choices. Plant or an animal. Which is it?”
(When I had him as a teacher in the tenth grade, I pointed out there were other life forms, such as fungus and bacteria. He acknowledged that, but figured it was a bit much for a fourth grade class.)
In any case, it felt like my fifteen minutes of fame.
I was at a wedding once where the Groom ended up in hospital with achohol poisoning, but it wasnt what you think.
There is a tradition where I live, where right after the ceremony, the bridesmaids “steal” the Groom and take him for a drink. While the groomsmen do the same thing with the Bride.
An hour later, right on time, the groomsmen had the Bride at the next venue where the dinner and dance was to be held, but there was no sign of the bridesmaids and the Groom.
We guests sat around for a bit, wondering what was going on, and eventually food was served despite the fact there was no Groom, and the Bride was looking more and more upset.
It wasn’t until the start of the wedding dance that news filtered through about what happened.
The Groom had never, up to this, had a drink in his life. And the over enthusiastic bridesmaids had made the guy down several hard drinks in that hour.
And, he reacted really badly to them.
So badly they had to take him to the emergency room to be treated for poisoning, and that is where he spent their wedding night.
The rest of the wedding evening for us as guests, kinda fizzled out as you can imagine. But that poor Bride was in tears and left shortly after the dinner to be with her new husband.
Once you VISUALIZE CORRECTLY, the SHIFT happens IMMEDIATELY. (This Is How)
A lot of things, but I’ll focus on just one for this answer. Maybe other parents can relate:
Cooking for the family is a one-person job.
My children always want to help me cook. I remember, as a child, I always wanted to help my mom cook, but she only let me help on the weekends. Now, I usually only let my kids help me cook on the weekends, too.
In fact, during the week, I kick them out of the kitchen, just like my mother did with me 30 years ago.
Why?
Because, after a long day at work, cooking is actually very relaxing… if you’re doing it alone. Cooking with children is mostly just teaching and supervising. I do that all day. I don’t want to come home and do more of it most days.
Plus, when children “help” you cook, it just slows you down, and I’m usually in a hurry to make dinner before my wife gets home.
My children also tend to stand right behind me when I’m cooking, and I’ve tripped over them before. So now, for speed and safety reasons, I have a “the only person who should be in the kitchen while I’m cooking is me” policy on weekdays.
My mom took me to see this doctor when I was 8 years old and she wouldn’t tell me how come. When we got there the nurses took me in and got me ready for the doctor. They had me laying down with things on my arms and legs so I couldn’t move. I thought this was really funny but I was really embarrassed because I didn’t have clothes on and they could see my boy part. When the doctor came in she started looking at my boy part and she asked me if I know why my mom has brought me here this morning and I didn’t know why. I was like yikes when she told me that in a moment they are going to be circumcising my boy part. I have friends that are circumcised and I know what that means and I was like yikes. They give you stuff so it wouldn’t hurt but I still feel her doing stuff to it and I was like yikes thinking about what she is doing. After it was done and mom come in and got me I was really embarrassed because everyone seen it and know what happened to me. We went for breakfast after and mom told the waitress why I had pajama bottoms on. That was the most embarrassing day ever.
Because the biggest killer and tormentors of Muslims (IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES) this century has been the UNITED STATES!
Back home, Muslims have been discriminated, and watched like a hawk by the authorities, especially those of Middle-east descent.
The last time America “rallied” the Muslim world was the first gulf war, where a UN coalition liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. Cooperation has been downhill ever since. Even MBS, the Crown Prince of Saudia Arabia, has cooled relationships with America and delivered repeat diplomatic snubs. America’s strongest and most important Muslim ally in the Middle East is working hard to diversify risk, such as settling in non-dollar currencies.
Besides, the evidence is weak, and nothing like the blatant genocide/war crime broadcasting live from the Gaza strip today.
I was camping at a campground in Northern California, and had gone to the bathroom in the morning. A guy was washing his hands with his ten year old son. This guy was decked out with a full on safari outfit, right down to the hat and it was clearly brand new.
When they had finished washing hands, the Dad took a few of those super cheap, thin, brown paper towels and dried his hands. When his son reached for his own paper towels, the Dad said “uh uh. Waste not, want not!” And handed him his soggy, used, brown paper towel and the kid had to try to dry his hands with this gross, soggy wad of used paper towel. The dejected look on the kids face said it all.
I was so disgusted with this guy and felt so bad for the kid. If he was so desperate to save such a minute amount of natural resources, he should have let the kid wash and dry first, and used the kids leftovers.
it really felt like psychological abuse, but he said it with such vigor that I think he was just an ignorant narcissist.
It was a Friday night and the last day of school. My son would be a Senior in the fall.
When I pulled down our street on my way home from work, I noticed both sides of the street were lined with parked cars. You probably guessed it. My son had turned our house into Animal House! We had just had a pool built and it was full of kids every afternoon. I didn’t mind. I could relax knowing where my son was.
But this wasn’t one of those afternoon get-togethers. This was a full blown wild party. Girls were naked in the pool, and there were whiskey and beer bottles everywhere. It looked like half the high school was packed into my house.
My fear was someone leaving drunk. I couldn’t let that happen. I found my son. I told him and the group with him that I was going to my room and would let them have their party, but I needed everyone to leave me their car keys. I didn’t want anyone leaving drunk.
In my state, 17 yr-olds are not old enough to drink. I am responsible for each one as long as they’re in my house. I’d also be responsible for them drinking at my house, I could be arrested. But my worry was getting those keys and keeping them from leaving. I’d figure something else later.
I had what looked like 10 sets of keys that kids had gave me. I told them to write their name on their keys. I thought that once I got their keys, I wouldn’t be so worried and I’d contact parents and let them know what was going on.
I’d been home about 15 min, and went in my room to change out of my work clothes. In under 10 min, I was out of my room and was going to get more of the kids’ keys. Problem was, no one was there. The house was empty, and the cars on the street were gone, except for a few that were probably passengers now. Not one kid was in sight, only a few articles of clothing had been left floating in the pool.
I was furious. My son had left too. He wasn’t answering his phone either. I called a few parents and explained. A few didn’t enjoy being bothered with it. None of them seemed concerned. I was so upset I puked. I didn’t know what to do, or where to look. I just prayed they were all safe at someone’s house. I cleaned the house, and every 30 minutes called and texted my son. He never replied. I tried to sleep, but I kept thinking about all the terrible things that could happen to them, how one night of partying can ruin the rest of their life. I couldn’t stop thinking. I probably buried my son a dozen times in my mind that night. Around 3am, I dozed off
At 4:14am, I got a call. The connection was poor, and I couldn’t hear every word, plus there was a lot of noise. I heard “this is blablabla with —-sheriffs —-EMT paramedic—-permission to treat———!l? Ma’am? Hello? We need permission —-accident involving 4 minors—-please ma’am!
I was yelling, “ Yes, yes, you have my permission to treat them.” I kept saying it over and over, because our connection was so bad. I wanted them to hear me.
The call was dropped. I hit redial on the phone, but it wouldn’t reconnect with who just called. I didn’t know where the kids were, who was with my son, or the details of the accident and the injuries. It was like being trapped in a horrible nightmare. I didn’t even know where to begin. I called all the hospitals and police stations in the area. Nothing.
I have never felt that much pain and heartache at the same time. I wanted to be with my son. I was no longer angry, I just wanted to to be where my son was. I kept envisioning the worst. I paced the floor while holding my bible, and praying those next few hours. I hit my knees and begged God to take me and leave the kids here in good health. For hours I was frantic. I was shaking and felt so helpless. The not knowing was tearing me up. I felt crazy.
At 6:20am I get a call from the hospital. She can’t discuss the accident or injuries. She just gave me the address and names of the passengers. These 4 boys were in a hospital a 4 hour drive away. I had to drive 4 hrs, having no idea of what condition my son would be in. This had become the worst night of my life.
This drive was a long 4 hours, plus a bad storm had rolled in and made driving difficult. I kept thinking, “ Why doesn’t my son call? It has to be bad if he’s not calling me.” The hospital was in a small town on the way to a popular city on the bay. I couldn’t believe it! They had left the house and driven to the beach. I kept thinking about all the empty beer bottles and whiskey bottles I’d picked up at the house. My mind was thinking the worst.
It had gotten pitch black, and the wind was gusting. I was driving into a bad storm, lightning struck all around me. The rain was so heavy, I could barely see the lights of the gas station ahead of me. The cars on the road had all pulled in to wait out the storm. I figured I should too. thought I’d fill up with gas, but there wasn’t a pump not in use. I pulled over by the air pump and just then lightning stuck a transformer, it was on fire. My nerves were shot. The explosion scared me so badly that I almost pee”ed my pants. I couldn’t take it. I decided to get out of that parking lot before a gas pump exploded. Just as I was about to pull out, I heard the sirens. Tornado sirens! Wtf! I was done, I couldn’t handle this. I just wanted to be with my son. I didn’t know what to do. The rain was now falling almost perpendicular to the ground. My windows were rolled up, and still the rain was coming in. My car was shaking. I put it in park, turned off the key, and just sat there crying and praying. I couldn’t see anything out of the windows. I heard another loud explosion, but couldn’t see what it was. I shut my eyes and cried. I listened to the wind and thunder and sirens. My car was shaking so badly I thought the doors were going to open. Then everything stopped. The wind had pushed me to the end of the parking lot next to the railroad tracks. There were railroad tracks (the big wooden beams) all around my car. I guess the wind pulled them up and tossed them around. I put the car in drive and drove. I was hyperventilating, and pulled over at a rest area. I began thinking I would never make it to my son.
I made it to the hospital, and found the corridor they were on. When I got off the elevator I was looking at a waiting area. My son and his one friend were sitting there talking and laughing. A cop was sitting with them. I ran to my son, and he stood up. At that moment I didn’t know if I wanted to hug him or punish him. (Of course I hugged him.) I was looking at his face and arms and I wanted to count his fingers and toes just like I did the first time I held him. He was holding me as I was crying tears of relief. Not a scratch on my son’s body. All four boys were fine!
The cop told me that he had seen a car in a corn field and stopped to check it out. Apparently the crash had just happened when he arrived because the tires were still spinning. My son had fallen asleep behind the wheel. When the car went off the road onto the shoulder he woke and his reflex was to turn the wheel. This caused the car to spin and he lost control. It hit a cable line and the car flipped 5 times. One boy in the back seat flew through the windshield and landed 30’ from the car. He drove a hatchback, and the other boy in the back seat was thrown out of the back. No one was wearing seat belts, but not one boy needed a stitch. Thank God! The cop said he didn’t think he’d find anyone alive. It was the worst accident that little town had ever seen. I was so relieved that everyone was fine. The cop told me that when he was walking up to the car he followed a trail of beer cans all the way to the car. They were unopened and no one had been drinking. They were tested and they were all found to be sober. The car had flipped through the corn field, and the cop said the corn probably softened the blows.
We had to go to the wrecker yard to pay for towing The cop told me to prepare myself. There was no way to prepare myself for what I was about to see. His brand new car didn’t have one place on it that wasn’t damaged. You couldn’t tell what you were looking at. The front and back looked the same. The door handles were the only thing that made you know which end was where. Ears of corn were sticking out everywhere. It was a sight. I stood there crying and holding my son and his friend. They cried too.
I don’t remember if my son got a ticket. I do remember that I had to drive him to alcohol awareness classes twice a week for a month. And once a week I had to drive that 4 hrs to see the judge for a month. The car was sold for scrap for $325. I joke now, and say that we would have gotten more for the corn. The other two boys were arrested for having marijuana on them. They had to wait for their parents to get them.
This happened 19 yrs ago. Last year I was visiting friends near that little town. We went to play bingo one evening. I was talking with a couple sitting across from me. I had mentioned that the last time I’d been down this way was for a bad accident that my son was in. The man looked at me and said “OMG! You’re —’s mom!” He knew my sons name, and said he was the cop on the screen. He told me how he has never been able to forget that morning and the accident. He still has nightmares about walking up and finding 4 dead boys. His wife said it really got to him. She had told her husband that he needed to maybe find the boys and once he knew they were okay, maybe the nightmares would stop. But he didn’t have contact info. I showed him pics of my son and grandson. This man cried right there in the bingo hall. I think it did us both good. I hope he’s sleeping better.
I truly believe we a learned something that day. It definitely changed all involved.
Also there’s another more shrewd reason: Any beer that is NOT opened isn’t one that they have sold and it can allow them to 86 a patron who is sneaking in beers to drink.
While this is, of course, uncommon in higher class establishments, in lower-end bars, patrons have been known to BYOB as the prices of the bar’s offerings are unacceptably high in their opinions, necessitating the “need” for them to sneak in their own and defray some of their drinking expenses. The bartender and servers can tell if they see a beer that’s unopened or witness a patron opening their own beverage that the bar didn’t sell it, and they can eject the patron(s) involved.
This actually was quite common at some of the establishments that I used to frequent in North Carolina decades ago. One of the worst fights that I have ever witnessed was when a bartender tried to eject a patron who brought their own and the patron struck the bartender with a bottle. Unfortunately for the patron, things weren’t like a movie and the bartender proceeded to beat the shit out of him which including some kicks to the head when the man was down. Had some other patrons not stopped things, we probably would have witnessed a murder. I left shortly afterward and I never returned to that establishment.
Anyway…an unopened beverage is one that wasn’t sold by the bar and that’s another reason for the bar to open theirs.
Suddenly (for me). He had been planning it for a while as he had met someone else. I found out and confronted him. He admitted it and left. I cried alot mainly because I had two very small children and another on the way. To be honest I was scared. However within a few weeks I began to notice things. The atmosphere in the house was calm and happy and it was MUCH tidier and better organised. . I was far less stressed and not shouting at the children. Mornings were a breeze because I was in charge and there was now a routine. Bedtimes were easy for the same reason (this had been a nightmare before). I enrolled the children in after school activities which they loved and hadn’t been able to do before because ‘we couldn’t afford it’. Also their friends could come over for tea (not allowed before). I had loads of spare money because no one was buying cigarettes or alcohol. Then the icing on the cake… a gorgeous new baby came along. Life was good and 21 years later its better than I ever imagined possible. The woman he left me for is much better for him. She treats him the way he treated me. I am happily married and the children are all grown up. The end of that marriage was the beginning of my life.
Chicken Slices with Sichuan Peppercorn Sauce (Jiao Ma Ji Pian)
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Ingredients
1/2-1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
5 green onions, green part only, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound cooked sliced chicken
Instructions
Soak the Sichuan peppercorns in a small bowl of very hot water for 5 minutes; drain.
Puree the peppercorns, green onions and salt in a food processor; transfer to a small bowl.
Add the broth and soy sauce, stirring until well combined; stir in the sesame oil. Drizzle over the chicken slices.
I’ve written this before and it seems right for this answer.
When young, this is the strangest thing we found in our yard.
Dad had a house built in a new subdivision just out of town. It was one of the first houses. It used to be prairie land.Here’s the story.
Yes. We had a very large, beautiful back yard with fruit trees, lilacs, birch and spruce. It was like a park. Anyway, mom had my older twin sisters and I doing yard work, or helping in yard work because she wanted us to learn about planting, growing and nurturing. Lori and Tracy hated yard work. It was like being on a chain gang to them. “When I have my own place, I’m not having one, bloody plant,” Tracy said. Only she didn’t say bloody. The twins were sixteen here, I was fourteen. I was digging a hole to plant a small tree mom had bought and my spade kept clunking on something.
Lori was raking and Tracy weeding in the garden with a hoe but no plant was safe with Tracy around. Good and bad plants were sliced to death. She figured the worse she did, mom might not ask her to help anymore. “They’re all green anyway!” The girls had better things to do. They would have much rather been with their friends, boys, or shopping for clothes.
I dug around this thing, pulled it out and cleaned some of the mud off of it. It was a small, very old statue like object about a foot and a half long and a eleven inches high.
“Hey guys, come here,” I called my sisters. I always called them guys. They came running over glad to get away from work. We cleaned off the mud as best we could. “Holy shit! Do you know what this is?” Lori exclaimed. “RJ, bring it by the house.”
It looked like it was made of cement. I lugged the heavy thing to the house. Lori turned the hose on it and washed off the rest of the mud. When finished, we stood there looking at a small, very old, well worn statue of a baby kind of laying down in its side. That’s what it clearly was.
Lori looked at Tracy, then me. “I think it could be a grave marker, for a baby. Maybe some pioneer’s child died and they lived around here and buried the child and the father made this statue to honor the baby.” My sisters were real life Nancy Drews plus they had vivid imaginations. Lori had it figured out in minutes. Tracy and I agreed. We couldn’t come up with anything better than that.
“Unless,” I said, “This is a prehistoric baby that was buried and fossilized.”
“Don’t think so,” said Lori quickly.
“Ok,” I said agreeing with my big sister maybe a little too quickly.
“There were no humans in the dinosaur era,” she added, “it’s a babies grave marker.” We lived a way out in the suburbs. Dad bought the land and built a rather large house on it. Pioneers could have lived here and buried their child.
We got mom and dad to come out and have a look and they thought it quite interesting. “Dad, maybe if I dug up around there I might find some more neat things,” I said holding my spade. The twins agreed. “No,” mom said, “knowing you, you’ll have this backyard looking like a prairie dog village.”
We wondered what to do with the baby statue. “Why don’t you put it by your pet cemetery?” Mom said. In the far corner of the yard we had a little pet cemetery with some birds, turtles, fish, my gerbil Gerry, and a squirrel we found dead in the yard. All our pets who died except the bird that flew through the open living room window and my rabbit I took out in the back yard the first day I got him. He hopped away, under the fence and was gone. I was not allowed any pets after that except a fish named Cleo, after Pinocchio’s fish. Cleo was kept in Lori’s room because I overfed the last two fish and they died. “You’re supposed to sprinkle food in lightly,” said Lori, “not give it a big buffet!” I was not trusted with fish.
Anyway, I’m getting way, way off the subject here. We liked the idea of the baby stone guarding our pet cemetery and that is where our unexpected find ended up, watching over our deceased pets. “We have a lot of pets buried out here,” I said after setting the statue near the cemetery.,
“Yeah, and you killed most of them,” Lori said messing my hair. Tracy laughed.
“I did not,” I said, “just two fish that I gave too much to eat and the turtle who escaped and was found under my bed.”
“Cause you left the lid off his pan,” Tracy said. “I think he was trying to crawl into bed with you.”
We stood there looking at the stone baby, as we called it.
“Back to work guys,” mom called, “Tracy, you’ve chopped weeds and good plants, I told you the difference.”
“They’re all green mother, all look the same,” Tracy said under her breath as she walked back to the house.
It was a pretty neat find that we all remember. To this day, we are still not sure of its story but it was a small statue of a baby laying on its side in rest.
It is a child laying on its side in a fetal position facing you, head on a pillow.
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Legend of the Phantom Fortress | The Ghost Plane that Flew and Landed Itself
A girl I knew, we’ll call her Jen, had a pretty lousy dad.
He was on disability from the government and hadn’t worked in years because of a ““““back injury”””” that didn’t hinder him from partying, playing basketball and romping around with girls.
Consequently, he was perpetually broke and living paycheck to paycheck.
Jen’s mother divorced her father when Jen was 2, largely because of his inability and lack of desire to work.
She remarried another man. They had kids, which was fine, but Jen always felt like an outsider in that household.
Her biological dad was in her life but never came through in the most important moments.
Her birthday came around and when I asked if her dad got her anything, she said, “He couldn’t afford to get me a present.”
Without thinking I said, “But wait? Didn’t he just take a surfing vacation to Mexico?”
She sulked and said, “Yeah…”
I felt terrible. Wished I hadn’t said anything.
A birthday present might seem like a small thing, but it is a big deal to a kid.
Airlines have a rule that everyone must be in their assigned seat on take off.
It is because if there is an accident it makes their processes easier after the fact.
Once the plane is in the air, the attendant may move people around.
You have the choice of moving or not – often if you do, the seat offered to you will be better than the one you have. But check first.
I was in the situation where I had an aisle seat in a bank of 3, and the other two seats were taken up by a couple who were extremely fat. They didn’t speak the language I spoke, but by gesture the man was pretty clear what he wanted, and was getting really angry with me. However, I had sat down and stayed there. There literally was no room for me between them, as it was I could barely keep my seat. He called the flight attendent and was insisted I swap. She explained to him, and then to me, in English, that she had to insist we keep our assigned seats until we were at cruising altitude, and she assured me I wouldn’t have to sit in the middle. When she came back, she asked me if a window seat in bank that had no other people in it was acceptable – of course I jumped at the chance. (I tend to be a bit claustrophobic and find being able to look out the window a true joy.)
But I did go, on the mistaken belief that the pedicurist could relieve the discomfort from my ingrown toenails. So a friend told me.
I had no appointment; had to wait. Reading women’s magazines and crayoning in the coloring books for children. I never was very good at that.
The air was thick, redolent, I should say, with estrogen fumes; choking. They were sucking the oxygen out of the room.
There they were, all those females reclined in chairs, sort of like dentist chairs, their feet in little bath tubs. I had never seen that, before. Good Lord, deliver me.
So I deployed my best defense: I turned invisible.
It must have worked; none of the women seemed to recognize my presence, or even my existence. No problem, there; I get a lot of that, anyway.
But, alas, as my power of invisibility slackened, a technician noticed me, and motioned me toward a chair. We could not speak; her language was Vietnamese and mine was Klingon. Hand signals, gestures.
But then, as I reclined, and the warm water engulfed my feet, I started to relax. Then came the gentle massaging of my feet and toes, soon followed by the most gentle clip-clipping I have ever known.
The finale was a massage of my lower legs whereto were applied various emollients and ointments, emitting scents of citrus and of juniper, frankincense and myrrh. I wondered if I was being prepared for burial.
Its called tip creep, I was in a hardware/automotive store a few months ago, when I went to pay, it asked if I wanted to leave a tip. The top suggestion was 35 percent. I glared at the poor cashier, and she said, dont blame me, the new credit card/debit machines all came preprogrammed like that. She had no idea if management had asked for it, or if essentially all new machines were like this. She told me to complain to management, not her, and so I did.
I think its an American problem. I was shocked that many states had frozen minimum wage increases for 25 years.
In some states you only get a couple of bucks an hour, if you make your minimum in tips. This is sick, boost minimum wage to 15 or $16 an hour. Get rid of the bribes, err , tips. When I was in Egypt, if you wanted your government paperwork processed faster you paid a facilitation fee, if you wanted the plumber to move you up the priority list, again it was backshees ( I m not sure of spelling) or a facilitation fee.
Thats what we are moving towards. First it was restaurants and bars, then hair stylists and masseuses, then fast food restaurants, then pick up at pizza joints, then hardware stores. At a hardware store, where I self served, who gets the tip? Would the cashier get 35 percent of all sales, I want that job.
Here in Canada where minimum wage is $15 or $16 , we pay the same tip as the US where its $2.33
So my guess, is that the credit card machines have tips as a default, and fast food restaurants have no incentives to remove it, because who would they give that tip to?
Years ago, I was traveling with a gentleman who owned multiple companies, all successful, and was worth multiple hundreds of millions. He had rented a car several days before my arrival (I flew in later), and he offered to drive to the airport for the flight home. As he drove, he explained to me that the car was not full on gas when he picked it up, but the rental car checkout person had given him his business card and assured him if there was an issue with the amount of gas on return, he would handle it. As you might expect, on return they wanted to charge him something trivial like $15 to top up the tank. He was livid. He paid, just to get to the flight, but then spent the next hour on the phone and at the gate, and onto the plane, stopping only going through security, arguing on the phone to have it removed. Couldn’t let it go. This man was probably made more money in interest in 1 minute just sitting than he would have saved in a hour+ of arguing. It could not have been worth his time, or rather, his time could have been so much more effectively used.
In my experience with folks at this level, and I’ve met a few, it’s a compulsion. They simply cannot let it go. They will spend a million dollars to make $1.2 million in an instant, but will not spend $5 if they feel taken advantage of.
Col Douglas Mcgregor: “It’s OFFICIALLY OVER! We have WASTED TRILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS ON THIS..”
Rest assured the CEO is not doing it out of the goodness of his heart.
Most likely what happened is the CEO or company realized they need your expertise in something or to train your replacement. Or perhaps as some others pointed out, the company forgot to dot their I’s and cross their T’s when terminating you. Perhaps they had to fire you for cause but didn’t follow progressive discipline procedures. In order to protect themselves and avoid a lawsuit they are bringing you back to perform these tasks.
If you do go back, insist on signing a contract for a certain duration like 12 months. I’d also insist on a certain raise like 25-100%. Whatever you think is reasonable. Insist on no derogatory information in your file. I’d also add language that the contract could only be voided for cause and company bears the cost of the arbitration.
If the company brings you back keep in mind they will try to part ways with you when they no longer need whatever short term assistance so start looking for another job immediately.
Do not under any circumstances come back under their ‘reinstatement’ conditions. You are better off collecting unemployment and looking for other opportunities.
In China, the subway is a social infrastructure, not a profitable business.
Although the subways are operated by “subway companies” in various cities, they are usually state-owned enterprises.
In other words, the equity of the subway system is controlled by the government.
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Therefore, in an accident like the Beijing Subway, there will be two different responsibilities.
1. Legal liability
The subway company must make up for the losses, which includes repairing damaged vehicles and facilities, rescuing injured passengers, and paying their medical expenses and emotional distress. They also face criminal prosecution if anyone dies.
In short, they must bear all the responsibilities that a Western subway company should bear.
Of course, insurance companies also play a very important role. They will activate insurance clauses to provide necessary compensation.
2. Political responsibility
Since subway companies are state-owned enterprises, they must bear more political responsibilities than private companies. In other words, an official must be held responsible for the accident.
First, the subway director of the Beijing Municipal Transportation Management Bureau must bear direct responsibility. He may be subject to isolation and review to determine whether he has committed malfeasance. If suspected of committing a crime, he would be thrown in jail. If not, you are usually fired.
Secondly, the director of the Beijing Municipal Transportation Bureau must assume management responsibilities. He usually needs to make a public apology and be demoted or transferred to a minor position.
Also, the director of the Beijing Emergency Management Bureau must assume management responsibilities and accept investigation. Are they doing their job and completing routine inspections and supervision? If not, it’s usually demoted or fired.
In China, for any important social incident, government officials will be investigated and held responsible. If you think that after the accident, some official stood up and said: “We are very sorry.” Then it could be over, and then you’d be totally wrong.
I don’t know if it’s witty or not, but it stunned the other person and was extremely satisfying.
When I was in my early twenties I worked at one of those cookie stores in the mall. I was working With my friend L who hired one day when a man in his 60s or so came up. I started helping him and L went behind me and kind of playfully kicked me, I laughed and told her not to kick me. I’ll agree it was childish, but that isn’t what upset that man. I’m guessing that just dropped me that last little bit lower in his eyes and he figured he needed to tell me off.
“I think you should be kicked for having that shit in your face.” I had a small nose stud at the time.
For just the tiniest hair of time I was stunned and had no idea what to say… then he opened his mouth again.
“What does your dad think of that?!” Big old smirk, oh he thought he had me on that one.
But I knew I won.
“I don’t care, he was an abusive alcoholic that almost beat my mom to death and molested me at eight, and he’s dead now. My mom however thinks I’m amazing in every way and is happy we all turned out well.” Big smile. All true by the way, I just don’t normally tell strangers all the details like that in go.
His face fell and he stared. Then he grabbed his cookie and stomped away.
We had to announce to the rest of the family any time we were going to use the bathroom, and how long we thought we’d be in there.
This was because we only had one bathroom and my father got really mad at us if we interrupted him while he was in there, or if my sister was in there for a long time, as she tended to do when she was a teen.
Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of my sister knocking on the door to get into the bathroom, like it was an emergency, shortly after my father went in there. It was never really an emergency. She just needed to fix her hair or something.
My dad: [Goes into bathroom, newspaper in hand.]
Thirty seconds later, my sister comes out of her room and starts knocking like crazy on the bathroom door.
My dad: [Godammit I just got in here! Leave me alone!]
So, every time any of us needed to use the bathroom for any reason, we’d stand in front of it and say, loud enough for everyone in the house to hear, something like:
“I’m going to the bathroom now! I’ll be in there for about ten minutes!”
Then we’d pause, in case someone wanted to use it quickly before we went in there.
I didn’t realize until I was an adult that announcing to your family that you were going to the bathroom wasn’t a normal thing to do.
YES… when I was in South Africa, I hired a maid through an agency. She arrived on the appointed day. She gave me the agent’s papers and introduction letter, and she asked me where she should start. I said she could start with cleaning the oven. “Oh no,” she said, “I don’t clean ovens”. “That is OK,” I said, “make yourself a cup of tea and make some breakfast for yourself and then I will give you your money and you can leave”. She looked very crestfallen and told me she needed the job. I said “OK; then clean the oven and you can stay”. She cleaned the oven.
She stayed for 30 years, and every month we had the same conversation. She left the agency after a month and she became my best friend, my companione.n, my housekeeper, my babysitter, and my nurse when I was ill. When she retired, I paid her a pension for the next 12 years till she died of COVID-19. I miss her very much. She was a wonderful woman.
In my youth I was hard up for a summer job so I took a position delivering newspapers. I was a substitute driver for the regular person doing the route. My paper had a shed where I and the other drivers would come to load up our papers at about 4 am, and across the alleyway there was another shed where the rival newspaper distributed papers to it’s drivers.
One morning I park in front of my paper’s shed to load up. As was my usual practice I used the tying machine in the shed to secure a couple dozen papers to throw at the beginning of my route and loaded them in my car. I then loaded stacks of papers that I put rubber bands on while driving to use for the rest of the route.
I found that while I was doing all this, the delivery truck for the rival paper had unloaded several large stacks of their papers just behind my car. I was ready to leave for my route but could not start because the papers were in my way. I went over to the other paper’s shed and asked the guys there to please move the papers so I could leave my parking spot. They laughed at me and said I could move them myself.
So, I did. I got in my car, started it up, put it in reverse, and backed out of the space. The stacks of papers went flying, my rear wheels driving over many of them. I then accelerated forward over the papers and they shot out in a satisfying rooster tail all over the parking lot and I was off for my route.
I was working in a record store that had booths to listen to records before you bought them. I was in a booth setting it up for someone to listen when the boss/owner was outside the booth, not knowing I was there. He started to complain that he did not like my hippie looks and did not trust me. The next day, the manager quit (I do not know the reason), and the boss came to me the next day and wanted me to take over as the store manager. I told him I would think about it. After work, I called the ex-manager and asked why he quit. He said he was sick of the two-faced liar that was the boss and he had got a job with a new company called the Wherehouse (an up and coming big chain record company, He asked me if I wanted to be the assistant manager which paid a lot more than I was making.
The next day, I called the boss/owner and told him that I did not want the manager job, and, by the way, I quit. He tried to talk me into staying when I said, “Then why did you say…” and repeated everything he had said about me.
“One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans”
In 1914 the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Serbia (in the Balkans) would be the event that led to WW1
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Then in his final days, he said
Jena came twenty years after the death of Frederick the Great; the crash will come twenty years after my departure if things go on like this.
Exactly 20 years after Bismark’s death Germany would lose WW1 and nearly collapse.
In his final meeting with Wilhelm, he stated
“Your Majesty, so long as you have this present officer corps, you can do as you please. But when this is no longer the case, it will be very different for you”
Indeed when the present officer corps moved on and were replaced by the next generation Wilhelm was forced from power and exiled in shame.
Let’s tell some more Bismark facts because the guy was just such a hoot.
During his younger years, he famously got in an average of one duel per month and never lost. Duels as in fights to the death with swords.
While working his first job for the government, he disappeared and left his post randomly only to appear weeks later with the daughter of some English gentry.
There was an assassination attempt during his rise to power. A man shot at him six times and then was disarmed by guards. Bismark said he was fine and walked home. Hours later the royal court doctor finally got in to see Bismark despite the protest of Bismark. Turns out all six bullets hit him but none of them did much damage. Bismark was just unconcerned about the whole thing.
Bismark was a local lord in his younger years. He had an estate with some peasants who worked for him. He would announce his entrance into their homes by shooting a gun in the air or releasing a fox.
He would drink two bottles of champagne and smoke two cigars for breakfast
There was a period where rebels took the Prussian King (his king) hostage. At the time Bismark was still a countryside lord minding his land. He decided to raise his farmers into a peasant militia and free the king. As he went to leave with his militia, a local man told him to stop whipping up the peasants and go home. Bismark responded, “You know me to be a kind man, but if you try to stop me I will shoot you”.
For all of his antics and wild personality, he ended up marrying a very calm, devout, conservative Christian lady.
The rest of his story is a little less flashy but just as interesting. The man was a freak of nature. He played Europe like a chessboard for decades. He created Germany and accidentally the French Republic, and he was one of the most brilliant political minds ever.
Let’s end with some fun quotes because why not.
“If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.”
“There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America.”
Next a few Andrew Jackson facts.
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After being elected president of the United States, Andrew Jackson faced an assassination attempt. Richard Lawrence bought a gun and approached Jackson to shoot him. The first shot misfired, and the second shot misfired as well. Jackson noticed this and proceeded to attack the man and beat him with his cane. Jackson’s guards had to pull Jackson off his assassin — what a mad lad.
After winning his election, Jackson threw a rager in the White House inviting a ton of random people in to drink heavily. The party went on for hours and was out of control. Jackson was forced to flee the out-of-control party through an upper-floor window.
Andrew Jackson loved to duel, like step back and shoot each other type duel. In a duel with Charles Dickenson, Jackson did something bonkers. As the men turned, Jackson just stood there. You see the rules were that both men had to stand still until both shots were fired. Charles turned and shot hitting Jackson around his ribs. Jackson then took his time to aim so that his shot would be fatal. He calmly took a bullet so he could kill his opponent guaranteed.
When Jackson’s friend approached him about this, Jackson said
“If he had shot me through the brain, sir, I should still have killed him.”
I have been living in the US for about 7 months now. I am strictly comparing my life in India and here:
India has PayTM: You don’t need to carry cash, cards. Most businesses, even small stores, auto rickshaws have paytm facility. Here I cannot, cannot, leave my credit card at home!
Public Transport: Is almost non-existent, at least where I live. There is the Caltrain, at a 1 hour frequency, and some buses and VTA, but they usually do not cover the routes I need. And I cannot just take an auto rickshaw to the grocery or Target/Walmart. If I don’t have a car, I need to depend on Uber/Lyft which are expensive.
Online shopping experience: Myntra, Jabong, Flipkart, Amazon, most e-commerce biz in India have home pickup for returns, which you don’t have here.
Laundry is a headache: Most apartments do not have in house laundry, dryers, and making several trips to the laundry room is not something I enjoy. Not to mention, it is expensive too ($1.5 laundry + $1.25 dryer per load)
Medical Services are way too expensive and not easily accessible: Medicines and vaccines are expensive. Something like a tetanus shot which costs Rs. 50 (less than $1) in India, costs $80 here. I can get spectacles made for Rs. 2000 (~ $30) in India, but it would cost me upwards of $300 here. In India, I do not need an appointment in most cases, and I can walk in to a clinic. For my son’s eye checkup, I got an appointment for after 2 months. For the spectacles, the optometrist said they do not have the technician available and can only accommodate us after 3 weeks(!!).
Paper wastage: I get so many paper adverts in my mail every two days, which go straight in to the bin. Sheer waste of paper! And the DMV refused to accept a soft copy of one of my documents. They said they need a hard paper copy! I thought the US was at the forefront of the Digital revolution.
Tipping: Expect to pay about 15%-30% more than your actual restaurant bill, for the tip. There is no service whatsoever, servers just come and put your food on the table.
Shopping experience: Shopping here is not something I enjoy. There is usually no one around to help you with sizes, suggestions or finding something. They simply tell you to go help yourself by saying that whatever they have is out there, so you are left to find stuff yourself.
Lifeless atmosphere: Every city, village in India is vibrant, full of life (and noise 🙂 ). I miss that very much here.
Of course, my answer is restricted to my observations and my small sphere of life. There are definitely greater differences, social, political, economical, which some people have put up here. I just listed some that common folks like me might experience.
Thank you for the upvotes!
Just a couple of months short of completing a year in the US, and I keep finding things that I wish were different ( I know I sound very cynical, but I am not, and I do appreciate the good things in the US too)
Going to add a few more to this list:
10. Road trips aren’t as much fun as they are back in India. Half the fun of those long road trips lies in watching the scenic beauty on the way and halting at roadside dhabas or tapris for chai and bhajiyas or food. Be it any highway, you are bound to find one or two such small roadside hotels or dhabas where you can stop and savour hot food and talk and laugh with your companions. I do not find that here. Road trips are just driving on long freeways or interstates where sometimes people tend to fall asleep due to the monotonous driving.
11. International shipping : There are very few choices in that regard, namely FedEx, UPS and probably DHL. And they are quite expensive. FedEx gave me an estimate of between $100–200 plus $30 for the box ( which is not charged separately in India) for a 4lb (less than 2kgs) shipment. Whereas, our parents sent us 8 kgs of Diwali faraal 🙂 from Pune for less than $70.
12. I miss the air of celebration or festivity here. During Diwali, Indians might put up their festive lights and diyas on their patios, but they do that and go back into their houses and shut the doors or pull the blinds. That’s that! That was Diwali here. Sad. But, the same Indians celebrated Halloween with such gusto, I was left wondering is this what happens when we move to the US? That we forget to celebrate our own festivals the way they ought to be while embracing the festivities of the West? While I see nothing wrong with the latter, I would have definitely loved to see more enthusiasm towards the former.
13. Gun violence: The gun violence happening in the US is being covered in almost newspaper and sites. It has created a general unsafe atmosphere. Especially the shootings in schools and colleges, innocent young lives being snuffed out by some senseless act of violence are tremendously sad.
14. New Year celebrations: India – restaurants, malls, roadside dhabas, almost everywhere that you get food, open till 5 am. US- most restaurants closed post lunch or early evening on 31st Dec and closed whole day on 1st January. So, we had very limited choices of restaurants to go to for New Year’s Eve dinner.
15. Limited places for kids to play: Most apartments here do not allow kids to play inside the apartment premises. Kid scooters, bicycles are not allowed. Playing in corridors is also discouraged so as not to disturb residents during quiet hours. Going to a park everyday is not possible. So, all in all, kids have only the school grounds to play mostly. It would be very helpful if apartments designate a play area for kids.
When my son was an infant, after my wife’s maternity leave was over, she went back to work about 30 minutes from our house. My job was about 90 minutes from our house. I had to leave home by 6am every morning to take my son to my in-laws for the day, so I could make it to work on time. Then, I had to be the first one out the door at work to make it back to my in-laws so I could pick up my son and bring him home. On a good day, I would be home with him by 6pm. On a bad day, particularly if it was snowing, we might not make it home until 8pm.
One day, my son slept through the morning ride to my in-law’s place, and was asleep when I went to get him at the end of the day. I realized, when I went to sleep that night, that I had not seen my son awake that entire day. Worse… he hadn’t seen me that day.
So I started looking for a job closer to home. Over the years, I’ve taught at four different schools, always getting as close as possible to my own house, to maximize the time I get to spend with my children. I’ve got my commute down to fewer than ten minutes now. It’s great! I even come home on my lunch break so I can walk the dog some days.
When I was very young, I’m guessing about 5 ,my uncle gave me a letter holder that was shaped like a dachshund, it became my favorite toy.
My grandfather was visiting, and he saw me playing with the letter holder. Which was dogs front and rear separated by coils, which would have held letters.
He said, “you’re playing with office equipment, that’s not for little boys, you don’t want that do do you “ I assured I did, that it was my favorite toy. He took it anyway. My mother wouldn’t stand up to him, and he was gone.
When he died about 10 years later. I went to his office to get my toy back, just on principle. It wasn’t on his desk, my grandmother said that she had never seen anything that looked like what I described.
When I was about 8, we had a standalone bathroom sink that just stuck out of the wall. My grandfather very nicely made us a stand that went around the sink, with two doors on the front. It allowed us to store stuff in the bathroom. It looked professionally done. He said it was practice for the one he would build himself.
A month later, he came down with one that was miscut badly. He took it into the bathroom and replaced the good one with the garbage one.
He said that he needed the good one in his nice house, and the crappy one wouldn’t look out of place in our house, and he didn’t want to spend the money on new supplies.
Honestly! Who would take back, what was supposedly a gift of love, that he had made for his daughter.
Writing anonymously so it don’t come to bite me back…
To win some times you ‘really’ have to lose
I was working for a US based MNC in India’s self proclaimed Silicon valley.
I was leading a team, the work was too strenuous. I was clocking in around 12–17 hours of office time everyday for almost 8 months. My health started to deteriorate (constant back problems) due to long hours of sitting. I was not able to spend time with my newborn baby. Had to practically live in office for almost couple of months. And to top it all , Management was the least bit supportive , they take employees for granted and make their life hell. As in most services based companies , work life balance is a distant dream. They thought Vacations are an aberration, And thought that the more miserable an employee became the more productive he becomes.
To cut the long story short , I decided enough is enough and that I would pull the plug on the job. I work for my life sustenance and not the other way around. The problem is we have to serve 3 months of Notice period, which is a big NO for most recruiters. During the week when I was mentally preparing for this ordeal, my Manager approaches me saying , your performance is OK, but we are initiating a Performance Improvement Program (PIP) for your own benefit. Which they thought would make me more productive. They thought this would make me teach a lesson, and I would work ‘HARDER’, and this was a process were they monitor me for a month and would let go if employee is not performing better. This is an absolute horrendous experience for any employee to go through. Let alone somebody who literally ‘broke their back working’.
But this was a boon in my scenario if I fail not only they would let me go in a month but also they would give me four months Salary ( They don’t want the undesirables to hang around). I kind of simply stopped working , and made sure I fail in ALL the review meetings , we don’t want to leave anything for chance do we? , with a puppy face of course. So at the end of the Month , I was relieved of my duties and I received 4 months of my salary in due time. And I landed the next job in 2 months which gave me 30% hike as well.
There was a time, quite a few years ago, when I worked as a cashier at Burger King. I mostly worked at the front counter, taking orders and keeping things neat and tidy up front.
One night, I noticed that our drive-thru times were seriously lagging, even though we weren’t that busy. The kitchen was sending food out quickly, and I was bagging it up just as fast, so why did we have four orders waiting to go out the window?
I went to investigate and found my drive-thru employee in the middle of a meltdown. We had a dinosaur for a system back then, and the drive-thru was tricky because the register didn’t tell you how much change to give back, just how much the order cost. To help those who needed it, we kept a calculator by the register, but apparently, nobody had thought to let the new girl know it was there.
Honestly, though, she wasn’t the only one who struggled with making change, and it always shocked me how many people were incapable of doing basic math without technological assistance.
Long story short, I ended up teaching many of them how to make change without the calculator, but it was shocking how many high school and college kids could not make small change.
After my husband was killed in an accident, friends and family sent their condolences and were ready to help me with whatever they could. Many brought us meals and others took care of the yard work and some gave money and gift cards. I was very grateful for all their kindness. It was overwhelming how kind people were, it brought tears.
In time things began to settle down. I was cooking out meals and mowing the yard. But what continued on was the sympathy. I’d be in Walmart and I’d see a friend or neighbor, and the conversation would be about how I was doing and how sorry they were, and even when I’d say I’m doing fine and just want to get past the pain, it was as if they didn’t hear me.
Everytime the phone rang it was someone who was reaching out, praying for me, and asking if I was ok.
It’s hard to be grateful and appreciate all the support, but at the same time wanting to move on without hurting anyone.
Grieving my loss was going well. It was front constantly reminded of the tragedy that set me back. I had to stop answering my phone so I could heal. One day someone was knocking relentlessly at my door. I opened it to find a friend that I hadn’t talked to since before my husbands death. She was telling me to get my purse and come with her. I asked where we going? She said to have some fun, so grab your purse and let’s go.
Not once did she bring up his death. We talked about the stuff we had always talked about. We got our nails done, ate lunch at our fav fajita restaurant and stopped at a few antique stores. When we got to my house I asked her why I hadn’t heard from her and why she didn’t even ask how I was doing. Her answer was, she didn’t need to ask how I was doing, she knew how I was doing, she said you were grieving. I let you grieve. Nothing I could say or do would benefit you. I figured that after a few months of grieving you’d be ready to get away from everything and everyone that’s keeping you from moving on. She hugged me and said softly, Lori, it’s time to move on and live your life.
G’day folks, this is your captain speaking. Sitting next to me is my old cellmate Dave ‘Eye Patch’ Gordon who failed his driving test but passed the FAA exam, so as long as there’s no roads up there, we’ll be pretty safe. ‘Dave turn that oil leak light off please.’ We’ll be flying up over New York, then over Canada, where, on the way in, we were shaken like a shitting dog, so we’ll try and avoid that really rough air – no promises, but we’ll try. Then we’ll turn and begin our passage over the Atlantic. That British Airways jet parked next to us gave us the bird last night, so we’re likely to give that asshole a close pass on climb-out. Our cabin crew, led by the gorgeous and ample Lisa will serve you dinner later. Enjoy a few drinks on us and when we turn off the no-smoking sign, light-up those Malboros and be kind enough to throw one in my direction. In the meantime, while we’re waiting for our slot from these union controllers, spare a thought for us pilots, whose lives depend on these assholes when they walk off the job. We’re flying an old 747 original today, so if you hear it moaning and groaning or even see an engine fall off, we have three others, built in 69 and patched up with some really good glue. Dave, turn that fucking oil leak light off.
Maybe they do but unlike the U.S. China has culture, US don’t. Unlike the U.S. China knows right from wrong., the U.S. don’t! Unlike the U.S. they are mature, he U.S. is not! probably will never be! China don’t want anybody to attack anybody!
China don’t want another death. China want a safer and better and more peaceful world. These Arab and Muslim world want China to help make a better world. Not one that the white Caucasian can wake up on the wrong side of the bed and decide that they feel like carpet bombing them to kill their grand parents and their babies and children and they can pluck from the sky any excuses such as WMD or made up genocide such as Uyghurs forcing Japan into a 30 years stagflation!
Arabs an Muslims are not wrong, they want a life that the U.S. cannot fxxked the up! Or steal every penny that they work hard to save. But U.S. insist that they must have the monopoly rot do genocide and slaughter! Why?
Because of their skin colour! Because of their religion and their Anglos Saxon culture! They can kill and not be killed! Because like whites Caucasian humans they deserved to raped any coloured women and lynched any coloured human because they are 4/5 of an actual human!
Yes their message is that there are are behind the Chinese. If the U.S. misbehave they will all fight a war that totally destroy America. China is frankly calming them down! The world ought to rid the U.S. rules based International order 50 years ago!
DNA Clinic Reports: Half Of Men Who Take Paternity Tests Are NOT The Real Father
1. Try to maintain a positive attitude as much as possible, it will make you more productive and better equipped to handle challenges.
2. Challenge yourself by setting realistic goals that stretch your capabilities and inspire you to work harder.
3. Take regular breaks throughout the day to give yourself time to relax and recharge.
4. Surround yourself with positive people who support you and help you achieve your goals.
5. Visualize success in your mind’s eye – see yourself completing the task or achieving the goal in a clear, focused way and visualize this outcome happening with ease and enthusiasm.
6. Break down tasks into small manageable steps to help avoid feeling overwhelmed or discouraged by large projects or goals.
7. Create positive self-talk statements that motivate and remind you of your goals, abilities, and purpose throughout the day.
8. Minimize multitasking and focus on completing one task at a time for greater clarity and productivity in your work or personal life endeavors.
9. Reassess strategies that have not worked for you in the past, rather than feeling like a failure try again with a different approach if necessary for success in any situation .
10 Finally remember, patience is key! Allow yourself adequate time to grow and accomplish objectives in life without putting too much pressure on yourself to succeed quickly .
Well this is not exactly of being fired or let go from a job but the revenge factor is there. Pretty immature now but at the time a very sweet one.
Back in the 80s I was on my senior year to become a CTA by Christmas. The well done summer job in the research lab of the local paper mill was rewarded by a job offering after I graduate. We set the contract signing to end of November. Surely I was happy about this.
Cometh the day of signing and the head of the HR explained they’ve received an order from high up that I cannot be hired. No names or reasons were given. After pulling some strings I got to know the picture.
In the lab school we had two classes and the teacher of the other one was an mean old frustrated witch for whom anybodys happiness and joy was a thorn in the eye. Nobody got along with her but since she was about to retire people just put it up with her. She of course heard about my job offer. As we of course all knew her husband was the chief of all labs at that papermill. The order not to recruit me came from him and was based on some bullshit about me. I personally never met him so it was easy to guess where the order came from. When I confronted the Witch about this she just smiled vily and said something nasty which prooved my suspicions. I was so furious I didnt know how to sit or think straight. Eventually left town to work at the university lab instead and academia actually became my career.
She was a dedicated gardener and had a collection of massive palm trees and other plants in our coffee room. Comes the graduation day all her plants suddenly turned brown and died. She was utterly upset about this and with watery eyes was thinking of some parasite attacking them. She was right – that parasite was me equipped with 2 kg of sodium hydroxide pellets dissolved in 10 l bucket of water. Poured on the plants the evening before graduation…
This is now over 33 years ago and I regret killing her plants…sorry for that….but at the time the revenge factor was pretty sweet.
I was sitting in a student bar many years ago with some friends. There was a young lady there who me and my friends knew from the Aikido class we went to. She was much better than us and we didn’t know her well but we had said hi as we went to her table.
A couple of large guys came in being rather loud and obnoxious. We ignored them but one of them decided to start hassling the young lady who was sitting alone at the bar reading her course book. We would have got involved but she didn’t need us to! She told him no, he tried to grab her and then, like a flash, she just put him in a wrist lock. She didn’t move from the bar, just put the lock on one of his hands and he collapsed in agony, a few seconds later she took it off again and repeated her request for him to go away. This time he did, rather sheepishly!
Chicken Bokeumtang (Spicy Korean Chicken)
IMG 0552
Ingredients
1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into 11 pieces with bone in and skin on
1 pound potatoes, peel, halved or quartered
3 to 4 carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
2 onions, cut into large chunks
8 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons Gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
4 green onions, sliced into 2 inch pieces
Instructions
Bring enough water to boil to blanch chicken in a large Dutch oven; add chicken into boiling water, bring back to boil, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Drain chicken into a strainer and rinse pot quickly. Rinse chicken under cold water and place back to pot.
Add potato, carrot, onion and garlic to Dutch oven.
In a small mixing bowl, combine gochujang and next 6 ingredients. Add combined sauce into pot and toss everything together until chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with sauce. Cover, bring it to boil over medium high heat. Stirring frequently.
When it starts boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring frequently for first 20 minutes of simmering to prevent burn bottom of pot.
Stir in green onion and remove from heat.
Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with some more sesame seeds.
Serve with warm cooked rice, kimchi and other your favorite side dishes!
БОЙЦЫ ДОЛЖНЫ ОТСТОЯТЬ МАЛЕНЬКУЮ ДЕРЕВНЮ. МОЩНЫЙ ВОЕННЫЙ ФИЛЬМ БОЕВИК! ЛУЧШИЙ ФИЛЬМ ПРО ВОЙНУ! Ржев
When I lived in Milford, Massachusetts, my home was next to a state park. It was beautiful; a nice cabin overlooking Lake Pearl. I lived in it with numerous partners. And, of course, my kitty cats.
I would like to relate a nice story.
In this fraction of time, I was living with my girlfriend from Zambia. She was adorable, and was African-African. And I absolutely LOVED THAT about her.
Now one of the big things that carried over from her life in Africa. Now, keep in mind that she was a city / suburban girl. Not a rural girl. But still, Africa did, and still has, some very dangerous critters moving about. From lions, to leopards, to strange and nasty insects.
So, one morning, I was in the kitchen making coffee, and I noticed that there was a spider web near the sink cupboard doors. And in it was a black garter snake. It was maybe 4 inches, 100 cm long. And it was trapped in the web, dangling there.
I found the entire situation really interesting. I thought it was fascinating.
So I yelled to my girlfriend…
“Hey XXXXXX, come in here! You won’t believe this!”
So she came in, and then freaked… FREAKED out!!!!!
I mean she jumped up on the table, and was in hysterics. I was blindsided, and totally surprised. Hopping up and down, shaking her hands. Goosebumps on her arms, and jabbering incoherently.
…
All is good now today. But the reason why I am bringing it up is that I had no clue as to how sensitive this issue was for her. I grew up with snakes. Some were poisonous like rattlesnakes. But I was unprepared for the reaction of people who had to deal with cobras and black mambas.
Hit the drive-thru late one night after school and hand the cashier a $20 for my $6 meal. She hands me $4 and closes her window, expecting me to move on.
But I don’t.
I knock on the window and ignore the honking behind me until she opens and asks me what is wrong.
“The change should be $14, not $4.” Even tone, no anger.
She tells me that I gave her a $10 and is fairly adamant. When she begins to close her window I ask if I could speak to her manager.
It’s late; it’s possible that I could have handed her a $10 rather than a $20, but I have a habit that I’ve fallen into because of a similar situation.
I memorize the serial numbers on large bills before I hand them over.
The manager listens to my request for the extra ten, looks at the receipt and notes that the girl had put in $10 as the money submitted. The girl is looking annoyed and has the classic, “I told you so” look on her face.
I ask the manager to look at the top $20 in her drawer and proceed to recite the serial number.
The manager asks me to do that again and I repeat the numbers for her.
The cashier’s face is stuck on shock and awe as I’m given my correct change and an apology before driving on to the next window for my meal.
Andouille Melt
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I was shopping in an “International” shop common here in the UK. I greeted people in English, and I was commanding my assistance dog in English. I was excited as a part of my family was Polish- and until my great grandmother died, we all spoke Polish in the home. I don’t speak as well as I understand. I have to read things out-loud to understand them (I have to hear the words to understand them). I love Polish food, so I am really grateful that the new Skleps are here.
I heard one of the sales staff say, in Polish “What is that fat Englishwoman doing in here? She doesn’t know anything.” Her friend said “And she brings in that filthy dog. People like her should stay home”. I believe she was referring to my disability.
I did my shopping. At the till, the woman who made the fat Englishwoman comment smiled and said “How was your shopping? It’s hard here for people not Polish.” (in English) and I said in a halting but clear voice, “Moge nie byc Polska ale Jestem grzeczna”. Her face fell and she went pale.
“I might not be Polish, but at least I’m polite.”
Then in very clear English, I said: “Manager, please”
All I said to him was that his staff should not assume that all Angielka (English women) don’t speak Polish, and that his staff had been rude about me in Polish, but I understood them and had been very offended. He was mortified.
Then I turned to the other staff member and said, pointing to my dog, “Ona nie jest Brudna a ona tez nie jest niegrzeczna” – “She’s not filthy and- she’s isn’t rude, either.” The manager turned to them and said “Office”.
I was careful not to let them see my little well-worn Polish-English dictionary, a gift from my precious Ciocia Regina, my Great-aunt and Godmother, who helped me keep Polish culture in my soul, Polish cooking in my kitchen …and Polish words in my mouth!
Our first child was not toilet trainable. We took her to doctor after doctor from age 3 to 6, eventually carrying an x-ray made by the local radiologist. Everyone agreed that poor parenting skills were the problem, though some added that our lovely daughter, who had a BM only when standing or lying down, really enjoyed tormenting us.
One of the last doctors said, “If she were my kid, I’d lock her in the bathroom until she did it on the toilet!”
A few weeks later, a surgeon hundreds of miles from home held up that x-ray and said, “She has a birth defect.” Her lower intestine was positioned in a way that made a BM impossible unless her body was absolutely straight, NOT sitting on a toilet. Surgery fixed that. Thank you, Dr. Hardy Hendren, and RIP.
Without telling anyone in advance, management had decided to deduct $20 per month on everyone’s paycheques “to help defray the cost of the coffee service” as stated in the note attached to everyone’s cheques; “no exceptions”. I and the others in the office who didn’t drink the company provided coffee (which was about 60%; I was/am a Starbucks addict and brought my own coffee) protested by pouring several cups of coffee a day and just leaving them there untouched.
When management found that coffee expenses almost tripled and why, they canceled the policy. They then put in a pay machine and priced it at $1per cup. Nobody used it because you could get a bigger cup for the same price from the convenience store down the street. Plus productivity dropped a bit as everyone was now going out for coffee. The only time the machine was ever used was by management when they had to pay out of gheir own pockets for coffee to serve to visiting clients.
The machine was soon removed because the company still had to pay a monthly fee, which was more than they were getting back from the machine; and they went back to the original no-charge coffee setup. And of course, productivity went back up.
Spend a few months working in retail and you’ll revise your opinion on human beings.
It’s not that everyone who comes into the store is a total A-Hole.
It’s that there’s this bottom 10–20% that you deal with over and over again who talk down to you. They see you as below them, as lowly.
Maturity has this inverted matrix in retail: the older the customer is, the ruder they are.
They’ll yell at you about the prices – like you set those prices and you are getting a piece of the cheese. They’ll yell at you about your store return policies.
In America, most young teens get summer jobs and weekend jobs. It’s a big part of our culture.
The retail experience, despite being rich in assholery, is of great value to a young person because as many of you know – any job you get is going to involve dealing with people you don’t like on a regular basis.
Being thrown into the deep end with a low wage, high frustration job like retail is a great starting point.
It can (hopefully) only get better from there. Ideally, more money. Less assholery.
I had eye surgery in winter 2019, and had to wear dark glasses (the ones in my pic) for a bit.
My eyesight is terrible anyway, but for a couple of months l could barely see.
One evening, as usual, I was taking a long walk in London – couldn’t run, I’d have been running in to street furniture- for exercise. Earbuds in, listening to music.
A beggar stepped in front if me & said something about money. I put my hand in my pocket, handed him a quid.
He said something about wanting more, l couldn’t really hear him too well over Black Grape, but this pissed me off.
“Fuck off”, I said, “you can have a quid and like it”
“Gimme more. I want all your money”
“You cheeky cunt. Fuck off or I’ll take the quid back and kick your arse” l said.
He made angry gestures and stormed off.
A bloke came up beside me…. “…mate, are you ok?” he said.
“Yeah… why?”
“He had a knife”.
Oh. Not beggar; mugger. I hadn’t seen the knife.
The mugger must have thought I was like Chuck Norris, fronting him out like that.
My guess is that this article was written as a warning to the new generation of Chinese leadership, set to come into power in 2012. For the new generation coming to power and their followers, who have witnessed China’s transition over a 30 year period from one of the poorest nations in the world to a global power, the worry is that they see limitless opportunities for China. At the same time, they know that China is challenged on the resources front, and feel that the only way out is for China to work to weaken US power, confronting the US not only economically, but also perhaps militarily. This is because they see a narrow window of opportunity in the period between now and 2020, when China’s aging population will serve to slow growth. In their eyes, China must grab the brass ring of global leadership from the US in the next decade; otherwise the opportunity will be gone.
There is some concern that the Chinese military is chafing at the bits, anxious to fan Chinese nationalism over Korea and Taiwan. For the generation now stepping down, this is a warning that the US should not be underestimated, and that it would be foolish to think that the US is either near collapse, or is completely unable to recover from its current challenges.
The situation is very similar to pre-WWI Germany, when a rapidly industrializing Germany felt that its path to global leadership was blocked by Great Britain. The Germans saw Britain as a great power in decline; their over-confidence set the stage for confrontation, first with Britain and France, then with the US. Now, China is occupying the same role Germany did, and the dangers and opportunities are largely the same.
In this context, this article is a warning from the older generation to the younger generation that the US’s power is still great, and will last for another 20 years. The message is that direct confrontation with the US within this timeframe would be disastrous for China because the US is still a leader in many key areas, and has the capability to revive.
Backyard Time Machine: The Time Travel Mystery of Mike “Mad Man” Marcum
Israel sees the hand of Iran behind the Hamas Oct 7 attack and is not a farfetch idea that they would use this as justification to attack Iran.
China’s declaration is to remind Israel that there will be consequences if they do make a move on Iran. And having made the warning, this will justify any China’s response to provide support not just to Iran but more overt assistance for the besieged Palestinians in Israel.
Not sure that this counts, but its close. I grew up in a small town and I graduated with the same people I was in grade one with. Last year, a friend phoned me up, on Monday, and said Thursday is the 50th anniversary of our graduation. Do you want to go for dinner and drinks with as many of the class as I can get together on Thursday.
I said I would be there, and over half the class made it on such short notice.
Few of us lived in that small town anymore. It was such short notice, because he had been asked to be a speaker, at an upcoming highschool grad, and he had been researching ours for talking points, and saw that it was exactly 50 years ago. Personally I thought it was more like 30, but the calendar doesn’t lie.
Once he saw that he had 3 days to get people together, he got working. Obviously people living in other provinces, couldn’t attend, on 3 days notice, so it was impressive to see so many.
Great times had by all.
How US reaps benefits through decades of military aid, weapon sales to Israel — GT Investigation
Eighteen days have passed since Israel launched its bombardment offensive against the besieged Gaza Strip, following a deadly attack on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The conflict had killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, about 40 percent of which were children, and about 1,400 Israelis as of Monday, according to media reports.
Many countries, including China, have openly called on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, and immediately end hostilities, to protect civilians and avoid further loss of life.
While the US, in sharp contrast, is actively transporting more lethal weapons to Israel, demonstrating conspicuous support for its “close ally,” as it has done in many previous bloody conflicts in the region.
The US is also the sole vote against a United Nations Security Council resolution on Wednesday that would have condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel while calling for a pause in the fighting to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, with 12 members voting in favor and Russia and the UK abstaining.
US President Joe Biden visited Israel on October 18, “putting himself in harm’s way to show that he stands squarely with the country,” according to US media sources. Before his arrival, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that Israel “has the right to defend itself,” when announcing Biden’s Israel visit.
The US’ unsurprising one-sided support, including its military aid, will likely escalate the already fraught situation between Israel and Hamas, and reduce the likelihood of peace talks between the two sides in the near future. That may lead to further catastrophic loss of life, warned some experts in international relations and Middle East affairs reached by the Global Times.
Heightened tensions
Despite footage of innocent children killed in airstrikes causing a global outcry, the US is sending more arms and ammunition to Israel, intensifying the running gun battle on the ground.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced over the weekend that Washington is sending multiple military ships and the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, “as a show of force to its closest ally in the region,” Al Jazeera reported.
“I have directed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (CSG) to begin moving to the Eastern Mediterranean…the Eisenhower CSG will join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which arrived earlier this week,” read a statement by Austin published on the US Department of Defense website, on October 14. Previously, the US Air Force had announced the deployment of F-15, F-16 and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons to the region.
Increased US force posturing signals the country’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security,” said the statement.
As Israel has an absolute military advantage over Hamas, the US’ military support for Israel is more of a political tool for the Biden administration to demonstrate its allyship to Israel and its domestic politicians, analyzed Chinese observers.
It is in the US’ domestic interests to militarily aid Israel, said Li Weijian, a research fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. “Supporting Israel is politically correct in the US, a country with more than 6 million people of Jewish heritage, many of whom make up the core of the US’ political and public opinion power, with positions in major government departments and media outlets,” Li told the Global Times.
“Biden has announced his reelection bid for 2024 presidential elections. Aiding Israel at this moment can bring him more domestic support,” Li said.
Biden is counting on successfully brokering the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations to boost his performance in the Middle East before the presidential elections in 2024, said Niu Xinchun, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing.
However, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas “may not only sink the deal, but also likely to deal a heavy blow to Biden’s performance in the election,” Niu told the Global Times.
After the conflict broke out, some lawmakers in the US urged Biden to communicate that Israel’s response to Hamas’ attack must limit harm to civilians and adhere to international law. “We write to express our concerns regarding the unfolding humanitarian situation in Gaza,” read the letter to Biden and Blinken, signed by 55 lawmakers.
The letter listed five requests to the Biden administration, including putting pressure on Israel to adhere to international law and helping set up a humanitarian corridor, reported The Hill on October 13.
The US’ one-sided military aid has only served to heightened tensions. Worse still, due to the lack of supervision, US aid to Israel is not transparent enough and is suspected of abetting war crimes, warned observers.
There has been one US politician who caused great controversy due to his Israeli military background.
Brian Mast, a member of the US Congress, with a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reportedly arrived to work on October 13 in the uniform of the Israeli military. “As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that morning.
According to US-based news site Grayzone, Mast previously served in the US military in Afghanistan. He volunteered as a bomb disposal specialist for the Israeli army during its 2014 assault on the Gaza Strip. The assault resulted in the death of 2,202 Palestinians, including 526 children.
“Is it appropriate that someone who has served in a foreign military be allowed to return to the United States and serve on such a sensitive government committee, earning a security clearance along the way?” asked Grayzone.
US ‘always be there’
When speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken promised that the US will “always be there” for Israel, the BBC reported on October 12.
Blinken was not mistaken in his assertion. The US indeed has always been there for Israel for more than 70 years, constantly providing the country with weapons, allowing it to maintain the most powerful militaries in the Middle East, and complementing it with advanced surveillance and weapons.
According to a report published by the Congressional ReAccording to a report published by the Congressional Research Service under the US Congress on March 1, 2023, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II. To date, the US has provided Israel with $158 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding.
In 2016, the US and Israeli governments signed their third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on military aid, under which the US pledged to provide $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grants plus $5 billion in missile defense appropriations) to Israel, according to the report.
In addition to the $3.8 billion yearly aid as per the MOU, the US also added $98.58 million this year in funding for other cooperative defense and nondefense programs, read the report.
Almost all US bilateral aid to Israel so far has been in the form of military assistance, with some observers noting that the aid is, in fact, a subsidy to the US military industry.
To date, Israel has purchased 50 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in three separate contracts, funded with US assistance, and has received a total of 36. For the fiscal year 2023, the US Congress authorized $520 million for joint US-Israel defense programs (including $500 million for missile defense).
According to the BBC, $1.6 billion of US military aid to Israel since 2011 was for the country’s Iron Dome short-range anti-rocket, anti-mortar, and anti-artillery system (intercept range of 2.5 to 43 miles). Developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and originally produced in Israel, the system was first tested in 2011.
US Pawn
As a US pawn in the Middle East, Israel serves the US’ geographical and defense industry interests. Their decades of special partnership have a historical background known to the whole world, said Li weijian.
Nonetheless, the US continued to support Israel while avoiding the question of Palestinian statehood. “Such a partiality is very unreasonable,” Li said.
“The Israel-Palestine conflict will never be resolved without a solution to the question of Palestinian statehood,” Li said. “It’s Palestine’s right to found a state, and the US should not [have a hand] in it.”
But the US’ goal maybe is never to help achieve a resolution to any conflict, not only the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but every other conflict in the world such as that between Russia and Ukraine.
The US’ response to conflicts is always to escalate the violence instead of encouraging peace. This is because war brings losses and pains to most countries and regions in the world, but the US is one of the few that can exploit the conflict for sickening profits.
Take a look at the performance of US defense stocks this week. The nearly 9 percent rise in Lockheed Martin’s stock on Monday was the biggest for the largest US defense contractor on a non-earnings day since March 2020. Northrop Grumman shares also had their best day since 2020.
On a recent earnings call, executives of US defense giant Lockheed Martin highlighted the Israel and Ukraine conflicts “as potential drivers for increased revenue in the coming years,” according to a CNN article on October 18.
The US’ military support policy to Israel, as well as to other countries or regions, is always out of realistic consideration and aimed to serve the US’ own global strategic needs, experts pointed out.
Instead of contributing to the maintenance of world peace, the US has continued to fuel the escalation and continuation of various conflicts so as to bring fortunes to its military-industrial complex, but it comes at the expense of people’s lives. But the approach of relying on wars to get enough orders is dangerous to the world. The world cannot afford to allow them to continue making profits from misfortunes in other countries and regions, experts noted.
Guys are afraid…
This is the West today. Damn! I’m glad that I am older and live in China.
There are certain life lessons people only learn while dying.
Have you heard of an old Japanese folktale called “The Story of Red Ogre and Blue Ogre”?
Long ago, beyond the woods, through the forests and the pass, in the deep mountains of Japan, there lived ‘Aka-Oni’; a red Ogre, and ‘Ao-Oni’, a blue Ogre. The red Ogre liked human children very much and he was always thinking about how he could make friends with them everyday.
The Red Ogre wanted to become friends with children in a village nearby. So, the Red Ogre invited the children to come to his house to play.
But no one showed up, and the red ogre grew puzzled, sad, and angry. “I’m such a kind ogre – why would nobody visit me?”
Moved by his friend’s feelings, the Blue Ogre said, “Look, I have a plan.”
The Blue Ogre’s plan was for him to pretend to terrorize children and then have the red ogre chase him off, “rescuing” them from him. The plan went without a hitch, and the red ogre became the most popular creature among the children, and all came to play with him.
After a happy day of enjoying the children’s company, the Red Ogre found a letter from the Blue Ogre. The letter said, “My Dear Red Ogre, if people find out that you are a friend of the Bad Blue Ogre’s, they will not let the children come to you any more. So, I’m leaving. Please live happily with the children. Goodbye. Blue Ogre.”
The Red Ogre cried out, “Blue Ogre is gone! A dear friend of mine! He is gone!” And he wept.
The Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre were never to see each other again.
Be honest with yourselves, how many of you, while attempting to reach that unattainable goal, to overcome that insurmountable obstacle, lose sight of what truly matters?
Unlike a children’s folktale, real life sheds no light on “the moral of the story”. People take an entire life’s time to figure it out — when it’s simply too late.
Famous last words — I wish I didn’t work so hard. I could have used that time to spend with my family, to watch my children grow up, to count each additional strand of silver hair on my spouse’s head…
It is one of the most common regrets of the dying. Only when one is on the very verge of death, when the Grim Reaper himself casts a long black shadow over his bed, does he have the clarity of thought to realize that he cares more about his families and friends than any amount of money or success.
So the next time you have dinner with your loved ones, for ONCE, put down the phone. That call can wait. That email can wait.
Don’t be that person. Don’t be that guy who is lying on his deathbed, choking back pangs of guilt and remorse, trying to utter one last “I love you.”
Mom’s has some sort of pump problem. My old car is leaking gasoline. My new* one won’t start.
We took my old car (affectionately named “Clif”) to the car doctor and were informed that it’d cost $850 to repair it.
Mom’s will cost upwards of $1,300. We’re waiting to hear on the new car.
Normally this would be stressful.
I’d be freaking out about how we’re going to get cars to run because holy shit how will we go anywhere? How will we travel for Thanksgiving? How will we get groceries?
But when I heard the news, I shrugged.
Not happy about it, obviously, but… We’ll get it. It doesn’t worry me all that much.
Which is weird.
Because these are the sorts of roadblocks (no pun intended) that can crash people’s finances. Having to drop $2k+ that you weren’t expecting? That’s brutal.
But when you’re financially stable — when you make more per month than you need to cover your expenses — suddenly car troubles are a hiccup, an inconvenience, and not a cataclysmic disaster.**
What well-off people don’t understand is the stress of not having money.
It’s pervasive. It keeps you up at night.
How will I pay for groceries? Will I have to walk this month since I can’t afford gas? What if I get sick — how will I pay for that?
It can be hard to focus on work or school when you’re constantly worried about whether or not you can eat.
And events like having your car shit out—
Can destroy you.
I hear rich people say shit like “You need to stop thinking so much about money and think more about higher ideals.”
I’m like, cool, okay. Let me know when those higher ideals can pay my rent.
You just don’t realize how much time you spend stressing about money until you have it.
That’s why I call BS on anyone who says “Money can’t buy happiness.”
No, perhaps it can’t.
But it buys food.
And not having to worry about buying food—
That’s happiness.
*By “new” car, I mean a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. Bought it from a friend. Don’t want to give off the vibe that I’m rolling in money to buy new cars here.
**I also want to be clear — I’m not, like, sitting on thousands of dollars at the moment. My mom and I are working together to come up with the money (and it’ll probably involve putting something on a credit card). But that we can even consider coming up with that money in a relatively short period of time is what’s stress-reducing.
Update: The new car requires $5K in repairs. Sigh.
US Retreats UNGA Defeat; No Gaza Displacement; China Cools Xi-Biden Summit; Dagestan; Avdeyevka
While Americans may get excited about each change in Presidential administrations or which party controls Congress, it is important to understand that other nations have memories and attention spans, and that American policy and actions are mostly the same no matter which party or president is in power.
My parent’s cat hated me from the day I was born. She would hiss at my cradle and couldn’t be left in the same room as me.
When I got older, she treated me with more mild contempt, but she’d never let me pet her.
Fast forward to when I was 5. I went to the kitchen to get something and the door closed itself behind me. Somehow the lock wedged itself shut. I was trapped. I was scared. I started panicking and crying. My mum was upstairs out of ear shot. But the cat was in the room adjacent to the kitchen. She saw me crying.
She ran off. Typical.
But – she in fact ran upstairs to my mum who was on the phone and bit her. While my cat was always mad, she never bit anyone before. She then ran back downstairs and my mum followed her to find me trapped in the kitchen. She was like my very own buddy.
We were bros ever since.
Lasting Peace
The three-day 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum entered its second day on Monday with a keynote speech delivered by General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who invited all parties to implement the Global Security Initiative to achieve the theme of the forum, “Common Security, Lasting Peace,” and urged countries to make efforts to eliminate war chaos amid the Russian-Ukraine and the Palestine-Israel conflicts.
The Chinese military expects all parties to make joint efforts to continuously deepen security mutual-trust and optimize security architecture, enhance security governance together, promote security cooperation pragmatically and implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, build a global community of shared future and inject more certainty, stability and positive energy into a tumultuous and intertwined world, Zhang said.
Humanity has entered the 21st century in which hegemony and Cold War mentality are greatly out of accord with the times and not winning people’s hearts, as people with conscience from all over the world are expecting peace, development, cooperation and win-win, Zhang said.
However, some countries insist on a zero-sum mentality in which one side must lose for the other to win, adhere to the law of the jungle, practice bloc politics and promote unilateralism that builds up walls, filling the world with the shadows of war and humanitarian disasters, Zhang said. “If you are full of hostility, there will surely be competition everywhere. If you only care about your own benefits, all shall become your opponents. If you keep suppressing others, conflicts and wars around the world will definitely arise.”
Against the background of the Russian-Ukraine and the Palestine-Israel conflicts, Zhang urged all countries to make efforts to eliminate war chaos, as he accused a certain country of intentionally creating turbulence, intervening in regional affairs, interfering in others’ internal affairs and plotting color revolutions, as wherever this country goes, peace and tranquility stay away.
“[Certain country] even sets up pegs everywhere and intentionally creates many geopolitical contradictions, pretending to be fair in stopping a fight but actually helping one side, making regional situations become complex and difficult to resolve. It also provides weapons and triggers proxy wars so it can reap the spoils of victory without lifting a finger,” Zhang said.
Zhang stressed that the Chinese military will never tolerate and will be relentless against anyone who dares to split Taiwan from China in any way.
The senior military leader pointed out that the Chinese military is a firm force in safeguarding world peace and defending territorial sovereignty.
To achieve “Common Security, Lasting Peace,” China is willing to implement the Global Security Initiative together with all parties, and make efforts to build a friendly and peaceful new era far away from conflicts, Zhang said.
Global Times
Creole Submarine Sandwich
Creole Meatball Sub Sandwich 768×459 1
Ingredients
Creole Mayonnaise
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
4 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce
Sandwich
1 large loaf crusty French bread, about 2 feet long
1 pound thinly sliced smoked ham
4 large Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 pound thinly sliced salami
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
1 pound thinly sliced roast beef
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
Instructions
Creole Mayonnaise
Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sandwich
With a bread knife, cut lengthwise along French bread, splitting it open without slicing all the way through. With your fingers, pull out about a 1 inch depth of bread all along both sides of loaf.
Generously spread both sides with the Creole Mayonnaise.
Evenly layer ham on bottom half and top with tomatoes.
Then layer salami and top with onion.
Finally layer beef and top with lettuce.
Close top and press securely shut.
Cut into either 4 or 6 sections depending upon how hungry you are.
When I lived in Milford, Massachusetts I worked at an appliance company as a Chief Project Manager in the R&D group. During that time, early on in the company, I was living with a model named CJ. She was extraordinarily beautiful, but a royal pain in the ass. Ugh! That’s a story for another time, I’ll tell you what.
Anyways, there was one of the guys in my company, way a youngish (in his late 20’s) man who worked in Marketing. I got along fine with him.
But my girlfriend, CJ (the chick that I was living with) told me that she had a “bad feeling about him”. But I shrugged it off.
About a month later, I noticed that he was driving around and waiting outside my apartment. I wondered why, but couldn’t figure out what was going on.
Later on, after that, CJ told me that he was following her.
…
Two weeks later, he came to work completely beaten up, and his face was a real mess. He worked for a day or two, and then quit. I never found out what happened to him, but I figure that he messed with the “wrong people”. Not me. But perhaps someone else…
I was asked, as a consultant, to handle a very delicate matter. It appears that the company president’s teenage daughter had taken a liking to one of the system assembly people who was building rack servers. He told her that he was busy and she was not authorized to be in the department. She complained to daddy, and the employee was subject to a screaming match in front of his co-workers and told by his boss that he needed to apologize by the close of business when the executive and his daughter left. And that some token of his contrition might be a nice gesture.
Near the end of the day, the technician located the daughter, said he was sorry, and gave her a handmade electronic sculpture as a token of his contrition. He then wrote a resignation note and left it with H.R.
I was called to resolve the issue and get the employee back to work because they had a backlog that was building on the workbenches. I could not find any reason why someone else could not build-out the server blades and none of the employee’s co-workers volunteered any information. That is, until I learned that he had fashioned the sculpture out of the all of the motherboard chips on hand.
There was no attempt to gain restitution for the ruined chips and the employee was paid in full — including two weeks severance. I later heard that the president reimbursed the company for the entire amount. I pocketed my fee — which only added insult to injury.
I Live Better in The Philippines Than I Did in The U.S For Cheaper – My Story
“It was reassuring to hear of JJ’s positive experience in BCG, and of his low monthly budget. I’ve been thinking a lot about my future retirement and moving somewhere that will provide a better quality of life for my budget. I’ll try to spend time in several countries, before picking a place to settle down. Thanks for another great video, Evan.”
Texas Iced Tea
2023 11 08 11 10
Ingredients
6 tea bags or 2 large tea bags
Water
1 cup granulated sugar (optional)
Instructions
Heat 1 quart to boiling 1 quart water in saucepan.
Remove from heat; add tea bags, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Pour into 1 a gallon pitcher.
Add sugar, if using, then fill pitcher with cold water.
To make sun tea, fill a 1 gallon glass jar with cool water.
Add 6 tea bags and place in direct sunlight.
Leave in sunlight until desired color (strength) is obtained (reddish brown) – about 2 to 3 hours. Do not leave in the sun too long (over 4 hours) as mixture may become bitter.
A very stupid woman in my social group was my bully. She hated me and did & said what she could to trash me.I was involved with someone that she had a crush on. She did everything she could to break us up, including making up stories about me sleeping around with other guys (I wasn’t), stealing $$$ from him (I earned 3x what he did), badmouthing him, etc. It did cause some tension in my relationship.
However, she thought it was funny and sent screenshots of what she had said & done to a friend of mine. She didn’t know he was an old friend of many years. He sent me copies which I gave my guy. He blocked her on the spot and cut off all contact with her.
At the time she was living with a guy in public housing and collecting disability. Again, Ms. Stupid sent to our mutual friend comments like she was only living with him so he would pay her bills. That she really didn’t have a disability but she had a corrupt Dr who would fill out “appropriate l” paperwork for a fee. And that she had a job off the books and making very good $$$.
He sent me everything. I filed a complaint on the doctor with the state medical board. I forwarded her comments to the Housing Authority and federal offices. But the best was, being crafty, I created a mini-book that listed all of her comments from her lies about me to using the boyfriend as a paycheck. I wrapped it up nicely and sent it to him at his place of employment. (I did put a note on it saying to open in private…he didn’t need to be embarrassed in front of co-workers)
So long story short, she lost her apartment but gained a new one at the local jail. She lost her boyfriend but gained a new corrections officer. She lost her social circle but gained new cellmates. She lost her lucrative income but got a job at the prison making cents on the hour.
On March 7th, 2002, Gabi Altaraz, owner of the Cafe Caffit was walking around his crowded restaurant, full of families and young couples, full of the sounds of children. He noticed a young man sitting alone at the table. The man seemed nervous, agitated and odd.
Despite the day being quite chilly in the tail end of the Israeli winter, the strange man was sweating profusely.
Gabi walked over and asked to take the order, figuring the man was just a bit distracted by work.
The man seemed annoyed by the question. “Just water,” he snapped, clearly bothered. He then asked who Gabi was, giving him the most chilling smile that looked murderous.
As Gabi listened, he noticed a very large backpack by the man’s feet.
Gabi didn’t change his expression, but said he’d get it. Instead, he went and got twenty three year old Shlomi Harel, one of the waiters. “I think we have a problem,” he said.
Now, with spiked hair, tattoos and a pierced eyebrow. Shlomi may have looked like some bored college student currently fetching drinks and food, but he was also a recently released elite commando.
Shlomi walked up to the table and asked in Arabic for the man’s ID card (which all Israeli residents must carry) The man produced a blue one, indicating he was an Israeli citizen. However, Shlomi had already noticed the bag.
More importantly, he noticed the wire which protruded from it, and which ran through the man’s jacket and through the man’s right sleeve to a detonator in his hands.
The cafe was full, 50 innocent civilians, women and children and elderly, all of whom were defenseless. In seconds, they would be a red mist unless he was willing to risk his life.
With a fearlessness bordering on superhuman, Shlomi pounced on the terrorist and threw him out of the restaurant.
Once outside, before the terrorist knew what hit him, Shlomi had already jerked out the wire, separating the bomb from the detonator, as he was trained. He then ripped off the pack, threw aside and slammed the terrorist to the floor to restrain him.
As he wrestled the terrorist to a safe distance, he also yelled to clear the streets, take cover and call the bomb squad, while using the skills of Krav Maga to make sure the would-be murderer didn’t go anywhere until the authorities could take him away.
Shlomi’s excellent training, heroism and sacrifice prevented a massacre. 10 kilograms of explosives and shrapnel was packed inside the backpack, enough to kill all 50 people and wound and blind and maim and mangle 50 more.
If a soldier has to resort to Krav Maga, the goat droppings have really hit the fan. Ideally, you never want to be in a position where you need to be that close to the enemy, but there have been situations where it was required.
Remember, Krav Maga isn’t just about a form of self defense so you can go home at night safely.
In the army, it’s about making arrests. (And his knee isn’t on the detainee’s neck but shoulders, as can be clearly seen by anyone with training)
It’s about disarming suspects.
It’s about self defense for situations like knife attacks.
And as the story makes clear, it has other uses.
So yes, soldiers use it. Otherwise, why would they teach it?
And yes, the stuff related to arresting and neutralizing terrorists. Not the stuff I do.
Me and a buddy were at his house watching TV and some person on the screen was eating a strawberry. I don’t really care for them, but it looked good and I asked if, by chance, he had any strawberries in the house. He almost laughed at me, we were two 20-year old’s with a higher chance of beer or mac & cheese or Fruit Loops than strawberries. About twenty minutes later, there’s a knock at the door and he goes to answer it. He yells out to me to come see something. His mom is standing at the door with one of those low-cut boxes with a bunch of strawberries. he said, “Tell Jeffy what you said!” She looks a little strange and says, “I was driving home and there was a guy selling strawberries out of the back of his truck and I thought, “I bet David and his friends would like some strawberries…” My buddy says, “Well, you blew it. We all have one wish and you wasted yours on strawberries.”
As an example, there was a woman who worked for me at one point. She used to always brag that she has a 174 IQ. Everyone was tired of it and it really kept her from forming good relationships at work (the “I am better than you” complex). One day, I was just not wanting to put up with it so I said “wow, your IQ is higher than Albert Einstein!” When she agreed, I responded “he invented the theory of relativity, what have you done?” She never mentioned her IQ after that. You see, IQ matters less than what you do with what you have.
P.S. I am a member of Mensa, too, and realize that it is just the measure of potential, not an accomplishment.
Edit: thanks for everyone who up-voted my response. I think this is my highest. I went to my first Annual Gathering (AG) this year and it just reinforced my belief. It isn’t what you have, but what you do with it. Many wonderful people, but just like the rest of society in so many ways.
How is she surprised he responded like this? She deserves everything she gets
Lordy! This is everything that wrong with the United States today.
Have you ever been accused of something very wrong ,and been totally innocent.
I have this mentally I’ll neighbor a block down the street ,he will say just about anything with no remorse whatsoever, he is so envious of me, from what other people have told me that it’s almost some type of fixation.I warned my new girlfriend about him and to keep her distance from him, quite frankly I don’t trust him at all.One day I see she was at the bottom of the driveway picking up the mail as usual only potty mouth is blabbering to her about something, he was out walking his dog. When she parks her car and heads for the house she usually stops to see what I’m doing. Today she goes straight up and into the house, I knew that idot had said something to upset her, unfortunately for me I was in the middle of spraying and couldn’t drop what I was doing.I head into the house an hour later and she seems very tense, but when I mentioned what did the ding dong down the load have to say, she said ahhh nothing really.
A couple hours later when we met at the doorway between the master bedroom and the bathroom, she actually ducted away from me. Now I knew something was wrong and I had to get to the bottom of it, but when I asked what was bothering her every time she had the same response, ahhh nothing really.
Finally I had enough, I said I want to know what is going on ,and we’re not closing our eyes until you tell me. Then she says, whatcha going to do hit me.I was totally floored, I have never in my life struck a woman and told this to her. She says that the guy down the street told her, he used to hear my ex wife screaming and that I had been arrested for abuse a couple of times.I started to chuckle a little and she says this is very serious ,and that if I layed a hand on her she’s going straight to the cops.
I pointed to a couple of shotguns leaning in the corner by my dresser. See those, well if I had any sort of domestic violence charges brought against me , there wouldn’t be any fire arms allowed in the house. She says you have several guns, that’s against, the law then. I warned you about listening to that asshole some time ago didn’t I ,she couldn’t believe someone would make up a story like this. So let’s just look up my criminal record and see how bad I am, in Wisconsin you can go to the clerk of courts on line and check out anyone’s history. Look here there nothing, nothing at all, squeaky clean. She seemed a little shocked. Now I said let’s check out your new friend, Oh Look two convictions for domestic abuse, spent two weeks in jail twice for failing to pay child support and a felony conviction for distribution of cocaine.Maybe now you will take what he says with a grain of salt. She still looked a little puzzled, but gradually got back to normal. One of these days he’s going to say something about the wrong guy and find himself in big trouble. I fail to see what he hopes to gain, except cause me grief. Maybe someone else has a clue, I just totally avoid him and have for several years now.
The expression, “get your ducks in a row,” means to get prepared to do something. But where did this expression come from?
Many years ago, an old-time JPL engineer explained to me the origin of this expression. Sadly, I don’t remember who it was. There are a number of people I regarded highly who might have been the source of this. I certainly believed them because it made so much sense.
Consider an old drafting tool used to hold splines to make curves. It is called a drafting duck, also known as a lofting duck.
What the heck is a drafting duck, you might ask?
Before we get to that, let’s talking about lofting.
Back in the days of building large wooden sailing ships, they used to create full size drawings of the ship. The only place big enough for such a drawing was in loft above the shipbuilding building. The loft had a lot of space without posts in the way. Creating such drawing became known as lofting.
If you’ve ever done any computer-aided drafting, then you will have come across splines. These are smooth curves passing through a series of dots.
But how did they do that in the days before computers? Well, they used splines! A spine was a long flexible piece of wood that was held down on the drawing to make a curve passing through the points on the drawing.
or the very long splines they used in lofting, they had a bunch of weighted objects to hold the spline in place so they could run their pencil along it to make the smoothly curved line.
Lofting Ducks. The little bent nose sticking out was poked into the top of the spline to hold it in place. The body of these ducks was something like steel so they would be weighty and able to hold the spline in place.
So, before they could draw the line along the spline, they had to …
get their ducks in a row.
And that’s where the expression came from. At least according to the ancient engineer I knew a couple of decades ago.
I promised the Screamy Blonde Thing £200 if she passed all her GCSEs except RE, which we don’t care about.
Yeah, my money’s safe because I’ve seen that kid’s Eng Lit essays. I’ve just spent two years shouting and cajoling just to get her Eng Lang up to scratch and the chances of her passing Eng Lit is the same as that of Kylie Minogue dragging me into Meadowhall Travel Lodge and giving me a damn good seeing-to.
Is what I thought.
Do you know what she bloody well did? Passed the bloody lot except RE. I swear she did it on purpose just to annoy me. Sigh. Bye-bye £200. I knew I shouldn’t have spent a week going through Romeo and bloody Juliet with her, still less another one going through The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mister Hyde. Because of this, she now has a morning off from her computerses things at the Tech whilst the dim kids retake their Maths and English GCSEs. That kid has always been as jammy as a Co-Op doughnut, I tell you.
Anyway, the point. Stump up. You promised it, you bloody well deliver or you’ll be persona non grata in kidworld and they’ll never trust anything you say again for the rest of your life.
Back to the subject of the SBT, she’s spending her morning lying in bed playing with her Nintendo.
Or so she thinks.
I’m about to break the news that nobody could be arsed to do last night’s teapots and there’s a sinkful, and guess who’s drying? BWUHAHAHA! It’s not that I’m evil, it’s just……no it is. I’m evil. But not evil enough to renege on my promise for hard work. Get your wallet out.
In terms of absolute military power, they will never catch up with the USA. They simply do not have any intention to do this.
I think that Americans simply do not comprehend this. They live in a country that is accustomed to wars, The USA destroys countries and kills people in wars continuously. Afghanistan; Iraq; Syria; Bosnia; Somalia; Vietnam; Libya; Grenada etc etc. This has gone on for so long that Americans think it’s normal – as normal and ordinary and unremarkable as their regular school shootings.
China isn’t interested. They just want to build highways, sea ports, airports, railways etc; link up the world and do more trade and business.
“I know who’s wetting the grass mummy!” My three year old daughter one day stated proudly.
We were eating breakfast at the time and my husband and I both looked at each other dumbfounded. She continued beaming at us. Clearly very proud of herself.
“Honey what do you mean?” My husband asked her trying to make sense of it.
“You know daddy…” She said shaking her head as if it what she was talking about was common knowledge. I was struggling to keep a straight face. “Explain it to daddy,” I said to her.
“Ok mummy.”
“Well,” she said. “In the mornings the grass is wet right?”
“Right, yes it’s a dew.”
“No…” She corrects him. “It’s a man dressed in black.”
“Are you sure honey?” My husband asks her.
“Yes I saw him last night…”
At first we were dumbfounded, then we were very worried. Turns out she had seen someone. The next night I stayed in my daughters room and someone actually tried to break in. Luckily some fly spray in the eyes and a quick call to the police soon put him out of action… Though my daughter said “mummy don’t do that to the grass wetter”
Turns out he was a child abuser, not the grass wetter. Luckily he won’t be doing that ever again now. And my daughter still can’t get over the fact that I sprayed him in the eyes with fly spray…
What did she say to me afterwards? “Who will wet the grass now mummy?”
And the next morning. “They found a new person, I haven’t seen him yet but the grass has been wetted again.”
Kids. They are so innocent and at times hilarious 🙂
I’m technically homeless for the second time in my life. Finances were at a real strain earlier in the year but I held on until my son went off to college. At 68, my career in print media ground to a halt and with an exploding real estate market where I saw my rent quadruple in a matter of months. My life was unsustainable.
Car payments, car insurance, prescription medicines and food, I’ll admit, I was drowning. When my son left I no longer had a reason to maintain a household or a car. I stopped fighting the inevitable. My social security payment was all I had. I sold my possessions and booked a one-way ticket to the far east. I can live on the pittance provided me for my years of work as an American. I just can’t live in America.
Since I left the states, I’ve lived in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Nepal. Next week I’m heading to India for a month before returning and spending Christmas and New Years in Vietnam. I live in decent three star hotels typically with free breakfast.
My social life had already slowed considerably as I got old.
I stopped drinking nearly three years ago so I no longer have that monkey on my back. But life, in general is good. It’s adventurous. And I no longer have the burdens that come with life in the US. My son is happy and thriving. My older daughter and her family are doing very well. I’m a phone call away from them and we talk frequently. The difference is I’m alive and living with few worries.
My son had an FBI agent come to his apartment. He sold noncommercial DVDs on his web page of 80’s cartoons. Someone had bragged about not caring about copyright and given the FBI his name in order to get him in trouble.
When asked, he said, “Yes, I sell those DVDs on my web page. Oh, do you want copies of where I have the rights? What’s your fax number?”
Many years ago my first wife’s father was died. He was married at the time. He also had a girlfriend. When my mother-in-law, my now ex-wife, her grandmother and I arrived at the funeral we were expecting, of course, to sit on the front row. It is typical for the spouse to sit there. Unfortunately, the girlfriend with her children showed up prior to the wife and had seated herself and her kids on the front row. The wife, who had more restraint than I would have, decided not to make a scene and sat behind the girlfriend and her kids. If my memory serves me correctly, she did fire the girlfriend, who worked at the store now solely owned by my mother-in-law.
I get that the girlfriend was also grieving. After all, her sugar daddy was now gone. If she had had more manners and civility at the funeral, she would probably have been given time to find a new job (my MIL was a nice person), but since the gf intentionally embarrassed the wife in public, she didn’t deserve to be treated nicely.
My father was the epitome of impeccable health well into his older years, the strongest, healthiest person I knew. Walking 25,000 steps per day, always energetic, near perfect vision, mentally sharp (he had a PhD in mathematics), my father had every quality in his 70s that I wish I had in my 50s! Best of all, he was a very humble man and wonderfully loving father.
My dad was a renowned scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he studied nucleology. Unfortunately, he and many of his fellow scientists developed sarcoma later in life, a rare form of cancer. Some of his cohorts had already died in their 30s and 40s. My father didn’t acquire sarcoma until the age of 73, striking with little warning and spreading quickly throughout his entire body. It remains unknown whether or not the fate of these scientists was connected to the decades of nuclear research projects they performed.
My father awoke in the middle of the night in pain, was driven to the hospital by my mother, and by the time he arrived 15 minutes later he had no feeling below his rib cage. A tumor had grown along the spine and rapidly shut off the nerves, blocking any feeling all the way to the tip of his toes. After some tests, the doctors gave him three to six months to live. He lasted three months.
The question
To answer your question, how did he know the end was near? After three months of being bedridden and paralyzed, with his spirits high and his faith strong, he was lying awake around 4:00 a.m. when he suddenly struggled to breathe. He summoned my mother who was asleep in the same room. He knew it was the end.
The finale
My parents had been together for 55 years, meeting when they were teens. My mother held his hand, and he whispered, “Will you be okay without me?” to which my mother replied, “I’ll be fine.” And within seconds after those words, he was gone. I was on a plane flying to come see him when he passed, so I didn’t make it in time to say goodbye. But we had spent plenty of time together, especially in the final months, so I was at total peace. The world lost one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century that day. But I lost the greatest father.
A co-worker and I were given new employee contracts to sign and we saw that if we were to leave the company we could not work as software developers for three years. We refused to sign, so the company controller came to us and asked why.
After we explained why we wouldn’t sign, he said, “Oh, that’s not what that means. What it means is that you won’t start a new, competing contract firm and steal away employees.” So I told him to change the contract language to state exactly what he’d told me. He just kept saying, “But you know what it means!”
I finally told him that until the contract says what it really means, I wouldn’t sign it. He said he’d have it corrected, but we never received a corrected copy, so we never signed a new contract.
His explanation made more sense than the contract’s language, but I wasn’t going to sign away my right to work on blind faith.
A husband
“This man worked a 13-hour day in 90-degree weather and walked through the door and said, ‘I’m home. What can I do to help you?’
Yet, these are words I hear from him often.
He is not a ‘unicorn.’ Men like these exist.
The kind who wash the dishes after you cook. Who do the yard work because they know you hate it. Who work 60+ hour work weeks and still come home and play with their kids, give their wife a kiss, and ask, ‘What can I do to help?’
Who gets up some nights to change the baby’s diaper while you get ready for a night feeding. Who gives the kids baths and puts them down for bed. Who spends his weekends with his family. Who cracks a cold one once the kids are down, and plays Farkle and Rummy with his wife.
Leader of the home, equal partner with his wife, provider, protector, and hands-on father. I’m so glad I married this man, and that he also acknowledges my hard work at home with two kids, nursing, cooking, and cleaning.
We take care of each other. It’s 50/50, and we are raising our boys to be men, just like their fathers.
I see so many women cry and complain their partner doesn’t help with the kids, bills, housework, give them any attention, etc.
My heart breaks when I hear, ‘Oh, that’s men,’ or ‘I just deal with it and suffer.’
Ladies, that isn’t a man. Make him do better or find better! If you have a good one who treats you like a queen, then treat him like the king he is.
Marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship. My husband and I both take care of each other and are very happy.
Many blessings and happiness to all you kings and queens.”
Shared with permission via Jessica Maddux
Cajun Orange Mopped Chops
2023 11 08 11 12
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped green onions with tops
4 boneless loin pork chops
Instructions
Combine first five ingredients and pour over pork chops in shallow glass dish. Marinate for 10 or 15 minutes while heating grill or broiler to high.
Reduce heat to medium. Place marinated pork chops on grill or under broiler for 7 to 10 minutes per side, brushing marinade on chops as they are turned. Be careful not to overcook.
Serve with rice or potatoes and a vegetable or salad.
Something Very Βizarre Is Starting To Ηappen At Walmart.. (This Seems Unbelievable!)
I once had a dog, a Siberian Husky. It was my sisters dog, but she never took care of it. Instead, I inherited that role. His name was “Frisky”, and was a “good boy”. But the rest of the family thought of him as a burden. Which was bad. He was a good dog.
One day, my father came to the back yard, and asked me to get him.
So I did.
He told me that he was going to take Frisky to a farm “where he could run about freely”. I believed him.
But, you know, what did I know? I was only 16 at the time.
Frisky looked up at me. Very skiddish.
I comforted him. And he seemed to be ok. He believed me. It’s gonna be fine, I told him.
My dad got him. Loaded him into the car.
And that was the last time I saw him.
…
Unwilling participant.
Yet my brothers and sisters, many decades later, berated me. Arguing how I couldn’t possibly realize what was going on. They knew. Why didn’t I?
My business was failing and I couldn’t understand why.
Things were NOT looking good since day one.
My mind was spinning out of control day and night trying to understand what was wrong.
In 2014 I found what seemed a great opportunity. I managed to negotiate an unusual deal with one of the best “warehouse” retailers in the USA. I had a signed agreement to purchase their overstocks… at unbelievable prices.
This was my math:
Regular price of the item: $100 Warehouse discounted price of the retailer: $90 I could get their items at 10% to 20% of their price. My price would be between $9 to $18!
Yes, that’s over 90% OFF the retail price!
Reselling these items, even at huge discounts to my customers could easily double or triple my money. It seemed like a priceless opportunity.
So I rented this HUGE warehouse:
I called it the Red Barn Outlet.
Located in a very busy street, with huge traffic count, we opened the doors to our customers.
We had great products and unbeatable prices, yet, we didn’t had the expected volume of sales.
I did marketing — and found little to no improvement.
I even hired amazing helpers:
Nothing helped…
To answer your question: What is one mistake you made that you would like to warn others not to make?
The laws of work have changed!
I learned this lesson in a very painful way.
Retail has changed.
Our Economy has changed.
The world has changed.
We have changed.
Today we have retail on our fingertips!
“There’s an app for that!”
I was competing with a disruptedbusiness model and as a small business owner, there’s NO way to win.
I was playing on the OLD Economy and as a consequence suffered a slow painful death because of disruption.
Today I teach people and businesses how to anticipate disruptive trends because I understand how painful it is.
This is my warning:
“Hard work is not good enough anymore.”
Tactics win battles; strategy wins wars.
Texas Roasted Potatoes
Serve this side dish at your next cookout.
2023 11 04 10 29
Yield: 8
Ingredients
3 pounds red potatoes, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Toss together all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Place on a baking sheet.
Bake for one hour (turning frequently) or until lightly browned.
Time-Slip Artifacts: Modern Objects in the Ancient World – Volume 1
Until you grow balls! Until you tell the U.S. if you blow Nord Stream pipeline Germany will blow away Alaskan pipeline!
Until you tell off the U.S. when it becomes a jerk. Ask them to fxxk off and say over your dead body will you listen to them. Get rid of your current leaders ASAP. They behaves shamefully.
China don’t hear words. China sees action. And the see a wimp and a weak government push around by Uncle Sam. So why talk to EU?
Absent of government policy, is the American seller willing and motivated to sell to the Chinese?
Why yes. Absolutely.
The Chinese are one of their biggest and best customers, and have helped prop up the stock price for decades, because the Chinese are not only volume shoppers of value, but also the high-margin cutting edge. That’s a significant STREAM of revenue on the table.
The American seller will try every trick in the book to preserve their bottomline, from lobbying the Congress and the White House, to tailoring specific products for the Chinese to circumvent sanctions. The quick and dirty will be to ship product to a subsidiary market, for example Korea, Japan or Taiwan, and re-export the chips through a third party. As a country, China isn’t being sanctioned like Iran or Cuba, so this will appear like normal trade flow.
That’s the seller. But what about the buyer? China has plenty of friends. Is Nvidia going to say no to a million-piece GPU order from Qatar, just because it’s destined for data server/AI farms within a Chinese-run business park? What if the Saudis make another million-chip order and ships it along to Shenzhen because they have a stake in a Chinese subsidiary’s AI project? The possibilities are endless. Nvidia can’t very well demand geolocation tracking of their sold product, can they? Chips can’t be repaired anyway and can be easily transported by air, so warranty claims can be easily dealt with.
The fundamental issue is this.
Does America want to continue doing business with the Chinese, the world’s biggest single market?
If the answer is a firm no, we can talk ironclad rules.
But the half-hearted “this is national security dual use tech” approach manned by a tiny office within the Department of Commerce won’t work, not when they are trying to fix corporations with more money than God, able to buy the services of legal teams that run rings around legislation and policy.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday warned of dangerous consequences in framing the one-China question through the narrative of “democracy versus autocracy.”
Lee gave the warning at the closing dialogue of the Asia Future Summit in Singapore.
Recognized by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971, there is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
Speaking during a Q&A session at the closing dialogue of the summit, Lee called for countries to make clear that they will not change this “very fundamental basis of the international understanding.”
“One China is the basis on which nearly every country in the world recognizes the PRC, and has informal, unofficial relations with Taiwan,” he said. “And I think that has to remain the fundamental basis on which the relationships are maintained and the status quo is justified.”
Lee continued by saying that to describe the question of one China as “a question of democracy versus autocracy” is “dangerous.”
The Asia Future Summit was jointly held by Singapore’s flagship media, The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao and The Business Times, on Wednesday and Thursday.
Speakers across the world shared their views on geopolitical hot spots, economic issues, and social governance during the event.
Millions Of Men Finally Get The Cheat Code To The Dating Game
“I personally want to thank every modern girl that hopped online to tell us how much they want to be railed by Chad and Tyrone and after they hit the wall, look for guys they ignored for a decade to suddenly want him only for his money and free validation, because now us guys who have red pilled know exactly what play they wanna try the moment we see them and tell them” not interested”. All is becoming right in the world.”
This claim or accusation about China subsidizing EV cars is just a loser’s speech.
We Chinese are already surprised about Chinese EV cars being sold in EU with twice of the prices than in China.
Meanwhile, Europeans (mostly Germans) are also surprised about VW EV cars being sold in China with half of the prices than in Germany.
Tesla cars made in China are also cheaper than anywhere else, because of China subsidizing Tesla?
If anything, China’s subsidy about EV cars is “after” the cars got purchased.
There is something in China called “car purchasing tax”, and it’s about 9% of what you pay to the dealer. EV and PHEV cars can enjoy deduction on purchasing tax.
Also, about 45% of gasoline price in China is all kinds of tax and fee. However, the government doesn’t charge car electricity for the same amount. The 45% includes road maintenance fee, which means that it’s now entirely afforded by gasoline and diesel vehicle owners.
Mercedes is still doing good in China, but not the EV part.
In August alone, Mercedes sold 70.8 thousand cars in China, and accumulated sale of over half million cars (527.7 thousand) from January to August in 2023.
However, for EV cars, like EQE, the sales numbers from Jan to Aug are: 289, 421, 730, 48, 1254, 613, 591, and 941.
Only 1 EQC was sold in August.
The 19th highest EV/PHEV sales brand in August is Arcfox, and it sold 1868.
Europeans were too arrogant to develop their EV technologies.
They spent very little in this field, and was convinced that their petrol and diesel cars would keep dominating the world.
It’s why they are left behind.
Plus, this time’s farce is proposed by France, rather than Germany.
Von der Leyen is being supportive to this because she’s an US dog, and would do anything to screw China.
Some Germans have waken up, put down their pride and chose to cooperate with Chinese.
Meanwhile in France, car manufacturers are dying. They need to find a way to stop Germans from getting stronger.
Just like many other topics in EU, this, according to my personal opinion, will not go anywhere.
They would not have a result within 2023, and they will keep arguing in 2024.
If not because of their low efficiency, they would not be in such an embarrassing situation at the first place.
Multiple Incursions, Hostages, Point attacks – coordinated to precision after distracting them by rocket strikes
The vaunted Israeli intelligence was caught off guard completely.
That means a lot of Planning
So it isn’t SUDDEN at all
Why?
Many possibilities
First, the US possibly knew about the attack and turned a blind eye and didn’t warn the Israelis to divert attention from Ukraine and the disaster unfolding out there
It worked. Yesterday the whole coverage was on Palestine and Israel and not on Ukraine or even Chaiyina (China)
Second, Hamas backed by someone powerful, possibly Iran with Hezbollah waiting, decided to take advantage of a West that was completely swamped with Ukraine and an Israel that was desperately short of munitions (Israel gave 360,000 Shells to Ukraine, forced by USA) and decided to launch a strike and escalate things
An Escalation would allow the Russians, Chinese and the Global South to raise hypocrisy slogans against the West comparing Palestinians to Ukranians
If Israel does march into Gaza, the UN would become a battleground of anger and rage
Third, the US plans major war in the Middle East. They plan to launch Israel against Syria & Iran. It could be why China invited Assad and maybe tipped him off
It’s a delicate place today for the world
Especially India
If India support Israel as our friend Achal Gautam says in invading and destroying Gaza, that’s a billion Muslims who will hate India
Many Oil and Gas Producers and the biggest and richest vendors for key projects like Ports or Bridges
Plus most Muslims including the Azeris & Kazakhs and Turkmens and Kyrgyz people will flock to Russia, China and the CSTO
Hell even Turkey will rage against NATO
It would be the worst thing for Israel to blindly attack Gaza in an act of war
It would be fantastic news for Russia and China if Israel invades Gaza
Huawei releases a disruptive quantum chip, disrupting the global semiconductor industry!
This shouldn’t be a surprise as Huawei has been continuously innovating, researching and improving its technology. It has thousands of researchers and scientists continuously doing their best. This undoubtedly will make US/EU to try to surpress and annihilate it.
In the past 1900 years, in my impression, the Arabs have not failed the Jews. The destruction of ancient Israel was not caused by the Arabs, but by the Romans. It would be unfair for Israelis to blame the Arabs for the destruction of ancient Israel. The persecution of Jews before and after WWII came from the Nazis in Europe, not the Arabs.
However, the Jews have really done things that are sorry to the Arabs in half a century.
Palestinian Arabs are human beings and should enjoy equal human rights … You can’t go bullying them like that…
As for whether it will become the sixth Middle East war…it is too early to tell. The scale of armed conflict is not that large. This was just a raid, not a full-scale attack. China and Russia will be diplomatically concerned, but will not intervene by force.
And a military raid was not the outcome the Arabs wanted.
All this proves only one thing:
As long as Israel does not abandon its own national exclusionary ideology based on Zionism, and as long as it continues to defend its current policies throughout the Palestinian areas, Israel will always be a country that lives in the shadow of fear, betrayal and repentance.
Iran, from West Asia, and Saudi Arabia, from the Arabian Peninsula, are both large among Muslim countries.
After Iran and Saudi Arabia reconcile, and the Muslim countries put aside their previous infighting, there will be a strong and unified Middle East.
We can understand that the Muslims in the Arab world are most eager for China to raise the anti-American flag due to the continuous aggression and plunder of the Western world, but the demise of the United States will not happen overnight, nor will it happen only militarily, but also economically, culturally, politically, etc., and there will be a slow process.
Maya Angelou always advise the African-American elite to read The prince of Machiavelli, because, she said, without a proper understanding of this book, you won’t understand the western elite. The Prince is their bedside book. it contains the main principle all imperialist applies: “If you want to control the people, separate the people and you can rule them. Divide them and you can conquer them.” Simply put, “divide and conquer.”
If 1.3 billion Muslims were united, it would be a huge force in the world.
Gone are the days when Israel relied on the US to dominate the Middle East. A declining Uncle Sam will not be able to bless Israel for long.
Therefore, the Israelis, if they are smart enough, must be mentally prepared to negotiate peace with the Palestinians and return to the 1967 Palestinian-Israeli borders, otherwise they will not be able to survive in the Arab state crevasse.
Sad Looking Cat Gets Adopted And Purrs For The First Time Ever | The Dodo
Watch this really sad shelter cat become a purring kitten with his new mom after finally getting adopted.
Huawei has just unveiled its Mate 60 chip, a stunning feat of technological innovation that shows how the US has failed to stifle China’s rise in the global arena. The US has been waging a relentless campaign of sanctions and restrictions against Huawei and other Chinese firms, hoping to cut them off from the vital resources, software, and markets they need to thrive. But instead of crippling China’s technological ambitions, the US has only spurred them to become more self-reliant and creative.
The Mate 60 chip is the crown jewel of Huawei’s HiSilicon division, which makes chips for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets. The chip is based on the most advanced process technology in the industry, the 5-nanometer node. It boasts a powerful octa-core CPU, a Mali-G78 GPU, a dual-core neural processing unit (NPU), and a 5G modem. The chip also supports features that enhance the user experience, such as multi-screen collaboration, smart charging, and more.
The Mate 60 chip is a remarkable achievement for Huawei, especially considering the US technology blockade. Since 2019, the US has put Huawei on its Entity List, which bans US companies from supplying it with software and hardware without a license. The US has also pressured its allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks, citing security concerns. As a result, Huawei has lost access to Google’s Android operating system, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, and other essential components and services.
But Huawei has not given up. It has poured resources into its own research and development to overcome the challenges. It has developed its own operating system, HarmonyOS, which can run on various devices and platforms. It has also increased its self-sufficiency in chip design and production, relying on its HiSilicon division and other partners. Moreover, it has expanded its global presence and cooperation, especially with countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The Mate 60 chip is not only a breakthrough for Huawei, but also for China’s overall technological development. The chip represents China’s progress in mastering the core technologies of the semiconductor industry, which is crucial for its economic growth and national security. The chip also demonstrates China’s ability to innovate and compete in the global market, despite the US attempts to contain and isolate it. Furthermore, the chip reflects China’s vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as it seeks to provide high-quality products and services to consumers around the world.
The Mate 60 chip developed by Huawei proves that the US technology blockade against China is doomed to fail. The US cannot stop China’s technological upgrade by imposing unilateral sanctions and restrictions. On the contrary, these actions have only motivated China to enhance its self-reliance and innovation capabilities. The US should realize that cooperation is better than confrontation in the field of science and technology, and that both countries can benefit from mutual learning and exchange.
One afternoon in 1985 on a nice sunny day when I was working outside about half an hour North of Toronto I felt a sudden hot gust of wind, a very strong gust.
I turned around and looked at where the wind came from and I saw the sky, it was swirling all around, kind of like waves hitting a beach.
But that’s not what surprised me, it was the colour of the sky that I’ll never forget. It was green! The clouds were literally forest green, swirling around with dark gray clouds, in a fluid way that I had never seen before.
The clouds were also very close to the ground and were coming towards me fast.
I called out to my coworkers who hadn’t noticed yet and said we had better take shelter. They turned around and the colour drained from their faces, we looked at each other and ran across the field to the main building which was made of brick.
Not two minutes later day turned to night and it started pouring rain. All we did was look out the window at the raw violence of the storm until it passed less than half an hour later.
Little did we know at the time that just a few miles North of us a category F4 tornado had just devastated the city of Barrie.
It was totally unprecedented at the time, none of us believed our ears when we heard it on the radio.
Canada doesn’t have tornadoes, and certainly not category F4 tornadoes!
We were all in disbelief, that is until we got home and saw the destruction with our own eyes on television.
It was the only thing everyone talked about for over a month.
Foxconn has repeatedly requested to OEM for Huawei Mate60, but Huawei has sternly rejected it.
Huawei is now no.1 mobile phone manufacturer and it doesn’t need Qualcomm anymore to supply the chips. Qualcomm has betrayed Huawei by giving up Its relationship with Huawei and Huawei doesn’t need Qualcomm as an OEM anymore as its quality is below Huawei’s standard. Now that Huawei can mass produce the Kirin 9000s chips it certainly doesn’t need Qualcomm but domestic China’s OEM instead.
US Deploys at least nine B-2 Stealth Bombers to Europe
The United States on Friday allegedly deployed at least nine (9) — and reportedly “dozens”– of B-2, nuclear-capable, Stealth Bombers to Europe on Friday. Those aircraft are specifically designed for a nuclear first-strike.
Video posted publicly, reportedly shows the deployment as it took place:
<video not available>
This deployment came just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said publicly that if an enemy launches a nuclear attack upon Russia, “hundreds of our missiles will be in the air against ALL our enemies, in ALL directions — and there will be no survivors”
Surprise Attack Stuns Israel; WaPo: Ukraine Despair War Unwinnable; EU Granada Summit Shambles
Surprise Attack Stuns Israel; WaPo: Ukraine Despair War ‘Unwinnable’; EU Granada Summit ‘Shambles’; Huge Rus Missile Drone Strikes Topic 987
More than 800 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday morning under the protection of Israeli forces.
Rabbis, heads of settlement associations, and far-right university lecturers were among 832 people who forced their way into the religious site compound, a source in the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem told The New Arab’s Arabic sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Israeli forces imposed severe restrictions on Muslim worshippers entering Al-Aqsa and those under 60 were prevented from accessing the site.
It comes during the Jewish religious holiday of Sukkot, which started on 29 September and ends on Friday. The holiday has seen thousands of Israeli extremists storm the Al-Aqsa compound, with almost 1,500 entering the site on Monday.
Israeli extremists also continued on Thursday to hold provocative marches both inside Jerusalem’s Old City and outside its walls, attacking Palestinians and their property.
They also beat and spat at journalists in a market area near Al-Aqsa, where shops were forced to close for the sixth day in a row.
The Old City is home to Al-Aqsa as well as the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Al-Aqsa compound is the third holiest site in Islam and the most important Muslim place in Palestine.
This morning, the Islamic Jihad group announced the start of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, igniting another local war against Israel. They formally cited regular oppression and attempts on Al-Aqsa as reasons, where local Arab worshippers have been repressed repeatedly (in addition, there have been raids against the Islamic Jihad in Jenin over the past few weeks).
The operation began quite dramatically: a naval landing was carried out in the north of the Gaza Strip, and there are also reports of airborne landings – someone parachuted into rear cities. … After three hours of fighting, the group successfully captured a military base in the town of Kerem Shalom: there are enough images on social media of killed IDF servicemen and captured equipment (there are also photos of a burnt “Merkava” tank). This is a huge base on the border with Egypt. To put it mildly, the trophy is very valuable.
▪️As of now, fighting is still ongoing in Netiv HaAsara, Berri, and Sderot. Panic has gripped the population of bordering villages, with footage of people fleeing on foot. The Israel Defense Forces began retaliatory strikes only after 10 in the morning. The Israeli Ministry of Defense has stated outright that Hamas has gone to war with them, and at 10:30, the official start of the Iron Swords counter-terrorism operation was announced.
This is likely to escalate. It is impossible to predict when or how this will end.
Posted by b on October 7, 2023 at 9:05 UTC | Permalink
Israel-Hamas War Update. Israeli General captured by Hamas. 200 Israelis and 232 Palestinians killed
Hamas coming in on hang-glider parachutes was pretty awesome not going to lie.
A lot lot lot safer under the Chinese than the west.
What did the west did with technology for the last 400 years?
They use the technology to loot and plunder the entire world. Many of the loot are in the western museums today! Or worn on the crowns of western monarchs till today.
They use the technology to enslave Africans and coloured people to do menial task for the west. They snagged islands like collecting sea shells and corals. Hawaii, Guan, Falklands, Gibraltar and another hundreds of islands are still under the west.
They carry out genocides to steal continents such as the Americas and Australia. They abused, steal, raped and murder throughout the entire world. They colonised and destroyed the people living there and stole everything of value!
They continue virtual colonialism after physical colonisation is not possible through what they termed international rules based international order. They took control the entire worlds economy, and wealth. They continue to use the technology to threaten every nation and non Caucasian societies including Slavs and non European citizens.
And you question if China can be trusted with the technology? What kind of logic apart from racist rhetoric do you have?
For years, the Arab states have been moving towards normalizing relations with Israel. Hamas counts upon the support of Arab states, both material and financial, to exist, since it has very limited means of its own.
Normalized Arab-Israeli relations would be the coup de grace for Hamas and the “Palestinian liberation” movement. Because a precondition of normalized relations with Israel would be ceasing support to Hamas.
Part of the reason why Arab states were warming up to Israel was that Arab leaders have been losing faith in the Palestinian forces for decades now and an improvement for the Palestinians was nowhere in sight.
Regardless of where you stand on this conflict, it’s hard to argue that Palestinian forces have had much in the way of success recently (or ever, for that matter), having lost land to Israel almost continously since Israel’s inception. The reasons for this are not surprising. Palestine isn’t really even a nation, at this point, it’s two paltry strips of impoverished land run by a corrupt elite and barely educated militants with no resources of their own. They are facing a prosperous, well-organized nation state with a highly competent military and the direct support of the world’s premier powers. It was never going to turn out well for them.
And I suppose the Arabs were tired of tying their money up in so clearly a lost cause. Oh sure, they still outwardly broadcast support for Palestine for religious reasons and internal appeasement (most Arab Muslims are extremely against any reproachment with Israel), but I suspect they have been planning a move away from being active stakeholders in the Israel-Palestine conflict for a while.
So why the attack from Hamas now? Well it’s an obvious attempt to sabotage the normalization of relations across the ME, which would have sounded the death knell for them. I cannot imagine the Hamas leadership were going to stand idle and let the war coffers they plunder empty out. So they attacked Israel, performing the attack in a way that would cause the most severe reaction from the Israelis. Massacring Jews, abducting Jews, the whole shabang. They were trying to force Israel into the largest possible retaliation against them (they might have succeeded), and thereby force the Arab powers into taking a stance against said Israeli retaliation. That’s my only explanation for this attack. Otherwise, the immediate tactical value of killing a few hundred Israeli civilians eludes me.
And it seems to have worked…for now.
Many of the Arab nations previously moving towards normalized relations with Israel have now performed a sudden U-turn, mostly for reasons of posturing (and possibly gaining leverage out of the situation). But I don’t think this will last long. Some of the Gulf states didn’t even openly side with Palestine this time, the UAE came out with this statement;
“The UAE calls for the exercise of maximum restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid serious repercussions,”
I imagine most of the Arab powers see that the writing is on the wall for Hamas. There is no possible way that having poked the Israeli bear, Hamas is going to be able to effectively resist any Israeli-counter operation. Afterall, the Israeli army is a world-class professional fighting force, and Hamas is a glorified militia at best, fighting on very little land, completely trapped and encircled. Or to be brief, they’re f*cked.
I suppose once the Arab countries can extract some personal benefit/concession out of the situation, they will perform another U-turn and go back to ditching Palestine. I can see Saudi Arabia’s shallow declaration of support for Hamas disappearing once the Saudi’s can get some sort of security deal with the US in exchange for re-normalizing relations with Israel.
Regardless, the long-term outlook for Hamas is poor. This was a desperate, flailing attempt to gain some short-term ground in “reuniting the Ummah” and gain an [im]moral victory against Israel.
But in time, I think, they will come to regret it.
HE’S BASED !! Oliver Anthony – Rich Mans Gold | REACTION
Thanks for a great video and reaction! I love the message, and you wound it up wonderfully! God bless you, and yours!
World should be prepared for sustained high inflation in US — Global Times
The outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has driven up oil prices again, while a potential oil crisis could risk putting the Fed’s inflation fight in jeopardy, adding uncertainties to the global economic recovery.
The US and Venezuela have progressed in talks that could provide sanctions relief to Caracas by allowing at least one additional foreign oil firm to take Venezuelan crude oil for debt repayment, Reuters reported on Monday, citing five anonymous sources.
The timing of the news seems delicate, as it comes at a time when oil prices keep rising on market fears of the Middle East conflict exacerbating supply tightness. On Monday, global benchmark Brent Crude rose 4.2 percent to $88.15 a barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 4.3 percent to $86.38 per barrel.
Both Brent Crude and WTI remained around their Monday closing levels during Tuesday’s trading. The regained upward momentum contrasted with a drop of more than 8 percent in global oil prices over the previous week.
Apparently, the US releasing information through media outlets over potential sanctions relief on oil-exporting country Venezuela serves as a reminder to the market that even if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings uncertainty to crude oil supply in the Middle East, the US may be able to affect oil prices in other ways.
If the US does ease sanctions on Venezuelan crude oil, then an immediate effect would be an increase in supply to the world oil market and a fall in oil prices.
However, even though it is not clear how oil prices will unfold, US anxiety about high oil prices triggering high inflation is almost certain. At a time when the Fed’s monetary tightening policy has approached its limit, if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leads to a sustained rebound in global crude prices, then it will certainly disrupt the interest rate hiking cycle of the Fed.
If the Fed continues to hike interest rates to curb inflation, the US economy will likely slip into a recession. A worse scenario for the Fed could be that the economy falls into a recession with the inflation rate still high.
While some may argue that since neither Palestine nor Israel is a major oil-producing country, the impact on the oil market is limited, and the conflict may not last long. Yet, market fears about the Middle East situation are not unfounded. There are no reliable indications of whether the conflict will end soon or lead to wider regional instability. If it escalates to involve more Middle East nations, it could threaten crude supply by the surrounding major oil-producing countries. The Middle East is home to some of the world’s biggest oil producers, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as key transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, which is known as the world’s most important “oil chokepoint.”
The US will try its best to avoid the worst-case scenario. Diplomatic efforts may convince Saudi Arabia, Iran and Venezuela to increase their oil production to relieve its inflation pressure. But it needs to be reminded that given the past oil crises in the Middle East that caused great volatility in the global crude market, the psychological impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the crude market shouldn’t be underestimated. As long as the conflict remains unresolved, the impact will remain.
Also, since the Biden administration has already released several batches of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the purpose of reining in high inflation, the remaining stocks may not be as sufficient as they were during previous oil crises. It is disturbing to think how few tools the US has left to affect inflation.
Can the Fed’s monetary policy withstand the test of this round of oil market volatility? If the Fed changes the pace of rate hikes because of the Middle East situation, then the risk of a US recession will increase significantly.
At that point, even the world economic recovery will face greater difficulties. That will also create more challenges for the Chinese economy, especially in terms of the spillover effect of US rate hikes and China’s cooperation with the Middle East. In this sense, essential preparations are needed for the potential shocks.
King Abdullah II of Jordan Orders Humanitarian Aid to Gaza; IDF Says “no”
King Abdullah II of Jordan, in coordination with the Egyptian Government, has reportedly ordered the Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Border Crossing.
However the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is continuing to state that any Supply Trucks that attempt to enter the Gaza Strip through Egypt will be Destroyed.
The government of Israel needs to remind it IDF that THEY do not make policy; the civilian government makes policy. The government of Israel also needs to remind the IDF that THEY do not get to starve people to death, which, now that Israel has formally declared “War” would be a war crime. A crime against Humanity.
Hal Turner Editorial Opinion: We all see and know the ferocious and horrifying situation that now exists in Israel with the ongoing war. Israel absolutely, positively, has a right to defend itself and its people. On this, there is no disagreement. None. At all.
Israel does NOT, however, get to throw out all the rules of war — or humanity — and starve 2.3 Million people to death in Gaza. That’s not a tactic, that’s Genocide – and it is not allowed. Period. Full stop.
It was late one night after a summer rain. I came upon a light truck that had slid off the road and flipped.
I stopped and ran to the truck and found a 16 year old kid impaled on a fence post and bleeding out. He was dying and he knew it. He was crying, calling for his mother and saying I don’t want to die over and over.
I told him I was going for help and he said please don’t let me die alone. I stayed with that kid, held him as he died.
It really messed me up. The cops thought I was a victim too because I had his blood all over me.
The paramedics gave me a shot and took me to hospital. They told me that’s the only way I’d let him go. Maybe I thought if I’d hung onto him he’d be all right.
I’d never met the kid but I would have given my life if he could have lived.
They kept me in the hospital a few days. Cops and paramedics came to see me. We talked a lot. The first time you come across a scene like that is a horror. If you aren’t ready for it, it’ll mess you up. I went down the drain in a haze of booze and drugs.
I had a bad case of PTSD. Every time I closed my eyes, that kid was there. In his eyes was the plea don’t let me die and there was nothing I could do.
Six months later I was in rehab.
I worked with a shrink. For another six months. I haven’t had a drink or drug since.
The nightmares are rare now. I learned how fragile and precious life is and, how quickly that can change in a matter of seconds.
Answer: The Chinese market and regulations were vastly different. Amazon’s business operations worldwide were essentially stripped downed clones of their American operations. In the early days (early 2000s), Amazon China either didn’t have the authority, or simply arrogance prevented them to adapt-and-improve to the local reality. By the time Amazon China wanted to adapt-and-improve in the early 2010s, it was already too late. AWS is a different case, thou.
Just give an example:
Amazon and eBay arrived on China’s e-commerce scene in its formative years in the early 2000s. Amazon and eBay started off with absolute dominance. However, in the early 2000s, e-commerce in China was tiny, especially outside B2B. One common obstacle was the lack of credit cards. Buyers had to submit payments via wire transfers from their nearest post offices. In case of a fraud, it was nearly impossible to recover the losses.
Then, Alibaba/Taobao, a minor player at the time, launched Alipay, an online payment escrow service. Very soon, Taobao wiped eBay out who also happened to be in online auction business.
Why did eBay or Amazon not preempt AliPal? After all, eBay owned PayPal.
There were a whole bunch of missed opportunities for Amazon China in the following years.
China is Decoupling From the US
Damn! This is great.
If there is one video that you MUST watch from start to finish, this is it!
Carl Zha talks to @TheRedPillDiariesOfficial about how the US attempt to decouple from China has actually led to China decoupling from the US which only results in more isolation of the West from the rest of the World. US money printing and financial sanctions also led to acceleration of de-dollarization in the rest of the world.
I was the editor for a small daily newspaper in texas. I had four reporters and a photographer on my team.
Newspapers are notorious for not paying overtime, even though it is the law in most cases.
They forced the employees to work 50–60 hours a week and to turn in a 40-hour time card, so they got paid no overtime. The bad thing was, I was the one who had to tell them to work. The only option was to work without pay or get fired, and people needed a job so they stayed.
I secretly kept meticulous records. I had each employee fill out their real hours on a time card and give it to me. I took notes of every conversation.
I eventually got fired because a story that I didn’t know about didn’t get in the paper. Should not have been that big of a deal, but I was relieved.
My first order of business was to contact the labor board in the state. I gave them all the actual hours, and copies of the time cards the employees were forced to sign. Along with notes about conversations I had.
A few weeks later the paper was fined several thousand dollars, had to pay every employee, including me, backpay with overtime. The company fired my boss as well. That was a good piece of revenge
Today, I took my dog to the dog park. It’s his favorite place in the world. I sat there and was watching him run around with the other dogs.
A young girl, maybe six years old, walked up to me. She said hi and asked if I wanted to see something.
I said “sure.” There were maybe six other adults there, so I knew I was somewhat protected by witnesses. She said she could “run as fast as a velociraptor.” It was really cute. She took off about 20 yards and ran back.
I said that was really cool and asked where she learned about velociraptors. She said “school.” I thought it was nice to hear a kid talk about something they learned in school.
I asked which school she goes to. But before she could answer, I stopped her. I interrupted “never mind. Don’t answer that.” I immediately got up and walked to another bench.
I don’t think most women could understand how nervous I was for that minute. I was terrified of being labeled, had she told her adult supervisor that I asked her that question.
I think any woman would feel perfectly comfortable having a conversation like that with a six year old boy. But no man is completely safe in a situation like that.
I got caught once at a dinner out with people from work. I heard one check and thought we’ll we can do the math, and I ordered according to my means. I don’t drink alcohol, and watched evryone else had a pre-dinner cocktail, then several bottles of wine with dinner, plus they each ordered dessert. So I knew what I owed plus 20% of my own tab. But the lead of tne event, a little tipsy announces “let’s divide the check 11 ways”. I took a deep breath, and said but Mary Kate, I didn’t have any cocktails or wine, or dessert. I was surprised when a waiter stepped forward and supported that he kept jote that I had NOT had any of those extras. So therexwas silence and eye rolling, but I gave my amount including tip. Then they equally divided the rest. I saved myself 65.00. Tvwas awkward but I offered some folks rides home for free. I was never invited to another girls night out, but others did approach me at work quietly saying they didn’t drink more than one cocktail and felt stuck paying the big excess. So for the rest of my life I Che k before going out, how are we splitting the bill tonight? Then I can decline in advance. I’m not cheap, but careful with my money I work hard for, and when the money is to cover everyone else’s booze, no thanks.
UK Rail Thoughts
Expensive high speed railway farce of UK shows it isn’t a competitor to China
In the 19th century, Britain was the nation which invented the railway. The landmark invention of the steam engine, known as “Stephenson’s Rocket,” was a creation which revolutionized the world and became a pinnacle of building the modern, industrialized world, connecting nations and enabling trade like never before. It was through the genius of this innovation that Britain excelled against its competitors and established itself as a global empire, a scientific, technological and military giant which allowed it to dominate and subjugate countless countries, including China.
Yet, Britain today pales in comparison to its historical achievements, as it struggles to even muster the organization, funding and political will to build a second high speed railway. This project, known as High Speed 2 (HS2), has proven to be one of the most controversial, politically contested and expensive infrastructure projects in British history, with a report from Channel 4 stating its costs could spiral upward to 108 billion pounds ($131.6 billion). The railway was designed to connect Britain’s largest two cities, London and Birmingham, cutting transportation time to just an hour, but it was also envisioned to extend to other major cities including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh, connecting all the economic centres of the country.
That isn’t happening. As the costs of construction continue to grow, and as the date of completion continues to get pushed back, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has lost the political will to pursue it and decided to effectively scrap the northern link, instead proposing to shoehorn the trains onto existing lines.
There are several factors which have contributed to this scaling back, but all are the government’s fault. This includes disastrous policy choices including full-throttle escalation of the war in Ukraine, which the government has devoted billions to, and the subsequent onslaught of inflation and economic stagnation, mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also more subtly, the government’s decision to, at the behest of the US, pursue an antagonistic foreign policy toward China against its national interests.
How are China and HS2 linked? First of all, at the end of 2019, the Boris Johnson government proposed to the press that China Railway Corp be used as the contractor for HS2. This was the most effective, reliable and cheapest option available. Not only would the project have been completed far earlier, but it would have also been far less expensive. The following year, Britain reset its foreign policy on China at the influence of the US, and the whole thing went out the window. With that policy shift, Britain began effectively sabotaging its own infrastructure development to suit US preferences. The costs of Britain banning Huawei from its 5G network, to take just one example, have been astronomical.
China’s high speed railway record speaks for itself. Meanwhile, Britain is struggling to connect just two major cities just 117 miles (188 kilometres) apart, China has built a comprehensive high speed railway network within the scope of just 15 years, which as of 2022, spans 42,000 kilometres and is still growing. It is possible to travel across the entire country in just seven hours from Shenzhen to Beijing. In 25 years, Britain has only managed to complete one high speed network (HS1), which is in fact a transnational route which goes to France, the Netherlands and Belgium, making it a joint collaboration rather than a distinctly “British” achievement.
The fundamental reason behind Britain’s failure to move ahead with high speed railway is that its infrastructure is a series of privately owned, for-profit franchises, without any subsidies, which substantially drives up the costs and also limits investment in the infrastructure simultaneously. Even without considering the High Speed Rail, the quality of British railways is astonishingly poor and behind most of its European counterparts. This model has also been bad for the workers, which has led to routine industrial action and strikes throughout the year of 2022-23, making services unreliable. This contrasts sharply to China’s state-led model of development which is superior to the British railway system in every single way.
This makes the comparison ironic given that Britain sees China as a “competitor” and a “threat to its economic security.” Britain is a stagnating, declining country while China is the world’s second largest economy, and rather than learning from China’s development successes and courting Chinese investment, the UK has made the bizarre choice to “cut its nose off to spite its face” and antagonise Beijing to suit US interests.
But what have they got to show for it? The answer is a single high speed rail route spanning into the cost of more than 100 billion pounds which has taken decades to build and has to be scaled back from its original plans. This is the country which invented the railway, but now finds itself falling behind at an alarming rate. This means shunning Chinese companies was one of the most expensive and short-sighted decisions taken by politicians in recent years, among many other things.
Saudi Arabia Rejects US, Gives $70 Billion Order To China!
“I like watching the US suffer it’s like seeing a bully get punished, it’s amazing.”
My wife and I were walking with our youngest over the old bridge between Lichfield Cathedral and the market place. A lovely spring day. I’m British, my wife isn’t.
A young man came dashing past the end of the bridge, a police officer in hot pursuit. They both vanished from view rapidly.
We stopped to read the information board about the historic bridge. A few minutes later, the suspect and the copper came walking back, a little out of breath. We overheard their conversation.
Copper: “Sorry for running after you like that, mate. But you were running away.”
Suspect: “Yeah, sorry about that, mate. I shouldn’t have run, but I didn’t want to get caught.”
My wife stood open-jawed. I didn’t quite see why it was so unusual. I mean, just because they’re trying to arrest you doesn’t mean police officers should be rude or unsympathetic. Just because they may have done something the law may forbid doesn’t mean someone has to be abusive.
We continued to eavesdrop.
Copper, leading suspect to a park bench, where they both sat down, “Are you ready to give me your name and address, or do you want a bit of a breather first?”
Suspect, “You don’t have a cigarette, do you?”
Copper, pulling a packet of fags from his breast pocket and handing it to the suspect, “Here you go.”
As he lit the man’s cigarette, the police van arrived. Copper: “Just finish your smoke and we’ll finish the details at the station.”
I told my wife there was a good chance the cop didnt smoke, but kept a handy packet to help put people at ease.
She’s told friends and family in several countries about that. It is, she says, absolutely the most British thing she’s witnessed: a cop apologising for arresting someone who apologised for trying to run away.
If this story has failed to entertain or amuse, all I can say is sorry. And what could be more British than that?
Going Anonymous, because most of my colleagues are my followers and vice-versa.
I’m a male professional. I have had only 2+ years of experience in one of the fortune 500 companies.
Sharing my top 6 learning so far, being honest:)
1. To ensure that your peers, immediate supervisor, or your manager don’t take your effort and time for granted.
2. I have learnt to document, I mean, putting everything on emails, which is a must!! Trust, team work, and other fancy words come next. This is one of the most important lessons I have learnt, after many betrayals from my peers.
3. Don’t expect your supervisor or lead to talk for you, say for example: nominating you for awards or acknowledging your efforts in front of the team. Instead, if you really expect awards,remember you have tongue!
4. I have good relationship with many female co-workers. But, if something goes wrong, say for example an argument regarding work or something. If they want to take it further and make your life miserable, you’ll be the victim for sure, trust me.
5. Whenever I have had discussions with my manager, I have gotten very angry because of her bad review comments. FYI, I have not received any negating feedback from the stakeholders (Also, not any appreciation) . But, after each discussion, I have worked on my skills and added them to my resume. Remember, at last, only that matters is what is in it for you and am hoping to get a new job with a good hike.
6. Don’t show that you badly want to be in the job, although you have debts to pay, pretend to be confident. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing loads of work, which you are not supposed to do.
During the intense fighting which broke out yesterday between HAMAS and Israel, astonishing things took place. Despite the most advanced intelligence and surveillance systems in the world, Palestinians allegedly broke through into Israel — somehow un-noticed by all the surveillance gear.
One Israeli Border Guard told me “Our systems could see if a Bird was flying-in; yet authorities would have us believe they couldn’t see dozens of Palestinians on motorized para-gliders in the air? It’s simply not possible. They let this happen on purpose.”
Another Israeli told me “MOSSAD knows when these people, HAMAS, take a dump in the bathroom, yet we’re supposed to believe MOSSAD had no idea this gigantic operation was being planned?”
Israel has the best intelligence on its neighbors of any nation on earth. Israel has lots of “assets” embedded in these various “terrorist” organizations, as well as SIGINT (including U.S. satellite data) which allows Israel to always have a finger on the pulse of these organizations.
There is no way in hell that a coordinated, major attack involving about 1,000 Hamas fighters, sea-based/ land-based/ aerial attacks could have been planned, coordinated, and executed without Israeli intelligence getting wind of it. 0% chance.
Others had similar statements of anger and disbelief. One IDF soldier who saw Palestinians use a Drone to destroy an Israeli Merkava Tank said “Where did the Palestinians get drones with armor-piercing explosives? That technology is being used in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. How did it suddenly appear here, in Israel?”
Other IDF soldiers pointed to Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) being used against Israeli Security Forces. He said “These are weapons being seen on the Ukraine battlefields, how did they get into the Gaza Strip?”
Then, in the midst of the fighting, this video came out: HAMAS thanking Ukraine for selling them weapons to be used against Israel:
The most raging questions had to do with alleged “electronic jamming” that was said to have taken place as the Palestinians with para-gliders flew across the border into Israel. According to numerous sources on both sides, “electronic warfare” technology was allegedly used to jam Israeli radar and other surveillance gear. Said one Israeli “Only the Russians have gear to carry out such effective jamming – how did the Palestinians get it?”
That seems to be the most burning question right now since videos are also out showing armed Palestinian fighters para-glding into a massive “RAVE” party inside Israel:
The answers all see to point to yesterday’s outbreak of violence as “payback” to Israel, from Russia, over Israel’s support of Ukraine, and over Israel’s supplying of weapons and technology to Azerbaijan, which used it against Armenia again over the past two weeks, to seize Nagorno-Karaback and send 100,000 Armenians fleeing for their lives.
If this conclusion about Russia is correct, then one might ask, how much farther all this fighting in Israel may go? Will Israel still exist when this is over? Maybe. Maybe not.
One official with whom I spoke overnight told me “Israel is suffering from Desertification of its land; the ground water table is receding 25 meters a year and soon, there won’t be enough arable land to support the continued existence of Israel. But . . . quite coincidentally . . . there is now rich, arable land, in the center of Europe, where half its population has either fled or been killed, that would suit a relocation of Israel: Ukraine. Maybe they’ll all move there.”
Gee. What a coincidence.
As for those asking “Why are the Palestinians so violent towards Israel?” the answer has been on maps for years, right in front of everyone’s eyes. Below is the reality from the time “Israel” was created in 1949, until today. The White areas are “Israel” and the Green are “Palestinian.” Look at what has happened to the Palestinians in their own land, since 1949:
The Palestinians have been systematically purged from their land, their homes, and their freedom. THAT is the root of this hatred. It’s not going away.
They never show you this map on the news. That’s because it provides the crucial context necessary to anyone wanting to understand the Israel/Palestine situation.
A young man with mental health problems just walked into the coffee shop while I was writing on Quora.
He’s strong and looks normal, but he can’t stop talking to himself.
He’s talking continuously to himself, and every few steps he takes, he does a quick ‘Michael-Jackson-turn’ and then continues walking forward.
Witnessing this individual with no self control helped me not only to feel grateful but also helped give me the answer to this question.
I have written several times about my own mind-battles. I’ve always struggled with ADD and possibly dyslexia. The consequences of this “lack of braincontrol” made me a terrible student academically.
Failing classes at school killed my self-confidence. These struggles shaped my childhood.
So, where am I going with all of this?
There’s a hidden secret to success, but it demands an open mind to understand it and humility to implement it.
So, to answer your question, how can you become very successful in your early twenties?
I could answer this with a huge list of “best practices,” but as I’ve learned NONE of those work if you don’t first master yourself.
What do I mean?
Some examples:
Are YOU in control of yourself, or are your fears controlling you?
Are YOU in control of your life, or is your need to please other people controlling you?
Do you know your strengths and your weaknesses, or are you hiding and ignoring your weaknesses with distractions or numbing addictions?
Do you struggle with depression, anxieties or other emotional issues?
But hold on!
Remember what I said before?
“There’s a hidden secret to success which demands an OPEN mind to understand, and HUMILITY to implement it.”
Open: Learn to listen!
Humility: Stop hiding and being defensive!
That’s the fastest road to success!
It wasn’t until I stopped running and hiding who I really was that change started to happen in my life. Over the years, I had developed the strength to fit into this competitive world, but I was fooling myself, not everyone else.
Maturing and accepting who I was, and starting to work on those strengths and weaknesses is when I started to grow to my fullest potential!
There’s still a long journey ahead…
Whether we recognize it or not, we’re all imperfect human beings. There’s NO person on earth who doesn’t struggle with some kind of mental/emotional issue.
Well, excuse me… except you!
If you are or feel “perfect,” go on and keep doing what you’re doing… good luck!
For those of us who have been humbled by the battlefield of life, this is your way to success:
Self-Awareness is your best friend!
Like a wild horse — you may be the fastest “horse” in the world, but if you are not ‘tamed’ you will NEVER win the race!
The Uncomfortable Study That Ended Affirmative Action | 𝘋𝘳. 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
Interesting stuff. I remember reading a few years ago about some other work this professor was involved in. It had to do with the etymological implications of contemporary media figures and their pseudonyms, and ended up concluding that Destiny was a woman’s name.
My Father, Grandfather and Uncle were partners in a restaurant business in the 1950–70’s. This was before fast food existed. My grandfather had started teaching me how to cook when I was 4-5 years old. This is around 1960. When I was 10, I started going there on Sunday and did some bits of work. A year or two later I was working there evenings and weekends, peeling potatoes and making fries, food prep, waiting tables, washing dishes and floors.
I learned how to make milkshakes and all the desserts. Milkshakes were one scoop of ice cream, fill to the line in the metal cup with homogenized milk (no 2% in those days) and two squirts of syrup. The ice cream flavor and the syrup matched the flavor the customer ordered. We had Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla and that was typical of the selection in those days. The contents of the metal cup was usually larger than the glass that we served it in, so after we filled the glass, we took both the glass and the remaining in the metal cup to the customer’s table.
I also cooked and ate hamburgers regularly. My father ground the meat and he put some seasoning and egg into the mixture. When he was done, we manually made balls of meat, flattened them into hamburger size and put them in a stack, first a burger, then a small sheet of wax paper. I think the size was about 7 inches diameter and 1/4 inch thick. These would shrink when cooked to about 5 inches diameter and 1/2 inch thick. We put these stacks of burgers in the freezer. Each time someone ordered a burger, we would take one out and fry it up. The buns were simple buns like hamburger buns you’d buy at the grocers. I think the meat tasted much better than any fast food we have today. It tasted like a hamburger you’d buy in a good restaurant, you could taste the meat. The cheese was also real cheese, not the processed stuff you have today. It came with a slice of onion and tomato, 2 slices of real bacon was extra. Condiments were mustard, relish and ketchup.
I think this has got to be the story of the Dutch minesweeper HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen. It was 1941, when the Japanese suddenly attacked Dutch East Indies, as well as other colonies in southeast Asia. The minesweeper found itself suddenly in danger of the sophisticated Japanese aircraft and patrolling ships.
The remaining Dutch Navy was ordered to link up with the Australian navy, but Abraham Crijnssen was stuck all alone in Indonesia, armed with a single 76mm gun turret and two 20mm auto cannons. It had no chance to fight off really anything. So the crew decided to camouflage the entire ship, as an island. They cut down a bunch of jungle foliage, and painted what they couldn’t cover as sand or rock.
They only sailed at night, because during the day, the water ripples would have been visible from the air. During the day they simply anchored close to shore appearing as a small island – one of many along the Indonesian shore.
She arrived in Australia in March 1942, without being detected by the Japanese.
TEHRAN – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned the Israeli regime against making warmongering steps, saying that equations in the region have changed.
President Raisi also spoke over the phone with Esmail Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas political bureau, and Ziyad Nakhala, the secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement.
The Iranian president also issued a message on the situation in Palestine. He welcomed the Palestinian operation against the Zionist regime of Israel, saying that the operation frightened and startled the world of oppression.
He said the Palestinians took the initiative and showed that the steely determination prevails over all kinds of weaponry.
The Iranian president underlined that the Islamic Republic of Iran invites all the world to observe the truth that the accumulation of oppression and injustice against the Palestinian people, the continuation of insults to the women and prisoners, and sacrilege to Al-Aqsa Mosque cannot last forever and will be met with resistance by nations.
“Undoubtedly, the Zionist regime and its supporters are responsible for endangering the security of the nations of the region and must be held accountable. The Islamic Republic defends the legitimate defense of the Palestinian nation,” he said, according to IRNA.
Raisi asserted, “The honor of the nations is not obtained in reconciliation with oppression; And it is impossible to normalize the captivity of the free nation of Palestine.”
President Raisi also asked the Muslim governments to join the Islamic Ummah in supporting the Palestinian nation honestly.
Underlining that belligerence is detrimental to the Zionists, Raisi warned, “The Zionist enemy should also know that the equation has changed; Warmongering is detrimental to the Zionists. The Palestinian nation is the winner of this field.”
Palestinian attack turned the collapse nightmare into certainty: General
A senior Iranian general has said that the Saturday attack by Palestinian resistance groups against Israel turned the nightmare of collapse of Israel into a reality for the leaders of the Israeli regime.
In a message about the Palestinian attack, General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of joint staff of Iran’s armed forces, said, “Al-Aqsa Storm turned the nightmare of collapse of the Zionist regime into a certainty for the leaders of this regime, and proved that some desperate efforts like the normalization charade will not be able to slow down or postpone the process of the decline and collapse of the spider web.”
General Bagheri was referring the Palestinian attack, code-named Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, which caught the Israeli regime off guard.
The Iranian general described the operation as “hybrid and proud” that took down the false redoubtable image and power of the occupying regime of Israel.
“The Palestinian resistance fighters, in this surprise operation that they prepared from the air, sea and land against the positions of the Zionist army, brought to the fore brilliant scenes of the resistance and standing of a suffering and oppressed nation,” General Bagheri said in the message.
He added, “A nation that, after several decades of imposed oppression, now with the support of the young motivated generation relying on Islam and under the shadow of trust in the divine promise, has achieved such a power that it has astonished the analysts and military strategists of the world.”
He pointed out that at some point, the defenseless nation of Palestine used to defend themselves with stones, but today they reached a point where they are able to pull off complex hybrid operations using thousands of rockets and missiles to denigrate the Israeli missile defense system Iron Dome.
“These defense weapons, when combined with the spirit of martyrdom of motivated Palestinian youth, produce such a power that it brings the Zionist regime to a collapse like a devastating deluge,” the Iranian general said. He said, “The stormy movement of the Al-Aqsa Storm is the product of the holy anger that the Zionist enemy has planted in the oppressed Palestinian nation and must now reap.”
General Bagheri congratulated the Palestinian resistance fighters on their “proud victory,” expressing hope that the Al-Aqsa Mosque will soon be liberated from Israeli captivity.
“It is a divine promise that oppression won’t last long and the will of the oppressed people of Palestine will defeat the oppressors,” he concluded.
“Spontaneous” move.
Iran has said that the Palestinian operation against Israel is a “spontaneous” move.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani reacted to the current developments in occupied Palestine and the attack by the Palestinian resistance groups against the Zionist occupiers, saying Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was a spontaneous move by the resistance groups and the oppressed Palestinian people in defense of their inalienable and undeniable rights.
He added that the operation was the Palestinians’ natural reaction to the war-mongering, provocative and incendiary policies of the Zionists, especially the usurping regime’s extremist and adventurous prime minister, according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.
Kanaani said the oppressed Palestinian people’s inalienable right to defend themselves, their land and their sanctities against occupation, aggression, daily violations and organized terror on part of the Zionist regime is a natural and legitimate right in line with all recognized international standards and the fundamental principles of international law.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman added that on the one hand, the continuation of the desecration of Islam’s holy sites and the first Qibla of Muslims by extremist and racist Zionists in recent months and weeks, and the persistence of the Zionist regime’s policy of killing, committing crimes and doing acts of aggression against the oppressed Palestinian people, especially women, children and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails amid the silence and inaction of the international community and the fake human rights defenders have left the Palestinian nation and resistance no way but to resist and rely on their inherent strength in the face of the Zionists.
Kanani noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms the inherent and legal right of Palestinians to defend themselves vis-à-vis the crimes of the usurpers of Palestine that have been going on for 75 years. He said Iran also holds the Zionist occupiers and its supporters responsible for the continuation and escalation of violence and atrocities against the Palestinians. He underlined that Iran calls on Muslim countries to support al-Aqsa Mosque and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
Small portion of Resistance Power
Ali Akbar Velayati, the secretary general of the global assembly of Islamic awakening, has reacted to the Palestinian operation against Israel, saying that the operation showed only small portion of the power accumulated by the Resistance Axis.
In a message to Esmail Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas political bureau, and Ziyad Nakhala, the secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Velayati hailed the Palestinian operation against the military positions of the Israeli regime.
He said that the photos coming out of the operation showed a great conquest that startled and astonished the enemies and stratified Muslims all over the world, especially in the West Asia region.
“The era of domination and tyranny of the Zionist terrorist regime is over and what is happening today in the occupied territories is a small manifestation of the accumulated power and authority of the Islamic Resistance Front in Palestine,” Velayati said.
He added, “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, which is a response to the ongoing crimes of the Zionist regime in the occupied territories, will definitely fundamentally change the balance of power in the occupied Palestine and will put the Zionist regime in a more vulnerable position.”
He noted, “This victorious operation, which will definitely facilitate and accelerate the collapse of the Zionist regime, promises the impending destruction of the Zionist regime.”
Velayati also said that “this great and strategic victory is a serious warning” to all those who seek to normalize relations with Israel.
Iran FM speaks with Turkish counterpart
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, about the situation in Palestine.
The reviewed the situation in Palestine and underlined the importance of respecting the rights of the Palestinian people.
In this call, Amir Abdollahian called the resistance movement spontaneous and the result of the continuous crimes of the Zionist regime against Palestine, according to a separate statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.
The Iranian foreign ministry emphasized the necessity of solidarity and cohesion of Islamic countries in supporting the Holy Quds and supporting the oppressed and resistant Palestinian nation.
New rules for war
A member of the Political Council of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement hailed the Palestinian forces’ recent military operation against Israel as a monumental milestone that has defined new regulations on the struggle with the Israeli enemy.
In an interview with Tasnim, Mahmoud Qamati paid tribute to the Hamas fighters for their bravery after launching the Al-Aqsa Storm operation against the Zionist regime outside the Gaza Strip.
“Today, we are witnessing a new chapter, a qualitative leap, a military upheaval, and a change in the war patterns and in the rules of military battle against the Zionist enemy,” he said.
Hailing the Palestinian resistance forces for “stabilizing their military power” by infiltrating into the Zionist settlements and the areas occupied by the Israeli regime, Qamati said the major development has marked a new, monumental and historical model in the history of confrontation with the Zionist enemy.
The Zionist regime’s army is neither capable of defense nor offense, is absent in the battlefield, and has practically fallen into a state of passiveness, the Hezbollah official stated, noting that the Zionist settlers are in panic because there is no army to take care of them.
Qamati also said the unprecedented surprise operation by the Palestinian forces has dealt a crushing blow not only to Israel, but also to the United States and the West, the staunch supporters of the Zionist regime.
The Union made a number of unforced errors that drastically prolonged the war and still won anyway. The Confederacy did surprisingly well and still lost anyway. That should tell you everything you need to know.
Seriously, no bullshit, the South had no path to victory from the start. An impoverished, agrarian nation with poor logistics declaring war on a far more industrialized, cohesive nation just starting to come into its own as an industrial power? Here’s your sign.
From the South’s perspective, the only winning move was not to play. The moment they commenced hostilities (and boy, the way they commenced hostilities was a barrel full of stupid), the end was preordained. They had this weird idea that Europe, who they believe could not survive without their textiles, would intervene on their behalf, and that’s a miscalculation you could write entire books about.
Turns out the English hated slavery more than they loved cheap cotton, much to the surprise of folks who basically made white supremacy into their equivalent of a state religion, and without a patron it wasn’t whether the South would lose, but when.
All of this should have been obvious. But like one of my high school teachers said, though he didn’t put it quite this succinctly: Slavery makes you lazy, and racism makes you stupid. (He contended that laziness and stupidity, directly traceable to the institution of chattel slavery, still persist in the South to this day.)
US families are undergoing a third-straight year of falling income, but politicians think taxpayer money is better spent elsewhere
As Uncle Sam continues to pump billions of dollars into Kiev’s flagging fight against Russia and provide tempting handouts to illegal migrants, why is the average American worker forced to live paycheck to paycheck?
Here’s a question that most people have considered at least once in their lives, and probably a lot recently: How much annual income would you need to feel financially secure? For the average American, the magic number comes out to be $233,000 a year, according to a survey by Bankrate.
To bring the ’99 percent’ back down to Earth, the US Census Bureau released some sobering data that dashed those elusive six-digit dreams. Inflation-adjusted median household income fell to $74,580 in 2022 – a 2.3% decline from the 2021 average of $76,330. This marks the third-straight annual decrease since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, taking a wrecking ball to the heart of the economy.
The bad news doesn’t end there for US consumers, who are now struggling with the consequences of a foreign conflict in a distant land and a wide-open border. Those factors have prompted the cost of living to surge higher than it has in over four decades amid runaway inflation. In June 2022, the year-over-year inflation rate, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, hit a jaw-dropping 9.1%, the highest it’s been since the administration of former President Ronald Reagan.
A significant reason for the increase in inflation happened on March 3, 2022, when President Joe Biden signed an executive order to ban the import of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal to the US. This decision has had disastrous results for the local economy. Since Biden’s inauguration, the cost of gasoline alone had jumped at one point by 100% (as of September 27, the average price of regular gas was $3.832 per gallon, according to the AAA , while gas prices were an average of $2.3 per gallon when Biden entered office), forcing just about everything else to skyrocket, including the number of poor people.
The poverty rate in the US exploded last year, the first increase in 13 years, according to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the rate was 12.4%, up 4.6 percentage points from 2021, according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), a method for tallying government welfare programs and tax credits designed to assist low-income families.
Meanwhile, the Expectations Index, determined by consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, sunk to 73.7 in September. That follows a drop to 83.3 in August. The worrisome part is that an Expectations Index below 80 generally indicates an impending recession.
An economic tragedy is already quietly happening for millions of American consumers who are now living paycheck to paycheck precariously and who have been forced to use the payment method of last resort to make ends meet: the almighty credit card, with its exorbitant interest fees. On this score, the US economy has broken yet another record, although not in a way that could be considered something to cheer about.
“US credit card debt rose by $45 billion to $1.03 trillion in the second quarter from the first quarter, a 4.6% quarterly increase,” The Street reported . “It’s the first time in US history that household credit card balances topped the $1 trillion mark as the number of credit card accounts expanded by 5.48 million to 578.35 million in the quarter.” When consumer debt suddenly equals the amount the US spends on its military-industrial complex, you know there’s a problem.
Clearly, the US has some serious domestic issues that need to be resolved, but instead, it would rather fund a totally senseless proxy war against a nuclear power halfway around the world.
Washington has given Ukraine close to $100 billion in aid, with more in the pipeline, since Moscow launched its military operation in February 2022. The cash, however, has not only been used to fund Ukraine’s military. Billions of dollars have subsidized participants of the Ukrainian economy, like farmers and small business owners, market players whose counterparts in the US desperately need help, too. A recent study conducted by the Council on Foreign Relations shows that more than $30 billion – around 40% of total US aid to Ukraine as of July 31 – has been financial or humanitarian assistance that is not directly connected to military support. Military funding comes out to around $50 billion.
As if that were not enough, the Biden administration continues to welcome illegal migrants at a price that is more than what is being spent fighting a proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Yes, you read that right; the annual cost of providing care for the millions of illegal migrants entering the US is $150.7 billion, according to the Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers (FAIR).
In August, US Border Patrol recorded 232,972 migrant encounters along the southwestern border, a jump from 183,494 in July. The number of crossings for September is predicted to be higher than the previous month.
So here we have two concurrent events – a disastrous military conflict in Ukraine and a leaky US border – that are sucking away precious funds from the American taxpayer. It’s important to note that the king’s ransom that is being handed over to support these deranged Democratic agendas will never be returned, not in our lifetime. Instead, it will just be added to the unsustainable US national debt load, which is currently at $33 trillion, according to the US Debt Clock . That is an astronomical sum of money that we or future generations will someday be forced to deal with, and probably sooner rather than later.
What American citizen could possibly believe that any of this government funding has been a good investment for the American people? Well, they’re representatives in Washington, DC, for one. In May, ‘conservative’ US Senator Lindsey Graham, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev, pronounced joyfully that “the Russians are dying” and aid to Ukraine is “the best money we’ve ever spent.” Aside from discounting the chances that such an “investment” could have towards unleashing World War III, Graham never thought for a second that such funds could have gone far at rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure, like that non-existent wall on the US-Mexico border. It would have been a wonderful work program for the US economy.
In short, it’s just another day in the discombobulated American empire, which, much like its ancient Roman precursor, could learn the lesson of overexpansion and overspending in the most brutal way imaginable – with its total and complete dissolution.
Israel long war. Saudi-US deal in jeopardy. Breaking BRICS+. $100B to Ukraine, one-and-done. U/1
I had another interview. This was on a website that discusses soul, and astral travel, and all manner of similar items. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the video. Enjoy!
I hope that you enjoy it.
I don’t think that I was at my best. But I did try anyways.
Oh, I’ve got a good one. After joining a new company, I rose quickly from trainee to project manager. However, my pay didn’t rise with my title or responsibility. I was also being forced to work overtime off the clock (illegally). I had a sit down meeting with my boss, and told him that I expected to be paid more given that I had far more responsibility. I was told that I’d need to gain experience in the new department and that they didn’t have money in the budget for raises. I knew this to be nonsense, because there was no way that the guy I replaced was making the pittance that I was. I also asked for a filing cabinet for my office. I was told that one had recently been vacated and to take anything I needed out of that office. I found the file cabinet, which was a rusty piece of shit. But, it’s what I had to work with. I didn’t know how valuable that filing cabinet would be.
I started cleaning out the crap that the last person had left in the filing cabinet. It was mostly a bunch of accounting stuff; invoices from receivables, things like that. At the very bottom of the filing cabinet was a stapled set of papers. On it were the names of the company’s employees with a number beside each one. I tried to figure out what the numbers meant. Office number? No, some of them were the same. That ruled out employee number too. In fact there were decimals. Wait, could it really be? No. Yes! This was a list of the hourly rate of every single employee in the building, from CEO to Janitor. Jackpot.
Now that I new how much everybody was making, I knew exactly what I was worth to them and what they could “afford”. But they had just turned me down for a raise. How was I going to leverage it? Well, by securing another position, which I did. I interviewed at another company, got another offer that was at least above what I was making in case things didn’t work out and put in my notice. About a week went by. Didn’t hear from them. Maybe they were broke and couldn’t afford to pay me any more. But sure enough, one afternoon I got called into the Vice President’s office. “Why are you leaving us?”. I told him that I thought my additional hours and responsibilities were worth more money and I was right, another company offered more money. “Can we at least make you an offer? We can move things around.”
They came back with a substantial raise, in fact more than the other company was offering by a fair amount. But I knew what every employee was making, from the newest project manager to the people I replaced. I was going all in. I told him I had to turn his offer down. Another day went by. I get called into the Vice President’s office again. “We like what you’re doing. We have increased our offer.” I said I would look at it. I waited two days before getting back to him, just a few days before starting my next job. I told him if he added another dollar an hour it was a deal. He said he’d see if the other board members would agree, and it was officially offered on paper that afternoon. It was a dollar more per hour than the people I had replaced, and a 50 percent increase in salary. Information is everything, and somebody left the wrong information at the bottom of a rusty filing cabinet.
“Oh, just one more thing. My filing cabinet is a piece of shit, I want a new one.”
“Done.”
I made sure it was empty when it got hauled out.
“War with Iran would be SUICIDE and the U.S. will lose” – Scott Ritter
Former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter lays out how a U.S. backed war against Iran would bring devastation to both the United States and Israel. Ritter says Israel would be destroyed if it tries to face off against Hezbollah and Hamas simultaneously.
Enough to flatten any nation or a few nations which dare to nuke China completely and comprehensively. Ensure that it can send its reciprocal strike with minutes of the enemy’s strike. China won’t be the first to you. But it must retaliate in kind with equal proportion.
Just so you know? How many Nuclear Arsenals? It for China to know and for their enemies to find out the hard way. 300–30’000 that is what China has. Don’t doubt China. A nation that last 5000 years will still be around after you care gone.
Texas Tavern Burgers
2023 10 28 12 33
Yield: 10 servings.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
3 tablespoons butter
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 pounds ground beef
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Combine and cook 1 cup onion and butter until onions are clear and tender.
Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients except beef, salt and pepper.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Cook ground beef and remaining onion until brown. Add to mixture.
The US needs deflation causing supplies to keep inflation down. If it cuts China supplies your inflation can balloon to between 25–50%.
The U.S. needs a market to sell most of its products. China a lone is bigger than the next 10 markets put together. It’s consumer market alone is roughly 30% of the world. But what is worst is 70% of world produce is made in China. If you add these China commands 50–60% of world market. Any U.S. companies deprived of this market literally goes bankrupt.
You should not even think of cutting out China let alone do it. Anything you do will hurt the U.S. 10 times what it will ever hurts or harm China. That explains why the U.S. trade war on China starting in 2018 is such a duff decision. From 2018–2021 the U.S. economy grew 5.5% in total while China’s economy over the same period grew 5 times faster at 26.5%! No question who won!
Now this Chip war has shown clear signs of bankrupting the entire host of US chip companies from designing to producing and developing. The U.S. expected China to collapse and it is supposed to take a generation or 25 years for China to catch up. It took 3 years! Now China will produce chips at a third of the U.S. cost! The whole nonsense of Chip ban may cost 10 trillion when it tally up the losses.
But a nation that lost in Korea, failed again in Vietnam and disastrous in Iraq and replaced Taliban with Taliban after wasting 5 trillion dollars in Afghanistan will never learn their lesson to be humble.
In technology it has failed miserably in trying to deprived China of GPS. China developed a higher resolution, accurate to a meter version that now is in use by 187 out of 195 nations. Next to ban China from entering the U.S. space station. The result is China now has the only functional state of the art technology Chinese Space Station.
Moscow will sell to Beijing, 70 Million Tons of Grain over the next 12 years for an approximate value of 65% of thr market price of grain pegged to a maximum value of 2.5 Trillion Rubles
PAYABLE IN RMB!!!
This means 36% of the World’s Grain will now be quoted and paid for in RMB
It was 4.7% in 2021
That’s a 720% rise in a mere 2 years
China gains huge food security plus currency domininon
Meanwhile
Russia extended a 10 year deal to sell Oil at a 30% discount pegged to a maximum equivalent of 750 RMB a barrel
And the best news
The Malacca Blockade is worthless now
China can get 100% Energy from Russia & the Middle East plus Food Security and delivered through Safe routes
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The Duran: Germany is FINISHED
This is very interesting. Europe is going down with the United States.
Texas Breakfast Burritos
2023 10 19 08 45
Ingredients
12 flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 pound bacon
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 onion, sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons salsa
6 eggs
Instructions
Cook bacon until crisp.
Using same pan with a little grease, cook onion.
Crumble bacon coarsely and return to pan.
Beat eggs; stir into pan. Cook until eggs are set.
Fold in cubed tomatoes and salsa.
Fill warm tortillas with egg mixture.
Grandma gives high-five to passport bros
China Aims to Use Particle Accelerators to Build Chips and Evade EUV Sanctions
China’s semiconductor ambitions call to use particle accelerator.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), China plans to use an innovative approach to manufacturing processors by harnessing particle accelerators, potentially positioning itself as a global leader in advanced chip manufacturing. SCMP says the method seeks to evade traditional lithography machine limitations and US sanctions on EUV technology, potentially reshaping the semiconductor industry landscape.
The Chinese research team, led by Tsinghua University, is developing a unique laser source using particle accelerators. Their goal is to sidestep the constraints of conventional lithography machines, which are pivotal in microchip production. The proposed particle accelerator will be roughly the size of two basketball courts, between 100-150 meters in circumference, and will serve as a high-quality light source for chip fabrication.
Professor Zhao Wu from Stanford University introduced the underlying technology, termed steady-state microbunching (SSMB). SSMB captures the energy emitted by charged particles during acceleration, transforming it into a continuous, pure EUV light source. Compared to the prevalent ASML EUV method, SSMB boasts superior power and efficiency, potentially reducing chip production costs.
“An SSMB-EUV light source has been designed at THU, with designed EUV power higher than 1kW, and some key technologies are nearly ready,” said team member Professor Pan Zhilong at a presentation at an academic workshop in January 2022.
This ambitious project contrasts with the strategies of companies like ASML, which focus on miniaturizing chip-making machines. Instead, China’s vision involves creating a giant factory that houses several lithography machines, all centered around a single accelerator. This design aims to enable competitive manufacturing processes (such as 2nm and beyond) that will be used to make high-performance chips without using traditional extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography scanners.
“As a completely new light source, the experimental verification of the technology has been implemented. But it is necessary to build a solid SSMB light source research device operating in the EUV band,” said project leader Professor Tang Chuanxiang from Tsinghua University.
“Then we can [use the device to] cultivate scientific and industrial users, and polish the SSMB technology.”
According to the report, Tsinghua University’s team has made significant strides in this domain; they have successfully trialed the technology and are now scouting locations for the project’s construction, the report claims. Their achievements could pave the way for China to bypass potential future sanctions and emerge as a semiconductor powerhouse.
However, the journey to realizing SSMB-based EUV lithography machines remains long and challenging. Professor Tang Chuanxiang heads the project and emphasizes the need for continuous innovation and collaboration across industries to develop a functional lithography system.
“There is still a long way to go before our independent development of EUV lithography machines, but SSMB-based EUV light sources give us an alternative to the sanctioned technology,” said Tang. “It requires continuous technological innovation based on SSMB EUV light sources and cooperation with upstream and downstream industries to build a usable lithography system.”
China Will Take Revenge Against US Discriminatory Practices On Huawei This Way!
The question is, what kind of inquisitive mind thought it would be possible to stop the technological advancement of a country of 1.5 billion people that work diligently hand-in-hand to build and better their country that has over 1 billion people as citizens, and over half of that as Middle Class? US economic experts advising their government should re-educate themselves.
https://youtu.be/RdMwv9z0VwE
Does US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo seriously think that the US Congress can use legislative tools to stop Huawei from doing research innovation and launching new products?
It’s not just her. The entire US government is having delusions of grandeur. They think that all the US needs to do is pass a law and it will magically happen anywhere in the world. This is massively deluded behavior. Much like the insane Emperors of Rome.
Huawei’s mobile devices consumer division was kneecapped and decapitated through sanction, suffering a 90% drop in shipped volume in the last 4 years.
That’s a 100–200b dollar swing in revenue, just for handsets. To put that in perspective, that’s equal to 1–2 Boeings at its 2018 peak.
The US was trying to kill Huawei, and bury the telecoms business by bleeding revenue off its high margin consumer division.
That’s way grander than “stop Huawei from doing research innovation”.
Huawei is still under sanction, and Bloomberg’s recent name and shame of Taiwanese companies helping Huawei/SMIC with foundry infrastructure is a thinly veiled attempt at threatening companies not to deal with Huawei, even though the contracts they have entered into do not fall under current sanction.
Gina is free to suggest sanction escalation and fix Huawei like America did to Russia and Russian oligarchs, but Beijing will retaliate this time. And there is ~1 trillion in annual S&P 500 revenue generated from the mainland to aim for. The Chinese don’t have a significant presence stateside.
Personally, I think the ship on Huawei has already sailed. I won’t be surprised if Huawei breaks 100m phones shipped annually in the next 18–24 months. I also won’t be surprised if Huawei introduces new WIFI and telecoms standards in the next 5 years that end up being adopted in Apple phones. Neither Apple nor Google are capable of driving hardware standards revolution.
I can’t think of any easy-to-implement/low cost cards that the Department of Commerce can still deal when it comes to Huawei.
When I was a child of 8, my mom died suddenly. Our next door neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Cardin, sat outside on their front porch every night and I went over and sat with them for endless hours. They were so kind. I thought they were old. They were in their sixties, I guess. I always felt welcomed. They served me iced tea. They played cards with me. When I turned 18 and my dad died, I moved in with an older sister. I don’t remember ever saying goodbye to them. Years passed, I married, divorced and remarried and moved to another town nearby. I always remembered their kindness. One day I was walking through a local cemetary and reading the tombstone inscriptions (which I love to do). There they were: Geraldine and Louis Cardin. I knelt down in gratitude. The next weekend was Mothers Day. I laid a bouquet of flowers at the grave of Mrs. Cardin and thanked her for her kindness and comfort. They never touched me, never hugged me. They just let me sit beside them while I talked to them and they talked to me. I cannot remember one conversation, only that I felt at peace in their company.
Carl Zha on Huawei, ‘Chinese Spies’ and Chinese economy on Redacted
Years ago I bought a golf diesel car. It belonged to my girlfriends father. He had fallen asleep and clipped a pole. Damaged the passenger side.
I asked what he wanted for it and he insisted it was only worth $600 because that’s what the dealer said it was worth. I bought it and replaced the door and rear axle and had a little body work and paint and pin stripping done. Cost me $800. Now the car had 50K miles on it so just barely broken in for a diesel.
The first time I drove it at night the climate control section of the dash was black. I thought you know that should be illuminated.
So I got into the dash and found the plug to the climate control unplugged. Plugged it in and it worked fine. Actually it looked like the neon lights at a fair. Red, green, blue colors. So I’m over at my girlfriends and sitting in the car when her father came over and we’re talking and he looks into the car and is stunned to see the lights.
Owned the car for a couple of years and said he just carried a flashlight to see the controls. He had no idea it was supposed to be illuminated.
Egypt just dropped a BOMBSHELL in the Israel Hamas War
Much respect to Egyptian Gov. for not bowing to the US.
I love American cars – I have owned Chevy El Camino, two Dodge Ram Vans and one Ford Econoline.
The thing is that American cars are designed for different ecosystem than European and Japanese. American cars have ridiculously over-powered and under-efficient engines, which are extremely reliable, but they are terrible gasoline guzzlers. I mean, the American cars drink petrol like an alcoholic cheap plonk.
Moreover, the American cars are large and they have been designed for straight roads and long distances. They are excellent in Scandinavia, but next to useless in Central Europe.
In Europe, petrol is an import ever since the USA destroyed all the surviving Fischer-Tropsch plants in Germany after the WWII so that Europe could never be self-sufficient on liquid fuels. It means petrol is expensive, and it is heavily taxed. Petrol prices are approximately the same per one litre than they are in the US per one Yank gallon. So this is an incentive to a) maximize the thermal efficiency of an Otto or Diesel engine and b) to get as frugal and economic car as possible.
Moreover, the distances are short (which means a lot of acceleration and deceleration) and the roads are old (some date all the way to the Roman era) and follow the contours of nature. Which means they can be awfully winding, especially at the Pyrenees, Alps and Scandian mountains. Thus the agility is favoured over speed or comfort.
European cities are old, the streets are narrow and they certainly aren’t going to be re-planned with automobiles on mind. Finding a parking lot can be a pain and many city streets may have centuries-old cobblestone instead of asphalt. American car aren’t exactly the optimal vehicles there.
BLOCKADE FAILED! Germany Halts Dismantling of Chinese 5G Equipment！
Recently, the launch of the Huawei Mate 60 and the resurgence of 5G technology in China, powered by the domestically produced Kirin 9000S, have demonstrated that Huawei has successfully overcome the long-standing blockade imposed by the United States.
Although some US lawmakers have made strong statements about increasing sanctions on Huawei, US Secretary of Commerce Raymond has already affirmed that chip supplies to China will continue. Additionally, ASML, a key supplier of lithography machines, has announced their commitment to providing equipment to China until the end of the year.
Furthermore, Germany has also changed its position. Despite the “red-green-light” coalition government’s emphasis on the “security risks” associated with Huawei’s 5G equipment and their efforts to suppress Huawei through legislation and orders to remove Huawei’s equipment, the German government has covertly allowed German telecommunications operators to use Huawei’s 5G components.
According to reports from Chinese media and Germany’s Die Welt newspaper, a German government official privately acknowledged that the new 5G network in Germany incorporates technologies from China and German operators still rely on security-critical components provided by Chinese suppliers, implying that the German government has effectively permitted the use of Huawei’s 5G technology.
Huawei operates globally in 170 countries, with 30 commercial 5G contracts and over 25,000 5G base stations deployed without any major security incidents. Moreover, Germany’s ban on Huawei’s 5G components lacks substantial evidence to prove security risks, indicating that Germany is attempting to find faults where none exist.
However, this ban has faced opposition, with individuals stating that Germany’s 5G network has developed a deep reliance on Chinese suppliers, making it challenging to remove this dependence in a short period of time.
A friend was flying in to LAX, and I was going to meet her there for lunch. Another friend insisted I borrow his Prius (this is important to the theft), saying that he didn’t want to have to rescue me if my car broke down. (Fair worry—my then car was really on its last legs!)
I stopped at a McD’s on my way out of town to get some coffee, and when I walked back out of the restaurant, I unlocked the car using the fob, hopped in, and left. I drove to the airport, but when I parked and went to get my book out of the back seat, my book had disappeared!
It turned out that I had gotten in the wrong Prius!
When I finally figured this out, I went immediately to the airport’s little “police station” (a trailer at the far end of the airport’s circuit) and confessed to my crime. Yes, the car I was in had been reported stolen, but they contacted the owner who kindly agreed to just let me bring it back, which I did after having lunch with my friend.
Both these Priuses had a keyless entry and ignition system, and the way the owner handled hers was the only reason this could have happened.
Her car was the same color as the one I was driving, and she was parked two stalls away from me in the crowded parking lot. When I came out, I headed to the wrong one, not even noticing that there was another Prius nearby. I unlocked my car remotely, opened the door and sat down.
Here’s the thing: she had locked her car with a physical key when she parked it, but had left the fob in the console, forgetting that the Prius won’t lock if it detects the fob inside the car. So her car was unlocked.
I started the car with the pushbutton instead of with the key, and it started since it knew the fob was inside the car, and voila—grand theft auto!
Victoria Nuland, Asst. Sec. of State for Europe, phone call to US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, in which they discuss how they’re going to set up the new Ukrainian government in 2014.
The video link is provided below. Here’s your smoking gun right here.🔫
And isn’t it interesting that the only administration in which Nuland could NOT find a position was the Trump administration. I’m no fan of DT, but it’s an interesting fact nevertheless.
She was in on Clinton, Bush, Obama, and now Biden administrations — a 33 year “diplomatic” career —including a very high level and indeed dangerous position today (Oct 2023) as Asst. Sec of State. She was Dick Cheney’s Deputy National Security Adviser from 2003 to 2005.
Interestingly, Wikipedia makes no mention whatsoever that Vitali Klitschko was a Ukrainian presidential candidate in 2014, instead providing page after page of information about his boxing career.
On this one, we got real, real lucky.
High level covert operations are NEVER this easy to get evidence on.
Foreign media tend to portray Chinese plans and projects as stemming from a small, tightly centralized regime in Beijing. Foreign press back in the 2000s (when they were still enamored with the ‘Chinese model’ of economic growth) were often quick to praise how the strong, centralized decision making of China and it’s technocratic bureaucracy were key to driving economic growth where the ‘decentralized and slow democratic’ decision making of the decadent rest was going to be their death knell.
One could say that this is more of a linguistic issue where press reports simply referring to Beijing or the CPC created the impression that it was literally just Beijing and the Central Committee of the CPC calling the shots. Thereby creating the assumption that in order to address any issue in China, one must fly to Beijing and meet with the top man there. Or perhaps its a throwback on how the press reported on the USSR by making references to the “Kremlin” every time policy decisions were taken, forgetting that the Soviet States of Hungary, Poland, Romania etc had their own governments with their own powers who also called some of the shots.
This is flawed to say the least.
The Chinese governmental structure endows its provincial governments with surprisingly vast powers to the extent that Provincial governments alone can pursue their own foreign investments and trade deals with only minimal oversight from the center as long as such deals adhere to the loose guidelines issued by the center.
The same goes for the gigantic State Owned Enterprises in China which are permitted to initiate and pursue their own economic activities under the loose framework of the central committee’s guidelines.
As other Chinese Quorans have pointed out, One would do well to remember that China can better be thought of as a continental level entity with it’s own mini nation states inside its borders.
When the BRI was initiated, the central committee simply set out the guidelines for the project, which you can read here:
President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the forum pointed out that our promotion of the “Belt and Road” construction will not repeat the old routine of geo-game, but will create a new model of cooperation and win-win; it will not form a destabilizing small group, but will build harmony. A coexisting family.
This fully demonstrates that the construction of the “Belt and Road” is an important exploration and practice for countries along the line to jointly build a community of human destiny.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has coordinated the two major domestic and international affairs, coordinated development and security, and carried out a great-state diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in a proactive manner, and put forward a series of new ideas and concepts. We advocate the establishment of a new type of international relations with cooperation and win-win as the core, and strive to build a community of human destiny.
President Xi Jinping said in a keynote speech at the 2017 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January this year that as long as we firmly establish the common sense of human destiny, work together and work together to help each other and overcome difficulties, we will certainly make the world a better place. Be beautiful and make people happier.
The concept of the community of human destiny highlights the inclusiveness of the new international order
The community of human destiny is based on the thinking of various new elements in the development of the world in the 21st century. In response to the philosophical and historical propositions of “where does man go?”, from the perspective of reforming and improving the international order, A vision for the evolution of global governance.
After the Second World War, the world as a whole maintained peace and development. Its main guarantee factors were the construction of the international order and the in-depth development of economic globalization.
However, with the increasing challenges in the process of economic globalization and the increasing diversification of international actors, the current international order cannot effectively cope with various problems, and the risks of security disorder and development imbalance are increasing. Global governance calls for reform and innovation.
The paper goes on to talk in general guidelines about Eurasian infrastructure and trade development in loose terms:
In 2013, Comrade Xi Jinping formally proposed the “Belt and Road Initiative”. China is focusing on the periphery as the primary direction, promoting the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and providing important new public goods to the international community, especially the developing countries in Asia and Europe.
In August 2016, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out at the symposium on promoting the construction of the “Belt and Road”: taking the “Belt and Road” construction as an opportunity to carry out cross-border interconnection, improve the level of trade and investment cooperation, and promote international cooperation in capacity and equipment manufacturing. It is to revitalize the world economy by increasing effective supply to generate new demand.
His keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit further emphasized that China will thoroughly implement the development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing, constantly adapt, grasp and lead the new normal of economic development and actively promote The supply-side structural reforms will achieve sustainable development, inject a strong impetus into the “Belt and Road” and bring new opportunities for world development.
In the context of the continued downturn in the world economy, China’s support for countries along the line to promote industrialization and modernization through the “Belt and Road” initiative to meet the urgent needs of countries to improve infrastructure levels will inevitably activate the growth potential of countries along the route, which will undoubtedly help stabilize the world economy. The situation and the promotion of global economic growth.
McKinsey, the US consulting firm, estimates that by 2050, the contribution rate of countries along the Belt and Road Initiative will be more than 80%.
To say that there are a thousand and ten thousand, China is going to build a development concept of practicing the community of human destiny through the “Belt and Road”, so that all parties can work together to fill the development of Asia, Europe, and the mainland, and create a common development and prosperity of all countries. New Era.
That is pretty much all the center does: establish the guidelines and groves for the project but leave it to other actors to decide how they carry them out.
Chinese provincial governments and their regional local elite have their own significant powers which they can use to resist parts of the agenda from the center which they don’t like (at least temporarily). I remember reading how one of the provincial governments stubbornly resisted Beijing’s calls to reduce pollution levels stemming from the province by pointing out how that would slow down economic activity in the province.
Similarly, when the CPEC project started, a Chinese SOE began development of Gwadar port and it’s special economic zone as part of the BRI initiative.
But right across from Gwadar, a Chinese provincial government began their own special economic zone in Oman, directly in competition with Gwadar!
Our Prime Minister Imran Khan would learn this lesson well when his incompetent team failed to brief him on how the Chinese political structure worked.
So when Imran Khan recently went to China on a state visit to Beijing to renegotiate some of the CPEC projects, he was met by bewildered officials in Beijing who pointed out that the central committee doesn’t exactly negotiate the deals for the BRI. SOEs and Provincial governments do. What exactly did Imran Khan want Beijing to do on an issue where Beijing wasn’t directly involved?
Most BRI contracts are not between governments but instead between Chinese companies and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to facilitate projects for the larger BRI initiative.
In that context, when the new government claims it will renegotiate contracts, as well as terms and conditions, it is forgetting to mention that it will have to do them with Chinese companies and SOEs, not with the Chinese government.
Secondly, because CPEC is an overland project, any arbitration that happens i.e. if the government were to try to renegotiate any contract in place, they will have to refer to the BRI court in Xi’an, which falls under Chinese law.
That means either the government must engage a law firm to represent it on each contract it wants to renegotiate or try to contest cases itself.
Worse still is the fact that the government has practically no idea what it wants to renegotiate in the first place.
That is the crux of the problem Pakistan faces: the state simply does not understand the conceptual basis of BRI or CPEC and, hence, cannot even define what it means.
Chinese companies raise that money in their own country from institutions like the Silk Road Fund, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Export Import Bank based on guarantees provided with regards to project completion through contracts signed by the Pakistani government.
Pakistan owes that money to Chinese financial institutions and not the government — let’s be crystal clear about that. The Chinese government will also not waive that borrowing away because it is project-based debt financing.
The crux of the problem as far as Pakistan is concerned is that we have become so accustomed to reading about China through English print media or viewing the Chinese through a prism set by others, that we have no idea where policy decisions in China are stemming from. Or who exactly to talk to in the PRC.
So we default to our own logics: If we’re a strong man, authoritarian country we expect to take our problems to Xi to have them addressed. Or if we’re a country who sheds limelight constantly on the ongoings of their president, we tend to equate the other country’s president with the same power structure.
It would be useful for other nation states and companies besides Pakistan as well to perhaps narrow down on who exactly they are dealing with when they deal with China.
And perhaps do some linguistic adjustments so we move away from stuff like “China is building ports in the Arabian sea” – wait! Who is China? Xi himself ordered the ports built? Like specifically? Or do you mean a variety of different actors ranging from provincial governments to SOEs are pursuing their own economic activity under loose guidelines from the center rather than as part of some ominous grand design.
To be fair, maybe I’m being too harsh on Pakistani leadership. Certainly the military seems to know who to deal with in China, having negotiated independent contracts with the Xinjiang government, Chinese SOEs and so on.
There is also a tendency to get lost in the weeds when reading foreign press on China sense the idea of “large, centralized, authoritarian behemoth moving steadily in an organized manner towards American interests” sounds way more ominous and fearful than “oh hey, one of the Provincial governments in China is building a port in Burma to expand their provincial trade”.
The idea of an ominous, all power, omnipotent central leadership in Beijing calling all the shots sounds very enticing. Particularly for media centers operating out of nations that wish to portray China as the next big threat to their interests.
Its just not true. And we should probably learn that lesson well in our future dealings. Others would be well advised to do the same.
The point isn’t that the central government is powerless vis a vis localized power centers. Or that the central government is all powerful. But that the truth lies in a nuanced middle ground between both polar opposites. And there needs to be more specificity about who we are referring to in China when discussing policy decisions stemming from the PRC.
“Just a small note – neither of this countries was ever part of the USSR – all of then was separate countries albeit dependent of the Soviets.
USSR republics was the “stans” countries (Turkmenistan, Tajikistan etc), Ukraine, Belorusia, The Baltics, Georgia and Armenia, but not Poland, Hungary or Romania.”
Meet Brian Mwenda, a Kenyan man who has been playing a high-stakes game of make-believe in Kenya’s legal system.
Stunningly, Mwenda is said to have argued and won not one or two, but 26 cases, pitting his wits against bona fide legal eagles and leaving courtrooms in awe. And he did all this without a law degree or any professional certification. He’s a fraud.
Now, authorities have finally caught up to him, and he’s facing a slew of charges for impersonating an Advocate of the Kenya High Court. But the man’s record is flawless, a clean sweep of victories.
It begs the question, should he be behind bars or standing at a podium accepting an award for extraordinary legal acumen?
Mr. Mwenda might just be a legal prodigy, an undiscovered gem in the world of law. Or Kenya seriously needs to reevaluate its legal education and certification processes.
After all, if a fake lawyer can outwit the pros, what does that say about the system?
If he was given the right to defend himself and he eventually won, it’d be his 27th triumph, an untainted record in a courtroom career founded on a lie.
If that happens, Brian Mwenda wouldn’t just be defying the laws of his land; he’d be defying reality itself, turning what should have been his downfall into yet another improbable victory.
There are a lot of things I do understand about Trump supporters.
Trump supporters are angry, tired, and frightened. They live in a world that’s passing them by. They keep hearing about how the economy is booming, but they’re struggling to make ends meet.
They see foreign students coming in on H1B visas to work at tech companies for what seems like ludicrous, unfathomable amounts of money, money they don’t see in a decade, and they’re wondering where their share of the pie is.
They hear people sneeringly talk about “flyover states” without seeming to know or care those are their states, their homes. The people they care about are mired in drug and alcohol addiction and struggling to pay the mortgage while Instagram 20somethings jet off to Maui and get sponsorship deals with companies that make bottled water.
They see liberals bending over backward to support gay men and lesbians and Black criminals and trans people and illegals, talking about treating everyone with compassion, and they’re like, what about me? Where’s the fucking compassion for me?
They bought into reassurances that if they were willing to work hard, they’d make it. They’d get ahead. Hard work and grit would be rewarded. Now the lumber mill’s closed and the mine’s closed and city folks keep going on about how coal mining is actually bad and wrong, and they’re like fuck you, we had a deal, I busted my ass and you took it all away.
They were told there was an order to things, a way things worked, and yeah they were never top dog on the heap, but at least they weren’t the bottom either, and now everything’s changed and men in makeup with long nails who’ve never done a days’ work in their lives are being put ahead of them? Are you kidding me?
I get it. I understand that. They were sold a bill of goods, and now the world has shattered around them and they’re stuck in podunk nowhere with no way to keep a roof over their head and the neighborhood they used to be proud of is trashed by meth dealers and everyone else is going on about how wonderful life is and what losers they are, and they’re pissed about that.
That’s not hard to understand at all.
What’s hard to understand is why they think a grifting self-described billionaire who lives in a penthouse, shits in a gold toilet, and wouldn’t ever in a million years allow any of them into any of his resorts is “one of them” and totally, like, gets them.
That’s the part that I don’t get.
Why the West FEAR China (China is UNLIKE Japan in the 90’s)
America loves China’s consumer goods. As long as China was “the world’s production factory” the United States left China alone for the most part. There was the occasional “free Tibet” protest or Tiananmen Square protests, but nothing like what I see today.
What changed? China. China began to rapidly develop its infrastructure as well as its education sectors such as Science and Mathematics. They were obsessed with STEM learning before it was cool. Their military and space program excelled. They tackled poverty and literacy, created jobs and basically pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.
They no longer had to be the world’s factory. They still produce a massive amount of consumer goods, but as China develops toward first world status some of those factories relocated to Southeast Asia. Vietnam will likely earn persecuted country status by the time my grandchildren come of age. That’s if the U.S. is still influential in world affairs.
They hate China because China is no longer the sick man of Asia. China is strong and influential. The U.S. is terrified of losing their hegemony to China. They are an emerging world power that can offer developing countries a different path from what the United States traditionally offers. It’s all a part of a circle really. Nations rise and fall and have done so for millennia past. They will continue to do so for as long as Earth continues to exist. The U.S. will fall and China will rise. A hundred years from now and it will likely be another country’s turn.
If you are in Southeast Asia like me, you should have realized how happy and proud Indonesians are recently.
The media in Southeast Asia is full of reports about Indonesia’s high-speed rail.
In Indonesia, everyone from the president to civilians is happy for the opening of the high-speed rail. Even those against the media can only say irrelevant nonsense.
Indonesia’s high-speed rail has achieved initial success. This is the first high-speed rail in Southeast Asia. They are worthy of pride.
Our Malaysian neighbors have some nasty things to say in the media. But I know that they are actually very envious of Indonesians, and they also want a high-speed rail from Kuala Lumpur to Penang.
Currently, there are several high-speed rail projects in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Japan’s high-speed rail project in Vietnam is in a quagmire, and its high-speed rail in India has made no progress. Only China’s high-speed railways in Indonesia and Laos have been successful.
If Indonesia wants to maintain this success in subsequent projects, it only needs to maintain its original approach and trust the Chinese as always, and they will help Indonesia create miracles.
If there is, 99% of any incidents are man made. To be precise US lies, innuendos, concoctions, fabrications, made up haft truths or total garbage.
Take the weather balloons. Intentionally blown out of proportion. Pardon my punt. Imaging some hundred million Americans fixated over lies by the media and opportunistic politicians making hay on sunshine demonising and accusing the Chinese of spying a most ridiculous and frivolous claims but it sells media! Finally shooting it down with a hundred million jet at a million a pop on a float away balloon worth a thousand bucks!
So think about how ridiculous it is? In todays world where if China wants to it can zoom in from space at high resolutions on very square meter balloon China need to spy the US using a brightly coloured 2 school bus sized with a huge Chinese flag pasted moving at 5 miles an hour, visible by naked eyes m? It is laughable and shameful if you ask most of the world. But guess what some Americans think it is real! What a spun!
But Chinese people laugh their eyes wet thinking how silly you guys can get. Blinken your Secretary of State even postpone a state visit of utmost importance pretending to be affected by the balloon!
The tensions if any are all US made. A nation allowing fictions to exist and lies to demonised other nations cannot amount to much. But the US has no shame or pride. When General Mike Milley your joint forces chief announced officially that after days of disruption and chaos, up to a billion dollars, that it is what it is. A weather balloon! No more no less. Guess what! No apology, no one took responsibility, no one U.S. made to pay, no acknowledgement!
This is a nation that has carpet bombed nations, use agent Orange on villagers destroy thriving economies by mistakes and false flag operations. 3 million Vietnamese died and half a million U.S. agents dead or injured due a war started by lies in the Gulf of Tonkin!
So, sure one cannot expect much! But guess what they dare to call US exceptionalism and even worst Americans believed it!
In every revolution, there’s one man with a vision
“If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial…doesn’t logic demand that you be a part of it?”
It won’t it will never and it will hurt and harm the U.S. several folds more that it can hurt and harm China.
It is no different from the U.S. picking a big rock and threaten China that if China do better than the U.S. you will throw the rock on your own foot!
China is a humongous market now. It is several times bigger than the U.S. and worst it produce 75% of everything needed by the world. If you stop selling to China which is say 40–60% of your market. You will go bankrupt. And if you think China cannot make it you better be super careful that the can’t and they will never be able to do! If you are wrong you will not only lose their need but you will also lose entire worlds need too.
Frankly the U.S. is a party not the only party to make most of the products. It simply cost the US too much to stop China. It is cheaper and more sustainable to work with China as an equal and finding a win win solution. The U.S. cannot forced China’s hand and will. China is too strong, too influential, too rich and too capable to fight you if you fight them.
If something is an Offence, then you need someone to determine what constitutes an Offence and thats called DESIGNATED AUTHORITY
So unless US is the Ruler of the World, how can it be an offence to get around Sanctions Imposed by Russia for economic reasons?
Lets say India needs 96 Million Tonnes of Crude this year – 71 Million Tonnes of Sulphur & 25 Million Tonnes of Sweet ]
We normally buy Spot from the Market and have no long term contracts like other Nations have.
Suppose tommorow we are offered Crude at 30% Cheaper Rate, Why cant we buy Crude from Russia if it means a savings of several billion dollars?????
Punishment would simply mean US Sanctioning the Country that dares Trade with Russia
It might work or It might fail
For instance say India which produces its own Food is Sanctioned , tomorrow if it comes to Energy Crisis and Massive Recession vs Freezing of our USD Assets – A Sane man would rather choose Asset Freezing and fight legally in the UN , rather than force an Energy Crisis and Massive Recession
Say China is Sanctioned. It would rather be sanctioned than compromise its National Integrity and Face by conceding to the US demands.
However a Country totally dependent on US would have to Kowtow or totally Dependent on Imports from Europe would Kowtow
In 1997 – 82.9% Nations depended on US and European Imports primarily (159 out of 188)
In 2007- 59.7% Nations depended on US and European Imports Primarily (119 out of 199)
In 2017 – 32% Nations depended on US and European Imports Primarily (66 out of 205)
In 2022 – 28% Nations depend on US and European Imports Primarily (58 out of 207)
So the Sanctions are becoming weaker and weaker because More Countries can survive primarily even despite US Sanctions. (US/EU also includes Canada , UK and EU and NATO nations)
Almost 101 Countries have changed their primary trading Partner from US / EU/ UK/ Australia/NZL/Canada in the last 25 Years alone. Most of them have moved to CHINA including the EU themselves.
Stupid Sanctions like those against Russia tend to cause more negative impacts to the US than positive Impacts
Russian teenage genius joins Huawei .sparking concerns in the United States.
China and Russia, march forward hand in hand to make our world more stable, prosperous and peaceful.
How many cities can make a simple claim like that?
In Singapore, there are few exclusive districts, and those are the remnants of colonial history. In a modern new town, the expensive private apartments are within a stone’s throw of 1,2,3 room public flats. The children go to the same schools, and the parents shop at the same supermarket.
This raising of baselines across the board prevents organized crime from festering, because the fertile ground of poverty and the disadvantaged is uprooted.
Singapore is low crime, and most people have a healthy respect for the law, and especially officers in uniform. My grandma won’t indoctrinate her grandchildren in 21st century Singapore to “beware of cops”, because it isn’t 60s Hong Kong anymore. The SPF is one of the cleanest and most efficient police outfits in the world.
As a reminder, beat cops are armed with guns, but officer-involved shootings are very rare. We can go years between shots being fired. How does the SPF reduce violent arrests, and the risk of injury to both suspect and officer?
Through displays of overwhelming force.
Not all guns blazing, but the deployment of teams of officers to handle on-the-ground situations. Like these:
This round-island ability to concentrate policing power allows the senior officer to control and manage the situation, particularly the safety of the innocent public, the suspect/s, and of course the officers themselves.
In other words, gentler policing SOP.
This is a luxury that not all police forces can boast. Singapore manages by keeping crime waves at bay with effective policing and stiff laws.
At the end of the day, it is the economic and social fabric that keep crime from festering. And Singapore’s remain healthy.
Note: This is what passes for policing elsewhere.
Nurse Dies Of Illness; Experiences Infinite Reality And Told Why We’re Here (NDE)
There is an island in the Aleutions just east of Attu called Shemya. The AirForce has a landing strip there. The Army used to run a listening post there as well. It was considered a hardship tour, so the duration was one year. However, being under CONUS jurisdiction meant that overseas and hazard pay were not offered, base only. As for social life, the joke ran “there’s a woman behind every tree on Shemya; but there are no trees.” A good wind could carry a person off the island if one is not careful. Guide ropes were installed over the winter months to ensure safe passage between the barracks, the workspace, or the messhall. Being in the high latitudes subjected one to auroras, and other geomagnetic storm effects. Stereo gear just didn’t last long up there. Its isolation put Shemya on the bottom of any iteneraries for the top brass, so their presence was rare, thankfully.
Due to its proximity to the international date line, you could see tomorrow on a clear day!
I let a friend stay at our summer house all winter. All they had to do was pay the utilities. A flag went off in my head when she said “why do I have to pay for the utilizes?
we get back in May-the first thing we are greeted to (in order):
oven is a disaster
phone call they will turn off our electric for non payment
her son (who wasn’t supposed to be in there) carved his name in our cocktail table
deep gouge in the oak flooring
my new water pik is gone
ALL MY WINE THAT WAS HIDDEN WAS GONE
Instead of cleaning out the fireplace she used the trap door which took us all day to clean out
she left the place filthy.
I was so angry I wouldn’t answer her emails or phone calls.
She then dialed on someone else’s phone and I picked up-she asked why I wasn’t taking her calls. I told her everything especially our wine being gone.
Her reply was ““so you are going to RUIN our friendship over a few bottles of cheap wine?”
I said THEY WERE CHEAP TO YOU SINCE YOU DIDN’T PAY FOR THEM.
Don’t call me again and hung up. I hope she sees this post.
A scammer sees a high-ticket item with resale value online.
The scammer offers to buy it, sight unseen, with a cashier’s check, money order, or credit card.
You deposit the check or money order, or run the card.
The scammer has a mule, who may or may not know it’s a scam, pick up the item.
The bank notifies you that the check/money order was a forgery or the card was stolen. They take the money out of your account.
You try to go after the scammer to realize they used a fake address, a disposable cell phone or VoIP line, and a fake name—you have absolutely no way to find them. And the mule who picked up the item? If you can find that poor sucker, he tells you the scammer paid him money to pick up a bunch of items, but then the check the scammer paid him with turned out to be a fake.
Optional bonus round:
The scammer sends you a cashier’s check or money order, but the amount is wrong. You agreed on a price of $2,500, the check is for $2,800.
The scammer says “Oh, I’m so sorry, I made a mistake. Can you wire me the $300 I overpaid? Tell you what, it was my fault, just wire me $250, keep the extra $50 since I screwed up.”
The bank tells you the check was a fake and takes the money out of your account. (This can sometimes take 6 or 8 weeks to happen, by the way.) Now you’re out the car, you’re out the money, and you’re out $250 that you wired to the scammer…
…which, when you try to get the wire transfer back, you discover actually went to a recipient outside the US, and you are completely utterly 100% screwed. There is no way in hell you will ever see that money again.
Super playoff round:
You get a message from an “insurance fraud investigator,” “funds recovery specialist,” “online fraud recovery agent,” or something along those lines. He tells you that your name came up as part of a fraud investigation and he can get your money back in return for a percentage.
You negotiate some percentage, say 10% or 15%.
He tells you to send him $150 to pay up-front expenses, fees, duties, “recovery tax,” or some other bullshit fee. He explains that the fee will come out of his percentage, so it’s all good.
You send him the $150.
You never hear back from him. It was the same scammer all along. Now he has your car, your money, the extra $250 you sent him, and he’s just taken you for another $150 on top of that.
Double Jeopardy round:
You get an email or phone call from Interpol, or the FBI online crime task force, or US Boder and Customs, or whatever.
They tell you that a car registered in your name was used to commit a crime and since you’re still the registered owner, you’re legally liable.
They say that an arrest warrant has been issued in your name, and you will be arrested…
…unless you agree to waive your right to a trial and just pay the fine.
They tell you the fine will be $1,000, payable by money wire.
You wire the money. It was the same scammer all along. Now he has your car, your money, the extra $250 you sent him, the $150 you sent him on top of that, and another $1,000.
Double Jeopardy round variant:
You get an email or phone call from Interpol, or the FBI online crime task force, or US Boder and Customs, or whatever.
They tell you that a car registered in your name was used to commit a crime or found abandoned, but either way it’s been impounded, and they’re calling you because you’re still the registered owner.
They say that you will get your car back if you pay the impound fee. Maybe they even send you a photo of the car.
They tell you the fee will be $150, payable by money wire.
You wire the money. It was the same scammer all along. Now he has your car, your money, the extra $250 you sent him, the $150 you sent him on top of that, and another $150.
Yes, I’m dead serious, this actually happens, and people actually fall for it at every step along the way.
In terms of absolute strength, the Qing Empire was more powerful than the Ming Empire
The Qing Empire had a much stronger army. The Qing Empire had twice the territory and four times the population of the Ming Empire.
During its most powerful period, the Ming Empire still faced threats from northern nomads. They built a whole new Great Wall to deal with this.
The Qing Empire completely dealt with the surrounding threats, and their military controlled almost the limit of geographical control.
From the perspective of global relative strength, the Ming Empire was stronger.
In the 15th century, the Ming Empire was the most powerful empire in the world. At that time, the Byzantine Empire fell, England and France were in the Hundred Years War, and the Spanish Empire had just begun to expand. Technically, economically, and in terms of strength, there was no power in the world that could rival the Ming Empire.
In the 18th century, the Qing Empire was not the most powerful empire in the world. Although it has vast land and population, it has lagged behind in terms of social structure and technology. After Europe completed the Renaissance and circumnavigated the world, it began global colonization and the industrial revolution. In particular, the British Empire developed rapidly, and the strength of European countries surpassed the Qing Empire.
Apollo 20: The Secret Mission to the Moon to Salvage an Ancient Alien Spacecraft
This is fun. Not sure if true or not. Check this out.
Egypt warned Israel of a pending Hamas attack ten days before terrorists breached the border and took control of military bases, and communities, killing more than 700 and taking 150 captive including women and children.
“We have warned them an explosion of the situation is coming, and very soon, and it would be big. But they underestimated such warnings,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the content of sensitive intelligence discussions with the media, told The Associated Press.
The Egyptian official said the Israelis were concentrated on the tension on the West Bank and did not consider the Gaza ruling terror group to be a threat despite repeated warningד
that the Egyptians though were not being taken seriously.
One would hope so. But the story will certainly be denied. And due to the war Bibi may still keep his seat.
Since Ukraine fell into crisis, Tesla has recovered from a low of 700 dollars to close to 1,100, a rally of more than 50 percent.
Similarly, the first world’s stock markets have mostly chugged through like nothing has happened.
The turmoil in the commodity space though, tells a different story.
This is because the sanctions are designed not to hurt the first world financial markets too much. The first world control the world’s money flow.
Unfortunately, China is a totally different problem. Any meaningful sanction on the same wide-ranging scale as those being thrown at Russia will roil financial markets around the world.
For a start, Apple will lose 90+ percent of its production and 25 percent of sales if it withdraws from China just like it did in Russia.
When Apple goes, so does the rest of the market. The mother of all asset bubbles will burst, from stocks to real estate to crypto to bonds.
The yuan will devalue sharply, and the forex game of cards will go up in flames, especially the ntd, krw and jpy, which will have to devalue even more or risk oblivion.
A weird new world will be in flux, with assets in the first world devaluing sharply, but consumer goods skyrocketing along with unemployment.
All these point to massive social unrest within weeks or months of taking such a decision, which is difficult to walk back because market sentiment is not easily reversed once the trust evaporates.
No amount of money printing can save the day because China controls the real economy of goods and component production.
REPORT: Qatar to Cut Oil/Gas Supply if Israel Invades Gaza
Qatar is now threatening to cut their oil supply to the world if Israel invades Gaza.
Emir Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani of Qatar threatened to stop gas supplies to the world if the bombing of Gaza did not stop.
You can bet Saudi Arabia among others will be right behind.
Hal Turner Editorial Opinion
Thankfully, illegitimate President Joe Biden and his incompetent Regime, sold-off about two-thirds of the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to stabilize gasoline prices, which skyrocketed when they imposed Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.
So if the Arabs DO cut-off oil supplies, the United States no longer has a massive 714 Million Barrel reserve from which to draw to keep the country going.
Some 80 million of you voted for this! All you folks who thought Trump was mean (Orange Man BAD!) . . . and voted for Biden . . . . YOU did this.
You’re correct, ground beef is fairly cheap and the cost of the ingredients that make up a burger is relatively low. The cost of all of the ingredients used to produce a restaurant’s hamburger might be a couple of bucks.
So why is my hamburger $15.00, you ask?
Restaurants have other costs, as well as the cost of food. The young lady who greeted you at the door, escorted you to your table and handed you a menu has to be paid. So does the young fellow who took your order, brought you a drink and delivered your burger. Someone had cook the burger, shred the lettuce, slice the onions and tomatoes and prepare the secret sauce that’s slathered on your bun and they get a paycheck. The plate, fork, knife and glass you used need to be washed, which means there’s someone doing that job as well and they need to be paid too. Finally, there’s the owner and his investors. They all demand a profit from the sale of your burger. If there’s no profit, there’s no point in being in business. So they tack a profit onto the price of your burger because they want to be paid too.
There’s also the rent that has to be paid on the building, the electricity and gas that were used to cook your food, light the dining room and power the AC that’s keeping you cool and comfy. A portion of those things are paid for via the sale of your burger. Sell enough burgers and the restaurant stays in business. Don’t sell enough, or sell them too cheaply and you close the doors.
Understand?
Satellites Show Location of USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group Heading toward Israel
European Space Agency (ESA) imagery shows the USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier and its Strike Group, moving south past the Island of Sardinia, enroute to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, closer to Israel.
Iges released by the ESA show the ship and its group:
Alongside the Ford—USA is sending the cruiser USS Normandy, destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, USS Roosevelt.
The Ford and its Strike Group are being sent to “Make certain Iran does not escalate the ongoing hostilities in the region.”
When HAMAS, which is fighting Israel, got word the Carrier was on its way, they issued a statement saying the ship does not make them afraid. One government official – I won’t say from which government — told me “It isn’t coming to scare them; it’s coming to kill them.”
That aside, there is real danger for that ship and its Strike Group, if a confrontation develops. You see, Hezbollah, in Lebanon, has, in its possession, a known quantity of twelve (possibly many more) P-800 “Oniks” anti-ship missiles, built by Russia.
The Oniks missile is either land-launched or air-launched. It has a range of 120 to 300 km (75 to 186 mi; 65 to 162 nmi) depending on altitude (Yakhont export version). But Russia has also made a version for itself with a Range of 500 lm.
It flies very close to the surface of the water, with an operating altitude of 10 meters (32 ft) or higher.
But its real danger is its speed. The missile travels at Mach 2.6, which means 3180 km/h which translates to 1998 mph (884 Meters per second) The human eye — in general — cannot even see this thing moving . . . it moves so fast.
The missile has already been used against Ukraine and Ukraine had a lot to say about these missiles:
The Oniks has proved to be a difficult threat for Ukrainian Air Defenses. Air Force Spokesperson Yurii Ihnat mentioned (to Wikipedia) that the flight profile of the missile is of particular concern; “Onyx missiles are designed to destroy watercraft, and ships, it flies at a speed of 3000 km per hour, that is, very fast,…On the march [cruising], it can rise high, and when entering the target, it can actually fly 10-15 meters above the water to destroy the ship.” He concluded that it was “impossible” to shoot them down with available anti-air means.
Which brings us back to the USS Gerald R. Ford and its Strike Group.
They will be in “the eastern Mediterranean.”
One hopes they will remain far enough off shore to be out of range of these missiles. But the farther offshore they must stay, the less flight time for their fighter jets without refueling. So the Ship has to try to strike a balance between getting as close as possible so fighters can have good range, or putting themselves farther away for their own safety, which lowers fighter jet range.
OTHER SHIPS, EVEN CLOSER!
Other US Navy Ships are even closer to the threat of these missiles. The ships and 3,000 US Marines onboard, are in the Persian Gulf!
Unless, of course, the USS Gerald R. Ford and several (or ALL) of the ships in its Strike Group, are being set-up to be sunk, to provide an excuse for the US to go to war.
No, such a thought isn’t far fetched, the US knew the Japanese were going to attack Pearl harbor, and they let it happen on purpose.
Who knows if the same, sick, mentality, is at play in the federal government today? Another “Gulf of Tonkin” type situation, perhaps?
I guess we’ll see.
The Gerald R. Ford and its Strike Group should be in the eastern Mediterranean Sea later this week. The other vessels are already in the Persian Gulf off Iran’s coastline.
I worked for a 150-person manufacturing and assembly plant. We made small engines and parts for aircraft.
I was the HR person.
While doing a payroll audit after we switched to a new system, I found this guy on payroll. He was supposed to mow the grounds and provide janitorial service.
Except we had a service do it all for over 8 years. So this guy was paid a not-so-bad hourly rate and just never showed up. For 8 years. We never could find him to tell him he was terminated.
A few months later, we found a small room in the upper mezzanine of the warehouse. We found a small color tv, a cot, a refrigerator and microwave, a desk and chair, a radio, and easy chair, clothes, etc.
From the things we found on the small desks in the room, we figured he had been living in the room rent-free and he went unnoticed for years.
We finally caught him sneaking in late one evening and escorted him off. He was actually pretty clever.
Brian Berletic: China is Ready for War as South Korea and Japan Join Alliance with US
Brian Berletic of The New Atlas discusses Biden’s latest escalation with China, this time in the form a new military alliance with South Korea and Japan.
China develops new record-breaking ‘Jiuzhang’ quantum computer prototype
Chinese scientists have developed a new quantum computer prototype known as “Jiuzhang 3.0” with 255 detected photons, pushing the boundaries of photonics quantum computing technology on a global scale.
Led by the renowned Chinese quantum physicist Pan Jianwei, the research team has successfully accomplished this quantum computing feat, achieving a speed that is 10 quadrillion times faster in solving Gaussian boson sampling (GBS) problems compared to the world’s existing fastest supercomputers.
Gaussian boson sampling, a quantum computation intractable for conventional computers, was employed in this study to provide a highly efficient way of demonstrating quantum computational speedup in solving some well-defined tasks.
The study was published online in the journal Physical Review Letters on Wednesday.
Lu Chaoyang, a member of the research team and professor at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), said that a series of innovations, including a newly developed superconducting nanowire single-photon detection scheme with fiber loop-based configuration, increased the number of detected photons for “Jiuzhang 3.0” to 255, greatly improving the complexity of photonics quantum computing.
“By demultiplexing photons into time bins through delays, we’ve achieved capabilities of pseudo photon number resolving,” Lu added.
According to the state-of-the-art exact classical simulation algorithm, “Jiuzhang 3.0” is a million times faster at solving GBS problems than its predecessor, “Jiuzhang 2.0.” Moreover, the most complex samples of GBS that “Jiuzhang 3.0” can calculate in just one microsecond would take the world’s fastest supercomputer, “Frontier,” more than 20 billion years to complete.
Quantum computing, a new computing paradigm, features extremely fast parallel computing capability.
It has the potential to achieve exponential speedup through specific quantum algorithms compared with classical computers in solving problems of great social and economic value.
Therefore, the development of quantum computers is one of the biggest challenges in the current scientific and technological frontier of the world.
with up to 76 photons detected, marking the first milestone China reached on the path to full-scale quantum computing – a quantum computational advantage, also known as “quantum supremacy,” which indicates an overwhelming quantum computational speedup.
In 2021, the team further developed the “Jiuzhang 2.0” with 113 detected photons and a 66-qubit programmable superconducting quantum computing system named “Zuchongzhi 2.1,” making China the only country to achieve a quantum computational advantage in two mainstream technical routes – one via photonics quantum computing technology and the other via superconducting quantum computing technology.
Girl Dies of Hypothermia; Shown Past Lives & Gets To Choose Her Future (NDE)
This young girl’s story is so authentic and original. Thank you!
I worked with an older geophysicist with a PhD from MIT. He did a lot of research for us. We needed to compare the force generated on a hill side, using 200 grams of dynamite, to the force felt on that hillside by an earthquake, that was rated at 5 on the Richter scale, a certain distance and depth away.
We hired a PhD physicist as a consultant, to write us an unbiased report.
After 3 days, he admitted to us, that he could not find a way to compare the two, unless we could give him a method that did the work for him. Very embarrassing.
We approached our MIT PhD, and asked him if he could work out an equivalency. He looked at us, stunned that we didn’t see how obvious it was. He tried to explain, but he was talking so fast, he lost us.
He then went to his white board, and broke the Richter scale down to its basics, then broke the dynamite down to its basics, in Joules, which is kg m squared per second squared.
Then derived a formula that tied them together.
He did this in less than two minutes, and only took that long, because that was as fast as he could write.
I was impressed, that he even remembered how to calculate the force used to measure the richter scale, without looking it up. But for him to solve in two minutes, what our high priced consultant, couldn’t solve in 3 days, says a lot about the difference in quality of PhDs.
He was the smartest functional man that I ever met. I knew smarter people ,but they couldn’t fit into society.
I know that once I was out of school for 10 years, I couldn’t work things out from basic principles, without researching it. Yet he could after 45 years.
America CAN sanction China, but the cost of doing so won’t be low like doing the same to Russia.
America must pony up the cost, like Apple losing 90 percent of its manufacturing capacity, or Americans losing access to Tiktok or half of Walmart. Jp Morgan and Goldman Sachs will lose access to greater China. Many companies will lose their biggest market, including Volkswagen which sells half its production to the Chinese today.
Yes, 50 percent.
Apple sells more iphones in Greater China than it does back home.
Let that sink in.
Sanctioning China won’t land exclusively on chinese laps. It will hurt the first world too and directly affect the quality of life.
When it comes to China, even America must count the cost. China on the economic battlefield is what Russia on the military front means to the Americans.
Plenty of respect, that is.
Plenty.
U.S China Technology War Panics US as it Sanctions Middle East on AI!
“I love China, from East Africa Kenya, and the whole of Africa stands with China”.
I was once part of a government delegation to Italy to partake in a conference being held by energy industries world wide. It was a pretty diverse event. There were speeches by energy experts on a variety of energy related topics. Panels that debated the future of the energy industry (the Nuclear Energy proponents vs Anti Nuclear energy lobby had some fiery debates!). We had some activities in which we would come up with our own amateurish proposals to resolve energy issues in the developing and developed world.
Perhaps the most time was dedicated to the exhibitions where different industries set up their booths which would offer company products and services to prospective clients.
The exhibitions weren’t really of much interest to us. The company employees knew Pakistan was “small fry” (back in 2007 we didn’t have much purchasing power or budget dedicated to energy related issues). So we Pakistanis were largely ignored by the American and European execs who were more interested in the big fish like Saudis, India, China, Brazil etc. We just mostly meandered about.
During one of our strolls, we passed the Chinese delegation. All serious, taking notes, being engaged by this stunning Italian woman from Shell i think who was explaining some kind of product to the head of the Chinese delegation.
We stood a bit to the side and listened in politely, when the head of the Chinese delegation caught our eye, offered a friendly smile and handshake and asked if we were waiting for them to finish up.
“Oh no no, please continue.”, we replied. “Just wanted to say hi, we’re from Pakistan”
The Chinese gentleman’s face lit up instantly. “Pakistan!” He shook my hand warmly “Our brother!” he exclaimed.
It was quite a moment. I remember every tiny detail from it even till today. The Italian lady’s surprise at how warmly we were being greeted. The other booth employees turning around to see what all the fuss was about. Their own looks of surprise at how the small fry, largely ignored Pakistani delegation was being treated so warmly by the most watched delegation of all, the Chinese.
It’s these small moments, these isolated incidents of human magic that people tend to miss out when they get confused over why China is so well liked by many of the developing world nations. Over the course of the conference, i interacted with other delegations from Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and so on and they all had the same respect and positive impression for the Chinese delegation. Whether it was a delegate from Africa or Asia, no matter what their country’s size and importance, they were treated warmly and with mutual respect by the Chinese as if their country was the same as China in size, importance and power.
Several analysts and commentators want to see something empirical, some hard data that quantifies this respect, that explains scientifically why China is held in a high opinion by developing world countries. They look at investments and trade, look at China’s growing foreign worker and student populations, analyze the spread of Chinese media.
And of course, they do hold true on their own. You can see from this entire thread the vast variety of reasons why people like China (economic might, non-interference in other country’s affairs, an affinity for Chinese culture etc).
So take my answer as one part of the entire canvas of reasons being presented here when i say that a lot of developing nation people, be it government employees or just common folk everywhere, like China because the Chinese still consider themselves as one of us. Not imperial overlords or racial superiors or strict masters and so on. But comrades to the developing world, partners in our struggles and a developing country just like us who share in our troubles, concerns and visions for a mutually beneficial future.
I’m no China expert so i can’t explain where this comes from. Perhaps its still the old Communist ideology at play? Back during the cold war years, the USSR and Chinese communists partnered with a lot of the developing world back then as we struggled to overthrow the colonial and imperialist powers (as well as their local feudal, tribal and monarch proxies). I’ve met old Leftists in their senior years today who tell me about how they would go to the USSR and China back when Pakistan was a dirt poor country to get training, education and what not. Revolutionaries and Leftists from Pakistan, other Asian countries, Africa, Latin America etc would go to the USSR and China in cheap, patched up suits with tattered shoes and not a dime to their name and be greeted warmly by their comrades in Beijing and Moscow and given the top notch treatment. Nations that managed to overthrow their tyrants in a successful coup would send delegations to China and the USSR who would come back full of praises for the hospitality and camaraderie of the Chinese and USSR brother Leftists. Whereas the “Free World” would only choose to associate with our feudal lords, our Shahs, our Kings and our dictators and not step foot in a single street populated by the common man.
I don’t even have to wax poetic about the old days of the Cold war. In my own experience working side by side with my Chinese coworkers, this same feeling of partnership and camaraderie is on display as well. The Chinese who come to work with us, work side by side with us, in the same heat, the same muck, the same mosquito, freezing temperatures, rain and what not. The same hectic schedules and daily annoyances are shared by us equally. We also eat at the same table, play football in the evening with each other and exchange movies and TV shows in USBs with each other.
When i told all of this to my friend who works in the Gulf at an MNC he wouldn’t believe me. His experience with Gulf Arabs and the Western Expats there has been nothing like this. Even students and workers that i know who went to South Korea are a bit amazed when they hear this.
Outside of the work place it’s the same story. Western Expats in Pakistan tend to live in huge, well guarded, walled off compounds with these giant electric generators and might as well be living on another planet given how cut off they are from the rest of the populace. Meanwhile, just 2 days ago, i reversed my car past a Chinese couple getting on their motorcycle in a busy, crowded bazaar typical of any major Pakistani city.
The Chinese live, walk, breath, eat and work among us, on our streets, our cities, our home soil. They face the same problems we do whether its load shedding, low gas supply or slow internet. And when we see them share the realities of our lives, it creates this mutual bond and sense of respect between us. They could have chosen to live in their own huge compounds and indeed, the Pak government is trying to force the Chinese expats in Pakistan to live in compounds away from ordinary Pakistani citizens due to security concerns. But the Chinese refuse. They CHOOSE to live with us. Despite the dangers they face. And that makes all the difference in the world for us.
I had similar positive experiences with the Chinese in Egypt and the African delegations and Middle Eastern delegations were absolutely delighted with the Chinese, how willing to explore the local culture they were, how respectful they were of us and how they would engage with us in social activities and general chit chat everywhere, whether at work or leisure. In the meantime, we didn’t even see the European delegations to Egypt even once (separated for security again i guess).
And my own visit to China a long time ago was no less positive for me. Senior government, military and diplomatic officials would engage with us, discuss with us, seek our view point, offer their own. They would even share stories from their personal lives and listen attentively when we told our own. We were given a royal treatment, housed in comfortable hotels, provided medical assistance immediately if someone got sick, accompanying us to the hospital to make sure we were ok, guiding us in the city. Whether it was common citizens or senior officials, they treated us like equals with a lot of protocol.
Maybe I’ve lost a few folk at this point who have no idea what i’m talking about because they can’t relate. But as a Pakistani, our country is associated only with poverty, violence, terror and instability abroad. No one is impressed when we say we are from Pakistan. No one cares either. So much so that we have become accustomed to it, built our lives around it.
So when i was at that exhibition and the Chinese delegate warmly shook my hand, proclaimed my country a brother in front of the entire exhibition to the surprise of onlookers, when the citizen of a country touted as the next super power of the world gives respect to the citizen of a country that’s touted as a failed state in western publications, it creates an impact on our lives.
I know there are thousands of more like me. In 10, 20, 30 years we will be senior officers, politicians or executives in our own countries. And when we see a Chinese official ask us for a favor, a Chinese company bid us for a project maybe some of us will think back to when the Chinese gave us so much respect on so and so occasion. And we will favor the Chinese because of it. Don’t believe me? Just look at the bonhomie between the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who was so dazzled to hear that the Chinese were referring to rapidly implemented Pakistani Projects as “running at Punjab speed” as a compliment to his administrative skills, that he granted several projects to Chinese companies without bidding or on very favorable terms.
Based on how i saw the delegates from Africa, Middle East, Asia also be impressed at the humble, respectful and partner like attitude of the Chinese during their interactions with them, i have no doubt the same kind of positive image of China will be created in the minds of those delegates as well. And when they rise to senior positions, they will also hold the same positive image of China and favor her. All that influence and positive image built across the globe for no cost and without needing 12 Aircraft carriers.
There was once a time i thought that maybe our positive experience of China was because of us mostly experiencing China’s “Golden Generation”. By Golden Generation i mean a generation of people who are born when their country is poor and life is hard, enter young adult life when their country is rising rapidly and go into their senior years when their country is a global power. Kind of like the US’s golden generation. This Golden generation has all the power available to a citizen of a super power but at the same time the same humbleness and respectful nature of a modest power. A person from this generation could become king of the world and still rise to meet a person of more modest means.
I would resign myself to the fact that as younger Chinese came of age who had never seen the struggles of China when she was a poorer country with less power, and he grew up only knowing China as a great, powerful nation then perhaps the Chinese too would become more arrogant and assured of their greatness like the US has become. But my interaction with the Chinese youth of Quora has put to bed such fears as i find them as respectful to us, the people of the developing world, as i found their parents and older siblings etc.
I hope this answer didn’t sound too much like rambling or disappointing due to lack of quantifiable data and science. And i hope this answer isn’t interpreted as a diss of people from the West with whom i also have great experiences. But as someone who as worked in Data analysis so long, i can tell you, some things aren’t there in the data. Some things are in the mysterious, murky sphere we call the human aspect. And in that aspect, you’ll find that this mysterious pull and attraction China has on so many people in the developing world from Africa, Asia, Middle East is based on the smallest, but oldest of all things: Respect. Equality. Partnership. Camaraderie.
This happened to a friend of mine. He’s a PhD in Mathematics and was working for Silicon Valley firm writing mostly encryption algorithms, but some firmware stuff as well. Very very well paid — but not the most social person in the world. Being around people causes him anxiety. This isn’t a minor thing for him — it’s a real pathology.
Anyway, He’s a Los Angeles guy — and hated living so far north. His employer worked with him and let him work remotely 4 out of 5 days a week — he would just need to show up for “face” time once a week. Basically show up Sunday, sleep in the company flat, drive home Monday.
That was grinding him down after a year. His employer dropped that down to once a month. After six months, this was still too much and he decided to turn in his resignation on the next “face” day.
He drove up there, spent the night in the company flat, got up to go to the office with his “notice” papers and his boss calls him in.
They’re laying him off. This means, he keeps the stock options he’s earned (would have lost them if he quit), he gets 3 years of paid medical insurance and a 3 year severance package per his contract.
He sent me a pic of himself after he got the news. The biggest sh*t eating grin I’ve ever seen on him —ever — in front of his “beater” pick up truck. .
A very long time ago, when I was new to working in Corporate America, an employee was reprimanded for refusing to do an assigned task given by a new supervisor and then fired for insubordination.
Sheila had worked in the unit for most of her 7 years with the company. She was hardworking, never missing a day, and knew every aspect of the department’s purpose and work. She was ‘right there’ when any of us needed info or help, something that our supervisors were not always able to do.
She SHOULD have been the supervisor, but she had 3 strikes against her: she was still in school (no paper), she was female (most management positions were filled by males), and she was black (the company had a 7% minority hire, mostly in lower positions).
The new supervisor had worked with us for 6 months when he told Sheila that he wanted her to change a major procedure. When she asked why, he became belligerent and refused to discuss it.
Sheila knew (to summarize) that the new procedure would create a multi-level bottleneck in our area and would ultimately lessen efficiency within a third of the company.
When she attempted to explain this, the supervisor accused her of insubordination and threatened her with termination.
He then began a whisper campaign against her. In hindsight, it was based on racism and misogyny that others (especially in management) seemed happy to join.
Sheila did as she was told, and we all watched as our department’s efficiency rapidly fell and began to adversely affect other units.
When the problems couldn’t ‘work themselves out,’ the supervisor accused Sheila of sabotage.
Some of us went to Personnel (HR) in support of Sheila to no avail. Sheila produced the supervisor’s written instructions, but he continued to call her an incompetent, vindictive, ignorant saboteur and in private, added racist/misogynistic terms.
Sheila was fired based on that man’s accusations and in spite of her denials and proof.
Sheila landed a great position with a competitor within days. (She ultimately lured 4 of the department’s best to join her several months later.)
The supervisor crowed that she had been a spy all along, but as the effeciency still fell, management FINALLY saw that department disruption came from the ‘incompetent, vindictive, ignorant’ supervisor.
He was moved to a different position within the company with no reprimand.
This was my first exposure to how unfair and hateful some ‘management’ can be.
Erwin Rommel is probably one of the most over rated so called geniuses. Rommel had a good sense of tactical employment of certain equipment particularly tanks, but he was greatly aided by the fact he mostly fought an outpost of Britain, rather than the full might of any of the allied armies, and his tactics were never tested by the Soviet armored branch, unlike most German generals.
Furthermore, he was operationally inept and strategically an imbecile. Rommel was the ultimate “i know better than you”, and circumvented the command chain to get his way. For example, he appealed directly to Hitler in order to launch the attack on Egypt, that totally failed and cost the Axis their foothold in Africa, and undermining the Wehrmacht plan made to occupy Malta and cut off the British navy.
At the strategic level Rommel never understood Germany’s actual position, and certainly did not contribute to it. He left this entire theater of command on June 5th despite the Germans knowing that an invasion of France was imminent. He had also previously spent massive resources on creating additional anti air borne defenses, none of which had an impact on the outcome of D-day.
Rommel was defeated in Africa, defeated in Italy and defeated in France, before he was a high level leader he was an insubordinate divisional commander who got lucky mostly. His ghost division was called such because no one knew where it was or what it was doing. That is not a good thing.
Despite all this, Rommel is often mentioned as one of the greatest generals in World War 2, but I really see no reason for this, when von Rundtstedt and even the self aggrandising Mannstein, clearly had far more success and skill than Rommel did.
Star Trek – Two Captain Kirks
Spock makes his way to the control room with a phaser…only to find two identical Captain Kirks (Whom Gods Destroy)
Huawei and China. It force China to speed up dominating the industry and make all the money. It no longer need to share with the west and U.S. The U.S. has to pay and lose in trillions of dollars to build big white elephants, subsidise a dozen countries and the entire industry for decades to come!
Meanwhile it has to contend with poorer technology, higher inefficiency and humongous cost of connectivity! It loses competitive edge and allow its people to fall behind in technology!
But you know who else benefits. Your media and your politicians. The media sell hate and the profit. Your politicians show hates and the win votes!
So who benefits? China, the Chinese people, the global south, the U.S. media and the U.S. politicians.
Who lose? Americans. The U.S. taxpayers. Your U.S. companies, your U.S. dog nations, you U.S. slave vassals, your cronies nations! Too bad karma. You guys deserved it.
Are Humans the First Civilization? The Silurian Hypothesis
I had applied for a job with a company where my friend worked. She had sent me the posting even though I was extremely under qualified and the job was 400 miles away.
I applied, not thinking I actually had a chance. The posting was for a SysAdmin, and at this point in my career I had only worked in computer repair shops. I had some server experience and did some side work for a few clients, but I wasn’t a full SysAdmin by any stretch of the imagination. But what could it hurt to apply. The worst they could do is throw out my resume. So I was surprised when they called me for a phone interview.
I got through the HR interview no problem. I have a good work ethic and am generally a pleasant person, so it was a breeze. Next came the tech interview. The guy who was leaving called me and was immediately concerned about my complete lack of experience as a SysAdmin. We went through the technical interview and I figured that would be the end of it. He asked some pretty tough questions about things I had never done before. So I didn’t think I did that well.
Surprise! I got another call from HR. They wanted to interview me in person! Wow, was I shocked. I agreed and immediately started packing a bag for a road trip. I left early the next morning and drove the 400 miles in one day. I crashed on my friend’s couch and went in to work with her the next morning for my interview.
Again, I was interviewed by a technical person, this time a consultant. Again, he grilled me on a bunch of technology that I had never used before. I answered to the best of my ability, but more than once I had to admit that I didn’t know the answer. Again, I didn’t think I did very well. I basically got the “We’ll call you if we’re interested” response when I asked what the next steps were.
I chalked it up to just being a road trip. I spent the rest of the day exploring the city and taking in a few museums. I had a good time with some friends in the city and then headed home the next morning. This was a Wednesday.
The very next day, Thursday, my phone rang. “Hello, this is X from company Y. We were really impressed with you and would like to offer you the job.”
I almost dropped my phone I was so shocked. All I could do was stutter out a “Ok. I’d love to take it.”
Then the twist. “We absolutely need you to start on Monday. Is that going to be a problem? If you can’t we’re going to offer the job to a local candidate.”
I looked around at my house full of stuff that wasn’t packed and replied the only way I could. “Sure. Looks like I’m moving to Washington DC tomorrow.”
So I did. It took about a month of crashing on my friend’s couch before I found a place to stay and move all our stuff down there.
It was surreal to say the least. In one week, I went from being unemployed in Cleveland to getting a job in DC that I wasn’t qualified for and moving my entire life 400 miles away.
UN GIVEN 24 HOUR WARNING, IRAN SENDS TANKS TO BORDER, SYRIA AIRPORT BOMBED
Two months ago, I got a call that my home was on fire. I rushed home with my 4 year old, found my house uninhabitable and all of my pets deceased. While the fire marshal was finishing up paperwork, and I was covered in soot and tears, a man came up to me with condolences and placed $200 in my hand and said he’s sure I could use it. We had never met; I found out later that he lived in the neighborhood and just felt the need to help.
This man’s actions impacted me in a big way. Of course $200 wasn’t going to rebuild my house, but it did cover getting us pajamas, a change of clothes, toothbrushes, and other essentials that we needed immediately, as well as a hot meal, with some left to spare. Most importantly, it gave me one less thing to worry about at the moment.
Moving forward, I want to be more like that guy. Offering thoughts and prayers through Facebook when people go through tragedies is nice, but actually being present and offering assistance is what makes a difference. Thanks, stranger!
Operation Abscam was the sting of the decade. In 1978, the FBI set up a fake company to snare New York gangsters selling stolen art. The company was called “Abdul Enterprise” hence the name Ab(dul)Scam, and owned by a fake Arab Sheik looking to invest in art.
They recovered two paintings worth 1 million dollars, and during the operation they were introduced to more criminals dealing in stolen stocks and bonds, which stopped 600 million dollars in fraudulent securities.
It was through this operation they were introduced to politicians willing to take bribes. The sting brought the FBI to Washington DC, where their criminal contacts introduced them to shady politicians willing to take bribes for the Sheiks business which was a fake Casino in Atlantic City.
These politicians wanted to arrange a meeting between the Sheik and a US congressman who could make happen any private legislation the Sheik wanted for the price of 50,000 dollars.
This led to the arrest of one senator, six congressmen, and more than a dozen corrupt officials.
The sting was surrounded in controversy because it raised many question regarding the FBI tactics being considered entrapment.
This infamous sting was the inspiration behind the movie American Hustle.
This Cat Was Left Behind When His Owner Moved Away | The Dodo
Citibank. Went to the bank to deposit a ~$26k check into a checking account with many times that amount, then pay my credit card bill which had all the charges from a 15-day Disney vacation.
They deposited the check, but put a ‘hold’ on it, making only $100 of the balance available. Then they debited my checkbook, to pay the CC balance in full.
About a week later the statement arrived. The CC was paid in full, ~48 hours before it was due, but somehow managed to accrue >$100 in interest charges. — First time for that.
The checking account also generated about a dozen overdraft charges despite the balance never dropping below $100k! — It’s not like there was a six-figure minimum balance on that account.
And to top it off, every one of my $25k 7-day certificates of deposit forfeited their interest for the week that included that fiasco.
I went to the branch on the next business day. I waited patiently in the line for the teller. When I got to the window, I quietly explained that they had messed up. The teller *insisted* that they followed procedure. I asked for the manager to come out and explain their procedure in more detail.
I listened to 5+ minutes or doubletalk in stony silence. The manager finally saying he could reverse the charges & credit the interest “… this one time as a courtesy.” I allowed him to proceed and complete the tasks.
When I had the corrected receipts in my hand, and in my wallet, I said to him: “Now I want you to close all of my accounts.” There was indignity & quite anger in his face.
He asked me to step aside into his office. I politely declined saying that until you hand over my money, I’m still a customer. I waited 45 minutes in your line and I’m not giving up my spot so you can hide me away from the people who are still in line. I think they deserve to know how badly you treated me, and maybe some of them will get the idea to leave the bank too.
He tried to maneuver me away from the window. I refused to budge. He tried empty threats, even up to calling the police. I told him go ahead. I have witnesses. Then I said, he *SHOULD* call the police because I want my funds in *CASH*.
He then tried to explain how that much cash would generate a CTR, and I’d be investigated by the IRS. I said, that’s fine. I’m clean, you’re dirty. I welcome the sunlight.
Within an hour I walked out of the bank with a thick manilla envelope under my arm and was walked to my car by the armed security guard. I had informed the manager that my safety was *HIS* personal responsibility until I drove off the bank property. The reason was that because of his incompetence, several people in the lobby *KNEW* that I would be leaving the branch carrying substantial cash, and that the potential for me being robbed once I walked out the door was non-zero.
I left the parking lot and drove to the First Union branch nearer my house, asked for the branch manager, told him a short version of what had just transpired, and in less than 30 minutes walked out with a brand-new leather-bound checkbook, and started earning 0.25% more interest on my money.
—
I had been increasingly frustrated with Citibank in the months leading up to that fiasco. To be fair, it was their electronic banking that had lured me into doing business with them in the first place. Their systems integrated with Quicken better than any other I had used up to that point. BTW this all happened between September 1997 & August 1999. The Disney vacation was from the last day of school in June 1999 thru the 8th or 9th of July. It was a big deal for the kids when we pulled them from school early that day and they got to say to their classmates “I’m going to Disney!”
So, literally every time I visited the Citibank branch to conduct business, I walked out feeing like something was wrong. They always did things out of order from the way I presented them to the teller. It was mildly frustrating most of the time. Irritating on many occasions; and maddening when I’d make large deposits & purchase one or more of their $25k 7-day CDs. The $25k CDs were nice because although they were illiquid for the first 14 days after the 2-week hold the most I could forfeit was the interest on the last week — in theory. There were a number of occasions when they would deduct 8 or more days of interest, when I cashed more than one at a time. I’d get to the office, plug the amounts into Quicken and there would be a ‘discrepancy’. That necessitated another trip to the bank to get it corrected. Or a phone call and an up to 60 day wait.
The bank offered these products to attract deposits. They worked, but they inevitably tried to cheat me out of hundreds if not thousands of dollars in interest earned. But in all candor it was the $400plus in *OVERDRAFT* charges on a well-funded account that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Several years ago Costco ended their arrangement with American Express and switched to Citi. I wasn’t happy. But they gave me a new Blue card with my Costco photo on the back. I only used the card at Costco. And each February I’d await my ‘love check’ aka “My Costco Rewards Voucher”. It usually came by April.
About a year ago, I hadn’t been to Costco for a while and so the automatic $50 payments I made to avoid any possibility of a missed payment fee had accumulated. I had visited Costco on the 92nd day following my last bill and the charge was less than $150. But true to form, the bank had cut me an unrequested paper check on the 91st day (supposedly) recorded the charge on day 92, then hit me with a $35 late fee for not receiving another check before the close of the 3rd statement! Can you imagine?
That was the last time I used the Citi card for *ANYTHING* — except… Now, when I go to Costco, I show the Citi card to prove my membership, but I pay with my Chase. Then when I finish shopping, I stop at the lunch counter and buy a Costco signature Hotdog & Pepsi for $1.50 which comes to $1.61 with the tax. When I return home, I schedule a ebill-pay check to be sent to the bank 15 business days later.
And lastly, I disabled electronic statements, forcing them to send me a paper invoice for $1.61 each month. I did this when they failed to send me an email statement or notification then had the nerve to again charge me $35 after a minor error on my part that had left me with a $0.50 *CREDIT* balance which I was allowing to roll from month to month. That was until the bank decided that since the credit was less than $1.00 they were entitled to absorb it and not issue me a check. They also absorbed my then insignificant Rewards balance ~$5.00 as a co-consequence of the late fee assessed. That too earned them another phone call and cost them >90 minutes of agent time, and a replenishment of the rewards balance.
In 2022 my accrued rewards were $0.12 I don’t expect a voucher, but I will call them to inquire why it wasn’t sent. Come to think of it It’s May 16th. I think I’ll do it tomorrow morning.
We need to ACKNOWLEDGE China IS SUPERIOR in these areas
That’s Rule No 1
…
You have nutters who claim we have nothing to learn from China and if these people are the majority than India will be the perpetual loser like always
We built so many toilets, We built so many trains, IMF says we are No 1, ABC says we are No 2 etc etc
India is a country where mediocrity dominates
…
The Cream is in US or UK or Canada or Australia or Europe or Singapore or Malaysia
Achievers think differently
They always look at others strengths and decide to incorporate them and grow and develop
Mediocrities think differently
They bury their heads in the sand, and keep quoting random nonsense to feel good
India sadly belongs to the latter groups
Thus Rule No 1 is to say
Alright these are Chinas strengths, these are Chinas weaknesses
Let’s try to achieve Chinas strengths without going into Chinas weaknesses
The Basic Truth
China and India started together in 1982 and today China is six times larger
That is a truth that’s out there
That means China did something right or infinitely better than us
That means China has to be superior to us in many areas
That’s Logic
We have the same populace at the end of the day
We don’t have a single viable achievement where we have beaten China
Not one
So obviously China did something better
How many actually say this?
Say that – Wow!!! China is indeed better than us in so many aspects. Let’s learn from them.
My guess is very few
Most of us can’t accept this very basic thing
So this answer isn’t for an Indian sadly
Indians today aren’t built to assess others strengths and evaluate the same
Nopes
The West: China Is Collapsing!
Great video! Some people choose to be so ignorant of China even when there are so many vlogs of those exploring the country.
This is worth viewing.
The Split In Israel And The War Of Al-Aqsa
What is the reason for the ‘Al-Aqsa Deluge’, as Hamas had named its terror operation against the Zionists?
On October 8 Alastair Crooke, one of most experienced Middle East hands, wrote in AlMahadeen:
“Israel” has shattered into two equally weighted factions holding to two irreconcilable visions of “Israel’s” future; two mutually opposing readings of history and of what it means to be Jewish.
The fissure could not be more complete. Except it is. One faction, which holds a majority in parliament, is broadly Mizrahi — a former underclass in Israeli society; and the other, largely well-to-do liberal Ashkenazi.
Mizrahi are mostly the original Middle Eastern Jews and often on the religious far right, Ashkenazi are mostly liberal European ones. The current Netanyahoo government is the first which includes far-right Mizrahi ministers.
Most Mizrahi follow the Sephardi religious rites. They want an religious state based on Jewish law. They are as radial as ISIS.
The high court of Israel has 14 Ashkenazi judges and one Mizrahi one. It is one of the reasons why the Netanyahoo government wants the parliament to be able to vote down high court judgements. There have been large, U.S. sponsored ‘regime change’ protests in Israel against that move. The leaders of the military and security services, mostly Ashkenazi, have also opposed the government move against the court.
I therefore think that it is quite possible that there was intelligence pointing to the Hamas attack, but that it was not revealed to let Netanyahoo fall into a trap. We have however no evidence that there were reasonably precise intelligence warnings, or that they were held up.
There are already demands for Netanyahoo to go. If only for his long term sponsoring of Hamas as a counterweight to the more secular Fatah Palestinians. Should he no longer be prime minister the courts will take up the three bribe cases against him which are currently pending. He would likely end up in jail.
Another reason for Hamas’ success was the fact that three of the four infantry battalions, with 800 soldiers each, that usually guard the Gaza strip, had been moved to the West Bank to protect right-wing Zionist settlers during a religious holiday. This allowed for Hamas’ easy breach of the fence.
Well, the Right in Netanyahu’s government has two long-standing commitments. One is to rebuild the (Jewish) Temple on ‘Temple Mount’ (Haram al-Shariff).
Just to be clear, that would entail demolishing Al-Aqsa.
The second overriding commitment is to the founding of “Israel”, on the “Land of Israel”. And again, to be clear, this (in their view) would entail clearing Palestinians from the West Bank. Indeed, the settlers have been cleansing Palestinians from swaths of the West Bank over the past year (notably between Ramallah and Jericho).
On Thursday morning (two days preceding Al-Aqsa Flood), more than 800 settlers stormed the Mosque Compound, under the full protection of Israeli forces. The drumbeat of such provocations is rising.
This is nothing new. The First Intifada was triggered by (then) PM Sharon making a provocative visit into the mosque. I was a part of Senator George Mitchell’s Presidential Committee investigating that incident. Even then, it was clear that Sharon intended the visit to fuel the fire of religious nationalism. At that time, the Temple Mount Movement was a minnow; today it has ministers in Cabinet and in key security positions — and has promised its followers to build the ‘Third Temple’.
So, the threat to Al-Aqsa has been building for two decades, and today is reaching an apex. And yet US and Israeli intelligence didn’t see resistance coming, and nor did they see the settler violence building in the West Bank?
What happened on Saturday was widely expected and clearly extensively planned.
There is by the way no archaeologic evidence, none, that a Jewish ‘Temple’ ever existed in Jerusalem. If it did, it was most likely not on the hill of Al-Aqsa but one of the six other ones.
Al-Aqsa is holy to all Muslims, Shia and Sunni alike. Its destruction would inevitably lead to war. The West is clearly underestimating what forces calls like this one can rise:
Friday sermon from the Grand Mosque in Mecca prays for the “liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque” in Jerusalem.
This is significant for two reasons: • Audience of 2 billion Muslims. • Such sermons have been significantly censored under MBS. Today’s sermon was likely pre-approved. Video
Israel has used White Phosphorus on the people in Gaza, another war crime. Israel has given all people in north Gaza, 1.1 million human beings, 24 hours to move to south Gaza. That is impossible and will not happen. It is an attempt of ethnic cleansing.
If there were two million Jewish people trapped by Christians in a giant open-air prison and placed under total siege, being told that half of them had 24 hours to relocate into the other half or be killed, nobody would have any confusion about what they were witnessing.
If Israel makes, as announced, a ground attack on Gaza, Hizbullah in Lebanon is likely to attack Israel. The U.S. has allegedly let Syria know (via France) that Damascus, and President Assad personally, would be attacked if that were to happen. This is a miscalculation. It is far from certain that Assad, or even Iran, has the means to hold Hizbullah back.
A U.S. attack on the government of Syria would bring Russia into the war. Iran would also respond which is exactly what some of the neocons want.
The war could easily escalate further from there.
Posted by b on October 13, 2023 at 15:46 UTC | Permalink
Wife Self-Deletes After Husband Discovers All 4 Kids Aren’t His
I live in a wealthy suburb on the outskirts of Silicon Valley in California; trees, flowers, birds, mostly nice neighbors of diverse backgrounds. On the surface, it seems a wonderful place to live, and in many respects, it is, however, if I look out my front window, I see this:
image 172
The electricity is distributed via overhead lines, due to an underinvestment in infrastructure: last month, I lost power for over 36 hours because it got a little windy (the world headquarters of Apple, Facebook, and Google are within a ten mile radius of my place). When I ride my bike to the local supermarket this evening, I will have to be careful not to slip on a large and growing patch of gravel on a road that hasn’t been repaired for many years: this, in one of the wealthiest parts of the wealthiest country in the world.
image 80
The above is a map of the SF Bay area, a densely populated part of California with an almost continuous ring of urban development. As you would expect, the traffic can be pretty bad, so you might expect that there would be a single circular light rail system linking the many cities around the bay; there is not: if I want to travel from my place to Fremont by rail alone, the quickest way with the most frequent service is via San Francisco. US infrastructure is truly abysmal.
Why is America in such poor shape, with its crumbling roads, crappy power distribution, and pitiful public transport systems? It is because Americans have been propagandized for decades into believing that “liberty” is the ultimate virtue, and this “liberty” is so valuable that it justifies the cost of living as a selfish asshole under a dysfunctional government. “Raise taxes to pay for public infrastructure?” “Jeez Louise; over my dead body! Taxation is theft, government is bad!” For much of the 20th century, America defined itself against the collectivist USSR, and the fatuous argument was made that since everything was under the control of the state in the USSR, the US government should do as little as possible, apart from outspending the evil Commies in national defense.
The infrastructure is just one symptom of America’s degradation: the streets of major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles are filling up with homeless drug addicts, leaving the sidewalks littered with tents, needles, and human waste. Next to nothing is done for these people because it is seen as “their problem” that they are mentally ill, and lack access to mental health services and affordable housing. The irony is that there are so many of these people now that they have become everyone’s problem. Retailers in downtown SF are closing down their stores because the conditions in the streets are keeping paying customers away, whilst the cops barely regard shoplifting as a crime.
2023 10 19 08 53
The only way this person lying on the ground can guarantee access to shelter and minimal medical care is to go to jail. Land of the free…
The US is run by an oligarchy of libertarian fantasists, who have spent so long sucking hallucinogenic bile from the withered teats of Ayn Rand that they have lost all contact with reality. The government is not entirely to blame for the current situation; a lot of the social problems are the result of the narcissistic counter culture that started in the 1960s, but now that these problems are getting worse, the question is, can the government continue to pretend that they don’t exist, or that there is somehow a “free market” solution to mass shootings, drug addiction, and homelessness?
Living in my little enclave, with its fragile electricity supply, and crumbling roads, it’s easy for my neighbors and I to think that things aren’t so bad, but in under an hour, I can travel to SF and see scenes exactly like the one in the last photo. Whilst people are constantly harping on about whether the Democrats or the Republicans are better or worse than each other, they are ignoring the fact that both parties have done nothing to seriously address the severe decay that is undeniably afflicting America’s social and physical fabric.
Edit: My apologies to those who may have wished to leave reasonable and informed comments; I got tired of being notified of comments that were rude and stupid, and there are already plenty of comments in the thread that disagree with my point of view.
Edit 2: There appears to be evidence that it was uninsulated overhead powerlines, such as the ones in my photo, which led to the fires in Maui, which killed hundreds of people.
He himself was a salesman at our local Ford dealership back in the 1960’s. He was a good and honest man. Around 1967 he had several customers reject the deals he was making with them and instead buy cars from another dealership about an hour away, in Amarillo, thinking that they were getting a much better deal. However what was really happening was that other dealership was quoting them a lower initial purchase price but “making it up” with their financing interest rates. Several times, when they came back and talked with my uncle to tell him that they’d “beat his price”, he showed them how they were going to end up paying a lot more for their purchase than they would have with him once all the finance costs were considered, and they got angry about how they’d been tricked, but of course then it was too late.
So, one day he made a trip to Amarillo to that other dealership and posed as something of a ‘rube’ customer. He started trying to make a deal on a new 1967 Ford Mustang coupe, 289 V8, 3-speed manual. Ford called the color “Dusk Rose” but to look at it, it was obviously “Pepto Bismol pink”. He played the usual games with the salesman, going back and forth “to check with his manager” and all that. (As an aside here, if you’ve ever wondered if sales offices are bugged so that they can hear the private conversations that happen while they’re out of the room, you can stop wondering now. They are. What they’re actually doing when they go “talk to their manager” is running a credit check on you to find out if you’re “worth their time” and listening in. They like nothing more than to have a couple in their office and hear that one of them “is in love with” the car they’re considering. They know they’ve won at that point.)
Anyway, my uncle took advantage of all that back and forth, took advantage of what he knew was the actual dealer cost of the car, took advantage of the bug, “talked to himself” while the salesman was gone about how much he liked the car and hoped he could get a good price, and kept at it until the salesman offered to sell him the car at a price that my uncle knew was hundreds less than what the car had actually cost the dealer. The salesman wrote down the deal, and my Uncle Bill reached over and snagged the paper.
Salesman, as he reached into a desk drawer to get the finance agreement forms: “Mr. Garrett? How much would you like to pay down on this car today?”
Uncle Bill: “Oh, I’ll just pay the full price in cash. Right now. No trade in.”
Salesman, now flustered and getting angry: “But you kept haggling about price and wanting it lower!”
Uncle Bill: “I never said I couldn’t afford it, I just said I didn’t want to pay that much.”
The salesman, and the dealership, were so mad at him that they practically threw the keys at him and refused even to wash the car for him prior to delivery. Uncle Bill paid for it and drove it home.
Back then, in our small town, everyone knew “the pink Mustang” and thought it was funny/ugly. Turns out, that Dusk Rose color was very rare and only a very few of them were built (gee I wonder why?) – but documented originals are quite valuable now.
I miss him.
Leaked CIA Documents REVEALED China Has Powerful SPACE WEAPONS
The Chinese Space Program has often found itself at the centre of allegations and accusations, primarily originating from the United States. More recently, the international community was stirred by the disclosure of a classified document, which brought to light China’s formidable space capabilities, notably featuring a device that can be referred to as a ‘satellite hijacker’—an asset reportedly within China’s grasp. Today’s episode will cover a leaked CIA documents contents and a potential arms race in space.
Im an African American male, okay? I come from the DEPTHS of the hood. In the hood, we don’t eat this. In my culture, we don’t eat this.
Well when I graduated college, I moved to Austin Texas. I have a Caucasian wife, okay? She always talked about this. Her family talked about it and even random people. I was like ummm how good can this be because it sounds pretty gross.
One night, 8 years ago, we made it for dinner. And just know that 8 years later, im still dipping my grill cheese in tomato soup at least 4 times a month.
My grandmother, who is now 96, marched out of Auschwitz in broad daylight after taking off her striped uniform and changing into normal clothes.
A Polish friend who worked in the camp as a secretary and wasn’t corrupted by the racist propaganda had risked her own life to bring her the outfit.
Out she walked, past guards with rifles, attack dogs, and hatred so intense it would make your skin crawl with fear.
Her parents, and almost all living relatives, weren’t as fortunate.
The rest of the war, she spent in hiding.
“At that time,” she explained to me during a recent visit, “we couldn’t set goals, let alone pursue them. We were deprived of our agency, of freedom.”
That’s why she always encouraged me to go as far as possible in life.
Because the highest form of freedom— the ability to actualize your dreams, to create a life of meaning, purpose, and wellbeing—is not something to be taken lightly.
Whatever you choose to do with yours, never forget that it’s a gift of the greatest magnitude.
Parents Took $120k Loan On My Name To Fund Spoiled Sister Studies & Claimed It’s My Responsibility
His family STOLE HIS money. They needed to pay it back.
Pro-Israel Propaganda Is Stupid
It is somewhat amazing how low the quality of western propaganda has become. Especially when it relates to hobbyhorses like Israel.
Here is NBCnews testing not only the stupidity of its viewers and readers but also demonstrating the fatuity of its ‘journalists’.
Documents exclusively obtained by NBC News show that Hamas created detailed plans to target elementary schools and a youth center in the Israeli kibbutz of Kfar Sa’ad, to “kill as many people as possible,” seize hostages and quickly move them into the Gaza Strip.
The attack plans, which are labeled “top secret” in Arabic, appear to be orders for two highly trained Hamas units to surround and infiltrate villages and target places where civilians, including children, gather. Israeli authorities are still determining the death toll in Kfar Sa’ad.
The documents were found on the bodies of Hamas terrorists by Israeli first responders and shared with NBC News. They include detailed maps and show that Hamas intended to kill or take hostage civilians and school children.
One page labeled “Top Secret” outlines a plan of attack for Kfar Sa’ad, saying “Combat unit 1” is directed to “contain the new Da’at school,” while “Combat unit 2” is to “collect hostages,” “search the Bnei Akiva youth center” and “search the old Da’at school.”
The attack happened in the early hours of October 7, a Saturday.
What do Zionist children do on a Sabbath, before dawn? Are they sitting in school? Do they visit a youth center?
If Hamas terrorists maneuvered around schools to kill children they came at the wrong time and the wrong day.
At least to me that does not seem to be the most plausible explanation for their carefully planned operation.
The Israeli army is going all in. The plan is to push all people in Gaza into the desert of Sinai:
“This is thought out… There is a huge expanse, almost endless space in the Sinai desert, just on the other side of Gaza. … The idea is for them to leave over for the open areas where we, and the international community, will prepare the infrastructure, ten cities, with food and water… just like for the refugees of Syria that fled the butchering of Asad…. There is a way to receive them all on the other side for temporary time on [sic.] Sinai… and Egypt will have to play ball.”
That is from an ex-deputy foreign minister of Israel. If he says “for temporary time” he likely means centuries.
There are clashes in the West Bank where Israel is trying to incite a third intifada. Some 43 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank over the last six days. Nine of them during the last 24 hours. There are also clashes and artillery exchanges along the boarder with Lebanon.
Posted by b on October 14, 2023 at 13:39 UTC | Permalink
Girls Standing In The Middle of Tokyo to Sell Themselves.. Japan Has A Serious Developing Problem.
Why are so many young women in Japan recently “standing” in the middle of Tokyo? We find the answer to this question through the story of Yuka in this video, and the important message of takeaway in which this alarming phenomenon has for all of us, when visiting, or considering any social issues regarding Japan.
https://youtu.be/yo3IUSfTiMY
The Split In Israel And The War Of Al-Aqsa
What is the reason for the ‘Al-Aqsa Deluge’, as Hamas had named its terror operation against the Zionists?
On October 8 Alastair Crooke, one of most experienced Middle East hands, wrote in AlMahadeen:
“Israel” has shattered into two equally weighted factions holding to two irreconcilable visions of “Israel’s” future; two mutually opposing readings of history and of what it means to be Jewish.
The fissure could not be more complete. Except it is. One faction, which holds a majority in parliament, is broadly Mizrahi — a former underclass in Israeli society; and the other, largely well-to-do liberal Ashkenazi.
Mizrahi are mostly the original Middle Eastern Jews and often on the religious far right, Ashkenazi are mostly liberal European ones. The current Netanyahoo government is the first which includes far-right Mizrahi ministers.
Most Mizrahi follow the Sephardi religious rites. They want an religious state based on Jewish law. They are as radial as ISIS.
The high court of Israel has 14 Ashkenazi judges and one Mizrahi one. It is one of the reasons why the Netanyahoo government wants the parliament to be able to vote down high court judgements. There have been large, U.S. sponsored ‘regime change’ protests in Israel against that move. The leaders of the military and security services, mostly Ashkenazi, have also opposed the government move against the court.
I therefore think that it is quite possible that there was intelligence pointing to the Hamas attack, but that it was not revealed to let Netanyahoo fall into a trap. We have however no evidence that there were reasonably precise intelligence warnings, or that they were held up.
There are already demands for Netanyahoo to go. If only for his long term sponsoring of Hamas as a counterweight to the more secular Fatah Palestinians. Should he no longer be prime minister the courts will take up the three bribe cases against him which are currently pending. He would likely end up in jail.
Another reason for Hamas’ success was the fact that three of the four infantry battalions, with 800 soldiers each, that usually guard the Gaza strip, had been moved to the West Bank to protect right-wing Zionist settlers during a religious holiday. This allowed for Hamas’ easy breach of the fence.
Well, the Right in Netanyahu’s government has two long-standing commitments. One is to rebuild the (Jewish) Temple on ‘Temple Mount’ (Haram al-Shariff).
Just to be clear, that would entail demolishing Al-Aqsa.
The second overriding commitment is to the founding of “Israel”, on the “Land of Israel”. And again, to be clear, this (in their view) would entail clearing Palestinians from the West Bank. Indeed, the settlers have been cleansing Palestinians from swaths of the West Bank over the past year (notably between Ramallah and Jericho).
On Thursday morning (two days preceding Al-Aqsa Flood), more than 800 settlers stormed the Mosque Compound, under the full protection of Israeli forces. The drumbeat of such provocations is rising.
This is nothing new. The First Intifada was triggered by (then) PM Sharon making a provocative visit into the mosque. I was a part of Senator George Mitchell’s Presidential Committee investigating that incident. Even then, it was clear that Sharon intended the visit to fuel the fire of religious nationalism. At that time, the Temple Mount Movement was a minnow; today it has ministers in Cabinet and in key security positions — and has promised its followers to build the ‘Third Temple’.
So, the threat to Al-Aqsa has been building for two decades, and today is reaching an apex. And yet US and Israeli intelligence didn’t see resistance coming, and nor did they see the settler violence building in the West Bank?
What happened on Saturday was widely expected and clearly extensively planned.
There is by the way no archaeologic evidence, none, that a Jewish ‘Temple’ ever existed in Jerusalem. If it did, it was most likely not on the hill of Al-Aqsa but one of the six other ones.
Al-Aqsa is holy to all Muslims, Shia and Sunni alike. Its destruction would inevitably lead to war. The West is clearly underestimating what forces calls like this one can rise:
Friday sermon from the Grand Mosque in Mecca prays for the “liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque” in Jerusalem.
This is significant for two reasons: • Audience of 2 billion Muslims. • Such sermons have been significantly censored under MBS. Today’s sermon was likely pre-approved. Video
Israel has used White Phosphorus on the people in Gaza, another war crime. Israel has given all people in north Gaza, 1.1 million human beings, 24 hours to move to south Gaza. That is impossible and will not happen. It is an attempt of ethnic cleansing.
If there were two million Jewish people trapped by Christians in a giant open-air prison and placed under total siege, being told that half of them had 24 hours to relocate into the other half or be killed, nobody would have any confusion about what they were witnessing.
If Israel makes, as announced, a ground attack on Gaza, Hizbullah in Lebanon is likely to attack Israel. The U.S. has allegedly let Syria know (via France) that Damascus, and President Assad personally, would be attacked if that were to happen. This is a miscalculation. It is far from certain that Assad, or even Iran, has the means to hold Hizbullah back.
A U.S. attack on the government of Syria would bring Russia into the war. Iran would also respond which is exactly what some of the neocons want.
The war could easily escalate further from there.
Posted by b on October 13, 2023 at 15:46 UTC | Permalink
Originally Answered: What would happen if a high ranking Admiral or General visited a Military base without telling anyone first and didn’t like how things were being done there?
Admiral Rickover no-notice visited a nuclear boat in civilian clothing, was admitted, and began touring the boat. As he approached the reactor room a second class (E-5) stopped him from entering.
When the Admiral went to push past the man, he picked up a very large wrench and offered to split the Admiral’s head open.
Later 0, during a post-tour discussion, the Admiral asked the sailor if he recognized him (the Father of the Nuclear Navy) and if so, why the young sailor wouldn’t let the Admiral enter the reactor room.
The sailor said “Because, sir, you didn’t have the boat’s Reactor Room badge. No one comes into my reactor room without the proper pass, not even you.”
The next day the young man was spot promoted to E-6.
I was told this story by a roommate that was an MS1 (cook) on the boat at the time.
The key sentences in the Analects are:子罕： 無意無必無固無我：Have no preconceptions, do not insist on a certain course of action, don’t be obstinate, keep your ego out of things. The other one is: 里仁：君子之於天下也無適也無莫也義之與比：There is nothing in the world you have to be for, there is nothing in the world you have to be against; the only standard is what is appropriate for the situation at hand.
These were balanced by 禮 cultural standards. You should maintain a balance between 智仁勇 thinking, feeling (kindness), and courage. In all matters, 中庸 keep a balance, don’t go off far ends, never become an extremist.
In a nutshell, that’s it. I could go on for days, but that gives you the key points.
A large group of Russian soldiers in the border area in 1939 are moving down a road when they hear a voice call from behind a small hill:
“One Finnish soldier is better than ten Russian”.
The Russian commander quickly orders 10 of his best men over the hill where a gun battle breaks out and continues for a few minutes, then silence.
The voice once again calls out: “One Finn is better than one hundred Russian.”
Furious, the Russian commander sends his next best 100 troops over the hill, and instantly a huge gunfight commences. After 10 minutes of battle, again Silence.
The calm Finnish voice calls out again: “One Finn is better than one thousand Russians!”
The enraged Russian commander musters 1000 fighters and sends them to the other side of the hill.
Rifle fire, machine guns, grenades, rockets, and cannon fire ring out as a terrible battle is fought…
Then silence.
Eventually, one badly wounded Russian fighter crawls back over the hill and with his dying words tells his commander:
“Don’t send any more men… it’s a trap. There’s two of them!
Pay no attention to criticism or to authors of lies. They wouldn’t be doing it if you hadn’t created something to make them jealous.
When people troll you, this means that you’re important. Pretend that you’re depressed, but smile inwardly because deep inside, you know that you’re somebody significant.
Have a good reason to put a smile on your face. Even when you’re hungry or broke, that’s not a good reason to frown, for you never know when your help is arriving.
Happiness can be faked. This is probably a good thing for your health because your subconscious mind can’t tell the difference.
You can probably tell who your best friends are since they’ll not be easy to find. However, you can easily tell who your fake friends are since they’ll bring themselves to you.
It’s important to connect with as many friends as possible, but the most important way to have inner peace is to connect with yourself.
Whatever happens in your life, try to remain as calm as possible, despite all that’s going on around you.
People who can control their emotions are stronger than fortresses. Most of the problems that take away our inner peace come from reacting to situations we shouldn’t react to.
Don’t look for internal peace externally, where everybody is looking. To have peace, you have to look for someone who already has it. Unfortunately, most people don’t have inner peace, so you must change your focus to rely on your internal resources.
Despite all the noise, there’s still a central place where you can find peace. The heart is a central place where you can find almost anything that needs to be found.
You will never have peace watching the daily news, for it is the bad news that sells for TV stations and makes a slave to negative news. A person who watches much TV will always wake up with a headache, hangover, or depression.
Happiness is the secret to inner peace. Avoid people or situations that deprive you of happiness.
Nothing is as infectious as a good laughter, yet most people want to look depressed for no particular reason. Why don’t you lock yourself in a room and laugh even when there’s no particular reason to laugh?
Whatever situation you find yourself in, there’s no good reason to lose hope. Hope is like advance payment on something valuable you’re eagerly awaiting.
In most cases, you have innate peace inside of you, but other people come and take it away through discouragement, bad news, and idle talk because they don’t have peace in the first place and they don’t feel comfortable when you have it.
When people tell you something negative, the best thing to do is to remain calm. Try to assess it, and if it doesn’t make sense ignore it. The worst thing you can do is to react to it, but the best thing you can do is to avoid negative people.
Inner peace is more valuable than all the peace in the world, because when you have it, you can think more clearly and know how to react to situations and problems.
The natural inclination for humans is to dominate and control others. Know that if you’re a person given to this instinct, you’re courting misery, unhappiness, and grief, for the same people you seek to control, will turn upon you and tear you apart, the moment they realize you’re also human.
The number one killer for peace of mind is when you lose sleep as a result of another person “getting there” quicker than you. No two people are the same. No two people have the same abilities, and no two people think the same way. Don’t feel jealous because someone else is succeeding where you failed. Instead, be happy for them and your own success will arrive faster than you think.
The number two killer for peace of mind is anger. Anger is like a tornado, destroying everything in it’s wake including you and your loved ones.
Pay attention to what you eat. Neurochemicals in the brain that control mood, peace of mind, love, happiness, anger, and other factors, depend on the kind of food you eat, your particular environment, and the people you live with. Changing any or all of these factors, can greatly boost your inner peace that you didn’t believe existed.
There’s a reason why people take a break. Although worrying your head off won’t solve any problem, you might find it reasonable to find a solitary place where you can spend time alone. Enjoying solitude, meditation, and prayer, especially where there’s a body of water like the sea, river, or lake, are great ways to get away from people and all the noise, mobile phones, internet, social media, and rejuvenate your life. Find time to connect with your soul, and understand better what’s ailing you.
The phrase that “music heals your soul” can’t be more true. I’d say that making music your close companion is a great way to relax, whether you’re depressed or not. Music relaxes the mind and body, soothes the nerves, recovers your lost energy and focus, and immunizes you from the stresses of life.
DID YOUTUBE SABOTAGE US? WHY IM CLOSING MY 808,000 SUBSCRIBER CHANNEL
A Turkish artilleryman lifts a 215 kilogram shell singlehanded for loading in a cannon. Corporal Seyit (Seyit Onbasi) is famous for having carried three 215 kg shells to an artillery gun during the Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles on 18 March 1915. Born in a village of Havran, he enlisted into the army in April 1909. After serving in the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 he was transferred to the forts defending the Mediterranean entrance to the Dardanelles. Following the heavy naval bombardment of the forts guarding the Narrows on March 18, 1915, the gun he was serving in the Mecidiye fort remained operational but its shell crane had been damaged. Seyit carried three 215 kg artillery shells up to the gun enabling it to continue firing on the attacking Allied fleet. One of the shells reputedly hit the British pre-dreadnought HMS Ocean, most probably contributing greatly to the repulse of the Allied naval assault.
After that Seyid was promoted to corporal and publicised as an iconic Turkish hero. He was discharged in 1918 and became a forester and later coal-miner. He took the surname Çabuk in 1934 with the passing of the Surname Law. He died of a lung disease in 1939. A statue of him carrying a shell was erected in 1992, just south of Kilitbahir Castle on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Edit: There are some skeptics who think that this story might have been invented for propaganda reasons. First of all, the Ottomans were not as sophisticated as the Allies or the USA regrading propaganda strategies. When it comes to propaganda, misinformation and psychological tactics for manipulating the masses, the Western countries are way ahead of the Turks. Secondly, the only eye witnesses were the few soldiers operating the gun. Nevertheless, according to military records, the crane of the canon was broken and the rounds fired. The battleship Ocean was hit by a cannon shell exactly at a position where it was facing this particular fort. (The picture was shot after the war, to imitate the moment.)
“What’s happening In the Middle East is Shocking…”
You see, when Trump imposed the Huawei Ban, China and Chinese entities were very concerned that they would be next
Thus they began stockpiling massive quantities of Chips & Semiconductor equipment
From 2020–2022 , China kept on buying Chips from the world though it’s demand thanks to the lockdown was down by almost 45%
That’s a huge chunk of chips purchased and equipment purchased between 2020–2022 when the total demand was far lesser both within China and outside China
Hence China has a Supply Glut of Chips & Semiconductor Equipment
This surplus has to be first utilized for China to begin placing orders again
Meanwhile China is also developing it’s own industry in Chips and Semiconductors
Thus the fall in imports is unlikely to be ever reversed
Imagine you’re the unlucky bastard who gets to be positioned behind the machine gun. While most of your brothers in arms have died long ago from climbing out of the trench, you remain shackled in place to provide them supporting fire, watching them each die in the process. What was once your childhood friend Richard presently sits motionless forty paces before you, in the middle of no mans land, tangled in a mess of barbed wire. The flies have largely left him alone by now.
At the same time, you get to fire endlessly at young men your age, of a different uniform, charging blindly towards you. You used to scream at the top of your lungs for them to turn back, to stop running forward. You stopped trying a few hundred kills back.
You’ve witnessed technological marvels unlike anything else you’ve ever seen before. Airplanes. Flamethrowers. Automobiles and tanks. And yet, just a few days ago, you saw your friends beat down an enemy using a primitive spike-covered club, like a caveman might.
Over the permanent ringing in your ears you gained from endless rounds fired and near misses of enemy grenades, you hear a corny, empty song of patriotism for the fourteenth time that day off of a distant gramophone. It’s words cruelly mock you anymore.
You’re covered in fine layers of semi-dried mud, thrown up in your face from a distant artillery hit. It’s the cleanest substance presently adorning your person. Your boots and wraps are wet from the blood, urine, and vomit. Some of it is your own. You can almost remember the last time you took a bath.
The cloth near your ankles has been shredded from the rats, who grow more brazen and hungry every day. The last one you saw was the size of an opossum, and took a nasty bite out of your left leg. Bartholomew, the man who helps feed bullets to your iron beast, stabbed it with his bayonet and tossed it in the pile: the sixteenth one he had killed that day alone.
Your nose has grown numb to the overwhelming odor. The winter season approaches, and everything’s become colder. All your aches and pains hurt more with the cold. Until now, things have been relatively dry, which means you have yet to drown in your own trench from the rainfall.
The sound of a shell impacting the ground crosses the land. The color of the air begins to turn a funny color again. You quietly put on your gas mask and hunch over your weapon. You first heard that this war would be over before Christmas. You then heard that this would be the war to end all wars. You now wonder if this war would ever end, or if it’d merely become the introductory section to the new era: the era of modern warfare.
Well, to start with, nobody in the world actually wants social justice.
There. I said it.
Okay, lots of people sincerely believe they want social justice; the people who say they want it aren’t lying, exactly. It’s way more complicated than that, and a lot happens between “I’d like to live in a just world” and “I am going to work to make a just world happen.”
Buckle up, this answer is gonna get loooooong.
Let’s start here: The real world is complicated. Really, really complicated. You might think getting your scanner/printer to work with Windows is complicated, but that’s peanuts compared to socioeconomic and geopolitical reality.
And people, even smart people, handle complexity poorly.
Topical case in point: What’s happening in Israel and Gaza right now.
If you want to understand what’s happening, you need to know quite a lot of history from the 1940s on. There’s a lot of “there” there: the Israeli offer, turned down by the Arabic population; the reasons Egypt and Jordan closed their borders to the Palestinians; the history of Hamas, which is both a terrorist organization and also a government (and before that, the Muslim Brotherhood); the way Egypt has deliberately played the Gaza refugees as political pawns…it’s complicated and ugly and no side has totally clean hands, but even understanding where the balance lies requires a pretty thorough history lesson…
…and oh God that’s, like, sooooooo complicated, whyyyyyyy can’t someone just tell me who the good guys are and who the bad guys are?
That’s the thing: a lot of people want to treat actual, real-world political situations like football matches or WWF wrestling, with a clearly defined good guy and a clearly defined bad guy, so they know who they’re supposed to root for.
Even people who start out genuinely, sincerely interested in social justice can easily get bogged down.
That’s the heartbreaking thing about, you know, empathy and compassion. When you sincerely want to leave the world in better shape than you found it, you soon find yourself fighting an uphill battle. Injustice doesn’t exist because someone woke up one day and said “Hey! You know what? I think I’ll be a dick to other people today!”
Injustice exists because entrenched economic, social, and political systems with roots thousands of years deep have entrenched ways of doing things because the people atop those systems benefit from doing things that way.
Fighting against that is hard. It grinds you down. However energetic and idealistic you were when you started, it pulverizes you.
Nobody has infinite time. Nobody has infinite energy.
Which is fine, except that most people want to believe themselves to be one of the good guys, on the side of Truth and Righteousness and Justice, even when we don’t want to—or can’t!—do the work of getting there. It’s not enough to say “You know what? I’m not informed enough about this to have a reasonable opinion.” Oh, no, no, we want to take sides but we don’t want to invest the time or labor in making sure we pick the right side.
We just want to know who to blame.
Knowing who the bad guy is helps define us as the good guy. If we’re against the bad guy, that makes us good, right? Right?
So what do we do?
We develop heuristics. Cognitive shortcuts. Quick and dirty rules of thumb to simplify complex situations and help guide them toward the ‘right’ team to root for. These fast and easy heuristics, at least in theory, cut through all the tedious drek of having to learn all that history and become informed of the goals and grievances of all the players and untangle a knotty and nuanced tangle that’s been all balled up for decades.
But here’s the thing:
Heuristics are not subtle. They’re fast intuitive guidelines that substitute for actual understanding. They feel right, but that doesn’t mean they are right.
Those heuristics—“believe women,” “always side with the most historically oppressed,” whatever they are—gradually become rules, then social tribal markers, then symbols of moral purity. Heuristics become adopted by tribes as ways to tell the in-group from the out-group. If you see a hashtag like #believewomen, you can probably make a pretty good guess about the politics of the person who subscribes to it.
Before long, it actually becomes morally wrong not to obey the heuristics.
Enforcing moral purity becomes a way to feel powerful, to feel like you’re accomplishing something, in the face of the overwhelming hopelessness and despair that comes from fighting an entrenched system day after day and ending each day with nothing to show for it.
What it feels like to care about justice
Say your crusade is animal welfare, for example. You’ve fought for years and what do you have to show for it? There are even more factory farms now than when you started. Consumption of animals is up, not down.
But then let’s say Bob, your staunch and stalwart ally, your comrade in arms, reveals that he’s not a vegan…he thinks it’s okay to eat fish. And…and…and eggs. And he wears leather belts.
You can’t end factory farming, you can’t stop the senseless slaughter of animals…but hey, you can rally the troops against Bob, because he betrayed the cause! You can destroyed his reputation and cast him out! Look! Look! You accomplished something!
This is inevitably what happens in social justice circles. We end up here because:
People want a morality simple enough to fit in a hashtag; and
Any morality simple enough to fit in a hashtag cannot capture reality, and therefore is rather limited as a tool to change reality.
People tend to think of “social justice” as a left thing, but this process knows no political bounds. Those on the right do it just as often—they simply don’t call it “social justice.”
But the same things still apply: they have a way they want the world to be; changing the world requires tremendous amounts of effort and work; people don’t have limitless resources; they fall back on simple rules to tell them who the good guys and bad guys are; those eimple rules become tribal markers; before long, it becomes morally unacceptable even to question those simple rules.
We see the world not at it is but as we are. We invent narratives to describe the world, and to tell us who the good guys are, and who we should be in order to think of ourselves as good. Anyone who can co-opt those narratives can control the lines between Us and Them, the boundaries that define our tribes.
So here we are. We’re terrible at nuance, we don’t have tome to get informed, so we let the hashtag mentality do the work for us.
The UK colonized many nations to procure the raw materials to fuel it’s empire worldwide
They enjoyed 80% of the cream and barely gave 20% to the Colonized Nations, of which 15% was taken back vide Taxes and Protection and payment for British Troops
Chinas BRI is a modified version of the same thing UK used to do but a fairer economic sharing platform
China gets Raw materials worldwide through the BRI to fuel it’s mammoth economy and production machine
However instead of the unfair British division, China enjoys maybe 60% of the cream and ensures 40% to the BRI Nations of which maybe 20% is taken back vide Infrastructure projects, Power Projects etc
This while Britain gave only 5% of the Cream to the Colonies, China gives 20%
And while Britain paid most of the Cream to Corpulent Rajahs and Maharajahs, China spends a lot on building Schools and Roads and Bridges
Plus China also uses BRI Countries to outsource it’s low grade manufacturing
Hence BRI is essentially a ‘You help me fuel myself and i help you grow’ mode of economics
Here are some stats from Chinas forum in 2023:-
China sources 66% Rare Earths vide the BRI and controls the Production
China controls between 30–45% of the Tungsten, Nickel, Copper and Mercury vide the BRI
China sources Wheat, Soybeans, Pork, Beef and Eggs vide the BRI
China supplies Chemicals, Machinery, Low Cost Goods, Medium Cost Goods, Textiles and Semi finished goods vide the BRI to various nations. Almost 70% of the supply of these come from China including Paper & Ink
Chinas Energy needs from Enriched Uranium, Uranium Ore, Oil, Gas come vide the BRI at an average discount of 31% from World market prices. Thus outside of interest, China saves at least $ 70 Billion a year on market prices
Thus Chinas BRI is definitely not a Utopian Charity
It is a business arrangement where Chinese win big time with supplies, raw materials, chance to invest their money and prevent accumulation & gain soft power
Yet the BRI nations in return get money from sales of goods plus a lot of modernization at minimum cost (China averages $ 2.19 Million per Mile against $ 17 Million for the US)
Its the best deal for BRI nations today if they want to grow
Best example is Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam which have all seen a CAGR of around 12.2% a year with the BRI over the past 10 year
26 out of 50 African Nations show a CAGR of 6% or more with BRI
Why Is Another Young American Woman Arrested And Jailed In Dubai ? A Critical Review.
Right now, there are at least 4 potential trigger points. Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, North Korea, and China. Any of these could flare up because of an accident or false narrative. WW2 had the Japanese taking a risk by attacking Pearl Harbor, but that was being fought by China much earlier than that. Vietnam was the Gulf of Tonkin false narrative by the US accusing Vietnam of attacking its destroyer. We stayed for 10 years and lost. Iraq was the infamous WMD that proved a false narrative by the US. Afghanistan was the witch hunt for Ben Laden that took 10 years and we stayed for 10 more years only to leave ignominiously. Ukraine is the invasion of Ukraine by Russia because the west continued to move east with NATO. All had reasons for the start of a conflict that potentially could have become much wider, most because of a false narrative by the US, leading one to suspect the US wanted a conflict.
Texas Beef Brisket
2023 10 19 08 47
Ingredients
4 pounds beef brisket
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 (10 ounce) can beef broth
Instructions
Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard and crushed bay leaf.
Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub.
Place in roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for one hour at 350 degrees F.
Add the beef broth and enough water to make 1/2 inch liquid in roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 hours or until fork tender.
Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain.
They see as a western nation hypocrisy. Screaming human rights but doing human wrongs. The see everything wrong about US and UK unilateral decisions. They decide to plant Jewish people in the middle if Arab land to do U.S. and western shit on Arabs and Muslim nations and the Palestinians must be happy about it.
The wonder why the people who truly own this land has to give it all up and agree to live as slaves and asylum seekers in their own lands. The Palestinians are the living in the world’s biggest open prison in a land they owned. Who the fxxk gives the US and UK to give something that don’t belong to them away!
The cannot understand why the west can be so foolish to think that Palestinian must be happy and contented in such a terrible outcome for them! Surely they ought to expect incidents like what happened if the Palestinians got a chance? Why do the west not expect that?
Blind? Foolish? Do they see Palestinian as sub humans? Like their African slaves? 4/5 of a human? Imagine instead of choosing Palestinian lands it choose Wales or Burgundy or Texas, will the people in these region accept their fate lying down? I doubt so.
I think they will do what Hitler does! Why do they think Palestinians must accept this fate!
Chinese people cannot understand why the west thinks it can get away with it. That is what the Chinese thinks! I think the Chinese is pragmatic and highly intelligent. They see an unworkable solution while the West thinks it can do what they wish!
Russia Signals The Unthinkable, U.S. Warns Iran, Oil Crisis Coming
Wing Dings
Wing Dings are a Texas specialty!
2023 10 28 12 37
Ingredients
1 cup beer
1/4 cup unsulphured dark molasses
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
Juice of 1 medium lime
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon aniseed, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 dozen chicken wings
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a large baking pan or dish.
Combine everything except the wings in a large, heavy pan. Simmer them over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, until they have reduced to a thick sauce.
While the sauce simmers, prepare the chicken wings.
With a butcher knife, remove the wing tips, then cut each wing in half at the joint.
Add the wings to the sauce, and stir to coat them.
Ladle the wings and the sauce into the baking dish.
Bake for 25 minutes, then stir the wings in the sauce.
Turn the heat up to 425 degrees F and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce glazes the wings.
Serve the wings hot with Ranch dressing, if desired.
US-backed Terrorism Targets Vietnam & Myanmar in Wider War on China
Two terrorist attacks this month (June 2023) in Southeast Asia have been carried out by groups backed by the United States government and its allies for decades;
This includes a singer murdered in Myanmar and a series of armed attacks carried out on police stations in Vietnam killing 9 including several civilians;
British state media, the BBC, and US government-funded media platform Radio Free Asia have attempted to spin and even justify this terrorism as part of a much wider pattern promoting and defending terrorism as a means to counter China’s rise and punish nations working closely with China;
The opposition in Myanmar has openly been backed by the US and UK for decades – fighting to reinstall Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy back into power;
In Vietnam, the ethnic Montagnards had fought alongside US invaders in the Vietnam War, and since then have worked closely with the US through the National Endowment for Democracy toward separatism;
Much of this context is omitted from Western state-media accounts of the terrorism;
Both Myanmar and Vietnam’s current governments have close relations with China. Vietnam, while depicted in the Western media as “anti-China,” has worked with China to build infrastructure within its borders and access Chinese rail projects to bring their products all the way to Europe;
US Encircling of China Explained
The US claims that it is not seeking conflict with China – but a look at what the US is doing all along China’s peripheries reveals the US is already in a conflict with China and has been for decades.
The US pursues this conflict – admittedly – not out of national security concerns, but to preserve what it itself calls its “primacy” in the Indo-Pacific region.
China’s New Maglev, High Speed Rail, & What it Means for Belt & Road Partners
China has unveiled a 600kph maglev train that will eventually be used on lines connecting China’s major cities. It is part of the nation’s much larger high speed rail (HSR) network.
I discuss China’s HSR network, the foresight required to implement such an ambitious infrastructure drive, and how the West is trying to foil it both within China’s borders and beyond them as HSR lines begin moving outward as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Bully or Builder? China Finishes Vietnam’s First Metro Train
While the Western media attempts to convince the world China is “bullying” its neighbors in Asia, upon closer examination it is clear it is instead building projects with its neighbors.
This includes with Vietnam which does have a complicated relationship with Beijing – but has not let that get in the way of progress – including cooperation in building the country’s first metro train.
China’s Laos High-Speed Railway is Already Delivering
The Western media continues its attack on China depicting the nation as a global threat. However, what the West says about China and what China itself is doing are two entirely different stories.
The high-speed railway being built between Kunming, China and Bangkok, Thailand is a perfect example of how China is helping the rest of Asia rise with it. The only thing being threatened by China and Asia’s rise is the West’s unwarranted influence over the rest of the globe.
Inflection EP20: China Builds Up ASEAN, the US Bullies it…
While the Western media insists China is a threat to global peace and prosperity, an objective look at China’s role in ASEAN development versus US coercion, political sedition, and even proxy conflict reveals the true threat to both Asia and the rest of the world.
Inflection is a weekly show featuring Angelo Giuliano and Brian Berletic, discussing recent headlines and in-depth discussion of topics shaping the shift from West to East and unipolarism to multipolarism.
Inflection EP23: As China Rises, Southeast Asia Rises
The US is obsessed with containing the rise of China. But China is not rising on its own. With its rise, all of Asia is rising with it.
The notion of the globe’s center of power shifting from West to East is at the heart of Washington, Wall Street, London, and Brussel’s growing desperation and aggression toward China – the engine of Asia’s rise.
Inflection is a weekly show featuring Angelo Giuliano and Brian Berletic, discussing recent headlines and in-depth discussion of topics shaping the shift from West to East and unipolarism to multipolarism.
The US Just Did Something CRAZY!
Biblical collapse coming to the West.
REFLECTION
“My parents were married for 55 years. One morning, my mom was going downstairs to make dad breakfast, she had a heart attack and fell. My father picked her up as best he could and almost dragged her into the truck. At full speed , without respecting traffic lights, he drove her to the hospital.
When he arrived, unfortunately she was no longer with us.
During the funeral, my father did not speak; his gaze was lost. He hardly cried.
That night, his children joined him. In an atmosphere of pain and nostalgia, we remembered beautiful anecdotes and he asked my brother, a theologian, to tell him where Mom would be at that moment. My brother began to talk about life after death, and guesses as to how and where she would be.
My father listened carefully. Suddenly he asked us to take him to the cemetery.
Dad!” we replied, “it’s 11 at night, we can’t go to the cemetery right now!”
He raised his voice, and with a glazed look he said:
“Don’t argue with me, please don’t argue with the man who just lost his wife of 55 years.”
There was a moment of respectful silence, we didn’t argue anymore. We went to the cemetery, we asked the night watchman for permission. With a flashlight we reached the tomb. My father caressed her, prayed and told his children, who watched the scene moved:
“It was 55 years… you know? No one can talk about true love if they have no idea what it’s like to share life with a woman.”
He paused and wiped his face. “She and I, we were together in that crisis. I changed jobs …” he continued. “We packed up when we sold the house and moved out of town. We shared the joy of seeing our children finish their careers, we mourned the departure of loved ones side by side, we prayed together in the waiting room of some hospitals, we support each other in pain, we hug each Christmas, and we forgive our mistakes… Children, now it’s gone, and I’m happy, do you know why?
Because she left before me. She didn’t have to go through the agony and pain of burying me, of being left alone after my departure. I will be the one to go through that, and I thank God. I love her so much that I wouldn’t have liked her to suffer…”
When my father finished speaking, my brothers and I had tears streaming down our faces. We hugged him, and he comforted us, “It’s okay, we can go home, it’s been a good day.”
That night I understood what true love is; It is far from romanticism, it does not have much to do with eroticism, or with sex, rather it is linked to work, to complement, to care and, above all, to the true love that two really committed people profess “.
Peace in your hearts.
You Won’t Believe What Ugandan Women Think About Black Americans
My African sisters looking beautiful and sounding intelligent. On another note, most human beings are unique so lumping a group of people into a stereotype isn’t always advantageous.
One day, Saskatchewan farmer Cecil George Harris was out in his field when his tractor got stuck. Unfortunately, while trying to extricate it, he got trapped beneath one of the tractor’s large wheels.
He wasn’t found for nine hours, by which time he was near death even though he was still conscious. He was taken to the hospital, but he died two days later.
The question was, how should his estate be handled. He had never gone to a lawyer to prepare a will.
But while lying there, trapped and knowing he was going to die, he had the foresight to scratch something into the fender of his tractor with his penknife.
In case I die in this mess I leave all to the wife, Cecil Geo. Harris.
The fender was entered into evidence in the probate court as a holograph (handwritten) will. It was approved for probate. The fender was stored for years in the county’s courthouse and instead of going to the archives it was sent to the University of Saskatchewan Law School for safekeeping, where it now appears.
Treat someone who’s never been treated well as a genuine human.
This Spring I had a few moments in New York City, and a bit of spare cash. Nothing too large that’ll make a difference, but an amount that could buy a meal at Halal Guys.
I saw a man having his head in his palms, sunken with the weight of the world around him. What most people never ever have to experience is having a social net you thought existed fall below you, and then continue falling in life without having a single moment to grasp or gain your balance. Things like this can really screw with any mental problems that may never have existed, and also create anxiety that comes with the insecurity of the most basic human support.
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Out of respect, I didn’t take Jake’s photo, but he looked like this
“Hi sir, what’s your name?” I asked him. He replied Jake, and whether I had any spare change.
I told him, “How about this. Let me get you something nice to eat. You must be cold out here by yourself, right? Does that sound good to you?” One thing I remember was how a lot of homeless people never eat food given to them as they don’t know if someone tapered it or poisoned it, which is a real concern.
“Bless you, sir. That’ll be amazing, thank you.” He replied
We went to Halal Guys and I learned that he was in the military, but he fell upon some hard times. He used to work as a mechanic of sorts but lost it all in a divorce and “money mismanagement”. He didn’t have a family to really go back to so tried to find work in New York but couldn’t and ended up on the street. He told me he was planning to leave soon, and I kept on listening to what he was saying.
I think the look on his face as I got him chicken over rice was something that I rarely see in people, which is a form of gratitude you can never express unless someone lends you a hand as you fall through every social net.
I told him I had to catch a train, but he shook my hand and kept saying “God took you to me, sir. Bless you, bless you.”
Now, regardless of whether his story was true, it doesn’t really matter. I knew this man had to fight off his own demons.
There’s a word in Russian called umilinie (умиление) which roughly translates to “tenderness”. My professor once called the tenderness “melting of the heart”, and that’s what the other man felt at the moment.
I had given him one moment of peace as a human being, and that was all I cared about. When you treat someone well who usually doesn’t and give them some of your time, you’ll truly see someone’s heart melt from a moment of humanity.
Last Gasp of Western Hegemony
The US-NATO group are drowning in debt. The ability to wage war is limited by their debt. They have no military industrial capacity, just corruption. Russia and China are free of debt and have extreme advantage in any war.
As long as it is win win for China and for the U.S. China will sign a deal. But the U.S. cannot say you must buy what we like to sell you and you must sell everything we want at a dirt cheap prices and pay us in dollar!
The U.S. says your products cannot be spied on but we have a right to spy on each and every one of your phone!
The U.S. says when the U.S. introduce G1 to G4 you must trust us blindly but when China build G5 we must not only use your initiative but we will forced everyone else to stop using you too!
The U.S. says you must make all simple chip products and sell it to us as dirt cheap prices and we sell you cars and planes at astronomical prices and don’t you dare make these products!
To China this is wrong and unfair so it’s says go sell to one of your cronies. No thanks U.S.! China say over our dead body will we listen to you! China do what is good for China and the Chinese people. And it will always do so. If you don’t like it tough! Go bang your head against the wall!
The state of Virginia has a “Standards of Learning” end of grade testing, called SOL’s (yeah, that’s what I thought too).
Anyway, my nephew was taking the test (or a practice test that uses old questions) that asked what the Native Americans foraged for in the spring. The answer wasn’t there.
My sister happens to specialize in edible native plant of the Blue Ridge Mountains. My nephew not only knew what was growing in the spring in Virginia, but he could name them and find them in the wild.
His answer was counted wrong and the correct answer, according to the State of Virginia, was berries. My sister asked the school system to identify just one berry that ripens in Virginia in the spring. They couldn’t.
Edit: I was a CTE high school teacher for a little while (Career & Technical Education) and I certainly got things wrong. Everyone does. But I would share the correct answer, apologize if I felt it necessary, and if it was something graded, I would change the grade. I also rarely used a textbook with the exception of specific practice sessions.
As a CTE teacher, I had much more autonomy than math, science or English. They were strictly controlled. Our department was lucky but the state was slowly tightening down on our classes too.
The SOL test wasn’t graded by a teacher or even the school. It was strictly controlled by the state. Each question has to go through a review process and be approved and the grading isn’t subject to revision by the local school.
There are four things that can be regarded negative , as part of the feelings by the people of China
#1 Blaming the Lockdowns – Many Mainlanders especially in the Big 4 Cities blame the lockdowns, kind of like Indians blaming Demonetization. The impact of the Lockdowns was maybe 10% of the Impact of demonetization but China is such a rich and prosperous country now that the slightest slowdown annoys the hell out of the people
#2 Cautious to Invest – Gold & Jade Investments in China have piled up almost by 41% in the last 3 years by Individuals. That’s because Chinese Mainlanders are not having many areas of investment and it’s either Gold Or Banks. They don’t seem to trust the share market and the real estate market is in a glut. Thus China has almost $ 16-18 Trillion in Savings against $ 4.82 Trillion that the US has
Chinese Individuals thus need more Venture Capitalists and Technology Investments to invest their funds in
#3 Generation Gap – The Gen Z of China work smart rather than hard. The policies of Chinese companies still mirror those of the 2000s which focus on time rather than value of work. Rather than the TARGET ORIENTED approach, the approach is TIME ORIENTED meaning working 54 hours a week seems more important than meeting performance targets
The Gen Z feel that if they can work 35–40 hours a week and achieve the same targets , they can enjoy the remaining 14 hours a week
Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba, DJI, Baidu etc already changed their workstyles to make them flexible and based on Targets
Yet 60% of Chinese Employers still have the TIME ORIENTED mentality and pay on a PER HOUR basis
#4 Inability to understand Hostility of the West
Many Chinese are unable to understand why the West is hostile to them and why the sanctions.
This is because the CPC is too nice and doesn’t promote hate against the West in their propaganda
Luckily in this area the CPC has worked tirelessly to ensure alternate economic routes
If exports to the US fell for a Chinese company, Russian markets are a virtual monopoly for the Chinese now (Indians failed to capitalize this market in any way) plus newer markets in South America plus Middle East
Likewise if Investments from US have dried up, Germany and Russia have tripled their investments into China, making up potential deficits
Yet the key thing about China is the TRANSPARENCY in the Country
No lies, hidden from the public, the Positive Side l
Costs are very low, Rents, Food are at their lowest. Savings potential is at 43% , highest in the world against 7% in USA
Rapid Development
Excellent Education
Very good employment despite the slowdown without creating Government Jobs like India or SL
Rapid Technology development
Growing Soft Power of China and Tourist related power in Thailand and other places
So Chinese are extremely content though they wouldn’t mind some reforms which the CPC is likely to implement in the coming 6–24 months
As a new PhD , I interviewed for an entry level academic position. The afternoon prior to the interview, I flew in to a large airport, rented a car as instructed, and drove nearly 200 km out to a university in a rural setting. The next morning, a gray, dreary day, I found my own breakfast and then went to the University, let’s call it University A, to find the interviewer. His first question was, “Are you sure you can tolerate living here?” Odd question, but I could imagine the location probably could have been a problem for some candidates like me, who got his degree at an urban university. I grew up in a place that looked and felt nearly identical, so I was on board. The rest of the morning went well.
For lunch four of the professors and I piled into an older car. The senior professor was in the front passenger seat. The younger two professors and I were in the back seat. Before we start moving, the senior professor turned around, looked me in the eye, and asked, “What do you think of Professor X at University B?” I knew Professor X well. He was a mentor of mine when I was a contract teaching hire at University C several years prior. Both Professor X and this senior professor were well known experts in our field. My Mama told me to always say something nice in such situations. So I made a single sentence that Professor X was a wonderful man to have the privilege of learning from. The senior professor said nothing more the rest of my two days of interviews. Though I did not realize it at the time, the interviews were over when I made that statement. I did not get the job.
I found out later that the senior professor considered Professor X to be his mortal enemy. They had started at this same University A as entry level professors many years prior. After gaining their tenure together, Professor X left for University B while the senior professor stayed. Both became prominent in the same field. But somewhere along the line, their relationship failed. I unwittingly stepped into the crossfire. I never asked Professor X about this, considering it to no longer be important. I also found out that the position was available because the senior professor was running off a young professor that he disliked. A year later at a conference, I met the candidate who won that position. He looked like he had a big dark cloud over his head.
Soon after this interview, I interviewed at another university much farther away. The people were bright and kind. The students were excellent and enthusiastic. The location was also a long way into a scenic rural setting with many gray, dreary days. By the time my flight arrived home back East, their job offer was waiting for me. I still work there, more than three decades later.
The man who lives with the 17 tiny kittens he rescued is experiencing an explosion of happiness.
WWIII will not happen, but the United States is essentially on the road to collapse. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which was a federal system, it was the turn of the United States, which was a federal system.
As far as the current world situation is concerned, the United States will certainly support Israel without a second thought. In fact, Hamas has already achieved its goal. What happens next:
The EU is forced by the United States to support Israel as it supports Ukraine, but they forget that there are 50 million Muslims living in Europe.
The national image that Israel had previously created for itself collapsed straight away.
The Arab countries will further turn against the US and the West and de-dollarisation will further accelerate.
Further shaking up the US petrodollar system
Ukraine is being collectively ignored by the Western bloc, and the longer the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues, the better for Russia.
The U.S. doesn’t have the time or the strength to compete with China
In short, the United States has lost so badly this time that there is no room for redemption.
The US is broke, its strategic oil reserves are running on fumes, and it is out of ammo. Ditto for the EU, except the EU is already an economic basket case. The US seems to have this fixation that conflict creates a win for the US so it continues to fund its MIC with only window dressing for its infrastructure and economy.
What Ukraine has shown the US is that it is not invincible and that Russia is not only stronger than the US thought, but more adaptable to the changes in tactics and technology. Ukraine has been a black hole for US and EU wealth and it is no longer in a position to strongly support its domestic needs. The US keeps printing money and raising interest rates, a sure formula for the failure of the US economy.
But, your point is well taken, the US should have been doing that for the last 20 years or so and it would be in a better condition domestically, economically, geopolitically, and relations with other countries. At this point in time, the US is almost beyond repair.
The Idiots couldn’t negotiate with the PLO and later created the Hamas and ended up making the Hamas their enemies as well
Like I said THEY SUCK AT THIS
Just like their masters the US
They keep killing Civilians and always the Terrorists never die
They change from one form to another
So it’s time Israel starts NEGOTIATIONS and uses the Arab Nations to use their leverage with the Hamas
I firmly believe if Israel agrees to the Two State Solution, the whole world including Russia, China, India and even Iran would cooperate in fighting against the Hamas
Even the Hezbollah believe in a Two State Solution now.
The red circle is China, the green circle is Canada
The red arrow is where the “interception” occurs.
2023 10 20 15 3e9
The red circle is China, the blue circle is North Korea
The red arrow is where the “interception” occurs.
The Canadians said they were in “international airspace,” but the Chinese said the plane was near the Diaoyu Islands and that this airspace was China’s airspace.
I don’t want to discuss which one of them is telling the truth.
At least I’m not a fool.
Canadian planes flew from 10,000 kilometers away between mainland China and Taiwan. They said they were to monitor North Korean cargo ships, not to provoke China.
Are Canadians smoking too much marijuana?
The Chinese Navy actually let them fly back intact. This is so merciful.
By the way, the Canadians say that their “Operation Neon” is to uphold the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
But the Chinese say they have never signed such a mandate in the Security Council.
We know that the authorization of the Security Council requires the signature of the five permanent members.
What Canada means is that they are carrying out an operation authorized by China.
A Chinese hsr train is formed from 8-16 carriages, capable of carrying 500-1,300 passengers. Up to 8 trains per hour serve the busiest routes at peak times, which can average 100 services per direction per day.
That’s 260,000 carrying capacity a day, both ways, or 95 million a year, for a single route.
An airport serving the route will have to handle more than 470 Boeing 777 flights a day.
That’s 1 takeoff or landing every 3 minutes, which is obviously untenable.
China has more than 160 cities with population more than 1 million. This number is expected to grow, with Chinese urbanization at 55-60 percent, quite some distance from the 80-85 percent typical of the developed world. The density of Chinese populations make high speed rail a viable proposition.
Airplanes are not more efficient than trains. However, they make more sense for longer trips, with the average air trip being 1,400 km. Hsr trips rarely extend beyond 800 km, and make the most economic sense below 500 km.
The Chinese hsr network is built to handle huge numbers, particularly over the Chinese new year holidays, the largest human migration known to man. China does not have enough planes to handle that kind of demand.
And yes, hsr trains run on electricity, a much greener option than avgas.
Man Dumps Bride Months Before Wedding After Learning She Participated In Group Activities For YEARS
Jesus H Christ
I would like to say a few things here.
Honesty is the foundation of a long-duration relationship
People, however, are permitted to have secrets. It is a human need.
When confronted with this situation, there are many ways to handle it. This man saw it as no-starter, unfortunately. I believe that the issues could have been worked out.
There is nothing wrong with alternative lifestyles, or what-have-you, but if you are married, you lose part of yourself and join with another. For good or bad.
Apparently everything was perfect with them, except for this one issue. Could the issue be resolved, or mitigated? I do not know.
For men, “respect” is the biggest and most important aspect of a relationship. Not sex. So I see this as a sequence of lies on the gals part because she showed him no respect.
Like I said, I would have done things differently, now as an older man. But when I was younger, maybe not…
All in all, the most disturbing thing about this video is NOT that she was having group orgies for the entire time they were living together and him being clueless. It is that she hid that part of her life from him, and told her rotating partners, that he was just fine with it. These lies are what broke up the relationship.
People! Accept who you are. Good and bad. Say things as they are and let the world howl. This goes for both the guy as well as the girl.
The girl, obviously was ready to settle down; get married, have kids and a stable family life. But that is not going to happen if she wanted to continue a free-wheeling 20’s single lifestyle. She wanted what she was clearly not ready for. Sigh.
I rented a caretaker apartment that was attached to a horse stable. The owners were an elderly couple who lived in a house behind the barn. The owners were fantastic people and I got along with them splendidly.
One day they advised me they were selling the property. A few weeks later after the property sold I met the new owners. I immediately did not get a good feeling about the owners. Within the 1st month I started noticing things in the apartment were not where I had placed on. I confronted the new owners who denied going into the apartment. One day, I left for work and did the old tape on the door trick. When I came home sure enough the tape was broken. I again confronted the owner who stated somebody else must have gone into the apartment. I also had some property in the barn that suddenly turned up missing. I asked the new owners about the property and they denied taking it. I ended up finding the missing property in one of their storage sheds hidden underneath some tarps.
I had been dating my girlfriend for several years and at that point we decided to move in together at her place. The caretaker apartment was rather old and the door locks used old style keys that you could not have duplicated at your local hardware store.
I immediately moved out and took the keys with me. I got a call from the owner demanding that I return the apartment key. I advised him I didn’t have the key and told him I left it on the kitchen counter. The owner started yelling that if I didn’t return the key he would sue me for theft and the cost of putting new locks on the doors. I chuckled and said that “Someone must have gone in and stolen the key off the counter. Maybe it’s the same person who stole my property that I found under the tarp in the storage shed.” There was silence and then the phone hung up. I never heard from him again.
When my wife and I were homeless and living in a van. We were in Corpus Christi, Texas. And on Christmas day, we left the van and went for a walk. And we walked a few blocks in and out of the various storefronts and nearby suburbs.
Then, out of the blue, this old gentleman was leaving one house with his small dog in his arms. He had obviously just finished visiting family. It was Christmas day, after all.
That little dog, for some God-damn reason, jumped out of the old man’s arms, and made a “bee line” straight for my wife, and then went CHOMP on her leg. And that little bastard just hung there. Clenched on her calve. Son of a bitch!
Anyways, my wife is crying, the old man came out and started yelling at us. Blood was everywhere, and he wanted to call the police.
I told him, “go ahead”. The police will impound his dog, and maybe put him to sleep, and we will need to get rabies shots (the dog did not have a rabies tag).
He left and grumbled the entire time, cursing us the whole time.
And that is how I spend my first Christmas day with my first wife. Now you know.
I have multiple stories from this most impressionable time in my life, but I just wanted to share this one with youse guys.
…
Lessons? Oh, I don’t know.
Perhaps, “random acts of violence can occur when you are least prepared for them.”
Today…
This just in
The IDF is in trouble. They’re just kids doing their national service. They refuse to move. The bad ones use Palestinians for target practice but there are some good ones, including officers, who want nothing to do with genocide. The high command says they would need two years of training and re-equipping before even considering a Stalingrad attack on well-prepared Hamas fighters in bombed-out Gaza.
Bibi hoped this war would distract people, but it just made them mad. Last night Jerusalem saw its biggest demonstration ever (amazing drone shots) demanding his resignation.
Hezbollah opened a new front last night by taking out a couple of IDF tanks. Considering that Hezbollah wiped them out in the last war, that’s got to be a morale-crusher.
And since those thousands of $600 Hamas missiles have exhausted Israel’s supply of $20,000 Iron Dome antimissiles, Iran is preparing a barrage of real missiles.
And the US is sending two carrier battle groups to the coast. But Iran needs only two Kinzhal missiles to destroy those carriers, which are defenseless against them, and which could force the carriers to stay outside the Kinzhal’s 1000km range. Which is outside their air wings’ range.
This is a heartbreaking, beautiful true story
Nicole and Brent Keryluke of Red Deer, in the Province of Alberta, decided to go for a motorcycle drive.
They had to be back within two hours, because both of their two young children had medical appointments, as they both suffer from hearing impairments and one needs speech therapy.
As they were turning a curve, a truck coming from the other direction veered into their lane and hit them head on.
They were killed immediately.
The driver of the car behind them said that Nicole had her arms wrapped around her husband, with her face in his back…and never saw it coming. And that Brent, before the moment of impact, instinctively put his arm behind him to hold his wife.
Brent’s parents, Ben and Marilyn, now had guardianship of three-year-old Liam and six-year-old Arielle, and especially because of the additional costs of the medical bills, they had to sell Brent’s classic 1973 Pontiac Parisienne, which he restored himself and hoped would one day be Liam’s on his eighteenth birthday.
“They basically stopped the auction, let everybody know what was happening, where the money was going to go, and then we were shocked what happened after that,” said Ben.
First, Rod McWilliams from Red Deer Motors bought the car for $29,000…and immediately gave the car back to be auctioned again!
Then Danny Fayad, who had driven up from Edmonton, bought the car for $30,000….and immediately gave the car back to be auctioned again!
All the while, members of the community yelled out pledges to go over and beyond whatever it finally sold for.
One man yelled out, “2,000 over the price!”, another yelled out “$4,000 over”, and it happened again and again and again.
One woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told a reporter that she came with $2,500 to see if she could “score a deal” on an older unrestored car that was coming up later in the auction, but pledged her money for the Keryluke family. “ I have two kids myself. I thought of them. What if? I have one car already.”
It was finally purchased for $20,000 to Bob Bevins from Bulldog Metals in the third and final round.
The reason he didn’t also give the car back to be sold again, was because after the auction was over, he went to the Keryluke family…and gave the car to them.
“Maybe someday that young man will drive his father’s car,” he said.
Said Lyndsay, “People were overwhelmed with just the generosity of people of central Alberta and the support that this family has. It was incredible. People were cheering, I was crying. Our auctioneer Rod had a hard time getting through it because he was crying. He was emotional.
When the last buyer stepped forward and said ‘I want your family to have that car, so I’m giving it back to you,’ the audience erupted.
When our auctioneer Rod announced that, the place just went wild. There was a standing ovation, people were cheering, whistling. It was wonderful.”
Yes my step daughter’s birth mother (or birth giver as she called her). My (now ex) husband had custody of his daughter. And I spent years trying to be civil to this lousy person.
She was always petty and nasty to me and to her daughter.
Daughter got cancer and asked if she could come live with me and my fella for treatment. She said she knew she would get the best care from us and that I could handle dealing with the doctors (because I had always worked in the medical field).
I just didn’t feel like dealing with her “Mama” and told her if she wanted to see her we would either drive her to see her (the next state over) or they could come up to our area and we would bring her to a restaurant to meet up.
My daughter (as that is really how I referred to her) was fine with that because she had little patience with her too. I really did not want to deal with this woman at all but I knew trying relay the medical information through my ex husband would be difficult as he did not really understand everything I was telling him so he could not really explain it to her.
So I agreed to talk to her and explain what was happening with daughter.
She had surgery and it turned out what they thought was an ovarian tumor turned out to be a tumor in her liver that could not be removed. I explained this to Mama and she went off on me about how I picked sh*tty doctors and how little I really cared..
I got pissed and hung up.
Later on I went on Facebook and posted a picture of my dogs and she commented b*tch. Every single thing I said or did got a similar response. When she wrote c*nt I had enough and blocked her completely.
“Mama” called daughter screaming that I blocked her (you see I wasn’t telling daughter what was happening as I felt she had enough to deal with).
So daughter asked me what was going on. I gave her a brief rundown on what was said.
Daughter called Mama back and said you deserved that and since you are choosing to be a jerk I am blocking you too.
The wonderful part of this is darling Mama wrote to daughter’s boyfriend to tell daughter that she would never speak to her again as long as she lives and she hoped she died soon.
This apparently was at about midnight and daughter passed at 1am.
Boyfriend furiously wrote her back and said well she’s dead I hope you’re happy now!!
Then blocked her too. (We had no idea she was so close to dying at that point, it really devastated us all.)
Mama spent the next few days being as mean and spiteful as she could possibly be to everyone else she could get in touch with.
I kept her blocked and am eternally grateful that I never let her visit so she had no idea where I lived (still live).
THIS Is Unthinkable – America Considers Crossing The Economic Red Line
In a shocking twist of events, America’s special envoy is discussing the possibilities of using Russia’s frozen reserves to rebuild Ukraine. While this might be an immediate win for the West, it opens up Pandora’s box to more de-dollarization risks and a complete breakdown of financial trust. Here’s what you must know & why the big winner will be physical gold.
Try imagining the U.S. sets a budget of 1.5 billion over 5 years or 300 million a year to dig up as much dirt it can find about China! I think no one, no nation on earth are so obnoxious and despicable as the U.S. I think Nazi Germany at their height don’t set a budget of this size to demonised the Jews between 1935–1944!
The U.S. did this after 3 generations since 1949, badmouthing China, slurring China, spread misinformation about China, fabricate lies on China and casting doubts and basically demonising China. If I were an American who has been screaming freedom if information, speech and human rights I will be so shameful of the US, I will emigrate!
To the rest of the world we are clear as hell. A nation needing to do so much shit cannot be any good and cannot have any confidence. You can fool your ignorant millions of people in the U.S. and their US dogs nations like Canada, UK, Australia and their slave nations like Japan and Germany but 7.5 out of 8 billion people on earth aren’t fooled at all.
China is not perfect but it is way way way better than the U.S. in behaviour any day. Any where. China is doing extremely well in spite of the shit that you dumped on them. It does not have any bad intention towards anyone including the U.S. but it learned that it cannot rely and trust the U.S. at all. You cannot blame them.
It will overtake the U.S. completely and comprehensively because it has 4 times your population and everyone works harder, are more discipline and learn more everyday and are highly intelligent, very driven and industrious than Americans. There is nothing you can do to stop them without hurting yourself.
For me it is better that the U.S. take note of this and stop wasting your money and effort. It’s better to use the billions to help your own people instead. The million people who are homeless, the millions who have no medical insurance and the millions that has college debts and the millions suffering from chronic inflation.
China will overtake the U.S. and it will dwarf the US in a couple of generations. It is a humongous market even now. Don’t deprived your business and your people to enjoy a better standard of living. Everything you do China can do better, faster and cheaper. Stop dreaming you can deprived them of you technology. You better worry if China reciprocate and bankrupt you in the process.
Tai Lopez: Why I left America for More Freedom
BYD holds 15 times more patents than Tesla
In the fast-evolving world of electric vehicles, two names stand out: BYD and Tesla. While Tesla has been a front-runner in the EV market, recent data reveals that BYD has been quietly securing its position as the patent king of EVs, with a staggering 13,000 applications in comparison to Tesla’s 863 over the past two decades.
BYD, a Chinese automotive giant, has been diligently working behind the scenes, focusing on protecting its battery technology. A whopping 50% of BYD’s patents are dedicated to batteries, allowing the company to develop in-house battery packs, a feat not many car manufacturers can boast. This strategic move has positioned BYD as a leader in the development and manufacture of lithium-ion batteries with iron phosphate cathodes, which are notably more affordable than the ternary lithium batteries utilizing nickel and cobalt from their Korean counterparts.
On the other side of the spectrum, Tesla, the American EV behemoth, has taken a different approach. With a mere 863 patents filed, one might raise an eyebrow at the disparity. However, Tesla’s strategy leans heavily on software development, utilizing a plethora of publicly available information. A significant portion of Tesla’s patents revolve around charging infrastructure and communication between EVs and drivers, showcasing their focus on enhancing user experience and connectivity.
Patent lawyer Hideto Kono notes that a company of Tesla’s stature would typically file for at least ten times as many patents. The lower number of patents from Tesla raises questions about their reliance on software and the risk of imitation by competitors. Unlike BYD, Tesla mitigates this risk by implementing new production technology exclusively within its factories.
While patents offer a layer of protection, they also come with a caveat. The details of the patents are made public, leaving room for potential imitation. This is particularly crucial for BYD, as their proprietary battery technologies can be dissected by simply disassembling the battery packs. The company’s heavy reliance on patents underscores the importance of safeguarding its innovations in a competitive market.
I tried to tell you, but you CHOSE to IGNORE!
This is called currency devaluation.
Burger and Fries Pot Pie
Beef and potatoes come together in this cheesy pot pie that’s baked to perfection – a savory dinner.
burger fries pot pie
Prep: 20 min | Total Time: 45 min | Yield: 6 servings
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain well.*
Sprinkle flour over beef mixture. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in tomatoes; heat to boiling. Remove from heat.
In ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole, spread beef mixture.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Arrange frozen potatoes evenly in single layer on top.
Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
* Be sure to drain the cooked ground beef really well. Any extra juices will make the pot pie too watery. When it’s too cold outside to grill those burgers, comfort food calls, and this pot pie will surely hit the spot! Serve this pot pie with ketchup, if desired.
My neighbour was a shell -shocked, disabled Vietnam Vet. He was on a plethora of medications. Hhe lived with his mother who had died about 2 weeks prior.
He had a old car body in front of a hill not far Huron the rural road. He regularly target practiced shooting at the car body. Sometimes he would “practice” for hours on end.
One day I’m driving past his house on the way to town. About a 1/2 mile down the road I see him sitting in a deep ditch beside the road. I had to drag him down the ditch until it was shallow enough to get him able to stand up. He was babbling word salad, obviously experiencing a psychotic break.
I drove him to the Veterans Hospital and helped this dear man up the elevator to the Psychiatric ward. The elevator opened and there was a a collective-inhale of the nurses at the station! The patient was in just his underwear and covered in mud shivering uncontrollably with a towel wrapped around his shoulders! Needless to say they were surprised!
He stayed hospitalised to 2 weeks and came home normal as anyone and apologised that he’d got his medication s mixed up, and thanked me for taking care of him.
He lived two more years and committed suicide.
He was a lovely person and I still think of him fondly.
Blessings on your journey.
Why I REALLY Left America
“We left a long time ago and have never regretted our decision. The key sentence in this video is that “ they are in decline “. This really echoes the current situation.”
If you back up to 2009, I went on a few dates with a lady and moved to Houston, shortly to find out she was pregnant. She told me it wasn’t a trap, and I did not have to be a father if I didn’t want to or wasn’t ready. I considered it, believe me. But then, I moved back to Dallas.
About 3 months from my daughter being born, I suddenly became crazy about the thought of holding my little girl. You would often find me looking at baby clothes, stock piling diapers, building a crib, or prepping her room. When she was born, I was hooked on that baby. Unfortunately, her mother wasn’t faithful, so we didn’t end up being together. I wasn’t sad about not being with her mom, I was sad I wouldn’t be in the same home with my daughter.
Emma, my daughter was so young and couldn’t speak intelligibly. We are nearing 1 and a half, and now, when I would go to pick her up from her mom’s house, she would reek of cigarette smoke, she was crazy dirty.. And always covered in scratches and the occasional bruises. Her mom would talk about how it was all just from playing outside, but seeing as Emma would go into a screaming rage on her way back to her mom’s and claw at the car seats to not get out, I knew there was something wrong. My mom did, too.
This behavior reminded me of, well, me… I was abused when I was a child. I exhibited extreme anxiety at such a young age and my first memories of anything were of my father beating me and being afraid to go home. Emma was being abused…so, I started building a case, and Emma started staying with me most of the time and occasionally going to her mom’s.
Now Emma is about 3… I go to pick her up from her mom’s one day and the driveway is covered in broken glass from a broken side patio door, and their minivan is sitting sideways in the driveway. Something is wrong. I feel it in my heart and no one has answered the phone all day. I call the house phone and hear the phone ringing through the door. When the answering machine came on, I said “if no one picks up, I am breaking the door down.”
Her step dad answered… “Hey buddy. They went to my mom’s down the street while I clean up this mess, we had an accident.”
I drove to his mom’s house, knocked, and Emma’s mom answered the door. I had never seen a person beat so bad. She was still covered in dry blood and her face and body were bruised. Emma came running out to me saying she didn’t want to go back to the “bloody house.”
I told her mom to get her shit and they were both coming with me. I had been building a case but I never took it to court because to me, it was all over. I got them out of the monster’s house.
Well, now we are months into her mom staying with Emma and me when I start noticing a lot of things. Emma’s mom is abusive. She would get drunk to the point of falling down every night. Literally unable to stand on her own feet, she would drag Emma out to the patio to smoke her cigarettes, and she argued incessantly with her husband through phone and text. She would cuss at me and try to provoke me into fighting. This, of course, is when I noticed her mom was an abuser too. I thought I was rescuing someone when in reality, I invited an abuser, another monster into my home. I don’t fight. I just observed. I later found out they were both beating each other up. Right in front of Emma. They were locking her outside to fight, and she was spending most of her time locked in her room and hiding under her bed.
For many reasons, I eventually kicked her out and my mom took her in. For disgusting reasons, my mom kicked her out and she disappeared. We took care of this lady for the better part of a year when she just abandoned Emma. She then called me out of the blue after months of no contact and said she wanted Emma to “come home.”
She moved back in with and remarried the same man. When I mentioned her months of promises to never letting Emma back into that home or environment, she said “Emma can get over it.”
I pulled out my case file and filed a restraining order. Over the next year, I fought and won custody of my daughter. Her mother abandoned all of her visitation, and has officially been completely gone for over half of Emma’s life. The only memories Emma has of her mom are abuse, but she has been gone so long that she is never spoken of.
I get tickled when Emma and I go out on the weekends, because people will literally make multiple derivatives of the same comment about me being a weekend father. Like — “Ooh, Saturday night date with daddy?”
No, it is just us. It always has been. I have her the other nights as well. All of the week days, all of the holidays, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Emma is a healthy, happy, ambitious, and extremely intelligent child. Because she didn’t have to endure a life of abuse. I didn’t become a man until she was born, and it took me until my mid twenties to finally get over my abusive childhood. If it weren’t for my mom saving us from my dad, I wouldn’t be the man I am today, and I doubt I would be a responsible father. If it were not for my dad abusing me, I would not have picked up early on the signs that I needed to save my daughter, so I thank them both. I am strong enough to have lived through being beaten… strong enough to never let my child live through it.
Some people have made some good comments about what makes a manly man. But I will stick to this one:
Everyone has a neighborhood grocery store where they often see the same customers… or maybe you have a job where you have regulars visit often. If you see a man holding the hands of his kids, and it isn’t the weekend – he is a real father. If you see a guy like me, with pink and glitter french-tipped painted finger nails, and bows and ribbons stuck in my hair and beard, it is because I am a masculine man… mature enough to show my child how she should be treated and respected on this little fucked up planet we live on.
Hamas delivered their greatest win and achieved something neither Egypt nor Syria could between 1948 to 2006
Israel made a fool of itself
First being attacked with full intelligence failure and then blindly bombing everything into oblivion and dictating lies like the beheading of 40 kids
Respect for Israel has crashed
Their vaunted Iron Dome lost to fifth grade rockets made from pipes
Their mossad, an organization I held huge respect for was so blind that Gaza imported enough materials under their nose citing that they needed to make BALL POINT PENS. Not once did anyone think why would the Palestinians need to make 500 Million Ball Pointpens?
What should Israel have done?
Quietly carried out Damage assessment
Reinforced their Army Positions
Made calls to Saudi and UAE and said “My New Friends. I must respond to this but I don’t want to kill Civilians. I am helpless. Use your influence to persuade the Civilians to move out of the Strip so that we can fight Hamas”
Made speeches saying “Hamas will be obliterated but Palestinians are victims, so I urge Palestinians to leave Gaza and abandon Hamas”
It would have been a master stroke
Then if the Hamas prevented Palestinians from leaving, THEY WOULD BE THE BAD GUYS and even Islamic nations would be forced to condem them
At the same time, Israel should have negotiated for their Hostages involving the Arab world
Forced Egypt, Saudi, UAE, China, Russia, India to demand that Hamas return the hostages unharmed
This way even if the hostages died – HAMAS WOULD BE THE VILLIANS , EVEN TO THE ENTIRE ARAB WORLD
Then maybe after 20 days, a sudden ground operation against Hamas after enough warnings citing the hostages
Then the bombings
Israel would say “Alas. I tried. Now we have no choice but war”
The whole of the Middle East would have no choice but to be neutral
It would be a glorious moment for Israel and the world would be forced to admit they had no choice
Instead, What did Israel do?
image 154
Shrieking and Screaming like Hysteric Kids who have never fought any war, Calling for Death of Palestinians, Threatening to flatten all of Gaza
It was like something Hrithik Taletiya Or Raju or some of our Quora heroes would say than leaders of a major nation
Immediately running to the US showing the entire Arab World how the equation worked between Master & Dog than Two Allies
Not consulting any Arab Nation
Blindly starting bombing operations without a care in the world for Civilians
Giving warnings to evacuate 1.1 Million Civilians in 24 hours, something that forced even old friends like Jaishankar to take a harsh line
As a result
The Entire Arab World is sympathetic to Hamas and Palestinians
The Entire Arab World trust the US less and Israel even lesser
The Israelis have little confidence in their Country anymore. The Old Israel under Shamir Or Rabin or even Sharon would have FIRST GOT THE HOSTAGES BACK
Nethanyahu is proving to be a brainless Idiot
Yov Gallant is proving to be a bloodthirsty fool with little brains for strategy or tactics
Support for the Two State Solution has massively intensified
The Hamas has won
Israel cannot recover from this blow
They may obliterate Gaza but they will never be able to repair the damage they have done
Plus the US as well
And the West
The Middle East will never trust them again
Turkey will be wondering about it’s own future in the EU or NATO
Egypt would be wondering when to call Putin and ask for 20,000 Soldiers just in case
If you feel they don’t, then hope to God, some sanity prevails and they undo at least 30% of the damage they are doing to themselves and the US in the middle East
How France and U.S Failed Africa Leading to Coup in Africa!
In Today’s Video: We are critically examining the actions and policies of the French government in Africa, pointing out contentious actions detrimental to the stability of African nations. Comparatively, we highlight China’s beneficial involvement.
I was on my way to trade in my old car for a new truck at the same place I’d already purchased several vehicles over the years. I stopped at the local 7–11 convenience store to use the ATM to get the last part of the cash I needed toward my new truck. I turned the car motor off, dug out my ATM card and began to exit my car. This teenage boy in a shiny little coupe zipped his car in so close beside mine; I couldn’t exit my car.
The kid quickly jumped out of his car and started heading into the 7-11. I yelled at him, “Hey, you blocked me in, I can’t get out of my car, move it!” I could not believe it, but he actually thumbed his nose at me with one hand, flipped me the bird with his other hand, and just kept walking. What a disrespectful little shit!
The kid left me no choice. He needed to learn a bit of respect, so I slammed open my driver’s side car door into his new shiny car and shimmied my way out of my car. I left a lovely revenge dent in his passenger door and the kid absolutely deserved it. He had his head so far in the clouds, he never even saw it when he hurried out of the store, smirking at me and laughing.
I arrived a few minutes later at the car dealership with cash in hand to trade-in my car and get my fancy new Dodge Dakota. I was a bit surprised to see that same little teenager’s zippy coupe parked right beside the front door, (blocking once again) at the car dealership.
The first thing I saw through the window was the car salesperson I had worked many deals with, Tony Carson. He was standing there, inside the car dealership with the coupe kid; both had their arms flailing in the air like the conversation between them was getting a bit heated.
I walked in the entrance and the kid, whose back was turned to me, said, “Dad, the old lady blocked me in. Dad I didn’t do anything. Dad it wasn’t my fault.” Tony responded, “How could you be so irresponsible? Did you call the cops? Did you get her license number?” I vaguely recall thinking that this family sure loved expressing themselves with their hands.
When Tony saw me, he stopped the conversation and said, “Son, I have to see this woman.” Fibbing little ‘Sonny’ turned around with that same sarcastic smirk on his face. I bet he thought he had put one over on the old man… until he saw me. I’ve never seen blood drain from a face so fast. I swear he turned white and swayed so fast he had to hold onto the display car beside him.
I asked, “Hello Tony, this must be your son?” Tony introduced his son, Trevor, to me. I told Tony that I had just met Trevor at the 7-11 and it all fell apart for Trevor from there. I think Trevor got a lesson in respect and humility that day. I walked away that day with an even better deal on my brand new Dodge Dakota, even got free tinted windows and floor covers. I paid no cash down, and, best of all, Trevor is now back on his bicycle!
Worried Mother Cat Brought Her Sick Kitten To The Hospital. Then The Nurses Did Next The Unexpected!
It was a relatively quiet day at a hospital emergency room in Istanbul, Turkey. Going to an emergency room is never a happy experience and waiting in line is never fun. But sadly many parents have felt the fear of needing to take their children to the emergency room. But this emergency room would have a very different family come in for some help. The worried mother cat brought her sick kitten to the hospital. In most cases, animals aren’t welcome in medical institutions But you won’t believe what the nurses did next. Come with us to see this mind-blowing story.
Tightening financial conditions to control inflation?
No.
Loss of market confidence, leading to a stampede in Chinese bonds a la UK gilts?
No.
Participating directly or indirectly in the economically draining Ukraine-Russia conflict?
No.
China has plenty of policy space to stimulate the economy, now that it is transiting from zero covid.
What is a “hard landing”? The worst year in the 4 decades since opening up has been 2020, as China reoriented the economy to fight covid.
Even then, it did not fall into recession, growing 2.2 percent for the year.
For 2021, it was 8.1 percent.
And based on President xi’s recent new year’s message, China grew 4.4 percent in 2022.
That’s 4.9 percent compounded growth over the past 3 years.
4.9 percent.
Are the Chinese expecting 2023 to be more challenging than 2022?
Externally, yes. The first world is heading into recession and the fallout from Ukraine will continue. American-led sanctions and anti-trade measures will only mushroom.
But domestically, things are looking up with the end of covid restrictions, especially services roaring back to life.
One particular bright spot: automobiles. China has quietly leapfrogged Japan in 2022 to become the no. 2 car exporter, behind only Germany. Domestically, the market share of both Japanese and German marques has shrunk from 25-30 percent to 15-20 percent each within a few short years.
2022 was a record year for the Chinese car market, with more than 27m vehicles sold, double the figure in 2010.
The catalyst?
The embrace of EVs.
Now you know what is driving the persistent chip shortage. Honda’s global production in particular has been decimated by almost 40 percent (1.9m cars) compared to 2019.
The Chinese will ask, what chip shortage?
The credit squeeze in the dollar denominated economy won’t stop China in 2023. Instead, the transition away from the dollar will continue, as China looks to domestic and Bri recirculation.
I expect China to comfortably beat 2022 in 2023.
She Abandons 35 Sick Kittens in the Woods, Then a Judge Gives Her a Taste of Her Own Medicine!
Michelle did the unthinkable when she abandoned thirty-five sick kittens in the woods, thinking it wouldn’t be traced back to her. She was wrong! She was subsequently charged to court, and what Judge Cocconetti sentenced her to will shock you! Watch: She Abandons 35 Sick Kittens in The Woods. Then a Judge Gives Her a Taste of Her Own Medicine!
Indeed, they could, if our government controlled by MIC will not leave them alone.
Russia will use it only as the last resort if Russia’s existence is at stake. The problem is that we do not know when they will make such determination, because they see things very differently than US government.
Contrary to Narrative, Kremlin never expressed the desire to “annex Ukraine” or deprive it from its “independence” (lost in 2014 to USA). The Russians are merely returning their own lands gifted to then-brotherly Ukraine, together with their own people who asked them to do it many times, because they do not like to be murdered by the puppets of the vicious Russophobes in DC, with the ever-compliant Western press covering this up.
The most important principle of government is that, to rule, the rulers need the consent of the ruled. The consent of South and East Ukraine to be ruled by Kiev was withdrawn back in 2014. Since then, Kiev regime became a tyranny, and the people had the right to rebel against it and call Russia for help. Read American “Declaration of Independence”. It is a very useful document worth reading.
People who think that they have the right to draw borders in old Russian lands, subjugate their citizens, and carry out their ethnic cleansing, all these people, from the Russian point of view, are similar to dangerous animals that must be dealt with. They run the serious risk of being exterminated in a radiation wave. It takes 1–3 weeks to die from radiation sickness, constantly vomiting. Are you ready for that, just to satisfy your ambition?
Instead of lecturing the others in the countries you know nothing about, supporting one war after another and blaming the victims, how about looking in the mirror and realizing that the ugly mug is yours? Magpies can recognize themselves in the mirror. Can you? Are you self-aware? Or you are an automaton controlled by the government?
Keep in mind that many important figures in our government have completely lost their marbles and cannot be trusted with rational decisions. Joseph Biden is senile and can barely speak. The others call not to be afraid of a nuclear war (Tony Blinken), praise the great investment, as long as Russians are dying (Lindsey Graham), sworn to destroy any country they do not approve of, especially, Russia (V. Nuland and her hubby R. Kagan).
If you are self-aware, and you possess the gift of sentience, unlike these criminally-insane individuals, I propose to work for peace on your side and vote for Congressmen who promise to stop funding the slaughter of Ukrainians.
EDIT: For the bragging bullies who think they are safe. The 60 second flight of a “Zircon” from an Atlantic submarine to DC is very hard to stop. The decision-making centers, the orbital satellites and anti-missile defenses will be taken out first. So no, you are not safe, it is a delusion. Arrogance, aggression, and stupidity are poor replacement for rational thinking.
Supersonic age: China’s explosive engine drone capable for ‘unparalleled speeds’
China’s first drone to be powered by an engine that uses explosions to propel aircraft to unparalleled speeds has made a successful maiden flight at an undisclosed airfield in Gansu province… ‘It uses kerosene fuel and features rapid ignition, and could power an aircraft from zero-speed to several times the speed of sound’…
“The [Rotating Detonation Engine’s] explosion is much more efficient than turbojet and ramjet engines, giving RDEs the potential to revolutionize supersonic flight while consuming less fuel. And, unlike scramjet engines – which generally require speeds above Mach 4 to initiate – the RDE can start at zero and are easier to maintain.
Just When Υou Thought Things Couldn’t Get Wοrse.. This Starts Ηappening Everywhere
Before we broke up, she insisted we move 1,000 miles away to be closer to her family.
I agreed, did all the packing and moving myself, paid for the truck, drove it there, unloaded all the boxes.
Then she wanted all new furniture, and made me apply for credit to buy it.
Shortly thereafter, things started to sour, and she stole my car and disappeared for a week, maxing out the credit cards and writing so many cheques the account was overdrawn.
When she came back, she claimed it was “self care” and threw a huge tantrum crying “I WANT TO BE ALONE!” stating she did not want me to live in the house anymore. So I moved out and we divorced amicably.
Several years later her mental health degraded to the point that she could no longer hold a job or even look after herself, so she moved into a room at her son’s house and his family feeds her and cleans up after her while she lies in bed watching videos on her iPad all day.
I’m not even angry. I actually feel bad for her. She was an awesome person once.
India’s Moon Mission FINALLY Found What NASA Was Hiding….
Many years ago, we are talking back in the 1980’s. I was in my early twenties. I was working as an office property manager in my hometown in North-West England. I have written about the same period elsewhere on Quora.
The office property was adjacent to some vacant land where twice a year, for a few days in May and a few days in November a traveling fair would arrive and set up camp. That fair brought hundreds of people and many cars. Our office car park was a prime position to park, go to the fair.
The problem was car thieves and people who stole things from cars got to know that too. So around 1983, maybe a year either side our office insurance premium went up massively because people parking on the land, having their cars broken into and stolen, sued the property owners.
My boss, was furious and had signs made that vehicles had no right to park without permission and offending vehicles would be clamped, with a removal fee added. The whole idea was unenforcable, it was a deterrent to stop parking and subsequent theft claims.
Well time came for the fair to come around again, and some people parked on the parking lot, and a couple of the cars were broken into.
My boss was pulling his hair out in frustration. People even parked right in front of the signs saying no parking. They just ignored them.
I promised on Friday afternoon to fix it on Saturday and Sunday. There would be no parking and no break-ins.
Being May, the Sun came up quite early, but I was pulling into the parking lot before 7am. I owned a nice red Opel Manta, a car that always got a second look. I went into the office and got the wheel clamp. Taking the wheel clamp down to the parking lot, I put it onto my own car. Which I had parked alongside the no parking notice.
Then I just sat.
Sitting in my car, reading, listening to the radio, just pottering about doing some paperwork. It was fun. Cars began to pull onto the parking lot.
Then the laughing drivers would do a quick U-turn and drive out.
Around 1pm a mini pulled onto the parking lot. I watched as the driver pulled into a parking bay and switched off his engine.
Something was clearly going to come of this!
I stepped out of my car. Scuttling over to the mini. The male driver looked at me.
“Have you come to help me?” I asked.
“What?” he asked.
“Oh so you don’t know? Well I wouldn’t park around here if I were you!”
At this point the man was extricating himself from his Mini. Bloody hell, he was big. Way over six foot six, built like a brick outhouse with a tiny bald head. A bloody pea on a mountain, I thought.
“What are you going to do to stop me?” He snarled.
I gulped. He’ll hit me for sure, was my instant thought. “I pointed to the sign, No Parking I”I thought it was a trick. “ Now pointing to the wheel clamp on my car. “I’ve been waiting three hours for them to come take that off. I hoped it was you!”
He looked at the car, the wheel clamp. His face broke into a broad grin.
“You’re f***ed” he laughed as he rolled himself up and closed his car door. Starting up his car backing out he gestured “Dick head” at me.
Yeah and you too pal I thought.
Then made my way over to my car again. I turned up the radio and got on with some more paperwork.
I repeated the same on Sunday with no other actual encounters.
The good news there were no cars stolen or broken into that week-end. Well not on our parking lot anyway.
Thanks for reading.
All the best.
Finnish Vocal Coach First Time Reaction: Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond
Pepe Escobar: Russia-China Partnership Defangs US Empire
China’s State Council has released a crucial white paper, titled A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions that should be read as a detailed, comprehensive road map for a peaceful, multipolar future.
2023-09-29T15:08+0000
That is if the hegemon – of course faithful to its configuration as War Inc. – does not drag the world into the abyss of a hybrid-turned-hot war with incandescent consequences.
In sync with the ever-evolving Russia-China strategic partnership, the white paper notes how “President Xi Jinping first raised the vision of a global community of shared future when addressing the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 2013.
”That was ten years ago, when the New Silk Roads – or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – was launched: that became the overarching foreign policy concept of the Xi era. The Belt and Road Forum next month in Beijing will celebrate the 10th anniversary of BRI, and relaunch a series of BRI projects.
“Community of Shared Future” is a concept virtually ignored across the collective West – and in several cases lost in translation across the East.
The white paper’s ambition is to introduce “the theoretical base, practice and development of a global community of shared future.”
The five key points include building partnerships “in which countries treat each other as equals”; a fair and just security environment; “inclusive development”; inter-civilization exchanges; and “an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first,” as Xi detailed at the 2015 UN General Assembly.
The white paper forcefully debunks the “Thucydides Trap” fallacy: “There is no iron law that dictates that a rising power will inevitably seek hegemony. This assumption represents typical hegemonic thinking and is grounded in memories of catastrophic wars between hegemonic powers in the past.”
While criticizing the “zero-sum game” to which “certain countries” still cling to, China completely aligns with the Global South/global majority, as in “the common interests of all peoples around the world.
When the world thrives, China thrives, and vice versa.
”Well, that’s not exactly the “rules-based international order” in play.
It’s All About Harmony
When it comes to building a new system of international relations, China prioritizes “extensive consultation” among equals and “the principle of sovereign equality” that “runs through the UN Charter.”
History and realpolitik, though, dictate that some countries are more equal than others.
This white paper comes from the political leadership of a civilization-state.
Thus it naturally promotes the “increase of inter-civilization exchanges to promote harmony” while elegantly remarking how a “fine traditional culture epitomizes the essence of the Chinese civilization.”
Here we see a delicate blend of Taoism and Confucianism, where harmony – praised as “the core concept of Chinese culture” – is extrapolated to the concept of “harmony within diversity”: and that is exactly the basis for embracing cultural diversity.
In terms of promoting a dialogue of civilizations, these paragraphs are particularly relevant:
“The concept of a global community of shared future reflects the common interests of all civilizations – peace, development, unity, coexistence, and win-win cooperation. A Russian proverb holds, ‘Together we can weather the storm.’
“The Swiss-German writer Hermann Hesse proposed, ‘Serve not war and destruction, but peace and reconciliation.’
A German proverb reads, ‘An individual’s effort is addition; a team’s effort is multiplication.’ An African proverb states, ‘One single pillar is not sufficient to build a house.’
An Arabian proverb asserts, ‘If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk together.’
“Mexican poet Alfonso Reyes wrote, ‘The only way to be profitably national is to be generously universal.’
An Indonesian proverb says, ‘Sugarcane and lemongrass grow in dense clumps.’
A Mongolian proverb concludes, ‘Neighbors are connected at heart and share a common destiny.’
All the above narratives manifest the profound cultural and intellectual essence of the world.”
BRI Caravan Rolls On
Chinese diplomacy has been very vocal on the need to develop a “new type of economic globalization” and engage in “peaceful development” and true multilateralism.
And that brings us inevitably to the BRI, which the white paper defines as “a vivid example of building a global community of shared future, and a global public good and cooperation platform provided by China to the world.”
Of course, for the hegemon and its collective West vassals, BRI is nothing but a massive debt trap mechanism unleashed by “autocrat China”.
The white paper notes, factually, how “more than three-quarters of countries in the world and over 30 international organizations” had joined the BRI, and refers to the sprawling, ever-expanding connectivity framework of six corridors, six routes, an array of ports, pipelines and cyberspace connectivity, among others via the New Eurasian Land Bridge, the China-Europe Railway Express (a “steel camel fleet”) and the New Land-Sea Trade Corridor crisscrossing Eurasia.
A serious problem may involve China’s Global Development Initiative, whose fundamental aim, according to Beijing, is “to accelerate the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Well, this agenda has been designed by the self-described Davos elites and conceptualized way back in 1992 by Rockefeller protégé Maurice Strong.
Its inbuilt wet dream is to enforce the Great Reset – complete with a nonsensical zero-carbon green agenda.
Better Listen to Medvedev’s WarningThe hegemon is already preparing the next stages of its hybrid war against China – even as it remains buried deep down into a de facto proxy hot war against Russia in Ukraine.Russian strategic policy, in essence, completely aligns with the Chinese white paper, proposing a Greater Eurasian Partnership, a concerted drive towards multipolarity, and the primacy of the Global South/global majority in forging a new system of international relations.
But the Straussian neocon psychos in charge of the hegemon’s foreign policy keep raising the stakes.
So it’s no wonder that after the recent attack on the HQ of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, a new National Security Council report leads to an ominous warning by Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev:“NATO has turned into an openly fascist bloc similar to Hitler’s Axis, only bigger (…)
It looks like Russia is being left with little choice other than a direct conflict with NATO (…)
The result would be much heavier losses for humanity than in 1945.
“The Russian Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, has revealed that Ukraine has suffered a staggering 83,000 battlefield deaths since the start of the – failed – counteroffensive four months ago.
And Defense Minister Shoigu all but gave away the game in terms of the long-term strategy, when he said, “the consistent implementation of measures and activity plans until 2025 will allow us to achieve our goals.”
So the SMO will not be rounded up before 2025 – incidentally, much later than the next US presidential election.
After all, Moscow’s ultimate aim is de-NATOization.
Faced with a cosmic NATO humiliation on the battlefield, the Biden combo has no way out: even if it declared a unilateral ceasefire to re-weaponize Kiev’s forces for a new counteroffensive in the spring/summer of 2024, the war would keep rumbling on all the way to the presidential election.
There’s absolutely no way some sharp intellect in the Beltway would read the Chinese white paper and be “infected” by the concept of harmony.
Under the yoke of Straussian neocon psychos, there are zero prospects for a détente with Russia – not to mention Russia-China.
Both the Chinese and Russian leaderships know quite well how the Ray McGovern-defined MICIMATT (military-industrial-congressional-intelligence-media-academia-think tank complex) works.
The kinetic aspect of MICIMATT is all about protection of the global interests of big US banks, investment/hedge funds and multinational corporations.
It’s not a coincidence that MICIMATT monster Lockheed-Martin is mostly owned by Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street. NATO is essentially a mafia protection racket controlled by the US and the UK that has nothing to do with “defending” Europe from the “Russian threat.”
The actual MICIMATT and its NATO extension’s wet dream is to weaken and dismember Russia to control its immense natural resources.
War Against the New ‘Axis of Evil’NATO’s incoming graphic humiliation in Ukraine is now compounded with the inexorable rise of BRICS 11 – which embodies a lethal threat to the hegemon’s geoeconomics.
There’s next to nothing the MICIMATT can do about that short of nuclear war – except turbo-charging multiple instances of Hybrid War, color revolutions and assorted divide-and-rule schemes.
What’s at stake is no less than a complete implosion of neoliberalism.
The Russia-China strategic partnership of true sovereigns has been coordinating full-time.
Strategic patience is the norm.
The white paper reveals the magnanimous facet of the number one economy in the world by PPP: that’s China’s response to the infantile notion of “de-risking”.
China is “de-risking” geopolitically when it comes to not falling for serial provocations by the Hegemon, while Russia exercises Taoist-style control to not risk a kinetic war.
Still, what Medvedev just said carries the implication that the hegemon on desperation row could even be tempted to launch WWIII against, in fact, a new “axis of evil” of three BRICS nations – Russia, China and Iran.
Secretary of the [Russian] National Security Council Nikolai Patrushev could not have been more crystal clear:“In its attempts to maintain its dominance, the West itself destroyed the tools that worked better for it than the military machine.
These are freedom of movement of goods and services, transport and logistics corridors, a unified system of payments, global division of labor and value chains.
As a result, Westerners are shutting themselves off from the rest of the world at a rapid pace.”
If only they could join the community of shared future – hopefully on a later, non-nuclear, date.
So, the Canadian husband of a Chinese lady who belongs to a Chan Buddhist (Zen) temple and is a friend of mine helped me out today shopping since I am recovering from surgery on my wrist.
During the course of our hour or so together, my Canadian friend informed me of many ‘interesting’ things.
I’m posting this since he is a well informed person. I asked what sources of information he has, and he says he gets it from more than one source. He did mention the Wall Street Journal and China Daily, which he takes with a grain of salt.
He lived in China for several years where he met my Chinese friend, now his wife.
Xi Jin Ping is going to be gone soon, since he is very unpopular
He has gotten rid of most of his opposition.
Most Chinese are not happy with how things are going in China
Chinese long for the most recent past leader, Deng Xiao Ping. (I reminded him that DXP was leader about 40 years ago, and was not the one who was escorted out of the recent Party Congress)
China’s economy is in terrible shape, due to overbuilding and way too much debt.
Lots of people are getting out of China for political and economic reasons
The Belt and Road Initiative is a failure financially as well as diplomatically
Either Russia or China will stab the other in the back, since they have never been allies, but instead adversaries during their long history
Same goes for North Korea and Russia, since their cultures are different and incompatible
Russia has only been able to hold together in the face of a threat.
Russia’s army is in a disastrous state due to the ‘senseless, vanity’ war initiated by Putin
Both Russia’s and China’s economies are in bad shape
The Chinese Yuan has not bottomed out yet, it will be a few more months before that happens
Because of the war Russia initiated, it has lost all soft power around the world.
China likewise has no soft power status
Russia will split apart due to its internal conflicts
Unfortunately, I forgot to ask him about some vague rumors (wink, wink) I had heard about Nazis in Ukraine, and in Canada.
My guess is that he knows such rumors are groundless.
Fortunately, he just started a new job teaching here in Thailand, where he stresses the importance of developing critical thinking skills in students.
This is not satire. Acual conversation.
Eric
Cheese Packets
These little salami and cheese pies are the perfect picnic food to tuck into your cooler.
cheese packets
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water (115 degrees to 120 degrees F)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup (about 1 ounce) freshly grated parmesan cheese
6 ounces salami, chopped
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Instructions
In a large mixer bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the yeast, sage, and salt. Add the warm water and the oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Turn out onto a floured surface.
Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Place the dough in a greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled (45 to 55 minutes).
Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, salami and tomatoes. Toss until well-combined; set aside.
Punch the dough down; divide into 6 pieces. Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch circle. Spoon 1/2 cup of the filling onto half of each circle.
Combine the egg and water, and brush over the outer edges of the dough, to moisten. Fold the circle in half; use the tines of a fork to seal the edges. Place on a greased baking sheet. Prick the tops and brush with more of the egg mixture.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the baking sheet; cool on a wire rack.
Rebuttal
To me the information you got from your Canadian friend is as biased as most western media, if not more.
I grew up in China and have been doing research in China, and I can tell you that Xi Jinping has been the most popular leader in China after Mao passed away.
Deng Xiaoping and others were popular among former landlords and other elements suppressed by Masome, but they are no more than five percent of the population, but for the workers and farmers, Xi represents the best things for them.
I live in the U.S. and last fall I traveled to 13 countries in Europe, Middle east, and Asia as a professor on the Semester at Sea, and last summer, I was in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China for about two months, I would argue that the economic situation everywhere was very bad, which I think it was a good thing.
There had been too much meaningless consumption and development. The world needs to slow down a little bit to give mother earth an opportunity to recover.
Economically China is struggling as well. But compared with any other places, China is doing much better.
Its people have enough to eat, have a roof over their heads. What else do a normal person need to be happy?
Half of the Chinese people are farmers who can grow everything they need to survive. They do not pay taxes to the state and local government.
If they know what is going on in other parts of the world, they should be the happiest people in the world.
Dongping
Dog-Person Guy Begs His Wife To Adopt Shelter Cat | The Dodo Foster Diaries
Competition is always a challenge, right? More than competition, Huawei is a Cinderella story. Remember, it was ranked #1 before Donald Trump torpedoed it.
Now, let’s use a little logic. If Huawei is able to manufacture enough chips to supply the global market, how long do you think it will take Huawei to rocket back to #1? It will have a reputation as the best smartphone on the planet, bar none. It will also have a reputation as the comeback kid.
Do you suppose some people might buy one just to spite Donald Trump or America? That’s precisely why I bought mine.
The Western media never stopped crowing about Huawei’s dependence on Google. In fact, more intelligent people might buy a Huawei phone to escape Google. That was part of my motivation. Unfortunately, my phone runs on Google’s Android program. No problem, I’m going to upgrade to a new Huawei, now that it’s running on Harmony OS.
The iPhone may remain #1 in the U.S., but I predict it will fall to 2nd place (or worse) just about everywhere else.
One thing helping the iPhone is the Apple ecosystem. If you own a Mac, as I do, an iPhone might seem a logical peripheral. Unfortunately, the U.S. tech sector is rotten to the core. I like Apple far more than Microsoft, but I still don’t completely trust it. It also seems like it has become just a little buggier in recent years.
My dream is to someday migrate to a Chinese system, leaving all that U.S. crapware behind once and for all. Unfortunately, I use Adobe software extensively, and I don’t know how long it will be before Adobe software will be compatible with Harmony OS or some other Chinese operating system. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens in the next few years.
Oops, I almost forgot to mention 5G and 6G. China is clearly in the lead here. I don’t know how much that will affect the average person, but it’s certainly a good selling point.
After being wowed by Apple for two decades, I never thought I’d abandon ship, but the Chinese can outperform and undersell Apple at the same time. As a U.S. citizen who’s getting tired of being screwed by the tech sector and my own government, I appreciate bargains, don’t you?
Will China Collapse? (ft. David Goldman)
In Today’s episode of “Moment of Truth,” Saurabh and Nick sit down with David Goldman, Deputy Editor of Asia Times and Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute’s DC Center for the American Way of Life, to discuss everything China, including trade, growth and innovation, Taiwan, minerals, AI, hypersonic missiles, the 2008 crisis, China’s plan for a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution,’ the dollar as the reserve currency, and what the future holds for the geopolitical landscape.
4 times the US tried and each time it failed and each time they cost the US more and more. Will they try again. China just make sure every time it cost the U.S. exponentially more and guess what the U.S. are so full of it they will try again. So let them pay like a lord since the loved to behave as though the world will have to surrender to their will. It is fair.
So the first time they thought that the GPS or Global Positioning System could be shut down to whoever refuse to be submissive and subservient to them. It merely took a few years to have Russian and Chinese GPS which happen to be faster, higher resolution and better than that the U.S. GPS and in a decade 80% of the world has switch to the Chinese Beidou system! Many counties switch off the GPS and are now paying to the Chinese. Too bad.
Next the U.S. disgraceful Congress ban the Chinese on participating in their “international space center”. What did China do. In a few years China build an better, the faster and a more higher technology space Center and open it to the entire world! Today many countries are working with China to do human friendly experiments! The U.S. has decommissioned the U.S. space Center is due to it be expire it’s technology life span. And in just a few years. China’s space Center will be the only space Center for the next few decades.
You would think the Yanks learnt this lesson. But no! Next Donald Trump says let’s start a trade war on China. He actually say trade war with China is easy! But now 4 years after the war started China’s economy grew 26.5% and the U.S. grew 5.5%. Meanwhile the U.S. inflation grew to double digit while China grew 1.8%. Meanwhile the U.S. deficits and debts shot up the roof. The U.S. lost to the trade war terribly and it is still suffering very high inflation and a looming recession!
So losing three times straight for any one ought to teach them a lesson but not the U.S. The U.S. thought they can contained China on chip act. They banned China on high end Chips. This is by far the most costly and expensive if it failed. It will bankrupt all the U.S. chip companies and billion if not trillions will be lost. The U.S. thought China will need to take a generation before the U.S. could produce this high end chip. But China shocked and surprised the U.S. it took a mere 3 years.
At the moment the stock value of US chip firms deteriorated by the trillions and the loss of business to the U.S. firms are wiping off billions of profits. And the U.S. is learning the 4th very painful lesson. Will they learn, I very much doubt so. The US will need to learn more lesson before it give up. I suspect the US need to be totally bankrupt before it learn anything.
After all Korea did not teach The US, Vietnam did not teach the US. And Afghanistan and Iraq did not teach the US and Ukraine wont either.
Barack Obama Reveals Aliens Exist In Top-Secret Government Lab
For years, rumors have swirled, conspiracy theories have run rampant, and skeptics have dared to dream about the possibility of aliens existing in government labs. But now, in a mind-bending revelation that will send shockwaves through the very fabric of our reality. The forty fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama finally breaks his silence and unveils mind-boggling revelations about extraterrestrial involvement in the highest echelons of power.
My employer changed the formula for how sales staff commission was calculated. Previously the formula was a certain percentage of the profit on the sale. The new formula was a smaller percentage of the total price of the sale.
That quarter the factories were busy, and sales volume reports were looking terrific. Travel requests were getting approved, and statements were issued to investors about gains in market share. The stock price climbed.
Suddenly two months into the quarter the mood changed. Those of us on the R&D side who were planning to attend a major conference were told to cancel. The supply cabinets would not be restocked. What had happened?
It turns out that the new incentive plan had a side-effect that should have been obvious. Rather than spending hours or days negotiating with customers toward a price that gave us a good profit, our sales staff were going into negotiations with opening bids at or even below cost! Sure, that meant a little lower commission than if they made the sale at the typical profit, but it meant that they were almost guaranteed to win the bid rather than risking losing the bid to our competitors (as happened half the time), so their net commissions increased! Sales volume increased, factory output and shipments increased, but profits plummeted!
They went back to the previous commission formula immediately.
Chicken, Broccoli and Mushroom Pie
Chicken and mushroom pie with bacon square FS
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Cheese Crust
1 cup lightly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling
1 (6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
Pinch ground nutmeg
2 cups chopped, cooked broccoli
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 cup lightly packed shredded Swiss cheese (4 ounces)
Instructions
Cheese Crust: Using pastry blender, combine cheese, flour, salt, dry mustard and melted butter. Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch pie plate.
Filling: Sprinkle chicken breast lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 25 minutes or until done.
Allow to cool.
Cut into cubes; set aside. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups cubed chicken.)
Melt butter in a skillet. Over medium heat, sauté onion and mushrooms in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender.
Stir in flour. Add cream, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 1 minute. (Mixture doesn’t thicken.)
Add broccoli, eggs and chicken cubes; blend well.
Stir in Romano cheese. Set aside.
Line crust with shredded Swiss cheese.
Pour broccoli-chicken mixture into cheese lined crust.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F; bake for 20 minutes or until set.
GAWNE – “Rich Men North of Richmond” Remix (One Take)
Today I want to relate the events leading to why my wife and I left American Samoa.
American Samoa is an American territory in the South Pacific. It is a very beautiful island, but is way off the shipping lanes, and is really difficult to get to, thus it is not really a tourist destination.
American Samoa
I had an opportunity to build a hospital there.
Anyways, the social and societal organization there is very, very different from what I, as an American, realized.
Here’s a short recap.
Families are in the wife’s name.
Ownership is by the wife, the men own nothing.
Each village has a “pecking order” of hierarchy, all woman led.
If the leading female in a village dies, the next ranking female takes over.
Now, my “Boss” was a man in the leading family in the local village. And he provided me an apartment to live in and a car.
Pago Pago harbour utulei south american samoa 1
Then one day, there was a death in the village and the leading woman died.
Immediately, the next week was a reshuffle of power, and ownership changed hands. My “boss” was no longer in control.
We lost our apartment, and our car, and had to find a place to live. And it sucked!
…
No answers, but my “boss” gave me a place for free. He told me where to go, and later on that day I went to see it.
Ugh!
It was a open-air cinder-block room beneath a backyard chicken-coop/garage. And seriously, I wouldn’t even consider to have my dogs live there. No windows. Just an open square. The “door” was a piece of plywood with a hasp. The “bed” was a ancient well-worn hospital bed. One electrical outlet, and a century old fan.
Mold everywhere.
Moist. Damp. Dirty. Filty.
Something like this…
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I looked around. Said “nope”.
She started to go to the building. I sad NO!
My wife who was trailing me as I entered the hovel was confused. But I spun her around. There was no way in Hell would I subject her to the indignity that I had just been exposed to.
I just left from the site, hopped in the car. Told my wife “we are leaving”, and then made the necessary arrangements.
We were out of there within 24 hours.
…
Do not; never expect the same levels of social norms, respect or allowances that you have grown up with. You might end up with one Hell of a surprise.
This was a “close one”, for once trapped there, we might never had gotten the opportunity to leave.
Sanwan’s adaptation (1937), Mao’s purge of “three gulfs” after the Boxer uprising
After the failure of the Autumn Harvest Uprising, Mao Zedong led the remnants of the army to the south, retreating towards the Xiang-Gan border. After the clear transfer to the Jing-Gang Mountain area, the troops arrived at the village of Sanwan, Yong-Xin County, Jiangxi Province on 29th September, 1927, when the commanding group of the Front Committee at that time decided to integrate the remnants of the army.
At the time of integration, there were less than 1,000 troops left in the remnants of the army, and there was no CPC organisation at the grassroots level of the army, so the army’s culture was no different from that of the warlords’ troops, and the soldiers’ ideology was chaotic, and they did not have any absolute sense of affiliation to the CPC.
The contents of the integration included the following:
Dispatch some of those who did not want to stay in the army, reduce the army to one regiment and rename it as the First Regiment of the First Division of the First Army of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army;
Establishing CPC party organisations in the troops, so that there were company branches (CPC party branches were built on the company), battalion and regiment party committees, and CPC party representatives above the company level;
To stipulate that officers and chiefs should not beat up soldiers, that officers and soldiers should be treated equally, and to establish soldiers’ committees to take part in the management of the unit and to assist in political and mass work. The troops were united under the leadership of the CPC Front Enemy Committee, of which Mao Zedong was the secretary, and a democratic system was carried out internally.
The Sanwan’s adaptation clarified the absolute leadership of the CPC over the army, and at the same time became a guarantee of the CPC’s armed seizure of power.
Within the PLA, officers and enlisted men are completely equal, and at company meetings, ordinary soldiers criticise their officers, who are mortified.
In the U.S. Army, it is unthinkable for the average soldier to criticise his commanding officer.
KMT army vs. CPC army in the Chinese Civil War:
1. The American-backed KMT army of Chiang Kai-shek was entirely a warlord army.
In the case of Chiang Kai-shek’s direct subordinate Hu Zongnan’s Seventh Corps, for example, some of the KMT officers mistreated and brutalised their soldiers to an appalling degree, as reflected by the regiment’s insurgent officers and soldiers:
its 430 regiment’s deputy battalion commander Chen × × when the machine company commander, soldier Liu Yanchun desertion was captured back, Chen × × Liu Yanchun hung up and beaten to death, the body was thrown into the field to feed the dogs, and then cut off the ears of the dead, hanging on the wall, and then gathered the company announced: “You see what this is? Whoever escapes again in the future will be dealt with in this way”.
its 351st regiment soldier Yue Quanfu disclosed: he was 16 years old, was captured by the head of the security force, the village with him at the same time to be captured as a soldier of 10 people. The 10 people, two were shot, one was beaten to death and fell off a cliff, and one was flayed alive by an officer because he didn’t ask for leave to relieve himself!
its 473rd regiment deputy battalion commander Wang × × pick up new recruits, met a few sick people can not walk, so they deceived them and said: “Who can not walk, say, I let you go home”. Four soldiers just turned their heads to go back, was called by Wang × ×, he let the four sick kneel on the edge of a cliff four or five feet high, copied a stick, a stick one, all beat them to the bottom of the ditch, then, long gone.
Its 158th Division officer Deng x x revealed that when he was a platoon leader, he once followed the mortar company commander to Sichuan to pick up new recruits, and saw with his own eyes that this company commander killed more than 20 recruits who deserted. Most of them were killed with guillotines, and others were killed by “splitting the bodies of five horses”. When one of the recruits ran away, he led men to the recruit’s house to catch him, and when he didn’t catch him, he set fire to the recruit’s house. Another time, when he failed to catch a deserter, he ordered four soldiers to carry the deserter’s family and put them on fire until they were burned to death.
Zhu x, chief of staff of his 55th Division, once ordered the commander of the company directly under him to “bury alive any soldier who makes a mistake”. This man once dug out a soldier’s heart on the spot during a punishment and hung two large bunches of them. Soldiers revealed that “he dug out the hearts of many soldiers”.
349 regiment 2 battalion platoon commander Shi × × to sodomise a soldier, was rejected by the soldier, Shi × × even get a carrot to the soldier’s anus hard stuffing!
A division of a deputy division commander is a big sex maniac, his subordinates in the past only know that he often use his authority to force sodomy subordinates, who knows, through the denunciation of the revelation, by his sodomy of the subordinates was as many as 89 people, the anger of the uprising of the officers and soldiers have demanded that the deputy division commander’s crotch penis will be cut off!
According to statistics, of the 2,451 soldiers in the 144th Nationalist Division, 107 soldiers’ mothers were raped by their officers, 21 soldiers’ mothers were abused by their officers, and 185 soldiers’ mothers were forced to remarry; 57 soldiers’ wives were raped by their officers, 53 soldiers’ wives were abused by their officers, and 93 soldiers’ wives were forced to remarry; 159 soldiers’ sisters were raped and abused by their officers, and 175 soldiers’ sisters-in-law were raped and abused by their officers, and were forced to remarry; and a total of 850 soldiers’ mothers, sisters, and sisters-in-law were raped, abused, and forced to remarry by their officers.
Of the 2,451 soldiers in the division, 345 were hung up and beaten by officers, 289 were tied up and beaten by officers, 1,238 were clubbed by officers, 13 were stabbed with bayonets, 677 were beaten with rifle butts by officers, 1,362 were slapped by officers, 945 were beaten with belts by officers, 991 were kicked by officers, 53 were beaten to death, 20 were beaten to vomit blood, 22 were crippled, 1,298 were made to kneel, 535 were made to freeze, 1298 were made to dry in the sun, and 53 were made to faint. The number of people who were beaten to death by officers was 53, 20 were beaten by officers and spat out blood, 22 were beaten and crippled by officers, 1,298 were punished to kneel by officers, 535 were punished to freeze outside by officers, 128 were punished to be exposed to the sun, 1,302 were punished to starve by officers, one was punished to drink urine by an officer, one was punished to eat an officer’s sputum by an officer, 33 were shot and buried alive by officers, and one was shot and buried alive by an officer, but not dead. 33 people, 24 people buried alive by officers ……
image 117image 118image 119
You tell me, how does such a warlord army get the support of its soldiers? How can such a warlord army gain the support of the Chinese people?
If this reactionary, inhumane Kuomintang army can win the Chinese Civil War, it will not be unless the days and nights are turned upside down and the Pacific Ocean dries up!
2. Mao’s army was an army of equal officers and soldiers.
First, on the way to catch up with the enemy. Mao Zedong asked CPC officers to grasp the ideological education of captured soldiers and new recruits.
For example: Mao Zedong knew that most of the captured Nationalist soldiers were from poor families, some of them were forced to be arrested by the Nationalists, some of them were here for money, and they had no idea why they were fighting the war. In response to this background of origin of the captured soldiers, CPC officers were required to provide one-on-one ideological education to recruits and captured soldiers.
CPC officers talked to the recruits and captive soldiers on foot and when they had the opportunity, talking about their family history and finally blaming it on the KMT, which was caused by the exploitation of the poor by the landlords and rich peasants they supported. If the KMT’s Chiang Kai-shek continued to exist, the poor would never be able to turn over a new leaf and would have to live in poverty for generations.
Every day, CPC officers had to report to the CPC Party Leader on the ideological work they had done with the masses, the reaction of the masses, and the ideological sentiments of the masses, before accepting the task for the next day’s work. The CPC party group leader then reports to the CPC party branch, and the CPC party branch then reports to the CPC party committee. The ideological situation of the fighters was firmly in the hands of the CPC Party leaders.
The thoughts of the captured soldiers were quickly transformed through the ideological education of the CPC officers.
Secondly, during the march of the army, the CPC officers set an example by carrying the luggage of the captured soldiers and new recruits. When resting at the end of the line, the CPC officers burned foot-washing water for the captives and recruits, and cooked food for the sick for those who were not in good health, so the CPC officers really treated the captives and recruits as their own brothers.
Thirdly, the captive soldiers also saw that the officers and soldiers in PLA were united, all of them had no salary, ate, wore and slept together without any special treatment, united with each other, and took care of each other as if they were brothers, like a big family.
Fourthly, in order to comfort the KMT captive soldiers and stabilise their minds, the CPC branch sent an official letter to the captive soldiers’ hometowns, stating that they had joined the PLA and that their hometowns should treat them as military families. This moved the captive soldiers and made them settle down; turning their guns to fight the KMT.
At the beginning of the Chinese Civil War, the KMT had 5 million soldiers and the CPC had 1 million; when the Chinese Civil War ended, the KMT was left with only 1 million soldiers, 4 million of whom surrendered to the CPC and joined the PLA.
Xi walked into the dormitories of ordinary soldiers to see if their blankets were warm enough, and Xi ate a pot of rice with ordinary soldiers; has the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States ever done this? These are PLA traditions and have been so since Mao Zedong.
My best friend/co-worker Larry was the IT guy in the training department for a large computer corporation where we both worked. I was a course designer/instructor. The company had been doing quarterly layoffs for almost two years. When it was your turn to be laid off, security watched you pack your personal items then escorted you off the property.
One night during a software update Larry discovered the next layoff list on the boss’s computer (she hadn’t even bothered to password-protect it, but her incompetence is good for another story). Both he and I were on the list. The date was a week away.
In the bookcase of my cubicle were copies of every technical manual and instructor’s guide I’d written for this company. They were my proof of ability. I would need them when I went on interviews and was asked “can you show me something you’ve done?” I spent the next week slowly replacing each binder with an empty one. By the time we were laid off, my entire collection of authored books was safely at home.
Bonus, Larry called the local news to expose how the company was using layoffs as a quick boost to their quarterly earnings numbers (fewer employee expenses improved the net bottom line). They’d often lay off the most critical employees right before end of quarter and then hire them back as “consultants” a few weeks later. We were both interviewed on the news the afternoon we were laid off. Screwed our chances for being rehired but I wouldn’t have gone back anyway.
Oh yeah, and the company? Failed a year later after an even bigger scandal surfaced. They had sales reps creating huge fake sales orders, then right before end of quarter all that equipment would be “shipped” to a large storage facility. They were caught with millions of dollars of fake earnings from falsified sales.
Passport Bros Meet Filipina In The Provinces
No need to be nervous in the small towns in the Philippines. Almost everywhere I go, the Filipino people are the nicest, friendliest people I have ever met. Moved here from So. Calif. in 2010, found my sweet wife here, the Philippines is HOME for me now.
Back in 1999, my then husband began to threaten to harm our children. I set in motion actions with only one thought-to protect my children.
January: I filed a complaint at his precinct (he was a police officer). They took away his guns-he had 10 (he told me 3) and enough ammunition to fight a battle (they told his brother in law that). He filed a complaint with them, saying he threatened to kill us. They told him “we know, he’s a psycho cop. But he’s ok. He loves his kids.” They had zero clue what went on in our home. His brother in law called Child Protection because he saw the police were not taking this seriously. Child protection came, saw it was a clean house with food in the cabinets and he was polite and calm. They never spoke to me or the kids. He told me if I said anything he will make our children orphans. I filed for an order of protection to get him out-his buddies faxed inletters swearing he was a nice guy, loves his kids-she was the bad one. I got denied. He refused to give me money for groceries, mortgage, utilities.
February: I went to put the child on welfare and food stamps. Why are you staying there, they asked. Take your children and leave. I had two sons with asthma and they all had special needs. Why should WE leave? He was the menace-take him out!! So the welfare people called child protection on ME. That’s right-because I didn’t want to take my asthmatic and special needs children to a homeless shelter 3 trains away in the Bronx! My parents didn’t want anything to do with my problems. We went to their home for two days and they threw us. You married him and had his children-now live there. Child protection came to my home at 11:30 at night. They saw the children and me living in the basement. We had a clean home and food (I told them my parents bought them food sincevhe gave me no money). The next day I called my therapist in tears-they will take my children away from me! All because I won’t leave the house! I can’t understand it-we have no where to go or any money. Why should we leave? He’s the threat!! She calmed me down. She made calls all day. By the end of the day, they closed my case-she had the faxes on her desk because I trusted no one.
March: I told my parents there was no more choices. I was getting a lawyer and divorcing him. My parents were horrified. They couldn’t believe he was starving his children. I showed them my temporary support which was running out. Their grandchildren were getting food stamps because their father wasn’t buying them food. My father called our rabbi to talk to him while we stayed in their house. Two hours later, the rabbi came to my father’s house. “It’s a terrible thing to see people change from human into something monstrous. I tried to talk to him about a man’s responsibility to his family.” “Rabbi, he doesn’t like you since Fort Dover, when he was in the hospital for a week and you saw him only once for 5 minutes.” “He told me. He spat on me for it.” My father and I lowered our heads in embarrassment. “I never advocate for divorce unless there is nothing left. Benny, I’ve known you for many years. Get your daughter a good lawyer, she’s going to need one.” I started to cry and the Rabbi put a business card in my father’s hands-it was my lawyer to be. My father and I went the next day and hired him. I told him everything that happened. My lawyer gave me his phone number-call him after 911 in an emergency. And get the children on as much welfare and food stamps as you can. I had to hire 3 servers at $200 a piece to wait at each exit of his precinct to serve him with the order to appear in court. On that day, I went to social services and gave the title of my home as a guarantee so the city can put a lien on my house against any financial support we got from welfare and food stamps. The children and me were finger printed and got ID cards that day. I got formal letters stating we were in need and were getting food stamps and money. The date was March 10-My then husband’s birthday. I chose the date. I wanted everything to have his birthday on it -the court papers, the welfare papers. It was my last happy birthday to him.
April: when the Jewish community and our friends found out about the pending divorce, we were ostracized. I went to Jewish agencies for help. I had no money for Passover. I got a $25 food voucher from an agency that helped the poor and aged. I went to another place that gave me such bad smelling food my father was outraged. He made me take him and the food back. He screamed at them in Yiddish how shameful this was to a poor girl with children. The man shrugged and said “she’s your daughter, you take care of her.” My father said “if only I had back the charity money I gave to places like yours” He put the box on the floor at the man’s feet and he ordered it thrown away. I asked my brother for money, and he gave me $200. But he always reminded me I owed him the money and anytime he needed a favor, he reminded me of the money.
May and June: I finally got approved to work at the Department of Education as a substitute. I accepted any job I could get, no matter where it was or what it was. Getting my money was harder. Sometimes I got my check in the mail. Sometimes I had to go back to the school. Sometimes it was at a district office. I had to drive to the payroll center to make sure all my checks were processed. Meanwhile, the city demanded I worked for their workfare program. No one gets welfare for nothing. I tried again and again to explain how subs worked. I had to wait for them to call me. I told my counselor she can call 65 Court Street to confirm how they call subs. I was told “no problem, you can go there and clean their toilets and wash floors.” Didn’t you want me off welfare? I can get hired by the Dept of Ed if I keep accepting jobs. If I’m washing floors somewhere else I won’t get hired. My counselor took it to mean I was too good to wash floors (if I had no prospects of a job I would have done it gladly). I was thrown off welfare.
July-September: I had been going to court, but he kept putting it off. I couldn’t miss a single court date, but he could show up and say he’s not ready, no lawyer-he fires his lawyer right there in court once! I was getting worried because I needed to keep getting called in to work-30 straight days in any school and I could get hired. I had 20 days and they stopped calling me. It was frustrating as can be.
October: the bank sent over two big guys to serve us with foreclosure papers on the house. The first met my husband who threw him bodily off the premises. I agreed to sign off on the papers if I could get 48 hours to pack our things and leave before they came to lock up the house. They saw what a bad spot I was in and that the idiot didn’t tell me the house was being foreclosed because he didn’t pay the bill in months. They gave me the 48 hours. I called a friend who had s vacant apartment. He didn’t clean it yet. I’ll clean it. I need it in 48 hours. He was ok with it. I called a moving company that specialized in last minute moving-especially in domestic situations. They sent over big guys in case he cane by to interfere. I threw clothes and toys in bags and boxes. I grabbed whatever I could that day. My father and I cried-my marriage was dead. I never told my father-this wasn’t a parole from prison, where I got timevoff for good behavior. It was a pardon-I was freed because of a terrible mistake that shouldn’t have happened. The next day I called Sub Central with my new address and phone number. We were trying to find you! I had to move suddenly. We have a job for you-and it could be permanent. Can you go there tomorrow? I cried with joy. Thanks to God-we had a safe place and I got a chance for a permanent job. It was the School I’m still working at-18 years later. I hung up and my children and I all hugged each other. I moved to this apartment with no job and borrowed money for the first months rent. I didn’t have anything for security. Now, I had a place and a job to take care of my children.
November: Family court once again. The case had been moved to another judge who refused to delay the hearings. She asked him “what did you do to support your children?” “I’m having a problem with their mother-“ “that’s not what I asked you. Did you buy groceries? Pay the phone? Electricity? Gas? Mortgage?” All the answers were no. The judge turned to me. “What did you do to support your children? I turned over all my papers from welfare, food stamps, my pay stubs, and a joint bank book stuffed with grocery slips and utility payments. His lawyer turned pale. The judge went through everything very carefully. “So, your wife put your children on welfare and food stamps while you didn’t do a thing?” “She didn’t put the kids on welfare (chuckling).” The Judge has him look at the papers. Yes I did – and they were all dates on his birthday. “You put my children on welfare-on my birthday?” “Yes, the same day you were served to come to court.” The judge flipped back pages. “You mean to tell me that you have been screwing around all this time while you had no idea how your children were living? You’ve been putting this off from March to now?” She threw her hands on her table. “I’m done talking to you. Let me see your pay stubs.” She reviewed his stubs and was about to order support of $400 a month. I asked to see his stubs first. I pointed out to my lawyer 3 pension loans he took out which come out of his gross pay check, thus reducing the net check to look less. My attorney stood up and said “why should the children have to have their money reduced because of his pension loans? We request you add those amounts in.” The Judge looks over the stubs and screamed “you think you’re so smart huh. I had someone from Sanitation do this last week. Know what I did? I threw the book at him. Like I’m going to do to you.” She reworked the figures. $636 semi monthly-and give me a list of expenses you borrowed-moving, apartment, clothes-anything you had to borrow. He’s going to pay you back for 1999. Every penny!” My husband jumped up out of his chair and yelled “you can’t do that to me! We’re on the same team! All the judges love me.” “The other judges don’t know you-but don’t worry. I’ll make sure they do.” The bailiff had to stand behind him and keep his hands in idiot’s shoulders. My lawyer stood up “your honor, we realize this had been quite a shock to the defendant. We know how hard it is to support a sexy sport car instead of a family (he showed pictures of him in the car). How about if the defendant pays my client $50 semi monthly until his debt is paid?” The other lawyer said ”yes, please!” So the idiot wound up paying me $50 twice a month for two and a half years! These $50 checks were in addition to the child support the court ordered.
December: I was formally hired by my School to work there full time. I paid back my father the money I borrowed. I caught up on my rent and paid security. My children were removed from welfare and food stamps. I bought my children clothes for the first time in nearly two years. We had a real holiday as a family that we didn’t have for so long. And their father told them that I was a bad mother because I took them away from him. It would be years before they saw the truth. I also got back into my house that had been locked up. He set fire to our wedding pictures, most of my old photos from School, books, whatever he could throw in. There was a huge black circle in the middle of the living room. I grabbed more of the children’s things, whatever I could salvage-and his grandmother’s silver items. He left all of them in the China cabinet. I took the Jewish books he left, anything I could throw in a box or bag. He broke my dishes in the kitchen sink. I took a few pots and pans I found. I took all the children’s pictures I found still hanging up. Oddly enough-he never opened my nightstand. I had, shall we say, personal items that a lonely woman keeps in a nightstand drawer. I decided to throw them out instead of bringing them home. I don’t know why. I stopped at the doorway. I looked inside for a last time. This horrible nightmare was finally ending. I knew I had more-the foreclosure sale, the divorce. But this prison that I loved because I raised my children in it, that I cared for, was finally closed. I saw the mezuzah still on the door post. I took it off-my father bought that for us. I gave it back to him.
Yes I know-I wrote a novel. I did it with a time line and great detail for a reason. Any moron who says just leave without a plan or money or support is just that-a moron!!! It’s easy to say “just leave”. And go where?????? If parents turn you out, your family and friends shun you-where do you go? The only person who helped me was HIS sister and her husband. She kept my important documents safe and $300 of emergency money for me. It was her husband who filed the complaint back then saying he heard their father say we were better off dead-and because he was a cop, he would get a slap on the wrist. No one-NO ONE stood up for me. Even my parents told me openly they were ashamed of me. My father gave me money for the sake of his grandchildren. The next person who says just leave and has no plan or idea on how to accomplish that action should be slapped. Because they were never standing at that black pit as I did. Just leave. Why not just say “jump into that black hole?”
Im sorry for writing a long answer. As you see, nearly 20 years later, I can recall it in great detail. Thank you for reading all the way through. If my story can help just one person-then it was all worth it.
No one wanted this cat, so I adopted him.
This is very interesting.
“I adopted a cat and realized everything I thought I knew about them was wrong. In this video, I’m sharing my whole journey from the first week to what I’ve learned, and how Bepo is doing now.”
One of the many encounters I’ve had with a Trump supporter was the time a woman commented on a local news station’s Facebook post with a picture of what she claimed was the 1938 Time Magazine Man of the Year cover. It was clearly photoshopped and had Hitler in an heroic pose with a caption calling him a great leader. She gave her own opinion that Time was a liberal hate rag that supported Hitler.
I knew it was fake because I’ve seen the real cover. It’s hard to forget. It’s a macabre illustration of a tiny little Hitler sitting at the bench of a giant pipe organ. Above him is a wheel with several naked corpses hanging from it. The caption reads, “From the unholy organist, a hymn of hate.”
I replied to her with a link to the official Time website archive page showing the real cover and the story calling Hitler evil.
You may have already guessed this, but she used the laugh reaction to my comment, called me an idiot and then said there was no way to know my cover wasn’t fake and hers was real.
Again, it was a link to the actual Time archives. She could have also done 10 seconds of research on Google, but no. She was more willing to believe this random, poorly edited JPG she found on Facebook was real and that Time Magazine in 1939 praised Hitler and somehow got away with it.
Her husband joined the conversation and attempted to prove his wife was right by telling me I have a woman’s name.
This encounter really drove home for me that we are in a lot of trouble as a country because a lot of people are completely stupid and unwilling to believe facts. A month or two later COVID hit.
Americans React To “When Americans Realise The Entire World DOESN’T Revolve Around Them”
In this video, we react to moments shared on Tiktok when Americans realize the whole world doesn’t revolve around them. These are hilarious but also somewhat eye-opening.
For example, up to 2009, Facebook was fully accessible in China. Then in July that year, a group called ETIM (which the UN categorises as a terrorist group) used Facebook to organise and instigate a riot in China. 197 people died and more than 1,000 people were injured.
The Chinese government asked Facebook to cooperate by identifying the ETIM members who had used Facebook to instigate the riot. Facebook refused. So the Chinese government banned Facebook, saying that otherwise Facebook might be used to instigate violence and organise riots.
As the years passed, it became clear that the Chinese government was not wrong. I say this, because of events in other countries make this clear and obvious.
Well, the fight was with me, and I sort of picked it. Just wait for it, you’ll understand as I go.
If I recall correctly it was 2018 and I was at a bus stop, there was a young girl, I would say about 13 years old. It was pretty late at night, I had just finished a routine commute from the city I trained in to the city I lived. I’m standing outside of the bus stop, gym bag over my shoulder while in the distance I saw a person kind of walking all over the sidewalk. Not unusual, there were a few bars around, I had even popped into one for a drink before waiting for the city bus home.
As the person got closer, my assumption was confirmed that they were in fact a bit drunk. Not a big deal, being drunk in public isn’t necessarily a crime unless you go overboard with it. So I ignore it. He comes up to the bus stop, stops for a second and then notices the girl. He starts banging on the glass, asking her questions and telling her to smile for him. I think to myself “Well, he’s an asshat”, and then asked some advice on my phone (facebook) of what to do. I got a few responses right away, mixed, but overwhelmingly saying I shouldn’t do anything.
Here is where it got dicey, instead of just being on the outside of the bus stop continuing his belligerent ways, he proceeds to walk to the entrance of the shelter and continues to tell her to smile and she should talk to him. I see the girl is visibly upset, and now it’s getting to a confinement issue. So I said to the guy to leave her alone, she’s too young and that’s you are making her uncomfortable. He turns around in a rage, swearing at me, telling me he used to race cars and she clearly wanted him. I repeated what I had said, he starts approaching me so I backed up a couple of steps, put my gym bag down and tried to descale it. He said he was going to smoke me. He starts trying to get in my face and I put my hand on his chest and asked him “what are you doing? I don’t want to fight but you have to leave her alone.”
Anyways, he tried to push through my hand and by that point I had enough. I grabbed the back of his neck, pivoted and shucked him to the ground. I didn’t follow up with anything because at that point it was done. He got up, realized he was outmatched and left her alone.
I looked over at her after to see if she was okay, and she mouthed thank you. So I asked her if she wanted me to sit with her on the bus so he wouldn’t try anything else.
It sounds like a lame “fight”, but I’m not going to let a young girl get sexually harassed and potentially assaulted by some drunk guy.
Getting to the point of picking a fight with the wrong person. At that point I had been training in mixed martial arts for 8 years, had 3 fights against opponents that were supposed to be way better than me, and was training 6 days a week. I wasn’t worried about what could have happened because at our gym we are more self defence oriented and I knew to keep an eye out for weapons.
Biden Beg China for Xi Jinping Visit to America For Talks!
Today’s geopolitical landscape is vibrant and ever-changing. In this video, we explore the tense dynamics between the United States, China, and their respective allies. Engage with us as we unravel the threads of trade conflicts, technological competitions, territorial disputes, and the subtle, strategic game of international influence in the 21st century. Biden Beg China for Xi Jinping Visit to America For Talks!
In the late 1990s my then-husband, also a firefighter, became ill from a chemical exposure in a fire. We had just built a vacation home in a tiny town (population 231) in the Colorado Rockies. He retired and chose to live there full time because he didn’t know how much longer he had. (Firefighters can retire earlier because of a typically shortened life span. He passed away a few years later.)
I wasn’t ready to retire so I stayed in Bay Area and continued working for my fire dept as well as a safety trainer for a large semiconductor company. Every two weeks I went to Colorado for a week to spend time with hubby.
While in the mountains I made friends with our nearest neighbors. They told me their brother was retiring soon from the Navy and planned a wedding at their house upon his return. We were invited.
About a week later I was in California teaching a safety class at the company. One of the new hires had just gotten out of the Navy and when I introduced myself as living in Colorado, he said his family lived there, too! In fact, the following month he would be having his wedding at his sister’s house in the mountains.
Yep! He was my neighbor’s brother! AND when I showed up to the wedding in a new dress I bought in California, his sister was wearing the exact same dress!
We remained friends for years.
How To Reduce Stress For Passport Bros | Floyd Gets A Filipina | Philippines Vlog
Honestly the Philippines has over 7000 Islands so not very hard to discover a place like this off the beaten path. Most of the named products are copies but still provide good quality for a lower price. Once you discover the lower cost of living you never want go back home.
Always have ways to relieve stress creating a peaceful mind. Try to find a way to keep yourself cool in a hotter climate that can also stress people out. If you are overweight the heat will help lose weight fast in the first few months.
This is the time to try maintaining a healthy body. Don’t fall in love with the first women you meet having plenty of options available. When meeting women make sure your intentions clear at the beginning never misleading them.
No matter where you live each person has their preferences that attracts them to others. Don’t stress over this since there are plenty of people you can vibe with.
Remember you are a guest in another country so show respect at all times. I agree Thailand suits younger men better who enjoy the night life.
A positive attitude is key to having a wonderful time. Remember you are responsible for your own happiness. I wish all who visit or move overseas to enjoy a happy life for less money.
Athletes come, bring their coaches, family and support staff. So 12000 athletes maybe bring 50,000 people
They get a look into China the real one not the Washington version.
We can see how western media isn’t even acknowledging it at all.
…
Look at the BBC link it’s right at the bottom.
Add on bloggers and private people traveling to have a look? There’s potentially half a million people who get to see what it’s REALLY like.
These people will return home. These people will hear the usual propaganda garbage spouted against China
These people might decide to push back, at which they have a great thing to say.
“I’ve been there. I’ve seen China up front and close, yet YOU know more than I do?”
I often say this to westerners who claim to know everything about China despite never visiting, not understanding the language or being able to read our media. They literally have no response to it other than I know better than you because (racist) reasons.
US And TSMC In Pain, As China’s SMIC Becomes World’s Best Chip Manufacturing Company!
Congratulations China and SMIC. Many of us around the world have been waiting for this day. Both the US and TSMC had been arrogant and thought no one could shake them.
This is how I learned how crooked employers can be, right at the start of my career. 1984, first job out of university. Five young women were hired by Sperry Corp. We were working on a contract for the State of Texas which involved a lot of traveling and overtime to install and look after a new computer system.
We had to fill out two timesheets, one for our employer (single copy) and one for the State of Texas (triplicate). We were told to put eight hours per day on the employer timesheet but our real work hours on the State’s timesheet, because we were not going to get overtime pay from our employer. So, 40 hours per week for Sperry, 50+ for the State usually, since we often started by leaving on Sunday night and didn’t get back until Friday night. Travel hours were considered work hours. It was no fun, especially since we weren’t allowed any vacation time the first year.
If you’ve ever worked in IT, you know you get stuck working weekends and holidays when fewer people mind if the system is down. Thus we were working on Thanksgiving weekend doing testing, along with some seasoned employees, all male. It was boring and we had lots of time to chat. One of them said “at least you are getting overtime for this”. We wryly laughed – “ha ha NO.” Two of them replied, “Well you should be, you’ve been here less than six months and they automatically classify you as non-exempt for six months when you are new.” Then some comments about the bosses probably not telling us this and figuring we wouldn’t complain because we were female.
We quickly realized we had one copy of the triplicate time sheets for each week we’d been working, because we kept part of the State’s timesheet. Of the four of us ladies remaining, two did not want to make a fuss about it, and two of us decided to confront the bosses. We added up our overtime and had a plan going in.
Our supervisor and his boss and his boss’s boss actually admitted they hadn’t paid us on purpose! Because “the project didn’t have the budget.” Really brazen and condescending attempt at deflecting us. I pointed out this was still illegal and I’d go to the EEOC if they didn’t make good on what they owed. We said we wanted a paid week off at Christmas and cash to make up for the overtime, which they gave us. Our two colleagues who were afraid to complain got nothing. My friend and I had a nice ski vacation together with the proceeds.
I immediately found another job and moved away within a few weeks. Later I got to be an agent of karma: I rose to a position in my company where I had influence on decisions around large contract awards. When Unisys (formerly Sperry Corp) was competing for our business, I made sure my fellow decision-makers knew about my story. It’s bad business to cheat your employees!
The United States will not give up its high-tech sanctions against China.
Not only the United States, but also Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan Province of China are the same. As soon as there is an election season, all kinds of stupid anti-China remarks will come out one after another.
Normally, they create rumours and smear China every day to brainwash their own citizens:
How China steals their technology? How China has taken away their jobs? How China threatens their national security ? Even rumours of genocide are created, so in the eyes of most American rednecks, China is “unforgivable”.
You see, there is such an evil country in the world, and it is righteous for us to be tough on it!
If you give up high-tech sanctions, you are pro-China and treasonous!
Every chip sold to Huawei will become a bullet that hits us!
If you’ve watched too many Western-style elections, you’ll know that it’s the same as a TV talent show.
Whether it’s Trump or Biden, they shout “CHINA” from the podium like a tenor voice, and the voters under the podium feel like they’ve been stimulated by a egg-vibrators in their G-spot, and they instantly orgasm, their minds going blank.
Inflation, health care, and Gun violence and drug-infested are not important, they just want to hear more “CHINA”, and keep on having orgasms, and keep on being happy, and descent into madness.
After enjoying the orgasm calm down and think about it, in the past, the United States to the Soviet Union, to Japan is not also such sanctions? The United States has already achieved success, there are success stories, and as long as the United States increases the sanctions against Huawei, the United States will not fail, and they will keep reassuring themselves in this way.. 🤣
Their election is a race to see who is more anti-China, so the White House will continue to impose technology restrictions on Huawei.
In any case, Biden must take a tough stance to avoid being labelled a “pro-China traitor” by Trump.
Reaction To Jimmy Dore’s TRUTH At The United Nations
On Tuesday the United Nations Security Council welcomed a very surprising speaker — comedian and political commentator Jimmy Dore! Jimmy explained about how the United States was behind the Nord Stream bombing and the western media all fell in line to push the lie that Russia or Ukraine or someone else was responsible. Guest host Craig “Pasta” Jardula and Americans’ Comedian Kurt Metzger discuss Jimmy’s UN appearance and Seymour Hersh’s startling revelation that the Nord Stream bombing wasn’t actually about the Ukraine War at all.
My mom was on welfare when I was ten years old. She had been taking a bus (public transportation) to school every day to become a dental technician. Her goal, which she worked towards and accomplished, was to get her family off of welfare.
On the day she was scheduled to graduate, her unemployed boyfriend was supposed to watch my brother and me. The plan was for him to pick us up and take us on a hunting trip with him and his friends. Not that we would have been allowed to shoot anything, but we were really excited.
He never showed up.
Mom called the neighbor and asked her to watch me and my brother, to which the neighbor agreed. I was really upset and disappointed that we weren’t going hunting.
As my mom was leaving for her graduation, I was crying and begging her to stay. She said she loved us and left.
When she got back, she asked me how my day was. I told her I hated her. That was it. That was all I said. “I hate you.”
I can only imagine the strength it took for her to hold back the tears as she got my brother and me ready to go for a walk.
Right outside the door, there was a brand-new bb gun sitting on the porch. We lived in Cherry Ridge Terrace which is located on a mountain in the woods of Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. There are tons of wooded trails around those parts.
She took my brother and me down a trail.
Located in almost every tree, shrub and plant, were empty aluminum cans. One by one, we switched off possession of the bb gun and shot cans out of those trees and shrubs the whole way down the trail.
It was so fun for us.
As it turned out, my mom had gotten a $50 graduation gift from her father and bought a bb gun before she came home from her graduation.
She walked that trail and put those cans all around before she came in the apartment, so she could take us hunting. And right before she did that, I told her that I hated her.
That was the last time I told my mom I hated her.
And when I saw this question, I called her and apologized for saying that I hated her, thirty years ago.
What I can teach you right now is something I learned ten minutes ago.
When I was 17, I went camping at a beach one day, and decided to make a sand throne, to relax in, except… it wasn’t made entirely of sand, because it would collapse the moment I sat on it. So, I gathered some large stones nearby, arranged them neatly to form a chair, and then covered it with sand to even out the gaps so that it would be comfortable to sit in.
After 2 hours of toiling under the hot sun, the job was done, and I sat in my throne with a great sense of fulfilment. After a while, I retreated back to my tent nearby to rest.
As I stared out of my tent to enjoy the view of the beach and admire my handiwork, a young boy, around 10 of age, went to my throne and walked around it, inspecting it curiously. For a moment, I thought he was going to sit on it. But then, a mischievous glint shone in his eye and he backed away from it a few steps. Then, he dashed and swung a mighty kick! And… collapsed, clasping his foot and crying for his mom.
I stayed in my tent, with tears in my eyes trying to hold back the laughter, thinking “Served you right! “. It wasn’t intentional, but making a “sand” structure with stones was definitely the most satisfying passive aggressive thing I did to a troll who goes around kicking sand structures.
I sponsor poor children in Thailand through an accredited international relief fund. I have been doing this for 15 years.
I do pro-bono law work for the poor. I have saved single mothers from eviction, saved a person’s life, helped someone wrongly arrested and charged from going to jail and being away from his children, and others.
I rebuild and repair computers and donate them to impoverished families.
A socialist society would require less of me having to deal with evictions for poor mothers because the mother would be given her own place, free from that concern. There would not be the systemic injustices that cause so many legal problems for people. Most poor people would make a living wage so they wouldn’t be destitute. An equitable economic and legal system is far superior to charity. Until the beautiful day of communism, we all need to do what we can.
But in terms of aggregate function, it is arguably THE smartphone SOC of 2023.
Why?
Well, it is the first mobile device with Bluetooth 6.x that can deliver lossless high fidelity audio at lower power than the current industry standard, Bluetooth 5.x. Huawei calls it Nearlink, and it is 100% Huawei controlled.
It is also the first mobile device that can make satellite calls, courtesy of a sophisticated antennae design that, according to my friend who has done a partial teardown, is the most complex he has ever seen. There are 9 separate segments on the frame of the mate 60.
The WiFi 6 speed can hit several Gbps, while the 5G mobile connectivity has been demoed above 1Gbps. These are class-leading numbers, with the signal processing improved through AI.
Wired/wireless charging at 88/50W are way better than what Apple offers, as does the battery capacity.
There is also a large language AI model built into the OS, making Hongmeng stand out among the 3 mobile ecosystems. The AI also enables the nifty camera, which takes some of the best mobile photography in 2023.
There is nothing like the features enabled by the Kirin 9000s chipset, even if we combine the best features of the Android and iOS universe into a hypothetical superphone.
Is that better?
You decide.
Nvida Shocked! Huawei’s Secret Weapons: Ai Chip Ascend 310 Explained
Huawei is becoming the company Apple wants to be… building its own modern ecosystem for the internet of things and huawei car integration. Let’s see who gets there first.
I thought about this for a long time , a very long time
Yes it’s true that the West led by the US has become unusually harsh towards China. In fact the US is destroying it’s entire reputation in front of the world through it’s actions against China & Russia
So why?
First let’s get rid of the obvious NONSENSE theories here
Theory 1:-
That US doesn’t want China to be a threat in the future and become a Rival
This is ridiculous. It’s also highly improbable. US doesn’t think long term at all. US thinks only short term, typically from Election to Election Or Boom to Recession to Boom
That the US is doing all this , to throttle Chinas Growth seems foolish to me because the US gains nothing at all
If the US simply and quietly did it’s work without any threat of sanctions, the USD would remain a global currency for a century perhaps
So US destroying it’s own reputation by the day, it’s reputation as a free country, as a country of laws, as a country of responsible media and as a country promoting free trade – just to ensure China doesn’t grow to be as big as the US is downright foolish
Theory 2:-
That US wants to protect it’s Companies from Patent infringement
Again Nonsense
That’s not how the US works
These Companies, they have for several decades run their own businesses and have never come crying to the US Government for help
That the US doesn’t want China to become technologically advanced and sell more smartphones and laptops is illogical
Theory 3:-
That the US are doing this for National Security
Again foolish. US have Nukes. China has Nukes. In any struggle between two nuclear powers, the power heading for defeat will try to balance the equation by using nuclear weaponry
This US will never fight China in a major war and vice versa
The US has no conflict with China and the Sphere of Influence for the US is in the Atlantic & Pacific not the South China Sea or Africa
And for gods sake if you tell me this is because US cares about the Taiwanese people, I would tell you the chances of Netanyahu being a Hamas agent is higher than that
Plus nobody uses 3 nm Chips for Missiles or Space
Theory 4:-
That US wants to break up China and destroy the CPC
Again nonsense.
Why?
China is an economic and trade ally and helps make $ 2.3 Trillion a year to the US Economy by value addition. Why destroy that with breaking up China and destroying Status Quo?
image 133
Sure you do have a handful of faggots like Lindsey or De Santis who are demented enough to have this illogical ideology
Yet they represent maybe 3–4% of the US collective of Politics, Press & Big Businesses
Theory 5:-
Politics & Elections
Again doesn’t make sense
US voters vote on various issues and Anti Chinese Rhetoric isn’t one of them. Hell, both sides make Anti Chinese Rhetoric don’t they?
This brings me to the real reason in my opinion
The US NEEDS CHINA to do something very badly and is using all these measures as bargaining chips
Taiwan
Tech barriers
Tarriffs
Propaganda
The US wants something from China in return for which the US is ready to go back to removing all of the above
That’s the only logical explanation of why US keeps threatening China and it’s businesses
It hopes these businesses and people will put pressure on China to somehow do what the US expects
This also explains why China isn’t reacting at all to all these provocations but quietly making firm statements
Its ECONOMIC
The US Economy is a time bomb waiting to explode. When it does it will take the economy of the entire world with it.
It will cause huge blows to every nation including China
Yet it will also finish the US as a global power completely
Unless China steps in
image 132
China can invest $ 770 Billion today without needing a signature or getting into debt
China has $ 18 Trillion in savings alone
A Huge Swathe of Chinese Investments into USA , especially PUBLIC MONEY belonging to the Chinese People will allow the US to either delay this time bomb from exploding immediately (7–12 years) to around 40 years
It’s why so many US higher ups are visiting China again and again
It’s why no top ranked Chinese is visiting the US
image 134
The US keep telling China, it’s in their own interest to prevent the US from the great economic collapse
Otherwise China would be badly burnt
Yet China may feel that it’s best to let US collapse even at great personal loss. This may be why China is busy with alternative settlements and alternative currency routes
I somehow seriously doubt Xi Jingping wants to be the Global Hegemon
All his moves are to secure Fuel, Energy and Food and Independence from the Dollar
I thought this was because the US is insane enough to sanction China but maybe it’s because China wants to put distance between the US Economic time bomb & themselves and their clients
I believe it’s why US have enmeshed the EU into this quagmire and also the UK and Japan and S Korea
If US experiences this Economic Collapse, these nations would be gutted completely. Hence they sink or swim with the US. That’s why they too put pressure on China yet have some major visit to China almost every month
image 131image 130image 129image 128
This is my hypothesis
Nothing else makes sense
Politicians have their ideology
Media Channels have their ideology
Businessmen may have their own issues with China
But a full concerted effort to target China and that too announcing everything months in advance all the time , looks stupid and completely ineffective
It looks like the US is desperately putting hook after hook into China and saying “If I go down, you go down”
China still doesn’t believe that and feels that if the US goes down, and if China survives – it would be a better world altogether
I am firmly convinced the US is having an economic nuclear bomb within itself and needs China to prevent the collapse which will damage the Global Economy heavily
All these moves are completely Anti Chinese but intended as bargaining Chips
Originally Answered: Have you ever encountered a lawyer who was so good that your jaw dropped?
I had been the victim of a road rage incident when I was in my 20s. Long story short, I was in a left-turn-only lane; the perp was in the right-turn-only lane, and she wanted to go left. I made my turn, without ever noticing her, as there weren’t very many cars on the road, and went into a restaurant to pick up my dad’s dinner. She followed me in, kicked the chair out from under me, and kicked the crap out of me while screaming, “Do you know who I am?” Luckily, one of the waiters got her license plate number.
I had eight broken ribs, a fractured cheekbone, and she had ruptured all of my stitches from my gallbladder surgery that I’d had two weeks prior. She tried to have me arrested for assault, saying that I threw her against her car. I’ll come back to that.
At my first court appearance, the prosecutor took me into a room and wanted me to drop the charges against this woman. I obviously refused. The prosecutor said, “You are 22, you work as a hairdresser, and you live with your parents. You are nothing. Marjorie (the perp) is a pillar of the community, and is the child psychologist for the county, so I’d think real hard over this (let’s not forget that I had been the victim here).”
I did point out that I had brought a witness (the waiter), as well as notarized affidavits from several people who were in the restaurant at the time, and CCTV footage from the restaurant, too. She refused to allow them to be admitted. Wasn’t she supposed to help me?
The judge wanted me to let the perp have my car fixed (she broke a window and keyed the door) by some unlicensed guy, whom she had treated when he was in school. I agreed to an estimate, but I was going to get my own estimate as well.
My sister used to work as a legal secretary, and she took me to one of her old bosses. We went over all of the evidence, and he agreed to come with me for the second court date.
So, at the next date, the prosecutor called me back to a private room, before going into the courtroom, again trying to force me to drop the charges, but still wanted me for assault. My lawyer, Mark, said, “So you say that my client threw Marjorie over the hood of her own car and held her against a wall with her right arm, correct?”
The prosecutor said, “That’s what Marjorie told me.”
Mark: “Marjorie, how tall are you?”
Marjorie: “5’10”
Mark: Chole, how tall are you?
Me: “5’3″
Mark: “Marjorie, you are a big woman, easily close to 200 pounds, while Chole weighs 92 pounds, so how could she throw you?
Prosecutor: “That’s not important.”
Mark: “I disagree. Marjorie, you said in your sworn statement that Chole held you up against the wall with her right arm. Are you certain that you want to say that?”
Marjorie: “That girl is a wild animal; who knows what those people are capable of?”
Mark: “Well, Chole had emergency surgery two weeks prior to the incident, on her right side, and still cannot lift that arm past shoulder level, no thanks to you. Also, she’s left-handed.” Checkmate.
Marjorie, at this point, jumped up and started screaming about how important she was and I was just white trash, when Mark stood up, looked down at her (he’s 6’9) and said, “Lady, you might have convinced this prosecutor that you’re somebody special, but I have, in my briefcase, a filing, ready to go to the state board, along with all the evidence from this case, as well as sworn observations about your general behavior from your fellow psychologists and some of your neighbors. You will never be able to work again once I’m through with you, so I suggest that you sit the f**k down and admit that you lied and that you beat this ‘white trash girl’ for no g*****n reason.” Then, he turned to the prosecutor and said, “How dare you assume that someone is guilty because they’re not from this s****y town? What does that prove, or are you just bored and lazy?”
Marjorie had to pay for all of the damage done to my car, as well as the ambulance service, medical costs relating to everything that she did to me, and the damage she did to the chair in the restaurant. All of my charges were dropped and expunged.
Mark usually handled divorce cases, but he had way too much fun that night!
Flash-forward a few years, when I was at a luncheon with my mom. We ran into a friend of hers, who is also a child psychologist for another district. My mom mentioned my case, and the woman said, “We’ve all been waiting for that b***h to get knocked down a few pegs for years! She’s a nightmare to deal with, but she did lose her job shortly after your case was resolved.” The district didn’t want to have to pay out a small fortune if and when this woman blew her top again, so they forced her into early retirement.
Eliminate Apple Android compatibility! Huawei’s independent operating system shocks the West!
“”In today’s episode, we dive into the latest developments in the Huawei vs. United States tech competition. Huawei has made a groundbreaking announcement – its HarmonyOS will no longer be compatible with Android. HarmonyOS 4.0 has sparked intense discussions, with industry experts suggesting it could challenge iOS and Android. Huawei’s move to disconnect HarmonyOS from Android is a strategic maneuver in the global tech arena, countering U.S. dominance. We explore the implications and Huawei’s plan to create opportunities for global tech enterprises.
Russia is still sitting on 40 billion dollars worth of trapped Indian Rupees.
BRICS member Russia is evading US sanctions by accepting local currencies as payment for exports and not the US dollar. Russia’s third-biggest oil producer, ‘Gazprom Neft announced that the company has completely stopped accepting the US dollar as payment.
The oil exporter has ditched the US dollar and switched to accepting local currencies for cross-border transactions. This is the first oil-producing firm to completely switch from the US dollar to local currencies in 2023.
The development comes on the heels of the de-dollarization efforts initiated by the BRICS alliance. Saudi Arabia also confirmed recently that it is open to accepting local currencies for oil trade across the world.
Alexander Dyukov, the CEO of Gazprom Neft, said that the company has completely moved away from the U.S. dollar. He added that the firm will not be accepting Euros, which will eventually put pressure on the countries of the European Union. “We have virtually moved away from payments in dollars and euros,” he said to Tass.
Dyukov revealed that the oil firm will accept the Chinese Yuan and the Russian Ruble as payment moving forward. “We mainly use Yuan and Rubles,” he said. A spokesperson said that the company has no issues accepting and withdrawing foreign currencies from across the world.
However, the CEO stressed that the company is not open to accepting the Indian Rupee as payment. “No. We don’t use Rupees,” he said without citing why the INR is left out as a payment option. If many other oil companies follow suit, the US dollar could be in jeopardy. The means to fund the dollar’s deficit will narrow, leading to economic turmoil in the US.
ASEAN Rejects US As Biden Tried Disrupting Summit And Made These Silly Requests!
“im from the Philippines and i firmly believe that without U.S. hegemony, the world will be at peace.”
Quite a few years ago I worked for a large insurance company. I had an office on the fifth floor. In that office I had a decorative ceramic eagle worth about $200 sitting on my bookcase. One Friday afternoon it was there when I went home for the weekend. When I returned on Monday it was gone!
I trotted down to Building Security and explained the issue. They smiled and said, “Give us an hour.” I said, “Why?” They said, “Very few people know about the hidden cameras in the elevators!”
An hour later they called me. They showed me a video of one of my employees carrying out my eagle at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night! They happily printed out a hard copy of a frame that showed the theft.
On Monday morning I called my thief into my office. I had a little fun. I told him how shocked I was that my eagle was missing. He said all the right things about how terrible this was!
“Who would do such a thing?” I inquired. He quickly threw two other employees under the bus. Then I laid the picture out of this SOB doing the deed!
“I guess I’m fired” he said! “You guessed right,” I said.
Footnote- My superiors were not satisfied with that. They called the police and had him charged & convicted for theft!
It FINALLY happened (mask off moment)…
Thanks, Canada, for confirming what Mr. Putin has been saying all along.
“Remember, don’t talk to the hostesses, and don’t start a fight. Got it?” I asked my friends, making sure everyone also had a drink in hand.
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Girls holding signs, where sometimes a man may come in to “persuade” you to try it
“What happens if we lose you?” one of my friends asked.
“Look, you’re not carrying shrooms or weed. Don’t start a fight, and worst case they put you in a cell until you sober up. Then call me.” I grinned back. The Neon lights with the words “Kabuki-cho” illuminated behind me. Farther ahead, many girls with signs.
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Sorta like this now
They all nodded, some coming from downtown LA, some former military members, and some just like you, traveling Japan for the first time.
As a preamble, they wanted me to take them to the sketchiest part of Tokyo, which I find to be a contradiction.
After seeing a beer cans and some trash on the floor, I looked back at my group, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry guys. This area is not as clean as Japan, and it can get pretty bad.” Then I looked back up and winked at them.
The reason why it’s so safe is because of the culture.
People in Japan from a younger age are taught to think of the community first, and not themselves. There are pros and cons of this, which I’ll reserve for another post, but it starts from school as the students are expected to clean everything. If you do a bad job, you will be socially ostracized until you put in “your part”. Everywhere you go it’s pretty much handicap friendly, so if you have any disabilities people make sure you can go about your day.
The reason why it’s so safe is because there’s no incentive
It didn’t used to be this way. Japan has organized crime like any other country (Yakuza ring a bell?) but even they realized it wasn’t profitable to do violence so they pretty much resort to financial racketeering or money laundering and other “services”, but never violence.
The reason why it’s so safe is because of the police culture.
Japan has what some in the West would be almost a too trusting culture with the police. Kid is lost? Go to the local police station. Harassed? Local police station. Followed? Local police station. You get the idea.
You also don’t really have to worry about being injured going to the police. The police are liable if they do physically hurt you, so they have come up with ways to restain you without harming you.
The reason why it’s so safe is because the population is older and busy
If you look at Japan, the average age is almost 50. People don’t need to prove themselves when they’re older, and have it stable. Likewise, the younger generation are almost too busy with school, work, or other societal aspect that there’s almost no free time to do anything else. This obviously has major cons, but it does make it so that most people follow the rules and are rewarded on the “successful” pathway.
If it’s 10degrees or hotter outside [50 degrees Fahrenheit, for Americans] we will go out in bikinis and sunbathe
Almost every family owns at least one summer cabin that is frequently visited
We say ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening’ to everyone we pass on the street, depending on the time of day
We will often have long discussions (*hem* arguments) of what type of snow is snowing at the moment
The first real day of summer was three days ago and almost everyone took a break from work to go and enjoy it (it was around 14 degrees or something)
It snows from August to June
All the houses are built like fortresses so they can withstand the frequent earthquakes
We await the next volcanic eruption with excitement
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(Eyjafjallajökull, 2010)
Most of us watch football religiously
Dried fish is a delicacy
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We loudly announce when we go to the toilet and ask if we have permission to do so
Going on dates is a formal and a rare experience, not standard at all
Blind dates is something that doesn’t happen
In swimming pools we wash without clothes with everyone else of the same gender, no stalls
We drink a lot of milk —it goes with everything
We leave our babies outside in their prams -of cafes, our homes, in the garden, in our unlocked cars
We love sauces; we probably have hundreds of different types, also ice cream shops normally have about six different sauces
We will have barbecues in any weather
We drink lots of alcohol: beer, wine, you name it
It’s never cold inside our houses, ever
We party until way after midnight —if you are camping and want to sleep, don’t camp next to Icelanders
Believing in elves and trolls is normal and we have tons of stories that we’ve been told about them since we were young
We have 13 Santa Clauses
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edit : some more for y’all + pics on the original answer
We have a Christmas Cat that, if you don’t get new clothes for christmas, will come and eat you (particularly children)
image 138
The christmas cat is owned by a pair of trolls called Grýla and Leppalúði. they are the Santa Clauses’ parents, who are also trolls.
Grýla kidnaps, cooks and eats misbehaving children.
image 137
We have a day dedicates to eating these delicious balls of air
image 136
The water quality is 500% and so when we visit other countries we are dying because the water tastes so bad there
We are taught from a young age that we should never ever ever step on the moss and if you do then u deserve to burn in hell (ok maybe not but that’s the idea)
Everyone hates Justin Bieber for that music video he did. (+We had to close down the park a part of it was shot in because the tourists were tearing up the moss.)
In winter we all wear the thickest coats you’ll see while still trying to stay fashionable and we all look giant
Conjugation is a thing so a noun has 16 different variations of itself.
Tourism is the top industry of Iceland
Ice cream is enjoyed whenever; in a snow storm or on a rare hot day; doesn’t matter
While waiting to turn left into a busy street, the person behind me grew impatient and honked. Not wanting to be the person to face death by oncoming traffic so he could hurry, I put my car into park and got out.
I pasted a look of quizzical concern on my face, and slowly walked to the back of my car. I inspected the back and could find nothing wrong, so I turned to the guy who honked and said, “What is it? Is one of my lights out? Is one of my tires flat?”
He shouted, “I just want you to go!”, but it was busy, so I pretended not to hear him, so I cupped my hand to my ear and walked towards him.
“I JUST WANT YOU TO GO!!!!” he shouted.
“Oh, well, I’m turning left, and it’s kind of busy, so I’m waiting for a break. I’ll go then. I thought you were honking because you saw something wrong with my car. Thanks!” I cheerily shared.
I went back to my car, put it in drive, and waited for a safe time to pull out.
I used to until I was sued and faced legal action against my credential that was filed by my principal. The principal also convinced the boy’s father to file a criminal complaint and tried to get me arrested. It cost over $150,000 in attorney’s fees to fight the administrative actions and criminal actions. I ended up prevailing and in the end, after spending another $100,000 in attorney’s fees, I recouped my fees by filing suit against the parent of the student and the school district.
The back story was this male student who suffers from schizophrenia and has other learning disabilities was assigned to my science class. I was never informed about his medical diagnosis. He was enrolled in the intensive intervention program at our school that was for students who had behavioral issues. These students were supposed to have an aide with them in the mainstream classroom or they were supposed to be in the II room doing their work. They had a behavioral intervention plan for each student.
I was not given this student’s BIP because his mother, a teacher in the district and at another site, did not want his medical diagnosis shared with his teachers. She also did not agree with it and refused to administer his medication at home. To be allowed at school, he had to take his meds. The year prior, he had beaten two students so severely, they were hospitalized for several weeks and one almost died. So his meds were administered at school. He did not take them on the weekends so on Mondays he was always exhibiting extreme behavior. It also turns out that at times the voices he heard told him the meds were poison so he would pretend to take them and then spit them out when the school nurse was not looking.
I knew he was supposed to have a BIP and I made several requests for it by email. I cced the requests to the vice-principal and the principal and never received a response. By state and federal law, I was supposed to be given the BIP and made aware of anything that could possibly endanger myself or my students. I was supposed to be informed that the previous year he went into a psychotic rage and nearly killed two students in his PE class and it took 4 PE teachers to pull him off of the student both times. It was after the second attack that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and placed in the II program and assigned an aide to be with him at all times.
Well, his case carrier let him go to his classes without an aide because none of the aides would deal with him. He had assaulted all of the aides that were available and so they refused to work with him. He was confined to the II room for the first 5 periods of the day. She sent him to my class 6th period because it was her prep period and she wanted a break. Since no aide would work with him, she did not send an aide with him, so I had to deal with him on my own. Of course I had no idea about the schizophrenia or that his constant talking was due to his talking to the voices of his imaginary friends that were real to him and that were telling him what to do.
One day those friends told him to beat the crap out of a female student that was half his size because she had disrespected him because she was looking at him funny. Of course she was at the back of the room and he was at the front and she wanted nothing to do with him. Nobody wanted to even talk to this kid. So he got up and walked back to her, and pulled her out of her seat and started beating her. When I got to her, he had her on the floor and she was in the fetal position. He was kicking her head repeatedly. I grabbed him in a bear hug from behind and walked him to the door. He was continuing to kick and so he and I went down. I just continued dragging him to the door and pulled him out the room. I left him outside and returned to the room and shut the door behind me. He was locked out side.
I called the office to come and get him and to send for paramedics for the girl. He spent the next 30 minutes pounding on the door and windows with his bare fists. He actually shattered several windows to the classroom. It took administrators 10 minutes to get to my classroom. They spent 20 minutes asking him to calm down and walk with them to the office. He charged them several times and hit and kicked them but they would not use any physical force to restrain him. Even after he broke the windows with his fists and cut his hands, they refused to restrain him. I finally had enough and called the police. They came and took him down and cuffed him. My principal was upset. But the paramedics were able to stop his bleeding before he bled out. Then they were able to treat the student he had kicked in the head several times. She had a severe concussion and needed medical attention now, not 30 minutes from now.
Of course in this day and age of cell phones, a few of my students filmed this. As allowed by state law, I confiscated the cell phones because filming inside of a classroom is a violation of state law, and filming fights is a suspendible behavior. I handed the phones to the admin and wrote the appropriate referrals.
The district policy is the admin is supposed to review all photos and videos with a parent present, copy any thing taken in a classroom then delete those images from the phone. Those copies are then saved as evidence for the basis of the suspension and depending on the severity of the offense and the number of previous offenses the student gets from 1 to 5 days of suspension. The phones do not get handed back under any circumstances until the videos are erased.
Well, the principal just handed them back immediately. I still wrote the referrals. I documented everything.
The next day. I get called to the office. I find the SRO wanting to interview me. I respectfully declined. I invoked my right to have an attorney present before answering any questions. I have attorneys for relatives and friends. When a police officer asks you a question about a situation you were involved in, they are not your friend. Anything you say can be used against you. You do not say anything without an attorney. What the officer did not say that I learned later was the father had filed a criminal complaint against me. The principal had encouraged him to do so. The problem was, he did not have custody of his son nor did he have legal educational rights. In fact, there was a restraining order prohibiting him from being on school grounds or within 1,000 feet of his son. Mom did not want to file a criminal complaint because she knew what would happen, absolutely nothing. She was a teacher and knew what the education code was.
In CA, a teacher may intervene to protect the safety of a student. So if it is mutual combat, I could legally intervene to prevent both students from harming each other. I am not legally required to but I can if I feel I can do so. If I am injured, I am covered by workman’s comp for injuries sustained in performing my duties. The top duty of any teacher is to ensure student safety. That takes a higher priority over teaching students. I have broken up fights before and have been injured and they have always been covered. I do it because I am a teacher and student safety is first.
The principal then filed an administrative action against me for violating the rights of a special education student. I did not follow his behavioral intervention plan. Had this been successful, I would have lost my job and my credential. This was made worse by the fact that the video taken by a student was posted to social media. It then made the local news.
Of course the story was one sided. I could not provide my side of the story. Anything I said would violate the student’s privacy rights under state and federal law. So, I was the teacher that assaults students for no reason. Nothing was said about the student that was on the floor, in the fetal position, having her head repeatedly kicked. Nothing was said about her traumatic brain injuries or the induced coma she was in for two weeks or her overwhelming fear of returning to the same school this monster of a student was at so she ended up transferring to a private school. By the way, this student who was the aggressor was never suspended because his special education rights were violated. He did this to at least 6 other students after this incident over the next 2 years and the district ended up paying out several millions to the parents of his victims. They finally got rid of the student by moving the program off of my campus to another one. This allowed them to fire this inept teacher. At the new campus, this student is confined to his II room and not allowed into any general education room. That principal has made sure of it. He has signed one school security officer to be with the student at all times.
My union would help pay for the legal defense, but only if I prevailed. So I did what was best for me, I hired the best attorney in the field of Education Administrative law. She has earned several awards and has won many cases that went all the way to the CA Supreme Court. I mortgaged my house and paid the retainer. I then shut up and let her talk for me.
My district told my principal to back down, she would lose. Since this was a legal action, I got a copy of all emails and I got this email. My principal did not realize I got this email and her response was she was not going to because I hurt a student and she needed to make an example of me. Their response was they would not pay for her legal costs, she was on her own and she had to pay for all of her attorney fees. They would not provide an attorney for her. She decided she did not need one. She went it alone. If you are dealing with a legal issue, never, ever appear before a judge without a competent attorney. If your boss tells you to drop it and you insist on following through on the legal action, it is a sign you are going to lose.
After 3 months, she lost. Then I took all the documentation of where she went wrong and filed suit. Then she realized she screwed up big time because the district told her to get her own attorney. She refused to settle out of court and so her costs went up and she lost. The district also lost because I went after them because she was their employee. I also went dad for his defamation and libel and filing a false police report. Because of the deep pockets law, I won an enforceable judgement against the district and the principal.
Now, as a teacher, I really do not want to take money from the education of students. So, I negotiated with the district. Since I won against the original criminal and administrative complaints against me, my union will cover much of the attorney’s fees for that. I also had to hire a criminal defense attorney. His bill was only $10,000 because he only had to file some paperwork with the DA to get the DA to make a decision to either charge me or drop it. The DA decided that at worse I was guilty of an infraction, and since I was protecting another student and had a strong defense that I was protecting her from certain death or permanent harm, what I did was legal, he would never consider filing charges because the case would be too weak and I would never be convicted. The district negotiated with the principal to cover my administrative attorney’s fee not covered by the union. This meant they told her they would withhold the money from her paycheck to pay my attorney or the principal would no longer have a job.
Then, the principal would buy 10 years of credit into my retirement plan with the state. This would come from her paycheck rather than from the district so students do not suffer. If she did not agree, she would not longer be working for the district. This will allow me to retire early and leave the state and seek employment outside of CA where education has not become so bad that the schools are run by the lowest common denominator and the students who want to learn and get an education are being left behind and whose safety is in danger every day.
In exchange, I signed a contract that I will never intervene in a fight. I will call the office and report it to an administrator. Last year, I had 8 fights in my classroom. Administrators are trained to not run to fights. They are supposed to walk because it demonstrates a calm response. My classroom is at the back of campus and it takes a minimum of 5 minutes to walk from the front to my room. The average administrative response time from the time I call to inform them there is a fight in my room to them actually arriving is 15 minutes. During that time I am supposed to evacuate the classroom of all students who are not participating and who will follow my directions. I have to supervise those students outside. The defiant students stay inside. Since I have done my duty, I am good. The students inside can hurt and maim each other all they want and they do. After the administrators arrive, a few ambulances are required.
The result, last May a police officer attempted to do CPR on a student that collapsed at lunch time. Other nearby students assumed the officer was assaulting the student or arresting the student and started a riot. They threw trash cans at that officer and the other responding officers that arrived within two minutes. The 4 administrators that arrived and told the students to disperse were ignored. The administrators sounded a lock-down and the students ignored it. They continue to attack the officer attempting CPR. The student died.
That student had tapped a mixture of pentyl and THC and she stopped breathing. It took 20 minutes for the police to to control the students, including arresting 30 of them, clearing the area enough to get the paramedics to the girl. They could not perform CPR during that time. The officer that tried to do CPR was taken to the hospital with a concussion after having two garbage cans slammed over his head.
Students learned if they fight the adults back down.
If I see a fight or a student assaulting another, I walk the other way. I am legal safe if I just call the office. If I intervene, I can lose everything. I can be sued, I can lose my job, I can lose my life savings. If I do nothing but just call the office, I am protected from all legal consequences. The worst that can happen is I get called to answer the questions from a few attorneys. I spend a few days at the district office with pay while talking to attorneys. I did that two months ago.
It went something like this. Did you see the fight. Yes. What did you do? I called the office to report it. Who did you report it to? I reported it to the attendance secretary who answered the phone and she said she would call security. I then waited in my room because I feared for my safety. I watched the fight through my classroom window. It took security 15 minutes to arrive.
Why did you not break up the fight? I did not feel I had the physical strength to do so without incurring injury to myself and I have a written contract with the school district stating I will not break up fights but will only report them to the administration because it is their job to break them up. Here is a copy of that contract.
The district hated that I brought that up but it gave me 100% legal cover. It was proof I did exactly what I was directed to do by a superior so they were 100% on the hook for my actions.
The truth is, your students are not as safe at school as district administrators want you to think.
Banana Custard Cobblers
2023 10 15 09 54
Yield: 8 servingsIngredients
Custard
1 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup cornstarch8 large egg yolks3 cups whole milk1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise6 tablespoons (34 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature1/4 cup dark rum
Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup almonds6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces3 bananas, thinly slicedInstructions
Custard
Whisk sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in large bowl to blend.Bring milk and vanilla bean to boil in heavy large saucepan.Gradually whisk hot milk into egg yolk mixture; return mixture to saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until custard boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.Whisk in butter and rum. Cool slightly.Discard vanilla bean. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
Topping
Blend flour, almonds and brown sugar in processor to mix.
Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until coarse crumbs form. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and chill.)Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.Place eight 1 cup ramekins or custard cups on baking sheet.Divide custard equally among ramekins, using about cup for each.Top each dessert with about 8 banana slices.Spoon topping over banana slices, dividing equally.Bake cobblers until topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes.Remove from oven and cool slightly, about 15 minutes.Serve warm.
Unlike its better known relative, the Enigma machine which was infamously deciphered by code-breakers at Bletchley Park throughout the war, the Lorenz cipher posed a much greater challenge. Utilising 12 wheels to scramble up the message being sent as opposed to the 3 or 4 rotors found in the Enigma machine, the Lorenz cipher was incredibly secure. As a result, unlike the Enigma that was used by the German standard armed forces, the Lorenz cipher was used only by high command with messages coming from Hitler himself. As a result, to crack the Lorenz cipher (or Tunny as it was code named by the British) would have the potential to change the course of the war.
Not much headway had been made in breaking the Lorenz cipher through the war until a German operator made a catastrophic mistake on 30 August 1941. When a German receiving operator did not receive a message correctly, he asked the transmitter to resend the information and despite clear protocol against it, the two operators resent the message without changing their key settings (the settings that determine how the text is scrambled up). However since the message in question was 4000 characters long, the lazy German operator abbreviated several words, thus changing the length of the message. Since their key settings were both the same, the two messages had the same scrambling pattern of characters. Thus by comparing the locations where the message text changed, details of the way the rotors worked could be determined.
These two messages were intercepted by the British who soon realised the importance of what they had discovered. This task of cracking Tunny was given to W T (Bill) Tutte who began to find repetitions in the cipher which allowed him to reverse engineer the Lorenz machine’s logical structure in what would be later described as “one of the greatest intellectual feats of World War II”. In order to support the painstaking decryption of German messages, the British Colossus was built in 1943 by Tommy Flowers, the first ever modern computer.
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The Colossus Machine
The impact of the decryption of Tunny was enormous. It gave the British intimate details of Hitler’s most secret communications which was most notably vital in D Day where the Allies were able to deceive the Germans that they were going to attack at Calais as opposed to Normandy and at the Battle of Kursk in 1943, Germany’s last ditch attempt to reverse their fortunes on the Eastern Front and one of the largest battles in history. Involving 3 million men, without foreknowledge of German planning provided by the British, the Soviets would have been badly prepared defensively and could have lost this crucial battle and as a result, the war would’ve been prolonged. In fact, historians estimate that the breaking of the Lorenz cipher shortened the war by two years and thus saved millions of lives all due to the careless mistake of two lazy German operators.
However this pivotal event is not well known due to the Official Secrets Act keeping the nature of the code breakers working to break the Lorenz cipher secret until 1974 and some former staff even today still refuse to break their vow of secrecy, preferring to take their knowledge to the grave.
image 125
W T (Bill) Tutte, the man responsible for cracking the Lorenz Cipher
Sweet cat is trying desperately to fit in, find a home
When I was a young boy, my father would semi-frequently take us all to local museums. I really appreciated that. It was, and still is, some of my most favorite memories.
On one such visit my father bought me a small bronze mastodon. It was magnificent, but tiny and I loved it a lot.
I loved it because of the great long tusks. It looked so cool, and I loved to hold it in my hand. It was one of my favorite nick-nacks, and I set it proudly on my brick-a-brack shelf in my bedroom.
One day, I came home from school and discovered that my little treasure was tusk-less.
You see, my father was afraid that I might hurt myself with the tusks, so he sawed them off.
I don’t know where he got that “hair up his ass” about me hurting myself. After all, he got me a cub-scout pocket knife two years earlier. What’s this shit about pointy tusks?
Anyways, someone influenced him. Bastard.
…
My little story for today. Take what you will from it. Be careful of the poison that seeps into the ears of others. Who knows what damage it would do…
Today…
Western powers are falling behind in technology, held back by systemic rot
Western powers are falling behind in the development of new technologies, particularly in the military domain. This is partly caused by the perverse system of incentives that suffocates research and development work, but also by a system of education that’s producing less and less technical, scientific and engineering talent. From the strategic point of view, this is a critical problem, as I elaborated in an earlier Substack, “Of Empires and Technology.”
Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Pie
Bacon Tomato Pie with Gluten Free Option
Ingredients
12 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Chopped onion to taste
4 eggs
1 cup Bisquick
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Butter a 9-inch pie pan.
Layer bacon crumbs on bottom and cheese on top.
Beat remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over top.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes.
Garnish with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and bacon.
Cutting of living essentials to Civilians is a violation of Article 33
However there are ways to spin this and claim this is NOT a collective punishment but a strategy for war
Israel may say, we are targeting the HAMAS but they hide among civilians and thus we have no choice
Israel may say “The 1949 Amendment was inserted when the world didn’t know about Terrorism of this type”
Israel may point out to the British inplementing the same violations in Belfast from 1963 to 1984 (Northern Ireland) or Malaya in 1955
They may point out US Violations in Vietnam between 1968–1972
So sadly today, the winners dictate the laws and their interpretation
At the 8th Eastern Economic Forum held earlier this month in Vladivostok, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin spoke about the development of a new generation of weapons: “If one looks into the security sphere, new physical principles weapons will ensure the security of any country in the near historic perspective. We understand this very well and are working on it.”
The kinds of weapons Putin was referring to include particle beams, laser, ultrasonic, radio-frequency and electromagnetic systems. That sounds quite futuristic – was Putin telling tall tales? When he announced that Russia had developed a variety of undetectable hypersonic weapons back in 2018, many in the West thought that he was bluffing and we heard much mocking and crowing: “the West outspends Russia 10 to 1, the Russians can’t possibly bla, bla, bla…” And like the Chinese, the Russians are inferior and incapable of innovating, they can’t think strategically, etc.
Fast forward to today: the Russian forces have successfully deployed hypersonic Kinzhal and Zircon missiles in Ukraine, delivering pinpoint strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and military facilities, the crowing and the gloating about all the ways in which the Russians are inferior to us westerners has died down a bit. Still, we can’t just admit that Russian weapons systems are superior to the western arsenal, so the western press, relying on Ukrainian sources, claimed that Ukraine’s air defenses manage to intercept and shoot down Russian hypersonic missiles.
That would actually quite spectacular since NATO officials themselves have corroborated what Putin had said: that the missiles are undetectable and were not picked up by western radar systems. Either the Ukrainians have managed to develop targeting solutions very fast, using binoculars, or they’re lying. Whatever the case, Putin’s latest announcement did not trigger much mocking and crowing this time around. In fact, some western analysts now concede that Russia’s military technology has eclipsed that of the west.
The significance of hypersonic weapons
But how can this even be possible if for decades now, western “defense” spending outstripped that of Russia by a factor of 10 or even more? In a recent article titled, “Hypersonic Missiles Are Game-Changers, and America Doesn’t Have Them,” the Wall Street Journal explored why the US and the West have fallen behind.
“For more than 60 years,” says WSJ, “the U.S. has invested billions of dollars in dozens of programs to develop its own version of the [hypersonic weapons] technology. Those efforts have either ended in failure or have been cancelled before having a chance to succeed. … This situation is raising alarms.”
Meanwhile, Wall Street Journal didn’t provide any convincing explanation for why western powers are falling behind in development of new technologies. It also didn’t explore the fact that they even fall behind in production and maintenance of legacy systems. As NATO’s Admiral Robert Bauer lamented this week,
“Today the chiefs of defense expressed their concern that across the alliance, production capacity is lagging behind. Delivery times are moving to the right [they’re getting longer] and prices for equipment and ammunition are shooting up. Right now we are paying more and more for exactly the same, and that means that we cannot make sure that the increased defense spending actually leads to more security.”
Bauer’s statement is a clear admission that defense spending does not translate into better defense. He also said that, “Our liberal economies are not apt at creating the prioritization that is so desperately needed right now.”
The problem with incentives
There is a great deal to ponder in all this, but it is perhaps Admiral Bauer’s last statement that provides the most food for thought. Western powers do spend massively on the military, but most of that money is squandered, lubricating the wheels of corruption in the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). Spending the money (i.e. allocating it to defense contractors), is much more important than actually developing new systems and the upkeep of legacy systems.
In the United States, the MIC consists of publicly traded corporations whose market value is determined by how profitable they are. Today, about half of the Defense Department’s (DOD) $850+ billion budget is spent with the DOD’s top five “prime contractors” who, after decades of consolidation have all but eliminated all competition (in the 1990s the DOD had more than 50 such “prime contractors”).
Given that research and development (R&D) is a cost which cuts into profitability of these very powerful contractors, they’re incentivized to reduce it as much as possible to maximize the profiteering. The more profits, the higher the stock price and the higher the executives’ bonuses. On the other hand, cutting the R&D and skimping on the essential work of technology development means that a lot of real talent and promising projects get axed even as massive pork-barrel programs like Lockheed Martin’s F35 Joint Strike Fighter drain trillions of taxpayer funds. The F35 is now more than 15 years behind schedule and for its $1.7 trillion in expenditure, the program has delivered no meaningful military advantage.
Meanwhile, the lobbying arm of the MIC makes sure that such spending remains protected behind the flag and a veil of patriotism. Military generals who go along are rewarded and those who challenge the system get sidelined. That is how our wonderful “democratic system” sources top talent and delivers bestest solutions. The problem is that the top talent it draws are MBAs, lawyers and lobbyists, not scientists, engineers and systems developers. The actual military capabilities of the United States only receive lip service necessary to keep the American public distracted and unable to identify the root of the problem which is corroding the competitiveness of American industries in a very real way.
Losing talent
However, there may be deeper problems blunting the West’s technology edge, including education and cultivation of skills that are required for the challenge. Today, fewer than 20% of Americans choose STEM degrees in universities (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as more and more talent gravitates toward law and business degrees or humanities like gender studies.
According to the UNESCO, in countries like Tunisia and Malaysia as many as 37.9% and 43.5% of students (respectively), choose STEM degrees. In Germany, UAE, Belarus and India about 35% of students choose STEM degrees. While it’s true that western nations can overcome the shortage of human potential by attracting foreign talent, more and more nations today offer great career opportunities and compelling work to young professionals, so western nations face tougher competition for talent.
Ignorance is strength?
There’s also the problem of rigor in education, which has gone very loose in the West, and it is even affecting the prevailing cultural environment. Today for example, if you say that there are only two genders, your career could be finished that day. But if you insist that feelings matter more than facts and that 2+2 = 5, you could have a stellar career and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation might even fund your cause with tens of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, it is the Chinese youth that are sweeping the medals in one math competition after another. They may not know how to count genders, but they seem better prepared to solve practical problems.
Wife Self-Deletes After Husband Discovers All 4 Kids Aren’t His
I can feel the love in this gentleman’s heart. I had the same for the son I raised for over 2 years and found out he wasn’t mine. It takes a toll on your sanity. I was down for years afterwards and gave up on women for around 10 years, and still couldn’t ever trust another woman for the rest of my life. Which is a shame because I have a lot of love in my heart to give, but western women are just horrible. No accountability at all for anything. I will definitely be saying prayers for this guy and his kids
When I married my ex, he had an 18 month old boy. I loved him as my own. I raised him for 5 years before my ex and I divorced. It was an awful marriage and my ex was never around. The boy’s mother showed up to visit him maybe once every 2–3 months. I had to stay with my parents while I was getting the divorce. They hated my ex and were very controlling of me. It was a very small community and everyone knew everyone.
In the courtroom (ex didn’t show up), the judge asked where my son was. I responded that he was my step-child and I didn’t have any rights to him. The judge said “He IS your son. He loves you as his own mother. In fact, he loves you more than his own mother.”
I responded that I couldn’t have him. The judge said “Do you want him? I can make it to where you’ll never have to deal with his biological parents. He needs you!” I thought about it and knew that my parents would have a fit. I declined the offer and cried the rest of the day. My mother told me they would never let me stay with them with my boy.
This horrid story does have a happy ending! My mother called me one day out of the blue. She said “Someone knocked on our door and when I opened it, the handsomest young man was standing there. He said “Is my Mama here?”. She invited him in and they had a wonderful visit. She gave him my phone number and he called me! That was 30 years ago. My boy came to live with us at the age of 17. He stayed until he met and married a wonderful young lady. We have the best relationship ever! I have 5 grandchildren from him and 3 great grandchildren! I love my boy so much!
UPDATE: I am very surprised by the responses to this. Please understand. I was very young, had no job and no way to support myself and a child. My parents were very controlling and were afraid my ex would use the child to worm his way back into my life.
I am 61 years old and for much of my life, I have seen the Arab/Israeli hatred for each other manifest in tragedy after tragedy, fight after fight, war after war and frankly I’m sick of it. I say, let them fight it out to the death. Right now.
It’s not like we didn’t try. We did. We spent literally hundreds of billions of dollars trying to educate, placate, pacify, please, or even coerce, both sides into behaving like normal human beings. It has all failed.
You see, the mistake we’ve made for decades, is treating these Barbarians as if they are civilized people. They aren’t. Neither side!
Their never-ending fighting, bickering, and warring has been going on since before Jesus Christ walked the earth two thousand or so years ago. And these Barbarians — and that’s what they are – have hated each other, deceived each other, fought each other, and killed each other for that entire time.
As the world got smaller thanks to modern travel and innovation, both sides recruited others into their age-old hatred. The Jews with money, the Arabs with oil and the wealth it generates.
It’s NEVER going to stop, unless we in the rest of the world, step back, and tell them both: Go at it. Go ahead, slaughter each other. We don’t care anymore. We’re tired of your bullshit. We’re tired of paying you to be nice to each other. We’re tired of hearing how you’re both always being wronged by the other. We’re tired of you. We don’t want YOU or your bullshit in our lives anymore.
So go fight it out. Kill each other. Fight until you’re ALL dead for all we care. But if any of you survive, we will be ready to have good relations and do business with whoever wins.
You see, it’s simple: the world will know absolutely no peace unless and until the two sides are allowed to slaughter each other.
I don’t care if the entire Middle East runs knee-deep in blood. We in the United States, and the rest of the civilized world, should do absolutely nothing.
Both sides are big talkers. Both sides are tough guys. OK, let’s see how that works out when big brother America is no longer there to influence the outcome.
Let’s see how each side does when the checks written by their big mouths, arrogant posturing, and intransigent positions, have to actually be cashed by their bodies as they fight it out to the death.
Your mouths have been writing checks that your bodies can’t cash. It’s time to ante-up and fight it out once and for all.
Go ahead and slaughter each other. The rest of us just don’t give a shit anymore.
Oh, and if any Americans or Europeans are so incensed at the situation that THEY think WE should be involved, then THOSE PEOPLE in the US and in Europe should head on over to whichever side they support, and offer to fight along side them.
Let them get killed to. This way the rest of us can have peace.
Sorry to go anonymous, but I never feel comfortable enough to reveal my name.
I was about 7 years old and my sister was 5, we just came home from Halloween and were sitting on our carpet in our room, dividing our candies in equal parts (but mostly eating all of them).
I remember my sister suddenly stopped talking, looked at me in the eyes without saying a word, with her eyes wide-open, pointing at her throat.
She was suffocating and I started panicking. I was taught in school what to do so I put myself behind her and started pushing above her stomach, but as you can imagine I didn’t have much strength as a 7 years old.
My mum, whom I had been desperately calling from the beginning, rushed in our bedroom and started taking my place in doing the “move” but nothing was working. I was sitting in our carpet, helpless and in full panic mode, watching my sister turn more and more blue as seconds went by. I really thought I would have seen her die in front of me and I couldn’t bear to look. I shouted “sorry, sorry, I will always love you” and closed myself in the toilet, crying and shouting as if the world was going to end.
After maybe 2 minutes, but it could as well have been much less (Time always seems stretched in situations like these) I hear the bedroom go silent. I hear my mom stopping to try. And I hear… breathing. Heavy breathing.
I’m scared that if I go in the bedroom I will see her dead, but I gather my courage and exit the bathroom.
Turns out my mum had grabbed her by the feet in hope to let gravity do its work, as a last hope move… and it worked. She had inhaled a whole hard candy and it was stuck in her throat, slowly suffocating her.
The candy was still on the carpet when I entered the room, and there was my sister, on the ground, slowly going back to a normal color.
I hugged her so tight that she almost lost her breath again, but I was the happiest person in the whole world. That time I really thought I would have lost her.
From that day on, I always check if she bites the candy as soon as she puts them in her mouth. When she lost her back childhood teeth, I would take her candy and break it into little pieces with my knife, and then give it to her. She sometimes got annoyed but she will never know the fear I felt that day.
15 years later and I’m still as attached to my sister as I was that day. I still secretly check if she bites her candies. It truly traumatized me for good. I never want to lose her.
WSJ Joins Neocons To Instigate War On Iran
Updated below.
The neo-conservatives want to blame Iran for the current war in Palestine/Gaza.
They have for years tried to instigate war against it. Now they again see a chance. But its not a big one – yet.
Asked whether Hamas may have acted in partnership with Iran to disrupt the effort to broker a Saudi deal, Blinken said “that could have been part of the motivation. Look, who opposes normalization? Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran.”
But, he said, “we have not yet seen evidence that Iran directed or was behind this particular attack.”
—
Fear not, say the neocons, we still have the Wall Street Journal to carry water for us:
DUBAI—Iranian security officials helped plan Hamas’s Saturday surprise attack on Israel and gave the green light for the assault at a meeting in Beirut last Monday, according to senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Iran-backed militant group.
Officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had worked with Hamas since August to devise the air, land and sea incursions—the most significant breach of Israel’s borders since the 1973 Yom Kippur War—those people said.
Details of the operation were refined during several meetings in Beirut attended by IRGC officers and representatives of four Iran-backed militant groups, including Hamas, which holds power in Gaza, and Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group and political faction in Lebanon, they said.
WSJ authors in Dubai(!) have access to “senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah”?
Both groups are notorious for their secrecy and their senior leadership is usually hidden away. Those facts alone are enough to debunk the report as nonsense. But the WSJ authors continue:
“We don’t have any information at this time to corroborate this account,” said a U.S. official of the meetings.
A European official and an adviser to the Syrian government, however, gave the same account of Iran’s involvement in the lead-up to the attack as the senior Hamas and Hezbollah members.
Asked about the meetings, Mahmoud Mirdawi, a senior Hamas official, said the group planned the attacks on its own. “This is a Palestinian and Hamas decision,” he said.
A spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations said the Islamic Republic stood in support of Gaza’s actions but didn’t direct them.
“The decisions made by the Palestinian resistance are fiercely autonomous and unwaveringly aligned with the legitimate interests of the Palestinian people,” the spokesman said. “We are not involved in Palestine’s response, as it is taken solely by Palestine itself.”
Three direct rejections by official sources of the WSJ claims get countered with an anonymous ‘European official’ and a likewise anonymous ‘adviser to the Syrian government’.
It is like the authors don’t even try to sound believable:
A direct Iranian role would take Tehran’s long-running conflict with Israel out of the shadows, raising the risk of broader conflict in the Middle East. Senior Israeli security officials have pledged to strike at Iran’s leadership if Tehran is found responsible for killing Israelis.
The IRGC’s broader plan is to create a multi-front threat that can strangle Israel from all sides—Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the north and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, according to the senior Hamas and Hezbollah members and an Iranian official. … Israel has blamed Iran, saying it is behind the attacks, if indirectly. “We know that there were meetings in Syria and in Lebanon with other leaders of the terror armies that surround Israel so obviously it’s easy to understand that they tried to coordinate. The proxies of Iran in our region, they tried to be coordinated as much as possible with Iran,” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said Sunday.
There is however little evidence for the Israeli assertion:
Leading the effort to wrangle Iran’s foreign proxies under a unified command has been Ismail Qaani, the leader of the IRGC’s international military arm, the Quds Force.
Qaani launched coordination among several militias surrounding Israel in April during a meeting in Lebanon, The Wall Street Journal has reported, where Hamas began working more closely with other groups such as Hezbollah for the first time.
Hamas and Hezbollah have cooperated for decades. During the war on Syria some Hamas members took the side of the ‘moderate rebels’. They taught them how to dig large tunnels, a technique they themselves had once learned from Hizbullah:
Abu Musaab, a leader in Ahrar al-Sham, told the pro-uprising satellite television station Orient News that the Syrian militant group received tutorial videos from Gazans showing them how to repair collapsing tunnels.
“The ground here became damp and began to fall on us…and some of our youth were trapped inside. So we spoke to those with expertise, our brothers in Gaza, may God reward their good deeds,” Abu Musaab was quoted as saying.
“We consulted them regarding the problem and they advised us to bring in wood (plates), sending us video segment showing us how they do it and we replicated that,” Abu Musaab added. … And in June 2013, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported that “sources close to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime claim that Hamas had a role to play in the battles of Qusayr, [where tunnels] … had been dug using small Iranian devices that Hezbollah had transferred to Hamas.”
“Some of the explosives, they added, were found to contain electronic chips that Hamas had acquired from Iran and Hezbollah,” the Lebanese paper said.
After the war in Syria was decided in the governments favor, Hamas slowly found its way back into the resistance camp. Consultations between Hezbullah and Hamas have been constant since. Back to the WSJ:
Representatives of these groups have met with Quds Force leaders at least biweekly in Lebanon since August to discuss this weekend’s attack on Israel and what happens next, they said. Qaani has attended some of those meetings along with Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, Islamic Jihad leader al-Nakhalah, and Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’s military chief, the militant-group members said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian attended at least two of the meetings, they said.
This, however, is clearly no believable. Amir-Abdollahian is a professional diplomat, not a security official. While he has been deeply involved in political issues regarding Palestine he is unlikely to have been involved in any top-secret operational planning.
Also biweekly meetings between Qaani, Nasrallah and other high ranking resistance leaders are unlikely to have ever happened. Each such meeting would be a security nightmare.
The planning for the recent Hamas operation must have taken years not just the few month since August. While the WSJ lets it seem that there is operational coordination between the various resistance groups their real cooperation is on a way more strategic level.
Each group in the resistance axis has its own plans and goals. That does not exclude strategic cooperation, but not on the detail level of fighting:
Egypt, which is trying to mediate in the conflict, has warned Israeli officials that a ground invasion into Gaza would trigger a military response from Hezbollah, opening up a second battlefront, people familiar with the matter said. Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire briefly on Sunday. … The Iranian official said that if Iran were attacked, it would respond with missile strikes on Israel from Lebanon, Yemen and Iran, and send Iranian fighters into Israel from Syria to attack cities in the north and east of Israel.
While there is no denying that Iran, Hezbullah, Hamas and others consult with each other on a high level, any deeper cooperation, training or assistance is unlikely to still exist. It is each on their own, but with a common big goal in mind.
The main reporter on this story, @summer_said, has a history of dishonesty and inventing stories. I fired her from Reuters in 2008 for this reason. I’m surprised that the @WSJ has hired her and is publishing her stories that are clearly bogus.
Posted by b on October 9, 2023 at 11:20 UTC | Permalink
The problem with going fast…
Paradoxically, even technology itself may have contributed to the slowing of progress in the west through the ubiquity of software tools that make problem solving much easier than it used to be. I recently came across this little chart on social media. I must say, I felt the sting of its message personally.
When I was in high school in Croatia, our training in mathematics and science was very extensive: we had 9 hours of math per week and 6 hours of physics in addition to chemistry, biology, information technologies, software programming and more. It was a lot of work – so much so that when I came to the United States and enrolled in AP (advanced placement) math as a high school senior, I found the program very easy and aced it without even trying very hard.
By today however, I’m definitely at the “spreadsheet” stage of life: without Excel I think I’d be lost and I fear that my own conceptual thinking abilities and math problem solving skills have atrophied disconcertingly.
In the west, where fast and efficient problem solving is prized over conceptual thinking and inventiveness, more and more scientists and engineers work in that last, “spreadsheet” phase, quickly working out solutions to problems, perhaps at the expense of more creative, conceptual “out of the box” thinking.
The importance of pencil-and-paper work
In places like Russia and China, that broad-based thinking and working with pencil and paper is still very much prized and their educational institutions continue to insist on it (or at least have done so in the recent past). Of course, it would be difficult to assess how creative Russian or Chinese engineers or software developers are compared to their western counterparts, but beyond leapfrogging the west in development of hypersonic weapons, I came across an interesting case that speaks to this gap.
Namely, in 2009 Goldman Sachs pressed charges for theft of intellectual property against one of their software developers, a Russian man named Sergey Aleynikov. In 2013, Michael Lewis wrote a fascinating story about that case in Vanity Fair in which he revealed that more than half of Goldman Sachs’ software developers were Russian – an extremely interesting bit of information, especially in view of the notorious rigor which Goldmans is known to apply in recruiting their quants and software engineers.
Now, given that Russian software engineers don’t constitute half the population of the US, either Goldman Sachs liked to have a lot of Russians lurking around, or it could be that they found them better prepared to tackle tough problem solving. The latter possibility might also explain Russia’s ability to develop the Zircons, Kinzhals and Avantgard missiles as well as weapons based on new physical principles. Here’s how Aleynikov himself explained the difference between Russian and American education:
“In Russia, time on the computer was measured in minutes,” he says. “When you write a program, you are given a tiny time slot to make it work. Consequently we learned to write the code in a way that minimized the amount of debugging. And so you had to think about it a lot before you committed it to paper. . . . The ready availability of computer time creates this mode of working where you just have an idea and type it and maybe erase it 10 times. Good Russian programmers, they tend to have had that one experience at some time in the past: the experience of limited access to computer time.”
Indeed, clicking “run,” then deleting and retyping code is no substitute for doing a lot of thinking, which is absolutely indispensable to building high quality, reliable solutions and genuinely useful innovations.
My own experience with ‘pencil-and-paper’ R&D
My own experience in developing the I-System trading model confirmed its importance. In 1999, when my team and I built the model’s prototype, it turned out to be a maintenance nightmare and it was clear that I needed to hire serious software talent to turn the prototype into a reliable tool. For a few months in 1999 I worked with an American software engineer, David B., who had recently graduated from Stanford University. Although David was extremely bright, he was literally working in the debug mode almost nonstop.
He was able to maintain the software and fix bugs as they crept up, but the code itself was growing into a patchwork of fixes and workarounds. I began to worry that sooner or later it would become unmaintainable and in 2000 I decided to hire an older engineer from Croatia, Boris Brec. Boris was old school and he insisted on extensive pencil-and-paper foundation work. He pretty much told me that he wouldn’t lift a finger until I had drafted the full set of specifications explaining exactly how the model worked, including schematic process-flow drawings of all the routines under the model’s hood.
The process of upgrading the I-System from the prototype to its ‘industrial’ version was extraordinarily labor-intensive, costly, and it took four years to complete. That was the cost of quality, which included the tradeoff between diving headlong into trading and continuing with the fastidious development work, going over every algorithm with a fine tooth-comb and testing everything ad nauseum. I was only able to do this because I managed to wrest full control and ownership over the project from my superiors.
Had the costs of project’s development impacted someone’s bonus, the firm’s profitability or market cap, it would have been axed and never lived to see its upgraded version. Fighting to keep the project alive and adequatly funded was a struggle at every turn. For me it is easy to see how frequently great and promising projects must die over money, missed deadlines and organizational politics.
Quality solutions, breakthroughs require abundant time and resources
The difference between I-System’s prototype and the upgrade was the change from nonstop maintenance patchwork with David to the flawlessly functioning, zero-maintenance machine put together by Boris. It was worth the four years and every euro spent on it: quality is the gift that keeps on giving, not only in having the system that functions as intended, glitch free for 20 years, but also in having the peace of mind, never fearing whether all the patchwork maintenance introduced new hidden bugs into the edifice.
The experience has taught me that this kind of work MUST begin with pencil and paper, that it must be methodical, that it must be given adequate time and resources, and that if we want to achieve quality solutions we must be willing to bear the associated costs. Where the system of incentives generates pressures to cut corners, take shortcuts and rush out half-baked solutions, it will ultimately suffocate creative work and kill many quality solutions before they had the chance to prove their merit.
Programs like supersonic weapons are only symptoms of self-inflicted systemic headwinds that are now slowing the advancements of science and technology in the Western world. A reform – nay, an overhaul of the system – will have to look at those perverse incentives as well as our educational and governance systems. This won’t be easy, especially as the western nations have deliberately seeded their political and academic structures with ideologues and zealots who are far too busy policing social justice, hate speech and gender equality to worry about the real future challenges faced by our societies.
Was looking at one of my wife’s old cookbooks, for some reason and found the old lore and wisdom in the book fascinating. It’s hard to imagine people believed these things back then.
Like these:
‘When frogs holler, rain will soon foller.’ That could help my weatherman who has no idea when it’s going to rain.
‘Anyone born when the mulberries are ripe have a good chance of being red-headed.’ That one has got to be true, right?
Here’s an old insult. ‘His family is like potatoes. All that is good of them is underground!’
‘Corn is not ready to grind into meal until it is dry as an old maid’s kiss’ ouch.
‘We huckleberry gatherers don’t like to admit it, but what we call huckleberries are actually mountain blueberries.’ “I’m your huckleberry,” Doc Holliday.
‘To take the last piece of bread on a plate foretells rain.’
If a piece of buttered bread drops on the floor butter side down, it will rain soon.’
“We’re eatin’ the long corn now,” meant one was finally financially well off. No wonder it’s raining so much in my area. Happens to me all the time.
‘Corn must be knee high by the fourth of July.’
‘Onion skin very thin, mild winters coming in. Onion skin thick and tough, coming winter cold and rough.’
I love this one. ‘When you are tired of life and all its busy scenes; just run to the garden and hide behind the beans.’ God I wish I had a garden sometimes!
‘Always bake a cake when the sun is going up or it will fall.’ The cake or the sun?
‘A cow with its tail to the west, weather the best. A cow with it’s tail to the east, makes weather the least. ’THATS what my weatherman needs, a cow. He’s always wrong.’
‘If a bat flies into your head, you’ll soon become bald.’ Now we know what happened to The Rock and John Travolta to name a few.
Okay guys, here it is. A cure for baldness. ‘Consume the gall of a lizard, fresh mouse meat or mole’s blood.’
‘To prevent lockjaw, ‘If a needle is stuck in a foot, put fat meat next to the puncture then a penny over that.’ I’ll try that next time. The hell with a tetanus shot.
To cure a blister, ‘Kiss a red headed fellow.’ I’ll bet a lot of red headed guys were hanging around women sweeping the floor.
A good spring tonic? Anvil dust mixed with cream. Yum.
To cure asthma. ‘Stick the dried skin of a mole to the chest with honey.’ Did people really do that back then?
Mock cherry pie? Use cranberries and raisins.’ No one will tell the difference. Especially if they’ve never had cherry pie before. Then make them a sandwich of mock chicken.
To prevent mumps. ‘take a chip of wood from a log, and rub it on your jaw and throat every day.’ And see how many girls you’ll meet. None maybe? “Watch out for Ned, he’s off his rocker. Keeps rubbing a hunk of wood on his jaw and throat!” “Eeeeuuuw” “Here he comes! RUN!”
In the mid 1700s, women shaved their foreheads and eyebrows so they could press on mouse skin eyebrows. Girls, don’t you wish you lived back then. Save a lot of money on makeup.
Hi, Jain Patel. Thanks for the very interesting question.
No, China doesn’t have any school colleges, science centers, institutes, or science universities.
We get a couple of years of primary school, but after that, we all have to go and get tracker microchips implanted at the base of our skulls and start working in the Factories.
These Factories are run by our alien overlords.
Here are some pictures I took on my way to work.
These are the “Prime Sentinels” that guard the Factories. If you are late for work, you will get stomped on.
image 143image 144image 145
The vast majority of us live in the mountains.
We have to bore holes into the mountains, and we live in those holes.
With a year’s salary, we get to buy a house/bedroom. I say house/bedroom because the house is literally just one room – your bedroom. That room is your house, and it’s also your bedroom.
Here’s a picture I took of my house/bedroom.
The view’s not too bad. Especially in the morning.
image 146
Here’s a pic of my neighbors’ house/bedrooms. These guys live just below me:
image 147
The pay for working in the factories isn’t that great. I get paid USD 0.01 a day. If I work overtime, I get paid USD 0.001 an hour.
Thankfully, the soil in the mountains is pretty good and we can grow a lot of vegetables in our allocated community gardens.
Here is the community garden allocated to the people who live on my side of the mountain. Everyone gets to take home a small piece of broccoli for dinner.
Oh, and because we don’t have electricity in China, the three most common modes of travel are:
(1) Horse:
(2) Boat:
image 148
(3) Sword (powered by qi):
image 150
Some of the richer peeps own aero-cycles. These are tiny little bike/seating platforms powered by qi:
image 149
Since there’s no electricity, we have to find creative ways to spend our weekends.
Going to the local monastery to hone our martial skills is one option:
image 152
As is hiking in the hinterlands:
image 151
In the evenings, some of us enjoy playing mahjong at the local park.
A long time ago, a race of giants used to live in the mountains. For some reason, they enjoyed cutting down the many giant trees that dotted China’s many mountain ranges. The tree stump you see below is just one of many giant tree stumps you’ll find up here in the mountains.
It makes for a great mahjong table.
image 153
Conclusion (a.k.a. TLDR):
No, Jain Patel , China doesn’t have any school colleges, science centers, institutes, or science universities.
As a United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant, I went to work one fine morning, to discover a young lady laying down on the horn of her car at 0730 in the morning! Dressed like they were going to the beach?
She had some of her Girlfriends with her.
I approached her, and inquired what the problem was, and pointed out to her that she was blaring her car horn in front of an enlisted barracks FULL of people who worked 2nd Shift and the Graveyard Shift that needed their rest and sleep. Military Police, Watch Standards, Cooks, Bakers, Corpsmen (Medics) etc.
She responded with, do you know who my Daddy is? Pointing towards the Blue Base vehicle sticker on thr lefthand , lower windshield. Sticker with THE STAR!
(Meaning her Whoever Whatever was a Commissioned Officer) !
And laid down on the car horn again!!!!
I called the MP’s on her and reported her! And went to work (It was on a Sunday) Forgot, all about it.
Next morning? (A Monday) I had the Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina walk into my office with his daughter apologizing to me!!! A Marine Staff Sergeant?
Disabled cat was about to be euthanized. This woman took her home.
Epic Games laid off over 800 of its employees on Thursday.
The official number is 830, but the actual number could be well into 900 because of various legal considerations outside the US and Canada.
And I’m one of those 16% unlucky bastards who got screwed over.
I already signed my severance package, so I can’t say much about this other than this is such a shitshow. Layoffs are, unfortunately, very common in the video game industry, to the point that it’s almost expected. But the way Epic did it, it’s just so … anyway, Like I said, if I want my severance, I better shut the fuck up about it.
I was in shock on Thursday when I got the news. It was so sudden. I got an email around 8 am in the morning (PST), and within half an hour, all my company access was shut down/removed. I get up early because I work East Coast hours. A lot of my West Coast colleagues don’t start their day until 10 a.m., and they arrive at the company with everything shut down and no longer have a job. I had to reach out to my co-workers via text because Slack is no longer accessible. I imagine, if I were working at the office, this would be the time when the security escort all of us out of the building.
I guess when you have to cut 900 people, you have to be quick and brutal about it.
900 people, that’s the size of a large company. Poof, gone.
Thinking back, this is actually the first time since I started working in video games that I got laid off. For over a decade, I dodged every layoff from every company I was with until my luck finally ran out. You play the game company layoff Russian roulette, there’s always a bullet waiting for you sooner or later.
All things considered, severance is generous. We have 60 days of pay from the WARN Act and then 4 months of severance. So, all together, I’m covered for 6 months until I need to dip into my savings.
After the initial shock, anger, and fear, and frustration, and anxiety, I actually started to feel better about it. I went to bed that evening, realizing I didn’t need to get up at the crack of dawn every day from now on. My brain suddenly has some extra processing power because I don’t need to think about work-related stuff anymore. It’s funny. I found myself habitually thinking about the stuff I was doing before I got laid off, the Tableau project I was working on, the AirTable updates I needed to do… And I realized, wait, none of that matters anymore. When I was working, there is a portion of my brain never stopped thinking about work. It’d be like a program running in the background, taking up memory and CPU. Even if I’m on vacation or holiday, that program is always running. I can’t shut it down.
Now, it’s gone. And I feel lighter with an odd sense of emptiness.
I realized this is my opportunity to take a step back and think about what I want with my life. Do I even want to go back to the video game industry? Or do I want to try something new? I’m already 43. If I want to make a pivotal change in my life, this is perhaps the last time I still have the energy to do it.
Maybe I could start a podcast! LOL.
On the bright side, Epic might screw us over, but the people who are laid off and people who are still working for the company are so supportive. I’ve already joined several slack/discord spaces organized by Ex-Epic folks. We vent about the layoff, and we pull our resources to help with job searching and networking. I have multiple people reaching out to me with tips and potential job leads. Recruiters are already sending me emails hours after I put on the “Open to Work” sticker on LinkedIn. The general consensus on social media is overwhelmingly supportive of employees who recently lost their jobs. So all of these is really nice, makes me feel less isolated and shitty about this whole thing.
And of course, there’s Baldur’s Gate 3. I just finished my first run as a Warlock. My Tav saved the World from the big bad. The game landed on a positive note, with Tav and Astarion going on their next adventure together, even though I couldn’t give every single companion their own happy ending.
I immediately started my second run as Dark Urge oathbreaker Paladin Tav. I’m thinking about doing a “good ending” run again, with Tav trying to resist the Dark Urge.
Maybe on my third run, I’ll do a total evil run with “Ascend” Astarion. Although I still want to try the Bard class. I heard so many good things about playing as Bard, with so many fun dialogue options.
That’s already another 2 runs, meaning an additional 200–300 hours. And there’s Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty and, of course, Starfield. My schedule is full! LOL.
Maybe 5 or 10 years from now, I’ll look at this period of time thinking, “While it sucked at the time, I’m glad I got laid off from Epic. Otherwise, I’ll never <insert awesome stuff here>.”
Lavrov’s answer to Blinken’s Ukraine conflict freeze
When my oldest daughter was about 2 years old, a longtime and very dear friend stopped by for a visit. The friend referred to me as his second mom. Danny was a good good guy who made a lot of mistakes. I always treated him with love; and, I gave him advice when he asked for it. Outside of his asking, I only gave advice when he was doing something that could hurt him or someone else. After his visit, I was sitting in the living room when my daughter picked up a plastic bag. It’s contents were a white powder. It was cocaine. I was livid. I flushed it. Later, Danny called frantically and asked if I had found anything that he may have left. I told him about the bag and he admitted that it was his; he had accidentally dropped it. I told him that he was no longer welcome in my home. He was upset that I flushed it. Oh well, I didn’t care if he was mad. He didn’t understand why I was mad. You brought something into my home and lost it. My child picked it up. If I hadn’t seen it immediately, I’m sure that it would have been in her mouth. That’s what little children do. I have no doubt that this would have killed her had she consumed it. Danny did apologize later. But, I couldn’t allow someone that reckless into my home.
I realize that flushing it might not have been a good solution. But it was the only way I could think of to get it out of my home ASAP.
Waffle Potatoes. Holy shit this is good!
So in case you didn’t know, hubby was a professional chef. He cooks for us M-F and I have started cooking on weekends (I do need to know how to care for myself). He teaches me things as we go. Tonight was a carb bomb that is so damn tasty! He said the only place you will ever see this in a restaurant is a staff meal because it’s used to teach technique (knife cuts). He remembered it last night and decided this was going to be dinner tonight.
Ignore the smudge of mayo on the plate. There were 3 of these and I only thought about posting here when I was down to one.
Basically, you take a potato, square it off and cut it into “steaks”. Then you use skewers to measure your cuts and make fine cuts on both sides to make it almost accordion-like. Boil them in an alkaline solution (water + baking soda), fry them until GBD (golden brown delicious), then top with stuff and put in oven to warm everything.
Ours were topped with caramelized onions with bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. When he took them out of the oven and put them on the plates, he drizzled them with a seasoned mayo.
I’m going into a happy, full food coma right now.
EDIT: Since so many people asked, I’m putting the recipe below. There aren’t too many measurements because he doesn’t really measure, so it may take a bit of tweaking. I’ll describe everything best as I can. I do not write recipes well.
3 large potatoes, like the kind you would use for a baked potato.
Skewers
Make your caramelized onions and any other toppings before even starting. We also used shredded cheddar cheese, so get that all done now. Here is how he did the mayo: 3parts mayo, 1 part sour cream, a dallop of dijon mustard, 2 garlic cloves smashed, salt, pepper, a dash of garlic and onion powder, and a spritz of lemon juice (not enough to squeeze a whole lemon half, just a few drops).
Start some water in a pot and add 2 TBSP of baking soda, NOT BAKING POWDER. Bring to a boil.
Square off your potatoes. Don’t worry about cutting the ends off. Cut the potatoes into “steaks”. I’d say they were about 1/2″ thick?
On your cutting board, place a potato steak and put a skewer on either side against the potato. DON’T SKEWER THE POTATO. The skewers are your cutting guides to make sure you don’t cut all the way through. (That was a super neat trick to me). Cut the potato diagonally along the entire length. Because I’m a visual learner, I did not understand this when he explained it to me, only when I saw it.
Flip the potato over and repeat on the other side cutting the opposite diagonal. Keep the potatoes in cold water while doing this so the ones you aren’t working on don’t dry out. When done, the potato should sort of be like an accordion. Don’t worry if you accidentally cut through a couple. If it’s just the end, take it off. If it’s through the middle, toss it.
Once all the potatoes are cut, put them in the now boiling water for about 8 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top. We use a baking cooling rack.
Heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in a deep pan to 275F. We used a wok for the oil. You don’t need to fill the pan, but put enough in that it will cover the potato slices with a little more so they can move and not sit on the bottom.
When 8ish minutes have passed, pull you potatoes out of the boiling water and place them on the rack. It’s a convenient place to put them while you fry them in batches.
Fry the potatoes in batches in the oil once the oil is up to temp. Don’t over crowd the pan. You want to be able to flip them regularly. Fry until they look GBD (Golden Brown Delicious). Remove them back to the rack. Continue until all of them are fried.
Now put your toppings on, NOT THE MAYO. It doesn’t matter if the toppings are cold, that’s what the oven is for. He spread the caramelized onions pretty thick, like he was making a bruschetta. Sprinkle the cheese on top if you want cheese. (Who doesn’t want cheese?)
Put baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is all melty and the toppings are warmed.
Place them on plates and drizzle with the mayo.
Make sure you have napkins and gobble that shit down.
China’s PC system announced to be permanently free, PC version of HarmonyOS system will come soon!
China is the only Nation on Earth who can manufacture Photonic Chips Cost Effectively
No other Nation on Earth Can
US gave it up nearly 20 years ago
You simply cannot run a sustainable Profit
The Scale for which Profit is required is simply unsustainable
The Demand would need to be So Tremendous to justify a scale which would involve ENTIRE CITIES dedicated to manufacture Photonic Chips.
Its not the Technology. The Technology is available openly and readily.
LIke Hypersonic Missiles
The Technology was available in 2000 itself and was nothing new. The Theory was available. However manufacturing efficiently was not possible and US decided it was not worth it.
China and Russia later managed to use their Manufacturing Dominance (China) and Raw Material Haven (Russia) to ensure they could make efficienct Hypersonics and ensure that they now have or plan to have a cost effective Arsenal.
Likewise Photonic Chips Manufacture can be done by China at Effective Cost and on a Scale large enough to achieve sustainability for its own Internal Domestic Market.
That is the Good News!!!!
So All Good?
2023 is simply impossible
Developing the Basic Infrastructure for Indigenous Implementation of the Technology may take 5 Years and another 3 Years for achieving Commercial Dominance
Thats 8 Years or 2030
In the meanwhile China still has to keep targeting the 3nm or 5 nm Wafer Fabrications Indigenously and keep spending the massive Scale of Production
So you see the Problem
China could abandon the 3nm/5nm Manufacture Aim and move completely to Photonic Chips but that would mean a 8 Year Gap and after that – the Results could be screwed up or the Photonic Chips may not work as China expects to
That means a Waste of 8 Years
The Cost of which would be a Delay in Chinas AI plans, Robotics Plans, Upgrading Technology plans
China could stay with the 5 nm/3 nm Manufacture Aim and achieve Indigenous Manufacture by say 2025–2027 and dominate AI and Robotics and move to the next phase of Technology
That would be easier than developing and taking a risk on Photonic Chips
Its the same as Abandoning the Option of Manufacturing of J-20s to make it as good as a F-22 Raptor , and instead seeking to manufacture the Avengers version of Aircraft
Better to persevere and make aircraft like the F-22 in 4–5 years than totally abandon everything to hope to make Captain Americas Helicarriers
Can China do Both?
That would be the thing
However it would need a Huge Load of Investment
HUAWEI
Huawei is in a perfect position to explore and work on Photonic Chips
Huawei has the Technological Edge and the Exponential Leap into cutting edge Research
SMIC
SMIC Meanwhile can continue to explore and keep targeting the Indigenous Supply Chain dominance of Chips within the Chinese Economy
Presently SMIC has achieved Commercial Production Capability of 14nm
And that was fast
So its a Lot of Hard Work and China shouldnt be like India
This “Ready to supply the World by 2023 and 1000 Times better”- this is Indian Language
Chinas language is always China Hopes to achieve indigenous control over its Chips and leave it there
Its Possible and if China can manage it – It would be incredible
Fingers Crossed!!!!
Time Travel Possible? Evidence Says Yes | 9 Time Travelers caught on film
Is time travel possible? According to physicists, yes. Time travel to the future is not only possible, it’s been scientifically proven.
But what about traveling to the past? Well, that’s a little trickier. BUT, there does seem to be evidence that travelers from the future have visited us in the past; and may be among us right now.
The human race has been fascinated with traveling through time ever since, well, ever since the human race understood what time was.
But has time travel been achieved by future humans?
And if so, did they leave us clues that they were here? We’ve scoured the internet for the best time travel stories we could find. You may know some of them. Some are hoaxes.
A few have been debunked. But there are a couple of stories that defy explanation. Why are we so obsessed with time travel?
Probably because we’re obsessed with time.
Time rules our lives.
Who doesn’t wish they could go back and talk to our younger selves, or meet our ancestors, or witness historical events.
Time creates possibilities; but time also ends possibilities. It’s finite. When a moment is over. It’s over. There are no second chances.
The expression “time is money” isn’t exactly true. Time is much more valuable than money.
Wealth can be made; lost and made again.
But time? Once we lose it, we can never get it back. Time is the most valuable thing you have.
Spend it wisely.
Beef Pies
beef and venison pie large
Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuits
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
Separate biscuits; then pat each on floured surface to 5-inch circles.
Lightly brown ground beef, onion and bell pepper in a skillet. Pour off fat.
Add remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir.
Place heaping portion of meat mixture on each biscuit circle. Fold in half and seal edges with a fork.
Deep fry until golden brown in 2 inches of oil at 375 degrees F.
Drain on paper towels.
Yield: 10 pies
My Wife & F**inist Daughters Turned Against Me & Took EVERYTHING…Now I’m Thriving & They’re Toast!
Amazing story. Many mistakes. Modern America. (Sigh)
The US is the true “empire of lies”, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday, lashing out at a US State Department report that accused China of ploughing billions of dollars annually into information manipulation efforts.
China is manipulating global media through censorship, data harvesting and covert purchases of foreign news outlets, the US State Department said.
Despite the unprecedented resources devoted to the campaign, Beijing had hit “major setbacks” when targeting democratic countries, due to local media and civil society push-back, according to the report, which was produced under a congressional mandate to detail state information manipulation.
The report has disregarded facts, and is itself false information, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.
The agencies of the US State Department that produced the report “were the source of false information and the command post of ‘cognitive warfare’,” the Chinese ministry said.
“Facts have repeatedly proven that the United States is the true ‘empire of lies’,” it added.
The US report comes amid controversy over China’s attempts in recent years to increase the global footprint of its government-controlled media. Beijing is seeking to combat the negative images of China it feels are propagated by global media.
Huawei chip disassembly report,18-core chip far exceeds its peers.TSMC Intel are starting to panic
Huawei chip disassembly report, The 18-core chip far exceeds its peers. TSMC and Intel are starting to panic
Well, in the smartphone arena, there is really only one foreign brand left in China.
Yes, Apple.
LG is gone.
HTC is gone.
Samsung is irrelevant.
Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry, Pixel, Sony and a host of has-beens or bit-players are all irrelevant.
It’s Chinese brands, and Apple, with 3 ecosystems, Hongmeng, iOS and Android.
No prizes for guessing how the balance will evolve, given the clear and present risk of disruptive sanctions forcing Google to pull Android licensing from other Chinese vendors.
In Africa, Transsion outsells Samsung, and Chinese brands as a whole dominate market share. Transsion, based in Shenzhen, has a sizable global share of >10%. It is the hidden champion no one has heard of.
The Chinese EV makers recently made waves in the Munich car show, with several media outlets trumpeting them as the “star of the show”. The Chinese overtook Japan as the No. 1 car exporting nation this year, and next year promises more growth.
Fancy Toyota defending its position in a sunset industry? I thought it impossible but the speed of the Chinese transition and the scale plus depth of the EV supply chain they have built is putting lots of doubt in my mind. Not to mention the dearth in AI/ML/big data/UI and battery advances among Japanese automakers.
It isn’t all doom and gloom.
Let’s take a cursory look at Hyundai’s EV strategy. The Ioniq series is a clear step up from the typical Hyundai ICE offering, with premium materials, interiors, paintwork and fit and finish typically not found in the price segment. It is positioned as a bang for the buck premium series, almost luxury, but affordable.
Why?
Because the Chinese are making the mass market EV impossible to compete on cost alone. Besides, volume production necessary for economies of scale are impossible without Chinese partners. Hyundai wisely decided to cede market space and move up the segment instead. Fewer but better, or like my friend puts it, becoming “German”. Hyundai is quietly positioning itself as the Korean BMW or Audi EV.
The Japanese have been slower in response. I am increasingly pessimistic about their chances. What happened to Honda and Mazda’s mainland operations in the past few years portend seismic shifts ahead. EVs are not like ICE cars, because there are critical materials and technologies upstream that China controls.
This time, the patent walls and enabling tools/tech favor China, too.
What happens when the Koreans, Taiwanese, and Japanese can’t make a killing through export-driven demand for their mass market goods?
They will have to move upmarket, selling less for hopefully, more, much like Sony’s repositioning and reorganization. Those that cannot adjust to the speed of the Chinese transition will be crushed.
There we have it.
The days of Samsung and Toyota hitting home runs from economy to premium is coming to an end. They will have to specialize and move upmarket, or bleed red competing with the Chinese.
We’re in for interesting times.
Very interesting times.
This is the real trade war, with abiding consequences.
Mirror Spock mind-melding McCoy
The part of the 4th episode “Mirror Mirror” of TOS 2nd season.
This oversight is easily fixable. Once NATO falls apart, and Finland faces the angry bear it poked and provoked for cheap thrills, its entire population will be shaken by the violent paroxysm of love to Russia and all things Russian.
Just kidding! Relax. Russia does not need Finland. Russia created this pesky nation from the ass of Sweden, like Eve from Adam’s rib, and let them go long time ago. It had many opportunities to re-annex them. If it did not, it means it just does not want to, because it is much better the way it is. That Finnish state and many Finns in Quora forgot all the good between the two countries and sold out their soul to the overseas Russophobes is too bad.
As an American of Russian background, I feel enraged that rabid Russophobes and neocolonialists possessing our government started the bloody conflict in Europe in 2014. When President Trump called Zelensky, in order to find out what is going on, he was impeached. Elections 2020 were rigged on an unprecedented scale, followed by the January 6th false-flag provocation timed to prevent Objections to be heard in Senate. The corrupt elite illegally holding power that belongs to We the People will not go without struggle.
USA Terminates Project! China Takes Over $25 Billion Saudi Military Projects | USA is Disappointed!
When I was in my early teens, I built a “compost pile”. I collected some old bricks from a run down gas station near my school, dragged them home with my red rider wagon, and built up a nice rectangular box. It was around one yard (1 meter) by two yards and I would fill it with grass clippings, leaves, and kitchen organics that I collected.
5ae733c61b2e31a22897db31164230d0
Occasionally I would throw in some lime (as we had a lot of old apples from our small orchard).
Oh, yeah. The compost generated heat. Heh heh.
Both my parents thought this was an “ok” project of mine. They neither encouraged me, or made fun of me.
I was just “eccentric” in their minds.
But, let me tell you all, by the next Spring, when I shoveled out the rich black earth it was awesome! Just amazing, and my (well, the “family”) garden really produced that year. I was so proud.
2023 09 26 18 39
A compost pile is a nice little side hobby that doesn’t take too much effort, but will greatly increase your garden yields immensely. And let me tell you all, it was a true joy to extract the rich black earth from the pile and transport it to the garden. Sure as shit!
Some guidelines…
Creating Your Compost Heap Location
One of the most important factors for starting a compost pile is its location. Choose an open, level area with good drainage. You do not want your compost to sit in standing water. An area with partial sun or shade is also ideal.
Too much sun can dry the pile out, while too much shade can keep it overly wet. Finally, choose a site that is easy for you to get to and avoid areas near dogs or other meat-eating animals.
Size
The recommended size for a compost pile is generally no smaller than 3 feet (1 m.) high and wide and no larger than 5 feet (1.5 m.). Anything smaller may not heat up efficiently and anything larger may hold too much water and become difficult to turn.
It is recommended to start your pile on bare ground rather than on asphalt or concrete, which could impede aeration and inhibit microbes. Placing a pallet underneath the pile is fine, however, if you prefer.
Adding Organic Materials
Many organic materials can be composted, but there are some items that you should keep out of your compost pile. These include: Meat, dairy, fat or oil products Carnivorous pet feces (e.g. dog, cat) Diseased plants, or weeds that have seeded Human waste Charcoal or coal ash (wood ash is ok though)
The key materials for composting are nitrogen/greens and carbon/browns.
When starting a compost pile, the recommended practice is to layer or alternate these greens and browns, the same way as you would for making lasagna.
Your bulkier organic materials do best in the first ground layer, so start with a layer of browns, such as twigs (less than ½ inch or 1.25 cm. in diameter) or straw, about 4 to 6 inches (10-12 cm.).
Next, add in some green materials, such as kitchen waste and grass clippings, again about 4 to 6 inches (10-12 cm.) thick.
Additionally, animal manure and fertilizers serve as activators that accelerate the heating of your pile and provide a nitrogen source for beneficial microbes.
Continue to add layers of nitrogen and carbon materials until you reach the top or run out. Lightly water each layer as it is added, firming it down but do not compact. Watering and Turning the Compost
Your compost pile should be moist, but not soggy.
Most of your water will come from rain, as well as the moisture in green materials, but you may need to water the pile yourself on occasion.
If the pile gets too wet, you can turn it more frequently to dry it, or add more brown materials to soak up excess moisture.
Once you turn the pile the first time, these materials will get mixed together and compost more efficiently. Keeping the compost pile turned on a frequent basis will help with aeration and speed up decomposition. Using these simple instructions for composting, you will be well on your way to creating the ideal compost for your garden.
A Healthy Demographics is when you have two young people to support an old person population wise
China will have healthy demographics at least until 2043 , twenty years from today
A Strained Demographics is when you have One Young Person to Support one Old Person
This will not happen in China as per today’s scenario but in the event of a worst case scenario will happen by 2070
That’s 50 years from today
Then by 2080 and 2090, things WILL BECOME BETTER FOR CHINA
Plus Chinas Strained Demographics which will last for 10–20 years will be compensated by strong rigorous healthcare and old age care due to a rich economy and mostly a developed economy by then
A Demographic collapse is when you have one young man supporting two dependents or more
That happens only during major war when young men die in large numbers
image 88
This is Japan
Note the difference?
THE LINES MERGE AND INTERSECT unlike Chinas, even under the worst case scenario
Japan left having healthy demographics by 1990
By 2033, Japan enters Demographic Collapse
It will take around 67 years for Japan to come out of this Collapse
image 87
Here is India
As you can see India will have healthy demographics by 2070 and will not be strained even by 2100 though it may head for straining by 2150 AD
Had India been sufficiently developed today ($ 10–12 Trillion GDP) with HDI of 80 and a 10% minimum share of global manufacturing, then we could have taken advantage of this demographics advantage and taken our economy to $ 40 Trillion or more
Yet the fact that we didn’t means we will perhaps always be third in GDP and 52nd in GDP per Capita
Yet how many talk of Japan?
Nobody
Believe me China is safe. Yet China would like to improve on the numbers to be in a better position
They way for that isn’t to make abortion illegal but rather to bring down housing costs and encourage migration of people to Tier 3/4 Cities and Rural outposts
Hi, Craig. Thanks for the very interesting question.
55 pounds less?
I’ve lived in the States. I think you’re severely underestimating the difference in weight.
The guy below is not just 55 pounds heavier than I am.
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My guess is he’s at least double, maybe triple my weight.
But yes. I’m sure he can completely destroy me, rip me asunder, and dish out critical hit after critical hit on my person.
Thankfully, I am rather fleet of foot, so at least I can get away before he completey destroys me. I’m willing to bet that even on foot, I’m faster than his scooter.
Call me quietly confident!
Classic Beef Burgundy
9b07755d7eb95a15a1eb650e15a7aca7
Ingredients
1 (1 1/2 pound) round steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup dry red wine
1 small onion, quartered
1/2 pound small mushrooms
4 tablespoons unsalted margarine
3 cups sliced onion
2 cups diced carrots
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
1/2 teaspoon thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
Combine beef, 3/4 cup wine and onion. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
Drain beef cubes; set aside. Strain and reserve liquid.
Sauté mushrooms in 3 tablespoons margarine until lightly browned; remove and set aside.
Add beef; cook until well browned. Remove and set aside.
Sauté sliced onion, carrots, parsley and garlic in remaining 1 tablespoon margarine until onions are tender.
Add meat, marjoram, thyme, pepper, bay leaf, marinade and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
Dissolve flour in remaining 1/4 cup water; add to beef mixture.
Add mushrooms and cook until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
My small apartment complex has a fair number of children under 10 who play on the grounds.
One gal moved her brother, who was a lazy raging alcoholic, in with her. He would sit outside all day & early evening drinking until his sister got home from working. (Like she couldn’t smell the stale alcohol on him).
So that she wouldn’t throw out his alcohol, he would hide his half to full bottles around the property. Often this was in areas that the kids played in. When I would come across the bottles, I would just toss them in the trash but that didn’t deter him. I started getting concerned that the kids could find a bottle and drink the alcohol. The super spoke to him and his sister but she denied that there was a priblem
One of his favorite hidings places was by my garage. I was able to film him staggering, day drinking and hiding the bottle. I took the film to the police and sent a copy to the complex management company. Basically, the sister was told that he was not allowed on the property and that they will not be renewing her lease.
Well guess who was back 2 weeks ago living at the complex. I let the super know and he is handling it. I also went to each unit with kids, let them know what transpired and to teach their kids not to drink anything they find. I also showed them the video.
A few of the parents complained to the management company. Last Friday, they taped an eviction notice to the sister’s unit.
Now before anyone jumps down my throat about the brother being an alcoholic and needs help, I agree. However his sister is enabling him. He doesn’t work or receive government assistance so she is either giving him $$$ or he is stealing from the liquor store, which I doubt given how drunk he usually is
And a child getting sick, having organ damage or even dying, trump’s his need for a drink.
Three researchers were awarded the 2014 Nobel prize in Physics for inventing nothing other than the blue LED light. Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura were awarded the Nobel prize for inventing a diode that emitted blue light.
“How did three guys win one of the most prestigious awards in physics for inventing a light that shines blue?” Was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about this. I just didn’t equate something that sounded so simple to me with a Nobel prize. This is the same award that was awarded for the discovery of the wave nature of electrons, for the discovery of the neutron and for the discovery of the superconducting properties of ceramic materials. Well after I had done some research, I found it turns out their invention had far-reaching consequences in developing so many of the things we consider ordinary today.
This is how LEDs work:
LEDs are sandwiches of semiconductor materials. The layers are ‘doped’ with other elements, which provides some layers with extra electrons and others with a surplus of ‘holes’, where missing electrons leave behind a positive charge. When an electrical current is applied, the electrons and holes combine at the junctions between the layers and emit light as a result.
Green and red LED’s had been around since the 1950’s, but prior to their invention in the 1990’s, no one in the industry could figure out how to create a diode that emitted blue light. This was a significant obstacle because blue LED chips are used in white LED-based lights. Without a blue LED, the white LED-based lights that are so common today wouldn’t be nearly as common, if they existed at all.
White LED’s are important because they are used in the screens of our smartphones, tablets, computer screens and TV’s. LED lights were also vastly more efficient than any other light source invented before. One estimate believes that this invention could save up to 20% of the world’s power consumption.
So when taken into perspective and properly considered, the Japanese trio are in fact deserving of the prize. Their invention has been to the benefit of humanity and we are all better off because of it. This is also one of the few times the prize has been awarded for a practical invention.
If China says that it will do something, you can bet on it being done.
There’s no exceptions.
Additionally, China has the skills, the ability, the top-down funding, and resources necessary. So when a program or project is launched, you can guarantee that it will be be completed to the timeline, and that those who lead the project will dedicate their very lives to make it work.
This is not simply a pro-China advocacy. It’s a observation that any student of modern Geo-politics can easily make. Whether it is the development of nuclear weapons, the elimination of poverty, the reforestation of deserts, or easy access to healthcare, China has accomplished its promises and met its goals.
In regards to space; whether it is satellites, space-stations, vehicles, bases on the moon and Mars; robotic exploration spacecraft or systems that peer deep into Space, China is delivering. Step by step. All with very little “fanfare’, posturing, or political announcements.
China delivers.
You will notice that in this OPINION, that I am not mentioning the United States.
It seems to be the “knee jerk” reaction to somehow squeeze a mention about NASA, or Elon Musk, or some nonsense about lofty plans or goals about colonization of Mars or the Moon in the answers. What do I think about that?
Ah. An attempt to keep a fantasy alive. Lots and lots of talk. Much fluff. Promises galore. A lot of huffing and a puffing. Make sure you squeeze in a healthy does of “diversity”, and throw in some “patriotism” as well. Gotta politicize everything; something for the left, and something for the right.
All these other ideas are politicized concepts without much substance. They are dreams and hopes. Great things; dreams. Great things; hopes. But come on…they are not engineered solutions.
That costs money. That requires talent. That takes effort.
China’s Space ambitions consist of engineered solutions, with funding to match, and staged step-by-step goals of attainment. Let the other billionaires, and nations, “talk big” and promise so much incredible things.
China delivers.
That is all you need to know.
Why the Ruling Elite Is Anti-American | Constitution 101 Highlight
I never knew if the last occupant had left it behind but…we checked into a high-end Palm Springs Hotel several years ago. All was lovely. In the middle of the night, I heard a soft noise from the closet. When I checked on it, it was a mother cat and 4 newborn kittens in the closet. I was not expecting that!
I made sure that Mama & babies were okay. The next morning, I asked at the desk if someone had left a pregnant cat behind in our room? “No.”
The hotel people offered to take Mama & kittens away but I said, ”No.” I am an animal lover and figured that I could provide a better home than having them carted away!
We took Mama & the four —Enie, Menie, Miney, and Moe — home with us where they still rule today! What a great bit of memorabilia from our trip!
Confession of the Day
Hi, I am 21yo guy, who is obsessed with making money. In a span of 2years, I have tried plenty of businesses but none of them were successful. I literally have 0 friends, no social life and I barely sleep for 3-4hrs. At this point, the only thing that matters to me is money and I do feel sorry for myself because giving up is never an option, everything i like needs money.
I do have plenty of skills, such as making AI models, video editing and more but it seems each of it is useless.
I am here to find someone who’s on the same page, so we can exchange our ideas or collaborate to build generational wealth.
I feel so embarrassed when I see people with luxury life. It’s not like I hate them. It’s just that I am still not there.
Moreover, most of the people around me are useless. They have no plan for life, and all they care about is friends, partying, and girls. It feels terrible to live in such a place.
It’s not just money, dude. It’s more about what it can buy for us. We can literally have anything with money, and I have never been a guy who wants love, friends, and emotional attachments. I have seen people switch based on a person’s wealth. In the end, every damn thing leads to money. Whether it be love, comfort, friends, peace… literally everything
ALERT: ELITES LEAVE WASHINGTON? NUKE EVENT IN UKRAINE
Doom and gloom. But… what is going on? Some things to pander and think about.
So, let’s start out with the easy one. If you’re addressing more than one person (such as a married couple), it’s always “vous”. “Vous” is plural.
But for the rest of it, when addressing someone in the singular where “you” would be appropriate in English:
“Vous” is the polite form
“Tu” is the familiar form
In France, they take the distinction fairly seriously (except for teenagers and college students). The full set of rules in the form of flowchart can be found online, but the “Notes” version is:
Strangers are “vous”
People you know very well are “tu”. Your spouse, close work colleagues, little kids (Unless the little kid is a foreign prince or something), God, people like that. NOT the front desk staff, waiters/waitresses, shop clerks or baggage porters
And the golden rule:
When in doubt use “vous”.
Using “tu” inappropriately is like a stranger calling you “buddy” or “pal”. It’s just rude.
Once, while working at a local university we were running a woodchipper. One of the professors walked by and stuck his head into the shute. Immediately we hit the emergency off switch and pulled him away. He just looked at us confused and said he wanted to see how it worked. We had to explain that had their been any wood chips flying out at the time it would’ve stripped the flesh from his face. We then opened it up and showed him the working mechanisms. He wandered off quite happy. To this day I don’t think he had any idea how much danger he put himself in.
I’ve learned from past experiences that you generally don’t get paid back. Plus if you ask the person to sign a promissory note, they generally refuse. Also, any explanation that you provide turns into a debate.
For example, my lazy & unmotivated cousin (C)and his wife (W) asked me to dinner at their rental house. Basically, his spoiled money grubbing mother, who never worked a day in her life, convinced him that I would be thrilled to lend him $$$ for a deposit on a house. At the time, I was living in an apt that was nothing to write home about.
W- we are delighted that you joined us for dinner. It has been a long time since we were all together.
C- how is the job going?
Me – fine (realizing that something is up)
C we found a house we want to buy but don’t have enough $$$ for the deposit. Would you loan us $25,000
Me – no, why would I loan you that if I can only afford a basic apt.
W – well my husband is your favorite cousin
Me – yeah, so?
C – buying the house will be an investment for our future
Me – what about my future?
C – you owe us for everything my mom did for your mom when she had cancer
Me – she did shit for my mom, she actually showed up at my mom’s house with fabric for an outfit she wanted my mom to make her. And got pissed when my mom wouldn’t since she just had a major chemo treatment that morning.
Anyway this went on and on basically denigrating me & my mom but expecting me to loan them $$$. It only ended when I excused myself from the table and walked out. I was exhausted mentally from this and disappointed that they could treat me that way.
So now it is NO and I allow no discussion.
Stray kitten on the highway has a dangerous accident if it is not rescued in time!
I grew up across the street from a corrupt church & rectory and next door to the convent.
For example, 2 priests got 2 women pregnant — the women were ex-communicated but the priests got to preach each Sunday from the altar.
Or my parents weren’t allowed to baptize my brother at the church because the godmother had been seen by the monsignor wearing a red (whore color) leotard & tights under her coat. She was studying dance at Julliard. BTW, she was a graduate of the church’s school so if her values were sinful (they weren’t), the church only had to blame themselves.
The monsignor bought a new Cadillac every year yet the nuns, who worked at his school, often didn’t have enough to eat. My mom had a rotating “invite to dinner” with them so they received at least 1 wholesome meal each week.
I could spend hours on more examples but to answer the question.
At 14, I was an active member of the church, CYO, teen sports teams, etc. That Xmas, the CYO was decorating the rectory for the holidays along with the men’s and women’s auxiliary church groups. The monsignor is eying me very strangely and after awhile, he asks if I’m related to Manuel xxx. I state that he was my deceased grandfather. The 68 year old monsignor tore 14 year old me a new one, calling me every vile name that could be said to a female and that he wanted me out. That there was no way I could ever be a good Catholic given who my grandfather was.
(Evidently, the monsignor while studying at the seminary, had an argument with my grandfather who was a laborer there. So for nearly 50 years this vessel of catholic purity held a grudge against a man for a perceived slight.)
When he was done screaming and swearing at me, I calmly & loudly said that the monsignor could go fuk himself and walked out, leaving the church forever.
As a postscript, 16 years older, my mom asked me to get a priest to give her final councilling. She had days to live. My mom, who went to church almost daily, had been bedridden for 2 years and no priest (from across the street) never visited her. I went to the rectory and asked for a priest. Priest told me he was too busy to talk since he was late to his golf tee off time. That I could make an appointment in a couple of weeks since he might have some free time. He denied that it was his responsibility to find out who the sick we’re in his parish and pushed by me.
I called the archdiocese and got nowhere. So, given that I worked in Advertising for a major corporation, I called every personal contact that I had at every TV, radio, cable station and pitched a story of a corrupt parish. Once the archdiocese started getting calls from reporters for their comment on their story, they reacted. The priest was forced to leave his golf game and to go see my mom. I made sure to sit in on his sessions with my mom so that he had to treat her with compassion, not bitterness or rudeness or condescension.
I didn’t just leave this parish / church, I left this religion entirety. I have no tolerance for hypocrites.
On Thanksgiving in 2018, I was having over 30 people to dinner. It was my father-in-law’s last big family dinner. He had cancer; he died less than a month later, a week before Christmas.
I’d ordered a couple of long tables and linens to fit; and then decided to rent the whole shebang. I didn’t have settings for 30 people so I rented those too.
I thought the tables really did look beautiful. I had burnt orange tablecloths and deep red napkins. Festive.
I decided, the day before, that although I had candles, I also needed two centerpieces. If I just had one big one people couldn’t see each other. I wanted to keep them low.
I thought I’d get a dozen multicolored roses, divide them, and use them in two arrangements. I figured they’d be pretty without hitting everyone over the head with the whole fall colors thing.
I was running out when someone pulled up in a car and came to the door. He caught me right before I left. He had a big vase; with a lot of cellophane.
Inside were a dozen multi-colored roses.
They were from my mother. I’d invited her, but she wasn’t up to traveling; she lives 6 hours away. She’s 90.
She had no idea what I was planning to use as a centerpiece.
It was so preternatural. I called her and said,
“You’re not going to believe this…”
We laughed and laughed.
I divided them up. The next day, my FIL sat at one end of the joined tables and my husband at the other, surrounded by family. He ate well. We had a wonderful day.
As strange as it was, I felt happy my mother could still read my mind over so many years, and so many miles away.
Why is there such a big difference The ISS is crowded, but the CSS is like an Apple store
Only 100 years?! You bet, will be at least 1,000 years, or maybe, better back to the Stone Age!
And then, you might find one day, your country would have to import chips from China, and the products you use would be embedded with Chinese chips. LOL
The whole Western world, especially the nuclear powers, even later the Soviet Union, had blocked nuclear technology from entering into China back in the 1950s and 1960s. Then what?
The first Chinese nuclear test was conducted at Lop Nur on October 16, 1964. Then in less than 32 months, China detonated its first hydrogen bomb on June 14, 1967. Now, China’s nuclear arsenal is the world’s third largest, and China has, more importantly, also developed its nuclear technology for peaceful use, boasting the second largest number of nuclear power units in operation or under construction in the world.
China was officially barred from visiting the International Space Station (ISS) by the United States in 2011. Then what?
China is nearing its completion of the construction of its own space station -Tiangong, with many visits there already done by Chinese astronauts, three of them are right now flying over us in the station. With the ISS retiring sometime in 2030, China’s Tiangong will be the only space station in the world.
China has been under the tough blockade of Western military techonologies, especially high-end, advanced ones. Then what?
China has successfully tested several times of its hypersonic missiles, among the first nations who have achieved success in this most advanced weapon development.
Also, China has finished its third air-craft carrier, with a fully indigenous design, featuring a CATOBAR system and electromagnetic catapults, one of the most advanced in the world.
And China has its J-20, a twinjet all-weather stealth fighter aircraft with precision strike capability. The Y-20, a large military transport aircraft, the first cargo aircraft to use 3D printing technology to speed up its development and to lower its manufacturing cost.
Similar cases also include the tunnel boring machines, giant cranes, giant excavators, deep-sea drilling machines……You name it. Then what?
China has self developed all of them, not only meeting its own market needs, but also exporting them at a much more affordable price than their Western competitors. What’s more ironic is, some of them have been exported even to those countries who had previously blocked their techonologies into China!
So, in the short term, yes, China is sufferting from the heavy blow from the US, but in the long run, the US and its allies would not only lose the lion’s share of chip market here in China, but will have also to face a strong competitor in semi-conductors, or chips, or something alternative which have similar functions, in the not-too-far-away future, maybe in their own market, and also in the global market.
But during the process, the US would have dried up its influence as a banner-holder of liberal market economy, its credibility as the rule-setter who betrays its own rules, its reliability to its allies since all of them would have to suffer along with the US, and hence, its soft power in leading the world.
Nothing much to gain, but a lot to lose, yet, the US is determined to ride on the self-devastating road. The faster it runs, the quicker the fall of its hegemony.
All he needs to do is to simply tell the Pakistani Army
You are the real leaders of Pakistan. I won’t come your way. I won’t poke my nose in any reform
The Pakistan Army like Imran Khan or used to like him
Then he began to poke his nose into their business and they struck back
He believed he could mobilize the masses but unfortunately that didn’t work
Here is how the US and Chinese have divided Pakistan. That is the status quo
China invests in Pakistan and supplies weapons and builds stuff for Pakistan under the CPEC including the Gwadar port
US still retains control of the Senior Army Brass in Pakistan , now Generals and Lt Generals and Major Generals who once cut their teeth in Afghanistan with the Americans. This control is to ensure the Afghan mess doesn’t spill over into an Al Qaeda 2.0
Both sides prefer India and Pakistan to be opposed to each other. China because it forms a nice second front and US because India is not pliable yet and close to the Russians
Plus both US and China HATE Terrorism
China because it spoils Business and US because of 9/11
This is a Status Quo that all leaders of Pakistan must follow
The Army in real charge
The PM essentially a figurehead
The Armys corruption continue with out any issue
Imran threatened to disturb the status quo
Neither US nor China wanted that
China certainly likes the US to be involved in Pakistan and dont want Pakistan to become Ukraine 2.0 and depend on China for money and arms
So if Imran simply says he is ready to go back to the Status Quo and know his place
He can be PM happily again with the Armys blessings
They HATE Sharif, the army does
They liked Imran a lot
Trust me, if this was Sharif – he would have died in an accident long ago
China Grocery Shopping Is 100 Years In The FUTURE!
I don’t have cable since I refuse to pay the ridiculous costs. However, the approved company in my area, didn’t approve of my decision.
They started sending a salesperson to my home at dinner time, trying to sell me a plan. I explained to the guy that I was not interested and not to disturb me anymore. He comes back the next day. I ignore him. The next day I contact the cable company and explain that I’m not interested and to please remove me from their cold call list.
This works for a week and guess who is back. I choose to just ignore the pounding on my door. The next day, I checked with my local police as to what the town’s ordinance was. They explained that anyone going door to door in my town, have to register with them first and then be approved. I told them what was happening and what I had said to both the sales rep & his company. They check their records and he had never registered.
That night, around dinnertime, a cop parked around the corner from my home. Sure enough, the sales guy shows up and starts pounding the crap out of my front door. I call the police and tell them that I am concerned for my safety …that some strange man is attacking my front door. A cop shows up ASAP and actually catches the sales rep. As he is getting arrested for trespassing and soliciting without a license, I came outside.
Looking at the sales rep, I smirked and said “I told you I didn’t want cable”. Lol Needless to say, he never got approved in the town again.
And since his company felt the need to keep sending me promotional junk mail weekly, I shredded it but kept it. When I accumulated a sufficient quantity, I mixed some glitter in with it and sent it back to their VP of Sales. The next package went to the VP of Marketing. The last package, that seemed to do the trick, went to the CEO. Lol
This happened to a friend of mine. He’s a PhD in Mathematics and was working for Silicon Valley firm writing mostly encryption algorithms, but some firmware stuff as well. Very very well paid — but not the most social person in the world. Being around people causes him anxiety. This isn’t a minor thing for him — it’s a real pathology.
Anyway, He’s a Los Angeles guy — and hated living so far north. His employer worked with him and let him work remotely 4 out of 5 days a week — he would just need to show up for “face” time once a week. Basically show up Sunday, sleep in the company flat, drive home Monday.
That was grinding him down after a year. His employer dropped that down to once a month. After six months, this was still too much and he decided to turn in his resignation on the next “face” day.
He drove up there, spent the night in the company flat, got up to go to the office with his “notice” papers and his boss calls him in.
They’re laying him off. This means, he keeps the stock options he’s earned (would have lost them if he quit), he gets 3 years of paid medical insurance and a 3 year severance package per his contract.
He sent me a pic of himself after he got the news. The biggest sh*t eating grin I’ve ever seen on him —ever — in front of his “beater” pick up truck. .
You see China is 5000 Years Old and what the West and India define as Corruption is to them something very normal and very organized.
For years – Commissioners, Governors appointed by the Emperor to various posts have benefited from those posts by enriching themselves in the form of small “gifts” from Merchants, Traders etc. They call it Fragnant Grease or Hyeung Ya.
The Corruption is simply part of life. Difference is it never extends to harrass a Comon Man. If you are a Merchant – you pay a Small Commission for services you get from the Commissioner or the Governor but If you are a Farmer, Peasant etc – Nobody harrasses you or demands bribes from you.
In Short – There was a very organized system
Then Mao tried to break it
And he succeeded. He literally ordered thousands of executions of the Corrupt and stopped Corruption but also any fast progress.
The Chinese System was 5000 years old and its derailment was a big blow to the Chinese. They are born Speculators, Mahjong Gamblers, Believers in Hyeung Yah and its system etc. To suddenly impose Russian ideals on them was a Failure.
image 91
Deng Xiaoping restored a Beautiful Version of it
Dengs version was Simple:-
The Condensed version for Dummies roughly translated to :-
Take your commissions, Enrich yourself – but if you compromise on the Quality and deceive the common man – I will kill your family and seven generations.
A Provincial who took 5% as a Gift from the Engineers and delivered a Quality Bridge that saved a lot of efforts and money for the State was rewarded and promoted.
A Provincial who took 5% as a Gift but delivered an Inferior bridge that cracked and collapsed disappeared with his family and was never seen or heard of again
It was a Beautiful Cold Blooded Brutally Efficient System that made China – Less Communist and more Chinese.
Even today CCP officials do a lot of things regarded as Corrupt in the West or India
→ They invest heavily in companies based on Insider Information and make Billions of Dollars or Millions of Dollars legally. They say this is justified because they have worked hard for the Country and deserve their rewards that their position brings to them.
→ The District Committees or Provincial Committees invest money in various ventures and share profits between their members upon its success that could be as high as 100 Million Yuan ($ 15–16 Million). They say this is justified because its their enterprise that enables them to make the money.
→ They buy 25% of cheap land and sell at massive profits (Around an Average of 317%) in just months after Land Auctions based on inside information. Many make Millions this way. They see it as absolutely fair after 30 years of Toiling work for the Country.
At the Same time
→ Not one of them makes a Dollar from any Foreign Investor in lieu of benefits.
→ Not one of them takes a single Yuan cut from any Money earmarked for Public Spending. If anyone does – He is a Dead Man!!!
→ Not one of them takes a Single Yuan and gives a Contract to a Favored Contractor whether its $ 10,000 or $ 10 Billion. Its always Black Box and Meritocracy when giving contracts. If anyone does – He is a Dead Man!!!!
→ Not one of them demands money to give Jobs to Chinese or business contracts to local chinese. Its always talent, talent and talent. If anyone does – He is a Dead Man!!!!
So Chinese who are 5000 years old always knew – Corruption is inevitable and SIMPLY ORGANIZED IT BEAUTIFULLY
Just like LKY Organized Prostitution and ended all the Crime related to it
Its the Oriental Way.
Its only Westerns who use Christian Definitions or Indians/Pakistanis who use Colonial Definitions and turned Corruption into a Raging Cancer that has destroyed most of the economy.
I was in a drugstore.
At the checkout, there was a Chinese woman in front of me who had loaded a whole shopping cart full of baby milk. The cashier told her that she could only buy a certain amount of it. So the woman unloaded her cart again and bought the prescribed maximum number. I don’t remember, maybe it was five boxes of milk.
When the Chinese woman was gone, the cashier shook her head and said to me: Always the same, they buy the whole store if they can.
I asked what was going on and she said that “they send the milk to China ” She said that this has been going on for years.
–
The food industry has never adulterated as much as it does today because the goods go through many opaque channels. From adulterated olive oil to rotten meat, it’s all there.
But the worst thing done was to poison the very youngest:
It’s all about the Chinese Milk Scandal that was uncovered in 2008.
In China, nitrogen-containing synthetic resin bases, namely melamine, were mixed into milk products in order to feign a high protein content despite diluted milk.
Probably this happened unnoticed for years, because melamine is not sooo toxic.
But it was also used in infant formula in 2008 and led to kidney stones and massive kidney failure.
About 300,000 babies became ill and six infants died.
The company that caused this went out of business.
In 2010, milk products containing melamine were again discovered in southwest China.
image 90
–
Since then, the Chinese no longer have confidence in their own baby food and buy it abroad. And in China they only buy foreign products.
The Chinese government tries to counteract.
The “Süddeutsche” (German Newspaper) says:
In Chinese supermarkets the shelves thin out. Everywhere in the country milk powder cans are sorted out on order of the authorities. The food supervisory authority has decreed that more than 1400 products may no longer be sold. That’s 60 percent of all varieties. In the future, only about 950 products from nearly 130 manufacturers will be allowed. The trust of the domestic population in Chinese milk is finally to be restored.
So far, however, this has not been achieved and the Chinese do not want Chinese goods.
Whoever can, has the milk sent to him.
2 of those responsible were executed in 2009.
Update:
I did not write this article to make you start to insult chinese people in general in the comments. Please stop that.
Coca Cola Steak
2023 09 25 11 57
Ingredients
1 pound round steak or veal cutlets
1 cup tomato sauce
1 Coca-Cola
1 medium onion, cut into rings
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into rings
Instructions
Salt, pepper and flour steak.
Put 1 tablespoon grease, steak, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce and Coca Cola in skillet in this order.
Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes over low heat.
“I Demand A Full Russian Retreat!” – Zelensky At The United Nations
A few years ago, I was in a Timmies in “The Falls” where someone acted egregiously bad. I may have been wrong, but I pegged him as an American tourist.
Yes, Timmies has been slow with my order at times. The way to deal with it is to get someone’s attention and ask if you’ve been forgotten about.
Instead, this fellow wondered out loud why two people behind him had got coffee while he was still waiting for his tea, and why the guy with the shirt with the “Trainee” badge was just standing around and not helping.
Every society and, indeed, every sub society, has social norms that have to be followed. In Canada, we tend not to “call people out” on them, but don’t expect people to treat you with kindness and courtesy even if your faux pas is inadvertent.
One of the things that gets me is people who stand at the top or bottom of escalators. I start to suspect they’re from a place where escalators aren’t common, because to me it’s obvious that I should never obstruct one.
In New York City, it’s people who try to get on a subway train before people have had a chance to get off.
In Paris, it’s people who don’t say “hello” when they walk into a shop.
And, yeah, Americans are notorious everywhere for not speaking with their “inside voice”.
On the London Underground, do not try to engage anyone in idle conversation. Or in London as a whole for that matter. In Athens, feel free because everyone else is doing it.
In London, you line up. In Beijing, it’s everyone for themselves.
In Toronto, if you have the sniffles, feel free to blow discreetly into a tissue. In Seoul, don’t you dare!
The new cross strait integrated development zone is a huge opportunity for Taiwanese people.
ROC only exists in historical records, it is just a past tense like Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, etc. There is no such sovereign state in UN.
Now that France is the Fifth French Republic, does the First French Republic still exist?
Taiwan, during the Qing Dynasty, was Taiwan County, Fujian Province, under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province, and is now Taiwan Province.
A remarkable achievement from the mouth piece of Uncle Sam.
TOKYO—Huawei, China’s rival to Apple in smartphones and the world’s leading provider of telecoms infrastructure, is out to prove it isn’t just surviving Washington’s campaign to crush it, but is in the vanguard of Beijing’s drive for self-reliance in technology.
After the buzz around Huawei’s new high-speed smartphones, which appeared to show that China can swerve around U.S. efforts to block its access to cutting-edge technology, the company on Monday unveiled its latest tablets, smartwatches and earphones—supported by a homegrown challenger to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, global standards in wireless communication.
Initially dubbed “Greentooth,” a moniker ditched as too lighthearted, it was rebranded “NearLink,” a short-range wireless technology that the company says combines the best features of both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi—and works with both. The protocol offers low-power, lightweight connectivity akin to Bluetooth, simultaneously catering to high-speed, large transmission, and high-quality connectivity needs akin to Wi-Fi. NearLink switches between modes based on the situation, Huawei says.
Set against the backdrop of increasing U.S. restrictions, Beijing has doubled down on efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in critical technologies. Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited private firms including Huawei last month, urging them to pursue international excellence and gain a competitive edge in the market through technological and product improvements.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both wireless communication technologies, enabling transmission of photos, documents and other data between compatible devices. Developing wireless communications tech requires expertise in multiple disciplines, including signal processing, wireless communication protocols and software development.
Apple has spent several years and billions of dollars trying, so far without success, to make its own wireless chip. The latest iPhone still depends on Qualcomm for that component.
Huawei holds tens of thousands of patents covering essential technologies for data transmission in phones. To access high-speed networks, handset manufacturers must obtain licenses from or cross-license with companies such as Qualcomm and Huawei.
From June 2021 to May 2023, Huawei trailed only Qualcomm in the number of wireless communication network technology patents it published, holding more than 8,000 more thanthird-placed Ericson, according to a recent ranking from IPR Daily, a China-based media outlet focused on intellectual property. Ericsson was the inventor of Bluetooth, which is now overseen by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, or Bluetooth SIG, the standards organization that licenses the technology to manufacturers.
In Huawei’s case, it had its access to several major global technology associations restricted following U.S. sanctions. Without full access, the company’s devices, including phones, tablets and laptops, could face limitations in using vital features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Although it was later reinstated, it decided to develop its own technology, Huawei executive Wang Jun said in a 2021 interview with Chinese media.
Bluetooth SIG declined to comment on issues related to its members’ status. The Wi-Fi Alliance said at the time that it was complying with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s order by restricting Huawei’s involvement in certain activities, but it didn’t revoke its membership.
Huawei says NearLink uses less than half the power of Bluetooth, is six times faster, has 1/30th the latency or the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another, and supports 10 times the number of devices in a network.
NearLink technology was introduced in December 2021, with a focus on applications for cars. In August, Richard Yu, the head of Huawei’s consumer business, announced its integration into the ecosystem of their self-developed operating system for consumer devices. As he delivered that presentation, the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi icons typically seen on smartphones converged on the screen behind him into a green “NearLink” icon.
Yu said on Monday the technology found applications in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, industrial manufacturing and more, providing the interconnectivity for Huawei’s homegrown ecosystem. NearLink may prove vital as Huawei struggles to cope with the impact of sanctions that made it difficult to source the advanced chips needed to power its devices.
Yu didn’t introduce the latest high-speed handsets during Monday’s presentation, saying only that the company is working extra hours to meet demand.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said at last week’s hearing of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee that while she was upset by the announcement of Huawei’s new smartphones, the U.S. couldn’t find evidence that the company is able to produce devices with advanced chips.
A report from Canadian semiconductor-information platform TechInsights said China’s biggest contract chip maker SMIC, made the core chip inside the device, but that it also contained memory components from South Korea’s SK Hynix.
China’s technological rise is intricately tied to its global ambitions, leveraging advancements to expand its geopolitical influence. One example is Beidou, a substitute for the U.S.’s satellite-based Global Positioning System. China has also set a domestic standard for a new way of designing chips, while global chip giants also formed a coalition to create them.
In September 2020, China formed an alliance for the country’s own short-range wireless technologies that now includes more than 300 companies and institutions—mostly domestic—including state-owned telecom carriers and makers of smart devices and cars such as Huawei, Oppo, and BYD.
Huawei remains the world’s largest seller of telecom equipment, according to market research firm Dell’Oro Group. It commands about a third of the global market, with sales about twice those of the second- and third-ranked suppliers, Nokia, and Ericsson, Dell’Oro Group says.
I supervise foster homes. A few years ago, one of my foster families had taken placement of a little boy named Chris. Chris was husky and socially awkward, but also impossible to dislike. He was mostly quiet – a real observer – but would sometimes come out and say the most outlandish comments. There were many times that Chris had me laughing to the point of tears, taken aback by his dry wit. Despite this engaging sense of humor, Chris had a rough start in life. He had never met his father and his mother had died of a drug overdose several years prior. Chris had bounced in and out of seven different foster homes by the time I met him. All of his younger siblings had been adopted and he saw them infrequently. When he did see them, Chris was prone to intense mood swings. It must have been incredibly difficult for him to watch his siblings grow up together while he waited for his “forever family.”
Shortly after his 11th birthday, Chris moved into the foster home that I supervised. The foster family was taken with Chris right away. They’d always wanted a child and they seemed to relish in acting out their dream of parenthood immediately. They spoiled Chris, taking him on expensive shopping trips and excursions. Their intentions were good. Knowing that Chris had experienced a lifetime of neglect in only 11 years, they seemed set on showering him with love and affection to make up for lost time. If Chris didn’t want to go to school, the foster parents would shrug and take him to the park. If he wanted to stay up all night and play video games, they happily allowed it. At first, this was fantastic – Chris was having a ball. When I would visit him, he seemed to be blossoming. The kid who had barely spoken a full sentence to me was suddenly bursting at the seams to tell me every detail of his day. When I expressed my concern that their lack of rules could be leading to problems down the road, the foster parents insisted that they had it under control. They said they loved Chris. They called him son. After about six months, an adoption date was set. Chris was so excited about picking out a suit and tie to wear to the courthouse.
The trouble started about three weeks before the adoption hearing. The foster parents had grown tired of the honeymoon stage. They’d realized it was time to start setting up boundaries that would help Chris grow into the fine young man we all knew he could be. Chris, who’d become accustomed to a house with no rules, responded as you might expect. He was confused and frustrated at the family’s sudden insistence on rule-setting.
One evening, the foster parents asked Chris to turn off the television and go to sleep. He refused. They threatened to ground him. He laughed. The foster parents began to yell, exasperated. Chris picked up his brand new cell phone and threw it into the television, destroying the screen. Both foster parents yelled louder, which only worsened Chris’ blow-up. He kicked the wall, denting it. He told the foster parents that he hated them and hated their house.
The foster parents called me, panicking. I reminded them that children who have experienced trauma sometimes struggle to regulate strong emotions. I explained that we all needed to work together in order to help Chris adjust to having rules put in place. I explained that although their intentions were good, Chris had been set up to fail. They calmed down and we set a meeting for the next day.
I went to their house first thing in the morning, ready to help them come up with a plan to support Chris. Chris had already gone off to school when I got there. The foster parents looked me straight in the eye and told me they wouldn’t be picking him up from school and would not be adopting him in a few weeks. I was shocked. They had professed love for this child for nearly a year at this point. I pleaded with them – offered every support I could think of. They would not budge. All of a sudden, they began listing every annoyance they had with Chris, going back to when they first met him. It was as if they’d been building up this list all this time, too afraid to admit to me that they’d had their misgivings from the start. I begged them to pick him up from school. The last thing I wanted was a caseworker showing up to whisk him away. He already hated school – this would only make him worry that every school day could end with his life being uprooted. They were too worn down, too guilty, and too upset.
I picked Chris up from school. When he got into my car, I could see that he knew what was happening. His round face was knotted in concern, his eyes filling with tears. He begged me with a desperation that I’ve never seen in a child. He wanted me to tell the parents he was sorry, that he would never mess up again if they agreed to keep him. I told him that it wasn’t his fault, that parents need to understand that all people make mistakes. I told him he deserved someone who would be patient with him. I drove Chris to a new foster home (a lovely set of people who, unfortunately, could only take him in for a few days due to their housing set up). When we got there, he didn’t want to go in. We sat on the front lawn for almost two hours. He was really quiet, just leaning back into the grass with his hands on his stomach.
Finally, as it started to get dark, he tapped me on the shoulder.
“I’m not going to get adopted, am I?” Chris’s voice was small, barely a whisper. Although I wanted to tell him this wasn’t true, I’ve learned never to make a promise I cannot 100% keep.
“What makes you say that, Chris?”
“I’m messed up. If I didn’t mess up so much, someone would love me. I’m a bad kid.” Chris looked at me with these big, brown eyes and I knew in my heart that he believed those words without a hint of doubt. In all that had happened to him, Chris had learned that he was unloveable. It was the most devastating moment of my career to look at a child whose grief was so deeply etched into his own sense of being. That’s a belief that I knew Chris would battle his entire life.
Some good did come from this horrible experience, however. Desperate to find a loving home for him, his caseworker contacted his maternal side of the family and explained what had happened. Up until this point, they’d staunchly refused to give even a hint of his dad’s name. After weeks of pleading, they finally gave us a name. Unfortunately, Chris’s dad had died years before – but he had a brother. This brother had never even known Chris existed, but he was thrilled. He and his husband had recently adopted a little girl and had been talking about opening up their home to a second child. It was serendipitous. Chris was not an easy kid – he was angry (rightfully so) and balked at rules. The family did not give up. They jumped through every hoop so that they could become foster parents to him. Chris was just adopted a few months ago and he seemed happier than I’ve ever seen him. It’s not perfect – Chris has many wounds to heal from – but I know he is in a place where he is loved and cherished as he deserves.
Why Is China Sending Over 300 Armoured Vehicles To Mali Coup Leaders?
As a boy growing up we ate a lot of watermelon. It seemed that it was everywhere throughout my young boyhood. Get-together’s, cookouts, camp-outs, family parties, and long slow hot Summers… the watermelon was there for us to eat.
When I got married, and worked in the corporate world, the amount of watermelon in my life really dropped substantially. We might be exposed to it once a year; at a family gathering or on a holiday. Other than that; nope. The Watermelon was too big for us to eat, and we didn’t have kids… our cats didn’t like it, so any watermelon would be a waste.
So… I went around 30 years without having watermelon in my life.
Long time.
You know, I didn’t notice the loss. It just never occurred to me the role that this fruit played in my life. So I didn’t miss it.
Then I moved to China.
Watermelon everywhere. After every meal. Free on the streets. Low prices in the grocery store. Trucks selling it on the roads, the highways, in front of the plaza… it’s ubiquitous.
And so I eat it.
Again.
And I love it.
And you know what? Now, my bowel movements are more regular. My skin is clearer, and my attitude is better. All because of…
Watermelon access.
Do not deny yourself the joys of a good slice of watermelon.
In 1998, during a soccer match in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a bolt of lightning hit the pitch and killed 11 people.
The two opposing soccer teams from the eastern Kasai province of the Congo were drawing 1–1 when suddenly a bolt of lighting struck the pitch. The lightning strike killed 11 members of one team, leaving the home team unharmed.
2023 09 09 20 10
The Congo is steeped in Voodoo and ritual magic practices, and soccer rivalry between local teams is brutal. It is known for teams to be blessed or cursed by opposing teams to give themselves an upper hand. The curious way only one team managed to walk away unharmed led many to believe the home team cursed the other team with voodoo.
These beliefs are embedded in their culture and go deep to the bone, but in this case, it came down to simple footwear. One of the teams had screw-in metal studs on their boots, while the other team had moulded studs.
Tex-Mex Fajitas
Fajitas are pure Tex-Mex food. They originated along the Rio Grande River on the Texas-Mexico border and were eaten by cattle wranglers. The skirt steak is the traditional cut used and was reserved primarily for the chief cowboy. Other cuts of beef can be substituted, such as flank steak or sirloin, but the skirt is by far the most tender, flavorful and authentic.
You’ll find no cast iron griddle with the sizzling bell peppers and onions in this recipe. This was developed mainly by chain restaurants and is in no way a part of true Tex-Mex fajitas. You can add them if you wish. This recipe is authentic.
Only use the soy sauce and Liquid Smoke if you are cooking on the stovetop with cast iron or under the broiler. The soy sauce helps brown the steak, and the Liquid Smoke gives the fajitas that grilled flavor.
Be sure to use chile powder, not chili powder. Chili powder is a mixture of spices, and chile powder is pure ground chile.
Traditional Tex Mex Fajitas Thumbnail
Ingredients
2 pounds beef skirt steak
1/2 onion, halved and sliced thin
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons powdered red chiles
3 pickled jalapenos, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons jalapeno pickling liquid *
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional – if grilling on cast iron or under the broiler)
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke (optional – if grilling on cast iron or under the broiler)
* This is the liquid used to pickle and flavor the jalapenos. It is basically white vinegar with added spices, and there is always ample liquid in the jar or can to use in this, without leaving the remaining jalapenos dry.
Instructions
Place half of the onions in the bottom of a nonreactive dish.
Mix the cumin, powdered red chiles, chopped jalapenos and garlic together in a small bowl, then rub on all sides of the meat. Put the skirt steak into the dish on top of the onions. Pour the lime juice and the jalapeno liquid over all areas to coat. Sprinkle the remaining onions on top of the meat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight, turning once.
Heat the grill or broiler until hot. Fajitas need to cook close to a very high heat source, in order to sear the outside but still leave the interior medium rare.
Mix together the oil and, if you are using them, the soy sauce and Liquid Smoke. Brush or spoon the oil mixture onto the meat surfaces. Grill or broil about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is brown and slightly charred, and the inside is still slightly pink.
Remove the meat to a cutting board. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing to rest.
Cut the meat into thin strips that can be easily rolled into tortillas.
Serve with warm, soft flour tortillas and fresh pico de gallo or salsa fresca.
Their Airports are still called “Beijing International” and “Shanghai International” Airports
Their roads are NUMBERED or NAMED as Wukang, Nanjing, Luoshan etc
They don’t have a Deng Xiaoping Road or Mao Tse Tung Road
Even their Sports Stadiums are mostly named after the locations like Hangzhou Station
Even the renaming of PEKING to BEIJING had little to do with Purging Colonial History but to do with establishing the PINYIN MANDARIN system over the ANGLO CANTONESE system
Mao, the greatest leader according to 7 in 10 Chinese only has a Library named after him in China and a Memorial where he rests
It’s how the Chinese do things
It’s how they always have been doing
Even Singapore’s Airport is called SINGAPORE CHANGI
Most of the roads are not named after anyone
Things like Ayer Rajah (Not a name, a word), Pioneer Expressway, Jalan Bahar, Paya Lebar, Jurong are all old history
Same in HK
Names like Kai Tak, Kowloon, Aberdeen, Mong Kok etc are old history
They won’t change the names from Aberdeen to some Chinese name Or from the Peak to some Chinese name
If they name it Zhongguo, they may as well join the BJP and start talking about their greatness in the 6th Century BCE
Come on!!!!!!
This is China here
They like winning and finding real solutions
Not changing names
“They’re blocking you from seeing the truth in Maui”
It’s been 22 days since a massive fire destroyed the town of Lahaina on Maui… 2,000 homes incinerated, hundreds of people killed and all in an area largely owned and lived in by long time native islanders. What is really going on here? Why are drones being blocked, residents arrested when they try to return home? Why are 2,000 kids missing? If you want to donate to help the people of Maui you can do so by texting the word “mahalo” to 53-555 and 100% of the money will go to help the victims.
The Glowing wounds
In 1862, two Union forces came together to defeat the Confederate Mississippi Army, which was led by General Albert Sydney Johnston. Don Carlos Buell and Major General Ulysses S. Grant had joined their units to meet the 40,000-strong Confederate Army camped between the Shiloh Church and the Tennessee River.
What became known as the Battle for Shiloh or the Battle for Pittsburgh Landing was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, with over 23,000 casualties, and it was among these casualties that a strange occurrence took place.
A lot of the wounded men fared better during this battle than any other battle during the Civil War. Thousands of men lay wounded in a field after one of the battles had ended. They waited for hours in the blood-soaked mud to be picked up and brought to the field hospital to have their wounds looked after.
As night fell, the men started to notice their wounds glowing. The men’s wounds glowed a bright greenish, blue colour. It was described as a heavenly glow and something the men had never seen before.
When it was reported that the men who had experienced the glow healed faster and there was a lower infection rate amongst the men, it was given the name Angel Glow.
The reason for this strange phenomenon was finally figured out over 139 years later by a high school student. In 2001, High school student Bill Martin was visiting the battlefield in Shiloh and became fascinated by the story. Bill teamed up with his microbiologist mother and solved the riddle.
They discovered Nematodes in the soil that carry a bacterium called “Photorhabdus luminescence. When the Nematodes were feasting on the flesh of the wounded soldiers, they regurgitated the glowing bacteria into the wounds, which acted as an ani-septic, killing off all the bad germs.
Africa Shocks the World as it Breaks Free From Western Exploitation After China Did This!
https://youtu.be/6UJWuAB4rEY
Joke Time
A woman has an affair while her husband is at work. While she’s in bed with her lover, her 13-year-old son walks in, sees them both, and hides in the closet to watch. Then the man comes home and the woman puts her lover in the closet too without noticing that her son is already in there.
Son: “Dark in here.” Man: “Yes.” Son: “I have a baseball.” Man: “Nice.” Son: “Do you want to buy it?” Man: “No thanks.” Son: “My father is standing out there…” Man: “Okay, alright, how much?” Son: “$250” Man: “Okay.”
Now the boy hides in the closet whenever the bell is ringing. After three weeks the same thing happens again, again the son and the lover are together in the closet.
Son: “Dark in here.” Man: “Yes.” Son: “I have a baseball glove.” The man remembers the game from last time and annoyedly asks, “How much this time?” Son: “$750” Man: “Fine.”
A few days later, the father says to the son: “Let’s play baseball, get your ball and glove.”
Boy: “I can’t, I sold the stuff.” Father: “For how much?” Boy: “$1000.” Father: “That’s outrageous, ripping off your friends like that! That’s a lot more than the things are worth. You’re coming to church now and confessing your sins.”
Both go to church and the father puts the boy in the confessional.
Boy: “Dark in here.” Pastor: “Don’t start that shit again!”
No more USD use!
Non-BRICS nations are no longer using the USD.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand sign Memorandum of Understanding to use own currency to settle transactions. No more US$. Dedollarisation is here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hjyfwyXMYo
Suffering through bullies
“Our beautiful girl has been subjected to some awful bullying at school. It’s been a very private 7 months for us, dealing with this, immediate family only.
In this age of social media, children (because they are children) think it’s ok to send hateful messages (to me also along with their parents who won’t take responsibility) without consequences. I’ve had calls from these children calling me an old hag because I’ve defended our daughter, approached parents and pleaded with them to talk with their children and ask them to stop. I’ve even approached the children themselves, but been threatened by parents with harassment.
The WA department of education doesn’t expel children from schools for bullying, as they say: ‘Every child is entitled to an education.’
What about our child’s entitlement?
She’s been sent home numerous times after self harming at school. She’s not allowed a pencil sharpener as she takes the blade out and cuts herself.
The WA department of education also told me: ‘You should teach your child how to be resilient against bullies.’ Yes, they said that.
Our girl has had a video taken of her sitting at her desk at school, legs slightly open, with a lovely caption about the smell. It was posted to snapchat. I spent 90 mins with the police as they tried to determine if it was photographing and distribution of pornographic material. Yes, a 12 year old can be prosecuted if the content breaches certain criteria. Sadly our daughter’s didn’t, but she was subjected to weeks of ridicule. Repercussions? The girl who posted the video lost her playtime. The person who took the video? Nothing, because no one would tell who it was.
It’s ok to verbally attack at school because they can get away with it via a screen; so think the same will happen in the real world.
Last week, we spent over 5 hours in A&E with psychiatrists, doctors and nurses, because our girl ‘had a plan to commit suicide’. On Tuesday, I am in court applying for a VRO against a 12 year old to keep her (the bully) away from our beautiful girl—all because parents don’t accept responsibility for their children and schools can only do so much.
The school has a safety plan for the bullied child, our daughter. And the bully? She only loses recess and lunch privileges. This is infant school punishment!
Please, in this awful age of social media (or anti social media as we call it) check your children’s messages. Their devices are a privilege, nothing more, nothing less, so please make sure they are being polite and respectful in their messages. Teach the children to ‘talk’ not use text or social media to air their differences.
Bullying affects the whole family, not just the bullied. It needs to stop and it needs to stop now! Please feel free to share.”
China warns the Dutch’s ASML: Either buy back EUV for 500 billion or give up patent rights!
China is not bothered whether ASML wants to continue selling or not. But it is indeed obligated under th contract to service what she has sold or refund the money back. ASML cannot be expected to sell these bunch of scrap metal for USD150 million per piece without servicing them. Otherwise these companies will applied and seek a ruling in Chinese courts to make the IPR for all these components in these machines invalid. Once the court granted these requests, ASML might as well give up China’s market. A very GOOD strategy and it is legal and it works .
A few years ago, 22-year-old Nick Olivas discovered he was the father of an eight year old child, born when he was 14. The woman who gave birth to his child at the time, had been in her twenties. Olivas wasn’t aware the lady had gotten pregnant.
Technically speaking, since Olivas was 14 when the child was born, he was a victim of statutory rape by an adult. Olivas was shocked. And his shock increased when the state informed he owed around $15,000 in back child support and medical bills going back to the child’s birth, plus an additional 10 percent interest… legally speaking, this man was still a child when the child was conceived and therefore unable to consent to sexual intercourse, let alone capable of overseeing the enormous consequences of potential fatherhood…
Instead of being persecuted as a rapist, the woman who got pregnant by a 14-year-old boy was paid for what legally was a crime. If an adult man had sex with a 14-year-old girl and impregnated her, he wouldn’t have been paid a dime, and he’d be in jail before he could count to ten. People would be outraged, and the law would go after him without skipping a beat. When it’s a boy victim, however, he “just got lucky” and people make it into a joke.
The hardest thing about being a guy? You’re always seen as the responsible party. Even if you’re fourteen, below the age of consent and therefore legally incapable of being responsible… you’re still responsible.
China kicked this U.S. giant out! It once monopolized the Chinese market for 30 years.
Hahaha Oracle is hated by everyone including their own employees. Pretty much no one has any good words for Oracle.
Russia specified on 1st April 2022 that the next payment due would have to be made in Rubles. This Payment was due on 26th April 2022
Poland had to open a Gazprom Bank Account in Warsaw and credit Zlotys to the Account in question and subsequently open a Second Gazprom Bank Account in Moscow where based on this Zloty Credit – Gazprom would issue a corresponding credit in Rubles which would be paid to GAZPROM
Some Countries requested for more time
Some Countries began paying in Rubles like Hungary, Armenia, Slovakia
Two Countries simply said – We wont pay in Rubles
Putin called their Bluff and Cut off their Gas and Oil supply
They were Poland and Bulgaria
Another reason here is that – Putin had to show that he meant business
He could not keep threatening and have these minnow countries constantly defying him. So he decided to Cut off Gas and Oil to show that He meant Business.
EDIT:-
Austria has also paid Rubles today
The world’s first 3nm chip was born? Chinese chip giant officially announced!
Actually having better abilities in chip testing of cost-inefficient processes like the current immature 3nm can be exploited seriously by China.
So- if TSMC and Samsung want their 3nm chips successfully tested and not for an unreasonable price, they’ll have no other choice but to go to China, also meaning it ties the hands of Uncle Sam.
Washington may currently have monopoly on EUV technology and invoke sanctions on China, but China in response may limit the countries to which chips tested by Chinese companies can be exported – meaning that the puppet countries of South Korea and Taiwan won’t be able to produce 3nm chips, and the collective West won’t have access to such.
Thanks to the suppression tactics of the USA now the West is locked with China in the suppression room, and China is the one with the human potential to develop full chip industry, not the West even if you combine them all, with their youth pursuing careers in economics or as “influencers” nowadays (both “jobs” are quite literally modern read on slavery knowing the social model they force).
Not to mention the population of the West can be shrinked seriously during WW3, on top of that add the expensive and insufficient electricity, which will be needed for them to produce their own base materials for chip manufacturing…
China’s counter sanctions already spelled doom on the Western industry, and with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran and Egypt (oil exporting countries) joining BRICS in January things are going to get even worse in the previously beautiful Western garden.
Stories of intelligent cephalopods
When an octopus experiences an injury to one of its tentacles, whether through natural wear and tear or as a result of territorial disputes and fights, a fascinating phenomenon known as “over-regeneration” can occur during the healing process. Octopuses are renowned for their remarkable regenerative abilities, and this extends to their limbs.
Normally, when an octopus loses a tentacle, it will start the process of regenerating a new one. However, in some cases, especially when injuries occur frequently or in quick succession, the regrowth process can become quite robust. This means that instead of simply replacing the lost limb, an octopus might end up with more tentacles than it originally had.
One notable case of this intriguing phenomenon was documented in Matoya Bay, Japan, in 1998. Researchers discovered an octopus with an astounding 96 tentacles. This astonishing number was far more than the typical eight that octopuses are known for. It was a testament to the incredible regenerative capabilities of these intelligent cephalopods.
This over-regeneration showcases just how adaptable and resilient these creatures are. Octopuses are known for their remarkable problem-solving skills, camouflage abilities, and complex behaviors. The ability to not only regrow lost limbs but potentially even surpass their original number of appendages is another testament to their biological versatility.
It’s important to note that while octopuses are capable of over-regeneration, this is not a common occurrence. In most cases, when a tentacle is lost, the octopus will regenerate it to restore its usual eight-armed form. However, when circumstances push the limits of their regenerative abilities, we get to witness the awe-inspiring and rare phenomenon of an octopus with dozens of tentacles.
Africa Shocks the World as it Breaks Free From Western Exploitation After China Did This!
Africa Shocks the World as it Breaks Free From Western Exploitation After China Did This!
A few years ago I attended an accountant’s funeral. I was a bit worried it would be poorly attended, to be honest. He had never married, worked long hours, was overweight, and didn’t have much of a social life. It was midday, midweek, the week before Thanksgiving, on short notice.
First his brothers spoke, which was encouraging. They talked about their own families and what he meant to his teenaged nieces and nephews. He had a pet name which the children uttered with affection — “Dude.”
But there seemed to be many more teenagers than a couple of brothers could account for.
The music played. It was awkward. A pianist took care of the accompaniment, but no one knew the songs, and nobody was leading the singing. Finally Amazing Grace came along, and the group could sing.
I was feeling disappointed. This man may not have been rich or famous, but he was kind. He remembered my kids’ names. He smiled. “Dude” didn’t deserve a let-down.
Then something much better happened.
One of the kids trudged up to the mic. He was not happy. Tears. But he also couldn’t not smile.
This accountant did, indeed, love his nieces and nephews. So much that he attended their basketball games. All of them. And, being an accountant, what did he do with his time? Kept stats. Very detailed stats. For every player on the court.
“Dude” would tally up the totals and rank the performances. The most-coveted statistic was “heart,” his own gauge of how hard a player worked to win. As an accountant, he was notoriously tough in his grading. The boy spoke of the time he received an 8.5/10 in “heart” with wonder and awe.
At the end of each game, every player would crowd around the accountant’s notebook, eager to see those stats. “Dude” didn’t just show up to clock in for simple parental responsibilities. “Dude” was the most loved man on the court.
Sometimes people would stick around to ask him about this or that. The pudgy number-cruncher had an adult’s experience, but a friend’s heart. Apparently he had helped various children through parents’ divorces, the terminal illness of a sibling, and more.
At the end of his eulogy, the boy showed us a scorecard that he himself had written up, not for basketball but for a whole life, not the man’s judgment of the boy but the boy’s judgment of the man.
The other kids started to walk up. One after another. I couldn’t believe how many. On a Wednesday. At midday. During the school year. On short notice.
They wanted to see the final tally.
He was tough but fair, as would only be right. And in the final column, he gave the first ever perfect 10 for “heart.”
Rest in peace, “Dude.”
Tucker Carlson: US Troops WILL Be Deployed To Europe After Russia SLAUGHTERS Rest Of Ukraine Army
BRICS doesn’t need to attract the Global South because the US with its economic sanctions have made governments look for alternative ways to protect the value of their foreign exchange earnings.
By weaponizing the US dollar through sanctions because of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, the US signaled to the rest of the world that they were not safe keeping their national reserves in US dollars. Through sanctions, the US could seize their foreign exchange earnings any time, just as it did with Russia.
This made BRICS an attractive alternative since it promoted trade using national currencies.
Start with look at who the US has elected over the last 20 years :
GW Bush was over his head as a national leader leaving Cheney (and Bush senior) to focus even more on bombing Muslims and the Middle East. This lead to another decade of focusing on one thing the US enjoys, war with countries with small professional armies.
Obama was elected on the hope for change. But Obama had no experience in leadership of the scale required for the role. Obama fumbled through continuing the wars and trying to Pivot East, with a long term strategy.
Then we there was the election of the two least attractive presidential candidates, Clinton and Trump. Trump being Trump displayed how Dunning-Kruger worked with people in power. Trump blew-up anything Obama did and largely ended US wars. IMO, overall he his ideas were not bad, he just did not know who to achieve them. Unfortunately, he hired some bozo advisors and took their advise.
However, overall Trump was on a good track with China. He did not do anything overly stupid and he kept the dialogue open which enables inroads to be made.
Has Clinton been elected, we might be much closer to WW3.
Then the US elected Biden, an old cold war warrior who thinks it is still 1970, and whose administration seems to have ADHD. Which bring us to the old axiom – “if you always choose the hammer from the toolbox then everything looks like a nail”.
Pounding nails does not require thinking, it is all about swinging the hammer.
In summary, since 1990, the US has been vary arrogant and self absorbed; while China has been thinking about the future.
Something Very EVIL Is Going on In Maui | We Have The Proof…
Very interesting. Damn! Strange. Odd.
How is a grass fire capable of the kind of damage that was being filmed?
Did the US do this on it’s own island, or perhaps a message from China. Hum?
The reason was Ukraine had 30,000 men and could have preserved their men and equipment and could have contributed at least 7 full brigades to the Counter offensive
Instead just for appearances and illusion,Ukraine kept sending men against an artillery inferiority of 8:1 (8 Russian Shells to 1 Ukrainian Shell)
Bakhmut had to fall
Russians had too much air power and artillery
Yet Ukraine’s continued sending of people into Bakhmut showed how much their military was dominated by their stupid politicians
CNN estimated between 460 pieces of equipment and around 11000–14000 men killed or wounded in Bakhmut
That’s seasoned men, blooded fighters, trained men
That’s good reliable Soviet equipment that Ukrainians have trained on for two decades instead of new hotchpotch of Western equipment on which Ukrainians haven’t had more than 6 months hands on
Frankly Putin made it clear that this was a War of Attrition
For Russia, territory is not important
They know that any territory they take is under threat of being attacked by Ukraine through terror tactics & civilian attacks
Russia aimed to kill as many Ukrainians as possible and thin the rank and file before the counter offensive
Russia aimed to destroy as many Guns and Artillery pieces as possible to once again thin the offensive
It worked
Adding Bakhmut and the last 30 days, Ukraine has collectively lost around 33000 combat trained soldiers
It would take 30 months minimum for NATO to train and ready another 33000 to take their place
That’s the significance of Bakhmut or Ugledar
Ukraine stupidly ignored their military leaders and went deeper into the Quagmire
Zaluzhny to his credit was a good military man who repeatedly advised withdrawal from Bakhmut intact
That would have caused Russia to keep looking over it’s shoulders in Bakhmut
Because America is collapsing economically. It is de-dollarizing. BRICS is on the rise, challenging the Ghouls-Based Order. Civil unrest and crime are increasing. By starting a hot war with Russia, the cynical Biden and friends can call for “national unity” against the “threat” of Russia. It is using fear and manipulation to distract the public from what is actually going on.
It also enriches the US defense contractors further. Only by destroying Russia and China can the US maintain its hegemony. And even this would only be temporary. The goal is to balkanize Russia and plunder its vast natural resources. But this would only last so long. The US needs to make fundamental changes to its economic system, because its current rent-seeking, mafia-style tactics can only last so long before they fail.
If the public was smart it would recognize that fighting a war against Russia would be foolish. Why should the working classes go fight and die for the interests of Blackrock and US defense contractors? Or financial elites? Killing Russians would do them no good. The workers of America need to unite to fight against the bourgeoise who are plundering the planet, exploiting their labor, and ruining their lives. There is no useful war but class war. The only unity is class unity.
Tex-Mex Deviled Eggs
Tex Mex Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
6 hardboiled eggs, peeled
1 tablespoon minced scallion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Chili powder
Instructions
Cut a small slice from the tips at both ends of the eggs to create a flat surface for them to stand upon. Slice each egg in half crosswise. Remove yolks; place in a small bowl and mash.
Add scallion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, mayonnaise, and mustard; blend well.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the yolk mixture into each egg half. Top each with cheese; sprinkle with chili powder.
Cover; store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 12 appetizers
Here’s Why U.S. Wants To Invade Mexico – Yes MEXICO!
Republican lawmakers, as well as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have frequently mentioned a desire to invade Mexico, typically as an alleged means of taking on the drug cartels flooding the U.S. with fentanyl. But the real reason may be more mercenary and have to do with Mexico’s recent decision to nationalize the country’s lithium supply, as well as to refuse to allow certain genetically modified foods into the country.
When I was in my “lost in the wilderness” period in my life (After I joined MAJestic, but not yet trained at China Lake, I wandered about.) we were living on a farm in Yanciville, NC. (I don’t know if I spelled that name right.)
And there was a guy (named Holt) who introduced us to the Datura plant.
Datura is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine–flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae).[1] They are commonly known as thornapples or jimsonweeds, but are also known as devil’s trumpets[2] (not to be confused with angel’s trumpets, which are placed in the closely related genus Brugmansia). Other English common names include moonflower, devil’s weed, and hell’s bells.
Due to their effects and symptoms, Datura species have occasionally been used not only as poisons, but also as hallucinogens by various groups throughout history.[4][5]
And we all tried this old fashioned remedy using this dangerous plant.
We soaked the roots of the plant in water for a week, and then drank the water.
I know it was terribly stupid, but we were young and in our 20’s and we believed Holt.
The effect was that every thing turned very blue and soft to us. We heard the twinkling of soft bells, and when we went to sleep later on the night, had very vivid dreams.
I would NEVER do that again. And I DO NOT suggest anyone duplicate our stupidity.
…
But the point of this story is that …
Well-meaning friends can put you in life threatening situations.
When you are in your 20s you can do very stupid things.
Whatever the experience was, it was not worth the risk of death.
And so, I ask everyone to heed my story and pay attention to what might transpire in your own lives.
I am following it closely; the Mate 60 Pro is just the first step.
Over the next decade, I expect China to launch many new products based on new technologies. Most of these products will be launched in BRICS markets instead of the G7 nations.
The West is poised to feel what it is like to live in a a “banana republic.”
Granny’s Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
grannys old fashioned bread pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
1 pound French bread, cubed
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bread Pudding
Combine bread and raisins in a large bowl.
Combine milk and 1/4 cup butter in a 1 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted.
Pour milk mixture over bread; let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir in all remaining pudding ingredients. Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set in center.
Vanilla Sauce
Combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla in 1-quart saucepan.Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (5 to 8 minutes).
Stir in vanilla extract and walnuts*, if using.
To serve
Spoon warm pudding into individual dessert dishes; serve with sauce.
Store refrigerated.
Notes
I usually serve this without the walnuts, but sprinkle them over individual servings if anyone likes walnuts.
Niger Raises Uranium Price From €0.80/kg to €200/kg
Niger Raises Uranium Price From €0.80/kg to €200/kg – In a groundbreaking development that signals a seismic shift in the global resource market, Niger, a prominent player in the uranium industry, has reportedly taken a bold step towards securing fair compensation for its invaluable natural resource, uranium.
Multiple reports suggest that Niger has substantially increased the price of its uranium, skyrocketing it from a mere €0.80 per kilogram to €200 per kilogram.
This remarkable decision underscores a burgeoning determination among African nations to break free from historical imbalances and demand equitable remuneration for their vital contributions to the global economy.
According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), Niger is the world’s seventh-largest uranium producer.
The radioactive metal is the most widely used fuel for nuclear energy. It is also utilised in cancer treatment, naval propulsion, and nuclear weapons.
Uranium prices increased slightly in the aftermath of the military coup in Niger that saw the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum, with many analysts forecasting larger gains in the future. For instance, Ben Godwin, head of analysis at London-based Prism Political Risk Management, said that current events in Niger, which produces about 4 percent of the world’s uranium supply, could be critical to Europe.
“It is certainly a topic of great interest in the moment, particularly as uranium markets are very, very tight at the moment,” he said.
“Demand has been going up over the last few years, and this year, we’ve seen the uranium spot price go up by nearly 40 percent year to date.”
The Pentagon understands the true and real abilities that China possess.
There is absolutely no questions regarding whether or not China can attack the United States mainland. The answer is affirmative. China has numerous weapon systems designed to acquire, target, stealthy evade and strike with great accuracy targets within the United States geographical landmass.
This has been proved. Demonstrated beyond any question of doubt, and is known to be stockpiled in enormous quantities.
The Pentagon believes that China is capable of destroying targets within the United States without problem or interference.
…
That being said. What does the “government” think?
I’m sure that President Biden has his own points of view…
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I’m sure that key and influential members of the US Senate has their ideas as well…
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And since they will be the ones who will decide whether China shall use these weapons systems on American cities, perhaps we need to listen to what their thoughts are.
One way is to go though the people that elected them to office, and ask those people what they think.
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But, you know, most are going through the “trials” of being an American. So perhaps the smarter thing to do is ask a more diverse cross section of the American population and see what they think…
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My guess is that these people would have a diverse opinion that would be heavily influenced by their social media of choice. So, if you want some real unbiased opinion of what Americans think, perhaps you should visit the more rural areas…
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And their opinion is “China ain’t gonna do shit. We’ll kick their ass!”.
And so, to answer the question…
Yes. China is fully capable of attacking the United States.
But Americans are not worried because…
IRAN’S VICTORY! China Takes Over Iran’s $2.7 Billion Strategic Project | Break US Sanctions!
The United States has long imposed a series of sanctions on Iran, including restricting oil exports and cutting Iran off from the international financial system.
This has greatly affected Iran’s economy and international status. In order to break through US sanctions, Iran has been working hard. Recently, Iran became a member of the BRICS as it wished.
In order to express its sincere desire to its Eastern partners, Iran signed an infrastructure agreement with China immediately after the BRICS summit ended. According to the agreement, Iran will invest at least US$2.7 billion in the expansion of the international airport, and Chinese companies have successfully become the sole builders of the project.
However, what is most concerning is that this time Iran’s $2.7 billion infrastructure cooperation with China will use a special payment method.
From an analysis point of view, the payment method reached by Iran and China not only effectively got rid of the sanctions of the United States, but may even accelerate the process of “de-dollarization”, which made President Biden feel very panicked.
But essentially, Elon Musk sent his children to the finest schools money could buy. Only to discover, much to his chagrin, that such schools are rather progressive.
[1] Now his oldest son suddenly isn’t his son anymore, but his daughter. And she self-identifies as a “communist” and hates Musk for “being rich”.
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This is where the whole “campaign against wokeness” comes from, for Musk — it’s a personal vendetta of sorts. This is why he bought up Twitter in the first place; because ‘the woke’ have gotten to his own family, and he resents it. I’m not entirely sure it’s this school in particular that turned his child transgender, however — the school boasts several famous alumni, among them Jack Black. And Jack Black is pretty much the bloke-iest bloke to ever bloke around.
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Either way, Elon Musk decided that schools pushing woke narratives turned his own child against him, brainwashing her. He’s upset. I kind of get it. I would be, too. Change is scary. And when someone hates you to the point of legally petitioning for a name change (from Musk to Wilson, the last name of his ex-wife), that’s rather awful.
Anyway, it’s the school’s fault, not Musk’s. And now, the wider issue Musk identified, is the the type of policies peddled at schools and campuses in general. The left-wing ideologies, the gender-bending, the overly progressive attitude towards pretty much everything. I’ve never given much thuoight to what started Elon’s crusade against wokeness… but now we know the answer. Now we know what started it all.
The Death of Disney – Narrated by A.I David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough narrates the rise and fall of Mickey Mouse (A.I parody).
Around 6 months after I finished field training, I was working a night shift and was dispatched to an animal cruelty call. Arriving at the home,I was met by a woman and her 4 year old son,both in tears. In this line of work, you quickly become accustomed to dealing with upset people, it’s just a part of the job. I introduced myself to both of them and listened as the mother explained the situation to me.
Arriving home from work, she and her son had parked in the driveway and walked to the side door of the house where they found the little boy’s 4 month old kitten lying on the steps. The kitten had been skinned by someone, and carefully placed on the steps to be noticed immediately. Being a cat person myself, my heart ached for this little boy. Not only was his kitten dead, it had been killed on purpose by someone and carefully skinned then left on display for maximum shock value! I took a report on the incident and then I helped the little boy bury his dead kitten in his back yard, fashioning a little cross out of some sticks.
There were really no leads of any kind on who may have perpetrated this horrible crime. I had the 911 telecommunicator search for any similar crimes in the area that had been reported recently and had no luck. I knew that the chance of finding out who did this was slim to none, but promised the little boy that I would do everything in my power to find and punish those responsible. Before clearing the call, I gave the little fella a tour of my patrol car, letting him play with the lights and siren. I always kept some stickers and stuffed animals in my trunk for situations just like this, and I let him choose a couple stickers and an animal.
About two weeks later, my Lieutenant called me in to his office after shift briefing. On his desk was a thank you card and a picture of a kitten that had been colored for me. My Lieutenant explained that the lady and little boy from the animal cruelty call had visited the office and left the items for me earlier that afternoon. It warmed my heart to receive this heartfelt thanks from them.
Maybe a month or so later, I answered a call about someone throwing a kitten out of a car window. Arriving on that scene, I found the kitten on the side of the road amazingly uninjured. Normally on a call like this we would turn the animal over to animal control, but I had an idea. I put the kitten in my patrol car and drove towards the little boy’s house, hoping that since it was a Saturday I would find them at home. I was in luck! Before showing the kitten to the little boy, I spoke with his mother to make sure she was OK with it. She agreed, so I got the kitten out of the car and presented it to the little boy. His eyes were the size of dinner plates when he saw the kitten! Both mother and son thanked me profusely and I left knowing that I had made that little boy happy.
It is situations like this that made being a law enforcement officer one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
“Nuclear war between U.S. and Russia is inevitable” – Russian General | Redacted with Clayton Morris
Retired Major General Alexander Vladimirov, who wrote Russia’s three volume book called the ‘General Theory of War,’ says the moment war broke out in Ukraine is the moment that nuclear war with the West became inevitable.
Shorts. Invented by gay men so that they could check out men’s legs.
Football. All that back slapping and hugging when they score a goal. They’re all closet <insert homophobic slur here>.
Rugby. The scrum? Closet <insert homophobic slur here>, the lot of ‘em.
Art. They’re all <insert homophobic slur here>.
Actors. They’re all <insert homophobic slur here>. Putting on wigs and make-up – sends them “funny”.
Having female friends. Women are for looking at and for having sex with, not being friends with.
Wearing your watch on the right wrist. I never learned why.
Anything pink.
Looking at your nails “funny”. (This translated to holing your hand out, flat palm facing away from you, fingers straight).
Cooking.
Baking.
Garlic. The French use it a lot, and we all know the French are all <insert homophobic slur here>.
The French. A special rung of gay was reserved for the French (yes, the entire population) in his head. Apparently the women were gay and the men were gay. He never did elaborate as to how France has managed to still exist generation after generation. The “womanizing” Frenchman was a cover to hide his gayness.
Thai men. Yes. Every man from Thailand is a homosexual… apparently.
The Navy.
Glam Rock.
ABBA’s music. But only the one’s in which Bjorn sings lead in. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Do you want to know what my homophobic father regarded as the most macho, manliest-man, hetero thing in the world?
Wrestling.
Wasn’t regarded as gay, but eating garlic and hanging around with French girls was.
The Sopranos ( best ending scene ) season 6
When Phil says “no more Butchie. No more of this” and the music starts rolling, you know the war is about to start.
My best friend spent most weekends with my husband and I, we had lots of fun cooking, going places, etc. She would get a guy, get serious, then find some awful thing wrong with him, call him names, and had to change her number numerous times.
When I got pregnant she seemed off. I know she always wanted a family and was jealous. She gave me an IOU for an expensive breast pump and bragged about it at my shower. 5 months after, no breast pump, whatever. But not even a pair of socks to welcome my child into the world. Yest she got a mani- pedi every two weeks, like clockwork. I am the type of person who yses the same old bargain pur for years, never get manicures or pedicures, and i get my hair cut twice per year. I shop at goodwill for clothes. I summoned up the courage to tell her I felt insulted that she never acknowledged my child, not even a pair of socks. She went of the deep end and called me materialistic! And all sorts of swear words. I never spoke with her again. Been 16 years. I couldn’t wrap my head around what she said to me.
Crunchy Taco Wraps
This taco wrap gets its crunch from a tostada in the middle of delicious taco fillings; and of course wrapped up in a delicious Rhodes grilled flatbread.
crunchy taco wrap
Prep: 15 min | Bake: 15 min | Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed
6 tostada shells
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon garlic
1 jar nacho cheese or Queso cheese dip
1 cup sour cream (optional)
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
Lightly spray counter or table with nonstick spray. Combine two dinner rolls and roll into an 8 inch circle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rest.
In a large skillet or griddle, over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and. Stir in taco seasoning, water and garlic. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
Heat griddle to medium heat. Carefully remove plastic wrap from dough. Grill dough for 20 to 30 seconds on each side or until cooked through.
Lay one grilled flatbread on a flat surface. Spread 1/2 cup of taco meat onto the center of the flatbread. Spread queso over one side of the tostada and place it cheese side down on the meat.
Spread a thin layer of sour cream or more queso on top of the tostada shell. Top with lettuce, tomato and cheese.
To fold the taco wrap, start with the bottom of the tortilla and fold the edge up over the center. Continue to work your way around, folding the tortilla over the center fillings. There will be an open spot on the top in the center.
Repeat with all remaining flatbreads, tostadas and toppings.
every store is CLOSED in San Jose
San Jose the Bay Area’s largest city has dropped out of the top 10 largest cities in the US by population and stores are closing left and right in this city tour I am exploring downtown San Jose, and what I found was shocking, blocks after blocks of empty storefronts.
Has it ever occurred to you that the Great Fire Wall protects you? Yes, you!
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Imagine if suddenly 1.4 billion people flooded the internet with pro-China content. Okay, some are dissidents so make that one billion instead. My point is, in the Western world where “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings” abound, unleashing the mainlanders into that environment en masse would have a profoundly negative impact for Westerners. I’m not sure they (the “outside” world) could handle it. Fun to think about though.
When I was out of university, I visited home and checked in with my High School friends. The smartest kid in our class: John E. had dropped out of college and was working in the local lumber yard, and getting high on marijuana every single day.
Being old friends we talked about life and work and he told me about “snuffy”.
Now Snuffy was a co-worker of his. And also (as I tell you all now) an old co-worker of my father. And Snuffy loved to eat. In fact, he would eat anything given to him.
So one day…
(I know youse guys know what’s coming…)
My friend John E. offered him a sandwich. But it was conditional. He had to eat the entire thing. Lock, stock and barrel or else he need to pay him $20 (big money in those days).
Now, John E. put an entire container of “chew” in the sandwich between the lettuce, tomatoes, peanut butter and turkey. ‘Chew” is a chewable form of tobacco that is popular in Western Pennsylvania. And a full container is about 100ml. Sizable. Big. Large.
So, let’s talk about “Good Interstate” and “Bad Interstate”
It’s not like the United States didn’t have highways pretty much everywhere when World War II ended in 1945. Route 66, for example, went all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles. If there had been no interstate system, cars and trucks would still be using those roads today. Heck, back in the 1970s, my family drove from Toronto to Orlando via Detroit, taking I-75 all the way. The problem was that I-75 hadn’t been completed yet so, through a couple of very long stretches, we were on crowded 4 lane highways. People still took them.
So, when Eisenhower becomes president, American highways haven’t improved much since he led a road expedition across the country in 1919, a trip that took 62 days and destroyed many of the vehicles they used. Highway standards were wildly different from state to state, with many highways barely having room for two standard cars to pass. Bridges and tunnels were rare to non-existent. Some highways were impassible in winter because they simply couldn’t be maintained. Others were closed during times of heavy rain. Through the numerous mountainous regions in the country, they went back and forth through the mountains hugging the terrain, often for dear life.
Now, Canada currently has a national highway system that is only slightly better than what the United States had in the 1950s, but at least it’s all paved and open all year (at least the main routes). However, a lot of key highways are still two lanes. They all get heavy use.
So let’s take a look at a basic interstate map
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It joins most of America’s major cities and forms the backbone of the road transportation system. These roads are safe and open year round. One runs through the Donner Pass, which killed most of the people who first attempted to cross it when they didn’t reach it before ten feet of snow blocked it. Now, it’s merely an inconvenience for the California Department of Highways, which keeps a fleet of plows ready. Yes, several portions of it are crowded, and that’s a problem that can’t be addressed with “more highways” but part of it is due to another problem.
So, let’s look at the real problem. “Bad Interstates”. Interstates that join large population centers to other large population centers are crucial. What are not crucial are these.
This is Detroit, Michigan. Motor City. The place that made automobiles a normal thing to own. Starting in the 1940s, the federal government, state of Michigan and local leaders felt that the way to go was to build lots of freeways to keep cars moving.
But it was a trap. It was one of the reasons for the city’s decline as cars started to displace offices and people. The highways cut neighbourhoods in half. People used to walk in downtown Detroit, and only recently started to do it again. However, the interstates that go right through the city, like I-75 and I-94, plus their spurs, plus local ones like the Davison and the Lodge and stroads like 8-Mile and Telegraph Road, while great for tooling around the city by car, make navigating it in any other way impossible.
During the 1989 earthquake in San Francisco, one of their freeways collapsed. They didn’t bother to rebuild it. Traffic actually improved, and the waterfront is now a thriving neighbourhood. Rochester, New York is in the process of removing the “Inner Loop”, a small freeway that joined the three urban interstates that came downtown, and completely destroyed the area. It’s now starting to thrive again.
Freeways just don’t have any place in an urban environment. They automatically turn it into a car-dependent suburban environment, increase parking requirements, displace transit, and don’t really do anything to make traffic more than marginally better.
Brocato’s Spumoni
brocatos spumoni
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
3 pints pistachio ice cream
3 pints strawberry ice cream
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1/2 cup candied cherries, chopped
Instructions
Put a 2 1/2 quart ice cream mold in freezer.
In a large bowl, beat the pistachio ice cream with electric mixer until smooth but not melted. Evenly spread the pistachio ice cream in the chilled mold. Freeze until firm.
In another bowl, beat the strawberry ice cream with electric mixer until smooth but not melted. Then spread the strawberry ice cream over the pistachio ice cream. Freeze until firm.
Mix the chopped cherries into the whipped cream and spread as the final layer in the mold. Freeze until firm.
Niger forces have attacked a French military base
This is part of a much larger video. Important section begins at this clip.
A tough but necessary decision would likely force the West to back off, enabling an earlier end to the Ukraine crisis and preventing it from expanding to other states
By Professor Sergey Karaganov,honorary chairman of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and academic supervisor at the School of International Economics and Foreign Affairs Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow
has sparked major debate among experts in Russia about nuclear weapons, their role and the conditions of their use.
This is especially the case given Sergey Karaganov’s status as a former presidential adviser to both Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin, and his position as head of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, a noted Moscow think tank.
Some prominent figures have reacted with dismay, while others have been less critical.
RT has decided it would be beneficial for our readers to read it in full. The following piece has been translated and lightly edited.
***
Our country, and its leadership, seems to me to be facing a difficult choice. It is becoming increasingly clear that our clash with the West will not end even if we achieve a partial – let alone a crushing – victory in Ukraine.
Even if we completely liberate the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, it will be a minimal victory. A slightly greater success would be to liberate the whole of eastern and southern Ukraine within a year or two. But it would still leave part of the country with an even more embittered ultra-nationalist population pumped full of weapons – a bleeding wound that threatens inevitable complications, such as another war.
The situation could be worse if we liberate the whole of Ukraine at the cost of monstrous sacrifices and are left with ruins and a population that mostly hates us. It would take more than a decade to “re-educate” them.
Any of these options, especially the last one, will distract Russia from the much-needed shift of its spiritual, economic, military and political center to the East of Eurasia. We will be stuck with a wasteful focus on the West. And the territories of today’s Ukraine, especially the central and western ones, will attract resources – both human and financial. These regions were heavily subsidised even in Soviet times.
Meanwhile, hostility from the West will continue; it will support a slow-burning guerrilla civil war.
A more attractive option is the liberation and reunification of the east and south, and the imposition of capitulation on the remnants of Ukraine with complete demilitarization, creating a buffer, friendly state. But such an outcome would only be possible if we are able to break the West’s will to support the Kiev junta, and use it against us, forcing the US-led bloc into a strategic retreat.
And here I come to a crucial but hardly discussed issue. The root cause of – and indeed the main reason for – the Ukrainian crisis, as well as many other conflicts in the world, and the general increase in military threats, is the accelerating failure of the contemporary Western ruling elites.
This crisis is accompanied by an unprecedentedly rapid shift in the balance of power in the world in favor of the global majority, driven economically by China and partly by India, with Russia as the military and strategic anchor. This weakening not only infuriates the imperial-cosmopolitan elites (US President Joe Biden and his ilk) but also frightens the imperial-national elites (such as his predecessor Donald Trump). The West is losing the advantage it has held for five centuries to siphon off the wealth of the entire world by imposing its political and economic order and establishing its cultural dominance, mainly by brute force. So there is no quick end to the defensive, but aggressive, confrontation that the West has unleashed.
This moral, political and economic collapse has been brewing since the mid-1960s, was interrupted by the collapse of the USSR, but resumed with renewed vigour in the 2000s (the defeats of the Americans and their allies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the crisis of the Western economic model in 2008 were milestones).
In order to slow down this seismic shift, the West has temporarily consolidated itself. The US has turned Ukraine into a punching bag to tie the hands of Russia, the politico-military lynchpin of a non-Western world freed from the shackles of neocolonialism. Ideally, of course, the Americans would simply like to blow up our country and thus radically weaken the emerging alternative superpower, China. We, either not realizing the inevitability of the clash or hoarding our strength, have been slow to act preemptively. Moreover, in line with modern, mainly Western, political and military thinking, we were rash in raising the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, inaccurate in assessing the situation in Ukraine, and not entirely successful in launching the current military operation.
By failing internally, Western elites have actively fed the weeds that have taken root in the soil of 70 years of prosperity, satiation and peace. These comprise of anti-human ideologies: the denial of family, homeland, history, love between men and women, faith, service to higher ideals, everything that is human. Their philosophy is to weed out those who resist. The aim is to neuter people in order to reduce their ability to resist modern “globalist” capitalism, which is becoming more and more obviously unjust and harmful to man and humanity.
Meanwhile, a weakened US is destroying Western Europe and other countries dependent on it, trying to push them into a confrontation that will follow Ukraine. The elites in most of these countries have lost their bearings and, panicked by the crisis in their own positions at home and abroad, are dutifully leading their countries to the slaughter. At the same time, because of greater failure, a sense of powerlessness, centuries of Russophobia, intellectual degradation and a loss of strategic culture, their hatred is almost more intense than that of the US.
Thus, the trajectory of most Western countries clearly points towards a new fascism, which could be called “liberal” totalitarianism.
In the future, and this is the most important thing, it will only get worse. Truces are possible, but reconciliation is not. Anger and despair will continue to grow in waves and waves. This vector of Western movement is a clear sign of the drift towards the outbreak of World War Three. It has already begun and could erupt into a full-blown conflagration either by accident, or due to the growing incompetence and irresponsibility of the ruling circles of the West.
The introduction of artificial intelligence and the robotization of war increase the risk of unintended escalation. Machines can act outside the control of confused elites.
The situation is aggravated by “strategic parasitism” – in 75 years of relative peace, people have forgotten the horrors of war, have stopped fearing even nuclear weapons. Everywhere, but especially in the West, the instinct for self-preservation has weakened.
I have spent many years studying the history of nuclear strategy and have come to an unequivocal, if unscientific, conclusion. The advent of nuclear weapons is the result of the intervention of the Almighty, who, appalled that mankind had unleashed two world wars within a generation, costing tens of millions of lives, gave us the weapons of Armageddon to show those who had lost their fear of hell that it existed. On that fear rested the relative peace of the last three-quarters of a century.
But now that fear is gone. The unthinkable in terms of previous notions of nuclear deterrence is happening – a group of ruling elites, in a fit of desperate rage, have unleashed a full-scale war in the underbelly of a nuclear superpower.
The fear of atomic escalation must be restored. Otherwise humanity is doomed.
It is not only, and not even so much, what the future world order will look like that is being decided in the fields of Ukraine right now. But rather whether the world we are used to will be preserved at all, or if all will be left is radioactive ruins, poisoning the remnants of humanity.
By breaking the West’s will in imposing its aggression, we will not only save ourselves and finally free the world from the Western yoke of five centuries, but we will also salvage the whole of humanity. By pushing the West towards catharsis and the abandonment of the hegemony of its elites, we will force it to retreat before a global catastrophe. Humanity will be given a new chance to develop.
Proposed solution
Of course, there is an uphill struggle ahead. It is also necessary to solve our own internal problems – to finally get rid of the mindset of Western-centrism and of the Westernizers in the administrative class. Especially the compradors and their peculiar way of thinking. Of course, in this area, the NATO bloc is helping us, unwittingly.
Our 300-year journey around Europe has given us a lot of useful lessons and it has helped us to form our great culture. Let us cherish our European heritage. But it is time to return home, to ourselves. Let us begin, with the baggage we have accumulated, to live in our own way. Our friends in the Foreign Ministry have recently made a real breakthrough by referring to Russia as a civilizational state in their foreign policy concept. I would add – a civilization of civilizations, open to the North as well as to the South, to the West as well as to the East. Now the main direction of development is to the South, to the North and, above all, to the East.
The confrontation with the West in Ukraine, however it ends, should not distract us from the strategic internal movement – spiritual, cultural, economic, political, military and political – towards the Urals, Siberia and the Pacific Ocean. A new Ural-Siberian strategy is needed, one that includes several powerful spiritually uplifting projects, including, of course, the creation of a third capital in Siberia. This movement should become part of the much-needed formulation of the “Russian Dream” – the image of the Russia and the world to which one aspires.
I have often written, and I am not alone in this, that great states without a great idea cease to be such or simply disappear into the void. History is littered with the graves of powers that lost their way. This idea should be created from above and not rely, as fools or lazy people do, on what comes from below. It must correspond to the deepest values and aspirations of the people and, above all, it must take us all forward. But it is the responsibility of the elite and the leadership of the country to formulate it. The delay in putting forward such a vision is unacceptably long.
But for the future to come to pass, the resistance of the forces of the past – i.e. the West – must be overcome. If this is not achieved, there will almost certainly be a full-scale world war. Which will probably be the last of its kind.
And here I come to the most difficult part of this article. We can keep fighting for another year or two, or even three, sacrificing thousands and thousands of our best men and grinding up hundreds of thousands more who are unfortunate enough to fall into the tragic historical trap of what is now called Ukraine. But this military operation cannot end in a decisive victory without forcing the West into a strategic retreat or even capitulation. We must force the West to abandon its attempts to turn back history, to abandon its attempts at global domination, and to force it to deal with its own problems, to manage its current multifaceted crisis. To put it crudely, it is necessary for the West to simply “piss off” and end its interference in the direction of Russia and the rest of the world.
However, for this to happen, Western elites need to rediscover their own lost sense of self-preservation by understanding that attempts to wear down Russia by playing the Ukrainians against it are counterproductive for the West itself.
The credibility of nuclear deterrence must be restored by lowering the unacceptably high threshold for the use of atomic weapons and by moving cautiously but quickly up the ladder of deterrence-escalation. The first steps have already been taken through statements to this effect by the president and other leaders, by beginning to deploy nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles in Belarus, and by increasing the combat effectiveness of the strategic deterrent forces. There are quite a few steps on this ladder. I count about two dozen. It could even go as far as warning our compatriots and all people of good will about the need to leave their homes near the objects of possible nuclear strikes in countries directly supporting the Kiev regime. The enemy must know that we are ready to launch a preemptive retaliatory strike in response to its current and past aggression in order to prevent a slide into a global thermonuclear war.
I have often said and written that with the right strategy of deterrence and even use, the risk of a ‘retaliatory’ nuclear or other strike on our territory can be minimized. Only if there is a madman in the White House who also hates his own country will the US decide to strike in ‘defense’ of the Europeans and invite retaliation by sacrificing a hypothetical Boston for a notional Poznan. The Americans and the Western Europeans are well aware of this, they just prefer not to think about it. We, too, have contributed to this recklessness with our peace-loving pronouncements. Having studied the history of US nuclear strategy, I know that after the USSR acquired a credible nuclear retaliatory capability, Washington never seriously considered using nuclear weapons on Soviet territory, even though it publicly bluffed. When nuclear weapons were considered, it was only against “advancing” Soviet forces in Western Europe. I know that the late Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Helmut Schmidt fled from their bunkers as soon as the question of such use came up in an exercise.
Movement down the ladder of containment-escalation should be fairly quick. Given the current direction of the West – and the degradation of most of its elites – each successive decision it makes is more incompetent and ideologically veiled than the last. And, at present, we cannot expect these elites to be replaced by more responsible and reasonable ones. This will only happen after a catharsis, leading to the abandonment of much ambition.
We cannot repeat the ‘Ukrainian scenario’. For a quarter of a century we were not listened to when we warned that NATO enlargement would lead to war; we tried to delay, to “negotiate”. As a result, we ended up in a serious armed conflict. Now the price of indecision is an order of magnitude higher than it would have been earlier.
But what if the present Western leaders refuse to back down? Perhaps they have lost all sense of self-preservation? Then we will have to hit a group of targets in a number of countries to bring those who have lost their senses back to their senses.
It’s a morally frightening choice – we would be using God’s weapon and condemning ourselves to great spiritual loss. But if this is not done, not only may Russia perish, but most likely the whole of human civilization will end.
We will have to make this choice ourselves. Even friends and sympathizers will not support it at first. If I were Chinese, I would not want an abrupt and decisive end to the conflict, because it will draw back US forces and allow them to gather forces for a decisive battle – either directly or, in the best Sun Tzu tradition, by forcing the enemy to retreat without a fight. As a Chinese person, I would also oppose the use of nuclear weapons because taking the confrontation to the nuclear level means moving to an area where my country is still weak.
Also, decisive action is not in line with the Chinese foreign policy philosophy, which emphasizes economic factors (with the accumulation of military power) and avoids direct confrontation. I would support an ally by providing him with rear cover, but I would go behind his back and not enter the fray. (In this case, perhaps I don’t understand this philosophy well enough and am attributing motives to my Chinese friends that are not their own.) If Russia uses nuclear weapons, Beijing would condemn it. But Chinese hearts would also rejoice knowing that the reputation and position of the US had been dealt a severe blow.
How would we react if (God forbid!) Pakistan attacked India, or vice versa? We’d be horrified. Upset that the nuclear taboo has been broken. Then let us help the victims and change our nuclear doctrine accordingly.
For India and other countries of the world majority, including nuclear weapon states (Pakistan, Israel), the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable, both for moral and geostrategic reasons. If they are used “successfully”, the nuclear taboo – the notion that such weapons should never be used and that their use is a direct route to nuclear Armageddon – will be devalued. We are unlikely to win support quickly, even if many in the Global South would feel satisfaction at the defeat of their former oppressors who plundered them, carried out genocides and imposed an alien culture.
But in the end, the victors are not judged. And the saviors are thanked. Western European political culture does not remember, but the rest of the world does (and with gratitude) how we helped the Chinese to free themselves from the brutal Japanese occupation, and many Western colonies to throw off the colonial yoke.
Of course, if they do not understand us at first, they will have all the more incentive to educate themselves. Still, it is very likely that we can win, and focus the minds enemy states without extreme measures, and force them to retreat. And after a few years, we take take up a position as China’s rear, as it is now performing for us, supporting it in its struggle with the US. Then this fight can be avoided without a big war. And we will win together for the good of all, including the people of the Western countries.
At that stage, Russia and the rest of humanity will pass through all the thorns and traumas into the future, which I see as bright – multipolar, multicultural, multicolored – and giving countries and peoples the opportunity to build their own destinies in addition to the common one, which should unite worldwide.
Americans Can’t Believe What China is Doing to US Farms
(IP)- With 6 new countries joining the BRICS, these 11 countries will create a new grouping at the global level.
The 15th BRICS summit was held last week in the Sandton district of Johannesburg in South Africa. In a joint press conference with the leaders of Russia, China, Brazil, and India, the President of South Africa announced the agreement of the BRICS with Iran, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Ethiopia joining this group. 6 new members will officially join this group at the beginning of 2024. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and United Arab Emirates. After this event, various comments regarding the position of BRICS at the global level were raised.
One of the views is that with the joining of 6 new countries, each of which is of great economic and political importance, the BRICS can create a new polarization at the level of the global system. The main reason for such a view is that the old and new BRICS members have a large share of the world economy on the one hand and are against the unilateralist political order in the world system on the other hand. Salem Nasser, an international law expert at Brazil’s FGV Direito SP University, says the requests to join BRICS show that there are constant changes in the global balance of power.
BRICS is a new pole of economic and political power that will compete with the hegemony of North America. Mehmet Ali Guller, a Turkish analyst, also believes that BRICS is one of the most important pillars of the new world order and has dealt a heavy blow to the US energy-political powerhouse.
Another issue is that BRICS members, both former and new members, can make important decisions in the economic field at the global level. This influence will be especially high in the field of energy because Saudi Arabia, Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the UAE are among the largest oil-producing countries in the world. The alignment or shared opinion of these countries in the field of energy can have many consequences for Western countries and affect the global economy as well. Also, the expansion of BRICS will increase the share of this group in global exports from 20.2% to 25.1%. Global banking group “Goldman Sachs” believes that by 2050 the economy of the BRICS countries will compete with the economies of the richest countries in the world.
Another important point is that BRICS can be a serious competitor for the Group of 7 (including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom). With 6 new countries joining the BRICS group, Russian news agencies wrote in a statistical analysis that the total gross domestic product (GDP) of developed BRICS will be approximately 65 trillion dollars in terms of purchasing power parity. In this way, the share of this group in the global GDP will increase from the current 31.5% to 37%. Meanwhile, the share of the Group of Seven advanced economies is currently around 29.9%. Meanwhile, the 11 countries of the BRICS will have an area of 48.5 million square kilometers, which is 36% of the world’s area, and this figure is more than double that of the Group of Seven. Their total population will reach 3.6 billion people, which is 45% of the entire world and more than four times higher than the group of seven.
By: Seyed Razi Emadi
The Sopranos – Ralph Gets Passed Over
Ralph Cifaretto gets passed over as capo of the Aprile crew. Tony makes less qualified solider Gigi Cestone the new captain. One of the reasons being Ralph took Jackie Jr on a pick up that turned violent.
I am from Taiwan, so I am observing you and your masturbative questions more from the sideline in amusement, but I can’t help providing some insight here to address all your diarrhea at a fundamental level. Given the intelligence, or lack thereof, displayed in your questions, I am not sure you would understand what I have to say below. In any case, this answer is for whatever audience can understand it.
All your questions amount to a basic theme, namely, some aspect of China deemed unappealing to your personal bias, which translates into inferiority of China vis-à-vis Japan or South Korea, which you consider yourself a proud member of, despite dubious credential to claim either ownership of or contribution toward such credentials.
I would like to crush your pitiful self-loathing complex with the bottom line, independent of whether your personal bias is justified, or whether you yourself are entitled to such sense of superiority as a member of the group you are hiding under.
Let’s assume all your personal biases are justified, a Big IF, and let’s assume you yourself indeed are entitled to your claims. Under these Big IFs, that would amount to the following picture.
China is like a wolf in the wild, being its own Master. It may be dirty (your personal bias) and rude (your bias) and ugly (your bias) and uncivilized (your bias), and it may not know a lot of fancy tricks to hunt and eat its catch elegantly (your bias). It nonetheless goes wherever it pleases whenever it pleases, and does whatever it pleases, beholden to no one. It is nobody’s slave.
Japan and South Korea are like two pedigree dogs groomed in the most fancy and elegant (your bias) beauty parlors and having the most advanced suite of plastic surgery done on them like the wife of the South Korean president. They look totally beautiful (your bias) and well-mannered (your bias). But they are two slave dogs kneeling under their Master’s feet, living off the craps thrown at them, with their necks held in leash in the hands of their Master. The Master can kick the shit out of their face whenever the Master feels like it, make them eat shit whenever the Master is not in a good mood, and make them lick the Master’s ass whenever the Master wants to remind them who the Boss is.
So this is the real picture of China vis-à-vis Japan and South Korea.
And it is based on facts, with no room for personal bias, because this is in plain sight for everyone to see.
Some people prefer to be the dirty, ugly wolf of the wild, and some people prefer to be the beautiful, elegant slave dog in chains, and be proud of it. It is a matter of personal choice. Everyone is free to choose according to his own personal inclination and character. We know what your choice is and what you are proud of.
See, I am from Taiwan, and I am never as presumptuous and audacious as you are to make similar remarks as you do about China vs Taiwan, maybe because I have more savvy, because Taiwan is just another slave dog like Japan and South Korea, and I don’t want to make stupid remarks to make a fool of myself as you did.
That’s all. Now go on brandishing your diamond studded dog chain to taunt that ugly wolf of the wild.
A Significant Turning Point in History | Paul Craig Roberts
“I am puzzled how such a rational and humane person as Dr Paul Craig Roberts is allowed to publicly express his rational, non-propagandized opinions so openly without facing all the usual impediments. A very fine spokesman for international and economic affairs.”
I stopped trying to convince others of joining activities I want to do but they don’t and rather do them by myself. If they want to join, that’s fantastic but I am not using up energy to get others out of their own inertia.
I stopped buying snacks because realized that if I don’t have them at home, the inconvenience of having to go out and buy them when I get the cravings often prevents me from eating stuff that isn’t good for me.
I stopped badmouthing others because I realized that even though it is a quick emotional relief, it undermines my relationships in the long run.
I stopped smoking because I realized I only did it to deal with boredom and so when I fixed boredom I fixed my urge for cigarettes. Now, instead of a pack of cigarettes, I grab my guitar.
I stopped trying to hide my flaws because I realized that if there is nothing to hide there is nothing to be insecure about.
I stopped worrying about what strangers think of me because I realized that they are busy thinking about themselves and their own problems. Now I just worry about what my friends and family think of me.
I stopped eating meals hot and fast because my digestion deals better with lukewarm and slow.
I stopped judging others for having different views on how to live life because I realized all our experiences of life are different we are all just trying to get by as best as we can.
I stopped watching porn regularly because I realized that it warped my expectations of what healthy and fulfilling sexuality means in real life.
I stopped being so sure I’m right in an argument because in the past, it often turned out I was wrong no matter how convinced I was of being right.
And I feel like I’m a much happier and better person because I stopped all that stuff.
An Empty World, A Time Traveler, Another Dimension | Liminal Spaces: The Reality In-between
In the past year or so, three internet mysteries popped up that really got my attention.
They may seem very different, but trust me, they’re connected.
The first one is about a girl who found a door in the basement of her AirBnB. She opened it and inside was an abandoned shopping mall. The second story is about Javier aka Unico Sobreviviente, who woke up in a hospital in the year 2027, in an alternate universe.
In his version of the future — everyone on earth has vanished. He’s the only one left, and he has video to prove it. The third mystery is known as the Backdoors. A reality adjacent to ours that, if the conditions are just right, you can accidentally slip into.
Then you find yourself lost in an endless maze of dingy carpet, fluorescent light, and yellow wallpaper.
If the specs are confirmed, it spells a huge downturn for one name.
QUALCOMM.
There are many firsts in the Mate 60 Pro, selling for less than $1,000 dollars, a bargain in the premium handset segment today.
First, there is a custom GPU in the SOC, and that means the Kirin is even more inhouse than Apple’s A-series chipset.
Why?
It has an inhouse 5G modem. Apple with its hundreds billion war-chest has been unable to crack Qualcomm’s patent wall on this particular piece of technology, but it appears Huawei has.
If Huawei makes the design available to Chinese handset makers, we can say goodbye to Qualcomm and Snapdragon, where volume sale is concerned. That or a fierce price war ensue. We will see.
…
Second, the Mate 60 Pro can make satellite calls, while industry leaders external to China are only adding texting/emergency signals via satellite. That’s a killer feature for blindspot coverage in China’s vast countryside.
As a reminder, a modern satellite phone looks like a “walkie talkie”. Yup, walkie-talkie size, only with an unsightly antennae.
But the Mate 60 pro, all of 9mm thick and looking like it came out of the future.
…
Three, this runs Hongmeng 4.0, a mature OS that’s designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the IOT ecosystem. For example, Android auto exists as an app, but Hongmeng’s vehicular integration is baked in. Chinese handset makers will increasingly jump onto the Hongmeng bandwagon to hedge against a repeat of Huawei’s booting by Google on “national security concerns”.
My mainland friends have high praise for Huawei’s OS, and these are guys who own multiple handsets, including Apple.
…
Four, it is AI-assisted, with Huawei’s own large language model Pangu built in. That’s a step (or several) ahead of Android and iOS.
I expect this phone to sell out.
This phone runs with the best in class. But it cannot be sanctioned.
Let me repeat.
THIS PHONE IS SANCTION-PROOF.
Not by Google.
Not by TSMC.
Not by any western semiconductor toolermaker.
Not by any Taiwanese/Korean/Japanese/American component or materials supplier.
Not through application of American patent rights.
No other handset manufacturer can boast such an achievement. American IP-Free at the cutting edge is a historic first.
I’ll end with a short note on the significance of the Mate 60 Pro’s announcement, an earth-shattering injection into the news cycle around Gina’s visit.
Let me explain.
The comprehensive sanctions on Huawei severed its dependence on foreign suppliers vulnerable to US sanction, and forced Huawei to create a domestic-only supply chain that could afford sanction without losing their livelihood.
The existence of this completely independent supply chain (not yet complete), which includes Swift-free financing, is a nightmare for Gina and Co., because she won’t have birds-eye view data on Huawei developments, other than resorting to humint and hacking.
American corporations in a completely separate eco-system will be similarly disadvantaged.
China though, remains fully in the game, since all players are represented in the domestic supply chain.
Gina and American corporations will have to fight Huawei (and Chinese high-tech) with the fog of war turned on.
Best of all, this is a problem created by America, for America.
Suck on it…idiots.
Tony contemplates ‘whacking’ Paulie
Paulie repeatedly denies telling Johnny Sack about Ralph Ciparetto’s joke about Ginny Sack.
Happened to a guy I worked with. There was a rocky period in his marriage prior to the pregnancy and the wife had an affair. At some point afterwards it became obvious that the child was not his.
His take on it? He told me, “There is an old English saying, ‘Whosoever bulleth my cow, the calf is mine’”.
He gave it a lot of thought, realized both he and his wife had been at fault, but if they broke up over this situation he’d lose his biological children and his life would be a mess. So he left his name on the birth certificate as the father and he said he would raise the little boy as his own, no different than his other kids. His older kids had no idea what the situation was. He’d made up with his wife and he wasn’t going to destroy everyone’s life over the DNA of this one little child. He said to him it was no different than if they had adopted or had use donor sperm, they were family and the little boy was his son. He kept his ego out of it and moved on.
I was left wondering how many men would do that. I suspect not many.
Huawei has firmly confronted the four rounds of regulations imposed by the United States and fully engaged in independent research and development.
It has successively created the HarmonyOS, EulerOS, and MateERP systems, among others, to meet Huawei’s business development needs.
Amidst great anticipation, Huawei suddenly released news and announced the long-awaited results.
In the first half of the year, Huawei achieved a revenue of 310.9 billion yuan, and the number of devices in the HarmonyOS ecosystem exceeded 700 million.
With cutting-edge core technologies and leading advantages in the industry, Huawei possesses top-notch expertise in communication, chips, operating systems, artificial intelligence, and other fields.
I did actually walk over to her house and asked for the car to be removed. I also told her I had to go to a doctor’s appointment. This is actually what happened and the vehicle was not moved. I called the local deputy station and for a tow truck. She got her vehicle towed and a ticket. Two days later she came over to my house cursing me and making threats. Congratulations, I called a deputy again to come out and explained to him and a friend of mine witnessed what she did. She was taken away in his vehicle.
She was a very entitled person that thought she could do just anything she wanted to do. Keeping me away from my chemotherapy appointment really was the last straw for me.
Jimmy Meets Gus | Better Call Saul
As Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) is helping Mike (Jonathan Banks) to discover who is following him, he bumps into the iconic owner of Los Pollos Hermanos, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).
Things are moving very fast as far as BRICS is concerned
Modi had a good US visit and showed his friend Biden that he was a friend of democracy and the rules based order
Yet this summit literally saw Russia and China go on a full flow against Western Hegemony and in favor of Expansion
They spoke of a literal alternate system to protect and counter western hegemony
Russia, China were fully on board and South Africa who were already pretty pissed off about the ICJ warrant against Putin and being forced to look weak, jumped on the bandwagon
Brazil shrugged and decided to change their mind
So Modi had to watch as BRICS expanded openly and set a tone that would slowly involve an escape from western hegemony
He looked very uncomfortable during this summit
Like in a Hypnotic Daze
Modi is caught between a rock and a hard place
He needs Russia badly. If he is asked to pay market price for Oil which is rising now and could reach $ 115 by December, that would cause economic issues and high inflation right at the time of elections
He needs the West of course because all of Indias reserves and exports depend on their markets
He needs China crucially for his Make in India initiative for the value enhancement of $ 300 Billion of retail value
So like a volleyball, he has to keep being bounced from place to place
China busted another CIA spy, the second arrest in 2 weeks | China Currents
In this episode of China Currents: China busted another CIA spy; BRICS welcomed 6 new members; Japan released nuclear contaminated water into the Pacific.
During the souther Ukraine, near Robotino, a Challenger 2 was destroyed while spear heading an assault. The tank burned out due to being penetrated by a Kornet ATGM according to the Russians in the area. Judging from the video which has already circulated in which the internal fire is visible through the side of the tank. It appears that an ATGM hit the front right side of the hull, and also the side of the turret.
The kornet is 152mm tandem warhead ATGM, developed in the 1990s, it has previously penetrated M1 Abrams tanks in Iraq and Israeli Merkerva in Lebanon. It seems highly likely that this is the responsible ATGM. Though, if the hits as I suspect are on the side of the Challenger 2, basically any ATGM could achieve it.
The idea that the Challenger 2 survives 70 hits from RPGs of any kind anywhere other than a small area on the front, is of course fantasy. Tanks tends to have quite weak side armour, certainly incapable of protecting against direct hits unless the warhead is defective or incredibly old.
“The U.S. & Russia Will Go To War Within A Year!” – Tucker Carlson
During a recent visit to Hungary, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson explained to an audience of Hungarians that the American people are being fed a steady narrative by the mainstream media that Ukraine is winning the war with Russia and all it will take to put the Ukrainians over the top is a few more F-16s. The truth, he noted, is quite the opposite. Guest host Craig “Pasta” Jardula, along with Jimmy Dore and Americans’ Comedian Kurt Metzger, discuss another video in which Carlson predicts the U.S. and Russia will be engaged in a “hot” war within 12 months.
This happened to me when I let an old friend live in my spare room “just until he could find a job and a place “ of his own.
After ten days it was obvious that he was “secretly” drinking vodka every day and had no intention of finding a job or another place to live.
When he began to verbally abuse me and physically intimidate me ( never hit me, but would block my access to my room, come sit in whatever room I was in and glare at me, bust into my bedroom and lay on my bed and refuse to leave)it got so bad I called the cops to make him leave.
Come to find out, he had been in my house just long enough to claim legal residence.
Which, in Arkansas, where I live, is not very long.
My only recourse, the police said, was to go pay $168 for and eviction notice that would be served by the sheriff.
The whole experience has made me feel very weary of ever letting anyone stay here more than a few days ever again. So, my advice is to look into whether the state you live in will allow for you to have them evicted.
NIGER: MILITARY ORDERS POLICE TO EXPEL FRENCH AMBASSADOR
What’s wrong with these people do they think that they own Africa?
Around age 10, one of my friends suddenly had this new passion for surfing.
We lived in Florida where that was a big thing. His walls were covered in posters. He could name every surfer, as well as the many types of waves. His encyclopedic knowledge of surfing was immensely impressive — until he actually surfed.
I was surprised. He couldn’t even stand up on his board for more than two seconds. And to be fair, neither could I. But I hadn’t spent a mountain of time studying and talking about surfing.
This speaks to a common issue in self-improvement. People read self-help books for hours. They listen to podcasts and attend seminars.
They do all the things except the actual work. Yet by being near the problem, they feel like they are getting things done. This is why blogs with titles such as “tiny habits” are so popular — they imply massive change comes from small increments of effort.
The easiest way to get better is to focus on one simple framework or set of advice. Put that reading time directly into the effort instead. Our brain can’t focus on twenty self-help priorities at once.
It is focused efforts protracted across stretches of time that produce lasting change. In other words, dedication.
China Just SHOCKED Australia With This $100 Billion MEGA Project!
Prepare to be astonished as China unveils its mind-boggling $100 billion MEGA project that has left Australia in awe. Join us in exploring the staggering scale, innovation, and potential impacts of this monumental endeavor. Discover how this project is redefining the landscape of collaboration and development in the region. Subscribe now to witness how China’s audacious vision is making waves on a global scale.
I can only speak for the situation here in Chicago, where I teach at a private school that has seen an influx of new students in the last five years. Here are the reasons parents here take their children out of public schools and put them into private schools:
Student discipline. Student behaviors in public schools are out of control. This is, by far, the main reason parents pull their children out of public schools. This is also one of the primary reasons for the teacher shortage in some public schools. Adults don’t want to deal with out of control kids all day, and they especially don’t want their own children in that environment. This is also why people move out of neighborhoods, businesses close, etc… Everyone is just trying to avoid people with anti-social behaviors as much as possible. Prices for real estate and schools both fall in tandem with how much riff-raff you have to deal with in that place. The more you’re paying to be in a place, the less likely you have to deal with shitty behavior from others.
Smaller class sizes. My largest class this year has 15 students in it. One of my new students told us that her public school class last year had 33 students in it. That’s par for the public schools around here.
Academic rigor. Because private schools have smaller classes full of relatively well-behaved students, it’s easier for the teachers to challenge each child to their personal level. I’m starting novel groups next week. Some students will be reading a tenth-grade-level novel, while others will be reading an eighth- or sixth- grade level novel. I have the time and experience to teach all three novels at the same time.
Traditional curriculum. One of the common comments from parents, during our open house, when they see my class sets of novels, is that they appreciate that they recognize most of the titles. I have about 50 novel sets to select from for my novel groups, and about 35 of those are “classics.” That’s what the parents want to see. The other 15 are newer, more high-interest novels, but nothing too edgy.
Inclusion of religion/morality in the curriculum. Honestly, not too many Catholic school parents care too much about this. It’s just a nice bonus for them. They want their children to be taught the same general morality that the parents have or, at the very least, not be taught something that directly contradicts the parents’ morality or religion.
Geographical convenience. Sometimes, parents want their child to attend a school that’s closer to the parent’s workplace, or a caretaker’s house, or some place that’s just more convenient logistically. If the public school requires an hour bus ride each direction, and the private school is right across the street from your house, then maybe it’s worth the price, simply for the convenience.
Vinegar Grilled Chicken
vinegar grilled chicken
Prep: 10 min | Marinate: 4 hr | Cook: 10 min | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cups white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
3 tablespoons butter, melted, or sesame oil
4 (10 ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves
Instructions
Place the water, vinegar, pepper, salt, Worcestershire or soy sauce, hot sauce and butter or sesame oil into a large, resealable plastic bag. Shake to combine ingredients, then add chicken, seal and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours.
Heat an outdoor grill* for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove chicken from marinade, and shake off excess. Discard remaining marinade.
Cook on preheated grill until no longer pink in the center; about 10 minutes per side.
Notes
* This cooks beautifully on a George Foreman Grill also.
To make this chicken roadside-style, use boneless chicken tenderloins and brush with barbecue sauce the final minutes of grilling.
Huawei Mate 60 Pro: Game over for US chip sanctions?!
The Washington Post, usually a pretty good barometer of the sentiment on Capitol Hill, opined: “New phone sparks worry China has found a way around U.S. tech limits,” which one analyst described as a slap in the face to Washington.
Much deserved, I say!
Today I will break the situation down in layman’s terms, and we’ll also catch up with US geopolitical analyst Thomas Pauken the Second. This is Reports on China, I’m Andy Boreham in Shanghai. Let’s get reporting!
The world is set to ignite. The old is going to die. It can evaporate quietly, or be ripped into bloody grizzle. But the USA is set to explode.
…
In 1977, one of the top songs was “Love is in the air”, while all of us were jamming to Peter Frampton “Do you feel like I do?” We were watching “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”, and going to McDonalds to get our 25 cent hamburgers. Our biggest concern at that time was Roller Disco, and whether to have coleslaw or potato salad at the next get together.
Man, life has certainly changed…
…I don’t think that it is an improvement.
Are Chinese citizens legally allowed to use a VPN in China?
Yes. The companies which sell VPN access are state-owned. That’s right, the companies which sell access to get around the Great Firewall are owned by the Party. Welcome to China!
Baking with Hillary
In this program, Hillary Clinton demonstrates how nation building is a lot like baking a cake. Yum!
The Barbary Corsairs were afraid of Britain, because the UK was a naval superpower, and so they didn’t dare attack them. British ships sailed unhindered through North African waters.
This immunity to attack had also applied to ships of the 13 Colonies prior to independence, but not to the new United States. The Barbary Corsairs were not afraid of them, so American ships soon came under attack.
This went on for over a decade. Eventually in 1801 President Jefferson decided to go to war with one of the Barbary States, Tripoli. He sent a small fleet, which linked up with the Swedish navy who were also at war with Tripoli. The US also had significant help from the Kingdom of Naples, which offered them the use of three naval ports in Sicily as well as supplies and port personnel. Without this aid it is doubtful that the US Navy could have conducted a successful war so far from home.
However, saying that the US ‘destroyed and defeated the Barbary Pirates’ is a major exaggeration. They blockaded one Barbary city, Tripoli, engaging in several naval actions and raids onto the land until finally, after four years, the Pasha of Tripoli agreed to negotiate a treaty. This required the Americans to pay Tripoli the sum of $60,000 ($1.5 million in today’s value) and in return the Barbary State released about 300 American slaves.
This did not end Barbary attacks on American ships. In 1815, just after the end of the US war with Britain, another fleet was sent to the Mediterranean, this time to attack Algiers. They were able to force the Dey of Algiers to release about 10 captives and pay compensation of $10,000. He also promised to stop attacking American ships in the future, but soon afterwards (when the US warships had returned home) repudiated this treaty.
It was at this point that Britain decided to get involved.
The Napoleonic Wars were over, and the UK had naval power to spare for more humanitarian missions such as ending piracy. A large fleet of British warships including five ships of the line, in cooperation with a squadron of Dutch frigates, was despatched to the Mediterranean. The Barbary States were ordered to halt all piracy and free their Christian slaves.
The states of Tunis and Tripoli, intimidated, backed down without a fight. Algiers resisted.
Admiral Pellew, commanding the British fleet and its Dutch attached squadron, ordered an attack on Algiers on 27 August 1816. The city was heavily fortified with over 300 cannons in land forts as well as many warships in the harbour. The fighting was bloody and went on late into the night, with almost a thousand casualties in the Anglo-Dutch fleet; but the Algerian forts were pounded into rubble, their guns destroyed and their ships sunk.
The following day, the ruler of Algiers surrendered to the British admiral. He freed over 3,000 Christian slaves and paid compensation of $372,000 (£80,000). He also agreed to end the practice of piracy entirely.
In practice, the Barbary Corsairs did not entirely keep their promise to end piracy, though its scale was much reduced after 1816. It took the French colonisation of North Africa, beginning in 1830, to end Barbary piracy forever.
The view on America after spending 40 years in Asia
This is pretty good. Well worth the time to watch. Very interesting.
Meet Karl. He is from the US and has been working in Asia for almost forty years. Karl speaks Mandarin Chinese fluently and was known as a rainmaker for NFT technology in China. He told me about cultural differences with his Taiwanese-Chinese wife, his views on how America should treat its immigrants, and the way his views on the US changed after living in Asia. Enjoy!
My father is a Vietnam veteran with three purple hearts and a silver star. He is the toughest person I have ever known.
This is his story
My father volunteered to join the Army in 1968, he did not get drafted. He worked in a saw mill as a teenager, and grew up the son of poor Italian immigrants. He was raised in a quanset hut in Connecticut (yes there are poor people in Connecticut) until my Grandfather had enough money to build a house by hand with a couple of buddies in the late 50s or early 60s.
Once in Vietnam my father was wounded three times, but on the first two he never left the country even though he could have.
The third time defines toughness.
My father’s platoon, as part of a company operation, walked directly into a VC Base camp in southern Vietnam (my father was a grunt in the 2/60th of the 9th Infantry Division) roughly during the Tet offensive.
A VC Machine gunner fired on him from a concealed position that was no more than 15 feet away. One round instantly almost ripped his foot completely off, and it dangled mainly by the achilles tendon. Another round destroyed my dad’s hand, and also another rendered his M16 inoperable because the bullet went through the bolt and destroyed the action. When he fell down from the impact, and somehow crawled a bit, he somehow escaped the wrath of that particular machine gun nest, but then he saw another in front of him, but this new VC machine gunner didn’t see him yet and was firing at others in his unit.
At this point, men were screaming in pain for help everywhere around my father, and the pain in his hand and leg grew, and he was weaponless. He had to get away from this new machine gun without it seeing him, and the only way to go was over the rice paddy dike that was about 10 feet behind him.
As soon as he moved one inch to begin his escape, that machine gun swung around on him and opened fire. My father only talks about this moment with me, and he only talked about it once or twice ever, and he literally breaks down with the shakes at the recollection.
As the bullets spewed at him, he jumped up, standing on the end of his ankle bone on his right leg, since the foot was flopping, and did the best he could to basically run and dive over the dike. In the process he was hit three more times. Once in the underside of his arm, shredding his bicep and part of his tricep, again in the shoulder, and another in the underside of his Jaw/face.
He landed in the mud on the other side of the dike and could feel his jaw swinging on his face, and his arm was pumping blood like a garden hose. He didn’t even feel the one in the shoulder at all.
His tongue and face began to swell so badly that he couldn’t breath, so he somehow cut himself a trachea with a jackknife using his one good hand. He also packed his arm with mud to stop the bleeding because those Army bandages were totally useless.
the trachea didn’t work perfectly, so he occasionally had to grab his swollen tongue and pull it down so he could breath a bit more, and he did this intermitently as he put his bayonet between his thighs, and hooked the pin on his grenades on the blade so he could pull the pin with his one hand and throw the grenades. He said he couldn’t talk, but he was trying to yell at “the sons of bitches” the whole time.
He crawled along the dike and got weapons from the dead, or from those who were so wounded they couldn’t function, and continuously fired them with one hand to hold the enemy back (they had started to advance through their kill zone basically). Multiple evac helicopters were shot down during this time, and eventually my father had lost so much blood he started to fade… he was going to die.
Out of nowhere, a huge black man from Texas named Cleaver, scooped up my father, and carried him to a chopper that had finally been able to land somewhere. This man barely knew my dad, given that he was black and this was 1968 so the platoon was kind of self-segregated. Cleaver saved his life, and I wouldn’t be here without him – today he would have gotten the medal of honor, but then he didn’t get a damn thing. This is a whole ‘nother story.
Cleaver ran through a hail of bullets, and threw my dad in a huey on top of other bodies, and that’s the last thing my father remembers until he woke up in a hospital in, IIRC, Okinawa (could be wrong on that).
Fast forward two years and hundreds of operations on his jaw, arm, hand, and ankle, my dad is released from the Army with a 300$ pension (they messed up his disability rate, but he “never expected to get any money anyway because he had volunteered”). He is missing a finger and has limited use of his right hand, and his ankle is fused together with a tangle of screws, and his jaw was bone graffed back together but was wired shut for almost a year.
He got a job in a factory in Deep River, CT, marries my mom, and has kids (me). In the late 70s and early 80s he still gets multiple operations, and I remember him shooting an M1 carbine out the window due to insane flashbacks (we lived in the middle of nowhere). He worked in this factory for 30 years.
Then something else happens to him. He somehow becomes deathly allergic to bee stings. He has three near death experiences with this, barely surviving one occasion. He always says, “I can take 5 machine gun rounds, but a goddamn bee sting is what’s gonna kill me… WTF”
He coached our school soccer and baseball teams for years from crutches, or a wheelchair, or both, and every year he coached we won the CT shoreline championships (soccer).
Then another thing happened. One day my grandfather and him were cutting wood in the forest, and a dead tree fell on him. Imagine the luck. You’re in the woods, and a dead tree decides to fall, right on where you are squatted cutting another tree. My grandfather yelled to him just in time for him to turn, and that turn allowed the tree to only graze him. He still was unconscious for several days in the hospital, had a massive concussion and other damage, but somehow lived.
He was also electrocuted once as well… but this post is getting too long already so I’ll stop there.
My dad is now 73, and his wounds don’t get any better, especially the mental ones. He met Cleaver later in life, and they were both so overwhelmed that they really didn’t know what to say, and then they never talked again, because it was just too emotional. He was awarded a Silver Star for his actions that day, but he really doesn’t give a shit about that medal.
I also forgot to mention that he is an amazing father, and one of the kindest people you would ever know. Half of what I’ve done, and do, in my life was/is just a pathetic attempt to impress him.
Now if that ain’t tough, I don’t know WTF is. Also, think about Cleaver, also tough AF.
SO MUCH TRUTH!! | Rapper Reacts to Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond (First Reaction)
Number one: Teenagers wearing khakis and blazers with an embroidered logo. When I lived in Boston, I hung out a lot in Harvard Square, and there were a fair number of kids like this walking around. I don’t know if they dressed this way because they were part of a fraternity, or they were high-school students at a nearby boarding school (Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, etc.). But it’s something you don’t see in very many places.
Number two: Dogs in sweaters and matching booties, being led by women in sunglasses. Saw this around Little Italy/Houston St. in New York. It was just so out of the ordinary! I get it that broken glass and such is common in New York, and that some protection can sometimes be a good thing, but there are plenty of _people_ who don’t color-coordinate their shoes to their outfit every day: to do that for both yourself and your dog says something.
Number three: teenagers with Porsches/Maseratis/etc. Ran into a few of these in Boston: there are students there coming from immensely wealthy families, sometimes insensibly so. No way you’re a 19-year-old college student paying for a brand-new sports car/ritzy SUV.\
Number four: Mentioning “my club” in passing conversation, such as “I met her today at my club for lunch.” Or “there’s a ‘function’ (not a _party_, mind 😉 ) at my club tonight.” A lot of people might belong to a book club, or perhaps a bowling team, or even a chess club, but usually they preface it with the activity in question. If you can afford tens of thousands of dollars to belong to a private golf club, country club, racquet club, etc., you’re upper class.
Russian spacecraft crashes into the Moon – BBC News
Something is going on here. I strongly suspect that there is more to this story than what meets the eye.
Braised Pork with Green Chile Sauce
Mild green chiles season this meaty pork stew. Serve it with rice or as a burrito filling. This can also be served with tamales. This chile verde is also good served with scrambled eggs.
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Ingredients
Pork
1 (3 pound) lean boneless pork butt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
Garnish
Tomatoes, cut into wedges
Cooked rice
Sour cream
Lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Trim and discard fat and cut pork into 1 inch cubes.
In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat; add meat a few cubes at a time and cook until very brown.
Push meat to side of pan and add onion, garlic and bell peppers; sauté until limp.
Stir in chiles, oregano, cumin, salt, cilantro, vinegar and water.
Cover and simmer until meat is fork tender (about 1 hour).
Skim off fat and discard.
Serve with rice or make burritos or serve in your favorite way.
For Burritos: spoon pork into warm, soft flour tortillas, add sour cream, tomato wedges, and a squeeze of lime juice and fold to enclose. Rice may also be enclosed with the filling in the burritos, if desired.
Originally Answered: What are the most epic fails in history?
“The Americans should know the character of the men they are dealing with in Singapore and not get themselves further dragged into calumny…..They are not dealing with Ngo Dinh Diem or Syngman Rhee. You do not buy and sell this Government.”
In 1960, a CIA agent was caught attempting to purchase confidential information from Singapore intelligence officers. They offered a $3.3 million bribe (equivalent to $25 million in today’s money) to then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew to keep hush about the matter.
Instead, PM Lee insisted on $33 million in economic aid as Singapore was then a 3rd world country.
A few years later, the US vehemently denied the entire incident. This caused Lee Kuan Yew to go ballistic and threaten to release full reports and recordings to the public. It was only then did the US government admit and make a formal apology.
A long, long time ago… when I was a boy of 14 years old… I started my first job. I was a “tipple loader” at a coal mine in Western Pennsylvania. My job was to operate the rock crusher and then use the conveyor belt to load hopper-cars (a type of train car) with crushed coal.
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Throughout the 1960s, the 70s, and well into the 1990s it was common for the older workers to harass and “break in” the new kid. And during my teen years, I sure as heck got the brunt of it all.
One of the things they would do is order me to “fetch a boom-hoist-clamp” which is just a simple clamp on a drag-line. Now, drag-lines are big enormous machines.
image 2
And so, being young and inexperienced, they would gleefully chuckle and laugh at how stupid I was as I would climb the boom to the top to get this fucking clamp.
Being so young, and ignorant, I really didn’t realize that I was risking my life…
…on a joke, for minimum wage. It never occurred to me. As this was my first experience to the harsh world of much older men who have lived the “hard life” in the hills of Western Pennsylvania. And so I endured the various initiations. And worked hard…
…until I was able to pull myself out of that environment and go to university to study aerospace engineering and leave that Hell-hole.
But…
Let’s get back to the question.
Why are the Oligarchs so easy to start a war with China?
Well, like myself as a young boy and my first experience with the harsh world of rough and scrabble men, I had no idea of what I was going up against. Neither do these oligarchs. They think in terms of what they know, and what they don’t know is something that NEVER crosses their mind.
They believe the funded lies about “Russia collapsing”, “Putin will be disposed any day now”, “Ukraine is winning”, ‘Russian military is a joke”…. and they most certainly believe the massive lies (oh, so much greater and so much more outrageous) concerning China…
China will collapse any day now.
The Chinese dictatorship cannot face the American military might.
China has no weapons able to compete or fight the mighty nations of Rambo soldiers.
China is weak, and helpless.
And so on and so forth.
And so, when I listen to these oligarchs speak, and their proxy figureheads talk to the “news” media, it’s like some kind of warped parody. The ignorance is staggering. And like myself, (as a young boy of 14) I had no idea that I was risking my life for something as trivial as the chuckles and cajoling of the elder men.
These idiots will draw the United States into a war with China, and the United States will lose. Sure as shit. It doesn’t matter if it is conventional, economic, or nuclear. The United States is on the fast-track to “suicide by cop”.
And that is what happens with you are ignorant, stupid, and egotistical and facing a lethal opponent that isn’t.
FIRST TIME LISTEN | Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | REACTION!!!!
In the 90s, a group of kids were playing football at the local football pitch that was situated near a rocky mountain. One of the kids kick the ball into a pile of rocks at the side of the mountain, and when one of the kids went to retrieve the ball he was left horrified when he discovered the body of a man crushed by a large boulder.
The man had been pinned under the boulder, but what was even more unusual was the fact his pants was down and he was holding a chicken in his hands. When investigators tried to piece together the mans final moments, they came to the conclusion that the man had been trying to tenderise the chicken, so to speak.
They believe the 39-year-old bricklayer named Herminio Rivera Coucerio had abducted a hen in Orsense, in Spain, and brought it to the mountain side to have his way with it. They believed his rigorous trusting had caused the boulder to come lose and rolled on top of him, and killed him instantly.
Against common misconception, quicksand will not drown you as it is denser than your torso. The problem with quicksand is that you can practically get stuck in it and die from hunger, thirst, or extreme temperatures.
The force required to lift your foot out of quicksand at a speed of 1 cm per second is equal to the lift force of a medium-size car. So if you are really stuck in the middle of quicksand, forget about moving your legs out of the sand with just force.
First of all, you need to get rid of excess weight, which will be a huge obstacle to escape. Breathe deeply as your fully filled lungs will allow you to float better.
If you are standing, lean back into a position where you can float. This will allow your feet to return to the surface as your weight is more evenly distributed.
When you move your legs up while in the floating position, let the quicksand under your legs fill for a moment.
Move slowly inch by inch toward the shore.
Try reaching for something outside like a tree branch and try to drag yourself out. Only do this when your feet are on the surface again.
THIS SONG IS AMAZING!!! Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Richmond Reaction
When most women are young, they’re attracted to men with good looks, charm, charisma, confidence, and raw sexual magnetism.
As time passes, people age, and life experiences accumulate, most women start to realize that other things are important. Like a good credit rating. Now the ball’s in my court.
To be clear, I’m not talking about being rich (never was, probably never will be). I’m talking about being responsible, reliable, predictable. The kind of guy who pays all his bills on time, has his tax returns filled out in February, spend his weekends doing yardwork rather than partying, and has never once gotten in a fight with a bouncer.
Being conventional to the point of being boring seems to hold little appeal to women in their teens and twenties.
But…
I’ve found that most women in their thirties have had a lot of bad experiences with ‘exciting’ guys, and are ready to settle down with someone they can count on.
I just had to hang around for enough years that a woman I knew felt the need to settle, and then closed the deal as quick as possible.
Those of us who lack the looks have to deal in patience.
When I was 18 year’s old, my mom submitted my application to a place looking for part-time help. I had no idea she did this.
I didn’t find out until after she already had the interview set up for me.
The interview was in a part of town I had never been in before.
Everything was extremely run down looking. Homeless people were wandering the streets and sidewalks with their shopping carts. Almost every building on the block, including the one I was interviewing in, had some sort of graffiti on the side.
I walked inside the building to find unfinished concrete walls and floors. The desks and tables were dilapidated and covered in dust.
“Are you here for an interview?”
That was my assumption, but this place looked more like it was ready to shut down than it was to hire someone new.
“Paul, Robert is here for your 10:30 interview.”
Tucked in the corner of the building was a make-shift office set up where Paul sat. Behind him was a bookshelf that looked no better than the other furniture in the building. Sitting on top of his bookshelf was an long ivy plant that stretched halfway to the floor.
That stuck out to me because that plant was the only sort of decoration that I could see in the entire place.
Instead of going to his desk, Paul met me at the front door. After exchanging some short introductions, Paul asked –
“Have you ever worked a heat press before?”
I had no idea what a heat press was.
“That’s okay, we’ll teach you. The pay is $9.00/hr but it’s a temporary position. We’ll only need you for about 3 months. If all sounds good, you can start tomorrow.”
The entire interview took less than 5 minutes.
That was 16 years ago. Even though the position was only supposed to last for 3 months, I’m still here, sitting in the space where Paul used to sit. Only now that space has walls around it to form an actual office.
We’ve also painted the building, finished the walls and floors, and replaced all the furniture.
One of the only physical items left from 2007 is that ivy plant, which now sits on top of a shelf behind my desk… along with some other plants that I’ve collected and am trying not to kill.
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El Dorado Casserole
I have been making this casserole for as long as I can remember. It’s very good and exceptionally good warmed up the next day.
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Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup sliced black olives
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
7 ounces tortilla corn chips, crushed
8 ounces (or more, if desired) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
Cook beef until browned.
Drain. Add onion, garlic powder, tomato sauce and olives. Cook over low heat until the onion is clear.
Combine sour cream, cottage cheese and chiles.
Layer half the chips, meat mixture, sour cream mixture and Monterey Jack cheese in a greased 2 1/2-quart casserole.
Repeat this layering a second time.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Why Rolling Stone is TERRIFIED of Oliver Anthony
Country musician Oliver Anthony went from unknown to the top of the iTunes charts after his song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” went viral overnight.
But music press outlets like Rolling Stone immediately became hostile.
They started churning out headlines trying to tie Anthony to right-wing politics and Q-Anon, and even suggested he was a plant for far-right culture warriors.
But former Mumford & Sons banjoist Winston Marshall, who knows a thing or two about political attacks against musicians, joins Glenn to explain what’s really going on: the former countercultural generation has “become the establishment.”
But is there still a chance that an authentic artist like Oliver Anthony can unite a divided country?
Xi awarded Order of South Africa
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Chinese President Xi Jinping received the Order of South Africa from President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday.
The award ceremony came following Xi’s meeting with Ramaphosa during his state visit to South Africa, where he will also attend the 15th BRICS Summit and co-chair with Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue.
The Order of South Africa is the highest decoration and the highest honor that South Africa awards to an important and friendly head of state.
Speaking at the ceremony, Xi said the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership has entered a “golden era,” as political mutual trust between the two sides continues to deepen, and mutually beneficial and practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results.
The two countries have maintained close coordination and cooperation in international affairs, which has effectively promoted their respective development and revitalization, and made positive contributions to safeguarding the common interests of developing countries, he noted.
Xi reiterated that no matter how the international situation changes, the two sides will remain committed to deepening bilateral friendly cooperation.
Noting that he will treasure the honor, which symbolizes the friendship between the two peoples, Xi pledged to unswervingly push for the continuous development of China-South Africa relations.
China, because its dominant political party, unlike India’s who worship cows and discriminate against fellow Indians based on caste, has developed China much better.
It is this weird juxtaposition that occurs between this deeply Christian part of our state and a very naughty other half.
It’s not uncommon to see stuff like this:
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This isn’t one of those “never masturbate,” “quit porn,” posts. I actually get annoyed with those posts. Go do your thing. Enjoy you some porn, ladies and gents.
But.
There is this porn DVD store that I pass, yes – DVD, on the way to work.
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Every time I pass this store, typically between 7:45AM and 7:50AM,
There are at least 3–4 cars in the parking lot, and that bitch is open for business.
If any of you catch me shopping for porn DVDs at 7:45 AM on a Tuesday –
This is from a school dance a year or two ago. It was the Valentine’s Day dance and we were all having a lot of fun. All of a sudden there’s a big commotion in the gym. There’s a huge crowd and everyone around has their phones out and seem to be recording something.
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I’m able to see what’s going on my pushing myself through and what I see is literally horrifying.
This girl is breathing crazily and crying with her hands on her head. Two girls are next to her (friends I assume) saying, “GUYS STOP! SHE’S HAVING A PANIC ATTACK!”
Everyone around in that circle is recording.
Recording a 12 year old at a dance having a panic attack.
Soon the teachers help the girl outside to get some fresh air and the teachers tell everyone to delete the video they took. I know they never really deleted it.
But this is absolutely absurd. The fact that everyone didn’t even try to help but recorded her is awful. I didn’t see her since or really ever knew her, but I know I would hate it if someone recorded me at a low moment like this.
While I was in college, I worked as a security guard at a factory that reprocessed scrap cloth into felt.
One of the maintenance workers was notably lacking in common sense. I once found him on the roof of the factory, watching a seized-up motor burn, with six-inch flames coming up to it.
He wasn’t making any attempt to cut the power to the motor, or put the fire out. I commented that I was surprised the circuit breaker hadn’t tripped. He explained that he had bypassed the circuit breaker, “because it was tripping too often”.
As part of my duties, I wrote and submitted a fire report. He was still kept on as a member of the maintenance crew, because he was the plant manager’s son-in-law.
RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND RAP remix By: Black Pegasus – INSPIRED by Oliver Anthony!
I have no interest in being a billionaire, but I would like to be homeless one day.
When the kids are grown and out of the house, I see no point in having one. I’ll pick up one of these, sell the house, and go wherever the wheels take me.
I was working at a company for about a year and a half. It was just another day. I was talking with my co-worker who I shared an office with. I said, “You really don’t want to be called in to speak with H.R. If you do, it’s pretty likely you’re being laid off.”
Right then, as if on cue, my phone rang. It was the head of H.R. She wanted me to come to her office.
My heart sank. I told my co-worker, who I’ll call Greg. He blew it off. “It’s probably nothing. Probably just something with your benefits.”
I didn’t think so, but marched over to her office. My boss’s boss was there. I was invited to take a seat and I did so.
Mrs. H.R. said, “Okay, you’re being terminated, effective immediately.”
“Wait, what?” I said.
“Your employment with us is being terminated. Now.”
I couldn’t believe it. I had just finished a pretty important feature for our project and had just got a “Congrats!” from my boss.
“What…” I said. “What for?”
Boss’s boss answered, “For not doing your work.” His face was flushed and he looked ashamed.
I still couldn’t believe it. Doing my work was all I did, every day. “According to who? Who said that?”
“Your manager.” The one who had just given me the “attaboy!”. Boss’s boss looked even more ashamed.
I had been given no warning that my work was insufficient. In fact, quite the opposite. “Uh, for future reference,” I said, “it might be a good idea to let your employees know when they’re not meeting expectations.”
Mrs. H.R. made me sign some papers. She said signing them was non-voluntary. I was still in a haze and just signed them.
My manager handed me off to a guy who I vaguely recognized from some IT or facilities function. He looked like he could easily be in a body building competition. He escorted me downstairs to someone else, who explained to me I was being fired and made me hand over my badge. She was about to have me escorted out by Mr. Muscles when I asked her if I needed to surrender my CAC as well.
She said, “Oh, yeah, I’ll need that too.” She acted like this was the first time she had done this. She was flustered.
Mr. Muscles took me back up to my office, where he watched me pack what few belongings I had. Greg wasn’t there. I left him a note to call me.
Mr. Muscles escorted me outside, where I walked to my car. I drove home, trying to process what had just happened. I had never been fired before. I’d never even been warned about “insufficient performance”.
Greg got a hold of me later that day. When he saw my note, he noticed a bunch of people were disappearing from the office. He found our manager and asked if his neck was on the chopping block too. He said, “Yes.”
He asked him why. He said he couldn’t tell him.
When it was Greg’s turn for the “You’re Fired” ride, he turned to our boss’s boss and said, “Chase*, what you’re doing is wrong, and you know it.” Wow, guts are one thing Greg didn’t lack.
He said in all, about 40 people were let go that day. All were “fired”.
No one fires 40 people in one day, unless they were all involved in some sort of widespread fraud or something, and of course we weren’t.
Over the course of the next few days, we pieced together something that sort of made sense, but not really. It was a layoff, but they had to call it firing so they wouldn’t have to pay us severance. That kind of made sense, but I’ve been laid off before and never got any severance. Why was this case any different?
It turns out that the company was trying to win a big government/military contract that was up for re-compete. They hired all 40 of us to build a “demo” to bid for the system. They didn’t win it, and thus needed to get rid of us.
The “firing” part really hurt, though.
The company has since been bought out twice. The company has a totally different name now, and different owners.
But they kept their employment records. Over the years, recruiters have tried to place me there again, under the new company. They always reject me, saying they wouldn’t rehire me because they fired me once before.
Yeah, fired. Just call it what it really was, you cowards: a non-severance layoff.
Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North Of Richmond” Is The War Cry The Working Class Has Been Waiting For
This is actually a very good video and connects the Fourth Turning to Oliver Anthony.
All that China has to do is to BE SATISFIED with its present position and be prepared to be Number 2 all it’s life
The West will never target China and it would always be a great country and best friends
The West especially the US emasculates any threat it perceives to it’s dominance with a combination of
Political upheavals or color revolutions or
Propaganda
or
Stoking nationalist sentiments against a specific nation
or
Economic Throttling
That’s how they neutralized the EU or Japan or S Korea to date
Sadly China, India, Russia are three nations that remain defiant
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Of the three – China is the most likely candidate to pip the US in the next two decades and thus the West which is more or less an accepted fiefdom of the USA is targeting China most heavily
Color Revolutions won’t work in China, a 90% Han majority country
Political Upheavals wont work as Xi Jingping is firmly in charge and has consolidated the CPC
Nationalist Sentiments work against USA now
All that is left is Economic Throttling and that’s what the US is doing and forcing it’s allies to do the same
Chinas Defiance , Indias Defiance, Russia’s Defiance is getting a bit worrisome for the West
Especially Chinas, since China has the Economic Clout and a huge stack of money and a massive industry, not to mention a consumer market that is 16% of the World’s Consumption, third highest after US and EU
So the West want to ensure that China can’t end the “Western way of life” Or the “Western Dominance” Or question “US Exceptionalism”
Unfortunately the US has lost the art of diplomacy long ago and has become somewhat of a bully
As a result, it is unable to persuade most nations to toe the line
Left to itself, China could have been happy with imports and never really aspired to do more
Instead by these sanctions, China knows it has to buck up and do a lot of hard work and can’t rely or trust the USA
Thus US and the West scored an Own Goal in this aspect
I caused a young guy to get fired on the spot. It actually wasn’t intentional on my part.
Every Friday a friend and I used to meet to play pool. We found that a local bingo hall had a cafe& lounge area and the table was only 50p a game and the food & snacks were really cheap.
One Friday I ordered my meal, it was only £3. When the usual guy rang it up I was looking at the screen on the top of the register and I saw ‘staff discount’ and the total dropped to £2 but he told me £3, obviously he was pocketing the difference.
I messed around getting cutlery and sauces next to the register and watched him do the same thing to the next few customers.
I went back to the table where my friend was and told him what the cheeky git was up to. No big deal, we both commented it was a bit naughty and that was that.
However there was a woman on the next table who clearly heard our conversation. She stood up, put on a blazer with a badge stating ‘supervisor’, promptly walked over to the cashier, printed something out and escorted him away.
Never saw the young guy again.
Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | Reaction
The deep sea is perhaps the most terrifying environment on the planet. Not a glimmer of sunlight to be found, only pitch darkness. The water icy cold, and almost devoid of oxygen. The immense and crushing pressure is enough to kill a human instantly. No source of food, other than the slow precipitation of organic debris trickling down from above; “marine snow”.
And yet, against all the odds, if you stare long enough into the abyss, something will stare back.
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In 1966, the crew of a deep sea submarine learned as much. The vessel, dubbed the Deepstar 4000, began its descent not far off the coast of California, on a mission to deploy some hydrographic technology on the seabed, which lay some 1,200 metres below the surface. With the tremendous pressures at this depth, every inch of glass is a threat to the submarine’s structural integrity, so there was only one tiny window for the crew to look outside.
After the Deepstar 4000 touched down on the ocean floor, its pilot Joe Thompson glanced out the diminutive porthole, and saw something extraordinary.
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By Thompson’s account, he found himself gazing into an eye “as big as a dinner plate”, belonging to a fish whose skin was “mottled” and “gray-black”. The fish, he estimated, was at least 25 feet (7.6 metres) long! It kicked up a cloud of silt in its wake, and within a matter of seconds, the encounter was over, and the abyss regained its characteristic eerie stillness.
Shortly thereafter, underwater cameras in the nearby area were triggered by the motion of a massive marine creature. One of them captured this photograph.
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This image is not from a made up spooky story, it depicts a very real creature. A creature which might just be the culprit behind the infamous Deepstar 4000 encounter. To me, this animal is the scariest and most intimidating of all the deep sea horrors we have discovered, but also one of the most fascinating. It is a Pacificsleeper shark.
A close cousin of the much better-known Greenland shark, this species is found in waters across the North Pacific, and even the Arctic Ocean. It spends most of its days deep in the marine void, sometimes thousands of metres below the surface. Because of this strange lifestyle, the Pacific sleeper shark is shrouded in mystery, and to this day we know very very little about it.
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What we do know is that it is one of the largest sharks on the planet. Though we have never scientifically measured a 25 footer like the one possibly sighted by the Deepstar 4000, we know for certain they can grow to four and a half metres in length, which is already gigantic. In 1989, a sleeper estimated to be seven metres was filmed in Tokyo Bay, while in Hawaii one was photographed that was potentially over nine metres long!
If these estimates are true, the Pacific sleeper shark could be the world’s third largest shark species, after the filter-feeding whale shark and basking shark. The claims are very much within the realms of possibility. Other shark species are well known to display a massive range in size, with some individuals being a whole 50% larger than the average specimen. After all, so long as they have enough food, sharks never stop growing.
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And Pacific sleeper sharks sure do have plenty of time to grow. If their almost identical cousins the Greenland sharks are anything to go on, they can live for hundreds of years, perhaps half a millennium. There are likely sleeper sharks alive today that have lived through the entirety of modern history.
How does such gargantuan animals survive so deep in the abyss, where food is so scarce? Their extremely slow metabolism helps, though as a result, they are very sluggish. The aptly named sleeper sharks cruise through the depths at an extraordinarily slow speed of about 1 kilometre per hour – if you saw one in front of you, you’d barely even notice it moving! Being such slowpokes, we long assumed them to be scavengers, as they’d surely be useless predators.
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However, when we dissected sleepers that got caught in fishing nets, the contents of their stomachs told a very different story. Inside, scientists found fresh remains of practically every kind of animal that the sharks share their habitats with. Fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, sea lions, porpoises… these beasts are far from carrion feeders, they are apex predators!
One shocking food item in particular seems more common than any other; the beaks of giant squid! This means that the Pacific sleeper shark is one of only two animals on the planet that can hunt and kill giant squid, the other being the sperm whale. The thought of such a slow-moving creature being able to take down this prey may seem impossible, but the shark’s thick and muscular tail fin indicates that it can produce violent bursts of intense speed when it needs to.
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With a gaping and oddly circular maw, the sleeper shark can effectively “inhale” most of the prey it encounters. Victims too large to be eaten by suction are chomped to death by its massive bite force and sharp, needle-like teeth, pictured below. It also has a truly enormous stomach, which allows it to store food for long periods of time, a lifesaver in the barren deep sea. The stomach of one specimen was found to contain over 135 kilograms of accumulated food!
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Lack of food is but one of the many challenges posed by life at such depths. The extreme pressure and frigid temperatures can wreak damage even at the molecular level, destabilising proteins within organisms’ cells. To protect against this, Pacific sleeper sharks employ a powerful chemical known as trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), which circulates in their bloodstream in incredibly high concentrations.
As it turns out, TMAO also has psychoactive properties – it is in fact a potent nerve agent. Because of that, if you eat sleeper shark meat, you’ll soon start to show symptoms of severe drunkenness, which may last for days. This is known as being “shark drunk”. The flesh of the (again, very closely related) Greenland shark is a delicacy in Iceland, called hákarl, but it is left to ferment for months before being safe to eat. It smells and tastes like urine, due to the vast quantities of urea in sleeper sharks’ blood.
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Yet another fascinating thing about Pacific sleeper sharks is that almost all of them are blind. This is not a condition they have at birth, however. At some point in their lives, sleepers will invariably fall victim to a rather horrifying parasite called Ommatokoita elongata. This tiny worm-like creature is actually a crustacean, though it doesn’t look the part.
Ommatokoita attaches itself to the cornea of its unfortunate host, and remains there permanently, slowly eating away at the poor shark’s eyeball. It’s seemingly not fatal, as virtually all sleeper sharks have them and they can live for hundreds of years, but it does make them go blind. To be fair, eyesight isn’t of much use in a pitch black void, anyway.
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That is absolutely everything you need to know about the Pacific sleeper shark, because it’s just about everything we do know about the Pacific sleeper shark. What I find even more interesting is everything we don’t know, all the mysteries that science shall hopefully solve in the coming decades, as we learn more about these incredible real-life sea monsters.
In 2012 I was in Germany on business when I was invited to the home of the managing director for dinner. The house was beautiful and located on a hillside with a spectacular view over a sheltered valley. After dinner we were sitting on the varanda drinking coffee when my host explained that not only did he own the valley but it was an additional source of income.
He stated that he was very grateful to the wartime RAF who had bombed the valley. There had been a small stream flowing through the valley until a bomber had jettisoned it’s bombs, probably after being attacked by a night fighter. The resulting bomb craters had filled up with water and were now a very profitable trout farm.
We leaned over the varanda balustrade and he pointed out the seven deep pools strung along the valley bottom. It was the number seven that worried me. Looking down from above you could clearly see the pools were grouped in a string of three with a short gap followed by a string of four pools. I am no bomber expert but I had to point out to my host that I would have expected any bomber to carry a balanced load. That and the gap in the regular positioning of the bomb craters made me wonder if perhaps one of the bombs had failed to explode.
A couple of weeks later, back in Aberdeen, I received a very nice email letting me know that following our conversation he had notified the authorities who had indeed found an unexploded bomb burrowed deep in the ground.
Visitor from a Parallel Universe | Who Was The Man from Taured?
Welcome to my life.
This is fun. Who knows what the real truth is? But, you know, powerful interests will generate cover stories to hide reality.
It’s why the US is panicking, because China is a competitor which the US has never seen.
Un like countries such as India, China has the ability and determination to advance;
on the other hand, unlike countries such as EU countries and Japan, China has a huge internal market to protect its companies from being sanctioned.
In a test video on Bilibili, they confirmed that the Mate 60 Pro is powered by the New Kirin 9000S, which was made in week 35 of 2020, in mainland China.
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But the CPU is not the main character in Mate 60 Pro, since Kirin 9000S is only about the same as Snapdragon 888, the top performance 2 years ago.
It’s the BAW filter, or Bulk Acoustic Wave Filter. It was the key component for 5G communication, and the only part which the US could sanction Huawei’s cellphones. For a while, all Huawei cellphones used to have only 4G.
Silex Microsystems made a breakthough in BAW filter, and finally found the last piece of the puzzle.
Designed by Huawei, Silex, and other Chinese companies, made by SMIC.
U.S. Department of Commerce must be disappointed.
I guess it’s why Mate 60 Pro made a sudden appearence even without a press conference or any other event. It just quietly appeared in Huawei Stores and Huawei Online Shop.
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The one who being the main drive of this sanction against Chinese companies is in China. Gina Raimondo is one of the most aggressive person in Biden administration to push a harder stance against China. She’s one of the most extreme eagles, if not the most extreme one.
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Just like how Robert Gates was so sure that China wouldn’t be able to have a stealth fighter, China did the first test-flight during his visit in China in 2011.
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It’s been 1041 days since Huawei released its last Kirin 9000.
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It’s been 1566 days since Huawei being included into the entity list of US government.
With the massive domestic market, China was able to maintain Huawei’s operation. Now Chinese government and state-owned companies should choose only domestic computers, preferablly Huawei.
The US sanctions Huawei not because of its cellphones, but communication equipments.
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The world was going to choose Huawei to deploy their 5G networks, and this would be a problem for the US government to spy other countries.
Therefore, even with no backdoor found, the UK eventually banned Huawei for security reasons and choose US companies which does have backdoors in their products.
The UK cannot say no to the US, because any British politician would want to stay longer in the politics club.
I see from your profile that you’re American. I am from Singapore.
I think it’s funny how an American is calling Singapore “dictatorial”, when the USA is the place where cops use equipment designed for military warfare; where cops regularly shoot people, especially black people, to death for minor offences; and which has one of the world’s highest incarceration rates (the USA comprises 4% of the world population, but holds 25% of its prisoners) and exploits prison labour in a way that the ACLU and Chicago Law School has described as a “fundamental abuse of human rights”; and models itself after Afghanistan when it comes to women’s rights to contraceptives and abortion. The USA treats gun ownership as a kind of human right, but not universal healthcare. Meanwhile, its leaders talk openly in Congress about invading its southern neighbour Mexico …
Well, maybe that is not so strange. After all, Kansas, Colorado, California, Utah, Arizona etc were all part of Mexico, before the USA brutally invaded it and took all that land away. “Dictatorial” is also not an inappropriate adjective to describe the genocidal acts which the white Americans inflicted on the Native Americans. Let’s not even go into the USA’s history of black slavery.
Meanwhile, Singapore is “dictatorial” because it bans commercial imports of chewing gum except for therapeutic purposes. LOL …
Gabon just SHOCKED the world with a coup, Africa breaking from Western rule
We have a tendency to get all caught up within our own “little worlds”. We don’t realize all the great stuff “out there”, and when we do, we discover just how much we have missed. And it’s horrible.
In the Arkansas ADC prison, there was a guy who was doing some “20 some”big time” years for telecommunication fraud. He was a “sparky”; an engineer with a great talent for telecommunications and the hardware, and software behind it. But he was locked up after some fifteen years when I met him.
We would go on, and on about how he had this great improvement on telephone land line modems, and how he could double the speed of the transmissions. Sheech!
Fifteen years had passed. We were using satellite, wifi, and cable. No one would even bother touching modems tied to land-lines. But he was locked up for so long that he was; his knowledge was, obsolete. And he did not realize it.
Being prison; the ADC, there was no way that he could subscribe to magazines, or periodicals to be caught up on the news. It was a purposeful isolation bubble. He was unaware.
I tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen. Brilliant, and stupid at the same time.
Don’t be like him.
Get out. Experience life. Enjoy some fine food, touch the bark of a tree and pet a cat.
I believe in you.
We start today on a happy note. Please watch this video…
Hungry Cat Went to a Store with a Leaf to Buy Fish, Then the Seller Did Something Unbelievable!
What a great story.
Joe knew a lot of the people that came to his fish store. Many of his customers were regulars who had been buying fish from his family for years. But when one customer started coming around more often he was surprised. A cat came into the shop and checked out what everyone was doing. Then he eventually came back and sat on the counter with a leaf in his mouth. It took a while but they figured out that he was trying to use the leaf to buy fish like he saw people using money. What the seller did next is unbelievable.
Once upon a time, there was an auto repair shop. They had about six bays and a good average turnaround rate. They were doing pretty well. One day when the new manager was walking around, however, he noticed something shocking.
There was a guy… reading a magazine! He wasn’t working on a car or helping customers. He was just sitting behind a counter, eating up profits with his hourly rate.
He knew full well who this guy was. This was the “parts guy”. When the mechanics needed a part—an oil filter, a water pump, brake pads, etc.—they’d go to the parts counter and request it. The parts guy would retrieve it from the shelves and give it to them. If the part didn’t work out, they’d give it back to him and ask for a different one. If they didn’t have the requisite part, he’d order it. He’d also order commonly used parts when they started getting low. He kept the parts shelves nice and tidy.
But here he was in the middle of the work day, just sitting there! How often was he just sitting there? The new manager determined to find out.
So, over the course of the next week, the manager tracked how much time the parts guy “worked” and how much time he just spent sitting around, chomping away at profits. He determined that 80% of the time, the parts guy did no work! He just sat there, reading a magazine or other material. Profitless!
So he fired the parts guy and told the mechanics that now they were in charge of getting their own parts. There was some moaning and groaning, but they complied. What else could they do?
Over the next month, the manager noticed a frightening trend. Their average turnaround time went up, way up! A repair that normally took a few hours now took a few days. A simple oil change went from less than an hour to half a day. Hell, even doing a simple tire plug could take half a day! And they were—gasp—losing customers!
He determined to find the root of the plummet in productivity.
To make a long story short, it was the missing parts guy. When the mechanics got their own parts, they’d grab them off the shelf and try them in their repair. If they didn’t work out or they grabbed too many, they’d just put them back any which way. They didn’t always put them back in the right place, or in the right box.
So that made it harder for them to even find the stuff they needed. Nothing was in order anymore. Plus, no one ever ordered anything, so they were always out of what they needed; they’d order it when they needed it, instead of beforehand. Then they had to wait for parts delivery to get them the stuff they needed, which could take half a day.
So, instead of eating away at profits, the guy who only “worked” 20% of his time allowed the rest of the staff to be more productive. His absence actually killed profits by a wide margin. He was hired back.
China has now de-risked from the possibility of the freezing of their USD assets, including:
a significant portion of their trade is now in currencies other than USD. Trade with MANY countries are now in Chinese RMB or local currencies including trade with Argentina, Iran and Russia. This will continue to increase in the future.
A significant portion of China foreign reserves is now in Gold or other foreign reserves. China has been decreasing its USD foreign reserves and this in itself is causing significant issues for the United States
China has now completed an alternative to SWIFT with its own CIPS and this will allow it to continue trade with other countries
for critical products – like corn, wheat, oil, etc – China has diversified its supply chains. Therefore, it’s economy will not be disrupted by whatever the Americans does
BIGGEST advantage is that China is an economic powerful house producing most things that the United States and the west needs. All it has to do is stop the exports of critical inputs, machineries and or finished products AND it will shut down the economy of those countries. Given this possibility, it is doubtful that the United States will freeze Chinese USD assets.
Star Trek Next Generation – Withdraw Understood !
My Goodness!
Not MM-MM.
This was me today.
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Exactly 12 hours ago, I had a moment I am still processing. This stretch of highway has been paved so badly that every Fireman, EMT, and police officer on the scene said, “This happens constantly in this spot.” A short summer downpour caused the road to become so slick, that turning a corner at 20–25 mph caused the vehicle to lose control. I tried to correct the turn and brake, which caused the back end of the vehicle to face 180 degrees in the opposite direction. Everything was in slow motion as I watched myself fall off the road. I can still see the disorienting view turn sideways as I felt the impact of hitting the ditch. The passenger glass blew out and I realized that my head was hanging upside down near leaves and dirt. I began to shake. I’m shaking now. I’m not a dedicated seat belt wearer, but today, without thinking, I had clicked on the seatbelt before I began my drive. I could feel the adrenaline surge as I realized the only reason I was alive and not thrown under the vehicle was because I had unconsciously made that decision.
A lady and three teenagers had walked over to peer in through the drivers side window. She asked me, as I saw that her hands were shaking from the sight, if I was ok. And to my shock, I was. I broke down crying as the first thing I said was, “This seatbelt saved my life.” She reached her hand through the drivers window and held my hand, rubbing it for security as she called for assistance. I must have hung there for 20–30 minutes before the firefighters cut me out of the tightly locked seatbelt. But I am so thankful for the lady who had selflessly held the hand of a crying stranger until they arrived.
I was able to climb out on my own. I was assessed by paramedics and allowed to tow the truck home. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. We are a middle class family who is down one vehicle in an economy that has not been kind to us. But I can still hear the ladies voice as she said, “You can always get another vehicle, but you can’t get another life.” We will all expire at some time. There are no exceptions. I have been reminded of this today. But it’s not today.
Have you ever wondered what that bar on the backs of trucks is for? Called the Mansfield bar, it was made mandatory after a horrifying accident involving actress Jayne Mansfield.
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On June 29th 1967, Jayne, her driver, lawyer and three kids were driving from Mississippi to New Orleans. The road was dark and visibility was poor as the drove in the early hours of the morning, and was unable to see the large truck in front of them. The 1966 Buick crashed into the back of the truck, slicing off the top of the car.
The three adults including Jayne died on impact, but luckily the kids in the back survived. One of those kids is well known “Law and Order” actress “Mariska Hargitay.”
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As a result of the accident, the national highway traffic safety administration ordered all semis to have the bars installed.
Years ago in the early 90s I had a job in customer service for a telephone company. We had a girl start that was from somewhere down south and she had moved up into the Midwest because her husband got a job in the cattle industry. His job wasn’t normally a traveling job, but his first 2 years he had to do a lot of it to learn about the different livestock auctions, plants, etc. Just normal new hire stuff learning the industry.
She wanted to go home for a long holiday weekend, but her husband couldn’t go because of her work schedule, so she asked one of their mutual friends if he wanted to go with her. He also worked there with us. (Totally innocent, this isn’t a cheating story.) She was always funny, down to earth, well dressed but not anything expensive. Think Younkers clothes instead of KMart, but not high end designer stuff. She had a nice new car but it was a low end base model compact. Everyone loved her and her down home southern attitude.
Forward to next week, they had returned. The friend she took let us in on her secret.
Her family was LOADED. They got to the city they lived in, Nashville I think. Her parents compound was walled, had live security on duty including the gate guard you see in movies. Garage full of Italian sports cars. A Rolls Royce with a chauffeur. In the front hall there was a hand-written check framed and signed by Jimmy Hoffa for 1mil. Uncashed.
Turns out her grandfather had invented something to do with reefer units and was in the trucking industry. All the trucks with their family name I saw on the road were hers, but I didn’t know because she was married and had taken her husband’s last name.
She chose to live a normal life with her husband and struggle like any other young couple instead of living off of her family’s wealth. She was just a sweet normal girl.
China’s Next Generation Laser Weapons To Destroy US in 2.5 seconds Shocked The World
Back in the 70’s, there was a HUGE war in the food industry. It was fat vs. sugar, and in the end, sugar came out victorious. I mean, to fight fat, don’t eat fat, right? Makes sense!
NO.
The science wasn’t complete and the sugar manufacturers raised a lot of capital to get their message out… I mean, of course, “to buy politicians”.
ALL of the evils perpetrated on the American people for as long as there have been any is due to political money. You can make anything a social issue if you buy the right congresspeople.
So sugar was in and fat was out. Bacon was bad, but “diet candy” was good. This was all bullshit because no matter the form it’s in (glucose, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, etc…), it’s all carbohydrates. If you have an excess of carbs and you’re not burning those empty calories, guess where that ends up?
Plain and simple, if you have too many calories and you’re not using them, they will turn to fat. Any developing nation out there will tell you that rice, potatoes, and bread is the easiest way to get calories. Sugar just packs these calories more densely, but we’re programmed for it to taste good, so we just suck it up.
Meanwhile, poor bacon, ham, and fried chicken are out here going, “NOO! We’re made with fat and protein! You can get calories from us, too!”
Even salad is having a tough time of it. Go grab any random, name brand dressing off the shelf. I’m willing to bet within the first 5 ingredients will be either sugar, or something that ends in “-ose” (which is also sugar). Fuck, even our bread is unable to be labelled as bread in other countries because of the sugar levels. Subway in Europe sells sandwiches on cake.
There’s something called “essential fats”. There is no such thing as “essential carbohydrates”.
Penn and Teller had a show a while back called “Bullshit” that debunked all sorts of things. One episode was about weight loss. They had a stagehand who had recently lost a ton of weight. They pulled him out from backstage and said, “Tell the audience how you lost all that weight.”
Dude looks straight into the camera and says, “I stopped eating so fucking much.”
“Not the first and not the last” China-Russia joint naval patrol near Alaska — Global Times
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China and Russia’s third joint naval patrol that allegedly reached international waters near Alaska last week has touched the nerves of US media, which hyped the voyage as “highly provocative,” ignoring the fact that the US constantly sends warships and warplanes to China’s doorsteps for close-in reconnaissance and military exercises under the so-called freedom of navigation.
11 Chinese and Russian vessels approached the Aleutian Islands and have since left without entering US territorial waters, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sunday, citing US officials.
Four US destroyers and a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft shadowed the combined Chinese and Russian naval force, the report said.
While the WSJ report quoted a US Northern Command spokesperson who said the patrol remained in international waters and was not considered a threat, it also quoted US experts as saying the voyage “is a historical first” and “highly provocative.”
announced on July 26 that China and Russia would soon launch their third joint naval patrol, which would see both sides’ warships sail into West and North Pacific waters following the Northern/Interaction-2023 joint exercises in the Sea of Japan.
The operation is not targeted against any third party and is not related to any international or regional situation, the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a press release at the time.Two Type 052D guided missile destroyers, two Type 054A guided missile frigates and a Type 903 comprehensive replenishment ship of the Chinese Navy are included in the flotilla, while the Russian Navy is represented by vessels including large anti-submarine ships and corvettes, according to media reports.
The Northern/Interaction-2023 joint exercises and the subsequent joint naval patrol fully reflect the level of the strategic mutual trust between the two countries and further enhanced the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Russian militaries, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson at China’s Defense Ministry, at a regular press conference on July 27.
China is willing to continue to boost pragmatic communication and cooperation with all parties and contribute positive forces in safeguarding regional peace and stability as well as deal with all kinds of security threats, Tan said.
Despite that China and Russia announced the joint patrol, US media are attempting to hype the “China and Russia threat” theory, Zhuo Hua, an international affairs expert at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy of Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
The China-Russia joint patrol in international waters in the North and West Pacific marks a positive force that helps safeguard regional stability and security of strategic routes in the Asia-Pacific region at a time when the US is enhancing combat readiness, rallying allies and partners in the region to change defense policies and expand militaries, which escalated regional tensions, Zhuo said.
‘Not first, not last’
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This is not the “historical first” that a China-Russia joint naval patrol flotilla has reached waters off Alaska as US media has claimed, as a similar case took place during the second joint naval patrol between the two countries in September 2022.
At that time, only a lone US Coast Guard cutter was on the scene, compared to the USS John S. McCain, the USS Benfold, the USS John Finn and the USS Chung-Hoon destroyers and a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft deployed this time, the WSJ said.
The US media linked such an escalation in US reaction to the Ukraine crisis and the Taiwan question, but such speculation is purely groundless and is aimed at throwing mud at the normal military cooperation between China and Russia, analysts said, noting US’ hegemonic mindset and its double standard are the true reasons behind its anxiety.
The international waters in the North Pacific including the Bering Sea are important because from here ships can access the Arctic, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Monday.
With the global warming, the Arctic shipping routes could become key passages for civilian ships to carry out commercial activities, Fu said.
While the joint patrols by China and Russia aim to safeguard the security of key strategic routes, the US wants to control the passages out of its hegemonic mindset, experts said.
The US is nervous because the Bering Sea is close to Alaska, but the US should not forget that it frequently sends warships and warplanes to other countries’ doorsteps for so-called freedom of navigation operations, including to the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits, sometimes alone and sometimes together with other countries’ forces, Fu said.
While the China-Russia joint flotilla did not enter US territorial waters, US warships have in many occasions trespassed into Chinese territorial waters in the South China Sea.
It is ironic that all US forces involved in shadowing the China-Russia joint flotilla have provoked China on Chinese doorsteps, observers said. The USS John S. McCain, the USS Benfold, the USS John Finn and the USS Chung-Hoon destroyers and a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft have all made transits in the Taiwan Straits in the past, while the USS John S. McCain, the USS Benfold and the USS Chung-Hoon have records of being expelled after trespassing into Chinese territorial waters in the South China Sea.
It exposes the US’ double standard that only allows its military presence near other countries and not accepts other countries’ military presence near it, observers said, urging the US to reflect on itself.
From a military perspective, the four US destroyers and a US patrol aircraft could only monitor the China-Russia joint flotilla of 11 warships, and were not capable of doing anything more than that, analysts said.
“In the future, the Chinese Navy could conduct more far sea patrols like this, either alone or together with other countries. The Americans should get use to it,” Fu said.
Before the China-Russia joint naval patrols, Chinese naval warships had already reached international waters near Alaska.
Once such case was in August 2021, in which a four-ship Chinese naval flotilla led by a Type 055 10,000 ton-class large destroyer was reportedly spotted by the US Coast Guard in the US Exclusive Economic Zone, off the coast of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska
.
In 2015, five PLA Navy ships transited expeditiously and continuously through the Aleutian Island chain in a manner consistent with international law, the US Naval Institute News reported at the time. It was an “innocent passage” within 12 nautical miles of the Aleutian Islands, the report said.
Chinese experts said this kind of far sea exercise serves as a countermeasure and a signal against the US hegemonic actions of frequently making provocations near China in the name of freedom of navigation.
the GIRLS REACT to *Alien (1979)* IT’S SO SCARY!! (First Time Watching) Horror Movies
On June 3rd 2022, 3-year-old Ryker Webb went missing from his home in Montana wearing just his onesie. The area was in the middle of the wilderness, inhabited by Mountain Lions, Bears and on the evening he went missing, there was a severe thunderstorm.
His distraught parents feared the worse until they got the call that he had been found. He was discovered two days later on the Sunday, and 2.5 miles from his house.
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A couple heard whimpering from their shed and found Ryker wrapped in a lawnmower-bag to keep warm in the nearly freezing temperatures. When they first found him they said he was hungry and tired, but for his circumstances he was a pretty up-beat mood.
When they questioned him he said that he went for a really long walk and got tired. It is believed he seen the shed and took shelter during the thunder storm and stayed there for 2 days worrying about ever seeing his parents again.
John Chau, 26-year-old American evangelical missionary.
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He was unalived* by an isolated tribe he was trying to convert to Christianity.
The islanders are notorious for being hostile for outsiders to even visit, let alone throw Bibles at, yet John clearly wasn’t one to apply self-preservation.
One of the very few photos taken of the natives of the tribe, 1970s.
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It is illegal under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes regulations to visit without government permission – John did not obtain this. He seemingly had no respect for the law of the land.
Two local fishermen would take him partway to the island and no further. They let him approach the island on a canoe by himself.
For several days, he persistently made several attempts to communicate with the tribe from the safety of his canoe.
He documented in his journal that they laughed at him, they stared at him, and yelled words he didn’t understand.
On his second-last day a boy shot an arrow through his Bible. He didn’t take for the warning it obviously was.
On his final day, he told the fishermen to leave without him.
The next day they saw his body on the shore. Cautious attempts were made to retrieve his body but no one ever did.
John was an adventurer.
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He was known among his friends for being a thrill-seeker. Throughout his youth he indulged in camping, hiking, et.c.
My point being he went there for himself. Not just religion.
There’s a reason why the government needs to give permission for outsiders to visit. There’s a reason why even the surrounding locals won’t set foot on that island.
John ignored all the rules.
He went there for himself, to fulfill his thrill-seeking, adventurist desires.
I moved to the U.S. 5 weeks later, COVID happened.
All the dreams about off-roading trips, going to places, exploring America went out the window.
Social distancing; lockdown. People went crazy buying hand soaps; toilet papers. There was a time even flour and yeast also shortage
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One afternoon, I was at the grocery store, suddenly I felt something hit my back. I turned around. It was a woman threw a toilet paper bag at me. She yelled: “Go fucking back to your country! You Chinese fuckers! You brought that fucking virus here!”
I picked the toilet paper bag, put it back on the shelf, then I told her: “First of all, I am not Chinese. Second, in case you don’t know, airlines are shutting down, it’s quite difficult to travel right now. Third, you should apologize to me, because I think what you did is on tape” – I pointed at the camera. She ran away.
I’m not sure when I will be able to forget that memory.
NEOCONS ADMIT DEFEAT | BRIAN BERLETIC ON UKRAINE’S STALLED OFFENSIVE | BIDEN BLASTS CHINA
Yes. As a Captain and Company Commander in the Army Reserves I was running an errand in the rural south with one of my high-ranking NCOs, a Sergeant First Class. We needed to stop for lunch, so I pulled up to the sort of small country diner at which I like to dine from time-to-time in the countryside.
My Sgt was African-American. Let’s call him “SFC T.” We were wearing our camouflaged combat fatigues.
SFC T said, “I don’t think we should stop here, sir. This is the local KKK hangout.” I chuckled and said, “Sgt T, this is the 1990’s, not the 1960’s. What are you talking about?” And he replied, “Sir, look at the sign. See how it says ‘Karla’s Kountry Kitchen?’ See how they spell it ‘Karla’ with a ‘K,’ ‘Kountry’ with a ‘K,’ ‘Kitchen’ with a ‘K?’ And see how the ‘K’s are painted different colors than the other letters? It’s the local KKK hangout.” I laughed and dismissed his concerns, saying lightheartedly, “Sgt T, you are totally full of shit. Now get out of the car, we are going in for lunch.”
Understand, I was an officer who ALWAYS very strongly respected, listened to, and relied upon my NCOs. But this was not a military matter and, although I knew racism still existed, it simply was beyond my comprehension that overt, hostile, potentially violent KKK shit could still exist in the 1990’s. In our area? Right out in the open amongst everyone? With a sign above the door? It was as if someone was telling me the earth had two moons.
I opened the door to the cafe and took about three big steps inside, with SFC T right behind me. The place was packed. Immediately, all conversation ceased. Stone cold silence. Simultaneously, every single head in the entire restaurant turned to stare at us. And although no movie soundtrack of impending doom started playing in the background, my mood immediately shifted, from happy-go-lucky Captain anticipating a great country meal with one of my best NCOs, to fight or flight mode anticipating danger and potential violence.
I needed go no farther. I looked over my shoulder and said quietly, “Sgt T, let’s get the f__k out of here.” So we turned, walked straight back out out, and jumped in my car. I cranked it up and drive off at high speed.
Of course, I felt absolutely terrible. Terrible for not believing SFC T or listening to his concerns. Terrible for placing us, and particularly him, in a potentially dangerous situation. Terrible for being so incredibly naive as to have no idea that such bullshit still existed.
I apologized profusely to SFC T as we were driving away. Frankly, he seemed more amused than anything, watching my eyes open and the light bulb go on in my brain.
The more I thought about it, however, the more I found it a very valuable experience. Because I witnessed first hand how two intelligent people, coming from two different backgrounds and, particularly, races, can view exactly the same situation but see two totally different realities. Or, more precisely, one complacent fiction and one harsh reality. And I’ve never forgotten it.
So 30 years later, when I hear people dismiss BLM protests, or fail to see as victims black men who die at the hands of police in questionable circumstances, I think of SFC T and Karla’s Kountry Kitchen. And I marvel at how many people still need to open their eyes.
REACTING to *Aliens (1986)* THE GREATEST SEQUEL?? (First Time Watching) Sci-fi Movies
Originally Answered: What are some mind-blowing facts that sound like ‘BS’, but are actually true?
Liquor and wine are illegal in the U.S. unless they are radioactive. When tested, drinking alcohol is required to have at least 400 radioactive decays per minute for each 750 ml.
Explanation: The United States government has decided that alcohol for consumption must be made from “natural” materials, such as grains, grapes, or fruit. That rules out alcohol made from petroleum. Such alcohol is chemically identical to natural alcohol and just as safe – there’s no difference in taste — so why this rule? The reasons have to do with history (keeping alcohol more expensive, a goal of the anti-alcohol lobby) and minimizing competition (a goal of the liquor lobby).
How can you tell the difference between natural alcohol and alcohol made from petroleum? There’s no chemical difference. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, charged with enforcing the natural alcohol rule, has only one reliable test: check for radioactivity. Natural alcohol gets its carbon from plants; the plants got the carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide. As explained on the previous pages, atmospheric carbon dioxide is radioactive because of the continued bombardment of cosmic rays – particles coming from space that collide with nitrogen molecules and turn it into C-14, radiocarbon. Only one atom in a trillion carbons in the atmosphere is radiocarbon, but that’s enough to be detectable. (One of the authors of this book, RM, invented the most sensitive way to detect C-14, called “Accelerator Mass Spectrometry.”)
Petroleum was also made from atmospheric carbon, but it was buried hundreds of millions of years ago, isolated from the radioactive atmosphere. Radiocarbon has a half-life of about 5700 years, and after a hundred million years, there is nary an atom of C-14 left.
True, bootleggers could get some C-14 and add it to illegal liquor. But that’s beyond the skill set of most of them.
Yeah, on May 30, 1989, although my mom was with me.
It was my birthday. Ever since I was a kid, I had wanted to see Cats on Broadway, so my mom decided to take me for my 16th birthday. She picked me up from my dad’s house, we made the hour-long drive into Manhattan… and saw the big “SOLD OUT” sign outside the Winter Garden Theater. I was bitterly disappointed — sold out on a weekday??
Mom said, well, let’s get lunch and go to the movies instead, and asked if there was anything in particular I wanted to see.
Actually, yes, I told her. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
My mom was awesome. She didn’t even ask what it was about or anything. We went to the diner and got some burgers and milkshakes, then to a movie theater in Peekskill, New York.
We were the only ones there, but we didn’t care. I loved it, and Mom loved it, too. My mother had this fantastic, loud, goofy laugh, and it echoed through the empty theater. I’m not sure which of us enjoyed Bill and Ted’s historical anticsmore, and by the time the credits rolled, I wasn’t so bummed that Cats had been sold out.
That would be the last movie I’d ever see in the theater with my mom. She had 4th stage breast cancer, see, that had metastasized to the brain, and early the next year, they’d find her 3rd brain tumor. She died in November 1990, when she was 54 and I was 17.
Thinking about that day makes me miss my mom something fierce, and especially that big, goofy Kay Truex laugh, echoing in a theater that we didn’t have to share with anyone else. I’m glad we were the only ones there, and that we spent that day in a crummy movie theater alone, rather than on Broadway with a crowd of people.
It was just for us.
Me and my mom on her 54th birthday, March 1990. I’m not sure it’s the last photo ever taken of us together, but it’s the last one I still have. Was she a historical babe or what?
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Scott Ritter: China is Ready for WAR Over Taiwan as Blinken’s “Diplomacy” Fails
As to Gold, I am certain China has more than 2300 Tonnes as Reserves
Yet 7000 is ridiculous
Nobody can acquire so much Gold without a market shock
In 2015, a very reasonable analysis predicted that China’s actual reserves would amount to 98.8 Million Troy Ounces or 3073 Tonnes
This was based on buy patterns of Gold by China’s private players increasing 219% between 2009–2015 while China revealed it’s reserves to grow only by 62%
So many experts reliably predicted China’s Gold Reserves were actually close to 3073 Tonnes and not 1658 Tonnes as claimed by China
From 2015–2023 based on buying patterns China purchased directly through the Central Bank around 661 tonnes
Private players purchases remain confidential and Gold purchases in Yuan with Russia and UAE remain confidential
Assuming 25% of the buying by private players compared to 2009–2015 and 15% of the quantity of gold from Russia and UAE in Yuan than they did in Dollars
That’s around 398 Tonnes roughly
Thus China’s estimated real reserves could be = 3073 + 661+ 398 = 4132 Tonnes
So China may have around 4132 Tonnes of Gold in its reserves
Likewise China’s real reserves may be between $ 4–4.6 Trillion
That’s because this 28nm DUV Lithography machine is FULLY INDIGENOUS and has come to the commercial line in 3 Years and 10 months
There are 15,800 components in this machine and everyone if them is MADE IN CHINA
The Wafer layering is also Chinese
The Final Tested 28nm Chip had a 94.1% yield which is only 1.7% lower than the 95.8% that a 28nm chip made with Western equipment delivers
Even 7% was acceptable by the Chinese (88.8% Yield) so a 94.1% yield was OUTSTANDING
The Chip is estimated to be priced at 4840 Yuan for a stack compared to 5410 Yuan for a stack of 28nm chips that use Western Equipment and are made in China
That’s a 12.50% price cut
Experts estimate that the same 28nm chips being made in Taiwan or Korea using Western equipment would cost 7200 Yuan or almost 50% higher than China’s price
This Machine is now commercial which means by 2027 it will replace existing western DUV equipment completely and also have enhanced quality
This means China have gained full Independence in their 28 nm Chips from any Western Control and technology
Until now it was possible only for 90 nm Chips and above
Thats not why the US is mad though
This was something that was expected by the US the minute the same equipment passed protocol stage in 2018 May with a 59% Yield (Now 94.1%)
It entered Commercial phase in 2019 December
The US is mad because China can use these 28 nm Chips and stack them and get the equivalent of 14 nm and even 7 nm chips
China has made massive strides in stacking
It means China can now have fully Indigenous 14 nm Chips at 89% of the quality that the West delivers and Indigenous 7% Chips at 70.1% of the quality that the West delivers
Now these stacked chips cannot be used commercially as their price would be too high (A 28 nm Chip stacked as a 14 nm would cost 91400 Yuan a stack against a mere 11260 Yuan that it would cost for a Western Equipment made 14 nm Chip in China and 16220 Yuan for a stack made in Taiwan)
However they can be used in Defence applications and National Security related applications where China won’t mind the higher price in exchange for more flexibility
Better to have 71% Quality home chips at 11 times the price for Defence Equipment than have none at all and have a 100% disadvantage with the West
Thats why the US is hopping mad
A Senator named Tom Cotton said this was all Bidens fault and he was too slow and gave too much time for China to catch up
China still has a long way to go
China is around 3/4 the way there
It still needs the last 25% of the race against the toughest of circumstances
9 things Australians are not being told about US military deal
No, the astonishingly expensive tie-up between Australia and the US military deal is NOT about defense of the country, nor is it about bringing stability to Asia. The opposite is true, and Asians know it. The Australians stand to lose a great deal, not just in terms of money, but in the great relationships that they have built with the rest of Asia over many decades, and in the world’s understanding of the Australian character.
THE TRUTH! Oliver Anthony Reaction – Rich Men North of Richmond
I remember growing up as a boy in Western Pennsylvania and walking though the woods. We had some virgin forests; these were deep and located in ravines. With massive old trees, land of endless moss and loom, and with the smells of rich and dark earth. It was dim, gloomy but so very much alive.
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We had timbered areas where the trees were cut down and soft off, and were now a wasteland with small plants and trees trying to reclaim the land. It was a lot like walking on Mars with an occasional “Christmas tree” here and there.
We had light woods, and pine trees. Aspen forest which were fun to hike though, and areas what was nothing but undergrowth. We also had lands that were dense pine.
aspen
We (us boys) would access these various areas, not by roads, but by the long forgotten railroad tracks of yore that wound in and out between the hills and took us to areas “well off the beaten path”. And there, often enough, we would find the remains of old highways and paved roads that were forgotten when newer and faster roads were built nearby.
I imagine that boys and girls can still enjoy the natural aspects of life if they take the time to branch out and explore.
cooking hot dogs over a campfire tim laman
Perhaps, if you have the time, make a day trip and see what lies just over that next hill. You might well be surprised.
It doesn’t take much to have some fun.
Buy a pack of hotdogs, some buns, and some disposable tubes of mustard, ketchup from a fast food joint. Bring a lighter.
Woman chooses sausages in a vacuum package at the grocery store
Beer is too heavy to carry, but a bottle of wine, or whiskey isn’t. Just take it easy and have a great time.
Remember…
Tomatoes and corn are ripe now, as are apple trees laden with fruit.
Haha. Are you paranoid about China? If yes, you must be listening too much to western esp US propaganda.
Brazil & India are a member of BRICS. Indonesia is applying to join BRICS.
In total, about 44 countries are interested in BRICS with 20+ applying to join. Even France is asking to be an observer.
All BRICS members & to-be-members have 1 thing in common: all suffered from US monetary & financial hegemony. All want dedollarisation & stay out of US SWIFT banking system.
It is a global effort since Ukraine war to “beat” US monetary & financial hegemony.
Now, you are asking these countries to “deter” Chinese influence in, say, Africa???
I bet they all want Chinese has a bigger influence anywhere incl Africa. The bigger the influence is, the sooner they can beat US hegemony.
Do you know 60% of Brazilians are poor? It is because US capitalists have sucked up Brazil’s natural resources. Brazil is the most zealous to beat US hegemony.
Dont be paranoid about China. Dedollarization is not initiated by China. Just that China’s economy is stable & the world find confidence to use Chinese yuan to replace USD. That is all.
Nothing to do with China. Everything to do with USA itself who shoot its own foot.
Star Trek Next Generation – Earth Colony Turkana IV
U.S. War Machine Is KILLING The U.S. Middle Class – RFK Jr.
What can American politicians do to restore the middle class in this country? The first step, says Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is to stop warmongering all over the globe, spending countless billions on weaponry, building military bases and “flexing our muscle” in every corner of the planet. Jimmy talks to RFK Jr. about where the $800+ billion a year in “defense” spending could better be spent.
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I stood there dumbfounded…
I lost my 35-year-old, soulmate husband unexpectedly on Memorial Day morning. I had gotten up to find him on the driveway of our home and had tried to revive him while waiting for EMS but it was too late. He had had a gran mal seizure and had what the medical examiner ruled a “Terminal Event” and was taken from me and his daughter that idolized him, that day. Needless to say, it was a horrible, traumatic day such that I wondered if I would ever be able to get out of bed again.
After several months I had decided to try to return to work when I was met by a co-worker who hugged me and asked how I was and said she was so happy to see me. She then said to me “My family and I have been praying hard to you. We have been praying that you will get cancer really soon so you can be with him because we know how much you love him.” I stood there dumbfounded with the hideousness of that statement. She then handed me a CD she had made for me (that I only played years later out of curiosity) that was full of the most tragic and mournful music I ever heard. I made it through about two hours at work that day but then went home and did not return for several more months. What little bit of healing had been shattered by that comment. When I did finally return, I avoided her like the plague. She was just one of many wholly inappropriate comments made by those who I thought cared for me.
People! Pleasssssssssse just give those new to loss, a hug and tell them you are sorry for their loss. Deem anything else inappropriate.
EDIT: Thanks so much for all of the support. I really do appreciate it.
This woman became famous at work for her strange replies to many things so I came to feel it wasn’t personal. Some examples: She stated it would have been much better if Elizabeth Smart had died instead of being found, because now she was “sullied and would never be wanted or accepted by people again.” She also came in one day telling everyone that her 14 year old daughter had “caught scabies” from holding hands with her boyfriend. The odd thing was she acted proud of it.
Like my granddad used to say ”takes all kinds”.
Sheet Pan Fish and Chips
Please your palate with a Sheet Pan Fish and Chips recipe that’s full of flavor. This dish’s major perk is the convenience of a single pan for cooking (no frying required). And the great flavors of Old Bay® and McCormick® Tartar Sauce.
fish and chips 4
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup buttermilk
5 teaspoons Old Bay® Seasoning, divided
1 pound cod fillets, cut into 4 x 2 inch pieces
2 large russet potatoes, cut into wedges (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 cup cornflake crumbs
McCormick® Original Tartar Sauce for Seafood
Instructions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Mix buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of the Old Bay in large resealable plastic bag. Add fish; seal bag. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Toss potatoes and oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with another 2 teaspoons of Old Bay; toss to coat evenly. Spread potatoes in single layer on foil-lined 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes, turning potatoes halfway through cooking. Remove pan from oven. Push potatoes to outside edge of pan. Set aside.
Place flour in a shallow dish.
Beat egg, another 1 teaspoon of Old Bay and 1 teaspoon water in a separate shallow dish.
Mix cornflake crumbs and remaining 1 teaspoon Old Bay in another shallow dish.
Remove fish from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off into bag.
Coat fish in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip into egg mixture, then press into cornflake mixture until evenly coated. Discard any remaining flour, egg and cornflake mixtures. Place fish on a wire rack in center of pan with the potatoes.
Bake for 15 minutes or until fish is golden brown and flakes easily with a fork and potatoes are tender.
Serve fish with potatoes and tartar sauce, if desired.
When my oldest daughter was about a year and a half I called my father to ask if my house mate could join our large family for Thanksgiving dinner. You see I had no car and buses did not run in our area on holidays. My father said NO. He preferred I not bring a guest. I said, I don’t have a ride. He said he was sorry and that we would be missed. I was embarrassed and heartbroken as I relayed the news to my friend. Later he was invited to join friends at a party where children were not allowed.
Long story short, we shared a baked potato and I didn’t eat dinner with my family for another 10 years. In those years I hosted dinner for friends and strangers I knew to be alone for the holidays. The pain and loneliness of that long ago day still lives with me. My daughter is now 42, my father is gone and I host gatherings where no one is ever turned away!
Similar headlines or sentiments will be found in pretty much any other ‘western’ magazine that still has some integrity.
The catastrophic consequences of sanctioning Russia without any realistic assessment of its, and one’s own economies should have led to a serious clean up of all state and international bureaucracies involved in it.
Alas, we have yet to see that anyone who was involved has been punished for these horrendous mistakes.
The very same people are now involved in finding ‘solutions’ for the mess their shortsightedness created.
It is no wonder then that people will vote for anyone other than those in charge.
Gonzalo Lira MISSING After FLEEING To Ukraine Border
May God protect Gonzalo.
https://youtu.be/7n_9ueVy20A
The doctor broke down in the delivery room.
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The doctor went on to share the woman’s story, explaining that she had spent 14 years trying to conceive, trying “tried all treatments including injections and artificial insemination” to fall pregnant.
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Finally, she fell pregnant, carrying her baby to term despite having “a large tumour”
“When she was pregnant, this tumour began to melt and everything was fine,” he said.
“During the time of delivery, the husband rushed to me and stayed for seven hours until we decided to cut her abdomen.
“She carried her child in her arms and smiled and then departed.
“The mother died and the child lived, her husband fainted at the news of her death.
The doctor channeled his grief into a powerful message, which feels particularly poignant in the lead-up to Mother’s Day.
“Please respect women because they are dying to bring you new life,” he said.
“If you suffer the pain of childbirth for hours and spend long nights in raising your children, it is the greatest sacrifice.
“If you do not talk to your mother for any reason, please go and contact them now.
Drinking ice water ALL THE TIME. ALLLLL THE TIME!!!!!
Regardless of temperature or occasion, summer or winter, you ask for a cup of water, and most likely, they’ll give you a cup of ice with some water in it. I have to specifically ask for “no ice” every time I visit a restaurant. My Chinese stomach can’t take it. Like many Chinese people, I grew up drinking hot tea or lukewarm/room temperature boiled water (which we call 白开水, white boiled water). Ice water (especially in winter) is said to be bad for you. If you ask for water in Chinese restaurants (in China), 9 out 10 times, they’ll give you a cup of hot water right out of the boiler, and that 1 time you get lukewarm water.
But I understand all the health talks are just groundless old wives’ tales. There’s no scientific study to support ice water is bad for your body. If I seem defensive, that’s because I’ve mentioned this once before on Quora, and a wave of angry Americans came to tell me I was wrong and ice water is perfectly fine.
Ice water is perfectly fine, Americans. I’m not saying it’s bad. No need to get angry with me all over again.
I’m just saying it’s a weird custom for the Chinese, and I personally prefer lukewarm water or hot tea.
Money is: When you are a Doctor or Lawyer or what ever (Business owner) making $450,000 per year and with full benefits but needing to work full time and even overtime to maintain that (60 hours+). You enjoy access to a country club in Beverly Hills for a monthly fee — and you go golfing in the summer — and you go hunting in Canada on yearly vacation.
You also own a big house in Beverly Hills but with a mortgage and a boat at the Marina Del Rey Docs, but it’s financed. Your kids go to private schools and with tutors if need be. You drive both a Benz and a Ferrari but you drive your own cars. The cars are financed. Your wife doesn’t work. You have a private chef that comes over and cooks your family meals.
With a safe stacked with cash incase of a rainy day, you don’t worry so much if you have to call in to work sick or if you need to take off for a few days.
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You have money to basically do what you want but to a degree. You own stocks and wondering if you have enough put away for early retirement or if you need to work ‘till 65 to be on the safe side. You worry about a stock market crash and wonder if that could affect your retirement.
Wealth is: Owning 9 gas stations (inherited from your father). And your older brother has even more businesses than you do. Collectively, your family is like a financial empire (family wealth).
You have private doctors that make house calls — what ever medical specialists you need. You don’t work a job. Your ‘job’ is only to look after your businesses. Not only are you set up for retirement but your children are also set up: financially stable, with their own retirement accounts. You prepare your children to run the family businesses when they come of age. You do not prepare them or encourage them to work a job. ‘You don’t work — you own.’
You have what they call ‘generational wealth.’ Most of the financial assets you have are tied to a family trust. Having both accountants and lawyers on payroll, your most important lawyer charges $750 per hour for legal advice — and he’s totally worth it!
You own a mansion in Beverly Hills, CA and another in the Hamptons, NY — no mortgage, all paid off. You employ a live in Butler and a live in Maid. And you have a chauffeur to drive you around while you ponder your next business venture — or while you just take a nap in the back seat.
A trust says you have 25% ownership of that same country club in Beverly Hills and your siblings own the rest. Including the country club, the gas stations and maintaining both residences, you employ over 100+ workers; most are paid hourly rates.
You have a safe — filled with gold!
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You don’t have rainy days…
You have basically the money to do what ever you want within reason.
A nice portion of your wealth is sitting in the stock market but every time the market crashes you barely blink. From your dividend stocks alone you earn a healthy wage — $332,000 per year and that number seems to be gradually increasing more than inflation.
You have free cash to buy more shares when the market corrects and prices come down, a trick you learned from your father.
Tonight is the gala. You can donate money to your favorite political candidates.
Africa Stands Up to US Cold War Bullying Against China & Russia, w/ Kambale Musavuli
On Tuesday (Aug 1st) during the women’s 100-meter race at the World University Games in China, the Somalian runner performed so badly it had to be a joke.
Even when she stepped up to the mark you could tell she was not in tiptop shape like her fellow competitors.
Questions were asked, and it came to light that she was not a trained athlete and was actually the niece of Somalia’s Athletics Federation Chairperson. It couldn’t possibly be nepotism, right? No way.
I do love to see what happens when people who abuse their little powers in their own countries try that shit outside.
The Chairperson’s face was plastered all over social media, called a national embarrassment and suspended.
What would the average person look like competing against actual Olympians in the Olympics?
They would look pathetic.
It should be acceptable to let hacklers of every sport be thrown onto the field every now and then to see how easy it is.
People underestimate the sheer hard work and sacrifice athletes put in, just because when they’re competing against each other in sporting events such as the Olympics it does not look that impressive. Throw in an average person and we’d appreciate the difference.
When my son was in first grade, the teacher sent home a math sheet that included a problem that went something like: “If a pyramid has five balls at the base, then four, then three, etc., how many balls are there?”
My son went to work figuring that the base would have 25 balls, (5 X 5), then 16 balls (4 X 4), then 9 (3 X 3), then 4 (2 X 2) and then 1 ball at the top. Total = 55.
She marked it wrong.
Evidently the “right” answer was 15 (5+4 +3+2+1).
When I saw this I brought the paper back to her and asked why it was wrong.
When I explained to her that my son had solved for it as a 3-dimensional pyramid, she went beet red and admitted that she hadn’t recognized what he had done.
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Needless to say, he was eventually placed in a G&T (Gifted and Talented) program.
What’s the homework that your child was given by the teacher that shocked you?
Oh SH*T! Now Kenya is INVADING Haiti?
The U.S. government will provide Kenya with the “resources” – presumably this means money, weapons and training – necessary to lead an invasion of Haiti, pending UNSC approval. Kenya will conduct an assessment mission to Haiti in the coming weeks. So, we’ve outsourced the invasion of Haiti. Why? Redacted correspondent Dan Cohen reports on this.
Back around 1995, I received and Bank Draft for an insurance settlement. I opened a separate account with the draft and added $1000 cash. I was told the draft would take 10–14 business days, after a month, 20 business days i was told it would take 10–14 business days. I explained it was already 20 business days. I was told I knew nothing about banking and I should just wait. I asked for $500 cash out of that account and was told that the funds were not available in that account. I tried to explain I had put in $1000 cash and was curious how long cash took to clear. She brushed me off.
I then told her I wanted to close my other accounts at that bank. A small savings account for Christmas had about $800. My checking had a over $5000. My two company accounts had in excess of $100000. I told her I wanted all cash because i didn’t know anything about banking. I let her know I would be back at 3 PM the next day for all my money. I went back to work. By the time I got there I had messages from 5 different people at that branch and other branches. I waited until one called again, the branch manager BM. “What are you closing all your accounts?”
“I am not closing all of them yet, just those 4.”
BM. “Why? What happened?”
Me. “I was told I didn’t know anything about banking. I deposited a bank draft a month ago and the funds are not yet available. Also the $1000 cash deposited at the same time is not available for withdrawal. And by the way, I called the bank the draft was on, it cleared 3 weeks ago. But hey, I don’t know anything about banking.”
BM. “I don’t know who told you that, I will look into it. And we don’t have that much cash at this branch to give you. Aren’t you worried about getting robbed with that much cash?”
Me. “Only if someone at the bank blabs about it. Besides I will be bringing my own security. And I gave you 24 hrs to get the cash in the branch.”
BM. “Come in tomorrow and let’s talk about this.”
Me. “I will be there at 3PM to pick up the cash. I have already have the accountant opening accounts for us. My family and our company have been there over 50 yrs. But I have never been so disappointed in the bank. I asked the teller, how long it took cash to be available and she ignored me. I asked her twice. That’s when I told her to start closing accounts.
The next day the bank arranged a transfer of the funds to our new bank. I closed my personal accounts and refinanced the home loan I had with them.
I may not know about banking, but I do know what customer service is.
China’s DJI Refuses India’s 1.5 Billion Rupee Order, Leaving India in Disarray.
About DJI drones we must remember that at the start of his economic sanctions against China, Trump had ordered the DOD to get rid of all the Chinese products in their arsenal and replace them with more costly US products. A year after there was a ton of complaints from the military personel that the more costly US made military drones were underperforming the DJI drones that they were replacing. That’s why the DJI drones have 75% of the world market. Their quality/price ratio are unbeatable for all of their product line.
DJI is wise to refuse India’s order of 1.5 billion rupees. BYD too knew how India works and demanded full payment prior to delivery of the electrical buses. India has been criticizing China but now trying to fool Chinese companies to grab money. Manny American companies have suffered a huge loss of investments because of India’s ‘money grappling’ policy. Foxconn a.o. are running away from India and back to China as they have great difficulties in India. One should be aware of the risk in investing in India as it may outweigh the benefit.
Russia is there to give them Wheat without them needing Dollars
Russia will sell them Wheat for Barter
Russia will give them weapons, trained troops and Wheat in exchange for Gold and Uranium
Behind the scenes is of course China ready to finance the entire deals in their stockpiles of US Dollars
Why would Niger need French or US Aid now ?
That cutting off Aid isnt gonna work anymore sadly
Hell No! U.S. considers a military DRAFT to build up failing forces
Are you prepared to send your loved ones to war? Members of Congress along with retired military are pushing the idea of a military draft in The United States. One retired colonel is calling for a hybrid approach using both a volunteer force and drafted force. How about we stop our imperial aggression around the world?
Hitman outsourced a murder to a hitman, who hired a hitman, who hired a hitman.
Chinese police charge six, including 5 hitmen with intentional homicide, after all the men tried to outsource the killing to each other. The intricate, would-be job was first contracted by real estate developer Tan Youhui in October 2013, who wanted to kill a rival developer who sued his company over a dispute over a development.
Tan paid Xi Guangan around $282,800 for the job. Guangan then took the money, and used half to hire another hitman, Mo Tianxiang, to do the job.
Mo Tianxiang then hired another hitman Yang Kangsheng and gave him a photo of the target, promising half of the money that was promised to him on completion of the Job. Yang then offered the job to another hitman with the same promise.
The last hitman then outsourced the Job to Ling Xiansi, for a measly $14,000. Ling, rather than pass the job on to someone else, ended up reaching out to the rival developer to tell him about the hit out for him. Ling and the developer ended up faking the murder, staging an image of the developer with his hands tied, which then circulated through the chain of hitmen back to Tan, the businessman who hired the first hitman. By this time the developer had already reported his attempted murder to police. Who were able to quickly arrest the suspects.
All five hitmen were sentenced to between two to four years in prison in a court in the Guangxi region, while the developer who requested the hit, was sentenced to five years.
Things You CAN Do in China (You CAN’T Do in America)
If you’re thinking of visiting China but feel scared about what you can and can’t do, then this video is for you! In this video, we’ll share with you some of the things you CAN do in China that you CAN’T do in America. Most Americans watching this video will be shocked! China is the true land of the free! Chinese people have much more freedom than in the west. Come to China and see it with your own eyes! and see the truth my friends.
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I love this guy
In 2006 a high school English teacher asked students to write a famous author and ask for advice. Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007) was the only one to respond – and his response is magnificent:
“Dear Xavier High School, and Ms. Lockwood, and Messrs Perin, McFeely, Batten, Maurer and Congiusta:
I thank you for your friendly letters. You sure know how to cheer up a really old geezer (84) in his sunset years. I don’t make public appearances any more because I now resemble nothing so much as an iguana.
What I had to say to you, moreover, would not take long, to wit: Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.
Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives. Draw a funny or nice picture of Ms. Lockwood, and give it to her. Dance home after school, and sing in the shower and on and on. Make a face in your mashed potatoes. Pretend you’re Count Dracula.
Here’s an assignment for tonight, and I hope Ms. Lockwood will flunk you if you don’t do it: Write a six line poem, about anything, but rhymed. No fair tennis without a net. Make it as good as you possibly can. But don’t tell anybody what you’re doing. Don’t show it or recite it to anybody, not even your girlfriend or parents or whatever, or Ms. Lockwood. OK?
Tear it up into teeny-weeny pieces, and discard them into widely separated trash receptacals. You will find that you have already been gloriously rewarded for your poem. You have experienced becoming, learned a lot more about what’s inside you, and you have made your soul grow.
That’s not why Japan has a low obesity rate. I’ve been to Japan; they are way too polite to be vicious to fat people (or anyone, really). They’re far more the passive-aggressive types.
One thing Japan does have is a culture of walking everywhere. The streets are narrow, the cities are crowded, and nearly everyone takes buses and trains to get around, which means that they have to walk at the endpoints of every trip they take. The average Japanese person is walking six kilometers every day.
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Typical day: Walk to train station, get on train. Get off at your stop. Walk to work. Repeat in reverse later. You get quite a few steps in this way. This picture is pre-COVID, by the way; that’s how much they masked up even before the pandemic.
Another thing Japan has is smaller portion sizes when you eat out. You’ll almost never have any leftovers. And you wouldn’t want them, anyway—will you haul them with you while you take the train home? You’d probably get discrete annoyed looks from the other passengers for stinking up the train car. You most likely walked into that restaurant, and you’ll be walking out, so lugging a box of food in your arms when you leave is kind of awkward. It’s the same with the sodas you buy from vending machines—a typical Japanese soda is 300–350 ml (10–12 oz), while the bottles from a U.S. soda machine are usually around 20 oz. Many machines will also sell you water, coffee, barley tea, or green tea, which won’t be very sweet. If you buy street food, you might be able to buy snacks from a few different places before it fills you up.
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A meal I ate at a hotel in Japan. I took this photo just before I ate it. It was excellent but not huge.
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Here’s another one from the same trip. I think this was a Chinese restaurant. This is a pretty typical portion when you eat out.
There are some other things that probably help. Japanese employers are required to pay taxes to support the public health care system. A lot of obesity happens because people have sedentary jobs and work long hours, so the government decided to penalize companies that have too many overweight employees. Effectively, this means that companies with a lot of obese employees have to pay higher rates for their health insurance. Because companies hate giving away their money, they are motivated to find the cheapest, simplest way to keep employees thin. This might include mandatory calisthenics when you show up for work in the morning, removing unhealthy options from the company cafeteria, making their employees wear step monitors, or even just nagging them constantly. Maybe this is what the question means by “fat shaming.”
To be clear, I don’t think Japan is better in every way, and there’s plenty about their society that America should not be copying. They have some health problems that are worse than the United States (e.g. stress, suicide, stomach cancer, smoking, depression, etc.). Still, they do a far better job than the U.S. at avoiding obesity, and it’s worth paying attention to what about their society is helping them to do that.
It would be tough to get Americans to walk more, but city designs that make transit preferable to driving likely help. Perhaps there’s also a way to persuade our restaurants to (at least) offer smaller portion sizes for those who want them. I’m not sure how we’d “adopt widespread fat shaming,” though. I’m not sure Japan does it any more harshly than Americans do, and I don’t think it would help much.
Smoked Sausage, Potatoes and Onion
OIewewP
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package smoked sausage, sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large baking tray with sides with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Put the sausage slices, onions and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together and pour onto the baking tray.
Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender.
If desired, scatter the cheese over the top and return to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
**HE’S HAD ENOUGH! Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | REACTION
2023 08 20 10 50
United States stories…
100% those stairs the guy built are garbage, but 65k to build stairs in that location? What are they building them out of unobtanium ? Concrete and labor ain’t that expensive.
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BATTLE OF THE WORLDS Remastered Classic Full Action-Sci-Fi Movie
It is like watching a low-grade science fiction movie.
Day in and day out. The Western idea of reality is a fucked up mess.
I want a brook. A cat. A bottle of wine. And a loaf of Italian bread.
Todays…
China surpassed Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Wednesday to become the first nation to successfully launch a new methane-powered carrier rocket into orbit.
The Zhuque-2 carrier rocket, built by the Chinese commercial aerospace company LandSpace, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert at 9 AM Beijing Time (6.30 AM IST) and successfully completed the flying mission, according to Xinhua.
This was the carrier rocket Zhuque-2’s second flight mission after an aborted launch on December 14 of the previous year.
LandSpace is now in the lead in the race to develop liquid oxygen methane rocket technology thanks to the successful launch.
Engines that run on Methane are renowned for their strong performance and low running costs. These are especially well-suited for Businesses looking to develop reusable rockets.
According to the South China Morning Post, Zhuque-2 is the first rocket in the world to successfully launch a test payload into a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
Two additional liquid oxygen methane rockets, the Terran 1 from Relativity Space in the US and the Starship from SpaceX, also failed in their initial attempts to enter Orbit earlier this year.
According to China Space News, the Zhuque-2 is a two-stage liquid-propellant carrier rocket that is 49.5 meters long and 3.35 meters in diameter. For low Earth orbit, it can carry six tonnes, and for SSO, four tonnes.
Another private Chinese aerospace company, Space Pioneer, successfully launched the liquid-fueled Tianlong-2 earlier in April.
Prof. Richard Wolff: US Credit Rating Drops. Now What?
One of my best friends in high school was abducted by Schizophrenia — which unfortunately ran in his family — and he never came back.
Mom, brother and himself. That was the holy trinity which succumbed to the very same condition while his dad could only watch and cry. Mom hanged herself, brother found her and was wrecked for life, and my friend tried everything to survive to no avail.
The condition got to him in the end as well, and he had to be committed for a while because he thought he was someone else (and he was). He had become obsessed by a singular truth — one single sentence which described every truth (“The Sentence of Everything”), and had stopped eating and cleaning up in the search for it.
He also defecated in his room before they found him. For weeks.
It was university life that triggered the hole thing — his grades were growing bad, and he could not cope with that, and it exploded in his face. Stress marked the spot. Just like that.
We reconnected when he was back in town, and I was going trough a divorce. But I hardly recognized him anymore. He had become a silent movie version of himself — his every single movement and conversation happened in slow motion, as if he had become a victim of the famous Encephalitis Lethargica bout in the 1920s.
But when his eyes widened — that’s when the real thing happened. Then he was looking at people who weren’t there, and sometimes he interacted with them in an unguarded moment, as if he had forgotten about me.
One time in a pub when I came back from the restrooms, he was having a heated conversation with a figment of his disease, and was totally upset when he suddenly saw me, as if he was busted during a secret and forbidden moment. And I guess he really was.
After a while, the voices got the better of him, and it became impossible to see him anymore. He was totally overtaken by his condition, and in the end succumbed to the voices and the orders they had given him.
Just like that.
Mother’s gift
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The Simpsons Predictions Came True!
Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips: Simple Diagrams Help You Manage Your – Cravings, Fashion Choices, Mind-Numbing Labor Pain
safe pregnancy tips1
Expectant parents are often overwhelmed-and befuddled-when they hear news of baby’s impending arrival. Luckily Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips provides hilarious “do’s and don’ts” on getting through the next nine months.
Authors, David and Kelly Sopp are the founders of Wry Baby, a small company that sells baby merchandise featuring their unique sense of humor. They are dedicated to making parenting extra fun and have done so with their books Safe Baby Handling Tips, Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips, and The New Parents’ Fun Book. They live in Mooresville, NC.
You’re locked in a chair. You can’t move. Every five seconds, a small drop of water drops onto your head.
After being in this situation for twenty minutes, the sound of the water starts to irritate you.
After a week, each drop of water sounds like a drum.
After a month, you feel in pain because you can’t move and the seemingly hurtless drops of water start to open wounds in your head. You can also suffer from labyrinthitis.
After two months, the pain is such that you go insane. If you don’t, well, the drops of water will kill you anyway.
A drop of water. Tiny, frivolous, seemingly innocent… yet it can be the cause of your death.
NDE：Where do animals go when they die? My near-death experience will give you the answer
Originally Answered: What is the most inappropriate thing you've ever witnessed from a coworker?
Not a coworker but a boss.
And that is all he was.
I had a coworker call off sick, or try to. But the boss was adamant that she come in to work and would be fired if she did not. Coworker stated that she needed to go to the hospital and Boss got angry, saying that if she could go to the hospital, then she could come to work.
So Coworker came to work, upset and in tears. She was clearly in distress, but Boss rudely told her to suck it up and get to work.
So Coworker goes to get started. She sits at the desk and a few minutes later, her color turns pale. She goes to stand up and as soon as she does, she hits the floor.
Boss accuses her of faking to get out of work. Several of us go to help her, but Boss rudely orders everyone to ignore her and get back to work.
I ignore Boss and rush to Coworker’s side. I reach for her arm and try to feel for a pulse.
I don’t find one.
Boss is furious now and screaming at me to get up and get back to work. I ignore Boss and make my way to the phone to call 911. Boss hangs up the phone mid-call and I hit him with the receiver, sending him reeling across the work area. I call back and explain the emergency.
Paramedics arrive and work on Coworker, but it’s too late. She’s dead.
Boss is angrier now because we have to close up for a little while to deal with the situation and get Coworker’s body out of the building. Boss accuses Coworker of dying at work just to spite him and just has a whole ass tantrum.
Before I could stop myself, I slap Boss across the face. He stands there stunned and then runs from the office.
I am written up and suspended, pending an investigation.
Coworker is buried a week or so later. I attend the funeral.
I return to work and Boss is still on his bullshit about Coworker being such an inconvenience.
I grab a cup of coffee and throw it in Boss’s face. He starts screaming about assault charges and threatens to call the police.
I am fired this time. I don’t care.
I walk out and get in my car. When I look at the building, I see other employees leaving as well. I never knew for certain, but I think they staged a walkout.
I never in my life ever met someone as cold and callous and uncaring as Boss. And I hope I never do.
20.1 Trillion Yuan of Trade despite almost 8.2% reduction with US is staggering
Especially at a time of such impending economic recession
Trade rose with EU (2.75%), BRI (9.30%), Asean (6%), Latin America (7%) , Russia (21.4%) ,Australia (16.4%) & India (3.9%)
Trade reduced only with US (8.2%)
Exports stood at 11.36 Trillion Yuan (4.6% Increase) , Imports at 8.74 Trillion Yuan (0.8% Decrease)
It’s pretty good news for the Chinese
Another good news is that only 43% Transactions were settled in USD while 21% were settled in Yuan, 16% in Euro, 12% in Cross Currencies and 8% in Ruble & Yen
Compare this to 2018 when 71% transactions were settled in USD, 17% in Euro and 3.5% in Yen and only 4% in Yuan and 4% in Cross Currencies
When I went on a business trip to Egypt many years ago, the travel agent booked the flight and hotel. I landed at Cairo ay 22:00 and by the time I’d cleared immigration, collected my bags and got a taxi to the hotel, it was gone midnight. I was pleasantly surprised by the room.
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I thought the travel agent has done well this time. Next morning I was awake at 6:30 and drew back the curtains and on stepped the balcony to see this:
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They had booked me into the Oberoi Mena House Hotel in Giza – right next to the Grand Pyramid.
The Pathology of the Rich – Chris Hedges on Reality Asserts Itself (1/2)
On RAI with Paul Jay, Chris Hedges discusses the psychology of the super rich; their sense of entitlement, the dehumanization of workers, and mistaken belief that their wealth will insulate them from the coming storms.
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This is a MUST MUST MUST watch!
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Pizza Sauce alla Siciliana
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Pizza Sauce Recipe Ingredients
Only SIX ingredients to make this (plus salt and pepper)! They are:
Extra virgin olive oil: This type of olive oil has the most flavor but if standard olive oil is what you’ve got that will work too.
Garlic: The fresh garlic used here adds so much flavor to the sauce. If you want a more mild garlic flavor you can reduce to 1 tsp.
Tomato paste: A crucial ingredient. This adds a rich, concentrated tomato flavor and really thickens up the sauce.
Canned crushed tomatoes: I highly recommend this option vs. tomato sauce. I’ve done a side by side taste test and crushed tomatoes definitely won.
Dried oregano: A key seasoning in pizza sauce, don’t skip this herb.
Fresh basil: Another highlight to this sauce. It really livens up the flavors.
Salt and pepper: As always add this to taste, just be careful not to overdue it. Remember there’s salt in the dough and toppings as well.
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How to Make Pizza Sauce
Only THREE straighforward steps to prepare it:
Saute garlic in oil in a saucepan just briefly.
Stir in tomato paste and let cook 1 minute while stirring.
Off heat stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 2 1/4 cups sauce
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The Gateway Process: the CIA’s Classified Space & Time Travel System That You Can Learn (Really)
Wrestle Your Mailman And Other Small Ways To Feel Happy
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Life is pain and everything is awful. That’s why you need this book of SMALL WAYS TO FEEL HAPPY.
These scientifically proven methods are designed to boost your mood and make you a happier person in mere seconds! Under the name Obvious Plant, Jeff Wysaski is widely recognized as one of the funniest people on the Internet. You’ve seen his work trending on Facebook, Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post. Now, his comedy is available in book form.
Leave: You can see what life looks like without him in it. You can put your best foot forward and not look back. Do the things you’ve always wanted to do but never could. Indulge in your hobbies, be your children’s biggest support fan if you have any. Go back to school, earn a better living, and get to know yourself better. You may even find someone new down the line….
Stay: Unfortunately, everyone makes mistakes. Some mistakes may be bigger than others. You can stay and be supportive. Life in prison for your boyfriend may be taking a toll on him. Consider the reality of things. Maybe he may have the possibility of parole. If he doesn’t lose his “good time”, he may be eligible for parole down the line. Remember all the good times that you guys shared together. Remember the life you guys planned before he received his sentence. Consider the kids if you guys have any. Also consider how long you guys been together and ask yourself if it’s worth losing. Besides, some people do devote themselves to one another and get married. You may even receive conjugal visits which can be a benefit to you and him.
Change the status of your relationship: There’s a way of being there for someone without being in a relationship. It’s called friendship. With the sentence he got, he will need a solid one. He will need someone he can trust and vent to. Being friends is a good option because you guys can be pen pals. You can share photos, letters, and visitations. He may even just want to be friends down the line anyway because in prison, the mind wonders. He may think you’re doing something with someone that you shouldn’t. Being friends draws the line of what he should or shouldn’t be concerned about.
When I got married they gave me a downpayment for a house. Well they didn’t give it to me. They gave it to the realtor. And it was pitifully small. But it was enough to “get my foot in the door” as it were.
And years later my father asked me to manage their finances for him as they were aged and no longer capable. Going through his records I realized that every penny I paid them was deposited into a separate account, and it was emptied by a single cheque to the realtor I had used, then closed.
There were accounts for each of my siblings. All with different amounts, and all emptied in a manner consistent with their recollections of how Mom and Dad helped them in their hours of need.
And then I knew. And then my Father, the greatest, humblest man I have ever known, died.
A cell phone story
On September 11, 2001, Andrea Haberman started her day with a playful ritual she and her fiancé shared whenever they were apart: whoever called the other first thing in the morning won the competition. That day, Andrea won. She took advantage of the time difference and called from a desk in the Carr Future offices high in the North Tower, deciding to arrive early for her 9:00 a.m. meeting.
About 40 minutes after she hung up the phone with him, a hijacked commercial airliner crashed through the building a floor above her. Escape was not possible.
Months later, recovery workers discovered some of Andrea’s personal items in the debris pile at Ground Zero. Among them was the cell phone she used to call her fiancé for the last time. This and some of her other belongings are now part of the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s collection.
I find it very amusing that people in 2023 are still talking about D-Day style beach landings as if it were still 1944…
Taiwan is not France, and it is 2023, not 1944.
It is very unlikely that China is planning beach landings because:
The Taiwan straits are 80 – 100 kilometers across and PRC ships would be targeted with anti-ship missiles (which did not exist in 1944), leading to heavy (and unnecessary) casualties.
Military action would likely start with an air and sea blockade of Taiwan. This would bring Taiwan’s economy to a halt, and the Taiwanese would have an internal discussion about whether they want to fight or talk.
The US and Japan would decide what action they would want to take to break a Chinese blockade. Would they take military action, or just resort to sanctions against China? How would they protect their supply lines across the Pacific?
If war breaks out, it would most likely heavily involve missiles against land and sea targets. First in Taiwan and mainland China, then against US bases in Japan, South Korea and Philippines.
If China wins, the landings will only take place after China has won and Taiwan surrenders.
In 1998 I was working as an advisor for the takeover of Pacificorp by ScottishPower. I went to New York for a week. A very hard week with 20 hour days. I’m not joking.
At the end of the week, I was so tired, I just wanted to get home to Scotland.
But the flight was overbooked. They asked for volunteers to fly the next day. They offered a five star hotel for the next day and, although I was booked into business class, a first class return the next day.
To be honest, I was so tired, I just wanted to go to a hotel and sleep, so I took the offer.
I went to a five star hotel in New York (can’t honestly remember which one it was) and returned to the airport the next day about 8am.
I went to the desk and was told that the first two flights were completely full. But the lady at the desk smiled at me. I knew I was being bumped.
She said “You can go to the first class British Airways lounge (good, not much suffering there)….
AND YOUR FLIGHT BY CONCORDE TAKES OFF AT 11!
Best flight ever. Costing normally $8,000 one way! Mach 2, 1400 mph. And a window seat!
Indrid Cold, the Truth about Planet Lanulos and the Mystery of the Smiling Man
Enjoy this. Don’t take it too seriously.
Hong Kong a national security threat to the US? You’ve got to be joking, Uncle Sam
A ‘national emergency’ order on itself may be more useful as no country poses a greater danger to itself and others than the United States
Hong Kong continues to be a threat to the national security of the United States, according to the White House. That must be news to the city’s population.
In 2020, Donald Trump imposed an executive order that declared a “national emergency” on Hong Kong in response to the introduction of the national security law following riots the year before. Why was that any of Washington’s business? You have to wonder.
Anyway, his successor Joe Biden has again renewed the order this week.
In a note to the US Congress, Biden said: “The situation with respect to Hong Kong, including recent actions taken by [Beijing] to fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.
“Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in [the executive order] with respect to the situation in Hong Kong.”
Wow, not just any threat, but “an unusual and extraordinary threat”! However hard I try to imagine it, I can’t quite see Hongkongers taking up AK-47s and putting on suicide vests to fight America to the death.
I tip my hat to those who ghostwrite for Biden as they must have a wicked sense of irony. On the other hand, it may just be a complete lack of self-awareness as there is not a single country on the planet that remotely rivals the US when it comes to interfering with other countries’ autonomy and domestic affairs.
Last I checked, Hong Kong is still Chinese territory. Beijing is understandably angry. The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong has issued a rebuttal. But I think the US emergency order is not necessarily a bad thing in the long run.
“The extension of the so-called ‘national emergency’ shows the frustration and ‘paper tiger’ nature of the US side after it failed to disrupt Hong Kong and use Hong Kong to contain China,” the commissioner’s office of the ministry said. “It will only make the world see more clearly how egoistic, bottomless and hegemonic the US is.”
Yeah, take that, Biden!
Not to be outdone, the Hong Kong government has come up with its own no-holds-barred response.
“Their [US] despicable plots are doomed to fail,” a local spokesman said. “The [Hong Kong] government despises the so-called national emergency with respect to Hong Kong and ‘sanctions’ and shall not be intimidated.”
Mousy no more, the city is finally learning to speak like a true wolf warrior.
Under the US presidential executive order, renewable every year, Hong Kong companies no longer receive preferential treatment as being separate from those in mainland China; and SAR passport holders have to apply for a visa to the US by the same criteria as mainland Chinese. Hong Kong will just be treated like any other city in mainland China. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad, if it’s cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou.
But for ordinary Hongkongers, it will be harder to visit the United States. Now that’s a good thing, if I may say so. It may even save some lives.
The random gun violence, high crime rates and widespread homelessness, racism against Asians, a drugged-out fentanyl-induced population of “zombies” in major cities … I say, nah, Hong Kong tourists would be better off visiting many well-managed developing countries. They will be cheaper and safer.
And let’s not forget racist and trigger-happy US cops, and immigration and homeland security officers who can disappear you into a black hole of detention centres and jails at border crossings. Good luck getting out once you are trapped inside. Just ask those Latin American refugees at the US southern border.
You know what? I think America should declare a national emergency on itself to save the country from implosion.
But Hong Kong will do fine. Just leave it alone, please!
“Ukraine’s army is being ANNIHILATED thanks to NATO’s plan” – Scott Ritter
The most valuable metal in the world is rhodium, a silver-white, hard, corrosion-resistant inert transition metal. Rhodium belongs to the platinum group of metals and has the chemical symbol Rh and the atomic number 45. Rhodium is extremely rare and scarce, accounting for only 0.001 parts per million of the Earth’s crust. It is mostly produced as a by-product of platinum and palladium mining and refining.
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Rhodium has several unique properties that make it highly desirable for various applications. It has the highest melting point and lowest density of all the platinum group metals. It has excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion, even at high temperatures. It has high reflectivity and electrical conductivity. It also has catalytic properties that enable it to reduce harmful emissions from vehicles and industries.
Rhodium is mainly used in the automotive industry as a coating for catalytic converters, which help convert toxic gases into less harmful ones. Rhodium is also used in other industries, such as jewelry, electronics, glass manufacturing, chemical production, and nuclear reactors.
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Rhodium is very expensive because of its rarity and usefulness. According to the London Metal Exchange (LME), the price of rhodium as of November 22nd 2021 was $26,223 per ounce or $842 per gram. This is more than 15 times the price of gold and more than 100 times the price of silver. The price of rhodium has increased by more than 30% this year due to strong demand from the automotive industry and limited supply from the mining industry.
Rhodium is also very volatile because of its low liquidity and high speculation. The price of rhodium can change dramatically depending on market conditions and events. For example, in 2008, the price of rhodium reached a record high of $10,025 per ounce due to strong demand from China and India. However, in 2009, the price of rhodium plummeted to $763 per ounce due to the global financial crisis and reduced demand.
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Rhodium is not easy to invest in because of its high price and low availability. There are no exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or futures contracts for rhodium. The only ways to invest in rhodium are to buy physical bars or coins from dealers or brokers or to buy shares of companies that produce or use rhodium.
Things that make you think
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How Americans Got So Stupid
Easiest Homemade Pizza Dough
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Ingredients
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, divided
Instructions
Combine yogurt and 1 cup flour in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary until combined.
Knead on medium high for 5 minutes.
Slowly add additional flour as necessary to help dough come together. Depending on how thick your yogurt is, you may need up to an extra 1/2 cup of flour.
Dust clean counter top with flour and remove dough from bowl. Knead a few turns until dough is tacky, but not sticky. Roll out and add toppings as desired.
Bake in a preheated 450 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Yield: 2 medium pizza crusts or one extra large pizza crust
We had a cat named Nova. She was a tortieshell cat and was very much a “love me for 30 seconds and then leave me alone for the rest of the day’ type of cat. She was always very shy around strangers and typically ran and hid when anyone came over. Once we had kids she would tolerate them for a few minutes at a time, but invariably found a hiding spot where she couldn’t be bothered.
One night around my son’s first birthday, he got really sick, which was exceedingly unusual for him. It was the first night that he was up literally ALL night crying, coughing, and just feeling generally miserable. We felt so bad for him as there was nothing we could do for him other than give him meds and be there with him.
After a few hours of him crying, and us feeling like terrible parents for our lack of capacity to help, this extremely anti-social cat jumped up on the bed and crawled on top of him and just sat there with him, purring.
As soon as she sat with him, he started petting (slapping and grabbing, more accurately) her and stopped crying.
She stayed there for hours comforting him, through all the infant abuse. And it allowed us to get a few winks of sleep here and there.
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I’ve never seen a character-shift so rapidly in an animal like that before but it absolutely made us flabbergasted (and grateful)
She was a good kitty
“She’s gonna kill me for this picture, but can we just give it up for nurses for a minute?
My twin sister Caty just wrapped up her fourth shift in a row. That’s around 53+ hours in four days. That’s not including the 1.5 hours she’s in the car each day. She usually doesn’t get a chance to eat lunch or even drink much water (and she has to dress like a blueberry…I mean, come on). She is so good at what she does that she often forgets how to take care of herself while she’s taking care of her patients.
This picture is from a night back in July where she came to my house after a particularly hard day. She delivered a stillborn. Have you guys ever really thought about what a labor and delivery nurse sees?
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They see great joy in smooth deliveries and healthy moms and babies. They see panic and anxiety when a new mom is scared. They see fear when a stat c-section is called. They see peace when the mom has support from her family, because not all new moms do. They see teenagers giving birth. They see an addicted mom give birth to a baby who is withdrawing. They see Child Protective Services come. They see funeral homes come. Did you know that they have to make arrangements for the funeral home to come pick up the baby? I didn’t either.
Caty, and all other nurses, you are SPECIAL. You bless your patients and their families more than you will ever know. Thank you for all that you do.”
Reacting to Oliver Anthony “Rich Men North Of Richmond” FOR THE FIRST TIME!
A new store opened near the apartment where I was living. I was in the middle of a divorce and got laid off from work. My truck broke down, there was a death in the family, and the cheap apartment complex was home to 2 rival gangs. It was a very bad period in my life. I went to the store (Albertson’s) mostly to see if they had anything on sale or maybe had some food samples, as I was very broke. Wandering through the store, I heard the manager make an announcement that they were about to have a big giveaway. Then he announced that the first person wearing any Houston Rockets clothing to make it up to the first cashier would win the prize. I happened to be wearing an old Rockets t-shirt, so I headed towards the front. There were some older ladies shopping in the aisle I was walking through and they started waving and telling me to run! I got up there and won 2 large sacks full of Albertson’s brand food. That kept me in food for 2 weeks while I worked to get my finances in order. Yeah, some of it was cheap stuff – like “chocolate-colored” cookies instead of real chocolate ones, but when you’re broke and hungry, it’s all good.
Footnote: I never had any trouble with the gangs. When I moved out, a neighbor told me that they had been watching me and my weird schedule confused them. (I would go to interviews at odd times and I had some odd jobs that I picked up. Also my situation caused insomnia, so I’d take walks around the complex at maybe 3 a.m.) The gangs discussed me and decided that I was either a narc (narcotics cop) or a spy. Seriously, they thought I might be a spy. I went to the mailboxes one night and two groups were facing off. They looked at me and backed away, treating me like royalty. “Nice evening, isn’t it, sir.” Truth is often stranger than fiction. Eventually I found a job, finalized the divorce, met someone who treated me decently, etc. – and then we moved on to various new problems to deal with because that’s life.
Cat Women Of The Moon (1953) full length sci-fi movie
It is at the stage where the icy water is lapping on the decks, and the deck chairs are starting to float on cold dark water. There’s a tilt to the deck. Some of the chairs are sliding on the wood surface, and there is a real list to the ship.
People are starting to quietly scream, but a steward walks over to the upset ones, and calmly helps them put on a life-vest.
ALL of the lifeboats are launched and rowing away.
You can hear the barking orders in the dark mist rowing away.
Those that remain on the ship are freaking out. Really freaking out, and scrambling. They are clustered in worried groups whispering to each other, while some are getting shit-faced drunk.
A few are trying to rush about. While others are pretending nothing is going on. Some are trying to talk to someone wishing some soft and soothing words.
But all in all, it’s worrisome.
Panic has set in.
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Pretty soon, and really quickly, its going to get really bad, and REALLY noticeable.
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And then…
Right after that, the various “lights” are going to dim out. One by one. Sounds will start to build up. Low rumbles, discord, and open strange behaviors.
It’s going to be a real fright.
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This might look sudden.
But it isn’t. It is the result of many decades of long and thoughtful planning by merit driven experts based on history and experience. While the inept, and corrupt are busy butt-fucking each other while they are throwing money into the air with rapacious abandon.
And inside the “West” people are starting to eat each other…
Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | Italian-Ukrainian Reacts
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Any idea why my answer was deleted on Quoria?
I can’t figure it out. It’s not offensive. It’s a popular answer, and I said what? Five sentences.
As the United States collapses, all of the lies, tricks, and subterfuge becomes evident. Many of us are aghast at how we have been duped for so long, when all the evidence is right there before us.
Taxes are way above what they need to be. Public services are far below the minimum standards. Merit has all been eliminated from the government and replaced with a convoluted system of nepotism based on ever-changing progressive standards.
What is real and what is false? No one knows. At this period of late-stage collapse, we need to question everything. Even our most cherished beliefs.
Fifth five years after Apollo 11, NASA had planned to return to the moon in 2025
EXCEPT that they wont be because they “are NOT ready”
Fifth plus year after Apollo 11, NASA is not able to return to the moon
this time, technology has advanced so greatly that the world will be able to track that return to the moon
when you look at the considerable AND overwhelming evidence
it is clear that NASA never went to the moon in the first place in 1969
internet sleuths have effectively debunked a moon landing confirming what have long been suspected
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I would be surprised if NASA can return to the moon at all in this decade
Americans and the world have been fooled
one of America greatest exceptionalism is a lie
as are MANY things that Americans have been manipulated into believing about themselves
That is why all data, designs and tapes of Apollo 11 have been “lost” in order to bury that lie
Chicken Verde Tacos
Slowcooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
8 tomatillos, husks removed
2 or 3 poblano peppers
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Cilantro, washed thoroughly
3 or 4 tablespoons canola or olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Corn tortillas (you can also use soft flour tortillas, if preferred)
1 roasted chicken (I use store bought rotisserie chicken because it’s easy)
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange tomatillos on a tray and roast for about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Turn oven to 475 degrees F.
Put poblanos on foiled lined baking sheet and roast until skins turn bubbling and partly black. (You can also do this on a grill). Once charred, remove peppers from oven and let cool. When cooled, peel off skins, remove stems and seeds. (If you like spicier food, leave seeds in peppers.)
In a small pan, sauté chopped onion and garlic in enough oil (about 3 tablespoons) so the garlic does not burn. Sauté until onions are softened and slightly translucent. Remove from heat and combine the tomatillos, poblano peppers and the onion and garlic mixture (oil included) into a blender and throw in a handful of cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1 tablespoon of sugar to balance the bitterness of the tomatillos. Blend until smooth. (Taste after blending. If still slightly bitter, add more sugar to taste.
Meanwhile, take chicken, remove skin and break up meat into shredded pieces. Make sure no bones get in. Put the shredded chicken into pan used to sauté onions and garlic, pour verde sauce over top and heat on medium-low heat until warmed through.
Heat tortillas by package directions. Fill each with chicken verde mixture. Eat as is or you can add your favorite toppings like hot sauce, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes or lettuce.
Richard Wolff | How PATHETIC Has America Become Under THIS SYSTEM?
The system MUST change! What a great video. Fundamentals. Must watch.
In a neutral set up , any half decent economist would be hailing China’s 5.5% growth so far as PHENOMENAL
Yet the very fact that this is talked of negatively shows how badly economics has been compromised for Political Propaganda
Chinas real estate reforms were the boldest in recent history by anyone trying to subside a bubble
The Lockdowns
The Hostile Trade restrictions globally
They all contributed to a large chunk of China’s growth forced to be slowed
Yet China grew at 5.5% indicating a shocking level of resilience and strength
Growing Technological expansion and a deep expansion into domestic markets and focus on private enterprise and plenty of stimulus is China’s way of adding to its economy to fight off US and Western trade throttling & Sluggishness due to weak demand
This alone Shows China is one of the very few Economies on earth which can survive and even grow under hostile US decoupling
Jimmy Dore’s Wikipedia Page Edited By CIA!
In 2007 a hacker and tech whiz named Virgil Griffith revealed that the CIA, FBI and a host of large corporations and government agencies were editing pages on Wikipedia to their own benefit (or the benefit of associates). Now Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger is reporting that the intelligence agencies are still at it, routinely editing pages relating to the Iraq War body count, treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and China’s nuclear program. Jimmy and The Convo Couch host Craig Jardula discuss this modern-day version of information warfare taking place on the pages of Wikipedia.
OMG, people criticize everything about China. Really, there’s nothing but negative news about China. It really seems like Chinese people are a hopeless bunch.
IMO, China’s education system is fairly good. It drums the basics into students’ heads. I very strongly believe that students who have that foundational knowledge are more likely to be innovators than people who don’t know the basics.
Americans believe that American schools are superior to China’s.
American media claim that Chinese people are incapable of critical thinking.
Basically, Americans, Koreans and Indians believe that Chinese people are dummies.
Is it really a matter of opinion, or are Americans and their lackeys correct?
They say that being at the bottom of the PISA chart below makes Americans more innovative. Wouldn’t that also mean that countries like India who didn’t make it on the chart are phenomenally innovative?
However, would you believe that most innovators in the USA are IMMIGRANTS?
Putin isn’t a Fool – The Mother of all Miscalculations | Dmitry Orlov
Dmitry Orlov was born in Leningrad, USSR, into an academic family, and emigrated to the US in the mid-1970s. He holds degrees in Computer Engineering and Linguistics, and has worked in a variety of fields, including high-energy physics, Internet commerce, network security and advertising. He is the author of several previous books, including Reinventing Collapse and The Five Stages of Collapse.
I was driving and started to have car problems. I pulled into a convenience store gas station. Being in the midst of a divorce, barely making any money and feeling broke and alone, needing to pick up my son at his daycare over 20 miles away (to be charged $5/minute late fee after 6:00 pm), I suddenly felt lost and unsure of what to do next.
The cashier saw me and asked if everything was alright. Guessing I looked on the verge of tears. I told her the situation and that I didn’t feel like I had a friend in the world and didn’t have a clue what to do. She came and put her arm around me and said, “Don’t you worry about a thing, honey; we’re going to take care of this”, and made a phone call.
Tow truck arrived and towed my car, while the wife/owner of the tow truck company drove me the 20+ miles to pick up my 3 year old son, then drove us both back to their house to share a large family-style dinner with them, while the husband worked on my car. But first he drove about 100 miles up and back to pick up the correct part as it was a Friday and they didn’t want me to have to wait and be without my car for the weekend. Several hours later, my car was fixed.
Grateful but wondering how I was going to pay for all of this, I asked if I could make payments.
Husband and wife told me “The part was $50; pay for that and you are good to go”. OMG, I about broke down crying in appreciation for their incredible and generous kindness to a distraught stranger they could have instead just ignored or even gouged, but instead chose to go out of their way to make everything right. What angels they were being put in my path. That was 32 years ago, yet it still brings tears to my eyes just writing about it, never to be forgotten.
The economy is in such a state that men don’t have enough money to care for elderly parents and support their wives and children. Even in good years their lives are bitter while, in bad years, they struggle to avoid starvation and death. Under such circumstances, how can you expect them to be civil – let alone lawful? Mencius, 320 BC.
The third conclusion is that the conceptualization of poverty is not something that can be taken for granted. For Gao villagers, currently what is poor is defined by the inability to build a house that is up to the current standard, and to get the family’s son or sons properly married. China may still be a developing country, but daily necessities such as food and shelter are no longer the only aims and purpose of life for most people, even the poorest in Gao Village. Mobo Gao, Gao Village Revisited. 2018.
In the beginning
In 1850, when the West monopolized the world’s wealth, its capitalists privatized credit, land and labor and subordinated human society to their wishes by manipulating the market economy they had thus created.
In 1950, China, the poorest nation on earth, subordinated credit, land, and labor to public welfare and created an organic economy to serve society.
Poverty & Inequality
Today, China is focused on reducing inequality, but a brief recap of how poverty was eliminated contextualizes the new campaign.
In 1993, Shanghai’s successful Minimum Livelihood Guarantee Trial Spot went national, becoming today’s dībǎo, which pays the difference between people’s actual income and the ‘dībǎo line,’ based on local living costs and gives recipients discretionary money and access to benefits like medical insurance.
In 2000, the UN set six Millennium Development Goals: eliminate extreme poverty, hunger, disease, inadequate shelter, exclusion, and gender bias in education by 2015. China took up the challenge and ever since, on Poverty Relief Day, the President and Prime Minister, trailed by TV crews, visit remote villages to remind urbanites what poverty looks like.
in 2008, an ethnic Miao family featured on TV owned a little adobe house, farmed their tiny plot, sold blood, and did odd jobs to get by. With three children (minorities are exempt from family planning), they were unable to afford furniture so their clothes were folded on the floor and their entertainment was a black-and-white TV. They received a monthly living allowance of two hundred dollars from the local government, the husband’s occasional day jobs earned ten to twenty dollars, and blood-selling brought in another hundred dollars. His wife said this paid for sixty pounds of rice, two packs of salt, a kilo of peppers and a bag of washing powder, electricity and transportation. Their village headman explained, “Our village population is 1,770 and more than two hundred people live on blood-selling. Our land is arid, seven hundred villagers’ homes have no arable land at all and, without a road, they walk three miles for drinking water”.
In 2009, rural pensions lowered poverty to fourteen percent then, in 2014, workers’ compensation, maternity benefits, unemployment insurance, skills training and equal access to urban employment reduced it to seven percent.
By 2016, urban poverty had disappeared and by June 1, 2021, almost every Chinese in the lower half of the income distribution owned a home free and clear.
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In 2018, tens of thousands of anti-poverty teams moved into poor villages to help them join the cash economy by growing mushrooms, planting pear trees, raising mohair goats, or hosting eco-tourists–anything to bring them into the cash economy.
Pinned to the door of every poor household was a laminated sheet listing its occupants, the causes of their poverty, their remediation program, a completion date and the name, photograph and phone number of the responsible official. Corporations pitched in. Foxconn, Apple’s assembler, moved two-hundred thousand jobs inland, Hewlett-Packard moved huge factories to Xinjiang, and Beijing moved entire universities. But it was infrastructure–roads, railways, Internet and drones–that tipped the scales.
By 2019, lives in one-hundred twenty-three thousand poor villages had been transformed by high-speed, low-cost Internet service that made e-commerce, distance education, remote healthcare and delivery of public services possible. Isolated villages soon averaged four daily drone pickups and demand for drone piloting classes exploded as crop-spraying, land surveying, and product delivery made off-farm employment the majority of rural income.
To combat isolation, Congress spent $120 billion from vehicle sales tax revenues building 150,000 miles of rural roads, one of which reached Mashuping, an isolated cliff village on the bank of the Yellow River and one of the poorest in Shaanxi Province. Villagers cultivated apples and Sichuan pepper trees but were forced to sell their produce cheaply to the few dealers who came by motorbike. Then a new five-hundred mile, riverbank highway brought ‘targeted anti-poverty teams’ and, said a grower, “Our apples sell out while they’re still hanging on the trees”. By 2019, per capita income was twice the national poverty level.
Villages like Liangjiahe, where Xi Jinping grew up, exploit unique niches. Though cabbage fields still line its single road, its canny inhabitants cultivate tourists, charging thousands of visitors $8 each to hear tales of Xi’s Four Hardships–flea bites, bad food, hard labour, and assimilating into the peasantry. They give three hundred overnight guests a taste of Xi’s boyhood in cave inns decorated with vintage Mao posters and kerosene lanterns and furnished with hard brick beds warmed by earth stoves. “All authentic, of course. We want to protect the Liangjiahe brand image,” a young guide brightly explains.
Dedicated software apps help rural laborers connect with employment opportunities, veterans and disabled folk find piecework, and young people returning home start businesses. In one Zhejiang Trial Spot, five hundred villages employ 200,000 locals to promote local products and skills in e-commerce niches where villages have organized into clusters around market towns.
By 2019, rural online stores employed thirty-million people, creating an e-commerce market bigger than Europe’s.
Beijing judged anti-poverty programs successful when ninety percent of villagers swear, in writing, that they are no longer poor, and after roaming teams of auditors conduct followup studies and send their video reports to anti-poverty officers.
ROI
Beijing plans to recoup its entire poverty alleviation investment by 2040, mostly through e-sales taxes. Accelerating inland growth has triggered coastal labor shortages and forced employers to automate, raise productivity, and move up the value chain–just as Beijing intended. Today, adjusted for productivity, regulations and benefits, Chinese employees cost their employers more than their American cousins, yet barely two percent of them pay taxes.
Inequality
Until recently, millions of migrant workers who contributed to urban retirement funds could only collect full pensions in their home provinces, and local governments had no money for them when they returned at the end of their working lives. Despite pleas from cash-starved inland provinces, rich coastal provinces clung to multi-billion surpluses.
So Beijing created a trillion-dollar National Pension Insurance Program using money from SOE stock sales and, in 2011 and strong-armed provinces to join it. The People’s Daily drummed up support by appealing to national pride, “In developed countries like America – whose Gini index sometimes reaches .41 – income disparities are eased through gradually increasing taxation on the wealthy and improving welfare systems to help the poor. China should learn from America’s experience.”
In 2014, civil servants and academics, under pressure from Xi, joined the national pension plan and, in 2019, Beijing issued a billion electronic social security cards that access personal and medical records, dispense social security benefits, receive government subsidies and reimbursements and pay bills.
As wealth redistribution becomes a priority, economists are finding that inequality statistics have been exaggerated because land, housing and food are much cheaper inland – though quality of care is identical. Rural incomes have fifty percent more purchasing power than the same wages in a coastal city.
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When they adjusted for temporary migration, inequality shrank even further. Until 2019, economists counted people by where their hukou were registered rather than where they actually lived, so the movement of three hundred million migrant workers distorted statistics severely. In reality, the coastal provinces have millions more migrant residents than their registered populations and the inland provinces have millions less, so a worker moving from the interior to the coast lifts inequality indicators because – though she is still counted as living in her rural home – she contributes to aggregate income at her coastal location.
Relativity
When analysts corrected this error, they found that regional inequality has been falling 1.1% annually since 1978.
In 2002, it took the combined earnings of fourteen Guizhou workers to equal one Shanghainese but, by 2020, the number had dropped to five. Nor is the structural gap as painful as it sounds. Inlanders and their friends get richer every year and, to them, Shanghai’s glitzy lifestyle is no more relevant than Manhattan’s is to folks in Little Rock, AK.
In 2023, residents of coastal Guangdong Province were four times richer than those in inland Gansu – but Gansu folk were better off than Armenians or Ukrainians – while …
Busted, China’s Defense Minister At Security Forum Reveal What Will China Do In Response To U.S
Busted, China’s Defense Minister At Security Forum Reveal What Will China Do In Response To U.S
In this video, we reveal the shocking statements made by China’s Defense Minister at a recent Security Forum.
The Minister openly discussed what China’s response would be in the event of a US offensive, providing unprecedented insights into China’s military strategy.
We analyze the implications of these statements, exploring the potential consequences of a conflict between the two superpowers.
Join us as we delve into this important topic and examine the current state of US-China relations, and what this could mean for the future of global security.
Don’t miss out on this exclusive look into the mind of China’s Defense Minister and the potential implications for the world.
The United States, for all of its 800+ military bases, high technology planes and submarines, and for it being involved in over 9 continuous wars all over the globe… it ONLY have 50,000 combat troops.
China has 915,000 active duty troops, of which a full 210,000 are combat troops.
…
Now, let’s do the math.
Assuming that the United States deploys 100% of it’s combat troops in China to fight the Chinese, the Chinese would out number the combat forces by a 4.5x margin. Not a 10x margin.
…
So, no, your friend is wrong.
He means well, but his numbers are off. China would meet parity with the United States with 1/5 of it’s total force. Not 1/10th.
Or 20% of it’s combat reserves. Of course, this assumes that Chinese missiles would not be used, nor the huge advantages in technology, numbers, bases, and other attributes that the Chinese have inside of China. This is a “sanity check” that is available for everyone to crunch the numbers with. What is amazing to me is that the American population has been so dumbed down into a state of numb stupidity, that they are unable to perform the most basic third grade level calculations.
The Last Gasps of the Collapsing Empire | Dan Kovalik
The leading opposition candidate for President of Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio, was Assassinated today. He was shot to death leaving a Campaign rally. Video Below (Not gory).
Villavicencio, a member of the country’s national assembly, was attacked as he left the event in the northern city of Quito on Wednesday.
A member of his campaign team told local media Mr Villavicencio was getting into a car when a man stepped forward and shot him in the head.
Current president Guillermo Lasso vowed the “crime will not go unpunished”.
Witnesses said Mr Villavicencio, 59, was shot three times.
The suspect was also shot in an exchange of bullets with security and later died from his injuries, the country’s attorney general said on social media.
Washington believes it has a divine right to send its warships wherever it wants, but when ‘rivals’ do the same it’s deemed a threat
By Timur Fomenko, a political analyst
Last week, the US sent a group of warships and a reconnaissance plane to waters off the coast of Alaska after Chinese and Russian vessels conducted a joint naval patrol in the area.
A former US Navy captain and analyst for right-wing think tank the Heritage Foundation described
the patrol as “highly provocative.” Because the US and its allies would never, ever do something like that, right?
The US is engaged in the full-blown militarisation of the peripheries of both China and Russia in a manner that implies it has an unconditional right to do so. This behaviour has not only provoked one war, in Ukraine, but risks triggering a second one, over the Taiwan Strait, too. The reality, of course, is that neither Russia nor China poses any threat to Alaska whatsoever, because the conflict, or risk thereof, is at their own front doors, not America’s.
The US is the most militaristic and aggressive country in modern history. It has established a global military presence that spans every single continent with hundreds of military bases. In doing so, it claims it supports the freedom and self-determination of others. In reality, it provocatively encircles states that it deems rivals to its own global dominance, escalates tensions, and then when these states respond to the situation, subsequently brands them as the “aggressors,” thus affirming and even expanding its military footprint in these given regions.
With Russia, the US has pursued a relentless expansion of NATO eastwards since the Cold War, absorbing former members of the Soviet Union’s alliance system even when Russia had no will to compete with it. NATO has evolved from a unit of collective self-defence in a specific geographic region into an increasingly global ideological crusade which serves the goals of the US. The words “North Atlantic” in its name are increasingly redundant as Washington even endeavours to broaden its reach to Asia and the Pacific.
Which leads to the next point, China. The US is pushing for a full-scale military and naval encirclement around China’s eastern periphery, deliberately using the Taiwan independence issue as a wedge to ramp up tensions despite the One China Policy and giving the island region more and more arms. While doing this, it is forcing more and more countries to accept a greater American military presence. This recently included the Philippines, where the US gained access to a number of bases, as well as Papua New Guinea, where a defence cooperation agreement was recently signed
. At the same time, the US constantly sails warships through the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, citing so-called “freedom of navigation” from a law which it does not even ratify. China’s retaliatory actions are then branded “aggressive” and threatening the peace of the region.
If this constitutes normal behaviour and a sovereign right of the US, why can China and Russia not sail patrols up to Alaskan waters? Why is one behaviour described as “freedom of navigation” but the other is labelled “highly provocative”? The reality is that because both countries are concerned about the US on their doorsteps, they have little interest in ever waging war as far afield in Alaska. The same cannot be said about US actions on their doorsteps, whereby the threat of war is very, very real and is being cranked up even higher by Washington. The US deems it has rights which other countries do not, which leads to the double standards voiced in the media regarding these seemingly equal actions.
China-Russia military cooperation is a product of the US antagonising them both, rather than so-called “provocative behaviour.” In the geographic sphere of Northeast Asia, the two countries have shared strategic interests which concern checking the expansion of US military power in Japan and the Korean Peninsula. This extends to the Northern Pacific. Neither country has any specific ambitions regarding Alaska. Neither China nor Russia is attempting to foster an independence or separatist movement there, unlike what the US is doing with Taiwan, and then groom it into a military partner hostile to Washington. Therein lies the difference between the two sets of military behaviour. China and Russia may cooperate for common strategic objectives, but they are not exerting aggression in the process. On the other hand, the US’ military presence and patrols are designed to upend a region and turn countries against other, provoke strife, and of course advance its economic goals. The irony is that media discourse presents this as entirely normal and justified, but then depicts Russia-China cooperation as a potential threat to Alaska.
TSMC Isn’t A U.S Servant Will Take China’s Order of 7nm Chips!
A real harsh REALITY. And some great changes… none of which is being reported by the West.
In 2009, after the Global Financial Crisis, PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said, “The world needs an international reserve currency that is disconnected from individual nations and able to remain stable in the long run, removing the inherent deficiencies caused by using credit-based national currencies.” He proposed Special Drawing Rights, SDRs, digital reserve currency valued against a basket of commodities and currencies. The SDRs have been trialled internationally since 2019 but a means of moving it around securely, quickly, and cheaply was lackinguntil..
Enter mBridge
Cross-border payments, which the US dollar dominates, will reach $250 trillion by 2027, up $100 trillion in a decade. There’s just no stopping it.
The trouble is that international payments are slow and costly, and Washington’s ‘long-arm’ jurisdiction over all dollar transactions has politicized trade.
So Basle’s Bank for International Settlements came up with mBridge.
mBridge, the BIS’ digital interbank payment system, lets Chinese companies pay UAE vendors in digital e-yuan. The mBridge blockchain instantly converts the yuan payment into dirham and and credits it to the vendor’s UAE bank account. mBridge 6-8 ms. execution time and 2.2¢ transaction cost bring Beijing’s goal of frictionless trade a giant step closer.
And best of all? No US regulators, banks, or dollars are involved.
Cause for concern
The PBOC (the world’s richest central bank), the HK Monetary Authority, Bank of Thailand and the UAE Central Bank have been using mBridge with traders in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the UAE for over a year.
Now BIS says it will release mBridge globally by Xmas.
US Treasury officials worry that mBridge will help Beijing revolutionize wholesale cross-border digital payments, and that this is what will happen with all of China’s 143 trading partners:…
Prof. Richard Wolff on “If the Economy’s So Good, How Come I Feel So Bad?”
this is really good. Take the time to listen to what he has to say.
When it comes to weapons exports, China never sells its latest products and technology unless it has a newer technology to replace it, which it has not yet announced.
This means that if China announces the sale of J-20 stealth fighters for export, it means that the replacement for the J-20 will be announced soon.
Unlike in most Western cultures, the Chinese prefer that everyone, especially their enemy, underestimate their capabilities.
Just because the US or UK or the West don’t hear from someone for a month, doesn’t mean he has gone missing
This obessession of always talking to the press every day is slavish and a Western compulsion
Same with Tweeting every day
He simply has not been seen in the Public Domain
Why should the Chinese care about why he has not been seen??
It’s not their problem right?
The CPC has a message
It’s called MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
In China, it is the business of the CPC to run the country, govern the country and help it develop and grow and regulate policies to sustain the country and defend the country
The Average Citizens have their own business — Work Hard, Take advantage of the free and heavily subsidized education, Do well, Pay Taxes and ENJOY LIFE — take vacations, buy stuff, play games, have fast food
China is not India
The Average Chinese doesn’t spend all his time discussing Modi vs Raga or saying “Ayega to Modi Hi”
He doesn’t even know the names of most standing committee members and won’t recognise them if they stood in front of him without escort or the party’s No 8 Cars
The CPC tells the Citizens what they HAVE TO KNOW
The CPC doesn’t need to tell them anything more because it won’t be productive
The CPC won’t tell all the problems to the Citizens because the Citizens knowing the problems is counter productive and could complicate stuff
Instead the CPC SOLVES THE PROBLEMS and ensures that the Citizens don’t even feel the negative effects
The CPC will take care of the Governance
The CPC will replace ministers and members if they cannot be fully capable of doing their job which underlies the Meritocracy of the Chinese System
In India, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj worked for a year despite taking cancer treatments half the time
Not in China
China wants 100% and if they don’t get it — you get a golden handshake and a goodbye
You want my opinion
I love such a system and the opacity
Knowing only what I NEED TO KNOW and being protected by a system and confident in such a system is very productive and helps me focus on what my business should be
The Greatest Growth and Development in the world took place under such a system
IT WAS CALLED MONARCHY !!!!!
The World’s greatest inventions — Machine Guns, Spinning Jenny, Steam Engine, Dynamite, Shopping, Telegraph and Modern Banking all took place under this system
Where the Common men did what their business man and where the people who should rule, did their job and ruled
Mixing them was catastrophic and luckily China hasn’t done that yet
Note:—
My point here is to hail the opacity of China and the CPC and not discuss why Qin Gang didn’t make a public appearance for 3 weeks
The Opacity for whatever reason is what makes China the world’s fastest rising threat to the West and it’s degraded political systems
Chilighetti
Quick, easy and delicious! Chilighetti is a great way to feed a hungry family.
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Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 level teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces*
2 (16 ounce) can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream (optional)
Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender, crumbling the beef; drain.
Stir in tomato juice, water, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add spaghetti. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-13 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Stir in beans; heat through.
Top servings with sour cream and Cheddar cheese, if desired.
Notes
* Spaghetti may be left unbroken if desired.
Your Threats Are Meaningless Now
Please watch this clip, and consider that us as soul are living in a Prison Planet ourselves… I am interested in your thoughts after viewing this clip.
Today, while taking my daughter back from Kindergarten, I saw a dead kitten in the road in front of me. It was dead maybe 10 to 15 minutes. A black and white medium hair Tuxedo kitten. Perhaps six weeks old. It was gone, as its entire back was splattered goo.
I cannot stop thinking about this little guy. I cannot shake the image, and the feelings for something that I have no personal connection with. It’s tough, and difficult.
Strangely, a few hours later, as I was musing about this kitten, I felt it visit me. Briefly. Of course, we did not know each other, and it did not try to communicate. Just checking out my porch momentarily and then moving on.
I believe that my thoughts attracted it. Even for such a moment.
But my thoughts are part of my personality; and you know, my personality is pre-programmed by others. Whether it is Domain or what have you.
How many of us are living a fated life where our actions and behaviors are all preprogrammed by others?
Originally Answered: What one thing do you wish you had known about life when you were in your 20s?
One time when I was 25 I went shopping for an engagement ring for my girlfriend. We had been together for three years and my dad kept asking when I would marry her. My friends kept asking. Her friends kept asking. Her dad kept asking her and she would tell me.
We were living together. And I liked her. Maybe I loved her.
But I started to shiver when I was looking at rings in the store. My friend who I was with took one look at me and quoted a lyric from an MC 900 Ft Jesus song: “Something’s gonna happen and it’s probably not good.”
So I didn’t buy the ring. We didn’t get married. She moved out. We moved to different cities. I called her once a few years later but now she’s not even on Facebook and we haven’t talked since.
That sums up the 20s – EVERYTHING you think is important and meaningful has absolutely no bearing on your future life.
I loved her. I had a job. I was writing novels. I had friends. I was a computer programmer.
Now…none of the above is true. (oh, I have friends. Just different friends – 100% different).
And everything in my 30s….nothing is true anymore (except I have two kids still. Although now they are not babies. Now they are smarter than me).
I’m 48 now.
My most recent career change occurred when I was 47. Before that, I started writing seriously (I wrote 5 very unserious books in my 30s) when I was 42.
In my 20s and 30s my average weight was about 155 – 170. Now it’s 140. I write every day. I don’t obsess on money all day long. And I make bad decisions all day long – just like I did in my 20s.
The main skill I got between my 20s and now is that I bounce back from bad things faster.
I was VERY successful in my late 20s. And then a TOTAL FAILURE after. Then VERY SUCCESSFUL. And so on.
So that didn’t change. Only my ability to bounce back from really bad things. Horrible things. Things you wouldn’t want to wish on anyone and yet they happen, in some form or other, to everyone.
So the only thing I can with full integrity say I wish I had known is: nothing at all matters. Oh, and since nothing matters, once you realize that you’ll start to bounce back faster.
And since nothing matters, might as well be kind to people as much as possible. We can all laugh at the same joke at the end of this very long day.
Surveys of Americans asking them where certain countries are on an unmarked map. Not obscure ones (I myself would have trouble with Ivory Coast) but ones that are in the news all the time like…
North Korea
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Iran.
Note about twenty guesses put it solidly in the United States
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Ukraine.
Again, five guesses were solidly in the United States.
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Here’s the problem -people who have no idea where these countries are tend to favour military solutions. People who place them correctly (which is a small minority) tend to favour diplomacy.
First Time Reaction to Boston – Foreplay/ Long Time
I can just picture the cold can of beer between my legs and the joint being rolled on the dash…
When I was fired at a large financial services organization, the head of HR essentially told me to clean out my desk and leave. I was a participant in a number of executive compensation programs, and no provision was being made to give me some/any of that money. I knew others had been treated differently when they were terminated.
I called my former boss (the ex-company president) who had been fired 2 weeks earlier and asked him what he thought I should do. He said, “Call the guys in the field. The field loves you.” This was at around 10:00 am.
So I called every senior salesperson I knew—and asked them to call the CEO on my behalf. All I asked was that I be treated fairly.
At 2:00 pm, the head of HR called me to say that the CEO had gotten the message and my “little campaign” worked—I could “call off my dogs.”
I negotiated an equitable severance package and a transition job within the organization.
The answer will short – since China doesn’t want to attack USA and USA lost every single war that it started what is it to be affraid off. Plus China has almost 1.5 Billion people while 80% of Americans age 17–24 are unfit for millitary service.
I can’t keep this A SECRET anymore.
Love him or hate him, this is his harsh statement about what the Republicans did to him. But the big thing is that he is taking the “levers of control” away from the Republican party, and hijacking their most popular policies. Perhaps… he will run for office.
Keep this thought in mind.
https://youtu.be/vSGcnLl-CZg
Makes you think…
Yup.
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Here’s a better meme…
main qimg d400d4de88bc0f98899302093f149c34 lq
The Human Horizons HiPhi Z Is Pure Science Fiction
The United States has always exercised technological hegemony, using various means to suppress foreign companies that surpass American enterprises or pose a threat to them. This has been the case with Japan’s semiconductor industry, French energy giants, and others.
In the era of 5G, Huawei is leading in 5G technology, with the highest number of patents globally and being the only company capable of providing end-to-end 5G services. Moreover, its 5G chip technology is also leading globally.
As a result the U.S has repeatedly modified chip rules not only limiting the shipment of American chip companies such as Qualcomm but also restricting chip companies that use American Technology such as TSMC and ASML from Shipping chips to China.
Chinese companies such as Huawei have accelerated the development of self-designed and self-produced chips and have also started developing chips based on RISCV to reduce their Reliance on American chips and other products.
Data shows that after the U.S restricted chip shipments Chinese domestic companies reduced their import of chips by more than 97 billion pieces in 2022 and it is expected that this number will exceed 50 billion pieces in the first six months of this year.
SMIC has announced that it will have a production capacity of over 700 000 equivalent eight-inch Wafers by the end of this year which will be used to manufacture various types of chips it is expected that the capital expenditure for this year will exceed 6.6 billion dollars mainly for capacity expansion and process Improvement.
However unexpectedly the U.S Japan and the Netherlands have signed a tripartite agreement to further restrict the shipment of advanced semiconductor equipment Japan will begin to restrict the shipment of over 23 types of semiconductor equipment from mid-July the Netherlands has also officially announced that it will restrict the shipment of certain models of lithography machines which will take effect on September 1st by then DUV lithography Machines of the 2000i and subsequent models will be unable to be shipped.
However the Netherlands and ASML have emphasized that although the tripartite agreement restricts the shipment of certain models of DUV lithography machines the 1980i and earlier models of lithography machines can still be shipped with a single exposure accuracy of 38 nanometers, however Chinese domestically produced lithography machines have already achieved a breakthrough of 90 nanometers and can be fully utilized for manufacturing mature processed chips.
Shanghai microelectronics 28 nanometers Precision lithography machine has also achieved technical validation with mass production expected in the near future the key is that Chinese manufacturers are accelerating the expansion of Chip production using processes below 28 nanometers and the required lithography machine models that ASML cannot ship.
This will also accelerate the breakthroughs made by Chinese manufacturers as a result some European media outlets have stated that it is all over as the U.S further restricts ASML’s shipment of lithography machines.
This not only accelerates China’s breakthroughs but also causes European chip and semiconductor companies to lose further advantages. First of all Europe does not have an inherent advantage in the field of Chip and semiconductor globally with only a few outstanding companies such as ASML, ARM and St microelectronics.
After the modification of Chip rules, even ARM and St microelectronics are no longer able to ship their products freely, only ASML can still ship certain models of DUV lithography machines.
Now with ASML being further restricted in its shipments this is not good news for the European semiconductor industry, moreover most American chip and semiconductor companies can still continue to ship their products Qualcomm can continue to ship 4G chips while the extension of Nvidia’s shipping permit may become a settled matter, companies such as Lam Research and Clack have received clarification notices on the rules and can still ship their related products.
Secondly after the modification of Chip rules Huawei announced its comprehensive entry into the Chip and semiconductor field and invested heavily in China’s domestic chip industry chain through high silicon burning through 440 billion yuan. In three years Huawei has not only established a complete mobile phone industry chain in China, but achieved the localization of EDA tools of 14 nanometers and above and has collaborated with SMIC to accelerate the localization of advanced processes to reduce dependence on American Technology.
This has already caused ASML’s market share in China to fall from 14 to 8 percent and after the signing of the tripartite agreement the reactions of Chinese companies such as Huawei and SMIC have been relatively calm, indicating that Chinese manufacturers have already achieved significant breakthroughs in the lithography machine industry.
The key is that the president of ASML has stated that if further restrictions are imposed ASML’s market share in China will continue to decline and it may even withdraw from the Chinese market.
Shenzhen known as the Silicon Valley of China is home to a large number of high-tech companies such as Huawei Tencent and ZTE as well as over 4 000 startups that conduct research experimentation and production in the city.
China is not powerless, almost all tasks that high-end chips can perform can also be accomplished by old-fashioned chips albeit at the cost of higher power consumption greater material consumption and higher costs such as using two chips instead of one the Chinese chip industry can find a way to cope with sanctions and it is impossible to control all the chips in the world including military Aerospace and high-tech chips.
If there are 10 000 chips a Chinese company with international business will always be able to obtain some, although it may have to go through three different countries.
Chinese Scholars like Xin Yuching who teaches at the national Graduate Institute for policy studies in Tokyo are optimistic that China will be able to manufacture high-end chips on its own in the future sanctions will force Chinese companies to conduct their own research and development and invest more time and money.
Recently The Institute of semiconductors of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced the development of a highly integrated Optical convolution processor according to calculations Optical Computing has the advantages of high bandwidth low latency and low power consumption its processing speed is 1.5 to 10 times faster than Nvidia’s GPU chips.
More importantly Optical chips do not require photolithography for production so there is no bottleneck problem this is not just a case of overtaking on a Bend but a complete change of Direction in addition Optical chips are expected to avoid the data type problem that exists in the Von Neumann Computing paradigm.
In the past due to the existence of Moore’s Law it was very difficult to upgrade processor performance and Chip processes had to be reduced by at least half every two years this means that if China is currently producing 28 nanometers chips it will take at least 10 years to catch up with TMSC’s two nanometers.
However replacing the steam engine was never about building a better steam engine replacing the horse-drawn carriage was not about building a faster horse-drawn carriage and replacing chips will not be about building more compact chips the progress made by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Optical chip technology can be said to be the last step in commercialization and the biggest step in maximizing profits it not only has the potential to influence the global layout of the optical chip industry but may even be the key to the next era.
Cowgirl in the Sand (epic!) – Neil Young & Promise of the Real
This has got to be one of the coolest versions of this song I have ever heard. 19 Minutes of pure jamming bliss.
I wasn’t actually snooping; my husband asked me to check his Facebook messages. He’d been trying to reconnect with some old friends from the police department he’d worked in years ago.
The first message was from an old, old girlfriend (they were 15 at the time). She had hired a private detective to find him, and couldn’t, so she confessed in a message she’d always been in love with him, and wanted to see him. She didn’t care he was married; SHE was, too, but was willing to leave her husband if he would leave me.
My husband had responded perfectly. “Debbie, we were 15. We dated for 6 months. I’m sorry, but I didn’t and don’t love you. I never will. As a matter of fact, what you did to try to find me was disturbing, especially since it states on my profile that I’m married. I think you may want to talk to someone about it.
To top it all off, you’re disrespecting my wife, whom I love with my entire soul, your husband, and me. How would you feel if my wife was doing the same thing with your husband? Please don’t contact me again. Get some help, and move on.”
I can see why he didn’t say anything to me. He knows I probably would have lost my shit on her. She had stopped messaging him, and it was done. I’m actually glad he didn’t tell me. He responded the exact way I would’ve had it happened to me.
I wish I hadn’t seen it, only because if we ever run into her, I’ll probably be calling my bondsman again.
kraftwerk – Radioactivity (Original Version)
Vinegar Grilled Chicken
vinegar grilled chicken
Prep: 10 min | Marinate: 4 hr | Cook: 10 min | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
3 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (10 ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves
Instructions
Place the water, vinegar, pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and melted butter into a large, resealable plastic bag. Shake to combine ingredients, then add chicken, seal, and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours.
Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove chicken from marinade, and shake off excess. Discard remaining marinade.
Cook on preheated grill until no longer pink in the center; about 10 minutes per side.
Notes
To make this chicken roadside-style, use boneless chicken tenderloins and brush with barbecue sauce the final minutes of grilling.
Man! I stock groceries and build and repair furniture for people. I wear out a few sets of knee pads every year and shaking my hand feels like grabbing a stack of sand paper.
What a day’s work looks like for me:
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You know what I say when people ask what I do for a living?
“Oh, I have a great job! I stock groceries and do a little custom woodworking on the side.”
And I mean it. I have a great job. My workshop is in my backyard, and my grocery job is one mile from my house. I have no commute.
I have a regular schedule. I get eight hours of sleep every night and plenty of exercise.
I make plenty enough money. I never worry about my bills. I save plenty for retirement.
I get to work with no stress around mostly friendly people. I stay active and on my feet all day. It keeps me healthy and trim. The work I do is necessary and purposeful.
I have plenty of time for my family and hobbies.
I spent many years climbing the corporate ladder. I was tired and stressed out and couldn’t be there for my family. That sucked.
Now I do needful work well, and I’m happy doing it, and I’m doing well. What’s there to be ashamed of?
I am sure that people see my knee pads, and my shredded work gloves, and the sawdust all over my jacket and look down on me. I can handle that. I don’t really even think about it.
We NEED custodians, my friend. You are supporting yourself with honest, good work that I’m sure has many enviable upsides. Hold your head up.
“The Worst President in the Last 100 Years” – Victor Davis Hanson
President Bidean actually attended the same university as I did. WTF?
I have never seen (in person) a punch kill or a boot in the butt. I have seen a man kicked in the face who then died right there on the spot. It was a bar fight on a street called Clay Morgan Alley in St Louis. I was a Patrolman working an overtime shift walking a foot beat on the gaslight entertainment district down by the river. There was an altercation where a man fell down to the ground on his back. One of the three people attacking him kicked him in the face before I could get to them. By the time I ran the 20 feet to the victim he was already dying from a massive skull fracture. He had a strange breathing pattern people do right as they die. I think it’s called “agonal breathing” if my Paramedic training decades ago is correctly remembered. His head felt like a bag of skin holding many pieces of broken pottery in the rear particularly. The people that killed him had a good laugh and though they would just get the night in jail for fighting. Intoxication in public or something minor. They had all had priors for assault and wealthy parents got that them off every time. Fine paid. Probation.
I still remember the happiness it brough me to go into the separate rooms they were being held in and telling these smug little trust fund babies that the victim had been pronounced dead with cause of death being homicide by blunt object to the skull. It was a glorious feeling of schadenfreude watching their “my daddy will have you fired and sue you” attitudes of mockery and laughing disappear into blind panic. The possible sentence guidelines would mean they were looking at up to 20 years to life in Maximum Security. I know that sounds really unprofessional to feel that but it was one of the few times I really had to watch myself because I was so angry. My Partner who was a couple blocks away and wasn’t as emotionally involved because he didn’t see it go down. He sensed my frame of mind and took over booking. We would step in and let the other one cool off when we thought the other was reaching their limits. For some reason only one of us would be feed up and aggravated at a time if it happened.
Anyway….the victim was black and the Feds almost piled on with another 20 to life in Federal for Violation of Civil Rights but the campaign contributions to the right politicians put the brakes on that. There was a good case for it being racially motivated. What first drew my attention and made me take a few steps to look down the alley was someone yelling a racial slur as they attacked him. Witness also heard them talking before the assault began inside about how “Boomers wasn’t a Nigger bar”. I’m often critical the FBI but they did step up on this case and fought the Eastern District US Attorney to have the case go federal to no avail. Normally it would require the sacrifice of a goat to summon divine intervention and get them to work a case that didn’t involve Muslims or terrorism. They were right with me lock step trying to get it in front of a Grand Jury that was currently impaneled. The families had too much political power to get it done. They were big campaign donors and had a lot of pull. The media took no interest so we had no leverage.
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Not the incident but this is almost exactly the type of kick I saw. Running start…full force on an unconcious prone kid. ^
The 3 people who were involved were all arrested by me for 2nd Degree Murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. They pled guilty to Manslaughter and each got 8 years in Potosi Prison of which they served 6 before being paroled.
I only know that because I attended the yearly parole hearings to give a vivid description of the murder to keep them in as long as possible. Autopsy photos and video of interrogations where two of them were laughing at what they had done. Like the whole thing was a joke and they said “wait until my Dad get’s here. His lawyers will sue you…etc”. They were text book bullies beating on a timid and small victim. I wanted to make sure they stayed in and had a page in their file requesting I be notified of any Parole hearings for the two that went to Max. The third was a follower and had some promise on not being a piece of shit his whole life so I didn’t involve myself in his case after conviction. He was transferred to minimum after a year. All three were the worst kind of “Frat Boys”. Wealthy. Privileged. Obnoxious. Thought they had the power to do literally anything. Their family name and fortunes would always save them. They lost a fortune in Defense Lawyers for sure.
The lead council for one of them I knew well and was good friends with. I got along with Defense Attorneys. I always root for the underdog and Public Defenders are the ultimate underdogs. I always had their clients by the balls with good evidence so they didn’t have much to work with. This friend though was a high priced lawyer. We went up against each other in several minor and two major cases. We had a mutual respect. I would never lie of obfuscate, be a hostile type witness on the stand. If I ever had the State or Feds lock me up he’s the typo of intellectual bulldog I would want in my corner. The Prosecutor knew they could walk in a trial with an OJ type dream team so he offered them a deal. They got the max they could get from the sentencing guidelines from the plea. One of those cases where the Judge is bursting to get to lay into the defendants at sentencing. It never made the news. There weren’t more than 12 people in the Court including me the Judge, Bailiff and Court Reporter. That bothered me. This hideous affair should have been on every TV in America and nobody took notice. Only a 1 inch column in the Metro section of the Post Dispatch the day after the attack. Just a blurb in the Metro crime B section below the fold. I have seen ads for Yard Sales with more words. The victim was a really good kid with a bright future. He was alive, happy and loved one minute and ancient anonymous history the next and the world took no notice.
I knew as soon as I saw that kick the victim wasn’t going to survive. It looked like an NFL kicker going for a 50 yard field goal type kick on an unconscious victim.
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^ Above a view of Clay Morgan Alley crime scene. The incident took place at the far end just before the street intersection in front of Boomers nightclub. If you see the 3 lamps on the left (East side of the alley) look at the most distant of the three. I was standing just a few feet around that corner when I first heard it. It took place near the middle street lamp in the center of the alley. That is the parking lot for the Arch in the background. That parking lot is Federal Property. I shit you not that I know of a case where a kid was arrested for Marijuana in that exact garage by Federal Park Rangers….. and got more time than the killers in this case. Probably served damn near the whole sentence too as there is no Federal Parole.
Answers like this bring it all back vividly. I write here so people better understand what Policing is like. I appreciate it when people feel informed or took something away from the writing. The positive feedback I suppose keeps me doing it. When you see people comment or up vote etc it does make me feel like there is some kind of purpose in it and it is therapeutic to write about some of these things. Anyway…thanks for the feedback everyone. The comments are usually the most interesting part of my answers IMO.
I know I shouldn’t have done this, but I am 83 years old and I was in the McDonald’s drive-through this morning and the young lady behind me leaned on her horn and started mouthing something because I was taking too long to place my order.
So when I got to the first window I paid for her order along with my own.
The cashier must have told her what I’d done because as we moved up she leaned out her window and waved to me and mouthed “Thank you.”, obviously embarrassed that I had repaid her rudeness with kindness.
When I got to the second window I showed them both receipts and took her food too. Now she has to go back to the end of the queue and start all over again.
Don’t blow your horn at old people, they have been around a long time.🤣
Since 1978, China has opened its arms and actively integrated into the global division of labor system, which has greatly benefited the development of China itself and the world. In 2022, China and South Korea jointly celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea. For 31 years, friendly cooperation and mutual benefit have always been the mainstream of PRC-ROK relations. The economic and trade cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen. In 2022, the economic and trade volume between China and South Korea reached 362.3 billion U.S. dollars, and South Korea surpassed Japan to become China’s second largest trading partner.
This series of tangible achievements not only brought great benefits to the two countries and the two peoples, but also provided a stable guarantee for the peaceful development and prosperity of the region. China and South Korea are the important neighbors of each other and mutually beneficial partners and have many good development opportunities. It is the consensus of the people. China and South Korea must proceed from the fundamental interests of the two countries, adhere to mutual respect, especially respect the core interests of each other, eliminate external interference, properly handle differences, and promote the continuous development of China-ROK relations and bilateral cooperation.
One of the core interests of China is the Taiwan issue. The Taiwan issue is the most important core interest of China, and it is a red line that cannot be crossed. In recent years, out of domestic political needs, some U.S. politicians have been manipulating various Taiwan-related issues, exacerbating tensions in Sino-U.S. relations. The only one purpose for what the US does is to use Taiwan as a pawn to implement an anti-China and containment strategy to maintain US hegemony.
The one-China principle is the general consensus of the international community and the basic norm of international relations. It is also the premise and basis for China to establish and develop diplomatic relations with countries around the world, including South Korea. Thus, it is better for the two countries to keep the close economic ties between China and South Korea without provocation.
The recovery and development of China’s economy will bring greater development opportunities to all the neighboring countries including South Korea. However, in recent years, in order to serve their own self-interest, some countries have promoted unilateralism and protectionism under the pretext of so-called economic security, created closed and exclusive small circles, and clamored for decoupling and breaking the chain. That has seriously disrupted the normal operation of the global production and supply chain and seriously damaged the development interests of countries around the world, including China and South Korea.
China is different from those countries and implements the dual cycle, a development pattern in which the domestic market and the international market are better connected by giving full play to the potential of domestic demand, rather than a closed domestic cycle. With the utmost sincerity, China will carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with countries all over the world to achieve common development and progress.
In summary, how the export recovery of South Korea could be is up to the South Korean government and solely depends on the clever behaviors and the choice of the South Korean government. The Koreans act as if they don’t understand why.
Did Biden Fall Asleep During Meeting w/ Israeli President?
During a recent joint press event at the White House with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, U.S. President Joe Biden mumbled through a portion of his comments about U.S.-Israeli relations, leading many online to conclude that the Commander in Chief had nodded off briefly. He probably didn’t, but still…
I was out having a drink with a friend of mine in Brixham. Towards the end of the night, my friend was just carrying a couple of pints across from the bar to our table when a large bloke, not looking where he was going banged straight into him.
My friend, being the man he is, immediately apologised. But despite it being actually his fault, the guy was having none of it as he said that his shirt and trousers had been ruined by my friends beer. As he squared up to my friend, another two of the blokes mates (equally as large as the first) joined in the argument and made the mistake of laying hands on my friend.
By the time I had walked across, he had already taken them up on their offer to ‘Take it outside’. The first big guy led the way. My friend followed, only pausing momentarily to pick a cardboard menu off a table as he left. With the blokes two mates behind, carrying bottles of beer which I imagined they may have been expecting to use as weapons.
As I watched them leave, I immediately got on my mobile and phoned for an ambulance. The guy next to me turned and said to me “An ambulance? Shouldn’t you be helping your mate instead? “. “Oh”, I said smiling. “It’s not for him….anyway there’s only three of them. “
The thing is that I knew something that the three local big guys didn’t and that was that my friend was a retired CQC (Close Quarters Combat) instructor with the Royal Marines at Lympstone. He was trained not only in martial arts but weapons and tactics too. The bullies had bottles, but in my friends skilled hands a tightly rolled up cardboard menu was as good as having an iron bar.
By the time I got outside moments later, there was just a lot of broken glass and the three big guys were all in various crumpled heaps on the floor. My friend was just standing smiling rubbing his jaw.
“I must be getting slow in my old age” he said “One of them actually managed to land a punch”.
The U.S Military just got a HUGE wake up call and it’s bad
Look how big is Moscow’s (erstwhile) McDonald’s now known as Big Hit after McDonald’s got de-branded.
Russia’s McDonald’s replacement says it’s serving 2 million customers a day. Its CEO said that it has sold more than 24 million “Big Hits,” its Big Mac dupe, since opening.
Russian population stands at 143 million. Business as usual with a new logo and similar menu.
Alexander Govor, the Russian businessman who bought the former McDonald’s sites, told that the new company was opening restaurants slightly faster than planned and hoped to have more than 900 by the end of the year.
Most of the menu is made with the same ingredients and equipment as when it was McDonald’s.
The B-52’s – Rock Lobster (Countdown 1980)
Jamaica V.S the U.S.A Diplomatic Row: The Implications of refusing a diplomat’s Same-Sex Spouse
In this video we will explore the conflict brewing between Jamaica and the United States over Jamaica’s decision to deny diplomatic immunity and privileges, to the spouse of an American diplomat due to their same-sex relationship.
Originally Answered: What was the hardest thing you went through in life and how did you get past that?
I was repeatedly raped by a neighbor when I was 7 years old. I didn’t want my mother to find out, because she was a single mother working 3 jobs to support me and my brother and she cried enough as it was. We lived in a trailer that had holes in the floor so that sometimes raccoons and opossums would climb through. I was scared of them. The carpet was infested with fleas. I usually had flea bites all over my body. I never felt clean. We got clothes from Goodwill but they were usually old, faded, and stained. My mother did the best she could but we were all alone in the world. We lived in a rural area that was unforgiving of those who deviated from “the norm.” My mother tried to baptize me when I was a baby, only to be turned away by the local preacher because I was “a bastard.” We were not welcome in their churches, which were an important part of rural life there. I didn’t have friends at school. I was “weird” “dirty” “ugly” “too quiet” etc. Even most of the teachers looked at me and my brother in disgust. We were “the XXX family.”
I grew up with the understanding that I was worthless. That I should be ashamed of who I am. I barely said a word through most of my childhood. I didn’t say a word to anyone when they pushed me around, taunted me endlessly, beat up my brother and I. I never said a word when my neighbor (who, interestingly, was widely regarded as an outstanding member of society) raped me.
I led a very solitary life. My mother was usually gone at work, my brother would devote himself to his own activities, and there I was. I remember I would sit outside of my home and pretend to be a rock, because rocks didn’t feel anything and they certainly didn’t cry. They were indestructible, I thought.
I overheard one of the other little girls discussing the prayer they said before bedtime and I resolved to remember it. It went like this – As I lay down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
I thought about this prayer for the rest of the day, until I went home and decided on my own version: Dear God, I don’t want to live anymore. There are other people begging you to keep them alive. Let me take their place. I’ll die. I was about 8 years old.
But I didn’t die, much to my dismay. I woke up the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. The days went by. My situation didn’t greatly improve, people weren’t much nicer to me, and my life didn’t get easier. But I got stronger. I discovered books as a way to escape from my tedious existence and by the time I was in 5th grade, I was reading at a college level.
I grew up and gained control over my life. I was no longer the defenseless, powerless victim I had been as a child. I had power. I could do whatever I wanted. I got a job. I studied hard so I could go to a good college. I escaped from my small, unforgiving town.
I have a good job now and good relationships. People who know me now would never guess I was once that hungry, miserable, terrified, beaten down little girl I had been back then.
As for my family, my mother still lives in that trailer. My neighbor is long dead. My older brother still lives with my mother. He has never gotten a driver’s license or a job. He doesn’t leave the house very often. A part of me understands his reluctance – why let the world do you more harm when it has already done so much? But I wish he would take the chance. I feel sad that our childhood all but destroyed him.
If you want to know how to get through hard things, my answer is probably inadequate, but it is the best I have to offer. My answer is: keep going.
Do Our Pets Go to Heaven? | NDE Compilation
2023 07 21 17 51
China rejects ‘Iron Curtain’ or ‘Silicon Curtain’ imposed by the US upon the world, warns against ‘an eye for an eye’ — Chinese Ambassador to the US
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On July 19, 2023, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng attended the Aspen Security Forum at invitation, and had a fireside chat with Steve Clemons, Founding Editor-at-large of Semafor. Ambassador Xie elaborated on China’s policies and positions on China-U.S. relations, China’s intention in development, the Taiwan question, U.S. technological suppression of China and other issues.
On the China-U.S. relationship, Ambassador Xie said that China-U.S. relations are facing serious difficulties and challenges. Recently, there have been some reflections in the United States about its China policy. Our two countries have had a series of high-level communication, which were candid, in-depth and constructive. In particular, the two sides have agreed on implementing the important common understanding reached between President Xi Jinping and President Biden in Bali. This offers a rare opportunity for stabilizing the relationship. But the opportunity has not come easy, the foundation remains fragile, and challenges still abound. We must cherish and sustain the momentum. President Xi Jinping has outlined three principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. They represent the fundamental and right way for China and the United States to get along in the new era. We hope the U.S. side will work with China in the same direction to stabilize and improve our relations.
First, shorten the negative list to clear obstacles and manage differences with concrete actions. It is important to properly handle important and sensitive issues such as the Taiwan question in line with the principles of the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques, stop sanctioning Chinese entities and individuals, and prevent “black swans” or “gray rhinos” from disrupting or rattling China-US relations again. President Biden stated that the United States does not seek to change China’s system, does not support “Taiwan independence” , and has no intention to decouple from China or to halt China’s economic development. The U.S. side needs to translate these statements into concrete actions.
Second, expand the positive list to enhance dialogue and cooperation in good faith. We can start with concrete, small steps to inject more positive energy into China-U.S. relations: for instance, to increase passenger flights, adjust the China travel advisory, renew the China-U.S. agreement on cooperation in science and technology, revive MECEA programs to encourage congressional members and staff to visit China, hold the Tourism Leadership Summit, and facilitate visa application and border entry for students, scholars, tourists, business people and others. China and the United States once had over 100 dialogue and exchange mechanisms. But they have been stalled by the U.S. side since 2018. Our two peoples have been waiting too long. If it is difficult to resume all, can we start with 50, or at least 30?
Third, seek out supporters of China-U.S. relations. Joint efforts are needed to bring China-U.S. relations gradually back to the right track.
Ambassador Xie said that the so-called “political correctness” has permeated American society. Over the past month and more since his arrival, he has been talking to people from various sectors. He can feel that there are many supporters of China-US relations, but they are under pressure. They are becoming reticent under the chilling effect. Few want to express different opinions amid the anti-China chorus.
Ambassador Xie said that an American netizen left him a comment on Twitter: “I hope you find some allies; there are a few hiding in the darkness afraid of being crushed.” A sound and stable China-U.S. relationship is in the common interests of both countries. It is also the shared expectation of the international community. So the third priority is to seek them out. “I am one, but we are many,” said Ambassador Xie. He called on all to pitch in, and work together to bring China-U.S. relations gradually back to the right track.
On China’s intention in development, Ambassador Xie said that the Chinese people are the most friendly people in the world. Assertiveness is never our tradition. Invasion or pursuit of hegemony is not in our DNA. We have facilitated the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Our purpose is to inspire more countries in the region to shake hands and embrace peace, and to make greater contribution to world peace, stability and prosperity.
When meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken in Beijing recently, President Xi Jinping emphasized that the Earth is large enough for China and the United States to develop respectively and prosper together. China respects U.S. interests and does not seek to challenge or displace the United States. In the same vein, the United States needs to respect China and must not hurt China’s legitimate rights and interests. China does not intend to challenge or displace anyone. Instead of outcompeting others, our focus is on outdoing ourselves. The “Thucydides Trap” is not a historical inevitability. The world has changed. The international community should have the wisdom to look beyond this, say goodbye to the Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and zero-sum game, pursue win-win cooperation, and jointly prevent a major-country conflict.
Ambassador Xie said that a friend asked him: what kind of flower will grow out of China？This is his answer: it will be a flower of peace, cooperation and common development. It will be as beautiful and sweet as peonies and roses.
On the Taiwan question, Ambassador Xie emphasized that Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. It is an inalienable part of China’s territory. This is the first thing we need to bear in mind when handling Taiwan-related issues. No one cherishes more than the Chinese side peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. And no one wishes more for peaceful reunification than us. There are two biggest threats to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait now. First, the Taiwan authorities are seeking U.S. support for their independence agenda. They have refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, and even denied their Chinese identity. Second, some forces in the United States are trying to use Taiwan to contain China. They have emboldened adventurism and provocation by “Taiwan independence” separatists. The path they are taking is very dangerous. This is something we should guard against.
The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive question in China-U.S. relations. The U.S. side should take concrete actions to deliver on President Biden’s statement that the United States does not support “Taiwan independence”. The most fundamental thing is to return to the one-China principle; the most important is to abide by the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques; and the most pressing is to oppose adventurism and provocation by “Taiwan independence” separatists. The top priority now is to stop Lai Ching-te’s visit to the United States, which is like a “gray rhino” charging at us.
On U.S. technological suppression of China, Ambassador Xie pointed out that China opposes waging trade war or technological war under the pretext of competition. China never shies away from competition. But the “competition” defined by the United States is unfair. First, the United States is trying to win by keeping China out. For instance, it has banned Huawei for unfounded national security concerns, even though the company offered to sign a “no-backdoor” agreement. How can we compete without being present? Second, the United States is rallying allies to encircle China. Is there any respect for the one-on-one rule of the game? Third, the United States prohibits exports of equipment making chips smaller than 14 nanometers to China. This is like forcing others to wear outdated swimsuits in a swimming contest while one wears a Speedo fastskin himself. Is this fair play?
As a Chinese saying goes, “We never make provocation, but we will not flinch from any provocation coming our way.” We oppose both iron curtain and silicon curtain. And we are the last to want a tit-for-tat cycle. So far, over 1,300 Chinese entities and individuals are on US sanction lists. As a result, many Chinese workers have been forced out of job, and their families suffered greatly. The Chinese people will not remain silent, and the Chinese government will not sit idly by.
Ambassador Xie also stated China’s principled position on Ukraine, China-Russia relations and climate change. He pointed out that China has always promoted talks for peace on the Ukraine issue, and its position is gaining increasing understanding and support. Russia is China’s biggest neighbor, and the two countries share a border of over 4,000 kilometers. It is only natural for the two sides to maintain good neighborly relations and normal trade. On climate change, China and the United States have vast potentials for cooperation. It is important to stick to the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. The Untied States and other developed countries should take concrete actions to honor their commitment to supporting developing countries.
The Aspen Security Forum is a biannual event held by the Aspen Institute, in Aspen in summer and Washington D.C. in winter respectively. The current forum will be held from July 18-21. It has broad influence in the United States and worldwide. Over 400 delegates attended the forum, including senior U.S. officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor to the President Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency William Burns, and Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield; former U.S. dignitaries, renowned entrepreneurs, think tanks, scholars, journalists and international political figures from the United Kingdom, France, Kenya and Israel. Ambassador Xie Feng’s remarks during the forum attracted great attention and were widely covered by American and international media outlets. They were warmly received by various sectors of American society.
Spicy Chicken Phyllo Rolls
Chicken, sour cream, raisins and spices come together in flaky phyllo rolls with this recipe.
spicy chicken phyllo rolls
Prep: 30 min | Bake: 30 min | Yield: 32 small rolls
Ingredients
1 cup chicken broth
1 bottle Mexican beer
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 (9 x 14 inch) rolls Athens® Phyllo Dough, thawed
Instructions
Thaw two rolls of phyllo dough, following thawing instructions on package.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium skillet, bring broth and beer to a boil. Add chicken breasts, then lower heat and simmer, for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Dice chicken into 1/2 inch cubes.
In another medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, curry, coriander, and cayenne pepper, and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion mixture, sour cream, raisins, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Unroll and cover phyllo with plastic wrap and then a slightly damp towel to prevent drying out. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with 2 tablespoons oil. Layer 5 phyllo sheets, brushing each with the butter–oil mixture.
Cut the width of layered phyllo into 4 strips. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling at one end of phyllo strip, leaving 1 inch from end and 1/2 inch from each side free of any filling. Fold phyllo up over the filling to form a roll. Fold side edges in to enclose the sides. Roll up to the end of phyllo strip. Brush outside of roll with butter–oil mixture. Repeat process three times to make 30 rolls.
Bake seam side down, at least 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Serve with plain yogurt or your favorite jarred chutneys such as Sherwood’s Green Label Mango and Ginger Chutney and Swad Coriander Chutney.
Exactly like I said in one of my previous answers :—Electric Vehicles were the biggest WinnerRetail Consumption came secondGreen Energy took the third placeFixed Asset Investment took the fourth place (Railways etc)Shipping was a surprising fifth place winnerServices took Sixth Place
These Sectors grew between 6% to 11% this quarter (1/4/23–30/6/23)
They contributed to 18.67 Trillion Yuan ($ 2.91 Trillion) in the last two quarters or around 30% of China’s GDP
In 2019 they compared to around 13% of China’s GDP
Ironically Exports ended up on the whole with a near 4% growth which was pretty surprising
Meanwhile the losers :—Real Estate as expected was the biggest loserIndustrial Manufacturing came secondCommercial Banking came thirdRetail Investments came fourthConstruction came fifth
These Sectors grew by less than 2% or contracted by upto 10% in this Quarter YOY
They contributed 25.85 Trillion to the Chinese Economy ($ 4.15 Trillion) in the last two quarters contributing to around 42% of China’s GDP
In 2019 they contributed to 51% of China’s GDP
Industrial Manufacturing is the only worrisome issue
Real Estate was already a bloated bubble and China already made it clear that by 2030 it’s contribution to the GDP shouldn’t be more than 6% instead of 16% in 2016 at its peak
Commercial Banking is entirely linked to real estate. Commercial Banks gained 207 Billion Yuan and lost 139 Billion Yuan finishing with a cumulative 68 Billion Yuan profit or 4.27% profit
In 2019 it was 8.66%
So that’s a nearly 50% fall in profit in 5 years
Still it will rise as alternate investments pick up steam
Construction fell in China by 13% but grew in BRI by 10.6% and so the total contraction was only 2.4%
It will rise as BRI begins to open up newer projects
So China is mostly on track except for Industrial Manufacturing
Global Demand is weak and Chinese Workforce is not keen on factory jobs anymore
Thanks to the Common Prosperity program, Chinese want to go back to villages and small towns instead of the other way round
They flooded cities to escape poverty in the 2000s
Now they want to go back to the rural life and become farmers instead of low grade factory workers
I was fired from a law firm. No I wasn’t a lawyer. Not by a long shot. I worked in the file room. I was in my early 20’s. Back then I wasn’t really looking beyond my next pay check.
I also would chauffeur the senior partner around in his Mercedes sedan. He turned out to be a great mentor of mine. His name was Bob. One day, in between phone calls, Bob asked me how I was doing, I told him that I was doing great! Thanks!
And that’s when it happened. He fired me…sort of. He said, “Keith you’re fired!”
I was shocked. I asked him why?
He said ” Keith, I see you working in the file room, Xerox room. Answering phones. Delivering the mail. Driving me around. Going and getting lunches!
I still didn’t understand.
“That’s why I’m firing you. Keith you’re too damn smart to be working here doing the things you’re doing. So I’m going to force you to do something else. Go back to school. Learn a trade. Apply yourself. Start a business. I’m giving you two weeks notice. You have two weeks!”
For several days I thought about it. I thought that if I just worked hard enough someone would notice it and promote me. But that’s not how it always is.
I had always wanted to go to tech school, but didn’t think I was smart enough (that’s another story!). I decided to check some of them out.
I enrolled at ITT Tech. A week later I went to Bob and I told him about ITT and could I please keep my job at least until I graduated. It was a two year course. I was worried about how I was going to fit school and work together. Bob told me ” Keith I’m very proud of you. As long as you’re going to school AND making good progress you can work here! And also tell Barbara (the HR manager) that Bob said that you can work any hours you’d like to in order to accommodate your schedule!
What a fantastic man Bob was! He impacted my life in a big way. Two years later I graduated with highest honors at the top of my class. I was immediately hired by tech giant at the time, Honeywell. I rose through the ranks quickly and eventually became an Engineer. Ten years I started my first “dot.com” business. And three years after that I sold my first company in a multi million dollar deal.
That was the first, and only time, I got fired. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Unfortunately Bob (RIP) passed away a few years after that story happened from cancer. A young man of 43. At his funeral we heard stories about all of the people that Bob helped behind the scenes. His firm Frandzel, Csato, Robbins and Bloom is still around. One of the attorneys Ron Gruzen worked there. I used to deliver his mail to him, copy papers and stuff. Today, 40 years later Ron Gruzen is my attorney, negotiating settlement deals, real estate transactions and a host of other business and personal legal matters for me! Ron and I laugh all the time about how far I’ve come and we reminisce about the old days at Bob Frandzel’s law firm!
Explaining the United States Today
“Put a rat in a cage and give it 2 water bottles. One is just water and one is water laced with heroin or cocaine. The rat will almost always prefer the drugged water and almost always kill itself in a couple of weeks”.
That is our theory of addiction.
Bruce comes along in the ’70s and said, “Well, hang on. We’re putting the rat in an empty cage. It has nothing to do. Let’s try this a bit differently.” So he built Rat Park, and Rat Park is like heaven for rats. Everything a rat could want is in Rat Park. Lovely food. Lots of sex. Other rats to befriend. Colored balls. Plus both water bottles, one with water and one with drugged water.
But here’s what’s fascinating: In Rat Park, they don’t like the drugged water. They hardly use it. None of them overdose. None of them use in a way that looks like compulsion or addiction.
What Bruce did shows that both the right-wing and left-wing theories of addiction are wrong. The right-wing theory is that it’s a moral failing, you’re a hedonist, you party too hard. The left-wing theory is that it takes you over, your brain is hijacked. Bruce says it’s not your morality, it’s not your brain; it’s your cage.
Addiction is largely an adaptation to your environment.
Now, we created a society where significant numbers of us can’t bear to be present in our lives without being on something, drink, drugs, sex, shopping… We’ve created a hyperconsumerist, hyperindividualist, isolated world that is, for many of us, more like the first cage than the bonded, connected cages we need.
The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection. And our whole society, the engine of it, is geared toward making us connect with things not people.
You are not a good consumer citizen if you spend your time bonding with the people around you and not stuff. In fact, we are trained from a young age to focus our hopes, dreams, and ambitions on things to buy and consume. Drug addiction is a subset of that.”
China has planted more trees than the rest of the world combined.
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But here’s bloomberg painting it in a negative light.
But here’s the gist
The CCP planted 1 billion trees a total act of evil! Over a 40 year period and increased forest coverage from 12% to 22%. TOTALLY EVIL!!!
Bloomberg wrote a mostly negative article (the 1bn is wrong it’s actually 66bn) focusing on all sorts of problems including how a few million trees got infected with bugs.
They then claim because of wood exports some of the bugs infected the West:
“This allowed the beetle larvae to hitch rides to Europe and North America, where governments are now spending a fortune trying to control infestations.” Amazing! Even on what should be a neutral scientific article about China’s success in planting trees they need to pander to the anti China crowd and relate it to Covid spreading from China.
It was a photo op for the ages: a visibly well-disposed President Xi Jinping receiving centenarian “old friend of China” Henry Kissinger in Beijing.
Mirroring meticulous Chinese attention to protocol, they met at Villa 5 of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse – exactly where Kissinger first met in person with Zhou Enlai in 1971, preparing Nixon’s 1972 visit to China.
The Mr. Kissinger Goes to Beijing saga was an “unofficial”, individual attempt to try to mend increasingly fractious Sino-American relations. He was not representing the current American administration.
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There’s the rub. Everyone involved in geopolitics is aware of the legendary Kissinger formulation: To be the US’s enemy is dangerous, to be the US’s friend is fatal. History abounds in examples, from Japan and South Korea to Germany, France and Ukraine.
As quite a few Chinese scholars privately argued, if reason is to be upheld, and “respecting the wisdom of this 100-years-old diplomat”, Xi and the Politburo should maintain the China-US relation as it is: “icy”.
After all, they reason, being the US’s enemy is dangerous but manageable for a Sovereign Civilizational State like China. So Beijing should keep “the honorable and less perilous status” of being a US enemy.
Luttwak, 80, may not be as visibly influential as Kissinger, but as a behind the scenes strategist he’s been advising the Pentagon across the spectrum for over five decades. His book on Byzantine Empire strategy, for instance, heavily drawing on top Italian and British sources, is a classic.
Luttwak, a master of deception, reveals precious nuggets in terms of contextualizing current Washington moves. That starts with his assertion that the US – represented by the Biden combo – is itching to do a deal with Russia.
That explains why CIA head William Burns, actually a capable diplomat, called his counterpart, SVR head Sergey Naryshkin (Russian Foreign Intelligence) to sort of straighten things up “because you have something else to worry about which is more unlimited”.
What’s “unlimited”, depicted by Luttwak in a Spenglerian sweep, is Xi Jinping’s drive to “get ready for war”. And if there’s a war, Luttwak claims that “of course” China would lose. That dovetails with the supreme delusion of Straussian neocon psychos across the Beltway.
Luttwak seems not to have understood China’s drive for food self-sufficiency: he qualifies it as a threat. Same for Xi using a “very dangerous” concept, the “rejuvenation of the Chinese people”: that’s “Mussolini stuff”, says Luttwak. “There has to be a war to rejuvenate China”.
The “rejuvenation” concept – actually better translated as “revival” – has been resonating in China circles at least since the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911. It was not coined by Xi. Chinese scholars point out that if you see US troops arriving in Taiwan as “advisors”, you would probably make preparations to fight too.
But Luttwak is on a mission: “This is not America, Europe, Ukraine, Russia. This is about ‘the sole dictator’. There is no China. There is only Xi Jinping,” he insisted.
And Luttwak confirms the EU’s Josep “Garden vs. Jungle” Borrell and European Commission dominatrix Ursula von der Leyen fully support his vision.
Luttwak, in just a few words, actually gives away the whole game: “The Russian Federation, as it is, is not strong enough to contain China as much as we would wish”.
Hence the turn around by the Biden combo to “freeze” the conflict in the Donbass and change the subject. After all, “if that [China] is the threat, you don’t want Russia to fall apart,” Luttwak reasons.
So much for Kissingerian “diplomacy.”
Let’s Declare a “Moral Victory” and Run Away
On Russia, the Kissinger vs. Luttwak confrontation reveals crucial cracks as the Empire faces an existential conflict it never did in the recent past.
The gradual, massive U-turn is already in progress – or at least the semblance of a U turn. US mainstream media will be entirely behind the U turn. And the naïve masses will follow. Luttwak is already voicing their deepest agenda: the real war is on China, and China “will lose”.
At least some non-neocon players around the Biden combo – like Burns – seem to have understood the Empire’s massive strategic blunder of publicly committing to a Forever War, hybrid and otherwise, against Russia on behalf of Kiev.
This would mean, in principle, that Washington can’t just walk away like it did in Vietnam and Afghanistan. Yet Hegemons do enjoy the privilege to walk away: after all they exercise sovereignty, not their vassals. European vassals will be left to rot. Imagine those Baltic chihuahuas declaring war on Russia-China all by themselves.
The off-ramp confirmed by Luttwak implies Washington declaring some sort of “moral victory” in Ukraine – which is already controlled by BlackRock anyway – and then moving the guns towards China.
Yet even that won’t be a cakewalk, because China and the about-to-expand BRICS+ are already attacking the Empire at its foundation: dollar hegemony. Without it, the US itself will have to fund the war on China.
Chinese scholars, off the record, and exercising their millennia-old analytical sweep, observe this may be the last blunder the Empire ever made in its short history.
As one of them summarized it, “the empire has blundered itself to an existential war and, therefore, the last war of the empire. When the end comes, the empire will lie as usual and declare victory, but everyone else will know the truth, especially the vassals.”
And that brings us to former national security adviser Zbigniew “Grand Chessboard” Brzezinski’s 180-degree turn shortly before he died, aligning him today with Kissinger, not Luttwak.
“The Grand Chessboard”, published in 1997, before the 9/11 era, argued that the US should rule over any peer competitor rising in Eurasia. Brzezinski did not live to see the living incarnation of his ultimate nightmare: a Russia-China strategic partnership. But already seven years ago – two years after Maidan in Kiev – at least he understood it was imperative to “realign the global power architecture”.
Destroying the “Rules-Based International Order”
The crucial difference today, compared to seven years ago, is that the US is incapable, per Brzezinski, to “take the lead in realigning the global power architecture in such a way that the violence (…) can be contained without destroying the global order.”
It’s the Russia-China strategic partnership that is taking the lead – followed by the Global Majority – to contain and ultimately destroy the hegemonic “rules-based international order”.
As the indispensable Michael Hudson has summarized it, the ultimate question at this incandescent juncture is “whether economic gains and efficiency will determine world trade, patterns and investment, or whether the post-industrial US/NATO economies will choose to end up looking like the rapidly depopulating and de-industrializing post-Soviet Ukraine and Baltic states or England.”
So is the wet dream of a war on China going to change these geopolitical and geoeconomics imperatives? Give us a -Thucydides – break.
The real war is already on – but certainly not one identified by Kissinger, Brzezinski and much less Luttwak and assorted US neocons.
Michael Hudson, once again, summarized it: when it comes to the economy, the US and EU “strategic error of self-isolation from the rest of the world is so massive, so total, that its effects are the equivalent of a world war.”
But before the war with China, perhaps a war with Mexico is “in the cards”…
How Mexico has become the “enemy” of America’s Republicans A growing number of them want to use military force against drug cartels
I'm honestly amazed that Republicans are willing to risk what hegemony the US has left over a misguided war.
Do they not realize how disastrous this will get. Refugee crisis, economic implosion, complete guerilla warfare, heat waves upon heat waves, etc.
This will end so badly that it'll make Afghanistan look like a minor hiccup. Tell me I'm wrong.
His father and mother both held Doctorates in Biophysics and Quantum Physics
He qualified by merit and a 173 LSAT score to study Law in Duke University
He worked at a Wall Street Firm and had licenses from NY and Washington DC
YET
He had to spend 4 years in Rural Anhui and Guanxi as a Volunteer and worked with Farmers, Drove a Truck, Acted as an accountant
Only then was he made a Deputy Provincial Head — the equivalent in India of a Panchayat Head or Councillor
Later he became Secretary of the District
He couldn’t deliver enough self sufficient villages and deliver a good performance
He WAS AXED IMMEDIATELY
Less that 2% knew he was Deng Xiaopings son when he was made Deputy Head
He called himself Zhuo Xifeng to avoid the Deng name until it came out eventually
That is China’s Meritocracy
No Free Lunches
No Papa Names
It’s always Performance and RESULTS
You need good education, You need solid performances and You need to be worthy of the party (No Homosexuality, No Philandering, No Perversions, No Drunkenness)
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This is Shi Guanghui
Son of ordinary farmers
Scholarship winner to study Engineering in Tong Ji and a PE in Singapore and Canada
He served 5 years in the provinces , working as a distributor of food, harvester, drove pigs to the market, learnt about price controls
Later he rose through the ranks
No famous name
Responsible for ensuring Evergrandes Bubble was controlled fully
Responsible for ensuring Covid didn’t kill more than 40,000 people in Shanghai when it was estimated it would kill at least 300,000–400,000 people in Shanghai alone
Responsible for ensuring flow of medicines and food
Responsible for ensuring 6 Trillion of Bonds were absorbed profitably
He DELIVERED each time
He was REWARDED each time
His mentor?
HU JINTAO , who headed a rival faction against Xi Jingping
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No Issues
No repercussions when Xi became the Secretary in 2012 instead of Lei Keiqang
Pure Meritocracy
Sheer unadulterated Meritocracy
If you have the ability, you will be rewarded
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You know him of course
Son of a Prominent Party Official who lost favor in the old days
A Chemical Engineer who built four standalone processing plants with half the budget when people wanted him to fail
A Man who was exiled to the farthest provinces who made village after village self sufficient and profitable
Who travelled overseas and LEARNT about mechanisation of agriculture from US without any shame and didn’t say “We are the greatest in the world”. He shut up and learnt
Who Mechanised a whole province and raised output by 200% in 7 years
Finally they couldn’t ignore him and today he is
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Xi Jingping Secretary of the CPC
He has earned his place
He has helped China grow by leaps and bounds
Every man in that room has done his part in China’s growth
Not Caste, Not Religion, Not marching with half shorts and a ridiculous cap, Not based on surname or Papa’s name,
China may not be a 100% Meritocracy but it’s still the best Meritocracy on EARTH
Doctors, Scientists, Researchers, Engineers, Teachers , hell even Laborers
All chosen based on pure ability
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Four Tibetans , Graduates from MIT, Tsinghua and Caltech
Part of the Scientific Council in China
Not even Han Chinese
Reason?
Sheer Ability
China asks only two things :—
China first before religion and language
Loyalty to China and the Communist Party
Deliver this and China will ensure you are protected for life and develop to your best
Don’t deliver this and …you better run
Orson Welles | The 3rd Man (1949) Film-Noir, Thriller
When I was a boy growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I had a classmate who lived up the street from me. His name was John and he and his younger brother Paul were my age. We did many things together, and for boys in elementary and middle school that meant a lot of bicycle riding, hikes in the woods, and baseball / basketball.
They had a cat. But the mother didn’t want it inside. So it was an “outside cat”. But for some reason that I could never figure out the mother insisted that it be chained to a small dog house in the back yard.
For the entire time that I knew John and Paul, this cat lived it’s live around that little box and about one yard of roaming space. And it became very mean.
Poor kitty.
Poor. Poor. Kitty.
I didn’t know, then.
But I KNOW now.
Now, being older, I see this kind of imprisonment as terribly cruel and inhumane, but being a boy at that time, I had no clue. Certainly his mother and father were alright, but whats up with the kitty? I don’t know.
Its only when you get older, and have more experience and understanding that you begin to recognize inhumanity, and sick behaviors.
Don’t wait too long. Learn this important lesson early on in life. It will save you much grief later on.
It’s highly unlikely for the next 2 Decades minimum
Based on our present manufacturing statistics, it’s even until 2060
It’s simple we (the United States) don’t have a manufacturing eco system
They do
As on date only China, Russia and Iran have almost fully manufacturing ecosystems
Let me explain
Let’s take a Factory in Pudong that manufactures Customized Wheelchairs
Their components are are all made in factories within 50–100 Kms Radius and can be delivered in 2 hours
The Electronics are made in a factory around 400 Kms away and can be delivered in 6 1/2 hours
The Assembly machinery is manufactured in another factory around 100 kms away
This is an Ecosystem
Everything is available locally and made indigenously
Thus the Assembly Time is very short
You can average 27 Wheelchairs a day per line
Let’s take a factory in Nelamangala Bangalore that had to close down in 2023
The Components are imported from Xilin and take between 45–80 days to arrive post order and payment
The Electronics are imported from Pudong and take between 45–80 days to arrive post order and payment plus an additional 25 days for Certificates (Electronics require approval from Customs)
The Assembly Machinery is fully imported from China or South Korea and a single valve failure takes 30–50 days for replacement
You can average 36–40 Wheelchairs A MONTH!!!!!
That’s 40 vs a whopping 810 !!!!!!!!!!
Despite paying 2.8 times more wages in USD terms ($ 17 a day vs $ 5.72 a day) , China’s final manufacturing price came to $ 307 against $ 595 for India
Thus the retail difference is almost $ 550–600
So the Indian company went out of business
Simply couldnt compete
China has the entire eco system for every product under the sun
India simply assembles and has zero component or supply chain for everything from Toasters to Advanced Engines
China manufactures 94% of the Chips needed for these products. India imports 100% Chips needed
Thus it’s safe to say China outproduces India by 20 times
India has to build a supply chain and an ecosystem
That means at least 20,000 factories which are prepared to manufacture ordinary components at ₹2.40/— per unit profit
That means Loans at 1.75–1.8% Interest instead of 14.7% quoted today
Sadly DABBULU LEVU
We can’t afford the subsidies at all
Factories need minimum 17% profit just to pay off loans and interest and sustain themselves
Most factories don’t do this and keep depending on rising real estate value to keep inflating collateral
In China it’s a mere 4.2% profitability that’s mandatory to sustain themselves
The Mysterious Case Of Manfred Fritz Bajorat, The Mummified German Sailor
By Marco Margaritoff | Edited By John Kuroski
Published October 25, 2021
When fishermen found Manfred Fritz Bajorat inside his yacht as it was drifting in the Philippine Sea in 2016, his body was completely mummified right in the very spot where he died.
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Manfred Fritz Bajorat died of a heart attack and was preserved aboard his ship by the dry, salty ocean winds.
On Feb. 26, 2016, a group of fishermen off the coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao saw a boat suspiciously drifting at sea. The yacht was visibly battered and clearly on its last legs. It had emerged like a ghost ship with a broken mast.
And when they boarded the vessel and descended into its bowels, the fishermen discovered far more chilling than they would have ever imagined: the mummified corpse of a German sailor named Manfred Fritz Bajorat.
Authorities only identified the man thanks to documents strewn about his cabin. An autopsy revealed the 59-year-old had died of a heart attack, and that his 40-foot sailboat had drifted at sea for weeks while the salty ocean air preserved his body in macabre fashion.
The mysterious incident made global headlines and spread far and wide across the internet. People from around the world all had the same question: How did Manfred Fritz Bajorat wind up drifting through the Philippine Sea alone? Before answers finally arrived, there was only an ominous note that Bajorat left behind:
“Thirty years we’ve been together on the same path. Then the power of the demons was stronger than the will to live. You’re gone. May your soul find its peace. Your Manfred.”
As the authorities would soon discover, the story of Manfred Fritz Bajorat was somehow even more chilling than his mummified corpse would suggest.
The Discovery Of Manfred Fritz Bajorat
With clear skies and calm seas, the weather proved perfect for fishing on the day that Manfred Fritz Bajorat was found. That’s exactly what 23-year-old Christopher Rivas had intended that Friday, before things took a chilling turn. A resident of P-4 Poblacion in the town of Barobo, he and his friend were fishing about 40 miles out when they spotted the ship.
The yacht was painted white and christened “Sayo.” It was clear from a distance that it was in dire straits, with its broken mast and partially sunken hull. After encountering Bajorat’s naked corpse inside, Rivas alerted police — who waited to investigate foul play until the autopsy results came back.
“The cause of death is acute myocardial infarction based on the autopsy by regional crime laboratory,” said national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor. “The German national is estimated to have been dead for more or less seven days.”
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Christened “Sayo,” the 40-foot yacht was spotted with a broken mast and partially underwater in February 2016.
“The air, heat, and saltiness of the sea are all very conducive to mummification,” said Peter Vanezis, forensic pathology professor at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. “It starts within two to three weeks. The fingers and other extremities … dry quickly, and in a month or two they are well gone.”
The ship itself contained a trove of family photos depicting an overjoyed Bajorat with his wife and daughter. From snapshots at Notre Dame and cafes in Paris to photos of picnics, the albums suggested a wholesome family unit. A photo of Bajorat holding a baby was captioned: “Our first time with our little Button on the sea.”
When the German embassy on Mindanao Island tried to contact his family, they discovered that his ex-wife had died of cancer in 2010. After flying his daughter Nina out to identify the body, authorities learned that Bajorat had been sailing the seas alone for years — perhaps reacting to the dissolution of his family.
How Manfred Fritz Bajorat Lost His Way
Manfred Fritz Bajorat was such an experienced sailor that he tallied over half a million nautical miles at sea. Initially accompanied by his wife, the couple divorced in 2008. After his former spouse died two years later and his grown daughter took a job working as captain of a freight vessel, Bajorat made the ocean his permanent home.
He began aboard the Hyundai Renaissance freighter on Aug. 1, 2008, traveling across the equator from Singapore to Durban, South Africa. After accomplishing that milestone for obsessive mariners, Bajorat sailed to the Spanish island of Mallorca — where he apparently made an impression on a fellow sailor.
manfred fritz bajorat with family
One of the many photos found on Bajorat’s sailboat. He’s seen here on the right, with his daughter Nina to the left of him.
“He was a very experienced sailor,” the Mallorcan named Dieter told news outlets. “I don’t believe he would have sailed into a storm. I believe the mast broke after Manfred was already dead.”
A document aboard Bajorat’s ship revealed the Sayo was cleared by maritime police in 2013, in either Sao Vicente, Brazil or Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. It was then that he began his lonesome seafaring adventures in earnest, regularly posting updates on his Facebook page and responding to birthday messages.
Some reports claimed that Bajorat hadn’t been seen by anyone in person since 2009. Ultimately, it appeared he wanted it that way. No fan of his fatherland’s winter climates, he spent the last two decades of his life on course for more hospitable weather. In the end, all he left behind were photographs — and a note to the woman he loved.
Are the Chinese planning to invade Taiwan and can the US and NATO prevent this and stop them in their tracks by forming naval blockade along the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the West China Sea?
CIA director testified at Intelligence Committee at Congress in early March 2023, there is no chance of China attacking Taiwan in the next 10 years.
RAP FANS REACT TO Evanescence – Bring me to life
True and amazing!
In November 2003 on a transatlantic flight from Liverpool, England, to Florida, 67-year-old Dorothy Fletcher was traveling with her daughter to attend her daughter’s wedding.
During the flight, she experienced chest pain accompanied by pain in the back and down the arm while finding it difficult to breathe.
She was vomiting and sweating profusely, which led her to soon collapse. Dorothy had suffered a heart attack while on the plane.
The stewardess rushed to the PA system and made an announcement asking if any doctors were onboard.
Surprisingly, the stewardess found not one but fifteen doctors who all happened to be cardiologists heading to a conference in Florida.
They stood up en masse and rushed to save Dorothy. They fed drips into her arms and used an onboard medical kit to control the life-threatening attack.
The plane was diverted to North Carolina, where Dorothy was treated in the intensive care unit.
She spent two days in the Charlotte Medical Centre after her heart attack and then managed to attend her daughter’s wedding the following week.
After the incident, Dorothy had this to say: “I couldn’t believe what happened. All these people came rushing down the aircraft towards me. The doctors were wonderful. They saved my life.”
“My daughter was with me and you can imagine how she felt when all these doctors stood up. I wish I could thank them but I have no idea who they were, other than that they were going to a conference in Orlando.”
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FIRST TIME EVER LISTENING DIO ~ Last In Line REACTION (The MetalGodFather got me HOOKED 🥺)
China’s export controls on gallium likely to hit US defense industry: experts
By Liu Xuanzun Published: Jul 04, 2023 06:16 PM Updated: Jul 04, 2023 06:12 PM
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China’s recently announced export controls on gallium could hit the US defense industry, as this material, with China with China being the leading producer and supplier in the world, is widely used in advanced radar systems installed on warplanes, warships and ground installations, experts said on Tuesday.
Starting August 1, China will impose export controls on gallium and germanium as well as several chemical compounds involving the two materials, according to a notice China’s Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs released on Monday.
Items meeting certain characteristics shall not be exported without approval, the notice stated.
The move aims to safeguard national security and interests, it said.
Gallium and germanium are used in the making of semiconductors and other electronic components, observers said.
Chinese military analysts said that the export controls, particularly those on gallium, could hit the US defense industry at a time when the US is attempting to militarily contain China’s development.
Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) are the most basic materials in the making of the transmit receive modules on active electronic scanning array (AESA) radars, which are widely used on modern warplanes, warships and ground installations, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
For example, US’ defense companies Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are reportedly introducing new AESA radar systems based on GaN, which provide superior performance than previously used GaAs. The latest radars for the F/A-18E/F carrier-based fighter jet and the F-35 stealth fighter jet also incorporate GaN.
Both GaN and GaAs are included on China’s list of export controls.
China accounts for about 85 percent of global gallium reserves, meaning that it is unlikely for the US and other Western countries to avoid using the Chinese materials without significant cost, Fu said.
The US frequently deploys its warplanes and warships on China’s doorsteps for close-in reconnaissance, provocative transits and exercises as well as showcasing deterrence purposes, in addition to continuing arms sales to the island of Taiwan, which are obvious attempts to contain China’s development and harm China’s national security and interests, analysts said.
FIRST TIME HEARING Fort Minor – Remember The Name REACTION
The chart below should answer a part of your question. In addition, all the gallium veins of the third ranked one in this chart have been occupied by the second ranked one.
Another point that should not be ignored is that if gallium is to be produced on a large scale, its main raw material is waste slag from the zinc and aluminum smelting industries, and China also accounts for over 50% of the world’s smelting production of these two metals.
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NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED!!.. | FIRST TIME HEARING Talking Heads – Psycho Killer REACTION
In a demented state of mind, reality becomes blurred, and possibilities appear limitless.
With impaired cognitive abilities and distorted perceptions, rational thinking and judgment are compromised.
This altered mental state can lead to unpredictable behavior, inappropriate beliefs, and a detachment from the consequences of one’s actions.
With this altered state of mindset, Biden carried out his reckless foreign policies while the ruling elites supported by the military-industrial complex cheered him on.
WOW!! FIRST TIME HEARING Chicago – 25 or 6 to 4 | REACTION
How the US politicizes travel warnings
“Americans should reconsider travel to China due to the risk of wrongful detention, the US State Department warned in an updated travel advisory issued Friday.” The level three warning, making China out to be a dangerous location, places the country in category shared by countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Chad, Lebanon and Pakistan, all which are known for protracted political instability, insurgencies and high risk of violent crime.
If it wasn’t obvious already, the travel warning is politically motivated, and is decided to incentivise “decoupling” from China by deterring businessmen, academics, tourists and other visitors by inciting a risk of danger. This is of course ironic and hypocritical, given US officials, such as Anthony Blinken and Nicholas Burns, pledged to continue “human exchanges” with the country, notwithstanding all the other policies they are currently implementing in order to make that increasingly difficult. The truth is, America doesn’t want its people to visit China.
The United States is the most adept and skilful nation in the world in controlling its population via an appeal to a means of fear.
As a federal democracy with a broad separation of powers, which ultimately requires the consent of the governed, US presidential administrations have presided over a centralization of power since the Cold War era through the ability to co-opt, organise and manipulate mass media to their own ends, aiming to invoke public fear on various issues and in turn manufacture political capital for policymaking.
US history is filled with such examples, from so-called “weapons of mass destruction”, “to reds under the bed”, to North Korea being about to nuke the United States and of course today’s wave of mass hysteria pertaining to China. Be it the fear of apparent “Spy Balloons”, infiltration at universities, TikTok and so on. The list is ever growing, and although a lot of this fear is provoked by Republicans, the US administration often chooses to embrace it for domestic political ends, as opposed to challenging it and carving out their own position, which of course negates the idea of so-called “guardrails” Anthony Blinken likes to pay lip service to.
And in doing so, the US State Department is one of the primary instigators of public fear in the United States. In this case, it is producing politically motivated travel warnings in order to incentivize the White House position on China. It does not want the country to become a hub for US investment, exchange, and study, therefore it will whip up fears of Americans being arrested, this is a common theme that it often repeats with countries who it deems antagonistic in some ways. But a sheer look at the numbers, particularly those before covid, would indicate that this is sheer nonsense and that the overwhelming majority of trips to China are trouble free.
Indeed, there are instances of foreign nationals being detained, including Australian citizen Chang Lei, as well as the notorious saga of the “two Michaels” in relation to Meng Wangzhou, but of course, the media often press certain assumptions regarding the “political motivations” behind such cases, while also automatically assuming that they “must” be innocent because of the subject country involved. Yet again these cases indicate high-profile exceptions, not the rule, and without speculating, every country has laws that must be obeyed and followed accordingly.
Either way, it is simply ludicrous to class China, an extremely stable country, in the same classification of risk as war-torn countries in Africa or the Middle East.
Places where foreign nationals actually are at risk of being captured by insurgency groups.
Even if one can make a valid point about the cases above, it requires an obvious exaggeration and act of bad faith to exaggerate the given situation involved. Does China indiscriminately and randomly target foreign nationals or tourists? Purely on the basis of what their national governments might do? The US and the mainstream media want you to believe that narrative, but it is of course, deliberately misleading.
China is a safe place to visit.
Like everywhere in the world, there are of course certain precautions you should take in respect to unique local circumstances, but maturity is recognizing this is all part of a wide co-opted campaign to isolate Beijing. The United States is a master of political theatre whereby it creates scenarios, frames China as the villain but then depicts itself as the ultimate solution.
Don’t buy it.
UNBELIEVABLE | REACTION TO Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ | LIVE 1981 Houston
Most people don’t know how huge Chinese industrial production is, myself only found out very recently. I was shocked, I had to calculate all the numbers I found through google to verified the data, because I didn’t believe it. How could it be so huge?
I found each country’s automobile production, added all G7 countries up to confirm, China makes more automobiles each year than all 7 countries combined.
Obviously it didn’t happen overnight, so how come I never read about it? How come it was/is not in the news? Maybe it is a good thing that people don’t know.
Chinese industrial and agricultural production is more than U.S., Japan and Germany combined. China makes more cars per year than US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy. France and England combined.
OH MY GOSH!| FIRST TIME HEARING Devo – Whip It REACTION
Only The Legs Remain | Spontaneous Human Combustion
We Are Just Grains of Sand on This Earth: Tomás Sánchez Draws Giant Forests and Massive Landcapes
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Tomás Sánchez was born in 1948 in Aguada de Pasajeros, Cuba. He began his studies as a painter in 1964 at the San Alejandro School of Plastic Arts in Havana and later at the Escuela Nacional de Arte.
In 1980 he won the Joan Miró Drawing Prize, given by the Miró Foundation in Barcelona and in 1984 he won the Amelia Peláez Award for painting at Havana’s first biennial. In 1985 he had his first retrospective at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana. In 1989 he left Cuba to live in Mexico and subsequently to southern Florida. He joined the Marlborough Gallery in 1996. In 2003 a substantial monograph on the artist’s body of work was published by Skira with an essay by the South American poet and Nobel Laureate, Gabriel García Márquez and texts by Edward J. Sullivan. Sánchez currently lives and works in Miami and Costa Rica.
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Tomás Sánchez has practiced mediation for the last 50 years, and his work is a manifestation of the myriad experiences and visions from his daily practice. His paintings can be divided into two opposing, yet contrasting, categories: vast paradisiac landscapes and fields of trash, both arising entirely from the artist’s imagination. As Gabriel García Márquez wrote:
“It was not by accident that in a recent interview he let slip from his soul, “I always wanted to be a saint”. There was no need for him to say so. Especially in this period of his prophetic landscapes that we conceive of as models of a joyous world, and in which Tomás Sánchez always paints his man: a tiny, solitary witness who will, forever after, be the guardian of the picture’s legitimacy. In the meantime, he continues correcting real reality, painting without rest, with his gentle, alert, well-informed personality, with the invisible strings that keep us, his friends from all over the world, captive. For no one escapes the spell cast by Tomás Sánchez: the more we know his work the more we love it, and the more certain we are that if the world in fact deserves to be made again, it is because, as much as it can, it resembles his painting.”
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LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN CHINA! 30 Billion Mall To Mars?! – Insane!
What’s going on in Europe?
2023 07 05 07 51
Van Halen – Panama REACTION
Buy Chinese, boycott Adidas and Nike
2023 07 05 07 52
Something is afoot in China.
It is a phenomenon whose scale and ferocity have never been seen before anywhere.
I am talking about the spontaneous boycott of American sportswear or footwear products. This powerful pushback by Chinese consumers is a quid pro quo for sanctions imposed on cotton or textiles from Xinjiang.
The targets of this consumer anger are US global giants Nike and Adidas. The latter was hit specially hard, losing 36% of its sales in China which happens to be Nike’s third largest market. H&M, a Swedish retail giant, has been brought to its knees a while ago, but pledges to rebuild its brand to win back its Chinese patrons.
Nike and Adidas have joined the US in pushing the falsehood that Xinjiang cotton is tainted by the use of forced labor. China’s angry denials have fallen on deaf ears.
Into this battlefield charged Chinese consumers with a new weapon—a country-wide boycott of US products.
Nike and Adidas have behaved like rude guests in China, abusing Chinese hospitality by badmouthing the host while raking in huge profits. America won’t tolerate such poor manners from Chinese companies on US soil.
It is rich for Nike to project a “holier-than-thou” image when it has a history of using child labor, sweatshops and paying starvation wages to factory workers.
Terrorism is a global menace. Instead of joining forces to fight this scourge, America chooses to attack China’s anti-terrorist measures. Without verifiable evidence, it has lobbed charges of genocide against China, using this loaded word to inflict its damage. It is impossible to prove what you have not done.
It is simply a weapon to cripple China’s economy.
Patriotic Chinese consumers say enough is enough. Their united display of patriotism has smashed US allegations that Chinese people are oppressed by their government. Oppressed people don’t launch spontaneous consumer boycotts against foreign rivals.
There is one side-effect America did not anticipate: US punitive sanctions have united Chinese citizens behind their government in a people-to-people counter-attack.
China’s international behavior is faultless. America has turned to misrepresenting and weaponizing its domestic politics. Aided and abetted by the power of its media monopoly, when America accuses, America convicts. China cannot and will not allow outsiders unfettered access to the re-education centers in Xinjiang, when their motives and intentions are suspect. For America the verdict is a foregone conclusion.
Don’t be a dork. Every single one of the white-race powers, including Britain, America, Canada and Australia accusing China of genocide has a history of genocidal killings or ethnic cleansings of their indigenous populations. The blood is still wet on the accusers’ hands.
China alone has a pristine record in inter-ethnic relations. It alone is free of ethnic discrimination. Foreigners who live in China are amazed at how free of hate crimes this country is. Historically, the Han tribe had never persecuted minorities. It is still true today. In fact, China has delivered a whole raft of measures better known in America as Affirmation Action to benefit all minorities—from lower admission requirements to higher education to exemption from its draconian one-child policy. They celebrate their ethnicity in local festivals. China is a haven for minorities.
China can protest its innocence until the cows come home. Majorie Yang, the MIT-educated chairman of Esquel Group, a Hong Kong textile manufacturer, has given gainful employment to tens of thousands of Uyghurs on her cotton fields and was slapped with sanctions. She hired an international investigative agency which had cleared her company of the charge of using forced labor. But the clearance meant nothing. The sanctions stay.
America is denying China its sovereign right to fight terrorism on its own territory by adopting an educational, rather than a punitive approach. Meanwhile waterboarding and using other forms of torture in Guantanamo are an undeniable fact. Where are the international sanctions against America which has slaughtered millions in Vietnam and Iraq.
Other than counter-sanctions, only one effective weapon remains in fighting unfair double standards: consumer boycotts. Hit the rumor-mongers where it hurts.
Forget megaphone diplomacy. Let ordinary people carry the fight to America and its commercial proxies, using the power of their purse. When reason and common sense fail to prevail, it’s time to let the wallet do the talking.
China Metro vs India Metro – This is truly shocking…
Green Chile Burros
The burro is shown “enchilada style.”
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Ingredients
1 small beef roast, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes, drained (juice reserved)
1/2 teaspoon comino (cumin)
Salt and pepper, to taste
All-purpose flour
Instructions
Brown diced meat in fat in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion, green chiles, garlic and drained tomatoes. Add enough drained tomato juice (plus water if needed) to cover. Add comino, salt and pepper. Cook, covered, until meat is very tender.
Mix flour with a small amount of water to form a thin paste and add to mixture to thicken slightly.
Heat a large flour tortilla on a griddle. Fill with meat mixture and fold.
Notes
Enchilada Style: Follow instructions above, then place in a shallow serving dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top to cover, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Heat in a 425 degrees F oven until the cheese is melted.
I sometimes make a fast version of this. I use leftover pot roast, dice it up, mix it with the remaining ingredients and just simmer it until the onion is tender. Thicken it with the flour as stated in the recipe.
Being called a dictator, should Xi meet Biden this November, and why?
According to the proven Principle of Least Interest, China has total power over this US-China relationship. Biden’s name-calling only reflected his pathetic despair.
The Principle of Least Interest is the idea in sociology that the person or group that has the least amount of interest in continuing a relationship has the most power over it. In the context of relationship dynamics, it suggests towards which party the balance of power tilts. The principle applies to personal, business, and other types of relationships where more than one party is involved.
And if they want to borrow money, they need to borrow it from private French Bankers (like Macron) at Commercial rates!
But wait… it gets worse…
Countries like Burkina Faso have gold mines (literal).
And in the “Treaty for Independence”, France gets the right of first refusal.
Only if France doesn’t want to extract resources, can these countries allow everyone else to mine.
Why don’t these colonies break the treaties?
Well, France has thought of that too.
Within the treaty, the Colonies have given France the exclusive contract to sell weapons and train the military in the former colonies.
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The treaties also give France the authority to “pre-deploy” French troops for “peace-keeping” purposes.
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Hypothetically, if there rises a leader like Sankara who wants to nationalize these resources… well French troops rush in to overthrow him in a military coup.
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France has tested nuclear weapons in Algeria numerous times. The first test occurred in 1960, in the desert. They didn’t adequately warn the civilian populations around the blast site. An estimated 40k Algerians got sick from these tests.
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Fast forward to France still having a human zoo where they brought over Africans from Ivory Coast to “live” in a “safari” while Europeans gawked at them in 1994!
It was called Bamboula Village…
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It was sponsored by confectionary company St. Michel’s who made some kind of chocolate sweet called “Bamboula” which had this extremely racist advertising…
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Finally, the artisans made contact with the local performers guild who helped create a “No Human Safari” movement and created a public outcry. In October 1994, they finally shut down the wreched human zoo.
China has developed its own chip technology, with optical chips. These chips do not get as hot as the old chip technology and are faster.
China can do anything because their army is an army of engineers and other professionals.
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WHAT? | FIRST TIME HEARING The B 52’s – Rock Lobster REACTION
Pulled Pork with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce
This is a delightful recipe. It’s especially good served with cole slaw on top, the way the Southerners do it.
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Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) pork sirloin roast, pork shoulder or butt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (12 ounce) can root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce, any brand you like
8 to 10 hamburger buns, split (and toasted, if desired)
Cole slaw (optional)
Instructions
Brown the salted and peppered roast in vegetable oil.
Place the pork, onions and garlic in a slow cooker. Pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or until pork shreds easily with a fork.
After the pork has is done, drain and discard the juices and onion. Shred the pork and place it back into the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over the pork and stir to combine.
Serve immediately or keep warm in the slow cooker until ready to serve.
Serve on hamburger buns topped with cole slaw, if desired.
Decades ago, the US made a conscious decision to prioritize global military engagements.
This was done over addressing pressing domestic issues.
Issues like education gaps, gun violence, political corruption, social inequality, drug overdose, deindustrialization, infrastructure challenges, high costs, and an unproductive workforce.
This choice has led to losing the nation’s ability to compete through hard work and tangible achievements internationally.
To prevent China from surpassing the US, the current approach has been focused on imposing sanctions, embargoes, and tariffs, and enacting anti-China legislation or instigating China to invade Taiwan.
This has been crafted by nullifying the One-China policy to stamp the rise of China.
Ah. As Biden has repeatedly expressed his determination to prevent China from overtaking the United States.
He has pledged significant investments to ensure that America maintains its dominance in the race between the two countries.
He has been doing so without even knowing the content of the passed funding bills.
As they are just words without the real capability to implement the intent of them and will not make America Great again.
When I was still in High School my maternal grandmother had a stroke. And while I was busy dealing with my jobs, and school, I was a tad divorced from the on-going strife and adventures with my grandmother. Which apparently was rather lively. She being a feisty old gal…
Well, my grandmother lived in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. And the word was out that a local spaghetti factory and warehouse was going out of business, and they were liquidating all their stock.
Seeing opportunity, my mother and my two aunties went to the warehouse and bought up an entire van of spaghetti. Perhaps a five years supply for all three families. No precise figure can be bantered about, but it was a van full of poxes of pasta. And all three paid some “hard earned cash” to stock up with.
Being so located in the city, after driving and getting the various types of pasta, they then drove to my grandmothers house.
There, they unloaded all the boxes of spaghetti, pasta, and various types of pasta into the living room, and then went off to the mall for some shopping and lunch. It was still early in the morning. Maybe 10am.
They returned back after eating dinner.
It was around 8pm.
They had been gone almost the entire day. And were not paying attention to the state of my grandmother, or what she might think of a living room filled with boxes of spaghetti and assorted pasta.
…
And when they went to my grandmothers’ house was sight to behold.
My grandmother (now, stroke impaired) had been busy all day cooking up the pasta. All 3 x 5 years worth. There was pasta everywhere in every pot and pan in the house, and then when she ran out, she used laundry baskets, and plastic garbage cans to hold the rest.
As well as old shoe boxes, and every plate and bowl in the house.
Obviously my mother and aunties were all disgusted, and didn’t say a word. In fact, they all refused to talk about the event. When we would bring it up, she would get a very ugly expression on her face and just turn away. It must have been painful for her.
However…
Us High School kids thought it was hilarious. But, perhaps we shouldn’t of. I’m sure that there are lessons abound for everyone to take heed of here.
Because I have some grey hair I am treated in the same embarrassing way every time I get on a city bus or on the subway …… younger people get up and offer me a seat.
Recently I had problems with a tooth. One morning I went to one of the dental hospitals. They did xrays and preformed a root canal in a 2 hours. It cost me 1/6th of the price of a root canal I had done 30 years ago in North America. Just terrible prices.
I am invited out to eat or to go to some celebration a few times a month. I never have to pay for the meal, while I am offered beer and cigarettes. I do not smoke so I decline the cigarettes but accept free beer.
Oh how terrible to invited out by the locals constantly. I have been to at least 25 weddings, more then dozen birthdays and half a dozen 100-day celebrations for babies.
There are 100+ channels on the TV, with a few in English as some western movies. The nightly news reports on all the major news around the world. I have internet access 24/7 and spent way too much time browsing the internet from Europe to North America. It is a terrible way to waste time.
I often visit my daughter who works 300km away in another Province. Being so far away, I am forced to take the train which takes 1hr 30 minutes to make the trip with 2 or 3 stops along the route. I could drive my car but that would make for a much longer trip.
The really bad thing in China is access to food.
We have 2 farmers markets within 2 city blocks. These are markets where the farmers come into the city around 6-7 am every morning to sell that days fresh crop of fruit vegetables and meat.
This in addition to 2 grocery stores and a Walmart in the area.
Then on my small city block, we have 14 restaurants, open 7 days a week.
There are even the evil food chains – KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Starbucks, plus all the Chinese ones etc
We have the French Carrefour and Auchan super stores and the Germany’s Metro cash & carry stores.
Worst of all, we have these applications on our smartphones (80% of folks own a smartphone). Where we can see menus of hundreds of restaurants in our area, order food and they deliver it to your door usually within 30 minutes.
If we need to go to the bank, we can not go 365 days of the year. There are about a dozen days a year when the banks are closed.
Schools are much more demanding on students compared to North America, with homework every night.
However they do get a month off in summer.
My daughters students spend some of their summer travelling. The US and Europe for some, others within China or to nearby places like South Korea or Thailand.
So far no one has noticed any difference due to the Trump Tariffs, but according to western media China is under some sort tremendous pressure. Or maybe there were talking about the tropical storm? In either case it was a lot of wind.
That is how bad it is living in China.
Please have pity on our oppression, as we say in my group of expats who live in China as well, some for over 20 years.
Of course we live a large city. The situation differs in rural areas as it does in most countries.
Russia has found a way to interfere with GPS-guided artillery rounds, including munitions for US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, Defense Minister of Ukraine Aleksey Reznikov has claimed.
When those systems first arrived on Ukrainian battlefields last year they were “highly accurate,” Reznikov recalled, in an interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday.
However, Russia, which has strong radio-electronic systems, eventually found a way to jam GPS-guided artillery and HIMARS projectiles, he acknowledged.
“It’s like a constant pendulum. This is a war of technology,” the minister said, describing the ongoing conflict between Kiev and Moscow.
“The Russians come up with a countermeasure, we inform our partners and they make a new countermeasure against this countermeasure,” he explained.
Reznikov reiterated Kiev’s earlier claim that “for the military industry of the world, you can’t invent a better testing ground” than Ukraine.
Kiev’s Western backers “can actually see if their weapons work, how efficiently they work and if they need to be upgraded”, he said.
Ukraine has been supplied with several dozen High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which have a range of 85 kilometers (53 miles), by its foreign backer since June last year. Western outlets described the system as a game-changer in the conflict.
In May, CNN reported, citing five sources from the US, Britain and Ukraine, that the US-designed multiple rocket launchers had been rendered “increasingly less effective” from the intensive blocking by the Russian forces. The electronic jammers throw off the GPS-guided targeting system of HIMARS rockets to cause them to miss their targets, the channel said.
Throughout the conflict, the Russian Defense Ministry reported destroying dozens of HIMARS systems through the use of kamikaze drones and artillery fire. However, these claims have been disputed by Kiev and Washington.
Now, there is no dispute. Russia can — and is — jamming HIMARS systems.
A Metal Container
A metal container from Roman times, believed to be around 2,000 years old, was found to contain a face cream with distinct ancient finger marks. The cream was analyzed and found to be a mixture of refined animal fat, starch, and tin. To recreate the cream, researchers followed the same recipe and applied it to their skin, resulting in a white layer with a smooth powdery texture. This texture was achieved by the starch, which is still used in modern cosmetics for this purpose.
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Professor Richard Evershed from Bristol University explained that in Roman times, white face paint was trendy and typically obtained its color from a lead compound. However, a tin compound could serve as an acceptable substitute, and since it was abundant in Cornwall, it would have been readily available.
Lead was widely used in ancient Rome and could be found in various items such as cups, plates, coins, pipes, cosmetics, face powder, paints, food seasoning, and even birth control. Surprisingly, research has revealed that tap water in ancient Rome had up to 100 times more lead than local spring water. Some historians speculate that lead poisoning might have contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire.
Finally, Satan Has an Instagram Account, And It’s Funny as Hell
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We have compiled a list of the funniest Instagram posts from the Dark Lord himself who posts cheeky, biting one liners. Scroll down to check them out don’t forget to follow him on Instagram (not in real life).
They have been leaked, here are some of the photos from there. This is how they are forced to pick cotton in China isn’t it bloody awful?
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Making those slaves drive those big horrible machines, there should be a law against it, we should report it to amnesty international.
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This is disgraceful, why are they not allowed to pick the cotton by hand?
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Like the USA says they should?
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Flight 235
An engine flame-out caused a domestic flight in Taiwan to topple in midair, then crash into the Keelung River in front of hundreds of eyewitnesses. 43 of the 58 people on board lost their lives. These are some of the frames from a dash cam video showing moments before it crashed.
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Burgers with Cream Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Filling
Say goodbye to boring cheeseburgers. These patties contain a hidden mixture of cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Flavorful, moist and exploding with a delicious surprise.
1/4 cup chopped (1/4 inch) sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 pounds lean ground beef (less than 12% fat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 Kaiser or hamburger rolls
Lettuce, onion slices (optional)
Instructions
Thoroughly combine cream cheese, sun-dried tomato, and garlic salt in small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix ground beef with salt and Worcestershire sauce.
Divide meat into 12 equal portions (about 1/3 cup each) and flatten portions into 4 1/2 inch round patties.
Place 2 tablespoons of filling on 6 of the patties and spread to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
Cover with remaining 6 patties and pinch the edges closed.
Grill or broil patties.
Serve on rolls with optional lettuce and onions.
Tiger kills 20-year-old in Delhi zoo ..
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In Sept. 2014, a mentally ill visitor at Delhi’s National Zoological Park jumped into a tiger enclosure. A white tiger attacked him for 15 minutes, leading to his unfortunate demise. Despite attempts to stop the tiger, the man’s screams echoed throughout the park.
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Is nuclear war with Russia IMMINENT?
Logging
The giant sequoia tree pictured was a magnificent specimen that had an estimated age of 2600 years at the time of its unfortunate felling in the 1890s. Giant sequoias (scientifically known as Sequoiadendron giganteum) are among the largest and longest-living trees on Earth, and their existence spans several millennia. They are native to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, USA.
During the late 19th century, the logging industry experienced a significant boom in the United States, driven by the high demand for timber to support expanding cities and infrastructure projects. This period coincided with the industrial revolution, which led to an increased need for lumber. The immense size and durability of giant sequoias made them particularly sought after, and sadly, many of these ancient trees were felled during this time.
The cutting down of the 2600-year-old giant sequoia tree in the 1890s represents a tragic loss of natural heritage and a poignant reminder of the environmental impact caused by human activities. Today, there are efforts to protect and preserve the remaining giant sequoias, as they hold immense ecological value and are regarded as national treasures in the United States.
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“It’s a Bag of Lies”- Brace Yourself for the Unthinkable | Gregory Mannarino
China takes a HARD stance
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell was due to visit China next week for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.
But Beijing called off the visit without providing specific reason.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is due to visit Beijing on Thursday.
On Monday, China announced new export restrictions on two metals key to the manufacturing of semiconductors and electronics.
Beijing No longer want to waste time on unfriendly crusader who talks tough before visiting China.
What Are They Hiding Underneath? The Truth about the Denver International Airport Conspiracy
Survival
On November 17, 2012, José Salvador Alvarenga, a Salvadoran fisherman, embarked on a two-day fishing expedition into the Pacific Ocean from a small fishing village in Mexico.
Accompanying José was Ezequiel Córdoba, a 22-year-old day worker who tragically did not make it back to shore when their ship set sail.
During their journey, the two men encountered a powerful storm that left them incapacitated. Their boat’s engine failed, and lacking paddles and sufficient food supplies, they faced a dire situation.
For a staggering 14 months, their boat aimlessly drifted across the Pacific Ocean. Tragically, Ezekiel succumbed to starvation after just four months into the journey.
José, determined to survive, resorted to consuming anything he could catch using the only tool he possessed—a knife. His desperate diet included raw fish, turtles, small sharks, and sea birds.
In his struggle to stay hydrated, José resorted to extreme measures. He resorted to drinking turtle blood and even his own urine to sustain himself.
It wasn’t until January 30, 2014, that José was discovered naked on Marshall Island, clutching only a knife in his hand.
Throughout his harrowing ordeal, he had drifted for an astounding 438 days, covering a distance of over 10,000 kilometers. To put this into perspective, the Earth’s diameter measures 12,742 kilometers.
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Medvedev: “Any war can be ended quickly . . . using Nuclear Weapons”
Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (Senate) said today “Any war can be ended quickly, either with a peace treaty or by doing what the United States did in Hiroshima, using nuclear weapons.”
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More as it becomes available
Funny
There is a black humor piece from Chinese:
When you have 1 nuke, you are a force of terror that must be eliminated at all cost.
When you have 10 nukes, you are dangerous rogue that must be dealt with carefully.
When you have 100 nukes, you are an important and responsibly nation guaranteeing regional peace and stability.
When you have 1000 nukes, you are the cornerstone of world peace and prosperity.
The government of French President Emmanuel Macron is under attack by the Anglo-American imperial establishment. The civil unrest that erupted across the nation was triggered by the 27 June 2023 Police killing of the 17-year old Nahel Merzouk (NM) in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. NM was driving a car without a driving license, failed to comply with police orders and for that he was shot point blank by two officers in full riot gear. NM was of Algerian origin. The next day, riots broke out in many cities across France: Paris, Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble and also Brussels in Belgium. Some areas were left looking like war zones.
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In fact, some of the riots did resemble low-intensity warfare. According to some reports, US weapons donated to Ukraine have found their way through black markets to the streets of French cities and into the hands of the protesters who used them in coordinated attacks on police and firefighters. Just on the night of Jun 30/July 1, 41 police stations were attacked, 79 police officers injured, 2560 fires were set in the streets, 1360 cars and 234 buildings were burnt. The government deployed 45,000 police and gendarmes to bring the situation under control, but thus far, the rioting has continued with great intensity for five straight days, threatening to destabilize the nation.
President Emmanuel Macron is under increasing pressure, not only from the rioters and the opposition, but more ominously, also from his own Police forces and the military. Police Unions of France wrote to Macron threatening to revolt: “Today the police are in combat as we are at war. Tomorrow we will be in the resistance and the government should be aware of this.” Certain military circles appear ready to turn against Macron. General Pierre Villiers, who is apparently well respected among the French military commanders said that the army should be loyal to the people, not to Emmanuel Macron.
Nothing is what it seems…
So far, the events may seem straightforward to understand at the levels of pawns opposed to one another in the streets of French cities: the abusive government of President Macron and its security apparatus is under attack by the people whose legitimate grievances went past the boiling point. From there, it’s easy to assume that Macron’s government even instigated the riots deliberately in order to crack down and tyrannize the people according to their plan. Heck, Macron is the Rothschilds’ errand boy and a loyal World Economic Forum young leader.
You’re either with us, or you’re against us.
All of that sounds plausible, but there’s a far broader context to this story. The present crisis draws root from the very strained relationship between French ruling elites and the Anglo-American imperial establishment, which spans centuries. A more thorough analysis of this relationship could fill many volumes but for now we’ll focus on just the more recent developments. In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, President George W. Bush announced to the world that, “you are either with us, or you are against us.” He wasn’t just saying words: the empire was preparing to cement the unipolar global order, eliminate its rivals, establish full-spectrum dominance and launch its Project For The New American Century.
France has never accepted the role of a junior partner or unquestioning ally, let alone a vassal to the Anglo-American Empire. It has continued to be a pain in its side at critical junctures. Here are a few examples of the last two decades’ spats between the two sides:
2003: French opposition to US invasion of Iraq
In late 2002 and early 2003, the Administration of George W. Bush was working feverishly to secure its allies’ support for an invasion of Iraq. In February 2002, US State Secretary Colin Powell waved a vial of white powder at the UN Security Council, accusing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of possessing biological weapons of mass destruction. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin wasn’t impressed. In a searing speech he poured cold water on US case for war and called out Powell’s performance as dubious and unconvincing. A few weeks later, on 10 March 2003 President Jacques Chirac made it clear that France would vote against any UN Resolution authorizing US attack on Iraq. In this, France would vote on the side of Russia and China (talk about foreshadowing).
2008: France opposes Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO
One of the most important projects of the Anglo-American empire over the past three decades has been to encircle Russia by absorbing all of her neighbors to the west and southwest into the NATO alliance. In several waves of eastward extensions, NATO added 14 new member states, moving more than 1,600 km toward Russia. Ukraine and Georgia were next: at the April 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, the alliance proclaimed the Bucharest Memorandum. Referencing Ukraine and Georgia, they explicitly declared that, “We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO.” While not yet a full-fledged member of the alliance’s integrated command, France was openly opposed to the resolution on the grounds that it would exacerbate the risk of war with Russia.
2019: Emmanuel Macron calls NATO a ‘brain-dead’ alliance
In an interview with The Economist in October 2019 titled, “Emmanuel Macron warns Europe: NATO is becoming brain-dead,” French President warned European countries they can no longer rely on US-dominated military alliance (note, by now France was a full-fledged NATO member): “What we are currently experiencing is the brain death of NATO,” and declared that Europe needed to “wake up,” as it stood on “the edge of a precipice” and needed to start thinking of itself strategically as a geopolitical power, otherwise as Europeans, we’ll “no longer be in control of our destiny.” Worse, when asked whether he believed in the effectiveness of Article Five which provides that if one NATO member is attacked all would mobilize to defend it, Macron gave a convoluted, cryptic reply: “I don’t know, … what will Article Five mean tomorrow?”
But President Macron and his government would become still more problematic for the Anglo-American cabal with the escalation of conflict in Ukraine. Of all European leaders, Macron has spent the most time visiting with or speaking on the phone with his Russian counterpart; he sought to improve relations between Russia and France and he tried to influence other European nations to chart a more independent policy on the continent.
2022: Macron says Russia has legitimate security concerns
In an interview that aired on Saturday, 3 Dec. 2022 Macron urged the West to take seriously Russia’s security concerns regarding NATO expansion near its border. He called for greater willingness to give Moscow the “guarantees” necessary for negotiations to be successful. He called them ‘essential’ if the West wants to get serious about talks and peaceful settlement. “We need to prepare what we are ready to do, how we protect our allies and member states, and how to give guarantees to Russia the day it returns to the negotiating table.” Macron added that, “One of the essential points we must address — as President Putin has always said — is the fear that NATO comes right up to its doors, and the deployment of weapons that could threaten Russia.” These comments elicited rage and disbelief among the Anglo-American allies and western media who accused the French President of being a pro-Kremlin stooge.
April 2023: Macron visits China, flirts with BRICS nations
Emmanuel Macron provoked even more rage and disbelief after his three day high-profile, red-carpet visit to China, from 6 through 8 April 2023. Western “national security experts” were so alarmed by this visit, they called the event “one of the greatest blunders by a major European power since the end of the Cold war…” Indeed, it was a slap in the face to the Anglo-American establishment.
On 7 April 2023 President Macron visited the Sun Yat-Sen University in South China’s Guangdong Province where he received an enthusiastic welcome. He delivered a speech on China-France ties and took questions from the students. There may have been a subtle message in the very venue chosen by his hosts. Sun Yat-Sen was a vocal critic of the British Imperial system and their foreign policy. In his book, “The Vital Problem of China,” Sun Yat-Sen wrote that,
“When England befriends another country, the purpose is not to maintain a cordial friendship for the sake of friendship but to utilize that country as a tool to fight a third country. When an enemy has been shorn of his power, he is turned into a friend, and the friend who has become strong, into an enemy. England always remains in a commanding position; she makes other countries fight her wars and she herself reaps the fruits of victory. She has been doing so for hundreds of years.”
Speaking to journalists on the return flight from Beijing, Macron said that, “Europe must resist pressure to become America’s followers…” that the “great risk” Europe faces is getting “caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its own autonomy,” and that, “Europe had increased its dependence on US for weapons and energy and must focus on boosting its defense industries.” In referring to Ukraine, Macron said that it was, “a faraway country of which we know nothing…” But even this wasn’t as unforgivable as his swipe at the “extraterritoriality of the US dollar.”
While in China, Macron signed many deals expanding bilateral trade between France and China, many of which will be denominated in Chinese yuan. Already before Macron’s visit, in March 2023 French companies began to strike such deals, the first of which was the purchase of 65,000 metric tons of liquid natural gas settled in yuan. French leadership’s willingness to craft their own bilateral relations with Anglo-American Empire’s chief rival and bypassing the US dollar is simply unforgivable. But Macron would soon go farther: according to the newspaper L’Opinion, during last month’s telephone conversation, French President asked his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa to extend him an invitation to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit planned to be held in South Africa in late July/early August.
It’s about the two systems of governance…
It is important to keep in mind the broadest context of the current global conflict. As George Soros laid it out in his annual address to the World Economic Forum in May 2021, it is the conflict between the two systems of governance. Soros mischaracterized them as “open societies” and “closed societies.” In reality, we’re witnessing the conflict between the western imperial colonial system and pretty much the whole rest of humanity.
The imperial system governance is controlled by the western occult oligarchy which, while it gives lip-service to the rule of law, freedom, democracy and human rights, in reality it consistently sows mayhem abroad and misery at home. Truth be told, the French ruling elites have also enjoyed the massive privileges of this system for centuries. However, they never accepted subservience to the Anglo-American establishment and always sought to plunder and exploit its colonies on their own terms.
Ukraine is some faraway place to you?
We don’t know yet whether France will indeed be invited to the upcoming BRICS Summit, but in the world where not being “with us” equals being “against us,” the Empire simply can’t tolerate the uppity independence of France. You think our military alliance is brain-dead? You don’t want to be our vassal? You dare to strike trade deals with China and trade in yuan? You want to seek peace with Russia? And Ukraine is some faraway place to you? Clearly, this is unacceptable and the Anglo-American establishment has had enough of France’s insubordination. It was time to teach France a lesson and bring her into line with the Anglo-American agenda.
AUKUS alliance: a stab in the back to France
The most recent sign of the Anglo-American cabal’s contempt for the French was the 2021 announcement of the AUKUS alliance between the US, UK and Australia. In 2016, France made a deal with Australia to supply 12 conventional submarines for her navy. The deal was worth $37 billion – a very substantial amount by any measure. French diplomacy celebrated it as the “contract of the century,” important not only for its sheer size and the strengthening of France’s relationship with Australia but also in terms of securing French strategic influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
But then, on Wednesday, 15 Sep. 2021 US President Joe Biden, UK PM Boris Johnson, and “that fellow down under,” as Biden addressed Australia’s then PM Scott Morrison, announced a “historic” security alliance between the US, Britain and Australia. Part of the deal included US and UK providing Australia with nuclear submarines and a significant transfer of US military technology.
With no prior consultations or warning, Britain, Australia and the US, otherwise well known for the high value they place on sanctity of contract, simply sidelined France, tore up her contract with Australia and threw French interests overboard provoking indignation and anger in France. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian referred to the AUKUS announcement as evidence of duplicity, treachery, and a stab in the back to France from her supposed allies and partners.
France recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia and Le Drian stated that there was now a crisis of trust with the US. EU Council’s President Charles Michel also strongly criticized the AUKUS announcement, accusing the Anglo-American club of leaving Europe “out of the game in the Indo-Pacific region.” This was not the first massive humiliation dished out to France from the same “friendly” Anglo-American circles.
Haiti’s reparations: how the US punished France’s opposition to Iraq invasion
American diplomacy and secret services found it easy to punish France’s opposition to the Iraq invasion and the embarrassment that France’s Foreign Minister Dominic De Villepin inflicted on the US delegation in the UN Security Council in February of 2003.
Jean Bertrand Aristide had first become Haiti’s president in 1991, but was deposed in a military coup after less than eight months in office. He spent years in exile in the US before coming back to power again in 2000 elections, with the help of the US. His US liaison was the diplomat and CIA agent Luis Moreno. On 7 April 2003 Aristide suddenly started calling for colonial-era reparations from France (note, this was 18 days after the start of the US invasion of Iraq). The precise amount that Aristide was demanding was $21,685,135,571.48 – that sum represented the lower-end of the scale of estimated damage inflicted on Haiti by France.
Formerly known as Saint Domingue, Haiti was a French colony, supplying sugar, coffee and tobacco to much of Europe. It was a boon to French merchants, slave owners and financiers. But in 1791 Haiti’s slaves staged a successful rebellion and won their freedom. In 1801, when Napoleon sent a large armada to subjugate them again, they defeated his troops and in 1804 Haiti’s leaders declared independence.
But France wasn’t ready to give up Haiti. King Charles X sent another armada in 1825 offering to recognize Haiti’s independence, provided that Haiti’s government agreed to pay an extortionate tribute in the amount of 150 million gold Francs. How much money was that? In 1803, France agreed to sell the Louisiana territory to the United States for 80 million Francs – an area that was 77 times larger than Haiti. But Haiti’s choice was simple: pay up, or it’s war!
The French would have been able to impose a naval blockade on Haiti and entirely cut them off from global trade and payment systems. Haitians had no choice but to submit to French ultimatum. To pay the ransom, Haiti was forced to borrow the sums from French bankers and pay back the loans plus interest from the proceeds of their commodity exports. Incidentally, this was the beginning of the new model of colonialism based on financial debts rather than military occupation. That, essentially is the imperial model of governance plaguing humanity to this day.
Haiti’s tragic experience was the only time in history when freed slaves had to pay restitution to their former masters and borrow funds from them to meet the ransom payments. This is why Haiti’s humiliation was called the Double Debt: it took Haitians over 130 years to pay it back and doomed the nation to chronic austerity, underdevelopment and crushing poverty.
It also made Aristide’s demand for restitution legitimate and an absolute bombshell for France. His campaign grew bolder over time with banners, bumper-stickers, government adds and graffiti spread all around the country. Not only was Aristide demanding a very substantial amount of money from France in reparations, he also encouraged other former colonies to join his fight and demand their own reparations from France.
French government was stumped with this development which their Ambassador to Haiti Mr. Yves Gaudeul called explosive. He urged his government to open discussions with Haiti to diffuse the situation, but he was firmly rejected. Instead, France recalled Gaudeul and sent a less sympathetic Ambassador to Haiti, Mr. Thierry Burkard, who explained the situation in stark terms: “Algeria can perfectly make claims, as well as most of our colonies… There’s no end to it. It would have set a precedent that we would have been greatly blamed for.”
Thankfully for France, the problem disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Before dawn on 29 February 2004 Luis Moreno, that same US “diplomat” who helped bring Aristide to power in 2000, came to his residence flanked with security officials and demanded Aristide’s resignation. Mr. and Mrs. Aristide were simply abducted and flown out of the country on a US-chartered plane back into exile. Haiti’s new, western-backed leader, Gerard Latortue dropped the restitution demands and the whole messy affair was closed.
Even though Jean Bertrand Aristide had been in power since the beginning of 2001, his calls for reparations came more than two years later, seemingly out of nowhere, but soon after France’s snub to the US over the Iraq invasion. Aristide demanded reparations from France, but never from the United States which had occupied it, or held it in debt bondage since 1915, subjecting it to equally rapacious exploitation.
Even before military occupation, in December 1914, US Marines landed in Haiti’s capital, Port-Au-Prince, broke into Haiti’s National Bank and simply took some $500,000 worth of gold belonging to Haiti’s government. Within days, Haiti’s gold was in the vaults of New York banks. Still, Aristide apparently made no precise calculation of damages inflicted on Haiti by the United States.
Furthermore, in an email exchange between Aristide’s government legal counsel Ira Kurzban, and their international law advisor Gunther Handl, the latter advised Kurzban that “Haiti must convey to France,” that there are suitable opportunities “for washing France’s dirty laundry in public.” It’s almost as though the affair was about pressuring and embarrassing France rather than securing justice for Haiti.
That notion is confirmed by the simple fact that France’s problem disappeared only after US agents removed Aristide from power, rather than after earnest negotiations with Haiti’s representatives and France’s acceptance of some obligation to Haiti. This fact alone suggests that France yielded to the United States in some backroom deal, not to Haiti. Perhaps France dropped its challenge to the New American Century and its full-spectrum dominance, and pledged her allegiance to the hegemon.
In 1966 under President Charles de Gaulle, France removed all her troops from NATO’s integrated military command and asked all non-French NATO troops to leave France. In 2009, only a few years after the Haiti affair (plus the destabilizing 2005 riots for a good measure), France once more became a full-fledged member of the North Atlantic alliance. But everyone did not live happily ever after and the relations with France remained difficult.
The Damocles’ sword of France’s colonial past
The Damocles’ sword of France’s ugly colonial past (though no more ugly than that of Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Great Britain or Germany), was brought up again in November 2022 when Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appeared on Italian channel 7 airing some of France’s particularly ugly-looking colonial dirty laundry. She showed the Italian public two exhibits: a CFA Franc banknote and a photo of a child working in a gold mine in Burkina Faso: “This is called the CFA franc. It is the colonial currency that France prints for 14 African nations, to which it applies seigniorage and by virtue of which it exploits the resources of these nations…“
Meloni claimed that thanks to the CFA Franc, 50% of everything that Burkina Faso exports ends up in the French treasury. In addition to being the Prime Minister of Italy, Meloni is also a member of the powerful Aspen Institute. Headquartered in Washington, D. C., the institute is funded by some of the most powerful exponents of the Anglo-American establishment including the Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Carnegie Corporation and Lumina Foundation and Meloni might be doing their bidding in antagonizing France.
In another jab at embarrassing France, in May 2022, the New York Times published a 19,000-words long special report about the French colonial abuse of Haiti. Titled, “The Ransom: How a French Bank Captured Haiti,” the report reads almost as though it was the French who invented slavery and colonialism.
Preannouncing the attack on France
The most bizarre element that suggests that the current uprising in France is a planned destabilization attack by the Anglo American imperial cabal is the fact that it may have been preannounced in what appears to be their habitual modus operandi. Last month I had the privilege of participating in the Better Way Conference in Bath, organized by the World Council for Health. One of the speakers on my panel was Mr. Mark Devlin (@DJMarkDevlin) a DJ who made it his challenge to study how the ruling establishment use popular culture and entertainment to disseminate propaganda and manipulate the masses.
One thing he picked up on is that they invariably preannounce their plans to the public through popular films and TV series. Mr. Devlin claimed there are literally hundreds of examples of this, and he shared one with us: a short clip from the American TV show, The Dead Zone which aired in 2005. The plot involved a Coronavirus contagion. The virus originated from China and caused high fever and respiratory infections, necessitated lockdowns, quarantines, wearing of masks, tracking and tracing of contacts, etc.
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The clip was profoundly disturbing to see, but it suggested that Devlin was onto something important. As it happens, the case of riots in France also corroborates his hypothesis. Namely, in 2022 Netflix launched a film titled “Athena” about a future ethnic civil war in France, which would erupt after the police killing of an Algerian youth. On 27 Jun 2023, French police killed an Algerian youth.
Seeking justice for Nahel by attacking Chinese tourists?
Another detail about the riots could have symbolic relevance: namely, Reuters reported that Chinese tourists were injured when rioters attacked a bus carrying a Chinese tour group in Marseille. The attack, which took place on Thursday, 29 June 2023 again reveals the cabal’s modus operandi. Recall, when the US and NATO bombed Belgrade in 1999, five U.S. Joint Direct Attack Munition guided bombs hit the Chinese embassy, killing three Chinese state media journalists. One bomb might have gone astray and hit the embassy by accident, but five bombs were a message, as was (probably) last Thursday’s attack on Chinese tourists. It would be difficult to explain why rioters who had grievances against the French government and demanded Justice for the young Nahel Merzouk, thought they’d obtain that justice in attacking the Chinese.
What now?
Should we regard Emmanuel Macron and his government as the good guys in this saga? Will they be able to pacify the situation, or will it escalate? For my part, I’ve never been even slightly fond of Emmanuel Macron, but I believe that today France’s sovereignty is at stake, and it was Macron who invited Anglo-American cabal’s wrath. If France fights back, things will get ugly. Yes, they’ll have to crack down and yes, western media will accuse them of all the standard faults of tyranny, repression, intolerance and censorship.
If France capitulates, things will get uglier still and uglier for longer. But to defend France, the government of Emmanuel Macron will have to try to bring together all of France and this could prove their toughest challenge. Macron represents the French elites which do have much to answer to – not only to their colonial subjects but also to the French people whose country has been stolen from under them (though Macron is not the only one to blame for this).
In 1996, when I moved to Monaco, I recall that for several years in a row, France was winning the top spot as the country with the highest quality of life (I believe the quality of life surveys were conducted by Conde Nast or some such publication). Over the last 25 years however, quality of life in France has deteriorated precipitously. If France is to survive and lead Europe once more, the elites backing Macron will have to reconcile and make nice with the people.
With regards to her colonial past, France will at the very least need to set up a truth and reconciliation commission and offer an earnest apology and a helping hand to its former colonies to rise and develop as equal trading partners rather than simply territories to strip mine of their resources and subjugate in a cold and inhumane fashion.
The world should consider offering a helping hand to France, because with the present struggle, a very large opportunity has presented itself to humanity: to defeat the imperialistic system of governance that’s caused the unspeakable tragedies of our colonial past and its most powerful beneficiaries, the Anglo-American imperial establishment. If they succeed at taming France and making her their vassal, they will grow stronger.
If France prevails and joins humanity, the multipolar integrations and the other model of governance, the imperial cabal will suffer a crushing blow. I know where 99.9% of us stand and for my part, I would love to see Emmanuel Macron in South Africa at the end of this month, for once listening and earnestly seeking partnership and reconciliation with the world and securing France’s place as an equal in a new community of nations.
The Mistake That Got So Many CIA Agents Killed in China🎙Darknet Diaries Ep. 75: Compromised Comms
A Letter
On the morning of May 19th, 1902, a huge explosion ripped through Fraterville Coal Mine in Tennessee, its devastating power instantly killing most of the 216 miners who were below ground.
For the 26 who survived the initial blast, a side passage of the mine proved to be a safe haven, but not for long—when rescuers eventually reached them, all had suffocated.
Found next to a number of the those 26 bodies were letters to loved ones, one of which can be seen below.
It was written by Jacob Vowell to Sarah Ellen, his beloved wife and mother to their 6 children, one of whom, 14-year-old Elbert, was by his side in the mine. (“Little Eddie” was a son they had lost previously.)
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All but three of Fraterville’s adult men were killed that day; over a hundred women were instantly widowed; close to a thousand children lost their fathers. The Fraterville Mine disaster remains the worst of its kind in Tennessee’s history.
Last photo of the survivors of HMAS Armidale
Last photo of the survivors of HMAS Armidale, which was sunk on 1 December 1942 after being attacked by a Japanese aircraft. This photo was taken from a Catalina flying boat on the 8th but was unable to land due to rough seas. The men in the raft would never be seen again.
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The Western Societies…
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Why you have “child-proof” caps on medicine bottles
On September 12, 1982, a 12-year-old girl named Mary Kellerman fell ill and was admitted to the hospital after ingesting a Tylenol capsule, a popular brand of acetaminophen. Tragically, she passed away the following day.
Around two weeks later, six more deaths occurred, including three individuals from the same family who had taken the painkiller from the same bottle.
Wednesday, September 29, 1982 was a school day, but 12-year-old Mary Kellerman woke up with a runny nose and a headache. So her parents told her to stay home, take a couple of Tylenol and get some rest.
“I heard her go into the bathroom. I heard the door close. Then I heard something drop,” recalled Dennis Kellerman, Mary’s dad. “I went to the bathroom door. I called, ‘Mary, are you OK?’ There was no answer. I called again: ‘Mary, are you OK?’ There was still no answer. So I opened the bathroom door, and my little girl was on the floor unconscious. She was still in her pajamas.”
Mary was pronounced dead at the hospital from unknown causes.
A few hours later, in a nearby suburb of Chicago, a 27-year-old postal worker named Adam Janus had also taken a sick day. After lunch, he complained to his wife about a headache and took two Extra-Strength Tylenol. Like Mary, Adam collapsed on the floor almost instantly and couldn’t be resuscitated. The paramedics ruled it a massive heart attack.
Adam Janus’s relatives rushed to the house to console his grieving wife. Overcome by Adam’s sudden passing, his younger brother and sister-in-law asked for some Tylenol. They were the next to die.
All told, seven people in the Chicago area died suddenly and mysteriously on September 29 and 30, 1982. One was a mother of four, including a week-old infant. Another, a healthy, 31-year-old, crumpled to the floor at work. The last victim, a flight attendant, was found dead in her apartment three days later, an open bottle of Tylenol still on the bathroom counter.
Investigators and toxicologists quickly identified the culprit: tampered capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol. Someone had opened the capsules and replaced the pain-relieving medicine with deadly doses of potassium cyanide. One of the most common over-the-counter pain relievers had been turned into a murder weapon.
The 1982 Tylenol murders rocked the nation. The seven deaths were the top story in every major newspaper on October 1, the official start of the Halloween season, and the “Tylenol Terrorist,” as the media dubbed him, was still on the loose.
For decades, Americans had been told scary tales of Halloween treats supposedly spiked with razor blades and rat poison, but the Tylenol murders ratcheted up the anxiety around treat-or-treating to new levels, prompting cities and towns across the country to cancel Halloween.
The official response to the Tylenol murders was swift.
The manufacturer of Tylenol, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson called McNeil Consumer Products, initiated the largest consumer product recall in American history, ordering pharmacies and grocery stores to pull 31 million bottles of Extra-Strength Tylenol from their shelves. Several more bottles in the Chicago area were found to contain cyanide, but thankfully no one else was hurt.
The federal government also swept into action. Congress passed the Federal Anti-Tampering Act, which promised up to 20 years in jail for anyone found tampering with medications, food or other consumer goods. And the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) passed new regulations requiring drugmakers to package medications like Tylenol in new, tamper-proof bottles. (“Child-resistant” caps had been around since 1970.)
“[The 1982 Tylenol poisonings] was one of those pivotal moments,” says Dr. Alan Woolf, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. “Forty years later, we take it for granted that bottles of over-the-counter medicine are shrink-wrapped in plastic and there’s a piece of foil that you need to peel back. Those tragic killings changed the pharmaceutical industry and changed federal labeling laws.”
The Johnson & Johnson lost so much… The company’s chair at the time, James E. Burke, abided by corporate responsibility and made the difficult and expensive decision to recall 30 million Tylenol products voluntarily. This cost the company over $100 million.
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“Haunted Beauty”: Mysteriously Bizarre Photo and Art Works of Natalie Shau
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Natalie Shau is mixed media artist and photographer based in Lithuania (Vilnius). She found interest in fashion and portrait photography as well as digital illustration and photo art.
Despite her personal work, Natalie also creates artwork and photography for musicians, theater, fashion magazines, writers and advertisement. She also worked as an art director for a short 3d movie of Kamel Ouali musical “Dracula”
That’s the entire problem…if an idea was easy to come up with – then it wouldn’t be a gap in the market.
TO PICK AN EXAMPLE:
This is a true story.
Back in 2004 (I think) a lady named Linda Katz decided to learn how to build a Web site. The Kansas farm which she lives on had recently been infested with tumbleweeds – a common problem in that part of the world. So for a joke, she created “Prairie Tumbleweed Farm”.
Supposedly, according to the (fake) web site – they organically farmed, harvested and sold the world’s choicest tumbleweeds: A small one for $15, $25 for a big one.
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To her extreme surprise, actual, for real orders started rolling in ones and twos – so grinning ear-to-ear, she found some cardboard boxes, stuffed a tumbleweed into each one – and mailed it off to her customers. Selling maybe one or two per month…not exactly a “business”. But it was hilarious…so she kept the website alive.
Then one day, a Hollywood movie props company needed some tumbleweeds for a Western movie set and ordered MANY HUNDREDS of them … at $25 each! THOUSANDS of dollars in one order.
This brought money AND publicity.
Then NASA bought a bunch of them to test the Mars Rover (Why?!? I can’t imagine!).
Then NPR did a radio show piece about the “farm” – I think as an April Fools thing…and with free publicity she was actually selling these generally worthless dead weeds at an impressive rate!
The website had to be translated into Japanese because tumbleweeds had become some kind of Feng Shui miracle!
She’s sold tumbleweeds for 13 years and claimed to earn around $40,000 a year.
ANALYSIS:
What’s the lesson here?
Nobody in their right mind would sit down one day and SERIOUSLY consider selling a dried up weed for $15 to $20. But there’s a thing on the Internet called “Long Tail Marketing”.
If you imagine a graph of the popularity of items that people need, it’s going to be something like this…
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On the left are things like groceries, books, TV sets, lightbulbs…mundane things that a hell of a lot of people want. Being in that market is a major pain – you’re competing against the biggest retailers in the world. Amazon, Walmart, etc – it’s extremely price-competitive – you need to advertise – keep postage costs to a minimum…URGH!
But way over to the right – on the “long tail” of the curve are things like tumbleweeds – which VERY NEARLY nobody wants – and neither Walmart nor Amazon sells. In 2004 – if you searched on “Buy Tumbleweed” – there was only ONE hit.
The point being – in the era of brick and mortar stores – you could open a Tumbleweed store in a major city – and never sell a single tumbleweed for months on end.
But on the Internet – with a few billion people searching Google several times a day – if you can be the ONLY source for tumbleweeds – and then 100% of the (admittedly very small) market is yours – people will come to you to buy – and you won’t need advertising or to compete on price.
So the trick is to be the first – and to be the ONLY source for something. Even if it’s something incredibly rare and unusual. Because out of a few billion people, SOMEONE is looking for what you’re selling.
HOWEVER:
If you Google “Buy Tumbleweeds” today – there are DOZENS of businesses trying to do the exact same thing – with various degrees of seriousness.
It’s gone from being a fun, joke thing to being…well…BORING.
The original website for Prairie Tumbleweed Farm seems to have vanished…and I’m not surprised. The market for tumbleweed probably hasn’t grown by much – and with a dozen “Me Too!” knock-off websites beating down the prices – there’s simply no money in it anymore.
CONCLUSION:
If you can come up with a “long tail market” – and can get in, make money and get out again before Amazon is selling tumbleweeds too…you can do very well indeed.
But I can’t tell you what that product or service is…or how to make it…or how to be sure that people see your store.
It’s one of those things that – if it was both easy and obvious – everyone would be doing it.
This is one of those things that was easy in the early days of the Internet – because there were lots of things that you couldn’t find on the Internet – so you could be out on the long-tail and make good money.
You can still do that – but it’s just harder and harder to come up with an idea.
Tucker Carlson: Free Gonzalo Lira
https://youtu.be/to15UBjtswk
A tale of survival
In 1993, Emile Leray, was on a journey , enjoying his cruise across the Moroccan desert when he crashed his car in the middle of the desert.
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He was stranded and had to save himself or he would die in the desert. This was when his intelligence came to rescue him.
Emile Leray, a 43-year-old former electrician, had to rebuild his car, a Citroen 2CV into a motorbike using no special tools.
He built his motor bike in ten days using materials from his crashed car. He had no drills, no power tools or welding equipment, he screwed all the parts together.
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Seven Generations
In 1989, in Wisconsin, USA, an extraordinary feat was achieved: seven generations of a family were alive at the same time. This remarkable occurrence remains undisputed and stands as a world record. The individuals involved were Augusta Bunge, aged 109, accompanied by her daughter Ella Sabin, aged 89. Ella’s daughter, Anna Wendlandt, aged 70, was also present, along with Anna’s daughter, Betty Wolter, aged 52. Betty’s daughter, Debra Bollig, aged 33, attended alongside her daughter, Lori Bollig, aged 15. Lastly, Lori’s son, Christopher Bollig, aged only one month, completed the seven-generation lineup.
They transformed from a Manufacturing Base to an Economic Giant with a strong domestic market in a matter of 10 years
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Back in 2012 – China was still a country to whom you went to build a factory and build your own stuff and export it globally.
Their Domestic Industry was very small and evolving
Today in 2022 – China is different. Its Domestic Industry is slowly getting dominated by Chinese Brands and they are spilling over Globally. They have taken the lead in High Speed Railways, 5G Communications and AI from the West and once they manage to lick their Chip problem – they could leapfrog by a further decade.
No Democracy can understand such growth that always happens under an Efficient Autocracy
As a Result the West cannot understand the Fast Growth of Chinas and constantly struggle to understand that China is on par or even ahead of them in several areas.
So they convince themselves that China is still the same old Manufacturing Factory it was 10 years or 15 years ago and they feel comfortable thinking so
Shots Fired! Iran Tries to Seize Two Vessels in Strait of Hormuz; US Navy Responds
12:13 PM EDT — Within the hour, Iran tried to seize two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that is the entry/exit to the Persian Gulf. Shots were fired.
The US Navy Responded and says it “prevented” Iran from seizing the vessels.
Marianne Williamson for president
Never heard of a sane, smart, brave, non-Trumpian, non-senile, non-token black and non-LGBTQ+ female presidential candidate telling the obvious? She’s scaring the shit out of the American voters with the simple truth. Everyone in the audience listening to her looks like a deer staring at a headlight.
Survival
In 1992, Annette Herfken’s partner of 13 years persuaded her to follow him on a romantic vacation; he never knew that would be his worst decision.
Fifty minutes into the flight going to Vietnam, the plane suddenly plummeted into the mountains. When she woke up, everywhere was dark with people screaming.
A dead passenger strapped to his seat was lying on top of her. Gradually, the noisy and chaotic enclosure was replaced with utter silence; everyone had died except her.
She was left alone with decomposing bodies until the 8th day when rescuers came, before then she battled the thoughts of cannibalizing the bodies around her to survive.
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Sleeping Beauty of Palermo
Known as the “Sleeping Beauty of Palermo,” the impeccably preserved body of Rosalia Lombardo is among the most remarkable mummies in the world.
When Lombardo died in 1920 just a to her second birthday, her heartbroken father took her to an embalmer and asked him to make her appear as if she would “live forever” before laying her in a glass-topped coffin and entombing her in the Capuchin catacombs beneath the Sicilian capital.
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The embalmer used a secret zinc mixture to petrify her body and even posed her with her eyes slightly open so that she would appear as if she was either just falling asleep or waking up from a nap.
In fact, this illusion is so convincing that some mourners who come to visit her still swear that her eyes opened and closed throughout the day, revealing beautiful blue irises beneath her delicate eyelids.
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Western ideas of beauty…
Before is so much more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. How can anyone approve this downgraded architectural design.
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China unveils first open-source desktop operating system
By Fan Feifei | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2023-07-06 13:47
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China rolled out its first open-source desktop operating system, called openKylin 1.0, on Wednesday, a key move that indicates the country has the ability to build its own self-developed operating system and fill the gaps in this field.
The openKylin 1.0 was developed by a group of Chinese companies led by China Electronics Corp, the country’s largest State-owned comprehensive electronic information enterprise group. Other participants include the China Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team, Kylinsec Technology and more than 10 other software companies.
The launch of openKylin 1.0 will help bolster the iteration and upgrade of the domestic operating system; guarantee the security in key fields such as government affairs, finance, communications, energy and transportation; and provide reliable basic software services for the country’s IT industrial chain.
Currently, China’s software operating system industry is dominated by foreign labels, such as Microsoft Windows, Google Android and Apple Mac OS.
The openKylin system can be applied in some hardware devices, including computers and mobile phones. Last year, CEC unveiled China’s first desktop operating system developers’ platform openKylin.
Flirty Witches and Naughty Demonic Beauties In Pin-Up Illustrations By Alejandra Oviedo
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Based in Bogotá, Colombia, Alejandra Oviedo draws funny and seductive pinup girls in all kinds of variations. Sometimes they are classic beauties, but most of the time Oviedo draws very unusual women – vampires, zombies and even pumpkinheads. And in each work there is a perfect balance of humor and sex – a real art.
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Flight 123
In 1985, a Boeing747 in Japan had a sudden explosive decompression in mid-air because of a faulty repair. The plane then crashed into Mount Takamagahara. All 15 crew members and 505 of 509 passengers lost their lives. This picture was taken by a passenger during the same incident.
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Kuwait Clears Country of 3,000 Trans-genders/Homosexuals
Kuwait has deported 3,000 transgender “people” from the country, and strict instructions from the Minister of Interior stresses “the need to clean the country of homosexuals.”
The US could argue that China is restricting exports of ‘Resources’ while US is restricting exports of ‘Technology’
Core Tech can be protected by law
Resources can’t be withheld unless you establish existing demand domestically
I am sure the Chinese will claim they need all the germanium and Gallium they can get
Bottom line is — US chose to play hard and fast with WTO rules, now they can’t argue that China is doing the same thing
Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Onion Butter
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Prep: 30 min | Cook 15 min | Yield: 6 cheeseburgers
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) + 2 tablespoons Challenge Butter, softened
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cheeseburgers
2 pounds lean ground beef (less than 12% fat)
6 Kaiser or hamburger rolls
6 slices sharp Cheddar cheese
Lettuce, tomato slices and bacon (optional)
Instructions
Caramelized Onion Butter
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Cook onions slowly for at least 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. You may need to adjust your heat to low as well. Cook onions until they become translucent and golden brown and then allow to cool.
Cream butter in small bowl using a fork or electric mixer.
Gradually blend in caramelized onions. Butter mixture can be used while still soft; or it can be rolled into a cylinder in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerated or frozen, then sliced into thin rounds.
Cheeseburgers
Divide meat into 6 equal portions (about 2/3 cup each) and flatten portions into 4 1/2 inch round patties.
Broil or grill patties.
Place 1 tablespoon of caramelized onion butter on each patty and top with a slice of Cheddar cheese.
Serve on rolls with optional lettuce, tomatoes and bacon.
Notes
Flavored butter can be stored a couple days in the refrigerator or it can be frozen for several weeks.
Marianne Williamson: ‘We should treat the drug issue the way countries like Portugal do’ | Conver…
Asked about the opioid crisis during the portion of her “Conversation with the Candidate” event that airs exclusively online, Democrat Marianne Williamson says the government should treat the drug crisis as a mental health crisis and make other changes to its approach.
She also answered a number of other questions including the abortion issue and how to address the national debt without harming Social Security or Medicare. Conversation with the Candidate is a town hall-style program.
It is intended to allow the candidate to convey their points of view on a wide range of topics. During the program, the moderator may challenge the candidates’ assertions, but every fact may not be checked in real time.
Britain Closed Waters off its East Coast July 4, Looking for Russian “Posiedon” Torpedo
The British government issued Notice to Airmen and Mariners (NOTAM) closing almost the entire east coast waters off England yesterday for 15 hours. Turns out, they were searching for a Russian “Poseidon” autonomous Torpedo with a 100 MT nuclear bombs aboard! The public knew nothing.
It began around 4:00 AM UK time on July 4. Notices to Airmen and Mariners (NOTAMs) were issued by the UK closing vast swaths of ocean off the UK east coast as “Danger Areas.” The NOTAM below shows the enormous areas that were closed.
Intelligence sources inside the UK have revealed the British were extremely worried that Russia may have already deployed at least one of its “Poseidon” torpedoes off the UK coastline, to create a nuclear Tsunami that would destroy most of the country without warning!
They were also concerned that other Russian Ballistic Missile submarines may have already taken-up station off the coast, to launch missiles in retaliation for what the UK has been doing to Russia inside Ukraine.
British news services did NOT carry any information about this search, nor did they even report the vast parts of the ocean closed-off for the intense searches. The British public was left blissfully unaware.
POSEIDON
Russia’s new “Poseidon” autonomous torpedo is a nuclear powered device that can travel the world’s oceans unaided, and undetected. It can be programmed to travel to – and lay off the coast of – an adversary, at a depth of at least 1 km.
At the programmed time, the torpedo would detonate a nuclear bomb it carries, that has a yield of up to 100 megatons.
Ru Kanyon illustration1 940
The design of the weapon is such, that most of the blast energy could not make it to the surface of the sea because of the great depth at which the explosion takes place. Instead, that energy would PUSH the water in a sudden, violent blast, causing a gigantic Tsunami tidal wave. As the wave approaches the coast of the adversary, the waters get shallow as they rise up to the shoreline, which causes the moving water to begin piling-up on itself.
When the wave finally comes ashore, it does so as a 1500 foot tall wall of water, moving at about 600 MPH.
Everything on the shore, and perhaps as deep as twenty five miles inland, is wiped off the face of the earth.
No warning. No evacuation time. Just a wall of water killing everything in its path.
What makes this especially horrifying is that all the nuclear blast energy is still in the water, so it is highly radioactive.
Once the water comes ashore, it deposits that radiation onto the land, making the entire area uninhabitable for over a hundred years.
If not killed outright by the wave, nothing would be able to survive once exposed to the tremendous radiation.
Russia is the only country on earth that has this technology. The west is fully aware of it, yet continues to “poke the bear” in Ukraine.
After an intense escalation between the US and China over the former’s persistence in “containing” the rise of the latter, and particularly over US interference with the island province of Taiwan, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken traveled to Beijing supposedly to repair tattered US-Chinese relations.
As part of the process, Secretary Blinken even publicly recited the US One China Policy, acknowledging that the US does not support Taiwan independence. However, even while acknowledging China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, Secretary Blinken reiterated US “responsibilities” under the unilateral Taiwan Relations Act “making sure Taiwan has the ability to defend itself,” or in other words, selling arms to Taiwan without Beijing’s approval and thus trampling Chinese sovereignty.
Following this, US President Joe Biden would refer to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator” during a speech featured on the official White House website. Days later, Secretary Blinken would affirm President Biden’s comments, as reported by US government-funded media outlet Voice of America in their article, “US Officials Agree: China’s Xi Is a Dictator.”
Why is the United States attempting to appear to be pursuing diplomacy while deliberately sabotaging any improvement in US-Chinese relations?
Before answering this question, it is important to understand just how long-running the US policy of containing China actually is and how unlikely it is we are witnessing any serious attempt to change it today.
US Policy Seeking to Contain China Stretches Back Decades
US foreign policy toward China has been for decades and remains focused on encirclement and containment. Even as Secretary Blinken traveled to Beijing, a myriad of US government-funded programs led by the National Endowment for Democracy (is banned in Russia) and adjacent organizations worked to coerce, destabilize, and even replace governments along China’s periphery in Southeast Asia to shape the region into a united front against Beijing.
The US is also still working closely to expand the activities of its two key anti-China alliances, the Quad (the US, India, Japan, and Australia) and AUKUS (Australia, the UK, and the US).
The US continues its military build-up in the Indo-Pacific region, including through expanding the US military’s presence in the Philippines and continuously sailing US warships off China’s coasts.
Additionally, US government and corporate-funded think tanks like the Council on Foreign Relations, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the Atlantic Council are currently planning both economic sanctions to impose on China, as well as, military intervention meant to enforce and exacerbate sanctions.
Today’s posture of US belligerence toward China is a continuation of a policy articulated decades ago in US government documents. On the US State Department’s official website under the Office of the Historian, a multitude of documents and memorandums explaining Washington’s policy of containing China can be found.
One document dated 1965 with the subject “Courses of Action in Vietnam” written by then US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara to then US President Lyndon Johnson would note:
The February decision to bomb North Vietnam and the July approval of Phase I deployments make sense only if they are in support of a long-run United States policy to contain Communist China.
China looms as a major power threatening to undercut our importance and effectiveness in the world and, more remotely but more menacingly, to organize all of Asia against us.
The memo would also note “three fronts to a long-run effort to contain China” which included, “the Japan-Korea front, the India-Pakistan front, and the Southeast Asia front.”
Omitting references to Vietnam and the Soviet Union, the memo sounds like it could have been written today, a reflection of how US foreign policy pursuing China’s containment has persisted for decades regardless of which US President resides in the White House and who controls the US Congress.
Feigned Diplomacy for Consensus Building Toward Sanctions and War
If the US has pursued China’s containment for decades and has no intention of stopping, why has the US State Department attempted to appear to pursue diplomacy with China?
The answer is simple. It fits a wider pattern of Washington attempting to portray itself as “diplomatic” and “reasonable” and its adversaries as belligerent and unreasonable. When the time comes to impose sanctions and even wage war, the perception that the US does so only reluctantly helps build consensus amongst American allies who are needed to help enforce US sanctions across the global economy and bolster US forces on the battlefield.
In 2009, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would hand Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov a physical “reset” button as a symbol of Washington’s supposed interest in “resetting” relations with Moscow. However, even as Secretary Clinton conducted the charade, the US State Department and related agencies and organizations were engineering the upcoming 2011 “Arab Spring” and the violent overthrow of multiple Russian allies across the Arab World including Libya and Syria, the New York Times would later admit.
Another example is the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the “Iran Nuclear Deal.” While the agreement wasn’t publicly revealed until 2013 and only signed in 2015, US-based think tanks began planning for it years earlier.
In the Brookings Institution’s “Which Path to Persia? Options for a New American Strategy Toward Iran” paper, US policymakers would admit the proposal was essentially a trap aimed ultimately at regime change in Tehran.
The paper would admit:
The ideal scenario in this case would be that the United States and the international community present a package of positive inducements so enticing that the Iranian citizenry would support the deal, only to have the regime reject it.
In a similar vein, any military operation against Iran will likely be very unpopular around the world and require the proper international context— both to ensure the logistical support the operation would require and to minimize the blowback from it.
The best way to minimize international opprobrium and maximize support (however, grudging or covert) is to strike only when there is a widespread conviction that the Iranians were given but then rejected a superb offer—one so good that only a regime determined to acquire nuclear weapons and acquire them for the wrong reasons would turn it down.
Under those circumstances, the United States (or Israel) could portray its operations as taken in sorrow, not anger, and at least some in the international community would conclude that the Iranians “brought it on themselves” by refusing a very good deal.
While it was clear the US-Russia “reset” was disingenuous, the Brookings paper offers documented proof that the US uses apparent good will and diplomacy as a means of consensus-building ahead of predetermined sanctions and even military intervention.
Several years after the Iran Nuclear Deal was signed and put into effect, the US would unilaterally withdraw from the agreement, accuse Iran of having “violated” it, reimpose sanctions on Iran, and begin pursuing a combination of US-sponsored subversion within Iran (as planned elsewhere within Brookings’ paper) and proxy war across the Middle East region against Iran and its allies.
Just as was stated in 2009 by Brookings policymakers, the US attempted to appear to extend an offer of peace and reconciliation, only to then attempt to portray Iran as having violated the nuclear deal in bad faith, justifying sanctions and military actions the US had prepared against Iran and intended to inevitably use all along.
With Secretary Blinken’s recent visit to Beijing, the United States is pursuing a similar strategy against China.
US Sanctions and War with China Already Underway
Just as with Russia or Iran, the US has already planned and is implementing both a campaign of escalating economic sanctions and military aggression against China, both directly and through proxies.
The US has for years sponsored armed groups from Pakistan’s Baluchistan region to Myanmar in Southeast Asia, to the Solomon Islands in the Pacific to attack Chinese diplomats, citizens, infrastructure projects, and businesses.
The US has already implemented sanctions on Chinese economic activity. Through US government and Western industry-funded think tanks like the Council on Foreign Relations, further sanctions are being prepared, which are intended to be even larger than those imposed on Russia after the Special Military Operation began in February 2022.
The CFR’s paper, “U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era, Responding to a More Assertive China,” spells out Washington’s plans to continue undermining its own agreements with Beijing over Taiwan, recommending a host of political, economic, and military measures to maintain US influence over the island province and thus US primacy over China in Asia.
Measures such as further arming Taiwan, separating Taiwan economically from the rest of China, and building up a US military presence in the region all aim to prevent China from stopping what is essentially the political capture of Taiwan by Washington. Maintaining control over Taiwan is key to an admittedly wider policy of maintaining US “influence” and “access” in Asia.
Echoing the 1965 memorandum published by the US State Department on its own official website, the CFR paper concludes “it is not only Taiwan’s future at stake but also the future of the first island chain and the ability to preserve U.S. access and influence throughout the Western Pacific.”
The paper even includes a map showing how Taiwan “anchors a network of US allies,” a network which clearly encircles and threatens China.
It is clear that the United States seeks to encircle and contain China. Because of China’s growing power, Washington is unable to do so alone. It requires increasingly extreme economic sanctions and military aggression in its attempts to subordinate the rising superpower, requiring consensus between itself, its allies, and nations around the globe it will attempt to coerce into supporting both its sanctions and military aggression as tensions expand.
Just as US policymakers stated regarding Iran, “the best way to minimize international opprobrium and maximize support (however, grudging or covert) is to strike only when there is a widespread conviction that” in the case of China, the US “tried” diplomacy, and it was “China’s” decision to pursue belligerence leaving a “reluctant” US no other option but economic sanctions and military intervention, hopefully convincing, compelling, or at least making it easier to coerce the rest of the world into going along.
It appears that both Russia and Iran were well aware of US duplicity in its supposed diplomacy. It is unlikely that China is unaware. China likewise seeks global support amid growing US-Chinese tensions, but is doing so through patience, persistence, and through constructively engaging with the rest of the world, providing a compelling and stark contrast to the accusations leveled by Washington against Beijing.
Judging at the rate of decline of the unipolar “international order” led by Washington, and the rise of multipolarism advocated by not only China but also Russia and Iran, it appears China is pursuing the winning strategy. Only time will tell if the increasingly dangerous and desperate measures Washington is resorting to in its long-running policy of containing China eventually succeeds, or ultimately backfires and unravels the current circles of power in Washington and on Wall Street who conceived and perpetuated this policy.
Make no mistake. The Ukraine war is United States driven.
American “news”…
Silly stuff
2023 03 23 11 11
Really silly.
China “acting” like a Global Power. Say what?
Chinese credit system
The social credit system in China is premised on an assumption that everyone starts equally … at zero.
From then on, it is the decisions that they make that increase or decrease their social credit scores, and consequences follow in the form of rewards, incentives, disincentives or punishments.
The system exists in China in the way it does because it presumes everyone from the President down has an equal interest in the social, financial and economic stability and security it aims to provide.
It has nothing to do with whatever physical attributes they are born with, and physical attributes are not a good criterion on which to base economic, social or legal equality, or access to goods and services whether public or private.
You’d deny a child the right to an education because that child is smaller than other children of the same age?
Equal opportunity is premised on the notion that people should have equal legal access to resources.
Access is not incumbent on their physical appearance or attributes (or lack of particular attributes) or on past social, economic or legal background or decision-making, depending on the context.
Hoobastank – The Reason (Official Music Video)
BULLETIN: UK To Send Depleted Uranium Ammunition to Ukraine
United Kingdom Deputy Minister of Defense Annabelle Goldie publicly stated today that the UK will supply Ukraine with Depleted Uranium (DU) Ammunition for some of the weapons systems supplied by NATO. Russia has previously warned the use of Depleted Uranium will be considered an attack by a “Dirty Nuke” and will result in a nuclear response.
Annabel MacNicoll Goldie, Baroness Goldie DL (born 27 February 1950) is a Scottish politician and life peer who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2005 to 2011 and has served as Minister of State for Defence since 2019. She was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), as one of the additional members for the West Scotland region, from 1999 to 2016.
DEPLETED URANIUM AMMUNITION
The use of DU in munitions is controversial because of long-term health effects. Normal functioning of the kidney, brain, liver, heart, and numerous other systems can be affected by exposure to uranium, a toxic metal. It is only weakly radioactive because of the long radioactive half-life of Uranium (4.468 × 109 or 4,468,000,000 years) and the low amounts of 234 U (half-life about 246,000 years) and 235 U (half-life 700 million years).
The biological half-life (the average time it takes for the human body to eliminate half the amount in the body) for uranium is about 15 days. The aerosol or spallation frangible powder produced by impact and combustion of depleted uranium munitions can potentially contaminate wide areas around the impact sites, leading to possible inhalation by human beings.
The actual level of acute and chronic toxicity of DU is also controversial. Several studies using cultured cells and laboratory rodents suggest the possibility of leukemogenic, genetic, reproductive, and neurological effects from chronic exposure. According to an article in Al Jazeera, DU from American artillery is suspected to be one of the major causes of an increase in the general mortality rate in Iraq since 1991.
A 2005 epidemiology review concluded: “In aggregate the human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in offspring of persons exposed to DU.” A 2021 study concluded that DU from exploding munitions did not lead to Gulf War illness in American veterans deployed in the Gulf War. According to 2013 study, despite the use of DU by coalition forces in Fallujah, no DU has been found in soil samples taken from the city, although another study of 2011 had indicated elevated levels of uranium in tissues of the city inhabitants.
RUSSIA EXPLICITLY WARNED AGAINST THIS
On January 25, this web site reported that Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russia Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has just publicly thrown down the nuclear gauntlet to the collective west, in an official statement:
Gavrilov said that he has been instructed by his government to announce “We know that the Leopard-2 tank, as well as the Bradley and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, are armed with uranium-core armor-piercing projectiles, the use of which leads to [radioactive] contamination of the area, as happened in Yugoslavia and Iraq.
If such shells are delivered to Kyiv, we will consider this as the use of dirty nuclear bombs against Russia, with all the ensuing consequences.” (Original Story HERE)
UPDATE 12:58 PM EDT — URGENT —
Russian President Putin stated today that Russia will “Directly Respond” to the U.K. if they decide to send Depleted Uranium Rounds to Ukraine. (i.e. If The UK sends Uranium over here, we will send Uranium over there.)
During a Joint Press Conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Putin said “Russia will have to react accordingly, bearing in mind the collective west is already beginning use use weapons with a nuclear component.”
RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER: THERE ARE FEWER AND FEWER STEPS LEFT TOWARDS A NUCLEAR COLLISION – TASS
UPDATE 2:10 PM EDT —
Russia and China issued a statement from Moscow: “There will be no winner if a nuclear war breaks out.”
.
Baked Spaghetti Pie
Spaghetti Pie 9
Ingredients
2 pounds spaghetti
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1 pound ground beef
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1 pound Provolone cheese, sliced thin
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
Instructions
Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
In a large pan, boil spaghetti for 20 minutes; drain and set aside.
Mix ricotta, milk and eggs together in a small bowl; add to spaghetti and stir together.
Press into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan until compact and even.
Cook ground beef and sausage in a large skillet.
Drain fat, removing as much as possible.
Stir in spaghetti sauce. Spread evenly over spaghetti base in pan.
Layer slices of Provolone over meat mixture, then add the grated Romano on top of that.
In remarks prepared for the American Bankers Association, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the U.S. banking system is “sound” but more rescue arrangements “could be warranted” if new failures at smaller institutions pose a risk to financial stability. here’s the “rub” . . .
Yellen’s small bank comments were released under embargo at 7am. Treasury wanted them out before markets opened, as Yellen speech isn’t until 10am.
That tells everyone that Yellen and company still see the ongoing Banking “crisis” as dangerous, and they are deliberately trying to calm markets.
Trouble is, Jerome Powell over at the Federal Reserve has a meeting this week about raiding interest rates again. His choice is now stark:
2023 03 23 10 38
Tucker: Zelenskyy is demanding you send your kids to war
Send Graham to the front lines in Ukraine immediately.
I am 61 years old today. Wow! Seems so weird even writing that. I don’t perceive myself to be 61; it’s like . . . . how did this happen? Where did all the years go? And how the heck did they go so fast?????
It’s like . . . . it all lasts only . . . . 5 minutes.
Yet here I am.
My son came up here to the Pennsylvania house last night. Arrived a little after 8:00.
He’s going to his job from here and will return here tonight after work.
I got a new Behringer MDX-2600 Audio expander/gate/compressor/peak limiter as a Birthday present from him and my wife, to replace the one that I’ve used since setting this house up as a backup broadcast facility after my mom died in November 2021.
The audio gear that I’ve been using seems to have suffered a strange but now recurring audio failure, causing audio levels to randomly change. Weird.
My son will install the new gear after work tonight.
It a little frustrating to be getting up in my years. There’s physical changes that I don’t like . . . at all.
For certain, the heart attack I suffered in April 2019, which forced me to get open heart surgery and quadruple bypasses for clogged heart arteries, was a big deal. But it was small compared to the SECOND heart attack I suffered seventeen months later, in October, 2020 after two of the four cardiac bypasses clogged with blood clots.
That second heart attack was very much worse than the first, and it was during that incident that I went into heart failure on the cardiac catheterization lab operating table, and felt myself dying.
I have told this story a number of times; I had never experienced “dying” before, yet the feeling is so utterly distinct, you KNOW IT when it’s happening. It’s not painful, or scary . . . it just . . . happens.
Thankfully, the Doc was able to fit a stent under my clogged left circumflex artery opening and restore blood flow. That artery had been bypassed but its bypass was one of the ones’ which had clogged with blood clots. So if he wasn’t able to get a stent to move arterial plaque away from the opening and restore blood flow, I would have been dead.
Fast forward to about a month ago, I felt the same types of “twinges” in my chest that I had felt before my first heart attack. I told the Doc, he scheduled me to go in for another cardiac catheterization and when they were in there, they saw that the walls of my left anterior descending artery were wilting inward and restricting blood flow. So they did angioplasty to open the artery, but when they removed the inflatable balloon, the artery walls just wilted closed again. So Doc said he had to Stent that, too.
So here I am, now having had two heart attacks, open heart surgery, and now two stents. WOW!
The leg from which they took veins to use for my bypass surgery, swells-up from time to time. Docs said the blood had to find a new way to get back to my heart after they took the vein, but for some reason, the leg swelled a little for a long time after the open heart surgery.
Then, my right knee (same leg) and right hip started deteriorating. It felt like the connective tissue that hold my muscles and ligaments to my bones, was just falling apart. So the right knee swells a lot almost every day now, and it makes it very uncomfortable to walk – especially if I have to do stairs. The hip hurts when I lay down. I don’t need this shit.
I’ve also noticed lately, I seem to be getting a bit forgetful. I’m having trouble instantly recalling proper nouns. I know the word I want to say, I just stop mid sentence to have to recall it. Weird.
Yes, I take vitamins, Co-enzyme Q-10, and Straus Heart Drops. No, I didn’t take the COVID Vax . . . and I won’t. Those so-called “vaccines” are clearly dangerous and worse, they don’t work. No one is putting that shit in me.
So with all that, I’ve attained 61 years on this planet. Not too shabby, I guess.
My marriage has changed a lot. After 31 years, it’s not so good anymore. That’s why I’m up in PA while the Mrs. is in NJ. I needed time away to figure out how to proceed.
The wife and I talk several times a day, but it’s just not good anymore.
I’m too old to bother coloring my hair to get rid of the gray, hit the gym and go out to stud. Been there, done that. It’s all “wrote” for me. Besides, my son tells me that women today, are all “nuts.”
I’ll take his word for it. The last thing I need is to go out to play the field and find myself with a psycho-slut-from-hell. Too many of them around nowadays.
Anyway, I just focus on my work and my show. Pay what few bills I have, and am doing my best to get right with God and enjoy the time I have left.
Given the way things are falling apart in our world, that may be a lot less time than any of us think!
And so it goes, this fifteenth day of March, 2023.
Orange-Rosemary Butter Glazed Pork Tenderloins
Enjoy this lean and delicious premium cut of pork drizzled with a sweet and savory citrus flavored butter. With only a handful of ingredients, it’s an uncomplicated dish that’s quick and simple to prepare and full of aromatic flavor.
2023 03 19 17 12
Ingredients
Orange-Rosemary Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) Challenge European Style Butter
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Orange-Rosemary Butter: In a small bowl, mix together the orange-rosemary butter ingredients. Use immediately or chill (bring to room temperature before using).
Tenderloins: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
With a knife, make slits in tenderloins and alternately insert garlic and orange peel slivers.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter mixture and brown tenderloins evenly for 5-10 minutes.
Place tenderloins on rack in roasting pan. Spread a teaspoon of flavored butter over each tenderloin.
Add broth to skillet drippings and stir. Pour broth/drippings into the roasting pan and roast uncovered for 20 minutes.
Spread another teaspoon of flavored butter over each tenderloin and roast for an additional 15-20 minutes or until center of tenderloin registers 155 degrees F (use meat thermometer).
Transfer pork to serving platter and cover loosely with foil. Temperature of meat should increase to 160 degrees F while standing.
Pour liquid from roasting pan back into skillet and bring to a boil, cooking until reduced by half. Whisk remaining flavored butter into liquid and simmer about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
BREAKING NEWS — UBS is reportedly engaged in meetings right now, SEEKING TO TERMINATE ITS DEAL TO ACQUIRE CREDIT SUISSE!
If UBS Backs out, then Credit Swiss will fail, enter Bankruptcy, and that will mean a Bulge-Bracket-Bank (a.k.a. “too big to fail”) has gone under.
The effects on the Global Financial System are, right now, incalculable. A Credit Suisse Default would trigger Credit Default Swaps, and would put the bank in DEFAULT on all its Derivative Contracts.
This could be a “Black Swan Event” that sets in motion a Domino effect, taking out BIG banks all over the world.
More details on tonight’s Hal Turner Radio Show from 9:00-11:00 PM eastern US time (GMT -0400)
China banned the export of 24 techs to the US. The more USA needs it, the less China will sell it.
The Worst Deal Ever – Australia To Pay U.S. For Nuclear Insecurity
The the last week’s review I mentioned the AUKUS deal. It was first announced in September 2021. Back then I wrote:
Yesterday the U.S., the UK and Australia announced that the latter one will buy nuclear powered submarines to do the U.S.' bidding against China.
...
This is a huge but short term win for the U.S. with an also-ran booby price for Britain and a strategic loss of sovereignty and budget control for Australia.
It is another U.S. slap into the face of France and the European Union. The deal will piss off New Zealand, Indonesia and of course China. It will upset the international nuclear non proliferation regime and may lead to the further military nuclearization of South Korea and Japan.
Australia currently has six conventional submarines. It had ordered new ones from France but scrapped that deal for AUKUS:
The price for the new submarines Australia will have to pay will be much higher that for the French ones.
Some $3 billion have already been sunk into the French contract.
France will rightfully demand additional compensation for cancelling it.
The new contract with the U.S. or UK will cost more than the French one but will only include 8 instead of 12 boats. As three boats are needed to keep one at sea (while the other two are training or in refit), the actual patrolling capacity for Australia's navy will sink from 4 to 2-3 concurrent submarines at sea.
The much higher price of the fewer more complicate boats will upset Australia's defense budget for decades to come.
I further suggested that blackmail may have played a role in the AUKUS deal.
A few day’s after the announcement there were new details publish which suggested that Australia would lease nuclear submarines from the U.S. because the new ones will take many years to build. It would upgrade Perth harbor to be able to handle nuclear propulsion boats:
Perth will thereby be build up into a base that is compatible with the likely permanent stationing of U.S. nuclear submarines.
These carry nuclear weapons.
The 'leased' boats, or at least their propulsion parts, would of course be still manned by U.S. or British sailors.
The Australians already have problems retaining crews for their existing submarines. The few that will be available for the 'leased' boats will not be enough to run them. The Australians would pay largely for the privilege of being guests on board of doubtlessly U.S. commanded submarines.
Australia’s overall position did not look well:
Australia's extraction boom fueled by China's rise is coming to an end. The country will have to cut its budget and will need to seek a new economic model.
But why did I call this a "huge but short term win" for the U.S.?
It is a win in that the U.S. has gained a submarine base in Australia and will get paid for using it. This looks well if the intent is to wage a cold war on China. It is doubtful that this is a necessary strategy and it is equally doubtful that it can be successful. The weapons manufacturers will of course still love it.
But it is a only a short term win in the sense that the U.S. will lose many of its current and potential future partners over it. It has degraded its QUAD partner India and Japan to second tier status. It has increased suspicion in Indonesia, Malaysia and even Singapore of eventual nefarious plans against them.
In May 2022 Australia elected a new parliament.
Labor replaced the Liberals in the government. It found that the new submarines and the whole deal was extremely expensive. That was the chance to bury it:
The answers are obvious. Ditch the whole AUKUS deal and buy the German U-boats.
The real reason for the deal might well have been the U.S. wish for a port and base in Australia from where it can send its own nuclear submarines to harass China.
The offer to Australia to buy nuclear submarines was likely only made to remove Australian public resistance to the stationing of nuclear submarines (with nuclear weapons) on the continent.
Australia will be better off without those.
But Anthony Albanese, the new prime minister, did not have the courage to push for ending the deal. Last week the three involved countries announced new details:
Australia’s nuclear submarine program will cost up to [AUS]$368 billion over the next three decades, with confirmation that the federal government will buy at least three American-manufactured nuclear submarines and contribute "significant additional resources" to US shipyards.
The Australian government will take three, potentially second-hand Virginia-class submarines early next decade, pending the approval of the US Congress.
There will also be an option to purchase another two under the landmark AUKUS defence and security pact, announced in San Diego this morning.
In the meantime, design and development work will continue on a brand new submarine, known as the SSN-AUKUS, "leveraging” work the British have already been doing to replace their Astute-class submarines.
That submarine — which will form the AUKUS class — would eventually be operated by both the UK and Australia, using American combat systems.
One submarine will be built every two years from the early 2040s through to the late 2050s, with five SSN-AUKUS boats delivered to the Royal Australian Navy by the middle of the 2050s.
Most curious is the buy of second hand Virgina class boats. A leasing agreement would have been much better. Nuclear driven submarines are extraordinary expensive to scarp. Their 60% enriched Uranium fuel will have to be guarded for a very long time. Australia has no experience with anything nuclear.
The former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has called the agreement the worst deal in history:
Paul Keating has labelled the $368bn Aukus nuclear submarine plan as the “worst deal in all history” and “the worst international decision” by a Labor government since Billy Hughes tried to introduce conscription.
The former Labor prime minister launched an extraordinary broadside against the Albanese government at the National Press Club on Wednesday, blasting the “incompetence” of Labor backing the decision to sign up to Aukus while in opposition and when it had “no mandate” to do so.
...
The $368bn being spent to acquire as few as eight nuclear submarines – Virginia class and next-generation SSN-Aukus submarines – was the “worst deal in all history”, he said, because it could buy 40 to 50 conventional submarines instead.
Keating also revealed that France, which lost a contract for conventional Attack class submarines in favour of Aukus, had offered “a new deal” for the “newest French nuclear submarines”.
These would require only “5% enriched uranium, not 95%, weapons grade” and came with a “firm delivery date” of 2034 at “fixed prices”, he said. The French received “no response”, Keating claimed.
James Acton, an expert a nuclear defense policy, commented on the deal:
(((James Acton))) @james_acton32 - 20:16 UTC · Mar 13, 2023
As @POTUS, @RishiSunak, and @AlboMP announce AUKUS submarine plan, here’s my assessment of the technical and proliferation risks.
BLUF: They’ve made serious efforts to mitigate those risks, but those that remain are real and significant.
Link to video of announcement
(1/n)
Here’s the plan (in brief):
1. 🇬🇧 & 🇺🇸 deploy SSNs* in🇦🇺(from 2027)
2. 🇦🇺deploys Virginia-class SSNs purchased from 🇺🇸 (from ~2032)
3. 🇦🇺deploys AUKUS SSNs, designed and produced with UK (starting in early 2040s)
*SSN=nuclear-powered attack sub.
(2/n)
...
Acton details the risks of the deal. They are huge.
Next to financial, technological and timing risks there are also the proliferation issues.
The deal is defying the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and should Australia get an exception for the deal from the IAEA others will make similar requests.
I responded Acton’s second tweet:
Moon of Alabama @MoonofA - 20:24 UTC · Mar 13, 2023
1. is what the U.S. wanted from AUKUS.
2. will be with mostly U.S. crew and under only nominal AUS command.
3. is way too costly for AUS and will never happen.
Australia will spend billions to upgrade naval base HMAS Stirling in Western Australia so the U.S. and UK can use it for their rotational stationing there. It will ‘invest’ more billions in nuclear shipyards in the U.S. and UK. It will pay billions for the Virginia class boats over which it will have little sovereignty.
Submarine designs are long complicate programs. It took 35 million labor hours design the first batch of Virginia-class boats and it took nine million labor hours to build the first one. The new SSN-AUKUS will have similar costs and issues. I for one expect that none will ever be build. Neither Australia nor the UK have the money for them.
Still – the political fallout will come from all sides.
With this deal Australia is essentially paying the U.S. an exorbitant price to confront Australia’s biggest customer, China. Its neighbors are unhappy. Indonesia is making noise about the proliferation risk as is Malaysia. Europe is miffed that Australia scrapped the deal with France and rejected the new French offer. The deal does not increase Australia’s security.
Posted by b on March 15, 2023 at 16:50 UTC | Permalink
Brine Cured Pork Roast
2023 03 19 17 10
Ingredients
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt or sea salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (4 to 6 pound or more) boneless pork loin tied with string
Instructions
Combine sugar and salt with 1 quart hot water and stir to dissolve.
Crack the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a mortar or on a cutting board, crushing them with the flat bottom of a heavy saucepan (or grind very, very briefly in spice grinder). Add to water along with thyme and red pepper flakes. Add 3 quarts cold water and the pork. Submerge the roast and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
Remove from brine and dry off the pork.
If you have fresh herbs such as rosemary, tie them onto the top of the pork.
Put the meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
When the oven is hot, place the roast in it and lower the heat to 325 degrees F. Bake for 1 1/4 hours. Check the internal temperature to make sure it is at 160 degrees F. If the pork is cooked, remove it and let it stand 15 minutes before carving. If not, cook a few more minutes.
The U.S. pushing for WW3 using ANYTHING they can find
The US is preparing Australia to fight its war against China
The United States is not preparing to go to war against China. The United States is preparing Australia to go to war against China.
Thank you for inviting me to address the Salon. I am greatly honoured and somewhat daunted, given the long list of eminent scholars, analysts and writers who have preceded me.
I am not a “writer”, although I have written a lot during my thirty-year diplomatic career, much of it in relation to China. None of it published and most of it buried in government archives. All I can bring to the table is my personal interpretation of current developments regarding US and China, in the light of my past experience.
One of your previous speakers, Patrick Lawrence, advocated putting the main point first. So here goes:
The United States is not preparing to go to war against China.
The United States is preparing Australia to go to war against China.
The ANZUS Treaty
A look at the ANZUS Treaty and the way it has been manipulated over time will explain why I have come to this conclusion.
Originally defensive in concept, the ANZUS Treaty was seen by Australia from its very beginning as a means to “achieve the acceptance by the USA of responsibility in SE Asia” (Percy Spender) to shield Australia from perceived antagonistic forces in its region. It has, however, developed into an instrument for the furtherance of US ability to prosecute war globally – previously in Iraq and Afghanistan, currently against Russia and potentially against China.
The ANZUS Treaty, usually referred to in reverential tones as “The Alliance”, has been elevated to an almost religious article of faith, against which any demur is treated as heresy amounting to treachery. Out of anxiety to cement the US into protection of Australia, the Alliance has been invoked as justification for Australia’s participation in almost every American military adventure – or misadventure – since WW II.
Unlike NATO or the Defence Treaty with Japan, the ANZUS treaty actually provides no guarantee of protection, merely assurances to consult on appropriated means of support in the event that Australia should come under attack.
On the other hand, the Alliance has facilitated the steady growth of American presence in Australia, to the point that it pervades every aspect of Australian political, economic, financial, social and cultural life. Australians fret about China “buying up the country”, but American investment is ten times the size.
They are unaware or uncaring that almost every major Australian company across the resources, food, retail, mass media, entertainment, banking and finance sectors has majority American ownership. Right now US corporations eclipse everyone else in their ability to influence our politics through their investment in Australian stocks.
Screen Shot 2023 01 31 at 8.59.38 am
The transfer of Australian assets to American ownership has continued unabated: In the second half of 2021 then Treasurer Josh Frydenberg approved the transfer of $130 billion of Australian assets to foreign private equity funds, benefiting Goldman Sachs who facilitated the transactions, by multimillions of dollars. Josh Frydenberg now is employed by Goldman Sachs:
Sydney Airport – Macquarie Bank led by a NY investment banker
AusNet (electricity infrastructure) $18 billion takeover by Brookfield – NY via Canada
SparkInfrastructure (electricity) $5.2 billion takeover by American interests
AfterPay financial transaction system $39 billion takeover
Healthscope, second-biggest private hospitals group (72 Hospitals) taken over by Brookfield and now controlled in the Cayman Islands.
The USA and the UK between them represent nearly half of all foreign investment. China plus Hong Kong represents 4.2%. The 4 big “Aussie” banks are dependent on foreign capital which dictate local banks’ policies and operations.
Defence and military weapons manufacturing industries in Australia are now largely owned by US weapons corporations – Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Thales, NorthropGrumman. The deep integration of Australia’s defence industries and economy into the US military-industrial complex greatly influences Australia’s foreign/defence policies.
That, plus US capture of Australia’s intelligence and policy apparatus through the “Five Eyes” network and ASPI (which has lobbyists from American arms manufacturers on a Board headed by an operative trained by the CIA) means that the US is able to swing Australian policy to support America in almost all its endeavours.
Despite the fact that it contains no guarantee of US protection of Australia, the Treaty and further arrangements under its auspices, such as the 2014 Force Posture Agreement and now AUKUS, have greatly facilitated US war preparation in Australia. This has accelerated exponentially in the past few years. The US now describes Australia as the most important base for the projection of US power in the Indo-Pacific.
Indicators of war preparations
* 2,500 US marines stationed in Darwin practicing for war with the Australian Defence Forces, soon to include the Japanese Defence Forces
* Establishment of a regional HQ for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Darwin
* Lengthening the RAAF aircraft runways in Northern Territory at our expense for servicing US fighters and bombers
* Proposed stationing of 6 nuclear weapons-capable B52 Bombers at RAAF Tindal in NT
* Construction of massive fuel and maintenance facilities in Darwin NT for US aircraft
* Proposed acquisition of eight nuclear-propelled submarines at the cost of $170 billion for hunter-killer operations in the Taiwan Strait
* Construction, at the cost of $10 billion, of a deep water port on Australia’s east coast for US and UK nuclear powered and nuclear missile-carrying submarines
* The long-established satellite communications station known as Pine Gap in central Australia has recently, and is still being, expanded and upgraded. It is key to the command and control of US forces in the Indo-Pacific (and even as far afield as Ukraine)
The Government and right wing anti-China analysts and commentators, whose opinions dominate main stream media, accept the Defence Minister’s contention that this militarisation enhances Australia’s sovereignty by strengthening the range and lethality of Australia’s high-end war-fighting capability to provide a credible deterrent to a potential aggressor.
Many analysts and commentators outside the governing elite, including myself, argue that these arrangements effectively cede Australian sovereignty to America. This is especially because of the provisions of the Force Posture Agreement of 2014, entered into under the auspices of ANZUS.
I understand that a paper has been circulated to the Committee, expounding the details of the FPA, so in summary, it gives unimpeded access, exclusive control and use of agreed facilities and areas to US personnel, aircraft, ships and vehicles and gives Australia absolutely no say at all in how, when where and why they are to be used.
All Australian analysts, whether sympathetic or antipathetic to China, agree on one point. That is, that if the US goes to war against China over the status of Taiwan, or any other issue of contention, Australia will inevitably be involved.
The Threat
All these preparations are justified by the false premise that China presents a military threat. China has not invaded anywhere. It has never proposed use of force against other countries. It has enshrined in its Constitution the ‘Three No’s – No military alliances; No military bases; No use, or threat to use, military force. China has, however, reserved the right to use force to prevent secession by Taiwan.
It has recently rapidly increased its defence capability in response to the fearsome US naval presence and war-fighting exercises just off its coastline. Its defence budget is one third that of the US and the bases that it has constructed in the South China Sea pale into insignificance compared to the hundreds of bases that the US has ranged all around China.
So, if China is not a military threat, why is it designated as the primary systemic threat of the collective West, led by the US? The answer lies in the word “systemic”. China has expressed a determination to revamp the global financial system to make it fairer for developing countries. Kissinger is reputed to have said: “If you control money, you control the world”. The US currently controls world finance and China (with Russia) is out to change that.
The US, which played the leading part in the establishment of the post-World War II institutions, has become a leading revisionist, abandoning the UN for “coalitions of the willing”. The US has declined to join important Conventions like those on the Law of the Sea and on Climate. It has refused to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, and has exempted itself from the Genocide Convention. It has played a leading part in the weakening of the World Trade Organisation by imposing trade restrictions on other countries, while not agreeing to new appointments to the WTO’s appellate tribunal, so preventing that body from functioning.
China is the second-largest (or by some calculations, the largest) economy in the world. It is the major trading partner of over 100 countries, mainly in the global south, but including Australia and a number of other Western countries. Hence China has the clout to undermine the “international rules-based order” set up by, and for the benefit of, the West.
China has already established an alternative to the Anglo-American international financial transaction system: – the Cross-border Interbank Payments System CIPS, (in which, ironically a number of Western banks are shareholders). In collaboration with Russia and within the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) China is creating an alternative to the almighty dollar as the preferred currency for trade and for national reserve holdings.
It seems that the US has concluded that, since it can’t constrain China economically, it will have to get it bogged down in a long-drawn-out war to hinder its economic growth and hamper its infrastructure development cooperation with other countries. On 25 March 2021 President Biden vowed to prevent China from overtaking the US as the most powerful country in the world – “not on my watch” he said.
Nevertheless, the latest CSIS computer modelling, like previous modelling by the Rand Corporation, indicates that all involved in a Sino-US war would lose.
Proxy War
All of these analyses overlook one significant point. US determination to pursue the Wolfowitz doctrine of preventing the rise of any power that could challenge US global supremacy (neither Russia, nor Europe, nor China) has not diminished, but has morphed into a strategy of fighting its adversaries by proxy.
This has been clearly demonstrated by the war in Ukraine. A White House press briefing on 25 January 2022, before the Russian intervention, stated that “the US, in concert with its European partners, will weaken Russia to the point where it can exercise no influence on the international stage”.
Political leaders from Biden, through Pelosi and on to Members of Congress have told Ukraine that “your war is our war and we are in it for as long as it takes”. Congressman Adam Schiff put it bluntly that “we support Ukraine… to fight Russia over there, so that we don’t have to fight it over here”.
In the case of China, defined in the NDS as the principal threat to the US, the proxy of choice is clearly Taiwan. The strategy envisages:
• a world-wide media campaign (going on for several years already) to portray China as the aggressor;
• goading China into taking military action to prevent Taiwan’s secession;
• leaving Taiwan to conduct its own defence, with constant resupply of arms and equipment from the US, at great profit to the military/industrial complex;
• sustaining Taiwan sufficiently to keep China ‘bogged down’, thus hampering its economic development and its infrastructure cooperation with other countries;
• avoiding direct military engagement, in order to maintain the full capacity of US forces, while China’s would be significantly depleted; Although Biden has publicly re-affirmed adherence to the ‘One China’ principle, the US has been goading China by;
• stationing the bulk its naval power off the coast of China;
• ‘freedom of navigation’ and combat exercises in the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits;
• visits by senior US officials using US military aircraft;
• creation of a putative ‘Air Defence Identification Zone’ (ADIZ) extending well over mainland territory and then alleging Chinese violation of it;
• secretly providing military training personnel (whilst denying it);
• including Taiwan in the Summit for Democracy (9-10 December 2021), implying it is a separate country;
Many Australian politicians, (although not the present government), joined in goading China, by encouraging Taiwan to consider the possibility of declaring independence, which would trigger military action by China.
If Australia were to make good on its promise to ‘save Taiwan’, it would be devastated:
• The Australian navy would be obliterated, given the disparity between China’s and Australia’s forces;
* command/control centres (and possibly cities) in Australia could be wiped out by Chinese missiles. Australia has no anti-missile defence;
• To preserve its own assets, and to forestall the descent into nuclear conflict, the US would not engage directly in defence of Australia;
• US ‘support’ would be through massive arms sales to replace our losses – just as in Ukraine – at further profit to the US military/industrial complex;
• ASEAN is unlikely to support Australia. It has renewed and up-graded its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China. Each member country has infrastructure projects under China’s BRI, which they would not want to jeopardise in a ‘no-win war’;
• Support from India is unlikely, despite its membership of the Quad – which is nothing more than a consultative dialogue. India has security commitments to China under the SCO and gets its arms from Russia, which has a “better than treaty” relationship with China.
• Australia relies heavily on China for many daily necessities. In a war, deliveries from China would be severely disrupted.
Australians generally are more than happy for the material benefits of a trading relationship with China, which constitutes more than one third of Australia’s export earnings. But, any attempt by China to improve Australians’ understanding of China’s historical, social, cultural and scientific achievements, let alone its political systems or foreign policy, are instantly feared as nefarious attempts to infiltrate Australian politics and undermine the ‘Australian way of life’.
The increasing size of China’s economic (and, by extension military) strength, to which Australia contributes important resources and from which it derives so much benefit, is portrayed as a threat to Australia’s security. This has Australia trapped in the absurd policy paradox of preparing to go to war against China to protect Australia’s trade with China.
Recent developments in Taiwan, particularly the county and municipal elections, which caused the President, Tsai Ingwen, to resign her leadership of the pro-Independence Party, suggest that Taiwan prefers the status quo and is unwilling to be the proxy of the US in a war with Beijing.
Australia thus becomes the potential proxy.
In the name of the Alliance, American service personnel (active and retired) are now embedded in Australian defence policy making institutions and in command and control positions within the ADF. All of the American military assets installed in Australia under the Alliance and the AUKUS deal, are now “interchangeable” with the ADF, making it possible to use them as putative Australian forces against China, while the US stands aside and maintains the same pretence of “no engagement”, as it is doing in Ukraine.
This is why I said at the beginning that the US is preparing to send Australia to war against China.
Whilst these are the dangers that the ANZUS Alliance poses for Australia if the US instigates a war against China, there are risks for the US also.
1. There would be crippling expense that further exacerbates the US wealth divide and related domestic political breakdown. Supplying the weaponry and everything else required for a proxy war with China would be a bigger drain on the US budget than the Ukraine conflict. The expenditure would flow back to the military industrial complex, constituting a further massive transfer of wealth from the ordinary taxpayer to the plutocrat billionaires. It would blow out the already unsustainable national debt, and either take away from expenditure on essential services and infrastructure, or, if they print money, further blow out inflation. The political and social breakdown that the US is already suffering as a consequence of its real economic decline and widening wealth gap could only intensify to breaking point.
2. The slide into a direct war would probably be inevitable. Planning a proxy war is all very well as an academic exercise, but sticking with those plans when the fighting starts will be very difficult. There are already lunatic politicians and “experts” in the US who think American can win a direct war, so when China starts bombing Australia, and good old Aussie “mates” are dying in massive numbers, the voices of those in the US advocating direct engagement will be amplified. Combined with the already extreme polarisation of US politics in which ONLY war is bipartisan, the risk that extremists will take the US into direct conflict, and a nuclear showdown with China, is very serious.
3. The folding in of Japan into the AUKUS arrangements will increase the risk that Japan would be obliged to assist Australia in any military conflict with China. The US, because of its Defence Treaty with Japan, would then be obliged to join in the fighting, vitiating its plan to avoid direct military engagement.
A point of historical irony:
I’ll wind up with a bit of historical irony, in which I was personally involved:
In the early 70’s, we had been kept completely in the dark about the secret Kissinger visits to China, until the plan for Nixon to visit was announced. Feeling blindsided by a momentous change in US policy towards China, we produced Policy Planning Paper QP11/71 of 21 July 1971.
It recognised.. “political disadvantage resulting from the manner in which the United States conducts its global policies” and argued that this would mean that. “The American alliance, in a changing power balance, will mean less to us than it has in the past.”
It went on:
“If anything, this argument has been strengthened by recent United States actions and America’s failure to consult us on issues of primary importance to Australia. Accordingly, we shall need, now more than ever, to formulate independent policies, based on Australian national interests and those of our near neighbours…”
This is even more true today than it was in the 1970’s. For example, Australia was not consulted in the precipitate US withdrawal from Afghanistan, despite our role as ‘loyal’ supporter of the US in that ill-advised conflict. Our indignant protestations were met with Biden’s statement that “America acts only in its own interests”.
Our present predicament is due largely to the failure of a succession of Australian Governments to take this analysis to heart and act upon it. Prime Minister Fraser, who replaced Whitlam, ironically came to a very similar view towards the end of his life, which he set forth in detail in his book ‘Dangerous Allies’, but too late to do anything about it. He identified the paradox that Australia needs the US for its defence, but it only needs defending because of the US.
A couple of pertinent quotes, first from the late Jim Molan:
“Our forces were not designed to have any significant independent strategic impact. They were purely designed to provide niche components of larger American missions.”
We were, in his view, abdicating our own defence and cultivating complete dependence on the Americans.
And from Chris Hedges:
“Finally, the neo-cons who have led the U.S. into the serial debacles of Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Ukraine, costing the country tens of trillions of dollars and even greater amounts of destroyed reputational capital, will claim their customary immunity from any accountability for their savage failures and cheerily move on to their next calamity. We need to be on the lookout for their next gambit to pillage the treasury and advance their own private interests above those of the nation. It will surely come.”
An (incomplete) list of some of the commentators from whom I have drawn:
Richard Tanter – military analyst, Nautilus Foundation
Brian Toohey – author (political and historical analysis)
Mike Scrafton was a senior Defence executive, and ministerial adviser to the minister for defence
Paul Keating was the prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996.
Geoff Raby AO was Australia’s ambassador to China (2007–11); He was awarded the Order of Australia for services to Australia–China relations and to international trade.
Gregory Clark began his diplomatic career with postings to Hong Kong and Moscow. He is emeritus president of Tama University in Tokyo and vice-president of the pioneering Akita International University.
Dr Mike Gilligan worked for 20 years in defence policy and evaluating military proposals for development, including time in the Pentagon on military balances in Asia.
Jocelyn Chey AM is Visiting Professor at the University of Sydney and Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University and UTS. She formerly held diplomatic posts in China and Hong Kong. She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
Joseph Camilleri is Emeritus Professor at La Trobe University in Melbourne, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, and President of Conversation at the Crossroads
David S G Goodman is the Director, China Studies Centre, University of Sydney.
Geoff Miller was Director-General, Office of National Assessments, deputy secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to Japan and the Republic of Korea, and High Commissioner to New Zealand.
Cavan Hogue was Ambassador to USSR and Russia. He also worked at ANU and Macquarie universities.
Edited transcript of a speech to the Committee for the Republic, Salon, 18 January 2023
Why the Failure of Credit Suisse is such a big deal; It was a “Bulge Bracket Bank”
To average, everyday people, the failure of Credit Suisse is simply some news headline. They have no clue at all what this means: ALERT – Time’s up. Why? Because Credit Suisse was a “Bulge Bracket Bank.” You may know it better as “too big to fail.” But fail it has.
What is a bulge bracket bank?
A bulge bracket bank refers to a top-tier, multinational investment bank that has a leading role in the global financial markets. The term “bulge bracket” originally referred to the banks listed at the top of the “league tables” for securities underwriting, but it has since come to encompass a wider range of financial services.
Bulge bracket banks typically have a strong presence in both the domestic and international markets, providing a broad range of services such as underwriting, M&A advisory, equity and debt offerings, and sales and trading of securities. They also typically work with large, high-profile clients such as corporations, governments, and institutional investors.
Examples of bulge bracket banks include Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank. These banks are known for their extensive resources, large-scale operations, and high-profile deals.
What banks are considered bulge bracket?
Some of the banks that are considered bulge bracket are:
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
Morgan Stanley
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Citigroup, Inc.
Deutsche Bank AG
rclays PLC Credit Suisse Group AG In fact, UBS Group AG
Wells Fargo & Co.
These banks are considered bulge bracket because they typically have a leading role in the global financial markets and provide a wide range of financial services to large, high-profile clients such as corporations, governments, and institutional investors. They are also known for their extensive resources, large-scale operations, and high-profile deals.
What would happen if a bulge bracket bank failed?
If a bulge bracket bank were to fail, it could have serious repercussions on the global financial system and the broader economy. This is because these banks are deeply interconnected with other financial institutions and play a significant role in the global financial markets.
If a bulge bracket bank were to fail, it could trigger a domino effect that would lead to other financial institutions experiencing financial distress or failing. This could lead to a credit freeze, where access to credit is severely restricted, making it difficult for businesses and individuals to obtain financing. This, in turn, could lead to a slowdown in economic activity and a recession.
To prevent such a scenario, regulators have put in place various measures to monitor and regulate the activities of bulge bracket banks. For example, these banks are subject to more stringent capital and liquidity requirements, stress tests, and other regulations to ensure their financial stability and resilience. In the event of a failure, regulators may also intervene to stabilize the financial system and protect the broader economy from the fallout of a bank failure.
Credit Suisse Failed
Those measures do NOT seem to have worked. Reverberations from the Credit Suisse failure, and the utterly vicious zeroing of Credit Suisse “Tier A1” Bonds, is starting to spread.
As this story is written at 4:45 AM on 20 March 2023, Asian Stock Markets have almost completed their trading day. They’re all in the red:
AsianMarkets AllRed
Credit Suisse, $CS, was worth $10 billion a month ago and sold for pennies on the Dollar.
The government said $CS had “serious risk of bankruptcy.”
A shareholder vote was bypassed.
Regulators knew it was a matter of hours for bankruptcy.
This deal was made out of desperation.
In fact, the “rescue” was not a rescue. UBS could only work an equity trade, they themselves lacked the cash for a real buyout! That deal was total clown world.
Stock Markets know this. Stock Holders are learning of it now. The markets will begin to react TODAY.
Europe is opening shortly. That’s where we will see some of the Credit Suisse fallout.
In the Asian Markets HSBC & Standard Chartered both down 6%…. will be interesting to watch the European markets when they open.
US markets open in about 3.5 hours. As Europe goes, so will the US.
You see, those “Tier 1A “Bonds that were Zeroed for Credit Suisse . . . they totaled slightly over seventeen billion dollars. Somebody has now lost all that money. Well, a lot of somebody’s, actually.
That loss is going to have an impact. Maybe an impact on someone big. And that may take THEM out.
Moreover, the zeroing of Tier 1A Bonds just showed bondholders all over the world, that when it comes to BANKS, their “totally secure” Tier 1A bonds, aren’t nearly as secure as they were lead to believe! People are going to start dumping those bonds, because clearly, they’re now far riskier than anyone ever thought.
When you factor-in the reality that the Swiss government changed their law in real-time, to prevent Credit Suisse stockholders from having the Statutory 6 weeks to consider a merger or buyout offer, the bondholders (and Stock holders) now know they’re sitting ducks. They have NO PROTECTION of law. The “rules” went right out the window.
As these Bond holders (and maybe stock holders) run for the exits today – and this week – their selling is going to put the banks under even MORE pressure.
In the US, here’s how fragile the banks actually are:
Bank unrealized losses chart
At the far right of the chart is this year – right now. As you can see, the banks are stuck holding Bonds that are worth LESS than their face value. In the color gold, those bonds can be sold by the banks if the banks need to raise cash. Those gold-colored (sellable) bonds are worth three-hundred BILLION dollars LESS than their face value.
As long as the banks don’t have to sell them (to raise cash) the loss on the bond is “unrealized.” But as people begin to take more money out of the banks, because the general public sees the banks as untrustworthy, some banks are going to HAVE TO sell those bonds. And the moment they do, the loss becomes “realized” and the bank is in trouble.
This week may very well be historic. We just don’t know how it will turn out.
Politicians all over the world are screaming from the rooftops that “the banks are safe and secure.” Trouble is, the public long ago learned that when they tell you things are safe, that’s when you run!
Because politicians and government officials have shown themselves to be liars, over and over , and over again. Only the truly stupid believe them anymore.
With that reality, there’s no telling what will happen this week. However . . . Calamity . . . is on the menu.
This isn’t going away.
This is not your typical msm-driven race-baiting, class warfare, type of drivel designed to distract you from real problems.
This is a real problem. They’re going to try to keep your eyes – and mind – off of it with crap like North Korea nuclear threats, Trump’s impending arrest, etc. Expect some race-fueled incident to really throw everyone over the edge.
If they can keep us worked up over things like that, maybe we won’t notice all the banks failing and the economy literally crumbling around us. Maybe.
This isn’t something they can bury and hide for long, though, but they will try to keep us in the dark as long as possible. Many won’t notice until bank failures and sky-high inflation impacts them personally.
When they know you notice the real problem, like with the Credit Suisse-UBS merge, they’ll issue some statement about how all is well and good, the US dollar is strong and we shouldn’t worry. When they say this kind of nonsense is when you need to worry the most.
UPDATE 5:20 AM EDT —
European market:
UBS – 12%
Deutsche -10%
most others -8%
people do not believe their lies anymore . . . this is a bad omen for everything today . . . .
UPDATE 5:31 AM EDT —
They just talked on Bloomberg about “the possibility of UBS walking out of the deal.”
You’ve Gotta Be F**king Kidding Me
Russell is truth teller that is so needed in society- THANK YOU! It is truly unfathomable that Wasserman is given ANY time after her known corruption. The world is upside down…
Global Times editorial
Global Times has published a brutal editorial that damns everything about this event and deserves to be pasted in full:
The leaders of the US, Britain and Australia celebrated the unveiling of the AUKUS nuclear submarine plans with great fanfare at the Naval Base in San Diego, California, on Monday. It was a public humiliation to France, which was cheated by them, and a cover-up and deceit to the Australian people, and a kind of bravado to neighboring countries. It was also a blow to the already fragile international nuclear non-proliferation mechanism, and obviously a dangerous move for the entire international community.
According to the agreement, Australia will purchase up to five US nuclear-powered submarines in the next few years, which means that Australia will become the seventh country in the world to have nuclear submarines. The peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and Pacific region will expectedly bear the impact, pressure and risks brought about by this agreement for a long time. Some American media even called it a "milestone." This obvious misnomer has produced ironic effects, but the agreement may indeed become a boundary stone for the US, Britain and Australia to drag the Asia-Pacific region into a "new cold war." It is what everyone is worried about.
In order to obtain the US' nuclear-powered submarines, Australia may have to spend nearly $250 billion. Does Australia have too many mines and is too wealthy? Australia indeed has mines, but life in Australia is not rich for most, and the current economic situation is very bad, with a huge structural budget deficit. $250 billion is roughly equivalent to about two years of public healthcare expenditure of Australia. In order to pay for this huge sum of money, Australia is bound to squeeze social welfare. In other words, the 25 million Australians will eventually have to pay the bill through a certain degree of frugality.
Another question, is Australia in danger without US' nuclear-powered submarines? Can't it survive? Obviously not. Not only does Australia not need them, but it will definitely put itself at risk by buying them. Australia, which is isolated in South Pacific and far away from other hotspots in the region, has a relatively unique geographic advantage. No country will attack or even invade Australia for no reason. Australia has had the conditions to spend its main resources and energy on improving people's livelihood.
Australia's inexplicable sense of insecurity when facing China is basically the result of being spiritually controlled for many years by the US. Australia thinks that it is the "deputy sheriff" of the Asia-Pacific region under Washington, but not to mention that it has no salary, even its police uniforms and firearms have to be bought from the US at a high price. The AUKUS agreement is actually a big trick of the US on Australia. It is equivalent to asking Australia to build a nuclear submarine base to produce its own submarines, but more importantly, to maintain and ensure the nuclear submarines of the US and Britain, and hand them over to be commanded by the US Navy, moreover, the hundreds of billions of dollars need to be paid by Australia itself. The follow-up nuclear submarine equipment, maintenance, related personnel training are an even bigger bottomless hole. Australia is at best a cat's paw which helps the US to get chestnuts from the fire, and it can be regarded as one of the most representative chump in the history of international relations.
In the English context, "white elephant" usually refers to a useless but expensive and eccentric object. It could have been better if the nuclear submarines of the US were just white elephants, but they are also a big ill omen. Canberra bought them back with a huge sum of money and will turn Australia into a haunted house, bringing risk to the whole region and making the years of efforts of South Pacific Countries in building a South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, which is protected by formal treaty, face the most serious impact. Not only China firmly opposes it, but Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia are also very dissatisfied. New Zealand directly denies Australia's nuclear submarines' access to its waters. Otherwise, the Australian Defense Minister and Foreign Minister would not have been running around recently, trying to dispel people's concerns about nuclear non-proliferation issues.
On the same day as the three AUKUS countries gathered together, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute released a new report on global arms import and export. The report shows that the US share of global arms exports has increased from 33 percent to 40 percent, and imports to East Asia and certain states in other areas of high geopolitical tension rose sharply. All this is in Washington's calculations. Just look at what America is exporting: weapons to kill, crises of all kinds (the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is still brewing), and the most destructive of all is geopolitical malice, which America uses to spiritually control Australia. [My Emphasis]
Not too long ago China published a long list of Outlaw US Empire crimes and its hegemonic ways. This event will be added to it even if it’s eventually rejected by Australians who the Chinese rightfully say don’t need it whatsoever. It can be said that the Australian continent’s been invaded twice–first by the British and second by the Americans and both have partnered to chain Australians similar to their convict forebearers.
There’re a lot of good Aussies here at the bar; I’m very sorry my government has done what is has done.
If you color Russia the same as China, you‘ll get the #Dragonbear power projection in the #Arctic and #IndoPacific too. #India will be key to both geopolitical constellations.
2023 03 16 15 17
They are suggesting this…
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I think that the map should have a LOT of light RED nations to include North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, and much of SE Asia.
The point being is that maps that originate out of the West also self-isolate China, when that is not at all a reflection of reality.
First Republic Bank Stock HALTED 7+ Times Today alone; Looks Like There’s No Saving it
Trading of the stock in First Republic Bank ($FRC) just got halted for its 7th time since the open today! Two weeks ago, the stock traded at $130. Today it is down to less than $10.
The Trading HALTS are wild; STOCK GOES LIVE AND IS GETTING HALTED WITHIN SECONDS. STOCK IS NOW DOWN 50% TODAY from its Friday Close.
We are on track to make a new record for most number of halts in a day. The regional bank system continues to lack a solution.
It appears to many observers that there’s no saving this bank. Investors are spooked and are leaving. Period. Full stop.
Over $20 BILLION in Market Capitalization has been wiped this month.
This is the Canary in the coal mine for the banking industry.
Other banks just gave $30 billion in deposits to the bank last week, to shore-it-up, and the Bank is borrowing a lot more from the Fed to stay solvent.
No business or individual with half a brain is going to keep more than 250k in their business or personal accounts in any non-mega banks for much longer. The risk of loss rises daily.
They will need to backstop all banks deposits soon or this thing is going to blow sky high.
In the time it took to write this story — FRC stock has been halted TWO MORE TIMES! Nine trading halts today alone.
We are on track to mark a record for most number of halts in a day.
You’re witnessing history.
Australia’s Defence Policy Explained
Utopia is criminally underrated.
China donated just $5.8m to assist Turkey, while the US pledged $185m and the UK $30m.
The after-effects of the tragic earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria are still being felt more than one month on, both literally and metaphorically. As a report mentions, global assistance has been provided – China donated just $5.8m to assist Turkey, while the US pledged $185m and the UK $30m.
A recent poll by Premise, a research technology and data company, asked 1,000 Turks from across the country for their views on the international relief effort, the contributions from various aid agencies and also for their views on causes of the catastrophic damage
The managing director of Premise, Arthur Soames, explained that “starkest finding in data is that China is perceived as being far and away the most valued country in providing disaster relief: 72% of our nationally representative sample had a positive or very positive impression of China’s contribution, while the US, despite providing more than 20 times as much cash, was perceived in a similar light by only 59% of the population.”
“Having invested historically in their relationship with Turkey, China has found it simple to project its influence as a high-profile presence in the disaster relief from the start. This has clearly struck a powerful chord with people. The US, on the other hand, has had to pay a vastly higher premium in return for credit from the Turkish people.”
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“Qatar is perhaps the most surprising outlier to have secured a powerful, positive impression amongst Turks: 26% believed that Qatar has provided the greatest support to the relief effort, the highest figure for any country.
“A lot of this must have been due to Qatar’s decision to donate 10,000 housing units to the affected area that were left over from last year’s World Cup.
“The donation received widespread coverage in the Turkish media and clearly had a powerful impact – proof that Qatar continues to receive international and diplomatic benefits from hosting the World Cup.”
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“Behind these two comes the EU. It came in third with 16% of people saying that it had provided the most support, while 11% thought it would be most capable of assisting in the rebuild.
“By contrast, the relief effort from the US and the UK does not appear to have been particularly recognised. Only 8% of the poll felt that the US had done the most. The UK falls much further behind, barely registering 1%.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday said Moscow has written off the debts of African states worth more than $20 billion.
Speaking at an international parliamentary conference titled “Russia-Africa in a Multipolar World,” Putin said the trade turnover between Russia and Africa countries is growing every year, reaching almost $18 billion in 2022.
“It is unlikely that such a figure can fully suit us, but we know that this is far from the limit,” he added.
Putin also said he believed that “the development of counter-commodity exchanges will be facilitated by a more energetic transition in financial settlements to national currencies, and the establishment of new transport and logistics chains.”
He further said: “Additional opportunities are opened up by the process of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which began in 2021, which in the future will become a continental market with a total GDP of more than $3 trillion.”
Russia, he said, is in favor of establishing ties with AfCFTA both through the Eurasian Economic Union and on a bilateral level, adding that Africa will become one of the leaders of the multipolar world.
“The states of Africa are constantly increasing their weight and their role in world affairs, they are asserting themselves more and more confidently in politics and in the economy. We are convinced that Africa will become one of the leaders in the emerging new multipolar world order,” Putin added.
He said Russia and the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America are against the neo-colonial ideology.
“Russia and African countries uphold moral norms and social principles traditional for our peoples, and oppose neo-colonial ideology imposed from outside,” he said. “Many states of Asia, the Middle East, Latin America adhere to similar positions, and together we make up the world majority.”
3 Doors Down – Here Without You (Official Music Video)
Steel barricades are being unloaded outside Manhattan criminal courthouse – TRUMP INDICTMENT?
Steel barricades are being unloaded outside Manhattan criminal courthouse as shown in the brief video below:
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Numerous metal barricades have arrived outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, located at 100 Centre St. in Manhattan, New York City, ahead of a possible Indictment of former President Trump this week.
NYPD is reportedly mobilizing up to 700 Riot Cops, Ahead of potential unruly protest.
Italian Meatballs with Peppers
Chopped red and yellow bell peppers add color and texture to these savory meatballs seasoned with Italian herb mix and enriched with mushrooms.
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Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION®
Evaporated Fat Free Milk, divided
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot cooked rice
Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Combine turkey, onion, herb seasoning and salt in large bowl; form mixture into 24 one-inch meatballs.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook, turning occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned on all sides.
Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove meatballs from skillet; keep warm.
Add bell peppers, mushrooms, garlic and bouillon to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and flour in small bowl; add to skillet.
Gradually stir in remaining evaporated milk; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
Add meatballs to skillet; stir to coat.
Serve over rice. Garnish with parsley.
Prep: 20 min | Cook: 25 min | Yield: 6 servings
Peace In Ukraine Is “Unacceptable” Says Biden Spokesman
2023 03 23 11 06
CHINA TO OFFICIALLY ARM RUSSIA IF KIEV REFUSES PEACE PLAN
China will officially join Iran to arm Russia, “if Kyiv does not accept the Chinese peace plan.”
That is the information coming directly from the China delegation accompanying President Xi Jinping during his ongoing state visit to Russia.
Xi is expected to call Ukraine President Zelensky later this week; perhaps FROM MOSCOW during Xi’s state visit!
Washington’s response was like lightning: The Free World officially rejects China peace plan for Ukraine: “China’s ceasefire initiative is an attempt to give Russia time to launch a new offensive.” – The White House.
More info as I get it. Check back
UPDATE 10:36 AM EDT —
The Pentagon may soon announce measures for the possible delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine earlier than expected, White House spokesman John Kirby said.
Putin and China just dealt a KNOCKOUT blow to the west with this move
Rage is an emotion, and as such it can be useful or dangerous. It’s up to us to figure out how to use it adequately. Many people would use other techniques to funnel their rage so that it wasn’t destructive.
Some would run, lift weights, or apply themselves in sports.
Others would internalize it, drink, brawl, or jut be an asshole.
Still others funnel that rage into music.
Those of us who are from the United States, or from the Domain, or have survived a broken marriage, a bad boss, or a corrupt government have all experienced real cold rage. I know I have. And I do my best to control it, least my “incredible hulk” comes out.
This post is going to be a tad different.
And it isn’t for everyone. What this post contains is some pretty harsh rock-n-roll music that has often served me (personally) in releasing and dealing with rage.
As such, it’s a bid dangerous and a tad toxic if you are not ready for it.
If you are not ready, then just skip this article and wait for a calmer and gentler post tomorrow. But if you are ready, or willing, or adventuresome, then have some fun…
BUT DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU
Here we go…
Austin Meade – Happier Alone
A Day To Remember: Miracle [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
Zero 9:36 – Adrenaline (Official Video)
Bring Me The Horizon feat. BABYMETAL – Kingslayer
Wolfgang Van Halen – Mammoth WVH: Distance (Official Music Video)
Seether – Bruised And Bloodied (Official Music Video)
AC/DC – Shot In The Dark (Official Video)
Beartooth – Below / Devastation (Live at St. Augustine Amphitheater)
AC/DC – Realize (Official Video)
Papa Roach – The Ending (Remastered)
Greta Van Fleet Candlelight Sessions – Broken Bells (Live)
Greta Van Fleet – Heat Above (Live)
Five Finger Death Punch – Living The Dream (Official Music Video)
Daughtry – Heavy Is The Crown (Official Music Video)
Pop Evil – Breathe Again (Official Music Video)
I Prevail – Every Time You Leave (Official Music Video) ft. Delaney Jane
Rise Against – Nowhere Generation
Architects – “Animals”
The Pretty Reckless – And So It Went (Official Music Video)
The HU – Wolf Totem feat. Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach (Official Music Video)
Bring Me The Horizon – Teardrops (Official Video)
Papa Roach x Jeris Johnson – Last Resort Reloaded (Official Music Video)
Chevelle – Self destructor (Official Music Video)
Five Finger Death Punch – A Little Bit Off (Official Music Video)
This video was posted on you-tube on Wednesday 13th April 2022. I later found out that a number of nations banned viewing of this video. I guess the content is too dangerous for you all to view.
That’s really strange, as the following videos about China were allowed…
Never, the less, this article is a workaround to the video that was selectively blocked in certain nations.
The Original video on You-Tube
We start off with the video. See if you can access it. Here is the direct link to the You-Tube video.
For those who are denied the You-Tube video…
But for those of you who are denied watching this video, do not worry. I have the video here in three parts. Please download the parts and watch it in the privacy of your own home.
