When I lived in the ‘States, no matter how well I was paid, I always lived paycheck to paycheck. And with that normal, I always tried to make ends meet with groceries. I was always “stretching pennies”, and looking for good bargains.
I would frequent grocery returns stores; there they would sell dented cans, and expired boxes and packages of food. Oh, sure you had to be careful, but you were really able to save some money that way. Though you might encounter some bugs, and mill-worms from time to time.
I remember that I once bought some spaghetti sauce from the Dollar Store.
Now this is the cheapest of the cheap when it came to stores in the United States. And I often went there for socks and whatever. But I do well remember that jar of spaghetti sauce.
I used it to cook spaghetti and almost vomited when I took a bite of the meal.
The sauce was ten percent cleaning detergent, and it was horrible.
I think that someone make a mistake in the factory and ruined an entire batch of food, and so they cut their losses and sold it to a discount broker that in turn sold to the Dollar Store.
I think that this kind of things goes on all the time; American, the land with a million tiny hands in your wallet. Everything is for profit, and no one gives a damn if anyone is hurt in the process.
Yupper.
I never did complain, or cause a stink. But perhaps I should have. But Americans were too beat down, and to do so was such a hassle that would get you nowhere, so few people try to correct the landslide of wrongs that are everywhere in the USA.
Detergent spaghetti; it’s the American way.
Today…
What is the biggest scam an auto mechanic ever tried on you?
Here’s a cleaned-up, more concise version of your story:
I usually take my car to a small-shop mechanic. They’re not always the cheapest, but they’re honest, and I trust them. We had a Buick once where the timing chain went out prematurely. Luckily, it was still under warranty. However, our mechanic told us he couldn’t handle warranty repairs, so we took it to a Titus dealer. The estimated cost was around $1,800, which the warranty covered, thankfully.
The dealer said it would take a week, but it ended up being there much longer. Finally, they called with a list of “urgent” repairs totaling… you guessed it, $1,800. They claimed it would blow up if I drove it even a mile away. Now, I’m no car expert, but I knew enough to be skeptical. I asked my regular mechanic, and he said their claims didn’t add up. We even checked with the original Titus dealer we bought the car from, and they also thought the dealer’s story didn’t make sense.
My father-in-law, who knows his way around cars, got on the phone with the dealer and challenged each item they listed. They backpedaled, then held onto the car for another two weeks. When they called back, they had a new list of issues… once again totaling $1,800. I reviewed the warranty and saw that some of the claimed issues were covered, which brought the bill down to about $1,400, but there was no getting around the cost.
In the end, we paid the $1,400. The engine got rebuilt, which was a plus, and we sold the car shortly after, which gave both us and the buyer peace of mind. Still, with kids and life happening, being without the car for nearly two months was tough. Fun times.
When it was all said and done, I did have presence of mind to ask for the bad parts. I took them to my small-shop mechanic and he confirmed that some were pretty beat up, but none were going to “blow up on me.” Unfortunately, it’s mechanics like that that give the good ones a bad name.
Living in China vs Living in America – This is truly shocking!
Is the Chinese for “a cruise ship” 邮轮 or 游轮? Why?
In English, “邮轮” and “游轮” are both translated as “cruise ship”
There are some differences between the two.
Simply put:
“邮轮” are larger, with a displacement of tens of thousands of tons. They are generally used for cross-border travel, and the travel time is very long, which can be several days or even a month.
“游轮” are much smaller. Any ship that can carry tourists can be called a “游轮”. Generally, it is a domestic river cruise, and the time is generally a few hours or 1-2 days.
The travel experience of “邮轮” is: because it crosses borders, it can bring together tourists from all over the world, providing opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges, and they can participate in onboard activities, taste food from various countries, and enjoy exotic performances.
The filter experience of “游轮” is: focusing on tourism and sightseeing, tourists can get close to nature and culture, and shuttle through rivers, lakes or offshore waters to enjoy the scenery.
Simple example:
A ship carrying tourists, sailing between Qingdao, China, Jeju Island, South Korea, and Osaka, Japan, is called a “邮轮”.
A ship carrying tourists, sailing on the Yangtze River from Chongqing to Nanjing and then to Shanghai, is called a “游轮”。
Banana Cream Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Beat brown sugar, butter and cream cheese in mixer bowl until creamy. Add bananas, sour cream and egg; mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, chocolate chips, baking soda and baking powder; mix well. Make a well in center of ingredients. Pour banana mixture into well and mix just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins test done.
What happened after your boss chewed you out for some small infraction in front of the people who work for you?
I love this one. Our largest customer – a big box retailer for whom we supplied 60 stores in four states – was livid and my boss’s phone was blowing up. He called everyone into his office to witness my humiliation. This retailer was my account, I logged all their sales data, every season, store by store, and predicted and planned their upcoming needs for live plants and for Christmas greens. I knew what they sold and when and where and what they wanted but my boss was constantly interfering with my decisions. In front of the sales staff he had more than once told me to be quiet and do what I was told. I not only have a degree in marketing and one in horticulture but I set up, opened and ran one of the retailer’s most profitable greenhouses in the USA. At Tom’s insistence, the entire sales staff was called in to hear this conversation.
Tom: Can anyone tell me what happened with this account?
Me: We sent them cut greens and they wanted decorated wreaths.
Tom: Are you saying we sent them something other than what they wanted?
Me: That’s exactly what I’m saying.
Tom: And why would we do that?
Me: I have no idea.
Tom: Whose idea was it to send them cut greens?
Me: Yours.
Tom: Do you have that in writing?
Me: Yes. Right here. And I handed him his hand written instructions.
While that exchange did nothing to improve the relationship between me and the boss, he cornered me and I had no control over the confrontation. And it was already clear that he was not going to be happy unless I agreed to be the scapegoat. And I didn’t. It was inevitable. But I did enjoy that moment.
Edit: It occurs to me now that I didn’t answer the question: “What happened after…” No, of course the nasty boss did not see his fault in this exchange. He had embarrassed himself and was all the more determined to punish, sabotage and humiliate me, so it got worse. But he continued to underestimate me and overestimate his power so I collected data and in the end I sued the company and got a decent settlement. I would much rather have been able to stay and do my job, but that wasn’t an option that was offered.
American reacts to: American’s Can’t Answer Simple Questions
Earth is Worth the Struggle
Submitted into Contest #196 in response to: Write a story involving a portal into a parallel universe.… view prompt
Stephanie Goodare
When I saw Reva standing in front of me, I could see that she was looking at me with sad eyes. But I couldn’t meet her eyes, she had turned around as if to hide her tears from me. And again she had disappeared into the pitch white world that seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.
Reva used to mean the world to me. She was the one I’d go to when I had something on mind. But she and I had drifted apart. Not on our own free will but because we had been apart from each other we couldn’t talk or laugh with each other like we used to.
Malle had been my friend since I was 7 years old. We’d been supporting each other for 10 years straight. We’ve known each other for more than half of our lives. She had known me before I had depression. And I knew she missed my radiant smile and was trying to get my smile back for me. But I couldn’t smile. Not even a little bit. Every time she came around and started her attempt in making me smile, all i could do was make my mouth go up words and show my teeth with my eyes becoming a thin line. Although it sounds like my face would look very odd, I somehow got around with this smile-ish look.
Even Though I had a fake smile on me for many years, I was able to smile, the radiant smile. Malle was left in shock but seemed happy to see me smile again. She had a large drop of tear gliding through her cheeks. Her eyes seemed like she was saying goodbye to me, as if to say we will never meet again. But her mouth seemed to loosen from relief that I was able to smile.
I knew she would disappear but I didn’t want her to. I tried calling out to her to stay. But my voice, my voice, had gone. She turned around once and mouthed “Bye.” Her Large drop of tear had quadrupled and her face was all wet. I wanted to wipe her tears but she had walked away and disappeared.
I didn’t want this. All my friends were not flawless but still cared for me from their heart. I was so worried about my depression that I couldn’t see the people around me. But now that I have realized how people cared, I didn’t have the dark fog that was growing in my heart for years. I thought life was just a disaster. I couldn’t understand why people tried so hard to live. But now I know. We try hard every single day because we want to live. Life on earth was a gift, an unappreciated gift for me. Though I had never appreciated the gift, now that I saw a glimpse of the true value of life on earth, I felt like I didn’t mind suffering from trying hard to live on earth.
But it was too late. I was in a parallel world now. I had no idea how to go back to earth. The white world had started to turn black. And all my friends had disappeared.
“NO! NO! NOO! I WANT TO TALK WITH THEM!!!!! p…pl … PLEASE”
Then I suddenly heard my mother’s voice for the first time in ages. “Are you not going to go back to school?!” I still didn’t understand what was happening. My “mom” in the parallel world would never yell at me, all she did was smile. But this Mom, the mom on earth was the one who raised me up. Although she was yelling at me, I could feel her being worried for me.
I quickly grabbed my phone to check the date on earth. But before I could check the time on my phone, I saw messages that had just come. “My Malle 💕”, “Bestie Reva 👯♀️”, “🐧Noah🐧” and
“Agatha Solumate” had popped into my eyes. I checked Malle’s message first.
“I had a dream about you. You smiled for the first time in ages, and it wasn’t the one you always faked out for me. It was that smile you had when you were happy… I really want to hear from you. Contact me Okay?”
I couldn’t believe it so I had to check the other’s messages as well, and I realized all four of them had seen what I saw as well.
Because I was sidetracked by the odd messages from my friends I hadn’t realized, but I was back on earth. The utopian world had vanished for eternity.
I quickly took a shower, dressed up and grabbed my bag with a slice of toast. Although my legs were not used to walking, I had used all my muscles to step forward once a time. Left, right, left, right. I was nervous of going back to school but I had realized earth is worth the struggle.
BRICS Bridge & BRICS Clear, new financial architecture
From the silence of the western media we know the summit has been an electrifying success.
China’s Tech and Economy
Major developments this week
A lupus cure–at last. Smartphone/walkie-talkies. A magnet that can lift a ship. An mBridge update..
Tech
The ranking above, produced by Leiden University, exclusively focuses on universities’ scientific performance and is based entirely on bibliographic data on scientific publications. It relies on sophisticated data collection and provides a set of advanced bibliometric indicators.
Central SoEs have invested $200 billion in strategic emerging industries, up 17.6% YTD and nearly 40% of central SoEs’ total investment during this period. They covered domains like new generation information technology, AI, aerospace, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, biomedicine, quantum technology and other fields.
China’s lunar exploration architecture includes development of the Long March 10 heavy-lift rocket, a new crew spacecraft and a lunar lander. The initial crewed lunar mission plan calls for two astronauts conducting surface exploration for six hours. Expect robotic missions to the lunar south pole in 2026 and, in 2028, resource surveys and in-situ resource utilization tests, leading toward the establishment of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in the 2030s.
CAR-T cell therapy cures 20 children with systemic lupus erythematosus by removing T-cells from their blood and genetically altering them so that, upon re-injection into the body, they can recognize and target sick cells. Researchers will start a second research this month that will gather T-cells from healthy donors and tweak and magnify them. It is hoped that this method will help make the advanced treatment available to lupus patients whose T-cells are ineligible for modification.
Scientists identify bacteria at the single-cell level without requiring chemical labels. Filter-array-based hyperspectral imaging, enhanced by super-resolution de-mosaicing (aka color reconstruction) and a 3D convolutional neural network streamline detection and provide 91.7% accuracy in the recognition of pathogenic bacteria–a promising solution for critical applications in public health and the food industry.
Surgical suture heals wounds 50% faster. Active electrical stimulation devices have limitations in wound therapy due to the need for an external power source, so Chinese scientists made the stitches themselves generate current. The biodegradable suture’s multiple layers take the strains caused by movement and turn it into electrical stimulation. “Tests on rats show that this suture can help wounds heal faster by creating electric fields through the subject’s natural movements,” says Dr Chengyi Hou, from Donghua University
A Chinese magnet, above, sustained a steady magnetic field of 42.02 tesla–800,000 times stronger than Earth’s, making it the world’s most powerful resistive magnet and a handy tool for uncovering hidden properties of advanced materials, such as superconductors. It used 32.3 MW of electricity–enough to power 32,000 homes. “You’ve got to have a very good science case to justify that resource,” says condensed-matter physicist Alexander Eaton.
Vivo X200 phone features long range offline connectivity, its latest kilometer-long offline communication tech enables several kilometers of free communication for two or more users. This walkie-talkie design could enhance connectivity in remote areas and during emergencies.
WeChat users are beta testing Huawei’s HarmonyOS NEXT independent operating system. The beta version includes messaging, audio and video calls, Moments (social media feed), and QR code payment functions. The technical team said that developing the native version of WeChat for HarmonyOS NEXT feels like creating the first version of WeChat all over again, with many issues requiring hands-on learning with documentation, one Tencent employee shared on the Chinese X-like platform Weibo.
China’s first returnable, reusable satellite has been successfully recovered. The Shijian 19 satellite touched down on the Dongfeng Landing Site at 10:39 am and was then opened by ground recovery personnel sent by the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center to take out mission payloads. There were plant seeds, microorganism samples, technology demonstration devices, space experimental instruments and science payloads from five nations. The spacecraft was placed into orbit on Sept 27.
Scientists demonstrated a 1 kg., thermos-sized portable seawater desalination device that can provide fresh water for over a week. It uses a graphene oxide membrane that blocks and filters salt ions while allowing water molecules through.
The world’s first chip that measures dose rates of X- and gamma-ray radiation ranging from 100 nanoSievert to 10 milliSievert per hour has started mass production. Flying on an airplane gives 3,000 nanoSievert per hour. Customers can use the chip to monitor radiation doses in various scenarios including nuclear-related workplaces, personnel and environmental settings.
China, which holds 20% of the domestic seed market, plants 12.5 million tons of seeds annually, valued at $15 billion. By sending them on short trips into space that exposes them to cosmic radiation and mutates their genes, , China is developing new crop varieties with greater diversity, contributing to the advancement of agricultural science and bolstering food security.
Generating 20 MW, the world’s most powerful floating offshore wind turbine has a diameter of 260 m. and a swept area of 53,000 sq.m.–seven soccer fields. It powers 37,000 households with 62 M kWh annually, saves 25,000 tons of coal and 62,000 tons of CO2. Its semi-submersible floating platform and mooring system, enhanced by smart control and sensing technologies extend wind power’s reach into deeper waters, ensuring stable operation.
Shares in ASML led a tech rout on Nasdaq on Tuesday after the chip equipment maker warned of a slower recovery in the semiconductor market. Orders placed by ASML’s customers were €2.6bn for the third quarter, far lower than the €5+ billion analysts expected.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences, through its research institutes, universities, companies and think tanks, CAS provides research, financing, and personnel to support the founding and development of technology companies like AI company iFLYTEK, PC manufacturer Lenovo, supercomputer company Sugon, AI chip developer Cambricon, and CPU designer Loongson.
National Medium and Long-Term Development Plan for Space Science 2024-2025, prioritizes 5 scientific themes and 17 areas of work. The first stage includes carrying out China’s manned lunar exploration and approving five to eight space science satellite missions. The second stage from 2028-2035 will aim at building the lunar scientific research station and implementation of 15 space satellite missions, again with an aim to be the world’s topmost in the field. The 2036-2050 aims to double the implementation of space satellite missions.
Notebook inspirations
Douglas Macgregor: ELIMINATED!
As someone who has lived both in China and the US, is there a reason why you have chosen to remain in the US over returning to China? Are there major pros and cons?
Is there a reason why you have chosen to remain in the US over returning to China?
At this point, for me personally, none whatsoever. There’s no benefit for me to live in the US compared to living in China.
In fact, I’m seriously thinking about going back to China as an expat.
When my family immigrated to the US over 2 decades ago, there were definite benefits to living in the US. The air quality was better (compared to Beijing). The education system offered great flexibility. There was a lot less censorship. Generally, the quality of life was better. Of course, democracy and all that.
Then things just went downhill, starting with the 2008 financial crisis. I started to see the problems. The air quality is better, but Trump is rolling back environmental protection and government regulation, so air, water, and food quality… are all going to suffer. The education system does have great flexibility, but it’s also increasingly expensive. Sure, the government doesn’t actively censor speech, but that doesn’t stop misinformation and propaganda from being spread unchecked. The quality of life is about the same as that of Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen. I would say that the quality of life, for me, is better, just for food alone. The food in China is cheaper, healthier, fresher, and with great variety. And democracy… LOL, Electoral College, winner-takes-all, gerrymandering, Citizen United… the US does not have democracy. It has plutocracy (the rule of money).
I started to see places where America had fallen behind compared to China. If anything, flat earth/young earth is not a thing in China.
Of course, every country has problems. And I’m happy to make America a better place for ALL. I want America to be the place I thought it was when I first came over A place where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities, a place that welcomes all to its golden shore, a place where every culture and diversity is not only tolerated but celebrated.
Over the past twenty years, I have contributed in my own meager ways. I spoke up online, marched for Black Lives Matter, and donated to various organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the Harris campaign. But I get the feeling that there are a significant number of people who do not want me here. When I was in China, nobody ever told me, “Go back to where you come from.” Nobody ever says, “I’m going to call ICE and get you deported.”
I’m not saying China is better than the US. I’m just saying that for someone like myself, a bilingual/bicultural nonwhite woman living in the US no longer has a distinct advantage.
I think there are still great benefits to coming to the US to study or work. Traveling to another country is never a bad thing. But if you got stuck in a dead-end job because the company promised you to sponsor your green card and exploit your labor, and there are much better opportunities back home, I would recommend going home, especially if Trump gets elected next week. Don’t let those conservatives fool you. They don’t want brown immigrants, regardless of their legal status. Don’t think you’re safe because you came here legally, fair and square. It does not matter. I’m a naturalized citizen, and Trump is looking for ways to strip citizenship from naturalized citizens.
At least China wants you back.
Economic Update: The Missing Economics of the 2024 US Presidential Election
The Magic Blue of the Sapphire Hotel
Submitted into Contest #196 in response to: Write a story involving a portal into a parallel universe.… view prompt
Kristin Neubauer
She peeked at the mirror again but saw nothing unusual in her reflection. Just the same little girl with flyway hair and a coat three sizes too big for her. An image as flat and grey as everyone else around her.
She held her hand in front of her face, looking directly at it and not at her reflection – sure enough, glittering like a Caribbean sea.
At the same moment, an elderly man leaning on a cane, broke through the crowd and tottered to Sannie. He was smiling so warmly, that she couldn’t help but smile back.
“My dear, dear child,” the man said. “I am the owner of this hotel. This truly is a most extraordinary day.”
“Why am I blue?” Sannie asked.
“My dear, this building holds a deep magic that people come from all over the world to see. It selects only the most beautiful and precious things to imbue with its divine blue. Never –“ He turned to the crowd. “Never has this hotel found a human being worthy. Until today.”
The crowd murmured. He turned back to Sannie, face solemn.
“Child, what’s your name?”
“Sannie Johnson.”
“An extraordinary name for an extraordinary child. This is truly an extraordinary day,” he repeated. He tilted his head upward, looking toward the chandelier, and spoke to no one Sannie could see.
“What do we do? She is but a child.”
A cloud of blue shimmer dropped from the chandelier and floated to the front desk.
The old man turned to Sannie.
“Come, there is something we must look at together.”
Sannie followed him to the front desk. He huffed as he reached below and struggled to lift a sapphire book, fiery blue against the lobby’s grey tones. Sannie stood on tiptoe to help steady the book which looked very nearly about to crash to the floor. With a final grunt, the elderly man heaved it onto the desk. Sannie climbed onto a stool he indicated with his cane and bent over pages that smelled of ocean breezes.
The hotelier muttered to himself as he turned pages. Finally, he stopped, and turned to Sannie.
“Now, read that for yourself child.”
Sannie looked at the mass of lines and felt a rush of heat in her face.
“I can’t read,” she whispered.
“No matter,” the man said. “All in good time, all in good time, child. Listen carefully.” And he read:
“Article 72, Section III: The Sapphire Hotel possesses the right to judge all visitors who enter the lobby. The Sapphire Hotel has the sole authority to deem them extraordinary or ordinary. Those who qualify as extraordinary will be invited to enter the Sapphire training program which, upon completion, will secure them a lifetime position as a Sapphire agent among the Sapphire realms (see Article 6, Section V). Those deemed ordinary will be permitted to patronize the hotel as an ordinary guest.”
The elderly man sighed and turned his face upwards, addressing the empty air.
“But she’s so young. She has a family.”
A puff of blue sparkles erupted from the book and the hotelier nodded.
“Very well.”
He removed his glasses and turned to Sannie.
“Do you understand?”
Sannie was poking her forearm with her finger, transfixed by the blue hues that swirled and glittered on her skin.
The man cleared his throat.
“Sannie Johnson!”
She looked up.
“The Sapphire Hotel has deemed you extraordinary. As such, the hotel is asking you to join the team, and lead missions throughout the Sapphire universe.”
“Ex…tror….din -what?” Sannie stumbled as she tried to sound out the word she did not understand.
“Extraordinary. That means you are a special child – the most special to ever walk through these doors. Mission leaders have been discovered at other hotels, but never this one, and never – NEVER,” he looked pointedly to the chandelier, speaking loudly, “– so young.”
Sannie kept poking her arm as the hotelier continued.
“Now, these missions that you will lead are missions for Good. You will become like fire and like light. You will lead teams in this world and others to bring Light to Darkness, Good to Evil, and Hope to Despair.”
Sannie looked up at him.
“Will I fly?”
The man smiled.
“Why yes, you will. However, Sannie Johnson, you have to understand that once you come with us, you cannot return to this.”
He waved his arm around the room.
“This room?”
“No. No, child. This world. This life. Your friends, your family. That is the sacrifice required of the Sapphire Hotel – a commitment to your missions, to move ever forward, no turning back. Forever.”
“Forever,” Sannie repeated. “Forever” was a word she understood.
“Forever” was the word her sister used when their father left. “Forever” was the word her mother sobbed the last time they were kicked out of a shelter. “Forever” was what the social worker said when Sannie threw the “Learn to Read” book at her. “Forever” meant always and never.
She jumped off the stool.
“Be right right back!” she shouted as she ran through the lobby and out the hotel’s entrance, blue sparkles streaking behind her.
She paused for a moment, blinking against the glare. After the greys of the hotel’s interior, the colors of the city street hurt her eyes. She looked at her hands, and her shoulders sank as she saw the ordinary, everyday skin she had lived in for six years.
Sannie sprinted to the doorway of the abandoned theater next door, where her mother lay huddled under a grey blank.
“Mama!” She shook her shoulder. “Mama!”
Her mother forced open one bloodshot eye. “Eh?”
“Mama! I’m going on a trip!” Yet, even as she said it, Sannie felt a strange sensation in her stomach, as though it had turned upside down and then dropped through the ground. She felt tears in her eyes and threw her arms around her mother. Right then, she changed her mind. The magic blue and the elderly man felt strange and unfamiliar – far away. Too far away, like a dream.
Her mother squirmed and pushed her. “Go away, girl,” she mumbled, turning to face the building and pulling the blanket up tighter around her shoulders.
Sannie sat back on her heels, stared at the mound in front of her, and stuck her thumb in her mouth, a habit no one had ever told her to break.
She heard a noise behind her and turned to see the hotelier leaning on his cane, a circle of blue sparkles swirling and shimmering behind him, around the hotel’s front door.
“You will stay, then, Sannie Johnson?” he asked.
She removed her thumb and looked up at him. The funny feeling had left her stomach. She looked directly into his eyes, glittering with the sapphire blue.
“No. I want to go.”
He extended his hand and she grabbed it. Together, they stepped through the circle of dancing shimmers. In an instant, they were gone, leaving behind a wisp of blue that sparkled in the sun.
What is your dating advice for a women who hasn’t dated in about 10 years?
I didn’t date for seven years.
Three years ago I jumped into the dating pool.
I am in my fifties and I thought that men my age would have it somewhat together.
Especially at the age they we were at!
Here is my dating advice for women who haven’t dated in a very long time.
Do not give out any personal information until the person has earned the respect to hear it.
Which will take a long time.
If you tell a man what you have been through in previous relationships?
It makes it very easy for him to manipulate you in future encounters. .
Don’t fall for the first man that you meet.
Explore your options.
Do not date men that discuss sex and cuddling at the beginning.
Do not date men that ask for inappropriate pictures.
Do not date men that put down their ex wife or ex girlfriends.
Do not date men that send you pictures of their penis.
That is an indication of them being easy and dirty.
Do not date men that do not know how to communicate.
You also have to be careful that you don’t get catfished.
Men may send you pictures of their family.
Their property.
They will tell you how much money they make.
They will brag about themselves and all of their accomplishments.
They will make themselves out to be the perfect man.
A man that has it together doesn’t have to brag about anything.
Do not date men that only talk about themselves.
These are all major red flags!
Do not date men that try to rush you into something that you’re not ready for.
You will be very vulnerable because you haven’t dated in so long.
Do not date men that tell you that they love you in a very short time.
Love takes a long time to develop and it doesn’t happen overnight.
Do not date men that don’t make eye contact while you’re having a conversation.
Do not date men that haven’t healed from previous relationships.
You will know this because they will constantly talk about their ex!
Make sure you ask men how long that they’ve been single for.
Do not allow a man to pick you up at your home address.
Always meet in a public place and make sure a friend knows where you are.
You have to be extremely cautious when dating!
If you meet for drinks always watch your drink.
Some men have been known to spike drinks and take advantage of women while they’re unconscious.
The last piece of advice I would give you is to just trust your instincts.
If it feels wrong it is wrong.
If there’s red flags pay attention to them.
Take your time.
After all?
You waited this long .
Any man that is worth it will respect you and respect your boundaries.
I hope you find the one.
Good luck.❤️💫
Brownie Muffins
Yield: 22 to 24 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
- 4 slightly beaten eggs
Instructions
- Melt chocolate and butter over medium low heat. Cool.
- Stir in eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla extract. Stir in nuts.
- Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
What is the most condescending advice you received from someone who assumed you were poorer or less educated than them?
I was standing in line to pay for my food and drinks in a coffeehouse near the campus of the local university. This was many years ago.
The owner of the place — a then 50-year-old Irish woman — was trying to explain to the man before me how to convert the former local currency to euros (although the switch to the euro happened quite a while earlier, some people still calculated prices using the old currency because they hardly had any feeling about values using the new one).
In this particular coffee house, they still printed bills in both the old currency and in euro.
Since she was actually the one who was really confused, I tried to step in and help her/them out. She had a thorough look at me — young man, scrubby stubble beard, long hair (ALERT), tattoo in neck (ALERT
), very wide sloppy clothes — and then started to explain to me very slowly as if I was severely mentally impaired, that maybe this was just A TAD TOO DIFFICULT for “someone like me.”
She also added with a big grin on her face, that I could consider asking some help from the professors of the Mathematics department two blocks further down the road ?
The thing is: I was one of the professors.
What was the response to Marcos’ speech regarding the South China Sea from the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane?
During the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit held in Vientiane, Lao PDR recently, Marcos accused China of ongoing illegal “harassment and intimidation” in the South China Sea, while urged ASEAN countries to break from “self-restraint” and “take unified and urgent measures” to ease tensions.
Despite the Philippines’ repeated provocations in the South China Sea recently, it has not received any response or support from other ASEAN countries. The mainstream policy within ASEAN remains advancing the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
Senior Officials of ASEAN Member States and China met for the 22nd ASEAN-China SOM-DOC on 13 September 2024 in Xi’an, China. All parties unanimously called for enhanced dialogue, restraint, proper handling of differences, and greater mutual trust.
At the 27th China-ASEAN (10+1) Leaders’ Meeting on October 10, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who will assume the rotating ASEAN chairmanship, reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and called for the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
Anwar also expressed his hope that China would support ASEAN’s energy transition and expand cooperation with ASEAN in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics.
However, for Philippine President Marcos, who is entrenched in a confrontational stance, there seems to be little interest in cooperation. At the China-ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting, Marcos stated that given the current political tensions, ASEAN and China could not pretend that economic conditions were still favorable.
Yet the facts suggest otherwise.
Despite the global economic downturn and escalating geopolitical conflicts, China and ASEAN have remained each other’s largest trading partners since 2020. China has been the Philippines’ largest trading partner for eight consecutive years and is one of its top sources of investment. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, in the first half of 2024, the total amount of goods imported by the Philippines from China was 15.59 billion US dollars, accounting for 25.4% of the total imports. China is the largest import market for the Philippines.
At the 27th China-ASEAN (10+1) Leaders’ Meeting, China and the ten ASEAN countries announced the substantial conclusion of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations and plans to sign the upgraded protocol by 2025.
According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the 3.0 version brings significant enhancements in nine key areas, including mutually beneficial cooperation in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, green economy, and supply chain connectivity.
Marcos’ attempts to hype up South China Sea security issues and undermine the strong economic and trade ties between China and ASEAN reflect his continued erosion of political trust between China and the Philippines.
If Marcos does not change his confrontational mindset, it will inevitably cause damage to bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and future China-Philippines relations will struggle to see any meaningful improvement, which will also harm regional development
The vast majority of countries in the region are developing nations, and development is their top priority. However, without a stable regional environment, development cannot be achieved. The upgrade of the ACFTA will further expand the benefits of cooperation between China and ASEAN, providing more tangible gains for both peoples.
This will help to enhance mutual trust between China and ASEAN, which is crucial for the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea issue.
No matter how Marcos tries to exploit regional cooperation platforms to stir up trouble, the vast majority of ASEAN countries remain clear-headed, choosing to cooperate with China through development and equal consultation to counter those attempting to disrupt regional peace.
Peace and stability in the South China Sea is the greatest common denominator and consensus among the people of this region.
Watching 100 Chinese Tik Toks to see if it’s better than the American one
For those that are too lazy to get on the app themselves, eh?
Why do Chinese people work so hard to succeed in life?
- Chinese family structure/social network/the value of education/being crime-free, and a model citizen are taught at home.
- I have worked with all kinds of Chinese in Canada, from mainlanders to HK and overseas Chinese around the globe.
- Chinese fathers are never happy with their children’s 99 percent marks in Mathematics. They are upset and try to find out what happened to one mark.
- Chinese mothers are usually known as Tiger moms, and Chinese parents are Helicopter parents.
- Chinese people are taught extremely hard-core work ethics and teamwork, and they excel in everything they do, from simple shoe-shine boys to intricate surgeons.
- There is a massive Chinese Church near my house in Canada, and its parking lot is almost always full.
- They do not give two hoots of religion: In this church, it is all about NETWORKING and kids helping kids with assignments, discussing interviews, and exchanging all kinds of tricks to outsmart the systems.
- If you think they are given high IQs, they are not; they are all just regular people with average IQs who work extremely hard to compensate for all deficiencies, including inferior language skills.
- Chinese is one of the most difficult foreign languages to learn. (One language expert in Canada confirmed this for me several times.)
- Chinese never trust anyone other than their own. They will take a pure bar of gold with all certificates to their jeweller to check its authenticity.
- No race can compete with the Chinese, one of the most productive workforce.
- Chinese people are like vacuum cleaners; they will suck all the information out of you without giving anything in return.
I have seen and experienced several times.
When you shake hands with a Chinese, please count your fingers; maybe you lost a couple of fingers from your hand.
They do not TRUST anyone except their own.
I hope it helps.
Has anyone walked into a bar and then found it was filled with a biker gang? What happened?
I was working in mobile Al and was to meet a friend there. My friend knows everyone in the area and is never on time for anything. We were to meet at a causeway dive bar for mudbugs. I arrived at the appointed time and my buddy, who I’ll call poggi, was not there yet. Was dressed in khaki pants and a pull over shirt and was waaaay over dressed for the location. The patrons already in the bar stopped whatever they were doing to look at the new face. The waitress came over and warily asked what did I want. I explained I was to meet a friend there and she asked who, obviously thinking I was an imposter in their midst. I told her my friends name was Poggi. Her face lit up and broke into a smile as she yelled to the other patrons, “he’s here with Poggi”, and she brought me a beer, and everyone was happy. About 75 minutes later my friend arrived, always late.
Why is Australia still selling iron ore to China? Why not cut the exports totally so that China will be squeezed?
An Australian here…. China is our largest trade partner and in many ways a good friend. Why would we want to stop cooperating with the future?
China trades fairly and with China’s interests at heart, but also a high regard for the welfare and respect for the much smaller economies it is trading with. China does not try to bully us and China understands the iron they buy off us belongs to every Australian until it is paid for, which they do.
I’m sure somewhere an Australian and a Chinese businessman are making jokes right now about what ignorant Neanderthals the Chinese would be if ever they entertained ideas about ‘annexing’ Australia as part of China (more accurately-declaring war on a sovereign State, another country).
China has historic issues to deal with re Taiwan and Tibet but I would still rather we trade with them. After all, that gives us a seat at the table to be able to raise concerns about such issues.
As a trading partner China is good. With the creation of their massive middle class, their social and infrastructure support and cultural respect for many small countries that will see China favourably in the future (possibly including such things as rare earth minerals etc should it turn out they have them) China may very well be setting up to be an honourable world citizen and a powerhouse for one or two centuries to come.
What other sizable trading partner offers that sort of stability, decency and honour?