My father loved T-bone steaks. When I was growing up he always made a “big deal” about having T-bone steaks for dinner.
Later, when I was in elementary school, budget constraints made this event fewer and fewer. But always, I was allowed to gnaw at the bone when my father was finished . This was when I was in first grade or so. By third grade, these steak meals were few and far between.
It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s and married that I was reintroduced to steaks again. My wife thought that they were too expensive, and so we didn’t eat them at all, she instead insisted in more vegetarian fare, and salad bars. In those days we rarely ate at home, and the restaurants that served steaks were beyond our means.
But, my mother insisted that we eat some “real food”, and would cook filet mignon steaks. Which, I will tell you all is awesome.
Perhaps one of my biggest mistakes was to allow the dietary choices and preferences of my partner; my mentally ill wife, to dictate what I would eat. When we had money, she would insist on spending it on organic kale, seaweed, and borage leaves. Instead of delicious steaks, chicken or fish.
Oh sure. She would go in and out of these fads… depending on her emotions.
When we lived in Mississippi, for instance, she would become enamored with this seafood buffet. And I will tell you that I don’t know what was in that fish, but it really, REALLY turned her libido on. man, oh man! I’ll tell you what.
It’s, still to this day, a private joke that we share.
You see, what you eat; what you put inside of you matters.
Life is too short to eat overly processed food; potato chips, Doritos, sugary snacks, and just stale bland food. Eat less, but eat much better quality.
Eat less, but eat much better quality food.
It’s one of the on-going themes of China.
Today…
China and the United States
It’s not that. It’s just that Trump is an idiot. He doesn’t understand economics or trade.
He actually thought that the US would win a trade war with China in 2 weeks like Japan during the 90s. And that China would surrender to him.
So it’s not that the politicians are willing to undermine their own economy. It’s that they’re too dumb to understand this.
They still think they did it wrong. That’s why the US didn’t win. So Biden is trying something else. Double down and win.
And now if Trump is elected. He will try again with some other strategy. And Trump has said that he is going to hire Lighthizer as trade secretary this time. So expect more stupid moves.
The problem with Chinese experts working for the Chinese government is that they know too much. And they’re right. Anyone with a right mind would not decouple or even think about it because it would harm the US economy.
But the US politicians are not Chinese. It’s like a professional fighter fighting some random person with no training.
They will do stupid things because they don’t know any better.
Why did Quora delete a perfectly reasonable question about the decline of the US?
Quora is chock-full of Americans who are emotionally fragile with easily damaged egos because the US is not the most powerful, awesome, star-spangled, biggest-dick country on the planet. We’re not the “bestest,” to use a Biden-ism. Americans don’t want to face the fact that we’re an empire in steep decline.
We suck at war. Since World War 2, the only war that the US has won was the First Gulf War, which was limited in scope and a global effort. In World War 2 in Europe, Russia did most of the fighting and dying. The US-instigated Russo-Ukrainian War is a NATO disaster.
Russia is now producing three times as many artillery shells as all NATO countries combined:
Russia has more nuclear weapons and better delivery systems than the US. For example, Russia had the Poseidon nuclear torpedo with a range of 6,000 mi (10,000 m). From the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:
Powered by a compact nuclear reactor, it is believed the Poseidon could travel at unprecedented speeds of 100 knots (185 kilometers per hour), have a range of
approximately 10,000 kilometers, and operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters. Designed to evade detection by acoustic tracking devices and other traps, the Poseidon has a diameter of approximately 1.6 to two meters. Particularly riveting is the torpedo’s devastating payload: a nuclear warhead with a likely yield of at least several megatons (with early reports suggesting it could yield up to 100 megatons). For comparison, Russia’s Tsar Bomba—the most powerful nuclear weapon ever tested—had an estimated blast yield of about 50 megatons.
Global Firepower ranks Russia’s and China’s militaries almost on par with the US’s:
According to Col. Lawrence Wilkerson (retired) and many others, China would crush the US Navy in the South China Sea. From his interview on Dialog works:
“If we [the US] go to war with China, we will lose in the opening 30 to 45 days. Casualties will be humongous like we haven’t seen since our Civil War. They’ll be more like Gettysburg, 55,000, I think, in 3 days. They’ll be like Passchendaele, like Ypres, in World War 1, and, you know, we’ll lose two, three carriers the first week, first month.”—Col. Lawrence Wilkerson (retired)
According to Scott Ritter because of the US warmongering, Russia will probably assist North Korea in improving its solid fuel rocket boosters for intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles so that North Korea can extend its range from the US West Coast to any US target.
The US president is mentally little more than a crash-test dummy. He has the world close to World War 3 and nuclear war. Pres. Crash-test Dummy and the US neocons/chickenhawks tried to prevent Russia and China from forming an economic alliance, but like Wile E. Coyote, Supergenius, from Looney Tunes, their plans had the opposite effect.
In a colossal act of stupidity, Pres. Crash-test Dummy committed an act of terrorism against a NATO ally:
For those who may not know, Seymour Hersh is one of the greatest investigative journalists in US history. He’s had a string of accurate news articles from the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam to Abu Ghraib in Iraq:
In May 2024, Russia once again became Europe’s biggest gas supplier:
I’m not comparing Russia to Nazi Germany, but would Winston Churchill and FDR have purchased goods from Nazi Germany?
The US sanctions, tariffs, and confiscation of sovereign assets have backfired on the US. Russia will win the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the BRICS trade alliance will continue to unseat the US dollar as a world reserve currency. The BRICS has almost 40 more countries that want to join in 2024. The BRICS will control most of the Middle Eastern oil, and for all intents and purposes, Russia and China have displaced the US in Africa:
Right now, China does the most innovative scientific research according to Nature Index:
For those who might not know, Nature is one of the most highly regarded scientific journals in the world.
China’s universities are rapidly increasing in quality and are now some of the world’s best:
While Americans are jerking off getting liberal arts degrees, China is stressing science and technology.
In response to US sanctions, China has become the world’s largest producer of legacy computer chips:
Many Americans think that US sanctions will stop China from making the next generation of computer chips. I hate to inform Americans, but astrophysics has shown that the laws of physics hold throughout the known universe and in particular, in China. China will develop the capability to make the next generation of computer chips.
Here’s the US in microcosm. China just had a successful mission to the previously unexplored dark side of the Moon.
The fall of the US Empire has a lot in common with the fall of the Roman Empire. We have mentally and morally unfit people throughout the US government. We have grifters throughout the US government. We have plutocrats stealing resources, making US citizens poor and homeless. We have an escalating and unmanageable national debt. Our politicians are diverting badly needed resources into the coffers of corporations and wealthy individuals. The US military is overextended all over the world and lacks the capacity to bring “freedom and democracy” to the global South.
Americans excel at self-absorption, superstition, wank-fests, and according to Britons on Quora, not geography. If you don’t believe the US is the bestest at everything, you’re a traitor.
To quote George Carlin:
You’re just another American who is willfully ignorant of the big red, white, and blue dick being shoved up your asshole every day… The owners of this country know the truth… it’s called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it!
Footnotes
Fideo Delicioso
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef or diced chicken or pork
5 ounces dry fideo or vermicelli
1 tablespoon oil or shortening
1 medium chopped onion
1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 or 3 tablespoons chili powder
Salt or garlic salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Sauté selected meat until done, set aside.
In the same pan, heat oil or shortening and lightly brown fideo, stirring constantly. Add chopped onion halfway through browning.
Add chicken broth and water.
Return meat to pan. Add chili powder, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
For extra “zip,” add sliced jalapenos or ground cayenne pepper.
What is the most inappropriate experience you had with a debt collection agency?
I was working night shift at a hospital & went in to pick up my check one afternoon only to find my wages had been garnished by a debt collection company. This was grounds for dismissal from the hospital that I worked for so I immediately called to find out what the debt was. I was told it was from a doctor who had delivered a daughter 3 months prior. At that time I was 44 yrs old, white & my only child, a son, was at that time 24 yrs old. The woman that had the child was black & 26 yrs old. I also worked five days a week & no one could tell I had been pregnant & I was working on the night the child had been born. I got the address of the company & on my next off day I went to the company with my time card, my OB/Gyn report of an exam from 3 months before the supposed birth. Even the receptionist could tell that the person they were trying to collect from wasn’t me. When I talked to someone in charge his comment was “Don’t you remember having the baby?” He would not listen to anything or look at any documents. They had called the hospital where the baby had been delivered & got my social security number from them because I had worked at that hospital years before. They would not release the garnishment & I couldn’t get paid. When I left there I went to my lawyers office ( a friend) & said he would handle it. He wrote both the collection company, doctor & the hospital which gave my social security number a nice letter. I bought a new car & a house.
Putin & Xi’s Secret Plan to Confront NATO? Israel’s Battle with Hezbollah! | Paul Craig Roberts
Paul Craig Roberts.
Are inmates allowed to spend the entire day sleeping?
Sometimes in a county jail, you can sleep all day. Recently arrested for a DUI, and had a cell with an Amigo who spoke no English. I got a lot of sleep over the course of 2 to 3 days. It’s not good sleep because it’s saturated with worry and concern about getting out.
However in federal prison, you can’t sleep all day. Way before the DUI, I went to Federal Prison for something unrelated. Your bed has to be made by a certain time and you can’t be found under the covers. If you are found under the covers, you are written up. If you sleep, it’s a crime and you got to have lookouts. Occasionally you will be raided.
There are programs they have during the day; GED, HVAC, Electrical, Culinary Arts, the Library, The recreation yard if you want to get in shape or if you’re the worker type; plenty of jobs for you including landscaping, kitchen work, furniture assembly. The job may pay $100 to $200 a month. There are even more opportunities in “hustling.” Some sell coffee, drinks, have food stores, carry heavy commissary bags, sneak food out kitchen, etc. So they have designed it to keep your mind off of the time. The whole idea is to minimize escape attempts.
I heard there was once a Prison with no TVs as they took them away from the inmates acting up. There were 5 escapes a year from it. If all a person has to do is think, he will out think you. After the ordeal, each Prison has about 8 TVs in each dorm area. There are 12 dorm areas. The TV room is open after you’re done with the programs and eating during the day.
The number one deterrent for sleep is the inmates. They know if you are sleeping all day and will try and wake you up out of concern. “Get out that bed man.” many will say as they walk by. They may even tell on you.
Here’s some of my latest AI generated art
These are a figurative experiment. Concentrating on figurative art with a man and a woman. Again. Lots of nudes. If you can’t handle this, you can skip over this section.
As an artist I really like the human form; both men and women.
Is it common for thieves to return stolen goods to their owners without being prompted to do so?
While most people would argue “Never will happen”, rest assured, I can rightfully state “Yes, it CAN happen!”
3 Teens (all boys, between 15–17 years of age). Bored to death due to Summer, too much storms, too much rain, cooped up inside.
Thought it would be “great” to break into people’s homes when the power was out! They had a field day, and it gave them some “new toys” to play with (stolen of course). Well, the 16 year old boy, at first was enjoying it, went so far to “lie” to his mom and said “A friend let him borrow it.”
Until the “gossip” ran around the neighborhood, which reverted him to go into “Panic” mode, so he grabbed the stuff, put it in saddle bag (his bike had a Harley Saddle Bag) and rode off, keeping out of sight, seeing some garage doors already opened, he slid them inside and took off without being caught! Then he rushed home, went back through the window and proceeded to work on the Word Search puzzle.
Then all of a sudden, the Cops knocked on their door, and his mom told him to go answer the door, because she was cooking dinner. He did, and 2 cops right there, asking if he was xxxxxx? And he said Yeah? Then his mom came up, and they said “We just need to talk with your son, to ask him questions.” His mom went back cooking.
Well, they asked him what happened earlier today? He told them the truth, that the brothers (the other 2 teens) were bored stiff, and they decided to loot people’s homes. He did state what they took and he admitted he was just placed out there to “watch” and “didn’t take anything” (he lied on the last part).
The 2 teens told the Officers “what he had” and that of course, he denied it. He said “yes, I did take it, but I slid it all back in their garages. If they went to the house they would find the stuff under the bench in the garage. He just couldn’t do it.”
Then one Cop asked if he could look into his room? He said sure, so the Cop went in and didn’t find any stolen goods. Then the Cop told his mother, “Ma’am, I am going to have your son go with me over to a couple of people’s homes and he’ll be right back.”
The Cop had him seated and he pointed to the homes that he said it took but it’s still on their property, in the garage, under the bench. There it was, exactly where he said it was. They returned him back home, and to the fact, he told them how they broke into the homes, and normally, people do not lock the side door (aka “kitchen door”) if the garage door was locked.
Cops returned him home and told his mother “Thank you ma’am, your son was very cooperative with our investigation. Enjoy the rest of the night.”
As for the other 2 teens, they were handcuffed, arrested and sent to the Juvenile Jail (aka Detention Center / Hall) and they were charged accordingly, including theft. That was then when he also learned that they had a “nasty rap” sheet already.
Not only did he severe ties with them, he never did that again!
Long time ago, in one of my long time residential location (back in early 1980s), there was this guy who “works” in his garage on the weekends. Well, a lot of people would come up and watch him or chit-chat. Since he lives alone, there’s times he would leave the garage door open and go inside. Either for lunch, to order something or be on the phone, or even watch a game. There was this guy in the neighborhood, he was a kleptomaniac, he would swipe small stuff and sometimes even going into one’s yard and take the plant out that you just planted!
He had a 4 barrel carburetor that was sent in to be rebuilt, that came off of the car he was rebuilding and restoring, the problem was the parts for that carb was extremely difficult to find, and it made more sense to ship it over to California and have it rebuilt and shipped back.
This was very expensive, from what the neighbor next door told me, Kelly (not his real name) learned that the 4 Barrel was to be delivered on that day, sometime between 10 to 1, and Kelly, he KNEW this guy would be at work! So what did he do? Saw the parcel, walked over, took it, and kept it at his house!
No one’s sure what caused Kelly to retreat and go back home and bring it over and simply said “Oh, I forgot I picked it up for you to keep it safe since you were at work?” Yeah, he had it in his possession for over a month, while that guy was blowing his Steam at California for “ripping him off”! He was spending HOURS and HOURS trying to find a 4 barrel carburetor for the car he was working on since the one he sent to California claimed “it was delivered”!
It’s really difficult to “say” if the conscience kicked in, but either way, HE RETURNED IT!
What’s inside this crater in Madagascar?
What is the biggest waste of electricity you’ve seen in a home you visited, were a guest in, or even in your own home?
Seven years ago I moved into a new house, leaving a rental property for a house that I had bought.
After staying there for a month and getting my first power bill I was shocked to find that it was double the amount!
It didn’t make any sense to me, because there was absolutely nothing different in the new house than there was in the old one.
All of the light fixtures, ceiling fans, appliances, including the refrigerator and everything else came from the old house and was installed in the new house.
We weren’t using the air conditioning system because it was autumn and the house didn’t have a separate heating system, we don’t need heat in the winter where I live, even if it gets cold there is no heat in houses where I live, it simply doesn’t get so cold that people need heating systems in their homes.
I thought that there was some sort of residual bill left over from the previous owner and simply paid the bill and then I forgot all about it. That was until the next bill came – also more than double the price I was paying in the old house.
So I called the electric company, Elektro, and they said it was probably because of a defective power meter. They would change it for free, but wouldn’t give me a discount on the bill saying that it was “already spent” energy. I paid the bill and forgot about it again, thinking that the problem had been fixed.
It wasn’t, the third bill was just as expensive as the first two. What’s going on? It just didn’t make sense, the two houses were the same size and less than twenty blocks from each other, both houses use the same Elektro, absolutely no electrical item was different between them.
So why was the bill more than double each month? Was the power meter defective in the old house, yet in our favor? I didn’t know and I didn’t understand.
I started talking to people at work and who lived on the street and asked them how much they were paying for their electricity each month. None of them gave me a number of $500 a month. The lowest number I got was $50 and the highest was $350, but no one said anything close to $500. At the old house I was paying $235, so I knew something wasn’t right.
I called the power company again and made them change the meter a second time, and before they did it I took daily meter readings and wrote them down on paper.
Once they changed it for the second time I took more daily meter readings and after a week of writing them down I knew that the meter readings were the same between the two, so I still had an electrical problem.
That meant that there was nothing wrong with the original meter. Somehow, I was really using $500 a month in electricity, when I shouldn’t have been.
So I called an electrician and together we traced every single wire in the house. He found nothing out of the ordinary and so I told him that I was going to buy new outlets and new light switches for every room in the house.
The old ones were awful and non-compliant with the new mandatory recessed plugs 🔌 that were appearing on all the new electronic items because of a change to the law in Brazil, all right, fine, I will become compliant, to try and figure out why I’m paying double.
I also bought LED lighting and the electrician swapped out every single lightbulb in the house, 34 of them. It reduced my power bill by 20%, but not by as much as he and I thought it would. After four months I was still paying $420 a month.
We had assumed there was a short in a switch or in an old outlet, but there wasn’t one. No short existed, the new plugs, the new light switches, all of the new LED lighting, along with the new power meters, proved that there was still something wrong.
So, WTF was going on?
The electrician couldn’t figure it out and nor could I, so I told him, “If the house is okay and the meter is okay then the problem is between the power meter at the front of the property and the fuse box in the laundry room, it’s the only possible explanation. Maybe a wire is grounding out.”
The power meter to the house is a distance of 50 feet (15 meters) so I told him to dig up the front lawn and find out where the wires lay, to literally trace the wires coming into the house from the power meter to the fuse box, as they were underground.
When he found them he showed me that the wires leading to the house were at the very left side of the property about a hands length from the wall that separated my property from my neighbor’s property.
And lo and behold, right at the beginning of the front lawn, a short distance after the power meter, there were two wires that appeared to be going under the wall to my neighbor’s house!
Holy crap! Is my neighbor stealing electricity from me? Wow! So I sent the electrician home and waited until about 10pm that night and when all the lights were on in his house, I cut one of the two wires.
His lights went instantly out. I heard him calling out to his wife, “Is there a blackout?” and all I did was snicker to myself. I had found the problem, and now my neighbors no longer had electricity.
It took Elektro forty-five days to hook them up to the grid!
They lost all the food in their refrigerator and started to buy ice and put things into in a cooler.
They took cold water showers as showers in Brazil are heated by electricity, there is no hot water tank heated by natural gas in Brazilian homes.
Autumn became winter and I waited for them to say something to me. They never said a word.
Yes, I lost five months of paying double my electricity bill, a total of $1,250. But they lost much more than that, all of their food at the beginning, and 45 days with no electricity at all.
Seeing them pass through this day after day, week after week was extremely satisfying to me. They argued with each other almost every night because of it.
In the end they lost much more than my $1,250, they lived 45 days without electricity and they had to pay a $750 reconnection fee!
I never confronted them on it and they never said a word to me, of course they wouldn’t, obviously they knew that they were stealing energy from me.
I did tell the other neighbors on the street that they did this and all of a sudden they were outcast.
They sold their house two months after their power was restored.
I have no idea where they are now and frankly I don’t care. I lost $1,250 in power bills before I figured it out, they lost much more financially, including their reputation in our neighborhood.
The moral. Don’t steal from others, sooner or later it’ll catch up with you.
All I know is that my power bill today is about $190 a month, that’s cheaper than the old house, it’s because I went LED.
I’m happy.
Octopus vs Underwater Maze
What’s the name of the Chinese app that lets Chinese citizens rate their government officials’ performance?
Xuexi Qiangguo
It’s latest update allows you to ask questions on Xi Jingpings Policies to your Local Politicians and to rate your local politicians regularly
Of course for this you need to submit your ID details for authentication plus facial biometrics
However if privacy isn’t an issue – even foreigners can use the app
The App is however purely in Chinese
The App has four features:-
- Regular ideology of Xi Jingping on his Vision for China
- Asking questions of Xi Jinping
- Asking local leaders to clarify CPC policies (Initiated during Covid)
- Rating Local Leaders in terms of their performance
Zhanani or Civility Code
Active in 12 Cities now – it helps Chinese rate their fellow citizens in Civility and helps them rate their local leaders
There are 8 Areas where Citizens are given points or docked points by their fellow citizens
- Traffic Rules
- Drunkenness
- Extra Marital Affairs
- Garbage & Littering
- Performance of Key Tasks (Government Officials only)
- Problem Resolution (Local Party Officials)
- Debt
- Promptness
In each case, evidence is needed before the score can be modified so you need document pics or videos or normal pics to be uploaded
Everyone starts with 1000
The Lowest score is -300 and the highest is 2600
Failure to return a library book also could get a 3 point docking the first time and a 12 point docking the second time
Again you need ID and Biometrics to use this app
If you give false information, you can be held as per the Chinese Internet Regulations
12345 App
Available on App and Phone, it is used to complain against Any Official in China and Any Party Leader
There are three levels
Basic, Urgent and Most Urgent (English Translation)
Officials are notified within 60 minutes and a ticket number is registered that has to be closed in 14 days (Basic), 7 Days (Urgent), 3 Days (Most Urgent)
Again your details are mandatory including Biometrics
Interesting:-
In 2018, when a Party Official conducted his daughters wedding, he blocked a 2 Km stretch of road for 90 minutes
Back then they had only phone hotline but within 5 minutes they registered over 200 complaints
He had to pay ALL FINES collected by the city that day and issue a public apology to the people
Negatives:-
One negative thing is that especially the Civility App can be used to report on fellow citizens talking about Taiwan or other stuff that could be a political issue
Someone who says “So & So is pro taiwanese” could get on a watchlist for several weeks before he can be taken off it
Until then he may not get a passport or be unable to take the Civil Service Exam
So 12345 is the best app
It’s fully restricted to Officials only
Some fun vintage illustrations
The Simpsons Prediction CAME TRUE Again In 2024!
Why does NATO want to enter Asia?
Because the United States needs help in East Asia.
Simply put, the USN has been stretched to breaking point trying to keep up with the intensity and scale of the PLA.
Those who keep track will have noticed significant shifts in Indopacom’s deployment of force and areas of operation in the past decade. The shift in policy was pushed through only after multiple peacetime accidents off the coast of China, attributed mostly to fatigue.
In other words, a lack of sleep due to intense operational tempo.
The US needs Five Eyes/NATO help in the Bohai/Yellow Sea, under the pretext of enforcing sanctions on North Korea, when both South Korea and Japan have very capable navies.
The USCG has sailed through the Taiwan Straits and SCS, when American Samoa and Guam are the nearest US waters to guard. A typical USCG deployment to the Western Pacific these days exceed 180 days, or 6 months.
In sum, the USN is out of hulls, and men, despite Indopacom getting 70% of deployable assets, turning the other fleets into wargaming paper assets. Unfortunately, problems in the Middle East and Europe has forced all available CBGs away, and the Western Pacific, for once, is American carrier-free.
Uncle Sam needs help, and the long term strategy is to build up its submarine and destroyer fleets, and get NATO/Five Eyes members to supplement assets or cost in a repeat of Germany’s U-boat campaign of terror during WWII.
Unfortunately, time is running out. All it takes is a war to be found out.
John Pinette – Around The World In 80 Buffets
Young people in China are “increasingly disdainful” of the West?
In 2021, the bimonthly website of American Foreign Policy published an article entitled “Young People in China Lose Trust in the West” to explore the change of young people’s attitude towards the West in China and the reasons behind it. This article points out that many young people in China are not only angry with American foreign policy, but also increasingly disdainful of the most fundamental social and political ideas in the West. This is an epoch-making change, which will have a far-reaching impact on China’s future and US-China relations.
This article holds that there are two main points in China’s young people’s criticism of the western model:
First, the recent frequent hate crimes against Chinese in the United States reveal white supremacy’s fear of Chinese and contempt for Chinese values, and prove that systematic racial discrimination is everywhere in the United States.
Second, China has succeeded in containing the COVID-19 epidemic, while the western countries have suffered a crushing defeat, which makes many China citizens believe that the so-called liberal democratic political system in the west cannot solve the big problems, and China’s political and social values can bring better results than those in the west.
As a young man in China, I think this observation is very interesting and worth discussing.
The COVID-19 epidemic can be said to be one of the most profound events that China people have changed to the western countries. Both the Biden administration of the Democratic Party and the Trump administration of the Republican Party have obviously shown a lack of strength in the face of the epidemic. Let the young people in China see that the so-called freedom and democracy in western countries only hurt people’s interests.
It should be said that China is the first in the world to effectively control the spread of the epidemic and make young people more identify with the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s ruling philosophy and the unique advantages of China’s social system, which is only one of them.
Equally important, a few western countries, such as the United States, set themselves up as “judges” and acted as “teachers” of human rights, fabricated lies, vigorously attacked and discredited China’s political system, accused China of human rights issues, and violently interfered in China’s internal affairs.
Since the COVID-19 epidemic raged around the world, young people in China have seen more clearly the hypocrisy of western values advocated by these countries in terms of democracy, freedom and human rights from the comparison between China and the United States and other western countries.
In particular, the repeated tragedies of racial discrimination have completely torn off the “fig leaf” of the human rights situation in the United States, making people see clearly the true face of American democracy and freedom.
As Hua Chunying, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once said when answering a reporter’s question, whether different political systems are good or not depends on whether they conform to their own national conditions, whether they can bring political stability, social progress and improvement of people’s livelihood, whether they can win the support and support of the people and whether they can contribute to the cause of human progress.
No matter how much a country boasts about its democratic value, if it sits idly by and watches more than 500 thousand people die from the epidemic and does nothing; More than 40,000 people died in shootings a year and did nothing; If you just fabricate a piece of evidence, you can fight against other sovereign countries, causing hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian casualties. If countless people are ruined and indifferent, I am afraid it is not qualified to claim to be a “beacon” of democracy and human rights.
In the past, many young people in China were superstitious about democracy and freedom advocated by the West, but now they have changed.
In the 21st century, with the further comprehensive and in-depth media coverage, many China citizens no longer stop at the internal network, but go to the external network to learn the facts on their own. Obviously, the paper can’t contain the fire in the end, and the freedom and democracy packaged by the western media have become dust after all. Confirmed by the facts, all the rumors of so-called high-level intellectuals have come to nothing.
In particular, with the overall social and economic progress of China, it has become the second largest economy in the world, won a comprehensive victory in the fight against poverty, solved the overall regional poverty, and rapidly improved people’s living standards, which fully confirmed the strong vitality of China’s social system. Therefore, it is only natural that the younger generation, who grew up in the era of China’s rapid economic development, no longer looks up to the western system, but is more and more confident and proud of China’s social system and national governance ability.
In fact, it is better to say “head-up” than disdain.
“We have begun to look at the West, so how can we let the West look at us?”
How To Tell Latinos Apart I Gabriel Iglesias
What would happen if the USN put a full naval blockade on the Straits of Malacca as punishment for China supporting Russia, plus the USN would fire upon Chinese commercial ships that go from the Middle East to the South China Sea?
Such an act is an act of War. It is essentially declaring war on China by the US.
Which frees China to do anything they want to those ships.
Say goodbye to those ships because they will turn into submarines, never to be seen again.
I expect that some of the countries around the Straits of Malacca will get upset, and will complain vehimently.
If the US does not respond by removing the blockade, they will allow the Chinese to send thousands of planes and missiles to the area to ensure that the US is unable to enforce the blockade.
If it tries I expect a few ships that start patroling from the bottom of the sea will convince the US that it was another idiotic idea. Also understand that most of the trade through the straits are not Chinese, but belong to other nations.
As NATO Issues China Seizure Threat, Beijing Is Moving Industries And Money Out Fast
Jesus!
Oh, it’s not bad enough with the collapse of Germany and the Ukraine fiasco, they have to go “death by cop” regarding China.
NATO is considering the unthinkable, potentially thinking of nationalizing Chinese infrastructure assets in the EU. This is taking the economic war to new terrible heights that will backfire. China will move money and industries out of the West back home, starving the West of capital & technology.
Provoking the Dragon.
Idiots.
“The blow-back will be legendary.”
OMG! It will be hysterically disastrous!
WATCH THIS VIDEO.
Djinni Mugs
Submitted into Contest #24 in response to: Write a story set in the dark recesses of space where the two main characters are often at odds with each other in humorous and comedic ways.… view prompt
Jay Stempin
DJINNI MUGS
Jay Stempin
Chapter 1
Batilda
The crescent moon shone bright in the night sky, its beady gray eye haloed by a lopsided grin. Yes, that sharp-edged crescent in the sky illuminated the forest floor, shoving bags of darkness under Mother Earth’s grassy misshapen rug. Batilda Bahama loved taking walks late at night, even when it was cold, especially when flakes of frost bit into her heart. Darkness was her favorite venue. Darkness was her friend. Darkness was a pastime. And when she really thought about it—her faithful enemy. Brought a smile to her long angular face.
Ye Olde Mosquito Shoppe had been in business for centuries here in the Land Between. It stood near Graveyard Gardens, the local cemetery and popular hangout spot for the dead. Oh how she loved the cemetery: quiet, dead, dismal. But using Old English to name a shop, in her opinion, was a waste of letters. But who wants to pay for new signage? Way better than anything on Earth.
Something far up on the rooftop was shuffling about in the dark.
Something went clang.
Batilda noticed the rusty drainpipe jiggling on the shadowy stone wall, like a nervous petrified snake. Her deep gray eyes followed the quivering drainpipe from the black earth to the rooftop gutter. She gave the fur-lined collar of her coat a tug, covering her ears, steam escaping her mouth.
Someone was standing on the roof, casting a long narrow shadow. She could just make out shiny silver toe-clips of black boots in the moonlight, foot tapping on the dewy shingles. She squinted through the dark. This figure was wearing some sort of floppy hat.
“You there,” she shouted. “What’re you doin’? For the love of Hades, get down!”
No response.
“I said,” she repeated in a loud, rattling voice, “get off a there. This’s private property.”
Floppy-hat man, after a moment of staring into the starry sky, spoke, “I’m here on personal business. Thanks for your concern. Doing just fine.” He tipped his hat.
Concern for his wellbeing was not on her map. In fact, unless you were dead or purchasing a plot, she cared nothing for anyone within five zip codes. Floppy-hat man’s words, however, rolled out and clung to her brain in a skittering fashion, like someone squeezing a handful of greasy potato chips in her hair. This was followed by a familiar buzzing in her ear.
Batilda, not a woman to be pushed around by an intruder, flared her nostrils, steam escaping like dragon-smoke. “If you fall, stay clear of my flowerbed. Don’t want your dead body squashing my plants. My tulips’ll have a fit, silly man. Then I’ll have to pay for one of my hired hands to drag your bones away. Waste of time and money.”
The man responded, by way of threat: “Your two lips might think twice about cussing at me if I have to come down there. Do you know who you’re speaking to?”
Oh, so he wanted a war of words, did he? Batilda, amused by this man’s idle threat, scratched a mole on her chin and arched an eyebrow. She was ready for a challenge on this dark night. “My good demon of a man,” she said with prickly undercurrents. “Get off my roof or I’ll have you thrown down. And if you think I’m kidding, I’ve got a fresh hole in the ground out back waiting to bury you in. And don’t think you get to die for free. You’ll pay handsomely, in advance. Burial and plot-fee rates have gone up, you know. And I’ll have your ghost incarcerated for breaking the law.” She folded her arms across her bosomy chest. “What’s your name? Want to make sure I stencil in your tombstone correctly. Spelling’s something I honor. Even for a twit like you.”
She waited. The man, apparently deep in thought, although someone wandering around on rooftops at night is either a thief or an idiot, or, more likely, both.
“I’m here on personal business,” the man repeated in a cool voice, again his words were crunching away at her thoughts. “Trying to find the Mosquito store. Need to make a few purchases. Heard good things about the place.”
Was he even hearing her?
“Listen to me, listen carefully, you knobby old wart, I own the Mosquito shop. You’re standing on it, fool. And I won’t be doing business with you.”
The man clapped his hands together. “Your shop? Marvelous, my lady of the night.”
Batilda watched as he began rubbing his hands together and then squatted at the edge of the roof. Flakes of shingles parachuted though the air; he reached one leg over the edge and notched the toe of his boot into the mortared groove of the brick wall. He began to make his descent, using the drainpipe as some sort of wobbly aluminum rope. The pipe jiggled away as he scampered down the wall like an inchworm, butt sticking out, knees bent into his chest.
Down, down, down, he went.
Batilda wondered how this man even made it to the roof. Based on his descent, he was less than dexterous, like a turtle climbing a rope.
He landed with a silent thud, avoiding her flower garden. Dusting his hands on his jacket, he said, “Brr. Sure’s a cold one.” He put out a hand in greeting.
Batilda just stared at his long, thin fingers, as if wrapped in barbed wire.
The man, tall and thin, removed his floppy hat revealing a bald head, save for stubble. Hair recently mown.
“Just what’re you doing on my roof?”
He began inspecting his fingernails in the dark. “Oh that. Just my job.”
“And what’s your job?” she probed.
“I’m a thief, ma’am. Rather good at it, if I do say so myself.”
“Hmm. Not a very good one. Any references?”
“It’s my duty to steal, so if you’ll just go about your business and leave me to mine, everything’ll be sweet as a worm in a peach.”
That buzzing sound returned in her head and then she heard a voice, tiny and distant, sing out in her thoughts: sweet as a worm, sweet as a worm.
Batilda had not paid to renew her psychic messaging subscription and was surprised to get a message.
She whispered out the side of her mouth, “This man’s a fool.”
“What’s that?” the thief said.
Batilda had thought she was cueing into with a psychic message. Why would she make such a verbal blunder?
“What’s your name, thief?” Batilda said, hoping to divert the conversation.
“Bagwell. Ball Bagwell.”
“Well, Mister Balls, I won’t have you thieving anything from my shop.”
“It’s Ball.”
“That doesn’t help your name very much, Balls.” Her eyes drilled into him as she leaned closer, gazing up at his steeple of a chin. “There’ll be no stolen thoughts on my property, either. But that hole in the ground can be reserved for you, if you know what I mean.”
He turned and made his way to the window, his high boots soundlessly moving along the dewy stone path. He peered inside the shop.
Batilda had dealt with her fair share of miscreants and wayward travelers coming into town. Most were dead. But there were a few lost ones traveling around in the dark with aimless intent. She had learned to trust no one, unless they gave her a reason. Which never happened. And this man had the nerve to turn his back on her. Then he went so far as to make such grand claims as to advertise his profession after being caught on her roof? It just didn’t add up.
“Think I could take a look around?” He hitchhiked a thumb at her window. “Crystals and djinni mugs for sale. I see ‘em. Could make great gifts.” He raised his eyebrows then peered through the window again. “Those are djinni mugs, right?”
“Nothing’s for sale, Balls. Now leave.” Her words came out smooth as an icepick up your nose.
“But I’ll pay for ‘em. A beautiful bounty can be yours, my lady of the night.” He winked at her. “You are lovely, my dear.”
No one had ever said she was lovely. Probably because she wasn’t. Batilda was more likely to be mistaken for a well-used mop: long stringy hair and a constellation of moles dotting her face.
Another psychic message came in: Dreams can be your gift to unwrap, but be careful when removing the wrappings. His energy was stolen from the San Andreas Fault-Line. He’s an eruption waiting to happen. Steal his energy then drop him in a fresh tomb, my beloved thundercloud.
Batilda loved being called “Thundercloud.” But who was calling her?
Batilda mulled over the idea of stealing the thief’s life. Sure, she could kill him but doing so in a nonchalant fashion is what brought it to an art. No sense in leaving a trail of gluten-free bread crumbs.
She could clonk him in the head with a spade and bury the cad alive. Edgar Allan Poe would be proud.
“You really interested in buying them, Balls?”
“It’s Ball, ma’am. And yes, I’ve got a sack of gold in my possession.” He padded his trouser pocket. “What’s your name?”
“But you said you’re a thief. Isn’t that against your code of moral conduct? What sort of professional thief buys anything?” She leaned on one hip and crossed her arms in defiance.
“It’s my day off. Have the whole weekend off, actually.” He grinned like a sheep in a barbershop, eyes volleying from the window to Batilda and back again.
Was the man nervous? That sheep-shearing grin made her think twice.
“Are those bronze djinni mugs? I do have exquisite vision. Prerequisite for my profession.” He cupped his hands around the glass. “Could be bronze. Love to get a closer look.”
Bet you would. “Gold agate blend. Rare,” Batilda advertised, taking pride in her artistry. “Crystal and rare metals forged with these two hands. I have a garden where I unearth my own crystalline structures, got hybrid crystals growing out of other base crystals. Adds a little punch to the energy flow.” She splayed out her pudgy fingers, dirt under her nails.
“That, Miss whateveryournameis, is just what I’m looking for. Rare crystals. I’m a bit of a hobbyist myself. And your loveliness is rare, indeed.”
She almost smiled but did her best to dodge Ball’s apparent staged praise. Plus, she was not all that familiar with crafting grins. Just the thought of it hurt. She volleyed back a theatrical retort: “A thief and a hobbyist. Wow. Must have an impressive resume. Bet you’re fighting off the job hunters with a wet spaghetti noodle.”
“So, about those mugs?”
A few seconds clocked across the airways.
“Don’t sell to thieves. Goes against my code of conduct.” She crossed her heart. “Cross my heart and may you die.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t like that,” he said frostily, to the point where Batilda was suffering from one of those 7-Eleven Slurpee headaches. Again, something with the way he spoke, his words, they slipped into her eardrums and traveled up the canal and left sticky cold footprints on her brain
Bagwell continued, “Some of us are better off dead. And I’ve done dead before, only to return here.” He made a face, reached a hand into the folds of his dust-brown trench coat and pulled out a folded-up sheet of parchment. Holstered to his hip was a short tawny sheath. From that sheath he retrieved a feathered quill, tipped in shiny silver. “Tell you what: I’ll gladly return in the morning. Pay for the beautiful mugs. But nothing can match your mountainous beauty. Your eyes are like boulders.”
“Mr. Balls, I’ll need to see some sort of qualifications,” she lied, vying for more information. “Got any ID?”
“I do,” he said. “Back in my cabin. Renting a place downtown. On Stress-In-Me Street.” He used the quill to scratch something on the folded-up parchment and handed it to her.
Ball Bagwell, Thought Artist
Thief and Metalsmith
“Why you giving me this?” She handed it back to him.
“Those are my credentials. We have a common interest: metalwork.”
Did Ball really take her for a fool? How dense was this man? But she continued to study his actions. She had no interest in metalwork but her curiosity was tickled, just a bit, though. She wanted to cuss at him, for wasting her time. She went so far as to take a step closer when Iggy flew into her ear.
Play along. Play along. Play along with him, said the mosquito with psychic intent.
“Metalwork?” Batilda said, doing her best to keep calm and refrain from scolding the man further instead of feigning interest.
He said, “Jeweled metalwork on deceased bodies is the new craze. Some, if they reincarnate and reanimate in the same flesh, enjoy having nice earrings or a necklace.”
She glanced at the parchment in her hand. Looked at Ball.
The parchment was now read:
Ball Bagwell, Thought Artist
Thief and Metalsmith
Do it when
“What’s this supposed to mean?” she said to the parchment. More letters were scrawled onto the sheet.
Ball Bagwell, Thought Artist
Thief and Metalsmith
Do it when you’re dead
“Neat trick,” she said in a flat tone. “Not impressed, though.”
“Just trying to set the stage. I’ll be here, first thing in the morning. Count on it.”
He was gone before she could even spit at him.
The following morning Batilda pulled on a pair of yellow leggings and a hand-woven wool sweater. Laced up her hiking boots and made her way to work.
She flicked on the lights inside and hit a switch behind the front counter; neon letters flashed, in bright green: Ye Olde Mosquito Shoppe OPEN! STAY DEADLY. MOST WELCOME. GHOSTS AND ZOMBIES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Batilda busiest herself with watering some of her indoor garden: elephant ear plants in tall clay pots and window boxes of purple and yellow lilies, all growing in dark rich soil. She grabbed a mug from a hook on the wall and poured some hot tea while chatting with her flowers.
Images of Ball Bagwell hung out in the forefront of her frosty imagination. While sipping her tea and inhaling the aroma she curled out a brief smile to her potted flowers. Yes, her plants were one of the few things to seed her with happiness. They didn’t talk back, didn’t lie, didn’t do anything but grow and respond to her care with new buds and more faithful energy. She hoped this would take her mind off that twit Bagwell.
A bell chimed as the front door swung inward. She looked up from her steaming mug to see Ball Bagwell with a small red sack over his shoulder, using his hooked index finger to hold the rope cinching the bag closed.
‘Good morning to you, Miss whateveryourname is.”
“It’s Batilda. What do you want Balls?” she said void of emotion.
“It’s Ball. Wondered if you got my note.”
She narrowed her vision, eyebrows daggering toward her nose, studying him a moment. Sipped her tea. “Referring to the parchment you handed me last night. You saw me read it.”
“No. That.” He pointed his long many-knuckled Grinch-like finger to the edge of her desk.
There, sitting on top of her mail bin was a rolled sheet of parchment with a blue-wax seal; the initials BB pressed into the blobbed wax. A slight wobble of an eyebrow was her only indication of surprise. Batilda did her best to appear non-pulsed by the sight of mail on her desk. Mail did not arrive until late afternoon. And none of this was in yesterday’s delivery.
“Oh. Mail just arrived,” she said. “Haven’t gone through it. And what is it I can help you with?” she said.
“The djinni mugs.”
She gave the blue wax seal another look. “Like I said yesterday: not for sale. Don’t you have some place to be? Someone to pickpocket?”
“I’d rather be here. With you.” He pressed his hands onto her desk and leaned in a little closer. He sighed, sharing his coffee breath. His gaze moved to the three-tiered round shelf displaying mugs, crystals, saucers and tea cups, and various other hand-crafted goods. “Looks like you sold the gold djinni mugs.”
She followed his gaze. Sure enough the two gold-agate mugs sitting on display last night were missing. She walked over to the shelf and then looked at him.
“That’s odd.”
She was doing her best to get a psychic-read on him, but was coming up empty. Even if he was a dolt, she should still be able to cue into his thoughts.
Ball reached into his sack and pulled out two gold-agate mugs, set them, with deliberate care, onto the front counter. They shimmered in a pool of light from pair of fat stubby candles. His fingerprints remained on the edge of the shiny mug.
“My good demon of a foul man,” she spat. “You thieved those. I should have your fingers minced into a pie for that.”
His fingers disappeared into the inner pocket of his purple silk vest and retrieved a small black bag. Set it on the counter with a clink. “I’d like to pay for them, thank you very much.”
She hoisted the black bag into her hand. Heavy. She poured its contents into her palm. Gold nuggets. Looked to be enough for three months’ rent.
“Not sure what I should do with you?” she said, feeling the weight of the gold in her hand.
“Hire me.”
She grabbed a letter opener and slit his throat at the jugular.
Dead.
“Great,” he said with a sigh, looking at his dead body puddled on the floor. “Now I’m a ghost again. Gotta check back in at Inn Between.”
Inn Between was a treatment center for transitional spirits on their way to one of two places: Heaven or Hades.
What is the strangest medical thing that has happened to you?
Woke up one mornin’, reached down to my side….holy crap! What’s that lump doing in the side of my abdominal wall???
First thing I thought of was a hernia through the diaphragm — rare, but possible. The lump WAS strange — it was moving around as I changed position, it wasn’t always painful, and sometimes it disappeared entirely. So, I went to my MD, who of course called for the magic MRI .
The results came back: two 2.5 cm masses below the diaphragm, “suggestive of lymphoma”. What, I asked myself, is lymphoma??? Google gets a workout, I find out: it’s one of the 3 major blood cancers — 80% curable with chemotherapy.
Fast forward: biopsy, positive diagnosis, bone marrow biopsy to figure out what Stage it’s at, and – most importantly — a request for a second opinion from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in Manhattan.
The local oncologist grew impatient, and finally insistent, that I start the treatment immediately, and stop waiting for the second opinion. He scheduled me for insertion of the “port” (a piece of plastic under the skin into which they pipe the chemo drugs) the next Monday, with chemo to start immediately thereafter. I was looking at 6–9 months of chemo hell, with a mean life expectancy thereafter of 7 years, IF the chemo worked. {Actually, most people were eventually succumbing to a weakened existence because of the side effects of the chemo…Oh joy.}
Two days before the port insertion, I got the call from MSKCC. Could I come in for a workup the next day? Foolish question: I flew in on a magic carpet and avoided all the traffic on the GW Bridge!
The doctors at MSKCC were top-notch. They did another physical exam, reviewed all my records, then we had a consultation. The result? YES, the diagnosis of Stage I non-Hodgkins lymphoma was correct. YES, it was historically treated with intensive chemo to knock it out early.
HOWEVER: New models (developed, coincidentally, at MSKCC), now showed that lymphoma lingers at Stage I for awhile, then transitions to Stage II, going through a rapid growth phase. During this rapid growth, the cancerous cells get “hungry”, and absorb the medicine more thoroughly. Instead of carpet-bombing the cells, they are more specifically targeted, with much higher success rates and lower side effects.
The result: MSKCC, while confirming the diagnosis, recommended that I WAIT until the disease had begun transitioning to Stage II, which we could determine through semi-annual monitoring by an oncologist. Chemo could be deferred until that time.
I once again mounted my magic carpet, flew back to my previous oncologist, and shared the good news. He was disappointed, but mumbled some cursory good wishes — I had just cost him some $300,000 in revenue! I then changed my personal managing oncologist to one of the MSKCC staffers, whom I still see.
TEN years later — not seven — there has still been no transition (knock wood). I have almost no symptoms of lymphoma, and the doctors have reduced my visits to once a year. In fact, they have begun to use the word “remission” in my presence. I’m a bleedin’ medical miracle, I am!!!!
The real miracle though, is that one year later my wife suffered a major stroke, and lost much of her gross motor coordination on her left side. She went through a difficult rehabilitation, lasting close to a year, and then a re-adaptation to home, requiring me to help her, plus lead my family, as we went through all the stages of caretaking adjustments. I often think: was I spared for just this reason? As my wife and I grow old together, we are still dependent on each other, physically and emotionally, and our futures are inextricably entwined…as it was intended 46 years ago.
The vows said “for better or for worse”. We got both in spades.
Why do some Chinese companies such as Huawei, BYD, and Luckin Coffee grow much faster than U.S. companies in the same sector?
Who do Chinese companies grow faster than US companies ?
Because the Chinese are better businessmen…
The Chinese know their own strength and weaknesses .. and they also know American strength and weaknesses. The Chinese use Tsun Tze teachings to manage business .. and to compete with US companies. How ?
Some of Tsun Tze ways used by the Chinese are as follows:
The Chinese has a much larger market (with 850 millions middle class consumers)… the Chinese has a much larger export markets (143 countries are Belt and Road partners )…all of them have become the largest trading partners with China …(This is making use of China’s strength)
China has a better supply chain … For example: almost 90 % of the dozens of raw materials needed for batteries making, are produced ONLY in China…so are most manufactured semi-finished products are also made in China…Rare earths and other essential raw materials are available mainly in China…It is cheap and good for Chinese companies ..it is expensive and NOT available to US companies. (this is making use of China’s strength and US weakness.)
The Chinese has effectively used AI to help operate their ports and production/factory operations. The US has only ChatGPT (as AI) ..which cannot be used to automate port operations or to automate factory operations. Only Huawei 5-G system (with AI) is capable of running auto port operations and auto factory operations. China has been able to use more advanced AI ..to help Chinese companies to do business ..and to operate factories more efficiently. The US has only ChatGPT ..no good for factory operations. (Making use of China’s strength)
China has a created a manufacturing eco-system for factory production ..the US has created NOTHING to help their factory operations. (This is another China’s strength)
China produce 8 millions STEM graduate every year to help Chinese business. The US produces less than 400,000 STEM graduates every year. This is the reason why Apples make its i-phone in China, why Elon Musk make his EVs in China. (This is a vital strength of China)
With these manufacturing advantages, the Chinese companies are growing much faster than US companies. The gap is becoming larger and larger .. soon the US will never catch up.
One other point ..Americans know almost nothing about the real Chinese.. the real China…the real society in China. American and their businessmen know only FAKE stories about China from their news media and from their fake propaganda about China. NOT knowing the real strength and weaknesses of China …is a huge, huge US weaknesses …in the competition between the US and China.
What is the coolest weapon you ever got to handle while in the military?
The MK-19 (Mark 19)
This is a full auto, belt fed grenade launcher. You could unleash a short burst from this thing, see the grenades arcing through the air, and watch them exploding way out in the distance. Pinpoint accuracy wasn’t the point with a full-auto grenade launcher, but it wasn’t that hard to drop a barrage of grenades all over and around something the size of a vehicle or small group of people using the leaf site on the back of it.
Or, with certain people of small stature firing them, you could watch the person struggle with the recoil until they overcompensated and fired the grenades into the ground a few dozen yards in front of them, at which point you dive for cover and listen to the shrapnel pinging off the humvees until the safety NCO manages to beat the person firing into letting go of the butterfly trigger. Real MK-19 ranges are built on the edges of valleys, and you fire from the top of a hill so that if someone depresses the gun too much the grenades go all the way down into the valley and explode harmlessly. In this case we were on an “improvised” range which was perfectly flat. Someone didn’t think that one out too well.
We could mount them on tripods as in the above picture, or mount them on the roof of our Humvee for patrols. They could be on just a pintle mount, where you could move it up/down left/right freely, or they could be attached to a traverse and elevation knob where the gun was held still and you rotated knobs to move it for more precise aiming at longer distances.
This thing was just fun to shoot. It was a pain to maintain, especially in the dust of Iraq, but man was it fun to shoot.
Second place would have to go to the M-60 machine gun. Later in my military career we replaced the M-60 with the lighter M249 machine gun, but the M-60 was always more fun to shoot. The deep “thump” of that heavier 7.62mm round on full auto was just awesome, and I was even pretty good at picking off targets at the range with well-aimed single shots from the M-60 off the bipod. It was a great gun.
As military police we were expected to operate in independent squads, or even independent 3-person teams. So, every squad had three teams plus a squad leader, and every 3-person team had a humvee, a MK-19, and M249 (in the later years), 3 rifles – one of which had an attached M203 grenade launcher (I carried that one), 3 pistols, and all the AT-4 antitank weapons we could cram into the back of the Hummer. We couldn’t mount the machine gun and the MK-19 at the same time. We had to pick which one to bring on a mission (or have it chosen for us on bigger missions). On a typical patrol in Baghdad we would go with 2 or three teams and take one MK-19 with the remaining truck or trucks mounting the machine guns.
Oh, that reminds me. I got to shoot a live AT-4 on the range once.
Usually, AT-4 training is done with a special practice weapon designed to shoot a 9mm pistol round. That’s sort of enough to make sure you can get the thing into operation and aim it. Once, in Iraq, we got permission to expend a limited number of live ones with the actual rockets inside for training. We drew names for the honor, and I won one of the shots. I shot mine at a burned out Iraqi tank carcass, and the rocket bounced off with a loud CLANG! It didn’t explode. That was an AT-4 right out of the back of our Humvee that we’d been carrying around for a few months in a combat zone. It kind of makes you wonder about the other ones you’re carrying, you know? I mean, there were no Iraqi tanks running around by that point, but you never know when you’re going to really need that extra boom for something that isn’t a tank. Turns out, we never did.
Anyhow, shooting the live AT-4 was pretty cool, but I still think the MK-19 was the coolest.
Oddly, with all the firepower we had, we never got issued any hand grenades, even in Baghdad. I only ever threw live hand grenades the one time in basic training. That wasn’t as fun as you might think. Basically, you stand in a foxhole, throw the thing out into a bare, open range, and then try to duck into the foxhole faster than than the drill sergeant can tackle you before it goes off. Kind of anticlimactic really.
Why will China lose all Western trade as it aligns with Russia?
Naah
What is happening is that China is selling a lot of products to the West through Vietnam, Thailand and Mexico and Malaysia
It’s why Chinas trade with BRI & Asean is booming while reducing against US and EU
It’s pretty simple actually
The US importer himself invests to ensure China set up a factory in Vietnam or Thailand and sell their exports into US at normal tariffs
The Chinese gets majority of the cut while the Vietnamese get skills training and machinery and equipment from China and maybe in two decades can set up their own supply chain
You can’t stop trade
If there is a demand, there will always be a supply
For instance – BYD Cars made in China have to pay a 37.6% tariff to sell in Europe but BYD cars made in Thailand don’t have to.
India is the best example of this
We ban drone components from China but buy the same Chinese Drone components from Singapore or Malaysia with one small security check certificate for which we pay 60% higher cost
We can’t do otherwise
An order for 1000 Small Sky Drones is fulfilled in 4 1/2 months from DJI and the same order takes 1 1/2 years to 2 years at 150% higher cost by a German company
$ 2.7 (€ 2.47) Million vs € 4.1 Million
Nobody can replace the Chinese today
India tried but found that after 4 years – it simply can’t localise a supply chain without a massive infusion of subsidies for at least 15 years
This means at least ₹20 Lakh Crore or $ 240 Billion
Otherwise nobody will make components with 1% profit or 2% profit for the first seven years with Bank Loan interest rate of 14% a year
Banks maybe ordered to lend but borrowers refuse to avail money and if they do, they invest in share markets instead of building factories
The West is losing because they are fighting against Economic Forces which has never worked successfully
Soviet Union, Indonesia under Sukarno, Cuba have all lost
China under Deng identified the right path to avoid losing
They can’t win
The only way they can win is to make peace with Russia, China.
Create an International Law with equal participation at the table from Russia and China and Iran and others
And then COMPETE fairly
As a parent, what is the most heartbreaking thing your son/daughter has done with you?
Well, first my daughter 29 was killed in a car accident 2010. A month after that my youngest son went away to college.
It was a hard time for me obviously, dealing with losing my daughter and my youngest moving hours away, I did ask him if he’d like to wait on school and start the second semester. He says to me “no, it’s okay I’m over it” what!?
After less than one month you’re over the death of your sister!?
I only said to him, okay if you’re sure. Didn’t comment on what he said. Then for the next few years while he’s in college, we grew farther apart, I was in a terrible place, I’d be so happy when he would come home, he graduated found a job in Los Angeles and moved 60 miles from my house.
Yet I never saw him.
After a few years he told me he was “working on himself and he needed space, okay, I said. I tried to honor his request, only calling him maybe once a month, saying hello, how are you?
And I loved him. He wouldn’t talk more than that. For info, we paid over half of his college loans, and while in college I frequently send him 200- 300 dollars just to make sure he had enough money to do fun things, food and board were paid by my husband and I.
Then after years of him keeping his distance, at age 29 he texts us and tells us he can no longer be a part of our lives, he claimed that we failed him. That in order for him to be happy he didn’t want us in his life.
That was the only explanation he would give.
I asked him to please reconsider, I said let’s go to counseling to fix this.
He claims there is no ‘fixing this’ he said that this is on the advice of his therapist. what!? It’s been three years, I haven’t spoke to him in three years.
I have to say, it’s harder to accept your child rejecting you than if they die. I know my daughter didn’t choose to leave me, but my special only amazing boy, decided to never see me again.
It’s hard to believe that the beautiful relationship we shared while he was growing up meant nothing to him AND that he feels like I failed him. And gives me no explanation as to why.
I’m forced to live with this rejection with no way to try and make it right. Especially after losing my daughter (they were both 29when things happened.
it’s hard to believe my son could be so cruel.
I will always love him nothing would ever stop me from loving him.
I can honestly say, he was never abused, he was loved tremendously by his siblings, and his father and I he was smart at school, he was like the best kid ever, if at least he could let me know how I failed him, maybe I could begin to heal. I will never give up on him. I always pray he will come back.
I don’t own an oven in the house anymore. How do I prepare chicken if I can’t grill it directly?
There are lots of ways to cook a chicken without an oven.
There’s a Northwestern Chinese dish called Dapanji (“big plate chicken”) that I really like, it’s a staple in Xinjiang style restaurants and popular all over China. It’s quite easy to make, and you’re welcome to try my recipe below.
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, bell peppers, potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, sichuan peppers, red chilli oil/peppers, ground cumin, star anise
Preparation:
- cut the chicken and vegetables into small pieces
- sauté the spices/peppers in a big iron wok (a saucepan or pot will do fine as well)
- sauté the chicken
- add the vegetables
- add hot broth or boiling water till the ingredients are fully submerged
- stew for around an hour
- add salt and sugar to taste
- ideally served with broad, flat noodles such as daoxiaomian or banmian, but rice and flatbreads are fine as well
- enjoy
China bad
80% of drones used by American farmers are from DJI! Is the US hesitating to ban Chinese drones?
US farmers have been steadily increasing their use of spray drones in recent years, with 3.7 million acres sprayed by drone in 2023 across 41 states and 50 crops, mostly by Chinese-made drones, claim US resellers of DJI equipment.
DJI Technologies said: “We don’t have specific market share numbers to provide, but a rough estimate suggests that approximately four out of every five ag drones utilized by US farmers are DJI models.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has released the full text of its marked up version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Unlike the version that passed in the House of Representatives last month, it does not include provisions to curb the activities of Chinese drone maker DJI Technologies, the market leader in ag spray drones in the US.
The House version of the bill sent shockwaves through the agricultural community last month as it included amendments from the Countering CCP Drones Act that would add equipment and services from DJI to the so-called ‘covered list,’ blocking DJI from getting FCC licenses for future drone models, and potentially leading to the revocation of existing FCC authorizations.
The SASC version, which was passed behind closed doors last month in a 22-3 vote, will now head to the Senate floor for consideration. Should it pass the full Senate it must then be reconciled with the House version.
Ukraine AI drones, new wonder weapon plan
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is now in New York having talks with Lloyd Austin. What do you think is about to happen?
Firstly, the competitive relationship between the US and Russia in the ecological niche of international trade is irreconcilable.
Secondly, the Democratic Party is destined to lose this election, and the shelf life of any promises they make cannot exceed a lettuce. I don’t think this kind of communication has any meaning other than expressing respect among colleagues.
Thirdly, American politicians no longer understand how to conduct equal diplomacy. Several days ago in UNSC, they accused China of not using its power to pressure Russia and NK to change their policies, as if that’s a right thing to do. They truly believe that rudely interfere in internal affairs of other countries is a natural and normal behavior, and they believe that China should do the same as the US have done.
So why bother? I’ll wish Mr. Lavrov to have a nice day in NY travelling.
Why is the United States always targeting China?
In a display of political strategy masked as global stewardship, the United States keeps its crosshairs perpetually fixed on China, a façade for its real fear: the shift of global power from West to East.
The U.S. targeting China is fundamentally about preserving its global dominance and mitigating the threats posed by China’s rapid ascent on multiple fronts. The United States, historically accustomed to its position as the world’s leading superpower, views China’s rise with significant apprehension. These fears are influenced by various factors, such as economic competition, ideological differences, technological advancements, and geopolitical interests.
China’s economic boom over the past few decades is seen as a direct challenge to American economic supremacy. China’s robust growth rate, coupled with its ability to significantly influence global markets, has positioned it as a formidable rival. The trade wars, tariffs, and sanctions imposed by the U.S. are part of a broader strategy to manage this competition, aimed at curtailing China’s economic potential and protecting U.S. industries.
Moreover, the U.S. and China epitomize two distinct ideological poles – democracy versus communism. The U.S.’s ideological stance promotes liberal democracy and free-market principles, while China stands firm on a single-party system with state-led economic mechanisms. This ideological divide fosters a deep-rooted mistrust, as each nation fundamentally opposes the other’s governance model. The situation in regions such as Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong often becomes focal points within this clash, with the U.S. criticising what it perceives as human rights abuses.
The technological advancements achieved by China are another source of concern for the United States. The U.S. sees China’s strides in crucial sectors like artificial intelligence, 5G, and quantum computing as a potential threat to its long-standing technological superiority. The fear of losing this edge drives the U.S. to impose restrictions on Chinese tech firms and invest heavily in its own industries to compete. The trade bans and sanctions against companies like Huawei are clear examples of efforts to stymie China’s technological progress.
Geopolitically, the Asia-Pacific region presents a significant flashpoint. Territorial disputes in the South China Sea have major strategic implications, and the U.S. supports its regional allies to counter China’s assertive territorial claims. Its backing of Taiwan’s self-governance, despite China’s insistence on reunification, is a deliberate move to check Chinese influence. Agreements like AUKUS and the Quad highlight the U.S. effort to strengthen its military presence and influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The targeting of China is also driven by the interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex. A substantial segment of the U.S. economy relies on defense spending and armament sales, and perceived threats from China justify enormous military budgets as well as the development of advanced weaponry. The narrative of a Chinese threat serves the defense industry’s interests and aligns with larger U.S. military strategies.
Lastly, the U.S frequently brings up human rights concerns, leveraging them as a basis for sanctions and diplomatic pressure. While there are genuine concerns about violations, such as the treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang or political repression in Hong Kong, these issues also serve to undermine China’s global standing and challenge its internal policies.
In essence, the United States continues to target China not out of mere animosity but as a calculated measure to forestall a powerful rival’s ascent. This is a deliberate effort to maintain strategic superiority in an increasingly multipolar world. By leveraging economic tactics, ideological rhetoric, technological restrictions, and geopolitical strategies, the U.S. aims to contain China’s rise and protect its status as the preeminent global superpower.
Russia Eliminated a Senior PENTAGON Officer Responsible For The Supply of F-16 Fighters To KYIV
Has anyone ever had the satisfaction of seeing that one jerk driver get pulled over?
How about a quick story.
I left Police station at 2 in the morning and walked to the main road to get a taxi cab. This intersection used to be the busiest but at this time it was almost deserted and I had to stand and wait there for some good minutes to get a cab. Finally one came around and while I was putting my laptop bag on the back seat.
I heard this roaring sound of a car’s engine.
I turned back and saw this old model Suzuki Fx approaching the intersection in a flash. Crossed the intersection and vanished in to the night with speed so fast that It scared me for their or somebody else’s safety.
I stood still for some seconds feeling mixed emotions of anger and fear. It was likely that their careless driving might result into a collision with some other vehicle which surely would turn fatal.
But then it struck me “They must be running away after committing a crime”.
I was off duty and this wasn’t my jurisdiction. Tough day’s work had worn me out and I really wanted to get home and go to bed. But this driver’s utterly careless driving and this suspicion of them being criminals gave me a quick boost to do something about it.
I quickly made couple of phone calls and managed to warn a Police picket couple of miles ahead on this very road, told them to completely block the road and look for this old model Suzuki in black color. They acknowledged.
Instead of going home in my cab, curiosity took me to that very Picket to see if they’re stopped. I felt this strange energy and pride that I am doing something positive. Regardless of being off duty, I am striving to protect and serve the crap out of my city while they’re asleep. I won’t lie, it felt good.
I reached there and saw 3 persons who rode in that car were stopped on the picket and were being questioned. They were searched thoroughly along with their vehicle. Nothing illegal was found. They were not drunk either. All three were college students without a driving license and registration book.
Driver was acting quite confidently since we couldn’t find firearms or alcohol. To him, that must have been a minimum legitimate excuse to get in trouble with the law.
He spoke in a loud and rude tone “See? We are clean. Now let us go otherwise I am making a phone call. My uncle is blah blah blah”.
I looked at that young lad with disappointment. I wasn’t angry as such public behavior isn’t rare. No way was I going to let them take off in their “super cruiser” of a car.
What they didn’t know was that careless and hoon driving is a punishable offence which can lead to jail time. Having no registration book can result in seizure of vehicle until a Judge directs us to let it go after verification.
Tell you what. Why don’t you call that uncle of yours since you’ve got no IDs, we need to verify your background. And there is no way this vehicle is taking you anywhere. We are taking it in possession. Also it is to be determined if you should be booked for careless driving.
What?
You heard me.
A police mobile van was called and they were escorted to the nearest Police station. I left for home.
Later I learnt that car was seized and remained in the Police compound for a week as such legal procedures can be time consuming. But those teenagers were let go with a warning. Their parents came to the Police station late at night and assured “this won’t happen again”. Especially the driver’s dad was quite furious and felt free to spank his son’s bottom, or so I heard.
Somebody might think, I acted over grudge or something like that. No, I have nothing personal against him or anybody else. I did not hate that kid, but his careless driving seriously concerned me for his and other’s safety.
I hope he doesn’t drive again the way I saw him.
“48 Oyster Girl” Is Going Viral for This NIGHTMARE Date
Has anyone surprised you after their death, e.g. receiving an organ from a donor, a sizeable inheritance, or a visit from a friendly ghost?
My brother did for me. I’m the youngest of 3 and my brother was the oldest. There were 8 years difference in our ages. We did not have the tightest of brotherly relationships when we were growing up or even when we were adults. I always felt that he was a bit cold, and as I was the only one in my family to have children, he remained a bit “distant”. I didn’t understand until after he died that it was just “his way”.
My brother was a bit “demanding” when he was home with family, yet he always was extremely tolerant of my son who has Down Syndrome. I just felt like “we” (my family, mostly my children) weren’t that close or important to him. I found out (much to my very surprise) after he died that just wasn’t true.
My brother was a video editor for the government (I don’t want to give to many details as it was military related). Upon his very sudden and tragic death, the owner of the contracting company gave me his personal belonging. One was a picture of Larry in front of his work station, a very complex video editing bay.
What caught my eye and threw me for a very big loop was a picture of both my daughter and son on his bay. It wasn’t just that there were pictures, but it was the most recent pictures my wife had sent him. We figured he never did anything with them. Then, at his funeral, which was attended by many military officers and civilians, so many of them came up to me (as I did his eulogy they all knew who I was), and asked me “we see your daughter, but where is Michael (my son)?” (We had left him home as it was just “easier” at the time). I was shocked. They all knew all these details about my kids. They all told me that my brother constantly talked about them.
I have to tell you that many times I broke down after this privately and cried. I never had any idea that he felt that close to my children. He had such a hard way about him that we just didn’t have that type of relationship. It was at that very moment that I realized just how much I lost in his passing.
I always knew my brother was a good person. He always worked, even in tough times, always was saving cats (he loved dogs, but as an apartment dweller they were not allowed). He always paid his taxes. He was just a good person.
It took his tragic passing for me to learn what he was really about. I miss him every day and have his editing clock in my office to always remind me of his presence in our family and my life.
Hum. I suggest that he should check the paternity of his children. This is far too weird. -MM
Man Discovers Fiancée Is Cheating/Committing Fraud On OnlyFans, So He Has Her Arrested By The FBI
Shorpy
Seared Scallop Cavatappi in Creamy White Wine Sauce
Seared Scallop Cavatappi in Creamy White Wine Sauce takes only 20 minutes to make and is full of nutrients, this decadent scallop cavatappi dish only feels like a splurge. We love it for dinner parties and special nights in.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cavatappi
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound fennel, white part only, thinly sliced
- 20 each “dry” sea scallops
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the cavatappi according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Add the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cook, allowing the fennel to caramelize on one side, about 3 minutes before flipping and doing the same on the second side. It should be caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside when pierced with a knife.
- Remove from pan.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Increase heat to high.
- Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
- Place them in the pan in a single layer. If they don’t fit, do them in 2 batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Allow scallops to brown on one side (about 1 minute) then flip and brown the second side.
- Remove from pan.
- Add the shallots to the pan and cook until aromatic (about 30 seconds).
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook down just to take the away the raw alcohol flavor (about 1 minute).
- Add the cream and cook another minute.
- Stir in the dill.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Add the pasta and fennel to heat through.
- For each serving, divide the pasta between 4 bowls.
- Place 5 scallops on each plate.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: National Pasta Association
I remember John Pinette got some slack in the mainsstream media for his asian impressions. Regardless I’m sure asians thought he was funny. Even when I talk about Asians I use an voice like he did, hard not to do depending onthe context and who isin the room.