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My fathers Ike Jacket
My father was a member of the Air Force during the 1950's and was stationed in Okinawa. He was there during the Korean war, but his role was, as best that I could tell, was photographing all the subterranean Japanese warehouses and storage rooms built underground on that island.
He had quite a large number of stories that he would relate to me. From the mountains of ammo, to the abandoned living quarters, to the discoveries that they would make and that he would help document while he was there.
He was a handsome man. I mean it. He really was.
And of course, after his stint in the Air Force, he came home. Met my mother, said good-bye to his Japanese girlfriend, and in short order, had me.
About the time when I turned 14, I needed some clothes and he suggested that I try on some of his old uniforms, and to my surprise they all fit. So I wore the shit out of the khaki shirts, and the poplin attire, and really dug the wool clothing.
But there was one jacket that fit me perfectly. That was his Ike jacket. I really loved it. Warm. Stylish. Big interior pockets, and nice silk lining. Oh, I do miss that jacket. Not that I would wear it now, but Damn! what a fine article of clothing.
Today...
History lesson
When the Titanic sank, it carried millionaire John Jacob Astor IV. The money in his bank account was enough to build 30 Titanics. However, faced with mortal danger, he chose what he deemed morally right and gave up his spot in a lifeboat to save two frightened children.
Millionaire Isidor Straus, co-owner of the largest American chain of department stores, "Macy's," who was also on the Titanic, said:
"I will never enter a lifeboat before other men."
His wife, Ida Straus, also refused to board the lifeboat, giving her spot to her newly appointed maid, Ellen Bird. She decided to spend her last moments of life with her husband.
These wealthy individuals preferred to part with their wealth, and even their lives, rather than compromise their moral principles. Their choice in favor of moral values highlighted the brilliance of human civilization and human nature.
Casual Racism in the USA
8 Lessons That Everyone Men Should Read
1. Boys turn into men when they understand that nobody cares about them if they can't provide any value.
2. Act like you can't afford the bread until they find out you own the bakery. Stay humble.
3. If you find somebody smarter than you. Work with them. Don't compete with them.
4. Becoming the best version of yourself comes with a lot of goodbyes.
5. The quickest way to succeed is to start now and figure it out as you go. You can't learn to drive in a parked car.
6. Call me crazy but I believe I can have everything in this life that I want.
7. Just because someone is "family" doesn't mean you have to tolerate lies, chaos, drama, manipulation, and disrespect.
8. Mention someone that is very hard working and you wish them nothing but success.
Russian Troops Arrive In Niger As The U.S Troops Are Told To Pack Their Bags
US GDP Fraud calculation
In 2014, the World Bank announced that China had surpassed the United States to become the world's largest economy based on purchasing power parity. But at that time, neither China nor the United States wanted to admit it. The United States did not want to admit it because it was afraid of losing its number one position, and China did not want to admit it. Because we don’t want to be the first and want to develop with peace of mind for a few more years, we discovered a magical phenomenon, The world’s largest economy is desperately injecting bubble into GDP, and the world’s second largest economy is desperately suppressing GDP. (Author Note : Not a single Chinese media reported China surpassed US in term of GDP PPP. However this event reported very widely in the western mainstream media, 2014 anti China rhetoric has not began yet)
What does purchasing power parity mean? I gave an example before. For example, the cost for China to build a Type 055 destroyer is about 5 to 6 billion yuan, while the United States to build a destroyer of the same level costs about 10 billion yuan. Taking into account the salary expenditure of combat personnel and the subsequent maintenance and management expenditure of the ship, generally speaking, China's cost of maintaining the 055 large-scale drive operation is about 1/3 of the same level ship of US.
The cost for China to build a J-20 is about US$110 million, while the cost for the United States to build an F22 is US$200 million, which is almost twice as much as China's.
The cost for China to build a Type 055 destroyer is about US$900 million, but the cost for the United States to build a Burke-class destroyer is US$2 billion, which is more than twice as much as China’s. In other words, China only needs to pay 50% of the cost of the United States to obtain the same military strength as the United States . Moreover, more importantly, China has a complete arms production system, and any equipment and weapons can be continuously supplied.
From above paragraph we can calculate when US and China include military spending as part of GDP growth we can see that the production cost of same level ship is twice and maintenance is triple.
US Cannot talk From Position of strength
GDP nominal USD term.
when China's total GDP exceeds that of the United States, it will be a major historical moment for the entire world. Many people cannot understand the meaning behind this sentence, because in their eyes, GDP does not equal national strength, This idea actually makes some sense. GDP is indeed only a part of a country's strength. Even if we surpass the United States, it does not mean that we are the world's most powerful country.
However, everyone has overlooked a very critical issue, that is, for the 8 billion ordinary people in the world, how do they know what country potentially has the largest economic influence in the world? US is a show based country. maintaining this show of the largest GDP country in this world is very important for the US.
If we want to see a country strength by Military strength, currency hegemony, political influence, it is hard to see for ordinary person to see the difference of each country in the world. Only the GDP data has been used by ordinary people as an important criterion for measuring national strength for the past 50 years. From the old man on the street to the chatty taxi driver, they talk about the total GDP and GDP per capita in a clear and logical manner. It is almost no exaggeration to say that GDP data is the most important data for ordinary people to measure the strength of a country.
And this data, since it was proposed in 1934, USA has been the number one in the world for nearly a hundred years, and it is an important data to support America hegemony. Once the United States loses its position as the largest GDP, the impact on the entire world will be profound, because this at least shows that the Western development model is not optimal, which will accelerate the shift of countries around the world to China and learn from the Chinese model.
There is a popular saying in economics: Confidence is more precious than gold. This sentence also applies to national development, Once China's GDP surpasses that of the United States It will also make more and more ordinary people around the world see that China is world's top superpowers. China will make a qualitative leap in terms of attracting investment, tourism index, and currency influence.
This result is unacceptable to the United States, so in recent years, in order to maintain its GDP advantage over China, the United States has repeatedly revised its GDP calculation standards. First, it included " virtual rent " in GDP. That is, as long as you own a house, regardless of whether you rent it out, Even if you live alone, you still have to calculate the rent and include it in the GDP. This alone adds 1.5 trillion US dollars to the GDP of the United States, accounting for 6.5% of the total GDP of the United States.
Then, household production is included in GDP. People cook at home, sweep and mop floors, and take care of children. All these behaviors that have not entered the market are included in calculation of US GDP. Do you think it is outrageously USA as a country only built upon showmanship?
What is even more surprising is that if you understand the true composition of U.S. GDP, you will suddenly discover how "virtual" the US economic strength is. Let's look directly at the data. The total GDP of the United States in 2021 is 23 trillion US dollars, and China's is 17.7 trillion US dollars. We are roughly at the same level, but how is such a huge GDP scale in the United States calculated? Let's take a closer look.
Calculating GDP is nothing more than three areas: agriculture, industry, and services. Let’s look at agriculture first. In 2021, the agricultural GDP of the United States will be about 238 billion US dollars, and that of China will be 1.23 trillion US dollars. The United States is only 1/5 of us.
Looking at industry again, the industrial GDP of the United States in 2021 is about US$4 trillion, and that of China is US$6.6 trillion. Ours is 1.65 times that of the United States. In terms of industrial production capacity alone, we are stronger than the United States, Japan, and Germany combined.
Everyone knows that industry and agriculture are closely related to food, clothing, housing and transportation, and are also the main areas for creating social wealth. We are significantly ahead of the United States in these two fields, but the total GDP we create every year is only 77% of that of the United States. Our per capita GDP is only 1/6 of the United States. What does this mean?
This shows that the United States has included a large number of industries that do not generate social wealth into the calculation of GDP.
For example, in the case of second-hand car sales, in China, the production and sales of new cars will be included in the calculation of GDP, but the transaction of second-hand cars will not be included, because this is a left-hand transaction that does not generate new social wealth. But the United States is different. As long as a transaction is made, the GDP is calculated once, which results in the social wealth of a car being calculated repeatedly.
There is also the accounting industry. As of the beginning of 2021, there are a total of 650,000 CPAs in the United States, while China only has 108,000. The United States supports 24 times more accountants per capita than we do. Why does the United States need so many accountants? Because the U.S. tax system is too complex, and it has not developed a reliable tax filing tool, it can only use mass tactics to assist taxpayers in filing taxes. More importantly, the U.S. needs to solve the employment problem of these 650,000 accountants. If technology is used Instead of people, where do you let these extra people go? Therefore, the United States generates trillions of dollars in GDP every year in the field of accounting and tax filing alone. I would like to ask, does accounting and tax filing create social wealth?
We always laugh at India, saying that India counts cow urine and cow dung into GDP, In fact, the United States is similar. 2/3 of military expenditure is counted into GDP, people buying guns is counted into GDP, drug trade is also counted into GDP, everything that can increase GDP is counted into statistics. , otherwise how can US maintain the world’s largest GDP? The GDP of the United States is so huge that it is staggering. In 2021, the legal industry in the United States alone created a GDP of 270 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 1.2% of the total GDP. There are so many lawsuits and lawsuits that easily amount to thousands of dollars to Tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
There is also the medical industry. The US medical industry accounts for 16.9% of the total GDP every year. This is not only much higher than China, but also much higher than many developed countries in Europe and Japan. In China, you can go to the hospital to take a scan. It’s only one or two hundred USD, while in the US it will cost ten of thousands USD. In 2014, a swimming coach in the United States accidentally knocked out three teeth. He called an ambulance and drive to the hospital for only 15 minutes. He was charged 1,800 dollars, which was converted into RMB. Almost more than 10,000 yuan, all of which must be included in GDP.
Even more amazing is the U.S. construction industry, In 2019, the U.S. construction industry created a value of US$892.7 billion, and the added value of China's construction industry was US$1,027.8 billion. Our steel production is 10 times that of the United States, and our cement sales are 25 times that of the United States. In the end GDP calculation are almost the same? Can you believe the calculation made by the US?
How many houses have we built, how many roads have we built, how many bridges, parks, and squares have we built? These are all visible to the naked eye. What has the United States done? The subways are dilapidated, the roads are in worrying condition, and the bridges have not been maintained for a long time. So where is the money spent?
American subway
The Boston Tunnel in the United States is known as the world's most expensive project, costing 130 billion yuan for 2.4 kilometers. However, China's Qinghai-Tibet Railway has a total length of 1,956 kilometers, and only cost 26.2 billion yuan in total. No one insists that 2.4 kilometers tunnel in the US will have the same price as in China. But to cost more than 1,956 kilometers what China build?
At the end of last year, the McKinsey Institute in the United States released a report on the wealth of various countries in the world. It pointed out that China’s national wealth of US$120 trillion ranked first in the world, and the United States ranked second in the world with US$90 trillion. This is probably more in line with the real economic size of China and the United States.
American Birth Experience Is Crap Compared To Other Countries
Dino’s Hot Chicken Sandwich
Published on March 9, 2022
The key to the proper Nashville hot chicken recipe, invented by Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, is the spice mix: a sinus-clearing, cayenne-forward blend which gets whisked with oil to create a potent finishing paste.
At Dino’s Bar, a dive institution in East Nashville, the hot chicken sandwich comes with a side of cooling tartar sauce to cut through some of the spice, but the chicken itself hews closely to the roots of the recipe that started at Prince’s so many years ago. Make sure to use your favorite vinegar-based hot sauce in the chicken brine, and don’t forget to preheat the oil before frying to ensure a crackly, crispy crust.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ¼ cups plus 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided
- 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- ¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tbsp. vinegar-based hot sauce, such as Louisiana brand
- ⅓ cups plus 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper, divided
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 cup canola oil, plus more for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 8 slices white bread
- Bread and butter pickles
- Tartar sauce (optional)
Instructions
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This is American reality in the USA
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/71ImZ5gDA1s?feature=share
What do you think the teenage version of your parents were like?
My mother went into a grocery store to run an errand for her mom when she was 13. Mom saw my dad stocking shelves. He was 15. My mom went home and told her mom she saw the boy she was going to marry. Mom and Dad started dating after a few months. They were both shy teenagers and afraid to say hello first. (Sound familiar to anybody?)
One day Dad was in the store, lifting boxes high overhead. Mom walked up and poked him gently in the ribs. They had a laugh, talked, and Dad asked her out. Two years later, at aged 15 and 17 they were engaged. Mom’s parents told her that she had to finish high school first. In those years seniors could graduate either in June or January, depending on the credits they earned. So on January 3, 1949 Mom made 17. On the 28th she graduated from high school and the next morning she married Dad.
It was a freezing morning and actually snowing a little — an event that happens every 20 years or so in New Orleans. As Mom was going into the church on her father’s arm, she heard a woman call out, “Happy the bride on whom the snow falls!” Mom searched around but saw no one.
And happy they were indeed. Mom and Dad had four rowdy boys, the last one (me) born totally deaf. They refused to send me away to the school for the deaf, 100 miles away. They taught my whole family how to sign, and every conversation at mealtimes was spoken and signed. To them there was nothing “special” about me. I got into as much trouble as my brothers did. No breaks for not hearing. And everybody’s accomplishments were celebrated the same.
The years passed. Mom became a highly-sought after legal assistant, known for her expertise in appellate work. Dad became a high-ranking customs agent, inspecting ships coming into the port. Two of my brothers were career military. Two of us have advanced degrees. Grandkids showed up along with devoted daughters in law. Mom and Dad enjoyed it all, with never a cross word between them.
Eventually Alzheimer’s disease took Mom to her grave. At her wake Dad promised her that he’d be along soon. A month after Mom’s funeral we found out that Dad had the most aggressive type of leukemia an adult can get. His doctors told him that chemotherapy would extend his life 9–10 months, but he’d be miserable. Dad said no. He had accomplished what he knew he was on this earth for: to love and cherish his wife. So he died peacefully at home with his sons around him, as Mom had died six months earlier.
What do I think of my teenaged parents? Living miracles. And you know what? There are still teenagers like them out there. God bless them all.
Speaking the truth
What is your most interesting encounter with the police?
I was traveling with my neighbor on I-5 35 miles north of Seattle,Washington headed for Sea-Tac when my car broke down. My neighbor had intended on driving my car back to my house after dropping me off at the airport.
My neighbor called someone he knew with a flat bed truck and winch to come get us and the car. I immediately felt hopeless thinking I was going to miss my flight and lose the money for the ticket.
15 minutes after the car quit, a patrol car pulled up. A mean gruffy looking FTO (Field Training Officer) pulled up behind the other police car with a trainee. The FTO looked and sounded like the Marine drill Instructor from hell. (The FTO had been following the trainee making stops)
After hearing my story, the FTO took the trainee to the side a few minutes while he discussed something. I told my neighbor they were probably trying to figure out which ticket would be the most expensive.
He returned and told the trainee to stay with my car and neighbor until the flatbed arrived. He told me to take my luggage and to hop in his car. So we headed for the airport. Just before we arrived, I told him that my experience with the police had usually been less than friendly and asked him why he had made the decision to help me?
It turned out, that very morning, the FTO had been trying to impress upon the trainee the need to use his “gut” instinct to immediately size up situations to assess potential danger. He had asked the trainee for his “gut” instinct about the situation. The trainee had said the situation seemed normal and there was no danger - the FTO agreed. The FTO then told the trainee that if there was no danger, their next obligation to the community was to see if assistance could be given.
The FTO drove me 35 miles TO THE AIRPORT!
(We all know the police should not stereotype us for our looks, but I learned I’d been stereotyping them as well!)
Trump plan to devalue dollar a gift to China
TOKYO — Donald Trump would make currency devaluation great again in a second term.
Surrogates for the former US President are telegraphing a strategy to weaken the dollar unilaterally to advantage exporters. As Politico reports, for example, Trumpworld is “actively debating” an Argentina-like pivot at the behest of advisors like Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s former international trade representative.
Instead of “America first,” such a detour might do more to advantage China in the longer run.
If devaluation were a strategy for prosperity, Buenos Aires would be running a Group of Seven economy. Turkey and Zimbabwe would be booming. Indonesia would be giving China a run for its money as Asia’s biggest economy.
They just admitted the TRUTH about inflation and it's not good
What’s the fastest you’ve wiped a smirk off of someone’s face?
Back when I was working for my dad at his computer business, I was out cold calling. For those who don't know what that means, I was basically going door to door handing out business cards and trying to drum up some more customers. Well one of the businesses I had talked to was in the process of moving to a larger location and retooling their factory at the same time.
I talked to my dad and we decided to put a bid in on the job. My dad let me do most of it and he helped me finish and polish it. One of the things I did during the process was go to the new building they were moving into to take pictures and measurements. I dropped our bid off a few days early and on the day of the bids being opened I was there. Originally my dad was going to be there but he was called out on an emergency repair.
So when I was waiting to be called into the conference room where the bids were going to be opened, a guy came walking in. We were called back into the conference room and after the bids were reviewed we were asked if we would like to clarify anything or make a statement before the decision.
This guy who I never had seen before in my life started talking crap about my dad's business and how he had “worked” for him previously. The entire time he was smirking at me like I wasn't going to call him out on it. When he finished I looked at the guy and said,
“MY dad started his business when I was 12. I don't remember him hiring a slimy weasel like you.”
The owner of the company started to laugh and the guy's face fell. Our bid was chosen and once everything was said and done the owner of the company was more than pleased with our work.
Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 3 peppercorns
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon leaf basil
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 whole cloves
Key Ingredients
- Fresh tomatoes: Use whatever you’ve got! Roasting concentrates the flavor, making this soup great for using less-than-perfect tomatoes. In the summer, I love a mix of heirlooms, cherry, and plum tomatoes for extra sweetness. For a recipe using canned tomatoes, try our popular three ingredient tomato soup (delicious!)
- Onion and Garlic: Roast these alongside the tomatoes. Roasted garlic adds a delicious richness, while the onion becomes sweet and tender.
- Broth: For a vegetarian option, choose veggie broth. You can also use your favorite chicken broth or stock. For even more tomato flavor, try homemade tomato broth.
- Fresh basil: It wouldn’t be tomato basil soup without it! Blend in a generous cup of fresh basil leaves for that classic flavor. For another tomato-basil recipe, try our fresh tomato bruschetta.
- Cream and butter: These make a smooth and creamy texture. I like just 1/4 cup of cream (enough to balance the acidity without being too rich). (See the recipe notes for vegan options!)
How to Make Roasted Tomato Soup
We roast fresh tomatoes, quartered onion, and whole garlic cloves on a sheet pan to make the soup. The tomatoes soften, burst, and release their delicious juices.
When the tomatoes have finished roasting, we transfer everything to a soup pot with some broth and a couple of tablespoons of butter. The soup simmers for about half an hour.
Then, we blend it with fresh basil until it’s rich and creamy. A splash of cream at the end makes our soup extra creamy and balances the tomatoes’ acidity. And that’s it, our easy, homemade roasted tomato soup! We love it and hope you try it soon.
Do you love roasted tomatoes as much as I do? We’ve also shared these sweet garlic roasted tomatoes, a fantastic side dish!
What to Serve with Roasted Tomato Soup
It’s impossible to serve this soup without grilled cheese sandwiches in our house (Adam’s request!). I also love dunking crusty bread, garlic focaccia bread, or freshly made garlic bread into it. You can also top this soup with croutons, store-bought or homemade.
Salads are great with soup. Try our favorite Greek salad, this good-for-you quinoa salad, or our easy tomato salad.
For some sandwich options, try this vegetarian-friendly smashed chickpea sandwich. I also love tuna salad sandwiches and this avocado egg salad sandwich.
You Will Need
3 pounds fresh tomatoes, try a mix of tomatoes like heirlooms, cherry, vine, or plum tomatoes
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional for a bit of heat
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream, see our tips for using non-dairy or lower fat milk
Directions
-
- Roast Tomatoes
Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
Cherry or grape tomatoes can be left whole. For larger tomatoes, core and cut them into halves, or if they are large, cut them into quarters.
Spread the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet (see notes for pan suggestions). Pour over the olive oil, and then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Toss well.
Roast the tomatoes until they soften, burst, and release some of their juices, 20 to 30 minutes. Some tomatoes will be caramelized and brown in spots.
Make Soup
Transfer the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and all the pan juices to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Place the pot over medium-high heat.
Stir in the broth, butter, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using), and then bring to a simmer. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves, and then blend the soup until smooth. An immersion blender is the easiest, or you can use a blender. When using a regular blender, work in smaller batches, and don’t fill it too high – hot soup expands! For safety, remove the lid’s center insert and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending. This releases steam and prevents messy splatters.
Taste the soup, and then add salt and pepper until the flavor pops — it should make you smile. Finally, stir in the cream and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Milk as a Substitute: While you can use milk instead of cream, be aware that tomato soup can be acidic and might cause curdling. To prevent this, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acidity before adding the milk.
- My soup is too acidic: If your soup is too tart, try adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to balance the flavors. Cream also helps with this.
- Vegan Tomato Soup: Our recipe is easily adaptable! Substitute vegan butter for regular butter and use cashew cream (here’s our recipe) or full-fat coconut milk instead of cream. Coconut milk adds a slightly nutty flavor but works well.
- Roasting Pan Tip: Tomatoes are acidic, so avoid aluminum pans. For best results, opt for anodized aluminum, ceramic-coated, or glass baking dishes.
Who is considered the greatest general in history?
A little-known German general that, who, with a tired and depleted division, defeated an entire Soviet army, where he was outnumbered 7:1 in tanks, 11:1 in infantry and 20:1 in artillery: Hermann Balck.
Balck’s story begins in World War II, where he was a German infantry soldier that served on the front lines for four years. Despite being wounded seven times, Balck persisted in his service and received an Iron Cross; he was also nominated for the highest German military honor — Pour le Mérite — but the war ended before he could receive his award.
At one point, he was selected for the German General Staff, a common path to power in the German military. Yet, he opted to turn the offer down, preferring to stay on the front lines.
When WW2 started, Balck began the war as a staffing officer but was placed in charge of a Panzer division in 1940. After brief stints in Belgium and Greece, he was transferred to the Soviet front during the initial German invasion — a time where his greatness really showed through.
Let’s take a look at the situation when he arrived:
At the time, the German army in Stalingrad had pretty much been fully encircled by the Soviet forces, and the Germans were unable to reach them. As you can see on the map, the yellow marks the extent of German advancement — Soviet forces had trapped the 6th Army in Stalingrad.
Installed as head of a weary, understrength 11th Panzer Division, Balck was instructed to reinforce Romanian forces on the battlefront and help retake the city. When he arrived, however, he found a situation in shambles: his entire division defended a 37 mile front with ONE howitzer. His troops, suffering acutely from the Russian winter, were severely under-equipped and out-numbered by their Soviet counterparts.
Indeed, on that very day (Dec 6, 1942), the Soviet Fifth Army launched a huge assault, penetrating deep within his lines.
Balck immediately recognized the need to regroup and attack.
He initially believed the Soviets were trying to engulf his unit, so he organized anti-tank and anti-air weapons on his flanks, while maneuvering his units into a “hammer.” As the Soviets prepared their next attack on his unit, he let the heavy weaponry of his hammer fly, decimating 53 tanks, and wiping out the Soviet 1 Tank Corps.
With this, Balck began a brilliant, high-pressing strategy to fight back.
Each time the Soviets attacked, he reformed and used his Panzer tanks and artillery to counter-attack and push back. For eight days straight, making use of night cover and shock action, Balck steadily held off Soviet firepower and pushed back. In his memoirs, he described the battle as follows:
Each day was like the next. Russian penetration at Point X, counterattack, everything cleared up by evening. Then, another report 20 kilometers eastwards of a deep penetration into some hasty defensive position. About face. Tanks, infantry, and artillery march through the winter night with burning headlights. In position by dawn at the Russians’ most sensitive point. Take them by surprise. Crush them. Then repeat the process the next day some 10 or 20 kilometers farther west or east.
Using this process, he managed to repel the Soviet offensive and was prepared to launch an attack to save the German army trapped in Stalingrad. Yet, just as he was about to cross the Don River, the Soviets struck further south, forcing him to call off the Stalingrad mission.
With this, Balck began another series of well-organized, destructive attacks. The assault began with deception. He instructed his division of just 25 tanks to move into the rear of a line of Soviet tanks, blending in perfectly and then mowing down the forces in front of them. Next, as the Soviets responded by moving their tanks and infantry into the high ground of a hill position, Balck ordered his troops to move into lower ground and aim at a weakest part of the tank: the belly. After 6 days of attrition, deception, and tactically astute defending, the entire Soviet Fifth Tank Army had been wiped out.
Balck was then ordered, with his division, to defend a city Hitler ordered “kept at all costs.” (Mid-December, 1942)
The situation in Stalingrad was desperate. In his memoirs, he recounted that:
The situation was desperate. [The German defenders’] only hope lay with a single tired and depleted division that was coming up in driblets (mine). In my opinion the situation was so dismal that it could only be mastered through audacity—in other words, by attacking. Any attempts at defense would mean our destruction. We needed to crush the westernmost enemy column first in order to gain some swing space. We would just have to hope—against reason—that the hodge-podge of troops covering the city would hold for a day.
When Soviet forces again met his, Balck continued the same strategies. He ordered his tanks to stick to the rear of the Soviet tank columns, which led the Soviet commander to (logically) consolidate his forces around a hill.
With just 8 tanks to their name at the time, Balck and his forces encircled the hill the Soviets were at, trying their hardest to keep the Soviets trapped. After Christmas day passed, on December 28, the Soviets decided to try fighting their way out of the bubble of German forces. Although 12 tanks escaped initially, as soon as Balck learned of the attempt, he ordered his forces to forces to hammer the numerically-superior Soviets inside the bubble, then chase down the remaining forces. When he succesfully did so, his 11th Panzer Division won the code-name of “Hannibal.”
While Stalingrad was ultimately a lost cause, Balck went on to fight many other battles. During the period from December 7, 1942, through January 31, 1943, the 11th Panzer Division was credited with destroying 225 tanks, 347 antitank guns, 35 artillery pieces, and killing 30,700 Soviet soldiers. Balck’s losses for the same period were 16 tanks, 12 antitank guns, 215 soldiers killed in action, 1,019 wounded, and 155 missing.
He started the war as a staff officer, and ended at the German equivalent of a 3-star general. He was also one of only 27 soldiers to earn the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, equivalent to 3 major honors in the US military.
Amazing.
China closing in on laser-propelled fast, stealth subs
China may be moving closer to the holy grail of submarine stealth technology – a propulsion system with no mechanical moving parts. Such technology would eliminate all detectable vibrations, allowing for unprecedented underwater stealth capabilities.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Chinese scientists have found a way to significantly improve the efficiency of laser propulsions, which could one day drive submarines.
The report says the new technology can produce nearly 70,000 newtons of thrust, using 2 megawatts of laser power emitted through the submarine’s coating of optical fibers, each thinner than a human hair.
The SCMP report notes that the technology works by leveraging supercavitation generated by laser pulses vaporizing seawater, which can significantly reduce water resistance. It claims that the “underwater fiber laser-induced plasma detonation wave propulsion” eliminates detectable mechanical noise, enabling greater stealth.
To be sure, laser propulsion technology is not new. Twenty years ago, Japanese scientists introduced the concept of using lasers to create plasma in water and harness the detonation wave produced by plasma expansion for propulsion.
However, the idea didn’t progress as the scientists found it challenging to generate a directional driving force as the detonation wave expands in all directions from a single point.
Despite that setback, China and several other countries have funded research on using tiny spherical metal particles to create a force on submarines.
Detonation waves can propel particles in a specific direction, exerting an opposite force on the submarine. Still, the current efficiency is too low to be practical, with 1 watt of laser power generating only one-millionth of a newton of thrust.
However, the SCMP report says Chinese scientists from Harbin Engineering University have designed a laser engine that improves the efficiency of converting lasers into thrust by three to four orders of magnitude.
They modified the fibers by adding a gun barrel-like device with a U-shaped interface and used a pair of barrels to bombard particles in the working medium. They also added designed protruding structures inside the barrel to minimize interaction and internal friction between shock waves.
While SCMP says that a submarine nuclear reactor produces over 150 megawatts, which is enough for the laser propulsion system, it notes various design challenges such as heat dissipation by the optical fibers, resilience in high power and high salinity environments, and the alignment of optical fiber emission apertures with the submarine’s anechoic panels.
In contrast to China, the US has researched magnetohydrodynamic drive (MHD) technology since the 1960s as an alternative to mechanical propulsion. MHD technology uses magnetic fields and electrically conducting fluids to generate thrust, potentially offering several advantages over traditional propeller-driven systems.
In a May 1991 article for the peer-reviewed Naval Engineers Journal, Daniel Swallom and other writers note that MHD offers increased stealth, maneuverability and survivability, eliminates detectable noise from mechanical components and enables higher payload capabilities due to efficient use of space.
Swallom and others also outlined the optimal design for MHD thrusters. They used mathematical modeling to evaluate various neutrally buoyant configurations of MHD thrusters that could seamlessly integrate with existing submarine power plants. They also proposed a segmented, annular thruster optimized for performance in generic attack submarines.
However, they also highlighted significant design challenges, such as developing appropriate superconducting magnets and structural support for MHD thrusters. These require advancements in superconducting materials and cryogenic systems while ensuring neutral buoyancy to avoid interference with the submarine’s operational capabilities.
Despite that, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) reported in May 2023 that it had initiated the 42-month Principles of Undersea Magnetohydrodynamic Pumps (PUMP) program to advance MHD technology.
As with China’s laser propulsion technology, DARPA says that MHD propulsion has been successful on a small scale yet remains impractical due to the inability to generate powerful magnetic fields for high-efficiency pumps. It also mentions electrode corrosion and erosion problems due to contact with seawater.
However, DARPA says advances in the commercial nuclear fusion industry have enabled the production of rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) magnets that could generate magnetic fields up to 20 Tesla that could give 90% MHD efficiency. This advancement would solve the problem of generating powerful magnetic fields for pumps, leaving electrode longevity the main challenge.
DARPA says it hopes to leverage material science advances in fuel cell and battery technology to reduce the formation of gas bubbles on electrode surfaces, which decreases efficiency and erodes electrode surfaces.
However, since MHD operates on the principle of magnetism, it may become more detectable by magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) systems.
Such advances could further the development of next-generation submarines, which may be all-electric with no mechanical moving parts in future. With advancements in battery technologies and air-independent propulsion (AIP), the possibility of all-electric military submarines is becoming increasingly feasible.
In October 2022, Asia Times noted that lithium-ion batteries can significantly enhance submarines’ underwater endurance, acceleration and speed due to their higher energy density than traditional lead-acid batteries, faster charging rate, greater discharge speed and longer lifespan.
However, lithium-ion batteries have a significant drawback: they are prone to thermal runaway and fire hazards. This risk is high in submarines, where a single overheating cell can trigger a thermal runaway across the entire battery bank, resulting in devastating fires.
Iron and phosphate can be used instead of nickel and cobalt to solve the thermal runaway problem in lithium batteries, providing a safer and equally performing alternative. Submarine lithium-ion batteries can be made safer using hard carbon and ceramic coating for battery packaging.
Lithium-ion submarines are also possibly quieter than nuclear-powered ones. Nuclear submarines have unlimited range, but their constantly running coolant pumps can emit detectable noise. They also emit radiation traces that can be detected with specialized sensors.
Navies can pair lithium-ion batteries with fuel cells, which offsets the former’s limitations. However, fuel cells pose design challenges, primarily due to their means of storing hydrogen fuel and unproven technology.
Next-gen lithium-ion + fuel cell submarines, equipped with propulsion technologies such as laser propulsions and MHD, may have extreme endurance, incredibly quiet operation, fast acceleration and high dash speeds. However, cost and complexity are still issues for mainstreaming such designs.
Why was Captain Pearson punished for Air Canada Flight 143 (July 23, 1983) when he actually saved hundreds of lives by gliding the plane superbly?
In any accident, it is important that we first look at the facts.
The flight 143 was operated in a Boeing 767 which was just introduced into service by Air Canada. The accident aircraft flew from Toronto to Edmonton with no issues. But during a routine line maintenance check in Edmonton, Conrad Yaremko, a certified aircraft maintenance engineer, found out that the digital fuel indicators on the aircraft overhead panel were blank (inoperative). This was not the first time Conrad found out the same problem with the aircraft. He had had to deal with the same situation before. Now, the 767 had indications for the left wing fuel tank, center tank and right wing tank. The indicators were powered by two independent processors: the processor 1 and the processor 2. One processor is enough for the indications to work.
The engineer found out that by pulling the circuit breaker for the number 2 processor makes the indications appear. The reason for this was simple. There was a fault with the number 2 processor and when it is de-energized the number 1 processor takes over and powers the fuel indicators. So, it was decided by the engineer to pull the circuit breaker for the number 2 processor, put a yellow tag on it and write it up on the aircraft tech log, which effectively defers it for the subsequent flights. This was in accordance with the aircraft Minimum equipment list (MEL). But with the processor number 2 considered inoperative, before each flight, a physical fuel quantity check must be done. For this, something called drip stick attached to the tanks is to be used. Basically, there is a floating magnet in the fuel tanks which floats on the fuel and the stick has a fixed magnet. When the stick is released, it drops until its magnet is pulled by the floating magnet. The stick has measurements which can then be used to measure the amount of fuel in the tanks.
The flight crew who took over the aircraft at Edmonton after the maintenance flew the aircraft to Ottawa and then to Montreal with no incidents to report. It was at Montreal where the accident crew, Captain Pearson and First officer Maurice Quintal took over the aircraft. But before that another engineer in Montreal had a look at the fuel indication problem. He wanted to fix the problem. So, he pushed the circuit breaker of the processor 2 back in and did a BITE (Built in test equipment) test which was unsuccessful. After the failed test, he forgot to pull the circuit breaker out which left the indications blank.
As Captain Pearson came to work he coincidently met the pilots of the previous flight at the parking lot and they had a conversation about the issue with the aircraft. The captain of the flight which flew to Montreal, Captain John Weir, told Pearson about inoperative fuel gauges and that they had to use drip sticks. This gave an impression to Pearson that the fuel indicators of the aircraft were faulty. This was further assured to him when he went into the cockpit to see blank fuel indicators. He then consulted the aircraft MEL.
The MEL 28–41–1 stated that:
“One left or right wing tank fuel gauge may be inoperative provided:
(a) Fuel quantity in associated tank is determined by measuring stick, or by tender uplift, after each
(b) All pumps for associated tank must be operative, and (c) FMC fuel quantity information is available.”
The MEL confused Pearson because it clearly stated that you need at least one of the wing tank fuel indications for the aircraft to be legally dispatchable. He asked the engineer about this and he said it was perfectly fine to dispatch the aircraft like that. However, neither captain Pearson nor the engineer had a good look at the aircraft tech log. Because if they had done so they would have seen that the aircraft was dispatched by the engineer at Edmonton as per MEL 28–41–2 and not 28–41-1.
The MEL 28–41–2 stated that:
“One (processor) may be inoperative provided fuel loading is confirmed by use of a fuel measuring stick, or by tender uplift, after each refuelling and FMC fuel quantity information is available.
The aircraft was not dispatched with inoperative fuel indicators but it was dispatched with one of the fuel quantity indicator processors.
So, it was decided by Pearson to continue with the flight. They did the required drip stick checks and in that the calculation was messed up. The drip stick markings were in centimeters. So, they had to compare the stick results with that in the aircraft manual. It was quite straight forward. The tables in the manual converts the centimeters to liters. And all one had to do was to convert it to kilograms because the new 767s ordered by Air Canada had the fuel indications in kilos rather than Pounds. But because the engineers and flight crew were used to measuring in Pounds, they unknowingly converted liters to Pounds. This meant that the tanks were filled up to almost half less than what was required. This locked the fate of flight 143 which eventually suffered a fuel exhaustion.
The pilots and particularly captain Pearson did a wonderful job by gliding a powerless aircraft to the safety with zero casualties. That was a massive feat. So, why was he punished?
The flight 143, famously dubbed, the ‘Gimli Glider’ after it made that historic landing.
Captain Pearson was punished because he deserved it and he himself admitted to his mistake. Here is a transcript between Pearson and a representative of Counsel for Air Canada:
Q= Question by the Counsel.
A = Answer by Captain Pearson.
Q. So in this case, on the 23rd of July, Captain, you formed an opinion with respect to the legality of the aircraft?
A. Yes.
Q. And that is what the MEL requires that you do, you form an opinion?
A. Yes.
Q. The only problem, as I see it, Captain, is that your opinion was not based on the MEL, but it was based upon a series of assumptions which you had accumulated through the afternoon, do you agree with me?
A. Yes, that’s true.
Q. It was, was it not, a long trail of unfortunate incidences which inevitably led you to this
A. In hindsight, yes. Looking back.
Q. And that was a conclusion which clearly was wrong, also in hindsight of course?
A. Well, absolutely everything made me believe that it was legal: reading the log book, maintenance clearance. Right from the time I arrived at the parking lot till we pushed back, every single thing that happened in relation to this problem only reinforced my belief that it was legal. Of course, if I didn’t believe that, I would never have considered operating the aircraft.
Let us now look at the rights and responsibilities of the Pilot in Command (PIC) as per the regulations (I have taken FAA as a reference which is same as in ICAO ANNEX 2:
FAA FAR 91.3 Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command.
(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.
(b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.
(c) Each pilot in command who deviates from a rule under paragraph (b) of this section shall, upon the request of the Administrator, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.
According to the regulations set by the authorities, Captain Pearson went against his first responsibility as the commander. A captain of an aircraft is a powerful individual. Once he accepts the aircraft and signs the tech log, the aircraft and its safety is the direct responsibility of him or her. No one can say anything to him/ her as long as he abides by the procedures. A captain must not accept an aircraft that is not airworthy in the first place. In the case of flight 143, it was quite clear on the MEL that you require at least one wing tank indication for it to be legal. Captain Pearson should have read that and immediately called the operations or the relevant personnel and raised his concern. He should not have listened to the engineer and made the decision to proceed with the flight. He should have made the decision based on the available documentation rather than assuming things.
I will always remember what my very first training captain told me when I did my Dash 8 training. He handed over the aircraft manuals (airline SOPs, AFM, QRH, MEL etc.) to me and my training partner and said that they will get us out of anything and we should make them our best friends. And he was damn right. Every manual of the aircraft and airline is a legal document. If you follow them, nobody can ever touch you. But do otherwise and one fine day all hell will break loose and then no one can really save you. Not even the President.
Some vintage comix fun
What made you forbid someone from ever entering your home again?
My 15 year old son had went to his grandparents (my ex inlaws) because he was mad at me.
They bought train tickets to send him to Detroit (out of state)to his dad and stepmom without my consent (custodial parent with full custody).
My son called me (I lived 5 hours away) & told me he would be on the train the next morning unless I came to get him and he was crying begging me to come get him. In the background, my ex father-in-law says in an extremely loud voice “What does that bitch want now?”
A couple weeks later, my ex in-laws show up at my house wanting to take my 10 year old daughter for the day. I met them in the driveway before they could get out of the car.
I told them that my ex mother-in-law could come in and spend some time in my house with my daughter with me present but there was no way in hell that I will EVER let my young daughter go with or be around my ex father-in-law. My ex mother-in-law asked why. I looked at her husband and said…”because he has NO RESPECT for me and proved this when he called me a bitch in front of my son and then put him on a train out of state WITHOUT MY CONSENT! The two of you are lucky I don't press kidnapping charges.”
I turned and walked away. Neither of them EVER came into my home again and my daughter was never alone with them after that.
Xi visits Serbia. China+Russia message to EU/NATO: Back the f. off. Xi to visit Russia, Putin China.
Is there a kind of stroke that would happen to a person that's quite horrible?
Yes.
The “locked in“ stroke.
We were called for a welfare check. A man in his 50s hadn’t shown up to work for days. Work called his mom because he was listed as the emergency contact. The mother called us because she lived in a different city. We show up first, and have to wait for fire to arrive so they can force entry. Very very often, these calls end up with the discovery of the patient being deceased.
We make entry into the apartment, and there’s a bad smell, so I’m pretty sure what we’re going to find. We find the patient in bed, with the bedding heavily soiled in waste. The patient was prone so we roll him over for the assessment, and he opens his eyes. I talk to him and his absolutely no response. No movement. I am beginning to think he is in a coma or vegetative state. And then I say to him “if you understand me, can you blink twice“
And he does.
Crap.
I ask him again, he does it again. I check his blood sugar hoping he’s having a diabetic event, and it’s low like someone who hasn’t eaten in five days but it’s normal. I check the extent of the paralysis, and he can’t so much as move his lips. Just blink, because the eyes are wired more directly to the brain. We take him to the stroke centre and he gets an emergent CT.
Massive haemorrhagic stroke, in other words a brain bleed, in the cerebellum, which controls all body movement. Absolutely nothing to be done.
Eventually he will probably get one of those eye tracking keyboards where you wear goggles and have a keyboard displayed in front of you. If you look at a letter long enough it will “type” it on an output screen.
Functional MRI has recently allowed physicians to discover that some patients they thought were in a coma from a stroke were actually fully conscious. Those patients couldn’t even move their eyes. But they placed them in a special MRI, and told them to think of a very particular thing. I think it was to imagine they were playing tennis. Apparently that produces a recognizable pattern. And they were able to start yes/no communications with them that way.
So, yeah, locked in strokes are pretty horrific.
Sick of it
What are some examples of being too rational in life?
There was a guy in High School, Don, who dated a female friend.
The guy was an unmitigated asshole, wholly preoccupied with being "cool," often at the expense of others.
He was like some character out of an 80's teenie movie, the "bad" boy that girls liked, who smoked cigarettes and had tattoos.
He wasn’t particularly nice or polite in my presence, so as a rational human being - I didn’t like the guy.
As I said, Don was dating a female friend, and she loved giving me the play-by-play on their relationship.
One day she relayed this crazy story to me. She had been with Don at his dad's house (his parents were divorced), upstairs watching TV in his room.
His dad apparently came home drunk, came stomping up the stairs, and barged into Don's bedroom. He grabbed Don, threw him up against a wall and started choking him with both hands while yelling at him.
All in front of her.
She came to learn that this wasn't a one-off incident.
Her recounting led me to rethink Don, and other quintessential jerks I’d known over the years.
Yes, there are surely authentic bad people out there.
But often, these unpleasant behaviors stem from somewhere else: a troubled past, abusive parents, a list of things that all lead to a place of pain.
Consequently and frequently, I've found myself inching closer to people I don't initially like.
No, this isn't an homage to Sun Tzu's "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
It's nobler than that.
It’s merely a suggestion that you attempt to understand the subject of your hatred.
You’ll find that the source of your animosity is often ill-placed, that the people you are put off by aren't what they seem.
The superficial, insufferable personality is really just a mask for a person who feels misunderstood, alone, weak, disliked, unloved.
I’ve even realized that I disliked a person because I saw something of myself in them, that this person was a mirror of my own problems, a reflection of my own inward-looking dissatisfaction.
The takeaway here isn't to become a person-charity, taking in every pain-in-the-ass you meet.
It is really just that you give people the benefit of the doubt.
Seek to understand them.
You'll be surprised by what you learn about that person, human nature, and yourself.
Russia is going after the US’ JUGULAR!
What is the most badass thing your parent has ever done?
My dad turned 18 in 1957.
He immediately joined the Navy to get away from his abusive household. My dad's family were poor farmers from Arkansas and moved to California when he was young to be fruit pickers.
My dad (who's white) family were the only white workers. Most were Hispanic. My dad grew up seeing no color and most of his friends were Hispanic or black.
So as he is in the Navy, he gets a day/night off and decided to go to the bar. While there, he hung out with the Hispanic and black guys from his ship. The other white guys were harassing my dad for hanging with the “non whites”. They actually told his commanding officer when they got back. The commanding officer told my dad he had a choice. He could stop hanging with the “non whites” or be on latrine duty. The guys he was with told my dad to just agree and not be punished. My dad absolutely refuses. He could not understand the blatant prejudice and agreed to latrine duty.
My dad will later admit that he should have agreed due to the abuse he endured both with punishment and the MPs (completely different story). But he just couldn't at the time due to his personal beliefs and what is right.
My dad, being the man he is, with his solid convictions and sense of right and wrong is what makes my dad a true badass.
Why So Many American And European Citizens Are ABANDONING Their Countries... (Mass Emigration)
There's a large exodus currently taking place in North America, The UK & Europe... why are so many citizens not only abandoning their Country, but also giving back their passports?
Damn. This is really good. -MM
What are the drawbacks of using vegetable oils as fuel for internal combustion engines, particularly in automobiles?
When I ran my Peugeot 309 and my Vauxhall Astra TD on cooking oil, the only drawback was the sticky mess I used to get around the filler cap where the oil dribbled. I halved my fuel costs, halved my sulphur emissions and significantly reduced wear on the engines.
The only other drawback was only usually being able to buy 3 litre bottles from Tesco or Sainsburys if I wasn’t convenient for a wholesaler. I kept a 1000 litre IBC at home to fill up from, but when out and about, supermarkets were the only real option. In 2011, I did a 2000 mile road trip around the UK using only cooking oil as a fuel. I kept an emergency supply in the boot in case I ended up somewhere at night and all the shops were shut.
The four bottles with the white caps were 5 litres from a wholesaler. The bottles with the green caps were 3 litre bottles from Sainsburys. Total 44 litres equivalent to a full tank.
Cooking oil was about 40p a litre back then, as compared to about 89p a litre for diesel.
And both cars lasted past 250,000 miles without any problems at all.
Have you ever been embarrassed by a hobby?
I was there alone.
So, naturally, as a houseguest I snooped around my Dad’s condo.
He’d been keeping really odd hours and I honestly couldn’t tell when he was in or out of town on business. He was just never there.
I stepped into his office.
There was the expected assortment of books, printer paper, and software on CD-ROM.
This is what you did when you didn’t have an iPhone or America Online account. Then, out of the blue, something pulled my immediate attention.
It was a soundtrack.
What was even more odd about it was every track was some kind of Latin Jazz.
Now, I treated my Dad’s music collection the way I looked at his aftershave - nice for him but kept at a distance from me.
But this was all kinds of odd.
Then, as if on cue, my Dad showed up. He looked like he had just come from the gym, or that he ran home from the airport in his work clothes.
Me: “Hey, Dad, you look drenched.”
Dad: (excited) “I’ve been dancing.”
He might as well have told me he was selling drugs. Same reaction.
Me: “Wait, what? What kind of dancing?”
Dad: “Ballroom! It’s incredible. You should try it. I’ll bring you. There are so many girls there your age.”
Me: “Okay, hang on a second. First, I’m not 100 years old so you won’t catch me doing ballroom. Second, I’m not going cruising for chicks with you, Dad; that’s crazy.”
Dad: (laughing) “I’m telling you, the teachers at my studio are great. You should give it a try.”
Me: “Your studio? Dad … is this why you have this?”
I held up the soundtrack.
Dad: “Oh yeah, I practice my Cha Cha Cha to that.”
I felt like my dad had joined a cult.
I tried to reason with him. I tried to get him to ask for a refund, but little did I know that he would end up losing 30 pounds, learning a lifelong skill, meeting my step mother and just a few years later…
… I’d be a part of the same, wonderful, life-changing dance cult myself.
Be alert and aware
Tuscan Pasta Stew
A fabulous pasta stew, slow cooked for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (29 ounce) can Italian stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 6 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti, broken in half
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except spaghetti in slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours.
- Stir in spaghetti.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 45 to 50 minutes until pasta is tender.
What is the most ridiculous reason for which you have been fired?
100% Gods honest truth. I was fired because, I CLOCKED OUT AN HOUR LATE. Yes, you read correctly, not an hour before, but an hour AFTER.
Of course there was history between me and the Boss. He had wanted to get rid of me for over three years, and I never give him the reason to. I worked in a sort of scrap yard in semi-precious metals such as Copper and aluminium. My job was to change the blades on a granulator machine through the night. I loved the job. We worked x4 10 hr nights Monday to Thursday.
I’m not 100% certain, but the company said they were robbed because 8 tons of granulated copper went missing. I heard it was an insurance scam and nothing went missing at all. Working nights we didn't get to hear any gossip at all. Anyway, when the police investigated, my name was mentioned. Why? I have absolutely no idea. I wasn't even in the same town when it supposedly happened. I was suspended and I went to seek out a lawyer. I was told if I was found guilty I was looking at up 8 years in prison. But I was told they had to prove it was me. Of course they couldn't. I was interviewed by the police and they pretty much said we know you didn't do it, but your bosses keep phoning up asking have we spoke to you yet.
Long story short, the case was dropped and I was allowed to return back to work. After a short while I was summoned into the boss’s office. I was told, let's start over and get back to how things were before. But I was told I had to sign a new contract which stated I had to start over like it was my 1st day on the job. In the UK we are protected somewhat if we have over 2 years service in. It entitles us not be sacked for instance, simply because they wanted to get rid of you. You could claim unfair dismissal after 2 years also if you thought you were wrongfully dismissed. But I knew all this and I refused to sign knowing full well they could fire me once I signed it.
But by refusing to sign it I was treated like dirt for over two years but never doing anything wrong to give them reason to sack me. Then after two years it happened… I was left a message to come in on Friday morning. I was told the supervisor needed to speak to me. I finished work at 7 AM Friday morning, but because I had to come back in an hour later, my shift boss let me go early. I was told don't worry about clocking out; it will be sorted. This wasn't unusual, many a time we would take it in turns to clock everyone out. It just let us get away 30 minutes early on our last shift before weekend.
So I came back in at 8 AM and went to the canteen to get a drink. I noticed I had not been clocked out which was strange, so I clocked out and it showed 8 AM and thought nothing of it. It happened a couple of times before but was very rare. I was extremely tired by morning and the person clocking out like I said on a couple of occasions had forgot, mainly due to being distracted with the new shift coming on. I can't recall why I was called in, but I think it was something to do with my request for a holiday I wanted off. Again nothing unusual, but it was strange to ask me to make my way back in. But I was so tired I was just relieved I could go home and go to sleep.
Weekend over and I'm back at work Monday night. I'm just about to start and the bosses come into the canteen. They ask to speak to me and ask why I clocked out an hour late and I explained. But they didn't want to know really; they said I was fired for gross misconduct. I ask on what grounds and they say, “for trying to steal an hour’s pay”.
I knew they had got me and that was that. I simply said, “You finally got me, you bastard”.
I went to see a solicitor and I won my unfair dismissal claim, but I was refused to go back to work. I got a decent-sized compensation deal out of it and I bought myself a van and ended up being a courier delivering same day packages up and down the UK. And I haven't looked back since.
So there you have it. Fired for clocking out an hour late!
Intentionally homeless
Have you ever refused an inheritance? Why?
Yes. For 6 years, I cared for a dear man fighting cancer. His family had been long-time friends with members of my family, and he and I connected when we were both older (he was 70 and I was 57). He received his diagnosis and had many upcoming treatment appointments for which his adult children were scrambling to get him to. I volunteered my services, as I worked evenings at a pharmacy and thus had my days free. So for 6 years I drove him to radiation treatments and chemo treatments on an almost daily basis. I helped monitor his sugar levels and when he had to get a feeding tube, I fed him. Toward the end, I moved into his home (I had my own room and bathroom there) to care for him as his treatments were greatly weakening. He was a wonderful person. His sons were pretty great, too, but his daughter was another matter . . .
Anyway, his weight had dropped again, and I managed to get it back up and his strength back up to the point where he planted a vegetable garden like he used to do, even though he wouldn’t physically be able to eat anything from it. At this point, I had a few legal issues that required me to be in Florida. I expected it to be for a month, two tops, but it turned into several. We were in contact daily, by phone and text. His health started to decline again and it was obvious that his daughter was angry with me “for leaving him” because she was now taxed with helping him - her own father.
He passed away before I could get back - I was literally on the plane when it happened. The way I was treated by his family when I arrived is a whole ‘nother story, and not a good one. Fast forward around 8 or 9 months, and I received notice that I am being sued by his “estate” - the daughter was executrix. Apparently, unbeknown to me, he had left me some money, $25,000 worth. The daughter was claiming that I had taken advantage of him, that he was feeble-minded at the end (which he was most certainly NOT and I had witnesses willing to testify to that fact) and didn’t know what he was doing blah-blah-blah.
He never mentioned to me that he planned to do that and I truly was caught off-guard by his generosity. However, my care for him was never about money. Never. I’m dead certain I could have fought the lawsuit and won handily (I did get an attorney), but I didn’t want the money. I was plenty good enough to care for their dad when he was seriously ill, but now things had changed. The daughter lied about several things and the brothers decided to back her instead of sticking up for me as they should have. All she would have had to do was call me and I would have gladly signed off on this little piece of his estate. The lawsuit was completely unnecessary but spoke directly to her character.
I still have flowers put on his grave, even though I live many states away. If I never see any of his family again, it will be too soon.
Has someone told you something that still bothers you today?
Yes, got laid off from my current job at my company and was lucky enough to find another job within the same company in payroll. On the 3rd day on my new job, I was told by the lead, who was training me that she went to our senior manager, who by the way hired me and said I was perfect for the job, that she complained to him about hiring me because I was retirement age. I was 64 but fully capable of performing this job as my previous job was tons more challenging and did it with ease. I was so shocked that someone would actually tell me that to my face. As a result, she gave half of my intended job to another employee. And anytime I offered to take on more work, I was shut down. So, I spent 4 of 5 hours a day bored to death. Hung out for another year and retired, I’m sure to her delight. I was in an office union, but because this individual was the lead and also a union steward, I was screwed. But I was never treated so disrespectfully and bothers me to this day. I really was intending to work much longer as I’m in excellent physical and mental health. But it has always bothered me that I was treated in such an unjust, disrespectful way. Just very sad that I felt I had no other choice. Luckily, I was good at saving for retirement so not a huge monetary detriment.
What was the most badass "I rest my case" moment you've ever witnessed in court?
I've been on both ends of the spectrum with cases involving drugs. Once I represented a man charged with possession of cocaine with intent. His girlfriend was squeezed by the state to testify against him, but I was making headway with my cross of the head narcotics officer.
In the search of her apartment, the drugs and money were found in a safe hidden in her bedroom closet. He had no clothes there, nor was his name on any of her bills. A fingerprint examination did not find his prints anywhere on the safe.
Yes, he was visiting when they executed the warrant but nothing else tied him to the drugs. There were no sales by him, just her testimony the drugs belonged to him. I sat down thinking I had created enough doubt to win or at least hang the jury.
The DA stood up in redirect examination and told the Judge he had one question left to ask. “Officer, how did you open the safe?” he asked with a grin. “Well,” he replied, “when we searched the defendant, he had a set of keys in his pocket and one of the keys opened the safe.” To which the DA said “Your honor, the State rests.” He was convicted.
My other “gotcha” moment involved a sale case, but the state relied strictly on agents observing from afar to ID the seller. The CI wasn't available for some reason and the arrest came months later in a blind indictment. No photos had been taken, only surveillance using binoculars.
The state felt they had enough to proceed and the first agent testified my client, the man at the defense table, was the seller. My client was wearing a bright red shirt at the time. Afterwards, we took a lunch break.
Right before the court reconvened, I had my client switch into a blue shirt and a friend of his put on the red shirt and sat in the gallery. I didn't need permission from the court because my client sat next to me when the second agent testified also.
And I'll be damned, the agent, when asked to ID the seller, thought long and hard ( I was grinning to make him think I moved the Defendant) and finally said “that's him sitting over there,” pointing at the friend in the gallery. The 1st agent had clearly tipped the 2nd during lunch. I asked to approach and called up the friend to the bench. I introduced him to the Judge, showed his driver’s license and asked that the case be dismissed. The Prosecutors were pissed and yelled “foul,” but the Judge noted I hadn't switched the Defendant just his shirt and after being told the state had no other witnesses to ID the seller, the Judge dismissed without the case even going to the jury. He did advise the state they needed to talk to the agents about cheating because next time he would put them in jail.
"Year after year, the US creates so-called human rights reports that are filled with political lies and ideological biases on China.
We strongly reject this.
The Chinese people have the best say on the human rights situation in China.
China made history by eliminating absolute poverty.
We practice whole-process people’s democracy and provide the world’s largest education system, social security system and medical care system in China.
The Chinese people’s sense of gain, happiness and security keeps getting stronger.
We have found a path toward better human rights that reflects the trend of the times and fits our national realities.
A Harvard University survey conducted over a period of more than 10 years straight shows that the Chinese government’s satisfaction rate among the people stayed above 90 percent.
In this so-called Human Rights Reports, the US criticized the human rights situation of nearly 200 countries and regions and yet said nothing about the US itself.
This is just another case of double standard.
The hegemonic, domineering and bullying nature of the US and its selfishness and hypocrisy are on clear display.
If the US truly cares about human rights, it should take seriously and properly address domestic gun violence, drug abuse, racial discrimination and other violations of human rights and dignity.
It should face up to and reflect on its intervention operations in other countries and human rights catastrophes resulting from US provision of weapons and fanning the flames in regional conflicts.
The US, turning a blind eye to over 110,000 civilian casualties in Gaza, vetoed the UN Security Council’s efforts for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza four times in a roll.
That alone says enough about how little human rights actually mean to the US and how it tramples on them.
The world is not blind to US hegemonism imposed on the world in the name of human rights.
The US needs to examine its own behavior.
It needs to take care of its own problems first, stop lecturing others on human rights, stop pointing fingers at other countries’ human rights record, and stop meddling in other countries’ internal affairs, violating their human rights and planting conflicts and chaos in the name of human rights and democracy."
Answer given by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin to a question from CCTV, at the Regular Press Conference, Beijing, April 23, 2024.