.
A kitty cry for rescue
I had a cat named Phelili. I had written about her before. I had found her on the side of the road during a torrential downpour, when her mother was killed.
This event happened about ten years later.
My first wife and I had broken up. We were not yet divorced, as she still was an out-patient with the local mental group. I was in Boston. She was living in an apartment in Pennsylvania.
I was living my life.
And my ex-wife was living her life. She had our cats.
Oh, about six months in...
I started having nightmares every night. It was the same series of dreams, and it was driving me bonkers. They lasted for about three weeks.
My dream was the same thing over and over...
My little cat Phelili was trapped in an apartment, and couldn't get out. She could look out the window. She could see the stairs to go up, and the street below, but was unable to leave. She had water, but was running out of food.
Since these dreams concerned our joint cat Phelili, I tried called my wife, but no one answered.
And so I left it at that.
And the dreams stopped.
About one month later my ex-wife called me. She had tried killing herself again, and was taken to the hospital. When she healed up some, she was permitted to return to the apartment. The cat was alive. She was drinking water from the toilet. But hadn't eaten in weeks.
I was really angry at her. How could she be so selfish to starve our cat? What was she thinking. Well, she wasn't. She was acting on emotions impulsively.
Ok. This story ends, the cat died of old age about six years later. But the point that I want to make here is that my cat was trying to communicate with me using PSI / ESP and I was receiving the messages.
My mind, however, was not putting two + two together.
Hindsight is a bitch. What I should have done was to ask for someone to go to the apartment and check up on her and the kitty. Shit!
Lessons learned.
Don't mess up like I did.
Today...
What did you see that blew your mind?
>> What did you see that blew your mind?
One time I was in McDonalds and it was lunch rush time so they were busy. At the front of the line was a Puerto Rican man trying to order but he did not have a good command of English so the employees were having a hard time understanding him.
So, it was taking a little time and I never get wound up about stuff like that; especially since there are was an obvious language barrier.
Well, this other guy in line started mumbling and complaining how long it was taking. And he kept getting louder and louder. Everyone was looking at him like — dude, chill out.
Finally he had enough of his precious time being wasted and he broke line and walked up to the man and asked “Hey- Jose…where are you from?” The man said “Puerto Rico.” Then the rude man said very loudly “Why don't you go back to your own country and don't come back to ours until you learn the language.”
Stunned, the poor guy didn't know what to say and everyone else got real quiet.
Understand something- I am a very passive person and I do not get involved in arguments, altercations or anything like that. But this just made me so angry that I couldn't help it…bear in mind I never say things like this either or use bad language (which it really isn't a bad word I guess anyway)
I looked right at him and said “Puerto Ricans are American Citizens you jackass…why don't you go back to 2nd grade and learn that he is in his own country. Puerto Rico is a US Territory, therefore part of the United States which makes him a US Citizen just like you!”
Again, I never use even that word but at the moment, it was the only fitting name I could think of to call him.
You could have heard a pin drop for a few seconds and then everybody else started agreeing with me and told that guy how rude he was and that he owed the guy an apology.
That rude guy was so embarrassed he walked out without even ordering anything. And then someone else in line ended up paying for the Puerto Rican man's lunch which I thought was a really nice gesture.
I just can't believe how rude and ignorant some people are. It really blew my mind to think someone would even think of saying something like that to another person.
Delivering a ‘True Promise’: an insider account of Iran’s strikes on Israel
Iranian firebrand MP Mahmoud Nabavian reveals the calculated strategy, diplomatic intrigue, and bold military prowess that showcased Tehran’s 13 April missile strikes on Israel.
Following the strategic success of Iran’s ‘True Promise’ retaliatory drone and missile operation in response to last month’s Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, The Cradle presents an exclusive insider‘s narrative provided by Iranian Member of Parliament Mahmoud Nabavian, a principalist who won the most votes in Tehran during the country’s March elections.
His account of the retaliatory strikes against the occupation state offers unparalleled insights into the 13–14 April events. With access to military sources, Nabavian’s testimony serves as the most detailed view to date by an Iranian government official on Iran’s response, one that has sorely exposed the vulnerabilities of Israel’s air defense systems.
In a closed Telegram posting, Nabavian explained that Israel’s “cowardly” attack, which led to the martyrdom of prominent leaders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), occurred “on our soil” – a reference to the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus:
“As the Imam [Ali Khamenei] said, the enemies made a mistake.” Iran’s full-on retaliatory strikes, he thus maintains, were justified and legal under Article 51 of the UN Charter .
Below is a transcript (edited for length) from Nabavian’s important revelations about Iran’s military strikes on Israel and the flurry of international deal-making attempts that preceded them:
Two hours after the attack on the consulate in Damascus, the Iranian National Security Council convened and affirmed the inevitability of a response and gave a 10-day deadline to take the necessary diplomatic measures and for the armed forces to prepare their plan to respond.
Diplomatically, the first step was to go to the Security Council, even though we knew that this would be futile. But it was necessary to file a complaint about the attack on our land, assert our natural right to self-defense, and request a Security Council session. Because we are not members of the Council, we had to talk to member states to request that the session be held.
China, Russia, and Algeria agreed. Russia submitted the request, and the session was held, but the US, Germany, Britain, and France did not allow a statement to be issued condemning Israel. The heads of our missions abroad were also active in informing the concerned countries that we would respond to the Zionist entity.
Due to these pressures, Israel denied it had attacked a diplomatic building and that those who were targeted were not diplomats. The consulate building, four of its five floors, were purchased 45 years ago and were designated for diplomatic work. It was indeed a diplomatic building.
After we assured the international community of our right to respond, some countries, such as the US, Germany, England, France, Canada, and Egypt, tried to convince us not to do so, and they confirmed their readiness to meet Iran’s requests. For example, some of these countries that were not previously willing to grant entry visas to our diplomats or officials suddenly decided to do so immediately.
When the US realized that we were serious, it sent a threat that if the response was launched from Iranian territory, it might attack Iran. Our response was that the US is not among our targets, but if it decides to involve itself in defense of Israel, we will respond by targeting it as well, and as you know, there are many American bases around us.
Despite this, the US, Britain, France, and Germany insisted on the same message, yet our answer was that Israel crossed a red line. Then, they said, if we must respond, let it be from outside Iranian territory.
Why did they insist that the strike not be from inside Iran? Because for a long time, they have been assassinating our nuclear scientists and carrying out sabotage operations at the Natanz nuclear reactor. In the last six months alone, they have assassinated 18 members of our armed forces, and we have always responded through our allies [in the Axis of Resistance], but if we did that this time, we would lose face.
If Lebanese Hezbollah had responded to Israel, it could have bombed Beirut, and western powers would have seized upon this to say, ‘If this is a war between Iran and Israel, why did Hezbollah involve itself in it?’ They would also hold it responsible for the subsequent unrest in Lebanon.
Therefore, the insistence that the Iranian response should be through Iran’s allies was meant to distort Hezbollah’s reputation and unleash Israel to target it and other resistance forces in the region and to portray them as mercenaries of Iran. We read these western intentions well, and accordingly, the decision was taken to respond from within Iranian territory.
On the night of Eid al-Fitr, a meeting was held with the heads of diplomatic missions of the countries of the region, and we informed them that we are keen on good neighborliness, but if the US uses any of your countries to carry out action against us, we will strike the US bases on your lands.
This message was conveyed to Washington, and they realized that Iran was serious. They asked us to exercise restraint. The US, Germany, England, France, and Canada – these countries that support brutality and crime in the world and provide the weapons with which the people of Gaza are bombed – ask us to exercise restraint.
[UK Foreign Secretary] David Cameron called the night after the Iranian attack and said he couldn’t sleep last night. This is the malicious British foreign secretary. Why? Because we sent 300 drones and missiles over the heads of the Israelis. The Iranian official who spoke to him said, ‘For six months, rockets have been falling on the people of Gaza, and you slept well every night.’ This is the same malicious Britain that encouraged the US to launch attacks on Yemen.
The important thing is coordination at all levels before responding, politically, diplomatically, and in the media. After the Leader [Ali Khamenei] affirmed in his Eid al-Fitr sermon that we will certainly discipline the enemy, messages came to us requesting that the response be proportionate and not forceful.
Our answer was clear: that first, we would definitely strike Israel; second, that the attack would be direct from Iranian territory; and third, that the National Security Council decided that the response would be a deterrent.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan informed us that it had information that we would bomb the Israeli embassy in Baku, and they asked us not to carry out any action on their territory. I think this was a message that they could turn a blind eye to striking Israeli targets in a neighboring country, but we were already aware of that.
The messages we received were not limited to the US and European countries, but we also received messages from some countries in the region. We tried to take advantage of the matter to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, and we told everyone that this might be a solution to the problem.
They asked us whether a ceasefire in Gaza meant that we would refrain from responding. We answered that we would strike Israel in any case, but perhaps a decision like this would help reduce the severity of the attack. They asked that we give them a few days.
We asked our military forces to postpone the response for 24 hours and gave the countries of the world the opportunity to adhere to their obligations stipulated in international laws and for Israel to pledge not to attack Iranian forces and interests in the region and the world.
Regarding the Iranian request to conclude a permanent, complete, and immediate truce in the Gaza Strip: US President Joe Biden sent a message stating that he would work to achieve it himself, but he set a malicious condition, which is that the Palestinian resistance releases all Israeli prisoners in exchange for Israel releasing 900 Palestinian prisoners, after which the implementation of the truce begins.
Of course, Hamas did not agree to the matter, and this was the correct decision. We understood that they [the Americans] are not serious about reaching a truce and that they are only looking to achieve their malign goals.
realized that we would attack Israel. The US, France, Britain, and even Italy harnessed all their military capabilities in Qatar, alongside the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
They equipped six missile launchers in the region’s waters with a range of between 2,000 and 3,000 kilometers. They harnessed all modern satellites and radars, moved 103 aircraft into the region’s airspace to strike our missiles, and placed all air defense systems under unified command under the supervision of the US to confront Iranian missiles in several stages.
That is, if the Iranian missiles were able to pass any defense line, they would be targeted and shot down in the next.
What is interesting is that the German foreign minister, 24 hours before the Iranian operation was carried out, called us and was pleading that we not target Israel from inside Iranian territory. He said that our missiles would not be able to pass the obstacles and defense lines that they had prepared to intercept our missiles and that the US was using 70 drones in Iraq for that, and it would increase the number to 700.
They were monitoring the movements of our soldiers, missiles, and drones, and they believed that none of the Iranian missiles would reach Israel. They were confident that the missiles would not be able to penetrate air defense systems.
At the Turkish Incirlik base, which includes 5,000 soldiers, a large number of AWACS planes and 15 jamming planes were harnessed to repel our attack.
As such, they were astonished at how Iran was able to evade the huge layers of defense they had activated, and what surprised them even more was that it took five and a half to seven hours for the drones to reach the Zionist entity, and their speed was not great, which meant that they were easy to shoot down.
Twenty-four hours before the operation, Washington sent a firm message stating that if we decided to attack Israel from our territory, they will respond militarily against Iran. This time, they did not talk about possibilities but rather said that they would definitely attack Iranian territory. Our answer was decisive, that we will definitely strike Israel from within our territories, and if you commit any mistake, we will target all your bases in the region.
We informed Saudi Arabia and the countries of the region that if Iranian territory is targeted from within your territory, we will definitely respond. Saudi Arabia announced that it would not allow any operation against Iran to be carried out from its territory, and the authorities in Cyprus also informed us of a similar message.
We knew that the Iraqi and Jordanian airspace was completely under US control. We thought about the Israeli targets that we were going to hit, and we faced two obstacles: the first was that their air defenses were very strong, and we had to find a way for our drones and missiles to pass them, and the second was not to take action that will lead to us being condemned.
The decision was to strike two military targets: the first was the [Nevatim] airport from which the F-35 plane that bombed the Iranian consulate took off, and the second was an Israeli intelligence center in the Golan. By coincidence, the fighter jet that targeted the consulate fired its missiles from above this intelligence headquarters.
Our drones, numbering about 130, were launched, the majority of which belonged to us, and between two and three were sent by our allied forces. We also launched missiles carrying explosive warheads, a large number of which deflected the air defenses from their path.
I will not talk much about the number of hits we targeted, but out of 17 missiles, 15 hit their targets, meaning 89 percent. The whole west was there, and we delivered an important message to the world.
In the aftermath of the operation, 15 countries contacted and said that they were seeking a ceasefire in Gaza and asked Israel not to respond.
The British and German foreign ministers contacted us and said that international law does not include the term “punishment.” We answered them: If that does not exist in international law, why did you propose punishing Hamas after 7 October? The calls continued to ask whether we would attack Israel again. We said that if we were attacked, we would respond tenfold.
The countries of the region have now understood Iran’s capabilities and it seems that they will seek to significantly improve their relations with Iran. The Israelis realized that when the spirit of despair takes hold, as Ben Gurion says, ‘we will begin to fall down the slope that leads to the abyss,’ and this has become clear to the world.
As the master of the resistance [Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah] expresses, ‘Israel is weaker than a spider’s web,’ and, God willing, this operation will be a deterrent against the assassinations that were occurring against us. Now, this is the only thing that Israel can do, and we must be more vigilant, and we must instill hope in the peoples of the region and not care about the rulers.
Mahmoud Nabavian’s account not only exposes the meticulous planning behind the Islamic Republic’s response but also reveals a resolve to defend sovereignty and impose a credible deterrence against future violations – at all costs.
Tehran’s military response should be interpreted beyond the current regional war centered on Gaza and signals a broad recalibration of power dynamics in West Asia. As western and neighboring states assess the implications of Iran’s new assertive military posture, alliances, and strategies will require careful reconsideration.
WHY FOREIGNERS LIVE IN CHINA DESPITE THE MEDIA BACKLASH?
What's the most ingenious car repair you've ever seen done?
I was taught this by my first girlfriend’s father. He was an engineer, and at the time he was CEO of Marconi Avionics in Rochester, Kent.
My Austin car’s starter motor was unreliable and would cost me half a term of my student grant to replace. He said he’d fix it. He removed it (three bolts and two cables) opened it up at one end and removed the brushes from the motor (one nut, two springs).
He then took a tin can from the rubbish bin, and roughly cut out two little triangles the same shape as the end of the pole-piece blocks that made contact with the power source in the motor - and stuck them, using contact glue, on the opposite end from the “wear surface”. This added about 2mm to the length of the pole-piece block, accounting for the excessive wear on the other end that prevented good contact. Sanded it down to shape. It took about 30 minutes. Totally ingenious. Apart from 30 minutes of fiddling around and getting oily, totally free of cost.
Reassembled, it lasted another 18 months.
I did the same again the next time, it was easy. Another 18 months of use.
The next time I actually replaced the brushes properly. The new ones didn’t last any longer than the temporary repairs - really those Austin cars had rubbish parts.
What is the most epic way you have seen a coworker resign or quit?
I once resigned giving 1.5 days notice. My boss was aghast, but I explained why…
Economically it was an awful time for me: in January 1994 my wife was 6-months pregnant, and we bought a bigger house with a bigger mortgage.
After all, I'd recently gotten a raise to $52K/year. Surely I could afford a $120K house.
Except I got laid off two weeks after moving in.
I struggled but eventually found a job after a couple of months. I earned $42K/year salary — about 20% less than my prior salary, if you're keeping track. I certainly was.
My (male) coworker at the job was in similar financial straits: recently divorced, and driving a barely-running old pick-up truck he called “Blue". He started with the company a couple of days before me.
My coworker found another company hiring with multiple positions after a couple of months. And he recommended I also apply. The salary was a few grand higher ($45K, as I recall).
He got an offer two days before I did, and tendered his two-weeks notice first.
Our boss was not happy. The contract we were working under had been renewed, but our boss had to resubmit everyone’s resume for approval by the government client.
He thought: why bother with all that paperwork just to have my coworker leave just a week after the new contract started?
So our boss just fired him immediately.
(Fortunately the hiring company was able to start my once-and-future co-worker immediately. We both breathed relief.).
When I got my offer I told the hiring company I could start in a week.
I resigned that Thursday before my Monday start with the new company. If my soon-to-be-former boss canned me immediately, I didn't care. I could just take a long weekend and start the new job.
Which left my soon-to-be-former boss short two workers when the renewed contract started the same Monday.
I still have no regrets.
(I should mention that the same boss briefly became my temporary supervisor about 3 years later through an odd fluke. He never mentioned our past relationship, and I didn't either. And he quickly moved on to another role.)
The disappearance of America's leading anti-gravity researcher
Has a cop ever said something to you which was completely unexpected?
Some 34 years ago[plus or minus] I was a troubled young man involved with a troubled young woman. We had a troubled relationship that I ended abruptly. She immediately took up with a close friend of mine. I was upset. In my infinite wisdom I went to confront him and start a fight. He wasn’t going to be drawn into a physical confrontation. He said”Go home, come back when you are calm and we will discuss it.” As I turned to leave I lost it, spun around and punched out two windows !! I went home[2 blocks away] and realized I had blown it. A neighbor called and asked why all the cops were at my ex’s house. So I new the cops were involved. I waited a couple hours and went down to the police station and told them who I was, what I had done and gave them my contact information including where I was working. I was a construction forman working in town running a job at some condos. I saw a patrol car pull up, an officer got out as I approached. He Looked at me, smiled, cocked his head and gave it a little shake and said ”Ain’t Love Grand !!” He then came closer and looked me in the eyes and in a low but earnest voice said” She is doing this to hurt YOU ! Stay away from her!” I gulped and nodded. He asked”Are you going to fix those windows?” Again I nodded and replied that I had contacted the owner and made arrangements. He said “ Very Good” got in his car and left.
I never spoke to that woman again.
An Owner Whose Cat Went Missing Long Ago Happened to See His Pet On the News
Have you ever had such a close call it makes your skin shiver everytime you think about it? If so, what happened?
I used to ride motorcycles - probably still would, too, if my body could still keep up. Anyway, many years ago I attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills of South Dakota. For those who aren’t familiar, this annual rally draws around 500,000 visitors every year - most of them on motorcycles. The attraction isn’t just the events in and around Sturgis, but also to ride the curvy roads and hills and to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The Black Hills are home to several historical, natural and cultural sites of great importance to Americans, including Mount Rushmore, and draws tremendous tourist traffic all year round. But during “Sturgis Week,” the ratio of motorcycles to cars, trucks, RV’s and other traffic can seem like 100:1 depending on the time of day and location.
One beautiful day, our group was riding eastbound on one of the larger highways through the Hills. I was second in the group on the inside (next to the center line). As we rounded a rather tight outside curve to the left, another group approached us headed west on the inside of the curve. Now, to understand the situation, it’s important to know that groups of riders in the U.S. will stagger their riding formation in a zig-zag pattern, or sometimes side-by-side. It’s critical to stay in your own space to prevent accidents. And riding into a curve requires the rider to lean into the curve, just as you would on a bicycle. It’s a skill that requires some riding experience to master.
So anyway, I’m next to the center line leaning towards it to navigate the curve, and there’s a rider approaching me from the opposite direction leaning away from the center line, in his appropriate place in the formation. However, too late I notice he’s too close to the line, almost crossing it - and I can’t correct my lean or position quickly enough to avoid him or to prevent causing my own group to tangle as well…… As we passed each other, the leather tassels on his handlebars brushed my own hand holding my handlebars. We narrowly escaped a head-on collision at approximately 60 miles per hour.
Yeah, that was a close one. Still makes me shiver to think of it.
If Saddam didn't have WMD and faced invasion and execution, why didn't he simply allow inspectors complete 100% access?
The main reason was twofold.
The first was that the Resolution called for a verifiable proof the WMDs were disposed of. If Iraq had no WMDs (it didn’t), then it had to prove where and how it disposed of them.
This presented a problem for Iraq that destroyed the weapons in clandestine manner, in order to keep up the Potemkin WMD program as a deterrent against Iran. Saddam was afraid without those, Iran may seek to destabilize Iraq and overthrow Saddam in favor of their Shia allies within Iraq. Saddam believed the threat of chemical weapons shielded him from that fate.
The weapons were still disposed of, but no documentation was kept, I wouldn’t be surprised if key laborers were shot to keep anyone from finding this out. The upshot of that is the world at large was convinced Iraq had WMDs, but there were no credible witnesses, no paper trail and no evidence to show you’ve really done anything at all. 100% total access wouldn’t help, because Iraq is a vast and empty land, with a bajillion possible hiding places:
It took the coalition about half a year to discover the buried planes of the Iraqi air force, next to an airport. Iraq is larger than Germany and you’re looking for well hidden barrells. Good luck.
A second and much more important reason is that no matter what Iraq did, the invasion was going to happen. GWB and his staff were determined to change the regime in Iraq and the WMDs were just a convenient excuse, a slam dunk reason to invade Iraq, because it was so obvious Iraq was illegaly hiding weapons of mass destruction. Everyone knew it, from CIA to MI6 to DGSE to SVR RF, no one publically voiced concern Iraq actually had no weapons. They voiced other (and valid) concerns, but not the one that Iraq had no WMDs. Prove to them you have no WMDs early on and they just use some other reason to attack you instead.
If you want to know what are the possible downsides of being too good at your job, Iraqi WMDs are a tragically good example of that.
The world hinges on strong men. The elites finally admit we're in deep trouble.
What is something that happened in an interview that made you not hire the candidate?
October 2017,
Redmond, WA.
I was interviewing a college candidate for a PM role. He had already cleared the phone screen, the on campus round as well as gotten through first couple of rounds of the day with positive reviews. It was my job to work through a real scenario with him that would be help me gauge how he would perform in that situation on the job because it was not an infrequent task he would need to do.
The basic scenario was about how he would handle a competitor scenario for acquiring a specific chunk of business. We were to try and gain a specific customer who was evaluating subscribing to our product vs our top competitor; another tech giant with a lot of resources. The specific product the client wanted is almost at par with both companies so we need to come up with creative solutions to acquire the client; I asked him to think outside the box, think of long term package deals, service agreements, price negotiations, whatever else he could come up with.
He decided to go with trying to get the customer on a lower price. I asked him how he would know what the competing bid might be, what kind of historic data would he need to drive this inference, what models would he need to build to estimate the right number to write on the bid. What he said next literally made me gasp.
Candidate: “Oh I don’t need to do all that. I’ll just ask the guy over at our competitor what price he’s going to put and beat him.”
Me: “Why would he tell you what they are going to bid?”
Candidate: “That’s easy. I’ll take him out on the town for a few drinks, get chatty with him, and once he’s got enough alcohol inside him I’m sure he’ll tell me; or I’ll figure out other ways of getting the number from him. I can be very persuasive .”
Me: “Hahaha… You’re kidding right? You do realize that not only is that very unethical, it’s also completely illegal and it could get you fired, and, the company in a lot of legal trouble.”
Candidate: “I disagree. I’m not doing anything illegal. There’s nothing wrong with taking someone out for drinks after work and if in that state he happens to voluntarily tell me certain things that work to my advantage, I see no harm in using it.”
At this point I was just shocked how someone could say this in an interview. It didn’t matter to me that he was a fresh grad student and maybe didn’t realize the severity of what he was saying. Every university has courses on business ethics and even if he decided to skip those classes, this is just common sense. What really bugged me was how much he pushed back when I tried to explain to him how wrong that approach was. This back and forth continued for another 10 minutes by which time I had absolutely made up my mind on how this was going to end.
I ended the interview a few minutes early and told him to take a break and use the restroom and get something to drink if he liked. I went back to my manager and the rest of the interview team and told them very clearly what happened and how in my opinion such an attitude can be a huge liability for the team and the company, and that what made it worse was he didn’t come across as coachable and was not receptive to feedback. I insisted and everyone agreed that we end the interview loop there and not waste any more time when we clearly know he’s a no hire. Some things are unforgivable sins in an interview and he had committed a fair few of them.
Larry Johnson Warning: "Nuclear Crisis - Russia's Fury Unleashed by NATO & France's Provocation"
Surprisingly great.
Swiss Steak with Tomato Gravy
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large slice round steak
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large cans tomatoes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large onion, diced
- Kosher or sea salt and pepper
- 1 cup water (for gravy)
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with Pam. Turn on LOW.
- Heat oil in large skillet.
- Cut round steak into serving-size pieces.
- Put flour into a shallow pan. Add salt and pepper to flour and flour steak well.
- Fry steak in hot oil until brown.
- Pour a few tomatoes into the slow cooker. Add pieces of browned steak and remaining tomatoes in layers. Add diced onion.
- Cook for 4 hours on LOW heat.
- Remove meat from slow cooker.
- Put 1 cup of water in a pint jar. Add 3 tablespoons flour. Shake well. Add to tomato mixture in the slow cooker. Cook and stir until gravy is thickened.
- Put meat back in long enough to heat.
- Serve with mashed potatoes.
- If your house smells like fish for absolutely no reason, 9 times out of 10 it means that there is an electrical fire.
- If you ever feel like someone is following your car take four right turns and eventually it will make a circle. If they are still behind you that means they are following you. Don’t drive home, just call the police and drive to the police station
- If a service dog ever approaches you without its owner, follow them and do it quickly because potentially you can save someone else’s life.
- If someone is trying to abduct you, fight back. Most abductors will just give up if they meet resistance. And whatever you do, don’t let them take you to another location.
- If the tide suddenly goes out unexpectedly, run like you stole it, for higher ground.
- If you’re ever charged by a moose, get behind a tree.. they have about a ten inch blind spot and they’ll lose you..
- When people say to take an aspirin to help during a heart attack, chew the pill, don't swallow it whole. It gets absorbed much quicker.
- If a person asks you for something in the street - a light, the time, whatever - always keep the person in your eyeline. So if they ask for the time, don't just look down at your watch. Raise your arm slightly so your watch is in sight.
- If you are in danger or in need of help, in a public place, it's almost always a bad idea to just yell "help". It's more important to be specific. Pointing at someone and telling them to call 911 will be more effective. The Bystander Effect can be cruel sometimes.
Today's unusual funny covers
Have you ever met a celebrity who asked you, “Do you know who I am?" and you said no?
I was working a few years back at a busy, upscale Tuscan-style restaurant in the Chicago area, when a party of five came in.
There was one woman who stuck out like a sore thumb, because she had to be on the north side of 40, but was dressed and made up like a teenager. Additionally, her dyed blond hair hung long and loose down her back, except for the sides, which were swept back with an outsized pink bow.
She basically looked like an escapee from a psychiatric ward….in 1985.
As I took their order and subsequently began serving them, every time I approached the table this woman was doing the majority of the talking, and loudly laughing, such that it was becoming a problem for the other tables in my section.
I then asked this lady quite respectfully and discreetly if she could please lower her volume just a bit for the sake of the other diners.
This made her very angry. She stood up so fast that she spilled her water glass, and as I struggled to mop that mess up, she yelled at me up one side and down the other: “Do you know who I am”?!!
I admitted that I did not.
She then shrilly informed me that she was a celebrity dancer from TELEVISION, and that I was just plain ignorant if I’d never heard of her, as she was a regular on ##variety show.
A man in her party nervously interjected, “D****, please, let’s just get back to enjoying our meal together, okay sweetheart”?
The whole restaurant, staff and patrons, were relieved to see the back of Miss D by the time they checked out.
This was before the internet, so I had to ask around, but I finally found a guy who grew up in the American Southwest who had heard of her:
It turns out that in the days of local affiliates of the big TV corporations, this woman had been a tap-dancing sensation.
As a child.
In one city in Arizona.
Doing commercials for a well-known DOG FOOD brand.😳
The Coming Simp Shortage
Braised Pork with Green Chile Sauce
Mild green chiles season this meaty pork stew. Serve it with rice or as a burrito filling. This can also be served with tamales. This chile verde is also good served with scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
Pork
- 1 (3 pound) lean boneless pork butt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
Garnish
- Tomatoes, cut into wedges
- Cooked rice
- Sour cream
- Lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Trim and discard fat and cut pork into 1 inch cubes.
- In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat; add meat a few cubes at a time and cook until very brown.
- Push meat to side of pan and add onion, garlic and bell peppers; sauté until limp.
- Stir in chiles, oregano, cumin, salt, cilantro, vinegar and water.
- Cover and simmer until meat is fork tender (about 1 hour).
- Skim off fat and discard.
- Serve with rice or make burritos or serve in your favorite way.
- For Burritos: spoon pork into warm, soft flour tortillas, add sour cream, tomato wedges, and a squeeze of lime juice and fold to enclose. Rice may also be enclosed with the filling in the burritos, if desired.
Video: US-NATO Chinook Helicopters inside Ukraine Air Space Near Odessa
Video below shows two US/NATO Chinook (Double-prop) Helicopters, flying about 100 feet above the waters of the Black Sea, INSIDE Ukrainian air space, near Odessa.
It is important to realize that what you're seeing is the US/NATO operating in an area where they are considered a legitimate military target by Russia!
It is also important to point out the long air-refueling pipe protruding from the front of both helicopters indicates these are MH-47G helicopters; for "SPECIAL FORCES."
THIS Happens When We Die! The MOST DETAILED Journey Through The Afterlife! EPIC NDE
Rural Areas of USA Could Soon LOSE Cellular Service
While Congress was quick to find $61 Billion for Ukraine, they aren't "finding" $3 Billion for US Rural Cell Service. States such as Tennessee, Kansas, and Oklahoma could be affected unless 'rip-and-replace' funding is secured.
Rural and Indigenous communities are at risk of losing cell service thanks to a 2019 law intended to strip US telecom networks of Chinese-made equipment. And while local companies were promised reimbursements as part of the “rip-and-replace” program, many of them have so far seen little of the funding, if any at all.
The federal push to block Chinese telephone and internet hardware has been years in the making, but gained substantial momentum during the Trump administration. In May 2019 an executive order barred American providers from purchasing telecom supplies manufactured by businesses within a “foreign adversary” nation. Industry and government officials have argued China might use products from companies like Huawei and ZTE to tap into US telecom infrastructure. Chinese company representatives have repeatedly pushed back on these claims and it remains unclear how substantiated these fears are.
As The Washington Post explained on Thursday, major network providers like Verizon and Sprint have long banned the use of Huawei and ZTE equipment. But for many smaller companies, Chinese products and software are the most cost-effective routes for maintaining their businesses.
Meanwhile, “rip-and-replace” program plans have remained in effect through President Biden’s administration—but little has been done to help smaller US companies handle the intensive transition efforts. In a letter to Congress on Thursday, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained an estimated 40 percent of local network operators currently cannot replace their existing Huawei and ZTE equipment without additional federal funding. Although $1.9 billion is currently appropriated, revised FCC estimates say another $3 billion is required to cover nationwide rip-and-replace costs.
Congress directed the FCC to begin a rip-and-replace program through the passage of the 2020 Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, but it wasn’t long before officials discovered the $3 billion shortfall. At the time, the FCC promised small businesses 39.5 percent reimbursements for their overhauls. Receiving that money subsequently triggered a completion deadline, but that remaining 61.5 percent of funding has yet to materialize for most providers. Last week, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced the Spectrum and National Security Act, which includes a framework to raise the additional $3 billion needed for program participants.
So finding money to spend on Ukraine was easy for the US Congress, but finding the money to take care of their own Constituents - well, that's another story. Not happening.
American Reacts to First Time You Realized America Really Messed You Up pt 2
France Sends Combat Troops into Ukraine
France has sent its first troops officially to Ukraine. They have been deployed in support of the Ukrainian 54th Independent Mechanized Brigade in Slavyansk. The French soldiers are drawn from France’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, which is one of the main elements of France’s Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère).
In 2022 France had a number of Ukrainians and Russians in the Foreign Legion. They were allowed to leave the Legion and, in the case of the Ukrainians, return to Ukraine to join Ukrainian forces. It isn’t clear if the Russians returned home.
The Legion today is run by French officers but the rank and file are all foreigners. Under the current anonymat (being anonymous) a volunteer who joins the Legion can decide whether to keep his given name or adopt a new one. Legionnaires serve for three year terms, after which they can ask for French citizenship. If a legionnaire is wounded, he is entitled to gain French citizenship without any waiting period. There are no women in the Foreign Legion.
The initial group of French troops numbers around 100. This is just the first tranche of around 1,500 French Foreign Legion soldiers scheduled to arrive in Ukraine.
These troops are being posted directly in a hot combat area and are intended to help the Ukrainians resist Russian advances in Donbas. The first 100 are artillery and surveillance specialists.
For months French President Emanuel Macron has been threatening to send French troops to Ukraine. He has found little or no support from NATO countries outside of support from Poland and the Baltic States. Allegedly the US opposes sending NATO soldiers to Ukraine (other than as advisors).
One of the questions to immediately arise from France’s decision to send soldiers from its 3rd Infantry Regiment is whether this crosses the Russian red line on NATO involvement in Ukraine? Will the Russians see this as initiating a wider war beyond Ukraine’s borders?
A key question is how NATO will react to the French decision to deploy. As France is acting on its own without NATO’s backing, the French cannot claim support from NATO under its famous Article 5, the collective security component of the NATO Treaty.
Should the Russians attack French troops outside of Ukraine it would be justified because France has decided to be a combatant, and forcing an Article 5 vote would seem to be difficult if not impossible.
Of course, NATO members individually could support the French, either by sending their own forces or by backstopping the French logistically and in communications. For example, there is no way Foreign Legion soldiers can go to Ukraine without passing through Poland. Will the Russians see this as evidence they are at war both with France and Poland?
Right now no one can answer any of these questions with any degree of certainty. It is unlikely the Russians will long tolerate a buildup of French army troops, even if they are Foreign Legion soldiers. What Russia will do in response is not certain.
How do you interpret Chinese envoy to France Lu Shaye's statement that relations with France are at the forefront of China's relations with Western countries?
China's envoy to France, Lu Shano, is a very outspoken diplomat, and I like his style very much. As a Chinese professional diplomat, he attaches great importance to safeguarding China's interests. Therefore, his admission that “China-France are at the forefront of China's relations with Western countries” is a statement of reality.
He is a career diplomat, a graduate of the Diplomatic Academy in Beijing and fluent in French. He has worked for 25 years in the Africa Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from July 2019 is the Ambassador to France. Two years before that, he served as China's ambassador to Canada.
In 2019, Canada detained Chinese citizen Meng Wanzhou without reason. He was interviewed by many media at the time, condemning Canada, pointing out that Western countries had double standards in treating Meng Wanzhou's arrest and the arrest of two Canadian spies in China, and blaming Meng Wanzhou's unreasonable detention on Western hegemony and White supremacy. The Canadian side has never seen an ambassador who dared to point out the root of the problem so bluntly. They all expressed dissatisfaction with Ambassador Lu Shaye and made overwhelming sophistry.
Later, Lu Shaye served as ambassador to France. On the one hand, he promoted China's effective practices and achievements in fighting the epidemic, and on the other hand, he relentlessly criticized Western governments for being too lax in their management of the epidemic. This has attracted great attention from Western media. It also made French politicians feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy and specially summoned Ambassador Lu.
Ambassador Lu Shaye also asked the French Chamber of Deputies to cancel his plan to visit Taiwan. The French accused him of "interfering in France's internal affairs." Antoine Bondaz, a scholar at the French Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), criticized Lu Shaye’s interference in France’s democratic system on Twitter, which is unacceptable. Ambassador Lu directly responded to Antoine Bondaz on Twitter, criticizing him as a "petite frappe", once again causing a war of words. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again summoned Lu Shaye, and local media also described China's diplomacy as "rude" and "wolf warrior diplomacy." The Chinese Embassy in France responded: "If there are really 'wolf warriors', it must be because there are too many 'mad dogs' and they are too ferocious."
On March 22, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs imposed sanctions on 10 people and four entities in Europe, including French MP Lexman. After China officially issued the sanctions order, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepared to summon the Chinese Ambassador, Lu Shaye The ambassador responded forcefully: “The ambassador is not available today and will go to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs tomorrow for negotiation.”
In 2022, Pelosi visited Taiwan and became the first Speaker of the House of Representatives to visit Taiwan in 25 years. Lu Shaye said in an interview with French media, "After reunification, we will re-educate (Taiwanese people). I believe that by then, Taiwanese people will support reunification again. They will become patriots again."
In April 2023, Lu Shaye accepted a TV interview. He said that “the process of the disintegration of the Soviet Union was very chaotic. The member states that separated from the Soviet Union did not sign any formal agreement on boundary demarcation and mutual recognition of national sovereignty” and “Even these ex-Soviet countries don't have an effective status in international law because there was no international agreement to materialize their status as sovereign countries", which caused panic among the Baltic countries. Because Lu Shaye frankly told the truth, Nearly 80 European parliamentarians called on France to expel Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to France. 🤣
In response to the West's demonisation of China, Lushano said, ‘I am honoured to be given the title of War Wolf, we are the warriors who stand in front of our motherland and fight for her, we are the warriors who stand in the way of the mad dogs that attack China.’
This reminds the Chinese people of what happened 121 years ago:
Tom Kim Yung, a Chinese diplomat in the United States, was out when he encountered two American policemen, who insulted him in English and rudely grabbed him, tying his braid to the fence as if he were a leashed dog, and then beat him severely. Onlookers jeered as they watched him being beaten. Finally, unable to bear the humiliation, he committed suicide by gassing himself on a light fixture in the consulate room.
Yes, today's powerful China no longer keeps a low profile and allows others to bully and humiliate it.
China's diplomatic thinking fully embodies "a sense of mission that has the courage to take responsibility and dare to fight."
As some media explained: Compared with "keeping a low profile", China is now fighting back head-on, focusing on struggle. In fact, this is also determined by the mission of our era and the complicated national environment.
Women REALLY HATE MGTOW! They misunderstand, complain, but don't seem to change behavior.
This is a great movie. I love the flamingo section.
They're going to be completely alone.
Russia Issues Warrant to Arrest Ukraine's Zelensky; Declares Ukraine "Illegal Entity"
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has put the leader of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, on the wanted list; declaring Ukraine to be an "illegal entity."
He joins former president Poroshenko and former acting officer of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and current rector of the National Defense University of Ukraine Mikhail Koval, and Alexander Pavlyuk, commander of the ground forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This means the actual recognition of the Kiev elite as an illegal government and actual criminals.
This step means that a criminal case has been opened against Zelensky and the company, within the framework of which a search has been announced.
In turn, all of the above means that there can be no negotiations with these people since Russia does not negotiate with those it is looking for over crimes committed.
This step is not just a formal kick to Zelensky and other members of Ukrainian elite.
It also means that negotiations with Zelensky are possible only about one thing - his surrender.
As of today, Ukraine has been declared an "illegal entity" and its leadership is subject to arrest and trial.
For the past two years of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia has repeatedly and publicly said they are willing to negotiate a settlement. Each time, Ukraine set pre-conditions: That Russia must return all captured lands to Ukraine. The Russians obviously refused.
Now, there can be NO NEGOTIATIONS because under Russian law, Ukraine is a criminal entity with which there can be no negotiations except for its surrender.
This whole Russia-Ukraine thing must now be settled only on the battlefield.
Stove Top Stuffed Pork Chops
Yield: 4 or 5 servings
Ingredients
- 1 box stuffing mix for pork (with ingredients for preparing)
- 1/2 cup apple juice, divided*
- 1/4 stick butter
- 4 or 5 butterflied pork chops or 1 (2 pound) pork loin, cut into 1 inch chops and butterflied
- Salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Seasoned salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the stuffing mix according to the package directions, adding 1/2 cup apple juice to it in addition to the butter and water required.
- Melt the 1/2 stick butter in a pie plate or pan and dip the chops into the butter, then stuff each chop with about 1/4 cup of stuffing mixture.
- Seal the stuffing into the chops with a wooden pick and sprinkle each chop with salt, pepper and a little seasoned salt.
- Arrange the pork chops in the prepared pan.
- Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of apple juice around the pork chops.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Turn oven temperature to 375 degrees F; uncover and bake for 15 more minutes to brown the tops of the pork chops.
- Spoon some of the cooking juices over the chops to moisten.
- Remove the wooden picks before serving.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
* Mango juice or peach nectar work well also. Or you can use chicken bouillon.
- If someone is being mean to you, you can make them feel self-conscious by saying, "Excuse me, you have something stuck in your teeth."
- To calm someone who is yelling, ask them, "Are you having a bad day?"
- Yawning, drinking water, or checking the time can show if someone is paying attention to you.
- Looking at someone's lips shows interest in their conversation, while staring at their forehead can be intimidating.
- Making people laugh can make you 88% more attractive.
- When you meet someone new, try to notice their eye color. It helps you make more eye contact and feel less nervous.
- When you need help, start by saying, "I need your help..." It makes the other person feel wanted and more likely to help you.
- If you show happiness and excitement when you see others, they will feel the same way about you.
- When someone apologizes, say "Thank you" instead of "No problem" to show appreciation.
- Showing a thumbs down instead of the middle finger can hurt someone's feelings.
"It's ALREADY BEGUN..." - Danielle DiMartino
What don't women understand about men?
- No means No , even when it comes from a boy's mouth as well.
- If he is not offering you a seat in public transport doesn’t mean he is heartless He might be tired like you.
- Not groomed well doesn’t mean that guy is cheap. His look is nothing to do with his attitude.
- Not all the guy who initiates conversation with you is flirting with you. He might have approached you for some genuine reason.
- #MenToo, no need to tell more isn’t it?
- Tagging him as cry baby doesn't make sense. He doesn't have any inbuilt dam in eyes to control his tears.
- Even he can listen to his mom and dad like you listen to your parents. No shame in that.
- Don’t define his coolness by seeing his smoking and drinking habit.
- Don’t ask any boy like “whether me or Passion or me or your mom ” because it is asking you like “your heart or your brain”
- Don’t ignore men’s feeling like how people ignore International men’s day.
Dont’t demand respect if you can’t give one.
U.S. Economic Crash Worse than 1929 - Peter Schiff Issues Warning
What’s the most morally disgusting thing you’ve ever seen someone do?
I was a new nurse working nights on a medical floor with the most terrible woman I had ever met! She looked like a witch and I was literally frightened of her. She had a crush on one of the physicians and wouldn't let anybody answer the telephone just in case he called. And if he did, she would put on her sloppy, ‘sexy’ voice, YUCK!! And this woman was in charge, she made our nights hell!
Buddy was a sixty-something year old patient who was actively dying of metastatic bladder cancer. He was disfigured from cancer tumor, bedridden, and nasty as hell from being in constant excruciating pain. Nurse Witch and Buddy would fight all night! And to make it a little more interesting, Buddy had started to cognitively decline, rapidly. Probably brain mets. This man was a hot mess who deserved pain medication around the clock. He had no family or friends and was in the hospital for pain control while he died.
Unfortunately, Buddy’s intravenous narcotics were not holding him over at night. He would become wild at night, then sleep comfortably all day. Sundowning? The physicians increased his morphine through the night without any results. This man was clearly suffering, even if he did use his backscratcher to beat up the nurses if they got too close. Fun times!
Then it happened, Nurse Witch forgot to lock the door as she was injecting Buddy’s pain medication into her ass cheek while straddling the toilet, and somebody walked in! Yep, she was signing the injectable morphine out, documenting she gave it to Buddy, then going to the bathroom and injecting into herself. I don't know how she could live with herself, denying a dying man pain medication.
Nurse Witch lost her nursing license for awhile. I know this because she was my waitress at a local restaurant. I really enjoyed that day, not because she was an addict, but because she was such a bitch and morally reprehensible!