I well remember the bus ride leaving prison. I had an hour wait, so I went across the street to a Burger King and a 7-11. I bought a single can of beer, and a Whopper. The bus pulled in, and I got on.

I ate that burger and drank that beer in the darkness, as the bus wound its way out of the rural deep South.

I was in shock.

But I do remember that everyone on the buss were playing with their smart phones. And that was the first time that I ever saw one.

I rode with another felon getting out. He was in for 15 years, and was stunned about this. “What are they doing?” he asked. Indeed. If you are new to the experience, it is shocking to you.

While to everyone else, it’s just a normal every-day occurrence.

We need to step out of the BOX that we are in, and see just how different our life is today from what it used to be….

…

The United States is up to it’s old bag-of-tricks again. This time, it disposed a very popular (pro-China) leader of Pakistan; Imran Khan, and put in a pro-USA stooge. This kind of thing is laying the ground-work for some very exciting times…

And people are pissed off all over the United States about those jackasses in Washington DC….

Sad Reality💔 | Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond (REACTION!)

Watch these reactions!

What are some of the most interesting/surprising facts about any country?

Qatar

A packet of the local pita bread known as khubz here is available for a fixed price of 1 Qatari Riyal.

No matter what happens, the price of khubz is never changed. It has been the same price from when I was a baby until now. Each packet contains 10 khubz and no matter which bakery manufactures it, they are allowed to sell a packet only for 1 riyal. The government authorities that control food pricing are extremely strict about this.

I believe this is the policy for most countries of the GCC. This is to ensure that nobody in the country goes hungry.

Even if people have other financial issues, he/she would have 1 riyal to spare at any given point of time. So they would never not have food to eat. And I personally think that this is a beautiful gesture!

Al Bundy FIRST TIME REACTION to Al Bundy’s Best Insults (British Reaction)

Hopefully you enjoy our style of reactions, including todays video: Al Bundy FIRST TIME REACTION to Al Bundy’s Best Insults (British Reaction)

Why do people make a big deal with flying first class? Is it really that important?

Flying first class is a way of traveling that offers many advantages and privileges, but also comes with a high price. Flying first class means enjoying a superior level of comfort, service, and convenience compared to other classes of travel. Some of the benefits of flying first class are:

• A larger and more comfortable seat that may recline fully or turn into a bed, depending on the airline and the route.
• A more private and spacious cabin may have fewer seats or even individual suites, depending on the airline and the route.
• A premium menu and beverage selection that may include gourmet meals, fine wines, champagne, and cocktails, depending on the airline and the route.
• A personalized and attentive service from the flight attendants and the crew, who may address you by name and cater to your preferences and needs.
• A luxurious amenity kit that may contain high-quality products for your hygiene, comfort, and entertainment, such as skin care items, earplugs, eye masks, headphones, etc., depending on the airline and the route.
• Priority access to various airport services, such as check-in, security, boarding, baggage handling, lounge access, etc., depending on the airline and the route.

These benefits can make flying first class a very enjoyable and relaxing experience, especially for long-haul flights or frequent travelers.

So flying first class is a personal choice that depends on your budget, preferences, goals, values, etc. Some people may find it worth it to fly first class for the benefits and advantages it offers, while others may not find it worth it due to its high cost.

Star Trek Next Generation – Sentient Starship

I might have already included this clip in an earlier post. If so, then please ignore.

What’s an unexpectedly high-paying job?

I once asked a recruiter what are the most in demand jobs.

Engineering and welding.

“We can’t find enough engineers and welders.”

Average salary is 100k US for engineering. 50k for welders.

…

I’ve found sales, particularly software and advertising sales to be unexpectedly high.

I’ve worked in digital advertising and software sales.

I’ve averaged over $150k most years.

…

My more specialized technical SaaS (software as a service) friends do $200-$400k. Some much higher.

At these higher salaries though, the pressure gets intense.

High quotas, lots of travel, bottom 25% of performers get cut.

Generally speaking, if someone is paying you above average money, they expect above average effort. And results.

it’s all about ROI.

This means that the job is priority #1. Ahead of vacation, family etc.

Not always, but usually.

You have to be mentally prepared.

Fewer people can do this. Or are willing to.

Which is why it pays more.

American Rapper FIRST time EVER hearing OLIVER ANTHONY – Rich Men North Of Richmond

8 Parents Revealed Why They Home-Schooled Their Children

July 27, 2023

1. My number one reason was I wanted my kids to like learning. And they do, they love both reading and math. But it ended up being so much more. We have a lot more bonding time as a family, and my kids are best friends. They have more time to spend with their friends, and they have friends of all ages, from all around our city, not just the kids their age, in their neighborhood. They have lots of time to pursue multiple hobbies and interests. We as a family aren’t tied to a school schedule.

2. Our homeschool journey started because of food allergies. As we began to research our options we were flooded with reasons to homeschool that really resonated with us.

1. Safety- pandemic, a growing anti-vax movement and violence (bullying, shootings,etc)
2. We wanted our girls to get accurate and useful information regarding sex education. Not just the abstinence nonsense that is taught in schools. When our girls eventually go down that path, we want to make sure they know how to protect themselves as well as how to advocate for themselves and what they want.
3. We want to make sure that our girls are being taught accurate, truthful and fully represented history. I’m not interested in my kids learning a conservative, white-washed version of history.
4. My kids are only kids once and I genuinely enjoy spending time with them. Homeschooling lets us do that.
5. Flexibility. We’re able to do extracurricular activities such as gymnastics during the day while public school is in session. This usually means better instructor to kid ratios. Also, it means more time to spend as a family in the evening once my husband gets off work so he doesn’t miss out on time with the kids.

Private school was never an option for us because all of the private schools in our area are religious. We don’t feel that religion has anything to do with education and shouldn’t be included during school time.

3. I personally don’t have too much of a problem with the material taught in public school (though with a lot of recent developments in some states re: religion butting it’s way in, book bans etc, I’m wary of the future) but large classes have to, by default, teach to the middle. The kids who are behind will stay behind, and the kids ahead will get bored and disruptive. There’s also incredible stigmatization of kids held back OR skipped forward, even if they need it, so it rarely, if ever, happens. The way I see it, public schools prioritize putting kids in boxes and keeping them there, regardless of their needs academically or developmentally (it’s really not developmentally appropriate for young kids to sit in one place for hours at a time). I don’t blame them, though, because you kind of have to exercise a lot of control if you are the sole adult in charge of 20+ young children all day.

We looked at a lot of private schools in the area and none of them met our needs. We want our kids to have a low pressure academic atmosphere where they are allowed to act like young kids, and where there are enough teachers to meet kids where they’re at. That’s just not offered around here in a school we can drive to and afford right now.

4. Ultimately, I don’t believe that the material taught or the way it is taught will be of any benefit to my children in their future and may even be detrimental.

5. There’s a lot of reasons..

Like you, I don’t think what is taught in schools is quality information and nothing applicable to life skills.

I also don’t like the idea of my kids sitting in a chair 7 hours a day.

I think kids should be around a lot of different people and different age groups. I don’t see that there’s a lot to gain by being with the same group of kids the same age for 12 years.

I don’t like the political climate of our nation and I don’t like that it’s so apparent in schools. Our children’s education isn’t a game and shouldn’t be messed with the way it is.

I am fine with people having differing opinions than me, and I also don’t want to shelter my kids from different opinions and ideas but I also don’t trust a bunch of strangers having such a big part of my kids lives.

I genuinely love my kids, enjoying being around them and hate the thought of them being gone 40+ hours a week starting at age 5.

We homeschool now. As our kids are reaching middle school levels, we have discussed possibly putting them into private school. Financially, it’s definitely doable for us. Right now, we like homeschool, our kids like it and are thriving. Private school is always an option for us if thats what we decide. There is one we’ve toured and really like near us that will be what we choose if that’s the path we go down.

6. We decided to homeschool after we already had three kids in public school. I watched their love of school, turn into dread. The younger kids, no longer felt safe. They were coming home crying because of their peers or confused over classroom assignments. I watched my older kid turn into robot mode to please the system with A’s.

After my oldest graduated high school, we pulled the younger kids and decided to homeschool. We love the freedom of homeschool. Being able to tackle assignments in a way that benefits each child. Going to zoo’s, museums, and state parks anytime we want too. Learning about any thing we want, just because we want too. I can tailor their education to the career fields that they are interested in. We can enjoy play groups other extracurricular activities at our own pace.

Ultimately, learning is a life long process and I wanted them to have a good foundation. Classroom learning is a small percentage compared to the rest of their lives. I considered their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental and occupational well-being when we decided to homeschool.

7. I like homeschooling and the freedom that comes with it. I like that my kids can spend time outside, playing, reading, and I like that we can choose a curriculum that they enjoy and that works for them. My kids are young and I don’t like the idea of them being in public school for 8 hours day. They can sleep late if they need to, and can take days off when they’re struggling. The public schools in my area are overcrowded and there is so much crime; schools are frequently on lockdown due to crime in the surround area or because of threats made.

We actually homeschool through a public charter. So the charter school provides funds for students that we use to purchase curriculum and that is used towards extracurriculars. We use the charter funds for piano lessons, gymnastics, and a learning co-op that meets weekly. Private schools in our area are expensive and also overcrowded.

8. Our catalyst for homeschooling was originally the pandemic and some academic trauma and bullying that came before that. We continued for many reasons but mainly because one of my kids especially needs lots of time to work through struggle and build confidence. If he were in public school his anxiety would be unmanageable and he wouldn’t be thriving as he is. It also fits our lifestyle and gives us flexibility to live the way we want and not be ruled by a societal schedule.

My favorite reason for homeschooling though is that learning and growing becomes an ongoing, long-form conversation. It’s stream-of-consciousness across the years where we reach back, make connections, and are continually building on the day before in an organic, developmentally appropriate way that revolves around hand-picked curricula and materials we believe in. I as their teacher can see where they are compared to where they have been and I can be a better steward of their progress. Pair all this with the ability to do year-round school, friends of all ages and walks of life, field trips around our town or country to learn about their world first hand, 4H and other clubs, and their being involved in a few different family businesses, often working events with adults, and living on and working a farm, and we’ve got invaluable real life living year round. After doing it this way school seems even more artificial and not the right path for us.

Why do Indians not acknowledge that China is better?

China and India began in 1982 on the same level

Today China is at 19 Trillion

India is at 3.5 Trillion

Do you really care if Indians don’t acknowledge that China is better?

Its just SOUR GRAPES

It’s embarrassing enough actually

It’s why Indians who badmouth China are not debate worthy.

Tomorrow if Kambli keeps saying how better he was to Sachin, would Sachin bother to reassure everyone he is better

He may pity Kambli and smile

Sachin will take Lara, Ponting or Steve Waugh or one of those guys seriously and counter any potential allegations

Chinas main adversary is US

Like I told our friend MJ – India today is Small Potatoes, however painful it sounds to hear

John Bolton escalation. Removing Imran Khan w/ Jeffrey Sachs

The United States is in the process of “regime Changing” Pakistan. Great discussion. This is REALLY good.

Blackberry Cobbler

Yield: 10 to 12 servings; 1 1/2 cups sauce

Ingredients

Cobbler

• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup crushed blackberries

Instructions

Cobbler

1. Sprinkle berries with 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
2. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. Add milk, mixing well. Roll two-thirds of the dough to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
5. Place in lightly greased 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish.
6. Pour berries into pastry-lined dish.
7. Roll out remaining dough and add top crust.
8. Pour boiling water over crust.
9. Combine cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar; sprinkle over cobbler.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Spoon cobbler into serving dishes and top with sauce.

Sauce

1. Mix cornstarch with water until smooth.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan; add sugar, berries and cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens.

Oldest Stilted Village in Europe Found Underwater Behind Defensive Spikes

A team of underwater excavators diving in Lake Ohrid, between Macedonia and Albania, have discovered an ancient stilted village protected by 100,000 defensive wooden spikes. Built around 8,000-years-ago, this is potentially the oldest stilted village ever discovered in Europe.

Lake Ohrid is situated in the mountainous border of North Macedonia and Albania and its depths hold remarkable archaeological significance spanning over 8 millennia. Now, scientists have uncovered what they think might be one of “Europe’s earliest sedentary communities,” and it was heavily defended.

The Oldest Lakeside Community In Europe

A report on PHYS.org explains the team of archaeologists believe the Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid was the location of a settlement of stilt houses. It is estimated that between 200 to 500 people inhabited the settlement at any given time, and that it was built between 6,000 and 5,800 BC. If this dating is accurate, then the site represents the oldest lakeside village ever discovered in Europe.

Professor Albert Hafner , an archaeologist from Switzerland’s University of Bern , told AFP that his team of Swiss and Albanian archaeologists spent the past four years excavating at Lin, on the Albanian side of Lake Ohrid. He said the village is “several hundred years older than previously known lake-dwelling sites in the Mediterranean and Alpine regions.” In conclusion, Hafner said this suggests the site is “the oldest” of its type in Europe.

A Heavily Defended Archaeological Treasure Trove

According to Professor Ilir Gjepali, an Albanian archaeologist, the team found “seeds, plants, and bones of both wild and domesticated animals.” This leads the researchers to speculate that the villagers survived on fishing, agriculture and rearing domesticated livestock.

At the submerged settlement, the underwater archaeologists also identified fossilized fragments of wood, including “prized pieces of oak.” Albanian archaeologist, Adrian Anastasi, counted tree rings and derived valuable new insights about the climatic and environmental conditions during that period.

The divers also discovered evidence that the settlement was fortified with around “100,000 defensive wooden spikes” that were driven into the bottom of the lake. Hafner said this discovery alone was “a real treasure trove for research.”

Putting The Stilted Village Into Context

Until this discovery upset the apple cart, one of the oldest known stilted villages in Europe, and the world, was the ” Stilt House Settlement on the Lake of Zurich ,” in Switzerland. Built during the Late Bronze Age, around 1100-800 BC, this prehistoric village consists of houses built on stilts over the water. And in Scotland, the Oakbank Crannog in Loch Tay was one of the oldest known stilted houses ever discovered, dating back to around 4000 years ago, during the Bronze Age.

Until this recent discovery on Lake Ohrid, the oldest stilted settlement known to archaeologists was the “Sankt Peter am Wallersee” site in Austria. Dating back to around 3943-3668 BC, during the Neolithic period, the houses in this ancient village were all built on wooden stilts over the water.

Why Water Worlds Were Preferred

Whether in Albania, Austria, Scotland or elsewhere in Europe, stilted settlements provided insights into early agrarian societies’ ways of life, architecture, and resource utilization. But what were the key motivators that inspired ancient cultures in Europe to build stilted settlements?

Primarily, they were designed for flood avoidance in areas prone to deluge, but right beside this primary motivator comes defence. Locating settlements over water made them more difficult to attack, because the watery surroundings acted as a natural moat making it harder for outsiders to access the settlement, enhancing the security of the inhabitants.

Bodies of water also provided a ready source of fish and aquatic plants for sustenance, and living on water enabled easier movement of people and goods. However, perhaps the primary reason people constructed stilted settlements was to enhance perceived status and prestige, because building over water held deep cultural and social significance, symbolizing the higher status of the community leaders.

What’s been the most mind-blowing example of incompetence ever displayed by one of your coworkers?

Originally Answered: What’s been the most mind blowing example of incompetence ever displayed by one of your coworkers?

A laboratory, many, many years ago, needed some very accurate weights for precision weighing materials, so they ordered the very best set, at that time I think they were Class A, traceable to NBS (National Bureau of Standards, Now NIST, I believe). They were VERY expensive and apparently only produced to order. They waited and waited for delivery and finally called to see what was the hold-up. They were told the set (there were many little weights in the set) had been sent a while back, so they checked with Receiving. Receiving said,”Yes, we have them and we just finished processing them. Will bring them to you right now.” The nice wooden box had the property number on it, as prescribed by the receiving department, and when they opened the box, each of those precision weights had a neat small hole drilled through the stem of the weight, with a property tag affixed! Every. Single. one. of. them.

For those unfamiliar with these types of weights, they can be made to very precise weights and are picked up with ivory tipped tongs which are under the plastic shield in front. Drilling a hole in them utterly destroys their value as weights. Completely! The whole, very expensive set, was destroyed.

What’s Happening in Niger and Why?

Karl Sanchez

Aug 6, 2023

The map shows you where Niger and its capital Niamey are. Note its proximity to two of the nations that have voiced support for the coup, Mali and Burkina Faso. Niger is a majority Muslim nation that was still very much under the boot of its Colonial Master France, which is the primary reason for the coup. This al-Mayadeen article from the 4th is packed with info:

Under colonial rule, the people of Niger capitulated in front of French supremacy as a prerequisite for survival. 

The country subsequently encountered famines, which prompted the colonial government to introduce food security measures in 1913, 1920, and 1931. A puppet sultan was also installed, which led to marginalization and a notable decline in the North of the colony. French gross exploitation was also characterized by exporting Niger’s own indigenous agricultural products in outlying areas to local and international markets to benefit the French Crown. These harrowing realities are precisely why Niger continues to lag behind most of its contemporaries on the continent, let alone the world. 

Fast forward to 2023, then instability in Niamey is being followed up with renewed calls from Paris to militarily intervene and sow chaos. Calls to push back against the coup were the loudest from France with the Military Council stating clearly that the former colonial power is plotting to intervene to restore President Mohamed Bazoum’s rule. Bazoum’s ousted government and its former Foreign Minister, Hassoumi Massoudou, also signed an authorization document, allowing the French to attack the presidential palace. Last week, the junta stated that the ousted government was authorizing France to conduct a military operation to restore the Bazoum government. This is despite the fact that neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso issued a joint statement that any military intervention into Niger to restore Bazoum will constitute an act of war. 

Even if the veracity of the Junta’s claims is considered questionable, pro-Russia and anti-France slogans from the public after the coup demonstrates that the social contract that France is seeking to erode is clearly in favor of the coup. According to a businessman based in the central city of Zinder, France is not wanted in Niger given that it exploited the country’s uranium deposits, petrol, and gold reserves. Many in the public also hold France accountable for the Nigerien public not being able to afford basic necessities. This sentiment has been echoed previously by populist, right-wing Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni who accused France of ensuring that Niger languishes in poverty. 

Niger hosts a French military base and is home to one of the largest uranium deposits in the world. It is also the world’s seventh largest producer of uranium with a quarter of exports going to Europe and France being a major recipient. Yet despite this, its economy has teetered. Agriculture amounts to 40% of its GDP and more than 10 million people or an astonishing 41.8% of its population live below the poverty line in 2021. Furthermore, out of 24.4 million people, two in every five live in extreme poverty or less than $2.15 a day. 

It is clear that Niger has not witnessed the trickle-down effect of uranium exports to France and Paris with its penchant for intervening in Niger’s affairs will seek to continue its vicious cycle of exploitation. Based on France’s statements and evidence provided by the Military Council, Macron has no intention to initiate dialogue to settle the dispute or come up with a sustainable peace framework to mitigate tensions. Similar to the American approach in Libya, France has opted to lend unconditional support to one side of the crisis while mounting pressure on the military government. This approach in a continent that has a history of colonialism has only led to a proliferation of terrorism, a breakdown in social systems, widespread poverty, and devastation. 

Unsurprisingly, Niger halted gold and uranium exports to France while the national anthem as a symbol of colonialism was also discarded prior to the coup. The sentiment of the Nigerien people runs deep and praise for countries that adopt an anti-interventionist stance, such as Russia, is not without basis. [My Emphasis]

The stats provided underscore the level of exploitation exercised by France as it’s clearly done nothing to upgrade the quality of life for the vast majority of Nigerens. Niger isn’t the only African nation that’s rebelling; rather, it’s merely joining the trend which is why Mali and Burkina Faso both support Niger’s efforts. The main tool employed by France was known as the African Franc Zone, otherwise known as the CFA Franc. Its history is not well known to most but knowing it is mandatory to gain an understanding of why former French Colonies are in such bad shape while those that fought to break free completely—Algeria being the example—are doing so much better. This excellent analysis from 2020 enlightens us on the CFA Franc and much more beyond this excerpt:

The CFA franc system has, since its origins, rested on four pillars. The first is the fixed parity between the CFA franc and the French currency (the French franc and, from 1999, the euro). Next is the freedom of transfer of capital and income within the franc zone. Third is the guaranteed convertibility of the CFA franc at a fixed rate, namely the French Treasury’s promise to lend the BCEAO and the BEAC the desired volumes of French currency when they no longer have enough foreign reserves.

But as a counterpart to this “guarantee”, France is itself represented in the BCEAO and BEAC bodies – their boards, monetary policy committees and control organs – with a statutory right of veto that has become implicit over time.

The other counterpart is that these two central banks are compelled to deposit part of their exchange reserves with the French Treasury. In the wake of independence, the obligatory deposit quota stood at 100%, before it was reduced to 65% in 1973 and then 50% in 2005.

This, indeed, is the fourth principle: the centralisation of their exchange reserves in the hands of the French Treasury. This implies that the French Treasury is, effectively, the bureau de change of the countries that use the CFA franc. All conversion operations from the CFA franc into other currencies have to pass via the French Treasury. It is worth underlining, moreover, that the Banque de France holds 85% of the BCEAO’s monetary gold stock.

If France has been committed to maintaining the franc zone for over 70 years, that is because it benefits from it. This was explicitly recognised in a 1970 report by the French Socio-Economic Council which listed the “incontestable advantages for France”. First, France could pay its imports from franc zone countries in its own currency. This allowed it to save on foreign currency and keep up its own exchange rate. This has been important in a world where the dollar is the main currency for international trade and the French franc weak and unstable.

French companies operating in the zone moreover benefit from large – and stable – outlets for trade. Added to this, the French economy benefits from a trade surplus with regard to the franc zone countries, which also provide it a far from negligible amount of exchange reserves which have sometimes been used to pay France’s debts. French companies also have the guaranteed freedom to repatriate their revenue and capitals without any foreign exchange risk, thanks to the free-transfer policy and the fact that France decides the zone’s exchange and monetary policy.

Lastly, thanks to the CFA franc France enjoys a system of political control serving its own economic interests. This also costs France nothing, since its supposed convertibility “guarantee” has rarely been put into effect. Indeed, the French Treasury has often offered negative interest rates (in real terms) for African exchange reserves, meaning that the BCEAO and the BEAC have been losing money – it is as if they paid the French Treasury to keep their foreign reserves. And on the few occasions that African countries have had foreign-payments problems, France has appealed for IMF intervention or joined with the IMF to demand a currency devaluation, as in 1994.

The CFA franc’s benefits aren’t just for France, however – they extend to importers and to the African upper classes, whose appetite for imported luxuries explains their preference for an overvalued exchange rate. For African political leaders, the CFA franc is a mechanism to facilitate the transfer of financial resources, no matter how they were acquired. And, as long as they stay quiet on the issue, they have the backing of the French government against political dissidents and their own people in times of trouble. This is especially the case in Central African countries, most of whose presidents have been in power for more than three decades. [My Emphasis]

If that sounds close to the Washington Consensus, it’s because it’s very similar in design and outcomes. This one last citation contains two links whose importance ought to be self-explanatory:

Indeed, French elites are still unable to think about their own country’s future, except in terms of the continued subjection of Africa. Even back in 1957, the future Socialist president François Mitterrand opined that “Without Africa, France will have no history in the 21st century.” This outlook has continued to guide French foreign policy: as recently as 2013, the French Senate expressed the same convictions in a report entitled “Africa is Our Future”.

And thus the outburst by Macron aimed at Russia earlier this year in February accusing Russia of “neocolonial political involvement” in Africa, specifically French Africa. Here’s how RT reported Lavrov’s retort:

French allegations that Moscow is pursuing a neocolonialist policy in Africa turn reality upside down, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, adding that they are part of the Western proxy war against Russia….

In recent months, Burkina Faso, Mali, and the Central African Republic have shown France’s military forces the door. The Central African Republic invited Russia’s Wagner Group to help with its sectarian conflict. The government in Bangui has said that Russia “saved” the country.

Lavrov called the French allegations “an attempt to demonize Russia” – claims that require no comment, he added. [Emphasis Original]

France’s desperation to continue to continue its exploitation of its former African colonies includes assassination of nationalist leaders and overthrowing governments, often employing the Anti-Communist Crusade as cover for its actions. But that ruse is no longer valid and thus more blatant actions are contrived, like introducing NATO’s Terrorist Foreign Legion into the region thus making it possible to force governments to ask for help in combating the imported terrorists.

And of course, the goal isn’t to eliminate the terrorists as their goal is to be present there to react in France’s interest as in Niger’s case currently. And that’s why the big accusation with Wagner being hired since Wagner will eliminate the terrorists.

Given the history presented above and its expansion at the links provided, France is THE Problem and its tentacles attached to Africa need to be severed and the French will need to learn how to live within their means. And it can be said that Latin America’s condition is due to a similar sort of comprador control exerted by former colonial masters and the Outlaw US Empire. The prognosis isn’t good when we look at Syria when it comes to ousting illegal occupying forces.

Nigeria is the most powerful regional nation but it’s also compromised in this case. The triumvirate of leaders in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso form a very strong nationalist core, and it’s likely many of the region’s people will back them. On the other side, France will try to continue its grip for as long as it can as it’s in dire condition otherwise.

The outlaw US Empire’s presence is due to the importation of NATO’s Terrorist Foreign Legion and is unlikely to be peacefully ejected. The consensus prior to the Russia-Africa Summit and the Niger coup was Africa’s future would be greatly helped by China, Russia, African, and West Asian development involvement, while it must break free from forms of Neocolonial bondage. So, how Niger progresses will be an important marker.

What’s the best random piece of advice you would give someone?

I was sitting at a stop sign, needing to turn left. This is in the U.S., which means making a left turn takes you across a lane of traffic.

This was at a particularly busy intersection, and the crossing traffic didn’t have a stop sign. Any time there would be a break in traffic from the left, there would be a line of cars coming from the right and vice versa.

I had only been sitting there for no longer than 2 minutes, but 2 minutes in traffic has a way of feeling like an eternity to me.

But I finally I saw my chance.

The car coming from the left had its blinker on, indicating he going to turn onto the street I was on. That would slow the left side traffic enough for me to be clear that way. Traffic was in sight coming from the right but if I stepped on it, I could safely make the turn without cutting them off.

I knew if I didn’t go right then, I was likely to sit there a while longer.

I took my foot off the brakes, and just as I was about to start accelerating, I got a bad feeling and hesitated.

That moment of hesitation ended up saving me from an accident.

The car with the blinker on either had it on by mistake or changed their mind about turning. If I would have pulled out when I thought I was clear, it most certainly would have lead to a collision.

---

Practice patience in everything you do.

Learn to listen to your gut instincts.

Never assume you know what someone’s intentions are.

And never, EVER, trust a blinker.

What is the most epic computer glitch you have ever seen?

It was the day my bank account balance was instantly multiplied by 200 and the bank started treating me like royalty. I didn’t win the lottery though; it was a computer glitch, and let me tell you about it.

On Jan 1, 1999, the Euro currency was introduced across 19 European countries, replacing each country’s own currency. There was a different exchange rate for each currency. In the case of my country, 1 Euro was worth 200 Portuguese Escudos (PTE).

On New Year’s Eve I had 1,500,000 PTE in my cashing account (around US$8,000 adjusted for 2017), but my daily average throughout the year had been higher. So I was supposed to wake up on New Year’s with my account displaying the equivalent amount in Euro: 7,500.

Instead I woke up to year 2000 with the same absolute figure as before: 1,500,000 but now in Euro!!!, meaning exactly 200 times my previous balance! (That’s $1.6 million adjusted for 2017.) And my daily average throughout the previous year showed up as even higher!!!

I suppose that, if you keep that much idling in a cashing account all year-long like it seemed I did, the bank will notice and assume you are wealthy, very wealthy.

That’s why, on Jan. 6, I received a letter in the mail, handsigned by the CEO of the bank himself, inviting me to a private opera gala, tuxedo-only, the following weekend.

I knew the money was a keep-your-hands-off dream, but this gala was too good to pass on. So I RSVP’d and asked for additional tickets for colleagues and friends.

Sure enough, I got a phone call from the CEO’s secretary, all too obliging to provide for free as many tickets as I’d want.

The opera performance was not that great, but the caviar and the champagne were.

Very soon after, the balance in my account was corrected, and I never heard from the CEO again. How rude!

The REAL HARD TRUTH behind Hong Kong riots 2019

This is a must read for all Chinese and non-chinese alike. I am suprised that till now, no one has come with this analysis and connecting the dots.

The main aim of CIA was to defame the “One country two systems”. And ruin chances of peaceful reunification with Taiwan.

We all know what happened in 2019, massive protests followed by months of endless riots crushing city’s infrastructure. Waves of people with black masks with “Free Hong Kong, Revolution of our times” and an American flag.

Unless you have room temperature IQ, the entire damn thing was sponsered by US and other western countries, but primarily CIA. But why?

Well, CIA achieved ALL its objectives through these riots that it needed to.

First, why did CIA even sponser these riots? The answer lies in Taiwan.

China took Hong Kong back peaceful without using military force. At the time of handover, a vast majority of HKers identified as Chinese and wanted unification. China followed the “One country, two systems” (1C2S) policy and allowed HK to remain autonomous. It gave HK democracy, something which UK never did. After HK handover, more and more HKers started identifying as Chinese and HK economy grew at a stable 3–4% annually, making HK a huge beneficiary of China’s growth. Now here comes the catch.

China wants a “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan too. Given the success of 1C2S, it was widely believed that as Taiwanese integrated more, Taiwan would ultimately also strike a deal similar to Hong Kong and become a part of a superpower. Taiwanese companies benefited from China and would drive the wheel of reunification. BUT…as china grew and grew and grew, US became worried. Given Taiwan’s strategic location, US can NOT afford to give it to the Chinese, disregarding any sentiment of reunification. If china reunifies peacefully, it would be a disaster for USA. Just like how Easy Germany and West Germany were kept separated by force from the Soviet union despite both people wanting reunification, and when the berlin wall fell, the Soviet Union, which had forced separation, also fell. Today, that Soviet Union is the US, keeping Taiwan separated from China with force, be it in 1950 or 1958 or 1997 or today. If china reunifies by the will of people, US empire may also fall like USSR. With time, more and more Taiwanese were no longer pro independence, but pro unification, until 2018.

Now See this:

RIGHT before HK protests, Pro Independence was at an all time low, with pro unification at an all time high. Despite the US Trade war, most Taiwanese were leaning towards unifying.

So, our angel CIA was struck. It knew of it did nothing this would grow, DPP with its pathetic management of economy would lose, pro business KMT would come back and reunification might happen so that Taiwan can use military funds in RnD to retain tech edge. CIA knew it had lost the economy war. It turned to ideological one. With chinas economy and military growing, it would seriously hard US hegemony. US needed a Porcupine, a cannon fodder to stop, at least slow, china down.

Hijacking Hong Kong

When the HK protests kicked off, they were hijacked soon. The US, after its “PIVOT TO ASIA” had to contain china. If you see, most NED funds to HK were post 2011, when the pivot was announced. The US was building spy networks in HK. At the same time, CIA pushed hard to stop trade toes with “sunflower movement” in Taiwan. As well as sponsoring ETIM terror attacks in china. When the protests kicked of “extradition law” it was really stupid, as a person whose tried in HK could not be tried in china. He could only be extradited cross-border if he tries to run away. MIND YOU, HK had extradition treaties with many western countries too, no crying for hooman roughts then? Huh?

With western propaganda in full force, the likes of which not seen since the Iraq invasion, was enacted. Mainstream media said people with riot shields better than police and with black gas masks and students destroying everything in the city was “peaceful protest”.

The peak of propaganda was when these rioters were called “Pro democracy” and those not supporting these acts called “Pro Beijing”. By this labeling, western propaganda was implying that if you were supporting democracy you can’t support china. And if you were supporting china you were against democracy. Wow. The classic Marvel and DC comics theme. When in reality china gave HK democracy, was supported Universal Sufferage.

These bastards cry about “Police brutality” when in reality HK police did not kill a single person during the enitre damn thing. US police killed 4 during the brief Capitol riots which lasted 4 hours. Using tear gas is brutal? Bitch, you destroyed the entire fuckin city. Every police of every country uses tear gas when you do shit. If you aren’t happy, go to UK and do this shit, and you’ll end up where the IRA ended up.

HK was also a way to recruit spies. After 30 CIA spies were crushed by MSS, the CIA network in china was seriously in peril. By showing HKers as peaceful innocent people being a last becon of democracy being suppressed by a communist dictatorship, it hoped to subvert many MSS agents as well as within the PLA and China itself. By constantly lying with its media, the pro American Chinese might have started working for CIA. This was proven by the fact that the CIA director recently claimed that he had “strong human networks in china”.

The west OPENLY supported acts of violence. Calling the attack on HK assembly as “a beautiful sight to behold” shows the sheer hypocrisy and extent to which US undermines Chinese sovereignty. Apps were made to communicate and sponser riots. Western “journalists” helped them. HK went into total shutdown. It’s people facing unemployment, blamed china for it. Brain drain, thousands of HKers who contributed to China’s economy, being fallen into western propaganda, left and got different citizenships. HK lost itself as a financial centre. US divided HK. As they say in my India, “divide and rule”. US got so damn pissed when Russia “allegedly” interfered in 2016 elections and retaliated hard. The same US did this to HK.

Media also played “china broke its promise, destroyed 1C2S, china untrustworthy, don’t trust china or else this will happen”. And it worked. Repeat a lie a thousand times through a thousand sources and it works majic. People, especially Taiwanese, were convinced china is untrustworthy. The Pro independence people shot up rapidly, leading DPP and Tsia to divert attention from domestic issues and win elections.

In reality, china did NOT break a single promise or article or anything of 1C2S. It didn’t even enact the full 1C2S (no Security Law before that). This entire media talk of China 1C2S breaking was entirely false. Which article did china break? Which promise did china break? Provide proof! Not cheap lies. China did not affect HKs autonomy.

But, the effect was heard. The propaganda war succeeded. CIA undermined HK and destroyed a major hub of Chinese investments thus hurting China’s economy and creating trouble for china in HK, but also completely ended any changes of peaceful reunification. If china had to reunite, it had to with war.

That brings us to Aim2:

Make Taiwan a trap for china and crush china in Taiwan, thereby china doesn’t become a superpower.

Just like how Russia has been crushed in Ukraine, US wants to crush China in Taiwan. Making Taiwan independence group strong this hurting China’s core interest, all the while arming Taiwan to the teeth.

Make no mistake, the invasion of Taiwan would be an extremely costly one. China would totally lose the PR battle, as we saw with people putting Ukraine flag in their DPs. Transport and logistics would be nightmare, and US would love to crush china here.

T hats why, despite Taiwan being so heavily armed, US media claims “Taiwan needs more weapons”. It’s all a distraction, to attract more weapon sales and arm it like a Porcupine.

Finland was always Russia’s biggest threat, as being a Porcupine, if it sided with the west, there was nothing Russia could do about it. Finland did that by joining NATO, and Russia watched helplessly. If Taiwan becomes a Porcupine, and China is engaged in war somewhere else, Taiwan would declare independence and there would absolutely nothing china could do about it. Taiwan would slip, and that’s what US wants.

I f Taiwan slips, CCP would fall. It will lose the support of people, and China would become like Syria, a return to 1850s.

Even if china wins, the US wants the victory to be a costly one. US would likely sponsor a “Taiwan govt in exile” and support insurgency. It would want Chinas resources to be struck in Taiwan so it can dominate Asia and the world.

Taiwan is a cannon fodder and US is playing it perfectly.

8 Guys Who Dated Models Reveal What Their Experiences Were Like

August 14, 2023

1. I dated a fitness instagram model type with 200k followers. Nice girl, but everything was about social media, constantly taking pics and checking her phone

Lots of weird problems around food, couldnt just relax. It was tough so I stopped seeing her.

2. I dated an ex model for about 6 months. There’s no way I would have approached her, instead she gave me her number. She later told me guys never make a move, I guess because they would feel intimidated.

The only thing that really differed from dating someone less attractive (that is less attractive than model caliber) was the number of guys who would double take/stare at her in public. It sometimes seemed like everyone was doing it. She said she was used to it and it began around the time she turned 13!

She had some problems which ultimately ruined the relationship. She asked me to propose to her a month in and she was clearly a hypochondriac. When I broke it off she claimed she was pregnant. Fun times.

3. She could silence an Italian restaurant by waking in, but was a dead fish in bed, had a personality like an oak tree, pretty much parroted Facebook opinions, and was anti anything fun. It was a good month, but I had to walk away

4. My girlfriend is a former model. She used to travel all over the world working shows everywhere. Eventually she transitioned to her own label which she sold off.

I’m not the best looking of guys. I don’t really understand how it was that we got together. I did stop to help her when her car broke down, she invited me to a friends of hers braai (BBQ) and then to her bed.

We have had our ups and downs. Both of us had a tough time with jealousy and suspicion of each other – both of us have been cheated on in the past. I see the way that others – both male and female – look at her, and sometimes flirt with her. I know now that nothing will come of any of it. We have both helped each other mature and grow into the beautiful, annoying couple that we are today.

5. I dated what I consider a 10 last year. Everything was great on paper and we made a good looking couple. That gets old fast though, you stop noticing or caring because it simply isn’t important to your overall happiness unless you’ve got some problems. I understood after a few months how people married to gorgeous celebrities end up cheating or breaking things off. She didn’t want to put as much work into the relationship, presumably after a lifetime of being pursued by men where she didn’t have to. In bed it was a mixed bag as well, very low effort on her behalf and not really meeting me in the middle. She also spent an ungodly amount of money on clothes/makeup.

So while it was cool to be admired by other guys for a bit, ultimately it didn’t work out. She was shocked when I broke things off but not in a good way, almost as if she thought she deserved to be the one doing it.

6. She gets hit on constantly, free drinks on nights out, even if Im standing right there.

Guys always stare just walking down the road. She often dresses intentionally like a slob if we are going for a quick shopping trip or something, just so she doesn’t get as many looks.

When she wants to look good though she is a perfectionists. Takes 3 or 4 hours to get ready sometimes. Different makeup, hair styles to go with different outfits.

Some days she feels unattractive even though she just isn’t and I cant see the difference.

My outfit apparently never goes together so she will pick out one that does.

7. Use to date a instagram model. She was blue ticked and had over 500k followers

Honestly, she was a nightmare. Biggest attention seeker i ever met, wanted to post me to her IG after literally a month of dating..

Safe to say it didnt last long before i ended things

8. I briefly dated a model, she was gorgeous and I’m a very average guy so this was strange for me.

We went to dinner one night and the manager was hitting on her, telling her how he could buy her things, she ended up kicking me under the table to get him to leave.

Others were a guy at the train station trying to hit on her so she kind of just leaned against me, we left. She was actually great, very humble, she moved away but if she hadn’t I’d of been all in.

Talked about trying to be in the same place in the future but it just wasn’t realistic.

What one policy must India learn from China?

The Property Laws

In China, every land is owned by China. You have only the land usage rights. Even the farmers don’t own the land they use as they only have the tilling rights. If you don’t build any property on the land provided to you, it goes back to the government. Individuals can privately own residential houses and apartments on the land, although not the land on which the buildings are situated.

It helps in avoiding a separate class of people called as landlords. It helped China create infrastructure projects really fast.

China started these reforms in the 1970s which not only made the country strong but the government as well.

Recently, Putin stated that the West wanted to break the ruble but miscalculated. Today, the exchange rate reaches 100 rubles for one dollar. What is the current narrative in Russia?

What 100 Rubles for 1 Dollar?

How many exchanges give you $1 when you pay them 100 Rubles

This 100–1 or 150–1 or 70–1 is not the same as the 147–1 in March 2022

This is entirely decided by the Russian Central Bank

That’s because there is virtually ZERO Ruble USD trade on open markets now

Rubles are exclusively used within Russia and Russians aren’t living up to vacation in Florida or London where they will need Rubles into Dollars or Euros or Pounds.

In March 2022, Almost 93% of Russia’s foreign Trade was in USD, Euro, Pound and Yen

Thus the 147–1 was alarming because it meant imports were suddenly very expensive

Today less than 18% foreign trade is in the Big four currencies and any USD trade is with China with whom Russia has forward contracts

So this 100–1 or 1000–1 even is merely a number for the West to use as Political Propaganda

Within Russia, prices remain the same or mildly inflated (4.6%) over 2 years almost

Imports are in Yuan and Lire and both are well regulated

---

So this rate is an indication of the RARITY of the Ruble rather than an indication of the value of the Ruble

Do people think the United States of America is too big for high-speed trains?

Yes, they do.

They are wrong.

As someone else pointed out, high speed rail makes a lot of sense in the most densely populated parts of the country – the east coast, the Great Lakes, Texas and California.

But China is practically the same size as the United States. Here’s their high speed network

And here’s their population density map

90% of China’s population lies on the east side of the “Hu Huangyong Line”, which was created by a geographer to show the difference in population density. Note that even in the less dense parts of the country, there are densely populated cities. Note that the high speed network goes to Lhasa, which sits at an elevation of 12,000 feet above sea level and hasn’t had rail service before this. Most of this network was built in a 12 year period.

And for a last comparison, here’s China overlaid on the continental United States

Now, the U.S. has fewer people than China, but it’s still growing. Moreover, look at this

This is the interstate highway system. It’s over 70% longer than the Chinese high speed rail system, and doesn’t include all U.S. freeways. This thing is just as expensive as a high speed rail system to build, links distant cities with modest populations, and still doesn’t have enough capacity to deal with the people who want to use parts of it.

Ignore the thick red lines for a moment and focus on the thin yellow ones. The United States still though it was a good idea to build expensive highways through areas that hardly anyone uses at peak times.

THIS Has Western Leaders TERRIFIED!

Confessions Of A Golden Gate Bridge Jumper AND Survivor

August 15, 2023 Leave a Comment

What was so bad in your life that got you to the point of jumping?

It was a number of things! I’ve struggled with debilitating pain since I was 13 and depression, anxiety, and complex PTSD since I was 15 so that’s what the suicidal ideation was but two weeks before my psychiatrist at the time doubled my antidepressants (very bad idea) which threw me into a manic episode. I ended up dropping my savings on tattoos and then jumping off the bridge in a week.

Was there any particular reason why you chose the Golden Gate bridge?

I chose the Golden Gate Bridge first because of how effective I perceived it to be. The second reason is because my family wouldn’t have to deal with my body, I assumed only the Coast Guard would (also not true) don’t do it guys.

Did you hesitate or just go for the jump?

I didn’t hesitate I was afraid someone was going to notice me.

How long did it take to hit the water?

Seconds

What was going through your mind during the fall?

I didn’t really have any fully formed thoughts. I was feeling a lot.

How did you land in the water?

The wind turned me in the air so I landed slanted primarily on my left ankle which is why the most severe damage was to my ankle and the least severe was to my back.

What happened when you hit the water?

It’s like hitting cement. Pain was pretty much all I felt. I dissociated pretty heavily until I arrived at the hospital (and went into surgery immediately) but at no point did I lose consciousness.

When was the moment you realized “oh fuck I lived”

When I hit the water for sure. I processed the pain and then thought fuck I don’t want to drown.

You must be a fantastic swimmer

Hahaha once your body hits the water though there’s no way to move at all. I did it during the middle of the day with the intention to die on impact so when I didn’t a boat just ended up picking me up.

How did the boat come across you in the water? How did they get you on the boat?

They saw me when I fell because they were nearby. I’m pretty sure they threw something and then grabbed me but I don’t remember very well. I was dissociating a lot and my memory is spotty.

Do you know how long it took from when you jumped until the boat picked you up?

I didn’t have much of a conception of time so I couldn’t say for sure but not very long. I was treading water in the bay while bleeding with broken bones so it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes

What are the odds, you are so lucky, how far did you fall and did you get injured?

Yeah there’s like a 2% survival rate? The fall is 200 some odd feet. I shattered my ankle. Tore my perineum (requiring a colostomy bag and surgery though not as much as the ankle) and got compression fractures in my back.

I can’t imagine the pain

I couldn’t either. It was like nothing you could even grasp. Though the bone infection I got from my first ankle surgery was worse than impact I think

I read an article by someone else who survived the same jump. He said the moment he jumped he regretted the decision. Did you feel the same way?

No. I felt immediate relief. That was likely one of the reasons I survived because my body was very relaxed upon impact.

(Related: 12 People Who Survived Suicide Reveal Their Last Thoughts Before Attempting To Take Their Own Lives)

Could you explain the feeling of falling 200 feet? What could you compare it to?

The actual sensation of falling is pretty much like you’d expect. Like the out of control feeling when you trip but you can’t catch yourself but all you can see around you is water coming closer.

Did you realize at any point that all of your problems were fixable?

It was more of a gradual thing. I had really severe pain before my attempt and that wasn’t going away soon so I knew my shit wasn’t that flexible but I knew I needed to learn to cope because I couldn’t do that to my family again.

Who would you have missed the most?

I would have missed my family, the earth, and my future the most.

How did your friends and loved ones react?

With compassion and love and grief.

How are you doing today?

A lot better. Still struggling with my mental health but my medication is stable so now so am I.

Do you regret jumping?

That’s kind of a hard one. I try not to regret anything that made me who I am today. I think it was probably necessary for my path to recovery. I do however regret the trauma it caused my loved ones and the fucking medical bills.

Do you have a any long term injury from the fall?

I will never be able to walk normally. My left ankle has been fused after like ten fucking surgeries. I had a colostomy bag for five months but thankfully that’s been reversed. I broke my back too so there’s been pain and I’m not sure how longterm that is. Every person I know who has attempted said their body was just so dramatically aged in the process and that was my experience is.

Do you think, knowing what you know now, that you’d ever let your metal health get to that point again or would you reach out?

At this place in my life I have the tools (therapy, meds, a good support system) to reach out when things get bad before I get unsafe. I have a hard time with the word “let” because I feel like there’s the implication that it’s within someone’s control? Or implied fault somehow? I’m responsible for my actions (as we all are) but mental illness is a hard situation. I’m not in control of how bad it gets I can only control how I respond to it if that makes sense.

If you had died on that day, what have you experienced since then that you would have missed out on?

Honestly after this I put so much time and energy into recovery and I have gotten so far. I have started going to school for nursing and am in a beautiful housing situation with my best friend. I ended falling in love with myself and the world again as corny as it sounds. My insights are meditation is really important and therapy should be accessible and available to all.

The WEST Is COLLAPSING

https://youtu.be/mCxK-q9qjvA

Let’s presuppose that North Korea fell and unification talks started. What would be the impact to a unified Korea’s economy, quality of life and so on. Surely adding 25 million people that poor will have significant impact?

I have a number of Korean friends. All of them were for unification until a couple of things happened.

1. The reunification of East Germany with Greater Germany astounded many Koreans. They believed, as did the German government, that with a small surcharge “solidarity” tax and about three years they would elevate East Germany to West Germany standards. Years later, that tax is still in place and the former East still is somewhat estranged from the rest of Germany. The problems of the East were simply too profound — social, civil, economic, psychological, etc — that many Germans now believe that there will not be complete reintegration for three generations. North Korea is in far worse shape than East Germany ever was. The estimate is that reintegration of the DPRK would be at least ten times as difficult and expensive as East Germany.
2. The people in the ROK tended to think of the DPRK like an old uncle that has been away at sea for years. Yeah, he looks a little different, but basically he is still the same guy. But when North and South Korea formed the joint Winter Olympics hockey team, South Koreans realized how far the two countries had diverged. The NorK players were not familiar with most plays because they were never allowed to watch Russian or Canadian or American teams play. They had never even heard of the names of the plays. The North Koreans had mad up some plays of their own, but they were really clumsy schoolboy efforts. And the North Koreans had made up a lot of “hockey words” for communications that were not what hockey players usually call out. Needless to say, they lose every game very badly. But it opened ROK eyes to exactly how different North Korea had become.
3. Then there is this:

Are rich people in the U.S. most likely to succeed?

Have you ever played a video game on the hardest setting? Not the one where the enemies are tougher, but the one where there are no save points and you have to start the whole game over if you die?

That’s the real difference between rich and poor kids when it comes to success. The poor are playing the game of life on this setting, while the rich have save points.

Neither rich nor poor are inherently “better at” winning than the other. For the most part, we all sat in the same classrooms, read from the same text books, listened to the same teachers. Our capacity is the same, our brains are equally developed, and we all play on the same field. The difference is the number of tries you get.

Having money in the bank is like having a save point. You still don’t want to screw up – you want to win just as much as anyone else. But you also know that you can take more risks. You can run in and try something crazy, and if it doesn’t work you just roll back to that save point so you can try something else. You can keep trying until you get it right without having to start over.

The poor don’t have that option. They don’t have the luxury of taking as many risks, because they don’t have that save point to roll back to. If they lose, they lose everything and have to start over.

That doesn’t mean the poor can never win – it just means they have to be more careful. Both rich and poor have to take risks to win, it’s just easier to be willing to take those risks when there are fewer consequences for losing.

Or another way to look at it; When I was a young guy first learning about marketing and consumer engagement, I was fortunate to be working for a large company with virtually unlimited marketing budgets. As the Internet emerged and no one had any expertise or expectations of marketing results, we spent millions of dollars just testing different things to figure out what worked and what didn’t.

When something didn’t work, we said “Oh well, that didn’t work, let’s try something else.” And we kept trying until we got it right. We could afford to be wrong.

There’s nothing stopping someone without access to budgets like that from executing a winning strategy – but if they don’t nail it the first time, how many do-overs can they afford?

That’s the difference. Money doesn’t automatically make you more successful, and it doesn’t make it “easier”. But it buys you more chances to try.

Who Lives on the Moon? The First Real Photos from the Other Side of the Moon!

Enjoy this video.

https://youtu.be/WXRuvjHq9oI

Confessions of a Cam Model SIMP

August 2, 2023 Leave a Comment

I’m 32 years old and have struggled with social anxiety since childhood. I lost both my dad and mom to cancer in 2008 and 2014, respectively. I don’t have any siblings and haven’t had friends since high school. I feel truly alone in this world and desperately crave social interaction. My routine for the past 12 years has consisted of working a dead-end retail job and spending most of my free time watching porn. Despite my low wage, I was able to save a little over $50k through extreme frugality. I bring my own lunch to work, never eat out or get take-out, and have been wearing the same clothes for over a decade. So the concept of paying for porn seemed ridiculous to me before I got involved with a camgirl.

Anyway, on to my story. I would visit cam sites sporadically in the past, but just lurked and never interacted with the girls. If the girl didn’t take her clothes off within 5 minutes, I’d bail and try to find some videos of her elsewhere. I found a lot of these girls to be very attractive, but lacking in the personality department. They were either too sexual or monotonous for my taste.

Then one night, I came across a cute girl who was new to camming. There wasn’t much tipping going on and I kind of felt bad for her. I decided to get out the credit card and load up on some tokens. I tipped her 50 tokens to perform some act and she blew me a kiss. At that point, I was hooked. Just for reference, a token costs around $0.10 for the buyer and worth $0.05 to the model.

Over the next few months, I became completely obsessed with this girl. I’ve never been a social media person, but created a Twitter and Instagram account for the sole purpose of following her. Later, I bought her premium snapchat, which was considered a “good deal” at the time. We communicated via email and she would always call me sweet, generous, and a good “friend.” In the back of my head I knew this wasn’t genuine, but I was willing to suspend my disbelief (loneliness is a helluva drug). I continued to tip her between 50 and 100 every show. I didn’t want to insult her, so I never went under 50. She had a few regulars, but none of them tipped as much me. One of them even thanked me for taking one for the team. It made me feel “special.”

As she became more popular, she would attract big tippers and I felt like I had to compete for her affection. What was once an enjoyable, albeit ephemeral experience soon became stressful.

There was one user in particular who really got on my nerves. He was a software engineer making $200k/year (or so he claimed) and would always talk about how he’d spoil this girl rotten if they were dating/married. He would out-tip everyone and use weird phrases like “Here comes the money bazooka!” If I tipped 400, he’d immediately 500. If someone else tipped 200, he’d tip 300. He once dropped 5000 tokens in a single show and the girl got super emotional. This made me insanely jealous.

The guy DM’d a few of the regulars and myself on Twitter, asking us our age, what we did for a living, and how much we made. I didn’t tell him that I was a retail worker because I figured he’d use that info to make me look bad in front of the girl. I started to hold back on my tipping in the live shows because of him. Instead, I gave the girl offline tips and bought stuff from her Amazon wishlist. I also bought some “fan package” that contained Polaroids, worn panties, and a handwritten letter. Receiving dirty panties in the mail was a low point for me and I truly felt disgusted with myself.

Over the last 9 months, I’ve tried to quit cold turkey several times. I started missing her shows and she would message me expressing concern. She would say “it wasn’t the same without you,” and like a sucker, I’d watch her next show and tip like crazy. I’d also give an offline tip to make up for not being there, which doesn’t make any sense at all.

Last week, I nuked my cam site account and all social media associated with this girl. She sent me an email on Saturday to ask if everything was okay. I told her that I could no longer watch her because it was draining me both emotionally and financially. She responded with two words: “Oh, okay.” Admittedly, I was a little angry. I spent thousands of dollars/hours on this girl and was kind of expecting more. I suppose it’s for the best. If the response had been a bit more sincere, I’d probably be obsessively checking out her Snapchat as we speak.

I’m seeing a therapist next week. I’ve never been to a therapist before and not really sure what to expect. I just hope I can leave all of this behind me.

“This Economy Is Drowning My Children!” – Alabama Mom In Viral Video

The United States is in FULL collapse.

A video recently went viral that featured a distraught Alabama woman in her car lamenting the virtual impossibility her children, recent college graduates, face in a job market and economy that seems designed to deny them the opportunity to succeed. This wasn’t always the way for middle class Americans, she says, and points the finger at the ever-increasing problem of income inequality.

What is the strangest reaction of someone who has just been fired?

A strange but very positive response.

I had a boss who taught me how he “fired” people. He would bring in the employee and say “It’s clear you’re not happy here and it just doesn’t make sense for you to stay. I’ll pay you for the next 60 days to find your next opportunity.”

It minimized stress and normally didn’t involve litigation, retaliation or other negatives.

So, years later I took on a job with an Apple dealership that was transitioning to a product company.

I had a sales guy that had been there for quite some time. When Apple computers were selling for $10k, he would have made a good living, but when the prices came down to $1-2K there just wasn’t enough margin for him to make it. He was a really nice guy and a good sales person but the world had changed.

I brought him in to my office and said “This is just not working for either of us. I don’t want people working for me that can’t make a decent living. I want my employees to be successful. There is no way that I can see you, or anyone here, selling enough computers to survive. You are an excellent salesperson and there are lots of companies that would love to hire you. I have a list of companies you should call and I’ll pay you for the next 6 weeks while you’re looking. You’ll be searching as “currently employed” versus unemployed and I’ll give you a very good recommendation.”

It is the first time, that someone I let go, shook my hand and thanked me.

Russia smacks Sweden. Missiles destroy Swedish plant in Ukraine. Sweden cries…

Sweden wants to attack Russia… just as long as it is not dragged into the war. Well, look what happened!

Why does the left in Western countries love big businesses and hate small businesses even though in communist countries small businesses were supported while big businesses were purged?

In the US, politicians have to spend at least 50% of their time raising money to fund their elections.

Time is valuable and limited. This raises the question if you are a politician: “Are you going to care more about the donor who can donate $20, or are you going to care more about the donor who can donate $500,000?”

The donor who can only donate $20 can give you one vote, but the donor who can give $500,000 not only can give his vote, but he can mobilize his friends, family and even corporations to vote for the candidate, and to donate MORE money.

So which is more important for the politician? Obviously it is the major donor.

In the US, EVERYTHING is driven by money.

In order to understand how the society works and who it works for, FOLLOW THE MONEY.

Standard of Living Collapse!

Doug Casey discusses the declining standard of living in Europe. Doug and Matt criticize the article for not mentioning the impact of government actions, such as heavy regulations and high taxes, on the collapsing standard of living. They also discuss the importance of production and saving in becoming wealthy, criticizing the focus on consumption as a measure of economic success.

Confessions of a Man Who Shot Himself In The Head And Survived

August 1, 2023

What pushed you to do it?

A lot. Losing my girlfriend, the savings account we worked at for years, the business we created. Just exacerbated my anxiety and depression.

My ex really pushed me to get help in the times where I wasn’t struggling, so I became defensive and put it off. I shouldn’t have, because it would have given me the skills to get through the times I was struggling. Therapy is a bitch. I keep learning things about myself that I’m not proud of. Things I could have managed better for years. The more I learn, the more confident I become that I can better myself.

How long did you take to decide that you were ready to end it?

I decided the night before. It took about 12 hours for me to finalize it.

Did you think about your girlfriend before you did it?

She was in the house. I yelled that I loved her. Then I said Im sorry to my mom, and that I loved her (she wasn’t in the house). But yeah. For years, she was/is constantly my first thought.

What did it feel like when you shot yourself?

Nobody prepares you for what getting shot feels like. It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t sting. It doesn’t ache. It just burns. Like fire in my head. And blood pouring from my mouth.

I think I was still in shock when I arrived at the hospital, but when they pushed the fentanyl, all that burning went away and I could recognize how much burning pain I was in.

I remember not being able to talk because my tongue hurt.

My pain the first month in the hospital got progressively worse, but high amounts of painkillers will trick you into that.

How did the shot not kill you? How did it “miss”?

I don’t fucking know. It went in by the corner of my left jaw, and came out above my forehead on the right side, taking most of the orbit of my eye with it. I fucked up.

What caliber did you use?

9mm Luger.

Maybe it wasn’t your time?

I wish. I don’t really believe in that mentality. Someone close to me said something along the lines of, “God wasn’t ready for you yet.” And my first thought was, “thousands of years of medicine research and a team of excellent doctors is the reason I’m here, but ok.”

I’ve read stories about how people who jumped off bridges (and survived) immediately regretted doing so and wanted to live more than anything as they were falling. Right after the moment, did you have regrets about doing it with a desire to live or maybe have disappointments that it didn’t work? Or maybe no feelings at all right after?

I woke up with a “what the fuck?” Mentality. I was more confused that I woke up. I didn’t really have feelings about it until a few months later when the drugs wore off.

What was the first thing your mom said to you afterwards?

I’m not sure what my mom said. I woke up post surgery and my whole family was there (they all had to fly in). I was very confused. (Now I know I was in surgery for 10 hours).

What was the road to recovery like for you?

It’s still ongoing. 2 months in the hospital/rehab, lots of follow up appointments, physical therapy, mental/emotional therapy.

Legal battles for custody and household items.

Lots of reintegration with my parents and immediate family, which has been great. It fortunately brought us all closer.

Before I did it, I can’t remember the last time my brother and I spoke on the phone even. It really shook my brother the most. I’m super grateful for his presence in my life now.

Physically, what are the long term consequences to your face and skull from shooting your self?

Physically, I lost my right eye. And I have a plate in my jaw forever. And my forehead is missing a piece of bone they took out during a bifrontal craniotomy. Beyond that, I’m pretty healthy.

Is your face messed up?

Pretty normal for a dude with one eye.

Are you dealing with chronic pain, nerve damage, headaches, etc.?

It’s alright. Headaches suck, mostly because only morphine is enough to dull them. Nerve damage is only in my jaw/tongue/cheek, which is frustrating, but I started vaping because it makes my tongue tingle, and I don’t bite it accidentally anymore.

Is she okay?

Probably not. But she won’t talk to me. I truly hope she is. Of all the negativity between us, I only hope that she’s doing well and that someday, sooner than later, we can sit down and have an honest discussion about it.

What’s something you would want to say to your ex-girlfriend?

This is something I think about all the time. Previously, I was very concerned with myself, and put myself into context when I didn’t need to. That’s something I’d change if I had an hour to sit down with her.

I’d really like her to know that I love her. To this day, nothing has changed. I’d like to have the conversation that I don’t hold anything against her, except for the fact that she knew and didn’t drag me to get help and stand by me, in ways I did for her, and leaving me in the worst of times.

I’d really like the opportunity to listen to her. I don’t know what she has to say, and I don’t need to hear anything. I wasn’t a very effective communicator during our relationship, and I’d like the opportunity to really hear her out, and share those emotions.

Do you still harbor thoughts about suicide?

They’ve mostly gone away. There are times I ponder it, but it’s more the idea of, whereas previously I was fantasizing the roadmap.

Did anything change about your personality or preferences on things as a result of the trauma? Something you would never expect that would change?

Not particularly in personality or preferences. I became a hell of a lot more forgiving and patient, which wasn’t much existent (except with my kids) before.

I think the thing that changed the most was having my emotional brain available. I wasn’t very capable of connecting with my emotions before, I genuinely thought I was broken. I really got down on myself when it came to my ex, because I couldn’t empathize with her when she experienced heightened emotions, and it put a wedge between us, or I did. Now I’m empathizing with commercials, and it’s really bizarre when I become mindful of it, even still.

Do you regret doing it?

I think a lot about regret. I don’t regret shooting myself. I regret the way I proposed to my ex. I regret the way I treated her and other people when they needed me. I regret losing sight of myself because I wanted to be someone else. I regret spending so much time looking for escape instead of looking inward. But I don’t regret shooting myself. It changed my world.

How are things going for you now?

It’s not really going better. I spent years developing a family and life. It’s going about exactly as I predicted before putting a gun to my head. But! On the other side of that, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about love, myself, and bettering myself mentally that I never could have without experiencing tragedy in my previous lifestyle.

And I get to share my story and hopefully help others, which is something I never cared much about.

China has Plenty of Countermeasures to Fight Back Against the US “Neck-hold”!

https://youtu.be/7thdVBzszcM

Why is the response so slow in Hawaii since the Americans have a huge naval base there?

I kind of understand where this question comes from.

In some countries, one of the functions of the military is to provide disaster relief. It doesn’t matter which branch (but for the most part, it’s the army infantry for the job), if there’s a disaster, the military is mobilized to take the lead on the rescue and relief effort. For example, in China, every time there is a disaster, the first thing the government does is send soldiers to help.

When I was in China, the military, not the local police and firefighters, provided disaster relief. They bring their own equipment instead of relying on local rescue resources. They bring relief goods, such as water, food, and medicine. But most importantly, the military provides a large number of well-trained and physically fit people to do the heavy lifting so that the locals can focus on recovery. No road? No problem. The soldiers will literally carry the material to hard-to-reach places on foot and literally carry out the wounded on foot. Can’t get the crane or other heavy machinery into the ruins? No problem. The soldiers will dig through the rubbles using simple tools with their hands if necessary. The military led the relief effort in every major natural disaster in memory. The state media also report military disaster relief with full force, so it’s kind of a “staple” scene for every disaster. Every time something goes on, people expect to see soldiers there to help out.

It was kind of mini culture shock for me that the US military usually doesn’t get involved with disaster relief, other than limited support from the National Guard. The disaster relief effort relies mostly on local police and firefighters. It really doesn’t make much sense to me since local police and firefighters are also victims of the disaster. Shouldn’t the central government (federal government) be responsible for providing manpower, resources, and coordination?

Anyway, I understand where your question comes from. In fact, I actually thought about it for a hot minute. Hawaii is a major military base. (Yes, I understand the base is in Oahu, but last time I checked, there’s this thing called “ship,” people use them to move goods and people across big waters). Shouldn’t the soldiers stationed there help the people? Provide medical care support, provide search and rescue support. Shouldn’t the military base provide resources like food and water and fuel or equipment like generators? It really felt that the people of Lahaina are left to fend for themselves. It is up to the locals to drive resources into the city. The images I saw coming out of Lahaina are desolate and desperate. If this were China, I guarantee you there’d be ships sending soldiers to the disaster zone, digging through the ruins for survivors or remains, carrying the wounded to hospital, providing water and food to the residents, etc., etc.

So to answer your question, regardless of where the military bases are, that’s not what US militaries do, except for maybe the National Guard. Other than a few rare occasions where the military is deployed under extreme circumstances (like Hurricane Katrina), you’re on your own with FEMA. That’s why other answers in this answer all seemed very confused, like “What are you talking about? What does the military have anything to do with this?” Because regular Americans don’t expect the military to help out during disasters.

I get the feeling it was designed in such a way because of Americans’ ridiculous fear of a tyrannical government supported by the military. Soldiers walking on civilian streets in formation is every American’s Orwellian nightmare, conservative or liberal.

Chicken Supreme

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken breasts, split, skinned and boned
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 (4 ounce) package chipped beef
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Wrap each breast with a strip of bacon.
2. Cover bottom of flat, greased baking dish with chipped beef.
3. Mix undiluted soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 275 degrees F for 3 hours.

The 5 Countries That Want To Back Niger Against France & ECOWAS Forces

What is your biggest “only in China” moment?

This just happened today.

My relative (I’ll simplify and say aunt), is a police officer in Guangzhou and I’m staying at her home for two months.

One thing I noticed about these homes in Guangzhou (high-rise apartments/condos of which I’m staying in one and visited another) is that they all have these tea-making stations on the coffee tables (usually in front of the TV, surrounded by couches). I’ve never seen these before, especially not outside China.

They’re wooden slabs with carved patterns for decoration, and are cut so that water or tea will drain out a hole into an attached bucket. These are usually used to entertain guests with fresh tea, and come with tea cups, teapots, water heaters, etc.

My aunt took me to the police station to get some paperwork done (temporary residence form for foreigners), and we went to an office where a fellow police officer greeted us. There were couches in the office, and guess what? A tea-making station.

My Snapchat from today (cropped to hide the guy’s face):

If anyone could tell me what they’re called or provide a better picture I’d appreciate it 🙂

Edit: I saw this in a bathroom today.

Edit #2:

The tea station is called 功夫茶 (kungfu tea). Thanks everyone!

Artificial Intelligence Out of Control: The Apocalypse is Here | How AI and ChatGPT End Humanity

If you had the option to be incredibly intelligent but lack emotional depth, or deeply empathetic but lack intellectual capacity, which would you choose and why?

100% empathy over intellect.

I would 100% choose to be deeply empathetic but not very smart.

Why?

Because you can’t feel joy without empathy. Yes, being intelligent might give you the capacity to understand a difficult concept and solve complicated problems, but the joy that comes from that accomplishment, the fulfillment from learning new things and solving problems, you need empathy to actually feel it.

Life’s many enjoyments come from feelings, not from intellect.

I don’t want to be the smartest person in the world, and doesn’t feel a thing when I see a child laughing. I want to be able to laugh with the child simply by looking at their face. I want to be able to empathize with others, connect with them, to feel their happiness and their pain.

When I was a teenager, I idolized intellectuals. My role model was Sherlock Holmes because he’s smart, and he used his intellect to solve problems, and the world makes sense to him (and to me, the reader.) After I grew older, I started to value compassion and kindness a lot more than intellect. And I reread Sherlock Holmes, and I realized I missed the point of the book. Sherlock Holmes understands human emotion. He empathized with his friend Dr. Watson and the victims. In fact, in many stories, his ability to understand human behavior and emotion helped him solve crimes. It was part of his deduction. Most importantly, his sense of justice and righteousness didn’t come from his intellect. It came from his empathy.

And that’s why the majority of the modern reinterpretation of Sherlock Holmes got him wrong. The modern reinterpretation of Sherlock Holmes often depicted him as this amoral person who just so happens to be on the right side of the law. And he doesn’t give a fuck about the victims. He just wants to solve the problem. That couldn’t be further away from Sherlock Holmes in the original stories.

I don’t blame the modern writers who got him wrong; after all, that’s how I saw him when I was little. It wasn’t until I was much older, after I had some life experiences, I learned to recognize and value Sherlock’s empathy. He wasn’t just so happened to be on the right side of the law. He chose to solve crimes, help the victims, and uphold justice. He did that not because he’s smart and he can solve problems, no. He becomes a detective, not a criminal mastermind, because he has empathy.

And I learned to accept and validate my emotions. My emotion and empathy is not a weakness. It is what makes me human. It is what makes my life meaningful.

I’m not getting any younger. And sooner or later, my brain will start to deteriorate. There will be times when I can no longer do simple algebra or recite the entire periodic table. But I hope I’ll still have the empathy and emotional capacity to pick up a flower, smell it, feel the breeze of the spring, and be happy.

Michio Kaku Panicking Over Declassified Photos From Venus By The Soviet Union!

https://youtu.be/98JkFiFzckM

As an Indian, what disgusts you about Indian society?

Thailand has a rule that prohibits the sale of alcohol between 11 AM to 2 PM. I have no clue why this rule is in place, but it’s something that is strictly followed everywhere. So I was at a 7-Eleven shop in Pattaya today and was buying some snacks when I heard a commotion at the cash counter.

Apparently, a few men wanted to purchase a couple of cans of beer but they were not being sold the same. The cashier tried to make them understand about the national law that prohibits the sale of alcohol during those three hours. However, the customers weren’t happy. They were shouting at the cashier so loudly that all the customers inside the shop gathered around the cash counter to see what was going on. My cousin and I were minding our own business but then, we heard their English turn into Hindi.

The guys who were shouting at the cashier started to talk among themselves in Hindi, still loudly about the absurd rule and were threatening the cashier that they would walk away without billing the beer if she didn’t sell it to him. These kinds of things ruin the image of Indians abroad. Often times we wonder why our passport is ranked so low! The reason is that the countries are not very welcoming to Indians. They would create a ruckus everywhere they go.

There’s a famous saying, “When in Rome, act like a Roman”. So when you’re in Thailand, you should respect the local laws. There might be a reason why alcohol is not sold between 11 AM to 2 PM. I would try to find it out on the internet later, but whatever be it, you need to follow it. You cannot shout at a worker at the shop who is doing her job. It is this unruly attitude of 1% Indian tourists that spoils the name of the rest 99%.

Ex. Pentagon’s Commander Says China Won’t Pick Up Military Hotline, Terrifying the Pentagon!

A very GREAT video. A much watch.

https://youtu.be/BzEhEQZ-1LI

Is it OK in China to criticize the government?

Visit China

That’s the only way you will know

Once you see Sina Weibo and you see the Local Mainlanders and how they criticize their Government officials

That’s the only way anyone is cured of the Western Propaganda and lies about China

---

The difference between China and India is – China is heavily localized

In India, most of us have no clue who our Councillor or Corporator is or who our MLA Or MP is and we always look at the CM Or PM

In China, it’s the opposite

Most Mainlanders look at their Governor, Mayor or Provincial Secretary or Local Officials and rarely associate Xi or the CPCs National Party with any of their problems or issues

Xi is this great man in Beijing who is beyond criticism. Just like Mao or Deng were.

Xi will be criticized by the CPC factions and the others in the Politburo or standing committees

So when a local mainlander blames Xi Jingping for lockdowns Or floods – You become suspicious on the spot because that’s not how China works

The locals blame the local officials, mayor, governors all the time because that’s whom they associate with for all their problems

So when anyone criticizes XJP, they are investigated and what do you know? They are Taiwanese or belong to some NGO from US

So they are investigated further and appropriate action is taken

This becomes an action against criticism in the West

Imagine if a Russian funded reporter demands Biden gone

Or a Kashmiri Journalist wants Modi gone

Would they be allowed to report?

Of course not

---

So Visit China and find out yourself

I bet when you leave, you will realise the basic difference between criticism & punitive action related speech

What are some marketing disasters from history?

In 1998, Sony had to recall more than 700,000 video cameras after making a startling discovery.

The company had boasted of the ‘X-ray’ capability in the new camcorder, equipped with infrared technology and night vision, which allowed people to take videos in the dark. Sounds like a pretty marketable idea, right?

It didn’t go as planned.

When people used this camera in daylight, the ‘Night Shot’ abilities did something a little less appropriate.

It turns out that a group of people had taken photos of women clothed or in bathing suits, but appearing almost naked.

An ABC journalist stated that at least 12 websites were found with photos of women who appeared almost naked, even though they were actually wearing clothes.

‘It’s an outrage, I think it could enrage anyone. You go outside and you don’t expect people to look under your clothes. It is such a basic expectation that any court in the land will find this to violate that right.

The supposed ‘X-ray’ capabilities of this camera ended up with a lens that could partially see through clothing on certain occasions due to infrared technology (mainly when wearing dark clothing, which would give a translucent effect, so is not transparent).

‘Any see-through top or clothing, if you hit it with enough light, you’ll get a silhouette of what’s underneath; and that’s essentially all you get with these ‘Sony’ camcorders.

The company had to bag all the cameras they sold in a desperate effort to improve the situation.

Unfortunately, people wanted to try revamping the camcorder to get different ways to see properly through clothing, and some even went on the market for as much as $700.

A disaster for Sony.

What do runway models do after their careers end?

My older twin sisters were career fashion models. They were on TV, in magazines and billboard signs , much to dad’s chagrin. He got nervous when he saw his daughters bigger than life on billboards. He was always nervous that some weirdo (his word) would find out where they lived. He always thought of a Charles Manson type after Lori and Tracy. They did take self defence.

They participated in runway shows in different cities, lots of travelling and were often first on and last off the runway, a privilege given to top models. They both loved modelling.

They were very smart girls and had eidetic memory which also helped. They were top in their class in school and also in college where they took business. Just a little different than their younger brother, me. I would never know what it’s like to be top of my class.

Dad owned two car dealerships. After the girls retired from modelling they went to work with dad at the dealerships. They loved and had a great interest in cars. In their teens, both drove Shelby GT350 Mustangs. They could look at car data sheets and have them memorized quickly so they loved working at the dealerships.

When dad retired the girls took the dealerships over and ran them very successfully winning awards every year.

So that’s what my sisters did after they retired from modelling.

Many models are smart business women and know exactly what they are going to do after retiring from modelling. Don’t worry about them.

What is the difference between Hong Kong and Taipei?

Hong Kong Milk Tea actually tastes like tea.

The milk used in HK Milk Tea is usually condensed/evaporated milk.

Taiwanese Milk Tea is sweeter and has a much weaker tea taste.

The tea : milk ratio is smaller than in HK Milk Tea.

The milk used in Taiwanese Milk Tea is usually fresh milk, or sometimes, non-dairy creamer.

And Taiwanese Milk Tea often has stuff in it (bubbles, grass jelly, pudding, etc).

Why are some wealthy people so frugal?

When I was a kid, my favorite store was Radio Shack.

It was in the same shopping center as the grocery store we shopped at, so while my Mom was getting groceries I would walk down to Radio Shack, play the video game demos, and basically drool over all of the cool stuff they had there that I couldn’t afford. It became my weekly hangout. The guys who worked there knew me by name. They joked that I should have a vest and name tag, since I often answered other customers’ technical questions about computer peripherals that the staff didn’t know the answer to. Yeah, I was that nerd.

Seriously though, every week my allowance, birthday money, earnings from doing chores, whatever, it got spent in that store. None of that was the stuff I really wanted, though. I couldn’t afford the computers, the drones, the karaoke machines and stereos, wireless microphones, video cameras, the cool surveillance tech. That stuff was way too expensive. But one day, when I was old enough to have a job and make my own money, I vowed to buy all of it.

That day finally came when I was 15. I had gotten a part-time job, clearing tables at a restaurant within biking distance of our house. I pretty much blew the measly paycheck hanging out with my friends, but I had been throwing my daily tip pool money into a big water jug in my room for months. That was my “Radio Shack Fund.” One day when the jug was nearly full, my mom took me to the bank and had their machines count it. All in, it was a little over $1,500, and I walked out of that bank with a big smile and fifteen crisp $100 bills in my pocket.

“Radio Shack?” she says.

So off we go. As I walked through the door, knowing I finally had enough cash to acquire the treasures inside that had been out of reach thus far, something was … different.

None of it excited me.

It wasn’t that I had outgrown it or anything. It was the fact that all of that cool stuff, the very stuff that had motivated me to save in the first place, wasn’t as interesting once I could actually afford it. And once I was in the position to seriously think about buying it, I started second-guessing the wisdom of it. What do I need a $500 stereo for? In the commercial it shattered all the windows; my mom probably wouldn’t even let me turn it on. Did I really want that remote control helicopter enough to pay $1,000 for it? Is that new computer really that much better than the one I already have?

Well, shit.

You know how every once in a while you have this moment of clarity where you realize something isn’t what you thought it was? That was that day for me. There wasn’t a single thing in that store that I felt was worth parting with the dollars I had worked for. I just didn’t need it.

Sometimes people aren’t consciously being cheap or frugal. Sometimes stuff just loses its appeal when the day comes that you can actually afford it.

What are some of the costliest mistakes ever made in history?

When terrorists kidnapped Russian diplomats!!!

It happened when four Soviet diplomats were kidnapped in September 1985 by extremists who demanded that Moscow pressure the Syrian government to stop pro-Syrian militia from attacking rival Muslim positions in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. Soviet Union quickly dispatched its Alpha Group (a unit of KGB ), tasked with counter-terrorism hostage-rescue operations, to Beirut.

Meanwhile, Soviets didn’t bow down to their demands and as a result Soviet diplomat,Arkady Katkov, was killed by the kidnappers and his dead body was found in a field.

This enraged them and they responded quickly by tracking down and locating the relatives of the kidnappers. In order to send a sharp message to the terrorists one of the kidnappers’ relative was castrated and his body was cut into pieces and were sent to the kidnappers. They also sent a list along with the package containing the names of their relatives with their addresses and threatened to kill more of the kidnappers’ relatives if the Soviet diplomats were not free.

As a result, the remaining hostages were released and dropped off near the Soviet Embassy and since then no terrorist has ever dared to take captive an Russian official!!!

The newspaper ‘ The Guardian’ quoted:

“This is the way the Soviets operate. They do things–they don’t talk. And this is the language Hezbollah understands.”

Costliest mistake??? I think so…

Thank you for reading.

Sources:

KGB Reportedly Gave Arab Terrorists a Taste of Brutality to Free Diplomats

4 RUSSIAN MEN TAKEN HOSTAGE IN WEST BEIRUT

How to Deal With Hostage Takers: Soviet Lessons | Chronicles Magazine

THIS GAVE ME GOOSEBUMPS ! Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | Schuyler Reacts

These reactions are about OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW.

The Brain from Planet Arous (1957) Colorized | John Agar | Sci-Fi, Thriller | Full Movie, subtitles

It Will Steal Your Body And Damn Your Soul! An evil alien brain, bent on world domination, takes over the body of an atomic scientist, while a “good” alien brain inhabits the body of the scientist’s dog and waits for an opportunity to defeat the evil brain.