Today I want to talk about my daughter.
She is mixed. 50% MM and 50% Chinese.
And she is beautiful.
I mean it. Sometimes I think that just being her father I am just being her “daddy”. But no. Everyone says that “she is so cute”.
I have photography studios wanting to give us free photo sessions if they can use her photo. Not just them, but we have been approached by Dance Studios, and Fashion clubs.
Everyone loves her.
I like to think that it is because her personality. She is super active, and positive and really self confident. She wants to be friends with everyone.
She’s an innocent.
Which is why I spend so much time training her in martial arts. Soon, it will be the gun ranges. But right now, she’s busy with all her boxing buddies.
Think S.A.L.T.
The other day, a young boy in Kindergarten wanted to give her a present. You know… just because he liked her. And he hid behind his mother’s skirt when he handed it to her.
So cute.
All the girls… everywhere… from waitresses, to teachers, to restaurant staff to… well everyone just loves her. And they all take selfies with her.
Part of it is this allure of a mixed child. But you know, in my daughter’s case, the mix has turned out REALLY well. She’s gorgeous.
It’s not always the case, don’t you know.
But there’s this curiosity factor. Especially with Chinese women who wonder what it would be life if they marry a foreign man. What their children would be like… perhaps.
Don’t laugh.
It’s a real thing.
Yesterday we were eating in a local “dumpling and noodle” restaurant. A small “hole in the wall” place where we get quick and cheap eats. When two twenty year old girls wanted to just take pictures of her. As “she’s so so so cute”.
So these strangers are taking all sorts of pictures.
And my daughter is just hamming it up.
*sigh*
And then last week we are riding in an elevator and the late teen girls said loudly as they left the elevator… “Your daughter is so very cute”.
My God.
I sure as Hell hope that it doesn’t go to her head. It can you know. So I have got to put my “father jacket” on solidly and make sure that she becomes a feminine polite lady.
Not some kind of harsh Butch.
- You see, I want her to grow up as a lady.
- Then become a woman.
- And then, with her own family; become a Matriarch.
I want the world for her.
And I am so proud of her.
Little MM.
I call her RR.
She lifts weights with me, trains with me, and can really throw some punches. She does “real” sit-ups and is really a great little girl.
Little MM.
Today…
Nothing Has Been The Same Since 2020. Young Man Says We’re In “Weird Times”
Has a doctor ever told you you were fine and you later found you weren’t fine at all and had a serious illness?
I nearly ended up in the psych ward!!
Four years ago, I started getting very sleepy while driving in heavy traffic to work. I would wake up just before I swerved. I called the doctor and made an appointment. After several months, and multiple checks, he said it was psychology. See a therapist, he said. I am hypo- thyroid so I asked a referral to a thyroid specialist. Before I could visit the specialist, I fainted in church and had to be rushed to the ER. Again, they found nothing wrong. He also told me to see a psychiatrist. He said it was mental.
A few days later, I fainted again. I continued to see my doctor. I went to the appointment at the endocrinologist, and I fainted in the lobby. The endocrinologist refused to see me since I lost consciousness, and an ambulance came. Another trip to the ER. Again I was told to see a psychiatrist.
I was sent to a cardiologist, “just to be sure”. I wore a heart monitor for 24 hours. It wasn’t my heart. My heart was fine.
I Fainted in work twice more. I was an executive manager and had a heavy work load. I was forbidden to drive and required to work at home for 6 weeks. I nearly lost my job becauae another executive manager didn’t think I was really sick, and the company didn’t want me working at home, even though I was in the corp office and could do all my work remotely. I was so scared of losing my job. And of dying. I just kept fainting.
Four weeks, 4 ER visits, a neurologist, cardiologist, and an endocrinologist later, my aunt referred me to her doctor. I fainted in his office.
This amazing family doctor immediately started new tests and sonograms and had me do a urine and saliva test over the course of a day (I took it home, and had to pay for it out of pocket because it wasn’t conventional testing).
He found out I am celiac, I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and my HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis was not working ( he said it was broken). This meant my body was under tremendous stress from glutine and not treating Hashimoto’s correctly and the body couldn’t fight anymore so it would shut down- I would faint.
This doctor adjusted my thyroid medicines, gave me some medicines to support the HPA Axis, put me on a gluten free diet, and within 3 weeks I was completely better and returned to work a new person. I was no longer exhausted, stressed, or fainting. I stopped taking the supplements he gave me with his approval after 5 weeks.
I remain on thyroid medications, maintain a gluten- free diet, and my health is now better than ever.
My new doctor told I wasn’t crazy. He actually found the cause and treated it. And my body responded immediately. I am forever grateful for that doctor who didn’t tell me to see a therapist or try to give me anti-depressants, or put me in the psych hospital, but gave me tools and knowledge to manage a life-long thyroid disease.
Cheese Steak Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced green bell peppers
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound cubed steak, cut into serving pieces
- 1 (26 ounce) can four-cheese spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 cup steak sauce
- 6 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Brown peppers and onion in hot oil; add steak and brown on both sides.
- Add and mix spaghetti sauce and steak sauce. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes until sauce is bubbly.
- Top with mozzarella cheese; continue to simmer until cheese is melted.
Dollar General Issues Major Economic WARNING
Many countries have banned the US & its allies-made communication device from entering airports & passenger’s flights as the US & its allies have turned the communication device like pagers, walkie-talkie, iPhones etc. into bombs. Why?
*sighs*
Isn’t it common sense?
If any device that was used as an explosives, in this case pagers made in Taiwan and walkie-talkies made in Japan, that detonated in Lebanon, wounding 3,500 people, wouldn’t that consider an act of terrorism?
What’s worse, the western world countries and their allies like Japan, Taiwan and also South Korea AND Israel have gravely underestimated the economic consequences of such act.
Now, the entire Global South countries, along with BRICS have raised their walls up against the Global North countries. The Global South countries and BRICS are starting to boycott electronic products and appliances made by the western countries and their key allies. Of course, even EVs are severely affected by this. This is the new trend now, among the entire Global South.
China will dominate the entire Global South supply chains, along with the BRICS countries. Even if Japan and Taiwan are denying the involvement in the incident, the evidence has shown that their electronic companies are directly involved as accomplices. Furthermore, the damages are done. It cannot be erased.
Just one more reason why the multipolar world orders are inevitable
And say goodbye to Apple, as iPhones and iPads are also affected by the pager explosions in Lebanon
A Life Beyond
Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity.… view prompt
Carol Stewart
Two… All was dark and silent now, traffic at a standstill. Only the warning voice remained and those glaring, searching lights. In a moment he’d be vaporized. And perhaps the pain would be worse than any he might have felt had he kept his ‘Sterappropriate’ appointment. But he’d plucked up the courage to send his pod off track en route, so too late now! Besides, he had to know what was out there, if only for a second… Step
One… He reached towards the glass, felt for the crack and pressed. Nothing. He tried again. Harder. Not a cut on his hand. Not even so much as a scrape. Amber and blue, amber and blue. Neon bursts. Warning, warning, warning… And then he saw his own reflection, except his face didn’t look quite right. He moved a little closer. Eyes duller, he thought, but at the same time, brighter, more expressive. The lights perhaps, but then – the rest of it! Oh, how heavily lined his mirror self was! And the mouth was moving! So, that’s old Granpa Enz, then? A chuckle. When had he ever sounded like that? And why were the children behind him when he knew they weren’t there? Zany, Blitz and Fritz, all crowding round, smiling and laughing too, their movements not in any way stiff or restricted. So unusual. There had been a word he’d read in his grandfather’s book which described this. Natural? Yes, that’s what it was. And how beautiful! How wonderful to hear little Zany chattering on. Good job you arrived when you did, Gramps. Won’t be long before he’s gone. A hundred and forty, can’t exceed that, but he’s stuck holding on at the side there, and I think that’s what’s causing the glitch. ‘Course we could make another just like him and start all over again… Step Zero.
Almost Every Married Man Told Me To NEVER GET MARRIED
Had a woman at a festival ask me to get a better view of the stage by sitting on my shoulders. Didnt think anything of it, said yes. Then she starts a conversation later, eventually telling me how I am just her type. I do my due dilligence by asking about her relationship status. She gives some half assed answer and after some digging she admits, she has a boyfriend, two kids, only one of them with him though. Tells me how monogamy is not for her. And that they have a camper at the camping grounds that she would love to take me to, if she were single. I tell her, that this stuff is against my principles and I am not interested into that. After that she tried even more to get my attention. I told MULTIPLE women about this story and they all said, that her boyfriend was her problem and me sleeping with her would be ok, since it is not my relationship. This way of thinking really shocked me.
Were you ever treated poorly when you wanted to purchase an expensive item until they found out you were rich?
And after.
Years ago lthe local bank branch refused my request for a credit limit increase from an inadequate $2000 to $2500. Once a year, all my bills came at once and I wanted a higher limit. They declined me. Incredulous, I spoke to the manager.
- How can you say I can’t afford it when I have paid the balance in full every month, even the months when it hits $1995?
- You have a low average balance since inception in the cash account.
- So?
- So we like you to have a high cash balance to show you can afford the credit card.
- That defeats the purpose of credit. Also, the average balance is low because I opened the account when I was 14 and now I have a higher income than I did then.
- Doesn’t matter – the computer flagged you as a bad risk. Your average balance is low even since graduating a year ago.
- When I reach $4000 I buy another parcel of shares rather than leave it in a cash account.
- That doesn’t help up – we like it to stay in the bank.
- Also you seem to have missed that I own my house outright, worth 100x the trivial amount of credit we are debating.
- Doesn’t matter, a house isn’t income. We can’t count it.
- If your issue is income, I make more than you do.
- Doesn’t matter.
I figured this branch manager was a fool so I wrote to his boss. He wrote back and said he wouldn’t have approved me either.
This was confusingly followed by a string of computer-generated pre approved letters of offer to $2500, 3k, 5k – eventually $17,500. I kept the card, which had features I couldn’t replace, but the institution got a life ban for any new business from me. Except of course 0% balance transfer offers to continue the punishment.
Is Sara Duterte’s withdrawal from the position of DEPED Secretary a wise decision?
Yes, Sara Duterte’s concurrent post as the DEPED Secretary is not a good one.
After Sara Duterte completely withdrew from Marcos’ cabinet, there is no need for China to be tolerant of the Philippines in economic and trade matters.
Filipinos should sell their durian thousands of miles away to the United States, Japan which doesn’t eat durian, or to neighboring countries that also produce large quantities of tropical fruits, otherwise they will rot on the plantations.
THIS IS IT…….
Shorpy
Is the idea true, or is the idea not true, that China will eventually outperform the West and take the lead in the world since the Chinese, according to IQ tests, are intellectually superior to Caucasians?
It’s known as Rate of Leapfrogging
Take Semiconductor Manufacturing
China is currently Leapfrogging around Three Generations in a 8 year period against the US which leapfrogs around One Generation in a 8 year period
In 2006 – China was 6 Generations behind the US
In 2014 – China was 4 Generations behind the US
In 2022 – China was only 2 Generations behind the US
US Panicked
Now with US controls sanctions, Chinas Leapfrogging will be restricted by 25% which means Three Generations across a 12 year period instead of 8 years
However US Leapfrogging will also slow down to maybe One Generation every 10 years instead of 8
So by 2032 – China will be 1/2 a ofGeneration behind the US
And by 2034 – China will GO AHEAD OF THE USA
This 2034 may come earlier, say by 2030 or it could be maybe 3–4 years later by 2037–38 yet it is inevitable
China has the money, the STEM base and the Raw Industry – all the three essential parameters for Innovation
What did you do when you were suddenly fired from a job?
Getting fired from a job is one of those moments that can hit you like a ton of bricks. I’ve been there, and I know the mixture of shock, confusion, and—let’s be real here—panic that comes with finding out you’re suddenly out of a job.
It happened to me a few years ago. I was working for a company that, on the surface, seemed stable and promising. I was in a good rhythm, delivering on my tasks, building relationships with my co-workers, and generally feeling like I was on the right track. Then, out of nowhere, I got called into a meeting with my manager and HR. You know that feeling when something just feels *off* before anyone even says a word? Yeah, it was that.
The conversation was short and to the point—budget cuts, restructuring, nothing personal, just business. But of course, when it’s your job and your income, it doesn’t feel like “just business.” I walked out of that meeting with a severance package and a lot of questions about what came next.
And here’s the thing—they didn’t just pull the rug out from under me, they yanked it, and I went flying. My first reaction? Panic. Because when you lose your job, especially unexpectedly, it’s not just about the title or the paycheck. It’s about identity, security, and routine. I had bills to pay, rent due, and suddenly this structured life I had built around my 9-to-5 was gone.
If you’ve ever been in that situation, you know how easy it is to spiral into self-doubt. Thoughts like, “Was I not good enough?” or “What’s wrong with me?” start creeping in. I had to remind myself over and over again that getting fired—or laid off, in my case—didn’t define my worth.
So, what did I do? After the initial shock wore off (which took a couple of days, to be honest), I decided to focus on what I could control. Sitting in that panic wasn’t going to help me move forward. I knew I had to regroup, so I tried to break things down into smaller, more manageable steps.
Step 1: Reflect, but don’t dwell.
I gave myself a little time to process what had happened. It’s important to acknowledge your feelings and give yourself space to be upset. But I didn’t want to get stuck there. I started thinking about what I actually *liked* and *didn’t like* about the job I had just lost. This was an opportunity to reset, and I wanted to be intentional about my next steps.
Step 2: Get practical.
Once I had processed the emotional side of things, I got down to the practical stuff. I updated my resume, reached out to people in my network, and started looking for new opportunities. I also took a really hard look at my finances. Being suddenly unemployed forces you to confront your budget in a way that you might not have before. I had some savings, but not enough to coast for too long, so I had to be smart about where my money was going.
### Step 3: Reframe the narrative.
One of the most helpful things I did was to reframe the situation in my mind. Instead of seeing this as a failure, I tried to look at it as a chance to pivot. I asked myself, “What can I learn from this?” and “How can I use this to my advantage?” That shift in mindset, from victim to opportunist, was a game-changer.
I also started to realize that I hadn’t been all that happy in my previous role. Sure, the paycheck was decent, and the people were nice, but it wasn’t something I was passionate about. Getting let go forced me to confront that reality and ask myself what I really wanted.
Step 4: Explore new paths.
With a bit of time on my hands, I explored things I had been putting off. I attended workshops, learned new skills, and even dabbled in freelance work. This was something I wouldn’t have had the time or energy to do if I had stayed in my old job. I was surprised by how many new opportunities started cropping up once I opened myself up to different possibilities.
One story that sticks out to me during this time is when I reached out to a former colleague just to catch up. We had always gotten along, but I wasn’t expecting much from the conversation other than some friendly advice. Turns out, they had recently started at a new company and mentioned that there was an opening that sounded like a perfect fit for what I was looking for. Long story short, that conversation led to an interview, which led to a job offer.
Step 5: Reinvent yourself.
Let’s be honest—being let go shakes your confidence. But it can also be the push you need to reinvent yourself. I took the time to think about what kind of career would make me feel more fulfilled.
Spain’s Dramatic Turn To China Leaves Europe In Absolute Shock, No One Was Ready For This
Do you think that J-10C and J-31 are good options for Egypt after the USA declined the sale of F-35 and F-15 for them?
The J10CE ousted the Eurofighter Typhoons in FIVE OUT OF FIVE DOGFIGHTS
It was evident that the J10CE known as Dragon was superior to the Typhoon and it’s stealth features (It’s not classified as Stealth) were tested wonderfully
Pakistan triumphed over Qatar
However that makes very little impact on potential customers
What makes an Impact is as follows :-
- US sells to Israel also.
- Tomorrow if there is a clash, it’s evident that the US will prefer Israel to anyone else
- That means no spares, no servicing, no upgrades and none of the latest A-A missiles
- US imposes 1001 conditions on Egypt but not on Israel for instance the F-35 needs to have a key in from US for most buyers except Israel and NATO allies (Except Turkiye)
So upgrading the F-16s and F-15s are not worth it
European Aircraft isn’t worth it
Russian Aircraft is unlikely to be delivered on time
That leaves the Chinese J10CE and J31 both of which have fully indigenous supply chains, software and mainly TRACKING AND MONITORING using Beidou
And it’s 40% less expensive
Sounds like a Win Win
Egypt have placed a large order on Friday
FEMINISM Isn’t The Problem! It’s Women’s LACK Of ACCOUNTABILITY! | Pearl Daily
Lack of accountability is a basic feature of Feminist ideology, not the only one but a fundamental one.
Some AI art generated by text by MM
How do felons get jobs if no one hires felons?
A few years ago, I was having lunch at the counter of a Denny’s Restaurant in South Tucson when I overheard a fascinating conversation. As he manned the register and served the customers at the counter during the lunch hour rush, the Manager of the Denny’s was talking to a young man. The young man was scruffy-looking and had a hang-dog look.
Paraphrasing the Manager:
“Fifteen years ago, I was standing exactly where you are now, and in the same situation. I had just been released from prison and was asking the manager about a job busing tables. Fifteen years later, I’m the manager of this restaurant. Fifteen years ago, the manager told me what I’m going to tell you now. I know that people can make horrible mistakes, but those mistakes don’t have to determine the rest of your life, as long as you’re willing to learn from your mistakes and someone is willing to give you a chance. I’m willing to give you that chance because someone gave me that chance years ago.
I’m going to hold you to a higher standard than other employees because the stakes for both of us are higher. I expect you to meet every requirement of your parole. I will be in regular contact with your parole officer to report on your progress. I expect you to be absolutely honest with me at all times. I expect you to be here before your shift starts, in uniform, and groomed appropriately. I expect you to do your work and to treat our customers and my employees with respect.
I can’t guarantee that you’ll be managing your own restaurant in fifteen years; but, I can guarantee that my employees and I will treat you fairly and respectfully. If you show me that you’re a responsible employee and are capable of more responsibility, I’ll give you more responsibilities and raise your pay. When you’re ready to leave the halfway house, I’ll work with your parole officer to help you find a place to live. Those are my terms. Do you want that chance?”
The young man struggled to hold back tears and was finally able to say, “Thank you. When can I start?”
I suspect that the young man’s parole officer had sent him to this Denny’s because he was well acquainted with the Manager and had worked with him in the past to secure employment for his parolees.
Was it a mistake for Israel to resort to shocking terror (even China and Russia are shocked by the pager attack) when it has the technology edge over Arabs? “anything goes” helps the weaker party in a conflict.
It was strictly a ONE OFF
It can’t be repeated again and again
It has created a deep mistrust for Western Equipment within the Middle Eastern Nations
It has justified terror against civilians for the “Greater Good”
Its likely that now many organizations may REPEAT the same modus operandi for their own operations
It was a devastating mistake
Israel is becoming STUPID
It happens
We see it with a lot of Goondas in India
Initially they are very careful, they commit a lot of crimes but it’s strictly BUSINESS
They never go after the common man, never make the common mans life hell, always make business decisions following common demand and supply
Extort only people dealing with Black Money who would find it cheaper to give 2 Khokha (Crore) to a Mobster than 10 Khokha in extra taxes on revenue or profits
The Police and Government don’t go after them because they know – if they eliminate these guys – someone else will take their place and it becomes the devil you know scenario
Then they go insane with power lust and false confidence
They run amok, go after Civilians, rape women and create an atmosphere of terror and fear
They get killed in an encounter inevitably in a matter of weeks and cut a sorry figure, begging and pleading for their lives
Israel is the same
It was once smart and sensible
Hitting terrorists, avoiding Civilians
When they hit a terror network in Jordan, the Jordanians expressed RAGE AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS for making their nation a terror hub
Now Israel has stupidly United the rage and anger of millions of arabs against them
Plus they now know that US and the West are the same Satanic monsters that their forefathers warned them about
Israel and the West can no longer be trusted anymore
That’s a message that was firmly reinforced by the pager attack
Doctor CRIES After Realizing Everyone Around Her Is SINGLE
Which actors appear to be healthy while living in a form of debauchery?
In real life, Michael Landon, the charismatic Charles Ingalls of Little House on the Prairie , was the opposite of the character he plays in the series.
Not pious for a penny, he loved women, and not only his own. He lived like a real rock star. In addition to the fair sex, he was addicted to cigarettes and alcohol.
In her autobiography, Prairie Tale , Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls in the series) recounts that Michael Landon abused alcohol every day on set.
“He was always working hard,” the actress says, “but he was also drinking a lot. He and other people who worked on the show would drink in the middle of the shooting day. That’s probably one of the reasons he developed pancreatic cancer so young…”
She also says that Landon was a heavy smoker of unfiltered cigarettes. He smoked over 4 packs a day. That’s about one cigarette every ten minutes for every hour he was awake…
How should I deal with a coworker who never wants to pay when we eat out?
I dealt with that situation once. I arrived for lunch at the usual spot. Came late and ordered just an ice tea. Produced two bucks. I stated my stomach was off, so I won’t be eating anything. The conversation was its regular vivid kind. The four of us enjoyed the fun.
At the end of the meal, no one reached for the bill. I waited for five minutes as the other three were used to be treated by me. I had been most fortunate in business, so it was jokingly called my “success penalty.”
I finally reached for the bill, paid the waitress and tipped an extra $100 and said, “I’ve loved your service over the years, but today’s the day I never return at least with these three. You’ll need this tip, because they are cheap.”
Only one guy heard my remarks. He tried to get the others attention to no avail. I could see them laughing as I pulled away. I didn’t return their calls despite weekly invitations for the next two years.
Then one year, all of our wives organized a lunch where I agreed to attend. It seemed it took that lesson to pull the group back together for one last time. Our wives did their best, but the boys couldn’t put it into words. So, their trust stayed broken: no dinners out, family picnics, holidays, or lunches after that. I told one wife, it was my “success reward.”
Everything shows up when you break bread together.
Good luck, Mac
DEJA VU
Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story imagining ‘what if’ one historic invention had never happened. How would our world be different now?… view prompt
Kaitlyn Wadsworth
“I hope you know how to sail this thing,” said Victoria as she hurried over to raise the anchor. “Hoist up the mainsail. Wind seems moderate.”
Thom leaped into action. “I wouldn’t have volunteered if I couldn’t help.”
Victoria noted the others hastily boarding the other vessel. Before too long, their sail was up. Victoria had steered the Redemption into the wind and set sail. “Life jackets,” she yelled to Thom, “in the locker over there.”
Victoria manned the steering wheel, and Thom brought her jacket over. They swapped while she donned hers.
“How is this going to work?” said Thom. “We’ll be like ships in the night getting this craft back home, with only two aboard. It won’t be a day at the beach!”
“Don’t worry. We’ll get sick of the sight of each other soon enough. We’ll have alternate shifts, and I’ll make sure you have hot drinks and food so we can catch up with things. On still days, with little wind, we may have more time together.”
They looked over the water and saw the other boat heading away from the Island. Thom looked back at it. The mist topped mountains and the verdant hills, serene giants with wisps of greying hair, didn’t seem to be moving.
“I bet the others are worried how they’ll tell if the earthquake is over.”
“It’s not our problem. We have a radio, and you can let the others know that with Marcus still on the Island, heaven knows where, I want to go home and can’t do it alone.”
“I guess that’s my best way of deserting, without worrying them . . . In fact, I’ll probably be in massive trouble.” He looked wistfully at the Island, gradually receding. “My biggest concern is how you’ll feel about me when we’re home.”
“Don’t worry. My Dad and I haven’t always got on, and though we are like cabin bread versus carrot cake, we arrived at the Island without having killed each other. Look, if you’re worried about deserting, just tell them I overpowered you, stole the gun you held, and forced you. My father didn’t turn up, so we left him behind.”
“I know you can overpower me no probs. Thank goodness I wanted to come with you.” He looked behind at the Island, eyes opened wide. “Look, the Island is disappearing.”
They both stared openmouthed as the Island gradually faded from sight.
Thom looked at Victoria’s face. Tears streamed down it, and her sobs heaved. “It’s like B-Brigadoon.”
“My darling, your father . . .” He pulled her closer to him and continued steering.
She shook her head. “It’s not that. It’s remembering something that happened before.”
“What is it?”
“If I tell you my reason, you’ll think it’s nonsense.”
“So much about what has happened is strange and unexplainable.”
“The last time I left the Island, I left Marcus behind, but he could have come. He happily stayed and sacrificed himself for me and my children to have a better life. There was someone who loved him, but that’s not why he stayed.”
“You have children? I’m confused.”
She looked him in the eyes and said, “I can only explain this to you if you suspend your disbelief.”
“Haven’t I heard and seen the inexplicable already? An Island that exists but doesn’t and has now disappeared. I know you’ve been there before . . . but how, and when? I’m skeptical of the hundreds of years ago story though you obviously lived in the fallen down hut we went into. You already knew it existed.” He shrugged. “Marcus reversed a curse, the dice disintegrated before our eyes, and the earthquake started. That thing you said about time. ‘If we lived here but didn’t, it means this Island is where two alternate timelines converge.’ I’m a man of science, so it intrigued me. Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true. If I try to explain, you may not want to have me in your life.”
“Did you commit murder or something? Seeing you in action at Uni and laying those guys on the deck with those moves, I can believe it. Are you superhuman?”
Victoria laughed. “Seriously, Thom. That was self-defense. I’m no one special.”
“So, what is it all about? I’ve suspended my disbelief.” He grabbed at something imaginary on the front of his jacket and threw his arm out in a release towards the ocean.
The yacht lurched a little, and Victoria grabbed his arm. He adjusted the steering.
“You’re not superhuman,” he said. “Hold on to me.”
“Once upon a time,” said Victoria, “Marcus and I came to the Island, to a village in the hills. On our way to the shore, where we intended to build a boat and return home together, we woke up back in the village. We had gone back in time a few days. Things happened differently, and both of us wound up dead. I won’t tell you all the places and people we met along the way until now.”
“Sorry, I’m not with you. You said you died.”
“We became the living dead.”
“Good grief! All this being cursed and living other’s lives business!”
“Suspend disbelief, remember . . . I went back to where Marcus and I lived before we were taken to the Island initially. Years ago, and without Marcus. Later, we both left from the same beach on this yacht, as we wanted to retrace our voyage and find the Island. You were the only one we told our true plan to. We had a curse to reverse. I already concluded that the Island is where two timelines converge.”
“Though I’m interested from a scientific point of view, the other stuff is too creepy for words.”
“I’ll illustrate. Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea. The Egyptians in their chariots that pursued them didn’t make it. They all drowned when the walls of water collapsed. There’s proof it happened. Bronze from the chariot wheels is still at the bottom, below the water. Science has used facts about wind and water to explain how the sea parted. It’s too much of a fluke that Moses and his millions got through, and the enemies pursuing them perished at that precise time.”
“I see what you mean. It’s a miracle. Something unexplainable.”
“I traveled back to the ruins of Marcus and his sister’s castle and checked out its history. I found out the true history that I didn’t know about. Remember I told you we never made it to the cottage, but evidence showed we had? Remember you told me about a third boat partially built?”
“Yes, you never knew about that one.”
“The partially built but abandoned boat is because a vessel stopped at the Island, and I returned home on it, leaving Marcus behind. Our life of living and dying is now over. I have remembered in detail what happened.”
“What did?”
“Marcus didn’t have to return with me. He returned to the village to someone who had promised to wait for him, but he had also promised to get me home. He did both.”
“Sounds familiar.”
“The paradox is that if he had returned home with me, my life would have been ruined. I could never understand the amazing historical facts I learned, as they are not part of the timeline I remembered. The curse, due to those damn dice, changed everything. The difference now is that I remember the alternate history that the curse took away from us. The Island is indeed where two timelines converged. Now, I remember the sacrifice Marcus made for me. I remember how I felt, which is why I cried. It’s how I feel about leaving him behind. I wanted him to stay by my side. We had been through so much together. Instead, on my arrival home, in the past, I claimed to have married him on the Island and said he had died there. I claimed my children, twins, were his offspring. I inherited his castle and lands, and it set up my children much better than if I had returned to my family a destitute woman with two children from a less-than-desirable union. I had my independence, thanks to Marcus. Wealth and reputation were everything back then.”
So . . . you lied. I guess Marcus back then wasn’t your father. Actually, I can forgive you for lying. So, who did you really marry?”
She shook her head. “We had just been married, and Marcus shot an arrow into my husband, and he died.”
“Why on earth did he do that!? Was it jealousy?”
“No. It was revenge. My brother cared about me. I didn’t want to be an unmarried mother, but it was not wise for me to marry the father who . . .”
“I guess you were willing to marry him . . . after being unwilling.”
“I’ve spent other lives being pregnant and unmarried. I never wish to revisit that situation again.” Her tear-filled eyes met his.
“Hence, you know how to deal with any man who bothers you.”
“Exactly.”
“You know, having a baby before marriage is no big deal.”
“I’ve spent most of my life raising my children without a husband, and I never want to repeat anything like it again.”
“But if you had a loving husband who stuck around and helped you?”
Her lips pursed as she thought. “I don’t need a man.”
He laughed. “You need me now, young lady. How on earth will we get this thing home if not together? You’ve already proven that you needed your father. I know you care about him.”
“Yes, I have to agree. At least with the shifts we will be keeping over the next weeks, we will both crash into the same bed . . . but never together.”
“You mean, never ever?”
“It depends how we feel about each other when we’re home.”
“About ‘each other’? I adore you, Miss Victoria.”
Victoria smirked. “You are growing on me, just a bit.”
“I’d like to hear more about your life sometime.”
“Yes, Facebook profiles didn’t exist in days of yore.”
“It reminds me of a joke,” he said. “Whatever problems Adam had, no man in days of yore could say when Adam told a joke; I’ve heard that one before.”
Victoria laughed. “That reminds me. I have the words Marcus read out when he reversed the spell. Let me take over the wheel, and you can read them.” She took the parchment out of her pocket, and they swapped places. He opened the parchment.
“Vengeance is mine, justice is wrought,
On those remaining of both peoples brought.
Revenge for Tabor’s traitorous mistake
Destroyed, but for one, when they made their escape
One from whom the two are born, far away beyond this shore
A child who is pale, with hair dark as night
The other, eyes of green and hair that is light
Both as opposite as two can be
Repeating their fate for eternity
Misery and bloodshed will be their lot
Over and over, never to stop
Until precious lives have been repaid
Of both the tribes which have been made
Every life cruelly destroyed,
Paid back by the lives of the two employed.
Until they all learn loyalty
Justice and love for you and me
Patience learned, forgiveness too
If only their forefathers could have been true
Return they shall to their father’s home
Forever to remain apart and alone
Only they can find the key
To reverse the spell and prophecy
Find the beginning of it all, behind the fence in the ivy wall
Fit the dice with skulls of white, turn and turn to make it right
Defeat the spell to end the lives of tragedy, misery, and strife
Vengeance on Tabor, revenge for all
In the end, we will not recall.”
“Wow. I feel like I’m living in a dream,” said Thom. “I’d really like to hear the whole story.”
“My lawyer has a copy of a letter to be opened if I don’t make it back. My Aunt and Uncle need to know the truth. The original is in a safe deposit box at the bank, with some other personal items. It’s a precis of the whole history. For now, I’m only interested in the present.”
“Right now, the wind is changing. Time to trim the sail, and tack. I’ll sort the sail and then go and radio the other boat to tell them what we’re up to. They won’t be going back to the Island either.”
“Aye, Aye, Captain Thom.” Victoria smiled at him and saluted.
THE END
After Decades Of Marriage To A Kind Man, Former Single Mum Proves Good Men Can NEVER Make Them Happy
Oh *sigh*.
This woman talks about marriage. A Mr. “OK”.
What was the slickest thing you have done or seen when negotiating a car price?
I found a Honda Civic on a dealers lot that I wanted to buy. The civic was a four door, and it was priced around $5,000. I saw the car on a Sunday, when the business was closed. While I was walking the lot, I also found a sportier looking pontiac sunfire, which was a two door. I think the sunfire was priced closer to $6,000. I was not interested in the sunfire at all. I would never buy the sunfire.
I showed up at the dealership on the next day, Monday. I was greeted by a salesman, and I told him, “I’m looking for a nice fuel efficient compact car. I saw that nice looking sunfire on your lot. I’m interested in looking at that car.”
The dealer asked me to follow him, as we walked toward the sunfire. All the while, he’s giving me a run down on the details (yawn, I couldn’t care less). The dealer then points out the sale price, of $5899 (or whatever, it was close to 6k).
I gave a look of disappointment, and lowly grumbled, “shoot. well, my budget is $4k.” A little back and forth, and the dealer quickly eliminates the sunfire as sell. But, the dealer told me, “I have a civic that’s priced at $5k. I might be able to do a little with that.”
I groaned, “oh, that gray civic…hmmm… i dont know” He said, “you said you were looking for a fuel efficient car, it doesn’t get better than the civic!” Then the dealer bid against himself, and lowered the price a little more.
Then I groaned again, “ugh….but it’s a four door. I really came looking for a two door, like the sunfire.” Without me even showing interest in the civic, the dealer bid against himself again, and dropped the price even more.
Then I gave the dealer a little interest. He sensed my slight interest. Now he was on a mission to TRY and sell me a car that I did not intend on buying. It was his mission to sell me this car. It seemed he wanted that sense of accomplishment of selling something to someone on a whim. What an accomplishment of a salesman. 😉
I eventually bought the civic at a great price. I don’t know if it would work again, but it was slick that day!!
Country Fried Round Steak
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 (5 ounce) Black Angus top round steaks
- Buttermilk
- 4 ounces whole butter
Country Gravy
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 2 ounces bacon grease
- 4 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup water
- Black pepper, to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Steak
- Mix flour, salt, garlic, pepper and onion powder together to make seasoned flour mixture.
- Tenderize steaks by running through a meat tenderizer or beating with a hand meat tenderizer.
- Soak in buttermilk briefly and then dip in seasoned flour mixture.
- Heat butter in sauté pan on medium high heat.
- Place breaded steaks in pan and cook until golden brown and tender, approximately 10 minutes per side.
- Serve with Country Gravy.
Country Gravy
- Brown garlic in the bacon grease.
- Stir in flour until smooth. Let roux (grease and flour) cook lightly for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add cream and water stirring constantly. Simmer until gravy thickens and is hot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Attribution
Posted by Red1060 at Recipe Goldmine.
Recipe courtesy Elvis Presley – Memphis, Tennessee
When INSANELY Strange Things Are Caught On Camera
Fungi and Robots??? Holy shit.
And the Mandela effect… so many examples. A must watch!
https://youtu.be/RbHsDojVgWY
Why do lottery winners often blow through their winnings?
I work with a V.P. at Schwab who told me a story about one of his clients who won a substantial lottery prize. The guy was a working man his whole life, and he knew the value of money. He knew this was his golden opportunity, and he didnt want to blow it.
He paid off his mortgage on his exsting home, but he didn’t go out and buy a mansion. He did buy some new cars, but no Ferraris or Maybachs. He set up investment accounts for his kids and college funds for his grandkids.
He told the Schwab V.P. “I’m no financial genius, but I know that this is my chance to set my family up for generations. Help me plan my financial future”. The Schwab guy set Mr. Lottery Winner up with income generating investments, long term wealth management, tax sheltered bonds, etc. He was set for his his future, his kid’s futures, his grandkid’s futures, even his great grandkids yet unborn.
The Schwab guy was proud of the package he put together.
He sent Mr. Lottery Winner to a team of lawyers who drew up corporate shelters and trusts to keep him protected. It was a textbook example of “Doing things right”.
Yet, Mr. Lottery Winner still went broke in less than 3 years later.
How do some people on the dark web get caught by the FBI while they’re supposed to be veterans in hacking? I mean, couldn’t they keep their anonymity?
A2A: Yes, they can.
Contrary to another answer, it’s very, very rare that a technical flaw or fault in Tor is hacked to reveal someone, and when that happens the Tor Project, the foundation that maintains Tor, fixes the problem quickly.
Nearly all people on the dark web aren’t caught by hacking. There’s nobody sitting in front of a keyboard in a darkened room typing furiously whilst muttering “I’ve penetrated the first firewall, but he’s routing packets from the tachyon field emitter through the main deflector dish.”
Nearly all Tor users are caught in meatspace. If you’re selling drugs or illegal guns or something, the transaction on Tor is very difficult to trace, but at some point you need to move the drugs or guns or whatever in the real world—you can’t just download them. And that’s the point of entry.
The owner of the Silk Road was caught after postal inspectors found a mail shipment of ecstasy tablets. They went to the post office where it was sent from, found surveillance footage, discovered that the suspect used that post office over and over again, so they set up surveillance and caught him.
When they interrogated him, he told them about this dark web marketplace called Silk Road. So Federal agents set up accounts on Silk Road posing as buyers. They bought drugs, arrested the sellers when the sellers shipped the drugs, then seized their seller accounts and used them to catch more sellers. Eventually they caught a person who was a trusted, high-level seller, and used that account to get the owner of the site.
Even cases where Tor is hacked don’t work like Hollywood says.
Back in 2014, police arrested a pedophile and found a huge cache of child abuse pictures on his computer. The arrest had nothing to do with hacking or the dark web. When they interrogated him about the pictures, he said he downloaded them from a dark web site called Playpen. So police did the same thing: set up fake accounts posing as buyers, luring sellers into sting operations, seizing their accounts, using the seized accounts to talk to other sellers, setting up sting operations, arresting those sellers, seizing their accounts, until finally they arrested someone who knew and was trusted by the site owner.
That led them to Steven Chase, the owner and creator of the site.
Hacking only came into it after that.
Law enforcement identified a security flaw in Tor that would allow downloading of malware. When they busted the site owner, they kept the site online for almost two weeks, rigged to download malware to anyone who visited. The malware sent the computer’s IP address and location to a server. Police were able to identify and arrest all the people who visited the site during the two weeks they left it up after they seized it.
The flaw in Tor was fixed soon after.
Law enforcement rarely-bordering-on-never “hacks” Tor. Almost all dark net busts happen first in the real world, away from computers, and then move online when police pose as buyers or other sellers and set up old-fashioned sting operations.
What were the worst two minutes of your life?
30 years ago this past September…
“Wake up, honey. You can’t sleep.”
“What happened?” I asked groggily.
“You were in an accident. You’re in the hospital.” he said.
“What?”
“Remember? We rented motor scooters and went riding. A car forced you off the road. You hit a pothole. But you’re going to be okay.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I hurt. It hurts. And I can’t lift my right arm.”
“That’s because you’re in a cast.”
“Oh, yeah. Silly me.” I answered laughing. “Ow. That hurt.”
“Get some rest but don’t go to sleep.”
“Ok.”
A while later. “What happened?” I asked groggily.
“You were in an accident. You’re in the hospital.” he said.
“What?”
“Remember? We rented motor scooters and went riding. A car forced you off the road. You hit a concrete post and were airlifted to the hospital. But you’re gonna be alright.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. It wasn’t your fault”
“I hurt. It hurts. And I can’t lift my right arm.”
“That’s because you’re in a cast.”
“Oh, yeah. Silly me.” I answered laughing. “Ow. That hurt.”
“I know, I’ll get the nurse.”
A little while later. “Hi honey. Can I get you anything? You’re not due for another pain shot for an hour.”
“What happened?” I asked groggily.
“You were in an accident. You’re in the hospital.” she said.
“What?”
“You’re going to be just fine.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, sweetie.”
“I hurt. It hurts. And I can’t lift my right arm.”
“That’s because you’re in a cast.”
“Oh, yeah. Silly me.” I answered laughing. “Ow. That hurt.”
Rinse and repeat for a day and a half. The worst two minutes repeated over and over. I only remember the last time. What I do remember is going to sleep Thursday night and waking up Saturday afternoon in the hospital. I was told about the repeat. Seems I did it every time I woke and I kept drifting off. They had to wake me repeatedly because of the concussion. The TBI defined the next 10 years of my life and the fibromyalgia the accident triggered has defined the rest.
Crazy On The Outside | Hilarious Comedy with Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta
Hidden Gem that you never heard about with an ALL STAR CAST– Ray Liotta (Good Fellas), Tim Allen (Home Improvement), Sigourney Weaver (Alien), JK Simmons (Whiplash), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Cheers), Julie Bowen (Modern Family) , Jeanne Tripplehorn
A recently paroled ex-con who has trouble adjusting to the wacky normalcy of life outside of prison.
He has spent the last three years behind bars after getting caught committing a crime and taking the rap for his much more dangerous pal.
Not available on Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+!
A child of MM is a very lucky consciousness indeed.
I look forward to having a daughter of my own in a few years. Maybe RR will be like her older sister.
It was over three years ago that I first found out that this life of mine is mainly, on a personal level, about reuniting and thus dis-entangling with the woman and daughter that I died for in a previous life.
I will forever be grateful for your absolutely critical help in enabling this crazy pre-birth template of mine. Thank you MM.
yes very grateful indeed, I spend a lot of time here.
I used to have “friends” like those but no more.
When they give you something, its like now you owe them. TF. Funny thing you did not ask for it and you always take the bill, but these bastards are just users.
Things come and go.
You live, you learn, you grow.
Life happens.
Now its just solitude. Oh very lonely indeed. very bad. very sad.
But if it is meant to be like this, who am I to defect.
I think this is my life. Not too bad. not great either.
I am naïve.
Locked in a constant battle each and every night, each and every day.
What is the point of all this.
Goddamn.
Prime got me good.
MM: great to hear about your success as a father – the most important job in the world.
Hilarious image at the top; both the preposterous lead male and lead female – but we have spoken on the obvious subject in the past.