Today is a simple post. I hope that you enjoy it. Many changes all over the place. Too many actually, and much is NOT well reported on.
Also I have some of my AI art that I am playing with.
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- I want to compose a “pre painting sketch layout” with the software. (Examples of this are included in this post.)
- Then run it though an enhancement software to flush out the faces, and layout.
- Finally, then have some artists in Shenzhen paint up an actual painting from my effort.
Anyways, lets begin here…
Auditing…
Iran and Saudi are auditing each others intelligence records.
They are trying to verify if each side engaged in attacking the other party, if not, then it must be US/Israel providing fake intelligence and committed the crimes themselves.
Those nations that are de-dollarizing are having their leaders end up going to hospitals!
Ohio derailment: What if it was happened in China? | OVERLAP
How did you end up at a homeless shelter?
My rent went up until it was more than my income, so I lost my home.
I took vacation time from work to ‘figure things out’, but the reality was that I spent three days on the streets, not knowing how to survive, basically just having a complete mental and emotional breakdown.
When you are evicted, no one tells you where the homeless shelter is, even if you tell the magistrate or judge or whoever is meeting with you and your landlord to evict you that you have nowhere to go. They simply do not care. It’s not part of their job to care (but it is – if they’re human. It’s all humans’ jobs to care about one another!).
After my third police contact in three days, one of the officers finally told me where the homeless shelter was and told me that I needed to go there. WHY this wasn’t their very first response to being called on someone who clearly didn’t know how to be homeless, I do not know. I guess it’s not their job to care, either (but it is – if they’re human. It’s all humans’ jobs to care about one another!)
Sadly, the police will not give you a ride to the homeless shelter, but they will give you directions. It took me the better part of two days to get there, but I made it!
I was filthy, incredibly hungry and absolutely exhausted. I was TERRIFIED. I walked in the front door and was told to write my name down and they’d put me on the waiting list to get in. THERE WAS A WAITING LIST. I was then told I had to come back every day at 1pm to keep my place on the waiting list to get into the shelter.
I was number 112 – maybe? I don’t know for sure anymore. I have never been to a shelter where I have been able to just walk in. There have always been over 100 women in front of me, also waiting for someone to leave so they can stay at the shelter. I do know that 112 was the lowest waiting list number I ever received.
I walked outside and had yet another complete breakdown.
And that’s when my guardian angel appeared. Her name was Sandra. She was 67 years old and had COPD. She was already staying at the shelter, but only had ten days left before she’d time out and had to leave. So she literally took me by the hand, pulled me up, hugged me and told me it would be OK. She spent the next week teaching me how to be homeless and how to live outside safely.
I finally got into the shelter nine weeks after getting on the waiting list.
In those nine weeks, I learned where to shower for free between certain times on certain days, where to go to get a couple of blankets for a bed roll – maybe even a sleeping bag, if they had any! – and where to go for a meal between 11am and 1pm every day. I learned where to go to get a bus pass if I needed one for an appointment or to get to a job interview (but not to work, for some reason) and how to get my ID and birth certificate replaced when they disappeared.
I learned how to set up my little cart so that my personal possessions and survival gear would be kept relatively safe, clean and dry while also allowing me to access needed items quickly and easily. I learned to move frequently for safety reasons and which of my fellow homeless were safe and which were not. She showed me where there were places other than the library where I could get a book to read for free.
I lost my job and found a new one in those nine weeks. I read “The Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri and “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy” by Laurence Sterne and many other works of Western Literature because there is a college nearby and those kids love throwing those books out. I was reading Kalidasa when I got the job I still have. I later learned that when they came to fetch me from reception into the interview room and saw that book in my hands and how completely engrossed I was in it, well that’s what made them decide it was worth giving me a chance. Literature really CAN open doors!
By the time I actually got into the shelter, all it really had to offer me was head lice and sleeping in a room full of total strangers (some of whom were clearly dangerously unstable) for up to 30 days every calendar year. I learned how to deal with head lice while homeless, too. I also learned that even dangerously unstable people have value. They’re still people, so of course they do!
Every time I have been to a shelter, it has been a negative experience for me. They are not safe- they suffer the frequent infestations that one would expect from cramming a bunch of humans who have been living outside into small spaces. One person wandering in (with anything from the flu to tuberculosis) can cause whatever illness they brought with them to rip through all 250 homeless people in the shelter in mere days as our immune systems are compromised due to chronic exposure and malnutrition.
I now avoid staying at shelters unless I have no other choice.
Shelters do serve an important function, though. They are somewhere for homeless people to gather and exchange information and they are also frequently clearinghouses for other services available in the community. Unfortunately, because I am the privileged class of homeless – I make too much to be eligible for any sort of help, but not enough to qualify to rent an apartment – the shelter doesn’t have any services to offer me. However, they’re also places where the homeless can find others that are homeless and make friends.
Sandra saved my life – the shelter helped just by being there and letting her stay in it. Sandra died a few years later as a result of COPD, a mere two weeks after being accepted into a transitional housing program. She had her own little cottage – it was so tiny! – and she was busy turning it into a home, as she could stay there for two years. It was right before Christmas and I’d taken her a little rosemary plant in a pot that had been trimmed and then decorated to look like a Christmas tree. I was devastated by her death.
I was glad she got to die inside. Not everyone does.
I go to the shelter where I met Sandra frequently now, just to look for women who clearly need help learning to survive. As we wander from place to place, I always tell them “This is what Sandra taught me to do when this happens” or “This is where Sandra took me when I had this problem – maybe they can help.” Eventually they ask me “Who’s Sandra?” – and I tell them.
That’s how I came to be in a shelter and Sandra became immortal.
Edit: Wow, this is overwhelming! I’ve had a lot of questions and comments I’d like to address, but as I said – it’s overwhelming. I also have to get ready and go to work. I do promise to come back and answer some questions in another edit soon. I simply need time to process everything and figure out how to answer effectively. One at a time probably isn’t going to be the effective way, though I really do wish that were the case.
The important part for now though – I’m OK. Thank you so much to all who are so concerned. It’s very touching, in all the right ways, to see other people really do care. It gives me hope that can be easy to lose sometimes, so I’ll just keep it here with me – k? 🙂 I’m secure in my own personal strength now, so I will be OK no matter what – even if I don’t always start out OK.
Saudi Crown Prince No Longer Interested in “Pleasing” the U.S. ━ The European Conservative
The apparent deterioration in US-Saudi relations comes amid a recent worldwide trend toward de-dollarization with key, ascendent geopolitical actors, including but not limited to China, Russia, India, and Brazil all taking steps to reduce their use of the U.S. dollar. Robert Semonsen
April 10, 2023
In yet another indication that tectonic geopolitical shifts are underway across the world, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told his close associates that he is no longer interested in “pleasing” the United States of America, a longtime ally of his country.
The news, revealed in a report published by the Wall Street Journal, comes as Saudi Arabia and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) surprised the world when they announced cuts in oil production amounting to 1.15 million barrels per day beginning next month and lasting until the end of 2023.
According to unnamed people familiar with the conversation, the Crown Prince stated that he wants “something in return” for anything he gives—or concessions he makes—to Washington.
The shift in attitude could potentially have significant implications for the U.S.-Saudi strategic alliance, which has remained relatively unchanged for decades. Furthermore, being a major oil producer and a regional power in the Middle East, any shift in Saudi Arabia’s political orientation toward the United States could cause significant ripple effects across the region and beyond.
The Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, has previously expressed a sense of indifference toward U.S. President Joe Biden. In March of 2022, in an interview published in The Atlantic, bin Salman expressed similar sentiments.
The interview article reads:
We asked whether Biden misunderstands something about him. “Simply, I do not care,” he replied. Alienating the Saudi monarchy, he suggested, would harm Biden’s position. “It’s up to him to think about the interests of America.” He gave a shrug. “Go for it.”
The apparent deterioration in US-Saudi relations comes amid a recent worldwide trend toward de-dollarization with key, ascendent geopolitical actors, including but not limited to China, Russia, India, and Brazil all taking steps to reduce their dependence on and use of the U.S. dollar.
Chip wars
He who has the largest market owns the market. The US is insane because all the US will end up is a bunch of chips with no buyers.
There is a reason Samsung profits dropped 96%. Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix have been ripping us consumers off for the last 5 years by intentionally limiting supply of NAND chips.
Well, that is over now that China can produce the latest generation nand chips. So Samsung lost their market and they can’t sell their chips that they are producing in the hundreds of millions.
And it is going to get worse for Samsung. It will be a nightmare for Micron. Because Micron got the US government to use national security to stop Apple from using YMTC chips. There is a security review of Micron in China. Basically China is going the same thing to Micron as the US did to YMTC.
The problem is that the market in China is much much larger than the US. So with the Micron ban, Micron stands to lose upto 50% of their revenues. Great move Micron. At least before they would have been able to fight for market share. Now the entire Chinese market is gone.
So Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix can compete for the US market.
The great news is that SSD are about to become really really cheap. Even cheaper than it is now. 1TB SSD went from $300 USD to $50. I was shocked when I checked. The question is how low can it go? They can’t just let the chips sit in warehouses.
And the US might ban Samsung to save Micron. Essentially give the US market to Micron so Micron can make some kind of profit. Oh well, Being a US lapdog, you have to take the hit for the US.
It won’t be long
Gringo Nachos
Unlike regular nachos, these are served as an entree. Melty cheese covers roasted potatoes, bacon and caramelized onions. The amounts are as desired.
Ingredients
- Red potatoes
- Bacon, sliced into 1 inch pieces
- Large yellow onions
- Garlic powder
- Cheddar cheese, grated
- Sour cream
- Green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Roast red potatoes, then cube and sauté with bacon.
- Meanwhile, caramelize onions. Halve and slice onions.
- Coat 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook onions in oil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soft and golden. Stir in garlic powder, per taste.
- Place potatoes on a rimmed cookie sheet.
- Add caramelized onions on top of potatoes.
- Sprinkle lots of grated Cheddar cheese over the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F or just until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with dollops of sour cream and green onions.
Ron Paul | Infowars: There’s a War on for Your Mind!
NATO’s post-Cold War history is that of an organization far past its “sell-by” date. Desperate for a mission after the end of the Warsaw Pact, NATO in the late 1990s decided that it would become the muscle behind the militarization of “human rights” under the Clinton Administration.
Gone was the “threat of global communism” which was used to justify NATO’s 40-year run, so NATO re-imagined itself as a band of armed Atlanticist superheroes. Wherever there was an “injustice” (as defined by Washington’s neocons), NATO was ready with guns and bombs.
The US military-industrial complex could not have been happier. All the Beltway think tanks they lavishly fund finally hit on a sure winner to keep the money pipeline flowing. It was always about money, not security.
The test run for NATO as human rights superheroes was Yugoslavia in 1999. To everybody but NATO and its neocon handlers in DC and many European capitals, it was a horrific, unjustified disaster. Seventy-eight days of bombing a country that did not threaten NATO left many hundreds of civilians dead, the infrastructure destroyed, and a legacy of uranium-tipped ammunition to poison the landscape for generations to come.
Just last week tennis legend Novak Djokovic recalled what it felt like to flee his grandfather’s home in the middle of the night as NATO bombs fell and destroyed it. What a horror!
Then NATO got behind the overthrow of the Gaddafi government in Libya. The corporate press regurgitated the neocon lies that bombing the country, killing its people, and overthrowing its government would solve all of Libya’s human rights problems. As could be predicted, NATO bombs did not solve Libya’s problems but made everything worse. Chaos, civil war, terrorism, slave markets, crushing poverty – no wonder Hillary Clinton, Obama, and the neocons don’t want to talk about Libya these days.
After a series of failures longer than we have space for here, DC-controlled NATO in 2014 decided to go all-in and target Russia itself for “regime change.” First step was overthrowing the democratically elected Ukrainian government, which Victoria Nuland and the rest of the neocons took care of. Next was the eight years of massive NATO military assistance to Ukraine’s coup government with the intent of fighting Russia. Finally, it was the 2022 rejection of Russia’s request to negotiate a European security agreement that would prevent NATO armies circling its border.
Despite the mainstream media and US government propaganda, NATO has been about as successful in Ukraine as it was in Libya. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been flushed away, with massive corruption documented by journalists like Seymour Hersh and others.
The only difference this time is that NATO’s target – Russia – has nuclear weapons and views this proxy war as vital to its very existence.
So now despite its legacy of failure, NATO has decided to start a conflict with China, perhaps to take attention off its disaster in Ukraine. Last week NATO announced that it will open its first-ever Asia office in Japan.
What next, NATO membership for Taiwan?
Will Taiwan willingly serve as NATO’s newest “Ukraine” – sacrificing itself to China in the name of blundering NATO’s seemingly endless appetite for conflict?
We can only hope that America will elect a president in 2024 who will finally end NATO’s deadly world tour.
This article first appeared at RonPaulInstitute.org
What is the China competitiveness bill passed in the US Senate?
Youngsters would call it a Badass piece of Legislation meant to Compete with China
It involves investing a huge sum of money – almost $ 200 Billion into various avenues meant to disrupt Chinas dominance as a Worlds Supply Chain Depot over the next 5 years
It aims to spend $ 50 Billion to start Semi Conductor manufacture in other countries like India or Vietnam to replace the 45 – 100 nm Chips that China is churning out by the milllions.
It also gives unilateral powers to the President to Impose on any Entity or Person without the State Department or Commerce Departments or any Departments collaboration. This means Biden can sanction China directly (The Country, not the Officials)
Believe me – If Implemented well- It could be a big big win for India and could create as many as 20,000 Skilled Jobs initially and if we really were to take advantage of the US Investments – we could replace China in making 45 – 100 nm Chips by say 2026–2027 which would be a surge to our GDP.
It would also mean a lot of Stones and Balls for the Genial Old Man who has faced massive setbacks with his ambitious infrastructure spending plans becoming the equivalent of Trumps Wall.
Yet it is very ambitious because China is always 4–5 steps ahead.
Also China makes the Worlds Best 45 – 100 Nm Chips and to trust India or Vietnam to be able to harness and develop the same tech in even 6 years is super ambitious especially knowing that there is almost very little profit except in Bulk Quantity.
And there is also an added problem – China is a huge market for 60% of the Cars which use these Chips so if China says Sorry well only buy Chinese – then the chances of any big scale manufacturing would be shot to hell.
So at this stage its – Match on – Xi vs Biden
Biden has put things on Paper – We have to see if he has some way to Implement the same thing.
“We’ve NEVER seen anything like it” – The Bud Light BOYCOTT just got worse
The IRS decides to audit Grandpa, and summons him to the IRS office. The IRS auditor was not surprised when Grandpa showed up with his attorney.
The auditor said, “Well, sir, you have an extravagant lifestyle and no full-time employment, which you explain by saying that you win money gambling. I’m not sure the IRS finds that believable.”
“I’m a great gambler, and I can prove it,” says Grandpa. “How about a demonstration?”
The auditor thinks for a moment and says, “OK. Go ahead.”
Grandpa says, “I’ll bet you a thousand dollars that I can bite my own eye.”
The auditor thinks a moment and says, “It’s a bet.”
Grandpa removes his glass eye and bites it. The auditor’s jaw drops.
Grandpa says, “Now, I’ll bet you two thousand dollars that I can bite my other eye.”
The auditor can tell Grandpa isn’t blind, so he takes the bet.
Grandpa removes his dentures and bites his good eye. The stunned auditor now realizes he has wagered and lost three grand, with Grandpa’s attorney as a witness. He starts to get nervous.
“Want to go double or nothing?” Grandpa asks. “I’ll bet you six thousand dollars that I can stand on one side of your desk, and pee into that wastebasket on the other side, and never get a drop anywhere in between.”
The auditor, twice burned, is cautious now, but he looks carefully and decides there’s no way this old guy could possibly manage that stunt, so he agrees again. Grandpa stands beside the desk and unzips his pants, but although he strains mightily, he can’t make the stream reach the wastebasket on the other side, so he pretty much urinates all over the auditor’s desk.
The auditor leaps with joy, realizing that he has just turned a major loss into a huge win. But Grandpa’s attorney moans and puts his head in his hands.
“Are you OK?” the auditor asks.
“Not really,” says the attorney. “This morning, when Grandpa told me he’d been summoned for an audit, he bet me twenty-five thousand dollars that he could come in here and pee all over your desk and that you’d be happy about it.”
Don’t mess with old people!
US officials scramble to slow China’s advances – Asia Times
From HERE
Why are there so many homeless people on the streets at night in the USA vs few in China?
Many Americans may be too young to remember what happened in the 1970’s. Up to that time, state governments maintained a network of public mental hospitals that took care of the mentally ill. The critics at the time said that the care was inadequate and treatment non-existent, and so they said that the mental hospitals were just “warehousing” hundreds of thousands of mentally ill people.
This caused a major popular backlash in the mid-1970’s. Movies like “One flew over the cuckoo’s nest” helped to sway the public into seeing the public mental hospitals as wasteful and dangerous places.
So what happened was the political Left (liberals) wanted to shut the public mental hospitals down and move the mentally ill to community mental health centers that would be built near where people lived. They believed that doing so would improve the care and would result in more humane treatment of the mentally ill.
The political Right (conservatives) saw a big chance to shut down the public mental hospitals and save billions of dollars of “wasteful” government spending and cut taxes.
This was a rare moment of consensus across the political spectrum. So what happened?
During the second half of the 1970’s, throughout the United States, states closed and emptied out the public mental hospitals. When the Left tried to get funding to open community mental health centers, the Right blocked it as wasteful spending, and the neighborhoods where those centers were to be located rose up in protest in the classic case of NIMBY (Not In My Back-Yard).
As the result, the mentally ill ended up with their families that were quickly overwhelmed with responsibility that they were unprepared for. After all, these families placed their mentally ill family members in the public mental hospitals because they could not properly care for them. Even now, most private health insurance in the US do not pay for long term mental health treatment. Without medication to treat the illness, the afflicted lose touch with reality.
Soon we began to see homeless people everywhere.
During the 1980’s the political Left pointed to the growing number of homeless people as the case of economic inequality and blamed the policies of the Republican administration of President Reagan. The political Right basically gave a collective shrug since homeless people rarely vote. And everyone conveniently forgot how we got there.
Since then this problem is being taken care of in the most inefficient and inhumane manner.
We know that the majority of long term homeless suffer from either untreated mental illness or severe case of substance addiction either to narcotics or alcohol (or all of the above). They frequently get into minor legal trouble that result in incarceration at the local county jail where people that have committed minor offenses are held.
As the result, in many urban counties, the majority of the county jail inmates are mentally ill people. Since jails are not mental hospitals, their psychiatric conditions are often not treated properly. Once they are released, they stop taking their medication, if they were given any at all. So without medication, their mental illness comes swiftly back, and unable to deal with reality they quickly go back to living on the streets.
This means that many of the mentally ill in America are being warehoused in county jails with no treatment for their condition. The irony is that the money that we were supposed to save by closing the public mental hospitals is in fact paying to place the mentally ill in jail which are far more expensive and far less humane.
This problem is exacerbated by well-intended efforts by mental health advocates to protect the rights of the mentally ill. As the result, it is nearly impossible in the US to commit a mentally ill person to long term mental health treatment. Without such treatment, these people go in and out of the mental health care system or the county jail in between long periods of living homeless in the street. Truly “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
This is a tragic and disappointing aspect of America that I think not enough people know or care about.
I found these links that provide additional information:
An archived NY Times article that describes the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill and the subsequent consequences: HOW RELEASE OF MENTAL PATIENTS BEGAN
A discussion of the effects of de-institutionalization in America: Learn About Deinstitutionalization, the Causes and the Effects
A Wikipedia entry that discusses the link between mental illness and homelessness: Homelessness and mental health – Wikipedia
24 Nations Align Against US Dollar As BRICS Looks to Launch New Global Currency
A total of 24 nations are now looking to build a strategic alliance that will challenge the US dollar’s decades-long role as the world’s reserve currency.
The group of five economically-aligned countries collectively known as BRICS is reportedly on the cusp of a massive expansion.
The core collective consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – and a surge of nations interested in joining the alliance would bring the total number of nations to 24.
That’s according to South Africa’s BRICS ambassador, Anil Sooklal, who tells Bloomberg that a long list of nations are now looking to join in.
Sooklal says the list includes 13 countries that have formally asked to join and an additional six countries that have informally requested to be part of the alliance.
The group of known newcomers includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt, Bahrain, Indonesia, two unnamed nations from East Africa and one from West Africa.
BRICS was formed back in 2006, and the original group did not include South Africa, which joined in 2010.
According to the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik, BRICS is in the early stages of developing a new global currency that would circumvent the US dollar.
Russian State Duma Deputy Chairman Alexander Babakov says the new form of fiat will likely be backed by other assets including precious metals like gold.
Additional details are likely to emerge by the summer, with the next BRICS summit set for South Africa in late August.
Oh SH*T, The gloves just came OFF
Large NATO Air Deployment w/ Nuke-Sniffer Aircraft
Something seems to be “up” around the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A large NATO air deployment is presently active; far larger than most prior air saturation.
We begin with A US Air Force “Constant Phoenix” which is a nuke-sniffer aircraft, running an odd air search pattern off the coast of the United Kingdom. This aircraft takes air samples to detect the presence of nuclear material. As seen on e radar tracking image below, the plane seems to be searching for what __may__ be a deployed Russian POSEIDON nuclear drone, or submarines that carry such a drone.
Russia invented this unstoppable nuclear torpedo drone with the idea it can detonate a kilometer beneath the sea so as to generate a “nuclear tsunami” against the coastline of an enemy. If that were to take place, a wave upwards of 1500 METERS tall (4500 feet) would wash-up on an enemy coastline, carrying deadly levels of radiation, and utterly smash everything within about twenty MILES of a coastline.
Worse, because that water would carry heavy doses of radiation, the enemy country would be unable to accommodate life for thousands of years!
Here’s the aircraft search patten:
Next, we turn attention to a US “Globalhawk” drone, now probing deep into the Black Sea.
With call sign FORTE11, this flight seems unusual because in the past they have usually stuck to the Romanian Coast.
This appears to be a very aggressive move, leading some observers to conclude “Something is about to happen.”
Here’s that flight map:
In addition, the following NATO aircraft are also up:
-USAF E8C Joint STARS REDEYE6
-USAF KC135R 63-8039
-USAF KC135R 58-0092
-RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint RRR7209
-USAF RQ-4B Global Hawk FORTE11
-Italian Air Force G550 AEW PERSE71
Here is the flight radar map of those aircraft:
Of significant interest in the aircraft above is the Royal Air Force “Rivet Joint.” The RC-135W Rivet Joint is a dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft that can be employed in all theatres on strategic and tactical missions. Its sensors ‘soak up’ electronic emissions from communications, radar and other systems.
NATO has also deployed a spy plane into Finland, spying all up and down the Russian Border:
Also of import is a Turkish Air Force “Peace Eagle” Early Warning and Control aircraft patrolling from Romania:
he Boeing 737 AEW&C “Peace Eagle” is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design. It is lighter than the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry, and has a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar antenna instead of a rotating one.
Fueling all of these aircraft are two airborne StratoTankers:
Tensions are now running very high between NATO and Russia. It seems to several observers that EITHER:
a) The Ukraine Offensive may be about to begin, OR
b) NATO is fearing a Russian first strike.
The world has __never__ been this close to an actual nuclear conflict.
Ground Beef and Potato Picadillo
(Ground Beef and Potato Filling)
Use as a filling for soft tacos, flour tortilla tacos, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and empanadas.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onions, minced
- 1/2 cup potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and rinsed
- 1 1/2 pounds very lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, onions and potatoes. Cook the onions until they are soft, but not browned, and add the ground beef in small pieces. Brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Grind together the garlic, oregano and cumin in a molcajete or mortar and pestle and stir it into the meat.
- Next, add the chile powder and salt.
- Turn the temperature to very low, cover the skillet, and simmer the filling for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Some of my art…
MM art from DeepAI.
I’ve been playing around with this app, and am generating rough images to then build upon and compose with other systems to eventually obtain decent art. Right now, the systems shows promise.
Colors and nature are good. However, the people, and animals are terrible.
Composition and layout is terrible.
But it does show promise.
The freefall of China-Canada relations
China’s relations with Canada are in freefall, although that itself is hardly anything new. Following interference in the country’s politics by US military-industrial complex funded think tank, CSIS, a Chinese diplomat has been “accused” (without due evidence) of intimidating Canadian Conservative MP Michael Chong, for previously having sponsored a motion concerning the Xinjiang region. Following a media firestorm, Canada’s foreign ministry then announced on Monday night that they had expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei from the country.
In addition to this, Canada has also alleged repeatedly that China is “interfering” in its elections. The explosion of McCarthyist paranoia in Ottawa has brought diplomatic relations to a standstill in a way unparalleled with the rest of the “five eyes” or Anglosphere (bar the US). In November, Xi Jinping also had a publicized confrontation with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the G20 summit, where he appeared to chastise him. This only amounts to further turbulence following the saga with Meng Wangzhou and the “two Michaels”, following the arrest of the Huawei CFO in Vancouver at the behest of the United States.
The collapse of China-Canada relations has been aggravated by multiple factors. It didn’t used to be this way. On the surface, it may have seemed Canada would be theoretically the most culturally amicable country to China out of all the “five eyes”, this is because as a percentage of the population, it has the largest Chinese community, which constitutes 4.6%. But those who assume such do not know a lot about Canada. Although it frames itself as a benevolent and progressive country, gaining admirers around the world, the reality is that Canada is for all intents and purposes, built upon the legacy of being an extremely racist and elitist country, once which of course remains in lingering controversies over what it did to its indigenous population.
Although modern Canada has become more liberal and multicultural, this elitism remains beneath the surface and exists subtlety, as opposed to explicitly. Not only that, but the sheer realities of geography and scale in terms of power, also make Canada wholly subservient to the United States. It was in the year of 2018, when Canada-China relations were going fairly well beforehand, that the US ultimately decided to do a demolition job on its relationship with Beijing. By demanding Ottawa arrest Meng Wangzhou, they locked Canada into a diplomatic crisis with China which led to the retaliatory arrest of the two Michaels, provoking an outpouring of negative sentiment against Beijing. The stunt was orchestrated by John Bolton, and was aptly designed not only as part of the US campaign against Huawei that was emerging at that time, but of course creating geopolitical tensions which “forced” countries to take sides.
Even though that issue has long since been resolved, Canada-China ties have arguably never recovered from it, and the latest wave of negative sentiment is stemming from US-based think tanks making allegations of political interference, whipping up a climate of Sinophobia and paranoia against the country’s Chinese population by claiming it seeks to influence the country against making Anti-China decisions, while ignoring, of course, the ironic elephant in the room that this is coming from Washington. The United States can effortlessly shape Canada’s environment, control public discourse and therefore by extension, influence policy. There seems to be no qualms about this, because it doesn’t truly fit the mantra of a “yellow peril”.
It remains unclear how exactly China-Canada relations can escape from this downward trajectory, especially given the reality that the Liberal Justin Trudeau government is still likely to be less hawkish on China that the even more ardently pro-US Conservative Party of Canada ever will be, with any successor likely to be akin to a “Scott Morrisson” government in Australia who will take a much harder line. Similarly, Beijing is likely to respond to the recent events by retaliating further against Canada, and perhaps even wielding economic measures. But none of this is helpful, and only creates a more tenuous situation. Ottawa after all is a gatekeeper to CPTPP, which China is applying to join, and its reasons to approve it are minimum as it is given the existence of Washington’s “poison pill” clause in the NAFTA which allows it to terminate the bloc should Canada enter into a deal with a “non-market economy” (i.e China). Thus, there is a desperate need for “cool heads” to prevail, but given the past few years, and given Canada’s own position, there is little optimism at this time to assume that will happen.
Does China have a homeless problem similar to the US? If not, why?
China has 2142 registered Homeless Shelters – each capable of accomodating between 250 to 6000 Homeless persons, feed them twice a day and put them to work in the Homeless Labor Program for upto 1 year following which they will be integrated into the National Labor Force.
Until the COVID 19 Crisis – the Shelters averaged between 61–80% occupancy but since COVID 19 Crisis – the Shelters average between 154 – 227% occupancy.
Chinese Social Services has 31400 welfare workers to take care of Homeless People and guide them to the shelters.
China has 18 people per 10000 classified as Homeless while US has 17 people per 10000 classified as Homeless.
The difference is in China – 93% of the Homeless People are sheltered whereas in the US – only 57% of the Homeless People are sheltered (43% are on the streets).
There is a fundamental reason for this
A State Welfare vs Organizational and Individual Welfare
In China – the Shelters and Case Workers are 100% funded by the State. The Food for the Homeless is funded by the Chinese Government and paid out of Yeibo tax levied from the Taxpayers.
In US – the Social Services Workers are Government Funded but everything else from Food to Shelter is funded by Individual Trusts and Pro Bono outfits and Charity outfits for Tax purposes and Religious Charities.
As a result US has a more limited response to welfare workers
B Parasite Law in China
In China – a Homeless worker will mandatorily provided work by the CCP under its Homeless Labor Program for upto 1 year (Unless worker shows financial capability to withdraw from the Program to a better life). The Worker can deny only 2 jobs. If the Worker denies a third job – then the Worker will be classified as a Parasite and imprisoned and forced to work as a Detained Laborer only being fed and sheltered and paid a bare minimum.
Any Homeless worker who merely sleeps without working will be classified as a Parasite and will be detained and forced to work as a Detained Laborer. Sometimes this involves upto 7 years in a far off northern province.
A Homeless person who has a child will forcibly be separated from her child if declared a Parasite and the child put up for Adoption either Nationally or Globally.
Thus most of the Homeless people are forced to ensure that they do what the Govt tells them and work where they are told to work (Farming Labor, Unskilled Labor like Sweeping etc).
IN the US – there is no such law. There is Freedom to be homeless and sleep in the park or under a bridge with little legal intervention.
C Reasonable Laws vs Capitalism
In China – the main reason for Homelessness is Rural Migration to Cities. Most such migrants are caught and deported to the Villages and a handful are taken to the Shelters.
In US – the main reason for Homelessness is EVICTION and MENTAL HEALTH.
In China – the Laws regarding Eviction are far more leninent. The Evictions are almost always Forced since the land is in most cases leased and not owned by Individuals (Only 7% of the Land in China is freely owned, 93% is leased and belongs to the State). In every single case of Eviction – there is always alternate property being offered to the persons being evicted. There is also a compensation paid for moving reasons. Hence over 80% of the people move to new places under Forced Evictions. 20% who dont want to move may end up homeless and these will slowly be rounded up and forced to move to the new locations
In US – the Laws are clear. Evictions are always there and people sleep in their cars after being evicted. It is believed that without an additional stimulus program by the Congress – US will have nearly 750000 people evicted from their homes due to COVID 19.
D Old Age Laws
In China – Persons older than 75 years old (Or 82 Years old depending on Province) are looked upon as Children and have a Pension System that is very reasonable.
Besides China has a law wherein Children who don’t contribute to their parents monthly income or upkeep or maintenance or who don’t keep their parents with them may be charged with up to 3 years imprisonment by the Court of Family and Welfare
In US – Old Persons is abandoned should either be lucky enough to find a charity that cares or simply die. There is no provision.
So though CHINA has almost as much of a Homeless Problem as the US – China handles its Homelessness far better than the US.
What Australia Did to China
Stabbed Huawei in the back, among other things.
No other country in the world – not Taiwan, Japan or South Korea – is talking about the likelihood of war with China on a day-to-day basis. Only Australia.
–Natasha Kassam, Lowy Institute.
The Australian, above, lists the names and photographs of 32 local academics who had ‘been recruited to the Thousand Talents Plan…or [who] registered their intellectual property in China’. Emphasizing that many had also received Australian taxpayer-funded research grants, and most were ethnic Chinese, the ASPI report was widely cited as authoritative, and well-known China hawks provided quotes. Andrew Hastie, then-chair of parliament’s joint intelligence committee, contended that Australian research and IP was ‘being plundered
by the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]’. The current chair, James Paterson, said they were ‘profoundly disturbing revelations’. They also turned out to be untrue.
The outburst was one of hundreds of similar episodes since 2019 where Australia has actively sought to harm its relations with China and China itself. But when Beijing offered to discuss its concerns, Canberra censored them so that the public was unaware of them and lied, “The fourteen items identified by the Chinese embassy document are seen by the Department of Foreign Affairs as key to Australia’s national interest and non-negotiable.. the government makes sound decisions in our national interest and in accordance with our values and open democratic processes”.
A History of Violence
No democratic process was involved, of course. China’s points are still unanswered and, apparently, still non-negotiable. Although Canberra politicized Chinese trade and investment and violated market principles for decades, between 2015-2020 China consistently lowered tariffs on Australian products until 95% enjoyed zero duties.
But Canberra has a long history of violence, invasion, and exploitation of Asian neighbors including, recently, robbing the world’s poorest country, Timor Leste. The list below, though incomplete, is representative of Australia’s pettiness, nastiness and stupidity:
- In contravention of ChAFTA, since 2019 Australia rejected a dozen Chinese investment projects and restricted areas like infrastructure, agriculture and animal husbandry on ambiguous, unfounded (and insulting) “national security concerns”.
- Australia launched 107 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations of Chinese products, more than any of China’s other trading partners.
- Australia politicized and stigmatized normal exchanges and cooperation, created barriers, and imposed restrictions like revoking visas for Chinese scholars, in parallel with America’s identical, failed witch hunt.
- Knowing that Covid-19 was endemic in Europe and the US before it reached China, Beijing requested a meeting with Australian officials prior to PM Scott Morrison’s press conference, to answer any questions and supply any data, but was ignored.The PM then told the media that international inspectors should be allowed access to China, “Weapons inspector-style, with the ability to kick open doors”.
- Australia was the first non-littoral country to criticize China’s behavior in the South China Sea at the UN.
- Australia outdid the US in demonizing the PRC’s Xinjiang and Hong Kong policies, while publicly alleging Chinese cyberattacks – none of which was ever proven, or even questioned.
- Australian politicians and media fell silent when the US refused to sign the UN resolution permitting WHO investigations like China’s.
- Canberra cancelled several BRI agreements with China with no prior notification,
- Canberra repeatedly sent Australian vessels to US “freedom of navigation exercises” near the Chinese coast.
- Australia spearheaded a crusade against China in multilateral forums, like the United Nations, where it voted against China at every opportunity.
- Canberra paid anti-China think tanks to spread false reports and peddle unsubstantiated allegations about Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
- Canberra funded investigations into so-called ‘China infiltration’ designed to manipulate public opinion against the country.
- Australian police made pre-dawn searches and conducted reckless seizures in Chinese journalists’ homes without charge, explanation, or apology.
- Australian politicians made repeated, false allegations about Chinese cyber attacks.
- Australia condoned and repeated government-funded NGOs’ outrageous condemnations of the governing party of China.
- Australia shrugged off hundreds of racist attacks against Chinese and Asian people.
- During a riot started by US and Taiwanese agents in the Solomon Islands, Australian officials told Solomons PM Sogovare that they would not protect Chinese infrastructure projects.
- When an Australian politician, Shaoquette Moselmane MP, repeated the WHO’s praise of China’s Covid Zero, forty police arrived at his home and stayed for 13 hours. They brought sniffer dogs, took hair and dust samples from his car, searched the car engine and door rubbers, had a helicopter hovering and raided his parliamentary office, and froze the Moselmane family’s bank accounts. Minister of Defence Peter Dutton told a reporter, “You can’t have an allegiance to another country and pretend to have an allegiance to this country at the same time”. No charges were ever brought against Mr. Moselman, nor apology made to his terrified family.
- Australia stigmatized normal cooperation and imposed restrictions, like the revocation of Chinese scholars’ visas – which caused a scandal in China
- Australia launched intimidatory predawn searches and reckless seizures of Chinese journalists’ homes and properties without charge or explanation.
- Australia’s national lab, the CSIRO, told staff it will not renew its climate research partnership with the Qingdao National Marine Laboratory, following an assertion by ASIO’s Mike Burgess that ocean temperature modelling could assist submarine operations against Australia (a decision met with robust criticism by Australian scientists).
- In 2017, the Solomon Islands wanted to lay a cable between Honiara and Sydney. “This was seen as a red line so we jumped in with a better deal providing the cable as a grant that would be implemented with a procurement partner of Australia’s choosing – that wouldn’t be Chinese.”
- Australia targeted China with one-third of its ongoing WTO actions and two-thirds of current measures, despite the Productivity Commission finding “no convincing justifications for the measures”.
- Australia imposed hefty duties on Chinese steel (144%), aluminum, and chemicals without justification.
- Australia initiated 106 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations of Chinese products, yet complained bitterly when China finally resorted to the WTO, for the first time, with barley and wine tariffs.
- Australia committed $500 billion for a weapon whose only purpose is attacking China.
The Unkindest Cut
There are two standout provocations that heralded the beginning of the diplomatic breakdown between Canberra and Beijing. The first was the Turnbull government’s banning of the giant Chinese tech-company Huawei from operating in Australia. The second was when Morrison’s Foreign Affairs minister Marise Payne publicly demanded that China comply with an international enquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. In both cases Australia took the lead internationally in taking these actions. – Allan Patience
Given China’s national pride in Huawei, the nation’s first high tech global brand, Canberra’ decision to launch a world wide attack on the company was particularly cruel. PM Malcolm Turnbull blocked Australian adoption of Huawei then traveled to lobby UK and EU governments against it – with zero evidence to support his allegations. When Huawei offered to base its network security division in Australia Canberra did not respond.
Points of View
The Chinese see in Australia a pattern of bad-faith dealing, negative discrimination, unprovoked hostility, and unwillingness to talk candidly.
Australians, to quote fellow Substacker Benjamin Herscovitch, see “Beijing’s pursuit of relationship repair with Canberra” and bridle at “its sustained economic coercion of Australia”.
On its current course, Australia’s future seems bleak. Hypocrisy, lack of self-awareness, endemic racism and fear of a non-capitalist neighbor have alienated it from the new world leader and its neighbors in the world’s leading economic region.
The Vice-Chancellor of my Australian alma mater told me that corroborations with Chinese universities and Chinese scholars overwhelmingly benefited Australian institutions more than Chinese.
THIS IS WW3, Putin just scored a devastating blow to the U.S.! with Clayton Morris
https://youtu.be/hPzMXYNBndY
What was the worst social media stunt you’ve heard of?
Oh, it’s going on right now.
See this idiot here?
His name is Cyril Bertheau (social media handle “2raw2ride”), and he’s a 24-year-old from Montreal, currently living in Austin, Texas. In March he announced on TikTok that he had quit his “6-figure tech job” (he was the Operations Manager for a transportation company) in order to ride a horse from Austin to Seattle — well over 2,000 miles — in 100 days, via Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, riding for ten hours a day, six days a week. His self-imposed “rules” also included no paying for lodging for either himself or his horse.
The unfortunate horse tapped for this trip is a 13-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding named Falcon that Bertheau bought off of Craigslist for $3,000 (and whose previous owner he lied to about his plans). He gave the horse only one month to get “conditioned” for the trip, not the year he told the owners he was going to (and even a year isn’t long enough for a trip of that length).
Poor, sweet Falcon:
Bear in mind that even horses specifically trained for endurance racing take years to properly condition, and endurance riders a) are usually going a total of around fifty miles, and b) use ultra light tack to lessen the burden on the horses. But this guy expects to get a horse that’s really not even big enough for him ready in a month.
His saddle, also purchased off of Craigslist, is not properly fitted to the horse and is also quite heavy, because it was more comfortable for him (screw the horse). He bragged about his Lululemon shirts, custom leather chaps, and Banana Republic jacket, but also brought no grain, hay, or water for Falcon (whom he rechristened “Shiok”, but I will continue to call Falcon), and stated that he expects the horse to live off of “ditch grass”. His saddle, gear, and other tack weigh over 60 pounds, and he’s probably at least 160, meaning the horse, who appears to weigh less than 1,000 pounds even in the early photos, is loaded with way too much stuff even for a one hour trail ride. Several equestrians on TikTok and Instagram also noted that he had the horse’s bit in upside down and backwards, and that particular sort of bit is very hard on a horse’s mouth if you aren’t an advanced rider.
So Tech Bro — whose plan is apparently to sell his GoPro footage to Netflix for a documentary and become rich and famous — clearly thought he was going to be embraced, and that people would think he was super cool for doing this, but it’s backfired on him 100%. He’s being crucified now, even by those outside the equestrian community, as an animal abuser, especially since he’s been very evasive about Falcon’s condition, and has not shown any photos or video of the horse in weeks.
However, other people have gotten video and photos of Falcon, who in the past month appears to have lost a significant amount of weight and was shown to have edema on his belly (likely from the saddle girth) as well as lameness in his hind feet and obvious saddle sores and other abrasions. A source at the vet’s office that last examined Falcon, just a couple of weeks into the trip, stated that he weighed in at 850 pounds, which is absolutely underweight for a Tennessee Walker, and video also revealed that the horse’s backbone is showing and his hindquarters have lost significant muscle mass. The vet also apparently strongly advised him to rest Falcon for two weeks, but Bertheau took the horse and left after only four days. (Bertheau has said he plans on suing the person who spread “misinformation” about Falcon’s condition.) He is also, a month into his trip, apparently still in Texas, and since in the U.S., you need a veterinarian’s exam and clearance to bring a horse across state lines, that may be at least partly why.
Multiple people have offered him large sums of money to buy Falcon before he dies or becomes permanently lame or critically injured. Cyril reportedly rejected an offer of $20,000 for the horse he just paid $3,000 for — because the buyer refused to sign a NDA. Currently he’s saying he wants $60,000.
Cyril takes great offense to being filmed by people, and has even called the police on some, only to be informed that it’s perfectly legal to film someone in public and he can’t do a damned thing about it. Apparently he wants to be the only one with footage of his trip, lest he not have “exclusive” content for Netflix, and also to keep his horse’s deteriorating condition under wraps. (Also note that he has no deal of any kind with Netflix, and it’s highly unlikely that they will want his footage, especially now.)
His last Instagram video shows he’s clearly losing it, as his trip is not going as planned — if he’s not even out of Texas yet, he’s certainly not making Seattle in another 60 days — most people, even those who know nothing about horses, don’t admire what he’s doing, and his horse is getting much more attention than he is. I don’t use TikTok, but he’s reportedly been flamed really badly on there and is now posting more on Instagram, and in the Instagram video he berates the “snowflakes” who are concerned about his “poor little horsey”.
This dude is going down in flames, all because he wanted to go viral and get rich and famous without working for it, and he’s endangering the life of an innocent horse in his quest for money and adoration. Please, you guys — if you want to try to get famous pulling some dumb stunt, go for it, but don’t drag innocent animals into your foolishness.
EDIT: This guy apparently posted a new video showing that he now has a second horse in addition to Falcon, as a pack horse. From the video, the pack horse itself appears to be lame, as does Falcon. So instead of giving up, he’s doubling down, and now this idiot is heading into the desert with two horses in poor condition instead of just one. I’d love to find out what idiot sold or gave him a second horse when he can’t even take proper care of the first one.