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True wealth isn’t measured in gold or gadgets, but in the bonds we share with others

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So, you know those old-school metal bread boxes you sometimes spot in vintage shops or your grandma’s kitchen? Yeah. My folks had one. It was beige and brown and had a floral design on the front. (Kind of matched the hamper with was a light green thing upstairs in the hallway.)

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Back in the 1960s, bread boxes were everywhere in American homes.

They hit peak popularity during that whole mid-century modern vibe—sleek, shiny, and super functional.  The “Modern” ascetic.

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My grandmother had an AM radio sitting on top of hers, with my maternal grandmothers had a pile of newspapers and magazines sitting on top of hers. We just used the area as a “clutter area” with all kinds of things.

Imagine a kitchen with pastel appliances, chrome accents, and a sturdy metal bread box sitting proudly on the counter. They were practical, too: kept bread fresh for days, blocked out pesky bugs, and looked way cooler than a plastic bag. Plus, pre-sliced bread was becoming a grocery staple, so folks needed a spot to stash the loaf without it going stale or soggy.

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In the 1970’s they became wooden, often with ornate designs and lettering.

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But why’d they vanish? Why isn’t anyone using them today?

Well I figure that it is because kitchens started changing. Bread boxes started to be designed into the cabinetry.

The ’70s and ’80s rolled in with avocado-green appliances and a shift toward “country chic” decor.

Suddenly, those shiny metal boxes felt a bit too retro (or, let’s be real, dated ).

Plastic containers took over—lightweight, colorful, and cheaper to make. Brands like Tupperware made storage a whole lot more versatile.

And let’s not forget the rise of supermarkets selling bread in its own sealed bag, which people just started leaving on the counter or shoving in a cabinet. My folks, back in the 1960’s would put the bread ON TOP of the bread box. And yes, that often meant that we would forget about the bread inside the box.

And that bread would start to get moldy. Yuck.

Oh, and lifestyles changed too. Families were busier, eating out more, or grabbing pre-packaged snacks instead of daily bread. Read: Fast Food.

Plus, the ’90s brought artisanal breads that didn’t need a box—just a paper bag or a cute linen towel.

Nowadays, you’ll still spot them in retro kitchens or hipster cafes, but they’re more of a nostalgic novelty.

Funny how something so simple went from essential to “oh, that’s cute” in a few decades, right?

But hey, never say never—maybe Gen Z will revive them as “vintage eco-friendly storage.” Stranger things have happened!

Today…

In the Shadow of Trump-2: Why Asia Is Preparing for Betrayal

Rebecca Chan, August 20, 2025

Since January 20, 2025, the White House has housed not just a new president, but a concentrated habit of empire to speak the language of threats and deals. Donald Trump’s second administration has become not an episode, but the climate in which Asia now lives permanently.

Asia Adapts to a New Normal

Seoul, Tokyo, Manila, and Singapore no longer expect a policy reversal from Washington. They act as territories that have learned to rebuild life without the guarantees of the metropole. The imperial centre has once again burdened the region with tariffs and redefined its role not as a guarantor but as a creditor of security. And Asia responds — not by protocol, but by the instincts of survivors.

Tariffs and Ultimatums: Washington Links Trade to Security

Washington has once again fitted the global economy with a rusty framework of protectionism. In April 2025, South Korean exports came under attack — a 25% duty that later reached Japanese cars and electronics. By summer, ten Asian capitals received letters promising new tariffs unless they signed investment packages and increased military spending. This strategy mirrors a broader pattern in which Washington systematically recasts dependency as loyalty, transforming allies into collateral for its domestic fears.

For Asia, the priority is to escape dependence on the swings of U.S. policy, especially when security is sold at the price of a trade deal

India was given a “special invitation” to this game: starting August 1, its exports to the U.S. are taxed at 25%. The reason — deals with Russian oil and closed doors to American agribusiness corporations. Japan and South Korea received demands to raise spending on U.S. base maintenance to 3.5–5% of GDP. Concessions on tariffs were offered as part of a “security package” — like fire protection sold by the same party that started the blaze.

The Mobilization of Asian Players Reshapes Priorities

In Tokyo, interagency task forces are being created to discuss not only defense scenarios but also ways to bypass the American agenda. Public statements by the prime minister still sound cautious, but decisions on missile defense and shipbuilding are now made according to domestic logic rather than instructions from across the ocean.

By August, Seoul managed to reduce tariffs to 15%, but the price was predictable — expanding purchases of American components for electronics and pharmaceuticals. The Philippines and Singapore act like seasoned traders in a dangerous market: Manila strengthens ties with China and ASEAN while preserving arrangements with the U.S.; Singapore carefully weaves American mechanisms into regional formats to remain in the game regardless of the outcome. The common denominator is quiet diplomatic mobilization that does not awaken the predator.

A Network Instead of an Umbrella: Regional Security Formats Without a Core

The myth of the “American umbrella” has finally decayed. Asia is building its own security network, in which the U.S. is one of the nodes but no longer central. Japan and South Korea are strengthening bilateral missile defense and naval projects, reshaping them according to their own interests.

ASEAN is expanding military exercises, allowing China to participate as an observer but not integrating it into a formal alliance. India, despite tariff pressure, is deepening its engagement with Russia and BRICS countries. This is not a demonstrative break, but a redistribution of trust and resources. For Asia, the priority is to escape dependence on the swings of U.S. policy, especially when security is sold at the price of a trade deal.

The Long Shift: How Years of Tariffs Prepared the Ground for a Break

The tectonic rift in Asia-U.S. relations began forming long before Trump’s second term. His first administration launched tariff wars, turning trade into a battlefield. The pandemic cemented protectionism as an everyday instinct, and the Biden administration replaced open strikes with softly packaged but

Trump’s second wave merely stripped off the diplomatic masks. The year 2025 became the moment when hidden tensions surfaced. In spring, Washington unleashed a new wave of tariffs and issued demands to allies, bundling military loyalty with trade concessions. By summer, regional capitals had already adjusted their budgets and defense plans, proceeding from a scenario in which Washington is not a guarantor but a variable risk factor. This tariff spiral has already provoked adaptive responses across Asia, from hedging strategies to quiet economic immunities that were building long before Trump’s return.

August became the point of fixation for the new reality. Asia stopped waiting for the next U.S. elections as a resolution and began building its own defensive lines, factoring in that American policy could collapse on them at any moment — and without provocation.

Irreversibility of the Course: Asia Already Lives by New Rules

Alliances did not collapse, but they lost their old meaning. The U.S. is no longer perceived as the rock to cling to during a storm. Now it is a source of turbulence, embedded in the region’s calculations as firmly as the once-prevailing faith in the “American umbrella.”

Tariffs and ultimatums over military spending have become the norm. Asia’s response is not expressed in loud declarations but in cold-blooded regrouping: Japan and South Korea strengthen bilateral agreements, ASEAN expands the “plus three” format, India consolidates its position in BRICS, and the Philippines builds diplomatic moves on multiple fronts simultaneously.

Panic is gone. Adaptation remains — calculated, strategic, spanning decades ahead. Even if the U.S. course shifts, Asia already lives in a different coordinate system. Here, no one waits for mercy from those who sell the storm as protection from the rain.

Rebecca Chan, Independent political analyst focusing on the intersection of Western foreign policy and Asian sovereignty

Could the US-Russia rapprochement lead to the EU-China rapproches?

The “US-Russian rapproachment” appears to be nothing more than a clumsy attempt to drive a wedge into BRICS.

I can’t think of anything the US could offer Russia that would even theoretically offset the benefits of BRICS, and nothing is on the table so far.

The European anal pain from harsh Vance’s words is immense, as is their desire for infidelity as retribution. Kudos to the Chinese if they can benefit from the situation, but they are unlikely to embark into committed relationships with such a volatile companion based on such circumstances, especially against existing commitments.

Kitchen Hints and Tips
Fish and Seafood

  • Here are some tips for buying a fresh fish: The eyes are slightly protruded, bright and clear. The gills should be red or pink. A stale fish has eyes that are pink, sunken and cloudy, and the gills are gray.
  • Here is a good Bermudian fish trick called “salt and sour.” Before cooking any fish squeeze lime or lemon juice over it, season with salt and pepper and let it stand at room temperature for about an hour. The acid of the juice will soften the connective tissues of the fish so that a shorter cooking time is necessary and will also keep it a nice color.
  • To get rid of odors while cooking fish, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar (any variety) to 2 cups of water, then simmer it in a small saucepan while the fish is cooking.
  • When baking fish, lay it on a bed of thinly sliced onions, parsley and lettuce leaves. The fish won’t stick, it will have a savory taste, and pan drippings will have a wonderful flavor, also.
  • The rule-of-thumb for baking fish is to measure fish at the thickest part and bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F for every inch measured. For example, a 1 1/2 inch thick cod steak would bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
  • To eliminate fish odor from your hands, rub them with a wedge of fresh lemon.
  • Soak fish in 1/4 cup vinegar, lemon juice or wine and water before cooking it for a sweet tender taste.
  • Remove the fishy smell from your hands by washing with vinegar and water or salt and water.
  • When baking whole fish, wrap it in well-oiled cheesecloth. When fish is done, it can be lifted from baking pan without falling to pieces. To remove the cloth, slip a spatula under fish and slide cloth out after fish is on the platter.
  • Thaw frozen fish in milk. The milk draws out the frozen taste and provides a fresh-caught flavor.
  • If fish smells a little “fishy,” place fish in a shallow dish; add enough milk, blended with a tablespoon or two of fresh lemon juice, to cover. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour. Do not leave the fish in the milk bath for longer than an hour, because the lactic acid in the milk will break down the connective tissue in the fish and it will tend to fall apart when cooked. Drain fish, pat dry on paper towels and use as desired. This can often salvage fish that you have kept a bit too long before using.
  • Fish should never be cooked to an internal temperature over 131 degrees F (55 degrees C). The formula is: Fish should be cooked at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) 10 MINUTES PER INCH OF THICKNESS. This rule applies to fillets, whole fish, steaks, stuffed fish, fish with toppings or fish any way. Stand a ruler on end next to fish to be cooked; measure its height. If it’s 3 inches thick, cook 30 minutes; if it’s 1 inch thick, cook 10 minutes; if it’s 1/2 inch thick, cook 5 minutes.

Anchovies

  • If you want anchovies to add flavor that’s more subtle than salty, soak them in milk for 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • If anchovies are just too salty, soak or rinse them in cold water. The longer the water is in contact with the anchovies, the more salt will be removed.

Clams

  • Clams and oysters will be simple to open if washed with cold water, then placed in a plastic bag and put in the freezer for one hour.
  • Clams are simple to open if washed with cold water then placed in a plastic bag and put into the freezer for an hour.

Oysters

  • To clean oyster shells, place shells in the sink under running water. Scrub vigorously, inside and out, using a stiff brush. Next fill the sink with water. Add enough bleach to make a strong solution. Soak the shells in the bleach solution overnight. Drain and place them in the top rack of the dishwasher. Run them through a full cycle. Each time you use the shells, merely scrape out the bits of food, and put them in the dishwasher.
  • Oysters will be simple to open if washed with cold water then placed in a plastic bag and put into the freezer for an hour.

Shrimp

  • Get rid of the canned taste in canned shrimp by soaking them in a little sherry and 2 tablespoons vinegar for about 15 minutes.
  • You can improve the taste of canned shrimp by rinsing well with cold water then soaking in a little white wine before using.
  • De-vein them fast with a crochet hook.
  • To rid canned shrimp of the tinny taste, soak them in a little sherry and two tablespoons of vinegar for about 15 minutes.

ECONOMIC TSUNAMI! Tariffs and Bank Failures THE NEW NORMAL

What’s your best secret to staying healthy?

  1. Coca-Cola : Never drink cola or packaged fruit juices. Absolutely. If you want to drink fruit juice, make lemonade or lassi, drink coconut water or just plain water. Coca-Cola is a poison you pay to drink and fruit juices contain preservatives that can cause cancer and harmful amounts of sugar. Stick to drinking water and fresh lemonade.
  2. Walking : Walk for at least 30 minutes a day. It doesn’t matter if it’s evening or morning, I walk every day when I can and I’ve made it a habit. Even on Sundays and rainy days. Not only does it improve heart function, it also speeds up the brain, which is good for memory and clarity.
  3. Sleep : You need 8 hours a day. Don’t make it 6-7 hours. If you can manage it, it’s basically 8 hours. Sleep not only rests the body, but it also boosts immune function and promotes healing and regeneration of the body.
  4. Carbohydrates : Cut down on carbohydrates. Above all, just eat less rice, wheat, and bread. They are also necessary for energy, so don’t stop eating them all at once. But if you eat a bowl full of rice every day, you should cut the amount in half from now on. If you eat two slices of bread, cut them into slices. You will immediately notice that your body will become lighter and the lines on your body will start to appear. In 6 months, you will lose about 3 kg without having to worry about exercise.
  5. Eggs : Eat 3 eggs a day. Eggs are the cheapest natural source of high-quality protein. They are rich in high-quality amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and brain-boosting fats. Eggs are God’s health food. Forget the superstitions you read in cheap tabloids. Eggs are a superfood and anyone can consume 3.4 eggs a day. Eggs are easy to digest (for people without congenital heart disease caused by high cholesterol) and help strengthen bones, promote hair growth, and preserve vision.

China is unveiling over 20 brand new advanced weapons for its September parade

Uncle Arthur’s Many Secrets

Submitted into Contest #251 in response to: Dream up a secret library. Write a story about an adventurer who discovers it. What’s in the library? Why was it kept secret?… view prompt

Thomas Wetzel

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)Time/Date: 5:36pm, July 18, 2024Subject: This weekendHey Andy,Just letting you know that I can’t make your BBQ this weekend. I was looking forward to having a few beers with you and the guys and maybe playing a few hands of poker once the eating is done, but I have to head to Albany in the morning.Remember my Uncle Arthur? Don’t worry, I don’t either. (Well, a little.) Anyway, he passed away a few days ago and his sister – my Aunt Bonnie out in Wisconsin – contacted me this morning to inform me that he left “certain assets” to me in his will. Most intriguing! I won’t know the details for a while but Bonnie begged me to go to his house in Albany right away to take care of his cats and locate some important documents in his library. (My recently-deceased uncle who named me in his will was wealthy enough to have a personal library? The plot thickens…)Anyway, I’m packing a bag and planning to stay up there for a little while to help manage affairs at the house and work with Bonnie on the local funeral arrangements while she lines up a flight over the next few days. Not much else to do at the moment as I await my next work assignment but I should be back by this time next week. In the meantime, you know how to reach me. Tell the boys I said hola.

 

– Jamie

 

—————————————————-

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 7:48pm, July 18, 2024

Subject: Re: This weekend

 

Hey Jamie,

 

Sorry you can’t make it this weekend. Me and the guys will look forward to the next poker game after you score your big inheritance. Crazy news, man. Barely known rich uncle dies and leaves you a possible fortune? The stuff of legends…or daydreams? LOL. Anyway, good luck there. (Don’t forget your old college roommate when you strike it rich!)

 

See you when you get back. Talk soon man.

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 6:12pm, July 20, 2024

Subject: Re: This weekend

 

Hey Andy,

 

Greetings from gloomy Albany! Hasn’t stopped raining since I got here. Also, I’m fairly certain these cats are plotting my demise. Other than that, things are fine and the house is basically a smallish mansion.

 

Listen to this, while searching for the documents that my Aunt Bonnie asked me to find for her in the library I found some really interesting old books. I think we might have some pretty rare first editions here, plus some other really strange stuff. I need to do a little web research tonight to try to figure out what I’m looking at but I’ll let you know.

 

As a newly-minted Ivy League literature professor I thought you would be interested. Maybe I will come home with a copy of In Cold Blood signed by Capote for you?

 

– Jamie

 

—————————————————-

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 11:22am, July 21, 2024

Subject: Re: This weekend

 

Hey Jamie,

 

Very interesting! Bring home a signed Capote first edition for me and we can totally forget about that $80 Venmo request I sent you for golf last week. Seriously though, that sounds really amazing. Looking forward to hearing more.

 

Andy

 

p.s. The guys all say hello and they missed your “easy money” at the poker game last night. (Their words, not mine.)

 

 

—————————————————-

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 9:52pm, July 22, 2024

Subject: Re: This weekend

 

Andy,

 

In addition to Capote’s In Cold Blood, so far I have already found four more signed first edition iconic novels; Heart of Darkness, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Illustrated Man and – hold on to your hat here – A Tale of Two Cities! No telling if the autographs are legit but I don’t know why my uncle would be hoarding counterfeit-signed copies in his home library. More research necessary here but I have attached photos of the covers, bindings and the author-signed pages in each.

 

The library has floor-to-ceiling shelves full of books on three walls and I have only checked out about a third of them so far. Stay tuned!

 

– Jamie

 

—————————————————-

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 9:36am, July 23, 2024

Subject: Re: This weekend

 

Hey Jamie,

 

Okay listen. Just give me the Dickens novel and not only will I cancel the $80 Venmo request, but golf is on me for the rest of the year. I think that’s a fair deal.

 

Seriously man, I just did a quick bit of Googling here and those books do look like legit first edition copies and the signatures look right too. Usually people take these sort of things to Sotheby’s or Christie’s, where they employ rare book experts who can authenticate them properly. Even if they’re not going to be put up for sale this is probably a good idea, just to officially document these historical items.

 

Can’t wait to hear what you find next. I’m seriously on the edge of my seat here!

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 11:45pm, July 24, 2024

Subject: Okay, this is getting weird now…

 

Andy,

 

Forget about the signed first editions. I am into some strange new terrain here.

 

Yesterday I found a number of extremely interesting books way up on one of the top shelves I hadn’t explored yet. Listen to this. I found a copy of For Whom The Bell Tolls by William Faulkner. Yes, William Faulkner! And it wasn’t just a different author’s name transposed onto the cover. It was the same third-person omniscient narrative of the Spanish Civil War, only it wasn’t written in the short staccato sentence styles and brief paragraphing of Hemingway but the long, leisurely prose of Faulkner. I’m not even a fan of Faulkner and I couldn’t put it down!

 

Similarly, I also found a copy of The Catcher in the Rye by Dalton Trumbo and The Iliad by EE Cummings! (Seriously, I can’t make this up.) Still so many more books to look through. I am simply overwhelmed here. Stay tuned.

 

– Jamie

 

—————————————————-

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 7:51am, July 25, 2024

Subject: Re: Okay, this is getting weird now…

 

Jamie,

 

Okay. You’re just fucking with me now, right? You had me going with the thought of all those rare, signed first editions, but that’s at least within my fathomable universe. What you just described has to be a joke. Come on, man.

 

What about the funeral plans? Isn’t that a big reason why you are there?

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 11:56pm, July 28, 2024

Subject: Okay, this is getting weird now…

 

Hey Andy,

 

You’re right. I have been negligent in my funeral arrangement duties of late. I accidentally let my phone battery die out, not sure when. The truth is that I haven’t slept much in the last few days. This continues to get more and more fascinating.

 

And no, I wasn’t kidding about those strange books I mentioned in my last message. But never mind that. I am into some truly bizarre territory now. I found some old 3-ring binders filled with dot matrix printed files listing the daily opening and closing numbers of each of the stocks contained in the Dow Jones Industrial Index running from January 1, 1977 through December 31, 2026. Andy, it has accurate stock performance data through the end of 2026! I’m sure you think I am kidding again (or maybe just crazy) but I have been watching those stock prices over the last few days and my God man they are accurate right down to the last decimal point!

 

You think I’m joking? Here’s a random selection for tomorrow for you to check out. Merck & Co. (ticker symbol NYSE: MRK) will open the trading day at $154.34 and it will close at $156.12 per share with a total of 7.126 million shares in overall trading volume. I’m sure you won’t but you can literally bet the house on it. I guarantee it.

 

– Jamie

—————————————————-

 

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 9:41pm, July 29, 2024

Subject: Re: Okay, this is getting weird now…

 

Jamie,

 

I don’t know what to say at this point. I have been thinking about this since the market closed about 5 hours ago and I have no idea how you were able to make that prediction with such accuracy. I would call it dumb luck but I actually opened up Excel and took the time to do a little statistical modeling and what I found was that a stock prediction with that level of precision is basically like calling out the next day’s lottery numbers. Not quite that improbable but close enough that I am simply baffled.

 

I need answers, because I just can’t believe you found an old set of stock market printouts from almost 50 years ago that can perfectly predict what will happen tomorrow. I’ve tried to call you several times but it goes straight to vmail every time and your mailbox is full. You gotta get back to me asap. I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep until you do.

 

Funeral plans? Still a concern?

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

 

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 2:13am, August 1, 2024

Subject: Whole new level

 

Hey Andy,

 

Forget about the stock market. Forget about the rare first edition signed books. Those things are trivial. At least for now.

 

I just found a medical manual that seems to contain advanced diagnostic techniques and curative/surgical treatments for most common, and some uncommon, forms of cancer and various other deadly diseases. I am only about halfway through it and without the benefit of a medical background it is taking me forever to research the basic terminology needed just to understand this even on a rudimentary level, but if it’s true it’s an incredible discovery and I owe it to the world to get this into the right hands once I can at least confirm its basic legitimacy.

 

I can’t say when I will be able to call you or even write back since my time is so limited now. I don’t see this changing anytime soon. Who knows what I will find next? So much more to still be explored. I can’t worry about the funeral arrangements right now either. Before my phone died I got a message from my Aunt Bonnie saying that she had some health problems that were preventing her from flying in. I can’t remember the details but that’s just going to have to wait for now. I have far more important concerns at this point.

 

– Jamie

 

p.s. I have discovered a number of old hand-written notes, presumably penned by my late Uncle Arthur, warning anyone who comes across these documents against sharing them in any way. The writing is rambling and paranoid in nature and some of the warnings give me pause but how could anyone possibly just sit on all this? It would be immoral, no?

—————————————————-

 

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 8:51am, August 2, 2024

Subject: Re: Whole new level

 

Hey Jamie,

 

I just hope you are all right. Maybe it’s time to take a break? You were supposed to be back here a week ago. Are the cats okay at least?

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

 

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 3:45am, August 5, 2024

Subject: Re: Whole new level

 

Hi Andy,

 

I let the cats out a few days ago when all of the remaining cat food ran out. Don’t think I’ve seen them since. Not sure. They should be okay. It’s summer.

 

Dude, you wouldn’t even believe what I’m looking at now. No time to explain but I will get back to you when I can. Not planning to head home anytime soon.

 

– Jamie

 

p.s. Please see the attached file containing stock market data for the next two years. I just ask that you don’t share this with anyone else. “Law of Unintended Consequences” and all that.

 

—————————————————-

 

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 7:51am, August 6, 2024

Subject: Re: Whole new level

 

Jamie,

 

I‘m really getting worried about you man. Please call me.

 

Your Friend,

 

Andy

 

—————————————————-

From: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 4:37pm, January 1, 2029

Subject: Re: Whole new level

 

Andy,

 

Happy New Year! Don’t worry about me. I am well. Not sure if I will ever see “you” again (that is, the “present day” you) but that is primarily a temporal and theoretical question. I have a set of guidelines to follow and I will soon find out where all the boundaries lay. I will fill you in (whatever version of “you” that might be) whenever I see you next!

 

Stay healthy. It might be a while…for you anyway.

 

– Jamie

—————————————————-

 

From: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

To: James Benson (jben****@gmail.com)

Time/Date: 7:01am, August 9, 2024

Subject: Re: Whole new level

 

Jamie,

 

How did you change the timestamp on your email like that? Seriously, stop messing with me. What’s going on? I am really having a hard time with all of this. Can we please just talk?

 

Andy

 

p.s. They announced that a potential breakthrough cure had been found for various types of cancer and other diseases on the news today. I really don’t know what to think at this point.

 

p.p.s. Thanks so much for the stock market data you forwarded. I plan to pay off my mortgage before the end of this month!

 

—————————————————-

From: mailer-daemon@gmail.com

To: Anders Westbrook (ande****@cornell.edu)

Time/Date: 7:02am, August 9, 2024

Subject: Delivery Failure Notice: Re: Whole new level

 

Sorry, we were unable to deliver your message to: <jben****@gmail.com>

 

The email account that you tried to reach does not exist. Please try double-checking the recipient’s email address for typos and try again.

 

 

THE END

How much economic impact do you think the tariff threats are having in the U.S. and elsewhere?

Heavy taxation drains the world economy. Taking money from the public to fund government is an eternal problem. General funds are used for a common defense and building things like US postal roads or guideways that benefit everyone in the country. How the tax bill is calculated is another matter. You can tax imports or you can tax income. They both have pros and cons. Excessive taxation not only puts an unfair burden on the productive class, it craters free enterprise before it can prosper. Punitive tariffs are not about commerce. They are about wielding power. The threat of using taxation for power does unseen damage to companies that would otherwise emerge to make us all richer. Killed in their formative stage no one will be able to tally the damage of a tariff larger than the profit margin. On the flip side, dumping is equally bad and is often countered using fair tariff rates exactly offsetting the government subsidies of dumping. As a manufacturing inventor/engineer in my long career I have been victim of both punitive tariffs on Chinese extruded aluminum and dumping by the Japanese government. None of these damaging moves show up in an economic impact study. They are hidden and do massive damage to both countries involved.

Will China show leadership and good will to the World by telling Putin to stop the war in Ukraine, one phone call is all that is required?

Sorry, China doesn’t have this capability either.

  • Trump can’t even get Zelensky to cease fire because Zelensky is holding up the anti-Russian flag and standing on the high ground of “political correctness” in the West, and there’s nothing Trump can do about it.
  • Ukraine is anti-Russia to the point of insanity ….
  • Putin is really angry, he thinks Russia has taken on the biggest injustice the world has ever seen.

Why does Ukraine hate Russia? In fact, it is very simple, it is by Russia to “spoil” out.

Many people have an illusion that Putin wants to inherit the mantle of the USSR.

In fact, Putin very much hate the USSR, because Putin said:

Our Russian ancestors, for generations, with blood to fight down the land, by the Soviet Union are given to Ukraine.

Putin is a nationalist first and foremost.

Ukraine in 1654 consisted only of Kirovograd and Dnipro, with a total area of just 57,000 square kilometers.

Ukraine at the time felt too weak and wanted a backer, so it took the initiative to merge into Tsarist Russia, note: it was the Ukrainians themselves who asked for it.

Ukraine was just a pea-sized place, but after the creation of the USSR, the USSR began a crazy policy of “favoritism” towards Ukraine.

  • In 1922, with a stroke of a pen, Lenin gave Ukraine about 200,000 square kilometers of Russian land, including Luhansk, Kharkov and other areas.
  • Then Stalin gave Ukraine more than 60,000 square kilometers of Russian land, such as the Lviv region.
  • By 1954, Khrushchev gave Ukraine another gift of Crimea, which had been seized by generations of Russian blood.

In other words, most of Ukraine’s land was a gift from the USSR …..

Not only that, but after the USSR was formed, it really invested a lot of money into Ukraine and built an extremely strong industrial system for Ukraine.

How high was Ukraine’s industrial level at that time?

Nuclear industry, shipbuilding, aviation three pearls are the existence of the global peak, are the USSR invested heavily in the construction.

Now why is it very difficult for the Russian army to attack Ukraine?

Because the USSR is in accordance with the standard construction of nuclear defense construction, so Ukraine’s cities are extremely strong.

In other words: Ukraine’s land was given by Russia, its industry was provided by Russia, and its cities were built by Russia.

But the whole Ukraine hates Russia from top to bottom ……

Hey, in fact, this kind of hate is also very simple, if you are unconditionally good to a person or a region, moving to give in on all kinds of preferential policies, in the end the two must be enemies.

The Chinese have a saying: help a man once gains grace, help the man too much gains hatred

The same reason why Taiwan is so anti-China: it is because it has been “spoiled” by mainland China.

Didn’t the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam get all its independence and construction from the help of the PRC? Look at how the Vietnamese are “grateful” to the PRC now? 😅

If you ask Ukrainians why they hate Russia, they can’t even tell you, at most they will tell you that Stalin created the Holodomor in Ukraine.

When they hear this answer, Russians can’t even cry.

Putin said

I hate the USSR too, the USSR gave all the good things we have in Russia to Ukraine.

Putin said

Russia is Russia, USSR is USSR ……

Ukraine says

Do you think I won’t recognize you if you change your name? You are the USSR and the USSR is you!

Not just Ukraine, but all of Europe hates Russia, so there will always be a market for the ‘Russian threat theory’.

Why do they hate Russia? The most typical one is Poland, which says we were exterminated by Russia three times.

In fact, to be honest, this thing really can’t be blamed on Russia.

The history of Europe is the mob grabbing territory, whoever has the hardest fist is in charge.

Poland said Russia exterminated them three times, that’s because they couldn’t beat Russia. If Poland could have won, it would have been Russia that was exterminated.

Napoleon didn’t capture Moscow, the only one who actually did was Poland in 1610. Yes, Poland captured Moscow when they were strong.

In 1917, after the establishment of the Soviet Red Power, Lenin made a declaration in favor of the restoration of Poland and the return of all Polish lands to Poland.

But apparently, the Poles didn’t appreciate this and must take revenge and show the Russians what the Poles are made of!

So Poland was just restored, and immediately pressed its troops into the Soviet Union (which was actually still Soviet at that time) and started a war of aggression.

In April 1919, the Soviet Union had not yet gained a firm foothold and was pushed all the way to the ground by Poland.

In 4 months, Poland captured Minsk, a major military town in the western part of the USSR.

With this momentum, Poland was trying to wipe out the USSR outright.

I guess Lenin must have been furious at that time:

We, the USSR, supported the restoration of Poland, and this is how you repay us? It was Czarist Russia that seized Poland’s land, but didn’t we, the USSR, give it all back to Poland?

According to records, 70,000 Soviet soldiers were captured and brutally tortured by the Poles, and less than 10,000 of them returned alive.

At that time, there was a political commissar on the Soviet-Polish battlefield, who saw his army being beaten to collapse, full of anger pressed on his heart, and said hatefully: You wait for me!

The name of this commissar was Stalin!

Finally, World War II broke out, and Stalin could be considered to have seized the opportunity to divide Poland with Germany, and then the ‘Katyn Tragedy’ broke out, massacring 22,000 Polish elites.

Now when Poles talk about the ‘Katyn Tragedy’, they must be in tears, saying that

the Russians were so bad that they were simply inhuman.

When he heard this, Stalin was very much obliged to kick open the coffin board and jump out, saying

‘you only remember that I killed 20,000 of you, why don’t you mention that you killed 70,000 of us’?

The Poles said,

‘Back then, the USSR often abused us. This is our history of suffering.’

Putin said again,

‘You hate the USSR? I hate the USSR too. The USSR gave away all the good things of our Russia. Russia is Russia, and the USSR is the USSR…’

Poland is the same as Ukraine, saying,

Do you think I won’t recognize you if you change your name? You are the USSR and the USSR is you!

Simply put: outside of China, it’s all a jungle world.

There is no such thing as good and evil in Europe, historically or currently, it’s all about gangsters grabbing territory. You can think of it as ‘wild animal world history’.

So there’s no such thing as a righteous side, a tiger and a lion grabbing territory, who do you think represents justice?

Just Russia is more unlucky, historical grudges can not be said, offended a whole lot of neighboring countries, all the European countries, all hate Russia.

This is a heaven-sent opportunity for the United States, so the crazy incitement of ‘Russian threat theory’, to let Europe never have peace.

Now Putin has finally waited until Trump is finally back in the White House.

Trump says

‘I want an early end to the war, 24 hours to end the Russia-Ukraine war and restore peace.’

First of all, no matter what Trump’s intentions are, but this is really a good thing for Europe, after all, Europe has also been exploited by the U.S. on a plate for the past 3 years and is on the verge of collapse.

After Trump’s meeting with Zelensky, it turned out that Trump was dumbfounded that not one person in Europe agreed to end the war, and all were going to go on fighting …

Trump said,

‘I don’t care about Europe from now on, don’t push me or I’ll make the U.S. withdraw from NATO.’

Upon hearing this, Macron was very happy:

after the US withdraws from NATO, France is the boss. I’m going to mold a common enemy and lead my little brothers to fight the enemy. Only by continuing to propagate the ‘Russian threat theory’ can I convince my allies to accept French nuclear military bases.

Macron: ‘Russia is a threat to France and to Europe’
“It must be said, we are entering a new era,” the French President Emmanuel Macron said in an evening address to the nation. #EuropeNews
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/05/french-president-emmanuel-macron-says-russia-is-a-threat-to-france-and-to-europe

So ah, this is the curse of Europe, never quiet.

How long can the Russian-Ukrainian war go on, that could be a long, long time ……..

After China achieves the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and lands a manned spacecraft on the moon, Russia and Ukraine may still be at war.

MM AI generations

This is just a bunch of experimental generations playing around with the system.

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FUNKY MONKEY BABYS 「ありがとう」

Japanese pop.

Why do liberals become so annoyed when an American tells a Spanish speaker that they must speak English, not Spanish, when they are in America? In Mexico, do you know how many people look at Americans in a hostile way and tell them to speak Spanish?

I lean conservative on some issues, and I’m here to tell you that this literally doesn’t happen.

Mexicans in Mexico do not “look at Americans in a hostile way and tell them to speak Spanish.”

They occasionally do look at Americans in a hostile way — especially if we’re being fat, bossy, demanding, prickish tourists crying about not getting our way, or if we had too much tequila — but they do NOT demand that we speak Spanish. Especially not while on the phone with our own mothers.

What actually happens, and this is a well-documented fact, is that a tiny handful of annoying Americans have been known to walk up to people speaking Portuguese or Polish or Japanese on a subway car somewhere in L.A. or New York and rudely shout at them to “stop speaking Spanish.”

“Sir, I’m not speaking Spanish. I’m speaking Polish.”

“Well… stop speaking Spanish. This is America.”

The dude was literally having a conversation with his mother in Warsaw in Polish. And bam, he has to put up with a rude American with the manners of the town drunk barging in on his private space to burp something about “Murican freedom. Don’t you like the taste?” I wouldn’t judge the guy who got barged in on if he thought this specific variety of American freedom tastes like a Coors Lite left out in the sun for three days with the cap off.

I’ve been to Mexico a few times. My Spanish is more than good enough to get by, but since I travel with monolingual Americans and have met monolingual Canadians and Aussies in places like Mexico, I’ve definitely used English in public there. English-speakers are very catered-to. In a lot of places, we’re treated like minor royalty. Mexicans, for the most part, are incredibly helpful and kind — partly because they want our business, partly most of them are just really nice people. I’ve walked down streets in Guanajuato, where Mexicans who’d worked in the U.S. came up and gave us directions in English just to be helpful. There was no hostility. They’d lived in Phoenix or Oregon or somewhere.

For your complaint to carry any weight, I’d have to be sitting in Mexico, having a phone conversation with my mother in Indiana, in English, and some rude Mexican walks up, barks in my face, and orders me to talk to her in Spanish.

“Pero mi madre no habla español,” I beg. “How am I going to talk to her in Spanish?”

“Suck it up, güey. You have to speak to your mother in Espanish. This is Mexico.”

That’s the equivalent. And yeah, this just doesn’t happen. If it does, it happens in a grumble under their breath — not in a loud, public fight started by a rude, nosey, bossy, intrusive American Karen yapping about “freedom.” Do you want to be a Karen? Why do you want to be a Karen? Was that what you wanted to be when you were a kid? A bossy Karen?

And if it does happen in Mexico — it doesn’t, but even if it did — it doesn’t give you the excuse to be rude and nosey here in the States. “Somebody did something rude, so that gives me the right to be rude, too.” Really? Are you 7?

Is this how the GOP wins Spanish-speaking voters? The GOP has been attracting more Latino voters. OK, that’s fair. But it didn’t attract them with this kind of behavior.

Sir Whiskerton and the Cluckadia Traveling Adventure: A Tale of Time Travel, Tumbleweeds, and Ten-Gallon Hats

Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale of clucking chaos, time-traveling hens, and one particularly dapper cat who just wants to keep his monocle clean. Today’s story is one of absurdity, adventure, and the occasional existential crisis, all wrapped up in a Wild West setting that’s as dusty as it is ridiculous. So, grab your sense of humor and a bag of popcorn (for snacking), as we dive into Sir Whiskerton and the Cluckadia Traveling Adventure: A Tale of Time Travel, Tumbleweeds, and Ten-Gallon Hats.

The Accidental Time Traveler

It all began on a quiet afternoon when Cluckadia, the farm’s most vociferous hen, was clucking her way through the barnyard, as she often did. “Cluck cluck cluck!” she squawked, pecking at the ground. “I swear, if one more animal tells me to ‘chill out,’ I’m going to lose my feathers!”

Unbeknownst to Cluckadia, Chef Remy LeRaccoon had been conducting one of his infamous “mad science” experiments in the barn. His latest creation? A time machine made out of an old washing machine, a toaster, and a suspiciously glowing pickle. “Behold!” Remy declared, adjusting his goggles. “The Temporal Tumbler 9000! With this, we can travel through time and space—or at least make a really good smoothie.”

Cluckadia, distracted by her clucking, wandered into the barn and accidentally knocked over a jar of glowing pickle juice. The liquid spilled into the Temporal Tumbler, causing it to whir and spark. “Uh-oh,” Remy said, backing away. “That’s not supposed to happen.”

Before anyone could stop her, Cluckadia stepped onto the machine, curious about the flashing lights. “What does this button do?” she asked, pecking at a large red switch.

The machine roared to life, spinning faster and faster until—POOF!—Cluckadia vanished in a puff of smoke and glitter.

“Well,” Remy said, scratching his head. “That’s one way to make an omelet.”

The Wild West Whirlwind

Meanwhile, in the dusty town of Tumbleweed Gulch, circa 1872, Cluckadia materialized in the middle of the saloon. The room fell silent as the patrons—rough-and-tumble cowpokes, grizzled prospectors, and a surprisingly well-dressed armadillo—stared at the bewildered hen.

“Where am I?” Cluckadia squawked, flapping her wings. “And why does everything smell like leather and bad decisions?”

The saloon’s piano player struck a dramatic chord. “Looks like we got ourselves a time-travelin’ chicken,” the bartender drawled, polishing a glass. “Somebody fetch the sheriff.”

Before Cluckadia could protest, she was whisked away to the sheriff’s office, where she was accused of being a “spy for the rival cattle ranchers.” The sheriff, a no-nonsense bulldog with a ten-gallon hat, slammed his paw on the desk. “You’ve got one day to prove your innocence,” he growled. “Or it’s the coop for you, missy.”

Sir Whiskerton to the Rescue

Back on the farm, Sir Whiskerton was enjoying a particularly luxurious nap when Remy burst into the barn, waving his arms. “Sir Whiskerton! We’ve got a problem! Cluckadia’s gone! She’s been… temporally displaced!”

Sir Whiskerton opened one eye. “Temporally displaced? What does that even mean?”

“She’s in the Wild West!” Remy exclaimed. “And unless we get her back, she’s going to be stuck there forever!”

Sir Whiskerton sighed, adjusting his monocle. “Of course she is. Why wouldn’t she be?”

With the help of the Divine Llama—a mysterious, wise creature who occasionally graced the farm with his presence—Sir Whiskerton and Remy activated the Temporal Tumbler and set off for the Wild West.

The Mystery of the Missing Gold

Upon arriving in Tumbleweed Gulch, Sir Whiskerton quickly learned that Cluckadia wasn’t the only one in trouble. The town was in an uproar over a recent gold heist, and the sheriff was convinced that Cluckadia was involved. “She’s a chicken of mystery,” the sheriff said, narrowing his eyes. “And I don’t trust chickens.”

Sir Whiskerton, ever the detective, decided to solve the mystery to clear Cluckadia’s name. With the Divine Llama’s spiritual guidance and Remy’s knack for inventing absurd gadgets, the trio set out to uncover the truth.

Their investigation led them to a series of increasingly ridiculous clues: a trail of glittering feathers, a suspiciously well-fed armadillo, and a wanted poster for a “notorious cheese bandit.” Along the way, they encountered a cast of colorful characters, including a tap-dancing cactus, a fortune-telling tumbleweed, and a gang of outlaw squirrels led by none other than Nutters.

The Showdown at High Noon

The trail eventually led to the town’s abandoned mine, where the gang of outlaw squirrels had stashed the stolen gold. “We’re rich!” Nutters cackled, holding up a shiny gold nugget. “Rich, I tell ya!”

Sir Whiskerton, ever the diplomat, tried to reason with the squirrels. “You don’t have to do this,” he said, flicking his tail. “There’s enough gold for everyone.”

“Enough gold for everyone?” Nutters sneered. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Just as the situation was about to escalate, the Divine Llama stepped forward, his presence radiating calm. “Enough,” he said, his voice echoing with wisdom. “The pursuit of material wealth only leads to emptiness. True riches lie in friendship, kindness, and the occasional well-timed nap.”

The squirrels, moved by the Llama’s words, agreed to return the gold. Cluckadia’s name was cleared, and the town of Tumbleweed Gulch celebrated with a hoedown.

The Moral of the Story

As Sir Whiskerton, Cluckadia, Remy, and the Divine Llama prepared to return to their own time, they reflected on the day’s events.

The moral of the story, dear reader, is this: True wealth isn’t measured in gold or gadgets, but in the bonds we share with others. Whether you’re a time-traveling hen, a dapper detective, or a gang of outlaw squirrels, kindness and friendship are the real treasures.

A Happy Ending

With the mystery solved and the gold returned, the Temporal Tumbler whisked the group back to the farm. Cluckadia, now a hero in two timelines, resumed her clucking with a newfound sense of purpose. Remy returned to his mad science experiments, vowing to “add more safety features next time.” And Sir Whiskerton? He returned to his sunbeam, content in the knowledge that he had once again saved the day.

As for the Divine Llama, he vanished as mysteriously as he had appeared, leaving behind only a single hoofprint and a faint smell of lavender.

And so, dear reader, we leave our heroes with the promise of new adventures, new mysteries, and hopefully, no more time-traveling hens. Until next time, may your days be filled with laughter, friendship, and just a little bit of feline genius.

The End.

What’s something you’ve never told anyone about yourself?

I want to die.

My parents separated when I was still in the womb. It was okay, because I got used to it after a while.

I live with my mother, my father only contacted me when I was 5 years old. It’s okay, because I don’t feel lonely without my father.

In 5th grade, my mother got married, I was happy because I got a new ‘dad’ . But it turned out that my new dad (I often called him father) was a drunkard. It was okay, as long as he didn’t bother me and my mother.

Until one day, my father had a big fight with my mother, to the point that my mother left the house. Never mind, maybe it was because of something that they would resolve themselves and everything would be fine.

In 1st grade of high school, while on break and eating fried rice from my mother, my grandmother told me that my father was arrested by the police for being a drug dealer. Never mind, my father will definitely be released in a few years.

Since my father was arrested, my mother had to work hard for me and my step-sister. My mother was rarely home because she was working. When I was taking my exams, my mother was still working continuously and paid little attention to me and my sister. It was okay, because my mother was now the breadwinner of the family.

It turned out that my mother’s debts were piling up, I was forced to give my white gold necklace that my biological father gave me to be pawned by my mother. Never mind, at least I lightened my mother’s burden, if there was money it would definitely come back.

On March 10th, my birthday. My mother came home from work at 12 midnight just to say happy birthday and then a few minutes later she said goodbye and went back to work. It was okay, as long as she said it.

Since I was in the 3rd grade of high school, I had to take many exams, one of which was the school exam. As usual, my mother always picked me up after school. After dropping me off at home, my mother said goodbye to go back to work. But until the evening, my mother still didn’t come. Until 3 days had passed, I took the initiative to check her location using email but I still couldn’t find her. Never mind, maybe she was really busy working.

At one point I gave up looking for my mother and accepted the worst case scenario, that my mother was either murdered or dead. I was open-minded.

On Sunday my aunt and grandmother came to the house to tell me that my mother was also arrested for drug dealing. I was sad and happy at the same time. Sad because my mother was also in prison, happy because my mother did not die like I thought.

I went through my day as usual. National exams without my mother’s support. After the national exams passed, I studied to prepare for the UTBK because I wanted to study at a good university.

When I graduated, I was given news from my stepmother that my father had died. Even though I had sent messages 3 days before. I was sad. But it was okay, because this was God’s way.

A week after my father passed away, my stepmother told me to just work. My heart sank, even though I had studied and registered to enter college. I thought I would still be funded for college, but it didn’t. But it was okay, I could work part-time.

I thought that living with relatives would be more comfortable, but it turns out I was very wrong.

Now I’m really stressed. It turns out that life is really hard for an 18 year old teenager.

I rarely cry, but I was so tired that I thought about suicide.

China is to impose 100% tariff on some Canadian products & 25% on pork etc. It is Chinese retaliation. What has Canada done to China?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pleasing Donald Trump by following the US policy towards China. During Trump’s presidential election campaign, he implied on several occasions that he would start trade war against China, and Trudeau immediately followed suit.

Since October 1 last year, Canada has imposed 100 percent of import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, following in the footsteps of the US and the European Union. In addition, the country also applied a 25 percent tariff on imports of steel and aluminum products from China, which came into effect on October 15 last year.

China, of course, does not just sit there silently facing the huge increase of tariffs on its products. According to a statement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, China will, starting March 20 this year, impose 100 percent tariffs on imports of rapeseed oil, oilcakes and peas, and additional 25 percent tariffs on imports of pork and aquatic products from Canada.

This is the countermeasure against Canada’s unilateral increase of tariffs on Chinese goods, which disregard the World Trade Organization rules. Canada’s restrictive measures against some of Chinese products have disrupted normal trade orders and damaged Chinese enterprises’ legal rights and interests, and China should take these measures to protect its interests. There is no winner in trade war. Since Canada started the trade war against China, it should naturally bear the aftermath.

China is in the leading position in electric vehicle development and manufacturing, and China-made electric vehicles are well received by the world consumers, including in Canada, due to their high quality and low prices. In addition, China-Canada trade and cooperation in aluminum industry also benefit both sides. When Canada arbitrarily increased tariffs on trade in these sectors, it is disturbing the bilateral trade orders, harming both countries.

I hope China’s countermeasures could remind Trudeau to review what he has done to China, and put China-Canada trade and cooperation back to the right path.

Kate Bush /David Gilmour – ” Running Up That Hill “

This song was super big in the ‘States in the 1990’s.

I feel no sympathy for the homeless because I feel like it is their own fault. Are there examples of seemingly “normal” and respectable people becoming homeless?

My family was an example of this. When I was in 3rd grade, my dad owned a business and my mom worked for the local public library. They owned a home and things were going well. Then technology changed, and my dad’s business was no longer booming. Funding at the libraries got cut and my mom got fewer hours. My parents sold their house to help keep paying the bills and we rented.

Then our landlord wanted to sell the house and my parents couldn’t find a place that would take us for the amount they could afford. My dad closed his shop and started learning about new technology and doing contract work to get a bit of money, but the four of us ended up living in an 18′ camping trailer in the back yards of people who we went to church with. We had to give away our pets which was especially hard for me to understand as a child and was incredibly tough on my mom. We lied to the schools about where we were living so we wouldn’t have to change schools or get taken away. Sometimes neighbors would report us to the cops because what we were doing was illegal, and we’d have to move in the middle of the night, and then show up at school the next day and pretend nothing was wrong.

We would get canned food without the labels from the grocery store for free. We’d play a game where each person picked a can and then we’d have to figure out how to make a meal out of it. You never knew what was going to be in it.

After almost 2 years of homelessness, my dad learned enough to get a new job, and my mom got a more stable job with a school library. We moved to a new town where rents were cheaper and closer to my dad’s new job and we were finally able to rent a home. For many years after that money was still very tight. For instance, our parents would re-wrap our toys and belongings for Christmas so we’d have something to open. But happily, eventually my parents were able to own a home again.

Looking back, I was too young to fully understand what was going on, but my parents must have been under so much stress. They never drank and they never turned to drugs but I can absolutely see how someone might go there for some relief from the relentless stress and wondering if it would ever get better.

I also think many people are closer to homelessness than they realize. It only takes some poorly timed bad luck to get you into a situation that you can’t easily get out of.

Kitchen Hints and Tips
Meat

Tip for Meatloaf
  • To thaw frozen meat, seal it in a plastic bag and place in a bowl of very warm water.
  • When browning any piece of meat, the job will be done more quickly an effectively if the meat is perfectly dry and the fat is very hot.

Bacon

  • Coat bacon in flour before cooking it, and it will not shrink as much.
  • To keep bacon slices from sticking together, roll the package into a tube shape and secure with a rubber band before refrigerating.
  • When you freeze bacon, there’s no waiting for thawing if you arrange the strips flat, slice by slice, on wax paper, then roll them up. Put them in a plastic bag in the freezer. To use, unroll and peel off the necessary number of slices.
  • Fry bacon ahead of time. Drain, then wrap in wax paper. Freeze them in a plastic bag or other freezer container. Reheat briefly in a skillet.
  • To keep fresh, wrap in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then in wax paper.
  • To prevent bacon from curling, dip the strips in cold water before frying.
  • Bacon will lie flat in the pan if you prick it thoroughly with a fork as it fries.

Basting

  • Use the leafy ends of a celery stalk for basting meat, chicken or fish. No greasy brush to clean!

Cold Cuts

  • Cold cuts will stay fresh for as long as two weeks if you roll them up and place them in a covered glass jar before refrigerating.

Corned Beef

  • To prevent corned beef from turning stringy and dry after cooking, let it cool in the cooking liquid until it is warm rather than hot, then remove and slice for serving. This keeps the meat tender and juicy.

Deep Frying

  • If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, you can still estimate the temperature of the oil. Here’s how: place the handle of your wooden spoon, or a wooden chopstick, into the oil. If a steady stream of bubbles emerge from the wood, the oil is perfect. (If the oil starts rapidly bubbling, or if few bubbles are present, then the oil is too hot or too cold, respectively.)

Dried Beef

  • Pour melted paraffin on the cut end of dried beef to keep it from molding or drying out.

Duck

  • When preparing a wild duck for cooking, remove the small bony “nub” at the tail. At the base of this appendage there are ducts which secrete oil with which the duck preens or lubricates its feathers. If the ducts are not removed, the meat will acquire an unpleasant musky taste from the oil.

Ground Meat

  • Before freezing ground meat, flatten it into a square or into patties, rather than leaving it in a mound. It will thaw faster later.

Ham

  • Before opening a can of ham, run very hot water over the can for a minute or two. Open the can, and the ham will slip out easily.
  • Wrap in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then in wax paper to preserve freshness.
  • For a moist baked ham, pour a bottle of cola into the pan and wrap the ham in aluminum foil. Remove the foil about 1/2 hour before the ham is done and allow the drippings to mix with the cola for a tasty brown gravy.
  • To remove the rind on ham, slit the rind lengthwise on the underside before placing it in the roasting pan. As the ham bakes, the rind will pull away and can be removed easily without lifting the ham.

Hamburgers

  • Shape hamburgers by pressing portions of ground meat between two plastic tops of margarine tubs; then remove and cook (or freeze) the hamburgers.
  • For juicier hamburgers, add one stiffly beaten egg white to each pound of ground meat.
  • Poke a hole in the middle of hamburger patties while shaping them. The burgers will cook faster, and the holes will disappear when done.

Liver

  • Beef liver will be very tender if soaked in milk. Refrigerate about two hours, remove, dry thoroughly, and prepare it the way you like.

Marinating

  • Combine marinade ingredients in a plastic bag and squeeze to blend them. Add the meat; seal the bag, removing as much air from it as possible. Turn the bag rather than turning the meat itself.
  • Marinate meat in liquid before you freeze it. The marinade goes to work as soon as thawing has begun.
  • Instead of putting whole spices and leaves in cheesecloth for a marinade, just steep an herb and spice tea bag in your next bath of marinade.
  • Marinating meat overnight will reduce cooking time by almost half.

Meatballs

  • Brown meatballs fast in a single layer in a jellyroll pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Meatloaf

  • Combine all the ingredients in a plastic bag, remove all air, seal, and knead the bag to blend.
  • Brush cold water over the top of your meatloaf to prevent it from cracking.
  • Instead of bread crumbs, add crushed cornflakes or corn bread to meatballs.
  • To avoid grease on the bottom of the pan when you bake a meat loaf, line the bottom with bread slices and place the meat loaf directly on top. When you lift the meat out of the pan, discard the grease-soaked bread.
  • Before adding chopped onions or celery to meatloaf, saute in butter, margarine, or salad oil. Saut ing enhances and mellows the flavor – plus you won’t find crunchies in the meatloaf.
  • Meatloaf will cook faster if shaped into individual size loaves or baked in cupcake tins.
  • Meatloaf will not stick if you place a strip of bacon on the bottom of the pan.

Roasting

  • To keep roast meat or poultry from sticking to the pan, place it on a row of celery stalks and carrot sticks that have been tossed with a little salad oil. Roast as usual. You don’t need a roasting rack.
  • Pour 1/2 cup sweet pickle juice over beef, ham or pork before roasting.
  • When cooking a beef roast, save the pan juice and freeze it in ice cube trays. Wrap the solid cubes in foil and store in the freezer for instant beef stock for soup or stew.
  • A roast will stay hot for an hour or more if you wrap it in doubled aluminum foil, then several thicknesses of newspaper.
  • Allow a roast to stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the oven. This will ease slicing.
  • A shallow pan is better for roasting meats because if allows heat to circulate around the roast.
  • To prevent meat from scorching when roasting, place a pan of cold water in the oven.

Sausage

  • Boil sausage links for about 8 minutes before frying, and they will shrink less and not break at all. Or, roll them lightly in flour before frying.
  • Skewer sausages together before frying. They can be turned all at one time with a spatula. This also cuts down on spatter.
  • Run cold water over the paper before you remove roll sausage from the package, or let it set in cold ice water for a while. The sausage will not stick to the paper.

Steaks

  • To keep them flat when cooking, cut several nicks in the fat all around the piece of meat with kitchen scissors to prevent it from curling.
  • Flat iron steaks are also known as top blade steaks. Flat iron steaks benefit from marinating. You can substitute flat iron steaks in any recipe calling for flank or skirt steak. This cut is best grilled over a medium-high heat. Don’t go as hot as possible unless you pick up a very thin cut. Because of the density of the meat, it is generally best to start with a quick sear before moving to a lower temperature to finish off to the desired doneness.

Tenderizing

  • Rub both sides of tough meat with a mixture of vinegar and olive oil. Let it stand for two hours before cooking.
  • Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the cooking water before boiling meat.
  • Marinate tough meat or game for at least two hours in equal parts heated bouillon and vinegar.
  • If you want to cook a tough piece of meat, select a recipe that has fruit in it — pineapple, papayas, crab apples, bananas, figs or kiwi – all of which contain tenderizing enzymes. Moist cooking, such as crock pot and roasting in a slow oven while sealed in foil, is preferable to dry cooking.

Why do we feel a “shock” in our teeth when we bite aluminum foil?

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of biting into a piece of aluminum foil, you know how painful it can be. This sometimes happens when someone goes to eat a candy or chocolate wrapped in foil and forgets to completely remove the wrapping around the product.

When biting the piece of aluminum foil, a small charge is generated, which, when in contact with other elements and substances present in our mouth, ends up causing an extremely uncomfortable shock.

But do you know why this happens?

This happens because aluminum foil has the power to create an effect similar to that of a “battery” in our mouth, causing the electrical current generated to stimulate the nerve endings in the roots of our teeth.

What causes this uncomfortable effect is the pressure generated by the friction of the teeth with the aluminum foil. Everything is aggravated when the person has some type of filling or implant in their teeth. This is because fillings normally use mercury, and implants can involve pieces of gold, silver or other metals. This contact of different metals against each other, in addition to the action of various salts and minerals present in saliva, creates an electrifying combination.

In short, this combination causes the electrons in the aluminum foil to travel towards the tooth. The pain occurs because our brain interprets the nerve impulses generated by the “shock” as pain signals.

Everything, however, is nothing more than a kind of “bug” in our brain, since the pain is not real, but just a “misunderstanding”.

What is the craziest thing you’ve had to do as a business owner to get someone to pay a bill?

I owned a nuclear engineering services company. We had been hired by LILCO (Long Island Lighting) to redesign parts of the Shoreham nuclear plant’s radiation monitoring system. My terms were net 30 but they were into us for over 90 days, totaling about $900,000. I had a $1 million line of credit at my bank so things were getting tight.

I called my site manager who was single and asked him to find a lady in accounts payable and ask her out on a date and find out what was going on. He did so. Turns out LILCO was near bankruptcy and they’d decided to screw the small contractors so they could pay the prime contractor.

I had taken on a pardner who used to work in NYC. He had us go to the Wall St area and ask around who was the dirtiest, nastiest tort lawyer around. Several people named a Greek Jew named Stergakos. We called and saw him the same day.

I had in my jacket pocket a check made out to his firm for $20,000. We told him the problem. Then I took out the check, tore it in two and gave him one half. I told him that if he had us our money in 48 hours, the other half was his. We went back to our hotel to wait.

He filed a mechanic’s lien against the entire plant and got a buddy to publish that fact in the next day’s Wall St Journal. Pre-cellphone days. A little after lunch my secretary called and told me I’d gotten a call from LILCO’s Comptroller.

I returned the call and reached a rather stressed man. He asked me what it would take to make me happy. I told him “A wire transfer to my bank for the entire accounts payable by end of business” and gave him my checking account information.

A little later my secretary called me and told me I should return a call from my bank’s president with whom I was good friends. I called him and the conversation went about like this:

“John, is what y’all are doing legal?”

“Yes, sure, why do you ask?”

“We just received a wire transfer into your account for almost a million dollars.”

I laughed and told him what was going on.

Best $20k I’ve ever spent.

The Witness

Submitted into Contest #251 in response to: Dream up a secret library. Write a story about an adventurer who discovers it. What’s in the library? Why was it kept secret?… view prompt

John K Adams

Dmitri disembarked from the plane at about 1 am. He hated the red eye.

‘I’m getting too old for this,’ he thought.

Except for his fellow passengers, the cavernous terminal stood empty. Signs in the local language directed him to baggage claim and customs.

He took the steps down. There was no escalator. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, he joined the throng at customs.

Dmitri mulled over the cryptic email he’d gotten the previous day from his old friend Matthias.

‘Need you to take a walk. Do not contact. You don’t know me. Visa, tickets awaiting.’

Working in foreign countries sometimes demanded coded communications. This email wasn’t too obscure. But the urgency of it was something he’d never gotten used to.

‘Taking a walk’ indicated Matthias’ need for Dmitri to investigate some obscure location. Enter the country, investigate, and leave no ripples.

‘Do not contact. You don’t know me.’ Politics were in play. Their lives could be at risk, should their friendship become known. Mutual safety depended on their having no direct contact while in the country.  Their activities were being monitored. Plausible deniability was always in place.

Matthias and Dmitri had followed this script many times since their stint in the CIA. Matthias took care of finances and red tape. All Dmitri needed do is arrive on the next flight, do the job and report from afar.

‘Why me? And why now?’

Dmitri had held many jobs. Working as a journalist allowed him to travel the world between clandestine assignments.

Archeology was his private passion. He’d seen more ruins and archeological digs than anyone alive.

‘Matthias counts on my irrepressible curiosity.’ Dmitri cherished that quality in himself. Though it had waned in recent years, it always perked up at opportunities like this.

He wished Matthias provided more notice though. Reconfiguring his schedule on a finger snap wreaked havoc with his life. It meant delegating several interviews. His wife and kids are pros at coping.

The threadbare but practical, ‘unnamed illness’ was Dmitri’s standard excuse. People might doubt its veracity, but no one wants you around if you might be contagious.

It was his turn. The customs official scanned his backpack. He knew English.

“Welcome… Your reason for visiting our country?”

“A wedding.”

“You have almost no luggage…”

“Local friends rented a tux for me.”

“Why do you need the knife? The heavy boots?”

“Afraid of snakes. You know how outdoor weddings can be.”

The official didn’t buy it, but he stamped Dmitri’s passport and let him go.

He stepped outside. A jeep with three male passengers pulled up to the curb.

The front seat passenger looked at Dmitri. He asked, “You Dmitri?” At his nod he said, “Get in.”

Dmitri crawled into the back, as they pulled away.

The man who spoke to Dmitri introduced himself as Lin. He pointed to the man sitting next to Dmitri.

“That’s Moli.” They nodded to each other. Remaining still, Moli watched intently. An AR-15 rested between him and the door.

The driver remained nameless and didn’t speak.

Lin continued. “So, friends with Matthias, eh?”

Dmitri pursed his lips. “Matthias? I’ve heard of him.”

Lin laughed. “We’re running a little errand. He said you’re a good man to have along.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Going into the frontier… to a sacred mountain. Forbidden to visit. Will climb the back way.”

“Our purpose?”

“Looking for antiquities to save virgin forest from development. From logging.”

Dmitri never got used to joining with strangers and traveling to parts unknown. He felt vulnerable. Too much could go wrong. Travelers often disappeared. Investigations wither.

Trust built over decades was the one intangible everyone depended upon.

The road became a jolting track. Sleep proved impossible. The driver rolled to a stop as dawn lightened the sky.

While unpacking the jeep, Lin explained, “Loggers are building a road up the far side of the mountain. Illegally, but they expect permits soon.” He rubbed his fingers with his thumb. “Won’t delay. Laws are meaningless without enforcement.”

He passed a machete to Dmitri.

“We’ll go up the back. Undetected and unmolested.”

Each carried water and little else. Moli held the rifle. Lin and Dmitri had pistols and machetes. Following the river, they started up the mountain.

Lin cut through heavy underbrush with his machete. Following him, Dmitri pondered his purpose in this adventure.

‘Because environmental laws have no teeth, this ‘sacred’ mountain needs protection from development. Evidence of an ancient civilization will bolster his case. Matthias wants international outrage to stop them. If anyone can do this, I’m the guy.’

‘How did the legends around this mountain originate? If there’s no awareness of human activity the lumber company has no incentive to reveal any finds.’

‘I’m here now. Do the job and go home. How many times can I tell Jill that ‘something came up.’? I’m not lying. This could become a huge story.’

After climbing all day, they made camp at foot of a triple waterfall. Dmitri had heard of its beauty, but never expected to see it.

Not wanting to draw attention with a fire, they ate their dinner dry and cold. And traveling light, they slept under the stars, machetes at the ready.

His inner clock out of whack, Dmitri took the first watch.

He had to laugh at this whole enterprise. ‘Why should the world care about another fallen empire? Will one more ruin provide the key to avoiding past mistakes?’

‘History is the graffiti scrawled on the fallen stones of ruined temples.’

Why did he crave knowledge about civilizations which rose to power on feet of clay?

‘Would the story ever end differently?’ His thoughts followed familiar paths and always arrived at the same conclusion. ‘The ruins speak for themselves.’

He wondered at the ever so human, arrogant urge to power. And how the powerful use an elite ‘priesthood’ to mask their crimes against humanity.

‘In the name of appeasing the gods, they feed their own insatiable egos.’

‘Does no one see that power, grasped tightly, controls those who hold it? When motives are expressed in exalted language, anything can be justified.’

‘Fear effectively masks almost any activity. Using it as a lever, they divide above from below, the in-crowd from the out.’

Dmitri heard nothing over the falls’ rumble. Anything could approach unheard. He scanned their surroundings for impending danger. The moon had set. The world felt at peace. It was almost time for Moli’s watch.

He thought about their destination. ‘What monument to human sacrifice will we discover? How many pyramids were blood-stained altars dedicated to appeasing blood thirsty gods?’

As the poet said: ‘How cheap be the vanquished when thirsty blades demand quenching?’

‘So many civilizations disappeared into the wilderness with its unbreakable rules of survival.

Moli stirred, shook off his sleep and took his watch. Dmitri slept until awakened by Lin. They shivered in the morning chill and ate while climbing.

Moving away from the river, the terrain opened. The shade under the canopy of trees minimized the underbrush and made walking easier. Birds kept a constant chorus.

Monkeys began screaming from the high branches.

Lin announced, “Capuchins.”

It began to rain despite the clear, blue sky.

Moli wiped his brow and swore. He looked up and got a face full. The monkeys were throwing feces.

They ran but the monkeys kept pace, leaping from tree to tree.

The men couldn’t help but laugh. After sprinting several hundred yards, the attack let up. They stopped and assessed the damage.

Panting, half from laughing, Dmitri said, “Finally got ahead of them.”

Lin said, “Or they ran out of ‘ammo.’”

Falling into laughter again, they backtracked to bathe in the river.

After the detour, they entered the main forest of immense, ancient trees. The bark looked like parchment.

Dmitri had never seen them. ‘Are they a kind of birch?’

Lin murmured, “Whoa…”

A half-dozen tribesmen emerged from behind a cluster of massive trees. They held primitive bows and watched, unimpressed, as Moli unslung his rifle.

Dmitri said, “We’re outnumbered and don’t need a fight.”

Lin said, “Don’t attract attention with gunfire.”

Dmitri said, “Keep smiling.”

Moli stepped forward. He addressed them, using short phrases and sign language. The tribesmen listened with interest and burst into laughter.

Moli translated, “I told them we come in peace. They have no reason to trust us.”

After making a sign, he pulled three heavy-duty, webbed belts from his backpack and offered them to the warriors.

The leader examined them. He signaled and his warriors withdrew. Dmitri and the others continued on their way.

As they walked, Moli told them what the warriors said. “They don’t trust lowlanders. I said we aim to protect them. They warned us away from disrupting the trees’ worship.”

Dmitri asked, “They worship the trees?”

“I don’t speak their lingo well. I heard it’s the trees’ that worship and we dare not disrupt their prayers.”

“Tree huggers. Latter day Druids. So, we’re looking for a sacred grove?”

“Maybe.”

They continued trudging toward the sun through the ancient forest. The canopy of branches filtered the light and cooled the air.

Dmitri had taken the lead. He understood they would want to log this virgin forest.

Turning to Lin, he said, “How many houses could you build with one…?” Stunned and trembling, he fell to his knees.

He saw thousands of symbols carved into the tree’s bark. The elaborate carvings covered the trunk, skyward until blending into the upper shadows.

The others turned, and seeing, also fell to their knees. Their mouths moved silently. Tears streamed down their cheeks.

Dmitri sprang up and ran about, shouting, “This is it! All of them! Look!”

The others stood. There were carvings on the sunward side of hundreds of ancient trees. Each displayed the records of a lost civilization. The oldest messages, obscured by healing bark, could still be seen.

The trio set about documenting as many as possible. The mood was light. By day’s end, they’d photographed over a thousand trees, each with distinct markings. The trees’ average circumference was forty feet around.

Dmitri worked feverishly. So much to do.

He thought, ‘Talking trees blending creation with worship. The fulfillment of the universal urge toward transcendence. Creation speaking with its Creator. As it should be.’

The golden light filtering from above was the perfect response.

They found no evidence of human sacrifice. Dmitri had never felt such peace. He didn’t want to leave.

Lin asked, “But what do they say? Will we ever know?”

Dmitri sighed, “Without some sort of Rosetta Stone, we can only surmise. Translating it all might take years. Artificial intelligence will assist.”

Lin nodded.

Dmitri pointed at the trees. “But look. I know what they say. Those aren’t laundry lists. And those carvings weren’t done under the whip.”

Lin agreed.

Dmitri said, “The way they were created proves devotion, reverence and love. The eternal hunger to connect with the ephemeral, the ineffable… the ultimate.”

“Matthias will love this.”

“This forest could be the first library in history. Psalms to the gods, written on living parchment.”

“I hoped we’d find this.”

Dmitri stopped. “You knew about it?”

“How to get here. Yeah.  But never been. Always forbidden. A mystery. Rumors. Nothing specific. Who knows what else is hidden in the wilds?”

“Without human intervention, nature speaks for itself… We should get moving.”

They packed their gear and trekked back the way they came. They made good time.

At the waterfall, they crossed paths with a patrol stopping to refill their canteens. Lin and the others watched from behind the falls, safely unseen.

Reaching the valley, their driver picked them up. Dmitri sent pictures to Matthias. They dropped him at the airport, and he caught the next flight out.

Dmitri had a story to write.

Is China on a mission to destroy American exceptionalism in trade, finance and economic affairs?

What make US exceptional?

(1) Its military might – air force, navy, and foreign bases. Its power of shock and awe had been demonstrated many times. But it can only destroy and cannot conquer. Its land force is unimpressive, ala Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan. China and Russia are too powerful for shock and awe treatment.

(2) Economy, trade, and technology. Once it was dominant all-round. Now dominance in the economy and trade is history. The world has moved on, and China is more than a worthy opponent. US still controls substantial chunk of legacy tech, but China is more into new tech and green tech. The great ambition of US dominating AI with big money and incremental computation power, is torn asunder by DeepSeek, open-source, cheap to train, and cheap to use and maintain.

(3) Finance. The dollar still dominates international finance, but no easy ride. Share of dollar in central banks’ reserves is about 55% vs 80% several years ago. The momentum of dedollarisation is unstoppable, driven by blockchain, China, yuan, and BRICS are in the wing. The multi-currency system is already in operation. The dollar hegemony is the sole claim to exceptionalism.

(4) Finally, hubris and sanction. Hubris is very alive, going by the news that Trump makes. Sanction has still a life, but toothless. China remains in the gameplan. Even Russia. Trump ordered Ukraine and Russia to get to the table right now. He threatened “large-scale banking sanctions, sanctions, and tariffs on Russia” until a ceasefire and peace is reached. But quickly said, he trusted Russia and found it easier to work with than with Ukraine.

So, is China on a mission to destroy American exceptionalism?

Answer: No, China has its own things to do. It never recognize US exceptionalism, and strongly opposes hegemony. It wants no part of hubris and sanction.

It cannot do anything about the US military might. It is happy enough that it cannot be defeated in its domain and has enough power of reprisal to denounce the use of first strike. It has no overseas ambition, not since historical time.

Much of what happened in the position of the US in economy and trade was the US own doing. Who knows how much were wasted on foreign adventures to show its power? how much trade was loss due to sanctions? It grew fat on the dollar hegemony, running huge sums of all kinds of deficits.

US tech sanctions of China have been very expensive for the US. Self-inflicted. They imbue the strong sense of negativism, government officials concentrate on how to punish China and prevent its growth, its own tech industry is stymied, and US has no knowledge of what is happening in China. Little wonder that DeepSeek caused the tech market capitalisation to lose $1 trillion in a single day, and government officials and lawmakers are all over the places thinking of new sanctions. It is all forlorn, too late, the die is cast and growth of China’s tech is unstoppable. US exceptionalism has no part in this.

The dollar hegemony is now in play. Trump has vowed to impose 100% tariff on any BRICS country that does not use the dollar in its trade and holds it in its reserve. He is all over the place with tariffs, and there is the on and postpone drama vis Mexico and Canada. US sanctions are toothless. Countries are tired of threats. They convince more countries to join BRICS. It is fair conclusion that if he carries out his promises, the dollar hegemony will demise faster and sooner. China does not have to do anything, not that it can do anything, than to help events take their course.

What is a navy fighter pilot’s quarters like on an aircraft carrier?

The type of living space that a Navy fighter pilot obtains on an aircraft carrier depends on their current rank. Each squadron receives its designated space before deployment and throughout training happens. The rooms can either be personal rooms or rooms which house a maximum of ten crew members.

The commanding officers (COs) along with executive officers (XOs) obtain individual rooms with communal bathroom facilities.

Senior aviation officers and office department leaders will occupy standard two-bed accommodations together.

Junior pilots assigned to larger rooms when they stay in groups.

The USS Kitty Hawk assigned me to an 8-man stateroom that sat directly below the flight deck when I joined my first training session. As a junior pilot I had to accept the uncomfortable conditions due to the noisy crowded room together with my fellow trainees.

Another problem existed because empty ship berths remained under staff control which prompted random contractors to occupy our living space. My squadron mate invented Ensign Hawk as a fake officer to prevent unauthorized personnel from taking over our bed following a shipwide allocation system.

The admission of Ensign Hawk into our squadron maintained an occupied bed position which prevented us from getting assigned to anyone outside our crew.

The plan succeeded until the Admin Officer confirmed that Ensign Hawk had not paid his meal expenses. We hadn’t thought of that! The officer agreed to maintain our concealment about Ensign Hawk if we handled his meal budgets independently.

During the rest of our deployment we covered the expenses for our fictitious roommate even though he remained a sand crab-free presence in our room.

Girls’ Generation 소녀시대 ‘Gee’ MV

Korean K-pop. This song was pretty big in China for a long time.

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Feal

I still have my mother’s bread bin from the seventies. Just a boring stainless steel one but it was a part of my childhood. I don’t use it to store bread as I don’t eat much of that these days. So it’s kinda my medicine cabinet.

I remember, back when I was dating my ex-wife in the US, she bought some sliced brown bread but I didn’t like the taste of it. It seemed weird to me. It sat there in the kitchen for several weeks and never went off! Whatever they had used as the preservative worked scarily well and had ruined the flavour. Also don’t get me started on what passes for cheese over there!

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congjing yu

Add tomatoes to that list. -MM

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mtness

Ah, the differences are many!
One always has to look for the quality stuff. It costs more, but that is why I nearly always buy at the local market.

And these days, one should always b
uy only stuff which has “ingredient list”.

Have a nice Sunday and best regards!

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Huang, Tim. 團域和依

Well, in my view.

What is China? Where is China? (China is English, the name China isn’t China in Chinese languages I know.) The territory of defined China are different in different age, and Taiwan always not in the core places of China, such like this Earth isn’t in the core place of this region, but far away.

What is the country name of Taiwan (and smaller islands)? It’s even difficult in Taiwan. Some say Taiwan, some say Republic of China (ROC) as its official, some say ROC in Taiwan but say Taiwan to foreigners. Few people would say People’s Republic of China (PRC), but it’s worse than just say China. Some people would say Republic of China, but know China mean People’s Republic of China, Republic of China is not China. Or it’s China, then here’re 2 China in this Earth, or 2 (central) governments in 1 China. Even if you want to know where’re the define of Taiwan, some people think it’s mean main island only, some think it’s mean Taiwan province of ROC, or same region but not province, some think it’s mean entire places where Taiwan central government control.

1. Taiwan isn’t in the core regions of China.

2. About the history of how Taiwan join China, some people would think it’s occupied.

3. Taiwan isn’t always in China since join it.

4. Many Taiwan people are from mainland China in history, and keep going, but it’s many things different between 2 sides.

In my view, Taiwan is getting torture from the USA and some of the others, and itself. Some foreigner big hands is controlling high level of Taiwan, whatever government, medium, companies. About China, what Taiwan people would see is military operations against Taiwan, then company or something. I know some Chinese people would talk about the gift to Taiwan, but it’s more like gift paper, the container, but now what it contain.

With the useful ways, those small groups of people with power can shape what people know, what people think and they would think. So you can say an abandoned place is very good, it’s beautiful. So whatever, Taiwan No.1, Taiwan is beautiful, and “democracy”. I thought abandoned because it’s works as a country but not be treat as a country. Those countries say Taiwan is part of China, and know that China is the one which Communist Party governing, but it doesn’t govering Taiwan in actual. But “tortured” is more close to precision than “abandoned”. If you think Gaza, it’s hell, abandoned, but it get bomb attack, worse than just abandoned. Be tortured, actually. But Taiwan is much better than Gaza.

As my original command – Taiwan and mainland China will be a united China, China is the point on this Earth that the Domain can add / make / put / set… its power in / on / at…
Well, I don’t know what to say.
Original – 「台灣跟中國（大陸）會變成統一的中國；中國是團域在這個地球上清除障礙的施力點。」
I didn’t set the time of united China before.

I’m different with the other people, I wouldn’t think I’m Taiwanese or Chinese in first. If I would think citizenship, I think 團域 (Domain).

I’m actually want to leave here (prison / war zone / tortured place) soon. Make the goal and sucessful, leave here soon.

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