My trending posts for today… interesting.
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Introduction (285)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – The Tea Ritual (70)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – The Dinner (60)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – The Pretty Girls (60)
- How a Chinese Business KTV works – NSFW Parties (57)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Pre-party Preparation (45)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Having Fun! (44)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Selecting a Companion (43)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Going to the Hotel Room (43)
- How a Chinese Business KTV works – About the Girls (41)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Respect and Food (39)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Singing, Dancing and Money (37)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – The Next Day (33)
- How a Chinese Business KTV Works – Pretty Boys for the Girls (32)
Over my life I have had various gardens. I would tend to the gardens, and dutifully tend to them and weed that plot. And truthfully only a few kinds of plants brought me real joy.
Tomatoes were by far, my favorite crop to grow. The joys of growing a plump tomato that just falls in your palm is a joy that is difficult to describe.
Zucchini is another crop. I would enjoy how huge and prodigious they would get. And for a while, I used to go out and proudly collect my daily crop.
Potatoes, not a plant that I could daily monitor, but when it came time to collect, it was always a rush to get, and eat my feast of fresh steamed potatoes.
Peppers, is another. But the problem with them is that there’s much of nothing for most of the Summer and then a final flurry at the end of the season.
All the rest, well, they were boring. Carrots? Meh. Onions… cool, but soon enough you get bored. Lettuce? Yawn.
Rutabaga… Well, you treat that one differently.
And that’s just my thoughts on vegetables today.
Moving on… today…
It took an App for White Americans to realize China is So Advanced & America is a 3rd World Country
Truth bombs…
UPDATED 6:43 AM Sunday Morning ! ! ! ! 79 Days . . . The Fastest Debt Spiral in History; Sub-Prime Auto Loans Wiping Bonds Out
Hal Turner World September 20, 2025 Hits: 24235
SEE UPDATE AT BOTTOM 6:43 AM SUNDAY — We are being plundered. On July 2, 2025, the US National Debt was $36.2 Trillion. Yesterday, September 19, it had risen to $37.5 Trillion. Up $1.3 Trillion in 79 Days.
Prior to this three month period, the US National Debt rose $1 Trillion in the 90 Days prior to that. Before that, the US National Debt rose $1 Trillion in 113 days. See the pattern? 113 Days, then 90 days, now 79 Days. That’s the fastest debt spiral in history, and it’s only accelerating.
The government is spending itself (and us) into oblivion. Worse, mathematically, there is no way to stop the debt spiral it before it completely collapses the entire system. We are in the end stages of the fiat money printing “system.”
When that collapse happens, there won’t be any Social Security Payments, No Medicare money, no SNAP/EBT money, no Medicaid at the state level. ALL OF IT WILL STOP because there’s no money left.
I am told the U.S. Dollar lost ten percent (10%) of its value in THIS MONTH alone. It gets worse. Much worse.
PRECIOUS METALS
Did you notice Precious Metals Prices yesterday? Record highs.
Close:
- Kitco……Gold 3,684.00…Silver 43.01
- JM………Gold 3,698.58…Silver 43.31
- APMEX…Gold 3,699.93…Silver 43.33
Want to know why?
It has been reported to me that, according to industry insiders, financial giant Morgan Stanley, told their wealthiest clients that Morgan Stanley recommends changing the distribution of portfolio investments from the traditional 60/40 . . . . 60% Stocks and 40% Bonds, to a new formulation: 60/20/20 . . . . 60% stocks, 20% Bonds, and . . . . 20% Gold.
Why?
Why would one of the world’s largest financial expert firms, tell their wealthiest clients to make a change of this magnitude? Why tell them to get rid of HALF of their Bond holdings????
Traditionally, Bonds have been the absolute safest – and admittedly lowest-interest yielding — financial instruments. Bonds are the very foundation of matters financial. Always have been.
Why, then, would a giant financial company tell wealthy investors to get rid of half their Bond holdings???
It turns out, it all began with a little Bankruptcy filing last week . . . . a strange and now, worrisome, filing.
A company that most of us have never heard about, TRICOLOR Holdings, started falling apart incredibly fast – within days.
Tricolor Holdings, which operated more than 60 car dealerships across six states, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Notice the Bankruptcy Chapter? Chapter Seven (7) not the usual Chapter Eleven (11). That means they have absolutely no hope of re-organizing and continuing in business; they are filing for LIQUIDATION.
This is unusual for most companies and almost unheard of in financial companies. After all, there’s always something to salvage, right? Not this time!
It happened fast and with almost no warning at all. Early last week, media outlets learned that the vast majority of Tricolor’s workforce, (which includes Tricolor Auto, Ganas Auto, Ganas Ya, and Lucky Lane Motors), had been told they were being placed on temporary unpaid leave.
Employees were told they’d hear by October 6 whether they still had jobs.
Meanwhile, Tricolor CEO Daniel Chu quietly resigned from Origin Bank’s Board of Directors.
Origin Bank was a lender to Tricolor, and has $30 million tied up in the company, according to Barron’s.
By Monday evening, media outlets received calls from multiple insider sources warning that Tricolor’s bankruptcy was imminent. Then things got weird, fast.
Behind the scenes, Bond traders told media outlets that the auto asset-backed securities issued by Tricolor started nosediving, eventually reaching as low as 12 cents on the dollar. “Auto Asset-Backed Securities.” You know . . . . BONDS. Bondholders were not holding on to the bonds to see how it all worked out, they were DUMPING those Bonds as fast as they could, at almost any loss. Something was VERY wrong with this picture. This doesn’t happen; even in Bankruptcies.
Court filings show the company listed more than $1 billion in liabilities and identified over 25,000 creditors.
INTRIGUE
Last week, Fifth Third Bancorp disclosed a potential $200 million loss from “alleged fraudulent activity” at an unnamed commercial borrower.
Bloomberg quickly identified Tricolor as that borrower, and noted that JPMorgan Chase Bank and Barclays Bank were also potentially exposed.
The alleged scheme involves double-pledging, which is using identical loan portfolios as collateral for separate warehouse credit lines with different banks. Commonly known as “Fraud.”
At a high level, lenders like Tricolor originate auto loans for its customers, which are grouped into portfolios.
These portfolios can be used as collateral to obtain financing, such as warehouse credit lines (short-term loans banks provide to finance companies to fund operations).
In a double-pledging scheme, the lender pledges the same auto loan portfolio to multiple banks as collateral for different credit lines.
Each bank believes it has exclusive claim to the portfolio’s cash flows or value, unaware that other banks have been promised the same assets.
It gets even worse.
Since 2007, Tricolor has specifically marketed to customers “excluded from traditional banking systems.” You know, customers like ILLEGAL Immigrants.
But the business of underwriting loans for this cohort (typical among smaller subprime lenders) has become riskier during President Donald Trump’s second term.
In a bond deal this year, Tricolor disclosed that 68% of its borrowers had no credit score, and over half didn’t hold a driver’s license.
And they lent these people money???????? Is that nuts, or what?
Still, the main reason for Tricolor’s collapse seems to be the alleged fraud, which is now being investigated by the Department of Justice.
It is highly likely that people will go to jail for this, but jail doesn’t solve the money problem. The damage is already done and it cannot be undone. The money is already gone. Real Banks will take real financial losses from this. BIG LOSSES. Real people who hold TRICOLOR Bonds, will lose their money. Gone. POOF!
A WARNING SHOT FROM THE SHADOWS
I think Tricolor’s Collapse, is a warning shot from the shadows. Now, I am NOT a Licensed Financial Expert. I have absolutely no special knowledge or training in matters financial. YOU should not make any financial decisions based on what I write or say. You should consult with a Licensed Financial Expert before making any financial transactions based on what you’re reading here.
Having said that, when word came out about Tricolor’s strange Bankruptcy filing, most people didn’t even blink.
A small subprime auto lender going bankrupt in 2025? Hardly headline news in a market that’s rallying, right?
But for those of us who still carry 2008 PTSD, the story of Tricolor triggers a deeper instinct to look twice. Ask why. Then ask again.
Tricolor’s AAA bonds (rated 2 months ago July ’25) just plunged—par to 78¢, lower tranches to 12¢.
What does this mean? Well, Lookie, lookie here: The Rating agencies are partying like it’s 2008, slapping AAA Ratings on junk. Again. Just like before the Great Financial Collapse of 2008.
I think that what we’re seeing is, in matters financial, the music’s stopped. Subprime auto debt tied to fraud is crashing fast.
Same playbook as 2008, new bubble.
This is straight out of the 2008 financial collapse playbook: “Give junk debt a fancy rating, package it into securities, pass the risk down the line… hope nobody blinks.”
What Went Down?
Tricolor wasn’t just any TINY used car dealer.
They targeted a very specific, very vulnerable segment: immigrants without credit history or social security numbers.
They sold them cars and financed them at subprime rates, then packaged those loans into asset-backed securities (ABS).
Sound familiar? Those asset-backed securities, they weren’t tiny. They weren’t harmless.
And they’re not coming back, they’re liquidating, not restructuring.
CREDITORS?
As of this morning, Saturday, September 20, 2025, I am told that JPMorgan Chase, Fifth Third Bank, with Origin Bancorp, Renasant Bank, and Triumph Financial, now also reporting exposure, looking at a Total Exposure of $20B Yes, you read that right: TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS.
Why It Matters
This isn’t about one company dying quietly.
This is about where the cracks in the financial system appear first.
And right now, they’re appearing in lower income credit channels, just like they did last time in 2008.
Subprime auto loans aren’t a systemic bomb, they’re small. But the asset-backed-securities aren’t small.
The demographic these sub-prime loans serve isn’t small.
Nearly 1 in 5 US workers is foreign born.
Half of those are Hispanic.
They’re young, mobile, and fuel key sectors of the economy.
So when lenders like Tricolor vanish, it’s not just a credit story; it’s a consumer demand story.
A mobility story.
An economic signal, flashing in red. Right now. Today.
If you’re thinking “This Isn’t 2008” you’re right, and you’re wrong . . .
Few people think this is Great Financial Crisis 2.0, but I DO! I think this is the Canary in the financial Coal Mine, and it just fell over dead.
To those people dismissing this concern altogether . . . that’s how people missed the storm the first time.
Back in 2008 it started in mortgage subprime.
Now, it’s auto subprime.
Back then, no one thought $1B in loan exposure mattered.
Until it did.
I believe this is the start of another financial crash. A very big one. Huge!
I am saying, this is the wrong time to be blind.
Final Thought
Markets are euphoric. The Fed is still whispering “more fuel.”
But beneath the surface, a lender just imploded, one tied to real people, real credit, and real economic vulnerability.
Watch closely.
Moments like this often show us where the system is weakest.
Which brings me back to Morgan Stanley and what they reportedly told their wealthiest clients: Dump half of your Bond holdings and go to a 60/20/20 portfolio mix. Sixty percent Stocks, twenty percent Bonds and Twenty percent Gold.
Does Morgan Stanley THINK there is more Bond Fraud? Or does Morgan Stanley KNOW there is more Bond Fraud?????
If I am right, the twenty percent of Gold that Morgan Stanley is reportedly telling its clients to have, will be the only thing people have left when this is all over.
And that’s only if they hold the physical Gold themselves, and don’t fall for the trap of buying “paper” gold that someone else holds. Because every ounce of that “paper” gold, has already been sold to 500 different “owners.”
BIGGEST SCREW-JOB?
The people who have loans through TRICOLOR, started coming out to go to work this week only to find their car — gone. The banks are re-possessing all the cars. I’m told “ALL OF THEM” are being grabbed by repo companies because the banks do not know if the collateral (the car) has been pledged to some other bank. All the TRICOLOR loans are now moved to the category of “non-accrual.” Since possession is nine-tenths of the law, the banks are already grabbing the cars! Even from people who are paying the loans!
I believe the music is stopping in the financial sector – again. I believe “this is it.”
Federal Government over-spending and Financial Company reckless lending has done it to us — again.
( All the information in this story was broadcast LAST NIGHT on the Hal Turner Radio Show. You should tune-in to the show Monday thru Friday from 9:00-10:00 PM because you often get the news from the radio show BEFORE you get it on this website.)
UPDATE 6:43 AM EDT SUNDAY —
Additional information is now coming out about this TRICOLOR HOLDINGS situation and none of it is good.
Reports are saying a Hedge Fund called “Clear Haven” has very big exposure to the TRICOLOR HOLDINGS Bankruptcy Liquidation.
It is also claimed in these reports that “Clear Haven” not only has Auto-Backed Securities (ABS) but also holds a number of Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS) from many of the very people who bought cars from TRICOLOR.
Many of these people have SELF-DEPORTED, and took the cars with them across the border – meaning the asset used for Collateral for the auto loan – is out of the country and gone.
Worse, these folks seem to have also walked-away from their Mortgages, which makes the exposure for Clear Haven, even worse.
Those who did not have Mortgages, but who were merely Renting, have also walked away from the Rental property, leaving empty property.
They are leaving behind more than just their auto loans, their mortgages are now abandoned or rental property has a new vacancy their land lord will have to fill with a shrinking demographic in a self enforcing negative feedback loop, as more immigrants self-deport or are forcibly deported.
This could throw Mortgages into default because Rental Property Owners can’t rent-out those now-empty homes as the immigrants are self-deporting! Many of those Mortgages are done through Hedge Funds.
This situation is starting to feel like July 31, 2007 when 2 hedge funds in Bear Stearns collapsed in Bankruptcy, sparking off the Great Financial Crisis. Bear Sterns filed Bankruptcy
The two hedge funds were the Bear Stearns High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Fund and the Bear Stearns High-Grade Structured Credit Enhanced Leveraged Fund.
The funds were heavily invested in collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) based on subprime mortgages.
When the housing market declined, the value of their mortgage-backed securities plummeted. By mid-July 2007, investors were notified that the funds had lost most, if not all, of their value.
The collapse of the hedge funds was the beginning of the end for Bear Stearns, but it took several months for the parent company to fail:
Initial bailout (June 2007): Bear Stearns provided a $3.2 billion collateralized loan to rescue one of the funds, but it was not enough.
Worsening reputation (late 2007): As the mortgage crisis deepened, the failure of its hedge funds caused Bear Stearns’ profits to plunge and its credit ratings to be downgraded.
Liquidity crisis (March 2008): In March 2008, rumors of cash flow problems led to a run on the bank, as hedge funds and other clients pulled their money. This triggered a severe liquidity crisis.
Forced sale (March 2008): With the firm facing imminent bankruptcy, the Federal Reserve helped orchestrate a deal for its acquisition by JPMorgan Chase.
What shattered your misconception about wealthy people?
It wasn’t so much a case of being “shattered,” but rather a realization I’ve had since I was very young. Growing up, I was closely associated with a group of multi-millionaires and even a billionaire who lived nearby. One thing became very clear: they were incredibly stingy.
- They always tried to get discounts or pay almost nothing for things.
- They weren’t tippers, and in fact, many of them tipped poorly.
- They could literally squeeze a dollar bill and half-dollars would fall out of it!
- Everything was about “What’s in it for me?” and “How will this profit my pocketbook?”
- They would even lie, degrade, or demean others to benefit themselves.
Rather than “degrading” them for their tightwad behavior, I took the time to study them and learn from their actions. There was a reason they had money, and I wanted to understand it, especially when “we” didn’t.
This thought brings me to a flashback from 1977.
FLASHBACK: 1977
I witnessed a multi-millionaire get into a serious car accident. He ran a red light and collided with a woman driving a small Toyota Corolla. The crash was severe, and while I tended to the woman (who was injured with whiplash), others went to a payphone to dial “O” for the operator (since 911 wasn’t available in our area back then).
The police, fire department, and ambulance arrived soon after. Everyone at the scene, including me, said the rich guy had run the red light and plowed into the woman’s car. She was lucky she didn’t have passengers, as the impact was severe enough that they likely wouldn’t have survived.
The rich guy, however, was screaming and demanding immediate attention. Eventually, he was treated, but he kept complaining about how “no one was there to help him.” To make matters worse, it turned out he was drunk, and despite his injuries, the cops arrested him. He was taken to jail and treated by the medical team there.
The woman asked for my name, and I gave it to her. The fireman wrote it down, and she left with the information. A few days later, she came by my parents’ house to thank them for raising a daughter who had helped her stay calm and still while waiting for medical professionals. She said the car was a total loss.
The Lawsuit
The wealthy guy, with his lawyers, tried to turn the tables. They claimed that the woman ran the red light and caused the accident. In fact, they tried to argue that the reason so many witnesses, including me, said he ran the light was because he was wealthy and therefore, no one could believe that he could be at fault.
Back then, there were no cameras or anything like that to document the scene, so it was really just witness testimony. The woman hired a family lawyer, who put all the witnesses through lie detector tests due to claims of false reports. To my surprise, I received a subpoena.
At that time, I was only 15 years old, and my dad had to take time off work to drive me to the Specialist’s office. The lie detection expert was shocked when he realized I was just a teenager. But he proceeded with the test anyway. He was impressed with my detailed recollection of the events. After all, I had a front-row seat to the whole thing.
I even told him that the woman had visited my parents to thank them. After confirming this with my dad, the expert noted that I was a reliable and mature witness for my age.
The Trial
The trial itself was intense. The plaintiff’s lawyers argued that kids were unreliable witnesses, but the defense disagreed, pointing out my integrity and work ethic. The judge allowed me to testify.
When I took the stand, the plaintiff’s lawyers tried to twist my words, but I didn’t fall for their traps. One lawyer, who was being particularly hostile, crossed a line, and I couldn’t hold my tongue. I told him, “I hope someone goes to the Skyway Bridge and tells you to jump after them. I hope you do just that!”
The judge immediately pounded his gavel, ordering the lawyer to stay focused. But I couldn’t let it slide. When that same lawyer insulted me again, I fired back: “For your information, you’re nothing but a money-grabbing sleazebag! You’re corrupt, totally dishonest, and couldn’t know the truth if it bit you!”
The judge was done with that, too, and slammed his gavel again.
I went on to tell the court exactly what I saw, from start to finish. The testimony I gave matched the evidence perfectly, and the jury sided with the woman. The rich guy was found guilty and ordered to pay the woman $1.5 million.
Aftermath and Reward
Some time later, while I was working at the Recreation Facility, I was surprised when the woman and her lawyer came to see me. They thanked me for my role in the case and handed me $3,000 in cash as a reward for my truthful testimony.
I was reluctant to accept the money but reluctantly locked it in my drawer at work. When I got home, my mom found out about the money and accused me of stealing it. She even called my workplace to verify the story, which the staff confirmed. After some back-and-forth, the truth came out. The victim had indeed given me the money as a thank-you for my help in the case.
Eventually, my mom took the money to the bank and deposited it into my savings account, keeping $500 for myself. I used it to buy my yearbook, save for my class ring, and fund my upcoming trip to Canada.
Final Thoughts
The rich often go to extreme lengths to gain and protect their wealth—even trying to ruin someone’s reputation in the process. However, not all wealthy people are like that. There are a few good ones who are honest and fair. Sadly, those are harder to find.
These high-paying American careers will be destroyed by Chinese competition within 10 years
Will India become a US colony, a Chinese colony, or remain an independent country?
No way
US Colony
Not a chance of this. US is too far away and they wouldn’t spend money on Indians.
Besides they can easily make India do what they want today
Chinese Colony
Not a chance. China wants Arunachal and Ladakh
China could offer Visa free entry to these people from Ladakh and Arunachal, massive investment promises, strong PR and 1001 ways to take over if they really want to
They don’t
They want to use these as leverage and get other concessions from India
Independent Country
Doubt it
Too Divided
Expected to be Divided more and more every day
Development looks sketchy and this causes more religious strife every day
However possible if reforms are done, delimitation is avoided for 20 more years and more autonomy is granted
Otherwise the best solution is what I call a FIVE PART CONFEDERACY
- Greater India
- Autonomous Punjab Region
- Autonomous North East India
- Autonomous Bengal Region
- Union of South India
Five Dominions or Autonomous Regions with Five Parliaments and Five Different Prime Ministers
Five different financial policies, education policies, healthcare policies, budgets etc
Each Province to pay a share to the Center in Delhi under a common Executive (President)
I think this is the Natural order of things and that is where India will ultimately revert to
Forcibly holding on to India as it stands today would be counter productive and lead to ultimate harsh and illegal separatism in multiple places
How can this be avoided?
- Autonomy to States
- Less Bullying by the Center
- More Investments everywhere
- Less Cultural and Religious Hegemony
War with China
If India has a War with China, Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Kashmir and Half of Uttarakhand is gone
That’s guaranteed
So it’s best to make peace today and retain complete autonomy of Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh as Indian territory and make the other concessions such as giving up claims to Aksai Chin , giving up Tibetans aspirations and allowing a Silk Road through Indian Kashmir & giving up claims to PoK and Gilgit Baltistan
Chicago-Style Breaded Steak Sandwich
This is a much loved Chicago sandwich. The Italians in Chicago really know how to make yummy sandwiches. You won’t be disappointed!
Prep: 10 min | Cook: 30 min | Yield: 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 6 sandwich steak or round steak cutlets, pounded to 1/8 inch thick
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs, whipped with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (added to bread crumbs)
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato basil spaghetti sauce
- 6 French rolls
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 ounces hot or mild Giardiniera
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
- Warm tomato basil sauce over medium heat in a skillet.
- Season steaks with salt and pepper, then lightly coat in flour, shaking off excess.
- Coat steaks in egg wash, again shaking off the excess egg, then press steaks into breadcrumbs, coating completely.
- Fry 2 or 3 steaks at a time in the oil for about 2 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown.
- Dip the steaks one by one into tomato basil sauce to coat, then transfer to French rolls, folding them into a v shape.
- Sprinkle cheese and giardiniera into the fold of the steaks or over the top of the steaks, as desired, then wrap each sandwich in foil.
- Place wrapped sandwiches in the oven. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes.
Love in a world gone mad
Submitted into Contest #290 in response to: Set your story in a world where love is prohibited.… view prompt
Jörgen Bierau
I was not.
My marriage was declared null and void. We stuck together.
Then, only service men could share quarters, and authorities moved my husband and me to single-bed cells in a dormitory for the divergent.
Then came the final decree: sex between men became punishable by reprogramming and, in case of relapse, termination.
We were still fucking each other.
Relationships between women are declared unnatural and non-existent.
Pre-union consumption of the bonding between a man and a woman: a crime.
Coupling between a man and a woman outside the assigned period, determined by society’s need for new citizens and the woman’s optimal hormonal state, is prohibited. That’s why we all received chips in the back of our heads called stack. With this new technology, everything is monitored and controlled. People say it started with the Covid pandemic and that they primed us then with the virus and the vaccines.
It was a ruse.
In secret, the stacks were developed long before that. Stacks are silicon chips that read human consciousness. Thoughts, hopes, feelings, dreams, love, and lust are recorded and added to your file. It determines your post-mortal destination. If needed, corrective measures are taken during life. AI-reprogramming often suffices. When it turned out that some patterns and needs are deeply ingrained, programmed by biology, after all, guidelines were issued.
Chastity became mandatory.
My stack marked my thoughts immoral, pornographic (punishable by damnation), and a danger to the fabric of society. It detected increased dopamine and oxytocin levels in my brain when I thought of my husband. The authorities sent me off to a medical facility for reprogramming.
They put me on a diet of cornflakes, steamed chicken breast, and parboiled genetically modified white rice.
Colour and flavour induce lust.
Lust leads to sin.
The government introduced a catch-up programme to curb masturbation. Seed shall be salvaged for divine procreation. They even circumcised all men born before the Unification. Women were ‘modified’. Those who dared to speak out about the mutilation vanished.
I am forced to wear mittens in bed, and they placed an implant that monitors nitric oxide in the erectile tissue of my penis. Algorithms link nitric oxide production to the images in my mind, dreams, and cerebral hormone levels.
Bland food didn’t kill my lust.
Taking away my foreskin didn’t cripple my penis.
Manipulative synthesised dreams failed to diminish my love for my husband.
I love him.
I miss him.
I will never again hold him.
In a perverted way, I am happy for him; they have successfully reprogrammed him. Strange when I think of it, ‘true’ homosexuals are usually impossible to reprogram. I had always believed him to be one, without a doubt. But the last time we spoke, he had no recollection of our marriage, of our love, how he had me at ‘hello’. What I told him shocked him, appalled him. He said I must be mentally ill to come up with such a thing. To sully his good name.
It ripped my heart out, crumpled it like old paper and blew the shreds into the wind. It was torture. There is no other word for it.
But even that did not have the desired effect. I knew what they had done to him. I blamed them, not him. Cerebral neutering. That’s what they do. They don’t reprogram you to heterosexuality. They extinguish all desire for physical pleasure. After all, it might be genetic, a danger to the fine gene pool. It can’t be risked. It had no effect on me. I just wanted my husband more, and my love for him survived.
The pastor in the dark blue uniform with the red band on his arm was my last chance to redeem myself, to become the man and live the life God had intended for me. His husky blue eyes were empty except for the contempt and hatred that spat from them. He didn’t even try, and I told him to go fuck himself.
Now, I am sitting in my cell, waiting for my termination. Officially, the death penalty does not exist in the United Europe; we are too civilised for that. Society helps unwanted, dangerous, and hopeless individuals. Out of sight of the good citizens, of course.
Thanks to stack technology, pastors preach the truth with even more fervour. Hell exists, praise BigTech! When you are terminated for your crimes and misdemeanours, your consciousness is uploaded to a virtual hell. Depending on your crimes, verdict, and the preference of your assigned pastor, you burn for eternity, are placed in a loop to be hanged, drawn and quartered infinitely, or taught how you could have been a righteous human being until you break. Leadership announced the computer simulations of God’s creations dry-eyed. They said we should have listened to the pastors all along.
How do I know this? I am not the only one who is ‘therapy-resistant. ‘ Technology is not infallible and has leaks. Rumours that the Free People have infiltrated the State are stubborn. Once, an update of my stack felt different; it lacked hostility. It must have been deleted long ago.
The walls of my cell are white. The tiles on the floor are white. The bed is white, and the toilet is white. My mittens are white, and the straps around my arms and legs are white. When the door opens, men clad in white medical suits enter. They drag me through a white corridor to a sterile chamber. I am dumped on a surgical table; the sterile metal is hard and cold, and the surgical light above me blinds me. They tighten new straps around my limbs. A cold hypodermic needle pierces my skin, the fluid running into it cold. Someone grabs my head and roughly plugs a wire into my stack.
They say nothing.
My mouth stays shut.
The pastor looms over me. His dark uniform breaks the serenity of the moment. He declares my hopelessness, says that my chance for redemption has passed and that I am to burn in the cleansing fire for eternity. The son of a bitch smiles as he nods to his medical minions.
A hand switches a valve on the IV. A glaringly red fluorescent fluid crawls from the tube into my arm. I know I will burn. It burns in my veins. My heart pounds. Before panic can strike, my eyelids get heavy, and the light dims, and everything goes black.
The beating of my heart stops.
When I open my eyes, I am in bed. My pillow is soft and fluffy; the warm duvet and the big pink paeonies printed on it soothe me. I see a window. Outside, the sky is blue, and the sun is shining. I blink. I know this room. It is my bedroom. I am in my own bed, mine, and my husband’s. I’m not on fire, not in excruciating pain, nor hanging by a rope. If anything, I am at peace, and a feeling of relief takes over. How can this be?
Then, the door creaks open, and my husband steps inside the room. A smile splits his face as he rushes to me. I can’t believe my eyes. We hug, kiss, and cry.
‘Where am I? What are you doing here?’
I can’t believe this is real. I know it isn’t, but it feels real. My husband takes my face in his hands; I feel their warmth on my face, the pressure of his fingers. The love in his moist eyes makes me tear up again.
‘You’re safe. The Free People of The World found a tech flaw and created an alternative world,’ he says.
‘But they’ll find out,’ I stammer. The fear that our reunion is short-lived tears at my simulated stomach. The scent of detergent tickles my nose, and air flows into my lungs, indistinguishable from life.
‘No, they won’t. As far as they are concerned, you’re burning in hell. They see what they want to see. You’re free, baby!’
He beams, lifts me up and spins me around.
‘Wait, how do you know all this? How is it you’re here?’
He grins.
‘The Free People recruited me before the red banners went up. We hacked digital heaven-and-hell. I helped them reprogram it into a safe simulation and secure untraceable backups and servers. When that was done, I uploaded myself. The reprogrammed me you met…an avatar.’
My jaw drops. I knew he was a programmer, but he made everyone believe he was mediocre.
‘I’m sorry you had to go through all that, but we couldn’t risk them extracting the intel from your stack.’
I nod. ‘I understand. But where are we?’
‘We’re on a server, 1200 meters below the Australian desert. No nuke will reach us or our backups.’
I blink and need a minute to take this in.
What is something that is considered normal today, but would have shocked people living 100 years ago?
A random Englishman from the British Empire is sent from 100 years ago to the present.
Englishman: Oh bloody bollocks ! Where am I now?
Modern people: It’s 2018.
Brits: 2018?! Did Britain win the Great War?
Modern Man: Yes.
Englishman: Oh good, the English rule the world!
Modern Man: Not really.
Englishman: WHAT!?!? Which empire is the biggest now?! What happened to the British empire that in my time was like this:
Modern Man: There are no more empires in this world except for a few small islands.
Englishman: Why? Isn’t the empire the biggest source of income?
Modern Man: After World War II, the world concluded that empire caused more problems than it was worth.
Englishman: I swear on Queen Victoria’s grave, do European countries still dominate?
Modern People: Currently the three most powerful economies are the United States, Japan, and China. Other countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and India will soon overtake your country.
Englishman: India? The jewel of our empire that can do nothing without our help? The burden of the white colonialists…
Modern Man: Hey, that’s racist, but yeah by 2050, your “Jewel of the Empire” will be the second largest economy in the world.
English: Do we have a global heritage?
Modern People: Yes, in terms of language.
Englishman: Oh thank God.
Modern People: And now your country has many people from your former colonies. Even the current mayor of London is a descendant of immigrants from British India.
Englishman: Nooooo! Are they still poor? Can we still invade?
Modern Man: Hmm all the countries in Africa that you once invaded are now thriving. In fact, the country you used to call the gold coast (Ghana) has a lower unemployment rate than France.
Englishman: Oh my gosh. Which city is the most advanced now!?!
Modern Man: Oh, a patch of desert.
Englishman: A desert? Why did you send me here?? I’ve been tortured enough by the facts you’ve presented!
Modern Man: Just a warning, because you think your country will last forever. The Second Great War will prove to be worse, and imperialism will prove to be the cause.
*The English were then returned to their time.*
Modern Man: Imperialism is trash.
Rick Waiting * Relaxing Blade Runner Blues Vibes
Why don’t Chinese students face the same student debt crisis as Americans?
Because public schools are funded by the state. Most universities and the best universities in China are public schools.
The state stipulates that schools cannot make profits.
Even the company that contracts the school cafeteria has a profit limit. If the company’s profit exceeds the specified value, it will be eliminated in the next year.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve had to explain to airport security and how did you handle it?
I traveled once with odd things in my luggage. I had a 25-year-old book of “Europe on $5/Day” though I wasn’t going to Europe. They found that odd, but I just wanted to read about the cities and then throw the book in the newspaper recycling in the airport. I was also carrying some huge round rocks. I had them from our emergency water supply pond in South America but was moving to North America — the round rocks were the perfect size for a craft project I was planning to make. Unfortunately, the rocks looked like solid bombs on the airport screening X-ray. I also had alot of dry powdered white milk baby formula when entering the USA from Bogota, Colombia. I spilled it all over in Miami airport by mistake, and folks assumed it was cocaine.
We have also traveled with musical instruments including one Stradivarius violin, and we had to try to convince airport security to let us open the cases ourselves so they would not break the musical instruments. I have also traveled twice on commercial jets with armed bodyguards, but I didn’t have to explain anything myself, the bodyguards took care of that. I watched them from a few yards away as they quietly showed their credentials and authorization to the airport screeners. They had the weapons hidden under their suit jackets. Finally, I once traveled from Europe to Californian with a dying hamster that had a massive tumor on its head, the tumor was the size of the head itself. My kids were taking the hamster home to put it to sleep (euthanize it) in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I convinced the airline to not charge us the usual $150 international pet fee. I showed them the hamster’s tumor and explained it was just going to die anyway so please just let it be free carry-on luggage without a fee. They were so grossed out, they waved us by.
Sir Whiskerton and the Case of Gardener Gladys and the Gigantic Gourds: A Tale of Oversized Vegetables, Over-the-Top Personalities, and Farmyard Folly
Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale so absurd, so brimming with humor and heart, that even the most stoic of barnyard animals might find themselves rolling in the hay with laughter. Today’s story is one of oversized vegetables, over-the-top personalities, and one gardener’s quest to prove that bigger is always better. So, grab your gardening gloves and a sense of adventure, as we dive into Sir Whiskerton and the Case of Gardener Gladys and the Gigantic Gourds: A Tale of Oversized Vegetables, Over-the-Top Personalities, and Farmyard Folly.
The Arrival of Gardener Gladys
It was a quiet morning on the farm, the kind of day where the sun shone brightly, the birds sang sweetly, and the farmer hummed tunelessly as he went about his chores. But the tranquility was shattered by the sound of a rumbling engine and the sight of a massive truck barreling down the dirt road.
“What in the name of…?” Sir Whiskerton muttered, peering over the edge of his sunbeam. “Is that a truck… or a small house?”
The truck came to a halt in front of the farmhouse, and out stepped Gardener Gladys, a woman with a passion for giant vegetables and a personality to match. She was dressed in a floppy sun hat, overalls covered in dirt, and a T-shirt that read “Go Big or Go Home.”
“Hello, farm folks!” Gladys bellowed, her voice carrying across the barnyard. “I’m here to enter my prize-winning gourds in your little contest. Prepare to be amazed!”
The animals gathered around, intrigued. Gladys was unlike anyone they had ever met—loud, enthusiastic, and utterly convinced that bigger was always better.
“Bigger!” Ditto echoed, though he seemed more interested in chasing a butterfly than admiring Gladys’s gourds.
But the real spectacle came when Gladys opened the back of her truck. Inside were the largest gourds anyone had ever seen—massive, bulbous vegetables that seemed to defy the laws of nature.
“Behold!” Gladys declared, gesturing to her gourds with the flair of a circus ringmaster. “The fruits of my labor! The titans of the vegetable world! The… well, you get the idea.”
The animals stared in awe. Doris the Hen was the first to speak. “Those aren’t gourds,” she clucked. “Those are monsters.”
The Problems Begin
At first, Gladys’s gourds were a source of fascination. The farmer, ever the eccentric, was thrilled to have such impressive vegetables on his farm. But it didn’t take long for the problems to start.
The first issue arose when Gladys attempted to unload her gourds from the truck. The largest gourd, a behemoth she had named “Big Bertha,” was so heavy that it caused the truck’s suspension to collapse.
“No problem!” Gladys said, undeterred. “We’ll just roll it off.”
But rolling Big Bertha proved to be a challenge. The gourd was so large that it crushed a section of the fence, sending the chickens scattering in all directions.
“Cluck!” Doris squawked. “That thing is a menace!”
“Menace!” Ditto echoed, though he seemed to be trying to climb onto the gourd.
The problems only escalated from there. Big Bertha rolled into the pond, displacing the yodeling fish and causing a minor flood. Another gourd, “Titanic Tim,” blocked the road, preventing the farmer from delivering his crops to market. And “Colossal Carl” somehow ended up in the barn, where it took up so much space that the cows had to sleep outside.
“This is getting out of hand,” Sir Whiskerton said, adjusting his monocle. “We need to find a solution before the farm is overrun by these… vegetable behemoths.”
The Moral of the Story
As the farm descended into chaos, Sir Whiskerton decided it was time to have a heart-to-heart with Gladys. “Gladys,” he began, “your gourds are impressive, but they’re causing major problems. Perhaps it’s time to consider that bigger isn’t always better.”
Gladys frowned. “But bigger is better! Everyone knows that!”
“Do they?” Sir Whiskerton asked, raising an eyebrow. “Consider this: a small, well-tended garden can produce just as much joy—and far fewer headaches—as a field of oversized vegetables. Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter most.”
Gladys pondered this for a moment. “I suppose you have a point,” she said reluctantly. “But what about Big Bertha? I can’t just abandon her!”
Sir Whiskerton smiled. “Why not donate her to the local fair? Let others marvel at her size while you focus on growing vegetables that are… more manageable.”
Gladys’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! And who knows? Maybe I’ll even win a ribbon.”
A Happy Ending
With Big Bertha and her siblings safely relocated to the fair, the farm returned to its usual rhythm. The animals, though relieved, couldn’t help but reflect on the absurdity of the situation.
The moral of the story, dear reader, is this: Sometimes, smaller is better. Whether you’re a gardener with a passion for oversized vegetables, a farmer with a penchant for eccentricity, or a cat with a knack for solving mysteries, it’s important to remember that the little things in life often bring the most joy. And remember, sometimes the greatest treasures are the ones that don’t crush your fence.
Epilogue: A Lesson in Moderation
As the sun set over the farm, Gladys stood in her newly planted garden, admiring the rows of smaller, well-tended vegetables. “You know,” she said to Sir Whiskerton, “I think I like this better. It’s… manageable.”
“Manageable!” Ditto echoed, though he seemed more interested in chasing a butterfly than admiring the garden.
Sir Whiskerton smiled. “Sometimes, Gladys, less is more. And sometimes, the best things come in small packages.”
Gladys chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. But don’t tell Big Bertha I said that.”
And so, dear reader, we leave our heroes with the promise of new adventures, new challenges, and hopefully, no more oversized vegetables. Until next time, may your days be filled with laughter, love, and just a little bit of feline genius.
The End.
When did you realize that you’re old?
I turned 29 two days ago, and I have been single so far. Now I am at such a juncture of life where few of my friends are married, others engaged and few have kids too.
All of them had their own priorities but I am still deep inside the same 23ish age person who would love to :-
- watch cartoons instead of k drama , movies of 2000s era instead of insta reels, love going to gardens instead of clubs.
- but now I feel these priorities are not a sign of my simplicity but they seem to be a sign of growing old.
- I had always been a non drinker but across all my jobs I often had to deny invitation to parties and I find it Really tough to deal with such situations even now. In Holi ✨ we all love playing Colours but a day ago I was just wondering why I have been this kind of person.
- I am currently living in a small place where I don’t have any cook , so I cook myself and only a maid didi comes to clean dishes. Today I was just wondering how time changes , there was an era when gol chapatis were considered as mandatory today priorities have changed.
- I often get suggestions from my family and friends to get married but I keep wondering will a working girl agree to settle with a guy living in rural area and on the contrary if the girl is hone maker then will she be able to understand the essence of personal space.
- I had no mirrors in my house since last 2 years but I got one now and after exercising it feels good to see the difference but on same time I feel growing old each day.
HOLY! Russia Seizes EU Bank Assets as China Sells Off 42% of US Treasuries – What’s Next?
What is the reason for the lack of popular Taiwanese actresses in China compared to those from Hong Kong or Mainland China?
Since President Xi’s era, Taiwanese performers are requested to sign the “One China Commitment” if they are invited to perform in China. They have to recognize that Taiwan is part of China and promise they will not participate in any pro-Taiwan-dependence movements.
The problem is that President Xi’s definition on “pro-Taiwan-dependence” is broad. Two Chinas, one China and one Taiwan, one future China, or even the exclusion of military means for unification of China are all “pro-Taiwan-independence” actions. This includes celebrating the national day of Taiwan, mentioning the keyword “Taiwan” at any circumstances(must use “Taiwan, the Province of China” instead) or even showing happy when Taiwanese baseball team won the game, especially over China. They also cannot reveal any good opinion about Japan, the most hatred country to the Chinese. They are also encouraged to pretend that they had a miserable childhood in Taiwan and are offered grace and fortune after the “fatherland” China invited them to the “socialist heaven”.
Most young Taiwanese artists who are just starting their career in Taiwan definitely won’t sign it because their Taiwanese audience will not support them anymore if they did it. Taiwanese artists may consider going to China when they come to the bottleneck in their career. Then they will face a difficult decision: to embrace their new fans in China and abandon their old fans in Taiwan. Usually, older artists may do it if they find they are losing popularity in Taiwan.
Thus in recent years, most Taiwanese artists who move their career to China are outdated artists, it is not surprising that they are no compare to those popular celibrities from Hongkong or local Chinese.
A Kiss Before I Go
Submitted into Contest #290 in response to: Center your story around a first or last kiss.… view prompt
George Georgerfrost@gmail.com
Simon gave his thumbs up.
“We are reaching launch speed.” Abe checked his monitor.
“God help us all.” Max wiped his brow with his handkerchief.
“Maximum speed accomplished.” Abe could barely hear his own voice over the rumbling. Just as the shaking intensified, Abe and Max looked up as the module vanished.
“I think it’s done.” Abe Gonnull was frozen at the console.
“Simon? Simon, can you hear me.” Max asked, but all he heard in his headphones was static. Reflexively, he removed them from his ears. “I hope he’s alright.”
“Me too.” Abe was standing next to Max looking at the blank screen that was supposed to show the image of Simon’s module.
The module landed very hard with a jaw jolting impact that rattled Simon. He climbed out of the module. It was dark except for the streetlights that gave off a fuzzy luminous light through foggy dampness. From what he could gather, it seemed as if his craft was on a bridge across a river. He could hear water rushing underneath.
It was then he saw a young woman getting ready to step over the rail. She appeared to have been crying. Wearing a mid-leg skirt and white button up blouse, she appeared out of the fog like an angel. Suddenly she put her leg over the rail.
“Wait!” He shouted as he ran toward her. She looked at him, completely startled. Her mouth was the shape of an O. “Don’t!”
“I have no reason…” She managed to say as he reached and grabbed her around the waist. With a hardy yank, he pulled her to the sidewalk. “What are you doing?”
“Saving your life.” He got to his feet and grabbed her hand to pull her to her feet.
“What made you think I wanted to be saved?” She said angrily.
“Why?” He asked her. She stood beneath the muffled streetlight once again assuming the appearance of an angel in the ghostly fog.
“My fiancé ended our relationship.” She began to sob.
“So? There are other men, you know.” He hugged her because he hated to see her cry.
“Yeah.” She sniffed, “I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, I see.” He shook his head.
“Now do you see why I was out there on the Brooklyn Bridge ready to end it all.” She sat down on the curb and wiped her tears with her handkerchief.
“This is not the answer.” He sat next to her.
“Seemed like the only option I have.” She bowed her head as a vehicle went whizzing by them splashing rainwater on both of them.
“There are other options if you look.” Simon shook his head.
“Who are you?” She asked, “And why are you dressed up in that strange outfit?”
“I am a test pilot.” He answered quickly.
“And I’m the Queen of England.” She chuckled. “Are you some alien from another planet? I saw a double feature where an alien abducted earth people.”
“No, no. I am from this planet, I assure you.”
“Are you from Yonkers?” She snapped the gum she was chewing.
“No, I’m afraid not.” He smiled at her.
“You seem alright.” She wiped her tears, “Whacha name?”
“Simon DeCensus.” He answered.
“Well, I’m Cindy Crankston.” She snapped her gum again.
“Good to meet you.” He held out his hand. She looked at it as if it had been dragged from the river. Simon withdrew his hand.
“So where are you from?” Her voice was suddenly shrill.
“Not around here.” He began to unbutton his time travel suit. “Don’t worry, I am dressed under this thing.”
“Wasn’t worried, really.”
“Any luck?” Max asked Abe.
“No, nothing.” Abe kept flicking toggle switches on his console.
“This is not good.” Max shook his head.
“We should have known communication would be tricky.” Abe put his headphones back over his ears.
“The satellite was in position, right?”
“According to our calculations.” Abe shrugged.
“So, what’s the problem?”
“If I knew, I’d have it fixed.” Abe sighed.
“Of course you would, sorry. It’s just after all this anticipation; I figured we had it all mapped out.” Max ran his hand through his thinning gray hair.
“There are contingencies that are out of our control.” Abe tried to calm the butterflies that were fluttering in his stomach.
“We have to keep trying.” Max affirmed.
“Where do you suppose he is?”
“We had him set for October 19, 1955. I don’t remember if we set the location.” Max fumed, “Shit, we forgot to set the location.”
“Just an oversight, sir.”
“Yeah, but I went over the checklist. I should have caught it.” Max slapped his forehead with his open hand.
“We will keep trying, sir.” Abe said as he turned up some of the buttons on the console. It would be a long night, he thought.
“So, ya see, I never graduated high school.” She put her well-chewed bubble gum on a signpost after they got across the bridge. “I went to beauty school cause my mom is a hairdresser. How about you?”
“I got my doctorate-”
“Oooo, a doctor.” She pretended to swoon.
“Not the kind that treats sick people.” He chuckled as he ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I am a scientist.”
“Do you shoot rockets into the sky?” Her blue eyes twinkled as she asked.
“No, not quite.” He held out his hands.
“There’s this burger joint a few blocks away. I was wondering if you’d take me there like a date.” She blushed, “Ya see, I’m dead broke.”
“I think that will be fine.” He shrugged.
“That’ll make ‘em talk seeing me come in with this good look-in’ doctor.” She gushed.
“If it will keep you off that bridge.” He sighed.
“Promise. No bridge.” She shook her head. “I remember when Todd Meuller took me to the prom. It was the first time I ate at Wimpy’s. It was so romantic.”
A couple of cars whizzed by on the street.
“Holy cow, that was a ‘55 Chevy.” Simon marveled.
“Yeah, brand new, right off the lot.” Cindy rolled her eyes. Puts her hand on a streetlight and does a couple of circles holding on. “My mom tells me to start actin’ my age.”
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I am twenty-four, twenty-five in a couple months.” She stops and smiles at him, “How old are you?”
“Thirty-one.” Simon nods.
“Oooo, an older man? And a scientist, too?” She puts her finger on his reddened cheek. “My fiancé, Mark, is a bastard.”
“How come?”
“He left me for another girl.” She sighs. “I know you don’t know me, but do I strike you as the kind of girl who gets left behind?”
“How so?”
“You know, I am there until the guys find something better.” She frowns.
“I don’t know you that well.” Simon shakes his head.
“What about you? Are you married? On account you’re kinda old?” She tilts her head.
“Not married.” He shakes his head, “Came close once, but it just didn’t work out.”
“How come?”
“I always put my work first.” He chuckles.
“Booorrriiing.” She pretends to yawn. “Being in love beats everything.”
“You may be right. Well, that’s what my married friends tell me.” He bows his head.
“We’re here.” She takes his hand and together they walk into Wimpy’s. The smell of deep-fried grease immediately greets Simon when they walk in.
“Oh, I am hungry just smelling those burgers on the grill.” She closes her eyes and runs her tongue along her top lip.
Under the artificial light, Simon notices her pretty face even with the overapplied makeup and eyeliner.
“Let’s sit here.” She directs Simon to a table near the large front window. Simon glances out the window as the fog has thickened and the rain-soaked streets glisten under the hazy streetlights. He had always dreamed about coming to New York City growing up on the west coast and now that he was here, he was somewhat disappointed that his expectations far exceeded the reality just outside the window. Still, he knew that this was a past reflection of the city he had always dreamed of visiting.
A waitress on roller skates came to their table.
“I want a burger with plenty of pickles and a boatload of French fries with a big thick shake.” Cindy told the roller-skated waitress who nodded as she wrote down the order on her pad. “What do you want?”
“Just a coke.” He smiled.
‘That it for you?” She scowled. “Be right out.”
“Why didn’t you get a burger?” Cindy asked, “They are the best.”
“Not hungry.” Simon shook his head.
“Your loss.” Cindy gave him a dubious glance.
“Any luck?” Max asked Abe.
“No sir, but I think I can find the channel.”
“Keep trying. He has to know where to be so we can bring him back.” Max sighed.
“What if we can’t?” Abe asked.
“I don’t even want to consider it at this time.” Max collapsed into an empty chair.
“You wanna try a bite of mine?” Cindy held out her half-eaten burger.
“No thank you.” He smiled. The slap of nearly raw hamburger meat had no appeal to Simon since he had been pushing a vegetarian diet.
“How is your Coke?” She asked sarcastically.
“Tastes just like the ones in-” He stopped himself.
“In what?” she asked.
“Back home.”
“Cokes taste the same everywhere you go, ya know.” She giggled. When he looked at her finishing her meal, he saw a halo surround her head.
“Sugar free-”
“What’s that?”
“Cokes that don’t have sugar in them.” He tapped his fingers on the table.
“Yuck and double yuck. Who’d ever drink a Coke without sugar? Gross.” She grimaced. “I wanna thank you for buying me dinner.”
“No problem.” Simon nodded.
“My parents kicked me out when they found out I was pregnant.” She ate another French fry.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry? You had nothing to do with it.” She paused as she frowned, “I also wanna thank you for stoppin’ me from jumpin’ tonight.” She put her hand on his. Simon felt the warmth of her hand surge through his. The weather made him cold, but her touch seemed to revive him.
His life to this point seemed empty even though he had his career. Tonight, he had accomplished everything he had worked for, but this victory did not seem as fulfilling as he had imagined it would be. Just like his desire to visit the city, only to find it wasn’t everything he thought it would be.
But Cindy was real to him. There was nothing about her that disappointed him. Her hand over his promised to make this journey into the past a much better outcome than he expected.
“Simon DeCensus. Calling Simon DeCensus.” Abe kept speaking into his microphone as Max sat at his desk, his hands folded as if in prayer.
“So where are you going to spend the night?” He asked Cindy when they left Wimpy’s.
“I could spend the night at your place if you have a couch for me to sleep on.” She held his hand.
“I don’t have a place here.” His vision dropped to his boots.
“S’okay.” She sniffed. The air was cold and damp like it had been since he arrived, “I can find the park and a bench. This jacket is pretty warm.”
“I can’t have you do that.”
“What are you gonna do about it?” Her face turned cold and hard.
Simon stood there with a helpless expression on his face.
“I’m the kinda girl people leave behind. I am always being left behind.”
“What if I walk you home?”
“Are you deaf or something? I told you my parents threw me out.” Her face melted into a deep soul crushing sadness.
“Simon DeCensus.” His earpiece vibrated.
He pulled up his microphone, “Yes, yes, this is DeCensus. Abe?”
“Roger that. We need to get you home.” Abe spoke directly in his ear.
“How?”
“We are zeroing in on your module.” Max’s voice cut in.
“I will catch a cab. When?”
“As soon as you’re ready.” Abe sounded excited.
“Can I bring someone with me?” He glanced at Cindy.
“Negatory. No one can be in the module.” Max snapped.
Dejection spilled over his whole face. As soon as Cindy saw his expression, she knew what the answer was.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to come back.” Simon sighed as he spoke into the microphone. He turned to Cindy, “What can I say?”
“You really are a spaceman, aren’t you?” She reached over and stroked his cheek, “But we weren’t meant to be. I am the girl everyone leaves. It s’okay. I have my brother who lives a few blocks away. He’ll always take his little sis in when she needs a couch to sleep on.”
“How about a kiss before I go?” He asks
“That would be fine.” She nodded. He reached out and drew her face to his and they kissed as he embraced her.
“If I have the chance I will return.” He smiled.
“You’d be on your way. I’ll be fine.” She assured him as he ran his hands over her ruddy cheeks.
“I will return, I promise.” He waved as he hailed a taxi.
“Bye my spaceman.” She waved to him as the taxi pulled away.
He paid the driver. He got out of the taxi and climbed into his module as the driver’s jaw dropped. There was a flash of light. The module was gone.
“Welcome back.” Max greeted Simon. “Did everything go according to plan.”
“You could say that.” He smiled, “I was wondering if I could go back on the next voyage.”
“I can’t guarantee.” Max shook his head, “We will do the best we can.”
What are best practices for living alone in your 70s and 80s?
One of the greatest problems when people live longer than 60 is falls.
You may not think of it when you are young, but old people fall and truly cannot get up no matter how hard they try. Many people die alone and are not found for days.
Falling causes all manner of health problems, even death. Many old people live alone, and breaking a bone can be catastrophic.
One of the best ways to counteract this problem is to exercise regularly. Walking, though good, is not always enough. You need strength exercises, which have to be done at a gym or with some weights at home. Then if you should fall, you will be able to get up unaided because you will have been able to increase your muscle tone.
A few ways to prevent falls are to add grab bars around the bath and toilet. These are an enormous help. The most common way to fall is in the bath.
Also make sure that there are no hazards to walking around your house, like exposed electrical cords on the floor, and loose area mats. It is very easy to trip on these, and again falls can be dangerous.
I am nearly 80, unbelievably, and have had numerous falls, as many as ten or twelve, in the past few years. I am in great danger in my own house. For this reason, I wear a medic alert bracelet which I have had to use to summon an ambulance once, quite recently.
So do all you can to prevent falls then you will feel much safer in your house when you are old.
Shorpy
How was Rodrigo Duterte arrested and trialed by the ICC if the Philippines is not a member of the ICC?
When we see the words The Hague and the International Court of Justice, we can easily think of one institution: International Court of Justicel (ICJ)
International Criminal Court (ICC)
International Court of Justicel (ICJ)
But in reality this ‘International Criminal Court (ICC)’ and the ‘International Court of Justicel (ICJ)’ are not the same thing.
It was established in 2002 and is based on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which was adopted in 1998.
The biggest difference between the ICC and the lCJ lies in the fact that while the lCJ is one of the United Nations agencies, the ICC is an independent body.
The ICC receives cases mainly from states, whistleblowers and UN Security Council mandates.
It can only try individuals and has jurisdiction over only four international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity (crimes against humanity), war crimes and crimes of aggression.
It seems very authoritative, but in fact it is not at liberty to try persons from all countries.
Only nationals of States Parties to the Rome Statute come under its jurisdiction. In other words, if your country is not a party to the Rome Statute, or used to be a party to the Rome Statute but has now withdrawn from it, then the ICC has nothing to do with you.
The reason we don’t usually hear much news related to the ICC is because China, the United States, Russia, India… Such big countries are not party to it.
Of course, in some special cases, it can take action against some non-State Parties, such as when it receives a case referred by the UN Security Council. When all five permanent members of the UN Security Council want to arrest you, it doesn’t matter so much whether your country is a party to the ICC or not.
There is another situation:
Even if your country is not a party to the ICC, if you commit a crime in a party to the ICC, the ICC may issue an arrest warrant, such as Netanyahu.
Putin is in a similar situation, except that Ukraine isn’t actually a party to the ICC either, but he voluntarily accepted the jurisdiction of the ICC through a declaration, and then Putin is on the list.
However, in most cases, the ICC can only exercise jurisdiction over States Parties.
So the question is, is the Philippines a State Party to the ICC?
The Philippines used to be. The Philippines officially joined the ICC in 2011. But in 2018 the country filed another notice of withdrawal from the treaty and officially withdrew a year later.
Why did the Philippines withdraw from the ICC?
Because the ICC investigated a case that went to the head of then-President Duterte. The arrest of Duterte that we see now is actually a continuation of that case at that time. The “War on Drugs” that Duterte has been waging since he took office.
If the Philippines has withdrawn from the ICC, why is the ICC still able to arrest people?
Because according to Article 127 of the Rome Statute, the withdrawal of a State Party does not affect the jurisdiction of the Court with respect to crimes committed prior to such withdrawal.
It seems to be justified, but if we think about it more carefully, we will realize that this is actually the International Criminal Court talking to itself from beginning to end. It has been faithfully abiding by the rules it has set for itself, and it doesn’t give a damn what the attitude of the countries involved is.
So can the ICC forcibly arrest people when the countries concerned do not cooperate?
No, it cannot. The ICC is in fact only an empty organization. To put it bluntly, it is just a building with a dozen or so judges, and it does not have an independent police force, and its actions are entirely dependent on the cooperation of its member states. If the member States do not cooperate, it can do nothing.
For example, the ICC issued arrest warrants for both Putin and Netanyahu, but none of the countries of the world dared to cooperate, so they have not been arrested so far.
Why is it so smooth for the ICC to arrest Duterte again this time?
Simply because Marcos family and the Duterte family fell out and the Bongbong Marcos government chose to cooperate with the ICC.
Now that the conflict between Bongbong Marcos and Duterte has reached the point of incompatibility, why not take advantage of the ICC to get rid of this political enemy? As for the country’s judicial sovereignty, let’s put it aside for now.
Bongbong Marcos has no “political accomplishments” to speak of during his three-year tenure, but his political fighting skills remain high.
He has basically purged Duterte’s forces and allies at the top of the Philippine hierarchy in these 3 years.
Vice President Sarah Duterte (Duterte’s daughter) was not only pushed to the brink of impeachment, but even received death threats.
Of course, the strong support of the Biden Administration is naturally behind this.
But Bongbong Marcos’ skillful political maneuvering could not save him from his declining popularity.
This situation is inevitable because he is, after all, a puppet on American strings, working from only two points of departure:
- One is to satisfy America’s needs;
- Two, to make himself more money.
The Filipino people are not fools, and can naturally see what kind of goods Bongbong Marcos is after a long time, so it’s not surprising that his approval rating has dropped.
The drop in support could lead to a midterm election defeat, and after the midterm election defeat, Bongbong Marcos will lose his control over the Philippines.
It would then be difficult for him to continue to act wholeheartedly as a puppet on America’s string for the rest of his term, and even impeachment and overthrow halfway through would not be out of the question.
So Bongbong Marcos can only take a gamble before the election, but being a pussy himself, he ended up choosing to gamble in this way with the help of external power from the ICC. Anyway, as long as the ICC doesn’t release Duterte until May, then the Marcos family is lying down to win.
Bongbong Marcos now has two other fantasies:
- The Trump Administration continues to support him one way or the other and help him deal with all opposition forces in the country;
- The Duterte family and their allies will be cowed by Duterte’s arrest by the ICC and give up their resistance.
These two fantasies are not impossible to realize, after all, this is the “magical” Philippines.
But if we look at Trump’s favoritism towards Duterte and the Duterte family’s determination to fight to the end, all I can say is that Bongbong Marcos should pray a lot.
The Chinese side’s statement was:
“China has consistently maintained that the International Criminal Court should strictly follow the principle of complementary jurisdiction, exercise its powers prudently in accordance with the law and avoid politicization and double standards.”
It also stated that China has closely followed this incident.
The “principle of complementary jurisdiction” and “in accordance with the law” mentioned here, as well as “politicized double standards” basically set the framework for the ICC’s behavior.
Simply put, unless the Philippine judicial system collapses, Duterte should not be prosecuted by the ICC, and even if he is, he should be tried domestically. Not to mention the need to ensure legality, impartiality, and avoid persecution.
Chicago Hot Dogs
These “dogs” bring back wonderful memories of wandering around Maxwell Street in Chicago in the 60s and 70s. It was never difficult to find a street vender hawking these Chicago Dogs. I can remember the smells just looking at the picture of a Chicago Dog. Never leave the celery salt off the Chicago Dogs! They won’t be the same. I guarantee it.
Yield: 6 hot dogs
The “dragged through the garden” style is heavily promoted by Vienna Beef and Red Hot Chicago, the two most prominent Chicago hot dog manufacturers, but exceptions are common, with vendors adding cucumber slices or lettuce, omitting poppy seeds or celery salt.
Ingredients
- 6 split hot dog buns
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 6 all-beef hot dogs
- 6 dill pickle spears
- 12 tomato wedges or 18 slices tomato
- Yellow mustard
- Sweet relish
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 6 pepperoncini or sport peppers (optional)
- Celery salt
Instructions
- Brush outsides of buns with butter; sprinkle with poppy seeds.
- Bake, split sides down, at 350 degrees F until warm, about 5 minutes.
- Warm hot dogs in boiling water for 5 minutes; transfer to buns.
- Arrange a pickle on one side of each hot dog and 2 tomato wedges or 3 tomato slices (more, if desired) on the other side.
- Squirt mustard over each in a zigzag; top with a dollop of relish.
- Divide onion among hot dogs.
- Top each with a pepperoncino or sport pepper, if desired.
- Sprinkle with celery salt.
Notes
When I make these I always use kosher hot dogs.
Never use ketchup on Chicago Dogs!
Now that the Chinese government has told Chinese Walmart suppliers to refuse Walmart’s request to lower prices because of the Trump tariffs on Chinese products, what will Walmart do?
Chinese Suppliers were asked to reduce their profit margins by Walmart
This is a regular tactic by Walmart – Tariff or no Tariff
Walmart is a BULK BUYER and can demand such low costs
For instance the Chinese Government buys German made Stents (DES) for $ 90 each (646 Yuan or ₹7,880/-) by placing a bulk order for more than 15 Million pieces a year at one shot with only a 8% Profit of around $ 6.67 per Stent
However the order makes $ 45 Million profit and is very lucrative
Indian Institutions place separate orders and they get the same Stents (DES) for $ 198 each (₹17,500/- each)
That’s because their orders are maximum for 1,000 to 6,000 pieces a year each
So the Chinese consumer gets a stent for 1000 Yuan (₹12,000/-) while an Indian consumer gets the same for ₹ 30,000/-
Walmart makes similar deals
Walmart orders 400,000 orders of a particular toy that costs 33 Yuan to make ($ 4.60) and asks for a price of 40 Yuan each
The profit of 7 Yuan is pretty low but because of the 400,000 orders – the factory makes 2.8 Million Yuan profit so agrees to sell at 40 Yuan ($5.50)
Walmart then sells the toys at $ 9.99 each
If Walmart is able to sell around 200,000 pieces and make around $ 2 Million and a further 80,000 pieces at 50% discount at around $ 400,000 then Walmart makes a 10% profit with 70% Sales
That is Walmarts goal
10% Profit with 70% Sales
So now Walmart wants Chinese Suppliers to reduce their profits from 7 Yuan to 3 Yuan
This means buying the Toy for 36 Yuan each ($ 4.97) or only 37 Cents each
This means Profits drop to 1.2 Million Yuan from 2.8 Million Yuan
That’s a 57% drop in profit for the Chinese Factories
This means Walmart for the same 400,000 Pieces would pay $ 2.3585 Million including Tariffs ,a mere $ 135,850 more than the original $ 2.2 Million they would have shelled out
The Chinese Suppliers countered with 37.50 Yuan each, offering to slash their profits by 2.50 Yuan instead of 4 Yuan a piece ($ 5.18 a piece)
This means Walmart pays $ 486,000 more than the original $ 2.2 Million they have to shell out
This means if they follow the 70% Sales route
Instead of a $ 200K profit, they would see a LOSS of $86K
So they need to raise prices from $ 9.99 to $ 11.76 a piece
So negotiations are ongoing and I think they will reach a settlement fast
Government Involvement
The Chinese Government were requested if they could provide Incentives,Subsidies or Tax provisions to the Chinese Suppliers to make up the extra 2.50 Yuan they would be losing
The Chinese Government may instead offer a massive subsidy to make them sell their toys inside China
The Government may buy the toys and distribute them during National Day or some such event free to the Citizens
This way Walmart is forced to pay the Chinese what they want or end up with empty shelves for Christmas
It’s just Trade as usual
The Chinese, Chettiyars, Marwadis & the Turks – they are some of the best traders in the Planet
They will always reach a deal
Unlike a certain Syphilis ridden Buffoon with the initials DJT
The extensions from the extensions of my growing processes and some dreams. I’ve used the “big describe”, but when I try to match the parts with The Domain and this reality, I find a way of “small describe”.
The represent of “small describe” of my model.
盟哲塔特體系→團域 (The Domain/Domain)
盟哲塔特→月球區域 (moon area)
和依→中國 (China)
和依淪陷區(the fallen region of 和依 )→台灣 (Taiwan)
洛緬→奧地利 (Austria/Österreich)
奧斯→俄羅斯 (Russia/Россия)
都洛茲特蘭→日本 (Japan/Nippon/Nihon)
忽洛斯特坎→朝鮮 (North Korea/Chosŏn)
勿洛斯特坦→韓國 (South Korea/Hanguk)
特坎→朝鮮半島（統一的朝鮮）(Chosŏn Peninsula (the be united of Chosŏn))
夢蝶山脈→太行山脈 (Tàiháng Mountain Range)
夢蝶時區→UTC+8
夢蝶→北京 (Beijing)
春和→天津 (Tianjin)
春宏→上海 (Shanghai)
卡塔里‧貢多→澳門 (Macau)
從兩種方向數來，第七個中國鄰國→阿富汗、巴基斯坦
Counting with two directions that the seventh neighbor countries of China→Afghanistan, Pakistain
卡塔蘭→基地（中國‧新疆或巴基斯坦）(The base (Xinjiang, China; or Pakistain))
塔蘭山脈→喜馬拉雅山脈 (Himalayas Mountain Range)
塔蘭高原→青藏高原 (Qingzang Plateau)
赤照→德里 (Delhi)
薩蘭利卡→美國 (USA)
薩護拉→北約 (NATO)
聯邦軍→團域遠征軍 (The Domain Expeditionary Force)
邦防軍→各國軍隊 (Militaries of countries)
州／省衛隊→省軍區 (Provincial Military District)
2025→解開我給自己的訊息。
Depress/solve the informations I give/gave myself.
2028：統一的中國（新中國）。
Be united of China (new China).
中國第十四屆全國人民代表大會。
中國共產黨第二十一屆中央委員會。
China’s 14th National People’s Congress.
21st Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
2031：新一步。
A new step.
My history is/was/be with a lot of things that mix. So I describe the model with big way and small way. I’m write down the small describe here.
The model is a useful way that the enemy’s machine/property can’t block. It’s for myself only, though it’s many pieces but not an information that we can read it directly. Now, I know, the big describe is better for bigger things, and the small describe is better for smaller things such likes those small places in this message. With big describe, I can describe why The Domain Expeditionary Force come here. It’s parts of my growing life. How I growing? I start to build my force since the period of elementary school. So, before I found MM’s website, that I have my system growing, inculde I build The Domain and fight the Old Empire, which was a federal country with a lot of groups, organazations, gangs… cooperated with. (I’m saying this from my history story. I don’t know is it match to what Domain Commander or MM know.)
In my big describe, I send/sent The Domain Expeditionary Force here. But I don’t handle the details, and I (conciousness) can’t handle those details.
中國需要持續改變以符合我的模型，符合「『和依』精神」。
China need to keep changing then match to my model, match to “‘和依’精神”.
Thanks for your efforts in communicating this material to us, 👍. Always much to think about.