To the words that outlasted the noise, to the voice that filled the empty space, to twenty years of persistence, and to the outrageous experiments yet to come. May this blog remain the unique voice of the times, savored like wine, layered like cheese, and shared with those who hunger for truth and laughter. Here’s to the launch — and to the legacy.

I feel that the end times distopia that us humans feel is greedy corperations showing the world that Jesus was right about money and greed. You’re drawing a sharp connection between the dystopian mood of our times and the warnings about greed that go back to scripture. It makes sense—many dystopias, whether in literature or in lived experience, are fueled by unchecked corporate power, exploitation, and profit‑driven systems. 📖 Jesus on money and greed: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24) — a direct warning about divided loyalties. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25) — a vivid image of how wealth can trap the soul. “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10) — not money itself, but the obsession with it. 🌍 Modern dystopian parallels: Corporate monopolies controlling food, media, and technology echo the dystopian empires of Bradbury or Le Guin. Environmental collapse driven by profit mirrors the warnings in The Word for World is Forest or Fahrenheit 451. Surveillance capitalism makes people feel like freedom is slipping away, much like Orwell’s 1984. So when you say “Jesus was right,” you’re pointing out that the spiritual critique of greed has become a lived reality. The dystopia isn’t just imagined—it’s a reflection of how unchecked corporate hunger shapes the world. This insight could become a powerful theme in your writing: blending ancient warnings (Jesus, Gilgamesh, Homer) with modern dystopian critique (Bradbury, Le Guin) to show that the struggle against greed is timeless.

The opposite of communism is capitalism? Both have flaws and keeping democracy stable is the key.

President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, in October. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, in October. © Yonhap News/Zuma Press In an unusual diplomatic move, China’s leader Xi Jinping initiated a phone call with President Trump on Monday to discuss Taiwan, a flashpoint that has surged to the forefront in recent days as Japan takes a more assertive stance on the island’s autonomy. While Taiwan was Xi’s focus, Trump steered the conversation to Ukraine, said people familiar with the matter, as Washington-Kyiv peace talks appear to make progress and Trump tries to decisively end Russia’s war in Ukraine. How Savvy Investors Pay for Healthcare in Retirement Ad How Savvy Investors Pay for Healthcare in Retirement Fisher Investments call to action icon more The two issues—Taiwan and Ukraine—are both sensitive for U.S.-China relations, but they are rarely linked in discussions between the two leaders. Xi made the outreach, people close to Beijing said, turning the high-level communication into a rare diplomatic overture from China. During his call with Trump, Xi said, “Taiwan’s return to China is an important component of the post-war international order,” according to an official account of the conversation by China’s state media. In a pointed historical parallel, Xi also asserted that since China and the U.S. “fought side-by-side against fascism and militarism” during World War II, they should now work together to safeguard those achievements. The statement indicates that China is grounding its claim over Taiwan in historical treaties, rather than just its own narrative. For his part, Trump affirmed that the U.S. “understands the importance of the Taiwan issue to China,” Chinese media said. Related video: President Trump comments on Ukraine peace talks (KYTX-TV Tyler-Longview) While President Trump has not publicly commented on the negotiations,Video Player is loading. KYTX-TV Tyler-Longview President Trump comments on Ukraine peace talks 0 View on Watch View on Watch In a social-media post Monday, Trump didn’t mention Taiwan nor the diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Tokyo—an omission that likely will rattle U.S. allies in the region already concerned about wavering American commitment. Trump said he and Xi discussed the war in Ukraine, fentanyl and soybeans, among other things. Trump said he had accepted Xi’s invitation to visit Beijing in April, adding that Xi would visit the U.S. later next year. “Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump wrote. Xi initiated the call as tensions accelerate between Beijing and Tokyo over Taiwan. Beijing places strategic value on ensuring that Washington—Tokyo’s treaty ally—remains committed to its “One China” position, which asserts its claim that there is but one China. Beijing views Taiwan as a territory that must be “unified” with the mainland, by force if necessary. Men Can’t Get Enough of This Cozy Polo Shirt Ad Men Can’t Get Enough of This Cozy Polo Shirt Bestbestones call to action icon more The recent tension was sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Nov. 7 warning that a Chinese seizure of Taiwan would trigger Japan’s involvement in any conflict. The remarks sparked an angry diplomatic response from Beijing, including a formal letter to the United Nations, accusing Japan of threatening “an armed intervention.” Also drawing Beijing’s fury was a State Department post on X reaffirming its unwavering commitment to the U.S.-Japan alliance and firmly opposing any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Xi sees a strategic opening to influence Trump’s thinking on Taiwan, the people close to Beijing said. The businessman-turned-president, unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, has avoided explicitly stating whether the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan. Trump has said public commitments would weaken his negotiating position with Xi, who Trump said promised not to invade during his term. Beijing hasn’t acknowledged such a promise. Yet recent moves, including the Trump administration’s delay in military aid, have fueled anxiety in Taipei that American support is being sacrificed for an economic deal with China. Most businesses don’t know they owe sales tax… until it’s too late. Ad Most businesses don’t know they owe sales tax… until it’s too late. Sales and Use Tax Consulting call to action icon more “It is highly unusual for Xi to initiate a call, and it underscores the opportunity Xi believes he has to shape President Trump’s views,” said Evan Medeiros, a former senior national-security official in the Obama administration and now a professor at Georgetown University. “Taiwan policy is almost certainly at the center of Xi’s thinking, pulling the U.S. closer to China’s thinking about Taiwan’s future.” The discussion of Taiwan in the phone call is also notable given its rare omission from the two leaders’ in-person meeting in South Korea last month. Xi was reluctant to discuss such a sensitive issue in a third country, according to people close to Beijing, and the leaders already had various pressing issues to discuss for 90 minutes. Instead, Xi decided that he would raise the Taiwan issue directly with Trump in Beijing in April, the people said. The Chinese leader wants his American counterpart on his home turf for several days, the people said, so he can press Trump on the need to move beyond the U.S.’s longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity and formally state that the U.S. “opposes” Taiwan’s independence and supports “peaceful reunification.” Beijing hopes that such changes in U.S. policy would isolate Taiwan. The only instance in recent decades when a Chinese leader initiated contact with an American president was on Sept. 11, 2001, when then-President Jiang Zemin sent a telegram of condolence to then-President George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks in the U.S. The two spoke the next day—but even then, according to China’s official account, the U.S. president had requested the call. While China said that Monday’s call focused on Taiwan, Trump brought up Ukraine, the people familiar with the matter said. Chinese state media said Xi emphasized that “China supports all efforts committed to peace.” China has provided crucial diplomatic and economic support for Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Now, as Trump pushes to end the war, Beijing is seeking to play a more visible and active role in a peace deal. Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank, said, “China is watching the Ukraine peace deal and feels the need to be more involved.” Write to Lingling Wei at Lingling.Wei@wsj.com

Everyone noticed the look of success n his eyes, and then got extremely excited.

Her massive body was weighing upon him, so he burped.

He was extremely angry at me for making a beautiful work of art.

They figured what I was doing and why before I did.

I know of no better freedom, then the freedom from tyrants.

They were caught rubbing foreheads in the bathroom again. No punishments. Yet!

If this guy is your doctor, your attorney, and directs movies for you: why do you hate him so much?

I got rich selling copies of her million dollar smile..

Suddenly she spun in a circle, fell down, and rebranded as: Fragile when Broken!

American's accusing Israel of Genocide must first be able to locate Israel on a map.