Angela Kelly said:Bird flu is coming... no one really knows how deadly it will be for us yet... (and who knows when it hits 😁)
Americans, Canadians, Englishmen, Frenchmen... (and even Americans) ..some have already stockpiled huge amounts of food and medicine. They plan to quarantine with their families and stay indoors for maybe three months! (That's the current guess.)
I'm still torn. I've been studying this for months because both my little one and I are in a high-risk group—you know, people prone to catching things easily, like asthmatics. Part of me feels like this is someone else's problem, like it won't reach us... or maybe it will, but more like some new "millennium bug" situation.
Americans and Canadians are generally pretty paranoid and fearful nations. They build bunkers for potential terrorist attacks and all that... but once I saw the "pandemic preparedness" guides at my local pharmacy and doctor's office, I started looking into it more seriously. So yeah, I've picked up some extra food, vitamins, and cleaning supplies.
But then I happened to read this: http://www.londonprepared.gov.uk/flu.htm And I have to say, it's not comforting to read that we should expect gas, electricity, or water to cut out... that seems impossible to me. Now the Mayor of Paris is giving similar instructions... European Union officials met tonight... they're talking about preparations... And the main advice being given to the public is basically: "Stay home and fend for yourself." Or that representative from the United Nations (WHO) said yesterday that in a pandemic, preserving energy and food sources might become more important than saving human lives.
Then I read about Americans and their incredible stories of underground food shelters, water supplies, and heating reserves...
There's no way I could heat anything other than using city gas or electricity. I've forgotten everything I learned back in scouting days😁, and I've never been a camper... I don't think I'd handle those kinds of situations well if stores were empty or closed, or if it became too dangerous to go outside due to crime... not to mention the illnesses.
The idea of gas, water, and power cutting out really bothered me. It still feels impossible.
I'm curious how it is in your parts... is there talk about bird flu? Are people prepping? Are you personally getting ready?
😂 😂 😂 I'm going to go ask my neighbors if they've stocked up😬 ...as for me, I just made some delicious roasted chicken for dinner the other night...
I guess I can start panicking like you did the moment the virus jumpsover to humans... for now, we just have cat flu.😬 😲
I just said I "think" he might be, I wasn't making any claims... that's why I posted it, to see what you guys thought. I honestly have no clue what an emotional manipulator actually looks like.
Sure, my mom tried to pull something 😁, but then again, whose mother hasn't 😬 😉
wearyowl29 said:Manipulation can actually backfire on the person doing it. They unconsciously fall into a pattern where they always win, no matter who gets hurt. It builds up their ego and blurs the line between being genuine and just acting a part. Eventually, you end up with a manipulator playing the victim while the actual victims turn into the aggressors.
My advice? Just run. Avoid them at all costs.👋
I think—and I might be wrong here—but he isn't even aware of it. To him, everything he does makes perfect sense. He’ll justify it until you're convinced his version is the only truth there is.
And then there's the way he handles vulnerability. If you show any kind of weakness, especially emotional, he reacts with total indignation. He mocks it and pressures you to be "tough." He even admits himself that he just doesn't get emotional stuff.
How can I convince her that he’s just emotionally immature? That his behavior played a huge part in why the marriage is falling apart? I think she knows deep down that it takes two people to wreck a marriage, and she isn't trying to dodge responsibility... but she's totally convinced that everything he says is the absolute truth. She thinks she's the villain in this whole story. It's gotten to the point where he plays the victim, asking things like, "Why are you making me out to be such a bad guy?" or "I didn't realize I was such a terrible person in your eyes."🙄 And this is all happening after endless talks meant to save the marriage or find some peace.
He actually pushed her to see a therapist.
Man, people... she is just completely broken. She's torn apart by guilt and worry for the kids.
She told me the other day that he once told her she feels too guilty to leave him because she doesn't know how to explain it to the kids, or that she'd be abandoning him.
😲
It's honestly terrifying to watch. In my opinion, he's a manipulator.
Basically, the marriage failed because she was the problem. She’s a bad partner, a terrible mother, a mess at home, and totally intolerant—even threatening that they'd take her kids away, blah blah blah...🙄 It went so far that he actually told her she was mentally unstable. He was cheating for months. She tried to stay just because she was terrified of what life would look like after a divorce. She didn't have a job; she had been a stay-at-home mom for almost 15 years with two kids, never worked since high school. Even now, she can't forgive herself for sticking around that last year while he was cheating, even though she knew. He just justifies the cheating by saying things were lacking in the marriage and told her it was her own fault. If she wants to leave, she should just go.
He convinced her using "rational" arguments that he was the one trying to save the marriage, claiming he did everything while she did nothing.
Because with my guy... at first, everything is perfect. He's tolerant, attentive, super supportive... basically an extended honeymoon phase😁 ...but then the petty stuff starts. Like, "you didn't do this" or "you just don't care anymore." Or even something small, like me grabbing my own plate, which is totally normal to get annoyed about, but he completely loses his mind. He literally grills me like I'm being interrogated by the FBI... and decides that if I actually cared, I would have brought him his plate too. It's crazy how he rationalizes these tiny things...
Yet, at the same time, he’s great when we go out. He always makes sure to check in, he's thoughtful, he never misses birthdays or anniversaries. You'd honestly think he was the perfect partner...
So, I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts here.🙂
It’s crazy how often we surround ourselves with people who seem absolutely perfect—just wonderful, right? Then something actually happens, and they turn out to be total jerks.
Okay, look, I tried to keep things fair and give an objective take on 😁 that person. I could have just called them a complete bottom-feeder. 🙂The guy walked out on his wife after cheating behind her back for months, and honestly, she knew and stayed in that marriage anyway.
The individual is highly educated, incredibly sharp (IQ around 150), middle-aged, and in good health. He smokes, doesn't overdo the alcohol, and travels the world quite a bit. He’s a gifted communicator and great at conflict resolution, though he's stubborn to a fault because he’s convinced he knows best—and most of the time, he actually does. He’s an incredible worker, right on the edge of being a workaholic, with a deep sense of responsibility toward his job and family in a somewhat traditional way. Honesty is clearly one of his core values. He commands respect in his circles. He's the kind of guy you love talking to, someone you'd say would never even step on an ant.
Everyone loves him at the office, but he can be intimidating to colleagues who lack confidence.
His emotional life... it's a disaster. Numerous relationships—some lasting just a night, others several years—that all end in an explosion of negative emotions and a pretty messy divorce. When talking about his exes, he claims they were bad people. He picks apart their flaws and can't see them objectively even years after the breakup. Any mention of past partners triggers a negative reaction; he always plays the victim. At the same time, he’s able to rationalize everything by blaming his wife for all the bad things that happened in his life.
People who were emotionally involved with him regularly describe him as cruel, selfish, and an emotional manipulator. They feel diminished by him. He rationalizes every single word and situation, never letting himself truly feel emotion, or if he does, it's extremely rare. When crises or arguments arise, he frequently refuses physical contact with his partner, allegedly out of fear of being hurt. The way he handles it leaves his partners feeling physically repulsed. After a breakup, most of his former partners feel manipulated and entirely responsible for the split.
He only leaves a relationship when there is absolutely no other option left. Looking for partners outside of marriage wasn't foreign to him, usually justified by a lack of intimacy or feeling desired.
According to his ex, while the kids were babies, he was quite distant, justifying it by saying the baby couldn't engage in "verbal or conscious communication" with him. Essentially, his connection changed as the child grew older.
He reportedly has a poor relationship with his older child, which boils down to a sentiment like, "If the kid wants to talk to me, they'll make an effort; I'm not going to beg."
I recently went in for a checkup. It included a pelvic exam, an ultrasound, a breast exam, weight checks, and my annual Pap smear which I'll be paying the lab for later.
Doesn't seem like there's much difference between providers, except for the breast exams. Some OB-GYNs include them and others don't. What is the deal with preventative care here in the States?😢
Does anyone know what the standard is for mammograms? Like, when is the first one recommended, at what age? I heard they recommend getting one done by 35. I was actually caught off guard when he suggested I take off my shirt😁 😎 so he could do the exam (my doctor back home never even mentioned self-exams). Then he gave me a fake lump😬 and told me to find it myself. The first time I failed the test, but passed the second time.🙄 I really thought I knew enough about self-exams... I have to say, it was pretty scary.😎
Looking at the threads, it seems a lot of women opt for private clinics for their checkups...
Comparing those costs to what you'd pay in France... they're actually much lower here. And I'm talking about out-of-pocket prices in France without using national health insurance... things usually run between $100 and $120 per visit.
Question for anyone in the loop... what exactly is included in a standard gynecological exam at a private practice here in the States?🙂
Megan Morales5 said:The big mistake people make when cheering for the European Union is thinking it’s some kind of magic wand. Honestly, plenty of Americans fall for this too—thinking joining up means everyone suddenly gets rich.🙄 They forget that politicians don't change, and neither does the underlying mindset. All the prep work for joining the EU costs a fortune, money that the US could much better spend on fixing healthcare, schools, or daycare centers. By the time we actually join, the debt incurred might leave us holding nothing but an empty bag. And look, I didn't say I have a problem with Turkey, but they won't ask my opinion anyway, right? Or yours. Unless you happen to have an EU passport. Joining isn't some miracle gift that solves everything for America.
I honestly have no idea how you decided I'm an EU supporter, but fine. If anything, I'd call myself an unrepentant euroskeptic.
We are talking about facts here, and one fact remains the negotiation date, regardless of how skeptical I am.
I just don't get why some people act so hostile toward certain countries. I see that exact same attitude used against America... even from Western Europe, where people seem to think being born there makes them superior to everyone else. Just a generalization, though.
Long live the good times, though I wouldn't go so far as to say the economy looks great. Between the Euro/Dollar exchange rate and the recession hitting the European Union, things look shaky... and I definitely won't be singing praises about the state of the American economy right now. 😁
If we're joining the European Union, I personally don't mind Turkey at all. I don't see the problem. I can only imagine what other Western Europeans think about us and the rest of the former America joining the EU... it really makes you draw some parallels.
Sarah James4 said:Turkey doesn't want to join the European Union, or rather, they want to but the EU won't have them. They have plenty of consumers without the EU, and honestly, all the European Union really needs right now is more Turkish workers living in places like Switzerland, Austria, or Germany. Those folks aren't stupid.
Beyond just whether EU citizens actually agree to this, if you really follow politics, you'd know which major leaders are standing firmly AGAINST Turkey joining—and they're pretty good at making their voices heard. My take? There are already too many countries in the European Union and it’s starting to lose its purpose. Plus, America doesn't need it. We need less crime and more honest politicians, and we'll be just fine.
If that's the case, why were they given a start date for negotiations, just like America was?
AllweEverWanted said:Honestly, it feels like there are way too many people here working hard but not actually learning anything. The European Economic Community is just an old term for the EU... I don't see how some ancient acronym has anything to do with Turkey... or were you just trying to sound smart?
Always been a bit of a perfectionist, I guess...😁 😎
Turkey joining the European Union makes perfect sense from a geostrategic and economic standpoint. We're talking about adding 100 million new consumers. If people keep complaining about globalization hitting America, they should realize the EU can face the same thing.
The goal is to build critical mass. It doesn't really matter if individual citizens agree or not; there's a whole machine designed to convince them otherwise.
Right now, there’s massive skepticism. Xenophobia and fear of outsiders are peaking across the European Union, and who knows how long that's going to last...
boldeagle said:To be in the European Union, you have to actually be in Europe. Otherwise, the name doesn't even make sense...
P.S. Nobody uses the term EEC anymore.
Honestly, when we're talking about Turkey gaining 100,000,000 new consumers over the next twenty years, it really doesn't matter if they're in Asia or on the European continent.
Look, I know what the EEC is. I used that term on purpose, even if people think it's outdated. It’s more accurate than saying European Union. At its core, we're talking about an economic alliance. Or do you guys honestly believe the EU is going to turn into a true federation?😕
I honestly have nothing against Turkey joining the European Union.
Why not? I'm convinced those issues will get sorted out during negotiations. It’s a fact they've been given negotiation dates, so things are definitely moving. Besides, people are just people. I don't see why they shouldn't thrive within the EU community either.
In our lifetime, I think Ukraine—maybe even some other former Soviet republics too—will join.
If you look closely at geopolitics, certain things become pretty obvious.
The French primarily, followed by the rest of the group like Germany, really want to push a policy of global polarization. It's the classic old "divide and rule" tactic. Globalization doesn't serve their interests in that regard. Neither did the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They lost access to that cheap oil they were skimming from the Saudis, and Afghanistan just heightened the fear of an American presence in the East. It'll be interesting to see Poland in a new light, how they'll handle France and Germany, and if there's any real strength behind a "Slavic pact" within the EU.
Ashley Rogers4 said:Human rights is a massive rabbit hole. Just check out the thread about the Swiss on this same forum to see how messy that gets. And I don't even need to mention how Germans treat everyone else in the EU.
The EU is just the result of German imperialist policy and French ego. The Germans are basically doing exactly what they did last century, just using economic tools now. The French just tagged along because they don't have a better move. Everything else is just window dressing.
The EU is nothing more than a soap bubble built on bureaucracy.
Calling it just French ego is an understatement. It’s pure, unadulterated arrogance from the French political elite. Yebote, does everyone here have a memory problem? Remember when the French President basically told Eastern European countries to shut up and stay quiet instead of speaking their minds? If that's what we expect from an alliance, then we're all just naive fools, regardless of whether he was right or wrong. I won't even bother explaining the Germans. They wouldn't know how to throw away trash properly if there wasn't a specific law telling them how to do it. That's the kind of country Kafka was probably thinking of when he wrote The Trial.
And discussing that little "Duce" from Italy and his blatant nepotism isn't even worth the breath. I recently heard from an Italian colleague that "Duce" is getting ready to sell off his massive media empire. He's moving into the health and life insurance business. Apparently, since the national healthcare system is struggling, they'll need private insurers—and they might even change the laws to favor private companies. We'll just have to watch how that plays out.
As for Russia and that other dictator icon, it's not even worth mentioning.
Let's stop pretending we're stupid. We all know who's actually calling the shots in the EU and who's really manufacturing this "European dream."😁