BSR

After one of my ~90yo grandmother's friends died, she took it really hard, was depressed for weeks.  Two of my aunts were a bit baffled because while they were friends, they weren't really all that close.  Then it dawned on them:  the friend was the last of grandma's age group.  Although she did have other friends, they were all at least a decade younger.  It must be hard to start talking about "remember when ..." only to realize that nobody does.

But did we ever print so much money so quickly?  Every stimulus was hundreds and hundreds of $billions printed overnight, and the cumulative series printed $trillions out of thin air in just a couple of years.
To me, money-printing in the past was a steady leak whereas the stimulus printing was more like a dam burst.

They haven't had a hit song that I can recall since the 80s. In their case, I need to specify I'm referring to the 1980s. 😆

and they're ALL BRAND NEW USERS! Wow! Such a coincidence!!! 

Bulge Hall of Famer Jon Hamm ...
https://twitter.com/sinfulfire/status/1792213570748326014?t=dFKgeSFRW5KcgAgEzeNirQ&s=19

I don't have experience living in Vietnam, but I've been living part-time in Panama for the last 16 years. During this time, I've seen many expats, particularly from the USA and Canada, come and go. They usually stay for 1-2 years before returning home. There are various reasons for this, and here are the most common ones from my perspective:
While it is true that you can live in Panama for about $1,500 a month, this is not comparable to Western standards. Many expats move here thinking it will be like living in Florida for a fraction of the price, but they quickly realize this is not the case. 
For reasons I have never understood, most expats from the USA and Canada are unable or unwilling to learn the language. This leads to feelings of isolation and frustration when dealing with everyday issues. 
Healthcare is another major reason. If you are over 60, it is almost impossible to get health insurance. If you are younger, you can get coverage, but not for any pre-existing conditions. While you can pay out of pocket for most healthcare needs, a major health issue will likely require returning home, trust me on this one.
Additionally, adapting to the local culture can be challenging. Many expats expect things to work the same way and within the same timeframe as they do back home. This is not the case, and adjusting to the new culture requires time and understanding.
Of course, there are other reasons as well, but in my opinion, these account for about 80-90% of the cases.

I love spicy food, but I don't want everything spicy, especially not classic comfort food like mac & cheese.  If a place is going to spice up dishes like meatloaf and chicken noodle soup, I would hope they also offer a non-spicy version for fuddy-duddies like me.

If you set out this kind of spread for a massage appointment, your dinner parties must be off the charts.

It sounds like her medical issues are sublimated narcissism, like she expects the whole world to kneel like vassals at her feet.
Even though you made one heck of an effort to accommodate her, instead of so much as a speck of gratitude for all you did, she hammers away at all the ways you fell short and failed.  Charming.
I'm guessing she wasn't like this before, otherwise you wouldn't have become such close friends.  But she's a different person now, one who storms through life brandishing a shield of MY NEEDS.
Treasure the memories of the friendship you used to have, but cut the person she has become out of your life.

It sounds like her medical issues are sublimated narcissism, like she expects the whole world to kneel like vassals at her feet.
Even though you made one heck of an effort to accommodate her, instead of so much as a speck of gratitude for all you did, she hammers away at all the ways you fell short and failed.  Charming.
I'm guessing she wasn't like this before, otherwise you wouldn't have become such close friends.  But she's a different person now, one who storms through life brandishing a shield of MY NEEDS.
Treasure the memories of the friendship you used to have, but cut the person she has become out of your life.

Thanks for the article.  I had a sneaking suspicion that there was more going on.  Unfortunately, we initially heard only part of the story because "Gluttons Eat Red Lobster Into Bankruptcy" grabs a lot more clicks than the nerdy details of a private equity buyout.

Back to the topic at hand….ditch your "friend".
She’s not a friend and I’d bet $1,000 that she doesn’t have Celiac disease.
And I’m sorry, if you’re allergic to dogs….you don’t plan a trip where you’re staying in a house with a dog for 4 days. 
Insane. 

Take a look here for context:
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-05-21/column-it-wasnt-just-the-endless-shrimp-red-lobsters-corporate-owners-drove-it-into-bankruptcy

Anytime someone tells me they’ve got celiac disease…I ask to see their serology and small bowel biopsy results. 
In reality, it’s a pretty rare disease. So far every request has been met with, "I never had the tests done but I have all the symptoms". 
Or better yet, "all my tests were negative but I know I have it". Yeah no, not good enough. Eat your pasta and stop whining.
Mind you, I’m not saying celiac disease and gluten intolerance aren’t real, but there is a strong psychological component. Which came first the crazy brain or the crazy gut is had to tell. Personally I much prefer people to tell me "I don’t like gluten" or "gluten doesn’t agree with me". I’m cool with that. Don’t eat the pasta. But when people start making up diagnosis and/or diseases that they don’t have, I don’t have a lot tolerance. Not to mention, they’re muddying with the waters around the people who do have real biological problems

Hilarious moment Brazilian priest is interrupted by two dogs trying...
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM There's no place for this in a church! 🫢  

Tennis player Borna Coric

It sounds like her medical issues are sublimated narcissism, like she expects the whole world to kneel like vassals at her feet.
Even though you made one heck of an effort to accommodate her, instead of so much as a speck of gratitude for all you did, she hammers away at all the ways you fell short and failed.  Charming.
I'm guessing she wasn't like this before, otherwise you wouldn't have become such close friends.  But she's a different person now, one who storms through life brandishing a shield of MY NEEDS.
Treasure the memories of the friendship you used to have, but cut the person she has become out of your life.

I did read it.  Either I had a senior moment (eek! hope not), or my brain short-circuited trying to process the information.  In Honolulu where there must be a zillion different spots for fresh-caught seafood, people are lining up to go to always-frozen-never-fresh Red Lobster??  Baffling, to say the least.

I don’t tolerate that nonsense.

Henry Cavill, every time I see a picture of him….

For all the employees who have lost or will lose their jobs because of this bankruptcy filing, yes, it's very sad.  For the world of gastronomy, meh, not so much.