Author Topic: Personal Stuff  (Read 55745 times)

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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1950 on: June 11, 2022, 10:51:17 am »
Think my daughter is getting scammed.  Her fledgling business was contacted by a subsidiary (we'll call Strong) of a Chinese multinational company (we'll call Heavy). 


https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/china-chine/market-facts-faits-sur-le-marche/148081.aspx?lang=eng
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Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1952 on: June 11, 2022, 06:10:03 pm »
Would love to know how much of China and India's economy is based on fraud, IP theft, and other illegal activity.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline eyeball

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1953 on: June 11, 2022, 09:56:44 pm »
Would love to know how much of China and India's economy is based on fraud, IP theft, and other illegal activity.
I bet tightening up our financial transparency and doing a little housecleaning of our own would provide us a good place to begin assessing that question.
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Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1954 on: June 11, 2022, 11:16:18 pm »
I bet tightening up our financial transparency and doing a little housecleaning of our own would provide us a good place to begin assessing that question.

There's a lot of dirty laundry in Canada, but do you think there's any comparison with those countries?  C'mon man.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline eyeball

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1955 on: June 11, 2022, 11:56:20 pm »
There's a lot of dirty laundry in Canada, but do you think there's any comparison with those countries?  C'mon man.
Well, we should know better and I think that has a multiplying effect that puts us on par.

What I meant was that examining the laundering that does go on here should provide clues to how much corruption there is in countries we launder for.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2022, 11:59:31 pm by eyeball »

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1956 on: June 19, 2022, 08:23:01 am »
 :D Happy Father's Day to those that celebrate

Offline wilber

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1957 on: June 19, 2022, 11:55:08 am »
:D Happy Father's Day to those that celebrate

Same to you. Have a good one.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC
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Offline kimmy

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1958 on: July 19, 2022, 11:06:12 pm »
I've been in Edmonton visiting my family.  Things aren't that good.

Mom has about a year left to live, they figure.  She's in her early sixties.  That's how things go in my family. The cancer started in her lady parts, metastasized, and they've been trying to treat it, but it looks like the part that spread to her intestines is what will finish her off.   Mom and I aren't close, to say the least, so this isn't a big blow to me.  But... she may be a physically abusive, emotionally abusive abusive alcoholic, but she's still my mom. Movies have conditioned me to believe that before she is gone for good we're supposed to have some kind of moment together. Is that realistic? Should I try to make this happen? Should I care much if it doesn't happen? I don't know.

Dad is a wreck.  He's in his late sixties and his brain seems to be declining faster than it should for his age. Probably anxiety over mom is a factor in that. The medical troubles he had last year probably didn't help either. Still, he's not old enough to be declining this fast. He can't remember stuff that he used to. We were out driving to his sister's place west of Edmonton and he was looking for a place where the pavement turns to gravel as a landmark where we were supposed to turn. But that gravel was paved 30 years ago, and he used to know that. He used to be so smart and so capable and now he seems like a shadow of his old self.

And my brother is ... no help at all. He's mostly just trying to scam money out of dad. He has managed to convince Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped to classify him as "severely disabled" due to chronic depression, but I have a hard time seeing it. I'm not ignorant of mental health struggles. I've fought my own battles on that front for much of my life. I know it isn't easy. But when I am with him, I just don't buy it. I don't sense it at all. I don't feel someone who is too depressed to work, I just sense someone who feels entitled not to work. I've had to fight and claw for everything I have in life, and I've done a pretty good job for myself without any help from my parents or the government or anybody else. I look at my brother and see a guy who had all the ability in the world who couldn't do anything with it and has only survived by leeching off my parents and by abusing government programs and I just can't respect him. And you'd think that since he's being paid by the government to do nothing, he could spend some of his copious free time to help out my parents who desperately need it, but he doesn't. He's more or less useless. I got there and mom and dad had this list of chores for me to do, which I was happy to do for them, but it occurred to me that they could have asked my brother to do this stuff, but they didn't, because he's useless and they know he can't be bothered to do much of anything. He does the bare minimum to help them, and when he does he has his hand out for money. Gas money, food money, etc. They give him lots of money, and probably most of it he spends on his online gaming habits or on fast food. Just really disappointed in him.  Thinking back as long as I can remember, I'm not sure if he's ever done anything that didn't directly benefit himself. Is that the definition of a sociopath?

Anyway, wasn't a good visit. 

 -k
Paris - London - New York - Kim City
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Offline Squidward von Squidderson

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1959 on: July 19, 2022, 11:50:32 pm »
Sometimes it’s ok to pull back for your own mental health and happiness.   

My dad died of liver cancer.  I’m sure he was a good guy at some point, but not in my lifetime.  Why should I expose myself to that, just cuz he was dying?  Did dying make him not a dick?  Maybe…. I doubt it….  and I wasn’t going to find out.

Take care of yourself and your current loved ones/family. 

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1960 on: July 20, 2022, 10:56:44 am »
Sorry kimmy.

Joan's family has a similar sibling.  The only thing she has going for her is her daughter, and she has come to use this little girl as a bargaining chip to get anything she wants.

As for your mom, I had an uncle estranged from two sons.  After he was diagnosed, he tried to reach out.  One did, and one didn't and I didn't hear regrets from either. 

My advice is to armour your heart and think of it almost like a gift to a stranger.  It could be good kharmically.  But it's absolutely your choice and your voice.
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Offline wilber

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1961 on: July 21, 2022, 09:54:24 pm »
You have to do what you think is right for you.  Not my place to preach regarding a relationship I know nothing about but my only thought is that if you try and and you don't have that moment with your mom, a least you can look back knowing that you tried.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline eyeball

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1962 on: July 22, 2022, 02:46:59 pm »
Movies have conditioned me to believe that before she is gone for good we're supposed to have some kind of moment together. Is that realistic? Should I try to make this happen? Should I care much if it doesn't happen? I don't know.

 -k
My wife had a rocky unloving relationship with her mother who in turn had similar relationship with her mother. My wife was always hopeful but it didn't really ever work out. A lot was left unsaid and unresolved. My wife and daughter OTOH are like best friends. I guess hope manifests in different ways.

There's always hope.

Offline wilber

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1963 on: July 22, 2022, 03:40:26 pm »
I can only go from my personal experience in that I regret things I didn't say when I still had the chance, more than things I did say.
"Never trust a man without a single redeeming vice" WSC

Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Personal Stuff
« Reply #1964 on: July 22, 2022, 03:52:39 pm »
I know so many from damaged families who are turning it around with their kids.