It’s up to you. I brought my swimsuit with but I was all alone and they promised no-one would disturb me. I think I could lock the door, if memory serves.

Hansgrohe has a shower world about an hour from where I used to live. When we were remodeling our bathroom I spent a happy hour there, trying out all the different shower heads and installation options. It was really interesting to be able to move between different models and feel the difference.

The wall mounted spout for daily washing, the rain head for washing your hair and for a warming, relaxing shower when you get home cold.

Please stop with the what-aboutism. The reporting is on a particular event that involved a tourist, so the relevant country is being highlighted. In the same way, France was highlighted regarding the poor French woman whose husband drugged her and organised her rapes. If a similar event occurred in another country, they would be in focus. Talkng about the issue in the abstract is unfortunately rarely a catalyst for change.

No, it isn’t. However this event lead to discussion and protests about the problem in Pakistan. The international media attention is partly why - local society may judge a local woman but international society was rightfully horrified, including about the victim blaming rhetoric from the police.

Cultural change is a slow process and requires some form of pressure, but maybe the media coverage and the incredibly harsh judgement was enough for some men to rethink and not hurt women, and for more women to step forward when they are hurt. So hate the Daily Mail if you want but please don’t be dismissive of such an important topic.

Uh, what? No-one but you mentioned politics or religion.

Pakistan has a serious problem with rape culture, which is far worse for Pakistani women than for tourists.

BBC good enough?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56472645

The BBC article is from 2021, when the original verdict was made. The Daily Mail update here is just saying that the appeal failed and the death sentence is confirmed.

I can figure out and fix any issue (I have no formal computer training).

I don’t know about treason but they should definitely be investigated for human rights violations.

Possible but not required. I meant as a replacement for how English is currently a mandatory foreign language in many European countries.

New world order on its way. I wonder how long it will take Western countries to start offering Mandarin in school.

Edit to add: To clarify: I don’t mean offered as an optional language but as mandatory, the way English is right now in, for example, Switzerland.

Interesting read but not the same as a Karen in my mind.

Teng Wei, a professor at South China Normal University wrote, “When we use dama as an insult, what we’re really doing is suggesting that there’s something inherently wrong with being a middle-aged woman. It’s ageist, classist — and it’s time to stop.”

pcspecialist. They’re based in the UK but also have mainland European websites (.de, .ch, etc) and deliver everywhere.

Signal does everything Whatsapp does and it aligns with my personal values:

1. I can support a healthy, competitive market by keeping alternatives alive - lack of competition is the death of innovation. Entshittification is only possible because there isn’t enough competition.

2. I help shield people who really need privacy (like journalists and whistle-blowers) by adding to the crowd for them to disappear in. I think of it a little as getting vaccinated - the chances are extremely low that I’ll ever really need privacy protection but I do it anyway, to protect the “at-risk” population, and to keep options alive in case my situation ever changes.

3. Privacy is not about having something to hide but about the right to consent. I don’t need anonymity, I have nothing to hide. However there are still some things that I don’t want some random Meta employee to know about me, or photos that are for my husband only. Signal allows me to choose what I share and with whom.

Edit: a word

In addition to Calibre-Web there is also Calibre Web Automated.

This answer makes me sad.

I believe you that you know more about the health impacts of smoking than non-smokers. I noticed you didn’t say it was healthy but only that your

body will be fine for as long as it needs to be.

My dad smoked from age 17 to 84. His body was fine for a long time.

However, he really suffered for the last decade between the emphysema and the cancer. The last 3 years in particular were awful.

The cancer wasn’t even that advanced when it was first diagnosed but no-one was willing to operate because of his lungs (general anaesthesia was basically a death sentence). Eventually it metastasised.

He suffered but it wasn’t killing him. I remember one particularly bad emphysema attack near the end, where he couldn’t get air, and he was literally begging to just die. Eventually he shot himself. He held out as long as he could for the sake of our family, especially his grandchildren, but he really didn’t want to die in the hospital.

I know exactly how addictive smoking is. My brothers watched my dad suffer and still they can’t quit. My dad couldn’t quit and he was the one suffering.

So, this comment is not intended as a lecture or advice or recrimination. It’s just a story about a wonderful man with a horrendous addiction. I tell it in the hope that it might be one more nudge to help you finally beat your addiction. Wishing you all the best.

A procrastination

I don’t think there is much to say to that, other than a genuine “I’m happy for you that you have never had to struggle with depression. I hope you stay healthy, I wouldn’t wish this illness on anyone.”

My best advice is, don’t try to change your mom’s mind. Instead, focus on your own beliefs, and find a way to accept that she isn’t ready to do the same and may never be.

Some things that might help you:

1) Understand that criticism can be a form of love, especially from our parents

When people who love us criticise us, it’s usually because they want us to improve. It’s not just to make you feel bad. Instead the feelings of shame are intended to motivate you to do better because they want you to be the best version of yourself.

It’s not effective, and it hurts, but it helps me to reframe criticism in that way. Ask yourself, who made the comment, and why do you think they did so? If it’s someone you don’t respect, ot you think just wanted to be nasty, ignore it. If it’s someone that you believe cares about you, ask yourself whether it could be an inefficient expression of caring. If the latter, let go of the hurt as inefficient, and try to consider objectively whether they may have a point, and what (if anything) you can or want to do about it.

2) Create and live a definition of value that you believe to be true.

Sadly, modern society teaches that our worth is based on our productivity and our school / work success. It sounds as if your mom may have internalised this belief, and it’s possible that a lot of her own self esteem relies on it. That’s why it could be very difficult for her to let go of. You can though.

Ask yourself, who are the people in your life that you value, that you care about? Consider them one at a time and ask yourself why they matter to you. You will notice very quickly that your answers have nothing to do with their productivity or their success. It will be their kindness, their sense of humour, their reliability, the way a smile lights up their face, etc.

Then ask yourself, how well do I embody these characteristics that I value in others? Try to be true to your definition of value, and feel empathy for those people who believe the lie that only productivity enriches our society.

**3) Accept that depression creates a burden for the people around you and try to minimise it
**
It’s not your fault that you’re ill, but that doesn’t make it any easier for the people around you. Mental illness is a reason for struggling with certain things, not an excuse to dump the burden on others.

The low energy of depression means you need to prioritise what you do. Some of it should be activities that make you feel better, like going into nature, keeping a gratitude journal, or phoning a friend. Some of it needs to be being a good friend, partner, and child. Figure out what the other person needs and how much you can do.

Why did your mom mention laziness? Was it frustration at something she expected from you that you aren’t doing? Can you negotiate and agree lower expectations from her? A discussion to understand her priorities could help diffuse some of her frustration.

Hopefully something in this helped you. Good luck.

the demarcation line [that] the parties undertook not to violate … was fixed. It was stipulated that Russia renounced any encroachment on the territory to the west of that demarcation. This was pure PR on the part of the United States because they knew perfectly well that Russia had no such thing in mind.

So we’re at this point in the story now. So weird that Europe and Ukraine don’t seem to trust Russia /s

Invite them to do something with you, bonus if it’s something that’s best to do in spring or summer because that gives you time to save.

For example:

• A picnic in a beautiful outdoor space near you e.g. park, botanical gardens, etc.
• A game where you solve clues together to get to the next destination. Where I live we have a few different ones that take you around different parts of the city. (I was gifted this and really enjoyed it.)