Never saw the Honeymooners, alas.

Per the Guardian, another US General has quit. Good article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/24/army-general-christopher... Not sure why he quit. In passing, the article mentions Hegseth thinking of downgrading the Euro-African command from 4 stars to 3 and wanting NATO to take full responsibility for defending Europe (from what?)

At the risk of pissing off assorted self-styled "Patriots", all of that is good. Our military is too big and bloated, we don't need it for defense and almost nobody left alive can remember the last time we fought a defensive war. Meanwhile, NATO was supposed to defend Europe from the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact is long gone and a lot of it is now part of NATO, they have become nothing but predators, not unlike the US waging all sorts and types of wars, overt, covert, economic and everything else at the behest of ideology, religion, greed and the like.

I've got to get out to the tomatoes before the day warms up, so

be well and have a good one

to expand my understanding of China, Chinese history and current Chinese events. It continues to deepen my understanding of my own country and community providing insights into the present and future still needing to be navigated.

Q 你好吗？

So that's Korean pancakes with chives. Pretty good for store bought. Ms. So recommended to some friends, who also gave a thumb's up review. Chives used to grow great in our 2 small gardens in Daytona. For some reason it loved that sandy soil. But we can't grow anything here, so this will have to do. Ms So basically transplanted her chive garden to a friends garden there near Daytona.

This story of the Butterfly Dream is a key to later Chinese thought.

“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was myself. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.”
― Zhuangzi, The Butterfly as Companion: Meditations on the First Three Chapters of the Chuang Tzu

There are some ruminations at the link on the etymology of dream 夢 down through Chinese history.

Zhuangzi and his butterfly dream: the etymology of meng 夢

I don't think the China Dream, is based on American Dream in any way, shape or form. I think it's an alternative, but the discussion of technical aspects of the character dream interested me because it's my favorite Korean song, I sang along to this tune hundreds if not thousands of times, at least once a day while driving OTR. Also, I think it's a common expression among Korean women for use with their boyfriends or husbands. Wake up from your dream!! 꿈 깨세요! kkum kkaeseyo, also 몽 mong Dream in Korean; or 夢 meng, Dream in Mandarin .

lyrics 夢 꿈 Dream

Jo Yong-pil's hit song Dream also draws on another famous Eastern theme of the hometown, is not the old village in the country much more appealing than this unforgiving life in the city? The allure of the hometown in this Li Bai short poem alleged to be perhaps the most famous Chinese poem-

Quiet Night Thought

At the foot of my bed, moonlight
Yes, I suppose there is frost on the ground.
Lifting my head I gaze at the bright moon
Bowing my head, thinking of home.

Hometown- Chinese 家乡 jiāxiāng korean 고향 Kohyang

Last 2 lines of Jo Yong-pil's dream-

슬퍼질땐 차라리 나홀로 눈을 감고 싶어
When i become sad, I'd rather close my eyes alone
고향의 향기 들으면서
while imagining the scent of my hometown

Famous Chinese four character idiom: 同床異夢 (same bed different dreams).

Thanks for the OT Q!

PS I did watch Einar, he's someone I watch often. I probably watched every episode of the Honeymooners.