scar, insecurities, in pills, man up, behind the gym

James Mann, a journalist and author who has written extensively about China, called it “a landmark study and a brilliant one” that laid out a “series of cautions” about how China managed frequently to come out ahead in diplomacy. Among the concepts were negotiating on one’s own turf, creating a sense of grandeur and managing personal relationships with opponents in ways to serve Chinese interests, such as exploiting their rivalries and insecurities.

One whistle blower and says he was blacklisted, preventing him from getting a job in another bank. Another employee went bankrupt, blaming Wells Fargo for ending his career.

Workers Say Wells Fargo Unfairly Scarred Their Careers


In the ongoing scandal engulfing Wells Fargo, the bank says it fired wrongdoers. But some workers say they were trying to blow the whistle and…
NPR.ORG


USA TODAY
Presumably, going "behind the gym" would involve a fight.

Biden: If this was high school, I'd take Trump 'behind the gym'


The vice president apparently wants to fight the Republican nominee.
USATODAY.COM


"As the nation’s top-ranking Republican elected official, Ryan should be the designated driver on election night and take the keys from Trump." - Matthew Dowd, who has served as a consultant to Republicans, including former President George W. Bush


Why Paul Ryan Should Man Up on Behalf of the GOP
BILLMOYERS.COM


“A man who was fond of wine was offered some grapes at dessert after dinner. "Much obliged," said he, pushing the plate aside; "I am not accustomed to take my wine in pills.”

―from THE PHYSIOLOGY OF TASTE: Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

man up

to fulfill your responsibilites as a man, despite your insecurities and constant ability to place yourself in embarrasing and un-manly scenarios.

Paul forcefully imposed the bet on everyone, yet he was the first to fail miserably on the very challenge he had conjured up.

Paul must now man up and meet his own challenge.

insecurity

ˌɪnsɪˈkjɔːrɪti,ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊərɪti/

noun

plural noun: insecurities

1. 1.

   uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence.

   "she had a deep sense of insecurity"

the state of being open to danger or threat; lack of protection.

"growing job insecurity"

scar
skɑː/
verb
past tense: scarred; past participle: scarred; adjective: -scarred
mark with a scar or scars.
"he is likely to be scarred for life after injuries to his face, arms, and legs"
synonyms: disfigure, mark, blemish, blotch, discolour; More
form or be marked with a scar.
"his arm will not scar"

“the Pill” 1957

birth control pills (BCPs) are also called “oral contraceptive pills 

pill1

NOUN

• 1A small round mass of solid medicine for swallowing whole.

  ‘an overdose of sleeping pills’

  1. 1.1An oral contraceptive in pill form.
     ‘is she on the pill?’
• 2informal, dated A tedious or unpleasant person.
• 3informal, dated (in some sports) a humorous term for a ball.

Phrases

• a bitter pill (to swallow)
• An unpleasant or painful necessity (to accept).
• sugar (or sweeten) the pill
• Make an unpleasant or painful necessity more palatable.

Origin

Late Middle English: ultimately from Latin pilula little ball, diminutive of pila; compare with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pille.