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Back in the early 1980's I was a member of student government in my university. A dinner, featuring Henry Kissinger, was organized and I was invited.  I wore a Dead Kennedy's tee shirt with "Holiday in Cambodia" printed on the front. The secret service detail wasn't impressed, and requested that I take it off or leave. I left. 

17 hours ago, black tabby12345 said:

As a matte rof fact, US's withdrawals from NATO is Highly Unlikely.

Even though Trump makes a turbulence during his term.

 

According to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024, the president cannot order own government to leave NATO, without 2/3 majority votes of the Federal Senate. 

This law was passed while Republican Party was Senate majority.

 

national defense authorization act 2024, bans president to leave nato without senate majority votes - Google Search

 

I very much want to agree, but Trump may have a way around it — and it’s a method he has used before.: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/08/trump-nato-congress-courts-00188426

9 hours ago, atpeace said:

Then you go on to say you have no dog in the fight. Pathetic...  BTW, hasn't Joe had his  best 5 months ever in regards to veiwers?  

Your chosen nickname seems ironic, considering your combative attitude. Do you think everyone outside the US has to be neutral about having a Russian ally as President of the USA?  What are "veiwers" by the way...is that a new spelling suggested by your golden comb over King?  Oh, with regard to your comment about Joe Rogan's popularity, I suggest you look here: https://www.newsweek.com/joe-rogan-podcast-slipping-charts-third-2037713

After watching Musk on a recent vain attempt by Joe Rogan to regain a modicum of popularity he has now lost, I got the distinct impression that the US 
Social Security system is soon to be under enormous stress. Reports suggest that over 6,000 employees of the Social Security Administration have

already been relieved of their duties, a fact that should give some US citizens pause over what may become of their monthly payments. 

I have no dog in the fight as I am not American and don't even qualify for any pension due to being out of my own country for most of my adult life, but I have several American friends who are highly dependant on SS, no pun intended. Any thoughts on this, or do you see it as just another "conspiracy theory" that will never happen?  

*Derogatory nickname edited out*

I've just turned 67. Against my wishes, I brought a Japanese wife back to Canada after a wonderful decade in Tokyo during the Eighties - once in Canuckistan, I had big problems matching my previous salary, but she had no problem spending like a drunken sailor, eventually culminating in a huge fight that featured her smashing several heavily framed old Ukioye prints over my head. That was the lowest point for me.

After we split up, I went to Grad school and returned to work in Singapore for a couple of decades, ultimately ending up here in Chiang Rai with a wonderful lady I've been with thirty years. None of this would have occurred without the big breakup, and I'd be back in Montreal, shivering. 

26 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

So according to you, the Anti Defamation League,a New York-based international non-governmental organization that was founded to combat antisemitism, as well as other forms of bigotry and discrimination, are not qualified to determine it was not a Nazi salute, but you, an anonymous AN member, consider yourself qualified.

Did you mention incredible?

I made no claims and suggested that it was impossible to know what was going on in Musk's mind. Just because someone belongs to a particular organization doesn't give them the ability to know what the motivations of other people are. You've misinterpreted my suggestion, which was to simply say that there was no way to know what Musk's true intention was. "Sane washing" is not the most appropriate response IMHO. 

31 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

My comment was in respect to Alex Soros NOT Elon Musk.

 

And you should have looked at Elon's gesture rather than rely on a biased report. Elon was expressing his love for the crowd, going from his heart to the crowd. It was awkward and  ill advised but NOT a nazi salute. If you have seen Korean  and Japanese romcom's on Netflix or pop groups, it is something  they do as well. They throw their love to the crowd. There was no intent to do a nazi salute 

The Anti-Defamation League, an organisation founded to combat antisemitism, did not agree with the attempt to call it a nazi salute and stated; "It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute,"     Once again we see another example of faux outrage.  

How incredible that you,  or the Anti Defamation League,  have the capability to determine what a person's intent was when President Musk, ah, Elon,  threw his arm up in the air. If all of Musk and Trump's actions and pronouncements were not so reminiscent of Hitler's, nobody would pay attention if they "sieg heiled"  all day. But, as they are so clearly twisted and cruel, their actions will always be under scrutiny by the people who don't share their beliefs or morality. 

13 minutes ago, kimothai said:

Well, I'm sure find it incredible how many delusional, woke liberals there are on this forum.

Yes, you are correct. Isn't it great!! Wow, some people believe in saving democracy, ...so delusional! :-)

This poor lady was a personal friend of ours. We went to her funeral and had an opportunity to speak with her family, who revealed full details concerning what went wrong.  When choosing a place for treatment, I recommend that everyone stick to the outer edges of CR. 

I've been married to a lady from Chiang Rai for over 30 years, and we met in Singapore, at a college adjacent to where I was working. so Just dumb luck in my case as I wasn't expecting to meet anyone in that particular situation.  Now, based on what I've observed over the past three decades,  If you want to find a "good girl", I must agree with Lacessit that the probability of that in Pattaya is extremely low. However, if you learn some Thai and develop friendships with Thai people, it's almost inevitable that they will start introducing you to potential partners who are the still single daughters of friends and neighbours. This isn't an infallible approach, but you'll get more familiar with a different spectrum within Thai society. 

1 hour ago, jas007 said:

When did I ever say I'm a MAGA cult member?  If the Democrats started acting like real Democrats, I'd be a Democrat again.  But they've morphed into something else, and it's ugly.  They're trying to establish an authoritarian regime. They nominated Harris without the vote of a single voter. No primary, no nothing.  It was a take it or leave it choice presented to the voters by the Deep State. Biden won the primary, as you should recall, and yet he was pushed aside.  Democracy?  LOL The only sane choice in the election was Trump, whether you like him or not.

 

They've also been censoring the media and have been using it as a propaganda machine for years, and it's becoming ridiculous.  Propaganda. A typical tool of totalitarian regimes through history. If you can't see that, I can't see it for you.  Ddid you understand the phrase "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts"?  Take a step back and appreciate the big picture.  Maybe it'll come into focus for you some day. 

 

As for a "shocking" lesson?  I'm in a nice condo on a tropical beach on the other side of Planet Earth from America.  Nothing that will happen there anytime soon can affect me much. Perhaps the entire world financial system will collapse?  Perhaps we'll see a global thermonuclear war?  A real space alien invasion?  A real pandemic with billions of deaths worldwide? 

 

Absent those events, I think I'll be just fine.  I have more money that I know what to do with every month, my investments are doing great, and my health is fine.  

 

Trump and the DOGE people may not succeed in accomplishing much, given the broken political system, but I guess it's worth a try.  The alternative is not good. 

Very happy for you. Enjoy your perfect existence, and good luck. 

On 1/4/2025 at 12:55 PM, Jingthing said:

Spoken like a real maga cult member.