Emdog

"As part of the procedure, the women were interviewed, photographed, and had their records documented to serve as evidence in case of future incidents. Those with suspicious urine test results were referred for further treatment and rehabilitation.' Rinse and repeat This sort of "police crackdown" has been going on at least as long as I've lived here, and that's been 20+ years

The "deal" between citizens and governments is something of a social contract; You look out for me and I'll look out for you. If government is in the right ignoring a citizen who gets into a jam in a foreign country, then it would be fair for citizens to refuse to serve the government if a war broke out outside the country. "I'm not going to fight until the enemy is inside our borders.... until then it's not my problem"

Learn about things like reality and facts: the 6 billion is Iranian money that was frozen by the west. If I leave may wallet at your house and collect it later, you are not "giving me" the money inside. You are returning it to the owner. Is that too difficult to fathom?

Will they have maple bars? Seem as hard to find here as refried beans....

I think one of the best photos they've had in years! Lots going, sort of like an old master mural... the diagonal flows the eye is drawn to, various perspective tricks, and the man in the distance taking a wee...

Just for fun I looked up population/area of Bangkok, Singapore and Gaza strip. Numbers roughly came to: Bangkok 23k people per sq mile Gaza Strip 16,400 per square mile Singapore 22,254 " " " hmmm San Francisco bit closer to Gaza 18,663 Yeah, so where ya gonna run to?

"...every Hamas member was "a dead man"" Well, I suppose it is time for Hamas to recruit some women then... But it's all good, in line with the OT and all about conquering those who might live on "the promised land": "But of the cities ... which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth." Kill the old men and women, the sick and the dying, the blind and the lame, pregnant mothers, nursing mothers, infants, toddlers, and babies." Deuteronomy 20:16 (went without saying kill all the men) Now you may say "Hey wait, that is what Muslim Hamas did". True, but they do refer to Jews as "People of the book" (same sort of origin)... just following God's directions is all Religion poisons everything

"Low mileage, only sunk once"

"....closely monitor the movements and activities of people from Lebanon, Iran, and Palestine." Poor Syria, must feel left out.

Was thinking I would love to have heard the debate when this law was cooked up, but then thought "I bet there was no debate." Not even a "get out of jail free card" more a "never get near a jail, let alone a trial, card"

Israelis have been coming here in numbers for decades, part of a circuit many like to make after their military service... Bangkok & Kathmandu part of the loop. All the schwarma joints on Khao San didn't get there by chance. In '96 I was on flight from BKK to Kathmandu... took 3 days (Yes THREE DAYS! thanks to Royal Nepal Air). Half the flight numbers were Israelis. Made some good friendships, they weren't unfriendly and some women were hot. Also, if I may remind some here, different cultures have different levels of what they consider "friendly". Whatever culture you are from is not "the right one" but just "your one".

But Donald.... what about that miracle mid east peace solution that sonny in law cobbled together (with no Palestinian input) that you boasted of so proudly?

You want me to do the standard hypocritical "in our thoughts and prayers" BS? I don't have to preface discussing his mental condition without first genuflecting... of course it is horrible they lost their lives... no frickin' argument there. It goes (or should go) without saying. I am talking about a seriously disturbed young person. Oh, and the word is "murdered" not "muredered"

You left out the part where those non felons are almost never prosecuted for what Hunter is being charged for. Who was harmed? Yes he broke the law & the usual punishment (if any) is probation.... which was agreed to until it got political

"Currently thirteen states recognise Taiwan as the ROC (and thus do not have official relations with Beijing): Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Eswatini and Tuvalu." So where is the EU, other major powers regarding recognition? I'd like the US to recognize Taiwan, but understand why hasn't. What benefit would come from recognition? What costs? "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"... or you say potato and I say potato....

"Judge Jerry Smith ruled: "At no point in the 18th or 19th Century did the government disarm individuals who used drugs or alcohol at one time from possessing guns at another."Other cases involving the same prohibition against drug users possessing firearms - 18 USC 922 - have gone in favour of defendants after judges questioned whether the charges were constitutionally valid." Interviews with 25-30 years experience as fed prosecutors for SDNY say they have never seen those charges made unless the person was already a convicted felon. And Republican/Trump backers forgot that Trump revoked law aimed at preventing some mentally ill from getting guns (Drug abuse qualifies as a form of mental illness in my book...). The push of NRA and most Republicans is to make gun ownership possible for as many as possible. Some Republicans even want mandatory ownership. Hunter got a gun. For 11 days. Never fired it. Hard core, eh?

Yes, the 14 yr old has mental problems... can you try to get some understanding of that? Not like when you were 14 and couldn't get a date, but serious mental problems. Hopefully the kid can get some effective treatment, but Thailand is not known for its mental health programs

Hogwash. Let's take US & Japan. Murder rate in US is 26 times higher than Japan. Japan has .6 guns per 100 people, USA has 88.8. Are people in USA 26 times more crazy (may be...) than Japan or is it access to easy and quick way to kill someone that plays a large part. Using knives, hammers, strangling, etc takes more effort that pulling a trigger... perhaps that puts a bit of a brake on homicides? I taught teen gangsters in USA. Several times they had guns in classroom (lucky I didn't know at the time). On average, one out of 18 caseload died per year or killed someone due to gun violence: killings, being killed or killing self. Never pills or any other method. Always guns. https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Japan/United-States/Crime/Violent-crime

Always make it a rule to only sniff glue on ground floors or in open areas.

Reading comprehension work needed here, Richard: I was writing about the erroneous use of "law of averages".... nothing about effectiveness (or lack of) regarding time spent on English ("teaching" may be a bit too charitable). Go back and read my post.

If they really wanted to improve tourist experience, they'd skip the "easy to skim" projects like airports, etc and get down to street level: Sidewalks that are level, without iron bars sticking up, or low hanging wires Deal with the trash everywhere. Implement an effective foreign language program. Heck, bar girls speak better English than those with degrees from unis. Police: need I say more? But you all know that, and perhaps even wonder why I waste my fingers typing the obvious. Coffee

Clearly the didn't learn their skills very well, as being caught demonstrates

agree.. plus no "law of averages" applies because the numbers cited are from a statistically insignificant sized sample (5? did author study any math?) and even that miniscule group was not a randomly chosen group.... just people he knew in one geographic area.

Please tell the when and how of it being a benefit for Taiwan to give up democracy and dependence for dictatorship and gross mismanagement? When heck freezes over? Maybe if "one government" meant mainland adopted Taiwan's government, not other way around. What is this about American guns and bombs? Absurd. Have you ever been to Taiwan? Do you know any Taiwanese? They want to be part of mainland China about as much as Ukraine wants to be part of Russia. Wake up and smell the coffee

"Whoa, the servants they're so helpful, dear The cook she is a whore Yes, the butler has a place for her Behind the pantry door The maid, she's French, she's got no sense She's from the Crazy Horse And when she strips, the chauffeur flips The footman's eyes get crossed"