JCauto

Yeah, right. Show me the bill you got from the last restaurant you ate at and paid in cash. Exactly.

No, a tradition.

Just because you haven't got the acumen of the TV Detective Squad and aren't able to "read between the lines" and draw the obvious conclusions afterwards is no reason to <deleted> on those expert Shamuses we're so lucky to have to decode the signals from the events around us. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for these intrepid inhalers of minutiae who are able to conjure up the real story from practically nothing!

Of course there will be. But what is it they say about a Fool and his money? This guy is a walking allegory. Even if he has a full text of their convos where she says "hansum man, buy me house I love you long time!" I am doubtful that this constitutes a legally binding agreement in any country on earth. As he was living at the time with his long-term Thai GF for 6-7 years, I would expect that he was likely common-law married with her, hence his decision to take their money and send it repeatedly to his digital fantasy was likely not consensual too. Sounds like he's hoisted with his own petard, and like others I do appreciate his lack of discretion in broadcasting his idiocy to the world for our brief entertainment.

Oh, really? So point me to your posts about the Iranian government and their cold-blooded torture-murder of dozens of students and protesters. I'm sure there must be several since this has been going on for a while. I'm sure, like the many posts here about Israel, that your posts hectoring the Iranian government are filled with ironic references to "Fascists" and "pogroms" and other words that just happen to be those describing the Nazis. Just one post of yours and your point is well taken. If there are however no posts about Iran and their far far far far far worse behaviour over the last several months, then you're a liar and full of it.

Okay. Then please apply this standard any time any innocent people are murdered by terrorists for political purposes. Thousands killed at the World Trade Center? Terrible, but not really surprising given what the Americans did in the Middle East. 129 French kids killed at the Batoclan concert for Ariana Grande? Not surprising given how the French treated the Algerians or discriminate against Muslims in the Banlieus. Just keep that energy for every time some completely innocent person is killed because of someone else's political ideology. I'm sure it's mere coincidence that this vitriol seems only reserved for Israel, clearly the worst and most undemocratic country in the Middle East with the least respect for Human Rights. The "but" is just another way to dehumanize the victims who were not targeted for anything any individual one of them did. So don't be discriminatory, add that "but" to every innocent victim is in your comments. All of you who wrote or liked this comment should really reflect about your internal dialogue and whether you actually do harbor some sentiment against a certain race of people. Or, like I said, bring out them "buts" as a response to every tragedy.

Oh but they DESERVED it! Evil Jews who supported the existence of Israel! Just Palestinians fighting back! This is what Anti-Semitism is, dehumanization and hatred.

I got zero time for America or Americans. A nation fillled with fascists with guns who routinely oppress black, brown and Jewish people and have turned into the facsists they loathed. I'm NOT an anti-American, but I am a pro-humanitarian. Remember the journalist Gary Webb who they shot (state sanctioned murder) a while back then lied through their teeth about it ?! Ya spend about 400 years enslaving, disenfranchising and disempowering a group to the point where they have no space, no peace, no rights, no place in their own lands that they were forcibly relocated to, and cry foul that they are bad people and criminals when they literally go mad from the abuse and react to your abuse by fighting back. The USA has systematically terrorised systematically carried out a Pogrom of genocide against the Black people (we saw today the horrible beating to death of the guy in Memphis) and have been aided and abetted by lots of Western White Supremacists in doing so. You are an anti-Semite singling out Israel and applying a uniform label on Israelis simply for being citizens of a country whose government you dislike. You talk about Israel, yet have nothing to say about the dozens of countries with far worse laws, human rights records, killings of journalists and repression of their population or minorities.

I think Prawit is the watch expert, no?

You are missing the point - it is not relevant whether she or they are good or bad since the basic system that gets that person into power has no barriers to bad candidates or expressways for good ones but ensures only the transfer of power to those who are armed. All else is irrelevant. As Churchill noted, “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” Whenever the military interrupts the democratically elected government and installs their own people, they stop any progress and democracy has to restart from the beginning again while the only politicians who continue throughout the process remain the same old corrupt ones. Therefore there is an assurance of the repeat of the cycle. Your "solution" was wishful thinking that you threw at the wall on your way out the door. Bit rich calling me out for lack of nuance in that circumstance.

The fact that she was elected and can lose the following election based on her performance makes her better in every conceivable way than this lot. Because they won't even let that litmus test be performed, they manufacture the protest and excuses and simply take over power as soon as they know they can get away with it and hold it until they know they simply can't retain it any longer. Then, having ensured they're protection via the undemocratic constitution their main stooge Meechai wrote, they just let the current mob (accurate description) retire on their ill-gotten gains and let the next class take their turn. They also rig the system so that they can't be unelected and utilize their unelected buddies in the Senate and Courts to ensure their power continues indefinitely until enough people are killed by the soldiers to overturn it. This is in every single way worse than anything that can be done by Shin's latest relative. As to your solution...did you spend even 10 seconds of thought on that one? Yes, "Thailand should have a government with honest and competent politicians who work for Thais and Thailand." Wow. What insight. Who might these people be and what happens when one of them comes anywhere near the levers of power? Where's Thanathorn these days, for example? So you set in place a fantasy that the most Pollyannish Thai nationalist would burst out laughing at in terms of plausibility, then say "that is obviously difficult and not that easy." Not that easy? Unless the new leader is riding in on a unicorn spreading fairy dust that magically turns the boys in green to oompah loompahs yeah, not happening. So the real question for those of us living in the real world in the real country of Thailand is, do you prefer the military seizing power and holding it arbitrarily whenever they feel like it and force hundreds to eventually die for them to briefly relinquish it, or do you prefer election of the ones who are voted for despite their obvious flaws? If you prefer the military to maintain power in preference to the Shins and other electable people in Thailand, then make that case. You've instead made no case at all.

Nice to have people stir up hatred against others whom they haven't even ever met and give them a megaphone to do it with so that the completely unhinged and unfounded calumny is broadcast to millions. It's really great and such a boon to society. What a nice person you must be too!

You're welcome! You're a pretty regular poster in these sorts of threads on the opposite side and unlike many of your colleagues you actually respond to the points made so it's possible to have discussions with you. I appreciate that because it's generally just frustrating trying to get other perspectives when it devolves into evasion and insults. For example, I agree with your response to the other part of that post, although it was kind of contradicting your original post.

Oh, well, you didn't say that in your post I responded to but rather indicated the opposite. I agree with you, and wasn't even going to mention biodiversity collapse, but appreciate that you basically pointed in that direction which indeed is an even deeper problem. I am also in agreement that the planet will survive the human virus.

Sorry, didn't read past the headline. But is this a story about parliament?

I enjoy our discussions, but sometimes you really do make silly points. The "climate thing" is not anything currently under dispute from knowledgeable scientists as you are well aware. Yes, yes, there were a tiny minority to object who signed the Barrington thing, whatever. It made no difference in swaying anyone's science. The consequences of this are so profound they override practically every other consideration, unless of course you simply don't care about life on earth after you depart. The last bit is a new one, "hypothetical whataboutism". Congrats on a new means of non-argumentative BS.

The conflation of the interests of Jews outside of Israel and Israel is one of the identifying markers for anti-semitism. The reasons for the fervent Republican support of Israel have nothing to do with their love of Jews and everything to do with energy security for the USA in the Middle East and preparation for the apocalypse for which we're required to die. The post of Jingthing was an excellent summary. I am one of those Jews outside of Israel - I have never been there, I have only distant relatives there, none of whom I'm in regular contact with. I am happy that Israel exists as it provides a safe haven for Jews who haven't had one. But beyond that, my "love" for Israel is probably akin to a Catholic Canadian's "love" for the Vatican. The US used to have these same tropes directed against Catholics right up until JFK became president and I believe this was an issue in his election. https://www.history.com/news/jfk-catholic-president

Well, let's see whether this latest attempt to minimize the Fascist threat by pretending it was cosplayers has any validity? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/09/celebrity-chef-suspects-germany-rightwing-coup-plot-reichsburger Oh, what's this? Over 50 people arrested now and weapons found in more than 50 locations. A current judge and former Far-Right MP who had access to the Reichstag is among those arrested. Sounds like very serious LARPers! Throw them all in jail and throw away the keys, there should be no place in this world for Fascist scum.

I had this happen to me once when I lived in Thailand. Woke up after a weird dream about a snake, which was particularly strange as I seldom remember dreams. Went downstairs and to my shock discovered a snake on the beam above the stairs. Went and found some neighbours who assured me it was harmless and shooed it away for me, then insisted that the next young woman I was to meet would be the one I would marry. I did shortly thereafter meet a lovely young woman (how unusual in Thailand), and was particularly intrigued given this prognostication. Alas, was not to be and I moved eventually to Cambodia without a wife. My conclusion was that the snake got in the house and went to snuggle up to the only warm thing in it, which happened to be me.

No, of course not! It's a miracle! A Buddhist amulet! Nothing to do with engineering that kept that car intact around the bodies of the people sitting in it. Just a miracle because the Buddha decided he'd intervene in this one situation, whereas he's often busy when others die. Or I guess she quickly looked up her Karma score and realized she had enough points to make it through this one. Just absurdity piled upon absurdity. So glad I didn't follow my father into the healthcare field. Having these idiots stand around a patient's bed praising Jeebus for saving their loved one after I pulled a 24-hour shift to keep them alive would <deleted> me off to the point of crucifixion of the celebrants.

LOL. Just realized it is the same thread. Glad the discussion continues.

There's a word for it now - sportwashing.

Kind of a trivial point in my opinion. Sure, life isn't fair, that should be obvious to anyone with eyes, ears and a brain. The real point is hidden - once you accept that as a fact, what is it you do about it? This thread is somewhat of a continuation of an interesting discussion from a week or so ago about what makes an "activist" versus a "keyboard warrior" or whatever. The difference is "action". So going back to your point, for example, I accept that life isn't fair as a fact, and it inspires me to do whatever I can with my short time on this earth to make it a bit fairer in my particular little corner of the world. You on the other hand accept that life isn't fair, and rather than be inspired, you're daunted and instead choose to simply shrug your shoulders and use this as an excuse for not doing anything. Hence, you're a "keyboard warrior", while I'm an "activist". By the way, I don't think that there's anything wrong with either choice, simply because so much depends on individual circumstance. Seems to me that this is a bigger issue than simply "activist" versus "non-activist" because so much about whether one does anything about something is related to that individual's personal circumstances. In order for people to become activist about issues they care about, there needs to be a worldview that there is a point to doing something and that you're personally willing to be the one that does something about that even though you most likely won't get a tangible reward for it, and quite possibly will have to go through some difficult experiences along the way. This is the main difference, and it's more similar to the difference between cynicism and optimism. This is another reason why Conservatives will almost ALWAYS <deleted> on the people who are activist, because the very nature of Conservatism is to maintain the status quo and not be activist except in service of that cause.

Love this guy, it's about time someone popped up from the swamp and basically started singing. Can't believe nobody has quieted him with a lead muzzle given the number of people he's making upset by breaking the fourth wall.

This is another example of why one should be very wary of Wikipedia. I can already disprove the article, seeing as I know several Lao persons without Chinese ancestry who are businessmen. Anyone who has any sense whatsoever would immediately know this is utter <deleted>.