kowpot

As long as the first and last letter are correct, you should be able to read it. It matters not what is in the middle. Of course the context of the message has a lot to  do with it.

Good for China, I am sure they are getting a special deal for doing this. Also, good for the U.S. Coal Miners

The only people that will suffer from this is the North Korean people.  But, what is the world to do about baby Kim? They really need to revolt.............

2 hours ago, robertson468 said:

I thought that Will was the Zulu Warrior who got shot first at Rork's Drift................the order given, as the Zulus advanced was.......FIRE AT WILL!

??????

2 hours ago, baboon said:

You've not been following the thread, have you? I HAVE been there and am alive and well. Unless I am a figment of the imagination, that is...

Can you prove that you have been there?

How about showing a copy of your visa.

The fact that you show an avatar of a North Korean flag only means that you may be a sympathiser or a full fledged communist, I don't know. But, it is not proof.  

7 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

               Let's not lose sight of the fact that it's the leadership cadre who are the bad guys.

The general public are just brainwashed dummies (or prisoners, depending), and don't deserve to get vaporized in a Nuke attack.

I totally agree.  

On 4/9/2017 at 10:49 AM, tomwct said:

I like to spend a few nights in KK every six months or so! I also tried meter

taxi's especially when they first appeared on the streets. I quickly found out

that meters are not used even when you ask them to use them. They just

qoite you a fare. Now I ask and say no and catch a songtail for 8 baht. I

make sure I make eye contact with the taxi driver, so he understands he

lost my business.

I have never had a problem with a Taxi in Khon Kaen not using the meter. Every time I have taken a taxi, they use the meter. I live here so I take a lot of taxi's .

2 hours ago, otherstuff1957 said:

I'm worried that Trump will use this as a distraction from his troubles at home.  If the Senate or House committees find any more evidence of Trump/Russia cooperation from before the elections, he may decide that a quick strike against N. Korea could be a useful distraction, after all, nothing rallies people behind a leader like a little war!

 

Unfortunately, the consequences of a 'surgical strike' would be pretty much unpredictable, though I am sure that fat boy would do SOMETHING!

It is a Republican House and a Republican Senate. What exactly do you think they are going to do?  Trump is going nowhere. Get over it! 

3 hours ago, newatthis said:

Sorry but first and foremost is Twittering.

Funny,  but if you threaten the U.S. with a nuclear strike. I don't care who you are or what country. You deserve to be eliminated.

12 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

                       Yes, it's convoluted.  However, Trump is a simpleton, and surrounded by similar.  In Trump's mind, a surgical strike against Fat Boy Kim and a few N facility sites would be fine.  However, things are never simple with N.Korea.  There can be repercussions which aren't foreseen.  The taking of the Pueblo and its crew wasn't foreseen by the US Navy.   

 

                    N.Koreans have been brainwashed every day that the US will attack.  For the US to attack, will be a self-fulfilling prophecy for the tens of millions of N.Koreans, and many will cherish the opportunity to lash out at S.Korea and the US, and possibly also Japan.    The Vietnam imbroglio is a prime example of the power of millions of determined people working toward one goal - hurting US aggressors.   

 

               I think big changes for N.Korea will have to come from within.  An aggressive Uncle Sam will play into their game plan.  

Threatening the U.S. with a nuclear strike is not the answer.  The POTUS first job is the defense of the country. First and foremost.  

11 hours ago, baboon said:

I would call them one half of a country called Korea, populated by Koreans who speak Korean and divided by foreign powers.

Well, since in your view they are just part of the same country, I guess they can move freely from one country to the other. And they must have the same passport.  Oh wait,  someone from the north attempts to go south, they can be shot and their whole family can be taken and placed in a concentration camp.

They are still in a state of war.  They are still holding at a "cease fire".  There has been no treaty. The war has not officially ended.  While in S. Korea,  you still experience the sirens going off. They still hold air raid drills. The  military still mans the 38th parallel. No one is allowed into no man's land  between the two countries.  

Hostilities can start again at any time. The U.S. keeps roughly 28,000 to 30,000 troops in S. Korea at any given time.

   The Korean war was considered a police action by the United Nations, because N. Korea invaded S. Korea

The only advice I can give is stay away from company called White Swan.   Not what they claim to be. 

Very good advice. But, I disagree on the issue of renting a house. I (IMHO) think at least I am better off renting than owning. I have the freedom to move around at my will. 

1 hour ago, baboon said:

I would call them one half of a country called Korea, populated by Koreans who speak Korean and divided by foreign powers.

I would guess you haven't spent a lot of time in Korea.  Try even going to N. Korea. Let me know how easy it was to get a visa. Oh, and don't leave your handler. That will land you in a N. Korean prison. 

 Having spent a long time in S. Korea. I will tell you. The majority of the Koreans don't think the same way you do. Sure, they would all love for there to be 1 Korea. But, they are not willing to give up the good life to get there.

Just now, baboon said:

South Korea cannot be counted as a foreign country. 

Really?  What would you call them then?   The U.S. calls Canada and Mexico foreign countries.

5 hours ago, baboon said:

Just like Western countries, then.

How many foreign countries have the DPRK attacked?

1  S. Korea

5 hours ago, baboon said:

How? You just mentioned they are isolationist. The only aggression they show is towards those who won't let them be.

I know of no one that has attacked N. Korea.  Even during the Korean war,  the North crossed the line first.

I hear so much about  people riding in the back of pickups and the use of seatbelts. 

What about 4 people on a motorcycle?  Usually, it is a family or school age children.  

How about the  "all great parent"  wearing a helmet while a 4 year old rides unprotected?  

I would like to see the law changed to no more than 2 riders on a motorcycle except when the operator is under 17. Then only one person on the bike.

On 4/7/2017 at 8:54 PM, grollies said:

“In Thai ‘krub’ and ‘ka’ are polite particles added to the end of a sentence. There is no equivalent version of them in English,” said Tirote Thongnuan, a language expert and lecturer at Kasetsart University’s Translation Department.......krub?

 

 

What happened to  "Sir" and "Ma'am" ?

23 hours ago, darksidedog said:

The Americans would seem to have some information on where the planes took off from, that launched the chemical strike.

50 Missiles is a lot, so I guess the idea was to render the place completely unusable again.

Finally, someone that understands what has been reported. 

6 hours ago, fgmr said:

It would be nice to know just how many members commenting on this topic have actually served in an army?

AF retired

I guess they have to beat up their own, because they can't defeat any foreign army. 

11 minutes ago, JAG said:

Vietnam has a border with China. A border where, relatively recently (1979) they fought a short but rather fierce war.

 

To conquer Thailand Vietnam would first have to conquer Cambodia and or Laos. I'm sure that they could, if they wanted to, but do they show any interest in doing so?

 

The Vietnamese military is there in the size and strength it is because they are worried about China. not Thailand.

I totally agree. I don't foresee any conflict between the two.  Just wondering if because of past history if it has anything to do with wanting the subs. Also, China's willingness to give a 3 for 2 deal. As you say, Vietnam and China are not the best of buddies............

 One note though.  Thailand and Cambodia don't have the greatest history together either. Not sure if Cambodia would side with Thailand. But again, China's influence could come into play................

Maybe this is why they want them. I sure hope not.  

Today, Vietnam's total military service members outnumber Thailand's more than six times and the former's active troops are 1.5 times Thailand's. Vietnam's ground force arsenal of vehicles outnumbers Thailand's quite heavily. Vietnam's navy and air force are on par or outmatch their Thailand's counterpart, and Vietnam had a fleet of submarines while Thailand had an aircraft carrier.

In my opinion, Thailand is a country with military inferior to that of Vietnam. Its military is not small, but if there is war, Vietnam will grind it to dust. Frankly saying, Thailand is not going to conquer anyone. It does not even have the gut to settle old scores with Cambodia or Lao, and it probably never will as long as the two countries are allied with Vietnam. Basically, it is Thailand that should be worried that it would be conquered by Vietnam, but fortunately, the Vietnamese leadership does not seem to want any war right now.

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Based on how things are turning out now, would you still vote for Trump?  I didn't vote as I didn't like either candidate.  We've had terrible choices for president for many years now.

That is a hard question, but a fair one.  I think I would in all good conscience would have to do a write in. I would not want either one of them.  But, Trump is president.  I always go by the saying,  " don't have to respect the person,  respect the office".  

Sanders in my view was too socialistic for me.  

I for the life of me, still can't see how any of this came to be.  I keep thinking I am going to wake up and it was all a dream. 

Just to be clear. I never think of myself as a republican but a conservative.