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allanos
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Inflation is a hidden, insidious form of taxation, and governments know this.
Higher taxes on wages might lead to discontent, uproar, and have a knock-on
effect at the polling booth. Inflation is thus the preferred route, a de-facto
devaluation of the dollar, pound, euro, whatever.
Because it creeps up on the unwary (read, the average man in the street),
inflation's erosion of purchasing power over time is generally un-noticed.
However, inflation increases into double-digits of late have happened
relatively quickly, and the docile public is starting to sit up and take notice.
If inflation is not reined-in soon, expect the muttering and grumbling to
take on a more overt form, and, quite possibly in my view, riots and blood
in the streets.
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Gay.
What is wrong with the word homosexual?
I accept that words like "queer", or "fag" are abhorrent but
it is no reason to turn a perfectly good word into something
quite meaningless. And, if truth be told, many homosexuals
are anything but "gay" in a literal sense.
The word "gay" has been hijacked from the English language.
It once meant "happy and joyful", but no longer.
I think it's a shame.
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The majority of bitcoin holders are invested for the long term, believing
in its characteristics and fundamentals. Unrealised losses or gains are notional,
being on paper only. You only lose (or gain) once a transaction has been
completed.
Price gyrations are caused by speculators (gamblers). In the recent drop
in prices owing to the FTX debacle, leveraged shorts will have cashed in.
Leveraged longs will have lost their shirts. We will see a reversal of this
process soon.
If you do not understand btc, which seems to be the case with most of
the posters on this forum, and if you are not a trader/speculator, then
stay away from it, it is not for you!
There is no safe haven. Property prices are flat to falling. Stock markets
are down. Fiat (USD), subject to high inflation, is losing purchasing power
of at least 10% per annum. Gold is at the same price it was ten years ago
and has no coupon anyway.
Bitcoin blockchain is transparent, decentralised, and confiscation-proof,
with minimal inflation built in. In the lead-up to the next halving event, price
will start to gain traction once more. The downside is limited and man-
ageable, the upside is infinite. Hold on for the ride!
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It is difficult, if not impossible, to protect people from their own stupidity.
Am I my brother's keeper
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Stop me if you've heard this one:
Two girls had been dating the same guy and were comparing notes.
The first one says, "you know, I discovered he's got 'LUDO' tattoo'd on his cock".
The second, more sexy girl says, "don't be silly, it says 'LLANDUDNO'! "
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There is definitely a "new" normal, in my opinion, and which has been
unfolding since the end of World War II.
No one seems to question the tripe they are spoon-fed by the mainstream media,
a dumbing-down of whole populations it seems. There has always been an
element of it, of course, but "the people" were more prepared to discuss and opine
about events on , let's say, an "intellectual" level, based on the limited amount of
media which was open and available to them, and even where their education was
not on a par with today's.
Modern education has a lot to be blamed for, I feel, as educationalists, right down
the line to a humble "teaching assistant" (I'm not sure what this truly is), set
the tone and curriculum for how scholars will be "brainwashed" - inculcated in a
fashion designated by the political elite. Sure, it's not as overt as that say in China,
North Korea or Russia, but it is done much more subtly . . . and effectively
in that regards.
What ever happened to the three R's?
Whole swathes of populations do not look behind the headlines, nor do their own
research among a spectrum of opinion to arrive at a balanced viewpoint. They
simply look for a confirmation bias of their own necessarily limited, or blinkered
views; a kind of self-congratulatory "I told you so", to themselves!
I think it is also true to say that, in a time when the news and events were only able
to be reported in newspapers and other print publications, such reports, and
journalism generally, were far more accurate, truthful and less-partisan than
they are today. Sadly, those days are long gone, and unlikely to return anytime soon!
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Tasteful tatoo!
Beauty-enhancing tatoo!
Reads like an oxymoron to me, a bit like Military Intelligence! Lol
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If anything speaks to the lack of integration of foreigners in Thailand,
it is those calling a song taew a baht bus!
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I would say to the OP, and I quote - "Don't judge someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes"!
For some people, work is a means to an end. For others, it's an end in itself.
Work is only work if there is something else you would rather be doing.
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The Scots are (in)famously parsimonious.
There is a somewhat apocryphal story of a Jewish shopkeeper
who was obliged to leave Aberdeen because he was unable to make
a living!
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14 hours ago, spidermike007 said:
There are some aspects of tradition that are meaningful and beneficial to society, and some that cause harm, and prevent forward progress. Ritualistic aspects of tradition are not particularly useful, and lead to superstition, and can lead to great harm, and ruined lives. Other tradition are simply an excuse for bad behavior. I am not a big fan of tradition, in general. Some are ok. Many others are not.
In Kenya, for example, the customary laws of some ethnic communities discriminate against women when it comes to property ownership and inheritance. As one woman told us, “They talk about African traditions, but there is no tradition you can speak of—just double standards.”
Similarly, several former British colonies, including Nigeria and Malaysia, use moral terms such as “gross indecency” and “carnal knowledge against the order of nature” in rejecting homosexuality, citing so-called traditional values embodied in laws that in fact only date to the relatively recent, and otherwise derided, colonial era. In Uganda, Malaysia, Moldova, and Jamaica, where the state rejects LGBT rights, claims that homosexuality is simply “not in our culture” are ubiquitous.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/11/trouble-tradition
Child marriage is an issue that is pervasive still across many countries due to economic, social and cultural norms. The reasons behind these marriages are varied, often parents arrange the marriage unbeknownst to the child and many are arranged for economic purposes as it can mean one less person to feed.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a practice most often carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play central roles in communities. It is a violation of the human rights of girls and women, and reflects deep-rooted gender inequality and female discrimination.
https://coraminternational.org/themes/harmful-traditional-practices/
These harmful traditional practices include female genital mutilation (FGM); forced feeding of women; early marriage; the various taboos or practices which prevent women from controlling their own fertility; nutritional taboos and traditional birth practices; son preference and its implications for the status of the girl child; female infanticide; early pregnancy; and dowry price.
I take the following quotation of Mahatma Gandhi as my guiding light in this matter: “It is good to swim in the waters of tradition but to sink in them is suicide.”
Observations on African culture and tradition viewed from an entirely Western-orientated,
Euro-centric perspective and speaks to the "ugly American" tradition of a wish to impose
an alien will on the norms and mores of sovereign nation states.
That is not to say that those of us from the West wouldn't agree that male-dominated societies in the Islamic world and Africa, for instance, and egregious practices like FGM are "ok", but it is a very
long way down the track before many such abhorrent (from a Western viewpoint) practices, will be able to be moderated or eradicated completely.
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Tradition is an important pillar of any culture. Strip it out, or ignore it,
and the subject culture is weakened by its absence.
One might look at the recent funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, steeped in
tradition as it was.
The British, certainly, were in thrall over the pageantry and spectacle,
among other things, passed down and entrenched through countless
generations.
Some might scoff, but such things are part of the numerous traditions
which combine to produce a unique culture of "Britishness", and never
to be taken lightly.
The fact that countless millions around the world tuned into the event
speaks to, at least, a mass curiosity, but, more likely, an admiration,
possibly envy by republican nations, of British culture manifested in the
burial traditions of the island's monarchs.
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A New Zealand researcher,
Dr James Flynn, discovered, a number of years ago, that, over the past approximately 5 000 years, IQ's have increased generation on generation, and not the other way around. The finding has become known as the Flynn Effect.
Possibly, the proof can be found even at a modern-day tribal level.
Not so very long ago, an American Indian would say "How"!
Today, he asks "Why"?
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There is a great used book store within the Chatuchak
market, absolutely bulging at the seams with everything
imaginable. I cannot speak to their pricing, however.
I would certainly recommend a visit.
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The OP is a very poorly-crafted article, in my opinion.
With a modicum of effort, and a dash of creativity, it could
perhaps have been turned into something half-amusing, and
prompted some witty responses!
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Shariah Law begs the question, what happens to a thief whose hand is cut off as a punishment, and he later successfully appeals?
Is a hand sewn back on by the governing authority?
Is it his original hand, perhaps kept on ice pending such an appeal, or a random one, taken from another
thief whose earlier appeal has been turned down?
Does the thief with the newly-restored limb in future point to such "handiwork" pun meaning heavy suturing in this case, and show his friends and family that his appeal was successful - a badge of honour, so-to-speak?
Naturally, the foregoing is all a bit tongue in cheek!
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To those who say "money can't buy happiness"
I would say, "you just don't know where to shop"!
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Whilst it is prudent for the OP to put his affairs in order at the age of 76,
prostate cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Depending on the
forms of advanced treatments and therapies which are available and
which he might opt for, it is conceivable he will have a good many years
ahead of him in which to enjoy his life with his family.
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It's YOUR life . . . so live it YOUR way, and not someone else's!
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19 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:
I don't need to read the guy's whole book to understand...based on some background checking...that...
--he's not an academic climate scientist
--he's not an impartial, objective observer guided by research findings
--he is a political hack with ties to right-wing extremist promoters.
That's more than enough for me to disregard his opinions on the scientific subject at hand.
Regarding his past testimony at a congressional hearing:
"Epstein suggested that rising carbon dioxide levels "benefit plants and Americans." When questioned by committee member Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) as to why Epstein, whose academic training is in philosophy, was even there, Epstein responded, "to teach you how to think clearly." Boxer replied "... you are a philosopher, not a scientist, and I don’t appreciate getting lectured by a philosopher about science."[18][19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Epstein_(American_writer)#Center_for_Industrial_Progress
Do you not see the irony in your response? Boxer is neither a philosopher nor a scientist. She is/ was a professional politician - ranked higher than an attorney perhaps but less-so than a used-car salesman! She was already in her dotage at the time of the hearing.
Possibly you should rely less on Wikipedia for your submissions, and advance your own, reasoned response. If you only read a PART of one of the books, you might rethink your die-hard views.
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27 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:
Re Fossil Future and its author Alex Epstein:
"... he pals around with conspiracy theorists like Lauren Boebert, Dennis Prager, Scott Adams, and Candace Owens. By the way, as much as Epstein respects the Koch brothers, his ideology would never be influenced by their dark money network, even though he’s worked for decades at multiple institutions financially supported by the oil and policy magnates. Plus, he wants to debate opponents in good faith and is opposed to “ad hominem” attacks, which is why he refers to climate-concerned politicians as “fascists” and “monsters” while mobilizing his supporters to demand the termination of journalists who perform factual analyses of his oeuvre."
https://slate.com/technology/2022/05/alex-epstein-fossil-future-climate-change-argument.html
I find it fascinating that, rather than reading the books mentioned, for a degree of balance in the whole question of climate change, as I mentioned, or doing your own research, you attempt to bolster your own position by posting a link to a critique from "Spiked" about the author as though that settles the question without further argument.
You must surely realise that this gives you no credibility whatsoever?
It is akin to the "climate protesters" and their ilk who mindlessly swallow what they are fed by their governments and the MSM, without further pause, consideration or critical thinking.
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3 hours ago, KhonKaenLive said:
Plenty of examples of adaption. Air conditioning for one. Central heating. So many. Dikes. Come on. There's much more we can do.
Please read the books Fossil Future or False Alarm.
It's not time to panic. Leaders who are panicked make poor decisions.
Both excellent books which will be ignored by leaderships with their own agendas iro climate change. Should be required reading at high school and above, to get a balanced picture, rather than the hocus pocus brainwashing by governments and the MSM.
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4 minutes ago, ozimoron said:
Extreme weather events are natural on Earth too. What's not natural is the TREND towards ever more extreme events and temperatures.
I think you have chosen to miss my point altogether. Did you also miss the point that the "climate changers" will stick to the script, no matter what?
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In the recent past, extreme weather events have been observed acting on some of the planets in our solar system.
Astronomers and astrophysicists have either been perplexed at some of the extremes, or have blamed the sun's activity, especially where heat has made off-the-scale increases.
It is obvious that man cannot be blamed for the extremes noticed on other of our neighbours'. Yet, here, man is blamed.
To me, (and many others, one supposes), this is totally counter-intuitive.
Such anomalies go unremarked-on by those subscribing to earth's global warming or climate change scenarios. Why? Because they have to stick to the script, no matter how ridiculous it may at times be.
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Hotel maids nabbed for allegedly sneaking into tourist’s room to steal valuables
in Pattaya News
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Not victim blaming, but how unfair is it to put such overwhelming
temptation in front of a couple of poor persons earning peanuts?
It seems iniquitous to me!