allanos

If Mr Patel (it means farmer or peasant, in Hindi), holds a false passport, then how can he be described as British in the OP? Fake British, maybe . . .

When interviewed, Mr Svetakov said, "no one knows the roubles I have seen" . . .

Quote: "Gold will not go as low as bitcoin, so it's still a good investment". Not really sure what this means. Both of these assets are volatile. Ten years ago, Bitcoin was trading at below six US dollars per coin. Today, it is in excess of $20k, having reached a high of close to $70k a few months ago. Ten years ago, gold was trading at 1585.00 per fine ounce, today at $ 1707.00. It reached a high of $ 2074.00 in August, 2020. However, in ten years it has essentially gone nowhere. Now, one can cite various arguments as to which one of these assets, one physical, the other crypto, is better, and depending probably on what your reasons are for favouring one over the other, given a choice. Arguably, though, what would seem clear is that the days of gold being seen as a long-term store of value are probably numbered, and perhaps more especially because of the era of high inflation which appears to have set in for the western world particularly. Bitcoin, especially when the next halving event comes around, even in inflationary times, is likely to go a lot higher (but don't hold me to this, Lol)!

I see a potential problem looming when submitting a claim to a private insurer. Often a question is asked whether the claimant has other insurance covering the same type of event. If one were to answer, "yes", there is/was mandatory Thai government insurance cover for this accident/illness, I can see a private insurer rejecting the claim by directing the claimant to go and claim, instead, from the government insurance scheme. It could turn out to be a ping-pong fest of to-ing and fro-ing. Of course, one could lie on the private insurer's claim form and answer "no", but it might come back and bite you in the "derriere", one day.

As globalism descends into its nadir, there is less and less incentive for political blocs or individual nations to pull together to achieve common goals. Each is defending its own turf in a new dog-eat-dog world unfolding before our eyes; a case of survival of the fittest. Blinken is trotting out a theme which many don't, or never have, really subscribed to. The new world order does not allow for statesman-like visionaries to hold sway. Many countries, and including the larger power-blocs, are led by inward-looking dwarfs, (not to cast aspersions on the vertically-challenged in society), who cannot see beyond their ego and grip on their own power-base. A common theme is a reluctance of such leaders to relinquish hard-won power (lots of fatuous speaches, hand-shaking and baby-kissing). We must not expect the US leadership to be any different, led, as it is, by a self-serving political hack. The dynamics at play between rules-based order, or international laws-based order, are unlikely to change for the foreseeable future, short of a world war. In the latter scenario, if there is no outright winner, who is going to pick up the pieces in a resultant power-vacuum?

I have traveled with Qatar Airways many times over the years. In February, I bought a return ticket, the second leg of which (the return portion) I have changed twice over the past 6 weeks. Each time, I have paid zero for the upgrade, and, it seems, I am able to make further flight changes, should I wish, at no additional cost, right up until 30th September. I have always found Middle East airlines, including QR, to be of much better quality than say, BA or Virgin, even though travel times are much longer due to stop-overs in the hub country. An added bonus is the hold-baggage allowance of 2 x 23kgs, around twice what most other airlines allow. For the record, I have never once had a gripe with Qatar Airways.

Perhaps because of its vastness, or richness of local variety, the United States has long been seen to be particularly parochial. It has been my opinion that the majority of Americans would not be able to find Africa on a map (unless it was already identified as such). This would also apply to places such as Australia, China, Russia, and many others, in my view, and which the average European scholar, for example, would easily be able to identify.

Enlightened. Woke. These terms have a "modernistic" ring about them. Why try to pin a label on this man? The values he espouses may be his world view, and ones he has held throughout his life!

Are you sure he wasn't German?

The protagonist in the video is entitled to articulate his viewpoint, as are we all, providing we don't live under a censorial or totalitarian regime where free speech is verboten. The fact that HE says he is angry doesn't make him "an angry white man", in my opinion. I don't believe his message to be contentious in the slightest, whilst I do disagree with some of the things he is seemingly in favour of. To me, his basic message is that of "live, and let live". Who can argue with that?

The US has to project military might around the world, and fight any wars it deems necessary, in order to maintain and bolster dollar strength as the world's reserve currency, a position it is not going to give up readily. Something like 40% of the world's trade is conducted in USD, whilst the USA itself only accounts for around 10% of international trade. Protecting dollar strength is one means of restraining galloping inflation at home, which is already at its highest in forty years. If the mighty dollar were to fall, its purchasing power falls too. The consequences domestically are enormous. Mr Biden and the Dems have already figured this out. He wants a second term. He can kiss it goodbye if inflation gets out of control.

I see tardiness in others as a form of abuse. If one is kept waiting when others are late, you are being robbed of one of the most precious things in life - your time! It is the height of bad manners, and totally disrespectful!

In any case, there would have to be an extradition treaty in place between the country where he is, let's say detained, and Thailand, in order for extradition to take place. It is not as straightforward as some appear to believe.