Gecko123

It sounds like the two Thai guys were interviewed together, and I'm willing to bet if they had been interviewed separately cracks and inconsistencies in their account of what happened would likely have emerged.

A factoid which may surprise you as much as it surprised me when I first heard it... meat contains zero fiber. @Luuk Chaai

Bullet point summary of PBS interview with Financial Times business columnist Rana Foroohar. 1. Trump is proposing to bolster an already strong economy through debt and deficit spending which is a very risky dynamic. She points out that at the time of the election the US had the strongest recovery of all G-20 countries, and with recessions occurring on average about every 10 years, the US is overdue for an economic recession. The reason this is a risky dynamic is because goosing an already strong economy through debt and deficit spending will make it more difficult to respond to any downturn or crisis of any other type which crops up. 2. Tariffs have a potentially inflationary impact and could weaken the dollar. 3. The impact of cutting corporate tax rates (as proposed by Trump) would mainly benefit high income/high wealth households as 85% of stock wealth in the US is owned by approx 10-12% of the population. 4. The only reason why the US's profligate spending is able to be sustained as it has been for many decades is because the US dollar is a global reserve currency. However, there are many challenges to the dollar as a reserve currency, and as the US debt and deficit continues to grow, more and more investors are tiptoeing away from US debt. 5. Were there to be a major recession or drop in the stock market, this could generate a situation where the US government was unable to pay its debt without slashing entitlement and defense spending. The only other way it could solve this problem would be to print more money, which would further devalue the currency to the point where potentially no one wanted to hold dollars, which would trigger a currency crisis, i.e., turning the US into a "distressed asset" because of its excessive debt. 6. Trump's proposals to reduce regulation would likely trigger a mergers and acquisitions boom. Good for the stock market (which benefits the super wealthy), but M&A activity often results in layoffs and reduced marketplace competition. She also reminds viewers that Artificial Intelligence is projected to eat further and further up the employment food chain, as Larry Summer's described it, AI is coming for the cognitive class, potentially further hollowing out the middle class. Editorial comment from me: It should be pointed out that a great deal of regulation Trump is determined to eliminate is designed to protect the environment, workplace safety and to protect the proverbial "little guy." Just today, it was announced that Trump was in favor of relaxing regulations on self-driving vehicles. Who do you suppose this helps, and who will pay the price for these relaxed regulations? 7. No taxes on tips is a very cynical ploy as most people earning tips are so low on the income scale that they are already paying minimal income taxes. 8. Trump paints immigration as having only negative economic and social costs, but it should be pointed out that immigration contributed to downward pressure on wages without which inflationary pressures would have been higher.

Don't know if you have mobility issues, but exercise is key component for bowel regularity. Green tea for its soluble fiber might also be helpful.

Trump's policies on fossil fuel production and fracking weren't referenced a single time in the interview so It's highly doubtful that you watched it. Fossil fuel production may stimulate economic growth in the short term, but when you factor in the economic costs of extreme weather caused by reliance on fossil fuels, the economic benefits are greatly diminished. Are you familiar with the concepts of hidden economic costs and shifting costs from one generation to the next? A scholarly analysis of proposed economic policies is now being dismissed out of hand as propaganda and resented as condescension coming from egghead elites? If that's the case, we're in deep trouble people.

Insightful interview with Financial Times business columnist Rana Foroohar. I suspect the phrase she has coined that "America may be on the verge of becoming a distressed asset" may prove to be prescient. .

What's really striking about the clown show parade of Trump's cabinet nominees is their lack of talent and experience in managing crises. Whether you're talking about a terrorist attack, a military attack, a banking crisis, a monetary crisis, a severe economic slowdown, a diplomatic crisis, or an extreme weather or natural disaster event, none of the ideologues appointed so far appear to have experience or skill sets in crisis management. The appointments so far appear to have made loyalty and fealty to Trump the sole hiring criteria, with almost no thought given to competency or experience. Trump's supporters may want to begin to ask themselves who is most likely to pay the price for this lack of competency and experience.

I think you are being sarcastic with this comment about @Walker88 's post. If you were being sincere, please accept my apologies. I would just like to point out to you that in my humble opinion it would be next to impossible to develop the writing skills Walker88 regularly displays on this forum without having had an extensive work experience which allowed him to develop and hone those writing skills. While I too am amazed by his claims to have been a counter-intelligence analyst as well as a hedge fund manager, he so far has not gotten out on such thin ice that it has caused me to question the veracity of the biography he has disclosed on this forum. I think your and other's attempts to discount his opinions as those of some yarn spinning Walter Mitty are misguided, and again, it is my belief that his writing skills reflect a level of intelligence and experience which deserve to be respected even if you happen not to share his political perspective.

Again...name a single Western European leader who is genuinely happy to see Trump re-elected with the possible exception of Italy's right wing Giorgia Meloni, and Israel's super-right wing Netanyahu. This is well documented, so lose the smug tone, Frankie Valli.

It would be easier for you to name one who isn't.

Yes, I was making that historical allusion.

You tell me how they're gonna find these undocumented aliens. Trump says you can tell just by looking at them. I'm sure it'll be fun walking down the street getting the fish eye everywhere you go. Maybe those whose papers are in order can get a tattoo or something so they can get through check points easier. You don't think vigilantism, street thuggery, harassment are possibilities? I do.

I interact with so few foreigners where I live in Thailand, pretty much a non-issue here. But my heart grows heavy thinking about what it must feel like to be a non-native English speaker, immigrant, or black, brown or yellow person in America post election. I imagine America is a land of averted gazes these days.

Most of the MAGA "celebration" on this forum seems to be graceless ball spiking, gloating, and relishing thoughts of retribution towards the opposition, and hostility towards marginalized communities and women's rights. I don't see very much celebration of proposed policy initiatives, or calls for unity for that matter either. Are MAGA supporters really enthused about: JFK Jr. taking over the FDA? Trump's minions revamping the Federal bureaucracy by making loyalty to Trump the main job qualification? Steve Bannon appointed to go through the Justice Department and the FBI to supposedly root out the "deep state" but in actuality intended to eliminate any oversight of the Executive Branch of the government by the Justice Department? Wealth and income inequality increasing with the passing of lopsided tax cuts which favor the rich? Ukraine being thrown to the wolves? The weakening of NATO? An even more right-wing judiciary being appointed? Regulations safeguarding the environment and worker safety being tossed to the wayside? The prospect of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare being phased out? Inflationary tariffs being imposed? An administration which thinks climate change is a hoax? None of the above bothers you? Still gloating? How about the hostile racial climate your non-native English speaking Thai wife or future Thai wife will encounter when the round ups and mass deportations begin? Or freezing of social security benefits for beneficiaries living abroad? Or other countries restricting visa availability and imposing taxation requirements for Americans in response to more restrictive American immigration policy?

Trump's economic plans are short-sighted and the post-election euphoria will quickly wear off. Yesterday's bounce in the markets was pretty much all because the Harris Walz plan to increase corporate tax rates will be shelved, thus increasing corporate profitability. But note that Treasury rates also shot up yesterday, increasing borrowing, mortgage and fiscal debt financing costs. I think it is safe to say the bond market is apprehensive about Trump. Trump's promise to cut taxes on social security may be music to the ears of the American senior citizens on this forum, but let's not overlook that this would accelerate the projected date Social security would be depleted. Undoubtably some are betting they won't be around when this happens and have a 'live for today' attitude, but the truth is that what this policy would do is unfairly burden future generations by either forcing taxes in the future to be raised to cover this shortfall, or having future entitlement programs severely cut back. Trump's policies of driving down inflation by increasing fossil fuel production, pulling out of climate treaties, and threatening to reverse the Green New Deal Act are all similarly short-sighted and fail to recognize that inflation drivers in the food and housing sectors are being driven by other factors besides fuel costs. Climate change is a big driver of food inflation because it has a major effect on farm yields as well as production costs, and while increasing fossil fuel production may reduce the price at the pump, over the long term it will increase climate related food and housing costs on a far more devastating scale. Regarding housing inflation, Trump's policies completely discount the effect climate change is having on housing costs. Sea level rise, forest fire, flood, and extreme weather events making more and more areas less habitable or the costs of adapting to living in these areas more and more expensive. From wildfires, ground water depletion, drought, hurricanes, flash floods, insurance costs or unavailability these events are becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore. Trump also ignores that a significant portion of migration pressures are climate related, preferring instead to demonize all migrants as criminals. Another factor driving housing inflation (not to mention homelessness) is corporate investment in the residential housing market, particularly single family homes, which is contributing significantly to the unaffordability of the housing market for lower and middle income families. A big driver behind this corporate push into the housing market is the wealth disparity which has been accelerated by Trump's personal income tax credits enacted during his first term. Regarding his tariff plans, I doubt these will ever be enacted, for the simple reason that they will be politically unpalatable due to their inflationary effect. In addition, if they ever were enacted, they would probably generate a tit-for-tat trade war which would throw the global economy into a severe recession, if not, a depression. The US dollar continues to enjoy reserve currency status, and the US has abused this status far beyond what is reasonable, but in a trade war scenario, you can't rule out that an all out trade war wouldn't result in foreign countries, in particular China, boycotting buying US debt, which would result in rates on US Treasuries and US borrowing costs to sky rocket, or throwing the US or global economy into a tailspin which would make 2008 look like a walk in the park. For all the bellyaching about how badly the economy is doing, at least on paper, in many ways Trump is inheriting an economy which is the envy of the world: low unemployment, a Fed in easing mode, a record high stock market. But beneath the surface there's an unsustainable debt and deficit problem which Trump appears to have no intention whatsoever of addressing. The truth is that much of America's financial resilience over the past couple of decades is a mirage because it has been financed by deficit spending for entitlement programs. When you look at how tax dollars are spent, you quickly see that either taxes will need to be raised or entitlement programs will have to be cut to solve this problem. Getting rid of the FDA, as RFK Jr apparently is suggesting, or gutting the DOJ or FBI as Steve Bannon is now suggesting, is not going to solve the problem. The question that has remained unanswered over the course of the last elections, and may well need to be addressed in the next four years is how will this imbalance be corrected. Will it be done in a humanistic or callous manner? I think Trump's working class supporters are going to soon be disabused of the notion that they will emerge unscathed from his 'I am your vengeance, I am your retribution' approach to problem solving, and I somberly agree with Walker88's assessment that they will live to regret their election choice.

This is not over yet. Hang tough and keep the faith.

At this late hour some anonymous keyboard warrior making emasculating comments about any man who doesn't vote for Trump isn't gonna cut it. If you feel so strongly about it, why not make a video showing us all what a manly man you are? Far more convincing and persuasive. Be sure to include close ups of your bulging biceps, ripped abs, and rock hard butt cheeks to titillate all us girlie men and latent homosexuals voting for Kamala Harris. Yeah, somehow I don't think I will be holding my breath.

Important reminder from US intelligence services that foreign adversaries will likely be sowing disinformation about election integrity in the weeks ahead. It's important that everyone stays calm in the weeks and months ahead. https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/joint-odni-fbi-and-cisa-statement-1

See, a kilo or two of mangosteen or sara fruit would probably have solved the loss of face problem. Turns it into a humble request instead of a demand coming from a control freak. People scoff at the suggestion of offering a gift to defuse the tension, but it works.

I'm convinced that this attitude is precisely the real reason why Hillary Clinton wasn't elected in 2016, and all the 'she's dishonest, Pizza gate, Benghazi nonsense was just a smoke screen for this type of Neanderthal misogynistic thinking. I'll give you credit though for having the guts to say out loud what so many others don't have the courage to say or admit to themselves. Germany, India, New Zealand and Australia, Scotland, England, and Pakistan, just to name the most prominent examples, have all had female heads of state. I think someone needs to crawl out of their cave and join the 21st century.

I question whether this is a historically accurate observation. Widespread unwillingness to accept election results is a relatively recent phenomena, and political assassinations, almost always committed by lone wolves, should not be generally attributed to the American people or culture. Regarding predictions of violence following tomorrow's election, I am sure you are not alone in feeling apprehensive. From the right, I think attacks on election infrastructure, mass shootings or a car bombing or two are most likely. From the left, there may be, as you predict, pockets of rioting in democratic strongholds. Longer term, the risk of political assassination is very elevated no matter who wins the election. If Trump wins, I predict you may see capital flight out of the US and surging interest rates, as foreign countries become more reluctant to hold US debt because (1) the US reputation as a beacon of democracy and a safe harbor for capital will be diminished; (2) fear of trade wars, (3) attempts by foreign countries to thwart tariffs by driving up borrowing costs for US debt with the goal of making tariffs politically unpalatable to American consumers, and (4) a collapse in confidence that the US government has the political will to manage its fiscal deficit and national debt.

Living outside of the US, this is the first time that I've seen a compilation of Democrat campaign ads, and I must say I was stunned by how good they were. I have been wondering what the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz campaign has been doing with all the money they've raised, and now I know. Very gratifying, and I now feel like the money I've donated has been put to good use.

If there's any attempts by Trump to declare victory prematurely, hyper-contest election results, replace electors with handpicked electors, foment another Jan 6th riot, etc., MAGA world needs to be put on notice that America's patience with these fascistic attempts to take over the government is threadbare and won't be tolerated. Trump supporters also need to be reminded that if any of the above occurs, Trump will be acting as a private citizen not as President, and there will be tremendous public support for prosecuting him for any election related crimes in 2024 as well as 2020. America is beyond ready to move on and move forward.

You need to lose the 'they're all a bunch of scum-sucking low-lifes' attitude and treat these episodes as welcome opportunities to sharpen your social intelligence and interpersonal skills.

I was not aware that November is a merit making month, but we are also right in the middle of the harvest season when farmers are most flush with cash and I know it's part of farming culture around the world to celebrate at harvest time.