candide

From the article: "After the Jan. 6 attack, executives from the Trump campaign said they might ask for a refund on Berkeley’s work. The demand was sent by email, people familiar with the matter said." ????

As often when sources are not cited, It's not true! https://www.cbsnews.com/news/illegal-immigrants-us-jobs-economy-farm-workers-taxes/ Additionally, unemployment is low in the U.S. and It's not obvious at all that enough unemployed people would be able to take over these jobs, even better paid, because they don't want to move from their hometown, because they are not physically apt or hard-working enough, or simply are not reliable enough for any job. It is also not likely that customers (US or export) are willing to pay higher prices because of higher wages.

Well, there are two issues with this scenario: - the first one is that PT may not accept it, for reasons already evoked by other posters. - the second is that a PT-led government is still a nightmare for the establishment, as well as a big loss of face. On top of it, there is no guarantee that Thaksin, after being cleared of charges, would remain quiet and will not start challenging the establishment again. On top of it, in case of new elections, there is no guarantee that the result will be better for the establishment. Actually, it would likely be worse and the current alliance (whatever the leading party, PT or the new MF with another name) may well this time get 2/3 of seats.

Of course, Trump is not happy! ???? "HOW CAN DOJ POSSIBLY CHARGE ME, WHO DID NOTHING WRONG, WHEN NO OTHER PRESIDENT’S WERE CHARGED, WHEN JOE BIDEN WON’T BE CHARGED FOR ANYTHING, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT HE HAS 1,850 BOXES, MUCH OF IT CLASSIFIED, AND SOME DATING BACK TO HIS SENATE DAY WHEN EVEN DEMOCRAT SENATORS ARE SHOCKED. ALSO, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD DOCUMENTS, AND WON IN COURT. CROOKED HILLARY DELETED 33,000 EMAILS, MANY CLASSIFIED, AND WASN’T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING CHARGED! ONLY TRUMP - THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!" Quote linked in the following article: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-asks-can-doj-charge-lawyers-meet-feds-rcna87770

The current situation is a headache for the establishment: - no government alternative if they dissolve MF. They cannot play again what they did in 2008 with BJT in order to put Abhisit into power. The only way would be an alliance with Thaksin, which is surely not what the establishment would have dreamed of. The fox in the hen house. - no one to hand them flowers any more in Bangkok, - no easy way to counter protests. The people who would protest in Bangkok are the children of the few remaining supporters of the establishment (the remains of the ones who supported Suthep and the coups). They simply cannot fire at them - There are de facto two armies. The one in Bangkok is directly under royal command, and the other outside Bangkok is under the army chief and the generals. Do people usually support other people who have not been historically so supportive?

However, the term blue collar may be misleading, in relation to your explanation. A TV repairman is not in competition with foreign workers, although he's classified as blue collar. There are only 11 million people employed in manufacturing (incl. Non -blue collars). So it is only a partial explanation for the MAGA phenomenon. I think It's about power. Trump gave dome people, who have no power and influence in their lives, the feeling that they had some power. Even if often, this power is only negative (constraining others).

A kind of grooming...

Crickets... It seems that this POV was not only prejudiced, but also that seeing guys with their butt cheeks hanging out of leather s&m outfits is mainly a rare and non-reccuring event.

Hide the priest!

During a short period of time only (UK is the black line). https://tradingeconomics.com/european-union/food-inflation

I took the most recent figures from your link, in the column called "last". Now, if you think that it is relevant to compare UK to Latvia, Hungary or Serbia, well, It's your choice! BTW, as you stressed yourself, food inflation rates have decreased in the EU compared to previous month, while in UK it remained more or less the same (from 19.1% to 19%).

Of course, if you compare with Latvia, etc... ???? Take out Eastern European countries and Turkey, UK food inflation is higher than any other countries Uk: 19% EU: 16.41% Eurozone: 15%

The invasion of Ukraine increased the global inflation which had already started post-Covid, in particular energy prices and prices of agricultural products such as cereals on the global market. As you perfectly know.

Are you claiming that Trump was the cause of low global gas price, and not the state of supply and demand on the global market?

Additional comment In the 1997 constitution, the Senate had more power and was elected, so there could have been some indirect influence if elected Senators had the same political orientation as the government.

Certainly not the government! As a general principle in Thailand, elected people have little power on appointed people who mainly appoint each other. It may vary according to the Constitution and the type of court. The basic principle is that they are selected by a panel or committee, in which appointed people have a large majority of votes. For high courts, the Senate may have some approval power. Ex "Under Section 36 of the Regulation of the Judicial Service Act B.E. 2543 (AD 2000), the Judicial Service Commission shall consist of: (1) the President of the Supreme Court, as chairman; (2) 12 qualified members of all levels of Courts, four persons from each level (i.e., the Supreme Court, the Appeal Court and the Court of First Instance); and (3) 2 qualified members who are not and were not judicial officials and who are elected by the Senate." http://thailawforum.com/articles/charununlegal4.html

Exactly. Like this bikini parade exposing quasi-nude women and even kids! https://www.al.com/gulf-coast/2012/03/video_panama_city_beach_sets_b.html

What was wrong about these deals? Did the Chinese partners got a 'favour' from the US government? On top of it, as I wrote in another post, the amounts are ridiculously low for corrupting the WH. From the BBC news article: "Hunter Biden’s spokesman, George Mesires, told NBC News that Hunter Biden wasn’t initially an “owner” of the company and has never gotten paid for serving on the board. He said Hunter Biden didn’t acquire an equity interest in the fund until 2017, after his father had left office. And when he did, he put in only about $420,000 — a 10 percent interest. That puts the total capitalization of the fund at the time at about $4.2 million — a far cry from the $1.5 billion that Trump has alleged."

And the GOP failed to notice that they also vote.

Since when is it illegal or even suspect to receive money and do from foreign entities and make business with them, including from China? On top of it, the amounts considered are ridiculously low. For you or me, it seems to be a lot, but for consulting firms, It's peanuts. On top of it, a few miserable millions are not even worth getting corrupt at this level. Look what Jared got: billions! That would be a more reasonable amount at the WH level

I looked on Google and there are several of occurrences of girls raped in 'normal' toilets in the UK.

Thaksin was a crook, we know that. However, he wasn't more crooked than the others by Thai standards, and it's not the reason why he was ousted. He was ousted because he threatened the dominance of the (just as crooked, if not more) yellow-green network. The main merit I attribute to Thaksin is that he opened the Pandora's box of democracy. He has shown average people that their vote counted. He has shown the citizen that they had power. He told them that the bureaucracy was paid by their taxes, and that they should be at the service of the people, and not the opposite (the bureaucracy never forgave him for telling this). Actually, there probably could not have been a MF victory now, if Thaksin had not opened the Pandora's box before.

Sometimes there is a blip and Trump says something which makes sense.

I don't know if he's working as little as you are claiming, but in case there is some element of truth in your claim, It's not the only standard. It also depends on how efficient his working time is. Biden is experienced in all possible subjects, he doesn't need to be explained things during long hours, he is rational, he knows how to select his staff and how to delegate tasks to them. Fact is that Biden is getting things done.

Right! And he grotesquely calls that 'executive time'! ???? Oops! It's a confusion, sorry!