mfd101

As the ice melts across the whole of the Arctic and competition for newly-accessible resources hots up, I don't suppose the Russians - or indeed the Chinese - will be particularly sensitive to Greenlander or Danish wishes. The Norwegians are already in competition with the Russians over fishing round Svalbard. Some time over the next few years, choices will have to be made when the Usofans ask for extra territory & territorial rights for their big base in the north of Greenland. And it won't be just for listening & watching purposes.

I imagine the Canadians are watching all of this with interest too. They already have formerly-Russian Alaska on their north-west frontier. And now their north-east frontier is looking fragile, as well as their deep deep north ...

And in the deep deep south (Antarctica), Oz is also worried about non-agreed Chinese activity in nominally Australian territory.

51 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

While the age of consent is relevant to the crimes, if you really want to be SHOCKED look at this (age of consent by country):

 

http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/age-of-consent-by-country/

The age of consent in Australia at Federation in 1901 was 12. It still was in Spain into the 1990s ... Standards vary from one culture to another & over time, and what people are allowed to do is not the same as what people approve of.

As for the particular individual the subject of this thread, he's not a particularly nice guy or noted for his IQ (just ask any senior civil servant who's had dealings with him).

Meantime, we all wait breathlessly for the baht to fall ... No sign yet.

Oh, wait on! was that a movement I just detected? ...

9 minutes ago, pookondee said:

Australia and other nations have a lot more to worry about without meddling in others affairs. 

Australia is complicit (and following the US) in the task of totally eliminating the middle class and making everyone working debt slaves.

Poppycock. Oz is the country where EVERYONE thinks of themselves as 'middle class'. It is the ultimate in bourgeois egalitarianism - a one-class society.

Can't win.

And the little island countries have realized that they're looking just dandy, in a competition between rich ol' Oz and rich polite Middle Kingdom. Can't lose.

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Company security office foreign travel reporting trip policies and sw applications and email approvals and notifications I have to follow.  Other DOD Government foreign travel systems I have to use and report in  etc.  These are not state department hoops people have to jump through.  These are DOD Government travel things

And you cheerfully talk about that on this website? Obviously your security clearances are pretty high quality.

50 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You are by no means the first person to come to that conclusion.

Well that's reassuring, at least as to my judgment. ????

I must say, as a conservative elderly homosexual Antipodean, that if I didn't know he's English, I would think him as gay as a cartload of monkeys.

2 hours ago, Brigand said:

Erm no ... it's called meritocracy. Look it up. 

Ever heard of irony?

Merit principle? Oh, you mean 'make merit'?

Even a windsock can find a spine if it senses a shift in the breeze.

The one thing that follows from Prayut's 'clarification' is that the omission was indeed intended and, from his point of view, with good reason. So, in this country, oaths are important, even to oath breakers.

We await further developments.

39 minutes ago, Awinkl said:

On a recent Cruise I found several BIG Chinese Projects as far away as Mozambique & Cape Verde Islands - places that truly can't afford to pay back the Loans that China gave them to finance such projects - and yet, their younger Generations will be burdened with such debts throughout their Lifetime .... and beyond.

They're a long way away from China. Once the building's complete, just stop paying!

So with TW there are now 3 ways which together or in combination are about as good as it can get: (1) check the box for 'Funds for longterm stay in Thailand' (2) give them a ring (even if they say Don't bother) (3) if your funds allow, have another 65K฿ ready in case you need to do a 2nd transfer by Swift that month.

Given that my next renewal is in mid-October, I intend to do all 3 at least till then.

I also notice that Monito is pushing Skrill as a cheaper alternative to TW (midrate & no fees). Anyone who has used Skrill might let TV readers know of their experience ...

13 hours ago, Mavideol said:

China will keep denying anything and everything

That's why it's so difficult for the Big Fella in Beijing to make up his mind to move on HK. Would have disastrous effects on China's image. Not that he won't do it if pushed and pushed, but the cost would be enormous. As is the cost for him domestically if he doesn't.

5 minutes ago, giddyup said:

You're correct. I gave two members of my partners family nice watches as presents. Both dropped and smashed the watch glass within weeks, and of course it damaged the movements as well and neither had the money to fix.

Yes, I've wasted around AUD2000 on 4 sets of spectacles over the last 3 years. FIL & MIL - broken, uncomfortable, don't wear. B/F - doesn't wear. 10-year-old child with major sight difficulties - glasses bought after careful testing by opthalmologist at private hospital - broken/doesn't wear.

Rule of the House: No more glasses for anyone, no matter the need, other than me.

The wonders of first-past-the-post voting.

I visited Vietnam from Thailand (Oz citizen) for the first time in April.

I don't know what are the rules for the Irish visiting VN, but for me and my friends in Oz it was quite clear on the relevant VN government websites that (1) you have to apply in advance on the websites, with photo & p/p details etc, (2) await clearance email with letter to say you can go (3) submit letter to VN Immigration on arrival to receive visitor visa.

4 minutes ago, TCA said:

Document proof time is over and obviously they were allowed entry without them, so shouldn't be asked for them.

Shouldn't but were.