mfd101

Just Trump boasting as usual, and managing to shoot himself in the foot this time.

A matter that clearly outweighs all others.

No, voters don't get to vote for the Senate. Only would-be senators get to vote, for themselves.

Well, I'm generalizing from my personal experience here in south Surin. Many people have 'been to school' for 1 year or 3 or 4 or more, but learned nothing. I have a MIL 6 years older than me who signs documents with her thumb print, a PIL 3 years older than me who can sign his name ("Taught by the monks") and that's all, a BIL in his mid-40s who 'went to school' but is 100% illiterate, a SIL late 30s who's 'been to university' and is indeed literate (including for legal documents) but not a single book in the house for the children (just the mandatory mobile phones). My b/f (age 35) went to school for 1 year only (in between minding the buffalos) and can barely read more than 3 words at a time of Thai. In Canberra I sent him to technical college to learn to read English but he dropped out after 6 months. He speaks OK English to get by. My observation here is these mixed - but mostly negative - outcomes are common. The problem is in social attitudes ('Why bother?') and the appalling standards of rural schools. Some teachers OK at a low level, some (one female cousin) appalling and should be sacked for criminal negligence and inappropriate behaviours ... I suspect that all of this is common throughout rural Thailand. Until fixed, the nation as a whole cannot move forward.

When we first arrived back in TH and bought our first car here and settled in in Surin province I used to slow & stop for pedestrians crossing or wishing to cross. But my b/f would always shout at me: Don't stop! The cars behind will crash in to us! So now I'm extra alert but can't remember the last time I actually stopped for a pedestrian. Here in the land of poor peasants most of them are too savvy to use a pedestrian crossing and just run across anywhere where they can see the traffic clearly.

That works only if all potential rivals are doing the same thing.

The irony of current debates in Usofa is that what counts as 'Leftist' or 'extreme Left' in Usofa would be considered as rightwing or extreme right in just about every other democratic Western nation. In Oz for instance I'm a right-of-centre kind of person and I vote for the Liberal(!) Party, which alternates in government with the Labor Party. If I lived in Usofa I guess I would be voting for Bernie Sanders.

Well, that's the point of view of a Westerner (of whom I am one) for whom the US has been the main barrier for some 80 years to assorted dictatorships. But we mightn't have that view if we were Iraqis or Afghans or Cubans or Egyptians or Palestinians or Guatemalans or Chileans or Mexicans or ...

Wow! Of course, I hadn't thought of that. So that's alright then.

Trump camp under pressure.

I noticed that Michelle Obama in the phonecall called her 'kæmila (not ka'maala as I have been calling her). What does she call herself?

And quite a few decideds may change their decision ...

Yes. So far so good. Still plenty of room for stuffups, but that applies to Trump as well ... and as others have noted his clever choice of Vance at the beginning has turned (probably) into a disaster in different circumstances just after the beginning. Still much entertainment to be had over the next few weeks, and many cringe moments no doubt.

It may - probably will - take another 2 decades, by which time today's disillusioned youth will have become cautious parents & greedy careerists ...

It was the ALLIANCE of MFP & PT that had a majority of votes and (more important) of seats in the Lower House. It was not (unfortunately) MFP on its own.

For the umpteenth time (and sadly), they didn't 'win the election'. They won more votes (just) than any other party but did not win a majority of votes or of seats in the Lower House. To 'win an election' when there are multiple parties competing, you need 50% +1 of the votes and of the seats in the Lower House.

Bold move. Certain to fail.

I find it hard to believe that a grown man, standing at the back and HANGING ON, would be unable to withstand the centrifugal forces as the vehicle 'sped away'.

I'm looking forward to it. Will be a real test for both of them - Trump not good with a woman, Harris having to get down 'n dirty with real policy questions. Either of them could bomb real bad.

Take the train.

The EU's problem is that (as far as I can tell) all voting has to be unanimous or nothing moves. Which is hopeless. Surely you can invent a system where some types of issue (eg constitutional) need unanimous approval, others (eg defence & security) need 75% approval, others (eg major economic) need 66% and others (eg minor economic) need 51% .... etc etc.

Either one can make a big mistake. Would Trump ditching Vance help? Mmmm, maybe but not a good look all round. Makes Trump look vulnerable. And Trump not good with women ... will struggle to get the tone right in a debate. Can La Harris get thru the next few weeks without a big boo-boo? (A cackle in the wrong place, crumbling before a policy onslaught from a hostile interviewer, doesn't perform well in the grand debate if there is one ... ). So far she's looking really good and ticking all the boxes - younger, energetic, coloured, female etc. She now needs a state governor (younger white male) to balance out the platform and I think she's looking good for a win in November.

Yes, good stuff. Worth a read.

Fascinating. The effect of good science is that our ignorance increases at about the same rate as our knowledge.

In the Thailand context what I notice is - both here in south Surin and in Bangers - the skilled people you deal with (whether technical matters around the house, or medical or legal or other) - are disproportionately Thai Chinese and speaking good - often very good - English. And - particularly those around the house - they do a good job and don't cheat you. My b/f says: Always get Thai Chinese if you can. (He also says I remind him of Thai Chinese - always worrying about money. 🤓 )