jas007

Consider the alternative.

I've thought abut that. But it usually isn't just the couch. It's everything in the place. The couch, the coffee table, the TV, the bed. I wouldn't want any of it. I've seen condos that were perfectly acceptable for the price, if only the landlord would remove all the furniture and artwork.

I sort of agree. Thailand has everything for the high quality tourist, but there aren't enough of them and people have other options. That kind of tourist can go anywhere in the world. Money isn't an obstacle. As for backpackers? Driving away backpackers really is counterproductive. Driving away those people doesn't automatically generate high quality tourists. In fact, the backpackers are part of Thailand's "charm."

Thanks, everyone, for the input. I guess I'm not totally crazy. I should start looking for unfurnished condos or townhouses. I don't mind the minimalist look. In fact, it's preferable. All I need is fiber internet, a nice bed, a computer desk and chair (I already have a chair) , a couch, a coffee table, a nice lounge chair, a table and chairs for meals, and a nice TV. And TVs are so incredibly cheap right now they're almost free. How much could all that possibly cost from Ikea? Kitchen junk I already have. I also have powered stereo speakers, TV speakers, and every kind of electronics you can imagine.

So, how is a continuing involvement in the war in the "best interest" of the US? You say that as if it's self evident. It's not. That's your boogeyman, not mine. Please explain. I really don't care what Ukraine does in its own self interest, so long as it doesn't require my tax dollars, half of which go down the drain for some sort of kickback scheme to corrupt politicians and the war machine. I just paid some taxes not too long ago, and it wasn't much fun. And let's not forget about the inflation that results when the USA borrows money it doesn't have to fund the continuing war and the continuing corruption schemes. And because of the way the world economy works, it isn't just the USA middle class that funds the nonsense. The USA inflation is primarily exported to the rest of the world, in case you didn't know that.

In a sense, the chatbots or whatever they're called aren't necessarily so smart. They're just a funnel for gibberish from the web. You end up with a "large language model" response. If you don't like the response, try framing the question in a different manner. It's funny how that works. The chatbots work best with non-controversial subjects. For example, ask the chatbot to analyze a math problem or explain the molecular composition of water. The answer will be the same, no matter how you ask the question. But ask about anything political or controversial, and you're likely to get a slanted response. Garbage in, garbage out. And on top of all that, who knows who's behind the algorithms? There's always that element to consider. Use these things for what they're worth, but don't expect 100% "truth."

Please explain why, without the boogeyman angle. If you know history, you must know that people have been fighting over that part of the world for centuries. What's different today? What's different, other than Ukraine wanting a continuing flow of money from the USA? That's understandable, from a financial/corruption angle, of course, but other than that, what's the reality? As for a straw man? I think you're the one who set up Russia as the boogeyman. I'm just looking for specifics.

I'm sort of thinking about moving to a bigger condo and to perhaps another location. I'd like a bigger condo, and a change of location might be interesting. Anyway, I keep seeing condos that have been "improved" by the owner. The owner seemed to think that enclosing the bed area with glass partition somehow constituted an improvement? Maybe I'm weird, but I can't think of an easier way to destroy a condo's aesthetics. Break up the available living area with a glass box around the bed. How much money could possibly be saved on the air conditioning bill?. My guess? Not enough. I'll pass. And some of the furniture in these places. What were they thinking? Imagine the most uncomfortable looking couch ever invented by a human being. Something you wouldn't want to sit on for more than two minutes. And yet some landlord bought that. Amazing. Again, the condo itself might be nice, but the furniture ruins the deal for me. I'll keep looking. Maybe I should start looking for unfurnished condos. Buying some furniture at Ikea can't possibly cost that much, and I'd get a livable space. Amortize the cost over a year or two and leave it when I leave.

For the purpose of discussion, let's assume Ukraine has the absolute right to act in its own best interest. Fine. I have no problem with that whatsoever. And how is Ukraine's best interest any business of the United States? Let me guess. You're going to tell me that if Putin isn't stopped now, he'll just keep on moving west until Russia eventually conquers all of Eastern Europe, all of Western Europe, and then moves on to the USA where he starts on the East Coast and eventually ends up in Los Angeles and San Francisco. And with a straight face you'll tell me that that's not too far fetched. A very convenient lie for the warmongers, no? A Boogeyman. Anything to sway public opinion and continue the flow of money to the military complex and to those profiting from the corruption. I don't buy it.

You must realize that the headline here is misleading. All Trump said was that he's not a lawyer. True. Some people think a constitutional crisis may be coming soon. It should be fun to watch. But yes, the courts have the final word, and I'm sure Trump has been so advised.

I'm not sure why it has to be an either/or proposition. Backpackers are backpackers and "high quality" tourists are "high quality" tourists. They inhabit different worlds, to be sure, but isn't there room for everyone? For example, in Bangkok, many backpackers seem to gravitate to Khao Song Road. There's plenty of budget accommodation in the area and everyone has fun. The "high quality" tourists are at the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental or some similar establishment. And I'm sure they have a good time as well. So, what's the problem? Everyone is happy.

At this point, it’s not a matter of what I “oppose” or what I “support.” Zelenskyy had his shot. Ukraine had its shot. And they had so much support that they had no problem whatsoever squandering half of that support by way of corruption.They still lost. To think otherwise is delusional. Russia is never giving back that territory it now occupies and is now part of Russia. . And I think you assume too much about Russia’s intentions. Several years ago, Russia was willing to end the war until Ukraine was persuaded by Boris Johnson to continue. At that time, all Russia wanted was a cessation of hostilities, a de-militarization/de-Nazification of Ukraine, and a buffer zone. And they were willing to stop with the territories already occupied and incorporated into Russia. And so today, I look at reality. I try not to live in the same fantasyland occupied by Zelenskyy. Ukraine can stop now, make a deal acceptable to Russia, and perhaps save what’s left of Ukraine. Or, they can continue with the Zelenskyy fantasy and perhaps lose it all. And in the process, how many more young men will die for no good reason?

I'm pretty sure I've seen it for sale along with all the other supplements. Next time I go, I'll look. A long time ago in the US, I tried some to see what happened, and I didn't notice any change one way or the other, so I usually don't even look for it.

I can't think of a better way for the Democrats to guarantee another election loss than to run Harris again. Of course, it isn't going to happen. The woman can't even hold an unscripted press conference and she would have to survive the primaries. They did their best to keep her away from the press during the last election cycle, but she screwed up even the softball interviews. Not presidential material. What's the alternative? Who knows, but we'll be lucky if we're around in 2028 to worry about it. People should perhaps spend their time worrying about WW III and the nutcase Neocons surrounding Trump. The most dangerous threat the human race has ever faced.

And what they may well find out is that NATO membership is not necessarily a guarantee of security under Article 5. It's not necessarily a binding guarantee. Moreover, NATO itself may dissolve over time. That's already taking place, to a degree, as not all NATO members are on the same page concerning Russia. That's probably a good thing. Nations should be able to act in their own best interest. Finland may be back to square one before too long.

Hopefully, the country will be around for a while and any decline will not be precipitous. The short term disruptions in the stock and bond markets are just that. Short term. The US dollar won't collapse anytime soon, so Trump has some leeway. I personally think he's screwing up with his latest war budget, but there's not much I can do about that. Stay away from America, perhaps. The inflation will be brutal for some people. Or should I say stagflation?

It's not so much the bars that can be dangerous, it's more likely the streets and the drunken idiots roaming around.

That's their prerogative, although I'm not sure they can pull that off. Maybe the spending should be curtailed, especially the war budget. Otherwise? Maybe not.

You just don't understand Trump. He's not being serious about the Pope thing. What he is doing is making fun of all the people who actually think otherwise .

It's not a problem confined to Thailand. In fact, I'm not so sure Thailand has a big problem in that regard. Thailand can all seem pretty safe, even late at night. I remember living in NYC in the mid 70s. A different situation, entirely. I spent a lot of time out late, but when I came home I took a cab and didn't linger around outside. But it was no big secret when the bars closed. All sorts of drunk idiots out and about making all sorts of noise. That was Greenwich Village. You'd have to be crazy to go out walking around at that time of nigh in that location. You'd be safer in Times Square, as crazy as that was back then.

Some people can't take a joke.

What happens to all the reruns? Tariffs every time one is shown in the US? Hollywood may be dying, but not necessarily because of movies filmed in foreign countries. There are other issues. For example, filmmakers may not like the union wages in Hollywood, so they make films in Texas. Still a "Hollywood" film, but filmed in Texas without all the Hollywood, CA expense.

I like MTG. Not necessarily for her beliefs but for her chutzpah. She isn't afraid to say what she thinks. She doesn't care who is offended. And in this case, I think she's right on the money. Trump is screwing up.

Whatever anyone thinks, there's not much doubt that it's like day and night. Two different realities, for all practical purposes. During the day? The people that are out and about are the people that have to be, other than the people at the beach for some sunshine or people that have business to do, like going to the bank or the grocery store. At night? People seemingly come out of the woodwork. The city is transformed. People everywhere, and there's magic in the air. Anything can happen. I like both. What are you looking for?

I didn't say it happened overnight. And the original poster didn't say that, either. He was discussing some people's perceptions about the Left and about Trump. You're the one who brought up the issue, as if the Trump supporters were all blaming the left for America's problems. I'm pretty sure they don't think the problems magically appeared over a three month period.