jas007

How is it in Russia's best interest to kill off the men in one of its vassal states? What do they have then? A bunch of dependent females? There's no doubt that the Soviet Union was an "empire." Not unlike the US empire. That's the way it was and that's the way it continues to this day. Not unlike 30 year ago, when even then, they couldn't hold things together. What has changed? And yes, the war against Ukraine may weaken what remains of the Russian empire. What's your point?

For what it's worth, I've never heard of Gordon Chang, and I'm pretty sure I've never heard of the China Observer or China Insight. I know people in China, though.

And that's the tragedy. Many women think only about money. And yet life is unpredictable and the money can be gone in an instant. In the long run, it's a stupid thing to worry about. I agree, though. Money works wonders in the dating world. Try an experiment sometime. Find a rusty Ford Pinto and drive around the west side of LA. See what kind of girls seem interested in you, if any. The next day, try the same experiment with a new Porsche 911 Turbo. Night and day.

That's what some people think, but according to them, it will be about six weeks or so. Other people think it won't be so bad, but there will be shortages of some items. People are nuts. Did you ever hear about Strawberry Pop Tarts? Every time there's about to be a hurricane, people in the affected areas stock up on Strawberry Pop Tarts for some reason, according to Wal Mart. What's wrong with Blueberry Pop Tarts?

I don't follow the news, minute by minute. The deal almost finished is probably with Vietnam. They aren't stupid and know which side of their bread is buttered. Anyway, China is on the verge of collapse, despite what the propaganda machine wants you to think. A collapsed real estate market, bankrupt mortgage lenders, closing factories, a looming copper shortage, and a very restless middle class. I could go on. I'm comfortable with my prediction. A deal will happen, and life will go on. Trump won't walk away empty handed. Popcorn prices? That's from the US Midwest, right? If you're in the USA, there's probably no need to stock up on much of that. And it doesn't take up much room, in any event. Buy a few big jars of Orville Redenbecker popcorn and you're all set for the duration.

Back around the year 2000, I had a girlfriend from Japan, and that was her philosophy. She "liked kids," but she didn't want to be a mother. And I'm pretty sure that today, she's a childless old lady wishing she could go back and have a real life with a family.

Trump isn't losing the trade wars. But why argue about that? Just sit back and watch what happens.

Obama?

Who said anyone was bashing Trump? Trump isn't a lawyer, and he said so. Of course, he should follow the constitution. That's basic stuff. That's the source of his power. That's the controlling document. But currently, some lawyers are in disagreement about how to deal with certain issues when the matter is under appeal. If the lawyers can't agree, who is Trump to step into the middle of the fray? The litigation is ongoing.

I'm not sure what it would take, but I think you can open an account for free. Maybe you'd make some money, or maybe you'd make nothing.

I can understand Trump not wanting to broadcast memes about Stalin or Hitler. That really could be offensive to some people, and there's no upside. As for the Pope meme? That's so far over the top, no one will take it seriously. As for so-called "Catholic Leaders"? I'm pretty sure no one takes them seriously, either. Real Catholics understand the joke.

The thought never even crossed my mind, one way or the other. Who looks at avatars?

I think he was just avoiding the question. I don't think he was "trolling" anyone. In the final analysis, the constitution controls, but what that means is a loaded question. Trump sidestepped the issue.

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?