jas007

I've never been to Panama so I only know what is reported or what people have told me. Panama is usually not mainstream news, at least not in the USA. The only real news I've seen recently are stories about the now exorbitant transit costs for the canal. Maybe Trump knows something? He does seem concerned. Rightfully so, I think. Panama recognized the People’s Republic of China in 2017. China took advantage of the new relationship after Panama joined China's Belt and Road initiative in 2018, and various agreements and infrastructure projects followed. A strategic move by China, particularly in light of the strategically vital Panama Canal. The current Panamanian administration has cooled its relations with China, to an extent. Consequently, some Chinese projects or partnerships have been abandoned or stalled. With the return of the Trump administration and Trump's stated desire to re-acquire the canal, Panama may well re-think its relationship with China, given the current geopolitical tensions revolving around Taiwan. Maybe the US will simply take back the Canal Zone, one way or another? It wouldn't surprise me.

Well, they don't charge $7.50 a bottle for beer at the convenience stores, but I'm sure I've seen beer more expensive than that in restaurants, even in the Midwest, especially if it's some exotic brew. I haven't been in the USA in a few years, but I bought this six pack of Hawaiian craft beer back then for around $11.99. Three years later it probably costs even more.

It's easy enough to look up. I supposed I could have said "military presence." China is establishing a military presence through surveillance activities in Canada, military donations and investments in Panama, and infrastructure projects in Greenland—all of which raise significant geopolitical concerns for North America and its allies.

I guess I didn't/t know. So I looked it up and found this: in Australia, there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer. In Northern Australia, a Schooner typically contains 425 ml, or about 15 ounces, but in Southern Australia, the term “Schooner” usually refers to a smaller glass of 285 ml., or about 10 oz. This s called a “pot” or “middy” elsewhere in the country. Thus, while the standard schooner size is 425 ml in most of Australia, it can vary by region.

They may "never" be losers, but depending on the location and other factors, they can both stagnate or even drop in value for years. I'm sure you've seen that. Of course, stocks can do that too, but they sure are easier to dump at a moment's notice. I'm 73, and unless I somehow decide to return to the USA, I don't need a place there to live. I've thought about it, but spending even a few minutes looking at home prices there cures me of that idea. Property taxes can also be a big factor, as can homeowner's insurance. And any house will require maintenance. I'ver been there and done that. I could do it again, but for what reason? So, unless there's a massive real estate crash and I see some real opportunities, I'm probably out of that country for the duration.

Update: I took advantage of the morning panic and bought some TESLA for $387.15. We'll see. I'm sure I'll be OK long term.

There's your answer. "The monkeys have done a much better job..." In other words, why not ask for advice here? I'll listen to anything. You never know. The people who don't know too much:: Wall Street Analysts.

Just because I'm asking for suggestions doesn't mean I'm going to take that advice. It's just another angle. I'd be interested in seeing what other people are thinking. You never know. I was buying thousands of shares of Palantir in the $6 - $10 range, but if I told anyone, they would have labeled me as "crazy."

Have you ever pondered the returns of the Mag 7 over the lifetime of those stocks? Some people have a time horizon longer than four years. The gains are astronomical. I've had some of them since the inception. Not all, but some. Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. And every time I sold a little bit, it was a mistake. I used to trade Tesla, for the most part, but decided to buy a bigger chunk for the long term late in the game. Still, I'm up big time and may well buy more this morning. I can't lose, unless planet earth is destroyed, in which case it won't matter.

Where is the approval order from the Thai court? These things are fairly simple. There's a definite legal process, and that process must include some order of a Thai court. Where is it?

II think you've answered your own question: The United States and Thailand have a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in force, which was signed on March 19, 1986, and entered into force on June 10, 1993. This treaty facilitates cooperation between the two countries in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offenses. " It allows for the exchange of evidence and information, including the execution of requests for search and seizures, serving of documents, and transferring persons in custody for testimonial purposes." In other words, the US can request the execution of a request for seizure., but the. US court does not have jurisdiction, so a Thai court must finish the process. In this case, where is there Thai seizure order? Either there is something missing here, or the hotel was seized without legal process. on the assumption that there was no one with standing who could argue about it in court, except a criminal.

Well, when I cook, which isn't often, I have decided just to skip it. I use butter when I make eggs or steak, and that's about all I cook. Probably all for naught, as I also order food to be delivered and I also eat in restaurants,, so it might all be an exercise in futility.

Sure, but at the end of the day, there has to be an order from a Thai court. A US court cannot simply reach into Thailand and seize property. Thailand has apparently been reluctant to enter into any such agreement, and probably for good reason. Imagine the nonsense that could ensure if it were otherwise.

I'm sure the Trump transition team is throwing around all sorts of ideas, including ideas about to end the war in Ukraine. I wouldn't read too much into any proposal at this point.

I looked this up three or four years ago when I was advising someone in the USA. And at that time, there simply wasn't a mechanism. There were international treaties, but Thailand wasn't a signatory. Since then, Thailand has become a member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), joining on March 3, 2021, when it deposited its instrument of acceptance to the HCCH Statute, making it the 88th member. However, Thailand has not yet signed the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters, which was concluded in 2019, and I haven't been able to find anything about any exception for criminal matters. So, whatever happened here happened, but I think a piece of the puzzle is missing.

I'd also be interested. Does anyone have any "genius" stock picks for 2025? For the first half of 2024, I was only up about 38% YTD. Not bad by traditional standards, but I can do better if I pay attention. Anyway, during the second half of the year, some of my tech stocks went crazy and at the end of the year I was up 249% for the year, even after I sold off some of the Palantir that I thought was already overextended. Big mistake. I now have a tax bill and I missed out on some nice gains. At this point, I'm going to hold on to what I have, but I have extra money every month that I need to put somewhere., and it won't be in cash.

Like I said, something is missing. US courts do not have jurisdiction in Thailand. That's not to say the property couldn't be seized, but I'm sure Thailand must have a procedure for that. Where is it?

It does seem ridiculous at times. I remember going into the grocery store and trying to figure out what I could possibly buy that wasn't somehow supposedly bad for me. There isn't much there.

Either I'm going crazy, or there's something missing here. Was there not an order of some Thai court? Typically, there's a treaty that might control the international enforcement of court orders. The US court needs to obtain jurisdiction, and I'm not so sure that Thailand is a signatory of any existing treaty. In fact, Thailand has not signed the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters, which was concluded in 2019, and as far as I know, there is no current treaty that would specifically deal with seizures related to a criminal matter. So, where is the Thai court order?

Like the Neocons, the Deep State, the CIA, and the Military complex? Some people are questioning the link between the New Orleans incident and the explosive devices planted in the Tesla truck which blew up outside the Trump hotel and condo complex in Las Vegas. Anyway, the news networks were interviewing Louisiana Senator Kennedy in New Orleans after the blast and after he had talked to Homeland Security and some of the other government agencies. He was asked if New Orleans was now safe and whether other American cites might be in danger. He said something along the lines of "I know, but I won't say". Or "I can't say." To me, that sounds like he knows there's danger, but doesn't want to impede an ongoing investigation.

They say it goes beyond saturated fat: There are potential health effects, particularly inflammation. Production methods are also suspect. - Canola oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid that can cause inflammation associated with problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Also, linoleic acid can be converted into arachidonic acid in the body, potentially increasing inflammatory markers. -The production process often involves solvents like hexane which can lead to the formation of trans fats when the oil is partially hydrogenated. -Most commercially available canola oil is highly refined and genetically modified (GMO), raising s additional concerns.

Just my opinion, but if you dig deep into this, there may be more to it than meets the eye.

According to some, you shouldn't be using any type of seed oil. Use Ghee instead.

I just tried to look up how many ounces are in a Schooner in Australia. Apparently, there's no standard. Sometimes it's about 10 OZ, sometimes 15 OZ. Anyway, the typical America beer is 12 OZ, if you buy a bottle. So if those $12 are Australian dollars, why all the fuss? that sounds totally typical to me, as an American.

Sometimes, they take an expansive view of things when it suits their purposes. Seasonal fluctuations in milk production? I know nothing about the dairy business.