Evil Penevil

Remember what the New Jersey wiseguys say:

I'm not continuing with any misconceptions. I'm trying to clear up your misconceptions. I'll leave it to the readers of this thread to decide for themselves which of us is beginning to look foolish. The conflict in Northern Ireland was a political and nationalistic struggle, not a war of religion. The Encyclopedia Britannica puts it this way: "The divide between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland had little to do with theological differences but instead was grounded in culture and politics." https://www.britannica.com/event/The-Troubles-Northern-Ireland-history/Civil-rights-activism-the-Battle-of-Bogside-and-the-arrival-of-the-British-army That seems to be the point you have a hard time grasping. The IRA didn't fight in the name of the Catholic Church or to spread Catholicism, anymore than the Protestant unionists and loyalists, the British army and Royal Ulster Constabulary fought in in the name of the Church of England or Presbyterian Church. The various IRA groups sought to end British rule in NI and reunify Ireland, while the Protestant opposition and British security forces were determined to keep NI in the U.K. That's vastly different from Muslim terrorists whom shout "Allahu Akbar" when they attack their victims; act in accordance with religious fatwas; and whose goal is an Islamic state under Sharia law or the re-establisment of the caliphate. I'll repeat what I wrote earlier; And on to: I know to what you are refering; the "white and pure" are claimed by one anonymous scholar to be grapes or maybe raisins! If that's true, then jihadis are awfully easy to please. They are willing to blow themselve up for a plate of grapes or a handful of raisins. That seems a very measly reward for an Islamic martyr, no matter how "white and pure" the grapes. I'll put a link to that theory about the meaning of houri at the end of this post. Let's just say it's not accepted by most Muslim and non-Muslim scholars. But the exact definition of houri according to a professor-type is largely irrelevant. It what the terrorits themselves believe and they are all in favor of the celestial virgins. They are motivated to commit terrorist acts by the promise of heavenly rewards for Islamic martyrs. I will, however, educate @youreavinalaff on the mainstream meaning of houri. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Houri, in Islām, a beautiful maiden who awaits the devout Muslim in paradise. The Arabic word ḥawrāʾ signifies the contrast of the clear white of the eye to the blackness of the iris. There are numerous references to the houri in the Qurʾān describing them as “purified wives” and “spotless virgins.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/houri I could give many other sources as well, but why bother? Here's the grape theory: "In The Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran, a 2007 book by "Christoph Luxenberg" (pseudonym of unknown author), the promise of houris is interpreted to relate to pure white grapes or raisins, not virgins, reflecting contemporary expectations of life in paradise in Syriac Christianity." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houri I'm not going into detail, but this is a very controversial theory. Ask yourself, which is more likely, maidens or raisins as a reward for devout Muslims?

NO, I am definitely NOT saying that. The legal status of prostitution in Thailand is very much a gray area and is open to interpretation, depending on the circumstances. The language used in some relevant Thai laws is vague, so there's a possibility of "issues" even when the person providing sexual services is well above the minimum age. What is crystal clear under Thai law is that it's always illegal, no matter what the circumstances, to pay for sex with a person under 18 years of age. That's what I said in the post you quoted.

I'm not misguided at all. I've never seen any suggestion that the IRA acted in the name of the Pope or Catholic Church. With all its "splits," the IRA was basically a secular left-wing organization. Some groups were straight-up Marxist and anti-religion. Perhaps you can enlighten me. Which IRA attack or campaign was made in the name of Catholicism? It's not a mistranslation. The Arabic term is houri (أحور), which is usually translated as "heavenly virgin," but other words like maiden, celestial wife, companion, etc. are also used. Houris are promised in the Quran to Muslim males in Paradise, but the number 72 comes from a hadith, or saying of the Prophet Mohammad. "The basis of this particular reward, with the number 72, is a hadith narrated in the Sunan of Imam Tirmidhi, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “The martyr has six unique traits: he is forgiven immediately; he sees his seat in Paradise and he is saved from the punishment of the grave; he is granted safety from the great terror [of the Day of Judgment]; a crown of honor is placed upon his head, a ruby of which is better than this life and all it contains; he is married to 72 maidens of Paradise; and he is allowed to intercede for 70 relatives.” The quote comes from a Muslim Web site. https://islamqa.org/hanafi/seekersguidance-hanafi/31643/72-virgins-for-martyrs-making-sense-of-one-of-the-rewards-of-paradise/ While some Western professors argue about the meaning of houri, there's no doubt many Muslims believe it deeply, as evidenced by this video from Palestine.

I hope the answer is "None," but I wasn't referring to this thread specifically. AN and its predecessor have never had a big problem in that direction. On other boards, Web sites, Facebook groups, chatrooms, etc. there have been dozens through the years. That why it's so important to warn people in clear language. Look at the title of this thread: Whats the legal age of consent in Thailand. Its confusing. I'd say at least the OP in this thread is uncertain about the rules. Even on AN, questions about the age of consent come up with regularly. I'll add a screenshot of some of the results that turn up when you do a search for "age of consent" in the title. The only point that needs to be made is that it's always illegal in Thailand to pay for sex with a girl under 18.

The difference is the IRA didn't commit terrorist attacks in the name of the Pope or Catholic Church, nor did McVeigh or U.S. urban gang members invoke Martin Luther or Protestant denominations. Muslim terrorists proclaim they attack in the name of Mohammad and Islam. Virtually all Muslim terrorists, suicide bombers in paticular, are deeply observant Muslims. Don't forget Muslim martyrs are guaranteed entrance to Paradise and 72 virgins. No other religion promises heavenly rewards to those who kill in its name. Religion is the motivation for Muslim terrorism, whereas terrorist attacks or other violence by people who are considered Christian occurs for reasons other than religion.

Threads about the age of consent are common to all boards dealing with Thailand. It's disturbing how many posters are desperately seeking a legal loophole that will allow them to pay for sex with a girl undwr 18. There are NO such loopholes. Anyone who says different is deliberately spreading false information.

Israeli officials made some huge mistakes regarding warnings from the U.S., Egypt and Israel's own intelligence officers. Top-level military and civilian leaders didn't believe Hamas had the capability to launch the type of attack it did. Moreover, they felt Hamas would be deterred from such an attack because of the massive deadly response it would provoke from Israel. They also felt the border surveillance system would give them more warning than it did and they would have time to move in reinforcements.. Those assumptions proved very wrong and 1,200 Israelis and foreigners died as a result, with several hundred more taken hostage. For their part, Hamas' leaders didn't believe the response would be as devastating as it was. They may also have believed Iran and Hezbollah would launch more effective attacks on Israel or that the UN and pro-Palestinian countries would be able through diplomatic actions to blunt Israel's response.

It's not a lie. I bolded the text in some sentences in the following quotes. From the French Agency AFP, reposted by Barron's on October 21, 2024: "Several humanitarian officials told AFP on condition of anonymity that almost half of the aid that enters Gaza is being looted, especially basic supplies." https://www.barrons.com/news/how-much-aid-is-getting-into-gaza-91677abe From an earlier article by the BBC: "They [humanitarian agencies] blame growing lawlessness for making it too dangerous to pick up and move goods. "'The looting has become quite profound,' says Georgios Petropoulos, head of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza. He estimates that last Tuesday, three-quarters of the goods on board lorries entering from the crossing were stolen. "UN officials say the vehicles are systematically attacked and stopped by armed gangs, particularly those smuggling cigarettes, which are sold on the black market in Gaza for exorbitant amounts. Lorries bringing fuel into Gaza have also recently been targeted." https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv22ymmp46ro The above BBC article describes how some Palestinians loot the aid trucks and how some supplies end upmup being sold in market stalls. An article from the U.S. NPR (National Public Radio): "Muhannad Hadi, who oversees the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza and the West Bank, visited the Gaza side of the crossing last week and his office put out a bleak description. "'Mr. Hadi witnessed the consequences of the breakdown in public order and safety as he entered and exited the Kerem Shalom crossing,' the U.N. relief agency said in a statement. 'He saw groups of men with sticks waiting for trucks to leave the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. All trucks he passed were badly damaged, with broken windshields, mirrors and hoods.'" https://www.npr.org/2024/07/15/nx-s1-5035998/gaza-israel-food-aid-piling-up-not-reaching-those-in-need You may not have seen it, but plenty of proof exists. I 'll begin with a statement by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack. "She also recalled the conclusions of her mission to Israel earlier this year, that conflict-related sexual violence including rape and gang rape, was committed during the 7 October attacks in multiple locations across the Gaza periphery; and subsequently against hostages during their captivity. She also recalled having reasonable grounds to believe that such violence against hostages may still be ongoing. Special Representative Patten expresses her continued concerns about the plight of hostages still in captivity in Gaza and reiterates her call for their immediate, safe and unconditional release." https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/press-release/a-year-after-the-7-october-attacks-un-special-representative-of-the-secretary-general-on-sexual-violence-in-conflict-ms-pramila-patten-remembers-the-victims-of-the-attacks-and-reiterates-her-call/ Some of the most compelling proof has already been posted on AN. It concerns the murder of Shani Louk and the parading of her half-naked body through Gaza on the back of a pick-up truck. https://aseannow.com/topic/1339779-documentary-explores-war-crimes-being-posted-on-social-media/page/2/ This Web site has both eye-witness testimony and video evidence. https://www.hamas-massacre.net/categories/mass-rapes From the BBC: Israel Gaza: Hamas raped and mutilated women on 7 October, BBC hears https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67629181 "The BBC has seen and heard evidence of rape, sexual violence and mutilation of women during the 7 October Hamas attacks." "Videos of naked and bloodied women filmed by Hamas on the day of the attack, and photographs of bodies taken at the sites afterwards, suggest that women were sexually targeted by their attackers." "Few victims are thought to have survived to tell their own stories." A similar article from CNN: What we know about rape and sexual violence inflicted by Hamas during its terror attack on Israel One of the most extensive accounts comes from Haaretz. An excerpt: "There are at least 15 survivors from the Nova music festival, where more than 360 people were murdered, who were witnesses to acts of individual rape and gang rape at different places on the grounds of the party, near Kibbutz Re'im. Five have already spoken about what they saw in the media." https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-04-18/ty-article-magazine/witnesses-confessions-naked-dead-bodies-all-the-evidence-of-hamas-rape-on-oct-7/0000018e-f114-d92e-abfe-f77f7e3f0000 What more evidence could anyone ask for?

To give more detail from The Wall Street Journal article: Israel Offered Hamas Leaders Safe Passage Out of Gaza for Hostages’ Freedom In a meeting with Egyptian officials this past week, Israel’s spy chief and top cease-fire negotiator David Barnea made a new offer to break the impasse with Hamas. Leaders of the U.S.-designated terrorist group would have safe passage to another country in exchange for laying down their arms and releasing the hostages, Arab mediators said. It was an idea with echoes of Israel’s 1982 war in Lebanon, when Yasser Arafat and fellow Palestinian militants were allowed to leave Beirut for Tunisia. But Hamas rejected the idea, Arab mediators said. Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s top cease-fire negotiator, said the offer showed how Israel was still misreading the group and warned it could continue fighting for months, if not years, the mediators said. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/u-s-israel-to-join-new-talks-for-short-term-gaza-cease-fire/ar-AA1sUTGV

Forget all the discussions about the age of consent in Thailand. They aren't relevant when it comes to prostitution. . The Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996) in Section 8 makes it illegal to pay for sex with any person under the age of 18. Penalties are even tougher if they are under 15. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228033956/http://www.thailaws.com/ Moreover, virtually all Western countries claim extraterritoriality when it comes to prostitution with under*ge partners. That means yiu can be prosecuted for acts committed abroad. Even if a foreigner is able to escape prison in some countries by large contributions toward the drink that invigorates but does not inebriate, he can still get a heavy sentence when he returns home. Thinks of it this way, gentlemen: there's no country in the world where it is legal to pay for sex with a partner under 18. End off story.

Terminal 21 in Pattaya is offering a Halloween-themed street-food festival. Even though Halloween is a multi-billion retail event in the U.S., I have never heard of a U.S. mall going to such lengths. And this is something that is clearly aimed at Thai consumers, not farang tourists. 464616920_561225166400485_3857307125916592295_n.mp4

I'm glad the media is beginning to look into BLM's finances. The question is why it has taken so long and still no major outlet like the The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal has tackld it. It's even more amazing the government has done very little to trace that 90 million dollars. If a small shop owner can't account for a few hundred dollars, the IRS hits him like a steam roller. But the leaders of BLM have failed to account for tens of millions in donations. Black Lives Matter Global circling the drain as it runs out of cash: report

Your own souce, The Observer opinion piece hosted online by The Guardian, gives the following possible explanations for the report of a gunshot wound to the head: "In an interview with The New York Times, Kugel did not speculate on who fired the fatal shot, whether it was during a skirmish with Israeli soldiers before the tank round was fired, or after he was found in the rubble of the building, or by Sinwar himself so as not to be taken alive." Also, The Guardian has an analysis piece which gives the opposite opinion of the consequences of Sinwar's death: Upbeat Hamas rhetoric over Sinwar cannot obscure Israel’s damage to it It states: "Hamas is seeking to frame death of its leader as a victory, but Islamist group’s 17-year hold in Gaza is gravely weakened."

It's not surprising Tate would regard Sinwar as a hero. He's been posting antisemitic stuff about Jewish conspiracies for awhile now. Tate has painted himself into the stupidest corner of antisemitism- Holocust denial. Like the infamous Nate Cooper, Tate doesn't think the Nazis were such bad guys and may not have been responsible for WW Two. He considers the Holocaust to have been a hoax by the Jews to justify the creation of Israel. The worst thing is Tate has a lot of influence on teenage and pre-teen boys. They think it's cool to treat girls the way they imagine he does. It would be tragic if these boys find their way to antisemitism through Tate.

It was originally a Celtic holiday that was Christianized and almost disappeared, but bits and pieces of it survived in towns and villages in England, Scotland and Ireland. Immigrants brought their local traditions to North America and Halloween eventually took the modern commercialized form we see today. Most of the "icons" we associate with Halloween, such jack-o'-lanterns, witches, black cats, scary masks and even trick-or-treating have their origins in Irish or Scottish traditions. Jack-o'-lanterns were originally carved from turnips or beets. The pumpkin was a North American vegetable and immigrants discovered it was far better suited for carving than turnips. Halloween is an excuse to have a party and that's a valid reason anywhere in the world. A lot of people enjoy drssing up and partying, that's why Halloween has spead to so many countries.

"Sinwar, deeply concerned for his safety, has reportedly been hiding among displaced Palestinians in Gaza, dressed as a woman to avoid detection." https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-afraid-and-is-hiding-among-palestinians-dressed-as-a-woman/articleshow/112811908.cms?from=mdr

Oct. 7 will certainly be remembered forever, but as a day of infamy that rivals 9/11 in its monstrosity. More Jews were murdered on Oct. 7 than on any day since the Holocaust. Something is very wrong when Hamas and its supporters/apologists use the Holocaust as the benchmark for Palestinian "resistance." @Danny Australia Do you think the killing of 39 Thai agricultural workers, as well as Filipinos, Nepalese and even a Tanzanian student is something Palestinians should be proud about?

This is a screenshot from Plan 9 from Outer Space, widely considered to be the worst Hollywood film ever made. It was directed by the legendary Ed Wood. It's become a cult classic among film connoisseurs who feel the movie is so unintentionally funny it doesn't deserve to be called the all-time worst. Pictured in the photo are Vampira (Maila Nurmi), the first TV horror show host, and Tor Johnson, a Swedish profesional wrestler and sometimes actor.

It would be the first time the Yankees and Dodgers have met in a World Series since 1981. The Yanks played the Mets in 2000 in a Subway Series. Either way, it's a classic match-up.

Time to update an old joke originally told about Osama bin Laden. When Yahya Sinwar was killed by the IDF, he was met at the Gates of Paradise by George Washington, who s[unched him in the nose and yelled, "How dare you murder and take hostage citizens of the nation I helped found!" Patrick Henry approached, struck Sinwar in the face and shouted, "You wanted to destroy Israel but you failed." James Madison followed, kicked him in the groin and said, "You're the reason why a common defense is important to any country!" Thomas Jefferson was next, beat Sinwar with a long cane and snarled, "It was evil men like you who inspired me to write the Declaration of Independence." The beatings and thrashings continued as more than 65 other early American patriots and heros unleashed their anger on the terrorist leader. As Sinwar lay outside the Gates if Paradise, he moaned, "This is not what I expected! This is not what was promised Muslim martyrs." Suddenly the Archangel Gabriel appeared and said, " What are you whining about? I told Mohammad there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you guys in Paradise."

He got his wish.

"I don't pay her for sex; I pay her to leave in the morning." That quote, or a variation of it, has been attributed in recent years to Charlie Sheen. I heard it a long time ago attributed to Jack Nicholson. Even earlier, Clark Gable was given credit for it. There have been numerous others as well. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/01/15/pay/' To put the quote in a Thai context, some background is needed. When the U.S. began deploying aircraft and Air Force personnel to Don Muang Airport in Bangkok in 1961, some hotels offered Sunday "tea dances" (!) where U.S. military could meet Thai women. These dances were very staid affairs, with the Thai women dressed in their best clothes and on their best behavior. Most were not professional prostitutes, but good girls who wanted a U.S. husband. They were looking for a relationship, not money for sex. The informal "rules" that developed for encounters between U.S military personnel and Thai women dictated that if the man accepted a woman as a girlfriend, he would support her "Asian style," including some money for her family. However, if he didn't want to see her beyond the first night, he would discretely slip her some cash, placing it under her clothes or purse without explanation. That fed into the illusion she was not a prostitute. The "custom" of paying the girl after the act rather than before held as the bar scene took over from tea dances () when thousands of U.S. military were stationed in Thailand and tens of thousands visited Bangkok on week-long R & R trips during the Viet Nam War. That's why it's still customary today for men who find girls in farang-orieted bars in Thailand to pay after the fact. Thailand is one of the very few places in the world where you can take a girl home and pay her the morning after.

It's important to remember Sinwar was captured by Israel in 1988 and sentenced to four life imprisonments in 1989. He was released in 2011 as part of the exchange of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. After their release, Sinwar and other fotmer prisoners were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israelis, including those on Oct. 7. https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-sinwar-leader-2963dbc6e8ef040a00e588488cba33e7 That's what makes the swap of hostages so difficult for Israel. The hostages lives will be saved, but hundreds will die in the future because vicious terrorists sworn to destroy Israel and its citizens have been set free.