John Drake

Triads.

Would rather have Ruby Red Grapefruit.

Yes, that is what I did, too. Mine was put in my PO Box sometime last week; I retrieved it on Friday and sent it regular air mail.

And thought I saw in the news last week that Japan has just now raised the age of consent from 14 to 16

Uplift quality for the Chinese. What? Don't care about anybody else?

Exactly. The US Embassy allowed us to register and participate in a discussion with Social Security sometime last year. Can't remember when now. But my question was why can't they allow us to register and affirm online. Perhaps using My Social Security. It would be no more and no less safe than signing through the mail. The representative from SSA said they were planning on doing something like that. Don't know if we will all die first or not, however.

I'm ready to live with the 90 day. Just as long as they leave everything else alone. Once they start "reforming" immigration, who knows where they'll go.

Why stop at 60 years? There is also Korea and Tibet. And Xinjiang is much more of a conquest than a Chinese territory. The Qin conquered it in the 18th century. That's a century later than when the East India Company under Royal Patronage became a proxy for British expansion and conquest in India in the 17th century. Yet nobody thinks Britain still retains the rights to India. Uighurs are a subject and conquered people who should have the right to self determination.

Chinese on Chinese crime becoming a problem in Thailand. Wonder what the chances of blackmail schemes are at those Chinese only clubs and bars and other gray businesses. At least the purse snatcher was committing his crime in the open.

Biden had to make this statement, because the Blinken visit to China was such a disaster. Blinken was humiliated and the US made to look like a beggar searching for scraps. The reaction, especially in the region, was to reduce American influence. So this is Biden trying to regain some degree of leverage. In that regard, I think he did the right thing, although I think the craven attitude towards China over the past few months has done permanent damage that cannot be repaired until the US steps up and draws a line in the sand.

Some people it seems have made an emotional investment in the new government. But I too think we should wait and see--especially on immigration issues that might directly have an effect on us. By no means do I think some guy is a savior for Thailand simply because he's youngish, smiles a lot, and seems to edge towards the West. I remain concerned that China will continue to pull the strings, here. And that's not good for anybody, Thai or foreign. By all means give the new government a chance. But when it comes to immigration I just hope they keep their hands off and let it remain as is. No changes.

555

And this is why you have the triads rushing in to Thailand. Cut corners on visa issuances. And this is why we're all now being forced into facial recognition updates at our Thai banks. At least that is what one of my bank's managers said: multitudes of Chinese setting up grey business bank accounts through Thai third parties.

The Myanmar military is someone to compromise and talk with, yes?

Last year, I received SSA's Form 7162 around the middle of July. But in all previous years, I usually got it around the first or second week of June. So, I guess it's time to be on the lookout for this year's form. What is terrible is that it seems we just finally finished with all the delays, omissions, and missing forms from last year. This year, I intend to return it via regular airmail. Using registered mail apparently doesn't help and may, in fact, hinder SSA's reception of the return form. At least that was the feedback last year.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/03/21/boeing-737-crash-china/9453677002/