Purdey

No one could argue that the Thai language is important for Thai people. But for some reason, whenever I ask young people which subject they disliked most at school, the answer is usually Thai (and also English). Partly it is the teaching method. Most kids hate ancient Thai poetry (I was asked to translate some of the poem Lilit Talaeng Pai and no Thai teachers could help with the really old vocabulary) but they have to learn it as part of their culture. As they should. However, most Thai literature is in poetic form.

For a start, this is an opinion piece with no indication Trump will implement any of it or even read it. I do remember he was in favor of letting Russia keep some Ukrainian territory. He might change his mind of course. I remember that Johnson was strongly criticized by his own party when he maneuvered to pass additional military aid to Ukraine. "The White House" has no strategy for victory. The White House is not the government of the Ukraine. It can only advise. I guess they mean no outside party can influence Ukraine and that is probably correct As for the suggestions: "Unleash America’s energy potential." The only way to achieve this means drilling in virgin Arctic areas and creating more oil drilling on land that is damaging the environment. Fine... Why would 'rebuilding ties with Saudi Arabia and Israel" work against Iran? Ties are already reasonably good with major Arab states but they haven't worked against any enemy state. China and India will persist in purchasing crude oil from Russia to meet domestic demand and refine it into petroleum products for sale, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE have no hesitation in buying Russian oil for resale, profiting from the pricing gap. I don't see it will stabilize the Middle East, or help squeeze Russia out of global energy markets. That was supposed to have happened already. "Impose real sanctions on Russia." Yet sanctions haven't worked because some countries want or need to do business with Russia (China and India etc). "Bulk up America’s defense industry." This would mean diverting funds to the military and cutting funds for infrastructure (and the wall I guess), education, healthcare etc. "We can’t allow China to match and surpass the U.S." America is a capitalist country based on competition. So... The famous lend-lease with the UK WW2 got it into so much debt that it wasn't paid off until the 70s - but America wrote off the debt from Russia. "This is how we helped Britain in World War II before Pearl Harbor." A joke. (https://it.usembassy.gov/america-sent-gear-to-the-ussr-to-help-win-world-war-ii/#:~:text=From%201941%20through%201945%2C%20the,and%20services%20to%20the%20Soviets.) " Lift all restrictions on the type of weapons Ukraine can obtain and use." If you show Russia this statement what do you think it will do? "Ukraine rebuilds with reparations from Russia’s frozen central-bank reserves, not U.S. taxpayer dollars." One can imagine Putin's reaction. Reparations by Germany after WW1 led to WW2. "Ukraine joins NATO as soon as possible." Why would Russia want its Western enemies so close? Putin already said no. How did America feel about Russia in Cuba? "If Russia complies with these terms." Sounds like Russian lost a war and had terms dictated to it. "Mr. Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan look like a success in comparison." It was Trump's agreement with The Afghans that forced the withdrawal. "The complexities of the Ukraine-Russia conflict," Shows they understand but think their strategy, that they have made public, will work.

I thought there was a Tory government in May? The Telegraph - the Tory rag with no memory.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/092915/5-countries-produce-most-carbon-dioxide-co2.asp#:~:text=China tops the list of,its gasoline-fueled transportation industry. https://www.worldometers.info/co2-emissions/co2-emissions-by-country/ https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/remotesensing.0006#:~:text=After a long history of,the early 2000s [6]. https://brushclub.us/blogs/green-living-blog/top-5-countries-with-the-highest-level-of-reforestation Lots more....

Soup will not permanently damage an oil painting https://fineart-restoration.co.uk/news/can-soup-damage-a-painting/ Mary Raleigh Richardson's slashing of a Velasquez painting in 1910 was probably equally shocking to elderly ASEAN Now members at the time but several protestor actions eventually led to women getting the vote.

Wouldn't postponing the presidential debate until she has been formally recognized actually be better for Harris? The closer to the election, the easier to remember what was said after all.

Well he failed, so no virgins for him.

Dozy Don's people said that "he would prefer a more sympathetic conservative broadcaster like Fox News" But Fox admitted in court that it is an entertainment company - not a news company - and people should not believe it. Without credibility, Fox should not be chosen. Looking forward to the debate though.

Many years ago I saw a diagram showing the Democratic Party was to the right of the British Conservative party. In other words, the Democratic Party is not inclined toward Socialism as a political policy. It is therefore unlikely that Ms. Harris will introduce socialism, come for your guns or introduce universal healthcare soon.

China is the largest air polluter but it also has the fastest rate of registration. That is it is growing back forests that will help absorb CO2. This is not in itself going to solve climate change but as others have mentioned, we may not be able to afford to clean the environment the way things are going.

The key phrase would be that something will be left to "the discretion of the officer". If that phrase exists then the law has no meaning.

After decades of lending things to Thais I now no longer lend anything. Sometimes I will give and say I don't want it back. Sometimes I say I don't lend things at all. Makes you feel more comfortable.

Seems pretty aware still.

Heating up the Earth will change how things work. Changes to global ocean and air currents will have a drastic effect on birds and fish. in around 2017, when a certain moron said, “In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming..." he was asking for a demonstration by nature of its ability to hurt humanity. No one understood that the number of forest fires would increase to kill more wildlife and homes, or that hurricanes and typhoons would wreak more havoc on lives.

The GOP has already a lot of racist ideas and Harris is going to receive a lot of flak for being a woman and being coloured.

The government wants local people to visit tourist areas, but why should they off they are going to get ripped off? Personal security is Fortnite in the mind of many people. Knowing they will have to overpay for everything will lead to people staying at home as "couldn't be bothered."

Name one secret service director who was forced to resign because of a presidential assassination or failed attempt. Clearly this was a political witch-hunt.

While syphilis is still curable someone once told me that while you can't spot someone with HIV , if they have another STD it's a good indication. HIV is a disease with no cure today (barring news that stem cell replacement may work).

As you have guessed, I don't categorize a flesh wound together with a bullet hole. Even Reagan was actually shot. Trump boasting he "took a bullet to the face" is ridiculous.

So why wasn't Rowley sacked after Kennedy's assassination?

Ground clearance is 135 mm. 17 inch wheels so not too low. Have taken it on country roads where it excels. Would never take it across a field.

So strange that everyone thinks she should have resigned when Trump got a clip around the ear. Assassination and assassination attempts have never before been seen as the fault of the director, all of whom rely on their subordinates to actually carry out the work. I do understand that she took responsibility for the people who were on the scene, which is noble, but historically, she would never have been seen as incompetent. Director James Brooks never had to resign when James Garfield was assassinated in 1881. Director John Wilkie never had to resign when William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Director James Joseph Rowley never had to resign when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Why? Even in cases where the president was not killed, like Ronald Reagan in 1981, the director was never pushed to resign. I am not saying there should not be an inquiry. Of course there should. But resignation? I doubt it based on precedent.

So strange that everyone thinks she should have resigned when Trump got a clip around the ear. Assassination and assassination attempts have never before been seen as the fault of the director, all of whom rely on their subordinates to actually carry out the work. I do understand that she took responsibility for the people who were on the scene, which is noble, but historically, she would never have been seen as incompetent. Director James Brooks never had to resign when James Garfield was assassinated in 1881. Director John Wilkie never had to resign when William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Director James Joseph Rowley never had to resign when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Why? Even in cases where the president was not killed, like Ronald Reagan in 1981, the director was never pushed to resign. I am not saying there should not be an inquiry. Of course there should.

I have a Mazda MX-5 that I love. Not love but luuurrrrv it. It is a driver's car. Sticks to the road like glue. Looks beautiful, which was why I fell in love with it, and would recommend it to anyone. I have the version with the hard reclining roof (RF) as my wife was concerned that the soft top would be too easy for thieves to cut. I don't regret it. Fuel economy on long journeys can get to over 14 km/Lt but I only drive it weekends. The reason Thais don't buy it (I was told) is that it only has two seats and they can't get mum, dad and kids in. The price starts at below 3 million Baht. I also get it serviced at the Mazda dealer where I bought it and have no problem with it or the people who service it. The photo looks just like mine.

Funny that the UN was created to prevent wars but had such a poor record that it went into other social work (where its record remains poor). If people are to volunteer, the military needs to increase wages and skills training to professional levels. Thinking that conscription is a cheap way of populating the military leads to social problems later (read about how former servicemen are sleeping on the streets these days - and those are the volunteers).