LosLobo

It’s ironic. Just as Ho Chi Minh turned to the Soviets and Chinese after the U.S. ignored his pleas for support against French colonialism, Trump-style isolationism today could push other nations — especially those under threat — to turn to China or Russia by necessity, not ideology. When the U.S. steps back from global leadership or abandons allies, it doesn’t create peace — it creates a vacuum. And history shows who steps in.

Throwing around “Liar!” doesn’t make your version true — it just shows you’ve got nothing but headlines and half-quotes. Yes, there were exploratory talks in early 2022. Yes, intermediaries like Naftali Bennett were involved. And yes, Ukraine considered proposals — including neutrality. But no, there was no finalized deal, no formal agreement, and no genuine Russian offer that didn’t require Ukraine to effectively surrender. You cite Davyd Arakhamia — but leave out that he said Russia’s offer was conditional on Ukraine giving up NATO and accepting “neutrality,” with no binding guarantees. Ukraine didn’t reject peace. They rejected a dictated settlement while Russian troops were murdering civilians in Bucha and launching missile strikes during the talks. Even Bennett later clarified that mistrust, not Western pressure, killed the deal. And “major concessions”? Russia wanted capitulation, not compromise. You can toss links from opinion sites like Responsible Statecraft all day, but it doesn’t change the facts: there was no peace agreement ready to sign. Just a Kremlin narrative trying to pin the blame on everyone but the invader. So next time, leave out the name-calling — and bring a full quote, not a fragment. Sources: https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-peace-negotiator-says-mood-peace-talks-changed-bucha-russia-2022-4 https://www.axios.com/2023/02/22/israel-russia-invasion-ukraine-bennett-mediation-failure https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/12/zelenskyy-rejects-claim-boris-johnson-talked-him-out-of-2022-peace-deal https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-denies-uk-pm-johnson-dissuaded-him-peace-deal-2023-03-29/

It’s worth adding that Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia didn’t simply “fall” to communism in a vacuum. These countries turned to the Soviet Union and China because they were being bombed, invaded, or manipulated — often with U.S. support for colonial powers like the French. Ho Chi Minh even wrote to President Truman in 1945, appealing for support to rid Vietnam of French colonial rule — invoking the same principles the U.S. had used to gain independence from Britain. He was ignored. Had the U.S. backed anti-colonial self-determination instead of siding with France, the Cold War landscape in Southeast Asia could have looked very different.

Actually, there wasn’t. Nice fairytale, with a Kremlin watermark on it. Yes, there were peace talks in Istanbul in early 2022 — but they stalled before Boris Johnson ever set foot in Kyiv. The Bucha massacre made sure of that. Ukraine wasn’t about to shake hands with a butcher. Zelensky didn’t walk away because Johnson or Biden told him to. He walked because Russia demanded Ukraine disarm and surrender territory — in other words, capitulate. Oh, and your “Russia gave a last chance for peace” line? That’s rich, coming from the side launching missiles at maternity wards and annexing land mid-negotiation. If Putin wanted peace, he’d withdraw from all of Ukraine. Until then, save the bedtime stories.

Seems Musk didn’t eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse — he perpetrated it. DOGE promised $2 trillion in cuts. It saved just $65 billion. And the cost of saving that? Around $160 billion — in rehire expenses, lost services, and broken systems, according to independent analysis. And the human cost? Over 300,000 deaths in four months, including more than 200,000 children — modeled by Dr. Brooke Nichols at Boston University — after funding collapsed for USAID, PEPFAR, and public health programs. You wanted a name? Babagana Bukar Mohammed. Age 7. Nigeria. He died after the USAID-funded clinic his family relied on was shuttered. He’s one of many. And it seems... you're OK with that.

Where’s your receipts?

'Thou dost project too much.' – W. Shakespeare, 1564–1616

Musk’s drug use won’t be what history remembers. What will be remembered is the legacy of DOGE under Musk — and the human cost of policies that slashed global health funding, gutted oversight, and left millions without critical care. Programs cut included USAID, PEPFAR, and NIH initiatives 300,000 deaths in just four months, including over 200,000 children A projected 3.6 million avoidable deaths over four years A net fiscal loss of $95 billion, all for just 3.25% of the promised savings Whether Musk being high was the reason or not is irrelevant. History won’t remember the pills — it’ll remember the lives lost. Sources: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/usaid-doge-deaths-children-cuts-7nb83dfkp https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doge-cuts-cost-135-billion-analysis-elon-musk-department-of-government-efficiency/ https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-leaving-doge-reaction-white-house-trump-2025-5

Translation : 'I hate the USA'.

The 9 episodes are the complete season — suspect more will follow. Really enjoyed it — a Slow Horses with a Scots twist.

Just dropped 9 episodes!

I am really enjoying it --- looking forward to Episode 9 Finale being released tomorrow.

I too had an Altis, a 2011 1850 cc ---great car, had it for six years. I was always worried about it getting flooded, came close many times. Once flooded i hear it's very hard to get the smell out. I find the 210mm ground clearance on the Yaris Cross, a god sent for the flooded roads where I live. What model Yaris did you buy?

Just something to think about — you're already facing a key issue: needing landlord approval to upgrade your meter for safe 7kW charging. A granny charger (3.5kW) can work in a pinch, but using it daily for a 60+ kWh battery isn’t ideal — it’s slow (up to 20 hours) and not as safe long term. At 7 baht/unit, MG4 charging isn’t cheap — and with MG4's 60% depreciation over 5 years, long-term costs can really sting. You mentioned hoping the discount would offset depreciation, but resale values are based on market demand, not what you paid — and this level of depreciation already reflects those frequent discounts. Some people think EVs are always cheaper to run, but they forget about the charging hassle and the high depreciation. Compare that to a Yaris Cross (~22%) or a Honda HEV (~30–35%) over the same period. That’s why a hybrid like a Yaris Cross or Honda HEV may actually be cheaper and far less hassle — no charging setup, landlord approval, or battery concerns, and cheaper running costs overall. Sometimes you have to ask — why the big EV discounts? Meanwhile, Toyota and Honda hybrids sell without discounting — people are choosing them anyway. That says a lot.

I actually drove a RAV4 back in 1998 — didn’t like the big turning circle. I’m sure the 2025 Hybrid version is a completely different car and a solid choice where it’s sold. But in Thailand, it’s only available as a grey import, so comparisons with local models like the Yaris Cross or Corolla Cross aren’t really relevant. Those models vary a lot between regions — different platforms, engines, drivetrains — so best to stick to what’s sold and supported here. Enjoy the ride!

Translation: 'I really hate America'.

Good point — that context matters. When someone openly supports Putin, the goal isn’t persuasion, it’s exposure. Letting their logic collapse under facts shows exactly what kind of company Trump keeps and emboldens. It’s not about changing their mind — it’s about making sure everyone else sees what they’re defending.

Let's be Frank, maybe talk facts instead of Fox-fueled fantasy. "Deplorables" wasn’t aimed at everyone. Hillary said half of Trump supporters fell into a “basket of deplorables” — racists, sexists, xenophobes, etc. Hard to argue when you look at Charlottesville, Jan 6, or Trump’s own words. Trump just called the entire left “scum” as sitting President on Memorial Day 2025: "Happy Memorial Day to all, including the scum that spent the last four years trying to destroy our country through warped radical left minds..." So spare the outrage over “deplorables” when your guy insults half the country during a national day of remembrance. The Steele dossier? It was opposition research — not illegal, and not what triggered the Russia probe. That began months earlier, based on intel from an Australian diplomat — not Hillary. “Fake Russia collusion”? Mueller found dozens of contacts with Russian operatives and detailed multiple cases of obstruction. Trump wasn’t exonerated — Mueller said so directly. The media? The so-called "lamestream" press reported verified facts. Meanwhile, Trump has praised dictators, attacked allies, and now used Memorial Day to divide Americans. If you’re looking for someone who truly stirred the pot, it’s the guy who calls fellow citizens “scum” and still refuses to stand up to Putin.

You forgot he's burning through another billion on military upgrades to his ‘free’ Qatar flying palace — which won’t even be finished until after his term, but maybe just in time for his retirement. The King was perfectly content with Air Force One in his first term. And his own bucket of bolts — a old 757 that once shuttled passengers for a Mexican budget airline. The wasted billion hardly supports DOGE’s grand vision of eliminating the “tyranny of the bureaucracy,” saving taxpayer money, and reducing the national debt. “I want my plane — let the taxpayers eat cake.”

Your modus operandi: hijack a topic, denigrate HEVs, then redirect to EVs — particularly your MG — even when off-topic — says it all.

You now claim your October 2023 post was a compliment — but come on. You dismissed both the Yaris and Corolla Cross, called them “crap,” and redirected the OP toward MG EVs — and you posted it in a thread titled: “New Toyota Yaris Cross Question.” Now you say you “never commented on the ride,” yet you clearly said you’d “doubt it would be comfy.” That’s not neutrality — that’s a direct dismissal. This demonstrates your modus operandi: hijack a topic, denigrate HEVs with misinformation, then redirect to EVs — particularly MG — even when off-topic. This latest post followed the same pattern until it was called out. Fact check: Yaris Cross = DNGA-B platform Corolla Cross = TNGA-C platform Most Bangkok taxis = older MC-platform Corolla Altis Both models are modern, well-specced, and priced appropriately — not “cheap because of platform” You're entitled to your opinion — but don’t rewrite history. It wasn’t a compliment then, and it still isn’t.

Curious, what issues do you have with your BYD?

I notice you have edited your original post! Nevertheless, you’ve been trying to hijack nearly every post about the Yaris Cross since it launched in October 2023 — constantly steering people toward your EV topic with disingenuous, misleading information. It’s getting a bit tired. The Yaris Cross isn’t perfect, but it’s not a budget Vios with a facelift either. It’s a quality vehicle, built on a completely different platform and designed for a different purpose. And despite all your efforts to discredit it, it’s been the top-selling B-segment SUV in Thailand for the past two years. That doesn’t happen by accident. Maybe time to give it a break.

That’s a really good point. Honestly, a 4-door utility might be the best option, especially if it’s going to spend most of its time on rural roads and the farm and needs to carry passengers too. I've had two Toyota Hiluxes in the past, along with a farm, and they were virtually unbreakable — totally dependable no matter what the conditions were. These days I live on a rural road but don't go to the farm anymore, so I switched to something smaller. But if I were still doing farm runs, I'd seriously consider going back to a Hilux or similar dual-cab ute. They’re not the flashiest, but they do everything well and last forever.

You're right — the RAV4 isn’t officially sold in Thailand. Toyota already covers that space with the Yaris Cross and Corolla Cross. The Corolla Cross is closer to the RAV4 in size and comfort. It has a larger boot than the Yaris Cross (487L vs. 397L), more power from its 1.8L hybrid engine, and a smoother ride. Ground clearance is lower at around 161 mm, and fuel economy is about 23.3 km/L. The Yaris Cross uses a 1.5L hybrid engine and gets better mileage — up to 26.3 km/L. It also has higher ground clearance at about 210 mm, which helps on flooded or uneven roads. Being smaller overall, it’s easier to drive and park in narrow sois or tight spaces. Both are practical and efficient. It really depends on whether you prefer more space and power, or better fuel economy and easier city handling.