Walker88

“Did you abscond with the church funds? Did you run off with the Senator’s wife? I like to think you killed a man; it’s the romantic in me.”

As the trite saying goes, when given a lemon, make lemonade. Having lived in a host of countries, I have learned to ignore things that could be irritating, and just accept that if I choose to be somewhere, I have to be willing to accept what is on offer. Take care, but learn to laugh it off....I traveled here dozens and dozens of times before taking up residence. I've been to Starbucks well more than 100 times in Thailand. Only once was hot coffee ready. Every other time, it's "Please wait about 4 minutes", as they had to fill the machine and begin brewing. I appreciate a hot beverage and 40 degree days don't necessarily go together, but early morning I do enjoy a hot cup. One would think that a Starbucks would, at least occasionally, have the coffee already brewed. I lived in Hong Kong, and even in summer hot coffee was always ready. Apparently I'm the only person ever in Thailand who orders hot coffee of the day, so asymptotically my % of hot coffee ready experience approaches 0%, with just that one statistical outlier. So I smile and think how lucky I am! Freshly brewed every time.

Sober and realistic reflection. No wonder he's 'former'. There are no solid economies and financial systems anywhere right now. Perhaps it would surprise many that the US is in better shape than most, despite its debt and the horrible mismanagement of the economy under the last 2 repub POTUSs. Obama inherited a banking system and an insurance industry on the verge of collapse, and saved both. Banks were forced to recapitalize, issue new equity, find a market for their NPLs, and slash leverage. US Banks are likely the most staple of any major industrial economy. Biden inherited a soaring deficit, a Recession, and tumbling employment (6.8% UE), but has cut that to 3.6% and created more jobs in his first year than any POTUS ever, all while cutting the deficit. Europe is less well off, as its 'solution' to 2008 was to link its two big problems together. It was a gamble that might come back to haunt it. EU Banks had bad debt and essentially negative equity. EU sovereigns had rising deficits in a high rate environment. So what Draghi did was print money, gave it to banks, told sovereigns to issue new debt, and told banks to buy the debt with the printed money. That lowered borrowing rates for sovereigns, and as rates fell, it created paper profits for EU banks holding EU sovereign debt (which theoretically raised their capital and lowered their leverage, but doing nothing about NPLs). It was kind of tautological in its process. What makes it worse than what it is (if one thinks about the process) is that the EU bank system is almost 3 times the size of the EU economy, while the US banking system is only about .8x the size of the US economy. Japan has been a basket case on the verge since 1989. Its debt is massive relative to its economy, and servicing that debt takes a huge portion of their federal budget. It has a pension system that is a Potemkin Village, owing to bizarre accounting practices where assets in pension funds are carried at higher of cost or market. There is a yearly payout system that has a required yield, but that yield can only come from realized gains. Any realized losses have to be used to offset the gains, so there is incentive to never sell a loser. Since it can still be carried at higher of cost or market, many positions on the books of fund managers are at 1989 prices. As the population ages and falls, there are not enough new workers into the system to pay the Ponzi. China was an 'economic miracle' with lots of fraud and waste. Empty cities, massive excess capacity, production that is simply warehoused, and bucket loads of debt that has thrice-used collateral. SOEs all lose money, but since they are the remnants of the communist system, they are kept afloat. Chinese economic numbers are goal-seeked. This was never more apparent than a few years ago when China issued its 4th Q GDP two weeks before the quarter ended. Everything in China is based on ever-rising asset prices, those assets being RE. Evergrande laid bare the fantasy, and there is much more to come. Add to all of this the inflation caused by money printing, supply chain problems, rising fossil fuel prices due to the russian invasion and things like crypto 'mining', and food inflation also because of the russian invasion or things like swine flu, and the world has plenty of problems to address. Realists like the cited economist are few and far between, and most are, like him, not in positions of authority. The US has a Fed Chair who seems to get it, and a SecTreas who also understands the scope and scale of the issues. China has people who only want to remain in power and save face, so the chances for crisis there are very real. The CCP generally likes to face problems by deflecting...often doing things like making a bogey man out of Japan, or pounding the table on the issue of Taiwan (a land ruled for a total of zero seconds by the self-appointed communist party). Had russia not invaded Ukraine and got its butt kicked, it's possible China would already have tried to capture Taiwan. Now, seeing what resistance looks like from the bravery evidenced in Ukraine, Xi is fearful of losing face. The Chinese curse is "May you live in interesting times". We are.

Yes, those 'leftist radicals' who support democracy. levin, as well as all supports of 45, hate democracy and hate the ideals upon which the US was founded. To a person, they are traitors.

I've already posted some actual data re 45's 'economy'. It was nowhere close to the 'best ever'. Of course, Cult 45 types have 'alternative facts', which are known as either "fantasies" or "lies" It is clear why his sycophants are drawn from the 'no college' crowd. As the bloated clown himself said, "I love the poorly educated". REAL Americans know 45 is a greater threat to US democracy than all of al Qaeda and ISIS combined. The bozo tried to orchestrate a coup and destroy what REAL PATRIOTS fought for over almost 250 years. Those who support 45 are either too stupid to understand the ideals upon which the US was founded, or they are traitors. There is no ion between. When you try to overthrow a democratically-elected govt, or support people who do, you are a traitor. Thus, those who 'love 45' are traitors and should be handed the punishment of traitors. Like many REAL PATRIOTS, I went into harm's way defending the nation, and I lost friends who did the same against terrorists who are a lesser threat than 45 and his moronic cultists. ANYONE who seeks to destroy what we defended is a traitor. 45 disgraces the graves of those in Arlington, disgraces the graves of my former colleagues. I will celebrate the day he faces the ultimate justice, and my friends will rest in peace again.

In a perfect world, all of those desiring to cross the border and do what most immigrants do---make major economic contributions because the very fact they made the journey shows how motivated they are---would replace all the losers of Cult 45, who people the States with the highest % on Social Security Disability Insurance (TN, KY, WV), the highest % of opioid addiction (WV, OH) and live in the States with the highest 'take' from the Federal Govt (vs States like CA, NY and NJ, which are the highest 'givers' to the Federal Govt in tax payments from their productive citizens). If the productive Blue States split with the parasitic Red States, the Red 45-ists would have an economy that would make Venezuela look like an economic juggernaut. I bet those immigrants would love to live, and have their kids grow up, in a functioning democracy, unlike Cult 45 types who hate democracy and prefer a putin-like dictator who can whine when he loses and get others to do his fighting for him.

Nothing peaceful (injured 140 police officers) and absolutely nothing close to patriotic about the terrorists on 6 Jan. We got clearance to take out nobody jihadis in the tribal regions of Pakistan. 45 posed, and poses, a much greater threat to the homeland and to US democracy than even ObL. Go figure.

For all the massive spending done under 45, there sure was little to show for it....except more debt and the genesis of today's inflation. It would seem to even the casual observer that all 45's endless mendacious bluster about "best economy ever" (sic) is not borne out by reality. Those who bark about the economy under Biden, particularly those who think 45 was anything but the worst, here's some actual data:

Like Obama before him, Pres Biden was left an absolute disaster by the miscreant who preceded him. The US was in a Recession, Covid was out of control, the National Debt had been run up a massive $7,000,000,000,000 by 45, and the US was disrespected around the world. Under Biden, the UE rate fell from 6.8% to its current 3.6%, job creation in Biden's first year was the highest ever, the economy began to grow again, and Biden was able to re-unite NATO to help aid Ukraine after russia invaded it. The yearly deficit was also cut by $350,000,000,000 in Biden's first year, and the OMB projects as much as a $1 trillion drop in FY 2022. It's actually quite an impressive start. Of course, most people understand next to nothing about economics, so they think inflation materializes in an instant, and that it is only hitting their prices. They fail to understand that inflation builds up over time, and the printing of $7,000,000,000,000 under 45 is the biggest contributor. Add price inflation from the combo of post-Covid bottlenecks at a time of increased demand, plus the rising price of fossil fuel (econ recovery + russia invasion + crypto 'mining'), and people blame who leads when it happens, not why. Similarly, they fail to realize inflation is now global Thailand just reported its biggest jump in years) One thing about which Americans should rejoice is that Biden is a firm believer in democracy and the principles upon which the US was founded. This is in stark contrast to the whining crybaby 45, who tried to subvert and overthrow the system for which patriots fought for nearly two and a half centuries. As the facts and messages are coming out, it seems 45 was even pleased that terrorists and insurrectionists (45's appointed FBI Director Wray called the rioters on 6 Jan 2021 'terrorists' in a hearing before Congress) were trying to apprehend VP pence and hang him, and 45 was reportedly miffed when the VP was escorted to safety by Secret Service and Capitol Police. Increasingly, however, it seems the DoJ is working on indictments of the officials---ALL of them, no matter their position---directly involved in the failed coup.

I've visited a few clubs before these restrictions were lifted, and I visited a few last night, just to see the difference. No difference. All of these temporary 'restaurants' did last night what they were doing a month ago, and what they were doing before Covid, save for some bars had women in cocktail dresses. Given that yesterday was no different, the PM should be pleased, as whatever restrictions bars were supposed to follow before 1 June are still being followed, which is to say none whatsoever (except the bars with cocktail dresses).

You're quite right. During the last Administration, both the FBI and Homeland Security produced reports that noted 75% of all domestic terror attacks since 9-11 were carried out by white supremacist and far right groups. As for mass shootings, this is often the case, too. That mutant Gendron drove to Buffalo specifically to kill blacks. Patrick Crusius killed 20 Latinos at an El Paso Walmart, claiming he was inspired by the Christchurch killer and fearing 'caravans' of Central Americans coming into the US. Robert Bowers attacked a synagogue in PA and killed 11 Jewish worshippers, because that synagogue was helping resettle immigrants. Coleman Blevins, a white supremacist andNazi & confederate fan, planned another Texas Walmart massacre where he, too, would target Hispanics. Christopher Hansson was arrested with weapons, including AR-15s and had a plan to assassinate people critical of 45. He had made a spreadsheet in which he listed their names, using the nicknames 45 had given each of Hansson's targets. The 45-supporting oath keepers and proud boys had stashed hundreds of weapons and tens of thousands of rounds of ammo at a couple of suburban DC motels around 6 Jan 2021, responding to the call by 45 to 'take back the country' (aka, "I lost and hate democracy").

I don't think 8 million has a high degree of probability, but I do think 5 million is possible. In the last few weeks I've noticed a change in the demographics. What was once primarily single Western males (one gets only one guess as to why they would visit), has become more Western couples, families, and many Indians. With China seemingly giving up the ghost on Covid, and Chinese likely full of pent up demand to get out of their own country, there could be a major inflow of tourists from the 'middle kingdom'. Also, used to being ordered around, the mask mandate won't bother the Chinese the way it does Westerners. Similarly, the mask mandate won't bother Japanese nor Koreans, lands where wearing masks has always been quite common. So I think the mix of tourists will change, but the numbers might be pretty good. Fewer Westerners, perhaps, but lots more Asians. The question that remains is will the Chinese spend in ways that benefit the local economy? It may only be a 15w bulb, but there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Come December we'll see who was right.

And now, like Benghazi, lots of wasted time and wasted taxpayer money by repubs produces zilch. Zero, Nada. Zifir. durham's one case fails. Of course the whiners of the far right will trot out the drivel about "Deep State", but that has as much validity as 'stolen elections'. Slowly but surely, the impact of 45 is disappearing. Two years away from the next POTUS election, it's beginning to look like he will not be a factor. It's humorous that someone trying to play 45, in the recent Georgia R primary, claims the election was stolen from her despite the fact she did not even pull 3% of the vote. Such is the non-existent connection to reality that is the legacy of 45. putin's puppet is being put out to pasture, which might replace Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

No. First, the investigation of the investigators, a wildly expensive goose chase, ended up with a really small fish who might have missed dotting an 'i' or crossing a 't'. Second, even the Repub-run SSCI (they were Senate majority until 45 lost the repubs Georgia) report showed somewhere on the order of 140 connections between 45's campaign and Russia, and at least concluded he knew they were helping him and he welcomed it. The Repubs also concluded 45 obstructed justice. Third, on his second or third day on the job, manafort was sent to Spain to meet Kilimnik, a russian agent. manafort gave him internal polling data, which is extremely precise about individual voters in swing States and includes data about their voting record, TV shows watched, places they shop, etc. One can get a pretty good picture of who John Smith is by reading the data. Kilimnik passed on that data to the "Internet Research Agency" (an arm of the GRU) in St Pete. The GRU used it to micro target voters in swing States with false stories about HRC. Fourth, via roger stone, 45 was kept abreast of what hacked emails the SVR/FSB had obtained and passed to Julian Assange, and 45 knew the release dates. Oh, and the very day 45 said, "russia, if you're listening", the SVR/FSB hacked HRC. In another speech, 45, aware of what Wikileaks was about to leak, said, "There's going to be some very interesting information released soon". Fifth, let us not forget that in December 2016, during the transition, 45 sent kushner to the russian embassy to set up a secret back channel to putin. So excited was the then russian ambassador, he called putin on an unsecure line, and the entire convo was picked up. That effort constitutes 'conspiracy to commit espionage', which is a capital offense, has no statute of limitations, and was what got the Rosenbergs their date with Sparky at Sing Sing. 45 was a witting fool (the intel community term) and he is 100% putin's poodle. Finally, as durham found out, the intel community handled the info in a 100% professional manner. John Brennan went to great pains when it first came to his attention, limiting the need to know to Obama, Rice, a few NatSecCouncil folks, the head of CIMC at the agency, the head of CI at the bureau, and a few others, via what is called a BIGOT List. Every eyeball that sees any of the intel is recorded. durham spoke to all of the folks on the list for hours each, and multiple times for many.

And if he shook hands with any fellow passengers, or sneezed on them, some of whom might have remained in Thailand.....here we go. Odd that the flight crew who ended their leg in BKK are quarantined, but no mention of any passengers who may have ended their journey in BKK being quarantined. I doubt the now-infected passenger spent any time in the cockpit. One gets the feeling this is either going to become very big, or at least some will try to exploit it to make it really big. It is puzzling why this disease, long present in Africa, is only now spreading globally. What has changed? It's not as if int'l travel is a new thing in 2022.

A cynic would say, "Please Buddha, I know corruption is wrong, but I campaigned so hard, let me drink at the trough a while before cleaning it up" Speaking with young people in Bangkok on my staff, not a single one knows who this guy is nor thinks he will be any different than anyone coming before him. That degree of cynicism is as tough of a nut to crack as corruption itself. Perhaps this fellow is up to the task. Bangkok is both large and visible. If corruption can be tamed, it could invigorate the young, get them truly involved in politics, and begin to tackle corruption at the Federal level. It's time for change.

Russia? Oh wait, I know! San Marino ! By the way, you spilled some borscht on your shirt.

I apologize. Missed the sarc. Your impersonation was too close to the manufactured 'reality' of 45's cult.

An Be careful with your libel. The companies who made the machines that were 100% accurate like to sue clowns. Even newsmax had to admit they made up their nonsense, lest the suit would bankrupt them.

#1....Well, it certainly isn't you #2...Ah, no, that is a silly fiction whose genesis is some combination of pulp fiction, Hollywood B-fare, and the intel community before the 1978 Church Commission.

Those who know the least are the most sure of themselves. News: The US--whomever you are talking about---CIA/NSA/CHAOS/SPECTRE---really doesn't give Thailand more than a moment's thought. Thailand is of scant significance in the 'big picture'. That's a bit of a mixed blessing...in one sense, the US isn't ever going to interfere, because it doesn't care, but---for example---if Myanmar attacked Thailand, the US would send 'thoughts and prayers', but little more. Pulp fiction, Hollywood B-fare, and fertile imaginations in those with addled brains, try to form a silly narrative. Of course such things have an audience. In one sense, it's the same drive that leads people to religion: a horrible fear that much of existence is random. People fear randomness. They want someone or something to be in control. People will even accept a malevolent control, because subconsciously they think some sort of deal can be made even with a malevolent authority, be it a god or some evil cabal. Randomness scares the bejesus out of them. Another thing that drives these silly narratives is racism. Those who adopt these beliefs seem to think the semi-omnipotent WHITE GUYS in the CIA or NSA or MI6 (you should see the diversity programs in CIA...you'd laugh at how inclusive they must be) are so superior to the lesser beings in places like Thailand, that they can treat Thais or whomever like dancing monkeys. The world is a heck of a lot different than people like you believe. Knock yourself silly if it makes you happy, but your article is utter nonsense.

Since the start of the Covid Era, Pattaya has undergone a host of fantasy reinventions, all spewing from the previous Administration. I guess this article offers another interpretation of the old adage: Elections have consequences. So Pattaya probably isn't going to remake itself as 'the hub for digital warriors'. Nor will it be 'the Asian Silicon Valley'. Forget about it being 'Southeast Asia's Hollywood/Bollywood', and gone is the 'Business/Convention/Resort' hub. I think there were other fantastical dreams, but these seem to have never gotten any farther than the back of an envelop. As for 'Family Destination', it seems the young women who traditionally flock to Pattaya will still be leaving the kid back with Mom or Grandma in Isaan. Plus ça change

You mean 'married' ? Yes, they are Pattaya's target market.

I had to look to see if the date of this article was from sometime during the Delta Phase, or else April 1, 2022. When is a re-opening not a re-opening? I guess when it's just a re-defining. Agogos, open now for months under the 'restaurant scheme', never served a single crumb of food. Neither will any suddenly serve more alcohol than at present, just because they again may call themselves a 'bar'. There are zero 'prevention measures' in force. It's already "deja vu all over again"....as in 2019: unmasked folks can sit as close as physics allows. Unless my mobile clock is wrong, or Bangkok joined a new time zone, I think agogos are already serving for hours past the official 12 midnight closing. Several have already proven (in double un-blind clinical trials subject to constant perv review) that despite suggestions to the contrary, bikinis do not cause Covid. Don't believe me? Go see for yourself, as little is left to the imagination. One wonders for whom these announcements are made, since they have absolutely no connection to the current reality.

So the solution to too many guns is more guns? Then I guess the solution to lung cancer is more cigarettes, and the solution to obesity is more food. repubs hate the ideals of the US, and they especially hate democracy and universal suffrage....but they think because they have guns that makes them 'patriots'. repubs also hate police, since they called the terrorists who stormed the Capitol on 6 January, and who wanted to hang the VP because he stood up for democracy, and who injured 140 police officers..."legitimate protesters"