herfiehandbag

Shark fishing presumably?

Yes, I live here too, and so I can see your point. However, all the rubbish spouted about the noble ethos of pure sporting competition, when it is really all about money, status and power... Hmm, I definitely see your point! Still, FIFA is obviously corrupt, and the "hosts" seem to have reverted to type as a medieval theocratic absolute monarchy; presenting itself as the world's premier sporting tournament it really should be better...

1) The Democrats retain control of the house until January. The court order is for immediate release. Once they're out they're out. 2) The Senate, which the Democrats control also have the right to demand them. I fully expect Mr Trump will still refuse to release them, no doubt citing that they will be used against him now he has announced his candidacy for President.

The whole FIFA/Quatar/World Cup malarky is about as fake, corrupt and demeaning a performance as it is possible to imagine!

If we are going to be sticklers for the record, perhaps we should note that Yingluck had already been removed from office at the direction of the courts. Prayut staged the coup because it was looking increasingly likely that the Shinewatras party was heading for (yet another) victory in the general election that was under way. He allowed his pal Suthep, with whom he was in cahoots, to prevent the conduct of the election by massive intimidation of electoral staff and voters (whose protection was his duty), and then called a coup to "restore security" . Those votes that were cast were never counted, those voters who were prevented from voting were never given the opportunity to cast a vote, and he appointed himself as Prime Minister, with a de facto military government. Just for the record.

It is a sort of 21 Century version of "the white man's burden"! But then everyone should have a hobby. I build model trains, he froths at the mouth about the Shinewatras!

The sanctions are to punish Russia for unleashing war on the Ukraine. Not to punish Ukraine for defending themselves.

You should carry your passport in a ziplock bag, that way it doesn't get damp and soggy from perspiration as you trip the light fantastic! If you keep your stache in the same bag; it simplifies the administration and form filling for the police. A further streamlining of the process would be to keep a few thousand Baht in your passport! After all, it will be late at night, and who wants to put anyone to unnecessary trouble...

And the airborne landings at the airports on 24th of February due to faulty settings on the (Western) SatNav on the aircraft, the armoured columns heading for Kiev a regrettable map reading error by a couple of tired officers on a routine in on or training exercise, the civilian bodies left lying in the streets were due to unfortunate negligent discharges by tired troops with admittedly poor weapon handling skills, the savage artillery and missile bombardment of Mariopul a firepower demonstration which went a bit over the top? Face the truth @internationalism, face it man, open war was unleashed on Ukraine by Russia in February. Dr Strangelove was a movie some 60 years ago, and it was a fantasy then!

Yes. Ukraine is fighting, not only for their own freedom but also for those of Europe.

In other news, Marjorie Taylor Greene announced that she will be overseeing the impeachment of Nancy Pelosi's gardener...

The courts will probe the smoke swirling around Elon Musk's financial affairs, and find mirrors!

"He has, reputedly, accumulated a massive war chest ( I trust that is not a euphemism!)" If we continue the "meme" of euphemisms, I note that he referred to himself and the whole "MAGA" concept as a great movement! A great big movement? One shouldn't chuckle...

He has, reputedly, accumulated a massive war chest ( I trust that is not a euphemism!); now that he is declared to run, and will no doubt claim that all of the several investigations and likely prosecutions are political witch-hunts, he will feel free to use that war chest to fund his lawyers. That of course may be illegal use of campaign funds, but hey - that would also qualify as political witch-hunts. There's also the little matter of the agreement (he signed) to make his Florida palace little more than his holiday cottage. Now it seems to be his political HQ no doubt any attempt to enforce that little matter will become a "political witch-hunt"; "Ron de Sanctimonious" take note!

Any "before" picture of "The Watchman" when he was svelte and clad in gold lame - what a disturbing thought - must surely predate colour photography?

As ever bizarrely specific ( to the final digit) statistics. Produced from TikTok! Will anyone be enthused to rush out and invest in tourist related facilities in Chaechoengsao?

We have been down this road before, several times. We pay the French to do what they should be doing anyway, they take the money, shrug their shoulders and do nothing.

So euthanised taste buds and deaf in one ear. You are pretty well assimilated????

It is real. It takes people in different ways. I was a soldier for a long time. I served in several bad places, where at times we found ourselves on a "two way range". I have known, do know, tougher people than me who have been terribly damaged by what they have seen and been involved in doing. I actually only know of one person that I am certain I killed. He walked towards us firing as we protected medics who were working on a casualty. 100 yards out he stopped, crouched down, reloaded and started to run, slowly, firing bursts and shouting his religious invocations. I shot him. I never looked at the body, I know nothing about him. But I remember him every day. Sometimes at night when I can't sleep I think about him. I am a Catholic, I pray for his soul. I am not suffering from PTSD, but I understand how people do. I am lucky, I have things in my life which support me. There but for the grace of God go so many of us.

Power. He has huge wealth, but he craves power (influence). He doesn't, I suspect, have the patience or (dare I say it) the personal skills to "do a Trump", and use his money to lay a path to a conventional political career; not that Trump is a conventional politician, but you know what I mean. Twitter is seen by many, and projects itself, as a political kingmaker. By buying Twitter and running it himself, Musk thinks that he will become the kingmaker. I have little time for the former British Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, but as he said: " too many Twitters make a twit!"

I thought that they were changing that in America...

Money laundering? The established "conventional" banks make money from people who use them for online purchases, particularly international ones. PayPal is a competitor which threatened that income. They have influence. They have deployed it

Yes indeed, but in his business B300 is, for the customer neither here nor there. If all the hotels had to apply it he would be shielded from criticism, and secure a nice cash bonus. But for the "B2000 a night end" of the business it would spell disaster. But he would still be sitting pretty.

I expect he has a rock solid pension...