Fat is a type of crazy

Could be an upside of communication in social media, higher levels of education and awareness, and wealth and free time. Sounds a bit silly but I did some quizzes where you learn the countries of the world, capital cities, etc. It's amazing how that alone made me listen more closely when there's trouble in Burkina Faso or climate change is affecting Kiribati. To the point, 50 years ago women in Qatar or in Thailand or a Sri Lankan worker seemed exotic to some - like a different type of person. Seemed like their poverty or subjugation was part of the natural order of things. Now people can see humans a bit more clearly and bit by bit know it's all a scam to keep the rich and powerful rich and powerful. Doesn't mean there's no hypocrisy and false motives in all of us, or that we have to pretend that people aren't annoying and we all love each other, but it could be a step in the right direction.

If you look at the particulars of this situation it is a bit dire. I don't mind others enjoying their favourite sport. But it's a bit hard to ignore that almost certainly FIFA picked Qatar due to bribes, that people were treated abominably when building the infrastructure, and that the human rights in general in Qatar is extremely poor. Look at the workers from south Asia as one example. If you see the video of workers living in terrible conditions in 50 degree heat, stuck like sardines in a room, no showers so they bathe with a bucket and water from the one or two toilets available for many men, it makes it all a bit real. That doesn't include the actual work where many have perished in the heat and unsafe work conditions. This is a rich country that could have and should have done so much better. The way to see if something is too politically correct or woke, or that activists are overdoing it, is to put yourself in the shoes of the people concerned and see if it is a triviality or an indulgence to feel you are being treated badly.

I find it a bit hard to believe that that could happen in a bricks and mortar store in London. In Australia there would be consumer laws that make such gouging illegal. At minimum they would need big signs clearly showing their fees. It would be like buying a chocolate bar from a shop and they charged your credit card 300 pounds and they say, well that's how much it is, no returns.

It may be obvious to note it is not ideal to ban, and should be used sparingly, but life isn't black and white and hard decisions have to be made. It would be nice if everyone could hear everyone and come to sensible conclusions or at least conclusions that don't result in harm to others. But that doesn't seem to happen in some situations. Sometimes it is about decency too. Rather than watch from the sidelines ask yourself what you would do as decision maker, running a private communication business, about Alex Jones or about Donald Trump fresh from January 6.

Mark Twain For someone who posts more often than anyone in the Asean Now universe it is a bit rich criticising others for taking things too seriously, or noting they should be a fun carefree guy like you, travelling around Thailand. Comparing to other events is a bit fruitless too. Pol Pot was in fact terrible - it does show though that giving power to one man can lead to terrible things. January 6 in my opinion, was objectively a very significant and serious event, and taking decisive steps to make sure it does not happen again seems smart. Especially since the person who made it happen has not resiled from it. Banning him back in 2020 made sense. It took courage to stand up to a dangerous fool. Don't care if they bring him back as I see him mainly as a spent force.

That appears to be your go to defence. That January 6 and BLM protests are the same - both apparently egged on and influenced by senior politicians on both sides. How did Trump influence and make January 6 happen? How did Biden influence individual protesters, who went overboard often separate to BLM protests, to do what they did? Not the same. Not comparable.

I haven't totally kept us with this thrilling debate but you are comparing I think the election in the United States, that has stringent guidelines and standards, and that has huge international implications, with a twitter poll. One verifiable and one not. Different standards of care and visibility of what is going on. Twitter itself raises concerns about such results. Therefore a different response can be appropriate.

Well done Owl. The farms looking good at the moment I must say. I wondered about Odysseus - hope all is well.

No doubt he has a significant base. I think the election fraud nonsense, the investigations that people can see do have some merit, the Murdoch turnaround, and boredom with the old and the rise of new hopefuls, are taking a toll. Could be wrong. I think the left, centre, and the part of the right that doesn't like Trump, which add up to a lot these days, are generally intolerant not of individuals for being who they are, but those who make statements that can seem illogical, not backed by evidence, and or that parrot right wing media talking points. Some will say it's the same problem with the left and centre - facts and evidence are facts and evidence.

I think you underestimate the disdain, almost boredom, people across different political persuasions have for Trump and his lies - the election showed that. There can be a new Twitter. His treatment of staff won't sit well with many - including the staff. Clearly that $8 blue tick was a ridiculous farce. Sometimes all publicity is not good publicity.

I hear you but imagine you owned a communication device and someone was communicating to a mass of people saying what were clear lies about election fraud and how everyone needs to meet and do something about it. You had warned the person about telling lies, and tried to find solutions e.g. putting warning labels that this has not been verified. Didn't work. Twitter is not owned by the government. I think they had to right to say three strikes get lost. I don't care if he comes back but I think Twitter has the right to set the rules and they could include taking into account whether lies by certain parties could destabilise the nation.

If Musk paid $1 for Truth Social I think that would be a step too far for many Twitter users. Benefitting someone who attempted to overturn democratic elections and giving them a bigger mouthpiece. I don't mind him having access to Twitter but there was a fairly compelling argument the other way around January 6 2020.

Soccer never caught my imagination. Having it in Qatar certainly takes away from the image of it being the people's game. The president said today words to the effect of 'I feel Qatari. I feel Arab. I feel gay. I feel disabled etc' - that was bizarre. Comparing being bullied for having red hair to the treatment of minorities in Qatar. Then basically saying that criticism of Qatar is ripe coming from Europeans, based on their history, which is straight out of the authoritarian playbook i.e. no one is perfect so no one can judge. First game is at 3am Australia time so won't be something I have to consider.

Thank you for coming and thank your mother for the rabbits. Apparently that came from the depression in Australia when food was scarce and rabbits were cheap or free if you caught them

I call BS on that. So what organisation employed a significant number of workers not on their merits? What category were they that gave the business merit to hire them when they were not the best - women, certain ethnicities? I thought you had not worked for a while too when woke wasn't a thing.

I think he’s being ridiculous. Let’s put staff in 2 categories. The highly skilful and therefore highly marketable who will have other tech companies happy to make a counter offer, including say, some time working at home, which makes staff happy and can often increase productivity, those staff can leave. The second category who may be the more run of the mill employees, less skilful and marketable, they’ll stay. Outcome - you lose the best and keep the rest. Smart.

From my experience the rates within the train station area are often the best or close to the best - you might get a tiny bit better somewhere in Bangkok but those ones are clearly competitive. No problem changing it all in one go from my experience. As others have said take a few steps into the airport area and the rate goes from competitive to terrible.

I don't want 2 more years of this. Trump supporters had some excuse back in 2016, though many could see him for what he was back then, but in 2022 it is my humble opinion that you should have worked out that he is not a person deserving of support.

Happy for you. It must be nice to believe in things like that. That strange distant look in many Trump supporter's eyes like no one's home. But they seem to believe. Seem happy.

Is this thing about him not being able to be prosecuted if he is a nominee really a thing? Only in certain contexts? Not at all? Wonder if it makes a big difference or not.

NBC are calling Katie Hobbs as beating Kari Lake in Arizona. Nice. Lake adding the insult of losing her dignity and credibility, by going down the election fraud path, to the injury of losing. Future prospective candidates might realise backing Trump and his claims is now a fast track to irrelevance.

Joe isn't extreme. The Democrats have some younger and more progressive types to push the envelope a bit. Doesn't mean they control things. Some new ideas are good ideas. I'm in Australia and many democrat policies are to the right of centre compared to us and probably many countries in Europe. Some Democrat policies are a bit too lefty for me and could be improved, but a lot of course is a caricature by the right, e.g. on Fox, and it isn't the reality. Do you see Joe shutting down funding for police, or teaching 5 year olds about sexual options, or that there should be totally open borders etc. No.

Things like this can be a touch annoying but for 99 baht specials you expect less e.g. rather than a meal and a side dish of rice you just get some rice with a much smaller portion on top . You gets what you pay for. Not sure where you are getting a seafood meal for two for 300 baht but it sounds a bit scary. Suppose you might get some squid with rice or something. No fish.

I think they made the wrong decision but I could see where they were coming from. Stayed there a few times on trips to Koh Chang - beautiful hotel in forest and beach - I do note prices have gone up since pre covid so may be not doing so bad. Most people can get the gist of what happened, see the guy was a bit of a d i c k, the hotel was a bit of a d i c k , and not be too concerned.

Big concern at this election was about democracy rather than democrats - that people had become irredeemably polarised, and candidates who simply lied about election fraud would be rewarded. That Republicans, with MAGA candidates confident and gaining further ascendency within the party, would win control of the house AND senate, and this might lead to crazy retribution against democrats and more power across the country to those who do not support fair elections. I think Democrats are more likely to stand up to Putin, do something about climate change, be fairer on equity issues such as fighting for cheaper medicines, healthcare and a better outcome for workers. Fairer overall. I could be more accepting of Republicans, Trump MAGA issues aside, if I considered them sincere and fair. I like the idea of low taxes and free enterprise. They talk of fairness in trickle down economics, but in reality I think they want too low taxes and tax breaks for the wealthy, and a decimated IRS. They talk about chaos in immigration but love the cheap labour force, and there are a whole range of what I consider inconsistencies on guns, abortion rights, etc. I think people forget how rich America is and that taxes and regulations can be fair without being overbearing and stymying free enterprise. I certainly don't consider Democrats ideal but they are the best of the two parties and, not being an American, best for the world.