Tanomazu

Yah, Taiwan has great strategic importance. In a world where China and the US go to war. However, neither the US nor China actually want to go to war, see Gen Mark Milley's comments to his Chinese friends. Of course China wants the silk road and the canal, that's just peaceful infrastructure and trade though. You can't extrapolate from that that China wants war. They don't. Too much to lose. Just like the US. Even in Afghanistan, where the US had real strategic interests the US just walked away because the presidents knew that their voters do not want US soldiers to die in Afghanistan. If the US wanted war would their senior general Mark Milley tell his counterparts that the US will not strike China?

Nope. The Alpha males father them. Bonobo society is even more hierarchical than Chimpanzee society. And even in Bonobo society the way to establish hierarchy is the same as everywhere. Though gals pretend they like the nice guys, they almost all sneak around to copulate with the Alpha male. That's Bonobos for you.

Well exactly. Even among the Bonobo there are still Alpha males. The males at the top of the hierarchy have to have a way to get there. How do they get there in pacifist Bonobo society? That's just the thing though, the Beta boys did not settle for what was left. They approached the females with offers of provisioning. They agreed to be faithful in return, and thus was pair bonding born. And the family. And then romantic love.

"Despite their reputation as friendly pacifists, bonobos don't necessarily spread the love around when it comes to reproduction. New research suggests just a few males father most of the offspring in bonobos communities. However, when scientists tested the paternity of 24 bonobos born between 2002 to 2013 in a community living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they found the most sexually successful male fathered 60 percent of the subsequent generation. When it comes to fathering offspring, bonobo society appears to be more hierarchical than chimpanzee communities. Female bonobos may simply choose the most attractive option, with multiple females mating with the same dominant male." https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2017/07/10/In-bonobo-communities-just-a-few-males-monopolize-reproduction/3531499718904/ So the net result is exactly the same as in chimpanzee society, with lower ranked males resorting to offering provisioning for sexual access.

Most people have accountants, so do I, however, the point is rather that accountants can get things wrong. A lot. And if you get it wrong in Thailand you can be on the hook for a 35% income tax liability. If you get it wrong in Cayman Islands or BVI you'd have zero income tax liability. You're quite wrong to believe that people with real money would not be sensitive to Thailand's 35% income tax.

When you have a USA where one of the most senior generals, Gen Mark Milley, has assured his Chinese counterparts that the US will not strike China, and a China where Xi Jinping is still trying to secure his power domestically the strategic value of Taiwan is precisely zero. You said "they can't do <deleted> to the world", as if China had some secret plan to conquer the world. Nothing could be further from reality really.

I think that's not the case. If you have millions of income every year obviously you'd be highly sensitive to a place where you can potentially be liable to income tax at 35%, even if that only applies to money you bring into the country in a specific year. Obviously having a domicile in a 0% income tax jurisdiction, at any time, is far preferable, if you have millions coming in each year. And if your expenses are in the range of 2 million USD a month then for cash flow reasons you may need to use millions you earn this year, if your money is tied up in real estate, private island, shares, business investments. It's a liquidity point.

Yes, but if they establish their domicile in BVI and Cayman they can use money they make at any time, including this year, to fund their expensive yachts, properties, cars etc. Why would they put up with a restriction not to use income earned in the current year, when they can have it completely free any time they want in a tax haven? It just wouldn't make sense. Especially if you consider that even if they have their domicile in Cayman they can still spend 5 months in Thailand if they like, or anywhere else. It doesn't mean they have to live in the tax haven all year round.

And why would Taiwan be crucial to these secret Chinese world-domination plans, that only you are aware of?

That's not correct. Like most countries Thailand taxes world-wide income. You're right that the tax only applies if they bring the money into Thailand in the year that they made the money, however, if the wealthy have 2 million USD expenses per month, and most of their wealth is tied up in private island, real estate, shares, yachts, car collection, etc, then presumably some of the money made in the year has to fund these exorbitant monthly expenses, just for cash flow reasons. So why would the rich move to Thailand if they can have 0% on income THIS year in many tax havens like BVI, Cayman etc?

Because Thai law stipulates that anyone who resides in Thailand for longer than 180 days is resident for tax purposes and unlike you extremely wealthy people tend to have positions in corporate entities that pay them income. Thailand does tax wages that are paid, even when paid abroad. Whilst you're right that tax is only enforced if the money is brought into Thailand in the same year that probably would not work with the extremely wealthy who, like Johnny Depp, blow 2 million a month. Then to fund that kind of lifestyle you'd have to access cash that was earned in the same year presumably.

The main reason the billionaires would not flock to Thailand is no doubt the political instability. Plus they would be liable to tax of 35% after 180 days.

There is software which you can use to download your webmail and save it, but it has to be used on a pc.

Did I just see Biden say at the UN "We will not go it alone" and keep a straight face? This after they put in place AUKUS in total secrecy without telling their close allies? Politicians lie without shame, really.

Because it's too ice cold! Minus 19 in Jan, minus 17 in Feb, minus 17 in Dec, minus 17 in March... How is that not ice cold? Still, at least there's the great food options in County Mayo ????

Please, who in their right mind chooses voluntarily to spend time in Ireland? Ireland's winters are mild? It can dip as low as -17 degrees in December in Ireland! What are you smoking? -19 in January!

Whether you're a fan of CM or not, it has a very large selection of fine dining options.

Not really, plenty of fine dining in Chiang Mai. The Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar David's Kitchen Ginger & Kafe North by Four Seasons China Kitchen Shangri La To name just the first that spring to mind.

I wasn't. However, in terms of food, not only does Thailand have a far greater variety of restaurants, with 320,000 compared to the UK's 88,000, but actually the variety in categories is tremendous, you can easily find fine dining options in Thailand, not just "backpackers eating cheap food". I've had some very fine Spanish food in Bangkok that was extremely expensive, also very expensive Chinese food (though to be fair UK has excellent Chinese restaurants) and quite expensive Japanese food. There are many food options in Thailand. But yes, it really shines in the reasonably priced segment, which is unbeatable in the world, and pound for pound you can't eat better anywhere in the world, except possibly Indonesia. Even UK food critics agree: "Chiang Mai food paradise: 'The best I've ever eaten'" https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/feb/24/thai-street-food-chiang-mai-tour-thailand

Who is talking about Isan? Have you not been to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui? Food choices that make London look decidedly second rate culinary wise. Sure you can get Thai food in London. Of the same quality as in Thailand absolutely not. Same with Yunnanese, Burmese, Lana cuisine. As for variety, Thailand has more than three times as many restaurants as the UK, namely 320,000 in 2019, whereas the UK has a mere 88,000 in the same year. "Meanwhile, some 40 million international tourists visited the country in 2019 according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Bangkok was one of the most visited cities in the world. These numbers were serviced by a highly competitive hotel and restaurant industry made up of about 320,000 restaurants" https://guide.michelin.com/th/en/article/features/beating-covid-thailand-s-top-chefs-have-their-say After a decline in 2009, the number of restaurants in the UK has been steadily increasing. In 2019 there were 88,130 businesses operating in the restaurant and mobile food service industry in the UK. https://www.statista.com/statistics/298871/number-of-restaurants-in-the-united-kingdom/

It's on reflection absolutely correct that the US will not supply submarines with nuclear warheads to Australia. It will never happen. Because the US do not want a nuclear war with China as the US, and possibly the whole planet, would then be destroyed. The US do, however, want submarine superiority over China, because submarines are the only option the US have. Hence giving submarines to Oz. However, the question is without going to war with China, destroying its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) systems, which US analysts concede can destroy US aircraft carriers at the press of a button, how can the US defend itself, or rather its Taiwanese ally? Currently the Pentagon is focusing on submarines. However, with new technology like drones or stealth fighters, both of which China is developing, as well as developing its own submarine forces, it is by no means certain that the US could prevent an invasion of Taiwan, or put in place an effective blockade of China. AUKUS will not come to the defence of anybody. Simply because the US can not afford to go to war with China or risk its own destruction and the planet's. All AUKUS does is to increase the opportunities for US and UK defense exports in terms of submarines, and also to save it money. As Tom Tugendhat, chair of the British Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee, has said, "Bringing together the military-industrial complex of these three allies together is a step-change in the relationship. We’ve always been interoperable, but this aims at much more. From artificial intelligence to advanced technology the US, UK and Australia will now be able to cost save by increasing platform sharing and innovation costs.". AUKUS is about saving money and making money for the US industrial complex. Whether even the US can defend Taiwan purely with submarines is very doubtful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AUKUS#Features In a way AUKUS is merely a cost-cutting exercise for countries struck by the cost of Covid.

Nonsense, food options are greater in Thailand, food is really miles better in Thailand than London, Dublin and even Barcelona. Shopping is a better experience, given the abundance of high class shopping malls in Thailand, as well Asia's largest shopping market where unique items are on sale. Designers actually go to Chatuchak to be inspired by the creativity of Thais. Culturally with Buddhism, Buddhist monasteries, Lantern festival, Flower festival, Muay Thai or even Thai Dance Thailand has offerings the UK, Ireland or Spain just do not have. As early as In 1687 the then dominant world culture, France, sent envoys to study Thai performing arts in detail, so we know that Thai stage arts were already perfected at that time and compared very favourably with even French theatre performance, let alone British, Irish or Spanish. "n 1687, France sent the diplomat Simon de la Loubère to record all that he saw in the Siamese Kingdom and its traditions. In his account Du Royaume de Siam, La Loubère carefully observed the classic 17th century theatre of Siam, including an epic battle scene from a khon performance, and recorded what he saw in great detail" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Thailand#Arts Obviously in terms of natural beauty Thailand far surpasses the UK, Ireland or Spain, given the mountains, rain forests and tropical paradise islands. There's a reason people prefer to come to Thailand, rather than the UK, Ireland or Spain, pre-Covid: "Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, edged out Paris and London as the world’s most popular city to visit, according to a survey released on Wednesday. Bangkok was named the most-visited city for the fourth consecutive year, with about 22.8 million visitors reported in the annual rankings by MasterCard Inc." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-tourism-idUSKCN1VP2FG

I think you're wrong about that. The EU as a whole is very deeply concerned about Biden's betrayal with AUKUS. Not the UK or Australia obviously, they don't care about that. However, the US was always seen as the benevolent protector that you could always count on to defend you if Europe was attacked. Already with Bush the EU was under pressure, then with Trump the notion of what if the US is actually not to be relied on as a partner raised its head. That was filed under "aberration" and "well it's just Trump". However, with Biden's unilateral withdrawal in Afghanistan and then his secret deal with the UK and OZ most EU countries have woken up to the realisation that Trump was not an aberration, but rather that Biden continues the unreliable course and possibly the crumbling US is not to be trusted as serious partner. This applies especially in France, but in Germany too rumblings of distrust of America are getting ever louder. If you look at the graph below you will see that Germany imports far more from China than the US, and in terms of export markets whilst the US is at the top China is fairly close. And there's another factor, namely China is a growing economy whereas the US does not compare in terms of growth figures, so if one were to look to the future one would have to choose the Chinese market. Especially for car manufacturers. While Americans and Australians seriously consider that China caused Covid 19 this is not seen in the same way in Germany, France, etc, where the pandemic is just seen as a natural event. Reflexively, in the past Germany and the EU would have followed a boycott of China. However, now things are quite different. You can see that also in Germany's reaction to US demands that Germany boycott Russia's Nordstream pipeline. Germany chose Russia instead.

That's really a fantastic question. I suppose we know that the human body changes according to the environment, thus IQ is affected by environment, woman menstruates far earlier now because of what they eat, since fat cells produce more estrogen. https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/92830610/the-reason-girls-are-getting-their-period-earlier It's perfectly possible that as the male traded provisioning for sexual access, and saw his efforts be accepted, that as the female realised she was about to be assured increased food supply from a male offering provisioning for sexual access that this lead to hormonal processes in both. After all for both these net outcomes, sexual access and assured food supply, were highly desirable outcomes and it would be in the body's interest to reward both.

Their tank regiments were very inexperienced, since they were newly formed. You will recall there was no major role for German tanks in WWI. You're probably right that you can not defeat China militarily without a full war, however, if the US were to put in effect a full naval blockade, could they not bring the Chinese economy to its knees by means of the naval blockade alone? A strong "if" granted, since the Chinese sea is a big area, and the Germans failed to bring the UK to its knees with a submarine blockade alone.