Jingthing

While we're at it why don't people skaughter their own cattle in their condos when they want a burger anymore?

You're wrong. I've been. It's fabulous. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Portugal Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Portugal improved substantially in the 2000s and 2010s and are now among the best in the world.

Usually no driver took it. Occasionaly a driver takes it and then cancels.

Pelosi is only in line in the sense that IF Biden and Harris BOTH died. Highly unlikely. There are several democratic contenders other than Harris ready to run if Biden doesn't run.

This informative is correct. It happens very often on Grab. I understand the problem with rain but they make you wait a long time before cancelling.

Possibly but what's the alternative to not responding to an unhinged regime stealing lands with nuclear blackmail? If allowed to stand, that's the precedent.

An interesting discussion of this issue on the current Real Time. Starting about 19:10.

Shocking news. Comedian Trevor Noah is quitting hosting the Daily Show. Picked by Jon Stewart to replace him seven years ago many including me were skeptical that a South African could be credible on a show mostly about American politics. But turns out he was brilliant. Who quits while still young one of the best jobs in television? Anyway the search for a replacement is on. Well I guess they could cancel the show but I don't know why they would.

That's up to Putin.

But Ukraine can't do that alone.

Zelensky is right but I don’t think NATO will go for this yet. Particularly Putin liking Hungary and now fascist Italy. Unfortunately NATO will probably wait until Putin uses a nuke.

I'm definitely serious but I agree there would be political problems. The US has a shortage of citizens with higher education in the sciences. As someone who has worked with highly skilled Russian immigrants I've been very impressed. I think not just IT but a wide variety of fields. Grabbing Russia's best and brightest might just pay for the war effort and Russia will be weaker with such elites gone away for good Surely for most Russians in Georgia that isn't their last stop in life. They need a more permanent landing spot.

Not surprising but a real blow to those that have Schengen visas who had a reasonable right to expect to be able to cross into the EU that way.

Yeah, not pleasant. The Georgians have a point. They could easily decide to tighten their visa rules on a dime as any country has the right to. I have an idea that might help a little bit. I'd like to see the US offer expedited emergency immigration to highly skilled Russian draft dodgers. Many of the fleeing Russians would make highly desirable migrants and it would be a kick in Putin's nuts for the US to benefit from the brain drain he created. The US already will to some degree but I'd love to see it formalized and expanded. The program could even be very picky. We need these skills but not some other skills. That on top of taking in real refugees from Ukraine of course.

Once monthly? That's very inadequate during this current situation.

Some context on the border situation that Americans if they go soon will be competing with. People (mostly Russian men) that left over a few days: Estimated 250,000! Cost of an air ticket from Siberia out of Russia: 9,000 Euros! Which continues to beg the question, will they close the borders soon?

Here's a three-part t.v. show for you to watch: Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland There will be Haggis.

I am not so sure the drunken f-rang was a tourist, but maybe. I forget to share my reaction to him which was a surprise to me and probably to him as well. It's not something I thought about before the incident. I acknowledged him and gave him an absurdly large back and forth (I suppose sarcastic) WAVE! As if he had greeted me in a friendly manner and I was waving back enthusiastically, except for the obvious snarkiness. He really looked taken about by that response, so perhaps it was unintentionally brilliant. What did he expect? An argument I suppose. What would be the point? I already know what he would say. The pandemic is over. You're a sheeple. The masks aren't about health but about being controlled. Masks don't work at all.

I want to continue to wear masks (I'm high risk healthwise) but I went out the other night and NOBODY was wearing them and I even got yelled out by a drunken f-rang. I can only see that getting worse and worse. So I guess I will cave and strip it off. In fact I started to today. How many people like me who aren't really ready but don't want to stick out so much?

CHINA

OK, I know the topic here is about Americans in Russia, but I'm wondering what happens to the Russians that fled who run out of money. So they get deported back to Russia. Imagine that if you think you've had a bad day!

There are almost no flight seats available and the prices have gone up for example FIVE FOLD or more. But they don't need a flight to the USA. Just to get out of Russia somehow and then fly from there.

Well, if they're close enough to Finland, that would be the place to go as unlike Russians, Americans don't need a visa for there. I do recall a report in the Georgia crossing that they weren't. accepting walk overs, so people were buying bicycles! Russians don't need a visa for Georgia so the lines were the longest there as Georgia is desirable. However, because of the Russians, rents in Georgia have skyrocketed and now there is an understandable BACKLASH from the Georgians. Some of the draft dodgers and headed towards Asia, Thailand, Bali, and Vietnam. I predict it is probable that Russia will greatly tighten up on Russians exiting very soon. Maybe only for Rusian men, maybe for all Russians, maybe for all. The embassy was probably in error to wait this long to make this warning.

I think the embassy is saying that their help in this crisis situation can be expected to very limited or nonexistent.

Makes sense. I reckon exceptions might be Russians with a record of dissent against Putin and justified fear of being murdered for that, etc. Of those Russian "draft dodgers" I reckon the vast majority understanably just want to save their own keister (Putin was OK with most Russians before he turned on them personally) but among them are legit dissenters and principled ones that don't want to murder innocent Ukrainians.