Hawaiian

22 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

About Trump's autocratic threat to democracy.

 

https://archive.ph/bhbxn

 

Trump’s triumph threatens an already battered democracy, experts say

American democracy simply wasn’t set up to “deal with an aspiring autocrat,” especially with a willing electorate

 

 

Donald Trump’s return to the White House signals a significant breakdown of an already battered democracy, experts say. Almost as dangerous, they contend, much of the electorate sees him as democracy’s savior.

 

“We’ve already been in a process over the last 10 years of democratic decay,” said Daniel Ziblatt, a professor of government at Harvard University and co-author of “How Democracies Die,” among other books on the subject. “This election will just hasten that decline."

I'm waiting for some "expert" to write about how great universities die.

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I think that you will find that your perceived quality of answers that you receive here can depend on the quality of your posts that elicit those questions.

Well said.  Thank you.

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I realize that probably the majority of people that voted for Trump based on relative trivialities such as the price of eggs and demonization of trans people have no idea of what Trump is actually planning on doing. On the other hand many in the maga cult know exactly what the authoritarian plan is.

On the other hand, judging by your doom and gloom predictions, you don't have to be in the maga cult to know exactly what the authoritarian plan is.

26 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

Yes, I agree with you that many (most?) colleges teach and practice DEI and other "woke BS." Why do you think they do that? It's because they believe those ideas and practices are best for society. From your list of courses, it looks like you were mostly interested in making money. My interest has always been in social issues, not those of the economy. I guess that's why I am a far-left liberal, a socialist, actually, and you're probably a right-wing conservative, a capitalist. Those, IMO, are the major issues in our country (USA). 

Where do you think the funding comes from for social programs.  Many NGO's could not survive without government grants.  A bad economy means less money for social programs. That's reality.

I consider myself a right-leaning moderate.  I agree we need to reign in some of the extreme practices of capitalism.

I retired 14 years ago at age 70.  Being self employed I funded my own retirement.  Like my parents, I did not want to rely on the government in my old age.

And no, I do not consider myself "special."

On 10/31/2024 at 11:11 AM, chuang said:

Hi, is it safe to book airlines tickets via platforms like Agoda, Booking.com. 

If flights are delayed or cancelled would I be informed and by who..

Thanks 🙏 

 

Never had problems with Priceline.  User friendly website and changes received in a timely fashion.

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Democratically elected fascist dictator.

Sore loser.

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Much quicker actually. 

The quicker, the better.

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Not desperate enough to travel all the way to America just to get a sandwich .

   Subway is often the only place to get a baguette from in Thailand , theres no other option 

Another option is to buy a Vietnamese ban mi.  Not sure who sells them.

On 10/30/2024 at 8:36 AM, watchcat said:

 

The first two examples I can understand, but why oh why would you disfigure your face with tattoos, that I can'tunderstand?

Maybe he thinking of Maori tradition.

9 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Yes of course. Just as  the murder of the Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Alkeh,  shot down cold blodded by Israel when reporting and the International Criminal Court asking for a trial but that was refused by Israel with US support, that is also propaganda ? Banning the humanitarian aid to Gaza via the UNRWA,  as per international law is also the fault of the Palestinians naturally !! I would recommend you to read the Geneva convention and war crimes treaty to understand how Israel is committing war crimes on a daily basis. And it's not me saying that but the UN and the International Criminal Court, but I assume you may consider it is again a Palestinian plot.

 

The only solution to stop these crimes is to have an independant Palestinian State and not have Gaza colononized by Israel like it is doing on the West Bank, with America's support.

As long as Iran continues to promote terrorism throughout the region an independent Palestinian State will never happen.

17 hours ago, bannork said:

Here are the facts, no wonder the Arab countries attacked Israel.

"History of Israel (1948–present) - Wikipedia" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Israel_(1948–present)#:~:text=On 14 May 1948—the,as the State of Israel.

Your link just confirms what I wrote.  The Arab attack on Israel was clearly based on anti-Jewish sentiment.

2 hours ago, ericbj said:

 

I started buying gold and silver in late 2014 after realising the trend the global economy was taking, which bade ill for the future.  Initially 50-50 gold-silver by value.

 

But I dumped silver bullion for gold after a while because silver was going nowhere and the storage/insurance charges were about triple that of gold.  But kept a bit in silver shares in view of a potential rally yielding leverage…

 

Recently, seeing growing demand for silver and diminishing supplies, I switched a modest amount of gold bullion back into silver.

 

I agree with your opinions expressed here.  Except where you say "Gold and silver coins I bought nine years ago have more than doubled in value."  I think you mean doubled in terms of USD (a bit more so for gold, less for silver).  I.e. they have held their purchasing power, which confirms their usefulness as a "store of value".

 

Bullion is not an 'investment' in the ordinary sense of the word.  But I believe gold and silver could go MUCH higher in terms of both exchange for fiat currency and possibly also purchasing power.  Their values have been deliberately and artificially depressed by market manipulation (short-selling in the 'paper' markets).  So they have some way to go to catch up.

 

Asian countries are happy to profit on the backs of myopic western financial institutions, and are steadily cornering the market in p.m.s (and other commodities).  The time will come when they push for revaluation.

 

Most of the coins I bought are collectors items like double eagles, etc.  They are valued not only for their gold content, but also for their scarcity.

11 hours ago, rickudon said:

 All countries use money these days. it may be paper, digital or whatever.  Reality - if all these currencies become useless, so will gold to a large degree. Back to barter. Food, weapons, tools and other materials  will be what you need. Cannot eat gold or make a decent weapon out of it.

 

The OP does not take into account interest on money.  Adjusted for inflation, My GBP with interest when converted to Baht buys me about the same as 10 years ago. My  pension goes up nearly every year. Gold doesn't grow, current high value just due to war and other lesser conflicts, will probably loose a third of its value if all the international conflicts stopped.

There are many factors involved in the rising price of gold.  Many fail to see that the debt to GDP ratios are playing a big effect on gold's rise.  And it is not only America's rising debt that is of concern.  The potential for a disruption in the flow of oil is another concern.

Granted there will be corrections in the price of gold and silver, but the general trend is up.  Gold and silver coins I bought nine years ago have more than doubled in value.

16 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Says me. On the basis of memory.

 

If you think I am going to waste my time looking for the source to satisfy a poster who will probably shriek bias, think again.

 

Trump will give tax cuts to billionaires and the rich. That adds to the national debt. Conversely, Harris taxes the rich, which subtracts from it. Simple logic.

 

If you have facts that say different, post them.

Spending more than taxes paid by the rich DOES NOT subtract from the national debt.

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Your mind is perverted with ignorance and hatred.

 

The election in Georgia was stolen by Russia. But you idiotically scapegoat LGBT instead. 

My friends in Georgia tell me what you have described is BS.  Besides, what does that have to do with wasteful spending?