SoCal1990

Sephardic Jews make up over 50% of the Jewish population in Israel. The Ashkenazi Jews are only about 30%. And then the rest is a mix. The Jewish group that is known to have a higher IQ are the Ashkenazi Jews and they are not the dominant race in Israel.

Following below are some points from the links provided above. Also, all of this is referring to Ashkenazi Jews, also often referred to as European Jews, many of whom emigrated from Northern Europe (Germany, Poland, Russia) to either the USA, the UK or Israel either just before or during WW2. There are also the Sephardic Jews, many of whom were born in Palestine, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and some of the other surrounding middle eastern countries. Ethnically, Sephardic Jews look more middle eastern than the Ashkenazi Jews and don't necessarily share the same genetically inherent higher intelligence traits. --- Studies have generally found Ashkenazi Jews to have an average IQ in the range of 107 to 115, and Ashkenazi Jews as a group have had successes in intellectual fields out of proportion to their numbers. Today's Ashkenazi Jews have a higher average mathematical and verbal IQ and an unusual cognitive profile compared to other ethnic groups. From roughly 800 to 1650 CE, Ashkenazi Jews in Europe were a mostly isolated genetic group. When Ashkenazi Jews married non-Jews, they usually left the Jewish community; few non-Jews married into the Jewish community. During the same period, laws barred Ashkenazi Jews from most jobs, including farming and crafts, and forced them into finance, management, and international trade. Wealthy Jews had several more children per family than poor Jews. So, genes for cognitive traits such as verbal and mathematical talent, which make a person successful in the few fields where Jews could work, were favored; genes for irrelevant traits, such as spatio-visual abilities, were supported by less selective pressure than in the general population. Given the high heritability of IQ, 800 years is plenty of time for the selective pressure on verbal and mathematical intelligence to produce a 16-point increase in IQ.

Not sure why this topic is posted in the political soapbox. Anyway, if anyone is really interested in the science and studies behind this topic, you can read the following links: https://alchetron.com/Ashkenazi-Jewish-intelligence https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/29250 https://infogalactic.com/info/Ashkenazi_Jewish_intelligence

Imagine for a moment that the critics of Donald Trump are correct. As we know, many Americans who oppose Trump fear the damage he could inflict on the country if he were to return to power. These concerns often revolve around potential harm to democratic institutions, civil liberties, or global stability. On the other hand, Trump supporters seem to dismiss these warnings entirely, confident that none of the dire predictions will come to pass. But let’s consider a hypothetical scenario: What if Trump is re-elected and does, in fact, carry out the very actions his critics have been warning about? What if the damage predicted becomes a reality? And what if Trump doesn’t serve his full term due to issues related to age, cognitive decline, or other health concerns, leaving someone like J.D. Vance as president for the remainder of the term? At that point, I wonder how Trump supporters would respond. Would they finally acknowledge that he was a dangerous choice for the country? Would they admit that perhaps they made a mistake in supporting him? Or, would they continue to rationalize or defend his actions, finding ways to justify the fallout despite the overwhelming evidence? Below are 11 significant concerns that millions of people believe Trump would enact. So my question to his supporters is simple: What if all of it turns out to be true? How would you reconcile your support in the face of such outcomes? 1. Undermining Democratic Institutions and the Rule of Law There is concern that Trump may undermine constitutional norms, such as checks and balances, and the independence of the judiciary. This includes fears about election interference, weakening voting rights, and potentially refusing to concede future elections. Some even fear he may attempt to remove the two-term limit on the presidency. 2. Authoritarianism and Centralization of Power Critics worry Trump may govern more authoritatively by bypassing Congress, consolidating power, and potentially using federal agencies to target political opponents. Concerns also include attacks on the free press and restricting free speech. 3. Threats to Social Programs Many fear Trump could push for cuts to essential social programs like Social Security and Medicare, which could leave millions of Americans without critical support. There are also concerns he could dismantle the Affordable Care Act, stripping healthcare access from millions. 4. Economic Policy Concerns Critics argue Trump’s policies could harm the economy through tariffs, trade wars, and tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, worsening inequality. There is also concern about weakened labor protections, which could harm workers and undercut wages. 5. Environmental Rollbacks Trump has shown skepticism toward climate change, and there are concerns that he will further roll back environmental protections, undermine international climate agreements, and prioritize fossil fuel interests over clean energy. 6. Foreign Policy and National Security Critics fear Trump’s “America First” foreign policy will isolate the U.S. from its allies, weaken NATO, and embolden authoritarian regimes. His admiration for authoritarian leaders and the potential for nuclear instability are also significant concerns. 7. Social and Civil Rights There is widespread fear that Trump will continue to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, and protections for marginalized groups, particularly through judicial appointments that could overturn existing legal precedents. 8. Cultural and Racial Divisions Trump’s rhetoric has often been seen as stoking racial tensions and promoting intolerance. Critics fear his return could further inflame cultural divisions, militarize law enforcement responses to protests, and harm civil rights movements. 9. Misinformation and Disinformation Trump has been accused of undermining public trust in institutions like the media, the judiciary, and science by spreading misinformation. His promotion of electoral fraud claims and conspiracy theories has also raised concerns about public faith in democracy. 10. Potential for Corruption and Conflicts of Interest Trump has been accused of using the presidency to benefit his personal business interests and has pardoned close allies. There are concerns that he could further enrich himself and shield his associates from legal consequences if re-elected. 11. Destabilizing Federal Agencies Critics fear that Trump’s desire to “drain the swamp” could lead to the dismantling or hollowing out of key federal agencies, such as the EPA, CDC, or State Department, leaving them unable to effectively serve the public interest.

Back in the 80's, when those two Village People songs, YMCA and Macho Man were at their peek popularity, Trump was a heavy club goer in NYC. The Village People thing was everywhere at that time, just like the transvestite themed Rocky Horror Picture Show. Everyone at the time clearly knew these songs were gay anthems, including Trump. Even the dressing styles of the Village People band members became a popular fashion style amongst the gay scene in New York City. So Trump clearly knows the deal with these gay songs. You could try to argue that now he's too old and he's already forgotten these things, but then how could anyone even suggest the man is mentally fit to be president if he can no longer even recognize the overt differences in human sexuality. And that weird little jig you mentioned that he does on stage, that is also very fitting with the context of these two gay themed songs. But don't take my word for it, Dave Bautista explains it a lot better than I, and it appears to further involve giraffes:

It's fantastic that Trump so deeply respects and embraces the LBGTQ community and so openly. He will even play that "YMCA" gay anthem song no less than 3 to 4 times during the course of one rally. Good on him. He also plays "Macho Man", another well known gay anthem. As well as the song "Freedom" by George Michael, again, another fantastic gay anthem. So he's obsessed with gay anthems, that’s super. But instead of playing YMCA, and just these other two songs over and over again, why doesn't somebody give him a full gay anthem playlist? It would at least add some more gay musical variety to his political events. In fact, here are at least 10 more 80’s gay anthems that he should be playing at his rallies. “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor “It’s Raining Men” – The Weather Girls “Smalltown Boy” – Bronski Beat “I’m Coming Out” – Diana Ross “Relax” – Frankie Goes to Hollywood “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” – Sylvester “Like a Virgin” – Madonna “Love is a Stranger” – Eurythmics “So Many Men, So Little Time” – Miquel Brown “True Colors” – Cyndi Lauper Who doesn’t love them all? Can’t go wrong with any of these.

No wonder this bloke has difficulty finding a girlfriend. Who can play the double bass with mangled fingers like that???

I mentioned wine as an example in my OP, but it's all the same. Beer, spirits, wine coolers, etc. It's all poison and 100% toxic to the body, and in multiple ways. Unlike alcohol, cannabis is consumed in many different ways. It can be made into many different edible forms and/or vaporized, none of which poses medical risks. Smoking it is horrible, and the smell can be disruptive to others, but unfortunately it's still the way that many people choose to consume it. Also, too many archaic stereotypes have been posted here about cannabis and the types of people that consume it. Most of that comes from old movies and outdated pop culture, but it is far from the truth. Using cannabis and then going out and meeting people is also great. Makes you smile, more creative and more talkative when used in moderation. Unlike alcohol that slows your speech, causes you to slur words and eventually makes you inebriated/antisocial if you drink too much. I realize some people consume a small amount of alcohol because they enjoy the taste and the feeling of it, and without getting really drunk, but it's still greatly unhealthy, even in small quantities and becomes much more dangerous to one's health as you age. And, no amount of alcohol — not even 1 glass of wine — is safe. But don't take my word for it: https://globalnews.ca/news/4406827/no-amount-of-alcohol-safe-study https://www.bbc.com/news/health-45283401 Lastly, on the long standing cannabis versus alcohol debate, which one of the two is actually administered by doctors for a number of different medical use/health benefits and which one do doctors always tell you to stop consuming right away? I rest my case.

I got a few of the many 20-25 Baht mid-grade strains from Bangkok Kush. They all have nice terps and flavor. THC level is middle of the range on most of them, but the White Wedding strain to me feels as strong as many of the exotic level strains that sell for 120-130 Baht a gram. I was really surprised how good it is. And I see they have it on sale now for 10 Baht a gram: https://bkkushhh.com/shop/hot-promotion/white-wedding/

The post above is the first post from a brand new member and they're sharing a link to try and sell you something. That's spamming possibly a scam or phishing site.

Why do people even drink alcohol? I can’t work it out. They spend a lot of money on wine and the like. Then they spend hours drinking the stuff trying to get snockered. And once they’re properly drunk then they are possibly going to get in a serious car accident, a fight, fall down, throw up and end up lying in a pile of their own vomit, or just wake up with a terrible hangover that lasts 24-48 hours. Not to mention the long term damage it can cause to cognitive brain function, liver, heart, etc. Meanwhile, alcohol consumption keeps falling every year within the younger people demographic and cannabis use continues to increase. So why don’t more older people just use cannabis edibles? Works much better than alcohol. Doesn’t cost much. Gets you zooted for hours and none of the downsides of alcohol.

Who cares. Just another bunch of old moaners from the UK. Don't like it? Don't complain, go live somewhere else where your pension won't be capped. Everyone has choices, right?

Note: I'm posting this for my friend Bob, who is now living in Spain.

You talk about eating healthy, to exercise your brain and muscles, so it sounds like you're advocating a healthy lifestyle and then you suggest using drugs that could be potentially dangerous. It doesn't match up. In addition, why do you assume that everybody needs those drugs in order to maintain and keep their sex life alive? Certainly there are many men who also don't need those drugs as they age. Also, not everyone needs hormone replacement either. A friend of mine (who is nearly 60 years old) still has natural testosterone levels that are above 1000.

Very nice. Good for you. Seems you've discovered something that works good. How long have you two been married now?

In Thailand, there are many options to maintain a good sex life as you get older. When we were young it was a lot simpler. It didn’t take much thought or planning and it seemed like pleasure was to be had easily, but it becomes more complex as you age. Some will say having a loving and caring wife is now the best way. Others will say that’s not the case. Some people will say it’s best to stay single, date a lot, and play the field. Many think the best way is to just P4P and/or go short time when you want it and to avoid any emotional involvement or commitments. Some simply don’t want to look after someone else and choose some sort of freestyle option. And some might think having some sort of young mistress, where you pay all of her expenses, in exchange for some sex whenever you need it, is the best. Personally I prefer no commitments and to stay free and go with the flow. It seems to suit my solitary lifestyle the best, but I still say to each his own. NOTE: If you are one of those men who feels sex is overrated, don’t need it anymore, never enjoyed it, your equipment doesn’t function, don’t care, etc, then please kindly spare us all your off-topic comments as this topic is purely about maintaining a healthy sex life rather than about abstaining.

Great, why didn't you vote in the poll above?

Following is my original post to help give people some reference to the poll: Whenever I see a post from somebody (here on AN) talking about going short-time, or taking part in the nightlife in Thailand there will inevitably be some other posters on here who will then comment something to the effect of "sad" or "shallow", but I never understood why. So let's unpack this. First off, why is it anyone's right or business to say something condescending about another person's lifestyle, especially someone else whom they personally know nothing about? Next, what is actually sad or shallow about it? Some men simply may not want to share their life with a partner full-time, but they also don't want to be forced to be celibate. So short-time works really well for them. Nothing wrong with that. Then are there any real moral issues? No. Are they helping to put some much needed money into the lower end of the local economy? Yes. So somebody explain to me how it's sad or shallow. And furthermore, explain to me how it isn't the perfect thing for someone who still has biological needs and/or carnal desires, but feels happier being alone. I suspect many of the posters making these condescending comments are ones who are in longtime monogamous relationships, and who can't envision or understand how someone else could possibly live a happy life in any other way. But truth be told, the guy living the short-time lifestyle might be a lot happier than the guy judging him and who feels stuck in a married position. And perhaps it's the guy who is not living the short-time lifestyle who is actually the one who's feeling sad.

Stop the debating, join the poll:

Since the topic I posted a few days ago has created so much debate, I thought I would create a poll on the question of the OP to see what the majority of people really think.

Very rarely do phishers, scammers, online fraudsters or hackers ever get caught. They are usually two steps ahead from the moment they start their attack and their identity is usually protected by layers of online autonomy. Catching them requires a fair amount of effort and usually involves a sophisticated plot designed to lure the scammers to a physical location where they can be captured by law enforcement. And this rarely ever happens given the vast number of scammers versus the limited number of law enforcement resources by comparison. It is also typically an issue of law enforcement jurisdiction where the law enforcement agency being notified by the victim is not able to operate in the foreign country where the scammers are located. Victims are often located in Western countries and the scammers are often located in countries like China, India, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, etc. So it becomes an international cross-border legal challenge to be able to do anything and it requires vast law enforcement resources to do so. Thus, the best defense still remains to simply be awareness.

A friend's email account just got hacked. He's now lost access to the account because the hackers immediately changed the password upon gaining access to his account. Then they started sending out scam emails from his account to every contact of his, this means whomever that my friend has ever exchanged emails with in the past. The first two scripted emails that the scammers sent out are as follows. It's a textbook hacking scam. Many variations of the same are out there with slightly different reasons for asking for gift cards or bitcoin. Presumably, my friend had compromised his email account login details to the scammers during a phishing attempt. So they didn't really hack his account. He most likely handed over his login credentials to the scammers willingly but unknowingly.

@NowNow and @fredwiggy - Between the two of you, you have posted well over 50% of the total replies made on this topic, yet all of it is only intended for you to use to judge, insult and belittle other members, plus none of it is of any interest, nor adds anything to the topic. But the two of you have also focused on highjacking this thread ever since I started it yesterday. What is really wrong with you two? Totally warped and obsessed. You're both so off from what is normal in this world that it's gotten really creepy. You two are also a lot like susanlea.

Ok