AndreasHG

LOL First, BRICS' aim to replace the US dollar is at present just wishful thinking, and not yet reality. And then, before becoming reality, the wishful thinking has to overcome some obstacles 555 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/wave-goodbye-to-america-trump-threatens-100-tariffs-on-brics-nations-over-plans-to-replace-us-dollar/articleshow/115850920.cms

LOL The one looking foolish is you: Russia is no 1 of nothingness. 1. Wheat: 1.6% of Russian exports. Not even enough to pay for the boots of Putin's soldiers. 2. Fertilizers: produced from petroleum 'coke', which is a by-product of oil refining. Fertilizers account for 2.30% of Russian exports and, yes, you're right, these do pay for the boots Putin's soldiers. But only for the boots... 3. Nuclear reactors: laughable, only $12.8 million in 2021, or 0.0025% of Russian exports. Do you even know what a nuclear reactor is? This doesn't even pay for the boots of Putin's personal guards (Служба безопасности президента).

As I stated before, you must be a deeply disturbed psychiatric subject. Ukraine did not pick a fight with Russia. Ukraine was attacked by Russia. And it was attached after that in the Budapest Memorandum, signed among the other by Russia, Ukraine was promised independence and sovereignty in the existing borders.

Your understanding of economics is equal to zero. Russia imports most of the goods consumer needs, with the exception of oil and gas and few other commodities. One example? Butter (Butter Prices Spike in Russia. Dairy Producers Blame Ice Cream - The Moscow Times). The central bank has raised interest rates to a record high of 21% to try to tame prices. However, inflation is still rising and many economists doubt the official inflation estimate (8.5% in October) because it would mean that the inflation adjusted rate is as high as 12.5%, an absurdity.

Thank you. Interesting video indeed...

No I don't. But I am sure you do. Either this or you are deeply disturbed psychiatric subject. Because nobody in his right mind would defend the indefensible: Putin's criminal regime. A man whose only merit is to have caused the death of the greatest number of Russians in the 21st century so far. He killed Russians with Polonium, with Novichok, in the darkness of jail cells, and now in mass massacres on the fields of Ukraine. He will be remembered because of the carnage he caused. Like so many Russians tyrants before him, the many great czars, Lenin, Stalin, whose greatness is measured by the size of the mountain of Russian corpses they left behind. That's, in a nutshell, the core of the millenary story of Russia, and the reason why your neighbors run away from you.

Thank you for the comment posted from Saint Petersburg. Here some data on the Russian "Rubble" from an objective source: -16.64% in 12 months on the US$. No more sales of 'Rubbles' by the Russian Central Bank till the end of the year and key interest rate at 21% to support an otherwise plunging currency.

Wheat: $5.88 billion and 1,21% of Russian 2022 Exports (source: Russia (RUS) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners | The Observatory of Economic Complexity) Nuclear reactors: laughable, only $12.8 million in 2021, the value is so small to be included in an "others" category (source: Russia (RUS) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners | The Observatory of Economic Complexity). Nitrogen fertilizers and Potassium fertilizers: $11.20 billion and 2.30% of Russian 2022 Exports (source: Russia (RUS) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners | The Observatory of Economic Complexity) Below is the treemap of Russia's exports. Energy raw materials dominate the map, followed by refined and semi-refined metals (light brown area) and by precious metals (purple area). The interactive tremap is accessible at the links posted above. Let's be honest: Russia is a Petrostate. And the push towards renewable energy will take it back to the Stone Age. That's why Putin is so agitated...

A tumbling Ruble and a galloping inflation signal the state of difficulty in which the Russian 'war economy' finds itself. An article published on the New Statesman describes the difficulties that Putin is facing and the reasons why Trump himself could give him the final blow. But the real reason for the current difficulties lies in choices made well before the invasion of Ukraine. 'Putin’s presidency has been little different from the Soviet era, in that he has made Russia a military giant but an economic dwarf. His gangster state has never been able to diversify; while the world buys Chinese cars and American software, the only thing we buy from Russia is oil, and the gradual turning away from hydrocarbons will eventually expose this as an appalling waste of a country’s potential.' 'Russia’s formidable levels of education and scientific prowess have been wasted, because under the Putin regime a lack of property rights and the rule of law drive its innovators and entrepreneurs abroad.' Russia’s economy is doomed - New Statesman

Actually, when prohibition in the U.S. ended the mob was left with gambling (and extorsion, and protecting rackets, and loansharking, and labor racketeering, and prostitution, and fencing stolen goods, etc.). During prohibitionism, the mob never paused other illicit activities to focus solely on bootleging moonshine or other alcoholic beverages.

II really hope you're wrong, although I recognize the likelihood that you are right.

Will Trump ever apologize for calling the NYT "the failing" NYT? Trump spent much of his political career insulting his opponents, denying the obvious, defending the indefensible, lying without shame, and never once apologizing. The NYT should just ignore his demand for an apology. Actually, I wish the NYT would always ignore Trump. He's nothing but a lot of talk and a POTUS badge.

Yes, but this new system has nothing to do with Immigration. It is only intended for baggage drop, security checks, and boarding.

AOT published an announcement explaining how the system works and what it simplifies. The facial recognition eliminates 'the need to present a passport or boarding pass at baggage drop, security checks, and boarding.' Immigration will not leverage this new system. The data are solely used only to ensure that the passengers boarding the plane are the ones whose names are printed on the boarding cards and on the airline manifest. This also explains why the data can be deleted after only 48 hours. The benefit in terms of time saving will be greater the higher the number of passengers who use facial recognition. AOT rolls out Biometric System to enhance passenger experience across six airports - TAT Newsroom

I have not encountered any problems with the electronic passport control. I am staying in Thailand on a multiple entry non-resident Retirement VISA. At the end of October 2024, I left Thailand for a short trip to Vietnam. At the immigration I was directed to the electronic passport control counter and therefore left the Kingdom without receiving the usual blue oval exit stamp. When I returned to Thailand a few days later, I went through the usual immigration process and an officer stamped my passport with the regular red, rectangular entry stamp, right under the previous one. No questions asked and no problems.

Japanese automakers have so far avoided consolidation. There are 7 different manufacturers (Toyota-Daihatsu, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru) plus Isuzu (which is primarily a truck company). Some companies are related: Toyota is the main shareholder of Subaru (20.95% of the shares), the sole shareholder of Daihatsu, and a minority shareholder (about 5%) of Mazda, Suzuki and Isuzu (the latter also participated by Mitsubishi Motors with 8.5% of the shares). Faced with growing international competition (Koreans in the first 20 years of this century, Chinese now) it is very unlikely that a consolidation into two or three national champions can be postponed for much longer.

Rent first. If you like the building, the neighborhood and the location you can go ahead and buy. But take your time and negotiate hard.

The same happened to me over and over again. Also in my home country, with girls who spoke my native language. Never understood why...

No issue at all. Back home, I leave my Harley parked for up to 9-12 months at a time, connected to a battery tender, with full tank and a chemical stabilizer diluted in the fuel. I lift it off the ground to prevent the tires from becoming oval and cover it with a breathable blanket. But for one month (which happened a lot of times when I lived there) I wouldn't bother doing anything of what mentioned above.

Unfortunately, nowadays very few people receive an adequate education.

Talking about ranting, it's funny how some people see wokeism everywhere, even where there is very little of it. In Italy deeply rooted Catholic culture predates wokeism by a couple of thousand years at least, and respect for the Catholic church's dictates is still dominant, especially among more conservative circles. Pope Francis has called anti-migrant measures "grave sins". He has also said that it is a "grave sin" to not offer aid to migrant vessels. He doubled down by blaming wealthy countries for the increase in immigration numbers, saying they are responsible because of their economic strength and energy policies. No mention of the corruption, nepotism, violation of fundamental human rights, excessive demographic expansion, illiteracy which plague the countries from which emigrants are running away.

In democracy, majorities can quickly turn into minorities. And we also should keep in mind that midterm elections are right behind the corner. The American people will surely hold Trump (and the Republicans) accountable and vote accordingly. This is what they promised: 1. End the war in Ukraine before Inauguration Day. 2. IRA repealed and roll back Biden's electric vehicle incentives 3. Mass deportations (an estimated 10-11 milion illegal aliens living in the US) to limit the number of workers competing in the job market 4. 10 to 20% tariffs on all imported goods in a boost to the job market in the USA 5. Cut federal funding to schools that teach "critical race theory" and "transgender" matters 6. Purges of the 'enemies within' (up to some million left-leaning Americans, woke, LGTBQIA+ and DEI activists, deep-state employees, etc., fired, sent to prison or concentration camps, waiting for a final solution) 7. End taxes on tips 8. No taxes on Social Security income 9. "Replace" Obamacare with something bigger and better 10. Expand the child tax credit 11. Reduce the federal public spending by $2 trillion and bring the federal budget back into the black. 12. Reduce inflation. I wish them good luck, also because luck seems to be the only skill Trump truly possesses.

Unlike in Europe, consumers in Thailand have no "right to repair". We tend to think that the plain sensible, commonsense rules, we are accustomed to in our home country, apply universally, but they do not.

Willful ignorance is a lifestyle deeply rooted in the American culture, widespread and praised from elementary schools to the boards of directors of multinational companies: "one can't make an omelette without breaking eggs" is a sentence I eared over and over again, and over and over again I witnessed appreciation for a job done in a "quick and dirty" way. 76,851,910 Americans gave PE mandate to "break eggs" like there's no tomorrow and, given in his total ignorance and his infantile delirium of omnipotence and narcissism, PE possesses unique qualities to dutifully accomplish this task. POTUS no. 48 will have the thankless task of putting back together the rubbles that no. 47 left behind, and right the ship before it sinks in a sea of manure. It's just another chapter of ordinary madness in the extraordinary history of the United States of America.

What is striking is the terrifying silence of the Russian population and its indifference to the crimes committed by its government. In Israel, which was attacked on 7 October 2023, there are voices of dissent and demonstrations against the government's conduct. Not in Russia. Russians are a threat to their neighbors. Their indifference to human life and human suffering is what make them a danger.