tmd5855

You say revisionist as if what I wrote is not true. Putin wanted to join NATO showing that after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact that NATO should evolve into a type of EU where armed forces could reduce lowering tension Worked with Ukrainians and Russians when working offshore, not much between them, the problem is money and power. The ordinary guys like those guys I worked with never really get the spoils, but, are expected to shed their blood so the instigators get their spoils. 2nd Iraq war and the fall of Saddam, who benefitted, not the average Iraqi or the region, who benefitted. Libya and the deposing of Gaddafi did his removal usher in stability for the region and prosperity, who benefitted. Departure from Afghanistan following the loss of thousands of sons and fathers, when Russia left the regime they left lasted 8 years........ The Biden installed regime were it 8 hours or minutes. Who benefitted. Any country that joins NATO has to standardise their armed forces with NATO compatible equipment. Who benefits??

Cannot understand why many folk believe that Putin woke up one Feb morning 2022 and said, "Serge, Ivanov, lets invade Ukraine?? I love the timeline 2014, US covert action in the 'Orange Revolution' depose the democratically elected president of Ukraine, this Ukranian President wanted to stay neutral, outside NATO, so had to go. Guess who were US, VP then??? Guess whose son got involved afterwards with the Ukraine gas/energy business (A book in itself). Crimea which Russia took from the Ottoman Empire were transferred from Moscow rule to Kiev in 1954 by the then half Ukraine president Khruschev, Russia took it back in 2014 (50 years later) when the now ruling regime in Kiev asked to join NATO Russia had been told that Nato would not advance east of the Oder & Neisse rivers on German reunification, where is the NATO border now?? Where is the Warsaw pact that it were going to fight. Ukraine had a paramilitary unit called the 'Azov' brigade that the US State department proscribed as a 'terrorist' organisation and were banned from using any US supplied weapons after their behaviour against civilians in the areas of the Ukraine with large numbers of Russian and Russian speaking populace. These restrictions were lifted in 2024 this unit is now part of the Ukrainian armed forces. Google their banner and flag 'A308' The celebration of the Ukrainian raised Waffen SS Division (Galicia) with statues and memorial days after the 2014 coup had Putin talking about Nazis in the Kiev government, since this Waffen SS division were now 'freedom fighters' fighting the Red (Russian) army. Zelensky and Putin had a pre 2022 agreement including neutrality and autonomy in a document called the Minsk Accords. Russia, Germany, France and the UK had signed it. Biden (Now president) told the scandal ridden UK Prime Minister to go to Kiev and tell Zelensky not to sign, EU and NATO would support him. Months later Johson resigned after half his government resigned over his lies, deceptions to the House of Commons Shortly after Boris had visited, Zelensky withdrew from the agreement Russia having stated this were a red line attacked, a war many folk could see coming for the past 8 years now happened. Joe Biden crossed a number of Putins red lines and got away with them, Minsk accord failure were one red line too far. Trump for all his (Many, many) faults would have frog marched Zelensky to the table and sign saving thousands of lives and no invasion Joe Biden now allowing US/Nato supplied weapons to destroy targets in Russia is a cliffhanger of a redline. To program these US missiles and the UK/French cruise missiles need satellite provided co-ordinates, Ukraine does not have this capability, but, NATO has........... Will be interesting to see the origin/make of the first missile to land in Russia, privately France and the UK are heading out of the room not hearing a word, Germany has already said in a roundabout way reprogramming their donated 'air' launched missiles will not "Change anything" No doubt Trump does not want WWIII on his doorstep on taking office, the phones must be red hot..

Obviously never spent time on ships or shipyards?? Keppel Fels yard in Singapore employs Indians in their thousands the majority 90%+ are fine fellows, but, their supervisors want to be recognised as a boss, a Capo, a King. Had problems with these bosses installing/fitting gear and wanting it signed 'off' before any FAT is done. Spent 2 years in Samsung Shipyard, Geoje Island doing Commissiong and FAT for 6th Generation drill ships were some Indian officers would arrive to observe during 'sea trials' (Enough said). If you think Indians are treated badly by GoGo bar and beer bar owners in Pattaya you do not want to see what the Koreans owners or staff did, as for the Pilipino hostesses my mates and I thought they were cruel. But, their answers to our questions were same, "You not know what they want us do to them and friends"............ Nuff Said. Sailed with Indian crew and found 99.9% of them great guys until they are out of their bubble. Bit like Brits/Ozzies who go abroad for the first time. PS, I am an old Brit who last worked in the UK in 1976. From that date worked overseas all my life, retiring Saudi, 2015 so seen somethings, do not get me going about West Africa 🤐

Actually it is current flow that will kill you, you touch a live terminal!! You feel a tingle do not touch anything else with your other had or you complete a circuit across your chest/heart. Just google the milliamps required to stop your heart or check the milliamps in a pacemaker.

Been Thailand since 2004 working offshore, for tax reasons spent most of my leave in Thailand, on December 29th, 2014, stepped out of a helicopter for the last time aged 59 and retired. Mortality becomes a thought in the back of your head more and more as more of your age group leave this world, friends and work colleagues in ever rapid succession.. Lost my youngest boy in 2016, then work colleagues started dropping off the radar, 2020 my best mate in the UK found dead in his bed, former pupils at my old high school no one left from my years 1967-72. Girlfriend I met in 2015, never put a foot wrong so married her 7 years ago (20170 so she can get a widows pension from my private pension when I hit the buffers. Wifes Mum has died, ex father-in-Law (Good man) has passed and now one of her three sisters has terminal cancer, ex sister -in-Law same age sudden death, two uncles passed. Went back UK, March/April for my remaining son's wedding, he took me to a few of my old locals, no one left there, if alive housebound and invalidated. How am I still alive, wonder myself!! Living here in Thailand out in the sticks as a near teetotaler, never smoked, eat Thai food and my wife drags me to the hospital every 4 weeks for blood tests, have a couple of 'Sports' bikes I ride too fast, have 8 dogs remaining from our initial rescued 11, 4 remaining are GSD's. Love DIY, love my dogs and my wife and knocking on the door of 70yrs old. I think I have been bloody lucky. All farangs around me are all gone now, I am the only known farang for miles and miles.

A "Contender" you say, some probs getting a gum shield to fit and keep her hands up and still.

Love the "Sharp as a tack" comment, though it has been hammered in and yanked out a bit going by Joes eyes??. As for Harris, need to insert "Rambles incoherently about future past imperfects, she is the one to unravel convoluted quagmires only she can fix"? Or did I just ramble....

So when Cameron and Osbourne brought in the 'Austerity years' we now know it never worked except to alienate a majority of the population resulting in blaming everyone but, the Government. Immigrants bad, EU bad, etc. I wonder if no Austerity years but tax rises and expand the economy would we still be in the EU where before the vote 2015-2016 pound were 54 -50, then collapsed on the "Leave" result. We sure have some smart, intelligent folk in power with their finger on the pulse of the people. Sad, my children have never had the opportunities in the UK I had which took me overseas working for 38 years.

Being in the British Merchant Navy 1977-1998, then Oil & Gas exploration 1998-2015 (38 years overseas) can tell you about smells from certain folk in a hot environment. 99% it does come down to food we eat, Caucasians in general consume a lot of cheese, milk, yogurt by themselves and/or mixed with other dairy products cream, etc.... Hygiene as per showering helps but at 4pm on a blistering hot day or ships engine rooms you find out what people eat. Working with foreign crews for years and preferring the food the crew ate, which were fresher and tastier, an Asian taste for food developed it were Korean colleagues who made a point one time that I smelt Korean, (Ate same food in shipyard) not smelt as 'Rancid Butter". You get on the back of a m/bike taxi rider here in Thailand, the rider who has been out day, now compare to a bike taxi in New Delhi! you will smell differences it is the food/oil consumed coming out the pores. Thai women (to me) have a lovely natural smell, when you see the food they eat is all fresh, nothing processed or has added ingredients, only natural. My Thai wife has me eating only Thai soups and stews with rice, when I meet with friends visiting Pattaya from the UK on 1 or 2 guys, (Not all) you get a whiff of butter.......... God only knows how I smell back in the village after a week of burgers an Kebabs

Thank you for the link!! To equate red heads with the souls who filled the death camps owing to being born a Jew I find it hard to connect the the two dots. The British have a tendency to side with the underdog and bullied, these Pro Hamas, Pro Palestine demos with their 'anger' whether right or wrong have lost all my sympathies, 10 second video clips have me thinking this way. As for two tier policing now believe it occurs.

The tragedies are at an end, finally it is ended, is a better 'epitaph'. At the service for my youngest son, to hear kind words and remembering all those happy times could not be heard. The majority of drug addicts pass alone in a room.

Apologies late reply, regarding wrists..... riding around town they will ache, you need to be moving so the wind takes a lot of weight off the arms. Only stopped twice, but, have Thai bike licence and bike is always spotless with tax showing, speaking some Thai on my way. These bikes react to tuning, fit sports exhaust, an ECU flash/Bazzaz, R6 throttle, airbox mods you can easily release 10% more matching the Ninja400. Now I have a Ninja650 which is more roomy. Are you in the Pattaya area.

When you have a son as a junkie, all family bedrooms have padlocks fitted, car keys locked away and visitors told to keep handbags and valuables on their person at all times, local burglaries laid at your door. Visits by 6 cops, search warrants and sniffer dogs descending on your home and if drugs found repairs to doors/windows at your own expense. Jail!!!!! Do not make me laugh drugs were freely available in jail, wardens/guards are the unseen pushers to keep the so called "Krazies" calm. When the nightmare does end it is usually death. 29th, December 2016 aged 27 my son took his life, a nightmare ended, yet to many that never directly suffered at the centre of pain, memories become kinder?? Me, mine have never changed, drugs destroy families, destroy family relationships, drugs are not innocent fun and a cheap way to happiness they are a path to conflict, loneliness and death. Do not ask for my solution to drug taking and the problems, you will not like my solution nor its timescale. As those two young men have found out, one with his life the haphazard way taking of drugs and thinking they are in control being smart!!!!! usually ends in death.

Bought a CBR in Pattaya. moved to Chaiyaphum 5 years later easy change at my local town. Bought new Yamha R3 in Korat, made sure reg transferred to Chaiyaphum, had to wait for a plate. Bought 2nd hand Ninja 650 in Korat, it were a repossession no probs transferring to Chaiyaphum. Luckily I have a Thai wife who wants to see all correct, it can be done with no fuss.

Would have told him to go (F#### Himself) in the most polite way. Tell him spirits in a dream are angry