TallGuyJohninBKK

Three thoughts: 1. Despite being an avid cyclist, I seriously doubt I'm going to be cycling about by the time I get to age 79 (assuming I do). So at least he deserves some respect for that. 2. Falling off his bicycle right now is just about the last thing Biden needs, given the growing doubts (as shown by polling numbers, warranted or not) that more and more Americans have about his fitness for office. 3. I don't believe he's unfit for office, but the right-wing Republicans have been harping hard on that theme, and at least some Americans are buying it.

Somehow, I don't find it surprising that a congressional committee tasked with investigating Trump's attempt to steal/overturn the 2020 election results and prevent Biden from taking office would NOT want to have one of Trump's co-conspirators sitting on that same panel. insurrection fallout GOP lawmakers were deeply involved in Trump plans to overturn election, new evidence suggests Deposition excerpts filed by the Jan 6. select committee underscore the expansive cast of elected Republicans who had enlisted themselves in Trump’s effort to cling to power ... "Deposition excerpts filed by the Jan 6. select committee — part of an effort to force former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to appear for an interview — suggest that some of Trump’s top allies in Congress were frequently present in meetings where a handful of strategies to prevent then-President-elect Joe Biden from taking office were discussed, including efforts to replace the leadership of the Justice Department with figures who would sow doubts about the legitimacy of the election. Lawmakers who attended meetings, in person or by phone, included Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and numerous members of the House Freedom Caucus, according to Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to Meadows who provided key testimony about the conversations and meetings Meadows had in December 2020." https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/22/gop-lawmakers-deeply-involved-in-trump-plans-to-overturn-election-new-evidence-suggests-00027340

And there was this additional disclosure re the real threats against Pence's life from the demonstrators: "Pence came within about 40 feet of some of the pro-Trump rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol building, said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., who led much of Thursday’s hearing. “Make no mistake about the fact that the vice president’s life was in danger,” Aguilar said. He noted that a confidential informant from the Proud Boys told the FBI that members of the far-right group “would have killed Mike Pence if given a chance,” according to a recent court filing by the Department of Justice." https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/17/jan-6-hearing-takeaways-trump-pushed-pence-to-reject-key-votes.html

This 12 minute video shown by the committee during its first hearing shows the true extent of the mob violence, attacks on capitol police officers, threats to hang Pence, hunting for Pelosi, etc etc....

The number of people alleged to have entered the Capitol Building that day has been estimated at between 2000 and 2500.... and the number who have been criminally charged thus far is around 800. And if by take over the U.S. government, you mean prevent Congress to confirm the election of a new president and then try to have the election results returned to the states, yes, once they broke past the Capitol police, there were enough of them to accomplish that task -- had the lawmakers not fled first ahead of advancing mob.

Yes, Capitol Rioters Were Armed. Here Are The Weapons Prosecutors Say They Used "In the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a popular narrative has emerged: that because rioters did not fire guns that day, they were not really "armed." But a review of the federal charges against the alleged rioters shows that they did come armed, and with a variety of weapons: stun guns, pepper spray, baseball bats and flagpoles wielded as clubs. An additional suspect also allegedly planted pipe bombs by the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties the night before the riot and remains at large." https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/977879589/yes-capitol-rioters-were-armed-here-are-the-weapons-prosecutors-say-they-used

I don't know if there were guns found specifically among the arrested at the Capitol that day, but the insurrectionists definitely had them prepared and ready nearby, at least: Federal criminal complaint against the Oath Keepers: "He conspired with Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes to "oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power," according to a court filing. He also joined others in amassing firearms "on the outskirts of Washington D.C. — some distributed across hotels and ‘quick reaction force’ (‘QRF‘) teams — and planned to use them in support of their plot to halt the lawful transfer of power," the filing said." and "He drove to D.C. a day before the riot with an AR-15-style rifle, a pistol, ammunition, body armor, a camouflaged combat uniform, pepper spray, a large walking stick intended for use as a weapon, and a pocketknife, all of which he stored in a hotel room and was prepared to retrieve if called upon to do so, according to plea documents." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/third-oath-keepers-defendant-pleads-guilty-sedition-capitol-riot-case-rcna27294 And then there is this from the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia, which is the lead prosecutor for the Capitol cases: "...including over 75 individuals who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer." "Approximately 140 police officers were assaulted Jan. 6 at the Capitol including about 80 U.S. Capitol Police and about 60 from the Metropolitan Police Department." https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/one-year-jan-6-attack-capitol

Interesting, the following May 5 report from NBC News has an even larger number involved... "More than 2,500 people are believed to have entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, while hundreds more committed crimes outside." And it included the following other interesting updates: "a former New York City Police officer who assaulted a D.C. police officer on the day of the riot was found guilty by a jury, a former QAnon supporter from Pennsylvania who helped assault law enforcement officers with a giant "Trump" sign pleaded guilty, and a former Marine who kicked an officer was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/third-oath-keepers-defendant-pleads-guilty-sedition-capitol-riot-case-rcna27294 Seems like a fair number of ex military and ex law enforcement types were involved in this... along with a lot of people who after the fact turned out to have had histories of various mental problems, having been on medications, etc etc. Such as, among others, the infamous QAnon shaman and his horned helmet: "The Phoenix man, who suffers from mental illness, and who had subscribed to the bogus “QAnon” conspiracy theory, pleaded guilty Sept. 3 to obstructing a proceeding of Congress, one of six criminal counts he faced when he was indicted." https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/qanon-shaman-jacob-chansley-appeals-conviction-in-trump-capitol-riot-case.html And then there's another kind of illness as well: "The attorney for another Capitol riot defendant named Anthony Antonio blamed his alleged actions January 6 on watching too much FOX News Network during another court hearing in May. That attorney said his client had fallen victim to “Foxitis.” https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/qanon-shaman-mental-illness-competent-to-stand-trial-capitol-riots-jacob-chansley-donald-trump-q-anon/65-edec1f29-ff6a-48d8-923c-0cd0c4ed80fd

It's up to THREE of them now... not two Third Oath Keepers defendant pleads guilty to sedition in Capitol riot case William Todd Wilson, a 44-year-old military and law enforcement veteran, has agreed to cooperate with authorities WASHINGTON — A North Carolina member of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. William Todd Wilson, a 44-year-old former leader of the Sampson County chapter of the far-right militia group, is the third Oath Keeper to admit to seditious conspiracy. Joshua James and Brian Ulrich pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year and agreed to cooperate with the government. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/third-oath-keepers-defendant-pleads-guilty-sedition-capitol-riot-case-rcna27294

Guess that depends on which side of the border you inhabit... politically speaking.

Here's my diplomatic solution for Russia -- get the heck out of Ukraine, and go back to your own country!

Capitol Police Told to Hold Back on Riot Response on Jan. 6, Report Finds Despite being tipped that “Congress itself is the target” on Jan. 6, Capitol Police were ordered not to use their most powerful crowd-control weapons, according to a scathing new watchdog report. ... "Mr. Bolton found that the agency’s leaders failed to adequately prepare despite explicit warnings that pro-Trump extremists posed a threat to law enforcement and civilians and that the police used defective protective equipment. He also found that the leaders ordered their Civil Disturbance Unit to refrain from using its most powerful crowd-control tools — like stun grenades — to put down the onslaught." ... “Officials on duty on Jan. 6 told him that such equipment could have helped the police to “push back the rioters.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/us/politics/capitol-police-riot-report.html

The 12 minute film of violence and insurrection screened by the House Committee during its first hearing is more than sufficient for those with short attention spans...

As for the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers prosecutions: "In the United States, seditious conspiracy is codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2384: If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seditious_conspiracy#United_States And it seems, several of the charged Oath Keepers have already pled guilty to those seditious conspiracy federal charges against them: Third Oath Keepers defendant pleads guilty to sedition in Capitol riot case May 5, 2022, 2:45 AM +07 "WASHINGTON — A North Carolina member of the Oath Keepers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. William Todd Wilson, a 44-year-old former leader of the Sampson County chapter of the far-right militia group, is the third Oath Keeper to admit to seditious conspiracy. Joshua James and Brian Ulrich pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year and agreed to cooperate with the government." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/third-oath-keepers-defendant-pleads-guilty-sedition-capitol-riot-case-rcna27294 So contrary to some posters spurious claims above, the DOJ and federal prosecutors do seem to have some pretty decent idea of exactly what they're doing, and the legal basis for having filed the seditious conspiracy charges that they filed.

It's not just the getting registered to vote part, but also the actually being able to really cast your ballot...and that's where a war is being fought. As of March 2021: "As of last month, Republican lawmakers in 43 states had introduced more than 250 bills that would make it more difficult to vote, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University Law School, up from about 100 in 28 states two months ago." ... Saying they want to safeguard the integrity of elections and restore voters’ trust, GOP lawmakers are advancing bills that would reduce the number of ballot drop boxes or eliminate them, drastically curtail early voting periods and limit who can vote by mail. This legislation could be devastating for voter turnout, especially in communities of color and for voters with disabilities, voting rights advocates warn." https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/03/25/republican-wave-of-voting-restrictions-swells

I believe this is part of what the quoted poster is referring to... essentially, efforts by Republican state lawmakers to pass laws that in the future would give them more of an ability to do exactly what Trump wanted them to do -- ignore and countermand the public vote. GOP-controlled legislatures look to overhaul election laws ahead of 2022 midterms Lawmakers are introducing bills that would give partisan figures more power. "After the 2021 legislative session brought a new wave of efforts to redistrict along partisan lines and restrict voting access, Republican legislators in some states are now looking to intervene further in the electoral process. In battlegrounds like Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers are introducing bills that would give partisan figures more power when it comes to certifying election results or choosing electors. ... States are considering bills that would allow regular citizens to launch election audits, impose sanctions on election officials and give partisan actors the authority to remove election officials from office." https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-controlled-legislatures-overhaul-election-laws-ahead-2022/story?id=82730052 So as a hypothetical example, in a future Republican world, once the Sec. of State in George told Trump he wasn't going to help him steal the Georgia election results, Trump supporters either in the public or in the state Legislature would have ways to go after and potentially remove the Sec. of State from office and presumably install a loyalist instead. Problem solved and election stolen. The Trump-backed Big Steal isn't done or over. It's just been kicked down the road till the next presidential election, and who knows what will happen then.

You apparently haven't been reading the news lately...for example: Both the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers groups of Trump extremists have been charged by the U.S. Justice Department with "seditious conspiracy," as per the NYT: "The new indictment marked the second time a far-right group has been charged with seditious conspiracy in connection with the Jan. 6 attack. In January, Stewart Rhodes, the leader and founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, was arrested and charged along with 10 others with the same crime. The charge of seditious conspiracy — which can be difficult to prove and carries particular legal weight as well as political overtones — requires prosecutors to show that at least two people agreed to use force to overthrow government authority or delay the execution of a U.S. law. It carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison." Note the allegation -- "agreed to use force to overthrow government authority or delay the execution of a U.S. law." https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/us/politics/proud-boys-charged-sedition-capitol-attack.html What they were doing was exactly an insurrection and attempted coup by seeking exactly what Trump publicated advocated -- stopping Congress from confirming Biden's lawful election as president, and somehow turning the issue back to state Legislatures.

Screen caps from the end of the above video screened by the committee: And then the video included audio of Trump's post riot/insurrection comments to Fox News in July 2021: "the former president also offered a full-throated defense of the rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol building and incited violent clashes with police and security forces, evoking memories of his defense of the white nationalist protesters who gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Rather than a violent insurrection, Trump instead sought to recast the day as one of "peace" and "love" following his "mild-mannered" speech. "There was such love at that rally," he said, "They were peaceful people, these were great people, the crowd was unbelievable and I mentioned the word love, the love in the air I've never seen anything like it." https://www.salon.com/2021/07/11/trump-embraces-capitol-rioters-rewrites-jan-6-history-during-fox-appearance/ Watch the above 12-minute video of the riot/insurrection violence screened by the House committee, and see if you see any "love" going on...

Couple things... DEMOCRACY 1. Unlike Biden, the greatest damage done by Trump and his band of fellow Republican would-be insurrectionists is the undermining of public faith and trust in the U.S. system of democratic elections. He and they have done more to push the U.S. in the direction of autocratic, banana republic rule than anyone else in the modern history of the U.S. If the long and worldwide admired U.S. system of democracy ends up failing (as it came dangerously close to doing in 2020), the fault will lay at Trump's doorstep. That Biden was able to emerge from that carnage as president is a true blessing. UKRAINE 2. I get that no one likes high gasoline prices in the U.S., and I'd agree that Trump as president likely could have avoided that. How? By doing what he no doubt would have done had he been re-elected as president, and that's handing Ukraine and who knows what else in Eastern Europe over to Putin with a gift-wrapped bow. So, despite the hits that the economy has taken/is taken, I'm glad we have Biden and not Trump as president... Because Biden stands up for the principles that have made the U.S. the envy of the world for decades, and is willing to stand with would-be democracies against the wolves seeking to devour them. It may end up costing the Democrats control of Congress, but it was the right thing for the U.S. to do, 100 times out of 100. And Biden to his credit led the way on that, not only for the U.S., but for all the western democracies. PS - If Biden has a 'far left" and "lunatic" agenda, then Trump and his followers such as DeSantis, Abbott, MTG and others are so far off the fringe right wing extremist end of the scale that they no longer can be found or measured. They've dropped off into oblivion. How about ceasing with the silly, overblown inflammatory rhetoric... Biden, as he's been thru his long political career, is a moderate, middle of the road Democrat, caught between the more liberal side of his party vs. the increasingly extremist, Trump inspired Republicans in Congress. It's a miserable place to be, no doubt!

And as of yesterday, only 45% of Thailand's senior citizen population (60 and older) -- the most COVID vulnerable group -- had received their third dose COVID booster vaccine shot that science says is necessary to best protect against Omicron. https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/576747400610255/?type=3

And at least as of today, the same kind of daily COVID update info continues to be available via the MoPH's COVID dashboard website: https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Yes Virginia, people are still getting sick from, and dying of, COVID in Thailand. Good reason to wear a quality face mask when close around others, maintain social distancing when outside to the extent possible, and get your COVID booster vaccines, as allowed under the government's policy.

At least as of today, the government is still reporting the daily COVID stats via their COVID Info Facebook page.... 27 new COVID deaths. 29,509 confirmed COVID patients under treatment 13,833 of those in regular hospitals. And of those, 761 in serious condition and another 375 intubated because of being unable to breathe. Total official COVID death count for Thailand since the beginning of the pandemic, now at 30,198 (though outside researchers believe the actual number is considerably higher). PS - Just as they re-jiggered what kinds of COVID-related deaths they're actually counting a month or so back (to effectively reduce the reported numbers), they've now also rejiggered what they count as actual cases (so the case figures from now forward may not be comparable to those from the past.) https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/577447363873592/?type=3

I believe the OP is talking about the more expensive international version of NFL Game Pass, which offers live games and can be used with a regular Thai IP. I've always gone with the less expensive U.S. version of NFL Game Pass, which requires a U.S. IP address via VPN and makes all games, including the playoffs, available VOD after their completion. But it starts out at about $100 for the year, and gradually has price cuts as the season goes on. [BTW, you don't get to pick between the two services. If you're using a Thai IP address, you'll only see the Game Pass International option and pricing. But if you're using a U.S. IP address, you'll only see the domestic/VOD U.S. version of Game Pass.] I've never had a problem with the VOD approach to NFL games here, since the Sunday games typically don't start till about midnight Thai time and finish up around 6-7 am... I choose to sleep regular hours, and then watch the games the next morning/day as suits my schedule. Also, fyi, the NFL has indicated they're planning to offer a new streaming service this year for about $5 a month (once again, that will require a U.S. IP) that will allow people to watch their local home market games only and only on mobile devices like tablets and mobiles. They've said they're going to offer that, but haven't actually made it available for signups as yet.

A lot of the inability of the Biden Administration, thus far, to accomplish things that its voters expected when they cast their ballots has been due to the divided U.S. Senate, the Republicans' there opposition to just about anything Biden tries to do with few exceptions, and their use of the filibuster to thwart majority rule. And those matters certainly haven't been helped by the presence of two Democrat U.S. Senators who vote and take Republican positions on issues about as often as they take Democrat positions. So for all those reasons, it's understandable why there's a feeling of let-down with all the things left undone. And really, there's only one way for Americans to remedy that -- and that's at the ballot box, notwithstanding ongoing Republican efforts to diminish voting rights and to allow state lawmakers to overturn legitimate election results... -- To vote out those lawmakers (Republicans) who consistently oppose any kinds of gun controls that would curb out-of-control mass shootings. -- to vote out those lawmakers (Republicans) who want to outlaw women's right to control their own reproduction by outlawing abortion, and who knows, maybe gay marriage next. -- to vote out those lawmakers (Republicans) who promoted and supported baseless allegations of mass voter fraud, and who then condoned (more and more after the fact) an attempted insurrection to overthrow the elected U.S. government. Etc etc etc. Biden may well being stumbling thru his first term in certain areas... But there's rarely been so stark and clear a difference between the things most Democrats stand for vs. what their Republican opponents do.

While the government's COVID case numbers are worthless, in all likelihood, their COVID hospitalization numbers are probably somewhat more reliable...and credible. As of today, there are still more than 32,000 people in Thailand being treated for COVID right now -- more than 14,000 in regular hospitals and nearly 18,000 in field hospitals, hospitels, etc. Among those COVID cases, 775 are hospitalized in serious condition and another 372 cannot breathe and thus require intubation, according to today's update from the Ministry of Public Health. COVID is still with us, and people are still getting sick from it, and another 28 died from it just in the past day. Per today's update from the Ministry of Public Health in the graphic below: https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/photos/a.106455480972785/576747413943587/?type=3 If the government actually wanted to know to what extent COVID is circulating among the general public, they'd be out doing random testing/sampling to see to what extent the virus is still circulating. But instead, they're doing virtually no proactive case finding, as per the report below (highlighted in the red box). https://www.facebook.com/nbtworld/photos/a.10151714100817050/10158682071047050/ Don't seek, and then you won't find / have to report....