sirineou

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. The 2 % was a means of making them contribute something to their is defense. They ignored it because no previous US president made them do it.

Call me a dreamer , but I think before someone tries to make a point, they need to do a simple Google search on it. 

"The share of total expenditure, the average defence spending was 2.5 % in 2021 in the EU and 2.4% in the euro area. As a share of GDP the average was 1.3% in the EU and in the euro area.^[1]

Total defence expenditure of the European Defence Agency (EDA) Member States was €214 billion in 2021, which was 1.5% of the 26 EDA Member States’ GDP, the same percentage as in 2020"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_Europe_by_military_expenditures#:~:text=As a share of GDP,same percentage as in 2020.

Some coun tries spend more, and some spend less based on their defence needs, Obviously Greece would spend a lot more faced with a hostile neighbor, than Belgium whose main concern is melting chocolate do to global warming. 

Even if these countries spend 0% they would still not awe nothing to anyone. 

But that is neither here nor there,

  My Point stands. .

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Before they can debate how much they spend, they need to spend enough to actually have a military that can do something.

trump is either a liar o ignorant .based on what he said. And all those who flowed him and believed it, are at the very least ignorant. 

Your choice which of the above options make him more palatable to you. 

15 hours ago, AlexRich said:

The torture and killed comment is just hyperbole. The Russians have been doing that since 2014. You’ve never heard of Bucha?

More nonsense and faulty reasoning.  Busha did or did not happen after the war started,

15 hours ago, AlexRich said:

The Belarus comment simply beggars belief.

what beggars belief id your level of misunderstanding 

Again faulty reasoning and Hyperbole . if Belarus has free elections is debatable , but that was not the point of my comment . Any way you look at it , Belarus is better of  than Ukraine having not tried to align themselves with the US and been invaded by Russia, 

15 hours ago, AlexRich said:

The ability of the US to project power around the world … that’s what it’s all about?

More nonsense and attempt to distract. Or perhaps a comedy ratine. If the latter . then my appologies . Very funny indeed 

First you say :" The ability of the US to project power around the world … that’s what it’s all about?"

and then you continue to try and explain what it is all about 

15 hours ago, AlexRich said:

A NATO with a Donald Trump presidency is heading for break up

Not in support of trump and even greater nonsense, simply against what happened to  Ukraine and the Ukrainian people which seems to you seen to think was worth it. 

15 hours ago, AlexRich said:

The 200,000 troops at the border believed that they could roll into Kiyv, kill the Government and their families in incinerators (that they brought with them) and take over the country. Putin thought it would be a walk in the park. He can be beaten in Ukraine, as long as the Ukrainians are given the tools to do the job. And that’s the only outcome that will put Russia back in their box for decades. 
 

Don’t be like Chamberlain … Russian success means more wars, not the end of them. Any agreement signed by Putin is meaningless. 

Will not even attempt to unpack the above rant

14 hours ago, Joebuzzz said:

That's same as do, however, Wise downloaded PDF receipts do not show the bank your money came from or the reason for the transfer.  Only the deposit information, date, amount, receiving account number.  I sent them an email a while back regarding that, they never responded.

Thank you for the heads up. I have never used the monthly extension option and was not aware. I would look it up. 

When I have a problem I usually call them . They answer quick and are usually very helpful. 

19 hours ago, Negita43 said:

Tomato Chutney and pressure cooking my beef ready for:

Chinese beef curry and a few beef and onion pies.

I recently discovered the pleasure of pressure cooking stew beef.  (Better  late than ever ) 

Before that I used to slow cook it for 3 hours. Pressure cooker where have you been all my life? LOL

Australian beef cubed, in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes and it melts in your mouth. you can cut it with a spoon. Love a good indian curry. Got to make some one of these days. 

40 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

 

Fish and chips.

I love them.

went online the other day find some cod. It was crazy expensive 800-1200 baht a kilo

When did cod get that expensive?

What are you using?  

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

While I agree with most, I disagree that it was "on the cheap". It's cost the US billions of $ far better spent in the US,

I agree that the money spend would had been better spend in the US, where SSI is in danger of going brock and millions are without medical insurance. 

But!! LOL there is always a but 

It is on the cheap.

If rather that it being a proxy war, and the US had to do it themselves, It would had cost way more in gold and American lives. 

The estimate is that the Iraq war cost 1,1 trillion and that does not consider legacy costs. And trust me, Russia is no Iraq. 

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The GOP are doing the right thing by not agreeing to throw good money after bad, IMO.

I agree with everything you say except "The GOP are doing the right thing " The GOP never does the right thing, what they do is the expedient for themselves thing. Same applies for the Democrats to a lesser degree IMO. 

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. If the Democrats were against the war in Ukraine I am convinced that the republicans would be for it.

  IMO there is no such thing as democrats and republicans , In the US there is only one party , the property party, with a conservative wing that calls itself republicans and a progressive wing that calls itself democrats.

IMO it would be more accurate if they did away with the Democrat/ republican monicers  and call each other as the situation applies, the pro and the anti .  

  And trump's rhetoric about NATO is nothing but nonsense for the consumption of the ignorant in the issue .

There is no money owed, and to be collected  by anyone .  The 2% of GDP contribution is a guideline and it is not to be paid to anyone but for a NATO country to spend on it's defence. Each country has different defence challenges and requirements and spends what it thinks is nessacery. 

In addition a Country's GDP  changes from year to year, it would be idiotic for them to change their defence spending if not nessacery because their GDP changed. 

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

Nonsense. The so-called "realists" would doom millions of Ukrainian's to a life under a dictatorship, many of them would be tortured and killed.

Talk about Nonsense. 

They doom no one to anything, they simply analyze a situation in a rational realistic way. 

What is, rather than what we wish there was.

 The torture and Killed comment is simply Hyperbole. 

Belarus did not join NATO and I don't think many of them are "Tortured and Killed" ,

Qne might argue ,successfully I might add, that the current situation has been anathema to Ukraine and that if they had remained neutral things would had been much better for them. 

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

Allowing Putin to win this conflict, which appears to be the aim of the Trump wing of the GOP, would not lead to the end of war

 Though some might want o. or buy into a Zero sum narrative , I promise you it was not/is not the only option. 

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

Weakness by the US will also embolden their enemies around the world,

And the truth finally comes out.

This not really for the well being of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people but rather for the ability of the US to project power around the world.

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

Europe needs to prepare for war, because if Putin gets his way in Ukraine, that will be the next step. 

Thai is laughable. 

On one hand one argues that Ukraine can defeat Russia, and on the other hand that Russia can defeat Europe. You realise that a NATO Europe, even without Ukrainian membership is infinitely more powerful than Ukraine?

If Russia wanted to conquer and occupy Ukraine it would dot had invaded with  approximately       200, 000 troops.  most military strategist  suggest am number between 1 -1.5 million toops. 

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

If the "realists" get their way we are doomed. 

Doomed I tell you doomed.!! LOL 

Realists , have no "way" !! it is not a dogma it is a way of analyzing issues and make predictions, Accurate predictions I might add  . If the US was faced with a similar situation it would react , and it has reacted, in a similar fashion . The US would not allow enemy troop on their border.  

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're not paying attention. She has disqualified herself for that. It's impossible. 

Perhaps I am not paying Attention  .So how has she disqualified herself?

Just now, Jingthing said:

Nope!

Yap

50 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

I don't think she has any delusions that he would pick a non white woman as a running mate, especially one who has caused him all this angst. The question is does she hate Trump more than her party loyalty?

He did pick her for his UN secretary post, But that was before they had a history.

You have to understand something about these people, they are completely transactional.. He needs to do something about the woman vote, and the minorities vote. She ticks both of these boxes, and she has the additional value of name  recognition, and administration experience. But I could be wrong. 

I hope he wins the nomination and Haley is his running mate. 

I often say how I wish Trump would be the Republican candidate. Why?

  We have to look what happened in the 2020 election. 

trump lost the popular vote by what? 7-8 million votes? and that was when he got a significant percentage of the independent vote, and some of the woman vote. 

  Fast forward 4 years later. We already know who trump was, and it was not a pretty sight .

He is polling much lower with the woman vote and the independant vore, in addition he will get a lower percentage of the republican vote as many who voted for him in 2020 have said they would never vote for him and ruther vote for Biden rather than see trump become president again. Case and point Liz Chaney. Romney etc.

For the above reasons I believe Biden will wipe the floor with trump. But if the supreme court disqualifies trump then maybe the republicans will get a viable candidate. 

59 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

How could she endorse trump now?

She is a weathervane .if Trump is the republican nominee (Oh god how I hope he is).  she might even be his running mate. 

5 hours ago, ozimoron said:

"Trump and his allies remain skeptical of Haley's chances"

 

Trump and his allies are making the mistake of at least outwardly believing that Haley thinks any differently. She is a never trumper and will spoil his election by doing a ross perot or a jill stein.

A never trumper that worked for the trump administration. Wow!

She is certainly a conflicted individual. 

12 minutes ago, marin said:

Did up some ribs yesterday.

 

 

 

Now you are showing off !! LOL

Not as difficult to make as my store bought dumplings  (Dude I got a Paper opening the box😢)

But a good effort. 

I am going to look for those shrimp doughnuts next time I am at Makro.   

Eating a late lunch right now, 

A semi Macto affair also.

Spinach Pie . 

 Soo good I brought out the good paper plates 

The filling is  Chopped up leeks and an onion sautéed. Dill . salt and pepper. and   frozen spinach from Macro, (defrosted of course,)  chopped up , and the water squeezed out. cooked with the leeks onions and dill until soft, then mix one scrambled egg/

The pastry dough from Macro, those big (Looked to be 16"x 12") sheets 

Sorry . I made a tray but I ate most of it before I took a picture. 

And wife fried dumplings, also from Makro.

If it wasn't for Macro I would starve, LOL 

The recipe call for Oil, apply heat drop in oil until crispy , wait utili they cool 

(This last part optional)  , and eat. 

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

oops ... Makro

 

Wish I could find decent onion rings.  All seem to be the 'formed' same size, and not much actually onion ring or flavor to them.  Usually too lazy to make them.  Occasionally find good ones at vendor, but rare.

Yea I make my own  Onion rings also, but only if I am frying something else . I use tempura batter. 

Not too bad. 

12 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Not exactly homemade, just home cooked.   I like shrimp cakes/donuts, but hit & miss at vendors.   These had decent flavor, and 10 pieces so about half price what most vendors would charge.   May want to sample, cheap enough.

 

Optical illusion, realistic size, the one in the back 

That's interesting . I never heard of them before . Sounds like they would be good .

They look lie far onion rings. Where did you get them? 

Just now, ozimoron said:

 

Another issue was the degree to which Europe failed to shut down commerce with Russia. They are not that strong at all compared to Europe.

Europe  was initially opposed to NATO eastern expansion and the cause of the war.   , Both Germany's Merkel and France's Sarkozy were initial opposed to the proposition at the 2008 Budapest NATO conference  for obvious reasons, and were   subsequently strong armed into support. 

Europe has paid a great price for that decision. 

US growth 2023  3.3 % 

EU growth 2023     .6 %  2024 projections are for an even slower GDP growth. 

On 2/22/2024 at 11:42 PM, Banana7 said:

.

 

No problem, take off the wheel. put on your spare and you are not only good to go, but also have a bunch of scrap metal to sell.. Winning!!!

I don't see the problem

The holy grail of AI development was to artificially create a human brain 

Pop open the sumpagle, as celebrate. Congratulation  goal achieved!!

AI is just as idiotic as humans.