spidermike007

I hear the army defection rates are soaring. And the opposition is making great progress against the genocidal Burmese army. Let us hope so. May the Burmese generals and leaders die a terrible death. They sure deserve that. The problem is: The military government of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing has an advantage — not just in arms and trained manpower, but also in geography. Myanmar's main neighbors — Thailand, China and India — have geopolitical and economic interests in Myanmar that leave them satisfied with the status quo, which largely secures its borders from becoming a major supply route for weapons and other supplies for the resistance. And while much of the world maintains sanctions against the generals and their government, they can rely on obtaining arms from Russia and China. Operating in decentralized "People's Defense Forces," or PDFs, they are proving to be effective warriors, specializing in ambushes and occasionally overrunning isolated army and police posts. They have benefited greatly from supplies and training provided by the some of the country's ethnic minority rebels — Ethnic Armed Organizations, or EAOs — who have been fighting the army for decades for greater autonomy. "That's not only a very brave thing to do. It's a very difficult thing to do," Richard Horsey, an independent analyst and adviser to the International Crisis Group, told The Associated Press. "It's a very challenging thing to do, to take on, you know, a military that's been fighting counter-insurgency warfare (for) basically its whole existence." https://www.npr.org/2023/02/01/1153150529/resistance-to-military-rule-in-myanmar-remains-steady-2-years-after-army-seized- The ongoing resistance movement in Myanmar draws inspiration from the longstanding Burmese insurgent political tradition, aiming to forge a wide and inclusive alliance between anti-junta democratic forces and ethnic armed groups (EAOs). Initially sparked by healthcare professionals who refused to cooperate with the military administration, the civil disobedience movement has gained momentum across various sectors, including banking, transportation, and education. While armed resistance has also been evident—spearheaded by diverse ethnic armed and rebel groups like the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the United Wa State Party (UWSP), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA)—the movement lacks a centralization commanded by a “federal army” that could strengthen efforts to restore democracy and freedom. https://southasianvoices.org/where-does-the-resistance-movement-in-myanmar-stand/

Fire extinguishers normally need to be tested and certified, at least once a year. Have these ever had a single test? Someone needs to pay for this. I would start by arresting the principal of the school. Then the head of the school district. Lock them up for a very long time.

A friend of mine went to Bangla last night. He bought a pretty go-go gal a drink, and asked how much for short time. She said only in the rooms upstairs, and 5,000 baht. No wonder the place is not busy. They seem to be pricing themselves out of the market. Voluntary extinction? Self sabotage?

We rarely read about this kind of thing here in the local papers, as the news seems to be highly censored, and bad news like this does not appeal to the generals, who are trying very busy to maintain the image of Thailand. Truth is not important. Only face.

Don: Can you please stop slaughtering your people and picking on minorities? And don't rape them. It makes us look really bad. Can you try to control your dreaded soldiers and army? Than Shwe: Sorry. We are simply having too much fun. All this power and the billions of dollars we are stealing from the resources is intoxicating. We never liked the minorities anyway. And many of our senior monks are racists. So, it works for us. This is what we wanted all along. Democracy and policies that benefit the people would have really gotten in the way of our robber baron M.O. Don: Well, as army despots, we do share some of your views. Except, we don't like genocide. Guess there is not much more to talk about. I know you love good wine. I brought a beautiful bottle of 1990 Cheval Blanc. And four bottles of 1982 Lafite Rothschild. It only cost me $2300 a bottle, as the price of great Bordeaux has really come down. Let's hang out and see if we can polish off the case. Sound good?

What can one say? A very tiny event, and outrage seems to be a sport these days. One has to feel, for people who allow such small things to upset their day

1. The level of consumer confidence in the US, is dropping like a brick, right now. Likely the same elsewhere. 2. Why would the Chinese care about the government here? Xi is not exactly a beacon of hope, and China is not exactly the land of the free. I don't even think that is a factor. The scams, maybe. The Chinese seem to be getting scammed alot.

I spent 10 years with my first wife. The first 8 were good. The last two were very difficult. The day the divorce was final, I began a celebration that lasted a year. Never looked back. The Thai woman I am with now has the kind of qualities and ability to proudly show her feminine nature, that my ex couldn't even fantasize about. I love it. After well over a decade she is still radiant and a joy to be around.

Some friends say it has been quiet. Others say it is fairly busy. Any opinions?

I do understand the spirit of adventure, and the willingness to take reasonable risks. But, paying big money, to be put in a titanium can, and go somewhere, where the water pressure is enough to crush anything, is beyond bizarre.

Compared to the Trump mafia clan, Hunter and Joe are boy scouts. It is amusing that the same people who scream about this, think nothing of the 45 years of bank fraud, tax fraud, stiffing of small contractors, and countless billions stolen by their Master.

Many studies have shown alcohol to be a far greater pathway drug than ganga. I know many who use ganga occasionally, and it has never escalated to anything else. And they tend to drink less. In my opinion, the health benefits. of ganga far outweigh alcohol. But, there is still alot of reefer madness fear out there.

Never, ever, ever. Leaving my first wife was the smartest thing I ever did, besides not having a baby. Number one and number two. Thankfully, I found a Thai woman who is very well adjusted. My ex wife wasn't. My wife is lovely, funny, is a great chef, is affectionate, kind and charming. My ex wife wasn't. My wife is very comfortable manifesting the dignity within femininity. My ex wife was scared to death of her femininity, like ALOT of American women. So thankful I left both my ex wife and America in the rear view. Smart.

Normally, I am a nice man. Don't know what got into me. Oh, wait a minute. I was drunk. That's right. She told me I become ugly, aggressive, nasty, violent and out of control when I drink. Forgot about that. Maybe I should stop drinking and get some help. I really did not mean to club her in the head. Why did we have a metal pipe in the house? I guess I could have easily killed her. I am so incredibly dumb. Maybe I really don't deserve her. Maybe I should somehow learn to respect women.

You are likely a decent guy, who does not have major issues. Alcohol does turn some men into monsters. Ganga deos not. Alcohol kills. Ganga does not.

We don't understand what happened. We were doing as we were instructed and taught to do. We passed money up the chain of command. We were told we would always be protected. Now, they are asking us to fall on our swords. Guess we pissed off someone. We are not extortionists. We are not corrupt. We do actually practice law enforcement, once in a while. We are really decent guys. So, why the ruckus? And why now? Does this have anything to do with the timing of the election?

Not true. I have quite a few wealthy friends. But none of them spend $50k on a handbag. There is wealthy, and then there is stupid.

Many of these companies make editions of five or so, to appeal to the vainest, richest and emptiest people out there. I have seen bags for $50,000 and up. It is insanity. It is appealing to the base instincts of people who simply don't know any better.

An Apple 16" Macbook Pro M1. Great unit. Super fast. Greet graphics and excellent screen. I am not an Apple fanatic and I don't use the iPhone for 10 very good reasons, as I prefer an Android phone, however when it comes to computers nothing beats an Apple desktop or laptop, in my book.

Even empty talk is preferred to the kind of weak, cowardly, pathetic complicity the Thai army has shown towards Burma.

1. Xi is most definitely a dictator. 2. It does appear he will be able to hold that post as long as he pleases, so how far off the mark was Biden anyway? 3. The CCP abhors truth. They hate it when their intentions are made public. Obfuscation, deflection, lies, manipulation, and a total lack of integrity on every level is not only their M.O., but it is all we have come to expect of this most foul government. 4. So, they reject any mention of the toxic nature of their regime, as a gambit, that some people, somewhere, will buy into their nonsense.

Haven't seen rain for days now. This is turning out to be a very dry season, so far. Hoping for more rain soon.

If one owns a bag of that value, it is not something to brag about. It is an obscenity. The ownership of something like that is representative of a extreme level of self absorbtion, a total lack of perspective on life, and an intense and pathological desire to impress others. Likely due to major self esteem issues. If it had been stolen, it is likely she would not have received much sympathy. And one has to wonder, when faced with such riches, what percentage of that wealth she is using to make the world a better place, and ease the suffering of others. Otherwise, she is just an embarrassment to the human race.

1. He is simply stating the truth. Perhaps not the best timing for it. But, Xi is a dangerous dictator. 2. I doubt the Yuan will even become the reserve currency. The Chinese economy is in big trouble. The least of which is the economic bubble created by real estate, and the ghost cities. Nobody knows how many abandoned buildings and projects there are. We could be talking about many, many trillions of dollars in debt.

This is outstanding news. But, are you going to fulfill your pledge to support the election results? That means allowing enough of your fake senators to vote for Pita. Remember? You will be remembered for alot of reasons. Few of them are good. Your legacy is very tarnished. And many wonder the extent of the theft you engaged in. If we know anything about you, it is that you are NOT a man of integrity.