spidermike007

2 hours ago, Kwausie said:

Inappropriate comment, he was a very respected and well known lawyer from the top end of town with a lovely wife and 2 young children, sometimes in life things go wrong!

Wealthy lawyers with a wife and children are not necessarily well behaved, he may have a great reputation but we have no idea whatsoever what he does in his private time. 

4 minutes ago, Presnock said:

AMEN to that statement.  Just check out all the photos over the years of DJT with Epstein and how he claimed they were great buddies but now in that latest press interview DJT called him a sicko or words to that effect anyway.  DJT is quiet about most of this as he saw the files during his first term and if he and other senior folks were mentioned, he decided to not call attention to the dems that were also there quite often.  Too much damaging information within those files for too many senior people, some of whom are still alive so IMHO we the common folk will never see much more than what we hear from this administration.

He is as guilty as they come. The man has more skeletons in his closet than a Papuan Highlander cannibal. 

During the first Trump term, I would sometimes have to catch myself because even though I thought and think that Trump is uniquely despicable and dangerous, the fact remains that if you just want to look at the number of lives lost and global damage done, George W. Bush really outstripped him. Trump is maybe a worse person, but the damage that he did in his first term was much more contained.

I think that in the second Trump term he’s changed that very quickly. Not just by taking America’s soft power and setting it on fire in all sorts of ways, but really making these abrupt decisions that are going to kill hundreds of thousands and maybe more than a million people and he’s doing it in this incredibly arbitrary, careless way.

Trump is destroying the US economy one step at a time. It could be intentional. It could be diabolical. Nobody knows. He could simply be unhinged or following the dictates of a very sinister cabal. 

One thing is certain. He is accomplishing very little, he will NOT bring manufacturing back to America, which is stupid over priced (I am here now and inflation is raging at 20% or higher right now), he is causing alot of pain, he is losing support, destroying businesses, and consumer confidence, he does not have a coherent plan, and he is a destructive nimwit. 

Globalization made the world great, the manufacturing ecosystems within globalization and low tariffs allowed the US economy to thrive for decades, and he's never going to bring back much manufacturing to the US. End of story, just a slogan. The fact that so many people are buying into his nonsense and destruction, is what is truly sad. 

I would tend to agree as long as you keep your nose clean and stay away from Pattaya. The biggest danger here is on the highways, crossing the street, breaking your ankle on a decrepit sidewalk, getting electrocuted by hanging wires, hitting your head on a low hanging sign, and other such public hazards. 

I'm infinitely more worried about getting robbed, assaulted, or murdered in Los Angeles and most other large American cities, than I am here. Thailand it's quite safe for most tourists and expats, as long as you're sensible, and keep your wits about you, and drive very, very carefully. 

47 minutes ago, candide said:

Ridiculous deflection!

 

This list story was touted by MAGA politicians and media in order to smear the Dems. They probably knew there was no such list, as most of the investigation occured under Trump. Now MAGA leaders are stuck with this lie and don't know how to handle it! 🤣

 

PS. Epstein's "suicide" still looks fishy.

I love the interview with Michael Franzese, where he says that he was in the same prison and very close to the same cell, and states that the bunks are two feet off the floor that there's absolutely nothing within the cell to use to hang oneself, the sheets are tissue thin, the video system is very high-end and it never gets turned off, and the possibility of him having committed suicide was less than zero.

I completely agree. I would put the possibility of suicide at 0%. There were a lot of very important, and influential people who wanted him dead. Including Trump. 

1 hour ago, peter zwart said:

Immediate Effects of Cannabis on the Brain and Behavior

Cannabis use can have immediate (acute) negative effects on the brain and behavior, especially under certain conditions or in higher doses. These are the main direct effects:

Direct effects on the brain:

Memory and concentration problems: THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, disrupts working memory. This can make it harder to retain information or think clearly.

Impaired coordination and reaction time: This is particularly dangerous when driving or operating machinery.

Altered judgment: Users may act more impulsively or take more risks.

Distorted perception and time awareness: Time may feel like it is passing faster or slower than it actually is.

Behavioral effects:

Reduced motivation (sometimes called "amotivational syndrome"): Some users feel less driven to complete tasks or take initiative.

Paranoia, anxiety, or panic attacks: These are more likely with high doses or in people who are more sensitive to cannabis.

Increased risk of psychotic symptoms: Hallucinations or delusional thinking can occur, especially in people with a predisposition to psychosis or schizophrenia.

Disrupted social behavior: Cannabis can dull emotional responses or make users more emotionally reactive, which can affect how they interact with others.

Risk factors that increase the chance of negative effects:

Young age (under 25): The brain is still developing, which increases the risk of long-term damage.

High-potency cannabis (high THC content): Stronger cannabis is more likely to cause adverse effects.

Frequent or heavy use: The more often or heavily cannabis is used, the higher the risk.

A personal or family history of mental illness: Conditions like depression, anxiety, or psychosis can be worsened or triggered by cannabis.

I'm not saying that cannabis does not have any negative effects but I think it largely has to do with how weak one's mind is and how undeveloped one's personality is. Generally speaking I consider alcohol to be infinitely more dangerous and toxic. 

1 hour ago, NoshowJones said:

I met my wife through an agency, we never married until we had been together for five years. She has not admitted to having university degrees although there are a few trophies in the cabinet. I don't think there are universities up country outside of the big cities, but plenty of colleges, I do know for a fact that she was in fulltime education up until she was 23, so is there any difference to university degree's and college degree's if you live upcountry?

No. Higher education is higher education, it doesn't matter, even just a couple of years at a small college is a really big deal for an upcountry gal. It shows a huge amount of initiative, and it likely opened her mind to a dramatic degree. Kudos to your gal. She sounds like a keeper! 

When I was living and working in India I realized that many of the beggars were doing this professionally or working for professionals who were collecting a significant amount of money from their work. So I started carrying around a daypack with fruit inside it, and when I would be approached by a beggar I would offer them a banana or an orange. The professionals would look at me with a great deal of disdain, whereas the real beggars would accept the fruit with gratitude as they were truly hungry. It worked!

Helping people in need is a wonderful thing, and this minister is likely a wealthy man who is very much out of touch with reality, and is displaying very little in the way of humanity and compassion. Fools like this simply need to be ignored with all the strength of our being. 

I'm sure many on this forum are going to insist that weed is evil and weed causes people to do horrific things, and that couldn't be further from the truth. Weed may strip one of ambition, and weed may make people lazy and lethargic, but it certainly doesn't make people violent. If anything the opposite is the case, these guys are just psychopathic super freaks, and whether straight or stoned they had a propensity toward violence, they were sorry, dark souls, with absolutely no emotional development, nor good parenting, and sooner or later they were bound to act in a tragic manner. 

Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful state of mind, it is not something most of us are blessed with, in case you have not noticed. The fact that I complain, does not mean I do not love Thailand, nor most of it's people. I do. I love my life here. I have a very good life here. But, I do have some complaints, and there are some things I would love to see improved. I should leave because of that? 

Having said that I do agree to some extent, complaining is one thing, but whining and moaning all the time is quite another. I may seem obsessed with politics to some, but I'm really enjoying my life here, and I treasure every day that I spend in Thailand. It really beats the hell out of my life back in broken down America. 

12 hours ago, Keep Right said:

It seems that President Trump just keeps on winning with his art-of-the-deal. He is a deal maker and a very smart man. Of course the left wing liberals will disagree but that is up to them. I just cannot wait for more great deals. 

 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/how-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-impact-k-12-education

You mean more than the one deal that he struck with the UK, and the framework of a deal that he's working on with China, that isn't a deal yet? Wow. Impressive. 

16 hours ago, Airalee said:

Oh be quiet.

 

you copy your profile picture from a men’s hairstyle website and you copy the majority of your diatribes from other people’s Facebook posts.

 

You’re so L.A……such a poseur.

Oh it seems like I've hit a rather sensitive spot didn't I? You hate to hear criticism of your master don't you? 

Trump is up to his usual whining, moaning, and complaining, that's just who and what he is, he is a weak victim and a snowflake. 

The reality is that his policies are making America weaker by the day, and strengthening China on a dozen different levels. He's pushing the world towards China and even countries that were hesitant to do business with China are now seeing them as a more attractive option. Nobody wants to do business with a bully and the world is saying no to America, and who's going to pay the cost for that? The American people.

We are witnessing a very simple-minded man who is dramatically precipitating the downfall of the American Empire. 

The Trump administration does not intend to immediately impose an additional 10% tariff against BRICS nations, as threatened, but will proceed if individual countries take policies his administration deems "anti-American," according to a source familiar with the matter.

At the end of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lula was defiant when asked by journalists about Trump's tariff threat: "The world has changed. We don't want an emperor."

"This is a set of countries that wants to find another way of organizing the world from the economic perspective," he said of the bloc. "I think that's why the BRICS are making people uncomfortable."

With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies hamstrung by divisions and Trump's disruptive, opens new tab "America First" approach, the BRICS group has presented itself as a haven for multilateral diplomacy amid violent conflicts and trade wars.
In a joint statement released on Sunday afternoon, leaders at the summit warned that the rise in tariffs threatened global trade. 

The original BRICS group gathered leaders from Brazil, Russia, India and China at its first summit in 2009. The bloc later added South Africa and last year included Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates as members. Saudi Arabia formally accepting an invitation to full membership, but is participating as a partner country. BRICS now represent more than half of the world's population. Goodbye America. See ya. You had a good run. 

More than 30 nations have expressed interest in participating in the BRICS, either as full members or partners.

Call the police, the neighbors are having sex, they're under 22, arrest them, jail them, prosecute them, for doing the most natural thing in the world that people have been doing since the beginning of mankind.

Laws will stop them, we are omnipotent, and nobody will defy our laws. 

If this clown was not a political activist the only other job that might have been available to him would be as a sanitation worker, picking up trash. 

It appears to some of us that America's isolationist policies and tariffs are alienating much of the world, so my question is will this be a golden moment for both Canada and China, amongst others? 

Trumps plan to make America great again has instead made Canada stronger, more independent, and more competitive than ever before. While American companies are struggling with higher costs and disrupted supply chains, Canadian companies are accessing new markets, forming new partnerships, 
and building new capabilities that will serve them for generations.

This is where the story takes an even more dramatic turn because what happened next proved that Canada's transformation wasn't just about economics, it was about something far more fundamental, it was about respect, dignity and the right of sovereign nations to determine their own destiny. 

When Trump realized that his tariff strategy had backfired spectacularly, he did what he always does when faced with failure, he doubled down, instead of acknowledging 
that his approach had been counterproductive, he threatened even more aggressive measures, he talked about 75% tariffs, about complete trade cutoffs, about economic warfare
that would force Canada to its knees.

But this time something was different, this time Canada wasn't afraid, the reality is more devastating than anyone in Washington wants to admit. 
While Trump celebrates his supposed tariff victories, the true cost of his economic warfare is becoming impossible to ignore. American families are paying the price quite literally as companies like Walmart, Amazon and Subaru have increased costs and passed them onto consumers.

But here's what makes this story truly remarkable, Canada isn't just weathering the storm anymore, they're thriving in spite of it. Mark Carney's brilliant strategic pivot away from American dependency 
has created something unprecedented, a blueprint for economic independence that other nations are now studying carefully, the quiet revolution that began with rejecting Canadian steel, has evolved into a comprehensive realignment of global partnerships. The numbers tell the story better than any political speech could, Canada's defense spending is surging toward NATO's 2% target but with a crucial difference, instead of funneling 70 to 80% of that money into American defense contractors as they've done for decades, Canada is building domestic capacity. The defense procurement agency is centralizing decisions, prioritizing Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum, far superior Canadian lumber, and Canadian critical minerals. It's economic nationalism, without the chaos, and strategy without the shouting. 

Trump's threats perfectly encapsulates everything wrong with his approach, this isn't alliance building, it's extortion. Carney's response has been swift and decisive, Canada is exploring Swedish fighter jets, European Defense Partnerships, and technological independence. The message is clear, if America wants to treat allies like customers, those allies will shop elsewhere.

The transformation extends far beyond military procurement, as Canada's pivot to European markets has accelerated dramatically since Trump's latest tariff escalation. Trade delegations that once focused primarily on American partnerships are now establishing deep ties with London, Paris, Beijing and Berlin. The psychological shift is just as important as the economic one, for the first time in generations Canadian leadership is openly questioning whether an American partnership is worth the constant uncertainty and humiliation.

What's most striking about Canada's approach is its discipline, there are no angry and undisciplined tweets, no juvenile public tantrums, no threats of retaliation, but instead there's methodical execution of a long-term strategy that slowly but steadily reduces dependence on an unreliable partner. Every canceled American contract, every new European partnership, every investment in domestic capacity represents another step away from the economic relationship that has defined North America for decades. 

And the ripple effects are already visible across other American allies. If Canada, America's most integrated partner can successfully diversify away from dependence on Washington what's stopping others from following the same path? European leaders are watching carefully as Canada demonstrates that there's life beyond American economic hegemony, the quiet Canadian Revolution is becoming a case study in strategic independence. Trump's tariff war was supposed to bring manufacturing back to America and force allies into submission, but instead it's accelerating the exact opposite outcome. American Supply chains are disrupted, costs are rising, and the most reliable partner in North America is quietly building an alternative future. 

The art of the deal has become the art of self-destruction, and the world is taking notes. Canada's trade war victory isn't measured in dramatic headlines or political theater, it's measured in steady progress toward economic sovereignty, and strengthen partnerships with reliable allies, and in the quiet confidence that comes from no longer needing to fear the next presidential tweet. As Trump continues his chaotic approach to international relations, Canada has chosen a different path, strategic, patient and ultimately more powerful than any tariff could ever be.

If the Communist Party of China (CPC) has its way, the People’s Republic will emerge as the new global hegemon. China’s recently published white paper on national security, its first ever, offers a glimpse into the CPC’s plans. Reflecting President Xi Jinping’s “holistic national security concept,” the document articulates an expansive, integrated approach, encompassing political, economic, military, technological, cultural, and societal domains. And unlike previous defense-focused white papers, it establishes political security – specifically, the CPC’s leadership – as the foundation of national stability, essential to enable China to act as a stabilizing force in a turbulent world.

That turbulence, China asserts, has provided a critical opening for China to position itself as a stable and certain actor in regional and global affairs, a champion of multilateralism, an investor in and defender of the Global South, and a just peacemaker. Within Asia, this vision has materialized in “treaties of good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation” between China and nine countries, and in China’s promotion of greater regional security cooperation, including with the ASEAN countries. 

More broadly, China is touting Xi’s Global Security Initiative (GSI), which was launched in 2022 as an alternative to Western-led security frameworks that can support broad-based, “win-win” cooperation on “complex and intertwined security challenges.”

But as Trump’s America abandons that approach and alienates more of the world, China’s vision, focused on fortifying CPC control and building alternative frameworks for global engagement, has gained greater appeal.

I wondered how many people were going to have to die before Kennedy finally admitted that there might be a way to prevent measles, just like there has been for so many decades.

At least the dunce of the Kennedy family is finally doing something smart. I wondered when that would happen. Very unlike him. 

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

Agree and there is the reason that Trump & co will try to cover up Trump's involvement with Epstein, and as for trump having a penchant for very young women..........

 

 

 

Any older than that, and they really don't have much to talk about.