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Posts posted by spidermike007
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Everything should be re-opened immediately. Everything. All shops, all bars, every enterprise in the nation. This thing is under control, and the risk now, is not being able to ramp up the economy again, in any reasonable period of time, and having millions of people out of work, for extended periods of time. Let the people get back to work. The threat is over. The army needs to end their power trip, and consider the well being of the economy and the people. June 1st. Open up every business. At least the ones who have not been crippled, and are able to re-open. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of businesses may never be able to re-open, after this insane experiment in economic shutdown is over. It is an experiment for the rich and for government workers on a full salary!
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15 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:When the cops get the call through about a crime from the station, do they get advised about any priors ?
I doubt it. It is just an unidentified guy in a store. So, you have a good point. No way to know if they had already run a check on him, by the time he was in handcuffs. I sort of doubt it, and even if they had, that sort of violence is never justified, after a man is subdued, in cuffs and on the ground. By the look on officer Derek Chauvin's face, he was doing this for sport. He was extremely cavalier, despite the fact that he was being filmed, and rather than his fellow officers doing what they should have done, which was to kick his puny butt, and knock him to the ground, they all stood around and more or less egged him on. A rather disgusting display of white police privilege and he needs to be punished harshly. I sure hope the authorities have the good judgment to charge him with murder, and the vast majority of us want to see this creep cop spend his remaining years behind bars. He snuffed out a life. And it was totally unnecessary. A toxic mass of a policeman. I have run into many like him, but fortunately I am white, so I did not incur their wrath. I would not want to be a man of color in America.
And it turns out the officer was a major trouble maker, and should have been fired a long time ago. He was a menace to society, patrolling the streets, apparently looking to make trouble.
The Minneapolis police officer seen kneeling on the neck of an unarmed black man heard saying "I can't breathe" multiple times before he died was a 19-year department veteran who was the subject of at least a dozen police conduct complaints that resulted in no disciplinary action and one that led to a "letter of reprimand." The officer, who was praised for valor during his career, also once fired his weapon during an encounter with a suspect, records show.
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9 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:The worst part is that he knew he was being filmed and still thought his actions were appropriate.
Nobody is a threat once they have been cuffed and tbf he complied all the way
Spoke with manners to the police and still got that treatment
That cop never let him get a breath, the piece of shìt
As you say the other 3 cops did nothing so they are complicit too.
Throw the key away for all four, not sure they will last long in prison anyway!
They would make alot of goods friends in prison. I hear the average prison population really like racist cops who kill men of color. What can one even say? I have cops in my family. My brother in law, who is a really good guy, is a bit of a racist. Not super hostile, but you can tell it is there. He is retired CHP. His father is retired CHP also, and is a major racist. Also appears to be a decent guy, as long as you are white. We have talked a bit about the police violence, and he tells me how dangerous the job is. I get that. It is dangerous. But, there is nothing dangerous about having a man on the ground, with handcuffs on.
Perpetrating violence on him at that point only makes you a massively cowardly, half man.
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7 hours ago, honcho said:
theyve earned my trust by standing up to the exporters of the wuhan virus !
Wow. If all it takes is making a few nasty statements, to gain your trust, after decades of massive worldwide deceptions, assassination attempts, betrayals, and bloodbaths, can I sell you a bridge? It is a lovel 2,766 meter suspension bridge, that earns $234,000 per day in tolls. I can offer it to you for only $800,000. Three days income. Sound ok? Can I send my bank info. Or, do you actually want details?
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16 hours ago, billd766 said:However Thaksin's try for an amnesty was debated in parliament and kicked out.
The junta didn't bother with any debate, they just gave themselves total immunity for ALL acts past, present and future.
And you complain about Thaksin and praise the junta government.
They stole the whole country, treasury and all.
They are a large boil on the face of the nation. What will it take to get rid of this pestilence?
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He was being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill to pay for some stuff. The grocer could have been racist, he may have been tripping, or he may have just made a mistake. And even if it was counterfeit, that is not evidence that Floyd knew that. Regardless, once a subject is subdued, on the ground, in handcuffs, and without a weapon, you put him in the patrol car, and bring him in. What this pig cop did was beyond the pale. I truly hope he is tried for murder and convicted, and that the three other cops with him are tried for accessory to murder. They could have and should have stopped him.
I am from the US, have traveled all over the US, and I can tell you firsthand how racist many law enforcement departments are. As a white man, I am virtually invisible to the police, as long as I toe the line. However, I have been hanging out with black or hispanic friends, and I see how they are targeted repeatedly, by the police. It is beyond obnoxious. I still find the LAPD to be very, very nasty men and women, and by contrast, I have always gotten along with the NYPD. But, there are some very rotten apples among them all. The police departments in the US are becoming increasingly militarized, and it is nothing more than an excuse, when a cop says he thinks he was threatened. There are many ways to take a man down, without using lethal force, unless he is armed and dangerous. This unrest is justified, from my point of view. People are really angry at the cops, and most people hate the cops, for very good reason.
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I do not trust the US government one iota. They have been engaged in industrial spying for decades. Now, they get way behind the curve with regard to the development of 5G and all of a sudden we have a demon in the form of the company on the leading edge. Again, a fake narrative from a justice department that cannot be trusted on any level. Would sure be great if Canada stood up to them.
Not saying the Chinese dictatorship is clean in all this. But, trust the Americans? What have they done to earn our trust lately?
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It would appear nearly all the new cases are being brought in from overseas or across the border and immediately being quarantined. How are they determining this? Are they being tested? A simple temperature check? Or?
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Nearly the entire nation has sold out to the Chinese. PP is barely recognizable anymore. Hun Sen could not resist the additional billions in personal fortune. He sold out his people to Pol Pot. Then he has been selling out during his entire reign of thievery and serial killing. Now he does it once again. As always, the people factor last.
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5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:
is laying bricks for a living the only notable skill to have? I have never laid a brick, but still had a reasonable successful and fulfilling career? Was I remiss in not telling my kids to take a brick laying course before University? ????
Apparently, if we cannot lay bricks, we ain’t worth nuttin!
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3 hours ago, BritManToo said:
This is me .......... took Thailand 1 year to teach me better.
But unlike the OP there's nothing I would care about any family/friends/employers knowing.
I'm in Thailand, what do they think I'm doing?
When people ask, (and they have their usual suspicions) I tell them I am a student of archeology. That the area I am most passionate about is Sukhothai and Ayutthayan portico designs on temples. There are hundreds of well preserved temples to study! Particularly interested in temples from the late 13th century to the late 16th century.
They give me this look. Really? Wow. I had no idea. How unique. I never knew. Fascinating. Tell me more!
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What percentage of ex-pats who have families here have permanent resident status? And what restrictions will they face, upon their return?
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What can one even say? If a relationship is not working out, what real men do is discuss things, and try to deal with the issues. And if it cannot be fixed, or if it is beyond repair, or you are not making each other a better version of each other, you move on. He is fairly young, and had a whole life in front of him. Not anymore. He has done the unthinkable. He has basically self revoked the right to consume oxygen. In my book, if it is proven that he did commit this act, he should be put away for decades. I am sure he will make alot of good friends in prison. I hear they really take a liking to guys who abuse their wives. It is likely in his new prison home, he will be able to find fights that are far more fair.
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I think they are wide open. A friend of mine on Samui recently traveled there, and had no issues. Inter provincial travel appears to have loosened up alot. However, here is his post from yesterday. Does not sound like a pleasant place to visit, at the moment. I was thinking of taking a drive down in a week or two, but does not sound like much fun.
Ran into Daw at post office today. (motorcycle rental lady) Found out some stuff... She's building a small smoothie shop outside a 7/11. Couple pieces of plywood, a sign, she pays 5000 bht to owner per month. She said many thai owners of business on Samui aren't coming back until foreigners come back to Samui. She said only 3 countries in future, China, S. Korea, and Russia. And a few northern Europeans. But not enough foreigners to open now and looks like islands businesses, a high % needs a full house of busy customers. Earliest she heard, December/ January, if co19 stays low in all countries. Word is from Govt., do not count on regular tourists in full, plan to work elsewhere, stay where u are, no guarantees for customers.
Daws cycle shop sits open, (she has about 20 bikes for rent, zero rented as of now) as her son now sits in office playing on phone all day, no customers at all. I drove around Samui today, saw 12 Koreans walking through Hinta Hinyai area, and out again. Place is all delapadated, from non maintenance. Busted up, broken down look, until a new owner comes back and renovates a spot for his business. A few restaurants open, no activity, no customers. Almost like a hurricane passed here last month, and a very few people are wandering around curious to look at what's left. I think unlike mainland, where tourism is minor. In Samui the heart of energy was torn apart, being tourism is everything. Definitely locals only here to support the few stores of food, the basics. Still a bit busy on traffic, but like a dead low season with no energy in town. Any action right now seems to be on Tinder.-
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Honestly, someone stole my SUV, on many occasions, and drove it way too fast! Stealing my SUV was bad enough, but then they drove over 150kph. That is alot of wear and tear on my vehicle! Not right! I do not like this at all.
I am not responsible. As a matter of fact, I have never been responsible for anything wrong, I have ever done. Just ask my mom and dad. They will tell you what a good boy I am!
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Most functional governments need an opposition to serve as a watchdog. Though the army hates it, they serve a useful function, and it is a sheer pleasure to watch them call out an army who feels they are above the laws of the land. Go Sompong go! You are doing the people of the nation a great service, each and every time you call out Prayuth. If anything, he needs far more opposition. Eventually he and his hapless army will fall. It cannot happen too soon.
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5 hours ago, unamazedloso said:So? Boring bike, boring washed up actor. Fleas a dam good bassist but dont car much for the blue cold <deleted>ty lepars.. Slow news day...
There is absolutely nothing washed up about Brad Pitt. Nor is he boring, either in real life, in interviews, or in his films. He is self deprecating, does not appear to take himself too seriously, and has a great sense of humor. Many who work with him talk about how delightful he is to work with. He is coming off an oscar for his great supporting role in "Once upon a time in Hollywood", his star is as hot as ever, and he commands $20 million per film, plus points. If that is washed up, I will take it. Your lack of objectivity, and bias against successful movie stars is blinding you from seeing reality, for what it is.
In addition he is a very talented actor, with alot of range. Plus he has a net worth of well in excess of $300,000,000. Personally, I really enjoy his work. From Fury, to Inglorious Basterds, to Legends of the Fall, Kalifornia, Babel, Ocean's 13 and 11, Benjamin Button, Snatch, Fight club, A River runs through it, Seven, Fight club, The Big Short, Twelve Monkeys and Moneyball, he has an incredible body of work, and deserves all the fame and accolades he gets, despite your claims, otherwise.
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Oh, the utter irony in this. Twitter was likely largely responsible for getting this incompetent man elected. And now, they put a warning on a tweet that is totally fake news, for the first time ever, and the unhinged man loses his small mind. Twitter should start doing this will ALL of his posts, since he rarely tweets anything that is "fact based". This man has the most peculiar relationship with truth, I have ever witnessed. Remember, "truth is not truth". Wonder how this is going to play out. He cannot afford to alienate Twitter. And Twitter likely needs him, with his 80 million "devotee followers". Yet, Twitter holds the upper hand, for sure. Trump is not much of a poker player. He is far too emotional, and far too fragile, with his ultra thin skin, and incredibly delicate ego. Will be fascinated to see how far either side is willing to push this. The fact checks are a very good idea, and people deserve that.
In terms of "shutting down social media", he would have better luck installing a new Politburo in China, or replacing Kim! It is fascinating to watch a pathological man, who is spectacularly unstable, and does not have any filter, nor a diplomatic bone in his body, rant on and on.
Why have his approval ratings continued to nosedive? Usually, when a leader is taking the right course of action during a crisis, the approval ratings tend to soar. In this case?
To that end, it is important for any dominant leader to demonstrate empathy, humility and, most importantly, that his or her actions have been governed by the need of the hour—to help others rather than to promote his or her own cause. Our findings show that people are willing to pardon the negative actions of even a dominant leader if she or he comes across as caring and empathetic—demonstrated attributes of a prestige-based leader. Modi and Xi, despite harboring classic authoritarian leader traits, have done exactly that.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-trumps-popularity-surge-faded-so-quickly/
Approval ratings for the federal government have slipped as the pandemic has stretched on, from 40% approval one month ago to 31% now. State governments continue to get higher marks from the public, though support there is slipping as well. About half of Americans — 51% — say they approve of the job being done by their states, down from 63% in April.
Trump’s troubles do not end here. Continuing a trend first evident in the 2018 midterm elections, he is losing ground among white working-class women, who supported him by a 27-point margin in 2016. Because opinion among college-educated voters has hardened against the president since he took office, he needs strong majority support among the entire white working class to prevail.
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1 hour ago, BritManToo said:Never let a woman in a 'casual sex' encounter know your name and address.
Hi, I'm John from the UK (Bruce from Australia, Joe from the USA, or Hans from Germany).
Total common sense. I am Manny from Regina, Saskatchewan. And all my stuff is locked up in the safe. And no, you cannot have my phone number or my line info. I have rented you for a couple of hours, then it is bye, bye!
No question that alot of men come here, in an emotionally vulnerable state of mind. I get it. The West is brutal for a man over 50, who is not really wealthy. But, buyer beware. The real question is, what will they do with her? Will she be prosecuted and jailed by a judicial system that is one of the world's weakest, and most lenient? If she has enough cash (who knows how many Johns she has conned), she can simply make a large donation, and make this all go away? She will then be free to ply her trade, unless she is caught again. I think the names of cons should always be published. Even if they are just alleged.
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13 hours ago, EricTh said:
All these scare-mongering are without any proofs. I live in a village and nobody here has been infected. I don't know anybody in my town who are infected either.
I do not know anyone in all of Thailand that has been infected. I have a friend who is a surgical nurse in a major hospital, and she tells me they have done thousands of tests, and not one has come back positive. There is alot going on with Covid, that totally defies the narrative. This is definitely not the Zombie Apocalypse.
Open the economy now. End the lockdown now.
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16 hours ago, GAZZPA said:
Making way for the transition into a high end tourist destination. Maldives, here we come. ????
Never going to happen. A total pipe dream, on the part of the authorities. They cannot think clearly enough, nor do they have the perspective to know why the wealthy shun the place. One 8 hour session with a foreign travel expert, and they would have all the information they needed. But, since the rest of the world does not know anything, they would never do something really productive, like that. Plus you have guys like Pipat running tourism, so no talent, or progressive policies, whatsoever. There are a dozen good reasons why over the past 10-15 years, there are less and less wealthy tourists coming to Thailand. I have outlined them before, so no need to bore you with the details. Thailand has shot itself in the foot, when it comes to wealthy, or even affluent tourists. It is a low to lower middle income tourist market. They are stuck with China and India primarily. A small number of Americans and Europeans will come, but they represent the minority for sure.
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19 hours ago, ftpjtm said:
Then why are schools closed, beaches closed, no alchohol allowed to be served at restaurants, islands closed, a state of emergency extended, interprovincal travel restricted, and why do a litany of other regulations remain in place which deny Thais to earn a living?
It seems from the government figures that the ban on foreign arrivals is all that's needed.
Let Thais get back to work!
Either they are being super paranoid, super careful, or simply clinging to the power and do not want to let it go. I fully agree about letting the people get back to work. A friend of mine who lives on Samui, said it is like a ghost town. Most Thais have abandoned their shops, and fled the island, since there are few foreigners there at this time. Most restaurants are either closed, or empty. Millions could end up without jobs, for a long time to come. The longer this inane shutdown lasts, the harder the recovery will be. Thailand is likely looking at negative 8-15% growth this year. International tourism is not returning anytime soon. The group that Thailand targets, was the hardest hit group by this shutdown.
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17 hours ago, JCP108 said:
Yeah. I'm concerned that there are different ideas about what it means to be super careful.
Do you restrict people from places with highest number of infections, or highest number as a percentage of their population? That would make a big difference. For example, if half the people in the country of Aruba were infected, that would still be only 50k in raw number. So, comparatively speaking, the U.S. (say, with current moment figures) with about 2 million cases would look like a better candidate for banning. But, in that scenario, Aruba has a 50% infection rate and the U.S. less than 1%. As a ratio to the population, the U.S. would be much, much safer than Aruba. There's also the point that in big countries, cases are centered in some areas and mostly lacking in others. In the U.S. a large percentage of the cases are in just 3 or 4 states. To really be careful, people from states with a high percentage of cases to the state population would make more sense.
Also, what about countries whose reported numbers are just not valid due to either inadequate testing or dishonesty?
Hopefully there is a reasonable and careful policy but one that is not too restrictive. And, being from the U.S. and missing my daughter quite a lot, I hope that whatever the case, travel between here and there is possible. I agree that those certificates are going to remain impossible to get because they are stupid and however dysfunctional the medical system is there, I've worked with many doctors in my career and can't think of one that would quickly produce a fake certificate like that just so someone can travel. Too many rules against malpractice there for that to happen much.
I was discussing this with a friend last night, and he suggested that certain countries will emerge, as centers for Covid free letters. Makes alot of sense. Mexico, Norway, who knows? A $200 letter, and as Americans we can travel freely. Just because we are from the US, does not mean we need the health letter from the US.
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Being the morally and ethically bankrupt leader he is, of course he would cave in on this one. The protestors need all the moral support they can get, and they are getting it from alot of nations. But, not from the US. Although on the surface, it looks like Trump is picking fights with China, it is more likely that he is very afraid of them, and is doing as much as he can behind the scenes to please Xi. The Chinese dictator is misbehaving all over the world. From the South China Sea, to Africa. They are slowly and deliberately asserting control. Who is going to stop them? The pitiful and lowly US? I do not think so. The Chinese are already re-starting their economy, they are sitting on alot of cash surplus still, and the US has perhaps as much as 45 trillion in debt, and climbing. 26 trillion before this started, 6-10 trillion in Afghan and Iraqi war debt, that is totally off the books, thanks to that tricky little law Cheney had passed, and now another 6-10 trillion in stimulus debt. Where does it end?
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Thai economy could take more than 2 years to recover: Standard Chartered
in Thailand News
Posted
Everything should be re-opened immediately. June 1st, at the latest. Everything. All shops, all bars, every enterprise in the nation. This thing is under control, and the risk now, is not being able to ramp up the economy again, in any reasonable period of time, and having millions of people out of work, for extended periods of time. Let the people get back to work. The threat is over. The army needs to end their power trip, and consider the well being of the economy and the people. Open up every business. At least the ones who have not been crippled, and are able to re-open. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of businesses may never be able to re-open, after this insane experiment in economic shutdown is over. It is an experiment for the rich and for government workers on a full salary! Will take some time to see how this all shakes out, but it is my opinion that the economic fallout from the inane economic shutdown, is going to be 200 times worse than Covid itself, and the recovery "ramp up" will be long and excruciating. Far longer than they say. It will not just bounce back. In the history of the world, as far as we know, there has never been a deliberate worldwide economic shutdown. It is light years beyond dumb.
The "slowdown" will last well into 2021, for certain. And some industries may never come back, or will be a pale shadow of their former selves. No doubt homelessness will skyrocket in the US. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Not only here, but worldwide. What about concerts? Will people be willing to hang out with crowds of 20,000, at a cost of hundreds of dollars for a crappy seat? Same with sports. Will people be willing to go into a stadium or an arena with 20,000 to 100,000 people close together, and pay crazy money for a seat? Movie theaters? Cruise ships? Will the hordes just start descending on restaurants again, and pay inane prices for a gourmet meal? The list goes on, and on and on. And in the end, hundreds millions worldwide could end up far poorer than they were before. And tens of millions could end up starving to death, compared to perhaps 100,000 or so total deaths worldwide from Covid. OK. The rich stay safe and financially secure. And the rest of us? And those of us who are self employed, without fortunes in the bank?
And tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. If you think about it, the group that comprised perhaps 60% of all arrivals (lower to middle income Chinese and Indians) are the ones who have been hardest hit by this idiotic worldwide economic shutdown. Tourism in Thailand will never recover to even close to it's former levels, and that leaves millions out of work. Most countries will still be required to have Covid letters, as the virus is still raging in many countries. And some countries will not issue that letter (impossible to get in the US). Plus, will the mandatory health insurance still be required? Will the policies require a pandemic exception? Will it be even stricter than before? And just what are people returning to? Presently, Koh Samui looks like bombed out version of it's former self, with hundreds of businesses shuttered or gone forever. There are so many unanswered questions, it boggles the mind. One thing is for certain. Thailand will be feeling the effects of this for a very, very long time. So will the rest of the world.