GroveHillWanderer

Sorry your local IO treats your like that. All I can speak to is my personal experience in Hua Hin where there isn't any of that kind of unpleasantness. The IO's there have always been unfailingly polite and pleasant when I've been processing my marriage extensions. They just go quickly and quietly through all the documentation, with barely a query about anything, in my experience. I always go up to the window on my own, my wife stays behind in the seating area and they only call her forward when they need to take the photo of the two of us together. It usually takes around 40 - 45 minutes and most of that is just waiting for your turn. Admittedly, the first time was a little more complicated, they needed a witness there with us to sign some kind of document and there was a home visit about an hour later, but that was only the first year and we haven't needed a witness or had a home visit since. The home visit was also very perfunctory - they said they would come about one hour after I handed in the paperwork if that was convenient (it was) and just sat outside chatting for about ten minutes with ourselves and the witness (our next door neighbour). They took a couple of photos of us and the IO together at the front gate and then by the front door of the house - and that was it. Based on some of the stories I'd read on here I was worried it would be a lot more tricky, but it was really straightforward.

Not in my experience, they're not. I've done at least 3 extensions (maybe 4, can't remember exactly) by reason of marriage in Hua Hin and they only visited the one time, when I first switched from retirement to marriage. I would agree with those who say that marriage extensions are really not that burdensome. The only thing that annoys me slightly is the time it takes to sign all the documents. Other than that, it's fine.

I have looked at at least half a dozen fact checking articles examining statements made by the participants in the debate. Not a single one of them mentions that Harris told a lie about police officers dying on Jan 6, or lying about when she left the Capitol that day. Do you have a link to a reliable source that supports those claims?

None of that is happening, nor will it happen, because the simple fact is that there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that any of these ridiculous cat-eating stories are true.

Or, you could just go for the option of getting the visa by booking a dentist's or doctor's appointment. And then another one if or when needed. Which doesn't cost anything (at least not for the appointment itself).

Do you have any evidence that she called him illegitimate "for years after" and "still does"? Based on everything I can find from several Google searches using different search terms, she only ever called him illegitimate three times. Twice, in interviews a couple of days apart in late 2019 and once in July 2020. As far as I can tell, she never called him illegitimate before or since. If you have evidence to the contrary, I'd be glad to see it. Also, unlike Trump she has never claimed the election was "stolen" and she's never called for the results to be overturned. Trump of course, has repeated his election lies hundreds if not thousands of times, as the AP article below, alludes to. Trump's drumbeat of lies about the 2020 election keeps getting louder

It's not just John Bolton, though is it? The article from The Independent below lists who they say are all the former Trump staffers who have spoken out against him to a greater or lesser degree. Admittedly two of them, Barr and Haley, have since said that they will vote for Trump but that still leaves a whole load of those who probably know Trump's capabilities (or lack thereof) better than any of us, who do not want to see this man in office again. All the ex-Trump officials who refuse to endorse him in 2024

According to Fortune magazine, the Russian economy is coming under serious strain. An economic catastrophe is lurking beneath Russia’s GDP growth as Putin ‘throws everything into the fireplace’

I disagree. Everything Geraghty writes is predicated on (and quotes extensively from) the findings of the House Oversight Committee. As Geraghty puts it, this is, "What the House Oversight Committee report reveals ..." However once again, James Comer himself has said that nothing the Committee uncovered is evidence of a crime being committed.

"The Washington Post" said no such thing. The link you gave is to an opinion piece by Jim Geraghty, who is National Review’s senior political correspondent. The National Review describes itself as a "Leading conservative magazine and website." And the so-called evidence? Jim Geraghty writes that, "James Comer contends" that there is proof but tellingly, Comer himself has admitted that there is no actual evidence of wrongdoing. House Oversight chair admits GOP can’t back up Biden bribery accusations

I see that in sharp contrast to Trump, the Republican Governor of Utah has apologized for a campaign photo of him taken with Trump at Arlington. Utah Governor Apologizes For Campaigning With Photo From Trump's Cemetery Visit

It seems there are a number of reports indicating the Russian offensive on Pokrovsk has come to a grinding halt. Here's just one example.

I don't know if there is or isn't, but the US Army has confirmed that it happened. Army says Arlington National Cemetery official was "abruptly pushed aside" during dispute with Trump campaign

Not sure where you're getting this from. California could not "send over all the homeless" because people have to apply for this individually, supply all the necessary information, show proof of funds, employment etc. There's almost no way that homeless people are going to meet the necessary criteria. For starters, many (if not most) of them won't even have current passports, let alone sufficient funds. As for millions of people coming on these visas, I'd say that's highly unlikely. Even if there might technically be millions of people that could qualify, not all those with the money, employment etc that are required, are going to want to come to Thailand.

Although it's true that Biden has had fewer "office hours" than many previous presidents, do you know who actually racked up less presidential office hours than any President since FDR? Donald Trump. Trump’s presidential office hours were the shortest since FDR, Biden’s not far behind him In fact, Biden has spent more time working this year, than in any of his previous years in office.

What do you base that understanding on? Genuinely interested.

I'm not sure how accurate their reporting is, but Finland's second biggest newspaper, Ilta Sanomat, is saying that there's a power struggle currently going on behind the scenes in the Kremlin. Headline and quote below rendered into English by Google Translate. Sources for IS: Fierce power struggle going on in Kremlin Of course this could be total BS, but things could get interesting if it turns out to be true.

Just because there are different routes by which mpox can spread, does not mean it can spread easily. In fact, as the info from the UK government website linked to below states: Mpox: background information Also, as I mentioned on another thread about mpox, both the WHO and other medical experts have been at pains to stress that mpox "is not the new Covid."

You have your own polling numbers? How does that work?

The 60-odd failed lawsuits that Trump's acolytes brought to challenge the 2020 election results would seem to indicate you're wrong about it not being legitimate.

I did plenty of research. As I said, the 85% figure was the finding of "previous studies." I also provided a link to a second article that clearly states a smallpox vaccination may not provide lifelong protection against mpox. However, what I could not find, was any article or study that says a childhood smallpox vaccination does not provide any protection, as you were implying. What is accurate, and what I stated, is that the level of protection against mpox from a childhood smallpox vaccination is not fully established.

That's not quite accurate. While all of the strains of mpox can be spread via pulmonary secretions that only happens by being in very close to proximity to an infected person and breathing in directly exhaled droplets, and it is not the normal means of spread. So mpox is not really airborne in the same way as diseases such as flu or Covid. It does not linger in the air, nor travel any appreciable distance through the air. As the Reuters article below states: Why is mpox an emergency again, and how worried should I be?

It's not that clearly established. Previous studies have indicated that a childhood vaccination against smallpox probably does provide a good level of protection. Adults with smallpox vaccine may have immunity from monkeypox Now, some of the people infected with mpox in the more recent outbreaks had been vaccinated against smallpox in childhood which seems to indicate any immunity they had, had waned over time. However many of them were also HIV positive, which means their immunity would have waned more quickly than would otherwise be the case. Smallpox vaccines may not protect against monkeypox for life

I'm not sure who you think is trying to create a world wide panic. Certainly, the WHO and other medical experts are not. For instance, in a recent press release the WHO made a point of saying that this is not the new Covid. World Health Organization stresses that mpox is not ‘the new Covid' Why mpox is 'concerning' but not the next Covid, according to experts It is thought that being vaccinated against smallpox does confer some immunity against mpox (though exactly how much is not fully established) but having had chickenpox does not since despite the similarity in name, chickenpox and mpox are not related.