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The grand re-opening? Just 20 American tourists to arrive in Phuket on July 9
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webfact
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115
Trump’s mad, mad, mad, mad world—now with extra madness
In this 24 news cycle, people have almost nonexistent memories. What these crooks are doing now was done in Greece in 2008. They SCREWED the populace with severe austerity programs. I am preparing myself to live completely autonomously in Thailand. I predict my civil service pension will soon be severely diminished or stopped altogether. With the sale of my rental and liquidated pension, I'll live a wonderful life here. I feel deep sorrow for all those left in Murikkka. -
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How are your sober runs going?
So, this is nice, but I IMHO I would not make the assumption that "we are all alcoholics". Just because someone has a drinking problem or decides to quit after drinking regularly for years does NOT make them alcoholic. People who can quit on their own willpower, at least by AA's definition of alcoholism, are not alcoholic. They still have the will power or "discipline" to stop. They can do it on their own. Alcoholics are the ones who know they have to quit, try to quit, but go back to it no matter how great the wish or desire. This is alcoholism. The OP has not stated he is alcoholic, but rather specifically says he was a moderate to heavy drinker. The fact that he is able to give it up on his own tells me he is NOT alcoholic but a moderate to heavy drinker who decided to give it up There is a really good saying that you might here in quality meetings of AA. All alcoholics are drunks but not all drunks are alcoholics. Thorough study of AA literature outlines this simple fact. (read bottom of page 20 to top of page 21 in the AA book) Here they make the differentiation between moderate or heavy drinkers and "real" alcoholics. What I would say to the OP is this. If you find you cannot give it up entirely and drink again in trying to give it up then you are probably alcoholic and AA has an answer for you. -
115
Trump’s mad, mad, mad, mad world—now with extra madness
Read my response just above this one. -
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Trump Revives Plan to Build $100 Million White House Ballroom
President Donald Trump has once again proposed building a grand $100 million ballroom at the White House, insisting he would personally fund the project. Trump, who has long criticized the use of temporary tents for hosting state dinners, reiterated his desire to create a permanent, luxurious space similar to those at his properties, including Mar-a-Lago. Speaking at a signing ceremony in the White House’s East Room, the largest indoor space currently available for events, Trump highlighted the need for a grander venue. “This room is packed,” he said, noting that there were “people outside that can’t even get in.” He recalled having made the offer before, stating, “It was going to cost $100 million dollars… I offered to do it to the Biden administration.” However, former officials from the Obama administration claim Trump originally made the proposal to them after attending a state dinner for the Indian prime minister, which was held in a tent on the White House lawn. Trump joked that he would now attempt to approve the idea himself. “I’m going to try and make the offer to myself,” he said, drawing laughter. “We’ll see if Trump will approve it.” David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, confirmed that Trump had initially proposed the idea in 2010. In his memoir Believer, Axelrod recalled Trump’s disapproval of temporary event spaces. “I see you have these state dinners on the lawn there in these shit little tents,” Trump had remarked. “I build ballrooms. Beautiful ballrooms. You can go to Tampa and check one of them out for yourself.” Trump remained critical of the practice, later telling radio host Rush Limbaugh in 2011 that the use of tents for welcoming foreign dignitaries was disgraceful. “When a dignitary comes in from India, from anywhere, they open up a tent,” he said. “A tent! … An old, rotten tent that frankly they probably rented, pay a guy millions of dollars for it even though it’s worth about $2, okay?” During his 2016 campaign, Trump emphasized the safety risks of hosting state dinners under canvas and pointed to Mar-a-Lago’s ballroom as an example of what could be achieved. “What many consider to be the single greatest ballroom in the world,” he boasted. At the time, New York Post columnist Cindy Adams predicted Trump would address the issue swiftly once in office. “The White House lacks a big party space,” she wrote. “Galas scatter through separate rooms.” Despite this, no ballroom was built during Trump’s first term. The most notable architectural addition to the White House grounds during his presidency was a tennis pavilion designed under the direction of then-First Lady Melania Trump. Trump revived the ballroom proposal while speaking about his broader vision for renovations, including his recent suggestion to clear out and redevelop the Gaza Strip. Turning to Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, he mused, “We could use a bigger room, right, Marsha? It would actually be a beautiful addition.” Still focused on his longstanding issue with temporary structures, he added, “Somehow I think we’ve outgrown the tent stuff. Don’t you think?” Based on a report by The Times 2025-02-07 -
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UK Retailers Demand Crackdown on Chinese Tax Loophole
Major UK retailers are urging the government to take decisive action and close a tax loophole that allows Chinese e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu to avoid paying customs duties on small orders. The call follows a similar move by Donald Trump in the United States, where he pledged to eliminate the exemption that allows overseas businesses to ship small packages without incurring duties. Leading figures in British retail, including those behind Ryman, Robert Dyas, Superdry, and Gieves & Hawkes, have criticized the current system for creating an unfair competitive advantage for foreign companies. Theo Paphitis, the owner of Boux Avenue, Robert Dyas, and Ryman, warned that allowing overseas businesses to continue benefiting from this loophole would be catastrophic for UK industry. “If you’re not paying import duties, not paying VAT and not paying national insurance to employees here then you’ve got an unfair advantage over everybody else,” he said. “It is not a level playing field.” Julian Dunkerton, co-founder of Superdry, voiced his strong support for the UK government following Trump's approach. “Their trade with the UK should be treated as a single transaction and taxed accordingly,” he stated. The current UK policy, known as the de minimis rule, exempts shipments valued under £135 from customs duties, while packages exceeding this threshold can incur duties of up to 25 percent. In contrast, Trump has vowed to remove the same exemption in the U.S. for shipments valued under $800 from China, Canada, and Mexico. Retail industry leaders have been advocating for stricter regulations on low-value imports for years, arguing that overseas retailers use the exemption to flood the market with cheap products, undercutting domestic businesses. Touker Suleyman, owner of Gieves & Hawkes, Ghost, and Finery, expressed frustration over the UK government’s inaction. “The UK government has not been listening to retail and they haven’t got the guts to take a decision. With all due respect to President Trump, he’s got the guts to say, ‘this is how it’s going to be’.” Harold Tillman, former chairman of the British Fashion Council and former head of Jaeger and Aquascutum, agreed with the U.S. president’s stance. “I do agree with the American president,” he said, adding that such a move would create a fairer marketplace and potentially curb the excessive production of low-cost fashion items. The decision by Trump could have significant consequences for Shein, particularly as the company is considering a £50 billion listing on the London Stock Exchange. The U.S. remains Shein’s most profitable market, and any policy shift could impact its revenue streams. While a London float could bring substantial investment to the UK economy, Paphitis believes the government must weigh the benefits of this listing against the ongoing loss of tax revenue and the negative impact on British high streets. “The government needs to think about the value of the float to the British economy compared to the billions the Treasury is losing out [in unpaid tax] and the demise of our own high streets,” he argued. As pressure mounts, British retailers are calling for immediate action to ensure a fair and competitive market, preventing further damage to local businesses struggling to compete against tax-exempt overseas rivals. Based on a report by The Times 2025-02-07
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