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Good Lord. The extreme emergency of the situation. Scientific American backs Biden in its 1st presidential endorsement https://www.yahoo.com/news/scientific-american-mag-endorsement-biden-trump-first-in-175-years-172808739.html

Burn the scientists!

They endorsed sleepy Joe Biden? That's deplorable! They’re not sound on climate either I bet they’re not even Americans They’ve been going downhill for a hundred years Ever since that fake theory of relativity Einstein, Schmeinstein They're a bunch of dopes I’m canceling my subscription

Adam, I think God is preoccupied with the election, the pandemic, the wildfires, poverty, and Beyonce's breasts to get to this issue here. There is no button where I can reply to you with a quote, just to reply to the topic.

From Bangkok Post The Ministry of Transport will remove tollway booths and remodel billing systems to incorporate vehicle recognition next year. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Tuesday told reporters that the ministry's vehicle registration database will be shared with the Department of Land Transport, Department of Highways and Expressway Authority of Thailand under a memorandum of understanding to track vehicles using tollways and expressways when barriers and toll booths are taken away next year. He said a toll system without barriers and toll booths is being developed. According to the new system, called M-Flow, licence plate detectors will be used to later match the vehicle information in the licence registration database and bill motorists every month to post-pay without the assistance of barriers and toll booths, the minister said. "This system has another benefit ... we can check for illegal vehicles," he said referring to the linked database and the licence detection system. Laws will be amended so that failure to pay road tolls will be considered an offence, he said. Current users of M-Pass will be able to link their pass with their vehicle licence and pay the tolls automatically.

From The Cambodian Daily Thailand plans to allow a group of 500 Cambodian workers to return to work legally in Thailand for the first time since borders were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said on Tuesday. Ham Samkhan, chief of the Doung International Border Checkpoint, said officials met in Thailand on Thursday about a plan to allow 500 Cambodian workers to cross the border to work on fruit harvests. The original plan was for the workers to leave on Tuesday, but Thailand had yet to make its official request based on what was agreed in the meeting, Samkhan said.

As I've belabored in another thread, I think our main problem is a large destabilizing minority of authoritarian followers. I think they're somewhere around a third of the population, have latched on to Trump as their "leader", and are motivated primarily by fear - which Trump knows how to stoke. And I believe such authoritarian followers have been with us since the beginning of time and that they will be with us till the end of time. By definition, these authoritarian followers want simple answers, so "debate" is not something they want to engage in. I'm coming to the conclusion, reluctantly, that the best way to reach them is to provide them with the authoritarian leadership they require while redirecting their fear toward something more useful. As Hitler and his propagandists taught German authoritarian followers to fear the Jews and communists, Trump and his propagandists have taught their authoritarian followers to fear brown-skinned folks and "leftists". In hindsight, what the German authoritarian followers should have been fearing was Hitler's willingness to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of Aryan world dominance. And, with a bit of foresight, what American authoritarian followers should be fearing is Trump's willingness to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of primarily white American world dominance. Or, as he calls it, "Make America Great Again". For the average Trump follower, Trump's focus on world dominance has not improved their lives, security, or wellbeing in any meaningful way. As a result of his so-called leadership, fewer of them have jobs or health insurance and they are less welcome in other parts of the world. With nearly 200,000 Americans dead since March, we are nearly halfway to the number of lives lost in World War II and, without a miracle, I expect we'll reach that grim milestone within another few months of Trump's "leadership". So, my stab at answering the OP's question would be to reach out to the authoritarian followers among us and help them realize that what they should be fearing is Trump and his enablers who are leading them to a loss of life greater than during World War II, to a financial meltdown worse than the Great Depression, and to a loss of world political status that took their ancestors a century or more to build. Like Hitler, Trump is leading them day-after-day toward death and destruction. I think the Democrats need to put forward a government modeled after that of Konrad Adenauer, one that can de-Trump America, one that makes life better for even the most down-and-out Americans and one that can, through skilled diplomacy, return our country to a place of influence - rather than "domination" - in the world. Germany's authoritarian followers didn't disappear overnight and neither will ours. So, as long as they're with us, I think they need to become part of the solution and not part of the problem. While it won't be a piece of cake, I take some comfort in that fact that every time authoritarian followers have been co-opted to bring down a society, they have subsequently been co-opted to help restore it. Assuming they remain alive to do so.

Bangkok Post 15 September: The cabinet on Tuesday agreed to allow in foreign tourists who agree to 14-day quarantine and stay for at least 90 days, to help the flagging economy. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the cabinet meeting that the government would issue special tourist visas for long-stay visitors. The most important condition would be a 14-day quarantine. "Visitors can arrive for tourism or health services, and they can stay at alternative state quarantine facilities, specific areas or at hospitals that function as quarantine facilities," he said. "Our public health system is amongst the best in the world and people can have confidence in it." The prime minister said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration would later elaborate on the matter. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisaranakul said long-stay visitors would have to present proof of payment for their long stay in the country. This could be payment for a hotel reservation, or the lease of a condominium room. "The target is to welcome 100-300 visitors a week, or up to 1,200 people a month, and generate income of about 1 billion baht a month," she said. The 90-day special tourist visa could be extended twice, for 90 days each time. Long-stay visitors could begin arriving next month, Ms Traisulee said. Prasong Poontaneat, finance permanent secretary, said the country needed to generate income from visitors, especially those from the countries where coronavirus disease had not been spreading in past months - such as China, Taiwan and some counries in Europe. Twenty Chinese provinces were free of Covid-19 and had a combined population of around 800 million. If only one percent of them, about 8 million people, visited Thailand they could support the tourism sector, he said.

Looks like a 12 year old wrote it . 100 tourists per week which somehow will equal 1200 per month ? 1.2 Billion baht per month is equally ridiculous as they are unlikely to find many or any who would be willing to spend ( my calculator does not go that high) per month . And of course even if they were to find a great number of wealthy people to spend that there is no enforcement mechanism to determine what they would spend . And even if they somehow could monitor the spending there are already long stay visas which would be much less expensive for those who want to stay possibly for a year.

I'm also in the camp of 3000 / day. This is what I paid on few of such occasions. I always asked him what his expectations are. Whey they expected less, I made it to 3000/day by way of parting bonus. If they wanted more I counter offered to 3000 and it was accepted. But honestly 20000 i.e 2000 / day would be reasonable as I doubt now even most popular guys get offed that often and 20000 is still sizable amount of money. Of course off fee for bar is on top of it. If you want economize, try to negotiate discount with bar, they may go for it those days. Or even better leave it to the boy - give him money and tell him if he manages to get discount , leftover is his. I'd not mention any parting bonus as it may create unwarranted expectations. Is better to surprise him at the end. 10 days is a long time, make sure you give him few hours daily to do whatever he wants and tell him in advance you will need the same. To boost his face arrange for him to pay bills when you are dining or taking trip somewhere together. This makes an impression in eyes of bystanders both of you are on even footage. Also , even if money is yours you may notice they will tend to order less costly menu items. It doesn't look good if you spend on the dinner the same amount you pay him as daily rate. You know all of that but other readers may find it useful

and to it's own starving masses

I made it to Brazil! In Sao Paulo now. There was a slight chance that immigration rule or airline rules change, but they did not and all that was different from travelling before Covid was wearing a mask and showing proof of health insurance at check-in and immigration. Full report when I´m back.

Living on an island in the Puget Sound. 24/7 access to a gym, MTB and road biking, hiking and running. Covid has virtually disappeared. Happiest and fittest I’ve been in years.

If you travel a lot, you probably know how hard it is to answer that question. The crime statistics for Brazil are unquestionably worse than for the U.S. or most of Asia. It's a numbers game and one does not know when his number will be up. I've never had a problem acting like a stereotypical tourist (camera, iphone, backpack, shorts). However, I was mugged in Salvador - the guy flashed what looked like a crude shank and demanded by daypack. That contained the last dedicated point-&-shoot camera I owned. I've used a smartphone for pictures ever since with no problem - until that phone got pickpocketed in a different Latin country! Just be careful and smart. Accept that you may have to offer electronic sacrifices to the travel gods (and the local economy). Be really careful on any beaches in Rio. The colonial touristy part of Salvador was the sketchiest place I've seen in Brazil. On the other hand, I constantly have to remind myself to be more scared in Sao Paulo: Though the city is big, loud, and messy, I don't think I've ever encountered anything that felt terribly menacing in SP. People there seem to have jobs and things to do other than rob tourists. The middle-class Rio neighborhoods of Flamenco, Gloria, and Botafogo similarly felt more safe than the touristy ones in Copacabana and Ipanema. The smaller cities and colonial towns were never a problem.

Never wear jewelry, watches or cameras in the streets, and keep your smart phones tucked away in your pockets. Wallets should never be in the back pocket. I would also advise against any headphones and Bluetooth ear pieces as well as AirPods. A camera is a definite NO. The savvier malandros will carry a sharp knife with them to cut the cord From your neck, arm or ear and just keep running with your items. The others might just rip it from you with their bare hand strength or sometimes, hold you up for it with a weapon. Although foreigners (no matter how often they visit and start to feel “comfortable” or “blended in”, and no matter how intimidating they may think they are) should not do any of these things, even a local brasileiro would say that it’s a bad idea for them to carry these things on the street as well. Just because you’ve been doing these things and you haven’t yet “gotten got”, that doesn’t mean you’re immune to it. It just means that your time hasn’t come up yet. Why tempt fate? Anyone (here or in the real world) who advises you otherwise is not your friend, your pal, or your amigo, and does not have your best interests at heart.

The advice to go to a Provider’s location instead of having him come to yours was incredibly wrong headed. If you do not know the garoto well, DO NOT do an “in call” (at their place) — especially if you are new to Brazil / the area, or are unfamiliar with the people and the language. There is a lot of really bad advice given at this forum — often by those who portray themselves as experts. But this — recommending visiting a garoto for a programa at his location or apartment — is absolutely one of the worst. If you (understandably) can’t or don’t want to do the programa at your apartment or hotel, then get a room at one of the many “love motels” in the area. It’s what almodt every brasileiro who has a quickie or an affair does with their tricks and mistresses. It’s why the love motels are so common and so popular. They are usually by the hour. And they are much safer.

"My cock is staying in tip-top shape, since it is my Only friend in Quarantine and I am taking VERY good care of it!"