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From CNN The Chinese government has built up the world’s largest known online disinformation operation and is using it to harass US residents, politicians, and businesses—at times threatening its targets with violence, a CNN review of court documents and public disclosures by social media companies has found. The onslaught of attacks – often of a vile and deeply personal nature – is part of a well-organized, increasingly brazen Chinese government intimidation campaign targeting people in the United States, documents show. The US State Department says the tactics are part of a broader multi-billion-dollar effort to shape the world’s information environment and silence critics of Beijing that has expanded under President Xi Jinping. On Wednesday, President Biden is due to meet Xi at a summit in San Francisco. Victims face a barrage of tens of thousands of social media posts that call them traitors, dogs, and racist and homophobic slurs. They say it’s all part of an effort to drive them into a state of constant fear and paranoia. Often, these victims don’t know where to turn. Some have spoken to law enforcement, including the FBI – but little has been done. While tech and social media companies have shut down thousands of accounts targeting these victims, they’re outpaced by a slew of new accounts emerging virtually every day. Known as “Spamouflage” or “Dragonbridge,” the network’s hundreds of thousands of accounts spread across every major social media platform have not only harassed Americans who have criticized the Chinese Communist Party, but have also sought to discredit US politicians, disparage American companies at odds with China’s interests and hijack online conversations around the globe that could portray the CCP in a negative light. Private researchers have tracked the network since its discovery more than four years ago, but only in recent months have federal prosecutors and Facebook’s parent company Meta publicly concluded that the operation has ties to Chinese police. Meta announced in August it had taken down a cluster of nearly 8,000 accounts attributed to this group in the second quarter of 2023 alone. Google, which owns YouTube, told CNN it had shut down more than 100,000 associated accounts in recent years, while X, formerly known as Twitter, has blocked hundreds of thousands of China “state-backed” or “state-linked” accounts, according to company blogs. Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/13/us/china-online-disinformation-invs/index.html

Lets not lower our standards here. In Gaza , as in any conflict many babies will be killed. Along with their mothers and grandmothers . That is nature of war. that nastiest of all human inventions. Speaking about babies, wouldn't be nice and world better place if at sometime at end of 19th century somebody choked baby named Adolf Hitler to death ? Palestinian problem stems from long standing occupiers oppression. If Palestine or even Gaza were normal country, way say, Jordan is , with own army , police , money and control of own economy and attacked Israel way Hamas did , any Israeli response including levelling whole place off would be at minimum met with understanding - they got what they asked for. The same way fate of Dresden or Hiroshima was commented and Russians levelling Harbin in retaliation for failed attempt by China to reunite Vladivostok with motherland in 2057 will be. That and not bloodthirstiness of sizable chunk of world opinion is behind of split of sympathy between attacker and attacked visible everywhere , including our illustrious forum.

On the question of security and/or fear-mongering, I don't want to come across as saying there's nothing to worry about. Below, for example, is a picture of an entrance to a condominium, albeit one in a good-class district. Notice the cage-like double gates. There are few cities in the world that will go this far. And this was only one of several condominiums with such a feature. To me, it shows that the problem of security is a real one; not to be laughed off. The locals do seem to know a thing or two. Maybe I was just lucky that I did not experience any incidents. But it is one thing to take precautions, it's quite another to be paralysed by fear.

Passing nutty laws which criminalize common, normal behavior makes a situation ripe for law enforcement malfeasance.

I would have been disappointed if antisemitism was given a pass and there was no “bust-up.” Or if discrimination based on nationality was ignored. What the numbers actually demonstrate is that some controversial topics draw a strong following, resulting in viewing numbers rivaling the traditional leaders: trip and venue reports.

Has everything to do with it. No one lining up to purchase Russian airliners. 🙂

We may not be comparing apples with apples. I think I know which sites you're referring to in Hong Kong and Singapore - those are gay-scene sites. This one is ... not quite. This site is an M2M-sex-buyers site. Nor am I pessimistic about this site's future. Precisely because it is an M2M-sex-buyers site, it will age well. Given human nature, the trade will never disappear, though it may move from place to place and price point to price point. That's not to say that this site has not evolved nor continue to evolve. One day, even when there's AI and sex robots and businesses supplying them, I'll bet there will still be plenty of things to talk about. When I first participated here, the Pattaya threads were as active as the Bangkok threads. Not any more. This seems to reflect, as others have pointed out, the decreasing number of Western retirees spending their golden years (and pensions) in Thailand, with Pattaya being the seaside town of choice. But I don't think the overall traffic to this site has reduced. It may even have grown, though I have no access to site statistics over the long term. So, if traffic has grown, it must mean that enough new members have come in over time too. This, in turn, is the other evolution that I can discern. More and more members are Asian. It's hard to put a number to it, but perhaps one in three or one in four of the active participants may either be Asian or expats living and working in the region. My guess is that there is a growing number of Singaporeans and Malaysians here, partly because these nationals (particularly the former) are comfortable in the English language. I thought there might be more Hongkongers for the same reason, but I don't see evidence of it. I have noticed the increasing number of short trips reported on this site. It indicates they're from the region, and thus able to do a weekend or just a week's trip, rather than travel across multiple time zones to escape winter for three months, which used to be the dominant pattern in years past. In time, as their disposable income rises, we may see more Filipinos and Indians on this site, for many of them too speak English.

For those of us with home bases in East Asia, Southeast Asia or Australasia, South America is a pain to get to. Hardly any wonder that the last time I was in Brazil was 15 years ago if not more (so long ago, I can't even be sure). This year, I had reason to be in Europe for a month, mostly for family reasons, including attending a heterosexual wedding. Partly to recover from the trauma of that, but also because Brazil is more accesible from Europe, I decided to add four weeks there before flying all the way home. Beginning with this post Virgin Mary and the money pouch, there will be reports over the next few weeks about my time there. In case you're wondering, my habit is to post reports on my own blog because I prefer to write long form, and it takes the better part of a day to draft a post - not something compatible with a discussion forum. Contributors to the Brazil threads on this site have been an immensely helpful resource - thank you very much - and I hope my reports are interesting in their own way.

My spy (who is probably also ne of Vinapus spies) is reporting: Customer drink 400 Baht Boy drink 400 Baht There were about 15 boys, probably many Vietnamese, most of them shirtless During the show about 25 customers, mostly Thai/Asian, 4 women, on a Monday night No smoking visible Music volume ok (compared to Dreamboys) Show announced for 22:20, started 22:20 (or 22:15, if you count the line-up as part of the show), all acts about 5 minutes long 0. 8 guys line-up on stage, but also come down to the audience, shirtless 1. 2 fck the chair simulation 2. 2 cuties dance around a pole 3. "sex bomb" 4. 3 guys dancing wrapped in a curtain to oriental music 5. 4 guys dancing with candles in their hands 6. 7 guys big cck show, also came to the audience 7. SM show simulation, also came to the audience 8. 1 muscle guy dancing/showing his body 9. 8 guys line-up on stage, but also come down to the audience, shirtless What I think: 25 customers is not bad, they will survive Guys line-up coming to the audience sounds good to me, to have a better look (Screwboys does it too) Show ok, nothing to special, no ladyboy acts

Why should we compare? Russia never played any role in the export of passenger aircrafts. Tell me please, why Airbus had no such problems in "deliberately" choosed period? If you want to compare Boeing, then you should talk about Airbus (red), where Airbus won more than twice. Why should I exclude 737MAX? It is pure and clear Boeing's fuckup. And grounding all planes of one of the Boeing's models shows risks which should take in account all buyers. Boeing is in crisis. It is visible without glasses. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_between_Airbus_and_Boeing Dear, thank you for starting discussion about my personality. It is so valuable in thread about aircrafts.

Xi is just another strongman. A strongman who happens to be squeezing the life out of China while throwing shit at everybody else.

Two very pertinent posts with, as usual from @macaroni21, a lot of interesting points. I agree about Guide Sites. I have no idea how they can possibiy keep up to date unless they have a correspondents like @ChristianPFC in every country. The problem is that clearly there are some gay guys around the world who look at them and regard most of what they recommend as some sort of gospel. And with some of the sites relying on advertising, they will continue as long as the advertising revenue rolls in, no matter how many tourists finally discover that at least some of what they wrote was nonsense. I wrote earlier about one site which did have advertising from several major companies, including a hotel chain and airline. This site had clearly made up a two article trip to Bangkok and Chiang Mai allegedly by one of its staff. It was mostly b/s. I decided to write to the advertisers, first to congratulate them for helping gay travellers, but adding my comments on the made-up articles. I don't recall getting replies but I do know that website died quite soon thereafter. As far as this site is concerned, I did assist in writing I believe three of the city guides and the emphasis was on tourism rather than specifically gay tourism. I certainly agree they should be dated. Having just checked, I note that when you click underneath the city descriptions on the sub-heads Gay Bars, Gay Clubs, Gay Massage etc, in most cities there are no listings at all. I sincerely suggest to the Moderator that these sub-heads just be deleted. Bangkok certainly has some bars listed, but why is Maggie Choo's the first when only Sunday is the Gay Night? And why is Telephone still listed as such and not Circus, the new name adopted about 2 years ago? Incidentally I see it is still listed as Telephone under travelgay.com! Asian Members. I wish I could be as optimistic as I have been suggesting for several years that Asians, and preferably younger Asians, should be a natural target for rejuvenating membership on this site. but I really wonder where @macaroni21 gets his suggestions about numbers. As a regular reader and contributor, I definitely cannot see the same numbers, with the honourable exception of @spoon in Malaysia. I do think the problem with this site for Asians outside Thailand, in my view, is that the information on the gay scene is not sufficiently condensed. A young reader in Singapore, for example, has to wade through a lot of posts before finding information about specific massage spas - and Singaporeans are very into massage! For western readers, it's much easier and much quicker to find the relevant information. As an example, the Singapore-based Blowing Wind site appears specifically for a much younger readership (a great many in their 20s and 30s) and it does have an extensive Travel section with information all posted by readers on Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei and a host of other Asian cities. The last post on Bangkok was made less than an hour ago and is a very detailed description about Bantai Spa including their Line and Twitter IDs. Another made in the last 24 hours is a very detailed (again!) description of a hostel near the National Stadium and all the gay activity that goes on there. Finding travel information with a lot of detail on that site is a breeze. Not so on any of the gay Thailand sites IMHO.

Well, that definitely makes you an expert on all nightlife in Taipei! 🤣 🤣 🤣

Oh, you mean folks are lining up to purchase Russian-made cargo planes? Do tell, Moses.

“Airliners” are by definition aircraft designed and built to transport passengers. Sorry about that, Moses. 🙂 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliner

The internet has been a boon though it is true that sites and technologies change with head-spinning speed. But I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the Spartacus era. Guide sites are very different animals from forum sites. I am not surprised that they struggle to stay relevant and up to date. It begins with user expectations - that what they see on a guide site should be authoritative, up-to-date, accurate and also comprehensive, covering all the available attractions of a place. It requires a lot of work to maintain a site to meet such standards. Look at the Guide section of this very site (gayguides.com). It has very little that's useful. The write-ups are undated, and for we know, the information about any bar or hotel may be 10 years old. It gets worse when the guide site owners hope to make money or at least recover costs through advertising. There's even more work involved doing sales and keeping up with customer service. Then there's conflict of interest. Do you play down or omit an attraction just because they decline to advertise with you? If you omit, then you're failing the user who expects a comprehensive site. If you don't omit, then those who have hitherto paid to advertise may wonder why they should continue paying. Forum sites depend on the wisdom/intelligence of the masses. It has its pros and cons, as no doubt we all see all too often on this very site (e.g. recent bust-up about antisemitism). But if there is enough participation and contributions, a forum site can go quite far in producing the comprehensive, up-to-date and accurate information that users desire. "Enough participation" means the "network effect" must operate, where users gravitate to a single site and leave the rest in the dust. The more the participation is centred on a single site, the more informative and comprehensive it gets. And, except for the heavylifting done by the moderators (thank you!) it's done free. Seen in this light, the evolution of the online space is only following a natural path.

Hardly surprising, as many of the orders were for delivery over at least 10 years, or longer.

Excellent point about Taiwanese. It won't be long before we would see tittles "Taiwanese tourist abducted and taken to China by Chinese cops on mission on Pattaya's Beach Rd" Hongkongers are already in so probably not that much concern.

At least 6 more secret Chinese police stations in US, says report https://americanmilitarynews.com/2023/04/at-least-6-more-secret-chinese-police-stations-in-us-says-report/ There are multiple Chinese “police stations” operating in cities across the U.S., according to an investigative group who exposed the stations after the FBI arrested two people in connection with one of the operations this week. The not-for-profit organization Safeguard Defenders said there is an additional station in New York City, one in Los Angeles, and other operations in San Francisco, Houston, and cities in Nebraska and Minnesota, the New York Post reported. It was not clear from the reporting how many of the alleged police stations were in each location. “We found at least four listed in the U.S. by PRC [People’s Republic of China] public security authorities, plus flagged an additional four overseas Chinese service centers in the US set up by the UFWD networks responsible for manning the stations,” a spokeswoman for Safeguard Defenders said Tuesday. The spokeswoman referred to the United Front Work Department, an arm of the Chinese Communist Party linked to the overseas police stations, according to previous reports from Safeguard Defenders. Safeguard Defenders has documented more than 100 of the outposts in dozens of countries, and officials are increasingly worried about them as a way for China to spy and keep tabs on its people abroad.

From BangkokPost Police chief denies request for Chinese police patrols

Agreed. I'm not sure that tourists from mainland China, looking for a relaxing holiday abroad, would appreciate Chinese police looking over their shoulder & supervising their activities in Thailand. More 'limp spaghetti' diplomacy than bamboo!

The impossible dream. 🙂

Given that China's century of humiliation included other countries being permitted to have their own nations' cops in quite a few Chinese cities (as well as their own laws, it should be added), I'm surprised it would even consider starting along the same road. And that's before we get down to the nitty gritty of forced deportations! If cops from mainland China are on the streets of Thailand, I can see the number of tourists from Taiwan and Hong Kong dropping very considerably.

I had wanted to meet two guys from Moonlight and Tawan after reading positive reports about them from fellow forum members but I was kept occupied by the good company at Hotmale Beer Bar downstairs. In a first for me, on my last night, I bought a round of drinks for the staff and even included a small tip. Very friendly welcoming staff and excellent service.

My nights were spent chatting with fellow forum member at Hotmale Beer Bar downstairs. During the day, I went for massages including a visit to Arena. "I'm Jack from Chiang Mai. Nice to meet you," says the guy I picked from the lineup. His strokes were a bit rough for my taste but he was eager to earn his tip. He was naked from the start and allowed me to feel his firm abs throughout. "Massage finish. I fuck you now?" he asked. I said no fuck because I had discovered he had mooks in his dick. "I suck you?" he then asked. I said yes and he gave a really good blowjob. I asked him to cum together with me and he obliged by shooting three waves of thick creamy load onto me. After that, he helped to shower me in ensuite toilet.

I was only with my "cha nuoi" for one night. My second night was spent with a new and very charming Myanmar waiter. 22 years only. He speaks good English. In the hotel room, I noticed the counterfeit Calvin Klein briefs he wears. I offered to buy him the original CK briefs when I go to Bangkok again in December. "Size M. Only white colour please, thank you so much," he replied. We had an enjoyable night followed by round two in morning before breakfast. I enjoyed his company so much that I took him off again on my third and final night during this short visit to Bangkok.

Besides fellow forum member, I also got reacquainted with a Vietnamese guy that I knew from the days of Soi Twilight. He decided to go back to Ha Tinh in Vietnam about one year before Covid and I had been sending him money and supporting him. I call him "cha nuoi" (godson) while he calls me "kon nuoi" (godpa). He was doing ok for a while with the money I sent him but Covid hit and things really went bad in Ha Tinh. He struggled to find full time job after Covid and had to take on odd jobs to survive. Finally, he decided to come to Bangkok to work. He didn't want to work at gogo bar so he is working in packing and delivery in day. But it only pays 600 baht per day so at night, he turns up at Dreamboys and gets 200 baht for going on stage. He says he rarely gets customers because there are so many guys on stage and he is older than the rest (he's only 27!) I told him that there's guys older than him at Dreamboys! He also theorises that it's because he's so dark due to working in the sun. He meets me at Hotmale Beer Bar downstairs. He had texted me in advance: "You no go my bar. Today I no go work so you no need buy drink and pay bar money take me hotel". Once in hotel, I had a shock. There were elaborate tattoos on his back. He didn't have them before. "Why you no tell me?" I asked. He admitted sheepishly that he thought I might not like them. But I think he's indirectly admitting that he felt guilty for spending the money I sent to him in Vietnam on such tattoos. "It's ok. You are my cha nuoi." And with that, we spent the night 5 years after we last saw each other.

Aside from the geopolitical issues, the move would be a morale killer for Thai cops who—in my personal experience—do an effective job of patrolling the tourist hotspots. From Thai Enquirer The recent announcement by the government of new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that it is considering inviting Chinese police officers to help patrol tourist hotspots in Thailand has sparked a wave of concern and debate. The plan, ostensibly aimed at bolstering security and fostering a sense of safety among the large number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, raises significant questions about sovereignty, the effectiveness of such measures, and the broader implications for Thailand’s foreign policy, particularly its long-standing ‘bamboo diplomacy’. At the heart of this issue lies the question of sovereignty. Sovereignty, in its most basic sense, is the absolute right of a country to govern itself, free from external interference or control. By inviting foreign law enforcement officers to operate on Thai soil, Thailand risks eroding this fundamental principle. The presence of Chinese police in tourist areas, even if well-intentioned, symbolizes a troubling concession of Thailand’s authority to a foreign power. This move could set a dangerous precedent, where the line between assistance and interference becomes blurred, potentially inviting future compromises on national sovereignty. Moreover, the presence of Chinese police raises practical concerns about the dynamics of law enforcement in Thailand. Policing is not just a matter of maintaining order; it is deeply intertwined with cultural understanding, language, and legal frameworks. Thai police officers are trained to operate within the specific context of Thai society and law. Introducing foreign officers, who may not have the same level of cultural and linguistic proficiency, or understanding of Thai law and norms, could lead to misunderstandings, ineffective policing, and even conflicts with local communities. This scenario is particularly worrying in tourist hotspots, where the interaction between locals, international visitors, and law enforcement is already complex. The plan also stands in stark contrast to Thailand’s traditional approach to foreign policy, often likened to ‘bamboo diplomacy’. This approach, much like the bamboo plant, emphasizes flexibility and resilience, bending with the winds of global change without breaking. It involves skillfully navigating the complex terrain of international relations, maintaining balanced relationships with major powers while fiercely guarding national independence and interests. Inviting Chinese police to operate in Thailand, however, leans too heavily towards one side, potentially compromising the delicate balance Thailand has maintained in its foreign relations. This shift could be perceived as a tilt towards China, potentially alienating other international partners and affecting Thailand’s reputation as an independent and neutral actor on the world stage. Furthermore, this move raises concerns about Thailand’s commitment to human rights and democratic principles. China’s policing methods and its approach to civil liberties are markedly different from those in Thailand. Allowing Chinese police to operate in Thailand could inadvertently endorse these methods, which often involve stringent controls and limited freedoms. This is especially concerning given Thailand’s own journey towards greater democracy and respect for human rights. The presence of Chinese police could undermine these efforts, sending a conflicting message to both the Thai people and the international community. The argument that the presence of Chinese police will make Chinese tourists feel safer is also questionable. Tourist safety is undoubtedly crucial, but it should not come at the cost of national sovereignty or the principles of effective and culturally sensitive policing. There are alternative methods to ensure the safety of tourists, such as increasing the presence of Thai police in these areas, providing them with additional language training, or establishing special tourist police units with expertise in dealing with international visitors. The plan risks exacerbating existing tensions within Thai society. Thailand is a diverse country, with a rich tapestry of cultures and opinions. The presence of foreign police, especially from a country with which Thailand has complex historical and cultural relationships, could be seen as favoritism or external influence, potentially leading to social unrest or a backlash against both the government and Chinese tourists. This initiative could have broader geopolitical implications. In an era where global politics is increasingly characterized by competition and rivalry, particularly between the United States and China, Thailand’s move could be interpreted as taking sides. This perception could affect Thailand’s relations with other countries and its role in regional and global affairs. As a country that has historically prided itself on its diplomatic agility, Thailand risks losing this edge by aligning too closely with one global power. While the intention behind the Thai government’s plan to bring in Chinese police to patrol tourist hotspots may be to enhance security and reassure visitors, the potential costs are too high. This move risks infringing on Thai sovereignty, compromising the effectiveness of law enforcement, contradicting the principles of bamboo diplomacy, and sending mixed messages about Thailand’s commitment to human rights and democratic values. Thailand must find alternative ways to ensure the safety of its visitors while maintaining its sovereignty, respecting its cultural and legal norms, and upholding its proud tradition of balanced and independent foreign policy. The integrity and independence of a nation are its most valuable assets; they must be protected at all costs.

Yes, spewing hate ... and clearly siding with those solely responsible for the unnecessary deaths.

Leader of Israel’s Labor: Something is ‘very wrong’ on the global left Kudos to Labor leader Merav Michaeli for three things she said. First, and probably most important, she said Bibi Netanyahu "has to go". And Israel should return to a two state solution, if they want peace. This is a nice companion to the blunt statements former PM and DM Barak has been making. I would not expect either, let alone any Israeli Jew running for dog catcher, to argue the IDF is committing "war crimes," as pundits on the right and left I quoted above are. What is most helpful and honest is they're making clear that anyone who thinks this problem has a solely or mostly military solution is simply asking for more war. Not peace. Michaeli also said this: That's 1000 % sad. 500 % of the sadness is the tragedy of the slaughter. The other 500 % is the tragedy that it almost guarantees a two state solution is dead for a long time. Or forever. Meaning, much more death of innocent Jews and Palestinians is the sequel. In that new interview of Mearsheimer I posted above, he and Napolitano speculated that Biden, unlike Obama or Clinton or Carter, has not wasted time on a two state solution for a good reason. Biden is a realist. And he knew, even before Oct. 7th, it was simply not gonna happen. Leading to the third important thing Michaeli said: I appreciate Michaeli being very specific in calling out the Left. Yes, calling for the mass murder of Jews is clearly going too far. And failing to identify Hamas as a vicious terrorist organization that is very bad news for both Jews and Gazans is not going far enough. I just wonder why Bibi Netanyahu spent years building up Hamas. Or at least being complicit in it. Does that make him complicit in the beheading of innocent Jewish children, too? The reason I appreciate leftist Israeli Jewish leaders calling out the global left is that my impression is most of what conservatives are saying about the left regarding Israel is total bullshit. At this point I expect Alan Dershowitz to be factually wrong about most things. Including his predictions about how American Jews will become Republicans. What I found amusing is that in an article where he goes off about what the headline labels "vile Leftist anti-Israel hate," the best picture they can come up with to illustrate this vile hate is the one above. Which actually confirms my impression that most - but not all - of the message from the left has been opposition to: 1) Israeli occupation, 2) Israeli apartheid, and/or 3) Israeli genocide. How is protesting these things anti-Semitic? How is not wanting more violence against innocent Jews in Israel, or anywhere, anti-Semitic? The closest Dershowitz can come to giving an example of "vile Leftist anti-Israeli hate" is what some speaker said at a DSA rally in New York. Wow! Except I'm actually more worried that a lot more people buy the total bullshit Dershowitz spews about Trump's lies. Meanwhile, back in reality, my impression is much of what the left is speaking out about is protecting the rights and lives of Palestinians. And many liberals, like our Veep and her hubby, are speaking out against growing anti-Semitism, too. As they should. So I'm very glad Israel's Labor Party is speaking out and setting parameters. Supporting Hamas, or jihad, or the mass slaughter of Jews, is way beyond garden variety anti-Semitism. But the truly saddest part of that Politico article is that it notes that Labor, which was once the voice and conscience of Israel, and of a two state solution, is now reduced to being at the margin. 4 seats in the Knesset. Which is why I fully expect three outcomes from what Bibi does: First, more dead innocent Jews. Second, more dead innocent Jews. Third, more dead innocent Jews. Like you, @EmmetK, Michaeli cites concerns about Hamas when it comes to democracy and LGBTQ rights. Ya think? These are good things to point out. Did I mention there have not been elections in either Gaza or the West Bank for almost 20 years? So it's quite fair for conservatives to throw stones at anti-democracy and homophobic Arab terrorists. That said, there is the whole thing about people living in glass houses. There is Bibi getting in bed with anti-Arab and anti-Gay right wing Jewish leaders. As well as his history of nurturing Hamas to defeat any hope of a political solution. And lately millions of Israeli Jews also view Bibi as a threat to democracy. Did I mention this will only get worse as the right wing parties grow? Arguably, the problem with Jewish Gays in Israel is they don't have as many kids as ultra-Orthodox Jews who would happily discriminate against Jewish Gays in Israel. There was a time I can easily recall when Israel had very good Labor leaders that article cites - Rabin, Peres, Barak. Decades ago I hoped they would raise the standard. Countries like Saudi Arabia aren't exactly beacons of democracy. Israel had leaders that did try to show what democracy and peace in a two political solution could do. So I don't think this is a time for anyone to be proud of how Bibi has instead systematically lowered the standards for peace, for democracy, and for the basic preservation of human life.

what about that local who advised not to go to Salavdor de Bahia? or those doormen advising to stay inside while waiting for Uber? I doubt they are posters here

From AFP A French court on Friday handed down jail sentences of up to 10 years in a people smuggling trial over the death of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a refrigerated container on the way to Britain. The bodies of the migrants who suffocated to death -- two of whom were just 15 years old -- were discovered inside the sealed unit at a port near London in October 2019. They had travelled in the truck from northern France to Belgium before crossing the Channel to Britain. Two ringleaders of the operation -- one Romanian and one British -- were convicted at a trial in 2021 in Britain and sentenced to 27 and 20 years in prison respectively. Other suspects, notably the drivers, received 12 to 20 years, while a Belgian court handed a 15-year term to a Vietnamese man for heading the local cell of the network. Of the 19 defendants in the French trial -- who include Vietnamese, French, Chinese, Algerian and Moroccan nationals -- 18 were found guilty. Four of them, all Vietnamese, were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to nine or 10 years in prison. Four other Vietnamese nationals, two of whom were absent and considered fugitive, were sentenced to between one and 10 years for their role in transporting and housing the migrants.

I spend more than my share of time in these shops. Most have an on-line presence and all but one that I’m aware of place their guys into two categories: “top” or “top & bottom” (commonly referred to as “T” and “T&B”). In one popular shop, I’ve seen “straight” heading up the category of tops on the shop’s. Tablet. Although I’ve never seen “man”, I have frequently had boy say “I am man.”

Well this is a funny coincidence. That manages to make Nate Silver look stupid, anyway. Yesterday Politico put up a "don't wet your pants" opinion piece by Jim Messina, who ran Obama's 2012 campaign. What jumped out at me is this: That's all true. Obama/Biden had an economy that stayed in a deep rut for a long time, which cost them dearly in 2010. One of the reasons 2022 may not have been as bad as feared for Democrats is precisely because we were not in a deep rut, like in 2010. And the Biden/Harris economy of 2023 looks like a sleek machine compared to the Obama/Biden economy of 2011. In Nov. 2011 the misery index was 12. In Nov. 2020 the misery index was 7.8. Today the misery index is 7.5 I can't think of any of this without going back to Lichtman's Keys. And the basic idea that American voters are smart, not stupid. And they vote based on Important Stuff, like the economy, stupid, rather than Dumb Shit, like polls. Messina obviously agrees. And Team Biden does plan to win a referendum on the economy in a year. But they are clearly not winning it yet. If Obama could put lipstick on a pig, even a senile Biden can perhaps put lipstick on an economy growing at 5 % this quarter. In the process of saying don't wet your pants, Messina went after Nate Silver yesterday: Again, if it is the economy, stupid, Biden should be in a position to do the same. I'm guessing Nate Silver did not read Messina. So it's just a coincidence that he wants to repeat history. Or maybe he did read Messina. And this is Nate's way of saying, "Fuck you, Jim." Or is it, "Fuck you, Joe" ? Nate Silver says it’s risky for Dems to nominate Biden Actually, if you read the whole article Silver wrote, his basic point is that it is risky for Democrats to either nominate Biden, or not nominate him. I guess that means the 2024 race between Biden and Trump is going to involve risk. Geez! Who knew? I'm happy for Nate. In that predicting elections involve risk probably will age better than saying Obama, or Biden, has a 17 % chance of winning. All of this is making me feel better. Especially the part about actually winning, a lot, on Tuesday. I put my diapers back in the drawer. For now. Hopefully neither I or Joe Biden will be needing them in the next year. 🙄

But there are others who are "gay man" who are gay but are also tops. But then there is also "straight man" who prefers to bottom. It's quite simple when you get the hang of it.

LOL. Answering or not stupid questions is my prerogative. Instead, I choose to denounce your blood thirsty hypocrisy.

Thanks for the lesson in Netanyahu speak. Peace is war. War is peace. The way we make peace with Palestinians is to prevent a two state solution. The way we prevent war with Hamas is by empowering them, year after year, to kill Jews. The way we prevent civilian deaths is to kill as many civilians as possible. The IDF protects entire Palestinian families by blowing them up. War is peace. Peace is war. You're good at this. Is your name Bibi? If Hamas were to use the same tactics as the IDF, there would be no Israel left. Which you would call genocide. You left out one other central tenet of Netanyahu warmongering and mass slaughter speak. It is very important to understand that if you support Hamas killing Jewish women and children, you are a terrorist lover and Jew hater. If you do NOT support the IFD indiscriminately killing Palestinian women and children, you are a terrorist lover and Jew hater. The only way not to be a terrorist lover and Jew hater is to support the IDF indiscriminately killing Palestinian women and children. Wonder why this turns the world off? In fairness, it's not just Netanyahu speak, of course. There's an entire industry and lobby built around Orwell Netanyahu-speak. As it happens, just yesterday I watched this video that addresses IDF "war crimes". That's a phrase you should really have fun with, Bibi. Mearsheimer co-authored a whole book on how Israel gets away with it. Talk about verbose! Talk about Jew hater! Granted, Napolitano and Mearsheimer, and any conservative or liberal who does not support the IDF indiscriminately killing Palestinian women and children, are Jew haters. There is a perfect example Napolitano brings up. In order to take out one Hamas leader, the IDF just killed 200 innocent Palestinians. Obviously, that makes Napolitano - and anyone who would think this way - a terrorist lover and Jew hater. When Hamas kills 200 innocent Jews, it is genocide. When the IDF kills 200 innocent Palestinians, it is obviously the right thing to do. And if you don't believe that, you love terrorists. Regardless, Napolitano and Mearsheimer state what they view as clear facts: both Hamas and the IDF are committing war crimes, obviously and right before our eyes. Mearsheimer obviously hates Jews, and loves Hamas. I'll quote directly, from about 9:00 in the talk: This is obviously a genocidal lie. These guys are the war criminals! Let me translate that to Orwell-speak Bibi-speak, so you don't have to bother posting again, @EmmetK. Hamas is a terrorist group of war criminals. The IDF only seeks peace. The IDF only indiscriminately kills thousands tens of thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of Palestinian women and children to minimize their death.

I repeat, the bars in Taipei are unbelievably small, most of them are in basement unusable for any other commercial purpose. Comander D is in basement, D1 is in basement, Hunt is less than half the size of a 7-11 store. These are all drinking bar with bad sound system and bad music, they don't want people to dance, they don't want people to enjoy the music, they just want people to buy drinks. G* is mostly for the girly bottom boys. Again, with the population count and the average personal income level there, I can't believe this is all Taiwan has to offer. It must be a cultural thing, in the same category as Singapore. But I am glad you are treated well being a rare and desirable "top" guy there. I have visited Taiwan a couple times and I gave you my opinion here being a contributing member on this board, that's all. BTW, Bogota has the famous Teatron club complex of bars and shops, Teatro itself is a huge former theater with multiple dance rooms. Berlin has many dance clubs that are huge warehouse size and are packed with people.

You have definitely got me confused with another poster. Unlike some of my friends, I am not a regular club goer in Taipei and certainly would never have mentioned Candy. I don't even know what it is! I have mentioned the small Commander D which I have been to and is quite close to The Red House. G*Star is much bigger and probably the most famous. I hear that Abrazo, Bacio, Werk and Bush at B1 are among others worth considering. @hojacat wrote a post about Hunt being virtually a club but it seems to have a different dress theme each night. You can find the post earler in this forum. Best is to chat with some of the guys who go to the various Red House cafes for drinks or dinner. With the rainy season almost over, it will be packed at week-end nights and pretty busy the rest of the week. I go regularly for drinks to Sol Bar and the waiters there speak good English. They will know the latest 'in' places. Since it seems you don't like Taipei/Taiwan why bother going? Others really like it. Some love it.

That's because nobody wants to show you where the nightlife is -- you would quickly ruin it!

I'm delighted you enjoyed Taiwan. But just for the record, for those who like to drink and party, there is a lot going on.

What a nonsensical idea, it's so stupid that I suspect something must be lost in translation. So which law those Chinese cops would follow - Chinese or Thai ? And if say, some ladyboy snatches wallet from Chinese tourist will they be able to arrest Thai on Thai territory ? What about if thief will be some foreigner ? Just ironing such practicalities will be extremely complex, thus impossible without even going into biggies like sovereignty

Haven’t posted a feel good animal story in a while but I think this fits the bill. ========== From The Thaiger / Khaosod English The tale of Kanya, the lost wild elephant calf, has come to a joyful conclusion.Found wandering in a rice field in the Bueng Kan province, she has now joined a new family in Chiang Mai. The journey of Kanya, from Bueng Kan to Chiang Mai, is one worth revisiting. Kanya’s story began on the morning of September 12, when villagers found her alone in a rice field near the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Bueng Kan province. Local officials, alongside the central inspection officers of the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, located a two-month-old female elephant calf, with no signs of her mother nearby. They set up a temporary enclosure for Kanya, named after the month she was found, and monitored her in hopes her mother would return. However, by the morning of September 13, her mother had not returned. Officials coordinated with veterinarians from the 10th Animal Hospital to examine Kanya and decide on a course of action. Health checks revealed that Kanya was relatively weak, suffering from diarrhoea, battlewounds, and inflammation of the eye tissue. Despite her condition, she was observed calling out for her mother periodically. Around-the-clock care was provided by the team of veterinarians, with her health gradually improving. In early November, Teerapat Trangprakarn, owner of the Patara Elephant Conservation in Chiang Mai, offered to let Kanya live with a mother elephant who had recently given birth. This was coordinated through Kanjana Silpa-archa, allowing Kanya to drink the mother elephant’s milk and consume her dung, crucial for a calf’s immune system development and learning to live independently. Before her relocation, Kanya was closely monitored by a team of veterinarians to ensure she was healthy and ready for the journey. The transfer from Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Bueng Kan to the Patara Elephant Conservation in Chiang Mai was meticulously planned, with a vet accompanying her throughout the journey and regular stops every three hours to check her condition. Kanya was prepared for her journey to the elephant farm in Chiang Mai yesterday at 3pm. She swiftly entered the transport vehicle within a minute, accompanied by a convoy of five vehicles, including the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary head, the Phu Luang Wildlife Research Station, the vehicle carrying Kanya, a team of vets, and the director of the Wildlife Conservation Division. Today, Kanya arrived at the Patara Elephant Conservation farm. She was greeted with milk and six caregivers to prevent attachment to any particular individual. Once she’s familiar with her new surroundings, she will be introduced to her adoptive mother, reported KhaoSod.

in right circumstances straight guy may bottom for you. One advertising himself as "man" most likely won't. One labelled ' top only' almost certainly won't.

Bank ATM not the be confused with "Ass To Mouth".

did not share their loot with their boss

With respect, I think it is not an overreaction. A Bhutanese is the national of a country. A German owning a restaurant is similarly the national of a country. Being Jewish is basically a religious identity. Would you say the Catholic who ran the Museum? Somehow I doubt it.

So if you take prep for hiv, are vaccinated against HPV, hepatitis B; tested for hepatitis C, and take doxy for other STIs, you are the safest sex partner possible for others and you protect yourself best. Condom only do not provide such protection.

Thanks for your post Flaneur. I'm loving all the new reports on the forum at the moment. I'm heading back to BKK next week after an absence of nearly FOUR years. I'm besides myself with excitement and these reports are getting me into the spirit.

The "monkey"