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There were so many people who dreaded Trump v Biden II. So I think just replacing Biden with anyone else will be a big boost. And the fact that Harris has been out on the trail doing a really good job will be a big relief. The campaign has already raised nearly $50m in small donor money in less than 8 hours. Which would seem to reflect a lot of us who have been sitting on the sidelines. I hadn't donated to Biden this cycle but sent some money her way. Everyone in the party is coalescing around her. The Trumpers are flipping out. Frankly I don't think anyone votes based on VP. So it probably doesn't matter too much who she picks. Personally I think Gov. Cooper from NC would be a good choice. Southern state gov who is term limited from running again. I believe most people still don't want Trump back. As long as she seems basically competent she should be able to win against him.

I read somewhere that there was a seventh person who they found also dead from poison. Implication appeared to be that she murdered the other six and then took her own life.

no, this was 15+ years ago when Purple Dragon was still in business Last time I was in LP was 2015. It didn't seem particularly gay to me. But definitely worth a visit. Back in the day there was a restaurant outside of the town that was a mixed place where the gays gathered. At least that's what I was told. It was pretty quiet the night I was there. I don't think it's still there

one doesn't really go there for the sex. But it's a beautiful place. The first time I went my gay tour guide really wanted to have sex with me. I got the feeling that the poor guy was really hard up in such a small place. Nice guy but not something I was looking for. Lots of hospitality industry going on so probably more than a few gay or gay enough guys on the apps. Check out Big Brother Mouse and Big Sister Mouse. Great organization trying to provide quality education for the children of Laos.

The Crowne Plaza has a very nice breakfast spread as well. Lots of western options as well as very good Thai options. Cooked to order eggs. Very friendly staff.

Just saw a post on Twitter that there's a new host club in Chiang Mai called V1. Looks like lots of playful handsome boys. No idea exactly where it is located or any other details though. https://x.com/ShunJou/status/1804364133221175751

I've stayed at Airbnbs in several places around the world over the years, but none recently. I'd say 90% of them were excellent. But I think some of it is luck of the draw. Using properties of "super hosts" seems to be helpful. But these days you see more and more stories about problems with them and weird extra charges. There's also the ethics of how they skew the local housing market. The building I live in has a strict no Airbnb policy. These days I am more likely to stay in a hotel or serviced apartment.

I guess this whole thing ended up being a giant clusterf%^#. Now they're saying the new rules won't be in place for a while.

The typical tourist doesn't need a 60 day visa. But giving visa exempt entry to many more countries might move the needle a little bit. The "digital nomads" seem to have been finding loopholes already so I don't know how many will jump through the application process hoops to get a 6 month visa. Apparently that is only extendable by a further 6 months in a 5 year period, not that you can add 6 months for up to 5 years total.

I thought ASEAN citizens already had longer stays. But I guess not.

30 injuries out of 230 on board doesn't seem like that many. As noted it was during the breakfast service so many crew members would have been up and about. And it's likely people would have been using the lavs or even just accessing the overheads. As some one who uses the lavatory frequently during a flight this is one of my worst nightmares.

when I went my guide brought along a giant package of candles to light the place up by candle light. Made for some great photos

the "in your lifetime" construction is really weird. When else would you do it?

At Mandarin Oriental Residences next to Iconsiam

Pent up demand and the JPY hitting long-time lows vs the USD and other currencies. I guess there is a lot of complaining by the locals about overtourism. I think the government is trying to get people to venture beyond Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka I'm headed there for a couple of weeks in October

yep, the missionaries flooded in, especially after the Korean War. Quite conservative society. Seoul is a great city. And it's enormous. There are so many things to see and do.

don't some of them use some sort of service to run their accounts? Your local porn star might just provide the content to somebody else who does the uploading and account maintaining. Especially if it's a big account. I'd guess they probably get lots of messages

Luang Prabang is nice if you want a slower pace for a few days. Easy to wander around the old town. Some nice places to visit outside of town including Kuang Si waterfall which is one of the most picturesque in the world and some places you can go on the Mekong. It's been several years since I was last there so I don't know about the gay scene but it's a big tourist attraction so I presume there are at least some guys there on the apps. I think Vientiane has grown quite a bit over the last several years. Siem Reap is quite interesting from a historic standpoint. Lots to see if you're into that sort of stuff. Saigon is big and chaotic but I liked my time there a handful of years ago. I would not go to Myanmar at this time. I like Singapore if you haven't been there. Not cheap but I didn't find it outrageously expensive. The most humid, tropical place I've ever been. Some of the most gorgeous men I've ever seen. Taiwan is great. Taipei is a big metropolis with plenty to see and do. Several gay massage shops if you like those sorts of places. Plenty of info in the appropriate forum. The Yen is in free-fall so Japan is more affordable than ever, but a bit farther away. I guess the Won is collapsing too so South Korea is in the same boat and a little bit closer to Thailand.

sounds like a lottery with a 2500 baht entry ticket

I think flying to Siem Reap makes a lot more sense unless you have a whole lotta time. But there is a lot to see outside of Bangkok so it's not a terrible idea if you want to see more rural areas and some of the regional sights. Airport transfers are easy to organize on your own. Either by taxi or one of the many car services. I've used to SP Limousine (splimousine.com) for many years. I have a friend who is a licensed guide. He's put together lots of great trips for me over the years. He's in Saraburi now teaching English most of the time but can get time off here and there to guide some guests. We went to Ubon Ratchathani for a few days back in January. I think there's some sort of network that allows guides and drivers to find each other. I can see if he's interested in working with you.

I agree that communication is a problem these days. You're right that your insurance agent should have changed his outgoing voicemail. But I also know from personal experience that sometimes you just forget when you are hurrying to get things done before a vacation. I recently hired a contractor to remodel my bathrooms. His communication issues were a yellow flag before I signed the contract. And have continued to be an issue since. I have confidence that the job will be fine in the end. I think it's a small operation and he's a little over-extended. But he takes longer to respond to messages than I would like.

From the looks of their lineup I'd say they are a branch of the Zoo Spa/Malepark group. So, I presume very high prices for not so great service.

That's good to hear. Transferring between the current domestic and international terminals is a bit of a pain. So hopefully the new terminal makes that a smoother experience.