unicorn

Well, not quite objective since obviously this was not a blinded study. Also, even if the results are accurate, and not just someone trying to prove a point, they're absolutely meaningless since the real-life facts from men who've actually had the procedure rule out any significance to the findings. The myth of any significant loss of sensitivity has been thoroughly discredited from multiple real-life studies. Removing the foreskin does not, as he suggests, damage the nerves going to the glans. What a pile of crap! Someone simply doesn't know the basic anatomy (prepuce refers to the foreskin): As usual, just a bunch of BS from people trying to confuse others with outright lies. Reminds me of those MAGA idiots:

Obviously silly study by someone desperate to prove a point. Real-life studies are obviously what are important.

Really, now. These men obviously didn't always have phimosis, etc. They can certainly remember how the sex (or masturbation) was before and how it was after. Not at all complicated, nor difficult to understand.

Finally an intelligent move on Xi's part. That being said, if there's any foreign country for which I would probably want to spend over 2 weeks, China would be it. Well, we did spend a bit over 2 weeks touring Switzerland recently, and I've also spent over 2 weeks touring France, Italy, and Spain. I doubt the courtesy will be extended to the US for political reasons, but it would have been smart for economic reasons. Not that China's visas are that difficult.

Tattooing is not analogous to a circumcision because there are multiple well-documented health benefits to circumcision, and obviously none for tattooing. Obviously, infants lack the capacity for informed consent for medical procedures, and the parents are entrusted to make these decisions. No one would expect to get consent from an infant, or even a 5 year-old, to ask whether he wants to get his shots or his blood drawn, and so on. I do remember one patient I had who became a complete terror when it came to getting his shots once he turned 8 or 9. At that age, it would have required several people to pin him down, so we just gave up, even though his parents wanted him to get his shots also. I kept asking him every year, and it wasn't until he was 18 or 19 that he finally let us give his overdue HPV shot, tetanus shot, and flu shot. To answer your question on tattooing of children, that may vary according to jurisdiction, but here in California the answer is no. https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/blog/laws/how-old-do-you-have-to-be-to-get-a-tattoo-in-california/#:~:text=California law requires that a,is charged as a misdemeanor. California law requires that a person be at least 18 years of age in order legally to get a tattoo. In fact, according to Penal Code 653 PC, it is a criminal offense to “ink” or administer a tattoo to a minor under the age of 18. A violation of this code section is charged as a misdemeanor. The crime is punishable by: custody in the county jail for not more than six months; and/or, a maximum fine of $1,000. ... Is it legal to tattoo a minor with the parent’s consent? No. California law prohibits tattooing minors across the board. Penal Code 653 PC does not provide a “parental consent” exception. Now, I did see in my career a number of parents who got their babies' ears pierced. That did give me a twinge of discomfort, since there are obviously no health benefits to getting one's ears pierced. Rarely did I see complications from those piercings, though--one infection and a few allergic reactions--none serious. Not a big deal. One nice benefit from the no tattoos on minors law is that if you see a photo of a young man with a tattoo, and are worried if it might be possible he's under 18, the presence of tattoos provides strong evidence the man is not, in fact, a minor.

I'm glad you put those two words in quotes, because you form your opinions while ignoring the facts and the studies used to find those facts. You decry what you perceive as "religious lunacy" yet use a religious term ("desecration") to put down a procedure simply because of your cosmetic preferences. You're certainly providing no scientific evidence to counter the evidence I presented, but simply post hysterical ramblings. You're no better than those who go around screaming about a "stolen election" from 2020, although all of the actual evidence points to the fact that Biden won fair and square. Screaming and bombastic language don't change the facts. In my over 3 decades working as a family physician, I never once saw a complication from a circumcision. I did see a number of boys and men develop medical conditions which wouldn't have happened had they been circumcised. That being said, obviously most men do fine even when they're not circumcised. However, there are documented medical reasons which might want parents to get their boys circumcised. Professional societies and the CDC agree on this. If you know of bona fide medical studies which show you're right and medical professionals are wrong, please post a link to the studies. Otherwise, your choices are to shut up, or to continue mouthing off like some MAGA idiot who believes what he wants to regardless of the facts.

These questions have been studied scientifically multiple times. Not difficult to do, since one need only ask men who've had the procedure done as adults. The studies consistently show no loss of sensitivity or sexual function. As for the STD risk, this question has also been studied with multiple diseases many times, They've consistently shown that for every STD which has been looked at, circumcised men have a much lower risk of STD's. The link in my prior post references many such studies. As for the sensitivity issue, this article reviews the studies which have been done: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609515301727 Conclusion The highest-quality studies suggest that medical male circumcision has no adverse effect on sexual function, sensitivity, sexual sensation, or satisfaction. Morris BJ and Krieger JN. Does male circumcision affect sexual function, sensitivity, or satisfaction?—A systematic review. J Sex Med 2013;10:2644–2657.

It looks as though NATO now has firm control over the exits to the Baltic Sea as well as the Black Sea. NATO allies South Korea and Japan also control most exits to the Sea of Japan. I guess Russia still controls the Strait of Tartary if it wants to use the port at Vladivostok....

Your response is hysterical and devoid of thoughtful consideration. There are legitimate medical considerations for male circumcision, including a marked decrease in infant urinary tract infections, as well as other well-known medical problems such as STI's (including, but not limited to HIV), balanitis, phimosis/paraphimosis, penile cancer, and so on. Infants are now routinely anesthetized for the procedure (when done in a medical rather than a religious setting). Serious complications when done in a medical setting are rare. Most medical societies (at least in the US) feel it's appropriate to inform parents of the risks and potential benefits, and feel that either choice is fine. The CDC published a recent summary: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/58456Heah benefits of neonatal male circumcision: o The estimated risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in uncircumcised males: • aged 0.1 years is 1.3% (uncircumcised), 0.3% (circumcised) • aged 1–16 years is 2.78% (uncircumcised), 0.4% (circumcised) • aged >16 years is 28.2% (uncircumcised), 8.3% (circumcised) • over a lifetime is 32.1% (uncircumcised), 8.8% (circumcised) o Male circumcision reduces the risk of UTIs in circumcised males: • aged 0–1 years by 90% • aged 1–16 years by 85% • aged >16 years by 71% • over a lifetime by 23 Informed decisions should be guided by science and actual facts, rather than by hysterical reactions. One of the conclusions: "The American Academy of Pediatrics Taskforce on Circumcision states that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for families who choose it." Please also not that the scientific summary notes: Considerations for the timing of male circumcision: • Neonatal male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and heals more rapidly than circumcision performed on older boys, adolescent males, and men. • Most of the health benefits of male circumcision occur after sexual debut (i.e. after becoming sexually active). • Male circumcision can also be conducted in adulthood when the individual can make the decision for himself. However, male circumcision after sexual debut could result in missed opportunities for:  HIV and STI prevention during the window period between sexual debut and circumcision  Prevention of UTIs during infancy. Considerations for the timing of male circumcision: • Neonatal male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and heals more rapidly than circuConsiderations for the timing of male circumcision: • NeonaConsiderations for the timing of male circumcision: • Neonatal male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and heals more rapidly than circumcision performed on older boys, adolescent males, and men. • Most of the health benefits of male circumcision occur after sexual debut (i.e. after becoming sexually active). • Male circumcision can also be conducted in adulthood when the individual can make the decision for himself. However, male circumcision after sexual debut could result in missed opportunities for:  HIV and STI prevention during the window period between sexual debut and circumcision  Prevention of UTIs during infancy. tal male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and heals more rapidly than circumcision performed on older boys, adolescent males, and men. • Most of the health benefits of male circumcision occur after sexual debut (i.e. after becoming sexually active). • Male circumcision can also be conducted in adulthood when the individual can make the decision for himself. However, male circumcision after sexual debut could result in missed opportunities for:  HIV and STI prevention during the window period between sexual debut and circumcision  Prevention of UTIs during infancy. mcision performed on older boys, adolescent males, and men. • Most of the health benefits of male circumcision occur after sexual debut (i.e. after becoming sexually active). • Male circumcision can also be conducted in adulthood when the individual can make the decision for himself. However, male circumcision after sexual debut could result in missed opportunities or:  HIV and STI prevention during the window period between sexual debut and circumcision  Prevention of UTIs during infancy. Obviously, each parent should be given the information needed to make a rational decision as to what's best for their baby. Hysterical statements, devoid of factual data, do not help further rational discussion.

I'm going to show my ignorance. Who's in charge in Thailand, the King or his Prime Minister?

According to that link, one must apply for US visas in Poland. If you can get permission to visit the EU or US, your leader certainly can't. I suspect he could be allowed to make a speech at the UN without being arrested. He could leave from Vladivostok to avoid EU or Canadian airspace.

Sociopaths don't feel remorse. That's a given. Russia has a long history of leaders who slaughter millions to stay in power. At least I can travel the world, and he cannot. Nor can you--thanks to him! 😁

What I wondered was which passport he used--did the Thai Embassy issue him a Thai passport, or did he use his US passport?

What is it with stupid Swiss men in Thailand?

What an idiot--not just for doing what he did, but for not fleeing while he could, especially when his crime is documented on tape. I don't know how pleasant Thai prisons are.

I suppose it's a matter of opinion as to whether he's the world's most handsome or most funny comedian, but he's certainly the most popular. He has gigs booked for the rest of the year all over the globe, and usually sells out months in advance, even in fairly large venues. My best chance to see him will be when he comes to Los Angeles in May. He's sold out for his next 10 appearances (after the LA appearance), but in LA he'll be performing at the Hollywood Bowl, which seats over 17,000, so seats are available. Usually when I see comedians live, it's at comedy clubs, which are intimate. Is there any sense in seeing a comedian at such an enormous venue? https://www.mattrifeofficial.com/?fbclid=IwAR2oUzc1DII_5P68rXFIglFC5_9Hs_i_F51BMIURlgBefASbvhyaphOxILk

Not quite, but he does have an international warrant for his arrest, and should be arrested if he sets foot in a majority of the world's countries, including Mongolia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court_arrest_warrants_for_Vladimir_Putin_and_Maria_Lvova-Belova#:~:text=On 17 March 2023%2C following,for the war crime of "On 17 March 2023, following an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, alleging responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children during the Russo-Ukrainian War. The warrant against Putin is the first against the leader of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The 123 member states of the ICC are obliged to detain and transfer Putin and Lvova-Belova if either sets foot on their territory...." He'd be wise not to travel to any of the countries marked in green:

That doesn't matter. The local authorities could choose to stop these fraudulent practices and choose not to do so, I would have to guess because it benefits the local economy at the expense of tourists. This reminds me of the rampant car break-ins on the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire. The island has wonderful shore diving opportunities, which are ruined due to the near-certainty that any vehicle parked for this purpose will be broken into. Again, local authorities could easily set up police stings, but choose not to. There are probably only a few bad apples. They'd be easy enough to catch (and are probably well-known to the local police in any case).

Well, if authorities were serious about stopping the practice, the way to do it is not to try to burden foreign passengers by asking them to fill forms in the hope someone will do something about it after they've left the country sometime. The way to do it is to hire undercover cops and arrest those who overcharge, fine them, and suspend their licences by a month for the first offense, much longer for 2nd offenses. Word will get around. Not that complicated.

Hopefully it won't take him too much longer to understand the obvious....

Tucker Carson is well-recognized as a disgraced journalist. And what the fuck does the Moscow metro have to do with the ballerina?

I came pretty close to meeting a similar fate, when my sibs and I divided some money found in my late mother's purses after her death. I took some Swiss Franc notes, only to find those notes had been phased out, though I was still able to exchange them. You won't be able to exchange them at the airport, but if you still have those notes, they can be exchanged (not at the airport). Don't throw them out, if you have a significant number of them: https://lenews.ch/2021/04/29/old-swiss-money-no-longer-valid-from-friday/ "...After 30 October 2021, the only places that will accept these notes are the cash desks of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), which will always exchange old notes for new. There is no time limit on this. The SNB operates cash desks in Bern and Zurich. In addition to the two SNB cash desks in Bern and Zurich, 13 branches of cantonal banks operate cash desks on behalf of the SNB in other Swiss cities and towns – click here to see a list of these branches (page 3). Old notes can also be sent to the SNB by post. The SNB advises checking with your post office on the proper insurance for your shipment and says it accepts no liability for such shipments – click here for further information...".

California's Sierra Nevada sure got a wolloping of snow over the last couple of days. I wouldn't want to be there. Imagine opening your front door to this: Some places received over 3 meters of snow! https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/02/weather/californias-sierras-blizzard-snow-saturday/index.html "A dangerous winter storm is slamming Northern California with rare blizzard conditions and fierce winds as it threatens to unload up to 10 feet of snow in the mountains and snarl travel. In the Sierra Nevada, the storm is delivering heavy snow, reduced visibilities, toppled power lines and hurricane-force winds over 75 miles per hour, which are expected to roar through the weekend...".