unicorn

We'll be flying to Japan from LAX in October, and it looks like the fares are running $5000 for business and $1800 for Premium Economy. So I guess we'll just fly Premium Economy and take some sleeping pills with some sake or cognac, and hopefully that'll put us out even if we're not in a flat bed. I haven't purchased those tickets yet, but I did find a $3700 RT flight from LAX to Cairo on Qatar Airways, and I found that to be reasonable, so I snagged those tickets, even though the Cairo flights won't be until February. For your 7-hour trip, though, I personally would rather save the money and fly in PE. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/japan-airlines-premium-economy We're also going to Italy next month. On the way over, with a long overnight to Europe nonstop, we did spring for business class. On the way back, we're switching planes in Charlotte, so we got PE tickets for the return journey, on the waiting list for an upgrade with miles. Since I'm Executive Platinum with AA, I could also get upgraded for free from CLT to LAX. Although one doesn't get to lie flat, one also doesn't feel "squeezed in" for those PE seats, and they're pretty comfortable for a 7-hour flight. https://travelupdate.com/aa-good-premium-economy-dub-phl/

I haven't been agreeing much with the SCOTUS these days, but they may have gotten in right here: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-sports-west-virginia-64d2fd48678afb1a62e5eb84d7762c31 "The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a 12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia to continue competing on her middle school’s girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a state ban continues. The justices refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s track and cross-country teams, where she regularly finishes near the back of the pack. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed West Virginia to enforce its law against Pepper-Jackson. Pepper-Jackson is in the middle of the outdoor track season. She had filed a lawsuit challenging the law, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which West Virginia lawmakers adopted in 2021. A federal appeals court had allowed her to compete while she appealed a lower court ruling that upheld the West Virginia law..." I can't imagine why one would ban trans girls or women from competing in amateur sports. That would just be mean-spirited. Yes, there are certain sports (for example volleyball and swimming) for which trans women have an unfair advantage, so I can understand restrictions on levels where $$$ are involved (either the professional level or in the competition for college scholarships). A ban on the amateur level, however, doesn't serve any purpose, other than to be nasty.

His base won't waver their support of the orange menace, no matter what happens. As weak of a candidate as Biden is, I can't imagine Trump returning to the White House. So much the dumber of the Republicans if they give him the nomination.

Thomas is a scumbag, but the notion of ousting an associate justice of the SCOTUS seems all but impossible. Look what Trump got away with. I'm not even sure they'll oust Representative Santos and put him in jail, where he belongs as well.

It wasn't the payments which broke the laws. It's the fact that he tried to pass the payments off as a business expense in order to avoid paying taxes. Remember, it's the tax evasion which put Al Capone in the slammer, not his more horrific misdeeds. Tax evasion can be easier to prove.

That would be quite something if the indictment increased his popularity among Republicans and they nominated him. Other than his base, it won't go well. If Republicans nominate him, he'll lose.

As so often happens, you have no idea what you're talking about. Voters don't have to "claim" anything. A person's party preference or lack of affiliation is simply a matter of public record. Since independents don't choose parties' candidates in primaries, why would anyone claim to be independent if he wasn't?

It looks like he was doing something else...

The election isn't determined by the Democrats or Republicans. Independents are those who pick the POTUS. Most independents are rightfully afraid of what Trump would do in a 2nd term, and they aren't blind to his shocking behavior (actions and words). Biden is a weak candidate, but I think most independents are probably revolted by Trump and DeSantis. Best scenario for the Democrats: Trump runs as an independent. It would be like when Nader handed the Presidency to Bush due to his overinflated ego.

He showed worse bad judgment, in my opinion, than simply showing his junk on OnlyFans. He also wrote crass and threatening e-mails to local politicians, telling one that she should "choke on a dick." This was a state, not a federal appointment. In fact, I think the appointment was made by local (county) officials.

Minor correction: 3/4 of the state legislatures must approve the change, in addition to 2/3 of the HR and Senate.

See how easy it is with google translate? You don't even need a different keyboard... Конечно แน่นอน 当然 ពិតប្រាកដ অবশ্যই निश्चित रूप से

Google Translate is your friend. Seriously. I use it when communicating even with languages in which I'm fluent. Even helps with spelling!

True. That being said, they did change some of the words. As for 1776, in casting mostly women of color to play the founding fathers, I'm sure they're trying promote a narrative that the founding fathers were sexist and racist, looking at it from 21st Century eyes. The truth is that the declaration of independence had to be unanimous, and there was no way of getting southern states on board at that time without postponing the issue of slavery. And I don't think there was a democracy on the planet which allowed women to vote at that time. Very unfortunate, yes, but that was the truth of the 18th Century. And the founding fathers very much risked their lives to support an independent democracy. As America fast approaches its semiquincentennial, I can honor the courage of the founding fathers without having to point out advances they were unable to achieve at that time.

Dude. Re-read NIrishGuy's post. It presented an offensive stereotype of American tourists, which he bemoaned with his post. Most Americans don't appreciate these stereotypes any more than he'd appreciate stereotypes of the Irish--of being whiskey or beer-guzzling drunks, for example.

Well, travel has simply returned to normal. Unless NBC News is lying, the State Department cut their workforce by half. That's going to hurt. Of course, aren't passport fees supposed to be going to pay for these salaries?

If you're not changing a word of the text (which they did), you're not changing the plot.

So glad you don't feel the need to perpetuate any stereotypes regarding Americans. So do you travel with UK or Irish/EU passport, or both?

On NBC news today, they said the reason is the State Department laid a lot of people off during the pandemic due to low demand. Very forward-thinking.

Wow. What generosity.

You're putting words in my mouth incorrectly. I did know that there would be bizarre casting. And this is one of my favorite musicals, so I did appreciate the performance (at least the music). I didn't know the group was going to change the plot (in fact, in their blurb, they stated the plots and the song were going to be unchanged, only the latter of which was true). So while I appreciated the music, I didn't appreciate the plot changes. The same group will soon be putting on a production of 1776, another of my favorite musicals. In this production, not one of our founding fathers will be played by a white male. It's this group that's trying to make political points, and this time we won't be going.

Then his statement was an irrelevant/non-responsive post. The question is whether or not the two have legally married. I pointed out that marriages are a matter of public record. Marc pointed out that in California (and, as it turns out, only in California) there is such a thing as "confidential marriages," of which I was not aware. Apparently, this quirk in the law, which dates to the 19th century, is unique in California. Since these two live in California, therefore, I was wrong about the marriage being a matter of public record, if it was performed as a confidential marriage. One learns something new every day. California is an exception (if the spouses want to make the effort) to the rule of all marriages being public: https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2013/06/19/go-ahead-keep-your-marriage-secret/ideas/connecting-california/ "I’m going to let you in on confidential marriage, an only-in-California concoction that is little known but deeply relevant to today’s debates about marriage. Confidential marriage is in most respects the same as any old legal marriage—solemnized and binding. But confidential marriage licenses, unlike regular marriage licenses, are not part of the public record. And confidential marriage is limited to couples who are already living together...". I've lived just about my entire life in California and never heard about this, nor have I known anyone to get a confidential marriage. That being said, it is out there--presumably for big-name celebrities to keep things secret.

Made in Taiwan, of course:

I don't find the resemblance that striking. Maybe Xi is being a bit paranoid?