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I think Wrye nailed it, "a cheap 3rd world country", I would add the word poor as well. Most people who have been to places like Jamaica would quickly choose to retire here than there. Perhaps people who b*tch about living here are actually unhappy with themselves for not planning for and being capable of retiring on a golf course or beach home in Florida or the Gold Coast. Many of the guys here have a pretty and young partner, think they could have that in their home country? Those that sit all day drinking beer on the blvd look pretty content - maybe because they don't have to worry about getting stopped driving while over the limit. Life is not perfect anywhere but maybe those of us who have or are surviving medical problems appreciate it more.

 

Of course it can.

If you provoke somebody long enough and strong enough at a certain point he will react accordingly and has all rights to do so.

If you take piece by piece from somebody don't be surprised if he says stop at a certain time.

Don't cross the red line. That's the best way not to give other people a justified reason to defend their rights and belongings.

Simply said, just don't f*ck around with other people, neighbors or even countries.

 

In the past, tourists could only stay for 2 years. The only difference was more frequent Visa Runs. No big deal. 3 years was just acknowledging what people were doing and realizing that was money lost every time the tourists went for a Visa Run. But each new set of politicians have to bring it up and justify their existence.

Take Canada for instance, (as I know my own country) "There is no statutory limit on the number of times a person can extend visitor status. Instead, the officer will consider the history of the applicant, the purpose of the visit, and whether there is a valid reason to continue visiting."

 

That's enough to make a man go Bananas........Resolution's: Maybe keep my thoughts to myself !!!!
A Happy and Peaceful New Year to you all......JB

 

The Philippines has welcomed this and have said it is a good thing to help with the West Philippine Sea situation. I do feel bad for France as they bargained in good faith to build subs for Australia, but you also can't blame Australia for taking the USA up on better equipment. Any country in the world would have made the same decision.

Strategically it makes good sense for the USA to enter into this contract, and it should reap long term benefits. It will create stability in a region dominated by China's forces, even though this is still years down the road. The subs don't build themselves overnight. However just the knowledge it is coming is enough for China to take a good hard look at what they are doing, and what they hope to accomplish.

This is no way has any bearing on the Afghan fiasco. After 20 years we should have expected and deserved more than what we actually saw happen, but it also shouldn't be a surprise when you look at the history of the country, including Russia's adventures there just a few short years prior.

Bottom line is the more countries rally behind moves like this and push back on China, the more difficult it becomes for China to just take over. They have their hands full with Taiwan and Hong Kong now, it becomes very hard to put up fights on multiple fronts.

 

IMHO, the flu will always be here, of varying seriousness, with varying names. Over the years, we will hopefully learn to deal with it, as we have all "flu's." This one is very new, so people are not yet developing natural immunity, plus it is mutating into more serious stuff. We know this one is bad, it's killed huge numbers of people, the numbers are debatable. All we do know is that UN-vaccinated people are being hospitalized and dying more, althou again numbers are debatable.

I'm guessing in a year or two, they will make a multi strain vax like they do now, maybe slip a covid vax into it to avoid the anti-life crazies. It WILL be an annual thing, like now. I know that we will have to figure out some way to avoid "lockdowns," otherwise, economies the world over will collapse.

 

Canada has to be one of the very best choices for OFWs - I would not recommend any going to most of the Middle East (as I am sure many would agree) and not even to the UK. Canada has great respect for its immigrants - many governments could learn from them.