Depends on the context. Covert operations and operators usually means that someone is bound to be negatively affected for the positive outcome of someone else.

Moving to spend the rest of my life on the beach. So close…

Just finished Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Part of the Aunties series, and a series of book I never thought I would read. Brilliant writing, a bit too dramatic for me, but highly recommend if you want to read the funnies.

I don’t get why these countries should be on that list. I might be wrong but these are thriving democracies.

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Cabo Verde

Dominica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Sao Tome and Principe

Vanuatu

A lot of countries by now are stockpiling weapons and weapons accessories in preparation of a war. Talking is leaving the chat.

Yeah. I have seen this in my community. I even know some of them.

No. But I would never ever openly admit to my country of origin anywhere.

In some ways yeah. My country pivoted from semi-dictatorship to dictatorship to democracy to democracy and finally back to dictatorship. I was born under a dictatorship and for the first 21 years of my life, there was only one president, a crazy murderous dictator.

I just emigrated to the US so it’s crazy seeing the same stuff I run from all over again. My county’s president is aligned with the current US right wing policies, so yeah, though minute, I’m a legit target, so I do not talk about my country’s politics or government.

Medical distributor (last mile) in Texas. We are laying off people. I am likely on the chopping board come the next round. We had a lot of govt contracts that have gone.

Enjoyed every season of this. Must watch Australian comedy.

How did you get that effect?

Devil’s advocate opinion.

After spending a fair bit of time in China, I’ve come to understand one thing. A weaker America is good for China, but, China does not want to lead the world. Sloppy seconds works better from China.

Many years ago, Richard Branson, wrote that in his fight with British Airways, he actually preferred being second. This because nobody is gunning for you. Everyone always guns for gold, but a silver is not a bad thing either but nobody is in the race thinking, golly, I’m going for silver this time.

So, China has no real interest in the liabilities that come with leading the world. It’s a headache that does not benefit them. Own the infrastructure, mine the planet, sell plastic crap, that is fine, but rule the world, problems. Everyone turns to you for solutions or is trying to bring you down. Better to just chill.

Oh I do. Friends remind me all the time how all in I was.

I used to preach Reddit. Like the gospel. If you called me on the phone about an arbitrary subject, at some point I would have said, ‘Well, on Reddit…’

I was so in, there was a sub of one of my favourite tv shows I was hot on and I ended up being mentioned in a newspaper in the UK.

Our mom. Why deny our Alabama living?

Twitter/Reddit.

I was all in. Quit Twitter around 2015 when it started getting ultra toxic. Quit Reddit when 3rd party apps were killed.

Was a +1 to a friend from when we were in primary (grade) school. It was her cousin getting married. When they walked in for the reception, the groom seemed off. The suit he wore, how he wore it, the whole setup seemed off. My friend was a bridesmaid.

When finally they could mingle, she came and sat with me and asked me what I thought. I told her something was off. Now, you need to understand, me and my friend are frank with each other and hold no punches.

She scrutinized the setup and disagreed with me. We agreed to disagree and enjoyed the rest of the party

The couple divorced 6 months later.

I’ve had the privilege of driving Asian, European and American cars on three continents. Currently in America and I drive a European car.

While different cars for different purposes and different situations, on a general scale, European wins in the quality department, it’s a toss up for reliability between European and Asian, with Asian tilting the scales, performance, again a toss up between European and Asian, and Europe tilts the scales here.

I could go on, but when I lived in Europe and having seen what America has to offer, it would mean America would have to do better, offer smaller vehicles that are practical, reliable, economical and good looking, all of which they currently cannot offer domestically.

That being said, China is going to destroy everyone when it comes to EVs. You may not like them, and they can be gimmicky but dang, those rides are sweet.

Just my opinion.

The “wolf warriors” used to come in hot a.f.

Not a European, but a well traveled person who has drunk beers in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Botswana, Senegal, UK, Poland, China, and the UK, as well as drunk beers from Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic etc, I stopped drinking beer when I drunk American beer. Sure, there are some good microbrews, but holy moly, there are some questionable things that pass for beer in America.