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It's ironic that President Musk and VP Trump want to get rid of federal workers who they believe are not doing their job by working from home or being lazy and unproductive. Trump has spent 60% of his time on the golf course!

Magamaniacs look at the number of questions, whereas they should be looking at the quality of the answers.

I admire his commitment to the land, which his family has probably farmed for generations. To many farmers - and not just in Japan - that deep attachment is more important than money.

We followed the building of the airport in great detail every night on the news. Supporters of the farmers often clashed violently with those who wanted the airport. I think it was a case of the Japanese siding with the little man - the underdog - fighting government bureaucracy. I know I supported his battle to keep his farm at the time and so did just about everyone I knew. As for understanding Japanese logic, I don't have much trouble in this regard. You really need to know the language. Everything kind of makes sense to me but I've basically given up trying to explain it to my friends.

Japan has strong eminent domain laws but I think in this case, the government had already pissed off the farmers, who are an important electoral constituency, so they probably just gave up. If I recall, the farmer in question had the support of the whole country. People admired his tenacity.

I've often wondered if things would have been different had I grown up in a western country. Chances are, I wouldn't be interested in asian guys, who knows? As for being pestered for tips, I'm not a charity and only reward people of they actually do something for me. So if a waiter or a guy in a gogo bar comes up to me and asks for a tip, I just smile and say "Sorry. Not tonight." However, sometimes, if I see a nice looking guy in 7/11 or of he gives me a smile, I'll pay for his purchases. The look on his face is all the reward I need!

This is just another way of propping up his dictatorship - replace competent people with incompetent Trump boot lickers. And now we read he has decided who can attend his press conferences and fly on Airforce One. It started with the banishment of the AP journalists and he has now basically told all reporters that if you don't support me, your out. Like all dictators, control of the media is paramount. Bye bye free press! PS: didn't J D Vance - he's the vice president, in case you've forgotten - scold European leaders for the lack of free speech in their countries?

"The big problem for Narita has always been the nearby farmers who have an extremely active lobby that not only delayed the airport's construction decades ago, but also significantly delayed the opening of the second runway" There were clashes between the authoritative and an unholy alliance between the notoriously conservative farmers and radical left wing organisations. We watched it all on TV every day. For years after the airport opened security was very tight entering the airport; cars were stopped and searched and passenger documentation was thoroughly checked. Riot police hovered nearby and their heavily armoured vans were parked along the roads. One stubborn farmer refused to sell his land so various taxiways were diverted around his farm. It is still there today,

If I'm arriving late at night or early in the morning, I prefer Narita. Public transport options are limited late at night from Haneda so your plane better be on time. And you don't want to hit morning rush hour in Tokyo. Transport from Narita into Tokyo - I like to stay in Ueno - is fast and convenient, and there is no need to change trains, unlike Haneda. The Keisei Skyliner stops in Ueno, near the station. The Nex (Narita Express) stops at Shinjuku and Shinagawa. I remember how Taiwan's China Airlines profited from the opening of Narita Airport in the 70's. Because Japan recognised China, not Taiwan, China Airlines could not use Narita and had to use Haneda. Needless to say, everyone flew with them, at it was much more convenient than heading all the way out to Narita, which had limited transport options then.

Well, those other places mentioned here sound fine, but they're not for me. I'm really only into Asian guys. I had my first sexual experience with a western guy when I went to Europe in my late 20's. I've had other Western guys on subsequent trips to Europe, and now my regulars here in Australia are both westerners. But I can't feel any connection with them. I guess I'm just a hopeless rice queen!

The beds are the most comfortable I've ever slept in in a hotel, and the eggs Benedict are incredibly delicious - and I don't even like eggs! I can't recommend it highly enough.

Trump's monster ego has set him up for failure down the track, which will lead to a further slide in his popularity. There is no way the Palestinians will just roll over and give Trump what he demands. So failure number 1 will be his plans to turn the Gaza Strip into an adult fairyland. There is no way Greenland will surrender to his demand to take over their country. That's failure number 2. There is no way Panama will relinquish the canal. Is Trump going to send in the military? Hardly, especially as he told everyone he was going to be a president of peace. Failure number 3. There is no way the Canadians will agree to become a state of the U.S. Failure number 4. One thing Trump hates is to be seen as a loser. There's 4 examples already.

"I don't think any other president could have the world's attention like Donald Trump." Unfortunately, it's for all the wrong reasons.

"Zelenskyy is not the man you think he is!" But unfortunately, Trump is. I'm glad to see Danny agrees with me re:Trump's mafia-like behaviour. I always thought he would. 😂😂😂

"The polls from CNN and The Washington Post were joined this week by new results from Reuters, which found for the second time since Trump’s inauguration his job approval rating had declined." The six-day poll, which closed on Tuesday, showed Trump has a 44% job approval rating as president. That’s down from 45% registered in a Reuters/Ipsos poll Jan. 24-26. A poll conducted Jan. 20-21 shortly after Trump’s inauguration found his approval rating stood at 47%.

"When I gave the operator the entire month of March for a two week absence, no biz seats were available. He suggested calling a week later. I did, and this time extended the period to four months - any two week period between March 1 and June 30. All he could get me was one outward ticket. No return was available. I told him this is nonsense! Qatar have 5 daily flights out of BKK, one of which is an A380. They also have 2 daily flights to my onward destination. That all the mileage seats had already been 'sold' made no sense . . ." I've accumulated close to 1,000,000 Qantas points - I've earned my points mainly from using my credit card - but find it impossible to use them. Either no seats are available, or I can only use them one -way, meaning I have to buy the other leg of the journey at an inflated price. I wouldn't fly Qantas in a fit, but would like to use the points on partner airlines. It has become a bit of a scam.

Wow! I'm speechless! When a well-known right-wing nutter and Trump arse licker like Andrew Bolt turns on his idol and disses him like this, you just know the worm has turned. And as for the rare minerals "deal" Trump is trying to force on Ukraine, this is exactly how the Mafia operates. He is demanding protection money. Bucky, please upload a tiktok video explaining Trump's lies about Zelenski and how Trump is supporting a dictator in Putin and, at the same time, America's sworn enemy. This seems to be a clear case of treason.

I think that is a major reason for the demise of gay CM. I've visited CM a number of times over the years and always stayed at the Lotus Hotel, which was right across from Adams Apple. However, it was difficult getting downtown to the gay bars in the night market, as tuk-tuks were few and far between. And getting back to Adams Apple for opening time -9 pm - was ridiculously expensive. I hate getting ripped off. During the day it was virtually impossible to get a tuk-tuk. I used to stand by the side of the road, hoping one would come by, but they rarely did. It was just too far out of town and not a place tourists would stay, so transport options were limited. I once thought of staying downtown and going up to Adams from there but getting a guy to come all the way back to the hotel might have been difficult.

I couldn't agree more. It's for that reason that I don't bother to bargain with the guys. I still find it beyond my comprehension how they can even get it up, let alone give us the boyfriend experience. At one stage I feared my sex life was over - and then I discovered the delights of Thailand and surrounding countries. I will be forever grateful and will never complain about the cost.

I can only talk about Space bar. I went they're every night and it was always the same, regardless of the day. It was quiet until around 11 and got really busy really quickly after that. If you go early, like I did, you have the guys all to yourself.

I live across the road from the beach and seaweed is a problem, usually in winter. It stinks and we can't walk on the beach. We solved the problem by paying for a clean up as soon as the seaweed appears.

Thanks, Peter, for coming back to the forum. Your knowledge, expertise and experience in all things Asian has been sorely missed. I look forward to reading about your reminisces of your life in Asia, as well as any future escapades. "So if you are no fan of length.." Actually, I am!

Non-native speakers of English probably won't get it.😂

Apparently, this "look at me" stunt cost over 4 million dollars. So much for cutting government spending!

I believe they dance on cue.