Minichan

Topic: Meta's hero: man fined £400 for photoshopping himself into Jesus.

Green !BEERiVqJJw started this discussion 8 years ago #71,655

Externally hosted imagehttps://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29

Anonymous B joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 14 minutes later[^] [v] #860,584

Better link here:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29&omg=What+the+fuck+%3A&green=what+the+fuck+m8&why=is+this+url+so+fucking+long&extraShit=Glug.%20No%20it%27s%20not.%20You%27ve%20been%20reading%20too%20much%20output%20from%20the%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20propaganda%20mill.%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20a%20paid%20political%20lobbyist%20who%20specializes%20in%20character%20assassination%20of%20politicians%20and%20movements%20opposed%20to%20his%20client.%20He%20likes%20to%20pitch%20himself%20as%20a%20%22human%20rights%20activist%22%20but%20he%20simply%20uses%20human%20rights%20as%20one%20tool%20in%20his%20portfolio%20for%20harassing%20his%20client%27s%20rivals.%20At%20the%20moment%2C%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20being%20paid%20by%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20so%20everything%20he%20says%20and%20does%20is%20determined%20by%20the%20need%20to%20promote%20the%20interests%20of%20his%20client.%20Since%20both%20the%20client%20and%20the%20interests%20are%20very%20unsavory%2C%20this%20requires%20substantial%20prevarication%20and%20obfuscation.%0D%0A%0D%0ABefore%20going%20into%20what%27s%20been%20happening%20in%20Bangkok%20this%20year%2C%20some%20background%20is%20essential.%20Not%20just%20on%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20himself%20but%20also%20on%20Thai%20politics%20in%20general.%20Let%27s%20start%20with%20Thaksin.%20The%20man%20is%20a%20billionaire%20who%20made%20his%20pile%20getting%20sweetheart%20deal%20contracts%20from%20the%20Thai%20Government%20for%20work%20in%20modernizing%20Thai%20telecommunications%20infrastructure.%20He%20was%20also%20a%20Lieutenant%20Colonel%20in%20the%20Thai%20Police.%20When%20he%20first%20entered%20politics%2C%20his%20act%20was%20quite%20revolutionary.%20Normally%20a%20Thai%20political%20campaign%20consists%20of%20the%20candidate%20publishing%20lists%20of%20worthy%20people%20who%20support%20him.%20In%20effect%2C%20they%20provide%20lists%20of%20references%20that%20more%20or%20less%20state%20%22I%20am%20a%20good%20person%20and%20can%20be%20trusted%20to%20work%20in%20your%20interests.%22%20People%20then%20voted%20for%20whoever%20paid%20them%20the%20most.%20In%20Thailand%2C%20it%27s%20quite%20possible%20to%20have%20a%20worthwhile%20debate%20on%20whether%20vote%20buying%20is%20wrong%20or%20not.%20Thaksin%20changed%20that.%20He%20conducted%20a%20western-style%20campaign%20that%20put%20a%20portfolio%20of%20promised%20policies%20out%20and%20invited%20people%20to%20judge%20his%20party%20on%20the%20basis%20of%20those%20policies.%20This%20was%20so%20different%20that%20it%20worked%20rather%20well.%20His%20Party%20became%20the%20largest%20in%20the%20Thai%20Parliament%20and%20he%20pushed%20through%20the%20items%20on%20his%20agenda%20%28low%20cost%20medical%20care%2C%20low-interest%20loans%20for%20farmers%20and%20a%20few%20other%20things%2C%20all%20calculated%20to%20endear%20himself%20to%20the%20rural%20population%20%E2%80%93%20note%20still%20buying%20votes%20but%20wholesale%20rather%20than%20retail%20and%20using%20Government%20money%20to%20do%20it%29.%20When%20the%20next%20election%20came%20up%2C%20his%20party%20wasn%27t%20just%20the%20largest%20one%2C%20it%20actually%20had%20an%20overall%20majority.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20made%20Thaksin%27s%20real%20objectives%20critical.%20Thaksin%20is%20%28or%20was%29%20a%20great%20admirer%20of%20the%20Singaporean%20model%20of%20government%20and%20industry.%20He%20wanted%20to%20create%20a%20new%20Thai%20state%20in%20which%20there%20was%20a%20single%20party%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29%20and%20a%20single%20corporate%20entity%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29.%20The%20fact%20that%20Singapore%20doesn%27t%20really%20work%20that%20way%20is%20neither%20here%20nor%20there.%20Thaksin%20wanted%20a%20state%20where%20there%20was%20no%20center%20of%20government%20or%20economic%20power%20that%20was%20outside%20his%20control.%20With%20a%20majority%20in%20Parliament%2C%20he%20set%20about%20achieving%20just%20that.%20Hold%20that%20thought.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C%20let%27s%20look%20at%20Thai%20politics.%20Thailand%20is%20an%20odd%20place%3B%20it%27s%20one%20of%20the%20few%20countries%20in%20the%20world%20where%20the%20political%20establishment%20openly%20says%20%22we%27re%20politicians%2C%20don%E2%80%99t%20trust%20us.%22%20There%20is%20an%20ongoing%20presumption%20in%20the%20country%20that%20political%20shakeups%20should%20never%20be%20seen%20in%20terms%20of%20black%20and%20white.%20The%20message%20is%20to%20look%20with%20skepticism%20on%20political%20changes%20and%20to%20assume%20that%20all%20political%20movements%20are%20corrupt%20and%20tainted%20by%20greed%20and%20ambition.%20There%20is%20an%20assumption%20that%20all%20are%20backed%20by%20a%20hidden%20hand%20that%20is%20pushing%20a%20secret%20agenda.%20This%20is%20an%20intensely%20cynical%20view%20of%20course%2C%20and%20one%20that%20leaves%20no%20room%20to%20suppose%20that%20a%20protest%20is%20both%20genuine%20and%20sincere.%20It%20also%20presumes%20that%20idealistic%20people%20can%20be%20too%20easily-fooled%20%28there%20is%20a%20Thai%20joke%20that%20the%20only%20difference%20between%20the%20words%20idealist%20and%20idiot%20is%20the%20way%20somebody%20says%20them%29%2C%20a%20belief%20that%20results%20in%20the%20fear%20that%20legions%20of%20gullible%20farmers%20might%20be%20turned%20on%20the%20capital%20by%20calculating%20politicians.%20The%20only%20defense%20against%20that%20eventuality%2C%20it%20is%20held%2C%20is%20that%20people%20must%20be%20constantly%20made%20aware%20that%20the%20motives%20of%20all%20political%20leaders%20are%20suspect.%20There%20is%20only%20one%20person%20in%20Thailand%20whose%20integrity%20is%20not%20questionable%20and%20that%20is%20the%20King%20%28and%20by%20extension%20the%20institution%20of%20the%20Monarchy%20%E2%80%93%20and%2C%20by%20the%20way%2C%20that%20trust%20is%20earned%2C%20not%20demanded%29.%0D%0A%0D%0ABack%20to%20Thaksin.%20In%20his%20second%20period%20as%20Prime%20Minister%2C%20he%20began%20his%20real%20agenda.%20There%20are%20checks%20and%20balances%20in%20Thailand%3B%20there%20are%20parts%20of%20the%20court%20system%20that%20are%20there%20to%20prevent%20political%20corruption%20%28by%20which%20the%20Thais%20mean%20something%20a%20bit%20different%20from%20everybody%20else%29.%20There%20are%20parts%20of%20the%20government%20that%20are%20designed%20to%20stop%20things%20happening%20too%20fast%20or%20in%20ways%20that%20are%20disallowed%20by%20the%20constitution.%20Above%20all%2C%20there%20is%20the%20Army.%0D%0A%0D%0AMore%20background.%20If%20a%20Thai%20officer%20is%20asked%20to%20define%20the%20role%20of%20the%20Thai%20armed%20forces%20in%20general%2C%20and%20the%20Royal%20Thai%20Army%20in%20particular%2C%20the%20reply%20is%20likely%20to%20be%20some%20variant%20of%20%22a%20political%20instrument%20aimed%20at%20maintaining%20the%20internal%20and%20external%20security%20of%20the%20kingdom.%22%20The%20emphasis%20on%20political%20considerations%20inside%20the%20Thai%20armed%20forces%20rings%20strangely%20and%20uncomfortably%20on%20British%20and%20American%20ears%2C%20which%20are%20used%20to%20the%20concept%20of%20an%20apolitical%20military.%20Yet%20our%20hypothetical%20Thai%20officer%20may%20well%20reply%20to%20such%20concerns%20by%20pointing%20out%20that%20war%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20politics%20by%20any%20means%20and%20that%20war%20fought%20without%20regard%20to%20political%20objectives%20is%20just%20mindless%20butchery.%20One%20of%20the%20awkward%20questions%20always%20asked%20about%20democracy%20is%20the%20possibility%20that%2051%20percent%20of%20the%20population%20may%20vote%20to%20exterminate%20the%20other%2049%20percent%20%E2%80%93%20and%20what%20should%20be%20done%20about%20that%20extremity%3F%20Some%20countries%20answer%20the%20question%20by%20denying%20its%20possibility%3B%20in%20the%20U.S.%2C%20the%20Supreme%20Court%20would%20not%2C%20in%20theory%20at%20least%2C%20uphold%20such%20a%20position.%20Returning%20to%20our%20hypothetical%20Thai%20officer%2C%20the%20answer%20would%20be%20that%20it%20was%20the%20duty%20of%20the%20Army%20to%20protect%20all%20the%20citizens%20of%20the%20country%2C%20not%20just%20those%20who%20agreed%20with%20the%20government.%20After%20all%2C%20as%20the%20argument%20goes%2C%20the%20Army%20belongs%20to%20the%20country%20and%20the%20people.%20It%20is%20the%20people%20who%20pay%20for%20the%20Army%20with%20their%20taxes%2C%20and%20through%20conscription%2C%20it%20is%20they%20who%20provide%20its%20personnel.%20Therefore%2C%20the%20Army%20has%20the%20obligation%20to%20act%20for%20all%20the%20people%2C%20not%20the%20political%20party%20that%20has%20the%20majority%20in%20the%20government.%20There%20is%20a%20saying%20in%20Thailand%20%22If%20you%20are%20in%20trouble%2C%20seek%20the%20man%20on%20the%20white%20horse.%22%20The%20%22man%20on%20the%20white%20horse%22%20is%20an%20army%20officer.%20It%27s%20a%20piece%20of%20good%20advice%2C%20if%20you%20are%20in%20serious%20trouble%20in%20Thailand%2C%20go%20to%20the%20Army%2C%20not%20the%20police%20for%20help.%20That%20principle%20is%20actually%20written%20into%20Thai%20law%3B%20if%20you%20lose%20your%20elephant%2C%20tell%20an%20Army%20officer%20and%20he%20is%20obliged%20to%20lend%20you%20some%20of%20his%20men%20to%20help%20you%20find%20it.%0D%0A%0D%0AThaksin%20started%20to%20undermine%20all%20of%20the%20safeguards%20that%20were%20built%20into%20the%20Thai%20constitution.%20He%20had%20two%20primary%20tools%20to%20do%20this.%20One%20was%20pushing%20his%20supporters%20into%20the%20organizations%20that%20were%20supposed%20to%20prevent%20corruption%20and%20abuse%20of%20power.%20The%20other%20was%20to%20silence%20the%20opposition%20with%20libel%20writs.%20He%20actually%20said%20%22Censorship%3F%20There%20is%20no%20need%20for%20censorship.%20If%20somebody%20opposes%20me%20my%20lawyers%20accuse%20him%20of%20libel%20and%20sue%20him%20for%20a%20hundred%20million%20baht.%20Now%2C%20everybody%20censors%20them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Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 1 minute later, 15 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #860,585

@previous (B)
@previous (B)

> Better link here:
>
> https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29&omg=What+the+fuck+%3A&green=what+the+fuck+m8&why=is+this+url+so+fucking+long&extraShit=Glug.%20No%20it%27s%20not.%20You%27ve%20been%20reading%20too%20much%20output%20from%20the%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20propaganda%20mill.%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20a%20paid%20political%20lobbyist%20who%20specializes%20in%20character%20assassination%20of%20politicians%20and%20movements%20opposed%20to%20his%20client.%20He%20likes%20to%20pitch%20himself%20as%20a%20%22human%20rights%20activist%22%20but%20he%20simply%20uses%20human%20rights%20as%20one%20tool%20in%20his%20portfolio%20for%20harassing%20his%20client%27s%20rivals.%20At%20the%20moment%2C%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20being%20paid%20by%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20so%20everything%20he%20says%20and%20does%20is%20determined%20by%20the%20need%20to%20promote%20the%20interests%20of%20his%20client.%20Since%20both%20the%20client%20and%20the%20interests%20are%20very%20unsavory%2C%20this%20requires%20substantial%20prevarication%20and%20obfuscation.%0D%0A%0D%0ABefore%20going%20into%20what%27s%20been%20happening%20in%20Bangkok%20this%20year%2C%20some%20background%20is%20essential.%20Not%20just%20on%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20himself%20but%20also%20on%20Thai%20politics%20in%20general.%20Let%27s%20start%20with%20Thaksin.%20The%20man%20is%20a%20billionaire%20who%20made%20his%20pile%20getting%20sweetheart%20deal%20contracts%20from%20the%20Thai%20Government%20for%20work%20in%20modernizing%20Thai%20telecommunications%20infrastructure.%20He%20was%20also%20a%20Lieutenant%20Colonel%20in%20the%20Thai%20Police.%20When%20he%20first%20entered%20politics%2C%20his%20act%20was%20quite%20revolutionary.%20Normally%20a%20Thai%20political%20campaign%20consists%20of%20the%20candidate%20publishing%20lists%20of%20worthy%20people%20who%20support%20him.%20In%20effect%2C%20they%20provide%20lists%20of%20references%20that%20more%20or%20less%20state%20%22I%20am%20a%20good%20person%20and%20can%20be%20trusted%20to%20work%20in%20your%20interests.%22%20People%20then%20voted%20for%20whoever%20paid%20them%20the%20most.%20In%20Thailand%2C%20it%27s%20quite%20possible%20to%20have%20a%20worthwhile%20debate%20on%20whether%20vote%20buying%20is%20wrong%20or%20not.%20Thaksin%20changed%20that.%20He%20conducted%20a%20western-style%20campaign%20that%20put%20a%20portfolio%20of%20promised%20policies%20out%20and%20invited%20people%20to%20judge%20his%20party%20on%20the%20basis%20of%20those%20policies.%20This%20was%20so%20different%20that%20it%20worked%20rather%20well.%20His%20Party%20became%20the%20largest%20in%20the%20Thai%20Parliament%20and%20he%20pushed%20through%20the%20items%20on%20his%20agenda%20%28low%20cost%20medical%20care%2C%20low-interest%20loans%20for%20farmers%20and%20a%20few%20other%20things%2C%20all%20calculated%20to%20endear%20himself%20to%20the%20rural%20population%20%E2%80%93%20note%20still%20buying%20votes%20but%20wholesale%20rather%20than%20retail%20and%20using%20Government%20money%20to%20do%20it%29.%20When%20the%20next%20election%20came%20up%2C%20his%20party%20wasn%27t%20just%20the%20largest%20one%2C%20it%20actually%20had%20an%20overall%20majority.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20made%20Thaksin%27s%20real%20objectives%20critical.%20Thaksin%20is%20%28or%20was%29%20a%20great%20admirer%20of%20the%20Singaporean%20model%20of%20government%20and%20industry.%20He%20wanted%20to%20create%20a%20new%20Thai%20state%20in%20which%20there%20was%20a%20single%20party%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29%20and%20a%20single%20corporate%20entity%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29.%20The%20fact%20that%20Singapore%20doesn%27t%20really%20work%20that%20way%20is%20neither%20here%20nor%20there.%20Thaksin%20wanted%20a%20state%20where%20there%20was%20no%20center%20of%20government%20or%20economic%20power%20that%20was%20outside%20his%20control.%20With%20a%20majority%20in%20Parliament%2C%20he%20set%20about%20achieving%20just%20that.%20Hold%20that%20thought.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C%20let%27s%20look%20at%20Thai%20politics.%20Thailand%20is%20an%20odd%20place%3B%20it%27s%20one%20of%20the%20few%20countries%20in%20the%20world%20where%20the%20political%20establishment%20openly%20says%20%22we%27re%20politicians%2C%20don%E2%80%99t%20trust%20us.%22%20There%20is%20an%20ongoing%20presumption%20in%20the%20country%20that%20political%20shakeups%20should%20never%20be%20seen%20in%20terms%20of%20black%20and%20white.%20The%20message%20is%20to%20look%20with%20skepticism%20on%20political%20changes%20and%20to%20assume%20that%20all%20political%20movements%20are%20corrupt%20and%20tainted%20by%20greed%20and%20ambition.%20There%20is%20an%20assumption%20that%20all%20are%20backed%20by%20a%20hidden%20hand%20that%20is%20pushing%20a%20secret%20agenda.%20This%20is%20an%20intensely%20cynical%20view%20of%20course%2C%20and%20one%20that%20leaves%20no%20room%20to%20suppose%20that%20a%20protest%20is%20b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Anonymous D joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 2 seconds later, 15 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #860,586

@860,584 (B)
url doesnt work

Anonymous B replied with this 8 years ago, 5 minutes later, 20 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #860,590

@previous (D)
@860,585 (C)
Glug, no it doesn't.

Anonymous D replied with this 8 years ago, 2 minutes later, 23 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #860,593

@previous (B)
y

TG2Dave joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 1 hour later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #860,726

@860,584 (B)

> Better link here:
>
> https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29&omg=What+the+fuck+%3A&green=what+the+fuck+m8&why=is+this+url+so+fucking+long&extraShit=Glug.%20No%20it%27s%20not.%20You%27ve%20been%20reading%20too%20much%20output%20from%20the%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20propaganda%20mill.%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20a%20paid%20political%20lobbyist%20who%20specializes%20in%20character%20assassination%20of%20politicians%20and%20movements%20opposed%20to%20his%20client.%20He%20likes%20to%20pitch%20himself%20as%20a%20%22human%20rights%20activist%22%20but%20he%20simply%20uses%20human%20rights%20as%20one%20tool%20in%20his%20portfolio%20for%20harassing%20his%20client%27s%20rivals.%20At%20the%20moment%2C%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20being%20paid%20by%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20so%20everything%20he%20says%20and%20does%20is%20determined%20by%20the%20need%20to%20promote%20the%20interests%20of%20his%20client.%20Since%20both%20the%20client%20and%20the%20interests%20are%20very%20unsavory%2C%20this%20requires%20substantial%20prevarication%20and%20obfuscation.%0D%0A%0D%0ABefore%20going%20into%20what%27s%20been%20happening%20in%20Bangkok%20this%20year%2C%20some%20background%20is%20essential.%20Not%20just%20on%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20himself%20but%20also%20on%20Thai%20politics%20in%20general.%20Let%27s%20start%20with%20Thaksin.%20The%20man%20is%20a%20billionaire%20who%20made%20his%20pile%20getting%20sweetheart%20deal%20contracts%20from%20the%20Thai%20Government%20for%20work%20in%20modernizing%20Thai%20telecommunications%20infrastructure.%20He%20was%20also%20a%20Lieutenant%20Colonel%20in%20the%20Thai%20Police.%20When%20he%20first%20entered%20politics%2C%20his%20act%20was%20quite%20revolutionary.%20Normally%20a%20Thai%20political%20campaign%20consists%20of%20the%20candidate%20publishing%20lists%20of%20worthy%20people%20who%20support%20him.%20In%20effect%2C%20they%20provide%20lists%20of%20references%20that%20more%20or%20less%20state%20%22I%20am%20a%20good%20person%20and%20can%20be%20trusted%20to%20work%20in%20your%20interests.%22%20People%20then%20voted%20for%20whoever%20paid%20them%20the%20most.%20In%20Thailand%2C%20it%27s%20quite%20possible%20to%20have%20a%20worthwhile%20debate%20on%20whether%20vote%20buying%20is%20wrong%20or%20not.%20Thaksin%20changed%20that.%20He%20conducted%20a%20western-style%20campaign%20that%20put%20a%20portfolio%20of%20promised%20policies%20out%20and%20invited%20people%20to%20judge%20his%20party%20on%20the%20basis%20of%20those%20policies.%20This%20was%20so%20different%20that%20it%20worked%20rather%20well.%20His%20Party%20became%20the%20largest%20in%20the%20Thai%20Parliament%20and%20he%20pushed%20through%20the%20items%20on%20his%20agenda%20%28low%20cost%20medical%20care%2C%20low-interest%20loans%20for%20farmers%20and%20a%20few%20other%20things%2C%20all%20calculated%20to%20endear%20himself%20to%20the%20rural%20population%20%E2%80%93%20note%20still%20buying%20votes%20but%20wholesale%20rather%20than%20retail%20and%20using%20Government%20money%20to%20do%20it%29.%20When%20the%20next%20election%20came%20up%2C%20his%20party%20wasn%27t%20just%20the%20largest%20one%2C%20it%20actually%20had%20an%20overall%20majority.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20made%20Thaksin%27s%20real%20objectives%20critical.%20Thaksin%20is%20%28or%20was%29%20a%20great%20admirer%20of%20the%20Singaporean%20model%20of%20government%20and%20industry.%20He%20wanted%20to%20create%20a%20new%20Thai%20state%20in%20which%20there%20was%20a%20single%20party%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29%20and%20a%20single%20corporate%20entity%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29.%20The%20fact%20that%20Singapore%20doesn%27t%20really%20work%20that%20way%20is%20neither%20here%20nor%20there.%20Thaksin%20wanted%20a%20state%20where%20there%20was%20no%20center%20of%20government%20or%20economic%20power%20that%20was%20outside%20his%20control.%20With%20a%20majority%20in%20Parliament%2C%20he%20set%20about%20achieving%20just%20that.%20Hold%20that%20thought.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C%20let%27s%20look%20at%20Thai%20politics.%20Thailand%20is%20an%20odd%20place%3B%20it%27s%20one%20of%20the%20few%20countries%20in%20the%20world%20where%20the%20political%20establishment%20openly%20says%20%22we%27re%20politicians%2C%20don%E2%80%99t%20trust%20us.%22%20There%20is%20an%20ongoing%20presumption%20in%20the%20country%20that%20political%20shakeups%20should%20never%20be%20seen%20in%20terms%20of%20black%20and%20white.%20The%20message%20is%20to%20look%20with%20skepticism%20on%20political%20changes%20and%20to%20assume%20that%20all%20political%20movements%20are%20corrupt%20and%20tainted%20by%20greed%20and%20ambition.%20There%20is%20an%20assumption%20that%20all%20are%20backed%20by%20a%20hidden%20hand%20that%20is%20pushing%20a%20secret%20agenda.%20This%20is%20an%20intensely%20cynical%20view%20of%20course%2C%20and%20one%20that%20leaves%20no%20room%20to%20suppose%20that%20a%20protest%20is%20both%20genuine%20and%20sincere.%20It%20also%20presumes%20that%20idealistic%20people%20can%20be%20too%20easily-fooled%20%28there%20is%20a%20Thai%20joke%20that%20the%20only%20difference%20between%20the%20words%20idealist%20and%20idiot%20is%20the%20way%20somebody%20says%20them%29%2C%20a%20belief%20that%20results%20in%20the%20fear%20that%20legions%20of%20gullible%20farmers%20might%20be%20turned%20on%20the%20capital%20by%20calculating%20politicians.%20The%20only%20defense%20against%20that%20eventuality%2C%20it%20is%20held%2C%20is%20that%20people%20must%20be%20constantly%20made%20aware%20that%20the%20motives%20of%20all%20political%20leaders%20are%20suspect.%20There%20is%20only%20one%20person%20in%20Thailand%20whose%20integrity%20is%20not%20questionable%20and%20that%20is%20the%20King%20%28and%20by%20extension%20the%20institution%20of%20the%20Monarchy%20%E2%80%93%20and%2C%20by%20the%20way%2C%20that%20trust%20is%20earned%2C%20not%20demanded%29.%0D%0A%0D%0ABack%20to%20Thaksin.%20In%20his%20second%20period%20as%20Prime%20Minister%2C%20he%20began%20his%20real%20agenda.%20There%20are%20checks%20and%20balances%20in%20Thailand%3B%20there%20are%20parts%20of%20the%20court%20system%20that%20are%20there%20to%20prevent%20political%20corruption%20%28by%20which%20the%20Thais%20mean%20something%20a%20bit%20different%20from%20everybody%20else%29.%20There%20are%20parts%20of%20the%20government%20that%20are%20designed%20to%20stop%20things%20happening%20too%20fast%20or%20in%20ways%20that%20are%20disallowed%20by%20the%20constitution.%20Above%20all%2C%20there%20is%20the%20Army.%0D%0A%0D%0AMore%20background.%20If%20a%20Thai%20officer%20is%20asked%20to%20define%20the%20role%20of%20the%20Thai%20armed%20forces%20in%20general%2C%20and%20the%20Royal%20Thai%20Army%20in%20particular%2C%20the%20reply%20is%20likely%20to%20be%20some%20variant%20of%20%22a%20political%20instrument%20aimed%20at%20maintaining%20the%20internal%20and%20external%20security%20of%20the%20kingdom.%22%20The%20emphasis%20on%20political%20considerations%20inside%20the%20Thai%20armed%20forces%20rings%20strangely%20and%20uncomfortably%20on%20British%20and%20American%20ears%2C%20which%20are%20used%20to%20the%20concept%20of%20an%20apolitical%20military.%20Yet%20our%20hypothetical%20Thai%20officer%20may%20well%20reply%20to%20such%20concerns%20by%20pointing%20out%20that%20war%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20politics%20by%20any%20means%20and%20that%20war%20fought%20without%20regard%20to%20political%20objectives%20is%20just%20mindless%20butchery.%20One%20of%20the%20awkward%20questions%20always%20asked%20about%20democracy%20is%20the%20possibility%20that%2051%20percent%20of%20the%20population%20may%20vote%20to%20exterminate%20the%20other%2049%20percent%20%E2%80%93%20and%20what%20should%20be%20done%20about%20that%20extremity%3F%20Some%20countries%20answer%20the%20question%20by%20denying%20its%20possibility%3B%20in%20the%20U.S.%2C%20the%20Supreme%20Court%20would%20not%2C%20in%20theory%20at%20least%2C%20uphold%20such%20a%20position.%20Returning%20to%20our%20hypothetical%20Thai%20officer%2C%20the%20answer%20would%20be%20that%20it%20was%20the%20duty%20of%20the%20Army%20to%20protect%20all%20the%20citizens%20of%20the%20country%2C%20not%20just%20those%20who%20agreed%20with%20the%20government.%20After%20all%2C%20as%20the%20argument%20goes%2C%20the%20Army%20belongs%20to%20the%20country%20and%20the%20people.%20It%20is%20the%20people%20who%20pay%20for%20the%20Army%20with%20their%20taxes%2C%20and%20through%20conscription%2C%20it%20is%20they%20who%20provide%20its%20personnel.%20Therefore%2C%20the%20Army%20has%20the%20obligation%20to%20act%20for%20all%20the%20people%2C%20not%20the%20political%20party%20that%20has%20the%20majority%20in%20the%20government.%20There%20is%20a%20saying%20in%20Thailand%20%22If%20you%20are%20in%20trouble%2C%20seek%20the%20man%20on%20the%20white%20horse.%22%20The%20%22man%20on%20the%20white%20horse%22%20is%20an%20army%20officer.%20It%27s%20a%20piece%20of%20good%20advice%2C%20if%20you%20are%20in%20serious%20trouble%20in%20Thailand%2C%20go%20to%20the%20Army%2C%20not%20the%20police%20for%20help.%20That%20principle%20is%20actually%20written%20into%20Thai%20law%3B%20if%20you%20lose%20your%20elephant%2C%20tell%20an%20Army%20officer%20and%20he%20is%20obliged%20to%20lend%20you%20some%20of%20his%20men%20to%20help%20you%20find%20it.%0D%0A%0D%0AThaksin%20started%20to%20undermine%20all%20of%20the%20safeguards%20that%20were%20built%20into%20the%20Thai%20constitution.%20He%20had%20two%20primary%20tools%20to%20do%20this.%20One%20was%20pushing%20his%20supporters%20into%20the%20organizations%20that%20were%20supposed%20to%20prevent%20corruption%20and%20abuse%20of%20power.%20The%20other%20was%20to%20silence%20the%20opposition%20with%20libel%20writs.%20He%20actually%20said%20%22Censorship%3F%20There%20is%20no%20need%20for%20censorship.%20If%20somebody%20opposes%20me%20my%20lawyers%20accuse%20him%20of%20libel%20and%20sue%20him%20for%20a%20hundred%20million%20baht.%20Now%2C%20everybody%20censors%20them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shitty bums!!

Sheila LaBoof joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 5 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #860,729

@OP

> https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29

that guy's an ugly fucker

Anonymous G joined in and replied with this 8 years ago, 22 minutes later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #860,742

@860,726 (TG2Dave)

> > Better link here:
> >
> > https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/916001/jesus-christ-face-swap-Ja-n-spain-Daniel-Cristian-Serrano?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-world-news+%28Express+%3A%3A+World+Feed%29&omg=What+the+fuck+%3A&green=what+the+fuck+m8&why=is+this+url+so+fucking+long&extraShit=Glug.%20No%20it%27s%20not.%20You%27ve%20been%20reading%20too%20much%20output%20from%20the%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20propaganda%20mill.%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20a%20paid%20political%20lobbyist%20who%20specializes%20in%20character%20assassination%20of%20politicians%20and%20movements%20opposed%20to%20his%20client.%20He%20likes%20to%20pitch%20himself%20as%20a%20%22human%20rights%20activist%22%20but%20he%20simply%20uses%20human%20rights%20as%20one%20tool%20in%20his%20portfolio%20for%20harassing%20his%20client%27s%20rivals.%20At%20the%20moment%2C%20Robert%20Amsterdam%20is%20being%20paid%20by%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20so%20everything%20he%20says%20and%20does%20is%20determined%20by%20the%20need%20to%20promote%20the%20interests%20of%20his%20client.%20Since%20both%20the%20client%20and%20the%20interests%20are%20very%20unsavory%2C%20this%20requires%20substantial%20prevarication%20and%20obfuscation.%0D%0A%0D%0ABefore%20going%20into%20what%27s%20been%20happening%20in%20Bangkok%20this%20year%2C%20some%20background%20is%20essential.%20Not%20just%20on%20Thaksin%20Shinawatra%20himself%20but%20also%20on%20Thai%20politics%20in%20general.%20Let%27s%20start%20with%20Thaksin.%20The%20man%20is%20a%20billionaire%20who%20made%20his%20pile%20getting%20sweetheart%20deal%20contracts%20from%20the%20Thai%20Government%20for%20work%20in%20modernizing%20Thai%20telecommunications%20infrastructure.%20He%20was%20also%20a%20Lieutenant%20Colonel%20in%20the%20Thai%20Police.%20When%20he%20first%20entered%20politics%2C%20his%20act%20was%20quite%20revolutionary.%20Normally%20a%20Thai%20political%20campaign%20consists%20of%20the%20candidate%20publishing%20lists%20of%20worthy%20people%20who%20support%20him.%20In%20effect%2C%20they%20provide%20lists%20of%20references%20that%20more%20or%20less%20state%20%22I%20am%20a%20good%20person%20and%20can%20be%20trusted%20to%20work%20in%20your%20interests.%22%20People%20then%20voted%20for%20whoever%20paid%20them%20the%20most.%20In%20Thailand%2C%20it%27s%20quite%20possible%20to%20have%20a%20worthwhile%20debate%20on%20whether%20vote%20buying%20is%20wrong%20or%20not.%20Thaksin%20changed%20that.%20He%20conducted%20a%20western-style%20campaign%20that%20put%20a%20portfolio%20of%20promised%20policies%20out%20and%20invited%20people%20to%20judge%20his%20party%20on%20the%20basis%20of%20those%20policies.%20This%20was%20so%20different%20that%20it%20worked%20rather%20well.%20His%20Party%20became%20the%20largest%20in%20the%20Thai%20Parliament%20and%20he%20pushed%20through%20the%20items%20on%20his%20agenda%20%28low%20cost%20medical%20care%2C%20low-interest%20loans%20for%20farmers%20and%20a%20few%20other%20things%2C%20all%20calculated%20to%20endear%20himself%20to%20the%20rural%20population%20%E2%80%93%20note%20still%20buying%20votes%20but%20wholesale%20rather%20than%20retail%20and%20using%20Government%20money%20to%20do%20it%29.%20When%20the%20next%20election%20came%20up%2C%20his%20party%20wasn%27t%20just%20the%20largest%20one%2C%20it%20actually%20had%20an%20overall%20majority.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis%20made%20Thaksin%27s%20real%20objectives%20critical.%20Thaksin%20is%20%28or%20was%29%20a%20great%20admirer%20of%20the%20Singaporean%20model%20of%20government%20and%20industry.%20He%20wanted%20to%20create%20a%20new%20Thai%20state%20in%20which%20there%20was%20a%20single%20party%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29%20and%20a%20single%20corporate%20entity%20%28controlled%20by%20him%29.%20The%20fact%20that%20Singapore%20doesn%27t%20really%20work%20that%20way%20is%20neither%20here%20nor%20there.%20Thaksin%20wanted%20a%20state%20where%20there%20was%20no%20center%20of%20government%20or%20economic%20power%20that%20was%20outside%20his%20control.%20With%20a%20majority%20in%20Parliament%2C%20he%20set%20about%20achieving%20just%20that.%20Hold%20that%20thought.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C%20let%27s%20look%20at%20Thai%20politics.%20Thailand%20is%20an%20odd%20place%3B%20it%27s%20one%20of%20the%20few%20countries%20in%20the%20world%20where%20the%20political%20establishment%20openly%20says%20%22we%27re%20politicians%2C%20don%E2%80%99t%20trust%20us.%22%20There%20is%20an%20ongoing%20presumption%20in%20the%20country%20that%20political%20shakeups%20should%20never%20be%20seen%20in%20terms%20of%20black%20and%20white.%20The%20message%20is%20to%20look%20with%20skepticism%20on%20political%20changes%20and%20to%20assume%20that%20all%20political%20movements%20are%20corrupt%20and%20tainted%20by%20greed%20and%20ambition.%20There%20is%20an%20assumption%20that%20all%20are%20backed%20by%20a%20hidden%20hand%20that%20is%20pushing%20a%20secret%20agenda.%20This%20is%20an%20intensely%20cynical%20view%20of%20course%2C%20and%20one%20that%20leaves%20no%20room%20to%20suppose%20that%20a%20protest%20is%20b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>
> shitty bums!!

Poo poo bum bum!
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