This being Xi’s thing, not the CCP’s would have been a much more valid argument 10 years ago. We’ve now been through 12 years of CCP purges, some of which really did serve to fight corruption, but that also replaced more moderate members of the leadership with those who have promoted more aggressive use of Chinese…

The rest of the CCP have no ideology aside from staying in power and getting their hands in every cookie jar. Even Li Qiang is far more liberal than Xi. Xi couldn’t even find a mini-me for his number two. China’s industries will outlive Xi Jinping.

Whether a private corporation in China is owned by the CCP isn’t really the issue anymore. Your example of Jack Ma kind of proves the rule too. He, despite all his wealth and power, had no ability to protect himself or his company when he ran afoul of Xi. The party decided what was going to happen to them, and that’s…

He seems to be getting plenty of good government contracts while on all the drugs!

Clarence Thomas, I’m sure, can find a way to allow it. For a small consideration, I’m sure.

He won’t, a Trump White House is a pills-filled White House.

EXACTLY!

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say this whole premise predates both Tesla and Porsche:

Meanwhile, for a Mitsubishi mirage

I would have said that this is a reasonable reaction to having to put up with your neighbor blasting pop music, but apparently South Korea stopped doing that 6 years ago.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/22/world/asia/south-korea-propaganda-loudspeakers-north-korea.html

Thats straight up Medieval.

thumb drives with k-pop music and South Korean media

Ninety-nine poop balloons

FLUUUUSSSHHH WITH CAAAAAASSSSSHHH!

( insert Jean-Ralphio gif from Parks & Recs )

North Korean exports are up 27%.

They’re just trying to show everyone the North Korean military is flush with cash...

You’re shitting me?

Yeah, I wasn’t clear in my original post.. it’s the SIZE of the cruise ship in this story that I don’t get why people would want to be on. 10,000 people on a floating shopping mall and amusement park? The smaller ships of 20 years ago and ocean liners of the past? Those I get.

I should’ve clarified... why do they take cruises on ships THIS big. The cruise ships of the 80s and 90s were perfectly-sized, to where you truly felt that it was a getaway. These newer ones hold 7,000 passengers and have every amenity you can get at home.. at that point, why bother doing it on the ocean? Just drive…

I don’t think the actual experience is like what you’re imagining. First, assuming you’re right about “the whole point,” you’re in the middle of the ocean, so you’re definitely “away from the city.” The cruise I took wasn’t on a ship this big, but it was an pretty big RC cruise ship and I also almost never felt like I…