gamb00ler

Just like in RE... it's location, location, location. Right side of the tracks (AKA Northern hemisphere), bordering both major oceans, only populated by technologically backward and unorganized natives, no nasty neighbors, truly massive natural resources, decades of virtually free labor from the enslaved, acquired resistance to the diseases they brought with them that devastated the natives .... no rocket science needed to figure out why they ended up a superpower. The US became powerful despite having its share of bumbling idiots in charge.

Cotton met its match in this century. The newer synthetics are much better for staying cool in this climate. It's hard to find here, but linen is actually much cooler than cotton. Once you get used to the wrinkled look, it looks better than the synthetics. My favorite shirt is a waffle weave synthetic. It keeps the sun off but lets the air through to so the evaporation cools me.

Schwab: SWIFT fees (per their website) are $15 for online, $25 using an agent. However they often refund the fee for customers with larger balances. Sometimes they do that automatically, sometimes I've had to ask for the refund and sometimes I wasn't considered eligible. While living in US I had set up an order with Schwab to send to a BKK bank account and I could easily initiate a transfer over the phone to that specific account. After moving to CM, I stopped using SWIFT and now use my Schwab debit card to withdraw up to 15K $US (daily limit) at a BKK bank teller and incur NO fees. Using this method, VISA determines the exchange rate which is published once daily on their website. Currently VISA rate is 32.75 and BKK bank inbound TT rate is 32.70 (doesn't include the .25% receiving fee of 200-500฿). Wise: Their published rate is 32.78 at this moment but it is updated very frequently each day. Their fees appear to be $6.25/$1000US so their effective rate is actually 32.78 * .99375 = 32.575 but they will also charge you a fee if you have them move the funds from your US bank. Caveats: Using Wise you will get a locked in exchange rate when initiating the transfer. Using SWIFT you will get the exchange rate in effect when the money arrives at the Thai bank. The speed of transfer depends on how you move the funds to Wise and the local US time when you initiate the SWIFT at Schwab. You can use ACH to push the funds to Wise which will take 1-2 days but will save you the fees that Wise charges for moving the funds for you. Wise transfers can be used to satisfy Thai Immigration's requirement for monthly inbound transfers, but Schwab debit card transfers are not acceptable to Immigration.

Why do the lotto administrators announce when someone hits the top jackpot and say nothing when someone gets the second prize?

They are a pharmacy that provides a mail order service. The medications are the same you buy in a local pharmacy and are manufactured by the same companies that supply the brick and mortar pharmacies.

Check out Medtide. They sell many drugs through the mail from Bangkok. https://medtide.com/

According to Global Road Safety organization the split between motorcycle and car deaths in Thailand is quite close to 60% and 40%. https://www.roadsafetyfacility.org/country/thailand That would mean the rate of death in car related accidents for Thailand would be .4 X 32.7 = 13.08 per 100,000. But there are 89,000 cars per US 100,000 of population vs 54,000 in Thailand. I would think that the average speed of US drivers is much higher than in Thailand which would make the percentage of fatal accidents higher as well.

up2you1?

google "best screen names"

A very powerful force called Mr. Taste and his accomplice Mr. Aroma made Thais an offer they couldn't resist.

so the bread had nothing to do directly with the result? Sounds to me like the "study" was designed poorly.

You "sort of" paid attention, but then made too many assumptions. Without sufficient details it is best to answer OP's actual question and perhaps suggest an alternative that is workable given your assumptions. If the used computer has applications that OP would like to keep.... it becomes much more complicated to do a clean install followed by reinstallation and re-registration of those apps especially if the original registration details are not available.

Income taxes for the retired are usually quite simple. Taxation of SSA benefits is one of the computations that is not so simple. Here's a link to a free (actually, donation ware) Excel spreadsheet: https://sites.google.com/view/incometaxspreadsheet/home?authuser=0 It's configured so it looks like the blank forms you can download from IRS. Just fill in your age, W-2's, 1099's, SSA1099 and it will calculate your tax. I use it for calculating the maximum amount to withdraw from my IRA to remain in the tax bracket of my choice (0%). Also here is the worksheet from IRS to compute taxation of SSA benefits: SSAworksheet.pdf

I didn't check the link I included The link I gave is not the one I thought it was. Here is a much better link to find out if your foreign pension will trigger the WEP reduction of your SSA pension. https://www.ssa.gov/international/wep_disclaimer.html

It's not at all unusual for staff to just say it can't be done instead of: "Let me find out how to do this or if it can be done" The same machine that performs credit card cash advances is used to perform debit card advances. Visa and Mastercard process both types so the capability is not at all determined by the bank. The Thai bank may have policies that prevent such debit card transactions but I rate that as quite unlikely.

I don't have information on what Australian card issuers offer. There is a site (nerdwallet.com) that collects and analyzes what banks and other financial services company offer to US customers. Perhaps you can find a site that has the information you seek regarding Australian banks.

That's probably true in USA or Canada.... but not here in Thailand. I know that Kasikorn and SCB do not offer cash advances because I went in and asked.

I understand the WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) very well. I read a lot of official SSA material when doing the financial plan for our retirement. I came to the conclusion that since I am also receiving a pension from Canada, I would be affected by the WEP. It turns out that I am NOT. Unless you are receiving another pension you will NOT be affected by WEP. RMD's are not a trigger for application of WEP to reduce your benefit. RMD's are simply a withdrawal of your own funds from a tax advantaged account. They are NOT a pension. SSA has a simple and minimally intrusive web page that will calculate if your benefits will be affected by WEP. That's where I learned why I'm not affected. Go here: ==> https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/anyPiaWepjs04.html

Typical GOP response == they're only allegations, there's no video, DNA evidence or a signed confession THEREFORE nothing to talk about

Congrats on making it to the RMD years .???????????? I think the only reason your SSA payments would go down at this point is because you may decide to have federal tax withheld rather than face a lump sum payment and possible a penalty when filing your annual federal tax return. I believe the SSA will not withhold tax unless you choose that option. The rules for taxation of SSA are rather convoluted. I use a free (donation requested by creator) downloadable Excel spreadsheet to do my tax planning.

Such a short ride will not burn many calories. I recommend you start with walking rather than cycling. Most research indicates you lose more fat from walking than cycling at an equally perceived level of exertion. Cycling burns calories faster but it is harder to find a safe pace to do it in Thailand.

I have used three different BKK bank branches to do both Visa and MasterCard cash advances with no fees on either end (debit cards that charge no foreign transaction fees). I have not yet been refused at a BKK bank branch. Just try any other BKK bank branch. I know neither Kasikorn or SCB offer the debit card cash advance option.

USA.... home of the worship of both simultaneously... presented as prosperity gospel. You just can't make this sh*t up.

The Brave browser has the ability to make browsing AN much more enjoyable. Also I haven't seen a YTube ad for so long I think they must have stopped 'em.

Currency exchange rates are determined by many, many factors. Demand for a currency is the major arbiter that determines its value. Demand is due to trading in goods and services, governmental and commercial borrowing, tourism and by investors/speculators seeking a particular balance of risk/reward. All participants make an estimate of what range of exchange rates is acceptable to them. When the exchange rate approaches the limit of that range, each participant begins to change their behavior in regards to the currency in question. They change the amount they buy/sell/invest/lend/borrow to maximize their profit or limit their risk to a tolerable level. So many disparate groups with a wide range of actions produce both the short and long term fluctuations in exchange rates. The movement in rates will look bewildering to those who have limited knowledge of the international financial flows. I'm in that category, so the value of my opinion of rate changes is indistinguishable from zero.