Gumballl

I watched coverage of this event on NASA TV. One of the announcers made a comment that it (currently) takes 11 minutes for radio signals to go from Earth to Mars (and obviously the same time the other way around). Naturally, the time delay varies, depending on the distance between Earth and Mars.

A few (maybe 5) minutes after the rover landed, it beamed back an image of the surface to Earth. How was that possible?

4 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Numerous reasons (in Thailand same as anywhere else in the world) e.g. working to overseas hours, working locally such as in shopping malls/restaurants and don't finish until late, had a long day at the beach and had a sleep in the early evening, clubs don't liven up until after midnight (regardless of the tired cliche "nothing good happens after midnight"), certain clubs are lively at certain hours etc. etc. Personally I'd often head out for the night anytime between around 10 pm and 4 am in places around the world, never did understand the people saying everything should be closed by 11 pm/midnight just because that may be their lifestyle. 

 

 

We are definitely in different age groups. When I was your age, I followed the same herd mentality.

Nowadays, I would rather spend time with my woman at a nice dinner, and the enjoy the rest of the evening together, with drinks or not. I do not need loud music or drunks in a room to make it a memorable experience.

Soon enough, you will perhaps subscribe to the same philosophy. Until then, deal with the pandemic.

Peace.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

What difference does it make? People prefer to go out after 8pm until late.....and  no, 4 hours is not enough for some.

It's always 5 o'clock somewhere.

The bar I frequent (in the USA) closes at 10pm. Whatever. I hit the bar stool at 2pm, and perhaps hang out for 3 to 4 hours. Then I'm done.

Some folks, perhaps related to Dracula, like to go out late. Why?

P.S. Do NOT spread this secret... it is legal to buy booze and drink it at home. Friends are always welcome.

4 hours ago, Poet said:

A lot of the hate for Bitcoin is fueled by self-recrimination: most of the loudest critics knew about Bitcoin years ago, probably thought it was a neat idea, possibly even thought about investing but didn't because the price was already $50 or whatever and they felt they had missed the boat.

My advice to anyone is very simple. Take a small amount of money, maybe $1000, that you would otherwise save or invest, and buy some Bitcoin and/or Ether. Ignore all the other coins. Then ignore your investment for a year. Don't get swept up by the rapid highs and lows, don't even think about it.

That way, you will be able to enjoy a nice suprise at the end of the year, and will no longer be so torn up about friends who made millions. You will also have a better understanding of how it all works and be able to make more informed decisions about how to deploy your savings.

Countless friends, family members, employees, and acquaintances have taken this advice and it has worked out well for all of them. Some have chosen to go deeper, but I always counsel them to be conservative and never place more than 20% of their savings into crypto.

After just over a year, my girlfriend now has 28 Bitcoins and a hundred or so Ether, none of which were given to her by me. Her business was already doing well, but she had many worries as the pandemic took hold. Her business actually boomed as more people shopped online and, by taking profits that would otherwise have been funneled into property or other "safe" assets in Thailand, she has been able to build up a decent crypto nest egg that will be fine no matter what happens in Thailand, and whose value will increase faster, and with far less hassle, than any other assets.

That crypto nest egg gives her a feeling of confidence, security, and independence. In a grim year, her plans for the future have become more ambitious. If, as expected, Bitcoin breaks 200k this year, she will be in a position to do almost anything she wants for the rest of her life.

That is a wonderful thing and everyone, even those uninterested in crypto, should be happy that so many people have improved their options in life.

 

Just to make things clear, crypto currency is oftentimes (not always) worth zilch, unless converted into real money.

Until crypto currency is accepted across the board as a tool to conduct day-2-day transactions, it is no more than a "virtual" commodity. Try using it to buy a 50 Baht meal at a street vendor.

Your positive words may encourage fools to invest, but I am still not sold on its future. Tomorrow, maybe I will be selling the next hottest thing... LintCoin.

I pray to God(s) that those who dismiss the virus as a hoax die tomorrow.

On 2/8/2021 at 8:49 AM, anchadian said:

If this vaccination passport is not adopted, travelers will still need to do the 14 days quarantine.

 

Again, it's all about money. 

 

 

Or loss of such.

I am pleased that Thailand has kept their head in the sand. I look forward to not spending thousands of dollars on a vacation to the LOS.

On 1/26/2021 at 6:51 AM, Pro1Expat said:

Definitely plausible but would be nice to know what the actual setup was that they used.

Say you had a "setup" ordained by God himself. You are still at the mercy of the server doling out data.

That server could also have been ordained, but if it is hit with millions of queries at one time, then you may experience latency on receiving data.

The internet, err network, is full of uncertainties. I would rather spend my day measuring pleasures of life than measuring the speed of my network at home.

6 minutes ago, sirocco said:

Hey! Hey! Hey! BritManToo,
maybe off topic for moderators, but that is also indecent of Brit.
Do we really leave the choice to women to express themselves?
Who sacrifices his career, when his boyfriend or her husband travels to different countries, for his work?
Who sacrifices their career to raise their children, at least the early years?
Who do we ask to do the cleaning?
Do you think women are incompetent?
But look at yourself, you try to play the tough guys, but it's not the one you think has evolved, but the woman, and that bothers you.

English is obviously not your first language, but good enough.

I work at home (preferably). I take care of my daughters needs.

I clean better than my wife, although she does try.

Women are not incompetent, but Thai women seem to believe they are superior. They are not... they are equal.

I am still begging for my wife to help pay the mortgage, the electric and cable bill, the braces for my daughter... heck, even for her cell phone... arguments to a deaf ear.

11 hours ago, connda said:

Rape isn't about sex, it's about domination.  And if you watch Thai soaps you will see daily examples of Thai men physically domination women on multiple occasions.

My wife watches this s***.  The little I catch while walking by shows this type of physical and verbal abuse of women (as well as a lot of aggressive physical abuse by characters playing their roles) on an all too often basis. 

Yeah, Thai soaps provides such great role models.  It's disgusting on a good day.

Same here... wifey just started watching... almost non stop... this stuff.

Annoys me to no end.

Maybe the wife has lost love for farang. Maybe she wants me to beat her like Thai man. Make her love homeland more?

Those soap operas are karp.

What does this have to do with the Thai Consulate in LA?

Might as well protest in front of... whatever place in CA... Universal Studios?

Under capitalized businesses will fail, pandemic or otherwise. Yawn.

Fake passports and counterfeit gangs? So I guess everything is unreal in Bulgaria.

Maybe the title of the article should read: Bulgaria busts gang that produced counterfeit passports.

On 1/27/2021 at 8:46 PM, NorthernRyland said:

You got it bad it sounds like. I get asthma in Thailand (not back in the US) and have some breathing problems with the common flu even. This was in the hospital you got Remdesivir? Which country?

USA.

6 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Surely. Did you have a previous lung condition? I'm much healthier than my GF (cyclist for years) but I always get sicker. 

No, it was my first. Even though I was sick longer than I had anticipated (my brother got sick at the same time, and recovered before the 10 day self-quarantine), my symptoms were never life-threatening. I was given Remdesivir (sp?) for four days, and once I could breathe well enough on my own (i.e. without a portable oxygen concentrator), I was free to go home and complete my recovery. I still coughed a bit, but at least I could breathe without issue.

3 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

On the young side for sur. It's not clear why some people have minor or no symptoms and others get pneumonia. I get sick as a dog once a year and my girlfriend hasn't got even a minor flu in years. Any ideas why in your case?

Typically it is underlying health conditions.

2 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

That's a nasty one. This is how the elderly die from the common flu. How are old are you if you don't mind me asking?

I'm 53.

3 minutes ago, sirineou said:

when I read about transmissions it is always correlated to viral load 

If one does not have a viral load , how would one transmit that virus? 

The 

 

Through fear!

I was infected with COVID recently; all it takes is for a person to self-quarantine for 10 days until the symptoms subside. In my case, I developed a viral pneumonia, but I recovered from that by day 16. I then had to self-quarantine another 7 days. I am not contagious, but my wife shunned me for over a week beyond my full quarantine period. (Hmm, maybe she was upset because of something else?)

2 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Don't need a vaccine just a piece of paper that says you've had it.

Exactly! What kind of proof is needed. I have a wonderful computer and a printer, and I can easily manufacture proof that I've been vaccinated. I may even start a business.

On 1/26/2021 at 2:11 PM, richard_smith237 said:

When I hear that us foreigners are told ‘farang think too mut’....  I now get it !!!  

 

Some serious over thought on bed-sheets of all things !!!...  Yep, we definitely think too much !! 

I agree.

Next question... where can I buy small chocolate mints to place on my bed pillows?

On 1/24/2021 at 1:39 AM, robblok said:

Here is my current computer setup, got an other computer with 2 screens in the other corner as a backup.

 

How many of you use multiple screens ?

 

I got everything wired except my mouse mx master 3 has good battery power. The keyboard is wired and special (has a row of programmable keys)

 

I can't live anymore without extra screens all of them are 32 inch. at 4k resulution

 

Just post some pics of your setup if it looks nice.

 

To be totally honest its usually more of a mess.

Compared to the pics uploaded by other folks, the only thing (and it's a major thing!) that I see as a problem is that your drink is almost empty.

P.S. Gather up the cables with a twist tie or yarn.

1 minute ago, VocalNeal said:

 

I read it as the pension or some monies were forthcoming when the son died in an explosion 20 years ago. Not his pension as he was already dead. 

Some bureaucrat has screwed up but won't take responsibility. 

That (initial) bureaucrat that authorized payments may have retired, died, etc. Still, the family receiving the monies should have inquired (long ago) if what they received was legal.

Anyhow, not my problem, not my country, and I do not know the family (of the deceased). I will not lose sleep regarding the outcome.

The robber was no doubt influenced by Western movies, perhaps those depicting cowboys.

I believe in today's world, I could steal gold fillings from a Thai policeman, and still get away with it. The keystone cop operation in Thailand has to come to an end.

Theft in Thailand is a bunny, as we say in western culture. Fortunately, by nature, most (err, the majority) of people are good hearted.

Fascinating. Reading your post has made my day.

You should have gone with the 55" or the 65" TV.