Gsxrnz

At least, now when they turn off the headlights, they really will be saving juice.

All "news" is propaganda.  Always has been since the beginning of time, regardless of the ideology of those espousing the "news".

I often go down deep rabbit holes in a quest for the "truth". It never fails to surprise me how evil those in charge of the world (and that means every elected politician, every unelected bureaucrat, and media and corporate bosses) really are, and always have been.

Because if there were a few honest ones with humanity's interests really at heart, we wouldn't be living in the current dystopia, with worse to come.

Maybe that's why I've become a lapsed atheist. 

Confiscation (theft) of Russian USD assets, about to be passed by the US Senate, will be the final straw for the greenback.  Many BRICS countries (being a bit less than 50% of world population and GDP) are already gun shy of the dollar after US weaponized it two years ago by sanctioning the Russkies. Probably the biggest foreign policy blunder ever made by the US, and given their track record, that's saying something!

This has only accelerated the development of BRICS and member states have been bailing from the dollar into gold ever since.  The USD's days as the reserve currency are numbered. One day very soon there will be a T-Bill auction and buyers either won't front up, or bang on a huge tail premium that will drastically increase the debt servicing of 34T+ debt.

Printing USD and exporting inflation (as well as producing munitions that get destroyed and then building more munitions to boost the economy) since Bretton Woods is fine when there is foreign demand for the currency. Different story when supply outstrips demand because 50% of the world's economies gave the middle finger to the greenback.

We may see the US become the new Venezuela, or worse, the new Un-united Kingdom.

Pickpocketing requires a pocket to be picked, and skill and finesse are required.  Slashing a backpack with a box cutter does not.

The Pickpocketers Guild should be rightly offended.

Maybe, just maybe, it's because the tourists aren't coming.  I can name at least a dozen formerly regular seasonal visitors (some for a fortnight, some for 3 months) that haven't come here since the lockdowns. 50/50 split between finding cheaper alternatives, and inflation ate their discretionary cash.

I don't think soy-boy Luxon realises that Thais are not big on lamb consumption. Although I do believe a lot of Kiwi chicken feet find their way to Thailand.

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Just in from Social Media.......

 

**Mystery Mega-Deal: Who Bought ASEAN NOW?**

In a shocking twist of events, the popular online forum ASEAN NOW has possibly been taken over or bought by a group of eclectic entities including Teak Door, Pattaya Addicts, Thaiger, Stickman, and a few others. The digital landscape of Southeast Asia may never be the same!

Speculation runs rampant as to who the true mastermind behind this acquisition is. Could it be the forum's enigmatic founder, George, who is rumored to have bought back the site he founded two decades ago? Or is it a shadowy coalition of rival forums staging a dramatic coup?

George, who has been seen sporting a mysterious cloak and twirling a sinister mustache in recent weeks, has been tight-lipped about his potential involvement in the takeover. Fans of the forum are holding their breath, eager to see how this high-stakes drama unfolds.

Some sources claim George might be plotting to combine all the forums into one mega-platform, complete with augmented reality features, virtual reality hangouts, and even an intergalactic chatroom! Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling saga!

I suspect you are quite close to the truth. An excellent piece of prose, by the way. 🖕

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

You could buy like 250 condos and rent them out for 10,000B+/month for $23mil  USD. How much revenue does this website generate per month? I doubt it's anywhere near that but what do I know.

I did put a 🤪in my TIC observation.

Take a trip to the Hospital on 2nd Road Soi 4.  They have a huge glass (maybe perspex) exposed ceiling.  They have a water recirculating pump that cools the ceiling.  You could do it on the cheap with simple products purchased at Homepro or similar.  If I had to guess, you could probably do it for 10k or less with plastic pipe, a water tank, and a pump.

Running costs would be a bit of electrickery and whatever water evaporates. Bound to be far more efficient than any insulation methods.

Ask him who gets the 400k+ baht in the bank accounts of deceased O/OA visa holders, and why did he change the rules for no apparent reason?

45 minutes ago, zhounan said:

So, should the same dirty faces that pushed hundreds of millions of people worldwide toward the 'lifesaving' injection now have admitted that the 'lifesaving' injection is killing some young people?

 

When do we stop trusting everything the institutions say?

"When do we stop trusting everything the institutions say?'

 I haven't trusted any government since the Iraq war in 2003 (actually, possibly since 2001, but I won't go there).  I'm a keen observer of cognitive dissonance.  Show multiple undeniable and objective truths, and observe denial and disbelief based purely on emotions and ideology.

I call it the razor blade effect.  A play on Occam's Razor and Orwell's reference Parsons celebrating the Ministry of Plenty announcing record razor blade production, yet he can't find any razor blades.

I often wonder why Orwell used razor blades as an example of cognitive dissonance.  I suspect he actually was highlighting Occam's Razor - the most obvious answer is probably the correct one. But maybe I tink too mut. 

Ever wondered what all the little black dots on the front and rear screens (and sometimes on the side windows) are for? 

I love it when they park like this and don't leave any gaps.  Once watched a fat farang in Central push about 10 cars in a row to allow his car to exit.  He pushed the last car and didn't have enough room - back to the start and do it all again. Poor mugger probably went home and had a heart attack.  

I would have offered to help, but he was cursing loudly in German.