acepredator

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

do you not understand they are pests ?

Do you not understand that I already agreed with you in a previous post that STRAY DOGS ARE PESTS? Why not try reading what I previously posted? In three previous posts, I said that the problem of stray dogs should be dealt with by LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. They should remove the PESTS from the streets and try to find their owners. If none can be found they should euthanize them in the most humane way possible, which would not involve hollow point .22 bullets. Please take the time to read my previous posts before engaging in more maniacal rantings. 

5 hours ago, proton said:

More soppy sentimental nonsense over stray dogs, what about all the cows and pigs that get butchered every day?

Yes, it is tragic that 100 billion animals, including cows and pigs, are butchered every year to contribute to the unhealthy lifestyle of people who consume meat. As for me, I gave up eating meat about 30 years ago. If you are concerned about the lives of cows and pigs, then I assume you also do not eat them. Other than giving up meat, I can think of no other way to help cows and pigs. Billions will continue to die to feed the insatiable desire people have for meat, to the detriment of the people, the animals, and the planet Earth itself.

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

you buy land and take them in ...   oh' wait sorry you can't do that.     !!

Yes, correct. Foreigners cannot own land in Thailand. There are already several animal shelters that exist. You could help solve the problem by donating money to help those shelters remain in operation, that is if you have any money left after donating to help children.

18 minutes ago, steven100 said:

  garbage talk,  they are pests.  they chase kids and bite elderly.   you think the nurture programs works, well sorry but it's crap.  These soi dogs are pests.   PUT THEM in your condo.

Yes, I agree. They are pests, and the problem should be dealt with. But, as I mentioned in two previous posts, the solution to the problem lies with local governments. Every government entity, no matter how small, should create an animal control department whose job is to remove strays from the streets. If no owner can be located, then the dogs must be euthanized in a humane way. Complaining about the problem does not offer a solution. Also, your suggestion of keeping soi dogs in a condo is absurd and ludicrous. Please try to get a grip on reality while there is still time.

5 hours ago, Woof999 said:

That was all lovely and kum by yah, but being an animal lover while being a stray dog loather is far from impossible.

Yes, I agree 100%. Stray dogs are a huge problem in Thailand. But, as I said in a previous post, the problem does not lie with the dogs or their owners. The problem is with local governments that do not have any kind of animal control function in place. Every municipality, no matter how small, should have an animal control department staffed by full-time professionals whose job is to take strays off the street. If an owner can be found, then arrange for the dog to be returned and the owner to be warned that he or she must better control the dog in the future. If no owner can be found, then there is no choice but to humanely euthanize the dog. Otherwise, the problem will never be solved.

3 hours ago, quake said:

Blah Blah Blah.

 

You just throw money at the problem. from afar.

No Soi dogs of your own.

How sad that is.

 

Children come before dogs with me.

Go figure.

 

That's great. There are thousands of charitable organizations that need help. My question is: How much money have you donated to charities that help children? My guess is not one single dollar, pound, euro, or baht. As always, you are the one who is "just talk." At least I have done what I can to help solve a huge problem affecting both animals and people. How about you? What have you done to help solve a problem? Maybe absolutely nothing? 

8 hours ago, quake said:

You do gooders are all the same over the world.

All about yourself deep down.

Hope you have a fatal RTA on the way home, involving a pack of soi dogs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has nothing to do with being a "do-gooder," and it is not about me. Instead, it's about the belief that animals have just as much right to exist in this world as you and I. Humans do not own the planet Earth, and animals are not our slaves to do with as we please. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that nearly 100 billion animals are brutally murdered each year to provide meat for human consumption, even though the scientific evidence is indisputable that a plant based diet is far healthier than a meat based one. If you dismiss people who show compassion towards animals as "do-gooders," then you have what the Thais refer to as a "black heart." Perhaps there is still time for you to have a change of heart and understand that animals matter just as much as you do.

Also, during the last 17 years of riding a motorbike through the perilous streets of Chiang Mai (always wearing a helmet), I have not yet experienced a fatal RTA, involving soi dogs or anything else. I really hate to disappoint you, but I intend to keep my lucky streak going for at least the next several years.

On 9/16/2023 at 10:23 AM, Wongkitlo said:

You are in Chiang Mai. How do you know about pattaya temples? Thailand has speed limit signs everywhere but locals still drive at double the speed. Who cares about signs in Thailand? They just all do what they want

I agree that most people in Thailand, and presumably everywhere else in the world, ignore what signs tell them to do. This is because it is human nature to resist authority. As I said in another post, however, the devotees of the various temples interact continuously with the monks who stay at the temples. These monks have made it clear that they cannot care for unwanted animals. The people who visit the temples understand and respect this sentiment, so that they do not bring animals to the temple. That is why, at least in Chiang Mai, you virtually never see stray dogs roaming around temples anymore. I assume it is generally the same in Pattaya, where it seems likely that the monks lack both the time and the resources to care for animals looking for a place to stay. 

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

Please stop spreading false narratives,   not every Temple has a sign outside in Thai and English telling people not to dump animals at their Temple.

This is certainly true. Many of the temples here in Chiang Mai, however, do have such signs. In any event, the people visiting the temples on a regular basis know the mindset of the monks. They communicate with each other continuously. Buddhism is not like Christianity, where church leaders pontificate from the pulpit and have no interaction with the so-called "faithful" at all. The monks have made it clear that they are not equipped to care for stray animals and cannot take them in. The devotees of the temple understand and respect this edict. No signs are necessary.

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

Why don't you take them all in if you care so much .....   no'  I didn't think so    !     just talk.

I live in a small condo, so it would not be feasible for me to take in even one dog, let alone all of them. Over the last few years, however, I have donated money to an animal shelter in Chon Buri called the House of Angels for Stray Animals. This facility provides food and shelter to about 1,900 dogs and 500 to 600 cats. When they have needed money to keep going, I have helped them as much as I could. I also help support Adopt Meow Chiang Mai, a facility that finds homes for homeless cats, especially kittens. What charitable causes, that help either animals or humans, have you supported? It seems abundantly clear that you are the one who is "just talk."

1 hour ago, save the frogs said:

You think Buffet is your personal financial advisor? He got rich by outsmarting and screwing millions of people who lost money in the markets.

 

You think all banks will collapse and everyone will lose their life savings? 

Society would collapse and everyone will revolt. And the elites cannot stay filthy rich if no one has any money to purchase their iPhones. 

 

Here is my understanding of banking, based on limited information.

And this applies only to North American banks.

Not sure what's going on in the rest of the world. 

In the US, the small banks will be collapsed into the big banks. And only 4 or 5 remaining big banks will remain. That's by design. Because they want to roll out digital currency and it's easier to implement a digital currency with fewer banks. 

 

But still, I think people's savings are protected (if FDIC insured) because the small banks are just being taken over by the big banks. 

 

The value of the dollar might fall significantly. As might the value of real estate. 

But that doesn't mean you should try to make 25% in the stock market to cover your losses. Stock market is and always has been risky. 

 

Also something to keep in mind. We are entering a financial period that has never existed before in history. We are in the midst of a complete economic upheaval/revamp. No one knows exactly what it will look like. 

 

The value of the dollar may decrease, but Elon Musk has stated that the value of goods will also decrease due to lower labor costs of automation. 

 

Anyway, I am not a financial expert. So don't make any major life decisions based on my post. 

 

Very interesting and thought provoking post. I'm always concerned about the future of the financial system due to the fact that I have about 80% of my money in mutual funds and annuities. I have been able to ride out the huge drops in the market in both 2008 and 2020, but who knows when the next crash will occur and how devastating it will be and how long until the markets recover. If the consequences of a crash are catastrophic enough, world governments would have to act to bolster financial markets or face a complete meltdown of the global economic system. I'm just hoping that it doesn't happen in my lifetime.

19 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

You could try Andovar (based in Bangkok), I haven't worked with them for over 10 years but my experience with them was positive. They used to have projects in several fields. At the time they paid 45 days after invoice submission.

 

https://careers.andovar.com/category/freelance/

Thanks very much for your help. I'll check into Andovar and see if I can find something suitable.

6 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

It was not a serious suggestion. Regardless people dump unwanted pets at the temples so calling it a false narrative is untrue. Our local temple  has many stray dogs. There are no signs deterring people from doing it.

Well then those are some lucky dogs. Maybe the temples where you live are more compassionate, but in Chiang Mai I rarely see the temple dogs, unlike years past when there were many of them. Also, not all, but a large number of temples do have the signs prominently displayed saying "DON'T BRING YOUR UNWANTED PETS TO US."

20 hours ago, ChrisP24 said:

Editing/proofing/transcribing for the legal industry is in high demand and is really not all that technical, it just requires clear and precise writing.  It's not like the medical field with a bunch of eight-syllable words. 

Thanks for the information. Actually, I do have some work experience in the legal profession, so maybe it would be a good fit for me. I'll do some checking and see what I can find.

7 hours ago, Adumbration said:

I never trade on margin.  I managed to skim 2.5% yesterday and 1.5% today on the same fund.  4% is a solid return given only two days exposure to the underlying asset.

Thanks for your input. Also, I sent you a private message.

On 9/13/2023 at 4:50 PM, Wongkitlo said:

It is tradition to just dump them at the local temple. 

The temples have made it abundantly clear that THEY DO NOT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF STRAY DOGS. Every temple has signs in both Thai and English to this effect. Temples are not equipped to handle stray dogs, and they have their own affairs to tend to. The days when temples took in stray animals are over. Please stop perpetuating this false narrative. Someplace must be found for the dogs, but it is definitely not the local temple. 

13 hours ago, ChrisP24 said:

I would think that with your background (corroborated by the obvious writing skill in your posts) you may be able to find remote work doing editing, proofreading or transcription.  I don't know any specific ones but a google search shows tons of listings from legitimate employment sites such as indeed.com, and zip recruiter.  I see eScribers in the search also. 

 

You might try a similar search using your VPN to set your IP address to a U.S. location.

 

Of course there will be some scam listings even on legit job sites, but I'd wager that some will pan out, and you can try out several to see which ones are legit and which ones work best for you. 

 

The good news is that it sounds like you don't need a lot of extra money, and a legit gig doing this sort of work requires a native English speaker/writer and an educated one at that, so ought to pay at western-level hourly contract rates.  So this type of remote work may be a good fit.

 

Good luck to you. 

Thanks for your reply. I did look into transcription and proofreading jobs. The transcription jobs I saw required investing a lot of time, and many of them dealt with highly technical fields that I'm not familiar with. Also, they had deadlines, so they would generate a lot of stress trying to get the transcription done by a certain time and date. I want to be able to set my own schedule, so that I won't have to deal with the pressure of a deadline.

Many of the proofreading jobs I saw required training and experience as a proofreader, neither of which I have, and some of the work was in languages other than English. I didn't examine them too closely, but I assume most would also have deadlines, like the transcription jobs. 

I hadn't thought about editing jobs, but presumably they would be similar to those mentioned above: training and experience required, or at least desired, with deadlines imposed. In any event, I will look into the employment sites that you provided in your post. Thanks for the information and for the good luck wish. Same to you (I think it's safe to say that everybody can benefit from more good luck. It's never a bad thing.)

10 hours ago, simon43 said:

Schools in Thailand won't but schools in Myanmar will jump at the opportunity.  However, if you insist on staying in Thailand then my suggestion doesn't help ????

Thanks for your suggestion, but, as I have very deep roots in Chiang Mai, it would be extremely traumatic for several Thais, as well as for me, if I were to ever leave. My only exit will be as smoke and ashes when I'm being cremated at a local temple. In any event, I would not even consider residing in a country that is ruled by a military junta that routinely and wantonly murders its own citizens. If the government doesn't value the lives of its own people, how would it feel about a foreigner, especially an American. Thanks but no thanks.

4 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

Junk funds hold a portfolio of subprime corporate bonds. B, BB, BBB, CCC and so on.  They diviersify risk across various industry sectors and also geographically.

 

There is heightened risk in the junk market at present because of the rapid increase in interest rates.  Google zombie companies to better understand that issue.

 

Trying to hit homeruns, huge returns with a small investment is a mugs game and a very poor strategy.  That is why the majority of traders go bust.

 

As I already posted, I consistenly skim 2-3 percent per month on the funds I trade.  So over the year that results in a return somewhere between 24-36 percent on each 100K block that I trade.  How much money do you want to make.  If you only have 1 million THB to trade you could return circa 300K THB on that over the year.  That would equate to around 25K THB extra per month for you household budget.  And as I have already stated most months I only place one trade in and one trade out so roughly 12 buy orders and 12 sell orders per year.  Because they are all GTC orders (which I always place after hours) my total time commitment over the year is probably 40 to 50 hours.

 

I should add that often I am only in a trade for a few days each month and never more than 1 week, so over a year my totally time exposure to the underlying assets is usually under 3 months.

 

The funds I trade all have monthly distributions of circa 11 percent pa.  So even if I get trapped in a poor trade, or there is a blackswan event, I am still getting a monthly distribution at 11 percent.  I have not yet been trapped in a trade this year.  But a screw up is awaiting me, they always are.

 

For more than 15 years I have also traded derivative warrants on the SET and have published extensive content regarding that topic.

 

 

Very interesting and detailed post. Thanks very much for submitting it. I'll definitely take the time to learn more about the trading strategy that seems to work so magnificently for you. 

5 minutes ago, Celsius said:

So, if you were to sell all your investments how much would you be getting?

 

Yea.... it's a fantastic idea. Don't forget work permit and hiring 4 Thais. Money gone

If I sold all my investments at this time, I'd get about $280,000. Of course I would not do that. That's my nest egg for my future. In addition, I'd owe the U.S. government about $23,000 in taxes. And, of course, I'm not going to even consider opening a breeding farm, for the reasons you mentioned and because I am the world's greatest animal lover who can't stand to see them suffer in any way. I was only replying in a polite way to the person who submitted the post, who at least took the time and made the effort to do so.

57 minutes ago, nauseus said:

The stock market has been anything but stagnant for a few years now. 

Maybe stagnant wasn't the right word, and "a few years" not specific enough. It just seems that the Dow has been trading between about 32,000 and 35,000 points for at least several months now, but I don't follow it closely on a daily basis. I'm looking for steady gains that would push it above the record close of 36,799, but I don't see them coming at this time. I just seem to remember that the market moved steadily upwards during previous presidential administrations, but that doesn't appear to be the case today.

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He's getting, or is entitled to $1,000 per month state pension?   

Unfortunately, I'm getting $575 a month in Social Security from the U.S. government. In January, it will be close to $600. $1,000 would certainly be nice, but it won't happen in my lifetime.

9 hours ago, Daffy D said:

Breed Pedigree puppies, cats, rabbits,

 

Get the whole family involved. 

 

Start with one female, have her mated sell the puppies and you are on your way.

 

Just a thought.

 

Very interesting and novel idea. There's lot's of restaurants, bars, and massage shops in Chiang Mai, but no pedigree breeding farms that I know of. I'll look into it. Thanks for submitting your post.