55Jay

I like graphs:

Seems to be moving in a Northeasterly direction.

The 1 room school that I attended, ( 8) grades had a horse shed as there were 6 or 7 who normally rode a horse to school. Hay was provided by parents on a regular timing and we gave a little hay and watered at our lunch time. A couple ponies, the rest were quarter horses and not a single one shod. We kept the hooves trimed and in shape and brushed the animals every day of use. It was quickly established who had the fastest, whose responded to call etc. Everyone used saddle as you used your horse , working cattle and roping.

Hope the boy gets what he wants if animal / horse care is what he wants and enjoys.

Whereabouts did you grow up?

Little house on the prairie.

The plains of the US where the buffalo roamed and it became cattle country,with farmland along the rivers for irrigation. Many of the horses have been replaced by atv vehicles, but still a lot of cowboys on horseback in the labor force. To answer the next question, my experience was back in the early 50's

Nice, thanks for responding. You're right, I was going to ask what time frame.

It has nothing to do with convenience! All part of the NWO plan to control the masses and track their movements. That parasite of an organisation, the un, want you to be a slave to the elites with few choices and plenty of obligations.

bwahahahahahahahahaha.

I had best be chopping up me cards then and donning a tin foil hat. Maybe stock me underground bunker with tins of spam and baked beans.

He better unplug from the internet and destroy that mobile/cell phone too.

I imagine the NWO looking at my cellphone track would be bored to tears. "Where's he at now?" "Home, the bleeping blip hasn't moved in a week".

"Wait! He's on the move, zoom in, where's he at now?

"Makro".

If you don't think Japan is calling the shots then you must have little experience in international business. Stick to your little store or whatever it is. Your comments are ethnocentric and bleed of ignorance.

Hang on. I can sympathise with all this. Diners Club were the worst. Massive Merchant Fees whilst giving away all sorts of crap to their card holders. A massive touch up. Many business owners kicked Diners Club into touch many years ago.

had a large mob wanting to book out our entire restaurant for a Sunday Lunch once. We didn't do entire restaurant group bookings and we used to only open in the evenings. But we did this 'job' against our better judgement. I never did it again. Whilst it was a big group they were all separate, sitting at separate tables. Each table paid their own Tab and left the money in th small thai brass trays provided, it was a 'Set Menu' with a set price per head, everyone paid cash, so it was pretty easy. Before I could do anything, one bloke in the group, not the organiser, nor anyone specially designated etc., got up and scooped up all the cash from every table and pocketed it, then flicked me his Diner's Club Card.

Jesus was I wild, I was about to miss out on any loose change, as staff tips, and cop a 5% Merchant Charge on top!

Strictly, it wasn't his money to touch. But hey, I am just the mug proprietor who is supposed to believe that bullsh_t theory, the customer is always right.

I wanted to tap him right on the chin. But I couldn't. I had to smile and wear it.

I have more.

Wasn't it your decision to accept Diner's Club to begin with though?

The 1 room school that I attended, ( 8) grades had a horse shed as there were 6 or 7 who normally rode a horse to school. Hay was provided by parents on a regular timing and we gave a little hay and watered at our lunch time. A couple ponies, the rest were quarter horses and not a single one shod. We kept the hooves trimed and in shape and brushed the animals every day of use. It was quickly established who had the fastest, whose responded to call etc. Everyone used saddle as you used your horse , working cattle and roping.

Hope the boy gets what he wants if animal / horse care is what he wants and enjoys.

Whereabouts did you grow up?

People who despise Fox News here sure seem to know a lot about it and its various talking heads.

Could do without heavy winds, but will take the rain, yes please.

This guy is a blubbering, emotional disaster manifesting outwardly with those uncontrollable facial ticks and spasms.

Not to worry, Captain Kirk will soon be on the scene to battle the evil Chinglongs ??

How cool is that destroyer by the way...I bet the Russians and Chinese wish they had something remotely similar!

Man, the Trekkies gunna love that!

Reminds me of the USS Merrimack. I haven't warmed to the appearance of this new one yet, while realizing, of course, it is very high tech and functional - but farkin' ugly IMO! I'm still moved by the battleships and remember as a pimple faced tadpole, gazing at the USS Missouri sailing alongside us in the Indian Ocean during the late 80's. A sight to behold and, in later years, was told by US Marine NGFS types, terrifying to be on the receiving end of her salvos. Endeth nostalgic segway......

The US had a thing for "Cabbage Patch" dolls for a while in the 90's, but it was mostly a kid thing. This fad will fade away, as they all do, replaced with the next thing somebody pimps out to separate people from their money.

Hey, don't forget the Pet Rocks back in the '70s.

When it comes to sheer idiocy, Thailand will always have to play second fiddle to the USA.

LOL, yes, did forget about that. As to the sentiment re: US, meh, whatever gets your rocks off, have at it.

The US had a thing for "Cabbage Patch" dolls for a while in the 90's, but it was mostly a kid thing. This fad will fade away, as they all do, replaced with the next thing somebody pimps out to separate people from their money.

The primary issue of Right or Wrong seems fairly clear by now.

However reading the spider web of details, analysis and opinion is fascinating, and thought provoking. IMO, in its class, one of the best threads running on TVF at the moment and deserves some latitude.

The cost of this visa is about the same as a single business class flight to Europe once a year. Of course there would be additional 90 days travel required without the PE visa.

When I heard about this easy access scheme I cancelled my travel plans back to the UK for another yearly triple entry visa and signed up immediately and I haven't stepped foot on a plane since.

Now they've cancelled the triple entry visa all around the world I see that my previous plan would not have continued to work but as I have the PE visa this is irrelevant.

Sorry, I have to ask - you pay about 500,000 Baht for 1 return business class ticket to Europe?

Apologize in advance if I've misinterpreted your meaning.

One flight a year for five years at around 100,000 Baht per trip = 500,000 Baht.

I'm obviously taking a longer term view on this.

I knew I was missing something. Thanks. Cheers.

The cost of this visa is about the same as a single business class flight to Europe once a year. Of course there would be additional 90 days travel required without the PE visa.

When I heard about this easy access scheme I cancelled my travel plans back to the UK for another yearly triple entry visa and signed up immediately and I haven't stepped foot on a plane since.

Now they've cancelled the triple entry visa all around the world I see that my previous plan would not have continued to work but as I have the PE visa this is irrelevant.

Sorry, I have to ask - you pay about 500,000 Baht for 1 return business class ticket to Europe?

Apologize in advance if I've misinterpreted your meaning.

I've never done it intentionally. Found an article saying Kayak has the ability to book separate classes as long as the airline allows it - apparently not all do.

Link to article> http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/34243/pricing-and-booking-mixed-class-fares-with-economy-premium-economy-combined

I used to carry in 100 dollar bills for my vacations here and change for Baht. One trip, maybe 6 or so years ago, I had 2 of the old style bills mixed in with new ones, and a small money changer I used that time in BKK, didn't accept them. It never occurred to me it would be a problem, but I made a point to check the 100s before leaving on subsequent trips to Thailand.

I don't mean to be argumentative, but what is the reason for carrying actual currency with you when you travel internationally these days? Assuming one has a major currency bank deposit somewhere with ATM card access, why take the risk of theft or currency refusal when you could just withdraw local currency at your travel destination with an ATM card?

The ATM charges and currency exchange loss using the ATM card I've found to be no more than actually exchanging notes (if you take decent chunks of money out at a time...at least US$ 300-500).

At the time, was just waking up to my credit union's fees, and was carrying in USD cash to avoid them, get a slightly better exchange rate, then deposit the Baht in the wife's local acct for use during our vacation. At first it was "fun" heading to the SuperRich (or whatever) in BKK after landing but yes, you're right, the logistics and potential risks, caused me to make other arrangements.

Before moving here full-time, got myself set up with Schwab/Capital One cards with no foreign transaction fees, Thai ATM fee reimbursements, ACH transfers via BB NY, etc....

Thanks for those tips!

I will probably have to call my bank to see about doing something similar to what you did with transferring to a local bank.

My bank is from Canada, so I don't think Charles Schwab is an option for me, unfortunately, but it is good information to know that this kind of thing exists.

To your questions, yes, the limit is generally 30,000 from what I have seen, even on the ATM screens. They just say "over limit" when you try that, though, until you bring it down to 10,000.

It did occur to me that you or, at least your bank, was Canadian because you used the term "North America", eh?

Before I migrated to Schwab, my first No Foreign Transaction Fee (FTF) account/card for use here in Thailand, was with Capital One Bank, which operates in Canada and UK. I didn't have any problems with them and still maintain the accounts and card as a back up.

The Capital One credit card (QuickSilver) is my primary card here. It has the No FTF feature and an unlimited 1.5% cash back program.

Yup, the Chinese are moving as fast as they can before the tribunal they don't recognize, comes out and states the bleedin' obvious.

Oh, and typhoon season is right around the corner too.

Use an ATM with a higher w/d limit. Krungsi and I believe TMB ATMs do 30,000 Baht per transaction. If I got that wrong, somebody will be along to correct me.

Or you can do an over-the-counter w/d inside the bank using your passport and ATM/Debit card - although not all branches agree to do this type of transaction.

In the past 2 months, I've done on-line ACH transfers from my US bank into my local Bangkok Bank account via the New York Bangkok Bank Branch. If you have a Bangkok Bank account, it's useful to set up the link between accounts so it's always there ready to go, even if you decide not to use it all the time.

Edit: If ATM will be your continued, primary method of accessing cash, you need to organize yourself with a bank and related cards (and credit cards) that do not charge a foreign currency transaction fee and ideally, reimburse you the Thai ATM fees. A well known one is Charles Schwab Bank in Reno, Nevada.

China is pushing their agenda, looking for the resistance point. Then push a bit more to test the resolve of that resistance.

Attempts to paint them as the victim, is a feat of mental gymnastics.

The claims that the US will unleash a torrent of missiles if fired upon once, is deluded fantasy and probably wishful thinking by those predisposed to anti-US hysterics.

The ROE for US ship drivers is, and will continue to be, be very specific. If the US is directly involved in some future flash point, it will be localized and brief. That is, as brief as the Chinese wish to make it.

On that note, continue to agree with Publicus' opinion that, in the face of determined resolve, China will back down, because they are wrong, and they know it.

China is 100% pushing this. It would have never gotten to the UN Tribunal if what they were doing was all on the up and up.

The US is ensuring freedom of navigation. It's their prerogative to do so. China does this in US territorial waters. Unimpeded.

I'm not sure they will back down. Huge loss of face, which has already happened when the UN Tribunal accepted the case. And they've said they don't recognize the Tribunal. It will probably end up in back room deals, or out right trade embargoes. Could get nasty.

All about money...

Indeed, it could get nasty the longer this drags on, which is probably why PACFLT is doing back flips in front of the big flag pole, barking like Lassie warning of impending danger.

Even with the hawkish war tones coming out of Xi on defending China's sovereignty, real or imagined, following the last US freedom of nav transit, the Chinese Defense Minister said:

BEIJING – Top generals from China and the U.S. say they're ready to work out an effective mechanism to prevent confrontation and maintain stability in the South China Sea.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/05/13/china-us-generals-to-work-out-mechanism-for-south-china-sea.html

So, China will find a way to side-step, deescalate, save face, whatever.....

IMO, the US shouldn't do this. "Working out mechanisms" would elevate China as some kind of legitimate authority out there, which they aren't.

The US should reject China's offer to work anything out on the same grounds China rejects The Tribunal's authority.

The US might also suggest that the best way for China to avoid confrontation is for China to cease being confrontational in the first place.

China is pushing their agenda, looking for the resistance point. Then push a bit more to test the resolve of that resistance.

Attempts to paint them as the victim, is a feat of mental gymnastics.

The claims that the US will unleash a torrent of missiles if fired upon once, is deluded fantasy and probably wishful thinking by those predisposed to anti-US hysterics.

The ROE for US ship drivers is, and will continue to be, be very specific. If the US is directly involved in some future flash point, it will be localized and brief. That is, as brief as the Chinese wish to make it.

On that note, continue to agree with Publicus' opinion that, in the face of determined resolve, China will back down, because they are wrong, and they know it.

Many of us observers have plainly seen how Trump is such an immature low-class name-caller. Here's a very good parody of that......

Now I get your position.

Hillary Clinton's well-heeled backers have opened a new frontier in digital campaigning, one that seems to have been inspired by some of the Internet's worst instincts. Correct the Record, a super PAC coordinating with Clinton's campaign, is spending some $1 million to find and confront social media users who post unflattering messages about the Democratic front-runner.

Reported in the LA Times.

Clicked on the blue link in your post but didn't find the story.

Did find this though....

Secret Service to investigate Donald Trump's former butler

Donald Trump's former butler has drawn the attention of the Secret Service for online threats he has made against President Obama.

In one message from September 2015, Senecal said the military should hang Obama for treason and other "high crimes."

In another that month, he described Obama, a Christian, by using a slur for a member of the Muslim faith. In that post, he wrote that he does not speak for Trump: "This is my opinion, only!!!!"

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/2426/article/p2p-87179871/

This seems to be wherever Trump goes or has gone.

If you look around the internet a little bit more, you can find years worth of loose talk. Mother Jones is all over this for obvious reasons. I've seen this goof ball on Youtube interviews. The SS' subdued response is appropriate given the sea of this stuff they deal with on a daily basis, much of it far more inflammatory that what this guy has said. Next.

Sorry guys, I am so overjoyed by the newly confirmed right - I felt the itch to try it out:

GOOD MORNING TO ALL TV MEMBERS!

"Red" flowers! You are living dangerously.

I used to carry in 100 dollar bills for my vacations here and change for Baht. One trip, maybe 6 or so years ago, I had 2 of the old style bills mixed in with new ones, and a small money changer I used that time in BKK, didn't accept them. It never occurred to me it would be a problem, but I made a point to check the 100s before leaving on subsequent trips to Thailand.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=new_post&f=2