impulse

If the Supreme Court doesn't overturn these decisions, we'll see a rash of Republican election officials blocking Biden from running, for what's happening at the southern border. They'll be just as wrong, of course. But they'll be left with little choice.

As much as I loved working in Thailand, and it's on my list of retirement possibilities, I do not recommend it to friends and family in the USA for holiday travel. Mostly because of the 60 hour round trip and accompanying jet lag that eats up so much of a typical 2 week "holiday". Most Americans I know are reluctant to take longer holidays because US companies tend to frown on being gone longer. And if they can do without you for 3 or 4 weeks, they start wondering if they really need the overhead... As a retirement destination, heck yes. For work (if you can get assigned to Thailand), absolutely. As a destination for healthcare if you're not insured, yup. Short trips of 2 weeks or so, not so much. You'll spend half that time on the plane and sleeping off the jetlag. But that's not a negative toward Thailand. Just a time and distance thing.

If allowed to cross time and language boundaries, I'd love to have Jesus, Muhammed, and the Buddha all around the same table. Maybe also Joseph Smith and Martin Luther, if it's a big table (but they're lower on the priority). Mostly, because I believe the first 3 are the most misinterpreted figures in all of history. But I'm open to the possibility I'm wrong...

Does it trigger a warning to let you know when to take a reading?

Just skimming the instructions for a couple of them, they seem to monitor heart rate and trigger a warning when they detect an event that you'd want to look at more closely. Seems like a reasonable compromise between a longer battery life and having the ability to quickly capture a waveform when appropriate. If you want 100% timewise coverage, (and more accurate waveforms) you want a Holter Monitor. But they're pretty intrusive.

We have the same issues in Texas when it comes to California transplants. Which are more and more numerous. They're accustomed to zebra crossings conveying right of way. In Texas, all the zebra stripes do is tell you where it's legal to cross without a jaywalking ticket. Traffic lights and common sense convey right of way. Though I hear they're trying to pass laws Californicating Texas.

To the OP, please post back if you find one that you like. I love my Garmin watch, but it's of a generation that doesn't record PulseOx or ECG like the newer, zoomier ones. I have my eyes on the Samsungs because I happen to have a new Galaxy phone. But I'm open to other brands. On an Amazon holiday sale, I bought one of these (FDA approved), but I won't see it until I go home to the USA which may not be any time soon. I couldn't get it shipped overseas on the Black Friday sale price. Not a watch, but pretty neat... If it works, fingers crossed. I asked my brother (heart transplant) to open it and try it out for me. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RQW6SD5

That conflicts with what I was told about the BOI operated One Stop, but I've been wrong before. Referring to their website, I found this: 1. One Stop Service for Visa and Work Permit Particular services only for foreigners carrying out duties relating to the specific law : Immigration Act , Petroleum Act / Board of Investment Act / Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Act. Please prepare the form TM.8 (see link) https://www.immigration.go.th/download/ and all required documents. Address:18th Floor, Chamchuri Square Building, Phayathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, For location : http://osos.boi.go.th/EN/contact/ 2. Immigration Division 1 For Non-BOI promoted company/General case Please prepare the form TM.8 (see link) https://www.immigration.go.th/download/ and all required documents. Address:Chalermprakiat Government Complex 120 MOO 3, CHAENGWATTANA ROAD,SOI 7, LAKSI, BANGKOK. 10210 For more details of the Immigration Division 1 and map, please access to the link: https://division1.immigration.go.th/content/contact I'm curious whether anyone who's not in a BOI promoted company has successfully used the One Stop instead of CW for a WP, visa, etc? https://osos.boi.go.th/EN/faq-main/

I'd be curious to know what percentage of genuine tourists spend more than 30 days or 60 days. I suspect it's a pretty small percentage, and 90 days would have a minimal impact compared to the current 30 days visa exempt. But I've been surprised before...

I think distance plays a huge role. From the UK, a non-stop flight is pretty easy at <6,000 miles. From the US, >8,000 miles makes a stopover pretty mandatory. With most younger travelers (and families) taking precious vacation days to travel, it's not hard to imagine they'd look for a closer warm place. Not to mention, it's quite possible to find a warm place to vacation without leaving the US at all. Not so easy from the UK. I love Thailand and thoroughly enjoyed working there. But when asked by family and friends in the USA whether I recommend it as a destination, I generally tell them it's not worth the time, distance and the cost for a 2 week holiday. (Which is all I ever took in the USA, where employers were prone to figuring they didn't need you at all if they could do without you for over 2 weeks at a time- another factor)

Given that 10x as many journalists identify today as Dems than Repubs, it's tough to find fair and balanced reporting. Compare that to the first iteration of this occasional study from 50 years ago, when journalists better reflected the general public. Sadly, the media has gone from the 4th estate, keeping politicians honest, to a propaganda arm of one party. I get news from Fox, from Newsmax, from RT and from AlJazeera. Along with CNN and others (still can't stomach MSNBC). Because they generally get the facts right, even if their interpretation is skewed. And that's the start of a deeper search for other sources. For those of us who sense that the "news" we're getting is more and more slanted, this study 'splains a lot. For those who don't get that sense, I have to wonder why... https://www.theamericanjournalist.org/_files/ugd/46a507_4fe1c4d6ec6d4c229895282965258a7a.pdf

Choose wisely... Some of them are "Flexi" models and do pivot. Even the cheap blue disposables. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/gillette-i4982424122.html https://www.lazada.co.th/products/gillette-blue3-flexi-21-i4877935877.html https://www.lazada.co.th/products/gillette-blue-ii-flexi-razor-pack-42-3-42-li6107pf-i4824067603.html

Try living on 300 baht a day and see how much you can save.

As I recall, the One Stop can only be used by employees of companies registered with the BOI (Board of Investments). That requires a lot of hoops and a sizeable outlay in terms of minimum investment. That's where I did mine, as well.

Gotta admit I was spoiled in Thailand. Working for an international oil company with offshore platforms, we had absolutely cracker jack Thai electricians and many other Thai contractors. So I know they're available (especially with the oil and gas business shrinking in Thailand). I do understand finding them may be a challenge. But what are your and your loved ones lives worth?

No disrespect intended, but any advice here other than "hire someone who knows what they're doing" isn't in anyone's best interest.

Not that I would blame any of the neighbors (especially the one he tried to shoot but the gun jammed), I certainly hope they'll be checking to see if the bullet the guy took in the chest matches his gun.

Beijing records longest cold wave in modern history https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/24/asia/beijing-cold-weather-china-intl/index.html Nuff said...

I don't know that I'd want word to get around that I keep a bucket full of bank notes in my home. What could possibly go wrong?

No, but in 65+ years of living on the planet, I've dealt with hundreds of branches of chain stores and franchises, often with very different results from one location to another. Sometimes different even with the same branch depending on who's working that day and how they're feeling. I believe that mentioning the specific location would have been useful information. Seems the OP did, too- given that he did come back and mentioned the specific branch. Which I appreciate.

Good catch. The stamp was blue, not red. For some reason, I was thinking about a Scarlet Letter. I think this is it... It's the only random stamp in my old passport mentioning 2000 and 90. I assume it's the 2000 baht fine I paid for a late 90 day report, though I don't read Thai.

Good luck getting prescriptions filled at a US pharmacy. I like the concept, but I suspect the devil will be in the delivery...

About 10 years ago, I renewed my WP and permission to stay at the One Stop in BKK. Thinking all was good, I didn't do a concurrent 90 day report (and my company's visa fairies didn't tell me to). I ended up paying a 2000 baht fine along with a red stamp in my passport. I don't know if the rules have changed, but I'd suggest erring on the side of caution. Edit: BTW, I never did a 90 day report myself (other than that one) The company visa fairies collected my passport every 3 months and took care of it. That time, I had to be there in person.

Next week's thread title: Family flies to Thailand to bail out foreigner sitting in Thai hospital looking at multi million baht bill because he had no license and consequently, no insurance. It's easy to find a rental bike, with or without a license. But they don't disclose the small print. And it'll probably be somewhere on page 42 of your travel policy. No coverage.

I find it hard to believe that any wide index of stock values has grown faster than the monthly cost of financing a house, given the price inflation and interest rate increases.