impulse

I should have included sarcasm ⚠️ alert ? And I should have qualified that I don't hate health insurance companies. Just American ones. The Euro company that covered my bypass in Bangkok 10 years ago was a treat compared to my experiences in the US health insurance market. Most expensive hospital in Thailand and they picked up 100%. (Of course, it was still 1/10 of what my brother was charged last year in a US hospital). I never asked him what his insurance picked up. Next time I see him...

I would have grudgingly accepted a pardon for Hunter on Day 1 of the Biden administration. But only for the national security of knowing that Joe's not compromised in negotiations with adversarial world leaders who have evidence in their back pocket to put his kid away for a long time. And not as a parting gift when it's no longer in the interest of national security. Especially after he lied so many times before the election, making it absolutely clear he wouldn't be pardoning him.

He's actually been a pleasant surprise. Once he recovered sufficiently from his stroke, he seems to be a reasonable liberal. I know... Sounds like an oxymoron, but lots of us used to be reasonable liberals, until they started cancelling us for being reasonable.

Dang man... I'm going to apologize in advance for pulling out the same picture twice in one day. Looks like the early minutes of a good sci-fi horror movie. Here's how it progresses: Please post back if you do figure it out.

If nobody pushed back last time, we'd all be whipping out our updated vaccine passports for every flight we get on and every restaurant we intend to eat at. And still wearing masks and social distancing. Best to get ahead of the draconian measures, letting them know they screwed up so bad last time and we won't be fooled again.

Just because his opinion agrees with yours doesn't mean he's telling it how it is. He's telling it how he sees it. More accurately, how it best optimizes his numbers, given a lefty audience and lefty advertisers. Like Rachel and Myka and Joy and... and...

I bought mine at the Nguan Soon spice shop in BKK Chinatown, but I've seen them at Chatuchuk and MBK touristy shops. I've never looked online, because I like perusing their shop. https://www.nguansoon.com/ Shameless plug... If you're ever in Bangkok Chinatown, their shop is a treasure. In the small alley on the north side just outside the Wat Mangkon MRT stop.

Again. None of my business. I left the nanny state behind. I'm thankful that I never have to choose between buying a helmet or eating this week. Not all Thai families have that luxury.

Who are we to judge, much less dictate how a guy making 300 baht a day should spend his money?

No, I am not American, but I enjoy his show, tells it as it is.....😝 Jimmy Kimmel hasn't been entertaining since Girls on Trampolines. That's when he peaked, and it's been downhill ever since. He's good for a few jokes a month. But not for every night.

Haven't there been lucky license plates auctioned for more than that?

Oh. That kind of black hole.

Salt & Pepper

You mean the cabinet members who are scared poopless that he'll actually stop the revolving door between gub'ment and MIC, Big Ag, Big Pharma and Big Tech lobbying groups. So they can't make their zillions by jumping back and forth between gub'ment and (for example) Pfizer? I can understand why they'd hate and fear the Bad Orange Man. Follow the money.

I may shake my head in sympathy and disbelief, but the reality is that it's none of my business. Unless they do something that puts my life at risk. I'm not one of those who would leave the nanny state, and impose the nanny culture on them.

Not true. I hated health insurance companies long before I ever heard of Bernie.

Good catch. There's an "unapproved source" that indicates their initial denial rate was 32%. Which isn't as many pissed off customers as 90%, but more than the 17% for Blue Cross. And if 90% of those are overturned eventually, that's a lot of suspects with an axe to grind. The guy left so many breadcrumbs (again, from an "unapproved source") that they'll probably catch him soon. Looks like the power of the poon may be his ultimate undoing, but I'll leave it to you to chase that tidbit down with Google. Assuming, of course, that they're after the right guy.

That's how it starts...

I suspect they're more concerned with the youthful Trump voters.

Or is Germany and the EU? If I had to bet, it wouldn't be on Putin. But this is how it's gonna start. They'll make it look like an accident. A misunderstanding.

Just more liberal tears, masquerading as concerns about future stuff that didn't happen in his first term. Mommy, Mommy, what happens if there's a monster in my closet...

My gripe is that even if there are prosecutions, the people who made the illegal and deadly decisions will be protected and the corporation will be prosecuted. As if they can send a corporation to prison for killing people. That was demonstrated clearly in the Boeing prosecution, where the people who decided to hide MCAS from the regulators and the customers are still walking free, in spite of hundreds of deaths directly attributable. Boeing shareholders are the ones who lost. And they weren't at all to blame. Just people who had Boeing shares, with no knowledge and precious little input. And the Boeing CEO was allowed to retire and none of his bonus or any pay was apparently clawed back. Like you, I certainly wouldn't kill someone. But I can't blame the people who do, when all legal remedies prove fruitless.

Gotta love the way they sanitize it. Depletion. What they really mean is "mostly dead and out of ammo".

Personally, I'm pleased that Thailand operates for the benefit of the Thai people. Dual pricing makes absolute sense if you understand burden absorption and incremental revenue. Otherwise the parks couldn't be maintained to a high standard. Only one time in Thailand, I didn't go into a national park (around Hua Hin) because of the entry fee. But it's only because I was just driving past and only planned to spend a few minutes checking it out. Every time I intended to stay more than an hour or so, I sucked it up and spent the $8 or $15. or whatever. Reminded me of living in Wyoming, where state parks had dual pricing, depending on whether your car had Wyoming plates. That was before blogs and I'm sure tourists are incensed nowadays if they still do it...

Sure would be handy to know if he brought his own gear, or rented it. And with or without local supervision... Hopefully, we'll get updates as more information unfolds. RIP to the guy, and condolences to the family.