Baloo22

Some people simply and plainly are not in contact with reality in this shutdown scheme and its purposes and goals.

These tea party radicals respond to voices they hear while out hunting in the woods instead to the facts before them in Washington.

You forgot the third line in your comment. Here, this will cover it for you:

These blind and unquestioning worshipers of their infallible Messiah Obama.

How is the deficit spending out of control?

About ten minutes of searching gave me these two charts below. Of course, this will start a "Battle of the Charts". And yes, charts and statistics, like polls, can be adjusted and twisted to support just about any point of view. But even without these charts, for an individual, company, township, city, state, or nation to continuously spend more than it takes in, and continuously increase such deficit spending is not fiscally responsible. Do we want to turn into the "Greece" of the western hemisphere?

If individuals had credit cards that allowed unlimited deficit charging without any control, how many individuals would have the self-control/fiscal discipline to control their own spending? Hardly any. But with individuals, eventually the bank/credit union turns off the tap.

Why do we think our federal government, made up of individual people, somehow will have more self-control/fiscal discipline. Especially when they can use such deficit spending to please specific voting blocs and in effect, buy those votes. And these same people can also increase their own credit limit!

Both the charts above are from http://www.usgovernmentdebt.us

The chances of a "re-open" government are much greater when Obama and Reid are not acting like spoiled, petulant, children and get in there an negotiate their differences with the People's Representatives. And get control of the federal government's out-of-control debt spending!

We should remember how important it is to stop and reverse the ever increasing debt being charged up by the federal government. A sense of responsibility to our children and grandchildren and those that come after them; Those that will have to pay the massive and ever increasing debt. Without the pressure of a government shutdown or refusal to raise the debt-ceiling, the chances of getting Obama and the Democrats to reduce the out-of-control spending are nil.

NBC/WSJ poll: Shutdown debate damages GOP

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How are all these polls you repeatedly post and blather about going to help my grand-children pay off the massive and growing federal debt.

The debt caused by continuous out-of-control deficit spending. These polls and their blah-blah are not cutting-up the government's big credit-card!!

If this were an individual, a family, or even a private company, that continually overspends, charges on the credit card, and doesn't make payments; eventually the bank/credit union/company or whoever issued the credit card will put a stop to it. They'll freeze the credit limit (the "debt ceiling") !!

But we are talking about the federal government here. They have no such thing as self-control or fiscal discipline. And they can continually raise their own credit limit. A certain recipe for fiscal disaster! Adults do need to make the decision to cut up the credit card!

An individual, a family or a business is not a government. While the family is an institution of society, government is a literal institution of the nation state.

While a business is a profit making enterprise, the government is a service, In the democracy the United States is (yea, a republic) the government is determined by the majority will.

The shutdown radicals are an aberration of the system, given that planned and willful shutdowns of the government have been rare occasions. The most recent 1995-96 willful shutdown also was a disaster for its Republican initiators, just as the radical Republicans are the losers in this, their wildly conceived and executed shutdown now affecting all of us.

You like to have the world laughing at us? Shaking its collective head because of what you do?!

The banana Republicans.

And after all that, the fact remains that the federal government does not have the self-control or fiscal discipline to rein in their out-of-control deficit spending. And they can continually raise their own credit limit. A certain recipe for fiscal disaster.

The Republicans are not the losers in this Obama-Reid shutdown. It is the people of the United States. We do need Obama to start acting like an adult and negotiate with the People's Representatives and gain control of the federal government's out-of-control spending. The People's Representatives have been calling on Obama and Reid for negotiations since before the Obama-Reid shutdown began. It has been Obama and Reid that desired and engineered the shutdown.

We need Obama to spend more effort doing that and less effort coordinating his administration in selective "closures" designed to publically cause pain and inconvenience to the most people.

It's nice that you have suddenly taken such a concern for your grandchildren. Did you have any concerns for them while Bush was spending wildly on foreign wars? Probably not.

If you care for your grandchildren, like you say you do, you will be happy that they will have the opportunity to have Health care. I didn't. It takes more than owning a gun to feel secure when you don't have health insurance, by the way.

"But Mommy, Joey was doing it tooo "! That's your answer?

How about when Wilson, Roosevelt, and Johnson did it. We could go on for days on that. But it does not matter.

The credit card still needs to be cut up!

As far as health care; I ensured that my children had health care. My children, now adults, ensure that their children have health care.

And what do guns have to do with massive federal debt and out-of-control federal government deficit spending? There was no mention of a gun in my comment. Take one step closer to the computer screen.

Hey, if you don't like these places being shut down, they why don't you re-open the gov't?

The chances of a "re-open" government are much greater when Obama and Reid are not acting like spoiled, petulant, children and get in there an negotiate their differences with the People's Representatives. And get control of the federal government's out-of-control debt spending!

We should remember how important it is to stop and reverse the ever increasing debt being charged up by the federal government. A sense of responsibility to our children and grandchildren and those that come after them; Those that will have to pay the massive and ever increasing debt. Without the pressure of a government shutdown or refusal to raise the debt-ceiling, the chances of getting Obama and the Democrats to reduce the out-of-control spending are nil.

NBC/WSJ poll: Shutdown debate damages GOP

<snip>

How are all these polls you repeatedly post and blather about going to help my grand-children pay off the massive and growing federal debt.

The debt caused by continuous out-of-control deficit spending. These polls and their blah-blah are not cutting-up the government's big credit-card!!

If this were an individual, a family, or even a private company, that continually overspends, charges on the credit card, and doesn't make payments; eventually the bank/credit union/company or whoever issued the credit card will put a stop to it. They'll freeze the credit limit (the "debt ceiling") !!

But we are talking about the federal government here. They have no such thing as self-control or fiscal discipline. And they can continually raise their own credit limit. A certain recipe for fiscal disaster! Adults do need to make the decision to cut up the credit card!

I retired here in Thailand at 55. I'm divorced, my "kids" are all grown up with their own careers and family. In my case, I have a pension from military service. It's not really enough to live well in the US with the high cost of living there, but here in Thailand it's fine for me. I found myself with the decision of stay in the US and have to work, or retire in Thailand. I decided to retire in Thailand. So far, I'm liking it! Later, when I have access to my IRAs, and Social Security, I may move back to the US. Closer to the "kids" and grandchildren and such. We shall see!

As others here have mentioned; Money isn't the only thing for you to consider. For some people the adjustment from full work to full retirement can be hard to handle.

Myself, I enjoy having a nice quiet and slow life. I like to read a lot, watch some movies (now on my Nook!), long walks around town for my exercise and to learn what's where, learn some Thai language, and do some traveling around Thailand. You have got to adjust and get some activities that will suit you. Others have trouble adapting. Some end up with their "retirement" centered around bars and drinking and then drinking and bars, etc. IMO, not good for them or their livers!

Hey, if you don't like these places being shut down, they why don't you re-open the gov't?

The chances of a "re-open" government are much greater when Obama and Reid are not acting like spoiled, petulant, children and get in there an negotiate their differences with the People's Representatives. And get control of the federal government's out-of-control debt spending!

Could it get any more bizarre than this?

How much would it cost the US government to provide security to prevent people from going anywhere in that area?

Rangers arrest 21 for venturing into Grand Canyon post-shutdown

Park officials have been ordered to patrol the Grand Canyon 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a measure that’s obviously not cheap.

The Grand Canyon, arguably one of the most popular National Parks in the U.S., financially depends on October’s revenue, as it’s considered the peak season for tourism, typically hosting 18,000 visitors throughout the month.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/9/rangers-arrest-21-venturing-grand-canyon-post-shut/

Yes. It can get more bizarre! With Obama and his political appointees dictating the shutdown strategies, it certainly can get more bizarre.

So was it a fire drill?

Yes. According to the lady at the reception desk on the first floor of the mall, it was a practice/drill.

FYI.

There are road crews doing some road resurfacing on ManeeNopparat Road (the road on the north side of the Old City along the outside of the moat). When I walked by this morning they were at the Hualin Corner (NW corner) and it looked like they were going to be working their way east along ManeeNopparat.

So, for those that may be going/driving up in that area there may be some extra traffic congestion and extra-crazy motorbike lane changing!

Maybe a fire drill? They do it often here.

The fire drills are very realistic with smoke and phoney injured people. I was fooled the first time that I saw one.

Thanks Elektrified and UlyssesG. for the answers. It certainly did look realistic. They had "victims" with bloody bandages and all!

What are the chances that they will be saved in the next "pledging season" because a lot of rice is underwater and wrecked?

Will the flooding destroy enough rice so that their "pledge" will not cost them so much?

Am I missing the point? The OP has anxiety issues about driving in large cities. But than chooses Bangkok over Chiang Mai?

Perhaps in Bangkok he may not need to ride a motorbike or drive a car. Bangkok has a number of public transport options available; BTS elevated train system, the MRT underground train, the Airport Rail link, boat ferry/taxi on the Chao Phraya river, and boat taxi's on canals. In Bangkok he could also use the bus system and taxi, although they both suffer from being stuck in the traffic jams.

Inner-city public transport options in Chiang Mai are a little more limited. Song-Theows, tuk-tuks, and normal taxi.

Chiang Mai does have some bus stops though! Unfortunately, no buses to stop at them!

Sen Reid and Sen McCain, among other senators, spoke today on the Senate floor about this shameful failure of the government, i.e., its inability due to its being closed down, to provide the funds to each family of the 14 US military personnel killed in conflicts abroad since the government was shut down.

Each death "benefit" is $100,000 tax free. But the Congress has failed to provide any kind of budget funding to the US Government. So closed it remains.

Payment is impossible until the Congress adopts a budget of some kind.

Best way to deal with the problem of old cars is use a system similar to that in the Uk. First toughen up the test to get the road tax. Second any untaxed vehicle gets seized and if not reclaimed in 14 days it gets crushed( A suitable fee for storage and removal payed ) If recovered the said vehicle would have to be brought up to standard taxed ect before being presented at a chosen police station. The owner of any vehicle that is found to be on the road in after failing to report after seizure should face a heavy fine and automatic crushing of the vehicle. I reckon the owner not the driver should be penalized as most of the old beaters seem to be water and ice delivery trucks whom the drivers of would be out on their ear if they refused to drive . And please please make it a stiff fine not the usual 2000 baht half the trouble here is caused by rediculously low fines( that is for anyone that can afford a car in the first place)

First; I'm not saying that I agree with your proposed solution.

Second; You have forgotten one thing that would be necessary for any of your proposals to work. A police force that actually considers public safety and enforcement of laws to be their prime responsibility.

Do you think any police sergeant here is going to seize a vehicle that might belong to a person who may have influence/connections with that police sergeant's superiors? Also, all the steps that you propose would, most likely, end up as simply additional opportunities for the police to collect "additional income".

You brought it up and it's relevant. What is the House concerned about? Burgeoning debt.

So what would happen to you if you spent much more each year than you take in, year after year, and put the difference on your credit cards? How long could you keep that up, especially if you were spending 50% more each year than your income and instead of having savings you had rapidly increasing debt?

Now explain to me how long the Federal Government can keep that up.

Then explain to me why it isn't reasonable for those who are ultimately responsible for spending shouldn't at some point balk and want some spending limits.

Then explain to me why Obama and Reid refuse to negotiate at all, and insist on keeping things as they are, blowing through a 17 trillion dollar debt as is it wasn't even there.

Obama has increased the US debt more than any president in history, refuses to consider any spending reductions or negotiations, and appears to me to actually want a financial crisis from which the government could gain more control.

Obama is acting like a &lt;deleted&gt; dictator.

Right on the mark!

The out-of-control spending of the Democrats needs to stop and they do not have the will to do it themselves. They do not have the fortitude to tell their many special interest groups that they cannot have their usual handouts and "free-lunches" anymore.

It is Obama and Reid that refuse to negotiate and insist on continuing the shutdown going on. Instead of acting like a US President, Obama is acting more like a vain and petulant child. The People's Representatives did not meekly submit to his out-of-control spending and Obama is in temper-tantrum mode.

Obama, determined to make the citizens "feel the pain" of the shutdown, mimics a spoiled child that hasn't gotten his way. He orders that WW2 veterans be denied access to their memorial. He has the Park Service deliberately block off existing parking spaces on an existing open road. Truly pathetic!

As far as your driving ability, you are most likely far ahead of the average Thai driver here. The vast majority drive with the driving skill and driving judgement of 14-year olds. As far as a motorbike, you should break your leg or file off some skin right now and get a head-start. I do wish I could get a 100baht for every farang I see here limping around with a bunch of white gauze on their legs and arms. At least with a car you have some steel around you.

Many farangs here do not own a car or motorbike. I'm one of them. I'm near the center of town and walk to most of the places I need to go. Those times that I need to go to more distant places in the city I can take a seong-theow or tuk-tuk. That's still far less expensive than car with insurance, gas, maintenance, and risk. Even if when I need to get to the Airport or the Arcade Bus Station, it's less than three US$. I have found it much less expensive and much less stressful to not have a car with all the expenses involved.

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