simon43

As a professional RF (radio frequency) engineer, I would appreciate if you could substantiate the utter <deleted> that you've written above..... such as 'loads of electromagnetic radiation', 'it will dramatically affect one's health', A quick Google for the actual power density.... The RF power density of a typical Wi-Fi router is usually very low, ranging from around 0.001 to 3.302 W/m², with an average measurement often falling between 0.390 W/m². This means that the radiation emitted from a router is considered very weak, and the power density significantly decreases with distance from the router

Can anyone suggest a reliable (even paid) service that allows me to easily download YouTube videos and audio files? I do use YouTube Premium, but the download function is somewhat 'walled garden'. I want to download science videos to my USB stick, for then playing back in my science lessons (the school's internet service is mostly blocked - I'm in Myanmar!). This isn't a VPN issue. The results from Google Search for 'download YouTube MP4' lists a large number of scam and phishing websites - I'm yet to find a truly decent service amongst them....

Friday is a part-time teaching day for me, and I planned to pop home after the morning lessons. However the young, pretty female teachers (they all seem to be like that in Myanmar!) had other ideas. "Teacher Simon, we want to make a movie with you" they chorused! Well, that sounds more fun,and I was ready to strip off my kit and lube up the rusty banana when they explained "The school is making a promo video for our winter sports festival, and the other foreign teachers have nominated you to be the presenter of this promo video". My first thought was that the appearance of the oldest teacher in the whole school to promote a sports video was not a good idea. However, after briefly considering the apparent health (or lack of it) of my fellow foreign teachers, I decided that I was maybe the better candidate. So myself and 3 lovely young Burmese teachers squeezed onto 2 motor bikes and rode the short distance to the Mandalar Thiri sports stadium to make our movie. 30 or so grade 2 students arrived shortly by bus and they busied themselves in running around the sports hall and generally acting like errant cats, whilst the gym teachers tried to herd them. I was given a sheet of paper with the various phrases and sentences to read out. We didn't have any professional recording equipment, so one teacher videoed me with her mobile phone and I spoke my lines into my own phone voice recorder, to ensure an adequate sound level. Videos and audio clips will be spliced together by the highly-skilled post-production facility (that means the computer teacher...). Well, I have to say that the Burmese teachers were suitably 'wowed' by my professional presentation. Little did they know that they were face-to-face with none other than 'Barry Lancaster', a famous radio DJ from Radio Delmare, from the days of the offshore pirate radio stations in the 1970's! (Actually I spent most of my stint on that ship being seasick, but I need to keep the illusion going). We completed the promo video by the kids all jumping in the air to a raucous scream. So, the winter sports event will be on the last day of this month. That gives me plenty of time to 'plot' my revenge on my fellow foreign teachers! Addendum: For anyone interested in my 'radio' career, here are links to information about Radio Delmare: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Delmare https://www.dxarchive.com/offshore_radio_delmare_english_service.html

Getting 'into it' sounds like some sort of sexual encounter with that taxi driver. Bob, were you making passes at straight guys again?

Jeez, seems like some of you have just discovered ChatGPT create-images function.... You might have noticed that ChatGPT create-images is incapable of spelling words correctly, even when you correct it time and time again. some bug I think.

Wow, so many cynical people. Enjoy your sad lives....

I studied for an MA in Thai Culture at Chula. Very easy to get into - just show them the money....

One of the (minor) burdens that I have to bear for more than 25 years are somewhat 'weak' lungs. This is the sole reason why I emigrated from the UK 23 years ago to live in more humid and sunnier climes. This certainly helped, but my lungs are also very 'fussy' and prefer the salty coastal air of southern Thailand. When I venture too far north, I am plagued with coughs and bronchitis, and enough phlegm to fill a large swimming pool! Of course, I knew all this when I returned to Myanmar. So I came with various medications and a high quality face mask to try to keep my lungs healthy. I was realistic to know that I would suffer again in the north Myanmar climate. So it has been for the past few weeks, and yesterday I was laid low and racked with coughing. I'm feeling better today, but still with bronchitis and a hacking cough, which is not recommended when you have to teach all day. 🙂 Anyway, I know from experience that these problems will subside (until the next flare-up). A forum member recommended N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, which definitely improved my ability to cough up 'gunk' Unfortunately, I bought the last bottle of this wonderful medication in Mandalay, so have ordered some more from AliExpress. Tomorrow afternoon I will visit a rather 'destitute' orphanage in the slum area by a local river. I last went to that locality 8 years ago and watched the local funeral director washing the dead bodies in said river before encasing them in their coffins.....

He was just faking:)

Does Bumrungrad cost the same as the NHS?

"Rabbit Slaughter" Who dreams up the names of these operations?!

Another sunny Monday and back to the girls' orphanage to hand over some more books, medicine and to install some English games and video software that I wrote onto their computer. I was quite early and caught the young students as they were leaving to attend the local government school. Next on my to-do list was to buy some satellite TV coaxial cable. I needed a reel of this to install my weather satellite antenna above the science lab at the school where I teach. The previously Monday I had searched high and low for a shop which sold coaxial cable, but only found electrical 3-core. But today I was able to track down a 100 metre reel of the cable. So that's off my shopping list. Next up was PB board. This is the corrugated plastic sheets that can be used to attach wall posters on. Well, I again searched high and low in the stationary shops, but had no luck at all in my quest. Finally, back to the book shop to buy some bilingual (English-Burmese) classic story books, such as Charles Dickens etc. I'll drop these books in to the orphanage on my next day off 🙂

124 people in one hotel room??! You're lucky if you could swing a very small cat in the hotel room where I currently reside... 🙂

The problem with AI posts is that they use words and grammatical constructions that are way higher than most posters' intellect and education. Such posts stand out a mile..... Hint: Next time, ask ChatGPT to construct a post that a typical 12 year old would write 🙂 It will fit in much better!

[quote] No work anymore, no annoying children anymore, time for hobbies. [/quote] I'm closer to 70 than 60, just started a new job, teaching science to 'annoying children' 🙂 I really can't imagine retiring.

No new photos yet - tomorrow Monday is my day off from teaching, and I will return to the orphanage to hand over some books and medicines, and hopefully take some more photos of street life. One positive event today, (which is no doubt temporary), is that the 'load-like-a-snail' block on Facebook has been switched off. Previously since my arrival in the country some weeks ago, Facebook could be accessed without the need to use a VPN, but each webpage would take about 1 minute to load. Suddenly, that issue has been resolved, with fast access again possible. WhatApp still needs use of a VPN....

Well this is good news. [sarcasm] All the Syrian illegal (and legal) immigrants in the UK will now be able to return home to rebuild their country. [/sarcasm]...

So sorry! I failed to demand sight of the rental contract...... I suspect that the Thai family didn't consider unruly guests - every time that I've rented in Koh Phangan, I've never been given a contract - all done on trust and assumption that the renter is not a <deleted> and will behave in a reasonable manner.....

My issue is the Russians in Thailand is that they have driven up rental rates. I was on Koh Phangan about 9 months ago, hoping to rent a property that I previously lived in. Not a chance! Rented out to a Russian at 3 times my old rent rate! I stayed a week looking to rent a property for a modest rent. Nope - all rented to Russians and the countryside being built over with Russian-owned projects. I chatted with a Thai family who had several studio rental properties on their land. They told me that they were very happy when a Russian came and rented all their properties for 2 years at a discounted rate. Then that happiness turned sour when the guy sublet those properties at high rates to drunken, loud Russian families.... I didn't stay on that island. Ruined by Russians.

Back under your bridge....

My PSA is typically around 6, but stable, raised because of my BPH. However, it jumped up to 14, which warranted an MRI. That showed up 2 'lumps' which the Bumrungrad doctors suspected were cancerous growths, and a biopsy was therefore the next action. Happily for me, that biopsy found no cancer, just these 2 calcium stones. My raised PSA was also caused by UTIs, which I get regularly. Right now, my PSA has reduced to about 8, but again stable.

When I look at the English translation of the words of national anthems for other countries, I see that they are all about that country, fighting and defending that country etc. When I look at the words of the British national anthem, there is not one single word/phrase about the country - it is all about defending the monarch. I'm not a republican, but that strikes me as downright weird.....

Although this is a troll thread, I'm still confused why you aren't working at that 'young' age.

I've had BPH for at least 10 years. I had an MRI 2 years ago after my PSA levels increased, but a subsequent biopsy found no cancerous cells, but did find 2 benign calcium stones inside my prostate. I have taken alfusolin daily for maybe 5 years, as my flow got worst 5 years ago. However, i recently (4 weeks ago), stopped taking this medication, (primarily because I am working in Myanmar and supply of medicines is difficult). Well, I haven't noticed any difference in my flow after stopping the medication! I do get up 1 or 2 times per night to pee, AND I do have antibiotic-resistant e-coli infections. But I've got used to these issues and can live with them. To summarise, my flow rate is acceptable even after stopping the alfusolin medication. Addendum: I now teach at a school, and have no problems with the urge to pee, no need to rush out of the classroom! I can wait an hour or 2 without issue.

Due to the visa financial requirements, IMHO it would be unwise to live in Thailand. Cheaper visa options in Laos and Cambodia. But you are still a youngster! Why are you not working and receiving a monthly income?