Cluey

Poverty is a state ov mind. Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you have.

Yes, most spiritual paths including Buddhism advocate letting go of all striving, all effort to acquire what you desire, letting go of the desires themselves.

But of course that is in direct opposition to the whole paradigm underlying modern life - the modern world is set up to force the common man to strive just to survive and to increase all the things we must desire to be accepted socially, not many places left even in Thailand where people can live off the fat of the land outside the cash economy anymore.

I agree, but let's not forget that 'better' must be defined. Not everyone (especially many Christians) believes that to be happy is the most important goal in life. Western society (at it's best, especially) requires great sacrifice. That is our burden to shoulder and I'm sure many would prefer to shoulder it knowing that it plays more to typical Western values and goals in life.

Hmm, I'm very curious and hope I'm misunderstanding colonial echoes there - what goals in life are more important than human happiness?

Why do Christians value those goals more so than those of other religions or atheists?

Not saying I'm disagreeing at all since I don't yet know what you're referring to, genuinely looking to find out more.

It is true that the most positive people avoid negativity by simply moving on from those kind of places and people, like avoiding mainstream media sources.

Just ask on any other public forum where people familiar with TV.com hang out their opinion of the community here and you'll see it's actual active audience is a tiny fraction of what it would be if it were more positive, open, tolerant, free-as-in-speech etc.

Those that stay are the ones with at least pretty thick skins, if not actually enjoying the conflict-ridden community culture.

what a load of <deleted>, can't find a grain of sense in any of it.

If it's sense you're looking for, you'll either need to search harder, set lower standards, look elsewhere, or least likely, offer some yourself.

Sorry, somehow the quotes didn't come through, I was responding to these gems from an otherwise generally sensible poster:

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You seem to be behind the times Swissie. Asia/Australia seem to be firmly on their way down now.

Thailand may not be a good retirement destination at the moment because of the approaching civil war.

Yah, mother earth's evolving auto-immune system trying to figure out how to clear out her system of these pesky human parasites.

I love those "save the earth" T-shirts, as if it's nature that needs saving from us. The rats and cockroaches will be around long after the place no longer supports us. . .

Thailand doesn't seem to play by the rules in global affairs, especially with regard to transparency, yet they expect continued foreign investment and an increase in their credit rating. They've gotten their way over the years more or less, but it seems those days might be numbered.

Ultimately, the only way to penalize Thailand is to withdraw investment from its shores. That is happening at the moment, whether it's a long-term trend, or we're just seeing a correction of sorts, time will tell.

You think playing by "the rules" set by the TPTB in international finance is a good thing and Thailand should be "penalized" to force that compliance???

IMO those jokers are a much greater threat to humanity than any terrorists or drug cartels, I sure hope Thailand can hold out as long as possible.

When it's all "one world" do you think things will be better or worse than they are on average now?

Much rather have a bit of chaos crime and poverty than let the banksters and arms merchants run the whole world like they're doing back home, right into the ground.

And human nature, some people just like to bitch, if they can't find something they'll create it.

I suspect you don't understand the nature of TV's business model. . .

Maybe. But I understand yours.

Please, let me know, very much in need of a way to monetize my lifestream here.

I've met couples living together in secret (from their families) saving for years to be able to pay the sin sot so they can hold their heads up in the village.

Something smells here and think this outfit should pay for TV sponsorship. . .

Totally disagree with the PC point of view here, but thought it apropos:

http://www.xojane.com/relationships/despite-what-the-memes-keep-telling-us-reading-is-not-sexy

There be magic mushrooms here in LOS.....just FYI.

Not saying these methods can replace air conditioning entirely, the goal is to ensure that site selection, positioning of the home on the site, design of the house and site landscaping, construction materials and methods, all work together to maximize comfort and minimize external energy inputs.

And air drawn through a properly designed ventilation system buried 3-4 meters below the ground will come out the other end much cooler than the ambient air temperatures.

Getting your body acclimated to the higher temperatures is also very helpful.

Forgiven, just make sure it doesn't happen again 8-)

what a load of <deleted>, can't find a grain of sense in any of it.

Old white foreign man with young Thai lady = disgrace for Thai lady

If he's wealthy enough, no disgrace for her, depending on her background perhaps only for him.

But then does he care?

Underground housing is of course a great alternative. Otherwise, ensure that the building envelope is protected from unnecessary thermal loading of direct solar radiation, e.g. shaded by surrounding trees.

Position the building so it is exposed to prevailing breezes, if these vary by season determine the optimal location for the hottest time of year. Ensure the design allows for maximum air flow across surfaces, ideally including living space flooring.

If not using air conditioning, ensure maximum airflow though wall surfaces and design ventilation to evacuate internal heat loads through roof vents, if necessary adding elevated wind scoops to assist natural convection.

If using air conditioning, insulate all surfaces of the enclosed area very well, and ensure ventilation is strictly controlled. Designs allowing for both models are expensive and difficult to maintain well, so consider separate aircon as opposed to fan-cooled living spaces, e.g. incorporating large areas of screened-in covered porches.

Inbound ventilation air can be drawn through underground piping a few meters below the surface, and in dry conditions water sprays can be used to create a perceived cooling effect. Where climates are normally dry, elaborate evaporative coolings systems can be built for much less than modern electrical air conditioning and consume far less electricity.

Googling the more specialized terms will give lots of more detailed information, and there are many architectural firms that specialize in these and related alternative energy topics.

Many quietly depart this world from Thailand without having to ever make it to the airport.

Au contraire, wealth has proven to be the best contraceptive known to man. Contrary to opinion the World population is slated to fall dramatically later this century as people get access to some of the advantages of modern medicine, and the agrarian psychology drifts away.

It's poverty that causes population growth, not wealth.

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But the earth can't support even half the current population living at developed-country standards, and you're saying the latter consumption level has to arrive before the population starts to decline.

And I haven't seen a single government yet willing to encourage a population decline, the developed ones where that trend has already developed now pay often generous subsidies to try to get their native population to keep breeding!

Our current economic systems are predicated on continuous growth on into the future, we'll have to come up with a different model there first too.

Even assuming some free and safe unlimited source of energy arrives, just look at food consumption patterns, eating greater quantities of meat has so far been inevitable with rising living standards and the quantity of arable land just doesn't exist, in fact keeps decreasing.

I'm just saying that anyone who things that "poverty" is a "problem" that can be "solved" is probably only thinking within one nation's borders, and as we now know that isn't too useful a view anymore.

so OP wont scan the receipt. why not ban him for wasting everyone's time and trolling?

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I suspect you don't understand the nature of TV's business model. . .

There's also the saying: "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask."

The problem is we don't understand your question. Do you mean

A: What if one USD = one baht ?

or

B: What if the median Thai household had the same material standard of living as the average American? In other words, what if all Thais suddenly increased their income by 500%?

Many Thais believe the two questions mean the same thing, I assume you're not making the same mistake. . .

Can we test the man eating predator on you first then Cluey? That way we'll get an indication of how precious you really think human life is.

Obviously each of us thinks our own life and those of our family and friends are valuable.

But increase the scale of the picture enough and the human population as a whole is just another parasite infecting nearly every surface of Gaia's skin.

Trying to "solve" the problem or to "prevent" poverty is all fine and good for politician's lip service but if it were actually implemented effectively worldwide the results would be completely and immediately disastrous.

The starting point has to be greatly reducing population levels - not just growth rates but absolute numbers - and I can't imagine a way to do that compatible with our current ethics or political systems, can you?

So we'll just muddle on and talk as if we care, or those of us that really do simply do what we can for those with whom we come into contact in our daily lives, best we can do.

This is why I'm asking for help in where to start perhaps looking for it. Does a parcel come via Samui or Surat Thani for Koh Phangan?

You can't go looking for it, it's not like they have waiting rooms for parcels, either it goes on its way or the thief got it off the premises undetected.

You'd just be throwing good money after bad, even if you knew the exact routing sequence of facilities you'll just keep getting passed up the chain until you're told to fly back to the UK.