soalbundy

According to some American financial investors, many credit cards are maxed out and banks are tightening lending standards even more and so many retailers are having to offer 'buy now pay later' schemes. The Pandemic money is running out and in addition people are having to restart paying their student loans monthly. The housing market, along with commercial real estate is in bad shape. America is having to borrow money to pay the interest on the 34 trillion dollar debt load, as one expert put it, " If America was a company they would have to file for bankruptcy." This is the first time that the world experiences a world synchronized recession which is way beyond the ability of the central banks ability to combat. Enter the Brics with their own IMF and soon a gold backed trading currency and in a few years time America loses it's status as a reserve currency.

It rather depends on the state of the economy. Retail sales are down when adjusted for inflation which means lower factory production, already layoffs are in the pipeline as 3,4,5 month severance payments mean people haven't yet registered for social security payments, defaults on mortgage payments and credit card debts are rising and the massive drop in the value of commercial buildings, 40 to 50% which are on the books of small to medium sized banks are a harbinger of bank failures to come, this all points to an economic crash, especially as the inverted yield curves foresee this and the Fed (too late as always) will have to massively drop interest rates no matter what the inflation rates are in a belated attempt to revitalize the economy (historically this doesn't work sustainably).

No, they don't deserve billions (a billion is a ridiculous concept anyway) Bezos had a good idea and started a business but he doesn't run it now, it's run by his many managers and technocrats, same as Bill Gates who had the idea but the real start up work was done by others. I don't deny that People such as Bezos and Musk deserve to be rich but what is happening these days is just obscene. An example of a billion.....one billion seconds is 31.7 years, it's greed for greed's sake.

It isn't the number that is concerning as much as the demographics, to many old people and too few youngsters to support them. Money that could be used to make life easier for parents is diverted to care for the old, at least in the west, but even in Thailand it means one couple have to use time and money to look after two sets of parents. There is a lot wrong in the distribution of wealth in the world where Jeff Bezos can earn more in 3 minutes than a worker in his whole life or where Elon Musk wants 54 billion dollars a year as a salary.

I really can't say but any expat who wants to hang out with me must be a loser.

It's always nice to be missed but I'm here everyday.

Perhaps you should get off that horse, it's 80 years old.

because we've been in the news lately, one Brit after another, let the Germans take over.

Makes a change from Brits in trouble

Billions will die, in the technically advanced nations a few million will survive as well as in some African countries. Mankind has suffered worse, the younger Dryas and the volcanoes in the Russian traps but a small number has always pulled through and it was small as witnessed by the very small genetic diversity in the human race, there is more genetic diversity in one group of chimpanzees than among mankind, I believe the bottleneck of survivors consisted of a few hundred people in India.

Two teenagers and a six pack should do it. Decreasing birthrates are worldwide, kids are expensive, especially in the west where both parents have to work but child minding costs are prohibitive, the mother would be working just to pay for child care...pointless. Things are only going to get worse with a worldwide synchronized recession coming combined with bank failures, unemployment and dauer inflation, on top of that with the rising of BRICS dedollarisation will cause chaos in the FX market, we live in interesting times.

No, we'll be dead.

If ever there was a petition doomed to fail this is it.

The businesses employ activists on a cash for success basis to protect their income.

A pragmatic lady free of superstition looking for a cheap rent.

Fierce mild.

He's too busy writing 'there was no moon landings' pamphlets.

Ay, there's not one wave but marks the grave of one of our English dead.

I'm sick and tired of reading about Brits in trouble, can't the rest of you take over for a bit.

Be fair, you would get a police report for the insurance company, typing is easier than getting off a fat butt to do some police work.

A little over excited, his first time abroad perhaps.

Hypocrisy is normal in all levels of society and 'woke' fits right in there. Often one has to adopt a stoic attitude these days, either say nothing or not care what anybody thinks of you. Being 'woke' is only necessary for politicians, artists in the public eye and the media for fear of loss of income since sheep follow the herd no matter what direction they favour. 'Woke' is just a flavour of societal expectation of 'normal' behaviour and has always been present in society, logic be damned. 'Woke' doesn't just concern matters of sexual orientation, if for instance your country finds itself at war then to express some understanding for the enemy's reasoning would result in anger being directed towards you no matter your logical thoughts on the matter, a patriotic behaviour is expected and demanded so you keep your mouth shut and say 'thank you for your service'. If one can't be stoic or apathetic then hopefully one is courageous.

Unfortunately that is the working class financial reality in Thailand, without him they are homeless and hungry, so forgive and forget.....or pretend to. If the mothers financial situation changes for the better in the future however I wouldn't bet too much on his genital security.

People like me don't have friends, that makes for an uncomplicated life.

Now that we pay tax do we have representation in parliament.....thought not. The deductions you can make on your taxable income are quite generous, my tax would work out to be around 1200 Baht per month so it's not debilitating.