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I got an email from Skype that my Skype # will be deactivated in a week. Ok so I have been researching as to how Microsoft Teams can replace what I have used Skype for almost 20 years and this what I have found out: 1. To use Microsoft Teams like I have used Skype I have to first buy a Micrososft Office 365 package. The cheapest Office package for home use is $129. 2. After buying an Office Package then I can buy a Teams phone plan. The cheapest monthly price for a phone plan is $10. I would have to pay upfront almost $140 to use Teams phone like I used to with Skype. "Greed is good", Gordon Gekko "Let it go". Elsa. I will have let Microsoft Teams go and find an alternative. Any thoughts from soon to be former Skype users as where I can go to make cheap international callls with a US based #?

Manufacturing in the US depends on the product. F-35 plants in Fort Worth TX are humming with lots of workers. New chip plants are in the plans for many US locations. But clothing, shoes and consumer electronics are dead on arrival. I call this the "Wal Mart" effect. Therefore, innovating or inventing products in the aforementioned categories are dead in the US. Therefore, even 100% tariffs will not bring "home" manufacturing in these categories.

US companies gave up on innovating or even inventing consumer products a long time ago. Ford makes it's money on big and now bigger trucks. These behemoths have little use in most cities. They are simply too big for urban roads and parking lots. US innovation has been mostly in online consumer oriented services (Amazaon, the Facebook, twitter chat apps etc) and most imoprtatnly defense related like stealth technology and just about anything that goes boom. One of America's great companies, Boeing, could ge gone if things don't change soon. Yes, eventually BYD EV's will be on US roads. This is how you kill Tesla and not by lighting them on fire.

Really?

I just checked on XE and it is 34.39 to $1. This is tanking?

Anyone know what the Thai tariff rates are on imported wine, cheese and olive oil? These three items are important to me so I feel the pinch eveytime I purchase any of these items.

I mean when I look at California wines at Rimping I realize the tariff is probably higher than 30% and why is Trump or whoever decided on these rates so hard on Asean? Even our "friend" Vietnam has been hit hard (40%).

Ah, 44% for imports from Myanmmar? Also, when Jim "lightning round" Cramer says your wrong on tariffs then you are probably wrong.

To me there are two main reasons for staying in LOS for years: 1) It is cheap. Sometimes it feels like for every $1 I have $2 2) Obtaining and extending retirement visa/ext of stay is not difficult. That is so far it has not been difficult but in the future things could change. I will put up with some boredom and lack of connection with Thai people (they do not seem to want that and are only interested in transactional contacts like buying a service or a product). So I stay in my space and do my best to get along with them. I have estaablished a daily routine and so far it has been accpetable. I do travel to real countries like Singapore, S. Korea and Malaysia from time to time bu realize I do not have or make enough money for long term stay in these countries. Based upon my research and experience countries like these want the truly wealthy for as long term stayers. Maybe in the next life? If reasons 1 or 2 change then I would leave and only return as a short term tourist.

I have been to casinos that charge for alcohol even if one is playing. Several in the US and one in S. Korea. So free alcohol is not available at all casinos even if one is playing.

Do not assume free alcohol. Not all casinos offer free adult beverages. I really can't see in LOS free alcohol just for entering a casino.

The Ice Man has left the pattern for the final time. RIP.

20 year Elite Visa? Then "she does not have go back". I have heard this phrase many times "my forever home"? That is until your next visa extension at Immigration. One is not guaranteed a long term stay in LOS. It could end early so plan accordingly.

Then why are they still conducting bombing operations? Their allies are China and Russia and any other countiy that does not criticize them. This is fact and not "diatribe". Why would I do myself a favor based upon what you said? Even in this tme of desperate need the government of Myanmmar says one thing in public but will do the opposite. Do you really think a US Air Force C-17 will be landing in Napiyadaw anytime soon? The US Military has a history and tradition of going anywhere in the world that needs emergency aid as long as the host country lets them in. The US Military has significant assets in Japan and S. Korea and can mobilize quickly because this is part of their global response mission. However they will not enter Burmese airspace unless they are assured of safe entry and exit. This is just common sense. This type of assurances might take time to negotiate. China and Russia do not have to be concerned about these things.

Does anyone think the Myanmmar government wants US rescue workers flooding int?

These alert systems fail more often then succeed. It's not just Thailand. Recently in LA during the height of the wildfires two false evacuation alerts were sent. It's not the system but the people who run the system that determines the accuracy and timeliness of the alerts.

Yes. Same thing happend this week. Grab took the order and then the food was ready for pickup. It took an hour from order placement to delivery. Lsst week the same food order took 30 minuted from order placement to delivery.

I was back in LA in Feb and a dozen eggs at Wal Mart was $9.99. Went out for breakfast and one of the local diners had an egg surcharge. Good to hear prices are back to normal.

I was back in LA in Feb and a dozen eggs at Wal Mart was $9.99. Went out for breakfast and one of the local diners had an egg surcharge. Good to hear prices are back to normal.

True but I have seen many old foreigners in wheelchairs and some using walkers. I hope many do not live in high rise condos.

It would be over quick.

How many of us on this forum live on the 20th or even on the 30th floor of a high rise in Thailand? I do not and never have. I have lived on the 4th and now on the 3rd floor of an old apartment building in CNX. From the begining I have had and continue to have doubts about evacuating from a high rise or being rescued from such heights from the local fire department. Can anyone imagine walking down 20 or 30 flights of stairs in the event of disaster or electrical power outage? This lastest EQ should give all of us time to ponder these questions. Everytime I go to BKK my choices of hotels means I have to stay on a high floor(usually 20 or higher) and I have just a little bit of doubt but I carry on. On my next trip to BKK I might look for an alternative type of stay. Does the term "seismic retrofit" apply in Thaialnd?

EQ rescue operation even for LAFD USAR(Urban Search and Rescue) is slow, difficult and saves very few people. The building in BKK that collpased looks like it was under construction (I saw a crane on the roof) and hopefully number of deceaseda and injured is low.

A sincere attempt to save SS would require a combination of raising FICA contribution rates, raising the retirement ages from 62 to 64 and 67 to 69, reduced benefits for new applicants and placing SSDI in a different type of fund. But none of his is happening under the Tesla Guy or DOGE.

I had just walkd out of the US Consulate and I thought "why is the ground rolling"? Then I went back to my memories of life back in Earthquake Land (Los Angeles) and realized this was a rolling earthquake. The rolling motion lasted under 30 seconds. I thought this was a moderate quake (initial estimate was 4.9 in Thailand). I read it was a magnitude 7.4 in Myanmar. 7.4 is huge and the most powerful quake I lived and worked hrough was a 6.7 in 1994. All of us in LOS should expect aftershocks later today or possibly tomorrow. Lastly we should all have an escape/evacuation plan just in case. I have always maintained a "bug out bag". All US embassies and consulates are supposed to have a NEO (Noncombatan Evacuation Operations Plan) but I'm not sure if CNX consulate or BKK embassy has these plans or not? Stay safe, take the stairs and be on the lookout for possible falling glass.