xylophone

Well I can't complain because about 10 years ago I invested in a couple of New Zealand stocks and not only have they paid and almost 5% dividend per annum, one of them has more than doubled in price, whereas the other has improved upon the price I paid for it, by about 50%, so all well and good for me. I think it's also necessary to look at the "longer term" if one is investing in the share market, and to set goals based on the overall longer term returns if that is the time horizon that suits the investor.

Also, thanks for your help "hotandsticky", however he did receive an email after I had managed to make contact with them and they said that they had sent him a letter with regards to the payment problem, in October, and also telephoned him then, so they had received his application, but "appear to be" tardy with regards to the contact with him, because neither the letter nor the telephone contact were received by him? Anyway it's all done/sorted now (I hope) and he is much happier – – thanks again????.

Follow-up to a previous post I made with regards to friends UK passport application which seemed to have gone missing and to say thank you to @OJAS for his help. I managed to get hold of the passport people in the UK for him and because he is not too flash on the computer, I managed to get an email from them which said that they had received the application but that there was a problem with payment?? They also said that they had tried to contact him on the telephone number we had given?? Then they said they had sent a letter to him a couple of months ago, which he had never received?? Something was wrong and it wasn't from this end, however I did manage to make contact with them and put both of these people in touch with each other (again), and this friend arranged for his daughter in the UK to pay the fees applicable, and I do believe that they were "not willing to accept a Thai bank card" for payment! Quite why they couldn't have contacted him earlier with regards to this problem, I don't know, rather than leaving him in limbo right up until the last minute, and worrying the C.rap out of him. Anyway it all seems fixed now and he is less stressed, so thanks to all of the folks who helped and in particular OJAS.

Am I tetchy?? I would suggest that boredom can have a lot to do with that as far as I'm concerned but the other reasons just don't cut the mustard for me, and as for dementia, well I can't remember if I have got it or not! I don't like what I don't like and that's always been the case with me although I've always been considered "the life and soul of the party/the great joke teller" and a happy-go-lucky person, as well as getting other compliments of similar ilk. What I see around me now often irks and as one other poster said, seeing families in a coffee shop or restaurant sitting facing their iPhones without talking to one another really does annoy the proverbial out of me. Will they ever learn the art of conversation, discussion, for example and IMO the parents are just as bad. Stupidity is all around us and can be seen in the conspiracy theory nut jobs, as well as the anti-VAX brigade and the arguments they put forward for not having it, not to mention the blood drinking pizza parlour rubbish, and that's one thing I can't abide. Add to that the stupidity with regards to drivers and driving (especially here) and you have the perfect recipe for many people to become "negative" about their surroundings and what they see. Like Walker88 I have been fortunate enough to hold down high-profile positions, earn a good living and also put some away for my retirement, so I don't have to worry about my financial future, and one of the best experiences would be coaching some young football sides to success when I was a bit younger than I am now. My work experience was wide and varied and I took risks and they paid off, so I've got nothing to grumble about looking back on things, and I console myself with the following when I see abject stupidity in play: – "the good thing about all of this is that I won't be around to see the effects of this stupidity, because I shall be long gone in a few years, so enjoy your life now while you can, drink some good red wine, dine out in good restaurants and in general, be happy".

And I sold a genuine Omega watch through Bahtsold about 18 months ago, and it was no hassle at all.

Still on topic, and another one of the potential procedures I investigated was iTind whereby a type of spring loaded device is inserted in the urethra (a painless procedure it appears) and this gradually widens the urethra over the period of seven days, whence it is removed. I also researched Rezum (as I posted) but have seen mixed feedback and in particular one poster here had problems in that area for a few months afterwards, and despite the fact they say you can go home after the procedure, some men have had to have a catheter in place for up to 7 days and/or a 7 day hospital stay. Back onto iTind and it appears that the same urologist who performs the Rezum procedure at BNH can also perform the iTind procedure, because the hospital now has it available, and it is certainly one that I would use in the first instance. WHY: – because there is no cutting, laser or steam (heat) involved and the device can be removed after seven days, and if successful then great, and if not, then there are always other options to try as I have noted.

I downloaded a movie which I first saw in 1970 and it made one hell of an impression on me then, and the movie song of "Soldier Blue" by Buffy St Marie has stayed with me ever since, so I downloaded it again as it's been over 50 years since I first saw it, and it didn't shock me as much this time round, but it was an appalling massacre by the US cavalry, of mainly women and children, and details can be found under "Sand Creek Massacre". Of course this wasn't the last massacre of its kind of the Indians, because there was also a massacre at "Wounded Knee" and both of these massacres have been documented by American writer of the West, called Dee Brown in a couple of his books and they are well worth reading. There is also a TV film called Bury my Heart at Wounded knee, which is worth seeking out. It would appear the US military has a penchant for massacring women and children, as witnessed by the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, and all of the above massacres had a familiar theme of the murder and mutilation of the the women and children, as well as rape. A sad history.

Good to hear LIK and long may it continue for you.

I downloaded and watched a TV series (only four episodes) from a couple of years ago called, "The Thief his Wife and the Canoe" (true story) and found it very good/entertaining, especially the acting of the "wife" which was brilliant, and Eddie Masan, as always was the same. Just a note if you are going to download it........I found it on 1337x.to and there is the complete series to download, but be aware that the real documentary version of this particular event is included in the download, along with the four episodes of the TV series, so don't watch the documentary version first otherwise it will spoil it for the next four TV episodes!

From a Wake to the Resurrection – – – at least for now! Out and about in Patong and surrounds, I will back up what Rhacsyn said with regards to there being a plethora of Russians around, as that's exactly my experience, and Karon has certainly been turned from a ghost town into almost a thriving community due to the Russian influence. Patong is just the same as was Phuket Central when I visited last, although the large newer section of it wasn't that crowded, just the original part. Patong is still a place with almost a "split personality", whereby some of the bigger hotels are pretty much fully occupied, as are many of the medium sized hotels, however there are still those small hotels/guesthouses which are closed, and those that are open don't seem to be doing much business anyway. And as one business opens, another one closes, and that's the case with the small Lotus's shop on Nanai, which is now closed and stripped of its fittings, and the Italian restaurant called "The Loft" is also now fully closed, and I believe the apartments/rooms above it are also empty – – and just to really show that Patong has gone through a rough time, the Chang Hotel just a few metres from it in Nanai is not only empty, but the roof has collapsed in the extension built as a bar/restaurant/rest area and no one seems to be doing anything about it. Whereas a lady I know who owns two massage shops just off Nanai, is looking to open a third one, and the small hotel/guesthouse called "The House" has opened back up again and has been redecorated; so a mixed bag here in Patong. So I ventured out on Tuesday evening, for the first time in over two weeks, and my journey to a Norwegian restaurant near Patong Tower was very slow indeed because the traffic was nose to tail along Beach Road, tailing back round the Dolphin bar complex and up to the roundabout at the end of the third Road. It was a nightmare and the worst I have seen it. After meeting an old friend at "West" Norwegian restaurant we ambled along the Beach road footpath as best we could, because it was chock-a-block with tourists, however we did reach the Blue Beach Café and Restaurant after a bit of a struggle and managed to have a beer before moving onto another bar in Bangla. When I think about it, overall it was a very cosmopolitan evening because during that time I met Norwegians, Brits, South Africans, Russians, a guy from Austria and one from Israel, not to mention many Thais of course, and getting up to sing a few songs in Red Hot, I was singing along with the lovely Mayen, who has a great voice and personality, and is from the Philippines!!! Bangla itself was crowded, when we got there at about 9 PM, and it was still crowded when I left Red Hot at 1:30 AM – – not really a wake!!!

I have bought quite a few items on Lazada and one which I did have a problem with, I had the money refunded. I have also bought a Nokia flip phone on Lazada, and it was fine and I still have it, however I have also used eBay and my latest acquisition was an Apple iPhone SE, an old model but in perfect condition and it is also fine. I have every confidence that should I have a problem with anything bought on Lazada, I will get a refund. I even bought three tins of custard the other day, to go with my Christmas pudding!!!!!!!!!!????

Many thanks for posting that clip Dan747, as it supports what I have found out over my years of trying to treat my prostate problems, inasmuch as saw palmetto, stinging nettle and other supposed natural cures didn't work for me, and at one time I thought that Beta Sitosterol was working for me, but thinking back on it, now I'm not so sure!!

I feel sorry for Harry Kane and I really do respect him as a talented footballer, however I had to chuckle at this cartoon..........

I had a TURP done in Epworth Hospital in Melbourne about 12 years ago and there were a few hiccups after the operation, whereby I had to use a catheter for quite a few weeks to be able to get the bladder working again. Things seemed to be just okay for a few years, but in recent times I've been having problems and one urologist here operated on on me to widen my bladder neck, because there was some scar tissue there, probably from the TURP operation, and it's been downhill from there, whereby my bladder has stopped working, so the small catheter is my best friend before I go to bed, although I can expel a little urine sometimes during the day which eases the pressure. I did a lot of research after this last episode, and before I realised that the bladder had actually ceased to work I was thinking that the prostate might be at fault and was considering various operations to rectify this, and I came to this conclusion: – – If I could get the Urolift done here or in some country nearby, that would be my first option. – Rezum would be my next option, and I noticed they do have it available in Bumrungrad hospital here. – A further TURP was an outside possibility if indeed the prostate had grown again, and the TURP can be done using a Laser. For those folks with prostate cancer, the da Vinci robotic machine is an absolute must for prostate removal, or prior to this of course, brachytherapy is an option to consider.

Looking back at old movies I may have missed, I had often seen the movie, "North by Northwest" touted as one of the best films/thrillers ever so I decided to download and watch it...... Well as thrillers go, it wasn't one, and although the acting was okay it was still fairly stilted/wooden and the faux props didn't help, and not one time in the whole movie was I "enthralled" by it or anything happening in it – – so a thriller, hmmmm. As a thriller it would rank up there with the movies, "Anthony the aardvark goes quantity surveying" or "Paddington bear eats an ice cream". I did watch a very good movie the day prior to that, called, "Three billboards outside of Ebbing, Missouri" and it had great performances from Francis McDormand, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson.

The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity, and stupidity is infinite. And trump has oodles of it...........

She is an absolute nut job.........god help America if she ever holds any sway. How can someone so stupid be in government, unless she is on "the sauce" or similar.

Great post....well done Pomchop, and for the record I am exactly the same!

Whilst I'm on the thread, does anybody have any idea when the next/follow-up series of "Billy the Kid" is going to be released, or are we being left in limbo??

Hi OJAS, I am catching up with this friend tomorrow and he's bringing along whatever paperwork he has, however he has sent me a copy of something he received and it is this: – VFS Global Dear Sir or Madam, The UK Passport Application for ref no. HMP/BKK/260922/0011/01 was forwarded to HMPO on Sep 26, 2022. Regards, VFS Global Will learn more tomorrow. Thanks yet again!!

I have searched high and low for it and I believe this is the clip which I saw, and it does contain footage as well as an explanation of the proceedings, so it may well be what I originally saw. I got this from BBC iPlayer so I think it will be a "protected view", but not sure about that, so give it a try and see how you go – – better still if you have a VPN to be able to login to BBC iPlayer. Good luck.

Ah, true conspiracy theory colours shown........no need for any more interchange with you, so on to ignore you go. Happy conspiracy theories.

Just more nonsense from someone who obviously doesn't "see all". And yes, men did walk on the moon! Surprised?? I believe in facts and that won't change, and as regards the medical research, I believe the doctors, scientists, institutions and research facilities which support us, and I note the following: – "the vaccine is nothing special. Nearly 10 billion doses have been administered in the past year and no widespread, large-scale, or long-term side effects having been noted. Yes, there are a tiny minority of people who have side effects, some of which are indeed concerning — but nothing so large as to be concerned about on a population-wide scale. We’ve had two centuries’ worth of data and experience supporting how vaccines work. Two centuries. We know that if a vaccine has negative side effects or other issues of concern, they show up within a few weeks of administration. This is not surprising, because unlike a medication, a vaccine is only active within a person’s body for a short period of time. It’s basic job is to pass along instructions to your body’s immune system so that it knows what to look for and how to mount a future defense against infection".

Thanks again for your help with this OJAS, and I have forwarded a copy of your post onto him, but he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and sometimes I'm tempted to just give up trying to help him, because it is so frustrating. They did give him some sort of "receipt" and the number on it doesn't match anything, and it is certainly not a DHL tracking number, so I've gone back to him and asked him to search around to see what he can find. Once again thank you for your sterling help, it is much appreciated.

I managed to get through about 40 minutes of this before turning it off and loading another movie (Love Actually), mainly because nothing seemed to gel and seeing/hearing Daniel Craig with a false southern American drawl, just didn't do it for me – – never mind, we all have different tastes.