dave_boo

On 26/01/2018 at 12:05 AM, tropo said:

LOL> I was playing with the words - that's called a "pun".

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pun

My apologies as I didn't pick up on your humour. 

With the forum having international membership I incorrectly assumed that you were not native English speaking and thus not familiar with the term.

On 26/01/2018 at 5:55 AM, Naam said:

the Saudis are not THAT stupid.

Not to mention that the outside exchanger decreases in efficiency as the outside air temperature rises and doing as suggested adds more inefficiency one would be a complete maroon to consider it.

3 hours ago, tropo said:

That seems to be a big problem in Thailand. The heat goes straight through the roof as there is no insulation.

I think that he was using the American idiom that implies an excessive increase.

http://www.idiomreference.com/define/through-the-roof

What seems to work for us (and we're kind of the opposite of the OP) is to set the temperature of the aircon at around 26 and I set a fan (floor standing Hatari) to blow directly on me only.  She doesn't get so cold and I am comfortable because any excess heat my body is creating is being whisked away immediately rather than waiting for radiation to trigger the aircon on again.

Of course she wouldn't be a woman without complaining that I'm wasting electricity running both whilst ignoring the massive savings of doing it my way rather than having the temperature set to where (Great Lakes region - the average annual high temperature is 13.7 and averages up to 28 in July) I grew up...

15 hours ago, tryasimight said:

I understand what you re saying but I doubt the poster i was responding to has small children and probably would not know what  an upcountry village looks like much less than having ever been to one. I may be wrong...often am.

 

Apart from the National Park pricing (which I don't disagree with)   hasn't your missus sorted it out?

 

 

Kinda. No luck at the bird park. The Internet shop was circumvented by never going there again. The restaurant is only bought from by inlaws  (it's really good). Etc.

However! Most of the time it really doesn't happen upcountry. As a side note I get out of the bull "traffic tickets" by pretending to only speak Spanish and tying up a few officers time trying to communicate with me. Thais don't have that advantage. 

13 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

And there's only one simple answer to that.

 

The rate of baht to the pound is irrelevant if your money is in Thailand in a Thai bank in Thai baht.

 

When I go to Big C or Lotus I pay the same price as the locals.

Same when I put fuel in the car and bike.

How often do you experience dual pricing...really? and I mean really really  One time 10 years ago when yo went to a National Park?

 

The only time I recall paying dual pricing was with Ann from Stumble Inn when she wanted her sister to join the action. I happily agreed.  

 

 

The local Pad Thai place. Village Internet shop (in laws village; was quite adamant that I had to pay extra and wife almost lost it...said they had never even had a foreigner in there) when I needed something printed. Chainat Bird Park/water park. Etc.

Of course the national parks of which there are many within a few hours drive that the children like going to...but that's on me because the wee ones have to be out and about rather than flopped on the sofa with YouTube or Facebook. 

On 9/4/2017 at 9:08 PM, FritsSikkink said:

"Trying to evacuate 10 million people"  Seoul has 25 million people. 

You are correct.  I looked at the "special city" rather than "metro".

Apologies to all for making the problem of evacuating Seoul even easier than it would be...

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

The way I see it for what its worth is, NK has stood on its own for how long.......right or wrong in everybody's eyes.

 

I find it strange that the US finds them a threat, is their leader mad, I have to ask, are any of the world's leaders who store nuclear warheads mad, in my opinion the countries listed below are, think about it, any of these leaders could lose it at any time, human nature, we all have our limits, while the most of us will just turn, walk away and calm down, others for example: who are carrying a gun, might just react differently, suffice to say that is why we have gun laws, excluding the US (Second Amendment), hence the reason people get killed over there all the time, tempers flare, etc etc etc, if a gun is in sight, its a threat, maybe the US should delete the Second Amendment while we are on the topic ?

 

I would like to ask why the US and everybody else doesn't start reducing their nuclear warhead arsenal till they get to zero, I mean do we really need them, didn't the US drop 2  nuclear bombs on Japan killing hundreds of thousands of people, and judging by how many nuclear warheads the US has, i.e. 6.800 Vs NK 8, its laughable to worry about NK in my opinion:

 

Country					Total Inventory
Russia					7,000
United States					6,800
France					300
China					270
United Kingdom					215
Israel					80
Pakistan					120-130
India					110-120
North Korea					8

 

I wouldn't say that NK has stood on it's own when 1/2 of China's foreign aid budget goes to NK.

But yeah, it's pretty horrible to think that there are over 700 nukes for each country.  Even more terrifying in my mind is that your list doesn't specify if that's counting each part of a MIRV, which can have 16 warheads per missile, or just counting missiles.

Your point about the availability of guns is spot on with this discussion.  In most countries ownership is very regulated.  Breaches of the law are taken care of by authorized force...by people with guns.

So getting rid of all nukes removes the deterrent against using nukes by an unstable regime due to fear of retaliatory strikes.

129 - 224,000 people perished due to the two nuclear attacks.  Whether this prevented many more lives being lost, on both sides, is debatable.  But that point (kill 129 - 224,000 people now to prevent millions more from dying) was a part of the decision in dropping the bombs.  Funny thing is that the night time firebombing campaign killed at least as many, and up to 3x as many, and it doesn't get the same bad press.  I'd rather be flash varouprised than slowly burn to death...

1 hour ago, oilinki said:

Archa is my favorite beer in Thailand. One of those treasures, which others don't appreciate, but are good :)
I'd love to enjoy 10 bottles with you, along talking philosophy while becoming intoxicated :D

United Kingdom used to be world super power. They lost their power. Soviet Union used to be a world super power, they lost their power. United States used to be world super power.. they are losing their power at this moment. 

China is world super power. They also will lose their power at some point, but for the rest of our lives, China will be the main motor of the world. 

 

You're ok if I drink gin with you as beer makes my tummy hurt?  Wouldn't want me walking out on you while you're making a point so I can relieve myself.

1 hour ago, oilinki said:

You are wrong. Deadly wrong in this occasion. 

This is pure physics.

The best time to attack a missile, is when it moving slow. 
The time a missile is moving slow, is when it's starting it's journey.

After that, the missile is moving very fast, much faster than any intercepting missile could reach it. 

The second option is to make a 'fog' of particles, when the missile does re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. That's a long shot, every time. 

There are no mortars to kill a flying missile. There are very few ways to kill a nuclear warhead coming down. 

And at the end of the day, the nuclear warhead doesn't even have to come down. The far more effective way is to detonate nuclear bomb way up in the sky and create EMP.

https://tennessine.com/ScienceFunFacts/NuclearWar/EMP

Even one nuclear bomb at high altitude renders a country or continent back to ages before electricity. 
 

You understand that during descent the defensive missile doesn't have to catch up to the ICBM because the ICBM is headed towards where the defensive missile is coming from?  Your claim about speed makes as much sense as saying you will never hit a train because you can't run as fast as it.  Test that out by waiting until one comes and you run directly at the train...

It's obvious that you don't know about CIWS or LPWS.  They don't shoot mortars; they shoot mortars and supersonic missiles down by releasing a stream (75 rounds a second) of either penetrator style munitions or proximity fused munitions.  Both of those systems are extremely effective; there's 20 countries use them.  The idea is to make the target non-aerodynamic and/or cause it to detonate.  

I can't tell if you're being deliberately obtuse or if it's not actually an act.  Bravo.

7 minutes ago, oilinki said:

I'm not sure if a Finn should ever be called as a Russian Swede. It's frucking offencive of us, but then again, it's actually pretty definitive. I actually like that definition. 

When it comes to Finland and concentration camps, we actually made sure that 0% of our jews died due nazi regime. 

 

I'm happy you are able to speak Spanish as your second language, it's my 4th language. English being my 3rd learned language.

Yeah; that was a low blow on my part.  Does it show I have hung out with Norwegians?

The deaths statistic came from Russian prisoners.

I'm not going to get in a pissing contest about superiority.  You don't know me and I don't know you.  I harbor no ill will and would even buy you a beer if we ever met (but Archa only because I'm poor :D ).  

I am still interested about what you were talking about below.  Could you please explain the parallels?

The way USA is playing it's hands right now, is the way Soviet Union played it's hands when it became Russia and become subcritical power.

1 minute ago, jeab1980 said:

Wouldnt reallycare would we as we be dust?

LOL, you're right.  That's essentially the same thing I told the wife about the seemingly non-stop coverage of the two students who crashed into the river and weren't recovered in what was deemed a timely fashion.  Sure was a large amount of attachment for a Buddhist nation.

43 minutes ago, Monomial said:

I don't see the USA doing much right away in the event of a nuclear launch  from NK with the exception of going after the known bunkers in NK with small nuclear explosives.

 

Otherwise, I think they would try their best to shoot them down and hope that some failed on their own. NK can't have more than about a dozen missiles currently, and probably only about 4 would actually hit their marks.

 

For the 4 cities or so that were hit it would be a disaster, but there would be no nuclear winter or doomsday scenarios. Launching any kind of nuclear retaliatory strike risks bringing China and Russia into the war, and that they can't have.

 

The end result is the Chinese occupy North and a destroyed South Korea and Kim Jung would be no more. China would never allow the USA to occupy NK and everyone knows it. It would be a new, irradiated Chinese run vassal state. 

I would believe that a launch at a US target would coincide with the shelling of Seoul.  Trying to evacuate 10 million people or getting them to bunkers is impossible.  Just look at Houston with its only ~6.5 million and the evacuations its tried to undertake.  The time it would take for the US to decide to go after those artillery bunkers would give NK way too much time to inflict incalculable damage against SK.

I do wonder how 'clean' the nukes that NK have.  After all the 'dirty' inefficient Fat Boy only used ~2% of the uranium in its casing; the rest was spread as waste and people are now living in Hiroshima (apparently it only took 10 years for the population to return to pre-war levels).  It just makes me wonder how 'irradiated' a nuked country would be.

43 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

 

Yes Mate not to long and the Yanks are on the ball....what they dont shoot down most wont hit there target cause the NK isn't up to the same standard as them meanwhile once the Nk shoot off the Yanks will have a reason to wipe out every god dam city in NK then an almighty invasion will begin....its Iraq all over again....its the boy who cried wolf once to often a few of us dont believe western press after GW Bush and weapons of mass destruction...

 

Cuban missile crisis of the early 60's. Iraq...biggest army outside of China US and Russia at the time do i need to go on? Think about it...You can believe China isn't interested in a war if it got close they would engineer the overthrow of the NK dictator, they dont want a US allied nation on there border as the US didn't want Cuba under Russian influence during the cold war...

 

Sabre rattling bonds nations especially when your political power base is under threat, sells papers too and it arms nations to the teeth, good for business if your in the munitions business, do i think there is a threat there? yes i do, do i think it will come to a war....possibly and why? because the Americans are broke they print money to stay afloat they owe a fortune and dont want to balance there books because it means they will loose there power base, as we have seen time and time again empires do not last they all crumble and so will the American one its just a matter off time, does it mean it will come to a war? not necessarily but it did and the Americans lost it would wipe out dept and retool the nation if they won everyone gets to pay them the cost of the war...win win no matter how you look at it...simplified of course but thats the crutch of it...and you my friend are just a pawn in the game .....

 

 

Yeah man.  The press has gone to hell.  Instead of informing people about events they are leveraging their platform to influence.  This is around the world unfortunately.  Couple with a desire to make money it's absolutely insane.  You essentially have to watch both wacky left and the right and glean through their opinions and alt-truths to determine what is actually going on.  

As an American I think they should reduce the debt.  Not clear it all out as that's, according to how I understand it, not good either.  Having other nations holding parts of your debt make them interested in ensuring your economy's survival.

I don't know about other nations paying for US wars; large amounts of debt from WWII were forgiven.  Even now the US gives money (bribes?) other countries to partake in the Iraq and Afghanistan misadventures.

43 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Might not be a bad thing wipe out most of the population of the world and start again. Cant do any worse than than we have already done to it.

The problem is that only the rich <deleted> have their nuclear bunkers and can you imagine a world of only them after wiping out the rest of us?

53 minutes ago, oilinki said:

ICBM are easy targets within seconds, they have been launched. After that the missiles gain so much speed, it's really hard to target the missiles. 

The flight time of well function ICBM is about 25 minutes from one continent to another. It is also the response time for full scale nuclear war. 

That is why these wide spreaded beasts, which have been deployed all around the world are so damn dangerous. When one flies off, there is no time for reasonable thinking, there is only pre-determined plans for militaries for each occasions. 

The WW3 is over in just 30 minutes. After that, the nuclear submarines may or may not launch their missiles, which is about 50% of the whole nuclear capacity. 

After all that, we the common people, around the world are trying to survive the nuclear winter, the collapse of our societies.. until we eventually die. 

That's the Nuclear war 101 for you. There has been a good reason, why nuclear weapons were never used after the USA 'bombings' of Japan. Those were not bombings, those were tourchings. 

I could be wrong; but the longer flight time means that you have more data about its flight path.  If you've ever seen the Phalanx LPWS system work, you'll know what I'm talking about.  Used against mortars, it radar tracks it and catches it after the arc.  I.E. when it is coming down.  Very successful.

Throw up a bunch of proximity detonating munitions in its path an watch the fireworks.  Of course dealing with the spread of the missile components is bad.

4 minutes ago, oilinki said:

You are proving my point. The lesser educated people of the USA has enjoyed highly for the globalisation. Now, when you are going to go back to you violent cocoon, it's going to change. 
 

USA power over the other countries is vanishing. It's mostly a good thing, as we, the rest of the world wish to live peaceful life. 

You seem to care only about yourself and your own well being. Well, that's not how the most developed world thinks like. You'd be lost in a modern society, if you ever moved to live in to one. 

For me you are not the one who represent the freedoms, but who represents the responsibilities. That sounds communism to me. 

Yes, extreme capitalism and extreme communism are pretty much the same thing. 

Whoah, you sure veered off course here.  As I didn't call you a Russian Swede, why did you find it incumbent to insinuate that the US is full of violent and stupid people who only succeed because of the rest of the world?  Didn't your concentration camps during WWII have a nearly 30% death rate?  Sounds much more violent than what happened during the unfortunate internments in the US.

I keep hearing about how reduction of US power is a good thing because the rest of the world will be better off and things will be peaceful.  And yet looking at history things were much worst before the US's ascension to power.

I don't know why you think I care about only myself and my own well being.  I think the quote below clearly states that I am against using other countries to produce cheap things (anti-wage slavery) whilst destroying theirs (and the rest of the world's) environment.

Let them get their time in the sun.  Allow them to catch up with the West in environmental concerns, human rights, etc.

I don't understand how that could be considered wanting them to live in a developed world.  Perhaps I am just the 'lesser educated' American.

Your assertions about my 'representing' is laughable.  I want people to have the freedom to improve themselves.  I want people to have the freedom to live their lives as they choose.  I want people to have the freedom to decide how their countries are ran.  I want people to have the freedom to pursue happiness.

However freedom should not infringe on other people's freedoms.  Should a company or business owner have the freedom to strip mine an area using carcinogenic chemicals next to a school?  Should the US have the freedom to dump spent nuclear fuel in the North Sea?  Personally I don't think so because for both of those examples the 'freedoms'  exercised impinge on other people's freedoms.

Now perhaps your post is due to language barriers.  I speak Spanish fluently and am still cautious as something as simple as subtle conjugations can have an enormous impact on the message.  Combined with the late hour and possibility of adult beverages influencing posts I will not take offense and tell you in all sincerity that it appears you misunderstood my post based on your reply.

1 minute ago, oilinki said:

USA is a big player in the global market, but it's big only because it has always been a big global player. USA has 1/20 of world population. China has 1/5. 

The markets has already been moving towards Asia. Hence the answer to the constant complaints, why Thai baht is so high compared to the USD, Pound and EURO. The values of rise due influence and inflation. 

China has been sending their brightest and bravest to the west to find information. They have been all around us, for decades. I had a clipse of it, when my boss, IT manager of Nokia caught a Chinese worker from stealing data, took his access and ID badge away and physically removed him from the building. This was Finland and year 1999. 

We have been living in a way different world and war since the WWII. The ways we do war and information gathering is simply different today. 

And yes, the logical way for China to cripple already wounded USA is to remove their assets.. and at some point their people who are doing a lot of the sciences there, from the USA. 

The way USA is playing it's hands right now, is the way Soviet Union played it's hands when it became Russia and become subcritical power. The history repeats itself, or is there some other powers who learned from mistakes and wish USA to feel the same pain?

 

China's GDP per capita: 8,123.18 USD.  USA's GDP per capita: 57,466.79 USD.  So despite having ~4x the population, they can only muster ~1/7 of the GDP per capita.  So if both countries bought as many widgets as possible from a third country, the US would still be able to buy nearly 2x as many as China.

I have no problem with the markets moving towards Asia.  Let them get their time in the sun.  Allow them to catch up with the West in environmental concerns, human rights, etc.  Bring on the demand for Western products that creates jobs in the West.  That is a free and open market that doesn't move slavery (even if it's wage slavery) over to some foreign land instead of your own back yard.

I do wonder what sort of pushback the Chinese scientists would offer in your scenario.  After all getting a taste of the freedoms the West allows, along with the advantages of the different lifestyle, it would seem to me that at least a few (hopefully the best and brightest who aren't spies!) would choose to ask for amnesty that the US would be foolish not to offer with caveats.

Your discussion of the USA playing its hands right now has me interested; could you provide some examples of what you are talking about?  Thank you.

11 minutes ago, AlexRRR said:

 

A sifi film here.....no the NK havent placed nuclear bombs inside the US, the US Navy would have ships in the area capable plus SK is just over the border and Japan is a stone throw away  the US have many options and would have a number of sites ready to go, plus if it got to that stage if NK let loose a garage of missiles i dare say the ones staionedin the countries i just mentioned would also have nuclear warheads and its quite possible NK would be destroyed hours before any hit the US, its sabre rattling at its best or worst depending how you see it...

Doesn't take hours (try in less time than Dominos promises to deliver a pizza) for an ICBM to hit the US from Korea.

9 minutes ago, oilinki said:

The problem with defence missile system is.. that you can try it only once. Either it works, or not. If it doesn't work, everybody knows that it's, at the time, pretty much useless.. and you loose power and credibility.

Another thing is that the easiest time to shoot down an ICBM is just after it has been launched and still speeding up. After that, the missile goes so darn fast and high, it's really difficult to shoot it down anymore. During the phase the missile has already deployed it's warhead('s), it's still possible to stop the warheads.. but it's truly difficult due the sheer speed. 

And.. who says, North Korea has not already deployed multiple nuclear bombs inside of the countries it might have war with? Who knows there is not already 10 nuclear weapons placed inside of USA's cities, waiting to be detonated?

 

When one mixes nuclear weapons with guerilla warfare, there is very little one can do.

So, war between USA and North Korea is impossibly destructive. Not worth of the war or even the recently shown agressions from both sides. 

My understanding is that ICBMs are fairly easy to shoot down as long as detected at launch.  Few ICBMs deviate much from their path and with current technology the 10 minutes minimum in LEO is a millennium.  Yes, hitting it shortly after launch and using its own fuel to burn it up and deposit it hopefully on the belligerent country's own soil is nice but not always possible.

The good thing about catching them on the way down is that it's hard for them to change course.  Of course you only have about 1/6 of the time compared to launch phase to do it in though...

3 hours ago, oilinki said:

Let's see. 

1) Small accident / incident causes other party to start shelling 

2) As nobody is giving an inch away, this eventually leads to nuclear exchange

3) Depending of the winds, either China or Japan will be under the nuclear clouds.

4) China is not happy and takes their money away from USA

5) USA economy collapses, causing civil war

6) World economy almost collapses

7) Lot's of unrest around the world, Thailand included

 

.. and that's the positive version, without full scale nuclear war between big nuclear powers. That would be the end of life, even here in Thailand. https://tennessine.com/ScienceFunFacts/NuclearWar/NuclearWinter

I don't see points 4,5, and 6 happening.  China would be slitting their own throats doing that.  While they have 1/3 of the US debt, that also gives them access to markets because it depresses the Yuan's value.  So the purchasing power of the US would go to the toilet.  And of course the US would retaliate by imposing tariffs.  China could essentially say goodbye to a 1.962 Trillion USD per year market.  Oh, and by the way they hold 1.102 Trillion US debt.  And by doing it they devalue the dollar and make it so much easier for the US to pay off that 1.102 Trillion.

After being excluded from the US market, where will China make up the shortfall?  After all the Yuan would then rise in value making their exports more expensive meaning not as attractive to foreign markets.  And who would want such a trifling trading partner?  With China's burgeoning middle class especially, and the general market coming to appreciate modern comforts, how would the strong Yuan affect their newly gained lifestyle?

I'm probably all wrong about the above scenario and would love to have someone tell me why my thought process isn't correct...

And I don't think that there will be a civil war in the US; after all it would be too easy to blame the woes on foreigners.  If you don't think that could happen look at Germany during the inter-war years.

1 hour ago, RoyDee said:

Well, TIT and few, if any, procedures are set in stone. As I implied in post #16, the Thai IOs are well aware of the system and certainly do not take offence as it is a daily occurrence (I am referring to the Pong Nam Ron-Prum/Prom border which the OP asked about). I have used that border several times (last was a couple of weeks ago on 2 August when I drove there myself) and nothing has changed. As Steve mentioned in post #8, there is a big new Thai immigration building under construction there now; maybe things will change once it opens, who knows.

 

To the OP: you say you are unwell - I assume you know Thai roads - need to be fully alert with 360 deg. awareness at all times. Maybe consider extending permission to stay at your local immig office or go with a visa run company instead?  

Totally not disagreeing with what you posted.  Good catch with him not using the Poi Pet border.

Isn't there some sort of reprieve available with a doctor's note?  Perhaps someone can chime in for the OP about such a possibility.

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

if you are 'stamped out' but still in thailand, you are illegal, right ?

Once you get stamped you have to leave the immigration building.  That means that you're outside Thailand's jurisdiction.  I don't know if they will take umbrage at you 'gaming' the system for not actually be coming from a foreign country though if you use an agent right in sight of the immigration officer.

I just did a run today. 

Just follow the 33 to the 3446 and turn into the market where you see the 7-11. All the way down and there's a gate where you get a card and go in to park by the busses. 150 ฿.

Was no line leaving LOS. Walk out and cross the street. Very few people in the first building. You fill out a Cambodian TM6 style form. On there they have several choices for the visa. I picked the shortest one. Had a passport photo ready. Gave it, the "TM6", and 1,200 ฿. I believe it's $35 so pretty much the same price. I walked down to the actual passport control and waited in line for 2 minutes. Stamped in and walked across the road to departures. Another 2 minute wait and was stamped out. Cambodia uses fingerprint scanners so it's right fingers/right index, left fingers, left index. Just be polite and the immigration on that side is a joy to work with.

After getting the exit stamp cross the road yet again (yes that's 3 times crossing). I unfortunately got back to immigration on the Thai side at 12:35. A bunch of backpackers with questionable personal hygiene  (some Spanish girls with as much leg hair as me...) had me standing in line for 80 minutes. Luckily I had a big glass of Sprite.

Best advice I can give is to take a pen. I did it all my self as the old lady and her mum went shopping. The less time I spend with them whilst they are doing that the happier I am. Previously I had used a helper; in fact according to his uniform he was a cop. But that was a long time ago. Now the cop just asked what I was doing and made a fist shaking it up and down. I assumed he asked if I was going to gamble (miming shaking dice) rather than self pleasure but I still laughed.

There's a calculator here to determine the benefit: 

https://www.cryptocompare.com/mining/calculator/eth?HashingPower=25.623&HashingUnit=MH%2Fs&PowerConsumption=241&CostPerkWh=0.12

I punched in 0.12 USD as that's what the BOI website has listed as the peak price (over 400 kw/h).

http://www.boi.go.th/index.php?page=utility_costs

Let's say that you get your hands on a RX 580 which does 25.623 MH/s at 241 W.  You'll earn all of $75 (2,545 baht) per month.  Cheapest RX 580 on invadeit is 8,990 baht.  So you'd need 3.5 months just to pay off the card and actually start making money.  Oh...but there are no RX 580 cards available.  Same story with the GTX 1070.  Very hard to find cards right now.