Lacessit

I've worked amicably with a variety of nationalities for nearly 50 years, have a Thai GF, and speak reasonable Thai. I don't care if you call me a racist, that's a product of your twisted mind.

That's because everyone wants to see how big a fool you can make of yourself.

Not in my experience. The CSIRO in Australia is in hot water with both sides of the political spectrum, after explaining the cost of compact nuclear reactors is totally uncompetitive with renewables. No-one wanted to hear that.

I understand there's a Fourth of July tobacco spitting contest in Avery, North Carolina. How many times have you entered?

Why don't you tell me how you think science is done, I am interested in what zenith of stupidity can be attained.

Did you get your science degree out of a package of crackers? No two species react the same way to a toxic chemical. For example, dioxin's principal symptom is chloracne in humans. In horses, it causes them to starve to death.

OK, try this. No-one studies the side effects of pharmaceuticals for fun, they study them because a real risk is perceived.

Masks are designed to prevent infection by droplets arising from coughing and sneezing. A bacterium is about 1000 - 2000 nm in diameter. COVID is 125 nm. it is physically impossible to project a bacterium or virus more than a couple of centimetres. It has to be attached to a larger droplet for it to get through the 1-2 metres of personal space most people have, except possibly on public transport in Japan. To illustrate this concept, let me ask: How far can you throw a cricket ball or baseball, and how far can you throw a pea? Is that logical enough for you?

There are plenty of other sources on the internet which indicate ivermectin can cause liver damage. I only cited one.

Given Covid MAY have come from a laboratory ( no one knows for sure ) there's no guarantee those experts are right. One can't control human curiosity, and Murphy's Law seems to have the same force as the laws of thermodynamics. Admittedly the probability is very low.

You mean like they do in Western countries?

I had my last (bivalent) Pfizer in February. Number 4. IMO it is going to be like an annual flu shot, with more emphasis on the elderly. You may be right, because the variants after Delta seem to have declined in both mortality risk, and long term effects. Most infected people's immune systems seem to be coping OK with any repeat infections. That's not to say a nasty mutation is not waiting around the corner.

On an anecdotal basis, yes it would. Myself and my GF are living evidence of the difference vaccination makes. The Sinovac vaccine was only 50% effective in preventing COVID infection. I only had a mild case of Delta after shots of Sinovac and AZ. My unvaccinated GF was seriously ill. People confused prevention of infection with prevention of serious illness. The statistics say an unvaccinated person is 6-7 times more likely to need ICU admission. Of course, the failure of COVID vaccines to prevent infection was meat and drink to the anti-vaxxer brigade. I do wonder how many of them navigated polio, tetanus, typhoid etc etc while sticking to their beliefs.

I have the philosophy of only taking medications when I consider them absolutely necessary. I will accept mild arthritic pain rather than take a NSAID. One of the most common causes of death in elderly people is kidney failure. IMO that is exacerbated by pharmaceuticals, which place an extra burden on the kidneys. When I look at the variety of pills my GF brings home from a clinic visit, it is scary. In some cases, ivermectin can have serious side effects on the liver. A test for liver function at Mengrai labs costs 60 baht. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9876768/

I gather it has improved, due to a new broom. When I was there years ago, it took four hours, even with an agent.

The statistics say an infected person wearing a face mask is 70% less likely to infect other people, and an uninfected person wearing a face mask is 30% less likely to contract COVID. I have had two mRNA boosters. While I can't say if they have done me any good, they have not done me any harm either. Neither have all the polio, tetanus, typhoid, Hep A, flu and pneumonia shots I have had in 80 years. I feel sorry for people who spread anti-vaxxer lies, because I regard their chances of growing up and getting to my age as limited.

It is highly unlikely one will get liver flukes if they cook their food properly. Do you eat a lot of salads?

Actually, tomato sauce may not be tomato sauce either. In Australia, the bulk ingredient in tomato sauce is deodorized pear and apple pulp, which is in plentiful supply. It's then flavored with tomato concentrate. If you see a bottle of tomato sauce here with a Heinz or Rosella label on it, the odds are pretty good it's far less than 100% tomato.

My theory is the Thai cheese they use to make pizza is so bland, it needs a condiment to make it edible.

IMO the Russians have already proved their grasp of logistics is abysmal, and it is what the Ukrainians are targeting. I see they just eliminated one of Russia's biggest transport ship, from the videos it looks like it was carrying ammunition. The vital link is the Kerch Strait bridge, which is still being repaired. Take that out, and Crimea cannot be defended.

IIRC they won in Iraq, lost in Afghanistan. Although Iraq then became a vacuum. It's a mixed bag, history shows trying to subjugate populations that don't want you there is rarely successful. A lesson Putin has yet to learn IMO America is playing it smart in Ukraine, the Ukrainians do their work for them. No boots on the ground. That could all change if the traitor Trump gets back in.

You are unable to move to another province? I found when I moved from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, the process is far less stressful, although my first extension here was complicated by the lease situation.

And you are not, praying for me?

Christopher Hitchens does a good job of exposing all the inconsistencies of religion. I can't help it if that is in conflict with your beliefs.

When I do it myself, I am saving about 7000 baht for about 2 hours work in getting all my ducks in a row. Effectively, I am paying myself 3500 baht/hour.