Lacessit

I'd love to know where you got that statistic from, do you have a link?

Who fed you the nasty pill today?

I buy gold and silver. Buy low, sell high. There is no carrying charge for "pool allocated" purchases of these commodities. Gold and silver are not investments. They are currency hedges.

Roasted almonds, unsalted. Bamboo with chili. Avocado. Dark chocolate, 80 - 90% cocoa. Yoghurt. Mango or pineapple pieces. Brie/camembert.

Just wondering how far off topic this thread can go. What's next, Leonardo Da Vinci?

Government control was complete, once everyone had a mobile phone.

Do you know what a cartel is? Why would insurance companies in the UK pitch premiums for EV's higher than for ICE's, unless they recognized a higher risk level?

I have always felt comfortable with my own company, the term is claustrophilic. Isaac Asimov was noted for being a claustrophile. His IQ was 160. I read, listen to music, and entertain myself responding to posters on ASEAN. Currently watching the final season of Boardwalk Empire. I can accept that lifestyle does not suit everyone, we all are different. I do still get out for swimming and golf, not a total hermit.

When did you develop the mindset insurance companies are charitable organizations? With the possible exception of Thailand, insurance companies have probably worked out EV's are a captive market. With the contingent liability of an EV fire, how many EV owners could afford the risk of driving uninsured? As I said before, enjoy the party while it lasts.

I just crank up the air purifiers and aircon during that period. Two months where I don't go out much.

I read recently Thailand has the highest uptake rate of EV's in south Asia. I seem to see a lot of them in Chiang Rai. The final insurance loss of the Felicity Ace sinking is just under $500 million. While there is still argument over the cause of the sinking, IMO if it has webbed feet, walks like a duck, talks like a duck - it's a duck. $500 million consequential damage from a single faulty car battery is one hell of an achievement. I understand the ship's insurers are trying to transfer the loss to (a) the cargo insurers (b) the car makers. Let's say an ICE insured value and premium both decrease with age, standard practice. Can insurers afford to do that with an EV? The risk of consequential damage due to an EV fire stays the same, irrespective of insured value. In fact, it may increase as the battery cells age. Interesting times for the car insurance industry.

I've been to Pattaya several times, does little for me. Expensive. Chiang Rai is my preference, each to his own. Note to BMT: There is plenty of sex available in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

IMO as we get older, we tend towards staying at home in our comfort zone much more. I am well and truly over international travel. I occasionally travel to Chiang Mai to visit friends. I mainly go out to restaurants for variety, there's a limit to the dishes I can cook in the condo.

Quite a few foreigners come to Thailand, and refuse to learn even the most rudimentary Thai. Their choice, their loss. I find it much easier to live here with modest ability in the language. Probably a condo with a large foreigner component of owners or renters in Jomtien or Pattaya would best suit the OP's California-like aspirations. Given his preferences, he should only be renting property. I'm also assuming he is celibate, making him a pretty odd fish in the Pattaya scene.

IMO you should enjoy the party, while it lasts. Take the hypothetical situation of an EV fire causing millions of baht worth of consequential damage in a confined space, such as a road tunnel or underground car park. Then take the very probable situation where an EV has to be scrapped after an accident for full market value, whereas an ICE could be repaired at much lower cost. Risk assessment is the life blood of insurance companies, they have entire departments dedicated to it. How long will it take them to realize EV's are getting a free ride on their profit and loss statement?

Your post raises an interesting question for EV owners in Thailand - are your insurance premiums higher than a ICE in the same price range?

Given the trend of your topics, this is probably next.

I have always viewed separate bedrooms as the last step before total separation. Separate beds? No way. A king size bed is better if a bit of separation is needed. My GF and I have different reasons for sharing a bed. When it is cold, I act as the source of warmth for her. When we have mosquitoes, they head for her like bears to honey, and leave me alone.

You'll get no argument from me as to which is the more desirable/practical vehicle for city environments. I get off the bus when it comes to heavy haulage, where EV's are far less practical, and more of a feel-good statement. You won't get any argument about recharging EV's from renewables from me either. It's when the recharge comes from Mae Moh power station, possibly the dirtiest CO2 emitter on the planet, that IMO people are kidding themselves. Much of Thailand's air quality problems are self-inflicted. If the police at every checkpoint in Thailand were to put any smoke-emitting vehicle off the road, the AQI would improve very quickly. You don't see any vehicles emitting smoke in Malaysia. THe AQI of Kuala Lumpur is about half that of Bangkok, although Bangkok does have a 20% higher population.

There are still some organizations that use forms and a mechanical device to process payments with cards, although admittedly it is an antiquated system. Given there are thousands of scammers in cyberspace trying to separate all of us from our money, and governments in a race to see who can debase their currency fastest, I would always place more trust in bullion tucked under my pillow.

My son in Australia has one of the battery packs you reference, to deal with power failures, which are common in his area. A Bluetti. The cost effectiveness of an EV comes from the relative cost of electricity vs gasoline per km, even more if the EV recharges from roof solar.

I am probably more optimistic about wind and solar, due to a couple of factors - the development of battery storage which is capable of grid supply all on its own, and households that are going completely off-grid. The latter is scaring the living daylights out of fossil-fueled power generators, because it shrinks their economies of scale. An example of the former is the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia. IMO the reason we have so much conflict is the rise of social media, where any fruitcake can spout absolute nonsense, and get millions of followers if they are savvy enough to package their pitch correctly. Climate change is a case in point. The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics are central to explaining the cause = effect relationship of global warming and climate change, yet less than 1% of the world's population has any training in said laws, or understanding of their implications. This thread is a good example of people who are taking sides on the question of EV's. It's my opinion I am taking a balanced view of their benefits and drawbacks, others claim I am anti-EV.

I find it very ironic many democratic nations have furiously resisted any requirement to carry personal identification with them, that's what totalitarian states do to their citizens. And then, we all rushed out to purchase the latest smartphone technology to show off to friends, neighbors and relatives.

I've worked with a variety of nationalities before I retired and came to Thailand. Some were good company and workers, others less so. I have no problem with refugees from anywhere coming into Australia. Most just want a better life. If, however, they bring their ancestral hatreds and criminal pasts with them, I want them to f@ck off back to where they came from.

The OP list of goodies is no doubt ideal for the British climate. My favorite Christmas dinner was cold King Island crayfish and salad, consumed with a Vasse Felix classic dry white. Dessert is fruit salad, made from strawberries, blueberries, seedless grapes, pineapple and rock melon. Topped with thickened cream. IMO much more sensible for an Australian summer, I don't care what AI says.