Mike Teavee

4 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

The Roman Catholic Church is basically unbiblical and is not a good example of what is in the Bible.  As far as your comment about having pity on me, save all that for your brother and any of your friends who are into man love.  

 

Instead of wasting your time viewing videos of people who don't believe the Bible is the word of God, and those who reject Jesus as their savior, just read the King James Version of the Bible written in plain English.  It takes the average reader with a sixth grade education about 72 hours to read the Bible.  It may take you a little longer but will be worth your time.  

 

In addition, it might be a good idea to take an English writting course. 

You sad little man, wasting your life believing in <deleted> & denying that your god loves everybody (Including Gays)...

SAD... SAD... SAD... Little man

18 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Nobody cares about watching videos here, there is youtube for that, but i encourage you to say what do you think, well, if you can, of course.

Are you having a giraffe Muppet???

So far I've been polite when replying to your posts, let's leave it there before I "Upset you" with what I can say.

[Deep breath... do not say, fckin Muppet]... 

3 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

I honestly feel pity for you...

 

Can I ask what you would do if your Son came to you one day & said "Dad, I'm Gay"???

 

I know my father took it hard when my brother came out, his words to my Mum were what was I (Big brother) going to think about it

 

My words were "It just leaves more rampant totty for us real men", which is a quote from Blackadder & a joke I knew would help my BROTHER to feel at ease during a very stressful time for him

 

If that's your "God" you're welcome to him mate.... He's no friend of mine

 

I encourage you to watch this 

 and get a real perspective on life... 

There's none so blind as though that does not want to see (If that's not in your "Book" it's me, MTV C!, V1 here enduff the sermon  :)) 

8 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

I believe every word in the Bible is the word of God, and I believe Jesus Christ died for our sins.  I feel sorry for those who can't seem to figure this out but I don't loose any sleep over it.  

 

As far as the gender confusion issue, common sense should tell people who participate in this sort of behavior, they have serious mental problems but I don't loose any sleep over that either.

 

I do know for a fact, people have until they take their last breath to get right with God and accept Jesus Christ as their savior.  After that it is a done deal.  Non-believers can laugh about this and be in denial over it until the cows come home but those who do this will have eternity to regret their actions.  

I honestly feel pity for you...

Can I ask what you would do if your Son came to you one day & said "Dad, I'm Gay"???

I know my father took it hard when my brother came out, his words to my Mum were what was I (Big brother) going to think about it

My words were "It just leaves more rampant totty for us real men", which is a quote from Blackadder & a joke I knew would help my BROTHER to feel at ease during a very stressful time for him

If that's your "God" you're welcome to him mate.... He's no friend of mine

7 hours ago, Chazar said:

No gods, I'd  listen to Jim all day

Thanks... Awesome video & what a crime against humanity that the Judeo-Christian based laws at that time robbed the world of the talent that Turin was - He (41) was just getting into his stride, can you imagine what he'd have achieved if he'd been allowed to live his life without the "Instruction Book" (Bible) interference - Or maybe it was God's plan for him to not move the world forward.

Curious @CMNightRider on your views on this... Do you subscribe to Leviticus 18 & 20 

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." Chapter 18 verse 22. "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them." Chapter 20 verse 13....

So what happened to a brilliant man was just?

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm as "Straight" as they come so have no dog in the sexual preference fight, just  an admirer of Turin since I embarked on my career in IT (spent the 1st 3 years working in a building named after him) & it sickens me to know how/why his life ended

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Still registered with my GP, not seen him for 10 years (he wrote to me last year and asked if a wanted a free cancer check kit).

Renewed my D/L last year online, ticking the 'use passport' box.

I only have pensions originated and paid in the UK, so taxed wherever I am in the world.

 

Why would I tell anyone in government I'm on holiday overseas for 90 days?

Many years back my (maybe all) GPs did a census to see if people were still living locally, I was working in Glasgow at the time so didn't bother to fill it in - But my brother lost his registration as he hadn't visited for 5 years (He'd also moved away).

Obviously you need to tell DVLC you live at a UK address & I chose not to do that even though I could prove an address with my UK Bank Statements (I use my parents house as my correspondence address, my bank knows I work overseas, they're the ones that put me there) & Utility Bills (share the same name as my father)   

Lol - I think life is one permanent 90 day holiday for you ???? Soon to be for me, last (& only) day in the office 6th December ???? 

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Asking them for advice when you are living outside the country immediately gets you flagged for a frozen pension IMHO.

I never tell any UK government agency where I am or what I'm doing.

Someone living abroad and asking them for advice is extremely foolish (unless they're happy with a frozen pension of course).

Completely the opposite, couldn't wait to tell them I was non-resident for tax purposes...

• Got back > £26,000 in Income Tax for 1st (part) year I was working OS & being paid by the UK company (Not a hard decision to choose to pay it at SIngapore rates)
• Stopped paying top rate income tax on my UK dividends
• Made a few chunky share sales without paying any capital gains tax 
• Got to pay AVCs at Class 2 ???? 

What did I lose...

• Access to my GP (I'd lost that years before whilst working in the UK because I hadn't visited for > 15 years)
• Driving License (Expired in 2013) - I don't like the Idea of telling 1 government department I live OS & another I'm living in the UK - Funny though as due to having a car stolen with my wallet & the police not returning it for 18 months (when they claimed they found it at the scene of a burglary!) I have my old Green License which doesn't expire ????
•  My Pension will get frozen in 13.3 years ! (Private pension kicks in in 6.3 years, no freezing with that :)) 

It was a no brainer for me... 

10 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

I was working in the middle east, mainly Saudi Arabia. I never researched this back in the day, I simply ran with the advise given during induction by British Aerospace.

 

As I recall, the advise was to pay class 3 NI contributions if you wish to retain full pension rights and to be able fully integrate back into the NI system on return to the UK. Who was I to argue with that?

 

Anyway, I'm glad I did, because they were quite right and as well as having a couple of periods of unemployment during I was awarded NI credits I was also able to claim a full retirement pension.

 

I haven't researched it, as I have no vested interest in doing so, but I wouldn't think that £3 for class 2 as apposed to £15 for class 3 p/w (as it is today) would have bought me all those rights.

 

The O/P @marf should really do his own homework on this. Don't just accept advise from a few forum members. What we knew back in the day, might not apply now.

Class 2 gives you everything that Class 3 gives in terms of full pension entitlement but I don't know about NI Credits (Would imagine you'd need to be claiming some benefits in UK to get that).

Totally agree, OP should call the HMRC helpdesk, I've found them very helpful and will provide current advice not our understanding of some years back (E.g. I was sure they stopped Class2 for OS workers in 2018 but it seems they've deferred it for now, maybe they'll do it next year).

9 minutes ago, steve187 said:

what is your pension forecast showing

£146.96, need to contribute another 5 years to get to the maximum £168.60

24 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Where did you get that from? I worked abroad for nearly 20 years and paid class 3 (voluntary) contributions. There was no mix up, DWP knew exactly where I was.

From HMRC, I have posted pics of the tables that they sent to me on the UK Pension thread, unfortunately the pics are on my Laptop in Singapore so won't be able to access them until I get back on 4th December.

I don't know if it makes a difference that I was posted overseas by the UK Bank I was working for, or if it makes a difference I was working/living in SIngapore (Which has a DTA with the UK but not a reciprocal Social Security agreement).

As a matter of interest where were you working whilst you were paying it?

I did a quick Google to see if I could find anything & came across this... https://app.croneri.co.uk/topics/national-insurance-employees-working-abroad/indepth skip to the Voluntary part.... 

Seconded workers who are not liable to pay Class 1 NICs may pay either voluntary Class 3 NICs or where appropriate Class 2 NICs. Class 2 and 3 contributions are set at a weekly fixed rate, adjusted around the start of each tax year. Class 2 contributions are currently considerably cheaper than Class 3 contributions and also provide a wider range of benefit entitlement. Therefore, where a person wishes to pay voluntary contributions to preserve their UK contribution record, it is advisable to pay Class 2 rather than Class 3 contributions.

Edit: Interesting post here 

44 minutes ago, steve187 said:

either pay a voluntary stamp class 3 £16 a week, or go self employed class 2 at under £3.00 a week, but class 2 may stop in the near future

You are (or at least were) treated as self employed when working overseas so pay class 2.

I thought I'd read somewhere that this had stopped from April 2018 and I would begin to be charged at Class 3, but so far still seem to be being charged for Class 2

You can also top-up the previous 6 years contributions so if you do get to pay Class 2 you might as well, but please note it's debatable whether catching up on anything before April 2016 is worth it as they changed the calculations then & seem to have baselined people so anything before then may or may not count (I'm still trying to work out as I caught up 2010-2016 so now have 36 years and they're still telling me I'm 5 years short).

1 hour ago, JaiLai said:

not west africa

 

beatiful place tho and very cheap with Ex rate. ive got a lot of south african friends (white) and they all agree SA is gonna end up like Zimbabwe - shame!

It's more West than East ???? 

Beautiful place.... 

4 minutes ago, JaiLai said:

just out of interest where in west africa would you consider?

Cape Town.... 

4 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

I would prefer to return to the UK than emigrate to Latin America. Spend short winter in Europe or The Caribbean or West Africa. Im too settled in Thailand and too old to change. I've been to over 60 countries and lived and worked in many ..

just glad i knew Thailand in the glory days before the current regime and cant face swopping it for a latin American despot for ever under the heel of America.

Not sure about the returning to the UK part (I love the UK, will not stand for anybody speaking bad about it) but awesome to hear you've found your happy place

I've never really visited LATAM (done Mexico twice on 1 day trips) but have done most of the Caribbean Islands on holiday over the years so want to try the real LATAM... I'll be maintaining my BKK Condo / Thai Non-O visa during the "Trial" ????  

Wish I'd have found Thailand in the Glory Days (Unfortunately work took me the other way & only got to visit Asia in 2008, have lived here ever since :))

In fairness, Stephen has a reason to "Rage" against the church given their view on his "Lifestyle".

He & Hitchens absolutely demolished a labor MP/Archbishop here... 

And yes, I would rather he babysit my kids than a Catholic priest.... 

5 hours ago, snowballthecat said:

Checking the East route to Argentina....

 

Skyscanner allows such a search in Multi-destination setting....

So, I have to split the journey....

Lets'say HKT (Phuket)-SYD (Sydney)

SYD-BUE (Buenos Aires) 

Results in a 30 hour trip for 80,000 Baht, return fare, leaving in Dec coming back in Feb. 

So-so airlines: Air Asia, Air Asia X and LATAM (??) 

Same from BKK, but with Qantas:

 

BKK-SYD (13 hs)

SYD-BUE(22 hs)

77,000Baht.

 

Perhaps there are better options to fly East, but no aware of. Usually I input SCL, as Chile offers more options than Argentina, and it is a quick jump, anyway....

 

Hopper is full of searches, from KL, from HK, from HKT, from BKK. Christmas is in the air, and fares are High, whatever direction one may decide to take. 

Charges for changes are also very high, and with the uncertainty I am facing, I will get a one-way-ticket this time. 

No cheap.

 

I'd love to fly the East route & stop off at some places I've never visited on the way, but it's far cheaper for me to combine the trip with a trip to visit family in Manchester (UK) which I will be doing anyway, this way it's like I get to visit them twice (top & tail of the trip) at no/minimal extra cost.

It's still 80,000THB + 110,000 THB though, that's in Business Class, once I've settled in to being retired (be kind, it's only my 2nd day & I still need to go into the office on 6th December to do the formal exit... yes I'm still being paid until then ????) & not in a rush I'll look into the Economy pricing - Going the other way was coming out at 320-340,000 THB with the itinerary I was looking at (The Chinese Airlines didn't come up on my searches)

10 minutes ago, geronimo said:

personally, I believe in spirituality, and yes, Fry did destroy religion, rightly so.

 

I said "almost" because if there is a god, then one of the religions would have been on the button.

Hit the nail on the head, Religion does more harm to God/Faith/Belief than anything else.

People who believe the Bible is the instruction manual to life need to take a serious look at what they believe in... The Bible like the Ikea Billy Bookcase construction manual, are both so far removed from the truth it's unreal... 

1 minute ago, geronimo said:

Morgan Freeman smokes weed, so he'll be an atheist ....... 

 

No probably a Rasta ???? 

7 minutes ago, geronimo said:

Well, if there is a god, then almost all of the religions are barking up the wrong tree!

Agree absolutely & I personally think that you need to separate God from Religion as the 2 have nothing to do with each other when it comes to belief/faith

Used to joke with my parents (1 Catholic, 1 protestant) that they could never agree which order to do the spectacles, testicles, wallet & watch... 

IMHO All religions are Bollaxe... But faith is a very real & important factor of a lot of people's lives... 

11 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Not sure how you can compare a mountain to a river, although i can admit that my metaphor is not flawless.

A mountain can exist millions of years, but is not eternal.

If i see God as the ultimate truth, that truth is eternally existing, while all the rest is transitory.

Sorry, it was a nod to the duality conversation earlier whereby 2 people can say opposing things that can both be true... 

You say a man can take a different path up the same mountain & I say a man cannot even take the same path again up the same mountain as none of the 3 (Man, Path, Mountain) are the same... I used to walk the "Mountains" of the UK every weekend and even using a path i'd used dozens of time before, it was never the same path, nor was it the same mountain & (on reflection) I wasn't the same man.

4 hours ago, mauGR1 said:

Agree, actually having a different mother language, a different background and having read different books, i am kind of surprised on how your position is similar to mine.

As some wise man once said, "There are different paths to climb a mountain, but the mountain is the same".

And to paraphrase Heraclitus... No man can climb a mountain by the same path twice as it's not the same mountain & it's not the same path... 

7 hours ago, arthur john said:

Soon people from the western world will mostly not be able to afford to retire here as currencies are falling and requirements to stay rising , I hear the Philippines is a popular choice for many brits leaving Thailand as the UK has a reciprocal agreement with them meaning pensions rise every year and free medical .

The world is changing , it has been said do not burn your bridges and by the looks of what is now happening good advice ! Hopefully the thai government will let those of us who are older with long term wives be exempt from rule changes , Iam ok as money has been invested to look after myself and wife and my wife when the enevitable happens ! Where I live not many farangs as nearly all seem to have gone

UK has a reciprocal Social Security agreement with Philippines so your Pension  will continue to receive yearly COL (Cost of Living) increases BUT we have no more rights to healthcare there than any other country has... US ex-servicemen are well supported in the major cities by their healthcare provider (Medicare???) though