frantick

Maybe it's a silly poll, but when medical professionals aren't actively searching for a vaccine connection, people are left with unanswered questions. My sister died last month. Sure, she was all of 69. Her father lived to 91; her mother still alive at 90. Blood clot in the leg, up to her lungs, stopped her heart. Of course, at one point the doctor mentioned many clots in the lungs as they tried to keep her alive, so who knows. A couple months since last vaccine, so, of course, no mention on the autopsy. This is my anecdotal data. But glad I didn't trust my government ... to also recommend a "cure". It is all my feelings, my uneducated opinion, and I admit no "scientific" facts to prove any of it.

Agreed. I get the 120฿ Boncafe Morning roast. It's very dark. Probably my palate after drinking burnt Starbucks all those years.

Those "get off my lawn" kids, you know the ones paying these old guys' pensions. Sorry, old guy here too, but one who appreciates generations to come. Unfortunately, demographics will soon be in decline in most of the world.

This is SO not true. Sure, you pay a higher percentage of taxes, but you also keep more in your pocket. I've heard this so many times, even from my own kids, I have to call it out.

No, actually have a sister living there. But I thought about using a service.

I was in your neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, unfortunately due to my sister's unexpected death. I had actually been considering moving back next year, but with her gone, having no wife nor interest in one, no job nor interest in one, and the eerie quietness while I was there, I couldn't do it. I realize, during the day that people are working or in school, but living there for 30 years, it is different now. Nobody on the streets, in Starbucks, the mall, my local bar. I'm sure there are busy times, but I didn't see much activity in the week I was there. No drag racing on Eighth Street. Maybe it's true, you can't go back. 2nd week was with my kids in Minneapolis area, a little more hustle and bustle, but I wouldn't want to live there again for many reasons. Here, in Thailand, is constant LIFE. Sure, lots of bars and street carts, motorbikes everywhere, etc. But with all the people outside, even though I don't talk to or know most of them, it's just an overall better vibe for this old man. Given all that, when my health deteriorates, I'm sure I'll return. Hopefully my savings will still be enough to buy a place. BTW, my new address is Box Elder. ????

In the past 3 months I've had batteries replaced in 2 phones. One, an old Pixel 3XL, the other, a newer Samsung S21. Both had succumed to bulging battery syndrome. In both cases, I bought a battery on Lazada, figuring these are probably more rare to find here, maybe not so much for the S21, but it is the smaller, least popular model. In Tukcom, as you exit the 2nd set of escalators to the 2nd floor, it is the first kiosk ahead and to the right. A young man waits counter, an older man does the repairs. Took about 15-20 minutes each time. Both phones continue to work well for wired and wireless charging. I offered 300 baht in each instance, since I had new batteries, and it was accepted. Don't care if that's overpayment.

I actually expected some sexual innuendos when I posted that. But spinning is even funnier.

There was one pictured in a recent post of the new managers (owners?) of Pothole bar on Chaiyaphoon. Don't know if they got rid of it. I also used to play tournaments as a goalie, but don't have the wrist snap like I used to.

Hair style criticisms died with the hippie generation's parents. Welcome to 2023.

Because chicken and "beef?" can be sourced locally, but not beans. I love TB back home, but here, without beans, steak, Diablo sauce, and "normal" tasting nachos, I've only been twice since they've opened. Also, I'm not a cheap Charlie, but prices are crazy high for what you get, and they may grant you 4 fire sauce packets if you wai correctly.

Took typing classes all thru high-school, for which I was hoping to improve my guitar playing. I still mostly suck at guitar, but typing is good. I thought, also, that it would help when I got into software development. But I soon learned that designing code vs typing time is about 99% thought to 1% typing. Maybe you should try more thinking and less typing? 555

Still double Rachel Maddow's viewers. Let's give him another week, shall we?

Woke example: LGBT Pride/Respect vs LGBT Acceptance. I fall into the latter group. Respect, for me and others I know, is always earned on an individual basis, not a group basis.

What's sad about this, is that 3 liberal justices don't understand the constitution well enough to know what I learned in 8th grade Civics class; the House controls monetary policy.

Had keyhole surgery 4 years ago for gallbladder removal after a week long bout of pain that wouldn't go away. I had a couple of minor gallbladder attacks in years previous, but never was diagnosed. Waking up, I was so relieved to not have that gallbladder pain, I didn't even feel the 3 punctures in my gut. But, unfortunately, as can occur with all surgeries (1 to 5%?), I developed an incisional hernia slightly above the bellybutton location. Now, 4 years later, still contemplating whether to have it repaired, and possibly recur, or just let my belly poke out for the rest of my life. Nothing is ever 100%, I suppose that's why they call it medical "practice". But, yeah, I'd do it again because the pain was so severe. Lucky we only have one gallbladder.

But they left out, "and @frantick, approaching the LK Metro entrance from the south on Buakhao, and seeing the traffic jam ahead, quickly made a u-turn and headed to his home bar on Soi Diana."

Thanks for the warning. I'll wait to update.

Got mine, based on 800,000 in the bank, last Tuesday. An agent with 6 retirees were ahead of me. They didn't LOOK like they all had money in the bank, but then, neither do I. ????

I use the original Line 6 G10. Not cheap, but works great with no noticeable latency nor dropouts. I'm old, so doubt I could blindly notice the audio difference cable vs wireless anymore. I agree, every long cable removed from my computer, modeler, mixer, speaker/headphones, and guitar is a welcome subtraction. Someone integrating all of the above, wireless modeler with SD card for backing tracks and wireless low latency inears/headphones/speaker could make a killing. Optionally, totally battery powered for the slam dunk. Rock on!

From what I saw this past year, unless you're a very popular bar with the expats, the only way you'll survive is if you save ALL profits from high season and use them during low season. Like the west retail market that makes all its money over the holidays. I don't know if many have that willpower, but there are a lot of bars still standing. Then again, some are Thai owned and don't have to pay rent, and some beer bars have fairly low rents. I'm thinking some closures/sales are coming before next high season. But I'm only an observer, no facts to back this up. Just a gut feeling that global monetary issues will drastically reduce air travel.

As you do not have children together, I would not register the marriage to add her to your pensions. Make sure she knows that when you die, the money stops. Of course, this is no way I'd want to live. I'd bolt.

Paparazzi on Soi Honey is for sale. 2.1m ready to go. I don't think any owner is going to pop in here and give you numbers for gross and net. Nor do I think their friends know those numbers exactly.

It's a well known problem, and the reason almost 50% of people use captions even in their own language. I just read that Amazon is actually implementing a 'fix' for this soon in a lot of their content. Yes, you can turn it up, but then your condo neighbors start banging on the walls. Wireless ear buds are another option. ????

Mt. Rushmore hundreds of times because I grew up 20 miles from there. Crazy Horse. Will be majestic if it ever gets finished. For some reason I always think, looking at it, that the man vs horse head proportion is not right so it'll never get completed. Drove by the Corn Palace in Mitchell, to Taco John's, but never went in. Niagara Falls on 9/11. Interesting trip driving through PA as the plane was crashing, catching news highlights at the stops along the turnpike. Fisherman's Wharf, enjoyed many times prior to the city's downfall. Redwood forest, amazing. Burney Falls, scuba diving. Grand Canyon, only from 30,000 ft. Hoover Dam. Various other sites.