NotReallyHere

Ok, I feel much better now. It is a hassle I wasn't expecting, but my disappointment is my own fault. My expectations were incorrect. Thank you for the prompt clarifications.

I just got back from Immigration (Hua Hin). I applied for my first Non-O retirement visa and was expecting a 1 year stamp. I received a 90 day stamp. I was not happy in the office (though I didn't show it). Thought there was a screw up somewhere. Looks like it was a failure on my part to understand the process correctly. Just to confirm, is receiving a 90 day Non-O Retirement visa normal for the first application (prior I was visa exempt with two COVID extensions)? At what point can I apply for the extension? The immigration officer said something about 30 days, but is it no later than or no sooner than the current 90 day visa expiration date? Do I have to go through the whole paperwork process again to apply for the 1 year extension? Bank statements, copy of rental agreement, map, etc? The whole shebang? Thanks in advance...

I stated in my post that the "deck is stacked in favor of the governing party". Nevertheless, they did elect the government within the rules created by the junta. Are you denying there is an opposition party? Why would the party exist if it didn't have the possibility of being elected? Please read my posts more closely if you are going to quote me. I hold the Russian people accountable for Putin being in power for 20+ years and having overwhelmingly positive approval rating. Tired of people missing that important point. It's not about the current acute situation. This is a "problem" that has existed in Russia for 20 years and the Russian people are complicit. You are foolish to trust YouTube videos showing supposed Russian soldiers denying their knowledge of what occurred. The Russian soldiers have smartphones too. They knew the US was warning the world of an eminent attack. And even if they are actual Russian soldiers, which is doubtful, what do you think they are going to say when they are captured and a camera is stuck in their face? Furthermore, if they said something that was inconsistent with the narrative that the Ukrainians want to promote, the Ukrainians would not post the video. Get a clue! Quit being so gullible! You are the one posting nonsense, but it is clear to me at this point that I will not be able to convince you of that fact.

Try to keep up Rudi... I only reposted because the original post was removed due to my not supplying a Reuters link. You're second posting of this comment to the same thread makes no sense if it wasn't taken down like mine was. Whatever...

<<<<Comments on moderation removed>>>> So your sarcastic comment is to point out that these criminals are everywhere? You may have a point... From Reuters "Factbox: Who was Ahmaud Arbery: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/who-was-ahmaud-arbery-2021-11-18/ "In 2013, a year after he graduated from high school, he went back on campus to attend a basketball game and was found with a pistol in his waistband. He was given five years of probation. ... In 2017, he was arrested for attempted shoplifting of a television from a local Walmart." I wonder why Arbery, who supposedly was just out for a jog, routinely interrupted his jogs to snoop around in houses that were under construction. Unfortunate for him that there was a history of theft of property at other construction sites in the neighborhood. I'm sure an upstanding citizen like Arbery had no knowledge of those thefts and was only trespassing on the unattended construction sites because of an interest in architecture.

It's a matter of degree. Can an individual or small group make changes in the Russian political landscape? No. If an overwhelming percent of the population wanted to make a change, they could. They don't even have to protest or risk their jobs. Don't join the military. If you are forced to join, do your job poorly. If you are in a position of power, look the other way when there are "infractions". If your neighbor commits a crime against the State, keep your mouth shut. There are plenty of ways to sabotage the system through passivity and noncompliance. And yet they don't. The government is a reflection of the people. Russia is not Sub-saharan Africa. The Russian public is educated, has access to independent Western media and has the resources to institute change. And yet they have overwhelmingly supported Putin for over 20 years.

I can't blame the Russian people? Putin has been in power, as President or Prime Minister, for over 20 years. They overwhelmingly elected him and supported him for that entire period. They have had access to Western media for 20 years. You are talking about the current acute situation and not taking the 20+ year history into consideration. Were the Russian people not aware of the annexation of Crimea? Were they protesting then?

Go back to the original post. Your comments aren't relevant to what was being discussed. I contend that the problem is not Putin, but the Russian people, who have supported him for over 20 years. They have NOT been cut off from Western media for that entire length of time and yet they continued to support Putin overwhelmingly for 20 years. They favored the annexation of Crimea because it had no negative impact on them personally. Now there are going to be economic hardships and suddenly "innocent", "uninformed", "brainwashed" Russians are protesting. They made their bed, now they need to lie in it. Russian apologists, like yourself, contribute to their lack of incentive to change.

Too little, too late... Where were the protesters prior to the invasion? I guess they've heard of the coming economic hardships...

Nonsense... The average Russian knows better than anyone how corrupt their government is and how unjust their society is. That was true in the Soviet era and is even more the case today. It's 2022. There are no serious barriers to the flow of information in Russia. To suggest otherwise is almost insulting. They do not live on the dark side of the moon. Apparently, effective Friday, Russia is blocking Twitter and Facebook. Which means it has been readily available prior and had a negative impact on the message the government was trying to send. Granted Facebook and Twitter are not the best sources for information, but it's not the case that Russians are suffering under "non-stop and relentless state propaganda" for twenty years. They know when they are being fed the party line and they had other uncensored news sources available. But it seems, the average Russian will go along, to get along. If corruption or injustice doesn't impact them personally, they appear to have no problem with it. Crimea being a prime example.

For the record, I am NOT a Trump supporter... When Trump was demanding that Germany meet it's NATO agreement to pay 2% of GDP on defense, Germany said it wasn't possible. Germans were incensed that he would dare make such demands. And that was when there was a conservative CDU government in power. Now the Social Democrats and Greens are in power but they are singing a different tune. Major outlook shift... Probably has something to do with the likely event that the US will be moving forces out of Germany to Eastern European borders.

The problem isn't Putin. The problem is the Russian people. They have overwhelmingly supported Putin in all his crazy policies for over 20 years. If Putin is removed, he will be replaced with some other Putinesque leader. Russians don't seem to embrace Western values. They have had 20 years to do so and haven't yet. Google "Putin approval rating" yourself. It's been very high for 20 years. Plenty of credible sources. If the current situation unfolded as peacefully as the annexation of Crimea, do you really think the average Russian would be the least bit concerned? Why should they behave differently now? If they do behave differently due to economic pressures, that does not necessarily mean they have suddenly embraced Western values.

What? "its own place"? "in itself" "make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven"? What?

If it's conventional, it has limits. Think about it...

Not the least bit ashamed of what I wrote. I mean every word. Would never edit. It's interesting (but not surprising) that you ignore all the points people make about your irrational thinking/behavior and focus only on the negative conclusions they reach. The conclusions are valid, like it or not.

How funny! The Vietnamese will stick it to you worse than the Thais. Double pricing? You don't know the half of it... Just another accident waiting to happen. At least they eat dogs in Vietnam. One less concern for you...

"Take advantage"? It's not their fault the dog died while you were away. There was no planning on their part to cheat you. You have no idea what they would have charged you if you were present and wanted them to perform the service. Do you really think filling one dog bowl would be enough food for a 14 day trip away? Your poor planning is responsible for the death of the dog you proclaim to have cared about. It's amazing to me that you can be so dense. "...only because I am a foreigner"? You have no way of knowing what they would have charged a local. Complete guesswork on your part. And then you state that charging you 30 THB would also have been "morally and ethically wrong". Sorry, but you did your wife a big favor...

My goodness! You keep going on and on about Thai "greed"... We're talking about 3,000THB / $100! Peanuts to perform a very unpleasant service on your behalf. You should have considered yourself lucky.

How much money did you save by leaving Pattaya 5 days early? More than 3,000 THB? How much money did you lose in the divorce? Penny wise, pound foolish? If you left, think the culture is sh!t and never plan on coming back, why are you still hanging around in these forums? Time to move on, isn't it?

To each his own... I personally prefer not ignoring negative information, regardless of it's effect on my mental state. My experience tells me a person is more likely to be harmed by what he doesn't know than what he does. I hesitate to post a link here concerning Putin's popularity among Russians. The credibility of the data will be disputed by the allegedly "embarrassed" Russians and Russophiles. If you do the search, however, I think you will find an overwhelming quantity of reports from various credible sources that report his popularity is high and not negatively impacted by his actions in Ukraine. If you are someone who is uncomfortable hearing unpleasant information, my apologies...

Apparently you think peace is merely the absence of war. Very simplistic thinking...

Your map reading skills must really suck...

I'm not advocating Bitcoin, but your comment does remind me of one of my favorite Warren Buffett quotes: “...we simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.” - Berkshire Hathaway Chairman's Letter 1986

You are obviously not an American. I encourage you to find more reliable sources than YouTube before you make blanket statements about "life in the USA". If you go on YouTube and search "white racism against blacks", guess what you will find. Videos of whites being racist against blacks. Does that mean that black on white racism doesn't happen? No, it does not. I have lived in predominantly blacks communities and have been discriminated against. Property vandalized. Threatening racist messages on my answering machine (remember those?). Negative comments made about me between two blacks in a tone of voice designed for me to hear. I was guilty of being their neighbor and having a job. Nothing more. Vigilantism is not acceptable, however, if a person leads a life in which they do not obey the law, they are more likely to eventually have a problem with vigilantism. Especially in cities/communities that are defunding the police. Also, Arbery tried to wrestle the gun out of the hands of the gun owner. I'm sorry, but Arbery was an idiot. He didn't deserve to die, but he made so many bad decisions in life, it is not surprising he's dead. The most important point is to recognize that he did not die because of his race alone. That is what the media wants you to believe. That is the current narrative. That is the narrative you are promoting with your comments. That is the narrative that gets people excited and keeps them engaged on whatever platform is selling that lie. It's all about clicks, screen views and selling advertising. That is what you will find on YouTube. It is false and harmful to our society.

"...less painful..."? Are you sure? An object dropped from a height accelerates at a rate of 9.8 meters/second. Two seconds is 19.6 m/s. 19.6 meters/second = 70.56 kilometers per hour or 43.84 miles/hour. For perspective, the fastest professional boxing punches can be approximately 32 miles/hour. Many will jump from heights that require more than 2 seconds until impact (any balcony higher than 20 meters). Hitting the hard unforgiving pavement is a knockout punch to the entire body. Trust me, they will not feel a thing... Poisoning and drowning (how long can you hold your breath?) can be truly horrible and slow. You really haven't thought this through, which is probably a good thing...