Etaoin Shrdlu

In my case, it was quite gradual. I think it started some time in my fifties and slowly progressed to where it is today. I think there have been studies that show a correlation between the amount of reading one does and the incidence and severity of nearsightedness. I have wondered whether it was the shift from reading paper documents to reading documents on computer screens where I could increase the size of the text to reduce the strain on my eyes that helped. I really don't know, but the difference is remarkable.

My understanding is that nearsightedness is caused by the slight elongation of the eyeball causing incoming light to focus short of the retina. LASIK re-shapes the cornea slightly to correct this. I think with age, some people's eyeballs lose some of this elongation and the focal point of the light starts to shift closer to the retina. Had I undergone LASIK surgery in the past, it is possible that now the focal point of the light would have shifted to a point that was over-corrective of my previous nearsightedness due to the elongation of my eyeballs diminishing. Others have mentioned to me that their nearsightedness lessened with age. I know some people who have had to return to wearing glasses years after LASIK, but I am not sure of the cause. Perhaps someone with experience in this field can help.

My nearsightedness improved from 2.00/2.25 in my forties to 0.50/0.75 now. I no longer need glasses to drive. I have presbyopia, so use reading glasses. I contemplated having LASIK at one time. I'm glad I did not go through with it.

I heard DeWine's interview on NPR radio today and he described the Haitian immigrant community as "hard working". He did mention that obtaining an Ohio driver's license did not require completing a driver's education course and that this was an issue with newcomers. But in general, he seemed to be welcoming of the Haitian immigrants.

Based upon his debate rhetoric, one would think that Donald Trump is running for dog catcher of Springfield, Ohio.

Cletus Spuckler says Apu's eating Snowball II Old man yells at cloud

That's right. The US public wanted vengeance and it did not matter much who Bush 43 went after. It was probably ok to go after al Qaeda in Afghanistan, but it just chased OBL into Pakistan where he was protected by the Pakistani intelligence services. US military had no plan for nation-building as that's never been their remit, yet they spent 20 years and trillions trying. 43 got us in with no plan to get out. He had seven years to come up with something. Obama had eight years and he also could not figure it out. Trump had four years and managed to sign the surrender agreement with a very unrealistic timeframe for exiting. Biden inherited Trump's flawed timetable and had six months to comply and not much wiggle room under the terms of the agreement. And the Republicans want to say it's all Biden's fault?

More likely just JD's family eating possum.

Apu eating Snowball? Somehow can't see it.

Springfield. Immigrants eating cats. It's an episode from The Simpsons, right?

Yup. Republicans through and through.

The Republican candidate would have to be a particularly odious person for a staunch Republican like Dick Cheney to endorse a female liberal Democrat for president.

Never should have gone into Afghanistan in the first place. Whose idea was that, anyway?

I don't think it is likely that the TRD will seek to tax undistributed income within US IRA and 401k accounts, although I don't think there is anything in the US-Thai DTA that expressly precludes it. I think it is technically a possibility, but I don't see it as likely. But who knows? I tend not to underestimate the capabilities of the TRD if they want your money, Somchai or not. I have heard people who have been audited say that the Thai tax net isn't very wide, but it is very deep. I think that the TRD has the ability to obtain transaction data from the BoT with respect to inward foreign remittances. Somchai won't find anything, but the TRD computers might. But I don't think the TRD has the resources or perhaps the political will now to chase bargirls upcountry with foreign remittances.

I'n a bit more optimistic in that, but I do see your point. I think the TRD will recognize these accounts as self-directed pensions and that any income within the account isn't taxable. only distributions.

If it is a gift, it isn't taxable income to the bargirl. If it is for "services rendered" then it would potentially be taxable income to the bargirl. I have no idea how the TRD would determine the latter. If the the funds are remitted from abroad by someone who is tax resident in Thailand, then the funds may be taxable income for the remitter depending upon the source of funds, timing, etc.

Yup.

I agree. There's no way this would arise without it being part of the government's policy. We'll hear more about what Thaksin the PM has in mind when she gives her speech next week. It has already been leaked that the new government will seek to remedy income inequality via the tax system. The question will be whether it gets a radical revamp or just the addition of worldwide taxation. There has been talk of a negative income tax for the poor.

i think a TRD official discussed this in a presentation to one of the chambers of commerce. The position was that IRA and 401k plans are considered self-directed pensions and distributions would be taxed as regular pension income under Thai tax laws.

The Federal Reserve manages interest rates to influence the US domestic economy. When inflation is high, the Fed tends to increase interest rates. If economic stimulus is needed, it cuts them. These changes affect the rate at which the dollar trades against other currencies as capital will flow towards the higher returns provided by the higher interest rate. Central banks in other countries do the same. The comparative changes/differences between interest rates drive foreign exchange fluctuations. In other words, certain economic situations drive central bank decisions on interest rates, which in turn drive exchange rates. Yes, this is a bit of a simplification as there can be other factors involved as well, but this is usually the main driver.

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Have you been audited by the TRD and was it their formal opinion that remittances from your overseas account to your girlfriend's Thai account are not considered potentially taxable remittances with respect to your tax situation?

Rentokil Thailand is a good company and will do a professional job. It is a bit pricey as it is the local venture of a multinational company headquartered in the UK and likely has to pay franchise fees and other overheads that local companies don't have. We used Rentokil Thailand to get rid of termites.The UK head office is located in the aptly-named (for Rentokil) city of Crawley. There are less expensive options to have someone come into your premises and spray industrial strength stuff down the drains and around the baseboards. Ask the condo management about this. Less expensive yet is cockroach paste that you can apply yourself. It works ok, but takes some time.

Looks as if even some of the fringe types are realizing that Trump is a lost cause and a loser: https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/a-big-ripoff-white-nationalist-nick-fuentes-blasts-trump-for-admitting-he-lost-the-2020-election/

What sane Republicans really think: https://www.mediaite.com/news/elected-gop-leaders-secretly-hope-for-trump-election-loss-report/