Walker88

I ask this facetiously, because nobody has an answer that isn't simply absurd. Everybody's gods seem to have always existed. What the heck were they doing from the beginning of time until 13.8 billion years ago? Suddenly some god or gods, perhaps lonely, decided to 'create man in his image'. I guess the god or gods needed someone to tell them how great they were, or thank them for everything from a good meal to a daughter's good grade on a math exam. For some reason, creating man required churning out at least 200 billion galaxies, each averaging a trillion stars, likely most of which have planets.....and then in some obscure portion of an equally obscure galaxy, a planet revolved around a rather ordinary star, and over a few billion years life emerged, evolved, and eventually the creatures the gods needed for praise and thanks appeared. Of course since those creatures spread out around the planet, they all created different types of gods with a host of different rules. Also, as some deists will claim, these creatures were incapable of any sort of morality until their specific god or gods spoke to someone and laid down a set of rules. For christians and jews, that would be Moses, who apparently came down from a mountain with a pair of stone tablets, gathered around his buddies and announced, "Bad news, guys. We can't murder, steal, or fool around with other women". Deists would try to pretend that up until that point, existence was a pure free for all with murder and mayhem and schtupping anyone at will. (The archeological record of early civilizations shows that narrative is nonsense, and morality grew from civilization itself. No gods were needed to tell humans how to get along.) Not only did humans get all the big rules, they also---depending on the particular superstition---had some additional rules about what animals or creatures they could or could not eat, what days they had to abstain from meat or eating altogether, how women were required to dress as giant eggplants, even how one god's celestial factory seems to have churned out females with quality control problems, so that a little thing called the clitoris had to be removed in a giant factory recall of sorts. Over the course of time, as science has discovered things that conflict with all of the superstitions, gods have lost more and more power. This has been rationalized with with terms such as "Master Plan" or else gods are reported to work in mysterious ways which we cannot understand. Gods can kill and torture children with things like cancer or tsunamis, but that 'privilege' for humans went out with the Aztecs. Gods send tornadoes through trailer parks killing dozens, but if a baby is found in the rubble unharmed, it's a miracle of the same god who ostensibly sent the tornado. Pretty good job being a god....all good things are attributed to you, and all bad things are either mysterious or Master Plan-ish. One consistency in most of these superstitions seems to be everybody loves a virgin. Virgin births predate christianity by centuries, but apparently some woman named Mary was quick enough on her feet to say, "Joey, I swear, god did it". That fable continues as the resulting kid, who suffered a deadbeat dad, was the fulcrum in some bizarre initiation ceremony that would get humans into some celestial country club. Slaughter the kid when he grows up, and everyone's misdeeds are washed away and they, too, are welcome into the country club. And all of this after an infinite period from the very beginning of time until the entire passion play was set in motion 13.8 billion years ago, all so a seemingly lonely god or gods could get the praise they think they deserve.

It's pretty clear consciousness is purely an electro chemical construct. It requires blood flow, oxygen exchange, neurotransmitters, and functioning neurons. The superstitious somehow think that Grandma, who lost more and more of her memories and mind as dementia or Alzheimers took their toll, in the instant of death gets everything back and joins some skydaddy in eternal existence.

"Pipes that run downhill" Roman generals were often shipped to outlying areas after major military victories, lest their popularity allow them to overthrow the emperor. Around 40AD one general was sent to Gaul (France) to run the city of Nimes. Looking for something to do, he decided to build baths in the city he commanded, plus supply water to homes. That required water sourced from a distance. He had an aqueduct designed to carry water from the source 31 miles to his city. At one point the aqueduct crossed the Gard River. A bridge was designed to cross the river and serve as the aqueduct. No mortar was used in the construction, and cement would not exist for another 18 or so centuries. The bridge is, as one would expect, entirely stone. Some of the stones are several meters in length, width and thickness and weigh many tons. It's a story in itself how the builders lifted these precisely cut blocks dozens of meters up to build the structure. What is more amazing is that since electric pumps were centuries away, only gravity could be the 'pump' that allowed the water to flow. The Pont du Gard measures something like 900 feet across (and stands 50 meters or about 160 feet high). What is astonishing is that the grade from one end of the bridge to the other is about minus 1.5 cm, 3/5s of an inch. That is quite precise, and it allowed some 8.8 million gallons of water a day to flow across the bridge, which still stands today. Pattaya sits on a major gulf. If the Romans could figure out how to move water downhill for 31 miles in 40AD, surely the leaders of Pattaya ought to be able to figure how to lay pipes to carry water a few kilometers in 2022, even if some of greater Pattaya is below sea level.

Not sure if you're American, but absolutely sure you know nothing about the handling of classified documents in the US. 1) 45 had no right to possess those docs; even when he was POTUS there is a procedure for taking anything classified out of a SCIF, and there is zero record he ever did that 2) If he 'declassified' them, there would be an in depth record of the procedure for each and every document, signed off by agency chiefs, finally signed off by the White House Counsel, the classification headings would have been removed, and "DECLASSIFIED" would have been stamped on every single document. None would have remained in a TS/SCI folder. He cannot simply declare entire boxes of docs unclassified. For a host of very good reasons, it doesn't work that way. 3) 45 didn't even think up the silly excuse of "I declassified everything' until the FBI search (Recall that his initial lie was "planted"). He did not claim it in May 2021, Jan 2022, & May 2022 when he was repeatedly asked to return all of the docs. He was treated with kid gloves when he should have been perpwalked like the common criminal he is. ANYBODY else would already be in jail. 4) He lied when he claimed he had returned everything, even having his lawyer sign a statement saying this. Bald faced lie. (That lawyer will now face her own charges and be deposed, so his order to her will become known) 5) The mere presence of classified docs outside of a SCIF or double locked and guarded containment device is proof of guilt. There is an authorization trail for every doc. Even a POTUS cannot simply grab some docs and go have a bucket of KFC. 6) At 12:01PM on 20 January 2021 45 was a private citizen with no exemption from any US law. At that time he had possession of the docs he had zero right to possess. As another poster noted, the DoJ is likely building multiple cases against him (sedition for 6 Jan, voter fraud in GA), as well as trying to build cases against anyone who aided his theft and retention of classified docs (a felony for which anyone who aided him will be prosecuted). Likely 45 will face multiple capital charges, all of which carry sentences from extensive jail to to execution. The US is not the UK. In the US, nobody is above the law.

Yes, because everybody packs up empty folders clearly marked as TS/SCI. Just inadvertent. Honest mistake. Who HASN'T done that ! Oh, and there's a package at Suvarnabhumi with your name on it and inside is $16,412,834 (sixteen million four hundred twelve thousand eight hundred thirty four dollars). Just pay a small handling fee and the package will be released to you.

It sickens me that the festering pile of subhuman filth that is 45 carried docs marked HCS (Human Clandestine Sources) to his country club, some of which were found in his office desk. Those sources were recruited and handled by CIA case officers who not only put their own lives on the line, but who knew full well that the clandestine assets put their lives and the lives of their families on the line by cooperating with US intel. There are 139 stars on the wall in the lobby 45 disgraced with his 'all about me'[ speech on 21 January 2017. In the last 18 months, many clandestine assets in hostile nations have been rolled up, all of which suggests 45's tiny hands in it. The bloated POS, who never served, has no concept of courage or bravery, and certainly no concern for any human life outside of his own. Sickening. Treasonous. He doesn't deserve another single moment as a free man. Step aside, Benedict Arnold; you've been overtaken by the bloated slug 45.

The intel community is doing a full damage assessment based on what was recovered by the FBI. They may well link the docs to clandestine assets who were rolled up since 45 lost. That isn't proof he is responsible, but it will certainly point the finger at him. I have zero doubt he is a self-serving traitor. Taking the docs, lying about giving them all back, changing his story every other day (planted to declassified them to gave them all back) shows intent to deceive. Odds he is indicted asymptotically approaching 100%.

There are a few things in which I do happen to be expert. One of them is the declassification system and the handling of classified docs. I carried TS/SCI for many years and not only classified hundreds or even thousands of documents, I was a check off on some that were declassified. 45 broke the law. Guilty just by possession. If he used them, or intended to use them for personal gain, that is 'conspiracy to commit espionage', is a capital offense, and he could (should) be executed.

Kash patal is a flunky who has zero clue about the declassification system. There is a procedure. The bloated one cannot just wave a magic wand over stuff and call it declassified. Agency heads must sign off, making sure no sources and methods are revealed. Then the WH Counsel signs them, classification headings are removed, and "DECLASSIFIED" is stamped on the docs. If you know nothing, best you refrain from commenting. 45 broke the law. ANYBODY else would already be behind bars. He will be soon. If all those docs were declassified, why not put them in KFC buckets or Macs Happy Meals, because DECLASSIFIED means anybody anywhere can see them.

If the magats riot, let me quote 45 himself and ask, "Can't we just shoot them in the legs?" Frankly, they should have napalmed the insurrectionists and terrorists on 6 January. Re their intellect, you won't find many of 45's cult to the right of the mean on the IQ Bell Curve.

Funny what constitutes 'classy' in magaland. Could the bar be set any lower? Ma Barker had more class. She did softcore porn, some of it lesbian. Classy for a FLOTUS? On the way to ostensibly comfort people who suffered a disaster, she wore a jacket that said "I don't care, do you?" Classy? How about tone deaf. She is the farthest thing from classy.

The 43 empty TS/SCI and HCS folders are only part of what they got. The retrieved actual TS/SCI documents, which the bloated one had zero right to have. That in and of itself is a crime, and ANYONE else caught with that stuff would be cuffed, perpwalked and jailed, because the mere presence is proof of guilt. Perhaps you think he is so dumb he packed empty classified doc folders to take back? Never are such folders lying around, neither empty or with docs inside, so packing them is purposeful, not inadvertent. He also lied about returning everything, when in the search the FBI found docs in his office desk. That, too, is proof of guilt. A first year law student working as a prosecutor could get a conviction on that.

There is no excuse other than 45 broke a host of laws and should be indicted, tried, and if found guilty given the maximum possible penalty, even if that is execution. 43 empty folders with TS/SCI and HCS markings. The guy goes to all the trouble to pack empty classified folders? No way. HCS refers to human clandestine sources, which is to say agency assets. It is probably not coincidental that many agency assets have been rolled up since 45 lost the election, including Chinese, russian and South Asian. Also, the folders were in his office, not even behind a padlock. Of course his garish club isn't a SCIF, so it is against the law to store any classified documents there. It is highly unlikely 45 cleans his own office---he hires undocumented workers for that---and such char force people would be prime targets of foreign intel services. FSB or someone else would pay such a person $millions to rifle his desk, make copies or take images. Also, did 45 make copies? He would be unlikely to do that work himself, too, so perhaps the FBI has an informant who was the one told to make copies. I suspect the MaL raid will not be the last, as the DoJ and FBI---already aware 45 lied---will try to recover other files and search for the missing docs. ANYBODY who held even 1% of the material 45 had would already be cuffed and behind bars. There is zero excuse for what he has done, and he has jeopardized US national security perhaps more than anyone since the Rosenbergs. The Doj has so far handled him with kid gloves, which is infinitely more than he deserves. A former NSA analyst took home a handful of TS docs in order to catch up on his work from home. Since that is illegal, he was tried, convicted and given 9 years in jail. 45 should get at least that, if not also get what the Rosenbergs got.....Sparky at Sing Sing. Yes, 'innocent until proven guilty', but the presence of those materials at MaL equates to guilt, so 45 is guilty. No doubt.

I've been in Thailand for the entire Covid Era and have watched as the country re-opened. I have a pretty good of idea of who has come to visit and why they came. Perhaps TAT could look at what is, rather than what it wants to pretend it is. Try to determine what Thailand's competitive advantage is and go after the demographic(s) to whom that appeals. Most of the first arrivals were single men of various ages. I don't think any of them were coming for the temples. When things first began to open up, I would guesstimate 95% of arrivals were in this demographic. This demo eats, drinks, goes to agogos, and books hotels---both long and short term. Thailand may not like being a worldwide draw for the sort of thing attracting this demo, but it brings in a good bit of money. The earliest arriving single males were mostly Western, but over the last few months lots of East Asian single males are coming. This demo creates a lot of jobs, not all of which are carnal in nature, as the spillover also includes the entire food and beverage industry, hotel and restaurant workers, service staff, taxi drivers, etc. Slowly I began to see a few families in the mix, mostly Western. This demographic probably visits famous tourist spots, takes a river/klong cruise, hits the malls, maybe goes to a beach area, and buys souvenirs in Night Markets (many of which have disappeared). They are a much lower percentage of arrivals than in the past, based on my own anecdotal evidence. Maybe those who dare grab the kids and fly for 10-24 hours have 'been there, done that' and already checked the box that says "Thailand". Plus, rapidly declining birth rates say this demo is an endangered species. Best not make it a long term target. (The first group, on the other hand, is never finished 'being there and doing that', as 'that' is an endless and repetitive urge.) Then came the backpackers. The relaxed cannabis laws have enticed some of them, but the Millennial idea of 'experience' is what gets them moving. They've also watch The Beach a dozen times and seen videos of Full Moon Raves. Individually they might not spend much, but collectively they represent a decent take. Now it's Indians. While some are families, anyone in Bangkok could be forgiven for thinking India has only males, no females. I guess the same is true in Pattaya. As the likely unfair and stereotypical joke goes, Thailand will welcome 20 million Indian visitors, so that takes care of two hotel rooms, but what about the other million rooms? Indians are the new Chinese in terms of Thai tourism. TAT has to come up with a strategy to draw the better heeled Indians, because it could be a huge and profitable market. The old saw about folks coming for the temples was likely never true, and isn't going to become more true post-Covid. Seen one temple, seen them all is pretty accurate. A place like Ayutthaya, on the other hand, is quite interesting, but barely exploited. If it could be done without spoiling it, there's one draw. Angkor Wat draws a majority of visitors to Cambodia; Ayutthaya could be similar, particularly since Myanmar's Bagan is kind of off limits owing to the brutal coup. Thailand also once made its name on being 'exotic'. With Bangkok's hundreds of high rises, the Skytrain, countless malls, and endless traffic jams, exotic it ain't. Some parts of the countryside, with rice paddies and quaint villages, might still fit the Westerner's view of exotic, but globalization has kind of killed exotic, save for maybe Bhutan or Sikkim, possibly Laos. No point beating a horse long since dead. Most of what the average tourist will see is Western in style, though still Eastern in thought. Finally, one never-ending, fairly well-to-do demographic is the retiree who prefers to avoid Western winters. Create a Seasonal Visa---say 6 months---for folks who want to come during the cold season back home. Older and richer, these folks are not going to be Anutin's 'dirty farangs'. They are unlikely to be troublemakers, but very likely to stay in a better hotel or beach condo, dine out most nights, and do a fair amount of shopping. They will watch traditional Thai dance shows and think it's great (it is lovely), and they will be interested in Thai cooking classes. As the Boomers age in the West, this demo is going to be growing for another decade or two. It's unlikely Thailand is ever going to see 40 million tourists a year again. Best the country address the issues that ail it---like air quality and cleanliness---and be realistic about what draws people: nightlife, partying/celebration, and warm winters.

Kind of funny to read expats in Thailand complaining about migrants to the UK.

Plenty of ways to get in and stay in Thailand already. Certainly getting to live here is easier than in most countries. Now the govt is adding one more way....but not doing away with any of the already-existing methods. So what's to complain? Pick the one that works for you if you are so inclined to live here, and let others do the same. None of these methods is onerous. I'm actually surprised some of the methods are as easy as they are. Most countries, if they allow expat residents, expect a much greater economic contribution than what Thailand expects. 800K baht in a bank? $80K/year income? Those are the two extremes, and neither is even close to what many countries demand, including for Thais who might seek to retire to the US or EU or Australia (heaven knows why). I often hear or read comments from people who beef about migrants coming to their country, yet these same people, many of whom make scant economic contribution to the Thai economy ( a million baht in a year isn't a rounding error in the expenses of a senior politician or those making the rules here), seem to think it's unfair if the Thai govt makes it more difficult for these expats to remain in Thailand. Keep quiet and enjoy the ease with which Thailand makes residence possible.

I think this is an old Irish curse: "May your last condom break" Or it could be, "May your last check bounce". Since we're in Thailand, however, I can say "Same same, but different"

I share GG's affliction. It is called 'prolixity'.

Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok has a retail pharmacy where you can get D3 and K2 in the MK7 version. 100mcg of K2 is the recommended daily intake, while recent studies show that even 5000 IU per day of D3 has no negative effects. Because D3 is fat soluable, it was long thought taking supplements could have negative effects, but the dosage turns out to be massive before it could cause harm. The MK7 version of K2 is the most biologically accessible version. It promotes calcium in bones and there is evidence it removes, or at minimum prevents, Ca buildup in arteries.

LOL ! You a member of a Forum where you have posted 5800 opinions 'nobody asked for'. I guess my opinion served as a hair across your butt. Goose and gander, fella.

Goodness yours is one of the sillier comments. What % of young people had tatts 50 years ago? What % of Thai women had tatts 20 years ago? What was a fringe thing became mainstream all of a sudden. That = fad. Yes, I guess you like tatts. You are welcome to ink every nook and cranny of your body. I happen to think they look dreadful and detract from an otherwise pleasant appearance. It is amusing how defensive the tatted are. It almost makes me think they're trying to convince themselves it was a good idea. Right now there's one shop in the Silom Complex called Dr Tattoff. When I have walked past it I have noted that it's busy. When the tatt fad fades, Dr Tattoff will go franchise. Give it two years and clean, unblemished, un-inked skin is going to be all the rage.

Scrolling through this I can see why the world of bacteria is becoming antibiotic resistant. Medical researchers are having trouble keeping up, as misuse of existing antibiotics necessitates developing ever new varieties. Then there's the issue of what almost any antibiotic does to one's gut biome. Taking a single round of some antibiotics can upset the gut for years, which will affect digestion and absorption of nutrients. That will create its own set of issues. With any antibiotic, you have to address its aftereffects. Besides over prescription, the availability of OTC drugs in SEAsia is one of the major things that has led to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Superbugs now exist. Don't add to the problem by misusing drugs. Humanity is in a race against time now, needing to develop yet more drugs to address the growing problem of bacterial resistance. Viruses like Covid might one day seem like a sniffle compared to what a drug resistant superbug could do to humanity. Go to a proper doctor. Let him or her assess your issue and prescribe both the right drug and the proper dose/time so that you address the specific bacteria causing your infection (if it isn't actually a fungus or something else) and make sure you kill it all. If you under dose, your bacteria could mutate into something the prescribed antibiotic can no longer address, and then you are in for a world of hurt. For something so important as addressing bacteria, don't get your advice on a forum of non-physicians, except for this advice: GO TO A PROPER DOCTOR

Why should I upset them? Most of them already regret getting tatts, so why rub salt in the wounds? Is isn't 'guts' that stops me; it's trying to be polite. Your comment is silly. For people who think their tatts look good, it they ask, I tell them tatts aren't for me and I don't think they make anyone look better. For people who already regret what they did, I remain quiet. No point in telling them what they already know full well.

Very silly comment. Scared? Is that also why I choose never to smoke or pierce my nose or nether regions? I am of the personal opinion that tattoos look horrible and deface an often lovely body. I am also of the opinion it is a fad, and a fad whose day will come to an end. At the same time I understand it is a personal choice, and all are welcome to eff up their body if they so choose. I don't feel superior to the tatted, I just think they look dreadful. Should I look at something I think is banal, common, and butt ugly, but force myself to pretend it's really so unique and stunning and just adds so much aesthetic value to a person?

We are free to have opinions as to the aesthetics of anything. In fact, we cannot not have an opinion about such things, and anyone who says they have no opinion of such things is lying. That isn't judgemental. Judgemental would be if one developed a view of a person's intelligence or value as a person simply because of what they chose to do to their body, but to think something looks good or looks dreadful is something we subconsciously feel.