Fat is a type of crazy

I think as we get closer to the election people will remember the chaos and silliness of Trump - comments like today on NATO kind of stuff - and people will pick an elderly not 100 per cent but stable Biden.

The premise of NATO isn't like an electricity bill that you all pay the full amount or lose your access. It is fair to ask that people pay but Trump's cavalier comments put the whole stability of NATO on shaky ground and of course gives Putin a good further reason to want a Trump win in 2024.

Most fresh fruit and vegetables in Australian supermarkets is from Australia. Over 90 per cent for Coles and Woolworths.

Can you please expand on Putin being a calm and reasonable humanitarian. A reply to Woof999's comments would be nice.

People's opinions is all. Part of freedom. No one stopping it happening or stopping people watch it. Not sad. Sad is when a leader controls his people with no option but him as leader or freedom to speak their mind including a stymied press. That's sad.

I remember he said he is not a big traveller. He said something to the effect that he could not see himself on a dusty bus full of people and chickens in Africa or something. Nor did he want to do action stuff like skiing. Could relate to that a bit. Not sure why you are being so harsh. He does some good clever stuff on politics and is good at taking Trump to task - he picked that he wouldn't accept losing long before the election - to the point that Trump mentions him sometimes as a loser comedian or something which has to be a compliment. Yes I mentioned Trump.

How do you go with the pollution. You do make that part of Chiang Mai sound pretty good. Spending 2 and a half months in Thailand in a few months including a month in Jomtiem with and without my girlfriend to see if I love it or hate it. Went to Phuket 6 months ago and enjoyed Phuket town and Patong hadn't changed that much in 10 years though more development. Maybe the trick is to go in low season when it is not so busy.

I didn't think this bit was one of his better bits - the usual America is better and freer than you think bit. Boring other interview about racism in 2023 etc . The discussion of Joe Biden on the panel and the intro jokes was good. I could wax lyrical about why I think Bill has gone a bit downhill in the last 12 months but I'll leave it there.

Nothing much gained in hearing the same old stuff. Staying quiet when the person says things you think are not correct is letting the person make a speech not an interview. In a country with such limited freedoms in elections and the press, for example, surely you need to go a bit hard when talking to the leader. Without necessarily being rude and shutting them down. There's ways to do things.

Heroes go into interviews expecting to be fully challenged in justifying their position. Nothing that can't be raised. Tough follow ups. This isn't that.

On the issue of NOT accessing super the topic below is different but it seems if you keep your super in accumulation phase it won't be treated as an asset or income for the Disability Support Pension till 67. https://www.superguide.com.au/in-retirement/qas-super-affect-disability-support-pension#:~:text=For Centrelink benefits including the,until you reach age 67. Q: I’d like to know if the Centrelink Disability Support Pension (DSP) is affected by a super lump sum payment or income stream once the DSP recipient reaches preservation age? A: Let’s take the first half of your question first. For the Disability Support Pension means test: Super lump sum withdrawals won’t be counted as income under the Centrelink Income test. Super in the accumulation phase (not a pension account) will remain a Centrelink exempt asset until you reach age 67, the Age Pension age.

Where though. Where is not in the middle of nowhere, has a thai feel but has access to some western comforts, not polluted so you have to worry about breathing for 6 months out of the year, not horribly busy, nice beaches or other natural beauty nearby. Options seem limited.

Don't think he said it overtly though he did say stuff in 2020 like I am a bridge to a new generation of leaders which inferred it. For what it's worth Bill Maher has a good segment in todays show where he discusses that comment and this issue.

Thanks. I have heard this type of thing. Personally I don't think that is the basis to invade a country as each country can do as they please e.g. Finland joining NATO . I appreciate Russia would not like such a thing having NATO members on its borders. Your argument though seems to be that a country with genuine concerns about the maintenance of it's sovereignty, that were born out by the facts, can't take steps to do something about it as they see fit. But, further, there didn't seem to be imminent steps to change the status quo in Ukraine in any case, no massive inevitable push to have Ukraine join NATO at that time, and this further weakens the argument. In fact I can't recall it being a major discussion point at all before Russia went on the offence. It can seem a long bow you are drawing to get from A to B to justify such a terrible outcome. I am sure this has all been said before in these threads, but it is up to Russia to make an airtight provable case, for the need for the war. They need to show an imminent certainty of Ukraine being about to join NATO, and the terrible practical existential threat that that would have on Russia , given the terrible actual cost of its actions.

OK . It's your claim. What would have happened imminently if Russia did not invade Ukraine with all the death and destruction it caused. What would have been worse. I ask because many of your opinions seem to me reasonable except this topic.

Do lots of interviews Joe. Show that despite a few issues and the odd gaffe you've still got it. Or go down in flames and find a new replacement. This could help him as the expectations may be so low that he actually comes across better than expected.

Was interested too for an upcoming trip. Saw a thing about a guy called Paul Richmond in Soi Welcome and it seems good. Seems to be part of the Richmond Sports Bar Guesthouse at 102 Welcome Jomtiem road. It said 100 baht a day. Better deals for longer. 1000 baht deposit. Can't personally recommend though.

I kind of personally agree - if anyone of us had to talk a lot there would be gaffes a plenty even though we may know the topic in the big picture - and he has a good team around him. Part of being an effective president though is to be strong and be seen to be strong. A combination of his gentle nature, speech impediments, and the ravages of time are not in his favour. The very fact he can't see that it's time to pass the baton is evidence itself of his potentially poor judgement in my opinion.

There is a political element to this, in the language used by the Republican author, but the fact is what Biden did was not good and warranted investigation. Saw his press conference and it mostly wasn't terrible, except for confusing Mexico with Egypt, but will certainly not help address peoples valid concerns about his age now let alone over the next 4 years. Pass the baton Joe. It's time.

Bottom line is if you take your super at 60 and spend it nothing can stop you then applying for the pension at 67. If you, say, gifted the funds to people there are rules around that. As far as Centrelink I know that you can make an appointment with a FIS officer who is somewhat independent and can give you tips on how you can maybe still get a pension or at least a health care card possibly depending on your circumstances. Can depend on whether you think you want to have fun now and whether you feel you'll be the same at 67 or you may want to take it easy with a cheaper lifestyle. One point I'd make is it is worth the cost of financial advice if you can find someone worthwhile. I have a defined benefit super scheme as a long time public servant which works a bit differently to normal funds but two things I didn't know till literally today are: - you can keep putting money in super up to $27,500 and claim is as a tax deduction even after you stop work up to I think 67. - you can put your funds in an allocated pension where your funds are still accessible but there is no tax on the gains on your funds. I am still learning the details but things like that can make a significant difference to tax.

Not cool to post photos. Not fair with one side of story. Best to delete I think.

Bloody Nora. So many posts. I haven't fully read them all but I'll put in my 2 cents. A reason Jim Quinn's opinion carries wait over Blake and Caro is that that advice is specific to the Double Tax Agreement with Thailand. The other is in general for non-residents. It is noted too that special care will be taken for a ministerial opinion. I take umbridge at your attempts to say past discussions about the politics of the situation would have carried no weight on the issue of treatment of tax and residency. You may disagree with opinions as to what effect the politics might have but that doesn't mean the previous discussion points were not valid. The fact they have a Consultation paper indicates they are looking for input on how people may be appropriately or unfairly affected. I note too in some posts you are now noting the 45 days and other factors that can affect residency in certain situations in the Consultation paper whereas before you made a number of posts saying it will be 180 days end of.

I think most can clearly see Biden is too old but they see a steady experienced hand that has reasonable judgement on big issues and who puts trustworthy smart people around him. I hope he has enough left in the tank to get through the electoral cycle and then likely will spend much of the 4 years as a friendly grandfather symbolic leader letting the people he puts in place get the job done. The thing that would likely get him a win is the successful economy, and the huge risk and contrast with the opponent, who is totally untrustworthy and unpredictable and who, as his mental state continues to decline as it likely will, will have only loyalist unqualified toadies around him rather than the best and smartest.

Show with Mel's Diner is Alice. Kiss my grits was a catch phrase. Not at an airport though. That might be Wings. She's not there before I was born but good song. There's a good thing on Youtube where they take the 60's UK music month by month and look at new releases and reviews and goings on - sounds boring but not. Name of Yesterday's Papers.

CNN poll reported today has Trump a little ahead of Biden while Hayley would beat Biden easily. CNN Poll: Trump narrowly leads Biden in general election rematch | CNN Politics