Fat is a type of crazy

I come across things here and there - in tv advertising, tv shows and films, at work, where there is a clear attempt to seem hip to the jive of what young people are thinking, and on occasion they go too far or muck it up. Mainly harmless - and hardly new for the powers that be to try and win favour for dubious motives.

It's impact, in my opinion, is somewhat overblown, mainly by the right wing politicians and media, who will scour the world for more extreme examples and say - fear this - this is what democrats or other lefties want to do to you and your children. 

For sure, point out where things are over the top, but be honest about it's implications on our lives, and being a bit kinder and aware of the feelings and point of view of others, is not so bad. 

Suspicious with some of these posts. This guy Jan1970, first post, starts with 'thank you for accepting my membership on the forum' and talks about his real estate issue involving someone wanting a deposit back. There's a post by Robyn2222, first post, that starts as 'thank you for accepting my membership on the forum' that talks about his real estate issue where he is looking to get a deposit back. Take from that what you will. 

16 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

The problem with government tax schemes, is that the people that actually earn enough to have to pay the taxes, are generally smarter than the people in the government that develop the schemes. 

They introduced a scheme that has some elements of fairness initially with a carrot and a stick. The stick got bigger as it was harder and harder to avoid the extra tax while the cost of the private insurance you are somewhat forced into, goes up and up, in the past well above inflation.  The carrot got smaller too as the benefit of the rebate is chipped away going down and down. Not fair but there it is. 

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

If you make more than X amount of $ in Australia you are going to have Medicare surcharge if you don't take private health cover. For income of $180k plus the surcharge is bigger than the private cover premiums.

 

I think Lil Johnny introduced it.

Exactly. That too.

One trick had been for years, as part of that, they didn't increase the income cut off limits meaning as people's income went up bit by bit people went over the limit, or went to a higher tier, that were forced to get health insurance or cop the tax.  

The one sweetener was the rebate you got on the cost of the insurance. But they had a further nasty trick too, brought in by Abbott I think, where that rebate percentage is decreasing a bit each year as well. So initially you got 30 per cent off if your income was lower than the lowest tier but that has now decreased in 2023 to 24.6. Same for higher incomes. Thanks Tony. 

33 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

That's a difficult one because you have to be in Australia to use the medical services (private health insurance Australia)

 

You may never need it and it's expensive, the question is ,why do you need it ?

 

If you say do get cancer in Thailand or wherever you are , you can come back to Australia and use the free  public health system,

ok the public health system is not the best but at least your saving that $150 a month or whatever your paying in private health insurance when you probably won't need it 

Fair point. The problem is that they have that rule in Australia where if you are over 30 and you don't get health insurance the premiums go up by 2 per cent each year. I haven't look that much into it but as far as I can tell if I stopped, then wanted to start later at say 60, I have to pay the going rate plus say 30 x 2 = 60 per cent extra. When you are over 60 you are most likely to need it most. The other thing is I have an old plan that is a bit better than the latest ones in terms of coverage and price so if starting a fresh they are a fair bit more expensive too.. 

One example. Friend was in Patong. Caught Dengue. Got quite sick. Covermore were fantastic. They can't reject most proper claims. Haven't seen them denied except on here and other media and normally the reasons make some sense. Don't see how talking about successful claims is narcissistic. 

I am trying to work out the best way to keep health insurance in Australia but be covered in Thailand. Credit card insurance should do the trick for initial 2 or 3 month trips. Some say it's useless but mine is identical to the paid for ones. Still have to pay in Australia though if both here and there. 

9 hours ago, VincentRJ said:

Sorry! I was being sarcastic. A Google search revealed the following:

 

"Exceptional purity from pristine wilderness artesian water with a balance of minerals filtered through the best system that exists. Uncontaminated Nature."

 

https://gtglivingwater.com.au/

My google search found this. He is a christian after all. 

Later in John 7: 37-39 Jesus once again speaks of living water, saying, “'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. ' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

23 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Do you put that strange stuff - Vegemite - to pizza too?

 

PS. What is it made of?

 

No. It would be too much of a salty taste as far as I'm concerned. I knew it as yeast extract but apparently it is more specifically brewer's yeast extract - a left over from the beer brewing process. 

Pineapple on pizza is one of those things that sound bad but if done nicely the combination with ham once in a blue moon is nice. In Australia we put beetroot on hamburgers which seems strange to some too but is a nice combination. 

A lot of Australians feel a bit 'Been there done that' with Bali and Phuket and go elsewhere. Me too as a tourist. Apparently Japan is the popular place for Australians which I can understand as it is really different.

Suppose for Americans being so far away makes it seem a bit exotic still but also an awful long way to go so closer places may be better. 

2 minutes ago, DudleySquat said:

USA approves it. Where in Thailand? 

Not sure but it was apparently manufactured in Thailand according to Google. Might be easier than the other option - hopefully others know. 

Delete. Was going to recommend Astrazeneca approved in Australia but apparently not in United States. 

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

I had to laugh at this , funniest thing I read , A Government Public Servant doing a "hard days work " , 🤣🤣🤣

 

As a matter of interest which Government department did you work for that you did a hard days work?

 

Ones blowing a trumpet and your blowing a whistle 

 

Not easy to do nothing like may have been in the case in the olden days. It is clear in the computer age if there is an errant worker or boss not pulling their weight. 

There is a good work life balance though. Working from home helps. 

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I didn't get a choice in it.

 

If I can go back in time I'm going to make my father be elsewhere on the night he impregnated my mother, so I never get born.

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

Mindless and senseless consumption, accumulation and waste. 

To be happy and carefree like these two

Fight the Power    Public Enemy

Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant s- to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Mother f- him and John Wayne
'Cause I'm Black and I'm proud
I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample a look back you look and find
Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check

People say this sort of look back in history is a recent thing Ha Ha

Two others:

Meat is murder The Smiths

No you don't The Sweet

9 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Our friendly news bot Nattapong really pulled out all the stops proof reading this piece of work I notice.

Popping up all over the site

8 hours ago, Walker88 said:

 

 

 Some woman who has the determination to drag her kids for 600 miles just to get a chance at working in a safe environment is quite likely to work hard and pay taxes, which will help sustain the US Social Security System. Unlike the clown who forever babbles about 'prisoners' and 'mental cases' and people 'destroying the blood' of the US, immigrants are what keeps the US economy vibrant and the entitlement systems somewhat flush. I would much rather have that woman from Guatemala who walked 600 miles to find work than the masses of bloated SSDI parasites in Red States, who bark about 'keeping government out of my SSDI and Medicare'.

You make some good points ... but... the woman travelling 600 miles example is a concern in my opinion. James Carville, Democrat commentator, said something similar on Bill Maher. When he said that I appreciated the sentiment, and there is likely some truth to it, but it amazes me how relaxed and almost naive some Democrats can be about the immigration issue.

Of course, the example was chosen to tug on heart strings, rather than being about a single man or something.

But he seemed to be basically saying that if you are willing to go on a long walk, and pass some basic checks, that's enough evidence that you are the right person for the United States and in you come. No need to prove you are an actual objective refugee, e.g. under real persecution, rather than simply being unhappy with aspects of your life. 

Immigration may be good for the economy as a whole in the long term - but it can be best for the wealthy who get cheap labour, rather than the average joe who has more competition for say jobs and housing, less wage growth, crowded built up cities when they build large apartment blocks to deal with the influx, huge initial costs to local government bodies etc. 

You may say statistics don't bear this out - wage growth has been good for example - but the key point is this issue could easily lose the democrats the election. Trumps appalling rhetoric is simply reflecting the general feeling of unhappiness amongst a wide swathe of voters about the amount of immigrants at the southern border.

Wake up Democrats. Concerns about immigration on quality of life is reasonable, and well meaning examples of mothers and kids isn't going to cut it, to win over the electorate.

Concerns are not simply due to racism - which may play a part - but an honest, common sense, fair concern about the implications of not securing the border.  

18 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Which age?

It seems some people think 17 year old girls are underage, other think anybody below 20 is underage.

And then there is of course "real" underage, below the age of consent in Thailand which, as far as I know, is 15.

 

Personally, I think nobody of any age should be forced into prostitution and anybody who does that should be severely punished.

But if a teenage girl wants to have sex, and she thinks about starting with a boy from her village for free, or collecting a 6-digit amount, I can understand that many girls will be ready to sell their service.

 

Teenage years start at 13 of course.  It is not simply about being forced into prostitution - underage girls may on occasion be enticed by the dollars but do not have the maturity and sense to make such decisions, thus the laws to take action against predators and their go betweens, regardless of what might appear to be consent from the person. Stating the obvious but sometimes it appears some posters, not saying you, see it otherwise. 

1 hour ago, stoner said:

 

no you don't. stop it. 

He likely does amongst the older ones.

No 1 Traditionally lower paid jobs pay fairly well in Australia.

No 2 you get older people who retired in other roles and feel like keeping active but don't want to think too much and so get a similar type of job. Two guys I know left the public service, got bored, one working at Bunnings hardware store one looking to be a truck driver, but plenty of money at home from superannuation etc.

No 3 many older people bought property cheap, often in the inner suburbs when it wasn't trendy, and are now sitting on a goldmine. 

2 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

 

If he has all the above attributes, he shouldn't have a problem finding a partner anywhere in the world.

 

Why would he be in Thailand? And especially Pattaya?

 

There are equally good hospitals, restaurants, and activities throughout the country, so you can't say specifically chose Pattaya just for these reasons.

Thai girls are different to western girls. Many of them. Maybe he likes them and finds that area has what he wants in other ways and he is wondering if nice girls are available which they likely are.

I am thinking of retiring around that area and not due to financial constraints or due to ladies of the night. 

2 minutes ago, smallchungus said:

You are making the Philippines sound better and better.  I don’t want a transactional nightmare relationship.  A traditional woman who wants to be a mother has to exist somewhere.

If you a nice guy with a friendly disposition and a smile to match, and have a half decent income not for handouts but to support a family,  then I doubt you'll have a problem in your 30's finding the type of girl you want in Thailand.