Fat is a type of crazy

Soccer never caught my imagination. Having it in Qatar certainly takes away from the image of it being the people's game. The president said today words to the effect of 'I feel Qatari. I feel Arab. I feel gay. I feel disabled etc' - that was bizarre. Comparing being bullied for having red hair to the treatment of minorities in Qatar. Then basically saying that criticism of Qatar is ripe coming from Europeans, based on their history, which is straight out of the authoritarian playbook i.e. no one is perfect so no one can judge. First game is at 3am Australia time so won't be something I have to consider.

Thank you for coming and thank your mother for the rabbits. Apparently that came from the depression in Australia when food was scarce and rabbits were cheap or free if you caught them

I call BS on that. So what organisation employed a significant number of workers not on their merits? What category were they that gave the business merit to hire them when they were not the best - women, certain ethnicities? I thought you had not worked for a while too when woke wasn't a thing.

I think he’s being ridiculous. Let’s put staff in 2 categories. The highly skilful and therefore highly marketable who will have other tech companies happy to make a counter offer, including say, some time working at home, which makes staff happy and can often increase productivity, those staff can leave. The second category who may be the more run of the mill employees, less skilful and marketable, they’ll stay. Outcome - you lose the best and keep the rest. Smart.

From my experience the rates within the train station area are often the best or close to the best - you might get a tiny bit better somewhere in Bangkok but those ones are clearly competitive. No problem changing it all in one go from my experience. As others have said take a few steps into the airport area and the rate goes from competitive to terrible.

I don't want 2 more years of this. Trump supporters had some excuse back in 2016, though many could see him for what he was back then, but in 2022 it is my humble opinion that you should have worked out that he is not a person deserving of support.

Happy for you. It must be nice to believe in things like that. That strange distant look in many Trump supporter's eyes like no one's home. But they seem to believe. Seem happy.

Is this thing about him not being able to be prosecuted if he is a nominee really a thing? Only in certain contexts? Not at all? Wonder if it makes a big difference or not.

NBC are calling Katie Hobbs as beating Kari Lake in Arizona. Nice. Lake adding the insult of losing her dignity and credibility, by going down the election fraud path, to the injury of losing. Future prospective candidates might realise backing Trump and his claims is now a fast track to irrelevance.

Joe isn't extreme. The Democrats have some younger and more progressive types to push the envelope a bit. Doesn't mean they control things. Some new ideas are good ideas. I'm in Australia and many democrat policies are to the right of centre compared to us and probably many countries in Europe. Some Democrat policies are a bit too lefty for me and could be improved, but a lot of course is a caricature by the right, e.g. on Fox, and it isn't the reality. Do you see Joe shutting down funding for police, or teaching 5 year olds about sexual options, or that there should be totally open borders etc. No.

Things like this can be a touch annoying but for 99 baht specials you expect less e.g. rather than a meal and a side dish of rice you just get some rice with a much smaller portion on top . You gets what you pay for. Not sure where you are getting a seafood meal for two for 300 baht but it sounds a bit scary. Suppose you might get some squid with rice or something. No fish.

I think they made the wrong decision but I could see where they were coming from. Stayed there a few times on trips to Koh Chang - beautiful hotel in forest and beach - I do note prices have gone up since pre covid so may be not doing so bad. Most people can get the gist of what happened, see the guy was a bit of a d i c k, the hotel was a bit of a d i c k , and not be too concerned.

Big concern at this election was about democracy rather than democrats - that people had become irredeemably polarised, and candidates who simply lied about election fraud would be rewarded. That Republicans, with MAGA candidates confident and gaining further ascendency within the party, would win control of the house AND senate, and this might lead to crazy retribution against democrats and more power across the country to those who do not support fair elections. I think Democrats are more likely to stand up to Putin, do something about climate change, be fairer on equity issues such as fighting for cheaper medicines, healthcare and a better outcome for workers. Fairer overall. I could be more accepting of Republicans, Trump MAGA issues aside, if I considered them sincere and fair. I like the idea of low taxes and free enterprise. They talk of fairness in trickle down economics, but in reality I think they want too low taxes and tax breaks for the wealthy, and a decimated IRS. They talk about chaos in immigration but love the cheap labour force, and there are a whole range of what I consider inconsistencies on guns, abortion rights, etc. I think people forget how rich America is and that taxes and regulations can be fair without being overbearing and stymying free enterprise. I certainly don't consider Democrats ideal but they are the best of the two parties and, not being an American, best for the world.

Overall good outcome that can help build reassurance in the American people's common sense not to go down the pro MAGA anti democratic rabbit hole. The fact that some dodgy and crazy MAGA candidates still got close to 50 per cent of the vote or won is still disappointing but I'll take the overall pro democratic outcome above what could have happened.

No one probably cares about you one way or the other. Everyone's got their own problems and niggly issues with each other. Do your job. Go up to someone and ask about their weekend. Bet you they'll be friendly and one battle won. Give each person the benefit of the doubt once. Ask for a small amount of money once. OK. Second time too soon. No.

Scottish humor - 1949 movie Whisky galore is a good example. Distrusting, passionate, conflicted, slow to trust you but then a lot of fun. A bit pessimistic. Trainspotting good example. Irish humour - a bit more open, fun, dry, focused, and sometimes a bit of a serious tone. That's my 2 cents as an Australian who saw it often through english eyes e.g. Ealing studios for Whisky Galore.

I know it can be tedious in the office but the first few months can be seen as a time to build a reputation as a friendly guy willing to join in with things. As a farang they may think you may wish to distance yourself or that you think you're special. Donate to the buddhist thing - 500 baht won't kill you - and it shows you want to be part of things. The thai lady may have been half joking but your serious reaction may have turned her off - why not bring a small block of chocolate the next day and say 'Enjoy' and smile. Gossip can be fun or a bore. See the funny side - take an interest in the office politics and relationships so you understand what's what. Most people want someone to listen and as a new person you are not expected to contribute. Over time you'll work out that some gossipers are tedious to everyone, or meanspirited, and some are actually fun. Long cut short some effort now might make it better and easier in the longer term to be yourself.

Boy that got nasty fast. Not sure how suggesting that if you haven't heard her words in some detail on a range of topics outside of a right wing mouthpiece, it might be worthwhile doing so, is insincere on my part. That is if I understand that turn of phrase. Had to google it. I find when people get rude they have run out of ideas. I have not said she is perfect or that I concur with all her ideas e.g. immigration. But to compare her intelligence to Boebert and the like indicates to me you haven't heard much from her directly. I like the fact that she speaks sincerely and with a bit of passion even if it gets her in trouble with the right - people do learn too.

Her electorate is in New York and New Yorkers may be left leaning but they have a good BS meter so you have to talk straight. She has some ideas that are a bit lefty, and being young she may give some phrases that Fox can highlight without context and make her look bad or woke, but seriously watch a longer interview with her and, though you may not agree with her conclusions, her ideas are thoughtful and often sensible and not crazy.

I'll let him speak for himself but the key words was she 'latched' on to him .. you know when you are doing your thing and someone who you don't find interesting attaches themselves to you, possibly to get a customer, and you don't want it and it becomes boring.

A guy just wants somewhere to have a drink and a laugh and you're distorting it and making it seem weird.

After 6 years of marriage with a much younger Thai lady I must admit it was nice to talk to people of my own age and have an actual conversation about stuff that was part of my world without running the risk of seeming boring or out of touch. But talking to young Thais can be fun too - no politics, no old music discussions, none of the same preconceived biases etc.

Strange lumping together there. You might not like Cheney and Schiff standing up about January 6 but surely you can see the logic behind it. Separate to the issue of taking steps to protect democracy, Cheney is stock standard Republican, a la father dick and not comparable to the crazy or more likely simply ignorance or cynicism that is Boebert. The rest of your list is a mix of some that could be defined as a tad woke - though if you hear AOC speak she is clearly intelligent and has interesting things to say, as compared to the dummies and crazies and hangers on, on the far Trumpy right - and others such as Newsome, Harris, Schumer, Whitmer, Pelosi and Biden. The latter are all stock standard Democrats who may have policies you don't like, and use a bit of political correct speak about working together and helping people and letting people do their thing that you may not like, but hardly crazy.

Some fair points, and though I am no expert, I do note there are significant limits for superannuation e.g. you can only salary sacrifice at $27500 a year - used to be much higher - they made it even tougher for that for public servants with a defined benefit scheme but that's a different story. There are limits too on post tax contributions. Yes funds in the fund pay the lower rate but you can't access it till you retire of course. Centrelink bought in rules to see through family trusts, and companies, to stop access to benefits including health care card, controlled by you or your associates. So you would need to trust the controller of that entity. There are many tax benefits of family trusts - the only justification is for farmers to pass the farm to the next generation but otherwise dodgy as hell - as you probably know Labour tried to do something in 2019 about that, and refund of franking credits, but the people spoke and Liberals won.

It's not so simple - the Republicans are not one voice - centrists, right wing, far right - so if they want something to get through they prefer to have a large majority to be sure they can get enough Republican votes. So if it's close it's not so easy - Democrats found that in the Senate with Joe Manchin and others causing difficulties. What's taking so long to count? That seems to be the Fox News narrative - sort of vaguely hinting to anomalies but having nothing much. New numbers in Arizona look good for Senate and Governor vote for democrats. Hobbs Kelly looking good. So sad for Kari Lake. Love it. She is so appalling. Though she still has a chance though.