ericbj

Are there cultural incompatibilities between some cultures that make assimilation very difficult for people who have no fundamental understanding of the social attitudes and moral norms of the country to which they intend to migrate (for whatever reason) ? It seems this can be the case, and that the result can be societal disintegration :

I attended a public hospital in Chiang Mai for an eye operation about 18 months ago, involving four visits in all (there would have been a 5th visit, but busses, near songkhran, fully booked a fortnight in advance). One had to sign in at the Hospital on each appointed day at 08.30 a.m. to be seen p.m. by specialist doctors. Was told they were out visiting their private patients in the morning. Medical services first rate and maybe half the cost of a private hospital, despite the fact that certain services can be much cheaper for Thai nationals. A book and a snack or two helps to pass the time.

Farage's programme in his own words. Of course one is free to believe or disbelieve him:

An investigative journalist, Joshua Philipp of Epoch Times, is interviewed about the extraordinarily deep ramifications of illegal mass migration into the United States from South and Central America (with parallels for the U.K.). NGOs and United Nations involved. Judge for yourself the credibility of what he says.

A very brief excerpt from https://internationalman.com/get-ready-for-trumps-monetary-reset/ : ----------------------------- If Trump’s Vision Goes According To Plan, Expect To Hear About: “The Mar-A-Lago Accord” […] #1. Team Trump is aligning all US policy around this one goal. […] #2. To rebuild the US manufacturing base and supply chains, Trump’s plan must devalue the dollar to the point that manufacturing in America is competitive once again. […] At this point, you can count on gold going a lot higher - because THE DOLLAR IS ALREADY HEADING MUCH, MUCH LOWER. THAT PROBLEM CAN WRECK YOUR RETIREMENT - OR IT COULD BE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME. ----------------------------- There is a lot more to the document than this brief quote, including details of copying the Chinese system of having a two-tier currency: for internal use, and for foreign investment. But what is most relevant to those here relying upon dollar-denominated retirement income is the intention to devalue the dollar relative to other currencies. And inevitably of course, to a much great extent, relative to gold.

Agree with most of what you say. But … as regards "business communities do see the advantage of migrant illegal labour", my understanding is that illegal immigrants (who are said to receive about 50 GBP per week on top of free hotel accommodation, free food, and free health care) are said to be not entitled to work. Apparently many do. This surely means that not only they but also their employers are breaking the law. But perhaps the government's view is that the laws are to be selectively applied. It maybe depends upon who you are: whether a documented UK citizen or an undocumented illegal immigrant. Personally, I would have thought there to be many manual jobs that could be done by illegal immigrants in favour of local communities. Jobs that need to be done but for which local councils lack funding, so no citizens are deprived of work nor local businesses lose out on contracts. Thus they can pay with labour the cost of their board and lodging, while still receiving some pocket-money. What is illegal is criminal and ought to be penalised rather than rewarded. Before being granted any form of legal status, illegals should be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of written and spoken English and of the country's legal system, customs and institutions. And swear an oath of allegiance to the nation, the breaking of which would entail revocation of their status. Britain has given refuge to many refugees over past centuries, including amongst my forebears French Huguenots. They came seeking refuge from persecution and annihilation, not to live at others expense.

Social spending is necessary. But it comes either from taxation or from borrowing. Which latter is a deferred form of taxation, often imposed as "inflation", meaning devaluation of the national currency. Taxation comes from income, derived from several sources. Income comes from productive activity including commerce. Pitch taxation too high and you reduce productive activity and hence revenue. I.e. less available to spend on social (and other real or imagined) needs. By the same token you increase the need for social spending. Which cannot be met. Governments must (but fail to) foster both productive activities and at the same time reduce the need for social spending. Unfortunately modern career politicians, many with little knowledge of real world finances and mesmerized by Modern Monetary Theory ("MMT"), ignore the existence of the Laffer Curve.

I shall try to answer you as per my experience and knowledge. On reaching retiring age (then 65 years) the Department of Works & Pensions (DWP) initially sent to me in France monthly cheques in GBP which I forwarded to my RBS current account in the UK. At the same time they continually demanded to know the references for my French bank current account, as they wished to pay into that. I did not want it paid there as I was spending half of each year in Thailand and did not wish to be obliged to convert all of my pension into Euros and then half of that into Thai Baht. So I withheld the details, and they continued to send me the cheques. Until shortly before my next trip to Thailand when I informed them that I would be absent from France for six months and that upon my return half of their cheques (of 3-month validity) would be useless, so I would have to return them for replacement. They responded by paying my pension into my UK bank account. And thankfully so. Because on 01 January 2021 a new EU rule came into effect making it obligatory for online access to an account that the bank in question forward a security code by SMS which the account holder then enters on the bank's web-page (after submission of I/D and password) for access to one's accounts. The RBS has long required this and on arrival in Thailand I ring them up to request change of my mobile number to that of my Thai portable. After giving satisfactory answers to a couple of pre-arranged security questions, this change is immediately effected. Not so the French bank, which required that I present myself in person to make the request. This was impossible because of the scamdemic restrictions on travel. Not to mention the huge cost of covering huge distances to make the request in person. All appeals, both by telephone and in writing to the local branch, to the Regional Head Office, and to an office supposedly dealing with complaints, were either brushed aside or more usually ignored. And that has remained the case to this day. Scamdemic over, ill-health prevented making the journey until a hospital operation by a vein surgeon last year. Due to fly from Suvarnabhumi 21st June, but shortly before, fell over backwards breaking an arm on the edge of a steel storage-box. Now hopefully going next year. Note that I am above referring to the DWP pension paid to those who have contributed to National Insurance (in my case in large part through "Voluntary Contributions" when overseas) on the assumption that that is what you mean by "state pension". Not to be confused with Civil Service and Military Pensions, which are a lot more generous and subject to different conditions. Some people with UK bank accounts AND a UK address of some kind may be able to persuade the DWP that they are still resident in the UK, and this could be valid if they spend a substantial part of each year in the UK. And therefore receive the annual increment in pension. I was in this category when essentially resident in France, but visiting Thailand. I came unstuck when British Airways cancelled my return flight of 15/16th May 2020 and asked me to book another. Which I did. But later that was cancelled. Then I booked a third time, departure scheduled 30th June 2020. But that too was cancelled. Next day, 1st July: countrywide lockdown - international passenger flights banned and borders closed. So no annual increment of the pension. Potential solution: move to the Phillipines. But difficult to uproot oneself at my age, to plunge into the unknown, leaving behind supportive friends who are like family.

On the subject of the St.George's flag of England, introduced by Edward III, representing some crusader in Asia Minor who slays a dragon, there is a much older claim to its origin, which brings us closer to home. Believe what you will, but at least it is an interesting tale:

Wire transfers from the Royal Bank of Scotland to Thailand are free of all bank charges by the UK bank if for delivery within 2 to 3 working days. 15 GBP if required within 24 hours. I have the money sent as sterling, so it is converted by the Thai bank. Decades ago I found the exchange rate GBP to THB was more favourable over here than in the UK. Maybe no longer the case. However when I have needed to remit in euros or dollars, to the Continent or the US, I have found, to my surprise, the RBS's exchange rates to be almost identical with those of specialist wire-transfer companies. The RBS seems to be a virtually defunct bank these days, but one good thing one can applaud them for is their bank transfers. In fact I opened an account with them more than three decades ago because they were then advertising cheap transfers to France.

I think I now understand the reason for my past problem using an external USB AZERTY keyboard on a laptop with a Thai keyboard. The laptop was purchased new from a shop in Pantip Plaza in, I think, November 2017 or '18. It was loaded with an unofficial (and imperfect) copy of Windows 10 Pro. I was yesterday able to re-start my moth-balled laptop, after a prolonged re-charge of the battery. It was already configured for a French keyboard, so that was clearly not the problem. I then sought to change the system language, but could find no means to do that. Having no intention to fork out for an authorised version of Windows to use on a computer that likely has limited remaining life-expectancy, am looking to instal Linux Mint Cinnamon. Asked the only reasonably competent local computer-shop I know of if they could instal Linux for me, and, with a look of horror, the answer was "No!" I'm guessing they have been intimidated by Big Brother Bill & Co.

Thanks for the suggestion. There are two problems with a QWERTY keyboard. Layout, since I have been using the AZERTY keyboard for decades; and a somewhat different alphabet - e.g. à, é, è, ç, ù, â, ê, ï, [ not to mention µ, ¤, £, «, ». 🙂 ]. I need to be able to communicate in both English and French. I could use the Windows Character Map, but am not a devil for punishment. With respect to several other suggestions in this thread, which are much appreciated: I have a strong belief that I did configure my keyboard to French in Windows Setup, but it toggled back to US English whenever I hit an accented key. That needs to be either confirmed or 'infirmed' once I have dug out the old computer (assuming it is still capable of functioning). It probably did not occur to me to change the system language setting to French. Something to be tried.

Nothing to do with narcotics, everything to do with oil.

Maybe you have not heard of the Oreshnik :

Thank you for pointing out the stupidity of U.S. nuclear threats directed at the Russian Federation, as result of a social media post by someone with no effective power to do anything except blabber. Particularly stupid in view of Russia's long-established "Dead Hand" retaliation policy. Sabre-rattling can potentially lead to unintended war, especially where civilian populations have been worked up into a state of accepting or even welcoming it. The pan-European Great War of 1914-18, thought by many to be impossible, nonetheless occurred.

The Donald is at the forefront of the United States' confrontational messaging strategy.

Dastardly chap ! He has stolen a page out of the U.S. State Department's Foreign Policy Book !

Shows a misunderstanding of the balance of power in nuclear weapons and delivery capabilities.

Are British politicians eligible for, and seeking, the EU's Kalergi Prize? Perhaps no longer, unless they can pull the UK back into the Brussel-bureaucrats' prison-camp. (Angela Merkel was awarded it, which might go some way to explain her open-borders policy) Count Kalergi, himself an Austrian-Japanese, favoured a mish-mash world of mixed race, seemingly without national borders or distinct cultural identities. Why? One of the reasons he gave, which his promoters attempt to play down, was that divided loyalties would cause social unrest, giving the elites the excuse to exercise greater control over their populations. In a sense his ideas were at the opposite pole to so-called 'National Socialism' [a wholly misleading term]. This explains Herr Schicklgruber's hatred of him, and allows Kalergi's followers to paint him in a favourable light. In reality the two philosophies have much in common, when regarded in terms of their ultimate aim. An individual within a heterogeneous, amorphous mass of humans is relatively powerless. Within a distinct, finite cultural identity, his views can carry weight. Britain's primary problem is with its unrepresentative politicians. Massive, uncontrolled and uncontested foreign invasion arises from the primary problem which produces mayhem in divers spheres. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2019-001516_EN.html

Am seeking - in Thailand - a new laptop with French AZERTY (not German AZERTY) keyboard. As a replacement for my existing one which is on the blink due to a graphics problem. Possibly repairable, but if so it can become a stand-by when up-and-running again. (Am thinking of guarantee) Some years ago I brought to Thailand an external USB AZERTY keyboard in the belief that if the computer I had failed it could be replaced with a computer bought in Thailand having the habitual Thai/US keyboard. The circumstance foreseen arose; I purchased a computer in Thailand, and confidently plugged in my AZERTY keyboard. It did not function correctly. Whenever one typed an accented character, or certain symbols, it reverted to a US keyboard and started outputting gibberish. Years later I tried the same computer [a Lenovo Ideapad 320] with another USB AZERTY keyboard, with the same result. Incompatibility caused by differences in computer keyboard processor? My current computer which has started to develop the screen problem is a Lenovo 1i with 15.7" screen [*], and was ordered from amazon.fr in April 2021 in replacement for an ASUS purchased in France only about 18 months earlier but which developed one keyboard failure after another (remedied by use of USB keyboard) before finally packing up altogether. Forcing me to boot into Knoppix via USB to recover some data. Swore never again to buy an ASUS. It does occur to me that one could perhaps purchase a locally available computer, configure it under Windows as having a French keyboard, and then stick on the keys pieces of paper marked with the requisite characters. But not, I suspect, a very durable solution. Wonder if some of my many past hardware problems might have been caused by real live bugs. Such as the almost microscopically small ants that abound in this house especially during the rainy season, and which can sometimes even find their way into screw-top jars. Tend to put equipment into plastic bags with a few mothballs, but tedious repeatedly unplugging and re-plugging everything, so can get a bit neglected. Moreover this house can be extremely damp and subject to mould, since some years ago a nameless clown concreted over the no-longer used irrigation ditch that ran down alongside my plot. In the monsoon it served as a drain for the rainwater than now laps at the foot of my concrete-block walls. However mould ought not to affect equipment in regular use, but only when in storage. In the latter case I endeavour to seal with silica gel. [ * not a bad machine but contrast ratio too low for my liking, as discovered after delivery ]

So no-one cares about you ? Poor wee fella. 🙂

Some of this might be relevant to the thread:

To each according to his ability. I do not think it is the proportions that are the problem, but rather the mAcroscopic overall budget expenditure. Due to money squandered left and right. There is a need to cut the coat according to the cloth available. That way the wealthy can stay wealthy and the poor can be eased out of poverty. Where governments create conflict, both global and local, they do so because they are prodded into it by big rentier-capitalist interests. The country, and everyone else, including the relatively well off, suffer. Overall returns on investment in the US 'defense' [armaments] sector are said to have almost equalled 1,000% over the course of the Afghan War. Did the expenditure of bombs, projectiles, ammunition, and all the rest add to the wealth of the United States and its people? No, of course not. It was a redistribution of wealth from working people of all categories to big-time manipulative speculators. A consortium of loose, informal pressure-groups of overlapping interests, often referred to as the Deep State. Statistics showing the increase in wealth of the richest citizens following each successive crisis is quite convincing proof of this phenomenon. Footnote: When a government creates funny-money out of thin air because its income is insufficient to meet its expenditure, the population may be made to pay in two inter-related ways: 1. A tax called "inflation". This is not a revaluation of goods and services but rather a devaluation of the currency, due to an excess of supply. 2. A debt whose repayment is kicked down the road, perhaps to be met by a future generation. This can be avoided if inflation is high enough that debts can be repaid in a much devalued currency, in effect legally defrauding the creditors. A default in all but name.

Have you forgotten the comment you queried? If so you can consult it. If you do not understand the comment you queried, perhaps you should study it more carefully.

"Do as I say ! Don't do as I do !" I recommend consulting a dictionary if you still do not understand.