Longwood50

Its all which story gets hyped and which ones get buried. 
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/obama-africa-trip-photos/314264/




https://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/taxpayer-tab-for-clinton-inc-16-million-116008

The term racism etc is like ketchup and can be liberally poured on virtually everthing. 

The fact is that it has become a pavlovian response where people who don't like some outcome cry out "racism" knowing that they like Pavlov's dogs will get the public outcry drooling. 

When you peel back the veneer, it is exactly the groups crying xenaphobia or racism who receive not equal treatment but special treatment.  They have become so use to getting this special treatment that should they encounter any situation in life not to their liking they immediately fall back on the charge of discrimination.  

The fact is in life not everything is fair and the vast majority of unpleasant incidents in ones life are not the fault of racism but rather a persons own decisions.  The while male entertainer who does not get a role has no excuse to fall back on.  The minority female entertainer who does not get the role blames it on discrimination.  It is far easier or more mentally pallitable to blame discrimination that face the reality that you just were not that good.  

 

9 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Once again, flu or COVID?

Flu, 500 baht 4 different strains of influenza

They do covid also.  I "think" about 500 baht for Moderna. 

 

Ok you have common stock in the company and that is the voting shares.  The Thai people have preferred stock.  When you die, the stock just like any other asset, bank account, car, jewelry etc. is part of your estate.  

If you die without a will it will be given to your heirs according to the law.  A safer thing to do is to make a will and designate who you want to receive the assets in your estate after your death.  

I am not sure if you die without a will whether it would be Thai law or your home country's law that would govern the distribution to heirs without a will.  However one way or another you will save a huge amount of trouble and expense if you do a will here in Thailand. 

I got mine at Jomtien earlier this year.  Don't remember the price but myself and GF got one it was buy two and get the second one even cheaper. 

5 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Pfizer made nearly $37bn (£27bn) in sales from its Covid-19 vaccine last year – making it one of the most lucrative products in history – and has forecast another bumper year in 2022, with a big boost coming from its Covid-19 pill

And would you be happier if Pfizer had not invented its vaccine and more people died?  It invested millions into the "potential" that it could come up with an effective vaccine.  Elon Musk invested millions betting that electric cars were the future.  Bill Gates made billions with software that enhanced the ability of computers. Jeff Bezos invested millions and made billions bringing products to peoples doors. 

That is how capitalism works.  People take risks, invest their money and only the successful ones are rewarded.  Note there were many other companies who similarly invested millions into Covid vaccine development and got zero.  So are you the ultimate socialist where if the product is unsuccessful the company bears the loss but if the product is effective you want to take away the profit of the successful.  If you don't want the vaccine, punish them and don't buy it 

You can use either the 800,000 baht method.  That is having that amount in a Thai bank for a minimum of 2 months or the 65,000 baht method, making transfers into a Thai bank for 12 consecutive months of at least 65,000 baht.  

I got an embassy letter for my first visa from the USA embassy that no longer does them.  If your embassy still provides income verification affidavits you can use that instead of the baht minimums.  If you go with the 65,000 baht per month it is important that your transfers show up as FIT.  Foreign Transfers.  On transferwise it requires you code the transfer stating it is for long term stay in Thailand.  Otherwise it shows up as a domestic transfer.

 

About 6 weeks ago I had a slight sore throat and became terribly fatigued.  I slept the better part of 3 solid days.  Had a consistent cough and just like you lots of clear mucous.  I could hear my voice altered from the congestion but only in my head not chest congestion.  Now 6 weeks later I am finally able to stop coughing.  What is strange is that after the 4th day, I purchased a home covid test and it came up negative.  I sure had a number of the symptoms associated with Covid. 

8 minutes ago, danferguson said:

trust medical authorities advice

I was hoping that the public forum who have the advise of the medical authorities.  I see precious little being published about its advisability at this time. 

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My wife doesn't have a drivers license but Roojai insure the the truck in her name and I am down as main driver buy anyone can drive it as long as they have a Thai DL and are over 25 years of age.

Did you have to put the car in her name and then did they use your driving record for establishing the rate.  

56 minutes ago, mikebike said:

They were NOT "unvetted immigrants", they were vetted Venezuelan asylum-seekers

Two things.  Where is your source that these people were vetted?  A significant portion of migrants show up with no papers at all.

Secondly, asylum has become the "magic word" that those who are pushing illegal migration tell the migrants to use.  At one time it was "families" and unaccompanied males were rejected so they showed up with children many times not their own but rented so that they would be a "family" 

One way or another in less than two years 5.4 million people have swarmed across into the USA.  That is a population greater than New Zealand, Ireland, or Norway.  That is not immigration.  That is an invasion. 

Calling these people undocumented immigrants is as disingenous as calling a drug dealer an undocumented pharmacist, or someone who breaks into your home an undocumented guest.  

IT IS AGAINST THE LAW to enter the USA without proper authorization.  If they are truly assylum seekers and can prove it, they should apply and have their cases heard.  Not just make some unvetted claim about needing asylum and then letting them vanish within the borders of the USA to be somebody elses problem.  

On 9/20/2022 at 10:18 AM, LarrySR said:

Studies show that the Right Wing News audience are consistently the most ill informed viewers of all major media,

You see when liberals "give the viewers informed news" what it really is propaganda and now information"   So when left wingers say the Right is the least infomed that means they are the least indoctrinated. 

59 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

they suggested we insured the car in my wife's name and me as a nominated driver

Does you wife have a drivers license?  I am 73 so wondering when it will be difficult for me to get insurance.  My Thai GF is younger but she does not have a drivers license so I am guessing that we could not insure in her name but I am not sure. 

I have had two Astra Zeneca and one Pfizer with the last one about 6 months ago.  My GF has had 3 Pfizer also with the last one about 6 months ago.  With Covid not being breaking news each day, what is the general consensus on if it is advisable to get yet again another booster.  I am 73 but in good health, no health issues at all.  My GF is 51 but also no health issues.  

On 9/17/2022 at 6:47 AM, D M G said:

Kerry will not refund unless I go to the police and have a warrant issued, after which they will wait for the police to further investigate for Shopee, before taking other action.  DEADEND

That will not happen.  Best to verify with Shopee or Lazada if you are using the COD option that the package has been sent and that the tracking number matches.  That way if the item is not as represented you can charge back to Shopee/Lazada.  If it is a different tracking number, they will say, that no that is not our shipment. 

4 hours ago, JimGant said:

I assume your Chase bank is in the US.

Yes it is a Push Transaction.  In the beginning I had problems with a transfer to Wise.  Chase kept rejecting it.  As an alternative I opened a savings account with Discover Bank part of Discover Card.  They had no problem initiating the transfer to them ACH.  I did that for several months and two months ago I thought I would try Wise again.  This time no problem.  I think they were suspicious of Wise in the beginning but given that I did not contact them regarding the Wise account set up as a transfer they finally said, that this might be ok.  So, it costs nothing to sent to Wise and 30 baht to transfer from Wise to my Bangkok Bank account.  I use a computer so I set up an automatic conversion when the rate hits a certain rate.  Over the past several months I have done automatic conversions at 34, 34.5 35, 36.5 and 36.75 USD to baht.  When it hits that threshold the conversion is done.  It sits in my baht account at Wise until I authorize a transfer and I transfer only about 70,000 baht per month enough to satisfy my visa requirements.  More if I have some unusual expense here to cover. 

On 9/14/2022 at 3:48 PM, Bkk Brian said:

M-16 guns 50,000 THB direct from police/soldiers

Ah so the police purchase them because they legally can obtain them and then turn around and resell them.  Actually that is dirt cheap at 50,000 thb.  

 Real M16s cost $25,000 to $35,000. in USA. 
Now that is not the price paid by law enforcement but rather the black market in the USA for an automatic M16 

On 9/14/2022 at 4:55 PM, JimmyJ said:

So you think it was to collect buyer info?

Yes, I don't know if these "sellers" resell the information or they are scammers who use it.  I know I purchased a handbag on Shopee and was concerned so I opted for COD as a payment option.  The bag never shipped but a package did arrive one day COD.  I paid for it and it was a bag but a cheap piece of <deleted>.  Fortunately the driver called me to notify me of the package arriving.  I immediately called him and said not to transfer the money to the seller that this was a scam.  Though it was a lot of work the shipping company eventually paid me back.  The original bag never shipped which confirmed my suspicions that they were just a front to get the address to use. 

On 9/14/2022 at 5:42 PM, candide said:

Make decisions without analysing consequences and without anticipating how to effectively apply them....

That's what morons like Trump usually do.

Another proof of his level of incompetence.

So your answer was to adopt the Obama policy of only prosecuting 20% of those here illegally.  Not building enough facilities to house them so letting 80% of them just go free under the "catch and release program"  

Now you call Trump incompetent, he did not have the luxury of 8 years like Obama to build facilities.  What you are suggesting is that Trump should delay any enforcement until adequate facilities are built.  Now that is just plain stupid.  

Here is what transpired after Trumps policy of 100% prosecution was stopped. 

You decry Trumps prosecution which resulted in families being separated.  Guess what, if a person is charged with theft, drunk driving, breaking and entering, assault and a myriad of other CRIMES they are incarcerated and SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES.  The only difference is that these people knowingly came to the USA illegally which IS A CRIME and expected that they would just be set free.  

The 100% enforcement of the illegal immigration was a deterrent to prevent even more from coming.  That is what Trump campaigned and said he would do and frankly it is what the majority of the American Public wants.  Immigration yes, invasion NO. 

Where would someone get possession of a US Military M-16.  Unless it was something left from the Vietnam war and smuggled into Thailand  that particular rifle is not sold to the general public. Fully Automatic rifles require special licensing in the USA to get them.  

On 9/13/2022 at 3:45 AM, D M G said:

Assumed the same.  Seems like a Better Business Bureau would come in handy right now.

The Better Business Bureau in the USA is a scam.  You make "contributions" to it to keep your name in good with them.  

The fact is that there are a couple of parties who should do a better job.  Shopee and Lazada should vett the new sellers better.  When you have a new seller and they immediately or shortly thereafter don't ship the merchandise in a timely manner, their account should be suspended.  That is a red flag that they are fake sellers looking only for the name and address information.  The delivery companies should also do a better job of vetting people who are taking COD's.  With new COD sellers there should be a longer waiting period between collecting the money from the customer and remitting it giving opportunity for someone scammed to contact them and contest the transaction.  Also I have no idea how diligent they are in obtaining identification from sellers setting up COD accounts.  It could even be the fraudsters use MULES to open accounts on their behalf.  One way or anohter, if you buy on Shopee or Lazada and the product doesn't contain a tracking number from them, don't accept the COD.  It is a scam. 

6 hours ago, D M G said:

Unlike J&T, my "wrong" order wad delivered by Kerry, who told me to go to the police to have a warrant issues.  Once issued, they would get involved.

You have two chances with the police.  Slim and None and Slim left town several weeks ago.  

Now if the police were to follow up  you can give them the tracking number and Kerry is suppose to have information on who the sender is.  Kerry would also be depositing the money electronically to the sender.  That bank again should have required identification on who opened the account.  

However my experience with Thai police is that they will very dutifully take down the information and then promptly ignore it afterwards. 

I am guessing you have experienced what I have.  I purchase a lot from Shopee.  In general very good but on numerous occasions I will order something and it will never ship.  

I believe what the seller is doing is gathering information on your name, address, and telephone number.  On more than one occasion I used the COD method.  Shortly thereafter COD packages began arriving at my address.  I paid and fortunately opened the item quickly and notified the shipping company, J&T express not to pay the COD seller because it was a scam. 

You will find this game very true when the seller is relatively new to Shopee, that you see the same listing all from relatively new sellers with no ratings, and for prices noticeably less than others sellers.  

I am guessing they sell your information such as name, address, phone number etc to a third party like phone scammers or that they are in fact the phone scammer.