Longwood50

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well look who got through Mar-a-Largo ‘security’:

Yes we certainly know those servers that Clinton used that contained current classified information were secure.  Oh remind me, was her home raided and was she prosecuted.  Oh yes, I now recall, James Comey said that no reasonable prosecutor will bring charges.  


I guess he was covering himself because he not only had classified information but he revealed it.  But of course that is something to ignore.

Liberals creed:  Laws are for thee not for me.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/us/politics/leak-investigation-james-comey.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/us/politics/clinton-campaign-hacked-russians.html

17 hours ago, LosLobo said:

One reason was to conceal the names of witnesses.

Boy there must have been a lot of witnesses since the entire group of pages is almost entirely blacked out.  CONCEALMENT

Even CNN said the first few pages contained some information and the remainder as shown here were "redacted" in other words you could not decipher anything.   If there is nothing to hide and a clear predicate why hide it. 

I think several Thai's found his finger at least I think so they were all waiving a middle finger at him. 

Is this "change of power" a distinction without a difference? 

13 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Monovision can also be achieved with Lasik.

Yes I was aware of that.  Years ago I lost a contact lens and went to my opthamologist for a replacement.  I asked if there was anything I could do regarding reading since with the contacts I could not read.  He laughed and said, yes you just discovered it.  Wear only 1 contact lens.  I did that for years.  

I had a good outcome with the cataract surgery achieving what I wanted to but not entirely by design.  Despite all the modern testing my first eye was undercorrected by +1.75.  The doctor for the second surgery manually adjusted the power that the Zeiss interocular calculated for the required power. 

There are several formulas used by the machine to predict the required power and they don't come out the same.  That prediction is complicated by prior lasik.  My doctor had me go a second time to have the machine calculate my power, then ran three separate tests manually on his computer based on my measurements.  He then made his "best guess" as to which measurement would produce the best outcome.  He got it within -.25 diopters.  

My only point is that with other options I would not select Lasik if I was to go back in time.  Anyone considering Lasik should consult with an opthamologist and shall we say.  Go in with their eyes wide open, about the positives and negatives associated with Lasik surgery. 

On 8/25/2022 at 12:59 PM, richard_smith237 said:

Different experiences, different opinions...

I don't know your age, however my vision started to "improve" in my 50's.  So now I needed both reading glasses and corrective glasses to reduce the over correction done by lasik.  

Perhaps your eyes are stable, or perhaps you have not reached the age where your eyes have changed. 

One way or another, most people will experience cataracts as they age.  Ask any opthamologist and they will tell you that selecting the correct lens replacement for a person who has previously had lasik is far more challenging and involves a bit of guesswork.  Despite all the testing, my first eye with the lens was - 1.25 diopters.  The second a +25 after the doctor adjusted what the Zeiss machine calculated my required lens to be for the second eye. 

Now as it turns out, this is exactly what I wanted.  Monovision.  I see with the eye that is nearly perfectly corrected, and I get close up vision with the eye that is undercorrected. 

I would just caution that once your cornea's are shaved, there is no going back.  With IOL lens or a corneal ring insertion you can adjust it if your vision needs change. 

I had Lasik done years ago.  Here is some advise don't do it.  I was nearsighted so I could read.  I corrected my vision with Lasik for distance.  Guess What, they didn't tell me that it would rob me of my near vision.  So now instead of having to wear glasses only occasionally for distance, I now was chained to having a set of reading glasses all the time.  Even if you are young this will eventually happen to you.  It is called Presbyopia.  

Now, my distance vision was great.  However again, another pitfall is that your vision changes as time goes on.  I experienced what many are now finding and that is called second sight.  Your distance vision improves as you age.  Now of course with Lasik I was over corrected and my vision blurry from too much correction. 

With my cornea now flattened contact lenses don't fit properly.  I could get away with single vision contacts but the new multi-focal lens were worthless.  Blurry at any distance.  So again, still chained to glasses. 

Finally, as I have aged night driving has a glare which is normal.  The opthamologists told me that the flattened cornea made the glare more pronounced.  I had small cataracts but not bad enough to warrant surgery.  I am 73 and asked the doctor why wait your estimated 5 - 7 years until my cataracts worsen.  He finally relented and I had cataract surgery which is IOL inter ocular lens.  I can now read and see at distance.  The glare is reduced but not entirely because in part to the prior lasik.  The selection of the lens was considerable more challenging because of the Lasik which makes calculating exactly what lens to replace it a bit of a guesswork. 

So, if I was to go back in time, I would opt for interocular lens replacement instead of Lasik.  If my vision changed over time the lens can be removed and a new one replaced.  

Another option which I did not have at that time are the newer Multi Focal contacts.  That does not rid you of the nuisance of contacts but it does eliminate the glasses. 

Talk to your OPTHAMOLOGIST first and not the Lasik person before deciding.  Ask him/her if my comments are not something you should take into consideration. 

If you are in Chonburi go for a free evaluation go to Jomtien Hospital.  On Thursdays Dr. Santa Methasari.  He is also on staff at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya but visit is not free. 

I just got mine a couple of weeks ago.  Two passport photo's two copies of your passport signed.  Two copies of your visa extension signed, two copies of your original visa signed.  Some proof of residence.  I used my drivers license, copy front and back signed.  Could be your TM30 90 day extension or a lease showing where you live. 

The loans while well intentioned give the colleges the knowledge that they don't have to be competitive with their tuition.  Also students can make really lousy choices obtaining degrees in disciplines that don't lead to a career. 

If the degree is really an "investment" that investment should produce a return with a higher paying occupation allowing the student to repay the loan.  If the investment does not lead to a higher paying occupation it is then a lousy investment and you should not be subsidizing things that are not worthwhile. 

If you have a person who instead of going to college opens up a small business and borrows money to get it started, do you then pay off their business loan as well.  How about the taxi driver who instead of college purchases a car so they can transport people or the person who buys a boat so they can engage in commercial fishing. 

Having people be responsible for the consequences of their decisions is the best way to be guaranteed that they will make those decisions wisely. 

On 8/21/2022 at 2:17 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

That was my point, they would not be identical cars because one had been repaired! 

I am not sure what point you are trying to make.  The issue was depreciated value of a repaired car.  Though "identical" in terms of make, model, year mileage, options, and wear and tear, the fact that one car was repaired and the other not is a differntiating factor even if ALL OTHER ATTRIBUTES were the same. 

I think it is just like the hotels and tourist attractions.  They know they are not impacting the Thai's and that they are collecting tax revenue from foreigners.  The cost of beer in Thailand is about the same as the USA.  The cost of liquor is typically cheaper but wine is as much as  3-4 times as expensive. 

It can't be based soley on the alcohol content or the price since Scotch here is about the same as the USA.  They must have a much higher tax rate on wine versus hard liquor. 

I have yet to find a modestly priced Australian Red Wine that is any good.  There are a couple from Chile that are drinkable but hardly what you would call excellent. 

So, I buy a bottle on occasion and some beer and say it is just one of the nuances about living in Thailand.  Conversely the car insurance here is dirt cheap compared to the USA which surprises me given that cars are noticeably more expensive than the USA and I have driven throughout the world and I have found no more harrowing place to drive than Thailand. 

17 minutes ago, Wandr said:

It's great that monovision works for you, but most people should beware of it. My doctor in the US says most people don't like it and advised against it.

I have never been told or read that "most people don't like it"  It is often quoted as an option when doing a search for Lasik or Cataract surgery.  Years ago, I wore contacts and lost one.  I went to my opthamologist for a replacement and at that time asked him if there was anything I could do for reading close up since when wearing contacts I could not read close up.  He laughed and said, you have already found the solution.  Wear only 1 contact lens.  I did that for years. 

Now you don't have as good a depth perception as with two eyes fully corrected.  However the trade off is I don't need reading glasses.  Of the two I prefer not having to drag around a set of reading glasses 100% of the time.  Also for driving during the day I wear no glasses.  At night I have a set of glasses to correct both eyes plus reduce night glare so that issue is easily mediated. 

You can not have the difference between the two eyes too great or yes you will have sensory problems.  I am a +1.25 in one eye and a -.25 in the other.  I would suggest that not everyone might be able to accomodate and to test it before comitting to monovision.  Have contacts or glasses with 1 eye corrected for distance and the other corrected only enough to still allow you to read.  Try them for a few days, it does take for some people a few days to adjust, just like progressive lenses take a few days for your brain to adjust.  If you find monovision is not a problem for you great.  If you are experiencing sensory problems then obviously decline it.  

1 hour ago, OneZero said:

As several others have mentioned, you got a price that is much better than any others reported so far.  Do you have any reason that is explainable, for example was it a promotion (new hospital or whatever), was it recently or a long time ago, etc?  Thanks for your input.

This is the promotion.  I can only guess that Bangkok Hospital that owns Jomtien Hospital is trying to promote it.  It could aslo be that Bangkok Hospital is trying indirectly to compete against other providers that are offering services at lower prices without damaging its pricing structure.  So you offer the same product with a different name " Jomtien Hospital" and you keep your premium pricing at Bangkok and some will not recognize they are the same.  Anyway it is the same doctors that practice at Bangkok Hospital, you even go to Bangkok Hospital to have the Zeiss machine calculate the lens power.  It is the same lens choices and Jomtien Hospital is brand new.  Far better than the typical hospital back in the USA in terms of amenities. 

Includes all the pre and post op checkups, and all the medications.  I was very pleased.  I opted for mono vision with one eye slightly undercorrected and one fully corrected.  So I no longer need glasses.  The undercorrected eye is still better vision than previously but I can read with no problems.  The fully corrected eye allows me to see distance.  Your brain automatically grabs the image through whatever eye is giving you the clearest image.  I did the same thing years ago with contact lenses.  You can try for yourself with contacts now with one corrected for distance and one for reading and see how you tolerate it.  Most don't have a problem. 

https://www.jomtienhospital.com/en/enjoy-life-with-clear-sight.html

 

4 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

I have several Thai friends who own/run secondhand car tents.... there is no system in place that can be referred to to establish damage history of vehicles here, unlike the USA which places damaged vehicles on a salvage title....... If they are paid out by the insurance company and then on sold.

I am aware of that.  However a person can have a car inspected and determine if the car has been repaired.  If it has, the interested party will either not want, or ask for a price reduction.  If you note a good number of the advertisements here in Thailand specifically state no accidents, no flood damage.  They would not do it if buyers did not care if the car had previousy had damage that was repaired.  I know I have purchased a car here and one seller refused to let me have it inspected.  I knew then the car was likely a salvage that had been repaired.  Any body shop can immediately tell if a car has had repair work done on it. 

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

USA is not relevant in Thailand.

Oh so a damaged car in the USA is different than a damaged car in Thailand.  WOW who could have guessed. 

Perhaps it is just me but does the health minister ever talk to the Justice minister. 

13 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Insurance industry where, Thailand or ?

I don't know if Thailand insurance pays for diminished value or not in the USA they do.  One way or another common sense says if a buyer is looking at two cars, identical in all respects except one has been in an accident and the other is factory original if the price is the same, you are going to take the one that has never been damaged. 

That is no different than if you have two brand new items but one is a floor sample, and the other in the box, you expect some sort of a discount for the fact the package has been open.  But with an accident, it can look repaired but no matter how good the repair is, it will never be the same as if it has never been damaged.  Then there is the unknown factor.  The buyer not being able to ascertain how well the repairs have been made will demand a discount to offset the uncertainty. 
 

3 hours ago, vinny41 said:

In your opinion it might be irrelevant to someone that buys used vehicles such as a car dealer or part exchange at  a brand dealership it is relevant 

No "not my opinion" the opinion of the insurance industry.  Even for the car that has been repaired the owner has suffered a loss because the resale value is less.  I personally have gotten a payment above the repair, plus loaner car for a door that had to be replaced.  Not even remotely the damage done to this persons vehicle.  I know personally if I had a car that had been in an accident, I either would not purchase it, or I would ask for a bigger discount.   The quality of the repair is an unknown hence buyers will ask for a discount. 

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What's that got to do with it?     But if they were both in "identical condition", it, obviously, would not make any difference as they would both be in identical condition!

No, the fact is that the car in "identical condition" that has not been repaired is worth more than the one that has. 

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

No repaired data base and certainly no salvage title or anything like that.

Well the insurance industry disagrees with you.  I know I had just a door replaced and got a brand new door, repaired at an Authorized BMW repair facility and got an extra $500 just by asking.  I would have fought for more, but I was in the process of moving here to Thailand.  I know this, if I was searching for a car, and it was determined the car was in an accident, I would either not purchase the car or ask for a significant discount.  With repaired cars no matter "how well" you "think" the repairs are they really are an unknown so the car loses value.