KhunLA

Trivia tidbit ... he never visited Baltimore before writing the song, just impressions from passing through. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/randy-newman/baltimore

P4P is not a conquest, just a business transaction.

Dick Van Dyke, a favorite, and multi talented. The Dick Van Dyke Show, & his movies were great entertainment as a youngin.

Never got caught up in the rat race. Being the ever LPOS, I just didn't care and more concerned about my smile now. One of my first LPs, and pretty much my theme song on life:

My wife followed the 'worker', definitely not a plumber, doing the piping. She had to redo most of the drain piping. This FB post of hers is a crack up ... TIT

https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/nowhere-man/#:~:text=Originally released on Rubber Soul,from the mayhem of Beatlemania.

I stopped counting at possibly 10 cuts, and not even halfway through. NO, never dream about her/#1, and rarely think about her, can't really remember the last time she crossed my mind, until this topic. Nice quick flashback. The good times, as I never dwell on negatives. Probably why I never think about #3 (1st Thai wife). I prefer to always move forward, rarely look back, unless entertaining myself with my early silliness, and single life. Still in contact with #2, as one of my few FB friends, all of 15, I think, and most family, just to keep in touch.

No, had a great few years but that was it. Always a preference for younger lasses, I was 23, she 17. Courted 2 years, married 2 years. First love, and great till it wasn't. Did motivate me to start being responsible and take life seriously. 2nd wife a few years later, again courted 2, only married one. Enjoyed being unmarried for 10+ years, before coming to TH, so no mid life crisis for me.

Best, by car of course, but if getting a 'yikes' maybe not for you. Do you have a motorcycle license, then public trans to the cities, and rent a MC/scooter when there. Train or bus, (I'd pick train), runs to & through Korat, KK, UT & NK. If not MC license, then I'd rent the car. Depends where else you've been to Thailand, and interest, but if been to UT, then Korat, KK & Ubon aren't much different and I personally would waste a month in Isan. Especially if comin in smog season. It doesn't get a lot of int'l tourist for a reason. Again, depends on your interests.

You paraphrased, "How can anyone defend a serial liar for a president is way beyond my comprehension." I had to back up to see what president he was referring to, as immediately, I thought it could be any of them. Lets start w/LBJ 'I will not send more American soldiers to Vietnam' 'I am not a crook' 'Pardon me' 'Iran/Contra - I don't recall' - that actually might be true 'Read my lips, no new taxes' 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman' 'WMD' 'Like your Dr, you can keep your Dr'

You should have said moon landing .. I'm 50/50 on that. I'm waiting for some other countries photos of the junk that was supposedly left up their by the USA. My life time to repeat, 2 big ones, millions killed or displaced: ... WMD ... Gulf of Tonkin Neither from CH nor RU. On topic .. as always ???? Now will there be another involving CH or RU, and who to believe if and when. MSM is tough to swallow any more .. IMHO Too few people control it, and too much money involved.

answered above

Just in my life time, prior to that, pick one, I don't care, or can't believe history anymore, if current events in my life time are quite the stretch of the truth. Those thoughts I've expressed numerous times, and would be will off topic.

Not a CH apologist, just don't see them as the evil force of the world, they're portrayed as in western news. How many wars they started the last 60 year or invaded & occupied countries this century. Nothing against the USA, people of, but yea, have issue with the govt. Not big on CH food, and they do have a pollution problem. Don't think they have a retirement visa for yanks, though mute subject due to food & pollution. Out of metro area, and cost of living would be one of the cheapest. Considering most things I have are imported from or made in CH. Bought at silly price out of CH. I don't own anything from the Americas, UK or EU worth mentioning. My razor (Remington) is about all I can think of. Not even sure where that's made.

Didn't read all the post, but simply looking at East Asians vs westerners, it pretty obvious which has the better eating habits & diet.

Not sure what rag you read that on, but the fact that Pres. Xi even met with Blinken is progress. Seems to be open, or was ... now may be a question mark ???? CNN reporting (China news), reads positive to me: “The world needs an overall stable Sino-US relationship, and whether China and the United States can get along has a bearing on the future and destiny of mankind,” Xi told Blinken, according to a Chinese readout of the meeting. “China respects the interests of the United States and will not challenge or replace the United States. Similarly, the United States must also respect China and not harm China’s legitimate rights and interests,” Xi added. The readout said that Xi told Blinken that the world needs stable China-US relations and that the future of humanity hinges on both getting along." https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/18/china/blinken-china-visit-wang-yi-meeting-intl-hnk/index.html

I prefer not to have either one as president. I'll take Biden again though, as got the largest COLAs and better exchange rate with him mumbling along. He is embarrassing though ... but he's not my family, so don't care. The USA is embarrassing, so any leader of the past, during my lifetime has been the perfect representative of the rest of the govt. Feel sorry for the Yanks still living there.

Chinese presidential elections are every 5 yrs. Though they did remove 'term limits' just a while ago. Irrelevant actually, as the President is 2nd ranking as most powerful person in CH. Head of CCP is #1, which Xi holds that position also, along with commander in chief of military. So his influence will be there for quite some time. A very good thing IMHO Pretty much makes him the most powerful person in the world right now ... IMHO

Corruption runs deep with the deep state. IMHO The whole govt is a joke. IMHO

you many not have seen my edit ....

My fellow co-workers, peers & friends all seemed to have had the same problem. I guess we are the total of that 10%. Our experiences ... YMMV

That's one opinion. I'd actually like to see the USA leave the UN, leave NATO, and stop supporting UA. Concentrate their time and all that wasted money, on the USA. Biden being a career politician, who always blames the state of the Union on his predecessor or election opponent, yet forgetting (no surprise) he's been there. part of the failed system, the whole time, and NOTHING has changed. Go figure. Didn't blame anything on Biden or Bidens, as well vested in CH business, but don't send your Sec of State, to talk nice and smooth things out, then insult them. The Bidens really care ... about themselves: oops

Yea, not enough info in OP to form an opinion, if user error or product failure.

My experience has been completely different (not travel ins, never had), but homeowner's & health ins. (private health, workman's comp & SS) I had to sue, more than of few times (& won) before receiving rightfully deserved payment. Auto ins. being the only one paying promptly when claim submitted. Had to sue every other (1 homeowner claim was honored) for claims submitted, for home & health coverage they refused to pay.