Jingthing

A country on that list that I've never been to that interests me and not many other people is Chile. It's a first world country meaning very modern infrastructure and good healthcare. Surprisingly their retirement visa is flexible financially (case by case basis and where you're living in Chile is considered) and has a good residency path. I know of someone who moved there, fell in love, with no interest in ever leaving. When I've talked to expats in South America that have been there, the response I get is that it's BORING. It seems to me as people get older and older boring may be a feature.

I drove around Portugal for three weeks many years ago. I did love the food and wine especially the bacalao dishes. For some reason the Algarve didn't excite me as a place I would personally want to live. My favorite place was Lisbon but it's unaffordable now but sadly I didn't make it as far north as Porto which I imagine I would like even better but also pricey now. The sea scenery and seafood at Ericiera were fantastic. I got robbed in Sintra. Enjoyed Coimbra a classic university town but too hilly for many retired people. I think more budget retirees need to look outside the prime areas perhaps like Coimbra, Braga, and outlying cities from Lisbon. The language to me sounds like Russian but not as sexy and hearing it raises my blood pressure. Completely different than Brazilian which I love. The D7 visa is pretty fantastic. Thailand offers nothing like it. Bottom line I understand why Portugal is highly rated even with the higher costs but certainly not for everyone. No place is.

The US isnt spending money on Ukraine now Try to keep up buddy.

I hear you but I think the opposite is true. Russia and China are emboldened by western weakness.

Believe it or not I don't blame only Trump for this. Things were headed this way anyway. But there is no doubt that Trump is acting as a rapid accelerator and has bizarrely done many totally insane own goals ( for the country but wins for his family's fortunes). So forget about soft landings.

If he is, he has a very poor relationship with reality.

The USA degraded to unstable banana republic status. Obviously USA democracy probably fatally wounded. Recession for sure. Global depression maybe. Bigger wars with global implications despite the silly man claiming he has ended 100 wars. More starvation. More disease. More mass migration of refugees. No action on climate change issues. More Putin style governments globally.

Yes I totally understand the complexity of the decision. But I simplified it to address the aspect of people estimating their longevity. Obviously not everyone thinks about it that way.

Yeah, don't really want to talk about it except when necessary about estate planning, wills, etc. I think at least for Americans a big taboo. I remember the first dead body I saw at age 15 oddly on the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Channeling Death in Venice / Tadzio vibes. Here's something -- on my first trip to Thailand as a purely fun seeking tourist took me to Pattaya. My first impression was that it was the most horrible (and very STINKY) place I had ever seen but at the same thing I had this uncomfortable cosmic feeling that it was my destiny to end my days here. Very strange. I like it better now BTW. Americans are often forced to seriously think about death at age 62 when you need to decide whether to take social security early or wait longer. A strong majority take it at 62. What that means if they think about is that they are betting that they won't live past about age 78. Those who wait to start a claim at age 70 are much more optimistic.

Are tin foil hats on special this week?

Well of course. A f-rang must pay 300 b-t for sugared milk at S-bucks and beg for the toilet key.

If you don't love Guillermo, you must not love puppies. Trump made Guillermo SAD. The story behind Guillermo Rodríguez, sidekick to Jimmy Kimmel www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/television/2025/09/19/who-is-guillermo-rodriguez-sidekick-jimmy-kimmel/86227560007/

That is a LIE. It had everything to do with Trump's pressure.

A summary of the pushback: I guess there aren't many Kimmel fans here but I'll miss that it was the only west coast based show in that category. He regularly did some extremely funny interactions with the public on Hollywood Boulevard that couldn't be done the same elsewhere. And more than anything I'll miss his hilarious sidekick Guillermo. Maybe he'll even get his show back but if not he'll move on to something new but if it's new format it probably won't include Guillermo.

When you're unfairly targeting by a fascist BULLY (the biggest bully in the world these days) you either cower and cave or your FIGHT BACK. Win or lose against the dark dystopian anti-democracy/anti free speech power in the white house, this is the kind of NON VIOLENT resistance that we need to see a lot more of.

So are they going to go after baht bus drivers who stop their trucks for a public "break" into the bushes?

China minds their goods headed to Europe being blocked at the Polish border A LOT. Active WW3 or not, all that is happening in the world now, all over the world, is interrelated.

Vlad Vexler who I deeply respect has an alternative perhaos even more troubling interpretation.

There is another massive China connection in the area. When Poland closes the border with may as well be Russia Belarus, Chinese rail trade to Europe is blocked. A big flippin" deal.

That's another reason to shoot them down. A message to China.

He would stop the incursions. He would learn NATO is not a paper tiger. Russia is way too weak at this point to be at war with NATO. But they are strong enough to attack Estonia etc. if NATO continues to lack resolve and unity.

Your post makes no sense.

Instead of cheap ad hominem insults why not explain what was wrong with what I posted?

Rifles? How quaint.

Putin thanks you for spreading lies.