Jingthing

Thailand doesn't offer people on retirement extensions anything like a marriage license. So the answer is NO. The status of such people on NON-immigrant retirement extensions offers limited temporary status with no path for upgrade even after decades living in Thailand.

Wrong

What is going on with Subway? A major international fast food sandwich brand with a large presence in Thailand as well. Don't miss the Korean sandwich dramas. Very funny. Do you eat at Subway in Thailand? Why?

No. My policy on such things is that ten others must do first, then I will do.

I agree. That's almost always the case. But you have to be able to wait out the storm. Bear markets are usually shorter than bull markets too. It makes sense that younger people would tend to panic more easily as they wouldn't have the life experience yet of previous bear markets. Of course there is always the chance that this (or any) bear market is going to be a total meltdown.

I don't intend to leave Thailand unless I absolutely have to. I have posted this MANY MANY times.

It's no secret that times are changing dramatically and quickly in the world, both politically and economically. In many ways it feels like uncharted territory and in others the same old same old (bear markets are not rare historically). I recently read that (in the US) about 40 percent of stock market investors have already panic sold in reaction to the bear market (but unclear what percentage of their holdings). Apparently, younger people are panicking at higher rates than older people. Rather than do a POLL which can only scratch the surface, I invite people to post about how they are reacting to the bear market, IF they are/were invested in stocks. Details such as percentage of portfolio in stocks, in retirement accounts or not, whether you've already cashed out or not and what percentage of your stocks, or whether you intend to just ride it out, come hell or high water.

The above is an EXCELLENT well balanced article and is about a lot more than Californians in Portugal. The "Fox" version is deliberately butchered to highlight maximize demonization of blue state California. Because that's how they roll. As far as understandable resentment of California transplants I reckon it's much more severe in Boise Idaho than Lisbon. I've been there myself experiencing hostility driving around with California plates for several months in a new red state residence.

Update on LUNG CHEF previously mentioned. Taiwanese and Thai food located on Pattaya Klang or Food Panda. By now I've sampled much of their menu so I obviously like it. The feature for me is their Taiwanese food as hard to find but some of their Thai food is also very good. Some of their portions are a tad small and some of their prices a tad high but overall still worth it to me because of the flavors. However, I do not recommend their standard Thai curries such as Penang because they are not special. Comments on specific dishes. * Favorites have asterisks. Stir fried chicken with sesame oil 150 This is a kind of salad with fried chicken. Good flavor but it doesn't deliver well because the chicken gets soggy In Pineapple seafood fried rice 199 I can't really judge this f-rang popular dish because it was delivered very late. Not the restaurant's fault * Taiwanese Braised beef noodles OR pork 150 This is a SOUP. Authentic flavor, soy sauce based with substantial cuts of meat The *beef version is better. * Streamed curry paste seafood Signature Dish (Hor Muk Talay) Choose served in coconut or *foil Both 250 Excellent flavor. I love it. Portion smallish. Suggest the foil version as.the time I ordered it in coconut the coconut was freezer cold! Stir fried chicken with Taiwan sauce. Tasty, spicy, plenty of filet chicken also some vegetable. 150 Pumpkin Massaman beef curry served in a squash 280 Previously positively reviewed Pork Hang Ley Lanna curry 150 Meh *Morning Glory In *Taiwan sauce or Thai style 80 Both excellent flavor. Prefer the Taiwan sauce. *Steamed meat with garlic and ginger Choose *squid or in bone chicken 150 Hidden menu gem! This is actually their version of a very fsmous Taiwanese dish called Three Cup Chicken. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/three-cup-chicken-taiwanese-history-article Basil Fried chicken Taiwan 150 Good flavor. Good portion. Fried chicken wings and drums 150 Thai flavor OK. Grilled chicken with herbs 139 Great version of Gai yang

Things have fallen apart. Abandon all hope. America’s rhetorical sphere has descended into chaos | The Hill

By protection rates I mean protection from serious illness and death for infected people who are well vaccinated. Dr. Topol of the Scripps Institute asserts protection slippage from 95 to 80 percent based on the variant situation in the US (massively infectious). The entire world wants this to be over and behaving as it is over in so many places. But is it really? Covid segment including Scripps interview starts at 31:50 https://www.scripps.edu/faculty/topol/

Blockbuster U S. supreme court news. https://www.advocate.com/law/2022/5/02/supreme-court-poised-overturn-roe-v-wade-other-rights-risk Supreme Court Poised to Overturn Roe v. Wade; Other Rights at Risk That's about abortion, but refer to the article where cases about sodomy laws and marriage equality are mentioned. Both abortion rights and marriage equality enjoy solid popular majority support but the overwhelming right wing majority on the court has different ideas. This is historic. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/03/politics/abortion-politics-analysis/index.html Supreme Court abortion bombshell suggests a staggering change in American life

Yes, war, DeSantis, and all, it's still happening! Starting May 10. But Russia is out. Eurovision Song Contest 2022 - Wikipedia So if you haven't already, as "a gay" you are of course required under the free toaster bylaws to start vetting all the songs and picking your favorites. I always check Israel's first. Oh well, I really don't think this is their year! This is more like it:

This is a can of worms issue, but here goes. If trans women competitive athletes never won anything, this wouldn't be such a big issue, but it gets magnified when they do, as just happened in the NCAA. Lia Thomas becomes first trans woman to win NCAA swimming championship (usatoday.com) While the right wing is focused on mean spirited widely discriminatory laws to ban trans girls and women from ever competing at all, on the other side, the mainstream LGBT politics is for full inclusiveness within defined guidelines around things like hormone levels. Even if it was true that a trans women never had an unfair advantage based on birth gender, the damaging political optics of this issue are never going to go away, particularly when trans women win. After all, in competitive sports, tiny advantages make all the difference. My question here is whether blindly supporting inclusiveness without taking into account the constant and predictable backlash (that will never go away) is really worth it? This issue isn't about everything in the lives of trans women or all or most trans women. It's only about a small minority of them that wish to participate in formal athletic competition. For them not to be able to do that would be a loss for them of course. But the question here, is if this one aspect of such a small number of people within a minority really WORTH it? Considering the public sees LGBT as a monolith type thing, should support for this inclusiveness be moved from knee jerk always for to NEUTRAL. Not to join the bigots but to just back off even if it will be seen by some as throwing people under the bus? Keeping in mind the cliche pick your battles wisely, should this be a battle that LGBT politics should wisely choose to NOT pick? Doesn't support for this highly controversial niche issue DAMAGE the rest of the LGBT political movement's equality goals?

This is a new concept in restaurant review threads. I hope y'all enjoy it and participate. Pattaya I think is a better food city than many people know or think. Time to spread the word, in a short and sweet way. Suggested Guidelines: Make it short! (and sweet) Emphasis on reasonably priced restaurants! (most of us are not made of money) Emphasis on less than famous restaurants! (most of have heard of the Sizzler) Emphasis on new "discoveries" to you, not necessarily new restaurants! (if its new to you, it may be new to us too) Emphasis on places with at least some good dishes! (seeking pleasure here, not pain) Emphasis on places that offer something a little bit "different"! (green curry isn't different) Include a link if you like! (this is the internet after all) Try to indicate location! (location, location) So the idea here is a running thread with perhaps "twitter-like" quick HIT and RUN reviews on a variety of places you've experienced and would like to share. As opposed to threads about one restaurant, or threads on one food type like pizza. I will start with THREE of my own Hit and Run mentions to illustrate the concept. I think in general doing ONE at a time (one post, one mini "hit and run" review) is probably better but I wanted to get the ball rolling with three. *************** Ons Moeder Dutch Restaurant, Jomtien Menu is in Dutch. Daily three course meal -- 280 baht Many classic Dutch dishes. Try the super thick pea soup! Some say the best Dutch food in Thailand, I wouldn't be surprised! Dutch hangout, you might not feel that you fit in if not Dutch but its worth going for the food. Near the inner Jomtien beach police box area http://www.ons-moede...aya.nl/map.html http://www.tripadvis...i_Province.html **************** "The Place" Israeli Restaurant Menu in English and Hebrew and maybe Thai (I forget) Hard to find Israeli specialties: Shakshuka served with bread (this is very similar to Mexican Huevos Rancheros I kid you not!), Hummus with spicy meat, Hummus with organ meats, Baba ghanoush, Full platter dinner meals, Homemade soups such as chicken or lentil I think probably the best Israeli "place" in town and yes of course an Israeli tourist hangout Soi Boukaow, not too far from Pattaya Tai https://foursquare.c...a52fadb3461eb25 ****************** Umanchu Okinawa Food Also has Thai food. Okinawa food has different dishes than standard Japanese. Featured Okinawa dishes: Bitter gourd with pork and egg stir fry / Okinawa soba with pork belly style pork (both offered in small sets 200 baht) Prices moderate, portions on the small side. Good clean flavors. Only a few tables and they are outside! Across the street from the Montien Hotel, 2nd Road http://en.wikipedia....kinawan_cuisine http://www.foodpanda...anchu-(Pattaya) _________________ The idea NOW is for you to add YOUR own hit and run snippets about places YOU would like to mention and share. My "vision" for this thread is just a bunch of posts only with these mini hit and run restaurant mentions, but I understand people are probably going to want to COMMENT on the restaurants other people have mentioned. I guess we'll see how it goes (if it goes at all).