FolkGuitar

I slept with a CPAP machine for about 3 years. It helped tremendously, and I was finally getting a restful night's sleep. Then someone suggested I lose weight. Hey, I WAS obese. No question about it, I was carrying around an extra 25 kilo. I did some research and decided to try the Keto Diet. It worked. It worked quickly. I dropped that extra 25 kilo in less than a year, and stopped needing and sold the CPAP machine. That was six years ago. I kept the weight off and haven't needed any sleep-aids since.

Some years ago, on a trip to the U.S., I stopped by a New York City sandwich lunch counter in mid-Manhattan. I sat at the busy counter for several minutes, with 5-6 servers behind the counter completely ignoring me, while taking orders from people who had arrived after me! I tried politely to catch their attention, but to no avail. Finally, a customer sitting next to me said; 'You have to put your tip on the counter first before they will wait on you.' At that point, I noticed that everyone who sat down put a few dollars on the counter in front of them before even looking at the menu. I left. I have no problem leaving a gratuity for good service. Happy to do so! I will NOT cover a worker's salary because the employer is too cheap to pay a living wage. I've lived and worked in too many countries around the world to know that there is no necessity for patrons to be forced to do that.

It seems just being in Pattaya is grounds enough for getting into serious altercations. Every day we read about another beating, stabbing, attack by motorcycle taxi drivers, ladyboys beating up another foreigner, etc., etc. We've lived here in Chiang Mai for 25 years and haven't even been stabbed once!

Truer words were never spoken.

I guess that tainted water dripped all the way from Texas to the Canadian border. That must be it. If you're satisfied with that explanation, I'm happy for you.

I guess you must mean except for the current Measles problem and the three children who died from it so far?

Ask most riders. The probability is extremely high that you will have an accident one day, especially if you ride a motorcycle every day here in Thailand. That accident may kill you. It certainly does kill a lot of people. Does that fact stop bike riders? Not very many. We know we're going to die some day. I've been riding daily over 50 years. So far, so good. Will it kill me? Maybe. Will I continue to enjoy the ride until it does? Absolutely! In the case of vaccines, we KNOW that they are very effective in preventing the widespread devastation of many diseases. That's a provable fact. That some people have adverse reactions to it is also a fact. But the percentages of people helped by the vaccines versus the few that have problems are reason enough to protect yourself and your children. At the same time, you are doing a service to your neighbors by reducing the chance of disease spread.

If this was about food; Trump would rather starve 1,000 people on the chance that one person may not deserve free food. Dems prefer to feed 1,000 people on the chance that one might be hungry and not be able to afford it. The same has happened in every US Federal department; fire thousands on the chance that a few may deserve it. And it's happening with the deportations, too. Thousands and thousands deported on the possibility that a few may be criminals. Yeah... sure... a few US citizens also get incorrectly caught up in the net but they shouldn't complain. The US will certainly bring them right back. Oh... wait...

Someone willing to be wrong, if that will make him right.

As a 78 year old retired guy, my only use for Ai is a more complete answer than Google or Duck-Duck-Go. I do not need to write reports, estimate logistics for developing businesses, write lines of code, or establish Excel spreadsheets to manage my finances. My questions are along the lines of: How does a Newtonian Fluid work? Or what's the population of Bhutan?

It's all a matter of context. Just as so many other words we say daily. It reminds me of the scene from a movie: It was now the Virginian’s turn to bet, or leave the game, and he did not speak at once. Therefore, Trampas spoke. “Your bet, you son-of-a–Bit@h.” The Virginian’s pistol came out, and his hand lay on the table, holding it unaimed. And with a voice as gentle as ever, the voice that sounded almost like a caress, but drawling a very little more than usual, so that there was almost a space between each word, he issued his orders to the man Trampas: “When you call me that, SMILE.” It's all a matter of context.

Worst medical experience of my life. Two years ago rushed to the ER at 3 AM with a fever of 104.5°F, burning pain, with a massive rash covering half my back and part of my stomach. In hospital for a week, then home in bed for the next three months. It took almost 6 months before I felt like I had enough energy for a normal life. Unfortunately, the intense pain didn't stop for a year. I took all the anti-virals, but no doctor at that time suggested nerve regrowth medicine. When I finally found one that did, the pain began to diminish. It's now been over two years, and there is just one 5" spot of burning on my back. I treated the pain with CBD oil, taking it internally and rubbing it on externally, which helped more than anything else. And yes... as soon as I was able, I got the two doses of vaccine. I don't ever want to go through that again. You CAN get it repeatedly, but the vaccine reduces the symptoms.

I sure wish he'd spend some money building hospitals, libraries, fixing the US interstate system, building a US high-speed rail system, and perhaps... just perhaps... try feeding and housing some of the thousands of families currently homeless in America. Wouldn't that be a better use of a philanthropist's money? Oh wait... he's no philanthropist. He's a narcissist. Period.

In typical MAGA style, you completely avoid answering the question and instead make some inane comment. But I understand. 🙂

You've been a member here for just 2 months, and have already posted over 5,800 posts. Mostly political. How much are you getting paid for this?

I thought about that... but I think I'm glad that I don't know who it is. I'd feel too bad for him/her. It's hard being that confused.

Thank God there are still some independent thinkers who do not need to blindly follow a Cult leader.

There is always one... No matter what I post, there is always ONE person who is confused. I could post "Today is Friday" and I believe that person would still be confused. I posted this a day or two ago. Several people either agreed, liked, or appreciated. And of course, one person was confused. --------------------------- "15 years in Japan 25 years in Thailand. I sure as hell won't be going back to the U.S. anytime soon. I haven't even visited in almost 15 years. Who knows what's next? ------------------------------- ... and this confused someone. Hey, if you send me a private message each time I confuse you, I'll be happy to explain. It seems to happen to you often.

At first, when I read this, it bothered me a bit. 'Islamic countries.' (Yes, I realized it was stated with tongue-in-cheek bias. ) Isn't that being bigoted? But then I realized that I, too, have my own prejudices. I don't enjoy visiting Roman Catholic countries. Don't care for the Philippines, Mexico, Guam, Spain, etc. Beautiful places with lovely people, but... And it's NOT the 'religion.' I don't care to which God a person prays, or why. But there is something about the Roman Catholic 'culture' that just doesn't suit me.

Because of its size, the diversity found in the US is simply amazing; from rainforests to glaciers, Mega-cities to hobo camps, it's all there for people to enjoy. It's just a shame that the natural beauty of its National Parks is about to be raped and ravaged by Timber and Oil companies, with pipelines laying down over aquifers, logging roads blocking migration routes, and its wetlands and rivers soon to be devoid of wildlife because of industrial run-off now being unchecked. See it now before it's destroyed. "See the USA in your Chevrolet!" Oh wait... Aren't Chevys made in Mexico these days?

I think 'hate' is too strong a word as well. 35 years away from the US, I don't hate 'America.' I do hate what is happening TO America. But... on the plus side, being away from the US, living in various countries, gives one a very different perspective about just what the 'United States' really stands for. These days, not very much still holds to 'American' values. The 'America' that I grew up in is gone.

That was then. This is now. Thinking I’d stay dry at 10 am I made a run to the supermarket. Soaked to the skin before I made it home. Good thing I didn’t put in my hearing aids. That would have been a $3,000 loss to the idiot farang who ran out into the middle of the street to get me with a full bucket of water in my face.. at 10 o’clock in the morning. Songkran has gotten out of hand in some areas.

15 years in Japan 25 years in Thailand. I sure as hell won't be going back to the U.S. anytime soon. I haven't even visited in almost 15 years. Who knows what's next?

Sorry, I guess English isn't your first language. That's OK. We get your message regardless.

THIS is not Songkran to me... This is a farang who thinks it's the O.K. Corral. Battle unto death...