ThaiFelix

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The news will come as music to the ears of expats and retirees though it remains to be seen exactly what will change, notes Thaivisa.

What a peculiar statement......why would it be music if we dont know what the changes are?

1 hour ago, Jimbo2014 said:

I wonder who spread that fake news?? 

No there is a big difference.....EVERYBODY knows not to believe the crayon boy.

Does this mean Trump will be on Tv with his crayons and charts again?

There is a lot of talk here about international aid as though its is an unconditional handout to those countries badly in need....it is not. 

"......it is wielded as a weapon to boost trade and further political aims."

"Not one of the five poorest countries is among the top 10 recipients of British aid."

"The countries that currently receive most British aid are primarily either significant markets, such as Nigeria,.........or of geopolitical importance, particularly for the “war on terror” – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria."

"The same is true of America, too. None of the poorest countries in the world is among the top recipients of US aid. Most aid goes instead to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Afghanistan and Kenya, again for reasons of geopolitics and trade."

"The principal beneficiary of America’s foreign assistance programmes has always been the United States....... Close to 80% of the US Agency for International Development’s contracts and grants go directly to American firms. Aid has created new markets for American industrial exports and meant hundreds of thousands of jobs for Americans.........USAid was putting America first"

"A high proportion of foreign aid is in the form of loans, which cripple developing countries through the accumulation of debt. Many rich nations receive more in interest payments from recipient countries than they give in “aid”........western governments ....borrow money at low rates by setting up aid programmes lending to poor countries at much higher rates, minting money on the backs of the poor. This is not aid, it’s a scandal"

"as a global system, foreign aid is a fraud. It has become a means not of ameliorating inequality, but of entrenching it."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/02/as-a-system-foreign-aid-is-a-fraud-and-does-nothing-for-inequality

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

India has an extensive space program, which especially helps students of engineering and technology in many developing countries by launching 'Cubesats' into space for a fraction of the cost of what the US companies charge.

 

I worked as a satellite systems designer for 15 years, and am currently building a Cubesat 'for fun'.  I can get it launched on an Indian rocket for just $10,000.  Multiply that by at least 5 if I try to get it launched in Europe or the US.

 

Many other developments stem from space/satellite research.  Perhaps some people are getting 'twitchy' because engineers in these developing countries can now do what the US did, but far cheaper and with less 'red tape'.

What makes you think you can come on TVF and contribute with a logical, well constructed argument and get somewhere.......get real buddy!!

I dont know why everybody is panicking, they will probably get the xray machines from the same company that supplied those "bomb detectors" a while back.  Remember?  It doesnt matter whether they work or not, so long as people think they do.  ????

7 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Most people probably don't have a problem with the TM30? You're on every TM30 thread. Have you actually been reading them? Jesus wept. 

I dont think he has read anything because he would soon realise that every IO is different.  Some wont accept online, some wont accept post, some police stations want nothing to do with it and therefore some people have to travel hours to their IO to lodge the TM30.

If all else fails, read others before you post.

58 minutes ago, wisperone said:

If you can't afford it, it's not for you. Joke is on you.

Nobody mentioned anything about what I can afford??   Oh .....Its another joke hahaha!

36 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Who said they want US bases. If the US wont allow a country to have nukes to defend itself then they van take on the duty to defend them.

The US doesnt have bases out of the goodness of their heart. They have them do thry can exert influence. They dont want other countries influencing the regions.

Exactly!  When I was last in Spain the locals hated the yanks and wanted them out.  There were street protests in Barcelona along the lines of "Go home Yanks!".  I was traveling then with an ex marine who was <deleted> scared and told us to run saying he had seen this too many times. 

You are correct in saying that "The US doesnt have bases out of the goodness of their heart".  There are usually some deal (or threat) that is worked out between the two govts without any regard for what the countries' citizens want.  Democracy is a thing of the past except in some US politician's speech.

But getting back to the topic of walls I wonder how deep they will go because it seems to me the Mexicans, and particularly the drug and people traffickers. are very successful in digging tunnels under the border so the wall would be almost pointless?

1 hour ago, yogi100 said:

 

That's Africa.

 

The land of corruption, rape, violence and murder.

Yes unfortunately they learned a lot from their colonial oppressors!!

2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

I'll drink to that.

It was Malcolm Fraser an Australian Prime Minister who played a big part in having Mugabe installed in power in Zimbabwe. 

He said to Mugabe at the time.... “I am confident that under your leadership Zimbabwe will make great progress in achieving your goals of peace, prosperity and unity.”

Mugabe was to become one of modern history’s most reviled and deranged dictators.

Fraser apparently realised later what a mistake he had made. but the damage had been done.

 

 

 

Yeah but Fraser got his when his hooker stole his trousers from his hotel room hahaha

4 hours ago, 3421abc said:

Not surprised Thailand is just above Morocco. However I am surprised VIETNAM is NUMBER 2!!!!!!!!! My rental contract ends in mid February and I am seriously thinking of moving to HCMC. Great to see Vietnam rising to the top. I tried to move to Taiwan 2 yrs ago but visa was difficult and I am not a fan of earthquakes.

Whats wrong with Morocco.....I had a great time there, maybe the best. 

4 hours ago, LosLobo said:

 

Does chiropractic still claim that it can cure the common cold?

Nah youre confusing chiropractic with hydroponic ????

Cold draughts.  I always sleep with my windows open, one of which is behind the bed head.  With the recent cooler weather due to the rain I have had neck aches for about 2 weeks.  Started closing the window at night and neck ache now gone.  I have suffered the same problem before while driving long distance at night with the car window open.

https://patient.info › bones-joints-muscles › neck-pain › torticollis-twisted-neck

A true hero to the people who spent his entire life devoted to his country and its people.

A profound example of what unfaltering determination can achieve against overwhelming odds.

A rare man who never let his power or prestige sway his path nor alter his lifestyle 

RIP Uncle Ho

4 hours ago, Jack Mountain said:

I believe he turned to Russia, N-Korea turned to China ...

Correct, China was a long time enemy and they had fought many wars.  Ho had no choice but to turn to the Soviets for support.  He was a great admirer of the US and thought they would sympathize with him having a similar history in struggling against colonialism (the British).  Unfortunately they stabbed him in the back once again.

I wont complete surveys anymore because they often seem to come back and bite me.  Not long ago there was a similar survey re how much do you live on and a short time later re do you have health insurance.  Before long we had the government talking about compulsory health insurance for expats and the same site organising the survey making money running adverts selling health insurance for expats.  Coincidence maybe?

7 hours ago, daoyai said:

28 people burned alive in a Mexican bar day before yesterday..

Reason:  Most probably gang and drug related therefore money;

"bombs killing hundreds at wedding parties in Afghanistan.. " 

Reason:  Probably US drones or bombers hitting mistaken target (they have a long history of this...even bombing there own) Or possibly drug related with US knocking out the competition.....therefore money again;

Mass Shootings in the US

Reason:  none to be found!

As can be seen, there is a very big difference between your two examples and mass shootings in the US.

32 minutes ago, Redline said:

Get big money out of politics

There lay the crux of the problem.

7 hours ago, toenail said:

The majority of Americans ( except the ones living in Thailand) want stricter gun control such as simple requirements: background checks before purchasing a weapon: people with mental health issues not being allowed to purchase a gun; no automatic “rifes” being sold that are really machine guns- not hunting rifles. But USA politicians, especially the Republicans,are  bribed ( they call it campaign donations) from the NRA and gun manufacturers. Yes, the USA also has a corrupt system.

Add to that the affect that scores of successive leaders whose only answer to everything that doesnt go their way  (ie "threatens American interests") is to bomb them back to the stone age killing thousands of innocents (ie "collateral damage") with scant regard and impunity.  Its no wonder some of its citizens behave in the same manner, just on a smaller scale.

The farmers need to chip in enough cash to compete with the sugar company.  The biggest brown envelope always wins here.

Every time Donald says something I imagine his nose growing longer.