tonytidbury

Just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

Or,

Just because it's politically motivated, it doesn't mean he's not guilty.

Or, as some would have it,

Just because he's guilty, it doesn't mean it's not politically motivated.

Ithinkitisveryclearfromyourwritingthatyouarethaithroughandthrough.

I first heard that joke well over 50 years ago, and then it was the Romans, Greeks and Abyssinians.

A guy was walking along the beach, found a bottle, and picked it up andopened it. A magical genie popped out and said, "Thanks for letting me out. For your kindness I will grant you one wish." The guy said, "I've alwayswanted to go to Hawaii, but I can't because I'm afraid to fly and ships make medeathly sick. My wish is for you to build a highway from here to Hawaii."The genie replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do that. Just thinkof all the work involved. Think of the huge pilings we would need to hold up that highway and how deep they would have to be to reach the bottom ofthe ocean. And think of all the cement that would be needed. Plus, since it'ssuch a long span, there would have to be gas stations and rest stops along the way. No, that's just too much to ask. The environmental impact makes it impossible.Think of another wish." The guy thought for a moment and said, "Well,there is one thing I've always wanted to know. I'd like to be able tounderstand women - what makes them laugh and cry, why are they so temperamental, why are they so difficult to get along with ...you know, what makes them tick?" The genie thought fora second, and then asked, "Do you want that highway with two lanes or four?"

Many of the words the OP is unhappy about seem to originate (sorry, start) from American Business, presumably where people are attempting (sorry, trying) to impress each other with how much hot air they can expel (oh, there I go again). It does lead to some horrible words. Methodology is one.

English, with its multiple sources, has different words which mean similar things, but often a particular meaning and usage(arghh) has attached to each of them, and contribute to the richness, expressiveness and accuracy of the language. The longer words may convey a subtlety of meaning, and may be appropriate for use, so it is wrong to condemn them out of hand.

However, I do like some of the colourful (drat!) American phrases, such as "think outside the box" as cited here. I thought outside the box once, and got a brain hernia.

I am amused by the affected use of words like kudos (pronounced cuedows instead of kudoss) as though it is a bunch of medals. In fact it is Greek, is singular, and means glory. Another is moot, as in moot point, which is used to mean the exact opposite of its real meaning. A moot is what the English had before the French wandered over and gave them a parliament. Unhappily this usage is infecting the world. It is a while since I have been there, so perhaps the fashionable words have changed.

Still, as the Americans say "English is a living language. Let's murder it!"

OP "I have ...a admiral respect for the country"

Salute a lot, do you?

"...suspected of suffering from acute diarrhoea." I wonder what the symptoms are?

Yes, there are. It is no longer legal to build a gas station in residential areas.

A local businessman started to build one on the land behind our Moo Ban. It was designated residential land, and he didn't have a building permit. We and a neighbour, along with the owner of the Moo Ban project went to complain to the municpality. The director was not available, but we talked a staff member, who showed us the land designation map.

Within two days the land was designated as commercial and a building permit was issued. Problem solved.

Turns out the Moo Ban project owner is related to the businessman. She now has a plot right next to the stinking washroom put in, which she cannot sell. But never mind, no doubt she has been compensated. Other people very close to the washroom had already bought before it was put up. Just bad luck, I suppose. Thais don't bother to get a lawyer to oversee the biggest purchase they will ever make. Probably wouldn't help anyway. The lawyer would most likely turn out to be related to (or in cahoots with) anyone they wanted to complain about.

This is no big deal. There is no need to marry, and it will bring a sigh of relief from many who are being pressured by their GF and her family. What is not mentioned in the article that the proposal also includes a restriction on inheritance. Any clause in the Will of foreigner which favours a Thai national will be become null and void. And this IS retro-active. This will cause some consternation, and possibly protests which will overshadow anything the red shirts have managed.

Can you explain that further ? I have never heard of this proposal.

Sure. It will enacted one year from today.

This is no big deal. There is no need to marry, and it will bring a sigh of relief from many who are being pressured by their GF and her family. What is not mentioned in the article that the proposal also includes a restriction on inheritance. Any clause in the Will of foreigner which favours a Thai national will be become null and void. And this IS retro-active. This will cause some consternation, and possibly protests which will overshadow anything the red shirts have managed.

K1W1: I am afraid you haven't the vaugest notion about nuclear power. Thorium reactors are radioactive.

Reinweise: Thank you for (approximately) plagiarising my previous post to the BP. Saved me the bother.

"Quality in absolutely everything is elementary and essential.

Only then can it be adequately, but never absolutely, safe.

A "questioning attitude" is the basis.

At all levels people are necessary saying ….

"No, I will not do that. It is not safe."

And the boss has to accept.

In a culture where questioning is discouraged, subservience is deeply ingrained, and responsibility is, let’s say, a vague concept, developing nuclear power is irresponsible."

This had to happen. It probably a good thing. You'll "hopefully" see performance of voip, web mail, etc.. improve. Torrents are drain especially since most peers exists outside of TOT, if you look at an average torrent drainer using a steady 1mbit the economics just dont make sense. I cant even buy full transit routes on 1000mbit commits for < 550baht/mbit (or anywhere near that). So hopefully TOT stop, separate, or traffic shape them.

Ideally I'd like to see torrent drainer pay a massive premium. Part ignorance for most windoze users as the systray hides the little U, but wow imagine how fast the internet would be in Thailand without torrent drainers.

Ends rant.

You're entitled to your opinion, but I think you are very much in the minority

Probably not very much in the minority, since most of us don't know what "torrent" is. We do know that something makes our connection horribly slow.

Oh Dear! It seems I am alone at the moment but I could not understand why the chap insisted on "whispering" and quite honestly thought it somewhat patronising. We are adults. We are told to use our common sense. Speak to us as if we are adults and not delicate little children! Great idea though.

I'm with you. Sorry. Low level and patronising. As for some of the other suggested topics, e.g

How to take a bath bus? Don't worry, you'll be alright...just don't forget your soap.

Whatever...I don't like videos anyway. With my TOT connection I have to watch them in sporadic 2 second bites (no, not bytes), so I will stick with the text version. Happy viewing.

Thanks so much Brigante7. I'll take your wife's suggestion & try the area near the school. Wish me luck...

His & Hers south of the clock tower (not the Mekong road) has nice stuff, mostly clothes. Bangkok prices.

What was the MIL thinking? She should have made the somtam first, and sent that.

If you are going to be in Bangkok, open an account with HSBC in Canada. They will arrange an account in BKK, or you can apply online once you have a Canadian account. Unfortunately they have only the one Branch here (well, as of three years ago).

Downside? Their exchange rate is lower than some, and their fees are higher than some.

If you deposit over CAD 500k (including RRSPs, investment accounts) you will get a Premier account, and many things are "free", including the wire transfers.

Can anyone tell me what happened about the "virus" in "Learn the Thai Alphabet in 60 Minutes"? I dare not open the link at this point. It contains an executable, and this may be what google objects to. But "a trojan horse"? That is a different matter.

Ooops... sorry again...

I didn't have my coffee before I did the previous post...

Rethinking gives me this...

After the refund, 30 becomes irrelevant.

The relevant number is now 27

Which is 25 (3 guys) +2 (waitress)

At 25 baht for 3 guys...

And for whole numbers ONLY... remember no satang...

It has to be 9+9+7=25 +2 = 27

SO... bottom line (revised after my coffee) is...

Two guys pay 9 each... and the 3rd guy pays 7 + the tip = 9

So they all pay 9

It's just that only one guy paid the 2 baht tip.

The extra 3 is a non-issue... and ceased to exist... as did the original 30

Nobody does anything with that other 3 baht... it is as if it never existed...

Nobody "gets it back"... because, in reality, it was never paid.

Can anyone tell where I can buy a lawnmower in Isaan or BKK?