spidermike007

The issue is not with Islam. The vast majority of Muslims are decent people, and do not support terror, extremism, nor utterly deplorable behavior, like this. At least the ones I have known do not. This stuff is sick, and is perpetrated by people without faith, who claim to have faith. They are heathens of the first order. These guys were so ignorant, they asked a Jewish kid, who they had just raped, to swear on the name of Allah. For most, that would be like being asked to swear on the name of Mr. Bagel.

You make a good point. Some of his policies are bizarre, at best. But do not expect a calm and reasoned response from his devotees. They are very defensive and share some of their Master's level of intolerance.

I am interested in knowing more about your roadside assistance. How do you handle that? What is the typical waiting time for assistance? I tried calling customer but they were not able to provide answers, thus far. thanks, Mike.

Wow. A very strong indictment of humanity indeed, but it's very difficult to argue with what you're saying, there are no Mahatma Gandhi's right now, there are no Mother Teresa's, there are no great souls who are doing great work to look up to, and if there are the media could not care less. There are a few good celebrities and sports stars who seem to have good hearts and are helping mankind. And there are a few billionaires that seem to be generous, but it is certainly not the rule is it?

Correct. As I stated the food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food. So much good food here, and the QPR is off the charts.

Yes. Just ask Trump. Easier to get rich if you are willing to take small contractors for the horror ride of their careers. 1,000s of them.

I think they're raised their prices closer to 70 or 80%. It was historic gouging. There are many people who are saying $35 for fast food for two, I don't think so we're just going to go to a nice diner. Or eat at home.

Here is what Trump has done for America!: Only 13 Presidents failed to get re-elected. Only 5 Presidents failed to win the popular vote. Only 4 Presidents have been impeached or resigned. Only 1 President has ever been criminally indicted. And only ONE President has done ALL FOUR. - DJT didn't lower taxes (He deferred them) - He didn't get Americans that healthcare coverage - He did not unite the USA, he divided it - He didn't lower prescription drug prices - He didn't get roads or bridges built He didn't decrease the deficit - He didn't end the opioid crisis - He made over 250 visits to his golf clubs costing us taxpayers $150 million - He didn't revive the coal industry - He didn't make covid-19 'disappear' He didn't make Mexico pay for the wall He is ranked the worst President in history He added $2 Billion a month in tariff costs to the American consumer He has a net-negative jobs creations for his administration He decreased corporate taxes, passing the tax burden to the workers He added $ 7.8 Trillion to the deficit - a full 25% of the total deficit He incited an insurrection against our government He is the only president to never achieve 50% approval. He didn't put "America first" and he sure didn't "Drain the Swamp... He left office with the worst job numbers of any President since the Great Depression with a net job loss over his term He is the first former president to be a CONVICTED FELON (34 times). The presidency is very much about character. Trump is a lowlife convicted felon.

Yes, Buddha, or the spirits are very pleased with these kinds of ancient offerings. It means alot to them.

Sorry but I wouldn't fly on Malaysian Air if the flight was free. I don't think I would fly on Malaysian Air if they gave me 10,000 baht to fly. Missing planes. Shot down planes. No thanks. I do not aspire to be another statistic.

Total nonsense. A while back they had another campaign similar to this and they had posters with phone numbers that you could call to report vehicles that were polluting. We were driving and we saw this truck that was pumping out huge black clouds of smoke and I copied down their license plate and I dialed the number, and handed my phone to my Thai wife and ask her speak to the department. She asked the person who answered the phone what can they do? He ask my wife why are you calling us and she said, well you have phone numbers posted to report polluting vehicles? The guy said well I don't know who I would report it to, and she said well that's not really our issue is it? You're supposed to be monitoring polluting vehicles. He said OK, I'll give me the license plate number and I'll see what I can do. My wife said are you going to do anything? He said, I don't know I need to look at the regulations first and see who I'm supposed to report it to, and then maybe somebody will do something. How long have you lived here? How often have we seen promises like this? This current administration is infamous for pledges, declarations, proclamations and promises. Few are even remembered, much less followed up upon two weeks later. They say we will do something about poorly maintained diesel vehicles. And nothing is ever done, because the cops are too lazy, and the highway patrol refuses to patrol the highway, and the special hotlines you set up, do not know anything about the program, or the laws. We care about the environment. Yeah right. Another bald faced lie. You care not, you see the air, you talk about the air, and you do nothing about the air. More empty words from the "do nothing men".

Chances of this guy being innocent are so infinitesimally small, he has an incredible PR machine that's been representing him for years, and they've portrayed him as being this great saintly crime fighter. When likely the opposite is true, after all how many of the perps that he has gone after have received prison sentences?

Nah. Those guys are above the law. We see that all the time. Their mafias are stronger than the RTP. They are never prosecuted. A small fine here and there. That is it. Same problems, over and over. Heroin. That is a different deal.

We don't want to make life easier for foreigners. We don't like change, we hate progress and fairness. Keep things as they are. We are dinosaurs.

One wonders why these truly bad actors can't just be eliminated. Is that really so hard to do?

This creep just won't go away. The chances of him being innocent are very low.

It is quite possibly the lowest quality and poorest tasting friend chicken on planet earth.

Facebook seems to have some actual function, the messenger app for instance is excellent, and I see some useful posts. The marketplace is quite good. TikTok is highly toxic, I know some people find it entertaining, but it's absolutely devastating the youth, and there's some really stupid and ridiculous stuff on TikTok. Very obnoxious.

Not something you want to get caught doing here! There are alot of shortcuts on how to make money. This is not one of the smarter ones.

Some people are just wired in such a way that they need to be constantly pulling stunts and taking risks. Often, they eventually pay a price for their silliness.

I was wondering how their roadside assistance is, if anyone knows? My woman is quite concerned about that, and wants to stick with our current insurance, which keeps raising the rates, even though the car is one year older each year, and we have had zero claims. The price hikes are very annoying. Roojai is half the cost.

It is copied and pasted from an post that I previously wrote sometime back. I have been there several times over a 20-year period, I've been quite a few locations, and I found a lot of that to be fairly consistent throughout the country. And about the martial artist, it is absolutely true. A guy like him wouldn't make something like that up. It was literally the only place in the world that he would not take an assignment. That says something. I generally like the people and I find a lot of the women to be gorgeous, and I like the fact that it's a lot more Western than Thailand, but my love of the Philippines more or less ends there.

Who knows? The reality is that she is married to one of the least appealing men on the planet. Even getting into close proximity with him must be a HUUUUGE turnoff. The odor, the appearance, the obesity, his lack of humor, dignity, redeeming qualities, etc. I do not find her hot, much less beautiful. Never have, even when she was much younger. She dresses up nicely, she makes up nicely, and she has likely had ALOT of procedures done. Bond girls are much hotter.

1. A great sense of humor. If you can keep them laughing, they absolutely love that. 2. Financial stability. All women want that, no matter where you are. 3. A man who is strong, willing to take charge, and behave like a man. They do not like soft men, who cannot make up their minds, behave like they are dealing with a Western woman, with the weak "what would you prefer", or "what would you like to do honey", or "up to you". No, no, no, no. All ships need a captain, and if you do not want to be the man in the relationship, she will reluctantly take control. 4. A kind and respectful man, who honors and treats her well.

That is an easy one. Let me summarize. Philippines Pros- 1. The women can be lovely. And many of them speak english. And if you are older guy, that is a plus in the PI. Plus they are way less demanding, and the bar is set much lower, in terms of their expectations. Older guys can get with far younger women, without an issue. The parents actually encourage it! Generally, it is possible to have a real conversation with many women there. Not the case here. It is rare here. Unlike most Thai women, the women there can have a real sense of curiousity, and will ask genuine questions about you, and your life, beyond where do you come from, how much do you earn, and what do you own? The PI seems to have a higher level of intellectual development. 2. The visa system is something that some think is simpler. 3. The place has thousands of islands, and some stunning beaches, and cleaner water than Thailand, at least on the Gulf Coast. But, the islands are fairly hard to get to, and the services are very limited, and more expensive than in Thailand. 4. In general I would say the people can be quite friendly. Especially the women. But, unlike Thailand, even the men can be friendly. I suspect if I lived there, I would have a number of local male friends, unlike here. I have never met a society of men, who are less interested, less curious about, and less willing to get to know foreigners, than I have here in Thailand. It is sometimes astonishing. It is a real disappointment. The place is more Westernized. You do not feel like you are living on another planet, which can be nice sometimes. Some shopping can be better, as there are Costco type outlets there. Some of the highways are better, and as an American, I can have goods shipped to me, with a preferred system, that allows low cost shipping, and duty free imports. Unheard of in Thailand. Importation of goods in Thailand can be horrendously difficult. It is an onerous system, one that is outdated by decades, in this age of globalization. Thailand is far, far more insular and fearful of the outside world, than the PI. They are more Western in their mindset. The colonial occupation by Spain, which was largely managed by Mexico, means the culture is more Western leaning. Which makes them more open to the outside world and more curious. Qualities which are sorely lacking here. I find it rare for Thai men to have much interest at all, in really getting to know us. They seem to be lacking curiosity of the outside world, to a remarkable degree. nomadcapitalist.com/2018/01/15/the-philippines-residency-srrv/ Cons- 1. The entire country is like one big Tijuana. It is depressing. Very little landscaping in the homes, even nice homes are ugly, and have barbed wire, and glass topped walls everywhere you look. 2. The security situation is not very good. You always have to keep your eyes open, keep an eye on your back, and beware of robbery, home theft, and violence. It is rampant. I have many friends who live there, and they all say the same thing. 3. If you do get into an altercation with a Philippine man, or are getting robbed or harassed, unless you are a 6th degree sensei, do not fight back. An astonishing number of locals are well trained in the fighting arts. Many are good with sticks, knives, blades or any sort, and their hands, fists and feet. I have a friend who is a world class security consultant. He is a black belt in a few different martial arts. He says he can usually fight his way out of a gang of men, nearly anywhere in the world. Except in the PI. That is the only country he will NOT take an assignment. The average guys there, can take down the average Westerner in five seconds. In Thailand few have those kinds of skills. Very few. 4. The food sucks. The only other country I can think of with worse food, is Cuba. Granted, if you are willing to spend the money, you can find good food. But, it is not the general rule, as it is here. Also, the access to fresh fruits and vegetables is pathetic compared to Thailand. Very low quality, and often not fresh. Thailand is a paradise by comparison, when it comes to all things related to food. 5. Pollution. They use a lower grade of diesel. So, there is alot of soot in the air. The PI has an epidemic of lung diseases and respiratory diseases. Even on many of the populated islands. The hospitals are full of people who are having a very hard time breathing. It is a real issue there. Lung disease is at an epidemic level, though the authorities do not like to talk about it, and publish very little information on it. 6. Aesthetics. The average house you would rent, looks like a slum. Tall walls, with barbed wire, to keep out intruders. And they just do not pay attention to landscaping and gardens like the Thai people do. So, most neighborhoods are fabulously ugly. Alot of slums in the big cities, and just not physically appealing. 7. Renting. There is a vastly lower number of rental units available, few are as nice as what you can find in Thailand, and it is almost always more expensive, with the possible exception of Central Bangkok. You just cannot find the studio apartments like the ones available all over Hua Hin, for 6,000 to 8,000 baht a month. That does not exist there. 8. Infrastructure. The entire country lacks the infrastructure you have here in Thailand. As I am typing now, I am enjoying a 180MB download speed, and a 100MB upload speed, all on fiber optic cable, for 800 baht a month. Unheard of in many countries, including the US! Triple the cost there. No sky train network anywhere near comparable to Bangkok. Mo MRT network either. They have one under construction, and it will be limited to ten stations. Shall I go on? I could. As far as I am concerned, the only reason to live there is the women, and a slightly more cooperative, and far less xenophobic and racist government. Alot of ex-pats are looking to leave Thailand, as the current administration is so far beyond heinous and incompetent, it is unspeakable. 9. Security. I have a friend who does private security for a lot of very high net worth individuals, and corporate CEOs, when they travel, and he told me that the only country in the world that he will not take an assignment is the Philippines. When I asked him why he reminded me that he was at the 6th or 7th degree level in six different martial arts, besides the fact that he was 6'5 and about 280 lbs. of muscle. Spent his whole life training. Not the kind of guy you would want to mess with. He told me under normal circumstances he could incapacitate a group of four or five guys, in under a minute. Not in the PI. He said that in general, the Philippine men had the greatest degree of fighting skills of any group of people in the world, and that if you encountered a single guy, or a group of Philippine guys on the street you just never knew what their level of skill was, and you had to assume that they were expert street fighters. He said many were experts with knives, sticks and improvised weapons. Not the case here. If you add on top of that, the fact that the country is extremely poor and that there's a fairly high level of desperation, it makes the Philippines a very, very dangerous place. Crime there is very opportunistic. And being a foreigner makes you a potential target. Again, not the case in Thailand. You really have to know what you're doing, you really have to know where you're going at all times, especially at night, and you always have to have eyes in the back of your head, and constantly looking over your shoulder. Of course, it varies depending on the city, the part of the city, and the region. But it is just one of many reasons I would not want to live there. I've been told this by a number of friends who live in the Philippines and it's been my observation, the several times that I have visited. I like the people. The level of English skills and the women seem to be the big draw for most guys. But random guys in the street, can be a hazard, and that is variable I would want to have to deal with, regularly. I consider the PI to be far more of a ghetto experience. But, I am referring to the environment, and I think you are referring to the social aspect. I agree with that. Thais are spectacularly insular, and seem to have little to no curiosity about the outside world. The people in the PI are infinitely more open minded, and far more Western. And the language is a huge plus in the PI. Many speak good english, and I would guess if you were attempting to speak poor Tagalog, the people would try far harder than here, to understand what you are trying to say. Since they are more Westernized, they are likely more creative, linguistically. If you do not have the pronunciation and the tones down perfectly here, the people are completely lost. A total inability to dance around in circles intellectually. And they barely even care to try to understand what you are saying! That is a huge nuisance and annoyance here. The PI is a foreign country. Thailand is a distant planet.