1FinickyOne

'Swing low, sweet chariot - comin' for to carry me home'

It's my party and I'll cry if I want too... Leslie Gore

maybe he is Swiss?

That sounds like a bad choice - do you have any idea how much that would hurt and have lasting effects? I would pay the tax but I don't think the part about appendages and car doors is going to be in the tax code

So, would it be the worst thing in the world if you had to pay taxes? Boat loads of taxes? You would only have to pay huge amounts because you had money which might also buy you lots of freedom and make things like visas a total non-issue. The best thing about having money is that it buys you lots of freedom. You have an agent for visas and it takes no time and no aggravation. etc etc

with no a/c or hot and cold running water? No flush toilets? no antibiotics so they don't die from a minor scrape? You get the idea? No stove for cooking? Just eat what I can kill with my bare hands? I love the idea - - not the reality

What could have possibly made him suspicious?

If there was any semblance of reason involved, it would not be news... he does not look well.

Very powerful and you are probably lucky to be alive... However, I think NDE's are defined as when your heart stops and you are considered dead for a period of time and then come back to life and tell of your tales.. a friend of mine had a couple of them and seemed well versed in what occurs... walking towards the light and re-meeting past generations who can serve as spirit guides... and typically the people enjoy being dead but choose to go back into their bodies.,

But instead, they tend to do husband and wife together. After that, freedom of choice. There should be coach and business class, and for long flights, Anesthesia class... just knock me out, throw me on the floor somewhere and wake me up when we arrive in Bkk...

you won't do nothing - you will over analyze things in a simplistic manner and then tell everyone of it... if you become a business owner, the customers will annoy the crap out of you...

on to the next thing

How do you know that?

playful nervous flirtation...

maybe try 5 star chicken - - they have booths all over - not my style, but maybe you will like it.

Empathy?

When a stock you have purchased is up, you are happy, you think you have a winner and hope it will go up more... you want to buy more. when it is going down, you are sad and you want to sell it and stop the sadness... This is human nature and why day traders end up buying high and selling low. Group traders need fast internet and quick reactions - the ones who buy in first are more likely to win... probably not a good idea. The leaders buyin and get out, the sheep buy in late as the market is going down.

For most of us, when we do good, we feel good..

So, she is ok with "no" - - but you think it is a scam? What makes you think that there is anything attractive to her more than your money in the first place?

not to mention little old ladies who try and eek out a living selling bananas

what do you want to do? Do you want to be with her when you come back - of course, you could just marry her and send money and never see her again. It keeps the relationship fresh.

That's a lovely story - - your dad sounds like a special guy. I hope and like to think I am equally special to my family and certainly have raised the quality of many lives w/o ever asking for things in return. What worries me about a long life is a too long life. My parents lived until 92 and the last 10 years were not pretty as dementia stole any joy from not only their lives but from we devoted children who had to proceed down a regular and difficult path of keeping them from hurting themselves and others, balanced against trying to help them achieve many of their final wishes, There were so many daily problems as my father fought to remain independent. Getting him to stop driving was a big one, He could not comprehend that his license was revoked. We didn't want him to blow through red lights and kill others. I do not want my family to be left with bad memories of me after all the good ones we have had together. It is not easy for people to give up independence and autonomy. My father was a brilliant lifelong investor and struggled with giving up control even when he was long past fully knowing what was going on. At what age or percent of loss of mental capacity would you want to surrender control of your money that you worked all your life for? There are some things that I can do now to prepare but it sure would all be easier if I knew my expiration date, Or, if I can choose a date to reach a desired outcome. Lots of challenges to face, but I think I am executing a plan in a manner that will be correct for my family and me. As I get older and more pained, there is less joy in Mudville. But all my best to you family and dad as you venture down your path.

because that is the type of thing that got him elected and he uses regularly to rally his base? just spitballin' here

Why would anyone want your blockheaded sympathy? Sure, and death is caused 100% by life. I am sure nobody ever accused you of being compassionate or sympathetic.... But who could be so lucky not to have been born? One in a million perhaps... ps - I may have diabetes but my legs are spectacular - - all of your friends would find me 'HOT'

There is casino gambling where the table is angled highly against you and the more you play, the more you will lose. There is an aspect of the stock market that can be like gambling, but if you play something like an index fund over a long period of time, the table is definitely slanted in your favor. Just look at a 50 year chart of the S&P 500...