connda

Buddhism delves into the nature of non-self (annata). It's the essence of Buddhism. Without direct experience of the nature of self and non-self, the best you'll obtain are analogies that may seems like complete tosh. Well, there you have it. With enough experience in meditation, if it's time, you'll catch a glimpse of the nature of annata. Once you experience it, you can't um-experience it. Then you'll understand. Of course you can take the philosophical route - but it's a rabbit hole, and it leads nowhere. You'll never understand by reading about it. And there is plenty to read. You'll come away confused as what you'll read from even Buddhist scholar will come across as contradictory. Self. It's illusory. Your better off inquiring about annata. But that's just more words. Ultimately, if you want to know the nature of annata? Dedicate your self (pun intended) to intense meditation practice. My recommendation for where to start? Right here. https://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/about-us Best of luck.

An illusion.

The progressive media is constantly fanning the flames while screaming "Right-Wing, Wingnut, MAGA-supporting, Gun-Toting Domestic Terrorists Are Gonna Get You!!!" <Fear> In the meanwhile progressives are out on the streets protesting one "injustice" or another my hooding up, covering their faces, and beating the crap out of anyone who looks like a regular average person, stopping traffic on highways, pulling people out of their cars, defacing public property, gluing themselves to the road, and having "fiery but peaceful protests" - and? The same press writing about "Right-Wing Wacko Nut Jobs Who Are Gonna Get Ya" completely ignore the current and present violence by the progress left, many of whom are actually pretty unhinged crazies who ARE a clear and present danger to most average citizens minding their own business. The liberal media would like nothing more that to see a civil war (and help to promote it too). Why? Great for the news-cycle and viewership which equated to advertising $$$$$$$. Half the AN members would be glued to their favorite left-wing TV stations and engaging in their frothed hatred toward about 1/2 of America. That attitude doesn't end well. So OP? Enjoy fanning the flames? Those who are part of the problem aren't part of the solution. There is a name for this: Agitprop.

Nothing like the smell of injected estrogen in the morning. However, with all of the testosterone still pumping around? Problematic.

A little background. Mods, I'm assuming it's ok to post Nation links as AN is owned by The Nation? If not, please remove without prejudices. This article give background on his case. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30353979

I'd think a recommendation for "Reefer Madness" would be more appropriate.

Westernized countries tend to exploit all labor from countries like Thailand. They get paid less than a citizen of that country. Or worse, the employer takes their passports and refuses to give it back when requested. Now that Israel is a hazard zone. I'd expect hazard pay to stay. if refused? Bye bye. Then on the flip-side, is Thailand exploiting workers from Myanmar? If the shoe was on the other foot? How about the pay for Myanmar labor in Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani? Do they get hazard pay? Higher wages? Especially if they are Buddhist. Just saying........

I buy based on the fact that everyone here seems to buy Technocrat white, black, and grey. Look at the road and it seems to be Henry Ford's wet-dream. You can have any color of Ford as long as it's black. <gag> Me - any color but white, black, and grey. I'm partial to red.

As can I. But, try asking here: Ban Mha Ka Maew Animal Hospital Address: 255 10-12 Mahidol Rd, Pa Daet Sub-district, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50100

It would be a waste on my laptop, but 4 TB on my desktop I could use as I could use the additional space for Virtual Machines. But at 15+K THB? With the pace of technological improvements it will be in my price range in 2 or 3 years.

But they wear cloth masks to "stay safe!"

I'm not sure of BritManToo's age, but I gave up on motorcycles a year and change back after I turned 70. I don't have the reflexs or the situational 360 degree awareness that I had even back in my 60s when I rode quite often. Driving here and staying alive? You have to have situational awareness and eyes in the back of your head. I stopped riding the motorcycles when even traveling a kilometer in the village would make the hair stand up on the back of my neck when I'd hear an approach vehicle. Now I just walk or take the car. I think it's just age. I got T-boned in an intersection by a pickup the first month I had the bike. Not my fault other than I didn't yet have the defensive skills to anticipate the craziness of Thai roads. I wasn't a new MC driver either as I had a 750cc "Big Bike" in the US. But driving in the US doesn't equate to the defensive skills you need on Thai roads. I walked away with literally a scratch on my leg and utter wonderment as to how I escaped injury. Dropped the bike twice after that and rear-ended a truck when everyone in front of me locked up their brakes and came a ****-hair from getting read-ended myself, although when I heard the brakes behind me I bailed off the the bike. (Then fitted it with high-quality, well treaded tires) Learned a lot from those four instance, all at the ripe age of 56 in the first year I owned the MC. From 56 to 70 nada. I don't ever remember any close calls other than jerks pulling out in front of me which I had anticipated. But drive here long enough and eventually fate catches up for many. At a certain age I'd just get back on the horse that bucked me off. But then the realities of age set in and MC riding, at least to me, seem riskier that I'm willing to accept. I accept that I don't have the reaction time and skills that I consider necessary to keep myself safe on a motorcycle. So I gave it up. Feel safer in a car although on these roads that's a false sense of security, but I'd rather have more metal around me than none at all. Haven't sold it tho'. Never know when I may need backup transportation in a pinch. So BritManToo. Any plans on getting back on a motorcycle when you heal up? Too soon to say?

So, no damage to the "bonker" we assume? Inquiring minds and all? 🍆

Some of us analyze spidermike007. The majority defer to 'the experts' even if 'the experts' have ulterior (profit) motives to sway reality. Many of these people are intelligent but willfully ignorant. Too many times I hear that <enter the name of a main-stream media outlet> said <enter the narrative>. They don't assume the responsibility to verify the veracity of the 'commonly accepted narrative' <because fact-finding agency xyz said it's true or false> or the motives of those who issue their "expert opinions" to endorse that narrative. Funny that when highly credentialed scientists came up with contravening data, research, or opinion in 2020 - 2022 they were excoriated by the media and sanctioned by the universities and medical institutions they worked for. But? They are now being vindicated and their research is starting to see the light of day in medical journals. The hallmark of authoritarianism is the suppression of factual data. That's what is really concerning.

My guess is that you are on the extreme-pro-Covid-vaccination camp as well as "Covid is The Plague." So if anyone challenges your world-view you get angry, upset, and indignant. Whatever. I don't "follow world news." The 'commonly accepted narrative (and the only correct narrative we were told) was shoved down our collective throats for the better part of three years - who needed to 'follow it?" Instead I read scientific literature as I've got the background to understand research papers, epidemiological, and statistical analysis. I understand the virulence of the SARS-Cov-2 virus in 2020. It was nasty stuff. I also understand the primary populations who were adversely affected. And I understand there were a lot of mistakes my by front-line emergency care doctors and staff who couldn't grasp what was causing low-oxygen reading in people who did have typical respiratory infections. I have friends and family who were front-line medical care in emergency rooms in 2020. There was a lot of confusion. And I understand that there was a massive push by governmental agencies to hype the number of "Deaths Attributed Directly To Covid" as well as the media push to promoted it as "The New Plague." Long-term, that is beginning to unravel as more and more epidemiological studies surface showing the breakdown of those who "Died Of Covid" and who "Died With Covid" and a whole load of other comorbidities and the canard that massive numbers of people 'died of Covid' is coming apart with research results. And I also understand the current virulence of the now highly mutated, now highly contagious but now no more virulent then 'the flu', which by the way kills a whole bunch of people every year as well. Very old people; people who are already sick; people who are unhealthy - sort of the same target population who died with Covid's assistance. And Covid and the flu will continue to kill that same population, year after year after year. So yeah. right now? For your average 70+ year old (like myself) who isn't diabetic, over-weight to obese, or has other comorbidities - It Is A Nothing-Burger. But feel free to stew in your collective fear because "the experts" tell you to be afraid. To each their own. And add some pejoratives in your posts. You'll feel better.

You are one of the most mellow, accepting people I know. More of us should aspire be like that.

It's a 'Signal' which may be of importance in further long-term research.

I didn't get the shot and eventually got Covid, so you broad-brush statement is rubbish. Covid, like the flu, is a reality but it isn't "The Plague" as it was hyped to be. it's another flu-like illness. If you're healthy, you'll get over it. Personally I detest the hyperbole on both side of the extremely pro-Covid-shots and the extremely anti-Covid-shots narratives. Getting the shot didn't stop anyone I personally know from getting Covid. Not getting the shot didn't stop me from getting Covid. Personally I don't think the shots are worth the risk. Anecdotally I don't see them stopping infection. Long-term we don't yet know their safety record. But stating that only those who get to shot got Covid. That's also ludicrous.

These EUA "vaccines" built on an mRNA platform completely bypassed long-term testing, and then was approved for human use (Comirnaty), again, without long-term testing. Well the phamacutical companies are completely indemnified, so if they "made mistakes" that harm people's health. Too bad. "You are anti-vaxxer." No. I'm not. I have no problem with shots built on traditional vaccine technology and which are proven to be sterilizing vaccines and have long-term testing and real-world use. In other words, if you get the shot, you will not get the disease. And I take rabies vaccines myself as I work with animals. And I give my own animals vaccines. Far from being "anti-vaxx" but over the last three years using pejoratives like "anti-vaxxer" and "conspiracy theorist" were commonly used by those who could not justify their own arguments, so they immediately fall back on ad-hominid attacks on those with whom they disagree. Can't support your own argument - then attack the character of the person you disagree with. I saw plenty of that right here. So I will take shots based on proven vaccine technology, but shots based on mRNA tech? Nope. I won't even consider putting that stuff in my body, my family's bodies, or my animal's bodies until there are solid long-term meta-analysis studies showing both efficacy and safety. And I don't trust regulators like the FDA which has a revolving door between those who supposedly regulate and the companies they regulate. That's regulatory capture and it only benefits revenues and profits for pharmaceutical companies, and of course those regulators who move from the government watchdog for public safety to highly lucrative jobs with the companies they use to so-call regulate. If after 7 to 10 years (a typical vaccine testing cycle) these shots are conclusively proved to be both safe and effective - even better - are sterilizing vaccines, then maybe I'd consider them. For Covid though? Probably not. I had Covid. It was a nothing-burger. After three and a half years of extreme hyperbole and fear-monger, I catch the virus, and had a mild "flu-like" symptoms that were completely gone in 5 days. Oh, by the way. Every one of my extended family members who took the Covid shot (virtually all mandated <coerced> by their employers> came down with Covid before I did, and their kids too. Me and my wife "unvaccinated?" We didn't get until August of this year. And again - it was nothing. A nuisance. So no, I'll never take the Covid (mRNA, AV, or inactivated virus) shots in the future either. Anecdotally, I see no evidence within my own family that they work. And I'm concerned for the long-term health of my family members who did take it. Over the long-term, we will eventually find the reality about these mRNA Covid 'vaccines' as well as the mRNA technology they are built up. Good and bad.

I'll be surprised if BMT isn't made to pay for the car's damage.

All my best and hopes that you heal up soon. Motorcycles mate. I don't drive mine any more. Every time I get on it I get this creapy-ass feeling that I don't have enough eyes in my head to stay safe. I don't know what else to say. Best wishes, get well soon. I'm glad your still sucking air. Coulda been worse.

The primary IO down there is a bureaucrat but a fair guy. How long did it take you to get seen? Many people?

To interject levity, sort of like court jesters in medieval times.

Watch any Thai soap opera and the theme is repeated over and over. The wealthy are all kind, beautiful, benevolent, and above reproach which is why all the rather uncouth, course, and unkempt servants and slaves worship the ground they walk on as they lay prostrate at their feet.

Can't wait for the pardon and the miraculous recovery.