connda

I'm having the same problem. Bought 50 seeds and only 4 germinated. And growing very slowly. My luck is they'll all be male.

Oh, and nice snarky reply. Don't be a jerk. Thanks.

I've never seen any at Doi Suthep and I stayed there on retreat for three weeks a decade back.

India is not 'neutral.' They are clever and understand global geopolitics. Well - as long as India and Pakistan don't nuke each other. If they do? I can tell you who instigated that conflagration.

The world could be a paradise except that a few obscenely rich psychopaths have the money and recourse to run the rest of us into the ground. What do they want? Neo-Feudalism! They don't want Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - they want their boot stamping on your face - because? They are psychopathic. They prefer Masters And Slaves. But it could be a paradise for us all. If the right conditions transpire - it still could be. But one segment of society will cease to exist. Which one? Study history.

Truthfully I doubt it. The Dragon with it's billion plus population and trade potential is literally 200 kilometers from where I live. The US backyard is 14,000 miles away. China's backyard is - right here. It seems that every deal with the US is one that is meant to harm other sovereign countries. If you don't do what we say - we'll sanction you. If you don't do what we say - we'll economically destroy you. The basic problem here is that Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are in China's economic trading zone. Outside of the One China policy that includes China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan - the rest of the SE Asian countries benefit from direct (and close) trade with China and by proxy with trade with Eurasia and the Global South. Eventually sovereign countries will have little choice by to bond together in trade partnerships with the BRICS nations, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and International North South Transportation Corridor (INSTC) - all of which is in both South East Asian (ASEAN) and China's backyard. Not the United States which doesn't little but threaten small, sovereign nations from 14,000 miles away with Air Craft Carrier Groups and almost 800 military bases world wide. Really - who is the aggressor? The world should be aligned with trade agreements and mutal respect; not with the constant threat of military intervention and economic destruction via sanctions. And as we will probably see this Winter in Europe - watch sanctions blow-back in spades. Globalism is a dying dinosaur. Regional trade, national independence and sustainability, and international law and respect for national sovereignty is the future. But I truly believe the West led by the US will provoke a nuclear war before that happens. And then? It's over. None of us will live though that. There is the consequences of hubris and elitism for ya.

I finally gave up on the Wheel of Time series after book 7. The author's topics and character construction simply get boring with the same tropes over and over and over. Too much dialogue without wrapping up plots and subplot. I'm really tired of the constant references to the physical beauty of the main characters as well as their implied sexulaity. So much is wrapped in boobs, nakedness, and knives. One or two books like that? Ok! 14 book? The author burnt me out at Book 7. The series could have had more plot substance and wrapped up with half the books. Same people, same lines, old and worn. Not a lot of character progression. By book 7 Nynaeve should have yanked out the portion of her skull that is attached to her braid. Boring, boring boring. I tried going directly to the last book regarding "The Last Battle" but I was just burnt out on the characters and their juvenile worries about who will love whom and then the pages and pages of needless angst. It burnt me out. I couldn't finish the last book. This is a series where I'd suggest that less would have been better. The characters simply stewed in their inability to progress to interpersonal behavior that I'd expect from insecure teenagers. When the author when into pure fantasy, it was pretty good. But too little fantasy and too much mundane characterizations of the protagonists who seem to never be able to progress past behavior I'd expect with adolescents with unsolvable crushes. I had to give it up. It was boring me to tears. So I've moved on to listening to The Lord Of The Rings as an audio book. I've read the books every 10 to 12 years since I was a kid, and I still like watching the movies. But I've yet to kick back and listen to narration, which in this case is pretty good. And now that cannabis is decriminalized? I enjoy a couple of tokes (It doesn't take much), turn on the audio-book, kick back, and let my mind manufacture imagery. Even though I know the story well, I keep picking up new and novel perspectives that I don't remember reading before. Perhaps listening to the audio triggers different parts of the mind to fabricate the imaginary scenery. The quality of writing between Tolkien and Jordan is very evident. Talkien is a superior writer in my own opinion. I'll watch the TV series. Considering that the Aei Sedai don't age, I don't see how far they will be able to go with a series before the characters age to unbelievably. Well - unless they embrace Deep-Fake tech. Which they could. Anyway - Regarding The Lord Of The Rings - we are now in Rivendell and starting to plan The Quest to destroy the One Ring Of Power. So far I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Next up will be C.S. Lewis's Narnia Series which I've never read before. But that will be in a couple of weeks methinks.

Topic-wise, these posts may be a better fit over hear where CharlieH pinned my thread about Reading.

I sorta know what you mean. Like this book which went out of print. For me it was the quintessential book for Vipassana and the Thai Forest Tradition Buddhism. This went out of print. If I needed to replace it I'd pay 25-50 buck. it's a keeper.

Good lord. Up to $50 per book just for shipping. Ackkk. No wonder I just use Kindle, or look for free books on the Internet (Project Gutenberg and others). My goodness, John Drake, what type of books do you buy where you're willing to shell out 25 to 50 bucks on shipping? Just curious. ???? By the way - I do like the feel of a bound book for reading. I think the last bound book I read was A Dance with Dragons. It seems that author doesn't plan to finish what he started. But I like those 1000 page books. But I don't expect to be reading any more JRRM. I've given up on ever seeing The Winds Of Winter published. And then my eye's as I hit 70 years old. I find I spell my reading with listening to audio books. I reread Lord of the Ring about every 10 to 12 years. It's just one of those books. But this time around I'm listening to it as a audio book. It's really good and doesn't impact my eyes. I can close my eyes and float in imagination. In fact now? I can indulge in a little 'legal' bud and let my imagination run free with the narration of the book. I've never done that before. It's unique. Sorry. Sorta off topic except of the info about international mail. To get back on topic, I'll need to check my PO box on Monday. If the form is there, I'll make a couple of copies and then send the original via Thai First Class Airmail post. That should be good enough imho.

Have they moved?

Cannabis and hemp will become a top new tourism trend in Thailand and a positive soft power, Bhumjaithai MP says It absolutely will be unless the government gets in own way and kills the goose laying golden eggs - and cannabis bud.

I'm not a nanny state proponents. It's not the government's job to baby-sit the population especially when it comes to "Sin Crime" and Vice. Now - I do believe that part of that 30% that the government will rake in should be earmarked for medical programs to help gambling addicts. But making all gambling illegal so that a few people who can't control their impulses are 'protected' (by throwing them in prison on Vice charges) isn't economically wise. Most people who gamble are not addicts. I enjoyed betting on horses at the tracks in the US, and I enjoyed an occasional vacation to Reno back in the day. I always liked the sound and the feel. I'd play blackjack sometimes and usually did pretty well (in the long-run the house always wins unless you're card counting). But honestly? My favorite thing to do was to by $2 worth of nickles and play the nickle slots back before they were digital. Interestingly, I almost always came way with more then I started with. Once the slot went digital I stopped vacationing in Reno. Yes - there are gambling addicts. There are nicotine addicts, sex addicts, heroin addicts, alcohol addicts and addicts in all shapes and colors and sizes. Addiction needs to be addressed by medical intervention and counseling. Not by throwing otherwise good people into jail. Portugal has a good program for drug addiction. That could be expanded to help other addicts. Most of us are not addicts. We don't need the government standing over the public's shoulder and threatening the public with prison for betting on their favorite chicken in a cock fight. Or for placing a bet on a football match.

Like most "Sin Crime" where Vice Squads throw otherwise good people in jail - eventually the government figures out that if it legalizes the activity, they can regulate and tax it. Why throw money making scheme participants in jail. Just join the club and vacuum in the tax revenue.

????

I've noticed that outbound and inbound from the Airport in Bangkok takes at most 48 hours. But lord, once it hits the United States all bets are off. When family sends my mail it usually takes a week or longer to get to the airport for departure to Thailand. USPS has problems imho. But courier is simply too expensive nowadays.

Hey JD. Keep an eye out on the "Registered" tracking for your letter. The last time I sent my 'Registered" it got 'stuck' in New York for a couple of weeks, and then it stayed stuck at the Wilkes-Barr post office for over 30 days. It got delivered after the cut-off date for receiving the forms. I got the distinct feeling that registered mail addressed to SSA at Wilks-Barr PA were being deliberately held up by some sadistic petty bureaucrat. And I was not the only member of TV/AN who had this happen. I don't recommend sending by registered mail. Others have sent it by EMS without an issue. But to be honest, sending it regular First Class Airmail seems to do the trick. Another way to be sure is to make copies of the SSA SSA-7162 form and send a second one. I'm less concerned for the first mail out. If they don't get the form you'll get another one in October. Anyway - keep an eye on that Registered Mail tracking and make sure it doesn't get thrown into the Pits Of USPS Non-Efficiency.

The 'rules based international order' means that your country takes its orders from the United States hegemony. A 'international laws based international order' means that your country follows UN dictate and is the preferred method of Russia and China and their aligned BRICS nations. These two opposed groups literally hate each other as they see only that their interests supersedes the rest of the world. Considering that to quote Tears For Fears that "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", the big players wants everyone else to support their interests. By the way - there are no Good Guys wearing White Hats. There are only greedy oligarchs, control-freaks, and billionaires who want their own interests in front of the rest of the countries in the world as well as their populations. If that means killing a few million people? So be it. A few billion - why not. At the end of the day it's extreme austerity for the commoners and the transfer of extreme wealth to the elite. To quote George Carlin, "It's a big club and you ain't in it." I personally feel that these opposing side will end up starting a nuclear conflagration before 2030 with an enraged and fully propagandized public egging on the mutually assured destruction (MAD) - I lived though the Cuban Missile Crisis. Who starts the 'first strike will be irrelevant. The media blame game will be vaporized in an EMP flash along with most of the earth's population and infrastructure. A small handful of Billionaire elites and their political and military henchmen will believe they can weather out the destruction in bunkers. Just hope the Eloi aren't waiting you ya'll exit your Morlock hidey-holes.

Isn't there a way to download a blank SSA-7162. If so, does another remember the link?

I will not send mine out by registered mail again. The last time I did that it took over two months to get to SSA in the US and it was late. The next time I just sent it via regular mail. No problem. I checked my PO Box three days back but no SSA form. I'll check again on Friday.

I've been waiting for this. The SSA Form 7162 "Are you still alive American SSA Pensioner" form to show up. I check today while passing the Post Office. In the past these were mailed out in June. We'd have them by now. I've nothing in my mailbox other than a new Voter Registration Card. But no SSA Form 7162 "Are you still alive American SSA Pensioner" form to show up. Has anyone else experience something different?

Buy computer that are half the price.

I'm a fan of 36THB/1 USD. Works for me.

I have neutered a bunch of temple dogs out of my own pocket over the last few years. Due to lack of funding (it's out of my own pocket) we concentrate on females. Well, if the females are spade, what can a male do. "You should do the males too." They are not my dogs. Pony up some THB and I'll work on the males too if anyone wants to contribute. Maybe I'll set up a foundation and a Thai equivalent of a 'Go Fund Me' page. We do a lot of good work, but it's all out of my own pocket. I think our vet lost count of the number of dogs and cats (and birds) we brought to her when the count went over 25. I can't even keep track any more.

I have neutered a bunch of temple dogs out of my own pocket over the last few years. Due to lack of funding (it's out of my own pocket) we concentrate on females. Well, if the females are spade, what can a male do. If anyone want to contribute. Maybe I'll set up a foundation and a Thai equivalent of a 'Go Fund Me' page. We do a lot of good work, but it's all out of my own pocket. I think our vet lost count of the number of dogs and cats (and birds) we brought to her when the count went over 20.