connda

That didn't take long. I'll be honest. Especially after the revelations that it seems as though Ukraine is the quintessential place to launder US taxpayer money provided to Ukraine trough outfits like FTX and then converted back to fiat and donated back to US congress-critters? And trust me, I'm a political atheist and I'm pointing fingers at all parties, not just one individual or one party. The entire DC swamp, all of it, needs to be drained. Organizations such as the FBI and DOJ need to be completely apolitical and aligned with no parties. And the corruption needs to be addressed and resolved from top to bottom - Democrat or Republican - President to ex-President; top officials to staffers. Everyone. If the US is to be what it claims to be.....the exceptional nation? And I assume "exceptional" means above corruption. Right now "exceptional" seems to mean exceptionally corrupt. Then it needs to stop acting like a third-world tin-pot bastion of corruption. Congressmen and senators, presidents and ex-preidents should not be able to become multi-millionaires on their government salaries. The only way that happens is via corruption. So - clean it up.

We live in such a wonderful reality, don't we. Earth! What an amazing place.

I was just a gigolo And everywhere I go People know the part I'm playing Paid for every dance Selling each romance Oh, what they're saying There will come a day When youth will pass away What will they say about me When the end comes I know They'll say "just a gigolo" As life goes on without me.....

Exactly.

Cool Hand Luke too.

Have you recently become more concerned about Inflation, Stagflation, and the Price of Eggs? Nope.

https://zoom.earth/#view=18,97.7,5z/map=live

I'm not voting for anyone over 55 years old in the next presidential elections. I want to see a new generation take the helm regardless if they are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents.

EGAT in Lampang is coal fired. By the time you add in all of the lithum, colbalt, nickel, other necessary mined metals, the plastic and the fact that the EV use an infrastructure run on coal and natural gas? There is nothing "green" about them. And then there is complete silence about what to do with those huge mega-batteries need to run an EV once they die. Let's not even mention the child labor used to extract needed metals and battery components. And let's not mention - Electric vehicles are completely out of the price range of average Thais. By the time 2050 rolls around, the world will look like 1950 Thailand: A few wealthy people have EVs, well-to-do will have bicycles, and everyone else will walk as EV songthaws will be totally unaffordable. If you're lucky you'll live close to a rail line. Cashless and 'zero-carbon' will usher in Neo-Feudalism. The Gore's and Gate's and Bezo's will still have their fleets of private av-fuel-burning jets and diesel-burning mega-yachts as well as beach-front properties as the sea level isn't rising, but the fear of a global deluge did get the useful idiots to demand their own enslavement. The rest of us. We'll enjoy the WEF wet-dream of owning nothing and living in communes without any privacy. As far as being happy? Ask the East Germans and Eastern Europeans and Chinese peasants how life was back in the totalitarian days of Marxist-Communist Utopia. I don't think I'll have to worry about it. I don't expect that too many of the commoners will live much beyond their "productive" years no less living to 100. And none of us commoners will own an EV. And even if you did? Will you be allowed to charge it comrade? How's your social credit score?

Yep.

Over the last month wife and I have gotten stuck in line behind people attempting to pay via a QR code. In one case it took upwards of 5 minutes to get the stupid payment processed. Our last trip to Makro the customer tied the line up for over 10 minutes. They have to fiddle with their phones, logon to the phone, login to the app, get the correct screen up, cross their fingers and toes and hope it accepts the payment: link problem, insufficient funds, bank issue - more waiting. Battery died. Opps! Today's the day when you're bank application no longer works on whatever version of Andriod you're running. Ah-oh. Convenient? <laughs> Our cash payment - 30 seconds or less. The government wants every mom and pop store to go the QR code payment route Right. Out here in the sticks where the power grid goes down every time there is a lightening flash and a little rain. Cashless will be another bad idea that crashes into the reality that "green" energy will never drive modern societies and third-world infrastructure is....well, third-world. Electric grids go up and down all of the time. Not until 'fusion' energy comes online or until they redefine 'green' as nuclear and small scale thorium reactors and monies are invested where they can obtain the maximum amount of efficient energy for the least expense, and all electric grids are modernized. Sorry. Solar and wind will never cut it. Nor will the current grids. "Cashless" has the cart in front of the horse.

Ditto.

OMG. We're gonna die for sure this time (or not). Well lets see. Every person I know who got the Covid shots also got Covid. Like every one of my family members and acquaintances. Those of who didn't? Didn't. I'm not worried. Not even a little bit. More fear porn. Of course they do. Unless they don't. If they don't, well, grant those claiming they do 'amnesty.'

Yet anytime new blood surfaces? Their party's are declared illegal and the leaders thrown in jail. This is called "Democracy."

10 THB out in the sticks where I live from what my wife tells me. This s**te is pretty well know among villagers. Most people are anti-yaa-baa. 2 THB a pill. BS. But? Most people are also anti-summary-execution for suspicion of using/selling yaa baa. Too many innocent people get whacked. Best for Thaksin to stay in Dubai.

But you paid a premium.

They are synonyms.

Those of us with families and married to a Thai woman are essentially dog meat.

So, it looks like being married to a Thai woman for 16 year fails to meets the criterion either. Remember - A foreign man married to a Thai woman... and with children to boot? You're only a temporary visitor farang. You've been gaming the system for 15 years farang - we'll get you this year for your criminality. No better than Al Bundy baby. We'll kick you out at our convenience. A foreign woman married to a Thai man - you're golden sweet woman and the heart of a lotus flower of all Thai families! Citizenship coming up...

Are the finances of Thai 'non-profits' and 'foundations' a matter of public record public record - here in Thailand - as they are in some countries outside of Thailand. In other words, can I request to see the finance of a either a 'non-profit', a 'foundation', or a 'charity' in Thailand?

I'd say that stash isn't for 'personal self-defense.' He'll probably do a few years in prison and then get tossed out - unless he has friends in high places. ???? "Moron" is the only word that comes to mind.

Good. Its just allowed the filthy rich foreign interests to suck up Thai land. I'd name names, but you can't, so I won't. Long-term leases are in Thailand's interest and you don't particularly have to be a millionaire to lease land for your natural life-span. Foreign ownership? Not a good idea if Thailand wants to remain sovereign.

FYI. There is no such thing as a free lunch. That domain along with a number of other "library" domains have been "seized" by "you_know_who." Thank goodness Project Gutenberg https://www.gutenberg.org is still alive and well for books that are in the public domain. So, many classics, such as those by Dickens, are still available as their titles are not covered by copyright. Link to PG copyright description pages: https://www.gutenberg.org/help/copyright.html

I'm reading Tolkien's The Silmarillian. It is simply a beautiful, wondrous mythology set in the realm of Tolkien's great works. I'm about 1/4 the way though and it is a worthwhile read.

Went in 1986. Returned in 2007 for one day. Haven't been back since. No plans to do so.