connda

Not just no, but hell no.

I've got 4 computers, and even the 11 year old Dell laptop will get the job done, especially considering I'm running Linux on it instead of, <gag>, Windows. And none of my computers have been expensive or top-of-the-line. Moore's law and economics: Five years from it's initial manufacture date, an Acer computer that I choose to purchase on the cheap in the future, will be 4 times as powerful and 1/4 the price of the one manufactured 5 years earlier. I don't need top end equipment - it's all relative to what I have now.

Macs are a nice machine if you have the money to shell out for one. You'd think that they'd be cheaper considering the slave labor the dirt-cheap, cost of manufacturing in China. But, executives and stockholder need their millions $$$ and billions $$$$$$. And debt-ridden consumers need the latest and greatest, never being happy with what they have already.

Enjoy standing in line with the other clones. If you're in the US, if you wait until Nov 27th, Black Friday, maybe you can club, stomp, and fight your way into a 'big box store' and get to one of the two or three 2015 iMacs on sale.

Black Friday: the day I sleep in and then wake up and have a turkey sandwich breakfast. Then I wait until Dec 24th to do my Christmas shopping with all the other guys who know exactly what they want to buy, walk into the store, make their purchase, get it wrapped, and go have a micro-brew and a game of pool with the guys.

Interesting. In Thailand you really do have to be careful. There are many back-street places, and I have seen two people with very bungled face and nose jobs.

I have had upper eyelids, bingo wings, man boobs and two tummy lipos, none done here. The final result doesn't show for about 6 months anyway. They always do a before and after series of cam shots. Some will take a shot of more gory bits done when you are asleep, as "proof". I had a neuroma in my foot done here, and I was given the proud photo of it (ok, it's not really plastics, it's neurosurgery really)...a small white maggot on a piece of gauze.

The best plastics guy I knew was an Italian in Marbella. The best plastic surgery is subtle, an art form. This guy could change your face without making it obvious. My eyes (upper bags/fat hooded owl) still look great after 15 years thanks to that man.

I once stood very close to Sophia Loren at Valencia airport. She was 70 but obviously she had had the best work. Flawless but not looking like a 20 year old girl. A terrible example was the spanish Duchess of Alba, who died recently. Her face had been carved like a turkey. Too many facelifts.

Eddy

Complete flawless, the same as brilliant white teeth don't look natural. I think the best is if it looks like the person had no surgery and looks naturally.....

I know some elderly Thai women who pretend to be 20. They look like an alien designs a computer generated face. You can't see anything wrong, but still it somehow doesn't look human.

You just described Joan Rivers to a tee. Have you ever bought a piece of fruit that looks exquisite on the outside, but once you cut into it, you see the reality? Wax, preservatives, and a nice buff job on the outside, but inside it's degenerated and not something that you'd eat.

Oh, apologies. Just realized that the photo in the 1st post is the "before" photo. Nice work, indeed...

I was thinking along the same brow lines. Dude, you were a handsome guy in his fifties. Why waste the money and risk the surgery? Really. That 'before' picture of you looked great.

But, if you're happy, well, that's good. I won't fault anyone for trying to find happiness in their own way.

Virtually everyone I know who has had plastic surgery ends up looking - odd, fake, altered.

Self-acceptance and acceptance that everything and everyone changes - we get older. So I don't look like I did when I was thirty, who I'm I trying to impress by altering my looks? I'd rather just age right along with my wife. Acceptance.

Vanity will screw your mind up in the long run. Look at Joan Rivers - she didn't look right - sort of freakish. Angelina Jolie looked beautiful, but then did something that now makes her look - sort of freakish.

There is a natural beauty in aging and the acceptance of aging.

But, it's a personal choice. It's not a road I'd venture down as vanity is a dead-end. But all the same, best of luck with your decision. But once that cosmetic work starts to deteriorate, and it will, then what?

Buy a copy of the book Thailand Fever, then scan the book until you find relevant information pertaining to "The Silence". After you grasp the cultural background, then find the corresponding section about how farang deal with problems.

Basically we get angry, blow off steam, and it's over and done with;

Thais get angry, brood, and either get over it, or they don't and eventually 'explode'.

My wife is now more like a farang. She'll get angry, and instead of sitting on it in silence, she'll just blow off steam - but I usually have to start that process. It usually starts when I ask her, "What are you so pissed about...", and then she has permission, so to speak, to get angry and vocal. An hour or two later, we're all good. She also knows that when I 'go silent' to simply leave me alone. I 'go silent' when I have personal problems I'm trying to deal with, and I need quiet time. She understands that. Your wife may interpret that from a Thai perspective and assume you are angry at her. From our farang perspective, it's simply part of our independent nature to work alone to solve problems. If I go quiet, I'll eventual tell my wife why, and that I need 'my own space and some time for myself to think'. She understands. That's compromise.

You both need to come to grips with the differences of your respective cultures, and then talk and find ways to compromise and accept each other's cultural oddities.

Compromise is the key word.

Best of luck/Chokdii

But, but, but...it was a heart attack, right? So much for the TV apologists OP-bashing, 'Thai bashing' OPs.

I love Thailand, but I'll point out the problems here just as fast as I'll point out the problems of any other country, especially my own. Problems need to have the light of day shined on them. Hiding them in the dark doesn't get them fixed.

Safety: a country-wide issue in many areas.

Lying to save face: a cultural issue

Inability to accept responsibility: a cultural issue

...and the list goes on.

Ban metal kitchenware.

I see they have dusted this off and started rattling the cages again. There assessment is much akin to Thai Visa. Biased opinion. Lot of difference between the Buk and an Sukhoi Su-24. Their story has as many holes in it as the plane's fuselage. Gotta keep banging and banking on the same, tired narrative.

Start putting freaking patrol cars on the road and pull people over for moving violations.

At the present moment, Thais are trained that a police cruiser with it's sirens blaring and lights flashing means VIP being escorted.

What they need to be trained to react to is that a police cruiser with it's sirens blaring and lights flashing means 'pull you butt over to the side of the road'.

Afraid the LOS has a ways to go...can't really blame the public. I've never seen a patrol car pull anyone over. Always road blocks.

I'd walk 15 miles and eat ants for a Camel!

Filtered or unfiltered?

When the Camels Cigarette advertising slogan, "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", was famous there was no such thing as a filtered cigarette.

Should have been, "I'd walk a mile for a coffin nail."

Better than ants surviving on a 62 year-old lost Australian man.

"Humm. Tasty. I've always been fond of these British transplants. Much more flavorful than the indigenous Aborigines."

The irony is that the Judge who sentenced him probably went home that night and poured himself a large scotch.

Did you know ! That the country that consumes the highest amount of Johnny Walker scotch second only to the USA is..........Saudi Arabia. It is a huge business smuggling it in for the Saudi dignitaries and well heeled locals.

Had a mate whose wife was a senior nurse for the Royal's at the Royal hospital. She said all of them without exception and even moreso the Royal women were always in hospital being treated for chronic alcoholism.

Last time I was there I was thirsty and went into the supermarket and bought some red grape juice. At checkout the Indian guy said 'oh sir you have forgotten your sugar and yeast' !! (Which were conveniently placed on the shelf right next to red and white grape juice!

I guess his real crime must have been selling it or providing others with it outside the compound. At his age I don't fancy he will survive a 3 year stint in that jail. Very sad but a barbaric country. Hey wait a minute aren't Saudi now holding the Chair for the UN Human Rights Committee? What a bloody joke.

Yep. What do all the Saudi princes do when they get to Las Vegas in their private jets? Play mahjong, drink tea, and socialize with modestly dressed escorts whom they send home by 10PM so that they can go to bed early and maintain their celibacy? Oh, and pray 5 times a day in the middle of the casino to demonstrate their piousness. I'm sure that's what they do. If they didn't, they'd surely get 5000 lashes when they returned to the land of sand, oil, whips, severed hands and death by stoning. Very modern in a 13th century sort of way.

This man has brought this problem onto his own head.

Allegedly he has lived/worked in Saudi for 25 years so he should know what the "rules" are.

The Saudis are remarkably tolerant of Western lifestyles as long as it is kept within the gated compounds where most expats live.

By transporting alcohol he knowingly broke Saudi Law.

But their own go to farangland to do what they can't do in their own country...Even hi-so's..........

Seems similar to expats in LOS.

lets stay by the whipping, what do the whippers wear ? lack perhaps and can you choose to whipped by a woman of your own choosing, if you are going to be whipped try and get some enjoyment out of it.

Mark Mothersbaugh should be the defacto Sheikh of Saudi Arabia:

Crack that whip

Give the past a slip

Step on a crack

Break your momma's back

When a problem comes along

You must whip it

Before the cream sets out too long

You must whip it

When something's goin' wrong

You must whip it

Now whip it

Into shape

Shape it up

Get straight

Go forward

Move ahead

Try to detect it

It's not too late

To whip it

Well, whip it good

Written by Mark Mothersbaugh, Mark Allen/Gerald Casale

There is something seriously wrong with that country. At what point did God say, "Prosper, multiply, and be ye all sadomasochist psychopaths in my name."

Uh-huh...

Before you go try the online application first. If this fails you can mail it in. If you're a masochist you may still go to Promenada in person.

The online app doesn't work in Chiang Mai. They are telling people NOT to try it. As for the mail in, I wouldn't trust the post office with my passport. I went last week, there were maybe 20 people there. In and out in about 15 minutes.

You don't mail your passport. Check out Tywais' 90 day reporting post that is pinned on the CM forum page. It outlines specifically what documents you need and the procedure for mailing. A tip o' the hat to Tywais!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/557382-90-day-report-procedures/

Why waste the time. I mail in with EMS both ways. Four day turnaround from the time I dropped the envelop at my post office to the time I pick it up from my post office. Being out in the middle of nowhere, I confused the hell out of the postal employee the first time I did EMS out with an EMS SASE enclosed. It was good my wife was with me to explain in detail. Now that we have the process down, it's the only way to go, especially seeing the online is not on option for me (my info isn't in their database so I'm told).

EMS is your friend. Kudos where kudos are deserved; they are da*m efficient with 90 day mail-ins. Give it a shot!

You do know you're making us folks up here in the Chiang Mai Immigration district really jealous. How mean!!! Lol

Why is brewing beer a crime? It competes with corporations who then lobby ฿฿฿ politicians to pass legislation to make home brewing illegal. To make it sound plausible to the simple folk, the highly moral politicos will play the Buddhism card.

This game is played world-wide. It's not unique to the LOS.

Anyway, I can't blame them. The first micro-brewery I found was in Berkeley, CA in the 1980s. I had an IPA. I've never tasted beer that tasted so good in my life. Then I realized that virtually all commercial beer tasted like, as my late father so aptly said, 'tiger piss'. All the big commercial breweries brewed essentially the same, tasteless light ales. Once I tasted that kind of beer, I never went back. Micro-brew are big business in my state. I'm sure Bud isn't happy with that. But they always have the option to brew a better beer. Virtually all Thai beer is tasteless ale. I can't blame these fellows.

"There are several times when a person is NOT tethered to a safety line"

Jesus! It that really true? How on earth is that allowed? 50ft up in the air and you are NOT tethered? Is that the same for ALL the Zip Lines around Chiang Mai?

I keep re-reading the initial post and I can't see anything that said she was 50ft up in the air. People often get multiple fractures tripping off a curb on the side of the road.

Would you please point out where you got this information? Thanks.

Unless she suffered an heart attack at that split moment in time that the rope was not attached then they are responsible, and how would they possibly know if someone died of an heart attack, they tried to cover up the truth and should be charged for the death. end of story

You've raised two points here, both of them very important...

First, today Forensic Science is able to tell if someone died from a heart attack (by enzymes present in the blood) or from the impact of a fall. No problem. Simple science.

Next, "if' they tried to cover up the truth of an accident, YES, they SHOULD be charged with the death of this woman. So the crux of this matter lies in actually finding out the truth, rather than just making wild assumptions. Facts, rather than assumptions. Right now we have only two; she died and she fell and broke bones. Nothing more.

However, any accident makes for the ideal soapbox for Thai Bashing, and our usual Thai Bashers waste no time voicing racist remarks. Makes me wonder just why they stay in a country filled with people they hate so much...

Ya gotta think like Columbo or Kojak: Ziplines, wires - high in the air, platforms - high in the air. Multiple fractures from falling off curb - possible but unlikely. Multiple fractures from falling from high location - possible and likely. Heart attack causing multiple fracture without falling from high location - improbable and unlikely. Heart attack and falling from high location - probably and possible. Thais saving face - probable, possible, and likely.

It has nothing to do with hate. It has to do with accepting responsibility which is not a strong point in this culture, and it has to do with safety records which is not a strong point in this country. That's not hate - it just is. Calling something 'hate' simply because you do not wish to have some the the harsher realities of this particular country brought to your attention is...rather silly double-speak or ignorance. You're simply focusing your own disapproval (hate?) of an opinion of a poster. Hummm? See how easy it is to toss that word around. I don't think you hate the poster, and I don't think the poster hates Thais. There are serious problems in this country that should be voiced - the squeaky wheel gets the oil. You have to admit: Our 'farang' [isn't that a racist word] cultural bias is not to stick our heads in the sand when we see something amiss. We are opinionated. I don't think that's a bad thing. Your mileage will vary. lol

i think this is the 3rd. incident at CM ziplines this year, 2 dead.2 injured?

Thailand Vacation Itinerary

------------------------

National Parks (dual pricing - out)

Tiger Park (mauling - out)

Visa Run + Chiang Rai tour (van deaths after head-on passing on blind curve)

Over-night Train from BKK to CM (derail, derail, derail, derail, derail)

Visit Karoke Bar (Son and Dad gang beat and put in hospital over bill)

Go Dancing (Foreigner in coma after bouncer gang beating)

Listen to music (Son injured, Father killed by band members)

Head to Nana Plaza for fun (2 ladyboys mug, rob drunk foreigner)

Zipline Adventure (2 dead, 2 injured in 2015)

Taxi tour of Bangkok (Driver kills passenger with machete over 50 THB fare)

Stay at Pattaya High-rise hotel (Foreigner dead after mysterious fall - possible suicide)

Relax at the pool (Foreign electrocuted by poorly installed pool light)

Plane trip to Thailand via Malaysian Air (Airplane disappears)

Note to self: Stay home this year and tour my own country (priceless!)

Safety and Thailand. Just does not go together!

Safety First

Safety 2nd

Safety 3rd

Safety 4th

...

...

Safety 172th That's about right!

------------------------------------------------------------

But on the flip side:

Vehicle fatalities 1st

Vehicle fatalities 2nd We have a Winner!!! Congratulations Thailand!

Waiting for updates on this case.

There are so many ....

That's good! +1000

Big Brother is watching you.

Big Brother? More like "Who's your Daddy?"

China or the US. US or China.

At the moment the LOS has slid up to China as it's Papa, after having shot down the TPP. But the US tends to have most of the smaller countries by the proverbial 'balls' in one way, shape, or form. At some point in time, they decide it's time to give a little squeeze, and suddenly the US has a new friend.

Give it time, and we'll see which Daddy Thailand likes the best.

Hey Hey Hey - Today we definitely know who Thailand's Big Daddy is - The government must have got a little loving 'squeeze' from Big Daddy USA cause today we find that they are going to sign on to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). A wonderful piece of work constructed by corporations and governments in total secrecy, that essentially allows corporations to essentially over-ride the laws and judicial systems of sovereign signees and ride rough-shod over each state and its populace. One more step closer to global governance controlled by corporate entities. No joke.

Nice first step toward global corporatism. Mussolini has a more accurate word for it, but I'll leave that history lesson up to the reader to research.

Next step forward: building more prisons and squeezing blood from a rock money from the poor and middle class to further enrich the elite.

Next stop: Neo-feudalism