9 hours ago, ericthai said:

Well I wouldn't say that portrays the average American, most mass shootings are perpetrated by people with mental issues.

But it's not a good record, is it?

I split my time in Vero Beach, FL and love it there. The charming upscale towns are the way to go for me. Also check out the Greensboro, NC and surrounding areas. I love the States, the standards are higher, which is what I struggle with in Khao Mai Keow, Thailand. Progress here stops when it reaches 'good enough' .

On 8/13/2022 at 8:51 AM, jack71 said:

I would like to here from some Americans about their country at the moment. 

There is still amazing cheap land in many places in America. If you can build something and deal with property taxes you could have a pretty good life.

 

Just saw this today in inbox.

 

Come visit my home town of Boulder Colorado in the summer and enjoy a pleasant dry heat, cool nights and unmatched outdoor culture hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Just don't get any idea of buying a home or your dreams will be crushed when you see the prices. ????

 

On 8/13/2022 at 10:20 PM, gargamon said:

The US is in the middle of collapse. Expect a dictator similar to Putin to be running it in 10 years.

If Trump doesn't go to jail on some trumped -up charges he will turn things around. But there will be so many impeachments and so many going to jail you better wait until the smoke clears before you think about going to the USA.

List what is important to you and side by side compare those items in usa thailand and another country…

 

lots of money vs lack of money can really influence or even distorts one’s outlook

wife said: "why are you always showing me these videos"

 

hopefully educates her what the west is really like and what the left have done to it

I taught an ESL class in America in the mid-90s. This was before Trump, COVID, cultural wars, etc. In one particular class I had a group of advanced adult students who were quite articulate. As I got to know them we shared stories more and more. Near the end of the term, they as a group told me they were, for the most part lonely in the US, and they wished they could go back to their native countries and take their US jobs with them. I think that statement speaks volumes.

 

The students felt an emptiness in the States. A place where neighbors were just people who lived next to you. There was no connection. Many of these students were not new arrivals. They had been Stateside for several years.

 

 

Being happy in a place comes down to your state of mind. For me I wouldnt want to live in the USA but for a holiday it is great. If you cant find happiness in yourself the country wont do it for you.

Love the blabbermouth posters here who haven't even lived or visited the states in years/decades but think they know the beat on the streets in the USA.  BIG LOL! The best medicine for America derangement syndrome among other derangement syndromes is get off your butts and keyboards, get off collecting links that no one ever opens, get out of your neighborhood and learn by experience.  Can you even imagine 2 weeks without CNN or any news outlet? Would your world collapse? I like to spend my year between New England and Thailand. None of my friends in either place have guns that wouldn't be for hunting purposes only and most don't even hunt. The quality of live in both places are fine but the USA is higher. Most here when you go out and socialize both with old and new friends could care less about politics and have great lives with many interests and hobbies. It's called a nice life. 

You wouldn't know a Republican from a Democrat if you saw them walking down the street together.

 

Your only knowledge is from ridiculous news sources. Hint! Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Funny you have NO maintstream new sources, only the radicals that fit your agenda?

 

Yes, I know Thailand is hot as hell and people spend most of their time indoors, but try to find a hobby away from the fake news.

 

You repatriated to live in a country where people have no rights, controlled by a corrupt military government, court system, police department.

 

I guess all the Thai's protesting are because they love the place, right? Very happy with the direction of the country?

 

You must be one of the woke, who spent their whole lives spending, woke up one day too broke to live in their own country?

 

Rather pay $8 a gallon for gas, outrageous food prices and all kinds of other hell just because of a political party?

 

Grow up man

 

Biden's adminstration has produced the worst run cities in history, looting, smash and grab, homeless tent cities, P**** DA's letting violent criminals off the hook. 

 

 

21 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Doubling down on the presumptuous toxicity.

I think toxicity reflects the general American mood these days..

If you could afford to move home, you wouldn't have to think.

 

You could experience America first hand and not rely on radical internet sources

 

333,000,000 live in America, 50 different states,  try to remember that when you paint an entire country with your very thin, uneducated paint brush

 

 

There are great places to live in America as long as you stay away from the urban centers. Look for places that actually abide by the US constitution and you will find warm and welcoming communities. New Hampshire, West Virginia, Most places in Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, The Dakotas, Florida are just a few. Try and avoid the cesspools that the main cities have become like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco actually (and it kills me to say this as a native Californian that lived all over that state for 50 years) avoid California altogether Also avoid New York or any state or city that has been run by the Democrats for more than 4 years because they have all devolved into lawless, over priced hell holes.   

On 8/14/2022 at 1:18 PM, cdemundo said:

The question was "is it a good place to live."

No it wasnt

9 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Come visit my home town of Boulder Colorado in the summer and enjoy a pleasant dry heat, cool nights and unmatched outdoor culture hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Just don't get any idea of buying a home or your dreams will be crushed when you see the prices. ????

 

I lived for a year just below the Flatirons top of the picture but that was 40 years ago. 

I see women joggers and can guess what's in her fanny pack but it doesn't bother me.  I'm fortunate to live in a beautiful house with a view in a safe neighborhood.  Life is good here for me.   

7 hours ago, vandeventer said:

If Trump doesn't go to jail on some trumped -up charges he will turn things around.

Please explain what you mean by "turn things around". More tax cuts for the rich? More stooges in important government positions? More civil liberties stolen?

 

If Trump gets back into power he will attempt to become another Putin. Too bad for his supporters he isn't smart enough to be successful. He would again be a puppet of whatever "strong man" leader that is dominating him that week, just like when he was in power.

37 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Please explain what you mean by "turn things around". More tax cuts for the rich? More stooges in important government positions? More civil liberties stolen?

 

If Trump gets back into power he will attempt to become another Putin. Too bad for his supporters he isn't smart enough to be successful. He would again be a puppet of whatever "strong man" leader that is dominating him that week, just like when he was in power.

I think he means “turn things around” as in “down the U-bend”. It’s a plumbing term.

1 minute ago, StreetCowboy said:

I think he means “turn things around” as in “down the U-bend”. It’s a plumbing term.

Turn things around to the end of American democracy. The republican party (not just Trump) wants dictatorship.

 

Quote

 

How dangerous is today’s Republican Party? Very, former CIA Director Michael Hayden believes. (msn.com)

 

Retired Gen. Michael Hayden, a former director of both the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, has called out the Republican Party as extremist and dangerous, on an unprecedented level.

 

Hayden was responding Wednesday to an Aug. 11 tweet by the British journalist and author Edward Luce, who had said: “I’ve covered extremism and violent ideologies around the world over my career. Have never come across a political force more nihilistic, dangerous & contemptible than today’s Republicans.

 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

unmatched outdoor culture hiking

i don't know what this means, but there was a MASS shooting in Boulder not too long ago.  CU is nice, but many pot heads.  Crazy cyclists everywhere, which is good and bad.  Way too crowded hiking trails, idiots trying to get Strava records on their mountain bikes. also just had a massive fire there too.....way too windy, and it gets that yellow haze.

 

you can definitely pick a way better place.   20 years ago, maybe not.  

6 hours ago, jingjai9 said:

A place where neighbors were just people who lived next to you.

There is no way I want to be friends with my neighbors, I want my privacy.  A smile, sure.  I'm not fluent in Thai, so what kind of conversations can you have?   In America, it's the same.  Smile, do your thing.   It also REALLY depends where you live.   The Mid-West might be way more friendlier to a stranger than, say, out West.   In six years, I never wanted to become friends with one neighbor.   Hi, How are you, it's hot, tired, where are you going, where did you go, blah, blah blah........and a smile.  That's enough.   In America, you don't want to be friends because they are going to want to hear your life story.   That's too invasive for a neighbor, if you are single.  Unless you really hit it off with them and you are both living in a house for life.  renting neighbor is way different, in the case of the Thais in America.  

 

I can guarantee one thing, if they needed help from a neighbor in America, they would get it.  Here?  probably the same.  Unless they are really renting in some beat-down apartment complex......then that's another story.  hopefully not.  

 

 

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Turn things around to the end of American democracy. The republican party (not just Trump) wants dictatorship.

 

 

 

 

Orange skin

Toothbrush moustaches

Scraggle-haired cockwombles….

Threats to democracy do not look like you or me, nor like our lumpen proletariat.  If the proletariat want serfdom, who are we to deny it, despite our misgivings and wish for liberty?

I think a substantial proportion of the population would willingly forego elements of freedom and wealth to be able to blame their woes on Johnny Foreigner rather than their own stupidity.

Only space and stupidity are immeasurably infinite, and scientists are addressing the former.

9 minutes ago, Iamfalang said:

i don't know what this means, but there was a MASS shooting in Boulder not too long ago.  CU is nice, but many pot heads.  Crazy cyclists everywhere, which is good and bad.  Way too crowded hiking trails, idiots trying to get Strava records on their mountain bikes. also just had a massive fire there too.....way too windy, and it gets that yellow haze.

 

you can definitely pick a way better place.   20 years ago, maybe not.  

Boulder is far worse today than it was 20 year for sure. I was just talking to some women about this last week who moved here when my family did in 1987. Objectively worse we both agree. That's just us though, the new comers seem to be having a good time. Google has a campus here and lots of high paying tech jobs are popping up etc...

 

I visit my parents here in the summer (that's where I am now) and you can still have nice hikes if you avoid the weekends or certain easy trails the tourists do. Much more weed smoking sine they legalized it, which maybe some people like but it just attracted more problems in my opinion. I never explored the state much since I effectively moved to Thailand in 2005 but I'm sure you can find better areas in Colorado that have nice hiking, more affordable housing and less of this elitist liberal cultural which dominates Boulder.

20 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Boulder is far worse today than it was 20 year for sure. I was just talking to some women about this last week who moved here when my family did in 1987. Objectively worse we both agree. That's just us though, the new comers seem to be having a good time. Google has a campus here and lots of high paying tech jobs are popping up etc...

 

I visit my parents here in the summer (that's where I am now) and you can still have nice hikes if you avoid the weekends or certain easy trails the tourists do. Much more weed smoking sine they legalized it, which maybe some people like but it just attracted more problems in my opinion. I never explored the state much since I effectively moved to Thailand in 2005 but I'm sure you can find better areas in Colorado that have nice hiking, more affordable housing and less of this elitist liberal cultural which dominates Boulder.

I am with you. Liberal freedoms are elitist.  People should be allowed to do the limited things that I do, and no more.  

Just now, StreetCowboy said:

I am with you. Liberal freedoms are elitist.  People should be allowed to do the limited things that I do, and no more.  

It's 180 degrees opposite of how they portray themselves but these are some the most intolerant small minded people you will ever meet if you challenge them on anything or go against one of their never health or social fads. There's a reason they say Boulder is a bubble. 

 

The Thais on the other hand are actually easy going and aren't trying to shove all their dogmas down my throat with protests and bumper stickers, and that's one of the main reasons I prefer to live with them.

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

It's 180 degrees opposite of how they portray themselves but these are some the most intolerant small minded people you will ever meet if you challenge them on anything or go against one of their never health or social fads. There's a reason they say Boulder is a bubble. 

 

The Thais on the other hand are actually easy going and aren't trying to shove all their dogmas down my throat with protests and bumper stickers, and that's one of the main reasons I prefer to live with them.

You are right. We should not be forced to tolerate or make allowances for gay people, handicapped people, non-smokers, people with allergies… The tyranny of the tolerant is unbearable, as they promote all these minorities, but deny the sullen majority the right to their prejudices.

Just now, StreetCowboy said:

You are right. We should not be forced to tolerate or make allowances for gay people, handicapped people, non-smokers, people with allergies… The tyranny of the tolerant is unbearable, as they promote all these minorities, but deny the sullen majority the right to their prejudices.

well this is ***exactly*** what I'm talking about. I don't know where you're from but you'd probably really get along with the people here. Not kidding, not judging, come and visit. You'll feel right at home.

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

well this is ***exactly*** what I'm talking about. I don't know where you're from but you'd probably really get along with the people here. Not kidding, not judging, come and visit. You'll feel right at home.

I suppose we have no choice but to make allowance for people that don’t understand sarcasm, and for those of us with limited talents, at least it allows us to exercise our superiority complex.

55 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said:

I suppose we have no choice but to make allowance for people that don’t understand sarcasm, and for those of us with limited talents, at least it allows us to exercise our superiority complex.

You're being sarcastic? Yes I know and you sound exactly like the people here. That's exactly the kind of sarcasm some person from Boulder would have.

To "explain" what is going on here will be the subject of at least 100 books in the next few years.  Some cliff notes:

 

America was founded on the belief that the country belonged to white northern European men and only white property owing men could vote.  Slavery was not only at the economic center of country, but also served to control the slaves through the plantation system. 

 

Over the past 70 years, or so the demographics began to change.  This started in California where the large growers could not find enough 'white' field hands and lobbied to have the immigration laws changed for the agricultural interests to allow Mexican labor free assess to the border to work the west coast fields.

 

The population measurements clearly meant that by 2040 whites would in the minority, and that it would be impossible for the GOP to win national or even state-wide elections.  So, why did they think that Latinas, Blacks, and Asians would only vote for the Democrats?  Largely, this was based on a combination of paranoia  of "other people coming to get to get us" used my GOP candidates to scare their base and the reemergence of a classic color based racism.  Soon, race defined what you could do, how much money you could make, where you could go to school, etc. 

 

Perhaps 30 years ago the Republican party decided to make the fear of others the only thing that mattered in running elections.  Enter Donald Trump, a longtime grifter and paranoid narcist who understood how to organize the 25% of the republicans at the fringe of the right wing; remnants of the Kul Klux Klan,  the American First Fascists left over from WWII and other groups with similar ideologies.  The GOP decided that if they could not win voters and there were more of the 'other voters' that them they would simply rig the electoral system and rule as a minority.  They are trying to convince their folks that American should not have been a democracy in the first place. 

 

This process was played out throughout Trumps tenure as President. When he lost the 2020 election, the Big Lie was created to convince his base that he did not lose - it was stolen.  In the American Courts this has not worked, and Trump and his folks are facing trials that could put them all in prison for sedition, and other charges. 

 

That is where we are right now.  My Thai wife come back to the states in 2016 to meet the 5 year residency requirement so she can get my Social Security survivors' benefits.  We are moving back to Chiang Mai in Setember.