After 15 Years In Thailand And Going Back To The Us

[Jingthing]

Spend less on keeping people alive, and more on keeping them working.

Let the old people move on, and the young people move up.

Tax the dead (does the USA have an inheritance tax?)

That should draw out a bit of well-needed spleen

SC

The ice floe solution?

Granny is not pleased!

[mark45y]

I can't figure out why a bunch of guys who don't live in the US and frankly have it made in Thailand would feel moved to discuss the cures for all of the social and economic ills of the US.

Not only is no one listening but no one would ever listen. If any Americans really had an interest in justice and social equality in the US they would go live in the US. Certainly the last person any figure of authority would consult about politics, fiscal policy or welfare or education in the US is someone living in Thailand.

How you can get excited about an off topic discussion about haves and have nots is beyond my comprehension.

I live here because there is too much paperwork for a small business in the US and I like Thai women. Social injustice certainly did not drive me to move and would not be a motivator for me to move back.

[StreetCowboy]

Spend less on keeping people alive, and more on keeping them working.

Let the old people move on, and the young people move up.

Tax the dead (does the USA have an inheritance tax?)

That should draw out a bit of well-needed spleen

SC

The ice floe solution?

Granny is not pleased!

She is keeping well.

You'd never know she was a day over 40, would you?

SC

[Jingthing]

I can't figure out why a bunch of guys who don't live in the US and frankly have it made in Thailand would feel moved to discuss the cures for all of the social and economic ills of the US.

The situation back there impacts the desirability of moving back there, which is usually a potential alternative for most expat Americans. The topic of this thread, from the OP, is clearly about what one expat found the reality to be when he actually DID repatriate.

Edited January 15, 2011 by Jingthing

[StreetCowboy]

I can't figure out why a bunch of guys who don't live in the US and frankly have it made in Thailand would feel moved to discuss the cures for all of the social and economic ills of the US.

The situation back there impacts the desirability of moving back there, which is usually n potential alternative for most expat Americans.

Imagine if we could persuade all the gringos to go back home...

Thanks for the photo, by the way, JT - I can see why Ian F goes back every summer now

SC

[mark45y]

I can't figure out why a bunch of guys who don't live in the US and frankly have it made in Thailand would feel moved to discuss the cures for all of the social and economic ills of the US.

The situation back there impacts the desirability of moving back there, which is usually a potential alternative for most expat Americans. The topic of this thread, from the OP, is clearly about what one expat found the reality to be when he actually DID repatriate.

I understand that but aren't you discussing the redistribution of wealth? Something the communist party and Democrats have been discussing for the past 100 years. I don't see the relevance. If one wants to get into specifics of the tax code for particular businesses or employment opportunities for ESL teachers maybe it would make sense. America is too big and specific areas are too different for any meaningful discussion about economics. It is not macro economics it is micro economics that is important to an individual.

[happyrobert]

I can't figure out why a bunch of guys who don't live in the US and frankly have it made in Thailand would feel moved to discuss the cures for all of the social and economic ills of the US.

The situation back there impacts the desirability of moving back there, which is usually a potential alternative for most expat Americans. The topic of this thread, from the OP, is clearly about what one expat found the reality to be when he actually DID repatriate.

Mark45y - I'm with you ... some people come here just to continue their boring existence in a different environment, I guess.

And nowhere, Jing, did the OP talk about politics which certain folk ultimately bring up off topic in almost all threads and ruin them.

Wasn't there a mod warning about that somewhere recently?

Hey, Mod.....

[Jingthing]

OK, I'll quit this thread if you're gonna get all snitchy about this.

However, I still see at least implied political content in the OP. Some people are bored by politics (obviously not me) and others are bored by the Super Bowl (me). Doesn't mean there is a right or wrong about that, it's just how we are wired.

Well I cant think of any other reasons why I would want to stay in the US any longer than i have to, the food cost more, the beer is weak, rent and real estate is too high, wages are low, public transport sucks, people are rude, theaters smell like ass, too many cops, too many mexicans,and not enough mocye's...

[happyrobert]

OK, I'll quit this thread if you're gonna get all snitchy about this.

However, I still see at least implied political content in the OP. Some people are bored by politics (obviously not me) and others are bored by the Super Bowl (me). Doesn't mean there is a right or wrong about that, it's just how we are wired.

Well I cant think of any other reasons why I would want to stay in the US any longer than i have to, the food cost more, the beer is weak, rent and real estate is too high, wages are low, public transport sucks, people are rude, theaters smell like ass, too many cops, too many mexicans,and not enough mocye's...

America is a beautiful country. It has many unique and amazing attributes, some of which I miss. But it is the politicians and their cronies that have destroyed it any chance for a happy life their compared to just decades ago.

There, you dragged me into the politics. But I still do not see a trace of it - except maybe the real estate statement - in the OP.

I'd just like to read posts without them turning political.

But we do agree about the Stoopidbowl!

Edited January 15, 2011 by happyrobert

[Jingthing]

Like I said, I'll quit this thread. Carry on with your purified apolitical discussions.

Also note, the proper way to grass here is to use the REPORT button. Out of here ...

Edited January 15, 2011 by Jingthing

[Johpa]

When "poor" people have a car, a computer, a TV and plenty of food, does it really matter that some people have much more because of hard work or the hard work of their parents?

I have never been wealthy, but I have always been pretty happy with what I have been able to accomplish in the US with my own efforts.

Except that many really poor people in the US, those folks most people in the US (or Thailand) do not wish to see or even acknowledge, do not have a car (which often is used as housing by the poor as a mobile slum), nor a computer and instead use the computers at the public libraries to check e-mail. And hey, old TVs are free off of Craig's List in any major US city. Now I too have never been wealthy and work ridiculously silly hours just to stay in the ranks of the lower middle class, yet both remain happy and remain concerned and willing to help in my own small way the less fortunate and remained committed to the long lost ideals of a social democracy lost after WWII to the grifter corporatocracy.

But back to the OP, one can not, and should not, compare the backwater and corrupted by oil money State of Texas and the sh**hole city of Houston with the US in general: there are far too many better places to live although finding employment is now a bitch anywhere apart for the twitter brained soulless IT folks.

[endure]

Micro brewery beer production is highly sophisticated in the US and non existent in Thailand.

Don Muang used to have a bar with quite a good selection of micro brewery beers.

[powderpuff]

I seem to remember there was one over by the President Park too.

[mark45y]

Micro brewery beer production is highly sophisticated in the US and non existent in Thailand.

Don Muang used to have a bar with quite a good selection of micro brewery beers.

Actually what I was talking about was the availability of micro brews in the grocery store for sale. I realize there are some bars/restaurants that brew their own beer here and I think that is great but those brews are not for sale at the local store. In the States 100 years ago there were thousands of breweries, then refrigerated railroad cars and prohibition cut down on the number and 30 or so years ago micro or small brewery made a comeback so that Americans who did not like the weak cloned Buds had a choice again.

Since I was raised part of my life in Canada I got used to good beer and having lived a large part of my life on the American Canadian border it was never a problem to get good beer but the large variety of micro brews that became available relatively recently in the States even in small retail outlets was a gift to beer drinkers.

I am partial to top fermenting yeast beers mostly the English varieties but good locally brewed bottom fermenting German beers are also available.

Thailand is missing the boat by not allowing smaller breweries to flourish and using the variety as another method of attracting tourists.

There are micro climates in Thailand such as the Nom Now (sp) area close to Petchabun that would be great for German pubs, roaring fires in the fireplace and a view of the mountains.

In the US there are places where one can ski in the mountains in the morning and visit the seashore in the afternoon. I personally like skiing in Colorado and Utah better but the Pacific Northwest also offers the benefits of large cities like Seattle and Vancouver and Portland near by.

I don't know if people realize the availability of different climates in close proximity. Ian can wake up in the morning, and go sailing while looking at three different snow covered mountain ranges in the distance. The same scenario in California.

On the other coast it is only a couple of hours by boat (80 miles) from Florida to Cuba and it looks like travel restrictions will finally be eased between the two countries, not that that ever stopped intrepid mongers or sailors or cigar smokers/smugglers from visiting Cuba before. Although Miami is pretty much like Cuba now concerning food, coffee and women. One could always find decent Cuban cigars, Cuban coffee and Cuban women in Miami. I really wonder if everyone knows that America does have the availability of other cultures close by. French in Montreal/Quebec city only a short drive, Toronto for English and Indian and European, Mexico and Cuba and the Bahamas also only an hour away. Winter and summer sports only separated by a short drive. The variety of food and entertainment of NY is hard to duplicate anywhere else in the world. The country is very diverse. I can hunt elk in the wilderness and an hour later be gambling with bimbos in Las Vegas. The US is a culturally very diverse society. The population of only one state, California is 37 million while all of Australia has only 22 million people. 1.4 million first- and second-generation Swedish immigrants lived in the U.S. in 1910, while Sweden's population at the time was 5.5 million.

I realize the TV conventional wisdom is to portray the US as being a culturally homogeneous society of loud, undereducated and untraveled red necks but that is just not the case.

Asia population, Chinese (3.53 million), Filipinos (3.05 million), Indians (2.77 million), Vietnamese (1.64 million),Koreans (1.56 million),and Japanese (1.22 million).

There are about as many Asians living in the US as there are total people living in the Netherlands.

The Ethnic list below is compiled from multiple sources such as surveys, Census and Tract information.

Arabic 587,100 Hungarian 387,524 Portuguese 327,004 Chinese 931,854 Icelandic 1,491 Russian 387,814 Czech 234,202 Indian 418,559 Scottish 6,987,486 Danish 524,774 Irish 5,387,588 Spanish 8,965,297 Dutch 1,966,881 Italian 3,467,078 Swedish 992,875 English 27,054,951 Japanese 356,539 Thai 26,021 Estonian 17,547 Israeli 161,654 Turkish 35,832 Finnish 131,335 Korean 315,271 Ukrainian 84,572 French 2,382,214 Lithuanian 47,774 Vietnamese 417,952 German 6,499,748 Norwegian 417,887 Welsh 2,913,847

All of the above groups eat. Lot of ethnic restaurants and cultural traditions outside the Bubba red neck stereotype.

[StreetCowboy]

....The Ethnic list below is compiled from multiple sources such as surveys, Census and Tract information.

Arabic 587,100 Hungarian 387,524 Portuguese 327,004 Chinese 931,854 Icelandic 1,491 Russian 387,814 Czech 234,202 Indian 418,559 Scottish 6,987,486 Danish 524,774 Irish 5,387,588 Spanish 8,965,297 Dutch 1,966,881 Italian 3,467,078 Swedish 992,875 English 27,054,951 Japanese 356,539 Thai 26,021 Estonian 17,547 Israeli 161,654 Turkish 35,832 Finnish 131,335 Korean 315,271 Ukrainian 84,572 French 2,382,214 Lithuanian 47,774 Vietnamese 417,952 German 6,499,748 Norwegian 417,887 Welsh 2,913,847

All of the above groups eat. Lot of ethnic restaurants and cultural traditions outside the Bubba red neck stereotype.

That's more Scots than in Scotland.

90% of Scots think that their country is the best in the world, and 15% would live there, if they had to

SC

[mark45y]

....The Ethnic list below is compiled from multiple sources such as surveys, Census and Tract information.

Arabic 587,100 Hungarian 387,524 Portuguese 327,004 Chinese 931,854 Icelandic 1,491 Russian 387,814 Czech 234,202 Indian 418,559 Scottish 6,987,486 Danish 524,774 Irish 5,387,588 Spanish 8,965,297 Dutch 1,966,881 Italian 3,467,078 Swedish 992,875 English 27,054,951 Japanese 356,539 Thai 26,021 Estonian 17,547 Israeli 161,654 Turkish 35,832 Finnish 131,335 Korean 315,271 Ukrainian 84,572 French 2,382,214 Lithuanian 47,774 Vietnamese 417,952 German 6,499,748 Norwegian 417,887 Welsh 2,913,847

All of the above groups eat. Lot of ethnic restaurants and cultural traditions outside the Bubba red neck stereotype.

That's more Scots than in Scotland.

90% of Scots think that their country is the best in the world, and 15% would live there, if they had to

SC

My point about listing the different groups was to emphasize that America is a very diverse place. Ireland has mostly Irish people. China has mostly Chinese people and Japan has mostly Japanese people. America is not like that and never has been like that. Even the native Americans identified as different people and acted accordingly. The native Americans had many a war long before the white man showed up. Florida was under six different flags as I believe was Texas.

Many Americans identify as Irish, English, Dutch, French and so on equally and as vehemently as they identify as American. There used to be factories in Detroit where one could not get a job unless you spoke Polish, (Dodge Main).

Europeans tend to think of America as one country and one ethnicity that being American. But that is simply not the case. My grandparents spoke German at home on my fathers side and on my mothers side I learned enough Gaelic to be at home with the 1% of Irish who still speak it. I can even understand the Irish that teach English in the Thai school system and that is no mean feat.

[StreetCowboy]

....The Ethnic list below is compiled from multiple sources such as surveys, Census and Tract information.

Arabic 587,100 Hungarian 387,524 Portuguese 327,004 Chinese 931,854 Icelandic 1,491 Russian 387,814 Czech 234,202 Indian 418,559 Scottish 6,987,486 Danish 524,774 Irish 5,387,588 Spanish 8,965,297 Dutch 1,966,881 Italian 3,467,078 Swedish 992,875 English 27,054,951 Japanese 356,539 Thai 26,021 Estonian 17,547 Israeli 161,654 Turkish 35,832 Finnish 131,335 Korean 315,271 Ukrainian 84,572 French 2,382,214 Lithuanian 47,774 Vietnamese 417,952 German 6,499,748 Norwegian 417,887 Welsh 2,913,847

All of the above groups eat. Lot of ethnic restaurants and cultural traditions outside the Bubba red neck stereotype.

That's more Scots than in Scotland.

90% of Scots think that their country is the best in the world, and 15% would live there, if they had to

SC

My point about listing the different groups was to emphasize that America is a very diverse place. Ireland has mostly Irish people. China has mostly Chinese people and Japan has mostly Japanese people. America is not like that and never has been like that. Even the native Americans identified as different people and acted accordingly. The native Americans had many a war long before the white man showed up. Florida was under six different flags as I believe was Texas.

Many Americans identify as Irish, English, Dutch, French and so on equally and as vehemently as they identify as American. There used to be factories in Detroit where one could not get a job unless you spoke Polish, (Dodge Main).

Europeans tend to think of America as one country and one ethnicity that being American. But that is simply not the case. My grandparents spoke German at home on my fathers side and on my mothers side I learned enough Gaelic to be at home with the 1% of Irish who still speak it. I can even understand the Irish that teach English in the Thai school system and that is no mean feat.

You should be a diplomat... personally, I question that claim on the grounds of incredulity; I refuse to believe that anyone outside the emerald isle understands the Irish, and much less anyone thereon, of whatever shade or hue. And its got nothing to do with language, accent or dialect... Gerry Adams, in my mind, lost all credibility when his words were no longer spoken by an actor.

Out of interest, does one find orangemen in the US?

I dread to think of foreigners learning English from an Ulsterman. I knew a Pakistani girl, when I was younger, who had the stoutest Irish accent you could wish for (or wish on your worst enemy, depending on your view of the accent, I suppose) from a year sharing a room with an Irish girl, and I fear I have been similarly damaged, to a lesser degree.

My apologies for the digression - I was often asked, in my younger days, if I ever wanted to move home, and I replied "and then where would I go on my holidays?"

SC

[bonobo]

This thread has been vacillating back and forth between a wide range of subjects. It is hard to compare the US with Thailand without mentioning politics, and comparisons with other countries is a natural progression as well, but let's try and keep this thread more-or-less on track without delving completely into other subjects.

[StreetCowboy]

This thread has been vacillating back and forth between a wide range of subjects. It is hard to compare the US with Thailand without mentioning politics, and comparisons with other countries is a natural progression as well, but let's try and keep this thread more-or-less on track without delving completely into other subjects.

I suppose the last page or two might have been better posted on one of the many "why don't you all eff off back there then" threads; but the point is that we have no need, since we carry our countries with us in our hearts and in our own bigotries and prejudices; a colleague from work, when he learnt that my son was learning the flute, very kindly offered to come and swear at him and throw stones just as soon as my son got his bolwer hat and white gloves. Oh, it would be just like back in the old country!

We forget, when we go back, that the old country has moved on, and the sad and seedy go go bars have been replaced with lap dancing clubs, and all our knowledge of where to go and what to do is all so very 'last milennium'. Before anyone judges the US, or some other country to which they might return, it might be as well to ask someone that has lived there recently to show you around.

I still maintain that one of the greatest joys I get, whenever I drive in the old country, is the ability to follow road signs and lane markings, and arrive at one's destination

SC

[tmwke]

C'mon be honest with yourself and others...ask ONE question, if it weren't for the women would you be here??

Of course you would not...Yes, I know you came for the chiz but then fell in love with "Thai culture," pleeeese...give me a break...

I live in the Asoke area, one of the "nicer" areas of BKK, well, if you can call any place in BKK "nice," with the exception of Nichida Thani, and I still say that all American middle class areas are nicer and CLEANER then Asoke, Thong Lo, etc...better infrastructure, what have you...they just don't take care of things here...

Today had the misfortune of having to travel to Pinklao...never a fun journey and what a hole...anyone that would rather live there then in the US should have their head examined...unless of course it is for the chix...still is, always was, and always will be...if they disappeared why would you stay???

Do you have to be so brutualy honest ! Please leave us with some illusion its for the honesty of there culture.( and refering to my orther post early ) My Thai wife wouldnt been seen dead in Thailand,altough i cant wait to get back.

[mark45y]

C'mon be honest with yourself and others...ask ONE question, if it weren't for the women would you be here??

Of course you would not...Yes, I know you came for the chiz but then fell in love with "Thai culture," pleeeese...give me a break...

I live in the Asoke area, one of the "nicer" areas of BKK, well, if you can call any place in BKK "nice," with the exception of Nichida Thani, and I still say that all American middle class areas are nicer and CLEANER then Asoke, Thong Lo, etc...better infrastructure, what have you...they just don't take care of things here...

Today had the misfortune of having to travel to Pinklao...never a fun journey and what a hole...anyone that would rather live there then in the US should have their head examined...unless of course it is for the chix...still is, always was, and always will be...if they disappeared why would you stay???

Do you have to be so brutualy honest ! Please leave us with some illusion its for the honesty of there culture.( and refering to my orther post early ) My Thai wife wouldnt been seen dead in Thailand,altough i cant wait to get back.

A good friend of mine is coming to Thailand for a visit with his Thai wife. They live in California. There are about 100,000 Thais that live in California. We have decided that he can't come to see me. I have to go and see them. His wife does not trust anyone I know. Not just my GF but my maid, the condo maids, the waitresses at the restaurant I frequent. She even is afraid of the lady boy who sells som tom on the corner (she is kind of cute). It is not just the girls who are pretty even the boys are pretty. God what a place. I went to the mayors office last week to fill out some paperwork. One of the clerks asked me in English to have a seat while I waited. The other ladies went into hysteria, laughing and kidding the lady about speaking English to me. Implying she was going after a Falang for a husband. She turned red, as red as a Thai can turn.

Every day my vanity is massaged a bit. What a nice place to live. Sure it is all fantasy. Disneyland is all fantasy. So?

[MJP]

This thread has been vacillating back and forth between a wide range of subjects. It is hard to compare the US with Thailand without mentioning politics, and comparisons with other countries is a natural progression as well, but let's try and keep this thread more-or-less on track without delving completely into other subjects.

All the best threads do.

Have a Random Threads Repository (RTR), where such delights can be kept alive.

[mogoso]

Arabic 587,100 Hungarian 387,524 Portuguese 327,004 Chinese 931,854 Icelandic 1,491 Russian 387,814 Czech 234,202 Indian 418,559 Scottish 6,987,486 Danish 524,774 Irish 5,387,588 Spanish 8,965,297 Dutch 1,966,881 Italian 3,467,078 Swedish 992,875 English 27,054,951 Japanese 356,539 Thai 26,021 Estoni

Out of interest, does one find orangemen in the US?

Syracuse University Orangemen

[dancw3]

come on the op was in los 15yrs and went native, i am amazed his liver still works after 15yrs of bad booze, and lets be honest his choice of Houston is not the model of what the USA has to offer, it is hot, stinks, and is full of red necks with 2 first names i.e. billie bob. I have been in the los for 11yrs and have no desire to ride a motorcycle taxi, drink beer loa, or eat fresh road kill. Is America for everyone? No! Does America offer the ambitious, hard working of any race, education, sex or sexual prefrence an opportunity to see their dreams come true? Absolutly! If you have Child where would they have more opportunities to succeed? los or USA?

You are absolutely right. If you made your money in the west, Thailand is a great place to spend it. But if you are a child or have children, you can't do any better than the US to learn, develop and exploit your opportunities. Good education here is expensive and for the elite. In the US, its free. If you are a well grounded adult with a reasonable stream of income, the freedom and diversity of choices here provide a very rich and interesting lifestyle -- no "nanny state" here. If you are reckless (and not careful), this place can kill you. For me, its great. For my kids, I think that they are destined to grow up in the US (probably the northeast; the rest is uninhabitable (at least by civilized people)).

Education in the USA free??? Your kidding, right? Or are you referring to just a high school education? I'm from the USA and a college education is extremely expensive these days. People typically pay over $100,000 these days for a four year degree, though you can pay less or a lot more, depending on the college.

[mark45y]

come on the op was in los 15yrs and went native, i am amazed his liver still works after 15yrs of bad booze, and lets be honest his choice of Houston is not the model of what the USA has to offer, it is hot, stinks, and is full of red necks with 2 first names i.e. billie bob. I have been in the los for 11yrs and have no desire to ride a motorcycle taxi, drink beer loa, or eat fresh road kill. Is America for everyone? No! Does America offer the ambitious, hard working of any race, education, sex or sexual prefrence an opportunity to see their dreams come true? Absolutly! If you have Child where would they have more opportunities to succeed? los or USA?

You are absolutely right. If you made your money in the west, Thailand is a great place to spend it. But if you are a child or have children, you can't do any better than the US to learn, develop and exploit your opportunities. Good education here is expensive and for the elite. In the US, its free. If you are a well grounded adult with a reasonable stream of income, the freedom and diversity of choices here provide a very rich and interesting lifestyle -- no "nanny state" here. If you are reckless (and not careful), this place can kill you. For me, its great. For my kids, I think that they are destined to grow up in the US (probably the northeast; the rest is uninhabitable (at least by civilized people)).

Education in the USA free??? Your kidding, right? Or are you referring to just a high school education? I'm from the USA and a college education is extremely expensive these days. People typically pay over $100,000 these days for a four year degree, though you can pay less or a lot more, depending on the college.

I did my BA in the 1960's at a State University. $342. tuition. This year same school, $11,722. Total with room and meals per year now $19,542 Out of state, $37,442. Out of country $41,800. The university has 40,000 plus students. Founded in the 1800's and ranked between 30th and 60th in the world by most rating agencies.

[KRS1]

I much prefer living in Thailand, but anyone who starts out a post with "Thailand is actually technologically more advanced than the US, the US is lagging behind big time" has no credibility IMHO.

The problem is, all anyone can think of is the Internet....other than the Internet, name something the US is ahead in technologically.

Cable/satellite, wirelesss for cell phones, online shopping, electronic delivery of movies to your TV, 911 service, police dispatch and tracking, health care, stable/clean electric service and delivery, delivery of clean water, housing standards, roads (with underground sensors that detect oncoming traffic, and change lights for oncoming emergency vehicles), transportation (including electronic tracking and anti theft devices-Onstar), delivery services (ability to track packages at multiple points during the delivery process), coordinated traffic lights, space flight, Banking, financial services, airplanes, biotech, computer development, chip development, telecommunications in general...this could be a very long list...and I need another cup of coffee.

Why are you so hard on this? You can't be taking this seriously? At least I hope not!

Another typical answer from someone that has NOT done the research and is replying based on assumptions and heresay.

[bonobo]

I much prefer living in Thailand, but anyone who starts out a post with "Thailand is actually technologically more advanced than the US, the US is lagging behind big time" has no credibility IMHO.

The problem is, all anyone can think of is the Internet....other than the Internet, name something the US is ahead in technologically.

Cable/satellite, wirelesss for cell phones, online shopping, electronic delivery of movies to your TV, 911 service, police dispatch and tracking, health care, stable/clean electric service and delivery, delivery of clean water, housing standards, roads (with underground sensors that detect oncoming traffic, and change lights for oncoming emergency vehicles), transportation (including electronic tracking and anti theft devices-Onstar), delivery services (ability to track packages at multiple points during the delivery process), coordinated traffic lights, space flight, Banking, financial services, airplanes, biotech, computer development, chip development, telecommunications in general...this could be a very long list...and I need another cup of coffee.

Why are you so hard on this? You can't be taking this seriously? At least I hope not!

Another typical answer from someone that has NOT done the research and is replying based on assumptions and heresay.

And another inane response which ignores facts and just shouts "You're wrong, your wrong!" without any reasons or rebuttals given.

[Ulysses G.]

So true. It is not craigt3365 who is ignoring facts and "research" and just making it up as he goes along.

[craigt3365]

Another typical answer from someone that has NOT done the research and is replying based on assumptions and heresay.

You mean living here off and on for the past 10 years, in multiple cities, and owning a home here and having a home in the US now and for the past many years, in multiple cities...doesn't count as research? What else can I do?

Oh...forgot to mention the travels to over 70 countries...many where we stayed for multiple months....

[StreetCowboy]

come on the op was in los 15yrs and went native, i am amazed his liver still works after 15yrs of bad booze, and lets be honest his choice of Houston is not the model of what the USA has to offer, it is hot, stinks, and is full of red necks with 2 first names i.e. billie bob. I have been in the los for 11yrs and have no desire to ride a motorcycle taxi, drink beer loa, or eat fresh road kill. Is America for everyone? No! Does America offer the ambitious, hard working of any race, education, sex or sexual prefrence an opportunity to see their dreams come true? Absolutly! If you have Child where would they have more opportunities to succeed? los or USA?

You are absolutely right. If you made your money in the west, Thailand is a great place to spend it. But if you are a child or have children, you can't do any better than the US to learn, develop and exploit your opportunities. Good education here is expensive and for the elite. In the US, its free. If you are a well grounded adult with a reasonable stream of income, the freedom and diversity of choices here provide a very rich and interesting lifestyle -- no "nanny state" here. If you are reckless (and not careful), this place can kill you. For me, its great. For my kids, I think that they are destined to grow up in the US (probably the northeast; the rest is uninhabitable (at least by civilized people)).

Education in the USA free??? Your kidding, right? Or are you referring to just a high school education? I'm from the USA and a college education is extremely expensive these days. People typically pay over $100,000 these days for a four year degree, though you can pay less or a lot more, depending on the college.

I did my BA in the 1960's at a State University. $342. tuition. This year same school, $11,722. Total with room and meals per year now $19,542 Out of state, $37,442. Out of country $41,800. The university has 40,000 plus students. Founded in the 1800's and ranked between 30th and 60th in the world by most rating agencies.

We call the declining value of units of money inflation. It provides an opportunity for people to cut their prices by a little without losing face.

In this case, it appears that the University has been able to keep their prices fairly steady. a 30-fold increase seems about reasonable over the last fifity years, compared to the price of a shilling bag of chips.

SC