swissie

Depending on statistics (medical findings), between 10 to 30 thousand different deseases can befall a human body. It's a miracle that we have survived as a species. Wear and tear is a factor, but mostly Bacteria and Viruses prefer to "attack" us. So, every day we wake up healthy, we should be thankful that none of those thousands of "attackers" have selected you/me as a target. It must give food for thaught, that the "crown of evolution" is still mainly threathened by microscopip "villans", that have staunchly refused to turn into something "higher", not parttaking on evolution, perfectly satisfied with attacking "the crown of the evolution" relentlessly and successfully, by refusing to turn into a worm or a mouse eventually. Never mind the pistol toting humans, we are likely to be killed by microscopic little villans.

Once one has reached a certain age, one is in a "waiting room" no matter where you are. A waiting room under palm trees is preferrable over a drafty bedsit. Before we were born we were dead for a very long time. After we are dead we will be dead for a very long time again. So, most of the universal time WE ARE DEAD ANYWAY. To be mostly dead is normal.

Judging from the OP's past posts, he is well versed with Thai females. He sees Farang/Thai relationships from a "relaxed" perspective. With a grain of salt, so to speak. His post has a humoristic undertone that has escaped most posters here.

Come on guys, let's drop this tariff mumbo jumbo for a change. There is a "corrective element" taking place. The value of the US $ needs to be "dropped" by 30%. The current administration wants it. The financial markets want it. The only way for the US to re-establish international competiveness, outside the service sector. Period. The process of the Dollar devaluation has already started. An acceleraition of this process is expected. With good reason, major players are starting to look for a new "reserve currency". A "currency basket" is being considered. As not feasable today, for simplicy sake, central banks are buying Gold. At any rate, if the US $ should eventually lose it's "reserve currency status", it would affect every US citizen greatly.

Thanks, as usual, I appreciate your comment. Although I haven't learned anything new concerning the inner workings of "credit" and the ultimative "pawn shop". I worked for banks for 32 years. I have known about the "Cayman Islands" long before it made the headlines. But your last sentence "Every American owns his share of reward for the part of the GDP which he, or she, created", strikes me. How would you sell this ideology to a American person, if both parents have to work 2 to 3 jobs, just to survive. At the same time, convincing their offspring that "the American dream is alive"???

Absolutely correct. The US is rich. How much of this wealth is alredy deposited at the "pawn-shop"? Industrial loans/mortgages? Consumer credits? Who is in control of those assets? OR: Who owns the overwhelming wealth of America? OR: Who exactly owns the "pawn shops"?

"Social Security" programs are the main drivers of "government dept". That's where the ax will fall first. The 1929 tune of "Brother can you spare a dime" comes to mind.

Where is the political opposition in the US? Traditionally it should be the Democrats. But they are paralised and "shell-shocked" still. The current administration delivers plenty of reasons for a strong opposition to emerge. (A ship in a storm with a "loose cannon" on board should give plenty of reasons for the emergence of a strong political opposition one would think). The Democrats will have to regroup. Send the "left wingers" to the Mohave Desert, find new charismatic faces and most of all: Explain to the American voter that any country is best governed by "common sense" instead of following the visions of a loose cannon on board the ship that is called the United States of America. If the potential opposition finds no way to regroup soon, we will be attending the coronation of Donald the 1st not too far in the future.

Why the question in the first place? Today one can insult anyone over the internet without having to fear a broken nose or a broken rib. As opposed to former barroom brawls. The "meek" can inherit the world at last. Not having to wear a gun or a well developped upper body. Insulting everybody without ramifications. I miss the barroom brawls.

We urgently need to re-evaluate "paradise" by going back in time a bit. In the early 1980ties, Farangs discovered Thailand as the Paradise. Not because of high temperatures and 95% humidity, nor the djungles, nor the temples. IT WAS THE WOMEN. Daily, the Boeing 747's took off for Bangkok. Fully booked. Soon to be called "sex-bombers". Unexpetetly, a paradise found on earth. Some thaught, it would last forever. Well, it diden't. Women have become expensive. Farangs now stuck with high temperatures/95% humidity and the djungles and the temples. Reason enough to get "grumpy". Paradise lost, with no alternatives left.

Like all former Soviet-Satellite States. They have smelled the sweet taste of the European monetary "flesh pots". Otherwise they have nothing in common with Western European Values. Their hearts beat for the western "flesh pots" as well as the new Tsar. Western Europe needs none of such "new members".

Thanks for calculating this for me. I expected something like that. If Elon should have to leave the country in a hurry, he would not leave the country with 9000 trucks in his wake, heading for Eastern Timbukto.😉 Like I said, Siler is too heavy and costs too little. Rats!

Yes indeed, Gold did "slip back a little" during 1980 and 2000. Storage: Private Gold Dealers spring up like mushrooms, offering to store the purchased Gold in their "vaults" in your name for an amazingly small annual fee. Hands off! Take your Gold to a place not associated with the shop you bought the Gold from. Especially if the Gold shop is located somewhere in S/E Asia.

It was the Hunt Brothers. Silver. With the help of "Bache" as their broker. (Later called Bache Prudential). Don't know what happened to Bache Prudential nor the Hunt Brothers. But as I remember, it wasn't a happy ending for the Hunt Brothers.

That's the problem with Silver as a store of value: It weighs too much and costs too little. It's robbing me of my sleep: How many truckloads of Silver would Elon Musk need once he converts his paper Dollar assets into Silver?