Lacessit

I am struggling in Australia. Cold, and expensive. Two weeks to go, and I will be back in Thailand. People are really struggling here. Rental costs have skyrocketed.

The flaw in Bob's OP is when the girl asked if he was Thai. She could not pick a round-eye?

Plain water. Sugar-free most probably means artificial sweeteners are used instead.

The tax office is in Uttarakit Road, Chiang Rai.

A bit off topic perhaps, but I am wondering how the batteries in EV's are reacting to extreme heat.

Unless one is prepared to go naked in their home country, they should not do it anywhere else. IMO a month in a Thai jail, plus deportation, would stop this kind of idiot behavior.

In Western Australia there was a choice of milk or Coca-Cola at primary school. Probably made a lot of dentists there happy..

Once upon a time, I did a safety audit ( outside consultant ) for one of Australia's biggest beer manufacturers, Carlton and United Breweries. The Chief Chemist there told me the shelf life of bottled and canned beer was 3-6 months, 6 months in a cold climate, 3 months or less in a hot climate.

Fossicking for scrap brass, copper, aluminium and lead at the local garbage dump. I bought my first bicycle with the proceeds. Caddying for rich and influential people. Golf exposed the true character of most. Sad when I had to stop when I turned 18. My first win in competition. Going to a college on a scholarship. Being called a freak by sons of rich people because I had an eidetic memory. My first sex. I still wonder what she would look like now. My mother's roast lamb, coconut ice, and lemon meringue pie. The deaths of Stalin and Churchill.

Please note where we Aussies are.

If anyone is raging, it is Trump and the MAGA supporters. I fail to understand how people donate money to a self-proclaimed billionaire, because that defies all logic. It defies even more logic when people buy gold sneakers he has never worn himself, or buy bibles he cannot quote a single verse from.

I transfer the money into WISE first, then wait until I can lock in a good exchange rate.

I can remember an angelic-looking bar girl on Loi Kroh Road who boasted of having 19 men in the space of 24 hours. That would be skewing any statistical analysis.

Women report having 68% fewer sexual partners than men, according to this article: https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/2024/04/08/australia-promiscuous? No doubt BMT would say they are all lying.

Most elite Australian Rules footballers would fail BMI tests miserably, many are above 30. In the pre-season, coaches focus on skin fold testing to determine fitness to play.

Dieting without exercising is like one hand clapping. Exercise is essential for maintaining mobility, muscle mass, a healthy blood pressure, and pulse rate. While I don't disagree its effect on reducing body weight is limited, I regard daily exercise to be just as important as diet. My exercise regime gives me normal blood pressure and a resting pulse rate of 55 bpm, after years of being on blood pressure medication, which I no longer need. Sugar and carbohydrates are the drivers of weight gain. Cutting them out results in the body burning fat instead. IMO your statement about beer ignores the fact the term "beer gut" was coined for a reason. Here's what AI has to say on the topic: Q: What is the comparative carbohydrate content of beer, wine, and spirits? A: "Here's a breakdown of the carbohydrate content of beer, wine, and spirits: Beer: Generally has the highest carb content. A regular 12-ounce beer can have around 10-15 grams of carbs, comparable to a slice of bread. Lighter beers can have less than 10 grams, and some even below 5 grams. Wine: The carb content varies depending on the sweetness. Dry wines have the least amount, with 1-2 grams per 5-ounce glass. Sweeter wines like Riesling or Moscato can reach 5-10 grams per glass, and fortified wines like port can be even higher at 13+ grams or more. Spirits: Distilled spirits like vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, and tequila contain close to no carbohydrates. However, mixers added to these drinks can significantly increase the carb count." I agree, if weight is not being measured it can't be controlled.

I would not say I am fluent in Thai. However, I do find it useful to be able to communicate, such as if I have a flat tyre, I can explain the problem. Some time ago, I played golf with three expats, none of whom had any Thai. I was able to ascertain the green fees, caddie fees and tips. Which was handy, as none of the golf course personnel spoke a word of English.

Baked beans are loaded with sugar, steamed green beans are much healthier.

Trump was predicted more than 30 years ago, by the author James Lee Burke, in his novel " A Stained White Radiance". “ But Bobby Earl is out there by consent. He has his finger on a dark pulse, and like all confidence men, he knows his audience wishes to be conned. He learned long ago to listen, and he knows that if he listens carefully they’ll tell him what they need to hear. It’s a contract of mutual deceit by which they open up their flak vests and take it through the breastbone. Bobby Earl’s ilk want power so badly that at some point in their lives they make a conscious choice to embrace evil. It’s not a gradual seduction. They do it without reservation, and that’s when they leave the rest of us”.

A descendant of Victor Trumper? Good heavens, trans may have Aussie genes.

The supreme irony is, we have trapped ourselves already. I remember the fuss when the Australian government wanted to have a national ID card. Said card is unnecessary now, we carry around something that can identify and locate us any time the government pleases. It's called a mobile phone. It's why Islamic extremists don't use them.

I don't disagree. Only 13% of Australians pay cash, compared with 66% in Thailand. Banks are closing down ATM's. However, when one compares the bank interest spread for Australia vs Thailand, it's quite obvious Thai banks are less competitive. IMO cash will still be around for some time yet, given the number of times I see Thais walking out of banks with satchels stuffed full of house brick-like 1000 baht notes.

There are already fees for receiving cash from a non-bank ATM. IMO the person in the US who is getting a lot of cash should be shopping around for a new bank, and better terms. Banks already make money from cash deposits, and the float. An excess cash deposit fee is simply greed.

IMO there will still be ATM's around for people who want cash in OZ. I think I can safely predict the big banks will charge for that service, as another profit stream. They don't do it on debit cards now, but IMO it is only a matter of time. Cash in Australia is a mechanism for hiding assets from Centrelink, so it's no wonder the government would be in favor of cashless too.

Can you make and edit your own videos? Do you post them on YouTube? Are you able to install a Linux OS? In my working life, I used instruments such as FTIR spectrometers, GC/MS, OES, AA, LC and IC. Equipment probably beyond your comprehension. Trying to portray me as a technological Luddite won't wash. Your claim I am unfamiliar with cashless is complete BS. Isn't a debit card cashless? How do you think I buy airline tickets and accommodation online? Or purchase goods on Lazada? With cash-bearing carrier pigeons? I use technology that works for me. Phones don't, my hands are too large to manage the tiny keyboards. I don't imagine people at a checkout would be too happy if I was struggling to enter the various incantations required. Calling my reasons silly is argument ad hominem, from a supercilious twit. You need to pull your head in.