connda

I can sympathize. I had situations after the death of my daughter that quite literally would find me waking up screaming. I went to a shrink once here in Thailand who was worthless. Buddhist meditation (Forest Tradition) is a better avenue. I haven't had one of those "wake up screaming" dreams for a few years, so something in me has healed. But chronic insomnia is a constant issue although my problem is initially getting to sleep. Once asleep I tend to be able to stay asleep other then "old man" peeing issue, but I usually fall back asleep easily enough. But I take melatonin nightly and make sure the room is as dark as I can get it as for me it tends to work although it still takes me upwards of an hour to an hour and a half to get to sleep. If I absolutely need to get to sleep and wake up the next morning without a sleep hangover I'll take 10 mg of diazepam (prescribed by a doctor). But I use diazepam rarely and prefer melatonin. Although it has a rather long half-life, I don't wake up groggy at all. I shy away from short-term benzos like Xanax as they can rebound and cause drug induced anxiety. Regarding breath meditation. It's worthwhile to practice as you can eventually focus entirely on the breath and let thoughts arise and pass away without dwelling on them. I use that technique to fall back asleep after I wake up at night. You'll find you mind what's to attach to thoughts, but you can get to the point where you remain with the breath and your mind becomes Teflon, and then watch as the thoughts turn into hypnagogic imagery and the next thing you know you're asleep. Just a suggestion.

You may be able to find zolpidem (Ambien) but it's expensive and again, it can only be acquired from a hospital. One common thing about Thailand - they are extremely adverse to prescribing anything that is effective for pain or for sleep. Palliative medicine here in Thailand is in the stone-ages and it seems to be getting worse, not better. Even melatonin which many here would like to take is becoming a pain-in-the-butt to find and purchase. However if it is only for occasional insomnia, then benzodizepines like diazepam are widely available from clinics. However you don't every want to become physically dependent on benzos. Not a good choice for those who tend toward addictive behavior.

Zirconia Crown - they are the best value for the money - I'm speaking from experience. However you can go cheaper like porcelain. I had a porcelain crown that lasted 20+ years. More expensive crowns? You don't need them. They're just money makers for the dentist.

As a Free-Speech Absolutist, I'm looking forward to the merger.

What fun - 200 more days of this Left - Right d**k measuring and listening to, "My Candidate's <deleted> is Bigger Than Your Candidate's <deleted>!!!" Gawd children - grow up. "Trump Is Hitler!!! Arrrggghhhh" "Biden Is Stalin!!! Arrrrgggghh" Trust me - they all suck and could care less about you or the American people.

Apologies, wais, and forgiveness all around.

Yeah - most government hospitals are happy to pull your teeth out. Most don't have the facilities to do anything beyond a basic filling.

Average cost for a root canal will be between 10K to 13K for a molar. Average cost for a Zirconia Crown will be between 18K to 20K for a molar. My own dentist: 13K for a root canal and 18K for a Zirconia Crown. My wife's dentist: 10K for a root canal and 20K for a Zirconia Crown. Shop around.

"Opinion" as opposed to "facts" derived by state sponsored Intelligence gathering as well as facts gathered by international agencies, such as the IAEA, are two entirely different things. Can Intelligence agencies lie? Of course. Mike Pompeo: "I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses." So could the US Intel agencies be publishing nonsense about Iran's nuclear capabilities? I guess they could. Are they? It's my opinion they are not based on "fact-based" assessments that I've read. It's your opinion that they are based on "opinion-based" Op-Eds you have read. Ok - we all are welcome to our opinions which was the purpose of this post to begin with.

Can you source your assertion that Iran "are believed to hold an arsenal of nukes." Here's the 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Download the publication and look at the section on Iran on page 19 under the topic heading WMD: https://www.odni.gov/index.php/newsroom/reports-publications/reports-publications-2024/3787-2024-annual-threat-assessment-of-the-u-s-intelligence-community "Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities necessary to produce a testable nuclear device. Since 2020, however, Tehran has stated that it is no longer constrained by any JCPOA limits, and Iran has greatly expanded its nuclear program, reduced IAEA monitoring, and undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so." I'll leave it at that although you can find numerous assessments, including from the IAEA, stating that Iran neither has nukes nor is currently working on developing nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons development and testing leaves "fingerprints" (e.g., seismic and atmospheric) that intelligence agencies actively look for. If they had nuclear weapons in development - the Western intelligence agencies would know, and they would not be quiet about the fact.

Just wait until the EU, UK, and the US being to conscript Gen-Z to fight the wars that the West is promising against Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea as well as those parts of the Global South which are now throwing off their Western colonial yokes of subservience. Farang kids will be scrambling all over the globe to get away from being press-ganged into military service.

And what is worse imho? Look at the AN community as a subset of the Western population. Then look at the subset of members here who simple parrot their own foreign office and main-stream media talking point as well as openly calling for the use of nuclear weapons as well as the destruction of all countries who challenge their home country's hegemonic and Neo-colonial ambitions. "Nuke them all and let God sort them out." Ya'll do understand that will include you too. I feel sorry for the ideological zealots on ALL SIDES as they will be the death of the rest of us - average people - just trying to live life without hurting others in the process.

Just like nuclear weapons which are 100% a deterrent until the first time they are used, after which the genie is out of the bottle. The same regarding the international laws regarding embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions - they are inviolate in the sense that signatories to conventions protecting these institutions understand that the law is only as good as the first time that it is allowed to be transgressed. Israel has stated by its actions that it will not abide by international law. It's a terrible precedence to set, especially when all of its transgressions of international law are being formally "excused" and ignored by Western countries especially the US, UK, and France. It's amazing to listen to the pretzel-twisted rhetoric coming out of Western countries foreign offices and state departments which won't even acknowledge the strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus. Personally I think the genie is now out of the bottle regarding the sacrosanct nature of embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions. Everybody plays the game of diplomacy or nobody plays the game of diplomacy. Now back to Article 51 of the UN charter which allows a country attacked by another state to a reprisal. Ok - Israel attacked Iran's embassy, then Iran launched a "failed" reprisal the "did minor damage." Tit for Tat - this should be over. Instead - Israel plans to attack Iran. So they are going to escalate. And Iran has stated that if it's attacked it will launch a counter-attack that will make the April 14th "show" reprisal look like a walk in the park. Then it's "game on" in the Middle East/North Africa and beyond. It will become "The Suck." And it will suck the entire world in. Israel can never deescalate. They will always require to get in the last blow. Therefore, personally, I see tactical nukes being used by Israel. Once the first tactical nuke explodes? The world as we have known it - ends.

Come on all of you big strong men, Uncle Sam needs your help again. He got himself in a terrible jam, Way down yonder in Vietnam, Ukraine/Russia, Taiwan/China, Israel/Iran/Syria/Iraq/ME/NA, North Korea/South Korea/Japan, <stay tuned we're working on identifying other enemies to for you cannon-fodder conscripts to kill for corporate profits and empire>. So put down your books and pick up a gun, We're gonna have a whole lot of fun....

Fyi - Israel has subs that are nuclear capable. 🤔

You've just listed a bunch or reasons to move to a different country. So, just curious - what do you like that keeps you here?

I've got a chest freezer. We buy meat, individually wrap it (or store it in bulk), and put it in the freezer. Take it out the day we want to use it. Bob's your uncle.

I see all of the medical props are now gone. Fancy that. It's a Miracle! 🙏🙏🙏 "On the golf course." <rip, "pwtt", reads> "Where will you find Khun Parolee before the end of the year?"

It is widely accepted that Israel has nuclear weapons and the delivery systems to send them to their targets. According to The Center For Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, "Israel is widely believed to possess 90 plutonium-based nuclear warheads and to have produced enough plutonium for 100-200 weapons." Given the current Geo-political state of affairs in the Middle East, the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damacus, Syria, and Iran's military response to the bombing, and Israel's signal that it plans to attack Iran in retaliation - do you believe that Israel will use its nuclear stockpiles to "defend" themselves against their Arab neighbors? Please include your rationale to support your position and your vote. As well, if Israel does use nuclear weapons on non-nuclear Arab countries in the region, what do you believe will be the outcome and the future for the Middle East as well as the entire world and humanity - and - how will it affect your decision to remain in Thailand?

Exactly. Look around. The gold shop is in a mall like Big C. What are you going to do - lock everyone in? Then panic, especially if a gun is pulled out and shot and customers stampede the doors trying to get out? They all have cameras. I can't really think of a case where one of these thieves steal gold and actually get away with it, especially when it's taken from a gold shop in a mall. So why present a risk to those in the mall? The cops will eventually track the guy down.

Duplicate.

She and Vorayuth Yoovidhya should fly in on the same private jet and turn themselves over to the authorities in order to spend a couple of years, a couple of months, a couple of days in a maximum security prison, a jail, a penthouse hospital suite before being release under reporting conditions less stringent that your normal long-stay expat. Yep - justice awaits. Come on back. Freedom will soon be yours. Just show up. You'll never have to rub shoulders with the commoners and riff-raff. Special people, special justice. Just like all over the rest of the world.

Lone thief snatches 210,000 baht gold necklace in a daring mall heist Given my calculations that was one 5 baht-weight necklace (5 x 41 = 20.5K; add the markup and you have a 210K necklace). Big whoop. Many Thais wear 3 to 5 baht-weight jewelry. However, most of the jewelry was purchase back when Thai gold was selling for 12K THB per baht-weight or less. Notice - if the news reported: Lone Thief Snatches 5 baht-weight Necklace In A Snatch-and-Run Mall Heist Well, that's not very interesting is it. But sprinkle the theft with loads of hyperbole? "Major gold theft in 'daring mall heist.'" My guess is the moron asked to see the necklace, grabbed it and ran. Not quite the same as other "gold heists" where robbers come in with firearms and shoot people and exit with a few tens of million in jewelry and bullion. (I hadn't read the article, just the headline, and "Yep," that's exactly what happened. "Heist" of the century. 😜) I should have started a journalism course in writing articles with maximum hyperbole, but? It seems this current generation of reporters have already honed it to a science.

A life. It does happen here. What the morons get in exchange for your life may be next to nothing. I've got a sqaure rai of fence to cover. The dogs do an excellent job. Their there to deter morons from attempting to be murderous morons. That's all.