Comments Posted By Brian
Displaying 421 To 450 Of 1,055 Comments
A sobering day and the memories that come with 9/11.
» Posted By Brian On 12/September/2024 @ 1:06 am
I think another thing that causes expats to leave any country in SE Asia is medical. If a person has a chronic or fairly serious condition that requires ongoing or specialized care, it can be difficult to get the same level of treatment that would be found in the US (or other western country). Especially if their insurance/finances are limited or not valid.
(On a side rant, I am always a bit frustrated when approached by someone collecting money for an expat that got injured in an accident or had a medical issue. Invariably, they did not have insurance, and now when confronted with some serious medical bills, they have to go begging for money. I feel bad for them, but at the same time, they kind of got themselves in that situation.)
» Posted By Brian On 10/September/2024 @ 2:04 am
Re: the video. Some common sense things – dont give out your financial information, learn to say “no”, but overall it is pretty cynical.
I have run into people like that in Thailand. Usually, it is one of two reasons: they have little money but somehow thought that in coming to SE Asia, they would be able to live a rich expat lifestyle on a locals budget. They may be able to live marginally better, but soon find that living like a local isn’t a bed of roses. The second reason is that a lot of them were losers in their home country and think with the move to SE Asia, they will no longer be a loser. Sorry – doesn’t work that way. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 07/September/2024 @ 1:33 am
EDIT: May have misunderstood him as I was watching the video at higher speed. I think he said that if you want to smoke, go to Thailand. My bad.
PS. Seems like you something going on with your comments. Mine keep getting rejected and I have to resubmit and resubmit.
» Posted By Brian On 04/September/2024 @ 12:05 am
John, I am impressed. Even getting dumped on with cake ingredients, you still seem to have a good grip on your beer! LOL
(I assume you have a chance to clean up before the after hash? Though I suppose for some people, that would be a feeble attempt at a pick up line to one of the GRO’s – “Would anybody like a piece of cake?”)
Re: the video. Never having been to the PI, I can’t really comment on which is better. But the vlogger mentions that if you want to smoke marijuana, come to the Philippines. His info is a bit out of date. About 1-2 years ago, Thailand went from super strict anti-marijuana laws to 100% acceptance. There are public (not medicinal) Mary Jane shops almost on every corner now. Really surprised me when this happened. It is just crazy.
Based on your experiences with bar girls in the PI, I am not sure that the Philippines is any different than Thailand (or any other SE Asian country). LOL
» Posted By Brian On 03/September/2024 @ 11:59 pm
Big oaks from little acorns grow. Hopefully the seed you are planting for Jason will have a lifelong positive impact. Good on ya!
When I was working in India, and seeing some of the abject poverty there, I wondered if there was the next Beethoven or someone who would find a cure for a cancer living in the slums. Unfortunately, we will never know. 🙁
» Posted By Brian On 03/September/2024 @ 11:39 pm
@Steve there is TDS on both sides. Trump Derangement Syndrome from the left and Trump Deification Syndrome on the right.
I am personally confident that the US overall is strong enough to withstand whoever is president.
No, the US will not become some sort of Marxist/Communist state if Harris is elected.
No, democracy is not at stake if Trump is elected.
etc. I think it is quite overblown to think that if (generic) your candidate is not elected, the sky is falling.It is unfortunate that US politics has pretty much become a black or white issue. If you are for candidate X, you have to be 100% against candidate Y. And vice versa.
US thoughts/beliefs/morals, etc. are like a pendulum. It starts to swing too far and then will correct, with things mainly staying relatively close to the middle.
I have challenged my friends on both sides to pick five measurable things in the US (GDP, inflation, stock market returns, increase in national debt, unemployment, church attendance, school test scores, patents issued, home ownership – whatever you want to pick but you get the point) and show me where those five things are consistently better under the administration of Republican or Democratic president.
No one has been able to do that.
In a lot of ways, a President is like the nations cheerleader. If you are on his “team”, he can make you feel good about things, even if the QUANTITATIVE numbers show that things really aren’t much different compared to the previous administration. And the opposite is true.
Presidents claim too much credit when things are going well, and get too much blame when they aren’t.
Anyways, we can check back in four years and see if I am correct. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 02/September/2024 @ 12:10 am
Happy Birthday!!!! Hope the birthday party went well.
Yeah, would suck being lost after dark in the jungle. Looks like you made the right choice to do your own hash path. You usually scout out the trail the day before. Does this hasher not do that?
» Posted By Brian On 27/August/2024 @ 11:53 pm
Don’t know the whole details, but my father had a similar persistent problem with always feeling like he had to pee. Turned out it was a minor blockage (or narrowing, not sure which) of the urethra. Minor procedure to fix that and all was good after that.
I’ve had days like yours before. Weird, but just a small series of events that make the whole day seem off. Fortunately, they don’t happen very often, and I guess that is why we remember them.
That would piss me off also about the lady drink in the Hideaway. Since you are paying, makes no sense that don’t give her her choice of pop and try and give her an already opened one. :shrug
Here’s to better days ahead.
» Posted By Brian On 27/August/2024 @ 12:56 am
Smokin’ some Hops and drinkin’ some Brews
Food looks good.
(Re: Meme on inflation. As the meme says, money supply is a pretty big driver of inflation. Although I intentionally (usually) stay away from politics, you do know under which administration the money supply QUADRUPLED, don’t you? Hint: it wasn’t the current one. LOL. If you want to do a deep dive, the St. Louis Federal Reserve webpage has detailed charts and analysis on stuff like that. Do a search for the M1 money supply)
» Posted By Brian On 25/August/2024 @ 11:16 pm
Re: Speed to load your website. I am not having any problems. There was a period last month when I was in Thailand that it took forever to load, but that seems to be temporary and it eventually went back to normal. Back in the States at the moment, and no issues. It is weird because even when your site was super slow to load, other seemed to be okay. Modern technology I guess. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 25/August/2024 @ 11:04 pm
Like you allude to and @Kevin says, hard to feel sympathy for the guy. I mean, I do feel bad for him, but his problems seem to be of his own making.
As for you John, I agree best to sort out your marriage situation. Not fair to Swan.
» Posted By Brian On 23/August/2024 @ 11:32 pm
John, would it be worth getting another “heart scan” or whatever it is called to determine any potential blockage in your arteries? The ability to see those types of things must have advanced quite a bit in the last ten years. I have heard about some like that in the US. Not cheap but supposed to be quite accurate.
» Posted By Brian On 23/August/2024 @ 2:23 am
Not sure if it is just me, but the picture of the Hash host on ice seems to have a weird filter to it. (Noticed it on other pics in previous posts also). Seems to be trying to be half artwork/half picture. :shrug
Re: crazy girlfriends. I guess that is why one night stands were invented. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 21/August/2024 @ 12:11 am
I was going to make a comment similar to @Kevin’s.
Tell the kids that we have heard that you guys are throwing your wrappers on the street. When come by here next week, we will give you candy only if you give us a bag of empty wrappers. That way you are sure they are cleaning up. Etc.
» Posted By Brian On 19/August/2024 @ 11:14 pm
Wow. Lots of construction going on in your little subdivision.
Are most of the already built houses occupied or do some of them sit vacant? What would you say is the ratio of expat owned/occupied vs. PI owned/occupied?
» Posted By Brian On 18/August/2024 @ 11:25 pm
@Kevin said
“This gal was a couple of months younger than meGal? I see a masculine Spanish first name and a mustache. We lookin’ at the same picture? Am I missing a joke?”
I noticed the same thing also. I actually also know a guy named Gerardo. I guess in the PI you never know. LOL
PS. The food looks good!!
» Posted By Brian On 16/August/2024 @ 11:21 pm
Up the creek and through the village
John, I think that your comments on relationships are correct. When you get down to it, relationships are pretty much all transactional in some respect.
Look at President Trump. Him ending up with a much younger hot wife was certainly not due to his good looks or personality. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 16/August/2024 @ 11:16 pm
Were you Big John or John M(darts)? I am assuming the latter.
Re: the video, I think she is looking at May-September romances through slightly rose tinted glasses, but I know a lot couples that it works for. Things can develop into a meaningful loving relationship, but (being a bit cynical) the initial attraction from the female is probably not based on the guys good looks. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 16/August/2024 @ 5:39 am
Re: the video – the apartment the vlogger has is quite cheap but definitely seems to be a case of “you get what you pay for”. Not my style, that is for sure. LOL. But, if it works for him, good for him.
» Posted By Brian On 14/August/2024 @ 10:59 pm
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about @Kevin.
Hope all is well with him.
» Posted By Brian On 13/August/2024 @ 1:33 am
What is the possible changes to your status? In Thailand (Sorry I have not watched the video yet, so my question is possibly answered there.) I know that they are cracking down. No more tourist visa after tourist visa with visa runs in between. If you want to stay long term, then they want you to get a retirement visa, marriage visa, etc.
Hope it is a whole lot of nothing. How difficult is it to get a retirement visa for the PI?
» Posted By Brian On 12/August/2024 @ 3:14 am
I remember as a kid, I was told that pool water had some sort of chemical that would change color in the presence of urine. Pretty sure it is BS, but at kept me from peeing in any pools. LOL
Beautiful skies there in La Paz. Glad you enjoyed your trip.
» Posted By Brian On 09/August/2024 @ 11:05 pm
@Kevin – I think that John was making a joke about the tip of his finger in the upper left of the photo.
Re: Video – I don’t think that any embassy should be responsible for getting you home. If you are coming to a foreign country to live or as a long term visitor, you better have an emergency fund in case things go south.
When I was working in country X (unnamed but is a big one currently have a territorial spat with the PI. LOL), I inadvertently got accused of something having to do with a group opposing the Communist Party. Embassy was very good, even flying someone from the embassy to the town I was working. I was pretty impressed with their response.
» Posted By Brian On 06/August/2024 @ 2:06 am
Meant to comment a couple of days ago and mention that last Friday was International Beer Day. I was glad to see that you did not disappoint, and were able to imbibe in honor of the day! LOL. Every day is beer day, right?
Have spent a lot of time in Taiwan – cool country to visit. 2/3’s of it is mountains, so like Korea, hiking culture is pretty robust.
» Posted By Brian On 05/August/2024 @ 1:35 am
The title of the video is a misleading. The subject of the video was starting from such a low bar that there was no crash possible.
Seems as though a lot of his problems were self inflicted.
Have run into similar characters in places like Thailand. Think that coming to SE Asia will allow them to live a much better life on the cheap. (Though to be fair, I am not sure that was video guys expectation). When they realize that income/savings will allow them to live just a step above a lower middle class local, they do nothing but bitch and moan about how bad the country is, the locals suck, their home country sucks, etc etc. They usually lead an unhealthy lifestyle, but have trapped themselves such that they can’t go back to their home country for medical care, can’t afford decent medical care in their “adopted” country. According to them, It’s everybody’s fault but theirs. (And to top it all off, they usually end up sticking you with their bar tab! LOL)
Sad nonetheless.
» Posted By Brian On 03/August/2024 @ 12:31 am
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as @Kevin regarding a menu and pricing. Did they have a menu and you just didn’t look at it? Did you just ask for a glass of red wine? And that is the only type they had?
If that is the case, then most/all of the fault is yours. If a bar has only one type of red wine, and a customer comes in and asks for a glass of red wine, what is the wait staff supposed to do? Tell him that it may be too expensive for him?
I think you are misplacing your anger.
Of course, if they have multiple types of red wine and just served you the most expensive one, or they don’t have a menu/price list, then you have a legitimate beef.
Just my 2 pesos. (Now, get off my lawn!!! LOL)
» Posted By Brian On 01/August/2024 @ 2:50 am
Re: Music Video – got to love the outfits and attitude that rockers (and wannabe) rockers used during the 70’s.
Actually, hasn’t changed too much. Look at rappers today and what they wear and act. LOL
» Posted By Brian On 29/July/2024 @ 11:16 pm
Read the book, but have not seen the movie.
I though that the book was quite good, but my takeaway (and I think Vance has said so also) is that the people who he writes about in the book mainly do it to themselves and have to take responsibility for that.
» Posted By Brian On 26/July/2024 @ 1:20 am
«« Back To Stats PageHope goes well with the doc visit.
Does Hops and Brews do their own brewing? Any venues in town that make their own beer?
» Posted By Brian On 15/July/2024 @ 11:12 pm