Off Topic Posts - Whats on your mind?

Yipeeeeeeee............I love the circus & the performances start here at Celadon City starting end of next week for 2 months!!

Now then! Don't you be getting any ideas!

Last thing we want to hear is that you ran off and joined it!

Looks like a lot of fun (Link)

Two months, huh? Tempting. Thanks for the heads-up. I'm going to run it up the flagpole and see how she feels about us taking a weekend getaway to Saigon.

“Splendid to arrive alone in a foreign country and feel the assault of difference. Here they were all along, busy with living; they don’t talk or look like me. The rhythm of their day is entirely different; I am foreign”.

– Frances Mayes

Aarrgghhh, again. (Link, post #410)

This time it's "Shuffle Off To Buffalo".

2 days now.

I figure I must be losing it

Elderly Woman Involved In US Murder Mystery Stopped From Fleeing To Vietnam??

Did we advise Donna A? 😱

Link

He always managed to draw the attention of the ladies, handsome Graham did.

Meet, Graham. (Link)

Graham's video intro. (YouTube, 2:35)

(been around for ~10 years now) 

The message behind (the?) "Graham" still rings true. Stay safe.

Another sunny morning at Cai Be Mekong delta. My life is good, thank you Vietnam & Vietnamese people.

Another sunny morning at Cai Be Mekong delta. My life is good, thank you Vietnam & Vietnamese people.

@goodolboy

Being 80, I wholeheartedly agree.

Following the philosophy of

Die with Zero presents a startling new and provocative philosophy as well as practical guide on how to get the most out of your money—and out of your life. It’s intended for those who place lifelong memorable experiences far ahead of simply making and accumulating money for one’s so-called Golden Years.

In short, Bill Perkins wants to rescue you from over-saving and under-living. Regardless of your age, Die with Zero will teach you Perkins’ plan for optimizing your life, stage by stage, so you’re fully engaged and enjoying what you’ve worked and saved for.

You’ll discover how to maximize your lifetime memorable moments with “experience bucketing,” how to convert your earnings into priceless memories by following your “net worth curve,” and find out how to navigate whether to invest in, or delay, a meaningful adventure based on your “spend curve” and “personal interest rate.”

Using his own life experiences as well as the inspiring stories and cautionary tales of others—and drawing on eye-opening insights about time, money, and happiness from psychological science and behavioral finance —Perkins makes a timely, convincing, and contrarian case for living large.

@MartinLe

“And then there is the most dangerous risk of all–the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later”.

– Randy Komisar

Die with Zero presents a startling new and provocative philosophy as well as practical guide on how to get the most out of your money—and out of your life. It’s intended for those who place lifelong memorable experiences far ahead of simply making and accumulating money for one’s so-called Golden Years.In short, Bill Perkins wants to rescue you from over-saving and under-living. Regardless of your age, Die with Zero will teach you Perkins’ plan for optimizing your life, stage by stage, so you’re fully engaged and enjoying what you’ve worked and saved for.You’ll discover how to maximize your lifetime memorable moments with “experience bucketing,” how to convert your earnings into priceless memories by following your “net worth curve,” and find out how to navigate whether to invest in, or delay, a meaningful adventure based on your “spend curve” and “personal interest rate.”Using his own life experiences as well as the inspiring stories and cautionary tales of others—and drawing on eye-opening insights about time, money, and happiness from psychological science and behavioral finance —Perkins makes a timely, convincing, and contrarian case for living large.        -@MartinLe

Citation required (Link)

Quick question:  my expat neighbor just returned from a border run to get a 6 month entry permission to stay and then to renew his driver's license.  He was denied a license because he is "not a resident".

Does anyone have any official information about this change?

happy year of the dragon

@Travelfar I thought the regulation always was that  you had to have TRC for VN licence

@goodolboy

Oh, what fun could be had.

(even better than a Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass in the stock)

@Aidan in HCMC

what is it??

@goodolboy

Anti-drone gun   (YouTube)

🌼 Apricot blossoms 🌼 in Quảng Ngãi.

🧧 Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! 🧧

    Beautiful sunset Cai Be tonight.



-@goodolboy

What is the atmospheric phenomenon that creates rows of blue and pink diamond shapes in the sky?

        Beautiful sunset Cai Be tonight.-@goodolboy

What is the atmospheric phenomenon that creates rows of blue and pink diamond shapes in the sky?
   

    -@THIGV

could be its cheap phone camera

    @Travelfar I thought the regulation always was that  you had to have TRC for VN licence
   

    -@noddi

A link to an official source would be great, but I have had (and still have) a VN driver license since 2005 converted from my USA license, and a local demonstration of mechanical competency on a motorbike.  Since 2010, they have been 5 year validity (VEC). Mine expires again later this year,  hence the question I posted.

People often ask if Vietnamese people eat dogs, but maybe they should be asking if dogs eat people....

@OceanBeach92107

I'm convinced it's the breed. Could be why the wet markets don't sell "fresh pitbull".

Next time that I'm at the wet market in Cua Duong, an almost daily ritual, I'm going to ask the thịt lady there something. "So, is it true what they say? Is there really more than one way to skin a cat?"

-@goodolboy

@Aidan in HCMC Do u know which ATMs Don't charge a fee and is there a minimum amount I need to withdraw. Thanks

@MartinLeWell thought out about the purpose of life in general and I salute your philosophy psychology about the true meaning of life. You are amazing and definitely have the right approach to life without the unnecessary crap that drags u down. Take care💯🌈🙏

a country where young people love their country & flag.

https://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/16 … rvice.html

    a country where young people love their country & flag.

https://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/16 … rvice.html-@goodolboy

We had a block party the other night, hosted by the neighbor parents of a young man who is joining the army.

There were 12 full tables of 8 people each with a full spread of Vietnamese food favorites & homemade wine being freely passed around by their family members.

Being a veteran myself, it was very heartwarming for me to see the young man receive such a wonderful show of support.

I felt very honored to be invited to join in the festivities.

Some folks are talking about a motorcycle trip from Hội An to Ninh Bình through the Central Highlands:

@OceanBeach92107

Suggest they bring coffee money for that route.

And insurance card.

And Blue Card.

And legal driver's license.

And a Jerry can of gasoline.

@OceanBeach92107

Lovely stretch of road. I'll be doing the Da Nang, Prao, A Loui, Khe Sanh, Phong Nha part beginning of April.

Riding up from Saigon in two weeks time to see some friends, then I've entered a few trail and road runs, will do a cave trip in Phong Nha then most likely ride back to Da Nang and pick up the Truong Son Dong, and the DT616 and or QL24 on way back.

@Aidan in HCMC

Khe Sanh coffee is great. There is sometimes a gas station, and two hotels in Long Son, sometimes they've been open.... Other times not....

(Nha Ngi's Duc Ton and Truong Thanh)

Never experienced any police interference. Carried gas from Khe Sanh, but not used it. I usually roll in to Phong Nha before reserve comes on....

A friend sent me a link to a Wikipedia page on Adrian Carton de Wiart. (Link, Wikip.)

She said to me that it has "...the best opening paragraph of any Wikipedia page, ever."

The full page is definitely worth a read.

Scientists

They're the professionals with the resources and models you can trust!

Oh dear me

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/education/ … 23761.html

@goodolboy

The tuition at these schools, and the fact that local families have the money to pay it, says mountains about income inequality in Vietnam.  "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" was long ago left by the wayside.  These children could be going to Harvard or Yale for less,  If this school is cash flow negative, someone is siphoning off the profits.

@Aidan in HCMC

Yeah, the word 'expert' doesn't seem to mean what it used to.

As a general rule I tend to stop reading the moment the article uses the words 'model' or 'modeling'. I believe they are code for "we rounded everything off so many times our results could mean anything". 

Two foreigners impersonating Interpol agents arrested in Hà Nội:

https://english.vov.vn/en/society/two-foreign-men-arrested-for-appropriating-property-post1083401.vov

    Two foreigners impersonating Interpol agents arrested in Hà Nội:
https://english.vov.vn/en/society/two-foreign-men-arrested-for-appropriating-property-post1083401.vov-@OceanBeach92107

the thin end of the wedge