joekicker

I got it. I understood it was meant as a sick/black joke. But I was addressing you. You seemed/seem fairly serious about it. I have no problem of my kids resembling my wife (which they do) because they look 6, then 10, then 15, then 18.... while my wife doesn't appear to be those ages at the same time. I go near her many, many times. We have a terrific sex life. I can only repeat that if anyone SERIOUSLY and NOT JOKINGLY has an actual problem with this, they need and should actively seek serious, deep help. I mean in the actual, real world -- which doesn't include you, since you don't have actual real wife-and-kid people. It's when fantasies turn real that there's a problem. .

Anywhere? Or just Pattaya? Novotel Bang Na in eastern Bangkok (top of the Pattaya highway) is about next door to Windmill, a fabulous course - and a couple of others within 10 minutes about. .

Very dramatic but won't happen. People don't drop dead of Aids, they waste away - kind of like cancer. If you don't notice your friend is dying, he isn't much of a friend. I've watched two people die of Aids. It's very sad of course, because once it gets going, it's inevitable. A guy who is two weeks away from death of Aids, you kind of notice he weighs 45 pounds and vomits up the Starbucks on you -- so to speak. Actually, two weeks away from death, Aids victims can't get to Starbucks. Barrie has posted about Ooy before. He does know what he's talking about. Experience is quite a teacher. .

Another icon goes down: Following a weak fourth quarter earnings report and an even weaker outlook on profits for 2011, Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) CEO Jim McNerney said on the company’s conference call that Boeing could replace its best-selling 737 aircraft, rather than update the plane. The new plane would be available in 2020. Does anyone believe that? ,

And in the very next post, you note that it shows no such thing. Which I would gripe at - that it CLAIMED to be inclusive, but then did not deliver on the claim. You can have "all in" like Pete says he does. You can have itemised ++ as many do it. But that London receipt looks the worst of all the possibilities to me. You think it's inclusive - and then "oh, didn't we mention you have to pay an additional charge or we'll call the police? Sorry." THAT system is horrible. To be clear, which apparently is necessary, I'm not laying this on England, I just happened to have that photo nearby. It's seen everywhere, including Thailand for sure. I think it sucks. .

If you see visions of your 10 year old every time you're boffing the old lady, you need help. I'm serious. .

Someone got it right - about 15 years ago the first time it came around. Here's a newer one: .

What's best is what suits you. All the browsers are okay, and all of them MIGHT give trouble on your particular computer. I use them all at various times. I do like Chrome the best - it's fastest, it's EXTREMELY robust. That's for me of course. Heck, they're all free. Try them each for a week, see what's best for you. .

If that's correct, then I'd not be happy with either the menu OR the bill. That's a ridiculous way to do it (to my thinking). Either everything is in (like Pete) or nothing is in and it's all itemised at the end (as in most of non-Pete Thailand, actually) as in: sausage 100 baht VAT 7 per cent 7 baht tax 1 per cent 1.07 baht service 10 per cent 10.7 baht Total: 119.4 baht That's an illustration, not a tax receipt or mathematical model, but that's how it's normally done in Thai ++ places. .

Yeah, probably. Think about it, who could be happy being paid 1.7 million pounds a year to watch professional sports and yack off the top of his head about it? He probably wanted to help starving orphans in Africa or manage some Council flats, something like that - much more rewarding. .

This is sometimes true. (Sometimes not.) But my point was that some establishments give you an itemised bill like the London restaurant. Pete's point was that he does NOT give an itemised bill. He sells you a sandwich for 110 baht (say) and that 110 baht is all that shows on the bill. It is a "bottom line" price -- NOT like the menu in London, but like the very bottom line of the London bill. The difference is that in that London shop, they tell you what you are ponying up for VAT and service, and Pete doesn't break it down he just says "sandwich, tax and service included". On the London menu, the Bendict was 25 pounds PLUS tax and service. In Pete's place, the sandwich is 110 baht INCLUDING taxes (plural) and service. You may be right that "people want" Pete's bill. But in most places in this world, they get a bill like the London one. I don't care either way, although I suspect most people want the detailed one. .

It seems we're not discusing the same thing. This all started out on whether a bill should be itemised as this London bill is itemised. You wondered why people would want that. I tried to explain what I think about why some people want a bill like this: .

I can never understand why such people do such ridiculous and obvious self-destructive stuff. It's particularly noticeable in sports - people making millions a year then go drink-driving or beat up their wife or do the most stupid, unacceptably PC things. There was just an ESPN guy in the US did the same sexist nonsense and got instantly fired. What are those people thinkin... well, obviously they don't think, but how can they be so stupid to do something they KNOW is throwing it all away? Too bad, Gray was quite good, the little I remember of his announcing on the Thai-US screens. But he's an idiot. All he had to do was NOT be an idiot and he couldn't manage it. .

Yes? And? We're discussing whether you itemise that on the bill -- and not only VAT but other taxes and "service" and so on. Which Pete says he doesn't do, and which you wondered why anyone would want to see it. In most places, worldwide, they do itemise it on the bill, including the UK -- but of course there are lots of Petes, and not every hotel/restaurant/shop/whatever fully itemises. .

Some people like to know the details of the cost of what they buy. For them, it's like adding on something for tinted windshields and a supercharged engine, which actually boosts the cost of the pickup from its basic price listed on the ridiculous, lying windscreen sticker. Some people like to know that their 110-baht sandwich is actually a 100-baht sandwich with 9 baht added for taxes, and then rounded up to the benefit of the seller. Some people like to know the seller is tacking on .875 baht for every sandwich sold. If he's selling a lot of sandwiches, he's putting a bunch of baht in his pocket. You can call them names including anal, but they like to know anyhow, it's just the way they are. Some of them say they have the RIGHT to know the seller is doing this. They are loud, often obnoxious, and most merchants would rather simply tell them than not tell them. And indeed - why NOT tell you what extras you're paying for? It's your money being handed over. Why would you demand NOT to know? The merchant knows - he has to tell the taxman and his accountant. It's no actual problem for him to tell you. So most merchants just sigh and tell everyone. And of course some merchants "help" you by giving you "convenient" bills with one number so a child can understand them. But the merchant, he has to sort it out anyhow, then or later -- for him it's not simple. It's pretty much the same worldwide. I think MOST tourist-oriented or "high class" places give you a breakdown of the cost of goods, service and tax. I know in London they do. Really! This comes up at Labour Court and other places from time to time. The regulations say they HAVE to give it to the staff. There are cynical people who doubt that all the businesses follow the regulations. It's generally considered a safe speculation that if a business demands a 10 per cent service charge, the business is keeping that money. Some claim to give it back on staff parties and prettying up the staff cloak rooms. And of course, some actually, really, give it to them. But generally, smart money is on the "they keep it" side..

You used to pay at Suvarnabhumi also, but yes - there are NO departure taxes/fees. They're included in your ticket cost, sort of like VAT and other taxes on some Pattaya restaurant bills. .

No doubt you'll never make it as a mind reader. Why would it be a joke? The whole ++ thing is EXTREMELY common everywhere outside Pattaya. Which is why my "don't get to Thailand much" was a serious comment. Pete, I believe that you don't list the ++ that you have added. I actually like that, personally, but most places in Thailand itemise what the customer is paying including the self-described "service charge". But let's not dissemble. Your customers pay the 7% VAT, and all other taxes -- not you. All. What you mean is that you include them, then round them up so there's no silly "32 satang" addition, and then you don't list them. I'm fine with that, but many people DO want to know what extras a place is tacking on. And my point was that in Thailand, most tourist-oriented places do that. .

His actual name is JAY Cutler. Really. Well, whatever. He's a sort of semi-franchise player for the Bears, who haven't got to a championship game for a VERY long time with all the other [cough]great[cough] and really, really tough quarterbacks. So I 'spect you'll have to put up with him again next year. .

Indeed! TQ1 was the first go-go, no doubt there. But as for "first bar" wow, I wouldn't want to be a judge in that contest. .

I don't disagree, but this Stock Exchange nonsense is not investment, it's straight crap-shooting gambling. People bring hot money in for the amount of time they can reap a bigger interest rate than at home or in some other free-and-easy place, and then hock it out quickly - cash in, cash out. There's no "investment" aspect, and the political atmosphere and the safety has nothing to do with it. It's not even a casino, because you bring in 100 million dollars you WILL make a profit this week (or conversely you WILL take a loss, but the outcome is 100% certain). The reason I bring this up is that "hot money" is a HUGE influence on daily money rates. A billion dollars arriving in a day (not unusual) puts a huge demand on the finite amount of baht available, and pushes up the value of the baht. (And vice versa when it suddenly heads out, as it did on Monday, say). It affects everyone, but it's not lasting or permanent in any manner. If I were an *actual* investor and had to compete with that completely unloyal and un-tied-down scum for baht to pay my staff and my equipment, I would be re-assessing a bit of course, but it's nothing to do with Thailand per se - it's just another economic risk you have to factor in. Little George Soroses everywhere in Thailand. It's a real pressure. (And other countries have the same problem.) I don't know how you could possibly assess the political risk in Thailand over the next, say, two years. It's not possible. The full range is up for consideration - total sabai-sabai prosperity to wrack and ruin. Talk about a three-handed economist. I think that's why big foreign companies are simply hunkering down with a grin-and-bear-it -- whatever you think MIGHT be good for you, do it and to hell with the street theatre and constant military coup threats or the coming civil war. That means HUGE investments by some who just shrug and say essentially, "well, we have to put an engine-building plant somewhere". Thailand is losing out on very, very few investments these days ALTHOUGH they have a lot more competition and lots of companies are going to Vietnam, Cambodia, etc, that wouldn't have gone before -- not because Thailand is more unattractive but because the neighbours have dolled themselves up. .

Same as Thai International then. And the trend-setting Qantas of course. .

McDonald's employees in the US don't get tips and ALL are paid minimum wage or more by McDonald's. All. Same in Thailand. As in the US, Thais working directly in the service section of nice restaurants or nice hotels are usually paid xrap salaries and make it up very well in tips. .

No. There is a special category for tipped employees in the US (by the taxman) BECAUSE they make far more than the minimum wage. McDonald's employees in the US don't get tips and ALL are paid minimum wage or more by McDonald's. All. You don't get out to Thailand much, Pete. Any hotel that isn't a xhithole has to pay VAT, which is currently 7 per cent. About 99% of hotels that pay VAT add a 10 per cent service charge which, as you note, does not go to staff. They also pay a 1 per cent provincial tax. Because there is tax and service, it is referred to as ++. The service and taxes are paid anywhere inside the hotel including restaurants. I think a lot of the anti-tippers here are tipping the hotel owners generously and not even aware of it, although pretty well every establishment charging ++ does itemise the bill, if only in the small print. But an 800 baht hotel lunch buffet will NOT cost 800 baht - it will cost at least 950 baht - because your "service charge" will be figured last, and be on top of VAT and taxes. Restaurants that aren't xhitholes have to do the above also. .

I think Jay (yes) Cutler is a punk and a jerk and a choke to boot, but he was actually hurt, and the team actually has quite an investment in him. The coach has made it clear Cutler didn't bench himself. I love to see this jerk lose, but heart didn't have anything to do with leaving the game. .

Tipping is required in most "real" hotels and restaurants in Thailand. They call it a service charge of course, but it's not voluntary. Lots of places in lots of countries to this. I suspect the French are more notorious than most, for the "service (non) compris" slogan everywhere. .