Gonzo

Australia has never been in an automatic qualifying group like the USA. Get your facts right!

What were you doing sitting in a bar watching the football? I have a strong feeling you have been converted to our great game for a long time and are a closet soccer-football lover.

You can call me a Hun, if you like. I take it as a compliment. You must be a Germanophile, having spent all of those years in the Fatherland. Good on you.

That is an interesting observation about the small Slovenian population. Slovenia has a population of 2 (two) million people versus the USA 300 million plus. A small country like Slovenia should be given at least a 2 goal bonus against a football country like the USA before the start of the game plus an extra player, to make it a fair contest. I enjoyed watching the game with the many fanatical American supporters in the crowd "rooting" for their team. Having said that, USA soccer-football can now be considered world class. It is only a matter of time, probably less than 10 years, befor

Your are your sarcastic self as usual. I can see you have done your Google search as usual. What have the German Nationality laws of 2000 got to do with a young lad playing football in the country of his birth? By the way, can you recall the many Germans of Turkish descent playing for Turkey in the 2008 European Cup? Go and do another Google. My German grandfather was kicked out of Pomerania after WW2, Pomerania being another German state the Russian stole together with Silesia and East Prussia as well. When I was 18 I migrated to Australia. Regardless of what I call myself, does that mak

Mesut Ozil was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Miroslov Klose is an ethnic German from Upper Silesia and he played in Germany since he was a kid. Upper Silesia was stolen from Germany by the Russians after WW 2 and given to the Poles in exchange for some of the provinces they stole from them. Klose won't have a bar of being called a Pole. I could give you a few more examples about some of the Germans, which are supposed to be something else. Our boy from Brazil was a legitimate immigrant by his own choosing. Half the Aussies are immigrants and proud to represent their country in their chosen s

Football is a major sport in the USA and in Australia, with a great following. I am a fanatical Australian Rules supporter and always will be. Australian Rules and American Gridiron are great sports, probably more exciting to watch than "Soccer", if you are a fan. They have never managed to get much of a following outside of their countries. In Australia it is common to get crowds of 90 000 to 100 000 spectators, watching Aussie Rules and sometimes Rugby on a weekly basis, attendances "Soccer" can only dream of. Watch Aussie Rules or Rugby shown on Australian TV in Thailand on weekends in th

It seems to be easier to find tinned red salmon in Pattaya than good imported Norwegian sardines. I will bring a heap of tins of Norwegian sardines (King Oscar) and Brunswick Canadian sardines back, when I go back home for a short visit after the Football World Cup. A tin of genuine Brunswick Canadian sardines costs about 30 baht in Australia. I will buy a mix of sardines in olive oil, soy oil and being a bit health conscious, a few tins of sardines in spring water as well.

Stevo, This is meant to be a fair business proposition. You should get a carton of pre-packed 24 tins of 440 g Red salmon from your nearest wholesaler for about 5000 baht. I will pay you a bit over 8000 baht and throw in 2 dozen large bottles of Chang, worth about another 1000 baht. The Chang will keep you drunk in your room for at least 2 days, incapable of visiting a bar and having to pay for a girl. That will save you at least another 10000 baht. So, according to my calculation you will finish about 14000 baht in front, providing the Red salmon does not exceed your baggage allowance. 24 ti

Thanks anyway. I will worry about my next five-year licence, when it has to be renewed in 2015. They will probably have a totally different system by then, an even more confusing one.

I never gave the passport issue any thought. That is good information. As for renewing a 5-year licence to a new 5-year licence, do you mean you have to apply a couple of days before the old licence expires on your birthday and not after? What happens when you apply a few days after a 5-year licence has expired?

Next time you go to Carrfour, could you have a look if they have any Gorgonzola or other good blue veined cheese? It goes extremely well with your red salmon and cucumber rolls.

Your International Driver's permit is no longer valid in Thailand after having stayed here for longer than 3 months on a retirement extension or work visa. If you fall into this category, get a Thai licence as soon as possible. You can only use your IDP until it expires, together with your UK licence, if you have a 12 months multiple Non-Immi O visa and do border runs every 90 days.

This is an important thread. John West Red Salmon is now available at the Avenue. A small tin of 220 g (half lbs.) will set you back 340 baht. I will be happy to pay 340 baht for 440 g (1-lbs.) tins, if someone can bring them in their luggage. I am not talking about a couple of tins of quality red salmon. I will need at least 25 - 30 tins to last me for a while. Papillon might want some as well.

Try driving a Vios instead of just sitting in it and you will find the visibility is very good. Maybe it is not so good, if you are less than 5 foot tall. If that is the case try sitting on a couple of pillows. That might also make it easier for you to spot the centre console, instead of having to look through the steering wheel trying to find it. I reckon the centre console is great, as it allows you to look at it without having to take your eyes off the traffic. I don't quite understand, why anyone living on a tomato farm near the border of Laos would want to buy anything else than a To

Don't let a bit of banter get you hot under the collar. Get back on topic. I'm here to read about your opinions about the Stanley cup play-offs.

Can't even read, bunch of idiots, jackass, silly gay face. Now we get a chance to see the real Joekicker, whose last line of defence is name-calling, not the Joekicker who normally thinks he writes wise posts and pretends to know everything. Joe mate, this thread is about the great game of ice hockey, so stop thread fucking.

Aha, I just had another bite. You Yanks are a sensitive and inward-looking lot without any sense of humour. Joe, you just confirmed it.

Mate, I am happy for you that ice hockey is your life. I am a bit of a fan myself. I watched "Slap Stick" twice. Paul Newman is the greatest ice hockey player of all time.

There would be a thread about it, if the USA would have won. Canada is the best ice hockey nation. They played all over you at the Olympic winter games a few short months ago, winning the gold medal. Forget about ice hockey. There is another thing I would like to point out. The OP with his hatred for what he calls soccer, should acknowledge the great interest shown by the American people in the Football World cup in South Africa next month. The most tickets for the cup so far have been bought by American citizens. USA 130 000 tickets United Kingdom 97 000 tickets Australia 43 000

In the competition that really matters, the World cup, Germany beat the USA 2 : 1 , last Friday in Gelsenkirchen, before a crowd of 78 000 spectators. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/20...902107632_x.htm

I will be glad, when I get to exchange the red plate for a white one. The red plate sticks out like a sore thumb. On the other hand it makes it easier to find your car in a parking allotment, with so many Toyata Vios and Honda City compact cars in Pattaya.

Putting the car in the wife's name saved you a lot of hassles for sure. I have been in a good relationship for more than 5 years, but I still want the condo, the car, my bank accounts in my name. I have seen too many blokes getting taken to the cleaners. Being in a good relationship is no guarantee it will last forever, in my opinion.

I just had a look at the receipt. It is all written in Thai, but the missus helped me make some sense out of it. I paid THB 609000 for the car, THB 3400 for registration, THB 3500 (not 4500 as I previously said) for the red numberplate and a charge of THB 646, which has something to do with the processing of the free 1. Class insurance for one year, according to the missus, when I get the red plate, which belongs to the Toyota branch in Pattaya, changed to the white plate. I will then get the THB 3500 for the red plate refunded from Toyota. Yes, I have the old and worn logbook for the r

I think most dealers are reluctant to give any cash discounts. I was given a free 1. class insurance for the first year, free window tinting, floor mats, number plate holders, jumper leads, a halogen light, a good tow rope, a First Aid box and a car cover, which I will use when I go for my 2-month trip back to Oz next July. I had to initially pay for the THB 4500 insurance, which will be refunded to me, when I change from the red number plates to standard ones, which can be done 45 days after buying a new car.