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Ask Gator
13 13

Started by Superman2006,

7,544 posts in this topic

G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted
outside gov building (king is very revered in Thailand...they jail anyone that makes a negative public , or even private, comment!)

thailand2011025.jpg

 

How about throwing foriegners in jail for the pants they wear?

the thought did cross my mind lol

 

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted
Gator

 

Did you overpay for "renting" those pants?

 

xoxo

 

greggy

well, I could have bought them for 100 baht, or just rented for 20 baht...pretty sure renting was the "right" decision
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Flex Mentallo

Flex Mentallo

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Posted (edited)
Welcome back to the states Rick :applause: Glad you are back home safely and that you have learned something on your trip. Not a lot of people get to experience how it is like living in a third world country. But after one has experienced it, they get to appreciate life better and how fortunate and blessed he/she feels living in a first world country.

 

I was telling gator recently that his trip has reawakened my dormant yearnings... Having spent 32 years living and travelling in The East I would infinitely prefer to live there than in the first world.

 

No disrespect to Dark Knight's opinion, which others will surely share - but I think living with the creature comforts of the first world can shorten your life!

 

(Having said which, if there is one of god's creatures I would gladly see exterminated it is the mosquito!)

 

What I find intriguing is that there seem to be quite a few boardies - yourself included Dark Knight? - with broadly similar experience of the east....ah me...

Edited by alanna
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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted
Welcome back to the states Rick :applause: Glad you are back home safely and that you have learned something on your trip. Not a lot of people get to experience how it is like living in a third world country. But after one has experienced it, they get to appreciate life better and how fortunate and blessed he/she feels living in a first world country.

 

I was telling gator recently that his trip has reawakened my dormant yearnings... Having spent 32 years living and travelling in The East I would infinitely prefer to live there than in the first world.

 

No disrespect to Dark Knight's opinion, which others will surely share - but I think living with the creature comforts of the first world can shorten your life!

 

(Having said which, if there is one of god's creatures I would gladly see exterminated it is the mosquito!)

 

What I find intriguing is that there seem to be quite a few boardies - yourself included Dark Knight? - with broadly similar experience of the east....ah me...

definitely no "comforts" we are used to, in the majority of the East that I visited...and yes, mosquitos are everywhere (thank goodness for 100% deet!)

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Cat-Man_America

Cat-Man_America

Posted
Posted (edited)

First, let me welcome Gator back to the good 'ol US of A. Even though the local Thai constabulary shorn him of his hair and made him wear funny pants they obviously didn't find his stash because he's back home safe and sound! :D

 

I was telling gator recently that his trip has reawakened my dormant yearnings... Having spent 32 years living and travelling in The East I would infinitely prefer to live there than in the first world.

 

hm If there's a first world and a third world, what the heck happened to the second world? :ohnoez:

 

Your spirit of adventure is moving, but when my dormant yearnings are awakened I just head for the nearest Thai restaurant. (thumbs u

 

... I think living with the creature comforts of the first world can shorten your life!

 

:o What do you have against pets! :baiting:

 

 

Edited by DavidMerryweather
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Flex Mentallo

Flex Mentallo

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Posted (edited)

 

 

 

No doubt third world life expectancies are improving due to the luxurious life styles supported by sweat shop employment, but your assertion in respect to first world mortality seems a weeeee bit far fetched. :baiting:

 

 

Agreed, more than a bit far fetched, David! Thanks for your comments, I respect your opinion, as I do Dark Knight's.

 

I hope my fellow boardies will forgive me the indulgence of a fairly lengthy reply, and let's not lose sight of the fact that the big news here is gator's return! For which I am duly grateful and fully agree that the place aint the same without him!

 

You asked, what happened to the so-called second world and the answer is, it kind of disappeared when the wall came tumbling down!

 

The term "First World" refers to so called developed, capitalist, industrial countries, roughly, a bloc of countries aligned with the United States after World War II, with more or less common political and economic interests: North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia.

 

"Second World" refers to the former communist-socialist, industrial states, (formerly the Eastern bloc, the territory and sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic) today: Russia, Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland) and some of the Turk States (e.g., Kazakhstan) as well as China.

 

"Third World" are all the other countries, today often used to roughly describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

 

The term Third World includes as well capitalist (e.g., Venezuela) and communist (e.g., North Korea) countries, as very rich (e.g., Saudi Arabia) and very poor (e.g., Mali) countries.

Third World Countries classified by various indices: their Political Rights and Civil Liberties, the Gross National Income (GNI) and Poverty of countries, the Human Development of countries, and the Freedom of Information within a country.

 

The term "Fourth World" first came into use in 1974 with the publication of Shuswap Chief George Manuel's: "The fourth world : an Indian reality" The term refers to nations (cultural entities, ethnic groups) of indigenous peoples living within or across state boundaries (nation states).

 

As for me I work a lot in mental health & often with people suffering from stress and other disorders which significantly affect true quality of life.

 

Such a high percentage of people will suffer from mental ill health in their lifetime it too could be thought of as a fourth world cultural entity - or at least as a community of interest!

 

Stress-related illnesses are on the rise in the West and stress is a greater killer than we generally recognise - though there are strong indications that the recognition has begun to permeate and re-shape our outlook and values.

 

I'm no expert, but much of this seems to me to be a product of capitalism, (for which read not a political interpretation but a values one based on materialism) - and to some extent on factors related to urban living.

 

As for poverty, there are many layers to it - but it is possible to live a comfortable life in - say, an indian village - with very little money or possessions. And there are over a million villages in India alone.

 

There are many contradictions! There are a great many people living lives of abject misery - but they are not confined to third world countries and of course not all misery is based on economic indices.

 

I have found the East both humbling and enlightening. All I can say is that among village people in the third world I have never found more open hearts, made more friends, been more enriched, felt more loved, been more fulfilled.

 

I admire gator for his work in Thailand, which I hope he has found richly rewarding and free of infectious diseases (ie cholera and hep B)! And envy him because he is going back in September! Now there is something to look forward too!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by alanna
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Pat Calhoun

Pat Calhoun

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Alanna-

 

informative and enlightening. I sold my first GA collection in 1969 and traveled Europe/N Afica/W Asia for 18 months. The Afghanis are great people as are the Moroccans. And tho collecting may seem the ultimate materialism- my modest store are talismans that take me to the limitless world of imagination. Thanks! Pat (and congrats Gator!)

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Cat-Man_America

Cat-Man_America

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No doubt third world life expectancies are improving due to the luxurious life styles supported by sweat shop employment, but your assertion in respect to first world mortality seems a weeeee bit far fetched. :baiting:

 

 

Agreed, more than a bit far fetched, David! Thanks for your comments, I respect your opinion, as I do Dark Knight's.

 

I hope my fellow boardies will forgive me the indulgence of a fairly lengthy reply, and let's not lose sight of the fact that the big news here is gator's return! For which I am duly grateful and fully agree that the place aint the same without him!

 

You asked, what happened to the so-called second world and the answer is, it kind of disappeared when the wall came tumbling down!

 

The term "First World" refers to so called developed, capitalist, industrial countries, roughly, a bloc of countries aligned with the United States after World War II, with more or less common political and economic interests: North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia.

 

"Second World" refers to the former communist-socialist, industrial states, (formerly the Eastern bloc, the territory and sphere of influence of the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic) today: Russia, Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland) and some of the Turk States (e.g., Kazakhstan) as well as China.

 

"Third World" are all the other countries, today often used to roughly describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

 

The term Third World includes as well capitalist (e.g., Venezuela) and communist (e.g., North Korea) countries, as very rich (e.g., Saudi Arabia) and very poor (e.g., Mali) countries.

Third World Countries classified by various indices: their Political Rights and Civil Liberties, the Gross National Income (GNI) and Poverty of countries, the Human Development of countries, and the Freedom of Information within a country.

 

The term "Fourth World" first came into use in 1974 with the publication of Shuswap Chief George Manuel's: "The fourth world : an Indian reality" The term refers to nations (cultural entities, ethnic groups) of indigenous peoples living within or across state boundaries (nation states).

 

As for me I work a lot in mental health & often with people suffering from stress and other disorders which significantly affect true quality of life.

 

Such a high percentage of people will suffer from mental ill health in their lifetime it too could be thought of as a fourth world cultural entity - or at least as a community of interest!

 

Stress-related illnesses are on the rise in the West and stress is a greater killer than we generally recognise - though there are strong indications that the recognition has begun to permeate and re-shape our outlook and values.

 

I'm no expert, but much of this seems to me to be a product of capitalism, (for which read not a political interpretation but a values one based on materialism) - and to some extent on factors related to urban living.

 

As for poverty, there are many layers to it - but it is possible to live a comfortable life in - say, an indian village - with very little money or possessions. And there are over a million villages in India alone.

 

There are many contradictions! There are a great many people living lives of abject misery - but they are not confined to third world countries and of course not all misery is based on economic indices.

 

I have found the East both humbling and enlightening. All I can say is that among village people in the third world I have never found more open hearts, made more friends, been more enriched, felt more loved, been more fulfilled.

 

I admire gator for his work in Thailand, which I hope he has found richly rewarding and free of infectious diseases (ie cholera and hep B)! And envy him because he is going back in September! Now there is something to look forward too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I actually reconsidered that last comment as possibly being a bit too caustic after posting it (given the state of the world we live in), and removed it prior to your response.

 

For the record, your reply was very astute, well informed and greatly appreciated. ...but I don't recommend opening with that monologue at a comedy club.

 

I was trying to toss in a bit of levity, hence the jest about the missing second world. I guess I aimed a bit too high or too low with that one. doh!

 

BTW, you still haven't told us what you have against pets (creature comforts)! smiley-gen121.gif;)

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Dark Knight

Dark Knight

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Posted
Welcome back to the states Rick :applause: Glad you are back home safely and that you have learned something on your trip. Not a lot of people get to experience how it is like living in a third world country. But after one has experienced it, they get to appreciate life better and how fortunate and blessed he/she feels living in a first world country.

 

I was telling gator recently that his trip has reawakened my dormant yearnings... Having spent 32 years living and travelling in The East I would infinitely prefer to live there than in the first world.

 

No disrespect to Dark Knight's opinion, which others will surely share - but I think living with the creature comforts of the first world can shorten your life!

 

(Having said which, if there is one of god's creatures I would gladly see exterminated it is the mosquito!)

 

What I find intriguing is that there seem to be quite a few boardies - yourself included Dark Knight? - with broadly similar experience of the east....ah me...

 

No disrespect taken at all (thumbs u I appreciate your views and opinions as well as others. When I was a baby till about 12ish, I was living in a third world country (Philippines). I enjoyed my years there learning the culture and seeing how the poor were treated. I felt bad everytime they go to one car after another begging for money in busy streets. Also seeing how the government is corrupt is what probably made the country the way it is.

 

On the bright side, whether you are rich or you are poor there, I get the feeling that everyone gets along and is happy with their lifestyle for the most part. I see people living in the squatters singing, spending time with their family, helping each other with daily duties and routines, etc.

 

And yep those darn mosquitoes!!!! Especially the ones carrying the dengue disease in which killed a lot of people in the Philippines including my cousin's supposed to be husband who died before they got married :(.

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Flex Mentallo

Flex Mentallo

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Posted

 

No disrespect taken at all (thumbs u I appreciate your views and opinions as well as others. When I was a baby till about 12ish, I was living in a third world country (Philippines). I enjoyed my years there learning the culture and seeing how the poor were treated. I felt bad everytime they go to one car after another begging for money in busy streets. Also seeing how the government is corrupt is what probably made the country the way it is.

 

On the bright side, whether you are rich or you are poor there, I get the feeling that everyone gets along and is happy with their lifestyle for the most part. I see people living in the squatters singing, spending time with their family, helping each other with daily duties and routines, etc.

 

And yep those darn mosquitoes!!!! Especially the ones carrying the dengue disease in which killed a lot of people in the Philippines including my cousin's supposed to be husband who died before they got married :(.

 

I think you have captured it better than I - at the end of the day, however long I've been going , even though (a bit like gator) I was doing community work, it is not the same as being born there!

 

 

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