Wino

Oh, it is so much easier to blame it all on the past POTUS.

Who is going to be in the Super Bowl? I think the Vikings will face the Colts. What is your prediction?

And how large of a gay population do you think Pattaya has? Maybe 10%? I doubt the organizers really care.

I bet this patient wishes the doctor and nurses would have asked him which kidney was bad. This doctor must have had some major problems in his life.

Perhaps the generals are feeling the world's pressure to free Aung San Suu Kyi. I hope she is free soon. YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar's highest court began hearing arguments Monday on detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest and is expected to make a ruling later this week. Suu Kyi's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court last month after a lower court upheld a decision to sentence her to an additional 18 months of house arrest. She had been convicted in August of violating the previous terms of her detention by briefly sheltering an American intruder who swam uninvited to her lakeside home. Suu Kyi's lawyer Nyan Win said he will argue the extension was unlawful because it was based on provisions from the 1974 Constitution that are no longer in effect. The court also agreed to review the house arrest of Suu Kyi's two female companions, who are also ordered confined for 18 months at her compound in Yangon. Suu Kyi, who was barred from attending the hearing, has been detained for 14 of the past 20 years. The 64-year-old Nobel Peace Laureate's sentence would ensure she cannot participate in Myanmar's first elections in two decades that will be held sometime this year. Her party swept the last elections in 1990, but the results were never honored by the military, which has ruled the country since 1962. Nyan Win said the court is expected to issue its ruling in the next few days. On Friday, Suu Kyi met with Cabinet minister Aung Kyi, part of her National League for Democracy party's efforts to prepare for the elections. Suu Kyi's party has not yet declared whether it will take part in the election. Suu Kyi's last meeting with Aung Kyi was on Dec. 9, when he informed her that her request to be allowed to meet with the party elders was granted. She met them on Dec. 16 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100118/ap_on_re_as/as_myanmar_opposition_leader

Thailand is not the only place where simple things can esculate into major problems. I came across this article from the US. ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Police in St. Cloud said an argument over sidewalk etiquette led to a man being stabbed because he wouldn't move out of another man's way. The 31-year-old victim told police he and the other man were walking toward each other on a sidewalk early Friday morning. Each man refused to make way for the other. The St. Cloud Times reported that the argument escalated into a physical fight. When it was over, the victim noticed he'd been stabbed several times in the stomach. Authorities said the victim's injuries were minor. Information from: St. Cloud Times, http://www.sctimes.com

Hard to believe the State of Minnesota does not revoke this doctor's liscense. MINNEAPOLIS – A urologist has been indefinitely barred from inpatient surgery for removing the wrong kidney of one patient and taking a biopsy from another's patient's pancreas instead of a kidney. Dr. Erol Uke has signed the disciplinary ruling from the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, agreeing that his actions justify the board's discipline. The ruling said Uke could regain surgical privileges if the board later determines he's competent to do so. The Star Tribune reported the ruling did not say where the errors happened, just that Uke removed the wrong kidney in March 2008 and performed the erroneous biopsy about four months later. Uke declined comment when reached at home by The Associated Press. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100117/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_wrong_kidney_removed

What do you think the chances are of Democratic canidate, Martha Coakly losing to GOP canidate Scott Brown? Some say this special election in Massachusetts is very close. This 60th vote is needed to pass the health-care reform bill.

This is probably not the incident your teerack saw Beer Chang, but here is a news story from The Nation of a motorcycle death on Pattaya Tai Road. One has to be very careful in Pattaya. Pattaya, Chon Buri - A German tourist described as being drunk clashed his motorcycle against that of an Italian tourist who was killed here early Sunday morning. Police said Davide Tomast, 29, died of head injuries in the accident that happened on a soi off South Pattaya Road at 5:30 am. Raimund Norbert, 38, was severely injured and rushed to the Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Tomast was riding his motorcycle out of the soi when Norbert, who appeared drunk, rode into the side with very fast speed and clashed into Tomast's motorcycle. Police will take Norbert into custody once he is discharged from the hospital. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/30120465/Italian-tourist-killed-German-severely-injured-in-

The exchange policy is certainly not the same as in the US, but at least it maybe possible at Tesco or Big C. At an outdoor market, your chances of exchange are much closer to zero.

Yes, give me fries, milk shake, big mac and a blood pressure check. The blood pressure check might inspire a person to eat elsewhere.

Some people like to see the world in black and white. Life doesn't quite work like that.

Lvdkeyes stated, "At least most know what those acronyms mean. " Granted, maybe you know what those acronyms mean, but doubt most people would. If you were to take a wider world view, I think you would have the same results as you and the POTUS issue. Why not ask bf and see if he knows them all?

I think we have a lot of "dumb as a post" posters. I didn't have a clue as to what it meant either. Perhaps it is a generational thing or maybe a phrase used in Europe? I don't think Patpong meant it personally, but certainly if someone can call GW "dumb as a post" then it is no big deal to send it right back to the original poster.

I have one flight on Air Asia that I did not use. I will soon see if it is possible to have any money returned. I will let you know.

In my experience with a one day overstay, there has been no problems, so far. Also no overstay stamped in my passport.

Yeh, Yeh Bush. Bush is to blame for everything. Perhaps by US standards you aren't rich but by Haitian standards and probably half the world, you are.

I will never forget the awfull feeling I had when arriving in Cambodia and Indonesia many years ago. When a white face was seen getting off the bus or ferry, a mob of touts would surround you. Not a good feeling at all. I wonder if the movie stars feel the same way when they are faced with the many paparazzis?

Much easier indeed. You will also have a receipt and a return policy than is in place. Maybe not important, but certainly better than an outdoor market.

Lvdkeyes states, "That certainly isn't necessarily the case in Pattaya. " Perhaps with you and your circle of friend, this is not the case, but I would wager a bet the majority of men will certainly follow when beautiful women are involved.

Wouldn't surprise me as well, if this year's tourist season is busier than last year's. I think promotions like Pattaya's Countdown to 2010 is a big draw, especially to many Thais from Bangkok.

People seem to find it easy to blame someone for the woes of the country. The naivete of some people is astonishing! Why do people love to blame it on the rich, blame it on George Bush, blame it on the republicans, blame it on the media, blame it on Sarah Palin, etc., etc. The US income tax code started in 1913 and has been tweeked by many through the years. The elite will usually try to take advantage of the system, but that is human nature. The system still works. Compared to many other western countries, the US system isn't too bad. Don't demonize the rich, to many "you" are in the rich category.

I will let you know how the visa situation turns out for my friend. He is prepared to due the visa run. In fact, he was going to hire a car in order to make the trip. Due to his medical problem, he thought a car might be more comfortable than the visa run bus or van. I have done the visa run to Cambodia once, but have no idea the name of the town or directions. As far as the visa extension, many expats are telling me the 14 day extension is no problem. I hope the rules have not changed recently. I think if he brings a statement from his doctor and a copy of his return airline flight, perhaps he might find a kind immigration officer willing to grant him a 14 day extension. He then would have a one day overstay which is really no big deal. I hope it works out for him.

And I guess statistics don't lie? Numbers are numbers, but they sure can be manipulated.

Who knows, velcro may be in the near future?