Wino

Here is another case of juvenile crime, but in Bangkok. This case looks like it could be self-defense, but it is still a sad case of affairs when a school yard quarrel turns into a stabbing death. A seventh grader was stabbed to death by a sixth grader during a quarrel in their Bangkok school Friday noon, police said. The fight took place inside the Yannawes Witthayakhom School on Sathu Pradit 8 in Sathorn district. Police quoted the sixth grader, who surrendered after the incident, as saying that he stabbed the senior students in self-defence because he was being assaulted by several seventh graders. He said the seventh graders assaulted him after he refused to pay them protection fee. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/30116029/1-seventh-grader-stabbed-dead-another-severely-inj

Or gross, depending on your perspective.

I did not find the article I originally saw, but here is a different one stating the increase. “The report says the percentage of American smokers rose from 19.8 percent in 2007 to 20.6 percent in 2008.†http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/Smoking-Rate-Increases-Slightly-in-United-States/ArticleNewsFeed/Article/detail/641668?contextCategoryId=40144

Let us hope that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation continue to fund malaria research. Their long-term goal is to eradicate this deadly disease and I hope they are successful.

We have had three seperate occasions of Friday the 13th this year and I have been lucky enough not to have had any problems. I remeber a Friday the 13th back in the 80's. I had a car accident in the morning and latter that day, a notice of an IRS audit in the mail. That was almost enough to make me a believer.

Not a liberal myth, but a conservative nightmare.

They look fun but they are for young people. Even though they have padding on the floor, I am sure I would break a bone, if not my neck.

I guess you are talking about Johor Bahru or the entire state of Johor? I did not spend much time in Johor Bahru but I am sure there is many things to see and do in the capital city. Might be a good idea to save Penang for another trip, if you are only going for eight days.

More protests on Sunday by the yellow shirts over Thaksin's visit to Cambodia. According to the following report, four people were hurt when somebody on a motorbike threw a firecracker into the crowd. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091115/wl_afp/thailandcambodiapoliticsprotest

In the near future, will this be coming to a shop near you? Probably not but one can never tell. BOGOTA – A Colombian cooking school has concocted a "love dessert" made with passion fruit — and Viagra. Student chefs at the state culinary school in Quindio province wouldn't give the complete ingredients but say it contains the active ingredient in Viagra. The pudding-like dessert is garnished with whipped cream and chocolate, and served in a parfait glass. Sebastian Gomez, one of the creators, says the idea was to reinterpret the blue pill into a new kind of aphrodisiac. Gomez said the recipe describes how much Viagra to safely dissolve into the dessert. The dessert is, of course, not for sale as Viagra is a prescription drug. The students presented the dessert at "Gastronomy 2009" show in Bogota. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091113/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_colombia_passion_parfait

Another event coming to Pattaya is the 9th annual longtail and international sailing race starting Saturday, November 21 and ending on Monday, November 23. The event is sponsored by Chonburi Province and Thailand Rowing and Canoeing Association. The race is held at Mabprachan Reservoir.

Thanks, Thaimo for the additional information. I enjoy the mother nature's natural fireworks in the sky. Let us hope it is a clear night.

I hope a lot of money is raised, as well. The Rotary Club does a lot of good work. Too bad, I am not much of a long distance swimmer.

When I was a child, I always enjoyed playing cowboys and indians. It will be interesting to see how the Thais portray the festival. That mechanical bull in Nana plaza might be fun, but I doubt I could stay on for more than a second or two.

You are welcome. I have not been to one of these consular outreach visits, but in some cases, it helps. Last year my friend saved a trip to Bangkok by receiving his income verification letter from the visiting consular. He was happy.

Malaria is scary enough, but this new strain found on the Thai-Cambodian border is really bad news. By CHRISTOPHER SHAY / HONG KONG Every year, thousands of workers arrive at the sapphire and ruby mines of Pailin, Cambodia, risking their lives to unearth gems in the landmine-ridden territory. Soon, however, they could be the ones to put millions of others at risk. On the Thai-Cambodian border, a rogue strain of malaria has started to resist artemisinin, the only remaining effective drug in the world's arsenal against malaria's most deadly strain, Plasmodium falciparum. For six decades, malaria drugs like chloroquine and mefloquine have fallen impotent in this Southeast Asian border area, allowing stronger strains to spread to Burma, India and Africa. But this time there's no new wonder drug waiting in the wings. "It would be unspeakably dire if resistance formed to artemisinin," says Amir Attaran, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa who has written extensively on malaria issues. http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091114/wl_time/08599193923900

It has been announced that the 2011 Asian Pacific summit will be in Hawaii. Will we see the leaders dress in a grass hula skirt? SINGAPORE (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama invited fellow leaders in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation to a summit in Hawaii in 2011, but may have alarmed them with the dress code. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, which concluded on Sunday in Singapore, is an annual meeting best known for a tradition whereby presidents and prime ministers don outfits that are typical of the host country. "I look forward to seeing you all decked out in flowered shirts and grass skirts, because today I'm announcing that we are bringing this forum to my home state of Hawaii in 2011," Obama told his assembled counterparts on Sunday. At APEC's first summit, held in Seattle in 1993, heads of state sported leather bomber jackets. Other outfits have included traditional Korean and Vietnamese tops, batik shirts and an Australian outback coat. On Saturday night, Obama and his counterparts were resplendent in blue, green, or cranberry-red linen shirts with Mandarin collars, symbolic of Singapore's early Chinese settlers who assimilated into the local Malay culture. http://news.yahoo.co.../us_apec_outfit

Maybe another wacko off his rocker or just a lonely drunk? TAMPA, Fla. – Florida police say a man arrested for repeatedly calling 911 looking for sex claimed it was the only number he could dial after running out of cell phone minutes. Tampa police said 29-year-old Joshua Basso made sexual comments to the 911 dispatcher and asked if he could come to her house. Investigators say she hung up, but he called back four more times. He was arrested about 15 minutes later at his home late Wednesday and charged with making a false 911 call. Basso reportedly told officers that he didn't think he would get in trouble for calling 911. Tampa jail records show Basso is being held without bond but don't indicate whether he has an attorney. He is listed as unemployed with arrests for theft and other crimes dating back to 2001. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091114/ap_on_fe_st/us911_sex_call

President Barack Obama has been face-to-face with Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein at the summit with leaders of ten Southeast Asian nations. Obama's message to the general, free Aung San Suu Kyi. I hope it works.

Seems government officials love to waste money. I remember a story about the government buying overpriced tolet seats. A waste of money.

You can’t blame Levi for riding this wave of celebrity. He is going to milk it for whatever he can get. After a taste of the high life, I doubt he wants to work the Alaskan oil field for a living. When it comes to a relationship with the Palin’s, I should think if he has reasonable visitation rights with his son, he should be happy. Of course, if his publicist says different, all bets are off. Palin is going to do whatever benefits her political ambitions. A public feud with Johnston is not something Sarah wants. I think she would like to see Levi come into the fold and be a good boy. Not sure if that will happen, but who knows?

Bash this 10 year old over the head with a club and make a coat out of his skin?

On Sunday, November 15 there will be a Pattaya Cross Bay Swim. This event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Jomtein and money raised will go to the club's Pattaya Children Fund. The short swim starts at 11 AM at the Hard Rock Hotel on Beach Road. The long swim starts at noon at Sea Rescue, Bali Hai . For more information call Graham Hunt-Crowley at 081 340 8852.

According to the National Astronomical Research Institute, there will be a meteor shower visible late night on Tuesday, November 17. The event will be visible with the naked eye. The meteor shower should start just past midnight (early morning of November 18). I hope the sky is clear that night.

For any of you Cowboys or Indians out there, on November 12 to 15 there is a festival held on the football field in front of the Banglamung District Office. The 6th annual Eastern Cattle Show and Cowboy and Indian Festival will take place from 9 AM to 5 PM from Thursday to Sunday. There will be many activities, among them the cattle show, cowboy and Indian show, a rodeo with bull riding and horse racing. It should be a good time for all.