Wino

Motorcycle transportation is not the safest mode of travel, but it is easy, quick and inexpensive. In case you happen upon a dare devil-type driver, cha cha is a good Thai word to know.

Depression is a sad and nasty disease. My heart goes out to Marie Osmond. She lost her 18 year old son to a suicide due to depression. Marie Osmond's son dies in Los Angeles - Yahoo! News

Another senior moment: A group of forty-year-old friends discuss where they should meet for a dinner reunion. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the waitresses there are generally good-looking. Ten years later, at 50 years of age, the group once again discusses where they should meet for dinner. It is agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food there is very good and the wine selection is exceptionally good. Ten years later, at 60 years of age, the group once again discusses where they should meet for dinner. It is agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant had a beautiful view of the ocean. Ten years later, at 70 years of age, the group once again discusses where they should meet for dinner. It is agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator. Ten years later, at 80 years of age, the group once again discusses where they should meet for dinner. Finally it is agreed that they should meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they have never been there before.

You are right on Beer Chang. Bottled water is one big crock and the American consumer has bought it hook, line and sinker. All of this new and improved crap is just another way to sell their products. I love the way the companies are now trying to convince the public their need for bacterial soap. Another joke.

I travel light and so there is no problem catching a motorcycle taxi to my front door. Those with their steamer trunks may have a problem.

That is one promotion that should bring in some business.

This particular Airport-Jomtiem bus service does not provide home pick up or drop off service. That would be the Bell Travel Service bus which I also use and is excellent. Both bus service meeting points are on the ground floor of the airport between exit gate 7 & 8. When at the airport, I usually use the bus service which has the next bus to go, although I understand Bell Travel bus wants you to pre-book, now. I did not have a problem as a walk-in a few weeks ago, but the agent did give me a brochure and said to call beforehand.

I sure would not want to do this, but many people volunteer. SYDNEY – About 5,200 naked people have embraced each other on the steps of Sydney's iconic Opera House for a photo shoot by Spencer Tunick. Tunick, who is known for his nude group photos in public spaces, posed participants for more than an hour in a variety of positions Monday. "It was difficult to get the straight participants to embrace the gay participants and vice versa," Tunick said. "So I was very happy that that last set up finally got done and everyone came together (in a) united, friendly kiss, a loving kiss in front of this great structure." Nineteen-year-old student Art Rush said he was thrilled to participate. "I'll never get a chance to do this again; it's not worth being inhibited," Rush said. "It doesn't feel sexual, it just feels tribal, a gathering of humanity."

During high season, they add extra buses. The Suvarabhumi-Jontiem Beach schedule has been greatly expanded. The fare is now 124 baht. They have a booth in the airport on the bottom floor by exit gate 8. The bus does not go to Pattaya bus station on Pattaya North road, but does stops to let off passengers at Sukhumvit and Pattaya Nua, Klang, and Tai before ending in Jontiem.

I managed to visit Pattaya Beer Garden with a few friends. The experience was a pleasant one. This is a large restaurant, good service, friendly staff, and reasonably priced food. The view of Pattaya bay is an added bonus.

And the American public and the world cannot have enough.

Isn't that what American consumerism is all about? Selling you a bunch a crap you really don't need.

I have heard from a teacher here in Pattaya, the Regent's International School is a good one.

Thailand is trying to be a good citizen of the world and are trying to clean up their act. I wonder what incentives the West is offering?

I found this news clip about key dates in the political crisis interesting. Seems to me the people are clearly on the Thaksin side but the money people and ruling class will never give up power. Ah yes, democracy in Thailand? By The Associated Press The Associated Press Events leading to a court judgment Friday on confiscation of the wealth of billionaire ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose political fortunes have closely tracked the country's years of political turbulence:February 2001: Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecommunications tycoon, becomes prime minister after his Thai Rak Thai Party wins a sweeping election victory. August 2001: The Constitutional Court acquits Thaksin of concealing assets while he was a Cabinet minister in 1997-98. A conviction would have forced him out of office. February 2005: Thaksin re-elected in a landslide. February 2006: Rallies accusing Thaksin of corruption and abuse of power attract tens of thousands of people. Thaksin dissolves Parliament and calls elections. April 2006: Thaksin's party wins 57 percent of the votes as the opposition boycotts the elections, later nullified by the courts. Sept. 19, 2006: The military stages a bloodless coup while Thaksin is overseas and sets up an interim government. May 2007: Thaksin's party is dissolved by court for election law violations; he and 110 party executives are barred from politics for five years. December 2007: The People's Power Party, a proxy for Thaksin's disbanded party, easily wins elections and assembles a coalition government. February 2008: Thaksin welcomed by supporters on his return from exile. May 2008: The People's Alliance for Democracy — popularly known as the Yellow Shirts — launches protests against the pro-Thaksin government. July 2008: Thaksin's wife Pojaman, her brother and her secretary are convicted of tax evasion. She is sentenced to three years in jail and released on bail. August 2008: Thousands of anti-Thaksin protesters take over the prime minister's office compound. October 2008: Thaksin is sentenced to two years in jail for breaking a conflict-of-interest law, but has already fled to London. November 2008: Anti-Thaksin protesters take over Bangkok's two airports, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers. December 2008: Protesters vacate the airports and the prime minister's office after a court finds the pro-Thaksin ruling party guilty of electoral fraud, forcing its dissolution. With the backing of the military, opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is chosen prime minister. April 2009: Pro-Thaksin demonstrators, dubbed the Red Shirts, swarm a regional summit in Pattaya, forcing its cancellation as Asian leaders are hurriedly evacuated. Several days afterward they riot in Bangkok, leaving two people dead before the army restores order. Feb. 26, 2010: Thailand's Supreme Court is to rule on whether Thaksin abused his position as prime minister for personal gain, and whether $2.29 billion of his assets should be confiscated. Key dates in Thailand's political crisis - Yahoo! News

Now the Brazilians are going after Paris Hiltion because of a beer commercial. By BRADLEY BROOKS, Associated Press Writer RIO DE JANEIRO – Paris Hilton is giving blondes a bad name.So says Brazil's Secretariat for Women's Affairs, which wants a sultry beer commercial starring the hotel heiress, model and actor off the air. The ad features Hilton in a short black dress preening and rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, to the delight of onlookers watching through her window. The commercial isn't very explicit — especially in a land where postage-stamp-size bikinis are ubiquitous. But Brazil's regulations say beer commercials cannot treat women as overtly sensual objects. "It's an ad that devalues women — in particular, blond women," according to a spokeswoman for the Women's Secretariat who said it received numerous complaints. She spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because she was not free to discuss the case Paris Hilton too hot for Brazil? Gov't protests - Yahoo! News

And what is Obama going to do with all the out of work tax lawyers, accountants and tax preparers? Retrain them to build bridges? Send them back to school to obtain teaching certificates?

The court ruled today. They will seize 46.37 billion baht. Thaksin is able to keep the money he accumulate before becoming prime minister in 2001.

Air Asia has another limited promotion from Bangkok to many places in South East Asia starting at 399 baht. Check out the new design of theri website at www.airasia.com I like the new design.

Talk about crazy statements, here is one from Arkansas. The right to life people are really out there! LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas says he sees no need to apologize for comparing stem cell research to Nazi experiments on Jews during the Holocaust. Curtis Coleman told nationally syndicated radio host Thom Hartmann on Thursday that he stood by his statement that embryonic stem cell research was similar to "what the Nazis did to the Jews." Coleman is one of eight Republicans running for the chance to challenge Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln. Coleman is the chief executive officer of Safe Foods Corp. in North Little Rock and managed former Gov. Mike Huckabee's unsuccessful 1992 Senate bid. He made the stem cell comment during an interview with a Little Rock television station earlier this week. Ark. candidate likens stem cell work to Nazi tests - Yahoo! News

Here is another man's protest actions against the IRS. MOSCOW, Ohio – An Ohio man says he bulldozed his $350,000 home to keep a bank from foreclosing on it. Terry Hoskins says he has struggled with the RiverHills Bank over his home in Moscow for years and had problems with the Internal Revenue Service. He says the IRS placed liens on his carpet store and commercial property and the bank claimed his house as collateral. Hoskins says he owes $160,000 on the house. He says he spent a lot of money on attorneys and finally had enough. About two weeks ago he bulldozed the home 25 miles southeast of Cincinnati. Messages were left for the bank and its attorney. IRS spokeswoman Jodie Reynolds said individual taxpayer information is private and federal law prevents her from commenting. Ohio man bulldozes $350K home to avoid foreclosure - Yahoo! News

A SENIOR MOMENT "Where is my Sunday paper?" the irate customer calling the newspaper office loudly demanded, wanting to know where her Sunday edition was. "Ma'am," said the newspaper employee, "today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow, on Sunday." There was quite a long pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray of recognition, as she was heard to mutter, "Well, that's why no one was at church today!"

I wonder if we have seen one of the trustees on Jay Leno's "man on the street" segment? The Continuing Crisis! In February, the Board of Trustees of Saugatuck Township, Mich., scheduled a May referendum asking voters for an increase in the property tax in order to cover unanticipated new expenses. The budget overrun was due to the mounting costs of defending lawsuits by people and companies complaining that the Township's property taxes are too high. [Grand Rapids Press, 2-4-10] News of the Weird: - Yahoo! News

British, Australian, and US governments are warning it's citizens to be aware of possible problems in Thailand with the volatile political situation. Essentially warning citizens about the potential for violence around large crowd and demonstrations.

Here is the response from the "Family Guy" point of view about Palin's comment of "heartless jerks." One person who supports the “Family Guy†staff is Andrea Fay Friedman, the 39-year-old actor and public speaker who played Ellen in that episode. Like the character, Ms. Friedman also has Down syndrome. In an e-mail message sent on Thursday to The New York Times, Ms. Friedman wrote: I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska†was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.†In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. ‘Family Guy’ Voice Actor Says Palin ‘Does Not Have a Sense of Humor’ - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com