Wino

Let's agree to disagree.

Cessation of breathing and heartbeat happens in all deaths. The Times article said “death by acute pulmonary oedema is a combined failure of heart and lung, with the former triggering a build-up of fluid in the latter. The result can be sudden and catastrophic — effectively causing a form of internal suffocation.†Gately most probably died because his heart malfunctioned, thereby allowing fluid to build up in the air sacs of the lungs that lead to his death. Whether this was due to a birth defect of his heart valve, a virus or maybe drugs, we don’t know at this time.

I think the consevatives are looking for tort reform across the board. Reminds me of the story out of Florida, where the doctor amputated the wrong leg. Ouch! Somebody needed to be sued in that case.

Life in prison without parole will keep the individual from killing again. The exception would be a low-life cell mate and does that really count?

When it comes to the political arena, it helps to be smart but becoming president of the United States takes money, luck and political savvy. Two Rhodes scholars that ran for president but did not gain their parties nomination come to mind, Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ) and Senator Richard Lugar (R- IND).

Close counts only in horseshoes and hand grenades!

And Bill Clinton's luck was Ross Perot.

Oh no, no, no, no. It's a choice. It's a choice.

I guess Japan is similar to Thailand. In Thailand, I had a waiter come running after me to return the money I left on the table. Why is it hard for some nationalities to abide by nations customs? When in Rome, do as the Romans.

I would guess it is nothing like a Thai jail but still probably a no frill box. I imagine he misses his wife and young children terribly.

I am not sure if the driver was the owner of the truck or not. I believe he was alone in the truck according to this site http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread508887/pg1 Another article states, "The driver, whose name was not immediately released, could have good reason to fight the ticket in court, said Doug Switzer, vice-president of the Ontario Trucking Association. The provincial law ought not apply in the case of federally regulated trucking companies that operate in other provinces or the United States, Switzer said -- nor should it be brought to bear on truckers who own and operate their own rigs and work alone." http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091008/smoking_fine_091008/20091008/?hub=OttawaHome

This mayor sounds like a real ego-maniac. Thinks he can play god and change the weather. What a joke. I don't think his elevator goes to the top floor.

The guy would have to be a true masochist to enjoy 1,000 lashes. I should think a person would pass out after a few hundred. Do you thing the Saudi government spread the lashes out over the five year sentence? You know, give the guy 200 lashes a year for five years. That way the pain pervert would have something to look forward to the next year.

The article states, "Legal in 35 of the 50 US states and used regularly in about 12 or so" with, I believe Texas and Florida leading the pack in executions. Even though "a new poll found that 65 percent of Americans still favor the death penalty," I would be in favor abolishing the death penalty. If these litigation costs are correct, I do not see the advantage of the death penalty. Like most Western countries have realized, life in prison is punishment enough. Although I am no expert, I do not believe there are many studies out there that find the death penalty is a deterrent to murder.

I bet you think a homeless person chooses to be homeless!

I think you are right up there with the best of them.

Thanks for the helpful tip but the superfluous words were added for some unknown reason. When I went to edit, the edit button did not work and the post could not be changed.

Maybe that is why most Thais and French do not tip very much. I guess they ask why they would want to tip a service provider for doing their job.

I came across this picture on the internet of the billboard in the Pattaya area, advertizing the new museum. I think as reported, the Thai translation is "Hitler is not dead."

Call it blame, call it responsibility, call it culpability, call it fault, call it whatever you like. The point is young people are lured into prostitution many ways and for many reasons. I don’t think it is a conscious choice for most. How many young prostitutes from Isaan do you think say, “I think I will go down to Pattaya and sell my body to fat, smelly foreigners?†Not many. Once they are caught up in that life, it is hard to get out.

My problem with the choice issue is that it appears to me, you are blaming the person for choosing a life of prostitution. As we all know it is not that simple. My sympathy lies with the young person that is lured into this life without knowing the full ramifications of their actions. I think socio-economic situation is more of a cause than choice. I wonder if the Thai people see it as a simple black and white issue of choice?

Here is Miss Pongchanok Kunklub. She was crowned as Miss Thailand World 2009. Isn't she beautiful?

Here is another website that talks about frequent flyer miles and other topics. I think it is mostly American centered, but perhaps you can gain some useful information. http://www.flyertalk.com/

Most of the postings don't make much sense anyway.

I am not sure how true any of this is, but came across this rather long "Bush resume." George W. Bush's Resume George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Past Work Experience * Ran for congress and lost. * Produced a Hollywood slasher B movie. * Bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas; company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. * Bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. Biggest move: Traded Sammy Sosa to the Chicago White Sox. * With father's help (and his name) was elected Governor of Texas. Accomplishments in Previous Positions * Changed pollution laws for power and oil companies and made Texas the most polluted state in the Union. * Replaced Los Angeles with Houston as the most smog-ridden city in America. Cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas government to the tune of billions in borrowed money. * Set record for most executions by any governor in American history. * Became president after losing the popular vote by over 500,000 votes, with the help of my father's appointments to the Supreme Court. Accomplishments As President * Attacked and took over two countries. * Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury. * Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history. * Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. * Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market. * First president in decades to execute a federal prisoner. * First president in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. * First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in U.S. history. * After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. * Set the record for most campaign fundraising trips than any other president in U.S. history. * In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job. * Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in U.S. history. * Set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. * Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in U.S. history. * Set the record for the least amount of press conferences than any president since the advent of television. * Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in U.S. history. * Presided over the biggest energy crises in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed. * Presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history and refused to use the national reserves as past presidents have. * Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans. * Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind. * Dissolved more international treaties than any president in U.S. history. * My presidency is the most secretive and unaccountable of any in U.S. history. * Members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history (the 'poorest' multimillionaire, Condoleezza Rice, has an Exxon oil tanker named after her). * First president in U.S. history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt. * Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world. * First president in U.S. history to order a U.S. attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation. * Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States. * Set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any president in U.S. history. * First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the human rights commission. * First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the elections monitoring board. * Removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in U.S. history. * Rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant. * Withdrew from the World Court of Law. * Refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions. * First president in U.S. history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. elections). * All-time U.S. (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations. * My biggest lifetime campaign contributor presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation). * Spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in U.S. history. * First president in U.S. history to unilaterally attack a sovereign nation against the will of the United Nations and the world community. * First president to run and hide when the U.S. came under attack (and then lied saying the enemy had the code to Air Force 1) * First U.S. president to establish a secret shadow government. * Took the biggest world sympathy for the U.S. after 9/11, and in less than a year made the U.S. the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in U.S. and world history). * With a policy of 'disengagement' created the most hostile Israeli-Palestine relations in at least 30 years. * Fist U.S. president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and stability. * First U.S. president in history to have the people of South Korea more threatened by the U.S. than their immediate neighbor, North Korea. * Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. * Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated U.S. law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts. * Failed to fulfill my pledge to get Osama Bin Laden 'dead or alive.' * Failed to capture the anthrax killer who tried to murder the leaders of our country at the United States Capital building. After 18 months I have no leads and zero suspects. * In the 18 months following the 9/11 attacks I have successfully prevented any public investigation into the biggest security failure in the history of the United States. * Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in U.S. history. * In a little over two years created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided the U.S. has ever been since the Civil War. * Entered office with the strongest economy in U.S. history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down. Records and References * At least one conviction for drunk driving in Maine (Texas driving record has been erased and is not available) * AWOL from National Guard and deserted the military during a time of war. * Refuse to take drug test or even answer any questions about drug use. * All records of my tenure as governor of Texas have been spirited away to my father's library, sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. * All records of any SEC investigations into my insider trading or bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. * All minutes of meetings for any public corporation I served on the board are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. * Any records or minutes from meetings I (or my VP) attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. * For personal references please speak to my daddy or uncle James Baker (they can be reached at their offices of the Carlyle Group for war-profiteering.) Source: Kelley Kramer http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/jokes/bljokebushresume.htm