Wino

I am all for Bayh leaving the Senate. After two terms all Senators should leave. Let's hear it for term limits. By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON – Two-term Sen. Evan Bayh says ever-shriller partisanship and the frustrations of gridlock made it time for him to leave Congress. Republicans aren't buying it, saying he and fellow Democrats sense that voters will be after their heads this fall.The Indiana Democrat, a moderate who twice came close to being added to his party's national ticket, said Monday he will not seek re-election this November. The announcement gives Republicans a strong chance of capturing his seat and makes it likelier that the 59 votes that give Democrats command of the 100-seat Senate will dwindle. Bayh cites strident partisanship in leaving Senate - Yahoo! News

Although I am not much of a chef, I saw the movie and thought it was very well done. No, no, no, not overcooked but a good film.

BC, I thought you were talking about a building to purchase. Never mind. I read where the Thai prosecutors are charging seven people in the January 1, 2009 nightclub death of 66 people. Looks like they are going after the band member that lit the fireworks, a person from the lighting company, the general manager, maketing manager, and the entertainment manager. I didn't see where the owner of the building is being charged. Maybe he bought his way out?

You are lucky you are able to collect your social security overseas. I have heard in some countries, if you are not in the country the majority of the year, the government lowers your benefit.

Same here. I thought it was rather easy.

I was being a little facetious there, although to the average Thai around a 15% increase and a decrease in service is probably no joke.

I just heard about American Airlines linking up with British Airways. I am not sure if this is something new or not?

The full body scanners use a millimeter wave technology, which emits 10,000 times less radio frequency than a cell phone. The machine scans a person and produces a robotic image. This allows security personnel to detect potential threats, metallic and non-metallic hidden under a person's clothing. The TSA wants to use these machines because a scan can be conducted in about 20 seconds as opposed to a couple of minutes for a pat-down. I think it is a good idea.

I have been to the elephant round up in Surin twice and enjoyed it very much. Now I understand Chaing Rai province holds an annual King's Cup Elephant Polo tournament. This year's event will be held March 22-28. A dozen or so teams compete and come from many different countries. The event is held on the banks of the Rauk river and raises money for Thailand National Elephant Institute charity. Has anyone attended or know anything about this event?

For you golfing fans, the Honda PTT LPGA will be held here February 18-21. With a prize money purse of $1.3 US, this women's tournament should be a big draw. The event will take place at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course.

Inflation has reared it's ugly head. This fare is now a whopping 124 baht. They quit handing out a free snack and bottle of water, too.

I have heard in Pattaya, rude tourists are usually Russian with the Arabs a close second. I don't think that is true, but some do.

They say JFK was voted into office because of the female vote. Many women voted for him because of his looks. I remember one republican friend say JFK won because his father bought votes in Chicago. If true, politics in the US at that time is similiar to Thailand politics. Don't they say Thaskin bought votes to win the election?

Think you know what's going on in the US? Takes 30 seconds.. There are no tricks here - just a simple test to see if you are current on your information. This is quite good and the results are shocking. Test your knowledge with 12 questions, then be ready to shudder when you see how others did. Click below: It's short and sweet! Test Your News IQ Q1 - Pew Research Center

Look who is calling the kettle black?

I have seen American movies dubbed in Thai but with no English subtitles. It was alright but not really a fun experience. Now I know how Thais feel when they see an American movie.

Here is a story about a wife's love. A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death's doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands. With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven. There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man? Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife. "Stay out of those," she said. "They're for the funeral."

It takes all kinds to make up this crazy world!

Many guys would probably vote for a stripper. She could not do any worse than the jokers we now have in congress.

You are more likely to be struck by lightning on the way to buying your ticket, than in winning the jackpot. I guess people figure somebody has to win, why not me?

After a good cry, this brave 7 year old danced her heart out. Some people think it is child abuse but looks as if most of Brazil thinks it is alright. "Carlos Nicodemos, director of the Rio de Janeiro state Council for the Defense of Children and Adolescents, two weeks ago asked a judge to keep Julia from dancing, arguing that "what we can't allow is putting a 7-year-old girl in a role that traditionally for Carnival has a very sexual focus." A judge ruled last week that the girl could join the parade, and the overwhelming response in Brazil was a shrug and acceptance." Tears, tentative steps for preteen samba queen - Yahoo! News-

This fat flier received an apology and a $100 voucher. LOS ANGELES – Kevin Smith says he's "way fat," but that shouldn't stop him from flying. The director and actor says a pilot ejected him from a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank, Calif., saying he didn't fit properly in a single seat. Smith raised a stink about the incident on his Twitter page Sunday, saying "I'm way fat, but I'm not there just yet," and "If you look like me, you may be ejected from Southwest Air." He posted a picture of himself sitting on the plane with his cheeks puffed out. Southwest says it "Customer of Size" policy require travelers must be able to fit safely and comfortably in one seat or make other arrangements. After a storm of angry online comments from Smith and his fans, the airline issued an apology first from its own Twitter account and later in a statement on its Web site titled "Not So Silent Bob," a jovial jab at the Silent Bob character Smith plays in many of his films. "We would like to echo our tweets and again offer our heartfelt apologies to you," the statement said. The airline said it also accommodated Smith on a later flight, gave him a $100 voucher and apologized by phone. Both Smith and the airline acknowledged that he had bought two seats for his original flight from Oakland, where he had spoken at the Macworld Expo conference. But he was flying standby in order to catch an earlier flight, and only one was available. Smith insisted that he was still able to put both armrests down and buckle his seat belt, which is Southwest's standard. Smith is the director of the new Bruce Willis movie "Cop Out," and previously directed the films "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy." Kevin Smith oversized? ejected from flight - Yahoo! News

Cheney and Biden are at it again. Many people think Biden is wrong and the terrorists are coming up with new ideas to wreck havoc on the US and the world. By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON – Former Vice President Dick Cheney says his successor, Joe Biden, is "dead wrong" about terrorist threats facing the United States. Biden says Cheney is "misinformed."And the feud goes on. Highly partisan public skirmishes between President Barack Obama's White House and Cheney have become standard fare. And the back-and-forth on the Sunday morning talk shows did not disappoint. Biden struck first, declaring that Cheney's attacks on Obama's commitment to fighting al-Qaida ignored the facts. "We've eliminated 12 of their top 20 people. We have taken out 100 of their associates," said Biden. "They are in fact not able to do anything remotely like they were in the past. They are on the run. I don't know where Dick Cheney has been. Look, it's one thing, again, to criticize. It's another thing to sort of rewrite history. What is he talking about?" Cheney insisted Biden was "dead wrong" to assert that a fresh Sept. 11-style strike was unlikely, calling a nuclear or biological attack by al-Qaida "the biggest strategic threat the United States faces today." Biden and Cheney spar over anti-terrorism policies - Yahoo! News

Amen brother and sisters! No toot for the good padre, maybe he was smoking it.

I am really in the "don't care" camp. Strange but interesting to look at the case from different aspects.