Wino

I would like to see strong ties between the two nations. A good and fair trade agreement is essential in starting this bond. I would also like to see India export the Nano to Thailand once the demand is met in India.

I thought iPhone was the latest and greatest. According to this article, Android might be even better. From http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/57664 Watch out, iPhone—Android's nipping at your heels. Researchers at Gartner (via AppleInsider) are predicting that the global market share for Google's Android mobile OS could overtake the iPhone's in a little over two years, with Android poised to leapfrog Apple into the No. 2 spot. That would leave the iPhone in the No. 3 position—right where it is now, behind BlackBerry and Nokia's Symbian OS, according to Gartner. The industry researchers believe that by 2012, Research in Motion (the company behind the BlackBerry) will have lost 7 percent of its market share, causing it to slip into fifth place (behind even Windows Mobile). Android, meanwhile, will get a 12.9-percent boost to become the No. 2 smartphone platform in the world, with Symbian still safe in the No. 1 spot (with a dominating, although dwindling, 39 percent of the global market). Those are just analyst predictions, of course, and two years is an eternity in the wireless world; after all, two years ago today, we were still getting used to the first iPhone. That said, I think the gist of Gartner's prediction—that Android is poised to take the wireless market by storm—is spot on, and we've seen evidence of that in the past few months and weeks. Google's open-source Android platform—which boasts one of the finest touchscreen interfaces out there, iPhone included—came slow out of the gates in fall 2008 with the solid, if uninspiring T-Mobile G1. We had to wait almost a year for the next Android phone in the U.S., but we finally got one this past August with the G1's follow-up, the HTC-made myTouch 3G (also on T-Mobile). Soon after, what started as a trickle quickly became a flood. Sprint trotted out its first Android phone, the eye-catching, touchscreen HTC Hero, and then T-Mobile followed suit with the Motorola Cliq, its third Android handset ... followed by the Samsung Behold II just a few days ago. On Tuesday, Verizon Wireless announced it would launch a pair of Android phones before the end of the year, while Sprint announced its second Android phone—the Samsung Moment—a day later. Oh, and now there's rumors that Dell wants in on the Android action, with a new handset possible slated for iPhone carrier AT&T. Let's see, that's ... one, two, three, four ... five new Android phones in in the past few months, with two more—and possibly even a third—due by the end of the year, from two (or maybe three) different manufacturers and three (possibly four) carriers. Some will be better than others, but consumers will have plenty of models (and carriers) from which to choose. Of course, a bunch of new phones on the market doesn't mean diddly unless someone buys them, and for now, Apple has a solid 10.8- versus 1.6-percent lead over Android in terms of global smartphone market share. But Apple is the only company making iPhones, while the open-source (and high-quality) Android platform is available to all manufacturers and carriers—and from what we've been seeing, they're taking the ball and running with it.

You are so lucky to have lived in Thailand for five years now. No wonder your "old US mobile didn't have a SIM card." And you "had to pay monthly for incoming as well as outgoing calls. What a rip off that was!" For others not living in Thailand, you may be able to take your home country mobile home and use it in Thailand.

Maybe this should be in the politic section, but noticed Obama has nominated a openly gay man to be ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. How do you think the New Zealanders and Samons will react? PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer Philip Elliott, Associated Press Writer – Wed Oct 7. WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Wednesday he planned to nominate an openly gay lawyer as the U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. If confirmed by the Senate, David Huebner would become the third openly gay ambassador in U.S. history and the first pick by this administration. In a statement released from the White House, Obama said he looked forward to working with Huebner and is confident he will represent the United States well in the Pacific region. Huebner is based in Shanghai, where he handles international arbitration and mediation cases for a U.S. firm. A graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, he is also the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's general counsel and previously served on the group's board. He also has chaired the California Law Revision Commission, served as president of the Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission and taught at the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law. Obama's announcement is a gesture just days before he speaks to a gay rights fundraising dinner on Saturday and gay activists march on Washington on Sunday. Obama's relationship with gay activists has been rocky since his election. Gays and lesbians objected to the invitation of evangelist Rev. Rick Warren's to participate in Obama's inauguration because of Warren's support for repealing gay marriage in California. Obama responded by having Episcopalian Bishop V. Gene Robinson, the denomination's first openly gay bishop, participate at another event. As president, Obama hasn't taken any concrete steps urging Congress to rescind the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy that allows gays and lesbians to serve in the military as long as they don't disclose their sexual orientation or act on it. Some former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have acknowledged the policy is flawed. The office of the current chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, signed off on a journal article that called for lifting the ban, arguing that the military is forcing thousands of military members to live dishonest lives. Obama also pledged during the campaign to work for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which limits how state, local and federal bodies can recognize partnerships and determine benefits. But lawyers in his administration defended the law in a court brief. White House aides said they were only doing their jobs to back a law that was already on the books. Officials said Obama's slow and incremental approach to the politically charged issues has produced some gains. "The president made commitments on those issues — not just, quite frankly, in a presidential race but ran on some of those commitments in a Senate race," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "They are commitments that are important to him and he is intent on making progress on those issues and is working with the Pentagon to ensure, at least in 'don't ask, don't tell,' that we make progress on it." Obama has expanded some federal benefits to same-sex partners, but not health benefits or pension guarantees. He has allowed State Department employees to include their same-sex partners in certain embassy programs available to opposite-sex spouses. On Wednesday, Gibbs said the administration was working with the Office of Personnel Management to expand those benefits. But that remains far short of his campaign rhetoric. "At its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans," Obama said a 2007 statement on gay issues. "It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

Happiness comes from within. Money cannot buy happiness....although you might be able to rent a few happy moments.

Many business men that I know love their blackberries. Seems it is a perfect way to keep in touch.

I hope you switched carrier, quickly. You can buy a T-mobile, "pay as you go" cell phone and sim card for about $30 at Wal-mart or Target. That might be something to look into.

I am no expert on the subject and do not understand half the stuff I read on the subject. It seems, scientists are still trying to understand the workings of this key neurotransmitter. I don't believe you have to worry about ruining sex. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter facilitating or stimulating the orgasm. There is also a study that found exercise increased dopamine levels. I have read that dopamine-synthesizing neurons are activated during ejaculation. Maybe exercise and jacking off will increase your dopamine levels thereby facilitating orgasms.

How lucky is Levi? Gets paid the big bucks to pose in his undies. Sounds like a good deal for him.

The French have a good attitude towards sex. What you do in your private sex life is no big deal. Concerning sex, I believe, as the Thai's say, "up to you." Bring in the right wing and the religious fanatics and you have the American attitude towards sex.

I find Uummmmm, a bit annoying.

For those of you that are into biking, there will be a big Dragon Bike Party in the Rayong area Saturday, October 17. The party will be at Mae Rumphung Beach and a start time is 6 pm. Mae Rumphung Beach is between Rayong and Ban Phe and the party is free. There will be plenty of biking gear stalls, as well as food stalls. They will also have live music on stage for entertainment. Money made from the stalls goes towards a school for the deaf and disabled in Rayong. These funds are put to a very good use.

I was talking about the real deal, Chateau Jade.

Wish I were on the Star Alliance, but I am not. Too bad. Another way to fly to Bali would be Air Asia from Bangkok. I have seen sale fares as cheap as $100 roundtrip. Check out their online site at www.airasia.com

Here is an article about the most annoying word poll, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_on_re_us/us_fea_lifestyles_annoying_words "Whatever" easily beat out "you know," which especially grated a quarter of respondents. The other annoying contenders were "anyway" (at 7 percent), "it is what it is" (11 percent) and "at the end of the day" (2 percent). Do you want to add any words or phrases you find annoying?

Can you believe it? Sarah Palin is going to be so proud. Levi Johnston, the 19 year old father of Sarah Palin's grandchild is going to pose nude for Playgirl. Full story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091008/ap_on_en_ot/us_levi_johnston_playgirl

When I was in Phuket, we stayed in Karon Beach and I rented a motorbike for $5 a day. I thought it was inexpensive, but that has been many years ago.

Ko Larn has nice beaches but more expensive than Pattaya or Jomtien.

The beach is not as big as Kuta but the sand is about the same color.

Can we have a volunteer to check this place out and report back?

I think I will pass on the Pattaya Floating Market. I just don't need any more trinkets. It really doesn't sound like much of a floating market.

I use my cell phone from the US. Have your carrier unlock the phone before you leave. It is free and very easy. Just ask for the code and put it in the phone. Once in Thailand, buy a sim card at 7-11 and you are good to go. If you travel to Indonesia or the Philippines, simply buy a sim card there and talk until your heart is content.

I too, am glad the Nobel committee recognized them before they died. Just think where this world would be, if it were not for their research. A big thanks to them all.

"Following the crisis, it was decided that the baht be placed on a floating exchange rate which halved its value, to its lowest rate of 56:1 in January 1998. It stabilized again at a rate of about 40:1, which it has managed to stay at since then." This according to http://www.gocurrency.com/countries/thailand.htmThe highest I remember was 51 to the dollar, the above said 56.

How much people smile would be good. How about measuring it by the cost of beer? I couldn't believe how much they wanted for a little glass of beer in most of the Scandinavian countries. Ridiculous.