WannaGo

Unfortunately, I'm in Panama City Beach, FL, which is a pretty small place. I haven't really explored the Asian markets here, but there don't seem to be many. One of the chain grocery stores seems to stock a so-so collection of Thai ingredients...I think because they get a lot of Thai students staying working here during the summers. I've always heard that it's better to make your own curry pastes and spice mixes -- both Thai and Indian -- but I don't really feel quite advanced enough to do that yet. Right now, I just use the Thai Kitchen brand red and green pastes. For my Indian curries, I usually just combine commercial powdered cumin, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, ginger (I know, I know) and either ground garlic or fresh, depending on how much time I have.

Wino: Not sure what country you are in, but US citizens and citizens of many other countries do not need a visa to visit Thailand for less than 30 days at a time, according to the US State Department's page on Thailand. This is from the website of the Thai embassy in Washington, D.C.: Here is a list of countries that that do not require a visa for stays of less than 30 days. The 30-day visit is for anyone entering the country by air or across the Thailand/Malaysia border. If you enter by other than air or the Malaysian border, then you can only stay 15 days without a visa. As I understand it, and one of you guys who know about these things correct me if I'm wrong, you have to apply for a tourist visa if you intend to stay for up to 60 days. These are the required documents: Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months One visa application form completely filled out (download) Two passport-size photographs taken within last 6 months. A copy of round-trip ticket or itinerary paid in full A copy of recent bank statement or evidence of adequate finance ($500 per person and $1,000 per family) For non-US citizen, a copy of permanent resident alien card with employment verification or a copy of valid US visa with employment verification letter For self-employed, business license or business registration indicating the applicant’s name. Seems pretty stringent. Processing times for applications made by mail in the US are about 10 days. If you are one of those who can enter the country without a visa, you can't stay more than 90 days combined during any six-month period. To stay more than 90 days, you have to leave and get a visa from a Thai embassy outside the country. Thai immigration will stamp your passport with the date your visit expires. If you stay longer, you'll have to pay a fine on departing the country, or you may be subject to arrest and fines if caught by the police during an immigration sweep.

Thanks, I appreciate that. It was funny, I was at Wal-Mart today and had to pick up some soy sauce. They have this separate little section on the "ethnic aisle" for Thai food...except that their "Thai" section consisted of some pre-packaged soups from Thai Kitchen, a bunch of La Choy water chestnuts, and whole row of "Thai" kung pao chicken mix and multi-packs of chopsticks. No curry paste, no fish sauce, no spices...nothing.

You guys remember that cover of the Daily Mirror in the UK when Bush got re-elected? "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?" I loved it! Personally, I'm starting to have my doubts about unrestricted capitalism and the free market. I think what all those hard-core proponents of capitalism fail to take into account is capitalism only works under the assumption that people will be fair and good...and we all know what BS that is. Looking forward to Michael Moore's new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story.

I would start by putting out messages to all the expats that you know, asking if any have contacts in the media. Also, start looking at the bylines of the health care-related stories that you see. Try to identify reporters/producers/editors who are assigned to those beats and begin putting together a list of names and email addresses. You're looking for people in one of the cable networks, or a medium to large newspaper in an urban market, especially one with a lot of policymaker-type readers. Obviously, CNN or MSNBC would be good ones for TV media...especially someone like Keith Olbermann, who seems to look for these "little-guy-getting screwed" kind of stories. In print, obviously you should look at the Washington Post, New York Times, or LA Times, but don't ignore papers that are smaller, but still influential, like the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Boston Globe, the Detroit Free Press, or the Miami Herald...in fact, those are good choices. Phillie, Boston, and Detroit are all working-man friendly papers, so they should have some interest about guys getting screwed on their retirement. Miami has a wide international audience and gets a lot of attention in Central and South America, where many expats live. Also, look for some of the political bloggers, especially those of a more liberal or progressive persuasion, as they'll be sensitive to these issues. See what the DailyKos, HuffingtonPost, and TalkingPointsMemo are saying about health care issues. And, check out the Associated Press, too. You're probably more likely to find AP reporters in overseas locations than just about any other media. Once you have a good list of possible media contacts, you need to start a quiet campaign to get their attention. Send the list to every expat you know and post it to message boards like this one. Ask the expats to contact the reporters on the list. Caution everyone to keep their tones civil and rational. They should not harangue these people in the media, but rather politely and passionately explain the problem and ask for help. Keep those emails coming...eventually, they will reach a tipping point, after which they can't be ignored. At the same time, get some expats together to form a group. Give yourselves a name that clearly expresses your purpose..."Expats for Fair Medicare Policy." If you've got someone who can put together a nice website, even better. Pick someone to be the point of contact for the media...someone articulate and with a good grasp of the issue. Put that person's name, email and phone number on the website. Make sure the site has a blog where you can post articles related to expats and health care. Then, really start ratcheting things up. Find out who in Congress sits on the appropriations and oversight committees for Medicare. Write those politicans a letter in the name of the group...better yet, put up a petition on the website and collect signatures. Send the letter and all the expat signatures you collected to those members of Congress. Then, put out a press release...use PRWeb or PRNewswire...and start it something like, "Today, the 10,000 members of Expats for Fair Medicare Policy called on Congress to..." Find a foreign city with plenty of expats and AP and CNN bureaus...somewhere like Bangkok, probably. Have a group of expats hold a press conference and announce the problem expats have getting Medicare coverage. Have some of the better writers among you write letters-to-the-editor and op-ed pieces to the newspapers I mentioned above. It might take a while...months even...but I bet you would start to get some attention. Make sure all the expats, especially those who might be dealing with the media, are prepared with an answer to this question: "You choose to live outside the US, so why should the government have to spend extra money to provide you with healthcare?" You can bet you'll get that one a lot, so sit down, put together a good solid answer, and be sure to share it in the expat community so that everyone is ready for it when it comes. Hope this helps.

Wow. Thanks for that. Got it bookmarked. Think the first one I try will be chicken and eggplant red curry.

Thaimo: Please don't misunderstand me. I definitely wasn't saying that the potential for scams justifies denying American expats the health care they have paid for already. Just acknowledging that it could be an issue. I definitely support what you're saying. You know, given the political atmosphere right now, I bet you could generate some media interest in a story about American citizens abroad are being denied health coverage from a system they've been paying into for years.

Hey, I'd missed your reply. Never been to the UK. Not high on my list, but I'd like to visit at least once. Hottest Air Force sergeant I ever knew was a woman stationed at Lakenheath in the early 90s. I met her on a vacation junket in Germany for service members and spent an whole week trying to hook up with her, to no avail.

Smoker, that is so cool that you'd do that. Been a big fan of Ellroy's for about 12 years. I think the Black Dahlia was the first book of his that I read, and after that, I couldn't stop. I've read everything he's written, with the exception of The Cold Six Thousand (just couldn't deal with an entire novel of three-word sentences...irritated me that he would do that experimental crap to his fans). To me, his LA Quartet is to crime fiction what the Godfather is to gangster movies. And, of course, LA Confidential, which treated his book OK, is one of the top 10 crime movies ever, IMHO. Have you read his memoir, My Dark Places? I bought that book one evening in 1998 and started to read a few minutes of it before I went to bed. Stayed up the entire night and read the whole thing, then called in sick to work the next morning so I could stay in bed. The story of what happened to his mother explained a lot about who and what he became, and I could easily see how his obsession with her death led him to write Black Dahlia. Good luck getting your signed copy. I guess you're getting Blood's a Rover? Please let me know if it's any good.

CrazyExpat: I was a huge fan of the Ultimate Fighter...watched every season and loved them, especially the first season that gave us some great, great MMA fighters...Diego Sanchez (one of my favorites), Kenny Florian, and of course, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar (did you see that fight...one of the all-time classics.) Season 2 kinda rocked it, too. Matt Hughes was a real dick as a coach, and Rich Franklin didn't really do much for me, but the fighters were outstanding. When Joe Daddy climbed around his teammate hundreds of times in that challenge, pushing himself beyond exhaustion, I was amazed at the guy's strength, endurance and mental toughness and have been pulling for him ever since. I knew Keith Jardine was going to turn out to be a fighter with a lot of heart, and some great hands, and I've been kind of disappointed at his inconsistent performance. And even with Rashad Evans, who I dislike, you have to admit the guy is one hell of a fighter, and he just keeps getting better, especially his stand-up. The other seasons have produced some pretty good fighters, too. Michael Bisping, of course, (who I respect even more after he didn't whine about Dan Henderson's cheap shot, even though he could have) and, even though they are real assholes, both Matt Serra and Nate Diaz backed up their big mouths with some solid fights. But, having said all that, Dana White is really testing the limits of my fan loyalty with some of the clown-shoes BS he is pulling with the UFC lately. First, did you see how many chances he gave that punk Junie Browning in season 8? That kid was a disgrace to MMA, but Dana just kept him around because he though Browning's little soap-opera diva behavior would generate ratings. Then, in the worst possible decision in the short history of MMA, he brought Brock Lesnar over from the frickin' WWE...wtf??? We all saw at UFC 100 just how badly that asshole can damage MMA, but Dana still backed him up. And now, we've got the biggest joke ever...Kimbo Slice...in this season? Give me a break. MMA is the purview of dedicated fighters who have trained and honed their skills in an art form...brutal yes, but still an art form. Slice is street thug who made his name knocking out a few guys on YouTube. He didn't even last 10 seconds against Seth Petruzelli, who's not exactly one of the sport's stellar fighters. After that loss, Slice should have just slunk away to obscurity. But no, Dana, in his ever-pressing quest for...I don't know what...has decided to give him legitimacy by offering him a shot at fighting in the UFC. I've been a fan since the very first UFC back in, what, '93? I remember watching Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock (before he became such a joke) transform fighting sports. And I have to give Dana credit for taking it mainstream...UFC would have withered and died on the vine without the energy and commitment he's put into it. That's why I don't understand what he's doing now. But it sure has made me start to lose my taste for watching the Ultimate Fighter or UFC events.

I have to agree. Seems a little stereotypical, too...the cliche of the subservient Asian bride. But then, I don't think I've ever met a Thai woman who wasn't Americanized, so maybe I'm wrong. I will say I find Thai woman fairly attractive. I've always been a sucker for dark skin, dark hair and smoky eyes. And I love those big open smiles. But you know, I've always been really attracted to Amerasian women. One of the most beautiful women I ever saw was French and Vietnames. Are there many Amerasians in Thailand?

You're probably very right about that. I read a very angry newspaper column recently in which the writer said that "socialist" is the new N-word and that most of the people crying about Obama being a socialist are actually racists too afraid to say what they really mean. I think that's probably an overly broad generalization, but certainly true in many cases.

Wow! Went to Amazon to put it in my cart. They only have it available from their used booksellers. There are four new copies available from those sellers at prices ranging from $176 to $275!! Used copies start at $60. Good grief...it must be a good cookbook. But I'll have to put off buying it for a little while. eleothegreat: Have you considered having galangal shipped to you? Here's an eBay listing of someone selling powdered galangal in the UK who says they will ship worldwide. And here's a company in the States who sells the root itself. If you knew someone in the States who could forward it to you, that might work, if it's packaged properly and done quickly.

Smoker: Always glad to run into another fan of crime fiction. I'm crying in my beer right now because I had a chance to meet Michael Connelly at a luncheon but had to pass because of work and other obligations. Huge fan of Connelly, Dennis Lehane, James Lee Burke, George Pelecanos, and Charlie Huston (especially the Pitt novels...gotta love the fusion of vampire/hard-boiled detective fiction). Have been a long time fan of Robert B Parker, but I've gotta say, his stuff has really been going downhill the last several years. Guy I've started reading recently is Ken Bruen, an Irish crime writer. Excellent books about an guy named Taylor who got thrown off the Irish cops for drinking (oh, the irony.) As far as what I'm into, besides crime fiction, I love the state of Florida, where I live. Love all the weird news that comes out of this state, love the weather, love the beaches and cypress swamps and sinkholes (my favorite place is Wakulla Springs), love all the beautiful dark-skinned women walking around in skimpies, love the wildlife like the gators and manatees and black bears...when I lived on the beach, I could look off my balcony and see dolphins and rays and sharks. Now, I live about two blocks from the beach and still see great stuff. Few weeks ago, I had a red fox in my back yard. Besides that, I'm a huge movie geek. Best one I've seen in the last few weeks was an odd little indie movie called "Throwing Stars" about a group of friends who have to help one of their buddies dispose of the body of a dead drug dealer. Actually a comedy, if you can believe that. Best line: "I'm sitting next to a dead guy who's getting jacked off by a monkey." Mostly, though, I prefer horror and crime movies. I'm kind of a musical heathen. Like the Stones, love Metallica, but also have to cop to liking Nickelback. Yeah, yeah, I know. Heard a cool song last night on the radio called "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked," by Cage the Elephant. Oh, and I like to eat, especially spicy food. And I love my George Foreman grill.

After I saw what you guys were saying, I did some reading and was a little surprised at what I found. Of course, you're right. Medicare doesn't cover foreign medical care even in the case of an emergency. The sole exceptions seem to be that if a foreign hospital with the treatment you need is closer to your home than a US hospital (yeah, right) or if you are traveling from Alaska to another state and have to pass through Canada, then Medicare will cover the expense. You can see Medicare's policies on foreign care here. This seems pretty outrageous. According to the New York Times, between 4 and 6 million Americans live abroad (civilian and military). At the top of that estimate, that's almost 2 percent of the population. And, as Thaimo pointed out, most of them have been paying into the system for most of their working lives. Yet, they aren't allowed to then use those benefits? It can't be due to an inability to coordinate medical treatment and payment between the US and foreign countries. There are a whole slew of US insurance companies that will provide coverage for Americans living abroad, including one of the best, Blue Cross/Blue Shield. We all know that government-run functions tend to be less efficient than private companies, but still, if BCBS can do it, surely the US government can figure out a way to provide its citizens living abroad with the health coverage they have paid for! I can see that the US government would have some serious concerns about the potential for scams. By some estimates, Medicare fraud costs US taxpayers about $60 billion a year. Presumably, it would be even easier to pull these con games in a foreign country than in the States. But just because a situation is difficult doesn't mean the country doesn't still have an obligation to its citizens. It would be different if that money hadn't been coming out of your paychecks for all of your adult lives. Those expats who have retired to Thailand or other places have probably paid tens of thousands of dollars into the system over about 30 working years. Far as I'm concerned, that buys you a sizable interest in the Medicare system -- just as much of an interest as anyone living on American soil. However, bureaucracy being what it is, the situation doesn't seem likely to change any time soon. And Thaimo had it right when he said that US medical interests stand to lose too much if some of those Medicare dollars started going outside the country. In the meantime, for those of you living overseas, the only thing you can do seems to be to buy some form of international health insurance, if you don't already have it. This website seems to have a pretty comprehensive list of companies that sell insurance. The US State Department site also has some info on private medical insurance and medical transport companies here (scroll down).

LMAO

I wonder what American culture would be like if we had something similar. Much less violent and aggressive, I bet.

Just when the RIAA finally stops with the insane lawsuits against grandmothers and college kids, another arm of the music industry decides to pull this greedy crap. It's stupefying how the music industry can't see the connection between this kind of behavior and the outrageous prices they charge for CDs/downloads and pirating. They just can't seem to grasp that people are going to continue to pirate as long the industry continues to try to take advantage of music consumers.

Thailand to use harsh law for Thaksin coup rally By Boonradom Chitradon (AFP) BANGKOK — Thailand's cabinet agreed Tuesday to invoke a tough security law and deploy soldiers for protests this weekend marking the third anniversary of a coup against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The move further raises tensions ahead of the planned rally on Saturday in Bangkok by tens of thousands of "Red Shirt" demonstrators, who want current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to quit and call fresh elections. The Internal Security Act will be in force from Friday until Tuesday and effectively bans protesters from a central Bangkok district that is home to parliament and Government House, where the cabinet offices are located. "The protest leaders have said it will be a huge rally to overthrow the government and even establish a new state, so the government is very concerned," Abhisit told reporters after a cabinet meeting. Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said that "police will be the core force with the military acting as assistants, but the number of forces depends on the situation," he said. He said between 20,000 and 30,000 Red Shirts from around the country were expected to gather. The protest comes a day before Abhisit is due to leave for the United States for the UN General Assembly and the G20 summit. Thaksin was toppled by the military in 2006 while he was away at the UN assembly. The pro-Thaksin Red Shirts have twice called off previous rallies in recent weeks after the government invoked the act, but they vowed to go ahead with this weekend's demonstration. "Unarmed and peaceful protest is guaranteed under the constitution. The government has no need to be afraid of this demonstration," Jatuporn Prompan, one of the movement's senior leaders, told AFP. He said the rally would aim to put pressure on Prem Tinsulanonda, the chief advisor to Thailand's widely revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Red Shirts accuse Prem of being behind the coup against Thaksin. "At the rally we will point out how the coup has damaged our country and that General Prem was the real mastermind," he said. Acting national police chief Thanee Somsboonsup said around 6,000 police would be deployed at "key strategic locations" including Government House and Prem's house on Saturday. In April similar Red Shirt protests spiralled into riots which forced the cancellation of a major Asian summit and led to mass unrest in Bangkok, leaving two people dead and 123 injured. The Red Shirts backed down on that occasion after troops threatened to use force, but they have recently reignited their campaign by lodging a petition with the king last week for a royal pardon for Thaksin. Thaksin fled the country a year ago to escape a two-year jail term for corruption, but the divide between his largely rural supporters and his foes continues to cause turmoil in the kingdom. The rival "Yellow Shirts", a royalist group with their support base in Bangkok's urban elite, helped topple the previous pro-Thaksin government by blockading Bangkok's airports in November-December last year.

The more I learn about Thai food, the more convinced I become that I should eat more of it. I keep hearing that Thais love to eat (which I do) but that they manage to do it and still stay skinny (which I certainly do not). I'm convinced a large part of it is that Thai diets seem to be mostly seafood and poultry, which of course are much more lean than beef. And, like the Chinese, their recipes all are heavy on vegetables, with small amounts of meat cut into bite-sized pieces so you eat less of it (seems like I even saw something in one of these messages about how it's considered insulting to offer someone a large piece of meat at a meal). Plus, it always seems that any diet that is heavy in spicy foods - garlic, chilies, etc. -- also speeds up your metabolism so you burn off food faster and more efficiently. I think I remember reading somewhere that this was called the "thermic effect." Found a cool website that has a bunch of Thai recipes I'm going to have try. Can any of you guys recommend a good Thai cookbook? Right now I get most of my Thai recipes out a book called -- don't laugh -- "Cooking with Spices for Dummies."

Bob: I envy you for having that experience. ESPN2 will show Muay Thai from Lumpini once in a great while late at night, and the crowd always looks so electric. What strikes me is the difference between American and Thai fights. In the States, the fighters enter the ring with such arrogance and make it clear the fight is about them and their personalities, but when you watch Thai fighters come in performing the rituals, it's obvious that they are putting themselves second to the fight and the sport.

Smoker: You're right, I've just about given up on using any Facebook apps. I've tried Spybot a couple of times -- even ran the scans in safe mode -- and couldn't pick up this Virus Doctor. Apparently, it hides deep and moves to avoid detection.

lvdkeyes: Were you in the Air Force?

Good, because you can never have too much peanut sauce. I can't imagine they sell much of the Heinz label, then. Funny, though, that they even carry that much ketchup. Maybe they're trying to cater to tourists and expats. Hey, thanks...that will save me a few dollars. Is there anything you can recommend that goes well with fish sauce?

Obama says he disagrees with Carter, though.