merck

The thing is, millions of people have been taking statins for decades now, and the drugs have certainly done a great deal of good. In the bad old days, before statins, someone like me, suffering from very strong genetic hyperlipidemia, would simply have died of a heart attack by age 50, and the doctors would have said, oh well, that's the way it is, nothing we could do. Now that's becoming less and less common, and it's one reason many people can reasonably expect to live into their 80s now.

I can remember in my childhood, lots of older relatives and friends of older relatives passing away in their 50s or becoming invalids from heart conditions. Yes it's true, we know a lot more about diet and exercise now (back not so long ago I understand they actually forbade exercise after a heart attack), but statins really do seem to be the golden key to prevent heart disease, or prevent a recurrence for people who've already had a cardiac event. Or at the very least, reduce risk significantly.

As for the pharma companies being some sort of organized criminals profiteering from gullible people who they supposedly coerce into using their products, I personally don't have any problem with a corporation making pots of money from something that's doing a lot of good in the world. Don't forget that the shareholders in these publicly traded companies are you, me and our pension funds and insurance companies. And the stakeholders are everybody at risk of a heart attack.

That could well be due to improved heart surgery techniques that have been around since the 1980s eg stents etc.

When the early early reactors were built, people were told they would supply electricity 'too cheap to meter'.

Sellafield is a nuclear processing and former electricity generating site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England.

"...during the 1950s and 1960s there were protracted periods of known, deliberate, discharges to the atmosphere of plutonium and irradiated uranium oxide particulates."

"In the hasty effort to build the 'British Bomb' in the 1940s and 1950s, radioactive waste was diluted and discharged by pipeline into the Irish Sea. Some claim that the Irish Sea remains one of the most heavily contaminated seas in the world because of these discharges"

"The OSPAR Commission reports an estimated 200 kg of plutonium has been deposited in the marine sediments of the Irish Sea."

etc

Greenpeace very bravely tired to block the Sellafield discharge pipes in the 1980s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sellafield

This is a weird story. Do you think it might be fabricated?

Most likely fabricated.

I did a search:

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-relea...s#searchResults

Very odd The Nation publish this without double checking the ''news''.

LaoPo

next time you get one of your hunches keep it to yourself

Most people think that nuclear power stations only release radioactivity to the environment when they go wrong. But that's not true. One of the reasons they're invariably located on the coast (apart from easy access to abundant water for cooling) is to be able discharge a constant stream of radioactive material into the sea, where the thinking is that it will be diluted enough to become harmless. Yeah. Right.

I got the following post from another message board where they were discussing the phenomenon of farang police volunteers. It was posted by a farang journalist based in Thailand:

"I sent a Thai reporter to interview some Pattaya tourist police once, just as an excercise mind you.

She got some interesting stuff varied from walter mitty's (one Brit had a card saying he did diplomatic security which clearly did not check out) to others who all had an angle.

One had convictions abroad for kidnap and pimping (beat up one of his girls).

Another had a complaint against him at the British Embassy for using as stun gun against a farang during a police interview.

Another ran a business advising arrested foreigners on how much they needed to pay to have charges dropped (of which he took a cut).

And of course there are the local paper boys whom I presume are in it because they can be there when the news happened, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya City News, Pattaya People, all have members in the volunteer police.

We only get the police version of the news, but I suppose everybody has already noticed that."

Why the Thai WAI beats a handshake:

1. Different levels of respect can be shown depending on who initiates it and the level the hands are raised to etc.

2. Don't have to touch someone's sweaty hand.

3. No crushed hand from some muscleman over-doing a firm handshake over a limp one in order to emphasize his 'sincerity'.

4. No chance of colds etc being passed on with a WAi since no physical contact.

5. er that's it.

Rikker,

You're a brave man to lecture a native Thai speaker on his own language lol

Another Thai in the UK I came across recently: Alice Bhandhukravi, who reads the BBC London news.

Born in BKK, to a Thai father and British mother.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articl...i_feature.shtml

I introduced myself once as a ladyboy to a lady's man to scare him off!

I thought you were a ladyboy lol

Suvarnabhumi Airport beefs up security after cases of thefts

BANGKOK: -- Director of Suvarnabhumi Airport Serirat Prasutanont (เสรีรัตน์ ประสุตานนท) has ordered security personnel and baggage claim personnel to take stringent measures on insuring the safety of passenger luggage both for domestic and international flights.

Mr. Serirat has commissioned more security officers to be present in various positions such as the baggage sorting area and claiming area.

Strict checks are to be conducted as to people passing through the areas. The airport is also expediting the installation of closed circuit cameras.

Latest news reveal that authorities in the airport have apprehended 5 suspects linked to the thefts of valuable items in April.

The suspects are all employees of a flight service company and are currently being investigated by police.

Police are collecting evidence and witness testimonials on the case and expect to be able to conclude the matter within the end of this month.

--PRD 2008-05-25

Even before I read the article I knew that the thefts would be carried out by people working at the airport. There have been numerous reports of security staff stealing valuables. Also if 5 of them are at it, it is likely there is a Fagin-like gangmaster behind them. Usually they hush all this up as best they can. Possibly a new appointment smearing his predecessor or bringing in his own thieving gang and warning others to stay off his turf.

Since the title of the thread was 'Suvarnabhumi Airport Beefs Up Security After Cases Of Thefts' it wasn't that hard to anticipate who the thefts were by before reading the article, was it? lol

Thefts at airports by baggage handlers is commonplace. Heathrow used to have the nickname 'Thiefrow' for just that reason.

Since the post wasn't addressed to you, not quite sure why you replied.

DavidHouston wrote:

"...[เนอะ] I have never heard ..[is it]...a personal variation?"

So the implication was there. Anyhow, not too bothered, since I know my Thai is pretty basic at the best of times.

Anyhow, on a lighter note:

The vowel [เนาะ] is rather obvious, I only needed to listen to the clip once to become certain.

Which [sic] is the native dialect of your friends, and what education level do they have?

Yoot, native Thai Speaker:

I listened to the clip, I heard she said "...เนอะ".

Perhaps not quite so obvious after all, is it Meadish lol

"เนอะ" ...I have never heard....Is this a Central Thai or standard Thai word, and if not, what is the Central Thai equivalent?...

The implication of your post appears to be that because you haven't heard it, it can't exist.

You might do well to remember that as a non-native speaker of the language, there may be quite a lot in the Thai language you haven't heard before.

Let me through [sic] out a thought here. Could it be that speech which uses the high tone for is [sic] clearly written as rising tones is demonstrating [sic] "intonation", rather than "tones"? Take for example the difference between "ไหม" and "มั้ย". If you consider various interrogatory sentence [sic] which are tagged by this word, is there any difference in meaning implied by the use of the latter, rather than the former?

อะไรหว่า ... can you write that in English please....

Ok..Let's get back to the topic..

My turns, I did observation as well... but this is just my 2 cents, based on my homorous feeling and humbleness...

British: Their accent is quite special.....umm..I can't help to say I like this accent...it kinda sexy tone.. . They are not quite tall and lady quite a little chubby. Actually, for me - Rooney is a very good representative of british man...exactly.

Got me laughing at this one Midori. God help the British men if they all look like Wayne Rooney. The only way they'll ever get lucky is if they have his money

And God help the British women, too!!

I don't know. I think you and Rooney would make a nice couple, sbk.

My story/film would involve Ali G (or Borat) in Bangkok. Many possibilities eg going to a bar and not realising till too late the ladies there are katoey or seeing some of the bugs/dancing shrimp sold by the food vendors and getting freaked out. Maybe going on a tuk tuk drive and buying low quality jewelery, gold chain, gems, bling etc or getting scammed by a bar girl who gets the upper hand. Numerous possibilities.

Ali G in Bangkok, Ali G in Bangkok...

The first time I heard เนาะ it was from someone from Buriram speaking Central Thai. Although I guess it could have slipped in from Isan dialect.

As for เนอะ look on Google, you should find examples.

เน้อ...i'm not so sure now, so will leave that one for the minute.

I think เนอะ and เนาะ are used in Central Thai and are colloquial variants of นะ, but am willing to be corrected.

Did you agree with the มั้ย/เหรอ explanation given above. Can you add anything to it?

I have thought about this in the past, and came up with the following rule of thumb using the example delicious:

Suppose you go for a burger with your friend. You watch their reaction after they take a bite:

1.They remain poker-faced after the first bite.

You might ask:

อร่อยมั้ย - Does it taste delicious/Do you like it? (you don't know if they like it or not).

2. You see a look of satisfacton on their face:

อร่อยเหรอ - So it's delicious, is it?/So you like it, do you? (you have an idea of their answer already)

3. อร่อยเนาะ/อร่อยเนอะ/เน้อ - It's delicious, isn't it? (here you seek confirmation that the other person's opinion agrees with yours.).

So เหรอ anticipates the answer, มั้ย is when you have no idea of the answer.

Sometimes เหรอ is also used without any real meaning I can see, eg its sometimes tacked onto ทำไม (why?) to give ทำไมเหรอ, which is more colloquial than just ทำไม on it's own.

However, I'm not sure if the above is correct. Maybe there are no hard and fast rules and it can't be simplified like this. Anyone else care to comment?

Hi Kitty

Can you give an example sentence in Thai where ค้า/ค่า is used in a sarcastic way?

Anyhow, it's all in fun. Don't think too much!

...I could be a lot more derogatory regarding giks and wives but I chose not to in this thread...

Er..yes...maybe best not to make more derogatory comments about Thai wives and farang husbands, when one is, by their own words, the offspring of such a liason.

Anyhow, must dash, the Thai GIK's just arrived. And she assures me she hasn't got a farang husband. 'I no lie you!' Toodlepip and chin up old bean!

Some people have to pay, others don't (thai or farang). Guess it depends on age and a few other likewise factors.

Exactly.

For instance were Bambina to be my gyk, i would probably have to adopt the 'ah-seea' role, and buy her lots of things.

But typically, couples of similar age and interest it is mostly for fun, no strings attached.

Commonplace for farang wives to get hit on, because, let's face the sad reality here, there is the perception that some foreigner's wives are willing to engage in such behaviour especially in cases where the husband is not based in Thailand; the wife gets lonely tralahalalaha boogily boo yada yada yada .

Sad but true.

If I had a quarter for every married wife of a farang that had hit upon me, I'd have like....almost $1.

I seem to remember you writing before that you are luk kreung, with a Thai mother and farang father. So am not sure why you then appear to be gloating about infidelity of Thai wives married to farang.

But as they say, up to you!

Maybe they were farang wives of married farangs, Merck. Steve does not specify ethnicity here.

Here's where steveromagnino posted on the same theme a few months ago (unfaithfulness of Thai women married to farang). It was in a thread about a Thai actress Amy.

He specifically referred to Thai wives married to farang in his post:

All over the country young male students will be adding Thammassat to their list of potential universities, thanks to her. TU's PR department should make her an exgratia payments for services rendered.

I doubt anyone in Thailand has a problem with knowing Thammasaht University despite young Amy's efforts.

For her, beckons a lifetime of 'dtua eechar' and 'puan nung ek' roles. Effectively, she has probably relegated herself to the ignomony of VCD films and other low end drivel currently played by people like Nong Balloon and Nong Ying.

Worse still, she may have eliminated a chance of marrying up in the world, and may be forced to follow in Ying's footsteps and merely become a 'meea farang' in the future; all from one rather poor choice in clothing. Ah well, she won't be the first; at least once she is married to a foreigner, then all the THai guys can do her behind the foreign guy's back. I hope I am not too late in that queue; I missed the boat with a few other 'meea farang' types in the past.

Then again, maybe all will be forgotten. She looked pretty bad in that outfit though; nice rack though.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1143544

Anyhow, it's all in fun. Don't think too much!

Some people have to pay, others don't (thai or farang). Guess it depends on age and a few other likewise factors.

Exactly.

For instance were Bambina to be my gyk, i would probably have to adopt the 'ah-seea' role, and buy her lots of things.

But typically, couples of similar age and interest it is mostly for fun, no strings attached.

Commonplace for farang wives to get hit on, because, let's face the sad reality here, there is the perception that some foreigner's wives are willing to engage in such behaviour especially in cases where the husband is not based in Thailand; the wife gets lonely tralahalalaha boogily boo yada yada yada .

Sad but true.

If I had a quarter for every married wife of a farang that had hit upon me, I'd have like....almost $1.

I seem to remember you writing before that you are luk kreung, with a Thai mother and farang father. So am not sure why you then appear to be gloating about infidelity of Thai wives married to farang.

But as they say, up to you!

I often hear about Thai and Asian face, as though its something mysterious and hard to understand, but is it really that different to Western face? It's most probably a universal human trait not to like to lose face and be embarrased in front of others, even young children can get embarrassed eg if they fall over etc. And people also like to gain face in front of others, for example receive compliments etc. Perhaps face harks back to primevil instincts and caveman times when there was a pecking order in a tribe and it was important to maintain your place and position for survival.

I think where things may differ is that asians place more emphasis on not losing face and respecting others' face. In the West we do to some extent ride roughshod over others' face, so perhaps we have developed thicker skins and don't go about killing others over loss of face so easily, but it does happen nevertheless.

Anyhow, just a few brief thoughts, would be interested to hear others' opinions.

TV members. Have you ever served in the armed forces of your respective countries in a combat zone? Have you come to grips with that experience and been able to forgive and forget your old adversaries?...

Maybe some things can NEVER be forgotten or forgiven based upon individual experiences.

Forgive *them*? Er, maybe you got that the wrong way around. America attacked Viet Nam, not the other way around. I've seen estimates that 1,000,000 Vietnamese were killed during the conflict, the majority of them civilians. Napalm and chemical weapons (agent orange) were used. Babies are still being born in Viet Nam today with deformaties due to on-going effects of agent orange.

Massacres like Mai Lai were a regular occurence, it's just that Mai Lai happened to be one that made it into the press.

Not trying to be judgemental, as a soldier you're taught to do your 'duty', so I guess it's hard to go against the flow.

seem to remember the guy had a habit of starting threads and calling other people <deleted> etc almost as though he was attempting to deflect attention away from the fact he might be one.

It was obvious from the start that these guys resented ferangs (me) and i felt very scared. It really showed me a side of thailand that i had chosen to previously ignore.

When you stay in Thailand long enough you learn Thai men are really very jealous of Farang men.

Can't blame them I guess if you look at the picture from their eyes.

Yeah, I am so jealous of some moron who can't speak Thai and barely can speak english, married to a former bar girl and speaking in baby talk, 'you want go eat yum yum?'

Thanks for the great observation about myself :-) I hadn't ever really figured it out, but you have provided some great assistance in this matter :-)

In a previous post you stated you were luk kreung. In this post you seem to be claiming you are full Thai. Wonder what you'll be next time?