5 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

I can't believe it doesn't happen more often !! Such an easy method of attack...

I think its starting to have the desired effect too... I am certainly more conscious of my surroundings these days, careful about where I sit, study escape routes etc... 

Its not going away, so we need to adapt or drop to their level !! Scary world...

This was an easy, very soft target. Las Ramblas is absolutely packed with tourists at most times of the year, and especially now at the peak of the season....reflected in the fact that citizens of 24 countries are among the injured.

There is little visible security in most parts of Spain. You don't see it on the metro or in the streets the way it is so obvious in Belgium and France ( and more recently in the U.K.)

Even after the Atocha bombings in Madrid ( by far the deadliest terror attack in Europe), security was still low-key.

6 minutes ago, Grouse said:

I once had a Mr Angry moment at KL. I insisted the posse of women with a single male owner show their faces. If not, I was not taking my C class seat.

 

To my satisfaction, they were taken aside and checked out. I can still recall the sound of the rubber gloves smacking into position.

 

The bearded wonder who owned them was as mad as wet hen!

It used to be all too common in many airports....the rope lines would open for the well connected male and the trailing harem....no security checks, not even x-ray. Not so common these days.

27 minutes ago, ELVIS123456 said:

. I am not aware of any Australian who became a billionaire living in Melbourne (or Adelaide or Perth.

 

Rupert Murdoch, Lindsay Fox, John Gandel, Richard Pratt.

I'm not so sure things have worsened in Melbourne. 30 years ago, 2 police officers murdered in my very quiet inner suburban street, same time ( and linked?), nutters tried to blow up police HQ with a car bomb ( 200 metres from my office). Many other examples from Melbournes somewhat violent past.

Melbourne deserves to be on that list for what it's like today and the other 'liveable ' cities as well, all great.

Ive been to all the worst except PM. Been to a lot worse than many of them.

37 minutes ago, Thakkar said:

Hanson has been railing against Muslims for a while. Many think her an Islamophobe. Her pulling a stunt like this is a bit like a known Nazi walking into Government chambers dressed as a Jew. It is offensive and the only purpose it serves is raise her profile among other islamophobe. It stokes her base, but sets back the argument that burqas in public are undesirable for a variety of legitimate reasons. They are now highly unlikely to be banned, which is perfect for her as she can now continue to stir the pot for her own political ends.

She rails because it gets her elected. Under the Australian system she needs around 5-6 % of the vote in her state to win a senate seat; easy, there are at least that many xenophobes for whom this kind of theatre of hate is grist to the mill. She's no fool, despite what seems to be compelling evidence to the contrary.

44 minutes ago, jobsworth said:

i find the burqa very sexy. i would like to wear one. then the facial recognition cameras would not work.

 

There is something to be said for some of that garb, male and female...covers a multitude of sins. Awkward when you need to pee though ( and probably explains why Saudi shopping mall toilets have about 15 cubicles for every urinal.

On 14/08/2017 at 0:27 PM, ratcatcher said:

Most Thais have nicknames, (chuu len) since many Thai names are as long as a freight train.

Poo - Yingluck Shinawatra

Boss - Vorayudh Yoovidhya

Benz - Akarakit Worarojcharoendet

Praewa - Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin na Ayudhya

 

 

Not to mention about 10 million Poohbars. 

Pesonally I like Odd. "Hello, I'm Odd"

4 hours ago, hathairat2711 said:

Red Bull heir’s trail exposes co-founders’ shady offshore deals

By Associated Press

August 17, 2017 | 1:22am

 

The Bangkok billionaire family that co-founded Red Bull, the world’s leading energy drink, uses offshore companies to cloak purchases of jets and luxury properties, including the posh London home where the clan’s fugitive son was last seen.

 

http://nypost.com/2017/08/17/red-bull-heirs-trail-exposes-co-founders-shady-offshore-deals/

One of the lead stories on ABC Australia, as well.

Just waiting for Basil Fawlty and "don't mention the war"

On 16/08/2017 at 0:39 PM, robblok said:

A mouse roaring against the EU... Just look at the economic power of both blocks. With the pound sinking and its economic outlook bad I would not make too much troubles. 

 

 

I wouldn't be writing the Poms off just yet. Caught on a sticky wicket they usually show their best ( except in cricket of course...they fold like a house of cards).

The French don't want to get too contented and might be wise to keep an eye on the Maginot Line, at least economically if no t militarily.

15 minutes ago, iReason said:

Do you mean N. Carolina?

 

The Gen. Lee statue has not been removed yet.

 

Heroes to some, tyrants to others:

 

It was very reminiscent of that. It hasn't been removed? I saw a mob pulling it down...maybe a different one?

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

PS: Lee lost the Civil War on the battlefield and had to unconditionally surrender to Gen. Grant - Lee was a LOSER.

Gen. Grant was not only a great general but became POTUS - a WINNER. Where his his statue?

Indeed. However there was something disturbing about seeing a feral mob tearing down that statue, spitting and kicking on it when it had fallen. I can understand anger related to the deaths and to Trump's pathetic response but hate to see a mob in action, regardless of their poilitics. I would have left the thing where it was as I reminder of history and as a contrast with the present.

44 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I take it you're not in the public relations field. 

In fact he is: a graduate of the Donald J Trump School of PR

It's not anti-Semitic at all but rather poor communication. It transpires that some ultra-orthodox Jews had been swimming in clothes without showering...so the point was valid but the sign should have read to ALL guests. 

The fridge....the hotel permitted kosher food to be stored for guests , as a favour. Again, poor communication.

The story is a beat-up.

2 minutes ago, transam said:

I had a shop in the UK, can't say anymore........

Yes, well I'm sure shoplifters were a pain. I'm not at all sympathetic to them, they force prices up for all consumers. 

1 hour ago, transam said:

Well I am an old guy but do not ever think about stealing...Do you think stealing is OK and when someone gets caught you just smile....

Nor do I ever think about stealing but I'll be damned if I would ever pay to shop in a place that thinks it's more likely that I would pinch something, and consequently should be watched , because my skin is white. I'm pretty sure that's still considered racism, even among those who are not very PC.

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

Prejudiced remarks (not be confused with prejudicial remarks) are such a rarity here at the hub of Thai bashing.

 

I doubt the usual Thai bashing here would be considered prejudicial since the comments  usually amount to "preaching to the choir," but certainly there's no end of prejudiced remarks regarding Thais

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And "foreign tourists" can easily include Russians, Chinese, Africans and Indians, always favorite targets for character assassination here at Thai Visa.

 

 

 

 

 

You forgot Muslims. Mina Sawed is probably of Lebanese heritage although the tattoos would suggest not a Moslem.

Wasn't there an accident in that park with one or more tourists reduced to vapour in a very short time. Communing with nature is nice but only in very small doses and infrequently, IMHO.

2 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

Well nicotine based e-cigarettes are also illegal in Australia unless on prescription for stop smoking aid

 

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES CONTAINING NICOTINE
Commercial retail sale and personal possession/use of nicotine electronic cigarettes
 The sale and personal possession or use (among other things) of nicotine electronic cigarettes is currently unlawful in every jurisdiction in Australia (unless specifically approved/authorised/licenced/etc)(1-9). This is due to controls on nicotine that apply in each state and territory by reason of it being classified as a ‘Schedule 7- Dangerous Poison’ under the Commonwealth Poisons Standard(10).  This position could change in the future should an electronic cigarette product be registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (‘TGA’) (discussed below).

That's true but 1. It's not illegal to vape nicotine based liquid. 2 its LEGAL to import juice with nicotine and/or nicotine liquid ( for personal use)...no problem whatsoever.

14 hours ago, inThailand said:

How many Thais smoke e-cigarettes? This law and it's 10 yr sentence is geared at the falangs they so love.

Unfortunately the industry has itself to blame for coming under close scrutiny , although the penalties are ludicrous : some manufacturers deliberately set out to capture the youth market with the flavours they make and promote ( Red Bull, many sweets youth oriented drink, fruit and candy/chocolate type flavours). This was most unhelpful given the battles to stay legal in other places ( mostly a battle won).

A few zealots in Thailand seized on this and rather than regulate, control, tax, it was decided to blanket ban. Very foolish decision.

Clearly driver was not hiso....as he would have been able to say he was stressed at that moment but would come in for a breath/blood alcohol test next week if his schedule permitted it.

14 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Almost always, the women officers are more efficient

'Captain' Jack ( of the short-lived and more than slightly bizarre reality show about BKK) seems to have disappeared ( he stamped me in once and I saw him on duty a few other times). He was very nice. But you are right, by and large the women more efficient.

One suspects that it is a universal truth that the job attracts petty martinets who enjoy lording it over weary travellers. True in most countries ( but such a pleasant relief to meet nice ones from time to time as well).

The survey has little credibility: no Vegemite, lamingtons, Chiko Roll, Spotted Dick. The CNN set probably prefers quinoa , hummus and other exotica ( nothing wrong with that...).

To suggest that this is exposure is gilding the lily somewhat. No genitals, buttocks covered. Rather half-arsed effort at exposure. 

Salacious stories are good but the headline has to be supported with pictorials. 

13 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

I can never understand why thai food always tastes and looks better back home in the Thai restaurants, here its just brown and full of sugar and time to visit the sandwich shop, just cannot eat brown stuff.

When Thai food overseas started to boom in the 70/80s most of it was just Chinese slop with a few Thai flavourings. Now it's very different : better Thai food in Melbourne, SFO, Toronto, Auckland, Berlin, London that could ever be found in 99% of Thailand restaurants.

On 08/08/2017 at 1:58 PM, dannyman said:

Trump has'nt a clue where Thailand is !

Well that's not true...he loves Chinese food and has heard that Taipei is a great city.