GammaGlobulin

Thank you. You may be correct that you counted "cuts" in the UTUBE copy of this Ole dance. However, it's still true that Van Dyke did this entire dance in JUST ONE CUT. "The song and dance are performed by Dick Van Dyke and about fifteen other men. On Remembering Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Dick Van Dyke, Van Dyke says that "Me Ol' Bamboo" was the most difficult dancing act he ever undertook.[1]" I doubt that you will be able to prove a negative. However, I am positive that I am correct that Van Dyke stated he did the entire thing in just one take. Let's not quibble. Please just trust me, and you can call me Pi, too. I will call you "nong", if that's OK, as well.

Do you not agree that the meaning of the song is completely obvious? There is nothing hidden. One just needs to read the lyrics, line by line. This song is just as pertinent to our present age as it was to the times of the mid-60s. One Theme: We become ensnarled in the pursuit of our goals, and consequently lose sight of the meaning of life, for example. And then, when we ultimately realize that we have become bamboozled and distracted from what we now, finally, realize to be important, then it's too late. Or, we remain completely ignorant of the reality in which we live.... This was basically sort of a hippy song, as well, in reaction to the ESTABLISHMENT. Lennon seems to be talking about unthinking Cogs in the Wheel, similar to the theme of Metropolis. However, Metropolis is a much better film than Lennon's song. Lennon probably wrote his lyrics while his brain was soaked in drugs, not unlike Poe, also. So then, maybe better to watch the silent film METROPOLIS, 1927, while, AT THE SAME TIME, listening to Rubber Soul, in order to comprehend the TRUE meaning of this amazing 1965 LP. By the way... At the time, I was there (not in 1927, obviously). Were you? I know what it was like at the time of the recording of Rubber Soul. We had blackouts on LI. We had guys shooting arrows from crossbows into our helicopters in Vietnam. This was a time of palpable ALIENATION. University campuses, in the following few years would be completely shut down due to student action. We had children killed at Kent State University. I can't explain it to you...but.... It was...a... Gas, Gas, GAS!

In case you do not know...the tune goes like this.... Rubber Soul was DYNAMITE.... At the time.

Thank you for the question. What is your thinking about this? I know mine, having been born seven decades ago. I would NOT consider that the Beatles used the word, NOWHERE, or NOWHERE MAN, euphemistically. Nowhere is not a euphemism. Neither is the word man a euphemism. And, "Nowhere Man" is also not a euphemism for anything. But, if you disagree, please shed light.

CHITTY CHITTY, BANG BANG.... The stuff of my dreams, as I mentioned in the topic, above.... I am sure everyone here experiences these dreams. But, fortunately, not all will write about them.

Concerning DICK Van Dyke, and his bamboo, Sir.... When Van Dyke did this, he was already quite old. And, as far as I know, he did it in just one continuous take. It almost killed him, or so he said. I know lots about bamboo. Bamboo is one of the primary reasons I first came to Asia. Bamboo bends, but does not break, or so it has been written.

Thank you for this question. While sleeping, I have dreamed of so many new positions with my first wife, in congress, that even she would blush, as old as she must be, by now. I would gladly elucidate readers further, if this were not, basically, a family friendly forum, which I prefer. Let me, however, whet your appetite by telling you that some of my VIVID dreams go, even, beyond the use of pencils and erasers. Human Sexuality is a double-edged sword. Also, my sword, at one time, was like the stout young green bamboo we sometimes see in Thailand. In fact, as you know, DICK Van Dyke once did a marvelous dance with a stick of bamboo... The Old Bamboo... Do you recall it?

Hmmm... Why is it that it's always the guys from Down Under, lying in hammocks, who seem to believe they have a monopoly on satire? Also, why is it that Americans improperly substitute the word laying, when they should say lying? For example... The hen was laying in the hay The hen was lying in the hay I know that you you know the difference. Americans think these two utterances are equivalent. Laying and lying are not the same.

I think that you meant to say... He hates the LIMELIGHT, not the spotlight. One other interesting term, for that matter, is the word LIMEY. Still, limelight and limey have different origins. One is nautical, and the other is theatrical. When you get to be 71, there is really very little, in this life, that you haven't heard, seen, or felt.

Thank you. He sounds like my kind of guy. In fact, I probably would never have recalled him, if nobody had mentioned Bruce Petty. Sorry, I did not mean to imply that L is a nobody. L is a somebody, of course... The Beetles wrote a song for him. Nowhere Man. GREAT SONG!!!

I think we might have a TOM at our guesthouse. Thai TOMs are tough. Nothing likeable about them, in fact. Just another example of some sort of personality disorder not yet entered into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). I thought I knew most disorders in the new DSM, but then I came to Thailand and encountered a few TOMs. Wow, those girls are .... Far Out, Man!

Humor is unknown to me. I know nothing about humor. Bruce, I don't even like the name. The name Bruce makes me think of Spruce, a tree with needles and no leaves. Bruce is a name that should never be given to a human. But, when I hear the name Petty, I think of Tom. And, then... I think of all the TOMs I have met in Thailand. Also, If you like TOMs in Thailand, then....I guess we have nothing in common. Because, .... Have you ever seen two TOMs in a fight? Worse than a Cat Fight, for sure... Anyway, instead of Bruce Petty, you should listen to Tom Petty... I think he is from Philly, actually... Such bad music... And I do NOT mean "Bad!".

When we think about what defines consciousness, for example, we should consider consulting John Searle, if only for a very, VERY interesting talk. These days of AI, the definition of consciousness is becoming a red-hot topic. Also, EVERYBODY REALLY wants to know whatever happened to that Chinese Girl in the Room? Therefore, you can watch this short talk, and learn the answer to what happened to her.. And, without spoiling it for you, the ending is not pretty....

The end of what? The end of a LOVE? OR..... Could it be.... The BEGINNING of something.... Like... The beginning of a BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP....

When we consider this worthy topic, and it is worthy, we must also recognize that MOST people in China, due to XI's Great Firewall, probably know very little about what a salad might be. They think a salad is, LIKE, a tomato and a radish, with a dollop of mayonnaise. OR, when they think of a salad, they might think of the Roman salad made famous by Caesar. But, have they ever eaten a Caesar salad as it was originally served up to Caesar? No! Most people hate salads UNLESS they are flooded with Croutons! I DEFY anyone, Chinese people or Republicans, to turn up their noses at this salad with EXTRA croutons... The real trick with making a salad tasty is to HIDE the lettuce. And then, add plenty of high-calorie sauce. And then down each bite with a sip of wine. Most Chinese from QINGHAI Province, for example, have never even tasted a good salad. Of the Chinese from Qinghai Province, many are political prisoners who have never even heard of a man named Julius Caesar, the greatest chef of ancient Rome. Just please keep in mind that, when you have 1.4 billion people under an oppressive Marxist-Leninist regime with more power than the world has ever known, then.... You just cannot trust any polls coming out of China. ==== IN ACTUALLITY: The people of China are extremely intelligent. People in China are JUST AS aware, as you and me, of our world, and also aware of their own circumstance compared to the west. And, IN FACT, most Chinese people are MORE familiar and cognizant of the "WESTERN WORLD" and "WESTERN CULTURE" than you will EVER be knowledgeable of anything in China, unless you move there for a very long time. ==== After spending most of my life in China, I cannot agree that they are inscrutable. I only think that people from the west who report on China are, sometimes, very obtuse. But, mark my words.... I am, certainly...no.... China Hand

As we all know, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC run by the CCP) and the United States of America are locked in a fierce battle for the Hearts and Minds of the 8 Billion People on our planet, some of whom might be calorie deprived, or even water deprived. Therefore, we might ask, who will win? America or China? First, we should consider the breakfasts of the leaders of these two countries: America's BIDEN: What is his breakfast? Biden says: "The guys who run the kitchen on the second floor, we don't have them come in to do breakfast works, because there's no need for them to have to do breakfast, whereas we can make our own eggs or pour a bowl of cereal." BUT, do you believe what he says? China's XI: What does Xi Jinping REALLY eat for breakfast? He seems to love FONDUE, morning, noon, and night. AND, there is NO SALAD in sight! So much for this myth that the Chinese trend-setting guys are eating salads. IN FACT. you just need to look at the girth of this guy to know that he is not interested in salads. And, why would anyone STRUGGLE so hard, like Xi, even in a Cultural Revolutionary Struggle Session, denouncing the "class enemies", if one could not, FINALLY, enjoy some French Fondue? ((What is a Struggle Session during the Cultural Revolution? This was when, in China, people criticized others for eating French food, as well as other things like playing a violin.)) China, these days, still remains a total ANIMAL FARM. But, at least, Chinese leaders are able to eat French Fondue, without undue criticism, since they control all media in their country. They can now eat what they like. Who will win hearts and minds? This just depends on the fondue and the cheese being served up.

I hope that you found my comments completely NEUTRAL. I never seek, nor wish, to be a polarizing influence here. (If you want to be on a 100-percent cane sugar diet, then who am I to argue against this?

When the Doomsday Clock FINALLY gets to Midnight....then... What do you think WHITE MEN might eat, as their last meal? First, they will require a Breakfast of Champions! After savoring their cherries and sprinkles, (and bananas), they will don their helmets and board their B-52s... The only question might be: Which country, America or China, has the most powerful Breakfast Cereal? or Tony the Tiger? "One of the reasons Tony has remain so popular with kids and parents is because of the message he teaches children: Work Hard, Eat Right, and Earn Your Stripes. He has received the help of professional athletes including Tony Hawk and Mia Hamm to tell kids that if you try new things and practice hard, you will become a better athlete." ==== Never fear: America will DESTROY China with exports of SUGAR Snacks, laced with salt. No need for the B-52s...

Yes, maybe. But, when you are at the Soapy Massage Parlor, you feel more alive. You begin to feel.... Tingly...All over.

Keep Calm, Mister.

Khinkali is nothing but Chinese food with another name....XIAOLONGBAO, on which I thrived for years... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao The Chinese may have invented dumplings, for all we know. The thing is... Chomsky, even though he might fail, still always seems to strive for an apolitical conclusion to any argument. He's sort of like a Jewish Rabbi following an argument to its conclusion. Chomsky would not like to be called LEFT- or RIGH-leaning. Sometimes, those of us who often agree with Chomsky are subjected to derision in an attempt to make us feel stupid and naïve. The only thing I never thought about, until just this moment, is: What do you think Chomsky eats for breakfast? Bagels and Lox? Chomsky is now 94. I hope he gets to 95, if he eats like this!

OK. But, I know a Princeton Man when I read him, even without his tie. Anyway: best wishes! (Nationalism will always rear its head, if Man is alive.)

By the way: I just want to say: I have great respect for JOHN ROGERS SEARLE Consciousness, even the definition of consciousness, is not well understood. And, Searle is the guy who loves the Chinese Room thought experiment. The thing is, actually, the older I get the more I dream about getting some with my former wives. And...It's still GOOD.

Dear Friends, I imagine that some of you, 40 years ago, left your FIRST WIFE in order to come to Asia. At that time, when you were still young, you compared Asian girls to the wife you had, your frumpy old lady, and UPPPED STAKES, without much forethought, hoping to find more satisfaction in Asia. I am just wondering, after all these years, if you sometimes experience very VIVID dreams about your first wife, especially dreams of your first wife doing things that she used to do; But, also doing things that she never used to do to you that you never really appreciated at the time. Personally, I am still pretty attached to my first Old Lady, in my dreams. She seems to become hotter and hotter, and steamier and steamier, the more I dream about her. Since I am, obviously, human, I can only surmise that there are many other male human Farangs in Thailand (or Asia), that have experience exactly the same phenomenon as I. What I am saying, if I might clarify, is that...Once you have had your fill here, after several decades, you naturally become somewhat satiated. And then, at this point, you being to dream VIVID dreams about your FIRST Wife, that you left behind. I would NOT broach this topic unless I were not utterly sure that I am posting a topic which many of you have been struggling to resolve. I.E., Why do we continue to think about our FIRST Wives EVEN while we are situated in a land of plenty? Well, all that I can tell you is that, at least twice a week, I seem to be having a very full reunion with my first wife, not only reliving many positions, but also new positions I learned while I was in Asia during the past decades. I can only assume that this must be the same for you. While I do not wish to become too prurient, I can tell you that, during the past few months, I have been experiencing some of the best relationships with my first wife, ones that were far better than I had known while I was with her. So, YES, it's possibly true that....Parting Makes the Heart Grow Fonder. What about you? During these waning years of your life, in your dreams.... Have you, also, been able to rekindle your intimate relationship with your First Wife, a woman that you had thought was completely lost to you? All that I can tell you is this: The Mind works in mysterious ways, Wonders to Behold. The Mind, and Consciousness, is really all that anyone knows about Reality. And, furthermore: Maybe, even, Reality does not exist. These are some of the thoughts I often grapple with just before I nod off, at night. (I am really happy to know you guys. I know you guys understand me, and I appreciate your concern.) Regards, Gamma

Very pleased to know that you are still alive and kicking. But I had once imagined that you would never leave Thailand. This just seems to be additional proof that those, such as you, who come to Asia too late in life are unable to hack the food, for the duration. Fortunately, unlike you, I came to Asia even before returning to the USA to attend university... Therefore, I, unlike you, find Asian fare completely digestible. I do not pine for American Beef., and range-fed Thai girls carry far less fat. Still, there is MUCH to be said for Georgian country girls, raised on cornbread and grits. When they pull up to the Waffle House, in Southern USA, and sit at the counter, they require TWO swivel stools, one for each cheek. And, it's just not so Politically Correct for one girl to occupy two bar stools at the Waffle House, while much of our world remains food deprived. It's been over 20 years since I have eaten at a food franchise. Why? 40 years ago, I began reading good books by Noam Chomsky. Each to his own taste in books and food. I liken reading Chompsky to sucking on a Keefer Lime... HEAVENLY and Envigorating. These days, I do not buy lemons. Keefer Lime juice is for me. MAGROOT is Good!