voracious

I've got a plasma and love it, though it does consume an awful lot of power. I was at Central Festival last month and looked at the new Samsung LED backed televisions and they seem very very nice. I think next round I'll go with LED (unless something even better comes up). As it is, I have anywhere from 5-10 years before the plamsma goes out, I think.

Queen Vics

Pig & Whistle

Secrets

I drove past today (Monday) in the afternoon. There were 5 or 6 tour buses double stacked at entrance 4 (?) the first one as you come down the road. A couple of mini buses as well. Looked pretty busy. There were signs for other parking lots, but I didn't slow down to check them out.

I'll stop by another day.

This is a very disappointing development.

A greater letdown, perhaps, than Al Capone's vault.

I'm crushed.

Dang... I remember watching them open it on television too...lol..what a let down.

@jay_jay

Thanks for that link. Educational

The script is quite beautiful.

I'll have to look into that some more.

@jc

Please post if you find out where she had it done and what it means.

My curiosity is peaked now

Thanks!

Go with the flow. Don't overthink the situation. But keep your eyes and ears open in case you get any red flags.

It may very well be that you've met a "good girl" who comes from a family of means.

Not every family wants their daughter to hook up with a white guy, particularly if they are a family who has some wealth. In fact some will lean on her heavily to marry a nice Thai guy of equal social and economic stature (or higher). That's VERY asian. My sister in law insisted her boyfriend wasn't serious until they announced their marriage. Keeps the pressure and scrutiny down. No big deal.

So she may not be anxious for it to become a big deal in HER family until it's well past serious. A month or two of dating isn't quite there yet.

The fact that she insists on paying for things herself may well be an indication that she's a pretty decent girl and is in fact indicating that she's not into you for your money at all. That she isn't throwing herself at you and locking you in by announcing to the world you're together is also a good sign.

As said in many ways in this thread, just roll with it. Concentrate on getting to know her and developing a relationship. See if you are really meant for each other. Don't worry about titles and let her have her way with appearances and face or whatever other issues are going on for the moment.

Best wishes. Maybe you've found 'the one'. Only time will tell.

You might want to ask Spencer at sak-yant.com, he is pretty knowledgable about that.

I have yant (the sacred tattoo) on me, and the khom/ancient khmer looks similar, though hers appears more stylish.

Most likely it's a form of blessing and/or protection, however do ask Spencer and he will probably be able to translate it for you.

eh the taxis... if the road is flooded they'll just have you get out and walk

It doesn't for me.

I guess it would depend on the Christian & the Buddhist, and how open minded they are to listening to each other.

I bought a 15" Macbook Pro for my daughter it's great. For myself I use a Dell XPS 15". For my other daughter I just bought a Dell XPS 13" to replace her Sony Vaio TR3. The mac is great put pricey for the specs. You really pay quite a bit for alumibody cool factor and the MacOS (note, I've been using apples since the old apple ][+ so I'm not a mac hater by any means).

The advantage of the Dell, if you are comfortable using a windows based OS is that you get alot more bang for the buck. For about 1300usd, it came with 4 gig ram, 500gig drive.

You can plug both the Mac and the Dell into a LCD or Plasma TV via HDMI (as long as your monitor/tv has hdmi input). In playing movies from hard drive to the big screen I notice the Dell performance is a bit smoother.

For gaming, nod goes to the XPS (more software for it).

For surfing & streaming online video both are fine.

If you're proficient with windows and don't mind the (possible) extra work that comes with it, then the Dell is an excellent performer.

With respect to livinthailandos, all his points are on the mark as far as the negatives with windows.

With respect to TopDogger, it's far, far easier to put windows on the Mac, than attempt to put OSX on a windows machine, as OSX only works with drivers that are Macintosh compatible. Although it's doable, it's not the 1-2-3-done that it is on the Macintosh. (i've installed windows on a mac before)

Hope it helps.

It's not that big a deal, really. Many countries do this.

Sure, it's not the freedom we're accustomed to in the West, but it is what it is.

This one thing is not going to ruin any vacations for me, I'm betting.

I've stayed at the dream. It's quite nice, but a little bit of suk. The rooms are not large but very nicely appointed with flat screen televisions and the trendy blue led lighting, which they've made work well for them.

At the time I stayed, they had a promo on so i only paid about 70USD per night. It's a bit more now.

Have a great time.

In answer to a previous poster: Yes, you do need to look out for cameras and skimmers. Failure to do so may result in your financial loss. I always cup my hand over the keypad when I enter my pin and I always look for suspicious equipment before sticking in my card.

"if it doesn't look right, don't stick it in"

In answer to the other BM who asked what was skimming. The short answer is "any device which is designed to intercept the magnetic code from your card as it enters or leaves the machine"

I'm going to post a few photos that I've found on the internet of skimmers. As you can see, they take many forms.

Be safe!

You can download a couple different versions of the "Great Compassion Mantra" which are very pleasant & seem to be well known/popular as well.

http://fortuneangel.com/GuanYin/MyMusic.htm

I was also going to suggest mosquitofish, as China has recently begun a program to add them to stagnant bodies of water to prevent similar epidemics there.

However, board member Phaethon appears to have beat me to the punch back in November when he said:

Advise getting some 'mosquito fish' (several species come under this name according to region) - ask in a well-stocked aquarists. These are usually small species that specialize in feeding on surface larvae and help keep the mossie population down. These species can often be recognized by their upturned mouths. Unfortunately they also take out some species of larvae that also feed on mossies, so get local advice.

There are reports, however, that they will eat ALL insect fry and small animal fry in the water, so don't put them where you don't want them stressing the local frog and amphibian population.

(reference: LINK)

In response to the person who asked:

Yes DEET works for repelling the mosquitoes and reducing the likelihood of being bit (and thereby infected).

Long sleeves and legs for those who can wear them in the heat also help.

I've got a couple of these kind of shirts that have built in repellent and they seem to help, but probably DEET based repellent is just as or more effective.

Hi there,

Dengue is definitely no joke. It can easily be fatal to children and the elderly. A guy I know in the Philippines almost lost his son to it.

To answer the question asked (a couple times?) about treatment:

from: http://www.dhpe.org/infect/dengue.html

What is the treatment for dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever?

There is no specific treatment for dengue. Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids. They should be kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is treated by replacing lost fluids. Some patients need transfusions to control bleeding.

---------------------

Here's one thing I'd ask folks to consider. Give blood. The kids (especially) may need transfusions to help with the bleeding. I was over in Cambodia and their Children's hospital there had a couple billboards out begging for blood so I gave. Turned out very few locals give blood (fear of the needle? I don't know), so they have an acute shortage. If you are willing to give, you might save someone's life.

---------------------

If you have stagnant water, I'd recommend what people have been doing for years (if it's legal for you to do so) note: I'm not going to copy/paste the adult control, as methods have already been listed in this thread.

from: http://www.mosquito.org/mosquito-information/control.aspx

Homeowners can take the following steps to prevent mosquito breeding on their own property:

1. Destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns or in pet dishes for more than 2 days.
   
2. Clean debris from rain gutters and remove any standing water under or around structures, or on flat roofs. Check around faucets and air conditioner units and repair leaks or eliminate puddles that remain for several days.
   
3. Change the water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week and stock ornamental pools with top feeding predacious minnows. Known as mosquito fish, these minnows are about 1 - 1-1/2 inches in length and can be purchased or native fish can be seined from streams and creeks locally. Ornamental pools may be treated with biorational larvicides [ Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) or S-methoprene (IGR) containing products] under certain circumstances. Commercial products "Mosquito Dunks" and "Mosquito Bits" containing Bti can be purchased at many hardware/garden stores for homeowner use. Zodiac, a division of Wellmark International, has developed Pre-Strike Preventative Mosquito Control (PMC) product that kills developing mosquitoes using insect growth regulator (IGR) technology. Like Mosquito Dunks, Zodiac's Pre-Strike can be found at many home/garden and pet specialty stores.
   
4. Fill or drain puddles, ditches and swampy areas, and either remove, drain or fill tree holes and stumps with mortar. These areas may be treated with Bti or methoprene products also.
   
5. Eliminate seepage from cisterns, cesspools, and septic tanks.
   
6. Eliminate standing water around animal watering troughs. Flush livestock water troughs twice a week.
   
7. Check for trapped water in plastic or canvas tarps used to cover boats, pools, etc. Arrange the tarp to drain the water.
   
8. Check around construction sites or do-it-yourself improvements to ensure that proper backfilling and grading prevent drainage problems.
   
9. Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent water from standing for several days.
   
10. If ditches do not flow and contain stagnant water for one week or longer, they can produce large numbers of mosquitoes. Report such conditions to a Mosquito Control or Public Health Office. Do not attempt to clear these ditches because they may be protected by wetland regulations.
    

------------

Stay healthy

imho...

It's good to listen to the little voice that warns you off. It's really good to listen when the little voice is hers.

She's trying to tell you something. It's up to you if you want to listen or not.

When you make an outbound call, say to a number in the U.S.A. does the system pass your CPID (your local area code/number)? This is important for activating a new credit card, for example, and for other customer service applications. Maybe someone here had called a friend who has a mobile phone, am curious what number, if any, is displayed for the MagicJack caller?

When my daughter calls me from Hong Kong, it displays the local (california) phone number.

I've had one since they first came out. I saw it on a gadget website and gave it a go. It's really excellent, in spite of the cheesy infomercial style marketing approach they've taken.

The background is that they are a telephone company and that's their advantage. They can connect from the internet to the telephone backbone unfettered, unthrottled, and unrestricted and that's where they shine. Call quality is clearly better than many of the alternatives & if I was willing to leave a computer on all the time I'd get a second one and replace the vonage router and account that I have.

You're looking at $20/year for service. That's less than one month of local telephone service here and even cheaper than a month of vonage.

One of the area codes that magicjack offers is local so that is a nice bonus.

Where it excels is overseas to the USA. I just sent my magicjack off with my daughter as she's in asia studying abroad. She calls home, her friends here, and some friends in Canada. Here's the nice part. Any of her friends with unlimited usa calls anywhere in the usa (common on some cell phone plans) can call her back dialing a USA area code.

For less than a month of regular phone bills it's been a good investment and has more than earned my renewal (just pre-paid 3 more years with a 1 year bonus). Downside if they should collapse? $60. Not bad for the benefit.

Right now I'd say the weakest link is their cheesy marketing and horrible website. I just went there and the price wasn't even listed, just the free trial...

Since the cbr150 came up I was googling it to get a better look at what it looks like. I ran across a youtube ad for one for sale in BKK for $1300USD.

I figured I'd post the link in case it helps someone out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6CZBvCiOlU

I don't have anything to do with the seller. I think if I was going to get one here in the states, I'd go for the Ninja250 (or better for me a Yamaha R6) because the 150 isn't freeway legal here. As it is, I'm just saving my money and figure I'll get one over there after I make the jump in a couple of years.

Hi,

It depends on what you are using, software or router based firewall. In either case it's fairly straightforward.

Here's what I'd do.

Go to your P2P program and pick a new port to use (I avoid the default blocks as it helps reduce the chance it's "managed" by the internet provider).

Then go to your web interface for your router OR if you're using software based firewalls (like windows or comodo or something like that) open the management screen. Open the port number that matches the one you are using for P2P.

If you are still having problems and are only using ONE firewall (be it router/hardware based OR software based) and you have configured it properly it is entirely possible that your service provider is "shaping" traffic and slowing down P2P. Comcast did this alot, but they seem to have backed down on this now, as P2P speeds have improved the last 6 months.

You can also try to google: setting up P2P port in (name of your firewall here)

That may yield useful results.

Good luck!

I carried a concealed weapon for close to 10 years in the US. I never once drew it defensively or offensively, nor was I even tempted to. Any responsible gun owner knows NEVER pull or point a gun at anyone you're not prepared to shoot dead. It's not like waving a piece of pipe, or showing a knife, it's a horse of a different color completely.

Exactly. Even a pipe or knife and (here) they can turn around and have you arrested for 12020 pc (brandishing a weapon). Thailand, I believe, has similar laws for brandishing and/or possession, particularly for long knives.

I have to agree with saibaijai's recommendation of Buddha's Lost Children. The cinematography is really good and the quality seems to be as well.

http://www.buddhaslostchildren.com

"Lesson learned". That's the best part of the OP's post. Respect for that.

- on flipping the finger -

When I was in high school, I'd flip the bird. That was back in the 1970's.

Sometime between then and now I totally lost the habit or 'reflex' to throw one up.

Seems to me, it really doesn't solve anything other than make me look like an angry foreigner and doesn't really do anyone else harm. Perhaps only challenge them to a fight or shootout.

- on usa vs. thailand -

I haven't made the jump, so unlike you guys I don't deal with the traffic every week. When I'm in BKK I use the skytrain and taxis. The last time I was in Pattaya I rented a car for the better part of a week and drove extensively. Traffic wasn't that bad as long as I relaxed and kept my attention on the road.

I didn't have anyone threaten me on the road in Thailand, but I drove defensively.

The only time that I've nearly been hit was in an alley by a 20'ish caucasian guy who appeared as if he may have been drinking, angry, or both. He drove a moto at an unsafe speed in a narrow soi that wasn't a thoroughfare for traffic.

I currently live in California and I've known a couple of people personally, who were killed in either carjackings or road rage incidents.

- on guns & road rage -

guns and road rage don't mix well.

in fact road rage doesn't mix well with much.

e.g., Someone offends you on the road. Could be his fault, could be your fault.

- flip him off, he does nothing. did you hurt him? don't know. do you feel better? maybe.

- flip him off, he gets in fight with you. he wins, you're beat up. he loses, maybe you all walk away. maybe he sees you again, OR writes down YOUR plate and gets you red stamped.

- flip him off, whatever happens, you or he, or both pull guns. you lose? you and perhaps your wife/girlfriend shot and wounded or dead. you win? he's dead and again, you look over your shoulder for the cops and jail or jump country or (insert other undesireable consequence here).

actually, pretty similar in california...except here they might play tag with you with the vehicle, jump you (less likely) or shoot you (more likely than fists and feet).

- Is there a point? -

Yes. Staying calm and peaceful is pretty cool. Not letting little things get to you is pretty cool. Just because you let someone pass you on the road doesn't make him a winner and you a loser... Life is short. Live well and enjoy it. Anyways that's what I try to do.

- So, everyone should be a doormat? -

Nope. I'm not saying that at all. There's plenty of things worth fighting for. Plenty of things worth dying for. Plenty of things worth killing for. Traffic just, for me, isn't one of them. I don't think I'd feel particularly proud (?) or happy that a friend of mine stood up for himself if his tombstone was inscribed with "Killed by thugs for giving them the finger".

In fact, as far as reasons to defend myself and being forced to do so go, I've had several. I've had situations where I've had to draw down on people and I don't live in the ghetto either. I've chosen in the past to give them one chance past a justifiable shoot to stand down and they (so far every time) have done so, to their benefit.

mmmm... I'm starting to ramble now.

Sorry. Just to make the one point. Life is short. It's doesn't add to the value of my life to allow myself to be angry about every little thing and get into situations, particularly if i'm not in your own home country.

And to circumvent the "oh you just say that cuz you don't have the means or experience/skill to defend yourself" or whatever... can't show you skill, but snapped a quick pic of a couple of my collection. One that I'll sadly have to leave behind when I make the jump (a few more years)...

So anyways.... my two cents.

You can do it anyway you want. It's your life

Peace.