BugJackBaron

I have the 1TB and it is so far far more reliable than the power-chord model I had(which I lost data on).

At 7600 it is about twice the price of the 1TB model so hopefully that will go down and it will become the new

"sweet spot".

I just wonder what happened to SeaGate. They used to be a great alternative and had cool led lights across the body

Go Seagate go!

They are behind in time to market. And have been for over a year now.

They have never been an alternative to WD, where would you get that idea. They lack in external drive creativity and for the longest time had arrogance to think that the external market was not worth investing in. Hence, now are behind in the business segment. Their attempt in going into the media player market (like the WDTV) fell flat in their faces. Their drives are bulky, lack imagination and still have a bridge board attached. They could not even be bothered to work with a USB PCBA.

I don't really see Seagate going!

I got the idea from a google search on "best external HD " or something like that. The ones that

came up most in forums and discussions were Seagate and Western Digital.

I have somewhat old 350GB external Seagate and it still runs fine. It also seems to have less nagware than on WD.\

Yes I know you can ignore the backup software provided and I access it as an NTFS volume from linux or sometimes win 7.

I cought a Baht bus up to Nongprue stadium to see the football game last week. It was a half an hour wait for the bus.

Not very convenient to say the least.

Hey guys. I recently bought a a big 30" LED tv and connected it to my DELL laptop with a standard 1GB Ati card.

So far no linux distro has worked "out of the box" in getting HDMI audio to come through the tv speakers. Video is no problem.

I realize this is due to my testing Live DVDs but before I do a dual boot with win 7(preinstlled) I just wonder

if anyone has had good HDMI experience with ATI

and any linux distro.

Ubuntu? Fedora?

Thx in advance.

I have the 1TB and it is so far far more reliable than the power-chord model I had(which I lost data on).

At 7600 it is about twice the price of the 1TB model so hopefully that will go down and it will become the new

"sweet spot".

I just wonder what happened to SeaGate. They used to be a great alternative and had cool led lights across the body

Go Seagate go!

Dog meat is a rarity even in South Korea( the dish is known as BoShinTang)

Many Koreans would be aghast at eating it. It's considered a "stamina" food.

Sophon has Aussie TV now! It's not too bad.

Darn , I was hoping it was Gene Simmons and band

And I remember in the mid 90s sitting having a meal at what I think was called Funky Chicken on Soi Post Office when a Western middle aged coupled walked by followed a few paces back by the most miserable and frustrated looking 16 or 17 year old boy I'd ever seen. So there were families coming back then. I just remember this one in particular as I felt so sorry for him. Teenage hormones raging, beautiful women calling out to him, and his parents dragging him along with them.

I can't imagine anything worse, poor bugger. Well, maybe trolling round with your western wife waiting for a lightning strike.

I'm sure there were some familes - even in Beruit during the war I imagine they got the occasional atypical tourist.

The question is were there any condominiums back then. I'm pretty sure that was a rarity(any at all?) and probably none in Jomtien.

As for the russians...mostly "businessmen". I believe the 90s was the time of the "German wave".

People always assume that Aussie beef must be superior. In fact, in accordance with globalization, Aussie beef now comes in mediocre and poor quality versions

destined for the export market.

All the Aussie beef I've bought here has been superior. Where is your proof of what you say - you have references?

I have certainly had Aussie beef in Thailand that was not very good. I think that he has a point.

Well I haven't - it always tastes better than the Thai beef and I always buy top shelf Thai beef, but he's making a statement that they're exporting inferior beef now - something I'd like to see some evidence for.

Was the Aussie beef you had that "was not very good" ordered in a restaurant or purchased from a supermarket?

I don't eat that much beef because the stuff that is good is too expensive here.

I do remember being quite unimpressed by so-called Aussie beef in a pub in Bangkok a couple of years ago.

On the other hand I have had some good quality beef there too. But it stands to reason that

scams exist.

Perhaps it really wasn't Aussie beef. I can't prove my claims but next time I will collect incriminating evidence including a sample

in a doggy bag!

Still waiting to see Alberta beef here

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

Its a lot longer than five years ago that there was only a "dirt road" try about 15 years ago! though I think it is longer than that, the Russkies started to arrive about ten years ago as I remember it.

Sure. What I rememebr is that it took them forever to pave it.

As for the Russkies, although they were here 10 years ago they tended to be the Mafiosa types. Now they are boring families.

Since noone has mentioned Jomttien, I will. As recently as 5 years ago, only a dirt road connected Pattaya to it and it was a quaint,

quiet place with a smattering of nightlife.

Now it's well connected by a well-paved road and has one of the highest traffic accident rates

in all of Patttaya.

Russians everywhere and the Koreans have gone.

People always assume that Aussie beef must be superior. In fact, in accordance with globalization, Aussie beef now comes in mediocre and poor quality versions

destined for the export market.

Jomtien Market has a RARE EXAMPLE in Thailand of a COFFEE VENDING MACHINE.

Actually any vending machine is a rarity here. This one came from Korea(Korean writing still visible on it).

OK that's my big secret!

Just 10 Baht as opposed to the 14Baht rip-off price at the 7 :)

So what advocados would you advocate? (hehe couldn't resist).

Are local as good as import? Enquiring advocado connnoisseurs want to know! I want to Know!

I have seen local ones sold here but not as often as import. Foodland has imports only right now and I

bought one for 55B this morning and it was great.

The egg 51 baht breakfast is in my opinion one of the best value for money for a Western breakfast in Patters.It's cheap, is served quickly even when the place is packed, and is reasonably tasty. But it's the diner atmosphere as well that draws in the crowds.

Seems like the old timers like "Fantasy bar" (in Jomtien Complex) have their licences in order and are still open.

My guess is that it is purely tea money - with such a low high season, the boys in brown need to make it somehow. Most of the newest bars in Rumpo complex are open and thriving. On the other hand, it looks like construction of the third section has stopped...

I doubt it is politically motivated.

I've seen at least one farang on an electric bike. Anyone know where these are sold in Pattaya?

One option may be to live in a house next to some big hotels as the security guards in the big hotels will put off thieves. In Jomtien by the Thapraya roundabout the security of the hotels Aiyaree and Jomtien longstay makes staying in the adjacent houses relatively safe. Never heard of a break in since I was here.

Well, what I would like to see is a Thai restaurant that offers a set course at a reasonable price.

They exist in Bangkok(one near Nana) . Why not here?

In my experience, they don't always go all the way. A couple of times being dumped in the middle of the hill in a heavy rainstorm was enough for me.

I've yet to have any such problem, but I suppose you could always join the queue if it's raining. It doesn't do it that often here.

I have never been successful in getting one not packed - with rare morning hour exceptions.

A late mini review. Well it seems like the menu is almost the same as the one in Siam Paragon Bangkok.

The Quesallida tasted about the same too - it was OK but nothing special. Didn't see the Bangkok location pumpkin pie on the menu though.

But I probably won't be back for a while. Why? I find a 7% VAT + 10% service charge to be unacceptable. No other establishment in the Jomtien area does this as far as I know.

This is standard in tourist trap Bangkok but can't see it flying here.

In the high season you can get a song teow back to Jontien as late as midnight. They will wait for passengers at the corner of 2nd road and Pattaya South.

I should also add that in my opinion most restaurants in Jomtien, particularly in the more western tourist part are mediocre or worse. This is rather typical in commercialized beach resort areas. So of course take a chance on places you don't know, I do often, but don't expect the moon.

Tend to agree. Unfortunately Jomtien has been, and still is, a "tourist trap" area. Maybe the new Taco place will be an exception.

For bars, I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Robin Hood - it's the closest thing to a genuine English pub, at least in spirit if not in interior design, that we have here. At least that is what I was told by a couple of UK blokes I met there(one being Irish).

I went there last week, not realizing there was a thead on this place. Very disappointed: A Vietnamese resto with no beef noodle soup? I had the pork version of the noodle soup and it was very similar to the stuff from the road soup stalls. The springrolls were tasty, but I was not impressed enough to want to return to explore their menu further, and I live only 5 min walk from them!

I understand your reaction but the place really doesn't pretend to be an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. It is openly Thai style Vietnamese.

I guess that begs the question as to whether or not a "genuine" Vietnamese restaurant exists in Pattaya or elsewhere in Thailand. Even in America, I am not sure what it is that attracts people to Vietnamese food.....

I have been told when i speak thai i have a thai accent from thais too. Work that one out.

A Thai telling someone what they want to hear. Amazing Thailand.

Negative posting again.

I have never spent time learning Thai but i pick it up from thai people and my kids so i say it how i hear.

Its not that hard really. Get a life

Actually, it is - and in my experience it is ususally the second-language autodidacts who are most arrogant and self-deluded about their linguistic ability. I remember in Korea an English teacher who refused to go to Korean lessons and learned the language all by himself. Koreans would smile and nod politely when he spoke to them in Korean but privately, to me, they would often ask "what did he say?"

With respect to Thai , people whose native language is non-tonal - like English - have a tough time.In contrast, I have seen many Chinese students here pick up Thai fairly quickly as Chinese is tonal too.

If you speak mostly with your family they are probably just used to your way of speaking.

Sorry, the truth hurts.