StreetCowboy

This seems another one of those situations where you can come in and try change an entire nation of people or you can find ways to adapt and lessen the impact of other’s actions on your good self.

A sensible place to start would be not to build anywhere near the temple, the school, the market, the village loudspeaker, an outdoor restaurant or bar, the rice miller, ice maker, motorcycle repair shop or near someone who raises farm animals. Make sure you build a sturdy structure to live in with decent windows. An air conditioner is not just useful to stay cool but also to clean the air at this time of year and to provide white noise so you don’t hear the other stuff.

If you have done everything wrong and can’t afford to make changes then invest in a good set of earplugs. I use them when riding a motorcycle and when I travel as they really keep the noise down.

Remember, you are the only one you have any control over unless you are extremely wealthy and/or powerful.

I suppose he could talk about it with his friends, who might show a bit of sympathy and help him have a laugh about it. Sadly, this doesn't seem like a very friendly sort of place, so I'll just join in to be part of the crowd.

"Grow a pear!"

"Ship up or Ship Out"

"Don't use your arse to push the door open" (not sure I got that one right...)

Doesn't really matter what we say, he can't hear a word now anyway, after all that ear-abuse.

SC

I just figured if the OP were looking for an “Oh you poor dear” and a group hug, then he would have posted this in the Ladies Forum. We are just being guys here and giving unsolicited advice and criticism as is our wont. And yes “grow a pair!” As for pears, I’m not sure they grow well here.

Ever since trisailor enlightened us (trawl through theblether's top topics thread) we're much more new men here now. We no longer shy away from contact with other men; indeed, I shook hands with a colleague and almost went so far as to give him a hearty clap on the shoulder; even in the open-plan office. One doesn't have to come over all Bambi to show a bit of empathy

I'm sure he's feeling cheerier already, relieved that he couldn't hear a note of that...

SC

EDIT: Jest in poor taste deleted. I should remember I have no sense of humour...

...grass is always greener.

Isn't that the clincher for Jamaica?

Scotland.

Its not exactly unanimous, but it seems the most popular choice.

Mainly for the comedians, guys like Alex Salmond, Gordon Brown, the late John Smith... even Smiler learnt his lines there - Tony Blair (his name eluded me for a moment).

Oh - and the ladies. The Ladies, he said again in a more appropriate font.

It was the Friday before Christmas, and we were in Tsim Sha Tsui between pubs on our way to the kick-off for Big Jim's stag do, and the young lad says to me "Och, you know,Ah'm really lookin' forwirt tae goin' hame fir Christmas" and he waxed eloquent about family and friends.

"Aye", says I, " and the girls... big boilers wi' thick woolen tights and a wee hat on the back o' their heid and too much lipstick"

"Ye cannae make me go back" he whimpered. But he did, rather than take the ferry to Big Jim's stag do. To be fair, Big Jim never caught the ferry either, but we went on without him. It wouldn't have been the first stag night with no groom

SC

_{Cape Town....without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities on earth, laid back and relaxed people}

Agreed, but there is still a major crime problem to deal with.

...

Don't do it! Its never to late to turn over a new leaf

SC

It's not a real country (yet) but I answer Europe.

From north to south, so much diversity in scenery, weather, culture, history, food ... You can enjoy a beer in Ireland, ski in the Alpes and enjoy the sun set in a greek island ... can't beat that !

Bit of a long day, though...

This seems another one of those situations where you can come in and try change an entire nation of people or you can find ways to adapt and lessen the impact of other’s actions on your good self.

A sensible place to start would be not to build anywhere near the temple, the school, the market, the village loudspeaker, an outdoor restaurant or bar, the rice miller, ice maker, motorcycle repair shop or near someone who raises farm animals. Make sure you build a sturdy structure to live in with decent windows. An air conditioner is not just useful to stay cool but also to clean the air at this time of year and to provide white noise so you don’t hear the other stuff.

If you have done everything wrong and can’t afford to make changes then invest in a good set of earplugs. I use them when riding a motorcycle and when I travel as they really keep the noise down.

Remember, you are the only one you have any control over unless you are extremely wealthy and/or powerful.

I suppose he could talk about it with his friends, who might show a bit of sympathy and help him have a laugh about it. Sadly, this doesn't seem like a very friendly sort of place, so I'll just join in to be part of the crowd.

"Grow a pear!"

"Ship up or Ship Out"

"Don't use your arse to push the door open" (not sure I got that one right...)

Doesn't really matter what we say, he can't hear a word now anyway, after all that ear-abuse.

SC

Maybe if you used a different word than stigma, you would find it easier to come to a happier conclusion.

Try "joy", or "romance", or "infatuation" - or "novelty" if you feel you must take some account of those around you.

Or "prurience".

My favourite, though, would be "dealing with the pantechnicon of having a Thia girlfriend", though I would struggle to find a sensible explanation of what it might mean. Its probably a metaphor.

When you say "in Homeland" I assume you mean in Homeland Security. I imagine your colleagues there might raise a quizzical eyebrow...

SC

In fact Boater I hate to shatter the illusion but I'm upper class.

Smokie the Laird of The Sands

(or is that Broughty Ferry?)

SC

Don't you just love farangs who lecture Thais on their own customs?

I don't think that they really care whether its a custom or not. Its the practice of it that they find irritating and disturbing.

I used to live on a route used by Chinese funeral processions, and that was quaint. Having the peace disturbed by clashing symbals and wailing pipes is not a problem in the middle of the afternoon, and unless you have the misfortune to be going from the same house to the same temple, the traffic disruption is only passing. Were it to go on into the small hours of the morning, for days on end, I could imagine my easy-going "I'm just a visitor" tolerance wearing through till the eff-words showed.

SC

I felt so concerned about the chap that started the Live Rugby League thread that I checked up to see if he was scarred for life. Anyway, you'll be pleased to hear he has not lost the courage to post new topics. But while I was about it, I came across this candidate for best thread, which I reckon ought to make it into the top 90%

http://www.thaivisa....s-before-blows/

SC

I actually had to search this 'Live Rugby League' thread out.

The poor ole' OP ... he must be soooooooooo lonely now.

No replies to this tread ... it was almost like he was talking to himself.

Remember, insanity is only a minority of one ... if you can get someone else to agree with you ... your not nuts!

Note to self .. must remember to catch up with SC when in Bangkok and watch a game of footie with him ... proper footie that is ... not that round ball rubbish.

p.s. ... the Aussie NRL season starts this Thursday night with the opening game between StGeorge and Newcastle ... Wayne Bennets old club vs. his new club this season.

If it wasn't for the chance to read over that thread to cheer myself up from time to time, I don't know how I would have coped with Scotland's form this last little while... I think Smokie was so distressed he's gone to live on an island, like Napoleon, or Chiang Kai Shek.

SC

This had the potential to be a pretty good thread.

Instead, it turned out pretty crappy.

Accept responsibility for your own actions.

Steady... remember where you are!

Its not wrong - we just don't do it.

SC

This had the potential to be a pretty good thread.

Instead, it turned out pretty crappy.

Lack of guidance. I blame the old-timers.

SC

Pops said 'the west' en gros . . . I merely mentioned 'many parts of the west'.

I agree. Whether it be the metropolitan glamour of Glasgow, or the parks of New York, the wide open spaces of the North French plains, or the orderly cities of Canada, there is so much variety.

However, for the benefit of our fellow posters, its probably easier to keep to no more than two classifications - West / East, Thai / Farang, Thai-Chinese / farm girl, cynic / loser.

I put myself in the no-sense-of-humour category; its the other clowns who say the funny things...

SC

Life in the west sucks big time as we all know.

Really? Dead-end job, divorced and living in some dreary dump, I presume.

I quite like many, many parts of the west and many, many aspects of life.

Maybe you went to a different West. Did you go to Fred West's? Boddies in the kitchen, Tennents under the stairs...

Or was yours the same West that the Monkey-King journeyed to?

Or the Wild West?

Its a big place, the West, and not all the same... Ask the cider-drinkers. Its all Union down there...

SC

And the commentators are quite beside themselves at Murrayfield as Scotland go over for a second try - when was the last time we scored two tries in the same game, eh? 17 - 13...

and 18-10 at Warrington, as Hull KR bring another back...

and now the commentators are beside themselves with the injustice of the refereeing, but the referee and Medard ignore them, and the latter scores under the posts - 17 - 20 with 20 minutes to go.

"(oh come on referee!) (The man's offside), Cusiter goes - there's another one round the neck... here goes Lamont ('they're offside again!) ... Wayne Barnes ignores Cusiters claims that their offside (that's a penalty) (lazy runners and everything) ... (look they're all offside, every single defender)'

and the French turn it over but 'what a waste of a French attack...'

And a drop goal sees France leading 23 - 17 as we come close to Full Time...

... And full time in Warrington - 42-10 against Hull KR ...

France get a penalty at the scrum with two minutes to go, pulls it wide to the left.

and that's the way it finishes Scotland 17 - 23 France

SC

End to end stuff in the Hull KR v Warrington game

but I'm beside myself - I can hardly hold my Irn Bru, as eight minutes into the game Scotland go a try up against the French in the other code

and as I type that, Warrington score! All I need now is moving pictures!

I hoped the Irn Bru would do the trick. Their current advertising campaign features Scottish rugby league players, by the way, boys.

I've got commentary from Murrayfield (sorry for the digression) and it really does not come across as well on the wireless as the league. Although 7 - 0 comes across well enough for me on the wireless, regardless of the code!

SC

Edit: 10-0 to Scotland, and then they give away a penalty in the centre of the pitch

and they kick for position, then charge over for a try... and the Marseillaise is echoing round Murrayfield as the lead recedes to 10-7

And while Rory Lamont is stretchered off with a leg injury, back on topic Warrington stretch their lead to 16-0 at the Halliwell Jones, though I'm listening to Radio Humberside and the coversion makes it 18-0 with four minutes to half time

He has a house here in his wife's name

However do you even think you will get any money from him

The answer is never

He doesn't have a house in his wife's name. His wife has a hous. Its not his house, its her house and therefore not up for grabs when it comes to seizing assets.

SC

I felt so concerned about the chap that started the Live Rugby League thread that I checked up to see if he was scarred for life. Anyway, you'll be pleased to hear he has not lost the courage to post new topics. But while I was about it, I came across this candidate for best thread, which I reckon ought to make it into the top 90%

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/469896-toes-before-blows/

SC

...

Beer?

True, a good drop never urt anuone

...

Beer?

True, a good drop never urt anuone

Not so sure about that. It had me seeing double...

SC

I get very cynical about TV when just getting into a good argument, the whole lot gets deleted as "off topic", any good debate goes off down side issues, that's part of the fun.

No it isn't

...

SC your trying to deny people their right to be Self Righteous, and you can't be doing that. You see the people who are most Self Righteous are the same one's that have gone through their lives being Most Wrongness, their every opinion is entrenched way beyond the scope of reasonable argument, mainly because they don't have the ability to reason and argue constructively.

...

I feel that I have been blessed by a sad inability to make jokes, and so I have had to laugh at the antics of others and the entertaining haps and mishaps (misterhaps?) that I have encountered as I wind the turns of this mortal coil. When one can laugh at the sad ironies or coincidences more frustrating than serendipitous, then it is hard to sustain one's pernicious prejudices against one's fellows and their entertaining foibles and follies.

All I can say is thank goodness for a good lexicon and some minutes of leisure in which to make use of it

SC

Serendipity?...shock development!!

Anyway, don't worry, I think your funny , even though I usually have to get a thesaurus to help work out your posts.

Serendipity... I've many and oft been blessed with the ability to be in the right place at the right time - or at the very least not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It would restore my faith in God except that I would be appalled if He took an interest in such mundane and trivial affairs.

"I think your funny"

You'll be getting me one of those jackets with the buckles up the back...

SC

...

SC your trying to deny people their right to be Self Righteous, and you can't be doing that. You see the people who are most Self Righteous are the same one's that have gone through their lives being Most Wrongness, their every opinion is entrenched way beyond the scope of reasonable argument, mainly because they don't have the ability to reason and argue constructively.

...

I feel that I have been blessed by a sad inability to make jokes, and so I have had to laugh at the antics of others and the entertaining haps and mishaps (misterhaps?) that I have encountered as I wind the turns of this mortal coil. When one can laugh at the sad ironies or coincidences more frustrating than serendipitous, then it is hard to sustain one's pernicious prejudices against one's fellows and their entertaining foibles and follies.

All I can say is thank goodness for a good lexicon and some minutes of leisure in which to make use of it

SC

I have to agree with the OP here, Thaivisa (news and general forums at least) create huge amounts of cynical comments.

The thing that seems to be so aggravating about the negativity on this and other boards is that many of the writers seem to think the problems they are carping about only exist in Thailand and that back in Heaven-on-Earth (i.e. their own countries) all things are wonderful.

There are good and corrupt police, politicians, business persons, et al. everywhere. Politicians talk nonsense everywhere and make election promises they'll never honor. Some police are out for bribes in every country on earth. The media is biased and gets things screwed up everywhere, with the additional issue here that things misquoted in Thai get further screwed up when poorly translated into English.

And, since most of the carping seems to come from those of European extraction, the same people who brought you several world wars and a recent worldwide economic meltdown, as well as racist colonialism, the suggestion that Thailand should adopt Western standards is laughable.

There are frustrations and problems in Thailand, but not nearly as many as the perpetual whiners suggest and most of the whiners are really not qualified to comment on "facts" that they and their friends manufacture on bar stools.

I agree that all politicians need to be ignored - they just say whatever they think will win them votes and are as corrupt as the international businesses (from whom they either have 'consultancies' and non-exec directorships, or intend to get them once they leave office, as they have been so 'helpful').

Thank you for pointing out though that the 2 World Wars were entirely due to Europe - as I had previously thought the US only actually 'joined in' when they were attacked by the Japanese. As for the recent financial crisis being the fault of Europe.... Yes, Europe has/had deep problems - a bit like the US.

I don't really think that you can separate the US and Europe. Although many of the inhabitants may be descended from Africans, and a few from indigenous peoples, culturally, it is a Western European anglo-saxon nation, even if it is located elsewhere; just like Australia...

It always surprises me that people are so ready to condemn others on the grounds of their profession - whether they be politicians, policemen or bankers, based on the behaviour of a few villains when they themselves, and their fellow posters, are all such pictures of moral rectitude.

Some time ago I realised that there were people elsewhere who were bnigger, stronger, smarter, more ethical than myself, and many of those people were successful. I learnt the difference between scepticism and cynicism; not to assume that others were selfish, corrupt or dishonest, but to accept the possibility that they might be...

SC

My good friends live in the mountains of California. I was there a few winters ago and one of the neighbors threw a party...in January...outside! It was snowing like mad. They had lawn chairs and just put blankets over them. It was tough, but we got through it. And eventually we moved inside with the nice, warm fire. But the locals there love their winters.

They sit on ice on a frozen lake, fishing. They dress like the Michelin Man - all puffy in heavy insulated garments - so they can 'snow mobile' on the white stuff. They ice skate, they ski, they do all kinds of weird shit just so they can do something outdoors in the cold of winter. You either live with it, or you hate it. So the weird ones in California have a picnic outdoors in winter, just so they can say they did it, not so much that they like it. They also smoke a lot of weed in California. Sure helps me tolerate the unpleasant.

I take it you mean Northern California, going up into Oregon, which is spectacularly beautiful - to be fair, I didn't cover the whole state, I just went up the interstate and back down the coast road. My friends in LA and San Diego tell me they have a very pleasant and consistent climate.... Then, if they fancy a bit of skiing, I'm told they can go up to Yosemite or somewhere. I can see why they choose to live there rather than their own countries...

Also, like myself, their jobs... hence I am here and they are there

SC