Now For Something Completely Different

Christmas Eve in Pattaya. Walking through the snow with your family to a candlelight church service perhaps? Nah... Walking through waist deep styrofoam with your honey to get a beer!

Steve at TQ2 sure has an interesting way to throw a Christmas Party... and the remnants of his party will be blowing up and down Walking Street for the next 2 months.

If anyone from Pattaya reads this post, you can get sloppy seconds on the styrofoam tonight at TQ1 on Beach Road.

Paraphrasing the Attorney General

QUESTION: Where did you get the authority to do this monitoring without court permission?

ANSWER: Congress gave it to us when they authorized the war in Afghanistan.

QUESTION: Why didn't you ask Congress to adjust the law so that getting court permission for the monitoring would be easier?

ANSWER: We were told that Congress would have said no.

To quote Kos, "Wow."

Say Hello Neal

Targeting the missles.

Chrome Pole Report

Once a month, Steve of TQ2 does the leg work for his once-a-month "Out for a Beer" column. So he, Bob, Ray, and I went out... for much more than just "a beer".

First we got warmed up at TQ2 with the regular insane buy-a-round game going on at full blast. For the first time, I actually managed to buy a round myself! It was ugly from the get-go though, with me putting away 6 beers and 3 vodka tonics before the official bar hopping got underway.

First, we wandered all the way down to the far end of Walking Street and tried out Club Boesché (pronounced "Boo-shay") which was quite nice really. There was a hot tub built into the floor, a glass-walled shower, and a glass-floored stage upstairs that will put a crick in your neck. Unfortunately, I was already too far gone at this point to notice whether any of the girls were pretty or not. I tacked on 4 Bacardi Breezers at that bar.

Then, it was back down Walking Street a short way to Teasers... another new gogo bar. We lasted for one drink at that place as it was kind of crap... I think. I really don't remember.

After that, it was off to Dollhouse where Steve started buying pitchers of frozen kamikazes. I think I knocked back 6 or 7 shots of that stuff before surrendering and saying my goodbyes.

That was easily the most drinking I have done in a single night in a decade... possibly ever. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been all over the map with my drink choices... but Monday was a complete loss. It's now Tuesday evening and I've finally made it back to 100% only recently.

Only In Thailand

The motorcycle taxi guys up at the top of the soi very kindly put up this sign at the bottom of the soi for pick-up service. You would think that if they cared enough to have a nice, high-quality sign like this made, they would care enough to get the spelling right.

"Motorbite Service"?

Out For Dinner

Went to dinner last night at Dr. Dave and Ahm's apartment in North Pattaya. Nice view!
We had pasta and pork steaks which were exceptional.

Trip to the Store

Dragonfruit.

Actually, you would think with an appearance and name like that, this would be a fruit that would have a taste that would make quite an impression. It doesn't though. It's very mild... almost bland.





In other news however, one more thing from America that was dearly missed has found its' way to Thailand: Ben & Jerry's ice cream, currently being sold at Tops Supermarket on Second Road. Woo!

Contradictory

Strange...

I found this photo in the Pattaya Mail.

Yes... that's His Majesty, and yes, he's shaking hands in a manner that says that he is entirely comfortable with it.

Well, I remember what I saw back on TV at the ASEAN summit. Weird.

Friday Cat Blogging

They really do fall asleep like this all the time.

Whatever You Say George

"Of course, there will be debate, and of course, there will be some pessimists and some people playing politics with the issue," he said. "But, by far, the vast majority of the people in this country stand squarely with the men and women who wear the nation's uniform."

Yes they do, Mr. President... but they sure don't stand squarely with you.

Untitled By Boredom

Slow news day here at the Wrinkle Residence Thailand Branch. Woke up, worked. Took a nap, worked. Ate some lunch, worked. Pretty much continuing on in that vein until bedtime... although perhaps some television and a beer beforehand may come into play. I'll keep you posted.

Happy Birthday, King Bhumibol

Today is a big holiday in Thailand... the king's birthday. King Bhumibol Adulyadej is 78 years old today, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1927, and is the world's longest-reigning monarch, taking his place in 1946.

I read an essay today about the king, and one line stuck out as to what the King means to Thai people: "His Majesty the King is well recognised as the heart and soul of the Thai nation."

My personal way of putting it, is that King Bhumibol is the link between the Thai people and the Thai nation and the embodiment and keeper of Thai culture.

My personal opinion of King Bhumibol is very high because he has been a very proactive and involved monarch, going around the country solving problems, enacting social welfare programs, and even acting in a scientific role by creating water aeration systems to enliven stagnant water, and cloud-seeding technology. It is exceptionally difficult to find another monarch in history who has been as peacefully beneficial to his people as this caring man.

Happy birthday!

What Time Is It?

When westerners hear time given on a 24-hour clock, a.k.a. military time, we automatically do a conversion to a 12-hour clock in our minds. So when we hear 17:00, we automatically convert to 5:00 p.m.

Thai people operate on a 6-hour clock, so when they hear time given in 12-hour increments, they convert it to a 6-hour basis. So therefore, it could be 3:00 in the night, 3:00 in the morning, 3:00 in the afternoon, or 3:00 in the evening.

That's why Thai people get so confused when somebody talks in English about late-night hours as 2:00 in the morning. To a Thai person, their 2:00 in the morning is our 8:00 a.m.

Blogger Integrity

Writing a blog is like playing Solitaire. You have to write on your honor.

A week or two ago I wrote how the dry cool season had finally arrived, and we wouldn't be seeing another cloud until sometime in April.

Well, the total effin' deluge that we've had for the past 2 days means that evidence of my being exceptionally mistaken exists on my own blog! A blogger with no morals would go back and delete that post, while a blogger with good moral standards would admit to being wrong. See?

Anyway, the whole point of this post?

It's raining. Oops.

Happy Holi... Christmas

Bill O'Reilly sure is funny. He is talking about the War On Christmas while his online store is selling "O'Reilly Factor Holiday Ornaments". Heheh.

But of course, in all dorky feel-good activist movements, you get one example of people getting a little bit carried away: In Sapulpa, Oklahoma, overzealous defenders of Christmas are demanding that their Chamber of Commerce change the name of the "Winterfest Christmas Parade" because... well... it doesn't focus on the word Christmas quite enough. No really. The Chamber of Commerce says they have no plans to join the insanity at this time.

Well, Christmas Merry to all of you in Sapulpa.

Oh... and just in case Bill O'Reilly is reading my blog:

EASTER: Originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. GO GET 'EM BILL!

View

I thought this was a nice photo of green stuff taken while sitting at my desk. (Notice the coconuts in the upper left corner of the picture? I've got to get one of those down and see what it's all about.) The low building in the foreground is the pump house for the pool. The building in the background is the neighbors.

That Beetle

Well, it seems that I was ever so clever by writing how the beetle I found at my desk this morning looked not unlike a piece of jewelry, as what I had discovered (and fled in search of clean undies) was a "Jewel Beetle".

Here is a photo I found online taken with a hand not trembling in fear.

Interesting Stuff

I was reading this story about a teenage boy in Nepal who has been meditating under a peepal tree for the past 6 months without food or water. I figured that if you stop by at 3:00 in the morning, you'll find the kid wolfing down pepperoni pizza.

Then I read this story about an old fakir from India who spent 10 days in a hospital with neither food nor water. Real 24-hour a day medical supervision, inside and out.

Pretty cool... but not for me. I'll stick with the constant supply of burgers and pasta, thank you.

(Now, when you can show me people not sleeping for weeks on end — and aren't meth addicts — then you'll pique my own thirst for knowledge.)

Do Thai People Like President Bush?

If there is one moment that defines the Bush presidency, it is one that almost no American has heard of... unless he or she lives in Thailand.

Flash back to the APEC Summit in Bangkok where all the leaders of countries which touch the Pacific ocean went to talk trade. Thailand was so proud. The news coverage was constant. There was even a special english channel broadcasting round-the-clock CSPAN-type coverage.

Big dinner at the Grand Palace. Cocktails beforehand. Twenty or thirty world leaders hobnobbing with other dignitaries. Live TV. Every person in Thailand ready to burst with pride.

Then, the big event: The procession. Japan, Phillippines, Korea, China, Mexico, Chile, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, America! All the great leaders make their way from the grand hall to the dining hall, passing by the royal family, who are the hosts, and are standing in a line greeting all the guests. Yes: The king on live TV. Truly a special moment for Thailand.

"President Vincente Fox of Mexico, and his wife," intoned the announcer in English, "now being greated by his majesty." Vincente Fox does a handsome half-bow before the king.

"Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, and his wife. Chatting a little there. His majesty speaks excellent English."

"Please note no one will shake the king's hand as it goes against Thai culture to touch the king. All of the dignitaries have been repeatedly told this very important rule."

"President George Bush of... oh MY."

You could feel an entire country gasp as George Bush's hand shot from his side like he was unholstering it. The king actually grew an inch taller, spine straightening in surprise. Then, like he was remembering from his college days, gently put his hand forward. President Bush grabbed that hand, and with the other hand, grabbed the king's wrist, and gave it a hearty campaign-trail how-ya-doin shake.

So do Thai people like President Bush? What do you think?

Bush: 55% of Americans Deeply Irresponsible

"Those Democratic congressional leaders who try to suggest that we don't have a plan [to achieve victory] are deeply irresponsible," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who reiterated it was possible to bring some troops home next year.

A snap poll by CNN/Gallup/USA Today this week said 55 percent of respondents believed Bush did not have a plan to "achieve victory for the United States in Iraq."

By putting these two paragraphs directly together in their story, Reuters shows that they actually have some cojones.