Gaybutton

Not quite yet. I've said my piece, but to be fair I think others should get a chance to say theirs, if they wish, before we close off the thread. For those who do wish to get in their say, it seems that some are getting quite upset about this, so please remember that personal attacks are also verboten. Discuss the issue or vent your spleen about terrible ol' me if you wish, but leave personal attacks out of it.

Sheeeesh! Even my avatar bothers you? Very sorry. I happen to like my avatar. As for me never being wrong, while you are suggesting I re-read your post, I suggest you go through this board and start re-reading mine. I have been wrong many times and have openly admitted it just as many times, which is more than most posters ever do. So don't try to say that I'm never wrong and never willing to admit it. That is blatantly false. Disagreeing with your position doesn't make me wrong. As for my attitude here, that is not going to change. As for Lawrence, I couldn't care less. He broke the rules, was warned, and persisted anyway. I don't put up with that and if that offends people, then they're going to just have to be offended. I make no apology for that. I'll agree with one thing you said: It's very hard to moderate a board. That's because no matter what I do, somebody doesn't like what I do. I learned a long time ago to stop taking that into consideration. I do what I think is fair and the right thing to do. Some agree with me and some don't. That's the nature of the game. I have no problem at all about wearing the black hat when I think it's necessary. Regarding this issue, I have tried to make it very clear. I don't know how to make it any more clear than I already have. Maybe my command of English isn't good enough, but I'll say again that if someone posts a message that can place this board or me in legal jeopardy, then that post will be deleted, period. 800 pound gorilla or not, overboard or not, that's the way it's going to be. Once again, tell me how if it was you, you would do it differently. If you truly believe that permitting libelous posts is so important that I should allow myself to be placed in jeopardy, then you're barking up the wrong tree, my friend. You find the way I come across to be offensive. I find it even more offensive that you are asking me to place myself in legal jeopardy for the sake of those kinds of posts. I guarantee you that as long as I am a moderator here, that is not going to happen. And yes, I am intentionally coming on very strong about it because I'm not about to allow anyone put me in that kind of position, no matter who dislikes it and is offended.

Famous last words . . . As long as there really are plenty of parking spaces, fine with me. But if it ever gets to a point at which enough people who are not mall customers start parking there and end up depriving genuine customers of a place to park, that's where the trouble will start.

Do we really have to have this kind of debate? Very sorry, but I don't see it the way you do. If you don't see how GT's post is entirely different from the types of posts not allowed, then I can only say your interpretation of things is different from mine. In any case, what is and is not allowed on this board is up to the moderators and I'm not going to get into this kind of debate every time someone else thinks a post should or should not have been permitted. Since the moderators, especially me, are the ones at risk, we're going to be the ones who make the decisions about it. When I feel a post places the board or me personally at risk, I'm deleting the post and that's all there is to it. If there is any question about it, or if someone is not sure how far he is pushing the envelope, anyone is free to submit his post to me by PM prior to posting to ask whether I'm going to allow it. I'm sorry if you disagree with me, but I'm the one at risk and, quite frankly, I'm not going to let opinions of others, who are not the ones at risk, place me in jeopardy. You can tell me all about how if it was you, you would do it differently, but I have to call 'em the way I see 'em. On our policies statement we clearly say, "The determination of violations is the sole purview of the Gay Thailand Management." I emphasize "sole purview." If it makes you feel any better, very few posts on this board are ever deleted.

That's good. I think they have a right to take steps to see that people who park there actually are shopping in the mall, rather than parking there and heading off to somewhere else. I generally avoid the mall on weekends because so many people do just that. I think they have a right to charge people who do that and they need to come up with some sort of system to check. I think I, as a shopper there, should at least be able to find a place to park instead of finding spaces taken up by people who park and go elsewhere without bothering to even enter the mall.

Would you mind translating that post into English? I don't have any idea what you're talking about.

What you're not allowed to do is write posts that under Thai law could be construed as libelous, is an obvious vendetta posted by someone who has a personal grudge against a business, or is a post designed to attempt to hurt a business. I've said it before and I'll repeat it now. I'm the only moderator on this board who is a permanent resident in Thailand. When I see a post that can harm my ability to live here or can cause a libel suit to be levied against me, I'm getting rid of the post, even if others think I'm being inconsistent about it. If I thought GT's post met that sort of criteria, I would have deleted it even though he's the boss. He could always fire me . . .

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Catch the Solar Eclipse Published on July 20, 2009 Telescopes will be provided for stargazers and those interested in watching the solar eclipse on Wednesday at a major observation site in Pathum Thani and eight other locations around Thailand. National Science Museum scientists will also explain at the site about the natural phenomenon, which will occur from 7am to 9.30am. A thousand tinted pairs of spectacles will be provided for free. A total solar eclipse cannot be observed within entire Thailand, and the time it begins will vary depending from where it is observed. Call 02 577 9999 extension 2102 or 1835 for more information. The National Astronomical Institute of Thailand (NAIT) said the duration of the eclipse will be exactly from 7am to 9.19am. Countries and areas where a full eclipse can be seen are India, China, Japan and the South Pacific. After the total eclipse in Thailand in 1995, this solar ecplise will set a record as the longest so far in the 21st Century, with a duration time of six minutes and 39 seconds. It will last the longest in Chiang Mai - two hours and 12 minutes - as well as be the largest eclipse, with 69 per cent of the moon's shadow covering the Sun. Bangkokians can see it from 7.06am to 9.08am and can view the moon's shadow at a coverage percentage of 42.2 at 8.03am. The NAIT is cooperating with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and eight universities and colleges in other parts of the country to arrange observation sites from which people can view the eclipse.

Since it's not a "happy ending" massage, I think 100 baht would be appropriate . . . maybe a little more if the masseur is your concept of outstanding.

There's nothing to test. It is not yet available.

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd2

I just returned from several days out of town and did not look at the Internet during my absence. I'm very sorry to come back only to find this news. Allen and I go back a long way. For many years we advised and consulted each other in dealing with the message board issues. Several years ago we even had a "summit meeting" at my home involving myself, Allen, and other message board owners and we came to several agreements regarding issues and operation of the various boards. Allen, David-in Pattaya, and I shared many experiences together and were in constant touch regarding the message boards. Many of you, I'm sure, fondly remember David-in-Pattaya. Allen did more for the gay community in Thailand than most of you will probably ever know. He deserves much better than what he has already gone through and what he is likely to go through. I hope his remaining time will be pleasant for him. He has earned at least that. When his time comes, if there really is such a thing as Heaven, Allen is certain to be there.

I always had the greatest respect for Walter Cronkite. I'm a hell of a lot more upset over his death than Michael Jackson's.

Many would say that's where any similarity between Mr. Rooney and I ends . . .

I'll go even better than that. Many car dealerships don't issue real "red plates" at all. They issue plastic ones that have no technical validity whatsoever. Some give you a choice of true registered red temporary plates, but at a fee. They don't charge anything for the plastic ones until the permanent plates come in, provided you return them. Even in your home province, if you're driving around with the plastic plates, you're technically illegal. But then again, prostitution is technically illegal too. The police seem to look the other way at both. Just about everyone, Thai and farang alike, use the plastic freebie plates without any problems.

That's my point, exactly. It could not be clearer . . . to us. Why isn't it also clear to them? It all has its designated spot on my "I Don't Get It" list.

I also can't figure out why the bars and hotels are doing things this way. What seems so perfectly logical and obvious to us apparently makes no sense to them. I'm trying to understand what does make sense to them.

With that length of time and also going into next year, I don't think any of us can give you an answer upon which you can truly rely. I suggest you to to the Immigration office and ask. They'll be happy to tell you. Then, it would be helpful if you would let us know what they tell you.

Are you sure that's even possible?

Wasn't that George Washington? Unless, of course, you mean Honest Abe's Used Cars or something. "Is it actually possible to be more than happy? You can be happy, but how can you be more than happy. Sounds like a dangerous mental condition to me. 'We had to have poor Dan put away . . . . He was more than happy.'" - George Carlin

I don't know whether the airlines sell one-way tickets to Thailand or not. I always booked through Rhonda, at Norcross Travel and I only bought a one-way ticket the only time I ever had need for one. I would imagine that you could easily buy a one-way ticket from the airlines. Why not? No law says you have to book your return trip with the same airline. You can buy open-ended return tickets, but they're much more expensive and they do have time limitations. Otherwise it would have been possible to buy an open-ended return ticket in 1957 and still have yet to use it.

"my grandmother was Italian and gave me a recipe for tomato sauce that is out of this world." Would you be willing to share that recipe with us?

Be that as it may, I think Jomtien makes a valid point. The thing is, I think, if you're going to live in Thailand and be happy here, you have to be prepared to take Thailand for what it is. Despite valid arguments, nothing is going to change, even if you're absolutely right. Many of us bitch and moan amongst ourselves about certain things, but the bottom line is if you can't handle the way things work in Thailand, then you're never going to be happy here as a permanent resident. For example, this week some friends and I are about to take a road trip to Phitsanulok. I fully expect to be stopped and ripped off by the police at least once during the trip. I'll be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't happen, but I'm making the trip with the expectation that it probably will. I know that's an unfortunate part of the kind of thing that typically happens here, but I'm prepared for it and I accept it. Obviously I don't like it, but I accept it. If I couldn't accept things like that, I doubt that I could handle living here.

I agree with all of those. One in particular I would like to expand upon is your Rule 7. One thing I've learned is the grapevine among these boys is just incredible. It's amazing sometimes. So many of them seem to know where I am, who I'm with, and what I'm doing any time I leave my home. Quite often boys will come up and introduce themselves to me, boys I've never seen before in my life, and tell me they are friends with this one or that one. As I said, I've never seen them before, and yet they know who I am and even where I've been. The moral of the story is that you really do need to live up to your end of whatever agreement you made with any of these bar boys. Even if he promised the world, but then turned out to be a dud, pay him what you told him you would pay and just don't take him a second time. But if you try to get away with an excuse to give him less than you promised, you're taking your life into your hands. Some things are just not worth the risk.

That's what I thought too . . . leasing them out and trying to re-sell them. I agree with you in that I don't see how they're going to fill flights with aircraft that size unless the tourist industry dramatically picks up, and so far there's no sign of that. I don't know what they're going to do with six of those planes, but they're going to have to come up with something. I think they may try to use at least some of the planes for cargo rather than passenger flights.