Gaybutton

I appreciate that. I write those articles in hopes that they may help others. It is always gratifying to know it was worth the effort. By the way, if any one wants that article or any others I've written, I don't keep them on the web site. They are available by Email request at: gaybutton@gmail.com

You should report that profile to Gay Romeo. There are many reasons why he may have written that in his profile. It could be just as you said, a dumb kid. It could be he simply is being honest about his age despite breaking the Gay Romeo rules. It could be that he really is 18 or 19, but wants people to think he's 16 if he believes that will attract more attention to himself. Whatever his reason may be, my advice would be don't walk, but run from that profile.

Most likely, any time a farang is involved, you must pay . . .

Well, there's "Toto" too . . . The Lizard of Lez? Tin Would Man? Auntie BM? Yellow Prick Rode? Poppers? The Foreskins? Miss Gulch?

That's not quite true. It depends partially upon which Wat at which the boy wants to be a monk. Many Wats require the boy to pay for robes, housing, study materials, etc. The costs can be quite variable. That party is also variable. If they can afford it, they want a parade and a party as the boy goes off to be a monk, the bigger the better. I've seen Thai parents spend every baht they've ever been able to save in their lives to put on such a party - food and drinks for entire villages. Often, they'll spend everything they have on it even if they're living in a hovel in dire need of repair. The parade and party comes first. Most of the time, those parties are held at the Wat itself and all the equipment necessary to stage the party and parade is rented from the Wat.

I would not recommend "Totally Oz" as a screen name because these days OZ represents Australia. In your case, maybe "Totally odd"? Here's something for your Wizard of Oz collection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPuwnyep51Q

Police Have 3 Days to Investigate Foreigners Published: 15/06/2010 A judge has given police three days to investigate two foreigners held for nearly a month for allegedly violating an emergency decree during bloody, anti-government protests. Briton Jeff Savage and Australian Conor Purcell are being held for their alleged roles in street clashes between red shirt protesters and government forces that left almost 90 dead and more than 1,800 injured during two months of demonstrations. Police asked the judge to extend their detention for another six days, but he authorised an extension of just three more days, in keeping with the emergency decree's detention limit of 30 days. Police have 3 days to investigate foreigners

I don't know. I also don't want to find out. Again, I urge checking the ID card of any boy of questionable age. I've seen some of those under-age boy ads on Gboysiam too. I don't know what those boys are looking for, why Gboysiam allows under-age ads, whether a sting is ever involved, or anything else. What I do know is I would not recommend even responding to such ads under any circumstances.

I don't think anyone is accusing you of attempting a scam, but the fact is that you were on this board posting messages looking for money a year ago. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/Gay-Thailand-Forums-f1/Gay-Thailand-f3/Gay-Bar-sale-Thailand-t4555.html&p=28551#entry28551

I remember a similar thing happening to Clayton Moore, "The Lone Ranger." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDdRtT9rSCA

Nearly all of us use screen names rather than our real names. Often the reasons for the names are obvious and just as often not so obvious. Sometimes they can appear to be obvious, but in reality are not at all what we thought. I'm curious about everyone's screen names and maybe some of you are willing to share with us how and why your screen name came to be. I'll start: When I lived in the USA my life was essentially in the closet. Only once did I ever attend a gay parade. That was in New Orleans. As the parade passed by, there were guys pinning badges, stickies, and all kinds of tags on people's shirts. One of them placed a badge on my shirt, about six inches diameter, and in big bold letters simply said the word "Gay." I took it home with me and placed it on a shelf just above my computer. I never even needed a screen name until after my first trip to Thailand. Just to show how 'green' I was, even after my first trip, I had never even heard of Pattaya. Back then, newsgroups were quite popular. On one gay newsgroup I posted a grand total of two paragraphs about my experience in the gay bars of Bangkok. I made the mistake of giving out my Email address with a note saying to feel free to contact me with any questions. To my amazement, within a few hours there were literally dozens of messages pouring in asking for more details. I tried answering as many as I could, but the sheer number of Emails quickly became so overwhelming that it was just impossible. I realized there was no way to handle this. What had I gotten myself into? The only thing I could think of to do was to try my hand at creating a small web site that would contain answers to the most common questions I was receiving. I had never tried making a web site before, but I managed to come up with a small prototype of what eventually became my Gaybutton web site and message board. At first I didn't even have a message board. That came later. It was then that I first needed a screen name. I was sitting there in front of my computer, racking my brains for an appropriate screen name when I realized it already was right there, staring me in the face. That badge that said "Gay." I was going to call myself "Gaybadge," but that just didn't sound right. It didn't take long to realize that "button" is a synonym of "badge, and that's how my "Gaybutton" name was born. The Gaybutton name sounded right to me, so that's what I used and that's the screen name I've kept to this very day. That's my story. What's yours?

Country Music Legend, Sausage Pitchman Jimmy Dean Dies By Ed Payne, CNN June 14, 2010 (CNN) -- Country music artist and sausage entrepreneur Jimmy Dean died at his home in Varina, Virginia, Sunday evening, police said. He was 81. Dean, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, was with his wife Donna at the time of his death, which appears to be from natural causes, said R.J. Clark of the Henrico County Police department. Jimmy Dean dies

Relax. I'm speaking in generalities.

You might notice as you scroll further down, the first thing on the "similar topics" was a post by me. I titled the post, "BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Opens in Bangkok ." There, now you see both the abbreviation and the words. You might notice I do all my posts that contain abbreviations that way, for the very reasons I've stated. I don't just assume that everyone knows what the abbreviation represents. I believe if I had left out the "translation," few people would have had any idea what I was talking about. That's all I'm asking. If people still don't want to "translate" the abbreviation or acronym, then don't belittle those who have to ask. "I've asked you a million times, don't leave little notes on my pillow. 'We're all out of corn flakes, FU.' It took me three hours to figure out that FU was Felix Unger." - Oscar to Felix, 'The Odd Couple'

I've never noticed. Even if I had, that doesn't mean I would have known what it meant or even would have asked. All I'm asking people to do is post the words instead abbreviations and acronyms, or at least along with them so that the incredibly, unbelievably ignorant, such as myself, will know what is being talked about. I don't think that's too much to ask and it's going to be a little hard to convince me that the only person who doesn't know each and every one of them is me.

The bottom line, I think - - - today is not a good beach day.

I happen to be a very regular traveler, but this is the first time in my life I have ever seen ABF. Again, people make assumptions that just because they happen to know these things, so does everybody else. Is it asking too much to just write the words when posting?

Why didn't you post a link to the article? It predicts a storm surge, not a tsunami, but storm surges can be quite dangerous as well. Storms do not cause tsunamis. Only earthquakes, landslides, and that sort of thing can do that. But storm surges are also very powerful and can cause a great deal of damage and even deaths when they're strong enough. Just ask anyone who has ever experienced a hurricane. Having lived in Florida most of my life, I've been through my share of tropical storms and hurricanes. Florida beaches are not noted for waves, but when these kinds of weather systems are on the way, now you get waves and invariably the crazies are out there on their surfboards and just as invariably, some are killed. Storm surges can also cause severe rip tides that can pull swimmers right out toward the sea. Many die trying to fight them. There's no way. No human has the strength to overcome them. If you're ever caught in one, don't try to fight it. Let it pull you out. You won't be pulled out more than 100 yards or so, probably not even that much. When the force subsides, you swim perpendicular to it for about 50 to 100 feet, and then it's a fairly easy swim back to shore. Storm surges are nothing to fool around with. Until this weather system passes, I wouldn't spend any time on the beach. Here's the link: Storm Surge Warning Issued After Pattaya Thunder Storm

I wish you folks would stop using acronyms and abbreviations under the assumption that everyone knows and is familiar with them. I almost never am and I'm not this time either. Is it that much of a problem to simply spell out the words? What is ABF?

If someone is lying about his age, how would you enforce such a rule?

That makes good sense for everybody. I'm talking about when you don't know he is under age until you actually meet and check his ID card. When I meet someone whose age is at all questionable, the first thing I ask for is his ID card. If it isn't his own, or you just can't tell whether it's really his or not, or if he doesn't even have an ID card with him, I go and he stays. That actually happened to me about a year or so ago. I had been chatting with a boy on Gay Romeo and I was interested in him. He looked too young, but he kept insisting his photos were a year or so old and that he is 18. When I went to meet him I asked to see his ID card. He was 16! I told him sorry, but forget it. He said, it's ok, "Police not know." I said, "I know! And you also lied to me. Have a nice life." By the time I got home and had a chance to look at Gay Romeo again, he had already removed his Gay Romeo profile and I haven't spotted him online ever since. That's something you have to be very careful about. Gay Romeo doesn't allow anyone to establish a profile unless they're at least 18 years old, so there are a number of boys out there who simply lie about their age.

It is commonly used in many Thai recipes. Many fresh vegetable markets and some grocery stores carry it. It is also sold canned.

I think you're being paranoid. Nobody has ever been arrested or otherwise bothered in any way for such "transactions." Also, written record or not, what would it prove? Nothing has happened and no money has exchanged hands. How would anyone know if you even meet the boy at all? Unless you're using your real name on Gay Romeo, then unless the police are hiding and waiting for the person who made the "transaction" to show up, how would they even know who you are? If you get arrested for having made a "transaction" through Gay Romeo, then as far as I know you would have the dubious distinction of being the first person ever arrested for it. You just said you go to the gay bars to meet the boy first. When you go to the bars and take a boy off, that's prostitution isn't it? How many people are ever arrested for taking a bar boy off? In the entire history of Thailand's gay bars, I am aware of a grand total of one arrest, ever, when a farang took a boy off, and that boy was under age. Other than that one time, they don't arrest farang for taking a bar boy off even when the boy is under age. The only time you need to be concerned is if the boy you actually have sex with is under 18 years old. Many boys advertising themselves are not even looking for money. Also, there are plenty of personals sites besides just Gay Romeo, although Gay Romeo seems to be the most popular. If it still bothers you, then don't mention money when you're making online arrangements. Now it's not prostitution and not every boy on Gay Romeo is a bar boy in the first place.

Killin does computer repair and sales. He does not do web sites. I call him whenever I need a computer repair. The computer I'm using at this very moment is a computer I had Killin build for me from scratch. His English is excellent. If I have a problem with my computer, I wouldn't even consider going to anyone else.

On a similar note, I recently read that eating red meat is also no longer considered unhealthy.