Bob

Given my experiences at the various beaches in Thailand, I was guessing that the OP (indicating in his title that one should watch out for a fat man at the beach) was about to launch a "Where's Waldo" game. Just too many choices to keep an eye on just on one.....

Similar in part to my comments before but I concluded the negatives (sick subject, clear harm to all those victimized by the offender, etc.) outweighed by far any positives (none that I could discern) of the piece. If anybody actually reads anything pointed, positive, or instructional, I'd also be interested to hear about it. I don't question the outfit's free speech rights to say something this sick but I simply don't see at all what point they were trying to make. Can anybody actually point out what point, satire, lampoon, or whatever that the writer was attempting to achieve? [i would note that I don't agree at all with the death penalty sentiment but, then again, I view the death penalty as simply state-sanctioned murder. My home state (Michigan) thankfully outlawed that procedure in 1847 (except for a period of time for treason) and has never executed anybody since statehood in 1837.]

Don't get too excited about any of that. I commented about the inoperable "Comments" section long ago but never received a response. It's either not working at all or not working for some posters (and, if it's only not working for some posters, I'd bet that's just a quirk and not aimed at anybody in particular). I'm not sure about your other concerns....but would suggest you send a PM to the owner/moderator if you can figure out how to do that (I'm not sure if you can or can't as I've never tried that route before). Good luck in any event. Regarding choosing not to post here, that's cool. As they say, up to you. Some people might not agree with some things you say but my guess is that any disagreement expressed won't get personal here by most of us. A couple of the posters here are actual "real life" friends of mine and they occasionally express fairly strong opposition to something I've said or suggested. That's cool, I can handle it and, vice-versa, they can too.

Khun Thaiworthy surely knows the article isn't "real" and he questions why anybody would write such a piece of trash. I wholeheartedly agree. I too have a very difficult time trying to figure out why anybody would write such a piece. You mention "lampoon" but I see neither any light-hearted satire nor any serious ridicule. Was the article supposed to be funny, serious, thought-provoking, or what? I can't figure it out. Regardless, given the subject matter - basically Sandusky getting off as he visualizes in his brain how he molested young boys - its simply very sick. And, as Khun TW somewhat notes, I sure as hell hope that none of the victims or their family members or friends every have the misfortune of reading it. [To avoid misinterpretation, Khun Koko was attempting (I believe) to explain the nature of the article and wasn't supporting it himself. My comments are only aimed at whoever thought it would be funny or whatever to write such a thing.]

You need to talk to Traveler Jim. He'll have all the answers for you. I'm still relying on my US policy which will reimburse for covered expenses while I live over here but that'll end a year from now (which means I'll be talking to TJ about acquiring some type of major med policy that'll cover me over here).

Close enough, you can freeze your ass off in either place. Now, involving the age question, the term "hoot" probably hadn't been invented by the time you left school. Then again, you didn't study history in school either because they didn't have any then.....

I've been back for a little over a month and haven't gone to one of the shows up here in Chiangmai yet.....and may not go more than 1-2 times per year. For the most part, fairly boring for me (plus the music's too loud, drinks too expensive, etc., etc.). I've gone to host bars and Soho, though, many times since I've been back and enjoy stopping for a drink and chatting with people I know (or want to know....). Ram Bar (a gay bar on the river in front of River House Massage) is having some kind of "pretty legs" (or something like that) show this Sunday night and, given I already a few of the bartenders/waiters there are cute as hell without showing their legs, I'm going and it ought to be a hoot.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway!), a man outstanding in his field....

Being the low-class devil I am, I really don't see much personal use in most art and especially so-called modern art. I've love to own a Picasso - not to hang it on my wall but only to sell it and reap the millions some poor sucker would pay for it! With my lack of knowledge and appreciation for "art", all I see in works such as those of Picasso is what seems to me to be a juvenile effort to scribble nonsense on paper or a canvass. I simply don't "get it." As for the work by Kees Van Dongen that Koko shows above, I guess it's okay but it realy doesn't do anything for me. But I usually always think that any attempt to imitate or interpret life never measures up to the beauty and fascination of the real thing. I'd rather have a photograph.

Yea, the "death hotel" was a big news item up here last year and all kinds of rumors were swirling around as to why the place wasn't investigated more or immediately shut down. Unfortunately, with Thai journalism (read: lack of any follow-up let alone investigative journalism), the public will really never know what happened. I would note that tissue samples were shared with some government agency in the US and also with the UN's outfit....but, again, I've never saw a newspaper article that definitively reported on any findings of note by either of those outfits.

As a follow-up to the initial question - what happens to unclaimed banks accounts of deceased expats (or deceased anybodys) - I don't know the "Thai" answer to that question. In the US, every single state has what we call "escheat" laws and those generally provide that all inactive bank accounts (defined as any bank account which has no activity by the owner for a specified period of time) escheat to the state government. In my home state, the inactivity period is 7 years which, based on what I've heard, is similar to the other states in the US. Some of the escheat statutes require a publication buried in the a newspaper's classifieds somewhere whereas other statutes simply provide for the time lapse only. As you might figure out, all the state legislatures sure as hell wouldn't let the banks keep the money. I suspect that there is an "escheats law" in Thailand....and will ask my Thai lawyer if/when I ever see her (and if I remember to ask!).

I have a Thai will that deals with only my Thai assets (bank accounts and personal property). It's the only way to go. And my Thai partner has possession of an original (a duplicate original is held by my Thai lawyer). [in case somebody wonders what happens if I and the bf should breakup, the original Will he's holding will no longer valid the moment I should ever make a new Will so I don't have to keep tabs at all as to where the first original is located.] I've had related chats with some expats now and then and I'm amazed that generally they have nothing prepared or planned (and some, with long-term partners, haven't even left written instructions so the partner knows about such things as life insurance benefits (if you have any), any pension benefits that might be payable to named survivors, etc.). For those with long-term partners, for god's sake write something down and make sure you don't end up with some asset lost or paid to your local government (after it remains unclaimed for 7 years or whenever). If you sat down at a computer for 10-20 minutes, you could easily list what you have, where it's located, and some simple instructions as to what to do. And, while you're at it, make sure it's clear what the heck is to be done with your corpse! Whether it's here in Thailand or even in your home country, the biggest nightmares involving decedent's estates often is trying to figure out what the hell the guy had and how to get ahold of it. Have some decent records (even a typed-up sheet generally describing assets), will you? I've heard a couple of expats say that they'll just leave the secret ATM number someplace where the bf can get ahold of it and then he can draw out the funds. Well, first off, every one that's told me that's "how they'll handle it" hasn't even done that (leave a number somewhere let along tell the bf how to find it). And, secondly, if your bank finds out you're takng a dirt nap (I don't even know how they find out but they do!), your account will be frozen and the ATM card won't work. If you only have 5,000 baht in an account here, then who the heck cares. But, if you have any substantial amount and/or property of value here, for god sakes just go get a Thai Will made. Do your intended beneficiary a favor. P.S. Jim said something about payouts over time or something to that effect. Thai law doesn't recognize trusts ("living" trusts or testamentary trusts) and I was told at the time I made my will that there was no effective way to provide for payments over time here in Thailand. If that's critical to you (you for whatever reason don't trust your partner not to blow the inheritance), then maybe you could handle that via a trust in your home country.

There probably are all sorts of theories. From what I've read, all of the early (Athenian, Phoenician, etc.) ships were actually powered by oars on both sides of the boat as well as often being assisted by sails. Here's one quote regarding the steering: "The ship's primary propulsion came from the 170 oars (kōpai), arranged in three rows, with one man per oar. Evidence for this is provided by Thucydides, who records that the Corinthian oarsmen carried "each his oar, cushion (hypersion) and oarloop."The ship also had two masts, a main (istos megas) and a small foremast (istos akateios), with square sails, while steering was provided by two steering oars at the stern (one at the port side, one to starboard)." Regardless, the actual words "port" and "starboard" seem to come from somewhat modern Anglo-Saxon times and language. I'm wondering how the ancient Greeks or Phoenicians differentiated the two different sides. Anyone have a clue?

Hmm, duh.....and guess it sounds logical. Sounds like a rather modern term. Playing the "google" game, here's what Carribean-Pirates.Com (yep, true name) has to say: Why do we say Port and starboard? Early English boats were built like large canoes, (influenced by the Vikings dragon ships) which didn't have rudders. Most sailors were right handed so steering the boat was done by swinging a steering paddle or oar over the right side. boat builders would fasten two pegs into the top strake of the boat, near the back on the right side. The steering oar would then be placed between the two pegs and secured with leather (simple rudder). The sailors using these boats would lean on the top strake on the left side ( larboard), and steer from the right so sailors began calling the right side strake as the steering board or Starboard in early english' Since these boats had big steering Oars on the right side it was much easier to tie the boat up on the left side. Supplies had to be "ported" (carried by a porter a person employed to carry supplies) so the port side comes from the word "porter" ‘The left side of the ship is called port, by Admiralty Order, in preference to larboard, as less mistakable in sound for starboard’ This is why we use the word Port as a place for cargo to be loaded and unloaded, as in returning to port. This terminology became official in1844 for the British Navy and 1846 for the U.S. Navy.

Couple of questions, Khun Koko: (1) Did all the old boats have this feature (the so-called steering board sticking out of the right rear side)? If so, then it only made sense that why they docked such a boat on the left side to avoid damaging/smashing the so-called steering board. (2) But I thought your question was why the word "port" is used to designate the left side (facing front) of a boat. Unless I missed it (a possibility), I don't think anybody's answered that. And, no, I don't have a clue.

No clue whatsoever. I'm still trying to figure out whether to the enter the left or right door of the port-a-potty.

. No wonder Koko spends a lot of time down at the naval base... (and it's spelled "semen", Koko).

Rogie, I had the same thing happen earlier.....whenever I tried to write a word in quotes. Somebody needs to tweak the software.

I could be wrong but my guess is the polls just might show a dead heat in this race by the weekend. The "landslide" is likely postponed.

At the moment, Bhutan.

Thank you, Michael, for decoding the "obscure" (too kind a word, KT!) into something that has a modicum of correct English, spelling, and punctuation. The music, normally spelled "morlam" or "morlum" in English and spelled *********** in Thai, is what one would call traditional music or even folk music that originated in Laos and Isaan. The music partially migrated to the "big cities" when the poor Isaan folk moved there to work and the music apparently tugs at their heartstrings for home. For me, I like it (it's normally somewhat soothing) although much of it sounds the same. Sometimes it's amazing to hear some of the morlam singers "warble" in every stanza similar to the way Aretha Franklin "warbled" in soul music. (I don't think "warble" is the right word but hope you get the drift). Edit: * (I'll try one more time to have this software recognize Thai): หมอลำ

I might disagree a little there. For some reason, I've found that those goofy mistakes keep piling up every time you edit something (so, right or wrong, I've been blaming the editing software). Once it starts happening, it becomes exponential if you edit again. I quoted somebody in a post a week or two and edited only my words a couple of times.....and, yet, the mistakes showed up in the quoted text which I thought was strange as hell. (yea, yea, the answer is for me to post something correctly the first damn time!)

Oh, some cunning linguists here..... Adobe is sun-dried brick/clay and we yanks are used to the term as they use adobe to build houses/structures in the dry desert places of North and South America. But I'd guess they did that too in ancient times and I'll go with Khun Khortose's guess (Egypt or north Africa) as it's fairly dry around there too. As for ebony, the name likely emanates from the wood or tree. Most of it is from Africa (and I think some in South America) but I'm not sure if there were any ebony trees in either Egypt or Greece. So I'd guess middle/north Africa in general.

Good job (voting three times, that is). You must be related to Richard Daley, Sr. (prior mayor of Chicago who allegedly had many dead people vote for him on election day).

I don't know what you're smoking, Michael, but unless something radically happens in the next 4 weeks, there's no possible way for either candidate to win by a landslide. Some external event (Israel hitting Iran?) or internal event (Romney puking on the debate stage?) could change things a bit but still a landslide is really impossible under current circumstances. P.S. I and Khun Khortose have already signed our ballots and sent them off. Michael, have you done so yet?