Gaybutton

I already tried it. Between the geritol and Miracle Gro, it did wonders for making my girth grow, but that's about it . . .

For whatever reason, mosquitoes this year have been much more of a problem than in past years and I have been hearing a lot of complaints. I get plenty of them at my place too. They seem to start coming out primarily at dusk, although there are some during the day as well. Nothing seems to work very well at preventing them from getting in. Even people with window screens are getting them. They manage to somehow get in no matter what you do. So, the thing to do is to try to deal with them once they're in. Spray-on insect repellents such as Off don't seem to work for me, but there are a few things that work just fine. If you are having problems, you might want to try some of these things: 1. Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil. That's the best of all. I think Avon makes a mistake by selling it as a bath oil. It's the best insect repellent I've ever used. Not only that, but you don't need much, it's good for your skin, and has a pleasant fragrance. Use it full strength. 2. I don't know what you call these things, but the local stores sell a little contraption that plugs into your wall socket. It comes with a small bowl that contains some sort of a fluid, supposedly harmless to humans, that really works. There are several brands. You just plug it in, turn it on, and 5 minutes later there are no mosquitoes to be seen. One or two of them in each room really does the trick, at least for me. 3. Lemon grass. You can find it easily in any one of the Thai open air fruit and vegetable markets. It's a very popular ingredient for Thai cooking. It's a long, rigid grass that has a fragrance very similar to lemons, hence the name. You get a bunch of it, twist it a little bit to help release the fumes, and place it somewhere in your room. Mosquitoes are repelled by it. 4. Many stores sell a contraption that looks very much like a badminton racket. They work with electricity. Some are battery operated and some have a plug-in wall recharger. They're fun to use. You just swing the thing at the mosquitoes and zap! You not only get to hear the mosquito get zapped, but you get a tiny fireworks display as well. Keep one handy in case all else fails. Maybe some of you have additional suggestions.

Not Geezer. If I know him, before that night was over he definitely found someone and the boy got off and so did Geezer.

We're down to 3 weeks to go in the contest, here is where you stand as of February 7. The following people have exceeded the 150 eligible post minimum and have their names in "the hat:" KhorTose - 154 posts Shebavon - 167 posts Steve1903 - 176 posts GaySacGuy - 194 posts Astrrro - 218 posts Laurence - 276 posts Slackersam - 281 posts Pattayamale - 299 posts fountainhall - 318 posts lvdkeyes - 419 posts MonkeySee - 726 posts

The farang isn't taking anything. The hotel is. What gives them the right? In my opinion the same thing that gives the boy the right to use someone else's ID card in order to cheat a farang into believing he is 18 when he is actually under-age, placing the farang in jeopardy of being arrested. Yes, if a hotel took my passport I'd be furious too, but if I could end up going to jail because of someone trying to cheat, I be a little more furious. If a boy is using an ID card that isn't his own, then the card isn't his in the first place. I don't know if hotels actually keep the ID card or not when it's perfectly obvious to the desk clerk that it isn't his, but personally I hope that's exactly what they do. Let the boy argue about it with the clerk. I doubt that hotels actually hold the ID card when a boy is trying to cheat, but if they don't I wish they would. If a boy knows that would happen, maybe he'd be a little less likely to try cheating. I'd much rather have a boy angry with me than for me to possibly end up arrested. One of my favorite stories comes from Jim Lumsden, of Boyz Boyz Boyz and the Ambiance. One of his desk clerks had either had his wallet stolen or had lost it (I can't remember which). His ID card was in the wallet. A few days later a farang staying at the Ambiance came in with a bar boy he had taken off. It is the policy at the Ambiance for the desk clerk to check ID cards of any boy entering the hotel, no matter what his age appears to be. The desk clerk was immediately suspicious that the boy was under age. When he checked the ID card the boy was carrying it turned out to be his own missing ID card! Whoops! Another favorite of mine happened to Geezer. I was with him for this one. We were in a bar and there was a boy Geezer liked and wanted to take off. Geezer is smart enough to be particularly careful about checking ID cards. He asked the boy to show him his ID card. The boy quickly disappeared and returned with an ID card and proudly placed it in Geezer's hand. Geezer took a look at it and was a little suspicious. He asked the boy, "When is your birthday?" The boy understood the question perfectly, but his answer was, "I don't know." End of the boy getting an off that night . . .

These days, paraphrasing the two happiest days in a boat owner's life seems to apply: The two happiest days in a marriage are the day you get married and the day you get divorced.

(CNN) -- Craggy-faced film, television and stage actor James Whitmore has died at 87, the Los Angeles County, California, Sheriff's Department confirmed Saturday. Details of his death and funeral arrangements were not available. Whitmore notably portrayed Harry Truman, Will Rogers and Theodore Roosevelt in one-man stage shows and created memorable characters in many movies and TV shows, including "The Twilight Zone." According to entertainment Web site IMBd.com, Whitmore won a Tony award in 1948 for his gritty Broadway portrayal of an Army sergeant in "Command Decision," but was replaced by Van Johnson in the film version. Whitmore won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the 1949 film "Battleground." He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 1976 for "Give 'Em Hell, Harry," the film version of his one-man show about Truman. The actor won an Emmy in 2000 for his performance as Raymond Oz in a three-episode arc on the ABC legal drama "The Practice," according to IMDb.com. Movie fans may remember his subtle portrayal of aging prison inmate Brooks Hatlen in 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption" with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. He played U.S. Navy Adm. William F. Halsey in the World War II epic "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and was an imperious ape in the 1968 classic "Planet of the Apes." Whitmore looked natural in cowboy boots and hat, appearing in such TV series as "Bonanza," "The Virginian" and "Gunsmoke." He also did commercials for Miracle-Gro plant foods. According to IMDb.com, Whitmore was born in 1921 in White Plains, New York. He was married four times -- twice to Nancy Mygatt, for four years in the '70s to actress Audra Lindley, and since 2001 to actress Noreen Nash. He was the father of three children, including actor-director James Whitmore Jr.

I believe it is optional on the part of the bars. Usually if bars are ordered to be closed, the police often don't inform them until a day in advance. My understanding, at this moment, is the bars will be open and operating normally. Banks and government offices, however, will be closed.

I believe the article is slightly mistaken. I think the article should have used the word "and" instead of the word "or." I believe the actual penalty is not a choice of 10 years or a 20000 baht fine. It's 10 years and a 20000 baht fine.

Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man who lives in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'til the end of time! But He loves you. - George Carlin

I don't agree. It may not happen any time soon and it still may be a hell of a struggle getting there, but that day will come. The trouble is, by the time it does we'll all probably either be too old to enjoy it or we'll all be dead. I think I'll stick with Thailand. There may be gay prejudice here too, but it certainly doesn't even begin to compare to the USA.

When I first started coming to Thailand, I thought as you do. There's plenty of public transportation, so I thought what do we need a motorbike for? Then, once we had one, I didn't know how we ever got along without it. We started talking about a car when we had the motorbike. I thought what do we need a car for? Now that I have one, I don't know how I ever got along without it. I like the convenience of having a car. It sure makes life easier when it rains. I makes life easier when I go shopping. It makes life easier when I want to go to places that are not on usual public transportation routes. If your life is not much more than the beach and the bars, then you really have no need for your own transportation. But if you ever do get your own transportation, it opens up a whole new world in Thailand. Whenever I hear people say things like the only reason to be in Thailand or Pattaya is for the sex, I would guess that many of those people don't have a car or rarely even try to do much else. Something I love to do every so often is, just on a whim, to pack up a few days worth of clothes, get in the car, and just go. No plans at all and no worries about where I'll end up. You never know what you're going to find and I have never been disappointed. But I also know that without a car I never would have those kinds of experiences. So, you're right. It isn't necessary to have a car, but when I think of what I would miss without it, that's when I'm very happy I have one.

I'm more with fountainhall on this one. I realize that there is no way small children can be kept quietly confined to their seats on a long haul flight, but I also think the parents should be responsible for keeping them from disturbing other passengers. I don't think it's right or fair for the parents to remain complacently in their seats and just let the kids run up and down the aisles disturbing a plane load of people. Parents have a responsibility to control and supervise their children. They're on a plane, not a playground. I can't see any reason why parents can't bring along toys and games to keep the kids occupied as much as possible without disturbing everyone else.

Also, if you are staying in a hotel or condo, have the desk clerk or security guard double check the ID card and if they agree that the card really does belong to the boy and that he really is at least 18 years old, then also have them hold the card until the boy leaves and they get an "all clear" from you before they give back the ID card. If it turns out that the ID card is "borrowed," then I would have them make the boy leave, without the ID card, and have them tell the boy they'll just keep the card until the rightful owner shows up to claim it. I would also have them tell the boy if the owner doesn't show up within 24 hours, then he'll have to claim it at the police station because that's where the card is going. One more idea popped into my head. Also let them know how long you intend for the boy to be in your room with you. Tell them if more time than that passes and they haven't heard from you, then they need to go to your room and personally check. Make sure the boy knows all of this. I can't think of anything to do to make yourself any safer than that.

Appropriately enough, if you haven't seen the movie "Milk," then you ought to make a point of seeing it. It's a superb film. It's the story of Harvey Milk and gay rights. Sean Penn plays the lead and while I'm no great fan of his, in this movie he does a fantastic acting job. Unfortunately, many of the problems that exited in the 1970's still exist today and you can't blame today's problems on Hostess Twinkies.

But I do see what appears to be the advent of Bangkok's traffic jams.

Thank God.

The article says: "There are 150 units selling at Bt76,000 per sq.m." In any case, the way things seem to happen here all too often, I agree with you. I would not make down payment or any other kind of payment on a condo, planned or still under construction, unless the construction company is well established, has an excellent reputation, is financially solvent, and can prove it. Even then I would still be a bit nervous.

Obama has been President less than three weeks and already here come the Republicans to stand in his way. Maybe they have awfully short memories about whose policies put us in this financial mess in the first place. How long will it take these people to figure out that their policies don't exactly work? When will they figure out why they're being voted out of office? So far, my personal favorite move Obama has made is setting limits on the amount of money the greedy corporate executives can help themselves to when they leave their positions or want to stage lavish trips and parties for themselves, all at the expense of the workers who lose their jobs and pensions, not to mention the fact that our tax money is what supports these bail-outs and lines their pockets. Thank you Republicans! Thank you very much! It's been good to see you. Now get lost! Here I am, and I doubt I'm alone in this, trying to make ends meet and have to watch my tax dollars financing these greedy bastards so they can live in the lap of luxury for the rest of their lives. Somehow I bitterly resent that. I'm glad to see Obama putting a stop to it.

I've never been to Solid, but based on your post that's an accurate description. If you want to go "whole hog," then you need to either use a short-time room or take the boy off. However, "half-hog" seems to work. Of course, a generous tip is expected.

Until this article was published, neither had I. The article is not very detailed. Perhaps someone who lives in Bangkok can tell us more about it.

Just to be sure there is no confusion, the article does not, repeat, does not refer to the Le Café Royale hotel. La Royale is a condo, as the title of this thread says. If you wish to read the article and see photos, click the following link: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000008384

Good Boys

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Tram for Chinatown will be in Service this Month The project to develop Bangkok's Yaowarat area is more than halfway complete and the "red route" tram service should be running by the end of this month, a senior official said Thursday. Samphanthawong district office director Prasert Inthusoma said that of the project's nine tasks, the renovation of the Chinese arch to mark HM the King's birthday should be finished by March 16, cars had been banned on the arch roundabout from yesterday; and the tram service to transport tourists from Hualumpong subway station to Yaowarat was scheduled to start running in the next few weeks.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ SEX TOUR King of the Swingers Arrested Published on February 6, 2009 After having reportedly organised more than a hundred "swingers" parties during the past three years, a British man was arrested yesterday along with his Thai wife at a Bangkok hotel. With them were five Thais and 16 foreigners allegedly participating in a wifeswapping party. Christian A Richards, 54, has been charged with procurement and commercial sex advertisements. The parties are advertised through www.Bangkok.CraigsList.co.th where Richards' wife goes by the name of Duang. They charge each participant Bt3,000. Party raided The "swingers caught in the raid were a mix of Americans, French, Indians and Chinese. The Tourist Police arrived at the hotel suite to find the party just warming up and discovered condoms, 30 Viagra tablets and pornographic movies. The police caught Richards in January at a party for about 50 people in a Huay Kwang hotel area but he claimed it was a birthday party and charges were pressed. Tourist police commander Archayon Kraithong said that the police investigation suggests such activities have been going on for three to four years, attracting 25 to 30 people from many countries to each party. The police issued a warrant for Richards' arrest on February 1, 2009. The foreign and Thai participants were released after paying fines, while Richards was still being questioned by police yesterday. If found guilty, he faces a jail sentence of up to 10 years or a fine of up to Bt20,000. ____________________ and this, from the BANGKOK POST: _____ Pair Arrested for Running Orgy By: BANGKOK POST AND AFP A 54-year-old Briton and his Thai wife have been arrested for organising a sex orgy at a Bangkok hotel. Christian Arthur Richard, a British national, was arrested on Wednesday night at the Elizabeth Hotel on Pradiphat road, Phaya Thai district, after police raided a room on the 11th floor. Thirteen male foreigners and 10 Thai women were found in the room, with some having sex openly. The foreigners included US, French, Indian and Chinese citizens. Upon seeing the police, those who were engaged in the orgy rushed to put on their clothes. Many condoms were found scattered around the room. About 30 Viagra pills were also found. Mr Richard has been charged with colluding in procuring women and men for sex, running a prostitution business and advertising sex activities, which could land him a jail term of 10 years or a fine of up to 20,000 baht. The guests were released after paying fines of up to 1,000 baht. The raid followed a police investigation into orgies involving foreigners and Thai women held in Bangkok and the provinces by a foreigner and his Thai wife. The couple had opened a website http://www.bangkok.craigslist.co.th to persuade tourists to join orgies with Thai women. Each was charged 3,000 baht to join. The arrest of the British suspect led police to Duangchan, or Lom Sranoi, at her residence in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district yesterday. Mrs Duangchan, the wife of Mr Richard, was arrested and police said she confessed to having organised orgies. Over 50 sex activities had been organised, she said. Pol Col Archayon Kraithong, chief of the tourism police division, said the couple had organised orgies for three to four years. They were held every week, with 25-60 guests each time. Most guests were male foreigners and Thai women. A source said Mr Richard was arrested last month after police raided a hotel room in Bangkok's Huai Khwang and found 50 people in the room. However, he was freed without charge as he claimed he was using the room to hold a birthday party.