Gaybutton

I don't agree with that statement at all. I don't give to the beggars. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. And it has nothing to do with making me feel good. It has to do with common sense. You almost never see the same beggars in the same place more than once. Many are incapacitated. Ever wonder how they got there? Ever wonder where they disappear to at the end of the day? Ever wonder how they know where the most likely lucrative begging spots happen to be? Ever wonder what becomes of the money they collect? I never see any of them trying to buy anything anywhere. Ever notice how most of them don't talk? That's because most of them can't speak Thai. You know why? Most are not Thai. I have no way to prove they are mafia controlled, but people in a position to know these things have been telling me for many years all about it and that the mafia keeps 80% of what they manage to collect. But even if that's not true. Even if the beggars are able to keep every baht they collect, I still won't give them anything at all. That's everybody's individual decision. If you want to give them money, go right ahead, but don't expect me to do the same.

Neither do I, but I'll bet whatever it's called, it's not called Manna from Heaven.

In Thailand there aren't too many other options. You could always download the ones you want, put them on a DVD, and then watch them on TV. Personally I prefer that anyway. No commercials.

You might also try Amazon and eBay. If they have it but won't ship to Thailand, maybe you can have a friend bring it over for you or have it sent to a friend and then have him mail it to you. I think CD Warehouse is either on the top floor or one floor below the top at Royal Garden.

You don't have to miss her anymore. Go to YouTube and search for Judge Judy. There's dozens of them there. I'm a big fan too. That's how I found the one I posted.

It's been ages since I was there, but at the Royal Garden shopping mall there is a shop called CD Warehouse or something like that. They carry a lot of DVD titles you don't find elsewhere. You might want to have a look there.

I wish I could deny that. You're right. I forgot all about Rainwalker's party. I didn't attend, but my memory is getting worse all the time. By the way, who are you . . . ?

The fact that it is not nude, but "sexy" is fine, but I don't think it's appropriate to post "sexy" photos of these boys without them at least having first been asked if it's ok with them. Suppose it isn't? If I was one of these boys who had posed privately for a farang customer, and then discovered that my photos had been posted on the Internet without my knowledge or consent, I wouldn't appreciate it. I might not find it to be so much "fun" and I might take it more seriously. I think people should at least ask first, especially if it turns out the boy doesn't want his photos placed on the Internet. What do you say to the boy later if he finds out how his photos were used, but nobody ever asked him? He might think it's funny. He might also be mad as hell. Over the years I've seen both reactions. If nothing else, I think it's at least a matter of courtesy. I really don't think if these boys posed privately for sexual photos with a customer, now he forfeits the right to be asked if there is any problem about posting them on the Internet, even if it's non-nude and just for fun. It's not something I would do. In my opinion, if a boy posed for photos he knew were going to the Internet or if he placed his photos on sites such as Gay Romeo, now he's fair game. He knew how his photos were to be used. But when he posed privately for a farang and did not know his photos might end up on the Internet, to me that's a different story. While I realize there is no commercial purpose behind this contest, maybe the following "Judge Judy" illustrates the point I'm trying to make: Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wcF8GLKeTo Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezoFCnYIsmY

I love his "no respect" jokes most of all. "I don't get no respect even from my car. My car is just like my wife. On cold mornings when I really need her, she won't turn over. I don't get no respect from my wife either. Are you kiddin'? She helps me train my dog. He watches me in the bedroom to learn how to beg. He watches her to learn how to roll over and play dead. My wife, she is always something! The other night I woke up. She was saying sexy things. I looked up. She was on the phone."

Then why did you?

Beats me. There's never been one.

You'll have to translate that into English. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Mai kao jai. When I argue, here's the way I really like:

You did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYCCDD7VXEc

It would be an extremely rare individual who doesn't lie about something on occasion. Even that famous gorilla, Koko - the one who has been taught sign language - lies. Can you imagine that? Gorillas can lie. I won't say that every single human on the planet lies, but I would definitely say they constitute the vast majority. Even the story of George Washington and the cherry tree was a lie. Washington's Cherry Tree: Legend or Fact?

Are you kidding? For some of those boys, the older you are the better they like it, especially if they think they can get their hooks into you, become your sole beneficiary, and it's much more likely you will have departed this planet long before someone who is 50.

Actually, I've never understood why so many people try to say they are younger than their actual age. To me, it would make much more sense, if you're going to lie about your age, to say you're older than your actual age. If someone who is actually 60 says he is 50, then I would be thinking he looks like shit for his age. On the other hand, if he says he's 70, I would be thinking he looks great for age - unless of course he is 60 and looks closer to 80 in the first place . . .

That was the impression I got. I agree it is a minor issue. Besides, I'm enjoying the debate. I wonder if people are noticing we are actually capable of debating an issue without the bitch contests that usually appear on certain other boards. I also just realized what may end up being the next debate: farang or falang. Ok. While I'm out, can I come to your place?

I don't have a problem about people asking my age. I tell them the truth. I'm 39 . . .

Yes, I am. I'm not saying they can understand English any better than the average farang can understand Thai. What I'm trying to say is it is the responsibility of both parties to make sure they have been understood. I don't understand why you seem to think it is only the responsibility of the farang. Sorry, I don't agree. Not only do I disagree they would lose an enormous amount of face, I don't even agree they would lose any face. I have never encountered a Thai who has ever had a problem telling me he doesn't understand.

With all the participation so far, you very well might end up winning your own contest.

In general, maybe so. But when it comes to dealing with Thai boys who are trying to sell themselves to farang, who deal and communicate with farang on a regular basis, who are trying to involve themselves with farang, then it's a different story and that increases their share of the responsibility. I don't think a language barrier is much of an excuse when a Thai tells me "yes," when what he should have told me is "I don't understand." If you and I can figure out that the way we do things and interpret things can often be entirely different from the way the Thais do, then I fail to see why anyone would think they can't figure out the same thing. I think they're a lot smarter than that and a lot more capable than many of us give them credit for.

Yes, I understand that and I have no disagreement with that aspect of what you are saying. My disagreement is that your post, the way I'm reading it, is that the problems arise due to cultural differences. You said, "you're effectively promising them that it will happen." I have never experienced any Thais making that kind of interpretation. I believe you have experienced that kind of interpretation or you would have had no reason to say what you did. That's the problem and that's why I think it is the responsibility of both parties to make sure they are fully understood. I don't think it should necessarily be up to the farang to make sure the Thai understands without the Thai being equally responsible for making sure the farang understands what he is expecting. That same kind of problem is something we frequently see posted when a farang tells a bar boy what he wants prior to agreeing to take him off. A common complaint is the boy didn't do whatever it was he agreed to do. If the boy intentionally misled the farang, that's one thing and the farang has a legitimate complaint, but if problems occurred because of misunderstanding each other, then at least one of them failed to make sure he was fully understood. I see the same thing as applying to your post.

I disagree. We farang tend to consider ourselves pretty good at figuring out how Thais interpret what we say and do and seem to feel we should adjust ourselves accordingly. I don't think so. The Thais are just as good at figuring out what we mean. Farang do not hold a monopoly on being savvy or realizing that different cultures and languages can cause misunderstandings of intent. Thais possess the same capabilities. I think the responsibility of making sure the other party clearly understands is a responsibility held by both parties, not solely farang. I think they're a lot smarter than many farang give them credit for.

As far as I'm concerned, that's still far more than I would be interested in paying. The bar and the boys would have to be something really special to get me to so much as set foot in a bar charging those prices, let alone 500 baht if that was the case. Those who want it can have it, but include me out.