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Manna from heaven? One biblical reference says it rapidly dries due to evaporation of its water content, becoming a sticky solid. Works for me.

Distinctly recall one guy who did four consecutive without losing erection. It's rare but oh so memorable. On previous trip had one who managed two during session at One Spa.

Start planning escape now 🙂

From Pattaya News At 3:50 PM, on March 16th, 2024, Chalong police officers captured two New Zealand nationals who allegedly refused to pull over for a traffic offense, evaded police arrest, and were later accused of assaulting an officer who pursued them in Mueang, Phuket. According to the police report, Chalong patrol police were performing their regular duty on Chaofa East Road, in front of the Chalong police station. Two foreigners on motorbikes did not follow the traffic laws, not riding close to the left side of the road and riding at high speed in a community area, according to Chalong police. The police on duty asked for cooperation from them to stop their motorbikes. However, the two violators then allegedly attempted to flee from the police. After the police pursuit, the two foreigners were infuriated and allegedly attacked the police while having the incident recorded by the police. The situation escalated as the foreigners allegedly attempted to snatch the officers’ firearm causing the gun to fire once, nobody was injured, according to the police. The police were able to forcibly apprehend them shortly after and escorted them to Chalong police station for further legal processing. The two suspects were publicly identified as Mr. Hamish Day, a 36-year-old New Zealand national, and Mr. Oscar Mattson Day, a 38-year-old New Zealand national. They were facing harsh legal charges for conspiring to physically assault police officers and other related charges. As of press time both men remain in police custody and have not released any statements to explain the incident.

Flames engulf the 11th floor of the 31 storey EDGE Central Pattaya Condo on Second Road, triggering a rapid evacuation as residents flee (photo: The Nation).

Home Spa posted a photo array today that includes a few guys who appear to be new. They seem to know type their clients want.

Not for them, maybe Just claim you were waylaid by a band of big boys with bigger guns.🙂

Don't know if there's a name for it but this is probably what it looks like

Go Fund Me page has been started to keep our Kostik from--yes, you guessed it--falling off yet again. In keeping with his expressed wishes that all things be American, restraints will be manufactured in Detroit and endorsed by presidential candidate.

From The Nation Muay Thai, the kingdom’s famous martial art, is now being celebrated in a set of stamps released by Thailand Post. Danan Suphatthaphan, president of Thailand Post Co Ltd, said the company had collaborated with the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) to design the five commemorative stamps celebrating the sport as Thailand’s cultural power. The stamps represent the five basic principles of Muay Thai – honour, tradition, respect, excellence and fair play, Danan said. The stamps, each priced at 5 baht, come in five colours – blue, yellow, black, green and red. For instance, the green stamp representing Muay Thai’s principle of “excellence” features a design depicting the Thai proverb: “Two tigers cannot live in the same cave” or there can only be one winner. The black stamp, meanwhile, represents the concept of “respect”, which is depicted by a graphic of two palms pressed together in a “wai” gesture referring to boxers’ practice of paying homage to their teachers. The stamps were made available from Friday for 25 baht per set of five, while the collectors’ envelopes are going for 41 baht each. They are available at all post offices across the country as well as through the Thailand Post application or website, www.thailandpostmart.com.

From Pattaya News A fire broke out today mid-afternoon at a room on the 11th floor of the Edge, a prestigious luxury condominium in the heart of Pattaya City. Luckily, other than two people with minor smoke inhalation related issues, there were no injuries. At precisely 1:36 p.m., the Pattaya Public Disaster Prevention Department and Mitigation Radio Center received an urgent report of a fire at the Edge Central Pattaya Condominium, Nongprue, Chonburi. Multiple firefighters and rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Dhamma Sathan in Pattaya City immediately raced to the scene where flames licked the walls, smoke billowed from windows, and water cascaded down the facade. Many people were filming the situation and taking photos and sharing them on social media. Over a hundred residents and tourists, some with luggage and bags, were seen fleeing the building and gathering around the outside. Five fire trucks sprayed torrents of water, battling the flames for nearly 20 minutes until they finally subsided leaving only a thick cloud of smoke. A condo housekeeper, who was not identified by name to The Pattaya News, revealed that the fire reportedly originated in room 158 on the 11th floor. This room was unoccupied at the time of the incident. Moments before the fire erupted, an explosion echoed from an air compressor in the room and panic ensued as flames engulfed the space. Fire officials confirmed to Thai media that the fire originated from the air conditioning equipment in the room in question. The inferno rapidly consumed the room, leaving it severely damaged but without an estimated cost of damages at this time.

From Thai PBS World Thaksin concludes visit to Chiang Mai with a Night Safari Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wrapped up his three-day visit to his hometown of Chiang Mai today by taking his children and grandchildren for a tour of the Night Safari zoo, before returning to Bangkok this evening. Thaksin, who is now on parole, began his last day in Chiang Mai by having breakfast with his family at the Oasis coffee shop in downtown Chiang Mai at about 8.45am. Arriving at the coffee shop, he greeted a large group of reporters by asking them why they were not covering Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s activities today. He then invited them to join him for breakfast. When asked about his back pain, Thaksin said that he feels better today, but still uses an analgesic spray. He said that he had a great time at dinner last night with the prime minister, former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat and several other old friends. Thaksin said that the prime minister did not seek any advice from him, because Srettha did not have much time and had an appointment with officials to discuss forest fires. At the Night Safari zoo, Thaksin was asked by the management to name a white lion cub, which was born about a week ago. He named the cub “Only”, because it was the only cub born to the mother, which normally gives birth to several cubs at a time. In signing the zoo’s visitors’ book, Thaksin thanked the management and its staff for keeping the zoo in business, despite COVID19 pandemic. The night safari is a major tourist attraction in Chiang Mai and he urged the management to continue developing the zoo.

Thanks for link. Would be interested to know how many places on final list are still around.

The recommended dimensions for a balcony from the International Building Code (IBC) If you look at the photo of hunk above, the height of the railing appears to fall well short of the 42 inch height in the code. The model's center of gravity is above the railing, creating an inherently unsafe condition. The article claims he was on a balcony that had no railing so I'm not sure why it included a photo of him standing on a small balcony that does. The only Balcony without any railing that comes to mind is on Silom Soi 4.

You're definitely on to something.... One study found that men who averaged having 4.6 to 7 ejaculations a week were 36 percent less likely to receive a prostate cancer diagnosis before the age of 70. This is in comparison to men who reported ejaculating 2.3 or fewer times a week on average. For men, sex may even affect your mortality. One study that had a 10 year follow-up reported that men who had frequent orgasms (defined as two or more a week) had a 50 percent lower mortality risk than those who had sex less often. SOURCE: Healthline

From VN Express The construction of the T3 domestic terminal at HCMC's Tan Son Nhat International Airport is set to finish in April 2025, two months ahead of schedule, in time for the Reunification Day holiday April 30. According to Le Khac Hong, the head of the project management board, in order to shorten the schedule and bring the project to completion by April 30 next year, the investor and contractors are determined to intensify manpower, machinery, equipment, and construction efforts. Covering a total construction area of 112,500 sq.m., the terminal is designed to have an annual capacity of 20 million passengers, with a scale of one basement floor and four above-ground ones. It is expected to help double Tan Son Nhat's operational capacity, thus reducing traffic congestion both inside and outside the currently overloaded airport.

From VN Express / AFP Hundreds of people forced to work in an online scam center in the Philippines were rescued in a raid on Thursday that also saw eight suspects arrested, according to police. Acting on a tip from a Vietnamese man who alleged to have escaped the sprawling compound north of capital Manila, police said they unmasked an operation where suspected victims of human trafficking were forced into conducting various online scams. "The rescued workers told us (the company) engages in love scams, romance scam, cryptocurrency scams and other scam activities," said Gilberto Cruz, executive director of the crime task force that led the pre-dawn raid. "The victims were controlled by having their passports confiscated so they were unable to leave." Police found 432 Chinese nationals, 371 Filipinos, 57 Vietnamese, eight Malaysians, three Taiwanese, two Indonesians and two Rwandans at the site. Victims have reported traveling across the region, often on the pretense of romance or high-paying jobs but finding themselves forced instead to cajole people into plowing money into fake investment platforms and other ruses. The Philippines police said a Malaysian worker had also sought help after allegedly being held against his will at the same address in Bamban. At the center, a complex of 36 office buildings and dormitories, the victims were engaged in various online scams under threat of physical harm or other punishment, the authorities said. "The (online gaming) workers who failed to achieve their quota... were physically harmed, deprived of sleep or locked up inside their rooms," Cruz said.

At least once during every trip I succumb to the siren call of the Roadhouse BBQ (Surawong at Rama IV) for what I consider the best burger in town. But what I particularly find attractive is the price. For what you'd be asked to fork over at Burger King down the road for their top of the line burger you get something much tastier and substantial. I think of it as a frugal man's luxury. It comes with cole slaw for 325 baht. But what makes it special is the generous paddy of Wagyu beef cooked expertly to order. You can get fries for 75 baht but I'd opt to pair it with the bacon baked beans for 80. What's a burger without beer and the pints starts as low as 130 for a Chiang and 140 for my favorite draft from Japan. The atmosphere lives up the name: dark wood, spacious seating and coupled with friendly service.

From CNN Important note: Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you feel pain. CNN — When it comes to lowering blood pressure, studies have typically shown that aerobic or cardio exercises are best. Recent research suggests another type of physical activity is worth including as an effective tool to prevent and treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. Exercises that engage muscles without movement — such as wall squats and planks — may be best for lowering blood pressure, according to a large study published July 2023 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. This type of training is known as isometric, or static, exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. Isometric muscle action happens when muscles contract but do not visibly change length, and the joints involved don’t move, facilitating stability of the body. Continues with photos and video https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/27/health/exercises-for-blood-pressure-squats-planks-wellness/index.html

Poor, Poor Kostik...

We all had high hopes for you but sadly...

NOTE -- I think most readers have used these ferries on more than one occasion. I've always enjoyed the respite while getting to see the Chao Phraya and its shores from water level. I hope they all manage to survive. From The Nation For generations, small river ferry operators have been making a living transporting people back and forth between both sides of the river. But with increasingly other options, such as SRT and MRT, can they and their employees survive? Krungthep Mahanakorn or Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is home to the mighty Chao Phraya River. Cutting the big capital in half and branching into countless canals, the river is one of the main modes of transportation for many locals. Piers line both banks waiting to greet boats both large and small. Passenger boats, tourist boats, cargo vessels and more travel this busy waterway. But while most are sailing north or south, river ferries do the opposite, carrying passengers from one side of the river to another. So what is life like on a small boat that only has 2 destinations in its whole life? Not far from Khemaphitaram temple is a small pier where Suruth “Rut” Sannonth moors his small metal ferry. Passed down to him from his father, Rut’s ferry business is one of the few independent operations left. Most have been taken over by big boat companies. The service starts at 4am but Rut’s day begins at 3.30. Most of his passengers are regulars. The first group are the monks from Kangkao temple doing pindapata, the practice of collecting alms in the morning, on a route across the river. They are followed by people who start work early. The main group of passengers – schoolchildren – arrive when the sun comes up. Rut remembers his frequent customers. And if any of them hasn’t boarded the ferry back home in the evening, he either waits until they come or calls to check on them. Rut does not mind extending his hours as he has plenty of time to nap during the day when he has no passengers. “The last ferry ride depends on those regulars. Sometimes if they need to take a ferry back late, they will call me to see if the ferry is still here.” Rut said, adding that he will often wait for them, Continues with photos https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/travel/40036341

From The Nation A Royal Thai Navy warship accidentally fired an artillery shell at a frigate docked in Chonburi, wounding nine sailors on Thursday. Thick black smoke was seen pouring from the stern of HTMS Khirirat of the First Frigate Fleet as it docked at the Sattahip Naval base at noon. Firefighters backed by four fire engines took about 30 minutes to control the blaze. The fire was caused by an explosion triggered by an artillery shell accidentally discharged from HTMS Chonburi, which was docked nearby, said naval officers speaking on condition of anonymity. The blast reportedly left two officers with severe injuries. Sources said HTMS Chonburi returned from a firing drill on Wednesday with one artillery round still stuck in its guns. The round reportedly discharged as Navy engineers were trying to remove it. The Navy has yet to make an official announcement on the cause of the explosion and fire aboard HTMS Khirirat.

From Thai PBS World A 42-year-old Russian, who went missing for two days in Phuket, was found murdered in a cannabis plantation at a house in Mueang district yesterday. Artur Mkhitarian’s throat had been cut and there were signs of a struggle at the scene. Police went to the house after being alerted by Burin (surname withheld), the owner of a car rental business, about the victim’s disappearance. Burin told police that the victim had rented his car and he had been asked by the victim’s Thai girlfriend to help locate the victim via the car’s GPS. Burin went to the house indicated on the GPS and found the door locked from the inside, so he asked the police to check it. Police forced their way in and found the victim’s body with his throat cut and multiple knife wounds on his body. The initial estimation was that he had been dead for at least 12 hours. Police will contact the Russian Embassy for more information about the victim, but they say that the Russian entered Thailand in January and his visa was due to expire in late April. He and his girlfriend initially ran a tour business together, but later changed to cultivating cannabis.

Google translate does have a Burmese selection but I've found it far less productive than other language choices. Perhaps it's because so many dialects seem to be spoken there.