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Boo Radley

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Boo Radley last won the day on August 3 2014

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  1. Apparently she experienced serious complications and stopped breathing during a procedure on her vocal cords at a clinic in Yorkville. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was put into a medically induced coma after reportedly suffering cardiac arrest. Wonder what the procedure was? Was it really necessary? I always try to stay out of the hands of doctors and hospitals. Dangerous places...
  2. The title is a bit misleading, but if you go on to read the article it states: "...in Japan there are 127 million residents, but only ten thousand Muslims...[and]...a few tens of thousands of foreign workers who are Muslim, mainly from Pakistan..." This number may be a bit on the low side when you compare it to the figure of 127,000 (0.1%) for Japan from Wikipedia below, but overall the general premise of the article is correct that there is a low percentage of Muslims compared to eg some European countries: Numbers given on Wikipedia for Muslim percentage (%) of total population (2010) Afghanistan 99.8% Saudi Arabia 97.1% France 7.5% Belgium 6.0% Thailand 5.8% Netherlands 5.5% Germany 5.0% United Kingdom 4.6% Japan 0.1%. http://en.wikipedia....slam_by_country As the article states later on: "...The fact that the public and the officials are united in their attitude against Muslim immigration has created a sort of iron wall around Japan that Muslims lack both the permission and the capability to overcome..." probably goes a long way to explaining this low figure.
  3. Comedian Joan Rivers dies aged 81 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29072417
  4. By: Dr. Mordechai Kedar There are countries in the world, mainly in Europe, that are presently undergoing significant cultural transformations as a result of Muslim immigration. France, Germany, Belgium and Holland are interesting examples of cases where immigration from Muslim countries, together with the Muslims’ high fertility rate, effects every area of life. It is interesting to know that there is a country in the world whose official and public approach to the Muslim matter is totally different. This country is Japan. This country keeps a very low profile on all levels regarding the Muslim matter: On the diplomatic level, senior political figures from Islamic countries almost never visit Japan, and Japanese leaders rarely visit Muslim countries. The relations with Muslim countries are based on concerns such as oil and gas, which Japan imports from some Muslim countries. The official policy of Japan is not to give citizenship to Muslims who come to Japan, and even permits for permanent residency are given sparingly to Muslims. Japan forbids exhorting people to adopt the religion of Islam (Dawah), and any Muslim who actively encourages conversion to Islam is seen as proselytizing to a foreign and undesirable culture. Few academic institutions teach the Arabic language. It is very difficult to import books of the Qur’an to Japan, and Muslims who come to Japan, are usually employees of foreign companies. In Japan there are very few mosques. The official policy of the Japanese authorities is to make every effort not to allow entry to Muslims, even if they are physicians, engineers and managers sent by foreign companies that are active in the region. Japanese society expects Muslim men to pray at home. Japanese companies seeking foreign workers specifically note that they are not interested in Muslim workers. And any Muslim who does manage to enter Japan will find it very difficult to rent an apartment. Anywhere a Muslim lives, the neighbors become uneasy. Japan forbids the establishment of Islamic organizations, so setting up Islamic institutions such as mosques and schools is almost impossible. In Tokyo there is only one imam. In contrast with what is happening in Europe, very few Japanese are drawn to Islam. If a Japanese woman marries a Muslim, she will be considered an outcast by her social and familial environment. There is no application of Shari’a law in Japan. There is some food in Japan that is halal, kosher according to Islamic law, but it is not easy to find it in the supermarket. The Japanese approach to Muslims is also evidenced by the numbers: in Japan there are 127 million residents, but only ten thousand Muslims, less than one hundredth of a percent. The number of Japanese who have converted is thought to be few. In Japan there are a few tens of thousands of foreign workers who are Muslim, mainly from Pakistan, who have managed to enter Japan as workers with construction companies. However, because of the negative attitude towards Islam they keep a low profile. There are several reasons for this situation: First, the Japanese tend to lump all Muslims together as fundamentalists who are unwilling to give up their traditional point of view and adopt modern ways of thinking and behavior. In Japan, Islam is perceived as a strange religion, that any intelligent person should avoid. Second, most Japanese have no religion, but behaviors connected with the Shinto religion along with elements of Buddhism are integrated into national customs . In Japan, religion is connected to the nationalist concept, and prejudices exist towards foreigners whether they are Chinese, Korean, Malaysian or Indonesian, and Westerners don’t escape this phenomenon either. There are those who call this a “developed sense of nationalism†and there are those who call this “racismâ€. It seems that neither of these is wrong. And Third, the Japanese dismiss the concept of monotheism and faith in an abstract god, because their world concept is apparently connected to the material, not to faith and emotions. It seems that they group Judaism together with Islam. Christianity exists in Japan and is not regarded negatively, apparently because the image of Jesus perceived in Japan is like the images of Buddha and Shinto. The most interesting thing in Japan’s approach to Islam is the fact that the Japanese do not feel the need to apologize to Muslims for the negative way in which they relate to Islam. They make a clear distinction between their economic interest in resources of oil and gas from Muslim countries, which behooves Japan to maintain good relations with these countries on the one hand, and on the other hand, the Japanese nationalist viewpoints, which see Islam as something that is suitable for others, not for Japan, and therefore the Muslims must remain outside. Because the Japanese have a gentle temperament, and project serenity and tranquility toward foreigners, foreigners tend to relate to the Japanese with politeness and respect. A Japanese diplomat would never raise his voice or speak rudely in the presence of foreigners, therefore foreigners relate to the Japanese with respect, despite their racism and discrimination against Muslims in the matter of immigration. A Japanese official who is presented with an embarrassing question regarding the way the Japanese relate to Muslims, will usually refrain from answering, because he knows that a truthful answer would arouse anger, and he is both unable and unwilling to give an answer that is not true. He will smile but not answer, and if pressed, he will ask for time so that his superiors can answer, while he knows that this answer will never come. Japan manages to remain a country almost without a Muslim presence because Japan’s negative attitude toward Islam and Muslims pervades every level of the population, from the man in the street to organizations and companies to senior officialdom. In Japan, contrary to the situation in other countries, there are no “human rights†organizations to offer support to Muslims’ claims against the government’s position. In Japan no one illegally smuggles Muslims into the country to earn a few yen, and almost no one gives them the legal support they would need in order to get permits for temporary or permanent residency or citizenship. Another thing that helps the Japanese keep Muslim immigration to their shores to a minimum is the Japanese attitude toward the employee and employment. Migrant workers are perceived negatively in Japan, because they take the place of Japanese workers. A Japanese employer feels obligated to employ Japanese workers even if it costs much more than it would to employ foreign workers. The traditional connection between an employee and employer in Japan is much stronger than in the West, and the employer and employee feel a mutual commitment to each other: an employer feels obligated to give his employee a livelihood, and the employee feels obligated to give the employer the fruit of his labor. This situation does not encourage the acceptance of foreign workers, whose commitment to the employers is low. The fact that the public and the officials are united in their attitude against Muslim immigration has created a sort of iron wall around Japan that Muslims lack both the permission and the capability to overcome. This iron wall silences the world’s criticism of Japan in this matter, because the world understands that there is no point in criticizing the Japanese, since criticism will not convince them to open the gates of Japan to Muslim immigration. Japan is teaching the whole world an interesting lesson: there is a direct correlation between national heritage and permission to immigrate: a people that has a solid and clear national heritage and identity will not allow the unemployed of the world to enter its country; and a people whose cultural heritage and national identity is weak and fragile, has no defense mechanisms to prevent a foreign culture from penetrating into its country and its land. http://www.jewishpre...s/2013/05/19/0/ 19/05/13
  5. Welbeck could turn out to be a good deal or not, depending how things turn out. I recall Henry's career had stagnated before Wenger brought him to Arsenal and turned things around for him. Also turning to Manchester United, I can't understand how they run the club with so much debt. They're apparently hundreds of millions in debt, yet buying new players for millions more. Isn't it all going to collapse like a house of cards one day like Leeds Utd?
  6. http://youtu.be/X5lwbVBzjPA At 2am on 31/08/14 police were called to the scene of a car crash. A Toyota Altis had crashed into the concrete support column for an overpass in Pataya's Sukhumwit Rd. The driver turned out to be a 25 year old Thai woman dressed in just a bra and a skimpy pair of knickers. When she saw the police she ran off but they caught up with her in a petrol station where the drunk girl proceeded to kick out and swear at the assembled police and reporters before she was handcuffed and driven away in a Baht Bus. Wonder who she was? Maybe returning home from work in a go go bar... http://www.dailynews...บตร.-ด่านัà¸à¸‚่าว
  7. From Stickman's weekly column: "...The first Nanapong Comeback Dance Contest was a rousing success. Club Electric Blue dancer Miss May walked away with the top prize, 10,000 baht. The good Reverend Tommy MCed the event and was never short of a humorous quip. It may have been held in Dollhouse, but it felt like a home event for the girls of Club Electric Blue as the bar took 25 supporting girls along, many of who enjoyed a few too many, but still managed to have the time of their life. It was described as being in a time warp and a couple of folks said it was like the Bangkok of old. You can't get higher praise than that. Following on from the success of the first comeback dance contest, the second event will be held 2 weeks from today in Club Electric Blue in Patpong. And it can be confirmed there will be Comeback Contest III, to be held in PlaySkool on the ground floor of Nana Plaza on Sunday October 12th at which each of the 3 major Bangkok bar areas will be represented..." http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/StickmanWeeklyColumn2013/Bangkok-expat-website-for-sale.htm 31/08/14
  8. The army has jailed a group of soldiers for getting into a brawl with air force officers and given their leader additional duties cleaning and cooking for other inmates. Maj Gen Kukiat Srinaka, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, signed an order on Friday night to punish Lt Pichaya Boonserm, chief of the 30th Cavalry Battalion, and 10 subordinates. They were sent immediately from their base in Prachin Buri to a military prison in Sa Kaeo province, an army source said on Saturday. Lt Pichaya was jailed for 30 days. He will no longer be eligible for promotion or a pension and has been ordered to clean the compound and cook for other soldiers while in prison. His two assistants, SM 2 Komsan Teehakarn and Sgt Narong Srichainart, were jailed for 45 days and eight others for 30 days. The brawl has become a major source of embarrassment for the army and its chief, Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, who in his role as coup leader and prime minister has warned that he will not stand for bad behaviour of any kind from any citizens. Lt Pichaya led the armed men who attacked five air force officers moonlighting as security guards at the Khlong Pleng nightclub in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani province in the early hours of Wednesday. The brawl began after one of the airmen tried to stop three soldiers in plainclothes from smoking inside the club on Tuesday night. They became angry and returned later with about 20 soldiers in uniform and armed with rifles. The fight was reported to police at the Prathunam Chulabhorn station but they kept it quiet initially. However, security camera video from the nightclub made its way onto the internet and it wasn't long before Gen Prayuth lowered the boom. Only 11 of the estimated 20 participants were punished, however. The battalion commander apologised to the air force for the incident. AVM Porramet Ketkowit, head of the air force base at Don Mueang, also jailed the four airmen involved in the brawl for violating orders by working part-time outside office hours. The length of their terms was not known. Meanwhile, a group of airmen posted pictures on their Facebook page challenging soldiers to visit the nightclub again. Group Capt Thein Thepanon, commander of the Air Military Police Department, ordered them delete the post and to stop making comments about the incident said a source. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/429572/brawling-soldiers-quickly-jailed 30 Aug 2014 CCTV footage of the incident: http://youlike888.com/play-2418-.html
  9. Reading the Facebook comments under the video, several of the Thai posters eg Kun Nato who lives in Hat Yai, seem to be forming a vigilante mob preparing to locate the guy and sort him out by giving him a good kicking. Just found some more info on the Manager news site: The police have located the mahout and 2 of his friends. The mahout in question was named as 23 year-old Narongsak Salangam, but he rather brazenly denies maltreating the elephant, saying he was just using the metal gaff to control the elephant. Meanwhile the elephant, a young 6-year old male bull elephant nicknamed Vigo, along with 2 other elephants, have been taken into care to an elephant sanctuary in Hat Yai to be assessed. The 3 mahouts were fined 500 Baht each and will be detained until they raise the funds to pay it. Hopefully the elephants won't be returned to them although the story didn't make clear what will happen. http://www.manager.c...D=9570000098204 27/08/14@16:48pm 23 year-old mahout Narongsak Salangam @01:44 being questioned by police: http://youtu.be/124kZD9pCao
  10. Came across this story in Thairath today which was doing the rounds on Thai social media. A Thai mahout was filmed beating his elephant in Hat Yai with a metal goad. Apparently he has several elephants which he uses to make a living by selling sugar cane for tourists to feed the animals. At nighttime when he returns them to the camp, he regularly beats them for 'fun'. http://www.thairath..../content/445987 Clip: https://www.facebook...799072813471462 27/08/14
  11. A battered 3-year-old girl was taken into protective custody by Khlong Ton police last night after she sought help from neighbors in her apartment building to escape physical abuse reportedly inflicted by her teen stepfather. Yupin Apartment owner Nirut Tipmanee called the police after he found a starved toddler with bruises and cigarette burns on her face and body. The 3-year-old girl, whose name was withheld, told rescue volunteers she was injured by her 17-year-old stepfather. "Papa hit me. Papa hit me with a belt and burned me with cigarettes," the girl told the rescue volunteers. "It hurt, and I cried, but my mom didn't help me." According to Nirut, the girl's mother is a 19-year-old convenience store worker, and her stepfather is a 17-year-old mortician at a Sukhumvit Road temple. Authorities withheld both of their names from the public. Nirut added he did not know the couple had a child until yesterday. The rescue volunteers fed the toddler before contacting Prachabodi Foundation and sending her for a health checkup at Police General Hospital. After the couple learned the story had reached the police, the stepfather reportedly fled while the teen mother was detained by the police, who she pleaded with to keep the story private. The mother told the police her daughter is stubborn and always cries. She claimed her husband drank beer and hit their daughter on Sunday night, but denied she had witnessed physical abuse before that incident. Police do not believe the mother’s testimony, as the child insists she has been hit by her stepfather many times. Charges have yet to be filed as police are waiting for the girl’s medical results and the opportunity to question the 17-year-old stepfather. The child is now in the care of the Prachabodi Foundation, Daily News and Nation TV reported. http://bangkok.cocon...urning-teen-dad 26/08/14
  12. A Chinese-language teacher at a university in Payao province was arrested for luring teens into sexual encounters through popular chat app “Beetalk.†Police said Sinchai Kimsia, 37, confessed to blackmailing more than 10 women in Payao into having sex with him at a press conference today. So far, the five unidentified victims have come forward to file a police report, but police believe there may be more. According to investigators, Sinchai would ask the victims to send nude photos in exchange for money ‒ as much as THB150,000. After he receives the photos, the teacher would threaten to post the naughty selfies onto social networks and even the victims’ university websites unless they had sex with him. The police arrested Sinchai at the university and encouraged the other victims to file complaints, Thairath and Daily News reported. http://bangkok.cocon...-sex-police-say 25/08/14
  13. Yes could be a fake. As one poster pointed out, he seems to hit the car at about 30 mph so you would have expected him to be thrown in front of the car with such a big difference in relative speeds, rather than just land on top.
  14. Sonti was released today (Sunday) at 10:15 pm Thai time on 12 Million Baht bail after 18 days in jail. http://www.thairath..../content/445736 25/08/14 (26/08/14) Oops. Cross-posted with Flashermac..
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