Wallenda

Guilty of of co-possession of illegal explosives does not equal bomber.

 

It doesn't even equal sole possession of explosives.

 

What's co-possession even mean? Are there ownership papers for these explosives that list 2 co-owners?

Looking at BBC right now. That guy they arrested is obviously not the guy in the video. The face shape is wrong.

Not any great police work ... reports say the landlord turned him in.

 

On the way home, they stopped and chatted, and the guy said "Did you see the news? That was me! I did that!"

Police have arrested a man they say is the Erawan bomber. They found bomb making material in his apartment.

 

 

https://twitter.com/...erp|twgr^author

 

Looking at the different stories (CNN, Reuters, etc.). At first cops said it's the guy in the video. Then they change it, he's not the guy in the video. It almost seems like they went to a neighborhood with Muslims in it and kept their eyes open for an adult non-Thai male. OK that's the guy. I can see now why they declined to use the American facial recognition program. It would make everything more difficult if the guy they arrest has to actually match the guy in the video. So much easier without it. The real bomber has to be pissing himself laughing about now. Whichever country he's in.

In the past I've found you (Wendella) to be one of the more thoughtful posters I've seen on any Thai forum. But think you're off the mark here. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

 

OK I'm hearing ya. One thing, I am not an expat in Thailand and have only visited there, never lived there. Max was about a month, and I've done that a few times. But I'm absolutely an outsider, I get my news from either here or normal media like online newspapers, BBC, CNN, etc. So yeah, what you are talking about, how this is basically beyond the pale even for Thaksin and the more devious/ruthless elements of the red-shirt side, that's something that I wouldn't catch from out here without knowing Thais. Then again, there's part of me that thinks of Thaksin as a guy who doesn't respect much of anything more than himself. What those men in black were doing back during those protests was pretty far over the line, and that seems to have been done with his knowledge and blessing.

 

But I have to say, what you just said about your yellow-supporting Thai friends does have a very convincing ring to it.

 

I'd be curious to hear what someone thinks who lives there or has your kind of connections, and who also thinks reds or Thaksin were the ones responsible, what they have to say.

 

It looks like me plus three others voted for redshirts or Thaksin, 5 voted for Muslims. Tiny sample size though.

 

The fact that it was a religious shrine does seem to support the idea that it was done by Muslims, that's a very common pattern for their terrorists.

There were several (?) unhappy military personnel about the recent promotions.

 

Some in the military were responsible for the New Years bombings several years ago.

 

I feel, no way the Red Shirts would do such a thing to their fellow Thais. I talking the good, hard working

Isaan folks.

 

I feel it was some farangs, hired to carry out the bombings. Maybe hired by...I have my ideas but no proof, so I won't

even venture that way.

 

What about the men in black? or the bombing during the 2012 protest by Victory monument.

 

I don't follow Thai stuff closely (I dont' live there) but I'm pretty sure there were quite a few bombs and shootings that were obviously done by the pro-Thaksin faction. I'm sure expats there could do a better list of them.

 

I'm not dismissing your ideas, who knows. That could possibly be right. It's a weird country. I just don't get how what to me looks like the most obviously likely culprit is one you think shouldn't even be considered. Of course it wouldn't be Joe Farmer, no. It'd be someone more hardcore and ruthless.

None of the above...

 

Red Shirts, no way.

Taksin, no way!!

 

Army, maybe.

 

One of the groups that run Thailand and want to make a point to get things moving "their" way, maybe.

 

Hired killers were brought in to do the deed...the who brought them in is still questionable, IMO.

 

Why would the army try to undermine their own rule? Not getting the rationale for that. I don't remember, but are you a red shirt supporter? It seems obvious why that side would do this. I'm not sure why you think it can't possibly be them.

I think it is a Thai360 participant.

 

Maybe a Muslim Australian backpacker one?

 

Honestly, I think it's red-shirt but with Mr T's blessing. If it was a Muslim group they would have claimed responsibility by now. That was my very first thought, and I haven't heard anything yet that's made me think I'm wrong.

An online poll. Let's see if it works this time.

actually I just tried to create a poll and it didn't get posted up for some reason.

 

I did it a couple of times years ago, not sure why it doesn't work now.

I think an online poll might be in order.

I don't like any of the 8 listed as dangerous aside from of course Guiness, I guess that would be true for most people who think they know beer at all. Actually I did drink Newcastle when I lived in Chicago for awhile, but after my tastes refined I realized it was nothing special. In some bars and clubs Corona is the least bad choice on the menu, so I do have that sometimes. I'm not sure about the organic beers, Wychwood and Samuel Smiths are ones I might have tried at one point, but not familiar with the others. Of the non-organics, I used to often drink Sierra Nevada in San Francisco, and have had Hoegarden and Franziskaner a few times. I'm not a fan of the beers I know in the last group, which to me seem similar to the ones in the first group. I wonder where some other better known American beers would fall, ones like Sam Adams, Anchor Steam. There was one more that was often on tap, easily available at bars around San Francisco (along with Sierra Nevada and Anchor) but can't remember the name. Hearty with an orange color to it.

The list of the beers here...

 

1. Newcastle Brown Ale

The Newcastle beer has been found to contain caramel coloring. Class 3 and 4 caramel coloring is made from ammonia, which is classified as a carcinogen. “The one and only†beer with cancer causing qualities.

 

2. Budweiser

One of the most popular beers, or most advertised is Budweiser. Budweiser contains genetically modified(GMO) corn. In 2007, Greenpeace discovered experimental GMO rice in Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) beer.

 

3. Corona Extra

I used to love Corona’s commercials. They were so peaceful and relaxing. That is until I found out that the beer contains GMO Corn Syrup and Propylene Glycol. Propylene Glycol is controversial, and is said to may be potentially harmful to your health.

 

4. Miller Lite

This is another very popular beer in America that contains GMOs. Miller Lite contains GMO corn and corn syrup. It’s “GMO timeâ€.

 

5. Michelob Ultra

Less popular but still readily available Michelob beer, should be eliminated from your choices. This beer has been found to contain a genetically modified sweetener (GMO dextrose).

 

6. Guinness

Guinness is often praised for it’s smoothness. However, several investigations proved that Guinness ingredients are quite disturbing. The beer contains fish bladder and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup has been long banned from many stores and drinks.

 

7. Coors Light

Coors light is a drink that is very popular at bars and among college students. Mostly because its cheap. The beer contains GMO corn syrup.

 

8. Pabst Blue Ribbon

Pabst Blue Ribbon contains GMO corn and GMO corn syrup.

 

Healthy Beer Alternatives

 

So when it comes to beer you have to be very careful. Your best option is to find a microbrewery that you can trust. As with everything, try to avoid cheap, low-quality products. Bars may offer Coors Light, Miller Lite or Budweiser specials, but they are cheap for a reason. The rest of the world is banning GMOs everywhere, while USA is lagging years behind, and only several states offer GMO labeling laws. Try to stay away from any American beers. Choose organic beer. Beers that contain 100% organic labels, have to have ingredients that are all 100% organic. While an “organic†label just means 95% of it will be organic. European beer is most likely to be safe from GMO ingredients but unfortunately, most other beer contains GMO artificial ingredients, stabilizers, grains and preservatives, plus, HFCS.

 

GMO Free Beers:

 

Organic Beers (Unpasteurized & Unfiltered)

 

Wolaver’s – all beers

Lamar Street – Whole Foods label (brewed by Goose Island)

Bison – all beers

Dogfish Head (organic when ingredients available)

Fish Brewery Company – Fish Tale Ales

Lakefront Brewery – Organic ESB

Brooklyn – (organic when ingredients are available)

Pinkus – all beers

Samuel Smiths – Samuel Smiths Organic Ale

Wychwood – Scarecrow Ale

Non-Organic Beers (Unpasteurized & Unfiltered)

 

Sierra Nevada – all choices

Duck Rabbit – Brown Ale, Porter, Amber Ale, Milk Stout

Dogfish Head- 60 Minute IPA, Shelter Pale Ale, Chicory Stout

Shipyard – Summer Brew

Victory Brewery – Whirlwind

North Coast – Blue Star

Bridgeport – IPA (Bottle conditioned)

Ayinger – all choices

Royal Oak – Pale Ale

Fraziskaner – Hefeweisse and Dunkel Weisse

Weihenstephaner – Hefe Weissbier

Maisel’s – Weisse

Hoegaarden – Belgian Wit

Other

 

Heineken

Steamwhistle

Amstel Light

Duchy Original Ale Organic

Mill Street Brewery

Fuller’s Organic

Nelson Organic Ale

Natureland Organic

and how many LB bars are there in Nana now? and how many with real girls? I wonder how many there were back in 2002 or so.

 

THere's some bars that are pretty untouchable in terms of remaining RG (real girl). The Rainbows, the Angel Witches. But all of those bars that are borderline, those are the ones that might either switch over (if that seems like it might be more profitable) or else to fall into the trap of hiring a katoey here and there, which increases gradualy over time until the place has passed the tipping point and become more of a LB bar. There's a lot of bars in Nana in that category, ones that seem vulnerable to getting taken over or else switching over.

 

And eventually that will lead to Nana being mainly a katoey place, and good luck getting hetero tourists in there when that happens. They'll be fighting over the few gay tourists who come. Maybe that will be a big enough market to keep it going, but I doubt it.

 

And that's fine for them if it does, but I sure dont' want that to happen.

WIth respect to the poster who mentioned its only a problem for the ones who actually look like girls, I would say yes that is a problem too. But to me, the huge number of katoeys working in Nana now has kind of tainted the experience. I've always been totally ok with their presence, wouldn't even mind them in a bar I was in. If I ever got fooled into thinking that one of them was a girl, it was no big deal. Oops. Move on. (maybe I've been lucky and have always been clued in before anything happened) Actually for most of the night at Nana now everything is mostly fine. There's the bars where the LBs are which are mostly mainly LB bars. Theres' a few that seem mixed but with the main attraction being the LBs. THere is the issue of one bar up on the middle level, right next to Rainbow 3 on its left, which I honestly wasn't sure what it was -- I mean there seemed to be some there that probably were LBs, and others who looked like spinner types who probably were real girls, but honestly I wasn't sure. I poked my head in and came back out confused about what kind of bar it was, whether there were girls in there or not. If it was a mix and there were some real girls there I thought were hot, I'd have gone in .But I wasn't sure if it was a 100% LB bar or not. (anyone know?) Girls in front of RB3 told me it was a LB bar, but they would do that wouldn't they. Walkign around, you pass by the tall ones in teh back just like always, and that's fine. If they try to reach out and touch or anything I just treat it like it's no big deal, just joking around.

 

But no, the real problem is when the place starts closing and you see it's SO MANY LB's coming out of every opening, both inside NP and outside in front. There'sno way on earth all those LBs are getting customers, or even 5% of them are.

 

The drive seems to be a desire on their part to be part of this scene. That was my impression at least.

 

So of that 1700-1800, I would bet it's really close to 50-50 at this point, in terms of how many LBs compared to real girls. At closing time it isn't close, it's way more LBs. At least 8 to 1. Probably higher.

Oh I thought you were talking about in NP itself, I didn't realize you were including the bars up and down soi 4 too. The reason I asked, I was there in December, and compared to my previous visits, the numbers of girls in NP gogos were way way down. The ladyboy slice of the pie seems to have grown incredibly both inside and also on Soi 4. Also, the lineup at the carpark was dreadful compared to previous visits, both in quantity and quality.

 

Gradually there seem to be more LB gogos in NP, and I think the numbers of male dancers in those places must be really high -- if you stand outside at the entrance at closing time, it's like a rock concert just let out where they only let ladyboys in to see the band. It was a bit like when all the clowns come out of the little car, you just wonder, how on earth did all those ladybodys FIT in there? If there's that many at 2am, it means not many are getting barfined, so...why so many ? It's weird. I just find it hard to believe that the financial incentive is there to encourage that many LBs to be working there. Yet they seem to be gradually taking the place over.

 

so I'd be curious to hear your estimates of just NP, back in its peak period compared to now.

 

And then I would wonder what the ratio in that place is of LBs to real girls, these days.

The last 4 years several bars went out of business, went bankrupt. The most prominent bar is Carousel Bar of the Hollywood group;

one of the biggest with the most girls.

 

The result:

Prices exploded, went through the roof; for beer, beverages, barfines, girls.

Today Nana Plaza is not a cheap pleasure any more; it changes in a place for “3-weeks-millionairesâ€.

 

And that means:

The decline, the descent of Nana Plaza has begun. The decline of Bangkok’s and Thailand's P4P scene has begun.

 

What would you estimate the number of girls in Nana to be nowadays?

 

I

Interesting statistics someone might find helpful;-

Quite authorative research revealed that HIV only developed into AIDS at a much lower rate when Turmeric was in the diet.

Do some research and check the details.

Sorry I cant remember where to look.

Your own version here doesn't quite strike me as what I'd call authoritative. I heard hopping up and down on one foot right after sex would reduce the chance of contracting HIV. Can't remember where I saw that though.

Gotta love those Commies wherever they still are.

 

If you mean the former Khmer Rouge, the current leadership is well represented by them, up to and including the prime minister Hun Sen. True though, you cant' see them, they stay in their villas, get driven around in limousines with dark glass now.

The guy with the biggest gun won the day, and he's still there - let's hope his exit sees a smooth transition of power.

 

Are you talking about Hun Sen here? It's likely to be awhile before he exits. Judging by the reports of the offspring of the current rulers, I expect the next generation will be even worse. They make the Chalerm kids look like boyscouts. OK maybe that exaggerates it a bit, but they're about the same, and I'd be surprised if Hun Sen didn't pull strings to get his own to stay in power. Just the kind of guy he is, obviously.

An absolute chameleon, he could change sides and change his principles with ease. I am surprised that people forget his support of the Khmer Rouge.

 

My understanding was that he gave his passive blessing to the Ho Chi Minh trail and thereby invited the Vietnam war into Cambodia. Nixon and Kissinger (plus maybe Johnson, McNamara) take main blame for Cambodia's invovlement in the war (fair enough) while he got off almost totally blameless. My reading of his roles in Cambodian events makes me think he went out of his way to seek out trouble.

Dean Barrett has posted on Facebook that Mekong Kurt is no more. RIP Kurt.

 

Stick's interiew with MK

 

Interesting that we don't find out the basics of who Kurt is until the interview is done (when he finally says "Kurt's column is here" (click link) ).

 

So Kurt did the "Bangkok A to Z" site. I had looked at that one years ago. It seemed like a decent site. Hoping someone here can fill in a bit more about Kurt.

 

The site is gone now, by the way, not sure how long it's been gone.

Sherman Hemsley, who played George Jefferson in "The Jeffersons" died at the age of 74 http://us.mg205.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=2_0_0_1_2525209_AMXVimIAAK3xUA8pzAaJsFagcuk&pid=2&fid=Inbox&inline=1

 

He was in the first play I ever saw, a musical called Purlie, this a few years before he became famous on tv as George Jefferson -- in that play he was alongside Cleavon Little who later played the sheriff in Blazing Saddles (he passed in 1992 at just 54 -- incidentally, that part was originally supposed to go to Richard Pryor but he was rejected by the studio, he was a co-writer of the script). I was just a kid when I saw it, but remember Helmsley was the one who got all the laughs.

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/gorilla-chimp-human.jpg

 

This is a pretty typical chart. You will find others out there that place humans on the opposite side, though if chimp DNA differs from that of gorillas more than humans' does, it seems as if humans are correctly placed in this chart here. Maybe you should talk with your friend and find out what exactly he thinks is total BS. I first read this in Jared Diamond's "Third Chimpanzee"--he's a pretty mainstream scientist, so I'd be surprised if this is a far-flung theory of his.

I had a discussion tonight with a professor of biology and he said a lot of bullshit here. Chimps and bonobo share 99 % of DNA with humans.

 

Right -- chimps and humans are very close in DNA to each other, and closer to each other than either is to gorillas. But chimps' DNA is further from gorillas' DNA than humans' is. He might disagree with that point, but if he does, the part you mentioned doesn't contradict it.