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Same-sex Marriage Bill Voted Down in New York Senate December 2, 2009 (CNN) -- Gov. David Paterson pledged to keep fighting for same-sex marriage in New York after the state Senate on Wednesday killed a bill that would have legalized the practice. The bill had Paterson's support and had passed the state Assembly. Supporters predicted a close vote going into Wednesday's Senate debate. But eight of Paterson's fellow Democrats, including two members of the Senate leadership, joined a unanimous Republican caucus on the 38-24 vote. In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Paterson said, "It is always darkest before the dawn. "As disappointed as we are today, let's get up tomorrow and redouble our efforts," he said. "We are going to lay the foundation to make people feel comfortable to vote their conscience and not fear political backlash." Supporters promised to bring back the bill for "as many do-overs as is necessary to get us home," as Majority Leader Pedro Espada put it before the vote. "There's never a good time for civil rights. There's never, ever, ever, ever a good time for civil rights. I know. I get that," said Sen. Tom Duane, a Manhattan Democrat who was the chamber's first openly gay member. "But the paradox is, it's always the time to be on the right side of history." Only one senator spoke against the bill during Wednesday's debate. Sen. Ruben Diaz argued that the issue should be put to a statewide referendum and pointed out that 31 states have banned same-sex marriages in statewide votes. Diaz, a Democrat and a Pentecostal minister from the Bronx, said many New York religious leaders opposed the bill and called on Republicans to join him in defending "traditional values." "If we take it to the people, the people oppose it," he said. But a Marist College poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of New Yorkers questioned favored legalizing same-sex marriage, with 42 percent opposed. A June poll by Qunnipiac University poll reported a similar spread of 51 percent to 41 percent. And Sen. Eric Adams, a Brooklyn Democrat, said that most of the 31 states Diaz cited as voting against same-sex marriage "at one time or another sold blacks into slavery." "Because the majority is in one place does not mean they're in the right place," he said. "We're in the position right now where we have to lead the country to the right place." Passage would have made New York the sixth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage and only the second, along with New Hampshire, to do so without a court's prodding. Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Iowa also have legalized marriages between gay couples, but federal law bars recognition of those unions across state lines.

Here are the December events for La Cage:

A taxi should cost 400 baht at the most.

I don't have a hotel recommendation, but the Skytrain does not go to the airport yet. It will be years before it's ready, if ever. Perhaps someone who lives in Bangkok can respond to your hotel information request.

Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) Latin America's first same-sex marriage, set to be held in Argentina on Tuesday, appeared derailed after a judge filed an injunction to stop the union until the issue can be reviewed further. Judge Marta Gomez Alsina's ruling blocks an earlier holding by another judge that found city laws banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional, the court said in a statement. Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello had planned to make their marriage official at a civil ceremony and chose December 1 because it is World AIDS Day. The registrar responsible for the civil marriages in Buenos Aires has been notified of the ruling, the court said. The couple would attempt to get their wedding license anyway, the official Telam news agency reported. "We're continuing with the preparations because we, as planners, nor the couple itself, have not been notified" of the injunction, said Maria Rachid, president of the Argentine Federation for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals, according to the news agency. Gomez Alsina's injunction could not overturn the earlier ruling because she is a trial-level judge and not an appellate judge, Rachid said. The original ruling was made on November 10 by another trial-level judge, Gabriela Seijas, who responded to a petition made by Freyre and di Bello. Seijas ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage was illegal and ordered the proper authorities to grant the couple a marriage license if they applied for one. The court's decision applied only to Buenos Aires. Same-sex unions in most of Argentina remain illegal. "The law should treat each person with equal respect in relation to each person's singularities without the need to understand or regulate them," Seijas said in her ruling. Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri said after the ruling that his government would not appeal the decision. Monday's ruling was a temporary measure to postpone the marriage until Seijas' original ruling could be reviewed in depth, presumably by an appeals court or the supreme court, the court statement said Countries in Latin America, a region strongly identified with the Catholic Church, have recently given more attention to gay rights. In September Uruguay became the first Latin American country to allow same-sex adoption. Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador are also addressing the issue of same-sex civil unions.

I'm a little confused. How much was the total you actually paid for everything? Also, where is Phayathai?

Yes, strolling along Dongtan is easy, but it's always the same set of "farang hunter" boys every day, with maybe a few different boys once in a while. However, yes, it's very easy. While spending the money and dealing with the bar scene works for you, not everyone who comes here for a holiday wants to do that or wants to limit themselves to the bar scene. These online personals sites offer an excellent alternative. Regarding Gay Romeo, I'll bet you wouldn't be online more than 5 minutes, if that long, before you get messages from boys who are ready to come over to you immediately. If you check your Email while you're on a holiday here or are on the Internet for any other reason, you might as well try Gay Romeo, if you're so inclined. You can also make some arrangements via Gay Romeo before you even travel to Thailand. Gay Romeo is very good. Don't sell it short or tell yourself, "I can't be bothered" until you give it a try.

I'm not so sure I would agree with you. On Gay Romeo you chat with the boy. Then, if you both decide to meet, most of the time the boy will come over to wherever you are staying or wherever else you want to first meet, at an agreed upon time. No bars, no pushy mama-sans, no "What number you like?", no "What you name? Where you come from?" while getting your thigh rubbed, no drinks for the boy, and no off fees. What could be easier than that?

As far as I know it's still there, but not under that name and location. It's been a couple years since I last checked, but if it still exists, now it's called Madam Ed's and it's on Soi Sabaijai, a soi off Sukhumvit, just south of Pattaya Klang (Central Road). That's the Pattaya side of Sukhumvit, not the Dark Side. By the time you're done, you're looking at anywhere from 1500 baht to 2000 baht for this kind of massage. If I'm around there and actually remember to do it, I'll check and let you know for sure. The business card is the one I picked up when I went to have a look two years ago. Neither of the telephone numbers shown are working, so I don't know if they're still open, but at the moment this is the best information I have until I have a chance to drop by and see for myself.

December 1~15 Casa Pascal Gourmet Set Menu House Champagne *** Amuse Bouche *** White Wine Cackle Berry Chardonnay, Australia 2004 Grilled Yellow Tail Sea Bass on Rocket Lettuce and Vegetables Salsa *** Beetroot Soup with Quail Egg and Sour Cream *** In Butter sautéed Frog’s Legs on Chick Peas, Tomatoes & Egg Plant Tian *** Orange Sherbet *** Red Wine Cackle Berry, Shiraz, Australia,2007 Roasted Baby Veal Rack in Tarragon Butter Sauce with Spinach & Cheese Tortelloni -or- Roasted Prawns on Artichokes & sautéed Cepes Mushrooms *** Pear Puff Pastry Tartlet with Chocolate Brandy Sauce -or- Selection of premium international Cheese *** Coffee or Tea Calvados, Grappa, Remy Martin, Williams Food only 1,550 Baht net (36.50 Є) Menu with Unlimited Beverages 3,100 Baht net (73.00 Є) http://www.restaurant-pattaya.com

Well, a command of coherent English is not a prerequisite for using Gay Romeo. Often, when I take Thai writing and try to use Google Translate, the result I get is gibberish. I'm guessing that some of these boys write what they want to say in Thai, use something like Google Translate, and then copy and paste the resulting English into their post, without realizing that they ended up with gibberish and most farang will not be able to understand what they are trying to say.

Only last night I had a boy try it with me. The night I got 'gunked' I noticed a boy there who, to me, was very attractive. Just my type. He was there with a farang friend of mine and they appeared to be boyfriends, so I let it pass. A few weeks ago I was at the beach and took a walk toward Rabbit Resort. I ran into that same friend and he was with the same boy. We chatted for a while, and then my friend left, but the boy didn't leave with him. The boy told me he and my friend had just broken up and he was left high and dry with no money at all, not even money to eat. My eyebrows immediately raised at that. I know my friend well enough to know there has to be much more to the story than that. The boy claimed he had absolutely no idea why his farang boyfriend had 'finished' him. That's when the word "bullshit" started entering my mind. It entered my mind even further when the boy asked me not to discuss it with the farang. Of course, I did discuss it with my farang friend. His story was a little different from the boy's story. Basically, it turned out that this boy is a ya ba user who will say and do just about anything to get money for more ya ba. My friend had completely had it with this boy and the lying that goes on, and that's the real reason why he finally broke it off. Last night, about 11:30pm, the boy called me. He told me he is in Khon Kaen. I knew right away that he was calling for money. I hadn't heard from him in weeks, but suddenly, 11:30 at night, there he is. I made an excuse to get off the phone quickly and told him I'll call back, which I did not do. A couple text messages came in from him, asking me to call back. I'm not going to call back and I'm going to answer the call if he tries calling me again. At the time of this post, so far he hasn't tried calling back or sending any more messages. Only a few minutes before checking out the board this morning, I checked my Email first. Sure enough, there was an Email from my farang friend. He told me the same boy had called him last night and said his mother wants to borrow some money. My friend called the mother. Apparently the boy either did not know my friend had a way of contacting the mother or it simply did not occur to him that he would contact the mother. Of course, the mother knew nothing about it and had not asked to borrow anything! I think that boy will have to look elsewhere for money for his next ya ba hit. He won't get anything from my friend and he won't get anything from me.

I agree with fountainhall. First, guys in their 30's and 40's are very unlikley to be after your money. Silver Daddies is an excellent idea. http://www.silverdaddies.com . Several people I know, including some who post on this board, have met wonderful guys via Silver Daddies and I don't know of anyone who has used that site and was asked to pay. As a matter of fact, some have said a few guys on that site have plenty of their own money and not only pay their own way, but sometimes even pay for some of the things they and their farang friends do together. Sites like Planet Romeo, Gay Romeo, etc, are good sites, but they're not the only sites. Give Silver Daddies a try. I think you're much more likely to find what you're looking for on that site. Many are under the impression that no matter who you meet in Thailand, they're all after your money. That simply is not true. Sure, if you are interested in meeting bar boys and what I call 'farang hunters,' they're looking for money. But many others are simply interested in friendships. Some of the "experts" I see writing posts on these boards insist that younger guys are never interested in older farang other than for their money. That, I can tell you from personal experience, is simply not true. Granted, a great many do want money, but there are plenty who really are attracted to us old guys. Don't ask me why. I don't have any idea. But I do know what I'm talking about. As for our dinner with Geezer, I don't know from your user name who you are. If I see you I'm sure I'll remember, but without seeing your face I'm clueless as to who you are. In any case, I'll be happy to see you when you are here and I'll be happy to help you however I can.

While some are sincerely trying to find a meaningful relationship, you have to remember that very few of these boys who advertise themselves on personals sites are there because they are looking for a much older farang, a total stranger, because they want to have sex with him for free. If they were offering themselves for free sex, they don't need personals sites to find what they're looking for. If you use the personals sites very much, it doesn't take very long to get a handle on which ones are money boys. Clues such as the "take care me" give it away, along with the ones who say they are college students. If they say they are looking for people from age 18 to 99, that's a good clue too. If there is a "guestbook," read it. Often people who have been with these boys will write something about their experience with him. The ones who are age 30+ usually are not money boys. Another way to find out is to simply ask them. Ask something like, "What are you looking for? Do you want a boyfriend? Do you want money?" If they're looking for money, that's usually when they'll tell you. If you are not certain, and you're trying to find a non-money boy, offer to meet him first for 'short time.' If he turns out to be a money boy, give him his short time money and then make your decision as to whether you want to see him again or not. If you ask before agreeing to meet the boy, he'll usually be honest about it. They know that if they assure a farang that they are not a money boy, but then ask for money anyway after meeting you, they may not get any. But you have to be honest too. Before agreeing to meet the boy, make sure you make it clear to him that you do not want a money boy and you're not going to give him money other than taxi fare or pay for his meal if you take him out to dinner or something. If he knows you've told him you're not going to pay for sex, and he still agrees to meet you, then he probably is not a money boy. But even then, some will still try to get money out of you. It works both ways. You're risking that the boy is a money boy despite what he tells you. He's risking sex with a total stranger, probably much older than himself, who may or may not give him anything. If you are looking for a relationship, the personals sites can be a very good start. If you're just looking for free sex, then you'll very likely have to wade through a lot of profiles and chat with a lot of boys before you find willing freebies. But they are there. You can find them if you spend enough time trying.

It's a nice place. I've seen it. However, even with your own transportation it's going to take close to a half hour to get from there to the gay venues. You also have the problem of taking a "guest" there and providing a means for him to return to his room. Also, the only farang food restaurant reasonably nearby is the restaurant directly across from the Silver Lake vineyard, but you'll need transportation to get there and it is expensive. I was there with some friends. The food was very good, and is beautifully served, but the portions are quite small. If none of those drawbacks are a problem for you, then it's a very nice, off-the-beaten-path place to stay.

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Atlanta Police over Raid at Gay Club Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- A federal lawsuit was filed Tuesday against Atlanta police over a September raid at a gay club, on behalf of 19 patrons who say they were forcibly searched and detained. The suit, filed by the gay-rights group Lambda Legal, names Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington and 48 officers who were at the Atlanta Eagle bar the night of September 10. "The Atlanta Police Department dispatched about 20 to 30 officers to the Atlanta Eagle, including its 'Red Dog' unit dressed in SWAT team gear," according to a statement from Lambda Legal. "But inside the bar, the APD found no public sex, no drugs or illegal weapons." No patrons were charged with any crime, the organization said. During the raid, patrons were made to lie face down on the floor while background checks were run on everyone, the statement said. "Eagle bar patrons heard anti-gay slurs; were forced to lay in spilled beer and broken glass; and one was forced to lie on the floor even though he had injured his back in the Iraq War." Some of the patrons were restrained with handcuffs, and officers used excessive force, including shoving some people to the floor and kicking others on the floor, the lawsuit says. Authorities searched everyone on the property, seizing their driver's licenses or other identification, the suit says. "These actions were taken without particularized reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that any individual patron, let alone every person at the establishment, was involved in criminal activity whatsoever," said the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Atlanta City Attorney Roger Bhandari said in a statement Monday that the city had not been served with the suit or had an opportunity to review it, so he would not comment. Bhandari's office told CNN on Tuesday that its response was the same, as it had not seen the suit. The only charges filed were against Eagle employees, for allegedly violating the city's law about unlicensed adult entertainment "because four dancers were observed, in the words of the arresting officers, allegedly 'wearing underwear' and 'dancing,' " the lawsuit said. "Imagine if the police walked into a Wal-Mart and see someone shoplifting, and because they see what they think is a crime taking place in Wal-Mart, they take everyone at Wal-Mart, throw them on the floor, spread their legs, put their hands in their pockets, take their IDs, put their name in the computer, simply because they're out of place or someone else may or may not be doing something wrong," co-counsel Daniel Grossman said at a news conference Tuesday. The suit seeks damages and alleges that police violated the patrons' constitutional rights and that the individual officers committed false imprisonment, assault, battery and trespassing. It also requests a jury trial. "The illegal activity going on in the Atlanta Eagle that night was committed by the APD," Greg Nevins, supervising senior staff attorney in Lambda Legal's southern regional office, based in Atlanta, said in the statement. "If it is APD procedure for elderly men and wounded veterans to be thrown to the floor and harassed simply for being in a bar having a drink after work, then APD should change its procedures." "People have asked me why I'm doing this," plaintiff Geoffrey Calhoun told reporters. "I'm not doing it because I have a vendetta against the police. I work for a police department. I'm an emergency communications officer. I do my part to make sure these officers go home. I don't work for the city of Atlanta. "I was in the bar drinking beer, playing a video game, and I was dehumanized and humiliated and laid on the floor for no reason," he said. "That's why I'm doing it." The suit alleges undercover officers entered the bar before 11 p.m. and had a drink, then later "began screaming at patrons and employees to 'hit the floor' and get down on the ground." "Several plaintiffs were in terror and feared for their lives, believing that the Eagle was being robbed or invaded by criminals or gay-bashers who might kill or injure them," the suit continues. Other officers came in, including the "Red Dog Unit," a special force that provides "aggressive police presence" in areas with high drug use, the suit said, citing the Atlanta Police Web site. Many of the officers in that unit were wearing black, paramilitary-style clothing not immediately recognizable as police uniforms, the suit says. While lying on the floor, some people asked permission to move away from the broken glass and were told to "stay down and shut the [expletive] up," the suit alleges. In all, they lay on the floor for 30 minutes to more than two hours, as they were released one by one or in small groups, the suit says. Those who asked questions were also told to shut up, threatened with arrest for disorderly conduct or "threatened with violence and physical harm," the suit says. "Some were retaliated against by being forced to remain at the Eagle long after they had been searched. "All persons at the Eagle complied fully, promptly and peacefully with all demands made by the officers, no person at the Eagle offered any physical resistance to the officers whatsoever, and none was charged with obstructing the officers in any way," the suit says. Police have said that if they go into a bar, it is procedure to have patrons lie on the floor and be searched, and everyone's identification is taken and checked, Nevins told reporters. "They didn't say this the night of the Eagle raid ... this happened like a month later," he said of the police comments. "They had plenty of time to figure out all the facts, and they knew they were going to be meeting with the media, and it was ultimately recorded, and they specifically went on record and said, 'This is what we always do, this is standard operating procedure,' and that's what makes this case so outlandish."

I'm sorry that happened. Get well soon.

I wonder why some banks do and some banks don't. If SCB used to do it, I wonder why they stopped.

It's one of those "why didn't anyone think of this before?" types of things. I think your post has saved a lot of people a lot of money. Maybe other banks will do this too and I wouldn't be at all surprised if another branch of Siam Commercial would tell you something entirely different from the first one you tried. It seems no more inconvenient to get cash that way than it is for people like me who have to make a physical appearance in the bank to retrieve money from a receive-only account. If you time it right you can be in and out in just a few minutes. I believe there is no particular limit on the amount you can withdraw via cash advance, provided your bank account has the funds to cover it. 6 years ago, when I was ready to make the final payment on my house, I withdrew the equivalent of US $10,000 via cash advance on a debit card and had no problem about it at all. I don't remember whether any fees were involved, but I do remember that I did it at a Bank of Ayudhya branch.

If you can afford those prices, te salute.

On a similar note, a close friend was with his b/f at an ATM. They were going to transfer some money into the account of the b/f's friend, relative, or whatever. The b/f told my friend the numbers to enter. The numbers were incorrect. The b/f became annoyed and told my friend that he was entering incorrect numbers and now, since the intended recipient won't get the money, it's my friend's fault. My friend informed the b/f that he entered precisely the numbers he said to enter. The b/f still insisted that it was my friend's fault because he was entering incorrect numbers. Thai logic . . .

If yes, then you might want to have a look at the following web site: http://thaitrump.blogspot.com I haven't been to the others shown, but I have been to Sai Keaw Beach many times. The waters are blue, clear, and none of the pollution that is so prevalent at Pattaya. If you have a car it takes only 20 minutes to get there from Pattaya. If you do not have transportation of your own, then the only way I can think of to get to any of these beaches would be to hire a taxi or baht bus for the day, or perhaps rent a car. For more information, have a look at MarkPompey's post on the Gay Ting & Tong board: http://www.gaytingtong.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6061

What can you tell us about this sauna? I didn't even know there is a gay sauna in KL.

Here we go again, folks. Today, the 46th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Thailand once again predicts political upheaval in Thaksin's efforts to regain power. If nothing else, the man is persistent. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Fierce Political Battles Brewing Published on November 22, 2009 Ex-intelligence chief warns of violence as Thaksin and his allies might unleash all their might to topple govt Political tensions are building to danger point as fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra steps up his struggle to regain power over the next several months, an intelligence expert and political observers warned yesterday. Serious political confrontation - and possibly violence - could erupt during the upcoming months when Thaksin and his allies inside Parliament and on the streets employ an arsenal of tactics in a bid to effect a change in government, they said. Pummarat Thaksadipong, former director of the National Intelligence Agency, said that given the recent movements of the Thaksin camp, "this upcoming festive season is unlikely to be the same for Thais". The ex-leader was expected to "make his heaviest blow with the use of all the means he's got", Pummarat said. Thaksin's allies who are MPs would disrupt the work of Parliament, and those who are protest leaders would instigate hatred against the government and possibly incite violence, he said. The goal was to force the government to dissolve the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders rules on a corruption case against Thaksin, he said. As much as Bt76 billion of Thaksin's assets rides on the verdict, which is expected sometime next month. "Politics over the next three months, up to February, will see the fiercest fight between the two sides. Thaksin will try to use all means possible in his bid to return to power. And there is a tendency that violence may be used. This is the intelligence I have received," Pummarat said. Senator Paiboon Nititawan said violence could explode as it did in April when Thaksin's supporters stage street protests again late this month. "The aim is to cause violence and deaths. But in the April incident, the attempt failed because there were no deaths," he said, referring to the Songkran riots. "Now all the actors from the April incident have come back." Leaders of the pro-Thaksin red shirts said earlier that the anti-government rally would continue until the government collapsed. Senator Kamnoon Sithisamarn said he was convinced next month would be a "really difficult period" |for politics, starting with the red shirts' rally late this month. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will chair a meeting of security agencies this Wednesday to discuss measures to deal with the impending rally by the red shirts, a security source said. Besides Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of security affairs, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, top military brass and acting police chief General Patheep Tanprasert will attend, the source said. "It remains unclear whether the government will invoke the Internal Security Act. There is a concern the imposition could affect celebrations for His Majesty the King's birthday," the source said. The rally is not expected to turn violent, as there are cracks within the red-shirt movement, which is now divided into three factions, he added. "It appears the rally is simply aimed at causing headaches for the government and the military," he said.

Believe me, they're fine. I only wish my own photography was anywhere near as good.