Gaybutton

This has been discussed so many times that everybody and his brother must be aware of that by now. Ok, technically you are correct. In practicality we all know it doesn't work that way. I'll say the same thing I've said many times before: A law is not a law unless it is enforced. Can you cite even one incident, ever, in which a farang was arrested for having taken off an 18-year old? Can you cite even one incident, ever, in which a boy was arrested for working in a bar because he was between 18 and 20 years old? Here are a few other interesting laws that are on the books, but not exactly rigidly enforced: _____ Scotland It is illegal to be possession of a cow while under the influence of drink. If someone comes to your house and asks to use of your commode, you must let them enter. England It is an offence to impersonate a Chelsea Pensioner. A Member of Parliament must not enter the House of Commons wearing a full suit of armour. Committing suicide is classified as a capital crime – punishable by death. Sticking a postage stamp, bearing the Queens portrait, upside down on an envelope is an act of treason. In Chester you are allowed to shoot a Welsh person with a bow and arrow provided it is done inside the city walls and after midnight. France Between the hours of 8AM and 8PM, the music played by radio stations must be a minimum of 70% by French artists. Pigs must not be called Napoleon. Kissing on French railways is illegal. Italy It is illegal to practice the profession of charlantry. A man may be imprisoned for wearing a skirt. Singapore It is illegal to perform oral sex unless it is part of foreplay leading to full sex. Anyone not flushing a public toilet may receive a large fine. A person convicted of littering three times, will have to clean the streets on Sundays wearing a sign saying "I am a litter lout." Relieving yourself in an elevator is particularly forbidden. Sweden Prostitution is legal but using the services of a prostitute is illegal. – Must make trade rather difficult! South Korea Traffic police are required to report all bribes that they receive from motorists. Switzerland After 10 P.M. a man may not relieve himself while standing up. It is perfectly legal to drink absinthe (a type of alcohol), but it is illegal to produce, store or sell it. Australia All taxi cabs must carry a bale of hay in the trunk. Victoria In Victoria only licensed electricians may change a light bulb. In Victoria it is illegal to wear pink pants after midday on a Sunday. Canada In Toronto it is illegal to drag a dead horse down Yonge Street on a Sunday. Teenagers must not walk down main street in Fort Qu'Appelle with their shoes untied. Swearing in French has been outlawed in Montréal. China It is illegal to go to college unless you are intelligent. Rescuing a drowning person is not allowed as it would be interfering with their fate. Denmark Attempting to escape from prison is not illegal, however, if caught, the person must serve out the remainder of his term. Middle East In most Middle Eastern countries following Islamic law is enforced: "After having sexual relations with a lamb, it is a mortal sin to eat its flesh." In Lebanon, it is legal for men to have sex with female animals. However, having sexual relations with a male animal is punishable by death. In Indonesia the penalty for masturbation is decapitation. In Hong Kong a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband, provided she does so with her bare hands. The husband's lover, quite rightfully, may be killed in any desired way. In Singapore, it is against the law to not flush the toilet after using it. Special police randomly check on public restrooms and violators are publicly caned. Only blood donors are allowed to duel in Uruguay. USA Alabama Driving a vehicle while blindfolded is prohibited. Arkansas: The Little Rock legislature passed a law forbidding the Arkansas River to rise higher than the level of the Main Street Bridge. In Mobile, pigeons are prohibited from eating the pebbles on composite roofs. Anyone caught causing "unseemly laughter" by wearing a false moustache in church will be arrested. It is forbidden for a man to beat his wife more than once a month It is illegal to mispronounce the name of the state of Arkansas. Alaska In Fairbanks, moose are forbidden from having sex on the city streets. By law no child is allowed to build a snowman taller than himself within school grounds. California In California it is illegal to set a mousetrap without a hunting license. In Berkeley, before 7 A.M., it's against the law to whistle in an attempt to find your lost canary. It is illegal to peel an orange in a hotel room. It is forbidden for anyone to ride a bicycle in a Baldwin Park swimming pool In Glendale horror films may only be shown on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday It is against the law to drive more than 2000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at a time. Hunting moths under streetlights has been banned in Los Angeles. Washing two babies in the same tub is forbidden in Los Angeles. Colorado In Denver, it is against the law to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbor. In Logan County a man must not kiss a woman while she is asleep. Growing dandelions is illegal in Pueblo. Connecticut Nobody in Devon is allowed to walk backwards after sunset. In Delaware it is illegal for a person to pawn his wooden leg. In Hartford, it is illegal to kiss your wife on Sunday. Delaware A local law, in Lowes Crossroads, forbids any pilot or passenger from carrying an ice cream cone in their pocket while flying or waiting to board a plane. District of Columbia Sex is illegal unless performed in the missionary position. Florida Women may be fined for falling asleep under a hair dryer, as well as the salon owner. Sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal. It is illegal to sing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit. Imitating animals is against the law in Miami. It is illegal to fart in a public place after 6 P.M. on Thursdays. No divorced woman may parachute on Sunday afternoons. Georgia In Atlanta, you are not permitted to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp. It is illegal to say "Oh, Boy" in Jonesboro. In Quitman a chicken may not cross the road – no jokes please! It is a misdemeanor for anyone to attend church worship on Sunday, unless equipped with a loaded rifle. Women, in Pocataligo, weighing over 200 pounds and wearing shorts must not pilot an airplane. Hawaii Inserting pennies into your ear is forbidden. Illinois It is against the law to make faces at dogs. Talking English has been banned because the state language is "American." Barbers in Elkhart are not permitted threaten to cut off a child’s ear. Bees must not fly over through its streets of Kirkland. A monster is not allowed within the Urbana city limits. A law in Oblong, Illinois, forbids love making while hunting or fishing on your wedding day. Wearing pyjamas while fishing is prohibited in Chicago. Indiana For a four-hour period, after eating garlic, citizens are not permitted to attend a cinema or theater. On Friday the 13th all black cats in French Lick Springs must wear belts. It is illegal to carry fishing tackle into a cemetery in Muncie. Iowa A kiss must not last for more than five minutes. Transvestites are prohibited from wearing shoes with heels measuring more than 2 and one-quarter inches high. Horses in Marshalltown are forbidden to eat fire hydrants. Kansas Everyone must bathe at least once a year. It is illegal to walk down a street in Lawrence while carrying bees in your hat. A wife may successfully file for divorce on the grounds that her husband mistreated her mother. Kentucky Any female wishing to bathe on any highway within this state must escorted by at least two officers or be armed with a club. However, this statute shall not apply to any female weighing more than 200 pounds. Legally, regardless of how much a person has had to drink he is considered sober until he "cannot hold onto the ground." In Frankfurt it is illegal to shoot off a policeman's necktie. In Kentucky it is illegal to marry the same man more than 3 times. Louisiana Catching lizards is fine by day but is prohibited at night. It is illegal to shoot a bank teller with a water pistol while robbing a bank. Biting someone with your natural teeth is assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is aggravated assault It is an offense to wear an alligator costume. Maryland In Baltimore, it's illegal to take a lion to the movies. A woman is prohibited from going through her husband's pockets while he is sleeping. Oysters are protected by law from being mistreated. Massachusetts Tomatoes must not be put in clam chowder. It is illegal to go to bed without first having a bath. Yet another law prohibits the taking of baths on Sunday. Mourners at a wake in Boston must not eat more than three sandwiches each. A license is required before a goatee beard can be grown. Only after all bedroom windows are closed and locked is it legal to snore. Diapers must not be delivered on a Sunday. The only place in Winchester where tightrope walking is permitted is outside a church. Taking a bath in Boston is illegal unless one has been ordered to do so by a physician. Michigan A woman is not allowed to cut her hair without her husband's consent, because he legally owns her hair. In Clawson City, it is perfectly legal for a farmer to sleep with his horses, goats, pigs, cows and chickens. In Detroit it is illegal to willfully destroy your radio. A man in Detroit must not scowl at his wife on Sunday. In Kalamazoo it is illegal for men to serenade girls. Minnesota In Minnesota, it's illegal to tease skunks. In Minnesota women may face up to 30 days in jail if they impersonate Santa Claus. In Minnesota it is illegal to cross a state line with a duck on your head. Mississippi No person shall shave in the middle of the street in Tylertown. In Bourbon there is a law prohibiting turtle races being held at the airport. It is forbidden to shoot squirrels in a courtroom in Canton. Montana In Bozeman, a law prohibits sexual activity between members of the opposite sex in the front yard of a home after sundown - but only if they're nude. It is a felony for a wife to open her husband's mail New Hampshire By law you are forbidden to tap your feet, nod your head, or in any way keep time to the music in a tavern, restaurant, or café. New York In New York City women can ride the city subways topless. In Carmel, is not allowed to be seen in public wearing a jacket and pants that do not match. A man greeting another by “placing the end of his thumb against the tip of his nose and wiggling the extended fingers of that hand" will be arrested for disorderly conduct. Playing golf in the streets of Albany is forbidden. Brooklyn donkeys are not allowed to sleep in bathtubs. On Staten Island a man is not permitted to call his son a faggot or queer in the hope that it will cure his ‘girlish’ behavior. North Carolina Having sex in a churchyard is strictly prohibited. Elephants must not be used plow fields. A law has been passed which bans hurricanes from entering Topsail Beach city limits. Ohio In Cleveland it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license. In Paulding, a policeman is allowed to bite a dog in order to stop it barking. Selling corn flakes on a Sunday, in Columbus, is forbidden. You can be arrested in Youngstown, if you run out of gas. People wearing a Santa Claus outfit must not advertise beer. Causing a fish to become intoxicated is against the law. In Shawnee three or more dogs are not permitted to meet on private property without the consent of the owner. Oregon In Willowdale cursing while having sex with his wife is illegal. Also in Willowdale a husband may not whisper sweet nothings into his wife's ear during sex if the sweet nothings are in any way ‘dirty'. Pennsylvania It is an offense for a housewife to sweep dust under a rug. A man must obtain written consent from his wife if he wishes to purchase alcohol. It is illegal to have sex with a truck driver in a Harrisburg toll booth. In Morrisville, woman must obtain a permit to put on make-up. Rhode Island In Providence a toothbrush and toothpaste must not be sold to the same person on a Sunday. Tennessee It is illegal to catch fish with a lasso. A Dyersburg woman must not call a man and ask for a date. San Francisco Tripping horses for entertainment has now been made illegal. Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship. In Cupertino, it is illegal to count backwards audibly in hexadecimal. South Carolina Eating watermelons in the Magnolia Cemetery is strictly forbidden Tennessee In Memphis, it is illegal to sell teddy bears on a Sunday. Texas It is illegal to put graffiti on another person’s cow. Pigs, in Kingsville, are prohibited from having sex on the city's airport property. The law dictates that criminal must give their victims 24 hours notice, either orally or in writing, and to explain the nature of the crime he intends committing. In Clarendon, it is against the law to dust any public building with a feather duster. It is an offense to carry a sword or a spear to a polling place. In Clarendon lawyers must accept eggs, chickens, and other produce as payment of legal fees. Vermont It is forbidden to deny the existence of God. If a women wishes to wear false teeth she must first obtain written permission from her husband. Whistling under water is against the law. Virginia Hens are not permitted to lay eggs before 8 am or after 4 pm. In Lebanon it is a crime for a man to kick his wife out of bed. In Richmond flipping a coin to decide who pays the bill in a café is illegal. In Norfolk, a woman must not go out unless wearing a corset. West Virginia Huntington firemen must not whistle at or flirt with any woman who is passing the firehouse. In Nicholas County clergyman are not permitted to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a service. Washington The law requires all motorists with criminal intent to telephone the Chief of Police before crossing the city limits. Lollipops are illegal. By law having sex with a virgin under any circumstances is illegal – even on the wedding night! In Bellingham, it is illegal for a woman to take more than 3 steps backwards while dancing. Citizens of Seattle must not carry a concealed weapon that is over six feet in length. Wisconsin In Connorsville it is illegal for a man to shoot a gun when his partner has an orgasm. In Milwaukee, parking a car for over two hours is not allowed unless a horse is tied onto it.

I'm glad you explained it. Now I understand. I tried to look for it in the help files, but I wasn't able to find anything about it. I have one other suggestion. The "View New Content" link appears only at the top of the screen. On long threads it can get tedious to have to scroll back up all the time. Can you get your programmers to add a second link to it somewhere at the bottom of the screen too?

If you're talking about the nutrition supplement, I would think you might be able to find it at Fascino Pharmacy or maybe at one of these upscale health spas around town. You might also try places like Boots or Watsons in the new Central Plaza shopping mall.

Romanian Mayor's Nazi Uniform Provokes Outrage July 21, 2009 (CNN) -- Jewish organizations called for a Romanian official to resign and face a criminal investigation after he wore a Nazi uniform during a fashion show over the weekend. Radu Mazare, the mayor of the town of Constanta, and his 15-year-old son "entered the stage marching the clearly identifiable Nazi 'goose step,'" the Center for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism in Romania said in a letter to the country's prosecutor general. The organization's director, Marco Katz, said Mazare had broken Romanian law and encouraged his son to do the same, "educating him to treat the law with contempt." Katz said Mazare was sending a message "that to wear Nazi uniforms and to march the Nazi steps is legal and 'in vogue' in Romania." He urged the authorities and the head of Mazare's Social Democrat party to show that message "will be strongly countermanded." Mazare, 41, said he had not noticed the Nazi swastika symbol on the uniform before he wore it, according to the Romanian Times newspaper. "I checked it before I put it on but the swastika was very small and I didn't see it," he said. "I really liked the look of the uniform after seeing it in the Tom Cruise film 'Valkyrie.' I bought it from a costume hire shop in Germany." A top Nazi hunter said Mazare should quit. "The proper thing for you to do is to admit your mistake, apologize for it and resign your position," Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem wrote to Mazare. Zuroff sent CNN a copy of the letter. He said it was no defense that the uniform was that of the Wehrmacht -- the army -- rather than the SS, the elite Nazi guard which took the lead in killing Jews during the Holocaust. "The Wehrmacht played an active role in the mass murder of European Jewry and many other innocent victims. By dressing in a Wehrmacht uniform, you are expressing totally unwarranted support and nostalgia for an army which committed the most terrible war crimes and acts of genocide," the letter said. "It would hard to adequately describe the depth of the pain that your appearance caused, not only to Jews and other victims of Nazism, but to any person of moral integrity who knows the history of World War II," Zuroff wrote. Zuroff told CNN he did not expect Mazare to resign, or even to respond to the letter. But he said he hoped the mayor might act on Zuroff's suggestion that Mazare create a Romanian-language edition of an acclaimed exhibition on the crimes of the Wehrmacht. The Nazi uniform incident, which took place Sunday, was the first time Zuroff heard of Mazare, he said. "He has a history of being outrageous, but his antics have never included something that I would deal with," Zuroff said. "He's a real character, apparently. He's also very popular, which makes this much more difficult." CNN attempts to contact Mazare were unsuccessful. Romania was a Nazi ally from 1940 to 1944, under the leadership of a right-wing military government led by General Ion Antonescu. At least 270,000 Romanian Jews were killed or died from mistreatment during the Holocaust, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia. The 1930 Romanian census recorded 728,115 people who identified themselves as Jewish, comprising approximately 4 percent of the population, the reference work says. Antonescu was deposed in 1944 and Romania switched sides in World War II.

I'm very disappointed to know that. I was planning to give it a try soon, but if they try to charge more than the menu states and if the food is overpriced to begin with, I can think of plenty of other places to eat.

Yes, I was out there too and ended up disappointed. This morning just had to be cloudy and rainy! I was also disappointed with Halley's Comet. My father remembered its 1910 appearance. He said it lasted nearly two weeks and was so bright you could literally read by its light at night. Of course, when it returned in 1986, for the first time in recorded history its path was so far away that the only way you could see it at all was through a telescope. And remember Comet Kohoutek in 1973? That was supposed to be so spectacular that Halley's Comet would pale in comparison. Didn't happen. A dud. You could hardly see it at all. Oh well, twice in my life I was at Cape Canaveral and got to see the space shuttle take off. That was an incredible experience. But just about everything else I try to view seems to be a bust.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ North Korea Fears Forum Criticism over Missile Tests Writer: THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL and ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT Published: 22/07/2009 PHUKET : North Korea has called on Thailand to protect its delegates from criticism during the Asean Regional Forum. Pyongyang's ambassador at large Pak Kun-gwang yesterday raised the issue in talks with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ahead of tomorrow's security meeting. Mr Pak requested an urgent meeting with the minister shortly after the five North Korean delegates arrived on the resort island yesterday. North Korea is worried its recent missile tests would be condemned by countries participating in the forum, said Mr Kasit's secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut. As the Asean chair, Thailand will head the Asean-initiated security talks. Mr Chavanond quoted the minister as saying "we need to make sure the meeting's peace-building objectives are met and that he would not let any ARF members use the forum to attack other members". "I would also like North Korea to listen to what the United States has to say," he said. "The Barack Obama administration should be given a chance to speak out." US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the forum, as will representatives from the European Union. It is the first forum at which North Korea will engage with 25 other countries in such talks. Asean foreign ministers will hold talks today with their dialogue partners from China, Japan and South Korea. Thailand will push for closer cooperation with the three nations on finance, agriculture and health matters. It will also urge the acceleration of the Chiang Mai Initiative during the Asean summit in Phuket in October, diplomatic sources said. Last month, the so-called Asean+3 agreed in Bangkok to strengthen the regional financial mechanism. A regional pooling reserve would be established under the Chiang Mai Initiative with a US$20 billion (700 billion baht) start-up fund by the end of the year. Director-general of the Asean Affairs Department Vitavas Srivihok said Asean ministers would also discuss measures to fight the A (H1N1) flu outbreak. Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan has been assigned to liaise with Southeast Asian health ministers on the issue, the official said.

That is correct. Also, there still seems to be some confusion as to the age issue: Nothing has changed. It is still 18 to work and 20 to be a customer. 18 is the minimum legal age for a boy to work in a bar and/or be taken off. The way the article is worded makes it appear as if the minimum age is 20, but that is not true and that is not what the article states. The minimum age was 18 and remains 18. As long as a boy is at least 18 years old, you're ok.

What, exactly does that do? If you have a friends list does it show that people on your list are online? Does it open a direct chat to those friends?

The 'multiquote' function does not seem to be working yet. For "View New Content," when you first click on it the entire message board is considered new content. What you have to do is scroll down and click "Mark Board As Read."' That will create a cookie for you that marks the whole board as having been read. Once you do that, only posts that appeared since your last visit will come up when you click on "View New Content."

The part that surprises me is that only 14 out of 25 tested positive for drugs.

FOX actually reports news? Great! When did they start doing that? Whenever I look at FOX, what I'm seeing isn't what I would call news, that's for sure. The sainted Mr. O'Reilly somehow comes to mind . . . Yes, RichLB. Look bar used to be called Y2K. Only the name has changed.

Lately several parking regulations changed at various places. At both the Big-C and Lotus stores on Sukhumvit, if you were in a car for years they handed out parking cards upon arrival and you had to give it back to a security guard when you were leaving. Now both stores have stopped handing out anything. Royal Garden Plaza has always charged to park, as far as I recall. At The Avenue, where Villa Market is, there are parking charges unless you purchase something and get your parking ticket validated. I forget the time limit before they start charging even with the validated ticket. The Big-C in North Pattaya used to be free. Now they charge even if you make a purchase. The first 20 minutes is free. The Lotus on North Road (Pattaya Nua) still hands out parking cards (at least they did last time I was there), but there is no parking fee. The car park at Dongtan Beach used to charge 20 baht. Now it's 30 baht. I don't drive a motorcycle, but I know they used to charge 5 baht for motorcycles. I think someone told me that now it's 10 baht. Friendship Market charges to park unless you buy something. I got out of it once, though, when I went in to buy something, but they didn't have whatever it was in stock. The security guard tried to charge me, but when I explained that the store didn't have what I was looking for he let me leave without charging me. Oh well, '5-Baht Mary' and '10-Baht Tui' still charge the same fees at the beach if you have to make a tinkle . . . Fortunately one bit of modern technology that hasn't appeared yet, and I hope never does, is parking meters.

I don't think there is a new rule. The article doesn't say that the dancers were of an illegal age. It simply says that 14 of them were younger than 20. That is not illegal. I don't know why the article was written that way. It is misleading. Also, did you notice that the article also still calls the bar Y2K? How long has it been since the bar was renamed to 'Look'? A couple years now? Whoever wrote the article, he's no Walter Cronkite.

Note: Since there is an ongoing debate on another thread about venues being named, I want to point out that if it has been reported in the media, now naming the venue is fair game. That is consistent with what I have said all along. The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: for photos, see: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000009788 _____ UNDER AGE DANCERS, DRUG USE UNCOVERED IN PATTAYA GAY BAR RAID Pattaya, July 20 [PDN] : On the evening of 19th July 2009, acting on a tip off, Pattaya police raided a gay bar in central Pattaya and found 14 boy dancers under the age of 20, many of whom tested positive for drugs. At 11.00 pm, a police team together with a volunteer team paid an unexpected visit to the Y2K boy club, 273/109, in Soi Sunee plaza or Gay Soi, South Pattaya, following information received that the bar employed underage dancers and that drugs were being used on the premises. When the police arrived, they were greeted by the sight of 25 boys, wearing only underpants, dancing on the floor. Many tourists were drinking and enjoying watching the boys. Police showed their ID and switched the music off. 14 of the dancers tested positive for drugs. Initially, police arrested Mr. Suwirat Praditkai [21], the club manager, who told police that the owner was Mr. Burin Katthong [47], residing at 120, Moo. 2, Mae Sarieng, Mae Hong Son. The owner was not on the premises at the time of the raid. All the boys and the manager then were taken to the police station for further investigation and processing. ______________ Another Note: Often the question comes up as to what happens to farang who are in these bars at the time of a raid. The answer is nothing happens to them, other than being told to leave. Simply being present in the bar is not illegal. You are only in trouble if you are caught engaging in sex with an under-age boy. Notice that the article does not say that any farang customers were arrested.

Father Karras: I think it would be helpful if I gave you some background on the different personalities Regan has manifested. So far I'd say there seems to be three. Father Merrin: There is only one. - The Exorcist

I hope they never have to find out the hard way that they should have. I've already said my piece about the rest of your latest post. However since you ask me to "speak to that," I'll respond to that portion of your post. I have no idea what you mean by a second income. Yes, I do quite a bit of work for this web site, some local businesses, and people who request my help. I do not charge for it and never have charged for it. I receive no money at all for any of it, including the work I do for this web site. All of these things that I do, I do because I enjoy it, including moderating this message board. If you truly believe I'm paid for it, then you're dead wrong. If you are going to try to say that I do get paid for it, fine. Now prove it. What was that you said about admitting when you're wrong? You're wrong about this. Are you going to admit it?

Not quite yet. I've said my piece, but to be fair I think others should get a chance to say theirs, if they wish, before we close off the thread. For those who do wish to get in their say, it seems that some are getting quite upset about this, so please remember that personal attacks are also verboten. Discuss the issue or vent your spleen about terrible ol' me if you wish, but leave personal attacks out of it.

Sheeeesh! Even my avatar bothers you? Very sorry. I happen to like my avatar. As for me never being wrong, while you are suggesting I re-read your post, I suggest you go through this board and start re-reading mine. I have been wrong many times and have openly admitted it just as many times, which is more than most posters ever do. So don't try to say that I'm never wrong and never willing to admit it. That is blatantly false. Disagreeing with your position doesn't make me wrong. As for my attitude here, that is not going to change. As for Lawrence, I couldn't care less. He broke the rules, was warned, and persisted anyway. I don't put up with that and if that offends people, then they're going to just have to be offended. I make no apology for that. I'll agree with one thing you said: It's very hard to moderate a board. That's because no matter what I do, somebody doesn't like what I do. I learned a long time ago to stop taking that into consideration. I do what I think is fair and the right thing to do. Some agree with me and some don't. That's the nature of the game. I have no problem at all about wearing the black hat when I think it's necessary. Regarding this issue, I have tried to make it very clear. I don't know how to make it any more clear than I already have. Maybe my command of English isn't good enough, but I'll say again that if someone posts a message that can place this board or me in legal jeopardy, then that post will be deleted, period. 800 pound gorilla or not, overboard or not, that's the way it's going to be. Once again, tell me how if it was you, you would do it differently. If you truly believe that permitting libelous posts is so important that I should allow myself to be placed in jeopardy, then you're barking up the wrong tree, my friend. You find the way I come across to be offensive. I find it even more offensive that you are asking me to place myself in legal jeopardy for the sake of those kinds of posts. I guarantee you that as long as I am a moderator here, that is not going to happen. And yes, I am intentionally coming on very strong about it because I'm not about to allow anyone put me in that kind of position, no matter who dislikes it and is offended.

Famous last words . . . As long as there really are plenty of parking spaces, fine with me. But if it ever gets to a point at which enough people who are not mall customers start parking there and end up depriving genuine customers of a place to park, that's where the trouble will start.

Do we really have to have this kind of debate? Very sorry, but I don't see it the way you do. If you don't see how GT's post is entirely different from the types of posts not allowed, then I can only say your interpretation of things is different from mine. In any case, what is and is not allowed on this board is up to the moderators and I'm not going to get into this kind of debate every time someone else thinks a post should or should not have been permitted. Since the moderators, especially me, are the ones at risk, we're going to be the ones who make the decisions about it. When I feel a post places the board or me personally at risk, I'm deleting the post and that's all there is to it. If there is any question about it, or if someone is not sure how far he is pushing the envelope, anyone is free to submit his post to me by PM prior to posting to ask whether I'm going to allow it. I'm sorry if you disagree with me, but I'm the one at risk and, quite frankly, I'm not going to let opinions of others, who are not the ones at risk, place me in jeopardy. You can tell me all about how if it was you, you would do it differently, but I have to call 'em the way I see 'em. On our policies statement we clearly say, "The determination of violations is the sole purview of the Gay Thailand Management." I emphasize "sole purview." If it makes you feel any better, very few posts on this board are ever deleted.

That's good. I think they have a right to take steps to see that people who park there actually are shopping in the mall, rather than parking there and heading off to somewhere else. I generally avoid the mall on weekends because so many people do just that. I think they have a right to charge people who do that and they need to come up with some sort of system to check. I think I, as a shopper there, should at least be able to find a place to park instead of finding spaces taken up by people who park and go elsewhere without bothering to even enter the mall.

Would you mind translating that post into English? I don't have any idea what you're talking about.

What you're not allowed to do is write posts that under Thai law could be construed as libelous, is an obvious vendetta posted by someone who has a personal grudge against a business, or is a post designed to attempt to hurt a business. I've said it before and I'll repeat it now. I'm the only moderator on this board who is a permanent resident in Thailand. When I see a post that can harm my ability to live here or can cause a libel suit to be levied against me, I'm getting rid of the post, even if others think I'm being inconsistent about it. If I thought GT's post met that sort of criteria, I would have deleted it even though he's the boss. He could always fire me . . .

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Catch the Solar Eclipse Published on July 20, 2009 Telescopes will be provided for stargazers and those interested in watching the solar eclipse on Wednesday at a major observation site in Pathum Thani and eight other locations around Thailand. National Science Museum scientists will also explain at the site about the natural phenomenon, which will occur from 7am to 9.30am. A thousand tinted pairs of spectacles will be provided for free. A total solar eclipse cannot be observed within entire Thailand, and the time it begins will vary depending from where it is observed. Call 02 577 9999 extension 2102 or 1835 for more information. The National Astronomical Institute of Thailand (NAIT) said the duration of the eclipse will be exactly from 7am to 9.19am. Countries and areas where a full eclipse can be seen are India, China, Japan and the South Pacific. After the total eclipse in Thailand in 1995, this solar ecplise will set a record as the longest so far in the 21st Century, with a duration time of six minutes and 39 seconds. It will last the longest in Chiang Mai - two hours and 12 minutes - as well as be the largest eclipse, with 69 per cent of the moon's shadow covering the Sun. Bangkokians can see it from 7.06am to 9.08am and can view the moon's shadow at a coverage percentage of 42.2 at 8.03am. The NAIT is cooperating with Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and eight universities and colleges in other parts of the country to arrange observation sites from which people can view the eclipse.