lookin

I wonder how much he charges to break up a marriage.

Hissy Fit

Sadly, just the one article and just the one city, Chang Mai. I'll get busy on the research you suggest, just as soon as I'm finished with another project I'm currently working on. Beats me. Never been, and I don't know whether it's a single kiester dunked in single moat or a bevy of bums bobbing about all over the country. And, for all I know, the sight brings smiles to waterways throughout the land. What is the political situation these days? Are there lots of folks in the streets? If everyone is smiling, what's the beef? I sure hope the Russians aren't stirring things up.

Pronunciation of Kiev

A load of lobbers

The 'Ugly American' may be getting a run for his money. Teething troubles for Chinese tourists in Thailand Apr 15, 6:12 AM (ET) By DENIS D. GRAY CHIANG MAI, Thailand (AP) - The bucolic, once laid-back campus of one of Thailand's top universities is under a security clampdown. Not against a terrorist threat, but against Chinese tourists. Thousands have clambered aboard student buses at Chiang Mai University, made a mess in cafeterias and sneaked into classes to attend lectures. Someone even pitched a tent by a picturesque lake. The reason: "Lost in Thailand," a 2012 slapstick comedy partly shot on campus that is China's highest-grossing homegrown movie ever. Now visitors are restricted to entering through a single gate manned by Mandarin-speaking volunteers who direct Chinese tourists to a line of vehicles for guided tours. Individual visitors are banned, and a sign in prominent Chinese characters requesting that passports be produced is posted by the gate. With their economy surging, mainland Chinese have become the world's most common world traveler, with more than 100 million expected to go abroad this year. In 2012, they overtook the Americans and Germans as the top international spenders, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. But in Chiang Mai and elsewhere, Chinese tourists have acquired the same sort of reputation for loud, uncouth, culturally unaware behavior that inspired the term "Ugly Americans" decades ago. Many in the tourism industry are delighted by the influx, but 80 percent of 2,200 Chiang Mai residents polled by the university in February said they were highly displeased with Chinese behavior. The survey and numerous comments on Thai social media blamed Chinese for spitting, littering, cutting into lines, flouting traffic laws and allowing their children to relieve themselves in public pools. Some restaurant owners complained of Chinese filling up doggy bags at buffets. The low point in local-tourist relations here in Thailand's second-largest city was likely a photograph widely seen on the Internet of a person, purportedly Chinese, defecating in the city's ancient moat. * "Unfortunately, right now, the feeling is very anti-Chinese. In order to bring out such strong feelings in Chiang Mai people, it must be really bad. Generally, Chiang Mai people are quite tolerant of foreigners," says Annette Kunigagon, Irish owner of the long-established Eagle Guesthouse. But she and others point out that much of the inappropriate behavior applies to tour groups rather than individual travelers who are generally younger, better educated and more attuned to local customs. . . . * Note that no one knows for sure that the defecator pictured above is really Chinese, or even a woman. Perhaps one of our regular posters can identify the bum in question.

So how long have you been here? Oh, a few months now. What do you do all day? I just comment on what folks post. Doesn't that get boring? Sure, but it helps to pass the time. Not much doing, huh? Not since Lucky retired.

Hop in, Ratty. The Weasels are taking over the Hall !

Maybe he could go sit on the FISA Court. Or something.

Wonder if those skid marks will help or hurt his chances. Around here it could go either way.

Perhaps if I just lightly tap the 'Reply' button . . . Shit!

From Paragon to Whiz Kid in fewer than 300 posts!

Lee Ingleby, from a BBC miniseries called Nature Boy which he shot in 2000 when he was 24.

Couldn't agree more! A real gift you have given your Moms. BW, hope you get some helpful info. Sounds like Dame Fortune put this evening out into your hands and hopefully has a few more pleasant surprises up her sleeve. Happy Birthday!

Unless you buy the Fetish Kit ($950), I believe you'll have to provide all the smells yourself. That bottled stuff that TownsendPLocke found a while back may do the trick but I'd worry it could peel the hair off the taint.

I thought the linked Merkel article was quite good, and am still pondering it. I am also happy to look at Deutchses twink-links till the cows come home, even when they warn of an era that I'd rather not see repeated anywhere. I've been guilty of posting what I thought were timely articles without having yet formed my opinions let alone being ready to share them, so I sure can't fault anyone else who might lob one onto the field early on and hold comments till later. Happily, though, this thread reminds me of a story in a book I'm currently reading about the old Bell Labs. It was told by a very bright scientist who many believe purposely tried to be as opaque as possible: . . . there are two men sitting in a meeting where a man is making a presentation. And when the man finishes, one guy in the back turns to the other and says, 'What was he talking about?' And the other says, 'I don't know, he didn't say.'

I wish Senator Feinstein would start worrying about what the CIA is up to instead of who's finding out about it. It seems like she fancies herself part of a Star Chamber.

Suit yourself.

Yeah, they're here. Who's calling?

I wonder how many times his parents had to move.

Tomcal, you're amazing! I bet Reuters would kill for an image archive like yours.

As you say, OZ, certain acts rise to the level of a boycott for some yet not for others. I was only dimly aware of the Chick-fil-A brand until their CEO started flinging his anti-gay cash and rhetoric around and then I vowed he'd never get a red cent out of me. But I still had this incredible urge to try one of their chicken sandwiches just to see what all the fuss was about. Last year, when I was traveling to one of the states where they do business, I got as far as the parking lot and sat there torn between my desire to go in and buy one and my pledge never to put a penny in his pocket. Imagine my surprise when I saw what looked like a perfectly good chicken sandwich, still in the wrapper, lying right next to the dumpster. I thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just to taste one, with the pickle on top, without having to actually buy one. I'm not proud of this, but I slid out of the car, slinked over by the dumpster and picked it up, hoping no one would see me. That's when I realized that somebody had pissed on it. We must have missed each other by minutes.

He didn't by any chance leave a forwarding address?

I think it's easy to talk past one another on this issue as it's really two issues: Eich's right to donate to an anti-gay cause, which he has; and my right to boycott his company, which I have. It's not either/or. It's both. A few days ago, I heard a local newscaster who said that Mozilla competes for a generally progressive San Francisco workforce that wants their company to reflect those values, and it wouldn't be considered 'cool' to work for Eich. Personally, I'm happy with Safari.

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