Rogie

I see teams from China and Japan have occupied the first two places in 2010 and 2011, and Japan won in 2009. I wonder what these countries have that the others do not? It can't be biased judges as I am sure if that was the case a Chinese judging panel wouldn't be too keen to see Japan, of all countries, win. In any case I assume the judging panel is an international one. This is one of those things you have to see for yourself in order to appreciate. It looks boring to me and I wouldn't bother to go all that way to see it, but it wouldn't surprise me to find if I did go I'd really enjoy it. It could hardly have been going for over twenty years if it wasn't any good. Have you been FH?

I'm a bit surprised at a quality paper like the Guardian! More like something the Sun might get up to, but be that as it may I suppose it is a fair question to ask. Snooping is certainly a lot easier if the person or people you are scrutinising have all the modern paraphenalia such as an iphone, personal computer (laptop or notebook or similar), facebook account, etc. I don't like the idea of snooping one little bit, and would hate it if I thought somebody was snooping on me. Seems to me once you become a snooper, you're on the slippery slope to becoming an habitual one. Then you can't be too shocked if you find others are doing it to you. All a bit Kafkaesque and 1984 for me I'm afraid.

There were so many incidents in spring 2010 I cannot see how to avoid 'paradoxes' happening. Neither side can claim wholesale rights to being in the clear as far as acting outside the law is concerned. One skirmish may be the red shirts 'fault', another the army's, and so on. To just take two examples as cited in the OP, the 'young lady' and the 'widow', and focus the microscope on to those without recourse to the bigger picture running in the background seems far too skewed to me. Unless we are talking about setting some sort of precedent - such a happens in law when a new situation arises that needs clarification - dealing in isolated cases doesn't seem that helpful other than to the individuals concerned (the 'young lady' and 'widow' in this case). What about everybody else with a grievance? When do they get their chance to see 'fair play'? I don't know anything about the mechanisms of government to be able to comment on that. Does anyone with a good knowledge of Thailand have any idea how the proposed system as described above could be improved on?

Gay privacy, uh, sounds interesting. Is this some sort of invitation-only club? If so, sorry, can't help, but maybe another more 'worldly' soul can assist.

Good topic for discussion. I liked what the writer had to say about freedom: "Where this older generation differed from many today is that they thought of freedom as a lack of restriction on how we can act. Being free meant simply the absence of obstacles to living as we choose. While it's a view that's been criticised because it seems to see individuals as being separate from society, it seems to me to capture better than any other what freedom means and why it's important for every human being." As a keen naturist (nudist) I enjoy going naked - but I stay within the law . . . whatever that is! In Britain for many years now we have a man called Stephen Gough in the news. If anyone mentions the Naked Rambler, it's immediately obvious who is being referred to. He is a bit weird, certainly, and pretty extreme, but it's ultimately the freedom to walk naked he is fighting for. He has been arrested in Scotland on numerous occasions and imprisoned. Here is a link to a press release from BN (British Naturism). The writer, Andrew Welch, speaking of prejudice has this to say: http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/news/pressreleases/life-imprisonment-for-dressing-naturally-r158

Khun TW, you were confused in the wrong way! The confusion? (note the question mark) in the topic title refers to the possible confusing of the two Armstrongs in the news lately. Neil the first man on the moon, and Lance the 6 (or was it 7?) times winner of the Tour de France cycle race. Hence my reason for the word 'was' in italics for emphasis - depends how you say it! Of course the link as you say refers to Neil, but it was the headline that I was focussing on. When I first saw it on the Yahoo page, before following the link, my first thought was Lance!

Headline spotted on Yahoo: Obama: Armstrong Was 'Great American Hero' (note: my emphasis on the word 'was') Lance or Neil?

Re: post #9, I have replied to FH by PM. The post which caused the thread to be locked was deleted, but I did not realise that when I posted my comments in #8 above. So, when I wrote in #8, "Any posts ignoring or flaunting the rules to be deleted, rather than an offending post staying in situ thereby causing the entire thread to be locked and ruining the discussion for everybody else", yes the post was deleted - but the thread also locked. So we can see it was locked, for whatever reason, but when I wrote in #8 "sorry to see the thread 'More fighting in Thailand in the next two months?' locked by the mod. The reason for it being locked is obvious and I don't disagree with that." the bit I agreed with was the subject matter under discussion, i.e if the post had not been deleted or edited, that might have invited further posts on the same subject matter. I was not agreeing with the thread being locked.

I am not going to comment on the Ocean One thread as, apart from Fountainhall's excellent summary, I am ignorant of the machinations behind the scenes. . . it must be fun to speculate (pun intended), but not much point in us doing so on a forum such as this. I was sorry to see the thread 'More fighting in Thailand in the next two months?' locked by the mod. The reason for it being locked is obvious and I don't disagree with that. However, . . . . . . the subject of ex-pats and foreign visitors safety is vastly important, never mind some arbitrary time span such as two months, for as long into the future as the possibility exists it ought to be discussed and debated. But because one of the sparks for trouble happens to be undiscuss-able proper debate is stifled which is frustrating - in an ideal world anyone with an interest in another country should be able to share their views, whether they be left wing, right wing, carefully crafted viewpoints or rants, but as soon as one topic becomes out of bounds it's like fighting with one hand behind you back. Maybe there are forums based outside Thailand that allow a full-blooded discussion, that would be like a breath of fresh air as far as I am concerned. Harrumph! Enough of that. . . Despite all that, I would still like to think we can properly discuss a topic along the lines of 'How do you see Thailand's Future?' where the valuable input from resident ex-pats can help those of us who are thinking of visiting for a first time (don't forget many more people than are registered members also read what we write here) or anyone contemplating moving to Thailand permanently. It would need posters to respect the rules of the Board but ought to be possible. Any posts ignoring or flaunting the rules to be deleted, rather than an offending post staying in situ thereby causing the entire thread to be locked and ruining the discussion for everybody else.

Who are these foreign sponsors and why should non-Russians wish to be involved? Or do you mean this? He certainly puts himself about, and seems to have made himself plenty of friends, here is one such fulsome praise: A few examples of hate speech that Alexeyev opposed: http://en.wikipedia....ikolay_Alexeyev _____________________________________________________________________ FH's analysis is spot on.

Ha! I love it when people make those kinds of comments. Usually they are proved wrong, but there's the rub, not always. So it would certainly pay to keep on top of the various manoeuvrings behind the scenes. I agree the two most likely tinder boxes are the two referred to by Michael and HeyGay. I don't know why Snapshot's BF's Thai contacts are wanting out - why not ask your BF next time you see him Snapshot? Presumably the only Thais with a realistic chance of getting a work permit in Australia are those with expertise the Aussies themselves are in need of.

In my tongue-in-cheek rant I was viewing that loathsome toad Putin through the eyes of a person living in a stable western democratic country. On the other hand, if you were to put my hero Bush in charge of Russia. . . well, how long would he last? Perhaps as long as his oil wealth. Oh that's an idea, how about importing a certain regime not noted for its equality or liberalism?

If you ask me Russia is little better off now than the Soviet Union was under the hammer and sickle. Those soviet republics that broke away to regain their independence from the yoke of Mother Russia must be feeling mightily relieved not to be taking orders from comrade Putin. Putin is the puppet master and the Russian people are his playthings, or monkeys to use the organ grinder analogy. If I was a Russian I would seriously consider getting rid of the guy. He's no better than a glorified party apparatchik, the sort that used to appear hatchet-faced on balconies to watch the missiles trundle past. A fate such as befell Trotsky wouldn't be a bad idea. Now I shall have to watch out for strange men approaching me with their umbrellas!

That's strange as I checked another Board I'm registered with but don't post on and spotted him fairly easily. Is he a chastened man, now older and wiser I wonder, or has he finished licking his wounds and is champing at the bit to sink his fangs into adversaries both old and new... ?

No, I am sure that is so khun kwok. Restricting my comparison here to the so-called happy ending massage - where ideally the customer will feel some kind of attraction to his masseur - I think we have to distinguish between a fairly routine massage where the masseur gives you a body massage, which may or may not be done properly, terminating in a pretty speedy no-frills orgasm, and the tantric massage in which the genitals and the perineum become the focus. So I suppose, in a nutshell, in an ordinary happy ending massage your masseur is looking to relieve you as fast as possible whereas in a tantric one he will be trying his best to delay it - perhaps you could imagine that aspect as first violin (can't say first fiddle, that would strike the wrong note) with Koko's chakras playing as the orchestra in the background.

How would I feel if I was about to experience a tantric massage? Would I be excited at the prospect? I probably would, but that would be before I sat down and thought it through. After doing so I reckon I would be a bit less enthusiastic. Why is that? Well, for a start I've only got a hazy idea of what's involved. Is all this talk about releasing the chakra energies a viable concept or is it hardly much better than a hot flannel? I'm not so sure I want to take that risk, especially if I'm going to have somebody I've never met before stick his finger up my bum and wiggle it around my prostate gland. It could be said "so what's the big deal, maybe you like a cock up you". That may well be so. But to me there is a difference. If you participate in anal sex - even if you have not met the guy before and have only just got to know him - then you are having sex and that is a commitment from both of you. Even so-called anonymous sex is very personal; two bodies in close proximity, his warm breath and mounting excitement turning you on. Compare that to going into a massage place, stripping and lying down on a mat and dreading the moment when the finger is inserted. Now I'll be honest and admit that isn't a fair description, it's probably far too clinical, so let's suppose you actually are quite excited by the time your masseur approaches the moment he will do it to you. I guess it's all about relaxation and if you feel relaxed and comfortable it will probably be ok, but if I ever decided to go ahead and explore that kind of thing I'd want to do it with somebody I knew and could trust. In the final analysis, and I know this sounds strange, even though 'tantric' massage isn't sex as such and even if I was the kind of person who enjoys anonymous sex, I wouldn't want to do it with just anyone, it'd have to be a very special person, one I could relate to on many levels, so that if tantric massage really did 'take me to a new level' I'd be doing it with a real friend, and not just an anonymous masseur who relates to you as just another customer.

From what you say Pong it would seem there are few places offering this service, so I am not surprised to learn it may be discussed on a specialised forum. What would surprise me would be if it was so 'specialised' as to be forbidden on this Board. For sure there are many things out there some folks do - for example the sadist/masochist debate whether people should be allowed to have things done to them or not, even if they are fully consenting - but we're not in that kind of territory, are we khun Pong?

Wow, ceejay's explanation almost sent me to sleep but it's so precisely technical it has the ring of truth! I agree the ring with the string is probably an O ring to make a good seal whatever the other bits are for. Koko knows a lot about science so the microscope/microbiology explanation is looking good. However, Koko did say that 'some may consider it a sex aid. . . ' You've got to be a pretty strange individual if some microscopy equipment arouses you! Just in case ceejay's explanation is not the right one, I have another question. You mentioned Christian and I believe he is a chemist or chemical engineer or something similar, so is it something he might come across in his line of work?

Welcome to the Board Kwok007. No problem as far as I am aware of posting a link to a massage establishment. To the best of my knowledge I haven't had a tantric massage myself, but as I couldn't define what's involved it's always possible as there's no shortage of opportunities for massage in Thailand. One thing I would be careful about is making sure you get what you pay for, so for example the word 'tantric' could, in the wrong hands, just be an excuse to charge more for just a basic massage. A search engine for 'tantric massage for men' comes up with what are probably just commercial massage sites. Here is one description of what is supposedly involved: http://www.tantricmassageformen.co.uk/ Having now read that I can definitely say I haven't had a tantric massage, as described above. If it does al it says on the box I'd be happy to pay more. Problem is, if it's as wonderful as all that, I might become an addict, spending all my time and money relieving my Chakras.

I had twenty questions in mind when I asked. I guess as the quizmaster you can decide how many we get, unless of course somebody has a flash of brilliance or just happens to know what it is. By the way, anyone who does know what it is, probably only knows because he uses it himself, so if as Bob suggests it's summat to do with plumbing all well and good, but if it's use is for something more personal I think I am glad to remain an ignoramus.

Are we permitted to ask questions? Is it a sex aid?

The accident referred to above and by FH was on Guy Fawkes night (5th November) and there was a fireworks party at a rugby club sited quite close to the motorway. I don't know whether that was a contributory factor or not. Be that as it may, those kind of accidents are of the highest rarity nowadays in Britain. I could be wrong but there do seem to be less foggy days now compared to 30 or 40 years ago (not to be confused with smog - fog + smoke - which was a big problem in some of Britain's cities when heavy industry was much more prevalent - burning of fossil fuels being the reason I suppose). I am in favour of raising the limit on motorways to 80 mph. Many cars go even faster as it stands now. I tend to drive at 65 - 70 mph and I'm overtaken all time by cars travelling at 80 or 90 or even more. Drivers know full well fuel economy is worse at those speeds but that's no deterrent to many of those driving large heavy thirsty vehicles, even at UKP1.30 a litre for petrol (gas) and even more for diesel fuel. That's around US$9 a gallon. Whilst many drivers on motorways drive well over 80 mph and far too close to the vehicle in front, there is one thing British drivers do respect. With very few exceptions, they do not overtake on the inside! That must save quite a few lives.

Yes, provided the society, as mentioned in the Fridae article, has good information, education and communication. Not sure about that. I am making a big assumptiom here, but I would guess most countries deemed to be 'homophobic' (and where HIV is a big problem) also have other ways in which HIV may be spread. I am thinking of some poor African countries when i say that. For example it is well known men in some countries, especially itinerant workers, use female prostitutes where unsafe sex may be practiced, then go home and possibly infect their wives or girlfriends. Yes, ignorance is different to making a taboo over something. I don't know whether ignorance is bliss or not. Maybe a parallel can be drawn with pregnancy rates in young girls. Going back several decades - pre-contraceptive pill - abstinence was the norm and so the majority of girls even if they didn't know where babies came from got away with it because they didn't 'go all the way'. After the pill and the advent of the so-called permissive society, any young girl who wasn't on the pill and who was ignorant of the facts of life was in real danger of getting pregnant.

As a cowboy travelling steerage I only travel business when I get upgraded which is as rare as hen's teeth. If i was wanting a better experience and was feeling flush, rather than slurge out on a business seat I would book two exit row seats. Then I would have more leg room and by lifting up the arm rest more lateral space too. Just re-read your OP and realise you already had that idea. Oh well, why not try it and see how you get on? I was assuming two seats in economy would still be significantly less than one in business, but if that's not the case I can understand why you prefer to stick with business.

From sex-workers' perspective (copied from the Fridae interview): "The problem is that virtual scene, the Internet scene, creates significant difficulties. Because if people are meeting partners in a physical space then I can meet them too. But if people are meeting partners in a virtual space.... I can get a condom into a sauna, into a cruising space, into a bar. But I can’t get a condom onto the Internet." ___________________________________________________________________ Pisani's a latter-day Kinsey; they'd make a great couple. Curiosity, persistence, and indefatigable attention to detail . . . one an epidemiologist, the other an entomologist who diversified into human beings and became a sexologist.