Rogie

In reply to Nathan Hale's final words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Fountainhall asked this: That's quite a challenge to answer that truthfully, especially from the comfort of my study at home with no foreboding thoughts of imminent martyrdom or indeed any such thoughts since the days of the Cold War and even then that would not have involved me taking uniform, merely a question of whether I would die instantly from atomic warfare or a slow lingering death from radiation sickness. Putting aside the fact I am far too old to serve in the armed forces, although I'd like to think I would have been a bit more effective than Private Godfrey in that wonderful parody of the British Home Front during WW2 - Dad's Army - I feel it very difficult to make that sudden leap in my mind to a theoretical situation I have never seriously considered. I guess that's why I referred to him as a 'noble American' because I'd like to think I would have borne such a fate with similar fortitude - but there's no way I would have had the strength of character to have said those words - and for that he is remembered, very fondly it would seem, by Americans 236 years after his death.

RE: 'regret' #3: I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings. Count me out of those covering their ears Thaiworthy. Please carry on! As far as expressing their feelings are concerned, it seems to me to fall into two categories, controlled emotions ad uncontrolled emotions. As far as uncontrolled emotions are concerned, it is clearly understood message boards are the perfect vehicle for expressing those, with the cloak of anonymity ensuring the moderators on some boards are kept on their toes, although a civilised approach by the board's members to such freedom of expression ought to be sufficient to ensure discussion rarely gets out of hand. Controlled emotion might just be another word for honesty - there again some posters may be happy expressing their feelings, even quite personal ones, with the knowledge they will (hopefully) receive a sympathetic hearing and perhaps (if that's what's needed) intelligent responses. If the worst comes to the worst and responses to a fellow member are unsympathetic he can console himself that at least he tried, and what is more in the wide blue yonder beyond the confines of message board politics it is as if he never said a word.

Well I know it now! (I hang my head in shame for I knew not this noble American) Here is fascinating account of his death - it also mentions his dying words, but just in case anybody wants to make a guess without cheating I shan't mention it here. "Nathan Hale was a lieutenant in the Continental Army. In his early twenties, Hale had worked as a schoolteacher before the Revolution. In late September 1776 he volunteered to cross the British lines and travel to Long Island in order to gather intelligence. Unfortunately, his mission was soon discovered and he was captured by the British. Taken to General Howe's headquarters (commander of the British forces) in New York, the young spy was interrogated and executed on September 22." http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/hale.htm

Yes, but sadly no incense or organ music . . .

That rather ugly-looking tower block in the background (top left hand corner of the pic) might help with orientation, if you approach from the right direction! If you go past Babylon and through the gate of the soon-to-be-completed mammoth Sukothai Residences (I think it's called) you'll be in the vicinity. If and when you find it, I'd be interested to know a bit more about the properties in the soi. Why that particular architecture? There is a name in Thai over the entrance gate but when I showed it to the long-serving male receptionist at the Malaysia he said it was just the name of some condos.

Many of you will know the vicinity of Bangkok around the Babylon sauna. The soi Babylon's situated used to be called soi Nantha. It's name was changed recently, as per the attached photo. The wording on the plaque is copied below.

I had the pleasure of meeting Fountainhall on the final evening of my recent holiday as I was passing through Bangkok prior to my flight back to the UK. What a gentleman! I was asked how I would prefer my prize, "baht or sterling?" I chose sterling (UK pounds) and will be saving it for an evening at my local Thai restaurant where I shall toast the good Fountainhall: Here is a good one, a bit selfish perhaps, I can hardly expect him to toast me, but it has a nice ring to it: I drink to the health of another, And the other I drink to is he In the hope that he drinks to another, And the other he drinks to is me If it's wine I'm drinking, how about this? Fill to him, to the brim! Round the table let it roll. The divine says that wine Cheers the body and the soul I'm not sure what I'll be drinking but if it's a vintage champagne: Here's to champagne, the drink divine, That makes us forget all our troubles; It's made of a dollar's worth of wine And three dollars' worth of bubbles And if good 'ol English ale, maybe I'll recite this one (attributed to Edgar Allen Poe) Fill with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber Through the chambers of my brain. Quaintest thoughts, queerest fancies Come to life and fade away; What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today _________________________________ I thought I'd turn the tables and post a mystery photo - here is one I took on a walkabout during my recent visit to Bangkok. Anyone recognise the location? Clue: It's in a small soi off Sathorn (the Babylon side of that huge artery). The building pictured is just one of about 8 - 10 similar properties.

Are we not talking at cross purposes here? Are you saying the going rate for protection in Phuket that each m/c rider pays is 200 baht, or is that what a customer is expected to pay? Sorry! having re-read it I see what you're saying - if the customer has to pay through the nose in any given location that's a good indication of where the rich pickings are to be found for those ever-so omnipresent 'protectors'. Agreed

I've had relationships with women as well as men. How do I regard myself? Confused! I'm still, despite what I write below, a little bit envious of those who are firmly and happily in one or other camp - gay or straight. What I do know is that over the years I've developed a fond regard for Alfred Kinsey. His KInsey scale has been an enormous comfort to me. Now I know it's ok to be in the middle somewhere, or right of centre or left of centre, whatever - provided you are comfortable in your skin (by which I include your whole self, your whole being, not just who you may happen to sleep with) that to me is what sexuality is all about. I wonder if some of those who aren't comfortable in their skins are often the ones who are the most vociferous. I do not include Miss Nixon in that category, but people in the media spotlight do need to be extra careful what they say on the record. It may well sound corny, but the old saying honesty is the best policy still makes sense for me, that's why I'm sticking my head above the parapet . . .

I wonder if that figure of 120 Baht applies everywhere or just in inner Bangkok. In a fair world (and if you are going to have corruption as standard, may as well make it fair!), those riders working in more profitable areas ought to pay more than those in 'sleepy' areas. There's always a long line of riders right outside the Pinnacle Hotel in Soi Ngam Duphli / Lumphini and whoever is in charge keeps them moving - they don't seem to hang about; contrast that with some places in Pattaya (around the corner from Two Guy's Guesthouse for example) where a few old sofas strewn around make for a comfortable siesta. Although I have used m/c taxis in Pattaya in the past, I've never done so in Bangkok. The mere thought of whizzing along some of Bangkok's busiest roads would be enough, I hope, to dissuade me to ever do that, especially when meter taxis are so plentiful, unlike Pattaya - another hobby-horse of mine, but I'll leave it at that. I wonder how much owners of baht buses (songthaews) pay in places like Patttaya and Phuket. Once you start digging I suspect it's a bottomless pit, all these protection rackets.

This thread has really deteriorated! Out of respect for those concerned, I've taken the liberty of hiding the names of the various beach-lovers.

I don't know but as most popular songwriters pre-Lennon and McCartney era seem to be American so if there's any points up for grabs I'll go for that. Has anyone actually drunk Madeira? I can't remember ever tasting it, not that I'd particularly want to as I don't generally like sweet fortified wine or sweet white wines, apart from a good Sauternes. . . .! and we know Fountainhall likes a decent drop of Chateau Yquem as he let drop that tit-bit in one of his posts some while ago.

That's good news! I don't own any Apple products and never have, although that's not because I have anything against them, I'm just not very technology-minded, so have little interest in owning fancy gadgets. Despite my slightly cynical tone, let me assure you I am a neutral when it comes to assessing Apple as a whole (note italics). If I am right in thinking that Apple help-lines / call centres are staffed by well-trained people of the same nationality as the caller, that is a big plus in my opinion. So if Michael has a problem he's dealt with by a fellow American, if Fountainhall has a problem, in Thailand, he's dealt with by a bi or multi-lingual Thai person. Great. Unfortunately not all companies are like that any more. Certainly in Britain, if you wish to seek help, the number you dial will likely ring out somewhere in India. That in itself isn't any big deal, but it brings me on to my next point, namely the Jobs (or not, in Apple's case, sorry for the feeble dig). Another message board recently had a brief discussion on certain Apple policies, following an article in the New York Times headed: How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work http://www.nytimes.c...ref=global-home

You sure are! But as you're normally so good, and to crib a famous last line from the film quiz, "nobody's perfect". And before anybody tells me the captions are inverted, it's a Private Eye in-house joke, they always are. Maybe it's a bad sign that in a thread supposedly looking forward to the next election that we're harking back to what would seem in many ways a Golden Age in American politics. Hopefully as November approaches we'll get some really good meaty political discussion going, but in order to do that we have to be inspired by the contest. As things stand just now, it's not looking too inspiring.

The guy of 'some notoriety' I referred to above is an American!

You're right Thaiworthy - there's a certain ruddiness, isn't there? No guesses so far to my GW challenge. If nobody gets it right I'll post the answer in a day or so. Hint: It's a contemporary person of some notoriety (and that's being polite!).

I was tickled pink when I saw those photos! mmm, Clown Eckie, eh? I immediately thought of a strange expression used in the north of England . . .eckie thump Bet you've never heard anyone say that have you Thaiworthy? Well if not, you haven't lived! Here is the background to the word: http://uk.answers.ya...29063829AAzss0h Why am I going to such pains to discuss an obscure northern British vernacular? Well, seems our tuk-tuk driving Clown Eckie has competition! http://www.eckiethump.co.uk/

That's not all! The British satirical magazine Private Eye have a 'look-a-like' section every issue. A couple of years ago they ran one with George Washington and another person, based purely on visual appearance. I am afraid the 'other person' may cause some offence to some of our American readers so I shall omit his name. However, if anyone cares to make a guess as to who GW was compared to I am happy to adjudicate.

That's good advice FH. Seems all the wizardry in the world, or at least cyberspace, doesn't guarantee everything appearing therein is sensible. Speaking of travel agents, if I am booking a trip or holiday when I'm intending to be away a long time I like to use a travel agent. I use one based in London, and book either on the phone or by email. The reason I prefer to do this is because if there are any problems I have someone, ie. a named 'travel consultant' I can ask for help. For example, had I been scheduled to travel during the Icelandic volcano episode or during an airline strike or bad weather in Britain (British airports can't cope with too much snow!), I can contact them to see if they can help. Such complicating world situations seem to be getting more common these days. If I book on a website who do I speak to if I have a problem? There is an annual fee but I am happy to pay this. Something else one needs to be aware of are the arrangements if you need to make a date change. This is especially important if you are away for a month or two which I quite often am. I always make sure I specify to the travel agent I want a booking that permits date changes. On a typical journey to Australia, with a stopover in Thailand, it would cost around 4000 baht to change any date - that's in economy, perhaps a business class ticket is more flexible. I think if you book on line it isn't always easy to get that information.

Yes, seems he was the first in everything, even appearing on the one dollar bill, no doubt there are some who swear it's his likeness on the 1804 silver dollar! I'm just a sore loser! I was fooled into equating first with best, and quite clearly the chronologically first President cannot be the 'best', can he?

I never said it wasn't a worthy topic. As for whether I read it or not let me say I can still be bored by a topic and continue to follow the thread - without contributing to it of course. Why would I want to continue reading a boring topic, well 2 reasons come to mind. First, this message board is rarely boring and so what are to me 'boring' topics are rare, so I give the topic the benefit of the doubt, although it's fair to say I'll just skim through many of the posts rather than reading them in the way I usually do. That leads on to my second point, a thread often ebbs and flows, what starts off interesting can be hi-jacked or just die a slow death, OR a formerly 'boring' thread can spring to life and become interesting. That happened in this case and that's why I decided to add my tuppence-worth of comment. I am now aware of Skytrax (apologies for my incorrect spelling earlier) and have enjoyed reading many of the posts in this thread from those far more knowledgeable in the subject than me!

Quoted by FH above. There is no better illustration of that in how (s)he handles the BIG issues, those times when everybody is looking to him/her for leadership. That has to be the acid test of a leader. In a mature democracy, from a British perspective, there is not much worse than a leader being elected owing to a combination of infectious idealism, and disgust with the alternative. The idealistic newcomer is elected, riding a wave of enthusiasm from a jaded electorate. Once elected, it gradually dawns on the sheep-like masses (which acute minds could see from the word go) over a period of a few years the new leader was little more than hot air - he never did have a robust ideology, simply a straw in the wind, coping with the travails of office with the aid of a smile and a spin doctor.

Ha! My guess for such an inimitable accolade would be Roosevelt (FDR).

Back on-topic: Sorry to say this but just how Hainan Airlines rates in the Skytrack ratings bores me to death. I'd never heard of them before this topic was started. Generalising, what we have here is a topic that polarises opinion from keen interest to, like me, acute boredom. I hadn't contributed to the thread before because it's churlish to trash a thread in this way, so I just let it pass over me, like I do many other topics in which I have nothing constructive to say. However, now the thread as a whole has become polarised along other lines I feel it's fair to comment, as I say in general terms, as I don't wish to upset anyone. It's fair to use a member's own experiences to highlight his contributions and that often adds an extra dimension to what members have to say. So in certain circumstances like the issue of Hainan being given a high ranking, if you have actually flown with that airline that affords a bit more weight to your comments - fair enough. Ditto if you have flown in Hainan or indeed any other airline 'up front' and can comment on the standards of their business or first class seats, etc. If any of us, me included, who sit at the back feel a bit excluded from this kind of chatter, too bad, it's nothing personal, that kind of disparity is an insignificant part of most people's lives. If I do feel a twinge of envy as I shuffle my bottom and wriggle my toes in my cramped cattle-seat (I'm only human!) I remind myself that many of our members who fly 'up front' do so out of their hard-earned efforts, and I include in that ways in which air miles are accumulated. Until recently I didn't know much about air miles, now I'm beginning to realise there is an art in it, and I have to admire anyone who can make the system work for him in that way. However, when a member uses his experiences as ammunition to criticise comments made by another member, he has to be very careful. I think sometimes this is inadvertent and not malicious - if a member is very interested in a subject he may well allow his enthusiasm to get the better of him,

Good for you Christian. Maybe such a site should be named and shamed, at least in France if the site's in French. This kind of tactic relies to a large extent on the customer getting weary having devoted a fair amount of time up to the point where he is bombarded with 'extras' and he shrugs his shoulders and carries on. What is needed is more clarity from the outset.