Looking for Polly

This bird flew into the Escape bar and landed atop the dog statue, a few feet from the table where patrons had gathered.  By the time I collected my camera, the bird decided to move to a safer distance and continued to awe us from the awning

Parade Season Continues

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Heard drums beating, loud music and speeches for the past three days.
The sounds typically associated with parades.
I've seen so many, I didn't bother the last two days to go up the street and look.

The music and speeches were especially loud this morning. 
Went to see what the commotion was all about.
It was the local grade school  having their day.

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Weather

Pool weather.  Hot days cool nights continue for another week.
Extended forecast calls for cloudy and rain by the following weekend, with a few "air conditioner" nights.

Blog Comments Always welcome and appreciated.  

Obviously I do not publish personal comments.
At times I receive private e-mail questions and comments prevalent to public interest, and thus answer them publicly.
I tend to not publish offensive language, even when disguised with **** or #@%$!
Negative opinions "without elaboration," especially by Anonymous also tend to be ignored.

10,000 Thais pack their bags in readiness to flee Libya crisis  Bangkok Post                      

...In Sakon Nakhon, relatives of about 40 Thai workers in Libya have sought help...

Hamburger Antics

The trimming crew arrives

Just a little off the top

Crew Boss satisfied job's been done right

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Thai rice price to surge 13% on demand
The Star online
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Female, Age: 20, Looking for: Man, All ages 
thaifriendly.com
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School's almost over

You have your good days, and you have your bad days...

Prepared for the day, I was on the way to school.
Then I was told: Today we want you to give an ICT lecture to the students.

I was no longer prepared for the day.
Half of the seventy-some students in the lecture hall where my regular students.
Now that's what you call teaching by the seat of your pants.
Luckily the lecture hall had a internet ready computer.
I spent a large part of the class showing the students their pictures I had taken over the years, and where to get copies.

It was really a neat way of ending a school year.
I have one more week to teach, then it's finals week, graduation party and graduation ceremonies.
I just hope to have instilled something they find useful in their lives



Sakon FC vs Mukdahan FC, March 5, 5 PM
After two delays, the Division 4, Eastern division games can begin

Local ladies looking for love

I've been following a few Thai dating sites.  Local Thai girls advertising to connect.
What does amuse me in these ads is the age limits these young ladies are aiming at.

One recent ad from a woman in her early thirties was:  interested in a man from 32 to 69.

I've seen the age limit go up to the low seventies by ladies in their twenties.
I suspect one of the introductory questions would be "how big is your pension?"


Record Thai Sugar output likely  Bloomberg

Dengue Vaccine in ten years mysinchew

Herbs for Removing Plaque in Arteries eHow

Mirror, Mirror - on the Roof... OK now I've seen it all

I've seen the mirror up there, on top of a school building many times.
Thought if I'd get there early enough, I'd get to see some jolly giant combing his hair... never happened.

Always wanted to ask "Why."

The answer wasn't all that enlightening, as much got lost in translation.
I did understand that it's a Chinese concept and to ward off evil...

So I Googled 'Mirror on the Roof'

• There's a commercial entity by that name, selling everything from handbags, posters and even refrigerator magnets.  No help there!

• Some people on the net talk about placing numerous mirrors on their roof to reflect the sun's heat and keep their house cool. No help there either!

Feng Shui, The ancient Chinese art of aesthetics was a bit more helpful.
There is quite a discussion of Bagua mirrors.  They are eight cornered concave and convex mirrors placed above entrance doors. 
The mirror on the roof isn't eight cornered, nor concave or convex, but it seems to serve an identical purpose: " To reflect bad energy away from the building and defend against malicious, evil spirits.

Night out at the temple

I'm not much of a church or temple goer.  My faith is in the Almighty Mother Nature.
But there's one evening at the local Chinese Temple, the Chao Pu Chao Ya Shrine, which I look forward to each year.

Don't know what they call the event, it's some sort of fund raiser.

Everything was top notch, food, entertainment, atmosphere, even the weather was very pleasant.

The best part of the evening was the "pole dancing."

It's not what the name implies, not bikini clad vixens.
These were acrobats in Chinese dragon costume, performing on poles up to eight feet in the air.
It's not something I recommend you try at home. It takes plenty of practice, cushions, and some friends willing to catch you if you fall.

The entertainment ranged from professional to amateur.  Even some Karaoke.
I'm also not a fan of Karaoke.  But at least this one made me really feel right at home, signing "I'll do it my way."

Plenty of prizes were raffled off during the evening.
Our table won a refrigerator and Joey wasn't about to let go of his prize.

Jeffrey Hospitalized

Longtime Sakon Nakhon expat Jeffrey has been hospitalized .
Jeffrey is expected to remain in the (private) hospital for approximately ten days.
Family is on their way to Thailand to assist Jeffrey.

The pavement was hot enough to fry an egg Yesterday

3 PM Shade
93F

3 PM  Direct Sun
114F 

Temperature of the cement walkway went over the capacity of my thermometer 50+ (122F).

Good reason to stay out of the sun and off the pavement

Radish Delight

In my garden I saw the big red root exposed and couldn't resist it.
Sliced it quite thin and made a sandwich from it.

Headlines that caught my attention

Condom vending machines removed from Bangkok schools  THE NATION  February 14
"machines provoke  sexual interests"

STD cases on the rise The Nation   February 15

Thailand Down  (investment news)  beyondbricks February 16

Luncheon at High Noon

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Thursday and Friday at Chern Chim (Martin's)

• Bacon or Sausage Butties* 49  Baht 
• French fries  50 Baht

*Butty: Chiefly northern English dialect

• "a sandwich."
• two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them

Also at Chern Chim (Martin's) on Monday, February 21, Birthday party for his son

Unfortunately the picture is not very focused. 
Every time we approach with the slightest noise, their mouths open in anticipation... 

Getting to and from my house has been a roller coaster ride for months.
Finally they filled the holes.  I suspect it won't hold long

Mekon to be Dammed a dozen times   Source: The Nation***

Clashes along Thai-Cambodian border resume, both sides blame each other   xinhuanet