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Thursday, March 28, 2024

A STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST ABOUT JULI BRISKMAN

This is an October 25, 2019 article from the Bangkok Post about Juli Briskman, the CYCLIST WHO FLIPPED OFF TRUMP, NOW RUNNING FOR LOCAL OFFICE.
  • Happened in the fall of 2017.  I don't remember this story, so maybe many of you reading this posting might also find interest.
  • On that Saturday in October, 52-year old Juli on a bike was passed by an imposing convoy of black SUV's on the road outside the Trump National Golf Club.  Hey, he was then President of the USA.
  • She is a single mother of two teens and a marketing analyst for a military subcontractor.  Or was, for she got fired when an AFP photograph of her finger went viral.
  • While some viewed her defiant finger as a sign of resistance, she received insults and threats.
  • She sued her former employer for unfair dismissal, but her case was dismissed.
  • She has a journalism degree from Ohio State and a master's in business administration from The Johns Hopkins University,  and found a job.
  • Was asked to run for county supervisor as a Democrat.
  • Her marathon-running attitude persuaded her to not only be that person who flipped the President, but had more to offer.
  • She lives in Loudoun County, Virginia, the wealthiest in the country.
  • Of course her "fame" got donations from across the country, with media attention, but still gets death threats.
  • She beat a Republican supervisor and to gain a seat on the board.
  • She was re-elected in 2023 and now serves as Vice Chair.
So Julie was 2 for 2.  On page 4 of the Bangkok Post, Friday, 20March2024, is another kind of tale.
  • 65-year old K Padmarajan, tire repair shop owner and homeopathic remedy provider from Mettur, Tamil Nadu,India, is gearing up to run for office again.
  • Known as the Election King of India, he has failed to win 239 straight times.
  • He has lost to Narendra Modi, Atal Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and many others.
  • Says he has spent thousands of his own dollars, for a typical race requires a security deposit of $300, and the money does not get refunded if he fails to reach 16% of the vote.
  • A typical campaign could well be, say, for a Mettur assembly seat, where the victor might get 75,000 votes, to his 6,273.  But he says he expected no votes, so that showed people are accepting him.
  • He does not get stressed, for he expects to lose, and meets his goal.
  • His reputation has grown to where he now is asked to address students about resilience, and how to bounce back from defeat.  
  • Asked what would happen if he won?  He'd get a heart attack.
We are in a minor rut regarding our meals, but enjoying the food and drinks very much.  You will see the sequence as lunch, dinner drinks/food and breakfast in that order because I complete this blog after having breakfast.  Thus, for lunch yesterday we went to Terminal 21, an easy walk through the Asoke MTS Station, looked around, selected a plate of tuna sashimi and cup or corn soup, then went to Hono Teppanyaki, where they prepared a steak plate for take-out.
The rooms we've had so far has windows that provided just enough space to serve as a table.  Across the street is the Westin Grand Sukhamvit hotel.  I've stayed there in the past.  They have an excellent Japanese restaurant, Kissho.
Amazingly enough, the corn soup was my pick as the best part of the meal, with the special sake.
This 1.8 liter of Koshi No Kandai was a gift from a Japanese friend.  Note that building to the right.  It sits over Terminal 21.  The whole meal with the free sake cost around $20.
You ask, how many stores in Terminal 21?  The answer is 600, plus 8 screens operated by SF Movie Theater City.  Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu has only 350 shops, and no movie theaters.

Well, the evening ended with our usual Glenmorangie whiskey and, today for me, a gin martini with cognac instead of vermouth.
Did not eat much because we were still quite satiated from the late lunch.
By the way, you can ask for exactly what pillows you want here.
From Cagle.com, the BEST Political Cartoons about Trump ON, IN or anyway associated with toilets.
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Wednesday, March 27, 2024

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THIS GLOBAL JOURNEY SO FAR

This unexpectedly joyful event is detailed at the end of this posting today.  I begin with yesterday leaving Singapore on Thai Air to Bangkok.

The Thai meal was fine.  The garlic-buttered bread was outstanding.  With Singha Beer and Glenlivet Scotch.
Watched Golda about her leadership during the Yom Kippur War of 1973.  Rotten Tomatoes reviewers gave it a 52 score, but audiences bestowed 91.  I agree with the latter.  Helen Mirren was incredible as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.  She looked more like Golda than Golda herself.  Liev Schreiber had the role of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and there was no resemblance.

She was 70 years old when the Yom Kippur War started.  She was a chain-smoker who was undergoing secret treatments for lymphoma.  So was not only challenged by the near defeat of Israel, but was herself suffering.  She eventually resigned in 1974 and passed away at the age of 80.


Most have forgotten the significance of this war, which caused the first energy crisis, shooting up the price petroleum from $2/barrel to $10/barrel.  Note:  one barrel holds 42 gallons.  This price effectively leaped past $100/bbl a decade later, and has now decline to around $85/bbl.

Also, this was the period during Richard Nixon's Watergate Crisis.  Thus, he was out of communication, leaving it all up to Henry Kissinger.  You need to read my posting of 10October2024 to appreciate how close the world came to a nuclear apocalypse.  In many ways, the current Hamas/Giza Strip-Israel War is frighteningly close to the circumstances of the Yom Kippur War, which almost went out of control.  What surprises me is that I was in my first year of teaching at the University Hawaii in 1973, and can't remember anything happening in the Middle East.  Except, of course for the Energy Crisis, which sparked the creation of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, which I ran for 15 years until my retirement in 1999.  Not for that exponential rise in the price of petroleum, who knows what my professional life might have been.

There is an hour gained from Singapore to Bangkok, so the flight of 2.5 hours seemed short.  You need to read my posting of yesterday to understand why, but AOT had a counter in the baggage counter, which we use to make a reservation to take us by taxi to the Sheraton Grand Sukhamvit.  Took twenty minutes to reach town, and another half an hour to fight through the local traffic to make it to the hotel.  Cost about $30.  Tips are not necessary, but we gave the driver 50 baht, which should have been 100 baht, for even this higher amount was less than a dollar.

We got to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit at around 3PM, then caught the MTS one station away to get to Jackie's Custom Tailor.  Ordered seven vests, which will be delivered to our hotel Friday night.  I made some tailor orders there 20 years ago.  They have been open since 1969, and make an annual pilgrimage to the USA.

Came back, took a shower, then on to the Library for free drinks at 5PM.  

Had glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon and a sparkling wine.
We could have gone on to the adjacent Rossini's for a fine Italian meal.  However, we found out we could order dishes from there, and remain here for free drinks.  A glass of red wine typically costs $20 there, so in a way I got the food for free, as I had a combo of Prosecco and Pinot Noir for the truffled egg/asparagus and truffles risotto.
My final drink at 8PM was Bailey's Cream and Kahlua on rocks.
Then we learned there was a jazz group ready to start adjacent to the Library, and we got front row seats with our drinks for free.
Featured singer was Zooey.
Ready for my most memorable moment of this global journey so far?  Thus far, we missed the Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo, and only walked to the Singapore shopping mall under our building.  Thus, we have done nothing particularly worthy.  Better things, however, are still coming, for on Saturday night we will dine under the stars at Sirocco, on Sunday fly First Class Emirates unlimited with caviar from Bangkok to Dubai to Munich and take three cruises in Europe with a lot of tours.  So about this highlight of the trip so far, see that logo to the left?  That cover from my SIMPLE Solutions for Planet Earth is a colorized version of my family crest.  


Breakfast this morning began with two courses.  First, soba and tofu, with miso soup, followed by a rice/egg dish.
Then I saw this rainbow bread which certainly looked like the cover for my SIMPLE SOLUTION books.
So I tried a slice with an assortment of butter, cheeses, etc.
Got a dish of papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit and mango.
Ate almost the whole slice.  Tastes like white bread.
So while the above can only be fully appreciated by me, hopefully, this trip will provide real adventures for you in the future.  No Indiana Jones exploits, but something better than bread.


My pedometer at the end of the day showed the following, representing two days.

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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

SINGAPORE TO BANGKOK

Our M Club dinner with drinks last night.

Went to bed early.  Note that we essentially did nothing in Singapore.


We catch Thai Air from Singapore to Subarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.  Started in some strange sounding and dingy looking lounge.  No tomato juice for a Bloody Mary.  Had Asahi Beer and a glass of Chardonnay with curry rice, which was lukewarm, but okay.  Huge chunks of good-tasting beef.

Thailand is, geographically, 700 times larger than Singapore, with 13 times more people.  

  • Singapore is #1 in world competitiveness, Thailand #40.
  • Global Peace Ranking:  Singapore #6, Thailand #92.
  • Almost everyone in Singapore was fully vaccinated against Covid-19  by September of 2022.  Thailand is now up to 77%.
  • Thai people are friendly.  While not unfriendly, Singaporeans are not particularly friendly. 
  • Singaporeans are highly regulated in most aspects of everyday life.  In Thailand, you muddle your way through each day.
Here are strange laws in Thailand.
  • The wearing of no underwear in public, called going commando, is prohibited.  How this is controlled is unknown.
  • Don't drink alcohol in temples, government buildings, gas stations, PUBLIC PARKS, schools and hospitals, Can carry a six-month sentence.
  • As a tourist you are expected to follow this tradition. Thailand is a Monarchy, you will here and there come upon portraits of the King and Queen.  Twice a day at 8 am and 6pm, the national anthem is played, and you, too, are expected to come to a halt, if others are doing so.
  • There is a 1950 law that says in Thailand you must speak Thai in public.  Except it is not enforced.
  • You cannot show your national flag in Thailand.
  • Don't, don't step on money, for the King is printed on it.
  • Going to a fancy party?  Don't go as a nurse, for you can be fined $550 dollars or get two years in jail for pretending be a nurse in public.
  • You can find a smelly Durian fruit in markets.  Hotels prohibit them.
How to get from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to your hotel?  
  • Train can cost around $1.50, but you still need a cab or tuk-tuk, the latter costing only from $1 to $5, and more, which is negotiable.
  • Bus is cheaper, maybe even less than a dollar, but depends where you're going.  Then cab or tuk-tuk.
  • Taxi when you leave the airport building, but the system has changed with use of machines and QR Code, and scares me.  Should be not much more than $10, plus toll charges, around $3.  Tips not necessary, but leave change.  Tipping also not necessary in Singapore.
  • I have tended to catch AOT Limousine, which has booths inside the building so I'm interacting with live humans.  Prices range from $20 to $50 depending on type of vehicle.  The cheapest is fine.  Toll charges are included.
Well, see you in Bangkok.

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