MOM Siminoe WINS Service Award from UNSTA-NCTA

Elaine Simionoe Receiving her Service Award.

When I called MOM to ask her about this award she was very humble saying that she probably did not deserve it, but it was very nice of them to choose her. She said it is great to see all of the growth happening at the Curtis campus. Certainly Dad would have been very proud to see his school growing. For those who don't know, Bill Siminoe was the first Dean of University of Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture which was best known as UNSTA. Bill was in charge there for 27 years and built the foundation for this agriculture based branch of the University of Nebraska. I grew up on this campus and if I was to sum it up I would describe it as the place where farm and ranch kids could come to learn about modern techniques in their field. It was a splendid place to grow up and it is wonderful to see that my father's hard work and dream is still alive. 

Here Come the Reds

For everyone in the city this weekend, The Red Shirt protests could become a crisis situation from Mar. 12 to Mar. 14, 2010.
Please avoid The danger routes on Mar 12, 2010

The United Front for Democracy ( Red shirt ) against Dictatorship plans to organise a mass rally in Bangkok. They will set up 6 Speech Stages in BKK.
Mar 12 At 12 p.m. the Northernerns will move to gather at Nakornsawan province, the North Eastern  people will move to gather at Nakornratchasima province, the Eastearners and the Westerners will then move to BKK early on the morning of Mar 14.
Mar 12 The Red shirts will set up a Speech Stage in BKK in the 6 areas as follows :
1. Pitak Ratthathammanuun Monument or Prahp-go-bod monument,
over tunnel direct to Bang kayn zone
2. Tong-Song-Hong Station area, Gam-paeng-pet 7 Road
3. Bangna Junction, Bangna Zone
4. Rama VI Monument, Lumpini park area
5. Thai-Japanese Stadium Din Daeng, gate 2, Mit- mat-tree road
6. Pra-jao-taksin Monument area or Wong Wianyai Circular Junction, Thonburi zone

Big Trouble in Bangkok

The word is spreading quickly through the city of Bangkok and the nation of Thailand that this new round of protests by the Taksin supporters, who wear the red and side vaguely with the communist element, are going to get ugly. My school has already announced that classes will be canceled Friday in order to keep students and staff safe. 

You might wonder why would there be such a fear considering we have had protests going on for years here, well the answer is a simple one. Weapons have been stolen in a region of Thailand that is known to be loyal to the Taksin Reds. So perhaps the word STOLEN is not really the correct one. When weapons go missing at the same time as 100's of thousands of poor uneducated people are streaming to the capital to protest, fear will spread. 

It really doesn't matter if you are a red supporter or a yellow supporter or one of the millions of neutrals in this country, it is obvious that when you mix a mob of uneducated (nothing to lose) poor with whiskey paid for by their ousted leader, and weapons such as hand grenades and automatic weapons, the fear is well founded. 

The last time this mob got out of hand they tried to ram a police barricade with a bus loaded full of gasoline. This act could have resulted in a multitude of deaths and a plethora of retribution, but lucky the bus missed its mark. 

Thailand is known for peaceful protesting. The nation has had the best history of diplomacy in S.E. Asia, so we must hope that the past repeats itself here and that everyone -- yellow, red, blue, and neutral -- all are safe.