Could I be Wrong about McCain?

I really do not like politics, but it is an election year in the nation of my birth. I did a great deal of thinking about the economics of a new president and, wanting the American economy to go further down so that my Thai baht will continue to climb, I had thought that McCain was the natural choice. I know he will continue to force the dollar lower, the price of oil higher, and the housing market will completely collapse. Now this is bad, I know, but then I could afford to come back to America and buy a house really cheap and that would be cool for me. A summer house in the United States and a winter house here in Thailand, this would be awesome.

BUT, Iraq is the other issue at hand in this election and honestly this is of far greater consequence than me having a cheap house back in the states. I am proud of my friends who have gone to Iraq and fought, risking all for a cause that our nation has seen as necessary to protect our freedom. Still, enough it enough. Iraq is never going to be stable. Sorry to be the voice of doom here, but we could stay there for 1 year or 30 years and Iraq will still be fighting. The only thing we have to chose between is this, will Iraqis be killing Iraqis or will they be killing Americans? I don't have a clue what the proper exit plan is, but I do know we need an EXIT plan -- now! As the saying goes, "Sometimes its better to be nowhere than to stay some place your not wanted."

I cut and pasted this from the John McCain website and this is the last straw for me. Please read below to see his views on the war of Iraq. Please click on the title to see all of John McCain's views on his official website.

Strategy for Victory in Iraq The Importance of Succeeding John McCain believes it is strategically and morally essential for the United States to support the Government of Iraq to become capable of governing itself and safeguarding its people. He strongly disagrees with those who advocate withdrawing American troops before that has occurred.It would be a grave mistake to leave before Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated and before a competent, trained, and capable Iraqi security force is in place and operating effectively. We must help the Government of Iraq battle those who provoke sectarian tensions and promote a civil war that could destabilize the Middle East. Iraq must not become a failed state, a haven for terrorists, or a pawn of Iran. These likely consequences of America's failure in Iraq almost certainly would either require us to return or draw us into a wider and far costlier war.The best way to secure long-term peace and security is to establish a stable, prosperous, and democratic state in Iraq that poses no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists. When Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home.

Killer Storms in Nebraska

Photos by Stacey Owens

Killer storms are hitting my homeland. It is terrifying. Many people are blaming global warming, which of course was caused by George Bush, but I think perhaps it is not his fault but rather the beginning of the end of days. In the past 2 weeks Kearney Nebraska has been hit by tornadoes, and close to Curtis Nebraska there was hail the size of softballs. We truly are in a very dangerous time. We don't even need to mention the hurricanes in Burma, the mud slides in India, or the earth quake in China. The planet Earth is unstable, perhaps angry with us for our lack of care, and now its impossible for anyone to argue that instability is the norm. As the salamander king said, "None of us will get out alive."

siminoe.com announce's support for McCain

I attempt to live a life basically devoid of politics. In my voting history I am yet to vote for a winner other than Bill Clinton. I am very proud of that vote, because he was a president who actually stopped terrorism with CIA operatives and spooks instead of plunging us into an all out holey war. He also created a nation so prosperous that our economy, for once, was BOOMING to the point of a word most republicans can't even spell -- surplus.
I also love Clinton because he had serious foreign policy. He drew limits that our foreign allies didn't cross, unlike our current administration who get pushed into doing everything the Arab world tells them to do.
"So why, SIM, are you putting your support behind McCain when he would appear to be ready to follow all the same leads which have brought the US economy to a certain collapse?"
Simple. I just love the absolute absurdity of the trickle down economics that plague the Republican party -- it's like watching a cat run into a glass door at full speed. I mean does anybody actually believe this insanity? "Um... you see we give tax breaks and government kick backs (which is collected tax money) to the rich, because they give the poor jobs."
Can they even believe the rubbish which is coming out of their mouths? If so they obviously never met any rich people. I have a lot of rich friends and I got news for you trickle down folks -- the rich don't spend money whether you give it to them for free or not. That's why they are rich! They don't spend money in hand, nor do they spend money on credit. The rich have, innately, a kind of gag reflex to paying a check or to buying something that is over priced or to giving jobs (which pay big salaries) to anyone.
"So Sim, if you don't believe in trickle down and you think tax breaks for the rich actually make the rich richer, why McCain -- cause this guy is an economic fossil."
Again, SIMPLE, my job here in Thailand pays me in THAI BAHT, and as long as the Republicans are in office the US Dollar is going to sink and sink until basically it will be worthless. This is good for me, because then I can send lots of Baht home and build a small fortune in the US. When I moved to the Thailand six years ago the baht was 43 to 1 dollars. Now, thanks to George Bush, it's 32 to 1. I love it. I was never going to make any cash in the US, but now I can make just a little baht and send it home and become RICH.
So it is official, we at Siminoe.com are voting for McCain so that the collapse of the US dollar continues and homes back in America because so cheap that even I, with my little teacher pay, could go home and purchase a really cool house.
Good luck Mr. McCAIN!

Tension in Thailand

Photo by Apichart Weerawong

All around the world political tension is rising. We have all become accustom to seeing protesters clamoring for change and soldiers or police officers being forced to confront the rage which is meant for the ruling party. But I must say it is becoming tense in the capital of Thailand.

Thais are, in general, passive and accepting of others. Still, they have a long tradition of protesting and picketing in order to bring pressure on the government. They had, just over a year ago, a very peaceful coup -- not one shot fired. Elections were guaranteed and those elections put right back into power the party that had been ousted by the coup. Frustrated as many intellectuals and scholars were, the vote was the vote and it was honored. Taksin, the ousted prime minister, is enjoying life in England. He bought a football team over there and is enjoying his time abroad while his followers prepare to change the constitution so that he will not face criminal charges for his money schemes. It is so in the face of the Thai people that there were bound to be protests.

SAMAK, is his long time follower and is now our current prime minister. He is a hard line guy, who most people blame for one of the few protests which did turn bloody back in the 70's when he was a younger politician. By all media accounts he was the one who gave the order for soldiers to FIRE ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS who were peacefully protesting against him and his party. The number of dead and wounded has been disputed since it happened.

SAMAK is sabre rattling again. He has said, of the 6,000 protesters meeting and making noise in the capital, he has the military power to STOP them if they do not disband soon. All weekend the fear of violence was high, but the group did not go away.

As a foreigner in this land it is difficult for me to know who is the best government for these people. I only know that Thai nature, peaceful and calm, is the best hope we have for avoiding a war. I believe their love of peace will win out over this trouble. Still the tension in some quarters around the city is truly palpable.

CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THE ARTICLE TO LEARN MORE.

Prepare for Alians

Recently my life partner Nan and I revised our alien code. We have had a code since watching a few alien movies, and discussing the fact that if an alien invaded one of our bodies we would need a method of discovering the truth.

Now of course aliens take over people probably fairly regularly, but how can we know. It is my theory that they come into us, we act really really strange, but before they can be detected they depart. I have seen this or at least suspected it many times with women I've known during my life. They can be literally a different person for a few days, often not a person I can either understand nor dare too as they can often be very scary during this possible alien possession, and then back to normal just as suddenly.

Now we must be prepared. So Nan and I have developed a code. It is a three step code, which of course I can't tell you, who knows who is monitoring my blog. But I can tell you our old code. That one was "Christmas" "Merry Christmas" "No, break up Christmas." Now this is an inside joke between us, but the point is, you need -- as a couple -- to come up with a code that only you and your life partner know. And then of course, don't tell anyone. Then the next time your loved one is acting strangely not themselves, ask for the code.

My philosophy is better safe than sorry! And when I say sorry I mean like a rubber snake like thing with fangs popping out of your stomach. OUCH!

River Giants in the Mekong River

Photos stolen from National Geographic:

The city of Bangkok brags a massive river known as the Mekong. These river giants are the largest freshwater stingrays in the world. A stingray one tenth the size of these killed Steve Irwin with one freakish strike. Imagine the stinger on these babies.

What is very interesting is that Thai people not only boat, fish, and wash their clothes in this river, but they also swim in it -- especially once you get out of Bangkok in the rural areas it is common to see children frolicking in the murky waters of this mighty river.

I will say this, I will no longer go swimming in the Mekong. Of course maybe I would go jet skiing. Jet skiing with these giant ramps floating around could be awesome, I mean if you could catch one just right you could get some major lift. These creatures also mean that if you mess up and crash you could have a serious penalty.

One final thing about the Mekong, it also brags many other giant fish and in fact has the largest freshwater fish in the world. I always assumed the Amazon did, but even though the Amazon is much larger, it doesn't have the big giants like our Mekong.

Myanmar police block aid workers, food piles up

Earlier this year I did a couple of articles about the horror show which is Myanmar. The nation is completely crippled by a corrupt and extremely violent dictatorship known as the Junta government. When rich nations are hit by natural disasters, i.e. the US, chaos can accrue. Yet when natural disasters strike a nation like Myanmar it's not chaotic, it's a systematic genocide. The privileged over there are about to get new privileges in the form of aid relief donations. They are not only blocking aid from coming in from foreign nations or switching the labels on the aid to say the names of generals in order to win favor with the people they are oppressing, but in many cases they are simply stealing the goods and stockpiling them for their private armies.

I am never in favor of the US getting militarily involved in nations outside of their borders, but I am happy to report that the US is the leading nation in pressuring this self appointed government into making change. China and India, on the other hand, are acting negligently and must be seen as a big part of the problem in this 3rd world nation. China has so much influence in their neighbor country that they could easily put an end to the Junta with pressure or just a lack of support, but China says this is an Myanmar internal issue -- so then stop doing so much business and trade with this government.

The world has put blinders on when it comes to this nation for long enough. I am happy to see the US responding to this issue with serious diligence and some real diplomacy. We need other wealthy nations to get on board. They want freedom to vote, they want to form a government that is absent of military tyranny. We don't need to fight their battle for them, but we must try to find ways to help their cause.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ MORE NEWS FROM MYANMAR

Hot Babes Vegas Delivery

Just a last thought about my time back in the USA. I am still considering publishing the toroid sex tales of our host's household pet, but while I was going through some of my photos I came across this random shot we took on the Vegas strip. Time after time, when I tell people I live in Bangkok I get this kind of smirking grin from them. "Bangkok, right," they might say. "I hear it's pretty wild over there." Now I'm not going to say that we don't have a red light district that would rival any major city in the world -- we do, but it is such a small part of the life here that it seldom comes into my thoughts. First of all, our prostitute area is basically down town. Now like most big cities down town is a terrible place to try to get in and out of by car, therefor I seldom venture down there. It is great that our tourists have a place to find the kind of nightlife entertainment they are looking for and it is all right there surrounding the hotels that they frequent. It really has been the tourist industry that loured the prostitutes here. By the way, it's not just Thai girls working down there. The largest growing group of women working the sex for sale zone is Russian, followed of course by Burmese, and Cambodian. Where tourists are throwing money around to have a good time you will usually find 3 things: prostitutes, alcohol, and gambling. Actually Bangkok only has 2 of the 3 vices offered.

So what am I rambling about? Well here's the thing. In truth Bangkok is a very tame city over all. Certainly there are massage parlors, men's spas, and hair cut places that offer sex for cash. In the suburbs, where I live and work, these places are available but they are so woven into the fabric of the city that you -- unless you are looking for them -- won't notice them. Now down town is different, giant massage parlors, discos, strip bars, and very overt prostitution is a bit jarring when you first see it. But in truth Las Vegas Nevada has prostitution down to such a science that it is literally served up to you right at your hotel room.

If you look at the photo from above it basically is saying hot babes sent directly to you. Now we can all wink at each other and say, so a little strip tease in your room -- harmless. But of course everyone knows the strip is just the initial service. All other services cost a lot more and will be negotiated once the performer is in the room. If you have ever walked on the strip in Vegas you will no doubt have been handed a card with photos of beautiful call girls who are also available direct to your door.

I know Bangkok has prostitution, but it's just so distant to those of us who live and work here. I just want people in the US to remember they also have sex for cash in their own country. Hey, what tourists on vacation from their job with the man want to spend their money on is their business. I could care less. I guess I just get a little touchy about the idea that Bangkok Thailand is some kind of morally bankrupt city of sin. If you want to see the other side of life in Thailand, check out ECHO POOL, a novel I wrote with no bar girls or prostitutes in it.

Maco and family Nung and family

Maco

Now I had to put up one last set of photos about America. We spent a wonderful afternoon with my good friend Maco, his wife and their lovely daughter. He was a wonderful host as he grilled up some hamburgers and brots and we had wine and beer and yes even a little bit of pie. It was kind of fun because we were celebrating the NEW YEAR for Cambodia and Thailand which is on the same day, but we were doing it American style.

Later in the afternoon we were visited by my close friend Nung and his family. Now Nung is Thai, but lives just down the block from Maco so it was great that they could slip over before they headed to the Thai temple to celebrate.

Even Vietnam was represented as Nhu and Dave came along with us to round out the South East Asian experience.

It was great seeing everyone. Nung's brother, Bui, was one of my closest friends when I lived in Denver. Bui was the kind of guy who you didn't call on the phone and chat with, he was the kind of guy who just showed up at my house, let himself in, and started making noodles for himself, me, and anyone else he'd invited over to my place. He was happiest with a couple of beers in him and may have been one of the most honest men I was ever around. In truth Bui really didn't take care of himself so much, but he always was trying to help others. He passed away this last year from cancer and it was not surprising that all of the soccer players who he'd devoted his time to for years came to his funeral. He was the kind of guy who had patience in a sports world consumed with immediate results, Bui offered his athletes a kind word, and an opportunity to work at it again and again. Losing Bui was very hard on everyone who knew him. He is missed, and especially in a gathering like this where there was food and ice cold beer, I could almost hear his laughter.

This day was another reminder to me of the hardest part of living in Thailand, being away fro the friends I spent my time with in Denver. I was blessed with a great group of friends, and sadly a lot of them I didn't find the time to go see. I wish I had more days to track more of them down.

Well, it's time to get back to my life in Thailand. Still, this was a great trip and one I will not soon be forgetting.

Proud Daddy

What is Greg babbling about?

Proud Mommy

Nung, Nick, and I

The final day in Denver

Well all good things must come to an end I guess. Denver has been a wonderful stop during our journey. Now it is time for us to head back to Bangkok, so I put together a little video footage of our last day in the mile high city. First we went to meet my good friend and once business partner Dan Dinner at his country club. Dan is one of the guys who really taught me about life and business, and it was marvelous just to see him fit and doing so well.

After our visit with him we went down town for a lunch on the 16Th street mall and then we just cruised around the city a bit taking shots of different land marks such as: Tattered Cover Book Store, the train station, the Broncos stadium which used to be Mile High but is now some corporate thing, and lots of other famous places around down town. Then we went back to the Augustine mansion to wile away our day walking around the pond, sipping wine on the back patio, and then cooking a feast to enjoy for our last supper.

We really had a great time in Denver, seeing friends and family and a few familiar sights. Thanks to everyone who either hosted us, met with us, or put up with us during our visit.

Miracle Buerger

Eli,Dave, Michelle, Karen, and Steve -- the Buergers.

Young Mr. Eli Buerger will forever be known as Miracle. Why is that? Well it's because over a decade ago, that's ten years for my readers in the southern states (just kidding Speedy), the doctors told Karen and Steve -- my first cousins -- that children were out of the question. In fact it was this news that set them on the path to financial success. I mean imagine a double income family, no kids, and not even having to spend on birth control. HELLO SUCCESS! It probably explains the giant house they live in out in the suburbs of Denver close to Boulder, it's truly a beautiful place and now it is the happy home it longed to be. Eli has brought a miracle to the Buerger family. As they say, "God works in mysterious ways," especially while in Mexico pounding tequila shots 'ey Steve!

So please watch this short photo slide to see Mr. Eli's www.siminoe.com premier. He loves the camera!

One Denver day

Teo, Greg, Nan and Sim

Denver is the kind of city that it is easy to find a lot to do. It has so much going on most weekends it's easy to get lost in the chaos. I lived in Denver for close to 15 years and in that time I went through a ski phase, mountain bike phase, volleyball phase, Frisbee stint, weight lifting kick, jogging, kick boxing, and well lots of other adventures. One thing Denver has an abundance of is recreation. If you're into sports or into watching sports its hard to imagine a town with more going on than the mile high city.

So while I was visiting my old stomping grounds, we put together a simple Sunday that was certainly a day to remember. We started with breakfast at Centennial airport where we watched the planes coming and going, then hit some driving range golf balls, then off to Red Rocks for some sun shine, and we wrapped up our Sunday with a down town evening which was highlighted with a NUGGETS NBA game.

It was awesome!

Our Denver Hosts Matteo, Nhu, Dave and Chili

Nhu welcomed us into her home after we survived the blizzardy roads. It was wonderful to be out of the car, once I pried my fingers off the wheel. It had been a while since I'd driven in snow and I must say my nerves, especially because I was too cheap to pay for the rental car's rental insurance, were frayed. But the Augustines were amazing hosts. A good friend once told me that health is wealth and I can't disagree, but since I'm a starving writer I do have a belief that wealth is having wonderful friends who will take you in and not complain if you drink their wine and coffee -- you know the good stuff -- and sleep in their guest bedroom for 6 nights because you can't afford American hotel rates. Well, I have not got a fortune of my own to compare this to anything, but I have been blessed with magnificent friendships and I think it is better. Think of it this way, if I had wealth then I'd have pride which would not allow me to sleep at my friend's home. But, I'm basically destitute so this takes away a man's pride and replaces it with need. Having need allows special and magnanimous people, such as the Augustines, to give. We all know how wonderful it is to give. So yes it is true that we were freeloading while staying with our good friends; however, I like to think of it as, instead of freeloading, as giveoffering (offering them an opportunity to give).
It was a magnificent stay. In my next article we will have the inside scoop of DENVER, more photos of friends and the SECRET SEX LIFE OF CHILI the dog! Two Bangkok kids running around in Denver, what could be more interesting. So come see what trouble we managed to find.

Dave and Nan eager for the food.

Teo welcomes us.