MAIN EVENT. A Good Place to Get Started --- a.k.a "Table of Contents"
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MAIN EVENT. A Good Place to Get Started --- a.k.a "Table of Contents" |
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Kudos, brickbats, spam, you'll find it all right here. We publish everything that comes to our mailbox.
This is where our readers and writers get to talk to each other.
Enjoy!
From Patrick J., Armagh, IRELAND:
RE THE RUC THEY HAVEN'T GONE AWAY
YET AGAIN WE HAVE BIASED AMERICANS STICKING THEIR NOSES INTO NORTHERN IRELAND'S PROBLEMS, MIND YOU THE DOUBLE STANDARDS DISPLAYED BY IRISH AMERICANS WHEN COMMENTING ON THE ROYAL ULSTER CONSTABULARY WHEN COMPARED TO AMERICAN POLICE RASCISM AND BRUTALITY IS LAUGHABLE GIVEN THAT QUITE A LOT A THEM ARE IRISH AMERICAN.DO I HAVE TO MENTION THE TOILET BRUSH INCIDENT OR THE PERSISTENT RASCISM DISPLAYED BY THE NEW YORK POLICE AGAINST BLACKS OR DARE I SAY IT RODNEY KING, THE LIST IS ENDLESS. BUT HEY WHO CARES ABOUT BLACKS AS LONG AS IT THE BRUTAL BRITISH POLICE OPPRESSING THE POOR WHINGEING IRISH.
AMERICANS SHOULD LOOK IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS BEFORE COMMENTING ON NORTHERN IRELAND.YOU FORGOT TO MENTION THAT OVER 300 POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY IRISH REPUBLICANS IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS WITH THOUSANDS INJURED. CATHOLIC POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN TARGETTED ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION.IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT NORTHERN IRELAND GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT AND DO NOT INDULGE IN BLATANT REPUBLICAN PROPAGANDA WHICH STUPID GULLABLE AMERICANS MIGHT SWALLOW BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES WHO REPRESENT TERRORISTS THE REST OF US WILL NOT.
IRISHMAN, PROTESTANT AND PROUD OF THE RUC
From Michael F., (NO CITY PROVIDED), CANADA:
Thanks for setting everybody straight on the RUC. Next, we disband the LAPD and put the Bloods and Crips in charge of law and order. Fun !
From Paolo L., (NO CITY PROVIDED,) ITALY:
Dear Mr. Powers,
I'm writing from Italy: I'm a Tv host and tomorrow I'm supposed to introduce the song "Tenderly" in my daily musical show which is a big hit out here (I'm in my 4th season.)
Unfortunately I don't have any clue on the story of how this song was born and how Rosemary Clooney picked it up. Do you have any info on its story ? Thank you for all you can do and, please, I only have twelve hours before the show. I know, I'm asking for a miracle... but one never knows. Thank you anyway and best regards
Paolo L.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob Powers was able to provide Paolo his response by the deadline for the broadcast. We aim to please. 
From Nancy M., (NO CITY PROVIDED,) USA:
Hi Rod,
I came upon your site about the Koh pha-Ngan full moon parties, and I was just wondering, do you know anything about what the Island was like before the parties? Were the Thai people happy? poor? was tourism really bad? I'm just curious about how these parties have really affected the Island.
Having been there myself last February, I noticed some good and bad things about the party. Bad being of course the drug scene difficulties and uptight authorities; the good being a good vibe and fun people.
Do you think the parties have gotten out of hand and become a little overrated? I know there are many who hold this opinion.
Anything you could let me in on to ease my curious mind would be much appreciated. And if you don't know how to answer me maybe you know of others I could contact?
thanx in advance
nancy
KIM CARTER RESPONDS:
Hi Nancy....
I picked up trail on this from Rod, the publishomo of G21 magazine.
I came upon your site about the Koh pha-Ngan full moon parties, and I was just wondering, do you know anything about what the Island was like before the parties? Were the Thai people happy? poor? was tourism really bad? I'm just curious about how these parties have really affected the Island.The whole region, up to the early 70's, had a coconut & fish economy. Samui, Tao and Phangaan islands all were dependant on coconuts for income. Socially, politically and economically, they lived much the same as the rest of Thailand.
Their attitude is different from the mainland Thais though, and the mainlanders will tell you this, as will the islanders. The core people here are the direct and quite immediate decendants of sea pirates. In some forms these pirates exist today (they probably work for the CIA, eh?... just joking ;-)
We are talking a level of immediate decendancy along the lines of "hi Gramps, what was it like to be a real pirate?". So this, in my opinion shows up here and there in their attitude, for better and worse like all things.
Now many of them are "coconut-millionaires", as in they sold the beachside coconut farm to the tourist developments. Good luck to them, they get to buy the kids a new pickup truck to crash each Chinese New Year, way cool eh?
Having been there myself last February, I noticed some good and bad things about the party. Bad being of course the drug scene difficulties and uptight authorities; the good being a good vibe and fun people.The drug scene was all dope, just ganja and smokin' for so long. Then the US put Thailand back on the "most wanted drug country list". The King here freaked out as did the government. The nice DEA guys said "just start bustin' dem hippies out on dem goddamned beaches for christ's sake will ya?". Like, leave the big stuff to us. That WAS the order, I got that "first hand"... let the smack boats go to HK and just bust dopers....
So now it is not cool to smoke dope openly at the parties. Far easier and much, much safer to use pills. Uppers, downers, diet pills, who gives a flyin' fuck, eh? You can buy them off the freakin' cops half the time. Burn out your liver you know? But light up a spliff and you ain't going to buy your way out, it's off to the monkey farm or else the big DEA dudes come in to Bkk and kick butt back up at Thai Narcs HQ. So it goes...
The parties are, from what I hear first hand from my spouse who attends these affairs (I myself decline such base entertainment). She informs me that the last party she went to, just some weeks ago, was a fine affair indeed with everybody having a good time, a few smokes up the bushes, plenty of local whishhhky and some herbal stuff she reckons kept her awake all night, some pepper plant bean or something cooked up like a cup of java. They danced 'till sunup so she says. Then swam in the sea. All way cool and trippy apparantly.
overrated? I know there are many who hold this opinion.Depends, eh? Me? I party on the inside, so any external partying becomes somewhat boring ;-)
Some folks likes it some folks don't.
Anything you could let me in on to ease my curious mind would be much ...
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1. Sleep long and well the night before the night.
2. Eat a big, heavy breakfast that day.
3. Eat a big, fruity salady kind of vege and some meat and bread type lunch. Plenty fruit juice.
4. Have a big oily dinner, like some good khao paad (fried rice). If drinking that night, wash this dinner down with at least one Singha Beer.
5. Don't start too early... the big food will keep you going all night.
6. If you are drinking alcohol all night, add more oil to dinner above. Even drink a spoonfull or two of oil of some kind to line ye' guts son!
7. If you take pills, make sure you know (i) what you are doing (ii) who you got them off (iii) and what to do if you fuck up on them somehow - it can always happen.
8. If you smoke dope, don't. If you have to smoke dope, don't purchase it on Phangaan. Get it on Samui or somewhere else.
9. If you smoke dope, carry it stuffed right, way, way up into your crutch - they rarely if ever search there - don't work for the dogs though, if they got dogs you be a goner mate!
10. If you smoke dope, don't smoke in the open - right in folks faces... piss off downwind from everybody, hit the bushes, climb a hill, swim out to sea, whatever, just don't smoke publicly.
11. Watch that wind direction, OK?
12. That's all.
13. Good luck.
...appreciated. And if you don't know how to answer me maybe you know of others I could contact?Read Up Time:
regards
cya
cay
p;-)
From Diamond D., Higganum, CT, USA:
I have five words for you Rod.
*"You are the fuckin' man!"*
....
sweet
From "Kojak, Jr." (NO CITY PROVIDED), USA:
I am currently trying to locate any and all information with regard to a Teapot that was made in England and it states onÝ Top " FOR ENGLAND AND DEMOCRACY"Ý it also has a marking on the underside which has the Flag & a Lion contained within the loops of a rope...I am told this is possiblyÝ a "staffordshire knot mark" it also states World War ll .....made in ENGLANDÝÝ and statesÝ ESCORTED TO U. S. AÝ by Royal Navy....the pot is hand painted and numbered.....in immaculate condition...... Ý The personÝ I emailed had this to say ..... Ý At the start of WWII the vast majority of the American people were against any involvement in another European based war.Ý The US government at that time recognized the need to support Great Britian and its allies in the fight against Hitler and entered into propoganda campaign to turn the attitude of the people.Ý I think the teapot you have may be an example of pieces produced at that time to aid with that propoganda. Ý The backstamp (marks on bottom) you describe is a typical staffordshire knot mark.Ý This kind of mark was used byÝnumerous factories at that time but I am unable to identify a specific factory from the description you sent. Ý Would you possibly know anyhthing about this itemÝ ? if not perhaps you could advise on how I could locate information to help me find it's origin......Is it possible a museum might be interested in this item ? Ý Any information would be appreciated..... Thank YouÝÝ Please respond to:ÝÝ kojakjr@bellsouth.net
From NATIONAL WRITERS UNION, USA:
Forwarded from NWU in the States message follows ------- Hello NWU members:
The immigration authorities in Kupang, West Timor, under the control of the Indonesian military of course, have now determined that journalist Allan Nairn should be tried because his visa expired and for violating a military ban for entering Indonesia and East Timor. The trial may take place within days, before the UN forces arrive; he could get as much as 10 years.
Phone calls and faxes are urgently needed to protest incarcerating and prosecuting a reporter. If you can call Immigration directly in Kupang, the number is 011 62 380 831 880.
Also faxes to: His Excellency Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie President,
Republic of Indonesia
Office of the President
Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No. 17
Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 778 182
The U.S. Embassy in Jarkata should be faxed also, but I don't have that number; if anyone does, please send it along.
Other importnat numbers are
It is really urgent to call and/or send those faxes immediately. Thanks.
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