Friday Funnies

Hi,

We woke up to what appeared to be a cooler day. Ha, then the sun peaked and the day baked. We hung out, the dogs got baths, and then we swam. What a day. Chiang Rai remains calm and peaceful, while Bangkok is seeing Red.

Our most recent song was "Light My Fire" by The Doors. A ton of mail came in from far and wide. Now let's see how well you do with 'Old School Friday'. This time I'm goin' way back. "__ __ __ __, to love you dear. __ __ __ __, to hold you near. __ __ __ __, to squeeze you dear, that's why I love you so." Hint: The year is 1956, and every house party had this record. When it came on, the lights went down, and couples danced real slow. The group was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 2004. I don't expect many of you kids to know this one.

For some reason, we didn't sleep well last night, which made getting up and doing morning things sort of tiring. There we were, at 6:15, going downstairs to start another day, feeling like staying in bed. Once I got outside with Daku, I sort of woke up. He has this routine now where he goes outside, relieves himself, and then makes a mad dash for the kitchen door. He knows his breakfast is almost ready. After he inhales his tiny meal, he's ready to go back out and play. BamBam hears us in the yard and Boot lets her out. She pounds on the door with her paw and gains entry. Sometimes she'll come out, sometimes she's ready to go upstairs. Eventually, both dogs end up chomping on rawhide bones while we have our breakfast. Then it's anybody's guess as to what will happen next.

Living in another culture can challenge one's thinking, and perspective. Right now, the news in Thailand is centered around a giant demonstration in Bangkok, that's been going on for a week. There are many levels of 'why', but the bottom line is that when one of the political parties wants change, they take to the streets to get it. The Red Shirts, as they are called, have converged on Bangkok from all over Thailand. The main boulevards in the shopping area of the city have been shut down. All the department stores are closed. At one point, the crowd approached some soldiers on one street and took three humvee vehicles from them. The soldiers had orders not to get into confrontations. When the demonstrators learned that the soldiers were not a threat, they returned the vehicles. As I've said before, it's different. The party seeking change has 10 leaders, and not all of them are on the same page. No one really knows what's going to happen, but it's changing things in the big city. Thailand has a history of dramatic governmental change, and I suppose this is just another chapter in that history.

Another little cultural note: There appears to be a village time keeper. I've noticed that every night, usually after dark, there is the sound like a hammer hitting a brake drum, on the hour. Just another thing that reminds me that I'm somewhere else.

Have a Fabulous WeekEnd. Enjoy the 'Funnies' from my friend Barry.

Peace,
Danny
Being homeless these days is more competitive than ever. Only the most clever and creative signs are going to get people to let go of their precious spare change. Here are a few unique signs:

"Wife has been kidnapped! I'm short .98 cents for ransom"

"Time Traveller, Help ! Need $$ for new Flux Capacitor"

"Homeless Jedi" (Dressed in Black Hooded Robe)

"Why lie, I need a cold beer."

"Betcha can't hit me with a quarter."

"Britney's sister is going to have a baby and I need money for a nice gift."

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
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