Goodbye 2008

2008 was a good year and a bad year.

Most years are a mix of the two.

I started the year in Thailand, summered in off-season Palm Beach, and opened a jewelry store in the Plaza Hotel. Leaving my families in Chainat and Pattaya was bad. Seeing my loving father was good. Surviving on $50 a week from June to September was bad. Living in a mansion with a private beach was good. The economy climate in New York is bad, however Pierre of the Plaza is a good thing.

So I can deal with the good, the bad, and sometimes the in-between.

All the best to everyone for 2009

Happy 2009

HAVE A GOOD TIME FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS PARTY

Is ain't over until it's over

Some people just don't know when to call it quits, as is the case for Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed Prim Minister of Thailand. Thousands of his supporters gathered outside the parliament. Police said 20,000. PPP organziers claimed 50,000. They were demonstrating against the new PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, despite his appointment by the King. 3000 riot police watched the protest without choosing sides.

Thaksin coming from the ranks of the police is their man, however their loyalty is to the Law and the King is the Law no matter what Thaksin decided while getting his reindeer-driving license in Finland.

Santa Thaksin had nothing to say from his place of exile.

Which is where?

Switzerland?

Free Palestine

The bombing continues without abatement and everyone in the world condemns Israel except for the USA and Great Britain. I walked out of the Plaza Hotel this evening and Hannukkah celebrants were standing in Tecumseh Sherman Plaza for the lighting of the giant menorrah. The Mitvah Tank passed on 60th Street. Young children shouting out gleefully, "Happy Hannukkah."

"Happy Hannukkah and Free Palestine." I shouted from the sidewalk with a smile.

"Shut up." Someone yelled from a SUV.

"Free Palestine. Attica. 1968." That was enough. Pedestrian were staring at me as if I were crazy.

Not crazy, but angered by the lack of outrage and it's not from apathy or even antipathy.

Palestine doe4sn't even registered on American's radar.

Not when Britney Spears has the best CD of the year.

Ain't Long Now

Barack H. Obama will take the oath to be the 44th President of the USA at noon on Jan. 20, 2008 and for more Americans GW Bush's last day in office should be tomorrow, however his wife takes issue with pundits who have declared her husband's eight years in the Oval as a failure.

"History will judge his two-terms and I don't have to respond to any negative thoughts about my husband." Laura Bush said on Fox News Sunday, Mrs. Bush says she knows her husband's eight years in office was not a failure and claimed his triumphs as preventing any more attacks on the USA, the overthrow of Saddam, and offering treatment to millions of AIDS sufferers in Africa.

No one bothered to test her for oxycontin, because even Laura Bush has to admit in her heart of hearts that #43 was a total fuck-up.

And I know because I'm a fuck-up too.

Permanent Mideast Peace Plan 2008

Israel unleashed the military wing of its airline El Al on Hamas this morning . Gaza Strip authorities are reporting the heaviest casualties in years from scores of raids throughout the Hamas-ruled strip along the sea. 195 dead in revenge for the recent spate of rocket attacks from within Hamas-controlled territories, killing one Israeli and wounding several others.

"There is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in preparation for the February 10 election and intoned that the air campaign will last through the New Year.

The UN secretary called for cooler heads to prevail, as Hamas vowed a bloodbath.

Of course the only way for a true peace to exist is for Israel to retreat to the 1938 borders, but no one in Israel is contemplating this destiny. After all their lease is written by Yahweh. For ever and ever.

Of course Uncle Carmine had the best solution for the Middle East, which also solved the Cuba Question for the USA.

"What we do is propose normalization of relations with Cuba. We call off the embargo and offered Castro a major league franchise, but only on the condition that he change the name of Havana to Miami, so all the Cubans in Florida move back to Cuba, then we change the name of Miami to Jerusalem and get Disney to built a new Israel there, so the Chosen People can live in peace in the Promised Land. What could be more simple?"

I do miss Uncle Carmine.

Only 5 Days Left in 2008

Thailand's tourism board is reporting record absenteeism in the tourist ranks.

"2,000,000 are gone." One official bemoaned from his Benz.

The sex emporiums of Nana and Soi Cowboy are also feeling the absence of farangs.

One Patpong bar had only a single beer-drinker.

Jamie Parker and he wasn't buying.

"I'm only shopping to rent."

The scores of go-go girls were quick to negotiate fees harkening back to the last century and the prices will only get lower as this high season approaches the depths.

Chok Dii dancing girls.