Archive for 200630 results found.Christmas wasn't that painful
Doesn't Christmas freak you out a little? Doesn't it seem weird that this is the "holiday" season, but for most people it doesn't feel like a holiday? I'm assuming that more than half of Canada is stressing out at this time trying to figure out what presents to buy and for who. Maybe it's because of the 3 … Read more → It's getting festive!
The holiday season is upon us and its getting crazy in the streets (and in the malls). Bangkok, seemingly the consumer capital of the world, is in full swing with sales here, deals there, and shopping everywhere. It's still a little strange to see Christmas decorations all over the city, especially when it's 25C outside. And just to emphasize, … Read more → What's upNeeded a laugh and these spots always cracks me up….So what’s up with you? If you know of any commercials or short clips that are funny, let me know. You don’t have to send me the clips, but if you have a link to them, please let me know. Otherwise, just tell me about the spot and I’ll look for it myself. I’m always ready for a laugh. Say Cheese!
The last couple of weekends have been interesting spending time with friends and going around taking photos. I don't think I've ever taken so many photos in a span of a couple of weeks… I actually filled up my memory card (roughly 500 pictures). It's encouraging to have people around who are as "snap-happy" as myself. I've … Read more → I might FAIL!
The past week has been an interested one. The only downer to this week was finding out that I might fail one of my courses. The professor has given me a second chance to try to pass the course, but I'm still dumbstruck by the email he sent me … Read more → Crazy weather, everywhere…First, residents of Vancouver were asked to boil their tap water before drinking it because wind storms was wreaking havoc along the Pacific for the past couple weeks stirring up a lot of dirt and minerals in the local reservoirs. Now, the city is under a heavy snow warning. After hearing about this news from friends and family, I thought I'd get online and see if I could find some images of snowy Vancouver. This … Read more → A low-key, yet eventful Birthday weekend
Birthdays are a strange phenomena… other than the physical indication that you're getting older (i.e. a little more white hairs, aching body parts, etc.), you wouldn't realize it was your birthday. i've come to realize that its letting people know of your birthday that makes it a special day. It's this day that everyone celebrates your birth, or life. Without any indication, this day can pass without much hoorah or festivities. I … Read more → Sir, can I have some more?
In any country, McDonald's usually has one burger or meal that caters towards the local McDonald's loving population. In Thailand, this takes form in the McRice Burger… does that sound tasty to you? Having spent a total of about 2 years in Thailand, this was the first time I can remember eating a McDonald's meal (maybe the other times were just too tramatic). Just like eating any other McDonald's meal, I wasn't surprised when I … Read more → Holy hayfever, batman!Who would've guessed you can get hayfever in Bangkok. First, there's no real drastic changes to seasons. I mean, basically the city has a wet, dry and hot season, where temperatures range from 25-38 degrees C… Sure its not so humid now but why all of sudden are all the symptom of being back in Canada in the spring now affecting me here in Bangkok… …my nose is dripping like a leaky faucet, i can't feel my eyes because I've itched them … Read more → Banana-leaf-boats
Yesterday was the Loy Krathong festival in Thailand. This is where people get to the nearest body of water and drop a little banana leaf boat to pay respect to their ancestors and make offerings to the water (god?). Had a chance to make my own banana boat… it didn't really help my confidence level to have the thai person beside me helping me… i mean mocking me the whole time I was putting … Read more → One week to go
I best get my a$$ moving and start finishing this paper for one of my uni courses. The subjects a little heavy… the link between propaganda and democracy. If you're interested, go and read a bit of Noam Chomsky's stuff – he'll set you straight. Basically, I'm arguing that democracies, like authoritarian governments or dictatorships, used the media/press to manipulate people and to sell their message. The topic's a little touchy… I think … Read more → Bowling with elephants
So what does this PICTURE have anything to do with bowling? Not much, really… except that these girls came out and starting busting a move. Maybe it’s some entertainment while we bowl, but once these girls came out, no one was really in the mood to bowl. For a second, I wasn’t sure if I was back in the redlight district… Had a chance to “let my hair” … Read more → Your "trusted" news source.So if you’ve been following the news lately, its a scary thought to think that another country has nuclear weapons… shouldn’t there be less countries with nukes? I mean, after the whole Cold War period and talk about reducing the stockpile of nukes, the US still is leading the way. Well, with recent live tests of nukes in N. Korea, its a scary thought that we might be headed for another arms race… or are we? I'm drowning 'ere!So it's been raining in Bangkok, and pretty much all of Thailand for the past month. And, its getting worse. As I'm sitting here typing, it's pouring rain! Ok, the word "pouring" is an understatement… let's just say you're sitting comfortably at home infront of your computer reading your emails (or this blog) and, what's that?, a swimming pool is hovering above you… got that picture in your head? Yeah? Good. Ok, now let's say that swimming pool by all … Read more → Bangkok's infamous reputation
So I had a chance to finally checkout Bangkok's redlight district(S)… yes there is more than one area. Ok, so I've passed through these areas before, its really not hard to miss because they are usually located in commercial/business areas or even near residential areas. I guess if you're going to these places, you want to have access to hotels, etc. where you can "sample" the services.
Getting out to see the "new" Bangkok So have you heard? Bangkok has a new international airport called Suvarnabhumi… actually the airport is not in Bangkok anymore – it's in the next province to the southeast called Samut Prakan. The airport is definitely much more modern than the old Don Mueang with high ceilings, a minimalist German industrial design, and lots more natural lighting… BUT it's still very thai in the way that things operate. You … Read more → Say goodbye…to Canada's international youth programsTreasury Board Axes International Youth Programs Embassy, September 27th, 2006FEATUREBy Brian Adeba As the Conservative government tightens its purse strings this week by slashing $2 billion from federal programs initiated by the former Liberal government, organizations involved in administering an international internship program for youth are raising alarm bells about the possible negative effects of severing understanding between Canada and the rest of the world. The government says it has saved $10.2 million by terminating the International Youth Internship Program, while … Read more → All is swell…Nothing new to report on the coup… the military is still out and about guarding places here and there. Can't complain that this is the most peaceful coup I've been in, or the only one for that matter… hmm… being in Kosovo or Macedonia had a little more excitment than this. But I can't complain – no blood and gore is a GOOD thing.
More on Thailand's "revolution"
For the past couple of days, the coup has been all over the news here in Thailand and on the web. They've even brought back CNN and BBC… most of the censorship, I suppose was to give the military time to organize and figure out what they wanted to do. Even as I write, I've heard that the military is already in the rural areas, where there … Read more → The Military's In-ChargeIf you haven't seen the news, there was a military coup and the military has taken over the government and now controls the country. It sounds more dire than it actually is. Movie: An Inconvenient Truth Whether Al Gore is using his movie “An Inconvenient Truth” for his strategy to campaign for the next US presidency is up in the air (he hasn’t said that he’s running in the next election, and he hasn’t completely denied – politicians, eh!). Whatever he decides, go watch this movie. Not to support his campaign (maybe) but to get educated a little about the whole global … Read more → That's one big sign… how are you "feeling"?
Follow the white rabbit…If you have time to kill this weekend, you might want to follow the white rabbit ala The Matrix… a pretty cool and interactive advertising campaign by Volkswagon which will take you through some interesting websites… you can join the adventure at http://www.urbanjunkies.com/adventure/ Or if you don't have the time (for the adventure or to read any books), I would highly recommend the Book A Minute website… It's hilarious! Just pick a book or author you know about and you'll … Read more → Animals lose a friend
So intribute to the … Read more → Who's vain? Not me…So I've been told that I don't have enough pictures of myself on this blog thing… I guess people must be sick and tired of seeing pictures of landscapes and scenery. How boring can that be, eh? But hey it's hard trying to take pictures of myself when I'm using the person holding the camera. So what you'll find is that all these pictures are taken by someone else.
Europe allows only 20kgIf you ever want to go to Europe, the first thing I'd recommend you do is check your baggage weight limit. I think ANY flights to Europe will allow you to check in baggages weighing a TOTAL of 20kg (yep, that's the total of the two bags you're allowed to checkin). To make things more confusing, I think you're allowed a maximum limit of 32kg for one bag. So basically, if one of your bags weighs over 32kg, you'll have … Read more → Computers and courses… (Sigh)
Getting back to the routine
Coca Cola turns BLAK
Langauge BarriersSo I've been trying to sign up for various courses in Bangkok, which have been advertised in English, but guess what, when I call or email the people in charge, they tell me the course is in Thai. My Thai isn't that great but it's not that bad either, so I think if I tried hard enough I'd be able to follow along with the course. If the course was free, I'd definitely do it – instead it's … Read more → |
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(Scary looking dwarf under a Citibank-sponsored Christmas Tree beside the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel) 
(Joking around with friends while we wait for our food and drinks at Sofa Cafe/Bar)
(A close up of me and my friend during a bicycling trip at Ancient City)
(Wat Rakang at sunset while taking a stroll through my old stomping grounds and where I lived when I was last in Bangkok) 
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The photo on the right … 
I haven't seen much in terms of military presence or actions since I live out of the city center, but from what I've seen on the internet, it sounds pretty serious. The only thing that I've … 
I was just taking a stroll through the major shopping district in Bangkok (some of you might know it as Siam Square/Centre/Paragon) and, BAM, there's this huge Nokia sign. Cool, but a little freaky… 
Want to know what other people are "feeling"? Click on the We Feel Fine image and find out… Basically they … 
Some people might say that Steve Irwin is a crazy SOB with what he does with animals and that it might not be in their best interests… but for all it's worth, I think Steve Irwin was passionate about his work, animals and saving the environment. Irwin dies on Monday. He died doing the thing that he loved most, being up close and personal with his animal friends. 
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So I've been spending the past week trying to work out all these computer issues at work and at home. First it was red ants finding a home in my computer… don't know why but they just started to find a home in my computer. Luckily I wasn't able to get them out (hopefully all of them) and I'm keeping the bug repellent close by. I read that they are … 
Well after what feels like 3 weeks of craziness, I'm slowly getting back to my routine of eat, sleep, work, study, reading… The past week and a bit threw me off my finely-tuned system of getting as much done as possible within a 24-hour period. Not counting my social life (which coincidently enough is almost non-existant), I have two jobs (possibly 3), studying my Masters online and via … 
Coca Cola introduced a mid-calorie drink supposedly to be healthier than the original. For all the health nuts out there and for the "trendy" 20-somethings who don't want to b e seen as kids hopped up on caffeine with rotting teeth, I think Coke has found a niche market. I thought the US website was pretty boring – listing all the health benefits of the drink, … 
