Skytrooper

wombat, It doesn't take much of a beach to beat any in South Dakota. It's quite a hike to an ocean from here. But that name ... mooloolalabeach? I suppose that's to be expected from the descendants of penally-transported English highwaymen. Personally, I'll pass on the beach in exchange for some really nice gun stores here in Sioux Falls. Patches of sand alongside bodies of saltwater aren't uncommon. Bastions of personal freedom are, lamentably, increasingly rare in this world. Babepecker, You've never asked my permission before when posting links in an effort to obfuscate things. Once you finally grasp the English word "forgery," I'll start paying attention to your ramblings about English usage. There's a "Croatian" language? Whoever would have guessed? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- America is at that awkward stage. It’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. — Claire Wolfe, 101 Things to Do ‘til the Revolution (1996) I am mortified to be told that, in the United States of America, the sale of a book can become a subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too. — Thomas Jefferson Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. — Daniel Webster

VikingInOz, I asked you which word you objected to ... Norwegian, socialist or chum, and you never replied. Why should I bother to answer your questions when you lack the courtesy to respond to mine? Feel free to disparage South Dakota in general, and Sioux Falls in particular, whenever you desire. My wife is the South Dakotan; I'm a political refugee from the tyranny of the People's Republic of California. Where did you get the peculiar notion that Sioux Falls is the "centre of the universe?" I merely pointed out that residing in the heart of Sioux Falls isn't quite the same as living "in the woods." I realize Europeans such as sinbinjack and you are weak on geography and topography, but there are precious few "woods" in eastern South Dakota. You, instruct me, in English? That's almost as funny as a Norwegian statist such as yourself offering a course on Objectivism, marksmanship, or individual liberty. Are you aware your posts have been even more bizarre than usual recently? Hello raykaytat, Actually the "demise of gun ownership in Great Britain" started in 1919, not 1987. That was when your aristocratic rulers decided commoners couldn’t be trusted with privately-held arms. They were concerned the communist revolution in Russia would be embraced by lowly peasants in the UK. Not one American in ten has more than a brief familiarity with U.S. history, so I shouldn’t expect things to be any better across the pond. In December 1994, while aboard the cruise ship Crown Princess, I was paired up with an Englishman as my scuba dive buddy. He owned some "properly registered" pistols and scoffed when I told him that handguns and semiauto long guns would soon be banned in his country. He assured me I was "daft" and that would never happen in freedom-loving Great Britain. I'm still waiting for an apology from him and from numerous now gun-less (and gutless) Australians who once told me the same thing about Kangarooland. Actually, you did have a “choice†when it came to surrendering your firearms. I regret you made the wrong decision. It took a couple dozen SWAT cops and federal agents gathered from three states to seize my gun collection and that was when they knew I was unarmed. It’s going to be interesting to see how well they fare when I’m not unarmed and they're not holding my wife hostage at gunpoint. I’m not sure how a person may be financially “compensated†for the perpetual deprivation of their most precious unalienable individual right. If John Locke were alive today, I don’t think he’d be too pleased with you chaps. I know Patrick Henry would be infuriated with the ignorant, apathetic, domesticated animals that comprise most contemporary Americans. If most of my craven fellow countrymen were any more docile, they’d give milk. I wish you luck using your bird, Olive, and/or your anemic air rifle against vicious hoodlums or government orcs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A man’s natural rights are his own, against the whole world; and any infringement of them is equally a crime, whether committed by one man, or by millions; whether committed by one man calling himself a robber, (or by any other name indicating his true character,) or by millions, calling themselves a government. — Lysander Spooner, No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority (1867) I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes, believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it. — Judge Learned Hand

Babepecker, When I suggested you study the meaning of the word "disingenuous," I wasn't encouraging you to behave in a disingenuous manner. I realize such conduct evidently comes natural to you. BTW, is VikingInOz, your Norwegian socialist chum, objecting to my referring to him as your "chum" or isn't he really Norwegian? You know how much trouble I have understanding European statists. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Highest art in the world cannot guild socialism. It is impossible to make beautiful the denial of liberty. — Auberon Herbert It is sobering to reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence. — Charles A. Beard The saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time. — George Sutherland, 1938

Originally posted by sinbinjack: 1. I’m not sure living in the heart of the metropolis of Sioux Falls constitutes “in the woods,†but then veracity obviously doesn’t rank high among your traits. 2. Why is it that pro-government supremacists invariably allege their adversaries live in “compounds?†The Weaver family’s cabin in remote northern Idaho was labeled a “compound.†Mount Carmel Center near Waco, Texas inexplicably became a “compound.†I suppose your ilk finds it essential to demonize and dehumanize people who resist your predations. 3. There’s nothing unusual about members I expose as having written misstatements and fallacious assertions choosing to “ignore†my posts. People capable of ignoring the U.S. Constitution and the concept of unalienable individual rights have no difficulty disregarding reason, history, and moral behavior. 4. You willingly acquiesce in the deprivation of your own personal freedom, choosing to endure life with only government-bestowed “privileges†which may be curtailed or revoked at the whim of a bureaucrat or majoritarian caprice. Lenin referred to people such as yourself as “useful idiots.†5. The U.S. government already stole several years of my life and impoverished my family, but I suppose that was all an illusion. When I see Randy Weaver again next month, I’ll explain that federal agents didn’t really shoot his 14 year-old son in the back and an FBI sniper didn’t really shoot his wife in the head as she stood holding her baby in the doorway of the family “compound.†Thank you for clearing that up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Those who sell their liberty for security are understandable, if pitiable, creatures. Those who sell the liberty of others for wealth, power, or even a moment’s respite, deserve only the end of a rope. America’s historic misfortune is that her people have seldom been equal to the ideals upon which their nation was established. — L. Neil Smith, “Memoirs of Lucille G. Kropotkin,†The American Zone (2001) The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground. — Thomas Jefferson “...Where true fortitude dwells, loyalty, bounty, friendship, and fidelity may be found.... Small and creeping things are the product of petty souls.... Pitiful things are only to be found in the cottages of such breasts. But bright thoughts, clear deeds, constancy, fidelity, bounty, and generous honesty are the gems of noble minds....†— Browne, “The Heroic Mindâ€

Originally posted by sinbinjack: I never referred to "lend lease" during World War II in my post you objected to. I referred to the ads the British government (specifically the Committee for the Defence of British Homes) published in U.S. newspapers and magazines in 1940 begging American private citizens to donate their personal firearms for shipment to Englishmen who'd foolishly allowed their government to disarm them. This had nothing to do with Lend Lease which was an act of Congress. BTW, to use your word, are you "STUPID?" That would account for your abysmal ignorance and atrocious spelling. Originally posted by sinbinjack: 1. Since the right to keep and bear arms is the greatest individual liberty a free people may possess then, yes, I am "asserting that guns and freedom go hand in hand." Every act of genocide was committed against a disarmed population. Your knowledge of history is on a par with your reasoning ability and spelling skills. 2. If you're under the delusion I think contemporary America "is a land of limitless freedoms" and that our Bill of Rights isn't generally ignored then you've obviously never read most of my posts in the Member's Only section of this board. I happen to be this board's harshest critic of the U.S. government (and the ignorant, docile, apathetic American populace). I'm routinely vilified for my opinions. My criticism of the USA, however, is based upon drastically different premises than that made by the Eurotrash, Aussies, and Canadians here. Originally posted by Babepecker: I never gave the definition of "liberty" you falsely attributed to me. I understand you still haven't got a handle on the English language yet, but I wish you'd cease prevaricating and fabricating when you find yourself in an untenable position. Liberty and freedom are not synonymous. Liberty is a "political condition," just as I stated, not simply a "freedom of movement" as you allege. Here's your English word to study today: Disingenuous. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. — Thomas Jefferson The great object is that every man be armed... Everyone who is able may have a gun. — Patrick Henry, 1788 The term [liberty] ... denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, to establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his/her own conscience.... The established doctrine is that this liberty may not be interfered with, under the guise of protecting public interest, by legislative action.... Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390, 399-400 (1923).

Originally posted by Eneukman: 1. I addressed this very point in exhaustive detail long ago in the OT forum. 2. Ignoring the concept of unalienable individual rights (which comes all too easy for your ilk), there is no way on Earth to legislate guaranteed safety. For every person killed by some malefactor with a firearm, here in the USA far more lives have been saved by the presence of decent armed individuals. See (once again) The Bias Against Guns by Professor John R. Lott, Jr. 3. There is perhaps no more reprehensible notion than that the liberty of all people must be abrogated because of the criminal misdeeds of a relative few. That assertion is the cornerstone of every form of tyranny in history. For someone who professes he's not "stupid," why do you persist in trying to convince me otherwise? 4. I'm confident the parents you referred to are only too willing to allow emotion and wishful thinking to supercede facts and objective cognition. The fact many people are irrational and only too willing to sacrifice freedom for the illusion of safety is no basis for me to abandon reason and respect for unalienable individual rights. Do you propose banning alcoholic drinks in the UK because of the instances where 5 and 6 year-old children were killed by drunk drivers? That's what I thought. 5. If you and other Britons prefer to suffer under the bizarre delusion that you're safer having rendered yourself unarmed and helpless, then only a person of little wit may excuse you. I'm sure hoodlums in the UK appreciate your views on victim disarmament. If you expect millions of Americans to ignore history and reality then you're seriously mistaken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. — William Pitt, before the House of Commons, 18 November 1783. There can be no compromise between freedom and government controls; to accept “just a few controls†is to surrender the principle of inalienable individual rights and to substitute for it the principle of the government’s unlimited, arbitrary power, thus delivering oneself into gradual enslavement. — Ayn Rand The whole of the Bill [of Rights] is a declaration of the rights of the people at large... It establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of. — Albert Gallatin, 7 October 1789

Babepecker, Liberty is the political condition of personal freedom. Your notion I enjoyed "liberty within my mind" while being confined in a cage in a federal gulag for over five years for having exercised my unalienable individual rights of unhindered political speech and possession of arms is absurd, even for you. When accosted by vicious hoodlums, whether the private variety or government goons, you may choose to be unarmed and helpless ... I do not. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Laws that forbid the carrying of arms ... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes ... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. — Cesare Beccaria ... arms ... discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property.... Horrid mischief would ensue were [decent people] deprived the use of them. — Thomas Paine We find it perplexing that there are people who do not realize that a right may be neither granted nor withdrawn by the State. If the Bill of Rights were repealed, the right to keep and bear arms would still exist, since it was to defend that right that the Constitution was established. (See the Declaration of Independence.) Thus the state may destroy me, but it may not rescind my right to self-defense. This all seems pretty clear, but frequently I find people who do not understand it. — Jeff Cooper, LTC, USMC (Ret).

Originally posted by M1903: 1. It’s “neighborhood,†not “neighboorhood.†It’s “Beretta,†not “Baretta.†It’s “graduate,†not “garduate.†It’s “degrees,†not “degress.†It's "buy," not "but." Let’s see if I understand this right. You have two graduate degrees yet exhibit worse spelling and punctuation than many third graders. Those must have been some university graduate schools you attended. I trust your “great job†isn’t teaching English. 2. I have no idea whether you’re a redneck or not, but willingly carrying a .32 ACP for a “back up†pistol is one notch less “dumb†than packing a .25 ACP. You can afford a Saturn, but you keep a Chicom SKS in the trunk. Hmmm. 3. “You have no need for a gun ... except for hunting and target practice.†Sarah Brady, Dianne Feinstein, Charles Schumer ... allow me to introduce M1903. He shares your amoral political beliefs. Originally posted by sinbinjack: 1. I’ve previously refuted such pusillanimous twaddle already in the Off Topic and General Chat forum in the Member’s Only board and, for the sake of brevity and JohnnyK’s nerves, will not repeat most of it here. 2. Your illusion of safety under the UK’s oppressive anti-freedom laws is contradicted by objective reality and your own government’s artfully crafted crime statistics. “Hot†burglary rates in the UK have skyrocketed under your victim disarmament laws and are much higher than in the USA. BTW, many English police carry guns, far more than decades ago when decent Britons were "allowed" to possess arms for their own self-preservation. 3. Kindly do not beg American gun owners to send their privately-held firearms to equip the docilely unarmed English populace as you blokes did in 1940. In the future, live with the consequences of your own stupidity and learn German, Russian, or whatever language your conquerors speak. 4. I’ve never been able to fathom why anyone with three or more functioning brain cells thinks they’re safer due to laws which render them unarmed and helpless, but then none of my degrees are in Abnormal Psychology. BTW, what is a “villanâ€[sic] and what does one “look like?†Evidently you attended the same schools as M1903. 5. Yes, millions of us in America will "keep our guns." In doing so, we'll retain some vestige of individual liberty. Something you cretins across the pond abandoned long ago. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave. — Andrew Fletcher, 1698 Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. — William Pitt, before the House of Commons, 18 November 1783. The power of the sword, say the minority of Pennsylvania, is in the hands of Congress. My friends and countrymen, it is not so, for THE POWERS OF THE SWORD ARE IN THE HANDS OF THE YEOMANRY OF AMERICA FROM SIXTEEN TO SIXTY. The militia of these free commonwealths, entitled and accustomed to their arms, when compared to any possible army must be tremendous and irresistible. Who are these militia? [A]re they not our selves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American .... [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people. — Tench Coxe, Pennsylvania Gazette, February 20, 1788. The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it. — Thomas Jefferson

There's nothing "silly" about preferring an in-room safe. Many hotels with safe deposit boxes at the reception counter have restricted access to only certain hours; usually no access late at night or early in the morning. If you need access to your stored items for any reason during this period, even an unplanned early check-out, you're out of luck. An in-room safe is far more convenient, especially for securing items while a TG is present, not necessarily for protection from hotel employees. While hotel management no doubt has a universal code or key that provides access to in-room safes, it's pure speculation to think such access is available to any cleaning maid. ________________________________________________________________________________________ If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. — John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859)

There are at least two laundries across the street from the Residence Garden. I used the one closer to Jomtien and was very satisfied with the prices and service. The ladies working there don't speak a great deal of English, but they're friendly, reliable, and do a good job.

When I flew to LOS on EVA Air last month, a woman had a small (and noisy) dog in a mesh bag with her. If they allow a small dog, I don't see why they wouldn't allow a cat. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. — H. L. Mencken There is only one thing which gathers people for sedition, and that is oppression. — John Locke The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. — Plato

I've tried to avoid posting to this thread, but laffnliv's twaddle is just too much to endure. jackcorbett, If you do a Google search using the key words "Thailand firearms importation" you will get 5,390 entries pertaining to this subject. I just read through the first ten, all of which (predictably) contradict laffnliv. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's website says, "Importation of firearms and ammunition can be done only after a permit has been obtained from the Police Department or the Local Registration Office." A Thai Customs website mentions that firearms and ammunition owned by tourists "may be brought in free of duty." At least once in my memory, the IPSC World Championships were held in Thailand by private citizens bringing in their personally-owned handguns and ammunition. I'm sure if you do a Google search using different key words, you'll find plenty of information relating to the possession and ownership of firearms inside Thailand, beyond the mere importation details. Originally posted by jackcorbett: I'm sure the criminals in your area appreciate your enlightened opinion on victim disarmament. Originally posted by laffnliv: Allow me to refresh your memory. The last time you were so negative occurred on December 8, 2004 at 02:36 AM in the Off Topic and General Chat forum. BTW, none of the ex-pats I know living in Thailand and owning firearms there have ever been the victim of a burglary or robbery. But then I'm confident that we don't have the same friends. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ We must confine ourselves to the powers described in the Constitution, and the moment we pass it, we take an arbitrary stride towards a despotic Government. — James Jackson, first U.S. Congress The great object is that every man be armed... Everyone who is able may have a gun. — Patrick Henry, 1788

Originally posted by randolpho2: Congratulations on your good fortune. I stayed on the 5th floor last December (with one TV) and in suite #204 last month (with two TVs). Both suites had a regular size minibar, not a full-size refrigerator or the three-quarter size one pictured in RG's ad. I specifically asked for a larger refrigerator when I made my reservation. When I inquired at the front desk why there was only a minibar vs. the larger refrigerator in their ad, I might as well have been speaking Martian. When I checked in, the tiny freezer compartment was a solid block of ice with no ice tray. I pointed this out to the maid and tipped her to take care of the problem. Returning a few hours later, I discovered she simply unplugged the minibar. Since I was unwilling to go without a refrigerator for a couple days, I boiled water and used it to thaw out the compartment in a few minutes. I generally like the RG, but I want prospective guests to be aware of what they might encounter.

Last year, there was only a TV in the living room. Now, there are two TVs in each suite, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Unfortunately, both times I stayed at the RG, the refrigerator was only a standard minibar, not the larger version shown in their ad.

While I like the RG, the location is inconvenient, especially if you prefer to walk. Baht buses frequently pass by the hotel's entrance. It's a snap catching a baht bus to Jomtien, but, as panasonic noted, sometimes the buses en route from Jomtien to 2d Road are full. Also, you may have to wait several minutes at 2d Road for a Jomtien-bound bus to fill up with passengers before it departs. If you're annoyed by noise, be advised that the RG's main pool is adjacent to the busy Jomtien road and there's plenty of noise from traffic. There's another pool behind one of RG's two buildings, but Mermaid Divers frequently uses it for training new scuba divers. RG's written rules are contained in a book present in every suite. The rules state: "Guests: Are not allowed in the suites after 11 PM. Joiner fee: Your 1-bedroom suite is good for 2 persons, and 2-bedroom suites are good for 4 persons. Unless otherwise agreed with management." These rules are apparently not enforced as no RG employee ever checked any of my TGs' ID, let alone objected to them going to my room.

Since the mediocre food is the same, the additional space (especially legroom) is the main difference. If you're short then it may not be worth the extra bucks. At 6'1", I greatly appreciated the additional legroom, particularly on the long flight between LA and Taipei. On my return flights, the Evergreen Deluxe section had far more open seats than in Economy making it easier to position yourself so another passenger didn't have to climb over you to get to the latrine, interrupting your sleep. Unfortunately, I've never been able to sleep aboard an aircraft unless I was wearing a helmet, rifle, LBE, two parachutes, and a rucksack.

Babepecker, I made my previous post in the open forum as a service for people considering EVA Evergreen Deluxe. Did your mother raise you to be an informer or is that just your natural inclination? I will be sure and not post a trip report. It would be refreshing if you'd reserve your venom against me for the Member's Only forums.

Based on the positive comments posted on this board, I just completed a trip to LOS using EVA Evergreen Deluxe. At 6'1", the extra leg space compared to Economy was worth the additional premium. I flew from LA to Taipei to Bangkok then back and all four flights were on a 747-400. I was amazed at how much cargo was unloaded from the 747 at LAX. On the first long leg, my section had several crying infants and the Chinese woman in the window seat adjacent to mine had a weak bladder so she was off to the latrine every 45-60 minutes. On the second shorter flight to BKK, a woman had a small dog in a mesh bag that barked incessantly. I arrived at the Bangkok airport 2.5 hours before my scheduled departure only to discover my 12:35 PM flight had been delayed to 4 PM. There was a long check-in line as many people had to change flights to other airlines to avoid missing connections. The delay ("aircraft rotation" was the excuse offered) caused me to have to take a later flight from Taipei which put me into LA 5 hours late. While I enjoyed the extra space in Evergreen Deluxe, especially on the return flights when the section had many open seats, I wasn't impressed by the food. The first dinner (shrimp) was OK, but the other five meals were mediocre. Even for airline food, EVA's chicken and the one fried fish meal I had were poor. The best part of two meals were small cups of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. The slender Chinese flight attendants on EVA are certainly easier on the eyes than the matrons employed by Northwest.

When I visited LOS last December, I asked several tour companies in Pattaya about visiting the Khao Kheow Open Zoo/Aviary. None of them had tours to visit this ostensibly huge zoo and aviary; some professed to have never heard of what is supposed to be a major tourist attraction. The tour desk clerk at Residence Garden hotel quoted me a price to visit Khao Kheow zoo that was higher than a round-trip taxi ride to Bangkok. Has anyone here visited Khao Kheow or have any information about a good way to visit it?

Babepecker, Drunk? High? I thought you didn't drink alcohol to excess or use illicit drugs. Hmmm. I'm shocked ... just shocked at this revelation.

LBJ, thank you for your post telling us about Northwest's cash and miles special fares. It wasn't "old news" to me. Unfortunately, when I went to NWA's website and entered numerous flight dates in August, nothing was available at the "special fares." Drat! As much as I dislike flying on NWA, this would have been a good deal.

I heartily concur with Babepecker's and cybers1b's recommendation of the Omni Tower, but I don't see how that would be possible on an 800-1,000 baht budget. I just checked Omni's website for a week in mid-August and their lowest rate was a studio at 1,760 baht per day. That's 220 baht less than Asia Travel wants, but far more than this gentleman is willing to spend. It is, however, a very nice place to stay in Bangkok. Spacious suites with kitchen facilities, girl friendly staff, and an excellent location.

The website is www.cathay-usa.com The offer is not just for LAX-BKK and JFK-BKK, it is also good for SFO-BKK. When I priced a trip SFO-BKK for September, the total fare including taxes came to $685.50. You don't receive AA frequent flyer miles with this offer, but it's a good price.