So, I am staying in the Marriott Sukhumvit, with Lexi, it is Songkran 2017, and I mentioned to one of the ladies working here, Tara, that I would like a Songkran shirt, so I can participate in the celebration. Another Lady, Aun, she came to my table and told me she would find them for myself and Lexi. Later in the day she had secured two of these shirts! Mine did not fit, I am a very large man, so, she went looking again, then found a store that had such large sizes, but they were out of stock, so she had them order it. I got it this morning.

What kind of people do these nice things for strangers??? Well, clearly Tara and Aun do! I should also mention Kook, she was also very helpful in this.

These ladies were so nice, I must do something nice for them.

The forgotten and reviled 49%

I'm not a republican, nor am I a democrat, I go either way, depending on the particular thing being discussed. I currently pay a little over 32% of my income in income taxes, with more going to property taxes and other taxes.

That said, I hope I am speaking to the roughly 51% of Americans who are Democrats.

Y'all need to not ignore the 49% who are not Democrats. You should also not revile them. They have a right to their opinions just as you do yours! And more importantly, they got President Trump elected because they felt that you were electing people that were taking this country in a direction they didn't want it to go.

So by ignoring them and reviling them, you got what you least wanted.

Why can't instead you embrace them, understand the issues they find important, have a meaningful dialogue, not just shout 'racist!' At them?

Maybe if you did listen, discuss, and try to understand rather than shout, ignore, and insult, you wouldn't have the idiots in the Tea Party?

You do know where the Tea Party came from, don't you?

So, lets work together, stop thinking it is 'us against them' and start thinking we are all in this together, okay?

Thanks for listening.

Hatari

Just watching the old John Wayne/Howard Hawks movie, 'Hatari!' You know, looking at the Serengeti plain, Kilimanjaro, it makes me want to go there and see these wonderful, wild places before either I or they are gone! Of course, that lodge they were at has changed a lot I'm sure, though I believe it is still there and that you can rent a room there. Maybe I shall someday!