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Cheers may be crumbling
“What is Noel Thomas’ middle name?” “In which present US
state was the Battle of the Little Big Horn fought?”
In spite of declaring a state of siege and organizing kidnappings from the
local library, Cheers Bar has lost its lead for the time being in both
weekly quizzes. On Sunday March 30, Rising Sun managed a very good score of
81% and are now slightly ahead in the aggregate scoring overall. In the
quiet season, most bars find that some of their best talent is absent
without leave, but it is looking as if the real battle on Sundays is between
Rising Sun and Cheers. However, the season goes on until the beginning of
June.
The mid week Wednesday quiz on April 2 also saw some shocks. Aussie Ken put
down his bacon sandwiches long enough to defeat Cheers which, in the points
credit scoring of win, lose or draw, allowed Bob’s mercenaries to squeeze
through the middle to draw level with the top team. Special thanks to the
Sixties Bar who complained about the difficulty of the questions even though
they had their highest score for months and to Bob Palmer for translating
the Guinness Book of Records into Thai.
It is gratifying that seven out of eight bars correctly identified Noel
Thomas as Tippler of the Pattaya Mail. No points for the team requiring
independent arbitration that he is Dylan Thomas’ long lost brother.
Incidentally, the Battle of the Little Big Horn is in Montana State but not
necessarily as depicted in the Errol Flynn movie.
Insatiable thirst for knowledge can be satisfied any
Wednesday or Sunday evening by turning up at the bar of your choice just
before 8:30 p.m. The quiz organizers are looking for someone to translate
the whole of Shakespeare into Thai and most bars keep a phrase book which
may be helpful.
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A Capricorn in the pool
World famous Greg Keyes
by Ariyada
Greg Keyes, 44, of Victoria, Australia, who performed recently at
the Amari Orchid Hotel, is not only a Capricorn by his horoscope, or an
Aqua-Aerobic Choreographer and teacher - far more, he is an actor, dancer
and singer as well. But that is not where he started his career. He was on
the Victoria police force for several years. He even received a National
Medal for excellent service.
Q: “Greg, after being an police officer for many years, how did you
end up in show-biz?”
A: “You can’t call it ‘end up’, for some never knows what he’ll be
doing later on. Though I believe show biz is my real life and I enjoy it
very much. Joining the police force, especially working on homicide cases
and fatal accidents, can wear you out. Quite a few people died in my arms
and many times I went through some traumatic cases. To prevent myself from
having a nervous break-down, I started to escape from reality, at least in
my free time, and went into the world of illusions. The theater. First I
performed as a step-dancer and later as a bass-baritone singer. Opera
companies began hiring me, and as soon as I became better known in the world
of entertainment, I gave up my career as a police officer. Doing both would
just have been too much.”
Q: “Are you still performing on stage?”
A: “Certainly. But not only on stage. I have made Radio programs,
worked in television in 16 shows so far and have also made mini-serials.
I’ve also acted in movies and had partners like Brian Brown, who is, I
believe, very well known on the other side of the world as well. What else,
oh yes, big musicals of course like: ‘Me and my girl’, ‘42nd street’, ‘One
flew over the cuckoo’s nest’ and many more. Later on I started to direct and
have made more than 60 shows so far. For example: ‘The Fiddler on the Roof’
and ‘Sound of Music’. I personally liked the ‘Sound of Music’ a lot. I even
flew to Austria to take pictures of the original scenery, blew them up and
made the background scenery on stage look like the real place. Right now, I
have my own company back in Victoria called “Absolute Concepts of
Entertainment” and we are producing Cabaret Shows, Musicals, TV-Pilot Shows
and children’s entertainment. By the way, I brought a three-headed dragon
with me to Bangkok, which will be used very soon on Thai TV for a children’s
show. I just love show-biz. A few years ago I invented a new system which is
called “Total Audience Reality”. It gives the audience the feeling that they
are totally part of the show. To be involved right in the middle of the
game. 1986 it was accepted and will be published world wide. Now it’s even
in ‘Who is Who’ in New York.”
Q: “This is absolute entertainment, isn’t it? But, please tell me,
how did you get into water-aerobics?”
A: “You know how it goes. Working very hard, smoking too much, about
40 cigarettes per day, isn’t a very healthy life. First I stopped smoking.
Then I got fat, especially around my waist. After I avoided looking in the
mirror, I decided I had to do something about it. I started exercising.
Immediately, after the first time, I fell in love with Aqua-Aerobics. Now
I’m trying to mix entertainment with fitness, doing master classes and
teaching the benefits of exercising.”
Q: “Who wouldn’t know the benefits of exercising? It’s just such a
hard way to reach it.”
A: “I tell you, Aqua Aerobics is the best way to reduce fat without
pain. Compared to land-aerobics where you’ll burn app. 650 kcl per hour, or
bicycling (burning around the same amount), or dancing (burning about 700
kcl per hour), Aqua Aerobics burns 1000 kcl per hour and you are still fresh
coming out of the water. Think about it, riding a bicycle can cause an
accident, gymnastic can sprain all your muscles if you don’t do it right, or
if you fall down - but with Aqua Aerobics there are no injuries. Water is
like a cushion, at the same time it gives enough resistance to work your
muscles out. All your muscles. There are three important facts one has to
keep in mind:
1. You have to drink a lot of water while exercising. Being permanent in
cool water doesn’t let you feel that you are sweating and you can dehydrate
very fast. That can be dangerous.
2. Nutrition. The right kind of food is very important. Steaks or any read
meat will provide the right amount of iron, which is very important. Milk or
milk products and vegetables. Always remem-ber, eat 5 different colored
vegetables at one time and you’ve got all the vitamins you’ll need for one
day.
3. The correct posture in the water is a must. Shoulders over hips, hips
over ankles. By doing so, nothing can go wrong.
Aqua Aerobics is for everyone. For all age-groups. One can’t be too old or
too young or too sick. Partially paralyzed people, people who suffered a
stroke, you name it, all get Aqua Aerobic therapies. Nowadays, even e top
athletes have realized it and get their bodies in perfect condition with
Aqua Aerobics.”
Q: “Listening to you makes me feel like jumping in the water right
away. I felt quite jealous today, watching all the ladies of Pattaya joining
you in the pool. The seemed to have great fun with it. I couldn’t suppress a
smile, watching you perform. Of course, Capricorn’s do jump a lot. It looked
very easy and very funny at the same time. Especially your costume you were
wearing.”
A: “See, I am a comedian by nature. I like to make people laugh or
smile. It’s much more fun to work out when you enjoy it, so I make people
enjoy it a lot. My funny costumes are part of the entertainment, they are
part of my show.”
Q: “I loved it. It was just perfect. Now tell me, what are your
future plans?”
A: “I’ll stay in Bangkok until Saturday, Sunday I will be back in
Australia. Next week I’ll start on Australian National TV on a serial which
is called ‘Blue Healers’. I’m looking forward to that already. Later on I’ll
go to Florida, to the world’s biggest Aqua Aerobic Convention. About 1000
instructors will be coming from all over the world. After that I’d like to
work out a new choreography. I’d like to build some Thai boxing movements
into it. They seem very proper to me to perform under water as well.”
Q: “Doesn’t your wife protest if you are always traveling around so
much?”
A: “Well, she did. Actually all three did. I have been married three
times and also divorced the same amount. Now I’m free to do what I have to
do.”
Q: “Alone in Thailand, how many hearts of Thai girls have you broken
so far?”
A: “None. I am not the type to run around and go wild. I haven’t been
out with a Thai girl at all. Could be too dangerous. I’d like to stay
healthy.”
Q: “Clever thinking. Tell me, what do think about Pattaya?”
A: “Pattaya is a lovely place. My first impression was, after coming
from Bangkok, that it is much cleaner than the Capitol. Much less smog. In
Bangkok I got a throat infection, but it went away in Pattaya. The
restaurants and pubs are equal to any big city in the world, probably not as
much harassment as in some of those cities, especially not as much as in
Bangkok. As a result, I’ll recommend Pattaya as an ideal place for good
holidays, especially for families.”
Q: “Thank you so much for your kind, and I hope honest words. It
makes us feel good to hear something nice from a foreigner. You feel good
and comfortable in Pattaya. Does that mean you are coming back?”
A: “Definitely. Probably within three to six months, however it works
out. I’d like to start an instruction school for Aqua Aerobics. Let’s say
two to three day courses. And I am certainly looking forward to being back
soon.”
Q: “Greg, thank you very much for your time and for this nice
interview. I’m sure we all, especially those ladies who have joined you
today, are waiting eagerly for your return.”
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TAGGS presents Pattaya’s first Am-Am Tournament
The Alternative Golf Gentle-men’s Society will be proudly
presenting Pattaya’s first ever “Am-Am” golf tournament on Wednesday, April
30th, at a venue which will be announced in the near future.
The Am-Am format, which may lead into a Pro-Am tournament down the road,
will feature teams of 4 golfers, with the best 2 net scores out of 4 for
each hole counting toward the team’s score. The net scores will be based on
3/4 of each player’s handicap.
Teams will be made up of players representing several of the area’s bars,
such as the TQ team, Hare House team, Pleasure Dome team, etc., as well as
many individual teams. Competitors for the title can sign up bar teams,
individual teams, or just put their names in to be assigned to whatever team
needs them.
Trophies, T-shirts, food, and many special prizes, as well as all green
fees, will be included in the entry price of 4000 baht per team, or 1000
baht per golfer. All proceeds will go back into prizes and the tournament.
Meet on the day of the tournament at the Hare House at 8:00 a.m. Early
sign-ups are necessary, however, and can be done by contacting Wayne,
Stephen or Richard at the Hare House any time from now until a few days
before the big event.
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Meigh thunders to another PGS victory
George Meigh scored 40 Stableford points at his favourite venue, Green
Valley, on Tuesday, April fool’s day, to win the weekly meeting of the
Pattaya Golf Society. Once again, play was halted by thunder and lightning,
causing an hour long delay in the tournament.
Green Valley has been good to George, as he won the last time the PGS held a
tournament there, scoring an even better 43 points.
Norman Brooks finished second on the day with 37 points. William Rice placed
third with 31, followed by Bill Kennedy and Mike, each with 29 points.
William Rice and Mike each won free green fees, kindly donated by Green
Valley, for glorious tee shots on holes #7 & #11, both landing within three
feet to win closest to the pins.
The Pattaya Golf Society reached a milestone this past week, signing up
their 100th member. Sam Chalaham earned the lucky number 100 on his
membership card.
The Pattaya Golf Society meets every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., with limited
transportation leaving from the First House Hotel. This week they will be
playing a stroke competition at Pattaya Country Club. All golfers welcome.
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Alan Keath tames Khao Kheow
Alan Keath shot a scratch 78 off his 9 handicap to finish with a net 69,
taming the difficult Khao Kheow course to win The Alternative Golf
Gentlemen’s Society monthly medal on Wednesday, April 2, 1997.
John C.C. Gibson finished second after carding a net 70 off his 23 handicap.
John played the B course first, going round the front in 51. The A course on
the back nine is where John made his move, shooting a scratch 42 to finish
with a gross 93.
Khao Kheow was in fine condition, however, the hot, windy and sometimes
rainy day took its toll on some of the golfers. The disaster of the day was
produced by Ken Cooke on the famous 16th, signature hole with the island
green. Ken put his tee shot of the 126 yard par 3 into the drink, whiffed
his next shot, then proceeded to wash three more balls before finally
landing on the green. He did manage to two putt for a solid 12.
Stephen Beard also had a little trouble getting around the course. Still
recovering from, shall we say, an itchy situation, Steve just missed getting
the medal when he carded a scratch 111, net 94, losing by a mere 25 shots.
He was nonetheless happy to receive the month’s wooden spoon award.
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Improve your Bridge
by Barrie Kenyon
When you are the declarer in a suit contract, it is not
always right to draw the enemy trumps as soon as you can. Lucky Joe picked
up his usual display of attractive goodies sitting in the North seat:
Spades 9, 7
Hearts K, Q, J, 10, 6
Diamonds 5, 4, 3
Clubs A, K, Q
Frigid Freda, his partner sitting South, quickly raised Joe to a game in
four hearts. Defender East led the Ace of Spades and Freda obligingly
displayed the dummy:
Spades 8, 6, 4, 2
Hearts 8, 7, 2
Diamonds A, K, Q, J, 7
Clubs 3
Assuming you were Joe, how would you plan the play? The defense cashes two
spade tricks and you, of course, must ruff the third round of the suit in
hand. The trap is then to lead trumps because, if you do, the defense will
try to shorten the trumps in your closed hand by leading a fourth spade at
you. Then you could find, if there is a bad break in the heart suit, that
you lose control of the trump suit with your lovely contract going down the
pan.
The better choice, safety play as it is known, is to cash your Ace and King
of Clubs at tricks four and five. On the second of these winners, you
discard dummy’s last spade. Now, when the defense gets in with the Heart
Ace, if they try pushing a spade at you, you can take the ruff in the dummy
and not in your own hand. You can then comfortably draw the remaining trumps
before enjoying the long diamond suit. Ten tricks bid and made.
There is no way the defense can break this contract provided that you take
the precaution of delaying coming trumps until you have got rid of all the
spades in the dummy. It is a question of timing: leading trumps too soon
could dispatch you into doom alley as the defense forces you to trump spades
too often in your own hand. Then, if one defender has four trumps no matter
how small, he will have you by the short and curlies.
Although it may be true that fortune favors the brave, he who hesitates is
not always lost. Plan ahead and don’t behave like a bull in a China shop.
For that is a place where even angels fear to tread. In bridge, as in life,
upsetting the apple cart can get you sent to Coventry.
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Marissa aces double championship
Marissa Niroj (Above) and
Westley Whitehouse (Below) 1997 Singles Champions of the Mali Milk 17th
Thailand Open junior Tennis Championships held at the Royal Cliff beach
Resort from 31 March to 6 April.
Top seeded Marissa Niroj, representing Thailand, smashed
her way to two titles in the Mali Milk Cup 17th Thailand Open Junior Tennis
Championships last week at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort.
Proudly representing the host country, Marissa powered her way to a 6-2, 6-4
victory over unseeded Daniela Poglitsch from Australia to win the girls
singles title, then teamed up with Tan Lin-Yin from Malaysia for an easy
6-1, 6-4 victory over Yu Yeng and Zou Dong-Ling from China in the girls
doubles division.
Marissa was confident of a victory in the singles, as her opponent was
unseeded and just happy to be in the finals. “I have nothing to lose,”
Poglitsch was heard to have said before the match. “Being in the final round
is more than okay.” For Marissa, however, winning the title was the only
thing on her mind going into the match.
The girls doubles should have been, and was, an easier match for the higher
ranked team of Niroj and Lin-Yin, as the Chinese doubles team of Yu Yeng and
Zou Dong-Ling, although battlers all the way, were only ranked as high as
400th in the Junior World Rankings. With Marissa and Tan Lin-Yin ranked
109th and 107th respectively in doubles, the match turned out to be merely a
formality.
In the boys singles division, second seeded Westley Whitehouse from South
Africa was crowned champion after a 6-3, 6-3 straight sets victory over Febi
Widhiyanto from Indonesia.
Whitehouse’s task was made a bit easier when the 13th seeded Indonesian
upset top-seeded Ziv Kobi from Israel in a long, hot, drawn out three set
semi-final, which wasn’t decided until an exciting 7-6 (7-5) tie breaker in
the final set.
Whitehouse also completed a championship sweep when he teamed with fellow
South African Jaco Van Der Westhuizen to win the boys doubles division 6-3,
6-2 over Hendri Susilo Pramono and Febi Widhiyanto from Indonesia.
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Splinter Golf Group
Monday, March 31, Sriracha Stableford)
The competition at Sriracha on Monday, 31 March was rained off.
Wednesday, April 2, Noble Place (Stableford).
Gerard Lambert continued his excellent form with 40 points,
winning by five clear points from Neil Munroe at 35 points. Steve Ross was
third, also with 35 points, but losing on count back.
Near pin winners were Mike Riley, Harry Riley and Brad Doyle.
Friday, April 4, Century, Bang Chang (Stroke)
A lovely day, a lovely course that is maturing all the time, and
very well trained caddies. Laid-back Steve Ross coasted his way to a net 69
to win first place, clearly well deserved as he was five shots better than
three other competitors who shot net 74. In 2nd place Stan Fry net 74,
beating Mike Franklin 3rd with net 74, on count back, who in turn beat Brad
Doyle, net 74, on count back who unfortunately did not win anything.
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