|
Family Money: The
Case for Saving (Part 1)
By Leslie
Wright
Last week we touched on the importance of making
adequate provision for funding your retirement. It is vital to have
established some sort of savings program during your working life to build
sufficient capital to last throughout your leisure years.
Finding the right programme for your particular
requirements is relatively easy, if you have the help of an independent
financial advisor (‘IFA’) who deals with several reputable offshore
providers, and thus is able to identify the best one for your needs &
circumstances.
If you have an irregular income, you may need a great
deal of flexibility to accommodate changing circumstances. On the other
hand, if you have had difficulty in the past keeping to any sort of
savings regimen, you might require some built-in discipline to ensure that
you build up a meaningful sum of capital for when it’s needed.
The bells & whistles - special features - that can
be attached to the various savings programmes that are available nowadays
are almost endless. A professional IFA who deals with several providers
(as opposed to those who have business agreements with only one or two)
will be able to find a plan which is virtually tailor-made for your needs.
Other reasons to save
In addition to building an adequate retirement fund
there are all sorts of reasons for which one might need a capital reserve.
After adequately funding your retirement (which
remarkably few people do), buying a home is probably the largest capital
expenditure most people will ever make. Educating children through college
is generally the second largest.
Fathers with grown daughters might want to give them a
fancy wedding - and these don’t come cheap nowadays!
Many men dream of owning a yacht or a Ferrari. Again,
these don’t come cheap.
A significant number of expatriates retiring to Pattaya
start up a second family. Like with a yacht or a Ferrari, it’s not just
the initial outlay that’s expensive: it’s the maintenance costs that
really suck up the money.
Whatever the reasons for building capital, designated
savings programs carefully calculated to amass the required amount of
capital are the soundest way to ensure the money is there when it’s
needed.
Starting some vaguely “affordable” savings plan
which has not been carefully computed is like playing golf in a typhoon,
blindfolded. You may hit some of the balls, and some of them may reach the
green. But the likelihood is that most will not reach the target and end
up off in the rough or stuck in a bunker. Similarly with ill-conceived
savings programs.
Too many financial consultants will be only too happy
to sign you up for some sort of savings plans at whatever figure you have
decided you are comfortable setting aside.
Whether that particular plan is appropriate to the
financial objective for which it was being set up is debatable, and would
depend on the integrity and professionalism of the financial consultant in
point.
Some will find you the most appropriate one to your
needs (as opposed to their pocket); sadly, many will put you into the one
that pays them the most commission.
Points to ponder
When considering any type of savings program there are
several criteria that should be taken into account.
One criterion of course is cost-effectiveness: how much
are the charges that are levied on the plan? Are these taken upon entry
(called “front-end loading”) or spread out through the early years of
the plan, or only as a “penalty” if you stop and take your money out
early?
The most cost-effective longer-term savings plan
currently on the market takes its running costs by the last-mentioned
route, and is extremely cost-effective provided it is continued through to
maturity.
But there’s the rub. All too often the charging
structure of the plan has not been properly explained to the client, so he
thinks it’s okay to stop a 30-year plan after 3 years of contributions
and take his money out. Usually he can - but he’ll typically get whacked
with hefty penalties for doing so.
He’d have been better off with an open-ended plan
with no fixed maturity date. Such plans are usually of the “front-end
loaded” variety, whereby the costs of running the plan are taken from
each contribution going in, with no further charges or penalties being
applied should he stop contributing, or want to redeem his units.
The corollary of this is that the shorter-term, totally
flexible plans are not so cost-effective as long-term savings vehicles.
It’s like a time-deposit bank account versus a
passbook savings account. There’s always a trade-off between
accessibility and cost-effectiveness. Typically, the more flexibility you
require, the less cost-effective will be the program.
So the right balance between longer-term financial
objectives and shorter-term flexibility has to be established in the
planning stage. It’s often a case of setting up not one savings program,
but two or three.
The “one-size-fits-all” paradigm may work well with
tee-shirts and panty hose, but rarely equates to sound financial planning.
(to be continued next week)
Leslie Wright is managing director of Westminster
Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd., a firm of independent financial
advisors providing advice to expatriate residents of the Eastern Seaboard
on personal financial planning and international investments. If you have
any comments or queries on this article, or about other topics concerning
investment matters, contact Leslie directly by fax on (038) 232522 or
e-mail [email protected] Further details and back articles can be
accessed on his firm’s website on www.westminsterthailand.com
Editor’s note: Leslie sometimes receives e-mails to
which he is unable to respond due to the sender’s automatic return
address being incorrect. If you have sent him an e-mail to which you have
not received a reply, this may be why. To ensure his prompt response to
your enquiry, please include your complete return e-mail address, or a
contact phone/fax number.
Snap Shots: Stick
people in it
by Harry Flashman
 People
give scale
Harry has said this many times before - but people are
often the “magic element” in photographs. People give life to shots of
static buildings. People give a sense of scale to the other elements in
the photograph too. Look at the two shots taken at Ayutthaya a couple of
years ago. While the one on the left is a classic “frame within a
frame” sort of picture, it lacks scale. Just how tall are those
structures? The one on the right, with two passers by (who incidentally
wondered why I took them in the shot) has that extra element of scale to
show just how tall the spires really are.
Don’t bung it in the center
 Rule
of Thirds
On that same day of going to Ayutthaya, we went to the
palace at Bang Pa-In. Wonderful, grand, spectacular, colourful, add your
own superlatives. However, it is a difficult place to get everything in
that your eye experiences. These two shots go fairly close and again have
the classic elements of a landscape, with an interesting foreground item
in the flowers, and then the two palaces behind in the lake. In one, the
palace in the lake is central, while in the second shot it is off to the
side. Using the “Rule of Thirds” you can see how this was applied to
the second shot. You will also see that it is a more pleasing overall
photograph. Don’t forget the Rule of Thirds, or just simply remember to
take shots without bunging the subject dead centre.
Correcting more than just mistakes
The other day Harry took a portrait of a young lady,
but when the small photos came back from my favourite Kodak photoshop
(Royal Express, near the Made in Thailand Market on Pattaya Second Road)
it was apparent that our Harry must have had a bad day. The lady was
sitting a little crooked and the final effect was not at all good, looking
all hunched over.
Looking at the print it was obvious that the only way
around this problem was to enlarge and reprint, and to straighten
everything up by judicious angled cropping. I discussed this with the
girls at the Royal Express who suggested that the best way would be to
scan the shot, crop digitally and then reprint.
 Selective
cropping
Since this was also a bit of a rush job, that sounded
the best way around it, and I selected a 10x8 as the final size. I was
delighted when I got the enlargement back. Everything was straightened up,
and in the scanning they had even smoothed out a couple of skin
imperfections on the lady’s chin.
The cost was very reasonable, and is something to
remember if you have a shot that might need some selective cropping, or a
little bit of “massaging” of the subject matter.
It is worthwhile finding out what other services are
available from a good photo-processing outlet, other than just the
standard Develop and Process. I have recently also got Royal Express to
produce some mounted enlargements, which are laminated on a wood backing.
What I like about these is that you can take old original prints, for
which the negatives have been lost many moons ago, and they make a new
negative (called an “interneg”) and then enlarge and print and
laminate, giving you the original print back as well.
Modern Medicine: STD’s
- are you at risk?
by Dr Iain Corness Consultant
I must admit I was prompted to write this column after
reading that some (several?) of the bars around town were insisting that
their “service girls” be checked for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STD’s) before employment and others were also making sure their girls
were checked every week while continuing in employment. The tenor of the
article was that this was seen as a responsible attitude to ensure the
safety of the customer. Unfortunately, it falls very far short in that
department; however, I must add very quickly, that I do endorse the action
of repeat checks, but the advantage is more for the girl, rather than the
customer.
The reasons are many, and much stems from the very
inaccurate methods of testing for all the nasty diseases one can get from
recreational romping. Take for example, any viral disease. In most cases
we cannot look down the microscope, see the little viral blighters, and
say, “I’m afraid that you’ve picked up something and I suggest a
short sabbatical ...” or other advice. The way we diagnose is much less
precise.
In many instances we can only measure the body’s
response to the virus, such as developing antibodies to it, and that
doesn’t happen overnight. It can take up to three months for the
body’s response to become apparent (and measurable with any real
reliability). That three month “window” is certainly a “window of
opportunity” - an opportunity for a seemingly “negative” person to
pass on a virus to someone who has just looked at a “negative” test
result in their partner for the horizontal folk dance competition.
And it doesn’t stop there. Even for the little
wrigglers we can see on specially stained microscope slides, such as the
dreaded syphilitic spirochete, there is no Date of Receipt that comes with
the dose. So the test day is Saturday, the day the damsel received the
organism may have been the previous Sunday. There will have been no
symptoms in that time, as in fact the incubation period for syphilis
averages around three weeks. What value is the negative test now?
Even with Gonorrhoea (AKA the Clap), did you know that
we diagnose this by looking for the organism in slides taken from the
purulent discharge? And did you know that 50% of women get no symptoms?
How’s the testing routine looking now? What’s that little piece of
paper which says “Non reactive” really worth?
Despite all my negative comments, the routine screening
is still worth something. It will hopefully mean that not too many girls
will be harbouring nasties un-noticed for so long that permanent damage
occurs to them. It is simply a method by which the overall “health”
levels will be lifted. It is not, however, a Freedom from Infection
guarantee for the alcohol impaired punter.
So what am I suggesting? Celibacy as a cure for the
ills? No, what I am suggesting is that the responsible bar owners continue
promoting testing in their staff, but the responsible client uses
“condom protection” and does not rely on pieces of paper with results
of doubtful value as far as ultimate positive and negative is concerned.
Happy days - or happy nights, more appropriately.
 Dear
Hillary,
I read with interest your correspondent Mark discussing
“Thai Quality Construction” (Vol IX, No. 25). We have had many similar
discussions with clients who have come our way. We are not well known in
Pattaya and concentrate on the upper end of the resort and residential
market. We will deliver our company profile to your office for your review
and retention. We invite you to visit our flagship project, Grand Hyatt
Erawan, Bangkok, and join us in a glass or two of wine at the Club 4775
which was installed by us and opened in late 1999.
Regards, Jack Wild
Director International Project Service (Asia) Ltd.
Dear Jack,
You really are a wild child, aren’t you, Petal. Your
company profile has indeed come to my desk and I see in your CV that you
are an Australian. Ooohh, Hillary loves handsome bronzed Aussies who
invite her to a glass or two of wine (make it four Jack, don’t be
stingy) at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. However, Hillary rarely makes it to
Bangkok these days now that you can get half decent champagne and
chocolates down here. (Ranjith, that nice man from the Royal Cliff Wine
Club please note - champagne bucket is empty again.) I really got the
feeling that Mark’s requirements a few weeks ago were a little less
grand than requiring a Grand Hyatt Erawan being built in his Soi, but if
there’s folk out there who need that sort of service, Hillary will
happily pass on your telephone number.
Dear Hillary,
Help! I have fallen hopelessly in love with a lovely
young lady here in Pattaya. She returns my feelings and when we are
together it feels just right. Here’s the problem - she works from 5 p.m.
till 3 in the morning, while I work from 8 in the morning till 6 p.m. The
only time we can meet up is on Sunday afternoons when I finish work at 2
p.m. and before she starts again at 5. That is 3 hours a week only. Sure I
can see her at work, but since she is in charge of the bar, she cannot
just sit down and chat with me for more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time. I
can’t even pay a ‘bar-fine’ because she’s in charge. Is there any
future in this relationship, Hillary? Please tell me as I am going nutso
about this. We have been meeting like this for the past month.
John
Dear John,
I am very worried about you, John. You say, “When we
are together it feels just right.” What feels just right? I do wish you
men would be more specific. I won’t even go so far as to imagine what
“it” is that you are referring to. Sounds to me like you want this
relationship to go further, but it certainly won’t go far on three hours
a week. That’s the sort of relationship couples get into after 25 years
of marriage, not during the lusting and trysting phase. One of you is
going to have to change jobs, but after only one month, I doubt if any
sane person would throw it all in. It really doesn’t look too good,
Petal. I suggest you continue on for at least another three months of
Sundays and if you both still feel the same then discuss ways to spend
more time together after that. The hopelessness will hopefully have worn
off by then, too.
Dear Hillary,
I have a real problem, which I hope you can help me
with. Even if you can’t, then just by publishing this letter it may
help, because the people who are producing this problem do not seem to
know it exists but I know they read your column! Let me explain, dear
Hillary. Everyone I know around me seems to have no idea of what time is
about. Meetings that are supposed to last for two hours drag on for three
because the people in the meeting can’t get there on time. You make an
appointment to go to lunch or dinner and the other person shows up an hour
late. You go to an appointment and get there on time to find the person
you are meeting hasn’t come back to the office yet because they were
late for the earlier meeting they were going to. It just goes on and on
like a vicious circle. If I did precious little all day it would be fine,
but I have plenty of things to do and sitting twiddling my thumbs isn’t
one of them. What do you suggest Hillary?
Tempus Fugit
Dear Tempus Fugit,
You have my sympathies. Watches are cheap and plentiful
in Pattaya, but the ability to actually tell the time seems to have been
lost by many of the locals. I used to have a friend who was woefully late
everywhere. After putting up with his terminal tardiness I invited him to
dinner at a restaurant at 7.30. When he had not shown up by 7.45 I ordered
my meal and by the time he arrived, full of apologies as usual at 8.30, I
had finished my meal. I left him the “Check Bin” and went home
immediately. He has never been late since. What I suggest is that when
appointments are made you stress the fact that you will be on time and
will wait 15 minutes only - and do it! But lots of luck, Petal!
GRAPEVINE
| Mexican
feet
Noticed by an ardent Pattaya Mail reader at a
Pattaya market. “This foot ointment will cure corns, blisters,
athletic foot and chili beans.” Chilblains maybe? He also saw a
farang studying a new aerosol can AN60 which is the latest substitute
for Viagra in prolonging active life. Perusing the instruction leaflet
and diagrams the farang exclaimed, “But it doesn’t actually tell
you where to spray the stuff.” Well it wouldn’t would it?
That should help
A US businessman, exhausted after a tiresome
journey from Don Muang, was having dinner in one of Pattaya’s five
star hotels when the Filipino band struck up a particularly noisy
tune. He called over the head waiter and asked if they played
requests. “Yes sir,” the waiter replied, “Is there something you
would like them to play? “There is,” the yank responded, “Ask
them to play dominoes until I’ve finished eating.”
A timely warning
A farang complains that the police should warn the
farang patrons of parts of Sunee Plaza about the dangers of soliciting
sex from minors. In a sense they do. There are high profile patrols
most nights by uniformed officers on public order duties. But the guys
who stake out possible offenders’ accommodation and rush in with the
cameras from Channel 7 recording events are undercover tourist police
in plain clothes. That’s the inscrutable Thai way of tackling this
sort of crime.
Geese and visas
It is looking increasingly likely that farangs
worried about a clampdown on visas can rest easy. The Tourism
Authority of Thailand (TAT) is projecting about 10.3 million golden
geese this year, an increase of two million over 2000, spending around
320 billion baht. The target for 2002 is 11.13 million forking out yet
more hard currency. Politicians who say the one month visa free travel
policy is making life too easy for foreign criminals seem to have lost
this particular round. On the other hand, the numbers of farangs
arrested for visa overstay and working without a permit is rising.
Thailand’s entry policy is just about the most generous in Asia, but
you gotta keep to the rules.
|
Once bitten twice shy
Some say it’s discriminatory that farangs cannot
buy a TV or DVD recorder on hire purchase, nor easily borrow money
from Pattaya banks to purchase a condo or lease a house long term.
Meantime, special offers abound for Thais in all the major stores and
banks although they are invariably in Thai script. The explanation
lies in the 1980s and early 1990s when financial operators got their
fingers burned by farangs devouring credit and then leaving for the
airport in a hurry. The defaulting locals, you see, are easier to
catch.
Legal limbo
Although the code has technically been amended in
favor of foreigners investing 40 million baht to buy one rai of land
for residential purposes, the Cabinet has not yet ratified the change.
So very wealthy expatriates will have to wait a while yet before being
able to build their own dream home fully in their own name. And,
incidentally, the rule is still in force on the condo front that no
more than 49% of the units can be foreign owned although this is
scarcely a problem in Pattaya right now. Hundreds of condo flats were
bought by speculative Thais in the early 1990s in the expectation that
prices would rise. Except at the top end of the market, prices have
actually fallen in real terms.
On taking responsibility
If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die
of cancer, your family sues the tobacco company.
If your friend is shot by a deranged madman, you
blame the gun manufacturer.
If your daughter gets pregnant by the football
captain, you blame the school for poor sex education.
If your grandchildren are brats without manners,
you blame television.
If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving
home drunk, you blame the bartender.
If you get ripped off in Pattaya, you blame anybody
except yourself.
From the rumour mill
Utapao airport is being considered to be an alternate landing strip
for the Space shuttle.
|
Animal Crackers: Bandicoots
by Mirin
MacCarthy
A friend of mine in Australia once had a band called the
“Bandicoots” - a school penny whistle outfit that was exceptionally
strong and popular. Unfortunately, the real Bandicoots are not as strong,
nor as popular.
The bandicoot family comprised eleven main species within
Australia, two of which are now extinct. These include the Bilby, the Desert
Bandicoot, the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, the Golden Bandicoot, the Northern
Brown Bandicoots, the Pig Footed Bandicoots, the Rufous Spiny Bandicoots,
the Southern Brown Bandicoots, the Western Barred Bandicoots, the Rabbit
Bandicoots and the Long Nosed Bandicoot, however the Eastern Barred
Bandicoot is critically endangered on mainland Australia.
 Bandicoots
are marsupials, that strange breed of animals in Australia that keep their
young in pouches, but the Bandicoot possesses features which characterise
both the carnivorous marsupials (dasyurids) and the herbivorous marsupials
such as the macropods (kangaroos and wallabies) and possums. Like the
carnivorous variety they possess more than two incisors in each jaw, and
like the herbivorous ones they have the second and third toes of the
hind-foot fused together.
Now that old phrase “breeding like rabbits” has
nothing on the Bandicoot. These animals have one of the highest breeding
rates of any animal of their size. Their gestation period (the time from
conception to birth) is the shortest recorded for any mammal - 12 days!
There are eight teats in the backward opening pouch.
However, not all teats are available to newborn young, as those used by the
previous litter are too distended to allow attachment. Consequently litter
size is usually no more than half the number of teats in the pouch.
Bandicoots hop around like Kangaroos on their larger hind
legs though they are much smaller ranging from 15 cm to 50 cm in length.
Depending on the species their fur can be orange, greyish, or brown or
striped. Being nocturnal animals you rarely see Bandicoots during the day as
they spend the daylight hours hiding in crevices, logs or tunnels.
Eastern Barred Bandicoot
The endearing Eastern Barred Bandicoot is a small (640
grams) animal characterised by a slender, elongated head tapering to a pink
nose and well whiskered muzzle. It has large, prominent ears. Its soft fur
is greyish brown, while across the hindquarters are the characteristic pale
bars or stripes that give the species its name. These easily distinguish it
from the brown bandicoot, which lacks such stripes. The belly, feet and
short, thin tail are creamy white.
Eastern Barred Bandicoots spend their day resting in
nests. These are usually no more than a shallow depression in the ground
with a dome of grass pulled over the top. Only one adult bandicoot occupies
a nest, although young may share the nest with their mother for a week after
they first leave the pouch. After dusk, they emerge and immediately begin
foraging for food, but Bandicoots are solitary animals and only mix with
others when breeding.
The young are born between late May and December and
during a single breeding season a female may produce 3-4 litters with a
litter size of 1-4 young. A female bandicoot can potentially give birth to
as many as 16 young in one year! Hearkening back to the rabbits, they only
give birth to around 11 baby thumpers every year, depending on environmental
conditions.
Despite the very high reproductive rate, mortality -
particularly among juveniles - is extremely high. All the causes of
mortality are not well known, but predators and disease appear to be the
main agents. The life span of the lovely Eastern Barred Bandicoot is less
than 3 years.
Of the predators, cats and dogs will kill bandicoots, and
may cause significant mortality in some populations. Cats carry the disease
Toxoplasmosis, which can be transmitted to the bandicoots and is often
fatal.
Social Commentary by Khai Khem
Having a mid-life crisis?
There are countries of the world where the whole
population is ageing faster than people in their reproductive years are
having children. Of course I find this difficult to comprehend here in
Thailand, where it seems practically everyone is under 30, and during the
morning hours on any street in the nation, we seem to be wading knee-deep in
school children. The definition of middle-age seems to fluctuate with each
generation, and certainly within different cultures. Our grandparents most
likely saw middle age approaching in their 40’s. In very poor nations in
which the peasants toil under blazing sun or through bitter winters,
villagers and farmers are old and bent by that time. For those of us who
plan to live a 100 years or more, middle age may come to us in our 50’s or
60’s. So perhaps middle age is more a matter of attitude point of view.
It’s the crisis that we all seem to have in common.
The mid-life crisis seems to arrive with signals which
remind us that our youth is well and truly gone forever. Our hairline
recedes, our legs slow down, the waistline thickens, and the lines on our
faces reveal our life story. I have a friend who took down most of the
mirrors in his house the day after his 50th birthday. Our middle-aged
gentleman got tired of seeing his growing derriere without having to turn
around. His young and pretty wife now has to stand on a ladder to apply
makeup in the ones he has left in place on the bedroom ceiling.
Mid-life women no longer have upper arms; they have
‘bat-wings’. Wearing sleeveless blouses is no longer an option, since
they now look like flying squirrels. And that soft downy facial hair is
sprouting a moustache, just when Madame finally convinced her husband to
shave off his own.
We all get reflective as we enter into the mid-life
crisis. It is now we realise that when we go to the doctor, we actually have
to pay someone to see us naked. Our memory may start to go, and now all we
retain is water.
We start to ponder on the big questions of life, such as
‘why am I here’, and become thankful that ‘the glass of life is still
half full’. And so we should. For in a few years, that glass will be
holding our teeth! When we cross the threshold of mid-life, we become more
philosophic. Life certainly cannot throw us too many more big curves. For
now we are probably sitting on our biggest ones.
Women’s World: 5
minutes a day can take off years
by Lesley Warner
All my adult life I have been wearing makeup. But one
rule I have always abided by is a routine of cleansing, toning and
moisturizing each evening. As you sleep your skin is busy shedding and
replenishing skin cells, so make sure your skin is clean and hydrated.
Cleansing will remove old make-up and the grime and grease that have been
accumulated during the day. Remember, with your eyes take special care and
make sure that you use a product that is especially made for removing eye
makeup. This doesn’t need to be an expensive brand; Boots do a very cheap
un-perfumed eye makeup remover in their ‘fragrance free’ collection.
Remove mascara with a cotton bud dipped in the
eye-cleansing lotion. To make the job easier keep your hair off your face.
Remove the eye shadow by gently wiping it off with a pad of clean cotton
wool moistened with eye-cleansing lotion.
Pour a little face cleansing cream into the palm of one
hand and dab it generously over the nose, chin, forehead and cheeks - using
two fingers of the other hand. Massage the cream into the skin, starting
under the throat, using a gentle upward motion. Continue massaging the cream
up to the forehead, using the fingertips.
Gently massage the cream from the eyes to the nose.
Massage cream back over the chin, which is particularly prone to blackheads.
Use the index finger. Remove the cream from the face with tissue pads in
each hand. Start under the chin and work over the cheeks and on to the
forehead.
Immediately after cleansing apply toner to the forehead
and cheeks on a pad of cotton wool. They remove all traces of dirt, make-up
or cleanser that remain after cleansing. Concentrate especially in the area
around the nose.
The final step is moisturizer to encourage the skin to
remain smooth and supple. The face is exposed to the drying effect of the
weather, so moisturizers - which form a film over the skin - contain and
augment the natural moisture. Using the tips of the fingers, dot
moisturizing cream lightly all over the face. Press the fingers of both
hands into the center of the forehead and work the cream slowly outwards.
Pat the cream gently around the eyes. Work the cream around the jaw line,
chin and mouth with the middle fingers of both hands. Massage the cream over
the throat with alternating hands, using upward strokes from collarbone to
chin.
Believe me this little routine takes only 5 minutes a day
and not only does it make you feel clean and fresh it actually works. Once a
week when you have a little more time to spend on yourself, you can give the
face a treat. Try one of these tips.
Chapped lips - Exfoliate your lips by using an old
toothbrush and a menthol based lip balm. Apply lip balm first, and then
brush gently with the toothbrush.
Lip toner - Saturate a black tea bag with warm water.
Press over clean lips for 5 minutes. Repeat if desired. Black tea is high in
tannic acid, which retains moisture and keeps lips smooth and taut.
Lines around mouth - Apply almond oil around the mouth to
keep your lips supple and soften the lines.
Mask for excess hair on the face - Mix one tablespoon
fresh squeezed lemon juice with 4 teaspoons honey. Smooth on in the
direction of your hair growth and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off.
Remove redness from a pimple - Squeeze a little eye
redness reliever on a cotton swab and hold it on the pimple for 15 seconds
or until the redness disappears.
Firming Mask - Mix 1 tablespoon gram flour with 1 1/2
teaspoons water. Add 1 teaspoon honey. Apply to your face; leave on for 15
minutes, then rinse. If mixture is too runny, add a little more flour.
Eye mask - Grate 1/4 of an apple and a small raw potato
and combine. Apply mixture to eyes for 15 minutes, cover your eyes with a
warm washcloth and relax with some soothing music.
Facial steam - Combine 1 cup fresh rose petals with 2
cups boiling water. Tent a towel over your head and let steam penetrate face
for 10 minutes. Stay several inches away from the bowl.
Shaman’s Rattle: Pass
the sugar please
by Marion
Could you pass the sugar bowl without touching it with
your body? If you can, you have the gift of Psychokinesis, the ability to
move objects with your mind.
Psychokinesis (PK) - sometimes referred to as telekinesis
or mind over matter - is the ability to move objects or otherwise affect the
property of things with the power of the mind. Of psychic abilities, true
Psychokinesis is one of the rarest. Only a few have been able to demonstrate
this ability, and even those demonstrations are highly contested by the
sceptics. Remember that what we are talking about here is not side-show
illusionist trickery or spoon benders. To quote one such sceptic, “Whoever
believes in Psychokinesis, please raise my hand.”
 One
of the most celebrated and scrutinized psychics to claim Psychokinetic
powers was Nina Kulagina, a Russian woman who discovered her abilities while
attempting to develop other psychic powers. Reportedly, she has demonstrated
her powers by mentally moving a wide range of nonmagnetic objects, including
matches, bread, large crystal bowls, clock pendulums, a cigar tube and a
salt shaker among others. Some of these demonstrations have been captured on
film. The sceptics contend, of course, that her abilities would not stand up
to scientific testing, and that she may be nothing more that a clever
magician. There are also those who would say, “So what? Moving a cigar
tube is hardly earth shattering news or has much impact on our day to day
living.”
Some researchers contend that the most common form of
Psychokinesis is one that is not consciously intended. Poltergeist activity,
they suggest, might be caused by the subconscious minds of people under
stress, emotional turmoil or even hormonal peaks. Without conscious effort,
these people cause china to fly off shelves, objects to break or loud
thumping to come from the walls of their houses, amongst other effects. The
fact that the so-called poltergeist activity is very often demonstrated in a
house containing a pubertal teenager may explain and fit in with this
theory.
There are many theories to attempt to explain how
Psychokinesis actually works, from basic ectoplasmic to animal magnetism.
One researcher in this field, Deja Allison, says, “Telekinesis is created
by higher levels of consciousness. It cannot be created by ‘wishing it’
to happen on the physical level. The energy to move or bend an object is
created by a person’s thoughts created by their subconscious mind.”
Another theory is that Psychokinesis is the manipulation
of a sort of human “magnetic field” around the body, which can be
concentrated in a specific area. For this to work, they say, you must be
able to relax completely and focus your attention without distraction. Once
again an extension of a meditative process.
Robert L. Shacklett at “Speculations about PK” says
that laboratory tests demonstrate that, “The release of relatively large
amounts of physical energy can be triggered by thought power. And this power
can move or influence things, essentially, because cosmologically we are all
connected to everything else. Thought takes place at a different level than
the physical (call it ‘mind’) but interacts with the physical through a
weak coupling between physical energy and a more subtle energy form. The
physical level operates in accordance with natural law (Hamilton’s
Principle) except at the times when thought interacts with it.” And if you
can follow that convoluted line of ‘scientific’ jargonese, then good
luck to you!
So can you, or should you, just begin concentrating on
bringing the sugar bowl over to yourself right now? There are several
websites to suggest ways that you might be able to develop or strengthen
powers of Psychokinesis. Psychological Telekinesis says meditation and a
kind of chanting, which they provide, can help train your mind for the task,
even though they offer no proof of any kind that it really works.
Mario Varvoglis, Ph.D., author of PSI Explorer, suggests
that the best way to begin testing Psychokinetic powers is not by trying to
move a table or even a matchbook. Varvoglis says it’s much better to see
if you can influence movement on a microscopic level - micro-PK. Micro-PK
has been tested for years with such devices as random number generators, in
which the subject tries to influence the random outcome of the machine in a
way that is much greater than chance. Some of the most interesting tests of
this kind are being conducted at Princeton University - and their results
show that some people really can influence the computerized random number
generators with the power of their minds. These people are in great demand
around lottery drawing times.
However, for those who would like to try, Spirit Online
offers this seven-step method of improving your PK - Meditate daily for half
an hour, 15 minutes if your schedule is too busy. Attempt PK at least once a
day, twice if possible. Give yourself a good 30-60 minutes to try it. Focus
on one method for at least a week; if it shows no results, switch methods.
Be at ease; instead of taking it too seriously, think of it as an
experiment, a game. If you try too hard you’ll just end up frustrating
yourself and you’ll get nowhere. Don’t give up. Don’t tell yourself
you can’t do it, because you can. BELIEVE!
Finally, sit down with a cup of coffee and pass yourself
the sugar. Just drag it over by hand if the spirit isn’t moving you! Best
of luck.
The Message In The Moon:
Sun in Taurus/Moon in Virgo - The Voice of Experience
by Anchalee Kaewmanee
It is not easy to ruffle the feathers of the Taurus-Virgo
native. People born into this combination are even-tempered, resourceful and
dedicated. Their approach to the world is remarkably calm and steady. Others
admire their confidence and smooth progress in life.
This is a particularly harmonious combination of Sun and
Moon. Friends and associates often come to this group of people for advice
and counsel because of their practical and down-to earth views on solving
problems. There is a worldly wisdom found in these natives which draws
others like a magnet.
The Virgo Moon creates a sharp, analytical and
penetrating mind which is a stickler for detail. Dogged persistence is often
necessary to put plans into action. These people always have a plan and the
accompanying determination to see it through.
Realists, one and all, they do not dream or fantasize,
and prefer to act on their ideas rather than to waste time in idle
contemplation. Mundane matters and irritations do not knock these
individuals off balance, so their serenity is rarely disturbed. Few
obstacles stand in their way, so those few which pose a real challenge are
swiftly transcended through force of will and perseverance.
Because the Taurus-Virgo life tends to flow easily for
the most part, there is freedom from inner turmoil. This could create a smug
outlook and should be something to avoid. The temptation to settle for less
is great in theses instances, and often people who are born into this sign
do not realize their full potential, which is considerable. It would be a
shame to waste all of those many talents through complacency.
Association with others who are ambitious is a good path
to self-motivation, since it is easier to shrug off lethargy when ensconced
in a stimulating environment with people who can inspire.
Professionally, this combination is well suited to
administrative jobs, and that fine mind is put to use in executive
positions. Eloquent and highly persuasive, these individuals can measure
their words to produce an effect, and their leadership skills are in demand
because they are fine organizers, particularly when long-range plans are
involved.
A Taurus-Virgo will always function best where the
competition is the keenest. Imagination may not be a strong point here, but
when it comes to dealing with the facts at hand, the Taurus-Virgo is a
master. That excellent mind should be kept open, however. For this
combination, the old way is usually the best, and there is often resistance
to change or novel ideas.
A serious effort to be less critical should be
considered. Becoming to fixed to a rigid way of thinking can evolve into
close-mindedness. Oliver Cromwell was a Taurus-Virgo, and although an
outstanding leader, some of his ‘eye for an eye’ policies reflect the
dangers of being overly judgmental.
Love relationships for a Taurus-Virgo are usually highly
sensual and earthy. Affectionate and loyal, these natives are consistent,
and in most respects they can be perfect partners. A little more imagination
in the form of experimentation could improve romance. It is all right to get
carried away with passion sometimes. A mate will certainly appreciate the
change of pace.
The computer doctor
by Richard Brunch
From Jeremy Smith, Pattaya: A friend has sent me some
information from England. When I try to click on it, a dialog box appears
asking what program I want to use to open it with. I don’t have a clue and
can’t ask my friend as he is now on holiday. The file is called
SN106A.PDF.
Computer Doctor replies: PDF (Portable Document
Format) files are quite common these days particularly for Internet
downloads of manuals, instructions, etc., and can be read with Adobe Acrobat
Reader. Since you are being asked what program you wish to open the file
with, it is reasonable to assume that it is not installed on your PC; this
is a free download from www.adobe.com. At some point most people will have a
requirement to read a PDF file so it is a good idea to have this program
installed on your PC in readiness.
From Somchai, Pattaya: I have just bought a new PC
which works fine for me; my problem is that my printer won’t work. I know
the printer works though because if I connect it to my old PC it prints.
Computer Doctor replies: I am assuming that both
PC’s are running one or another version of Windows. Firstly, make sure
your printer is “on line” - usually confirmed by an indicator light.
Also make sure that correctly sized paper is in the tray, and that the ink
or toner cartridge is properly installed. Clear the printer’s memory by
turning the printer off, waiting a few seconds, and turning it back on.
I assume your printer uses a parallel cable and that you
are using the same cable with both PC’s, so a faulty cable can be
eliminated. PC’s made in the last few years have multi-mode parallel ports
that can work in Standard, Bi-directional, Extended Capability Port (ECP),
and Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP). Check your printer’s documentation to
find the proper mode for your printer. Often the parallel port on new PC’s
come with the parallel port set to ECP or EPP. Whilst modern printers can
operate with this mode, older printers cannot, so try setting it to
Standard. In Standard mode, it is the slowest, most compatible but will not
allow enhancements such as the amount of ink remaining to be displayed by
software.
To change the parallel port mode, enter your PC’s BIOS
setup program (usually accessed by pressing Del, F1 or F2 before the system
begins booting), look for the parallel port settings often in Peripheral
Devices, start with Standard, then Bi-directional and work up through all,
be sure to save your settings each time. Finally, if your printer still
doesn’t work then the motherboard may be defective so return it to the
store you purchased it from.
On the subject of printer connections, a majority of new
printers come with a USB connection and if your PC has a USB port and most
modern PC’s do, then this should be your preferred connection method.
Send your questions or comments to the Pattaya Mail at
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, 20260 or fax to 038 427 596 or
e-mail to [email protected]
The views and comments expressed within this column are not necessarily
those of the writer or Pattaya Mail Publishing.
Richard Bunch is managing director of Action Computer
Technologies Co., Ltd. providing professional services which include custom
database and application development, website design, promotion and hosting,
computer and peripheral sales service and repairs, pro audio solutions,
networks (LAN & WAN) and IT consulting. For further information, please
telephone 01 782 4829, fax 038 716 816, e-mail: [email protected]
or see our website www.act.co.th
A Slice of Thai History:
The struggle to retain independence (Part Three 1867 - 1885)
by Duncan Stearn
The period between 1867 until 1871 saw relative calm
between Thailand and her neighbours. King Mongkut died in 1868 at the age of
64 and was succeeded by his eldest son Prince Chulalongkorn (later known as
the Great).
In 1871 Chinese forces escaping persecution after the
long-running Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) crossed into eastern Laos and
threatened the city of Luang Prabang. Known as the Black and Red Flags, the
Chinese posed a serious danger to Thai suzerainty in Laos and a military
expedition was despatched to suppress them.
It had marginal success, failing to evict the Chinese who
were nonetheless largely confined to the eastern reaches of Laos.
In the same year, King Chulalongkorn went on his first
overseas trip, touring the Dutch and British possessions of Java, Malaya,
Burma and India in an exercise designed as much to develop dialogue with his
powerful neighbours as gain knowledge of the world outside Thailand.
The Chinese Black and Red Flags continued to be a thorn
in the side of the Thais in Laos, as well as crossing into Vietnam and
engaging the French who were still completing their occupation of that
country.
Towards the end of 1883, worried that French expansion in
Vietnam would soon lead to incursions in Laos, Thailand sent an
expeditionary force to deal with the Chinese Black and Red Flags. The army
was defeated.
In 1884 the French forced King Norodom of Cambodia to
accede to a series of reforms that effectively gave France de jure control
of the country. That same year France achieved a protectorate status over
the regions of Vietnam it had yet to fully occupy.
For Thailand the signs were ominous. The French were
putting themselves into a position to put pressure on the land of the white
elephant.
In an effort to circumvent this, Thailand sent a large
army into Laos in 1885 to rid the country of the Chinese Black and Red
Flags. Although initially successful, the army suffered losses from disease
and took until 1887 to compel the Chinese to quit Laos altogether.
Then, in October 1885, the Third Anglo-Burmese War broke
out. Just over a month later it was all over and the following January
Britain officially annexed the remainder of Burma. The British Empire now
spread the entire length of Thailand’s western border.
Antiques, are they
genuine? : Honest replicas and downright fakes
by Apichart Panyadee
Collecting silver reached a fever pitch in the decade and
a half before the First World War, and there was not enough antique silver
coming on to the market to satisfy the demand. This encouraged manufacturers
to produce replicas of earlier pieces and in some cases, to produce fakes.
 The
epergne, or centrepiece from the 18th century
The silver-gilt monteith bowl was made for the firm of
Wakely and Wheeler in 1903. This style, a copy of a piece dating from about
1690, was copied extensively, sometimes with 17th century, or 18th century
hallmarks to deceive the collector.
Apostle spoons were popular during this period, and much
favoured by collectors. There are very clever forgeries around, but there
are certain features which betray the deceit. The proportions are often
wrong, often the bowl is larger. Detail of the finial figure may be
‘stiff’ and the lack of wear around the edge of the bowl might also be a
clue, but not always a sign that the piece is a forgery.
 An
authentic Tiffany silver milk jug, in the Japanese style with applied motifs
in mixed metals
The epergne, or centrepiece, enjoyed popularity in the
18th century. A number have been dismantled at times when their popularity
had waned. Often this resulted in the small dishes having been sold as
sweetmeat baskets. They are not always fully marked, and can be easily
spotted, not only by the style, but also by a lack of a date letter and town
marks.
Making honest replicas had a brief period of popularity
in the early 19th century. The sideboard dish is one of those items which
was in demand at that time, as well of racing cups. Often these pieces will
have some stylised confusion, and the engraving is often a copy of the 17th
century Baroque or 18th century Rococo style.
 This
sideboard dish (right) is an honest replica, made in 1814, and the racing
cup (right) is a straight replica of a George III made by Hancock’s in
1856
The prices of spectacular Art Nouveau and Aesthetic items
by Tiffany are spectacularly high, so that in theory a substantial
opportunity exists for the faker. In practice, however, each example coming
on the market will be checked with extreme thoroughness. Any attempt at
deception would have to be exceedingly good. But there seems to be little
premium on more modest Tiffany items. These are therefore scarcely more
prone to forgery than other items of similar quality, design and period.
Updated every Friday
Copyright 2001 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by
Chinnaporn Sungwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
E-Mail: [email protected]
|
|
