HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Family Money

Snap Shots

Modern Medicine

Women's World

Heart to Heart with Hillary

A Slice of Thai History

Bits ‘n’ Bobs

Coins of the Realm

Animal Crackers

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

Roll over Rover

The Message In The Moon

PC Basics

Family Money: US Dollar and Sterling - a close relationship?

By Leslie Wright,
Managing director of Westminster Portfolio Services (Thailand) Ltd.

I am frequently asked what I think is going to happen to the dollar, or the euro, or the pound. In the past two years, the value of the pound sterling has remained remarkably stable against the US dollar, ranging over a limited spread of only 3%.

But far from being the norm (as some people with short memories seem to think), this has been an unusually stable period. In fact, over the past century, the pound has fallen from $4.9 to around $1.4 against the US dollar.

In reality there is no consistent relationship between the pound and the dollar, despite the parallels often drawn between the economic cultures in both countries. A common language may create cultural and political affinities but is a shaky basis for a currency relationship. This must depend upon the structure of the economies, their macro-economic management and trade and financial links. Over the past 20 years, the UK became more flexible, like the US economy, but this has not tied their currencies together.

Since the dollar peaked near parity with sterling in 1985, the pound has risen 40%, similar to its rise against the DM (now the euro). However, since the ERM crisis in 1992, the pound has fallen 25% against the dollar but risen 9% against the euro bloc. From the post-ERM lows in 1993, sterling has traded in a 20% range against the dollar, being currently at the bottom of that range, whereas it lies near the top of a 60% range against the euro. Volatility against the euro has been greater but there has been no consistent link with either the euro or the dollar.

In recent years sterling has been seen by many investors as a hedge currency against the euro, and this may well have contributed to its apparent strength and stability against the dollar. However, the recent period of relative stability against the dollar is probably best regarded as a coincidence: over the same period, it has traded in a narrow range against the euro. Sterling has shown (in 1992) that it is capable of falling against the dollar and euro-bloc currencies simultaneously.

If investors became sceptical about the UK’s insulation from the structural rigidities of Europe’s labour markets, sterling could become independently weak. This could be catalysed if the UK government decides to hold a referendum on joining the euro. Whether for this reason or because the dollar ends its bull-run and sterling is bypassed in a rush into the euro, sterling investors should perhaps be looking for a hedge against a devaluing currency.

Having made this dire prediction, and before I get deluged with queries from concerned sterling investors, I’d better clarify a few points.

First, be aware that playing the currency markets is fraught with danger: forex trading is rated risk level 7 (where 1 is cash deposits in your base currency, 2 is international government bonds, 4 is major market equities, 5 is emerging market equities, and 6 is commodities, futures & options). So, trying to guess which currency to keep your cash in, and switching back and forth, can be a very expensive exercise if you guess wrong.

Second, an international investor is only at risk if he’s holding cash deposits or other assets (e.g., real estate) in the devaluing currency. If he’s holding an internationally diversified portfolio of funds which just happen to be denominated in sterling, then if sterling devalued against the dollar his overall portfolio value in sterling would go up - but if converted into US dollar value, it would remain virtually the same as before sterling devalued. Let me explain this oft-misunderstood principle further.

Any unit trust or mutual fund has to be denominated (i.e., priced) in one currency or another, to gauge its worth and performance.

For convenience of international investors, many offshore funds are denominated in US dollars, even if the assets they are holding - shares of companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, for example - are actually traded in the local currency (Thai baht in the case of SET trades) rather than US dollars. What effect does currency fluctuation have on the price of units?

If the local stock market moves up and the exchange rate between the baht and the dollar remains the same over the period in question, the net value of the fund’s assets (‘NAV’, to use the technical abbreviation) increases both in local currency and international currency value. In other words, the price of units goes up.

If, however, the SET moved up but the Thai baht depreciated against the dollar by exactly the same percentage (a highly unlikely scenario, but useful for this example), the gain in stock price would be exactly offset by the loss in currency value, so the NAV in US dollar terms would effectively move sideways. The price of units in US dollars would remain effectively unchanged.

Similarly, if the stock market moves down and the local currency depreciates against the US dollar, the price of units, valued in US dollars, will drop even further than just the amount by which the market corrected.

But - and this is a big but - if that investor had purchased his fund units by having exchanged Thai baht into dollars, and now converts the US dollar value of his holdings back into Thai baht terms, he will note that the fluctuation in exchange rates has miraculously disappeared! How?

To continue with our examples above, if the SET moves up and the currency exchange rate moves sideways, converting current US dollar fund-unit value back to Thai baht shows an increase in baht value approximating the stock market increase (assuming for the purposes of this exercise that the fund managers manage to match the performance of the SET).

If the SET moved sideways but the baht had weakened against the dollar, the price of units in that fund would have dropped in US dollars as outlined above, but converted back to baht would now be worth more weakened baht, so the value of these units in local-currency terms would be virtually the same as before the currency drop.

In other words, holding units in an offshore fund which happens to be denominated in another currency does not necessarily expose you to a currency risk if the units in that fund were bought with your base currency.

Snap Shot: Focus Hocus Pocus!

by Harry Flashman

As the Pattaya Mail’s photographic correspondent Harry here does get reader’s queries as to where they are going wrong, and even within the confines of the Pattaya Mail when we get some new photographers starting, there are problems and queries.

The most common problem is poor focussing. A photo which is “soft” or “blurry” does not appeal, unless it is intentionally supposed to appear soft and romantic. For the other 99% of the shots you take, then you need sharp focus on the subject matter.

Now please remember that if you are a good photographer, you will be trying to have the subject(s) razor sharp, while the backgrounds become slightly hazy. This just ensures that the subject matter really springs out at you.

Most modern cameras are “Auto-Focus” (AF) and the brochures would have you believe that this is the answer. Let me assure you that this is not the case, in fact these days most poor focussing problems I see come from the very same AF cameras!

However, before we get down to the nitty gritty, let’s first look at a few very basic rules. For a photograph to be sharp the camera must not be shaking. Camera shake is caused by not hanging onto the thing tight enough. Cameras are two handed devices, and two hands should be kept on the camera body at all times, and please do not wave one hand in the air holding up one-two-three fingers before popping the shutter. Camera shake guaranteed.

Another classic example of poor sharpness is when you use a telephoto lens, or a zoom at the tele end. Remember this rule of thumb - the slowest shutter speed you can hand hold a tele lens is the inverse of the focal length. Sounds complicated, but isn’t. If you use a 125 mm lens then the slowest shutter speed you should use is 1/125th or if it is a 250 mm lens, then it is 1/250. OK?

Now then, back to AF and what can go wrong. The first thing is that you, the photographer in charge, do not wait long enough for the camera to find the zone of focus. When you point the camera at the subject, the AF bit starts “hunting” by going forwards and backwards until it settles on the correct focus. This takes a couple of seconds, and if you are in too much of a hurry, the shutter will open while the AF is still hunting. The result is the complete shot is out of focus. What you have to do is wait till the camera has got the focus before depressing the “go” button. Most AF cameras have a little (generally) green light which shows up in the viewfinder to tell you that the camera is now focussed. Wait for it!

That’s the first problem fixed, so on to the next AF problem. This next one is the commonest mistake of all. You take a shot of a couple and neither person is in focus, even though you waited for the green light and held the camera firmly with both hands. Why did it do this?

Again the answer is simple. Look again at the photo. The background between the two people is in focus, instead of the people themselves. Now take a look through the viewfinder. Notice a little green square or circle right in the middle of the area you look through. That’s the AF spot. The camera will focus on what is right there in the centre, and with a couple it is the space between the two heads! So it will give you a blurry couple in front of a sharp background.

The fix? You position the AF focussing spot on one of the two people, then hold the shutter button half way down which “locks” the focus. Now, keeping your finger on the half depressed shutter button, reposition the camera to bring the two people back into the frame. Pop the shutter and you have a couple shot with both people in focus.

Modern Medicine: Ouch! That hurts!

by Dr Iain Corness, Consultant

In the past week I have had two people come to see me to ask about their pains. This is not surprising, as pain is often the presenting symptom for many illnesses and physical conditions. For example, the symptom of a fractured rib is pain on deep breathing, coughing or sudden movement.

In fact, our skeletons are responsible for many of our pains. Fractures and degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis are certainly high in the list of likely suspects. Gout, which produces arthritis in the joint in the big toe gives exquisite pain - just ask anyone who has had it!

But surely it must be possible for us to lead a pain-free existence in this modern world of space travel and palm computers? In actual fact, it is possible to be pain-free, but at too great a cost. The chemicals that are strong enough to mask the pain are also strong enough to render your brain inoperative when taken over a long period. Turning one’s patients into “zombies” is not a good idea.

I do also realise that there are times when you want “temporary” respite from pain. The footballer with a fractured finger can have local anaesthetic injected into the fracture so that he can do the two 45 minutes halves plus injury time and penalty shootout. That’s it. Not tablets for the next three weeks!

So why do we have “pain”? Pain is actually inbuilt into our systems for an important purpose. Damage control! Pain is what stops us damaging our bodies even further than they are damaged already. Let’s go back to the broken rib scenario. Most fractured ribs are “cracks” along the long axis of the bone, not a complete break right through, so that the ends are flapping around in the breeze. The pain stops the unfortunate person from doing too much and breaking it totally right through. Pain has a protective influence. With the person who has joint pains or gout, the purpose of the pain is to stop further damage to an already “crumbling” joint or one filled with sharp crystals. Pain makes you rest it, so that it can heal. When you stop to think about it, pain is good for us.

However, there are also chronic pain situations, and these are harder to deal with. Particularly when the pain is coming from a permanently damaged skeleton, or from a condition we cannot “cure”. This is where pain management comes in, and it is a fairly skilful region of medicine, let me assure you. Practitioners in this have to really understand what the patient is going through. What happens is that we (or you) have to maximise an ability of the body’s nervous system known as “attenuation”. This is where the nervous system receives so much pain stimuli that eventually the pain receptors “give up” through the overuse. However, getting to that stage is a long and painful road itself.

Chemical assistance is needed, but it is not just a case of taking big dose analgesics. In actual fact, much of the work in this area is with taking agents to slow down nerve transmission and other agents such as anti-inflammatories, which work with pain killers to make them more potent at a lower dose (so the brain doesn’t get mussed up)! It’s not easy.

Women’s World: An error of birth (Part 2)

by Lesley Warner

The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association’s Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders (HBIGDASCGID) is a document that was first drawn up in 1979 and last revised in 1998. It seeks to help manage gender identity disorders and the treatment for them. The association also advises how one should start to prepare their life and their families for the transition that they wish to go through.

In Europe and America, a lot of psychological preparation is done by the doctor before allowing an individual to undergo the operation. It is apparent in some research that some fifty percent of transsexuals die by age 30, usually by their own hand.

Many men in their impatience will come to Thailand to get the operation done quickly with no questions asked without the proper counseling or indeed sometimes none at all.

One serious thought to bear in mind is that Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS) is not is the answer to all of life’s problems. When a man becomes a woman, doctors will completely reform the penis into a vaginal cavity. That’s pretty tough to undo!

One would assume that the majority of men have thought this through very carefully but a few tips on how to prepare yourself to become a woman fulltime, I’m sure, won’t go amiss.

I would not presume to give this advice myself, but here are some memoirs of someone that has already undergone the operation. Her main suggestion is that before you undergo the operation you live and work as a woman for a minimum of 6 months, preferably for 1-year fulltime; try other options before surgery, for example hormones. Take the time to have some psychotherapy even if you hate the idea, as this is a major decision. Remember, there’s no turning back. Give careful consideration to the fact that you could just move from one body that’s a prison into another.

Male to female transsexuals use the hormone estrogen to feminize their voices, faces, and body characteristics. This hormone changes their fat distribution, increases their breast size, and decreases their body hair. One thing that this hormone does not do, however, is to eliminate facial hair. Transsexuals must often go through painful and expensive treatments such as electrolysis to remove this hair. Estrogen also shrinks the penis and testicles, so the decision to go through with hormones is a fairly permanent one (though nowhere nearly as extreme as surgery).

When you finally make the irrevocable decision to go through with the surgical procedure, a great deal of consideration must be used.

There are several parts to the surgery, which may include any or all of the following: orchiectomy, penectomy, vaginoplasty, and augmentation mammoplasty.

A vaginoplasty involves the removal of the testes to create labia. It also involves the inversion of the penis to create a vagina - this requires extensive surgery and many follow-up visits. The good news is that these newly constructed vaginas look amazingly like the real thing.

An important feature is the augmentation mammoplasty (that’s a boob job).

Many male to female transsexuals also have cosmetic surgery to feminize their facial features and reduce the size of their Adam’s apple. Other surgeries can include: suction-assisted lipoplasty of the waist, rhinoplasty, facial bone reduction, face-lift, and blephroplasty. It is important to remember, however, that most of these procedures are irreversible and optional.

Genital surgery for the female-to-male patient may include hysterectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, vaginectomy, metoidioplasty, scrotoplasty, urethroplasty, placement of testicular prostheses, and phalloplasty. Operative techniques for phalloplasty at this time are varied. Other surgeries that may be performed to assist masculinization include liposuction to reduce fat in hips, thighs and buttocks.

It’s helpful for you if you know other people that have been through the same procedure so they can talk you through it. You will need to do some considerable research into which doctor you want to use. Find people that have had the operation and ask them about the doctor they used, talk to the doctor, ask for other patients of his that you can contact.

The Surgeon performing genital reconstruction should be an urologist, gynecologist, plastic surgeon or general surgeon, and have specialized competence in genital reconstructive techniques. Ideally, the surgeon should be knowledgeable about more than one of the surgical techniques for genital reconstruction so that he or she, in consultation with the patient, will be able to choose the ideal technique for the individual. When surgeons are skilled in a single technique, they should inform their patients and refer those who do not want or are unsuitable for this procedure to another surgeon.

Heart to Heart with Hillary

Dear Hillary,

My wife has run off with a motor bike taxi driver from Ubon after cleaning out my bank account. My friends say that this is not a bad thing as I have had a lot of trouble with her running off with all sorts of men before (three times), but every time she comes back to me I give in again and we start all over again. What should I do about it?

Joseph

Dear Joseph,

You might be lucky this time, Joseph. She has taken a motorcycle taxi and they are generally pretty cheap, so she might get all the way to Laos before she runs out of (your) money. Honestly, you men amaze me some days. Why do you keep on doing it? Once would be enough for Hillary. Perhaps you are not ready to start another relationship and that is why you keep on going back into this very unsatisfactory situation. Time to wake up, Joseph. There’s plenty more out there - just keep saving up, there’s bound to be another who will help relieve the load on your wallet! In the meantime, stay at home and watch videos.

Dear Hillary,

After reading Khai Khem’s article in the Pattaya Mail Vol X, No. 24 about why good men can’t meet nice girls in Pattaya I have become totally depressed. Is it really that bad? Am I really that bad? I thought it was just my deodorant or after-shave that was off. Now I find that it is because the women of Pattaya all think I am an incompetent drifter and a loser on a path of self destruction. I think I will have to go and see Number 33 at the go-go bar and ask her if she thinks the same, before my money runs out buying expensive lady drinks. Hillary, tell me that Khai Khem’s got it all wrong.

Jaime

Dear Jaime,

It all depends on how “nice” you want, I suppose. Hillary knows plenty of nice girls here who are not going to give you a black mark for having walked down Walking Street and had a drink or two at some of the bars. Khai Khem was out to provoke a little thought and constraint, and obviously hit the mark where you are concerned. If the hat fits, then wear it, but you don’t sound like a self-destructing loser to me, my Petal. Keep looking and keep being a “good” man and you will be rewarded. If not in this lifetime, then in the next! Don’t be depressed. Chocolates help, Hillary knows this from experience. Especially with champagne.

Dear Hillary,

I am another man who wonders why so many men make the same mistake, relating to their choice of girlfriends. Every week it is the same tale of being ripped off, fleeced, stolen from - the list is endless - but still they all back up for more, or another horde of new lambs arrive at the slaughteryard all pleading to be taken to the cleaners. Books are written about the subject, countless hours of advice, but to no avail. There are more of them, ready for plucking. Now I find that both my brothers have gone overboard and out to lunch! Do you know why, Hillary?

Disbeliever

Dear Disbeliever,

I just love your mixed metaphors, darling. You’ve got the unfortunates being ripped off, fleeced, lining up at slaughter yard about to be plucked and cleaned and then diving overboard at lunchtime. Isn’t the English language incredible? But you are right, it seems incredible that these men fall for it all, hook, line and sinker (see, you’ve got Hillary doing the clich้ thing now). There are two reasons for this. The first is the release of male hormones which get a boost by flattery and the second is the excellent job of flattery done by the local ladies. Somehow you have got to get your brothers to understand this. Buy the back issues of the Pattaya Mail and cut out my columns (if you haven’t done it already) and show your brothers. Maybe they will start to become more cautious with the weight of evidence. You can always write to Khai Khem and see if she’s got any spare nice ladies, but Jaime may have beaten you to it.

Dear Hillary,

I am looking for some Thai artefacts to purchase and take back to the States in November. Wooden carvings, native tin and silverware, that kind of thing. I have been told by friends that it is a lot cheaper to go to Chiang Mai to get these, rather than locally. What’s your handle on this?

Jodie

Dear Jodie,

Your friends are only half right, I’m afraid. When you go to the source of any item it will be cheaper - no freight costs to begin with. However, when you go up to Chiang Mai yourself, you have just added in a whole bunch of freight costs. An air fare up and back to begin with. Accommodation, taxis out to the villages where the artefacts are made - the list goes on. Unless you are shopping for container loads of articles, or are going to Chiang Mai for a holiday at the same time, it is easier and better to just bargain hard here.

A Slice of Thai History: The Revolution of 1688

by Duncan Stearn

Part Four: The revolution and the fall of Phaulkon

In 1686, a dispute broke out between Samuel White and a trader from Golconda in India, resulting in the sinking of one of White’s Thai-badged ships. Phaulkon instructed one of his commanders to seize ships from Golconda in retaliation for the sinking.

Golconda, thinking the English East India Company may have supported White’s actions, lodged a complaint with the English. In reality, the Company was displeased with White, whom they regarded as an interloper and therefore a serious economic rival.

However, in April 1687 the English East India Company demanded compensation from King Narai for damages it claimed had been caused by Mergui-based Thai pirates preying on shipping.

When Narai rejected the claim, two English East India Company warships arrived off Mergui in June to begin a blockade of Thai trade. The English were also instructed to seize any Thai vessels stationed there and apprehend Englishmen employed by the Thai government, including Samuel White.

The blockade backfired when, on July 14, Thai troops fired on the English warships and then massacred 60 Englishmen in Mergui. The English ships retreated.

On August 11, 1687, King Narai declared war on the English East India Company.

At the behest of Phaulkon, a French East India Company force of six warships and 500 troops under Claude du Boullay arrived in Ayutthaya in September to help against the English. The French installed a garrison at Bangkok and, urged on by Phaulkon, Narai appointed a French governor for Mergui and allowed the stationing of French troops in the port. Allegedly, the French had secret orders to take control of Mergui and Bangkok, viewed as ‘the key of the kingdom [of Ayutthaya]’.

Supposedly, Phaulkon, recognising the ailing health of King Narai, the growing opposition and strength of Pra Petraja and knowing that his own position would be tenuous with the death of the king, aimed to place Frenchmen in key positions in Ayutthaya, hoping to be the power behind a pliant successor.

Mom Pi, the adopted son of the king, was seen as the ideal heir to the throne as he was still young enough to be brought under the influence of Phaulkon’s clique.

Narai was also being implored by French missionaries and Phaulkon to renounce Buddhism and embrace Catholicism. To his credit, the ailing monarch steadfastly refused.

However, it was Petraja who moved quickly and decisively. King Narai, staying in the summer capital of Lopburi and dying of a terminal illness, was effectively supplanted in a coup launched and led by Pra Petraja on May 18, 1688. Petraja had himself proclaimed regent.

On June 5, Petraja ordered the arrest of Mom Pi and Constantine Phaulkon, claiming that he was only protecting the integrity of Ayutthaya and thwarting the designs of the French. King Narai’s two half-brothers were put to death, as was the luckless Mom Pi. All three were executed in the traditional Royal manner by being beaten to death with sandalwood clubs. Narai’s daughter was forced to marry Petraja in an attempt to bring a measure of legitimacy to the coup.

Phaulkon was charged with treason, imprisoned and tortured before being beheaded at Lopburi.

Bits ‘n’ Bobs

Coins of the Realm: The Siamese Embassy to France

by Jan Olav Aamlid - President - House of the Golden Coin http://www.thaicoins.com

Recently, a French medal of the highest rarity, fantastic quality and of great historical importance was offered to collectors of Thai medals. It did not take long before the 70-mm large medal was sold to a collector of Thai medals for several hundred-thousand baht.

On the reverse, Louis XIV and the Siamese ambassadors paying their respects.

Why would collectors of Thai medals be interested in a French medal with King Louis XIV on the obverse?

The story goes back to the time when King Narai the Great (1656-1688) was the King of Thailand and King Louis XIV, the most powerful man in Europe, was the King of France.

The medal shows on the obverse the portrait of Louis XIV.

King Narai wanted to have a good relationship with the King of France, and in 1878 selected two ambassadors for France. They left for France with the ship Soleil d’Orient but it is assumed that the ship sank in a storm off the coasts of Madagascar. On the ship there were presents for the French King, even live elephants are listed have been on board. The ship has never been found, but if found the value of its cargo would be enormous.

A second Siamese Embassy went to France in 1684; the voyage went well until they met pirate ships in the English Channel. English Warships saved them, and after a while they made it to France. During the embassy’s stay in France, nothing much was achieved due to cultural and other differences.

The same medal in bronze.

A third Siamese delegation to France was a success. The three Siamese ambassadors stayed in France from June 1686 till February 1687. They had an audience with King Louis XIV at Versailles 1st of September 1686. During the audience the Siamese ambassadors admitted it was with sadness they left Siam, but said after meeting the French King that all the sadness was gone.

The Siamese ambassadors visited several places in France, visited industries, theaters, palaces, foreign missions and museums. The only complaint the ambassadors had in France was the long winter. King Louis XIV heard of this, and arranged to have three lined jackets made before they left for Fountainebleau.

The last Emperor of France, Napoleon III (1852-1871) had a medal inspired by the one struck during the reign of Louis XIV.

The Siamese ambassadors become very popular in France, their portraits were painted for a room at Versailles, their pictures engraved several times and a medal was struck.

The medal shows on the obverse the portrait of Louis XIV and on the reverse Louis XIV and the Siamese ambassadors paying their respects.

The medal was at the time struck in 70 mm and 40 mm in Silver and Bronze. The larger medal is very rare in Bronze and extremely rare in Silver. The smaller medal has been sold a few times in copper, but the over last few years, it has not been seen in Silver.

A drawing made at the time of the Siamese delegation paying respects to Louis XIV.

The last Emperor of France, Napoleon III (1852-1871) had a medal inspired by the one struck during the reign of Louis XIV. The occasion was when Napoleon III was receiving Siam’s ambassador on 27th June 1861. This medal is not as rare as the one from Louis XIV, but two years ago it sold in Singapore for about 350,000 baht.

The Paris Mint has during the last years made several re-strucks of the medal, but those are not expensive.

“Siam And The West, 1500-1700” written by Dirk Van der Cruysse is a book originally published in French in 1991 and in English in 2002. This is where I found most of the information about the Siamese ambassadors to France. The book is highly recommended.

Animal Crackers: Sea Stars or Star Fish?

By Mirin E Mc Carthy

Although sea stars are popularly called starfish they bear little resemblance to true fish, which are backboned creatures with a very different body and life style.

Starfish are classed as Echinoderms, which includes such diverse species sea cucumbers, sea urchins and brittle stars. All are built on a radial pattern and have no definable head or tail. The body wall is stiffened with limey plates and some types, such as the crown of thorns starfish, have well-developed spines covering the entire body. Although having no evident eyes, starfish other sense organs allow them to detect light, touch, taste, smell and the pull of gravity.

All members of this species live in the sea, none are found in fresh water or on land.

Sea stars are aptly named because of their star like shape, although in some, such as the biscuit star, this is less defined. There are five or more arms joined to the central section of the animal with no obvious meeting. On the underside a groove can be seen running along each arm and joining with a central opening, which is the mouth. A sack like stomach lies beneath the mouth and when feeding starfish push out this stomach until it surrounds the food. After the food is digested the stomach is pulled back inside the mouth.

When a hard shell protects the prey, such as mussels and oysters, the starfish tugs steadily with its arms until the shells part slightly. It then pushes its stomach into the few millimetre wide gap to feast. Experiments have shown that a moderately sized starfish can tug with a force of 5kgs for up to ten minutes. This is enough to weaken even the most powerful muscles holding an oyster shell firmly shut.

Because sea stars actively hunt over oyster beds, oyster farmers do not favour them. Any fisherman chopping a sea star in half and throwing the remains into the sea would end up with more than he bargained for though, as they have the ability to regenerate new arms from broken parts of the body.

A common feature of starfish is the presence of tube feet, which allows it to move and exert a heavy pull on objects. When a live starfish is turned over hundreds of tube feet ending in suckers are seen. All tube feet are connected to an intricate system of pipes running through the body, and linked with a central disc. On the upper surface of the disc are holes through which water is pumped. Once filled with seawater the series of pipes and tube feet make a clever hydraulic system. When seawater is pumped into a tube foot it lengthens, when it is pumped out it shortens. So by lengthening and shortening its hundreds of tube feet a starfish moves steadily along in search of its prey. Once the prey is found the starfish then exerts a powerful pulling force with its hundreds of tube feet which adhere by the tiny suckers.

When breeding in the summer the male fertilizes the adult female starfish which then discharges up to twenty million eggs into the sea. These drift on the ocean currents for about two weeks before the larval forms hatch, then sink to the reefs below and begin to feed.

The crown of thorns starfish, one of the largest of the sea star group, measures approximately 45 cm across its seven to seventeen arms. The spines covering it are poisonous and anyone handling a live creature may suffer intense pain and vomiting.

The crown of thorns is of worldwide concern because it feeds on living coral polyps on tropical reefs and has extensively damaged the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Although some starfish are pest species on underwater life, they all add their own uniqueness, colour and interest to shorelines of the world.

Social Commentary by Khai Khem

People of “size”

Anyone listening to CNN on June 19th may have heard the news that a USA airline company called Southwest has evoked a new policy which will charge obese passengers for two seats if they are too fat to sit into one seat comfortably without their extra rolls of blubber spilling over into the seat of the person sitting next to them. Wow.

I’ve flown on Southwest. The fares are so cheap their seats are fully booked all year round. It’s a popular airline and those of us who travel within their destination routes use it like we used to use the Greyhound Bus before bus travel became unfashionable. It’s a no frills airline, and if one isn’t too fussy about seating, and is smart enough to bring a bottle of water and a sandwich on board, it gets you there and back on time.

As for the new policy? It’s enough to make a cat laugh. As far as I can determine the criteria is rather vague as to who is obese enough to get charged for two seats. Since everything in the USA is so politically correct now, the phrase which was used by the news broadcaster was “people of size”.

From my observations during my last visit to the USA, this could include half the population over 10 years old. Statistics in the USA say that Americans are growing fatter every decade. So I presume the airline will set a weight ceiling and make everyone who waddles up to the check-in counter step on a scale – probably the baggage scale. I’d love to wait near the check-in counter at Southwest and see this show.

Who’s going to put up with this? Well, it’s hard to predict. Some societies around the world have not regarded obesity as repulsive. China, India and some Polynesian islands used to think this was a mark of prosperity. Of course China and India lived for centuries with the twin haunting of poverty and famine on their doorstep. But even these countries are changing their view of beauty. Since the Chinese shed their Mao pajamas, high fashion is alive and thriving. Indian women no longer display “thunder thighs’ and bulging bellies are now some of the most beautiful in the world.

American society, on the other hand, has always regarded the fat person as ugly and offensive. That’s why in the past couple of decades the federal government had to pass laws to overcome this prejudice.

Fat people didn’t get make friends in school, get jobs in high places, membership in posh clubs, and were social outcasts. They couldn’t fit into fine tailored suits or gorgeous French designer fashions. They were basically condemned to flowing tents and baggy ill-fitting gabardine outfits displayed in middle-class department stores.

Now it’s against the law to discriminate against the obese. Of course nature abhors a vacuum. So smokers had to take their place in the American Leper Colonies. All those former smokers are now 50 pounds overweight and are exactly the ones who can no longer fit into an airline seat.

I predict that other airlines will soon follow suit. There are a number of factors which lead me to believe this. The September 11 attack has left the door wide open for a lot of little liberties to escape into a black hole called Big Brother and Security. I correspond with many flight attendants on commercial airlines and who work on corporate jets. They have commented that the passengers (and even some pilots) are so fat that if the plane ever had an emergency it would be impossible for the attendants to get them out of the plane. They are too heavy to drag, and certainly their huge girth would make it impossible to pull them through a small opening.

And let’s not forget that the airline industry has undergone some economic hardships around the globe after the terrorist attacks in the USA. Charging one person for two seats is ingenious. Of course the description “people of size” is so vague that in American English, it means nothing. Sort of like the use of ‘synergizing’ in the corporate business world. I think people will not take offence at being singled out in public for being “of size”. Obese citizens do not see themselves as obscenely gluttonous. Especially when it’s against the law to point it out.

So what’s a chubby passenger to do? He or she will have to choose between the stomach and the pocket book. Hardly any choice at all in the USA. American households have the some of the smallest savings in the world. Everything is on the ‘never, never’ plan, as the Brits would say. “Charge it” are the first two words an American baby learns to speak. Gluttony will win the day and Southwest knows it.

Readers may not think Southwest Airline’s policy is fair or just. Well, let’s see if we can balance the scale a little. If fat passengers must buy two seats so they don’t spill over into the laps of their thin seatmates, why not offer thin passengers a seat at half price? There are a lot of people in the world who are downright svelte!

The Thais for example, are tiny and slim. If we can’t get a seat for half-price, perhaps we could buy one seat for two people to share. If we can fit 30 people into the back of a Toyota pick-up during Songkran and an entire family complete with domestic pets on a moped, we could surely squeeze into a chair designed for the ever-widening American derri่re.

Roll over Rover: Air travel and pets

by C. Schloemer

This week’s column is in response to some very welcome information shared by readers about problems encountered in clearing their dogs at Bangkok International Airport. It seems that those who travel with their dogs to Thailand are experiencing difficulties due to bureaucratic red-tape and government agency policies that cause not only logistical nightmares for owners, but unnecessary stress and isolation for their dogs.

To date, the most helpful information was offered in Pattaya Mail’s letter section by writer Dominique in the May 24th issue. The writer made it clear that this information is pertinent for dogs that travel with owners as ‘hand luggage’ and owners who place their dogs in cargo may have to go through different procedures. For those who missed this letter, I think it is worthwhile to read what Dominique had to say.

I personally found reader response very helpful since I have not imported dogs into Thailand. For those who want to travel with their pets, this could present a problem in many nations, since rules and regulations will certainly vary from country to country.

Travelers should check with a number of airlines who specialize in transporting pets with passengers. Also, international moving companies who move families around the world could also be a source of invaluable information since they are experienced in custom clearing procedures.

Letter-writer Dominique really did some homework and legwork. However, it seems that no matter how well a dog owner is prepared before arrival, the paperwork involved is complicated. Even a healthy, well documented dog will be detained until a Thai veterinarian comes to the air terminal and checks the animal. These vet services, by the way are only available from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. That means flights arriving before or after that small window of availability force the animal and the owner to wait.

Frankly, families and animals fly around the world all the time. Unfortunately we don’t always hear about the difficulties encountered. I wonder if some countries are easier than others to clear domestic pets. Nations with strict quarantine controls such as Singapore, United Kingdom, Australia and Malaysia disseminate information on their policies and although the quarantine is long and usually emotionally painful for pet and owner, the procedures are well publicized. Are they without expense and hassle? Probably not.

The truth is that some owners are not prepared to put their pets nor themselves through an agonizing process of relocation and often either board their animals, or find new homes for them. There are many others who will go to any lengths to keep their beloved dogs because they are members of their family.

Thailand does allow documented dogs to land in the country and eventually be reunited with their owners. Now that we know owners will encounter some delays and confusion, the best visitors can do is plan the trip thoroughly and hope their dog is not too traumatized by the flight and the delays.

The Message In The Moon: Sun in Virgo-Moon in Cancer

by Anchalee Kaewmanee

The Shy One

This Sun-Moon combination is gentle and sympathetic. As in all sensitive and generous souls, people born into this sign can seem rather meek and timid. They are not exactly wallflowers, but their shy personalities can give others the impression of being rather quiet and withdrawn.

Fortunately the Virgo-Cancer has many talents which can be transformed into practical expression. Self-consciousness can sometimes lead to a host of inhibitions, but these natives do eventually conquer some of their more painful shyness as their list of personal achievements grows throughout life and they find a path to self fulfillment.

Often the Virgo-Cancer is oversensitive and is easily hurt by the slightest tension in an environment. As children they will often withdraw into isolation. When very young, natives of this combo may have lived in a world of fantasy and might have had an imaginary playmate, especially if the home-life was filled with tension or disharmony, devoid of sympathy or if the child was in someway bullied.

Even if their younger years were fairly free from stress, a natural tenancy toward neurosis and phobias is often indicated in this sign. As the Virgo-Cancer matures, throwing off these fears can take a lifetime of personal effort. A constant guarding of their feelings will build high walls of self-defense. It is a form of protection against a world they see as callous and uncaring.

Naturally most individuals of this Sun-Moon sign eventually see that the world is not as bad as they make it out to be and shake off these childhood carryovers. They eventually figure out that most of their insecurities were products of their own imaginations. Cursed or blessed these individuals’ gentle and giving natures will make it difficult for them and to understand the harsh realities of the world at large. They will have to work hard to at least tolerate these unpleasant facts of life.

Of course trying to understand the source and nature of one’s insecurities is always a better choice than running away from them. The Virgo-Cancer group should re-examine their close relationships and decide whether or not these associations are allowing room for personal growth. Since natives of this sign are so impressionable, they will depend heavily upon the moods and attitudes of those closest to them. Therefore it is important to establish interaction with people who treat them with respect and brighten up their life. If they are surrounded with negative personalities, it would be wise to assert their own will and try to eliminate some of the drearier and less positive influences. In other words, lighten up and get rid of friendships or close associates who emotionally drag them down.

Once the Cancer-Virgo learns to be more independent and self-assertive, many aspects of expression will open up and that veil of timidity can melt away. These natives have strong altruistic inclinations and can excel in medicine, religious affairs, community service, and teaching. Even the business world can be an exciting career since this combination is shrewd, lucky with money and is endowed with terrific organizational skills.

In love, these natives are in danger of letting themselves get involved with a dominating partner. And oddly enough many natives in this sign often find themselves in a marriage with a partner who bullies them in adulthood as they were bullied in childhood. They will often marry more than once because their first choice of spouse was a mate much stronger and more willful. Fortunately most individuals of this sign will learn from their past mistakes, retreat from an abusive marriage and chose more wisely the second time around.

All Cancer-Virgos make wonderful lovers since they are so generous and sensitive. Their generous and giving inner selves are easy targets for lovers who are less scrupulous and sincere. All must resist being swept away by passion. Better to choose wisely and find a mate who treasures that sensitive emotional nature.

Members in this group all make great parents. Their generous hearts and finely tuned pathos are particularly geared toward the understanding of children, and youngsters sense they are loved and safe with a Cancer-Virgo Mom or Dad.

PC Basics: What are you looking at?

Bay Computer Services

Many people seem to be quite happy spending time and money on their PC to keep it up to date, always ensuring that they have the latest software loaded, the fastest memory available and the biggest hard drive that they can get their hands on. But one area that is overlooked by too many people is the part of the computer that you actually spend all your time looking at - the monitor.

This at first doesn’t appear that important a consideration. After all, it’s the bits in the box that do the work, and as long as they are OK, you might ask yourself why you should worry about the display. Well, that all depends on how much you value certain things like your eyesight and not having constant headaches.

A monitor works by updating the image on the screen a certain number of times per second. This is referred to as the “Refresh Rate”. If, as is likely, you are looking at an older fifteen inch screen, it will probably have a maximum refresh rate of 70 Hertz (Hz), or if it is a bit newer, it may be 80 or so. But it will only operate at that refresh rate as long as the monitor is running in 640 by 480, the lowest resolution available. Once you increase the resolution, the refresh rate drops, often to around 60 Hz.

Different people are affected to a greater or lesser extent by the refresh rate, but it is common after a period of half an hour to an hour to start having headaches and feeling that your eyes are tired. Continued use will only aggravate this.

Fortunately, this problem only really occurs on the smaller monitors. A larger monitor, such as a seventeen inch one, will have a much higher refresh rate. They commonly operate at up to 120 Hz, and even when running in higher resolutions will generally be between 70 to 90 Hz. As a general rule of thumb, as long as the refresh rate is above 70 Hz, you should not notice any problems. If you do use a small monitor, having fluorescent lighting on in the room will make things worse. Instead, try using a lamp with a normal bulb.

Another type of monitor that is becoming more common (although still somewhat expensive) is a TFT screen. Essentially, these are the displays used on laptops, but designed to plug into a standard PC. They don’t have a refresh rate at all, as the individual pixels are updated only when the image changes, rather than the whole screen. As such, they do tend to offer a better quality image than Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays.

Unfortunately, besides being a little pricey, they can be easily damaged. A lot of the TFT monitors do not have glass panels on the front, but have instead a thin plastic coating, which is very pressure sensitive. So if you are in the habit of tapping at things on the screen, or have children using your system (who tend to prod and poke at things they see on a computer screen) you may well see lots of different colours spreading across your display as the LCD crystals shatter and leak. If that happens, the only thing to do then is bin it, as they are not repairable.

In the end, a standard 17" CRT display offers the best compromise between price and performance. They will generally give a good quality image, you should not experience any eye strain or headaches, and if they do go wrong, they can be repaired. If you have to replace it, a new one won’t break the bank either.

If you have any PC related questions please send them to pcbasics@pattaya mail.com