Advogato blog for gregf

31 Jul 2002

Wed, 31 Jul 2002 11:47:15 GMT

Large broadband ISP called samart in Bangkok are currently installing new network cables for large hotels, and small business's. They require a software program to monitor network traffic so that they can assertain how long a customer has spent on the net and subsequently charge the customer for the use of the network. I have been asked to build the front end for this program, which shouldnt be to difficult. I have choosen to use a DNS/DHCP configured server, running an iptables firewall. We can then take all the packet information and load it into a small XML file so that it can be human readable and so forth printable.

12 Feb 2002

Tue, 12 Feb 2002 05:43:46 GMT

Today is my first post for quite a while. Sorry. I thought i'de let you know whats happening with current dommestic affairs. I've settled in Koh samui (south of Thailand). I live in a typical Thai style wooden house, with every fruit tree imaginable in the garden. A fresh water river runs at the bottom of the garden , and the water comes from the mountain and the Namuang waterfall approx. 1km upstream.

Samui has alot to offer, 2million cocanuts exported to Bangkok every month, along with many other kinds of fruit, some of which I have never tasted befor. The weather is generaly always above 28 degree celcius. November - Febuary is the rian season and helps plant growth plus keeps to temperature to a tollerable state. I live in what I call the country side of samui so the evenings are pleasantly cool.

Working on many various types of physical projects at the momment. I have 25 rai (approx 12 acres) of land in the mountain that I want to develope, a bungalow to build with a friend also in the mountain, on top of that I would like to build some furniture and develope around my house. Additionaly I have the hardware and a network to maintain on a small but busy internet cafe. (free coffee supplied). Ive installed Linux on two of the workstations and im trying to convince the owner to switch over to linux power :)

I almost forgot! Every Sunday afternoon I teach english to the local Thai children. For the older generation I have plans to teach them basic computing (Linux I must strongly advise). Hopefully this with generate enough funds to purchase some machines to utilize in class for practical teaching. This also means that I would be encouraged to stay in Thailand on a long term period, which are my plans.

If you ever feel the urge to come and visit Thailand? Then drop me an e-mail greg@farratech.org I have a second house, big enough for two people to live in. I can arrange collection from the airport, and transport, and snorkeling trips, and site seeing excursions, etc, etc. Island hopping is a fantastic way to see thios side of Thailand. You can visit the Island where part of the film 'The Baech' with Leonaro de Caprio was shot.

14 Nov 2001

Wed, 14 Nov 2001 07:54:12 GMT

Software Suspend

SWSUSP

Enable the possibilty of suspending machine. It doesn't need APM. You may suspend your machine by either pressing Sysrq-d or with 'swsusp' or 'shutdown -z <time> (patch for sysvinit needed). It creates an image which is saved in your active swaps. By the next booting the kernel detects the saved image, restores the memory from it and then it continues to run as before you've suspended. If you don't want the previous state to continue use the 'noresume' kernel option.

Right now you may boot without resuming and then later resume but cannot use those swap partitions/files which were involved in suspending. Also, there is a risk that buffers on disk won't match with saved ones (There is a code that revalidates buffers but currently disabled..) If you need such a facility you may give it a test.

Objective:

To take this code and the code needed to develope it so we can build our hardware device accordingly.

Example:

A gnome desktop configuration that user has configured to his/her personal envirnonment. Capture all the desktop settings, icons, applets, etc, and store it on some removable storage device. Take this device and place it into some other machine, `boot` into the envirnonment as you would your own into the last saved session.

16 Oct 2001

Tue, 16 Oct 2001 10:03:49 GMT

Plans for the implimentation of of a new device has arrisen.

I've been thinking about my idea of a removable, bootable, device that holds a users settings and preferences form a previous session. There are many ideas about how to impliment this idea, but to start with the easyest way is to burn the image onto CD-RW but thats time consuming. So the most practical way would be to construct some sort of removable storage that the host system can boot from, and then into the users prefered envirnonment ie, the last session that the user was accustomed to.
I think its a great idea and hopefully will generate lots of interest throughout the comunity. Im going to set up a sourceforge account soon, followed by a homepage for the project. Only thing is I cant think of a name for the project - Any idea's please?

25 Aug 2001

Sat, 25 Aug 2001 18:24:47 GMT

Well here I am again in sunny old Thailand - "The land of the free" and I mean what i say!

Landed in Bangkok on Monday 21st August after a rough stop over at Moscow (Russia) for three hours @ approx 04:30 local time. There were bodies sread out all over the floor so I endeavoured myself to catch some shuteye on the ever hardened polished marble looking floor. No way was I going to get to sleep so I just walked around alot starring at the unusual habbits of the humble human.

Finally got to bangkok at 21:00pm local time. The heat after stepping of the aircraft was tremendous, beads of sweat on the forhead rolling down my cheaks !!WOW!! One night in Bangkok is just about all I can handle, so right now im sat in this well conditioned net-cafe in Pattaya. Monday I leave for Koi Samui one of the native islands, its alot more chilling than the hectic streets full of cars, truck, bicycles, you name it! The so called Go-go girls are sight to see in Pattaya. Read below for details. Well cant think of much more to say other than im deffo not touching another cc of Thai whiskey NO WAY!!!! NO FRIGGIN WAY!! that stuff is evil. I have never in my whole life had an experience like that!

Im going scubba-diving on the island, and ive also started alittle Thai boxing to keep myself fit. You can certainly tone up in these hot country's I look at myself in the mirror and can see the deffinition comming through.

Ok i'll keep you posted about the rest of the holiday as it progresses. In the meantime - "stay cool"

11 Jun 2001

Mon, 11 Jun 2001 19:18:03 GMT

Its been a while now since last post :( -

I seem to be realy busy with myself atm. I dont seem to find the time to do the things I want to do! Im currently occupied rebuilding my web-site, transforming apache to handle a mySQL/php user interface for my own auction site Its been full on since my return from holiday. I dont have a very heavy workload @work. I guess its because of the holiday season. But I find myself occupied with my private life just now. Im having a good time playing football, and golf, and fishing occationaly, and going away at weekends to motorcycle racing circuits to watch my friends race, and sometime lend a helping hand (when I can be bothered to get my hands dirty;) - Also I get quite alot of VIP hospitality tickets to various event such Chelsea football club and Twickenham Rugby Stadium. Although im not a great fan of Chelsea, I dont mind watching them play, and I did once sit next to Dennis Wyse on a train back from Manchester. He was a little angry because the train was 30 minutes late.
Anyhow for thou's of you who know me? Why not check my auction site and if there is something you may be interested let me know and i'll make sure you get extra discount ;-)

11 May 2001

Fri, 11 May 2001 17:54:47 GMT

April 16th onward -

An article in several parts composed of the following headings and subheadings:-

Historical/Cultural Perspective.

Thai's don't hide sex - but we do.

Thai acceptance of gay and transexual people.

What effect does media depiction have on Thailand?

What effect does media depiction have on The Industry?

Are foreign female journalists simply neurotic about sex?

Kidnapped Children bonded in Slavery

Profile of Typical Sex Tourist

Description of Sex Venues

Patpong

Nana Plaza

Pattaya

The Sex Market - who works it and why.

Industry Economics.

Does anybody make the money?

Does the government make the money?

Do the workers make the money?

The Police, the Army and the Thai "Mafia".

p> The Americans

The Europeans

The British

Farang Cultural Perceptions - The Good Wife.

Sex and drugs and rock'n'roll. Life on the darker side of the street.

AIDS, Hepatitis, VDs - Old Friends of The Industry

Guns, death and bodybags - Old Friends of The Industry

Conclusion.

Preface

This is the inside story of a very controversial topic. The writer has no affiliation with any newspaper groups or political parties and so can write freely without editorial pressure to "not mention that part please".

The writers opinion is just that - opinion. But remember, there are no facts in the world, just illusions and opinions. Nobody is right - Nobody is wrong. This is just the writers point of view. And it would not hurt you to adopt it.

First thing that happened:-

I sent an Email to a friend the other day asking if, during his forthcoming visit to Europe, he was going to stop over in Thailand on his way from Australia and visit me. If you could turn up your nose in Email - he would have done so.

He replied "I don't just want to hang out in bars with prostitutes you know, I want something interesting when I go for my holiday so I am sticking to Europe".

Yeah! - well!... No, I don't speak to him anymore. But his attitude is common. His total ignorance is common. Ask most Westerners what they know of Thailand and they will answer "lots of girls over there, lots of go-go bars and brothels, massage parlours, so on and so forth..."

Second thing that happened:-

I asked Rod, the publisher of Generator 21 Online if there were any particular stories he'd like me to write for the magazine. Rod said "yeah, why's Thailand always depicted as a sex destination by the media?" This came just a day after my friends Email. It all tied in.

What I want to do here is just hand over another perspective. I hope it is a more impartial and clearer view of why Thailand is depicted thusly - why Thailand kind of IS a place where you can "get laid" easily.

But there is far, far more to Thailand than fast and easy sex.

Ask most Westerners where the best sex destination is and they will tell you "Thailand of course".

Why do Westerners have this perception of Thailand being nothing much more than a place for cheap sex? Is the perception correct? Why have the media persisted in depicting Thailand in this manner? What effect has this perception on Thailand and it's people? These and other related questions are what I want to deal with in this series of articles. For starters let's get back to the beginning.

Historical/Cultural Perspective.

Thai's don't hide sex - but we do.

Long before Westerners (Farangs) came to Thailand the country and the culture embraced sex as simply another required bodily function. Sex was not "dirty" or "foul" or "shamefull". Yet this is what I was taught as a child in Australia. Have no doubt, I was taught literally that sex was a thing of horror, filthy, something to hide away behind locked doors. Sex was violence, blood, bad smells and big troubles.

In Thailand past and today, they do not teach that to children, they do not indoctrinate their population with creeds of sin and shame. More than 90% of Thailand's people are Buddhists. Buddhism is a philosophy of acceptance of life. Christianity is a socio-political control perversion.

Sex in Thailand is not something to be ashamed of. Sex is like eating, breathing, shitting and sleeping. It's just one of those things that your body has to do now and then. There are rules, there are social mores. But no Thai I've ever met has any perception of shame in sex.

Long before Farangs arrived here the houses of comfort were doing a good trade. Father's took their young sons to be educated about life and sex. Business people went to forget their worries. Workers saved their meagre wages and attended for fun or relief. The houses were attended by both male, female and cross-gender staff. These houses of comfort have existed in Thailand for hundreds of years.

And unlike Western countries, Thailand had no cultural mores that said "do that shit behind closed and locked doors". Oh no! Thailand's sex industry has always been right out front. On the street. Open. Visible. Accessible.

Per capita equiv of prostitutes in Australia, the Americas and the EEC

I feel that I can speak with some small authority. I have friends who work in the sex industry in Australia. Pornography shop workers, Prostitutes, Bouncers, Madams. My own mother ran several girls from a mining town hotel in the 50's when she got sick of being harrassed by horny miners in a no-girl town. I have worked the industry there myself redecorating and renovating one of Melbourne's more popular parlours. And yes, I have even taken some comfort in such houses when I was lost and lonely.

Although no research body (to my knowledge) has actually counted the amount of prostitutes per capita in Australia, the Americas or the EEC - I feel that I KNOW that there are as many if not more prostitutes per capita in Australia than in Thailand.

I think I can fairly assume that the same goes for the AMERICAS and EEC. More prostitution than Thailand and a cultural more that says "put it behind the door, lock the door, don't let anybody see that filthy shite!".

Child Prostitution - More in Australia, the Americas and the EEC.

I worked for several years for Save The Children Fund in Melbourne, Australia. I took care of a large group of "turnkey" children (parents not home until late at night - kids left alone). Two of these kids, around age 12, worked as prostitutes to get money for their parents drug habits. I know their story from the street level. I met their friends, all involved in selling sex to old farts. I could not believe how many of them worked the streets. Large parks were their main venu, but some told me of clubs too. Fancy clubs with Mercs and Limos out front and dying old men inside.

King's Cross in Sydney literally crawls with sub-teens. One of the world's biggest child-prostitution rings was run from the central computer of Melbourne University until they caught red-handed the creep running it. Then something odd happened. The news was suppressed - it never made the papers. The creep was not prosecuted. The information was removed by the police and nothing was ever heard about it again.

I met one of the police officers involved with the case. He informed me that on that computer system was a list of names. BIG names. Famous people, politicians, TV folk, judges and lawyers. Names of men and women involved in a world-wide distribution network/club for old farts with too much money who like to tamper with children.

A friend of mine is serving life in prison. He shot his girlfriend in the head with a shotgun, right in her office in front of her father. My friend had discovered that they were involved with the distribution of child pornography. He told her and her father to stop it. But they made a lot of money out of the business and did not want to stop it. He took some heavy drugs one day, freaked out, took his gun and killed her. He got life, nobody gets life for murder in Australia but he got life. The family's involvement in child pornography came out in court of course. The father was not prosecuted. Why not? And why did my friend get life? Because the judge was one of the family's best customers.

Child prostitution is accepted by the Australian authorities by way of their total lack of commitment to end this business. Child prostitution is backed up and supported by the same people who make the laws against it. It's just like the marijuana industry in Australia - do what we say, not what we do. Same people make the laws profit on the black market.

Thai government, people and culture do not now and have never supported child prostitution. Yes there are child prostitutes in Asia. In Thailand, The Phillipines, Japan and elsewhere. Yes it happens here too. But it is far more insidious and broad-spread in Western countries. Look, the kids ARE here in Thailand if you want them. The kids are all over the world. The customers are the problem - and the customers are not Thai. So how about the world cleaining up their own back yards before they point the finger at Thailand?

All I know is that if you ask me right now to take you to a place where you can tamper with kids, I'd have to send you to Melbourne or Sydney because after years of street-life here, I still don't know and have never heard of any central point for such activities in Thailand. But I can tell you EXACTLY where to go in Australia if you want to mess up a kids life.

Again, I think I can fairly assume that the situation is the same in the AMERICAS and EEC. What? You going to try to tell me there are no child prostitutes on the streets of New York, Amsterdam, Brazil? Are you serious? No way!

Thai acceptance of gay and transexual people in Thailand

Sex and sexual issues are simply more acceptable in the culture and society of Thailand than in any Western countries that I know of. Gays, Cross-Dressers, Transvestites and others who deviate from the sexual norm walk proud and free of fear in Thailand.

A pretty gay boy is more likely to be worshipped than beaten in Thailand.

A pretty gay boy is most certainly going to wind up beaten to a bloody pulp in Australia by some homophobe. Homophobia is something I am yet to see in Thai people.

Up-country in the village, if a household has four boys and no girls and one of the boys displays even the slightest effeminate characteristics, he will be allowed to grow up as if a girl. This is also common in South Pacific cultures. Mum needs help around the house, all the kids are boys, so what? Bring one of the boys up as a girl and she can help mum out.

Thais simply DO NOT freak out about sex. Farangs simply DO freak out about sex. Herein lies a major point in the search for an answer as to why the world appears to think that Thailand is one big brothel.

I guess that from a Farang perspective Thailand is, in some ways, a great big brothel. "Disneyland for Grownups" I have heard said.

A society that does not besmirch the act of sexual congress with images of filth, dirt, horror, blood and foul stench is likely as not to be targeted by the more "hung-up" societies as a "country of perversion" or a "sex destination".

Even if all this was true, I would not care less. So what if it was true? It is NOT true, but what if it was? Are you really THAT strung out about sex?

What if I tell you here that people only go to restaurants to drink coffee and that coffee is a dangerous drug?

What if I told you that restaurants represent a threat to society as I perceive it should be. I should try to convince you that people only go to restaurants to drink coffee.

Never mind the food, the newspapers, the toilets, the people working there. Never mind meeting your fiends there for a quick meal and a chat.

The only thing that matters is that they are unethical houses of ill repute because THE ONLY THING THEY DO IS SELL COFFEE!

Same attitude. Same absurdity. Same ignorance.

10 Apr 2001

Tue, 10 Apr 2001 16:27:51 GMT

This week has been rather productive. I have been really busy configuring a Fujitsu siemens Primergy E200 for Chris Bidmead who writes the unix column in Personal Computer World.

I dicided to give Chris the E200 which is a mid-entry level server, very fast, and reasonablty cheap. The E200 superceeded the 470. But has had alot of major changes. Something I dont want to go into atm.

Im going to take the server over to Chris personally on Wednesday 11/4/00. I have installed SuSE-7.1 to his requirements. Seems to be working very well. Im quite impressed on the speed at which the server runs. I gave it a RAID 0 with no fault tollarence and stripping. Chris will bench test the server to its maximum ability, and print the results in his next article.

14 Mar 2001

Wed, 14 Mar 2001 12:38:56 GMT

A trip to Augsberg
Thought id'e better write an entry. Haven't done so for a while.
I went to Germany 7/8/9-03-01, with the MD and Director of Fujitsu Siemens logistics. Left Heathrow london at 3:30, landed in Munich at 6:30 there time. Taxi was witing to take us to Augsberg. Arriving at the hotel for 8:05 and having Dinner booked for 8:15 didnt realy give me much time to shower. Nevertheless i managed it. We had food in an old cave, set in anchient German times like 400 years ago. The beer was great, and the food wasnt anything special, just raw veg. and meat. We all drank as much as we could, and traditionaly if you didnt obide by *there* rules you could end up in the block n shackles. I was a good boy, but Richard (MD) ended up in there for reason uknown to me? (I think he had a solitary drink). Richard is into his late night partying from what i could observe and we proceeded to some local studen bar, had a beer (rather quickly i must add) then ventured on to this cool nightclub. I drank cocktails of everykind, danced & danced away the night, until I was approached by this beutifull blonde German girl. She had like diamonds in the corner of her eyes, i thought the were unusual as ive never seen that befor. She was 19. Why do i alway attract the young girls? In a way she remminded me of my Ex girlfriend Victoria Ray. So I felt kind of at ease and happy with her. Drank some more danced a little more although starting to feel tied now. The watch says 3:45am. Time to go. I was the last one to leave ;-) but only quarter of an hour latter. Err, I got lost for 1.5 hours trying to find my way back to the Hotel. I had to be on the coach leaving for the factory at 8:15am. *nightmare* The day was intense, but i realy injoyed it. Most of all the factory tour was very impresive. A hugh factory producing everything from system boards to lifebooks, servers, proffession pc's, consumer pc's, hard drives, and much more!
A good trip

6 Mar 2001

Tue, 6 Mar 2001 19:49:32 GMT

This week has been a busy one so far, and will continue for the rest of the week. The company has dicided to change software as an improvement to both knowledgebase and employee workload. It's called SAP. This is basicaly an SQL database will be used to create purchase orders, control billing, shipping, invoices etc. Directly linked with all Fujitsu Siemens Companies + Factories around the globe. It wont affect me as i'm technical and dont get imvolved with these aspects. However im obliged to learn the proccess regardless. So, training Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, then on to Ausberg in Germany for Thursday and Friday. The weekend is my own, then im of snowboarding at the Three Valleys in France. Then back to work for further training.