Placing a Face

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:13 am

You were in a disputed area, and the Cambodians allowed you to go all the way to the Thai lines?
It looks like you took serious risks, there, didn't you?

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:39 am

voralfred wrote:You were in a disputed area, and the Cambodians allowed you to go all the way to the Thai lines?
It looks like you took serious risks, there, didn't you?

The two sides are separated by no more than 10 meters in some places. I was travelling with the Cambodian Secretary of State who was trying to show that Cambodia was doing its best to achieve a peaceful resolution. The only real risk was landmines and malaria, so I didn't wander into uncleared areas and I took my Doxycycline.

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:38 am

gpackin wrote:(...) I was travelling with the Cambodian Secretary of State (...)

What is your job?

Just one hour ago, listening to french news (which usually are rather concentrated on France and only discuss world events when they are very serious) they mentioned that there was some shooting in a disputed area between Cambodia and Thailand, just at the bottom of a hill on which there is a temple. I am not sure I caught the name right but it did sound like Preah Vihear.
Now maybe I did not pay special attention previously, but it is the first time I ever remember hearing about that disputed area (Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam have all but disappeared from french news for decades, though Burma has not, so if Thailand is ever mentioned at all it is in connection with Burma, or maybe since 2004 in connection with with the tsunami, but never with Cambodia).

So you go some place and trouble starts just there, eh?

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:23 pm

voralfred wrote:So you go some place and trouble starts just there, eh?

It's not my fault, really. Seriously though, as much as Cambodia wants a peaceful resolution it is still a tense situation. I'm glad I wasn't there when this happened; the Embassy would have had a fit.

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:22 pm

But what is your job, really? (or is that classified?)
And do you confirm the shooting really was just where you took the pics you just put online here? (surely, if there has been some shooting there, and I heard about it, you must have, too!)

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:33 pm

voralfred wrote:But what is your job, really? (or is that classified?)
And do you confirm the shooting really was just where you took the pics you just put online here? (surely, if there has been some shooting there, and I heard about it, you must have, too!)

I work for a government agency on a support team at the State Department. Yes, the short firefight happened at the exact location where I visited the other week.

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:18 pm

Things don't seem t oget better there. I hope you are not supposed to go back there soon!
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7668657.stm

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:42 am

voralfred wrote:Things don't seem t oget better there. I hope you are not supposed to go back there soon!
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7668657.stm

Things sure seem to be going in the direction we were hoping they wouldn't. I have no plans to head back there any time soon, though I would like to get back to Phnom Penh soon to further the cooperation we are trying to restart with the Cambodians.

One thing that is incorrect in that article is the claim that Preah Vihear is only accessible from the Thai side. You can get there from the Cambodian side, it's just by a very primitive and steep road.

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:15 pm

Here I am standing in my morning room with my new Duvel glass, drinking some very tasty Duvel.

moonwolf021 · Post by **moonwolf021** » Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:55 pm

<img src="http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j224/ ... G_3100.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

5 1/2 inches in Portland/Vanco today! Its been like this for just about a week. Crazy. ..... well for Portland.

Post by **laurie** » Sat Dec 20, 2008 10:37 pm

I can tell you really like snow.

You should move to Upstate New York -- you'll think you're in heaven.

BTW, where are your gloves/mittens, young lady?

moonwolf021 · Post by **moonwolf021** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:10 am

Lol. They were in the car. I had to do field work and so the gloves would get in the way... the work and the starbucks and my incredible resistance to the cold kept them warm. Thanks for the concern though.

Ended up getting 8 inches of snow. I guess its the most we've had since the 80's. (I wouldn't know, I wasn't around before '92

)

And yes, I love snow to an abnormal amount. Its past the kiddish thing and just part of my personality. And no, it won't change because of driving since that already started and I still love snow.

sweetharleygirl · Post by **sweetharleygirl** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:22 pm

I don't think I've posted a pic on here before but my husband took the pic I have on my Facebook profile page and I really like it so I thought I'd post it, but I don't know how, help! I know I'm helpless but...oh...talk about frustrating!!!

Post by **Darb** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:10 pm

gpackin wrote:Here I am standing in my morning room with my new Duvel glass, drinking some very tasty Duvel.

Mmmmm ... one of my fave beers. Homebrewed several respectable clones of it too.

Unfortunately for me, I'm on heavy painkillers at the moment, and havent been able to have any alcohol for 3 weeks ... and probably wont be able to for at least another month yet. Horror !

I want my beer and sake, damnit !!

Post by **Darb** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:13 pm

sweetharleygirl wrote:I don't think I've posted a pic on here before but my husband took the pic I have on my Facebook profile page and I really like it so I thought I'd post it, but I don't know how, help! I know I'm helpless but...oh...talk about frustrating!!!

That's easy ... go to facebook, click on whatever view gives you the biggest image of your photo, then single right click on it, select "properties", copy and paste the url to a post here, then highlight again, and click on the "IMG" button in the post a reply applet.

sweetharleygirl · Post by **sweetharleygirl** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:18 pm

Ok I did what you told me and this was all I got, I'm pretty sure I'm doing something not right.

Post by **Darb** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:19 pm

Looks like you only got part of the address ... make sure you scroll down fully while highlighting it, because it got cut off. I'm sure there must be one more partial line with a few more characters, plus a file extension.

sweetharleygirl · Post by **sweetharleygirl** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:40 pm

Ha!! I got it I brought up a bigger pic first but it was kind of fuzzy with it that big so I made it smaller hope it's ok. Thank you Brad, wouldn't have been able to do it without you!

Post by **laurie** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:58 pm

Gee, I expected a helmet and lots of leather for some reason...

Post by **Darb** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:00 pm

Same here ... and a keychain on the hip with a miniature leather whip.

sweetharleygirl · Post by **sweetharleygirl** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:26 am

It's winter, no riding in winter so no leather, chains or whips!

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:49 pm

Elle n'avait ni bottes ni culottes de moto
Ni blouson de cuir noir, ni aucun un aigle sur le dos

(Almost) by Edith Piaf ("Il" instead of "Elle", and affirmative instead of negative)

She had neither riding boots, nor riding pants
No black leather vest, no eagle (printed) on her back.

sweetharleygirl · Post by **sweetharleygirl** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:53 am

Oh, you guys are halarious!

Ya kill me.

gpackin · Post by **gpackin** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:03 pm

Here I am along the coast at Big Sur.

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:40 am

Hi, Greg!

You look great, in beautiful California!
I know you are studying hard, but I hope you have time to enjoy!