When I caught up on Stick recently I noticed he mentioned a new hard hitting blog. Not sure how hard hitting it is but I am sure the locals love the title.
Idiot Culture. The about page says very little but reading it one can deduce that the author is dissecting the various headlines and actions of the government and calling it what it is. Which is fine. I don’t have a problem with it but it will be interesting to see if any of this tests Thailand’s famous libel laws. Or if the government, the ones who can read English, decide they don’t like how easy it is for bloggers to say what they really feel.
Whilst perusing that blog I came across another.
Thailand has jumped the shark. I like the name, we use it to describe lame bars, but I think the name is apt for the content. Here the blogger is a little more forward about calling out the government, the parties and guys like Thaksin. Most of what is said I agree with but is a little bold. Interesting. I wonder how it will go over?
We have been blogging here for a while. So it has been interesting to watch the sudden rise of the English bloggers in Thailand and the paths they choose to take. I like it. Some are much bolder than I have been but it could be due to how famous or well known someone is. I have to be somewhat careful now but there are many things I wish I could say but don’t. There are always the forbidden subjects like the Royalty but there is always some trepidation when talking about the Police, the Government and so on. Just look at the normal media outlets for how carefully they talk about things and how they never really reveal the truth.
Imagine if the normal newspapers printed the real truth about the smoking law, the closures and how the real Thai nightlife functions. All hell would break loose.
I once talked to a local political guy in the know who mentioned starting a blog that would expose some of the real behind the scenes polical stuff but most of our tech conversations were about how to do it all anonymously. Even he was very afraid of what would happen if he was found out. Does not seem to be the case with these new kids on the block.
Will be fun to watch it all play out. For now I will stick to the program and lay low.
I reckon the authorities could find you if they wanted to and an Exit-only chop is not what I need right now.
I once wrote some conspiracy theory crap on HuffPo and a couple of days later 2 Thai guys were at the gate asking if they could photograph my house. I didn’t think much of it until my wife said there was something unusual about the guys and they were using an unmarked car. I had what I can only describe as a Mel Gibson moment. Coincidence more than likely but I’ve let the yellow stripe down my back guide my blogging ever since.
What was the crap I wrote. The CIA already have Bin Laden and they roll him out whenever they need some ’shock and awe’ and will ‘capture’ him for the public record near the end of Bush’s reign to give Bush some kind of legacy.
View all comments by Ed
Beware idot culture has viruses atatched to its files.
View all comments by docsmith
What an odd comment by ‘docsmith.’ Reading posts on a web site doesn’t transfer viruses to anyone, and I didn’t notice any downloadable files on the site.
Then I noticed that this is good old docsmith’s one and only comment to date on anything posted here.
Hummmmmmmm. Call me crazy, but I wonder just a bit if maybe……nah. Forget it.
View all comments by Old Asia Hand
ed - agreed. I am sure if they wanted you they will block u and find u. I am just not sure I get blogs where the only purpose is to take the piss out of the people, the culture, and the government but I am sure someone will read it.
dr - interesting. Google is not showing it though and usually they pick that up. they did with this bog when we were hacked.
oah - actually. with windows and IE you can pick up viruses via the web browsing. they embed iframes that do malicious things. When u use mac with ff or safari this basically never happens.
View all comments by smitty
“….actually. with windows and IE you can pick up viruses via the web browsing. they embed iframes that do malicious things. When u use mac with ff or safari this basically never happens.”
I understand that there are various ways malicious web sites can get to you through Windows; but, embedded frames or not, it still can’t happen without actually transferring a file to your computer. Unless you are operating without a firewall (and that’s as dumb as screwing without a rubber), there isn’t anyway that can happen without your knowledge, is there? Even running an obsolete OS like Windows?
View all comments by Old Asia Hand
oah: It is true that running behind a firewall is like wearing a rubber but even when wearing a rubber you can still get infected.
It really depends how tight your firewall/av setup is. First off, there have been viruses that get past Routers although it’s very rare it does happen.
Next, there are Application specific viruses like one’s in email that can get past a Router because it’s housed in an email. You can put malicious activex controls and Messenger viruses in this category too.
There are also nastier Application attacks consisting of seemingly legitimate HTTP/HTTPS requests that contain malicious code. Examples include SQL injection, cross-site scripting, session hijacking and more. These dangerous attacks will seem completely harmless to the network firewall, IPS or anti-virus, and will be allowed to pass through, unless stopped by an application firewall.
Running with network and application firewalls along with the latest Windows Updates, making sure all your machines are on the latest anti-spyware and anti-virus (probably a half dozen of these programs to always have running), and practicing safely by not opening unknown attachments or downloading from unknown sources is the best way to stay clean.
Alternatively, you can use Firefox and/or a Mac. They are vulnerable (although not nearly as vulnerable as IE) as well but the evil virus monkeys tend to spend their time exploiting the popular programs like Internet Explorer/Windows. I’ve run with Firefox for many years and have not had one virus. I am now on a Mac and still no viruses. I do the updates to Firefox and my Mac when asked and that’s it. Seems a bit nicer than running in a Windows/IE world. BTW, I have run in the Windows/IE world and it was a constant battle to keep up with the latest viruses. I used to run 6 or 7 different programs including Registry analysis on a regular basis. Waste of time really when there are alternatives.
An example of a Firefox/Windows setup, we had a laptop at the bar for customer use. Even with all the odd surfing that is done at a beer bar kiosk the laptop never experienced a single virus. Had I been using IE it would have been torture keeping the machine clean.
View all comments by pmmp
“I used to run 6 or 7 different programs including Registry analysis on a regular basis…..”
I remember reading something once that pretty much summed up the Windows world for me: ‘There’s only one guy in Redmond who understands the registry, and he’s on vacation.’
I’ve run a Mac as my primary machine since something like 1985. For ten years or so in there I also had to work a Windows machine at the same time. Oh, man. You don’t have to sell me on the difference.
View all comments by Old Asia Hand
Don’t want to be a party-pooper, but back to the subject:
Let’s not forget absolutelyBangkok.com
Some good stuff in there - a new kid on the block and here to stay.
Careful, polite, but nevertheless pointing the finger at the very issues.
View all comments by contrarian
c - was not really doing a blog review but was merely pointing out some that seem to cross the line a bit.
View all comments by smitty