The Doctor's Consultation: by Dr. Iain Corness
Living with cancer
I prefer to look at the
situation of ‘living’ with a terminal cancer, rather than ‘dying’ from a
terminal cancer. There is a significant difference, and much more than
looking at life through my rose-colored glasses.
So you have just found out you have terminal cancer. What can you do? The
first thing is to sit down and take stock of your circumstances. All of us
know that eventually the piece of string called “life” eventually comes to
an end - but we don’t know when. The only difference with you is that your
doctor has actually told you when your piece of “life” string is due to run
out.
Now whilst the immediate thought is “How do I beat this?” there are many
factors you have to consider in the time ahead, and one of the main ones is
called ‘The Quality of Life’.
It is natural for a person with advanced cancer to feel many emotions
including anger, fear, and sadness. Just as you may need time to adjust to
this new phase of your life, your family and friends may also need time.
Round table, frank discussions with your family and doctor are worthwhile.
This talking phase should also include your getting to understand your
cancer. This you do by talking with your treating doctors, and also from
information from reliable internet sites. Note I say “reliable” sites. There
are always plenty of sites ready to sell you snake oil. However, I do
suggest you read everything and become the world expert on your own
condition. But don’t buy snake oil.
Now is the time to manage your symptoms. Your quality of life is better if
your symptoms are under control. Talk to your health care team about the
best way for you to manage your symptoms. Analgesics (pain killers) are
important, and there are many with different capabilities. There’s a lot
more than paracetamol.
Do not be afraid to ask your doctors to fully explain any proposed
modalities of treatment. Getting an extra two months of life, but at the
cost of the quality of life, may not be worth having. Always keep that in
mind. Quality of (the remaining) life is everything.
Be as active as you can. When an illness progresses, it may be harder to do
the things you have always done. If your physical health allows, continue to
exercise in some enjoyable way. Or, if you find it is too much for you, take
up a new hobby or find things that you can still do and enjoy, such as
reading, writing, creating a photo album, or making a video for family and
friends.
Make your wishes known. Making the decision to stop active cancer treatments
can be a hard choice for a person with cancer and their family. These are
personal choices. If you are faced with making these decisions, talk with
your family and doctors about your wishes and explore all of your options.
You are still able to make decisions about your life to the extent that you
desire.
Maybe you want to give someone else some of the responsibilities or share
decisions about what to do. You may want to create a health care proxy
and/or power of attorney. This allows someone who you choose to make health
care or other decisions for you. Whatever you choose, you are in control of
your life and you know what will work best for you.
You may also consider creating a ‘Living Will’ or giving specific
instructions on what your wishes are if your cancer progresses. This process
helps make your end-of-life wishes and desires known to family, friends, and
your health care team and can help ensure that your wishes are honored.
These wishes may include funeral arrangements or decisions about hospice
care. Discuss with your family, friends, and health care team your wishes
regarding resuscitation.
Sorry if the column this week sounds a little deep and dark, but it can give
assistance to those who feel as if all their options have gone. There are
always options. Even deciding not to continue with various therapies is an
option.
Heart to Heart
with Hillary

Dear Hillary,
Bona 2009, the year of the Waggerboy! Say no more, wink, wink, nudge,
nudge! Hope you manage to avoid the legionnaires disease in Tropical
Gert’s!
Mistersingha
Dear Mistersingha,
I am starting to think seriously that you are suffering from some
disease, possibly brought on by over-consumption of your eponymous
quaffing potion. What are you on about, man? And the reference to
Legionnaire’s disease? To my knowledge, I have never met a legionnaire,
nor have I ever been in Tropical Gert’s. That being the case, I probably
am not high in the risk factor tables to get this complaint. And what,
pray tell, is a nudge, nudge, wink, wink Waggerboy? I don’t know if you
are already receiving treatment for your problems, as you are certainly
too far gone for Hillary to make any difference. Perhaps if you double
the dose it may assist, but please seek help urgently.
Dear Hillary,
Happy New Year and all that and I’m wondering if all the poor souls from
2008 will ever find their true girlfriends, and will 2009 bring on
another steady stream of broken hearts asking what to do and where to
go. You would imagine by this time at least some of them would see the
light. Anyway, Hills, old bean, all the best and keep smiling.
Pete
Dear Pete,
What’s with the “Hills, old bean”, Pete my Petal? Just refer to me as
Hillary, thank you, “old bean” indeed! Now as far as the army of the
broken hearts is concerned, of course there will be a new wave coming.
It happens every year and is something to do with the lemming leap year.
Your “poor souls” as you call them, leave their cold and wintry
countries and come here to waving palm trees, warmth and even warmer
ladies. No wonder they all do the lemming leap off the cliff together
when they find that the lovely Lek from Legs Bar Beer was just doing her
job, and they have been replaced by the second wave of Scandinavians, to
be followed by the third wave of Belgians. With the dearth of female
company for the older (and younger, I am led to believe) males from the
UK, Scandinavia, Belgium and all points West in their own countries, the
happy little bunny who will sit on their knees and say, “I lub you too
mut, buy me drink,” is beyond their wildest dreams. No wonder they fall
for some of the oldest bargirl lines in the world. But they do, and they
break their hearts. And they come back next year and do it all again.
Dear Hillary,
Hope you had a good New Years, and I just thought I’d let you and the
readers know that you can have a good long relationship with Thai women,
in my case, two Thai women. The first was only 18 when I met her and we
had a great time here in the UK and on holidays back in the Land of
Smiles. We had a couple of kids together and life was great until six
years ago when she died in a road accident. That was a tough time. I met
number 2 a couple of years later and we just sorta clicked. She was
divorced and had a couple of kids of her own which were near the same
age as mine, and we moved the whole shebang in together three years ago,
and let me tell you, it works. We have a great relationship and the kids
even get along with each other. I couldn’t ask for more. So for all
those guys who reckon they get nothing but ripped off, they should look
at themselves a bit. They might find the reason.
Jacko
Dear Jacko,
Thank you for your lovely letter, Petal. I do know there are many, many
success stories out there, but most don’t have that need to write in,
like the lovelorns do. Obviously Jacko, your relationships have been
built on mutual respect and understanding, which is the true basis for
lasting relationships, not just rolls in the hay and “I lub you too
mut!” as I mentioned to Pete in the letter before yours. I agree that
many of the people with problems should look at themselves sometimes,
but also where they are looking for that soul mate of theirs. As I have
said many times, you won’t find cheese in a hardware shop (though I must
admit that one of my readers wrote in to say that you could, many years
ago, in America)!
Dear Hillary,
Did you get any chocolates and champagne over the break? I was going to
try and bring some champers in for you, but had a little problem with
customs, so I hope they enjoyed it, even if you and I didn’t! All the
best and I hope that one day that stupid Mister Singha does actually
come good with his promises, but I wouldn’t hold your breath, Hillary!
Jimmy
Dear Jimmy,
Sorry to hear your champagne didn’t make it past customs, if that is the
real reason I didn’t get a bottle of bubbles from you, Jimmy. I remember
you had some sort of similar excuse a couple of years back. I may be
getting older, but the memory is intact.
|
Camera Class:
by Harry Flashman
Digital photography - the cure for anxiety
I
bumped into a fellow photographer the other day. This was a chap
who had done four years of study in college and had then gone
down the darkroom and the dip and dunk routine. We compared
notes and reminisced about those pre-digital days.
One of the most important factors was to see if the shot had a
sharp image. With a portrait, focusing on the eyes was the
standard way, but until you got the negatives back and could
check with the enlarger, there were many hours of anxiety. Had
you really got the image that was required, because with
professional photography, if you goofed, you re-shot at your own
expense. And if that shoot included professional model fees, you
were going to be considerably out of pocket.
Those were the days when film was king, and B&W revered for the
creativity it could encourage. In the darkroom, with the magical
red light, you became accustomed to the gloom and would spend
time working out the correct exposure for the exposed
photographic paper. This was done by successive exposures,
sliding a cover paper back by two seconds at a time. You then
dipped and dunked and reviewed the exposed and developed sheet
and chose the best time under the enlarger head giving the best
exposure.
However, it wasn’t over then. Next you exposed one sheet for the
suggested time, dipped and dunked and reviewed again. This time
you looked critically at the whole print (usually a 10x8) and
noted areas that needed ‘burning in’ and other areas that needed
‘holding back’ (or ‘dodging’) and the process would go on again
until the final, definitive print was made. This process could
take several hours, but your B&W creation was part of your
artistic persona.
I was lucky in that I was using a newspaper’s darkroom for my
B&W work in those days, and this had an auto-processor which
would take your exposed sheets and finish printing them in one
minute. Sixty seconds of anxiety time was not so bad, compared
to dipping, dunking and fixing, which could easily take 15
minutes.
That was for B&W, but the situation for color negatives was
somewhat different - and, incidentally, the photographic
technique was also somewhat different. Where you looked at light
and shadow in B&W, with color you began to look at contrasting
colors and hues. Blues pitched against yellows, reds against
whites.
It was also the situation that very few people had access to a
color printer that could produce a roll proof, and this was the
province of the professional shooter. You dropped off your
exposed roll of color film and you received back the analyzer
report as to the exposure saturation of the negatives, as well
as a roll proof taken from the negatives. This was the way you
checked your expertise with the flash meter and the exposure
meter. The alterations to a print were done in the camera
beforehand, not afterwards as with the B&W photography. As you
became more experienced you could guesstimate the settings
needed to visually change the end result. It was a completely
new ball game.
After this period came the scanned print directly into the
computer, where color balance, brightness and contrast could be
manipulated, followed by the ability to take the color negative
and scan that into the computer, cutting out the negative to
print step, which came with its resultant lowering of sharpness.
But now we have the fully digital phase of photography,
available to everyone, not just the professionals. Your digital
SLR even gives you a choice of resolution and file types such as
RAW or JPEG. And on top of all this, there is that magical
ability to review your photographs while they are still just
electronic images on your memory card.
However, you should not just take the image for granted. You
should still critically review your images and work out what
should be done or changed. Just because you have a DSLR does not
mean that you will never get another picture with trees growing
out of people’s heads. The photographer has the “eye”, not the
camera!
Money Matters: Paul Gambles
MBMG International Ltd.
To cut or not to cut? Now that is a question - part 2
So should investors who’ve seen
equity holdings fall by 50% or more this year now act, making changes to their
portfolios or should they sit tight and wait for recovery?
We continue to believe that the two key factors remain diversification and
active asset allocation.
Diversification means not betting the ranch on any single outcome. Investors
need to understand that a range of outcomes are possible and these all need to
be allowed for. One obvious example of this is the use of gold as portfolio
insurance. A serious financial meltdown in 2009 will cause further weakness in
financial assets and a dramatic recovery in gold. Gold therefore serves the
purpose of acting as portfolio insurance allowing us to take market exposure on
the grounds that the risks of this are offset by gold’s defensive properties.
Active management means adapting asset holdings to the risks and rewards of the
markets. Typically a holding might be the best way to exploit a market situation
for a 3-5 year period but rarely longer than that. Occasionally shorter term
opportunities may arise and while day trading is not a serious investment
methodology for us; investors shouldn’t be blind to short term opportunities
either.
In short, our thoughts on this debate:
Most of those recommending making no portfolio changes are doing so because they
have a strong conviction that there’ll be recovery in 2009. Isn’t this just
betting the farm on a single outcome? What if they’re wrong?
Recovery in 2009 seems to be based on the take that many of these advisors have
of the current market.
But not one of these advisors saw the downturn coming. If they missed something
as serious as this, what’s chance that they will be right now? Those analysts
who saw the crash and the crunch coming are much more diffident about the
prospects for next year.
Much of their confidence stems from their view that markets are now cheap.
They’re obviously cheaper than they were but we know that the credit bubble
created an asset bubble - if an overpriced asset falls by 40% that doesn’t
automatically make it cheap.
The ‘do nothing’ brigade seem to be trotting out well-worn mantras in support of
their position.
To us it’s almost a conspiracy of self-interest. If an advisor got you into this
mess following a strategy, is he likely to turn around and admit this now?
Luckily, there is a ready supply of platitudes.
They frighten investors with the fear that if investors act now, somehow they
will miss out.
Miss out on what? Leaving portfolios the way that they were in 2007 is leaving
them with an asset allocation predicated on assumptions that have long since
been torn up. Even if market recovery is imminent, the chances are that the 2007
portfolio is not ideally placed to exploit that anyway. Look at your holding of
corporate bonds - how significant is it? Corporate bonds are current priced for
a 1929 scenario - if this unfolds, it’s already factored in. If it doesn’t then
don’t be surprised to see corporate bonds rally more than equities as it becomes
apparent that they are mispriced.
Equities look relatively unattractive in a falling or rising market. Whatever
happens, your portfolio should not stagnate holding out of date holdings, simply
because those holdings have fallen in value. It should be managed according to
the best rewards and opportunities available in 2009, not cryogenically frozen
at some point 2 years ago.
To us, freezing your portfolio because you don’t want to admit that you made
mistakes 2 years ago is a bigger error than the original mistakes. The relief
rallies in the markets and the USD are giving investors an opportunity to
salvage some hope. Ignoring that would be the worst mistake of all.
But one final thought to those investors who pursued strategies that have
suffered during the downturn - who would you trust to get you out of a mess like
this - someone who has no loyalty to any asset class but only to performance or
those who can only trade one asset class such as equities? In days like these it
has to be the former.
Let’s expand on this. There are opportunities at the moment but, first of all,
where NOT to put your money. Despite what Warren Buffett said, one place not to
put your money is US equities. Why?
For a start, Chinese manufacturing recently suffered its worst recorded
contraction. That may just be the single most important fact to emerge so far
during the current crisis. It reflects the fact that US consumer demand has
collapsed totally. This is further proved by the fact that:
- US Auto sales haven’t been lower since the end of the 1980s
- Circuit City will close 155 stores
- National retail chains have already gone out of business and disappointing
December sales could see Chapter XI lawyers enjoy a record start to 2009.
- US oil consumption will likely end the year around 10% down on 2007.
And there is so much more. Even Polaroid has filed for Chapter XI. And the real
significance of all this will play out next year.
If the US stops buying Asian consumer goods and OPEC oil in meaningful
quantities why should China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and OPEC continue to
provide funding to America and support to the dollar?
A plunging Greenback in 2009, ongoing liquidity problems for the #1 global
economy and no more tricks up the Fed’s sleeve? It all sounds eminently
plausible and it sounds ugly for US and global equity markets, western property
markets and the US dollar. The US financial sector could come under such stress
that a Chinese bailout on Chinese terms might be the only option and our oft
stated target for the Dow of 3500-5000 could easily come into play.
The opportunity would be to hold gold, hold yen (remember Japan is still running
a current account surplus), look at opportunities arising from the lack of
liquidity and at this stage really keep powder dry for the right moment.
Going back to the question that we started with - should investors who’ve seen
equity holdings fall by 50% or more this year still act or should they just sit
tight and wait for recovery?
The right answer is always that investors should hold the assets most suitable
for the prevailing investment environment and their own personal situation. This
should constantly be re-examined and questioned.
Our portfolios have held up this year but we’re still asking those same
questions. Any portfolio that’s down this year, especially ones that have fallen
heavily should have even more reason to ask that question shouldn’t they?
Even if you believe Warren Buffett about buying equities, Warren has undertaken
a flurry of buying and selling that is almost unprecedented and is expected to
continue. The only reason for doing nothing now is that either the investor or
their manager is in complete denial about what has happened in the last year or
so and by not dealing with the problem can pretend it hasn’t happened. That’s
not a good reason and won’t lead to a good outcome.
Every investor needs to review their portfolio RIGHT NOW in light of what could
happen this coming year. Anything else is just rank bad advice! Unfortunately
there seems to be a lot of that going around right now. Just as there was this
time last year!
The above data and research was compiled from
sources believed to be reliable. However, neither MBMG International Ltd
nor its officers can accept any liability for any errors or omissions in
the above article nor bear any responsibility for any losses achieved as
a result of any actions taken or not taken as a consequence of reading
the above article. For more information please contact Paul Gambles on
[email protected] |
Life in Chiang Mai:
by Mark Whitman
Time for the tourism
business to wake up
This article is prompted by a couple of unnervingly
complacent responses I have received from hotels and resorts I planned to
visit recently. The first came from a resort in Chiang Mai, which was phoned
by a Thai friend to check on room availability for four of us who were
travelling there in early January. Rooms were available (unsurprisingly) and
the price per room quoted. Then came the question. Is it only for farangs?
If so, the price is 800 baht a night more than if it is two farangs and two
Thai!
The other responses came when investigating rooms in Pai a week or so later.
High season, of course, in mid January. No concessions for second and third
nights and prices all quoted at above those published on the internet. And
this in a period when visitor numbers are reputedly at an all time low. It
is an echo of an experience of a friend in Phuket in December when he had a
meal at his regular favourite, a rather smart Thai restaurant. When the bill
for two came it was far higher than he expected – so much so that he queried
it, only to be told that they had put up prices because they had so few
customers. Smart move, chaps.
With tourism seemingly accounting for between 8 and 10 per cent of the
Kingdom’s income it must be one of the major industries here. Given that
much of it is centred around Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, the islands and
Chiang Mai, their percentage must be well above the average. The devastating
effect of the action at Government House and later at the airports is quoted
as having cost the country over 8 billion dollars. That’s 280 billion baht.
Not millions. Billions.
It goes far beyond that if the effect of so-called political actions and
unrest staggers on into the next high season. And the money that flows into
the country from abroad, sent by family members working away from home and
the tens of thousands of farangs who send money regularly to support the
young men and women they befriend in Thailand, has also decreased. The
resultant increase in the crime rate has also been alarming, especially
theft in Pattaya.
The knock-on effect of the world wide economic downturn, along with the bad
publicity that has been recycled world wide, is that as hotels and other
accommodation remain empty, or at best with 15 or 20 % occupancy, more and
more workers are laid off or, as is the case in some hotels in Bangkok, they
are asked to work only 20 days a months at a corresponding rate of pay.
Preferable to losing a job, but hard when it comes to paying the rent.
There is already some movement back to smaller towns and villages and family
homes, where life is cheaper. But this normally occurs after Songkran, when
the workers from holiday areas are expected to return home with a decent
bank balance to keep them and family members in the hot and rainy seasons. A
bank balance of between 20 and 40,000 baht helps pay for the necessary
fertilizers and other costs to ensure a rice crop and simply to pay for
food.
As the shops, bars, restaurants, tours and other tourist attractions cry out
for customers, one might hope that a real attempt would be made to encourage
tourists back, and those who are here might be encouraged to spend what
money they have. Admittedly, with so few visitors, that is not easy, but it
seems that there is little in the Thai attitude that makes ‘encouragement’ a
way of life. And within a couple of months the so-called high season will be
over. There has been positive action on the part of both Air Asia and Thai
Air to encourage travel, especially internally, but go to one of the car
hire firms and try to rent one of the many cars standing idle and you will
find that rates are quoted as for high season. Some 20-25 % more than in,
say, October. And there is simply no acknowledgement of the fact that
visitors are at the same level – or lower – than they were four or five
months ago.
Perhaps the reality of what is happening here as in other countries has not
sunk in. Perhaps, with good luck and good harvests and favourable weather
and a stable government for the rest of the year and beyond, Thailand
(including its tourist industry), may weather the storm. Perhaps.
Let's Go To The Movies: :
Mark Gernpy
Now playing in Chiang Mai
The Elephant King: US/ Thai Drama/ Romance – Filmed for the most
part in Chiang Mai. Two American brothers – one domineering and nihilistic,
the other guileless and introspective - as they binge on drink, drugs, and
women in Chiang Mai, in our beloved Space Bubble Disco, among other local
sights. A domineering mother dispatches her young, introverted son Oliver
off to Chiang Mai to do everything he can to lure his reckless, older
brother Jake back home to the U.S. to face pending fraud charges. Oliver
finds the intoxication of Chiang Mai hard to resist – as he falls deeply in
love for the first time, Jake slips deeper into despair, and the seams of
their relationship begin to come undone. When the true extent of Jake’s
decadence and self-destruction is revealed to Oliver, he is forced to decide
whether he will save his brother’s life or his own. Rated R in the US for
sexual content, drug use, language and some violence. Mixed or average
reviews.
Blue Sky of Love / Fah Sai Jai Chuen Ban: Thai Drama – A supposedly
comic view of the bloody events of 6 October 1976, when student protests
created a revolutionary period in Thai history. It’s the story of a
university girl who leaves her comfortable life in Bangkok to join a
Communist Party army in a remote forest.
The Fatality / Tok Tra Phee: Thai/Taiwan Mystery/ Horror – An
unsuccessful man in Taipei commits suicide, only to wake up in the body of a
coma victim in Bangkok. His new life is almost perfect – he now has a
stable job, a healthy body, and a beautiful wife, but as the two souls fight
for control of the body they start developing supernatural powers over life
and death itself, leaving havoc in their wake. A Thai-Taiwanese
co-production.
Australia: Australia Drama/ Adventure – Set against the backdrop of
World War II, this is Baz Luhrmann’s epic, sweeping tale of an English woman
(Nicole Kidman) who inherits a sizable cattle ranch “down under.” With the
bombing of the city of Darwin on the horizon, she teams with a cattle driver
(Hugh Jackman) to save the ranch. Mixed or average reviews. Vista is
showing it in a Thai-dubbed version only.
The Happiness of Kati: Thai Family/ Drama – Based on the best-selling
novel by Ngarmpan Vejjajiva. Not enough believable conflict in the script
to make it a compelling drama, but it is well-acted, and beautifully and
lovingly photographed. Best described as a loving tone poem of a film to a
certain Thai way of life and living.
Quarantine: US Horror/ Mystery/ Thriller – A television reporter and her
cameraman are trapped inside a building quarantined by the US government
after the outbreak of a mysterious virus which turns humans into
bloodthirsty killers. It has the single hand-held camera style of such
recent movies as Cloverfield. Some people find the “one actual
camera” trick leads to heightened reality; others find that the constant
jiggling of the picture and rough-shod editing gives them a terrible
headache. If you think you can put up with it, you will find this to be a
quite frightening movie, as I did, once the introductory first 20 boring
minutes are over. Rated R in the US for bloody violent and disturbing
content, terror, and language. Mixed or average reviews.
Deep in the Jungle: Thai Horror/ Action/ Fantasy/ Romance – A soldier
falls in love with a woman who is actually a snake. Largely
incomprehensible, jumpy, much gratuitous bone-crunching violence.
Yes Man: US Comedy – Jim Carrey as a man who signs up for a self-help
program based on one simple principle: say “yes” to everything for an entire
year. Mixed or average reviews.
Bedtime Stories: US Comedy/ Fantasy – Starring Adam Sandler. A
surprisingly pleasant and amusing family-friendly movie about a hotel
handyman whose life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his
niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. The director is Adam
Shankman (Hairspray).
4 Romances: Thai Romance – Four love stories directed by four Thai
filmmakers. At Vista only.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: US Animation/ Family – A delightful
animated picture, with the animals of the original Madagascar in new
adventures and breath-taking exploits. I had a lot of fun with it, but then
I like cartoons. In the vast plains of Africa, the members of the Central
Park Zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first
time. Generally favorable reviews.
Scheduled for Jan 22
High School Musical 3: US Musical – A continuation of the hit
musical series. The kids are now seniors. Again, terrific singing and
dancing. Mixed or average reviews.
Red Cliff Part 2: Hong Kong War/ Action – The second and final half to
John Woo’s magnum opus Red Cliff, and an epic of grand scale in the
Chinese manner. Produced and directed by John Woo.
Don’t Misss :
by Andy Archer
One Anniversary certainly not to be missed is the
1st Anniversary of Chiang Mai Friends which is on January 22 at JJ Markets,
behind Tesco Lotus and Kam Thieng flower market. Meeting place is opposite
the Steak House by Le Crystal.
The theme is a ‘Pot Luck’ party, held from 5.30 until 8.30 p.m. with many
surprises! For further details contact [email protected] gmail.com
On Saturday January 24, in the Saisuree Hall of Payap University, the
Piano Club of Chiang Mai will hold a recital entitled ‘Pianists Old and
New’. This club, with Ajaan Bennett Lerner as its president, was created to
bring together all piano teachers and piano students in Chiang Mai in a
spirit of cooperation. Students who have played in the various concerts so
far come from many different schools in Chiang Mai and a significant number,
old and young, will be performing with their teachers at this interesting
concert. Admission is free and it starts at 7.30 p.m.
The College of Music at Payap University presents a guitar recital,
given by Panitan Punpuang, on January 30 at 7.30 p.m. at the Saisuree
Chutikul Music Hall on Payap University ‘s Mae Kao Campus. Admission is free
- this looks as though it is going to be a very interesting and enjoyable
performance.
The Conservatory of Music at Rangsit University, together with
Payap’s College of Music will present ‘Road Show 2009 in Chiang Mai’ for the
city’s music lovers.
On January 27 from 2.30 until 4 p.m. there will be a Violin/Cello Master
Class at Montford College, followed by the Denny & Friends Jazz Concert at
Payap’s Saisuree Chutikul Music Hall, from 7 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. On January
28 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. another master class; this time for Jazz
Ensemble at the MB1 Room, College of Music, on Payap’s Kaewnowarat Campus.
On the same evening, from 7 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. there will be an RSU Piano
Trio Concert at the Saisuree Chutikul Music Hall.
On the final day, January 29, from 4 p.m. until 5.30 p.m., there will be a
Violin/Cello/Brass Master Class at the Dara College School, with a repeat
from 6 p.m. until 7.30 p.m. at the Education Mall Music School on
Nimmanhaemindha Road. Admission is free.
Bridge in Paradise :
by Neil Robinson
This column came out in the 6 Jan issue. Unfortunately, because of a problem
in the printing, the last half of the column, with the solution to the hand,
was left out. This is the full column (unless the printing bug strikes
again).
Opening with a weak two bid, showing a six card suit and (depending on
partnership agreement) about 5-11 points, is a useful way to make it
difficult for the other side to bid and find the correct contract. This is
particularly true if you open two spades, forcing the opponents to the three
level. However, weak two bids have the disadvantage of revealing the
distribution. Sometimes this can make it easier for declarer during the
play. Consider the deal below and imagine you are sitting South. With
neither side vulnerable and East dealing, this was the bidding:
East South West
North
2H P P Dbl
P 3S P 6S
All pass
The full deal is shown below:
S: KJ982
H: A85
D: AK
C: AK8
S: 753 S: 4
H: 3 H: KQJ1094
D: 9765 D: 10843
C: J10942 C: Q7
S: AQ106
H: 762
D: QJ2
C: 653
East opened a weak two
hearts. This was passed around to North, who made a takeout double. South
showed his good spade holding by bidding 3S. North, with his strong hand,
raised to six. West led the three of hearts. Now you are stuck with playing
6S! You have 11 easy tricks – five spades, one heart, three top diamonds and
two top clubs. What is your plan for making one more trick and taking the
contract? It is not easy, but the clue is in the bidding.
You have a potential club loser and a potential heart loser (you can throw
one heart from dummy on your queen of diamonds). You know that East has six
hearts and therefore West only has one. So you win the ace of hearts. Then,
if you can eventually arrange to lose the lead (in clubs) to West, he will
not be able to lead a heart. If you take out trumps and the minor suit
winners first, before losing the lead, West will be forced to lead a club or
a diamond and allow you a ruff and a sluff for your twelfth trick. This is
the situation after you win three rounds of spades, one heart, three
diamonds and two clubs:
S: K2
H: 8
D: -
C: 8
S: - S: -
H: - H: KQJ
D: 9 D: 10
C: J109 C: -
S: 10
H: 62
D: -
C: 6
You lead dummy’s last club.
West is forced to win. Now, whatever West leads will allow you to throw the
last heart from dummy and trump in hand. Then, dummy has only good trumps
and you have made your contract. If this was your planned line of play,
congratulations! Please send me your interesting hands at:
[email protected]
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