Coss

Slow West 2015 - Michael Fassbinder - a Western - not your normal Western, full of unstated meaning, not an unsatisfying movie, but hard to say it's a good movie. Watch it if you're bored.

new?

Interesting article, I particularly like - "The Met Office-led study warns although the effect will be offset by recent global warming, Britain faces years of unusually cold winters." They just can't let it go. If we got a full blown ice age, they'd say - "but it would have been here three weeks earlier, but for Global Warming!" ​The point is obviously, that 'natural' changes, the 'real' climate changes, are much bigger and badder than Anthropogenic fiddling around at the edges.

Full moon parties on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province will be permitted again but with conditions that operators must strictly abide by the official rules and regulations. This was revealed by Koh Phangan district chief officer Krirk-krai Songthani after a meeting with business operators on the island yesterday. After a meeting with business operators, he agreed to allow only some business operators to hold full moon parties but they must strictly abide by the rules and regulations. The assurance was made as the chief officer went to inspect business operators affected by the party ban. He inspected a business operator at Village Group 2 of Tambon Ban Tai in Koh Phangan where it was permitted to hold full moon party by local administrative office. He said full moon parties were banned following complaints by local people and communities that they were badly affected by the noisy parties. The provincial administrative office received the complaints and later came out with the ban if full moon parties. But he said as he also realised that full moon parties is the selling point of Koh Phangan. He said the ban has started to affect business operators, thus prompting authorities to investigate and start talking with business operators. It was agreed that they would be allowed to hold full moon parties again but they must first apply for permits. If they meet all criterion laud down under the rules and regulations, they will be allowed to hold the parties on a case by case basis, he said. But he said full moon parties will not be allowed to be held on the beaches as they will have environmental impact on the beaches. He also cautioned business operators to make sure of their safety measure and that the party must be free of drugs. If drugs are engaged, they will be banned from holding parties definitely, he said. He said three operators have been granted permissions to hold full moon parties. They are Half Moon Party, SRA Manohra Party and Cheeva Moon Party. Meanwhile the owner of Half Moon Party Mr Pee Patanasdiri welcomed the authority understanding of the business and allowed full moon parties again. He promised that all business operators will be willing to give full cooperation to abide by all conditions with pledged to tighten control on drug abuses. He said business operators who ate not yet granted permits to hold parties will start to improve their places to meet official conditions.

Comments in green are mine. Poles apart: Climate change at the ends of the earth Wednesday, 24 June 2015, 10:10 am Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington 24 June 2015 “The last time carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were this high was 3 million years ago, and sea levels were 20 metres higher than today.†Which begs the question, if all the Global Warming Alarmists are correct, why hasn't the sea risen 20 metres? The warming that's happened, and now stalled, has happened over a long enough period, to allow enough melting to have occurred, to raise the sea levels 20 metres, but curiously, I'm not seeing 20 metres, I went down to the harbour today to check. That’s according to Victoria University of Wellington Professor James Renwick, whose sobering comment comes ahead of his upcoming inaugural lecture­—a public address to mark his professorial promotion. Tempering this stark statistic just slightly, Professor Renwick notes that, unless methods can be found soon to significantly reduce carbon dioxide levels, future generations will likely face several metres of sea level rise—a prospect which will affect billions of people. What happened to 20 metres? By primarily drawing comparisons between the two poles, Professor Renwick’s address, entitled A Tale of Two Hemispheres, will marry the science of man-made climate change with known natural occurrences in earth systems. The focus will be on factors such as polar geography, the ozone hole, wave patterns and natural climate variations to show that, while the planet is warming overall, the impact will affect regions differently. “Climate change doesn’t happen at the same rate everywhere or in the same way,†says Professor Renwick. “We’re already observing obvious changes in climate in some parts of the world. Alaska, for instance, has experienced its warmest May ever, with large tracts of land having no snow­—a remarkable thing for the area at any time of year. “New Zealand, on the other hand, isn’t expected to feel the sharp end of climate change until much later in the century.†He says the differences are most apparent at the earth’s poles, due primarily to different geographic profiles. “In the case of the Arctic, there is almost no land mass north of latitude 70 degrees, meaning a relatively thin ice layer over the ocean. Antarctica, on the other hand, is a very large land mass, with ice up to 4 kilometres thick in some places. “While the sea ice is very obviously diminishing in the Arctic, what we’re observing around Antarctica are increasing levels of sea ice. “At first glance, this might seem to contradict the global warming story, but our satellite data suggests that this is likely due, in part, to the billions of tonnes of melted continent ice refreezing as sea ice.†So the ice still being ice, you know, frozen, means that it's not contradicting global warming? Global weather systems interacting with each pole’s unique geography also influences ice development, with Professor Renwick particularly interested in the impact of La Niña and El Niño on sea ice. He is also looking at how ocean waves, which are a product of weather, might influence sea ice development. “In understanding future sea levels, it’s the ice sheets on the continent that are important. “What’s worrying is that a lot of land ice is grounded below sea level, inland from the coast. If warming ocean water can penetrate under the ice sheets, there’s the potential to cause massive ice loss at a very rapid rate.†Professor Renwick’s inaugural lecture is open for the public to attend. Event details: When: 6pm, Tuesday 30 June, 2015. Where: Memorial Theatre, Student Union Building, Kelburn Campus, Victoria University of Wellington RSVP by Friday 26 June. Phone 04-463 6300 or email rsvp@vuw.ac.nz with ‘Renwick’ in the subject line.

He's been watching some of those TV magician shows. I hope he doesn't watch any Kung Fu shows, he'll get beaten to a pulp.

mmmm.......... File photo of then-commander of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamronwit Thoopkrachang ® speaking to reporters on 1 March 2013. BANGKOK — The former commander of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police has been detained at an airport in Japan for trying to carry a gun on-board a Bangkok-bound aircraft, a police spokesperson said. Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamronwit Thoopkrachang was detained yesterday evening after security officers found a firearm and some ammunition in his carry-on bag at Narita Airport, one of two international airports in Tokyo, said police spokesperson Pol.Lt.Gen. Prawuth Thawornsiri. "Right now, we are checking the details," Pol.Lt.Gen. Prawuth told reporters. "Why he was carrying the gun, and whether he carried the gun past a security checkpoint in Thailand, I cannot say. We have to clearly check details first, and then we will coordinate with him to ask how we can assist." A source at the Royal Thai Police told Matichon that Kamronwit left Thailand on a Thai Airways flight on 18 June and was scheduled to return on a 9:50 pm flight yesterday. According to the source, Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamronwit told Japanese police he owned the gun, but didn't realize he had left it in his carry-on bag. Pol.Lt.Gen. Kamronwit has long been considered a close ally to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in a military coup in 2006 but still retains considerable influence over a powerful political dynasty. The officer retired from the Royal Thai Police in October 2014, five months after the military staged a coup d'etat against a government led by Thaksin’s sister. Earlier this month, five Thai students were arrested at an airport in Pakistan for allegedly attempting to carry a handgun, magazine, and ammunition onboard a plane bound for Bangkok. Thai authorities have not released details about the students' possible motive. The five are still being held in Pakistani custody. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1435060238&typecate=06&section=

an old joke - religion

Bullet in the head? that usually stops me...

I've bought whole mp3 players that were 16Mb when they're sold and 'jigged' to read 512Mb. Cant trust cheap gear.

Well spoke, I think you mirror what a lot of us feel. I look back to 15~20 years ago as the heyday, others will have slightly different time frames. And yes, the non-working girls are much more accessible to foreigners than they woulda been back in the day. I can remember my encounters with non-working girls as being opposed by all who knew the ladies, whereas the bargirls were free and appeared innocent (except in the sack), willing GFE participants. ​It may be that because we're all from the inter web, that non-working girls have collectively seen, that a foreigner is just a lonely, very good catch, and that 'chickens', have been having an easy run, at the main chance. It may also be, that because we're all from the inter web, that the procreation market has leapt national boundaries, all at once. I certainly remember when 99% of marriages (or partnership arrangements that refuse the term marriage, good on them) were between people from the same geographic locales. Now, I see more and more that are between citizens of the world. I do however, thank God for the backwaters of the world, where governments of the '60s and '70s still hang on, and people still retain some of their innocence and evil in good measure, where everything is less commercial and more personal.

Thx

I think he found God, or a GTG or a sweetheart, not sure...

I can't for the life of me figure out how to post the link to the video here, so go to the article if you want vid - http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/69562122/jon-stewart-abandons-humour-on-daily-show-after-charleston-church-shooting Herein some of the transcript, Daily is right in what he says: >> "I've got nothing for you in terms of jokes and sounds because of what happened in South Carolina. "Maybe if I wasn't nearing the end of my run or this wasn't such a common occurrence, maybe I could have pulled out of the spiral, but I didn't. Nine people were killed on Thursday when 21-year-old Dylann Roof opened fire at a bible study group at an African American Methodist church in South Carolina. "I honestly have nothing other than just sadness that, once again, we have peer into the abyss of the depraved violence that we have to do to each other," Stewart said, "and the nexus of a gaping racial wound that will not heal yet we pretend doesn't exist." The influential talk show host criticised America's disproportionate response to threats from terrorist attacks while doing nothing about homegrown shootings, before declaring the South Carolina massacre a terrorist attack. "This is a terrorist attack. This is a violent attack on the Emanuel Church in South Carolina which is a symbol for the black community." "I hate to use this pun, but this one is black and white. There is no nuance here," he said to cheers from a live studio audience. "In South Carolina, the roads that black people drive on are named after confederate generals who fought to keep black people from being able to drive freely on that road. That's insanity." Stewart's speech came ahead of an appearance from Pakistani activist and Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai. "Al Qaeda, all those guys, ISIS - they're not s*** compared to the damage that we can apparently do to ourselves on a regular basis," Stewart said. "To be quite honest with you, I don't think there's anyone else in the world I would rather talk to tonight that Malala, so that's what we're going to do, and sorry about no jokes."

Looking at the photo, crunchy and dribbly, strong smell, of day old satay fish. Ahh the memories...

ICAO gives Thailand 4 more months to sort out safety standards THE INTERNATIONAL Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) yesterday continued to red-flag Thailand over safety standards and gave the country another four months to tackle this issue. Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong admitted the country had not passed the ICAO safety standards yet, but vowed to continue the hard work to get the red flag removed as soon as possible. Thai Airways International, meanwhile, issued a statement reassuring its customers worldwide that the airline had consistently adhered to the highest international safety standards and was not affected by the red flag. In February this year, the ICAO told Thailand it had significant concerns (SSC) regarding aviation safety standards. Prajin said yesterday the ICAO had told Thai officials in Canada that the Kingdom had until November this year to continue tackling the issue before the next evaluation. "In my opinion, it looks like we failed this time," said Prajin, adding that aviation authorities in other countries might consider cancelling flights operating from Thailand due to the red flag. Thai-registered airlines will likely face a loss of goodwill, higher operating costs and increasing competition from foreign carriers. In addition, Thai carriers can expect an increase in costs from higher aircraft lease rates, more stringent maintenance covenants, and surges in insurance premiums. The industry will likely see increased competition from foreign carriers that may launch new routes to capture under-served passengers travelling to and from Thailand. Thai carriers may also lose personnel to foreign counterparts looking to boost their own manpower. Of all the sub-segments in the airline industry, charter carriers will lose out the most as their operating licences are issued on a case-by-case basis, while full service airlines and medium-haul low-cost carriers will experience some setbacks to their growth plans from an inability to fly new routes or increase flight frequencies. Domestic low-cost carriers will likely be the least affected. According to the ICAO website, Thailand had secured 76.19 per cent for aviation legislation while getting only 46.15 per cent for organisation of government agencies to ensure safety standards, which is below the global average. As for operations, the country got 64.84 per cent, slightly above the global average of 66.24 per cent. Earlier, the ICAO said the significant safety concerns meant that there were questions about the ability of the state to properly oversee airlines under its jurisdiction. As for other aspects, comprising airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation services, and aerodromes, Thailand got higher scores than the global average. Currently, the countries hit with a red flag are Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Georgia, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malawi, Nepal, Sierra Leone and Uruguay. Meanwhile, Thai Airways International president Charamporn Jotikasthira said: "A significant safety concern [as cited by the ICAO] does not necessarily indicate a particular safety deficiency in the air-navigation service providers, airlines [air operators], aircraft or aerodromes but, rather, indicates that the state is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards." http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/ICAO-gives-Thailand-4-more-months-to-sort-out-safe-30262658.html

And yet - After a lot of talk about Thai flag carriers losing permission to fly to Europe and North America due to safety issues, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) today announced that it operates with the highest safety standards in all operational areas. Mr. Charamporn Jotikasthira, THAI President, said that in light of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) public posting a red flag today on Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation (Thai DCA), as a result of the findings during the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP) and the issuance of a Significant Safety Concern (SSC), Thai Airways International wants to reassure the travelling public that THAI operates with the highest safety standards in all operational areas. “A significant safety concern (SSC) does not necessarily indicate a particular safety deficiency in the air navigation service providers, airlines (air operators), aircraft or aerodrome; but, rather, indicates that the State is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO Standards,†ICAO. Despite the ICAO having “identified that Thailand has a significant safety concern with respect to the ability of the Thai DCA to properly oversee airlines under its jurisdiction,†Thai Airways International assures all parties that THAI strictly practices the safety standards of these international agencies. EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) JCAB (Japan Civil Aviation Bureau) IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) Since 13 February 2015, when ICAO first issued the SSC on Thai DCA, Thai Airways International has had to rely on other states’ civil aviation authorities to provide oversight for where THAI operates. As such, THAI has undergone additional and more frequent safety audits and station inspections by these authorities; and as a result of these audits, THAI has been able to continue operating regular flights to these countries. In the very near future, THAI will be audited at the Company’s base by other states’ civil aviation authorities. http://www.eturbonew...afety-standards

ICAO red-flags Thailand The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICASO) has red-flagged Thailand for its failure to address significant safety concerns (SSC) regarding safety standards within the 90-day deadline. According to Bangkok Post, SSC indicates that Thailand is not providing sufficient safety oversight to ensure the effective implementation of applicable ICAO standards, said ICAO. Former director-general of Civil Aviation Department, Mr Chaisak Aungsuwan, said that the placing of red-flag on Thailand ICAO website is a normal procedure to inform the public of Thailand not providing sufficient safety oversight. He added that this was not a matter of serious concern as concerned Thai authorities have been trying to solve the problem. THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira said that ICAO’s red-flagging indicated the Civil Aviation Department’s safety oversight failure but it did not mean that air navigation services, airlines, airports and air craft of Thailand were substandard. http://englishnews.t...-flags-thailand

I don't think it's the bar, it's mostly the operatives I would think.

My view too. He's got a NZ passport, or at least he's holding one in the photos I've seen. That would make him a Citizen. Unless they have some other crime to get him on, most unlikely. They still can't extradite DotCom, and they want to get rid of him.

Had to chuckle over this one, a Thai in trouble again. _____________________________________________ The inaugural final of an Islamic international rugby tournament between Malaysia and Algeria was abandoned at the weekend after a savage all-in brawl involving players, officials and spectators. Sunday's match in Malacca was the final of the inaugural Crescent Cup, a six-nation tournament also involving Iran, Lebanon, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan aimed at promoting solidarity and close cooperation between Islamic countries. New Straits Times reported that an assistant referee had several teeth broken and suffered neck injuries in the melee, while 10 players from both sides required treatment for broken bones and cuts after the fight. The Algerians were upset at what they saw as the partiality of the Thai referee, who later awarded Malaysia a 19-11 victory, according to a report on the match from Radio Algerie. Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) general manager Mazuri Sallehudin blamed the organisers of the tournament but accepted that his body, which sanctioned the event, could expect to be held to account by World Rugby. "I believe the Algerian players could have been frustrated due to communication issues with the referee whose English was hard to understand," he told the New Straits Times. "From the feedback we have received, the organisers did not have enough security personnel on hand ... to quell the situation quickly. "(One of our players) was attacked by six Algerians and it was at that point that the spectators went in to help him. "We have already filed a police report on the incident and will have a council meeting to decide what action to take soon. "Unfortunately, MRU and possibly the national team could also face disciplinary action from World Rugby and ARFU but we do not know yet." http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/69453367/Islamic-international-rugby-final-abandoned-after-mass-brawl

" i just can't help putting out a counter-point, it needs to be done." that's right !

What the planes should do, is have big seats at the front and slowly they get smaller as you get to tiny ones at the back. That way, all the important people, (Wives, Children, small men Politicians) are protected most, in case of a crash. And all us fellas get to make the plane front-heavy, which'll make it go faster right? Saving fuel and time.

Yep and the excess baggage gets moor room in the hold, having paid for it. Should do, I think that would be fair, along with a smaller seat. I'd (and you'd) be better off with larger seats. Actually, between you and your wife, you'd average two normal fares Now if only they could get you a large seat and your wife a smaller one.

What Pretendingtobemale said. and also I've woken up in much worse condition than I should have, sometimes I put it down to really crap G&Ts, sometimes I thought I had been drugged, but still had my money, not sure. I suppose it's eminently possible that my forays into mind altering experiences when young, had predisposed me to some measure of control and theretofore the charming little pixies had no opportunity to rob me, if I was a victim of spiked drinks. But I guess I'll never know.