Coss

To get the ball rolling - 10,000-year-old Antarctic ice-shelf 'gone in five years' http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11450770 Antarctica's Larsen B ice-shelf is on course to disintegrate completely within the next five years, according to a study by US space agency Nasa. The 10,000-year-old ice-shelf, which partially collapsed in 2002, is "quickly weakening" and likely to "disintegrate completely" before the end of the decade, researchers have predicted, after observing warning signs including large developing cracks and faster-flowing tributary glaciers. "These are warning signs that the remnant is disintegrating," said Ala Khazendar of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. etc etc ___ We have to wait 5 years for this one, but I'll still be here to see...

I propose a thread of, then and now predictions. Or let's see if this is going to be true.. Examples may be - Arctic Ice Cap disappears completely predictions, but it hasn't. Or any topic at all, but it should be a prediction and whether or not it turns out to be true, or not.

Same same, though I got lucky and landed a 'contract' for a short time, which is like saying "we want your work" but when they learn what is is I can do, they'll let me go...

Difficulty getting citizenship implies that it can be gained. I would think that the Hidden Kingdom just outright bans it.

Whilst I have a certain admiration for people who make their own decisions about their kids' future, I see real social problems, being created by people who want to live 'off the grid' but then avail themselves of 'the grid' at the drop of the hat when they need it. This is not just an argument about whether to not there is an entitlement to society's benefits, but whether or not they are skilled enough to interface with 'the grid' or whether or not they do harm to 'the grid'. I saw a family on the TV the other day where the teenage kids were teaching themselves to read, from texts on their phones, they could not read a basic web page with things like 'home' on it. Can you imagine a teenager taking an injured sibling to hospital to save it's life? would they know how to recognise a hospital? would they know what a hospital was? could they read the road signs to get there? Then there's the vaccination issue, pockets of measles are still threatening thousands of thousands of infants and kids because 'off the grid' folk know better. It'd be different if the 'off the grid' folk could be put behind a wall, and left to their mediaeval life, but unfortunately, they all end up wanting mobile phones etc.

Fierce Creatures 1997 - the follow up to A Fish Called Wanda - John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin, Ronnie Corbett et al. Funnier than it was the first time around. Worth a watch. Inherent Vice 2014 - I really liked this, a very Hippy, 60's, slow moving, Detective Noire - Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin (very good), Owen Wilson, well worth a watch. Mortdecai 2015 - Panned by critics apparently, I liked it, if they make a sequel I'll watch it, it takes a moment to get used to Johnny Depp doing a "Dr. Bombay" from the Bewitched TV series, but I laughed several times and his manservant is beaut, well worth a watch. Sharky's Machine 1981 - remember when Rachel Ward was the sexiest thing on the planet? Well here she is in a movie, tastes have changed I feel. Burt Reynolds - well I guess he's not the actor people reckon he is/was, pretty dismal performance, mooning about the place. Enough shoot outs and fighting to be worth a watch if you're bored and wanna see Rachel again.

Amazing

talk about business opportunity...

Texas suburb in lockdown after shooting at anti-Islam art show Last updated 14:27, May 4 2015 MIKE STONE A police officer seeks witnesses to the shooting outside of the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative in Garland, Texas. A building in Dallas, Texas, which was hosting a contest for cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammed, has been locked down after a shooting outside. An officer dressed in SWAT gear took the stage during the event at the Curtis Culwell Centre in Garland and told attendees, including an Associated Press reporter, that a shooting had occurred. The Dallas Morning News reported that the two men pulled up in a vehicle and shot a Garland Information Services Department (ISD) officer. The men were fatally shot by Garland police, and their bodies remain on the street outside the events centre. The injured officer was released from the hospital after his wounds were treated. No one was being allowed to leave the facility and nearby businesses were evacuated. Authorities were investigating a car within that zone. Garland police were waiting for a bomb squad to examine the vehicle. Reports of the incident began to develop shortly before 7 pm (local time), when the event had been scheduled to conclude. Throughout the event, there had been no notable protests, despite its controversial nature. Garland Police Department spokesman Joe Harn was unable to confirm details or comment on the incident. The New York-based American Freedom Defence Initiative was hosting the contest to award $US10,000 ($NZ13,297) for the best cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed. The decision to book the event came a little more than a week after Islamic militants in France killed 12 people at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Well well...

For a contrast on police shootings, read about someone getting shot by Police in NZ. 1st he had a gun. 2nd " we heard two gunshots" not two hundred, two and then, 'stand down, stand down', you know, stop.... LINK

Vast Brides, why I'm cautious about thinking of going to 'merica. and a telling portrait of wannabe brides looking towards South East Asia, where their men are

Footage on the TV appears to show, 2~3 cops having to lift, an already incapacitated young man from the ground, before placing him in the van. I would suggest that any injury, is already in place by the time he is handcuffed.

How unfortunate for you...

"Stand by me" = music

Not forgetting the Lao

"The trial of two Myanmar migrants accused of murdering two British tourists last year is set to resume Thursday on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are charged with murdering David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on Sai Ree beach on the neighbouring island of Koh Tao on Sept 15. They also are charged with raping Witheridge. The case has drawn much international attention, and various observers have accused the Thai authorities of framing the Myanmar men, both 21, and organising a cover-up after members of a local organised-crime gang were implicated. Defence and prosecution lawyers at Thursday's hearing are expected to update the court as to the progress of preparing witnesses, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported. The court is also expected to consider the recent requests by the defence team that physical evidence be re-examined by the Ministry of Justice's Central Institute of Forensic Science, and for more information provided regarding the process of DNA analysis. Thai police nevertheless remain confident that DNA evidence will prove the Myanmar pair are guilty. Results of an investigation by British police from Scotland Yard were never made public, but the families of the two murdered Britons have reportedly been in contact with British authorities and say they are convinced Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are guilty. A lawyer representing the migrants told DVB in October that the pair told their legal team and members of the Myanmar embassy that they were tortured into giving confessions. Meanwhile, some 100 Myanmar migrant workers joined a workshop on Koh Tao on Monday and Tuesday to discuss migrant rights. Participants in the workshop, organised by the Migrant Worker Rights Network (MWRN) and the Human Rights and Development Foundation, on Tuesday set out an eight-point list of demands to Thai authorities, including: regular pay for migrant workers; the opening of a Myanmar migrant passport centre; preventing police and officials from acting above the law; and conformity to labour regulations. A letter with the demands was handed over to the Koh Tao municipal chief on Tuesday. "I believe that organising networks here will be very helpful in promoting the rights of migrants," said a Myanmar organiser of the event. "Many migrants on the island live in fear. They do not know their rights and are afraid of the authorities." Some 4,000 Myanmar nationals work on Koh Tao. Organisers said most did not attend the workshop because they feared repercussions from the local police. One attendee told DVB: "Previously, I would have been afraid to come to a workshop like this. But if both migrant workers and officials are aware of and respect labour rights, this island will be a safer and better place for us." Andy Hall, a British activist working on migrants' issues for the MWRN, said, "I have been to this island many times in assisting (Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun) during the hearings in the murder case. During that time, I have learned more and more about the plight of migrant workers on this island which is so popular among foreign tourists.""

Lucky Them 2013 - a gem, Toni Collette is her usual interesting self, Thomas Haden Church plays a dick so well, you come to like him, worth a watch. Interesting cameo. Unbroken 2014 - as noted earlier above, good movie, worth a watch

Banker warns of dire effect on economy if fishing ban is enforced A leading banker is warning of the possible banning of Thailand’s fishery products by the European Union will have a dire effect on the country’s economy. Banthoon Lamsam, chairman and chief executive officer of Kasikorn Bank, stated that the main problems facing the country at the moment are the economy, civil aviation industry and the fisheries sector. But the last of which will require immediate attention as fishing standards, especially for boat crews, lags behind international standards which may result in the EU banning fishery products. If so, this action will have an adverse affect on the country’s economy as in every year Thailand exports vast amounts of fishery products. He advises that both the private and government sectors coordinate to resolve the problem to avoid an economic crisis that could cripple the country. Meanwhile the Department of Harbour is coordinating with the relevant departments to solve the problem of human trafficking which is the root complaint of illicit human trade by western countries. Nat Japjai, the deputy director-general of the Harbour Department, stated that they were coordinating with all the relevant government departments to quickly solve the problem of human trafficking which is the main point of contention with western nations and could possibly result in the EU yellow carding the country’s fishery products. First to be tackled will be the stricter regulating and monitoring of all fishing vessels which will require them to be registered with the Harbour Department. The deputy director-general revealed that the department will be foregoing inspection fees for vessels not exceeding 20 gross tons and new criteria will be formulated for the issuance of crew’s papers to address the problem of illegal workers. He admitted that in the past counterfeit papers were widely used by fishing vessels but the problem is now being looked after by the Department for Special Investigations (DSI) and there should be a dramatic reduction in the foreseeable future. LINK ______________________________________________________ Whilst one, like Bubi, is not qualified to comment on matters in LOS, because I am not being able to understand Thai-ness, because I was only having been married to ex-wife of Thai persuasion for 20 years and because I may care about what happens to LOS, I do feel moved to comment on the above journalistic missive, and suggest pertinent points that may not have occurred to the gentle reader, without my altruistic prodding, all done with the most caring and sharing and supportive intentions. 1. Thai government (such as it is, Military rulership) is seeking to avoid massive, massive monetary loss, for the Thai economy, by beginning to actually address, the issue of Slavery on fishing vessels. This is something that has been going on for a long time and well known to the world and Thais alike, but because there has been no impending massive, massive monetary loss, the Thais have been quite happy to keep face intact, ignore Slavery and pocket massive, massive profits. 2. Tourism, is not going as well as it could be, despite graphs and statements from TAT showing near vertical arrival and spending growth, the facts are that Tourism is hobbling along from one problem to the next, and value for money, is no longer present. 3. Thai airlines (severally), with old planes, nepotistic over staffing, the usual corruption, is seeing a real threat to continued revenue over safety concerns, this is important not just because some routes or new routes may not be allowed, but that if the travelling public get an idea that Thai planes are not safe, they'll fly with someone else, for decades. 4. There have been no recent pronouncements on the rice market, but the previous government heads, are being held to task, the financial loss to the country, is massive. It's not all beer and skittles in the rice trade. - Western Nations have long regarded Thailand like the little sibling, who pays lip service to the rules and being a sibling is not seriously punished as it grows up, but there comes a time when the sibling is old enough to bear the consequences of flouting the rules. Thailand has no sense of being a sibling, but rather regards itself as 1st nation, unfortunately held back in all things by Westerners who are jealous of all that is Thai. The unfortunate concept of face, is extremely detrimental to a nation, that is desirous of being a full member, of a modern world.

Thanks for that, and yes, like Dorothy and numerous others, I am not in Kansas

Kochs - who?

Defense Minister: Thailand will be able to have yellow card given by EU rescinded BANGKOK, 23 April 2015 (NNT)- Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has said the yellow card, handed out to Thailand by the European Union (EU) for illegal fishing, will be rescinded in 6 months. The meeting of related units was convened to discuss how to remove Thailand from the EU's watch list, following the latter's claims that Thailand had been unable to effectively deal with illegal fishing problems within the specified time frame. Attending the meeting were officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Ministry of Labor, the Royal Thai Navy and Police commanders as well as the Department of Fisheries. According to General Prawit, each agency would try to solve the chronic problems according to their roles and responsibilities. Relevant laws could be amended to make the prevention measures more effective. A meeting will be held every week to follow up on the progress of each related agency. The Defense Minister said he believed significant progress would be made within 3 months, and that the EU's yellow card should be rescinded in six months. via Thai Visa -- NNT 2015-04-23 One hopes that this will be effective.

US lets in Thai fish caught by slaves despite law By MARTHA MENDOZA WASHINGTON (AP) — In its first report on trafficking around the world, the U.S. criticized Thailand as a hub for labor abuse. Yet 14 years later, seafood caught by slaves on Thai boats is still slipping into the supply chains of major American stores and supermarkets. The U.S. has not enforced a law banning the import of goods made with forced labor since 2000 because of significant loopholes, The Associated Press has found. It has also spared Thailand from sanctions slapped on other countries with weak records in human trafficking because of a complex political relationship that includes cooperation against terrorism. The question of how to deal with Thailand and labor abuse will come up at a congressional hearing Wednesday, in light of an AP investigation that found hundreds of men beaten, starved, forced to work with little or no pay and even held in a cage on the remote island village of Benjina. While officials at federal agencies would not directly answer why the law and sanctions are not applied, they pointed out that the U.S. State Department last year blacklisted Thailand as among the worst offenders in its report on trafficking in people worldwide. Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, said the plight of about 4,000 forced laborers in Thailand's seafood industry can no longer go unheeded. "There have been problems with systematic and pervasive human trafficking in Thailand's fishing fleets for more than a decade, but Washington has evidently considered it too hard to find out exactly what was happening and is not taking action to stop it," he said. "No one can claim ignorance anymore. This is a test case for Washington as much as Bangkok." Hlaing Min, a 32-year-old migrant fisherman from Myanmar who worked around the clock for more than two years before he ran away, also begged the U.S. for help. "Basically, we are slaves — and slavery is the only word that I can find — but our condition is worse than slavery," he said. "On behalf of all the fishermen here, I request to the Congressmen that the U.S. stop buying all fish from Thailand. ... This fish, we caught it with our blood and sweat, but we don't get a single benefit from it." The AP investigation tracked fish caught by slaves to the supply chains of large food sellers such as Wal-Mart, Sysco and Kroger, as well as popular brands of canned pet food such as Fancy Feast, Meow Mix and Iams. The companies all said they strongly condemn labor abuse and are taking steps to prevent it. While some human rights advocates say boycotts are effective, many U.S. seafood companies say cutting off all imports from an entire country means they no longer have any power to bring about change. During a recent visit to Jakarta, State Department Undersecretary Catherine A. Novelli was asked what the U.S. would now do. "I'm sure that your public would be concerned that the fish that they ate came from a slave," said an Indonesian reporter. Novelli's response was quick. "In the United States we actually have a law that it is illegal to import any product that is made with forced labor or slave labor, and that includes fish," she said. "To the extent that we can trace ... where the fish are coming from, we won't allow fish to come into the United States that has been produced with forced labor or slavery." However, the Tariff Act of 1930, which gives Customs and Border Protection the authority to seize shipments where forced labor is suspected and block further imports, has been used only 39 times in 85 years. In 11 cases, the orders detaining shipments were later revoked. The most recent case dates back to 2000, when Customs stopped clothing from Mongolian firm Dong Fang Guo Ji based on evidence that factory managers forced employees, including children, to work 14-hour days for low wages. The order was revoked in 2001, after further review found labor abuse was no longer a problem at the company. Detention orders that remain in place can have mixed results. In 1999, Customs blocked hand-rolled unfiltered cigarettes from the Mangalore Ganesh Beedie Works in India, suspecting child labor. However, the AP found that Mangalore Ganesh has sent 11 large shipments of the cigarettes to Beedies LLC of Kissimee, Florida, over the past four years through the ports of New York, Miami and Savannah, Georgia. Beedies LLC said the cigarettes go straight from the U.S. ports to a bonded warehouse, and are then exported outside the country. To start an investigation, Customs needs to receive a petition from anyone — a business, an agency, even a non-citizen — showing "reasonably but not conclusively" that imports were made at least in part with forced labor. But spokesman Michael Friel said that in the last four years, Customs has received "only a handful of petitions," and none has pointed to seafood from Thailand. The most recent petition was filed two years ago by a non-profit against cotton in Uzbekistan. "These cases often involve numerous allegations that require extensive agency investigation and fact-finding," he said. Experts also point to two gaping loopholes in the law. Goods made with forced labor must be allowed into the U.S. if consumer demand cannot be met without them. And it's hard, if not impossible, to prove fish in a particular container is tainted, because different batches generally mix together at processing plants. Former Justice Department attorney Jim Rubin said Customs can't stop trafficked goods without the help of other federal agencies to investigate overseas. "You can't expect a Customs guy at the border to know that a can of salmon caught on the high seas was brought in by a slave," he said. The U.S. response to Thailand is also shaped by political considerations. For years, the State Department has put Thailand on the watchlist in its annual trafficking report, saying the Thai government has made efforts to stop labor abuse. But last year, after several waivers, it dropped Thailand for the first time to the lowest rank, mentioning forced labor in the seafood industry. Countries with the same ranking, such as Cuba, Iran and North Korea, faced full sanctions, and foreign aid was withheld. Others, like Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe, faced partial sanctions. Thailand did not: U.S. taxpayers provided $18.5 million in foreign aid to the country last year. "If Thailand was North Korea or Iran, they'd be treated differently," said Josh Kurlantzick, a fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. "They're a key ally and we have a long relationship with them." In the 1960s and '70s, when the U.S. needed Thailand's help in the Vietnam War, the country "got a pass on everything," Kurlantzick said. Then Thailand's record on human rights gradually improved, along with its economy. That changed dramatically in 2006, when the military first ousted the prime minister. It declared martial law and then overtook the government again last year. In response, the U.S. condemned the current regime and has suspended $4.7 million in military funding to the Southeast Asian nation. However, the U.S. still includes Thailand in military exercises, and the country is considered a critical ally against terrorism. A U.S. Senate report in December detailed how top al-Qaida suspect Abu Zubaydah was water-boarded, slammed into a wall and isolated at a secret safe house in Thailand as part of CIA interrogations in 2002. And in 2003, a senior al-Qaida operative was arrested outside Bangkok after more than 200 people died in a Bali nightclub bombing. The U.S. also wants strong relations with Thailand as a counterweight to China, whose influence is growing in the region. Along with the State Department, the Labor Department has also flagged seafood from Thailand year after year as produced by forced labor in violation of international standards. Department of Homeland Security senior policy adviser Kenneth Kennedy referred to discussions for an action plan on labor abuse in Thailand that began in the fall. "I think the U.S. government recently has realized that we need to pay attention to this area," he said. "We need to address conditions that have been reported for years and that are in the public minds and in the public eye very much." Thailand itself says it is tackling labor abuse. In 2003, the country launched a national campaign against criminal organizations, including traffickers. In 2008, it adopted a new anti-human trafficking law. And last month, the new junta government cited the fight against trafficking as a national priority. "This government is determined and committed to solving the human trafficking issues, not by words but by actions," Deputy Government Spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. "We are serious in prosecuting every individual involved in the network, from the boats' captains to government officials." However, a Thai police general on a fact-finding mission earlier this month to Benjina declared conditions were good and workers "happy." A day later, Indonesian authorities rescued more than 320 abused fishermen from the island village, and the number of workers waiting to be sent home has since risen to more than 560. Under United Nations principles adopted in 2011, governments must protect against human rights abuses by third parties. However, some local authorities in Thailand are themselves deeply implicated in such practices, said Harvard University professor John Ruggie, who wrote the principles, known as the "Ruggie Framework," as a U.N. special representative. Also, Thailand's seafood industry, with annual exports of about $7 billion, is big business for the country and depends on migrant labor. Migrant fishermen rescued from Benjina were bewildered to learn that their abuse has been an open secret for years. Maung Htwe, a 26-year-old migrant worker from Myanmar, did backbreaking work for Thai captains in Indonesian waters over seven years, earning less than $5 a day, if he was lucky. "Sometimes I'm really angry. It's so painful. Why was I sold and taken to Indonesia?" asked Htwe, who was among the workers rescued from Benjina. "If people already knew the story, then they should have helped us and taken action." -- © Associated Press 2015-04-22 Via Thai Visa

EU warns Thailand to halt illegal fishing or face ban BANGKOK: -- The EU on Tuesday warned Thailand, the third largest seafood producer, that it had six months to halt illegal fishing or face an import ban in the world's single biggest market. "Today's action constitutes a warning ... the burden is now on Thailand to take corrective measures," EU Agriculture and Fishery Commissioner Karmenu Vella said. After discussions on remedies dating back to 2011, the European Commission had decided to issue Thailand a 'yellow card,' with a 'red card' and punishment to follow if there was no improvement, Vella told a press briefing. "I urge Thailand to join the European Union in the fight for sustainable fisheries. Failure to take strong action against illegal fishing will carry consequences," he said. The Commission, the EU's executive arm, said Thailand's fisheries monitoring as well as its control and sanctioning systems were inadequate and had to be brought up to international standards. Belize, Guinea, Cambodia and Sri Lanka were all hit with import bans in the past but remedial efforts by Belize meant it had now been taken off the blacklist, it said. Additionally, 'yellow cards' against South Korea and the Philippines had been withdrawn after "they carried out appropriate reforms of their legal systems and are now equipped to tackle illegal fishing." "Both South Korea and the Philippines have taken responsible action, amended their legal systems and switched to a proactive approach against illegal fishing," Vella said. The Commission said illegal fishing accounted for at least 15 percent of the global catch and was worth up to 19 billion euros a year. "As the world's biggest fish importer, the EU does not wish to be complicit and accept such products into its market," it said. -- © Copyright AFP 2015-04-21 Via Thai Visa

Thailand upset with EU 'yellow card' over illegal fishing BANGKOK: -- The Thai Foreign Ministry has voiced disappointment with the European Union’s decision to put Thailand on the â€yellow list†for illegal fishing. EU gave Thailand six months to clean up its fishing industry or face a ban on seafood exports to EU worth about 270 billion baht. Mr Seth Wannamethee, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said that EU’s warning showed that it was totally unaware of the determination and tangible progress made by Thailand in the attempt to solve the problem as well as Thailand’s long record of cooperation with the EU to fight against illegal fishing. He also demanded the EU to consider Thailand’s efforts in addressing the problem in a fair and transparent manner without prejudice and in line with the real situation in Thailand. EU said on Tuesday that it denounced Thailand’s shortcomings in its fisheries monitoring, control and sanctioning systems and concluded that Thailand is not doing enough. To avoid the ban, Thailand must “implement a tailor-made action plan to drive illegal fishing out of its waters within the next six months, said EU. “Today’s action constitutes a warning, what we call a yellow card.. For the time being, there are no commercial sanctions whatsoever,†said Karmenu Vella, EU commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries. Source: http://englishnews.t...illegal-fishing -- Thai PBS 2015-04-22 via Thai Visa

Not a photo from your personal collection I hope, noone we know I trust?