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6 hours ago, novacova said:

What other people do with their time seems to bother you and makes you feel insecure, where are you from anyway, Australia by any chance?

Yes I am the most insecre in the world but at least I do not "own" a weight station and stare at my phone while others are patiently waiting.  If that makes me inseure than I am guilty  as charged.  

4 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

From the US are we.

You voted in a president that many outside the US are wondering about his emotional maturity?

Twice.

 

it is not just Thais who think you are weird.

Did not vote for Trump. 

Got my new passport today but a little annoyed at both Thai Post and of course the managment office of my building.

1. Sent out my renewal application to BKK Embassy on May 28 2025.

2. BKK Embassy mailed my new passport and old passport to me in CNX on June 24.  It was received by the apartment management office on June 25. 

3. Never got an email, text or Line message from anyone that the Thai Courier Pass Book had been delievered.  Instead it was hidden under boxes that had been delieverd to other tenants in front of the management office.  

It's a good thing that today I rummaged throught the boxes and found my enevelope. This is the way my apartment handles mail and parcels: They just dump them in small boxes labeled by floor number and all boxes and parcels are stacked on the floor in front of the managment office.  Not too secure but I keep reminidng myself "TIT". 

Overall I was actually impressed by the turnaround time.  It was 29 days from start to finish.  The new passport definitely looks different than the old passport.  It actually looks like there are more security features imbedded into the passport book. 

5 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Oh absolutely.

 

I like JD, but he can be a bit of a windbag sometimes.  His mind seems set on 2028, not 2025 sometimes.

A Norwegian tourist claims having this photo on his phone got him denied US entry. I mean it's funny but what is the harm if thsi story is actually true. 

5 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

In this operation Kurilla certainly got things done. But not even a centcom press release?

Possibly just in case more strikes are needed?  Better to keep a low profile on this General?  Better to just keep Gen Kaine as the face of the operation(s).  

7 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

No -- I was only asking you as someone (I believe) with a military background and would know who CENTCOM was -- as opposed it would seem to many on here.

 

Prior wartime CENTCOM commanders were Schwarzkopf and Petraeus who were hardly adverse to publicity.

 

But seems Kurilla and CENTCOM have gone on the QT.

Of course I know CENTCOM.  There are two type of General Officers: 1) The ones who get too much attention 2) The ones who get no attention. The latter are the one who get things  done.  In my last deployment to Astan  the ISAF commander was Lt Gen Eikenberry.  In 2009 he retired and Obama nominated him as the Afghan Ambassador.  He always maintained a high profile.  He definitely fit into the first category.  

40 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

OK this query for you: It is acknowledged that the mission HQ was at CentCom Tampa. FL, under command of General 'Erik' Kurilla.

 

This is the official CENTCOM press release page. Note what is missing between 

June 24, 2025
U.S. and Qatari Forces Successfully Defend Against Iranian Ballistic Missile Attack on Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base
 
June 6, 2025
CENTCOM Supports Partner Forces During Defeat ISIS Operations in Iraq and Syria

 

https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/

___________________________

"Operation Midnight Hammer" was known only to a small number of people in Washington and at the U.S. military's headquarters for Middle East operations in Tampa, Florida.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-strikes-against-iran-nuclear-facilities-incredible-overwhelming-success-2025-06-22/

 

 

I never said he planned or coordinated the attack.  He just gave a good explanation of the mission. Overall he is the JCS so everything the DOD and all US Forces do come under his command and ultimate responsibility. Just like back during Gulf War Norman Scwharzkopf gave the breifings and got a lot of the credit but his subordinates planned and executed the missions.  

I guess his job is Tattoo artist?  

It's not just restaurants.  Had lunch at some of my faovrite places back in CA in Feb 2025:

1. Chicken Burrito and a soda at Chipotle was $16

2. 3 Chicken Finger combo at Raising Canes was $13

3.  Breakfaast at Ihop (3 panackes, 2 eggs and a coffee) came in at $15

4.  The saving grace was at my all time favorite, In N Out, where a single cheeseburger combo was under $10.

Even lunch at a fast food for under $10 is now a bargain.

Most of the places except for In N Out was not packed as it used to be in the past.  It seems fewer people are eating out back in CA.  

I cannot imgaine what it would  cost for a family of 4 to eat out at a fast food place wouild come to.  

State Assemblyman Zoran Mamdani will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams for NY Mayor later this year.  I have never lived in NY NY but the election will be interesting. Mamdani describes himself as a Socialist Democrat and some of his campaign promises had the key word of "Free".  That is free public transit and freeze all rents are just two examples.  There is a good chance the largest city in America will have a socialist as mayor.  Good luck NY.  

Recently some on Youtube have  uploaded videos that seemed to imply many expats are leaving LOS.  I have been in CNX for 7 years and I doubted this.  It seems like business as usual here in CNX.  Loads of Koreans, smaller number of Chinese, the Low Budget Backpackers and the usual old expats that I have seen for years are roaming the streets.  I was really surprised to find out a Youtuber based in CNX, The Narrow Gate, has moved to Vlore Albania withi his wife and two dogs. He posted some really good vidoes about CNX and seemd like he was going to be a lifer .  He rented a house, bought a car and even brought his dogs from the US. He was in CNX for 4 years and seemed to have settled for good.  He genuinely seemd to be happy in CNX.

The new videos reveal the good and bad about life in Albania.  I thought Tony and his wife Kendall would be the last people to leave LOS for another country.  I have considered Albania as a possible tuture destination because as an American I can stay for one year without a visa.  

Are a significant number of long term expats actually leaving LOS? 

31 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Seem to indicate that the bomber was on its way to Iran when Trump make that infamous “ 2 weeks “ announcement. So it was all a ruse. 

Deception is a miltary tactic.  Maybe this time POTUs actually listened to mlitary leaders.  But of course when POTUS writes his memoirs (or his ghost writer) he actually came up with "Midnight Hammer"? The question that needs to be answered is will Donald Trump finally be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.  

54 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Neither. They just don't crap for the 20 hours. Not difficult, especially if not physically active. They void their bowels before leaving, and are good until the next day. Is it any different than someone who voids at 10 AM, goes off to work, exercise, eat and voids again the next day?

Some Air Force and Navy fighter mission can last up to 8 hours with mulitple air to air refueling. I thought how can anyone sit in that ejection seat for up to 8 hours.   The B-2 has ejcetion seats so the feeling is similar but at least the crew can get out and stretch a little.  

Ah, the second photo is the cockpit and instrument panel of a B-52.  The B-52 has been in service for over 60 years.  

Look who has now come out of irrelevance.  He just made a speech in Paris a day after the US strikes.  

Looks like his old man. Does he really think he will be the next Shah? 

This might upset Beijing. This is because  Beijing wants to be the Big Daddy of Asia.  Japan, S. Korea and the nations East and sE ASia burn a lot of oil as well. 

To bomb or not to bomb but we all know one thing: The USAF can put bombs on target.  The USAF is the toughest branch of the US Militray to enlist and to obtain a commission and they prove it again and again.  Besides they get the most expensive aircraft and equipment. 

On the otherhand I cannot believe this was tweeted by the LASD.  In my time(this was a long time ago) the LASD was an effective law enforcement agency that patrolled many parts of LA County, ran the county jails and were bailffs in courthouses.  As usual the current Sheriff, Robert Luna, is silent.  Luna shows he is just politician with a badge.  

I used to see Border Patrol Agents in Los Angeles County back in the 1980's.  It was comical to see illegals running and Border Patrol Agents chasing after them. BP was in the white trucks with the "Border Patrol" in greeen and all were in their green BP uniforms.  People could see coming from. This might one of the reasons ICE uses unmarked vehicles? A decade later I realized it was all for show because  when I arrested a suspect who had an Immigration detention hold (these have been around for decades) Border Patrol would give the standard reply: We will pick him up.  Rarely did the BP actually show up and unless the suspect was remanded to county he or she would be released from our jails..   As result for years many have not seen immigration laws being actively enforced.  Of course this type of large and aggressive enforcement could be shocking to some.  It was not just the Biden Administration who was not enforcing immigration laws but so were many other previous administrations. 

Just now, dinsdale said:

I'm now hearing 12 MOP's were used for Fordow.

12 could be the entire inverntory of GBU 57's?  It's not like the USAF has a warehouse full of 30,000 bombs. Could be difficult to execute a follow on strike on Fordow.  I wonder when the bombing footage will be released.  Each GBU 57 has about 5,000 lbs of explosives and the ground probably was shaking after each impact and detonation.  

Read a post from Trump's favorite guy on Fox, Hannity, that 6 GBU-57 were dropped.  That is 180,000 lbs dropped on Iran.  It sounds good but have to wait for the BDA (Bomb Damage Assessement).  

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Just flying in Iranian airspace is one thing but actually dropping bombs on them is on a way different level. A different level with more risk.

 

Iran's air defense has already been knocked out, Israel currently controls the sky over Iran

Air Defense can be as simple one soldier with a hand held Igla-S (The Russian version of the  Stinger).  Control of Air Space once attained has to be maintained.  This means sorties day and night. To ensure that Iran's air defense is completely knocked out would require verification from the ground. I do not see that happening anytime soon.  

1 minute ago, rabas said:

 

Yes, they can put more than one bomb in one hole. It's an old trick, they do it with smaller weapons to penetrate steel reinforced concrete aircraft shelters.

 

As for working, swarms of US fighters are violating all of Iran's airspace night and day, even though Iran has been designing missiles for decades and have top Russian anti aircraft technology. That should tell you how well US designed technology works.  Not to mention that Russia has lost much of its weapons export market after their poor performance in the Ukraine war.

 

But there is an easier option to bunker busters, change the regime. That's what the majority of Iranian's want.

Anything that flies can be shot down. Even with the simplest of weapons and with a little luck even the Soviets downed a U2 that was flying at over 60,000 and even the Bosnians downed an F117,  All flying machines can develop technical problems whiile airborne.   If the B2 is actually sent on the bunker busting machine, I hope it goes smoothly because Air Force PJ's would have to fly a long way to rescue them. Just flying in Iranian airspace is one thing but actually dropping bombs on them is on a way different level. A different level with more risk.