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Went to CM Immigration today to transfer visa from old to new passport. I thought this would be simple and quick. I was wrong. The visa transfer form states what to bring: 1. Both passports 2. Copies of both passport data pages 3, Copies of latest entry stamp and End of Stay stamp 4. Copy of Visa 5. Copy of visa extention Brought all those. Of course I had a copy of the TM-30 as well because just about anything one does with IMM now requires it. Went to the first counter to have documents checked and I was asked "where is your insuarnce"? I have a Non OA extension but I did not think that woudl be needed but I was wrong. Had to go back to my apartment and bring proof of medical insurance just to get the visa transfered. Today was a perplexing day.

I get that but just lookinng at the mirror and looking at the phone while wearing ear buds and not actually using the gym equipment does not seem to be "waitiing"?

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.

Did not vote for Trump.

Not at the gyms I have been to in LOS. Most foreigners (except for the Chinese visitors) actually come in for a focused workout. No time for sending emojis or taking selfies.

Well at the gym it seems like many do the following: 1) Look at themselves in the mirror at least once every 5 minutes 2) Take a selfie and then more selfies 3) After walking on the threadmill like a grandma for 10 minutes they act like they had just run a marathon 4) Not wipe down gym equipment after use. But actually why would they need to wipe it down because they do not sweat. It takes some level of intensity to perspire while working out. 5) Sit on gym equipment while looking at their phones while others are politely waiting. I thought going to the gym was to get a workout and not working out their phones. 6) Obviously this type of behavior does not apply to all Thai men but I have witnessed it many times during the years. Or I am the weird one because I leave my phone in the locker. The gyms I belonged to in the US prohibited phones on the gym floor. Oh heck in the eyes of most Thai people I am weird one. I doubt this kind of behavior would be tolerated at a Muay Thai dojo but the mid to high level gyms I have worked out at this is rather common amongst Thai men.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

My new hero is Gen Dan Caine (Chariman of the JCS). He said many of the B-2 Crew were graduates fo the USAF Figher Weapons School "where they do not play beach football or vollyeball". Of course this is a dig at the Navy and the Top Gun movies. I was very impressed with how he explained the mission unlike Sec Def who sounded like he was going after "the lying media" with much of his time. The contrast between Sec Def and Gen Caine was dramatic. One is a dedicated professional who has served his country and the USAF for over 30 years and the other is just embarrassing.

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?

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.

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.

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).