herfiehandbag

Virtually the whole civilised world would define it as a rifled gun, designed for (or styled after) military use, capable of firing large amounts of ammunition, either in repeated single shots or bursts, at typical battle ranges of up to 300 metres or so. It is usually designed to be as light and "handy" as possible, so as to make it easier to use on a modern battlefield. That often sacrifices some range and "stopping power", and sometimes accuracy. It has no real use in sporting, target shooting or hunting. It is quite simply designed to kill the maximum possible number of people in battle. It is a military weapon, not a toy, a tool for settling grudges, a valid part of any political activity, or a substitute for any psychological or anatomical inadequacies. I hope that explains what an assault rifle is, and perhaps may go some way towards helping understand what it is intended for.

What an extraordinary coincidence, coming so soon after the misunderstanding outside the Chinese Embassy!

Until April I taught in a secondary school ( now retired) and I have a teenage daughter. She and her friends will be of voting age within the next year. I think that these young people are quite aware of who Thaksin is, and have a realistic idea of the " back story" of his repeated "ousting" following his electoral victories. They are much more interested in "Move Forward"; but to quote my daughter and her friends, in conversation over a "mukkata" barbeque, Pheu Tha and Move Forward will "be cheated". My personal hope ( of course I don't have a vote) would be for Pheu Thai and Move Forward to be able to form a coalition. If Prayut or Prawit with the help of their Senate votes get in, then we can expect the Senate's grip, due to expire soon (?) to be extended or renewed indefinitely. The stakes are high for this reason. Young and old are very much aware of that. It is a big generalisation, but amongst the opposition Pheu Thai represent the older generations, Move Forward the younger. They need to be open to working together.

I wonder what the Akha for "Hello sailor" is? Long way from the sea!

If, as is reported, this bill stems from the post coup appointed regimes moves to control the media, and as it is being debated by a joint session of MPs and Senators (the latter an effective "payroll vote" for the government) then it may be that blocking votes by refusing to form a quorum is the only way to oppose it. With an election fast approaching the benefits to some of extending controls over the media (I'm sorry, I meant to say "maintaining ethical standards"!) are possibly attractive.

Thinking back to my days of flying on Aeroflot and Uzbekistan Air, the applause was mainly kept for when they got on the ground. Air Uzbekistan was " interesting". A platoon of paratroopers surrounded the aircraft when it landed at Tashkent, and the bus to the terminal was escorted by BTR armoured cars. Each transit passenger was accompanied by his own secret policeman! Aeroflot was less intense security wise, but I do remember during a bout of turbulence over India, a chap who insisted on moving around was returned to his seat in a headlock by a (male) flight attendant. The food was <deleted>. Bizarrely with both airlines, just about every Russian or Uzbek passenger boarded carrying one of those big cardboard drums of laundry detergent. Presumably you couldn't get it in Russia. Explains the smell on a crowded aircraft!

And he's only the security bloke in the car park!

I am getting really annoyed with that French bloke with a ginger beard who keeps appearing in his swimming pool trying to flog me some sort of internet business. Strikes me as a gallic "vendeur d'huile de serpent"! As others have said, I understand the desire for advertising revenue, but when the ads make the board effectively very difficult to use, as it has become of late, then it must become counter productive. I don't know how many French expats use this site, but I doubt that many are interested in old " barbe rousse"!

Well yes, but after using the phone for 90 days it is perhaps not unreasonable to assume that you have imported it. This is, reportedly, the closing down of a "shakedown" procedure which targeted tourists - closing down such operations is very much flavour of the month. No doubt a less controversial and more lucrative manoeuvre has been instituted to replace/reinforce income streams.

It is quite astonishing that the Democrats are seriously considering someone Mr Biden's age as their candidate! On the other hand those who are running the Republican party seem not in the slightest bit interested in a moderate candidate. There are interesting prospects ahead - first the two rabid ferrets fighting in a sack in Florida, then what may be the mother of all cat fights for Mr Trumps Vice Presidential slot!

Since this one was visible to to he naked eye, them why did no-one notice the previous three?

Still, look on the bright side, as Chris and Jeff George live in Florida their children ( if they have any) are spared from being exposed to the "wrong type of books" at school...

Transparent Checkpoints - less smoke, more mirrors...

I'm not really sure that they are proposing anything particularly unorthodox, drastic or particularly extreme.

That's when they charge!

He would have been better off with one of those Casio digital jobbies Lazada are pushing on my A.N. feed for 59 Baht! Looking at the photos, how do you decipher what the time is on the damned thing?

How do the 8 Thai checkpoints ( by my maths) with no corresponding checkpoint in Laos work?

Scapegoats. Nothing more or less. It may go as far as a big well publicised trial - or this parade performance may be enough if something else comes along. Any exemplary sentences handed down are unlikely to be really served. They will end up employed in the shadier fringes of what is, after all, a nationwide mafia business. Such businesses always need "foot soldiers".

The penalties seem to vary widely depending on which Police General's turn it is to strut the stage! This is a real "bramah" - half a million and five years in prison!

Traffic signals? It is not as if they can be readily used for anything else!

Ironically for the feminists I rather gather that most of his fans are female! I'm no particular follower of Tom Jones, although he carries a tune well, sings with energy and doesn't take himself or his music too seriously. Completely harmless.

If the law ( in the shape of the Metropolitan Police) is targeting rap songs on social media as grounds for denying bail or cancelling parole then it is an ass. Just as much of an ass as trying to prevent Tom Jones's "Delilah" on the grounds that it promotes or celebrates violence against women. Utter ass!

Oh Ceri Mathews! I knew a Welsh girl once - that accent sends a tingle up the spine! Back to the topic, I am less than convinced that any of the knife wielding youth who infest some of our inner cities have ever heard of Sir Tom Jones, let alone listen to his music. Do these "woke" protagonists have any idea frankly how silly they make themselves look?

Macbeth portrays witches in an unfavorable light. Such rampant whipping up of phobia against those who view spirituality through unconventional mediums should not and cannot be tolerated in our society.

Rubbish. It is a ballad, a song which tells a story. It neither promotes nor justifies violence Against women! One might as well argue that the lyric "as they come to break down to he door" promotes needless vandalism against houses!