voulez vous

True enough. The forced sale of the club put it in the spotlight worldwide.

Of course many fear the poles melting. Not 100%; as it would be bad for a lot of countries. And of course there would be new land for the powers to fight over. No! 4% melting would do it. Is this what the Global warming stuff is really all about? The fear that the seas will rise a couple of metres. A lot of expensive property in Florida will go. As well as Bangkok; unless they build that wall (causeway).

I'll boo so loud the cat will run out into the yard. Never been keen on injustices. This one is right up there.

This thread is essentially about Thailand and Russia getting together to thrash out understandings - over maybe many different issues. One of those was Ukraine. It transpires that there is a an appreciation of the events leading up the 'special operation' by Thailand. Thailand is not in the west. It is part of the vast majority - both in land mass and numbers of people - that do not accept the US's line. Quite a few posters cannot accept that their view on the conflict is a minority one. This view is, IMO, a war-mongering one. When an alternative point of view is promoted, it is quickly rubbished and the poster said to be a 'Putin apologist' or similar. I want peace in Ukraine. And I also want the west to stop their incessant march towards totalism. Where only their system (the US hierarchy system) is the right one. To quote a CIA boss a few years back; "Challenges will not be tolerated."

Thanks for that Paul. Democracy is an illusion. Virtually all western countries have a top down 'democracy'. The people are constantly being manipulated.

As my English friend would say; "monumental humbug." What middle ground might that be? We need to see the truth. That might not sit well with many, but it's been said many times; "The truth is the first casualty of war." Could do a lot worse than watch George's independent show Ryan.. Link a few posts ago.

That's a bit simplistic Anandra. I had a Russian girl friend a few yeas ago. She was very truthful. To get peace we have to see the truth. That is not the truth of CNN, Washington, Reuters or the BBC alone. We have to hear the other points of view. But even if we hear the other points of view, it seems to me that the west - and more specifically the US - have plans to turn this conflict into an Afghanistan or Vietnam for the Russians. I now think the best hope for peace - and it grieves me to say, as my own country of birth is involved - is a winter of suffering across Europe. The people have to start having a say in what their leaders are doing in their name.

Thanks for that Joe. George was on fire last night. Really cut loose.

Who said I admire anyone? George Galloway is a respected leader of a UK political party. I don't always agree with him; but there is no doubting his integrity. I like to take in different aspects of news stories. If I just watched the BBC or Sky, I'd finish up as ignorant, dumb and ill-informed as many. Well done the Thais for seeing sense.

Brian Gerrish is not a "British conspiracy theorist". The show gives a fair assessment of the state of play in all the news items. As with many of the independent news outlets it gets a 'bad press' from many of the paid hit sites. George Galloway's show twice a week is also a good watch for the truth..

That is a cracking pic Monsieur

Nonsense. You do not know what you are talking about.

Ambition or greed? Maybe a bit, or a lot, of both. Chelsea should have got an interim guy in. Wasn't there an assistant? Potter could have moved at the end of the season. TBH, I don't like it at all. But I'll be cheering Brighton on; and booing Chelsea.

I hope Brighton finish well above Chelsea this season. He had a good thing going down the coast.

Bonjour farangsters. Vous here. Monsieur Owl is unable to be with us today. But he has sent me an email. So he can keep his friends up to date with his diary. I can report that he has been attacked by those pesky Asian hornets again. But more of this in his report. Michelle is waiting for me in the bedroom, so I'll post this for him and get back to her. The problem with us French men, is that we sometimes have to disappoint our lovely ladies. Not in the loving department, but when saying À tout à l'heure to them. Although they understand my position when I reluctantly leave them. Monsieur Owl will be back with you all shortly. Refreshed and unfettered. So it's au revoir from me; perhaps forever. Who knows how the haricots and onions will spill? ============================================ Owl Log - 11-09-2022 - Sunday morning. Didn't see any rain for the first week of September. Started to get worried. But yesterday and last night we had a drop. The cassava waste was delivered and now I'm waiting on the nut-man to start work on trimming around the trees. 42 tonnes all told. To be divided up to 745 trees, plus a few around the farm house. 329 in farm three, and 416 in four. That works out at roughly 55/56 kg per tree. Some might get more and some a little less. I have 200 sacks ready to rock n roll. Hopefully it will be a non-stop; fill the sacks - transport them to the trees - empty sacks and return for refill. Once the two sacks are tipped out, a lady will rake the cassava evenly around the tree. This week I hope. Was in the Buddha having a butchers at the temple over the pond. Still a lot of work to be done yet. Well into 2023, or even 2024, before any visitors are encouraged. While there I was tempted over by an old structure in the corner. I went closer and the hornets came to get me. Only two stings though. One on my left thump and the other next to my left eye. No sympathy from Mrs Owl. "Take pictures in Buddha. Cannot. Own Fault. Farang ding dong." The twins are a delight. They have great co-ordination, and dress sense. vid twins on bike.png.mp4 Took the pick-up in for a service on Tuesday. Oil change, replace blown light-bulbs and generally tinker with this and that. Just 1800 baht. Drives like a new un. Much quieter too. On the way back from taking the pick-up to the repair man, I walked back; risking the dozen or so frenzied dogs encountered on the journey. It was 07-36, and a bus was leaving for the Witty-something or other school on the 2022. This was the school where daughter Nan went for a while. I had an embarrassing experience with them. I was at home and Nan arrived at about 11am. "Why are you not in school Nan?" She said that she had been sent home to get a hair-cut. I was not at all amused. I put my English hat on and went to the school to let them have it. Both barrels. "What do you think you are doing letting a student out of school? She is your care until closing time." By the time they found a teacher who could understand me, I had calmed down a bit. It transpired that Nan hadn't even been to school that day. Or any day that week. Her hair-cut story was all nonsense. Ate a slice of humble and gave a couple of wais. Got out of there double quick. Her mum was working in her sister Pook's farm. Later I told Mrs Owl the story. She was annoyed, but didn't seem too upset. Good lesson for me that day. Still learning to this day. Oh no! The pineapple came a cropper at the farm. Looks like it had just snapped off. It wasn't quite ready to eat, so took it home and thought I'd look after it. Was gonna keep it in water until it ripened. Would you Adam and Eve it. Someone only had it away. And had the cheek to put what was left back on the pot. It can be a great life here, but little things still baffle me. Discovered a reishi at the farm. I'll give it a week or so and cut it off. It will make a nice drop of wine. Thinking of that mushroom reminds me that I went into the hat-lady shop a week ago. She was busy, but without saying anything she handed me two packs of shredded reishi. Is there some sort of mind-reading going on? Hope she wasn't flustered by my thoughts for the next few minutes. Mildred has produced her best work ever. She seems to getting to grips with face texture. I've got hopes for her artistic future. Had to fix up a couple of racks for the wife. I don't like going into the kitchen for a couple of reasons. Due to bad experiences in England. But had to calm myself to do a bit of drilling and hanging. Loony's farm opposite us has pulled down their charcoal igloo and started growing onions. She has a couple of pygmy papaya trees also. They are just one metre high but are abundant with fruit. Sent away for some pillows. They were on Lazada, and were said be the softest pillows in the world. Bought three. And was not disappointed. Boy! Are they soft. Just 210 baht all in; including a tip for the driver. Another lady finding a use for the old sewer pipes. The shop-lady next to us has bought some exercise contraption. I was there with the camera, but wouldn't embarrass her by doing a vid. What she does is put her legs in the rings and arms in the loops and do an Andy Pandy dance. Be good if it has any effect. Speaking of dancing. Went to Ban Dung Friday. It was a big Buddha the following day (Saturday) and both Mrs Owl and sister Pook got tons of veggies. Saturday came and the Mrs went round the four farms putting out candles, food and incense sticks. Good luck will ensue. I think number 44 this time. But I'm jumping forward. While I was at the vegetable soi, I found a dancing and singing man. Very cute! Dressed in traditional Dancing and singing clothes. Matching mask. What an eventful week England had. A new Prime Minister and a New King; Charles 111. The footy was cancelled right across the board, so no footy report. Except to say that I feel for any Brighton fans out there, and the ones in Brighton. Hope they finish above Chelsea this season. Mrs Owl is around the side of the house clearing foliage. She has just chopped the water pipe. No problem as she has turned off the mains tap. So that's a job for me after posting the Owl Log. Mildred beat me 3-0 in our chess games yesterday. I'll try to get my own back in our games later. And world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, walked out of the international competition in St Louis (US). He was earlier beaten by a teenage American; who played black would you believe!?. Mildred is doing well in the English at school. She told me some vague story of going to Bangkok for a competition. Nothing official as yet. Would not want her to go anyway. Dull day today. Just like a June day in Essex; fishing at Hainault. Went into Big C. Still 90% mask-wearing inside the shop. The stalls outside and independent shops about 50%. I noticed was that all the mobile air-conditioning units had gone. Couldn't see one. Had some chicken-foot soup for lunch. Will be back next week. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

This conflict between two ideals started way back in 1949, when the US planned to invade and bomb Russia into submission. They would they break the country into 4. I think it was operation 'toeclip' or similar. But there was some caution as some thought that Russia also had the nuclear bomb. And then the Korean war got in the way. The plans were put on hold. And the cold-war gradually ensued. During Gorbachev's and Yeltsin's tenures it did seem that Russia was adopting the US way of doing things. But along came Putin, who put the interests of Russians first. Even after the US promoted regime change in 2014. Pres' Putin wanted caution. The communist party particularly wanted Russia to stop the slaughter of Russian speaking civilians in the Donbas(s). The build up of forces in late 2021 and January of 2022 in the Russian-speaking areas of Ukraine was the ignition of the 'special operation'. The rest is known to all. But not necessarily the facts and truth. In the west it is simply a one-way propaganda street. In fact the majority of the world see things differently. It seemed to me that as well as wanting to weaken Russia, the US wanted to plunder Ukraine. Large swathes of Ukraine would be sold off to corporate America. Russia would not play the game or bend the knee, and we are where we are. This conflict will be seen, IMO, to be a major nail in the coffin of their dominance the the US dollar. I think Thailand know which side its bread is buttered. Fair play to them.

It's not all about money is it! What happened to loyalty and family? If he did it just for money he is a greedy <deleted> IMO.

I think Potter has done a wrong one here. He should have seen the season through with his club. he had a good thing going at Brighton. Now he is in the furnace of one of the most high-profile clubs in the world.

That's good then. All Europe has to do is get off their knees to the US and get the gas turned on to help their people. The pipes are waiting. Easy peasy. The US couldn't care less about Europe. It just wants it to do as it's told. It's aim is to TRY to weaken Russia AMAP, in any way possible, They have not wanted to play ball since Pres Yeltsin sold off the family silver.

Let's see how public opinion is after a winter of rising prices and misery in the cold. Time is not on the west's side.

No rush at all. The Russians are not in the business of unnecessary hurting civilians. Advanced weapons? What is not being sold off on the internet is being mostly destroyed before it reaches the front line. Some does get there, but is easily dealt with it seems. The west is simply handing weapons over with no audit trail. The Ukrainians are not fighting for cultural survival. This is nonsense to say this. The areas liberated so far - and those soon to be - are mostly Russian speakers and supporters. One of the aims of the special operation was to de-nazify the country. The three most Nazi battalions , Azov, Kracken, (can't remember what the other one is called) have been splintered, but not yet destroyed.

The only fly-in-the-ointment I can see for Russia, is that as they liberate larger and larger areas, they will be subject to the renegade attacks that have been seen recently. And unfortunately these attacks are hurting non-combatants unnecessarily. They are broadcast in the west's MSM as great advances - even victories - but in reality they are nothing of the sort. Just pin-pricks on a bear. According to a respected American war/conflict/military analyst, the casualty for civilians is extremely low (25-1) and the casualty ratio for the conflict is in the order of 5-1. As for taking Odessa. There is no rush from the Russians. The general feeling is that it will be the New Year before they put in a concerted advance.

"""Russia is grateful to Thailand for an objective assessment of the events in Ukraine and understanding of the true causes of the situation in the international arena, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at a news conference following talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.""" Reckon Thailand got it spot on over the conflict. And no Lao Kow to be seen on the table.

https://www.moonofalabama.org/ More truth on there than the BBC or CNN.

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