ericbj

Making pronouncements upon Russia's right of incursion into the Ukraine is incompatible with self-declared ignorance of the massacres in Odessa, Mariupol and elsewhere, and the eight years targeting of civilians in the Donetsk and the Lugansk by snipers, artillery, and missiles. Often spewing cluster munitions and sowing swarms of butterfly mines in town centres where there was no military presence. The legality or illegality of the Russian incursion into the Ukraine needs to viewed in the context of US/NATO incursions into sovereign nations in the Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Europe. "R2P" was often the bogus justification claimed then. The Russians can claim the same, but on more solid grounds. Putin is not Stalin, although it is understandable that many Ukrainians should still feel strongly about the Holomodor. But the starvation of the 1930s affected all grain-producing areas of the USSR, "including Kazakhstan, Northern Caucasus, Kuban Region, Volga Region, the South Urals, and West Siberia." "The Kazakh famine of 1930–1933, also known as the Asharshylyk, was a famine during which approximately 1.5 million people died in the Kazakh Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic, then part of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic in the Soviet Union, of whom 1.3 million were ethnic Kazakhs. An estimated 38 to 42 percent of all Kazakhs died, the highest percentage of any ethnic group killed by the Soviet famine of 1930–1933. Other research estimates that as many as 2.3 million died. … The famine began in the winter of 1930, a full year before the famine in Ukraine." Not all Ukrainians had clean hands. The liquidation of the Jewish population is well known. But perhaps less well known is this: "The massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia were carried out in German-occupied Poland by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army with the support of parts of the local Ukrainian population against the Polish minority in Volhynia, Eastern Galicia, parts of Polesia and the Lublin region from 1943 to 1945." Incidentally, I am not some pro-Russian stooge. I am wholeheartedly opposed to Russian support for Min Aung Hlaing's regime. And was pleased to see that they had to buy back some of the AFVs they sold him; because they needed them for spare parts.

"How many of those warheads are actually functional? The corruption in the Russian military has exposed huge deficits in maintenance." The ultimate, anonymous source of this 'exposure' is perhaps the same as that which told us in 2022 that Russia was about to run out of artillery shells, that the Russian military was demoralised and about to disintegrate, and similar disingenuous 'intel'. "It is estimated one-third of the Russian defence budget went into Shoigu's pocket alone." Who estimated it? And how did they arrive at this figure? "Russia's only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, was launched in 1985. Thirty years on, it is still not operational. It is in drydock in Murmansk, for yet another round of repairs." Aircraft carriers are no longer the queens of naval combat. They make beautifully expensive targets for modern precision missiles, whether airborne or aquatic; and require a dense screen of smaller vessels to protect them. They are of use only to powerful nations that seek to project their military power far from their homeland, far across the oceans. [Study the case of US Navy versus Houthis] A land-based aerodrome can be better protected; can be put out of action for a while, until repaired; but it cannot be sunk. "The success of Russia's attempted modernization of its military is illustrated by a recent test firing, when the rocket blew up in its silo." Please explain why the U.S. government, until recent sanctions kicked in, was purchasing Russian-made rocket-motors for its missiles. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/8/5/us-kicking-russian-rocket-engines-to-the-curb "IMO the sums spent on Ukraine are a good investment." An excellent investment for the mega-rentier-capitalists heavily invested in the armaments industry. As an example, their capital gains amounted to nearly 1,000% over the course of the Afghan War. They needed another war to replace it. But for the average American? Was this really so? "It would cost a lot more to have US boots on the ground, defending NATO countries." There was no need to defend NATO countries. The boot was on the NATO foot. That is, until Putin, increasingly regarded as a weakling by many of his countrymen for failure to take effective action against the ongoing massacre of ethnic Russians, did what NATO had been hoping he would do. But the outcome, to be achieved by sanctions, has not been what NATO expected. Circumstances have changed since the Soviet economy was destroyed by crushing the oil price.

Many taxpayers - which includes those paying with the 'hidden tax', inflation - are becoming thoroughly pissed off with the huge financial burden. Especially considering lack of productivity on the investment. Just for starters, consider the 5 billion USD spent on the Maidan Coup. You, and fellow-thinkers, need to consider coughing up substantial sums to further your war-aims. -------------------------- I am neither pro-Trump nor pro-Biden. But a negotiated peace seems better than an eternal war. And could have had a much more favourable outcome for the Ukraine if carried through two and more years ago. The real cost of this skilfully engineered conflict has been borne by the peoples of the Ukraine. Perhaps the widows, orphans, and cripples should have some say in this matter. It is true that Biden and others have been intimidated by Putin's threats. Empty threats? The Russian Federation possesses some 3,000 nuclear warheads and hypersonic missiles to deliver them. And recently, as you should know, they modified the circumstances which can lead to their being used.

I do not know if this will work against the West Nile virus, but in view of its broad-spectrum anti-viral properties, a web-search along this line: ClO2 anti-viral might suggest a potential cure.

Not sure what influence the Russians (taking a leaf out of a CIA guidebook) may have had in influencing the Brexit vote. But these articles may be of interest: https://www.essex.ac.uk/research/showcase/why-britain-really-voted-to-leave-the-european-union https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-referendum-donations-ten-wealthy-political-donors-make-up-half-vote-leave-remain-nigel-farage-arron-banks-leave-eu-vote-leave-political-parties-bankrolled-by-rich-financiers-superrich-billionaires-a7348321.html

Incomprehensible why, at an important international event, she should be expected to blather whatever thoughts may enter her head on the spur of the moment. Notes of a prepared speech, whether anything from brief mnemonics to full text, are essential in such instances for those without an infallible, encyclopaedic memory. English still tends to be regarded as THE international medium of communication. Not yet displaced by Mandarin.

This may be relevant to the question: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18793665231212233

There are multiple sources available online that support what Jacques Baud says. Although some can no longer be found by standard web-searches (changed algorithms). Or have been forcibly removed. For being contrary to official narratives. Some, like Baud himself, provide first-hand evidence, and cannot be lightly dismissed as 'conspiracy theory' (a term popularised by the CIA to discredit evidence that countered the official theory that JFK was assassinated by a lone gunman). They need to be countered on a factual basis. Jacques Baud is a former intelligence officer whose articles are published in specialised intelligence reviews. The profession deals in collecting and analysing facts. Not political goals. Although latter-day statements by MI6 might seem to indicate the contrary. While still useful on many subjects, there is now considerable doubt about the reliability of Wikipedia on battleground subjects such as international relations: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/wikipedia-founder-larry-sanger-democrats-b1885138.html https://nypost.com/2021/07/16/wikipedia-co-founder-says-site-is-now-propaganda-for-left-leaning-establishment/ [I feel that the modern use of the word 'left' in a political context is misplaced]

Have not had implants done by them but have been using them since 2006: The Grace Dental Clinic. http://www.gracedentalclinic.com/ They were recommended to me first by an American couple who came to Thailand three months in each year, partly for medical and dental treatments. Then in 2006 they were recommended by the Pakua Clinic at Tao Garden (near Doi Sakhet), who suggested I go there for removal of my older amalgam fillings (since several years before I had insisted that all new fillings be non-amalgam).

NOT a French Colonel. So that deals with your objection to seeing what he says. Not that your objection would have been in the least bit valid if he was French. Allowing for rabid nationalistic wilful blindness, perhaps I should have suggested Col. Douglas Mac Gregor: https://www.youtube.com/user/douglasmacgregorTV

For a detailed account of how and why Russia finally decided to make an incursion into the Ukraine Colonel Jacques Baud is a well-informed source. If you do not find the full details in this interview - https://www.thepostil.com/our-interview-with-jacques-baud/ - you will find them in the English translations of his published articles in Le Postil. See also here, in the original French: https://cf2r.org/documentation/le-point-sur-la-situation-militaire-en-ukraine-au-2-juin-2022/

"The initial charges against Mr Saman include reckless driving endangering life or property, negligent driving resulting in death, negligent driving causing bodily harm, and failing to assist or report the incident leading to fatalities." On existing published evidence the charges look to be on fairly shakey ground. Except perhaps the 4th charge, but that depends upon the interpretation: Was it his failure to assist or report the incident that caused the fatalities? Further evidence may either be more incriminating, or further charges will be preferred. He was perhaps suffering from trauma, somewhat akin to shell-shock, which can lead even normally courageous men to act in a 'cowardly' way. I hope he is not being set up as a scapegoat in place of the managers of the transport company. Who will have a bit of money to throw around in order to appear above reproach.

It seems that burning gas must have been able to enter freely the cab of the bus. Which from the photos does not appear to be badly crumpled by its impact with the barrier. I am guessing that reducing the potential for similar accidents in the future requires giving attention to this problem: ensuring there is as little chance as possible that gas escaping from a severed pipe can enter the cab.

Antibiotics have clearly saved millions of lives. But less obviously, because of long-term effects, have probably destroyed millions. The human body is composed of roughly equal numbers of human cells and bacteria. The latter are an integral part of us. Some bacteria are known to carry out useful functions, while the roles of others remain unknown. The gut microbiome of a healthy individual is said to comprise in the region of 1,300 different species; in the case of an unhealthy individual considerably less. Present are so-called 'pathogenic' bacteria, which do no harm as long as their numbers remain limited by the presence of non-pathogenic species. When I worked as a volunteer in an alternative cancer centre in the 1980s, the Argentinian doctor in charge said that in her experience all those with the disease suffered from an overgrowth of candida albicans. In a healthy gut candida is present as a yeast which assists with the digestion of proteins. But when the balance of the gut flora is disrupted it transforms into a filarial fungal form, attaches itself to the one-cell thick lining of the gut, and perforates it, allowing macro-molecules of semi-digested or undigested food to enter the bloodstream. Fine filtering by 'tight-junctions' of the gut lining is now by-passed. This leakage of foreign substances can over-tax the immune system, causing intolerances to foodstuffs that were formerly well-tolerated. Ultimately the candida itself can enter the blood and migrate to other parts of the body. The balance of the intestinal flora can be upset by such things as antibiotics and preservatives in processed foods. Glyphosate, present particularly in 'conventionally-grown' cereals and beans is an antibiotic, and was originally patented as such. Needless to say, it sterilizes the soil, turning it into a lifeless medium. The flesh of factory-farmed animals is a common source of antibiotics. Which may also be present in municipal water-supplies. This is not to suggest that medically-prescribed antibiotics should never be taken. But after being taken, a useful precaution is to consume plenty of fermented, raw foodstuffs, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, live yoghurts, etc.

Weight of the bar was unspecified. For a medium-sized bar, of 1 kg, buying prices are listed here: https://www.moneymetals.com/buy/silver/bars/kilo-silver-bars You are correct that holding physical bullion does not offer liquidity, because the buyer must first assure himself that the item is genuine. I.e. not only the specified weight but also solid silver of at least 99.9% purity. For ease and rapidity of both purchase and sale, it is best to use a well-established on-line bullion dealer and have them store and insure it for you IN YOUR OWN NAME with a registered bullion storage company where regular independent audits are carried out. Buy and sell from anywhere you have an Internet connection. Proceeds of a sale can only be credited to the bank account you have linked to your bullion-dealer account. [An obvious security precaution] May be worth looking here: https://www.bullionvault.com/ https://swpcayman.com/ https://www.goldcore.com/ Never accept to have your bullion stored by the dealer. This latter point was discovered too late by some Thais who lost their gold at the time of the Asian Economic Crisis. It is recommended not to have bullion stored in your country of fiscal residence, but rather one that is readily accessible. Singapore is an obvious choice for Thailand. Governments are especially rapacious in difficult times. The U.S. government forcibly confiscated private holdings of gold in 1933. Gold is a store of value, which is not the case for fiat currency. E.g. the dollar today is said to have the purchasing power of 3 cents of its 1913 value. Silver is a speculative value. A highly volatile one. But thought by many to be a particularly promising buy at present. Regarding gold ETFs, this may be of interest: https://www.bullionvault.com/gold-guide/gold-etf

Possibly will have little effect in the medium term. You only have to see what 'western' politicians are doing to their economies to have doubts about the outcome. Of course there has always been corruption in high places; with characters the likes of Horatio Bottomley. But I would suggest that many of those who in past times went into politics later in life after making their mark in some other sphere, did so with a relative disinterest in the paltry remuneration it then offered. Nowadays, politics is often seen as a life-long, well-paid career opportunity by young people graduating from university where they studied the subject. The motivations are likely to be somewhat different.

Am not sure I want this one. From Karen Kingston of The Kingston Report : "Give You and Your Loved Ones the Flu... with FluMist "September 24, 2024: FluMist is a nasal flu vaccine that is FDA approved for adults and children as young as 2 years of age. "On Friday, September 20, 2024, the FDA approved FluMist for self-administration by adults, meaning you can ‘vaccinate’ yourself and your loved ones at home without the supervision of a medical professional. "Per the FDA submitted data, FluMist causes flu symptoms, significantly increases hospitalization rates (over 6000% in babies), and vaccinated individuals can infect others through shedding."

Basel III reclassified gold as a Tier 1 asset, which means essentially that it is an asset without risk of default by a third party. This has incentivised central banks, at least those of them with any sense, to increase their gold holdings in recent times, going against their former practice of selling off their reserves and deprecating gold as "a pet rock". Fiat currencies are acknowledgement of a debt owed by the issuing banks. In times of economic chaos (which we seem to be approaching) banks can default on their debts. Central banks have an alternative solution to defaulting on un-repayable debt. They can "print" vastly more money in order to make repayment. Of course the money they repay is worth vastly less. They have been doing the latter in a modest way for years and the general public seems to have taken in its stride the currency devaluation, commonly described as "inflation". But with national debt and interest repayments beginning to get out of hand, tighten your seat-belts. And stock up on gold ! A millenia-old store of value, and particularly valuable in time of crisis. Platinum is an industrial metal. Industry suffers in a crisis. Silver is also, for about 90%, an industrial metal. But it is being used up by high-tech faster than it can be dug out of the ground. Although volatile in price, it is considered to be of very good speculative value at the present time.

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/factors-behind-surge-thai-baht-and-why-authorities-bangkok-are-worried

All currencies these days are fiat currencies. They are backed by nothing durable. They are backed by public confidence, and that relies upon the supply of a currency being related to the availability of goods and services. "Money-printing", e.g. through ever-expanding unproductive debt, obviously increases the money supply resulting in its devaluation (commonly referred to as "inflation"). Financialisation of government debt - central bank loans to government to cover ever deepening budget deficits - is likely to get worse in the foreseeable future. So be prepared! In the days when paper money was promissory notes to supply gold, its purchasing power fluctuated only slightly over centuries. Gold is difficult to wrest from the ground, and cannot be conjured up out of thin air. It is a hard asset. Not a credit note. The down-side of gold is that it does not produce interest or dividends, but on the contrary there is a cost of storage and insurance (except to the extent that one may hold a small amount in a secure place at home) Putting some cash into the shares of a gold royalty/streaming or established mining company (NOT an exploration company - highly speculative) can be a way of deriving some income from gold investment. With leverage - up or down - in capital value, depending upon whether the gold price is rising or falling. When purchasing bullion that is to be stored and insured, it is important to make sure that the dealer transfers it to a reputable, specialised bullion storage company and that you personally are listed as the owner. Some Thais lost their stored gold during the crisis of 1997. Their dealers retained the gold in their own name [it was not "allocated"], perhaps holding it as security against borrowing, and when they went bankrupt their creditors took the gold. Gold that is held in secure vaults is very quickly and easily sold in on-line dealing, using the same dealers through which it was purchased. If interested, it may be worth perusing these sites : https://www.bullionvault.com/ https://swpcayman.com/ https://www.goldcore.com/

I agree with what you write here. NATO may have believed to some extent their propaganda of Russian military incompetence (and initially the Russian Stavka made some serious miscalculations). But essentially, I believe NATO staff wrongly expected Ukrainian resistance to fold rapidly. The Russian attack was deliberately provoked by the build-up of a powerful Ukrainian strike force in the gap beween the two break-away republics combined with an unprecedentally heavy shelling to 'soften-up' (as reported by OECD observers on the spot). The purpose was to cripple Russia with unlimited economic sanctions, adding to those introduced as result of the destruction of flight MH17 in 2014. The US wanted the EU to sanction Russia prior to the shooting down of that aircraft, but it was only after that murderous incident that the EU agreed to do so. Too long to go into the details here of that aircraft's loss. Suffice it to say: (1.) The enquiry was rigged. (see who was allowed to participate) (2.) Evidence of an air-traffic controller, viewing the flight on his radar screen. (he and his evidence subsequently disappear from public view) (3.) Eye-witness testimony collected from civilians on the ground by BBC reporters, saying they saw the civilian aircraft attacked by a fighter aircraft. The video interviews appeared briefly on the BBC's web-site but were quickly removed. (but not before they had been copied; I viewed and saved them with their English subtitles, and hopefully they are backed up somewhere on an old hard-drive) (4.) Russian radar picked up TWO fighter aircraft approaching the airliner, one from either side. (the civilians on the ground saw only one) (5.) A German civilian pilot decided to do a personal investigation of the wreckage on the ground, before it was removed. His high-definition photograph of a panel from the cockpit showed multiple round holes of identical size, some with what looked like smooth edges and others with ragged edges facing outwards. These could not have been caused by a BUK missile strike. Instead they suggested 20 mm cannon fire coming from both sides of the airliner. (I viewed and saved this photograph, but do not have it to hand) (6.) A BUK missile battery was shown on satellite imagery to have been brought into the area by the Ukrainian army in a part of that area that they controlled. The soldiers sat around, apparently drinking, as on the ground appeared what seemed like piles of bottles. No missile was fired, and they subsequently withdrew.

Thank you. Food for thought !

Thank you. Your views are appreciated. I have in fact learnt to do as you suggest, by keeping in the up-position the pedal on the side to which I am turning. But this means I must stop pedalling for a while at a moment when I am trying to gain maximum speed to pull well ahead of motorised traffic at traffic lights that have just turned green. If the pedal itself hit the deck, in view of the traffic behind that could spell my demise. I also sweep in as wide as possible a turn in order not to lean over more than necessary. This problem did not exist with the older bicycle, owing to its pedals being higher. The bicycle is not with me at the moment, but definitely I have had to fix the saddle much more than you suggest above the saddle-post. I looked everywhere for an XXL-frame in Chiang Mai but the largest available were XLs. So in the end that is what I bought.

Thanks. Very useful info. Shall give it thought. I must say that the idea of towing a trailer in Thailand somewhat concerns me. Some drivers of cars, trucks, and even motor-cycles here seem oblivious to the existence of bicycles and zoom past within centimetres. I could tell some horror stories of near-misses, even on broad multi-lane highways; caused, I presume, by sheer negligence. In France the law requires a motorist to allow a gap of one metre when passing a cyclist. Which tends to be fairly well observed, since the French of all classes tend to favour cycling as a pastime. And a German neighbour tells me that in his country of origin the margin of safety is such that a cyclist who falls over will not be struck by a motorized vehicle that is passing by.

Thank you. Most interesting !