Bangkok Shut

The worrying thing with the Bangkok unrest is that there seems no way out of it.
As usual neither the Yellow nor Red shirts want anyone to be hurt, yet 7 have been shot even before the blockade began.
The Army has said that there may well be Civil War but they are not getting involved.
The purpose of the blockade is to remove the caretaker government and to stop democratic elections in February.
What the Yellow Shirts want is to remove the government and suspend democracy until they have changed the constitution...but only the government can change the constitution.
The Yellow Shirt folk and leaders seem to have come out of veritable nowhere in the last 2 months and now blockade the city leaving the only option the Army...
I am quite worried about a civil war and a very blood purge at the moment.

Bangkok braces for protest shutdown - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

Bangkok braces for protest shutdown - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

Red Shirts prepare to counter "shutdown Bangkok" CCTV News - CNTV English

Red Shirts prepare to counter "shutdown Bangkok" CCTV News - CNTV English

Thai Army now positioned at Chaengwatthana

The Thai Army has positioned itself to block Red Shirt supporters (supporters of the democratically elected Government) from entering Bangkok at the Chaengwatthana intersection in the city's north.


US Embassy has advised citizens to store water and food for the long haul.


Kuwait Government has told citizens (even resident long term Bangkokians) to immediately evacuate Bangkok before Monday.


Tick tick tick
....here it comes

Ariel Sharon dies after 8 years in a coma. A magnificent contribution to world peace and nationhood.

Regarding the 8 year coma and subsequent death of Ariel Sharon....I don't know what else one can say except....Jesus, that was expensive...
Imagine the cost to the Israeli State of maintaining that body mass in a coma for eight years. I guess the good thing is that the expense of his maintenance meant, hopefully, 8 less Israeli houses on God-Given Palestinian Land, within the Nation of Palestine...and we should all be grateful for that small mercy.
Well done Ariel! Well done!
The best thing you ever did.

cairns/anti-asian, long time learning/aquis

I recall quite clearly giving a donation of $15 to help prevent Skyrail ever happening, and I have the t-shirt to prove it.
At the same time, Sky-rail has proven itself to be one of the most wonderful quiet and real successes of mixing humans with wondrous landscape, with good benefit to both. 
I am certain the Aquis development will have a far more positive, and far larger, longer, impact on the Cairns landscape and future than Skyrail could ever hope to achieve, and Aquis will do their work more effectively and more sympathetically than Skyrail.
Aquis is a good thing.
It still, I guess, won't stop my Chinese wife, a life long teacher, communicator, and language scholar, when riding her bicycle safely in the bicycle lane along the road at Earlville, being spat at for being Asian and for not getting off the road to suit various ute drivers...but sometime in the future, Cairns will accommodate the real world and thus accommodate the benefit of a better, stronger future for itself...and for its ute drivers also.

Aquis, Cairns, CAFNEC

Talking to the people who oppose the Aquis development in Cairns must be like Doctor Evil talking to his son..."You just don't get it, do you?" 
CAFNEC has had a good run for years opposing various ecologically odious things...and for the benefit of FNQ, and they won.
The nature-future is quite secure now. Well done.
The Aquis development is on track, smart, fully resourced, supported, and a very good thing for a very long time for both people and nature.
There is nothing wrong with replacing canefields with a far better and more sympathetic and natural ecology.
I wish that the people who oppose sound, good, long lasting development that actually improves the Cairns environment a long and happy career in their next venture into job security.
Thankyou CAFNEC...It is very satisfying to be important for awhile, I know this myself, and it is very important to have done the good work you have done.
Your work is done. Don't create problems just to have a nine-to-five job now. Don't get so small-minded just for yourself now. Don't do it for the Superannuation. Be big people. be like me. Don't lie now. Don't undo the good work for the many now, just for the personal benefit to yourselves. Don't become pointless and ridiculous.
Thankyou.
Goodbye....and, indeed,Well done, my comrades!