Alleged "scientists" finally own up on the Chicxulub comet/asteroid that killed all those dinosaurs
Good morning all, it's Saturday, September 31 - or it least it would be except for that Pope Gregory. No, of course it's October 1, Day Number 1,050 after the first case of the "Wuhan virus" in Thailand.
THAILAND POLITICS
Victory for Prayut
PHOTO: Prayut and the official seal of the Constitutional Court.
As predicted by Daily Fishwrap ex-four-star general and army commander Prayut Chan-o-cha won his battle to retain the title of 'prime minister' for at least another 30 months.
 There is no appeal to Friday's ruling by the Constitutional Court.
 The somewhat tedious ruling of the nine justices concluded that Prayut's time in office did not technically start until April 6, 2017, when the newest constitution was promulgated. Therefore, they ruled, Prayut can stick around until April of 2025.
 Political forces, including all political paries and all anti-Prayut, anti-junta activists are likely to accept the court's ruling - meaning anti-junta groups will have to seek new forms of opposition.
 Within an hour of the official pro-Prayut court ruling, an anti-junta coalition called for more deomontrations against the junta and Prayut's 'government'.
 The Ratsadon party called on the public to black, beginning immediately until October 7.
 A major demonstration against Prayut and the junta is scheduled to take place today at the Victory Monument, which is close to Prayut's Bangkok home.
https://prachatai.com/english/node/10033
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2404270/
I'd like to express my deep respect to the verdict of the Constitutional Court, and I'd like to thank the members of the public for their encouragement and goodwill that they have been giving me."
Prayut Chan-o-cha, Friday evening on his official Facebook page
He couldn't bear the suspense.
Hours before Constitutional Court justices began the process of deciding his political future, Prayut threw down the papers he was trying to work on at the ministry of defence, and ordered up the limos and security detail to take him home.
 Reporters said he was in a good, sombre mood. He told them that whatever the court's ruling, he would accept it.
 There were more than 300 police around the court to keep security - but no threats or problems.
PHOTO (below) Simple montage shows Prayut and, in the background, the Constitutional Court offices at the Government Complex in northern Bangkok.
Business unimpressed
Business leaders and groups in Bangkok tried to steer a middle course over the Prayut folderal - and there wasn't a single voice of enthusiasm.
 Niti Kitkamchai, head of shoe maker and exporter Big Star Lrd, stated that the business community has no actual confidence in the junta. "If [Prayut] stays in office, it won't make the economy any better.
Matichon in Thai:
https://www.matichon.co.th/economy/news_3591512
Pheu Thai Party [aka red shirts] disagrees with the Prayut ruling
The largest opposition party in parliament says the Constitutional Court ignored the spirit of the Constitution.
The party 'strongly disagrees' with the ruling to leave Prayut as 'prime minister'. But the statement said Pheu Thai respects and will follow the Constitutional Court's decision.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2404351/
RIP CHOKCHAI
Thailand's first real, authentic cowboy Chin Bulakul Chokchai has died at home - 'peacefully', his family said, at 85.
 Chokchai introduced cattle ranching, the steak restaurant, milk production and, for years, Bangkok's tallest skyscraper - 26 stories, with much of the Chokchai Building leasted to the U.S. CIA to install aerials to monitor communist radios everywhere in Southeast and East Asia.
 And then he opened Asia's first dude ranch at his sprawling farm in Korat  (Nakhon Ratchasima) province. A tiny offshoot result was a sudden popularity of line dancing - especially and weirdly in Singapore.
 There should be an excellent book and a TV miniseries. If karma is real, there will be.
https://www.newsdirectory3.com/a-tribute-to-chokchai-bulakul-the-legendary-owner-of-chokchai-farm-he-died-at-the-age-of-85/
Bangkok residents and businesses along the Chao Phraya have been warned:
 Brace for floods, It's the time of year when high tides push up the water levels.
 Meanwhile Tropical Storm Noru has inundated more than 500,000 rai of rice fields in the Northeast - 200,000 acres.
As of last night, Noru had "affected" 3,121 households, while 17 districts in eight provinces still remained submerged by flood water
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2404125/
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND
Medical experts and top scientists believe we can 'return to normal' because variants and mutations of SARS Cov-2 novel coronavirus are 'now manageable'. Good to know.
Just for example out of many examples...
Dr. Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, director of the epidemiology division at the Department of Disease Control, Siriroj Hospital, said:
 Wearing face masks in most public places remains optional but it is still recommended along with social distancing, hand washing and temperature-checking (DMHT) measures
However, she said:
 People who get infected but show mild or no symptoms can be treated as outpatients, but they must strictly follow DMHT measures for five days.
The Science Says
U.S.A. State data offer further proof that school lockdowns were a disaster for New York City kids. And did nothing to fight or ameliorate the Covid outbreaks they were supposedly designed for.
https://nypost.com/2022/09/28/state-data-offer-further-proof-that-school-lockdowns-were-a-disaster-for-kids/
Also from America
Following the science, no matter how belatedly: U.S. CDC drops universal masking at nursing homes, hospitals.
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/09/26/CDC-drops-universal-masking-nursing-homes/6301664197700/
Only trained law enforcement officers can be trusted with firearms
 Video shows Denver, Colorado, cops wound 6 bystanders in addition to the bad guy…out of 6 rounds fired.
 Also criminal: none of these police will pay or even be held responsible. Law enforcement guardians have immunity, don't you know?
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/video-shows-denver-cops-wound-six-bystanders-in-addition-to-the-bad-guy-out-of-six-rounds-fired/
The U.N. weighs in
Scarce water a growing worry: FAO
Water security is an urgent issue that every country needs to address. This message was sent yesterday during a seminar on "Global to Local: Sustainability of Water by Science" at Sustainability Expo 2022 held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
They have a reasoning.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Water Governance Specialist, Carlee Wright, said that while international society is concerned about food security, with estimates that the world will produce 50% more food by 2050, there will be less water due to the increasing demand for it to produce food.
TECHNOLOGY SPACE DINOSAURS
Highly trained and multi-papered "scientists" finally own up on the Chicxulub comet/asteroid that killed all dinosaurs:
 "Yeah, it was probably a lot bigger than we told you about it."
https://www.sciencealert.com/we-might-have-underestimated-the-size-of-the-asteroid-behind-earths-largest-crater
Well, at least China and NASA are working on asteroid-deflection.
For example...
AN ASTEROID-SHATTERING KABOOM: Bam! NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid in defense test.
 "A NASA spacecraft rammed an asteroid at blistering speed Monday in an unprecedented dress rehearsal for the day a killer rock menaces Earth.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/us/bam-nasa-spacecraft-crashes-into-asteroid-in-defense-test/ar-AA12gHnI
And strangely in this fast-developing new Space Race:
 China seeks new partners for lunar and deep space exploration.
https://spacenews.com/china-seeks-new-partners-for-lunar-and-deep-space-exploration/
Surely this is an unacceptable way to look at the community or the world. And yet, if the left-of-centre loses - an argument, an election or parliamentary vote, etc., etc. It is a threat to democracy. Unacceptable and dumb.
 Include Thailand, where All Of The Above is occurring.
The next EU summit should be interesting.
ZOMG! These people are supposed to have minders.
Here's the video:
Old-timers might remember that parachute-politicians (in particular) used to do this all the time in Vietnam, where it was arguably complicated. However.. There is no such country as the Republic of North Korea. Epstein did not kill himself. There is no such country as the Republic of South Korea.
Thailand is all kerfuffle over student loans, and should pay attention to the U.S. struggles.
 Biden Scales Back Student Loan Debt Relief Because He Knows the Plan Is Illegal.
https://bityl.co/EoK2
SUNDAY READ
The often instructive Laughing Wolf writes his take on Putin's Annexation, Anti-Western, Forever War speech and it's worth a full read.
 Well, Shit.
 "I really want to go back and re-listen to his words and phrasing, but I believe Vladimir may have just repudiated every arms treaty, strategic or otherwise, in effect.
 That Russia would not be bound by efforts to reduce her defense by other powers who were already in violation of said treaties and using them to keep the Rodina down.
 Huge, and I suspect this is going to get overlooked in the short term. Oh, it was also the reason for my 'Oh. Shit.'
And about that Ukraine-Russia war:
Zelensky has announced Kyiv will hold no negotiations with Russia while Putin is President and that he is applying for full NATO membership today for Ukraine.
[Reuters] https://tinyurl.com/mvty6n68
Gee, ya think?
 Spectator
 Joe Biden and the Sovietization of America.
https://spectatorworld.com/topic/joe-biden-sovietization-america/
Joe Biden is not the architect of this policy. He is merely the mouthpiece.
[The Associated Press, AP]
https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-moscow-referendums-dad270d8dccf8873ba7fe7758c387933
Same paper:
It is 'Toxic,' 'Misinformation' to Call for Defunding FBI.
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/clay-waters/2022/09/29/ny-times-fast-friends-fbi-suggests-its-toxic-misinformation-call
TECHNOLOGY
I shot a bullet into the air. It fell to earth, and killed a bear. (1point21)
Article discusses the terminal velocity of descending bullets of various calibres. Long story short, anything heavier than a .22LR - and even that if fired close to vertically - can be lethal on the way down.
So don't do that.
https://www.1point21interactive.com/celebratory-gunfire/
The Brave browser will soon start blocking those annoying cookie consent banners. (Bleeping Computer)
About time.
https://bityl.co/EoOe
Expectedly. Google is shutting down its game-streaming service Stadia. Expectedly. (Tom's Hardware)
Everyone predicted its imminent death within days of its launch, because game streaming services suck, and Stadia both sucked and blowed because you had to pay for the service and then pay for the games as well.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/google-shutting-down-stadia-game-streaming-service
Keep up to date. Seriously not kidding: Keep up to date.
If you run OpenGL applications on an AMD professional graphics card, you will want to download the latest drivers. (Tom's Hardware)
Not because of a security patch for once, but because they improve performance by between 2% and 115%. Not sure what the distribution of that curve is exactly, but benchmarks show gains of 27% to 72% on Solidworks and Maya.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-rearchitects-opengl-driver-for-a-72-performance-uplift
