Thailand's commerce minister awakens
Oh, hello. Welcome to Lockdown Tuesday Number 145, Straight Outta East Nong Bong Bangkok.
Today is the second-last day of August, 2022. Be advised, there are only 118 shopping days until Christmas.
In fact, ALL week.
THAILAND POLITICS
Election? You're kidding.
The Thai junta's chief lawyer said on Monday that there will be no general election in Thailand's foreseeable future.
"Stop listening to rumours" said Wissanu Krea-ngam, who clings to his appointment as 'deputy prime minister'.
His opinion, stated to newsmen on Monday, is firmly backed by the alleged 'caretaker prime minister' Prawit Wongsuwan and the recently demoted 'prime minister' Prayut.
There is strong hope for a new election among many of the small political parties that support the regime.
PHOTO: Thailand's junta's ex-prime minister and current minister of defence Prayut showed up in public yesterday at the Defence & Security 2022 expo in suburban Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok.
The Constitutional Court decision on the fate of former coup-starter and former token 'prime minister' will take at least a month.
English translation: It will be 2023 before the Court rules.
For now, there is "caretaker" prime minister ex-general Prawit Wongsuwon. Prayut continues to pretend that he is the junta's 'minister of defence'.
That upcoming decision of the Constitutional Court may return Prayut to prime minister. Or usher him out, forever.
Street protests 'must continue'
The ex-loudmouth of the pro-Thaksin Red Shirt political faction says mobile, moving demonstrations are necessary in order to harass the ruling junta.
Jatuporn Prompan, Thakin loyalist and firmly anti-military, has popped up suddenly as a street-protest rabble-rouser.
"We have to end the powers of the "Three Por" (3 Ps), he harangued on Sunday - Prayut, Prawit and Anupong "Pok" Paojinda, now the minister of interior.
His summation of the Constitutional Court order for Prayut to step down as token prime minister:
 "Power has merely changed hands from one Por general to another."
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2378405/
There is no Tomato Flu in Thailand. Yet.
The exact same "health experts" and "scientists" who have watched the novel coronavirus are in charge of watching out for tomato flu.
It's a 'Disease Of Domestic Concern'.
'Experts' to parents:
 Symptoms look like hand, foot and mouth disease in children, adding that. If there is a case here [in Thailand], similar methods to those used for treating hand, foot and mouth disease can be applied.
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/tomato-flu-not-yet-in-thailand-but-being-monitored/
PHOTO: 'Tomato flu' is an unpleasant infection, usually in children under 5. Victims have a fever, joint pain, and red, tomato-like rashes.
More, from India:
https://journals.lww.com/pidj/fulltext/9900/kerala_tomato_flu___a_manifestation_of_hand_foot.160.aspx
Covid is not going away.
In 24 hours of Monday, the novel coronavirus
• infected and hospitalised 1,273 people
• killed another 26 virus victims
Thailand ranks 29th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the U.S. with 96.01 million, followed by India with 44.41 million, France with 34.47 million, Brazil with 34.38 million and Germany with 32.04 million.
Thailand's alleged so-called "medical experts" noted that the number of newly infected victims dropped below 1,500 on Monday, which is a Good Thing.
COVID IS OVER (CONT'D):
 No more free at-home COVID tests from the U.S. government.
https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/08/29/no-more-free-at-home-covid-tests-n492979
THAILAND POLITICS DIPLOMACY
Thailand wants Mideast trade deals
The suddenly awakened Democrat Party* leader slash minister of commerce Jurin Laksnawisit claimed yesterday he convinced Saudi Arabia to support free-trade contracts with Gulf Cooperation Council members - Saudi, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.
According to Jurin, the Saudis will line up behind Thailand to push for a Thai-Gulf Council free-trade area aka FTA. And then Riyadh will front the junt's plan for a similar, Saudi-Thailand deal.
Jurin's plan would be Thailand's first attempt towards Mideast cooperation.
* The Democrats are a key member of the junta's political coalition and 'government'.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2378911/
[The Tuesday Morning Joke]
FIRST TEXT MESSAGE:
Hi, Morris. This is Saul, next door. I've been riddled with guilt for a few months and have been trying to get up the courage to tell you face-to-face. When you're not around, I've been sharing your wife, day and night, probably much more than you. I haven't been getting it at home recently. I know that's no excuse. The temptation was just too great. I can't live with the guilt & hope you'll accept my sincere apology and forgive me. Please suggest a fee for usage and I'll pay you.
- Saul.
Morris, feeling enraged and betrayed, grabbed his gun, went next door, and shot Saul dead. He returned home, shot his wife, poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa. Morris then looked at his phone and discovered a second text message from Saul.
SECOND TEXT MESSAGE:
Hi, Morris. Saul here again. Sorry about the typo on my last text. I assume you figured it out and noticed that the darned Spell-Check had changed "wi-fi" to "wife." Technology, hey? It'll be the death of us. (h/t Ace)
JOSEPH BIDEN, July 2021
"There is going to be NO CIRCUMSTANCE where you see people being LIFTED OFF THE ROOF of an embassy."
August 2022, The New Normal: The Situation In Iraq Is So Dire That They're Evacuating US Embassy Personnel From the Rooftop Via Helicopter
BREAKING: Iraq Presidential Palace Stormed, US Embassy Helicopter Evacuation.
Was it fortunate, or was it very, very lucky that there just happened to be evac helicopters right there and ready to go?
VIDEO: https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2022/08/29/breaking-iraq-presidential-palace-stormed-us-embassy-helicopter-evacuation-n1624928
Kuwait tells its citizens to leave Iraq
CIVIL WAR ESCALATES: Thousands of families are leaving Baghdad and other cities in southern Iraq toward Erbil in the north as fear of civil war escalates.
IRGC is Iran's Revolutionary Guards, their stormtroopers and terrorist forces.
The pro-Iran 'prime minister' has left the building.
[AP] So far at least 12 protesters killed and 270 injured in Baghdad’s Green Zone
Iran has cancelled all Tehran-Baghdad flights, closed borders with Iraq.
Baghdad is under curfew.
• Offices of Iran-backed militant groups, such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq & Hashd al-Shaabi, have been attacked in Baghdad and Basra.
• Baghdad Inernational Airport closed, all flights suspended
• Sadr's militias are reportedly on high alert in all of Iraq's provinces
• Clashes reported in Basra, S Iraq
• Massive deployment of Iraqi security forces
U.S.A. POLITICS
PARTY OF BERNIE BROS
 Senator Sanders has highest favorability among possible 2024 contenders.
 "Sen. Bernie (C-Vt) clocked in with the highest favorability rating among a list of 23 potential 2024 presidential contenders."
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3617170-sanders-has-highest-favorability-among-possible-2024-contenders-poll/
Elon Musk Says the World Has a Bigger Problem than Global Warming https://www.thestreet.com/technology/elon-musk-says-the-world-has-a-bigger-problem-than-global-warming
Good lord. The U.S. CIA admits... nay brags about its own stupidity.
 The loss of agents is particularly troubling because there doesn't seem to be a major intelligence leak. The problem is with the agents themselves.
 Or something.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2022/08/28/cia-admits-to-losing-dozens-of-intelligence-assets-around-the-world-n1624793
Someone just wrote
... HUBRIS combined with Incompetent Malice
Well, yeah... it is an incentive.
 Survey shows gay men cutting back on sex to avoid monkeypox.
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/08/28/gay-men-reduce-sex-monkeypox/5031661691296/
SAVING THE WORLD, PERHAPS LITERALLY
Asteroids are not our friend.
As previously mentioned, this is a major part of China's space program. You can't have too many.
 NASA's DART Confirmed on Target To Impact Asteroid Dimorphos.
https://scitechdaily.com/dart-confirmed-on-target-to-impact-asteroid-dimorphos/
You don't understand. You WILL EAT BUGS AND WORMS AND YOU WILL LIKE IT, PEASANTS:
 A new seasoning smells like meat thanks to sugar — and mealworms.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mealworms-sugar-new-seasoning-smell-meat
Well... lesbians in Wales...
 There's got to be a good joke in there, but meanwhile...
Police remove lesbians from GAY PRIDE parade in Cardiff: Moment a cop tells gender-critical women to leave LGBT march because 'whatever you are, you're causing confrontation’ with trans groups and their supporters.
'Whatever you are'
Also worth saving.
In the clip, two rival marchers can be seen shouting at each other on St Mary Street during the LGBT march.
 Ladies, or... whatever you are... you can't fight here, this  is the Pride Parade.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11153811/Police-remove-LESBIANS-Pride-march-Cardiff-Officer-tells-gender-critical-women-leave.html
Related
Why are lesbians no longer welcome at Pride?
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-are-lesbians-no-longer-welcome-at-pride-
Trivia you should know...
 China's Navy Is The Largest On Earth (Yes, Bigger Than The U.S. Navy).
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/08/chinas-navy-is-the-largest-on-earth-yes-bigger-than-the-u-s-navy/
GLOBAL WARMING
The Green Pattern, slowly revealed. To technology reporters.
EV Battery Leases Could Be A Boon for Manufacturers, a Bust for Consumers.
https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/27/ev-battery-leases-could-be-a-boon-for-manufacturers-a-bust-for-consumers/
Boeing is having a bad decade: NASA, Boeing announce Starliner crewed test mission pushed to February.
There was a time when a solid consensus said Boeing was great in every way
Which it certainly is not.
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2022/08/25/NASA-starliner-ISS-mission-update/8171661450643/
(cont'd) ... due to engine issue.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/08/the-final-countdown-begins-for-nasas-hulking-new-rocket/
ROGER SIMON: Say Goodbye to Experts (Mostly).
  What in the Sam Hill is an expert, and why should we trust them?
... Even better might be the "foreign policy expert." Who paying attention cannot recall decades of misguided nonsense emanating from Middle East experts after the Oslo Accords that never amounted to anything, or even exacerbated the violence?
https://www.theepochtimes.com/say-goodbye-to-experts-mostly_4689906.html
Back in The Day, we had General Failure.
We’ll all eat bugs at mealtimes in the future and snack on wind turbine blades in between meals. https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/08/some-day-well-be-recycling-wind-turbine-blades-into-yummy-gummy-bears/