”Thailand - what is going on for the time being?”

There are demonstrations in Bangkok to topple the Thai government.

Here are some facts although to know what are the facts is difficult to know in the political maze that is Thailand just now.

In 2001 the Consitutional Court ruled that Thaksin was OK, no big problems

In 2006 the democratically elected prime minister, Thaksin, was ousted in a military coup after the Constitutional Court ruled that the elections were not valid very much instigated by the Democrats and the yellow shirts. Shortly after there was a snap elections which Thaksin won once again. Then the army took power.

Short about the Democrats: The Democrats are no more Democrats than the NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische  Deutsche Arbeiterpartei led by Adolph Hitler) was a party for the German working class. The socalled Democrats want to keep a senate with almost as many ”appointed” members as elected members. The Democrats have also talked about  a national assembly/parliament made of a minority of elected members and a majority of ”appointed” members. See also http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/

After the military coup Thaksin was accused and sentenced in absentia for corruption by a court that probably was biased. Why did not the  Constitutional Court accuse and sentence him in 2001while he was in power if he did wrong? The army/the Constitutional Court made a big mistake here which is one of the reasons of the problems Thailand experince just now.

The army and their collaborators made a new constitution in 2007. See http://www.asianlii.org/th/legis/const/2007/1.html for the unofficial translation. The perpetrators in the army secured that they should not be indicted before there were elections for the parliament in 2008.

Thai rak Thai, the party of the Thaksin side, was abolished by the army and the Constitutional court. They changed their name and won the general elections. The Democrats lost and together with the yellow shirts instigated occupation of the airports in Bangkok and Phuket. The elected prime minister had to resign because he made food on a state TV channel and was paid for it according to the ruling of the Constitutional Court. A new prime minister was appointed, but he and a lot av other members of the government and the nattional assembly had to finish because the Constitutional Court ruled that they were corrupt.

Then the road was open for a Democrat government with Abhisit as prime minister. He was not elected but became prime minister due to scheming by the army, the rich and powerful and the Constitutional Court.

In 2010 there were riots in Bangkok and about 100 people were killed by the army or other gunmen, maybe from both sides.

In 2011 there were new democratic elections and Yingluck, Thaksins sister, was appointed new prime minister. In an effort to solve the political rift the ruling side tried to get a socalled blanket amnesty through in parliament. This is opposed by the Democrats who do not want Thaksin to come back to Thailand. The blanket amnesty has been withdrawn by the ruling party. The proposal to make the Senate a hundred per cent elected essembly has not been withdrawn. The Constitutional Court ruled that the the proposal about the Senate was unconstitutional. The ruling party is of the opinion that this is not a case for the Constitutional Court.

More info on  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24997184 - this is a short abstract:
”In few other countries have a handful of judges played such a decisive role in reshaping politics as those sitting in Thailand's Constitutional Court.
In 2001 they refused to disbar newly-elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office, despite strong evidence he had broken rules on disclosing his assets.
In 2006, seemingly prompted by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, they annulled the third election won by Mr Thaksin, a decision that led eventually to the 2006 coup. In 2007 they dissolved Mr Thaksin's party. In 2008 they ousted two prime ministers allied to him, and banned the party again.
Today, they stepped back from this role, rejecting a request to dissolve his party for a third time. Thailand was spared a descent into another crisis.
But the concept of overt judicial intervention was on full display. Presiding judge Charoon Inthachan delivered a withering denunciation of the way the governing Pheu Thai party had pushed the proposed Senate changes through parliament. He warned the government against using its majority to abuse its power.
And by citing Article 68 of the constitution, he effectively outlawed any attempt by an elected government to change a charter that was drafted under military rule, following the coup.”

Article 68 says among other things this: 2 Section 68. No person shall exercise the rights and liberties prescribed in the Constitution to overthrow the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State under this Constitution or to acquire the power to rule the country by any means which is not in accordance with the modes provided in this Constitution.”  (translation of Constitution mentioned above)

The important thing to remember is that the existing constitution is made by the army in 2007. This constitution can be viewed as illegal as it was not made by the democratically elected representatives in the national assembly. It is easy to understand that many do not respect the rulings of the Constitutional Court and see them as puppets of the army, the Democrats and the yellow shirts.

The Constitutional Court works on finding out if what is going on in Bangkok now is against Section 68. Sunday December 1 is made ”Victory Day” by the demonstrators. It remains to be seen what kind of victory.

”A MAZE in Thailand!”

or amazing Thailand as they say.

What ways there are out of Thailand’s political labyrinth (maze) remains to be seen.

”Soon Phu Thap Boek 1.768 m asl”

I guess we are leaving for Phetchabun on December 4. There will be some kind of paragliding competition there, too. According to Bengt it is quite cold up in the mountains. Better brace for winter although it is rather like a nice summer’s day in Norway. I look forward to some good flying together with local and international friends.

”Looking into space millions and billions of years ago”

is not possible using only our eyes. Still we can see images of remote galalaxies. (Photo) But where is the galaxy which started to send out its light 10 billion years ago? Does it exist now or not? We (if our species Homo Sapiens Sapiens exists in the form we know) will know 10 billion years into the future.

Facing eternity what is important in life? Remote galaxies? No. Global warming? No. The latest version of iPhone? No.

Facing eternity is there anything as important as your family and people close to you? No.

”Men han har jo ikke noe på seg! - Fra Keiserens nye klær av H. C. Andersen”

Om rødvin kan meget sies. Det meste blir sagt ovenfor og nedenfor!

”Krydret plommefrukt med mørke bær, kaffe og friske urter på duft. Masse mørke og syrlige bær på smak med nydelig konsentrasjon og polerte modne tanniner. Lang balansert utgang.

Frisk duft med urter, syrlige bær, ferskt kjøtt og teblader med streif av tre. Saftig frukt i inngang med silkemyk konsentrasjon og moden lett tanninstruktur. Uhyre balansert utgang som sitter lenge.

Moden og elegant rød steinfrukt med nøtter og tørkede urter på duft, med streif av treverk. Stram moden frukt på smak med nydelig konsentrasjon og lange finkornede tanniner og flott syre i utgang.

Dufter av nøtter, mørke bær, lær og fatkrydder med streif av skogbunn. Strukturert smak med konsentrert frukt og stramme modne tanniner i utgang.

Tørket frukt og underskog på duft med innslag av rått kjøtt og eik. Slank og stram frukt på smak med mineraler og lette lange tanniner i utgang.”

- Dette var greier, synes Atle som begynner å mimre om en gresk Retsinavin han kjøpte på Vinmonopolet den gang Vinmonopolet driftet både innkjøp og salg: ”Inngangen var noe brå med en duft av gravkammer med streif av mugg på tungen. Rullering av vinen i munnhulen  etterlot en definert duft av fettlær og seljebark pluss muggen kork.” Vinen ble returnert til Vinmonopolet som udrikkelig og byttet i en tysk Rieslingvin som faktisk smakte GODT.

Til opplysning er Aktieselskapet Vinmonopolet et norsk aksjeselskap eid av staten ved Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet  http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjoseposen#Vinmonopolets_handleposer

Hva har forresten vin og brennevin med helse og omsorg å gjøre? Undres Atle.

"Khao Sadao"

A flight lasting only a few minutes. The landing needs some grass cutting. Back on top

the wind had slowed down, and later there was a tail wind. Bengt and I cut some more grass and bushes at take off. The weather forecast for the next week is steady wind from northerly directions.

”Må vi ta kosttilskudd for å få maksimal effekt av trening?”

er spørsmålet i en artikkel på http://www.forskning.no/blog/loland/372477

Svaret er NEI dersom du har et normalt og variert kosthold. Dessverre for produsentene av vitaminpiller og kosttilskudd. Heldigvis blir de reddet av at de fleste av oss nå tilhører arten homo imbecillus og liker å stille oss i kø dersom vi ser en. ”Sauer er ålreite dyr”; det kan bare skyldes at de ligner så mye på oss.

”Hva er hat?”

Atle leser denne overskriften ” Dette er kanariøya for deg som hater Charter-Syden http://www.dagbladet.no/2013/11/09/tema/reise/sol_og_badeferien/fotturisme/kanarioyene/30216941/

og lurer på hva ”hat” egentlig er. Han gidder ikke en gang lese den lille artikkelen i Dagbladets nettutgave.

For hva er handler det om når vi bruker så sterke ord om helt dagligdagse ting? Er det mulig å gå uanfektet gjennom livet når du skal forholde deg til ”hatkamper” i fotball og det meste av dagligdagse hendelser blåses opp til katastrofer?

Ser du for eksempel på Discovery Channel så er det en skriking og huing og en stemmebruk som indikerer noe helt annet enn at det bare er en metemark som krysser stien foran reporteren. Stor underholdning, riktignok, men ganske malplassert stemmebruk og ordvalg.

Er det noe rart at alle katastrofescenariene som trekkes frem i hytt og pine, til slutt ikke er til troende, elle rett og slett blir et spørsmål om tro og følelser?

Atle ”hater”alt dette liksomhysteriet i media, men har egentlig problemer med å forstå hva ”hat” egentlig er. 

Kan du hjelpe ham?

”Lisens for å løpe! - men ikke i Atles løpkarusell”

Der er alt HELT gratis! Ikke som i Norge. Se http://www.dn.no/dnaktiv/article2712798.ece . I tillegg kan han garantere sol og varme (minst 30 grader i skyggen HELE  året). Det er bare å møte opp på startstreken. Tidspunktet er rett som det er, men det er greit om du sier fra på forhånd om du kommer- Da kan starttidspunktet fremskyndes eller utsettes. Greit?

”Southerly winds at Khao Sadao on Monday and Tuesday?”

There might be some change of winds after the weekend. Not very much wind, but it might be possible to fly from Khao Sadao. If not Khao Phrik is an option. Bengt will be there. If it is not flyable we can cut some more bushes on take off.

”Adventurous groundhandling with my Adventure paraglider”

My Gradient Bright 3 would appreciate that it stays safe and sound in Norway when conditions are like this. Up and down. Sideways in all directions. Collapses all around the glider. In the end it was more interesting watching the butterflies coping with the wind.

”Good Advice for Everything 4 – Building in Modules”

Atle has heard that quite a lot of people talk about saving the environment, recycling etc. However, when he has to go shopping (which he really does not like), he has to buy new things all the time. Why can’t he buy the modules which do not work? Because most of the things we buy are not made in modules.

If you want to change your toothbrush, why not only buy the brush and click it onto the the handle? If you want to upgrade your computer why not only buy the modules you want to change and click them in place.

The idea is feasible. Just think of all the products which might be assembled in modules that can be changed for new modules instead of buying everything brand new.

If you think this was a good idea you can donate some money to Atle. On request he will give you the number of his bank account.

”Jamie Messenger wins PWC in Bir, India – Khao Sadao next year?”

See http://prepwcindia.com/ - Thailand is not far away, and Jamie was there some years ago together with Matt Senior and quite a few foreign pilots. There will be a competition in springtime, and probably the new takeoff at Khao Phrik will be ready although there is quite a lot of work making a road through the jungle.

”Can we trust a politician who cannot control his/her own weight?”

is Atle’s impertinent, nasty question. How can a prime minister (no names)  who cannot control his own weight control a whole country? Atle would never give the controls of his car to an inebriated person (an alcoholic who had consumed half a bottle of whisky) or a maniac.

Still sociopaths like Stalin, Mao, and Hitler have stayed in power for many years – the names of the sosiopaths of today you can fill in yourself.

Obese politicians in power you see almost everywhere – no names from Atle – the list is too long. Should we believe in politicians who cannot control their own eating habits?

”Good Advice for Everything 3 – Relaxing 1 and 2”

1 - Lie down in a prostrate position on a bed or just on the floor, - Close your eyes and start counting from hundred and downwards: Hundred, ninetynine, ninetyeight,…. Take care only to think about the digits, not pronouncing them in any way. Sooner og later you will feel you relax more and more, and suddenly, without knowing it, you stop counting. You relax.

2 – Lie down or sit in a comfortable position. – Close your eyes. Start breathing in through your left nostril and out through your right nostril. Don’t worry about that this in fact is very difficult, maybe impossible. Just try and follow with your mind the air going in through your left nostril and out through your right nostril. Eventually you will relax.

If you think this was a piece of good advice and if you want to, you can donate a decent amount of  money to Atle. On request he will give you the number of his bank account.

”Why Jews win so many Nobel Prizes”

compared to Muslims? The interview with Richard Dawkins gives no answer. See http://www.newstatesman.com/science/2013/10/richard-dawkins-interview-pope-francis-poetry-and-why-jews-win-so-many-nobel-prizes

Still it is a puzzling question.

”Khao Phrik and Khao Sadao – no paragliding”

On Friday Bengt and I cut grass and bushes at Khao Phrik, and later on Khao Sadao. – The wind was pretty strong on Khao Phrik, and from the left side. The next day looked more promising – wind from ENE at Khao Sadao. Once again (as many times…) the wind came from the left side, and it was not possible to take off. As Khao Phrik is situated on the right side of a high mountain the wind has a tendency to turn around the mountain.

Hoping for the best we were sitting, sitting, and sitting. Till it was time to walk down.

On Sunday we cut more grass and bushes on Khao Sadao. Now there are two takeoffs ready for flying. So beware the wind Thai and foreign pilots!

"Tomorrow Khao Sadao and Khao Phrik"

Weather forecast is wind from NE, ENE. Bengt and I will cut grass and bushes at Khao Phrik take off. May be there will be some flying in the weekend.

”110 kilometer på motorvei når føret er bra”

sier statsekretær Bård Hoksrud (bildet). Det kan umulig gå bra, mener nå Atle!!! Se på bildet en gang til! Mer på http://www.dagbladet.no/2013/10/18/nyheter/samferdsel/politikk/innenriks/fartsgrense/29846552/

”Atles nynorskkurs – evig liv på nettet?”

For mange år siden laget jeg et hurtigkurs i nynorsk grammatikk som en PowerPointfremvisning. Her en dag fant jeg den igjen, fremvisningen. Mulig den vil leve like lenge på nettet som det undervises i nynorsk i Norge…

http://www.google.no/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oocities.org%2Fathens%2Folympus%2F8200%2Fnynorskword.doc&ei=AYtgUovPCInIrQfMrYD4CA&usg=AFQjCNEp2nuG6fU2RzJJpcEBagvk-Bk_bw&bvm=bv.54934254,d.bmk

 

Jeg måtte titte litt mer på http://www.oocities.org/athens/olympus/8200/

og der fant jeg sannelig PowerPointpresentasjonen med bakgrunnsbilde av skaresnø fra Rondane.

Mimre mimre…

”Evig eies kun det tapte”, var det visst det stod i ett av Henrik Ibsens skuespill. Av naturlige årsaker visste forfatteren lite om Internett.

”Good Advice for Everything 2 – Learning by sequencing and breaks”

If you want to learn a technical ability forget about schools using 45 minute lessons and short breaks in between (according to Atle!).

A technical ability can be something like reading, calculating, driving a car, kitesurfing, and so on. In short technical abilities are all the things we do automatically without thinking. Most of the things we do are in fact automated.

If you watch carefully a toddler learning itself to walk you will understand what Atle means by sequencing and breaks. This is something every child does without assistance. Parents can help the child, but first and foremost the toddler has to do this itself.

Somehow this is ”forgotten” by schools and universities where quite a lot of teaching and learning focuses on remembering and learning by rote. Lessons/lectures usually last 45 minutes or more. Not too much has changed since the ultimate goals of teaching and learning were focused on religion.

Next time you are to learn a technical skill think seriously about how you organize your learning. Remember that you will benefit more from the breaks between the sequences compared to hard work for many hours without a break, That is if you really want to excel in your skill.

Good luck!

If you think this was a piece of good advice and if you want to, you can donate a decent amount of  money to Atle. On request he will give you the number of his bank account.

”Til høyre for Høyre”

Gjemt, men ikke helt glemt! Frisinnede var Høyres faste koalisjonspartner fra 1908 til 1940 i følge Hans Fredrik Dahl.  Kort sagt gikk de politisk sett i graven sammen med Nasjonal Samling 9. april 1940, og de gjenoppstod aldri fra de døde…

For mer se http://www.dagbladet.no/2013/10/13/kultur/ideer/meninger/sondagskommentaren/hans_fredrik_dahl/29729324/

”Holy Shit! What word can you use if you cannot write (or say) ”Allah"?”

”A Christian newspaper in Malaysia may not use the word "Allah" to refer to God, a court has ruled, in a landmark decision on a matter that has fanned religious tension and raised questions over minority rights.” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/14/allah-reserved-muslims-malaysia-court

”Good Advice for Everything 1 – Keep your weight”

Keep your weight steady is the issue this time. Hundreds of millions of people around the world do not understand why their weight is increasing og decreasing. If you have a normal good health and is not ill in any way the solution is easy. You only have to eat enough, not more than enough and not less than enough.

To control what is enough Atle tells you to buy a belt. That is a small investment. Your waist line is not the same before eating and after eating. You mark off three holes in the belt. If you have to go up to hole number 4 you know you should eat a bit less.

As quite a lot of people put on kilos (maybe without knowing why?), they only have to cut down on eating to go on using only three holes in the belt.

A belt is a small investment. It will save you a lot of money which you can use for other things.

If you want to you can donate some of the money to Atle. On request he will give you the number of his bank account.

”Slik kan du forebygge demens”

er overskriften på en artikkel på nrk.no - http://www.nrk.no/1.11283388

Under bildet av et par med grått hår som er på vei nedover en bakke dekket av gult høstløv (sterk symbolikk dette her, NRK!) leser Atle denne overskriften: ”Forskere har funnet ut at det kan ha en beskyttende faktor mot demens å holde seg både fysisk og sosialt aktiv.”

”det kan ha en beskyttende faktor mot demens”? Hva betyr mon tro det? Er NRK allerede rammet av språklig demens?

Dette utdypes (eller utvannes?) med følgende presisering i ingressen: ”Hold deg fysisk aktiv, vær sosial, spis mye fisk, frukt og grønnsaker og stump røyken. Det er noen av rådene fra forskerne som skal virke forebyggende mot demens.” Lenger ned i artikkelen leser Atle at alkoholmisbruk (hvor går forresten grensen mellom bruk og misbruk? – de fleste alkoholikere har på et tidlig stadium problem med å si at de har et alkoholproblem).gir økt risiko for demens.

Tjaaa – hva skal man si? Er det ikke dette som er rådet mot så godt som alt av sykdom og elendighet?

Atle overveier nå sterkt å skrive en egen liten artikkel (mulig det blir en serie) med overskrift ”Gode råd for alt” eller ”Good Advice for Everything”.

”Real talent is rare and mediocrity is ubiquitous.”

For those who are interested in learning and teaching have a look at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/11/genetics-teaching-gove-adviser

More extensive reading on http://www.theguardian.com/politics/interactive/2013/oct/11/dominic-cummings-michael-gove-thoughts-education-pdf

”Ground handling with my Adventure paraglider”

instead of running, because the wind had picked up, I carried my Adventure out to see if it wanted to fly.

A hawk was circling above finding weak thermals drifting with the wind from NE.

Yes! Some good training. The wing is a bit tricky to pull up; it has a tendency to move to one or the other side. The wind was tricky, too.

At take off it usually is easier to get the glider up.

"Northerly winds at Khao Sadao"

and I start to feel somewhat restless. My "feathers" are itching! Not enough wind for ground handling in daytime. Maybe I have to go to Khao Phrik and clean the take off area for grass and bushes some day?

”Forventet levealder øker, men økonomisk vekst gir kortere liv!!!”

Disse to påstandene ser ut til å være motstridende. Samtidig må folk i Norge arbeide lenger fordi forsikringsmatematikere forventer levealderen vil øke i årene fremover.

Ta en titt på denne statistikken fra SSB http://www.ssb.no/befolkning/statistikker/dode

Her står det at mennenes levealder økte kraftig. Samtidig har barnedødeligheten for gutter under ett år gått ned fra 305 i 1976 til 87 i 2012. Hva som skjuler seg bak statistikken, er vanskelig for Atle å si noe om. Et bedre helsevesen er nok en av årsakene.

På forskning.no leser Atle at ”Økonomisk vekst gir kortere liv” http://www.forskning.no/artikler/2013/oktober/368957

Han siterer: ”Nederlandske forskere har undersøkt velstandsutvikling og levealder i 19 industriland og fant til sin store overraskelse at innbyggerne ikke lever lengre selv om de får mer penger å rutte med.

Når økonomien i et industriland skyter fart, viser det seg tvert imot at dødsraten øker.

– Høyst uventet, konstaterer Herbert Rolden ved Leyden Academy on Vitality and Ageing i Nederland.

Klar sammenheng

På lang sikt fører økonomisk vekst rett nok til at dødsraten faller, men på kortere sikt skjer det stikk motsatte, viser undersøkelsen, som er gjengitt i siste utgave av Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

For hvert prosentpoeng et lands bruttonasjonalprodukt øker med, øker dødsraten for menn i alderen 70-74 år med 0,36 prosent og blant kvinner i samme aldersgruppe med 0,18 prosent, konstaterer forskerne.

I aldersgruppen 40-45 år øker dødsraten blant menn med 0,38 prosent og blant kvinner med 0,16 prosent.”

Her siterer Atle litt mer:

”– Ettersom mange industriland nå opplever økonomisk nedgang, skulle man tro at dette hadde en dempende effekt på hvor lenge eldremennesker lever. Men vi ser derimot at økt arbeidsledighet og fallende bruttonasjonalprodukt fører til lavere dødsrater, konkluderer forskerne.

I villrede

Hvordan dette kan ha seg, sliter forskerne med å forstå.”

Da blir Atles spørsmål: Hva er ”lang sikt” og hva er ”kortere sikt”? Atle har forståelse for at forskerne sliter med dette.

 

Her hvor han bor, ser han iallfall forfallet spre seg blant utlendinger med tilgang til billig alkohol. Når det i tillegg er så varmt at den eneste mosjonen mange orker å gjennomføre, er å heve ølglasset for å erstatte væsketapet, noe som igjen skaper den evige øltørsten (øl er som kjent vanndrivende).  Akkurat her er muligens et tips til forskerne som sliter?

"Politisk fargeblind i politisk lekegrind!"

Atle må innrømme at han er politisk fargeblind. Før var det en rødgrønn regjering (Ape, essved og esspe) - Atle syntes den var grågrå. Nå blir regjeringen (Hei og Hå og F er P (hvordan kan F være det samme som P?)) ikke grågrå, men blåblå. Atle må lide av en alvorlig form for politisk fargeblindhet eller ordblindhet - han synes vitterlig den ser ut til å bli blåbrun. Eller tar han feil igjen? Som vanlig!

”Progress has arrived”

is what I think sitting here in front of a brand new LG TV (Life is Good – or is it?) writing on my computer watching the letters popping up one by one as I am pressing the keys on the computer. Great! Using the HDMI port I can watch or show everything on the PC on the TV screen! Great!

By the way – why the word ”computer” when we almost never do calculating og computing on the machine? A low tech word for a high tech machine.

If I had had an Iphone (probably short for Intelligent phone?) I guess I had scanned the TV screen for important messages from my 2.782!!! friends on Facebook.

But why do I need an intelligent phone? I think I am intelligent enough! Perusing the manual of such a phone I would just find out that I am lightyears away from being an intelligent being. So skip it!

Or maybe later? The skin on the tip of my index finger has no blisters as I guess it would have had if I had been the ”lucky” owner of an Iphone or an Ipad.

Here I am sitting on the floor in front of the TV screen surfing on the Internet. Maybe surfing is not the word. The Internet is really slow out here close to the jungle.  Progress has not arrived to this desolate place on earth where elephants, tigers, bears are plodding around in the neighbourhood. Only part of progress.

In front of my TV screen Life is Good! But only if I can put what I have just written on my blog NOW! 

YES! It worked! HOLY SHIT!  as the Americans say. By the way who or what is holy SHIT? Anybody who can help?