Out in the Streets

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“Look what’s happening out in the streets!

  Got a revolution,

  Got to revolution!”

[-- Jefferson Airplane, “Volunteers,” 1969--]

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It is the time (again) of massive protester demonstrations and civil disobedience.  Transport in and around Bangkok is in major disruption, completely paralyzed in parts of mid-city.  (Mother-in-law couldn’t even get into town to her favorite Buddhist temple for the recent 3rd Quarter Moon’s worship observances!) 

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Tens upon tens of thousands of protesters are in the streets, roaring against the current government, and they have taken over several government offices.  The Internal Security Act (ISA) has been imposed on much of greater Bangkok including our area on the northern rim of the city.  It is a law that empowers declaration of complete Martial Law if deemed necessary. 

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One thing different here may have made confusion for Gracie Slick and the Airplane back in the day:  this rebellion is fueled by the anger of the middle classes, who started this round of protests and who were later joined by the students as allies.  They all abhor the thought that this current popular government may try to whitewash and bring home the corrupt exiled and convicted fugitive, former PM Thaksin.  Half the nation loves him; the other half loathes the very thought of him.

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There has been no violence yet, but I don’t know where this endless round of political theater will end, if ever.  The Land of Smiles – and of contradictions. 

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-Zenwind.

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November

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I always hated November and December in Northwestern Pennsylvania, because it was so dark, cold, and nasty.  Here, we get some of the first hints of pleasant weather – although the sunlight can be scorching.  I might even be able to glimpse some clear night skies soon! 

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In readings I’ve recently finished The Crook Factory (1999) by Dan Simmons.  I will read anything he writes.  This one was not in his often mixed genres of horror, science fiction and/or fantasy.  It was historical fiction based on Ernest Hemingway’s actual antics during World War II when he lived in Cuba and tried to organize a small anti-Nazi spy group of submarine-chasers there.  Most of the people and major events are true, some of it released from FBI files on Hemingway at the time.  Simmons weaves a story around this, and it was very good. 

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I also read my first novel by Neal Stephenson, who has won Prometheus Awards and whose novels I’ve been collecting for some time.  I picked an early cyberpunk novel of his to read:  Snow Crash (1992).  It was good, and I will be reading more of his stuff some day. 

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My weight-training routine with dumbbells has been stalled for over a month now.  No excuse but laziness!  My one regular exercise routine is my marches out on the neighborhood sidewalks.  It is a natural movement rhythm, and I rarely get injured doing it – just intensely overheated and dehydrated.  
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The treadmill tends to cause me minor injuries, due to its rather artificial gait.  I need to fine-tune my use of its speed and elevation settings; and I need to resist the temptation to go all-out full-tilt.  The beauty of the treadmill is that I can read books or Kindle on it with my adapted rig.  I pick books with larger print for it, and the time goes by unbelievably fast. 

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-Zenwind. 

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