I did mention Hot and Hotter

This week has definitely been hotter than usual for this time of the year.
Weather you'd expect to experience in April, Thailand's hot season.
Temperatures on my perimeter walls exceeded my thermometer limit of 50C/122F
Much of that heat radiates toward the house.


If I'm not in the pool or in my air conditioned den, then I'm reclined in front of the TV with three powerful fans.
This must be the drought forecast over a month ago.  I was a nonbeliever then.

'Slightly' cooler with increased chance of rain over the next few days.





Thai Students below global average (I.Q)

Even though the world average seems to be right in the middle at 100, anything above 90 is considered normal.  6.5% Thais intellectually impaired.
You can't read too much into these tests though.  I had a very smart friend, over 130 I.Q.  But when it came to common sense, he was dumber than a doornail.


Test your own I.Q. at iqtest.dk  mine is 109

Thailand Rerun Season

• Thailand's Democrats seek ban on Thaksin party BkkPost

• Critics of New Thai Leader File Legal Challenge  Wall Street Journal

• Shinawatra's likely return good for Thaksin Inc but not for Thailand  Sydney Morning Herald

Thai Sport

• Fowler joins Thai Premier League  The Phuket News

• Sakon FC hosts Yasothon this Sunday, July 10, 5 PM

This event makes no sense to me
Seems like we should have left that behind during the barbaric period.
Notice all the senior citizens with a death wish?

Music Memorabilia

Scout Day - Rocket Fest - Sport Day - Asia blamed

 Sakon Nakhon Scouting Day  

.

This clip has been shown on local cable STV. 

I'm thinking it was scouting day.

That morning at 8, my driver was stuck in traffic near the school. It took us half an hour to get out of two city blocks.









 Rocket Fest at Phan Khon  

Think it was Phan Khon, 55 km from Muang Sakon, even though the video says Pungkon

  

View Larger Map

Google Translation:  

 Sports Species Fresno Campus Sakon Nakhon 

No idea where Fresno Campus is?
Dress up day?

Asia Pollution Blamed for Halt in (global) Warming  Scientific American  

A toast to ANDY

• At Martins place this evening (after 6)
• It is two years to the day that Andy died

Pole dancing and the I.R.S Shuffle

This pole dance ain't over yet.

Electric wires touching a house where moved June 21.
They moved a pole a few feet  Doing the Sakon Nakhon Pole Dance  They did a fine job on the electric wires, but apparently left TV cable and telephone lines for another day.

TV and telephone cables laid across the roof, a permanent arrangement?

Talking about dancing

I'm still doing the I.R.S. shuffle 
"One step forward, two steps to the rear"
And that dance is really exhausting me!!!

Received a $270 refund on my 2009 tax return. Error on my part.
Before filing my 2010 tax return I sent the I.R.S. a letter Informing them that I had lost the previous tax return.  I asked them to send me a copy, and possibly explain my mistake, so I could avoid it in the future. That was January 27 2011.

I received (mailed April 25 / received May 25)  a notice I owe over $700, tax penalty and interest.
If payment is not made by a certain date, the matter will be turned over to a collection agency.

I  immediately mailed a check and a form 911.
Form 911 requests ombudsman assistance in resolving a tax matter. 

July 4 another notice arrived from the I.R.S "(part of over $700) Overpaid Tax Applied to Other Taxes You Owe."

No indication of what other taxes I owe.  Just a statement that reads
"..if you are currently or were previously married..." "...you may qualify for a complete refund...?
Obviously, this dance ain't over yet. The refund check is in the mail?

Hot and Hotter

No major weather disturbance in the upper atmosphere.
Mostly sunny and increased humidity. High humidity most likely will cause local thunderstorms

	--Tuesday--	-Wednesday-	-Thursday-	---Friday---	--Saturday--	--Sunday--
AccuWeather Feels like Low Feels like	90F  32C 105F  41C   80F  27C	90F      32C 104F      40C   81F      27C	90F 32C 101F 38C   81F 28C	90F  32C 106F  41C  83F   28C	87F  31C 109F  43C   82F  28C	86F  30C 107F  42C   83F  28C
Thai Meteo.. high/low C	34/24	34/24	34/24	34/25	33/24	33/23
Wunderground high/low C	33/25	33/25	34/25	33/25	30/25
MeoWeather high/low C	34/25	33/25	33/24	34/25	32/24	32/24

 

Elk rescues drowning marmot  allcreatures.tumblr.com

An elk rescues a drowning marmot at Pocatello Zoo, Idaho.

• India: Rajasthan in 'cars for sterilization' drive BBC South Asia

• The Bin Laden's Victory 4.4 trillion US debt   The Daily Beast

• Diet Soda Is Why You're FatFast Company 

• Drinking Chocolate Milk May Help Your Workout Web MD

Hope for the best...

Friday was midyear banking holiday.  Banks closed.  Dear Landlady, the rent will be a few days late.

Saturday morning, a 'hundred days after the funeral party.'  A few people staggering through the neighborhood.

Saturday evening a party across the street.  Quite a few visitors.  It was all very hush hush.  I was able to sleep undisturbed.

Sunday, Joey went to vote around noon at a nearby school.  Voting at that time was very light.

Exit polls were being broadcast after the polls closed at three.
The pie chart representing North East Thailand seemed over 90% RED.

  Pheu Thai wins 101 seats in NE  Bangkok Post
(of 126 seats)

They're calling it a landslide, I'd say it was more of an Avalanche.

Predictions, some declaring imminent disaster, are running rampant on the net.

 What could happen to Thai rice market after election?  Reuters

I have a wait and see attitude:  Hope for the best don't act surprised at the worst.

The election promise to devalue the Thai Baht perked my interest, it is of course something  I would look forward to.
The rich aren't going to stand for that unless they have their bank accounts overseas.
Pensioners will of course love it!!  I would!! 

Prior to the elections Sakon Nakhon province was near the top of the list "where pre- and election violence may take place."
Didn't hear of any. (insert Applause here!!)

JoSakon's Sakon F.C.

A slideshow by Jo (of) Sakon




"one first step... in the learning process."


Music by....???

Sakon Declared winner over Nong Bua Lamphu

In Saturday's game stopped due to insufficient lightening, Sakon F.C. has been declared the winner 2:1.
Sakon F.C. has a new coach.  The former coach had been 'released' some weeks ago.

And there's another story in the makings at Sakon F.C.  It's a story about an old coach being primed.  That story will most likely unfold at a party on July 11 at the Sakon F.C. restaurant.

And that's Football in Thailand

I'd become somewhat of an avid Sakon FC football fan.  Have known some of the players for as long as I've been in town.  Hadn't missed a game.  Away games gave me an opportunity to travel and see other parts of Isaan.

Saturday's game at Nong Bua Lamphu didn't entice me to travel.
You could say I had a premonition.  Besides, they recently started broadcasting the games over the internet.

Joey had moved his computer on the front porch.  I was watching the game in my 'den.'
Surprisingly the video stream was perfect.  No interruptions.
Joey was logged into chat mode which delayed his feed by a minute and had a different announcer than the one I was listening to.

It was almost like instant replay.  If I wanted to see a goal again I could see it again on Joey's computer.

Nong Bua Lamphu apparently had some heavy rains before the game.  Water puddles and mud.

The plank leading onto the field resembled a diving board at a swimming pool.

Sakon Nakhon scored during the first half. Nong Bua Lamphu evened the score early in the second half.  Shortly thereafter Sakon FC had it's second goal.

As dusk settled in the stadium, lights were turned on.  From my vantage point I could only see one set of lights.  The game continued. As it got darker the game was stopped.
A thirty minute delay to fix the lights was announced.
Somehow I knew better. I started watching the boob-tube with one eye on the computer.
Referees and players bowed in front of the audience and exited the field.

Game Stopped due to insufficient lighting. Rematch to be announced!!