You can’t beat the Thais, can you? Even their military coups have a certain good-natured, fun-loving quality. One does of course worry that the good nature may wear off, and the fun turn to un-fun.

I continue to wonder how involved the US is in this. So many of these bogus insurrections — Libya, Syria, the Ukraine Maidan in the Bear’s backyard, now the Thaidan in the Celestials’. After a few halcyon years of the unipolar world, it looks like that old lantern-jawed serial killer, Uncle Sam, is gearing up for the next round of bloodletting among the global powers.

Clearly China and Russia are both on the target list. Complicated, of course, because we also make a lot of money trading with each of them. But that was also true before both phases of the 20th-century 31 Years’ War.

Delightful, innit, how they’ve turned to each other? Oh, sanctions? sez Mr Putin. How ’bout I sign a thirty-year gas deal with China? And an arms deal while I’m at it? Fuck you, Uncle.

I have a feeling Uncle might get his testicles served up, lightly sautéed in a mix of chicken fat and peanut oil. If so, couldn’t happen to a more deserving Uncle.

Meanwhile, I’ve made a lowball offer on Ted Kaczinsky’s old place up in the mountains. I suspect it will end up going for more than I can afford. I hear there are other bidders.