BANGKOK, Thailand -- A dynastic daughter of the billionaire, anti-coup Shinawatra family is leading opinion polls to become prime minister in Sunday's (May 14) nationwide elections, but her victory could trigger another putsch by the coup-empowered, politicized, U.S.-trained military.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai (PTP) "For Thais" party's massive popularity sparked warnings by Thai media, politicians, academics, and others that the military may ignore the majority or crush them with fresh coup.

Responding to Thailand's latest public spasm of coup anxiety, Army Chief Gen. Narongpan Jittkaewtae told reporters on May 11:

"I can assure you that what occurred in the past, the chance is zero now," Gen. Narongpan said.

The army chief censored himself -- and asked all journalists to conform -- against uttering, publishing, or looking up the dictionary definition of the word "coup".

His linguistic demand made it difficult for him to say bluntly no coup would happen, and instead limited him to euphemisms.

On the farthest western edge of Columbus, in a patch of forest which days are probably numbered, several coyotes howl in the night. These same coyotes, believed to be three brothers, were recently witnessed dashing across 70 West near 270.

The coyote’s patch of woods is connected to a subdivision where the houses look alike. Of late there’s more “Missing Cat” signs taped to lamp posts (sushi for coyotes, believe some).

Also being squeezed out are the houseless, but their tents remain. “Brett,” who bought a 100-year-old farm house near here, said he’s called 311 nine times over the past year to have an abandoned tent (pictured above) removed from Clover Park, but no City employee has ever shown. 

With his stunning revelations about mass partisan disenfranchisement in the Florida 2000 presidential fiasco, Greg god-fathered the modern election protection movement.

He played a key role in the reporting that came out of Ohio 2004, and too many additional “irregularities” that have surfaced since.

He has continued this incredibly important work most recently with his documentary film VIGILANTE, about Jim Crow election theft in current-day Georgia.

Greg also has a long history in reporting on atomic energy, and gives us a deep, knowledgeable presentation on the latest “Nuke Renaissance.”

There is no one on the American media scene with more to say about where we’re at than Greg Palast.  Don’t miss this amazing show.

No Nukes!  No More Coup Selections.  

 

Thursday, May 11, 5:30pm, Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St.

You’re invited to an evening of celebration as we pay tribute to outstanding leaders for healthcare in Ohio.

• Dr. Matthew Noordsij-Jones, Primary Care Physician, Corwin Nixon Health Center, Dayton

• Yvonne Oliver, Health Care Advocate, Cleveland Ohio

• Bob Lynn, Health Care Advocate, Toledo Jobs with Justice (retired)

• Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage, a Statewide Coalition

Join us for good music, food, and fun activities.

Ticket price: $25.00.

RSVP for this event by using this link.

Hosted by UHCAN Ohio.

Facebook Event

Re “The Tragedy of Fox News,” by Bret Stephens (column, April 26):

We’ve heard this plea before: If only there were a rational, honest, center-right party or news source!

Mr. Stephens and similar lamenters don’t indicate what such a party’s positions would be, other than general shifts to more liberal democratic ideals.

The fact is, the agendas of these center-right Republicans have already won the day. We live in a country dominated by their policies, which today’s Democrats either acquiesce to or try vainly to mitigate, while occasionally passing a measure that’s inadequate to solve a problem.

So the wealth gap steadily increases; the rich continue to evade fair taxation; the prospects of the poor continue to worsen; the judicial system incarcerates disproportionate numbers of minorities; military-style weapons continue to proliferate, resulting in an absurd rate of mass shootings; debt handicaps the young and the poor; and the list goes on.