OPINION

Don't mention attacks

Re: "Recent attacks bring talk of 'Islamic reform' to fore", (Opinion, July 27).

Many thanks to Raheel Raza for this timely column on the political hot potato -- terrorist attacks -- committed by Muslims.

Political correctness prevents the use of this terminology in the Western debate on the subject. President Obama apparently does not see any connection.

The ideas put forward by this revolutionary article are unheard of in the public domain from a Muslim observer. The sustainability of these ideas is highly questionable and it is doubtful that the powers-that-be anywhere in the Islamic world might be tempted to implement them.

For one thing, there is simply zero appetite in Muslim countries to admit that there is such a thing called by Raheel Raza "armed jihad". The official line in the Islamic world is simplistic: None of the groups claiming a role in recent attacks around the world represents Islam or Muslims -- period.

Despite such magnanimous efforts as seen in this piece, the current situation is unlikely to change, which can safely be seen as an ominous harbinger.

Am I alone in wishing the US election were over and done with?

The media circus and the obnoxious speeches by whichever nominee, followed by the ridiculous mandatory cheering from the crowd, are now getting too much.

As a person with an average IQ I would like to learn once and for all the rationale behind this harebrained election system. The only required skill to get elected, other than shrewd fund-raising abilities, seems to be how to work an already biased crowd. How the endless circus right up till election day qualifies a person to be the leader of the free world is a mystery to me.

Any professional, be it a teacher, a hygienist or plumber, has to fulfil higher demands than what it takes to be American president.

Perhaps this also explains how someone like Obama got to spend eight long and, indeed, wasted years in the White House.

Re: "Poll monkeys face music", ThaiPulse, July 28. Given the inherent difficulties in laying criminal charges and successfully prosecuting the macaques who torn down voter lists, I suggest an alternative.

The offending macaques should be rounded up, handed over to the military, and taken away for 10 days' "attitude djustment". In anticipation of acceptance of my suggestion, the army should lay in a large supply of bananas.

I arrived home the other night and found one car parked opposite my driveway. Due to lack of space, I was unable to manoeuvre and reverse. I informed my neighbour that her friend would need to move his car. He came out, but was belligerent and upset. He moved his car a metre. I told him he needed to move a car length. He kept moving a little bit. I blew my horn until he got the message.

Big mistake.

As I got out of the car and went to close my gate, his mate came across, smacked me in the face, knocking me over my car bonnet, then he got stuck into me. If it was not for my wife screaming and shouting, I am sure I would be history.

I called Pattaya police, but got no answer.

I've lived here for 36 years, but now I want to leave.

An online story in this morning's Bangkok Post, "Attack on foreigners gives tourism operators jitters", reports the robbery of two tourists in Prachuap Khiri Kan. How could tourists or anyone else be so dumb as to ride motorcycles without checking the quantity of fuel in the tank? And, judging from the size of the two robbed tourists in the photograph, gargantuan compared to Thais, the situation was almost laughable.

That these two tourists were also in Thailand to study kick-boxing made the situation more ridiculous. Unless the robbers were carrying guns or knives it is surprising these hulking, kick-boxing students were thrashed.