OPINION

Election fever

Re: "EC plans to hold general election on May 7, 2023", (BP, Sept 22).

The election of MPs on May 7 is a wonderful, once-in-a-decade opportunity to elect provincial governors nationwide.

May is enough time for parties to select candidates, develop platforms and run local campaigns.

If having so many provincial polls is overwhelming for the EC, we can begin with the 20 most populous provinces (excluding Bangkok).

Clickety-clack

Re: "It all began with a soapy TV 'mustache,'" (PostScript, Sept 18).

Developed by Christopher Glidden in the 1860s and manufactured by the Remington arms company beginning in 1873, the Sholes & Glidden was the first commercially successful typewriter.

Its adoption by large corporations kickstarted the typewriter industry and contributed to the industrial age.

Yes, some well-known authors had rocky relationships with their typewriters decades ago. Then there were people in many countries boasting about their typewriting skills and speed.

Many types of competitions, championships and trophies were given to the fastest typewriters worldwide.

Even people would mention their typewriting speeds, or words per minute (wpm), in their CVs and applications for a job at some posh corporate office.

In the USA, the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) was created to promote typing and find the fastest typists.

Players competed against each other in typing races. The latest official holder (2005) of the title "fastest typer" in the world on a computer is Barbara Blackburn (using a Dvorak simplified keyboard and typing in the English language).

Since 2005 Barbara's record has remained unbeaten, with a top typing speed of 212 wpm.

The world has come a long way, from the oily smell of black ribbons and soothing strokes of keyboards to messaging apps and online platforms. Writing is now diminished to a few lines, and social media has become an echo chamber.

However, new technologies now produce more information than ever, instantly available worldwide.

Despite technology, you can still enjoy the clickety-clack, the amazing sound of the typewriters on your devices.

Dope changes needed

Re: "Lack of rules hits farmers," (BP, Sept 23).

The Bhumjaithai Party appears to have had the right idea, but lacked the guts, or competence, or both, to do it right.

Cannabis should be legalised for recreational use by adults. It should be treated like cigarettes and alcohol, but not to the extent of giving monopolies to rich drug-dealing families intent on getting richer by having a monopoly on their lucrative drug dealing.

Let small farmers also grow the crop to meet the clear demand from adult consumers.

Stop the lame, dishonest pretence that the cannabis shops that have sprouted up around Bangkok, including in my area, Silom Road (not Khao San Road), are selling marijuana solely for medical purposes.

They are not, nor need they be. Enjoying life without harming others is a good thing.

Let eager farmers profitably provide what many people enjoy without inflicting on society the violence and fractured thinking that so often accompanies alcohol use.

Nail in the coffin

Re: "Australia to explore use cases for CBDC," (Business, Sept 10) and "Testing of retail CBDC to begin at year-end," (Business, Sept 6).

The Biden administration attacked decentralised cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum etc). Despite their limitations, cryptocurrencies protect an individual's financial privacy.

Biden is now promoting a programmable US government Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Some 112 countries are actively exploring CBDCs including Thailand.

CBDCs will permit governments to track and control every citizen. They will allow data collection from every financial transaction, permit instantaneous taxation, and enable the freezing and emptying of accounts.

Restriction of purchases, comprehensive control of businesses, travel restrictions and the collection of enormous swathes of personal data will be a simple matter.

The global implementation of a central bank digital currency marks the final nail in the coffin containing the remains of our personal freedoms and human rights.

Come back, America

Re: "US readies $1bn in Ukraine weapons aid," (BP, Sept 7).

Having grown up in the USA and contributed half a lifetime to its economy and its progress through various high-tech careers, it's painful to see America now struggling.

And just as painful is to see her going through moral decay.

The world does not need more powerful and smarter weapons and more military bases.

What can a small developing country do to help America wake up, promote (instead of blocking) scientific cooperation, and get back into the economic and technology race again? What can the world do?

Come back, America, come back!