OPINION

Old school forever

Re: "AI has potential, but care needed", (Editorial, Feb 23).

One can't read a page of the Post without encountering the 'digital age'. One possibility for this age is the emergence of humans with their 10 (digits) fingers. What would the digital world be like if people had only eight fingers, like in cartoons?

Digitalisation mimics the analogue world with up to 99.999% accuracy, but I miss the old wow and flutter of records on turntables. I can't fathom how the brain operates digitally. Mine's analogue and probably antique. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road.

The empire wobbles

Re: " Listen to Kyiv, says Zelensky", (World, March 2).

What I am about to say may be considered highly misplaced and controversial, but what we saw today out of the White House, with Trump and Vance publicly attacking President Zelensky in what was obviously a premeditated ambush, could be great news. In the long term, it will be the US that will lose, and it will accelerate the decline and fall of the American Empire.

There will be tough times ahead, especially for Ukraine, but the good news is that it is uniting Europe like we have never seen before. Not only Europe but Canada and Turkey are throwing their hats into the ring.

This could lead to new alliances and security treaties that exclude the US, which obviously cannot be trusted, and create a bloc that takes over leadership of the Western and, dare I say it -- the civilised world. In short, Trump's boring behaviour today could herald the start of a new world order.

Cannabis confusion

Re: "Foreigners warned over condo rentals", (BP, March 1) & "Cannabis guide for tourists issued", (BP, Jan 5).

For the last couple of years since cannabis was legalised, we continue to see routine official statements like these about tourists smoking this plant (whom some observers allege is mainly used recreationally) in public: "Smoking cannabis in public spaces ... is illegal," and "The [property raid] stems from complaints [against illegal condo rentals to foreigners] by [Thai] residents at some condominiums, mainly in the Sukhumvit area ... about cannabis smoking."

Now, I'm a little hazy about all the smoke and mirrors, for we were told by certain "powers that be" supporting legalisation years ago that cannabis has wonderful health benefits and can be regulated safely in Thailand.

But, if that is all true and cannabis is a wonder drug that is so good for anything that ails you, and if the assurances of mainly medical use and health benefits rarely involving disorderly behaviour have indeed come true today as the public was all but promised, then why must consumption of such a "healthy" (ie, a UN Narcotic Schedule I Drug) be hidden from public view, with users all but locked away at home, and why is it still broadly illegal in much of the world if it is so good for us?

Until those cloudy questions are answered, if you're a foreigner who is going to use cannabis in public view, as many Thai users do, ask a friend to "beam me up", reconsider your plan, follow the age-old, sage Klingon advice and "engage cloaking device!"

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