Blog Heap of Links for the day 18 August 2015

…Reports indicate that much of the infighting between the Roma gangs are over the ownership of women, while the Arabs are much more profit-motivated. Even in areas where gypsies have seized control of the prostitution rackets, they are still forced to pay protection money to the Muslims who rule the city, reports the Berliner Kurier…

I know this part of Bangkok very well. The Erawan shrine is in the heart of the business and shopping area… The shrine is a major tourist attraction. The Thai government said the attack was aimed at foreigners. Local media reports that tourists, including Chinese, are among the casualties. … In determining who placed the bombs or why, suspicion falls upon the Islamic extremist terror movement - aligned with IS - which has emerged from the Muslim south. … I recently discussed the probability of IS-aligned terror cells from southern Thailand becoming operational in Bangkok and directing their actions against foreigners. Unfortunately, I was correct.

Astronauts would ascend 12 miles into the stratosphere before taking off under new plans to build a space lift… “From the top of the tower, space planes will launch in a single stage to orbit, returning to the top of the tower for refuelling and reflight.” …