Le Mans 24h

So, I have managed to purchase a couple of entrance and tribune tickets for the race in June 2024. I am extremely pleased about that after last year’s fiasco.

I really need to start looking at the logistics of it all. Travelling there, accommodation etc etc.

I’ll put my thinking cap on

🏎 🏎 🏎

Posted in Cars and bits | Tagged | Leave a comment

Xmas list

Must work on my Xmas list today and it is not as easy as I had wished.

🎄🎄🎄

Posted in Shopping | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Where to?

Looking for a holiday destination for a break in February and it is not as easy as it sounds.

It has to be warm to escape the winter European 🇪🇺 weather.

It is not a beach holiday but somewhere with some activities.

I have been looking at Kerala (India), Zanzibar (Eastern Africa) and more

Not too sure at this stage where to go

🏝🏝🏝

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Tennessee style

Had a very pleasant Thanksgiving with our friends C&L.

Far too much to eat and far too much to drink. Everything was of high quality.

We even watched the football games (the summaries) after lunch,

Looking forward to next year which I am given to understand we shall host

🦃🦃🦃

Posted in Diary, Entertainment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Noël arrive

Preparations for the opening of the Christmas market in town are going well by the looks of it

All the chalets are up on the main square and the ice rink is up but not yet ready to freeze.

🌲🎄🌲 Looking forward to it all 🌲🎄🌲

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Windy

🍂🍂🍂

Quite a typical autumn day here, not necessarily cold but fairly windy. Of course as a result leaves are blowing away from the trees and settle all over the ground and in the pool. A daily sweep is certainly not enough to clear it all. I fear it will take weeks before we are rid of them.

🍂🍂🍂

Posted in Cartoons, Home, Weather | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Understanding the motivations behind Hamas’ attacks on Israelis

I have read a number of articles on the subject and “copied & pasted” them and fed the results to ChatGPT to make a summary for a blog post. I tend to agree with the analysis.

▫️Introduction:
In the wake of recent attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians, it is crucial to analyze the underlying factors that led to these acts of violence. Contrary to popular belief, these attacks were not driven by religious animosity but rather by the ongoing occupation and settler colonialism in Israel/Palestine. By examining the power dynamics and historical context, we can gain a deeper understanding of the situation and work towards a just and lasting resolution.

▫️The Fallacy of Religious Motivation:
It is important to dispel the misconception that Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians were rooted in antisemitism. While these attacks were undeniably wrong and violated international law, they were not driven by hatred towards Jews. Instead, they were a response to the oppressive conditions imposed by the Israeli occupation and settler colonialism.

▫️Power Dynamics and Occupation:
In Israel/Palestine, Jewish people, particularly white Ashkenazi Jews, hold the majority of power. Jewish Israelis are the occupiers, while Palestinians are the occupied. The Israeli government exerts control over every aspect of Palestinian life, including restricting access to education and healthcare, demolishing homes, and imposing collective punishment on Gaza. These oppressive measures have fueled resistance from Palestinians, who seek to challenge their occupiers, regardless of their religion.

▫️Hamas’ Stance on Jews and Zionism:
Contrary to popular belief, Hamas has explicitly stated that their conflict is not with Jews as a religious group but with the Zionist project and the occupation of Palestine. They reject the persecution of any individual based on religious or sectarian grounds. It is crucial to understand that the conflation of Judaism and Zionism is a deliberate tactic employed by the Zionist movement, not by Hamas or the Palestinian people.

▫️The Danger of Misrepresentation:
The misrepresentation of antisemitism and the portrayal of the attacks as an assault on all Jews serve a specific political agenda. These distortions not only distract from the fight against real antisemitism but also hinder efforts to address the urgent need to stop genocide and resist U.S. imperialism. It is essential to differentiate between legitimate criticism of Israeli state violence and instances of antisemitism to prevent the silencing of voices advocating for Palestinian freedom.

▫️The Urgency of the Situation:
Israel’s actions in Gaza, including the targeting of entire families, are part of a long-standing campaign to remove Palestinians from their land. These policies are not driven by a concern for Jewish safety but rather by a desire to secure maximum land with minimum Palestinians. It is crucial to recognize that supporting Israel’s actions does not make the world safer for Jews; instead, it perpetuates the cycle of violence and oppression.

▫️Conclusion:
Understanding the motivations behind Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians requires a nuanced analysis of power dynamics and historical context. By recognizing that these attacks were not driven by religious animosity but by occupation and settler colonialism, we can work towards a just and lasting resolution in Israel/Palestine. It is essential to differentiate between legitimate criticism of Israeli policies and instances of antisemitism to ensure that the voices of those advocating for Palestinian freedom are not silenced.

🍉🍉🍉

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Diabetes World Day

Not experiencing much novelties or improvement in the treatment of my Diabetes Type II

Today November 14th is World Diabetes Day and I would have hoped for some announcements.

The only improvement over the past few months is that my Free Style Libre captor communicates automatically with my phone. A signal with the glucose reading is sent every minute. I have set up alarms for both high or low readings and I can react accordingly.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lisbon – Home XI

🇵🇹 Autumn holiday time 🇫🇷

Up early, too early in fact. Breakfast is not being served yet. We do not have too much time as we must get to the airport to catch our flight back to France.

Very foggy this morning but thanks to the Sat Nav it is easy to find the way to the airport, not so for the needed petrol station and not so for the car hire return spot. We are nevertheless a couple of hours ahead of our flight time when we enter Terminal 2.

The flight is smooth even when passing over the Pyrenees before landing in Toulouse

We are home in no time

End of a very pleasant holiday

Day by Day

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – Home

Posted in Holidays, Travel | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Algarve – Lisbon X

🇵🇹 Autumn holiday time

Received a too early phone call from France a short while ago. They obviously did not know I was in Portugal and that we have 1 hour’s difference.

Not a problem actually since today we depart the Algarve and make our way to Lisbon. Might as well try and reach the capital city around lunch time.

Arrived in Lisbon at 13:00 🕐 on the dot. Just in time for a drop of lunch.

Before heading back to the very pleasant hotel for a rest.

Later in the evening go for a walk. Last time I was in this area was 4 years ago.

Before settling down for a drink

Unusual size 60cl and unusual glass

A short bite to eat in a place I patronised before. It is a delight watching how they carve these legs of ham.

Then it is bed time. Early start tomorrow.

Day by Day

1234567891011Home

All 📸 here

Posted in Holidays, Travel | Tagged , , | 11 Comments