I have been blogging daily for a very long time now, but I have had no rest from it. Needless to say, I am feeling rather worn out as a result. I therefore need some rest, a change of mind, a change of perspective. I need a holiday. I am starting that holiday today. I ask you for your understanding.
There is a lot of interesting material up on this blog. In fact, there is material going back more than twenty years. You are free to avail yourselves of it.
I have no idea how long my holiday from blogging will last. I suppose it will last until I feel thoroughly refreshed.
For your understanding in this matter and for your loyalty, I thank you all kindly.
Best wishes,
Mark Alexander
Sunday, February 25, 2024
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) : James Taylor
James Taylor : Shower the People
In Memory of Maurizio Pollini: Johannes Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15 - Maurizio Pollini
Maurizio Pollini, Acclaimed Italian Pianist, Dies at age 82: The Grammy-winning musician performed frequently at La Scala opera house in Milan. / Maurizio Pollini, a Grammy-winning Italian pianist who performed frequently at La Scala opera house in Milan, has died. He was 82. / Pollini died on Saturday (March 23), La Scala said in a statement. The announcement didn’t specify a cause of death, but Pollini had been forced to cancel a concert at the Salzburg Festival in 2022 because of heart problems. »
I Don't Want to Know Why (with Cindy Fee)
Ne-Yo Ft. FABOLOUS : Link Up Remix | Official Music Video
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Medwedjew droht den Ukrainern mit einem endlosen Krieg
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Wo Russlands opferreicher Vormarsch in der Ukraine „anhalten“ soll, will der frühere Präsident nicht sagen – in Kiew jedenfalls nicht. Verhandlungsbereitschaft lässt der Kreml weiterhin nicht erkennen.
Kurz vor dem zweiten Jahrestag des Überfalls auf die Ukraine an diesem Samstag hat Dmitrij Medwedjew russischen Staatsmedien ein Interview gegeben. Daraus sprechen Angriffslust, Unversöhnlichkeit und Hassbekundungen in einem Ausmaß, das Russlands regelmäßig beteuerte Verhandlungsbereitschaft neuerlich infrage stellt. Medwedjew war Präsident und Ministerpräsident und zählt als Präsident Wladimir Putins Stellvertreter im Vorsitz des Nationalen Sicherheitsrats sowie als Vorsitzender der Machtpartei „Einiges Russland“ zur Kreml-Führungsriege. » | Von Friedrich Schmidt | Samstag, 24. Fevruar 2024
Kurz vor dem zweiten Jahrestag des Überfalls auf die Ukraine an diesem Samstag hat Dmitrij Medwedjew russischen Staatsmedien ein Interview gegeben. Daraus sprechen Angriffslust, Unversöhnlichkeit und Hassbekundungen in einem Ausmaß, das Russlands regelmäßig beteuerte Verhandlungsbereitschaft neuerlich infrage stellt. Medwedjew war Präsident und Ministerpräsident und zählt als Präsident Wladimir Putins Stellvertreter im Vorsitz des Nationalen Sicherheitsrats sowie als Vorsitzender der Machtpartei „Einiges Russland“ zur Kreml-Führungsriege. » | Von Friedrich Schmidt | Samstag, 24. Fevruar 2024
‘My Ultimate and Absolute Revenge’: Trump Gives Chilling CPAC Speech on Presidential Agenda
THE GUARDIAN: Unbound and unhinged, ex-president vilifies immigrants before devolving into bizarre riffs, including calling himself a ‘total genius’
Screenshot from the Guardian | Donald Trump speaks at CPAC in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on 24 February 2024. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
Donald Trump styled himself as a “proud political dissident” and promised “judgment day” for political opponents in an address that offered a chilling vision of a democracy in imminent peril.
In classic carnival barker form, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination accused Joe Biden of weaponising the government against him with “Stalinist show trials”. He pledged to crack down on border security and deliver the biggest deportation in US history if he wins the 5 November election.
“For hardworking Americans, November 5th will be our new liberation day,” Trump told a packed ballroom at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Maryland. “But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day!”
He added: “Your victory will be our ultimate vindication, your liberty will be our ultimate reward and the unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge.”
The overwhelmingly white crowd, many wearing Make America Great Again regalia, rose to their feet and roared their approval. » | David Smith in Oxon Hill, Maryland | Saturday, February 24, 2024
Donald Trump styled himself as a “proud political dissident” and promised “judgment day” for political opponents in an address that offered a chilling vision of a democracy in imminent peril.
In classic carnival barker form, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination accused Joe Biden of weaponising the government against him with “Stalinist show trials”. He pledged to crack down on border security and deliver the biggest deportation in US history if he wins the 5 November election.
“For hardworking Americans, November 5th will be our new liberation day,” Trump told a packed ballroom at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Maryland. “But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day!”
He added: “Your victory will be our ultimate vindication, your liberty will be our ultimate reward and the unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge.”
The overwhelmingly white crowd, many wearing Make America Great Again regalia, rose to their feet and roared their approval. » | David Smith in Oxon Hill, Maryland | Saturday, February 24, 2024
En direct, guerre en Ukraine : des milliers de personnes manifestent en France et à l’étranger pour soutenir le pays
LE MONDE : Les hommages se multiplient pour la deuxième année de la guerre. Comme la première ministre italienne, Giorgia Meloni, en déplacement à Kiev à l’occasion de ce deuxième anniversaire, Justin Trudeau, le premier ministre canadien, a signé un accord bilatéral de sécurité avec l’Ukraine. LIVE EN COURS » | samedi 24 février 2024
Nawalnyjs Mutter hat Leichnam ihres Sohns erhalten
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Mehr als eine Woche nach seinem Tod ist der Leichnam des in Haft gestorbenen Oppositionspolitikers Alexej Nawalnyj nach Angaben seiner Sprecherin an seine Mutter übergeben worden.
Die Mutter des in Haft gestorbenen Kremlgegners Alexej Nawalnyj hat dessen Leiche von den Behörden erhalten. Das teilte Nawalnyjs Sprecherin Kira Jarmysch am Samstag auf der Plattform X mit. Sie dankte „allen, die dies mit uns gefordert haben". Angehörige und Unterstützer des Oppositionellen hatten die russische Führung seit Tagen zur Herausgabe des Toten aufgefordert, um ihn menschenwürdig beerdigen zu können.
Sie wisse noch nicht, ob „die Behörden verhindern werden, dass der Ablauf (der Trauerfeier) so abläuft, wie die Familie es wünscht und wie Alexej es verdient", erklärte Jarmisch weiter. » | Quelle: dpa/AFP | Samstag, 24. Februar 2024
Die Mutter des in Haft gestorbenen Kremlgegners Alexej Nawalnyj hat dessen Leiche von den Behörden erhalten. Das teilte Nawalnyjs Sprecherin Kira Jarmysch am Samstag auf der Plattform X mit. Sie dankte „allen, die dies mit uns gefordert haben". Angehörige und Unterstützer des Oppositionellen hatten die russische Führung seit Tagen zur Herausgabe des Toten aufgefordert, um ihn menschenwürdig beerdigen zu können.
Sie wisse noch nicht, ob „die Behörden verhindern werden, dass der Ablauf (der Trauerfeier) so abläuft, wie die Familie es wünscht und wie Alexej es verdient", erklärte Jarmisch weiter. » | Quelle: dpa/AFP | Samstag, 24. Februar 2024
Take Putin Seriously or Risk World War III, Former Head of British Army Warns
James O’Brien: 'Crackers doesn't go far enough': Liz Truss addresses America | LBC
Michael Lambert: Desperate Tories Target Foreign Workers to Save 'Red Wall' Votes
Feb 24, 2024 | The British government seems determined to do everything possible to stop foreigners from coming to the UK. Presumably this is in an attempt to pander to the Daily Express and Daily Mail readers who backed Brexit and who favour tougher restrictions on foreigners coming to the UK.
The latest immigration regulations make it all but impossible for any unskilled worker to come to work in the UK. For skilled workers there are considerable hurdles to overcome. In response to higher than expected and record immigration from non-EU countries following Brexit, the government has now announced that, in future, those wishing to work in the UK will not be allowed to bring their dependants. This will almost certainly result in a significant reduction in those coming and will further add to the UK's woes.
There are no longer any legal routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK or to apply for asylum. There are tens of thousands waiting for their applications to be processed. They are being paid around £6 per day for subsistence whilst just one of the firms providing accommodation made a profit of £62 million last year.
Preventing workers from coming to the UK and failing to process asylum applications from those who have arrived from across the Channel, having no other route to the UK, is stupid and inefficient and will only damage the UK economy more.
The latest immigration regulations make it all but impossible for any unskilled worker to come to work in the UK. For skilled workers there are considerable hurdles to overcome. In response to higher than expected and record immigration from non-EU countries following Brexit, the government has now announced that, in future, those wishing to work in the UK will not be allowed to bring their dependants. This will almost certainly result in a significant reduction in those coming and will further add to the UK's woes.
There are no longer any legal routes for asylum seekers to come to the UK or to apply for asylum. There are tens of thousands waiting for their applications to be processed. They are being paid around £6 per day for subsistence whilst just one of the firms providing accommodation made a profit of £62 million last year.
Preventing workers from coming to the UK and failing to process asylum applications from those who have arrived from across the Channel, having no other route to the UK, is stupid and inefficient and will only damage the UK economy more.
Friday, February 23, 2024
En Argentine, des milliers de personnes manifestent pour « l’urgence alimentaire »
LE MONDE : La mobilisation, sur le thème de « l’urgence alimentaire ne peut plus attendre », répondait à l’appel de syndicats, petits partis et mouvements sociaux de gauche ou d’extrême gauche.
Des manifestations ont rassemblé plusieurs milliers de personnes vendredi 23 février dans diverses villes d’Argentine pour alerter sur l’urgence alimentaire, lors de l’une des mobilisations contre les mesures du gouvernement ultralibéral de Javier Milei. » | Le Monde avec AFP | vendredi 23 février 2024
Des manifestations ont rassemblé plusieurs milliers de personnes vendredi 23 février dans diverses villes d’Argentine pour alerter sur l’urgence alimentaire, lors de l’une des mobilisations contre les mesures du gouvernement ultralibéral de Javier Milei. » | Le Monde avec AFP | vendredi 23 février 2024
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