Europe

We are ALL Europeans! Upper class, middle class, lower class. English, French, German, Italian, Belgian, Dane, or people from any other European country. European blood courses through our veins.

Our royal families are interconnected, intermarried – they are all inter-related with one another. And that’s a wonderful thing. In fact, our wonderful late Queen Victoria was known as the 'Grandmother of Europe'! How much more European can anyone become than that?

In the coming years, we must learn to put our differences aside. In fact, we must strive to appreciate them, and then build on those differences for the common good.

Europe, when we learn truly to embrace it, will enable us to have — together — a wonderful and prosperous future. We Europeans are brothers and sisters. We truly are. We belong together. Together and united we will be strong; apart, we will surely be weak. Let peace prevail! Let us work towards unity!

© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved

Blogging in the Lead Up to Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching, I would just like to let you know that I will have to cut back on the time I spend at the computer in the coming days, because I have Christmas preparations to make, and housework to do.

I will not stop posting altogether; I will post some items when I can find the time; but my blogging will have to be sparser in the lead up to Christmas. My apologies to you all. I ask for your understanding. – Mark

A Message to My Followers and Visitors

MARK ALEXANDER: Yesterday, I decided to give this blog a new look. The blog had been the same for quite some time. I felt it needed to be freshened up.

The look is different, but I am still committed to rights for the LGBTQ+ community. So please don’t think that I have given up on the community. I have not.

The Pride banner looked attractive, but I believe that it was stopping some people, people with a more closed mind, from returning.

I have always been very pleased with the number of visitors I have been getting each day, but naturally, I would like the number of daily visitors to grow. All bloggers would like growth; I am no different. This blog was not growing; rather, it had got stuck at about the same level for very many months. It is my belief that the main reason for this was that some people, maybe people who are not out, are afraid of recommending a blog to their friends when the blog is so clearly gay-friendly.

I have therefore decided to try a new approach. But rest assured: this blog is still, and will remain, gay-friendly.

I hope that you will all give these changes a chance. I would like to see if I can increase my followers, too. I haven’t had any new followers for a long time despite the many daily visitors.

Kind regards to all and many thanks for your loyalty and understanding.
Mark Alexander

A Message to the Blogger Team

Many thanks to the Team for restoring full functionality on this blog. Your assistance is very much appreciated. – Mark

Just a short, quick message to you all: I am unable to post anything at the moment. There must be something going on on the Blogger end. Post titles cannot be accepted at the moment. – Mark

It is now 1:12pm and I still cannot post with titles. I am not at all sure what's going on with Blogger. I have never had this particular problem before.

It is now 6:46pm and I still cannot post anything with titles. I really am sorry abut this. I have emailed Blogger for assistance, so I am awaiting their their help. I shall be back blogging as soon as the system allows me to do so.

Message to Blogger: The Restoration of the Sidebar

I would like to thank the team at Blogger for being so helpful as to restore the sidebar for me. The team’s kindness is deeply appreciated.

Mark Alexander

Tobacco-free: Today Marks Three Months Since I Smoked My Last Cigarette

I would just like to inform you, my followers and visitors, that today, to the date, marks three months since I smoked my last cigarette.

I am happy to inform you that the transition from being a smoker to being a non-smoker has been totally pain-free. I have given up without any problems or cravings; moreover, I have had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. None!

Do I still find smoking fascinating? Yes! Yes, I still do. But it is nothing more than that: a fascination. I love to see a photo of a man smoking a cigarette; but I do not myself need to smoke one.

Hsve there been any downsides to quitting? Not really! Other than possibly relinquishing some pleasure. But on a positive note, I have already saved a great deal of money, not having to buy cigarettes.

I still find smoking fascinating and sexy. Nothing comes close to it. There truly is something about a handsome person who smokes a cigarette, especially a man. However, we now find ourselves living in puritanical times. It will not always be thus; times and moods will return to sanity. People will find out that smoking is not as bad as what will replace it for pleaure. In years to come, the loony bins will be full!

I have no doubt in my mind at all that times will change. Smoking cigarettes will surely become salonfähig and acceptable in polite society again, especially when people eventually realize that there are other 'pleasures' far more harmful than smoking cigarettes. But we haven’t got there yet. Watch this space!

© Mark Alexander
Sunday, July 10, 2022

Hacked! The Sidebar Is Missing!

Some little runt has hacked this website. Some little impolite, ignorant, childish tw*t, I presume. I hope his mummy buys him a rattle soon. Something to amuse him. The little loser might then have a chance to get a life. My advice: Speak nicely to mummy! I feel almost sure she’ll be willing to buy you a rattle. Speak extra gently to her and she’ll probably buy you a dummy (pacifier) as well. What a bonus already! Oh, and please do the decent thing: Undo the cr*p you’ve just done.

© Mark Alexander
Saturday, July 9, 2022

Message: Hacked Yet Again!

I would like to apologise to my visitors and followers for the changed colours of the fonts on many of the posts below. Clearly, we have been hacked yet again! Somebody has been upset by something that has been posted. It doesn’t take much, it seems, to upset some people. It is plain to see that the truth hurts. Many people hate to be confronted with it.

It is too difficult and time-consuming at this late hour in the day to try and look over the HTML in all my posts today, so I have decided to leave things as they are. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused.

It is to be hoped that the hacker’s mummy will buy him a rattle, or something else, perhaps a teddy bear, to pacify him. That way, we might have a chance to be left in peace in the future. – © Mark

Hacked Again!

My sincere apologies for the changed colour of the fonts. That is not my work, but a hacker’s.

Over the months, a pattern has emerged. Each time I have been hacked, it has been when something has been posted about Islam. I recently posted something about Lord Ahmed and an introduction to an article on Salafism, in French. They were not my words, but from articles in reputable British and French newspapers. Clearly, this information has upset someone. Nothing negative must ever be posted about Islam or the behaviour of Muslims! Muslims want a pass on everything!

When a hacker does this, he/she only makes it more difficult for my visitors and followers to read. It is a very anti-social thing to do. It is also childish.

It is too difficult and time-consuming for me to go through all the HTML to try and correct these posts. So I have decided to leave them as they are. It is better for me to use my time more productively and move forward, ignoring what has been done and living with it.

I am sure that you will have realised that I have no agenda: I am not trying to push any particular view on anyone. I have no axe to grind. I simply post a variety of items in three languages to make things interesting for my visitors. Furthermore, I have never asked anyone for any money. I have been doing this, at least so far, for free. It is ‘a labour of love’. All I want is to be left alone to make this blog interesting, aesthetically pleasing, and erudite. For the hacker, it appears that this is too much to ask.

What this person is doing shows us all the nature and mentality of the hacker. I can only apologise to you all for the inconvenience this causes you. Just for you to know, though, if you click on the title of each post, you will be taken to a separate page and the version of that post you will see is as it should be.

Let us all hope for hack-free days.

© Mark Alexander

Gay Kiss of the Day

Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day; so, out of respect for the victims of the Holocaust, I shall not post any such pictures, certainly not today or tomorrow. I feel that it would be very inappropriate and very much in bad taste to do so. I’m sure that you will agree with me.

Although I am not a Jew, I have great respect for people of that faith. Indeed, it was through documentaries on their suffering watched when I was growing up that initially triggered my interest in the German language. I therefore feel a strong bond with the Jewish people. In fact, watching documentaries on that period can often reduce me to tears.

I have the greatest respect for those that perished in the Holocaust; also for those that managed to survive the horrors they lived through.

It disturbs me greatly to read and learn that anti-Semitism is once again rearing its ugly head, right across the so-called civilised world. It seems that many people either refuse to learn or are incapable of learning the lessons of history.

Moreover, we are seeing a crisis unfold in Ukraine. Another war cannot be ruled out. There is also a cost of living crisis right across the Western world. Therefore, posting pictures of jollity and expressions of love seem so inappropriate for the coming days. Rest assured, however, I shall resume posting such pictures as soon as I feel that it appropriate to do so.

I trust that you, my visitors and followers, will understand my decision.

© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved

A Short Message: Hacked Again!

I have been hacked this evening yet again. I have been left in peace for quite a long time now. But today, I placed an article about the drug problem in Syria and the Gulf. Then, I placed a video up about the same problem. It must have touched a raw nerve.

Although I cannot be certain, I am pretty sure I know the country of origin of the hacker. It has only ever happened when I have had the temerity to place something up in Arabic or about Arabic politics and/or affairs. The hacking happens swiftly thereafter.

Clearly, these people think that they live in an alternative, pure universe. Worldly problems are for others. Any problems that exist in Arab countries are not supposed to be aired or talked about. But the harsh reality is that plenty of alcohol is drunk illicitly in Arab countries, even in countries where alcohol is strictly forbidden. And from the article and documentary posted, there is clearly a drug problem, too. Though I have no first-hand experience of that underworld – thankfully. For your information, everything that goes on in the so-called decadent West goes on there as well.

I think it best that I leave it there. I could say far more, but I might get hacked again.

Maybe the hacker will have the decency to restore the original colours of the fonts. Trying to undo the damage myself could be a very tedious, time-consuming process. It would be far easier for the hacker himself to undo the changes to my HTML.

I will leave that up to him to do the decent thing. If not for me personally, then for you my visitors and followers. Here's hoping. – © Mark

A Short Message to My Visitors and Followers

I should like to draw your attention to one very important fact: When you see something posted on this website, you should not conclude that I necessarily agree with the content posted. I often post items which I might not always agree with. I post them because I think they might be of interest to you, my visitors and followers. I also sometimes post items because I feel they give one food for thought.

This blog is not about pushing an ideology. As a person, I am rather moderate in my views and live a very normal, moderate and, I believe, a very respectable life. Further, I have never been given to excess of any sort, neither in food nor drink nor dressing; indeed, in outlook, I am generally rather conservative.

I do, however, believe that there is a place in this world for all people, regardless of faith, skin colour, or sexual orientation. As long as people live decent lives and help others, especially when those people are in difficulty or need, they should be respected.

This is not a website for people with extreme political views. I firmly believe that extreme political views lead to instability in society and definitely, ultimately, lead to no good place.

So please, if you come across anything posted on this website, do not conclude that I necessarily agree with what has been posted. Only the comment I may have posted on it will give you any indication of my own beliefs. Even the recipes I post are not always things that I would necessarily wish to eat. For example, if I post a vegan recipe, not being a vegan myself, I might well not wish to cook that recipe.

I am trying hard to make this website interesting to as wide an audience as possible: gay, straight, young or old. I also work hard to bring you all something in English, German and French; and sometimes even in Spanish, even though, alas, I am a greenhorn in that language. But I have many visitors from Spain and Spanish-speaking nations, so I feel that such links would be of interest to them.

Again, I should like to thank you all for your continued support. It means a lot to me. I appreciate it greatly. Stay safe in these perilous times! – © Mark

A Message to My Followers and Visitors

In recent weeks, I have had a hacking problem again. Somebody is playing around with my ‘Page View Counter’. Each day, despite my hits increasing, thousands of page views are being ‘shaved off’ my stats.

I know that this cannot be accurate because my stats are monitored by Google itself and by other external sources. The numbers being shown on the counter do not tally with the numbers recorded by other websites, including Google itself.

For this reason, I have decided to remove the counter from my blog because of this tampering. In any case, it is not an accurate reflection of the visitors I receive. The actual number is much higher than is being shown by that counter.

If and when things settle down, I might re-introduce the counter; but for the time being, I feel that it is better and less stressful that it be removed.

I should like to take this opportunity to thank you ALL for your continued support. I can assure you that it is most apprecaited. Again, I would like to say that if there is any way you feel that this blog can be improved, you are most welcome to email me with your suggestions.

Naturally, I am saddened that I feel the need to take this step. But I feel sure that you will understand that I find it demoralizing to find that thousands upon thousands of page views are being taken away each week without any reason. This is NOT caused by an algorithm; rather, it is being caused by the human hand.

Sincerely

Mark Alexander

Message

It appears that this blog has been hacked yet again! I have not taken the Gay Pride flag down, nor my message(s), nor my email address, nor any of the links in the right-hand side bar. They have all been taken down by a hacker.

It really is high time for him to ask his mother to buy him a rattle to play with – as a matter of urgency! That way, we can all be left in peace, and he would be pacified. – Mark

Hinweis an den Hacker

Ich glaube, es wäre eine gute Idee, wenn Du Deine Mutter fragen würdest, Dir als Geschenk eine Babyrassel zu kaufen und sie in Deinen Kinderwagen legen. Die Rassel wird Dich sicherlich trösten!

Liebe Grüße,
Mark

A Short but Important Message to My Visitors

I am being hacked again, even as I write this. One of my posts about anti-Semitism has been taken down. I had placed that up only a short while ago. It was an article from the New York Times on anti-Semitism in Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Then, I noticed that I was unable to place a link underneath my report from 60 Minutes Australia on gay conversion therapy, entitled Pray the Gay Away. The keyword underneath that video is now ‘great songs’. I did didn’t place those words there, a hacker did. Problem is that I cannot change it back to what it should be! This has never happened to me before.

The hacker is clearly an anti-Semite. He is also sure to be a homophobe. This is extremely sad. – © Mark

I’ve Had No Feedback Yet

Despite receiving lots of visitors to this blog, and despite requesting feedback, I have received not even one single email from anyone with any opinion or suggestions for improvement. I am surprised and disappointed.

Because I have had no feedback, I have no idea which features you like and which features you dislike. Consequently, I am working completely in the dark: I have absolutely no idea whether I am on the right track, or not.

When I changed the name and focus of this blog, I hoped to build a community. Building a community relies on some interaction. Without interaction, I am merely blogging according to my own whim and fancy. That was not my intention.

I find this a little demoralising. I am also demoralised by the fact that my page views are not growing in spite of all my hard work. I once requested that you spread the word for me. Clearly, this hasn’t helped.

Thus far I have never tried to monetise this blog; so, I get nothing from it except the satisfaction of pleasing my visitors (and seeing my page views go up). Without any feedback at all, I cannot know whether I am pleasing you, especially when the page views don’t rise accordingly.

At one point, I reached approximately 68,500 page views a month. Today, I am down to 46,200+ this month.

I have reasons to be suspicious of this page view count. I am not convinced that it is not being tampered with. Why? Because it doesn’t tally with the stats I get from a French company which also monitors my statistics. Their stats are consistently good and vary little, indicating that nothing has changed. Google’s, by contrast, go up and down like a yo-yo, sometimes the page view count can drop 1,500 views in a space of less than half an hour! Then, the following day, it climbs back up again only to be cropped again late that night. They talk of algorithms; it seems more like the human hand to me!

Make no mistake, my page views are still very good by comparison with other blogs, research tells me. However, I want this blog to grow and grow, not go up and down like a yo-yo.

So I ask you again, please be so kind as to write me an email with your thoughts and suggestions. It doesn’t have to be long. But your ideas would be very helpful to me. I don’t think that this is asking too much of you.

You can write to me in English, German, or French; in whichever language suits you best. But a little feedback would be very welcome and extremely helpful.

As always, my email address is markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com

I shall look forward to receiving your viewpoints and suggestions. – Mark

My original FEEDBACK request is here.

Feedback

Maintaining this blog is more difficult than it needs to be because I am working without any information on its demographics: I have no idea of your ages, your first language, or sexual orientation, or even whether your out of the closet. (Are most of my visitors gay or straight? Please bear in mind that this blog had been going for twenty or so years before it ever became gay-friendly.) Further, I do not know exactly what percentage of my visitors are English-speaking, German-speaking, or French-speaking, especially as a first language.

I also do not know whether I’m bringing you, my visitors and followers, what you want to see, read or watch. In short, I am working in the dark.

For this reason, I ask you now to please be so kind as to email me with your thoughts and ideas on what you think of this blog and on how you think it could be made better. I want to improve this website in any way I can. Basically, as well as pleasing myself, I want to please you. That is very important to me.

For this reason, I ask you now to consider helping me by emailing me with your thoughts. Do you like this blog, and if so why, and if your think it can be improved, how it could be improved. This would be very helpful to me. It would also make my work so much easier.

You can email me at the address markalexander.librabunda@gmail,com . Rest assured that anything you write me will be in the strictest of confidence.

Warm wishes to all,

Mark

Erfreuliche Nachrichten aus der Schweiz

MARK ALEXANDER: Heute in einer Volksabstimmung haben die Schweizer ein klares „Ja“ gesagt zu „Ehe für alle“. Das ist ein sehr erfreuliches Resultat für die Schweiz und für Europa.

Zu diesem historischen Ereignis möchte ich gerne allen Schweizern herzlichst gratulieren. Von nun an wird es möglich sein für schwule Schweizer das eigene Glück und die eigene Zufriedenheit zu schmieden. Ich freue mich sehr für Sie alle! – © Mark