Getting Married in Style the Hindu Way

”Amit Shah, 32, and Aditya Madiraju, 31, met three years ago [?] at a party. They have dated ever since and decided to officially marry in a civil union at City Hall in New York City, New York.”
With thanks to the Daily Mail on Pinterest for this serene photo. You can read the newspaper article on the wedding here.

Why? Just Because.

Thanks to Smokink on Pinterest for this very expressive photo. Smokink can calso be found here.

Vielleicht im Paradies!

Peut-être au paradis ! / Perhaps in paradise !
Very many thanks to Scott on Pinterest for this perfect photo. And for making my Sunday!

Beim Knutschen.

Smooching. / En s'embrassant.
With many thanks to Pinterest for this great close-up.

Pete and Chasten Buttigieg Announce Birth of 2 Children, Share Photo

ADVOCATE: The news makes Buttigieg the first out gay parent in the U.S. Cabinet.

After announcing earlier this summer that they were expecting, Pete and Chasten Buttigieg have now revealed the birth of their two children. It is assumed that the children are twins.

"Chasten and I are beyond thankful for all the kind wishes since first sharing the news that we're becoming parents," Pete Buttigieg, the 39-year-old United States Secretary of Transportation, wrote in a post. "We are delighted to welcome Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg to our family." Chasten, 32, shared an almost identical message.

Joseph is also the name of Pete's father. » | Mikelle Street | Saturday, September 4, 2021

La Chine bannit les hommes «efféminés» de la télévision

Drapeau national lors d'une visite au Musée du Parti communiste chinois à Pékin le 25 juin 2021. NOEL CELIS / AFP
LE FIGARO : Plusieurs programmes et émissions ont été arrêtés.

Désormais, les hommes «efféminés» sont bannis de la télévision chinoise. Après plusieurs scandales liés à des stars chinoises, l'Administration nationale de la radio et de la télévision a décidé que les chaînes de télévision et les plateformes en ligne «ne diffuseraient plus de programmes qui développent l'idolâtrie ou des émissions de variétés et de téléréalité». De critères de sélection des acteurs seront à privilégier, comme la bonne conduite politique et morale. »
| Par Le Figaro | samedi 4 septembre 2021

China wird es zu bunt: «Feminine Männer» im Fernsehen verboten: TV-Anbieter dürfen in China keine männlichen Darsteller mehr zeigen, die einen «weiblichen Stil» haben. Der Grund: die von Staats- und Parteichef Xi Jinping betriebene Ideologisierung der Gesellschaft. »

Covid-19: 140.000 manifestants anti-passe sanitaire ce samedi selon l'Intérieur, en baisse par rapport à la semaine dernière

LE FIGARO : Au total, 21 personnes ont été interpellées, dont 3 à Paris, a précisé Beauvau.

Un total de 141.655 personnes, dont 18.425 à Paris, ont manifesté contre le passe sanitaire en France pour le huitième samedi consécutif, soit une mobilisation de nouveau en baisse, selon le ministère de l'Intérieur.

À 19h00, le ministère avait comptabilisé 215 rassemblements, dont cinq à Paris. Au total, 21 personnes ont été interpellées, dont 3 à Paris, a précisé le ministère. Un membre des forces de l'ordre a été légèrement blessé.

La mobilisation est en baisse depuis plusieurs semaines, selon les chiffres du ministère. Le week-end dernier, près de 160.000 manifestants avaient été recensés par les autorités, dont 14.500 à Paris. Il y a quinze jours, environ 175.000 personnes avaient manifesté et près de 215.000 il y a trois semaines, selon le ministère. Lisez la suite de l'article et regardez la vidéo ici » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 4 septembre 2021

Daniel Barenboim – Chopin: Étude Op. 25 No.1 in A flat Major – From Pierre Boulez Saal, 2020

May 15, 2020 • ‘Musical Moments’ are moments of memories, reflection, as a retrospect of the past and anticipation of the future. These are moments that enrich our lives with music that we already know or get to know in the moment of listening.

This first ‘Musical Moment’ is of Daniel Barenboim's interpretation of Frédéric Chopin's Etude Op. 25 No. 1, recorded in Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin.

Khatia Buniatishvili - Schubert: Impromptu No. 3 in G-Flat Major, Op. 90

Pork Chop with Creamy Mustard & Gherkin Sauce | French Bistro Recipes

Pork chop recipes: Creamy mustard & gherkin sauce : recipe on how to make a classic French dish called: côte de porc charcutière, or Pork chops in a mustard and gherkin sauce.

This step-by-step video recipe will show you how to cook meat using the "concentration" cooking method. This cooking method applies for anything that is pan-fried, roasted, grilled or sizzled.

Along with the pork chops, you will be able to see how to make what we called, in France, an instant sauce to go along your meat.

As always, it’s an easy-to-follow video and a delicious recipe. Make sure you don't forget to get some French baguette to dip into the sauce when you’re finished eating the meat.

This recipe is for 4 people.

Ingredients:

4 pork chops br /> 5 grams of butter mixed with 2cl of oil (to co\\ok the meat,
Salt and black pepper. to season the meat.

For the Sauce:

5 gm of finely chopped shallots
50 ml of dry white wine (French wine is ideal)
100 ml of veal or beef stock
5 gm of Dijon mustard
25 gm of gherkins (cut in Julienne or fine strips)
10-20 gm of butter (to finish the sauce)

The dish is usually served with freshly-made potato mash as it goes well with the sauce.

Don Winslow Films - #TheTruthAboutIvanka

Don Winslow Films - #TexasWarOnWomen

Who in his right mind would ever vote Republican? There was a time when I held the Republican Party in high regard. No longer! The Party is not fit for purpose. They are destroying the once wonderful USA. The USA used to be a beacon of progressive thought and forward-thinking. That, alas, was long ago.

To think that my own country has cut the umbilical cord with the European Union only to get tied to the apron strings of the USA sends shivers down my spine!

Sooner or later, this country will have to re-join its European brothers and sisters. It is imperative that we do so. We also need to start thinking of a federal Europe, of which the UK could take a leading rôle.

Recent events in Afghanistan should have shown us all that we can no longer depend on America for our security. We need to go it alone. And for that, we Europeans need to work closely together and form our own military: a European army, a European air force, and a European navy.

This crooked Brexit referendum should also have shown us all that it was neither fair nor sensible. IT MUST BE REVERSED. Sooner rather than later.

If we do not re-join Europe, the once 'United' Kingdom, a nation of which I was once so proud, will break up: the regions will go their separate ways. Scotland is sure to be the first country to break away from the disUnited Kingdom. The Scots are proud Europeans; and so they should be. – © Mark

To read my comment on the Texas insanity, click here.

Biden ordnet Freigabe von 9/11-Dokumenten an

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Was steht in den geheimen Dokumenten des FBI über die Anschläge des 11. September? Angehörige fordern seit Jahren Transparenz. Nun will der Präsident ein Versprechen einlösen.

Der amerikanische Präsident Joe Biden hat das Justizministerium angewiesen, Dokumente aus der FBI-Untersuchung zu den Anschlägen vom 11. September zu überprüfen und freizugeben. „Als ich für das Amt des Präsidenten kandidierte, habe ich mich verpflichtet, für Transparenz bei der Freigabe von Dokumenten über die Terroranschläge vom 11. September 2001 auf Amerika zu sorgen“, sagte Biden am Freitag in einer Erklärung. Da sich der 20. Jahrestag dieses tragischen Tages nun nähere, halte er sich an diese Verpflichtung. Justizminister Merrick Garland beaufsichtige die Überprüfung der Freigabe von Dokumenten im Zusammenhang mit der Untersuchung des FBI, erklärte Biden. Deswegen müsse der Justizminister freigegebene Dokumente in den kommenden sechs Monaten veröffentlichen. » | Quelle: Reuters | Samstag, 4. September 2021

In Marseille beginnt Frankreichs Wahlkampf

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Drogenkriminalität, Armut und marode Infrastruktur: Marseille macht selten positive Schlagzeilen. Emmanuel Macron will diese Logik umkehren. Er ist nicht der Erste. Doch Macron pocht darauf, einen neuen Weg zu gehen.

Drei Tage verbrachte Emmanuel Macron, hier beim Besuch einer Schule, in der Mittelmeermetropole. | Pool / Reuters
Nicht einmal dreieinhalb Stunden dauert die Fahrt im TGV von Paris nach Marseille. Doch der Besuch, den Frankreichs Präsident diese Woche an der Mittelmeerküste absolviert hat, glich einer Reise in ein fernes, armes Land. Drei Tage lang blieb er, begleitet von sieben Ministern und Staatssekretären und einem grossen Tross von Journalisten.

Der sozialistische Bürgermeister Benoît Payan sprach von einem «historischen» Besuch und dankte dem Präsidenten fast unterwürfig dafür, dass dieser seiner Einladung gefolgt sei. Macron sagte seinerseits, er werde nicht einfach Geld verteilen. Bereits im Oktober will er wiederkommen, um die Fortschritte bei der Umsetzung des von ihm angestossenen Plans zu überprüfen. «Marseille en grand» hat er diesen Plan genannt. Er soll der zweitgrössten Stadt Frankreichs dabei helfen, aus den Negativschlagzeilen zu kommen – wieder einmal. Ein chronisch kranker Patient » | Nina Belz, Paris | Freitag, 3. September 2021

Afghanistan : des femmes manifestent pour leurs droits, les talibans recourent à la violence

Des femmes manifestent dans les rues de Kaboul, vendredi 3 septembre 2021. FACEBOOK @WPPN.AFG / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Plusieurs dizaines de femmes ont manifesté vendredi et samedi à Kaboul, devant le palais présidentiel, pour défendre leur droit à l'éducation et au travail.

Après Herat, Kaboul. Vendredi et samedi, des femmes sont descendues dans les rues de la capitale afghane, inquiètes pour le respect de leurs droits d'étudier et travailler alors que les talibans ont désormais le contrôle du pays. «Elles étaient quelques unes hier, elles sont plusieurs dizaines aujourd'hui, femmes et filles rassemblées devant le palais présidentiel réclamant leurs droits et la justice», a ainsi tweeté samedi un journaliste de la chaîne afghane ToloNews.

Vendredi, sur les vidéos relayées par plusieurs journalistes locaux ainsi qu'Amnesty International, des femmes de tous âges étaient entièrement voilées, brandissent des pancartes appelant au respect de leurs droits. «La liberté est notre devise, elle nous rend fières», peut-on lire sur certaines d'entre elles. Elles ne seraient «pas plus d'une centaine» selon Sharif Hassan, correspondant afghan pour le New York Times, «mais leur courage vaut un millier», commente le journaliste, alors qu'elles «risquent leur vie en marchant dans les rues» sous les yeux des soldats islamistes. » | Par Le Figaro | samedi 4 septembre 2021

À LIRE AUSSI : L’INTERVIEW : Jean-Yves Le Drian: «L’Afghanistan n’est pas synonyme de déclin américain» »

Hilary Mantel: I Am Ashamed to Live in [a] Nation That Elected This Government

THE GUARDIAN: Double Booker prize winner tells La Repubblica she may take Irish citizenship to feel European again

Hilary Mantel also said in a wide-ranging interview given to an Italian publication that Boris Johnson should not be in public life. Photograph: Jeff Morgan/Alamy
Hilary Mantel has said she feels “ashamed” by the UK government’s treatment of migrants and asylum seekers and is intending to become an Irish citizen to “become a European again”.

In a wide-ranging interview with La Repubblica, the twice Booker prize-winning novelist also gave her view on the monarchy, told how endometriosis has “devastated my life”, and how Boris Johnson “should not be in public life”. She also addresses the criticism of JK Rowling and her stance on transgender rights.

In response to a question about Priti Patel’s rhetoric on migration and asylum seekers and whether it marks the “ugliest side of the new ‘global Britain’ post-Brexit”, the writer told the Italian publication: “It was my grandparents’ generation who were immigrants [from Ireland]; sometimes my life gets confused with my fiction, because a number of my characters have Irish parents.

“We see the ugly face of contemporary Britain in the people on the beaches abusing exhausted refugees even as they scramble to the shore. It makes one ashamed.

“And ashamed, of course, to be living in the nation that elected this government, and allows itself to be led by it.” » | Nadeem Badshah | Saturday, September 4, 2021

Hear! Hear! Long live Europe! Es lebe Europa! Vive l'Europe ! – Mark

Lebanon as We Once Knew It Is Gone

Electricity is a luxury many in Lebanon can’t afford. | Bryan Denton for the New York Times
OPINION : GUEST ESSAY
THE NEW YORK TIMES: BEIRUT — I never thought I would live to see the end of the world. But that is exactly what we are living today in Lebanon. The end of an entire way of life. I read the headlines about us, and they are a list of facts and numbers. The currency has lost over 90 percent of its value since 2019; 78 percent of the population is estimated to be living in poverty; there are severe shortages of fuel and diesel; society is on the verge of total implosion.

But what does all this mean? It means days entirely occupied with the scramble for basic necessities. A life reduced to the logistics of survival and a population that is physically, mentally and emotionally depleted.

I long for the simplest pleasures: gathering with family on Sundays for elaborate meals that are unaffordable now; driving down the coast to see a friend, instead of saving my gas for emergencies; going out for a drink in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael strip without counting how many of my old haunts have shut down. I never used to think twice about these things, but now it’s impossible to imagine indulging in any of these luxuries.

I begin my days in Beirut already exhausted. It doesn’t help that there’s a gas station around the corner from my house. Cars start lining up for fuel the night before, blocking traffic, and by 7 a.m. the sound of blaring horns and frustrated shouting from the street is fraying my nerves.

It is nearly impossible to sit down to work. My laptop battery lasts only so long anyway. In my neighborhood, government-provided power comes on for just an hour a day. The UPS battery that keeps the internet router working runs out of juice by noon. I’m behind on every deadline; I’ve written countless shamefaced emails of apology. What am I even supposed to say? “My country is falling apart and there’s not a single moment of my day that isn’t beholden to its collapse”? Nights are sleepless in the choking summer heat. Building generators operate for only four hours before going off around midnight to save diesel — if they are turned on at all. » | Lina Mounzer | Friday, September 3, 2021

More Oriental Beauty

A handsome Indian.
lotus on Pinterest for this lovely photo.

More on Assad Shalhoub

Screenshot taken from Assad Shalhoub's YouTube channel.
Upon further investigation, I have discovered that this handsome man is a model and bodybuilder. I believe he is Lebanese. Here’s his YouTube channel. You might wish to follow him.

Words Unnecessary !

With men as beautiful as this around, who’d want to be straight? His name, it seems, is Assad Shalhoub. I have no idea whether this man is gay or not, but he sure is handsome! I know from the time I spent in the Middle East years ago that Arab men can be stunningly handsome.
With many thanks to Pinterest for this super photo. But what you see above is actually a screenshot of the picture on Pinterest. If you click over, you’ll see why.