Saturday, September 11, 2021

Brexit - Severe Shortages and Price Increases Coming

Sep 11, 2021 • One of the reasons why Brexit is a very costly disaster is because it makes it almost impossible for small- and medium-sized enterprises to export to the EU.

The imposition of UK border controls is likely to make it equally difficult or impossible for SME*'s from the EU to export to the UK. The erection of so many barriers in the form of import and export declarations, certificates of origin, health & phytosanitary certificates, veterinary certificates etc. all add to the new complications and barriers to trade with our biggest trading partners.

Shortages which are already apparent are set to become much more acute with the introduction of border controls. The ongoing shortage of UK lorry drivers, the reluctance of EU drivers to come to the UK and the likelihood that many farmers who have lost crops and livestock this year owing to shortage of labour will be reluctant to take further risks in the future resulting in much reduced UK food production.



*SME : Small and medium-sized enterprises.

History won't be kind to BoJo & Co. Nor will it be kind to Cameron or Nigel Farage and their entourages. They are all self-absorbed, know-nothing idiots! Political hacks! My late father always used to quote an old, but very wise, expression: "You never miss the water till the well runs dry!" How true that is! – © Mark

11-Septembre: Donald Trump dénonce «l'incompétence» de Joe Biden en Afghanistan

Donald Trump a dénoncé samedi «l'incompétence» de Joe Biden en Afghanistan, dans un message vidéo enregistré pour le vingtième anniversaire du 11-Septembre. SHANNON STAPLETON / REUTERS

LE FIGARO : L'ancien président américain a critiqué l'action de son successeur dans un message vidéo enregistré pour le vingtième anniversaire du 11-Septembre.

L'ex-président républicain Donald Trump a dénoncé samedi «l'incompétence» de Joe Biden, dont la gestion du retrait des troupes américaines d'Afghanistan l'a «fait passer pour un idiot», dans un message vidéo enregistré pour le vingtième anniversaire du 11-Septembre.

Après avoir rendu hommage au «courage» des pompiers, policiers ou secouristes intervenus ce jour-là, Donald Trump a sévèrement critiqué l'action de son successeur démocrate à la Maison-Blanche et la fin de la plus longue guerre de l'Amérique, déclenchée après les attaques d'al-Qaida le 11 septembre 2001 qui ont fait près de 3000 morts. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 11 septembre 2021

En anglais, trois mots me viennent immédiatement à l'esprit : pot, kettle, black ! – Mark

Tutanchamun | Doku HD – ARTE

Aug 29, 2021 • Der sagenhafte Schatz des Tutanchamun, der über 5.000 Objekte umfasst, darunter 2.000 Schmuck- und Goldschmiedearbeiten, wurde 1922 von dem britischen Archäologen Howard Carter entdeckt. Nun gibt der Schatz des Pharao ein neues Geheimnis preis: verborgene Spuren einer geheimnisvollen Pharaonin. Zudem soll ein britischer Archäologe einige Grabbeigaben entwendet haben ...

Auch rund ein Jahrhundert nach seiner Entdeckung erscheint der Schatz des Tutanchamun in neuem Licht. Die Grabbeigaben sollen an einem einzigen Ort zusammengeführt werden, dem Großen Ägyptischen Museum, das 2020 eröffnet werden soll und rund zwei Kilometer von der Nekropole von Giseh entfernt liegt. Aus diesem Grund befassten sich Forscher erneut mit dem Grab des Tutanchamun – mit erstaunlichen Ergebnissen. Tatsächlich soll ein Großteil des Grabschatzes von Tutanchamun nicht für ihn, sondern für seine ältere Schwester Meritaton bestimmt gewesen sein. Die historische Rolle dieser vergessenen Pharaonin muss neu beurteilt werden: Sie hätte nach dem Tod ihres Vaters für ihren unmündigen Bruder regiert und Ägypten aus einer strategisch schwachen Lage herausmanövriert. Während ihrer kurzen Herrschaft soll sie sich einen prächtigen Grabschatz zusammengestellt haben, den Tutanchamun, einmal zum Pharao gekrönt, schließlich für sich beanspruchte. Auch der berühmte goldene Thron des Tutanchamun soll ursprünglich für seinen Vater, Pharao Echnaton, angefertigt worden sein. Andere Grabbeigaben wie Gehstöcke, Zepter und Bekleidung weisen darauf hin, dass der Pharao unter einer Gehbehinderung litt und offenbar nicht lange stehen konnte. Weitere Enthüllungen betreffen die Entdeckung des Grabschatzes durch Howard Carter: Der britische Archäologe und sein Finanzier Lord Carnarvon sollen einige Grabbeigaben entwendet haben, die heute in alle Welt verstreut sind. Drei renommierte Forscher kommen in der Sendung zu Wort: Marc Gabolde, Professor an der Universität Montpellier und Experte für das Tutanchamon-Grab, Dimitri Laboury, Professor an der Universität Lüttich und weltweit anerkannter Experte der Amarna-Zeit, und Christian Loeben, Ägyptologe im Landesmuseum Hannover. „Tutanchamun, Neues aus dem Grab“ ist eine spannende Ermittlung über eine der spektakulärsten archäologischen Entdeckungen aller Zeiten.

Dokumentarfilm von Frédéric Wilner (F 2018, 92 Min)



WIKIPEDIA / WIKIPÉDIA: TUTANCHAMUN / TUTANKHAMUN / TOUTÂNKHAMON

Auf Deutsch »
In English »
En français »

Message to My Visitors and Followers. My Website Has Been Hacked – Yet Again!

I apologise for all gold print that appears. That is not my work, but a hacker’s. Whoever it is must be very playful, but also rather nasty.

One strange observation I have made is this: I have been hacked only twice even though I have blogged for twenty or so years. The hacks have been recent – since I changed this blog’s name and made it gay-friendly. (Please note, I said ‘gay-friendly’, not gay. This blog is about many things which have no relation to gay issues at all: international politics, Islam, cookery, music, fashion and much else besides.) But each time I have been hacked, I have put something up in Arabic script. Also, the timing: The hackings have taken place about half an hour after putting something up in Arabic. It was just the same the last time. It could be a coincidence, but somehow I doubt that it is.

It is probably the same person who keeps shaving off thousands from my pageviews with alarming frequency.

Run away and play little boy! Stop your childish games and try and grow up! By the way, if you are worried about your good deeds… rest assured, this is not one of them! Were I to be your father, I would scold you severely! – Mark

EU Rejects UK’s Demand to Scrap Northern Ireland Protocol

THE GUARDIAN: Brussels repeats warning that renegotiation will mean more instability and insists Brexit protocol is ‘only solution we have’

European Union leaders have stressed they are not seeking a “political victory” over the UK as they pushed back sharply against demands that the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol be scrapped.

After a two-day trip to Northern Ireland, the European Commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, repeated his warning that a renegotiation would merely lead to more instability for businesses and communities.

“I will not mince my words. The protocol is not the problem. On the contrary, it is the only solution we have. Failing to apply it will not make problems disappear, but simply take away the tools to solve them,” he said. Read the rest of the article and watch the video » | Lisa O'Carroll, Brexit correspondent | Friday, September 10, 2021

‘My son misses his Papa’: Brexit rules force families to split »

What a pickle BoJo & Co. and that loudmouthed gold digger Farage et al have got this country into! This mess was all so unnecessary. We have lost much, but gained little. – © Mark

Morocco’s King Appoints Billionaire Akhannouch to Head Government after Election Win

THE GUARDIAN: King Mohammed VI asks businessman to form government after his RNI* party trounced the long-ruling Islamists

Businessman Aziz Akhannouch’s RNI party won 102 of parliament’s 395 seats. He is is worth $2bn, according to Forbes magazine. Photograph: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has named businessman Aziz Akhannouch to lead a new government after his liberal RNI party thrashed the long-ruling Islamists in parliamentary elections.

The king appointed Akhannouch “head of the government and tasked him with forming a new government”,following Wednesday’s polls, a statement from the palace said on Friday.

The RNI won 102 of parliament’s 395 seats, trouncing the moderate PJD Islamists, which had headed the governing coalition for a decade but took just 13 seats, according to results released by the interior ministry.

Akhannouch hailed the results as “a victory for democracy”.

The billionaire businessman – worth $2bn according to Forbes – has led the RNI since 2016. » | Agence France-Presse | Saturday, September 11, 2021

*RNI stands for Rassemblement National des Indépendants. In English known as 'The National Rally of Independents'. (التجمع الوطني للأحرار)

Prince Andrew Served with Lawsuit from Jeffrey Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre

THE GUARDIAN: A US court document showed paperwork was filed at Royal Lodge and a response is due by 17 September

Prince Andrew has been served with an affidavit for a lawsuit from Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre. Photograph: Reuters

Prince Andrew has been served with an affidavit for a lawsuit say lawyers for Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleges she was forced to have sex with the royal when she was 17 years old.

A document filed in a US court on Friday showed that paperwork for Giuffre’s lawsuit was filed at Andrew’s home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor on 27 August. The affidavit was accepted by a Metropolitan police officer at the gates of the property at 9.30am, after the agent filing the document had been turned away the previous day, according to the documents.

Court documents show that a response is now due from Andrew by 17 September.

Buckingham Palace referred the Guardian to an external PR agency that represents the Duke of York. A spokesperson then said: “No comment.” » | Adam Gabbatt | Friday, September 10, 2021

Prince Andrew’s reputation damaged for ever by Giuffre claims, experts say »

Queen Commemorates ‘Terrible Attacks’ of 9/11 in Message to Joe Biden

THE GUARDIAN: The Queen, Keir Starmer and the PM sent messages to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks

The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, lays flowers in the September 11 Memorial Garden in Grosvenor Square, London, to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack. Photograph: David Parry/PA

THE GUARDIAN: The Queen, Keir Starmer and the PM sent messages to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks

The Queen has sent a message to the US president, Joe Biden, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and remembered her visit to Ground Zero, the site of the attack on the World Trade Center.

Her message said: “As we mark the 20th anniversary of the terrible attacks on September 11 2001, my thoughts and prayers – and those of my family and the entire nation – remain with the victims, survivors and families affected, as well as the first responders and rescue workers called to duty.

“My visit to the site of the World Trade Center in 2010 is held fast in my memory. It reminds me that as we honour those from many nations, faiths and backgrounds who lost their lives, we also pay tribute to the resilience and determination of the communities who joined together to rebuild.” » | Jedidajah Otte | Saturday, Semptember 11, 2021

Premier mariage gay en France

May 29, 2013 • Après plusieurs mois de manifestations et de débats houleux, Bruno Boileau et Vincent Autin se sont enfin dit "oui".

Premier couple gay à bénéficier du mariage pour tous, une loi promulguée il y a onze jours, les deux hommes se sont unis à la mairie de Montpellier. Une cérémonie sous le feu des projecteurs, couverte par quelques deux cents journalistes. Parmi les quatre cents invités, plusieurs élus mais aussi la porte-parole du gouvernement Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (à titre privé, c'est une amie du couple), ainsi que des associations de défence des droits des homosexuels.

A l'extérieur, l'évènement a attiré les curieux, partisans ou non du magiage pour tous. Un important dispositif de sécurité avait été déployé pour éviter tout débordement. Quelques échauffourées auraient tout de même éclaté.



An short English version of this marriage is available here.

A Scottish Gay Wedding

Sometimes, I wish I were a Scotsman! There’s something about a man in a kilt, don’t you think? Ladies like them, too.

Thanks go to Scottish Wedding Traditions on Pinterest for this super photo.

Gay Quotes : Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe: [Source of photo IMDb and Google Images.]

”Some people think I am gay, which I think is awesome.” – Daniel Radcliffe [Source: Brainy Quote]

Many in the Military Enjoy a Kiss

Beaucoup de militaires apprécient un baiser / Viele im Militär genießen einen Kuss

With thanks to Alexsandre Portier on Pinterest for this great photo.

Seong-Jin Cho – Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 9: No. 2 in E Flat Major. Andante

”With an overwhelming talent and innate musicality, Seong-Jin Cho has made his mark as one of the consummate talents of his generation and most distinctive artists on the current music scene. His thoughtful and poetic, assertive and tender, virtuosic and colourful playing can combine panache with purity and is driven by an impressive natural sense of balance.”

Friday, September 10, 2021

The Guardian View on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11: No End in Sight

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The devastating al-Qaida attack, and America’s response, had far-reaching consequences which are still developing

An American flag flies near the base of the destroyed World Trade Center. ‘On 9/11, the country transitioned from a dream of unending tranquility at home to a nightmare of forever war.’ Photograph: Peter Morgan/Reuters

Anew and deadly era began when the planes sliced into the twin towers on the morning of 11 September 2001. That evening, the historian Tony Judt wrote that he had seen the 21st century begin. The nearly 3,000 lives stolen by al-Qaida were only a small part of the toll. The horror began a chain of events that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, including huge numbers of civilians abroad and many US military personnel. It is still unfolding.

If the killing of the plot’s mastermind Osama bin Laden a few months before the 10th anniversary perhaps let some hope that an end to that new era might be in sight, there can be no such false confidence at the 20th. The establishment of a Taliban government in Kabul, two decades after the US ousted the militants for harbouring Bin Laden, has underscored two things: that far from reasserting its global supremacy, the US looks more vulnerable today; and that the echoes of 9/11 are still reverberating across the region – but will not stay there. » | Editorial | Friday, September 10, 2021

READ MY ESSAY ON ISLAM, DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM:

Islam is an existential threat to the West. My essay is as pertinent today as it was the day I wrote it!

Islam: The Enemy of Democracy and Freedom »

'Spain On A Fork': Roasted Cauliflower with Bechamel Sauce | “A Ridiculously Good Recipe”


Get the recipe here.

For those who wish to do so, Albert Bevia can be supported on Patreon here.

Beim Kampf ums politische Überleben wird Bolsonaro einsam – und radikaler

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der brasilianische Präsident Bolsonaro hat seine Anhänger am Feiertag zur Unabhängigkeit dazu aufgerufen, ihn mit Protesten zu unterstützen. Viele sind gekommen. Nun will der Rechtspopulist einen Verfassungsrat einberufen, der über den Ausnahmezustand entscheiden könnte.

Der brasilianische Präsident Jair Bolsonaro (Mitte) grüsst seine Unterstützer bei einer Demonstration in São Paulo am 7. September.| Fernando Bizerra / EPA

Mit einem offenen Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith aus dem Jahr 1952 liess sich der brasilianische Präsident am gestrigen Unabhängigkeitstag zum Fahnenappell vor den Präsidentenpalast fahren. Der mehrfache Formel-1-Gewinner Nelson Piquet – ein erklärter Bolsonaro-Fan – steuerte die Limousine mit dem Präsidentenpaar und einigen Kindern. Doch danach war es vorbei mit der fast höfischen Eleganz: Der Rechtspopulist hielt vor seinen meist schon am Vortag angereisten rund 120 000 Fans eine Ansprache, wie sie es von ihm erwarteten. «Wir haben Ordnung und Fortschritt auf unsere Fahne geschrieben», bellte er im Kommandoton. Die wolle er auch durchsetzen. Die Demonstration sei ein Ultimatum an die Machthaber der Republik. Das sind für ihn die Richter des Obersten Gerichtshofs. Weil diese Machtkonzentration einzelner Mitglieder der Justiz nicht akzeptabel sei, wolle er schon am heutigen Mittwoch einen Verfassungsrat einberufen. » | Alexander Busch, Salvador | Mittwoch, 8. September 2021

Many Gays, Lesbians Still Don't Believe Male Bisexuality Is Real

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

ADVOCATE: A new study found people often viewed bisexual men as gay men who were not out, while respondents didn't view women the same way.

New research has provided evidence that systematic biases exist in how we perceive female and male bisexuality. Researchers found that bisexual men were more likely to be viewed as being attracted to men more than women, while the same was not true for bisexual women. They were viewed as being equally attracted to men and women.

Published in the European Journal of Social Psychology earlier this year, the study’s authors write that the findings, “add to the understanding of the unique bias bisexual people face by showing that perceived attraction patterns may underlie the labelling of bisexual men as ‘actually gay.’

An analysis conducted by the research team also found that heterosexual, lesbian, and gay participants all perceived bisexual men as more attracted to men than to women. » | Alex Cooper | Thursday, September 9, 2021

Au Canada, le chemin de croix électoral de Justin Trudeau

Des manifestants démontrent leur hostilité à Justin Trudeau lors de sa tournée de campagne électorale à Brantford, au Canada, le 6 septembre. CARLOS OSORIO/REUTERS

LE FIGARO : À dix jours des législatives, le premier ministre ne séduit plus et est devancé dans les sondages par le conservateur, Erin O’Toole.

À Ottawa

Cette campagne électorale a véritablement commencé chez le barbier. À l’aube de la fête nationale du Canada, le 1er juillet, Justin Trudeau a rasé sa barbe grisonnante et coupé ses cheveux longs, ainsi portés depuis le début de la crise sanitaire. Avec l’été, les mauvais jours de la pandémie devaient être un mauvais souvenir. Et Justin Trudeau, le premier ministre flamboyant du scrutin de 2015, de retour. Tous les chefs de partis ont alors compris le symbole. Ils ont pris le chemin d’une campagne électorale qui n’était pas officiellement déclarée. L’héritier de Pierre-Eliott Trudeau, à la tête d’un gouvernement minoritaire, a peaufiné sa stratégie. Après la découverte de tombes de milliers d’enfants amérindiens assassinés dans les pensionnats catholiques au XIX et XX siècles, Justin Trudeau a versé avec talent dans le pathos, puis nommé une gouverneur générale autochtone. » | Par Ludovic Hirtzmann | jeudi 9 septembre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

Canada election: rivals force Justin Trudeau on to defensive in leaders’ debate: The prime minister was under fire for his record on climate change, Indigenous affairs and economic hardship ahead of 20 September poll »

L’afflux de migrants suscite la tension entre Paris et Londres

Depuis le début de l’année, 14 000 migrants auraient réussi à débarquer sur les côtes anglaises (ici, mardi, à Dungeness), contre 8 000 pour l’année 2020. PETER NICHOLLS/REUTERS

LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Le Royaume-Uni menace de ne pas verser les 60 millions d’euros promis pour renforcer les garde-côtes français.

Correspondant à Londres

Une fois de plus, la question des migrants met aux prises Paris et Londres. Alors que les Britanniques reprochent aux Français leur inaction sur le sujet et menacent de durcir leur riposte, les Français accusent le gouvernement de Boris Johnson de «chantage». La visite du ministre français de l’Intérieur à Londres, mercredi, n’a pas apaisé les esprits, tant s’en faut. Dès jeudi matin, la presse titrait sur les menaces de Priti Patel, son homologue britannique, de refouler les bateaux de migrants vers la France. Au début de la semaine, elle avait déjà laissé entendre que le Royaume-Uni pourrait ne pas verser les 60 millions d’euros promis pour financer le renforcement des forces de l’ordre françaises sur les côtes. «La France n’acceptera aucune pratique contraire au droit de la mer ni aucun chantage financier», a réagi sur Twitter Gérald Darmanin. » | Par Arnaud De La Grange | jeudi 9 septembre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

The UK’s First Gay Marriage

Photo: Matt Dunham/AP

Read the article in the Daily Beast.

WIKIPEDIA: Same-sex mariiage in the United Kingdom

’Couples’ Rings’

”At Tiffany, we honor lasting love and commitment in all forms.”

My thanks and gratitude for this wonderful image go to Tiffany & Co. and Pinterest.

Gay Quotes : Arsham Parsi on Being Gay in Iran and Refugees

“Every LGBTQ+ refugee has a unique situation—but the fear and pain they endured before coming to Canada is universal.” – Arsham Parsi

Arsham Parsi, an Iranian refugee living in Canada in exile, has made it his mission to help LGBTQ people living in Iran: a nation where acts of homosexuality are punishable by flogging or even death. In the above quotation, Parsi seeks the assistance of LGBTQ people living in Western nations, providing a powerful reminder that while things are slowly improving in the west, there are still queer people all over the world who live every day afraid for their very lives. [Source: HUMAN RIGHTS CAREERS]

Thanks go to Google Images and A Wider Bridge for the photo above.

The Athletic Kiss

Le baiser athlétique / Der sportliche Kuss

With thanks to lovebetween2men on Pinterest and on Tumblr.

Liebe und Zufriedenheit

Amour et contentement / Love and contentment

Many thanks to ’Brooklyn Wedding Photo’ on Pinterest. This is their blog.

Chopin: Nocturne No.2 In E Flat, Op.9 No.2 | Maurizio Pollini

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Thursday, September 09, 2021

Violent Attacks on Afghan Journalists by Taliban Prompt Growing Alarm

A screenshot taken from the accompanying video.

THE GUARDIAN: As images circulate of the brutal flogging of two reporters, a senior Afghan journalist declares ‘press freedom has ended’

A spate of violent attacks on Afghan journalists by the Taliban is prompting growing alarm over the freedom of the country’s media, with one senior journalist declaring that “press freedom has ended”.

As images and testimony circulated internationally of the arrest and brutal flogging of two reporters who were detained covering a women’s rights demonstration in Kabul on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists raised concern over the recent string of attacks.

In just two days this week, the Taliban detained and later released at least 14 journalists covering protests in Kabul, with at least six of these journalists subject to violence during their arrests or detention, the CPJ reported.

Other journalists, including some working with the BBC, were also prevented from filming the protest on Wednesday. Read the rest of the article and watch the video » | Emma Graham-Harrison in Kandahar, and Peter Beaumont | Thursday, September 9, 2021

Austrian Man Mummifies Dead Mother to Keep Receiving Her Benefits

THE GUARDIAN: Man, 66, admitted to freezing her body after she died before wrapping her in bandages to absorb any fluid

Austrian police have discovered the body of an 89-year-old woman who died more than a year ago and was mummified in the cellar by her son who wanted to continue receiving her benefits.

In a statement, police said the woman, who is believed to have suffered from dementia, had died in June last year.

“The 66-year-old man kept her body in order to continue receiving benefits,” they said.

The suspect lived with his mother near Innsbruck in the Tyrol region. » | AFP in Vienna | Thursday, September 9, 2021

Élections au Maroc: les islamistes du PJD laminés

Le parti s'effondre, passant de 125 sièges dans l'assemblée sortante à 12, a indiqué le ministre de l'Intérieur Abdelouafi Laftit. FADEL SENNA / AFP

LE FIGARO : Le Parti de la justice et du développement, qui avait gagné et 2011 et 2016, a été lourdement battu aux législatives.

À Rabat

On les savait en difficulté, mais ils ont été laminés. Les islamistes du PJD ont perdu la majorité de la Chambre des représentants, pour être relégués en 8e position. Sur 395 députés, ils en avaient 125 et n'en auront plus que 12, selon les résultats préliminaires. Un désastre dont le Rassemblement national des indépendants (RNI) a su profiter. Quatrième force politique à l'issue des législatives de 2016, le RNI a réussi à prendre la tête de la Chambre avec 97 députés, suivi par une autre formation libérale, le Parti Authenticité et Modernité (PAM), et par le parti de centre droit l'Istiqlal (78 députés). » | Par Julie Chaudier | jeudi 9 septembre 2021

Parlamentswahlen in Marokko: Krachende Niederlage für die Islamisten: Nach einem Jahrzehnt an der Macht haben die Islamisten in Marokko bei den Parlamentswahlen ersten Ergebnissen zufolge eine Schlappe erlitten. Stand jetzt würden sie nur noch 12 Sitze erhalten. »

Morocco elections: Islamists suffer losses as liberal parties gain ground »

Whitney Houston : I Wanna Dance With Somebody | Official Video

Views on YouTube: 299,640,695

Stevie Wonder : Isn't She Lovely

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group | Views on YouTube: 16,504,811

Stevie Wonder : I Just Called To Say I Love You

Views on YouTube: 128,985,972

Stevie Wonder : Knocks Me Off My Feet

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group | Views on YouTube: 2,750,438

A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker

Jun 9, 2021 • In “Alone Out Here,” by Philip Busfield and Luke Cornish, an Australian rancher who is openly gay in a conservative industry fights to reduce carbon emissions through his cattle farming.

Brazil’s President Bans Social Networks from Removing Some Posts

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The new rules in Brazil appear to be the first national policy that restricts how tech companies can control their sites, analysts say.

Supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil in São Paulo on Tuesday. Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil is temporarily banning social media companies from removing certain content, including his claims that the only way he’ll lose next year’s elections is if the vote is rigged — one of the most significant steps by a democratically elected leader to control what can be said on the internet.

The new social media rules, issued this week and effective immediately, appear to be the first time a national government has stopped internet companies from taking down content that violates their rules, according to internet law experts and officials at tech companies. And they come at a precarious moment for Brazil. » | Jack Nicas | Thursday, September 9, 2021

Acteurs, politiques, écrivains, animateurs... Ils ont rendu un dernier hommage à Jean-Paul Belmondo

La Garde Républicaine. Ian LANGSDON / POOL / AFP

La France a rendu jeudi 9 novembre un hommage national à l'acteur Jean-Paul Belmondo, décédé lundi à l'âge de 88 ans. Dans la cour des Invalides à Paris, près de 1.000 personnes ont pu assister à cette cérémonie en plus de la famille et de nombreuses personnalités. » | Par Rosa Chevassu et Clémentine Maligorne | jeudi 9 septembre 2021

Creamy Chicken with Morel Mushroom Sauce | Classic French Recipes

A specialty from the Franche-comte region: Poulet à la crème et aux morilles (avec du sherry).


Get the recipe here.

Mahler: Symphony No 5, Adagietto – Herbert von Karajan

Berlin Philharmoniker. | Slide-show of Venice with contemporary photographs and antique oil paintings.

Vieler Herren Häuser - Der Glanz des alten Adels

May 18, 2016 • Eine Produktion von Clever Contents in Zusammenarbeit mit ORF III Kultur und Informationen unter Förderung von Fernsehfonds Austria. Copyright Clever Contents 2016. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Regisseur: Franz Riess Historische Beratung: Gigga Neunteufel

Lesbos: Sapphos lyrische Liebe zu Frauen | Stadt Land Kunst | ARTE

Aug 30, 2021 • Von der Küste des Dorfes Eresos bis hin zum Tempel von Messa: Die antike Dichterin Sappho fand auf Lesbos eine Fülle an lyrischer Inspiration. Von der ägäischen Insel aus besang eine Frau etwa 600 v. Chr. erstmals die Liebe zwischen Frauen. In ihren Schriften über Lesbos offenbarte Sappho eine Welt brennender, bisweilen von Schmerz getrübter Leidenschaften.

Blinken lobt bemerkenswerte Partnerschaft mit Deutschland

BESUCH IN RAMSTEIN

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Beim Treffen mit seinem deutschen Amtskollegen spricht Antony Blinken über den gemeinsamen Umgang mit den Taliban. Von den über 10.000 afghanischen Flüchtlingen in Ramstein wollen einige in Deutschland bleiben.

Mit seiner Reiseroute folgte Antony Blinken jener von tausenden Evakuierten aus Afghanistan: erst Qatar, dann Ramstein. Die Besuche verband der amerikanische Außenminister mit Worten des Dankes für die Verbündeten – auch wenn diese, wie im Falle Deutschlands, und vor allem im Falle von Heiko Maas, durch den raschen Abzug der Amerikaner aus Afghanistan in große Schwierigkeiten geraten sind. Beim Zusammentreffen mit dem deutschen Außenminister auf dem amerikanischen Luftwaffenstützpunkt in Ramstein sprach Blinken am Mittwoch von einer „bemerkenswerten Partnerschaft“ mit Deutschland bei der Evakuierung der Afghanen. Maas wiederum begrüßte „Tony“ auf dem „amerikanischsten Teil Deutschlands“ und sprach von einer „guten und engen Kooperation, die wir in den letzten Wochen hatten mit Blick auf Afghanistan“. » | Von Johannes Leithäuser und Julian Staib, Berlin/Reamstein | Mittwoch, 8. September 2021

USA : 20 ans de guerre contre les Talibans pour rien ? - 28 Minutes - ARTE

May 3, 2021 • Samedi 1er mai, les États-Unis ont officiellement entamé le retrait de leurs derniers soldats d’Afghanistan, sonnant ainsi la fin d’une longue guerre pour Washington. Cette décision du président Joe Biden pose néanmoins de nombreuses questions.

On Masculinity

True masculinity is not behaving in a macho way. Rather, it is being able to show strength in adversity; being able to overcome major setbacks in life; being able to overcome overwhelmingly difficult situations; and then being able to survive. It takes courage to do those things. Courage is what is called for in a man, not faux masculinity. Courage is having the strength to overcome.

History is replete with strong, gay men – gay military men, too! In fact, leaders of all sorts. Society needs to get away from the notion that showing love and affection, either as a gay or straight man, is weak. It most certainly is not. Most gay men are also not effeminate! In fact, most gay men these days are anything but effeminate. Effeminate gay men are an old theatrical parody of the nature of gay men. But it is a very distorted, cruel and incorrect one. © Mark

Tenderness and Affection

This world would be a far better, less violent place if we encouraged men to show a more loving, more caring, gentler side to their nature, instead of all this macho claptrap. The aggressive side of man’s nature is ugly. There is absolutely nothing manly in being aggressive and violent; in fact, quite the opposite! It takes courage to show one's gentler side. Any old fool can be aggressive and nasty. But it takes a real man to be gentle and caring – a man who is sure of his own masculinity. Incidentally, very often, the most homophobic of men are those who are least sure of their own true sexual orientation.

With thanks to patheos.com on Pinterest for this superb photo of two gay men showing their love and affection for each other. This is the patheos.com website.

A Tender Kiss in the Sun

Un tendre baiser au soleil / Ein zärtlicher Kuss in der Sonne

With thanks to Pinterest for this image.

The Amazing “First Kiss” in Tel Aviv

Above is a screenshot taken from the video.

”First Kiss” is an 84-minute kissing video between the artists Idan Bitton and Alfredo Ferran Calle.

While the camera is still, the kiss is in motion provoking the viewer to stay and watch.

Idan and Alfredo do not interact with the viewer, but offer a peek into their intimate moments of commitment.

This long-lasting, present and unapologetic kiss defines our current gay rights momentum: We are here, we love each other, and this is what it looks like.

By Idan Bitton – (idanbitton.com)
Performed by Idan Bitton & Alfredo Ferran Calle
Video by Runn Shayo, whose website can be found here.


Because of YouTube age restrictions, this video cannot be embedded; it must be viewed on YouTube itself.

I have posted this ‘kissathon’ a few times before, because it is such a beautiful expression of gay love. Besides, the kissing lasts so long that I haven’t been able to find the time to view the video the whole way through yet; I’m still working on it! But it’s worth “working on” because it is such a stunning expression of two men’s love for each other.

I think that this must be the most beautiful video of gay men kissing on the Web! At least, I have never seen anything that comes even close to it. The two men are handsome. The kissing is genuine. The love these two men have for each other is palpable. And then the duration of the kissing is remarkable. Added to all that, the kissing is also decent. In my opinion, no reasonable person could object to this display of genuine love and affection. Anyone who does needs to get out from under that rock! Enjoy this wonderful display of love and affection! Click here to watch it. In good YouTube fashion, it should take you to where you left off the last time. – Mark

Wednesday, September 08, 2021

À Kaboul, la vie quotidienne soumise à la sinistre loi des talibans

Depuis la prise de Kaboul par les talibans, les fresques murales de la capitale afghane sont effacées et remplacées par des slogans théocratiques (ici, le 4 septembre). AAMIR QURESHI/AFP

LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - Les nouveaux maîtres du pays imposent peu à peu leur application très stricte de la charia dans la capitale afghane, menaçant barbiers, taxis et boutiques de mode.

Dans son petit local décoré d’affiches de mannequins aux coiffures excentriques, le barbier Hajji Barakatullah se fait aussi discret que possible. Lorsque deux jeunes hommes entrouvrent la porte dans l’espoir de se faire tailler la barbe, le petit homme rond se dépêche de la refermer sur eux, grommelant des excuses, l’air aussi dépité que ses clients perdus.

«Il y a une semaine, une poignée d’hommes armés ont fait irruption dans mon magasin. Ils m’ont ordonné de ne plus couper les cheveux à la mode occidentale, et de ne plus raser les barbes. Je dois leur obéir», explique-t-il. Son client du moment, un garçon d’une douzaine d’années, était tétanisé. «Il n’osait pas bouger. Il regardait la scène dans le miroir avec de grands yeux, comme si c’étaient des monstres», décrit le commerçant, une figure du quartier, qui a ouvert son salon il y a presque vingt ans.

Les talibans n’ont pas officiellement édicté de loi interdisant aux Afghans de se raser la barbe ou de changer leurs habitudes… Et les dirigeants, ceux-là mêmes qui jusqu’ici discutaient avec des diplomates étrangers dans de grands hôtels à Doha, n’ont de cesse d’assurer la population à grand renfort de communiqués diffusés à la télévision nationale qu’elle ne doit pas les craindre. Objectif: convaincre la communauté internationale, pourvoyeuse de l’aide internationale qui faisait jusqu’alors tourner le pays, que les talibans 2.0 sont prêts à reculer sur une partie de leur projet social. » | Par Margaux Benn | mercredi 8 septembre 2021

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Stevie Wonder : As

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