A GREAT AUTHOR, UMBERTO ECO

and not only a great author  for his novel 'Il Nome della Rosa' but a great novelist (in all his other works) newsman  and a fine person.
I bought and read all of his novels and publications and never found him boring or repetitive.
His newspaper notes were so clear-minded and up to the point for all of today's facts.
His death is certainly a loss for anyone who cares about truth and analysis.
So sorry, so truly sorry!

TODAY I WONDER

Today is the anniversary of one of the greatest minds in history.
And yet so very few spoke of him.
He was a free thinker
A great scientist
And he was obliged under Church's duress to renounce his beliefs unless he were to burn on the stake.
His name was Galileo Galilei
Let's never forget his name
He was one of our forefathers.

THE JAZZ MAN

Peter Cincotti: Sole loved so much this artist.
I also do.
I think he's under rated.
Great tempo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLUas2ypb8M

TALKING ABOUT HONG KONG...

... I remember when Sole and I were talking about when, as girls who didn't yet know each other, we were flying from and to the old airport, Kai Tak, just in the middle of skyscrapers, close to the hills.
She loved flying and always found the Hong Kong approach and departure such an exhilarating experience. She always said that the new airport was OK under a rational point of view but not as thrilling as the old one. I'm not sure I totally agreed :-)
For anyone who would like to see how it was in the past to arrive at and leave from Hong Kong, here are links
Night Landing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X6HNOKSQUs
Concorde Landing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JKkJqNOFEY
Night takeoff from cockpit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c20wIRaOU8

THE PARADISE THAT WAS HONG KONG

Sole loved Hong Kong.
She told me so many times about her feelings, her happy memories of what was a lovely place. I agreed, having myself lived there for some time.
How not to remember Sundays at Stanley's market? (I mean the original one where you could still find antiques); Causeway Bay swimming; drinks in the evening at the then-called Regent ?
As long as the United Kingdom administered it, Hong Kong was (almost) perfect.
Of course, there were illegal sellers, particularly at night, selling counterfeit good to tourists.
But it was all part of an act.
Sellers knew they had to knot their selling floor-blankets in a hurry.
Police knew that the disbanded sellers would be back after some minutes.
Tourists knew they were buying counterfeit goods but didn't care.
However, roaming around Hong Kong at that time was a joyous, carefree and - above all - safe experience.
Now...the heavy hand of China:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35529587
Progress doesn't always mean improvement, does it?

PROGRESSION BUT NOT PROGRESS

ian bremmer ‏@ianbremmer  1d1 day ago

Europe refugee arrivals by sea January 2015: 5,000 2016 to date: 67,000

I'M THE DAUGHTER, GRAND-DAUGHTER AND GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER

of immigrants who were obliged for political or economic reasons to go and live in their place of choice.
They gave their reasons: freedom, legality, peace.
They were accepted and for that acceptance, they, we, shall be forever grateful.
We wanted to be part of their community
and finally we were: by respecting their views and their way of living
We, children, became friends with their children
Our parents were friends with other citizens.
We felt we were a part of that community.
We were careful to abide by local laws and rules.
Sometimes, we were treated as 'different'
We never complained
We certainely never thought about harming anyone
Our gratitude always overcame any tiny hostile gesture from others.
I still feel grateful to the country - Belgium - who gave me so much
and I'm so angry at those who received so much
and are trying to destroy it.
People who are only willing to grab and who give nothing in return but pain