FURTHER HOT NEWS ABOUT THE ABOMINABLE CENTRE OF TERRORISTS RECRUITS

We've come to learn about more of these aweful individuals:

Abu Makaron : foreign fighter coming from Italian inland exactly as
Ali Sayef El Spaghetti (probably from same village)
Abu Allah Fayette: keen on high-range shopping
Abu Fluor: he seems to be posing as a dentist
Abu Yabess: said to live in Marseille

Further news later on.

A FRENCH FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME THAT...

..he succeeded in infiltrating a muslim terrorist group.
He even named some of the components and told me he would give me more details in the future.
The components of such group (that is not really very effective as they realized they quite prefer to spend their afternoons in café terraces or body gyms rather than pursuing the virtual virgins in some kind of future paradise) have now a name.
Here they are:

Abu Sayef Al Moron (he's not really such a bright guy)
Ali Ridikul (spends most of his time in front of his mirror)
Ibn Submersif (tries to dive but can't swim..most unfortunate for him)
Ibn Al Pastis (loves the French Riviera cafés)
Hussein Bin Kretin (one of the less intelligent brothers in his family and - for this reason - ready to blow    
      himself up)
Abu Lik (not very sharp or active: the Brotherhood must work hard on him)

That's all for the moment but as soon as we'll have more information, we shall release it on this same channel.

IT'S TRUE! YOUR NEIGHBOUR COULD BE A JIHADIST...HOWEVER...

Although I despise any kind of religious fanaticism, I find that Daech (self-calling IS) is less  murderous than other causes:
Ask yourselves about the yearly victims of :

Death toll due to Muslim terrorism
Death toll due to Road Accidents
Death toll due to Air-carrier Accidents
Death toll due to Family feuds
Death toll due to Friendly Fire

You might be surprised by the results of your on-line investigation.

HOW CAN A MAN, A CREATOR KILL HIS BEST CHILD?

That's what Bill Gates is doing when he's closing down his XP programme.
I can but view this move as Ridley Scott's scene from Blade Runner with Rutger Hauer.

ARE SCOTTISH BETTER THAN ENGLISH?

I can't say.
What I understand, from statistics, is that Scottish people and the younger generations of the English territories, not to speak of Northern Ireland, wish to stay with us, Europeans.
As to me, they're all welcome. I couldn't imagine a Europe without Scots or, come to that, without Irishmen.
Also, I can't imagine a Europe deprived of its best English young brains!
So, once in a while, I agree with European leaders (when they're saying that there's no need to hurry in implementing the breach between the Continent and the UK).

As usual Mr. Hollande understood nothing (because - poor man - global events are too much to take in for his brain) and Mr. Juncker made himself to APPEAR  as the strong man (because he's just a functionary asset concerned about his salary) and Mr. Martin Schultz made himself notorious as he has nothing else to give value to his person  but it's just APPEARANCE and PROTAGONISM, let's call it ADVERTISING for next elections. They count as much as a 3 of spades.

Brexit has been useful as it made each one of us wonder.
Even People who voted 'Leave' are having second thoughts.

Rightfully so.

THE PROUD REDHEAD

June 26th, 2012
Never forgotten

BILL EVANS - CHET BAKER

These are guys (sometimes naughty) who created beauty.
Compared to the one who just died and was celebrated for punching, knocking and hurting adversaries, I'd say these two are rather more worthy of praise.

BOXING ..A NOBLE ART?

Never understood why two people punching each other and knocking each other out (and often hurting adversaries to death or even worse, to cerebral death) can be seen as exercising a 'noble art'.

Boxing is just a lingering memory of cavemen. The worst possible activity that I would never call a sport.

This said, I also can't understand the level of grieving and apotheosis surrounding Muhammad Ali's death.
He was someone punching his adversaries harder that they.

Does this make him a hero?
I think not.

His sentences concerning 'niggers' and 'vietcong', moreover, were just prompted by his press-agents, according to the years of his activity and the trends of those times. Does anyone remember how Jane Fonda was called at that time thanks to the same slogans? Hanoi Jane!

Politics as a means to call for sympathy at a certain time.

I have no sympathy for such kind of people.
And I find boxing to be a most damaging, savage and  absolutely stupid activity.

SELFIES OR THE TRIUMPH OF RIDICULE

Interesting reading today in The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/29/posting-photos-online-obituary-images

and, some time ago in Time magazine
http://time.com/40254/selfies-science/

Any comment is superfluous!

WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE END?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36299692

That, seen in a millenium-long history of the human species, is just a a moment.
Evolution is a never-ending progress. What was right yesterday is becoming a mistake tomorrow.
Never forget that your present is also your past and your future

AMERIGO VESPUCCI TRAINING BOAT

A Beauty!
With a special thought for Sole's Captain Zaphod
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_training_ship_Amerigo_Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci is celebrating Her 85th anniversary and will be resting in Venice for the coming 4 days.

CATS RULE !

I'm sorry for Bunnies. I love Bunnies as much as Sole did.
But I must admit Cats are ruling the world! (psst...it's still not common knowledge but they are holding worldwide conventions for a world takeover!)
See and read here: https://twitter.com/TheFuckingCat
Meanwhile they are skillfully infiltrating diplomatic channels as it's clearly demonstrated here:
https://twitter.com/EmbassyCat
All above information is purrfectly secret!
Well...unless some human can be purrsuaded to join the Cats Liberation Army, of course!

SOME DAYS CAN BRING GOOD NEWS...

...for men and not only !
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36250416

Wikileaks' Julian Assange gets kitten at Ecuador embassy

DESPITE CENTURIES AND CENTURIES...VATICAN STILL COMMANDS!

http://tribunatreviso.gelocal.it/treviso/cronaca/2016/05/09/news/interruzione-di-gravidanza-diritto-negato-1.13441624?ref=hftttrer-2

A fundamental right for women who want to terminate unwanted pregnancy (whatever the reason: rape, health, etc) is denied due to a so-called conscience-dictated decision.

Doctors, who should put their patient's well being before anything else, decide they can't perform abortion due to their religious beliefs.

On the other hand, there have been many cases of illegal abortions performed in some private clinics where those same physicians were doing - privately - what they denied publicly.

As always, Italy is still a country ruled by Church's powers.
Let's not forget that in this country, Church has acknowledged privileges:
- in terms of taxes, real estate, etc
- in terms of immunities
    and other, less known and non-officiel privileges:
- a special 'ear' in justice by magistrates who built their careers thanks to the little 'word' to a special friend
    connected to the Vatican
- a special way to careers - such as those so-called doctors who deny abortion and oblige women to abort
    under less than safe conditions, doctors that are rewarded with advancements of career and money
    earnings thanks to special recommendations, although they renege the basic Hippocratic Oath

My poor country. How true was the thought of my History Professor, Monsieur Cox, who said more than 50 years ago, that Italy would never be a modern country till it had inside itself that other State, the Vatican!

WE, THE PEOPLE...

...understand the Reason of State.
However, when the Reason of State collides against the reason of few who are greedy for power and money
We, the People, object!
It is our right and we mean to stand by it.

VENEZIA, MY LOVE - THE PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC SEA...

...daily defaced
- by ignorant 'tourists' who just come here for a selfie
- by those who think it's 'cute' to eat a piece of foreign-made pizza (if one can still call it pizza), sitting on the          historical steps of Le Procuratie and insult centuries of history by littering those grounds. Would you    
       ever conceive the same happening  in Place Vendôme?
- by imported 'merchants' who sell chinese glass under the false label of Murano
- by unlawful immigrants who sell counterfeit goods in all places
- by criminals from Eastern Europe who organize drug rackets, with Africans  in some areas where people
        are now afraid to live in?
My poor Serenissima.
You're sinking under the weight of ignorance and mass tourism.
You deserved better.
You, Pearl of the Adriatic where artists and connoisseurs chose to live, create and die.
You, Venice, who stood up against the Popes and the Inquisition
You, Venice, are you now giving up completely the values that made you so powerful?
You, Venice, do you really want to become a kind of discredited  Disneyworld?

LET'S NOT BE SURPRISED...

...if the People react against decisions made in high place that deny the People's Will .
http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2016/04/24/01003-20160424ARTFIG00136-autriche-l-extreme-droite-en-tete-au-premier-tour-de-la-presidentielle.php

YEHUDI MENUHIN ... A GIANT AND A GENTLEMAN

EARTH DAY

Somehow, I can't help to associate this day with this Pink Floyd's song

Hey You!

BETTER ONE DAY LATER THAN NEVER !

Sinopoli: a giant !
..and so elegantly always self-effacing.

Sole loved the Adagietto (Adagietto from SYMPHONY NO.5 by Gustav Mahler)..she played it over and over, sometimes for hours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BUtzb63yMM&feature=em-subs_digest

8TH OF APRIL - JACQUES BREL

On this day,  year 1929, a legend was born.
He's still in our hearts, in our minds, in our souls and will never be forgotten.
The strength in his voice, in his words, in his songs is unique.
If songs could be (as they should) be compared to other artworks, I'd say he was no lesser than Rodin, Monet, Titian and so many other Masters.

Here is his most acclaimed song..but not the lesser

...and the one I love most

and one that is not often recognized as one of his masterpieces but I think it is

and the most powerful, descriptive and poetic about that wonderful town of Amsterdam

and the funniest and most ferocious against the 'Bourgeois', the people who think they have reached a status...but we know better, don't we?

and the lightest and amusing reminder of old Brussels' times. 

With my deepest feelings and sadness for all those who were recently  killed and injured through Islamic Terrorists who were welcomed in this small country of liberty and made a terrorists' nest of it.

It's also noteworthy to remember that Brel was not only a great chansonnier but also a fine actor/director. Some of the movies he directed or played in were amongst the finest of cinematography's history, although not the best-known or best-rated. But, then, so is the life of many geniuses.
And
Sole loved him.

RICHES AND POVERTY

In case anyone still have some doubts
http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2016/04/07/panama-papers-comment-le-petrole-congolais-s-evapore-dans-les-paradis-fiscaux_4898082_3212.html

It all sums up with a memorable movie by Luchino Visconti
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Leopard_(1963_film)

"Everything must change so that nothing changes"

That's not only Mafia. That's the mantra for all of the financial, banking and business lobbies.
Today's international dealings are none other than business agreements between lobbies and conglomerates. Small people are not taken into account but as pawns.

MARCOS, CEAUSESCU, ERDOGAN...

... men who could have been great but were just grabbers.
Nobodies who - through corruption and harsh domination - succeeded in reaching power and became a ridiculous image of it.
Huge buildings where the void is of essence are just the image of such men.
Some made use of army.
Some of ideology and brain-washing.
Some of religion...as is the case for Erdogan who keeps his power thanks to the illiterate masses of people in the poorest regions of Turkey.
Where women are just there to give birth to so many little muslims as they can.

FIFTH COLUMN

Fifth Column
We're welcoming men (there are so very few women in the boats ..expendable goods aren't they?) all in their full youth.
One has to wonder.
Why are they not fighting in their own country for their own freedom?
Why are they finding our ways of living indecent?
Why are they feeling like they can rape our women just because they feel our women are free ?

We're inviting our own enemies into our houses.
Fifth Column has a name:
Help your enemy into your home and
Bow to his wishes

Let's not be surprised if right-wing parties will sail on these shores.

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE DECLARES...

that Daech (so-called IS) committed genocide.
http://in.reuters.com/article/mideast-crisis-usa-genocide-idINKCN0WJ1TN
What surprises me is not the news. We all were aware of the atrocities of Daech.
What surprises me is the length of time it took to a high-level politician to state what everybody else knew.
Compliments, Mr. Kerry! You voiced the obvious.....with a great deal of delay!
If this is your rythm in solving worldwide problems, we're far from solving them !

KEITH EMERSON

I found a post from the old Sole's website in which Keith Emerson and Oscar Peterson play together.

I think it's a nice way to remember both of them ...What a tempo !
And Canario, a very old recording of Keith when he still was one of three (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)

FOR YOU, SOLE, MY BEST FRIEND EVER

Some little simple flowers, the colour of springtime.
I know you loved them.
This picture was shot - thinking of you - not far from where you lived, in Treviso.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

A sensitive subject.
I usually quote, or copy for this blog,  music or texts I legally bought and wish to share with same-minded persons.
There's no doubt that any creator, composer, writer is entitled to have his efforts rewarded by Author's rights.
Let's not forget that, before Author's Rights Laws, geniuses such as Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart and Antonio Vivaldi (who are still among the best selling composers) died in poverty and were buried in Paupers'Fields.

Let's never forget that artists live on royalties.
Each single pirated copy is a step back for them.
And life is often so short.
Even for geniuses.

AMAZING NATURE

Are these hills from some far away landscape of China's inlands?

More simply, they're the moss covering of a tree

LEONARD COHEN - DID I EVER LOVE YOU

I think there are few songs so fierce about love.
I loved all tracks but this one is special to me.