Liberte or Royale ?

 

The city of Bordeaux should decide what it wants: the pre-revolutionary royale or the post-revolutionary liberte. 

 

 

Can Israel be considered a Democracy?

Indicted Prime Minister (or as some have it “crime-minister”) Netanyahu has three court cases for mega corruption charges before him. Over the last few years, the man has done everything in his power to evade justice. His coalition deals are geared only to that end. He personally chose police chiefs and ministers of justice, to serve that one purpose – keep him out of jail.

Disgust with his corruption combined with Corona-helplessnes and despair have energised anti-Netanyahu demonstrations, of a kind not seen in Israel before. The demonstrations have been taking place on a weekly basis, in front of his residence, his weekend house and throughout the country, for several months. These demonstrations have been grating on Netanyahu and he has been sending his hounds to reign them in. To no avail. 

Netanyahu has now reached the next stage and taking advantage of COVID 19, he is trying to silence the demonstrators. To that end, the country is been subjected to a rigid lock-down and the Israeli cabinet has passed regulations that limit demonstrations to a distance of one kilometre from one’s home: Will only Netanyahu’s neighbours be permitted to demonstrate against him? The health professionals, who advise the cabinet, confirmed that they saw no need for such draconian restrictions – Netanyahu who is panicking – has decided against that advice. 

 

Israel – which considered itself to be a democracy, despite the fact that it never was a democracy for the Arabs under its control – now, no longer is a democracy for its Jewish population.

Idiots or S***heads

Why are those not wearing masks not simply walking about with a big sign on their foreheads declaring, “I am an asshole”?

 

I spent a few days in Berlin last week and estimate that about a third of the passengers on the underground trains – if not more – “fake it”. Many leave the nose free; some just wear the mask around their chin. And then you get the morons, who lift the mask whilst talking on their mobile phones. But the winner was the man who took off his mask so that we could all share his sneeze output.

 

So, what should one wish all those, who knowingly and defiantly put others at risk? What should one wish all those, who do not even have the decency to respect the discomfort and the fears of others? 

 

Sometimes it is simple: A Ukrainian bishop who explained that COVID was a punishment for same-sex marriage, found himself, some weeks later, in hospital with Corona-induced-pneumonia. If the bishop gets better – having already paid the price – he should perhaps try that same-sex marriage, which he spoke about. The man is 91, so he should hurry up. 

Cushions

 Who ever sold the hotel industry this ridiculous idea of dispersing cushions on hotel beds? In many cases, they are unattractive. In all cases, they are unhygienic. The first thing I do in such hotels is to hide these cushions, to prevent the maid from covering my pillow with them. 

 

 

Corruptiyahu

 Corruptiyahu, who gets his and his family’s laundry paid for by the state, seems to have a special penchant for overseas dry cleaning and laundry.

 

It has been an open secret in Israel that the Netanyahus had the habit of taking suitcases full of dirty laundry on their international state and diplomatic trips to get them laundered in hotels. Last year a photographer published a photo of 11 (ELEVEN) suitcases, which the Netanyahus took on their plane for a one-day-visit of Portugal.

 

Yesterday the Washington Post reported from the White House that “Israel’s Netanyahu brings his dirty laundry to Washington... bags and suitcases full of dirty laundry.”