Monday, September 16, 2024
Blogging Break
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Found Alive...
Saturday, August 31, 2024
Taekwondo
I was familiar with the name , but not with the nature of the sport itself. Now, that we have a Taekwondo gold medalist, I'm getting interested.
Asaf Yasur, 22 year old, of Israel, has defeated the Turkey fighter in the category of under 58, at the Paralympics - sports for athletes with an impairement (parallel games to the Olympics ). He competes with athletes who have lost both hands, one hand, or a toe. Asaf, lost both his hands at age 13, after being electrocuted.
Taekwondo is a martial art like judo, karate, boxing, capoeira, tai chi, jiu-jitsu , all of which teach self-defence, improving at the same time physical and mental abilities.
We live in a dangerous world with pretty agressive people. A physical confrontation can happen at any time, so we'd better be ready for it.
The training starts with learning basic kicks, and gradually progresses to light contact with the adversary before learning to kick and block him.
The Paralympics opened in Paris on 28 August and will last till the 8 of September with a participation of over 4000 athletes from all over the world. These games ar very popular , and attract thousands of ticket buyers.
basic kicks (AI generated image)
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Strategy and Tactics
Monday, August 19, 2024
Myth or Miracle ?
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Re : The Librarian
I spoke to her on the phone today. She's fine, both mentally and physically.
She claims being on good terms with her late husband's family, especially with his son.
She was in a hurry to a lecture, and invited me to pay her a visit at her protected facility.
I'm very glad of the conversation with her.
Saturday, August 10, 2024
The Librarian
She was a Holocaust survivor, divorced without children.
I was on good, correct daily terms with her as my room was adjacent to the small library. After her second marriage, I started to greatly appreciate her , for her genuine efforts to integrate in her new husband's family. She was very generous and kind with his two grown up children and their kids.
Despite her vast knowledge and skills, she was not always popular among the library visitors . There was some toughness about her, probably acquired during her Holocaust days, that put people off , so much so that according to gossip she was afraid some won't even show up to her retirement party when the time comes. Well, she was wrong about that . Full attendance, great respect shown to her.
Anyway, she kind of organized her own party as she wasn't pleased with the standard way done by the office .
Indeed, it was something different, and original , at the end of which everyone got a gift from her, a reading book with her dedication. and signature.
After retirement, she and her husband moved to another region, and I lost any contact with her. A few years ago, I heard her husband had died, and that before his death, they had managed to move to a sort of protective facility unit in a proper senior village.
I was curious: now that he was gone, would his children (son and daughter) and grandchildren be kind to her as she was to them? I had no one to ask about it as she sort of estranged herself from our mutual acquaintances.
Last week, she had appeared in my dreams , so I decided to make some inquiries. I tried to contact her through the village phone number and submitted a form filled with my personal details. but, so far, was unsuccessful. I might try later, (in case I don't get any reply from them) to contact her late husband's family to ask about her.
in the library (Ai generated image)
Monday, July 29, 2024
Pompeii
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Engelbert Humperdinck
I thought he was no longer with us, and then, I came upon a piece of news informing the reader that he would be on tour till the end of 2024.
He, the 88 amazing, popular british pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck (professional name), Arnold George Dorsay (real name).
I always had some trouble with pronouncing his professional name (originally the name of a german composer), but I loved his velvety voice and his romantic songs, so, no big effort.
Engel was one of ten children, born in India to a british couple. His wife of 57 years, Patricia Dorsay, with whom he had four children, died in 2021, battling with both Alzheimer and Covid. He was, of course, devastated, by her suffering and death.
Among his famous songs (performed mostly in solo concerts format, but also in duet with other singers) : 'Man without Love', 'Spanish Eyes', 'The last Waltz', 'I can't stop loving you', 'Quando, Quando', and many others. Each of the songs - a pearl of great music, great lyrics and great performance.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Ticks and Tricks
Recently, there has been an outbreak of West Nilus Virus in Israel.
A few hundred people have been infected , several people (elderly and immuno-compromised) have died. In hebrew, the infection is shortly called 'Kadahat HaNilus' (Nilus Fever).
insects among flowers (AI image)
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Food Security.
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Authority
We all need authority in life; it guides us, protects us, defends us, if neccessary. When we are children and teenagers, we fear/ respect/ obey our parents and teachers. Parents and teachers are the first phase authority.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Paying Attention
Friday, June 14, 2024
Doomsday Clock
Until quite recenly I knew nothing about the Doomsday Clock . Never heard of it.
Apparently, this clock, set and maintained since 1947 by experts - atomic scientists actually- measures nuclear risks, climate change, biological threats, disruptive / inovative technologies (such as AI).
It's in fact a symbolic clock, an imperfect one, used more as a metaphor than a prediction; still - an important device which draws attention to existential threaths, and might show us how close we are, God Forbid, to destruction.
Sunday, June 9, 2024
The Decline of the Printed News
Whenever I read a news article, I tell myself - that's how decline of journalism looks and feels like. One of the major reasons for this decline is the rise of the competing digital media platforms (internet, mobile phone), but not only.
There seems to be no critical, experienced eye on the material before it gets published - and that sometimes leads to shameful spelling errors, and factual inaccuracies.
We would expect a true journalist to ensure that the facts are correct, verified , balanced, and objective, that the sources on which the published story is based are available to the reader, to make it credible to him. But in most cases, no such thing.
Recently, two well-known journalists were sued by the PM, for writing lies about his health. I'm rather surprised. After all, they, the journalists, should know better than us, the ordinary people, what's possible and what not in this defamation game.
To write about someone's health you should have before your eyes a valid document, such as a doctor's report. They probably didn't have one, but based their assumptions on rumors and speculations.
*(AI image generator)