Where To ?!

 

Things are rather 'messy' ( politically, economically, socially)  in my neck of the woods .  I'm not surprised.  I've even anticipated the situation.  Poor management, high corruption, an extremely 'mixed' population - can  lead to nothing good.

 What bothers me most is the threat of food shortage. If I mention that to people, they react with a smile of disbelief (after all,  lots of food is thrown away daily by individuals, families, restaurants, stores). 

There are a couple of reasons that trigger my thoughts on the above matter.

It's not only the Holocaust background of my  late mother eating potatoe peels (on a good day) in the Ghetto,  not only the ongoing russian- ukrainian war preventing a smooth supply of wheat to the world.  It's also  the very  fickle climate having a disastruous impact on food growth , distribution , and all that has to be done to feed the world.

Will food crisis (that usually starts with a rise in prices ) lead us back to some sort of nomadic lifestyle,  relocation, perhaps?! 

Possibly.  Relocation might or might not help. What's sure is that it requires a lot of planning especially where families with little kids are concerned. One also  needs an additional passport, languages, money, right timing (you cannot relocate at the last moment, as you won't be able even to come near a plane, certainly not be on the plane itself).

Age does have a  say in this. People of the third age, like myself,  are not keen on relocation, for obvious reasons. They'll stay where they are with whatever comes their way.  No energy for new beginnings, although - 'never say never',  might apply to them too. 

Anyway, I believe in God, in God's guidance and protection - and that gives me the peace of mind  I need to carry on with my everyday life, regardless of the  increasing  unrest around me. I'm grateful for that.

 

Urban Renewal (Pinuy-Binuy)

 

Urban renewal is a widely discussed and controversial program. It is a process intended to improve specific areas of a city. There are several terms related to urban renewal, the most known being 'Clearing and Building' (Pinuy-Binuy in hebrew), 'Tama 38'.

It's usually a slow process (it may take years) that involves getting permission from the residents, from the local and regional authorities, proper planning and consulting. If all goes well, the result is one of economic, social and environmental area revival.

The buildings in my neighborhood are about 60 years old. The plan is to demolish the old structures and build new ones, more spacious and with a promise of increase in market value. I would have preferred renovation, not demolition, as the basic construction is of good quality. Moreover I've got 3 air exposures and it's street faced (quiet inner street).

 In Pinuy-Binuy the apartment has to be evacuated for two-three years, and the resident displaced until the new building is finished. Not convenient to my age. I think, however, that according to the law the contractor has to offer a person of my age the option of an immediate new apartment in one of his other buildings, if available.. We shall see.

Lately, I've noticed some action which means the process is approaching and I'm quite apprehensive. There is always local corruption, conflicting interests, poor planning, and above all, the need to start downsizing towards the evacuation of the apartment.  Just the thought of it gives me a headache.

When Harvey meets Rockport

We already know  by now that the climate is not going to have any mercy on us.  Actually, we've known that for at least two decades with natural disasters increasing in number and intensity.

We cannot control climate, but we can try control our actions and planning regarding the way  houses, roads, dems are built, and the way evacuation and rescue procedures are carried out.. There seems to be growing awareness in the world to the danger of earthquakes, fires, floodings, lava eruptions, and  all the other natural disasters. This awareness should be translated into some kind of action that doesn't leave us helpless in face of the elements.

Never heard of Rockport until now, so I looked it up on Google.There isn't much about it: a small city on the coast of Texas, with a beach , fishing piers, and a history of ship building, oil drilling and pirates. Now,after being hit by hurricane Harvey, people are returning heart- broken to ruins and debris. May God strenghten them and all the others in the state of Texas!

* web map