Author: Bambi

Merci/Thank you, Mr. Richard Martineau, for your column in the Journal de Montréal (https://shorturl.at/vZcOM) about the shocking triple murder of Ms. Synthia Bussieres and of her sons. May their souls rest in peace…

Below, and with the assistance of Mr. Google Translate, you can find a quick translation of Mr. Martineau’s article:

When the male accused calls himself “female accused”

I have a problem with self-identification…

Did you follow the trial of Mohamad Al Ballouz who is accused of killing his wife and two children?

All it took was for the accused to get up one day and identify himself as a woman for everyone, including the judge, the clerk and journalists, to refer to him as “she”.

Well, from today onwards, I would like that whenever there is mention of me in the newspapers, you would write “Richard Martineau the Africain”.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On other days, it would be “Richard Martineau, King of Babylon.”

Because that’s how I feel now.

Respect my feelings, please.

WITH NO POPEYE

I’m not an expert of gender dysphoria, but it seems to me that there’s quite a difference between an individual who takes hormonal treatment and goes under the scalpel and an individual who gets up one morning and says, “Okay, that’s it, I changed gender!”

The first is a lot more serious, let’s say.

He thought about his business.

He even went so far as to sacrifice parts of his body to achieve his dream and feel good about himself.

The other just changed his hat.

Call a man who has undergone sex reassignment surgery “she”, no problem, I can live with that.

The guy had his balls removed! And the Popeye! He had breasts inserted!

You have to be determined!

Sure of your business!

But a man who just puts a wig on his head?

To be able to serve her sentence in a women’s penitentiary, where detention conditions are less harsh?

Please.

Ultimately, I would say that it is a lack of respect for people who have really changed their sex.

It’s not because you decide to walk on your knees that people will say that you suffer from dwarfism.

Do you want to be called a swimmer?

Well, start by jumping into the pool.

If you can’t do that, sorry, you can walk around in Speedos all day, I won’t get on your trip.

CALL ME LISE

This concept of self-identification is one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in my life.

In 20 years, when we will talk about this time when hyper-serious people called a 6-foot-5 bearded guy equipped to stay up late “ma’am,” we’re going to wonder if there wasn’t LSD in our water reserves.

So, “woman” now is just a noun, right?

Doesn’t that mean anything anymore?

I just have to say: “I am a woman” for the authorities to change my status on all my official papers?

Can I do this with my race?

My age?

In my head I feel like a 45 year old man, could you change my date of birth on my passport, please?

Even to change religion, you have to take courses for months and prove that you are “sincere” in your approach!

What strange times!”

All day long, Bambi had two songs on her mind while working. One of them was “Si Dieu existe” by Mr. Claude Dubois. She could not go to sleep now without listening to, and singing with, the latter and many other artists featured on YouTube.

Thankfully, she took the time to do that because it made her find Mr. Sarkis Barsemian (https://shorturl.at/nm9J2). Do you happen to know him? His voice is unique and so beautiful. What a great musical discovery!

Of note, Mr. Barsemian, a graduate of Music from McGill University, performed different opera roles. He has been a guest soloist with several Canadian symphony orchestras (https://shorturl.at/nm9J2). In 1999, he won the first prize at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), for the National Chapter Auditions in Montreal. He also received the second prize at the NATS 21st Eastern Regions Auditions in New York (https://shorturl.at/nm9J2)

Bravo to Mr. Barsemian for his talent and impressive achievements. Long live his career!

Roula met Doudou when she was only 13.

They were both biking in their Beirut neighbourhood’s public garden during civil war.

Yes, love can blossom even in the middle of blood and fire.

Ten years later, Doudou and Roula got married on a snowy day in Québec’s Montreal.

They have two adorable adult children, Michael and Nicolas.

In addition to family and friends, they also have eternal Kayla, their dog in heaven, along with their cutest cat Dino who lightens up their lives.

And today happens to be their wedding anniversary.

They are highlighting it in Beirut, which has seen darkness once again.

Yes, love can survive multiple Lebanese tragedies as well as migration in both directions.

Another reason for the Douglas to celebrate is that they are on the way to become grandparents for he first time in early 2025. YAY!

As for Bambi, she is blessed in many ways by their presence in her life, as her family.

Yes, Roula is her sister since she came to the world while Doudou became her brother since she was 9 years old.

Another exciting blessing for her is that, thanks to their son Michael (and his beautiful wife Stéphanie), she will soon become a great aunt. Can you imagine her joy and pride?

“Mabrouk” [congrats] to Doudou and Roula ❤️! Long live their growing family of love ❤️!

As airline consumers, we are blessed to have Dr. Gábor Lukács, President of Air Passenger Rights (https://shorturl.at/eySw0), Canada’s independent, non-profit, organization of volunteers.

Yesterday, Dr. Lukács testified before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities. In a five-minute testimony, he spoke about “Cabinet’s failure to use its powers to put an end to junk fees in air travel“. Bravo!

Yes, thank you to the independent, devoted, and highly talented Dr. Lukács.

Merci/thank you as well to the committee in question and best wishes.

May the Cabinet take a courageously wise decision. Indeed, living is already highly expensive in Canada without junk fees in air travel. It would be timely to apply fairness in the protection of passengers.

Bambi keeps thinking about the people of her birth country. They have been going through unbelievable adversity since 2019.

From massive migration to Lebanon, to great migration out of it due to a financial crash of historical proportions, a political crisis/vacuum, a pandemic like the rest of the world, the surreal Beirut explosion, a cruel Israel-Hezbollah war, and to the current scary (or hopeful if we want to be optimistic) additional uncertainty as a result of the MAJOR, and overdue, change in Syria.

Bearing the above in mind, many thanks to L’Orient Le Jour (OLJ) for its latest 8-minute-long and poignant podcast shared below, which is sub-titled in both English and French.

Of note, this podcast is described on YouTube with the following moving words: “Where has my whole life gone? “. This question is the one raised by a Lebanese who lived in Choueifate, in the south of Beirut, after having seen, live, via a video call with his concierge, the destruction of his building by an Israeli bombing. “You watch your house burn, the building collapse, the fire, the falling stones and the pieces of glass… At that moment, the memories come flooding back. My memories… Where are my memories? » Despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, which he does not believe in anyway, he does not see the end of the nightmare into which he was plunged during this war. He tells us his moving story and shares his sorrows, as well as those of his family, after losing “the fruit of a lifetime of work”.

Bambi learned yesterday that Pope Francis presented a Vatican nativity exhibit, which featured baby Jesus sleeping wrapped on a kaffiyeh scarf (https://shorturl.at/XVxEk; https://shorturl.at/kzIc2).

The kaffiyeh scarf is not any piece of tissue, given that it is highly charged politically speaking. It is often worn by genuine supporters of the Palestinian cause (some Jewish even). The kaffiyeh scarf is also sadly worn at times by some who may be addicted to virtue signalling, without substance, regardless of the cause of the day. Last but not least, the kaffiyeh scarf is also found around the neck of those whose mouth lately publicly expressed impolite slogans like “F… Israel AND F… Germany”.

Why is the Vatican, or at least its Pope, now politicizing the birth of baby Jesus who was actually Jewish, that is clearly neither Christian nor Muslim? Instead, he was simply referred to as Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, he was surely not linked to neither the State of Israel nor to Palestine (thankfully… and at the same time Jesus is filled with love for all). Stated differently, any biblical reference to Israel is usually meant to be about its meaning of “Chosen people“. Jesus came from this source since his parents were Jewish.

Of note, the birth of Jesus is supposed to be about humanity, love, and potential for redemption for ALL. This means that baby Jesus is surely not about tribalism or narrow-mindedness in historical conflicts.

Decades later, Jesus gave his life on the cross, which was his ultimate gesture of a selfless and unconditional love, to the extent of self-sacrifice, for ALL people.

In other terms, through death and resurrection, at least for those who believe in him as being the Messiah, Jesus made it possible for ALL people to be in an eternal loving relationship with God, if they wish.

Luckily, despite this odd story from the the Vatican, it is reassuring that Pope Francis seems to recall that “Jesus was born, lived, and died as a Jew” (https://shorturl.at/Kd278).

Despite the Jewish identity of Jesus, it would not only be accurate, but also wise, if the Vatican’s Jesus does not wear neither a kippah (also known as a yamaka, yarmulke, and a koppel) nor a kaffiyeh on his baby’s head. He would then be more easily perceived as being at an equal distance from all human beings, including those from the Middle East.

On April 15, 2019, a huge fire sadly ravaged the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral.

Thankfully, on December 7, 2024, the cathedral re-opened its doors to the public.

With a majestic live-streamed concert, Paris/France celebrated this historic event.

Related to the above, Bambi is grateful to her dear friend Leila for having informed her that Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji participated in this concert (https://shorturl.at/5j7ZC).

Indeed, as shared below, Ms. Tawaji’s impressive performance of Ave Maria was both moving and soothing. What a pride to her birth country. A pure delight to her fans’ ears!

This being said, another reason to be proud was that this meaningful concert started with the great performance of our own Garou who was amazing, to say the least. Indeed, he is surely Canada/Québec’s pride. Bravo!

Long live Notre-Dame de Paris as well as music. As far as sweet Mary (or dear Saint-Mary, Jesus’ mom) is concerned, may she keep watching over Paris’ stunning cathedral. May she bring healing, peace, and love to our troubled world.

Mr. John Lennon died, at age 40, on December 8, 1980 (https://shorturl.at/hFrMQ).

May his memory be eternal, today more than ever.

As you can guess, this brief musical post is a little tribute to his inspiring talent.

Bambi hopes that you will enjoy the songs while wishing you a good one, dear readers.