Happy Birthday, Ms. Nana Mouskouri!

Bambi has the utmost respect for the great Ms. Nana Mouskouri.

Today, she has a tender, not just a fond, thought of her because it is her birthday! Yes, she was born on October 13, 1934 in Chania, Crete in Greece ( https://bit.ly/3SZhBHM). Happy 88th Birthday Ms. Mouskouri!

To pay tribute to this inspiring artist’s long career, Bambi will feature some of her NUMEROUS songs, including one she has posted, more than once, on this blog as it honours liberty. Yes, in the beautiful language of Molière, Ms. Mouskouri has “sung for freedom, has cried for its pain, and prays for it each time it shakes“.

Ms. Mouskouri has also melted Bambi’s heart, as well as many other hearts (perhaps yours too), by singing Christmas carols.

She also sung Oh Happy Days in a remarkable, and fun, way. Bravo to her as well as to the artists singing with her.

She also sang the English version of “Prendre un enfant par la main” [“Taking a child by the hand“]. She does not know about you, but Bambi loves the original French song.

So far, we have listened to Ms. Mouskouri in both English and French. Let’s keep in mind that she was able to sing in many other languages, including but not limited to German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, Welsh, Mandarin, Corsican, and of course Greek, her mother tongue! She has sold over 350 million albums worldwide!

Here she is singing “My Way” in English on German TV, followed by a song where she wishes the sunshine a good morning in the beautiful language of Goethe!

Below we can listen to her singing, in Arabic, Dalida’s “Salama Ya Salama“. The latter is a song celebrating a safe return home, following a fun trip!

Next is a lovely Greek medley by Ms. Nana Mouskouri. She does not know about you, but Bambi is dreaming of sunshine and of the Mediterranean sea now. Yes, she is, even before going to sleep : ).

Now, let’s change language and emotions to the more dramatic famous French song of Mr. Jacques Brel, which is entitled “Ne me quitte pas” [“Do not leave me“].

Have you enjoyed the above, even without fully understanding the lyrics? The latter is one of Bambi preferred songs in life. Regardless, here is an English version of it, entitled “If you go away”.

Last but not least, Bambi will conclude with a song to Armenia called “Pour toi Arménie” [“For you Armenia“]. Its lyrics were written, and its music composed, by Mr. Charles Aznavour and Mr. Georges Garvarentz. What a wonderful tribute to all the victims of the horrible earthquake of December 7, 1988. Ms. Mouskouri was one of the many artists who participated in this project, as you can see below (https://bit.ly/3TkvC2f).

To conclude this post, once again Happy Birthday Ms. Nana Mouskouri! As for you dear readers of this blog, Bambi hopes you have enjoyed this post. She is addressing the latter comment to all of you, perhaps more so to one of you in particular, if you happen to be reading until now. You can guess why and, if so, best wishes to you too!

Mr. Richard Martineau: “The Wokes live in the land of unicorns” [“Les Wokes vivent au pays des licornes”]

In this post, Bambi will translate Mr. Richard Martineau’s French article into English, with the assistance of her good friend Mr. Google Translate. Martineau’s article appeared today in the Journal de Montréal (https://rb.gy/knifpr).

The world is split in two.

Not Beatles versus Stones, but Realists versus Idealists.

Those who see the world as it is versus those who see it as they would like it to be.

TRANS ALWAYS SAY THE TRUTH!

Take the story that La Presse published on transgender inmates.

A dozen inmates with very violent pasts have been transferred to women’s prisons after “self-identifying” as women.

They did not go under the scalpel and did not undergo hormone treatment.

They just said they “felt” women. According to a new federal law that came into effect last May, that’s enough to be transferred from a men’s prison to a women’s prison.

However, once transferred to prisons for women (which are more comfortable and less severe than prisons for men), these “individuals born male” began to harass and assault female prisoners!

To say one former prisoner (who was born female and identifies as female – like 99% of human beings who used to be called “women”):

These men try to ease their pain in a less constricting environment by pretending to be women, but some also seek to approach women because they’ve been in it for a very long time, and they want to having sex.”

But what did a trans rights activist interviewed by La Presse say? “

“I find it unrealistic to think that a person changes sex only for the purpose of assaulting women. The idea of ​​the trans predator is a legacy of patriarchy. What is needed is to degender society as a whole. Schools, then public toilets, and one day prisons”.

For her, it is unthinkable that men can lie to improve their lot and rape women! It’s a fabrication! An invention of the patriarchy!

To tell you how much God is given without confession to men who self-identify as women: an inmate who filed a complaint after being assaulted by a trans prisoner was even called transphobic!!!

FALSE INDIGENOUS

Same naivety about people who self-identify as Indigenous.

In its latest issue, Maclean’s magazine published the results of an exhaustive survey that one of its journalists conducted in Canadian academia.

We learned from this article that many people have falsely self-identified as members of the First Nations to take advantage of positive discrimination programs and obtain very well paid and sought after positions in the academic world! We didn’t check! “This woman self-identified as Indigenous? You have to take her word for it!” For these people, it is unthinkable that people pass themselves off as natives out of simple interest!

THE TELETUBBIES

In short, wokes wear rose-coloured glasses.

Do you call yourself a woman? Do you call yourself native?

We take your word for it!

Because in the land of unicorns, everyone is beautiful, everyone is nice!

Here, I identify myself as a banker.

Can you give me a job as a manager at the Royal Bank?” [even if Bambi is not politically correct enough to be a politician, today she identifies as the Ambassador of Canada in Greece, can she fly to her preferred beach, called Lindos, in Rodos : )? Although Bambi is joking like Mr. Martineau, she thanks him for his article because she is seriously worried about Canadian female inmates. Why aren’t we concerned about their safety?!].

A historic deal between Lebanon and Israel over maritime border!

The good news seems to be satisfying to both parties. Even the Hezbollah gave the green light. Bambi is eager to read more about this deal, but for now, she will just write the following: Bravo to everyone, especially the USA (i.e., Mr. Amos Hochstein) as a mediator. May this deal bring BADLY needed prosperity to Lebanon (rich gas exploration) and security to the region!

Orient Le Jour (French Content):

https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1314272/laccord-sur-la-frontiere-maritime-ouvre-la-voie-a-un-liban-prospere-et-stable-affirme-shea.html

Orient Today (English Content):

https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1314247/biden-congratulates-aoun-on-successful-negotiations.html

To conclude this brief post, negotiations and satisfying settlements are surely much better than wars, blood, and tears. For that, Bambi will conclude with the “Mabrouk” song to both countries, to the entire region, and to our world.

All the best for the promising economic news…

New Zealand: Why is it proposing to tax cow burps to fight climate change?

Bambi learned from the Lebanese media, Naharnet, that New Zealand is proposing to tax cow burps to fight climate change (https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/292927-new-zealand-proposes-taxing-cow-burps-angering-farmers)? Can’t this country, whose economy is based on agriculture (https://www.statista.com/topics/5311/agriculture-industry-in-new-zealand/) find a smarter way to deal with the changes of the climate?

The Naharnet article above described the anger of the farmers. Bambi can only have compassion for them. Had she been a farmer, she would have been angry too. Had she been a cow, not a deer, she would be laughing at the naivety of our world leaders.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bambi will forever remain grateful for your overwhelming support that has enriched her life in so many ways. It gave her hope in humanity despite the absurdity of our collectively insane times.

She is thankful for each one of you for your continuous support for her blog from not just across Canada, but also from SO many different parts of the world.

Thank you for caring for academic freedom/freedom of expression in Canada and in our world, as a principle for ALL (including Bambi); yes, a principle that must never be taken for granted, even in a historically free society like ours.

This being said, welcome to each one of you on Bambi’s Afkar blog, whether you read the latter silently or you take the time to comment.

Thank you/Merci du fond du coeur ❤️!

Ms. Édith Piaf: She died 59 years ago on October 10

She does not need any introduction (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89dith_Piaf) and, make no mistake, she “did not regret anything“, surely not love that she sang in her eternal “L’hymne à l’amour“. Merci Madame Piaf!

Indeed, over the decades, many great artists, Canadian and international ones, sang Piaf in their own moving way. Bravo to all of them. Bambi may a bit too romantic today, but she particularly loves these unforgettable TV or internet moments…

Batroun: What a lovely place in Lebanon!

Bambi has an earlier post on the Batroun region in Northern Lebanon, shown further below. Back in July 2022, she had the chance to spend a wonderful day in this region driving through, and visiting its high mountains (rivers, fruits, charming houses, and kind people) down to its shores with its sunset, vibrant touristic nightlife in the old souk, and its superb beaches.

Bambi recalls that some citizens were swimming in the darkness under the light of the moon. How she had wished she was prepared to jump in the water like them. Next time “inchallah“, as they say there! Anyhow, what a memorable day under the theme of “cousins” ❤️❤️, thanks again dearest Rana and hello Laila!

Today, Rania who is much talented in both photography and videography, sent her the following short personal video featuring Batroun (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batroun). Thank you “Rano” for kindly accepting to share the latter with the readers of your sister’s blog :). Bambi hopes they will enjoy it as much as she did!

Following Rania’s short video, Bambi will share a 4-minute video about this place she just found on YouTube entitled the Majestic Town of Batroun. Of course, a song is a must here. So, to conclude this brief post on a musical note, Bambi chose Helwa Ya Baladi [My Country is beautiful] by Dalida with lovely pictures of Lebanon to make us dream of trips abroad… and perhaps to contribute to make readers form her birth country dream of fair and prosperous days. God knows how much they deserve it ❤️!

Hebron, Palestine: Isn’t it barbaric to decapitate Mr. Ahmad Abu Marhia just because he is gay?

May your memory be eternal, Mr. Ahmad Abu Marhia

Mr. Ahmad Abu Marhia was just 25 years old.

VERY shockingly, Bambi is using the past tense to write about him tonight.

Indeed, he was brutally murdered (i.e., decapitated, dismembered). Guess why? Simply because of his sexual orientation. As reported in the Lebanese, Israeli, and British media, Mr. Abu Marhia was hiding in Israel awaiting to leave the country to Canada, as a refugee in just two months before his death. How sad and how unfair (https://bit.ly/3yq8tnn; https://bit.ly/3SMMO0I; https://bbc.in/3RFscpT)!

The fate of Mr. Abu Marhia speaks volumes about how you are treated by Islamists when you are from a sexual minority (i.e., homosexual). You receive death threats, as reported in the articles cited above. You also risk being killed in the most horrible way like in this tragedy. This when you are not thrown out of a building or sentenced to death in other countries of the region. Yet in some other places of this part of the world, you may be put in jail and even tortured. Furthermore, in some apparently more tolerant countries of the region, you risk being medically examined in the most degrading way possible to the dignity of a human being.

Welcome to the Middle East where 56% of its youth want their countries’ laws to be based on the Shariah (Islamic) law, not on civil/common law, as per the earlier post shown below. After reading this post, do you share Bambi’s concern about the latter?

Regardless of your own opinion, as a reader, or Bambi’s angry thoughts tonight, she would like to pause to honour your memory Ahmad (or Mr. Abu Marhia). She had wished to have you as a fellow citizen and as a forthcoming valuable member of her society. No, she did not want to hear your sad story from a shocked relative and to confirm it now in the media. Our world was so cruel to you, despite the love and support of many individuals, organizations, and countries, including ours (bravo, Canada).

To conclude this post, and if she may, with the utmost respect and with a broken heart, Bambi would like to end this post with Ms. Céline Dion’s Ziggy’s song ❤️ (with English subtitles) as well as with Fairuz’s great Arabic song on love ❤️, which is based on Gibran Khalil Gibran’s Prophet. Who knows? Maybe you used to like Fairuz’ songs Mr. Abu Marhia, like Bamb does? Whether you did or not, one thing is sure, you deserve all the essence of love, which is based on respect, that her beautiful song celebrates. May your soul rest in peace and may your memory be eternal.

Isn’t Beirut sunset, through Ms. Roula Douglas’ lens, breath-taking?

A picture taken at a Beirut beach in Lebanon by journalist, author [+ amazing sister :)] Roula Douglas
A picture taken in Beirut, Lebanon, by journalist, author [+ amazing sister :)]
Roula Douglas from her own balcony

To thank you Roula for making her day with your beautiful pictures, and for your generosity, Bambi would like to offer you, as well as your fellow Beirutis, Mika’s song entitled “Staring at the sun“!