Images of February

                                                        

Most trees are still without leaves, and the weather is cloudy in mid-February. In the meanwhile, the province North Rome was hit by a flood yesterday.

There was damage to crops.

The highway has now been reopened.

In this context, it seems people are more aware of flood hazards, as many small building located close to the rivers have been demolished. The photo below was taken before the flood. 

Have a nice Valentine's day!

China's increasing power

(Photo courtesy by Stefano Gazzano)

Since early 2000s China has been increasing its economic power, technological strenght, and national defense capability. Not to mention of Beijing's significant role in global politics. For example, in 2024 China showed its considerable role of being a reliable peacemaker between Saudi Arabia and Iran. 

(Photo courtesy by Stefano Gazzano)

Furthermore, China and India have recently agreed to carry out active interaction at all levels on bilateral and multilateral opportunities, powerfully built strategic communication, and enhance mutual political trust. I am so glad to hear such a great news, as in terms of international politics it means that unipolarism will not exist anymore. It's easy to see that the only country that owns military basis in more than 80 states around the world will be compelled to share its power.

(Photo courtesy by Stefano Gazzano)

The fact that Beijing is now hit by Trump tariffs on steel and aluminium leeds me to think that the US is challenging China using many tactics, including economic restrictions and military encirclement.

Sovereignity and dignity of all countries do not have to be subordinated to the hegemonic countries' investment management companies.

Pigeons on a cold morning

 

This morning, on a cold Wednesday (2°C), many pigeons stood on the power line while they were enjoying the sun.

It seems that all electrons stay in power line and out of the birds body. 

Eating seasonally

 

I like eating seasonally in winter, as I think we haven't to lose the beauty of the nature. The problem is that some veggies available at the grocery are not in season, and this may disconnect us from the roots of local and sustainable eating. Unfortunately I saw such a reliance on convenience also outside my country. For example, while I was visiting Scotland, England and Ireland I saw tomatoes, aubergines and green grapes in February at the Tesco Superstore.🍅🍇 But why we, humans, force to grow when it is not its natural time to grow ❓

Not only are in-season veggies healthier but they taste better too. In addition to this, our body specifically need vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that we can't find in veggies and fruits out of season. For example, we need Vitamin C and antioxidants in winter. Furthermore, from an environmental point of view, fruits and veggies out of season are shipped from far away. And not to mention of premature harvesting.

Have a nice month of February  ... with in-season fruits and veggies 😃

Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek

There are clouds of uncertainty over financial markets this week, as new China-based AI start-up, DeepSeek, has been showing its rapid innovation. It seems that DeepSeek can operate at a lower cost than American AI models.

On monday stocks of high-powered chip manufacturers, Nvidia and other American technology giants,  decreased due the fact that debates have been fueling over the economic and geopolitical competition between US and China in developing AI technology.

This means, in my humble opinion, that we are not yet in a unipolar world completely ruled by the 0.05% richer people.

Seen from aircraft in 1943

I've just got these two old black & white photos, which a friend of mine, Stefano, found through the web. The two aerial photographs, as seen from aircraft, were taken on the 14th of May, 1943 during an aircraft bombing on the port of Civitavecchia, 70 km north from Rome. 

Billows of smoke rose as explosions occurred in the Civitavecchia's port and its surrounding urban area.

After the WWII the old medieval castle, located close to the port, was repaired

and nowadays tourists can enjoy it. 

Playgrounds

 

There is no doubt that we can do more to improve our neighborhoods. If I were a mayor or local authority administrator, I would build more playgrounds in the town. More and more people are aware of the importance of green areas and playgrounds in neighborhoods. 

According to the Higher Institute of Environmental Protection and Research, Italy records a worrying increase in land consumption. 

Actually Italy's biggest towns, like Rome and Milan, are the most affected by overbuildings of large infrastructures, such as car parks and other paved areas. 

The last picture below shows a Christmas decoration that hasn't been removed yet.

Those colorful railway carriages could be placed in a playground, as kids would enjoy getting on and off  🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃 My son saw those old railway carriages in the Milan's railway workshop.

Have a nice weekend :-)  ❄

15 months of war

After 15 months of war in Gaza, a ceasefire was achieved. That's a great news! The agreement has been ratified by Israeli government early this morning after meeting for more than six hours. Israel-Hamas ceasefire will take effect on Sunday morning.

I don't know if the above photo is a fake. It shows Israeli soldiers, all women, taking a selfie close to the rubble's battlefield.

Anyway, the fact that Israel and Hamas have agreed on a cease fire is a great news!

Billions $ dollars spent to maintain the establishment

During the last weekend more than 200,000 Romanian people gathered in Bucharest to stand up for their democracy. They demand their country back after the corrupt establishment canceled democratic elections. Romanians are demanding the resignation of Klaus Iohannis, who is illegally occupying the position of president of Romania, as well as that of the entire government. 

The democratically elected president of Romania, Kalin Georgescu, is supported by more than 70% of the population. Along the streets of Bucharest there are only Romanian flags. No EU flags, No US flags and No Ukraine flags.

It easy to see that the establishment can't cancel elections because they don't like the candidate for whom people voted. That has nothing to do with democracy. It seems the same movie as we already saw when other democratically elected presidents in Europe were overthrown. 

Obviously, the globalist media system, enslaved by the international corporate elite, hasn't mentioned that news. This is the end of democracy in the EU.  

1 million asylum-seekers annually

In September 26, 2015, George Soros published a plan where he firstly said very clearly that EU institutions have to accept at least one million asylum-seekers annually.  He, secondly, said that adequate financing is critical. In this perspective, he proposed to issue long term Euro bond for financing the migration crisis and the migrant social and welfare taking care when they arrive to the EU. Obviously he and other billioners would be the buyers of those long term Euro bond. That was (and still is) a way to put more money into the pockets of richer people. Actually, it is not a coincidence the fact that George Soros is a pioneer of the hedge-found industry. 
Mr. Soros also said that safe channels must be established for asylum-seekers starting with getting them from Greece and Italy to other EU countries, such as Austria, Hungary, Germany, etc. 
To sum up, illegal and unchecked immigration, which we have seen in EU since 2015, is not an accidental fact known to have happened. On the contrary, it's a plan. It's a plan which is going on. And it was written. It was published. It is known. 
This explains how EU institutions are working and how George Soros was able to captive the main position of EU institutions in order to execute the plan. 

            (I took the above photo last year at Rome's main railway station) 

In the meanwhile, brainwashed people thought that who disagrees on human trafficking and unchecked immigration was a fascist. If we, EU people, were really interested in helping migrants who leave their poor countries, we would create special economic zones to attract investment and generate jobs in Africa. On the contrary, with the aim of allowing richer people to become richer, some EU governments had been stealing  human resources from the African continent. 

The good news is that since the new government took office in Rome, illegal and unchecked immigration in Italy decreased by 60%.

Trump-China relationship

It seems Trump have recently mellowed a little on China. The strongest economic and military power in East Asia is central to the business interests of the uncoming US President's friend, billionaire Elon Musk. The latter will also have a role in the administration as soon as Trump takes office.

                                                   (Photo courtesy by Stefano Gazzano)

In the meanwhile, two weeks before Biden leaves office, The US State Department has informed Congress of a planned $ 8 billion weapons sale to Israel. The weapons package would add to a record of at least $ 17.9 in military aid that the US has provided Israel since the beginning of the war in Gaza on the 7th October, 2023. 

Last year Professor Emeritus of political sociology at Sonoma State University, Peter Phillips, wrote: "It is in the self-interest of the weapons makers to lobby their governments for the continuation of high level of military spending on weapons, using deterrence as a false rationale". 

Gambrinus Coffeehouse

My first post of the new year is dedicated to the historic coffeehouse Gambrinus. 

Founded in 1860, the Gambrinus is a historic coffehouse in Naples (South Italy). It is located in the historical hearth of the town, close to one of the world's oldest opera houses. In addition to breakfast's coffee & pastry and ice cream, the Gambrinus Coffehouse also offers lunch.

That old coffee shop in Naples was named misteriously after the patron saint of beer. The Irish dramatist, Oscar Wilde, and the French writer, Guy de Maupassant, went to Gambrinus to taste coffee. 

If you were to go to Naples in South Italy, you could visit the oldest coffee shop of the town. As an alternative, you could have a spritz at a less popular place.

Thanks to the strocke of genius of two young entrepreneurs, locals and tourists can enjoy a spritz at the borough market.

I spent New Year's Eve in Naples, where I enjoyed its lovely atmosphere.

On the way back from Naples I met a cute dog while I was catching the train at the railway station. That beautiful creature was looking after the luggage. 

Have a great new year 🥂