Local news

t is 4 degrees here right now, 2 hours ahead of a very sunny day (same as yesterday afternoon; I managed to sunbathe twice). It seems like “going tropical” [1, 2] was well timed. All the shells/snails stay at the bottom.

Today there’s a home match here, one that should be a lot simpler than the PSG battle. It starts at 3 (kickoff), so we’ll mostly manage to avoid the rush of fans.

We’ve managed to stay focused, productive and relaxed lately. That’s what we expected. The journey to the Court of Appeal in the coming year or years is paved with growing certainty. It’s something we are positive about and look forward to.

About time

his week we began documenting what happened almost 3 years ago. The following 4 parts will be followed by plenty more:

There’s a happy ending, sort of. But it’s unfair that people go through this for doing good work, for free.

No more sunny days in the garden

oday I wanted to sunbathe but it was too cold, partly sunny, and even if it was fully sunny (bright and clear), it would be too cold to sit outside comfortably.

So I suppose my last post that said “end of 2026″ or “goodbye, 2026″ was right. It’s too late now. Soon the clock will change (it should not, DST is nonsense) and then it’s too late to get a tan.

Feels a bit festive already

he winter or autumn here has gotten cold (tried to find heater for the fish; there’s a plan B) and Xmas is just two months away. The days will get longer again, not shorter.

This year, unlike last year, both Rianne are available (no other engagement that day) to shop together on Xmas Eve.

What will we buy this year? Well, I still need to find a new Xmas sweater for Rianne. The Sunday Market has none until it’s nearly Xmas; they say it’s very hard to sell these once Xmas has passed.

I miss the days Xmas had some real “charm” (maybe 80s and 90s).

Due to lousy economies a lot of habits have changed.

To many people, expectation of extravagant consumption became a pesky burden. Social media (popularity contest) makes that worse.

We’ll be doing fine this coming Christmas and next year

welve years ago I began covering EPO corruption. The coverage was exclusive. The following year (yes, within a year) I was receiving SLAPPs from the EPO and someone stepped in to help me handle this, on a pro bono basis. I’ve since then learned a lot – to the point where I can handle legal processes without expending much money (that I do not have).

That later led to my introduction to another solicitor, who I was told (several times) was the best in the country (in the area of media and communication). He taught me how to be a “little lawyer” because this way, for years to come, I’d be able to fearlessly handle almost anything thrown our way.

I think this approach goes a long way. A little bit of legal experience (and skills) can help people become self-sufficient and aware of their legal rights.

That’s not to say I can handle every legal process or area; not even lawyers can do everything, not even if they went to law school.

Specialisation means that one excels at particular area; with experience (longevity) comes greater strength.

Birds are incredible animals

he other week I wrote about an awkward bird that had green eyes. It didn’t seem healthy. Indeed, it’s a sign of a health problem. The good news is, this bird came back and is coming every day (going to the kitchen to ask for seeds) and the eyes are now mostly brown, as the bird in general has gotten more healthy. The same goes for “The Sick Bird”. We’d like to think that ill birds treat us like some sort of hospital, or a place to go to when their health severely deteriorates.

This past Sunday I hauled another sack of seeds for them. They should be “covered” until the end of the year, maybe even longer.

Birds are good companions. If they trust you, they will become like pet parrots. Durian, who is very young, already lets me carry him on my palm while I feed him. Of course I wash with soap and sanitise (a need for alcohol) afterwards.

This morning Rianne managed to feed about 120 birds all at the same time. It’s an incredible number and probably a new record for her (except in Piccadilly Gardens). She even doubled the jarful because there were so many (after soaking rain).

At this very moment the Bot Couple are cleaning one another. They are in excellent shape (perfect fur coverage) and ready for winter.

Women are targeted a lot

oday I started a new series about events that happened about 3 years ago. I meticulously took notes to document what happened. It’s still relevant and may be legally relevant for years to come as we plan to pursue the Court of Appeal – it’s a pursuit of justice for many victims of online bullying. People who do reporting (like the journalist mentioned in today’s parts) deserve praise, not bullying.

Countries that have a culture of free press are better at attaining and maintaining democracy. We need the public to be suitably informed.