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I made an error in yesterday’s post. The photos included were actually from today’s date one year ago. Since it would take me to make the adjustments, I will leave them in place. No big deal, right?
Today’s photos are from our post on April 24, 2014, while we lived in a riad (a three-story house with a substantial open-air courtyard) in the souk in the Medina, known as The Big Square Marrakesh, Morocco. It was quite an adventure. We hope you enjoy the photos.
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| As we walked the souks deciding where to dine, these varying roof lines of a courtyard caught my eye. For this post from April 24, 2014, please click here. |
As for today’s heading, I must admit, as an information junkie, I am somewhat obsessed with reading information on COVID-19, which also includes opinions from health professionals, universities, medical institutes, and individuals with expertise from over the world.
Realizing that exploitation is the name of the game when it comes to the news media, it’s a challenge to fetter out the truth from lies and exaggerations. When I hear or read something that rattles my cage, I do my research, often for hours, seeking the reality of a claim that may sound farfetched.
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| We were curious about what lies behind the many doors like this, similar to ours, in the Medina. |
My truth which I willingly share today, is that censorship of our opinions, however farfetched they may be at times, violates our civil rights and freedom of speech.
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| There are endless styles of rooflines throughout the Medina. |
No, I don’t advocate rioting and toxic vitriol spewed out at random by vehement individuals with little knowledge or expertise. But, we are interested in hearing the opinions of those who may be qualified to espouse their views and have firsthand knowledge and exposure to truths being discovered at this time.
This morning, while on the first of my hourly walks, I was listening to a podcast by an individual I trust to gather and share information. What I heard made me walk faster to return to our room so I could verify the facts.
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| This kitten was tiny, no more than 60 days old, on its own to search for food and shelter. The locals are fond of cats so most likely someone was feeding her. |
Effective immediately, YouTube will no longer allow videos by anyone, regardless of their expertise and affiliation, to express views contrary to those stated by WHO, the World Health Organization. Please see this video here from YouTube’s CEO stating this restriction.
Like most of us as Facebook users, we’ll be seeing fewer and fewer posts on varying views on COVID-19 (and other topics) that don’t concur with their (Facebook’s) ideas, as mentioned in this article.
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| After hundreds of years of wear and tear, the stones crumble in certain areas, leaving an open spot for trash and debris. Overall, the souks are very clean. |
On the other hand, Tom has told me for years this was coming…censorship by social media of what we can and can’t see. This infuriates me. When we see information such as this, we can easily fall prey to conspiracy theories. In essence, deciding what we can and can’t say, hear and read may appear as a conspiracy theory in itself.
If those who weren’t aware of this censorship heard about this, they might say, “Hogwash. We have our constitution to protect us!”
To this, I say “hogwash!” As COVID-19 proliferates throughout the world, we see more and more governments dictating our actions, thoughts, and right to voice our opinions.
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| Shades of pink and orange are seen throughout the Medina and souks. |
Lockdown is a tough situation for all of us. We understand the necessity of this, and most of us have willingly complied. We hope that doing so has ultimately reduced the number of deaths worldwide.
But now, people need to get back to work, exercising extreme cautions, or our countries as we knew them would be changed forever, while our freedoms may be significantly impacted in the process.
I could take out my soapbox and go on a rant about all of this for months to come. But I won’t. I can only encourage those interested in knowing more to conduct their research (as long as we can) to determine where you stand on these matters. Perhaps, sometime in the future, the collective will “have a voice.”
In the interim, please stay safe.
Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2019:
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| This same time the prior year, our little friend, this female toad, (or perhaps another) came to live on this light fixture on the veranda wall. For months, every night, she ate many flying insects to fatten up. We’d leave the light on for a while to ensure she’d have plenty of options. In the spring, a small male joined her on the fixture, and they stayed there together for a few weeks and left, not to be seen again until she’s returned this week. Yet, another cycle of life in the bush. For the post from one year ago, please click here. |