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Covid19 ... by Shimi Cohen

In her book "The Eleventh Station," author Emily St. John Mendel describes a post-apocalyptic world in which a fatal plague that destroyed nearly all humans were passed through the world.

In one of the chapters at the beginning of the book, she details some of the things that have disappeared from human existence, twenty years after the epidemic, when there were almost no people left to turn on the technology and maintain the power plants.

Mendel provided only a partial list of the things that disappeared from our lives in the post-apocalyptic scenario, as she herself admits.

I would like to add one more important item that may disappear, and one that will be added: democracy and equality will disappear, and slavery will be part of life again.

Oh, and slavery will probably reappear. Why? Because in the past, the slaves were the 'robots', that is, the workers who did work without having to pay them for it. They only required food, water, and storage (i.e., basic living). Any company that wanted to enjoy a high standard of living at a low cost to citizens had to rely on slaves.

When did slaves start being superfluous? Only when using technology that can replace them effectively. But if we don't have more electricity or even enough people who can mine coal as a good source of energy for machines, then in the post-apocalyptic future, survivors will begin to enslave some of the other survivors.

It is unbelievable how obvious we are - the almost complete certainty that we will survive, the ability to take pictures anywhere by phone, the cheap flights - are the product of a scientific-technological society whose members must continue to work hard to make sure that technologies continue to be available to everyone. And if that is not enough, many of the technologies on which the company is based today, have also brought dramatic social and cultural changes - which may disappear if modern technologies cannot be preserved.

I am realizing how important science and technology are to humanity, and how critical it is to fight ignorance. And please don't release deadly epidemics into the air.

Health for everyone !!!

Photos from an apocalyptic party, Galaxidi-Greece 2019.

 

Flour Throwing Festival in Galaxidi

The little harbour town, Galaxidi (Γαλαξίδι), is located on the south central part of Greece, north to the Peloponnesus. The city is covered, every year, with more than 1.5 ton of coloured flour which is thrown on the locales and the mass of tourists who attend the most insane battle.

The traditional flour battle symbolizes the end of the carnivals’ period. The historic legacy and the causes of these fights are unknown. According to local tradition, in the 19th century, when Greece was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, carnivals were forbidden.

In spite of the prohibition, the locals danced in the streets with their faces coloured with coal as a protest against the government. later on, they added the coloured flour tossing.

The flour battle takes place on the day which is known in the  Eastern Orthodox Churches as Clean Monday, the day that marks the start of 40 days of Lent until Easter.

During the holiday, hundreds of people, dressed in plastic cloths, their paces are coloured with black coal and safety goggles on their eyes, fill the streets. Due to the numerous visitors during the festival day and the high demand for accommodations, it is recommended to check hotel rates and book rooms well in advance.

They dance in the streets and toss large amounts of coloured flour on one another.

Monday, March 15, 2021, is the next one, hope we can meet there ...