Poor eyesight

Getting my eyes checked

Had my eyes checked yesterday. I noticed I've had focussing difficulties especially reading. Doc checked and said I also have problems with long distance vision. My left eye had deteriorated alot. Could be due to diabetes or whatever reason yet to be diagnosed. Anyway I'll need new spectacles but it costs so much money. All in all the entire consultation, diagnosis and new glasses cost 5000 shekels. I don't have health insurance so it explains my problem. No company here would sell me a policy due to my health history. Disaster.

There is a headline report that alleges the Louvre museum is culpable of illegal discrimination by "refusing to allow" a group of Israeli art students to visit it; by not confirming a booking and saying that it was full on that day with other previous visitor bookings. That is tantamount to anti-semitism and liable to a court case. But it was perfectly alright for the jewish settlers to to use armed soldiers to chase  away palestinians from a palestinian pool so that they can have a swim in other people's property (see the last blogs). My mind is boggling. Maybe my eyesight is really bad and I'm not reading the headlines right.  See http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.661256 and http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/twilight-zone/.premium-1.660601?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

St. Miriam's sanctuary

Another headline that caught my attention: "Boy riding camel killed by train"; shouldn't there be a couple of commas? http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Boy-riding-camel-killed-by-train-406033

Anyway the recently canonized carmelite saint Miriam of Jesus Crucified (Bouardy) in Bethlehem has a very nice reliquary set up in the sanctuary of the monastery chapel. You should go visit it when in Bethlehem. Her room and personal things (habit, books, even hair cut off during her profession) are all on display and you can wear her winter mantle (relic) as part of the prayer and request for intercession.