In the story below, we see that the Petit Nicolas has issues because Obama refused to give him his personal cell phone number or something. There'll be no bromance between Barack and Nico. What kills me in this story is this quote: "Obama est au pouvoir depuis un an et il a déjà perdu trois élections partielles. : « Obama est au pouvoir depuis un an et il a déjà perdu trois élections partielles. Moi, j’ai gagné deux législatives et les européennes. Qu’est-ce qu’on aurait dit si j’avais perdu ?" (Obama has been in power for a year, and he's already lost three by-elections. I've won two legislative elections and the European elections. What would people have said if I lost them?)
And this: "Le niveau de pression dans une société est le même, que vous fassiez une réforme ou dix. Mais, si vous n’en faites qu’une, la pression se met sur cette réforme. C’est ce qui se passe avec Obama et la réforme de la santé." (The level of pressure in a society is the same, whether you carry out one reform or ten. But if you only do one, all the pressure is on that reform. That's what's happening with Obama and health reform.)
Story in Le Parisien :
DIPLOMATIE
Sarkozy déçu par son «copain» Obama
Le chef de l’Etat français espérait entretenir un dialogue privilégié avec son homologue américain. Mais leur relation est marquée par une réelle froideur.
Nicolas Sarkozy aurait tant voulu construire une relation privilégiée avec Barack Obama. Pouvoir lui téléphoner quand il le souhaite, le rencontrer régulièrement en tête à tête lors des sommets internationaux, échanger idées et stratégies. « Quand Obama sera en fonction, je le vois plutôt comme une aide que comme un problème.
Vous avez vu le monde, il est vaste, on peut être deux, trois ou quatre », disait-t-il à son propos, début 2009. Mais, depuis l’installation du président américain à la Maison-Blanche, le locataire de l’Elysée a dû se faire une raison : il est traité comme un leader parmi d’autres, ni plus ni moins. « Au début, cela l’a affecté, reconnaît un proche. Maintenant, il en a pris son parti, mais une forme d’irritation persiste encore. »
Le chef de l’Etat trouve que l’opinion internationale est bien trop clémente envers Obama qui, pour l’instant, n’a pas montré grand-chose. En privé, Sarkozy ne loupe pas une occasion d’égratigner le président américain, celui qu’il appelait son « copain » pendant la campagne présidentielle. Au début du mois, devant quelques journalistes, il se lâche : « Obama est au pouvoir depuis un an et il a déjà perdu trois élections partielles. Moi, j’ai gagné deux législatives et les européennes. Qu’est-ce qu’on aurait dit si j’avais perdu ? » Et d’ajouter à propos de la façon de gouverner de son homologue : « Le niveau de pression dans une société est le même, que vous fassiez une réforme ou dix. Mais, si vous n’en faites qu’une, la pression se met sur cette réforme. C’est ce qui se passe avec Obama et la réforme de la santé. »
Le président américain «est froid avec tout le monde, c’est dans sa nature »
Sur le plan international, les critiques de l’Elysée sont féroces. « Lui accorder le prix Nobel de la paix était une erreur, assène un conseiller. Sa politique de la main tendue vis-à-vis des pays jusqu’ici tenus à l’écart ne lui a valu que des claques en retour. La Corée du Nord, l’Iran : il n’a que des échecs. »
A quelques jours de l’ouverture du sommet de Copenhague (du 7 au 18 décembre), Paris trouve Washington bien trop timide au sujet de la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique. Hier pourtant, la Maison-Blanche a annoncé qu’Obama se rendrait le 9 décembre à Copenhague « afin de donner un élan aux négociations ». Nicolas Sarkozy, qui se rend aujourd’hui à Manaus (Brésil) et demain à Trinité-et-Tobago, dans les Caraïbes, veut convaincre les pays amazoniens et ceux du Commonwealth de faire pression sur les Etats-Unis. Avec comme objectif final une « réduction mondiale d’au moins 50 % d’ici à 2050 par rapport à 1990 » des émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Pas gagné.
Néanmoins, même si les frictions se multiplient, la guerre est loin d’être déclarée entre les deux pays. « Sur de nombreux dossiers antiterrorisme, traque policière, renseignement, retour des investisseurs en Irak , le couple Sarkozy-Obama fonctionne parfaitement, observe Nicole Bacharan, politologue, spécialiste de la relation franco-américaine. Pour Obama, Sarkozy reste un allié indispensable. Il est froid avec lui, mais il est froid avec tout le monde, c’est dans sa nature. »
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Experience Austria?
Listening to an mp3 from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show. from the 5th of October.The podcast opens with a commercial from the Austrian tourism authority, experienceaustria.comm.
"Austria is the birthplace of filmmakers Otto Preminger, Fritz Lang, and Billy Wilder. In Austria you can see where they got their inspiration."
All of these artists happened to be Jews who emigrated to the US (some via France) to flee the Nazi regime in Germany and Austria.
I'm not a Godwinner, and I don't believe we can hold contemporary Germans culpable for the deeds of the Nazis. On the contrary, they have been exemplary. Austria, not so much, but I'm still not going to raise my hand and say, "Hitler was Austrian, too". But when the Austrian government forces the question by using persecuted Austrian Jews to sell ski trips to Innsbruck, they do seem to be asking for it, don't they?
So... "Austria is the birthplace of dictator Adolf Hitler. In Austria, you can see where he got his inspiration." Try Carinthia, I hear it's a great place to start.
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Am I wrong to find this grossly offensive? Not so sure... Here's an extract, verbatim, from the "History" section of the ExperienceAustria.com website:
"In 1918 the first Republic of Austria was established, ending the 640-year old Habsburg dynasty. The young republic suffered massive inflation, unemployment, and near economic collapse. In 1933, the weak coalition government between the Christian-Social and the Social-Democratic parties gave way when Engelbert Dollfuss became Chancellor in 1932 as head of a right-wing coalition government, designed to tackle the problems caused by the Depression. In May 1934 Doffluss declared martial law in order to protect Austria from Hitler. In July Dollfuss was shot and killed by Nazis in an attempted coup.
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria and the country was incorporated into the German Reich ruled by Adolf Hitler. After the end of World War II in 1945, Austria was restored to its 1937 frontiers and occupied by the victorious allies – the USA, the Soviet Union, the UK, and France – for a decade. "
On March 12, 1938, German troops marched into Austria and the country was incorporated into the German Reich ruled by Adolf Hitler. After the end of World War II in 1945, Austria was restored to its 1937 frontiers and occupied by the victorious allies – the USA, the Soviet Union, the UK, and France – for a decade. "
Let's do a word count:
For the 1930s: 65 words.
For the Anschluss and WWII: 22.
And the regime of Dolfuss, known as Austrofascism, subverted the democratic Constitution and paved the way for the Anschluss by Austrian and German Nazis.
They're asking for it...
Sunday, November 22, 2009
HS: If it's broken, fix it
A new feature, in which I bitch about broken stuff.
Left Stalingrad on foot, because Jaurès metro station on line 2 is closed. Walked toward Colonel Fabien, hoping to find an automated public toilet (Sanisette).
A new model is being installed throughout the city, but they're still free, which means they tend not to work.
Found one on the place du Colonel Fabien, but no TP. Found another on the boulevard de la Villette at the métro entrance, and it was out of order.
And yesterday, at the Parc de la Villette, saw that the elevators on either side of the footbridge over the canal de l'Ourcq were, as usual, out of order. God forbid a handicapped person wants to enjoy the park... In the years the park has been open, I've been going there about once a month on average, and the elevators have been working on both sides for a total of 5 times. Maybe. Such BS.
Left Stalingrad on foot, because Jaurès metro station on line 2 is closed. Walked toward Colonel Fabien, hoping to find an automated public toilet (Sanisette).
A new model is being installed throughout the city, but they're still free, which means they tend not to work.
Found one on the place du Colonel Fabien, but no TP. Found another on the boulevard de la Villette at the métro entrance, and it was out of order.
And yesterday, at the Parc de la Villette, saw that the elevators on either side of the footbridge over the canal de l'Ourcq were, as usual, out of order. God forbid a handicapped person wants to enjoy the park... In the years the park has been open, I've been going there about once a month on average, and the elevators have been working on both sides for a total of 5 times. Maybe. Such BS.
Putting men and women on an even playing field...
Back home at the DP Fray, there is a lively discussion about men's right to "abort" an unwanted fetus. This comes out of a very silly vletter from a very silly boy who some girl had the misfortune of sleeping with. That girl is now pregnant, and LW boy is acting as if he has nothing to do with the whole thing.
The question that arises from this is that the woman has the right to end this story, with no say from the man, whereas the man has no rights, but only obligations to the child that will be born if the woman carries the child to term.
I have been considering a solution which would be complicated and costly, but which would solve an awful lot of problems.
The solution is mandatory sterilization of men at puberty. It is far easier to deal with male sterilization and its consequences than female sterilization Each young man would have samples of his semen collected and stored in a variety of locations, so as to ensure that there will always be semen available for him to use.
When he decides to have a child with a woman, she will undergo artificial insemination.
No unwanted children, no birth control mistakes, no women "tricking" men into unchosen pregnancies. Both parties must be willing to participate, and one can even imagine that women need to notify a central registry of their insemination, ensuring that the father is absolutely certain that he is the father.
The question that arises from this is that the woman has the right to end this story, with no say from the man, whereas the man has no rights, but only obligations to the child that will be born if the woman carries the child to term.
I have been considering a solution which would be complicated and costly, but which would solve an awful lot of problems.
The solution is mandatory sterilization of men at puberty. It is far easier to deal with male sterilization and its consequences than female sterilization Each young man would have samples of his semen collected and stored in a variety of locations, so as to ensure that there will always be semen available for him to use.
When he decides to have a child with a woman, she will undergo artificial insemination.
No unwanted children, no birth control mistakes, no women "tricking" men into unchosen pregnancies. Both parties must be willing to participate, and one can even imagine that women need to notify a central registry of their insemination, ensuring that the father is absolutely certain that he is the father.
"En régions" or "en province"? Politically correct BS
My whine of the day.I really get riled by the increasing use of the expression "en régions" which has replaced "en province" for right-thinking French people.
"En province" is used to describe that part of France that is not Paris. "La Province", for many Parisians, is the boonies, a hellhole where you go to enjoy your country home or for vacation, but which you have thankfully left behind forever as a place to live, having "gone up" to Paris. The inhabitants of "la Province" are hicks and hayseeds, incapable of appreciating the finer things in life (like traffic jams and pollution).
Naturally, sùome people's feeling were hurt, and someone decided it was politically incorrect to describe 90 of France in this disparaging fashion. And so was born the expression "en régions". A "région" is one of the 20-odd administrative regions of France (Upper Normandy, Midi-Pyrénées, Brittany, Lorraine...). By saying "en régions" rather than "en province", the delicate feelings of the Provincials are protected.
Please note that I have never met a Provincial who cares one way or another about this. This is a made-up grievance as seen from the Parisian perspective, which can only see the world as being divided into Paris vs everywhere else. That Provincials may be perfectly happy with their lives in the Provinces, that people can achieve personal fulfilment and professional success beyond the ring road, does not occur to them.
Anyway, these crazy people, who do control the way language is used, since they control the media, business, and politics, have decided we should say "régions" and "en régions" rather than "Province" and "en province". This is stupid, annoying, and ultimately useless.
First, it is inappropriate. Paris is part of the region Ile-de-France, which takes its name from the Ancien Régime province to which it very roughly corresponds. This region used to be known as the "Région parisienne", a name that is still used unofficially. So "en régions" by definition includes Paris, which is not the aim of those who use this term. "En province" at least has the historic use of "province" in opposition to "Paris" on its side.
And there's the real problem. Those saying "en régions" believe they are removing the stigma of the term "provincial", when they are in fact merely reproducing an age-old opposition that corresponds to a real phenomenon, and that is only perjorative for those who believe that Paris is the be-all and end-all of human existence. As long as you use "en régions" to make a distinction between Paris and the rest of France, you're changing the words without solving the problem (or the perceived problem).
Political, economic and social power in France is concentrated in Paris. That's a fact, and one that does justify a distinction between Paris and the rest of the country. In certain professions, success does mean success in Paris. And if you want to be at the cutting edge of what's going on in fashion or the arts, Paris is probably the place to be. But if you want to have the time and money to actually enjoy culture, to profit from the resources of your community, you're probably better off in the provinces, where costs are lower, where you spend less time commuting and have more time for leisure, and where you can find a wide range of cultural and social opportunities.
I'm happy to live in Paris, but unlike those soft-hearted souls who think they're sparing someone's feelings, I don't think that makes me better than my neighbors in the provinces.
Vive la France, vive la Province!
Vive la France, vive la Province!
Friday, November 20, 2009
The last name plan
A serious post here, regarding my very own perfect plan for solving the dilemma of whether a woman should take her husband's name or not.
The answer is: not.
A problem with solutions that involve joining the wife's name and the husband's name is that over the generations, these names get out of hand.
My plan involves each person having a double last name. At marriage, each person keeps one of those names, and joins it with the name of his/her partner to form a new double last name that is given to the couple's children.
Here's how it works:
Girls are named MATERNALNAME-PATERNALNAME. Boys are named PATERNALNAME-MATERNALNAME.
At marriage, a person keeps the first part of the double last name, and adds his or her partner's name.
A woman would take the name: MATERNALNAME-HUSBANDSPATERNALNAME. Her husband would take the name: PATERNALNAME-WIFESMATERNALNAME.
Their female children would have the double name of the wife, and the male children the double name of the father.
Example:
John Apple-Bacon marries Mary Chestnut-Dogwood.
John's married name is John Apple-Chestnut. Mary's married name is Mary Chestnut-Apple.
John and Mary have a daughter, named Francesca Chestnut-Apple, and a son, named Hernando Apple-Chestnut.
Francesca marries a woman named Regina Soy-Burger. Francesca's married name is Francesca Chestnut-Soy. Regina's married name is Regina Soy-Chestnut.
Hernando marries a woman named Margot Lye-About, and takes the name Hernando Apple-Lye.
All the above are conventions that can be modified as people see fit. But they offer an overall structure that ensures that women keep their matronymic heritage. That each partner in a couple brings a contribution to a common family name, and that family relationships can be traced rather than erased in family names.
The answer is: not.
A problem with solutions that involve joining the wife's name and the husband's name is that over the generations, these names get out of hand.
My plan involves each person having a double last name. At marriage, each person keeps one of those names, and joins it with the name of his/her partner to form a new double last name that is given to the couple's children.
Here's how it works:
Girls are named MATERNALNAME-PATERNALNAME. Boys are named PATERNALNAME-MATERNALNAME.
At marriage, a person keeps the first part of the double last name, and adds his or her partner's name.
A woman would take the name: MATERNALNAME-HUSBANDSPATERNALNAME. Her husband would take the name: PATERNALNAME-WIFESMATERNALNAME.
Their female children would have the double name of the wife, and the male children the double name of the father.
Example:
John Apple-Bacon marries Mary Chestnut-Dogwood.
John's married name is John Apple-Chestnut. Mary's married name is Mary Chestnut-Apple.
John and Mary have a daughter, named Francesca Chestnut-Apple, and a son, named Hernando Apple-Chestnut.
Francesca marries a woman named Regina Soy-Burger. Francesca's married name is Francesca Chestnut-Soy. Regina's married name is Regina Soy-Chestnut.
Hernando marries a woman named Margot Lye-About, and takes the name Hernando Apple-Lye.
All the above are conventions that can be modified as people see fit. But they offer an overall structure that ensures that women keep their matronymic heritage. That each partner in a couple brings a contribution to a common family name, and that family relationships can be traced rather than erased in family names.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
DP Nov 19: One-by-one
The letters be HERE.
LW1: Craaaaazzzzzy. Or stuuuupid. Or booooooth. Guess what: these are your inlaws' cards, not yours. You can send any kind of card you want to your own family and friends (got any of those, you freak?). And how dare your inlaws be pleased that their children find partners of their own and bring them into the family circle. This sounds like a rather nice family circle. Why don't you stay out of it and make everyone happy? Alternatively, you could sit for the photo and pout. You sound good at that.
LW2: What she said, again. How in the world are you even contemplating staying with this man? Oh yeah. He's wonderful... but. You too, lady, are a freak.
LW3: Freak! Leave that poor dying man alone. Or not. My first reaction is that this is just too icky. But then I think, why shouldn't he get some while he can? My only worry is that she's too into the dying thing. If he weren't terminal, what would the answer be? Medical secretary/patient does not sound like a dealbreaker.
LW4: I'd rather have any gun-related discussions far from my home, and handled by someone else. Does the 2nd Amendment give everyone the right to terrorize their family members?
LW1: Craaaaazzzzzy. Or stuuuupid. Or booooooth. Guess what: these are your inlaws' cards, not yours. You can send any kind of card you want to your own family and friends (got any of those, you freak?). And how dare your inlaws be pleased that their children find partners of their own and bring them into the family circle. This sounds like a rather nice family circle. Why don't you stay out of it and make everyone happy? Alternatively, you could sit for the photo and pout. You sound good at that.
LW2: What she said, again. How in the world are you even contemplating staying with this man? Oh yeah. He's wonderful... but. You too, lady, are a freak.
LW3: Freak! Leave that poor dying man alone. Or not. My first reaction is that this is just too icky. But then I think, why shouldn't he get some while he can? My only worry is that she's too into the dying thing. If he weren't terminal, what would the answer be? Medical secretary/patient does not sound like a dealbreaker.
LW4: I'd rather have any gun-related discussions far from my home, and handled by someone else. Does the 2nd Amendment give everyone the right to terrorize their family members?
DP Nov 19: All-in-one
Dear Prudie,
Last week I wrote you about my refusal to be part of my future husband's family's holiday photo/greeting card. I sure took a lot of flak from you and your readers!
In my haste to get your advice, I may have left out some important information, which I'd like to add to support my "case".
First of all, their name is not really "Smith". It's "Peesucker". I am keeping my name, and my husband is taking mine in order to be free from a lifetime of insults and derision. I really don't want to have my identity associated with the name "Peesucker", especially since my first name is Polly.
Something you all need to know is that all the women in the photo are expected to dress in flesh-tone lingerie. My father-in-law (actually my husband's stepfather) explains that ever since they moved down to Florida, they love to stick it to their old friends and neighbors back in Minnesota and show off the balmy temperature down here. I've always felt that as a rather plain girl, I shouldn't try to flirt or show off, and I just can't see myself nearly naked on a photo sent to a bunch of complete strangers, and before I'm even officially part of the family.
Another reason for my concern is "Uncle Pete", my fiancé's mother's brother. Pete has just been released from prison after serving a two-year prison term for involuntary manslaughter, a charge to which he plea bargained after a mysterious "hunting accident". With the support of the NRA, he's fighting the ban on firearms permits to felons, and has received a temporary order from a judge to grant him the right to carry a variety of handguns and rifles, which he takes full advantage of. Since part of the family tradition is to get everyone "in the holiday spirit" by serving ample quantities of eggnog (and not the child-friendly stuff), I worry about being the victim of a tinsel-bedecked tragedy.
Perhaps the biggest reason for not wanting to be part of this family photo is the presence of Gretchen, my husband's first cousin. Gretchen works as a medical secretary for a well-known oncologist, and sees the endless stream of dying men who come to the practice as her personal dating pool. Because she favors guys with less than three months to live, we never see the some one twice. I have enough problems remembering names without having to meet a new chemoboy every time I see her.
If all this doesn’t help you see my request in a new light, here's the killer: that flesh-toned lingerie? It's hand knit by my fiancé's grandmother. And it's in mohair!
Signed,
Won't Say "Cheese"
Last week I wrote you about my refusal to be part of my future husband's family's holiday photo/greeting card. I sure took a lot of flak from you and your readers!
In my haste to get your advice, I may have left out some important information, which I'd like to add to support my "case".
First of all, their name is not really "Smith". It's "Peesucker". I am keeping my name, and my husband is taking mine in order to be free from a lifetime of insults and derision. I really don't want to have my identity associated with the name "Peesucker", especially since my first name is Polly.
Something you all need to know is that all the women in the photo are expected to dress in flesh-tone lingerie. My father-in-law (actually my husband's stepfather) explains that ever since they moved down to Florida, they love to stick it to their old friends and neighbors back in Minnesota and show off the balmy temperature down here. I've always felt that as a rather plain girl, I shouldn't try to flirt or show off, and I just can't see myself nearly naked on a photo sent to a bunch of complete strangers, and before I'm even officially part of the family.
Another reason for my concern is "Uncle Pete", my fiancé's mother's brother. Pete has just been released from prison after serving a two-year prison term for involuntary manslaughter, a charge to which he plea bargained after a mysterious "hunting accident". With the support of the NRA, he's fighting the ban on firearms permits to felons, and has received a temporary order from a judge to grant him the right to carry a variety of handguns and rifles, which he takes full advantage of. Since part of the family tradition is to get everyone "in the holiday spirit" by serving ample quantities of eggnog (and not the child-friendly stuff), I worry about being the victim of a tinsel-bedecked tragedy.
Perhaps the biggest reason for not wanting to be part of this family photo is the presence of Gretchen, my husband's first cousin. Gretchen works as a medical secretary for a well-known oncologist, and sees the endless stream of dying men who come to the practice as her personal dating pool. Because she favors guys with less than three months to live, we never see the some one twice. I have enough problems remembering names without having to meet a new chemoboy every time I see her.
If all this doesn’t help you see my request in a new light, here's the killer: that flesh-toned lingerie? It's hand knit by my fiancé's grandmother. And it's in mohair!
Signed,
Won't Say "Cheese"
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wait, Wait, it's Sarkozy
I'm a fan of NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, and they did a nice job of the "Nicolas Sarkozy in Berlin" story.
Host Peter Sagal: Sarkozy said he tried to get to Berlin, but says he was stopped by that sign reading "You must be this tall to tear down that wall", with a little picture of a border guard holding his arm out. This has cast doubt on other Facebook photos he's posted in recent months, like the one showing him stepping out of Apollo 11 onto the Moon, captioned "One small step for one small man".
Panelist Tom Bodett: How about that one where he's standing in front of that beautiful former supermodel woman?
PS: Carla Bruni? His actual wife? You don't believe that either?
TB: I'm just saying.
PS: I don't know. You can do wonders with Photoshop. And what would she see in him, you know?
Panelist Kyrie O'Connor: The top of his head, mostly.
[Segment closes with this music:]
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And more HERE.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Hooligans, and the response thereto
Marc explains the news from France.The stories HERE and HERE.
Emeute MAILORAMA distribution d'argent 14.11.2009 Annulé
envoyé par feartrip. - L'info video en direct.
So this "marketing" company Mailorama wants to do a promotional event. They decide to copy a stunt done elsewhere (USA, USA!) by giving away cash in the street. A scandalous idea for the French political elite, who want to downplay the desperate financial situation of many French people (see the Yes Men getting Sarkozy's BFF Patrick Balkany explaining that "poor" people in France are simply those who buy foie gras in bulk just below), who want to deny that the French are just as greedy as those corrupt Anglo-Saxon capitalists, and who want to blame those that exploit poverty rather than work to eliminate it.
(This reminds me of the scandal caused during a Socialist government by a rent-to-own firm. The deals offered by the firm were dreadful in financial terms, with purchase plans that were usurous, but that at least offered those without access to credit a possibility to obtain some goods that society tells them they must have, like color TVs. Rather than worry about the financial illiteracy of the French, an illiteracy shared by much of the political class, or the existence of poverty, the government of the time blamed those that would "exploit" poverty by offering the poor a choice.)
Anyway, the giveaway was announced for last week behind the Ecole Militaire, not far from the Eiffel Tower. A huge crowd arrived. The police told the organizers that the situation was dangerous (natch), so the organizers called off the distribution. A riot ensued, with a car burned, stores pillaged, the police attacked, etc. Typical French civism, in short, and totally predictable when you tell a bunch of greedy and/or poor people they're not getting the handout they were promised.
The Ministry of the Interior says it's going to prosecute the organizers. The organizers say they had a permit from the Police. The police say they didn't give a permit, and couldn't ban the event because it's only a minor infraction to distribute money in public (yes, it's against the law to distribute money in public in France... only the State can do that, when it serves its interest, for example with the special grant families with children receive for Christmas). Oddly enough, the police manage to ban all sorts of events when it suits them.
Basically, they fucked up, and now the State is going to sue, sue, sue those responsible (well, those they claim are responsible).
Now on to our other story. Last month, the match between the Paris Saint Germain and the Olympique de Marseille football teams was called off at the last minute. There were questions about a mini-swine flu epidemic on the Paris team, but the Federation decided to wait until the day of the match, after many Parisian thugs had arrived in Marseille or were on their way there, to cancel the match. As is typical during a Paris-Marseille match, there was rioting, but even more so than usual.
Similarly, last weekend there was a match between Egypt and Algeria. Algeria lost, so of course, there was rioting in Marseille.
On Friday, the PSG-OM match will be held again, and 1000 riot police will be on hand to try to limit the damage.
All this to say... when the fuck will the State ban football matches, or at least make the instigators of this violence (the football clubs and their Federation) pay for the damage caused?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
DP Nov 12: All-in-one
Dear Prudie,
Thanksgiving is soon upon us, and I'm dreading our family "celebration". This year my sister-in-law is once again hosting all and sundry, at her insistence, and will give us one of her patented traditional Norman Rockwell-vs-Currier and Ives tableaux of bounty and familial warmth. If we don't come dressed in hand-knit sweaters, she makes us wear one from her stash of thousands of woollen monstrosities. She rents a sleigh or haywagon (depending on the weather) that we all have take a ride on through the subdivision. And God forbid she should use anything store bought or disposable while trying to feed the hordes of family and friends she manages to invite each time.
The result of her desire for a perfect holiday celebration is a very predictable breakdown. Last time, it was provoked by a neighbour choking on a giblet. She leapt across the table, Heimliched the guy, and after assuring herself that he was well, crumpled onto the floor a heaving wreck of gravy-laden humanity, before calling her husband out on the carpet for preferring to watch the football rather than listening to her recount for the tenth time the story of how Fred almost died, and how she saved him, and how traumatic it all was, and how we truly could be thankful this year. All I could think about was how I was going to get stuck handwashing her crystal during her breakdown since she can't imagine using dishwasher-safe glasses. Bitch.
I also fear that I will be confronted with my third cousin, a rather plain girl who had the bad idea last time of following her friends' advice to doll up to try to snag herself a man. It's true that with the number of divorced men from the neighbourhood my SIL takes in each year (poor things, alone on Thanksgiving, far from their kids), the pickings are good. But seeing a first-season-4-month-pregnant Peggy Olson trying to pull off a January Jones GQ number does nothing for my holiday appetite, and I ended up blurting out something about sow's ears and silk purses… 
Things will be even worse this year, since "Peggy" is out of a job, having failed in an attempt to get her boss the dentist to dump his wife by denouncing the insurance fraud his office manager/spouse was engaging in. Guess what: the boss knew, and Peg was out on her keester, with some compromising January Jones-style nude photos she had sent to the doc ensuring that she would keep her mouth shut.
I could go on about the horrors I face, but all I really need to know is: when I get my Chinese takeout this year, should I get the salty or sweet soy sauce?Yours,
"Giving thanks to Mr. Won down the street this year"
Thursday, November 12, 2009
DP Nov 12: One-by-one
Read the letters HERE.
LW1: Wow. A bit harsh, but probably something to this. For a woman accused of being a man-hater, Prudie was kind of extreme, no? I do think she could give similar advice to a guy. I think guys have an easier time of it because women look at qualities other than appearance (to a degree), but even more because they have better imaginations about what the guy could look like after a bit of fixing up. Women like fixer-uppers, men don't (unless they're Christian Troy or the Jimmy Stewart character in Vertigo).
LW2: SIL didn't get the holiday spirit message, apparently. (She may be happy not to have to deal with this: maybe she's such a bad hostess because she's been saddled with doing Thanksgiving.)
LW3: Hmmm. The right thing to do is to denounce this, of course. But it sounds like that puts ou out of a job pretty quick. Is that important? Can you find another job easily? If so, feel free to do the right thing. If not, you may wish to keep your mouth shut. That should keep you in your job for a while at least. My personal opinion is that if you really think the boss is not aware of his wife's dealings, you should take it to him. I think there are ways of doing this without making it an accusation of his wife. "Gee, Dr. Smith, I was wondering about this bill. It says that L'il Jimmy got a root canal, so should I schedule a follow up visit?" If the cheating stops, that may be the best way to keep yourself employed.
LW4: Solution: breath control, dear!
LW1: Wow. A bit harsh, but probably something to this. For a woman accused of being a man-hater, Prudie was kind of extreme, no? I do think she could give similar advice to a guy. I think guys have an easier time of it because women look at qualities other than appearance (to a degree), but even more because they have better imaginations about what the guy could look like after a bit of fixing up. Women like fixer-uppers, men don't (unless they're Christian Troy or the Jimmy Stewart character in Vertigo).
LW2: SIL didn't get the holiday spirit message, apparently. (She may be happy not to have to deal with this: maybe she's such a bad hostess because she's been saddled with doing Thanksgiving.)
LW3: Hmmm. The right thing to do is to denounce this, of course. But it sounds like that puts ou out of a job pretty quick. Is that important? Can you find another job easily? If so, feel free to do the right thing. If not, you may wish to keep your mouth shut. That should keep you in your job for a while at least. My personal opinion is that if you really think the boss is not aware of his wife's dealings, you should take it to him. I think there are ways of doing this without making it an accusation of his wife. "Gee, Dr. Smith, I was wondering about this bill. It says that L'il Jimmy got a root canal, so should I schedule a follow up visit?" If the cheating stops, that may be the best way to keep yourself employed.
LW4: Solution: breath control, dear!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
DP Nov 5: All-in-one
The original HERE.
Dear Prudence,
Although I might be better off writing to Randy Cohen at the NY Times, I figured I'd have a better chance of getting an answer from you. From the number of obviously made-up letters, I can tell you aren't getting that many real ones…
I thought of Randy Cohen first because this is sort of an ethical question. I run a custom design shop for electronics and other goods. Typically an inventor seeking investors will have me put together a prototype based on a design concept they've come up with. But lately I've had a few unusual requests, and I'd like your opinion on them.
The first request was for a "personal massage device". The target market seems to be adolescent girls, because the client is asking for a "My Pretty Pony" model. I'm not sure if that means it's supposed to have a silky tail attached to the end, or maybe something else, but it gives me the willies, for sure. The client has explained that there is a market for "personal massage devices" that look like something else, aimed at teenage girls who are embarrassed about having such things where their parents might find them. Prudie: since when is massage a taboo subject?
The second request comes from a woman who wants me to create an invisible femidom. Why in the world would a woman need such a thing? I would think any woman would be happy for her partner to know she was using such a reliable form of birth control. I did see this episode of Nip/Tuck where Julia was collecting semen to use in her cosmetics line. Prudie: do you think this is that sort of deal? And if so, should I be getting a cut?
The third request comes from a different teenage girl. She's asked me to produce a 1/8-scale version of a traditional bear trap. I'm a little worried, because in the package she sent me, she included a life-size baby boy doll to test the device on. Prudie: who collects life-size baby dolls? That's just too weird for words.
The fourth comes from a client who wants me to devise an invention to automatically lower the toilet seat. That's not really hard to do, but she wants me to incorporate a pair of socks as the elastic band for the device. I'd be happy to do so, but do you think this is hygienic?
These jobs are all a bit of a pain, and my aim is to save time and trouble by combining them into one. I'm going to come up with a toilet seat weight in the form of a personal massage device shaped like a pony's you-know-what, that is hooked onto the toilet seat by a sock that has a plastic lining suitable for use as a discreet femidom. My question to you, Prudie, is: can I charge each client full price, or do I have to give them a discount?
Signed,
Not your prototypical prototyper
Dear Prudence,
Although I might be better off writing to Randy Cohen at the NY Times, I figured I'd have a better chance of getting an answer from you. From the number of obviously made-up letters, I can tell you aren't getting that many real ones…
I thought of Randy Cohen first because this is sort of an ethical question. I run a custom design shop for electronics and other goods. Typically an inventor seeking investors will have me put together a prototype based on a design concept they've come up with. But lately I've had a few unusual requests, and I'd like your opinion on them.
The first request was for a "personal massage device". The target market seems to be adolescent girls, because the client is asking for a "My Pretty Pony" model. I'm not sure if that means it's supposed to have a silky tail attached to the end, or maybe something else, but it gives me the willies, for sure. The client has explained that there is a market for "personal massage devices" that look like something else, aimed at teenage girls who are embarrassed about having such things where their parents might find them. Prudie: since when is massage a taboo subject?
The second request comes from a woman who wants me to create an invisible femidom. Why in the world would a woman need such a thing? I would think any woman would be happy for her partner to know she was using such a reliable form of birth control. I did see this episode of Nip/Tuck where Julia was collecting semen to use in her cosmetics line. Prudie: do you think this is that sort of deal? And if so, should I be getting a cut?
The third request comes from a different teenage girl. She's asked me to produce a 1/8-scale version of a traditional bear trap. I'm a little worried, because in the package she sent me, she included a life-size baby boy doll to test the device on. Prudie: who collects life-size baby dolls? That's just too weird for words.
The fourth comes from a client who wants me to devise an invention to automatically lower the toilet seat. That's not really hard to do, but she wants me to incorporate a pair of socks as the elastic band for the device. I'd be happy to do so, but do you think this is hygienic?These jobs are all a bit of a pain, and my aim is to save time and trouble by combining them into one. I'm going to come up with a toilet seat weight in the form of a personal massage device shaped like a pony's you-know-what, that is hooked onto the toilet seat by a sock that has a plastic lining suitable for use as a discreet femidom. My question to you, Prudie, is: can I charge each client full price, or do I have to give them a discount?
Signed,
Not your prototypical prototyper
Monday, November 9, 2009
Nicolas Sarkozy single-handedly tore down the Berlin Wall
Marc explains the news from France.The story HERE.
Actually, that article does a pretty good job of deflating our pathetic inferiority-complex president.
HERE is another, where poor Alain Juppé gets caught out. When you tell a lie, it's best to make sure your accomplices are on the same page. (I say "poor", but of course Alain has done pretty well for himself, as a felon convicted for misuse of public funds....)
This morning on TV channel France 5, he said he was in Berlin on the night of 10-11 November, not on 9 November, the day the Wall fell, although he claims not to remember exactly (one of the most momentous events in recent history).
Earlier, on a video on the Bordeaux city website (after stealing from the city of Paris as Mayor Chirac's right-hand hatchet man, he's moved on to fresh meadows in Bordeaux), and on his municipal blog, Juppé confirms the 9 November date. And other evidence indicates that Juppé went to Berlin on 16 November...
Cat worries
My almost 18-year-old cat seems to have gone deaf and a bit loopy. She stands or sits and stares as if she's observing some invisible animal. I think she's hallucinating. She can still manage to jump on the furniture, with a few misses now and then. But she is decidedly listless and lethargic, showing absolutely no desire to play. The beginning of the end?
Sniff.
Sniff.
Friday, November 6, 2009
DP November 4, 2009: One-by-one
Late today because I was at the Ministry of Health and Sport. Great meeting! Then our first workout at the municipal weight room of Vincennes. And a couple people actually showed up!
The letters are HERE.
LW1: Gosh. You have his great open relationship with your MOMBFF. And yet, you have an "awkward dilemma" [is there any other kind?]. I guess that's a sign that you DON'T NEED TO TALK TO YOUR MOM ABOUT IT. Dumbshit.
LW2: She's got the adjective right, at least. He's wonderful! But sterile. Maybe. Guess what, honey: you might be sterile too. So he least you can do is get tested at the same time. Or first.
LW3: I'm certainly not gonna get on the blame-dad bandwagon. Prudie gave good advice. Alas, this may not be a story with a happy end.
LW4: You're a piece of work, lady. But if you want to have some sort of equivalency, how about washing your bra at the office and leaving it to dry in the john?
The letters are HERE.
LW2: She's got the adjective right, at least. He's wonderful! But sterile. Maybe. Guess what, honey: you might be sterile too. So he least you can do is get tested at the same time. Or first.
LW3: I'm certainly not gonna get on the blame-dad bandwagon. Prudie gave good advice. Alas, this may not be a story with a happy end.
LW4: You're a piece of work, lady. But if you want to have some sort of equivalency, how about washing your bra at the office and leaving it to dry in the john?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
"The National Debate on National Identity"
Marc explains the news from France.Right-wing (or far-right) nationalism remains strong in France. The Left has abandoned the discourse and symbols of French nationhood and the progressive values they (can) represent to the right. François Mitterrand introduced proportional representation, in large part to encourage the development of the National Front and thus weaken the Right on its right flank. Similar encouragement is now given by Sarkozy to the NPA, the far-left party fronted by postman Olivier Besancenot.
Every time an election comes round, the Right returns to the issue of national identity, playing on fears of Islamic extremism, communautarianism (growth of ethnic or other non-universal/national identities), and immigration. We've got an election next year (to the regional councils), so it was time for someone in the government to play the nationalism card.
That someone is Eric Besson, "minister for immigration, integration, and national identity" (yes, the French national identity is so weak that it needs a minister to defend it). Besson is a traitor, who joined the Sarkozy campaign after serving as a top advisor to Ségolène Royal (in which quality, he wrote: "La France est-elle prête à voter en 2007 pour un néo-conservateur américain à passeport français ?" (Is France ready to vote for an American neocon with a French passport?). His reward has been a series of top government jobs in the Sarkozy administration, and support in creating his own political movement (Les Progressistes)*, designed to give right-wing Sarkozy's majority an imaginary left-wing component (also
As Minister of Immigration, he has undertaken a series of measures, including a "big lie" campaign that claims that French law does not punish those who assist illegal aliens (for example, by being a good Christian and feeding the hungry). This, despite a series of ongoing cases where people who have fed or lodged illegal aliens (for example, their spouses, children, or parents) have been prosecuted.
Besson's latest gimmick is a "Debate on National Identity". He has been assisted by comments from Sarkozy about French identity being tied to "the land", a Leitmotiv of the far right that hearkens back to Pétain and beyond.
While many people think that the question "what does it mean to be French today?" is a good subject of debate, most also see this "debate" for what it is, a partisan political move aimed at garnering support for the government from the racist and xenophobic right before the upcoming elections.
The main tool of the debate is a website, which has already been roundly criticized for unauthorized use of statements from various left-wing politicians in an effort to create an illusion of consensus. For the party of HADOPI and the defender of property rights, this online theft of intellectual property is particularly piquant. Many contributors to the site have seen their posts deleted by particularly ruthless moderators, whose goal is apparently to further this illusion of consensus on the threats to French identity and the means to protect it.
*Another former Socialist who turned his coat to support Sarkozy is Jean Michel Bockel, mayor of Mulhouse, who was also given a ministerial position and support for creating yet another pseudo-party, "La Gauche moderne", to give Sarkozy political cover on the left.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sponge Bob exhibition
It's the 10th anniversary of SBSP, and Nickelodeon and the city of Paris are hosting an exhibition in his honor, with a focus on environmentalism (it's taking place in the Pavillon de l'Eau, the city's educational exhibition center about water).
Went with J. and E. Not too big, very entertaining, especially the versions of famous art works with Bob l'Eponge instead of Van Gogh, Botticelli's Venus, etc.
Un après-midi Uno
J'ai déjà gagné trois jeux lorsque J. annonce qu'on va jouer au premier qui gagne trois. J'accepte, alors que j'aurais déjà gagné. Trois jeux plus tard, que j'ai tous gagnés, on décide qu'on joue jusqu'à J. gagne trois jeux. On y serait encore, lorsqu'on établit une nouvelle règle : c'est le prochain jeu qui décide de tout. Je gagne. Alors on établit une nouvelle nouvelle règle : celui qui gagne le prochain jeu sera le perdant. Je gagne, donc je perds. Mais j'ai passé du temps avec J. qui m'a dorloté, et suis content.
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