it's always the same - been a few years since i had that feeling. heart races, permanent smile on my face, excitment, feeling of belonging with the crowd, i dunno it triggers the same effect every time. le vote. voting. j'adore....
presidential elections in France. we all want change, yet we are afraid of at what expense that change will occur. literally vacillating in the voting both, i don't think that i was that different from many of the other undecided voters.
bon le choix est fait - vive la démocratie !
à 17h00, le taux de participation est à 73,87 % !! bravo les français !
22 April 2007
17 April 2007
les français à l'étranger sur TV5
une émission avec Sarkozy et Bayrou en invités ce soir... ça change.
Foreign policy in France
Just the other day I was having a conversation about the fact that the presidential elections in France are surprisingly devoid of foreign policy (not including immigration), compared to the US. People here vote for the president according to the social and economic policy platforms, with little interest in Europe or beyond. The candidates do mention foreign policy issues from time to time, but not much in relation to the significance it has in the job posting. Presidents in France stand nearly alone when it comes to foreign policy, thanks to the Ve république.
Interesting article today in the IHT on the way foreign policy works in France.
A few comments:
1) on US-French cooperation on terrorism, the latest news this week revealed that French intelligence had obtained information regarding plans for the events that occured on September 11, which they shared with the CIA :
2) I think that Prof. Moravcsik unfairly evaluates Ségolène Royal's ability with foreign policy. Although she has might (arguably) have less "direct" experience in foreign policy, she made it a point in the early days of her presidential campaign to go to various countries (not without some controversy though). Sarkozy's first choice was the UK, not excatly a political minefield like Royal's choices of China, Lebanon and Senegal. She also bothered to write a letter to French voters who live abroad, although hers is dated 9 days after Sarkozy's letter.
3) Royal's biggest "foreign policy" gaffe is not mentioned in the article. She stated sometime last week that she would refuse to shake George Bush's hand as if nothing had ever happened, as if we didn't disagree on tactical and strategic issues. Silly, but mostly it was said to point out that Sarkozy had done just that.
4) An interesting addition to this article would have been an evaluation of the French opinion abroad. Le Monde provided a good analysis several weeks ago.
Interesting article today in the IHT on the way foreign policy works in France.
A few comments:
1) on US-French cooperation on terrorism, the latest news this week revealed that French intelligence had obtained information regarding plans for the events that occured on September 11, which they shared with the CIA :
"Dès janvier 2001, la direction d'Al-Qaida se montre néanmoins transparente aux yeux – et aux oreilles – des espions français. Les rédacteurs détaillent même les désaccords entre terroristes sur les modalités pratiques du détournement envisagé. Jamais ils ne doutent de leur intention. Provisoirement, les djihadistes privilégient la capture d'un avion entre Francfort et les Etats-Unis. Ils établissent une liste de sept compagnies possibles. Deux seront finalement choisies par les pirates du 11-Septembre : American Airlines et United Airlines (voir fac-similé). Dans son introduction, l'auteur de la note annonce : "Selon les services ouzbeks de renseignement, le projet d'un détournement d'avion semble avoir été discuté en début d'année 2000 lors d'une réunion à Kaboul entre des représentants de l'organisation d'Oussama Ben Laden…
Comme toutes les informations évoquant des risques contre des intérêts américains, la note a été transmise à la CIA par le service des relations extérieures de la DGSE, responsable des coopérations entre alliés (renommé depuis service des liaisons)."
2) I think that Prof. Moravcsik unfairly evaluates Ségolène Royal's ability with foreign policy. Although she has might (arguably) have less "direct" experience in foreign policy, she made it a point in the early days of her presidential campaign to go to various countries (not without some controversy though). Sarkozy's first choice was the UK, not excatly a political minefield like Royal's choices of China, Lebanon and Senegal. She also bothered to write a letter to French voters who live abroad, although hers is dated 9 days after Sarkozy's letter.
3) Royal's biggest "foreign policy" gaffe is not mentioned in the article. She stated sometime last week that she would refuse to shake George Bush's hand as if nothing had ever happened, as if we didn't disagree on tactical and strategic issues. Silly, but mostly it was said to point out that Sarkozy had done just that.
4) An interesting addition to this article would have been an evaluation of the French opinion abroad. Le Monde provided a good analysis several weeks ago.
15 April 2007
27 celsius - 81 fahrenheit
trop bo ce temps - du soleil, un petit vent frais, un dîner en terrasse avec des amis hier soir, c la joie totale de pouvoir passer du temps dehors, de flâner avec ses habits d'été, de voir le chat dormir au soleil dans l'appartement... et tout ça depuis mardi dernier !
14 April 2007
Nature or nurture?
This week, Sarkozy stated in a press interview that pedophilia and suicidial tendencies are genetically-determined diseases.
I've been wondering what is the cause of the different color African daisies on my balcony. They are from the same plant, same root, yet one branch has gone nearly white and the other branch has stayed its original purple color. Nature or nurture?
I've been wondering what is the cause of the different color African daisies on my balcony. They are from the same plant, same root, yet one branch has gone nearly white and the other branch has stayed its original purple color. Nature or nurture?
13 April 2007
Spoonerism
spoonerism \SPOO-nuh-riz-uhm\, noun:
The transposition of usually initial sounds in a pair of words.
Some examples:
- We all know what it is to have a half-warmed fish ["half-formed wish"] inside us.
- The Lord is a shoving leopard ["loving shepherd"].
- It is kisstomary to cuss ["customary to kiss"] the bride.
- Is the bean dizzy ["dean busy"]?
- When the boys come back from France, we'll have the hags flung out ["flags hung out"]!
- Let me sew you to your sheet ["show you to your seat"].
Spoonerism comes from the name of the Rev. William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), a kindly but nervous Anglican clergyman and educationalist. All the above examples were committed by (or attributed to) him.
The transposition of usually initial sounds in a pair of words.
Some examples:
- We all know what it is to have a half-warmed fish ["half-formed wish"] inside us.
- The Lord is a shoving leopard ["loving shepherd"].
- It is kisstomary to cuss ["customary to kiss"] the bride.
- Is the bean dizzy ["dean busy"]?
- When the boys come back from France, we'll have the hags flung out ["flags hung out"]!
- Let me sew you to your sheet ["show you to your seat"].
Spoonerism comes from the name of the Rev. William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), a kindly but nervous Anglican clergyman and educationalist. All the above examples were committed by (or attributed to) him.
03 April 2007
News from the other side of the ocean...
Is it possible??? Manuel Antonio Noriega, aka cara de piña, could be returning to the country he ruined with murders and hatred during his dictatorship? Ay, my abuela is turning in her grave!
See article from NewsMax.
See article from NewsMax.
Queen Rania of Jordan
I ran into her twice today at work. Once, around 1pm, she was waiting for the elevator with 3 bodyguards and 12-15 cm heels - dressed in a golden embroidered suit. very classy. too much though. i estimated she was about 40 (actually 37). loads of makeup. hair up. then when i left work around 7pm i actually had to wait to let her and her entourage pass. she was wearing a white pleated silk mini-skirt (or maybe bottom of her dress - difficult to know). very modern and fun. the wind was such that it started lifting up when she walked in - an older woman with her said with a laugh "marilyn monroe." um yeah that would probably be an insult to rania. she's got looks and smarts. no photos. sorry.
30 March 2007
another government lie detected...
The person who was the center of the riots in Paris this past week got upset after he jumped the turnstile and was contrôlé by the RATP and then police. The police and the (new, very young, very bold) minister of the interior said that Angelo Hoekelet was an illegal immigrant. In fact, as reported in this latest article in Le monde, he arrived in France in 1985 at age 11 as part of the (very commonplace) family reunification migration flow. Since then, he had received a deportation notice, which he appealed and won in September 2006 and he missed his meeting for a carte de séjour on 5 April (he was still detained then). So he has the right to be in France. Basta! Fin d'histoire! According to the cops, the mistake was because the system hadn't been updated (no apology given). The ministry has yet to issue a response (and probably won't).
French elections - 1
my first comment... In reading a bit of the foreign press (nice site btw) on the presidential elections in France, I find that the UK is bashing socialism, the US is bashing democratic choice and is anti-feminist. All in all, they find the election process humorous and love to take a jab at the French (isn't it getting old already??).
The latest article sent me in a fury - thank you Stephen Clarke of the NYT ("No Sex, Please, We’re French" 23 March 2007). Funny how Ségolène Royal's marital status (not married, in long term relationship with the father of her 4 children) takes precedence over the fact that Nicholas Sarkozy had several lovers (while married, not even separated at the time).
Forbes shouldn't get in the business of fortune-telling - seems no more reliable than looking into a crystal ball: Sarkozy likely to win French election. How do they know more than we (the French people and press) do?
27 March 2007
And you thought the US was obese?
If you are a woman older than age 15 AND from a small Pacific island (eg Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa) OR from parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, UAE), THEN you are highly likely to be OBESE... Yep, 1/3 of women in these countries are way too heavy (based on BMI) and Nauru wins the super size me prize - nearly 80% of women are obsese! And, the US is doing well - only 1/5th of adult women are unsightly.
Three important questions:
- Any causal effect? Does hiding your body under a hijab or a sarong make it easier for women to get fat?
- Can this information kill tourism in the Pacific Islands?
- Are Samoa girl scout cookies responsible for the fact that 2/3 of adult women are obsese in Samoa?
Source: WHO, 2006, http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006_riskfactors.pdf
Three important questions:
- Any causal effect? Does hiding your body under a hijab or a sarong make it easier for women to get fat?
- Can this information kill tourism in the Pacific Islands?
- Are Samoa girl scout cookies responsible for the fact that 2/3 of adult women are obsese in Samoa?
Source: WHO, 2006, http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006_riskfactors.pdf
drumroll...
so no one is reading my blog except me. that's pathetic. no visitors. i need to do a better job of being smart, witty, funny, insightful, endearing, interesting, independent, free, critical, persuasive, etc. boy-o-boy. i am certainly off to a bad start today! maybe tomorrow.
26 March 2007
plants running
the heat is off, the sun is out and kosmo found his pillow heated by the sun. my african daisies survived the winter and the parisian pollution. one branch is white lilac, another dark purple. the dna must have gotten split somehow. weird.
my new sport for 2007 - running. been trying to make it out for a 10k run per week + several small ones in between. ça marche pour le moment. last weekend was the foulées du tertre. didn't run but looks manageable. most people arrived under one hour - the fastest was probably around 25-30 minutes. serious marathon prep - 3 weeks to go. will i ever run one?
my new sport for 2007 - running. been trying to make it out for a 10k run per week + several small ones in between. ça marche pour le moment. last weekend was the foulées du tertre. didn't run but looks manageable. most people arrived under one hour - the fastest was probably around 25-30 minutes. serious marathon prep - 3 weeks to go. will i ever run one?
09 March 2007
05 March 2007
i like americans, really...
... but this is 6 minutes of great fun at their (our) expense. It could be done probably for other countries, but isn't. Why is that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE
23 February 2007
Seeking blond wig for city cyclist
Drivers give helmeted cyclists less room?
Motorists give greater leeway to cyclists who do not wear safety helmets, according to a study by a academic in Britain who was hit by traffic twice as he rode his bike to carry out his research. Researcher Ian Walker from the Department of Psychology of Britain's University of Bath found drivers were up to two times more likely to get close when passing cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking bare-headed pedalers. He said wearing a helmet might therefore make a collision more likely, but a safety-advocacy group cautioned against giving up a helmet's protection against head injury in hopes of avoiding a crash. To conduct his experiment, Walker rode a bicycle fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor and recorded data from more than 2,500 overtaking motorists. He spent half his time wearing a helmet and half bare-headed. He says he was struck by a bus and a truck while wearing the helmet but was uninjured. Walker, whose research has been accepted for publication in the international journal Accident Analysis & Prevention at a date not yet set, said his study followed previous research that found many drivers saw cyclists as a group of "lycra-clad street-warriors.." "This may lead drivers to believe cyclists with helmets are more serious, experienced and predictable than those without," he said in a statement released on Tuesday. Walker found drivers passed an average of 3.3 inches (8.5 cm) closer to cyclists with a helmet than without, giving cyclists the room needed to avoid drain covers and potholes. As part of his experiment, Walker also donned a blond wig and found drivers gave him an average of 5.5 inches more space when they passed what appeared to be a female cyclist. "We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial," said Walker. "Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place." A spokesman for Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said the study highlighted the vulnerability of cyclists and the need for drivers to take greater care. "But we would not recommend people stop wearing cycle helmets because of this research. Helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head and brain injuries in a crash," said the spokesman.
© Copyright Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.
Motorists give greater leeway to cyclists who do not wear safety helmets, according to a study by a academic in Britain who was hit by traffic twice as he rode his bike to carry out his research. Researcher Ian Walker from the Department of Psychology of Britain's University of Bath found drivers were up to two times more likely to get close when passing cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking bare-headed pedalers. He said wearing a helmet might therefore make a collision more likely, but a safety-advocacy group cautioned against giving up a helmet's protection against head injury in hopes of avoiding a crash. To conduct his experiment, Walker rode a bicycle fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor and recorded data from more than 2,500 overtaking motorists. He spent half his time wearing a helmet and half bare-headed. He says he was struck by a bus and a truck while wearing the helmet but was uninjured. Walker, whose research has been accepted for publication in the international journal Accident Analysis & Prevention at a date not yet set, said his study followed previous research that found many drivers saw cyclists as a group of "lycra-clad street-warriors.." "This may lead drivers to believe cyclists with helmets are more serious, experienced and predictable than those without," he said in a statement released on Tuesday. Walker found drivers passed an average of 3.3 inches (8.5 cm) closer to cyclists with a helmet than without, giving cyclists the room needed to avoid drain covers and potholes. As part of his experiment, Walker also donned a blond wig and found drivers gave him an average of 5.5 inches more space when they passed what appeared to be a female cyclist. "We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial," said Walker. "Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place." A spokesman for Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said the study highlighted the vulnerability of cyclists and the need for drivers to take greater care. "But we would not recommend people stop wearing cycle helmets because of this research. Helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head and brain injuries in a crash," said the spokesman.
© Copyright Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.
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