Black dog and foam mattress

This story will not be accompanied by any photos, in spite of the fact that I spent about an hour this morning out on the front lawn alongside Fitzroy, and I would have had more than enough time to take photos...  not only of my dog but, above all, of the foam mattress that he had methodically and expertly destroyed in the early hours of the morning.

Up until this morning, I had never imagine that Fitzroy would be determined to perform such a spectacular demolition job. It was carried out with precision, like a great surgical operation. Big chunks of foam were broken into smaller fragments and these were then separated into even smaller fragments, and so on. And all this confetti was spread out over a large area... with the help of morning breezes.

I was totally stunned. I tried to ask my dog a question: "Fitzroy, why did you do that?" But my dog was so exhausted (a consequence of his nocturnal activities) that he didn't have enough energy to provide me with an explanation. So, the mystery remains...

This is not misanthropy

Since returning to Gamone towards the end of 2015, I’ve often imagined the idea of searching for a female companion. I’ve imagined—to take the most obvious example—that I might find her through the Internet, in much the same way that some of my best friends have done so. Of course it wouldn’t be easy. In fact it might even be damn near impossible, for many reasons. Would it be worth a try? Well, my final answer is negative. Even were I to succeed ideally in unearthing such an improbable companion, I’m not at all convinced that it might be a good idea to terminate my solitude. But I repeat the title of my post : This is not a case of misanthropy. Well then, what is it?

The relationship between two individuals in love changes significantly when they move away from their youthful era and into old age. I’m not suggesting that it’s better during the primary phase and worse during the secondary. There’s quite possibly the same degree of intensity and happiness. But the relationship is profoundly different, because it changes mathematically with advancing age. In the beginning, the two individuals probably imagined procreation as a fundamental goal… and they may or may not have succeeded in that ambition. They probably envisaged common ambitions such as acquiring a home, and establishing a family foyer.

With advancing age, people think differently. Inevitably, they are reminded periodically that one of them might soon disappear. If it were I who disappeared, then my companion would surely be sad. And if it were she who disappeared, then I would be sad. To call a spade a spade, our relationship would give rise to two possible cases of sadness. To avoid that outcome, I find it preferable to abandon the idea of seeking a female companion. So, I shall remain a solitary individual. Now, is my conclusion a demonstration of misanthropy?

I thought he belonged to the past

Often, since my arrival in France, Ive heard of a distinguished composer named Vladimir Cosma, born in Romania.

Although we have practically the same age, 76, I had soon imagined that this famous musician belonged to a distant past. Maybe this silly belief might have been enhanced by the fact that Cosma celebrities—Teodor and Edgar—formed a distinguished musical family in Romania. Vladmir Cosma composed the following well-known melodies:

Click image to enlarge and link to YouTube

Maybe you didn't recognize that final example.

Here's a more memorable version:

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And here's another example of both melodies:

 

Click image to enlarge and link to YouTube

Utter secrecy is a necessity

I spoke here about a special new French police record identified by the letter S. For obvious reasons, mayors of French municipalities might like to be informed about the presence of citizens with S records.

 

Click here to access an article in which the minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve repeats that such information will never be divulged. The general idea is that the police need to follow such individuals, to find out whether they're a security risk. Such police pursuits would be hindered by the public disclosure of S records.

Will Jeanne be a champion forever?

The French lady Jeanne Calment [1875-1997], who lived in Arles, holds the current world record for longevity : 122 years. But old age records are not exactly rocket science, and older contenders may have existed, or continue to exist, for this record.

Jean-Louis Serre, a French professor of genetics, wonders here whether it might be impossible for humans to live any longer than that.

Past can be better than future

                         [photo THOMAS SAMSON / AFP]

In an interview yesterday, Alain Juppé said that, in the legal domain, it can be preferable to have a past rather than a future. What a superb summary! When asked whether he might be thinking of anybody in particular, the candidate replied: “No, it’s a general remark.” That’s tact… but I’m still convinced Juppé was thinking of his principal right-wing opponent.

BREAKING NEWS: This morning, the candidate Bruno Le Maire thought he might be smart in jumping onto the bandwaggon. « C'est encore mieux de n'avoir ni passé ni avenir judiciaire. » (It's better still to have neither a judiciary past nor future.) Dull Bruno's remark reminded me of words from Forrest Gump. Of course, you silly bugger, we all know that it's better to have no problems whatsoever with the law. Le Maire was simply demonstrating (unnecessarily) that he doesn't cogitate as brilliantly as Juppé. His brain operates at least a notch or two below that of Juppé, both in speed and in intelligence.

International New-York Times leaving Paris

The international version of the great US newspaper settled in Paris 129 years ago. It has decided to leave. The paper-based product will move to Hong Kong; the web-based, to London.

In the early ‘60s, in Paris, Jean Seberg’s innocent question was a milestone in my understanding of colloquial French.

Click to enlarge and link to YouTube

Qu’est-ce que c’est : dégueulasse ? Before dying, her Paris friend (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo) didn’t have time to tell her that it means “disgusting”.

Last love of a French president

Most people thought that all the words of François Mitterrand [1916-1996] had in fact been published. They failed to imagine his words of love. His beloved Anne (mother of Mazarine) has never forgotten two texts that will be published next Thursday.

 Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, François Mitterrand and Anne Pingeot

(in red) at the opening of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris,

December 1, 1986. [DERRICK CEYRAC / AFP]

Addressing his lover, François Mitterrand seemed
to have borrowed the words of Roland Barthes :

Je n'ai rien à te dire, sinon que ce rien,
c'est à toi que je le dis.
 
[I have nothing to say to you.
But that nothing is meant solely for you.]

Omar to kill me

 

The sentence “Omar m’a tuer” is unintelligible French, as if it had been written by an illiterate person. At first sight, Mme Ghislaine Marchal—the author of those words in blood—seems to be saying that she had been killed by Omar in her villa at Mougins (Alpes-Maritimes). But why would that dying French lady have used such poor grammar?

On that flimsy evidence, in 1991, the Moroccan gardener Omar Raddad was condemned and jailed. But he persisted non-stop upon his innocence. In 1998, he was liberated, and now lives in Morocco.

A recent analysis of DNA specimens from the scene of the crime provides new facts. Four males, none of whom was Omar Raddad, have left traces of their presence. Will the real murderer be identified at last?

Once they were friends

Click here to see how one of these two former friends seems to be moving away clearly from the other. I don't want to mention names, for fear my readers might imagine that I'm behaving unfairly. All I have to say is: Continue to move in that direction!

PS As you can see, there's no way in the world that I would ever allow myself to be as outspoken as Robert De Niro. Besides, that would be needless overkill. Even the worst politicians in France are angelic when compared with the vulgar Trump "punk".

Robert De Niro on Trump

For "Monsieur Cinéma", it's The End

Pierre Tchernia, 88, has died.

French passporters not allowed to say cheese

A French civil servant was upset when local authorities refused to renew his passport because he had submitted an identity photo in which he was smiling. He even took the affair to court, without success.

In France, smiling photos are illegal on documents such as passports.

Vast offensive being planned to take Mosul

In Iraq, military elements are being assembled for a gigantic attack upon Mosul. Let us hope that this onslaught takes place rapidly, and that it succeeds.

Nobel Prize for Peace awarded to Colombian president

Juan Manuel Santos has done an admirable job in persuading the Farc guérilleros to throw away their arms.

Weird and nasty accident Down Under

An out-of-control car slammed into a Queensland house where mourners were gathering for a funeral. One of the mourners was killed, while a dozen others were seriously injured. Some were transported by Australia's celebrated Royal Flying Doctor Service. They may have been terrified to find themselves being placed aboard a small aircraft...

France can produce both very good political TV and very bad political TV

Last night’s L’Emission politique was a calamity. My personal opinion is that both journalists—David Pujadas and Léa Salamé—should be invited to take a break of a month or so, giving France 2 the possibility of halting this show and replacing it, if possible, by something more coherent, more friendly and peaceful. The current style has simply veered into nasty absurdity. Last night, to greet a smart French statesman, Alain Juppé, who'll probably become president of France, that pair of tired little nincompoops decided to hurl at him two fellows who seemed to emerge from a low-quality movie. One was a dubious specimen from the field of finance. The other, a brain-damaged extremist-right-wing politician. I was so disgusted that I almost turned off the TV… but I persevered in order to appreciate the skill with which the candidate might succeed (he did) in trudging through all the smelly slime thrown in his face.

Australian sporting journalist leaves the field

The popular journalist Rebecca Wilson, 54, has lost her battle against breast cancer. This loss must be unbearable, not only for her husband and two boys, but for countless Down Under followers of TV sporting events. At times, all too often, the premature departure of a seemingly energetic and youthful individual seems to be simply wrong. A kind of monstrous mistake.

Juppé to be interviewed on TV

This evening, presidential candidate Alain Juppé will be interviewed on France 2 by David Pujadas and Léa Salamé.

It should be an important encounter, because this is the major political talk show. If everything were to go over well, as it should, then Juppé would be closer than ever to his goal of becoming the next president of France. The only thing that surprises me is Juppé's claim to have never watched one of the previous interviews between the Pujadas/Salamé journalists and a presidential candidate. In other words, he should be perfectly spontaneous. A lot will depend, too, on the emotional state of the female journalist. Will Léa snarl at Juppé (as with Sarkozy) or will she smile (as with Montbourg)?

Hurricane Matthew about to hammer Florida

Since its initial publication,

this blog post has been updated several times,

making it a little incoherent.

In Haïti, Hurricane Matthew has caused at least 400 deaths [latest news : Friday, 20 h 45 in France].

On Thursday 6 October, 1.5 million inhabitants were asked by the State Governor of Florida to abandon the coastal region.





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Click here to access the bulletin from which
the above charts were extracted.