Category: Fourre-tout

Every human being needs love. And so do animals.
Some people are lucky to have experienced it, but many are not so fortunate. They are often desperately lonely and seek comfort with an ESA (emotional support animal). 

 Some humans find it surprising that practically any animal can be tamed and become “un animal de compagnie” (an emotional support animal). But some individuals have successfully managed to raise bears, hippos, wolves, lions, etc. and  bond with them.

All animals, regardless of their species, have a soul, feelings, and are definitely capable of love.

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.” James Herriot

Unlike humans, animals’ feelings are unconditional. They will love you forever regardless of the circumstances.

Emotional support animals come in many shapes and colors. Most are cats and dogs but there are many other species. Mice, rabbits, birds, hedgehogs, rats, mini pigs, ferrets, squirrels, turtles, turkeys are fairly common.

“I never married because there was no need. I have three pets at home that answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog which growls every morning, a parrot which swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late at night.” Marie Corelli

 ESAs can travel free on most airlines. But there have been some excesses and airlines are cracking down on support animals and issuing tighter regulations.

Some people have tried to board planes with snakes, peacocks, monkeys, turkeys, penguins, duck chickens…

I am a staunch animal lover but I would not fancy flying to Paris with a talkative peacock seating next to me.

But I definitely understand the need for emotional support animals. They are like a child’s “blankie”. Indispensable.

Finally, regardless of what you choose as an ESA,  please do not try to take your smart pot-bellied pig everywhere. Common folks might not be as understanding as I am.

Alain

The #Me Too movement is a welcome revolution, but like any insurrection it is highly susceptible to excesses.

While I wholeheartedly support this movement, I am somewhat afraid that this crusade could degenerate into a cottage industry. In the future women could possibly accuse men of misdeeds to punish them for jilting them or rejecting their advances. Just like revenge porn this could be devastating for some men’s reputation.

If a woman has been assaulted, she should immediately file a report with the police. The legal establishment wants tangible proof of what happened. Reporting an assault is the way to secure and validate an accusation.

As proven by the sorry Kavanaugh affair (highly reminiscent to the Thomas circus) to wait is to weaken or irremediably damage your case. Many men (and women?) are often politically motivated to disbelieve plaintiffs.

Just like a car accident, you need to provide plenty of details and witnesses. Fortunately times have changed. Today, there is absolutely no shame or guilt involved in reporting such an occurrence. If assaulted, fight back and immediately, and vigorously pursue the guilty party.

We live in an extremely litigious world. To be safe, you need to carry a legal shield. If somebody assaults you, the perpetrator needs to know that his misdeed will ricochet and inflict serious injuries.

I never liked the term “survivor” widely used in the press. I think that “resistance fighter” would be a better option. A fighter will hit back, even when wounded. Consequently, victims of sexual assault should call themselves, because they will (and should) fight back.

“Somebody messes with me, I’m going to mess with.” Al Capone

Sexual predators will think twice before assaulting a woman. There will be a (heavy) price to pay when they are identified and prosecuted. And besides prison terms, a sexual predator will be branded for life with a scarlet letter. Wherever he goes he will have to register as a sex offender. This could make life extremely difficult for him.

So, resistance fighters don’t hide and suffer in silence. Pick yourself up and punch back, hard.

Retribution is great healing medicine.

Alain

Charles Aznavour (born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian) died October 1^st 2018 in Mouries (France) at the age of 94.

Just 5’3’’ Aznavour was a small giant. He towered over the French chanson for decades and performed well into his nineties.

Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud were the undisputed icons on my generation. They were about the same age with Bécaud being slightly younger. Aznavour was born in Paris on May 22, 1924 and Gilbert Bécaud on October 24 1927.

Both were talented singer-songwriters who competed fiercely for the limelight.

In the beginning, Bécaud (surnamed Monsieur 100,000 volts) was the undisputed titleholder and when Aznavour started to sing, a lot of people made fun of him because of his unorthodox voice.

Both performers were totally different entities. Bécaud was an exuberant extrovert who roamed the stage and accompanied himself on the piano; he was a consummate showman, “une bête de scène” and always established an easy rapport with his audience.

Aznavour, on the other hand, was not a showman or an extrovert. He was an extremely talented composer but definitely not an “entertainer.” While on stage he seldom moved and uttered very few words between songs.

I personally interviewed him in San Francisco after his show (I think that I still have the cassette somewhere) and he struck me as a little bit arrogant. I asked him why so very few French performers came to San Francisco and his answer was “besides me and 2 or 3 other performers, nobody in France is famous enough to attract a sizable audience.”
Maybe true, but it still struck me as a little bit conceited.

But Aznavour output was prodigious. He wrote an estimated 1000 songs that he performed in different languages in many different countries. When he came to San Francisco in the Sixties, he sang mainly in English and I thought that this was a little odd. I thought that people would come to hear a French singer sing in French, even if they did not understand the lyrics.

I asked him and he said “when I go to Spain, I sing in Spanish; when I go to Germany I sing in German, when I go to America I sing in English. That’s what people want.”

I politely disagree with this. I never wished to listen to Tony Bennett or Frank Sinatra in French.

But Aznavour outlived Bécaud by almost 20 years. After Bécaud’s death from lung cancer in 2001, Charles Aznavour became and remained a revered French icon until his death.

An unexceptional singer, but a talented composer and an inspired lyricist. He will be enshrined in the French Artistic Pantheon with the likes of La Môme (Edith Piaf) and Jacques Brel.

A great loss for the artistic world.

Alain