Category: Fourre-tout

Due to family obligations, I was unable to participate in the “remembrance of Tino Lofaro” 2018 Sonoma Wine Country Open, but I managed to show up briefly on Saturday to snap a few pictures.

I was pleasantly surprised by the large turnout. Forty-three (43) doublettes (86 players) registered to play and filled the courts to capacity. I was also told that some true “petanquophiles” traveled far and wide (Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, etc.) to attend this event.
From the Elysian Fields, our friend Tino must have been beaming.

Before I forget… this intricate tournament was ably run by Patrick Vaslet and co-conspirator Shannon Bowman. Well-done guys!

I left early Saturday but was back on Sunday to watch the heavyweights battle for the heavy purses.

16 teams qualified to play in the Concours, 16 teams qualified for Consolante A and 11 teams qualified for Consolante B

This tournament had everything a Hollywood director would want: action, romance, showboating, pathos, miracles, and an unexpected finish.

In the Concours semi-finals, Peter Mathis and Mickey Coughlin faced John and Tish Harris. If I had been a betting man, I would have put my money on Peter and Mickey. Both are known as excellent players as well as good “shooters” and could switch roles if the situation demanded it.

John and Tish were the unknown quantity to me. I saw them play just 2 or 3 times and I did not really know much about them.

As it turned out, they proved to be tough customers. Tish pointed extremely well and John provided the artillery when needed. On the other side, Peter Mathis also played well, performed a few miracles and even walked on water. But that was not enough.
Mickey’s weak pointing was their undoing. He pointed below par and basically sealed their fate.
After a long match with many twists, John and Tish finally won 13/8.

In the finals, played on the tricky gravel covered court, John and Tish faced Paul Yang and Jer Thao, both excellent and stylish players.

What should have been an evenly matched encounter turned out to be anticlimactic. Paul and Jer inexplicably failed to point accurately on gravel. They were undone by Tish’s superior pointing and John’s shooting.

Final, unbelievable score: 13/0 for the Harrises. This does not take anything from Paul and Jer. They are still great players and very nice people. They just had a bad hair day.

Concours
1^st place: John & Tish Harris – $1700.00
2^nd place: Paul Yang & Jer Thao $700.00
3^rd place: Peter Mathis & Mickey Couglin $350.00
^{4th place: $350.00}
5^th to 8^{th place}: $140.00 (not played)

Consolante A:
1^st place: Nicolas Yang & Ziggy $280.00
2^nd place: Holly Sammons & David Johnstone $160.00
3^rd and 4^{th place}: $100.00 (not played)

Consolante B:
1^st place: David Clark & Chan Xiong $120.00
2^nd place: Ed Clay & Jack Cannard $90.00

And that was the extraordinary day that was.

Alain

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” –Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

I eat, you eat, we all eat… but what do we know about the food that we so innocently ingest? I would venture to say that most of the people do not have the faintest idea (or don’t care) about what they put in their mouth.

They seldom think about preservatives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and all the nasty chemicals that are now ubiquitous in the “civilized” world. The diners’ main concern is that whatever they chew on should give them (temporarily) pleasure.

Most of the people probably adhere to Mark Twain’s maxim:

“The secret of success is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” Mark Twain

It is said that ignorance is bliss, but I doubt it.

I would bet without any hesitation that the food consumed by the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert is much healthier than any dishes served in any fast food restaurant.

To be truthful, I really never spent much time thinking about what I eat. Generally speaking, I broadly follow accepted rules; but those directives are frequently misleading… and often driven by partisan lobbyists.

What prompted me to reflect on food was a KQED presentation named “What the heck should I eat?” hosted by Doctor Mark Hyman, founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Center.

Doctor Hyman said: “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.” I believe it. It is the fuel that powers the machine that corrodes the engine, not the exercise.

The poisoning of the body is insidious but steady, and over time it will take its toll.

Have you ever closely scrutinized a food label? It can be mind-boggling.

Every morning I drink a Maxwell House concoction called Suisse Moka cafe.
Listed under the ingredients: nondairy creamer [partially hydrogenated coconut oil, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate (from milk), dipotassium phosphate, mono-and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, artificial flavor], maltodextrin, decaffeinated instant coffee, sodium citrate, contains less than 2% of natural and artificial flavor, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, silicon dioxide.
Could all this weird stuff be good for me? Hmm…

And I just noticed: “Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering.”
What the heck does that mean? Are they Frankensteining my food?

One of our problems is identifying where the product comes from, and secondly, what it is really made of. Never forget that profit drives everything and that little “white lies” are inconsequential throughout the food industry.

So, what the hell should we eat? Fruits? OK, but what about those darn pesticides? Organic? But how do we know that it is really “organic”?Vegetables? All right, but where do they come from? What about pesticides?Meat?  but what about those darn hormones?

So?

I really don’t have an answer, but try at least to decipher the label before buying a product, and keep in mind that anything that you don’t understand is not kosher.

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” –Ernestine Ulmerow

Alain

PS: I know of a hot spot in the Kalahari Desert

The ship of democracy, which has weathered all storms, may sink through the mutiny of those on board. — Grover Cleveland

Fluctuat Nec Mergitur has been the motto of the city of Paris, France since 1358. This old Latin phrase roughly translates as:

“She is tossed by the waves but does not sink”.

In Washington though, the ship of state is also battered by the waves but in great danger of foundering.

The captain’s erratic behavior is frightening officers and crewmen alike. The ship’s company distrusts him, and like Captain Bligh, he could possibly be relieved of his command and set adrift on a sea of troubles.

The American ship of state is starting to resemble The Flying Dutchman, the legendary ghost ship, whose sight was an omen of doom.

The Bounty and the Caine mutinies bear many similarities. They both occurred because of captain Bligh and captain Queeg paranoid behavior. Evidently, the title does not make a leader.

Effective authority is based on mutual respect and a captain has to lead by example. He cannot get involved in personal feuds and resort to name-calling. He has to stay above the fray. The minute he breaches etiquette and turns to abusive language, he stoops to the gutter level and loses the respect of his peers.

Generally speaking, a man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth is not an ideal candidate for public office. He is used to getting his way, and if he is not indulged he is likely to roll on the floor and throw a temper tantrum.

The style of a captain of industry and a political leader are vastly different. A businessman is a kinglet ruling by decrees, while a statesman rules by consensus. Both jobs differ greatly and are not mutually compatible.

Thought to mull over:

Run for office first (and if you absolutely must) tackle business afterward. Attempt the opposite and find yourself discombobulated (I like that word) and open to ridicule.

Alain