Category: Fourre-tout

“The straight line, a respectable optical illusion which ruins many a man.” 
Victor Hugo

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Decision-making: the process of resolving what to do about something or somebody.

Every day someone somewhere has to make a decision. It could be something trivial or vitally important. But regardless of the seriousness of the matter, one must remember that he will have to live with the consequences of his actions for a long time.

The decision-making process should be based on facts. The more informed you are about a subject, the easier the decision. Or so it seems.
But decisions are more and more tainted by emotions such as fear, anger, envy, jealousy, rather than by a sober analysis of the facts.

Nowadays, when considering a candidate most voters rely on sound bites or video clips to make up their mind. And it is the most outrageous pronouncements that get the front page. It is the passion “the fire in the belly” of a candidate that often sways voters. Especially those who seldom bother to open a book or a newspaper.

With a pathetic disregard for truth, facts are doctored, distorted, negatively amplified to the point of becoming grotesquely inaccurate.

The Cleveland Republican National Convention looked eerily reminiscent of the Nuremberg Rally.
Ill-informed participants wildly acclaiming a narcissistic egomaniac promising to regenerate a “dying country” and make it great again… (just for party members.)
Barely missing was the raised right arm salute.

“The play was a great success, but the audience was a disaster.”
OSCAR WILDE

The election process has become a highly choreographed Hollywood telenovela where the main character (regardless of his obvious shortcomings) is more important than the plot.

But American elections are a deadly serious business watched with fear and astonishment by people all over the planet.
The results of the November plebiscite might possibly change the fate of the world… for the worst.

Ultimately, is it going to be Austerlitz or Waterloo?

Alain

PS: I have started to build a personal bunker, just in case…

“Plagiarism: the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.”

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 It is not nice, but this is exactly what happened last night when ornamental Melania Trump addressed the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
She copied almost word for word parts of 2008 Michelle Obama’s speech and tried to pass it as her own.
The Republican leadership had then the unmitigated gall to deny plagiarism, but the facts are undeniable.

Here are excerpts of Michelle’s and Melania’s speeches:

Michelle said:
“… Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect”

Melania said:
“From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect,”

Michelle said:
“And Barack and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generation. Because we want our children — and all children in this nation — to know that the only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

Melania said:
“And we need to pass those lessons on to many generations to follow because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

You have to praise Melania for her poise and her command of the English language, but you cannot help but wonder about the professionalism of her overseers.
Every kid in America knows that Plagiarism Detection Tools are a dime and dozen and that it is very difficult nowadays to get away with such shenanigan, especially in a Presidential campaign.
Another self-inflicted wound to the ancient, senescent Republican elephant.

I am wondering… Could the Donald possibly say to Melania: You are fired!
Or could RWC (Republicans With Cojones) have the nerves to tell Herr Trump to take a flying leap in the lake?
I don’t think so, but men of good will should never keep quiet in front of evil or impudent behavior, for to keep quiet is to agree.

To be continued…

Alain

PS: You might not know it, but the word Trump comes from Old French “tromper”, to deceive.
Buyer beware.

Another mass murder in France.
Few people were surprised, the French least of all.
Living under a permanent threat is now an accepted and fatalistic way of life in most parts of the world.

Due to its vast colonial legacy (especially in North and West Africa), France is particularly at risk. It now has one the largest Muslim population (close to 5 million) in Western Europe.
A mainly disaffected and restless community relegated to the suburbs and viewed suspiciously (if not with open hostility) by the French citizenry. An edgy community highly susceptible to be influenced by the siren songs of Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
And figures show an estimated number of 1800 of French residents (the largest in Europe) who joined ISIS and other jihadist networks.

Due to lingering ill feelings generated by the bloody Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962) and often-blatant discrimination, Muslims failed or refused to be assimilated into the mainstream of French society.
Similarly the French establishment often glaringly rejected them; as usual religion was used to unite the downtrodden against their overlords.

Since 1905, when the Chamber of Deputies voted for the Separation of Church and State, the French government system has been based on “secularism” “the prohibition of religious influence in the determination of state policies.”
A laudable idea, but going against entrenched Muslim beliefs.

The explosive combination of high unemployment, rising income inequality and perceived discrimination created a volatile situation that can explode anytime, anywhere.
So-called “lone wolves” or radicalized creatures who hold a grudge against some individuals have increasingly exploited this situation to settle personal scores.
A state of affairs exacerbated by recent events and exploited equally by Muslim hardliners and Extreme-Right groups such as Le Front National and Conservative Republicans.

Defeating ISIS on the field won’t stop mass murderers; it might even goad them to amplify their actions. The war against extremism has to be fought by ALL nations on the field AND on the Internet.

Regardless of the number of soldiers on the ground, ruling bodies will have to subdue ISIS in cyberspace before declaring victory on the field.

The fight should not be us against them. It should be fair-minded, reasonable people (of all creeds) against murderous sociopaths.

Alain