Category: Fourre-tout

“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

 

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

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The above quote is, or should be my wife’s personal motto.

Despite yearly inoculations, the travel bug regularly infects her.
Unlike mosquitos that seem to prefer masculine blood, the travel bug is more likely to bite women than men. And women, like willing victims, seem to enjoy its sting.

A woman is always ready to pack. It is in her genes. Just say the word, or even hint at it, and a suitcase magically appears.

It might have something to do with the not-so-distant past when a snarling male burst into a cave, grabbed a woman (any woman) by the hair and dragged her a few miles into his lair. It seems that since that time, regardless of the circumstances, women have been ready to go.
The destination is unimportant. The journey is.

Routine, a perfectly innocent word to men is absolutely unpalatable to women.
They know that routine, just like the Sargasso Sea, is to be avoided at all cost and she will go to any length to avoid the doldrums.
To combat that affliction, she might go into politics, priesthood, the military, or TRAVEL.

A woman needs adventure, excitement, foreign shores to thrive. A man’s needs are more prosaic: a keg of beer and a sports channel will suffice. Men have to be coerced -with promise of unlimited sex or a keg of beer (preferably beer)- to take a (foreign) vacation.

They equate a vacation with a military expedition. It has to be carefully planned and avoid unnecessary losses.
A woman is not concerned with such trivialities. Over the top is her method of operation. Oblivious to danger, she will attack foreign shopping bunkers with the élan of a bayonet charge.
A bayonet charge is always scary, but it is particularly frightening when executed by seemingly out of control Hausfrauen.

When traveling with a woman, men need a lot of patience and endurance.
A vacation is no walk in the park; for many men it feels more like an obstacle course.
And when you usually drive to go to grocery store around the corner, it can be challenging.

A woman regards a vacation as an overdue bonus. A benefit that will allow her to brag for months about her incredible adventures in the Old Continent.
A trip to the Scottish Highlands definitely beats Marge’s pitiful outing to Disneyland.

For a man, the time to enjoy a European trip is about three weeks after unpacking. George Ade

After the credit card charges have been paid out.

Alain