Au Cochonnet Marin

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of my (many) pet peeves is the way some people speak… or misspeak. Many fail to express themselves clearly or accurately and I often have to ask them to repeat themselves.
Is my hearing deficient or is their speech inadequate? I prefer to opt for the second possibility.

Elocution (the skill of clear and expressive speech) is one of the most valuable talents an individual can master. For a well-spoken person, the world is his oyster. With good oratory skills, a man/woman is always a preferred candidate.

And you don’t have to shout. A quiet speech is often more effective than a thunderous one. If you want to be heard, speak softly (and preferably, carry a big money bag).

The question is: How do you know if you are expressing yourself properly if you can easily be understood?

If you are a bit curious, try to dictate the following sentence to any recording device:

“Merry Mary married hairy Harry.”

It sounds easy, but it is not. Despite repeated attempts, I failed miserably.  My (slow-witted) computer could only register the following:

“Mary Mary Mary Harry Harry.”

I am obviously a mediocre speaker and I could certainly use Professor’s Henry Higgins expertise.

“The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains.”

I had no problem with this sentence. Thank goodness, I am not a totally lost cause.

Speech is important. Much more important than good looks. Beauty is fleeting, speech is enduring. You can be a potent orator at any age but a nice caboose can only carry you so far.
Besides being “une fine lame” (an expert swordsman) Cyrano de Bergerac was an even better wordsmith. It is only through his flowery prose that Christian won Roxanne’s love.

So, my friends, cultivate your ambulatory vocabulary and oratory. It can take you much farther than a nose or a boob job.

Alain

“Give me a tinkle on the blower” when you get a chance.

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” John F. Kennedy

 Most everybody will agree that a peaceful revolution is by far preferable to a violent insurrection, with all its inevitable excesses.

In a democracy, the people have the right duty to protest when the government’s policies are flagrantly unjust, prejudiced.

When this happens, a massive peaceful demonstration usually makes the ruling class pay attention to the issues. If little to resolve these problems is perceived, the demonstrations will continue and gain momentum.
If on the other hand, the government shows a willingness to accommodate grievances, the protesters have a moral obligation to pause and listen.

This has not been the case in France where, despite the government’s obvious desire to negotiate, weekly, violent demonstrations persevere.

The Gilets Jaunes, “yellow vests” (I prefer to call them “yellow jackets”) have been spearheading the movement.

“The issue on which the French movement centered at first was the projected 2019 increase in fuel taxes, particularly on diesel fuel. The yellow vest became the symbol of the protests, as the French are required to have a yellow vest in their vehicles.”

The problem is complicated by the fact that this movement has no real leadership, just a multitude of people unhappy about their living conditions. With no leaders to show the way, many are uncertain or unwilling to cease that week-end distraction.

Originally, a majority of the French population supported the movement; but as the demonstrations (and wanton property destruction) continue, their support is waning.

Everybody is now tired of the weekly disturbances, and of the “casseurs” violent and destructive behavior.

To top it all, dormant anti-Semitism is rearing its repulsive head again. The latest demonstrations have been peppered with invectives directed at Jews. This is eerily reminiscent of the rise of fascism in Germany… with its apocalyptic (70 to 85 million casualties) consequences.

I always wondered how the (magic) Jews (with less than 0.2% of the World Population), could manage so many (alleged) wicked deeds throughout the world?

The time for a counterrevolution is now. People of goodwill should rise and protest against the protesters. Reason has to prevail.

Unjustly reviled President Macron is a very capable man and he has done his best to listen, explain, and commit himself to enact measures to redress injustices.

Les Gilets Jaunes had their moment of glory. Now they have to go.

Alain

Watching TV is the lazy way of reading, and the older I get, the lazier I become. I used to be a voracious reader, but now I feed on much lighter fares. I rely mainly on TV and my computer to inform me about the latest government follies.

Alas, I have become some kind of a couch potato… especially on rainy nights. If you didn’t know, watching TV with a warm cat nesting on your thigh is an extremely pleasurable experience.

But repelled by television ever-increasing ads and mediocre fares, I have forsaken the networks and taken refuge on channels such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

I now subsist mainly on movies… but most of them alas, turn out to be turkeys. Worn out plots and bad acting. In desperation, I have become omnivorous. I am now a nocturnal raccoon feeding on movie refuses.

My diet consists of an amalgam of English, French, Russian, Korean, Indian, Turkish and Hispanic flicks. And there are plenty of them. It seems that TV honchos went on shopping sprees and bought busloads of cheap machine-produced flicks.

The Russian “films” are the worst. They have ridiculous plots with no continuity whatsoever. In one scene the hero brings flowers to the girl… in the next, he is a crazy maniac trying to strangle her. Очень плохой!
The only saving grace are the girls… always good looking.

I wonder how such movies can be made. The purpose of making a film if I am not mistaken is to tell a good story that will please many people. They, in turn, will brief their friends about it, and the movie will be a great financial success; it will allow producers, directors and actors to buy as much opiate concoctions as they little hearts desire.

But if the movie is a flop, no profit will be made. If there is no profit, the product will fail and be discontinued right? But it does not seem so. Flops are still churned out with a dull regularity. I must be missing something.

So, what do I want in a movie, are you going to ask?

Well, to start with I want a clear image and a very understandable dialogue. No mumbling, s’il vous plait. I want a credible plot with fairly talented actors, and I would like my heroes to be engaging. Also, spare me highly forgettable songs for each sequence.

Last but not least… please, pretty please, give me an unambiguous ending. Not a French-like finish that leaves you baffled and frustrated.

Is it asking too much? I don’t think so.

Alain