Au Cochonnet Marin

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

In last Sunday’s tournament there was an elephant in the room, or if you prefer an elephant on the field. It was an evidence impossible to overlook.

The tournament was promoted as “Select Mixed Triples’ meaning that you were free to select your partners. In this case, it could be a combination of 2-men/one woman, or 2-women/one man.

Naturally, you try to come up with the strongest formation possible, and Sonoma put forward a juggernaut of a team. Two high-caliber shooters and a legendary pointer. An almost unbeatable combination.
Every other team on the field looked weak in comparison. Badly armored Sherman vehicles facing a Tiger tank.
The victory of the Sonoma Team was an almost foregone conclusion.

Three timed-games were played before lunch, followed by elimination games in the afternoon.

When you play in a tournament, it is psychologically important to win (or at least hold your own) in the first game.
Unfortunately some team had to confront the Sonoma 3-headed monster on its first encounter and was badly mauled.
My team and I while doing fairly well on our two first games (13/7 and 11/13) faced the beast on our 3^rd game and were beaten to a pulp.
The rival shooters hit our balls 98% of the time (with “carreaux” to boot) and sent us packing with our tails between our legs.
But losing has one good redeeming quality: it keeps you humble.
Paradoxically speaking though, it is the winners who should remain humble.

When losing,

You got to choose between tightening your belt or losing your pants. Navjot Singh Sidhu

In a contest one naturally roots for the underdog and many spectators were cheering for one particular Marin team.
The “Yellow Jackets” (Wessel/Baron/Marcovecchio) did a great job and gave the Sonoma gang a run for their money.

In one memorable game, they managed to lead 7/0 but lost the encounter with a very honorable score of 9/13. Still, a great job! Congrats, you yellow rebels.
Interestingly enough, while seemingly invincible in the morning, the Sonoma shooters seemed to have lost their nerves in the afternoon and missed a number of crucial shots.
Nevertheless they played very well and fully deserved to win that tournament.

I noticed with pleasure the presence of Mark and Sandra Sirkey our newest members. I also noticed Carolina Jones amazing new look and Brigitte Moran’s fancy blue jersey.

The tournament contestants were:

1. Les Stones & Harry Helms & Nancy Jencks
2. Larry Cragg & Mark Shirkey & Sandra Shirkey
3. Charles Davantes & Herb Moran & Brigitte Moran
4. Mickey Coughlin & Holly Sammons & Peter Mathis
5. Henry Wessel & Noel Marcovecchio & Calvert Barron
6. Joe la Torre & Peggy Silversides & Rob Everett
7. Alain Efron & Francois Moser & Claudie Chourre
8. Carlos Couto & Beth Lysten & Carolina Jones

Final results:

1^st place: Mickey Coughlin & Holly Sammons & Peter Mathis $25 ea
2^nd place: Joe la Torre & Peggy Silversides & Rob Everett $16 ea
3^rd place: Les Stones & Harry Helms & Nancy Jencks $13 ea
4^th place: Henry Wessel & Noel Marcovecchio & Calvert Barron $10 ea

Alain

PS: To look at photos of this event and listen to the accompanying background music, turn your computer’s sound on, and click on the link “My Photos” located on the right side of this page. For best viewing, go Full Screen.