Au Cochonnet Marin

“Ninety-five percent of the time we get treated the way we invite people to treat us.”

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I read this in a book or a magazine a while ago, and I definitely agree with this.
You will often be treated according to the image that you project, especially in Europe where people frequently judge you based on your appearance.

Torn jeans (definitely not my cup of tea) might look cool in the US, but if you want decent service anywhere else, don’t show up looking like a Third World refugee.

It is always good to remember that “Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success”. Christopher Lasch

Even if you don’t have a penny to your name, appearance and demeanor matter. Probably even more.
A ready smile and friendly manners will unlock many doors that might otherwise remain shut if you don’t make the effort to be cordial.

But clothes and manners do not totally make the man. You can wear fancy duds and be betrayed by your body language.
In this day and age we communicate with words, but body posture has often a much greater impact than a glib tongue.
A jutted chin, a scowl, hand gestures will often expose the true personality of an individual.

To win hearts and minds you also need to be likable. And it is an elusive quality that few people possess.
If you are not simpatico, it is going to be a steep uphill battle to convince people that you can be trusted.

In political campaigns bravado works up to a point. Some people like bullies but most don’t.
When it comes to choose between a belligerent candidate and a rational individual, smart people will put their money not on a mouth that roars but on a brain that works.

To formulate a sensible opinion, watch less television and read more books and news magazines.

Alain

“The elections are run by the same industries that sell toothpaste on television.” Noam Chomsky

Alas!

Un nom de guerre (war name) is “an assumed name under which a person engages in combat or some other activity or enterprise.”

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Pétanque is basically a hand-to-hand combat where two factions (doublettes or triplettes) fight for supremacy.
It is indeed a mini-war and it would be fitting for all combatants to have some “noms de guerre” (war names).

If you watched Top Gun (who didn’t) you probably remember that all the fighter pilots had “call signs” (aka noms de guerre).
Tom Cruise was “Maverick”, Val Kilmer “Iceman” and Anthony Edwards “Goose”

In the French Foreign Legion, new recruits can also pick a new name (no questions asked) to start a new life.

Why not apply this convention to pétanque? It would add spice and pizzazz to the game.

As far as I am concerned, it would be definitely more fun to report that La Bête Noire polished off La Fillette or that La Foudre shocked Le Facteur repeatedly.

A good nom de guerre can also add glamour and vitality to sometimes-bland characters.
You have to admit that “Le Facteur” (who always rings twice) sounds much more compelling that plain Jean-Michel and Le Canonnier more intimidating than Noel.

So put on your thinking cap and let me know what your fighting name is going to be.

So far, I have collected just a few names, but I urge everybody to come up with a new moniker ASAP to make games more entertaining.

Actual “noms de guerre”:

Efron Alain:               La Foudre or Le Bourreau
Efron Tamara:           Rasputina or Raketa
Gautier:                    Schubert
Marcovecchio:          Le Canonnier
Moran Brigitte:          Fillette
Moser Francois:        Le P’tit Suisse
Poulnot J-Michel:      Le Facteur
Wessel Henry:          La Bête Noire

Alain la Foudre or Le Bourreau

“The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.” Japanese proverb

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We live in a very conflicted world. Disputes abound everywhere, and conflict resolutions are made more difficult by the childish intransigence of the parties involved.
Hardliners (although often a minority) are imposing unrealistic conditions on their opponents, and vow to fight to the death to get satisfaction.

But unless you are Genghis Khan (or maybe Donald Trump) nobody can have his cake and eat it too. Maybe temporarily… but it won’t last.

Compromise is an essential ingredient of diplomacy.

A compromise is a middle state between conflicting opinions or actions reached by mutual concession or modification.

Compromising by the way never meant capitulating.
Contrarily to what extremists are claiming, compromise is not a dirty word. It is a clean, grownup word.
Has anybody heard this word on the lips of a congressman lately?

A compromise is a sensible way to avoid prolonged, often-bloody conflicts.

Politicians need to be pragmatic, dealing with issues sensibly and realistically. Unfortunately, many so-called leaders are egged on by their most virulent followers and pressured to stick to ridiculous, antiquated dogmas.

What absolutely, completely perverts politics is money. A politician gets addicted to all the perks accorded to his office and will do almost anything to be reelected.
Where else could they get such a plum job?

To be honest and vote for the public good instead of following the party’s directives, politicians should serve a single term, two at most.
Knowing that it is their only shot at doing something meaningful, they might be tempted to make more enlightened decisions and (Heavens to Betsy) compromise with the opposition to break some logjams and achieve some results.

Lifelong politicians are the bane of politics.

Crop rotation might be the answer.
“Crop rotation is used to control pests and diseases that can become established in the soil (political system) over time.” 

 Short of using pesticides, this is what we need to (try to) clean politics.
Our president cannot be reelected a third time. Why shouldn’t political hacks be subjected to the same rule?

Dreaming never hurt anyone…

Alain