Au Cochonnet Marin

You might not have yet realized it, but America has become a gigantic minefield. Wherever you venture, proceed with extreme caution, or you might inadvertently trigger some landmines.

Landmines are strewn everywhere, and it is easy to step on one, especially if you are a well-known personality… or if you have a loose tongue. Today, political correctness reigns supreme, and woe to anyone who utters anything even slightly equivocal.

Politically correct agents (like Iran’s morality police) are patrolling the media, ready to pounce on any offender. They will jump on you if you dare to disagree with the PCP’s (Politically Correct Party) party line. Their strategy, by the way, is strangely reminiscent of Middle-ages Christianity when you could be declared a heretic and burned at the stake without any trial for your blasphemous thinking.

The cost of political incorrectness can be high. If you err on the wrong side of the track, you might lose your job and your livelihood. Whenever you broach the subject of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration, and God knows what, you better be on your toes because the guardians of correctness are watching. One loose remark can trigger a landmine.

Recently British TV broadcaster Piers Morgan got in big trouble for doubting Meghan Markle’s thoughts about suicide.

He said, “I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report.”

 Meghan fans (41,000 of them) were deeply offended by his remark and demanded Morgan’s head. They got it. He left (or was pushed out) of ITV’s Good Morning Britain following this incident.

I also doubted Meghan’s suicidal thoughts. Should I be ostracized for it? I don’t think so. Mental health is not a trivial matter but doubting one’s assertions is not a crime. In any case, I am my own (unpaid) boss, and I refuse to quit my job.

Today, no matter what you say, you are bound to offend somebody. I am not advocating insulting or slandering anybody, but one should be entitled to his own (hopefully fair-minded) opinions without fear of retribution.

In Cambodia, they are using sniffing rats to detect landmines. An excellent idea that saved thousands of lives. I might trade my worthless cat for such a rat to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Speaking your mind is becoming increasingly hazardous, and it is unfortunate. Blindly toeing the party line has never done much for society.

Respect yes, censure no.

Alain

As I previously noticed, women are becoming bullish on boules, and I am delighted about this.

When I took up the game about 20 years ago, the sport was dominated by old French curmudgeons who viewed women as second-rate, unworthy opponents. The game was strictly segregated, with men playing on one side, and a few intrepid women amusing themselves on the back of the bus the field.

But I am glad to report that things have changed and that there is now a bevy of beauties playing in our field. I believe that we owe this in great part to Christine Cragg. Thank you, Madame President. I am glad to see this because I always believed that women could do as well as men in many disciplines.

“I did everything he did but backward & in high heels.” ~ Ginger Rogers

In any sport, people usually like to compete with more experienced players, but personally, I don’t mind playing with newcomers. At one time or another, we all have been newbies… and if it was not for some accommodating folks, we would all be stuck in the same old routines.

In Marin, Loel McPhee, Abby Danielson, Beth Pay, Carmel O’Hara and Ann Krilanovich are now regular fixtures, and they are bullish on boules. When they started, they looked awkward and performed rather poorly; but I am happy to report that, in the last few weeks I have seen a definite improvement in all of them. Especially Ann: she is now pointing decently, and she is also starting to shoot. She is enthusiastic about the game and plays to win. Give her another year and she will give you a run for your money.

Ideally speaking, you should start any discipline at a young age, but it is not always possible. Even if you take up a new form of exercise later in life, you can become very successful at it.

Regardless of your age, pétanque is an ideal sport for just about anybody. It is a social discipline that keeps you active, the rules are simple, the equipment is minimal, and it is ridiculously inexpensive. To become good at it, there is only one way to do it: practice, practice, and practice again.

 I am tired of losing to male competitors; it is not fun. Like a true masochist, I want to enjoy the pain of losing against someone from the “weaker sex” … and I am pretty sure that this scenario is not too far off.

 Whilst men may play the game, women know the score. Habeeb Akande

 Alain

I finally got around to watch the Meghan and Harry soap Oprah, and frankly, I was not won over by her (or his) performance. Sure, she is cute and well-spoken, but she was not convincing enough. I particularly struggled to believe her assertions that when she had it all (a prince, a title, servants, security detail, and a child underway) she entertained suicidal thoughts.

To me, her story sounds like a failure to adapt to reality. When you join the Firm, you fundamentally agree to follow its rules and customs, and not the other way around. To my knowledge, there is absolutely no job devoid of any pesky drawbacks, even when you are a newly minted duchess.

Meghan failed to carefully the script and was totally unprepared for her new role. She was not even aware that she had to curtsy before the queen. Even a peon like me knows that…

When she married into the British royal family, she had no idea what to expect and by her own admission, she was unwilling to do some research about it. Today, the Internet is available to answer any questions and if you fail to do so, you have only yourself to blame.

Both Meghan and Harry came out as spoiled whiners. If you want to play by your own rules, you forego all the benefits of your previous employment. Once you leave Google, you are not a Googler anymore and you are no longer entitled to any of its perks. The same goes for royalty. You just cannot have your cake and eat it too.

“Googlers employees are extremely well fed, getting healthy and varied breakfast, lunch, and even dinner if they stay late — for free. There are also coffee and juice bars scattered throughout the campuses.”

 Meghan’s problem is above all a clash of cultures. There is a big gap between make-believe and reality. If you are not born into royalty, it is difficult to learn and abide by its rules. It might also be unpleasant to lose some of your independence and become a second, or even a third banana. But this the price that you have to pay to become a “royal”.

Meghan’s story reminds me of Wally Simpson’s tale. Both women married princes but failed to ingratiate themselves into a higher (and probably snobbish) caste.

Hot-headed Harry, like the Duke of Windsor, was influenced by a strong-willed woman and unable to resist the pull of the woman he loved. He might later regret his bid for independence.

Latent racism might have been a small part of the equation, but it is not the main reason for Megxit. British aristocracy’s snobbery more than racism might have played a bigger part in this melodrama than the racist card.

To sum it up, I don’t feel much sympathy for Meghan and Harry. They made their bed and have to lie in it.

Alain