Au Cochonnet Marin

Vaccines are coming, vaccines are coming! Millions of doses…This was advertised with great fanfare at least 2 months ago… But at the beginning of February 2021, where exactly are these exotic animals? It seems to be a well-guarded secret. No matter where I turned to, I hit the same wall. We don’t have them… we will tell you when we’ll get them. Wait your turn.

Well, I have been waiting and waiting (and occasionally calling) but with no appreciable results. Kaiser Permanente, my health manager, has not been particularly helpful or forthcoming. When you call or check their website, you are regaled with the following message:

“Due to limited vaccine supplies we are currently prioritizing health care workers and people 75 and older.”

I understand the policy about essential workers, and I approve of it, but as an octogenarian (phase 1b) I am still waiting for my shot. I am still in limbo while younger non-essential workers already managed to get inoculated.
So what am I? chopped liver?

What happened to the highly touted “warp speed” (an extremely rapid rate of speed) operation? A general (now MIA) was in charge of that program and after months of questionable delays I suddenly remembered what Georges Clemenceau thought about military leaders:

“War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men.”

Because (and I am tired to repeat it) we are in a war, and it ought to be taken seriously.
Instead of generals and politicians, we ought to hire a Silicon Valley kid to streamline and expedite the vaccine operation. These guys have more brainpower than the entire American Senate.

As a matter of fact, I would not mind putting Elon Musk in charge of this war. I recently watched a video about his career and accomplishments, and I am sold on the bloke. This man has more ideas than I have hair on my skull. He really knows what warp speed is and would be eager to prove the naysayers wrong.

I visualize a slow assembly line where people would lie still while a bunch of smart robots would inoculate them at an almost warp speed.

So, what do you say Kaiser? Are you ready to speed up the process? I am waiting for my vaccine and I have too many ants in my pants.

Alain

In the aftermath of the presidential elections, many American families are now divided by a deep chasm. Due to their sharply contrasting views of the Trump legacy, they are not on speaking terms anymore. And this phenomenon is often intergenerational, pitting liberal college-educated children against conservative parents, or vice-versa.

But this particular situation is not unprecedented. In France, in 1894 amid rampant antisemitism, Captain Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused and convicted of selling military secrets to Germany.  A French officer of Jewish descent, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and deported to Devil’s Island in French Guiana.

The French population became deeply polarized and this situation generated countless editorials and cartoons.

The most famous of them (February 1898) was called “un diner en famille” (a family dinner). The first frame depicts a family gathering with a caption saying “surtout ne parlons pas de l’affaire Dreyfus” (above all, let’s not talk about the Dreyfus affair).

The second frame shows all the guests at each other throats with the caption saying “Ils en ont parlé” (they talked about it).

This case brought France to the brink of civil war.

After serving 5 years in Devil’s Island and after a ceaseless campaign spearheaded by his family and by (future Prime Minister) George Clemenceau and novelist Emile Zola, Dreyfus was ultimately found innocent of any crime. He was reinstated in the French Army with the rank of artillery major.

This episode pretty well summarizes what is presently happening in the United States. A deep cleavage separating Trumpists and anti-Trumpists. An unhealthy climate likely to last for a few years…

The subsequent question is: can you remain friends with buddies and relatives despite your sharp political differences?

It depends on the degree of polarization of both parties. Hardcore and vocal devotees of any cause are unlikely to change their colors and the break might be irrevocable. No use to argue with fanatics.

But with reasonable people, it might be different. It can be politely agreed by both parties to disagree and to never bring up that subject again… just like the uncle who spent 5 years in prison for undisclosed reasons.

Life is too short to waste time with distasteful negativity.

Alain

“In every neighborhood, on every block, a spoiled child (brat) can be found.” Donna Jones

And they can be spotted on sporting fields as well.

Pétanque is not a contact sport, far from it… but under certain conditions, a game can become contentious, even heated.

In a tournament, any disagreement is usually settled by an “arbitre” and everybody abides by his ruling; but a casual game is somewhat different. Since no referee is present, some people (inspired no doubt by a Trumpian size ego) take it upon themselves to pronounce… self-serving rulings. They are accustomed to having their way and if they don’t, they wail and whine like spoiled brats.

They lack emotional maturity… and are prone to display bratty behavior. This flaw usually affects very young children, but it also impacts many “adults” who neglected to grow up. Regardless of the circumstances, they are very likely to argue and have tantrums.

Childishness usually stops around 18, but sometimes, due to a freak of nature, it extends to adulthood… And as recently seen in the news, it is disturbing… and pathetic.

“Learning to control your reactions, saves you a lot of explaining, regretting, and apologizing.” Remez Sasson

Even when he tries, the spoiled brat can’t change his spots. He is condemned to misbehave and antagonize whoever he comes in contact with. Once in a great while, he shows contrition, but this repentance lasts as long as a pole-vaulting jump.

In every team sport, there is a playmaker, usually an experienced “shooter” who best knows what to do. He uses a quiet authority to lead his team and few people quibble about his decisions… but a spoiled brat will. He cannot help it; he has to sound off.

Many people have seen or experienced this unpleasant situation, and it is their prerogative to boycott such individuals. I, for one, won’t hesitate to do it.

“all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless… sniveling brats.” P. J. O’Rourke

Alain