New York in the bag

The "New York" songs played ahead of tonight's victory speeches? A cunning old mobster for Donald Trump (Frank Sinatra), a smart young African American for Hillary Clinton (Alicia Keys). 

Both winners seemed sincerely relieved, Hillary Why-So-Tense Clinton looking even, all of a sudden, twenty years younger:

HRC and family keep fighting for U$

Her victory was so clear that it turned the 125,000 voters rejected at the Democratic primary into an epiphenomenon (still, she probably wouldn't have won by such a landslide had all unregistered Democrats been allowed).

The Donald didn't look younger than last week. He even seems to be shedding hair and gaining weight during this campaign. But he won in spite of his closest allies: his own kids couldn't vote because they didn't register, and Ben Carson's name remained on the ballot - Doc claimed more votes than Ted Cruz in parts of Westchester County (they wouldn't appear in the official, final count):

Yet the most defining moments of the campaign were John Kasich eating his way to a victory in Manhattan, and Bernie Sanders having his 'Ich bin ein New Yorker' moment on Washington Square.

Bernie's not out yet, he's gone as far as his candidacy allowed him to go*.

And Ted Cruzed far further than I thought: I believed that he kicked himself out of the race as soon as he entered it (see "2016 - Recyclable Expendables"), but this 2016 GOP is nuttier than ever.

Yet the Dems have their own blend of unexpected uniter in Elizabeth Warren, who could receive a call from Hillary long before 3 A.M.

blogules 2016
Since 2003, nonsensical posts about noncritical issues in nonenglish (get your blogules transfusion in French)
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* see "ABH Corpus" (May 2015): By submitting his candidacy first after Hillary on the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders claimed at least 3 obvious categories : "ABH" (Anyone But Hillary), "EWE" (Elizabeth Warren Erzatz - Sanders reaches even further to the left, pitching himself as a 'socialist'), and "OFGWAB" (that perennial candidacy type I dubbed "Old Farts Going With A Bang").

Palestinian Statehood and the DSK Jurisprudence

Last Sunday, Benjamin Netanyahu seemed confident no vote on Palestinian statehood would happen at the UN this week, and it looks like 2012 candidate Barack Obama is dutifully making sure both the American and Israeli governments are spared the humiliation of a recognition by the international community followed by a veto from a supposed promoter of Palestine's emergence as a state.

Mahmoud Abbas was right to push his luck in the wake of the Arab Spring. No dialog being possible between the two radical factions ruling over Gaza and Tel Aviv, moderates had to remind the public opinion of the need to stop an unacceptable injustice.

But these days, there's no justice to be seen in New York. The Dominique Strauss-Kahn jurisprudence ruled that a rape victim has no right to be considered by justice unless she's the Virgin Mary*, and that's exactly what's happening to Palestine.

It could be worse : if UN headquarters were in Georgia, Mahmoud Abbas could be sharing the fate of Troy Davis.

blogules 2011

* see "DSK is not 'not guilty' : US Justice's standards are poor"

DSK is not 'not guilty' : US Justice's standards are poor

Even if the case has been dropped, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is not 'not guilty' : New York D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr is guilty of cowardice, and the US Judiciary guilty of mixing politics with justice.

I more than reasonably doubt that Mr Vance believes DSK to be innocent.

I more than reasonably doubt that this masquerade will serve women's rights : for rape victims, the Nafissatou Diallo jurisprudence states that you are not a Saint you will be treated as a whore.
I more than reasonably doubt that the judicial system that spared O. J. Simpson is just.

I more than reasonably doubt that in a democracy District Attorneys should be elected directly by the people and campaigning as politicians.

US Justice's standards are poor : it should be downgraded.

blogules 2011

Ronaldo's Yogi Berra moment (or is it Forrest Gump ?) : goals are like ketchup

Lucky you : it's that period when I don't spill many blogules on this lousy blog.

If "blogules" sucks most of my energy during US elections, "footlog" sucks most of my energy during FIFA World Cups*. Mercifully, both events happen every four years, with two years between each period of apnea. But as you already know, both blogs suck 24/7/365...

Anyway. Since last Friday, I've been on World Cup mode, trying not to miss a single game in spite of time difference... and failing for some of those scheduled at 3 AM Seoul time (I could do that back in 1986 but that was the previous millenium).

So today, I will only deliver you this pearl of wisdom from Cristiano Ronaldo, a 25 year-old Portuguese striker : goals are like ketchup because when ketchup comes out, it all comes out at once.

From a 5 year old kid, it could have been cute. Here, it sounds more like an artificial Forrest Gump line than a genuine Yogi Berra moment.

Thierry Henry could join the MLS and the New York Red Bulls after the World Cup. Even past his prime, the man is able to give more to the beautiful game than nice dribbles and stupid statements. Maybe because, unlike Ronaldo, Henry loves the game more than himself.

blogules 2010

* note that footlog is in French.

al Qaeda and Amerika on trial

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed goes on trial in NYC, and GOP hardliners are angry.

Make that "scared". Because this is the kind of justice they don't feel comfortable with : fair justice, public justice... Justice, period.

What will be exposed is the process that leads to abomination : on one hand terror, on the other torture.

Because Mr. Mohammed is now more famous for surviving over a hundred waterboarding sessions than for his responsibility in 9/11 attacks. The Bush administration added insult to murder, betrayed the families of 9/11 victims, disgraced America and the very values they were supposed to defend.

That administration was recently confirmed as "repugnant to the Constitution" by Republican appointed judges.

Obama, who rejected as false the choice between security and ideals, appointed Eric Holder to clean the mess. Both share the same vision of justice* : not the twisted tool of a corrupt administration, but an independent power able to reach any other power, particularly administrations going rogue.

blogules 2009

* see previous episodes, including "We reject as false the choice between our social security and our ideals"

They did it

I just tuned in to my news provider and I'm reading the 6th title or so when a new line appears higher on my computer screen.

They did it

I don't remember the exact title (probably "a plane hits a WTC tower in NYC"), but as soon as I read it I think "this time they did it".

As I click on the link, two images cross my mind : the 1993 attack on the WTC, the failed 1994 attempt to crash an hijacked plane on the Eiffel Tower.

The web is very slow, giving me time to shape images of the tragedy in my mind. From the ground, without looking up. I imagine the first devastated floors of a building, mixing snapshots from previous attacks (Oklahoma City, US embassies) with my memory of the Word Trade Center, with a more claustrophobic feeling, and darkness (more fire, denser surroundings)... Death, but without any human being, dead or alive, in the picture.

The first actual image I get is distant : black smoke rising over lower Manhattan. No details given in the short article, beyond the shock and awe. Similar results on other sites.

I'm not shocked. I'm not awed. Not even surprised. But at the same time sad and angry, empty and very tense, willing to interact with a human being. I spring out of my office and tell colleagues about the attack. I send a few mails, even joking in one (isn't humor all about coping with death ?).

All this takes less than 10 minutes : I have to keep going for a busy day in a busy office tower. And I've got this stupidly important presentation to perform later this afternoon.

A quick peek at news websites every now and then to keep up to date - but the cold brain is still running the show, speculating, and preventing the heart from taking over.

The said "important" meeting will be interrupted by an alert : the tower must be evacuated (we're in France's only high rise area). Masks off.

On the way back home, the cold brain is playing a new movie and this time it features actors. And it's not a silent movie.

I won't see the images of the collapse until I'm back home. Alone in front of a screen much bigger than reality in my memory. That evening, I don't know how many times I zapped to watch again and again the collapse. Like a titanic stake driven into a best friend's heart, pulling the shirt and streets around in a silent scream.

But revulsion and anger peaked later, when the man supposed to fix things uttered the word "crusade".

AIPAC Hillary v. J Street Barack

My first reaction when I heard about the Clintons being vetted for Secretary of State and Chief Bubbassador was disappointment : I get the "good-cop - bad-cop" concept but to me, this looks like XXth century politics and XIXth century diplomacy.

My second reaction was : that's a darn good way of getting rid of the Clintons. Billy Boy will never accept to open his books (Prez library and beyond), and once again, turn into a liaBillity for the person who made a President Of The United States out of a cool dude from Hope, AR.

I guess we'll have to watch the usual good cop bad cop flick after all. The NYPD veteran swallowing her pride after the rookie took the medal she'd been coveting for decades, and now ready to catch a bullet for a not so cool dude from Hope, HI she wished (in her wildest dreams*) would catch one first.

Scenarists pushed the cliché all the way to the young tall Afro-American / old short blond Caucasian stereotypes. Their car is an old Detroit survivor with dented bumpers and a battered exhaust pipe spitting more tar than a chain smoker on his deathbed. The tough veteran can read NYC's mid forties streets like the palm of her own hand and would never miss an AIPAC meeting. The soft speaking toddler in an Hawai'ian shirt is more the J Street** kind of guy, but not the kind of person to sport bumper stickers for this kind of causes either.

Both have the full support of Police chief Biden a.k.a. Frank Drebin, their white haired, gaffe prone boss who knows the city best and can use a gun when needed.

This squad may not catch the most wanted terrorist but together, they can do a lot of damage to his network. Not to mention a lot of good things if scenarists truly really want the new series to become a hit.

Season I premieres Jan. 20.

* remember that old black & white movie, "Dial Hillary for murder" ? Feels like it was released eons ago.
** see "J Street - at last"

Stewart - O'Reilly - The Best Presidential Debate

You know something has changed when you see Bill O'Reilly chat with Jon Stewart.

His interview of Stephen Colbert a few weeks ago was about personal character but here, we've just witnessed the best debate of this election year.

You had all the ingredients for a good comedy : two talkative New-Yorkers, a short Jew and a tall, massive Irish guy, live on Comedy Central for The Daily Show. Jon even offered a Mr Snuggles anger management teddy bear to tame his guest, along with a large cup of warm chocolate sweetened with a handful of sugar cubes.

But here were also two smart and sharp people having a good and lively conversation, sailing well beyond the usual PC pond... and enjoying it. Of course, Bill O'Reilly's idea of "center right" America is not that Alabama where people routinely shoot Jonathan Stuart Leibowitzes on sight while enjoying weird "BBQ parties" (you wouldn't want to visit his "real" Amerika). And of course, Jon Stewart's definition of the American tradition goes beyond gay marriage.

This was a good debate. Exposing acute differences, but putting all fear aside and embracing mutual respect. Change has come to America, and it looks like peace.

The first post-Bush / Cheney era debate.


Part I (5.31 mn) - meet Mr Snuggles.



Part II (6.23 mn) - center, right, tradition.

Red blogule to Taco Bell Jingle Bell Shingles All The Way

The first and last time I tried Taco Bell was about 20 years ago near Frisco.
That was enough to understand where the brand got its Latino twist from... that junk food was pure turista in a wrap : two secs to wolf it down, three days to recover. At least I didn't get E. Coli.
This joint should close for good, not for a few days. And the Golden Arches as well, for good measure.
Praise Big Apple for banning trans fat ! Nothing personal, Boy Georges. I just don't want to die of secondhand smoke from overburnt burgers each time I pass by a 24/7 deli.

White blogule to unconstitutional ID and illegal eavesdropping

In Seattle, WA, the Discovery Institute receives $9.5M from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. That's a charity supposed to eradicate evil bugs from all children of the world. I mean the B&MGF, not the Discovery Institute, a known promoter of Intelligent Design.
In New York, NY, Fox intelligently designs new films fit for the fundamentalist audiences (FoxFaith.com). Next time, they won't let Mel Gibson take all the risks on his own (nor grab all the benefits).
In Washington, DC, President George W. Bush, still waging his intelligently designed war in Iraq,maintains illegal eavesdropping is not only legally but morally OK.
In Dover, PA, U.S. District Judge John Jones rules Intelligent Design teaching illegal. At last, somebody is waking up this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Red blogule to New York University's Jacob Jacoby

Professor Jacob Jacoby may reconsider the name his NYU students picked for their agency devoted to the promotion of the CIA ("Agent C Marketing"). What's the usual color of C Vitamins ? Orange. Thus, I'd recommand "Agent Orange Marketing", definitely the most relevant description for this outfit.

Red blogule to Guggenheim - Ghost in a shell

Since the issue of "Guggenheim Economics" is raised (Newsweek 20041220), let me add that this franchise has the business model of a low cost carrier sponsored by minor league airports. But don't think economies of scale : the more outlets they open, the more dilluted the collections. The space and architecture makes for the cultural void and the original Guggenheim in New York now looks like a "ghost in a shell". Visiting Guggenheim Bilbao is quite an architectural experience but you're more marvelling at the craft of a software than the inspiration of an artist. And after the ride you realise you were lured into believing you actually met great works but hey, that's how the Planet Hollywood concept managed to sell for a little while. Stephane MOT