American Haiku

My Dad's just sent me this beautiful text, which I find reminiscent of the Japanese haiku, published by Roger Cohen in the International Herald Tribune.

Rosa Parks sat in 1955.
Martin Luther King walked in 1963.
Barack Obama ran in 2008.
That our children might fly.

Barack Obama: the impossible post

Here we are. Barack Obama is the 44th elected President of the United States of America. My President. Thank God. That's unbelievable. I guess I'll realize in the next few days, and definitely on January 20 when he's officially invested.

This post is simply impossible to write. Probably everything has been said. And I won't be able to express in this note my relief, my happiness, my hopes. I don't need to mention that the election of Obama is a great news for the international diplomacy, a fantastic hope for the minorities, and perhaps a new start in the fight of global warming. Nor I have to say that he'll be having a tough time to cope with a financial crisis and two wars, that he's gonna be judged on what he's achieved or not, bla bla bla.

What I can tell you, however, is my excitement last Tuesday 4 November. I had voted weeks before, so all I had to do was to wait for the evening. For the night. And for the historical result. After reloading approximately 2634 times my web browser, and frenetically zapping between CNN, CNBC and the french TV channels, I went to bed at 3:00am, exhausted but confident. Therefore, I was peacefully sleeping when Barack delivered his touching, beautiful acceptance speech at Grant Park, in Chicago. I wish I were there.

Since the election day, what has probably made me happiest is the change of perception of the USA throughout the World. Finally. I regret the widespread anti-americanism in Europe, and especially in France. A socially well-accepted racism, which even eight catastrophic years of Bush administration should never justify. Anyway, I hope that this will change now. Time for change has come.

Barack Obama is not yet President. So far he's an icon. What an icon!

I'm not a Joe Six Pack (and I don't like hockey either)

Last 24 February, 65.05% of the registered electors in the Canton de Genève voted in favour of a new law aimed at banning dangerous dogs in the city. I'm not Swiss so I was not able to express my opinion. No doubt I would have also voted in favor of that law: nothing repels me more than a big, aggressive dog. Wait a sec. Something does repel me more: a big, aggressive dog with lipstick. Yeah, this is really dangerous.

Fortunately, the law is now effective. Thank God, there's no risk to see in town the possibly future US Vice-President - a retarded bumpkin known as Sarah Palin, self-baptized Pit Bull with lipstick. I'll never thank enough the Swiss voters. I would love to thank as well my US compatriots in the early morning of Wednesday, November 5th. I believe that Barack Obama could be a very good US President for the next 4 years. I may be wrong of course. But I know that McCain and his hockey-mum Pit Bull would be disastrous for the USA... and beyond.

Sarah Palin has obviously no clue about anything. For those who have not followed carefully the character, let me recall briefly how could be the world with Sarah Palin as Vice-President. First of all, the Peace Nobel Prize would be awarded to a "Joe Six Pack" (you know, the real, the authentic American, not like those crooks in Washington, DC) or a "Hockey Mum" (the female version of the Joe Six Pack, I guess). Then, the firmly established creationism theory would of course be taught at school (even though Darwinism may be tolerated and could even be taught on equal footing - shocking). Dangerous terrorists like Barack Obama be sent to jail. She wouldn't have to fight global warming since "it cannot be attributed to being man-made", as everybody knows. For sure the international diplomacy would be the cornerstone of her Vice-Presidency. As she confessed herself to the CBS journalist Katie Couric (see below), "Russia's proximity to Alaska makes me experienced" when asked about her experience in foreign policy. So sweet.

Could this Lady Bull be a breath away from becoming President of the USA? You must be joking! Just for fun, even though it's scaringly accurate, below's a very funny chart summarizing her debate with Joe Biden, the experienced and diplomatic vice-presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.


I don't know who's gonna be elected next November 4th. Like everybody else, I wait and hope. But one thing for sure, Governor Palin, don't count on my vote. You betcha!

The LHC and the black hole buzz

http://hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com/

Madonna, the Pope and Mr. Brown

Despite her name, Madonna's probably not a virgin. But she's definitely - and she will remain - an agitator. I told you the other day about the funny version of Like a Virgin by Big Daddy. Believe it or not, there's an even funnier one! The singer is... oh my god. The singer's Madonna. In Rome. A couple of days ago. And that song is dedicated to somebody's special, Joseph Alois Ratzinger, aka Benedict XVI, aka the Pope. The full video is here.

This song reminds me the unforgettable opening scene of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Remember Mr Brown! Guess what, I've just found this Granny long version on Youtube... Hilarious! For those of you who do not know the scene I refer to (and who may not be too offended by the "explicit" dialogs) have a look at the original version (only the first few minutes) or read the script. And then click below. And enjoy!



Note added: I've just realized that it is actually a commercial for the video game Reservoir Dogs which came out in 2006.

William A. Blanc, or the Swiss Spirit

It probably happened to you. What I know for sure is that it happened to me. Going to work one morning (so, has this ever happened to you? no joke, wait and see). And when I'm just about to get in my car, I realize that my rear-view mirror is broken. Well, not really broken, the plastic cover around the mirror was simply displaced, and - surprisingly - I even knew how to repair it. Which I did in a couple of minutes. After blaspheming a little while for the fun of it, and because I thought this was the kind of thing people do when they realize that somebody has crashed their rear-view mirror without letting any message, I get in my car, go to work, and completely forgot about this very minor fact of (my) life, I admit. Which definitely happened to you as well.

Act II took place roughly a couple of weeks later. Location: my building. More precisely my mailbox. A small envelope. My name, my address, no doubt it's for me. And it's handwritten. Weird. I open it and here's the letter I found:

Dear Sir,

while trying to avoid a scooter, my rear-view left mirror hit the right one of VW Polo 626995. After a lot effort, I managed to get your name. My insurance [...] will compensate and should contact you soon [...] I'm sorry about this unfortunate incident which happened twice to me, each time without hearing anything from the culprit!

Best regards,
William A. Blanc
GE20539

Now, honestly, has this ever happened to you? I doubt it. Because William A. Blanc is - unfortunately - a rare animal. Who managed to get my name from my plate number, who sent me the letter above, and who contacted right away his insurance for me to be reimbursed (which I won't since there wasn't much to repair). And for your information, in case you're being too cynical or skeptical, I indeed received in the meantime the notification from his insurance. Why the hell did he do all this? Probably he didn't ask himself that question. It was simply natural. But William, let's face it, it's everything but natural. In the sense that 99.9% of the population would have vanished without track. You know the saying: leave no evidence behind.

It's usually fun to laugh at Swiss. I do it myself every now and then. Their strictness or inflexibility can sometimes be a real pain. But the thing I really like with those people is their honesty. Of course it's a cliché. Of course it's probably not so true. But definitely, I have enough examples which make me think that Swiss people are, intrinsically, honest. Last example was not later than this afternoon, when friends at CERN told me about the existence of a bakery near Lausanne without any seller: go there, take your bread and leave a coin. And if you don't have money with you, no big deal, let your name on a piece of paper and you'll pay twice next time you come! I let you imagine that very bakery in France, or in almost any other country...

I just wanted to thank you, Bill, for having hurt my rear-window mirror and all that. It's good to know that there are some people like you. And you fellow reader, if you happen to hit a mirror some day, thanks for letting your phone number. Who knows, that could be the car of my Swiss friend, William A. Blanc.

Madonna 50s

I've just heard on the radio an hilarious version, very 1950s like, of Madonna's famous Like a Virgin. It's performed by Big Daddy, a band from LA in the 80s. I also strongly recommend their version of Dire Straits' Money for Nothing.



Now all I want is to take my pink Caddy and have a juicy burger in that diner of Miami South Beach...