Presidential Election in France

And here is a link to the full broadcast of RIPOSTES on FRANCE 5 last Sunday evening with intellectuals discussing the campaign and giving their opinions on the candidates.

Au programme, les interventions d'Alain Minc, Jean-François Kahn, Philippe Sollers, Dan Franck, Bejamin Stora et Alain Finkielkraut.

Watch the broadcast here.

Président: Royal pour la France !!

In support of those supporting Ségolène Royal for the Presidency of France in the election in April this year, I am reprinting here the appeal of 150 intellectuals, writers, artists, filmmakers, actors, dramatists, musicians, philosophers, etc. from Nouvel Obserateur for votes for this candidate of the left against her imperialistic, chauvinistic, fear-mongering opponent on the right.

ROYAL FOR PRESIDENT OF FRANCE !

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE !

Le Nouvel Observateur publie, dans son numéro daté jeudi 1er mars, un texte signé par plus de 150 intellectuels qui appellent à voter pour Ségolène Royal, "contre une droite d’arrogance", pour "une gauche d’espérance".

Le texte de l'appel:
"Le 22 avril, il sera trop tard. Trop tard pour déplorer notre dispersion. Trop tard pour regretter notre inaction. Trop tard pour s’apercevoir que l’élection présidentielle s’est faite sans nous, malgré nous.
Nous refusons cette défaite trop souvent annoncée. Nous n’admettons pas que l’on vote à notre place. Nous n’acceptons pas que des sondages fabriquent une élection. Et nous ne tomberons pas dans le piège tendu par cette droite qui domine ou influence la plupart de nos grands médias. Car tout est fait, dans cette campagne, pour démobiliser la gauche et désespérer ses électeurs. Rien n’est épargné à Ségolène Royal. Ses déclarations comme ses silences, son entourage comme son compagnon, sa simplicité comme sa franchise, sa féminité comme sa fermeté : tout est prétexte en face à caricature et à moquerie. Tout est bon pour alimenter le mépris social et le dédain sexiste.
Qu’elle prenne le temps d’écouter les Français, et on la soupçonne de n’avoir rien à dire. Qu’elle annonce longuement son pacte présidentiel, et la question du chiffrage vient opportunément occulter le détail de ses engagements. Qu’elle-même ou son entourage soient victimes de procédés de basse police, et on préfère retenir l’air de la calomnie plutôt que de s’alarmer pour la démocratie. Qu’elle assume son identité de socialiste, et on lui reproche de se plier à un appareil. Qu’elle revendique sa part de liberté, et on l’accuse de se méfier de sa famille. Qu’elle réussisse un meeting électoral ou une émission télévisée, et on lui oppose immédiatement des enquêtes d’opinion aussi fluctuantes qu’incertaines.
Nous ne nous laisserons pas intimider. Dès le premier tour, nous voterons pour Ségolène Royal et nous appelons à faire de même, à le faire savoir et à faire campagne. Car nous voulons que, cette fois, la gauche gagne. Nous parions sur cette gauche plus exigeante avec elle-même et plus à l’écoute des siens, qui a appris de ses échecs, de ses illusions et de ses divisions, une gauche ambitieuse et audacieuse. Et nous savons que ce n’est pas n’importe quelle droite qui risque de l’emporter.
Jamais candidat de droite n’aura à ce point symbolisé la régression sociale. Nicolas Sarkozy est, tout à la fois, le candidat du pouvoir financier, du pouvoir personnel et du désordre mondial. Soutenu par la nouvelle aristocratie financière, il incarne la soumission de la politique à l’argent. Favorable à un renforcement des pouvoirs présidentiels, il incarne la tentation du césarisme contre l’approfondissement de la démocratie. Engagé aux côtés de l’actuelle administration américaine, il incarne le risque des aventures impériales, du choc des cultures et de l’affrontement des peuples. C’est le candidat de la peur. Des peurs qu’il exploite – celles de l’avenir, du
monde, de l’étranger, des jeunes – mais aussi des peurs qu’il inspire en convoquant l’imaginaire de l’homme fort, du chef vindicatif et exalté, épris du pouvoir et de lui-même.
Contre ce danger, Ségolène Royal est la candidate de l’espérance. Elle l’a fait naître en défendant une démocratie participative où les citoyens sont reconnus experts de leurs problèmes. Une espérance à la fois sociale et écologique, éthique et démocratique, française et européenne, ne sacrifiant pas les conditions de vie et de travail à la modernisation économique. L’espérance d’une république nouvelle, rompant avec un présidentialisme étouffant pour un parlementarisme vivant. L’espérance d’une démocratie qui ne se réduirait plus à un pouvoir personnel, avec ses courtisaneries, ses impunités et ses privilèges. L’espérance d’une France enfin réconciliée avec son peuple, ses quartiers, ses travailleurs et sa jeunesse dans sa diversité.
Mais l’indifférence peut tuer l’espérance. Depuis 2002, nous sommes prévenus, et nous n’avons plus d’excuse. Nous savons que cette élection sera ce que nous en ferons. Il n’est plus temps de se faire plaisir, en perdant de vue l’enjeu décisif. Nous affirmons qu’il n’est de soutien entier que critique, de loyauté que lucide, de solidarité qu’indépendante, et nous resterons fidèles à cet engagement. Nous disons aussi que le second tour se joue dès le premier tour.
Cette élection n’est pas ordinaire et elle engage, à travers le sort de la France, un peu de l’avenir du monde. C’est pourquoi, contre une droite d’arrogance, nous appelons à choisir, dès le 22 avril, une gauche d’espérance, en votant Ségolène Royal."

La liste des signataires:
Marc Abélès, anthropologue. Laure Adler, journaliste. Elisabeth Alles, anthropologue. Paul Allies, politiste. Mathieu Arnoux, historien. Pierre Arnoux, mathématicien. Jacques Audiard, réalisateur. Jean-Pierre Azéma, historien. Muriel Badet, historienne de l’art. Sébastien Balibar, physicien. Nicolas Bancel, historien. François Barat, cinéaste. Michel Barak, historien. Dominique Barella, magistrat. Christian Baudelot, sociologue. Anna Bellavitis, historienne. Yehezkel Ben-Ari, biologiste. Samuel Benchetrit, écrivain. Michel Bénichou, avocat. Carmen Bernand, anthropologue. Arno Bertina, écrivaine. Dominique Besnehard, producteur. Philippe Besson, écrivain. Didier Bezace, metteur en scène. Sylvie Blocher, artiste. Bernard Bobe, chimiste. Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen, philosophe. Daniel Bougnoux, philosophe. Seloua Luste Boulbina, philosophe. Jean-Claude Bourbault, comédien. William Bourdon, avocat. Jean-Pierre Brigaudiot, plasticien. Geneviève Brisac, écrivaine-éditrice. Michel Broué, mathématicien. André Burguière, historien. Marilyne Canto, cinéaste. Pierre Cartier, mathématicien. Claude Chambard, écrivain. Marc Chaperon, mathématicien. Noëlle Châtelet, écrivaine. Monique Chemillier-Gendreau, juriste. Patrice Chéreau, metteur en scène. Jean-Claude Chevallier, linguiste. Hélène Cixous, écrivain. Olivier Cohen, éditeur. Annie Cohen, écrivaine. Catherine Corsini, réalisatrice. Marie Coulais , éditrice de musique. Marlène Coullomb, universitaire. Pierre-Louis Curien, mathématicien-informaticien. Paule Darmon, écrivaine. Robert Delpire, éditeur. Erwan Diantelli, anthropologue. François Dubet, sociologue. Jean-Michel Ducomte, avocat. Alain Ehrenberg, sociologue. Bernard Faivre d’Arcier. Betty Felenbok, biologiste. Marc Ferro, historien. Cynthia Fleury, philosophe. Alain Forest, historien. Antoinette Fouque, psychanalyste. Anne-Marie Garat, écrivaine. Françoise Gaspard, sociologue. Jean-Pierre Gattegno, écrivain. Marie-France Giret, pianiste. Maurice Godelier, anthropologue. Anouk Grinberg, comédienne. Martial Guédron, historien de l’art. Jean Guiloineau, écrivain-traducteur. Gérard Haller, écrivain. Karen Hansen, artiste. Alain Hélissen, écrivain-chroniqueur. Françoise Héritier, anthropologue. Denis Herlin, musicologue. Serge Jakobowicz. Jean Jamin, anthropologue. Catherine Jeandel, géochimiste. Louis Joinet, magistrat. Pierre Joliot, biologiste. Geneviève Joutard, historienne. Philippe Joutard, historien. Jean Kehayan, journaliste. Jacques Julliard, historien. Christiane Klapisch-Zuber, historienne. Julia Kristeva, universitaire-psychanalyste. Jean Labib, producteur. Guy Lacour, universitaire.Nicole Lapierre, sociologue. Françoise Lavocat, littérature comparée. Armelle Le Bras-Chopard, politologue. Michèle Leduc, physicienne. Jean-Paul Lévy, avocat. Jean-Marc Lévy-Leblond, physicien. Daniel Lindenberg, historien. Dyssia Loubatière, assistante à la mise en scène. Michèle Manceaux, écrivain-journaliste. Frédéric Martel, sociologue. François Marthouret, comédien. Mireille Martin, mathématicienne. Dominique Méda, philosophe. Khaled Melhaa, journaliste-producteur. Eric Michaud, historien de l'art. Yves Michaud, philosophe. Jean-Pierre Mignard, avocat. Philippe Minard, historien. Ariane Mnouchkine, metteur en scène. Sarah Moon, photographe. Jean-Paul Moreigne, psychiatre-psychanalyste. Janine Mossuz-Lavau, politologue. El Mouhoub Mouhoud, économiste. Bernard Murat, directeur de théâtre. Roland Nadaus, écrivain. Véronique Nahoum-Grappe, anthropologue. Pap Ndiaye, historien. Monique Nemer, écrivaine-éditrice. Alain Omont, astrophysicien. Alfredo Pena Vega, sociologue. Michel Piccoli, comédien. Martyne Perrot, sociologue. Michelle Perrot, historienne. Thomas Piketty, économiste. Etienne Pion, président d’un mouvement laïque. Evelyne Pisier, juriste. Emmanuel Poisson, historien. Christophe Prochasson, historien. Pierre Raterron, artiste-auteur. Elisabeth Roudinesco, historienne-psychanalyste. Roland Rappaport, avocat. Yannick Ripa, historienne. Joël Roman, philosophe-éditeur. Jean-Paul Scarpitta , metteur en scène. Leïla Sebbar , écrivain. Claude Servan-Schreiber, écrivaine. Fabienne Servan-Schreiber, productrice. Emmanuelle Sibeud, historienne. Philippe Sollers, écrivain. Maria Stavrinaki, historienne. Benjamin Stora, historien. Martine Storti, écrivaine. Irène Théry, sociologue. Pierre Tambourin, biologiste. Philippe Torreton, comédien. Pierre Tournier, historien. Jacques Treiner, physicien. Lucette Valensi, historienne. Agnès Verlet, écrivaine. Daniel Vigne, metteur en scène. Jean Viard, sociologue-éditeur. Fabienne Vonier, productrice-distributrice. Emmanuel Wallon, sociologue. Catherine Weinzaepflen, écrivain.

Playpen aiding al Qaida ?

New York Times

Editorial
Al Qaeda Resurgent
Published: February 25, 2007
Despite years of costly warfare in Afghanistan and Iraq, America today is not significantly closer to taking down the command structure of Al Qaeda.

International / Asia Pacific
Terror Officials See Al Qaeda Chiefs Regaining Power
By MARK MAZZETTI and DAVID ROHDE
Published: February 19, 2007
American officials say Al Qaeda has re-established significant control over its once battered worldwide terror network.

Playpenalized Page Pines in Passage

Bushbabied at the airport, the Page pined in the penalty box for hours on the way from Court back home, finally arriving 8 hours later than planned, his suitcase hanging at some of the various airports somewhere on his presidentially altered route.

FRANKLINTON, N.C. - President George W. Bush arrived by helicopter in rural North Carolina Thursday morning, landing amid cornfields - a fitting setting for his ensuing talk on his new energy initiatives. [The Chronicle, The Independent Daily at Duke University, By Victoria Ward, 2/23/07, News Section]

Needless to say, the Page was not at all pleased to have ended his Court visit to the Countess with an encounter with a bushbaby closure of an entire airport and its airspace for an hour to return from some cornfield where a Danish company is producing fartable energy for American overconsumption of fuel-inefficient automobiles. The number of plastic bags, styrofoam cups, and other various articles made of plastic (a petroleum product after all) thrown away by the Chicks of Chicora Court on any one day represent enough discarded petroleum to power a small village in most parts of the world.

The result of the publicity hungry bushbaby warrior's visit was the waste of fuel tanks full of jet fuel for innumerable passenger jets in the area and beyond. The delays rippled over to Washington, Newark, and New York airports at least, and probably to others as well. A group of 25 high-school students starting out from RDU for a class trip to Rome for study of the ancient ruins there lost one entire day of their stay, as such a large group could no longer be booked out of New York that evening after missing their connection because of a 4-hour-late arrival at JFK. My own journey was prolonged by a full 8 hours, and many many others on many other planes lost valuable time; planes flew without their planned passenger load, others were overfilled, others were cancelled because their crews were stuck at the wrong place along with thousands of passengers.

The bushbaby playpen just can't do anything right.

(Even though I had to wait another day for my bag, I did have the pleasure of flying Air France instead of Delta, as I had planned: this was somewhat of a compensation, as I could eat what I could stomach, given my nerves, of excellent food with real flatware instead of having to use the famous Delta plastic forks, knives, and spoons on that airline's food-material a hacksaw would have trouble making pieces of.)

So I was glad to learn that the Southern Co-Ed did a good job of standing in for the Lady-in-Waiting attending the Countess last night and wish them excellent time with the radiance at Court. The Countess deserves every bit of fun she can get!

American Liberty at the Precipice

New York Times:

Editorial
American Liberty at the Precipice

Published: February 22, 2007
Congress and the Supreme Court should act quickly and forcefully to undo the grievous damage that the Military Commissions Act has done to the basic freedom of habeas corpus.

Court of Chicora Changing of the Guards

By this time tomorrow, the Page will be airborne after being driven to the aerodrome by the Lady-in-Waiting, who will then spend that evening alone with the Countess. The Lady-in-Waiting's family (Crown Prince, Southern Co-Ed, and Tatooed Welder) will then join her the next evening to spend the weekend, which will see the Southern Co-Ed taking over the nightwatch with the Countess (no light shows please: Southern Co-Eds like to sleep in late) to enable the Crown Prince to spend a couple of nights together with the Lady-in-Waiting in the inn, the Tatooed Welder ensconced in a separate chamber. By then, the Page will have reached his Prussian abode and the arms of his Berlin mate. The Countess will receive calls from her youngest brother and a niece tomorrow while the Lady-in-Waiting is transporting the Page and trunks to the airfield: All wish the Countess a smooth transition in this changing of the guards, that she continue to maintain her current feisty wit and energy.

Justice remains a foreign word in the US

Guantanamo Detainees Can't Challenge Their Cases in U.S. Courts, Appellate Panel Rules - washingtonpost.com

A divided judicial panel ruled this morning that hundreds of foreign nationals detained for as long as five years at a military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, do not have rights to challenge their indefinite imprisonment through the U.S. court system.

Given this decision, there remains only the hope that the Supreme Court upholds the Constitution and principles of justice, or otherwise that the US contempt of justice be overturned by the International Court in the Hague!

Resolution on United States Government Practices Inimical to the Values of the Historical Profession

HISTORIANS TAKE A STAND

[excerpt below, full text via link above]

Whereas during the war in Iraq and the so-called war on terror, the current Administration

has violated the above-mentioned standards and principles through the following practices:
- excluding well-recognized foreign scholars;
- condemning as "revisionism" the search for truth about pre-war intelligence;
- reclassifying previously unclassified government documents;
- suspending in certain cases the centuries-old writ of habeas corpus and substituting indefinite administrative detention without specified criminal charges or access to a court of law;
- using interrogation techniques at Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram, and other locations incompatible with respect for the dignity of all persons required by a civilized society;

Whereas a free society and the unfettered intellectual inquiry essential to the practice of historical research, writing, and teaching are imperiled by the practices described above;
and

Whereas the foregoing practices are inextricably linked to the war in which the United States is presently engaged in Iraq; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the American Historical Association urges its members through publication of this resolution in Perspectives and other appropriate outlets:

- to take a public stand as citizens on behalf of the values necessary to the practice of our profession; and
- to do whatever they can to bring the Iraq war to a speedy conclusion.

Chicora Court is pleased to announce ...

... to all courtly chicks, courtiers, compatriots, colleagues, family, familiars, friends, and followers:

The Countess of Chicora Court needs no transfusion at present.

Her counts, according to the court appointed medical counselor, are at a sufficient level to await new measurements next week for new determination.

Her AML has not yet progressed to the point that her own marrow is not producing red blood cells. And she feels good.

At this news, The Countess glowed and requested a milk-shake (chocolate!) on the way back to her residence on the Court.

---With pleasure announced by the Lady-in-Waiting and the Page of the Countess of Chicora Court.

In celebration, the Court has begun celebratory fountain spectacles.

Zu Schönem sich neigen...

Sokrates und Alcibiades

»Warum huldigest du, heiliger Sokrates,
Diesem Jünglinge stets? kennest du Größers nicht?
Warum siehet mit Liebe,
Wie auf Götter, dein Aug' auf ihn?«

Wer das Tiefste gedacht, liebt das Lebendigste,
Hohe Jugend versteht, wer in die Welt geblickt,
Und es neigen die Weisen
Oft am Ende zu Schönem sich.

-Hölderlin

Banana pudding

This evening at Court the Countess received an incredible home-made banana pudding for the Page, but nearly didn't let him at it because he and the Lady-in-Waiting had been out for a coffee and talked too long while Court-Friend Nora was chatting with her (baby-sitting?). Nonetheless, after preparing the Countess her sausage biscuit with orange marmelade, the Page and the Lady-in-Waiting dined on Betty's banana pudding for dinner. No Sunday dinner like it.

(And L-i-W and P had had a nice conversation over coffee at Motts and even cell-phoned with that famous Southern Co-ed of Court fame in the process.)

Here a picture of a banana pudding not quite as luscious as the one of which two-thirds remain on the Countess' table.

Dinner Theater for the Countess of Chicora Court

Thanks to Robert, Cynthia, Lindsey, & Robbie, Chicora Court was able to surpass all previous assemblages for entertainment held before the Countess in Court.

m

US House of Reps Passes Resolution against Iraq"Surge"

Against the playpen and the bushbaby, the House of Representatives today finally passed a non-binding resolution against playpenal policy in Iraq, against increasing the number of troops there, and for a plan for disengagement and returning the country to its own hands.
The vote was
246 for and 182 against the resolution
17 Republicans abandonned the playpen to vote for the resolution, while two Democrats picked up baby rattles to join the dirty-diapered in the bushbaby's pen.
This link is to the record of the roll-call vote.

Das seynsgeschichtliche Wesen des Todes

Tod ist Übereignung in das Eigenste der Wahrheit des Seins.

Tod ist Übereignung in den Untergang, Zugehörigkeit in den Anfang.

Der Tod ist - seynsgeschichtlich gedacht - nie Übergang in ein anderes »Leben«, nicht die Beförderung in ein besseres Fortdauern. Auch nicht die Täuschung des Erhaltenbleibens im Meinen der Menschen.

Der Tod ist Untergang und das ist höchster Anfang, ist äußerste Verbergung, ist Sein.

[M.H.:GA Bd.70,§120,S.139]

Iraq Plan Assumed Only 5000 US Troops Still There by December 2006

Check this out from The National Security Archive of GWU!

TOP SECRET POLO STEP

Iraq War Plan Assumed Only 5,000 U.S. Troops Still There by December 2006
CentCom PowerPoint Slides Briefed to White House and Rumsfeld in 2002, Obtained by National Security Archive through Freedom of Information Act
PowerPoints Reflect Internal Debates Over Size and Timing of Invasion Force
National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 214
Edited by Joyce Battle and Thomas Blanton
Editorial Assistance by Malcolm Byrne, John Prados, and Justin Snyder

Valentine's Day with Will Signing

Vividly discussing freedom of speech

Follow the link to yesterday's broadcast with an important discussion on the necessity not only to protect liberty of speech, expression, press, but to use them, to satirize, to blaspheme, all in order to ensure that all opinions are free to compete in this wildly crazy world in the hopes of thought prevailing!

Ce soir ou jamais France 3
L’émission du mardi 13 février 2007
Revue d’actualité
Invités : Philippe Sollers, Raphaël Enthoven, Alejandro Jodorowski, Abdennour Bidar, Houria Bouteldja, Axiom, Catherine Clément
Penseurs, écrivains et artistes aux points de vue libres et assumés commentent les sujets qui sont au cœur de l’actualité.
Au sommaire de ce soir :
Le procès des caricatures de Charlie Hebdo. [min. ca 9-41 on the wmediaplayer screen]
…

gracia rosa regina

The Countess awaited the return of her Lady-In-Waiting before dining yesterday, though not unpleased with the services of her Page during the long weekend.

Hospice returned to finalize all arrangements with the Countess and her Court yesterday, while she, though complaining of unusual headaches, regaled them with courtly tales - from the bawdy to the banal - and confessed to having developed an aversion to chocolate.

Asking if naps were appropriate, she was again told that she should acquiesce in the demands her body places on her, recline, and let her courtiers retreat upon seeing her at rest, or be fended off by Lady-In-Waiting or Page as appropriate.

And the one who offered to cut her air would do better to appear soon, preferably before the next dinner offering is brought this evening.

Food at Chicora Court

A perhaps not completely exhaustive list of the dishes brought to the Countess at Court through dinner yesterday evening:

chicken casserole

brocoli salad

angel biscuits

vegetable soup

chicken soup I

chicken noodles I

devil's food cake

cherry cobbler

chocolate pound cake

banana nut bread

chicken salad I

brunswick stew

chicken soup II

cookies

strawberry cream pie

chocoloate pie

sausage pinwheels

grapes

yams

sweet potato caserole

green beans

chicken pastry II

chicken salad II

chocolate 6-layer cake

Brought by, in arbitrary, non-corresponding order:

Patty, Ruth, Sybil, Helen, Wilma, Gracie, Minnie, Mary, Kathleen, Patty again, Betty

The Soup's too Thick Already!

Target Iran: US able to strike in the spring

Despite denials, Pentagon plans for possible attack on nuclear sites are well advanced.

Ewen MacAskill in Washington

Saturday February 10, 2007

The Guardian

--------------------------------------------

This is A Cartoon, a cartoon by Mr. Fish, published Friday, February 9, 2007. It is part of The Cartoons of Mr. Fish: a Selection, which is part of Features, which is part of Harpers.org.

Countess needs no blood

Blood sufficient for the timebeing, no need for a transfusion, the Countess is relieved and learning more about AML and changes of tastebuds. No longer liking chocolate (!), she is pleased by Chicks of The Court of Chicora bearing soups and chicken pastry and yams.
Daughter on leave, son attending her, The Countess has so far today received (don't forget, posting times here are my laptop's standard CET, so subtract 6 for the pertinent Court time) Doll Baby, Gracie, Ruth, Vivien, Sybil. Telephone audiences with Detti, Jeff, Jenn, Park, Sally, Nora, and Hospice Lindsay. Expected are still Patty with chicken soup and unknown others. --Which happened, then Ruth with cherry cobbler, Mary and Sally and Henry on the phone (Mary and Sally coming tomorrow). And the Court retired at 8pm or so.

Support "Charlie Hebdo" / Support Freedom of Speech

Today the French prosecutor requested the course to dismiss the case since the cartoons were no vilification of a race or religion, but satire about ideas subject to debate. More detailed info in English, excerpt below, is available from Reporters Without Borders through the link.

Reporters sans frontières - France:

Reporters Without Borders voiced “unconditional support” today for the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo , which goes on trial in Paris tomorrow in a civil lawsuit by the Grand Mosque of Paris and the Union of Islamic Organisations of France. It is accused of deliberately trying to hurt Muslims “in their collective attachment to their beliefs” by publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in a special issue a year ago.

Here is a link to Nouvel Observateur's report with a petition in support of Charlie Hebdo and freedom of speech in general. Link it and sign it and pass it on: Signer la pétition!

Today, the DA requested dismissal of the case, read on below:

La procureure a requis la relaxe de "Charlie Hebdo" pour avoir publié des caricatures
LE MONDE 09.02.07

©

And here a time-line summary of the proceedings since their beginning on Wednesday, from Libération. Read it: it's not as far away as you think!

Thursday at Chicora Court

The Countess, reclining and clearing and fearing and welcoming and ailing and hailing, never wailing nor frowning nor grumping, ever joking and stickling and snickering, for all tender and grateful and needful, received: Doll Baby, Emily, Ruth, Sybil, Lucille ; Henry, Wilma ; Cynthia, Lydia, Robert Little II ; Nora, Ruth ; and was attended by daughter and son.

Scopes Monkey Trial - Islamist-fundamentalist version in France

Procès d'un autre âge
LE MONDE 07.02.07

Il y a des principes intangibles, aussi anciens que les combats qui ont permis à la France de devenir une démocratie respectueuse des libertés et des droits de l'homme. Dans un Etat laïque, aucune religion - comme aucune idéologie - n'est au-dessus des lois. Là où la religion fait la loi, on est proche du totalitarisme. Dans un Etat de droit, les personnes qui pratiquent une religion ne doivent pas être insultées ou faire l'objet de discriminations fondées sur leurs croyances. La laïcité ne se confond pas avec une quelconque "religionphobie".

©

Chicks attending Countess

Soon, one by one coming in, the Chicks of Chicora Court will all have called in on The Countess since her return to Court and left fighting back the tears in their reddened eyes.
Soon, all familial courtiers will have appeared, and those with whom intensive audience for reconciliation are necessary, of the julianic sort, will have met with opportunity to close unseemly gaps.
And the Countess is attempting to spread cheer as she tells of the 1-3 months remaining to her reign.
The Court hopes each time the count begins with that statement itself each time it is uttered.
And the Court fears it must soon face unmitigated mourning.

"LE DROIT À LA SATIRE DE L'IDÉOLOGIE TERRORISTE"

Lors d'une conférence de presse mardi 6 février, les responsables de Charlie Hebdo ont dénoncé un "procès médiéval". Philippe Val a expliqué que les dessins mis en cause n'avaient pas pour objectif "d'attaquer les musulmans" mais "d'attaquer les terroristes". "Si on n'a plus le droit de faire la satire de l'idéologie terroriste, qu'est-ce qu'il restera au simple citoyen pour se défendre s'il n'a même plus le rire pour vaincre ses peurs ?"

Les caricatures de Mahomet mènent "Charlie Hebdo" devant la justice
LEMONDE.FR | 06.02.07

©

Letting loose and coming closer...

The Countess is loosening up with her courtiers, while still reminding them that "the twinkling star you see's gonna be me fussin' with you if you don't do right cause I'm gonna be watchin' the whole time," and, doing so, some of those courtiers are getting a great gift: clear expressed warm evidence of the loving feelings the Countess has for them. She's sharing with them, good time, wit and stories, and finally letting two kids from that court and their father Prince get some material for fond memories of her, not only elephants and baubles.
(Not of course even necessary to mention is that the Countess has usurped the affection of everyone engaged in Ducal service. Should that Duke have her around much longer, those subjects would defect entirely to the Court of The Countess of the Chicora Chicks!)
But she's headed back to her Chicora Court today, "gonna take care of business" as she puts it. And she's doing it right so far!
Let all aware of her court wish the Countess the strength to keep right on with this dazzling phase of her reign. She seems to be grasping, if it's coming to an end, she must take pains to ensure positive mention in the chronicles of that court and its courtiers. She's doing her best.

Und es bricht mir das Herz! Es muß ihr so sehr schmerzen... Und sie hat auch große Angst vor den leider ganz sicher kommenden physischen Schmerzen.
Sowenig Qual wie möglich soll sie haben.

NO, NO, NO - not yet more senseless war

Simon Tisdall: Bush 'spoiling for a fight' with Iran
in Guardian daily comment, Guardian Unlimited

The above gives the British/European sense of the latest bushbaby playpen danger facing the world, a prospect, which if realized, will render all our lives LESS secure and foment MORE terrorism and INCREASE support for fundamentalists while again diminishing any belief among those people we need so desperately to enlighten that rights and justice are of any importance to the US or its friends.

And here is the cogent view Auntie Times has on the issue, also frightened as hell:

Bullying Iran

As ever, the one tactic the administration is refusing to consider is diplomacy. Mr. Bush has resisted calls to convene a meeting of Iraq’s neighbors to discuss ways to contain the crisis. There is no guarantee that Mr. Ahmadinejad can be persuaded that Iraq’s further implosion is not in Iran’s interest. But others in Tehran may have clearer heads. And any hope of driving a wedge between Iran and Syria will have to start by giving Damascus hope that there is a way in from the cold.
Mr. Bush’s bullying may play well to his ever shrinking base. But his disastrous war in Iraq has done so much damage to America’s credibility — and so strained its resources— that it no longer frightens America’s enemies. The only ones really frightened are Americans and America’s friends.

Le procès de la liberté d'expression

Le procès de Charlie Hebdo

Le procès de Charlie Hebdo et de la liberté d'expression s'ouvre le 7 février

Le procès de Charlie Hebdo aura lieu au Tribunal de grande instance de Paris le 7 février à partir de 9h00 et le lendemain 8 février à partir de 14h à la 17ème chambre. Il est d’une extrême importance.

Charlie Hebdo est poursuivi par la Mosquée de Paris, l’UOIF la Ligue islamique mondiale (qui diffuse l’islam wahhabite en provenance d’Arabie Saoudite) pour « injures publiques à l’égard d’un groupe de personnes à raison de leur religion ».

Deux dessins sont visés : celui montrant Mahomet avec une bombe dans son turban, mais aussi celui où Mahomet freine un groupe de kamikazes par cette annonce : « Stop, on n’a plus de vierges en stock. »

La couverture du numéro, où Cabu représente un Mahomet « débordé par les intégristes » et qui les désavoue (« C’est dur d’être aimé par des cons ») est également poursuivie pour « injures », alors qu’elle visait justement à montrer un Mahomet se désolidarisant des extrémistes.

mercredi 31 janvier 2007

© www.prochoix.org

Headed for Chicora Court

On my way to the Countess to spend with her a little of what time she still has left, I will probably collapse once I finally get into the plane tomorrow after completing all organization this side.

Sure wasn't counting on what's facing the Countess now, but I know that she was also the last, die mit sowas gerechnet hätte. Non posso piú. C'est pas du tout la fin prévue pour cette contesse!

The Chicks of Chicora Court should be a help, as will all those friends and family who I trust will appear.

Zumindest weiß ich, daß meine Schwester und ihre Familie mich auch empfangen werden, wie ich die Gräfin aufsuche.

> Les choses n'arrivent quasi jamais comme on se les imagine. <

> La mort nous égale tous ; c'est où nous attendons les gens heureux : elle rabat leur joie et leur orgueil, et console par là ceux qui ne sont pas fortunés. <

[Madame de Sévigné]

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