no fool like an old fool

Vince cable business secretary gets himself trapped into criticising his own government by a very young lady reporter- no Vince she wasn't interested in you she wanted a good story , then you compound it by sounding off about Murdoch . so now your weakened made to look ridiculous . so what do you do go on strictly come dancing , an old man pawing young ladies in public - this should be your last tango Vince. time to get real ,your in responsible position in government which you hardly deserved, be grateful ,grow up ,and show us your worth it

hiver en angleterre

beautifully as anything can get , but of course we complain , roads at standstill, economy ruined, nothing works , garden ruined, it doesn't happen too often my part of England so lets relish the visual treats while they last and its not just us that cant cope, the rest of the near continent is the same

i dont get this

morissey has discovered that david cameron has always been a fan , morrissey's reaction i dont want you to like me , surely even if it is a politician you dont admire can you not take comfort from the fact that he might have been influenced by what you had to say and has at least listened to it

ice and fire

in the u.k we've had terrible weather deep snow in the north schools closed, temps of minus 15 it looks beautiful till it goes on too long ,yet it brought out the best in the British all mucking in helping each other .even the troops helped clear snow, politicians of course useless so we all helped our selves the brit spirit is alive in well ..by contrast the student riots, no one read the government proposalsas they wanted to protest anyway.socialists never listen they only want to shout everyone else down --mobs like the one in london have dark heart where primeval forces are unleashed and anything is possible, maiming of animals ,violence ,fire, mayhem desecration, what argument does it put forward as those who would quote democracy use brute force to advance their ideas -shameful of course ,stupid yes,its why i can never vote for the labour party because they do not real socialism. socialism is inclusive it encourages everyone to be better than they thought they could be .the labour party and ed milliband demonstrate their ignorance by indulgence in the class war they are as bad as blue rise tory ladies .strength of argument should be the approach yet have you ever here a labour party member wiling to examine their views. dispassionately. mindless hate, why, vandalism why, bring down the government and your turn comes next to climb the steps of the guillotine .where does it all lead do they know -i doubt it ,neither do i, but i'm frightened the black heart that emerges in the centre of every mob and dehumanises everything around it.

the opposite of eye candy

i cant bring my self to put a picture of this guy on here, what is it about nadal that makes me want to switch off and give up on my favourite sport tennis----------------------------------------well i thought tennis was about skill not aggression .he doesn't play beautiful tennis his racket is a club ,not an instrument, to beat up his opponents with . then there is ghastly animal grunt each time he hits the ball, plus the scowling, the jumping up and down- that's before we get round to the ticks. he bounces the ball 10 times before he serves ,that's after he adjusted his under wear (why can't he get comfortable pants) touches nose,his back pocket pushes his hair back at either side .then serves .add to this crabs claw arm the over developed shoulder another couple of attributes we won't mention and stylist from hell and there you have nadal .he might get the results but he's not the best, if winning at any cost is what its all about ok ,but if enhancing your sport is what it is really all about then nadal is something else .pulling an injury stunt when he was at paris and then questioning djkoviks eye injury this week shows a sportsman he ain't. he might fool the drooling commentators who'll lick the floor before a winner ,but if he continues the sport will produce a series of opponents being led to the slaughter house ,with the game as about attractive as an abattoir

monarchy

in england in the 17th century we had our revolution led by parliamentarian oliver cromwell and we learned our lesson. feckless king charles had his head cut off .however what did we get in its place, a republic that persecuted catholics, the irish , hunted down and burned whitches destroyed art, separated us permanently from ireland ,and then set up it own hereditary system and abolished christmas - the restoration of the monarchy with merry monarch king charles 2 and his many mistress meant that half of england has royal blood any way - the best thing about the monarchy is it stops politicians going for the top job, we keep hearing about implausible presidential candidates if the monarchy went- richard branson who cant string two sentences to gether, judi drench whose already played victoria and elizabeth, queen helen mirren- a terrible impersonation and whose russian anyway -- other ghastlies on the list stephen fry , lord putnam , dawn french and tony blair we might as well hve billy elliot or nigella - luvvies and lefties who we'd never get rid of -no thanks i'd rather keep her majesty and her grisly family though if charles ascends the throne he wont have my allegiance i will have transferred it to the next generation

Une monarchie républicaine II.

La révolution française m'a longtemps semblé être un fait historique garant de notre patrimoine démocratique et culturel, je dis longtemps car cette idée en moi a disparu. Et plus encore sans doute: j'ai changé d'opinion: je pense avec davantage de recul que, outre le bain de sang, outre l'injuste et sordide sacrifice d'Hommes; de Femmes, de Roi et de Reine, elle fut le deuil irrémédiable de notre vision spirituelle du Citoyen, c'est à dire de l'Homme dans la société, le réduisant factuellement à ses actes, son patronyme et ses utilités. En effet la laïcité républicaine a ouvert la voie à une société positiviste tenant en haine toute idée de transcendance mais aussi de civilisation judéo-chrétienne. Aujourd'hui nul besoin de réfléchir pour comprendre que les barbaries religieuses d'aujourd'hui s'insinuent là où nous avons nous-mêmes laissé la friche s'installer, en définitive la laïcité française n'est pas un néant vierge mais un espace vide à remplir, remplissage dont se sont emparés d'autres esprits bien éloignés de la laïcité. Cela est le premier point. Le second, c'est cet argument sur lequel la révolution s'est construite: l'abolition des privilèges...A bien y regarder ont-ils disparu ? Nos élites ne se réservent-elles plus le bénéfice matériel ou idéologique ? Les décisions sont-elles réellement partagées ? Allons bon, cela est risible et sans tomber dans le populisme la république n'existe pas concrètement. Elle est morcelée, elle existe en bribes, en miettes, dans certains cas, pas pour tous, parfois, cela dépend...Le président français, je dis bien quel qu'il soit, use et abuse de son pouvoir "monarchique" dans sa mise en concurence des hommes et femmes de sa cour, dans la mise en scène de lui-même etc...La république est monarchique ! Elle est donc bancale. Amis Français, vous qui regardez la monarchie parlementaire Britannique avec condescendance, réflechissez-y davantage...

Une monarchie républicaine I.

Le remaniement fantôme

Le président Sarkozy a composé il y a peu son nouveau gouvernement, gouvernement annoncé comme il se doit depuis le perron de l'Elysée, récompensant la vie de courtisans politiques parisiens. On y constate, comme à chaque fois, la polyvalence formidable de nos ministres, qui, peuvent prendre avec la même fulgurante compétence les rênes de n'importe quel ministère, monopolisant les éclairs omnipotents, ils peuvent tour à tour composer avec la justice ou la politique internationale ou encore l'éducation. Cela sans aucune hésitation, un ministre peut gérer la justice sans avoir de notion de Droit, gérer la santé sans avoir aucune idée des métiers de santé, gérer l'éducation sans , jamais, avoir vu un élève de prés...Ils savent tout, ils peuvent tout, ils disent tout, ils font tout, ils pensent tout, ils prennent tout, ils réfléchissent à tout et pour Tous etc...Ce postulat politique me semble être bien malheureusement le point de départ de la fin de la politique. Rien, en effet, n'est moins crédible ou représentatif que cette valse permanente des êtres au détriment du fond: c'est à dire l'intérêt supérieur de notre nation, de notre culture, de notre mémoire. La vie politique à la française, depuis bien longtemps, épargnons de condamner le seul président sur ce point, est un théâtre de dupes où l'on pratique l'autoconviction, qui voudrait que la compétence se décrète.Cela me semble absolument désolant et morbide. Morbide dans le sens que rien ne peut, pour l'instant, venir à nouveau souffler la vie là, où, le monde politique ,lui, pratique des lois qui semblerait folles en dehors de lui-même.

spoiler

with a royal wedding in the offing prince charles has to drop a spanner inthe works by saying camilla might evetually be queen -a daunting pospect. however it is typical of a man .the royal equivalent of gordon brown who cant accept hes not the brightest star around- jealous of his for mer wife. part responsible for the kate/ wiliam split he finds himself between a rock and hard place- the queen example of duty and fortitude and the rising stars william and his bride so dont fight it charles you never were and never will be ,roll over now and make most of us happy

a sense of propotion

thin skinned yasmin alibaigh brown is insulted and a tory coucillor gets arrested. this same lady can diss white skin and thats ok. now asians can threaten t.a volonteers and burn the poppy on rememberance day and nothing happens .more fuel for the national front from an establishment that sees fairness operates in one direction but not the other

destruction at millbank

where does hate like this come from why are the vandals still running amok within our civilisation why did Muslim fanatics burn a symbolic red Poppy on remembrance day politicising of causes or religion has a lot to answer for

confusion

its been a bad week for clarity of thought, i did believe the British way of protest was something muted.however the students march in London proved me wrong. a potential for death and destruction stalked the streets aided by police organisers letting too few men face the mob then useing it as an excuse to warn about coming cuts. students demonstration is a regular occurrence or used to be, dangerous violence isn't - the nutty lecturers at goldsmith supporting the violence need to be questioned as educationalists, what did the riot yesterday achieve, alienation from the public which is a shame legit protest exists in a democracy - but there i was in my own place in a week of strife confronting an ugly minded builder ,a bully who cares nothing for the community ecology or anything not that our so called community leaders from the parish coucil bothered to turn up to offer any support - did i want to hit him, sabotage his crane- maybe, but I'm civilised person ,violence takes you down a path that has no predictable destination . what of the site he took `10 ft more hedge than he needed to because hes a bully and as for the Land which was down graded the soil looks wonderful friable and rich .what have learned this week reason doesn't always prevail ,and the good guys don't always win, and the we have a lazy minded political establishment that is all mouth an no knowledge .is there a better place somewhere, let me know i'll move there pronto- no wonder people dream of the hesprides ,lyonesse and Camelot

the rape of bishops hull

this is what happens to a 200 year old hedgerow when the developers get in a .new development in bishops hull was opposed by everyone In village but it still goes ahead .so much for local democracy the builders only have provisonal approval yet they go in via a technical loophole and destroy the hedge .the builders said i quote ''democray what do i care about the locality or the environment commerce comes first ''such is the lousy system of goverment we live under which harbours a council run by builders- be fearful for the future you dont live in a democracy

is democracy an illusion

ant war posteres in bath -this is the way the brits do it, we hold up placards sign petitions we want to get out of aghanistan does any one listen the mechanism is there to protest does anyone listen -no democracy is an illusion that only works as long as you comply with our leaders

le difference

here in de la criox's liberty leading the people we have french protest and Passion rolled into one. never mind the mayhem death and destruction the french go for it even if its like sawing off a branch of tree your sitting on .from 1793 revolution after revolution barricade after barricade . recently fresh mayhem against change in the pension age. what happened the french parliament passed the law and the riots petered out. in england we march occasionally but we haven't rioted since the miners strike in the 80's -whats wrong with the English( Ireland is different they Love a good riot) were not so daft as to believe it makes any difference , a million marched against the iraq war ,it did n0t make scrap of difference either . from the jarrow march to the miners strike nothing achieved ,so whats the point .the only thing our leaders worry about is winning elections once they win its shut your faces go way. so like the cynical lot we are we don't do anything -.thank god we have the much maligned media who can get their stilettos into the political class who want to lead us wwith no clue as to where the mass of us really want to go as long as they have their ministerial cars and perks . so guys put you feet up and let the telegraph and the mail do there damnedest -as for the french well if that's what you think makes a difference, then you better get on with it .but please it needs more stamina than you showed recently otherwise it proves the english really have a point

not like this any more

maureen o hara's connection with france is an unlikely one, she played esmeralda in notre dame de paris . i include her here at the request of one of our readers . irish and beautiful instead of black and white movies she appeared in technicolor adventures. a whole generation of school boys were led to believe that women were really like her strong willed ,capable and beautiful .she is unusual for several, reasons unlike stars of the period her hair was usually worn loose , and she could wear costume when other stars were overwhelmed by it.- she was 5ft 10 ins tall and was match for strong leading men and enlivened weaker ones .her career lasted 60 years. she eschewed plastic surgery and like Brigitte bar dot retained her dignity. she appeared in 70 films many of them classics and was particularly famous as john ford protege and a star of pirate movies. always a match for any man she was fine athlete, a first class swordsman, doing her own stunts. so famous is the cottage scene in the quiet man that it was included in e.t not appreciated by the critics or the academy she has attained legend status late in life . never afraid of controversy she broke single handed the grip of a scandal magazine in Hollywood .she has been neglected from an honorary award by the academy -a long term relationship with Anthony Quinn didn't help, nor did an affair with Che Guevara no less. an accomplished writer ,singer and rebel against the establishment ,she maintained a career through courage determination and the support of all those school boys, who grew into men and finally made sure ,that this great lady got her due. when Maureen o' hara was on screen you looked at no one else

following a great tradition

having met nigella at a book signing , my sister in law - said of course shes covered in wrinkles- sorry to disappoint but she looks as good in the flesh as she does on tv and was terribly charming so there ! she embodies a tradition of women who were culinary temptresses nell gwyn and her oranges ,Hogarth's shrimp girl. there is something 18thc about nigella i'm pleased to say- she makes me want to raid the fridge have drink when i shouldn't, diet conscious not a chance, tuck in and enjoy yourself what more can you want

entente

the Anglo and Franco phobes have been having a field day now the armies are going to merge , well why not merge were usually on the same side these days .the argument we wouldnt be able to do our own thing like going into Iraq, in that case a pity we didn't merge sooner. as for the English army -lo0king for ward to perks like wine with meals sexier uniforms. the french well they get a chance to fight the way they want along side guys who they'd rather fight alongside than any one else. if this is the beginning of integration between France and UK bring it on , sarkozy has also helped turn France's' face away from Germany and like any other suitor were mightily pleased to have got our best girl back from our greatest rival.

going noisettes

back after a hectic week in the frozen north- bright but bloody cold ,got back to find i was offline. had been stupid enough to change bank accounts and think they would hook up with paying bills alas no .then eight days struggle to get back on line ,not helped by a mumbai line service -hey its not me that doesn't speak good English. got on again after i hired an engineer- god help anyone who hasn't one at hand. then on motor way down somebody collided with somebody else on the m 1 a five hour journey stretched into 7- so if I'm not noisettes i should be- so back in the real world what do i find uni fees through the roof, national treasures Anne widicombe and Stephen fry anything but, as they make total fools of themselves. and now admiral neslon has to share his plinth with villineuve - and then i have champagne socialist knocking the big society. why don't these dim guardianistas realise the big society had been the aim of Christianity, read the sermon on the mount ,and true socialism. socialism in England is partisan, therefor not socialist -so guys pause and think what the words mean when you sing Jerusalem. after this lot no wonder I'm joining the brother hood of the noisettes

protecting a culture

in the united kingdom we have a culture based on the judaic code of ethics this encompasses the law, our moral code, our perceptions of fairness, right and wrong -justice our culture is plant that has been nurtured for at least 800 years. like every plant it needs watering pruning and adjustment but as a species it remains intact. multi -culturism is something the majority of the citizens of the united kingdom have been persuaded to accept on the understanding that there is a basic consensus on human rights .yet not every culture within out boundaries accepts this .there is teaching of the caliphate in some faith schools the education minister didn't know what this meant - however it has nothing to do with democracy .and though we accept the right of everyone to follow their own beliefs we have our own structure re -shaped by by a minority. any rejection of these tenants tends to lead to negative reactions which compromise free speech the immediate effect is to compromise free speech. if there is a different interpretation of life purpose it becomes impossible for the minority to be absorbed into the greater whole. the larger grouping is not to blame, the endemic structure of the country is as it is and must remain so .the same struggle is emerging in France ,the protection of all that France represents is important -it is not negotiable. for instance should we become subject to the tenants of creed that abhors all realistic image making then we would see the destruction of cultural artifacts such as the world has never seen before. our art ,our freedoms ,our treatment of women are sacrosanct and cannot be re-negotiated. nor can we sanctify 12th century punishments vengeance has never been a form of rehabilitation . what i believe is open to adjustment but is not open to revision ,western culture has a tradition of thought patterns in science and arts that is unsurpassed that combined with the the philanthropic soul of the west must be sustained and nourished at whatever the cost

not sure its about cookery

next week i intend to meet nigela lawson in Bristol , I'm at the varnishing day at the R.W.A first a lunch with fellow artists ,then on to nigella .are her programmes areally about cookery, she seems to get a lot of things out of jars tosses them in pans. and thats it . meanwhile there is winking over the spaghetti strainer ,much pouting as she uses the whisk, much tasting, finger licking and ohs ahs -this is like the food seduction scene in the the 1960's movie tom jones, except she is alone and you are the target .i tried one of her breakfast recipes and had to throw it out. that doesn't stop me watching as the kitchen becomes a culinary belle de jour. jamie oliver and the rest eat your heart ,you poor tings have nothing better to offer than your culinary skills

russel's booky wook

a bad week

in England afghan hostage ends badly ,it was cold and wet i had flu so it was impossible to do anything but feel sorry for my self, mostly i got annoyed at labour party in denial other parties not dong what they promised - who needs politics any more- to cap a lousy week the art project at Tate modern stopped because health and safety- my bright spot last week was Russell brand i,got annoyed when the perennial old bore Michael Parkinson said what is the point of him - well the ignorant old codger ought to have watched his interview with Jeremy paxman where he questions the ethos of celebrity in society in a masterly fashion ,enough to sway many dis believers to his cause .having met him at book signing i can vouch for his sincerity his naturalness his patience in fact he is wasted in the media, he should be a social worker. Katy perry is a very lucky woman .next week i intend to meet nigella souffle's and all i can hardly wait

Le superficiel et la profondeur

Saint-Tropez est un théâtre de vanité. Celui qui ne plisse pas son regard ne verra qu'un bal funeste de désirs et d'esquives mais celui qui saura plisser et incliner son regard comprendra que se joue devant lui le théâtre du monde, le langage qui court après un impossible sens, le langage qui se fait matière et perd son oralité, on y est pour se voir et se savoir vu, l'existence brève sur ce long quai comme une courte carrière de comédien mais ce qui se donne ici à voir est bien plus réel que l'on veut bien le croire. Car dans le superficiel se love l'universel, Marcel Proust aurait sans doute écrit sur ces élégantes décadences qui parlent haur à ce que nous sommes. Et nul ne peut juger si cela est bien ou mal, cela "est". Nous devons l'admettre, comme une promenade dans les rues de Saint-Tropez nos vies humaines sont un théâtre d'ombres. Sublimes et dérisoires.

Bardot intemporelle

Je ne suis pas un fan de Brigitte Bardot. En cela mon opinion peut être objective. J'ai récemment vu l'exposition rétrospective qui se tient actuellement à Saint Tropez. Il en ressort un goût profond d'intemporalité et de modernité. L'exposition qui commence intelligemment par un pan consacré aux stars féminines qui l'ont précédée montre à quel point son art ne fut pas tant dans le cinéma ou la musique que dans les consciences, dans les désirs, dans l'implicite langage des corps. Elle fut l'héritière révoltée des femmes exploitées, des femmes cadenacées dans des carcans vestimentaires. Oui, elle est le mistral incarné. En cela elle doit suciter le respect profond d'une société qui lui doit beaucoup.

bardot revisited the english view

i first became aware of french female stars when i was school boy- michele morgan in the fallen idol she was too spohisticated too remote, then leslie caron a jolie laid gone american ,then there was bardot and not in french movie but doctor at sea. she had dark hair, a pony tail, flouncing skirts -french as we imagined all french to be and weren't .then came god created woman st tropez ,the hair ,the clothes the mambo, the pout stratospherically sexy, marilyn monroe was a joke by comparison . i dont think she made any good movies but that didn't matter. in england she was and is the only french movie star that means any thing .in england she became more than star ,a symbol of liberation and the south of france, she probably set everything the sixties were in motion .she also made st trop the place it is today ,both beautiful and over crowded .it has no railway station. there are marvellous things .the port de pecheur, the pamplone beach. bardot set the the st tropez goldrush in motion .the quay is for shameless showing off by people who should have enough money not to want to ,but there a places they dont go ,and the beaches are heaven the spring before the mob arrives .as for bardot still a star, still controversial ,animal rights, right wing politics .being bardot there is no no plastic surgery -she is as she is and the better for it. we appreciate her for what she was, and we admire her courage to be what she has decided to be. as a school boy i'll never forget the cinema in paris'' god created;''- on the screen .who did i envy more than anyone else in the world jean louis trintignant who not only won her in the movies but in real life too in the words of rhett butler when he described the untameable scarlett -what a woman some thing bardot was ,is and always will be

a canadaire in action

in every eden

in every eden there is a serpent, for every maiden there is a dragon, in every cabbage patch there are slugs ,the dragon that disturbs the eden of the provencal littoral is the threat of fire. every time the mistral blows, one pauses, fires are usually started deliberately on windy days , the latest conflagration between la coitat and cassis almost penetrating la coitat itself .why do the pyromaniacs do it, a drug induced wish to see it burn or just sheer wickedness, who knows .it takes years to regenerate what has been lost .the solution to restore the mixed woodland that once covered provence now replaced by pines which were able to survive the ravenous attentions of goats, the canadaires that quench the fires are something we ought to have in the u.k

old politics

in france chirac wriggles out of trouble by paying back money to avoid prosecution , in uk we have new leader of labour elected in part by unions who have no mandate - to revise the words of madame roland ''democracy what sins are committed in thy name''

L'éternel automne du rock anglo-américain

J'ai été, je le crois profondément,sauvé par la musique anglo-saxonne. Sauvé non pas au sens symbolique mais métabolique. La littérature française fut la première marche vers la compréhension de l'automne qui est en moi néanmoins rien dans la musique francophone, rien, dis-je en insistant, ne parlait à ce que je suis. Un mutisme ridicule de prétentions l'habite, aucune tensions vers les tréfonds de l'âme ne s'y trouve, c'est une musique étriquée et politique. Ici je veux dire l'outrageuse usurpation des chanteurs francophones, exception faite sans doute à Jacques Brel. Demain c'est l'automne et en écoutant encore et encore l'écho du fond de mon ventre qui habite une langue qui n'est pas la mienne, je me sens profondément le débiteur de cette culture anglaise. Combien de français peuvent comprendre cela ? Combien peuvent le savoir ? Qui va leur dire dans l'aveuglement anglo-scéptique des médias français. Alors je le répète né français, mes frères d'âme anglo-saxons m'ont tiré du néant musical de mon pays. Autour de moi, croyez ce que je vous dis, autour de moi je le porte haut ce discours. Malheureusement le goût français parfois me désole.

an ambition fulfilled

since i was student,i have always wanted to see the facade of st triomphe in arles, the sculptures on the front of the church show christ in majesty surrounded by his saints, sinners on one side the damned on the other, to view it was to get an insight into the mediaeval mind where god was not just one of love but also one of vengeance .that i was able to see this was thanks to solar who also intoduced me to the director of a theatrical gruop that performs in the roman theatre even the arena had gladiators in it, another memorable day in my beloved midi

the x factor

whait is it about the french president that would make an ex minister with a mysterious baby your brother's ex wife conspire to bring your own ex wife back in order to ouste the current wife incomprehensible this side of the channel - french farce at its best perhaps, back stabbing ,rumour mongering ,glamerous rivals, we have it all yet at the centre of the vortex what have we got, the diminutive sarkozy. either this regiment of women are mad or sakozy had hidden talents that make him worth the struggle. at the moment the present day catherine de medic carla bruni has seen off the attack --another lull before another storm in this particular tasse de the

citizens of nimes may not have noticed

growing in flower bed at the top of the boulevard victor hugo close to the carre is a rare plant an erythrina christa galli it is very tender i have never seen one growing inthe open before citizens of nimes stop and admire this small miracle rather simply passing it by

cool dog nimes

this dog with a badit style bandana round his neck looks out for his master, one of the many sights of the cathderal square that gives it the character and flavour that makes it well worth the visit

a building i really do appreciate

the cathedral at nimes stands adjacent to its ancient heart and dominates a small square, streets leading in all directions from it through the old town. this building is a melange of styles but more than that is a record of the influences that have shaped nimes as a city . there are traces of roman , romanesque, gothic ,even suggestions of islamic, maybe the influence of crucaders .it is not a world class building but, it is a class act amongst local building as it breathes the history of nimes and is a monument to the evolution of the city .it is fitting that it dominates a bustling square with a marvellous cafe ,where it is possible to contemplate the world passing by and yet be strongly reminded of the past and eternal values . the cathedral stands guard fittingly over the current citizens of nimes and the preciousness of the french way of life in the south that in its many facets it symbolises and preserves

i stand my ground

the Eiffel tower was a unique structure in iron - unique being the operative word there is nothing that compares to its size or use of iron.it is a perfect marrying of engineering and elegance. it is one of the few great iconic structures that doesn't disappoint. the pyramid at the louvre is beautiful, gorgeous , its positioning daring and unique ,the word unique keeps cropping and is the essence of great architecture .i offer you st triomphe at arles. art and architecture are a combination of the utilitarian and the elegant bold concepts take time to gain acceptance . however if we return to the carre d'art where is its unique quality where is the breadth of concept .the pyramid and Eiffel are structures that defy their imitators the carre d'art of norman foster embraces them

Faut-il la démonter ?

La laideur disait-on...

L'insoutenable modernité...

La cruauté de mon ami anglais qui compare le carré d'Art Nîmois à un vulgaire supermarché me rappelle plusieurs événements de l'Histoire de l'art dont tout le monde aujourd'hui s'accorde à dénoncer l'injustice: le premier, c'est le refus de maintenir la tour eiffel sur le lieu de son exposition, il fallait la démonter, la détruire, l'enlever, malgré cela, elle fut maintenue,qu'en est-il désormais, un symbole international de la "Francitude". Le second exemple est la pyramide du Louvres, hurlements et injures lors de sa consruction, aujourd'hui, sa fierté de verre est reconnue de tous et elle trône magnifiquement et a su changer le regard des passants. IL faut savoir adapter son oeil à ce que l'on regarde, assouplir sa curiosité, refuser les jugements hatifs. J'ai un immense respect pour la culture de mon ami anglais et je sais déjà qu'il comprend, il avait compris avant le début de ce débat.

an uncanny resemblence

i respect the views of my ami francais, however he is not confronted by variations on the foster theme which litter england from end to end , i am not a foster fan,nimes is a marvellous place ,full of vitality and visual surprises i feel nothing is too good for this city and the carre is too routine to be worthy

Dans la miroir du temps: merci au carré d'Art

Le carré d'Art est un miroir du temps, il fait face à la maison carrée est lui présente son sublime reflet féminin comme pour prolonger sa beauté de l'autre côté du boulevard.
Par ailleurs il est la métaphore métallique du métal architectural substitué à la pierre romaine et propose au visiteur un voyage de vingt siècles en quelques mètres, le temps de marcher d'un monument à l'autre. Son élégance légère se révèle probablement davantage à l'intérieur du bâtiment où s'associent la blancheur du trait et la présence de la lumière, il devient à ce moment précis un carré blanc léger et soyeux qui, en rien, ne déprécie sa proche amie romaine. Les Nîmois se sont habitués à sa présence, il est rentré désormais dans l'adn de la ville et lui offre une fenêtre ouverte sur la modernité là où beaucoup pensent que nous ne sommes tournés que vers notre romanité. Je ne désespère pas d'en convaincre mon ami anglais qui comme vous l'avez lu ci-dessous en doute.

timeless next to the mundane

nimes is one of the most elegant cities of france save marseille if id been born french its where I'd want live . blessed withwide boulevards elegant squares inspired fountains it has a wonderful juxtaposition of the ancient and the traditional the arena ,the work of le notre the tour magna, to Temple of Diana wonderful! in the middle of city is the Corinthian style temple the maison carre ,alas adjacent to it is a work by Norman foster the carre d'art
this building is neither inspired or particularly modern it is pretentiously utilitarian yet wastes space, isn't well lit and looks like branch of tesco .not only is it an affront to such a city it is disappointing .a huge frontage leads to an equally huge entrance hall, negotiated by a small circular door to be confronted by a a huge staircase of pale see through Glass which robs it of any grandeur the galleries and the book shop adjacent are ill lit, further up the building galleries basic oblongs, are once again ill lit. the Best feature is the roof restaurant and the best feature of the roof restaurant the views over the city .the lifts are no good for vertigo sufferers you enter one way and if you stay in the same position end facing a blank Wall turn 360 degrees and you can alight. the toilet facilities down a precipitous corridor are not noted for their accessibility .this building like the Tate modern in london is ill lit, ill thought out .grandiose it may but impressive and functional it is not next time nimes get a bolder more inspired architect you are worthy of no less

an anomoly

over many a restaurant in France you read ,restaurant ,pizzeria ,bistro and salon de the all rolled into one ,get inside and pizzas ,salad nicoise ,soup de poisson are alive and well, but where are the pictures of the queen, william shakespeare, the trellis with roses , pots of pg tips ,earl grey, scones, teacake or cream teas. what is french salon de the ,I've been in in lots Establishments but never seen any sign of anything to do with tea as i know it, so what is this all about can anyone explain

things i can do without

Irish pubs french binge drinkers, the English are better at it, mistral ,maniacs that set the forest alight,poisonous corisos, police speed traps, lousy pizzas, st Charles train notifications always last minute the walk back up the station is a killer , restaurants changing hands and going down hill, replacements for Catherine la bord ,holidays too short, not seeing your friends enough realising you could and should have managed more ,lorries doubling up on motorway, Belgian traffic ,and most of all people getting fatter come on France you know better -and i don't think the arte carre is worthy of the beautiful city of nimes more about that another time

new addictions

this summer in france ive discovered the delights of flat peaches, corsican rose , morrocan mint tea , jules jeans and katie perry summer is the time for trying new things if they go wrong it doesnt matter what does matter is i stll cant get off my french body clock

entente

sarkozy comes in for a lot of criticism, however his concern for david cameron in his hour of need proves him to be both curteous and humane - perhaps it is unwise to judge the real man by his political cover

view from the balcon - the hour of the aperatif

summer in the midi

smooth crossing stopped of at valence then San Remy friends a terrific lunch took paintings for an exhibition la coitat has building boom will they never learn retreated to the holly wood hills of st jean ,flat balcon a treat but i wish people would water it, first Sunday breakfast at severines croissants are wow got used to eating al fresco ,friends and family arrived retreated to air conditioned hotel disappoint ment corsican brothers bought out of restaurant shame ,gone conventional and trop cher .what else about la coitat more fat people more fast food and now some binge drinkers. however high summer is amazing full moon and venus riding high at a home the cooking's better than going out found a marvellous recipe book in cote sud and, got hooked on morrocan tea. went to an exhibition verdhilan at st cyr great gallery painting exuberant thats not necessarily a complement. Sunday market found graet plant stall and discovered flat peaches on tele Catherine la borde, carla bruni in trouble again nothing new then next episode to follow on

La mort de l'été

Comment dire le vide au creux du ventre que crée la fin de l'été ? La nuit venue si tôt, lorsque rentrant chez soi on se surprend à regarder l'heure: "19 heures à peine et le soleil décline déjà ?!" Le drap qui se relève sous le menton en dormant, la soif qui se fait plus rare, la lumière du soir qui jaunit excessivement les murs, comme coagulée, le vent , si discret, si insidieux, qui vient donner un frisson oublié depuis des semaines, plus prosaïquement, les pieds qui se couvrent...
Cela accompagne comme le départ d'un ami, celui échevelé qui a embrasé le ciel d'aprés-midi. Alors oui, il y a une forme de tristesse étrange et silencieuse, une nouvelle torpeur qui nous prend tous et nous montre du doigt l'automne boiteux qui se rapproche. Je dois avouer qu'il y a un douce mélancolie musicale dans ces moments-là car le départ fait aimer les futures retrouvailles.

english summer

it started well but has now reverted to pick and mix days of sun and shade , there is a lighter atmosphere since the new government arrived, the previous government cannot accept that it is out of office. meanwhile the new politics is much more pleasant the fact that two men can co-operate together troubles people , its very easy i think for two men who like each other to cooperate on any thing . it is grown up .it is the degenerate state of labour politics that they cant envisage this. now the season is over its time to go on holiday, France of course for polar .to sit on terrace watch ship sail for Africa head off to severines for coffee and croissant's and the corsican brothers restaurant ,bliss . more importantly it is time to meet up with my cher amis in la coitat and nimes so whats not to look forward to except the brevity of it all and the autumn that follows on its heels aurevoir until then

la morran an english jungle

the u.k climate varies between sub tropical and sub arctic la morran is privately owned it is in st mawes cornwall above the fal estuary.it is less than thirty years old, situated on a cliff face and has 25 diffrent types of palms 15 types of tree ferns aloes agaves and puyas . there is also a cascade down through a garden that is emmaculately maintained , the gardener is friendly and informative , if you are not inspired to garden by this place then you have neither green fingers or a green soul

never too late

the disturbing release of roman polanski begs lot of questions , if a certain amount of time elapses should we forgive and forget , i dont think so . recently an unsolved murder has been cleared up in bath , dna records have cleared up unsolved mysteries elsewhere. in polanski's case it seems that media pressure from people who should know better in including a french minister of state have claimed there are mitigating cicumstances because he is great film maker . would a great dentist or a great street sweeper get the same clemency -i think not. he did what he did the same as caravaggio did what he did , once we become less than equal under the law we begin to unpick the fabric of our civilisation

things im not looking for in france

less american sized chips ,less macdonalds , no irish bars, no mistral , no unreasonable policemen who think you don't understand french and therefore think they can bully you , ethnic minorities suffer the same in england , no rogue local trains like travelling bidonvilles no more big yachts with people eating their meals in public to show how well off they are, computer breakdowns in supermarkets, supermarket trollies with broken wheels ,plagues of jelly fish, forest fires ,buildings edging the mugel national park -- but more authentic provencal cooking ,more bargain markets ,independent patisseries, more endless fine weather more seas edge cafes , more fish markets like marseile , more french movies , more catherine la bord's weather forcasts , i could go on but thinking of of belle mer rather than mer agite is a good place to finish

over and out

u'k troops have borne the brunt of casualties in sanguin province in afghanistan 4times as many in proportion as the u.s this because gordon brown under equipped the troops for the mission ,he lied to the war commission his penny pnching has resulted in many unecessary deaths ,the new lib con administration turning its back on the follies of the last government it is also turning it back on the untited states to ofor friends else where, germany, france and india - about time too

wimbledon turn offs

the Williams sisters screeching ,anyone who screeches should be banned, nadal's grunting and aggression, Judy Murray, nadal's overdeveloped left shoulder ,Andrew castles commentating forget a blanced view, bad tempered players abusing their rackets, the fact that federers out and power tennis is in ,these are few of my unfavourite Wimbledon things

wimbledon

andy murray did a perfect bow before her majesty so all is just about forgiven harder to stomach dead end kid hewitt beating the mercural monfils. also a french dress code braker the last thing id expect from the home of chic. all white on green what a relief no garish nadal etc, tennis shirt designers are the most talentless and vulgar in the world

support anyone but

scots wear tee shirt for world cup a.b.e anyone but england andy murray self pro calimed scot no isnt sure whether he will bow when he meets the queen- this isnt about nationlism is about behavior and respect by one careless remark he has diminished the support he might have got from the spectators

justice

for 30 years the u.k endured the onslaught of the i.r.a, artocities at warren point , guilford, birmingham, canary wharf, warrington, brighton- most of these crimes have never been subject to an enquiry or retribution- now the bloody sunday enquiry lays blame rightly on group of undisciplined soldiers but lets martin mcginnis off the hook.until all those who perpitrated these atrocities are also named and shamed neither justice or the peace process will be secure

entente especial

yesterday sarkozy and carla came to remember the speech de gaulle made in london which was the call to france to resist the germans. this was a historic moment as britain stood alone .no matter the apparent differences between france and england we are bound by geography and sentiment,though we bait each other we dont really mean it. sarkozy made a telling speech he always makes good speeches in england and was matched by david cameron. the atmosphere seemed relaxed and civilised forgotten the dour awkwardness of the recent past. however what must be remembered is that should such a situation ever arise again england would stand with france once again vive le entente especial

the unspecial relationship

England has always been accused of being subservient to the u.s and that special relation ship exists well only when it suits the u.s the current British bashing o ver the oil spill masks the fact that deep sea drilling was forced on bp and the contract framed out to american operatives not of B.P 's choosing but that won't help Obama win an election. the UK was betrayed during WW2 by having it assets stolen in exchange for old war ships , its empire dissolved earlier than even the Indians wanted ,in order that they would lend us money we only paid of three years ago. they betrayed us in the Falklands ,Suez their companies take over British companies and destroy them, their culture and food products are predatory ,so with a jealous mean minded friend like this- who incidentally maintained the IRA as freedom fighters until freedom fighters hit home at the twin towers -who needs enemies

white hats

is this too white , does it need a black band, white hats are chic maybe, depends on who wears them, hat wearing is an art, a no no is white straw, beige straw - those are the hats of retirement snoozing in rattan chairs no thanks

hats tell a story

not everyone can wear a hat , if your not careful the hat wears you , on the other hand they can distinguish the wearer, also label them ,the fedora is worn by artists and theatrical types is about style as something separate from the ordinary ,almost an act of defiance against conformity the cavalier hat worn by Orlando bloom is about the ability to wear something without it wearing you , the cloth cap was once the gear of the working man ,the bowler hatted man worked in the city the baseball cap from America, is an item to wear to protect your head rather than look stylish it reeks of burgers, dumbing down American unwarranted self belief someone once said hats were a mistake, they certainly are if you want to conceal your personality traits

whats in a hat

heating up

the debate about he burka heats up in France, a scuffle in Nantes and act in the french parliament, i find it difficult to converse with anyone whose face is co vered, balaclava, hoodie, burka ,its all the same, why are you with drawing from the rest of humanity - hiding the mirror of your soul your eyes even.in most cases it men who impose this discipline on women ,not always but mostly . our own past history in England has echoes of this ,men imposed codes of dress codes cover for legs uncovered chests . as recently at he 50's in England it was not permitted for a woman to enter a church without head covered ,hats often had a token veil .now in England anything ,goes which doesn't mean its better. my only feeling is that no one should impose a dress code, especially husbands on their wives .though i do have my own level of intolerance in the cathedral at perigeaux a dutch guy wearing a hat -i was raised to go bare headed in church as mark of respect - the ignorance or was it sheer indifference to the place he was in ,was shocking for me in its own way

hopefully this is not what its about

once upon a time tennis was a game of artistry and grace .then we had McEnroe followed by Agassi
sampras ,Hewitt who saw more elegant players like Arthur ash ,Bjorn Borg etc pushed aside- now we have Rafael Nadal- Rafa to drooling sports commentators who sound like teeny girls at a pop concert , they seem unable to see what a ludicrous mess he is. once it was all white gear , here we've got Orange tee shirts, bandannas, hideous bermudas- forget elegance .this week he defeated balletic elegant roger federer in Madrid. normally roger plays elegantly but when nadal plays each match becomes a boring shoot out devoid of charm or thrills. agressive as an artillary barrage and about as destructive he doesn't smile , grimaces ,punches the air ,grunts like a hippopotamus .his ritual before he serves is extremely irritating this includes myriad ticks ,one of which involves adjusting his underwear .with his over muscled body on display he brings all the refinement of a weightlifting contest to any match he plays -no skill just brutish strength required. roger federer looked unengaged i think he wanted to play not fight. if nadal's resurgence continues were in for a summer of switch off boring slog it out tennis with artistry fled elsewhere

another france- jumilac le grand

the dordogne,is a favourite of the English where they set up crazy expat groups like cricket clubs .i can understand why they like it because the landscape is strongly reminiscent of the lake district. the architecture is Romanesque stretching back to Charlemagne , though even the greatest have suspect family trees .Charlemagne was the offspring of Pepin the short and Bertha big foot . the area has a Germanic feel everywhere huge chateaux a visit to caves at villars , perigeaux , and sarlat were worth while experiences, though the sacre ceoeur addition to the medieval cathedral in pergeoux is a monstrosity, at the same time there is a roman exhibition featuring a temple and villa which was a stunning presentation. the weather ,we should have guessed the scenery is so lush ,was wet and cold. my first love is solar france this gave me, no encouragement to change my allegiances .i love my tropical gardens ,Riviera glamour, marseille ,nimes and that's that ,i'm not fickle , however the food is great and free of interminable pizzeria's , an exemplary lunch in sarlat proved what can still be done for 14 euros -hats off to the patron at the. delicies de alice .if you like pate, duck , solid country food then your in heaven . the Simply super market was a fantastic treasure trove of rose wine, nevertheless i longed for the sun, more arid places my eyes continually drawn south and east to Provence and my particular land of lotus eating

over and out

gordon brown has gone already the gloom has begun to lift, even the labour party looks brighter. hopefully the rag bag of manipulators mandleson, lord adonis and alistair campbell will be consigned to the dust bin of history, already they are attacking the new consensus politics . they do not understand we need a new liberal approach to democracy .the good news is a lot of intrusive legislation is to be repealed allowing human decency to reveal itself once more. the new alliance hopefully catches the mood of the nation for compromise not confrontation. i cannot feel sorry for brown a man who had divided the nation ,under equipped the troops ruined pensions and the economy and who hates anyone standing in his way. you could compare brown to king lear but his own fondness for heath cliffe is better- an obsessive who destroyed everything and everyone around him ,no tears here just good riddance

Poésie, arme de résistance

I.
Donne moi dans l’oreille
Le son des eaux frappantes
Celui qui dans la joue musarde
Car te voilà Ô mon infante
Rosée au toit du monde

II.
Ton langage replié
Ton langage tordu vidé
Que je ne tends plus
Sinon pour t’imaginer
Ce langage du fin fond

III.
Et déjà ma désintégration
Qui parvient à tous encore que
Ma mémoire à peine éclose
Regagne la paume de années
De dizaine

those were the days

once upon a time the Queen Mary in wartime risked submarines to cross the Atlantic at 40 knots carrying 40,000 troops the hell with danger , this week stranded passengers in santander refused on a ship once the normal quota was filled , there are no u boats no, ice bergs but we stuck to the rules .what a lumbering timid country we've become; lord Adonis never was a man less aptly named ,can't even organise buses to rescue people from Madrid . there are 4 times as many people in ministry of transport than ran the whole of the British empire .yet we cant manage rescue a few tourists what a government- i cant imagine what people who are useless at everything want to stay in power for

dan snow a chevalier for the 21st century

Dan Snow is a u.k tv presenter of excellently crafted history programmes .this is an action man who is not a fake, three times a member of the oxford boat race crew he confirmed his hero satus this weekend . due to the volcanic eruption he organised boats to go to Calais to rescue stranded Brit's he intended to go back for more, unfortunately despite having his paper work endorsed by the french embassy the french police in Calais prevented him for doing more ,in fact they broke their own law .you can transport people as long as you name them .perfidious french police did nothing to lessen Anglo french prejudice by thwarting the hunk de jour d'angleterre in his quest to be a modern day knight errant

the opposite of sport

we are not rejoicing at nadal's resurgence at Monaco .the final had all the nadal hall marks bashingly boring tennis slugging at the ball, grunting, an opponent made to look a complete fool .this isn't tennis its a demolition and totally negative .since his demise through injury things have perked up no end, decent matches, the thrill of not knowing the outcome ,now he's back with his ludicrous outfits ,his awful English, and tennis reporters drooling over his physique like Moon struck girls,- i hope doesn't herald a baleful summer of tennis , of course he's not alone in ruining his sport, schumaker ,Alex Ferguson and martina have all had their stint .so why don't we all hate roger federer is it to do with his modesty, his artistry ,his grace in defeat , something this motly crew Know nothing about

pont du gard le sud romain

ferria de nimes 2011 peut-etre

Affiche de la Féria de Nîmes 2010

Rumeurs de naufrage

La vie politique française s'articule depuis quelques semaines désormais autour des "rumeurs", rumeurs d'infidélité du couple présidentiel, "rumeurs"...le mot est étrange, il sent mauvais. D'anciens ministres ont été mis en accusation pour avoir colporté ces informations, fausses ou vraies peu importe...car le naufrage est intégral. Les voleurs d'idéaux ne cessent jamais de frapper, la France change: il faut se rendre à l'évidence la vulgarité s'installe. Les responsables se roulent dans la boue, là, devant une population comme assommée par ce lamentable déballage obscène. Personnellement je ressens une honte profonde. Je ne comprends plus la façon dont mon propre pays est gouverné, je ne comprends plus, c'est la défaite totale du monde des idées qui triomphe devant un peuple muet. La force de se relever sera-t-elle concevable ?

POLITICAL WAGS

WE HAVE AN ELECTION IN U'K AND IT IS BECOMING OVERRUN WITH POLITICAL WIVES ,FIRST WE HAVE SARAH BROWN SHAMELESSLY INTERVENING ON HER HUSBAND'S BEHALF THE VERY UN- APPETISING GORDON BROWN,EXPOSING THEIR INNER MOST SECRETS ON TV, HIDEOUS AND CRINGE MAKING .NOW WE HAVE SAMANTHA CAMERON DRAGGED IN, NOT ONLY IS HE PREGNANT SHE HAS A JOB WHICH IS MORE THAN MRS BROWN SO SHE SHOULD GET ON WITH IT . WHY ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE INFLUENCED BY THESE WIVES , WHAT THEY SAY WHAT THEY WEAR. WHY DO CELEBRITY'S TELL US WHO THEY ARE SUPPORTING, IT IS AN INSULT TO THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE ELECTORATE TO THINK THIS MATTERS ,DEMOCRACY MATTERS ,POLICY MATTERS, DECENCY MATTERS, TELLING THE TRUTH MATTERS, GORDON BROWN COLD BE INVOLVED WITH KATE WINSELT BE MARRIED TO KEIRA KNIGHTLY AND IT WOULD NOT MAKE A SCRAP OF DIFFERENCE TO HOW I VOTE- POLITICAL WAGS STAY HOME LET YOU STUPID HUSBANDS STAND OR FALL WITHOUT YOU

lucky escape

carla bruni was hoping for a role in new woody allen movie but has been passed over for marion cotillard considering the patchy nature of allens recent work and the lack of acting experience on the part of madame sarkozy i am not sure who has had the lucky escape

man the barricades

it has been suggested that if the conservatives do not have big enough majority gordon brown could remain as prime minister . which would mean an unelected prime minister leading a government that was in a minority and hanging on by a mathematical quirk and the conivance of the of civil servants at whitehall ,the party with the biggest number of votes must prevail other wise every decent citizen must protest . for the first time since the 17th century it will be a moment to stand up for democracy and man the barricades, political trickery should not be allowed to wreck the u'k no matter what party it comes from

Le mystère du gouvernement français

Qui est-il cet homme qui, de dos, s'éloigne dans la brume des ruelles ? Jack l'éventreur, assassin désespérément romantique et gothique, est bien représenté ici, tout le monde l'aura reconnu...On peut lire l'image dans un tout autre sens: celui de la politique française s'évanouissant dans les songes brumeux et humides d'arrières cours idéologiques. Car à l'instant où nous parlons plus personne ne semble comprendre où est la ligne directrice de notre gouvernement. Il décide, rivé aux impulsions médiatiques de la population, au coup de sang, aux indignations hebdomadaires. Mais cela ne fait pas une vision, cela ne fait pas une ligne morale. Perdu dans la brumeuse ruelle des inflexions populistes et journalistiques la politique du gouvernement français se dissout lentement. Si l'on ajoute à cela la débâcle de l'ump aux dernières élections, débâcle qui, dans le camp même du Président Sarkozy, attise les prétentions et les revendications, eh bien le naufrage est presque total. Alors que devrait-on regretter dans notre république ? Peut-être notre république elle-même, j'ose le dire. Car nous sommes dans un regrettable régime monarchique décrépi qui n'ose dire son nom. Pourquoi alors ne pas préférer le modèle à la copie ? Osons aller au bout du naufrage.

the sayings of carla

the receent utterences of madame sarkozy make of them what you will--I AM A SLAVE TO FREEDOM-I AM AN HONEST LIAR-I WORSHIP THE PASSION OF RESERVE,

regardez l'ennemi 580 cals per burger

france gets bigger alas

on the beach english guys of a certain age used to marvel at the slim trim french how did they do it .well not any more little rotund men and women looking like eggs in egg cups are every where . the dreaded americanisation of food is largely respomsibele. once restaurants sold lovely slim french fries now fries have gone square and fat like eveything else-the trend towards bigger bodies is growing so fast that by 2020 france will have the same rates of over weight and obese people as the u.s- the fattest town in france is roubaix in northern france -has 51%of the population over weight or obese the national average is 42%. an estimated 55,000,french people have obesity related illnesses every year. macdonald's is more profitable in france than any where else in europe with 12 million eating there every day . wake up france national identiity is something to be cherished not munched away in a burger joint

quintessential english style peut-etre

English style is more complex than french , it is about contradictions , English men have arrogance and modesty .they are the best dressed and worst dressed in the world .our P M deservedly hit the bottom spot as worst dressed -never looks at ease in what he's wearing, and dresses like a 50's grandad when he's off duty . the non conformists or dandy's in England stretches back to the 18thc .at the same time we have classic elegance these opposites reflect a multi faceted culture. 1 Jeremy irons of brisdeshead fame is the consummate older man once a model for Armani, he has his own style Nehru jackets ,collarless shirts ,scarves. always understated it takes intelligence to wear clothes well irons goes out of his way to quietly demonstrate both his intellect and his superiority 2 Russel brand is the current manifestation of the dandy, a bad boy in a long line that stretches back to lord Byron .tight clothes , scarves, jewellery hint at everything from hamlet, beau Brummel to Woodstock - chains, belts ,boots, wild hair make up the ensemble. you need good legs and your middle under control to get way with this lot. Russel is his own man ,if style is about a challenge to conformity and formal expectation then he is it .3 Robert pattinson reigning male beauty and poster boy ,has what the English do best- the natural look ,his hair is a studied mess, his slim jim tie isn't straight but his suit is from botang. tall ,elegant ,scruffy complex, available, remote, his teeth arn't fixed, he would never use bronzer ,have his eye brows plucked or shave his chest .very private, now you see him ,now you don't, soft yet deadly that's English men in a nutshell . of course there are other groups that mainfest english style ,the country set, goths, metro men, the worst of all are English guys in shorts ,legs like turkey drum sticks ,lardy, white, middle aged, hideos, with socks and Jesus sandals .get me out of England once the shorts season starts though English deserve their title as worst dressed, i think its close run thing with the Germans, where all their handsome Young guys turn to old Otto on the stroke of midnight on their thirtieth birthday . i have left beckham out of this list until now very handsome ,has terrific athletic body- but despite those advantages he's slave to fashion continually changing his hair ,his look. he's in his thirties he should know what suits him by now ,surprise of this and any other week Dave Cameron in gap and Zara gear like a bonafide stylish scruff out for the weekend -now that is something i can really connect with

style d'angleterre 3

style d'angleterre 2

style d'angleterre 1

En quoi je suis anglais IX.

Je suis anglais car l'humour britannique est une déflagration phénoménale à la fois de dérision et d'ironie. En France, la plus proche parenté est dans le surréalisme sans doute. Cette capacité a dire l'indicible me paraît également être une arme de protection, un lieu où se cacher dans le silence bruyant d'un "autre" langage. Le problème de l'humour anglais est que peu de mes compatriotes français le comprennent ou l'apprécient. Je crois sincèrement qu'elle est la preuve d'une certaine hauteur d'âme, à la fois désespérée et brillante.

Le courage de la Mémoire Romaine

Le Pont du Gard où sous un doux soleil de Mars je me suis promené, où je me suis perdu, comme dilué dans l'écho du passé est un exemple de courage. Le courage d'Hommes enjambant une rivière pour amener de l'eau aux portes de la cité Nîmoise. On peut , à juste titre, prétendre que la main d'oeuvre romaine utilisait à peu de frais des esclaves corvéables à merci cependant ce que j'admire c'est la vision culturelle d'une civilisation qui marque dans la chair de la roche son ambition, sa force, son abnégation. Le pont fonctionna 450 ans, le pont endura les inondations les plus folles, les crues les plus violentes. Il nous regarde toujours, nous et notre monde qui s'écroule au moindre souffle du vent, il nous regarde et sourit de sa toise de pierre altière et noble. IL est ce que l'on ne cesse de perdre: le courage culturel, la haute vue et l'envie. J'ai promené partout mon regard, rencontré la fraîcheur au bord du Gardon, senti le vent heureux en haut, dans le canal, j'ai été ému dans les jardins de Garrigue, au bord des amandiers, dans les champs d'oliviers. Je vous conseille de perdre votre mémoire là-bas, doucement vous fondre dans le jour du printemps, levez votre regard contre les pierres jaunes, les pierre de "vers". Et entendez tout bas, à l'oreille, la voix ancestrale qui montre un chemin courageux.