Yeomen Wo-Man, 53% 66% and Monet
The French had voted.
The woman who had on her chest, 'I love Yeoman', a few months back had lost the the election. Ever since she was featured on this blog with those scandalous words blazoned across her blouse, her popularity had dipped. The dip in popularity can be attributed to a series of political gaffes she committed, one of which she used the word 'bravitude' which until then did not yet exist in any French dictionary, to describe the Great Wall during her visit to Beijing. If she had been applying to teach English in Singapore, she would probably have been applauded by our ministers for her creativity. However, it is apparent that the French has zero tolerance for people who pray pray with their language, which is why the size of a Larousse dictionary has remained more or less the same compared to 50 years ago while that of an Oxford must have ballooned since Oxford graciously welcomes the admission of words like ' alamak' and 'lah'. Apart from all her political gaffes, the arrow on her heel (je pense ici à Hercules) and hence, the reason for her ultimate defeat must be her poor taste in men. Here, I refer you back to the first line of the paragraph=p
Anyway, her defeat at the elections was the victory of Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is a rather controversial figure in France, and part of his controversial-ness (word waiting to be granted admission into Oxford) stems from his resemblance to a certain Monsieur Hitler when a moustache is added to his poster.
Maybe the French believes that it will take a Hitler-like - I mean look-alike - figure to pull them out of their current economic doldrum and return the country to its glorious past. Sarkozy took about 53% of the valid votes as opposed to the 47% (figure cited in the interest of those who has difficulties with substraction=)) garnered by 'I love Yeoman' Wo-Man. In a BBC report, Sarkozy's victory was described as resounding. Such casual use of vocabulary worries me because if an electoral victory of 53% is already resounding, I wonder what other adjective is there to describe one of 66%.
'I love Yeoman' Wo-Man is a socialist. She hails from the same socialist party, which more ten years ago when it was last in power, came up with an innovative solution to unemployment. It passed a law that prevented and still prevents french citizens from working more than 35 hours a week in the belief that if everyone works less, then everyone gets to work. Unemployment in France has indeed since been reduced, albeit not by much. However, with less work comes less money and with less money comes other social problems that France has not been able to resolve. Hence, the French has decided to put their future in the hands of Sarkozy who had proposed to build a meritocratic society where work is valued. Reminded me of workfare, reminded me of home.
The meritocratic society has served countries like US and us well and France seems to be interested to rebuild itself on meritocracy even though it would not like to recognize this fact because 'égalité' is one of the mottos of the nation. Like Kuan Yew and Soon Juan, meritocracy and equality can't quite exist together.
Even though I believe that Nicolas Sarkozy is, at this moment, the man most capable to reinvigorate the french economy and make France a safer place to live in, it is with a tinge of disappointment that I received the news of his victoire last night. It would be more interesting to see how a developed country, like France, would fare in the face of globalisation when it is driven on socialist ideals. Afterall, the success of a country should not be judged just on the cold hard figures of growth and unemployment but more on how well it take cares of its poor and retired. I have in mind of being taken care of when I retire.
Jumping from the cock to the donkey (direct translation of a French proverb which means 'to change a subject abruptly'), I was in Giverny with Yeejia and Lida on Saturday to visit the house and garden of Monet. For those not too well informed in the oval of arts, Monet is considered one of the greatest impressionist painters ever. That means that he has the talents for painting, say a scenery, such that the painting doesn't really look like the scenery he was painting but people can still tell it was really the scenery he was painting and are willing to pay a lot of money for these hard-to-tell paintings.
Inspired by Monet, I attempted a few takes on impressionism yesterday at Place de la Concorde where Nicolas Sarkozy had organised a concert in view of an anticipated victory. It turned out to be the best occasion for such an attempt due to the inadequent lighting environment and the fact that I don't share Hiro's ability to freeze time.
***People on Fountain. You don't see Fountain.***
***Sea of Flags***
***The Face***
***The Baby with Flag***
***Are we in San Siro?***
Call me the Monet of Photography=)
The woman who had on her chest, 'I love Yeoman', a few months back had lost the the election. Ever since she was featured on this blog with those scandalous words blazoned across her blouse, her popularity had dipped. The dip in popularity can be attributed to a series of political gaffes she committed, one of which she used the word 'bravitude' which until then did not yet exist in any French dictionary, to describe the Great Wall during her visit to Beijing. If she had been applying to teach English in Singapore, she would probably have been applauded by our ministers for her creativity. However, it is apparent that the French has zero tolerance for people who pray pray with their language, which is why the size of a Larousse dictionary has remained more or less the same compared to 50 years ago while that of an Oxford must have ballooned since Oxford graciously welcomes the admission of words like ' alamak' and 'lah'. Apart from all her political gaffes, the arrow on her heel (je pense ici à Hercules) and hence, the reason for her ultimate defeat must be her poor taste in men. Here, I refer you back to the first line of the paragraph=p
Anyway, her defeat at the elections was the victory of Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy is a rather controversial figure in France, and part of his controversial-ness (word waiting to be granted admission into Oxford) stems from his resemblance to a certain Monsieur Hitler when a moustache is added to his poster.
Maybe the French believes that it will take a Hitler-like - I mean look-alike - figure to pull them out of their current economic doldrum and return the country to its glorious past. Sarkozy took about 53% of the valid votes as opposed to the 47% (figure cited in the interest of those who has difficulties with substraction=)) garnered by 'I love Yeoman' Wo-Man. In a BBC report, Sarkozy's victory was described as resounding. Such casual use of vocabulary worries me because if an electoral victory of 53% is already resounding, I wonder what other adjective is there to describe one of 66%.
'I love Yeoman' Wo-Man is a socialist. She hails from the same socialist party, which more ten years ago when it was last in power, came up with an innovative solution to unemployment. It passed a law that prevented and still prevents french citizens from working more than 35 hours a week in the belief that if everyone works less, then everyone gets to work. Unemployment in France has indeed since been reduced, albeit not by much. However, with less work comes less money and with less money comes other social problems that France has not been able to resolve. Hence, the French has decided to put their future in the hands of Sarkozy who had proposed to build a meritocratic society where work is valued. Reminded me of workfare, reminded me of home.
The meritocratic society has served countries like US and us well and France seems to be interested to rebuild itself on meritocracy even though it would not like to recognize this fact because 'égalité' is one of the mottos of the nation. Like Kuan Yew and Soon Juan, meritocracy and equality can't quite exist together.
Even though I believe that Nicolas Sarkozy is, at this moment, the man most capable to reinvigorate the french economy and make France a safer place to live in, it is with a tinge of disappointment that I received the news of his victoire last night. It would be more interesting to see how a developed country, like France, would fare in the face of globalisation when it is driven on socialist ideals. Afterall, the success of a country should not be judged just on the cold hard figures of growth and unemployment but more on how well it take cares of its poor and retired. I have in mind of being taken care of when I retire.
Jumping from the cock to the donkey (direct translation of a French proverb which means 'to change a subject abruptly'), I was in Giverny with Yeejia and Lida on Saturday to visit the house and garden of Monet. For those not too well informed in the oval of arts, Monet is considered one of the greatest impressionist painters ever. That means that he has the talents for painting, say a scenery, such that the painting doesn't really look like the scenery he was painting but people can still tell it was really the scenery he was painting and are willing to pay a lot of money for these hard-to-tell paintings.
Inspired by Monet, I attempted a few takes on impressionism yesterday at Place de la Concorde where Nicolas Sarkozy had organised a concert in view of an anticipated victory. It turned out to be the best occasion for such an attempt due to the inadequent lighting environment and the fact that I don't share Hiro's ability to freeze time.
***People on Fountain. You don't see Fountain.***
***Sea of Flags***
***The Face***
***The Baby with Flag***
***Are we in San Siro?***
Call me the Monet of Photography=)
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