Saint Martin

I just uploaded some pics with my family in Saint-Martin. I know it's called in the northern hemisphere so this is not to bragg.... ok just a bit but I am coming back soon to -10 in great ol'Lafayette so...

Merry Xmas and happy new year.

rakotomalala

Rakotomalala: nous sommes sans doute au moins un demi-millier a avoir ce nom de famille. Ma famille c'est celle de Rakotomalala Jacques Alphonse et Ravao Therese d'un cote et Razafimanana Etienne et Razafindrafara Amelie de l'autre ( mes grand-parents). Ca se precise mais bon ca ne fait qu'un Rakotomalala parmi tant d'autres. Mais comme tout Rakotomalala, on est tous persuade ( et a juste titre) de la specificite bien particuliere de notre famille :-). Il y a la famille qui clame avoir le 1er Rakotomalala a avoir escalade l'everest, celle qui pretend descendre du 1er rakotomalala a avoir l'agreg ou a parler le swahili.... bref, il y en a pour tout les gouts :-). La mienne a decide d'avoir au moins 1 membre de la famille dans chaque pays du monde :-) au cas ou une 3ieme guerre mondiale se declenche, on aura au moins un du bon cote de la barriere.... Plaisanteries mise a part, j'ai l'etrange impression qu'avec le temps, l'imcomprehension entre les differentes cultures et sensibilites s'elargit. L'un des effets espere et escompte de la mondialisation a part une plus grande flexibilite commerciale ( hum a qui cela profite ?) , etait le melting pot planetaire, la tolerance de l'autre par la proximite facilitee.
Le moins qu'on puisse dire, c'est que ca n'a pas vraiment marche (mais il nous reste les epheumismes et sarcasmes ) : tensions incesssantes entre communautes, xenophobie rampante et affirmee et une envie generale d'etre entoure de personnes de meme sensibilite par souci de securite. Il y a bien sur des exceptions a la regle mais ces exceptions sont souvent le fruit d'une reflexion et d'un travail approfondies et ne viennent pas maturellement.
Pour mieux comprendre l'evolution de notre societe, un livre ( lu et recommende par Pompile :-) ) clash of civilisations and new world order donne une premiere expliquation de cette tendance. Il est assez long et un peu laborieux mais une etape importante dans le processus de comprehension de notre siecle.
Sinon il y a toujours Asterix et Obelix qui repondent aux questions essentielles par: "C'est pas demain la veillle que le ciel nous tombera sur la tete. Et quand est ce qu'on mange ? " Je pense qu'on se sentirait tous un peu mieux si Obelix etait le president de la World Company :-)

PS: My most sincere condoleances and thoughts to Tony Dungy and his family. Class act and great person.

musings about life in Lafayette, IN

well, I figure at some point I had to address the concern of some of my relatives and friends about how I could deal with being in a country where the majority of the population aknowledge that the invasion of Iraq was mostly for a "war-for-oil" and that the removal of the dictator was a nice by- product. I for sure am a little dissapointed that a war could be waged on such grounds but let's skip the naive reflections and go to the heart of the matter. The problem is two fold deep: 1) The hypocrisy of invading a nation for the protection of the american soil is just a little too obvious. It would have been better to be upfront and annouce readily the war for oil angle, at least credibility and honesty could be scored when shrewdness and greed were anyway so conspicuous that the common citizen has accepted this concept as fact. 2) The main goal, very noble and logical, of protecting the country is nowhere close to being achieved. The 9/11 commision report handed out a failing grade for meeting the criteria for increased protection of us citizens. Hummm, now that is a problem.
So in my humble opinion, here is a vote for a reshuffling of the GW priorities. I remind you it is just my humble opinion so it is worth my doggies ' poop:
1) Find Osama and bring him down. We need it not for stopping terrorism because it will need much more than that but to give justice to all who have lost relatives and friends in 9/11.
2) Put qualified people in critical position such as chief of FEMA and supreme court judge.
3) please address some of the environement concerns. Not all because that would be too much but at least read over some of the kyoto protocol during breakfasts.
4) less debate about Intelligence Design vs evolution taught in public school. Pointless still here is an interesting point if you really need to know.
5) less obvious about tax breaks for fortune 500.
6) Invite Mandela, Gates family and Bono over for dinner. They might have a few ideas. Even having Jon Stewart might help ( BTW I love the guy and the show. He has more sensible point than half of the senate ).

So how I deal with it ? I create a blog and vent off until I get shut down :-). I take comfort in knowing that even with such a mediocre administration, this is still a great place to live in. Mostly stand up people although I disagree with many of them. This country gives me opportunity for education and a pretty good life so I really cannot complain...much. :-)

That's my rant for today. Hope I did not bore you to death.

Happy holidays,

ps: Happy birthday, Jesus !

Welcome, bienvenue, Arahaba!!!!!

Welcome to the blog where we discuss anything, everything and ....nothing ..nothing too relevant I mean :-) . This blog will be written in different languages as the mood goes :-).
Bonjour a tous et merci de visiter mon humble demeure :-). Commentaires , insultes et histoires droles sont le bienvenu. Cliquer sur le blog qui vous interesse et laisser qq mots
Arahaba daholo ianareo tonga mamangy e!