Céline Dion’s Paris concert

While Dion’s return to the scene was preceded by a powerful and sleek marketing job, we managed to watch her two hour concert on September 12 on YouTube via large screen TV. It had been shot by fans in the audience, commonly referred to as "bootlegged" or user-generated content, rather than an official broadcast. 

The clip was filmed at the Paris La Défense Arena. We weren’t too crazy about the star’s choice of dress (there were at least 5 changes) and hairstyle as a bun did give her a severe look and wasn’t in my opinion helping her facial features. While taking into consideration the amateurish quality of the transmission, we found that Céline Dion’s attempts to engage the crowd were stilted and didn’t encourage what should have been a more enthusiastic audience support. 

Even though she was quite emotional and touching at times, she fell into the trap of taking herself and her act a bit too seriously. As for the quality of her performance at that show, the English language songs were generally great, particularly “All by myself”, while Jean-Jacques Goldman’s French songs had a much tougher time in comparison both in their content and delivery. 

My wife enjoyed the show a little more than I did, but both of us wouldn’t have been sold on attending one of her following live concerts if we had happened to be in Paris at the time and able to get tickets. On September 14, the video was no longer available on YouTube... 

What it means to see Amish in America?

During our recent passage through Pennsylvania and Ohio we ran into a significant number of Amish and Mennonites in public spaces and stores. This by the way isn’t much different than the “plural” Mormon fundamentalist housewives in 19th century garb, we often see at the Salt Lake City’s Costco store. 

As I was observing these folks, I couldn’t help wondering why they're still Amish and Mennonites in America and not in Europe, where they originally came from, and what it tells us about a frozen social evolution in the US? It’s true that many Amish and Mennonites fled Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape religious persecution. 

The US, Pennsylvania and Ohio, offered land and constitutional protections for their religious expression. Further, unlike Europe, that underwent aggressive modernization and secularization after World War II, these pockets of cultural autonomy were able to preserve their traditions without being absorbed or dismantled by US national policies. It’s also true that American pluralism, while far from perfect, has historically been more tolerant of counter cultural lifestyles. 

To me, this constitutes a hurdle to societal evolution or modernization, from a technological or cultural homogenization that makes life needlessly more complicated just to accommodate every extreme diversity. Of course, the opposite view is that the persistence of Amish and Mennonite communities could instead reflect a resilience of choice in a society that allows people to opt out of modernity without being erased. 

Finally, I believe that a lack of education and too much religiosity are perfect ingredients for maintaining these odd cultures. It’s a fact that some traditional communities, including Amish and Old Order Mennonites, often limit formal education to around 8th grade as a deliberate choice to preserve community values and resist assimilation. 

Their education emphasizes practical skills, moral instruction, and communal responsibility. I also believe that deep religious beliefs often equate to gullibility. Some will push back saying that these communities have highly structured theological systems, rigorous moral codes, and strong internal logic. 

As you can appreciate it, a huge heap of subjects to debate...

Moais vs. Garden Gnomes

Recently, a friend of mine messaged me about an alleged transfer of sales in a large DIY store in France where the traditional garden gnomes are losing market share the Moais (those Easter Island standing faces). This was something I didn’t know and that instantly got my undivided attention. 

Right, I’m talking about a market place clash between stern-looking Moai statues against more jovial and good nature garden gnomes, a meme-worthy juxtaposition that’s also has become internet folklore in America. While there’s no single origin story, the humor stems from these characters wildly different vibes and the absurdity of imagining them as rivals or interchangeable icons. 

For those who don’t quite remember, the stoic Moai statues of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) are monumental stone figures carved by the island’s Polynesian inhabitants between 1250 and 1500. They symbolize ancestral power, spiritual protection, and cultural legacy. Online, the Moai emoji took on a life of its own—used to express deadpan emotion, existential dread, or ironic detachment. Its popularity surged through platforms like Reddit and Instagram, often paired with surreal or absurdist humor. 

As for our more traditional Garden Gnomes, they’re whimsical, cheeky, and mass-produced. They can be tracked to the 19th-century Germany as decorative figures meant to bring luck and protect gardens. It’s true that they’re also often portrayed as mischievous, jolly, and slightly ridiculous. In pop culture, gnomes are associated with kitsch, fantasy tropes, and playful pranks.

           Garden Gnome           GardenMoai               Moai emoji

The pictured gray Moai and Gnome were taken in two houses 330 ft apart from each other and half a mile from my home. Obviously, the humor found in comparing Moais to garden gnomes lies in their stylistic and symbolic contrast, so, when someone jokes about replacing garden gnomes with Moais—or vice versa—it’s a tongue-in-cheek way of mocking aesthetic extremes: solemn vs. silly, ancient vs. kitsch, sacred vs. suburban. 

Now you too know the whole story!

Finish vs. Arrivée

Usually, the Anglo-Saxon culture is more positive than its French counterpart, at least this is my thinking based on half a century of observation. For instance, in sports events the goal is to reach a “Finish” line in English which signals termination or end with all the double-entendre this may imply. By contrast, the French language banner under which athletes reach their race goal is called “Arrivée” that simply means to arrive and is mostly without equivocal meaning.

In looking at these two expressions that tell the same idea, but could be construed as opposites, I’m not just comparing words; I’m teasing out how language sometimes reflects deeper attitudes toward effort, achievement, and closure. In the English language the word “Finish” carries a sense of completion, but also finality, even exhaustion. It’s the end of the road, the last breath, the curtain call. 

In English-speaking cultures, especially American ones, there’s often a strong emphasis on results, deadlines, and winning. “Finish strong” is a common mantra. The double meaning mentioned earlier, to finish as in to end or even to be finished, can evoke a kind of existential punctuation. It’s not just crossing a line; it’s closing a chapter. 

On the other hand, “Arrivée” could be heard as gentler, more neutral, even welcoming. It suggests arrival, presence, transition—not necessarily an end, but a point of passage. It could be that French culture places more value on process, experience, and nuance. The journey matters as much as the destination. Sure, there’s on ominous undertone to “arrive” in the word “arriviste” that refers to an ambitious person who uses any means necessary to gain success or social status. 

The use of that word weights little compared to “arrive” that means to reach a place. It doesn’t imply that something must stop. I’d conclude my observation by saying that Anglo-Saxon cultures often prize achievement, closure, and efficiency while France’s tradition may lean toward reflection, continuity, and presence. 

Even in how we talk about life stages, work, or travel, these linguistic frames shape our expectations. “Finishing” a career vs. “arriving” at retirement, see how different that feels? Perhaps we should all say: “To finish is to stop. To arrive is to begin again!” This line could be a great way to bridge my reflection into something more philosophical, perhaps even tying back to my last blog on dying happily. What if arriving at the end of life felt more like reaching a destination than being extinguished?

A seasonal "burning" effort…

Our neighbor Mike hardly ever misses a “Burning Man” this annual festival of creativity that takes place in the middle of the Nevada desert and this year, with a bunch of friends they are making some serious improvements to their “Helibus” a crossbred school bus with a helicopter flanked by clouds and ended by a hanging double chairlift.

As it’s been since 1990, the event will be held in Black Rock City, Nevada, from August 24 to September 1. It originated in San Francisco in 1986, but due to city regulations, the event moved to Nevada 4 years later. The idea is to showcase Burning Man's global culture of art and innovation, inviting participants to dream, invent, and share ideas for the future. 

This year’s festival has been themed "Tomorrow Today," will imagine, build and explore the future referencing both utopian and dystopian visions. It encourages a focus on "protopia," a future of gradual, positive change, rather than extreme outcomes. Approximately 80,000 attendees are expected, according to the Burning Man Project, the maximum capacity set by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. 

We’ll try to follow and keep you up to date with “Helibus” contribution to that massive and popular effort...

The fallacy of exceptionalism

America, Israel and some other places claim that they we “chosen” or somehow preferred by God, and when you mix this kind of statement with religion things fast gets out off a slippery slope! 

As one knows, religion can significantly influence the concept of a country's exceptionalism in many ways. 

The biggest one is the divine mandate, as some religions believe that a particular nation or people have been chosen by its God for a special purpose or mission. This belief will reinforce the idea of exceptionalism, as it suggests that the nation is inherently superior or unique. That’s clearly the case with the US and Israel. 

Sure, religion also plays a central role in shaping a nation's cultural identity. By defining shared values, beliefs, and traditions, it contributes to a sense of national unity and purpose, linked to exceptionalism. Historical narratives false or imaginary come to explain a nation's understanding of its unique past and place in the world.

A religion can also exert a significant influence on a nation's political and social institutions. If it’s closely associated with the state (Judaism or Islam), it will reinforce the idea of national exceptionalism. 

 

Now, when God looks from space at our small blue planet, it become really tough for her to pick a spot she'd like more than another!

Swiss common sense

We watch a lot of Swiss-produced television, mostly newscasts, and through it all, we like it a lot, because it makes us discover a culture profoundly based on common sense. 

That’s right, all the pretense and faddish language that we otherwise hear on other French or even English speaking TV programs is conspicuously absent. It is true that Swiss culture is often associated with characteristics such as pragmatism, efficiency, and a strong emphasis on neutrality. 

The Swiss are known for their emphasis on consensus-building, federalism, and a direct democratic system. 

They are also in my opinion a much older culture that is settled, and not simmering like that of the United States, much less mature, or even France, with significantly less years of cultural and political unity. 

Do you agree?

Benchmarking?

As most of us know, benchmarking is that process of comparing one’s own performance against that of others, typically those who are considered to be the best in their field. This is not something we do too much in America, because we are so much individualistic, and by doing so, we sometimes love to reinvent the wheel. 

This said, as a Nation, we’re much worse, because we believe in “American Exceptionalism” among other nonsense, which means we’ve always been, we are and will always be the very BEST of all nations. We simply don’t even try to look at them! Yet, by ignoring the practice of benchmarking we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. 

As a country, we’re missing to measure our own products, services, and processes against the rest of the world, and by doing so, we miss a lot of good opportunities as we’ve got a tough time identifying best practices that could be adopted to improve our country’s performance. Sure, we aren’t too shabby, but we sure could do better, to at least maintain our level, as we are in decline in many domains.

Consider for instance the metric system, some European children education methods, cost-effective public health care systems, all that way to our very own Constitution! Benchmarking could be used to improve any aspect of our country, from administrative efficiency, to voting system and to citizens’ satisfaction. It would also help us identify new opportunities and help us stay well ahead of our competition that is the whole wide world. 

Instead, we have the largest defense budget in the world that is probably not the most cost-efficient, nor the most nimble and effective (look at Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan). Adopting benchmarking would mean so much to us, like improving our performance and help us identify areas where we can do better like controlling greenhouse emissions and developing sustainable new energy sources. 

It would also reduce costs, by adopting cost-saving best practices on things like materials, labor, and energy. It would also make for a more improved citizenry’s satisfaction by improving the value and the quality of our lives, which could lead to a happier country. So, what are we waiting for?

Why rich countries can’t fight climate change

Most of us live in relative comfort, get used to it and don’t want to change this. For those of us that are older, like me, we were admonished all forms of “delayed gratification”, with advice like “sacrifice now for later, etc.” 

This guidance has fell into derision as we have become addicted to instant gratification instead. We can’t wait anymore and, most importantly, don’t want to slide back into harder conditions. This is precisely what saving our planet is asking from us.

We’re also all for it, but we don’t want to do anything that might cost us. Things like living in smaller and more expensive housing (because it’s also more sustainable), driving an electric vehicle with less convenient recharging, flying less often or not at all, using more public transportation, not overusing heat or air conditioning, eating less meat and much more.

The idea is that if we don’t start giving up a few things, our world will get much worse. It’s only when it’s too late, when problems turn into catastrophe and our lives are on the line, that we finally accept to be forced into taking action, like during the pandemic. 

As we always say but still fail to follow: “No pain, no gain.”

...Must be America’s fault!

A few days ago I called what of my many French friends and as we talked about a bunch of subjects, we also discussed the recent youth riots that have shaken communities all over that country.

That’s when that friend said on a couple of occasions that what happened was the fault of America, or more precisely, that of Americans. He was specifically mentioning a culture of permissiveness and incivility on the part of France’s youth as well as the devastating role of Social Media (an other American “invention”). 

Needless to say that these comments took me aback, especially coming from someone I considered as a close friend. That was enough to force me to respond. 

First, regarding the way kids are educated, I said that developed nations generally embraced American culture and approach to general education and adopted it without having much idea as to what it would lead to down the road. 

Then, as far as social media were concerned, they had been overwhelmingly adopted by the entire world because of their addictive, corrosive and voyeuristic properties, meaning that everyone of us is also free to chose and reject them, so, putting the blame on America for everything wasn’t fair at all! 

Happily, we nicely concluded our telephone call, but I still can’t believe that this highly educated person my friend is, could be as insensitive as I perceived him to be...

What’s Juneteenth?

I’m pretty certain that a large number of Americans don’t even know what “Juneteenth” is, so to make sure we’re all in the know, simply remember that Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, officially called Juneteenth National Independence Day. 

This day, that happens to fall today, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Post office, bank, government offices and large companies will shut down, but most every one else will go to work.

Its unusual name is the combination of “June” and “nineteenth”, as it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, that proclaimed the freedom of slaves in Texas. 

Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating the African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. So this is quite new and explain why so few of us are able to explain it...

An effective strategy for French folks

French people aren't universally liked as they're often found arrogant and conceited. Last night, we saw a news program about how hated the French that come everyday to work in Geneva, are. 

For those Gallic workers working abroad, whether they are "frontaliers" living on the French side of the border and working in Switzerland, or an expat like me living in an Anglo-saxon country, the right attitude at work can either spell failure or success depending on one's individual social style. 

I've always been keenly aware of that state of affairs and have consistently opted for a more humble, vulnerable, self-depreciating and helpful attitude at work. I found it to be highly effective as it induced trust, respect and admiration from my co-workers as well as my bosses and subordinates. 

Was it hard to implement at times? You bet it was, but my low-profile helped me navigate the hurdles and perils of holding a job in America and effectively climb the corporate ladder. Not only this kind of approach works well in that context where different cultures are involved, but also for life in general. 

We should always to remember to focus on the collective goal, and forget about our individual bragging rights.

We should also recognize that creativity, wisdom and brilliance are packaged in many different forms, and all individuals should always be welcome to contribute to the discussion, the ensuing debate and the execution of the plan. 

Checking one’s ego at the door can work wonder, no matter what we do in life, love or recreation!

Paris domineering role over France

To many folks France is Paris more than anything else, because of the domineering role its capital, Paris has upon the entire country. 

Unlike Germany influenced by its main cities like Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, the United States’ Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, or Italy’s Milan and Rome, France is under the ironclad control of its Paris capital, which means that all other regions and cities can only feel like second-class citizens because all happen first in Paris and Paris always control everything from careers, to business or culture. 

This is not a popular subject and it’s in fact never discussed as it should in France. Most of its citizens accept the situation as an immovable fact of life and live with its constraint the very best they can. 

Yet, I believe that France would be a more successful and affluent country if had let other cities and population centers develop to their own greatness by reducing the blinding power of its capital city. 

At the same time, Parisians believe and are convinced of their superiority in all respects and over all sectors of the nation’s activity and tend to look at the rest of their non-Parisian peers as inferior or underdeveloped. This, at least, is my impression. What is yours?

How we became who we are...

Some people attribute becoming who they are through their smarts, their willpower, some special mentors, an extraordinary experience or some special decisions that they’ve been making at some points along their existence, but the reality might be more complicated than that. 

For example, most psychologists agree that we’re a mixture of how we look, behave and think. At the same time, we’re constantly changing as we get influenced by our surroundings. The thing we tend to forget is that much has been decided for us before we were even born. 

Our parents, of course, made the key decision in having us and made many more on our behalf as we grew up. If I were born in Tanzania, I’d probably wouldn’t be writing this blog today if I were lucky to be alive. 

Where I lived in the Alps and where I spent the summers had so much impact on me to that I wanted a totally different life regardless of the place natural beauty. 

Then, we keep on being influenced by our family, school, friends, mentors, our general environment plus a bunch of things we’ve got absolutely no control upon. So there are more than a few mentors, a great school or a life-changing experience that we believe have molded us. 

Who we are is more like the steady, invisible and grinding work of a glacier creeping down a valley and

My take on the Meghan & Harry's saga

On Sunday night, like millions of others, I invested two hours of my time, including one hour of commercials, to learn that Millennial and Monarchy don’t mix well. I know, Meghan Markle isn’t quite a true Millennial, but if you average her age and that of Prince Harry it works. 

So, I found out that Monarchy, that also is the torch bearer for colonialism is also still a hotbed for racism. I’m not surprised and while I feel sorry for Meghan to have been railroaded into that rotten deal by Prince Harry. That said, I’m confident they’ll survive the break with the Royals and will have a good life playing in their Santa Barbara chicken coop. 

This sad show showed me once more that the British Monarchy, like the Church of England it represents, are now obsolete and irrational institutions, that there is no “firm” or institution, but an old Queen and her stupid son who are marooned in tradition with their head stuck in the sand for lack of a better descriptor.

What was funny in the interview though, was the royal, if not godly role played by Oprah, the pope of pop culture, who unfortunately failed to ask Harry the quintessential question: “Do you see any future in the British Monarchy?”

The value of real history

If people knew more about real history, they might have a different understanding of their surroundings, their origins and it might drastically impact their values and culture.

In Europe or in America, schools have been notoriously bad at covering colonialism and hiding issues like slavery, racism or prejudice, often creating strange alternate narratives.

If kids are blind, misinformed or are strongly biased on these subjects, they won’t understand the true workings of history, society and culture.

The eradication of racism and prejudice begins in school, and of course at home, but if the parents only received the false narrative in effect during their education, we shouldn’t expect any miracle and any significant assistance.

Change will be slow, will demand continued attention and a steady focus for many years and probably several generations to come...

The American Culture is Racist

Popular wisdom indicates that folks from Minnesota are courteous, reserved, and mild-mannered. This is what is known as “Minnesota nice”.

In spite of that alluring reputation, these qualities were nowhere to be found on May 25th, when George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, while Floyd was handcuffed and face down, helped by two other officers as a third one prevented onlookers from intervening.

Quite understandably, this racist murder opened up a series of demonstrations, rioting and soul-searching about the state of racism in America. In my opinion, a bunch of Civil Rights Acts as well as the Voting Right Act that were meant to change society, have been laws with no teeth and racism, while taking a different face, has continued unabated.

When a horrific crime like the one perpetrated again Mr. Floyd takes place in the “nicest” American State, one can wonder if the entire country isn’t totally sick of racism and may conclude that all its citizens are all racists of different intensity and persuasions.

A serious and honest self-examination can only conclude that no one is entirely immune from that plague, that it’s ingrained into the American culture and that it will require a formidable transformation and a complete re-education to stamp it out.

In the next blogs I will explain my thinking on the matter and develop some solutions that can get us out of that existential rut.

Why I never owned a truck ?

After living for 43 years in America, I’ve never owned a pick-up truck. This could be seen as un-American, but it’s a fact.

It’s true however, than when I first came to live in the United States, I kind of liked the little Datsun and Toyota pick-up trucks I saw everywhere in California when I visited that state.

In fact, I couldn’t own one in New York where I lived, because for some arcane reason, pick-ups were classified as commercial vehicles and I would have been barred from the Parkways that I used for my daily commute.

Aside from that consideration, though, I would have been hard-pressed to buy a two-seater truck and went for a small station-wagon instead. Then over the years, the typical American pick-up truck put on some weight, gained huge volume, stood progressively higher up and became a “macho” mode of transportation.

As I moved to the mountains, I wanted four-wheel drive and back in the mid-80s, any truck offered that kind of traction, so this was another reason why I missed on the truck experience.

Later one, extended-cab, all-wheel drive and comfort features offered by these big vehicles were not attractive enough to sway me away from the SUV. Besides, I didn’t approve of their gas-guzzling behavior, enormous size and heavy weight.

This is simply why pick-up trucks and me passed each other during my American lifetime without even making any intimate and lasting contact.

Happy Thanksgiving !

If you are not American, Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, some of the Caribbean islands, and even in Liberia.

It’s a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year, but has turned into a big commercial event that culminates the following day (Black Friday). It’s celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, and around the same part of the year in other places.

Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well and today, many question its place as it relates to the treatment of natives by European colonists.

Do I still miss France?

Over the years and as time goes by, my attachment to France, the old country has been waning and today, after I left the hometown I grew up in, there is no longer the bittersweet feeling associated it with leaving a place that is dear to my heart.

It’s true that over the years, the Morzine region has undergone an insane rate of growth that takes away far too much of the old charm that once made that place so attaching.

It’s also true that after leaving more than 42 years in America and 34 in Park City alone, my hometown is slowly but surely fading away inside my heart...