Marian's Blog

U.S.-France: Sarkhozy in Washington, fries back on menu!

This is the "kiss and make up" trip. French president, new since May, Nicolas Sarkhozy is in Washington. The visit lasts about 26 hours. Media are calling Sarkhozy Bush's "new best friend". They say he's the most pro-U.S. French president in many decades, though adding George needs Nick more than Nick needs him. How did U.S. media miss that last part? "Nick" (we hope he doesn't mind) did choose to stay at Willard Hotel over a night in Blair House, the official lodging of White House guests. Back in France (and Africa), Monsieur Sarkhozy leaves behind one now-ex-wife plus the l'Arche de Zoe mess in Chad ("rescue a thousand African children: pretend they're orphans from Darfur and fly them to shiny new white families in France"), along with an indignant Chadian president. The chef d'etat of "La Marianne" (N. Sarkhozy) was reported hanging happily with George. Wednesday he was to address a joint session of Congress, a tradition since that alliance with General Lafayette in the American war of rebellion against the UK. And last but not least, in the wake of the unfortunate 'freedom fries' incident (probably) started somewhere in the Midwest(?) alongside the start of the Iraq War, when France dared to say "no", we now hear heapin' carbohydrate helpin's were available again at Tuesday night's fancy-dress White House dinner. Oh, I guess we're joking about the fries; but maybe they were? Bon sejour, Sarkhozy!!

Cesar Lopez changes guns to guitars: the escopetarra

Ceasar Lopez plays for PEACE on his escopetarra, originally uploaded by guano.

I first heard of this on France 24 News. It immediately made me think of my late friend, Starlin Arush, whom we got together to remember two weeks ago. Starlin and her colleagues, mainly other women, actually acomplished disarmament in her southern Somali hometown of Merka (two hours from Mogadishu).

A thank-you to "Guano" for use of his photo, via Flickr. The escopetarra is one instrument whose time most definitely has come.