Monitoring the campaign poster saga a short distance from Villa Ndio has been an opportunity for me to appreciate the push and pull between right and left extremes in French politics from a fairly disinterested perspective. From time to time, I pass by one of the public signboards that are available for posting various announcements. This one is quite remarkable for its visibility from the main (and only) road between Peymeinade and Grasse. Above the signboard, it says “Grasse – Libre à vous afficher” (meaning it’s supposedly available for anyone to post something). But it is clearly dominated by rival political factions in the immediate vicinity of the signboard – a small enclave known as “Ste Anne”. Continue reading “Updating the Ste Anne Campaign Poster Battles”
Tim Walz Adds to the American Political Mosaic
How fascinating and quickly inspirational has the news been that the Democratic candidate for President in 2024, Kamala Harris, has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate. I had just written a commentary on “Kamala Harris for an Inclusive Presidency” to share my enthusiasm about her dual identity as an Indian-American and as an African-American – and my own personal identification with her capacity to translate that into an inclusive Presidency. And here she comes with a resoundingly personalized addition to my appreciation for her powerful image of inclusiveness! Continue reading “Tim Walz Adds to the American Political Mosaic”
Musings on the French Revolution at the Salon du Livre d’Histoire in Grasse
The first “Salon du Livre d’Histoire” in Grasse, also described as a “Bouquet d’Histoires”, was held the weekend of 12-14 April 2024. I was curious enough to venture out on a sunny spring Saturday afternoon to see what it was all about. First, I joined a guided tour featuring the history of the French Revolution in Grasse itself. I was surprised to discover many landmarks that I had not noticed before. I then visited the salon’s official events in the Palais des Congrès. I met a young historian whose book on “Danton and Robespierre, Le choc de la Révolution” caught my eye. Continue reading “Musings on the French Revolution at the Salon du Livre d’Histoire in Grasse”
International Women’s Day 2024: France the Pioneer
With cold and stormy weather in southern France keeping me at home on International Women’s Day, I watched wistfully as the sunshine shone on the large crowds gathered in front of the Ministry of Justice at the Place Vendôme in Paris. We were witnessing the formalities of enshrining a woman’s right to an abortion as an amendment to the French Constitution. And I didn’t have to be there in person to join the celebration. France is definitely the pioneer in what President Emmanuel Macron described as the “beginning of a struggle” to establish the right to an abortion as a universal right everywhere. Continue reading “International Women’s Day 2024: France the Pioneer”
Lamentations over “Realpolitik” – An Obituary of Sorts
I have been reading many of the obituaries of Henry Kissinger in the past few days. So far, only two have been a positive one, while the others (either by the editorial board or columnists or invited authors in FT, Politico, Washington Post, NYT, Guardian, Huff Post, New Yorker, Atlantic) have been mostly negative. Because of the way that his life affected my own career path, I am personally inspired to chime in to the hoopla. Here are my thoughts about why I do not align with the positives. Continue reading “Lamentations over “Realpolitik” – An Obituary of Sorts”
An Unusual Selection of Campaign Posters for French Elections
In the town where I live (Grasse, France), there is an enclave known as Ste. Anne. Geographically, it appears to be encircled by the municipality of Grasse, but it is a small valley with a distinct atmosphere. The main road into Grasse dips down and curves around the edge of this valley. At the main turn-off into Ste Anne there is a large signboard that is visible to vehicular traffic going into Grasse itself. This signboard regularly features large posters – typically but not always political ones. (Sometimes, they are advertising a circus nearby.) It’s the unusual flow of political posters that has caught my eye. Continue reading “An Unusual Selection of Campaign Posters for French Elections”
Obituaries 2022
I have taken to writing these end-of-year obituaries of famous people who had a personal effect on me in my professional career. Last year, there were several – it was a pretty bad year all around. This year of 2022 was less traumatic – although I did learn about a few less-than-famous ones who did have quite an influence on me – a couple of law professors that were instrumental in my belated study of the law, for example. And at least one close friend who remained loyal through thick and thin. Culturally speaking, too, there were many sad losses, mostly in the entertainment and news industries but also sports. And, of course, it has been a horrible year as far as the renegade Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is concerned. But I will stick to my routine here of only reflecting on famous people who actually died in 2022 and with whom I had professional interactions. There are only two that I would mention this year – Madeleine Albright and Orrin Hatch. Continue reading “Obituaries 2022”
Happy New Year 2023
As we transition from one year to the next, please accept my best wishes for a happy, healthy and fulfilling new year. I am inspired by the holiday greetings from friends and family that are always welcome this time of year. And I am inspired by the many reflections on the past and resolutions for the future that are also a part of this end-of-year ritual. This year, I find myself to be especially inspired to reflect on the past year for the signs of hope for a better world and thereby to set my personal agenda for 2023 by identifying where my actions in the year ahead can make a difference. Continue reading “Happy New Year 2023”
Moving on from the fantasies of the past
I have turned off my hearing aids. The sounds from the busy street outside Villa Ndio have softened, but so have the sound of the chorus from Windsor Castle being televised by CNN, BBC and other broadcast media. Throughout the day, I have been downloading the CNN broadcast as “background noise” on my computer. Although the ongoing colorful display and symbolic sounds of pomp and circumstance have appealed to me, it has gotten to be a bit of overload. And the flaws have become more evident. The Brits are, after all, rather fond of the jarring but dramatic sounds of bagpipes. And the glorious pomp and circumstance of precision marching of mostly male soldiers dressed in brilliant red regalia and stunningly tall bearskin hats has acquired an appearance of celebrating anachronism – especially as it contrasts with the somber black of the royal widows, princesses and other official grievers.
Vignettes of Indian-ness
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, I started writing about my personal impressions about Indian democracy but ended up writing a more personal memoir about my Indian experiences. Eventually, I revisited the work I had done and pulled out the more personal material to have two separate pieces. The one piece is now a commentary on “Personal Reflections on the Evolution of Indian Democracy” – my effort to describe my politically focused concerns about democracy in India. Here I have tried to retain the elements of a more personal memoir – a work in progress of its own in four phases. I lived in India as a child from the ages of 2 to 8 and again as a teenager from the ages of 15 to 17; I subsequently visited India twice as an adult, once at age 30 and a final time at age 56. Continue reading “Vignettes of Indian-ness”