China’s Fabulous Deals: Curb Your Enthusiasm

I wish I was talking about Larry David’s TV show, but I am not. A few days ago, China’s President Hu Jintao arrived in Paris for a three-day state visit with billions of dollars in deals thrown in. When it comes to make deals during those difficult economic times, France like many other countries, is ready to look away to ... More

Grandmaster Flash, Seen, Jordans… Remembering the good old days!



It was the end of the 1980s and everything was going to change for me. We used to meet in the lobby of the building, the smooth floor was perfect for teenage boys (and some adventurous girls, obviously) to glide and moonwalk. They were also slipping and tripping, a boombox was jamming out hip hop music before we decide to go ‘find a wall’. At ... More

Sudan, Burma, Congo… The power of carrot and stick: reductio ad absurdum?

I have expressed my humble opinion about Sudan, Burma, Congo and other issues on many occasions on this blog, looking at the root causes and trying to explain them with simple words. I have close friends working in local organizations in France but also abroad, and it is always rewarding to discuss with experienced people. For the “60 Signers for the 60th ... More

Darfur, Congo, Burma: is ‘good will’ enough?

The plights in Darfur, Congo and Burma are different on many aspects but the initiatives launched by organizations (human rights, humanitarian, etc) all have the same goal: help the people living in danger and provide them assistance when needed. As you may already know, I truly think Tall oaks from little acorns grow, nevertheless I am not naive and I know ... More

People of goodwill against the rest of the world? Maybe…

The world is complex and the more we try to simplify it, the more difficult it is to see the large picture in its full complexity per se. This rule is applicable to politics, religion, science, economy and to our daily life. Oversimplifying a situation or an issue by making hasty generalizations will undoubtedly lead to inaccurate conclusions. And basing a ... More

Martin Luther King Jr. and Obama’s election: Free at last?

Martin Luther King Jr. holds a special place in my life. When I was at school I studied everything he said, everything he did; I used to write articles about him for my student newspaper. I am not into religion at all so sometimes I was uncomfortable with some of his speeches but Martin Luther King’s strength, commitment and powerful discourses ... More

Will 2009 be better or only ‘less worse’ than 2008?

Yes, I know, I am late. Well, not yet. Before writing this post, I read the one I posted last year, on December 31st 2007: Tall oaks from little acorns grow and nothing has really changed since then… I mentioned the plight in Darfur, Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma, and several crisis (environment, food, economics…) threatening us. And I am afraid to ... More

Every Human Has Rights: 60 Signers for the 60th Anniversary



December 10th marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and a series of events will take place -almost- all around the world. More than ever, human rights and fundamental freedoms have to be respected but sixty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed at Palais de Chaillot in Paris in 1948, the ... More

News cycle turnover: today’s worst enemy?

I was recently part of an interesting debate with sharp-minded people about the role of media in the society, and since some of you expressed a keen interest for my thinking over a specific issue, I wanted to share my thoughts with you on that topic. I promise my next post will definitely be on a lighter note. Every day seems to bring a new round of bad ... More

Will the Sama Water Tank save the world?

The Sama from the World Of Sama, as you may know, have a duty: protect humans and sometimes plan ahead like the Sama Water Tank does. Water will soon be an issue, if not already; it is soon to be a rare commodity… The ocean noise, the constant sound of a waterfall, a fountain shooting up water, having a tub or simply drink it; water is essential for ... More