Paris Parfait

Deepest, darkest fears in Darfur

For the Sunday Scribblings prompt, "deepest, darkest," drawings by two young victims of the Darfur tragedy and news of a resolution adopted Friday by the UN Human Rights Council. Photos of children's drawings courtesy of Human Rights Watch. Click photos to enlarge.

Thirteen-year-old Mahmoud describes his drawing: "These men in green are taking the women and the girls. They are forcing them to be wife. The houses are on fire. This is an Antonov. This is a helicopter. These here, at the bottom of the page, these are dead people."

A description of his drawing by Mostafa, age eight: “We were running. From soldiers. Janjaweed. Planes. They were chasing us. These are men. These are women. We ran to the wadi [riverbed, or oasis]. Then we ran to Chad.”

According to Human Rights Watch, the government of Sudan is responsible for “ethnic cleansing” and crimes against humanity in the context of conflict in Darfur, on Sudan’s western border with Chad. Since 2003, the Sudanese government and ethnic “Janjaweed” militias it arms and supports have committed numerous attacks on civilian populations of the Fur, Masalit, Zaghawa and other ethnic groups perceived to support the rebel insurgency. Government forces have participated in massacres, executed civilians—including women and children—burned towns and villages and depopulated land long inhabited by the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa. The Janjaweed militias - Muslim like the groups they attack - have destroyed mosques, killed religious leaders and desecrated Qurans belonging to their enemies.

Countless women and girls have been raped. Hundreds of villages have been bombed and burned; water sources and food stocks have been destroyed; property and livestock looted. Mosques, schools and hospitals have been burnt to the ground.

The United Nations estimates that more than two million people have been left homeless in the fighting. Almost a quarter of a million refugees are now in neighboring Chad, one of the poorest countries in Africa. Abandoned villages have been destroyed. Even when villages are left intact, many refugees are unwilling to return to Darfur unless their security is protected. “If we return,” one refugee told Human Rights Watch, “we will be killed.”

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) ended its fourth regular session Friday in Geneva, adopting a compromise text regarding the crisis in Darfur. While this was welcomed as "a small step forward," Human Rights Watch said UNHRC failed to address many of the world's most urgent human rights situations.

"The council again chose talk over action on worsening human rights situations in countries such as Burma, Iran, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan," said Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "The council's resolution on Darfur is a relatively bright light in an otherwise disappointing session."

The council adopted an amended Darfur text put forward by Germany, after extended negotiations involving a competing Algerian draft. The resolution establishes a group composed of six currently-serving independent experts on a range of abuses - including violence against women, extrajudicial executions and torture - and led by the council-appointed expert on Sudan. The group is charged with working to ensure follow-up and implementation of existing recommendations by the council and its experts, by the council's predecessor, the UN Commission on Human Rights, and by other UN human rights institutions. The group must report to the council in June. The text does not criticize the Sudanese government directly for its role in orchestrating and perpetrating violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Darfur.

African states played a key role in breaking the council's silence on Darfur. Cameroon, Ghana, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia all called for action in response to a report on Darfur from a mission established in December by the council. These and other states, including Uganda and Mauritania, engaged in discussions over the German text. A key test for the council will be whether these and swing states such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Africa will address abuses in other locations.

Friday flower market

A bouquet of hyacinthe came home from the market with me, along with the pale roses pictured below and dille to mix with Thursday's ranucule.

Hortensia such as this always remind me of the hydrangea bushes in my grandmother's yard.

Note the "herbe a'chat" or catnip!

I brought some thyme home for the chef, who is keeping busy cooking for all our guests!

These floral-patterned tablecloths were found at a Paris shop.

Goya's compassion

For Poetry Thursday, the prompt is to imagine yourself in the place of a painting's model or artist. The Spanish painter Francisco Goya recorded war, long before war photographers existed. One of his most famous oil paintings depicting the horrors of war is El Tres de Mayo de 1808 en Madrid o Los fusilamientos en la montana del Principe Pio (The Third of May, 1808, or The Executions on Principe Pio Hill). Painted in 1814, the painting is permanently displayed at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid.

Goya scrawled editorial comments at the bottom of some of his paintings. My poem in homage to his Desastres de la guerra paintings contains some of the comments he wrote, in Spanish:

I saw it (Yo lo vi)
the unimaginable horrors
inflicted on my countrymen
the murderous rage
in the eyes of French soldiers
the despair in the faces
of all those martyrs
who were lined up and shot
with reason or without it (con razon o sin ella)
anyone can understand
that war is madness
and there is no remedy (y no hay remedio)
so why is peace
so difficult to find
and keep
they don't know the way (no conocen el camino)
cruel misfortune (cruel lastima)
as more widows weep
and mothers are unhappy (madres infelices)
humanity grieves
one cannot look: (no se puede mirar)
truth dies. (murio la verdad)

Flowers, a new "hat" and guests galore

After a dentist's appointment with bad news, I bought bright orange and yellow ranucule to cheer myself up. In a similar vein, recently I found a black-and-cream linen "new hat" to update an old lamp. It reminds me of a mod '60s Courreges dress - the kind that Audrey Hepburn might have worn in Two for the Road. Or perhaps something the Mad Hatter adopted in Alice in Wonderland! Notice a pattern here: when feeling miserable, shopping might help.

I came home to find that Joan at Rivanna River Days has been feted with a well-deserved Thinking Blogger Award. In turn, she has honoured me with another Thinking Blogger Award! Her warm words definitely helped dispel any lingering gloom.

What amazing connections the Internet allows! I received a lovely, encouraging email from an American woman who'd stumbled across my blog when searching Google images.

Earlier this week I had a message from an academic in Paris who was hunting for old typeface letters as an anniversary gift. He needed them in a hurry and neither I nor my friend who owns an antique shop could think of any place in town that sells them, other than the flea markets - which don't open until the weekend. So I offered to part with some typeface letters purchased recently at Chatou.

Late yesterday afternoon, he came over to choose the ones he wanted. It is hoped the intended recipient will be as pleased as the buyer and the seller were!

Les visiteurs

Have you seen the hilarious French film Les Visiteurs? If not, I recommend renting it for a good laugh. All the actors are superb, particularly Jean Reno and Valerie Lemercier.

At the moment, we are beseiged with les visiteurs! Ah, April in Paris... Three friends are in town from other countries and we have guests staying with us from now until April 20th. These are the last of our "B&B" overseas guests, as indicated in my post Weekends Only. In between these groups of old friends, David and I have the special treat of hosting another blogger, Di Mackey and her husband Gert, briefly visiting from Belgium. I'm so excited to meet them; Di and I have been communicating via email for months and commiserating about politics and some of the bureaucratic woes of living in countries not our own. Originally from New Zealand, Di is a fantastic photographer. Check out Woman Wandering to view her work.

Besides playing hostess, I have writing deadlines and dental appointments. But I intend to keep posting at least one piece per day. I will try my best to read and comment on your blogs as usual - although don't be surprised if comments are left at odd hours, like 2 a.m.!

Afternoon delights

Today I had lunch on Ile Saint Louis with a friend from New York. The day started out bright and sunny, so I left the umbrella at home and wore suede shoes. Naturally, at 2 p.m. it poured rain and turned cold! Paris in the springtime... I should know better! I came home to find this package from my friend, the talented artist Kristen Robinson. You may remember that the cover of the March-April issue of Somerset Studio magazine features Kristen's wonderful art on the cover.

I had asked Kristen to make a "Hope" bracelet, after seeing a similar one on her website. She not only obliged, she created a pair of earrings to match, as her gift! Kristen also sent an inspiring bookmark and a copy of said magazine. And by happy coincidence, I was wearing pink today!

Kristen sent this photo before shipping the bracelet. Her fabulous "baubles and trinkets" are available through her website.

Senate and House approve Iraq funding bill

Both the House of Representatives and the US Senate have approved a $122 billion funding bill for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill links specific progress in Iraq to gradual troop withdrawal.

The majority of America's Congressional representatives have spoken and in a democracy, the majority rules. Yet President George W. Bush has said he will veto any bill containing a proviso that troops be withdrawn by a certain date. He's the one whose ill-advised actions got us into Iraq in the first place and four years later, the situation worsens by the day. So why does Mr. Bush think any significant improvements will occur during the remainder of his term? It's looking more and more as though he's desperately clutching at straws - and that the next president will have to clean up his mess.

The House and Senate have agreed to appropriate the funds requested by the president, as well as ensure that troops have the protective gear and equipment they need before going into Iraq. So why does the president persist in his assertion that those who oppose him are being disloyal to the troops? Congress is giving Bush everything he asks for - in return they're asking that real progress in Iraq be measured by specific dates and that the Iraqi government cooperates; otherwise our troops begin to pull out. The president, for whom accountability seems to be a foreign concept, wants a blank check to spend whatever he wants. Congress is saying he can have the money needed for troops already in play, but he doesn't get carte blanche.

It appears the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto does not exist, either in the House or the Senate. Party leaders must choose whether to abandon the troop withdrawal deadline, claiming they have made their stand against a war opposed by a majority of Americans. Or, they can continue to challenge the president's plan, but risk being tarred with White House claims that those who don't agree with the president are undermining the US mission in Iraq. What's your view?

From Iraq reconstruction to a UK school?

Curiouser and curiouser... Why would a company advising the Bush administration on Iraq want to become a partner in a school in the UK?

Richard Garner's article in today's Independent, London:

An American multinational company which gives financial backing to the US Republican Party is being linked to one of the first schools seeking trust status under Tony Blair's flagship scheme.

BearingPoint, which is also advising the Bush administration on the reconstruction of Iraq, is negotiating to provide financial and technical services to Outward Grange College in Wakefield - one of the largest secondary schools in the country with 2,100 pupils.

Outward Grange is banding together with two other secondary schools in the West Yorkshire town - Horbury School and Wakefield City High - to seek trust status by September, the earliest such a trust can be set up. A prospectus drawn up by the three schools names BearingPoint as one of four partners for the trust.

However, BearingPoint insists it is discussing providing financial and technical services only and does not want to become a partner for the trust. It describes the prospectus as a "miscommunication." But it is in talks with the Department for Education and Skills to supply "shared services" to other schools.

A petition against the Wakefield trust plan has been signed by - amongst others - Steve Sinnott, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers. Sally Kincaid, the union's local secretary, said: "All children's education is far too important to let business and the rigours of the free market reign in our schools." Mr Sinnott said: "Trust status hands over responsibility for children's education to unelected and unaccountable groups." A local campaign against the trust proposals has said that it is worried about the ethics of being involved with the multinational.

They cite a report in The Independent on Sunday which revealed BearingPoint has made substantial donations to the Republican Party and is now benefitting from the reconstruction of Iraq. They say the firm's political allegiance is incompatible with its involvement in the school.

At least four partners have been proposed, according to the prospectus: BearingPoint, Hi Tec Ltd (which already supplies software to Outward Grange), Wakefield District Housing and Leeds Metropolitan University. Wakefield Council has also been invited to join.

Under the terms of the trust, the school governors would take over powers to hire and fire staff and take on responsibility for land and buildings. Each partner would appoint trustees to the trust board, which would in turn appoint governors to each of the schools. The individual schools would have responsibility for their own admissions policies. Michael Wilkins, executive principal of Outward Grange, said: "It's a collaboration. We will be sharing our expertise. We don't want to break with the local authority. That's why we've invited them in as a partner. Nobody's going to benefit financially out of this."

A spokeswoman for BearingPoint said: "Whilst there is a relationship between BearingPoint and Outward Grange, the discussions are still very much at an early, exploratory stage and therefore it is too early to be able to comment further on this." She added that the prospectus "is incorrect. BearingPoint is not, nor does it have any intentions to become a partner in this trust."

As you think...

...so shall you become. - James Allen, English philosopher and writer

Becca of Becca's Byline has honoured my blog as one that makes her think. Such awards originated at The Thinking Blog.

The award comes with a meme of sorts: I get to pick five blogs that make me think. The tough part was choosing from the many amazing blogs I read regularly. But here are five blogs that consistently fuel the brain:

1. Frida's Notebook - Frida hails from New Zealand, but her work as a human rights officer has taken her to some far-flung outposts. Currently based in Herat, Afghanistan, Frida's experiences make fascinating reading. She writes about the challenges of working within the local community, the bureaucracy, the inate opposition, the curiosity; the sometimes physical threats faced and the diverse friendships she forms along the way.
2. Jane Poe - Nevermore - Based in Washington State, Deborah writes brilliant "take no prisoners" and/or inspirational poetry on issues of the day. She also talks with passion and raw honesty about personal challenges in her life.
3. Awareness - A social worker based in New Brunswick, Canada, she writes pieces about everything from politics to religion to poverty to the environment. She is always thought-provoking. Reading her work makes me want to take action, write letters, do something to try to effect change for the better. Awareness also takes beautiful photographs of nature.
4. Quiet, about a Lot of Things - From Colorado, Wendy writes profound poetry - often wrapped in humour - and her wise posts always contain food for thought. A piece she wrote about her experiences in working with children with special needs still sticks in my mind. Wendy puts her heart into everything she does, whether it's caring for her family, riding horses or trying to save wounded animals.
5. Nutter's Notes - Scott is a Californian with an attitude. He writes mostly about ordinary things that occur in day-to-day life, but he makes them sound interesting. All his pieces are infused with upbeat humor and wisdom. His strong convictions and his HappyUp philosophy make me smile.

So will you five bloggers please choose five bloggers that make you think? Then write a post with links to those five blogs. Link to the original post (http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html). And of course, you have the option of displaying your 'Thinking Blogger Award' image, with a link to your post. Merci bien!

Rallies in London and Gaza for missing reporter

From the BBC in London:

Events have taken place in London and Gaza to mark two weeks since BBC reporter Alan Johnston went missing. The BBC set up a satellite link between Gaza and its London Television Centre so staff and supporters could exchange messages of support on giant screens. Director General Mark Thompson praised Johnston's commitment for reporting from Gaza in very difficult conditions. "All of us in London and in Gaza want him home," Thompson told about 100 journalists and staff members.

Thompson described Alan Johnston as "one of those amazing BBC people who make extraordinary sacrifices and take considerable risks because they believe a story needs to be told." "He remained with his friends and colleagues in Gaza when others left and as you have heard, Alan has many friends and colleagues in Gaza." "We continue to talk to people in the Middle East and in the UK to try to secure Alan's release," he added.

Speaking for the Palestinian journalists' syndicate in Gaza, Shadi al-Kashif pledged their protests "will not stop" until Johnston's release. Palestinian officials have said all possible efforts are being made to secure his release.

Numerous demonstrations have been held in Gaza in support of the missing correspondent. On Sunday more than 100 journalists, politicians and others attended a rally in Gaza calling for his release. Last Wednesday Palestinian journalists began a rolling strike. Numerous international demands for his immediate release have been made by the Arab League, the UK government and the European Union.

Johnston has been the BBC's correspondent in the Gaza Strip for the past three years - and the only foreign journalist from a major media organisation based in Gaza. The BBC describes him as a highly experienced and respected reporter.

Johnston, 44, was born in Tanzania and educated in Scotland. He joined the BBC World Service in 1991 and has spent 8 of the last 16 years as a correspondent, including periods in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

Mirrors and stars

Mirrors and stars - and graffiti - at a sidewalk sale in Savannah, Georgia. Many of the mirrors are framed with decorative ceiling tins salvaged from old houses. Hmmm, wonder where if they'll have any left by the next time I visit Savannah. And will they fit into my luggage?

When I first took Jordana to college, we'd been to visit her grandparents. I was carrying an antique mirror bought in San Francisco, that I wanted to take back to France. But Delta Airlines security would not let me bring it on the plane, even though by phone they'd assured me it was fine. Not only that, but the airline counter agent threatened to have the mirror destroyed if someone didn't pick it up by the time our flight for Savannah departed! My antique mirror!

It was my birthday and I was emotional enough at taking my daughter to college; the agent's rude behaviour was the last straw. I burst into tears, then another kinder agent let me phone a friend, who promised to pick it up later that day. A friend who works for a different airline told me the FAA probably considered the mirror a security risk, as it could be shattered and used as a weapon. But that was no excuse for the airline employee's hostility.

The mirror eventually found its way back to my parents' home. There it remains, leaning behind a folder (a tall piece of furniture that opens to unfold a bed) that belonged to my grandparents, awaiting passage to France. Photo by Stratton Hatfield. Click to enlarge.

Mailing food to the USA

Important information about sending chocolate or other foods

It's still a ridiculous bureaucratic nightmare, but we don't have to pay $9.95 per shipment to send food to the United States.

In my post Can this chocolate be dangerous? I provided a website address for FDA Registrar Corp. Subsequent research has revealed the FDA Registrar Corp. has no official affiliation with the Food and Drug Administration - even though its domain name and the name of its website suggest otherwise.

In fact, the $9.95 the FDA Registrar Corp. charges per shipment is NOT required by the FDA. Claims the company makes about using their services to file a prior notice claim are misleading. FDA Registrar Corp. are brokers operating out of Hampton, Virginia and the executive listed on their website, David Lennarz is also affiliated with a direct marketing company, known as Contact Direct. And Contact Direct's focus? Why they maintain a global database of industry contacts, serving the "specialized needs of the Food, Beverage, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Industries." Quite an enterprising group of businesses they've got going.

Tonight when the exceedingly clever Lori Witzel (thank you, Lori!) provided information via a comment about an FDA Registrar Corp.'s executive's affiliation with Contact Direct, alarm bells went off. It all seemed suspicious enough last Thursday, when FDA Registrar Corp. first claimed a fee was needed per shipment and wouldn't give any information about where the fees were channeled. Tonight I again went online at FDA Registrar Corp.'s site and asked a few questions of their Live Help desk, such as "You are a private company not affiliated with the FDA, so why should consumers pay you a fee to file a notice to a government agency?" "Where do those fees go?" The help desk person stalled, asked which country I'm from, etc. etc., but never answered my questions. So I gave up and did a Corporate Check for the State of Virginia. It suggested that FDA Registrar Corp. had once been known as FDC Corporation and was linked to Hampton Roads Technology, as well as Contact Direct.

I then looked up the Bioterrorism Act and FDA regulations concerning Prior Notice. It seems this regulation requiring Prior Notice for shipments of foodstuffs, cosmetics and medical devices came into effect in December, 2003. So why was the French post office notified only last week, nearly three-and-a-half years later? Or perhaps they just now decided to enforce "this silly rule," as one postal clerk noted.

Here's where you can find detailed instructions about sending food to the US via mail or courier:

An individual must file a Prior Notice of Imported Foods form through the FDA website's Prior Notice System Interface here. The site provides detailed - and somewhat confusing - instructions. But there is no mention of a fee required to file the form. To telephone the Prior Notice Help Desk from outside the United States, call 301.575.0156.

Pour les Enfants Sage

Last year I bought an oak school desk and the dealer gave me the 1950s children's book Pour les Enfants Sages by Kate Greenaway. The illustrations are so lovely, they'd look great suitably-framed in a child's room, bedroom, powder room or art studio!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Chef Biggle, the British sous chef was a Father's Day gift four or five years ago for the real British chef. His apron says "Chef Biggle Extraordinaire" and he enjoys drinking a glass of wine or two while assisting the chef. The recipe book is close at hand, in case Chef Biggle needs to consult the "receipt," as the Brits say.

For Sunday Scribblings, the theme is "in the kitchen." A Saturday sampling from la cuisine:

Here's my husband the chef's summation of the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon - as found in Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. I by Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child:

In an iron casserole dish, brown some lardons (chunky bacon bits). Remove them to a plate. Cut the beef into two-inch chunks, then brown it. Remove from dish. Saute some carrots and onions. Return the beef and lardons, along with the carrots and onions, to the casserole. Then chuck in some red wine and beef stock, plus thyme, tomato paste and mashed garlic. Simmer in the oven at low heat for three hours. Meanwhile, saute some fresh mushrooms.

Pour the casserole contents through a sieve into a sauce pan. Return the beef, etc. back into the casserole dish. Then simmer the liquid in a sauce pan to remove any fat rising to the surface. Put the whole lot, along with the mushrooms in the casserole and simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve with boiled new potatoes or ribbon pasta.

Alas, I kept getting an error message when trying to load the photo of Saturday's boeuf bourguignon. The real chef relaxes after an informal dinner with a glass of red wine.

Brocante at Parc des Princes

A Madonna and child bisque and porcelain prayer font found today at the brocante at Parc des Princes. It's a 15-minute walk from our apartment. On a cold and rainy day, very few people turned out and perhaps only 50 percent of the usual vendors were present. The brocante takes place every spring and fall at the Paris-St. Germain football stadium in the 16th-arrondisement.

At the Jean Bouin sports stadium across the street - home of rugby champions Stade Francais - an outdoor running and jumping competition had students from schools throughout Paris shivering in their running shorts.

This pewter case for cartes d' visite (calling cards) is similar in style to the Art Nouveau notepad I found recently at Chatou.

After the brocante, I came home for lunch and watched the Ethan Hawke-Julie Delphy film "Before Sunset," which is set in Paris. It's the follow-up to "Before Sunrise," in which a couple meet on a train in Europe and spend a memorable day together.

In the sequel, they meet again when he's in Paris to promote his book. I love the idea of people meeting after a long time apart and sharing their stories of what happened in the interim. And how have you spent your Saturday?

It's rare to find an entire set of wooden bingo numbers from the 1940s. I see dealers at places like Vanves selling the numbers for three to five euros per piece. I bought the whole box for 20 euros! Curiously, the thin cardboard box has a heavy glass top.

This gold medal for musical competition will be used as a paperweight.

Bill to bring troops home next year passes House

The US House of Representatives has voted today for President George Bush to pull US troops out of Iraq. The bill, outlined here, links funding for the Iraq war to an August 31, 2008 deadline for withdrawing all US combat troops.

The bill passed by 218 votes to 212 by the Democratic-controlled House. It is the boldest challenge yet to Bush's Iraq strategy. The president has said he will veto the bill, which will now go before the Senate.

Am I lucky or what??!!

Potted tulips, daffodils and buttercups in our neighbourhood

Chocolate bells for Easter tied with ribbon at Le Grenier a Pain boulangerie.

This must be my lucky week! I won three prizes in Lisa's One World One Heart giveaway! At Alchemical Notes I won Kelli's fabulous quiltie and at Beadfluff, Mary's lovely green bracelet. Continuing with the spring green theme, I won a Green Mountain Fairy ATC, along with gorgeous earrings made of chrysophrase, turquoise and pearl from Elizabeth at Be...Dream...Play! I'm having the goodies sent to my daughter's address in Savannah - it is hoped she'll be persuaded to hand them over, next time I see her.

In today's post, I received a wonderful surprise cadeau from a certain poetic friend. And I had confirmation by email that a computer company has settled my claim, but mistakenly sent the cheque to my old address in London. So they'll be issuing a new cheque, which it is hoped will actually reach me.

Much for which to be thankful; hope you're counting your blessings too! Bonne weekend!

Fired up!

Photo of a water tower with peeling paint; this angle reminds me of a rocket. Originally I was planning to write a poem for Poetry Thursday based on this photo and a line from Billy Joel's The Piano Man: "...with some money in her pocket, she's a rocket on the Fourth of July."

This morning I went to the post office and was confronted with the Bush administration's latest assault on privacy and personal freedoms. Yes, even in France! And I became "fired up." As rockets are fired - typically in celebration of freedom - I decided the photo would work, despite the change of focus in my poem.

Fired up! Let's roll
It's our way or the highway
showdown's high noon at Dodge
the gunslinger and his foe are shadow puppets
filled with false bravado
each believing their own publicity

Their realities are not ours
an important distinction
but not to them
They won't listen to dissent
determined to stay the course
no matter the costs in lives and dollars

The emperor has no clothes
but his court jesters weave and bob
painting the scenes just so
no one can see behind the facade
focus that harsh light anywhere
but firmly on the truth

Throw up smoke screens
to avoid transparency
Make up new laws
to get around old ones
Ignore other mandates
that are now inconvenient

Dither about little things
then miss the point entirely
while real problems go unsolved
Immersed in endless debate
with a man as stubborn as a mule
a nation sways between impotence and fury

Can this chocolate be dangerous?

This French chocolate and Russian tea is contraband, under new Bush administration rules for foodstuffs sent through the mail.

O.k., now they're just being ridiculous. Does this chocolate look dangerous to you (other than in the sense of all those empty calories)? Because the Bush administration has issued directives that foodstuffs can no longer be mailed to the United States - even when sealed in manufacturer's packaging!

My mouth dropped open when the French postal clerk gave me the news: "No chocolate." He thought it was just as crazy as I did and in an aside, asked if I was American, after he'd listened to me exclaim the French equivalent of "That's incredible! What next? Such idiots!" Once again I felt compelled to apologise for the latest inconvenience caused by the current administration's paranoid and intrusive behaviour.

When I got home I looked up US Customs regulations online and discovered that new "rules" apply when mailing any sort of foodstuffs to the US. One must now go through a company called FDA Registrar Corp. It bills itself as FDA (Food and Drug Administration) compliance and assistance and registration for food, medical devices and cosmetics registration. The company has a Live Helpline, so I explained that I live in France and want to mail a gift of chocolate to a friend in the US. However, the French post office said today they can no longer accept foodstuffs mailed to the US. The Helpline response was that I must go to www.priornotice.com and fill out a form.

Apparently, whether you're a company or an individual, if you want to send food, medicine or cosmetics to the US, you must fill out forms (one per shipment), listing your address, phone number and contents of the package, as well as the recipient's address and phone number. You have to pay $9.95 to get your shipment "approved" and to make that payment, you must provide your credit card details.

So in addition to paying French postage to the US (which is expensive; typically around 40 euros, or nearly $50) we have to fork over $9.95 to a company to "approve" our shipment - a company we know nothing about, who now has our personal information and financial details. Presumably, after paying the fee, the company contacts the requestor within hours with some sort of "approval" to mail the shipment. So is this company part of Homeland Security? Are they a government agency? Where are the fees for all those shipments channeled? Why do inviduals sending single packages have to get involved with regulations that were clearly designed for bulk exports of foodstuffs?

Let's see, since September 11, 2001, our airlines have been constantly fighting to stave off bankruptcy and air travel has become an enormous hassle with endless security checks. Our own government presented false evidence and lied, thrusting us into an ill-conceived and poorly-planned war in which thousands of young soldiers have died or been seriously wounded and billions of dollars of taxpayer money have been wasted. Those soldiers lucky enough to return home find substandard medical care, minimal housing benefits and few jobs. And don't get me started on the damage to Iraq and the entire Middle East caused by the war.

As Americans our civil liberties are repeatedly violated: our phones are tapped and our emails intercepted - even though it's illegal to do so! Our own government ignores the law when it suits, to the point the Supreme Court had to get involved (i.e. declaring military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay illegal). And of course lawsuits are ongoing against the government's surveillance of ordinary Americans.

Any international entrepreneur or company who wants to do business in the US is forced to jump through a maze of bureaucratic and security hoops - which are enough to discourage anyone from making the effort. Many companies are concluding reluctantly that it's easier to do business with Europe or Asia or South America.

Our international reputation is in tatters, as our longtime friends and allies shake their heads and wonder what's happened to America, the once-bright and shining beacon of liberty and freedom. Meanwhile Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaida cronies walk continue their work virtually unimpeded. So I ask you, who's winning this so-called "war on terror?" And what does chocolate have to do with it?

Congress debating important Iraq bill

Would require troop withdrawal by August 2008 or sooner

California Congressman Sam Farr has sent his constituents a summary of the important Iraq bill currently being debated in the House of Representatives. The "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act" contains $95.5 billion for Iraq and includes benchmarks that require U.S. troop withdrawal by August 2008 at the latest. The bill also contains funds for Afghanistan, veterans' health care, domestic homeland security and agriculture disaster assistance, as well as language to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 over two years. The price tag for all this? $124 billion.

Farr said, "Like previous supplemental funding bills this bill includes funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what makes it different from past Iraq funding bills is that it is the first supplemental funding bill with a date certain for troop withdrawal." As drafted, President Bush has said he would veto the bill. Please read this summary and tell your representatives and senators what you think:

The bill provides for benchmarks concerning progress in Iraq:

By July 1st, 2007 the president must certify that Iraq is making meaningful and substantial progress in meeting the following political and military benchmarks:

1. That the Iraqi government is making "substantial progress in delivering necessary Iraqi Security Forces for Baghdad."

2. That the Iraqi government is making "substantial progress in meeting its commitment to pursue reconciliation initiatives, including redistribution of oil income, laws to allow local elections, reform the de-Baathification process in place since the coalition invasion of Iraq; allot Iraqi revenue for reconstruction; reduce level of sectarian violence.

If President Bush fails to make this certification, troops must begin immediate redeployment and U.S. troop involvement in the Iraq civil war must be completed by December 2007 (within 180 days).

By October 1st, the president must certify that Iraqis have achieved key benchmarks. If he does not make this second certification, troops must begin immediate redeployment (withdrawal) to be completed by March of 2008 (180 days).

If the president makes both certifications, the Administration must start redeploying (withdrawing) the U.S. Military from Iraq by March 1, 2008 and complete the redeployment by August of 2008 (180 days).

The bill calls for enforcing these benchmarks, with 50% of international economic support and international narcotics and crime funds within the bill withheld until the president makes a certification to Congress.

The bill stipulates that troops cannot be sent overseas unless the chief of the military department has certified to Congress that troops are "fully mission capable." If a unit is not "fully mission capable," the president must explain why the unit's deployment to Iraq is necessary. Marines cannot be deployed for longer than 210 days, while Army forces cannot be deployed for longer than 365 days. All troops are required to have one year of rest between deployments.

Any troops remaining in Iraq after redeployment can do so only to protect diplomatic facilities; serve in diplomatic roles; engage in targeted military actions against al Qaeda and train members of the Iraqi Security Forces.

One less collection

It's no wonder vintage French baskets are so hard to find. I came home from the dentist's office this afternoon feeling rather the worse for wear, only to find woodworm had taken over two baskets holding books. Those little monsters were literally munching the baskets' foundations to bits. I spent two hours filling in tiny little holes in each basket with woodworm killer, only to discover woodworm holes in one small side section of the Spanish chest! Maybe those holes were there before and the chest no longer has woodworm. But to be safe, I had to treat it again. Time to stop collecting vintage baskets.

The culprits - drying on the balcony after their woodworm treatment.

There's still hope for these vintage luggage pieces - no signs of woodworm. I use them to store books.

A friend sent this lovely tin.

One World, One Heart winner

Never mind that the weather alternates between rain and sleet. The calendar says it's spring and that's reason to celebrate! As a participant in Lisa's One World, One Heart creative giveaway, I must say I was surprised that 94 people tossed their names into my virtual hat. Alas, there can be only one winner. And that winner is...drumroll, please...Alex of Gypsy Girl's Guide! Congratulations, Alex! She wins Julia Cameron's book How to Avoid Making Art and a surprise treasure from the French flea market.

Because the hat was brimming full of names, I couldn't resist drawing just one more - Pam of Art and Soul. A Paris flea market surprise will be winging its way to her soon.

Check out Lisa's Heart of the Nest for links to other One World, One Heart participants. Happy Spring! Now I'm off to the dentist - joy!

A directional sign and a meme

This wrought iron piece of art was once a highway directional sign in France. I like it for three reasons: its resemblance to a Spanish cross, the sunburst center and its black finish, which reminds me of the wrought iron balcony grillwork in Seville. I first saw it at the brocante at Bastille last November, but the price was too high. Last week at Chatou, I saw the dealer, who offered me a deep discount. The piece now hangs on the wall of our dining room.

I was tagged by Autrice for a birthday meme:

1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday, month and day only.
September 10

2. List 3 events that occurred on that day.
1813 - The U.S. defeats the British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812
1977 - Last execution by guillotine at Baumettes Prison, Marseille, France
1951 - United Kingdom begins economic boycott of Iran

3. List 2 important birthdays.
1638 - Maria Theresa of Spain, Queen of Louis XIV of France
1934 - Charles Kuralt, American journalist

4. List 1 death.
1197 - Henry II of Champagne, France

5. List a holiday or observance. (if any)
National Day in Gibraltar

6. Tag 5 other bloggers.
I know you're busy, but won't you play along?

Train franchise shafts travelers

In England, South West Trains has raised off-peak fares by 20 percent! Reduced fares during off-peak travel were designed to discourage overcrowding during morning and afternoon rush periods. Other than making more money for the franchaise holders, where's the benefit? Do they want more travelers to cram onto the rush-hour trains? Will passengers traveling off-peak receive improved service? Will trains run on time? I think not. Here's Barrie Clement's story from today's Independent in London:

The operator of Britain's busiest commuter rail routes provoked fury yesterday by raising off-peak fares by up to 20 percent. South West Trains (SWT), which promised the Government £1.19bn over 10 years in return for retaining its franchise, will charge the higher prices for those who travel into London Waterloo just outside the morning rush-hour. A new "super off-peak" fare, which will be three percent more than the current off-peak price, will be paid by those travelling after noon. First-class fares will also increase by between 15 and 20 percent. The rises come on top of increases of up to 5.3 percent from 1 January and could presage similar decisions by companies running other commuter routes.

The announcement resulted in allegations of "daylight robbery" against SWT and "hypocrisy" against the government, whose policy is to encourage people to use trains rather than cars. Ministers' insistence on extracting the highest possible premiums from train-operating firms has led to higher fares and the failure of Great North Eastern Railways.

Richard Dyer of Friends of the Earth, said: "These changes will present a major disincentive to making the greener choice to go by rail. Government policy is simply inconsistent." PassengerFocus, which represents rail travellers, said the increases were "unexplained, unjustified and unfair." The organisation's chief executive Anthony Smith said the increases had as "much to do with making money as they do in seeking to ease crowding pressures on true peak-hour trains."

Bruce Akhurst, the SWT commercial director, said the new ticket-type would bring the franchise into line with some other train firms and allow management to match demand and pricing better.Stagecoach, the parent company of SWT, said the fare increases would affect fewer than 20 per cent of passengers and was "entirely consistent" with the business plan submitted to the Department for Transport.

Brian Souter, the chief executive of Stagecoach and his sister Ann Gloag, who helped to found the business, are to collect £168m after the group decided to increase its capital return to shareholders by 75 per cent.

Late March or April in Paris

Don't be fooled by this spring-like pot of daffodils at a local shopping center. So far today, the weather in Paris has varied from sunshine to snow to rain to sunshine to sleet, with more snow predicted over the next two days. I was beginning to think the snow was going to pass us by entirely. When I went into the post office at 2 p.m., it was sunny and mild. Twenty minutes later I came out to a surreal landscape - snow covered the ground and icy slush was on the sidewalks and in the streets!

I phoned my husband, whose office is in the 16th arrondisement. He said there was no sign of any snow there. Yet another example of why if you don't like the weather in Paris, wait five minutes and it will change. And another reason we carry small folding parapluies wherever we go.

All you visitors who are about to descend upon Paris, be forewarned: the April in Paris song was intended as a joke! An excerpt from the late Art Buchwald's Paris:

"I finally caught up with the man who is responsible for bringing more American tourists to Paris in April than any other person. His name is Vernon Duke and he is the composer of the great romantic song "April in Paris." The fact that it had been raining in Paris all month didn't seem to faze Mr. Duke at all. He carries an umbrella and raincoat with him at all times.

Mr. Duke told me: "The whole song is a hoax, because I knew the weather was like this. They're talking about giving me the Legion of Honour for getting so many tourists to Paris so early in the season."

"Have you ever had any romances in Paris in April?" Mr. Duke, who is a bachelor, replied, "Never. You always have to wait until May before things start popping." I asked the composer to tell how he came to write "April in Paris."

"I was living with George Gershwin in New York at the time. Incidentally my real name is Vladimir Dukelsky and it was Gershwin who gave me the name Vernon Duke. We were preparing a show called Walk a Little Faster, which was to star Beatrice Lillie in April, 1932. At the time we needed a romantic number for Evelyn Hoey. I was sitting in Tony's on 52nd Street with Dorothy Parker, Bob Benchley, Monty Wooley, who staged the revue and John McClain, the theatre critic. We were all drinking and reminiscing about Paris and there was a lot of crying going on.

"Dorothy Parker or somebody said something like, "Oh to be in Paris now that April's here." I, in my unsobered condition, replied, "What a wonderful title for a song." Tony told me he had a piano upstairs and I was high enough to say okay, I'd write it right then and there. I went upstairs and came down ten minutes later with the music.

"The next day I told E.Y. Harburg, who was writing the lyrics for the show, that I had a song about Paris. Harburg had never been to Paris and said, "Who ...cares about April in Paris? I don't know what happens there."

"I told him I'd bring him a lot of guidebooks from the library. I gave them to him, but after he read them, he called me and said, "I still don't know what goes on in Paris in April. You better get over here and tell me!" So I went over to his apartment and he said, "Now, exactly what happens?"

"I said I didn't know exactly, but I thought the French people went out into the open and sat under the trees. "Great," said Harburg. "Now we're getting somewhere." And he wrote the first lines of the song, "April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom, holiday tables under the trees."

"Then Harburg said, "And what's the feeling there in April?" and I replied, "I always had the feeling that in Paris in the spring something wonderful should inevitably happen, but it never did," which took care of the last part of the song: "April in Paris, whom can I run to? What have you done to my heart?"

So when you pack your bags to come over in March or April, don't bring spring clothes - unless you have a warm jacket or lined trenchcoat to cover them! And leave the sandals at home. We're still wearing corduroy and winter coats here.

Last-minute Chatou finds

A wooden box containing French alphabet wooden blocks, probably from the 1950s.

Find of the day: a 19th-century Madonna gilt crown with rhinestone "sapphires" and "diamonds" to add to my collection.

A heavy piece of pottery for storing liquids.

A "surge" without end?

Raymond Whitaker's article today in London's The Independent on Sunday cuts through rhetoric and spin to show some harsh realities. Some excerpts:

Four years ago this Tuesday, George Bush began his ill-fated Iraq campaign. Today's news that the US is sending an extra battalion to Baghdad will push troop levels to 160,000 - 10,000 more than at the time of the invasion. US troop levels in Iraq are set to rise higher than at any time since the war began four years ago, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

This summer, troop levels will top 160,000 - compared with the 150,000 at the time of the invasion. As Britain prepares to pull 1,600 troops out of southern Iraq, the Pentagon has obtained agreement of the US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, to deploy an additional combat aviation brigade of 2,600, consisting of ground forces and helicopters.

The brigade was due in Iraq this summer as part of a regular rotation of troops, but is being sent early to support the "surge" of American forces approved by President George Bush in January. The plan, aimed at bringing the insurgency in Baghdad and neighbouring Anbar province under control, called for an additional 21,500 combat troops to be sent to Iraq. But the figure has since crept up to nearly 30,000, with 2,200 military police added to handle the people being detained in security sweeps, plus 2,400 combat and service-support personnel. Pentagon figures released on Friday show a total of 7,200 troops have been added to the "surge," bringing the overall increase to 28,700.

According to the US military thinktank GlobalSecurity.org, there were 132,000 American ground troops in Iraq at the beginning of 2007. By the end of June, the total will rise above 160,000, more than at any point in the past four years.

In 2003, when the American-led coalition smashed its way to Baghdad in three weeks, there were never more than 150,000 US troops in the country. By March 2004, when Saddam Hussein was in custody and Gates's over-confident predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, was anticipating an early exit, the total slipped to as low as 117,500. The only months the US deployment approached 160,000 were November and December 2005, when extra forces were in place during national elections. Their numbers were reduced immediately afterwards, but a new government in place has done nothing to quell the violence.

Last week the Pentagon admitted that there was civil war in parts of Iraq. Its assessment of the final quarter of 2006 was its bleakest ever, with record levels of violence. Attacks increased to more than 1,000 a week and average daily casualties rose above 140 - and those figures, the report admitted, are based purely on "violence observed by or reported to the US-led military coalition." The real extent of violence is likely to be much greater.

Describing worsening sectarian divisions, the report said: "Illegally armed groups are engaged in a self-sustaining cycle of politically motivated violence, using tactics that include indiscriminate bombing, murder, and indirect fire to intimidate people and stoke sectarian conflict." Up to 9,000 civilians are fleeing the country each month as a result, according to the Pentagon. The UNHCR says that if internally displaced people are included, the figure rises to something like 50,000 a month.

Inspired

Photo of an underground parking garage and park construction site in my neighbourhood. The project began last year and won't be finished until 2008. In less than a year, the colours of the water tanks have mottled from rain, creating an interesting effect. I like the way the theatre posters on the aluminum fence echo the tanks' red.

I've been out all day, first to the brocante at Chatou, then watching a rugby game. I wrote this poem in 15 minutes, so it's very much a first draft. For Sunday Scribblings, my inspiration:

Inspiration surrounds me
it's there in your eyes, a look, a wink
its' magic eclipses words
and is glimpsed in your smile

It's evident in the colours of nature
and spills from the laughter of children
It rings in the words of friends
and books and poetry of others

It shouts from the heights of mountains
and whispers in the ripple of brooks
It whistles in the wind
and beckons to me in dreams

It peeks through friends' imaginative art
or shines through the old masters
it's a heart-shaped paper on a sidewalk
or a pyramid formed in stone

It's footprints in the sand
and ocean waves crashing against rocks
it's sailing on San Francisco Bay
and the view from Russian Hill

It's in the lined faces of old people
and the clapping hands of babies
it's offered by an open heart
or a thoughtful gesture

It's found through a prayer
or someone's bravery
it's forged through courage
and willingness to risk

It's sheltered in a worthy cause
and waiting in buried treasure
it's wrapped in a fight for justice
and tied with hope for our future

Inspiration surrounds me

Congratulations to Laini and Megg for their first year of hosting Sunday Scribblings! It's a joy participating in such an inspiring series of writings.

France retains Six Nations rugby title

France clinched its second Six Nations title in a row this afternoon, defeating Scotland 46-19 at Stade de France in Paris. Elvis Vermeulen's try in the last few seconds earned France their fourth title in six years, dashing Ireland's hopes for the crown.

The Scots presented a spirited defense, but were unable to match Les Bleu's superior skills. France plays host later this year to the World Cup Rugby matches. Photo of Raphael Ibanez taken at France-Ireland game courtesy of RBS Six Nations.

Les chevaux et le carrousel

A wooden rocking horse is "sacked out" on an iron camp bed at the 74th Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Ile de Chatou. Yes, I went to the brocante a third time today to meet a friend! Now I'm off to watch the France-Scotland rugby game in the Six Nations Championship.

This wooden horse was once part of a French carrousel.

A motorcycle duo is part of the carrousel in the city of Chatou, near Paris. It is across the street from an open air fruit-and-vegetable market and a popular weekend-gathering place.

This car is meant to resemble a submarine.

And the ever-popular Woody Woodpecker usually has children clamouring for rides (when I took the photos, the children apparently were home having their naps).

Little things about me

I saw this gizmo at a few sites and decided to play:

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

The Louvre in Abu Dhabi?

This art nouveau pewter notepad was purchased at the 74th Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Chatou, near Paris.

Some French art lovers are furious that the government plans to build a branch of the world-famous Louvre (pictured in my masthead) in Abu Dhabi. It would be the first foreign annex of the museum. The row apparently stems from controversy over France making money from the deal, signed this week in Abu Dhabi.

Under terms of the agreement Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, will pay millions of euros over 30 years to display art on loan from French museums. The emirate will pay 400 million euros (about $524m) for the privilege of using the Louvre name. Agence France Presse reported the first payment of 150m euros will be made within a month. Critics say this amounts to using France's rich artistic heritage for purely commercial ends. "Our museums are not for sale," proclaims an online petition posted on La Tribune de l'Art. It is signed by 4,700 people, including curators, art historians and archaeologists.

But the French culture ministry says the deal represents an "exceptional chance" for the French art world. The deal, signed by Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres and Sheikh Sultan bin Tannoun, paves the way for a "Louvre Abu Dhabi," slated to open in 2012. While the architect will be French, construction costs will be paid by the emirate.

Critics contend the art will be displayed in a "random, unscientific" way in Abu Dhabi and that transporting hundreds of fragile works is fraught with risk. Louvre President Henri Loyrette has defended the agreement, but said he "understands the concerns." He has announced a new body, composed primarily of curators, to oversee the "scientific quality of the project and the respect of ethical rules."

The second photo is the back of an art nouveau pewter notepad found opening day at the brocante at Chatou.

Art students' art

Steven Speir is a senior at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Acrophobia is a pathological fear of heights.

Rebecca K. Doss is a senior at SCAD. She created this art for the Critical Mass monthly bike rides. All three art pieces were originally intended for a magazine produced by students, but printing costs and advertising proved prohibitive.

A care label with an apology

From the fabulously stylish Di Overton at Designers' Block UK, a care label with a political conscience. Read more here and here.

BBC journalist still missing

One has to wonder what kidnappers would hope to gain by the abduction Monday of the respected BBC journalist Alan Johnston. Johnston, who has covered Gaza for three years, is the only foreign journalist remaining in the increasingly-lawless area of the Occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, which has campaigned for tougher measures to deal with lawlessness in the Gaza Strip, condemned the kidnapping as "a flagrant violation of the freedom of expression... an illegal assault on [Mr Johnston's] person, and an insult to the Palestinian people and its struggle." The centre noted that Johnston was "respected for his professionalism and objectivity."

Excerpts from the latest BBC report on Johnson's disappearance:

The BBC has made a plea for information about the whereabouts of BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston. Middle East bureau chief Simon Wilson said the corporation had received no firm word on Johnston since he disappeared on Monday. He thanked all those who had tried to help resolve the situation, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and PM Ismail Haniya.

Haniya said he told security forces to do all they could to find him. He said all foreign journalists who came to the Palestinian territories were guests of the Palestinian people and should be protected. Kidnappings were unacceptable and "harm the civilised face of our people", he added.

Palestinian security officials say Johnston was kidnapped from his car by masked gunmen, but the BBC says it cannot independently verify these reports. Other reports in Gaza say he is healthy and negotiations are under way with the abductors to secure his release.

Reading a statement today in Gaza, Wilson said Johnston had dedicated the last three years to living and working with the people of Gaza and it was now becoming clear how much his efforts were appreciated. "We would therefore urge everyone with influence here to continue their efforts so that Alan may be reunited with his family and colleagues at the earliest opportunity," he said. Wilson said the journalist's family was being kept fully updated and was "very moved" by expressions of support from around the world.

Several Westerners previously have been abducted in Gaza. All were eventually released unharmed. The BBC said motives for the abductions were mainly local - unpaid salaries, demands for jobs or the release of jailed family members.

Prior to his posting in Gaza, Johnson worked as a correspondent in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

The meaning of words

A cherry basket full of 1940s typeface letters and numbers purchased at the 74th Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Chatou, near Paris.

I am in awe of Liz and Dana, the delightful hosts of Poetry Thursday. Never a dull moment over at their new website, which is chock-a-block with poetry links and fascinating and informative columns. But I read this week's prompt twice to grasp the strange concept. I am a writer who works with words, speaks a second language every day (albeit appallingly) and studies a third. So to look up a word in the dictionary, but ignore its definition? Sorry ladies, but that's simply not in my DNA. Your curious prompt inspired this haiku:

Find a new word but
don't try to understand it?
Frankly that's absurd!

Report says FBI abuses Patriot Act

The FBI has abused a key Patriot Act provision and knowingly violated the law to spy on Americans' telephone, Internet and other personal records, according to a report released last week by the US Justice Department. Congress must put the brakes on this cavalier behavior, but it can't stop there -- the Bush Administration's unprecedented pattern of disregarding the law stretches far beyond examples in this report. Tell Congress to defend your privacy now.

Before the Patriot Act became law, the FBI could use so-called National Security Letters only for securing records of suspected terrorists or spies. Under the Patriot Act, the FBI can obtain private records about anybody without court approval, as long as it "believes the information could be relevant to an authorized terrorism or espionage investigation," according to the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

The Justice Department's Inspector General said the FBI's misuse of its authority included issuing NSLs to spy on people who were not the subject of any existing investigation whatsoever. The FBI lied to Congress and underreported its use of NSLs by many thousands, the report said. Worse still, the FBI ignored its own lawyers' advice and intentionally evaded the Patriot Act's bounds, improperly requesting and obtaining personal records through so-called "exigent letters" never authorized by Congress.

That's a small sampling of the horror story painted by the report. Had Congress not ordered the Inspector General to review the FBI's activities last year, these abuses might still be secret. From the moment the Patriot Act was passed, the EFF said it was ripe for abuse. "It's clearer than ever that Congress should repeal the Patriot Act's expansion of NSL powers and reform the act as a whole," the EFF said.

The EFF also called for Congress to investigate the Bush administration's use of surveillance powers, including the National Security Agency's massive illegal domestic spying program. "Congress and the American public have been kept in the dark about such clear violations of the law and Americans' privacy for far too long," the EFF said. "Immediate and thorough oversight hearings are necessary to uncover the truth and hold the administration accountable."

Brocante collectibles

Among the brocante collectibles that came home with me from Chatou is this huge dough bowl. It weighs 20 pounds! Something about its bright yellow interior and country origins appeals to me. It makes me happy to look at it! Thankfully, my friend Julie took pity on me traveling home by train and later brought it in her car.

I bought six of these champagne glasses. You turn them upside down, holding the funnel in your hand, as champagne is poured.

This Madonna and child prayer ornament is from Spain. I've photographed it on top of the book Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence. According to the April issue of BBC Homes and Antiques, this book - with its bookjacket - is worth £495 (about $1,000). While I don't have the book jacket, I do have the first trade edition, referenced in the article. It was published by Jonathan Cape in 1935. The book was originally printed in 1926 and distributed privately. I shall contact a rare book expert in London to inquire about my book's value. I wouldn't like to part with it, as it was a gift from my husband. But $1,000 would help pay my daughter's college tuition!

These early 19th-century wooden candles are from a French church.

In keeping with my fascination with religious and spiritual objects, I couldn't resist this bisque porcelain Madonna and child prayer font.

I'm not sure what this is, as inside it's marked like a measuring cup, but has a spout to allow water to flow directly through it. Perhaps it's to water plants? In any event, I'll hang it on the balcony. I like the hand-painted birds, nest and flowers.

This enamel container will hold tea towels or matches in la cuisine.

This decorative tin's cover scene reminds me of the movie Ever After, starring Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott. It's reminiscent of Amboise in the Loire Valley, the artist Leonardo da Vinci's home prior to his death. I also purchased two other tin boxes, one with an art nouveau design.

Until now, I've collected cafe au lait bowls only in red. Perhaps it was the bright yellow of the dough bowl that inspired me to buy some yellow ones, along with the yellow-checked tablecloth.

This trumpeting angel once graced a cabinet or doorknob. I'm going to add it to a wooden architectural fragment and hang it on the wall.

Utilitarian objects, including a wire cooling rack, a stoneware marmelade jar from Scotland and a tin funnel are now ensconced in my kitchen.

These prize plaques for horse competitions will hang in the kitchen, along with butcher's prize medallions collected at various flea markets.

Wednesday woes

A stone urn and zinc window casing at the 74th Annual Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Ile de Chatou. By now, you must feel quite familiar with this brocante!

A painted iron cart containing pots de confiture or jelly glasses.

From gothic-inspired chairs to religious statues - some of the many diverse items on sale at Chatou.

Thus far this day has not lived up to expectations. For instance, I was up until 3 a.m. trying to repair the layout of my blog. Yesterday, Typepad made some "improvements," which supposedly didn't affect individual blogs. However, my blog's content was suddenly shoved beneath the left sidebar and despite my best efforts, would not budge. Even worse, all my saved templates were corrupted and the solution Typepad suggested didn't work. So I've spent nearly three hours this morning trying to get one template into a reasonable facsimilie of the design and content I prefer. The talented guy who helps me with web design is currently on holiday in Thailand. For the moment, it appears I'm stuck with this look. Update 6 p.m. - The blog design has reverted to yesterday's design, even though my template says I'm using the one created this morning as a temporary "fix!" Oops! 6:10 p.m. and it's back to the temporary fix. I give up trying to figure out what's happening.

Also, while hanging some tiny milagros to my wall of crosses and religious icons, I hammered my finger, which wasn't pleasant. One milagro became embedded in the backing of an antique Spanish mirror and I had to remove the splintered wooden back to retrieve it. You wouldn't believe the gigantic antique dust bunnies lurking inside! My husband asked if I'd put them on eBay, considering their advanced age.

I burned the chorizo quesadilla I was making for lunch, to the point it was inedible. I dropped a bottle of prescription cough syrup, shattering it all over the kitchen floor. And the computer company with which I am currently embroiled in a claim has blacklisted my email as spam, forcing me to fax all correspondence. But that's another post. You get the picture: the day has been one small disaster after another. I probably should have stayed in bed!

To cheer myself up, I'm going for a bike ride or walk. I'll be back later to post photos of some of the brocante treasures that came home with me. Hope your Wednesday is a big improvement over mine!

Let's play!

These vintage toys may have seen better days, but they retain their charm. And no matter what language a child speaks, the appeal of these toys is universal. These photos show some of the vintage toys and a "Test your Strength" machine from a circus, all currently on offer at the 74th Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Ile de Chatou. I went to the brocante for the second time on Monday, which happily was bright and sunny, in contrast with the opening day's rain. I had lunch with a friend, did a little more shopping and took additional photos. The brocante continues through Sunday, March 18th.

Agape treasures

Julie Isore's Agape features numerous unexpected treasures and objets des curiosite. At her stand at the 74th Foire Nationale a la Brocante et aux Jambons at Chatou, she has many unusual items on offer. Agape is featured in the current issue of Brocante magazine. For sepia-toned photos from the Agape stand at Chatou, see A Journey in Time.

These arched wooden window casements would add interest to any room, with or without windows! The photographer's lamp on a tripod is difficult to find these days. The zinc fleur de lis architectural fragment is mounted on a wooden base.

The wood-and-metal desk, office chair(s) and metal lamp are from the mid-20th-century, yet stylish in today's interiors. Imagine the pleasure of making tea with this huge silver kettle!

An arched wooden frame is centered by a round mirror. I like the framed plaster fleur de lis images, as well as the twin wooden bobbin lamps and the large architectural fragment (at right).

A 19th-century scientific specimen dome is stuffed with sheet music and a small architectural fragment. The heavy pedestal is topped by a stone ball. And of course, 19th-century ironstone pitchers remain popular in home decor and so do seashells!

Another glass dome features old letters in handwritten script and gilt architectural fragments. The cake (or cheese) dome and tray are staples in most French homes.

This buffet cabinet holds a variety of porcelain, books and interesting artifacts.

An old fire insurance tin sign and a metal box useful for storage could enhance a kitchen or an office.

This small "hatband" boites, banded with red, white and blue ribbon remind me of tiny straw hats. They have been cleverly put together, along with the metal letters, to create an art piece (and great conversation starter).

This oval frame backed by vintage wallpaper is centered with a gilt candleholder.