Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss frame a decorative fountain, Savannah, Georgia.
The sun is hot! Yes, even in Paris. In addition to the canicule, today marks the beginning of France's presidency of the European Union. Little blue EU flags are flying from all the city buses and the Eiffel Tower has turned blue. The big news here is that the French army chief of staff has resigned. President Nicolas Sarkozy accepted the resignation, after 17 people were injured Sunday at a military show in Audes in the southwest. One soldier loaded real bullets - instead of blanks - during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques. An investigation is continuing.
And Solidays - the annual three-day musical festival featuring Yael Naim and numerous artists in 80 concerts to raise money for SIDA - kicks off Friday. The festivities are just across the street (yes, sleepless nights ahead) at Hippodrome du Longchamp in the Bois du Boulogne. Since last Saturday, event organisers have been busy constructing concert stages, big top tents and shelters and installing food stands, etc.
Pity the nation
Update 7 p.m. Paris time: Botswana's vice president Mompati Merfahe has called for Zimbabwe to be excluded from the African Union and regional talks.
At the African Union meeting underway in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, UN Deputy Secretary General Asha-Rose Migirohas urged leaders to try to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Zimbabwe. And the British supermarket chain Tesco said it will stop sourcing products from Zimbabwe while "the political crisis persists." The company buys about £1m ($1.9m) worth of goods a year, including vegetables, from Zimbabwe.
Human Rights Watch has calculated the tally of misery and abuse in Zimbabwe since its March 29 elections: at least 36 dead; hundreds tortured; thousands beaten and tens of thousands deprived of food or displaced. Read Jon Eliot's article here.
Scary statistics
On Monday, the Dow industrials and the Standard & Poor's 500 plummeted to their lowest record since the Great Depression in 1929.
And June was the deadliest month for foreign troops in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taleban in 2001.
Path sheltered by the shade of oak trees. leading away from the fountain. Click photos to enlarge.
Love these pics! Especially love the fountain! Such a beautiful one would entertain me for hours!
Posted by: Gemma | 04 July 2008 at 07:02
Gorgeous photos. How I should like to fall in and be taken away from here. I hope the music across the street is to your liking, given the sleepless nights! It does sound rather fun.
The market is getting extremely creepy. I don't see it changing radically for a bit, either.
Posted by: jeanie | 02 July 2008 at 18:55
Your statistics are jarring and heartbreaking when put against the beauty and serenity of Savannah. You could not put together a more true image of our global conflicted realities.
Posted by: annieelf | 02 July 2008 at 18:02
I'll come back later to read more!
Posted by: rochambeau | 02 July 2008 at 14:06
Fabulous photos. Much commentary. Hope you feel good today!
xo
Constance
Thank for letting me borrow your theater!
Posted by: rochambeau | 02 July 2008 at 14:05
check out your new banner. very nice. did you draw it?
Tara responds:
Thank you! The banner artwork is by Vanessa Valencia.
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 02 July 2008 at 07:42
...well, I'm off to pop some anti-depressants now. Hope they work.
;)
Posted by: amber | 02 July 2008 at 07:42
I admire the way you've used this post to illustrate life's dichotomy at work - the tranquil beauty of the Savannah fountain juxtaposed with those grim statistics.
Thanks for helping us all keep our minds in balance.
Posted by: Becca | 02 July 2008 at 05:17
thank you for continuing to post important world-wide news, it's difficult to find the truth when the MSM is a corporate machine.
i would love to see those trees at night as they're already ethereal in the daylight.
Posted by: Lara | 02 July 2008 at 04:39
Tara, I never got to thank you personally for your kind word while Tim was sick and I want to do that now. There are a lot of things happening in the world that are different from what they were. I hope we learn more later and don't repeat old lessons. Yeah! Like that will happen. Sigh!
Posted by: Mary T. | 01 July 2008 at 23:28
much gratitude for your comment and encouragement ! your travels have been a gift of travel souvenirs for us all! and the beautiful sculptural backdrop of the Georgian moss creates a sad and haunting picture of the statistics which we need to remain conscious of in the year of hope for changes!!
let me know when you come south.
betheanne
Posted by: bethenais | 01 July 2008 at 22:30
I was showing Tess around the SCAD posts...realizing there are MANY I have missed, must spend the day here...
Can I just stick my head back in the blog sand...the world IS a scary place at this moment. I won't lose sight, I will still work towards change...but would love to sink into the pretty pictures here and abroad.
x...x
steph
Posted by: stephanie | 01 July 2008 at 18:48
what a post of contrasts ~ the magical beauty in the photos is so soothing and puts my mind in a lovely space for southern summertime, but the words are so frustrating & depressing it makes my mind spin.... i suppose that is the way in life: navigating between the pleasures and pains, trying to stay balanced and feel some joy in spite of it all.
Posted by: studio wellspring | 01 July 2008 at 17:56
Savannah is so beautiful! I can't believe all that will be going on across the street from your apartment. I'm sure ear plugs will be in order. ;)
Things are scary indeed!
XXOO
Posted by: Tammy | 01 July 2008 at 17:43
Super. Just gorgeous. I love these pictures!
Posted by: Philip | 01 July 2008 at 14:39