Paris Parfait

Three.

Coffret de curiosités, Val d'Loire, France. Click photo to view detail.

Three years ago today, Paris Parfait was born. Now, 1,621 posts and hundreds of photographs later, it has evolved into something resembling a virtual curiosity cabinet. As a few readers have suggested, "I never know what I might find when I come here." To me, that's the highest of compliments; I like to mix things up - one minute writing about news and current events or showcasing travels in photo essays; the next, passionate about human rights or exulting over some quirky brocante find.

The statistics indicate Paris Parfait has received well over a million page views, from readers all over the world. But it's the friendships resulting from blogging that count. Not only have I had the opportunity to meet blogging buddies in person - in Paris, London, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Vancouver - several have become good friends. Further, the blog has rekindled my enthusiasm for photography; now I'm focusing on improving my skills.

In 2008, Paris Parfait served as a meeting place for many like-minded individuals working to help change the landscape of American politics. During a long, hard-fought presidential campaign, I openly expressed my views. My support for Barack Obama resulted in a few disgruntled readers falling by the wayside. One woman wrote something to the effect "I just hate it when I come to my favorite blogs expecting to see something nice and find someone giving their personal opinion." Needless to say, I suggested she look elsewhere for a place that's all sweetness and light.

Many readers were able to move past our political differences; others weren't so open-minded. No doubt, some international readers became weary of all the talk about the American presidential election. Still, they didn't give up on me, waiting patiently until my attention shifted to other topics.

In addition to the friendships, the greatest gift the blog has brought is the exchange of ideas. So many of you have provided inspiration with your unique, complicated stories and visionary art. It's a great joy to read and admire your sparkling reflections of truth and beauty, often viewed through laughter and tears. You've given me encouragement, support and solace when I needed it most. You've reminded me that speaking out is essential; every voice matters. You've made me believe possibilities are limited only by imagination.

To thank you for your unwavering support for Paris Parfait, I'll send a special Paris souvenir to three readers. Simply leave a comment about how blogging has affected you. Three winners will be drawn on February 3rd. Bon chance et merci bien!

Photographs of antiques and collectibles at a private chateau in the Loire Valley, France.

Freedom and a winner

Tableau featuring antique documents and vintage cameras and binoculars, The Paris Market, Broughton Street, Savannah, Georgia.

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway celebrating the inauguration of US President Barack Obama. I really appreciate your heartfelt words about what freedom means to you. The winner of Art for the Heart and a Paris brocante surprise is Raquel. Congrats to her and again, my thanks for all your thoughtful responses. Check back Saturday for a special occasion and another giveaway!

Scroll down the page for an additional post today.

Little miracles

These beaux bébés, Emily and Sophie, are the twin daughters of a longtime friend. At four months, the twins' personalities are developing and they're keeping their proud and happy parents busy and entertained!

And here's a story about another little miracle, which will make you smile and perhaps shed a tear or two. Then again, is there anything "little" about miracles??!!

Check back later for the winner of the celebratory giveaway.

Equal pay for equal work - at last!

Stairwell, historic home, Savannah, Georgia.

It's been a long, hard climb, but today President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act into law! Hallelujah! This means equal pay for men and women doing the same job. And Lilly Ledbetter herself was by the President's side, as he signed the legislation.

The measure amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It also applies to discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, disability or age.

An excerpt of the President's remarks on this auspicious occasion:

"...Because while this bill bears her name, Lilly knows this story isn’t just about her. It’s the story of women across this country still earning just 78 cents for every dollar men earn – women of color even less – which means that today, in the year 2009, countless women are still losing thousands of dollars in salary, income and retirement savings over the course of a lifetime.

"But equal pay is by no means just a women’s issue – it’s a family issue. It’s about parents who find themselves with less money for tuition or child care; couples who wind up with less to retire on; households where, when one breadwinner is paid less than she deserves, that’s the difference between affording the mortgage – or not; between keeping the heat on, or paying the doctor’s bills – or not. And in this economy, when so many folks are already working harder for less and struggling to get by, the last thing they can afford is losing part of each month’s paycheck to simple discrimination.

"So in signing this bill today, I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it’s not just unfair and illegal – but bad for business – to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. And that justice isn’t about some abstract legal theory, or footnote in a casebook – it’s about how our laws affect the daily realities of people’s lives: their ability to make a living and care for their families and achieve their goals.

"Ultimately, though, equal pay isn’t just an economic issue for millions of Americans and their families, it’s a question of who we are – and whether we’re truly living up to our fundamental ideals. Whether we’ll do our part, as generations before us, to ensure those words put to paper more than 200 years ago really mean something – to breathe new life into them with the more enlightened understandings of our time.

"That is what Lilly Ledbetter challenged us to do. And today, I sign this bill not just in her honor, but in honor of those who came before her. Women like my grandmother who worked in a bank all her life, and even after she hit that glass ceiling, kept getting up and giving her best every day, without complaint, because she wanted something better for me and my sister.

"And I sign this bill for my daughters, and all those who will come after us, because I want them to grow up in a nation that values their contributions, where there are no limits to their dreams and they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers never could have imagined.

"In the end, that’s why Lilly stayed the course. She knew it was too late for her – that this bill wouldn’t undo the years of injustice she faced or restore the earnings she was denied. But this grandmother from Alabama kept on fighting, because she was thinking about the next generation. It’s what we’ve always done in America – set our sights high for ourselves, but even higher for our children and grandchildren.

"Now it’s up to us to continue this work. This bill is an important step – a simple fix to ensure fundamental fairness to American workers – and I want to thank this remarkable and bi-partisan group of legislators who worked so hard to get it passed. And this is only the beginning. I know that if we stay focused, as Lilly did – and keep standing for what’s right, as Lilly did – we will close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom to pursue their dreams as our sons."

Thank you, President Obama! And thank you Lilly Ledbetter and all the women who fought for equal pay for equal work.

Going nowhere fast

Reflections in the window of an Italian restaurant overlooking a runway at Philadelphia International Airport.

If you're in Paris on this "Black Thursday," chances are you're getting nowhere fast. A massive nationwide transport strike is affecting the metro, TGV train services, buses and many flights. Services at some banks, post offices and other government offices are reduced, as workers stay home in solidarity with the transport workers.

At noon today, protesters were out en masse demonstrating against the government's handling of the worsening economic climate in France.

I've been out running errands (on foot) and most people I encountered were in a very bad temper! Wonder if that had anything to do with the strike? The exception was the manager of a lovely design store in my neighbourhood, who ordered two custom-made shades for my zinc weather-vane lamp.

UN humanitarian appeal for Gaza

But here's more important news: the UN has launched a humanitarian appeal to victims of the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Funds raised would cover requirements of the UN and other aid organisations for the next few months, as they provide services including food, shelter, medical care and clean water. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland that help is "urgently needed."

Ban said the failure to act quickly will lead to even greater humanitarian calamity among the 1.4 million civilians who suffered in the Israeli offensive. "More than one-third of the 6,600 deaths and injured were children and women," Ban said. "As a father of three I was especially troubled by the suffering and trauma that so many families went through."

Travels with Herodotus

Iron window sculpture and graffiti, Barcelona, Spain.

As much of today's news is too awful to contemplate, let's not go there. Here's an excerpt about recording history from the late Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski's fascinating book Travels with Herodotus:

"...Sometimes, when the offices emptied in the evening and the hallways grew quiet and I wanted a respite from telegrams about the strikes and armed conflicts, the coups and explosions convulsing countries I did not know, I reached for The Histories of Herodotus..."

"Herodotus begins his book with a statement explaining why he set out to write it...: 'Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by Herodotus of Halicarnassus. The purpose is to prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable achievements produced by both Greeks and non-Greeks; among the matters covered is, in particular,the cause of the hostilities between Greeks and non-Greeks."

"This passage is the key to the entire book. ...Herodotus informs us that he carried out some sort of 'enquiry.' ...Today we know that he devoted his entire life to this - and it was, for its time, a long life indeed. Why did he do it? Why, still in his youth, did he make such a decision? Did someone encourage him to conduct these investigations?

"...Or maybe he did everything on his own initiative, possessed by a passion for knowledge, driven by a restless and unfocused compulsion? Perhaps he had a naturally inquiring mind, a mind that continuously generated a thousand questions giving him no peace, keeping him up at nights?...

"Herodotus admits that he was obsessed with memory, fearful on its behalf. He felt that memory is something defective, fragile, impermanent - illusory, even. That whatever it contains, whatever it is storing can evaporate, simply vanish without a trace. His whole generation, everyone living on earth at the time, was possessed by that same fear.

"Without memory one cannot live, for it is what elevates man above beasts, determines the contours of the human soul and yet it is at the same time so unreliable, elusive, treacherous. It is precisely what makes man so unsure of himself... We do not know and stretching beyond that 'we do not know' is the vast realm of ignorance... of nonexistence.

"Man does not obsess about memory today as he once did because he lives surrounded by stockpiles of it. Everything is at his fingertips - encyclopedias, textbooks, dictionaries, compendia, search engines. Libraries and museums, antiquarian bookshops and archives. Audio and video recordings. Infinite supplies of preserved words, sounds, images...

"Of course, none of these techniques existed in Herodotus's time. Man knew as much and only as much as his mind managed to preserve. A few privileged individuals started to learn to write on rolls of papyrus and on clay tablets. But the rest? Culture was always an aristocratic enterprise...

"In the world of Herodotus, the only real repository of memory is the individual. In order to find out that which has been remembered, one must reach this person. If he lives far away, one has to go to him; to set out on a journey. And after finally encountering him, one must sit down and listen to what he has to say - to listen, remember; perhaps write it down. That is how reportage begins; of such circumstances it is born.

"So Herodotus wanders the world, meets people, listens to what they tell him. They speak of who they are; they recount their history. But how do they know who they are and where they came from? Ah, they answer, they have it on the word of others - first and foremost, from their ancestors. It is they who transmitted their knowledge to this generation, just as this one is now transmitting it to others. The knowledge takes the form of various tales. People sit around the fire and tell stories. Later these will be called legends and myths, but in the instant when they are first being related and heard, the tellers and the listeners believe in them as the holiest of truths, absolute reality."

Photo of graffiti on a doorway in Barcelona.

Tearing around Tuesday

Reflections of passersby in the Chanel vitrine on rue Cambon, Paris.

Today has been a bit mad, first dashing into the bookshop to look for a magazine featuring my work (it wasn't in yet). These photos were taken on the fly at rue Cambon, where they're still making a movie near the back entrance of the Ritz. An obscenely-ostentatious humvee in a polished bronze finish was blocking much of the street, along with the film crew's equipment.

Then I rushed from place to place searching for the perfect lampshade for a lamp that Doreen at Agape made for me out of a 19th-century zinc weathervane. I was looking in obscure shops in unfamiliar neighbourhoods; alas, the only result was a huge blister on my foot. Yes, it's possible, even after eight years here, to temporarily become lost in Paris! When I finally figured out where I was, I stopped in at the FNAC (big electronics store) at Place des Ternes looking for camera gear.

Then I got home to discover the Israelis and Hamas are at it again! Just when US envoy George Mitchell is on his way to help broker peace, they rachet up the violence. When will the Israelis and Palestinians ever agree that nobody wins in war?

The photos aren't the best; I had only my little pocket Konica-Minolta Dimage with me. But I was drawn to this grouping of five fancy lampshades at a shop on rue Cambon. On and there was a huge graffiti-covered construction bin abandoned smack in the middle of rue de Rivoli, blocking traffic to Place de la Concorde! They've taken down the ferris wheel; apparently another dispute with the City of Paris. It is hoped the wheel will be back up by summer.

In this photo, the lace lampshades appear to be outside the shop windows - a trick of the eye. And speaking of tricks, I agree with Bob Herbert - why is anybody even listening to the Republicans? I'm reminded of that Janet Jackson song, "What have you done for me lately?"

Of photos and fear-mongering

Ancient wood and iron decorative shutters over a shopfront, Barcelona, Spain..

Today I was out buying things for my camera (and the new Bruce Springsteen CD Working on a Dream). I've been busy cataloguing photos - copying nearly 4,000 images onto CDs, so I can delete them from my laptop. And before you ask, yes, I'm getting an external hard drive to house the full-resolution photos.

Recently, I've had a few requests and had to hunt for ages to find particular photos - only to discover I'd deleted some of them! So this week I'm making a concerted effort to organise my images - both on an external drive and filing backup copies of CDs - so I can find them in a hurry. How do you manage to keep track of your photos? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My very wise friend Vanessa Valencia wrote this today:

"...It was a very sad person who invented the idea of being too old for this or that. Of being too skinny, too tall, too short, too fat, for this or that. It was a very sad person, who blurted out mindless thoughts, that too many people listened to. Thoughts that set boundaries for centuries. Thoughts that had no meaning. No bearing. Just mindless thoughts of one negative person, that took off like wildfire. And because for some reason, it is easier to buy into negativity, we did. But, we don't have to. We never did..."

And I think her words definitely apply to these situations:

Joan Walsh's Salon article Some things just don't change

To favor due process is to favor "terrorists'" rights:

An excerpt from Glenn Greenwald's brilliant article in Salon:

"...As it turned out, of course, hundreds of the detainees imprisoned at Guantanamo when that 2004 Op-Ed was published -- ones which most of the country was calling "Terrorists" -- weren't "Terrorists" at all. They were guilty of absolutely nothing. In fact, the Bush administration subsequently acknowledged as much by eventually releasing hundreds of them -- after they had been put in cages for years with no trial of any kind. There still continues to be grave doubts about the guilt of many of the remaining detainees, including ones that have been there for years and are probably irrevocably broken as human beings.

"In fact, just two months ago, a right-wing, Bush-43-appointed federal Judge ordered five detainees released on the ground that there was never any "credible evidence" to justify their detention. Despite that, they had been imprisoned in Guantanamo for six years and were subjected to barbaric treatment that drove several of them close to insanity. They were released only after this judicial exoneration as part of a habeas corpus hearing in a federal court -- exactly the kind of hearing which the 2006 U.S. Congress, when it enacted the Military Commissions Act (with the support of most of the Washington Establishment), voted to abolish (an act that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in its 2008 Boumediene decision, which restored habeas rights). Advocates of the Military Commissions Act, and those who now want to deny normal due process to accused Terrorists, argued then and still argue now the AP/Yoo line: Terrorists have no rights."

The newest fear-mongering campaign from the right and the media

Reading these three articles makes me shake my head in wonder at the biased reporting of the Associated Press (once a bastion of respected journalism) and other newspaper and television media. It's no wonder the mainstream media is faltering, when objective, ethical reporting is too often abandoned for television ratings and/or placating conservative advertisers.

Then there are the shrill one-note refrains of the Bush administration cheerleaders - who persist in making the same false claims, over and over, like a broken record. Instead of working together with Democrats to solve problems, all they do is try to spread fear and innuendo. Enough, already! The American public is not stupid and won't fall for the "shock and awe" spin and illusions anymore. Ca suffit!

Today President Obama discussed this genuine threat on which we all should focus some attention.

Armchair travels

Leather-bound journals and fountain pens to record your journeys - real or imagined - along with binoculars and globes, Barcelona, Spain.

Today's armchair travel destination: Morocco!

The books: Lulu in Marrakech by Diane Johnson. You may remember Johnson as author of "Le Divorce," on which the movie starring Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson was based. Johnson's latest book is a fanciful tale of double standards and double agents.

A House in Fez by photojournalist Suzanna Clarke, is the story of Clarke's family restoring a riad in Fez to "its original splendor, using only traditional craftsmen and handmade materials." Haven't read it yet, nor had I seen her blog until today. Visit The View from Fez here.

The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah. This is the lively story of a family buying Dar Khalifa, an estate in Casablanca and the trials and tribulations involved in the renovation. It is excellent; I read the entire book on Eurostar during my last trip to London. An excerpt:

"...There was an official-looking Arabic document on the desk. The lawyer ordered me to read it through.

"I don't know Arabic," I said.

"Then you'd better just sign it," he replied, glancing at the Rolex on his wrist. He handed me a Mont Blanc. I signed the paper as instructed.

The lawyer stood up and slid a hefty iron key across the desk. "You are a very brave man," he said.

I pause for a moment to look him in the eye. He didn't flinch. I lifted the key. As I did so, I was knocked to the floor by the force of a violent explosion. The windows blew inwards, shattering with spectacular energy, sending a hailstorm of glass through the office. Deafened, covered in broken glass and confused, I struggled to my feet. My legs were shaking so badly that I had trouble standing. The impeccably dressed legal man was crouched beneath his desk, as if he had previous experience of some kind. He rose silently, dusted the glass from his shoulders, straightened his silk tie and opened the door for me to leave."

Read the book! You won't be disappointed. I'm looking forward to reading Tahir Shah's next book Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams (due in March).

Then there's the food. This recipe for "John & Katie's (not too) Spicy Chicken Couscous is scrumptious! It's from the popular London restaurant "Leon," and is featured in their new cookbook "Leon: Ingredients & Recipes" by Allegra McEvedy. Last night, the chef whipped it up in no time. Here's the recipe, which serves six:

4 chicken breasts, skin off, cut into big chunks
2 teaspoons dried chili flakes
a few hefty pinches of ground cinnamon
8 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
About 8 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons good curry powder
About 8 handfuls of couscous, or around 300g
2 heaping tablespoons butter
2 handfuls of raisins or sultanas
500 ml chicken stock
salt
pine nuts, mint leaves, coriander and lemon, to serve

Garlicky tomatoes:
6 ripe plum tomatoes, cut in halves
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

"Put the chicken pieces into an overproof dish. Mix the chili, cinnamon, garlic, salt, half the olive oil and curry powder together, coat the chicken with it and leave for 20 minutes or so.

"Preheat the oven to 220 celsius/430 Fahreinheit/gas mark 7. Mix the garlic and oil for the tomatoes together. Lay the tomato halves on a thick-bottomed tray and annoint with the garlic/oil mix. Season liberally.

"Meanwhile, put the couscous and sultanas into a bowl and stir with the remaining oil, so that the grains are well-coated. Cover with chicken stock. Lay a tea towel over it and leave for five minutes are so.

"Mix the couscous well into the chicken, pushing the sultanas below the surface (they can burn), dot the tob with knobs of butter and cook on the upper shelf for 25 minutes, putting the tomatoes in beneath them.

"Toast the pine nuts to scatter on the top with chopped mint, coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with the roasted tomatoes."

The films: Couscous. This touching film is about a laid-off shipyard worker who opens a restaurant and the family upheavals that result. Couscous received numerous awards, including 4 Cesars for Best Film and Best Director and a Special Jury Prize for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.

Caramel won recognition at the Cannes, London and Toronto film festivals for its wonderful, intertwining storyline about five women, three of whom work together in a beauty salon. It is delicious and I urge you to rent the DVD. Enjoy!

For tales of an American family's adventures in building a guesthouse, Peacock Pavilions, visit Maryam at My Marrakesh.

Go here to toss your name into the hat for a celebratory giveaway.

A celebration and a giveaway

Carved wooden courtyard doorway icon, 18th-century, Antwerp, Belgium.

In celebration of US President Barack Obama's inauguration, I am hosting a giveaway. Prizes are a copy of Art from the Heart by Catherine Matthews-Scanlon and a surprise from a French brocante. To enter, please leave a brief comment about what freedom means to you. I will draw the winning name from ma chapeau on Friday, Jan. 30th. Bon chance!

Scroll down the page for another post today.

We can help make a difference

David Plouffe, Obama for America campaign manager and Mitch Stewart, executive director of Organizing for America, discuss the grassroots movement for change and how we can help. Get involved here.

Accountability and transparency in the Obama administration: how refreshing after eight years of a president playing the "blame game."

Bravo, Mr. President!

Portrait of a woman, Fibers Exhibition, Savannah College of Art & Design, June 2008.

On Thursday, US President Barack Obama issued a statement reaffirming women's rights and reproductive freedom:

"On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.

"While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.

"On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere."

Key Bush policies reversed

President Obama also signed an executive order lifting a ban on U.S. funding for international family planning groups that provide heatlh care, contraceptive services, HIV prevention and perform abortions and provide counseling about the procedure.

The order rescinds the Mexico City Policy, also known as the "gag rule," originally instituted by Ronald Reagan in 1984. The "gag rule" was rescinded by Bill Clinton and revived by George W. Bush.

"For eight long years the global gag rule has been used by the Bush administration to play politics with the lives of poor women across the world," said Gill Greer of the International Planned Parenthood Federation in London. "In rescinding this disastrous and unjust policy, President Obama has returned the United States to the international consensus on women's health."

President Obama also reversed key Bush "war on terror" policies. The president signed orders ending torture; closing the CIA's black sites and closing Guantanamo Bay. Not bad for a day's work, eh?

Illumination

Candlelight, Paris.

"An age is called 'dark,' not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it." - novelist James Michener.

Ed. note: I've begun moderating comments, due to some readers who apparently subscribe to the Sarah Palin "School of Delusion and Nonsense:"

Memo to all those negative nellies out there, still moaning about our new president and imagining dire scenarios of doom and gloom: I ask you - do you have a crystal ball? Are you clairvoyant? If so, you should have known well before November that you backed the wrong ticket to address the challenges we face.

Chances are that you actually don't know what's going to happen in the future. So here's an idea - radical, I know for your narrow way of thinking - but bear with me. Why don't you just wait and see? Stop being so negative, for a start. Instead of wasting time and energy trying to tear down our new president - who has accomplished more in two days than Bush did in two years - why don't you see what YOU can do to help our country? What makes you think you can sit back and reap the benefits of being American, without actually doing anything to deserve your privileged position?

An excerpt of Mike Madden's Salon article about President Barack Obama's inaugural address:

"Once sworn in, he didn't shy away from sketching out the trouble we're in -- and he made clear he believes we're all in it together. The speech, like so much of his campaign, reflected the communitarian spirit that led him to organize on Chicago's South Side as a young man. As president, it seems he'll try to be -- as Sarah Palin once put it, sneeringly -- a community organizer, with actual responsibilities. "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task," Obama said. "This is the price and the promise of citizenship."

If we're not part of the solution, we're part of the problem. So all you lazy moaners and haters determined to walk on the dark side - without lifting a finger to help alleviate our country's woes - I say to you: get over your disappointment and move on! Stop whining: it's so unattractive.

And look elsewhere. Don't darken my blog's portal with your inane comments and ill-informed ramblings. Read some books and newspapers. Stop watching "reality" television. Listen to someone other than Fox "news" and conservative talk-show hosts. Learn to question what you read, as well as what you hear. Above all, think for yourselves! Enough with your carbon-copy litanies of false and misleading statements. Why don't you learn some actual facts before opening your mouths to speak? Otherwise, you risk sounding like complete morons!

So get a clue; get informed; get involved and do your part to contribute to society. Maybe then we'll have something to debate.

Violence linked to election

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch reports that attacks on minorities in Southern California appear motivated by Barack Obama's election. Also, a church arson in Springfield, Massachusetts apparently was prompted by anti-Obama rage, the SPLC said.

Meanwhile, neo-Nazi threats against Obama multiplied in the days leading to his inauguration. A Wisconsin man was arrested Friday for threatening to assassinate the 44th president. Read more here.

To learn how the SPLC's Teaching Tolerance program/anti-bias education can help your community or city, go here.

Barack Obama inauguration image by Shepard Fairey.

Onwards and upwards

Rassemblement de ballons libres, Place de la Concorde, Paris, 1930. Click to enlarge.

I found this image - reproduced from an original photographic plate - in an Ile Saint-Louis shop. Maybe not quite as many onlookers cheering as at President Barack Obama's inauguration Tuesday, but close!

Adults and children alike long have been fascinated by balloons and flight. In 1783, French brothers Joseph Michel and Jacques Étienne Montgolfier invented the hot-air balloon. In 1908 American aviator Wilbur Wright broke records for distance, duration and altitude during a 56-mile flight from Le Mans to Paris. A year later, French aviator Louis Blériot made the first complete balloon flight across the English Channel.

Here's a blast from the past: the Fifth Dimension singing "Up, up and away."

Oh happy day!

Changing history: One of two "magic" Obama flags my Canadian friend Gillian bought last month during our whirlwind trip to New York. The flag is perched on an architectural model. I wanted to photograph the Obama flag in various locations around Paris, but it rained. Come back soon for the story of the magic flags and more.

For most Americans, this is a momentous day. I am overcome with emotion: bursting with pride and alternately weeping with joy or laughing out loud because today BARACK OBAMA IS OUR PRESIDENT! It was a long, hard road, but together, we worked hard and made it happen.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all who took this restless -and at times harrowing - journey; to those who supported and encouraged my political posts and reminded me that every voice matters. I wish we were all together in one big room, drinking toasts to our new president! Tonight, when we pop the champagne corks, I will be thinking of you, with awe and amazement at what we've accomplished.

But after the champagne's gone flat and the fireworks fizzle, our real work begins. We can't afford to be complacent. If we learned anything during the last eight years of Bush-Cheney and one disaster after another, it is that we cannot take our eye off the ball or lose sight of our moral compass, beliefs and principles. We cannot just sleepwalk amidst our personal comfort zones, while things fall apart around us. We cannot expect our government to solve all our problems; as citizens we share responsibilities for our nation's welfare.

It's important that we get involved and make a difference in our communities. We need to volunteer in local government; in our schools; hospitals; civic organisations; human rights groups; charities. We need to write our Congressmen and women and question their choices. We need to speak out when we witness injustices. Silence is no longer an option.

We are all in this together - and that's evidenced - especially on this bright, auspicious day - by the shining eyes and smiling faces of my fellow Americans, rich in our diversity. What unites us is stronger than what divides us. So let's celebrate - we deserve it! Tomorrow, we start to heal the gaping wounds of our country.

Le Monde, Paris. "The era of Obama: Patriotism, but without nationalism."

Le Parisien. "The 44th President. Everything follows the inauguration of Obama."

Le Figaro.

Le Figaro's special section about the US presidential inauguration. Note the way the American flag wraps around their banner.

France Soir. "Remember our history and the lessons of Martin Luther King."

Liberation.

Les Echos. "The new America."

The International Herald Tribune.

Along the road less traveled

Inspired by the journey of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Notes selected from Jen Lemen's "trust" cards, available here.

Let's not forget the disasters Bush instigated

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman writes in The New York Times that an inquest should be launched into the actions of the Bush administration. No one should be allowed to get away with the widespread damages and unmitigated disasters Bush & Co. heaped on the United States - and the world. No one is above the law. Read the full story here.

Glenn Greenwald reports in Salon that binding U.S. law requires prosecutions for those who authorize torture - including Dick Cheney, John Ashcroft, Condoleeza Rice et al.

"...And the philosophy that was at the base of the last administration has ruined many, many people's lives. The deregulation, the idea of the unfettered, free market, the blind foreign policy. This was a very radical group of people who pushed things in a very radical direction, had great success at moving things in that direction and we are suffering the consequences." - Bruce Springsteen, in an interview with The Guardian.

Better days ahead - starting Tuesday!

Scroll down the page for additional posts today.

Antiques in Antwerp

Last fall I was in Antwerp, Belgium visiting my friend, transplanted New Zealander-and-photographer Di Mackey. She kindly accompanied me to the "antiques row" of Antwerp. In one antiques store, I was thrilled to discover books in English with gorgeous Art Nouveau covers. They were part of the display, but I persuaded the owner to sell them - for five euros!

I was captivated by these two 19th-century iron, metal and leather dress forms (see second one on the table in the background). Considering that these are quite rare - and my daughter is a designer - how could I resist? The problem was getting them back to Paris. They're waiting in Di and her husband Gert's apartment to be picked up. Maybe after the snows melt?

Speaking of snow, this antique sled was among the interesting items on offer at this particular shop.

This huge early 20th-century pharmacy cabinet (which took up an entire wall) was once in a pharmacy school. The cabinet comes with a framed black-and-white photo of the graduating class.

Shall I tell you a secret? Antwerp is filled with beautiful antiques - for about a third less than the prices in Paris. If you're an Art Nouveau fan, you'll be in seventh heaven here. I'm planning a repeat visit to this charming city very soon. It's only two hours by train from Paris and well worth the visit for the architecture alone.

Sculptures carved from wood

Sculptures carved from single blocks of wood are displayed in a Boulogne-Billancourt shopping area.

Briefly at Bercy

On this street of "happiness" in Bercy Village, Paris...

...crystal chandeliers hang from poles in the courtyard, rain or shine.

And the historic Place des Vins de France conceals wondrous delights.

But the Antiquites Brocante currently underway in a big overheated tent is a bit of a disappointment, frankly. No photos allowed. And most of the items are for collectors of specific things, i.e. art from a certain period or 19th-century seals. I stayed only an hour, but did find one treasure: a 19th-century gold gilt and mesh petite hanging lantern from a French church. Some of the faux jewels are missing, but that adds to the charm, n'est pas?

The brocante continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through January 25th. Take Paris Metro line 14 to Cour Saint-Emilion and walk across the street, past the stone buildings, shops and cafes to the big white tent. Tickets are available at the door.

Scroll down to read an additional post today.

Without our approval

Decorative detail, Mosquée de Paris. Photo by Jordana Shalhoub.

Thanks to the Bush administration's penchant for secrecy, we've been virtually powerless while he vetoed better education and health care for children (complaining we didn't have the money) but gave billions to fuel the Israeli military. An excerpt of Robert Bryce's investigative piece in Salon:

"...It's well known that the U.S. supplies the Israelis with much of their military hardware. Over the past few decades, the U.S. has provided about $53 billion in military aid to Israel. What's not well known is that since 2004, U.S. taxpayers have paid to supply over 500 million gallons of refined oil products -- worth about $1.1 billion –- to the Israeli military. While a handful of countries get motor fuel from the U.S., they receive only a fraction of the fuel that Israel does -- fuel now being used by Israeli fighter jets, helicopters and tanks to battle Hamas.

"According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, between 2004 and 2007 the U.S. Defense Department gave $818 million worth of fuel to the Israeli military. The total amount was 479 million gallons, the equivalent of about 66 gallons per Israeli citizen. In 2008, an additional $280 million in fuel was given to the Israeli military, again at U.S. taxpayers' expense. The U.S. has even paid the cost of shipping the fuel from U.S. refineries to ports in Israel..."

Read more here about how the underhanded actions of Bush & Co. have made the American people unwittingly complicit in the Israeli attack on Gaza. Outrageous; immoral; possibly criminal. Tuesday can't get here fast enough!

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports new evidence of Israel using white phosphorus against Gaza's civilian population.

Rumblings on rue Cambon

Rather ominous economic rumblings on rue Cambon: layoffs at tbe venerable House of Chanel. C'est pas vrai! Oui, c'est vrai! A Crime Scene Investigation vehicle is part of a French film crew preparing to shoot scenes Thursday near the Ritz on rue Cambon.

Chanel's 31 rue Cambon vitrines are as stylish as ever.

Fencing, anyone? Perhaps a bit of skiing in the French Alps?

For apres-skiing - or swimming, a warm jacket accented with Chanel's trademark camellia.

At the other end of the street, a simpler fashion advertising the winter sales.

As I was snapping this photo, two Frenchwomen walked by and agreed the paper cut-out dress was "très original."

And I love New York!

P.S. More about the Antiquites Brocante at Bercy later.

A quest for the unusual

Tissue sculpture, Passeig de Gracia, October, 2008, Barcelona, Spain. An artist created this paper "sculpure" billowing over a subway grate.

Am off to the Antiquites Brocante at Place des Vins de France in search of the quirky and unusual. Will report back later, with photos.

For the people of Gaza

Stone sculptures with sorrowful faces, Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada de Familia, Barcelona, Spain.

"And now, I am not I
and the house is not my home."

- Federico Garcia Lorca

"Murdered and unknown. No forgetfulness gathers them
and no remembrance scatters them...they're forgotten
in winter's grass on the public highway
between two long stories about heroism and suffering.
"I am the victim." "No. I alone am the victim."
They didn't tell the author: "No victim kills another.
There is in the story a victim and a killer."
They were young, picking the snow off Christ's cypress
and playing with cherubs...
They were young, playing and making a story
for the red rose beneath the snow
behind two long stories about heroism and suffering
and they were running away with cherubs toward a clear sky."

- Mahmoud Darwish, from the book The Butterfly's Burden

As of today, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,000 seriously injured during the Israeli assault on Gaza. Nearly all of the dead and injured are civilians. Three Israeli soldiers have died as a result of friendly fire and ten Israelis have died from Hamas rockets or from fighting in Gaza. Both Israel and Hamas continue to ignore a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The borders remain sealed, preventing Palestinian civilians - even those critically wounded - from crossing to Egypt. The Israelis are allowing only a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Electricity has been cut and food, water and medical supplies are in short supply. While UNRWA is maintaining nine shelters in Gaza, they cannot accommodate the thousands of families made homeless by Israeli missles and bombs. The people of Gaza are trapped with no way out, while the international community tries to negotiate a ceasefire agreement.

Technology and media news

Vintage typewriters, Salmagundi West, 321 W. Cordova St., Vancouver, B.C.

Need a low-cost notebook computer as portable as a book? Why not try a netbook? Read Tim Walker's article in The Independent about the latest high-tech innovations available for a song. I'm thinking a netbook (in addition to my laptop) would be a wonderful thing, especially for travel.

Underwood typewriter, @Home Vintage General, 320 W. Broughton St., Savannah, Ga.

Another newspaper faces demise

The respected Seattle Post-Intelligencer is for sale and expected either to fold or establish an online-only presence. This is a huge blow to the Seattle area, particularly as its rival, the Seattle Times has a decidedly-conservative slant. The Times played a direct role in the election defeat of Democrat Darcy Burner, having twisted facts in a story, then refused to print a correction.

Fabric based on vintage Bingo cards and markers, Fibers Exhibition, June 2008, Savannah College of Art and Design.

A popular magazine succumbs to the economy

Sad news that Country Home magazine is folding. The publisher has announced the March issue will be its last. However, the website hasn't been updated to reflect the reality - it's still offering subscriptions.

Meanwhile, Al Franken won the senatorial race in Minnesota. So why do his right-wing detractors - O'Reilly,Limbaugh, Morris, et al - keep making up lies about the recount?

We can thank John McCain for unleashing the inane pronouncements of "Joe the Plumber," while the novice plays at being a reporter.

And Alaskans are wondering, where's Sarah? Another reminder of how we dodged a bullet!

Philadelphia architecture and Louis Kahn

Last month in Philadelphia, I was walking down the street, telling David that I'd seen a fascinating documentary, "My Architect" about Louis Kahn, produced by his son Nathaniel. When I looked up, I was thrilled to see the sign and realise I was standing in front of Louis Kahn's office. I also saw a small park near the antiques district that is named after Kahn.

Among Kahn's most famous designs is the capital of Bangladesh. Respected architects including I.M. Pei and Frank Gehry talk about Kahn's work in the documentary.

Last night I was flipping through a book I've had for years, Laura Cerwinski's In a Spiritual Style, when I came across a quotation by Louis Kahn. "The room is the beginning of architecture. You do not say the same thing in one room as you say in another, that's how sensitive a room is. A room is a marvelous thing, a world within a world. It's yours and offers a measure of yourself."

The top of the art deco building reminds me of the Chrysler Building in New York.

This photo was taken from a different angle and a different street, on a different day.

City views.

The city's giant clothespin sculpture at 15th and Market Streets. Designed by Claes Oldenburg, this 20-foot curiosity was featured in a scene in the Dan Ackroyd/Jamie Lee Curtis film Trading Places.

Isn't the blue art deco building beautiful?

Decorative detail.

Leaded windows on this old brick building with a stone eagle and portico.

A gold Philadelphia eagle, the city's historic symbol of liberty and freedom.

Purported site of the first American photograph.

An historic building next to an art supply store's mid-20th-century facade.

The Quaker Bank building.

Traditional brownstones in a downtown neighborhood.

An ornate door.

One of Philadelphia's many unique artists' murals throughout the city. See more here.

An edgy storefront complete with fake bullet holes in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. Read more about this diverse, artistic area here and here.

An old brick building for sale in Northern Liberties. Wish I had the money to buy it, gut it and create a live/work space.

A special treat

One of the best bits of my trip to Philadelphia was having lunch at the Capital Grille with the witty and talented Karen of Artsortments. She is charming and clever and fun and we didn't have nearly enough time together. We plan to make up for that during my next trip to Philadelphia.

Karen brought me this beautiful handmade card using copper, decorative gold trim and various materials. Sadly, this photo doesn't do it justice. Check out Artsortments to see Karen's gorgeous original creations.

The girl in the red hat

A 1920s' child mannequin at Marché Paul Bert at St. Ouen, Paris. The mannequin is in the style of Louise Brooks and the flapper girls. Excuse her current state of undress, other than the red velvet hat and painted-on black Mary Janes. She's coming to live here, where she will be dressed in vintage clothes reminiscent of her era.

My friend Di wrote to say she's sending a wonderful hat for the 1920s girl!

Another day at Clignacourt

Frontispiece with vintage baby carriage over an antiques store, Barcelona, Spain.

I'm trying to get warm, after spending the day in the freezing cold with two friends at Marche aux Puces at Clignacourt. Yes, we found treasures. More about those later. In accordance with my "one thing comes in, another goes out philosophy," items will be moving on next week, sold either by an antiques dealer or via eBay France.

If you're in Paris this month, the annual Antiquites Brocante at Bercy Village begins Thursday, Jan. 15 and continues from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Jan. 25th. Take Metro line 14 to Cour Saint-Emilion or Bus line 24 or 62 to Bercy. It's worth the trip just to see the old Place des Vins de France, or wine warehouses hosting the event. Happy hunting!

An Israeli former soldier speaks out against war

With thanks to Carolien for the link.

Meanwhile, Israel drops leaflets warning residents it intends to escalate its operations in Gaza. Israeli forces are accused of deliberately targeting Palestinian schools, And American writer Naomi Klein calls for a global boycott of Israel similar to the movement that helped end apartheid in South Africa.

Human Rights Watch calls for closure of Guantanamo Bay prison

Guantanamo's seventh anniversary should be its last, Human Rights Watch said Friday. Upon taking office, US President Barack Obama should announce a detailed plan for closing the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and shutting down military commissions conducted there.

On January 11, 2002, the first 20 detainees arrived, hooded and shackled, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Today, about 250 men remain, most of whom have been there for nearly seven years, in a detention system that has significantly damaged America's reputation around the world. "Guantanamo has undermined America's moral authority around the world," said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel at Human Rights Watch. "President Obama should make closing the detention center one of his first orders of business."

As a starting point, Obama should designate a high-level interagency task force to review the detainees' files and decide who should be brought to trial and who should be released. Those who are implicated in serious crimes should be brought to the United States for prosecution in federal court and the remainder should be sent to their home countries or third countries for resettlement.

The incoming administration should also admit into the United States some Guantanamo detainees already slated for release, who cannot be returned home because of the likelihood of torture or persecution. It should step up negotiations with US allies around the world to find solutions for the other detainees, Human Rights Watch said.

Among those who fall into this category are 17 Chinese Uighurs who have been cleared of the "enemy combatant" designation, but cannot be returned to China due to fears they would be tortured. In October 2008, a US federal court ordered the Bush administration to admit these men into the United States, due to its failure to resettle them elsewhere. Members of the Uighur community and refugee resettlement groups promised to provide the men housing and language and job training. But the Bush administration has appealed the ruling and the Uighurs remain incarcerated in Guantanamo.

"For years, America's allies have justifiably pointed to the US refusal to resettle Guantanamo detainees to explain their own inaction," Daskal said. "The Obama administration should lead the way to a broader resettlement effort by agreeing to accept the Uighurs into the United States."

President Obama should also reject any call to create a preventive detention system in the United States as a way to "solve" the Guantanamo problem. Such a system would have the same major defects as the Guantanamo system, as detainees would be held indefinitely without charge. Preventive detention would be based on assumptions about future behavior that are impossible to rebut, and would almost certainly embroil the new administration in years of legal challenges and controversy.

"The problem with Guantanamo is not the place, but the system of indefinite detention without charge," said Daskal. "Simply moving the Guantanamo system from Cuba to the United States is no solution."

Give peace a chance

Laughing Buddhas, Chinatown, San Francisco.

Marilyn of Delights of the Heart is the winner of the giveaway for Pema Chodron's book Practicing Peace in Times of War. Thanks to all who participated! It is hoped you'll have better luck during the next giveaway.

The blind leading the blind

Open corridor, Mosquée de Paris. Photo by Jordana Shalhoub.

"Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, fools go aimlessly hither and thither, like blind led by the blind." - Katha Upanishad.

Glenn Greenwald writes in Salon about the world's mounting opposition to the Israeli war in Gaza - while the US Congress thoughtlessly votes to support Israel.

"International pressure intensified sharply on Israel on Thursday, the 13th day of its Gaza assault, after the United Nations suspended food aid deliveries, the International Committee of the Red Cross accused the Israelis of knowingly blocking assistance to the injured and a top Vatican official defended comments in which he compared Gaza to a concentration camp.

"The Israelis have deliberately made it impossible to know the full extent of the carnage and humanitarian disasters because they continue to prevent journalists from entering Gaza even in the face of a now week-old Israeli Supreme Court order compelling them to do so. According to Palestinian sources, there are now 700 dead Palestinians -- at least 200 of them children -- and well over 1,000 wounded. Those numbers are not seriously doubted by anyone. By comparison, a total of 10 Israelis have died -- 10 -- almost all of them by "friendly fire." The unusually worded Red Cross condemnation of Israel was prompted by its discovery, after finally being allowed into Gaza, of starving Palestinian children laying next to corpses, with ambulances blocked for days by the IDF. Even with the relative "restraint" Israel is excercising (the damage it could cause is obviously much greater), this is not so much of a war as it is a completely one-sided massacre.

"As a result, much of the world is urging an end to the war and acting to forge a cease-fire -- except the United States. Here, blind and unequivocal support for the Israeli attack is actually increasing almost as fast as the Palestinian body count piles up. Apparently, it isn't enough that we supply the very bombs being dropped on the Palestinians and use our U.N. veto power to prevent any U.N. action to stop the war or even to urge its cessation. The U.S. Congress wants to involve the U.S. further still in Israel's war.

"This afternoon (Thursday), the Democratic-led U.S. Senate did just that by enacting -- via a cowardly voice vote -- a completely one-sided, non-binding resolution that expresses unequivocal support for the Israeli war, and heaps all the blame for the conflict on Hamas and none of it on Israel. Harry Reid -- who jointly sponsored the Resolution with GOP Leader Mitch McConnell -- proudly proclaimed: "When we pass this resolution, the United States Senate will strengthen our historic bond with the state of Israel." On its website, AIPAC is already patting the U.S. Senate on its head for "for conveying America's unequivocal and steadfast support for Israel's right to self-defense."

Read the full story here.

Meanwhile, Israel is ignoring the United Nations resolution passed last night, calling for an immediate ceasefire and end to hostilities. And history repeats itself.

Please read this for the cold hard reality on the ground in Gaza:

No room for the dead, no room for the living...

And a doctor describes the horrors he's witnessing in this short video:

On Saturday, Jan. 10, demonstrations are planned outside the Israeli Embassy in London and at Place de la Republique in Paris.

The temptations of Morocco

It began innocently enough. Maryam didn't mentioned anything when we met in Paris. It was more than a year later when she began to entice me with exotic imaginings of romance and weddings and dreams. She tantalized me with pictures of vintage wool wedding blankets, handloomed of sheep's wool and cotton in tiny Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains. She talked of tradition and skill passed from generation to generation, as prospective brides and their relatives patiently sewed each sequin by hand. Before I knew it, I was handing the sly temptress fistfuls of cash for blankets of my own!

This beauty with a grid pattern of sequins was the third blanket I was unable to resist from the Marrakech cache.

It is heavy and warm, and the sequins flash and glitter in the sun and twinkle like stars at night.

Detail of a blanket purchased for my daughter.

This lightweight blanket with delicate hand-woven fringe is destined for Jordana's loft in Philadelphia. I expect she'll drape it over her sofa.

This was the first vintage Moroccan wedding blanket that caught my fancy. It's draped over the back of a Napoleon III chair.

And the piece de resistance - sequins galore! Imagine the amount of time that went into sewing these thousands of sequins on this very heavy blanket! The moment I saw it, I was intoxicated.

You, too, can own a beautiful vintage Moroccan wedding blanket - or three or four - or more! Maryam of My Marrakesh has just updated her inventory, featuring recently-acquired beauties to tempt you. Each blanket is unique and special, in various sizes and weights to suit your needs. She even has a couple of rare black wedding blankets, which sell for a small fortune in London. See for yourself!

2008 Weblog Awards

Speaking of Maryam, for the second year in a row, her fabulous blog My Marrakesh is a finalist in the Weblog Awards. If you're as much of a fan as I am, you can go here and cast your vote. Unusually, in this competition, you can vote every day until January 13th. So vote early and often!

Lighting a candle for Gaza

For Carolien's daughter and her family and the people of Gaza...praying for peace.

Neither east nor west...

Painted wooden Buddha statues,Clipper Trading Company, Savannah, Georgia.

"In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true." - Buddha.

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go out into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism and militarisms. We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace and justice throughout the world. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long dark and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter -- but beautiful -- struggle for a new world..." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Various bronze representations of Buddha heads, Savannah.

Don't look away

Islamic tiles and marble lead to a wooden-and-iron doorway, Mosquée de Paris. Photo by Jordana Shalhoub.

Sameh Habeeb's report from Gaza City is agonising. An excerpt: "Note: I might stop reporting either if I die or I flee my home. Shells rain down beside my house now. Pray for me…Pray for me…."

Now the Israelis have struck a clearly-marked UNRWA school, news offices and homes and killed more civilians, including ambulance drivers and medics.

Strike on Gaza School kills 40

Where would you go?

I'll tell you how he died.

Casualties rise in Gaza offensive

UN: Humanitarian crisis worsening

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on the Israelis to immediately allow journalists and human rights monitors access to Gaza. "Their presence can discourage abuse by warring parties and help save lives," HRW said.

Human Rights Watch urged the Israeli government to abide by an Israeli high court ruling on December 31, 2008 and allow foreign media into Gaza. The presence of journalists and human rights monitors in conflict areas provides an essential check on human rights abuses and laws-of-war violations, the human rights group said.

Since early November when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began to deteriorate, the Israeli government has sharply restricted access to Gaza for foreign journalists and human rights monitors and neither have been permitted entry since the current military campaign began on December 27. Israeli journalists have been denied access to Gaza for the past two years, because of an Israeli government policy prohibiting Israeli citizens from entering Gaza on security grounds.

"Journalists and rights monitors should be allowed into Gaza to investigate and report on the conduct of both sides," said Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Israel's excessive restrictions on access to Gaza only end up impeding this deterrent effect and placing civilians at greater risk."

Winter wonderland

Pine tree laden with snow, Paris.

I got my wish for a winter wonderland! It snowed all day, so I pulled on my suede fur-lined (made in Canada) snow boots, bought years ago in San Francisco and worn maybe five times. First, I went onto the balcony to take photos of the snow-covered bamboo tree. Then I went out into the snow, taking my camera and macro lens, with which I'm still experimenting. No doubt many of you Canadian readers will laugh at the small amount of snow in Paris, since you're used to several feet of le neige blanc. But it's been a while since it snowed much here - so we'll take what we can get!

When I walked past a neighbourhood school, the sound of children laughing rang out; happily, the teachers were letting them play outdoors and throw snowballs. Later, I saw a sadder sight: an old man, sans chapeau, carrying an unwrapped bottle of liquor. He seemed mentally unbalanced, mumbling to himself and weaving from one side of the sidewalk to another. It is hoped he was en route to the senior citizens' residence, maintained by the local Red Cross.

Peaceful.

Hope your week is off to a good start. Please spare a thought and prayer for the people of Gaza. I've been reading Pema Chodron's Practicing Peace in Times of War. She writes: "Someone once gave me a poem with a line in it that offers a good definition of peace: 'Softening what is rigid in our hearts.' We can talk about ending war and we can march for ending war, we can do everything in our power, but war is never going to end as long as our hearts are hardened against each other."

Snow blossom.

Droplets of melting snow.

Every lace-like snowflake in this cluster is unique.

Branches bending under the weight of snow.

Little snowbursts.

The street where I live. The city's largest park, the Bois de Boulogne is across the street and the River Seine is at the end of the block.

Snow-covered bamboo tree.

At dusk the snow subsided.

I'm giving away a copy of Practicing Peace in Times of War. To enter, leave a comment on this post. Best of luck!

The world is watching

Courtyard, Mosquée de Paris. Photo by Jordana Shalhoub.

To the Israelis and to Hamas:

Where is the humanity?

Do you think
that we don't see
the trail of death and destruction
your sophisticated weaponry
and your makeshift rockets leave in their wake?

Do you believe
no one will listen to the truth
from the foreign doctors who staff
the only remaining hospital
tending the wounded, dying and dead?

Do you imagine
no one will notice
the lack of water, electricity, food and shelter
for a civilian population surrounded
and trapped like rats, with no place to go?

Do you expect
no one will report
that even ambulance attendants
turn up wounded or worse,
risking their lives trying to save others?

When you close your eyes at night
is your sleep untroubled?
Or do the images of dying children
haunt your dreams and jolt you awake,
your heart pounding in protest?

Do you believe
there is any victory to be gained?
Kill all the fighters
and another generation will follow,
schooled by extremists in a rage for revenge.

A humanitarian disaster
unfolding right before our eyes
yet politicians dither and posture,
casting blame like squabbling children,
with little regard for the human costs.

In Gaza, there is plenty of blame to go around. An Israeli incursion that killed several alleged militants within Gaza first broke the cease-fire. Hamas retaliated by firing rockets targeting Israeli civilians. Because of extremists on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian civilians now are living in terror, as missles rain down on their heads. Many Israelis have had to seek refuge in their basements or in public shelters, due to the unpredictability of Hamas rockets. Since the Israeli incursion, thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes, even though there is no safe place for them to run.

Israel is responsible for using disproportionate force, with no concern for innocent civilians in Gaza. While 4 Israelis have died, 566 Palestinians have been killed, with more than 3,000 suffering serious injuries. Israel has violated the Geneva Convention by cutting off basic services, including water and electricity and preventing supplies and aid from entering Gaza. The Israeli army has destroyed much of Gaza's infrastructure, as well as buildings not linked to Hamas, including the Palestinian President's office, the Palestinian Parliament, mosques, markets, clinics, schools, businesses and homes. Further, the Israeli army has fired on and killed ambulance drivers ferrying wounded civilians to Gaza's only operational hospital. The Israelis also killed a civilian in the West Bank, as he participated in a peaceful anti-war protest.

Shame on Western leaders for their deafening silence and failure to act. Shame on the United States and its spineless representative for preventing the UN Security Council from negotiating a cease-fire or any kind of settlement. Shame on George W. Bush for supplying weapons to the Israelis, therefore complicit in atrocities being committed on a daily basis in Gaza.

Scroll down the page for a more serene post today.

Birds in the Bois

Birds in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris include a blue tit (above) and a juvenile herring gull (below). Click photos to view detail.

An adult herring gull.

The robin is a regular resident of the Bois.

Wood pigeons (as opposed to the multitudes of scruffy pigeons we see in city centers).

Photos by David Holmes.

If you read nothing else today, please read this and this.

How will history judge us?

Museum exhibition poster, Barcelona, Spain.

The Night There

"The night there is pitch black...and roses are fewer.
The road will fork even more than before. The valley will split open
and the slope will collapse on us. The wound opens wide. Relatives flee.
Victims kill each other to erase their victims' sight and find relief.
We'll know more than we knew before. One abyss will lead to another.
When we embrace an idea worshipped by tribes and branded on their vanishing bodies,
we'll witness emperors engraving their names on grains of wheat to show their power.
Aren't we changed? Men follow the teachings of the sword
and spill blood. Let the sand pile up..."

Poem from the book Unfortunately, It Was Paradise, by Mahmoud Darwish.

News updates:

Tens of thousands in London protest Gaza offensive

Bush denounces Hamas terror (but gives the Israelis a free pass).

Israeli troops move into Gaza

Israel says ground invasion of Gaza is underway

Israeli ground forces push into Gaza

Attacking civilians is a war crime

Israel begins Gaza ground offensive

Scroll down the page for a second post today.

Angels along the path

Sidewalk signs of angels among us, Jan. 2, 2009, Paris.

"If one looks closely enough, one can see angels in every piece of art." - Adeline Cullen Ray