la Quatorze

Lat night, the horizon was ablaze even here in rural France as villages and towns celebrated our national holiday, Bastille Day! This is a video from last nights display in Paris and of course the real star of the show was La Tour Eiffel! Remember, people make revolutions. The government is all about maintaining the status quo, protecting it's vested interest. A revolution doesn't have to be violent. Today as we can learn from countries like Iceland, it can be a simple as crowd sourcing a new constitution. Pretty much like upgrading the operating system of your computer to protect it from hacking, bugs and

In case you missed it, the rainbow
gay pride tribute sequence!

viruses. That is the flaw of any nobly intent antique constitution. The only people who read it are those intent on interpreting the language to fit  their intent. A government has to be a living organism that reflects the will of the people who it supposedly serves. An organism evolves. It withers and dies when it is encased in a museum under glass. America is the perfect example. What was once "We The People" is now "We The Corporations And It's Lawyers". Maybe though, it's time to take Bill Gates, The Corporate Board of Monsanto, The Texas State Legislature and few other entities that have evolved beyond any definition of "We The People" and take them out in back of the barn and shoot 'em

French etching from 1789 depicting the storming of the Bastille.

The storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris, France on the morning of 14 July 1789. The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. While the prison only contained seven inmates at the time of its storming, its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.

The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed within three years. French society underwent a dramatic transformation, as feudal, aristocratic and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from radical left-wing political groups, masses on the streets, and peasants in the countryside. Old ideas about tradition and hierarchy regarding monarchs, aristocrats, and the Catholic Church were abruptly overthrown by new principles o liberty, equality and fraternity. The modern era has unfolded in the shadow of the French Revolution. The growth of republics and liberal democracies, the spread of secularism, the development of modern ideologies, and the invention of total war all mark their birth during the Revolution.

And of course, in France, The President gives an interview. Here we see our President "Normal" Francois Hollande giving a pretty upbeat message on the economy. When asked about his dismal approval ratings, he was able to joke about the traditional pessimism and depression of the French population even in the very best of times. He did make a very strong statement that while he was president of France, he would never ever consider the possibility of Fraking! Hollande's biggest problem is his public image and ability to manage his diverse coalition and most important, the way they communicate with the media. The right  wing nationalists have such a simplistic, negative message, like the Republicans and the Tea Baggers in America...Hollande inherited Sarkozy's debacle and he has to turn it around. Sarkozy just has to be seen with his ex groupie pop star wife, Carlita Brun brun in public to have his likability ratings go up a notch....