Paris
27 September, 2004
Radio France Info reported on Friday that a majority of all juvenile delinquence in Paris was committed by Romanians. Libération reported that out of 968 foreign children arrested in Paris, 662 were Romanians. Many of these are gypsies/Rom. It has become such a serious problem that the two governments are in consultation.
I was in London over the weekend. The British hostage Kenneth Bigley was in all the newspapers. It seems he is still alive, and his kidnappers, who cut off the heads of two Americans kidnapped with Bigley, are skillfully using Bigley to widen the breach between the public in the U.K. and in the U.S. It is working.
On Thursday night is the first debate between John Kerry and George W. Bush. They both studied History of American Oratory under the same revered Yale professor, Rollin Osterweis. It will be interesting to see how it goes. My money is on George W., who has the popular touch. A little stupidity never hurt an American presidential candidate (except maybe Oliver Quayle) but being too intelligent often has.
On the Birth of his Son
Families, when a child is born
Want it to be intelligent.
I, through intelligence,
Having wrecked my whole life,
Only hope the baby will prove
Ignorant and stupid.
Then he will crown a tranquil life
By becoming a Cabinet Minister.
-- Su Tung-p'o/Su Dongpo (1036-1101 A.D.)
translated by Arthur Waley
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