- Who doesn’t want to vacation it up like the French
political elite in their free time? That chance has finally arrived amidst the
walls of an
old fortress on a tiny island, surrounded by pine trees and the placid waters
of the Mediterranean Sea. The Fort de Bregancon has long stood as an über-private
holiday retreat of French leaders, but that place of respite for the privileged
few is throwing its doors open to the masses. Socialist President Francois
Hollande has already run afoul of the upper class by seeking to hike tax rates
for millionaires and level the socioeconomic playing field for all Frenchmen
and in that same spirit, Hollade is breaking with tradition and allowing
members of the public to visit the fort for a measly 10 euros. That fee covers
a trip to the stylish villa, which is positioned on one of the most beautiful
and unspoiled parts of the French Riviera. The opening of the fort is a public
relations ploy from the president as he touts his toned-down lifestyle, but
it’s also a nice chance for visitors to peruse the property’s salons, its dining
room and the president's office. However, those expecting mountains of shiny
marble and the sort of elegant parquet floors that are the hallmark of so many
French palaces will be disappointed, as the fort mostly sports white walls and
very basic file floors in keeping with the local Mediterranean style. Instead
of an opulent palace, it looks more like a family vacation home. The structure
was originally built in the Middle Ages and became state property during the
French Revolution. Gen. Charles de Gaulle made it the official residence of the
Republic after spending a mosquito-infested night there in 1964, electing to
renovate the building into a more habitable space. Every French president since
has spent time at the getaway and it was a favorite spot for Jacques Chirac and
his wife Bernadette, who visited often during his presidency from 1995 to 2007.
Little did Chirac know the fort would someday be a tourist draw used to rake in
a few extra dollars for the government………
- Robert Griffin III was a massive presence on campus during his three
years at Baylor. He’ll continue to loom large over the university’s Waco campus
even though he’s three years removed from wearing the green and gold and
balling at Baylor. Like so many college football luminaries before him, Griffin
has been honored by his former school with a statue of himself at the place
where he played. A 9.5-foot bronze statue of the school's first-ever Heisman
Trophy winner will be installed in the south end zone plaza prior to Baylor’s 2014
season opener against SMU on Aug. 31. That’s the only major detail school
officials are giving out about the statue, as Griffin's pose for the oversized
artwork is being kept under wraps. All that’s known about its appearance at
this point other than the metal from which it will be made is that artist Tom
White took photos of RGIII in his Baylor jersey this summer and both the
quarterback and Baylor officials had an opportunity to weigh in on the design.
Ironically, the statue will be erected at McLane Stadium, a sparkling new
waterfront venue that is a massive upgrade over Floyd Casey Stadium, where
Griffin played his college football. His success is a big reason McLane Stadium
was possible and the state-of-the-art facility will sport a scenic view and
opportunities for pregame "sail-gating” along with a chance for
innumerable selfies with the most famous man ever to put on a Baylor jersey.
Maybe this will help boost Griffin’s spirits after a lackluster second season
in the NFL that saw his own head coach bench him for the final two games of the
season in the supposed interest of protecting Griffin and his still-recovering
knee……..
- This, America, is how you turn our nation’s absurdly high
number of imprisoned people from a negative into a positive. Just drink in this
scene….there were 500 busted-up, neglected bikes sitting around, taking up
space at a New Orleans Police Department warehouse, contributing less to
society than an imprisoned felon doing 25 to life for second-degree murder. But
in a matter of days, those bikes have gone from useless hunks of plastic,
rubber and metal to working bikes that can be donated to children and others in
need of an eco-friendly ride. Men like Hayward Jones, who is serving a life
sentence at the infamous Angola State Prison, are among those who have agreed
to spend some extra time out of their cells fixing up the bikes. Jones views
the exercise (pun intended) as one that can help inmates with shorter sentences
learn a valuable lesson to be used when they re-enter the world. “There’s
always a stigma, ‘Oh you’re just like me.’ But it’s bigger than that. Not
only do I have experience to hear about, I have a life to share and I have
something to offer you, if you want it,” Jones said. The bike-fixing process,
in theory, allows inmates to give back to the community from which they have
taken so much through their crimes. It also allows inmates to mentor troubled
young men whom they can hopefully steer/frighten away from prison and the bikes
just might be the needed mode of transportation for someone who is seeking a
job and could end up going down the wrong road if they don’t get one. It may
not be a perfect mix, but like welcoming migrant workers across the border to
do the menial tasks the average American refuses to do, it fills a small crack
in America’s great societal wall………
- Points for honesty go to Swedish pop singer Lykke Li. Li’s
music may not be great – actually, it most certainly isn't great – but at least
she knows where she resides on the musical totem pole. Li, whose debut album
“Youth Novels” was released in 2008 when she was a 22-year-old, fresh face on
the music scene, admitted that as she looks back on her debut, she isn't
impressed with what she hears. "I cannot stand my first album. It is so bad.
I sucked,” Li said of the album. That was very…. on-point, so say the least.
“Youth Novels” launched a trio of released capped by this year’s “I Never
Learn,” which seems to resonate much more favorably in the ears of its auteur. "I
knew that one day I would arrive. I’ve worked so f*cking hard, harder than
anyone would imagine, and I’ve done everything alone,” Li added. “I deserve to
be here." “Youth Novels” featured then-popular singles such as “I’m Good,
I’m Gone” and “Little Bit,” neither of which sounded very good at the time and
which certainly haven't held up well over the past six years. Maybe the lessons
learned from a subpar debut have paid off, as “Never Learn” is much less
electronic and strikes a melancholy, ballad-led sound that is at least an
incremental improvement over what preceded it. Still, Li noted that such a
release may not have been the smartest move for an artist who has thrived on something
much different. "In a commercial sense this album is the worst move I
could make: nine songs that just rip your heart apart,” Li concluded……….
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