Just close your eyes and imagine this happening in the USA! But this IS happening in France!!! Former Italian supermodel Carla Bruni finds French people ‘miserable’ and Paris ‘unbearably polluted’ but when it comes to her true love, she thinks that President Nicolas Sarkozy is like ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’.
If this were to happen in the US there would have been another American revolution! But I am sure that in France the people must be quitely sipping their wine and nibbling salad and cheese. Such dramatic incidents reveal interesting characteristics about people — whether they are hyper/hypocritical or just relaxed!!!
Let’s continue with the French & Italian story…”When asked if the famously elegant Paris was a nicer city than London, she said: ‘I don’t think so. I’ve really been surprised at how beautiful London is. And in London you don’t feel the pollution because there are so many parks. In Paris, I live on the edge of the city because it’s the only place where you have green spaces. In the middle of Paris, it’s really hard, really unbearable’. More here…
After British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the other high profile visitor to India this week is French President Nicholas Sarkozy. Unlike Brown’s economic agenda, the focus on his visit seems to be more on whether he’ll bring his girlfriend along.
“Indian officials are scratching their heads over what protocol to follow with the president’s girlfriend, as they have entertained spouses till date. French government has to decide Bruni’s status and if they call her Sarkozy’s companion, she may be treated on par as a spouse.” More here…
India’s leading writer, Shobhaa De (a native version of Jackie Collins) has her opinion. “Confession time: I love Sarko. And I think Carla Bruni, his girlfriend/mistress/ temptress/wife is seriously gorgeous. Sarko is what the French call a chaud lapin. Literal translation? Hot rabbit. In other words, he is unstoppable when it comes to women. His ex-wife insists the man is wild and non-discriminating in his choice of female companions. Does that make him a criminal? Mais, non! That makes him a hero, especially in his own country.” More here…
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.