IS THE ENGLISH F.A. MONEY MAD ?

The basic rule in sport is that the playing field must be level !!!  This applies to all sports !!!  All competitors must, or at least, should be, treated equally !!!


How is it justifiable, to-day, to make Manchester City play their match before Manchester United kick off ?  Is it because both matches "must" gross the maximum income from television ?


There are also relegation battles to-day !!!  The same principle should apply.  No team, at any level, should know before the start or before the end of a game, the score or result, of a direct competitor, at least in football !!!


For example, would it be impossible to revert to the old principles and oblige all teams to play at the same time during, either important end of season matches, or the last three matches of the season ?


If this is not possible, the obvious question is "Has the English Football Association really gone completely money mad ?" 










  

"ME, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC"

The ranting monologue with which François Hollande concluded his face to face debate with Nicolas Sarkozy on the television was remarkable and memorable.


Repeated 16 times, the phrase "Me, the President of the Republic" seems to come straight out of the method of auto-suggestion which would not have been disapproved of by Dr Coué.


P.S. Memo for younger readers:  Dr Emile Coué (1857 - 1926) was an eminent French psychiatrist and pharmacist, well known in Europe and the USA. (He met President Calvin Coolidge in 1923.) He was at the origin of the theory of "auto-suggestion":  "All ideas engraved in our memory could become reality if and when possible".  


We shall have to wait until after the vote this Sunday, May 6, 2012.  Will Hollande then be elected ?  

SARKOZY AND HOLLANDE ; A PUNCHY DEBATE !!!

20 million people watched a "no holds barred" debate between outgoing President Sarkozy and his socialist challenger, François Hollande.


During the first few exchanges, Hollande took what came, but he then became more combative.  He was faced by a Sarkozy who was his usual self, a man who knows all the aspects of any problem on which he is questioned.  In the end Hollande also revealed he was on top of the problems which came up for debate.


In my opinion, the tactic which Hollande adopted, when he was in difficulty, was to interrupt repeatedly when  Sarkozy was speaking !!!  Sarkozy was more relaxed !!!


Whatever the case may be, the real, ultimate, question is who "won" ?


The debate was at a very high level.  The amount of detail revealed by each candidate to support what he was saying was at times too technical for even highly educated television watchers to be able to absorb !!!


This fact is perhaps revealing of whether either candidate managed to convince any "floating" voters !!!


Sarkozy needed to convince FN voters and Bayrou voters (Modern Democrats) to join his rally for his re-election.  He certainly convinced some but perhaps not enough to save his skin !!!


The voters on the Left, however, could never be pursuaded to change their voting habits if they do not understand the message Sarkozy was trying to get across last night !!!  They will again vote for Hollande.


On the whole, the impression now is that Hollande will  become the new President of France on Sunday, May 6, 2012 !!!     

"MOI PRESIDENT DE LA REPUBLIQUE"...

La tirade de François Hollande déclamée en conclusion du débat avec Nicolas Sarkozy a été particulièrement remarquée.


Prononcé à 16 reprises, ce "moi Président de la République" semblait relever d'une méthode d'auto persuasion que n'aurait pas désavoué le docteur Coué!


P.S.  A l'attention des plus jeunes: Le docteur Coué, décédé en 1926, est à l'origine de la méthode qui considère que "toute idée qui se grave dans notre esprit tend à devenir une réalité dans l'ordre du possible".


DML

COMMENT SE DETERMINERONT LES 6.4 MILLIONS D'ELECTEURS DU FN ?.

Le débat télévisé entre Nicolas Sarkozy et François Hollande qui a lieu ce mercredi soir, permettra-t-il aux électeurs du Front National de se déterminer en faveur de l'un ou l'autre des deux candidats ?


Comme prévu, Marine Le Pen n'a pas donné de consignes de vote, précisant que pour sa part, elle votera blanc...
Elle a ironisé sur "la danse du ventre" à laquelle se livrent les deux candidats pour séduire les 6 400 000 électeurs qui ont voté FN.


Dernière illustration de cette opération séduction: Gerard Longuet, Ministre de la Défense (excusez du peu) a affirmé qu'il voyait en Marine Le Pen un "interlocuteur possible" !!!


Las!  Ce pas en avant a été suivi d'un grand saut en arrière:  Jean François Copé, patron de l'UMP, s'est empressé de déclarer qu'il n'y aura jamais d'alliance avec l'extrême droite. 


 Ces "maladresses " successives ne risquent elles pas de  faire échec à la réélection de Nicolas Sarkozy ?  Mais en cas d'échec de son candidat, l'UMP aura au moins la satisfaction de ne pas avoir perdu son âme !!!


DML

MARINE LE PEN WILL NOT VOTE FOR HOLLANDE OR SARKOZY !!!

The latest indications this morning are that Hollande still has a comfortable lead over Sarkozy, but one must now await the Face to Face Debate on major issues on French Television this evening (at 21 hours French Time on TF1, TF2 or BFM).


This debate promises to be "historic" and lively, before  20 million French television spectators.


Marine Le Pen has said she will vote for neither candidate, Sarkozy or Hollande and urges FN electors to vote freely for the Presidential Candidate they consider is best, or to vote blank as she intends to do !!! This is the reply to Nicolas Sarkozy who, last week refused clearly to withdraw UMP candidates in favour of FN candidates when the latter are more favourably placed after the first week of voting, i.e. the 17th of June, in the General Election !!!


Both Hollande and Sarkozy have also said that they were prepared to introduce a small dose of "proportional" voting.  As Sarkozy said it is not normal that a party that has 6 million voters (18%) is not represented in Parliament !!!  Alas the earliest any new law will be able to be used , would be in 2017, unless there is an anticipated General Election !!!

DSK PLEA OF "DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY" REJECTED !!!

A defence plea of "Diplomatic Immunity" in a case of sexual aggression was yesterday rejected by the court in a civil law case between DSK and Nafissatou Diallo in New York.  The court ruled that sexual aggression was not covered by the immunity to which DSK was entitled under his conract with the IMF (International Monetary Fund).  


Diplomatic immunity had also been invoked by the Defence in the criminal legal proceedings against DKS, but the case was not proceeded with because the main prosecution witness, Nafissatou Diallo, was deemed to be  unreliable !!!  


This decision should be welcomed as it helps define the limits of Diplomatic Immunity.  Diplomats need help to protect them in some circumstances, but do they need help or protection when they are the aggressive party ? 


The ultimate hearing of the case may not take place before two or three years, which leaves enough time for the parties to agree a financial settlement.  Would DSK want all the publicity that such a case would attract ?  Very certainly not !!!