May 30th,Bertrand Delanoë, Gay Mayor of Paris

b. May 30, 1950

“Any time there are Parisians fighting for more freedom ... I’m with them.”

In 2001 when Bertrand Delanoë was elected mayor of Paris, the city became the world’s largest to have an openly gay mayor. In March 2008, he won reelection.

Delanoë grew up in Tunisia, a French colony at the time. His first political interest came during the Battle of Bizerte. Watching as French soldiers opened fire on Arab citizens, he felt that “an Arab should be equal to a Frenchman.” Delanoë claims it is because of colonialism that he began to identify with the left.

During his days at the Université de Toulouse, where he graduated with a degree in economics, Delanoë became involved in politics and joined the Socialist Party. At the age of 23, he was elected deputy secretary of the Aveyron Socialist Federation. Between 1973 and 2001, Delanoë held various political positions, including national secretary of the Socialist Party and member of the Paris City Council.

As mayor of Paris, Delanoë pushed an agenda for change. In an effort to reduce city traffic and pollution, Delanoë started a low-cost program that encourages Parisians to rent bikes. He worked to provide more affordable housing to encourage economically disadvantaged people to stay in the city.

In October 2002, Delanoë was stabbed. His assailant told police he targeted Delanoë because of his homosexuality.

Despite France’s political tradition of keeping one’s personal life out of the public, Delanoë came out in a French television interview in 1998. In his book, “La vie, passionnément” (“Life, Passionately”) (2004), Delanoë says he made that decision because he thought it could help, even if in a small way, “lighten the burden of secrecy borne by so many people.” On the topic of gay marriage Delanoë writes, “In the name of what can one reject this demand for equality?”

Bibliography

“Gay Paris Mayor Hits Out at French Homophobia.” Expatica. September 20, 2004
http://www.expatica.com/fr/articles/news/gay-paris-mayor-hits-out-at-french-homophobia-12016.html
Rapp, Linda. “Delanoë, Bertrand.” GLBTQ: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer Culture. 2007
http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/delanoe_b.html
Stevens, Andrew and James Monaghan. “Bertrand Delanoë: Mayor of Paris.” City Mayors. May 29, 2008
http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/paris_mayor.html
Articles
Bennhold, Katrin. “A New French Revolution’s Creed: Let Them Ride Bikes.” The New York Times. July 16, 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/world/europe/16paris.html
Lichfield, John. “Politics on Course for a Left Turn in Gay Paree.” The Independent. December 17, 2000.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20001217/ai_n14363383?tag=content;col1
Books
Pour l’honneur de Paris (For the Honor of Paris) (1999)
http://www.amazon.fr/Pour-lhonneur-Paris-B-Delanoe/dp/2702130194/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927348&sr=1-1
La vie, passionnément (Life, Passionately) (2004)
http://www.amazon.fr/vie-passionn%C3%A9ment-Bertrand-Delano%C3%A9/dp/2221100107/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927322&sr=1-1
De l’audace! (Audacity!) (2008)
http://www.amazon.fr/laudace-Bertrand-Delano%C3%AB/dp/2221110609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927372&sr=1-1
Websites
Bertrand Delanoë Website
http://bertranddelanoe.net/vlog-paris/

Bertrand Delanoë, First Openly Gay Mayor of Paris

b. May 30, 1950

“Any time there are Parisians fighting for more freedom ... I’m with them.”

In 2001 when Bertrand Delanoë was elected mayor of Paris, the city became the world’s largest to have an openly gay mayor. In March 2008, he won reelection.

Delanoë grew up in Tunisia, a French colony at the time. His first political interest came during the Battle of Bizerte. Watching as French soldiers opened fire on Arab citizens, he felt that “an Arab should be equal to a Frenchman.” Delanoë claims it is because of colonialism that he began to identify with the left.

During his days at the Université de Toulouse, where he graduated with a degree in economics, Delanoë became involved in politics and joined the Socialist Party. At the age of 23, he was elected deputy secretary of the Aveyron Socialist Federation. Between 1973 and 2001, Delanoë held various political positions, including national secretary of the Socialist Party and member of the Paris City Council.

As mayor of Paris, Delanoë pushed an agenda for change. In an effort to reduce city traffic and pollution, Delanoë started a low-cost program that encourages Parisians to rent bikes. He worked to provide more affordable housing to encourage economically disadvantaged people to stay in the city.

In October 2002, Delanoë was stabbed. His assailant told police he targeted Delanoë because of his homosexuality.

Despite France’s political tradition of keeping one’s personal life out of the public, Delanoë came out in a French television interview in 1998. In his book, “La vie, passionnément” (“Life, Passionately”) (2004), Delanoë says he made that decision because he thought it could help, even if in a small way, “lighten the burden of secrecy borne by so many people.” On the topic of gay marriage Delanoë writes, “In the name of what can one reject this demand for equality?”

Bibliography

“Gay Paris Mayor Hits Out at French Homophobia.” Expatica. September 20, 2004
http://www.expatica.com/fr/articles/news/gay-paris-mayor-hits-out-at-french-homophobia-12016.html
Rapp, Linda. “Delanoë, Bertrand.” GLBTQ: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer Culture. 2007
http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/delanoe_b.html
Stevens, Andrew and James Monaghan. “Bertrand Delanoë: Mayor of Paris.” City Mayors. May 29, 2008
http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/paris_mayor.html
Articles
Bennhold, Katrin. “A New French Revolution’s Creed: Let Them Ride Bikes.” The New York Times. July 16, 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/16/world/europe/16paris.html
Lichfield, John. “Politics on Course for a Left Turn in Gay Paree.” The Independent. December 17, 2000.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20001217/ai_n14363383?tag=content;col1
Books
Pour l’honneur de Paris (For the Honor of Paris) (1999)
http://www.amazon.fr/Pour-lhonneur-Paris-B-Delanoe/dp/2702130194/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927348&sr=1-1
La vie, passionnément (Life, Passionately) (2004)
http://www.amazon.fr/vie-passionn%C3%A9ment-Bertrand-Delano%C3%A9/dp/2221100107/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927322&sr=1-1
De l’audace! (Audacity!) (2008)
http://www.amazon.fr/laudace-Bertrand-Delano%C3%AB/dp/2221110609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216927372&sr=1-1
Websites
Bertrand Delanoë Website
http://bertranddelanoe.net/vlog-paris/

Olympic Torch...Paris. Eternal flame snuffed out, amid cries of fascism!

City of Love erupts...


Activists protest in Paris streets against Human Rights Violations in Tibet...


As expected, a handful of well-organized activists upset the Paris stretch of the Olympic Torch relay yesterday, to protest rights abuses in Tibet.

In contrast to the London protestors, a focused band of rebel-rousers in the eternal "City of Love" - what else can you call 'em? - managed to upset China's stab at a "moment in the sun" from the get-go.

In fact, the torch bearer was hardly down the Eiffel Tower stairs, before activists lunged forward, and angrily shouted,

"Freedom for the Chinese."

They expressed their angst with visual aids, as well. For instance, the spirited interlopers allegedly hung banners from the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral, depicting the Olympic rings as handcuffs (novel idea!) as they ceremoniously chained themselves to the railings.

And, it appears that the bold-faced efforts garnered results; Chinese Officials were forced to abandon the final stretch of the procession, languishing over the fact that what was supposed to be a joyous tour around the Louvre, the Place de Concorde, and the picturesque Seine River - turned out to be a rocky road to hell and back.

There was some violence, too.

At one point, French activists were thrown into a free-for-all - a fist-fight broke out, for instance - at which point, the activists proceeded to spit on the Pro-Chinese presence as they shouted, "Fascists!"

The Minister of the Interior released a press notice that confirmed there were many arrests - 18 at last count - and that to disperse the raucous crowd tear gas had been used by the French Police.

Lesser crimes of trespassing were levied, as well.

The French are such a dramatic lot, aren't they?

One arrestee wrote "liber" on the right palm - and "te" on the left - so that she was able to flash the meaning of the phrase - Freedom - from a prominent window at the brig where she was being held.

Lawmakers lurched into the fray, too. When the torch passed parliament, about thirty-five government officials responded by angrily shouting, "Freedom for Tibet".

And, Oh my God, the torch was snuffed out on a number of occasions during the course of the melee!

But - apparently - the Olympic flame continued to burn in a Lantern, untouched; subsequently, the original wick was used to re-light the torch every time it returned to a secure area after being extinguished by the angry throngs.

Some were thoroughly disgusted by the day's events,

"A symbol like that, carried by young people who want to deliver a message of peace, should be allowed to pass," scowled Henri Serandour, the French Olympic Committee.

However, the French President - Nicolas Sarkozy - has apparently recognized the potential need to "boycott" the games as well, in the wake of the ongoing heinous crimes against humanity in Tibet.

Sarkozy has issued a press release noting that he'll "watch and see" what transpires in coming weeks; depending on how the drama unfolds in Tibet, he may not attend the opening ceremonies to protest.

The torch relay - which journeys around the globe each occasion the World Games are started up - was meant to highlight China's rising economic and political power.

Over the bloodied bodies of the activists, I expect, at this juncture.

Jean-Paul Sartre once said,

"Fascism is not defined by the number of its victims, but by the way it kills them."

Las Vegas..."Band She" rocks at Paris; Midnight with Pamela Anderson, and Lounge Lizards at Planet Hollywood!

Well, on Christmas Eve, the all girl group - "BAND SHE" - really rocked Paris (not the socialite celeb, guys) - at the Hotel of the same name in Las Vegas. The pretty, talented ladies were all gussied up in black and pink - and made quite an impression on the holiday revelers who were out in good cheer!

Meanwhile, down the road at "Planet Hollywood", the management was featuring Karaoke on Tuesday night...gee, was this how Elvis got discovered? Judging by the enthusiastic crowds who jumped up and belted out songs non-stop with gusto - the weekly event should be a mainstay for awhile.

There was a lot of excitement elsewhere on the strip, too.

At midnight, the "Mirage" featured a spectacular light and water show outside the Hotel which peaked with a stunning display of fireworks - flames that roared about 500 feet in the air - which wowed the thronging masses snapping away with their digital cams on Las Vegas Boulevard beyond the guard rail.

When I stopped in to the MGM Grand, a large capacity crowd was also marveling at the "Lion Habitat"; gee, brave tourists can actually walk under a glass walkway as a pride of Lions stride above in all their spectacular, powerful beauty.

Down on the old strip, I stumbled across a great little restaurant in the Four Queens (!) Hotel, which offers up an incredible breakfast special for $4.95. If you've got a big appetite, then the large platter with eggs, ham (replete with bone in the middle, which you can pack away and take home for the dog), hash browns (with a crusty, tasty skin toasted to perfection) toast, and piping hot coffee will start the day off right.

Around the cocktail hour, tourists in the "know", were slipping into the "Golden Gate" down the street for scrumptious shrimp cocktail - at 99 cents a crack. Ah, just like the old days in Vegas...a deal can be had!

At the Casinos I scored quite well with my gambling...granted, it struck me a little odd that folks actually bet on one-arm bandits with names like - "Cops & Doughnuts", "Tabasco, "Wild Pepper", and the like...but, whatever gets you off, eh?
Believe it or not, on a "Wild Wolf " slot machine, I hit a jackpot which paid all my expenses for the day. To date, I'm ahead of the game; but, I don't go hog wild, if you know what I mean.

A handful of Asian tourists asked for my assistance in figuring out the wagering scheme on the betting line; frankly, I was staggered by the sums the joyful lot wanted to gamble each pull of the arm.

Not like some, my strategy is to move on when I win - play a new round with my winnings (for good luck) at another machine - and try for the big pay-outs just waiting to strike. Oftentimes, they do, and have.

I laughed when I noticed a number of hard-core gamblers stroking the front panels of the slot machine - as if with a magic wand - to beckon a stroke of luck. Well, whatever works for ya!

Some old-timers are so stubborn, though! In spite of rising losses, many are inclined to hang on to one lone game - plugging in coins of the realm hourly - waiting for the pay-off, which - sadly - often never does.

The town was purring with quite a few sleek limos last night with brides and grooms in tow; yup, the chapel doors are wide open 'til the wee hours of dawn, in the event some hopeless romantics are hankering for a quickie wedding in Nevada.

What really surprised me was the smoking everywhere! We're so spoiled in California, with our restrictions, and all.

In the Casinos, there are nasty butts in ashtrays everywhere, and folks just smokin' up a storm. Fortunately, the habit - which many deem nasty - doesn't bother me in the least. However, I noticed a handful of visitors - who have smoke regulations in the city's they journeyed from - were obviously taken aback by the puffers in prominence everywhere!

In the next week, there's plenty of entertainment to take in, if you're pining for a quick get-a-way.

Right now, there is an excellent exhibition of photographs from the "Titanic", for instance. In this well-archived show, there are over 300 authentic artifacts on display, which were rescued from the Titantic's final resting place 2 1/2 miles beneath the North Atlantic.

And, there's another more intriguing display which is aptly entitled, "Bodies...The Exhibition". The show - housed at the "Tropicana" - features about twenty-one whole-body specimens, in addition to more than 260 organs and partial body specimens, for your inspection up-close and personal. Critics are calling the unique experience, "...both transfixing and educational".

I'm been informed that the insightful foray explores a handful of realistic problems which occur due to over-eating and smoking; so, definitely - Bodies - is not for the squeamish! If you are fascinated by the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, and circulatory systems - this one's for you.

The truly macabre-minded will undoubtedly take it in on a double-bill with a screening of "Sweeney Todd".

Then, there's the big "Fight" on December 29th...with the two top contenders - St. Pierre vs. Hughes - at "Mandalay Bay". Heavyweights in both show business and the sports arena will be in attendance, with a lot of lookie-loos on the sidelines, catching the blow by blow action.

"Earth Wind & Fire" will be in concert at the "Venetian" on December 31st.

And, Pam Anderson will be at "Pure" (the Baywatch beauty, tool-time girl I worked with on "Home Improvement") at Caesar's Palace.

The Beatles show - "LOVE" - is a big draw right now (Cirque Du Soleil) at the "Mirage", which was directed by Dominic Champagne, with musical bravado by Sir George Martin & Giles Martin respectively.

For die-hard "Back Street Boys" fans, the night will be edgy and wild at the "Hard Rock", when the guys get dirty for a countdown at midnight on December 31st.

For those with off-beat tastes: "Carrot Top" - remember him? - is at the "Atrium Showroom", while the "Chippendales" dancers are still going strong at the Rio.

Well, something to appeal to every taste.

Although I spent the holiday in "sin" city, I managed to get back to my Hotel before the witching hour and caught the Pope's midnight mass on NBC...ah, managed to save my soul by the stroke of twelve.

Happy Holidays!

Backstreet Boys