Duke University

We just spent the week-end in Durham, NC, visiting David and Cristina. Durham, and the surrounding area were gorgeous in this early spring season. We drove along Duke University's campus, bright with thousands of tulips, dogwoods and azaleas. The residential areas, of all social levels, are bedecked in wisteria, daffodils and cherry trees.
David and I talked about wines, politics, recipes and movies. The talk of the town was about a black "exotic" dancer, allegedly gang raped by Duke Lacrossse team members. She was on duty, performing for the white students at a rowdy party , off campus. Here, in a nutshell, are all the ingredients of a slice of Americana: rich frat boys from a select private school; the poor student from a black college, who strips in order to pay for her studies; wild alcoholized parties in quiet neighborhoods; the reputation of a renowned school and even the prosecutor, DA. Nifong, running for office. Add a touch of DNA, the local newspaper "the Sun-Herald", and you have a novel that could only take place in the South.
By the way, in Durham blacks are 45 % of the population, whites 44%, and hispanics 9%!

Meanwhile, back in France, the CPE is dead. Chirac caved in. He about killed any hope for De Villepin to ever succeed him, and with it, also killed any hope for France to catch up with the XXIst century. It is the sad end of a reign, and the pursuit of a chimera. Students, workers, and 76% of the population who was against the CPE are the ultimate losers. Their belief that the rules should be dictated in the street are vindicated: they have lost their democracy. They think they struck a blow for liberty, they will control their lives even less , under a globalization they think they just escaped. Are we headed for a sixth Republic?