.....There's been a lot going on around the Globe this week. These are just a couple of things which have aroused, amazed,annoyed or otherwise activated my grey cells! Starting with the famously eternal "News Channel of the Year" - Sky News . I have no idea WHO votes them every year, but something is wrong. This week, watching the German news Channel " ZDF " at 7pm, I was informed that the European Community had received the official request from the Portugese Government for the much publicised "bail-out".... ......It took the British News Channel of the year a further 18 hours to announce this fact, and even then as though it was an exclusive scoop! They then carried on to inform us that due to the threatened "shutdown" of the American Government, it was possible that some of the State Parks would not be open....! Not a word at that moment about the millions of people who would risk not obtaining their unemployment or food stamps ...

There was an event earlier in this month which has undoubtedly been relatively ignored by most people, even the French. Here, in French, is the announcement made by the French President Sarkozy regarding the event: "  Nicolas Sarkozy Mayotte est officiellement un département de France . Depuis plus de 50 ans, les Mahorais se battent pour être rattachés de la manière la plus étroite qui soit à notre République. Ils ont approuvé la départementalisation à plus de 95% le 29 mars 2009. L’effort à accomplir est immense, et la départementalisation se fera de manière progressive. C'est un jour de fête pour tous les Français, de Mayotte ou d'ailleurs." Here is a link to an older report in English - made BEFORE the vote: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/26/mayote-referendum-polygamy- islam which may make it easier for you to understand. This was published on "Facebook" and basically (for non- French speaking readers) is the announcement t...