In 1979, I happened to run across Georges Bernier, the creator of the bitingly satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo. The motto was “Bête et Méchant,” which translates roughly as “stupid and nasty.” It had started in 1969 as Hara Kiri, but had only lasted a year before it was closed on orders from Charles de Gaulle, […]
Archives for January 2015
Gamay, Abbaye de Mont, Mont-sur-Rolle 2013
Gamay Vieilles Vignes, Abbaye de Mont, Mont-sur-Rolle 2013, Ville de Lausanne Vieilles vignes means old vines, well, how old? You may ask. In this case between twenty to thirty years. Vines can continue to produce winemaking grapes for about 200 years. The older the vine, the better the wine. But the older the vines, the smaller […]
Nous sommes Charlie
Editorial comment The New Year started quietly. Then barbarity struck the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris. While the slaughter was concentrated in Paris the resonance was global. The world rapidly came together in condemnation of this cowardly and atrocious act. Le News joins the world in condemning this barbarous act and offers its condolences to […]
Still Life; Whiplash; Yalom’s Cure
We’re in luck in this brand new year of 2015 – fine films coming out in droves, with the three below a taste of some of the best. One gentle, the second electrifying and the third a Zen experience. Get to the movies and enjoy great cinema! Still Life (Une belle fin) **** This is […]
Talking About a Resolution
‘Guess what kind of doggie I am,’ yapped the smaller child, before lying down on the floor and throwing some kind of fit. ‘A rabid one?’ I ventured, as she tried to bite my feet. It wasn’t the right answer. She was actually being a Chihuahua. One without a sense of humour, apparently. Poor child. […]
Payot’s best sellers of the week
Voted “Book of the Year” by UK bookseller, Waterstones, The Miniaturist, published by Picador, is the highly acclaimed debut novel by Jessie Burton. Set in 1686 in Amsterdam, the book tells the story of 18-year-old Nella Oortman who arrives at the grand house of her new husband, the wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt. The marriage is […]
“Eat a burger!” – the skinny shaming phenomenon
Many people seem to believe that a woman needs to be thin in order to be considered beautiful. The western world especially still embraces the idea that a woman can’t be attractive unless she is skinny. But it looks like times are changing. Beyoncé, Christina Hendricks and Kim Kardashian are among the many famous women […]
From School to University : a giant leap?
The IB, A-Level, Maturité and Bac are all stepping stones to university but how adequate are they in preparing students for what is to come? Does one serve that purpose better than others? These different diplomas offer different styles of studies but are equally valid in terms of academic level. The Maturité trains students to […]
Destination London!
What about starting the New Year with a trip to London? You may already know the major sites, such as Big Ben, Picadilly and Oxford Circus but there is always something new to explore in this great city. For example, the Southwark area, near London Bridge is worth discovering, with the beautiful Southwark cathedral and […]
Madonna visits Switzerland
The American musician Madonna graces the slopes of Gstaad, the 3000 metre glacier in the canton of Vaud and shares her photos via twitter. Lacklustre snow conditions don’t seem to have dampened her enthusiasm. Switzerland inspires even those who have it all it seems.