The hurricane Sandy in Delaware

We were very anxious about the hurricane Sandy, following every step on CNN ; we were right in its trajectory where it was supposed to landfall but eventually, here in Newark, Delaware we had just a big storm. We had also a lot of rain.
We were lucky to not be on the coast, Dover, Atlantic City and New York it's not the same story.
For the moment we are in a ghost town, even Starbusk is closed.

Vote's advices

Between alerts about Hurricane Sandy, we can watch ads from both parties to support Romney or Obama.

Christian's lobbying helps you also to make your choice : the delaware's republican will end taxpayer government funding of abortion but not the other side. If you rely to them, they assure you also that B. Obama opposes "religious liberty" but not M. Romney. Obama ""will" support government funding of planned parenthood, not M. Romney.
If you take your coffee at 7 eleven you can support your candidate.
With Sandy Hurricane just before the vote on the 6th of november, it can change all the predictions...

Hurricane Sandy

The Hurricane Sandy, wich just hit Cuba and Haiti, will encounter cold winds coming from the north when climbing the eastcoast. It's a little bit frightening. The website of our city warns inhabitants about it and advice us to have bottle of water, non perishable foods and flashligts for at least 3 days.
Floodings are expected, hopefully we are not in a street at risk, because we are on the top of a little slope.
It will be during Halloween, they call it the "Frankenstorm"...
Perhaps school will be canceled...

The fun of halloween

Fall is a very nice season. Halloween is a part of it. Some decorating houses are scaring me to death ; they are quite incredible. Some are decorate with a cemetery, others with vampires. Some decorations are more for children with pumpkinks, wishes and scarecrows.

Some districts in Philadelphia

Yesterday we spent our sunday in three districts of Philadelphia.

First of all, we walk around the italian market. The food, here, was tasty : fresh pasta, cheese, breads... We will come back, for sure. in this area, we saw a lot of painted walls.
We were astonished in South Street by an area full of mosaic on the walls houses.
We walked at the end on the pier ; the Delaware river is very large.

Preserving or not?

In Europe, as it's a land of a lot of history, we are used to preserve landmarks and restore buildings, houses. Not in the US.

Which way is the best? I don't know ; there are pros and cons in each choice.

In Phoenix Arizona, the city council and the Frank Loyd Wright Foundation are struggling to preserve a house built by this architect in the thirties for his son. For the moment the house is the property of a building company who wants to raze the house to build a housing estate.

It's like if in France if we decide to raze a Le Corbusier's building.

In august, in  Phoenix, this same town,  an ancient well known hotel with an interesting architecture was demolished to have a parking lot near the arena convenient for the basketball games.

Sometimes they let also buildings falling into ruins. Each state has is ghost towns.

The food, a big issue in America...

I was in a supermarket, where you need to have a membership to purchase goods, with my friend Petra and each time I choose something she was telling me "are you sure you want "light" yogurt?" because here it means with fake sugar ; "are you sure you want this chicken because if it's so cheap it must be with OGM"... So I listened to her advice and changed my mind... Anyway in this "private" supermarket, you have acces to healthier food and to french brand cheese (like Roquefort and President) at  affordable prices.

During election day 6th of november, there will have some referundums in some states. In California, the proposition 37 will ask if genetically modified food require a label to inform customers. Until now, lobbying from food corporations escaped it in this country. So you don't know if you buy an OGM product or not. I miss France for that...

I hope Californians will be clever about that matter, it could change the food world here.

The indian summer

This is so delightful.
When you wake up, it's chilly but the sun is awakening.
During the day, the sun can be quite warm and under it the colors of trees, leaves on the soil are so nice. Yeah, France also has it's fall and changing colors on the trees. But here, it's amazing, trees are so big and colors so flashy...
Let's admire :

Did you say "homework"?

With all the things I heard about american schools, I was very surprised about levels and commitments in elementary schools.

Diane in 4th grade (CM1 in France) has every evening a lot of homeworks to do, it takes her around one hour. Often she has 15 math exercices, spelling words, reading.

Eugeine in kindergarten has homework and at this age, after one day of class, believe me, it's hard...

Since Obama administration asked that every public school in every state must follow the same syllabus, the commitments have increased. 

So what is the best ? Homework or no homework? This is definitely too much here, I think.

During the schoolday, it's so intense, they have only 1/2 hour to eat and 1/2 hour of recess....

 

You need to borrow money for everything !

America is a country of borrowers. As the public services are so poor, if you want a good health insurance, a good education, to be part of the mass consumption society, you may meet often your bank to ask for loans.
A lot of students right now know that they will have to pay off their student loans right after finiding their first job for many years. It can be very stressful, what if you are unemployed, if you don't earn the wage you thought ? It will be the same to buy a car or a house.
Even in retail stores, they ask you when you pay with your card : "is it debit or credit ?". You can purchase your everyday food by choosing credit, after you'll have to pay the interest rate but right now you can have what you want.
You can take a loan to pay off some expensive health bills, as we know, it can be very expensive...

Attending a football game

It was a nice friday evening when we attended a football game opposing two highschool's teams. There is the game of course but also a lot to see around. It's a solemn event.

It begins with the two highschool's orchestra. During the game, I hardly noticed the ball but I was impressed by cheerleaders, their songs, their costums, their gymnastics. 

You have a spectacle on it's own on the benches ; teenagers' benches, familie's benches. 

I liked it frankly. Ah we supported the black team, a son's friend his a substitute and he wears the 37 number.