LANGUEDOC & PROVENCE SUN

THE MILLS SISTERS UPDATE  -- Article published in issue Number 17 - 2009

Critique
The Story of the Mills Sisters

My daughters, Leanna and Bethany, suffer from a very rare disorder that cannot be clearly diagnosed, although the primary symptoms are “Primary Dystonia – Generalised Dystonia”, and in Leanna’s case, Parkinson’s Disease.  These symptoms are slowly taking their young lives.  As the girls are the only people in the world to suffer these unique set of symptoms, medical help is not readily available in Australia.  Due to the costs involved in continuing medical treatment in France and Australia, and home-based care for the girls, we are constantly seeking funds through the generosity of others.  This is the story of Leanna and Bethany’s daily struggles.

In October 1998 Leanna was admitted to hospital suffering pneumonia whereupon her right arm began to twist involuntarily up behind her back.  The Specialist Doctors were astounded, as they’d never seen anything like this before.  One Doctor said at the time that in his 25 years of practising paediatric neurology he’d never witnessed anything like it.

Leanna’s birth was normal as was her first (almost) 4 years of life.  She was born on 27/12/94 at 38 weeks gestation weighing 2650kg.  This bout of pneumonia was the first inkling that there was a problem with her health.  Leanna already had two healthy siblings, Katey, who was born on 26/11/92 and Bethany who was born on 20/9/96.  At the time of Leanna’s admittance to hospital for pneumonia Michelle, Leanna’s mother, discovered she was pregnant with their fourth daughter, Olivia who was born on 6/6/99. With the events unfolding the decision to continue with this pregnancy was not an easy one.

The next few months were spent visiting numerous specialists in Newcastle and Sydney to find a diagnosis. 

Then late in 1998 Leanna’s younger sister, Bethany then aged 2 ½ years, developed a “sore” leg.  Visits to Doctors ensued but the “sore” leg miraculously disappeared.  Then one night in March 1999 Bethany suffered from an hour or two of generalised vomiting and diarrhoea before falling asleep.  She awoke 8 hours later and ceased to be able to walk.  A specialist doctor was disbelieving and accused the family of lying regarding the circumstances of the previous 12 hours.

The next 12 months were somewhat of a blur of visits to specialist doctors and a multitude of medical procedures.  What started with a variety of blood tests soon progressed to CT Scans, MR scans, skin biopsy, nerve deduction test, eye test, Hip biopsy, liver biopsy, rectum biopsy and spinal lumber tap.  In fact nearly every part of Leanna’s body underwent biopsies and the results distributed worldwide in an effort to find a diagnosis. 

Nick and Michelle even ventured overseas in their quest to find answers, including one trip to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in August 1999 and another trip to Specialist Doctors in New York, USA in March 2000. Only with the assistance of Richard Branson (Virgin Airlines), family and some close friends were the family able to raise the much needed funds for these trips to the UK and USA.

The Doctors in London claimed that the condition was related back to the “Jewish days” as it is more common in some groups of Jewish families, whilst the majority of the doctors in New York claimed not to have any idea.  However one paediatric neurologist in New York questioned immunisation, which both girls had undergone as a routine health measure carried out in Australia, as being the root cause of the health problems being suffered by both girls.  At this point Olivia, Leanna and Bethany’s youngest sibling was approximately 12 months of age and the decision was made by Nick and Michelle to cease all childhood immunisation for Leanna, Bethany and Olivia.

In the meantime Leanna and Bethany’s symptoms continued to worsen.  Video footage taken around this time shows Bethany using her head as a foot as she was so twisted and bent over that this was the only way she could move around on the floor. 

Nick, Leanna and Bethany’s dad questioned whether someone was trying to kill his family.  Psychologists became involved after Nick relayed his fears to the medical staff at Westmead hospital in Sydney.  It seemed they were questioning Nick and Michelle’s role in their daughters’ illness!

High doses of a mixture of medication usually used in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease became the norm for both Leanna and Bethany and for a period of time, they found their symptoms easing to the point where both girls could stand upright enough to be able to walk (albeit aided).

In summary the majority of doctors have agreed that although a diagnosis and prognosis was not forthcoming the primary symptom being suffered by both girls was “Primary Dystonia – Generalised Dystonia”.  The majority of specialists also believe that it is of a genetic, metabolic nature.  As a result the girls were given a multitude of medication to combat the symptoms with the intention of making their lives more comfortable.

The stigma for the family saw Nick, Leanna and Bethany’s dad arrested for poisoning his two daughters, friendships were lost as many believed the unknown condition being suffered by the Leanna and Bethany to be contagious.  Discrimination was rife highlighted by one particular incident whereby Leanna’s 7th Birthday party was cancelled because none of the 20 children she had invited were allowed to attend as a result of their parents’ attitudes and fear for their children.

In August 2004 Bethany’s health suddenly deteriorated to the point whereby Doctors questioned whether she would live for more than a few more weeks.  It eventuated that the local chemist whilst filling what had become a routine script, a mistake had been made with the dosage and the wrong dosage was issued and then given to Bethany over the course of a week prior to her deterioration.  The effects were profound and the sudden deterioration mystified her local specialist for 4 weeks before the mistake was discovered.  By then it was too late – there never was a reversal of the deterioration.  At this point she ceased to walk or have any type of motor skills.

It was around this time on one particularly “bad” night that Nick (Leanna and Bethany’s father) at his wits end, contemplated taking things into his own hands and ending Bethany’s suffering the only way he knew how to, by giving her an overdose of medication.

Fortunately soon after Patti Gratten-Smith, Leanna and Bethany’s specialist in Sydney at Randwick Children’s Hospital told Nick and Michelle about a Doctor in France that he’d heard an international seminar that may have a procedure called “Deep Brain Stimulation” that could halt the progression of this devastating condition.  This procedure was specifically able to assist sufferers of Dystonia and although not a cure it was something he believed may alleviate some of their suffering.  This gave them some hope!

Again fundraising ensued and well known local identities soon became involved which led to the interest of a national TV program “A Current Affair” and their reporter Ben Fordham.  Following a segment shown Christmas Eve 2004 on this program asking for support Nicks phone did not stop ringing for 4 days and nights.  $120,000 was raised which meant Bethany was on her way to France!  It gave the family some hope.  Richard Branson from Virgin Airlines continued to assist the family by reducing flight costs and has since met with Nick, Michelle, Katey, Leanna, Bethany and Olivia whilst visiting Sydney in late 2005.
 
On 21 March 2005 Bethany, accompanied by Nick, Michelle and Leanna underwent the risky and radical brain operation in Montpellier in France with Professor Phillipe Coubes.  But this was not without its dramas as when the family finally arrived in Montpellier and met with the Professor a few days preceding the operation the Professor questioned Bethany’s primary symptom as being Dystonia.  The Professor suggested that the multitude of medication be cut back over the next two days in case it was the medication masking the Dystonia symptoms.  Nick decided to cut back the medication more dramatically than what the professor had suggested. Within 12 hours Bethany’s body was so twisted that the operation for the following Monday was given the immediate “go ahead”.

“Deep Brain Stimulation” involves the implantation of two electrodes into the patient’s brain.  From these electrodes run two leads under the skin down to the abdomen into two separate battery packs implanted in the patient.  The electrodes are then “stimulated” in a way that interrupts the messages travelling from the brain to parts of the body telling the body’s muscles to involuntarily twist and contort.  In effect the muscles are forced to relax.

Thankfully the operation was a resounding success and within 24 hours Bethany was able to walk (with difficulty) and wanted “pizza” for dinner!  Over the next few months her high dosage medication was reduced to nothing.

Soon after, Leanna returned to Australia leaving Bethany in France to continue her recovery from the operation. As Leanna suffers severely from travel sickness a doctor in London had prescribed “patches”, to combat motion sickness, to place behind her ears to make her journey back to Australia more comfortable.  Upon arriving home it was obvious that Leanna was hallucinating and had suddenly lost her ability to walk.  She was rushed to the local John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle where her condition continued to deteriorate.  The next day, Easter Sunday, her local specialist realised that it was these “patches” that were affecting her.  It transpired that these travel sickness patches although legal in the UK were actually banned in Australia due to their side effects.  Like Bethany who deteriorated following the mistake in her medication, Leanna too never recovered from this event.

During the next few months Leanna continued to deteriorate and in November 2005 she too travelled to Montpellier in France with Nick and Michelle for the same operation. 

Unfortunately Leanna's outcome was not as successful as Bethany.  Even though following the operation Leanna was able to walk (albeit aided) it was very haphazard and she was still quite unsteady on her feet.  During 2006 specialist Doctors in Australia unsuccessfully attempted to increase her response to the procedure by changing the settings in her electrodes.  And so the decision was made by the Doctors in France to have Leanna brought back to France for a prolonged period to see if they could assist.

From August to early November 2006 the entire family (Nick, Michelle, Katey, Leanna, Bethany and Olivia) lived in Montpellier France whilst the Doctors assisted Leanna.  Unfortunately there was little they could do, as it would seem that Leanna was one patient who was not responding as would have been expected for whatever unknown reason.  However what they did discover was that the “Deep Brain Stimulation” was assisting Leanna, if only in a small way!

Since returning to Australia it would appear that Leanna's body has continued to be relatively unresponsive to the “Deep Brain Stimulation” procedure and still requires vast amounts of medication. 

For the immediate future both girls need regular 6 monthly visits to the specialist doctors in France to monitor and maintain the medical equipment now implanted into their bodies however their long-term future is unknown.

Now in 2011, we have kept travelling to France with both Leanna and Bethany to see Specialist repeatedly since 2006. At times it has been very urgent to return to France, after having only arrived home from France on a Friday so to say and then leaving Australia the following week, as one of the girls had a broken lead, or the stimulation is not working well. Where people like you and me can go to a Specialist here in Australia for medical procedure done, Leanna and Bethany’s life is in the hands of French Specialist 95% of the time. This Hospital is about 25hours away by air and not just down at the end of the street.

As I add to this (Critique) to keep everyone up to date, I look back, and think that what has happen to this family is very unbelievable, a nightmare, and most people who you tell around the World about what Leanna and Bethany have gone through in their short life besides other family issues DO NOT BELIEVE YOU AT ALL. To add to these trials and tribulations, older daughter Katey raped at gun point at the age 11, and consequently, to this day as I sit at this computer, she will attempt to kill herself every couple of days, burn her arms with oven cleaner, and matches, where now the skin just hangs onto her arms, cuts her arm every week, takes over doses of heavy medication every day.  Katey’s emotional struggles and the physical acting out of her fears and shame resulting from the events in her life, are seriously affecting Leanna and Bethany.  These affects are mainly emotional as they struggle to help their big sister and understand her traumas.  It is seriously affecting their health.  This is in addition to the disagreements and arguments I needed to have, and still need to have, just to keep both Leanna and Bethany alive and to stand up for their legal rights because they are disable. Every day is very stressful and up-setting. Someone out there always throws something big or small at this family, to challenge our views, it’s just like someone out there somewhere controlling our family life.

Getting back to writing, Bethany now has some major problems with aggression, violence etc which is all towards our family, this could because of where the pins connect to the Brain or most likely it is because Bethany wants to play sport or earn money but because of her medical condition it is very hard, which means she may have depression.  Yes, we have Doctors involved.  It is a battle everyday with Bethany as she is like a loose cannon ready to explode at any moment and without warning.  All members of the family have been targets of this aggression, suffering cuts and bruises at various times, not to mention the emotional abuse accompanying these attacks.

Leanna’s Parkinson’s Disease is now spreading rapidly through her whole body, day by day, hour by hour.  Her arms fight each other (like a boxing match who will get the first punch in) to try and pick something up.  Her little frail body shakes like an earthquake hitting her body, taking all control away from her. It’s like a Paraná (fish) just attacking and attacking without letting up, until there is no more left to eat.  Due to the combined effects of the Dystonia and Parkinson’s Disease, Leanna has trouble swallowing.  This affects the reflex muscle in her throat which results in her rejecting whatever she tries to eat and drink.  Leanna is wheelchair dependant and I remember well how Leanna, time after time, has to crawl and slide along the hallways of the house on her bottom to simply use the toilet, bathroom, reach her room or the kitchen as the house we rent is small and cannot accommodate her wheelchair.  The house is like the size of a box and simply cannot accommodate the needs of disabled children like Leanna and Bethany.

In the last few months, Leanna has become very upset during the afternoon and evening.  She cries all night through frustration at having lost her independence and the ability to do anything for herself.  The fact that she cannot use her wheelchair at home simply adds to these frustrations and feelings of humiliation.  Her Parkinson’s Disease is now so bad that her body now looks as if it has been hit by a semi-trailer truck time and time again.  Leanna’s body is a mangled wreck.

Leanna, with her Parkinson’s Disease, will hit the ground hard when she dies, like a plane falling from the sky without power or thrust to control its descent, coming to a disastrous halt.

We sit as parents waiting for something good to happen to our daughters’ lives, as a father I am never negative, but sometimes it is not far away from the front door, like a kitten scratching at the front door to come in.


To be continued………………

---

WINE COMPETITION by Barney Lehrer

We’ve all seen them: small stickers on French wine bottles indicating an award from a prestigious French wine competition someplace. The sight of one can often tip the balance when you’re hesitating over which bottle to buy. But what’s the story behind these stickers? Did you ever wonder how the competitions work? Who are the judges? What gives them the right to award a certain wine a gold medal? Here’s an inside look at one of these contests.

There are more than 100 wine competitions held throughout France every year, and the ancient city of Orange, in southeastern France, is home to one of the oldest and largest of these. Held the first Saturday of each February, the competition is open to all winemakers in the Rhone region, including from such famous appellations as Chateauneuf du Pape, Croze Hermitage, Tavel, Gigondas and, of course, the ubiquitous Cotes du Rhone. The Orange competition is a bit unusual in that the philosophy is to make the process as democratic as possible. This means, keeping in mind the French national motto born in the Revolution of 1789, “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (Freedom. Equality, Brotherhood), there are no elites in the Orange wine award process. Each jury is comprised of at least three people, of whom at least two are wine professionals (winemakers, oenologists, merchants) and the other one or two are amateurs (wine lovers). And that’s how I, a lowly American wine lover, have been privileged to be an Orange judge for the last six years. Introduced to the competition by a winemaker friend, I apply every year as an amateur just as the French do, and have always been accepted.

There was even more anticipation than usual this time round, as 2012 was the 60th annual competition in Orange. Concours des Vin Orange Executive Director Anne Mouralis and President Michel Bernard spent more than two years planning this milestone anniversary. At 8:30 AM on February 4, the six hundred juges (judges), also called dégustateurs (tasters), battled the cold weather and furious Mistral wind to take their places in the Alphonse Daudet community center. The vast hall was soon filled with excited chatter as old friends greeted each other with ritual handshakes and multiple kisses (there is a strict kissing protocol as to the number of kisses, which varies from region to region in France. In Provence, women must be kissed three times – left cheek, right cheek, left cheek – and men who are good friends and colleagues commonly kiss each other twice, once on both cheeks).

Each judge is assigned to a table for four that is already populated by about 15 bottles of wine, each identified only by a number. Each place is set with a wine glass, a napkin, a pen and a paper with the number of each wine to be sampled and columns headed Visuel (visual), Olfactif (smell or nose) and Gustatif (taste). And every two judges has ready access to a crachoir (spittoon), a crucial tool for wine tasting, particularly early in the morning! This year the co-judges at my table consisted were two professionals, a négociant (export agent for several winemakers) and the winemaker from a wine cooperative, and my fellow amateur was a gynecologist from Avignon.

At about 9:25 Mr. Bernard opened the proceedings with a speech thanking all of the people who made the event possible. Then, as every year, precisely at 9:30, the tasting begins. For the next two hours the huge room is filled with the sounds of intense discussion, gurgling and spitting. Judges debate the colors (10 points maximum), smells (10 point maximum) and tastes (20 points maximum). Some comments include speculations on the types and blend percentages of cépages (grape varietals) and the technologies that might have been used to produce the wine. After all the wines have been tasted and thoroughly and heatedly discussed, all four jury members come to a consensus as to which (if any) of the fifteen wine should be awarded either a Bronze, Argent (Silver), Médailles D’Or (Gold) or Médailles D’or avec Félicitations (gold medal with special recognition). The jury can grant one or more awards, not exceeding 20% of the samples presented. The “Président” of each jury, who is “appointed for his/her tasting skills,” fills out a form certifying the results. The form is given to Anne Mouralis who immediately feeds the results on to the competition’s website. Two hours after the tasting ends, anxious winemakers log on to see what, if anything, they have won. Within days they get the round stickers to apply to their bottles. An excellent entertaining video of the process and history of the Concours can be seen at http://www.concoursdesvins.fr/pagesFR/06video.php. Watch it even if you do not understand French!

In 2012 there were 2931 wines evaluated. 39 received Médailles d’Or avec Félicitations du Jury, 252 Médailles d’Or, 236 Médaille d’Argent and 90 Médaille de bronze. The results can be seen at http://www.concoursdesvins.fr/pagesGB/02palmares.php.

But that’s not the end of the event. Normally after the competition most of the dégustateurs travel 10 km to Chateauneuf du Pape to attend a magnificent lunch, with each course prepared by a local distinguished chef and an abundance of wine on each table. The French know how to savor an occasion. As with any truly gourmet French meal, lunch takes a leisurely four hours or so, but the competition banquet is also accompanied by much pomp and circumstance, as only the French know how. There are speeches, processions by the “Confréries” of each major appellation, all decked out in medieval finery and of course, more discussions about wine and food and life and love! Because 2012 was the 60^th anniversary, this year’s celebration was even more elaborate; no mere lunch this time. The Alphonse Daudet center was cleared and four chefs and their staffs arrived to create a “Gala” dinner for the evening. The chefs, whose restaurants are all located in small wine villages in the area, Pascal Alonso of the restaurant Le Pré du Moulin in Sérignon-du-Comtat (http://www.predumoulin.com), Thierry Bonfante of La Temps de Vivre in Urchaux, Raoul Reichrath of Le Grand Pré in Roaix (http://www.legrandpre.com) and Christian Peyre of La Maison de Bournissac in Paluds de Noves (http://www.lamaison-a-bournissac.com), created a six course menu, each course paired with wines that have won gold medals in the past. And, unlike the usual lunches, in addition to the usual speeches and processions, this year had an entertainment program--a mime, a magician, a band playing traditional Provencal music and a choir of local winemakers who had practiced specially for the occasion. Vive la France!




Sidebar 1:

Before each wine competition in Orange, the management of the competition offers the amateurs an opportunity to learn how to taste and evaluate the wines. Held at the tasting room of the Institut Rhodanien (Rhone Institute), in the same building as the Lycée Viticole (high school for the study of winemaking) the seminar lasts two hours. Philippe Dauguet, Champion de France de dégustateurs amateurs (French Amateur Tasting Champion), is the lecturer. To be an amateur wine taster in France is a very serious business, indeed. As Philippe says, “Vous aller apprendre à déguster des vins ... La tâche est toujours délicate mais jamais insurmontable" (“You are going to learn to taste wine. The task is challenging but not insurmountable”). In very theatrical style he leads the group through the process of proper wine tasting, explaining the theory of wine color, smell and taste in great dramatic detail. And then an actual tasting is performed as if the amateurs were on their jury at the Concours. Wine are poured to all attendees, Philipe tastes each wine and explains and demonstrates how he works when he is on a jury. His method:

1. Before tasting each wine take a breath, close your eyes and calm your senses.
   
   
2. Look at the wine in the glass. Evaluate the sensuality, color, clarity and density.
   
   
3. Smell the wine by moving your nose from the top to the bottom of the rim of the glass.
   
   
4. Take a small amount of wine into your mouth, swirl it and spit it out immediately.
   
   
5. Take another small amount of wine into your mouth, swirl it and keep it in your mouth for a few moments before spitting it out.
   
   
6. Count how many seconds (or even minutes n some cases) the aftertaste (“finish”) stays in your mouth. The longer the finish, the more likely this will be a good wine that will last many years in a bottle and will deserve some level of prize at the competition.
   
   

At each step, Philippe advises that the judges make a note on their report sheet. His own philosophy is to almost never assign a rating of more than 8 for the color and small and 14 for the taste. That leaves room for him to assign a 15-20 for truly exceptional wines that he would want to award a “Medaille d’Or avec Félicitations.”

Once the seminar is over, the participants learn the name of each wine they tasted and can pour themselves a few glasses AND swallow it, to the accompaniment of cheeses and charcuteries. All in all it is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning!




Sidebar 2

The Gala Dinner for the 60^th Concours des Vin was an event not to be missed. It is an amazing feat to serve more than 500 guests such an astounding gourmet meal! Aperitifs were a just-bottled dry and fruity 2011 Cotes du Rhone white wine and a fragrant just-bottled 2011 rose. This was followed by cold foie gras on a crust spiced with ginger and sweet Muscat wine from Beaume de Venise, which was paired with what some wine critics name the best rose in the world: Tavel, 2010 Chateau d’Aqueria. Next course was a chicken broth spiced with ginger and “truffle cappuccino,” paired with three red wines from the Cotes du Rhone and the villages of Sablet and Rasteau. Then came the main course: lamb “Allaiton” stewed in violet mustard, served with braised endives and toast smeared with lamb liver paste, paired with a strong Chateauneuf du Pape. The cheese course was Brie de Meaux. Dessert was a phenomenal Fondant made from praline and hazelnuts and topped with a vanilla sauce. Dessert wine was a local Muscat from Beaume de Venise. The chefs, Pascal Alonso of the restaurant Le Pré du Moulin, Thierry Bonfante of La Temps de Vivre, Raoul Reichrath of Le Grand Pré and Christian Peyre of La Maison de Bournissac, all Michelin-starred celebrated chefs from the Rhone valley, formed an association, “Amitié Gourmande,” with the motto “Quatre maisons, une meme passion” (Four houses, one single passion) And passion it was!

Un après-midi au Seaquarium du Grau du Roi

Victor Mallard, 9 ans.  Notre reporter du jour.

‘On n’est pas que des cobayes’ chaque vendredi à 20h25 sur France 5. Agathe Lecaron, Vincent Chatelain, David Lowe et James le mannequin se frottent aux joies de l’expérimentation scientifique. Une bande de testeurs audacieux met en place des expérimentations parfois spectaculaires pour tordre le cou aux idées reçues, démystifier ou confirmer les croyances populaires.

Toutes les expériences, simples, dangereuses ou originales, ne fonctionnent pas à tout les coups. Nous verrons bien, lors de la diffusion de l’émission, le vendredi 23 mars, si Vincent a réussi à trouver une solution pour arriver à ses fins. Mais quoi qu’il en soit il est sûr qu’un tel casse-cou ne doit pas passer une journée sans trouver un nouveau défi à se lancer !

Qui n’a jamais rêvé de participer au tournage d’une émission de télé? C’est la chance que nous avons eue lors de nos dernières vacances scolaires.
Le programme de cet après-midi là était alléchant. Nous  allions nous rendre au Seaquarium du Grau du Roi pour assister à une expérience inédite : un plongeur allait tenter d’hypnotiser un requin.
Arrivés sur les lieux, autour du Requinarium, nous rejoignons l’équipe de l’émission «On  n’est pas que des cobayes», diffusée chaque vendredi soir sur France 5.
Toujours à l’affut de tenter de nouvelles expérience, Vincent le présentateur casse-cou de l’équipe, s’est donné pour objectif aujourd’hui de plonger dans ce bassin occupé par des squales pour tenter de les apprivoiser ou plus exactement de les plonger dans une sorte de transe. La technique, nous explique-t-il est relativement simple. Il suffit d’approcher le requin, de le mettre en confiance en lui donnant un peu à manger et lorsqu’il se laissera suffisamment approcher, de le gratter à gauche et à droite de la partie inférieure de la gueule pendant quelques instants. Ces caresses procurent à l’animal un plaisir tel qu’il se laisse totalement faire et en redemande comme un gros chat.

Equipée d’une caméra aquatique et de trois caméras extérieures, l’équipe est prête à plonger avec du matériel performant.
Vincent est en charge de la partie la plus délicate de l’expérience : chatouiller les squales. Il est accompagné pour ce faire d’une biologiste maritime qui l’accompagne et le conseille et tous deux sont filmés par un caméraman expert en vidéo aquatique, mondialement reconnu dans ce domaine.
Mais avant de se jeter à l’eau, il est nécessaire de faire un peu de place. Le Requinarium étant occupé par une douzaine de requins et des dizaines de poissons plus petits, il est décidé d’attirer 6 requins dans un petit bassin annexe pour faciliter les choses.
Les 6 occupants choisis sont donc dirigés et guidés vers un passage extérieur avec une cible accrochée à l’extrémité d’une gaffe, qu’ils suivent docilement.

La place est faite, l’expérience commence.

Premier à se lancer, le caméraman plonge à 14H30. Il prend le temps de filmer l’environnement qui l’entoure et ses occupants, avant d’être rejoint  par Vincent et la jeune biologiste vingt minutes plus tard.
Les requins restants, plutôt surpris de voir de nouveaux locataires, semblent un peu méfiants et ne tentent pas trop de s’approcher.
Pourtant, la vue de la nourriture, composée de poissons morts, que nos amis leur proposent, finit par leur faire oublier leur première impression et bientôt ils se rapprochent.
Un premier, petit, peut-être le plus jeune, attrape une proie dans sa gueule et file rapidement sans demander son reste. Un deuxième arrive ensuite, puis un autre. Tout se déroule comme prévu mais aucun d’entre eux ne reste assez longtemps suffisamment près pour pouvoir être caressé. Il faudra être patient.

Intéréssés par les appâts mais trop méfiants pour rester, les requins sont rapidement rejoints par une nuée de poissons affamés : les carangues. Bien moins peureuses que leur cousins, elles tournent bientôt en rond tout autour des plongeurs et se jettent sur la nourriture dès que ces derniers la sorte de leur seau.

Même pacifiques et très jolies, les carangues deviennent bien vite gênantes. Il faut rapidement se rendre à l’évidence, l’expérience est compromise, impossible d’hypnotiser un squale dans de telles conditions !
Mais nos amis ne vont pas baisser les bras. Après quelques minutes passées en dehors du bassin, ils décident de tenter la chance à nouveau et plongent ensemble. Rien à faire, les requins sont rassasiés et les carangues nagent à nouveau partout autour d’eux. Cela ne fonctionne pas, il faudra retenter cette expérience. Peut-être dans d’autres conditions ? Peut-être dans un bassins exclusivement rempli de requins ?               Victor Mallard

ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS - REGISTER NOW

For U.S. citizens living abroad, NOW is the time to register for your absentee ballot if you wish to participate in the important 2012 elections.

The right to vote

U.S. citizens living abroad never lose their right to vote but you must register in order to receive an absentee ballot. This is much easier than it used to be thanks to the internet. Several online systems will guide you through the process (see below). You still must print out the completed form, sign and date it, and mail it to your home elections office (the address is supplied with the completed form). 

Registration

Due to recent changes in the law you will not necessarily receive your ballot automatically even if you voted in the last election.  U.S. citizens are now required to register in every election year.  If you don't, you may disenfranchise yourself.  To be on the safe side, register now.

E mail

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia will now send you your ballot by email though the voted ballot must be sent back by mail or a delivery service. States that once insisted ballots be notarized or witnessed have dropped that requirement.

Last place of residence

The law requires you to vote in the state where you last resided before moving abroad. To request a ballot, you'll need your last address in the United States, including zip code. If you have U.S. citizenship but never lived in the USA you still may be able to vote, using the your parents' last address in America.

First timers
Young people who will be 18 years old on Election Day,Tuesday, Nov. 6^th, are also eligible to register now for a ballot, even if they are still 17.

Tax

Voting in federal elections cannot be used to affect the determination of federal or state tax liability. That is not necessarily the case if you choose to vote in local or state elections (such as races for Governor)

Online method for registering for an Absentee Ballot:
http://VoteFromAbroad.org
https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/vote/home.htm
http://www.fvap.gov