More than 200,000 people of Haitian descent are facing deportation in the Dominican Republic. The deportation is certainly in violation of international law, but in a sense that is irrelevant. It is yet another example, along with the Rohingas and others, of the growing effects of climate change, scarce resources, and too many mouths to feed. Large populations are on the move, often discriminated against and trying to improve their lives, but meeting hostility and resistance. Europe and the United States are not alone in wondering how to stem the tide. There are an estimated 10 million stateless refugees in the world, and the number is going to grow remorselessly.

The Epicurean instinct is to try to offer security and more pleasant lives to the refugees. But this clashes with the natural human desire to sustain one’s national culture, one’s job and one’s way of life in the face of the migration of poor, unskilled people.

Politicians don’t seem to have civilised answers. What would you do?

France is in the news for the most horrible of reasons. I have just returned from a walking trip in Provence. I discussed with my wife how France had changed over the years (she lived there years ago amd speaks good French). Our impressions are as follows:

– rather good English is now spoken by a very large part of the population. A visit to Paris with sub-par French used to elicit contempt. Now everyone you meet is friendly, helpful, and chatty (in the tourist areas at least).

– the worldwide adoption of scruffy, boring clothing has hit France, where the women used to be chic, and proud of it. Now you can’t tell who is French and who is a back-packer.

– the food has always been excellent; now the service too has improved. But the serving portions have become Americanized, that is, huge. Fortunately, the wine remainexcellent.

– The number of Chinese tourists is already striking. Apparently, France is a favourite destination, and they are going there, not necessarily in large groups, but in pairs and foursomes, showing greater confidence, maybe.

– we were struck by French current affairs programmes, where everyone talks over everyone else, and the men shout down any woman with the temerity to open her mouth. But st lesst they have women in the news studio.

– Lunchtimes are now about 45 minutes, and businessmen in Paris no longer linger. Paris is feeling more like an American city, hurried, restless and more diverse.

In other words, globalization has reached France, which, I suppose, was, inevitable. What hasn’t changed are the strikes and the fact that the banks don’t work (it seems rate to find an ATM that works).