drop the dress, ségo

Apparently it isn't as good luck as she thought. Wearing the same dress the fourth time round in a 2-week period did not prove to be a charm.

merci quand même, ségo !

"moi" = "inflated ego" in English

This is really funny - the France2 excuse is lame, but good practical joke on Sarkozy.

Le traducteur et "l'ego surdimensionné" de Nicolas Sarkozy
LEMONDE.FR | 30.04.07

©

"moi" = "inflated ego" in English

This is really funny - the France2 excuse is lame, but good practical joke on Sarkozy.

Le traducteur et "l'ego surdimensionné" de Nicolas Sarkozy
LEMONDE.FR | 30.04.07

©

il est déprimant, notre monde...

Afghanistan : les talibans sont de retour
LE MONDE | 30.04.07

©

Make that 3 times!!

Ségolène Royal wore the same dress for the third time this week in her television presentation last night on TF1.
Let's hope she uses Dryel.

Ségolène wears the same dress twice in 3 days.

first is from today Wednesday A vous de juger:  
second time is when voting on Sunday:
 

Sarkozy dit ce soir...

pugnacité = ses qualités
pour ses defauts, ça serait "discourtois et tellement convenu" ("it would be rude and so conventional," presumably to give her faults)

that's what Nicolas Sarkozy thinks about Ségolène Royal's qualities (combativeness, sometimes used pejoratively).

See video of 45-minute interview on 26 April 2007 on TF1.

Sarkozy et son porte parole, la ministre Rachida Dati

en effet ça craint... :)
à voir absoluement et prendre avec un grain de sel !!
Rachida Dati
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Tl8hBPdMs

Le Pet Food scandale !

Alerte chats, chiens en danger ! Encore des victimes de la globalisation !

on en parle aux US depuis un mois, mais quasiment pas du tout en France. Et cependant, de nombreuses marques vendues en France sont fabriqués aux Etats-Unis (Iams, Science Diet, Hills, Eukanuba) et touchées par la crise alimentaire.

La trace d'un produit nocif utilisé pour la production de plastique a été trouvée dans la nourriture pour animaux et semble liée à la mort de plusieurs animaux doméstiques aux Etats-Unis. Ceci a entraîné un "pet food recall" de plus de 100 marques pour retirer les produits possiblement contaminés.

Pour voir les marques et les produits cités par le departement régulateur aux US (le FDA): http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/

Les dernières nouvelles dans la presse:
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272612896.shtml

Pour les dernières nouvelles datées du FDA 22 avril : http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01615.html

Les produits nocifs se trouvent dans le gluten de blé, les protéines de riz et de maïs. LIsez bien ce que vous donnez à manger à vos chers chats et chiens !

j'attends le cinémà en plein air !!!

vite l'été vite...

PRAIRIE DU TRIANGLE - la villette
 Du 17 juillet au 26 août 2007
FESTIVAL DE CINÉMA
EN PLEIN AIR
PREMIÈRE CLASSE ET STRAPONTIN
« Première classe et strapontin » ou comment
dans un contexte social, politique ou historique
déterminé on se fabrique une destinée. Million
dollar baby de Clint Eastwood, Historias Minimas
de l’Argentin Carlos Sorin, My fair lady de
George Cukor, Au loin s’en vont les nuages de
Aki Kaurismaki ou encore le dernier film de
Pedro Almodovar, Volver, seront à l’affiche.

j'ai voté - une indécise en moins !!

it's always the same - been a few years since i had that feeling. heart races, permanent smile on my face, excitment, feeling of belonging with the crowd, i dunno it triggers the same effect every time. le vote. voting. j'adore....

presidential elections in France. we all want change, yet we are afraid of at what expense that change will occur. literally vacillating in the voting both, i don't think that i was that different from many of the other undecided voters.

bon le choix est fait - vive la démocratie !

à 17h00, le taux de participation est à 73,87 % !! bravo les français !

les français à l'étranger sur TV5

une émission avec Sarkozy et Bayrou en invités ce soir... ça change.

Foreign policy in France

Just the other day I was having a conversation about the fact that the presidential elections in France are surprisingly devoid of foreign policy (not including immigration), compared to the US. People here vote for the president according to the social and economic policy platforms, with little interest in Europe or beyond. The candidates do mention foreign policy issues from time to time, but not much in relation to the significance it has in the job posting. Presidents in France stand nearly alone when it comes to foreign policy, thanks to the Ve république.

Interesting article today in the IHT on the way foreign policy works in France.

A few comments:
1) on US-French cooperation on terrorism, the latest news this week revealed that French intelligence had obtained information regarding plans for the events that occured on September 11, which they shared with the CIA :

"Dès janvier 2001, la direction d'Al-Qaida se montre néanmoins transparente aux yeux – et aux oreilles – des espions français. Les rédacteurs détaillent même les désaccords entre terroristes sur les modalités pratiques du détournement envisagé. Jamais ils ne doutent de leur intention. Provisoirement, les djihadistes privilégient la capture d'un avion entre Francfort et les Etats-Unis. Ils établissent une liste de sept compagnies possibles. Deux seront finalement choisies par les pirates du 11-Septembre : American Airlines et United Airlines (voir fac-similé). Dans son introduction, l'auteur de la note annonce : "Selon les services ouzbeks de renseignement, le projet d'un détournement d'avion semble avoir été discuté en début d'année 2000 lors d'une réunion à Kaboul entre des représentants de l'organisation d'Oussama Ben Laden…

Comme toutes les informations évoquant des risques contre des intérêts américains, la note a été transmise à la CIA par le service des relations extérieures de la DGSE, responsable des coopérations entre alliés (renommé depuis service des liaisons)."

2) I think that Prof. Moravcsik unfairly evaluates Ségolène Royal's ability with foreign policy. Although she has might (arguably) have less "direct" experience in foreign policy, she made it a point in the early days of her presidential campaign to go to various countries (not without some controversy though). Sarkozy's first choice was the UK, not excatly a political minefield like Royal's choices of China, Lebanon and Senegal. She also bothered to write a letter to French voters who live abroad, although hers is dated 9 days after Sarkozy's letter.

3) Royal's biggest "foreign policy" gaffe is not mentioned in the article. She stated sometime last week that she would refuse to shake George Bush's hand as if nothing had ever happened, as if we didn't disagree on tactical and strategic issues. Silly, but mostly it was said to point out that Sarkozy had done just that.

4) An interesting addition to this article would have been an evaluation of the French opinion abroad. Le Monde provided a good analysis several weeks ago.

27 celsius - 81 fahrenheit

trop bo ce temps - du soleil, un petit vent frais, un dîner en terrasse avec des amis hier soir, c la joie totale de pouvoir passer du temps dehors, de flâner avec ses habits d'été, de voir le chat dormir au soleil dans l'appartement... et tout ça depuis mardi dernier !

Nature or nurture?

This week, Sarkozy stated in a press interview that pedophilia and suicidial tendencies are genetically-determined diseases.

I've been wondering what is the cause of the different color African daisies on my balcony. They are from the same plant, same root, yet one branch has gone nearly white and the other branch has stayed its original purple color. Nature or nurture?

 
 

Spoonerism

spoonerism \SPOO-nuh-riz-uhm\, noun:
The transposition of usually initial sounds in a pair of words.

Some examples:

- We all know what it is to have a half-warmed fish ["half-formed wish"] inside us.
- The Lord is a shoving leopard ["loving shepherd"].
- It is kisstomary to cuss ["customary to kiss"] the bride.
- Is the bean dizzy ["dean busy"]?
- When the boys come back from France, we'll have the hags flung out ["flags hung out"]!
- Let me sew you to your sheet ["show you to your seat"].

Spoonerism comes from the name of the Rev. William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), a kindly but nervous Anglican clergyman and educationalist. All the above examples were committed by (or attributed to) him.

News from the other side of the ocean...

Is it possible??? Manuel Antonio Noriega, aka cara de piña, could be returning to the country he ruined with murders and hatred during his dictatorship? Ay, my abuela is turning in her grave!

See article from NewsMax.

Queen Rania of Jordan

I ran into her twice today at work. Once, around 1pm, she was waiting for the elevator with 3 bodyguards and 12-15 cm heels - dressed in a golden embroidered suit. very classy. too much though. i estimated she was about 40 (actually 37). loads of makeup. hair up. then when i left work around 7pm i actually had to wait to let her and her entourage pass. she was wearing a white pleated silk mini-skirt (or maybe bottom of her dress - difficult to know). very modern and fun. the wind was such that it started lifting up when she walked in - an older woman with her said with a laugh "marilyn monroe." um yeah that would probably be an insult to rania. she's got looks and smarts. no photos. sorry.

another government lie detected...

The person who was the center of the riots in Paris this past week got upset after he jumped the turnstile and was contrôlé by the RATP and then police. The police and the (new, very young, very bold) minister of the interior said that Angelo Hoekelet was an illegal immigrant. In fact, as reported in this latest article in Le monde, he arrived in France in 1985 at age 11 as part of the (very commonplace) family reunification migration flow. Since then, he had received a deportation notice, which he appealed and won in September 2006 and he missed his meeting for a carte de séjour on 5 April (he was still detained then). So he has the right to be in France. Basta! Fin d'histoire! According to the cops, the mistake was because the system hadn't been updated (no apology given). The ministry has yet to issue a response (and probably won't).

French elections - 1

my first comment... In reading a bit of the foreign press (nice site btw) on the presidential elections in France, I find that the UK is bashing socialism, the US is bashing democratic choice and is anti-feminist. All in all, they find the election process humorous and love to take a jab at the French (isn't it getting old already??).

The latest article sent me in a fury - thank you Stephen Clarke of the NYT ("No Sex, Please, We’re French" 23 March 2007). Funny how Ségolène Royal's marital status (not married, in long term relationship with the father of her 4 children) takes precedence over the fact that Nicholas Sarkozy had several lovers (while married, not even separated at the time).

Forbes shouldn't get in the business of fortune-telling - seems no more reliable than looking into a crystal ball: Sarkozy likely to win French election. How do they know more than we (the French people and press) do?

And you thought the US was obese?

If you are a woman older than age 15 AND from a small Pacific island (eg Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa) OR from parts of the Middle East (Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, UAE), THEN you are highly likely to be OBESE... Yep, 1/3 of women in these countries are way too heavy (based on BMI) and Nauru wins the super size me prize - nearly 80% of women are obsese! And, the US is doing well - only 1/5th of adult women are unsightly.

Three important questions:
- Any causal effect? Does hiding your body under a hijab or a sarong make it easier for women to get fat?
- Can this information kill tourism in the Pacific Islands?
- Are Samoa girl scout cookies responsible for the fact that 2/3 of adult women are obsese in Samoa?

Source: WHO, 2006, http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006_riskfactors.pdf

drumroll...

so no one is reading my blog except me. that's pathetic. no visitors. i need to do a better job of being smart, witty, funny, insightful, endearing, interesting, independent, free, critical, persuasive, etc. boy-o-boy. i am certainly off to a bad start today! maybe tomorrow.

plants running

the heat is off, the sun is out and kosmo found his pillow heated by the sun. my african daisies survived the winter and the parisian pollution. one branch is white lilac, another dark purple. the dna must have gotten split somehow. weird.

my new sport for 2007 - running. been trying to make it out for a 10k run per week + several small ones in between. ça marche pour le moment. last weekend was the foulées du tertre. didn't run but looks manageable. most people arrived under one hour - the fastest was probably around 25-30 minutes. serious marathon prep - 3 weeks to go. will i ever run one?

my mood today

birthday for the babe

go a little crazy today!

more of where i have been in 2007

la suisse

le train suisse

le mont cervin - ze matterhorn

Zermatt - noon

where i have been recently...

the beaches, toronto

niagara falls, canada

niagara on the lake

i like americans, really...

... but this is 6 minutes of great fun at their (our) expense. It could be done probably for other countries, but isn't. Why is that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE

Seeking blond wig for city cyclist

Drivers give helmeted cyclists less room?

Motorists give greater leeway to cyclists who do not wear safety helmets, according to a study by a academic in Britain who was hit by traffic twice as he rode his bike to carry out his research. Researcher Ian Walker from the Department of Psychology of Britain's University of Bath found drivers were up to two times more likely to get close when passing cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking bare-headed pedalers. He said wearing a helmet might therefore make a collision more likely, but a safety-advocacy group cautioned against giving up a helmet's protection against head injury in hopes of avoiding a crash. To conduct his experiment, Walker rode a bicycle fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor and recorded data from more than 2,500 overtaking motorists. He spent half his time wearing a helmet and half bare-headed. He says he was struck by a bus and a truck while wearing the helmet but was uninjured. Walker, whose research has been accepted for publication in the international journal Accident Analysis & Prevention at a date not yet set, said his study followed previous research that found many drivers saw cyclists as a group of "lycra-clad street-warriors.." "This may lead drivers to believe cyclists with helmets are more serious, experienced and predictable than those without," he said in a statement released on Tuesday. Walker found drivers passed an average of 3.3 inches (8.5 cm) closer to cyclists with a helmet than without, giving cyclists the room needed to avoid drain covers and potholes. As part of his experiment, Walker also donned a blond wig and found drivers gave him an average of 5.5 inches more space when they passed what appeared to be a female cyclist. "We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial," said Walker. "Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place." A spokesman for Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said the study highlighted the vulnerability of cyclists and the need for drivers to take greater care. "But we would not recommend people stop wearing cycle helmets because of this research. Helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head and brain injuries in a crash," said the spokesman.

© Copyright Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.

meilleurs noms français...

A part Jeux, Beurrier et Malhomme, qui sont des classiques de chez nous, j'adore ma nouvelle trouvaille - Tas d'Homme - sans blague !

Mutombo not MVP, but gets MBP award

mbp = mushed over by president
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa [ed: what country? or is that too difficult to remember? afraid of pulling another slovakia-slovenia mix-up?], amid great poverty and disease [ed: like all other African countries??!!]. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine [ed: quite a stretch], but Coach John Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. Dikembe became a star in the N.B.A., and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth or the duty to share his blessings with others. He built a brand new hospital in his old hometown [ed: technically he didn't BUILD it; also, other people should be given credit for this charitable act]. A friend has said of this good hearted man: “Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things.” And we are proud to call this son of the Congo [ed: oooh-aaah impressive - can't get the democratic and republic part out, can you?] a citizen of the United States of America.
(see NYT 01/23/2007)

Christmas, new year's and heckman

Heckman - who is he? my new lover... i have spent weeks and days and hours late at night cuddled up with him, trying to understand the difference between his structure and his selection. and being a total nerd.

bonne année à tous!

this, i didn't make up... ouch

Your Christmas is Most Like: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

You can't really get into the Christmas spirit... But it usually gets to you by the end of the holiday.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

i'm a what ??

You Are an Appletini

Most of the time, you're a typical party girl / guy. But when you get super sauced, you really up your sex appeal.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

Bonne année ou bonne fin d'année ?

Le débat... et-ce que ça apporte la poisse de dire bonne année aux personnes avant la nouvelle année ? Il parait que oui... C'est la première fois que j'entends cela. Et vous, ça vous dit quelque chose ?

il existe les faux blogs...

Attention ! Sony a créé un blog pour attirer l'attention à son produit pour les fêtes de fin d'année...

Diversity scholarships to join elite Eating Clubs?

Yep, Princeton University decided to allocate scholarships to juniors and seniors who wanted to join the famous independent eating clubs. Their cost is about $2,000 more than the cafeteria, but allow students to partake in social activities. The goal is to increase the diversity of the eating clubs. I did my graduate work across the street from many eating clubs. Their lavish preparations for Friday night social "activities" and the necessary clean-up on Saturday mornings (of plastic cups, beer bottles and other human waste) make me thrilled that I contribute to that university fund...

Read this for more information on the eating clubs "bicker" system.

Ivy Hall, one of the campuses oldest eating clubs, only allowed its first female members in 1991, after a US Supreme court ruling (refusing to review a NJ Supreme Court ruling that all-male membership violated state civil rights laws).

Oh and here's another glorious moment for the Ivy Club.

ce n'est pas de l'art contemporain...

les sdf ont des nouvelles tentes au bord du canal saint martin. pour noël...

L'art et le derrière...

Teacher suspended over use of posterior to create artwork

You think you are poor?

See the Global Rich List

The best thing about Canada...

... is New York City.

Les aristochats

Steve Carrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdEKJATpJcM

Ça sera Ségo contre Sarko ?

Le Superman français gagne le titre en Thaïlande

In Bangkok, 41-year-old Philippe Hortion wins Strongman 2006 title after pulling three pick-up trucks over 15 metres, lifting 96-kilogram metal pipes over his head five times within two minutes, flipping a 350kg tractor tire four times in two minutes, carrying a 100kg log for 10-metres and placing a 100-kilogramme container on a table. See the news broadcast. The guys are very big and very strong.

Judge Locke rules burrito rules

WORCESTER, Mass. - Is a burrito a sandwich? The Panera Bread Co. bakery-and-cafechain says yes. But a judge said no, ruling against Panera in its bid to prevent a Mexican restaurant from moving into the same shopping mall. Panera has a clause in its lease that prevents the White City Shopping Center inShrewsbury from renting to another sandwich shop. Panera tried to invoke that clause to stop the opening of an Qdoba Mexican Grill.But Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Locke cited Webster's Dictionary as well astestimony from a chef and a former high-ranking federal agriculture official in ruling that Qdoba's burritos and other offerings are not sandwiches. The difference, the judge ruled, comes down to two slices of bread versus one tortilla."A sandwich is not commonly understood to include burritos, tacos and quesadillas, which are typically made with a single tortilla and stuffed with achoice filling of meat, rice, and beans," Locke wrote in a decision released last week.

In court papers, Panera, a St. Louis-based chain of more than 900 cafes, arguedfor a broad definition of a sandwich, saying that a flour tortilla is bread and that a food product with bread and a filling is a sandwich. Qdoba, owned by San Diego-based Jack in the Box Inc., called food experts to testify on its behalf. Among them was Cambridge chef Chris Schlesinger, who said in an affidavit: "Iknow of no chef or culinary historian who would call a burrito a sandwich. Indeed, the notion would be absurd to any credible chef or culinary historian."

(story from the Boston Globe)

Borat meets Becky Anderson of CNN

Borat interview

So you thought that was funny....

Try this for a good laugh...

Bebemoche finds the original "treadmill dance" video by the band Ok-Go...

They seem to have found a nitch for these dancing videos à la Bowie - check out "A Million Ways" on http://thewilltorock.blogspot.com/.

Attention à Sarko

Vidéo en français compilation de discours publics du Ministre de l'intérieur Nicolas Sarkozy.

Fonctionnaire perçoit prime après avoir mis la Marseillaise comme sonnerie pour son portable personnel

2006 France Tetris champion proves "Life at the Office Isn't All that Bad."

Tetris champion

Everyone loves Borat

You must check out the first four minutes of the Borat movie. Sortie nationale en France le 15 novembre.

Une larme et un sourire

I found out this morning that Doug Weiss passed away on September 25. He was my trainer in college when I injured my knee in a skiing accident. Even though I was not a top-notch student athlete, he brought me back to the tennis team within 6 months after my ACL operation and taught me that weights were for girls, too. His intelligence, humor and tirelessness, despite his debilitating disease, were felt by the entire Swarthmore community who had the chance of meeting him during his tenure. I am sad to miss the Meeting on November 3, yet thinking of Doug today brings back fond memories of my time hanging out in the trainer's room.

Au revoir, Doug.

Vacances dans le Lubéron

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénaque


Le pont du Gard


Lunch from the market


Séguret - village classé près de Gigondas


quelle bonne idée !

Best way to lose a new girlfriend

To spend one hour at work talking to her about your divorce that happened eight years ago, while playing Tetris.

Fancy jeans in France - washing instructions

"Ce jean est une production unique, finie à la main et vous donnera des années de plaisir. Cependant, la vie de ce jean est de la moitié de celle d'un autre jean car il a déjà été abimé pour obtenir sa couleur. Pour une meilleur preservation de sa teinte unique, ne pas laver son jean pendant les premiers trois mois qui suivent son achat."

Cost 250 EUR. (since you save three months worth of detergent and the jean lasts half as long as other jeans - cost is probably 270 EUR.)

Cousin says get bigger butt or tighter jeans.

Uh... I barely fit into them as it. Cousin's response: buy jeans you can't close up all the way in the store - they'll stretch out over time for the "perfect fit".

How to determine where to go on your next holiday?

1. Go to your local public library.
2. Check out the travel section and choose a continent or two.
3. Grab all the lonely planet books - easy to recognise: big print with country name on the side.
4. Stack them at your house and stare until one country's name goes fuzzy.
5. You have a winner!

Blogger rethinks lame postings

oh it's friday the 13th... this will be a great day!

Blogger makes a stunning comeback after one month of not blogging

Blogger blogs instead of working at 7h56

Blogger who no longer blogs forgets username

Tetris-inspired civil servant gets promotion + added bonus

Pink shirts for men makes a come back - please go away

The 80s are back...

Raunchy sex lyrics prompt teens to start having sex, study says
Whether it's hip-hop, rap, pop or rock, its influence on their behavior appears to depend on how the sex is portrayed, researchers found.

“If our lord wasn't testing us, how would you account for the proliferation these days of this obscene rock and roll music, with its gospel of easy sexuality and relaxed morality?”
- Reverend Shaw Moore (John Lithgow)

Instead of listening to music on the radio of a pickup truck, Kevin Bacon could have had an i-pod full of unhealthy tunes.

Finger work injury due to repeated stress clicking on Tetris shapes

happy 11th to Kosmo!!

French civil service contemplates capitalism. Days off akin to infidelity?

Paris doppelganger is still depressed from being dumped by underage girlfriend 6 months ago

"I don't get it," he says. "She ch-ch-ch-chose me; I didn't choose her. Why would she leave me?"

In an authorised interview, the former girlfriend, who recently turned 16, revealed: "Uh, well you know, it's like, not cool any more man, to date someone with grey hair who doesn't look like George Clooney. That's so passé. Anyway I don't have time for a BF. I need to work on looking like Paris or Nicole - I can't decide which one I prefer."

Indie rocker gets called "you f***g hippie scumbag", makes her cry

Office fluorescent lights less effective than UV beds, no tan appears after 6 weeks

Sheepish excitement when opening junk email, last step to loser status

Euro confetti used at wedding from defective bills only

Sète, a beach town near Montpellier in the southwest of France, was the scene of a municpal scandal due to a lavish wedding on July 8th. Guests attending the wedding of a successful local businessman threw 1 kilogram of confetti made of defective Euro bills to wish success to the new married couple. Local residents are upset over this 'amoral' use of fake bills. "Normally, the Bank of France shreds them and puts them in the trash," said a representative of the family. "Here at least we get pretty colours and don't have to pick up grains of rice." Local teenager argues "I could have taped those pieces together and sold them on Ebay."

More articles here:
cyberpresse
South African press
Weird news

Long lines at 4 Chinese delis open in August create nems shortage in Paris

Fonctionnaire (civil servant) tells French workers to not take holidays in August: Strike at bay

Work breaks eating up time between coffee, lunch and afternoon tea

Will office plants survive congés annuels ?

4 plant leaves sitting in plastic dixie cups filled with water are showing signs of depression and listlessness. They struggle to survive during the annual holiday of their office owner, growing roots out of the same water as last week. The plants' owner left the leaves behind in "la clim" (akin to death for these tropical plants) with two unattentive office mates, who clearly ignore any of plants' needs. Save the leaves!

Found: George Michael!

Although British tabloids suggest George Michael is at the center of another sexual "scandal" (leading his gay partner to call off their wedding scheduled for later this year), he was observed in the 15th arrondissement in Paris washing windows of an office building. The gold hoop earring in his right ear, the short brushed hair cut and the white wifebeater are unique identifying features.

Lady Liberty changes name, state: rebaptised Lady Liberation converts to Christianity in Memphis

Lady Liberation welcomes you to Hickory Hill and the World Overcomers Church.

See http://www.thestatueofliberationthroughchrist.org/home.htm

Across the street from the church is a convenience store where Mary Preyer is a manager. She's eager to see the statue unveiled, but says its funding could have been put to better use for the neighborhood.

La déception continue sur le coup de boule

Not a single paper dared to point out Zizou's nasty fall. He is too much of a deity (around the world) that the press will not point fingers at him and accuse him of being selfish, unprofessional, disrespectful of football. I can go on for hours. I am furious.

- Sa réaction est compréhensible, tant il a subi le combat constant des défenseurs italiens, mais pas excusable. (L'équipe)

- -Pierre Escalettes ne veut même pas le savoir. «Mettons nous à la place des gens. Il ne faut pas critiquer sans arrêt, il faut essayer de comprendre, a indiqué le président de la FFF. [...] Escalettes «n'excuse pas» le geste du capitaine tricolore mais «il ne le blâme pas». « Ça nous est arrivé à d'autres niveaux, là c'est en finale de la Coupe du monde, mais ne tirons pas sur l'artiste.» (l'équipe)

- Jacques Chirac a rendu un hommage appuyé à leur "exceptionnel" capitaine Zinedine Zidane. "Cher Zinedine Zidane, ce que je veux dire, au moment le plus intense peut-être, à un moment dur de votre carrière, c'est l'admiration, c'est l'affection de la nation tout entière, son respect aussi", a lancé le président, saluant un "virtuose", un "génie du football mondial" doublé d'un "homme de coeur, d'engagement, de conviction".

Comme sourd à cet hommage au lendemain de son expulsion à la 111e minute de la finale sur carton rouge, Zinedine Zidane avait l'air fermé, la tête baissée, les yeux rivés au sol. L'ancien champion du monde 1998 prend sa retraite sportive à l'issue de ce Mondial. (Libé)

At the very least:
- Réponse, c'est promis, dans quelques jours. Selon son agent, Alain Miggliaccio, Zinédine Zidane devrait très bientôt s'expliquer sur les raisons de son acte. Le Français a expliqué à son agent que "Materazzi avait dit quelque chose de très grave mais il n'a pas dit quoi". "C'est un homme qui normalement laisse passer au-dessus de lui ces choses mais, dimanche soir, quelque chose a explosé en lui, a poursuivi l'agent de Zidane. Il était très déçu et triste. Il ne voulait pas que ça se termine comme ça". (Le Monde, 10/07/2006)

Zidane - ange ou démon?

Raymond Domenech (au micro de Canal+) : «Je suis profondément déçu. On ne peut être que déçu, par le parcours, par le match, par le final. Sur la qualité du jeu, on le méritait. Seule la victoire est belle et il nous a manqué un petit quelque chose. L'objectif, c'était d'aller au bout. On peut dire que c'est pas mal, mais ce sont les Italiens qui sont champions du monde. Ils ont mis un acharnement pour arriver aux tirs au but. Pour eux, c'était la seule issue possible. Dans le jeu, je n'ai pas grand chose à dire : il aurait fallu que la tête de Zizou ne soit pas sortie pas Buffon. Materrazzi, c'est l'homme du match, ce n'est pas Pirlo. Le faire finir de cette manière, c'est triste. Il a fait une grande carrière, une grande Coupe du monde. Quand on +prend+ (sic) comme lui pendant 1h20 et que l'arbitre laisse gentiment faire, on comprend. On n'excuse pas mais on comprend. Pour demain, si c'est moi qui décide, on ne fait pas de défilé. Il y a 30 ans on a défilé pour une défaite, alors je ne préfère pas.» Le sélectionneur a ensuite ironisé sur l'expulsion de Zidane. L'arbitre et ses assistants n'avaient selon lui rien vu du geste de l'ancien Madrilène, et c'est alors le 4e arbitre qui a pris la décision en visionnant les images. «Vive l'arbitrage vidéo» a conclu Domenech.
(L'équipe 09/07/2006)

l'effort

On est en finale!

Le plus dur des matchs de la coupe du monde 2006...

Les Bleus se sont battus, ils se sont défendus, ils se sont fait refoulés de nombreuses fois, mais avec un peu de chance sur un penalty douteux mais juste, ils ont réussi à arriver en finale.

Allez les bleus!

Mozzarella strikes again...

Hmmmm.... tastes even better like a lollipop

"I'm 51 and don't need a CV" asserts driver

Who needs a CV when one is past 50? Not me asserts the driver. "I have a title which is Head of Division. Why would I need a CV? I have obviously made my mark to get here."

Orange + Kimya Dawson/Moldy Peaches (+ Adam)

Her very excellent song "Anyone else but you" (listen to it here) is being used in France for ads for Orange, the cellular operator, during FIFA games. Not really sure what the ad has to do with the lyrics... Any interpretations would be helpful. I wonder who is behind this since she is very popular in France and has loads of music connections here.

New office game

Try it it's rewarding, relaxing and fun!
Object: calculate time it takes you to fall asleep while staring at the desk.
Rules: No moving allowed (except head nodding and drooling), otherwise anything goes.
Premise for disqualification: You snore, you lose.
Best record: The driver, 8 seconds.

Answers to life's questions

on God's Pottery, by two humble American lads. and on myspace.

(Sorry, bebemoche, I had to spread the word. Had forgotten how hysterical these guys are.)

Guantanamo PR campaign finds its match

Slightly more than one month after the US launched a Guantanamo PR campaign to improve the image of the detention center for alleged terrorists, three prisoners commit suicide. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Colleen Graffy, called the suicides a "good PR move." The camp commander Rear Adm Harris called the suicides an act of asymmetrical warfare."

This is not a story from the Onion. Although her title could be...

Ban Glitter music

Sign the petition here.

Gary Glitter has been accused and/or convicted of pedophilia in Asian countries (Thailand, Vietnam) after fleeing home country (UK) where he was found with child pornographic images.

Royalties earned at sporting events for playing his song "Rock 'n Roll part II" directly support his crimes.

What does it take for society to realise how to protect children? Finally Asian countries have put out massive ad campaigns indicating that foreigners accused of pedophilia will be prosecuted in those countries as well as possibly in their home country. (German sex tourism is notably gaining momentum, targeting the enjoyment of prostitution as an "activity." I saw busloads of male-only German tourists in Bangkok - scary thought.)

Ode to Giraffes (in Kenya)

Three months later... Lots of photos from Kenya are finally up where they belong.


One type (Masai?) in Lake Nakuru


Articulated giraffe in Samburu


Giraffe in Masai Mara

Translated movie titles

Sometimes titles of foreign movies are translated in France. It seems pretty random which ones makes the cut, and even more which ones get transformed in the process. Literal translations are not perfect but so not bad - ie War of the Worlds is la Guerre des mondes; Guess who's coming to dinner - Devine qui vient dîner ? .

Some confusing ones: Crash became Collision, The Hudsucker Proxy became Le Grand Saut (the big jump or idiot if using the homonym), Something about Mary became Marie à tout prix, The Sweetest Thing became Allumeuse, On Golden Pond became La Maison du Lac etc.

This one is the best though (original title = Office Space):


("Working 35 hours is already too much; work is lame": refers to the existing 35 work-week regulation in France)

[By the way, the US does the same thing (e.g. Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain became Amélie Poulain).]

translations

in French - sortir d'une pièce comme un fou
literal translation in English - leaving a room like a mad person

in English - storming out of a room
literal translation in French - partir d'une pièce en tempête

This is in the context of my work - how many ways can one think about how to leave a room?

la vraie Parisienne sets in...

Tourists in town are the best. You force yourself to get away from your work or house cleaning chores and spend your time showing off the beauties of Paris. Not difficult you say? you're right. but leave it to me to take them to one of my coveted eating spots le reminet which is needless to say in every US guidebook. I can't believe this NYTimes review says a friendly couple???!!!! Even in NY city standards, they are not friendly by any stretch of the imagination. Well the husband/cook is decent, but I think he might be afaid to show a nice side given that he is married to Morticia.

It's frustrating to me that Le Reminet serves some of the most innovative high caliber food with reasonable prices in Paris, yet the service is generally pretty crappy. Well to be fair, it's nice but cold. Morticia* runs the place and never smiles. the servers take after her. and i have seen her storm out and slam the door. and i have waited 45 minutes to 1 hour for a reserved table nearly very single time i go there. only to be seated at around 10:30pm. the food and wine list are impeccable, though, so I keep going back with tourists. and they love the food every time. but when Morticia asks me how everything went - i went French. 100%. I didn't even bother to be gracious and say the food was excellent. I went straight off on the fact that the food arrived too quickly, that we got the dessert menus before our plates were even cleared, etc and we shouldn't have to be rushed because we are seated late. Of course, she points out that 1h15 minutes for three courses is not rushed. oops. where do i think i am ? a 4 star restaurant? my bad? nope. a French woman is never wrong.

* Not her real name but the resemblance is uncanny.

the best friends ever!!!

i know that i haven't been posting at all been very busy and i am currently taking a break at 2am from SAS programming to tell y'all how great my australian friends are!

sara, jason, dylan and nearly 1-year old sam): three cheers for them!!! not only did they host me for 10 days in their lovely house in annandale (and still consider me a friend), but they posted me a pack of tim tams - the original. the best cookies ever. just what i needed to get over the blues of working too much.


no comment...

thanks!!!