Cubicle work

Cubicle
Like Dilbert, I work in a cubicle, invented by R.Propst in 1968. First the system, was created/designed simply to increase the productivity of the worker, partition were mainly there to insure privacy and places to pin-up the current work... The system evolved driven by economics to pack more and more people in a given space. ( see Article in Fortunes about the fate of the cubicle).
Instead of being a Dilbert, I would probably prefer to be a Gaston Lagaffe.... -sic-
Anyway I work in a cubicle, to produce (at the end of the day) some funny features people will only see with a microscope, and use intensively to build bomb, cars... to play Rayman and to download some pornography.












See Mister-T on a chip


HISTORY
Today (5 may) is the 25th anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands in English prison.
90 years ago the republic of Ireland raise (Easter raising, 24 April 1916) which lead to the war for independance and the creation of the Republic of Ireland.
History still present, nowaday, in the political division of the two main movements, still present in the sport with the GAA refusing to see "foreign" sports played on his ground.

And next year, Croke Park will see rugby matches ... things change ....
To summarize, there is great debate in Ireland regarding the usage of Croke Park. As the GAA was founded as an organisation to maintain and promote indigenous Irish sport, it has felt honour-bound throughout its history to oppose other, rival sports.
Up until the early 1970s, rule 27 of the GAA constitution stated that a member of the GAA could be banned from playing its games if found to be also playing football, rugby.
That rule has been abolished but a similar rule, #42, still prohibited the use of GAA ground for "foreign" games. On April 2005, the rule #42 has been relax to accomodate the impossibilty to play in Landsdowne Road (stadium refection).

BD-blog and WebComics
Just some fun links about webcomics and bd_blog

• Melaka Blog (French)
• Megatokyo (BD)
• Mouton Benzene (French)
  
• Boulet Corp Blog (French)
• Nancy Pena (French)
• Madame Fa blog (French)
• PHD comics
  

And to discover few comics universe I like:

• To discover the world of Schuiten and Peeters
• Joann Sfar the author of "La fille du professeur"
• Lewis Trondheim
• Donjon universe

Blues

Pub: 1 ; Alcohol units: 1; Activity: Movie theater, dance, PS2-Rayman

Cinema: Capote

Blues, it happens sometimes, root-cause: Age, old-friendship and irish friendship.
Hopefully... I've got a couple of custom remedies (playmobil-therapy, ps2-GTA-therapy, lego-therapy, movie, and if things become desesperate watch "It's a wonderful life" the Franck Capra movie... )

Quotation of the day:
"Now you listen to me! I don't want any plastics! I don't want any ground floors, and I don't want to get married — ever — to anyone! You understand that? I want to do what I want to do"
G.Bailey in "It's a wonderful life" by F.Capra (1946)

Auvergne
And because blues, when you're not in your native country is sometimes called "Mal du pays", this is time to talk about my native landscape: Auvergne.
Auvergne is as green as Ireland and it's probably why I am not so disoriented here, but more far way from any sea. It's a volcanic landscape, proud of its culture and its products (Saint-Nectiare, Salers, Bleu d'Auvergne for the cheese ; Chateaugay for the wine ; StYorre or Chateldon for the mineral water). I miss some succulent recipes like a "truffade".
Culturally the region is quite active, the city of Aurillac sees each year a festival of street theater
and Clermont-Ferrand the city of my student past, organize one of the greatest and most popular event around the 7th art: International Short Film Festival.

A view of Clermont-Ferrand from the Parc Montjuzet.


Irish poetry:
Down By The Salley Gardens
by William Butler Yeats

Down by the salley gardens my love and I did meet;
She passed the salley gardens with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy, as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish, with her would not agree.
In a field by the river my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy, as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears.

Aran Islands

Pub: 2 (Aran) 1 (Limerick); Unit Alcohol (2 days): 3; Activities: Bicycle, seesighting, boat, fun

I finally put a foot on the Aran Island (Inishmore), Great WE !!! Wonderful sunny monday (Bank Holiday) after a rainy sunday....

It's not rain, it's just Irish mist.




Finally the sun arrive on monday (monday under the sun... a luck we sometimes have)








Good place to stay overnight an hostel: The Killeany Pilgrim Lodge

French songs:
Lyrics of a song witten by Bernard Dimey
"Ivrogne, c'est un mot que ni les dictionnaires Ni les intellectuels, ni les gens du gratin Ne comprendront jamais... C'est un mot de misère Qui ressemble à de l'or à cinq heure du matin. Ivrogne... et pourquoi pas ? Je connais cent fois pire, Ceux qui ne boivent pas, qui baisent par hasard, Qui sont moches en troupeau et qui n'ont rien à dire. Venez boire avec moi... On s'ennuiera plus tard. Ivrogne et pourquoi pas "

Things Learned:

• The Island of Ireland is composed of 32 counties (26 in the Republic and 6 in Northern Ireland), this is subdivision of the old 4 provinces of Ireland. This is a very useful information when you want to follow the gaelic sports as the GAA floow this divisions of the Island to organize theis championships.
• "ik hou van jou" ... I love you in dutch (Netherlands).
• Aran Islands geology linked to the Burren.
• The french song "Celine" by Hugues Aufray (Lyrics: Vline Buggy et Hugues Aufray, music: Mort Shuman ).
• "La ballade des gens heureux" is sang by Gerard Lenorman.
• Pierre Delanoe wrote the lyrics of "Nathalie" (G.Becaud), "La ballade des gens heureux" (G.Lenorman), "Je n'aurai pas le temps" (Fugain), "L'ete indien" (Joe Dassin), "Le France" (M.Sardou)....etc...
• "Take me out" is an original song by Franz Ferdinand, and has been covered (reprise) by The Magic Numbers, The Scissor Sister and Biffy Clyro.
• There is a FFrench roundabout in Galway, (no syntax error), I wonder what it refers to...
  

Food market

Saturday Pub:0 ; Alcohol uits 0; Activities:RiverFest, Rayman, Food Market
Friday Pub:0 ; Alcohol uits: loadz but 0 stout; Activities:Tartiflette

• So due ti the River Faest this week-end, there is a French/International market in Limerick... Finally it's possible to buy some nice food (cheese, real "charcuterie"...). Actually once you know, there is a way in Limerick to have nice products.
  Every saturday (or sunday ??) mroning there is the Milk Market in the city center, where you can buy cheap and good products (I'am talking food).
  Another interesting spot, is the Asian supermarket ( I suspect it's the provider for all asiatic restaurant in the area), this is worth to tale a look at.


• Improvised Tartiflette friday night, as a result I sadly did not go to the pub ... very good (potatoes should have cooked more) but nice. Thanks to Mikie.


• Arte (Tracks) put his shows on the web, this is downloadable (unfortunately not free http://www.artevod.com/ , it's probably the next incoming mutation fro the media, no more scheduling, the programs will be avalaible when you want to watch it, good bye TV listings

NOT FINISHED --- NEED MORE

Limerick Guiness

Pub: 3; Alcohol Units: 2; Activities: Salsa, pub

So Munster is going to Cardiff to entertain Biarritz during the Heineken Cup Final, everybody in the city, is wearing the red jersey, every car has his flag of ithe team, and most important, everybody is seeking a ticket for the match. People book their flight, hotel... Actually all tickets are sold out, only remains 15000 tickets given to the 2 clubs... unfortunately for Munster, their 7500 tickets will be reserved to the club and sponsors and Not the supporters ! So you can see Irish people lurking to the 7500 tickets given to Biarritz... The red Army is ready to invade Scotland. Aer Lingus has added to extra flight from Dublin to Bristol just for the event.

Guinness is a cultural thing.
Diageo has introduced in Limerick for a test a "Guinness Mid-strength" with only 2.8 degree.
So it's been 6 weeks, and the Limerick Post is looking at it:
http://www2.limerickpost.ie/fullnews.elive?id=57&category=news
Where you can see the importance of drinking in the Irish society, one of my favourite quotation in this article is:
"People are very busy nowadays. They have a lot of responsibility and although they still like going to the pub, they are finding it harder and harder to drink and to execute their responsibilities. This way you can have a few pints and still have a clear head in the morning.”
For information few pints for an irish is a minimum of 3 !

I will need to come back later, on Limerick, its criminality, its horses and its street burning garbage.

Les Boulets

• Quotation of the day:
  "Rien ne m'est sur que la chose incertaine" F.Villon


• The incoming weekend (May Bank Holiday) the River Fest is taking place in Limerick:
  http://www.limerickriverfest.com/


• I've just seen that Nico introduced me and some other french lads in his blog, so to re-establish the truth, let me introduce you: "Les boulets", some french lads who arewilling to spend 5 to 6 months in Ireland, (drinking beer...)
  
  First: Manu (aka "Schtroumpf-grincheux"/Smurf grouchy)
  
  2nd: Guillaume (aka Dopey )
  
  
  
  
  
  
  3rd: Mikael (aka Jojo le merou)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  4th: Nico (aka Leprechaun aka Patrick)
  
  
  
  

Bike....

Pub:0;Alcohol Units:0; Activities: Bike, work

• Today I finally went to my work with my bicycle... It took me a bit more than one hour.... but for the return I have the wind against me so I've almost double my time -sic-
  I am quite happy with the bike-journey, even if I know what the 2 or 3 next weeks should be the hardest, to give me time to be in better physical shape and accustom myself to the journey.
• Just for the fun a french website about "Les Crados" http://www.lescrados.com/ , the english version is GarbagePailKids (look at this website http://www.wgpkr.com/ to have the list of all cards)
• Actually when you look at the Crados website, you'll see cards about M.A.S.K ("Illusion is the ultimate weapon !") and now I can't stop thinking of GI-Joe, Playmobil and James May. James May is a co-presenter of TOP-GEAR a show about cars, in my opinion the only one who has a good taste for cars.
  Note: TOPGEAR actually has set a quite fun challenge Celeb Laptime where they asked celebrity to race against the clock... and guess who is heading ... I let you discover.
  James is in his fourties, and for last christmas, he had a show (Toy stories) about the toys of his childhood, and it was absolutely brilliant: still playing with his toys, trying the parachute of a Action Man for real (very dispapointing), Etch-a-Sketch (in the hands of art students producing some amazing portraits) and buying a collection train (Hornby) to play with it and not too keep it in his box.... When I'll grow up, I want to be like James May !!!