Wednesday, August 23, 2006

10 mots pour une histoire... [FR]

Exercice de style pris sur le site des Papous dans la tete
:[Site de l'emission]
Je vous donne 10 mots, à vous de les faire vivre dans une histoire à
imaginer : conte de Noël, lettre de voeux ou scène de la vie
quotidienne.

- Idylle - blanche - autographe - couloir - perroquet - toute-puissance - mystère - trottiner - ravissement - ampoule

Ecrivez des textes de 10 ou 15 lignes, pas plus, cela fait aussi partie de la contrainte !


Sous l'aube d'une ampoule, je la vis trottiner a la poursuite d'un perroquet dans un couloir.
Elle voulais son autographe, et etais armee d'une feuille balnche symbole de sa toute-puissance.
La concierge, vint m'expliquer ce mystere, et ainsi j'appris avec ravissement l'histoire de cette idylle maudite.


Pfff dieu que que je suis mauvais :-P... il y a des textes bien meilleurs sur le site l'emission.

Other news: I am going to see Radiohead ... I am going to see Radiohead ... tomorrow Marlay Park, Dublin, under the rain....

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Tuesday, August 22, 2006

RADIO -- ou enfin un post en francais.... [FR]

First, sorry for my English readers, I am switching back to French for some posts, and I'll probably from now on switch from one language to another to make things more confusing.



Pourquoi un post en français ?
Voila une bonne question, je crois que c'est parce que ces derniers temps, j'ai beaucoup écouté avec ravissement des radios en langue française (Radio-Nova cf post précédents), et lu des blogs en langue française ( j'ai mis les liens des plus intéressants a mon goût dans les divers post). Résultat, l'envie d'écrire en français, cumule au fait que faire référence a des sites/blogs français en anglais est un peu bizarre. Donc voila.

Le masque et la plume
[site de l'emission, ou vous pouvez écouter la dernière diffusion]
Donc ce lundi, j'ai (re)-écouté pour la première fois depuis plus d'un an, cette fantastique émission de France-Inter, je crois que ce genre de débat futiles a la française me manquais, les querelles et les échanges de bons mots.
J'en profites pour recommander une lecture: Tangages et roulis, de David McNeil (Gallimard) ode au plaisir alocooliques... ce qui nous fais revenir a l'éternel Dimey.

" Ivrogne, c'est un mot qui nous vient de province
Et qui ne veut rien dire à Tulle ou Châteauroux,
Mais au coeur de Paris je connais quelques princes
Qui sont selon les heures, archange ou loup-garou
L'ivresse n'est jamais qu'un bonheur de rencontre,
Ça dure une heure ou deux, ça vaut ce que ça vaut,
Qu'il soit minuit passé ou cinq heure à ma montre,
Je ne sais plus monter que sur mes grands chevaux.

Ivrogne, ça veut dire un peu de ma jeunesse,
Un peu de mes trente ans pour une île aux trésors,
Et c'est entre Pigalle et la rue des Abesses
Que je ressuscitais quand j'étais ivre-mort...
J'avais dans le regard des feux inexplicables
Et je disais des mots cent fois plus grands que moi,
Je pouvais bien finir ma soirée sous la table,
Ce naufrage, après tout, ne concernait que moi.

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."

Bernard Dimey


[Un site sur Dimey]
J'ai hate d'ecouter la prochaine emission sur les sorties cinema... et apres me desespere que ces films ne sortent pas en salles ici en Irlande.

A propos de cinema, si vous etes sur Limerick (Eire), il y a une sorte de cinema d'art et essai qui diffuse des films sympas (et different de la diffusion des omniplex) dans une salle un peu pourrie ( mais bon l'ambiance y est tres sympa ): BELLTABLE [website]
-----

Enfin une série de blogs intéressants, (re)-découverts récemment, je mets aussi
les liens rss:

  • Carnet d'un inspecteur de travail[RSS] un blog (comme son nom l'indique) d'un inspecteur du travail en France, parfois édifiant sur les conditions de travail de certaines personnes en France, bourre d'informations utiles sur le code du travail, et un contraceptif radical a toute pulsion ultralibéraliste.
  • Droit des enfants[RSS] un blog par un juge des enfant. Encore pris sur les blog du site du Monde.L
    La encore, parfais un peu déprimant, de lire toutes ces histoires sur le trafic d'enfants, mais d'un autre cote cela a un cote rassurant de voir que certaines personnes essaient de lutter contre cela.


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Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Not Glop Statistics

I've read in the latest National Geographic Magazine [August 2006], the following statistics:

Odds of dying by any cause : 1 in 1 ( 100% ) ... this is not "Glop" at all.

But here the funny things. This article is based on  a study from the National Safety Coucil (an US institute)  called What are the odds of dying ?

So if you're an US citizen, you're more likely to die by heart disease ( 1 in 5 , 20% ).
I did not think suicide was so common ( 1 in 119 ), it's even (twice) more common than dying by falling ( 1 in 218 ).
In a previous post, I was talking about road safety, and it happens that dying in a motor vehicle accident is the 4th greatest odds ( after heart disease, cancer and stroke.... with 1 in 84).

So if you're looking some more unconventional death, here some tricks, you're more likely to die by alcohol poisoning ( 1 in 10048 ) than because of hot weather ( 1 in 13729 ), and I wonder if the numbers would be the same in France.

In the USA, you're more likely to die by Death Penalty ( 1 in 62468 ) than strike by lightning ( 1 in 79746 ) or Flood ( 1 in 144156 ) or Earthquake ( 1 in 117127 ).

In 2003, in the USA, 332 persons die by drowning and submersi into bath-tub, in order to compare there has been 17732 deaths by assault the same year.
Odds of dying by firearm assault 1 in 314....

But I did not find anything about death by shark ....

But you can always check with a psychic to know how this is going to end : Death Psychic
In my case th way of my death has been foretold like this:
After haggling over the price of meat, an enraged butcher beats you to death with a frozen beef tongue.

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Monday, August 14, 2006

My Eye


My Eye
Originally uploaded by TOF2006.
Last Week Activities: Work
Last Week Pub: Nancy Blake (Wed) ; Daffy's (Thu) ; Old Quarter (Sat)

I've been quite busy with my work these last few weeks and unfortunately week-end... so not many things to tell, about place visited, funny stuff done... Sad...
Thus I managed to spend sometime in the Nancy Blake, this wednesday, and relax by enjoying some typical irish music. And like every thursday, I went to my salsa lesson (the last one of the summer, the lessons will resume the 31st of August). I am definitely bad at dancing salsa... I've tried the advanced class, after several (too repetitive) sessions of improver. but I can hardly manage to do the full routine... I might go back to improver in september, and I know that I need to practice more (particulary on the dance floor) to be able to improve myself. Anyway it was good fun.
Saturday GR, dragged me out, to the Old Quarter, to see some "talent" ... definitely this pub is not my cup of tea.

The photo here, is my first try to take a macro photo of my iris/eye.
I've been very impressed few years ago, by the work from Francis Giacobetti (published in GEO in 1996), it tooke photography of the iris of famous people (Cousteau, Dalai Lama...) with a specific material. I've never managed to find the pictures on the web....

Monday, August 07, 2006

Cameo Fernandel

Cameo Fernandel in PS2 game

Cameo Fernandel
Originally uploaded by TOF2006.

I've just finished "Destroy All Humans" on PS2, (between the few hours I spent at work this bank holiday week-end), while playing I've found this... the singer on the sign looks like Fernandel, a famous french actor... [see IMBD about Fernandel]... By the way fun game.


Radio Nova
Actually I listen a lost Radio Nova a french radio station, with loads of good music, few ad. I like their jingles made of sound from french movies.
And here's an audio blog about it Nova AudioBlog

Songs of the WE

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Irish Roads


stopandprayconnemarra002


I've just scan some photos, I've taken some time ago with my old argentic camera, so I can post them on Flickr... And just remember this one... It's in the middle of the Connemara (Ireland), on a lost road....
I had to stop to take the picture.


irishroad_achill010


And this one has been taken on the misty scenic road to Achill Island.

Irish roads are very often narrow (except for the very recent dual carriage way ... but it's rare), and unfortunately not very safe... probably first beacuse of the importatnt increase of the number of vehicules (car and trucks) travelling nowadays on irish roads, and then because of a lack of a decent learning (and testing) system for young drivers, and a slow process of law enforcement...
In his edition of the 4th of August 2006, the Irish Examiner announced that Ireland has been ranked fourth in the most dangerous road in Europe (in term of acidents and fatalities per kilometers... 1. Greece, 2. Portugal, 3. Spain ).
This ranking is quite surprising because the rods in Ireland has been gretaly improved in the last fez years.
The study highlight also that irish are the least agressive motorist in Europe, and french are the most (I won't oppose that).
On the other hand The National Road Authority declared irish roads are safest now than in th 70's, which is true if you divide the number of death by the number of cars.
Just some numbers to finish this post.

Year: 1980 Number of cars: 900000 Road Deaths: 564
Year: 2005 Number of cars: 2100000 Road Deaths: 396
In 2006, so far, 219 had died on irish road from the 1st January up to the 15th of July....

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Surfing Ireland

Fun, Fun, Fun
Activities:Surf ; Pub: 1 on the beach ; Alcohol Units: 0


IMG_1347


Finally, I went surfing in Ireland (first time on a surf ever), this tuesday. The Outdoor pursuit Club of my company, was organising a initiation session in Lahinch.
Simply brilliant, and I really enjoyed it. I even managed to stand on the board 4-5 times but then "ivre de joie", I simply fall...
That was a perfect way to finish a working day.


IMG_1351


Song of the day:PJ.Harvey - This Mess we're in.

Wouldn't It Be Nice
Activities:Pub ; Pub: 2 ; Alcohol Units: 4+
Decided to go to the Nancy Blake this wednesday, to enjoy some traditional irish music with the french lads (GP & NM). There I've seen Mel and a friend of her, a lovely irish girl, I've previously met, few months ago, during my salsa lessons in the Daffy's.The night finished, quite drunk, and singing...
Exactly the night out I needed.

For Information, every wednesday night, these traditional irish music takes plce in the Nancy Blake.

Song of the day:Dyonisos - Don Diego 2000

Whale watch
A very interesting site which keeps track of all whale sighting in Ireland:
http://www.iwdg.ie/
The map is particulary good, and it seems we miss some Basking Shark cruising in Kerry, the week end we spent in Mizen Head.

Blogs
I just link here, some interesting blogs, I read from time to time:

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Canadian Fakir vs Giant Kangooroos

Activites: Street walking, street spectators ; Pub: 1 ; Alcohol Units: 1

IMG_1318


So i've been to Galway, this sunday, in order to see the end of the Galway Arts Festival, and hoping to see some giant kangooroos ( A company called Icarus....) Unfortunately I did not see them.....
Thought I saw a canadian fakir


IMG_1329


Very funny. And spent the rest of the day walking in the streets of Galway, trying to enjoy a windy sea scenery, and the University grounds....


IMG_1339


And soon we were back to Eyre square ( and later Limerick )... okay we went to one pub on the way, and I had my first guinness in 1.5 weeks ...


IMG_1322


I'am still annoyed not having seen these giant kangooroos, a canadian fakir, it's not the same as giants kangooroos bouncing around in the streets of Galway... I am so sad...

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Some Lessons from the School of Life..

FW FW FW FW FW ... and one day it appeared in my mailbox
  • Know yourself – Be honest with yourself
  • Define Yourself – If not you will never be comfortable with who you are.
  • Know the difference between “I can’t” and “I won’t.”
  • Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
  • When you say, "I love you," mean it.
  • When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
  • Believe in love at first sight.
  • Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
  • When you lose, don't lose the lesson
  • Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
  • Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
  • When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
  • Spend some time alone.
  • Never take yourself so seriously that you cannot laugh at your self.
  • Talk slowly but think quickly, and learn to listen more than you talk (that is why we have two ears and one mouth)
  • Know what you know. Know what you don’t know
  • Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
  • Accept that change is a constant. Be a change agent
  • Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much. Dreamers never quit and quitters never dream.
  • Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.


----------

  • Activites: Destroy all humans, shopping, cleaning...
  • Pub: None ( 10 days now ... there's something wrong)
  • Alcohol units: 0 ( I only socially drink ... in pub so)
  • Current Music: Radio Nova ... just heard: David Bowie singing in Italian (RAGAZZO SOLO RAGAZZA SOLA) and some good zik a colleague bring back from France.


Movies seen:
  • Pirates of Carribean 2 pure pleasure, not as good and surprising as the first one, but I'll book my seat for the third and final one.
  • Cars probably not the best Pixar, (the stoy is a bit lame), but it's damn good !!! VVRRROOOOMMMM !!! Technically it's way... To Infinity. . .and BEYOND! And Jeremy Clarckson from Top Gear has done some voice on it.
    I am really looking forward for their next movie Ratatouille about Rats in Paris ... cheesy ...

Friday, July 28, 2006

Medium - Winamp

Playing with your shufle music player
Go to your music player of choice, and put it all on "shuffle." Say the following questions aloud, and after each one press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question.

  1. What do you think of me, random music player?
    Hands around my throat - Death In Vegas
  2. Will I have a long and happy life?
    Take it as it come - Doors
  3. What do my friends really think of me?
    Desormais - Les Castafiores
  4. What does my S/O think of me?
    Dancing Queen - ABBA
  5. Do people secretly lust after me?
    Queen and the country - Jethro Tull (Warchild)
  6. How can I make myself happy?
    Enferme dans les cabinets - H.F.Thiefaine
  7. What should I do with my life?
    Boogie man - ACDC
  8. Why must life be so full of pain?
    Immigrant Song - Tomoyasu Hotei (Originally Led Zep)
  9. How can I maximize my pleasure during sex?
    La Mouche - Polnareff
  10. Will I ever have children?
    Never be alone - Justice vs Simian
  11. Will I die happy?
    Mouris sur scene - Les Castafiores
  12. Can you give me some advice?
    Love her madly - Doors
  13. What do you think happiness is?
    Can't help falling in love - Elvis Presley
  14. Do you have any advice to give over the next few hours/days?
    Salsamania - Sergent Garcia
Better than any medium.

Quotation of the day
"La liberté, c'est de pouvoir choisir celui dont on sera l'esclave."
[Jeanne Moreau]
Freedom is being able to choose the master you'll be the slave of.

Jellyfish
That's waht I call a jellyfish:
JellyFish in NGM

GTA in Limeric
Latest news on the Limerick scene crime: four day outburst, between last Thursday and the early hours of Monday morning, there were almost a dozen separate incidents including shootings and one grenade attack.
As a result, Garda is now doing 24hour/day armoured patrol in some part of Limerick.
All details can be found in the Limerick Post

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Photoshop - Boulets


fantastic_bopulets.final
Originally uploaded by TOF2006.
It's been a while, since I've played with GIMP/Photoshop to modify Movie posters, add some known heads on it... This one is not particulary well done, but I nethertheless quite happy of producing it.
The 4 guys are the "boulets" presented few posts ago, and I've been hanging around with this year.

Board game

Monday night, one of my colleague introduced us to the joy of german style board game. We play Carcassonne, a very pleasant game.

Things learned
1. I always thought that the answer : "No they've fallen all by themselves" to the question "Have you been to the haircut ?" was part of one Jean Marie Bigard (a fench stand-up comedian, quite popular) show... but it's not, in his monologue called "les expressions" where he fight against stupid question. Like when you go to a restaurant, in france, the waiter ask you if you are here to have dinner.... No I was just planning to play tennis... etc...

2. "Igname" is the french word for Yam, a species of vegetables (cultivated in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania). And it can be used as a symbol, in some culture (Papou)
Not to be confused with :
-Imam which is an religious leader.
-Iguane [FR] (iguana in english).

Question not answered
Origin of the Castres city's name, and difference with the origin of the french world: "castrer" and what is the ethymologic link with "Castor" (Beaver in english)

Update on this question (and back to French ):
Un blog amusant a ce propos: Langue sauce piquante, le blog des correcteurs du monde.
Et une idee fantastique de la bibliotheque nationale (BNF), la mise en ligne de centaines d'ouvrages anciens http://gallica.bnf.fr/

CASTRES (Tarn) Le nom de la ville vient du mot latin castrum qui signifie "place fortifiée".
Les mots "chaste", "incestueux" et "castré" ont la même racine indo européenne kes- (séparer)
kes- couper, séparer
--> lat. castrare (castrer)
--> lat. castrum, place fortifiée (peut-être "place séparée")
--> lat. castus : chaste (séparé, pur, sans fautes), inceste, incestueux (non chaste), caste
Source http://babel.lexilogos.com/

Friday, July 21, 2006

French Comics


Johann Sfar
Originally uploaded by TOF2006.


A small post, to talk about a fantastic comic book author: Johann Sfar...
I've just receive from France, the last volume of "Le Mousquetaire minuscule"... this is absolutely brilliant.



Links:
Sfar website [French]

(You can preview some pages in the dedicated website:
http://www.poissonpilote.com/ )

Since I am in Ireland, I have got many occasion, to enjoy some good comic, it's quite difficult to find a good comic shop here. And when you find one, there is almost only US comics (Marvel)... not necessarly the best part. Anyway, I should probably go to Dublin or Cork to have more choice, and actually with the web-shopping, you can order book from any country now.



IMG_1314

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Lego - Zizou


Zidane
Originally uploaded by Kaptain Kobold.
One last word about the World Cup ... or I should say one last picture...
lego+headbutt...
I am a (big) fan !!

PS: Hey we are vice-world champions, and in 2 months we meet Italy again during the qualifiers for Euro 2008....

Seal and JellyFish

Pub: 3; Alcohol Units: 2, Activities: road movie, sea swimming, seal observation, beach soccer....

WE summary
Like many WE, this was a road movie week-end. I headed south, saturday morning (post-Bastille day) with MF, GP, NM and his sister.
This means the Micra was fully loaded (litteraly and spiritually)... to my disapoitment as it turns out there was so many girls hitch-hiking :(
Anyway, we headed full south, the initial aim was the Bantry Bay...
We made a stop in Killarney, to enjoy the lakes... but could not stop for a picnic because of a lack of organisation.
IMG_1206
The lake was crowded with buses loaded with french teenager. (Bonjour le depaysement !
IMG_1207IMG_1198

Then we continued our route, through the second kingdom after the one of God ( I mean County Kerry )
By the way, unfortunately Kerry has been beaten by Cork, this week-end during the replay of the Gaelic Footbal Munster Championship...
We the evening near GlenCariff (Beara Peninsula), as we found a lovely youth hostels (actually the night was quite good, I could have been up for a night under the stars), so en joy 2 of the 6 or 7 pubs of the village... We had a perfect barbeque near Bantry Bay (potatoes cooked in the braise of the fire)... we really put to a test our survival skill (making a fire, extincting a fire)
The evening ended up marvellously (before the pub, yes) as three seals came to say hello, near our campment.
We also swim, although the sea was infected with JellyFishes.

Sunday
We headed for the extreme south-west, I mean Mizen Head.
This mean FASTNET, if you follow the Marine Forecast... (Viking, Fastnet...)
IMG_1267
IMG_1249IMG_1246
Spend the rest of the day: putting one-two feet in the water, playing beach soccer (world cup replay), playing in the sand... and soon we were back safely to Limerick.


Monday

Back to work, oh I just seen Pirates of the Carribean 2, thought it was not as good as the first (may be the surprise) I think I will have some night dreaming being Captain Jack Sparrow.

Things learned
Loads about Jellyfishes.
I saw loads of vintage tractors on the irish roads... this must be some kind of Agri-Fair.... I need to investigate this....
http://www.westernvintage.com/
Hip Hip Massey Ferguson !!!

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

It's a long way to Tipperary..

It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go,
It's a long way to Tipperary,
To the sweetest girl I know!
Goodbye Piccadilly! Farewell Leicester Square!
It's a long, long way to Tipperary,
But my heart's right there!

Everything in Ireland finish with a song, and it's with this song what I've achieved this sunny sunday evenong.
Of course, because I am french I watch the Final of the World Cup: France vs Italy.
I went to the Nancy's Blake to enjoy some good french crowd:
IMG_1177

World Cup in Germany
This french team suprised me, and made it again... they make us dream !
It's hard to believe that it's the same team who draw against Switzerland and Korea... and later brillantly won versus Spain, outpaced Brazil... and another final.
Lost in the penalties...What can I say ... I am sad, they deserved victory.

Thank you Zidane, Thank you les bleus... to make us believe, to make us dream again.
IMG_1180

For my italian friends: congratulazione and see you in two years for the european championship.

Friday, June 30, 2006

Around Ireland - Giant Causeway

I've push my road trip up to Nothern Ireland to see Belfast (I'll go back there, spend more time, and hopefully I'll have pics for this), and to see the Giant Causeway
IMG_1162IMG_1167

And some Castle
IMG_1122

Chain mail

I've just received one of these chains-email (you know you receive it and you must send it to 10 people), so that's an easy way to fill my blog (sorry that's in French... no time to translate), here's my answer.

Mode d'emploi:
Si on s'y met tous, c'est vraiment drôle. Copiez ce mail en entier et
collez-le dans un nouveau mail que vous enverrez. Changez toutes les
réponses pour qu'elles soient les vôtres. Ensuite, envoyez ce message à un
groupe de gens que vous connaissez, incluant la personne qui vous a envoyé
ce courrier.
En théorie vous allez apprendre plusieurs petites choses à propos de vos
amis.
N'oubliez pas d'envoyer vos réponses à l'expéditeur de ce message.

1. Heure de debut ? 8h07
2. Prénom : Christophe
3. Ton anniversaire : 20 Mars 1976
4. Signe zodiaque : Poissons ... mais je preferes mon signe chinois Dragon
5. Age : 30
6. Un tatouage ? Non pas encore
7. As-tu déjà été amoureux(se) ? : oui.
8. As-tu déjà aimé jusqu'au point de pleurer ? oui (sinon cela compte pas)
9. Pepsi ou Coca ? : coca
10. Café ou thé ? : Thé
11.Tasse ? Mug ? : Mug guinness (c'est psychologique)
16. Numéro préféré : Tiens oui il ya quelqu'un qui a vire les question 12 a 15 (je les rajoutes apres, histoire de confondre tout) sinon j'aimes tous les numero (specialement Zero, brillant concept)
12. Film prefere: "Requiem for a dream" et "Annie Hall"
13. Comique Prefere: Desproges (Le but de l’homme moderne sur cette terre est à l’évidence de s’agiter sans réfléchir dans tous les sens, afin de pouvoir dire fièrement, à l’heure de sa mort : « Je n’ai pas perdu mon temps. ») et Lee Evans (mais il y a aussi Father Ted)
14. Serie TV prefere: Oulalala... MacGyver, je crois.
15. Dessin Anime prefere: Albator (suivi de pres par Sponge Bob)
17. Type de musique préféré : Traditionnelle Irlandaise, Rock
18. Fleurs : Marguerite Blanche ("J'y songerais")
19. Sujet de conversation détesté : Aucun.... ah si tout ce qui concerne les "people" (britney, royal family...)
20. Disney ou Warner? : Plutot Ghibli et Pixar mais bon ils sont tous les deux diffuses par Disney!!
D'un autre cote Warner c'est Tex Avery....... J'adore de petit chaperon rouge (c'est peut etre de la que viens mon obsession pour les rousses...Youhououou)
21. Fast food préféré : .... un pub a CastleGregory, pas pour le fish&chips mais plutot cf question 7
22. Un problème : A funny one
Question: If you are to travel exactly 2 km and your speed over the
first kilometer is 30.1 kmph, what must your speed be over the second km
to average 60 kmph over the entire 2 kilometers?
You must prove your answer.
23. Couleur préférée : vert ... non bleu .........aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhh
24. Comment te vois-tu dans l'avenir ?
Avenir tres lointain: proprietaire d'un Pub/Auberge de Jeunesse a Dingle
D'ici la l'avenir est plein de possibilites, d'expectatives et autres opportunites.
25. Des animaux à la maison : snifff ... non je veux un chien aussi !!! Un chien berger pour aller avec des moutons. Ouaf ! Ouaf !
26. Lequel de tes amis vit le plus loin? : Yin a Shanghai (A priori elle va etre cite un paquet de fois, difficile de faire plus loin, Michelle repart en Australie, je veux gagner ce jeu ;-P ), apres plus pres: Juju en Iceland (60°N 21°55W) et un paquet de personnes en France
27. Qui sera le plus rapide à répondre à ton mail ? : J'aurais dis Brucie mais c'est lui qui m'a envoye le mail en premier ... pffff I don't know
28. Qui sera le plus long: LJ ( if he reply :-P )
29. Ami(s) spécial(aux) : Tous mes amis sont speciaux ( et tarés ou alcooliques ...)
30. Que changerais-tu dans ta vie : Rien pour le moment. Plus tard sans doute suivre une formation pour devenir berger.
31. Tu as un ordi à la maison? : Oui, c'est avec cela que je reponds a toutes sortes de questionnaires (mais je preferes ceux de Cosmo,... afin de determiner quel est mon homme/animal/ami ideal)
32. CD préféré? : Dionysos "Monsters in love" et "Daemon Days" de Gorillaz
33. La première chose à laquelle tu penses au réveil? bin elle est ou ma copine ?
34. Comment vois-tu l'Amour : a 2!
36.Qu'y a t il sur tes murs? des photos d'henri cartie-bresson, de devantures de pub, une reproduction d'un tableau de Hopper (pas NightHawk), une carte du monde (aka toutes les places que je n'ai jamais visites.... :( et ou est trace l'itineraire du tour du monde en 80 jours)
37. Qu'y a t-il sous ton lit : Rien merci a Henry l'aspi
38. Ecris quelque chose à la personne qui t'a envoyé ce mail : Merci, est ce que c'est une manoeuvre subversive pour me rappeller que j'ai oublie ton anniversaire :-P
39. Nomme la personne qui ne te répondra pas: LJ
40. Celui dont tu es sur qu'elle te répondra : ... Personne
41. Qui aimerais-tu voir répondre : Je sais pas, j'aimes pas les gens!
42. Que dirais-tu à quelqu'un en particulier mais que tu n'oses pas dire : Alors la rien n'existes que je n'oses dire.... a part je t'aimes. :-[
43: Sport favori : Hurling (mais uniquement parceque plongee sous-marine n'est pas un sport ... enfin)
44. Timide ou extraverti : timide pendant les 7 premieres pintes de Guinness, et aussi sur un bateau face aux irlandaise parlant francais... pour le reste....
45. Ton surnom : EUh ... Tof.... n'importe quel surnom excepte Cricri (PS: pour la petite histoire cricri etais le diminutif de Christian pas Christophe dans "Helene et les garcons"... voila qui devrais clore le debat une fois pour toute)
46. Langues parlées : Francais (de moins en moins), Anglais, Anglais de Pub, Espagnol (mais tres tres embrouille), Italien (pour les insultes: Va Fenculo...), et la j'essaies d'apprendre le gaelique irlandais.
47. Un mot que tu aimes dire : Sacrebleu !
48. Un coucou à quelqu'un en particulier : Salut Eva ! Bienvenue dans ce monde merveilleux !
49: une fraz ki te fai plaisir : "Suck my dick" traduis en francais par une irlandaise du nord (J'aurais du enregistrer cela et en faire un podcast).... sinon
ou alors "Can't you bestupid somewhere else?"... mais ma prefere reste: "agreuh"
50. Qu'est-ce que tu voudrais pour ton anniversaire : un an de moins .... quoi c'est pas possible!? .... bon une pinte de Murphy alors
51. Opel ou Seat : Nissan....
52. Sucré ou Salé : both
53. Lieu favori : Dingle, Galway, n'importe ou au bord de la mer (sauf Nice peut etre)
55 Lèche-vitrine ou lèche-écran : pffff.......ni l'un ni l'autre....
56. Citation prefere:
"Dumb people are always blissfully unaware of how dumb they really are..." Patrick Star
"Rien ne m'est sur, que la chose incertaine" F.Villon
57. Heure de fin : 9h34

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Around Ireland - Desproges

Around Ireland
I've done a bot of travel around Ireland these days, and finally git a chance to take a look at the Hill of Tara (or Hill of King).

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And going further in Irish history, I visited other sites (older than the Egyptian pyramids). First Newgrange:
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Visit agreemented by a lovely guide :-P
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Yes Newgrange ...that's big...
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And finish the day by Knowth:
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The site is protected by the OPW and the UNESCO.


DESPROGES
Re-discover some mp3 of Desproges on my hard drive. Fabulous, even if I've become a too optimistic person to fully appreciate it now :-P (Official website in French: http://www.desproges.fr/ ).

Quotations of the day:
  • Tout dans la vie est une affaire de choix. Ca commence par la tétine ou le téton, ça se termine par le chêne ou le sapin.

*Everything in life is a matter of choice. It starts with "pacifier or breasts ?", it ends with "Oak or pine ?"

  • Le but de l’homme moderne sur cette terre est à l’évidence de s’agiter sans réfléchir dans tous les sens, afin de pouvoir dire fièrement, à l’heure de sa mort : « Je n’ai pas perdu mon temps. »

*The goal of modern man on Earth is obviously to run around aimlessly and without a thought, just so he can proudly say, on his death bed : "I did not waste my time".


At the end of the day

At the end of the day things stay even, in France one death (some member of the family) today and last week one birth (some friend)....

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Diving - Dingle

Activities: Pub(Murphy), Diving, Beach, seesighting

So diving saturday and sunday, hanging around dingle, finding few pubs... learning french from some lovely Diving Instructors (not enough...)

Diving
Like previous WE, we dived in Castlegregory (Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry) in a gorgeous diving center (http://www.waterworld.ie/)
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4 dives this times (lambster, dog-fish ...etc ) but no seal...

My diving buddy has found new friend:
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Honestly I preferred the lovely girls on the boat of the diving center :-P ... ( and my reponse to any comment of the man in question .... LOL ) If you want more details go there ... I'll probably translate later part of his story about PADI (Put Another Dollar In or Pay Another Dive Instructor).


After a bit of driving around:
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And after a while we finally discover the South Pole Inn, famous pub on the road to Dingle (Annascaul).
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This is the pub of Tom Crean, an Irish antartic explorer.

Work
FYI, I've been able to rip off a nokia mobile phone, to try to see some chips I worked on:
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Links
Irish Sailing Association
Scuba Diving Magazine

And about Wild Life in Ireland:
Encyclopedia of Marine Life in Ireland
Wild-Life in Ireland
About Seal preservation
About our friends the badger...Reminds me Redwall, but unfortunately, most of the badgers I've seen here are dead on the road :(((

Traduction
Sea Lion = "Otarie" in French and Seal = "Phoque", I am not a zoologist but you can recognize a sea-lion from a seal by the way he walks, the sea-lion "walks" on his fins and the seal just slide....

Cinema
I've just seen a brilliant movie: THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY
It's about IRA, the irish revolution, civil war... and it starts with an hurling game.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

There is more than Guinness in Ireland

Holy Guinness
GuinessLight
Pic stolen from Mikie....

Brewery
According to an article in the New-York Times, now in Ireland, you can find not only Guinness:
Journey Ireland New York Times

I've already spoken of the Murphys (Cork stout), Beamish and other irish beers.
I am looking forward to have a taste of these beers made in these micro-brewery (I'll just copy here the information from the New York times until I can give my own view):

  • Biddy Early Brewery, Inagh, County Clare, www.beb.ie.
    Red Biddy ale is made with a locally grown wild herb, bog myrtle, in place of hops.
    Black Biddy stout is made with carrigeen moss, used to fine the beer, a process that causes solids to drop out.
  • Porterhouse Brewing Company, 16-18 Parliament Street, Dublin, www.porterhousebrewco.com.
    The brewery offers the widest selection of beers among Ireland's microbrews. As many as 10 beers are on tap, including seasonal specialties like a rich chocolate stout.
  • Messrs Maguire, 1-2 Burgh Quay, Dublin, 353-1-670-5777. On tap are a plain stout, a fruity ale, wheat beer and a Czech-style pilsner, along with a seasonal rotation.
  • Carlow Brewing Company, the Goods Store, Station Road, Carlow, 353-59-913-4356. Carlow Brewing makes O'Hara's Stout, Curim Gold and Moling's Red.
    Curim is said to be a traditional Celtic-style beer once made in the region, and the red ale is named after the Book of Moling by sixth-century Celtic monks in South Carlow.
  • Franciscan Well Brewery, 14 North Mall, Cork, 353-21-421-0130; www.franciscanwellbrewery.com.
    Franciscan Well serves a range of local favorites (Rebel Red, Shandon Stout, Blarney Blonde, Rebel Lager and Friar Weisse), complemented by seasonal specialties.
  • Kinsale Brewing Company, the Glen, Kinsale, 353-21-470-2124, http://www.kinsalebrewing.com/. With a new brewer on board, Kinsale is trying to bring new beers to taps, but currently serves lager, stout, ale and wheat.

Basking Sharks

For a long time, I mis-translate the french word for these animal: "Requin Pelerin" (litteral translation Pilgrim Shark) ; but it turns out the english name is Basking Shark. And it's possible to see them on the irish coast (especially Dingle).

How, Where and When to Watch Basking Sharks

I want to see a basking shark !!!!! And some seals and a dolphin ( there is one in Dingle)....

Song of the week

My favourite song of the moment is: Justice vs Simian - 'Never Be Alone ' (Virgin) discovered in BBC Annie Mac show.

Until Radiohead launch it's new album... perhaps... I heard their first new song on BBC Radio1... this morning, nice and very experimental... we'll see.... (I'll see them in concert in Dublin at the end of August ... youpi...).. and Tom Yorke is supposed to launch a solo album next month (called The Eraser).

Monday, June 19, 2006

Watersports WeekEnd

Activity: Diving

DINGLE
Back to dingle for a sunday dive in the Dingle peninsula.
Very good diving center: http://www.waterworld.ie/
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The windmill on the road from Tralee to Dingle:
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Some horse...
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And some Pub wall, and some results post-pub
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Diving
Two very nice dives on Sunday, near Brandon Point, and I fell in love of some lovely diving instructor (or future)... unfortunately Mikie, who was me, play it unfair...
Anyway I'll be back.

WE conclusion
Ended the WE, in the Trinity Room, where they was some brazilain animations (due to the world cup match)... I think after seeing the french performance and the brazilian dancers what I might transfer my support to LA SELECAO...

Joke of the Day about France World Cup Football
It is just before the France v Brazil match. Ronaldinho goes into the Brazilian changing room to find all his teammates looking a bit glum.
"What's up?" he asks.
"Well, we're having trouble getting motivated for this game. We know it's important but it's only France. They're sh*te and we can't be bothered."
Ronaldinho looks at them and says, "Well, I reckon I can beat them by myself-you lads go down the pub."
So Ronaldinho goes out to play France by himself and the rest of the Brazilian team go off for a few jars.
After a few pints they wonder how the game is going, so they get the landlord to put the teletext on. A big cheer goes up as the screen reads "Brazil 1 - France 0 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes)". He is beating France all by himself!
Anyway, a few pints later and the game is forgotten until someone remembers, "It must be full time now, let's see how he got on." They put the teletext on.
"Result from the Stadium 'Brazil 1 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes) - France 1 (Henry 89 minutes)."
They can't believe it; he has single-handedly got a draw against France!!
They rush back to the Stadium to congratulate Ronaldinho. They find him in the dressing room, still in his gear, sitting with his head in his hands.
He refuses to look at them. "I've let you down, I've let you down."
"Don't be daft, you got a draw against France, all by yourself. And they only scored at the very, very end!"
"No, no, I have, I've let you down...I got sent off after 12 minutes."


CANTO REVIENS
"Quand les mouettes suivent le chalutier, c'est parce qu’elles pensent qu’on va leur jeter des sardines" (Cantonna a fleur de mots)

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Watersports week

[Weekly summary] Pub: 6, Alcohol Units: 2, Activities: Sailing, Kayak, Salsa

Lough Gur
Back to Lough Gur (ear Limerick city) wednesday
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To learn/practice some Kayak with the OPC (Outdoor Pursuit Club)
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Very fun... in the water, and we were all so prettyly dressed
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Summary perfect evening:
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Sailer
Tuesday, I went sailing in Kilrush with Oisin and Ronan on Connor's boat: Double Trouble. I am looking forward to the next trip, we are going to do some training, in order to participate to a sailing race later during the year... No photos... I am so sorry... but here some links fro sailing:

World Cup

Aie... it started... no comment on the french team....

Brickmania

Lego Smurf castle ??   Eva.... massive build Swimming in bricks ?