Dear readers,
Once again, I find myself posting to say thanks to all of you (or just about all of you - more on that in a minute) for making this such a fun site to be a part of.
Now, onto that tiny portion of you I find as valuable as a pile of poodle crap. Yes, I'm talking about spammers. May you rot in the sweaty, stinky, hell that is Paris in the summer.
I've installed some spam-blocking software that I hope will manage the recent flow of spam, and I thank you for your patience.
On top of spammers, there's also our friends that feel the need to post comments half a mile long. You're next, jackasses. If you want to post articles, get your own blog. If you want to post links and/or excerpts to articles, we're glad to have you.
To cut down on this, I'll be re-writing our comments to include a yet-to-be specified character limit. Still deciding how long it should be.
I figured that you frogs would like to read about this. Did you guys have the full support of the UN before this invasion, and how come the US did not veto?
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/03-04/french/home.html#par
I saw in the paper this morning that United is selling fares from DC to Paris for 139 USD, which, I assume you buy going from Paris to DC, for about 100 euros.
about the festival of France - some people never get the word - too busy plucking their violins i guess
For real - celebration of the impact of French arts on the world and a reaffirmation of the cultural and historic bonds between France and the United States.
what have they been smoking?
When jazz first came to Europe, French musicians said that the American musicians were using "trick instruments". They said normal instruments could not produce those sounds. A proud tradition of being wrong continues.
I apologize, I am just a f*#@ed-up dumbass who needs to travel.
Sorry, I was referring to French traditions, not your own. I hadn't seen your comment when I posted. I'm not aware of many cultural and historic bonds, but there are at least a few.
Completely off topic,
I am sure that Marx, who in his own mind has a finger on the pulse of America, and of course Pierre and Stefy Child will all be happy to learn that the French looking, French sounding John F Kerry won the first prize on the road to his party's nomination for president.
Now don't get your hopes up too high froggies, things will still be up in the air for the next 4 weeks or so.
How about this long?
Hey, cheesedick, who stole my name in post #4, at least make it interesting.
I am racking my brain , but I still can't think of a French artistic or cultural bond that I celebrate.
Lassaize Fair economy is a French import that we still enjoy. Not artistic, but I suppose it could be cultural (if only the negligent nanny state that is France would practice it). Theres only so many trinkets you can make with the Statue of Liberty on them. Thats been done to death.
Help me out America. Can you think of an artistic form worth celebrating that came from France?
OH I AM SOOOOO DISAPOINTED IN MYSELF!!!
Please, J.Mayeau, do not think poorly of me!
Pierre, Marc, Steph, and all other frogs I NEED YOUR HELP (I know, it is usually you frogs that say that….).
I succumbed to temptation and bought tickets to see Opera Comique perform Jacques Offenbach’s opera LA VIE PARISIENNE. I mean boycotting French wine and cheese is one thing...BUT OPERA???? It can not be done!!!!! Besides, Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann is my favorite opera, so I must see this one, also written by Offenbach.
So, here is my plan: I need you frogs to go to STARBUCKS or MCDONALDS and purchase 200 USD worth of food/coffee. Then we are even, and it is not as if I reneged on my boycott. Can it be done?
Well, my boycott is not the only one that was busted……
From the Washington Post:
For more 50 years an anonymous person has marked the birthday anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe by slipping into the Baltimore, Maryland, cemetery where the writer is buried and leaving three roses and a bottle of FRENCH CONAC on his grave. This year the mysterious visitor also left a note with a possible reference to French opposition to the war in IRAQ.
The note read: “The sacred memory of Poe and his final resting place is NO PLACE FOR FRENCH COGNAC. With GREAT RELUCTANCE but with respect for family tradition the cognac is in place.”
The first documented bottle was left on Poe’s grave in 1949…..
J.Mayeau wrote:
"Help me out America. Can you think of an artistic form worth celebrating that came from France?"
Among France's contribution to world culture is the first professional "fartiste" - Le Petomane. Read more here. So celebrate French culture - eat a can of beans ...
J.Mayeau wrote: "Help me out America. Can you think of an artistic form worth celebrating that came from France?"
Here's one
For sure, the Form of art I refer below was less popular than Andre the Giant in the US, but is it so surprising ?
So, here is my plan: I need you frogs to go to STARBUCKS or MCDONALDS and purchase 200 USD worth of food/coffee. Then we are even, and it is not as if I reneged on my boycott. Can it be done?
This seems difficult, Andy, I HATE wasting food. So I would have to EAT/DRINK all that... I already need all my heroism to finish one hamburger... imagine the amount of this for $200... simply lethal even if the change $-€ keep on the current way.
But here is another way to get even and solve your conscience dilemma :
Considere that i won't miss an occasion to enjoy a concert with Geaorge Gerswin (An American in Paris off course).
Even more, when I check all records I have from American musicians, my books with Man Ray's photographs, my collection of Tex Avery's cartoon frames with work from Mary Cassatt etc... Dont' bother, I think you have already a comfortable credit line which will allow you to enjoy French culture for a pretty long time before runing in patriotic debt.
A+
Pierre
The Louvre pretty much sucks. But Museé d'Orsay is a wonderful place. I could spend days there.
That said, I can do without most French music (although I'm rather fond of Camille Saint-Saens and Frederic Chopin - oh wait, he was from Poland!), and there's not a single example of French cinema that I can't do without.
Victor Hugo is to be admired and respected.
I'm not one to throw away the good things about France because of their present government and the present stupor of the majority of their populace.
But, neither am I one to forgive and forget their present government and the present stupor of the majority of their populace just because I enjoy Les Misérables or Renoir or Monet or Saint-Saens.
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On a side note (and totally off-topic), I cheered out loud at one comment in particular that George W. Bush made last night - we don't need a permission slip to defend our freedom! In case you didn't catch it UN and France in particular - that was directed at you.
we don't need a permission slip to defend our freedom!
That's obvious,and apply to any country . But it was not the point.
The point was that your freedom was not threaten neither by the primitive Iraqian Army, nor by the WMD that don't exist, nor by the Al-Qaeda-Hussein links that also don't exist.
The defense of Freedom is a propaganda argument used to touch deeply the US patriotic minds, but it has no real bases. Now, this argument will be used as a way to attract votes for the next election.
Bush lied you, Bush manipulates you.
Don't say that Bush manipulates them Marc, they are not stupid, they know that.
I am not sure to understand you, Beo, when you tell:
But, neither am I one to forgive and forget their present government and the present stupor of the majority of their populace just because I enjoy Les Misérables or Renoir or Monet or Saint-Saens.
I would like you to explain what you mean by stupor The French word stupeur means something like "deep astonishment".
Other word common to both languages populace. In French, it is a deeply contemptuous word for people. Used by persons thinking that humankind is made of crap except the "elite" (in which the place themselves off course...). Very few people still dare to use such word nowadays...
Is it the same signification ie US English ?
btw : words having the same or very similar form in two languages, but a different meaning in each are called... "Faux amis" (false friends...)
"Populace" in English would be interchangeable with "general population" or so; the elitist connotation is not present. I'm not sure English has an equivalent to what you describe, though English speakers will sometimes borrow the German "mensch" to (mis)use in a similar way.
Pierre asks: "I would like you to explain what you mean by stupor The French word stupeur means something like "deep astonishment"."
Stupor, in the vernacular definition, is that physical or mental state when one is not fully in control, such as just having awakened from a deep sleep, or induced by alcoholic drink or sedatives (e.g. a drunken stupor).
Populace simply is a variation of the word population.
Actually, if you havn't seen "Olympia" in the Museé d'Orsay in person, you have missed something well worth the trip --IMHO. Let's stick to bashing France where she deserves it.
OK,
In facts drugs are called also "stupefiants". But a person under drug effect is simply called s "drogué" or more sophisticated "sous l'emprise de stupéfiants" but never "stupéfait(e)".
When drug is an image for person misdriven by false information, the usual term is "intoxiqué" ("intox" # "bullshit").
This drive us in the previous thread about governments, medias and lies. And, for sure, on each side of the Atlantic we considere the others as beeing fooled by their governments and media.
Is this true ? As Marc told, "oui ET non"...
Thanks guys for accurately explaining my English in my absence. I sometimes forget that I am addressing people to whom English is not a first language.
I did indeed see the Olympia. However, my favorites are upstairs - the Monets, van Goghs, Caillebottes, and Renoirs. And the building itself is a fantastic work of art; in my opinion perhaps the grandest in Paris. I am particularly fond of the gallery on the old station platform with the deco block walls and the clocks. My visits to Paris were well worth it, and I hope to return... someday. Hopefully Notre Dame will still be a cathedral and not a mosque by the time I return.
I thought that the paintings upstairs suffered by being so overexposed. Olympia struck me as still fresh, and impossible to adaquately reproduce.
As for creating an art form. Even if painting did not originate in France, it found high expression there very early.
http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/fr/index.html
Arguments like this just hurt the credibility of those who have legitimate beefs with the conduct of the French govt and press.
Hey Marc, I noticed that you posted at 11:08am. I'd suggest thinking beyond 11:18am. It might help you grasp what's actually going on in the world.
Hi.
I suggest you err on the side of a fairly generous limit, and reduce it further if need be.
...
French artistic forms worth celebrating? I'm a huge Art Deco fan. Many international exhibitions
helped promote Art Deco, but none was more important than the Paris Exhibition of 1925.
Hector Berlioz was one of the greatest composers, to my ear anyway. I'm one of those people who wants good bits, not consistency. I like Maurice Ravel a lot. I would rather wallow in music than analyze it. :)
Also, Sophie Marceau has a form worth celebrating, and Brigette Bardot in her day, etc. ;)
...
"Stupor, in the vernacular definition, is that physical or mental state when one is not fully in control, such as just having awakened from a deep sleep, or induced by alcoholic drink or sedatives (e.g. a drunken stupor)."
Yes. But sometimes we do say "stupefied" to mean "completely, utterly overwhelmed". If you're stunned and boggled, you're stupefied.
