March 28, 2004
French reshuffle
Chirac's Party, the hastily prepared UMP, has been absolutely hammered in regional elections.
Until today, they had a majority of the regions. They now only have Alsace (1 f'ing Region!)
Britanny has passed to the left for the first time.
The Government spokesman tried accusing the left of benefiting from the national front. A bit rich considering Chirac can thank Le Pen for his continued presence at the Élysee. Anyway, the numbers don't add up.
The Government reform programmes, largely revolving around decentralisation, are in trouble. Why yield power to the opposition?
Click on the link. The map is something to see.
March 24, 2004
Lost in translation
Saw this German translation of "La Grande Traversée" in a second hand comic shop near the Place St Michel. It translates into English as "The Great Crossing." The Germans, whom some mistakenly regard to be a humourless people, see it differently....
Some among you may be unaware that the Germans prounounce the funny ß things as a double "S."
"The Great Crossing" is one of Asterix's great adventures. He and Obelix (my childhood hero) go astray on what should have been simple fishing trip. They end up in America....Or Vinland, as they happen to land at exactly the same time as the Vikings. Goscinny and Underzo, respectively Asterix's author and illustrator, was great at dealing with different languages. The Vikings, før example, wøuld speak nørmally, but with all their ø's crøssed out. Even the dogs. Dogmatix (in English, Idéfix - or edifice - in French) and the Viking dog (inevitably a slobbering Great Dane) discovered this. In French he Great Dane's was named Zoodvincen. This supposedly Scanwegian sounding word is in fact derived from that of a Zoo in the suburbs of Paris. I forget the English name. Any clues anybody?
Anyway.
Dogmatix goes woof, Zoodvincen goes wøøf. The two dogs discover that wøøf is Scanwegian for woof and burst out laughing (hahahoho - hahahøhø.) The scene of the humans (Gaul Viking and Amerindian) looking at them is sidesplitting.
Also when the Amerindians get punched (as they inevitably do by Obelix who mistakes them for "funny looking Romans") they don't just see stars; they see stars and stripes.
March 16, 2004
Franchising my blog
Should you be interested in opening a café Lutetia in your neighbourhood, please don't hesitate to drop me a line. Should you do so before April 1st, you may qualify for a 10% cut in the revenue.
Serence
the passage from the "satellites" at Charles de Gaulle aiport, on the way to passport control
March 11, 2004
March 10, 2004
In London...
....at the moment.
Plenty of pigeons in London. Whores. They'll do anything for a jam doughnut. I'm amazed by the general tartiness of the wildlife in London. Whip out a camera in Hyde Park and you're practically mugged by squirrels wanting to make it into the big time.