Monday, February 23, 2004
Oooh, cunning. A bilingual blog: Merde in France. Apparently by an American living in France, but with a bewildering array of views. I'm trying to work out who he's not anti (such as referring to Le Monde as Al Jazeera on the Seine). Très...différent [limited vocab? Moi?].
I hope it's tongue in cheek.
But reading random blogs can be helpful: did you know that Dude in French is Bonhomme, and that the the writing's on the wall becomes the beans are cooked [les haricots sont cuits].
But oddness seems to be on the increase - though I am intrigued by the theories behind Salam Pax's aural use of Kit-kat wrappers. Je pense qu'il plaisante avec nous. Strangely I try translating that back as "I think he is pleasuring us", which isn't quite the intended meaning.
Another and strangely - according to SP's blog I somehow managed to be reading a book that describes the events of the Islamic New Year (the Moharram, I think), during it. Admittedly I didn't know it at the time. But then my knowledge of Islam consists of knowing vaguely about Hajj, Ramadan, and Divali, and of those I know that Divali is somewhere near Christmas (generic, northern hemisphere, jollying the spirits, mid-winter festival anyone?).
Just what we need. Schwarzenegger wants presidency opened to foreign born citizens. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as it's not someone who compares gay marriage to drugs and guns in terms of dangers to society (my god a republican in California thinks guns are dangerous? What is the world coming to?).
"You don't have to be a total degenerate to be hard core," Amanda said during the shopping trip with her mother as she sipped a hot chocolate at a Starbucks on Lexington Avenue and 87th Street.
Ah bless (is about the least derogatory thing I can say). Hardcore: Starbucks's hot chocolate. Indeed.
It doesn't help the NYT writer seems a little in awe of the young punk kids. It's a phase, including for the ones who claim that it's only a phase for other less punk people. Not that it matters either way (but what ever you do, do not say that in front of any teenager [including the baby sisters of friends]).
But then I never had quite enough gumption to be a Goth without sniggering, or feeling highly embarrassed.
Somewhat worryingly the article ends with:
Amanda has news for her mother. Upon graduating, she plans to defer college for a year and go abroad, not to study or even bum around Europe but to squat in an abandoned building in London, like a true punk. "I hear," she said, with all the verve of an excitable teenage girl, "that squatting in London is, like, the best."
Er...where exactly would that be? Near the Kings Road? Hip and trendy Carnaby Street? Oh but she's a punk, so it'll have to be Camden (Camden Market Woo-hoo). Are there all that many abandoned buildings left [unprotected]?
And the betting she ends up somewhere near Essex, and decides after two weeks of climbing through a window behind a "Crack Houses Out" sign, that this wasn't quite what she intended. How soon will she get mugged, or her stuff nicked?
And who exactly did she hear that "it's the best" from?
In other slightly non-event news, America is apparently getting round to getting taxi-shaped taxis. Admittedly the article reads like an advertorial for the company involved, and it could just be cheap filler.
An unnamed US-governmental commentator reacting to adverts for Halliburton: "I'm not sure there's any real benefit for anyone but them". Um, did I miss something here? Surely the point of adverts is to be self-serving? When was that last time McDonalds said "Burger King are pretty good too, although eating healthily will be more good for you in the long-run.....I'm lovin' it and the Bush Whitehouse"?
America is odd (ok, so maybe they're not alone).
And is every news site vaguely connected to the western world running a story on Sex and the City reaching a "climax"?
Anyhoo, rock on bonhomme.
I hope it's tongue in cheek.
But reading random blogs can be helpful: did you know that Dude in French is Bonhomme, and that the the writing's on the wall becomes the beans are cooked [les haricots sont cuits].
But oddness seems to be on the increase - though I am intrigued by the theories behind Salam Pax's aural use of Kit-kat wrappers. Je pense qu'il plaisante avec nous. Strangely I try translating that back as "I think he is pleasuring us", which isn't quite the intended meaning.
Another and strangely - according to SP's blog I somehow managed to be reading a book that describes the events of the Islamic New Year (the Moharram, I think), during it. Admittedly I didn't know it at the time. But then my knowledge of Islam consists of knowing vaguely about Hajj, Ramadan, and Divali, and of those I know that Divali is somewhere near Christmas (generic, northern hemisphere, jollying the spirits, mid-winter festival anyone?).
Just what we need. Schwarzenegger wants presidency opened to foreign born citizens. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, as long as it's not someone who compares gay marriage to drugs and guns in terms of dangers to society (my god a republican in California thinks guns are dangerous? What is the world coming to?).
"You don't have to be a total degenerate to be hard core," Amanda said during the shopping trip with her mother as she sipped a hot chocolate at a Starbucks on Lexington Avenue and 87th Street.
Ah bless (is about the least derogatory thing I can say). Hardcore: Starbucks's hot chocolate. Indeed.
It doesn't help the NYT writer seems a little in awe of the young punk kids. It's a phase, including for the ones who claim that it's only a phase for other less punk people. Not that it matters either way (but what ever you do, do not say that in front of any teenager [including the baby sisters of friends]).
But then I never had quite enough gumption to be a Goth without sniggering, or feeling highly embarrassed.
Somewhat worryingly the article ends with:
Amanda has news for her mother. Upon graduating, she plans to defer college for a year and go abroad, not to study or even bum around Europe but to squat in an abandoned building in London, like a true punk. "I hear," she said, with all the verve of an excitable teenage girl, "that squatting in London is, like, the best."
Er...where exactly would that be? Near the Kings Road? Hip and trendy Carnaby Street? Oh but she's a punk, so it'll have to be Camden (Camden Market Woo-hoo). Are there all that many abandoned buildings left [unprotected]?
And the betting she ends up somewhere near Essex, and decides after two weeks of climbing through a window behind a "Crack Houses Out" sign, that this wasn't quite what she intended. How soon will she get mugged, or her stuff nicked?
And who exactly did she hear that "it's the best" from?
In other slightly non-event news, America is apparently getting round to getting taxi-shaped taxis. Admittedly the article reads like an advertorial for the company involved, and it could just be cheap filler.
An unnamed US-governmental commentator reacting to adverts for Halliburton: "I'm not sure there's any real benefit for anyone but them". Um, did I miss something here? Surely the point of adverts is to be self-serving? When was that last time McDonalds said "Burger King are pretty good too, although eating healthily will be more good for you in the long-run.....I'm lovin' it and the Bush Whitehouse"?
America is odd (ok, so maybe they're not alone).
And is every news site vaguely connected to the western world running a story on Sex and the City reaching a "climax"?
Anyhoo, rock on bonhomme.
