vendredi 13 avril 2012

Thoughtlessly rubbing one's eyes

22 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

For the Dancers

Flocon a dit…

Didn't know that Jackson Browne...

I suppose the intensity of the pain we suffer when someone passes away depends on the love that has been given and received between two souls.

Next month, it will be 10 years when my mother died and it hardly caused any pain to me: I hadn't seen her for nearly a quarter of a century.

When it will be my father's turn (unless I leave before him) I certainly won't shed the shadow of a tear and as pertains my broz'... well you already know.

The only loss that had me crying for days was when I had to ask the vet to put an end to Flocon's life,
six years ago.

It's the love we share with another living creature that devastates us when we lose it and not so much the one with whom we used to exchange love.

Flocon a dit…

I am currently completely unable to concentrate enough to write down any decent post.

The Simon and Garfunkel teaser was about the probabiblity that these two guys would meet, like Lennon /McCartney, Leber/Stoller, Jagger/Richards and other such pairs.

The Boxer is a great song that has been a parcel of our common culture ever since it was composed, like any song by the above mentionned pairs.

What where the odds that said songs (or books or any cultural product) would ever exist?

But I was unable to come with a decent development.

I hope I'll be able to deliver this time but it may take some time though...

En attendant, je change les quotes, Wiki article, jazz and classical music links..

I should take a break from Wiki but I've discovered it's a terrible addiction ô-Ô !

Ned Ludd a dit…

fisherman

I am trying to upload a picture known as "The Fisherman's wife" and I am not sure I know how. So if nothing appears, excuse me.

Ned Ludd a dit…

OK, it didn't work, so here is a link Dream of a Fisherman's Wife More history can be found at Wiki.

Flocon a dit…

Not quite sure what you wanted to do Ned. If you wanted to make the pic appear front page on the blog, that would be possible only if we shared the account I opened on Blogger, which means that this would be your blog as well as mine. Thinking of a partnership?

Sinon Le Rêve de la femme du pêcheur était l'article Wiki de la semaine le mois dernier. Didn't notice?

Funny you link to this article since I've been working on Wiki nearly exclusively on ancient Japan for the past four months.

I kind of remember you're interested in bodily fluids exchanges which in Japanese are known under the name Shunga.

For some reason, I've noticed the Spanish version of Wiki is very often more elaborate and extended than its French or English counterpart when it comes to ancient Japan.

On this Shunga theme precisely and I must warn you it's rather graphic and you may be in for a shock so it may be safer for you not to open the link...

Ned Ludd a dit…

I guess I just missed it. Are you sure it wasn't earlier when I was away?

I have generally been more interested by ancient China and its classics. My favorite is Jin Ping Mei, of which I have partial versions in English and the entire in French chez Pléiades.

Over centuries it has been censured because of both its overt discussion of sexuality and its implicit criticism of politics and society.

Perhaps I have mentioned it before.

Jin Ping Mei

More recent, there is an exhibition of the comics artist Robert Crumb at the Muséée d'art Moderne which you shouldn't miss. He was an important influence on me during my youth.

rcrumb

Anonyme a dit…

Ned:

Your link has ensured that at least one Beatles song (I'd like to be/under the sea...) will never be the same for any of us, ever ever again. (She said, rubbing her eyes, thoughtfully)

Hi Flocon!

Cellequilit

Flocon a dit…

Now, would you believe it? Cellequilit is back on stage!!! That's what I call a grand and pleasant surprise.

So I've done a quick research bacause I wanted to know when was the last time we "met" and I retrieved this post that I wrote nearly five years ago ar SF's.

(may not be the last time though)

How interesting to read the comments where JoAnn already had a soft spot on SemperFidelis who was actively participating in his unmistakable way of asking questions time and again... ;-)

And then Bernarda too was on the forefront, as well as L'Amerloque et al...

Oh happy days...

Five years ago... hummm...

I prefer not to know what is this girlie thing you're referring to with Ned but I know I'll have to write this post (rubbing one's eye) next week probably.

"She said, rubbing her eyes, thoughtfully"

She said speaking of the Beatles

See you soon Cellequilit...

Anonyme a dit…

Celliquilit!!!!
What a delight to see a comment from you. ☺☺☺☺☺
Anijo/aka Jo Ann

Anonyme a dit…

Flocon: In your quotation, Trotsky puts up straw man much favored by anti-democrats.

That is: Democratic government does not work when the state is in danger and quick decisions must be made.

In truth, the solution (representative democracy, wherein the voters elect officers to represent them, and those officers have the power (within limits) to act without putting their plans directly to the voters) was found in the West at least as early as the Roman Republic.

Roman dictators (the title of the office) were appointed by the Senate it times of great danger to the state. A dictator could override the acts of any of the regular Senatorial officers, and was immune from trial for actions taken during his term of office.

But there were limits on the powers of the republican dictator, both practical and symbolic. He was, for example, appointed for a fixed term (usually six months)and could not ride a horse within the city limits (lest he begin to think of himself as a king).

In fact, modern representative democracies compare well with authoritarian states in winning through crises.

I am at a loss to explain why you styled me as a friend of Trotsky. He chose to take power by killing his political opponents rather than by defeating them in an election. When he lost in the competition for power in the Soviet state, he died when a assassin sent by Stalin buried an ice axe in his head. I have no sympathy for him.

"Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another."

Sherlock Holmes in - The Adventure of the Speckled Band,

Paraphrasing Ecclesiastes 1:2

SemperFidelis

Anonyme a dit…

I am at a loss to explain why you styled me as a friend of Trotsky.

Flocon used that quote from Trotsky tongue in cheek. SemperFi, surely you can't be serious.

Anonyme a dit…

Oh, Flocon, what a fine welcome back...you're such a flatterer!

I love the nostalgic warmth of the Johnny Cash, but I can't help remembering the same thing from Folamour.

(I hope the link works, it's been five years since I've done this, mein Führer...)

***

And JoAnn/Anijo, I was not sure it was you, how beyond wonderful!

On a more somber note, please let me say how sorry that I was to hear of the shocking death of your ex. Words just fail me. Please take care of yourself. I can't figure out how to send my email address to Flocon so he can forward it to you, in case you want to talk about things at more length privately, but if he tells me, I'll be sure to send it and if you want we can email. I'd love that.

***

Best to all

Cellequilit

Anonyme a dit…

Anijo: I never know whether flocon is in his ironic mode. So I always assume he is to be taken literally.

So...it is a good bet that Ned voted for Melenchon. How about flocon? Do you think he abstained?

I will certainly vote in our election. I hope that you do as well.

SemperFidelis

Anonyme a dit…

I came back tonight to say, Flocon, attention!

In meditating on your next post, please do not rub your eyes thoughtlessly merely to experiment!

In Pierre Patte's "Les Veritables jouissances d'un être raisonnable vers son déclin" (a title, which, con permiso, may suit our ramblings here but too well) I find the following:

"Il y a une remarque que je ne crois pas tout à fait indifférente pour reculer l'époque des lunettes; ce serait d'éviter de se frotter les yeux...de façon à presser inconsidérément sur le milieu du globe de l'oeil ou de sa cornéé transparente."

But perhaps the time of glasses has already come upon some of us.

Cellequilit

Flocon a dit…

"Flocon used that quote from Trotsky tongue in cheek. SemperFi"

SemperFi, don't you know Anijo is une fine mouche (a sharp customer) who can't be fooled that easily... ☺

Flocon a dit…

Cellequilit,

I've added my email adress under my pic on top left of the home page if need be.

Merci de me faire connaitre ce Pierre Patte (thanks Wiki which's always on the ready) dont je n'avais jamais entendu parler mais il se trouve que la phrase que vous citez est très en accord avec la transition entre les deux parties du poste qui reste à écrire.

But it's a demanding post and I still don't know whether it'll be in English or en français.

Flocon a dit…

Semper,

Très intéressant rappel historique sur la Rome ancienne. At least they knew how both to handle full powers to a single man and how to set up restraints so that he wouldn't turn uncontrolable and escape the power of his creators.

"Democratic government does not work when the state is in danger and quick decisions must be made"

This is precisely the conclusion de Gaulle reached after he attended a debate in the French National Assembly in may 1940 when MPs were in total disarray as to what to do, talking for hours like headless chickens whereas the Germans who were hardly 300 miles away were speeding to Paris where they arrived a couple of weeks later (as reported in is memoirs).

Look no further for the origin of the current French constitution: de Gaulle's personal experience 18 years before. And we still live with this legacy which makes France a rather authoritarian country and a fake democracy.

The Brits being isolated in their island had the possibility to benefit from much more time to elaborate their policy, it was a matter of months before the Germans would focus their effort on GB whereas it was a matter of days in France.

"modern representative democracies compare well with authoritarian states in winning through crises."

Some exemples would be welcome so as to make comparisons. And for a start, a definition of what an authoritarian State is when actually all States are potentially authoritarian (See Hobbes).

Anonyme a dit…

Hi SemperFi,
Yes, I will be voting for Obama (surprise, surprise).

Cellequilit,
If you ask Flocon for my email address, he'll give it to you.

Anonyme a dit…

Floxon: There are several interesting possibilities for comment on your latest posts.

May I start with this one?

//And we still live with this legacy which makes France a rather authoritarian country and a fake democracy.//

I am not a Frenchman, but I am a moderately well-informed outside observer. I don't think it is accurate to describe France as a fake democracy.

Is it fair to say that there is no difference between Le Pen and Melenchon? Would France after sic years under President Le Pen be no different in any significant way from a France after six years under President Melenchon? Weren't everyone's votes, for all practical purposes, properly recorded and counted yesterday?

I think that the answers are No, No, and Yes.


Respectfully,
SemperFidelis

Flocon a dit…

SemperFi,

re Mélanchon and Le Pen, they both share the same detestation of the European Union body. As a matter of fact, le Front National is a redux of the French right of the 60s before Giscard d'Estaing drew it towards the center when he brought some changes in what is commonly known as societal laws (right to abortion, age of minority lowered from 21 to 18 etc.)

Marine Le Pen's father, the funder of the party is a sick mind obsessed with WWII and the Nazis... he very recently (last week) thought it appropriate to make public his observation that the initials of Sarkozy's name (N.S) were similar to National Socialism and that a meeting that was held in Paris reminded him of Nüremberg... ô-Ô

The left (led by Mitterand) instrumentalised the Front National and labelled it a far rightist party (which it is not) so as to scare the undecided and leftist electorate away from voting for any rightist party which was suspected to be somehow close to the Front National.

Both Mélancchon and Le Pen are opposed to "liberalism".

Their purported opposition is mainly ideological. They hate each other because one is on the left side and the other on the opposite side but actually the're very close to each other.

Our brillant (ironic mood here) constitution has been conceived for the personnal use of de Gaulle and provides that the president is allmighty with the support of the National Assembly.

Problem is when such support no longer exists. This has already been the case, twice with Mitterrand and once with Chirac (before the Iraki war).

And the the prez is next to powerless.

Neither Mélanchon (he hardly made 10%) nor Le Pen (19%) could ever get elected unless the Titanic resurfaces and yet... And even if the Titanic were to resurface, there could never ever be any majority to back them in the Assembly.

re le Front National, the supposedly far rightist party, Santorum, Romney or Sarah Palin (is she still alive?) would label them a bunch of pinkoes..

Flocon a dit…

Regarding your other question (France a fake democracy).

Intéressante question si l'on demande ce qu'est une démocratie mais aussi dans quelle mesure un État est totalitaire.

Is a "Democracy" 100% democratic and a totalitarian State 100% totalitarian? Aren't there stages or is it as binary as black and white?

How democratic is a country (France) where the part of judiciary system which represents the State is 100% at the command of the French president?

As democratic as Bielorussia or North Corea if you ask me.

How democratic is a country (France) where the C.E.O of the National TV channel is designated by the president? Mitterrand put an end to the sytem de Gaulle had put in place only for Sarko to set it up again.

As for the other main TV channel (n° 1 in terms of audience) it's owned by another friend of Sarko.

France has long lived with the image of pays des droits de l'homme, liberté, égalité etc... but that was a long long time ago