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Friday, December 22, 2006

Some music.

When great minds come together... You get good things happening...

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Haaaaaaaa!

A great director, an amazing cast, a confortable budget and an excellent starting material (I'm told I've only read Les Racines Du Mal by Dantec, that's his preceding novel, but I thought it was already exceptionnal)...
All account to make me say that the movie adaptation of Maurice Dantec's Babylon Babies (entitled Babylon AD) might be a definitive SciFi experience...


(Source FilmDeCulte (french))
(Source: CineEuropa (english))

The end of a world... But not really.

...and the power of media...

This is old news, but I finally got round to read those articles I had tagged last week.
So last week, the Belgian nationnal television has interrupted all programs and broadcasted a documentary announcing that Begium existed no more, as Flanders had been voted independant.
This was a very elaborate hoax, using a number of familiar TV and political faces who gave false interviews to make people believe it was real. Obviously a lot of people were really upset.
The documentary was also describing consequences of splitting the country in 2, which was based on actual (and serious) studies on the subject. So it was no stupidity either.

I think this is genius.
You never really think about something unless it's actually happening to you. Or at least when you think this is hapenning. This way, the doc had the full attention of an entire country! All that on a scare...

The original article from Le Monde.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Surplus.

--I may post a translation of this later--

Apres de tres chaudes recommandations, j'ai finalement pris le temps de regarder le documentaire "Surplus, terrorised into being consumers", qui a ete diffuse sur Arte dans l'annee.
C'est en gros un docu sur les effets nefastes de la societe de consommation.
Je dois admettre que je suis un peu mitige quant au resultat.

C'est tourne un peu comme un spot de pub. Ou un clip. Y a 5 ou 6 segments avec un theme particulier, qui se synchronisent petit a petit sur de la musique.
Donc le message est simpliste (volontairement j'imagine) et se repete encore et encore.

C'est une bonne idee, mais le 1er probleme que j'ai eu a ce niveau c'est qu'un clip de 50 minutes (meme si c'est 5clips de 10), c'est loooooong.
Et vu que ca se repete, bah en 2minutes j'avais tendance a me dire "bon bah voila ca va j'ai choppe le truc, on peut passer a autre chose". L'Ile Aux Fleurs, en 12 minutes, possedait il me semble un message qui avait un impact bien plus grand.

Pour resumer grossierement, le 1er segment se penche sur les emeutes pendant le sommet du G8 a Seattle, avec les theses de ceux qui disent que pour regler le probleme de surconsommation qu'on a en ce moment, il faut tout casser et revenir a l'age de pierre.
Le 2e prend la forme d'un TV achat, promettant une espece de simule de bonheur a travers la consommation.
Le 3e s'interesse a une fabrique de poupees gonflables que j'imagine "de luxe", avec le type qui fait la visite qui a l'air bien blase ou honteux je sais pas trop.
On part ensuite a Cuba, sur fond d'un discour de Fidel Castro (qui d'ailleurs ouvre le docu), ou l'ideologie socialiste est utilisee, c'est a dire que tout est rationne et qu'il y a pas de marque, donc pas de pub. En parallele de ca, on peut voir une cubaine qui temoigne que quand elle a reussi a voyager, elle a ete totalement subjuguee par l'abondance qui regne en occident.
Un parallele troublant s'etablit ensuite entre Fidel Castro et le patron de Microsoft (qu'on voit totalement excite pendant un meeting de la boite).
Pour finir on revient sur la theorie des "age de pierre", le retour a la nature, l'homme etait pur a l'origine, etc.

Tout ca nous est servi tel quel, clippe, sans voix off. Le jugement final est notre.

Alors que penser de tout ca?
Puisque c'est moi qui ecrit je vais donner mon avis. ;)
J'ai personnellement du mal a cerner les intentions de l'auteur, qui fait la part belle aux theories de retour a la nature et de ce fait, je ne sais pas vraiment si c'est a prendre au 2nd degre ou au 1er. D'un autre cote je vois difficilement comment on pourrait prendre cette these autrement que d'un point de vue philosophique. L'idee me parait ridicule.
Ce qui est troublant, c'est que le type qui l'a formule semble y croire pas mal. Perso, je trouve sa theorie comme koi l'homme primitif etait pur et avait une vie plus epanouissante ubuesque. Les derniers plans du docu sont d'ailleurs a ce titre assez droles (et la involontairement par contre).

L'homme evolue depuis des millenaires, alors que la societe de consommation en tant que telle n'existe que depuis au plus 50ans, avec l'apparition de la TV et des moyens de grande diffusion.
Redevenir primitifs, ne fera que recommencer le cycle. On reviendrait inlassablement au meme point...

De meme il soutient que les actions violentes pour casser les objets de consommation ont plus d'impact que des manifs pacifistes, car les manifs ne sont que symboliques alors que la violence interpelle les gens.
La encore je me dois de souligner mon desaccord. La violence est tout aussi symbolique que le pacifisme. Casser des objets de consommation, c'est un pur symbole. Comme bruler un drapeau.

Le probleme ici, c'est pas les grosses corporations en elle-meme. Le probleme c'est l'Homme.
Il y a une guerre a faire, c'est sur. Mais c'est une guerre psychologique. C'est une guerre contre nous-meme.
Le probleme de la societe de consommation pour ses membres, c'est qu'elle tend a les "debiliser". On devient des zombies consommateurs. Mais on entre dans ce cas la uniquement si on laisse la TV (et les medias en general) prendre le pas sur l'education.

Je pense que pour atteindre les gens, il faut leur parler de maniere a ce qu'ils comprennent. Le but c'est de communiquer, d'eduquer. L'aggression n'entraine que l'aggression et ne provoque que la rupture du dialogue. Donc c'est antiproductif.
Mais bon ca reste mon avis, meme si c'est une de mes convictions les plus intimes.

Dire que les gens ne reagissent qu'a la violence, c'est prendre les gens pour des cons, c'est leur faire faire un choix par la peur. C'est s'abaisser au meme niveau que ceux qu'on veut combattre.
Est-il preferable d'etre terrorise a consommer ou d'etre terrorise a ne pas le faire? Dans les 2 cas, l'epanouissement n'est pas possible. Personne ne s'epanouit dans la peur.

La seule alternative donnee dans le docu a notre societe c'est Cuba. Alors OK, y a pas de pub la bas. Mais bon ca reste quand meme une dictature qui elimine tout opposant.
On aurait le choix qu'entre 2 dictatures?? Le choix entre etre exploite financierement et etre zombifie ideologiquement? C'est un peu n'importe koi!
Quand on a faim on est aussi un zombie qui cherche de la nourriture.

Pour moi l'epanouissement, c'est lire, discuter, apprendre...
Internet ne peut pas remplacer les rapports direct entre hommes. Mais il les facilite d'une certaine maniere!
La technologie est un outil. Elle ameliore notre confort, de maniere a ce qu'on ait l'esprit libre pour faire d'autres choses.

La seule personne cubaine, montree en plus de Fidel Castro, meme si elle a pas l'air malheureuse, montre une fascination reelle pour la societe de consommation!
L'ironie est enorme ici: nous remettons en cause notre systeme (a raison), mais d'un autre cote la seule chose que veulent les gens qui n'en font pas partie, c'est justement d'en faire partie!!! C'est evidemment un aveuglement lie a l'unique vision de l'abondance de nos pays "developpes". Et c'est normal!
Il y a clairement un enorme probleme de partage des richesses... 2% de la population qui possedent 50% des richesse... C'est vite vu.
De ce point de vue, c'est les mentalites qu'il faut changer.

Pour moi la societe ideale, c'est pas une societe qui te force a consommer un seul truc mais une societe ou chaque individu est eduque et a en sa possession les informations necessaires pour faire un choix reflechit et qui serait donc raisonnable et juste.

Tout bruler ne sert a rien, quand on peut l'adapter.
Alors y a un tas de trucs a changer, certes, il faut preserver notre environnement, il faut partager nos richesses equitablement... Mais la responsabilite ici, c'est pas tout laisser tomber. Le travail reside justement dans l'adaptation, dans le changement des mentalites.

Donc je pense que ce docu rate totalement son sujet. Le "terrorise a consomme" n'est d'ailleurs meme pas traite.
Un autre monde est possible, ca c'est sur, mais pour moi il n'en discute meme pas...

Je pense que le gros probleme pour moi ici est que je n'ai rien appris de nouveau.
Et aussi que si t'es a priori pas d'accord avec le propos, ca te convaincra pas du contraire, du fait du simplisme de l'argumentaire. Tu peux pas imaginer convaincre un "esclave du capital" de virer tout son petit confort...

Donc si ca s'adresse qu'a des convertis, quel est l'interet au fond?

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Writer's block.

It's quite strange, writing.
Since I do some music I have been trying for years to write a song. In a way, I don't know anything about how do it. It's parly about talent. To some people it's easy. Or at least it seems like it is. But there must be some technique to it.
Anyway anytime I've tried to come up with something and tried to write it down, either nothing was coming or it looked so embarassing that I would just destroy the evidence.
When writing in a blog, it's different, but there's a bit of that as well.

What's strange is that when I walk, or run, or when I go to bed, just about to slide into sleep, I always think about lots of things and sometimes I come up with stuff of which I think "that could be a song" or "I could talk about that in my blog".
In my head, it always looks like genius things. And then thet next day, when I try to actually come to try and reproduce this "genius", it always falls flat. I often think that I should get up on the moment, take some pen and paper and write it down, so I won't forget. I mean, if it's that good, I should definitely not let it get away...

The other question is "was it really genius"? My best guess now, is that if I actually tried to write my ideas on the spot, it would be the same result as the next day. Either nothing or crap...

In my head, my thoughts are so nice. How couldn't they? They're all in context. I know myself (I have the prentention to think I know myself pretty well actually). So a thought is always counter balanced by the rest of them. By my experience. By my values. I always know when I'm kidding, or when I'm being ironic, etc.

On paper (out of my mind), a thought is alone. It needs to be supported by other thoughts, carefully chosen. Because if it's being read by someone else, it's going to be interpreted through that person's scope of thoughts and obviously being translated and in a way misunderstood.
Words from the White Stripes come to mind. "cos I think my words could get twisted, so I bend my back over, take a gulp and be funny cos I know there's nothing I can do"
It kinds of sums it up.

On the other hand, society is about sharing this kind of things. So is that a reason to keep my mouth shut? I'd think not...
I misunderstand a lot of things myself. Most things actually. In theory, a misunderstanding should be a 1st step to an explaination... If others are listening.
And there's also not much point in arguing with someone who agrees with you. It's through talking and thinking through opposite reasonnings that one can actually build something for himself. And evolve.

On this blog, I tend to write a lot of things in a kind of a rush and sometimes I reread myself a few days later and think "that's quite crap". I tend to want to correct it. On the other hand, is that quite right? At some point I wrote that down, so I thought it was the correct thing to write. If later on I think it's actually wrong, I have to deal with that. Explain myself. Be more precise on what I wanted to express, because most of the time it's not that I've changed my mind, but that what I express was to "raw"...
In a sense, it's also the fact that when you write something that's going to be read or heard by others, like that with nothing else, it's you who will be accounted for those thoughts. It's yourself who's on the line. It's been written, it's here. I did it. That was me. If I don't like it anymore, still I'm responsible for it. It reflects who I am. It's quite a responsibility... Especially when people are going to judge you even before knowing if they really understood what you wanted to say...

If I don't like what that shows of me, then maybe I just don't like myself. Maybe I should change that then. But even if I like it, then I still have to defend myself against people who disagree...
Both ways, it can a very constructive process. Although it's always going to be painful.

On the other hand, as far as I'm concerned, who reads me? Pretty much no one. So that's OK then. ;)

Anyway I have so much respect for guys that are able to write, especially through music, things that actually talk to a lot of people.
Maybe one day, after many fails, I will be able to do that as well. I can only try. And hope.

That's it I'm done with this text.
I'll read it tomorrow and see if it's really any good... ;)

Friday, December 15, 2006

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Citations de BashFr...

Ca faisait longtemps...

Quote n° 4825
from Le super flux RSS BashFR.org
(Aku) l'Institut des Mauvaise Pute Sans Preservatif et Avaleuse
(Caillass) pas mal
(Caillass) atta alors
(Caillass) puitykqdfhzeoaeprazeporpaerjlfjds je t'en prie
(Caillass) -_-
(Aku) Pour l'Union Institutionnelle des Travaux de Yoga et Kamasutra Que Deux Filles ou Hommes Zens Ecolos Osteopathe Amoureux Etudient Pour Raser l'Anarchie et les Zones Economique Principalement Ocuppé par les Radins Pourris Affamés qui Exploitent la Rue, les Juifs, les Libanais, les Français, les Japonais au Devant de la Société
(Aku) prend toi sa ds la gueule tu va pleurer serieu
(Aku) jsui en fac de lettre jte signale

Quote n° 4829
from Le super flux RSS BashFR.org
Lola: Le rire est la seule chose qui différencie l'homme de la bête
Lola: si l'on excepte toutefois la veulerie, la méchanceté, l'avarice, la cruauté mentale.
Lola: Sans oublier l'orgueil, la perfidie, la malhonnêteté, l'alcoolisme, la vulgarité, l'appât du gain et le sens des affaires.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

En vrac.

Cet article du Monde est tres interessant d'un point de vue dialectique: "facultes affaiblies" veut dire defonce. Ha oui et ils ont trouve une profession a Paris Hilton!!! "Heritiere". lol.

Quelques news du net: Le wiki devient gratuit (mais avec de gros investisseurs derriere), pendant que d'autres se demandent comment monnayer le Web 2.0? (ou plutot comment en profiter plus)...

La psychose continue, on trouve des satanistses en Italie, pendant qu'ici la TV nous ressasse les news des recherches d'un serial killer potentiel dans le sud...

Pour conclure, j'ai entendu aux infos francaises ce matin (c'est sur Le Monde aussi)que Bruxelle allait coller une amende a la France car les reglementations europeennes pour les cultures OGM n'y sont pas respectees!!
Alors la, perso je trouve que c'est la honte. On est sois-disant les chefs de files de l'altermondialisation (enfin c'est ce que j'ai compris d'apres les infos), qui a debute justement en denoncant les OGM et on a rien en place pour controller leur culture??? Surtout que c'est des LOIS europeennes qui ne sont pas appliquees!

Donc nos politiques sont evidemment a mettre en cause, mais y a aussi peut-etre une remise en question a faire sur l'efficacite des actions militantes, si c'est en fait la commission europeenne qui doit mener le "vrai" combat (cad l'application de mesures de protection de l'environnement a un niveau legal)...
M'enfin bon ce que j'en dis...

Sunday, December 10, 2006

The Host.

I was looking forward to seeing this one. I was so disappointed that it was released around here to only a handful of cinemas and my only way to see it was to catch a late screening in the independent cinema in my neighborhood. Anyway it was worth it!

The plot: scientists pour chemicals in the Han river, creating a mutation that a few years down the line gets to Seoul to find that humans are quite good to eat! In doing so it takes away a young girl whose broken up family will try to get her back.

It's a pure monster movie and proud of it. But somehow it picks all the codes of the genre to use them and also break them. You get the mad scientists, the state's mistakes and misinformation, the people hat gets eaten...
But at the heart of this is also the story of a dysfunctionnal family that comes together in grief and revenge. And the treatment on this is far from simplistic and quite brave, avoiding cliches and keeping a very realistic feel, which gives it a very relevant social message.

The "heroes" here are just normal people, not more intelligent that anybody else (in fact sometimes more stupid than average). The monster doesn't destroy big buildings or helicopters, it's here to feed so it just sticks to chasing people (adults and kids) and attacking caravans...
This creature is by the way a real success, it manages to be original and to mix this strange mixture of repulsion (it's a monstruous fish-frog) and fascination (how it moves!).

The whole movie is also constantly playing on your feelings. Most of the scenes are quite ambivalent: in a very dramatic scene, absurd will slowly creep and change your perspective. Or the opposite, it can start funnily and end horribly... You never know if you have to cry or laugh!

It all adds up to a totally compelling experience.
That's what makes some genre movies exceptionnal: when through the codes they deliver something more. Here's one exceptionnal monster movie!

Light Grenades.

To me, musically speaking, this year will mainly represent the release of a new album from not 1, not 2 but 3 of my favorite bands: The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave & Incubus.

"High expectations" comes to mind. But what does that mean?
It certainly doesn't mean that a new album should be the same as the others. That would be too easy. But on the other hand I usually like to recognise the band that I've come to like and love... Change in continuity...
Anyway at the end of the day the album will be what the band have to propose.In a way, you have to deal with it. Hence this fear of being disappointed.
And because of that, I know it's a bit stupid but I'm always a bit disappointed on a the first listening and have to listen to the album a good 3-4 times to really be able to formulate an opinion. It notably happened for the latest Audioslave, which I can't stop listening to now... (^_^;

Anyway, Light Grenades is the latest output from Incubus, a californian band that is in my opinion totally underrated. That could be because they are not full-on metal heads and that they can deliver in equal measures scorching rap/metal songs and in the next track lay out a textured ballad.
Talk about versatility. To me that's hier strength. They have moods and go for them.

In their history, like many other bands, they have gone from a really hard stuff (the psycho punk funk from S.C.I.E.N.C.E.) to a more complex sound (in A Crow Left Of The Murder -ACLOTM), while still keeping the whole thing groovy and metal-y although maybe getting a bit softer. Who cares? Personnally, I'm here all the way. They are one of those few bands that can go in those soft ballads while still keeping them interesting to me (unlike the Chili Peppers in their Californication era).

This album keeps the trend, pushing their dichotomy a bit further: what was hard in ACLOTM is harder here and the soft is softer. You go from beautiful harmonies to pure punk metal riffs, while the singer Brandon Boyd goes from full rapping to delicate singing, often in the same song.
As with their other albums, they start with their most straightforward catchy songs (A Kiss To Send Us Off, Anna Molly, Light Grenades on the rocking hard side, Dig & Love Hurts for cool things down) and keep the end for experimenting a bit more with atmospheres and rythms. Best thing is they're as good in both fields.

All together it's an excellent album that even if it's not their best in my opinion (my favorites are still Make Yourself and Morning View), is still a worthy addition in an always interesting discography.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Computer mood...

I can so understand the following gif...
And I think anyone who has worked with a computer can as well...



(^_^)

Actually that's a very good opporunity to present a few animated gifs of the sort which I really like, starting with this "Matrix-esque" one:


Next, something that will appeal to all fighting game geeks around...


And, saving the best one for last, this one is nothing else than an animated short...


Thanks to the respectives authors of these...

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Fun game...

This is a funny take on Tetris.
Like a mix of Tetris Attack but with numbers...

Dissidence.

Il est interessant de constater que devant la censure, meme les pays "libres" mettent la main a la pate. C'est juste normal de toutes facons...
Exemple avec Psyphon, developpe par des canadiens, et qui permet de contourner les mesures de censures sur le net et de surfer de maniere anonyme...

Dans le meme temps, dans le "monde libre", YouTube a des problemes de droits pendant que MySpace voudrait (a raison) se debarasser de certains qui abusent de leurs libertes...
Mise a jour: MySpace va censurer ses blogs.

Ca tourne un peu en rond tout ca...