I made six different chocolates. All of which are solid, but I am planning to give them flavours and fillings and a scent in the near future. And bite marks so you can see the filling. These are all pendants in which are going to be strung on ballchains. To display them, I am going to get a small chocolate box and line it with paper chocolate liners, put in the pendant and chain into each cup... and voila. A very attractive display that LOOKS like chocolates, but upon handling them you will see that they are necklaces.

I was thinking it would make a great gift idea for coworkers, especially for ladies. A box of 6, 12, or 24... whichever, everyone could choose their favourite flavour and than they get to wear it. I thought that would be kind of fun!

Monster Kookies - Fine Chocolates

- A rectangle shaped dark chocolate with a darker chocolate drizzle.
- A dark chocolate coconut cup in a metallic liner and topped with shaved coconut.
- A diamond shaped dark chocolate with gold dust detailing and a white chocolate drizzle.
- A dark chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder and topped with some chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
- A square marbled chocolate topped with a dark chocolate button and ganache.
- A rectangle shaped dark chocolate with white chocolate drizzle.

I am seeking assistance to launch a new clothing store called AlimoeUrban.  It’s a hybrid store combining the pricing of Pacsun with the atmosphere of a resort boutique. 

I will pay anyone $5,000 that can help me secure $40,000.  The investor will be paid back $55,000 no later than 18 months with bench marks payments. 

You can reach me at jerry@alimoeinc.com for more details.

What they told me is that my jewelry couldn't possibly sell. Why? Because you can get keychains at the Dollar Store.

Within his whole paragraph, I tried to find a point, but alas all I could find is that keychains are cheaper at the dollarstore.

Of course they are!

Take this into consideration. The price of a Dollar Store keychain is, quite obviously, 1 measley dollar. For this dollar you get the following attributes:

1) Cheap quality
2) Poor craftsmanship
3) A mass produced item that has been made several million times.

Would you feel good buying someone something from the Dollar Store? I know we've all done it, but I mean... someone you honestly want to impress and do something nice for. I wouldn't buy them a piece of crap.

We live in a world consumed by costs, money, fees, and anything related to cold hard cash.

Money is a small price to pay for getting a product that you trust, a product that is built well and won't fall apart, a product that is pieced together without glue flooding out the sides, paint outside the lines and chipping off, as well as a product that is one of a kind, unique, made with love, and made just for you with your ideas and expectations in mind.

I'd say buying homemade jewerlry is well worth the price. And the fact that it sells for 9$ more than your Dollar Store crap, I'd say you got a pretty good deal!

Tell me if I am wrong.

Sarah Palin did an outstanding job during her acceptance speech. She presented that wholesome soccer mom facade that is being pushed by the Republican Party. She was articulate delivering the speech writer's words with the force, confidence, and determination of a veteran politician. I really enjoyed it. But, it was left me much as Rice Crispies do, lots of snap, crackle, and pop without any fulfillment. Lots of air, not substance.

Grousing

I know, yes I can hear some of you readers grousing now. Let's see which crutch, oops excuse should we use? Can't blather about the liberal media since I'm now media. You can't whine about the Washington establishment, I'm not part of that. You can't say that I'm following a party line, I don't belong to a party, never have never will. Hell I haven't even made my mind up yet about who should be the next team in the White House to break their promises as they all do! You can complain and say that I have it all wrong. Do I now? I'm glad we've had this little discussion, now let's get to the real issues with our minds clear of the political, religious, and emotion baggage we all tote around.

OMG, what does a VP do?

Palin said she did not know what a Vice President does. Here's a tutorial on those duties from Wikapedia.
 
The formal powers and role of the vice president are limited by the Constitution to becoming President should the President become unable to serve (e.g. due to the death, resignation, or medical impairment of the President) and acting as the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate. As President of the Senate, the Vice President has two primary duties: to cast a vote in the event of a Senate deadlock and to preside over and certify the official vote count of the U.S. Electoral College. For example, in the first half of 2001, the Senators were divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats and Dick Cheney's tie-breaking vote gave the Republicans the Senate majority. (See 107th United States Congress.)
 
The informal roles and functions of the Vice President depend on the specific relationship between the President and the Vice President, but often include drafter and spokesperson for the administration's policy, as an adviser to the president, as Chairman of the Board of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as a Member of the board of the Smithsonian Institution, and as a symbol of American concern or support. Their influence in this role depends almost entirely on the characteristics of the particular administration.

Palin a VP?

Now, try to put Sarah Palin in that role. All her personal beliefs, all here life experiences in Wasilla, Alaska, and her prejudices, whether in the interest of all the citizens of America or not, will be used to influence her decisions. Example number one: George Bush. He wasn't part of the good ole boys either (yeah right). Eight years later ask yourself a question: "Self, am I better off today than I was eight years ago? Was the nation better off eight years ago than it is today?" We cannot, must not continue down the path we have been treading as a nation. If Sarah Palin is a product of those same Bush beliefs and political philosophy then we do not need her. Oh yes, she has a political philosophy or she wouldn't be a politician, which she is. Albeit a soccer mom politician.

Who is she, really?

What we heard last night was a bit about herself, what a great mom she is, and how she is viewed as the chief exectutive officer of the State of Alaska. What we heard was this is who I am. This is what the Democrats are not.

What we need to hear is: "This is what I will bring to the office and these are the things I would like to accomplish as the number two person in a John McCain administration." I just cannot get over the fact that this inexperienced person is a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Her political background is not as solid a foundation of governance as other more qualified candidates. For example: Would you rather have a heart surgeon with twenty years experience operating or one with less than two years  experience performing your heart transplant.? It's a no brainer. What I heard was thin on policy. Whether you like it or not, policy runs this nation.

We need to know what she believes. Not the manure shovelled at us by some speech writer or campaign manager. We need to know more about her, what organizations does she belong to, what are some of her on-the-record expressed beliefs, and what whould she do in certain situations. I can hardly wait for debates between the Pres and VP candicates. This is going to be great.

The truth will prevail in those debates until whoever wins the election gets in the White House then it will change to whatever the establishment wants. You know the good ole boys with the money.

Women's Suffrage

Founders of this movement like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott were some of the first women in the United States to fight for a woman's voice in politics. Look at their records today and many feminist would not agree with their opinions. At the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 they took the first steps for women into a dangerous arena. While today's woman's rights activists would probably view them in a strange light. They actually mention God. They were women of faith, much like the much defamed Gov. Palin. For all those who have no clue what their current movement is about, I will provide you the Declaration of Sentiments

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to assume among the people of the earth a position different from that which they have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a absolution.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they were accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design despotism, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled.

The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

• He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.
• He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.
• He has withheld from her rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men - both natives and foreigners.
• Having deprived her of this first right as a citizen, the elective franchise, thereby leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.
• He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.
• He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns.
• He has made her morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband. In the covenant of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all intents and purposes, her master - the law giving him power to deprive her of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.
• He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce, in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of the women - the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition of the supremacy of a woman, and giving all power into his hands.
• After depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and the owner of property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made profitable to it.
• He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration.
• He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers most honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.
• He has denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education - all colleges being closed against her.
• He allows her in church, as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the affairs of the Church.
• He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world a different code of morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies which exclude women from society, are not only tolerated but deemed of little account in man.
• He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and her God.
• He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.

That is some pretty risky stuff to be spouting in 1848. The problem for modern feminist is all this God stuff. The woman's rights movement has been hijacked, and they now eat their own. Sad but true. The problem is we are in a time that to be prob equality means you must get something extra. It is no longer about being a woman capable of free thought. It is about being a woman that fits the mold of what current feminist ideology dictates. You want "Change". Change starts in your backyard, and women are eating their own.

Minority Voting Rights

This fight, I would argue, is Americas Greatest debate. It started the Civil War, and lead to the freedom of slaves. of course not how you are told. The Civil War wasn't about the Confederacy trying to limit the black vote, but control it. It was the northerners that made slaves only worth 3/5 of a person. Freedom was a side effect. One hell of a side effect. The 14th amendment changed the "slaves" into whole people and gave them rights to vote. Those rights were systematically denied or coerced until the 1960's,. Some would argue they are still being disenfranchised today. They point to laws taking away the rights of felons to vote. I personally believe in some places felons should not vote, but if the local police force is out of control, and targets one segment of society, this is oppression.

Much of this campaign has seen Black leaders in America fail to back Barak Obama. many openly backed Hillary Clinton. Why? It is my hope that they didn't share his views. For some he was too radical. For some he wasn't radical enough. Yet again, the struggle of the forefathers is subverted and perverted to suit today's needs. The fight for the right to be equal has been lost. Sen Obama is equal now, and has attained what would have been the wildest dream of a share cropper in Mississippi circa 1890. While Obama won't get this "freckled-white man's" vote, I believe the chance to make a decision on issues and ideas rather than skin color is a great thing. Something that the European detractors have failed to do, ever.

I could go about listing several instances of the current woman's movement and minority rights activist shooting themselves at the polls. They are all to glaring in the daily news, if you are looking. I would argue that the dreams of the forefathers and mothers are fulfilled, and being shot dead by their own people at the moment of realization. That is a sad fact, but a fact none the less.

The true struggle for equality has now reached us. the debate has changed. It is no longer "can we" have a black or woman president. It is "Will we let ourselves" have a woman or a black President of the United States. So next time some activist slams one of the current candidates as being a sellout, remind them they have the equality of opportunity they were searching for. This fight is now about issues and ideologies. The country is better for it.

J'ai rencontré Jérôme l'année dernière. Il était venu me voir jouer et nous avons longuement parlé photographie et musique après mon set. Cette discussion passionnée a été le départ d'une collaboration artistique fructueuse (videos projections et photos pour mon projet musical Kamido:tu) et m'a également redonné goût à la photographie que j'avais mise de côté pour me consacrer à la musique.

Il m'a donc semblé évident de commencer ma série d'interview par PHOTOGRAPHIQUE. Qu'il soit remercié pour sa disponibilité, sa gentillesse et la précision de ses réponses.

On parle beaucoup de ton utilisation du noir, paradoxalement c'est tons sens de la lumière qui me frappe dans tes travaux.

Il me parait évident que le noir ne fonctionne qu’avec un apport de lumière.
Certains trouvent mes photos très sombres, d’autres trouvent une certaine luminosité dans cette obscurité.
Pour moi le noir est essentiel, car on peut y cacher  et y montrer ce que l’on veut c’est une zone qui laisse la part belle à l’imagination.
Je trouve intéressante une photographie ou, en apparence on ne voit presque rien, alors que tout est là…

On associe tes photos à des termes assez chargés comme "sombre, noir, solitude, désolation, inquiétude". Je les remplacerai bien par "profond, beau, enivrant, irréel"...

Oui et tu es même plutôt gentil là, je me suis déjà fait taxer de photographe dépressif, gothique, torturé  etc.… encore torturé cela ne me dérange pas, l’histoire de l’art, toutes les formes de créations ont été marquées par des esprits torturés, donc c’est même plutôt flatteur au final…

Ce qui m’occupe l’esprit quand je travaille une image, c’est véritablement l’expérimentation sous toutes ses formes, pousser la photographie dans ses retranchements graphiques, colorimétriques, triturer les matières … et voir ce qui se passe.

Oui l’irréalité est une constante dans mon travail, fuir la réalité par tous les moyens mis à ma disposition...et il suffit souvent de peu de chose, un travail sur les lumières, les contrastes, la couleur, apporter une ambiance, une atmosphère, c’est ça la clef.

Tes photos paraissent en apesanteur, comme figées, tu souhaites capter l'intemporel ?

C’est  vrai qu’il y a peu de mouvement dans mes images, j’aime l’image fixe, photographier l’instant ou rien ne bouge.
Capter l’intemporel ? Il y a peut-être une peu de ça, je recherche dans tous les cas à m’en rapprocher le plus possible.

Comment travailles-tu ? Tu fais des repérages ?

Oui, pour certains lieux c’est indispensable, pour savoir de quoi j’aurai besoin sur place, pour des mesures de sécurité aussi, pour connaître les accès et le meilleur moment pour des conditions optimales de prise de vue.

Et parfois c’est carrément l’inverse, je me dis c’est le moment ou jamais, je saute de ma voiture et je fais tout à l’arrache…dans ces moments là il y a une véritable montée d’adrénaline, seules comptent les photos et je visualise dans ma tête les possibilités de résultats après post-traitement.
On peut dire que physiquement, je suis sur le terrain mais mon esprit est déjà sur le logiciel de retouche.

Tu traites beaucoup l'image sur Photoshop, combien de temps mets tu pour terminer une photographie ? Y-a-til beaucoup d'étapes intermédiaires ?

Le post-traitement c’est 90% de mon travail.
C’est un processus très long et très lent, mais il doit en être ainsi.
Entre la prise de vue sur le terrain et la mise en ligne il peut se passer de 3 à 6 mois.

Pour la réalisation d’une série je fais en moyenne 300 clichés pour au final ne garder que 20, 30 photos pour la série définitive.

Pour ce qui est des étapes, je procède par une sorte de « mûrissement de l’image ».

Je commence par chercher le réglage le plus proche possible de ce que j’ai en tête pour l’ambiance de telle ou telle série.

Une fois ce réglage trouvé, je l’applique sur plusieurs photos bien distinctes et représentatives de la série.

Et j’attends.

1 mois, 2 mois…et puis je retourne voir ce que j’ai fait auparavant et ç’est à ce moment que je sais si le réglage est le bon ou s’il faut apporter des modifications. Cela me permet d’avoir du recul car après 4 ou 5 heures passées devant son écran on finit par ne plus rien voir de ce que l’on fait, il faut savoir s’arrêter à un moment et revenir plus tard sur ses images avec un œil neuf.

Une fois la bonne formule trouvée, il ne reste plus qu’à appliquer le script à toutes les photos et à les reprendre une par une pour la finition.

La recherche de la photo idéale ça t'intéresse ? Tes photos sont si chiadées...

C’est une question de perception, c’est très subjectif.
Mais non pour moi, la photo idéale, la photo parfaite n’existe pas et n’existera jamais.
Ce n’est absolument pas mon axe de recherche, c’est même plutôt l’inverse qui me tente en ce moment, une image volontairement imparfaite.

Pour toi le numérique c'est synonyme de liberté d'action ?

Oui liberté d’action, d’expérimentation et optimisation des sessions de prise de vue grâce à la possibilité d’avoir sur place un aperçu de ce que l’on est en train de faire et d’effectuer des corrections in situ si besoin est.

De plus avec le numérique je gagne un temps précieux, plus besoin de développer puis de scanner les négatifs, je passe directement mes photos de l’appareil au logiciel de retouche et en 5 minutes, je travaille déjà sur mes futures séries.

Ta série asphalt a comme sujet les bolides et la vitesse, c'est assez différent de tes autres productions...

C’est une série un peu à part parmi les autres (mais je crois que je dis ça pour chaque série en fait !) réalisée à partir de photographies que j’ai prises sur plusieurs années (fin 80/début 90) pendant les 24h du Mans.

La machine et le déplacement dans l’espace, c’était ça l’idée première et donc je voulais une représentation simpliste du véhicule dans son environnement, comme un animal observé de loin avec des images prises à la volée.
Le traitement bruité et très sombre apporté sur cette série donne une impression étrange de « matières en mouvement ».
On ne voit pas distinctement les détails des voitures, juste la ligne de la carrosserie, un numéro, la lumière des phares, le paysage qui défile…

Il est vrai qu’en temps que manceau, les 24h du Mans représentent une partie de ma vie.
J’ai assisté à toutes les courses de depuis que je suis en âge de marcher… et encore aujourd’hui, je suis toujours présent lors de cette grand-messe mécanique.

Cette série est la mise en image d’une idée autour de l’automobile et une évocation de mes souvenirs de courses... une de mes rares séries en mouvement, peut-être même la seule pour l’instant.

Les techniques de déplacements terrestres m’intéressent et la voiture est le moyen de déplacement avec lequel je suis le plus en phase.
A l’inverse, je déteste les transports en commun quels qu’ils soient. Je sais ce n’est pas politiquement correct de dire cela dans le marasme écolo ambiant, mais je dois pouvoir aller et m’arrêter ou je veux quand je veux. Etre indépendant tout simplement.

La voiture est pour moi « un outil » essentiel au même titre que l’appareil photo, et si je n’avais pas mon propre véhicule et cette liberté d’aller et venir à ma guise, certaines séries n’auraient jamais vu le jour c’est certain.

Je lisais justement très récemment une interview du chanteur Christophe (un chanteur que j’admire pour ses textes, ses chansons, sa façon de penser…) dans laquelle il disait  « le seul passé qui ait une véritable importance à mes yeux c’est le retrait de mon permis de conduire il y a 9 ans à cause de cette connerie de permis à points. La conduite me manque terriblement. Depuis j’ai perdu mon autonomie et de précieux moments de vie… »

J’ai trouvé cela très beau et très dur à la fois.
En lisant ces lignes j’ai vraiment ressenti que cela lui pesait comme si on l’avait amputé d’une part de lui même.

Un homme privé d’une machine qui était pour lui une source d’inspiration car dans ses derniers albums, il y a toujours une chanson ou il est question de voitures…

Voilà, cela peut paraître anecdotique pour qui n’a pas de voiture, ne conduit pas, ne s’intéresse pas plus que ça  à l’automobile mais, si moi aussi, je me retrouvais privé de ma voiture, je serais dans le même état d’esprit.

Tu as beaucoup de demandes de musiciens pour réaliser leurs pochettes et photos promotionnelles.
On connait ton admiration pour le grand photographe rock Anton Corbijn, la boucle se boucle non ?

On peut voir ça comme ça, avant je bavais sur les pochettes de disques et maintenant je me retrouve à faire ces même pochettes !
Ceci étant, je suis loin d’avoir l’étoffe d’un Corbijn ou d’un Richard Dumas mais je fais mon petit bonhomme de chemin, je ne cherche pas à bruler les étapes, il faut que les choses se fassent petit à petit mais oui les demandes arrivent d’un peu partout c’est vrai et ce n’est pas pour me déplaire, je prends beaucoup de plaisir dans ce type de collaboration !

La photo pour musicien c'est une voie que tu aimerais voir se développer dans le futur ? En tant qu'ancien musicien j'imagine que travailler pour un groupe ça te tient à cœur.

Oui développer mais aussi étendre à d’autre domaine et travailler avec des écrivains, des vidéastes, cinéastes &  autres acteurs de la culture et de la création.

Les possibilités, les associations d’idées restent nombreuses… Je pense qu’il y a encore beaucoup à faire dans la façon d’aborder et de présenter l’image.

Mais il est clair qu’en temps que « musicien à la retraite », le milieu musical aura toujours ma préférence.
La musique reste une source d’inspiration majeure pour moi donc mettre mes photos au service de cette même musique est une chose qui m’est naturelle, comme un échange entre vieilles connaissances. De plus cela me permet de rencontrer des artistes que j’apprécie comme Simon et Justin d’And Also The Trees avec lesquels ce fût un plaisir et un honneur de travailler pour les visuels de leur dernier album, mais aussi de découvrir des artistes moins connus (mais non moins talentueux) comme Frédérique Truong, le groupe Neon Cage Experiment et dernièrement  Xavier Plumas (leader du groupe Tue-loup) pour son premier album solo « La gueule du Cougouar » (sortie prévue pour Janvier 2009).

De très belles rencontres et un enrichissement personnel à chaque fois...

Tu es fan de "I love You but I've Chosen Darkness", tu choisirais plutôt The Darkness ou L'amour ?

Il y a toujours eu une part d’obscurité dans « l’Amour » quelque chose qu’il est impossible de discerner, de voir, de comprendre…

À choisir je prends l’obscurité, car comme je l’ai déjà dit précédemment, il est possible de montrer et à la fois de cacher ce que l’on veut dans cette part d’ombre…et pourquoi pas de l’amour ?

J’ajouterai que c’est certainement le plus beau nom de groupe jamais trouvé.

La série Daedalus est fascinante. Tu es un adepte de cryptozoologie, comment est née cette passion ? Tu conviendras que ce n'es pas courant comme intérêt.

Certes, mais dans la façon dont tu poses ta question, nos lecteurs vont penser que je fais partie d’une secte !

donc je tiens à rassurer tout le monde la crypto zoologie c’est tout simplement l’étude d’animaux méconnus et très peu étudiés du fait de leur rareté de leur spécificité et de leur habitat souvent difficile d’accès comme par exemple les immensités abyssales pour le calmar géant.

Mais ce qui m’intéresse en réalité dans cette branche de la zoologie, c’est que nous sommes  à la frontière de la science et de l’imaginaire, voir de la mythologie…du pain béni pour un rêveur comme moi…

Mais Je suis quelqu’un de très terre à terre et pour moi, tout a une explication scientifique.

Je ne prends pas pour argent content, les témoignages et les dires de certaines personnes (anonymes ou pseudo-scientifiques) car bien souvent la crypto zoologie à été un refuge pour les phantasmes exacerbés de quelques personnes en mal de sensations…

C’est comme cela que s’est faite la légende du Monstre du Loch Ness, la Super Star des Crypto zoologues…

Pour mon cas, plutôt qu’adepte j’utiliserais le terme d’observateur averti et je garde toujours mes distances avec les croyances populaires.

J’ai découvert la crypto zoologie très jeune dans des livres sur les monstres marins, la légende du Kraken, du Léviathan, des serpents de mer et ces écrits m’ont marqué.
Mais déjà à l’époque, je faisais la distinction entre les témoignages plus que douteux de certains et les observations crédibles appuyées par quelques données scientifiques.

C’est ainsi que j’ai eu l’idée de ma série Daedalus du nom du premier vaisseau français à avoir fait un rapport sur un serpent de mer en 1848, et j’aimais bien la consonance scientifique de ce nom.
J’ai voulu au travers de cette série faire ressentir l’ambiance de ces récits fantastiques racontés la nuit à la lueur des bougies et mis en images à grand renfort de gravures souvent très caricaturales des monstres marins…

Avec Commodore tu franchis un cap avec le mix photographie/textes. L'étape suivante pourrais être des projections videos de tes photos avec de la poésie sur fond musical ? Ca te tenterait ce genre de projet ?

Commodore, c’est vraiment ce que je cherchais à produire depuis que je fais de la photo.
J’ai toujours été plus attiré par les livres, les publications que par les expositions.

Et cette collaboration avec Danielle Robert-Guédon est l’aboutissement d’un projet que j’avais de voir mes photos accompagnées d’un texte d’auteur
J’avais déjà travaillé avec Danielle auparavant pour « Le désordre des masses noires » une publication web consultable sur le site Image Latente (http://www.image-latente.com).

Et je ne compte pas m’arrêter là dans ce type d’associations images/textes, je viens d’ailleurs d’être sollicité pour illustrer un numéro spécial de la revue de Littérature Belge Deus Ex Machina consacré à l’œuvre de Franz Kafka.

La vidéo projection est une autre direction que je compte bien exploiter, mes photos ont déjà servi de support pour des lives d’artistes, de chanteurs comme Frédéric Truong pour lequel j’ai réalisé un diaporama de plus de 40 minutes, Je sais aussi que le groupe Me vs You a projeté quelques une de mes photos sur scène.
Mais le musicien pour lequel j’ai réalisé le plus de vidéo est certainement KAMIDO : TU (que tu connais je crois). Une dizaine de vidéos sur ses compositions, et ça fonctionne vraiment bien.

Ensuite de la poésie avec un fond musical, pourquoi pas il reste encore beaucoup de choses à expérimenter.

Quels sont tes projets à court et moyen termes ?

Un programme assez chargé, de nouvelles séries à terminer, des expositions à mettre en place, des photos pour des artistes, des groupes…
Je ne vais pas rentrer dans le détail, ça prendrait des plombes…

Tu concluais une interview (que je n'ai pas retrouvée sur la toile) par ce genre de propos : le futur est noir, très noir. Il n'y a vraiment plus d'espoir ?

Non, mais tu as vu le gueule de notre pays aujourd’hui’ hui ?
Il faudrait être un optimiste de naissance et sous Prozac en permanence pour penser que tout va bien dans ce pays et dans ce monde…
Oui l’avenir est sombre, mais je pense que je n’apprends rien à personne.
Mes seuls refuges restent la photographie et la musique…et ma voiture.
Autour c’est le néant.

Asian Dub Foundation te réclame encore comme batteur ?

Non et c’est pas plus mal ! comme cette soirée avait failli tourner à la baston générale, je pense que c’est mieux pour tout le monde !

Le mot de la fin ?
Aucune idée, je suis nul en devinette…

Liens
http://photographique.js.free.fr/
http://www.myspace.com/photographique_js

Exemples de videosprojections
http://fr.youtube.com/user/kamidotu

Let me be VERY clear about something, just because I was a Republican didn’t mean I had “blind faith” and simply voted as a Republican on every issue.  I did my best to judge each situation and compared the views of the candidates to my personal beliefs.  More times than not I agreed with the Republican but would break from the party line when I did not agree with the view presented.  The problem is that now, more and more, I simply don’t fit into any category.

So where do I stand? I believe…

• in the right to bear arms
• in climate change but not humanity caused global warming
• society should be investing in alternative energy, not because of climate change, but it’s the right thing to do for the environment
• that the government should not tell two people what love is
• stem cell research is a must
• that people need assistance but we should not simply give the needy everything
• the progressive tax system is a failure and those who deserve a tax break are those who pay the most
• that health care is not a right but a commodity
• we should take care of our own before we take care of others
• that the most qualified individual should obtain the position
• tax breaks for U.S. corporations are needed in order to keep growth in the United States
• a woman should have the ability to pick what happens to her body
• that every immigrant should come to the U.S. legally and not be granted amnesty

Does this make me a moderate or the ever-illusive “independent”?  I understand there will never be a candidate or party that will align to every view I hold but there has to be  a candidate, or partly, that doesn’t make me feel like an outsider.

I’ve said it a number of times in the past, I want to vote from someone I believe in and not simply vote for what I believe to be the lesser of two evils.

I was there for your speech last night at Mile High Stadium. I drove to Denver with my mother and a family friend on last minutes notice. We were able to secure credentials for not only your speech but Hillary Clintons and Joe Bidens as well. Every speech was great but nothing has ever moved me like you did in Mile High Stadium.

I'm an independant voter and hold a degree from San Diego State University in Political Science. In my last year of school and after 7 years of Bush policies with Democratic backing and funding I lost faith in politics. I found the more I learned of politics the more it seemed to be a giant 'dog and pony show' where the ones who were left to clean up were the hard working American middle class.

You changed that. With your speech in Iowa I felt that there may actually be good, just, and caring people in Washington. I joined your campaign. I made calls. I attended meetings. And I engaged everyone I know to join and support you.

My family is an embodiment of the American dream. My father came from a large family in the mid-west and put himself through college by working summers in the oil field. One summer he worked with a broken hand because he knew he would not be able to afford to return to school if he told his supervisors of his injury. He met my mother, graduated school and they moved to California. I remember waking up before school to take my dad to work in our family minivan. The only car we could afford. Since then he's climbed to a prominent position in a national bank and our family is financially secure.

I reaped the benifits of my fathers sucess. I drove a new car at 16 and was able to attend a university without financial worry. But I never forgot the road to where we are now and despite my families success I still recognize the innequality and ailments of our nation.

My break from believing that politics can work for good rose from the elitism and blatant manipulation I witnessed and was taught in my studies. My first semester of school the towers fell and I watched in horror as our country was manipulated by fear. I was furious when we went into Iraq, depressed as no child left behind encouraged the type of education that kept kids from being able to find Iraq on a map, and heartbroken when New Orleans drowned and was left without aid in an act of blatant racism. Those in power (including democrats) allowed and encouraged these actions.

I came to believe that the system is rotten at the core. And I still think it is.

I have been filled with hope by you. I was convinced that this was no longer the land of the free, but in fact the land of the elite who kept the public in line with colorful yet empty statements. I saw a sincerity in you and your record that wished to put politics back where it should be; as service to the public.

Even with the hope I now feel I remain sceptical. I think I speak for a large segment of my generation when I say that you represent the last hope of us believing in our government. If you can't revive the rotten core of our politic than I fear that it'll never happen in my lifetime. I will never be able to acheive what my father and thousands like him have because the elite will have taken over completely.

In me you have a warrior for your cause. If you end up being another suit at a podium feeding lies not only will you never be forgiven but you will prove to my generation that there will be no other options left but revolution.

I don't want this but there will be no other choice.

Senator Obama please don't let us down. I've never had a political hero until now and I don't place hope in someone easily. I know with a leader like you we can make this country the pillar of truth and justice it has the ability to be in the world.

We can't bear to be let down anymore.

I believe in you and I believe in change.

Sincerely,

Brandon Halvorson

What was that last paragraph about? I have absolutely no clue. While I was hoping to clarify the earmarks of "Change" offered by Sen. Obama, I can find absolutely nothing to back up my statement. No substance at all. Nowhere in the vast information sea can I find a place where his "Change" is explained or outlined. Not one new idea. Nothing except a change in the presidency. I am fine with that, it has been 8 years. I'll will be the first to admit G.W. Bush was the wrong man for the job. I didn't vote for him. Either time. The guy probably got dealt the worst hand of any President since F.D.R.  I honestly doubt anyone would have done anything better. I put both candidates in the same situation, and change don't seem so great. So I have finally failed. My blog has brought about nothing today. No insight, no deep discussion. I doubt if I have even pissed anyone off. Now that is a "Change".

Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't. Mark Twain

The writing on the wall could not have been clearer. This left-wingnut town has long been a bastion of socialism and intolerance. As the Russian troops arrived, there were reports of ethnic cleansing at the hands of local PETA and Code Pink activist. Several janitors and groundskeepers from the state funded university were driven from their homes. One janitor was seen carrying his last carton of smuggled Marlborough Reds, and a copy of Sports Illustrated's 1998 Swimsuit issue.

The first order of business will be to establish a local food co-op and a babushka distribution center. Admittedly a tall task, as none of Berkley's 102,000 new Moveonians can actually cultivate food, or actually sustain themselves without their weekly check from their parents. It is unclear how the new socio-economic structure will work as it is all socio and no economic.

Defensive plans have already been put in place by the self appointed local militia GLAD. In what seems to be a well planned resistance force, stockpiles of camouflaged pants and flannel shirts were distributed. Patrols have been seen circling City Hall in well armed Toyota Prius.

The announcement of the Moveonian Air Drop, said to rival that of Berlin, was to begin delivering falafel and over 200 tons of gluten free wheat to this breakaway state. "It is going to be rough", said one incoming freshman"I know at this rate, we already have enough soap and razors to support our needs until 2052". It is uncertain if and when supplies of ITunes cards would dry up, but it has left cause for concern among the residents.

No response has been released by either the White House or the California State House. Reporters have noticed a droning sound emanating from both locations resembling a "long drawn out chuckle or cackle" .

Moveonia is here to stay. The next big test will come at semester break, when many local residents take part in the annual Greenpeace Regatta. Here is hoping for their continued success.

[Chorus]
Brighter days are here
Cause we declare
That history won't repeat

Will you join with me?
We'll defeat
The fear that hurts us both

Brighter days are here
Despite the wrong
That twists and tests our voice

And truth will bring
Amazing things
That we cannot conceive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afKoZ60XXG0

I am at such a crossroads right now, if you know me- i'm indescive, but not in a negative way. There's usually too much i want out of life that I can't just choose one option. Which is why I am 22 and just now looking into going back to college. well, no looking into, I AM going back to college. You see I took a break for a couple years, started working up into different clerical positions and with different companies until I finally decided "Hey I want to work for a hospital system" so i worked my butt off and got into the hospital system and now trying to figure out the rest. It's almost like "I got to the point i wanted, now what?"

My mother is going in for open heart surgery tommorow actually, and my grandparents have been so kind as to move in and help with everything. I've been teetering on the edge for the past 1 and half about seriously moving out. I met this woman who read me like a book "You want the finality of independance, but you don't want to leave your family and you don't want to pay all that money." It's the truth- i'm never home (i work two jobs) and i have an amazing set of friends whom i've known my whole life. So pretty much my life is consumed with being everything to everyone (my family, friends and working) but not to myself sometimes.

To top it all off, i'm trying to find another position to work at that will alllow me to make more money so i don't have to work two jobs but still be able to afford the extra bills and school come January. Who knew life is so difficult? I feel like i need to have an order or process here, i.e get the position first, then buy for the apt, then apt hunt, then move in, then apply for school... but there are days when i feel i need my own space or i just need to jump right into school.

I never knew making life changing decisions were so difficult.

Any suggestions?

:o)Angella

Rafe continues to grow like a weed. He seems taller every evening, and I am amazed when I undress him and see how little he still is. Thankfully.

His vocabularly is growing along with him. He now answers "yes" when I ask him questions. He likes to shout "go way!" or "gimmee" or even that old favorite "MINE!!" His favorite thing to eat is "SGETTI!!!" and "EYE KEEM!" (that's ice cream). He also says "peas!" and "tank ew!"

He loves the moon, taking showers, and brushing his teeth. When we go down to the beach he loves getting in and splashing in the waves, or just throwing stones into the water. At the park he is not content to play on the little kids equipment, he must, like his sister before him, attempt the big kids stuff. Which can make for some pretty tense moments while mommy desperatley tries to keep hold of his hand while he climbs across the top of the monkey bars with the big kids.

Last night Devon, Olivia and I taught him how to kick a ball. He was thrilled and had such a good time kicking it for the other two to chase after.

We haven't really told him about the move yet. How do you tell a two year old something like that? I've never worked it out, but how can we not tell him? I hated when the other two were little and big things changed, I never knew how to tell them. I suppose we'll tell him tonight at bedtime. Even if he doesnt understand, he'll get the idea and come next Friday saying bye bye to the house hopefully won't be a shock. He has been to the new house, so hopefully he'll remember when we get there.

Rafe wears his wellies all the time. He loves coming home and taking his shoes off, just to go and put his wellies on. It's wonderfully cute, and I don't have the heart to enforce the no shoes in the house rule with him and his wellies.

He is growing and learning and expressing himself every day, but he is still my baby. The toddler hasn't started to fall away yet and I can't quite work out what he'll be like when he's older. I think it's a fair bet to say he will be independent, outgoing, and good humoured. But those are just general traits, It will be fun learning the specifics as he grows. But for the moment, I'm happy to hold onto my baby boy.

update: Rafe has just dumped the contents of his bath onto the bathroom carpet, via bucket. The downstairs hall light is leaking. There is water everywhere. I was in the next room packing, holding a "conversation" with him. I thought those splashes were him dumping the water into the bath. *sigh* One day I will sell the whole lot of them to the gypsies. And won't they be sorry, then.

This blog is designed to give advice to independant software vendors big and small, from one-man-bands to large software houses.

We will be posting articles which will give you hints, tips, tricks, gotchas, useful links and other useful information to help you run an efficient and successful software company.

Why not subscribe to this blog? We promise not to bombard you with posts and you never know - we may offer some useful advise :-)

It's a pretty addictive site dedicated to indie fashion and up and coming indie brands...
Pretty nifty.

The specific pieces available on SmashingDarling are designs, or designs featuring finishes, that are exclusive to SmashingDarling.com...

To celebrate my new pieces at Smashing Darling, I would like to extend a 10% discount to my faithful readers! Just enter the code: DPWLE3 during checkout...Offer good only at my SmashingDarling.com boutique, on CleverGirl products... Expires 8/8/08 ....

What are you waiting for! Let's get SMASHING!

I also brought up his hydrocele and mentioned that I was not pleased with the other urologist who wants to play wait and see for at least another year or so. C'mon it's a communicative one. So she is having me call Land. on Monday to see if they have a pediatric urologist. If not, she has a referral to another one off post for me. I've been told so many times that kids bounce back faster from surgery the younger they are. It's probably because they are less mobile, but this kiddo is quite active these days.

He's become a pro at walking with only one hand. He'll even walk side by side with you instead of right in front of ya. John likes to lead ya wherever he wants to go. It's really cute. Last night for bathtime he picked up his dirty shirt and led me to our room and he chucked the shirt across the floor to the laundry pile and squealed with glee. Then he toddled off to the bathroom where he knew his bath was waiting. Once more, he was proud of himself. It seems like he'll be trying to do that all by himself here soon.

*hugs*
~Jen

I will continue to write about the same things. But perhaps more often. More efficiently, and more clearly. I will broaden the horizons as well. 

I hope my readers, like Demosthenes, will follow me to my new site, and new ones will discover it as well.

The site is now the title, which is much easier and is a much more credible title:

http://unbent.wordpress.com/

Dans le cas des détaillants d'essence de Saint-Jérôme, la Régie de l'énergie affirme, dans sa décision rendue le 11 juillet dernier, qu'il y a "un réel danger d'une diminution importante du nombre de détaillants indépendants à Saint-Jérôme et que cela peut, à long terme, aller à l'encontre des intérêts des consommateurs".  La requête, déposée devant la Régie, l'a été par l'Association québécoise des indépendants de pétrole (AQUIP), et l'un de ses membres, Intergaz.

Le gros de problème, c'est qu'à Saint-Jérôme, la multinationale Costco a ouvert, il y a quelques années, un poste d'essence, et les indépendants se plaignent, à toute fin pratique, de concurrence déloyale.  C'est que Costco a pris les moyens nécessaires pour réduire ses coûts d'exploitation, et que les plaignants - j'allais dire les plaignards - n'osent pas prendre des moyens semblables.  Les pétrolières, qui opèrent des stations d'essence, à Saint-Jérôme, ne se plaignent pourtant pas de la situation.

Mais ce que j'ai trouvé le plus drôle, dans cet article, c'est la toute dernière phrase, du moins dans la version publiée ce matin dans le JdeM.  Ça dit que "M. Pagé (Claude Pagé, de la pétrolière Intergaz) a fait valoir que les prix de l'essence au Québec demeuraient les moins chers en Amérique du Nord et au Canada, et que cela était dû à l'apport des détaillants indépendants."  Vous croyez à cela, vous?  À constater par sa décision, la Régie de l'énergie y a manifestement cru.  Pour ma part, je crois que ce type, Claude Pagé, devrait faire renouveler son passeport, et aller faire un tour dans les états américains limitrophes, en plus d'aller se balader dans les autres provinces canadiennes.  Il se rendrait rapidement compte que, mis à part dans les provinces maritimes, c'est au Québec que l'essence est la plus chère, à la pompe.  Aux USA, les gens doivent composer, depuis quelques temps, avec un prix de l'essence qui dépasse les 4$ du gallon américain, alors que si l'on fait la conversion, nous payons ici, malgré la baisse des derniers jours (l'essence ordinaire se détaille autour de 132,4 cents le litre, à Anjou, au moment où j'écris ce billet), autour de 5$ pour le même gallon.  C'est comme 25% de plus, ça, mon cher Claude!  Et ce sont ces mêmes indépendants du pétrole qui gueulent contre les guerres de prix qu'imposent les pétrolières, parce que ça diminue leur marge de profit.  Il est où, l'apport des détaillants indépendants?  À chaque fois qu'ils font une demande, c'est pour augmenter les prix!

La Régie de l'énergie a définitivement avalé la couleuvre de Claude Pagé, et de l'AQUIP, en acquiesçant à leur demande de hausse de prix de 3 cents le litre, à Saint-Jérôme.  C'est à croire que la Régie dort... aux gaz!

A new blog!

What am I going to write?  What am I thinking?  Does anyone care?

At some point early in all of our blogging "careers", each one of us has asked ourselves those questions.  I just care less than the rest of you about the answers.  I don't care if anyone reads this garbage.  It's therapeutic for me.

I am not serving anyone here.  If I said I was, I would be a liar.  Let's face it; our blogs are about us, even if we say they are not.  Each one of us has an ego the size of Mount Rushmore; that's why we want to see our written words SOMEWHERE.

Hey, no one can reject me here.  Oh, they can tell me I suck, whisper dark tidings in my ear, or tell me to go to hell, but they can't decide what I PUBLISH.  Only I do that, here.

We love to write; that's what we do.  I've written blogs for five years.  I've started two, and ended two.  This is my third.  My second was a rather decent success, but still, I got tired of it.

So now I am blogging incognito.  And I am blogging about politics and political parties, and how much I hate both.

If you are a card carrying Republican or Democrat, and proud of it, you and I are going to have fun here.  If you are an independant, welcome, and let's find a way to rid ourselves of these leeches called political parties.  If you are none of the above, what the hell are you doing here?  ;o)