blogule archives

Flash fiction : Monsoon Story

2011-06-26T07:38:00.004+02:00

Chris suggested "monsoon story" as a prompt for Saturday's SWW (under pouring rain - typhoon hitting Korea). My poor shot :

The kid doesn't even try to yell. Their eyes have locked and all the information has been transferred at broadband speed : I'm stuck on this roof, this flash flood is going to swallow it soon, and there's no way a 12 year old like me can survive this fury. What can a 40ish guy like you do to help me, beyond documenting my certain death with his camera, that is ?

Brad keeps shooting, the quizzical look on the kid's face now an angry stare. Now he can't lower his Nikon for fear of facing it without the protection of several layers of lenses.

Won't this goddam roof ever collapse ?

Answering Brad's prayers, a sinister crrraack tears through the merciless downpour.

The first thing the kid asked his rescuers in the chopper was if they could pick his camera, still hanging on that tree by the broken bridge.

Stephane MOT - 20110625

more flash fictions

Flash fiction : What am I doing here ?

2011-06-03T09:56:00.004+02:00

Not a fiction but flash nonetheless (the deal : "What am I doing here", true story that happened to you, under 200 words)

"Late December 1991. After a few weeks in Korea, I’m getting used to the diffuse tension of Seoul streets, and already hooked to local eateries. Today, I’m heading for a late lunch in Pimatgol, and the street behind the US Embassy feels surprisingly quiet and deserted.
Suddenly, a projectile passes just inches from my nose. In the corner of my eye a man ducks behind a concrete fence. More dark shadows swiftly shift positions in the street covered with snow.
Then I realize these Korean soldiers are enjoying the mother of all snow battles, running for cover behind fences, giggling as they pack their next balls. Kids playing with kids weapons, but also full grown men with the most advanced military training.
Now tens of snowballs are crisscrossing the street at the same time in a perfectly organized choreography. I wish I had a camera to catch this ephemeral Bruegelian scene but at the same time, this moment should not be existing.
I don’t remember if I stayed long or just kept walking across this surreal battlefield. I do remember smiling back at a few warriors, cheering for a bull’s eye shot, and never again witnessing such joy on their faces."

Did you hear the paper this morning ?

2011-02-17T10:31:00.001+01:00

Did you hear the paper this morning ?
It drunk crashed on our doorsteps
Barked insane stories in our kitchen
Spread thick traffic jam over my toast

Did you hear the paper this morning ?
I tried to stamp it with a coffee ring
To cut the comics for the young lady
But couldn’t even swat a fly with it

Did you hear the paper this morning ?
Nope, I couldn’t hear a thing
Not even a ping from your cell
Paperless papers burn in silent Hell

20110216

Flash Fiction: Christmas Carol

2010-12-11T05:48:00.005+01:00

Here's my piece for tomorrow's Seoul Writers Workshop Holiday Brunch. Like last year, the thema is simply Holiday. This story is not very original either, but that's what knocked first on my attic's door today. As usual it ended up at least twice shorter than the 600 word limit. SM

Christmas Carol

The kids are back. Again, the same tuneless, inarticulate song.
They started on Christmas eve, last week. They've come back every night. He wouldn't open the door then, he won't now.
Granted, he's never been much of a good neighbor - but stalking certainly won't change that fact of life.

Robert simply uncovers the peephole. Lights are off outside, but thanks to the fat moon and omnipresent snow he can clearly make out each face.
Like on every night before, there's one more kid in the crew.
And tonight, guess who ? The Gonzales girl.
Robert wants to think about last summer, her contagious laughter when she played with Tommy Evans and his dog… But he only can hear the sick dry sound as the stake pierced through her ribs, two weeks ago.

What's her name by the way ? Not a Maria but something close… Marila maybe ? Whatever. The name can be close, this thing is not close to the Marila he knew…

Not even two weeks, come to think of it. And here she is, standing and singing, this big dark shape on her white dress.

Something tells him he'll see more of those big dark shapes around. Particularly when the adults are back from wherever they went to lately. Some maul frenzy, probably.
Robert manages a chuckle. He who always found Christmas Carols depressing…

Oh. It's over now. At last, a truly silent night.
But they'll come back.
Looks like they always do.

Stephane MOT
Seoul 20101211
Copyright

PS: I'll probably switch back to the initial ending, which echoes the title: sounds like they always do

KIM Mudangnim

2010-04-02T09:29:00.006+02:00

Hunting for “KIM Mudangnim”

Yesterday morning, Seoul Mudang Union officially cursed the new chief of police to protest his controversial decision to issue an arrest warrant against the elusive Kim D. K.

“Miss Kim is a most eminent and respectable member of our community” said Gwang Mu-I, leader of the country’s most powerful shamanist association. “She has been collaborating with the police for years, and helped them solve countless cases. Miss Kim embodies the fight against corruption in this city and all of a sudden, one troubled man decides that the best way to clean the streets of corruption is to get rid of her, to turn our national hero into a fugitive. Tell me : is this justice or obstruction of justice ?”

Chief Kang answered during a press conference interrupted several times by mudang demonstrators performing cleansing rituals : “Well, now I’m cursed, so what ? Protecting this city is not a walk in the park anyway. And what am I accused of ? Come on, that person has always been a fugitive : no one knows where Kim lives, how she lives, nor even if Kim is her real name. Here’s someone who doesn’t have any I.D. and keeps evading taxes and all civic duties, and that’s already a crime. Furthermore, she’s constantly trespassing on restricted areas and we decently couldn’t tolerate that any longer. For all we know, we were palling around with a terrorist or a foreign agent. No doubt about it : Kim D. K., or whatever her name is, represents a clear and immediate danger to our society.”

Apparently, this feeling is not shared by all members of the police. On condition of anonymity, many expressed their support for the star shaman, and their disagreement with their new Chief.

Still. If they overwhelmingly respect Kim D. K. for what she accomplished over the past ten years, most officers remain uncomfortable in her presence. Senior Police Officer B. confesses that he feels goose bumps whenever he meets her : “She doesn’t even have to call some spirit : just knowing her in the room gives me the creeps. And her ability to summon doors whenever she needs one… I know you can reach the other end of the city instantly, but I would never follow her down there. Only Inspector Suh did. You gotta be crazy… either crazy in love or crazy, period.”

To the risk of disappointing millions of fans, neither Senior Police Officer B. nor any of his colleagues would confirm what only popular novels or the hit movie “Kim Mudangnim” (김 무당님) established as a fact in their hearts : Suh Bong-soo and Kim D. K., the most glamorous pair of crime fighters, would be partners far beyond their common quest for justice… Needless to say, the inspector’s resignation the very day Kim’s arrest warrant was issued and his subsequent disappearance did more than fuel speculations across internet forums.

Likewise, a lot has been said and written about the “hanok portal” phenomenon, but all attempts to film or photograph it – or Kim herself, for that matter – failed miserably, resulting only in overexposed images. The mudang would have the power to materialize doors only on the walls of authentic traditional houses, and all hanok owners pretend to have seen her honor them with a few discreet visits. Many display this message above their thresholds : “Welcome to our house Kim Mudangnim. Know that you can also use this door next time you pass by”.

The shaman is said to feel actual pain each time a traditional house is destroyed, as if it were a part of herself. Urban redevelopments have considerably reduced her reach, but over the past few years, several projects were canceled because of her popularity. Yesterday, one officer went as far as accusing his new chief of being the corrupt one : “Kang owes his nomination to construction lobbies, and these guys have always dreamed of sidelining her. Our mudang is the most charismatic advocate of hanok preservation”.

Some Kim D. K. critics maintain she excels even more in her own preservation : behind this legendary beauty would hide an old witch who seduced a policeman to seek revenge against criminals. Her name itself would be a pun in English to celebrate her own decay.

Old witch or young heroin ? Whatever the answer, Kim Mudangnim definitely added a modern twist to traditional Korean shamanism : she’s rumored to work plain-clothed, to call spirits through any brand of cell phones, and to perform ritual dances and songs luscious enough to raise more than a few “goose bumps”.

A heartthrob for men, a symbol of independence for women, a modern hero for kids, a guardian of traditions for older citizens… Seoul loves Kim D. K.

As the movie scenario goes, Kim started a poor school drop-out desperately looking for a job. One day, she overheard a ceremony from an alleyway and peeked through cracks in a wall : what appeared to be a crafted con artist was overacting a gut, collecting an amazing amount of money from a very poor and gullible audience. After the “show”, Kim followed the old woman and threatened to denounce her if she didn’t teach her the tricks of the trade. But the young girl turned out to be a genuine psychic, and the fake mudang introduced this diamond in the rough to an authentic master. The novice would then meet another legend : Ho Rang-hee, the semi-god figure of underground Seoul many consider to be, unlike D. K., a pure myth.

Chief Kang also shared his opinion on the matter : “We don’t know if this ‘Tiger’ really exists” (‘horangi’ means ‘tiger’ in Korean), but we sure meet some of his ‘cubs’ every now and then. Most of them are just stupid attention-seekers : clowns dressed in black from head to toe, doing martial art stunts, and pretending to work for the big guy. The “real” ones pop up when Kim needs a hand to fight, and they disappear as soon as it’s over. We never heard them say any word nor utter any sound : they’re tough, and they’re professionals. The way I see it, she’s the boss, and a mafia kind of boss. Tiger ? That’s just a smokescreen, a name to make us believe she has nothing to do with them.”

In the movie, “Tiger” is to the contrary a force of good defending the city against organized crime. Kim Tae-gun gained much more fame thanks to his role as the old giant with a ruined face than as the former captain of Korea’s national basketball team. The Ho Rang-hee legend starts over a century ago up in Buram mountain, with an old woman finding a baby boy soundly asleep on a tiger’s lap, his scar presumably the mark of a rival feline. The boy grows into an illiterate teenager with the body of a man, exploited by brutal entrepreneurs, working on infrastructures during the day and sabotaging Japanese compounds at night. After the murder of his surrogate mother, Tiger withdraws completely from society to organize resistance (first against occupants, then against dictatorship, and finally against mobsters), shifting from one secret lair to another.

“I want my fellow citizens to understand that I’m not launching a witch hunt against popular movie characters”, Kang pleaded to the cameras. “I’m not a bad guy, I’m just trying to be a good cop, to do my job in this real world of ours. I know that’s not very sexy, I know I’m not very sexy” (laughters : a little under 59 and over 5 feet, the new Chief won’t make the cover of any fashion magazine), “but I do care for this city and someone has to wake it up from its pleasant dreams.”

His “fellow citizens” obviously decided otherwise : after sunset, downtown Seoul took an air of joyous and surreal carnival featuring lotus lanterns, people parading as shamans or Ho Rang-hee shadows, couples dressed like the movie version of the Suh-Kim duet, and pranksters drawing fake hanok doors on all public buildings.

The first such joke was discovered in the very headquarters of Seoul Metropolitan Police, right after the press conference : the door had been hastily drawn with its caption “shortcut to Kang’s soul” on the restroom’s wall.

At the time this journal goes to press, the Korean capital seems to be more actively looking for its weirdest citizen than for some sense of sanity.

Stephane MOT 2008

2009 blogules archives (july-december)

2010-01-19T09:40:00.002+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the second half of 2009.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

December 2009 (5)
- "Santa Miranda Rights" (20091226 - flash fiction fresh from the oven)
- "Hatoyama's Christmas gift to Japanese extreme right" (20091226 - again, pressure from the extreme right)
- "Happy New Year 2011" (20091222 - look back at what happened over 2010)
- "Obama plays good COP - bad COP15" (20091218 - and for this speech, I give thee a D minus)
- "North Korea's lost Won" (20091205 - anger management as in anger fueling)

November 2009 (8)
- "Carbon Dioxide Emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product" (20091126 - ahead of Copenhagen, nice examples of wind power applied to words)
- "Herman van Rompuy, haikus, humor and religion" (20091121 - he's not Tony Blair, but he pledged allegiance to Benedict XVI nonetheless)
- "Warniks' Woodstock" (20091119 - the concert of the millenium ? you betcha !!!)
- "The end of Japanese imperialism" (20091116 - Hatoyama's government leaks proofs that Dokdo belongs to Korea)
- "al Qaeda and Amerika on trial" (20091114 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed meets fair justice. The Bush Admninistration next in line ?)
- "After Arafat, will Tel Aviv hawks terminate Mahmoud Abbas ?" (20091106 - Abu Mazen left to his own devices... and with the Hamas, Israel's own device)
- "European Court of Human Rights slams fundamentalists (a)cross Italia and Europe" (20091104 - no crucifix in school : this is a republic)
- "Obama Season II" (20091103 - warning : plot spoilers)

October 2009 (5)
- "Korea needs even more Truth and Reconciliation" (20091030 - on the future of transitional justice in Korea)
- "ReOpenReOpenReOpen911 - the Pentagony continues" (20091016 - exclusive : the non-euclidian-non-darwinian-non-official-version of the self proclaimed Truthers)
- "As if" (20091015 - this is not a recovery : this is denial, phase II)
- "Change has come to Japan." (20091009 - praise Hatoyama for his honesty and courage, praise Japan for its grandeur - provided the country follows its new leader - NB - Published in JoongAng Ilbo)
- "Kim Jong-il's bridge to nowhere" (20091007 - the Dear Leader just sold his country to salvage his dynasty)

September 2009 (6)
- "dragedies" (20090928 - shameless self-promotion for the best book ever published by this excuse of an author - Yours truly)
- "Israel accepted as true the choice between its security and its ideals" (20090916 - no more the good guys)
- "They did it" (20090911 - eight years ago, September 11, 2001)
- "We didn't come here to fear the future. We came here to shape it" (20090910 - Obama on healthcare and beyond, on what politics should be)
- "Al Franken is not Dan Quayle" (20090909 - I know, that's typical smart monkey stuff, but I like it)
- "Republican Appointed Judges : John Ashcroft "repugnant to the Constitution"" (20090905 - former Attorney General impostor caught by Justice)

August 2009 (8)
- "Land of the rinsing sun ?" (20090831 - yes, Hatoyama can save Japan - far beyond its economy)
- "Afghanistan, ground zero" (20090826 - Iran redux)
- "CIA to Blackwater : Kill, Baby, Kill" (20090824 - outsourcing Cheneyism)
- "KIM Dae-jung as Don LEE's Statue du Commandeur" (20090818 - another dead president looming over Lee Myung-bak)
- "We reject as false the choice between our social security and our ideals" (20090814 - why Karl Rove & Co are really scared by the Healthcare reform)
- "Latest Korean Export : Hangeul Alphabet, To Indonesia" (20090806 - do you speak cia-cia ? write in Korean !)
- "Israel openly embraces fascism" (20090803 - I love Israel like I love the US, but Bibi's government is as anti-Israel as Bush-Cheney's administration was anti-American)
- "Six Pax Americana - Brewing the Gatesgate" (20090802 - instead of another Bush, Anheuser Busch)

July 2009 (8)
- "Hillary won't run again. Unless..." (20090727 - meet the next VP)
- "News biorhythms and the future of newspaper" (20090724 - papers, please)
- "John Thune raises his profile and his guns" (20090722 - legalizing outlaws)
- "Tony Blair : a newborn fundamentalist President of Europe ?" (20090716 - thanks but no thanks, Europe doesn't need this kind of leaders)
- Lake - Hodson - Stevens (20090715 - CNN International vs BBC World News)
- "Scoop : Cheney is not a democrat... but why this 5 month delay ?" (20090712 - Dick shunted the legal path but that's not the news here)
- "The Dictatorship of Short Term: Beijing and Uighurs" (20090707 - Beijing is losing its mojo in strategy and ideology)
- "GOP - From Morale Building to Moral Damage Control Mode" (20090705 - meet the new boss same as the old Sarah)

2009 blogules archives (january-june)

2010-01-19T09:39:00.002+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the first half of 2009.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

June 2009 (14)
- "If Americans Knew" (20090630 - the other side of the coin)
- "France, secularism and burqa : a political issue, not a religious one" (20090627 - it's the politics, stupid)
- "Keep your eye on the ball, Barack !" (20090624 - fly me to the White House cartoon)
- "Netanyahu's al Aqsa intifada" (20090624 - Tel Aviv hawks thank Ali Khamenei)
- "Khamenei's death wish" (20090622 - still leader, but Supreme no more - succession has started)
- "Scoop : Karl Rove is Pro Choice" (20090619 - The Architect crucifies Obama's Health Care plan)
- "Party Unity My Ayatollah ?" (20090617 - can't fix the fixing, it's really broken now)
- "Ahmadinejad Alienates Iranian People Today, Iranian Clerics Tomorrow" (20090614 - Khamenei the biggest loser of Iranian elections)
- "Is Your PC P.C. enough for China's PC ? Green Dam Youth Escort" (20090613 - control freak system overload ?)
- "Intelligence Supremacy" (20090611 - von Brunn after Roeder, something rotten)
- "KIM Jong-nam : Korea's Last Emperor of first governor ?" (20090605 - the ideal puppet for Beijing)
- "State of The World Union : The Obama Doctrine" (20090605 - a defining speech in Cairo)
- ""Antagonizing Muslims" ?!? Look who's talking, Osama" (20090604 - Bin Laden's imposture exposed)
- ""Pro Life" Murderers" (20090601 - Doctor Tiller a martyr of life - fundamentalism loses)

May 2009 (6)
- "A Yellow Sea For Roh" (20090530 - Roh Moo-hyun passes by Sejongno)
- "Roh Moo-hyun follows Pierre Beregovoy" (20090523 - will politics change in Korea now ?)
- "Memo : the case is about abuses in Gitmo, not about closing Gitmo" (20090522 - an unsigned and shameless WSJ tribune)
- "Open Season for Yosemite Sam" (20090521 - guns in National Parks ?!?)
- "India : no change means change" (20090518 - Indian elections : a silver lining ?)
- "Rove v. Pelosi v. Rove v. America" (20090515 - Turd Blossom points a finger at an accusing mirror)

April 2009 (6)
- "American Banks Post TARP, Stress, Disorder : I.O.U. Holdings" (20090430 - wonders never cease)
- "A Greater Wall Of China - Bonus, Korea Inside (The Great Hanschluss)" (20090422 - does History belong to those who redraw the maps ?)
- "I.Q. can help measure handicaps, not intelligence" (20090419 - an heresy)
- ""Insects placed in a confinement box" (welcome on waterboard)" (20090417 - how does it feel, Dick ?)
- "Last Throes of Democracy : India Votes" (20090416 - to be discontinued ?)
- "G20 on Twitter" (20090403 - exclusive ! tricks and twits from World leaders)

March 2009 (9)
- "HU Got Mail" (20090330 - NSA made in China)
- "J Street Releases New Poll of American Jewish Community" (20090324 - ... and neither the AIPAC nor Netanyahu are not going to like it)
- "Beyond the Iranian people, Obama is addressing Israel" (20090321 - Obama's Cable Nowruz Network)
- "Geithner Takes Bullet, Bullet Spares Buck Obama" (20090320 - that's what friends and secretaries are for)
- "Lobby Dick Tries To Retire, Fails To Retract" (20090316 - The Anchorman welcomes a nasty supervillain)
- "SNL - The Rock Obama" (20090310 - don't make The Barock angry, please)
- "Watchmen and the nature of Alan Moore's power" (20090306 - forget the movie, read the book, and meet The Author)
- "Yoo Got Mail - The Prince's Diary" (20090304 - John Yoo is no Macchiavelli)
- "GOPgle - Don't Be Evil" (20090303 - Rush Limbaugh and anger management, Bobby Jindal and Mr Rogers)

February 2009 (5)
- "USS War Censorship Sunk" (20090227 - Robert Gates opens the black box / camera obscura)
- "Terminator 5 - Rise Of The Taxes" (20090521 - SoCal and SOS Calls)
- "Vice Senators, Vicious Governors, Virtuous Circles" (20090217 - time to hatchet the Burris ?)
- "Next Stop : Pakistan" (20090216 - Talibans moving the party to the next flat)
- "The Screwing Up Buck Stops Here" (20090205 - Humble America is Greater America)

January 2009 (4)
- "True v. False vs Good v. Evil" (20090121 - the Bush-Cheney era is over, "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals"... YYYESSSS !)
- "Bush's Farewell : Mission Accomplished... as Fundamentalist in Chief" (20090116 - Justice in America, No Democracy in Israel)
- "Come Feb. 10th, Will Israel Embrace History Or Vote Bush-Cheney 2004 ?" (20090108 - Israel, at a defining moment, takes the wrong path)
- "Happy new year 2010" (20090101 - sorry, but I want to forget 2009 - the worst of 2009 in 60 seconds)

2008 archives (july-december)

2010-01-19T09:38:00.002+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the oh so great second half of 2008.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

December 2009 (10)
- "A Christmas Gift for Fundamentalists ?" (20081226 - Israeli hawks seizing a window of opportunity)
- "So help me Rick Warren" (20081222 - I have a dream of a Zapatero moment for Obama in 2012...)
- "Madoff with his head(ge funds)" (20081217 - state of denial)
- "Allahwood's Walk of Shame" (20081217 - the shoeshank redemption or the perfect end to a s(c)andalous ruler ?)
- "CREDO in unum jokum" (20081208 - America's most famous political weather vane Joe Lieberman in an ad for a M-VNO)
- "The Bush Legacy" (20081208 - revisionism institutionalized)
- "9/11 Truthers Knockin' At Your Door" (20081207 - worse than cultists)
- "Change - Mobilization Has Started" (20081205 - the Obamachine needs you)
- "Big 3's Slim Fast solution" (20081204 - US automotive industry is dead because, in spite of decades of decay, it decided to stick to "US automotive industry" instead of switching to "global mobility services")
- "MSNBC Replaces FOX News - Jon Stewart" (20081203 - but where are the gas masks ? Isn't Jon threatening to nuke them ?)

November 2009 (22)
- "Lessons from Mumbai ?" (20081129 - the actual target : Pakistan)
- "AIPAC Hillary v. J Street Barack" (20081124 - bad cop HRC @ State ?)
- "Everybody loves Raymondville, TX" (20081119 - fat chance of nailing Cheney and Gonzales, but nice try)
- "Stewart - O'Reilly - The Best Presidential Debate" (20081117 -The Daily Show videos : Jon Stewart and more than Bill can bear)
- "GOP Primaries 2012 Kick-off - Charlie Crist's Second Coming" (20081113 - against all (g)odds)
- lists of blogules (20081113 - just trying to clean my own mess 4 years after the last attempt) : 2003, 2004H1, 2004H2, 2005H1, 2005H2, 2006H1, 2006H2, 2007H1, 2007H2, 2008H1, 2008H2...
- "Fox News executes Sarah Palin" (20081107 - compromising videos for Sarah Palin... and Wolf Blitzer)
- "The Stolen Election" (20081106 - are we celebrating the most important victory there ? Obama is bigger than that)
- "The Maverick is free again" (20081105 - a victory speech for John McCain)
- "America is a great country" (20081105 - Thank you, America - Very very much - you can be proud)
- "McCain-Palin @ SNL (and QVC)" (20081102 - John McCain impersonating Bob Dole)
- "Sarah Palin and the Segolene Royal Syndrome - The GOP on the same path as the French Socialist Party" (20081101 - why Republicans must dump Caribou Barbie - bonus : the Palin prank video)

October 2009 (19)
- "Obama's 30 mn Prime time ad" (20081030 -
- "October Surprise : W. delivers FL to McCain" (20081027 - bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran or Syria ?)
- "McCain has been "tested" as a soldier, not as the decision maker" (20081025 - a good soldier probably, a poor decision maker most certainly)
- "Paulson, Sarkozy to Socialist Heaven : "show me the money !"" (20081024 - on the irony of knock' knock' knockin' on China's door)
- "October 29 Surprise ?" (20081022 - Diversion Day for D-Day ?)
- "Drop ACORN, pick-up YPM" (20081021 - McCain airballs fall short)
- "Sarah Palin @ SNL" (20081019 - of moose and men)
- "Debate # 3 : That One tamed The Whipper" (20081016 - Joe The Plumber, John The Dumber)
- "Sarah Palin proud of abusing her power" (20081013 - a cheneyesque cartoon)
- "SNL Prez debate #2 - Mac lost his bearings" (20081011 - Armisen - Hammond Live - VIDEO)
- "John, Ben, Barack Hussein, James, Thomas, and other beautiful American names" (20081010 - Juan Cole and Colin Powell set the record right)
- "The Election Protection Wiki" (20081009 - another excellent CMD initiative)
- "Next stop - destroy Unidentified Financial Objects" (20081009 - Some crisis are like onions)
- "Debate # 2 : XXIst Century wins" (20081008 - Mac : I'm leaving it)
- "Is Iceland really melting ?" (20081008 - the hunt for red october)
- "SNL Palin-Biden debate : easy win(k) for Tina" (20081005 - SNL videos, including Hammond / Californiclinton)
- "Help me help you help me help us all" (20081004 - what's wrong with me is YOU)
- "McCain's Golden Jet Wings" (20081003 - McFusionman)
- "The New Energy Expert Doesn't Blink - She Winks" (20081003 - Biden v. Palin, including a scarily unhealthy merged portrait)

September 2009 (11)
- "Couric-Palin @ SNL" (20080929 - Couric-Palin a la Saturday Night Live)
- "A Maverick or a Gambler ?" (20080928 - do you really want a suicidal man to run the country ?)
- "Debate # 1 : McCain didn't lose, and President Obama spared him" (20080927 - Obama head and shoulders, but McCain not yet pulverized as dandruff - bonus : the SNL remake)
- "The Washington Dodgers" (20080925 - a cartoon for the 2008 black sox)
- "Taro Aso after Tzipi Livni and before... ?" (20080922 - last throes of indecency ?)
- "Do You Cash Straight Talk Express ?" (20080922 - nonsense politics)
- "I can't wait to have my staff get back to me and introduce me to economics" (20080920 - cartoon : the red can't see)
- "Collapses in Wall Street and Alaska" (20080918 - the Palin imposture - bonus : introducing Tina Fey as Sarah Palin)
- "Change for Bush ? Thanks, but no thanks, John McCain" (20080911 - I'm John McCain and I approved this mess up)
- "Obama answers 3 A.M. phony calls" (20080911 - vanity unfair)
- ""Change is coming" and Mac "will fight", but for whom and for what ?" (20080905 - the Bush accolade : John McCain pledged allegiance to the worst enemies of America)

August 2009 (8)
- "Prisoner Of Wasilla - A short sighted Maverick" (20080831 - John McCain picks Sarah Palin and chooses theocons over independents)
- ""I Get It"" (20080829 - U can't touch this : the next president is in the zone)
- "Play it again, Uncle Sam ?" (20080823 - Barack Obama is not John Kerry, and Steve Schmidt is not Karl Rove)
- "Obama's Veep - and the loser is..." (20080820 - ... weeping)
- "What Fareed Zakaria got wrong" (20080815 - I liked 2001 Zakaria, but this is the last straw from that impostor)
- "Driving Mister Crazy" (20080807 - Osama's chauffeur gets a sentence, the hit and run POTUS walks free)
- "Riding The Bullet" (20080807 - Steve Schmidt : the smell of fear... and of Turd Blossom)
- "Carbon wingprint" (20080805 - out of the (less and less) blue, a red blogule)

July 2009 (6)
- "France heart Obama" (20080726 - now France envies the US)
- "The McCainistan War" (20080718 - Mc loosing the most important battle ever)
- "The Talk of the Toon" (20080717 - a caricature from and of The New Yorker)
- "The Silence of the Lambs (War in Iraq and US networks)" (20080714 - silence : people are dying there)
- "This is not a financial crisis" (20080711 - beyond the ineluctable recession, the collapse of a system)
- "The Case Against Barack Obama ? More propaganda from mud loving PIGs" (20080703 - swift boat season)

2008 archives (january-june)

2010-01-19T09:38:00.001+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the first half of 2008.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

June 2008 (2)
- "5-4. Still standing" (20080613 - one heartbeat away from the end of democracy : more than ever, the main question is who will nominate the next Supreme Justice)
- "Back up" (20080608 - Hillary goes PUMA hunting - KA-BOOM)

May 2008 (4)
- "Dial Hillary for murder" (20080524 - crossing the yellow line)
- "Florida recount redux" (20080522 - sabotaging BHO 2008 with HRC 2012 in mind ?)
- "Values Question Marks" (20080512 - wrong angle to attack Barack, but relevant if you consider McCain or Clinton - BTW : great job by Amy Poehler !)
- "Obama-Pelosi vs Operation Chaos" (20080507 - Rush Limbaugh heart Clinton)

April 2008 (5)
- "J Street - at last" (20080428 - the end of the AIPAC monopoly)
- "Billarsea outroving Karl Rove : the "Bradley effect" story" (20080426 - Clintons destroying everything, starting from their own image)
- "Pope Music" (20080421 - Ben and W., birds of a feather)
- "McCain - Rice 2008" (20080408 - Condi's 2 handicaps : too much branded "bushite", not enough branded "theocon")
- "April Fools" (20080401 - the joke must stop)

March 2008 (2)
- "Iraq - 5 years of success for fundamentalists" (20080319 - change must come)
- "3:10 to Yuma... and New York" (20080301 - sorry Hillary, but you cannot position yourself against the Bush heritage if you use his nasty tactics)

February 2008 (2)
- "Never say Nader again" (20080225 - it's that time of the elections, you know, when Republicains push good old Ralphie)
- "I had a nightmare" (20080214 - protecting Obama's life is protecting America's future)

January 2008 (5)
- "Sign O' The New York Times" (20080125 - NYT votes McCain and Clinton)
- "Bloomberg : it's the economy, stupid !" (20080124 - this election will not be about security nor even religion)
- "Billaryious" (20080123 - America needs Obama)
- "GOP : Time to Split" (20080113 - reminder : Reps lost the 2008 by "winning" in 2004)
- "Jane Harman, save our soul" (20080104 - asking the relevant question)

2007 blogules archives (july-december)

2010-01-19T09:37:00.001+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the second half of 2007.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

December 2007 (2)
- "Justice now" (20071219 - far worse than 10 watergates)
- "Faith, lies and videotapes" (20071207 - destroying evidence, obstructing justice... what more do you need ?)

November 2007 (4)
- "Merde in Taiwan" (20071127 - Nicolas Sarkozy sells France's soul along with a few exports to China)
- "Between reforms and indulgences - Blair and Sarkozy" (20071117 - masks off for promoters of Christian fundamentalism in the West)
- "Hillary vs anyone = Bloomberg 2008 ?" (20071113 - the only chance for NYC's mayor to run... and win)
- "From Sim City to Sin City" (20071109 - the limits of the Dubai mirage)

October 2007 (5)
- "Laura 44, Prescott 45, Propaganda 101" (20071029 - Is the "Desperate Housewife" that desperate ?)
- "WWIII : playtime" (20071018 - there's a better way of preventing World War III)
- "Archduke Vladimir Putin's assassination attempt" (20071015 - Vlad nails Dubya)
- "Benedict XVI's "coming out"" (20071007 - an authentic fundamentalist revealed)
- "David Attenborough attacked by Fundamentalist apes" (20071005 - fundamentalists censor a program in the Netherlands)

September 2007 (2)
- "Iran : who wants war and why" (20070925 - US citizens have the power to stop US theocons from going ahead, and the responsibility for doing it ASAP)
- "General Petraeus in "surge" of credibility" (20070911 - Bush should be the one accused of betrayal, not Petraeus)

August 2007 (4)
- "Forging another case for Iran" (20070830 - Ahmadinejad not the only agent provocateur)
- "Whale Hunt at the White House" (20070814 - when Karl Rove claims to be a Dick, Moby Dick)
- "Universal Declaration of Independence From Fundamentalism" (20070809 - What is fundamentalism ? Why did fundamentalisms gain momentum recently ? What can be done to undermine fundamentalism ?)
- "Chief Torture Officer" (20070807 - redemption starts here : put Gonzales in jail)

July 2007 (5)
- "Can't buy me love" (20070730 - spinning gifts)
- "Back to square one, back to Ground Zero"(20070718 - Osama in excelsis ego)
- "David Attenborough, one life on Earth" (20070716 - endangered, but not extinct yet - praise Sir David!)
- "Take me to the Moon, Daddy" (20070712 - Bush Sr visits his friend Reverend Moon)
- "Paris Hilton and the Scooter Libby Redemption" (20070707 - reason breaks)

2007 blogules archives (january-june)

2010-01-19T09:36:00.000+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the first half of 2007.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

June 2007 (6)
- "Red blogule to Luc van den Brande" (20070627 - one of the worst enemies of European democracy, a troyan horse for fundamentalism)
- "Alice Walton - Everyday Low Art at High Price" (20070620 - masterpieces, according to some)
- "blogules transfusion center" (20070618 - again, vainly trying to set this house in order...)
- "Palestine : the Pakistan-Bangladesh scenario" (20070616 - I don't see how moderates can win, but that was the aim of the game)
- "Globalized globalization" (20070608 - red blogule : paradoxically, Bush's strategy reflects a denial of globalization = the refusal of a global approach of globalization)
- "The Vladubyan summit : who gives a Heiligendamm ?" (20070607 - benchmarking dictators)

May 2007 (4)
- "USA 2016" (20070518 - white blogule to the new 3 party system : POGO, R&D, and SUV)
- "Dismission Accomplished - The other peanut president" (20070515 - red blogule : ecce homo)
- "Sarko wins - reforms" (20070507 - France eventually votes YES to something)
- "Masks off - Segolene Royal's imposture" (20070504 - red blogule : Sarkozy v. Royal, two ways of coping with addiction)

April 2007 (6)
- "Kim Seung-youn - bar vs bar at a bar" (20070430 - red blogule : even in Korea, money can't buy you immunity)
- "The World in 2020" (20070426 - red, white and pink blogule : if nothing changes, change will come, for the worst)
- "Le vote futile - why French socialists shouldn't vote for Royal" (20070420 - French PS facing the same kind of implosion as US GOP)
- "April 28, 2007: Impeachment Day" (20070419 - wake up)
- "Wolfie's Personal World Bank" (20070415 - red blogule : immorality, disgrace... the tale of the first circle)
- "Just trying Frappr - want to join ?" (20070405 - locate yourself)

March 2007 (9)
- "Discussion - 3 challenges for Korea" 20070328 - including worst and best case scenario)
- "Monica Goodling's silence of the lambs - The State of Terror" (20070327 - red blogule : protecting felon Gonzales)
- ""Kurdistan, the other Iraq"... or "Kurdistan, the other other Vietnam" ?" (20070315 - If I were a US fundamentalist, I surely wouldn't want a democratic and peaceful Kurdistan to emerge in the dead middle of my playground)
- "George Pontius Pilate Bush lets Gonzales face justice - Our Dear Compassionate Leader" (20070315 - red blogule : after a few pawns, the king sacrifices a fool)
- "Halliburton and the 40 thieves (continued) - Dubai, we have a problem" (20070312 - follow the money)
- "Pervasive China's CIA (Central Investment Agency) - Go reds go" (20070210 - red blogule, but I told you so)
- "There is a cloud over the Vice President - Criminal liars" (20070207 - red blogule : death by 1,000 cuts for Cheney, no waterboard needed thank you)
- "The end of financial safe havens" (20070303 - red blogule to speculation : sorry Bernanke, I don't think we can avoid recession at this stage)
- "intel kept inside - Cheney caused 23 more deaths" (20070301 - as dangerous a coward as ever)

February 2007 (4)
- "Di's is cast - When Harry met sandy" (20070223 - as Harry plays the tough guy, the rest of the troops will play soft targets)
- "French oldcons, neocons and cons in general" (20070216 - red blogule : opportunities for Bayrou, Sarkozy's only real rival)
- "London calling... for trouble" (20070205 - Blair lied and still does)
- "Department Of Climate Defense - 2007, ground zero of environment - Red blogule to Philip Cooney - White blogule to the IPCC" (20070202 - exposing truth and its enemies)

January 2007 (6)
- "The State of the Union in Words" (20070124 - white blogule : an interesting semantic tool, courtesy the NYT)
- ""Jesus vs Mahdi" Prophecy - Bush-Cheney's war on Iran" (20070122 - red blogule : who wants war between Iran and Israel and why)
- "Barack Obama's run for Presidency" (20070117 - white blogule : better than Hillary)
- "Bush : Cultural Learnings of Iraq for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of America" (20070116 - Bush-Cheney's 2004 victory was an Historical blunder, not impeaching them would be criminal)
- "AdSense, no sensibility" (20070105 - red blogule : Google tools backfire)
- "OH Se-hoon - swift boats across the Hangang" (20070103 - white blogule : Korea's next president... after LEE Myung-bak)

2006 blogules archives (july-december)

2010-01-19T09:35:00.001+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the second half of 2006.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

December
- "Smokescreened him out - Saddam 1-1 Slobodan - Red blogule to justice in 2006" (20061230 - no control, no halt, just escape)
- "Condi Rice - is war "worth the investment" ?" (20061223 - red blogule : Condi missed another "wonderful opportunity" to remain silent)
- "Rewriting history (reloaded) - IHT Letters To The Editor" (20061220 - textbook revisionism - PUBLISHED IN INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE 20061220)
- "Taco Bell Jingle Bell Shingles All The Way" (20061215 - red blogule, but hopefully NYC bans trans fat)
- "White blogule to Mary Cheney - Red blogule to Mary Cheney" (20061207 - I still prefer to see a happy lesbian couple raising one child rather than a Christian fundamentalist family raising an army of doomsday activists)
- "Hallyu Expo in Asia and Wacko Jacko Bae Yong-Joon" (20061202 - red blogule : a profitable exhibition certainly, but an anticultural event nonetheless)

November
- "EU's carbon cuts and the new ECSC" (20061130 - white blogule to baby steps)
- "Netrootizens - Impeach for Change" (20061121 - white blogule : cast your ballot)
- "(debate) First withdraw from... the Bush doctrine" (20061109 - no US withdrawal would be possible without a formal repudiation of Amerika)
- "VOTE FOR AMERICA - VOTE AGAINST BUSH IF YOU ARE A TRUE REPUBLICAN" (20061107 - mid-term elections, an opportunity for redemption)
- "Dick Cheney - Apneamerika" (20061102 - hold your breath, and welcome on waterboard)

October
- "The President who "saves American lives" (20061019 - red blogule : Bush signed the death certificate of Habeas Corpus over a "Protecting Amerika" billboard)
- "Roh Moo-hyun - protecting Korea from the US" (20061019 - white blogule : a swift and smart move ahead of Rice's visit)
- "White blogule to you - 100,000th visitor" (20061013 - thanks folks)
- "Kim Jong-il and the six party talks" (20061009 - red blogule : hypocrisy and hidden agendas)
- "45 mn of war-hole fame - hopping without hope" (20061006 - Condi strikes the pose)

September
- "Confusion creators - exposing propaganda" (20060927 - red blogule : would you please remind me who created "confusion in the minds of the American people" ?)
- "Shinzo Abe - another revisionist leader" (20060926 - red blogule : neo-fascists keeps shaping politics in Japan)
- "Benedict XVI - fundamentally wrong" (20060921 - red blogule : his Regensburg speech was indeed a most brilliant call to fellow fundamentalists)
- "The Best War Ever - Lies, damned lies, and the mess in Iraq" (20060915 - white blogule to John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton at their best)
- "Stephen Sackur - HARDtalk but softBRAIN" (20090612 - red blogule : lost opportunities)
- "Commander in Thief - The Architect is back" (20060909 - red blogule : flip-flop threat ahead)
- "The murder of George W Bush" (20060905 - red blogule : "Death Of A President" misses the point)

August
- "UNIFIL v 2.0 - Touche, Mr Bolton" (20060825 - white blogule : good news for Lebanon)
- "Amerika's "Freedom Agenda" (20060815 - red blogule : there will be a next time)
- "Dubya - "Islamo-fascists" don't enjoy a monopoly" (20060811 - red blogule : it takes a fascist to know one)
- "Fundamentalists - bases are loaded" (20060805 - heil to the thief)

July
- "Lebanon - please do survive" (20060718 - white blogule to an oasis of diversity threatened by fundamentalists from all 3 major religions)
- "World Cup Postpartum" (20060710 - short red blogule to four more years)
- "Operation Summer Rain - peace drowned in monsoon" (20060703 - Tel Aviv hawks deliberately feeding Hezbollah radicals)

2006 blogules archives (january-june)

2010-01-19T09:33:00.002+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the first half of 2006.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

June
- "Dadullah's Warholian 15 minutes" (20060629 - red blogule to Amerika's Most Wanted)
- "The reconstruction of Afghanistan...'s talibans" (20060622 - red blogule : fasten your seat belts)
- "US CENTCOM - paint it black" (20060614 - red blogule : still killing under-7-year-old "Qaeda Leaders")
- "Justice as defined by The White House" (20060601 - red blogule : here, "Justice" is monitored by Alberto Gonzales, the man who made Abu Ghraib possible)

May
- "Kofi's last throes of morality" (20050519 - white blogule : yellow cards for Koizumi and GWB)
- "Korea's hubs - meanwhile, in China..." (20050517 - red blogule : nice plans, but China has a much scarier Northeast Project)
- "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Persian Letters to George W. Bush" (20050510 - pink blogule : when a fundamentalist exposes a fellow fundamentalist)
- "Japan's neofascists - forget Takeshima and Mandchukuo" (20050502 - red blogule : either Koizumi ends this sick fascist revival or he pleases the country's neo-imperialist lobbies and claims back the full Empire)

April
- "America Supports You" (20050419 - red blogule - tell you what Don : America doesn't support you)
- "Silvio Desperate Jail Life Berlusconi" (20060415 - red blogule : how strong is Italian democracy ?)

March
- "Bud Selig's National Pushtime" (20060331 - red blogule : MLB investigated by its own broadcaster ? Come on !)
- "David Gregory - Welcome to the House of Fun" (20060319 - white blogule : former Voice Of Amerika denounces propaganda)
- "Sen. Feingold - Saving private eye Bush" (20060316 - white blogule : gimme an I, gimme an M, and gimme a PEACH !)
- "Dr. Wafa Sultan - moderate Muslims, at last" (20060311 - white blogule : sweet music to our damaged ears)
- "Hollywood - followers at best" (20060306 - pink blogule : indeed, Tinseltown can reflect society, not lead it)
- "The imPOTUS - America vs Amerika class action lawsuit" (20060302 - red blogule : why not liberate America starting from Louisiana ?)

February
- "DP World - P&O deal's Architects and winners" (20060224 - red blogule : Something Is Apparently Rotten in the State of W.)
- "Wal-Mart's H. Lee Scott Jr. - "Can I hate you ?"" (20060217 - red blogule : every day low, period)
- "Dick Cheney - Shooting Star vs silver star" (20060214 - red blogule : you cannot help but respect Dick Cheney for his constistency in evildoing - latest exhibit ? shooting at a friend, Harry Whittington)
- "New New Orleans - the bleach blitz" (20060204 - red blogule to white supremacy)
- "Demokracy - Professor Bush's Vision" (20060201 - an inspiring State of The Union Speech... inspiring for fellow fundamentalists, of course)

January
- "State of the Union speech - complete and uncut edition" (20060126 - white blogule to the speech you'll never hear)
- "Ehud Olmert - the Bangladesh scenario" (20060125 - red blogule to a sick partition)
- "W's preemptive counterstrikes" (20060114 - red blogule : Dubya open to debate... provided there's no debate)
- "The Republican parting - Great National Divide" (20060106 - white blogule : as expected, the GOP is imploding)
- "The 2006 Cold War - Gazprom and Gazpogrom" (20060103 - red blogule : Back to Red Square One)

2005 blogules archives (july-december)

2010-01-19T09:33:00.001+01:00

Below, a list of blogules spilled over the second half of 2005.

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

December
- "Logan International Airport - Better late than sorry" (20051228 - red blogule : fasten your Bible belt)
- "Unconstitutional ID and illegal eavesdropping" (20051221 - red blogule : Bill Gates supports Intelligent Design)
- "Die hard habits - blood on your face, big disgrace" (20051213 - red blogule : Terminator kills for real)
- "CENTCOM pictures incorporated" (20051212 - red blogule : they dunnit first !)
- "Law Lords - find another al-Libi, Dubya" (20051208 - white blogule : UK slams Dubya's idea of Justice)
- "The Lincoln Group - painting Iraq green" (20051201 - red blogule : planting weird IEDs)

November
- "John Murtha - My kingdom for a horse" (20051122 - white blogule : quotes, misquotes, unquotes)
- "Bob Woodward - Blowing another fuse" (20051117 - white blogule : Scooter was not the main vehicle, look up the ladder)
- "France's wake up call" (20051111 - white blogule : the only positive output of this "annus horribilis" - no to Europe, no to Paris 2012, no to social exclusion... - is the existence of a genuine debate)
- "Junichiro Koizumi - Too right to be right" (20051102 - bright red blogule : nothing can save Japan because Japan doesn't want to be saved)

October
- "John McCain v. Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Amerika" (20051025 - white blogule to the Maverick : "This isn't about who they are. This is about who we are")
- "Department Of Justice - Denial Of Justice" (20051023 - red blogule : Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales decides not to investigate Senior Adviser Alberto R. Gonzales)
- "The White House's Upper Deck - Trading Card and dis-Carding scapegoats" (20051018 - red blogule : Andrew H. Card Jr between the rock and a hard place)
- "First Amendment : Land of Opportunity for Nazis, Land of Plenty for fascism" (20051016 - red blogule : a fascist demonstration in Toledo, OH)
- "Dubya's Believe It or Not! museum in Bakersfield, CA" (20051013 - red blogule : beating the Bushes)
- "The Gunshine State - shootfirstlaw.org Hammered down by the NRA" (20051011 - red blogule to Marion P. Hammer, white blogule to the Brady center.
- "Homeland Security's rainbow warriors" (20051008 - red blogule to fearmongers at their best)

September
- "The NBA Hall Of Shame - from indictment to impeachment" (20050929 - white blogule : more corruption, still no impeachment ?)
- "Walkers - oil for fool programs" (20050927 - red blogule : someone save America and Alaska, please)
- "New signs o' new times" (20050927 - white blogule t Sharon lost in transnation)
- "Stop-and-goes - the wisdom of crocodiles" (20050920 - when Dubya's slow brain becomes something other than a curse - red blogule)
- "White blogule to South Korea's diplomacy" (20050919 - to go forward, forget the Bush Doctrine)
- "Europe's Genetically Modified candidates" (20050916 - red blogule : Karl Rove helps Donald Tusk)
- "The UN Bomber - remember FDR words" (20050915 - red blogule to W., but Roosevelt nails him big time)
- "Halliburton and the 40 thieves" (20050911 - red blogule : another Gulf, another gift to KBR)
- "Pro-life / pro-death pro-teges" (20050907 - red blogule : when a fundamentalist picks Supreme Justices...)
- "Freedom Walk - the Grey Pride" (20050906 - red blogule to propaganda and shame)
- "Quagmires and bayous" (20050905 - red blogule : Star-Spangled Banner sounds almost scary in Bush's Amerika)
- ""This is America"" (20050904 - white blogule : remembering New Orleans)
- "Japan's 9/11" (20050902 - white blogule : does Koizumi really want to dump the old guard if he wins ?)
- "White blogule to Orhan Pamuk" (20050901 - writers can talk, even about the Armenian genocide in Turkey)

August
- "Katrina and Cindy" (20050831 - white blogule : Katrina succeeded where Cindy Sheehan failed)
- "Counterterrorism in Korea" (20050828 - red blogule : the regional hub no one feels like advertising)
- "Ayatollah Pat Robertson" (20080524 - red blogule : this ayatollah issued a fatwa on Chavez)
- ""Intelligent Design" : Fundamentals and fundamentalism - Creationism and cretinism" (20050822 - red blogule : W wants US kids to learn the negation of science and education)
- "Red blogule to Karen Hughes" (20050822 - the new face of Amerika)
- "US - Japan erasers" (20050816 - red blogule : remembering the tragedy of Hiroshima... but not the scandal that surrounded it)
- "The UN bomber" (20050805 - red blogule : John Bolton loves the UN the way W loves democracy)
- "Neolibs" (20050805 - red (!) blogule : left wing radicals get a boost from right wing radicals)
- "Hiroshima-Baghdad parallels" (20050801 - red blogule and amend to that)

July
- "Red blogule to semantic transfusions" (20050727 - exit "war on terror", enter "struggle against violent extremism" but beyond apparent changes in propaganda, innocents keep dying for the same imposture)
- "Red blogule to Lance Armstrong" (20050725 - a final Tour de Farce)
- "Hypocrisy - what Bush doctrine ?" (20050720 - red blogule : stubborn yet not that consistent)
- "Deniers" (20050719 - red blogule : shame on terrorists, but furthermore shame on those who were supposed to eradicate terror)
- "Yee-haoo! Mail" (20050714 - white blogule : Howard Dean nails Karl Rove with the help of George Bush)
- "Dognuments" (20050714 - red blogule : I hate Paris in the sliptime)
- "Bush's terrorist training camps" (20050707 - London bombings : how the so called war on terror actually boosted it - a bloddy red blogule)
- ""Paris 2020"" (20050706 - white blogule : an Olympic blow follows an European Waterloo)

2005 blogules archives (january-june)

2010-01-19T09:32:00.000+01:00

NB : for the comprehensive lists of blogules (2003 - to date), go to the blogules transfusion center - the 2003-2004 blogules are stored in a specific website, blogules archives, with links to this one.

June
- "Red Blogule to JFK - Out of the blue(s) ?" (20050628 - a proof of life from Kerry and yes, Hillary and Barack are very much alive)
- "Red blogule to President Cheney and his "unlawful combatants"" (20050614 - the most infamous Veep ever dares giving lessons on law and justice)
- "White blogule to Park Chu-Young - take me to the ball, Park" (20050611 - fresh blood needed in Korea)
- "White blogule to impeachment" (20050609 - revelations keep raining down and no one ever mentions impeachment)
- "White blogule to deep throats" (20050601 - more than ever, US democracy needs whistleblowers)

May
- "Red blogules to veto abuses" (20050531 - France says NO to Europe)
- "Red blogule to the flushed Quran scandal" (20050519 - in Gitmo, it's the US Constitution Bush flushed down the toilet of History)
- "Red blogule to Junichiro Koizumi - Wake up Japan !" (20050517 - Koizumi does as neofascist please... when will moderates speak up ?)
- "Red blogule to the "oil for fools" program" (20050501 - The State of The Union, and the actual axis of evil)

April
- "Red blogule to Bae Yong June Airlines" (20050427 - Korea should leverage on its GENUINE cultural assets instead)
- "Red blogule to the Red Army - I smell a Ratz" (20050420 - the Church picks a fundamentalist at the worst moment)
- "White blogule to the Cardinal of Uqbar - Habemus Papam !" (20050413 -George Louis II is the man)
- "Red blogule to Japan - No UN Council seat for an Unrepentant Nation" (20050410 - Japan must face its past before growing new ambitions)
- "Red blogules to Empire Strokes (Back to Back)" (20050407 - Vatican and Monaco lose their leaders... W. and Vlad should be safe)
- "Red blogule to New York University's Jacob Jacoby" (20050406 - promoting CIA, why not, but under this name...)
- "Red blogule to the Dear Compassionate Leader" (20050404 - GWB claiming some of John Paul II's aura... pathetic)

March
- "Red blogule to North Korea's hooligans" (20050331 - NK on the verge of collapsing ?)
- "Red blogule to the "Bush doctrine"" (20050327 - Bush spreading democracy ?)
- "White blogule to You" (20050327 - thank you dear visitor)
- "Red blogule to the Department Of Justice - "Preserving life and liberty" or Propaganda 101" (20050323 - a textbook example of a dictatorship justifying itself)
- "Red blogule to Paul Wolfowitz" (20050320 - World Bank goes to a neocon)
- "Red blogule to the Contra-terrorism squad" (20050313 - can you fight evil with evil people ?)
- "Red blogule to private accounts - SoCal Security" (20050305 - can Americans sound French when they talk about SS ?)

February
- "Red blogule to the Red machine - The potential RNC tickets for 2008" (20050221 - unlikely dream teams)
- "Red blogule to the Clintonian Republic - Spamilial planning" (20050212 - e-mails from Billary to counter Howard Dean)
- "White blogule to good intentions - Mind the gap" (20050208 - Dubya intends to solve the Israel-Palestine crisis and to fix the deficit... no kiddin ?)

January
- "White blogule to the "Stop Government Propaganda Act"" (20050129 - more than words ?)
- "White blogule to the Straw man - pet stop boy" (20050125 - the last (of Jack) Straw)
- "Discussion (following "the invasion of the buddy snatchers")" (20050123 - define: tyranny)
- "Red blogule to the Rotten Globe Awards - Invasion of the buddy snatchers" (20050122 - the ignominees)
- "Red blogule to 2008 - Losers Inc" (20050121 - Democrats lost even face)
- "Red blogule to Prince Harry - When Harry met Nazis" (20050116 - about fascism and fashion)
- "Red blogule to Uncle Sam's cabin - A day in the life of US led democracy in Iraq" (20050115 - go figure...)
- "Red blogule to propaganda - How much for a journalist ?" (20050113 - fellow thugs Allawi and Bush pay journalists)
- "Red blogule to Guggenheim - Ghost in a shell" (20050107 - a museum franchise or a low cost airline ?)
- "Red Blogule to Jeb Bush - The Disaster Brothers" (20050105 - Jeb surfs on the Tsunami)
- "Red blogule to France - Papy blues " (20050104 - Europe's Belle Province on the way down)
- "White blogule to cultural diversity - China is already on top" (20050104 - back from Yunnan and a great country)

Flash: 9 steps to Heaven

2010-01-02T06:44:00.008+01:00

Another writers gathering, another flash fiction. Thema : self-help.

Looks like I didn't start this decade the most glamorous way.

Sorry, and happy new year still.

SM

---

9 steps to Heaven

2 - If you’re reading this you’ve already fulfilled task #1, to wit opening the box. Now stop congratulating yourself and advance to #3. Do not pass go, do not collect $ 200.

3 – Before going any further, we want to thank you for shopping with us. Should anything go wrong, Ayatollahmazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates would decline all responsibility and liability for any damage not caused by this bomb, or God forbid, for any unplanned damage. You want to be extra careful with this loaf : it looks and feels like Play Doh, but up to a certain point only.

4 - Check the contents with the list below. Yes, the book is a Bible and not a Qur’an but we ran out of supplies and got good prices from our White Supremacists partners. Anyway, you must already have one and furthermore, OUR agenda is political and has nothing to do with religion.

5 – Now insert the green wire into the Play Doh and connect the other end with the “plus” slot.

6 – Set “A” on “1” and switch toggle to “power on”.

7 - Ah ah gotcha. That was only a slight 20 volt shock to let you know what to expect in case of major f..k-ups. This stuff needs at least 200 volts to detonate, but when you shave your beard on that glorious day, please opt for a manual razor. And if, before attacking #7, you need to use the bathroom to clean the mess you’ve just made, be our guest.

8 – If you haven’t switched toggle back to “power off” yet, do so… unless you’re using the device as a vibrator right now, in which case you’re f..ked-up enough to go all the way and that’s precisely the reason why you’ve been recruited so be our guest. BTW don’t count on the 72 virgins in Heaven : a marketing gimmick from our HR department (these guys are pretty good at twisting facts and distorting Holy Scriptures).

9 – Unplug the whole shebang, put your hands up and smile. You’re being videotaped and FBI stewards will soon escort you to the Gitmo Club Med. Be our guest.

Stephane MOT 20100102

Flash fiction : Santa Miranda Rights

2010-01-02T06:38:00.001+01:00

- "Don't play smart with me. It's already been a long bad night and I don't want to put a third person in jail on Christmas eve. Papers, please."
- "Told you : don't have any. And it's already been a long night for me too... but believe me, it's gonna be a really bad one if you put Santa Claus in jail."
- "Still sticking to that lame tune ? Sorry to tell you this but you don't exactly look like Santa to me... Jose Canseco, maybe ?"
- "What did you expect in Southern California ? An all whitechristmassy, Caucasian, Coca Cola Santa with a thick red coat and a huge beard ? And under the hood, Rudy the red-nosed plug ? Ho Ho Ho !"
- "Now that you mention it, I'd like to have a peek there as well : your semi made my radar-gun sing the heck of a Christmas carol."
- "You'd better check the trailer. I'm sure your smuggler friends would love to ride this beauty : it's bottomless and even if you run like Usain Bolt you ain't gonna reach the end of it before the end of next year. Now if you please, I gotta go."
- "No way Jose. Put both hands on your truck, if you please".
- "That would be a mistake. I've got something for you, you know ? Shouldn't tell you but there's a brand new lawnmower waiting for you at home."
- "Nice guess. And where would that be, Dear Santa ?"
- "1200 Orange Crescent, El Cajon. It ain't the model you asked cause you've been a naughty boy but there's a nice tag on it. It reads 'Edward Fink Jr' ".
- "I'll be damned..."
- "Nope. I will be if you don't help me get to Escondido by the end of next minute."

Stephane MOT 20091226 - also on blogules

define: peace

2009-10-09T15:14:00.000+02:00

Peace is a continuation of war by other means

define: humor

2009-07-07T12:37:00.003+02:00

Humor is the ability to accept death in general and one's weakness in particular, in order to make life in general more bearable, and one's existence in particular more bearable to others.

SM 1986

define: economy

2009-05-19T11:33:00.003+02:00

To me, the word "economy" covers all the sciences and techniques facilitating the comprehension of a system or an activity (ie individual, society, company, living organism...).

Economy can use mathematics, social sciences, history, psychology, ethnology... you name it.

That's what makes its charm, and the reason why I chose this path instead of more hemiplegic studies (back then, it was either "sciences" or "literature").

Like politics, economy is fundamentally noble, but reality a slightly different matter. We shall win over nowadays depression only by opening ourselves up to economy, not by trying to elude it because we forgot what it means for the future of this planet (see "This is not a financial crisis").

define: blogule

2008-12-09T10:57:00.003+01:00

blogule (blä-gyül) : noun (Etymology: French, diminutive of blog - Created: late 1990s early 2000s) - a small blog. blogules are not bits of wisdom but useless series of words emitted by the author when he needs to purge himself.

"Blogules" are, as you may have guessed, small blogs. Some are red, rather aggressive but nourishing. Some are white, more of the "slomo" kind, but also profitable for the organism. Stephane MOT march 2003

On writing short stories

2007-10-14T16:40:00.000+02:00

I write stories which happen to be short.
I don't feel a need to tell more than needed. It would be like adding water to wine.
To me, format is not a key issue. It's just like painting : when you're mentioning the size of a frame, you're into advertizing or home improvement.

(20071014) answer to the question "do you write short stories ?"

Define: creativity

2007-09-29T18:49:00.000+02:00

The ability to see things that can't be seen

yet

and may never be

(20070617) answer to the question "What does creativity mean to you?"

welcome to my blogules transfusion center

2007-06-15T17:15:00.000+02:00

2003 blogules archives (English) - 2004 blogules archives (English)
the blogules blogs (since 2005) : English and French
list of blogs : 2003 - 2004 H1 - 2004 H2
back to main menu

"Blogules" are, as you may have guessed, small blogs. Some are red, rather aggressive but nourishing. Some are white, more of the "slomo" kind, but also profitable for the organism. They ain't no literature, but I need to relieve my animal self.

My "serious" productions as an author are strictly restricted to paper... unless Google Almighty manages, one glorious day, to scan the underground publications which have been burrying some of my short stories for a couple of decades.

Quite a few blogules have been spilled since March 2003 (mostly about politics, which explains the profile of my visitors : many media, national and local governments, military units...). Looking back in the mirror, I'm not proud of many of them (and not only because of the poor quality of my non-native English)... but that was the deal I made with myself from the beginning. A few are still relevant. And not necessarily among those which have been published by such media as Newsweek, the New York Times or Le Figaro.

My first blogules (2003-2004) were handmade, and directly spilled on one unique page (mind the splash). I postponed the switch to Blogger and better ergonomics up untill the Great Depression (November the 2nd, 2004 - US Presidential Elections). I waited untill 2007 to copy my old blogules on this back-up site.

So welcome to this lousy blogules transfusion center !

To view the blog (2005 and afterwards), come visit my new and improved blogules
To view my older archives, come visit my old and improved blogules (year 2003 and 2004)
To view my old and unimproved blogules, visit the original and unergonomical page

Not your blog type ? I also spill blogules in French (blogules.com), about football / soccer (footlog - also in French), and even about mobility (mot-bile, the click and mortal portal). Not to mention a few definitions, plus some not always snappy answers to not always stupid questions.

You can leave comments on the blogs or contact me through LinkedIn.

On poverty and violence

2007-06-15T17:05:00.000+02:00

20070611
(answer to the question "Poverty generates violence: true or false?")

I always distinguish poverty from despair. Poverty can be measured, and some people manage to live happily with only a few things. Despair is what people actually feel. More than poverty, despair and injustice lead to violence, and moreover, violence generates violence. The initial violence can be either physical or psychological, and great injustice is a kind of violence.

Hopelessness makes people do extreme things. You cannot repair injustice but have some impact, make yourself be heard. With the help of often cynical manipulators, you can be turned into a suicide bomber : your suffering stops, you make other people suffer, you have an impact and you make yourself be heard in a final kaboom.

On truth

2007-06-15T17:02:00.000+02:00

20070613
(answer to the question "how can we be sure of what is "true"?")

Our digital world relies on series of 0 and 1, and for every single digit you can truly tell whether you have a 1 or a 0. Beyond that, there is no guarantee whatsoever regarding what you make of these series. You may not speak the same language nor share the same culture, you can at least use some common tools.

Our world basically works on compromises, truthes that any logician could destroy in a blink. Truth is a subjective label. It wholly depends on the referential and the context. This car is blue ? True, but wrong to the eyes of a color blind people or to a vast number of animal species. The plant you see green reflects the only color it doesn't need.

Truth is about certainty, psychological comfort. People need certainties, some landmarks. You are a farmer, feeling comfortable when standing with your feet down on the ground, but do you realize this earth is cruising space at an amazing speed ?

The quest for truth is universal, but if you are looking for truth, you are bound to end up either disapointed or manipulated. Truth is the ultimate Weapon of Mass Disinformation for propagandists, who offer comfort and certainties for free. No one can claim a belief to be true.

To me, truth is boring. I don't enjoy contemplating series of 0 and 1 for long. I need to feel the sting of doubt, the beauty of life blooming beyond the tracks. Which doesn't mean I enjoy staying in the dark, in the cave described by Plato. I don't believe progress will bring answers to all questions but I enjoy research all the same. It is just that I don't expect to find truthes.

A scientist who always talks about truth is likely to be a fake scientist, generally acting in the name of a caricature of religion (see Intelligent Design, the Discovery Institute, almost every sect...).”

On the future of globalization

2007-06-15T17:00:00.000+02:00

20070613
(answer to the question "What is the future of globalization?")

We have come to the point time and space cannot be shrunk any more significantly. Our instant societies allow people to seize opportunities at the other end of the planet in a blink. Reaching the cutting edge requires tools that are now almost commoditized. Differenciation becomes difficult.

To me, the financial system is on the verge of a turning point, things will have to change. A consensus on the diagnostic should emerge as surely as it did on our environment. I'm not sure transitions will be smooth. Globalization demands a global approach, a comprehensive approach. People fear for their identities, their culture, their independence, but they also feel things have to change.

Alter-globalization is not very mature nowadays, mostly reactionary or conservative in a sense it proposes XIXth century alternatives, as radical as the ones it condemns.

On Boeing and Airbus

2007-06-15T16:57:00.000+02:00

20070613
(answer to the question "Boeing & Airbus what are the similarity & differences ? Where are they heading actually ?")

Airbus' hubris mirrors that of Boeing in the 90s. Both are heading for big disapointments if they keep believing they live in a duopoly.

It won't take long for China to come rockin' and rollin'. And the beauty of it is that China offers yet another kind of public subsidies : neither the US DoD model, nor guarantee from national governments, but the massive demand of private companies controlled by the board of China Inc.

On DC and Marvel

2007-06-15T16:51:00.000+02:00

20070610
(answer to the question are you "DC or Marvel?")

Marvel, definitely. At least at the turn of the 70s-80s, when I would read them. I can hardly tell the difference between a Superman from the 30s and a clone from the 80s. When I re-read the Marvel comics from the 60s to the early 80s, I see the cultural changes in the US society.

DC heroes were never-doubting, monolithic superheroes and supervilains meant for a good vs evil era. Each of Stan Lee's characters had more subtle weaknesses than an aversion for green meteorites. Good old Big Apple replaced Gotham and Metropolis, and the younger generation could eventually read about poverty, drugs, racism, sects, religious fundamentalism, social and political unrests...

But Marvel pushed too far the marketing, launched too many products, and turned into some kind of a boring sitcom factory during the eighties (except a few masterpieces by Chris Claremont, Frank Miller...).

DC top execs eventually did the right thing : they fired Superman and hired Marvel's Frank Miller to get at last something exciting out of Batman.

Precisions added :
- Beyond DC/Marvel, the ultimate masterpiece came from the UK (Alan Moore's "Watchmen").
- Come to think of it : DC could make something out of Batman because he was the most human character (no superpowers). And I liked the mention of MLB : I'm both Marvel and NL, the Yanks do have something of a DC league of superheroes, and I feel closer to more human losers (Peter Parker, Paul Auster, the Mets).

On the lottery of democracy

2007-06-15T16:49:00.000+02:00

20070609
(answer to the question "Can lottery replace/complement democracy?")

Your concept sounds close to Athenian democracy, but it would be much more complex nowadays. A parliament is made of lawmakers and lawmakers are coping with a very complex system of laws, impacts, lobbies... The people need to know their MPs better than they would know candidates in a reality TV show. Not all politicians are crooked or evil, and democracies work because of the expertise of great lawmakers. Besides, I don't want the future of my country to be sponsored by Ladbrokes or betwin.com. As a parallel reality show to contribute to the education of the masses maybe, but not as the main dish, and even that show could turn into a dangerous joke, making people less interested in actual politics, more boring and less demagogical.

In the Middle Age, some cities used to treat a fool as their king or their bishop for one day, but the joke was on him ("Fete des fous" or "Fools Fete / Party", not to be confused with April Fools' Day).

During the French elections, Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate, suggested to have a group of voters randomly selected to keep an eye on their MPs, mayors... which any citizen has already a right if not a duty to do in a democracy. So the joke was on "Demagolene".

My favorite / least favorite brands

2007-06-15T16:45:00.000+02:00

20070612
(answer to the question "What is your favorite brand?" by Interbrand)

Funny. All my top of mind brands are media (France Football, The Economist, BBC) Then I realize there isn't a brand I could put in such a list as yours. I respect many companies and naturally I do have favorites (ie models, authors, designers, cars...), but I'm more interested in the content than the shell, and I don't feel affection for a brand or a label. Even if it does happen (hard to avoid), I don't like the idea of having something writen (nor some logo) on me. I reckon it may have something to do with my being an author. As Roy Disney brilliantly reminded us, brand is for cattle. Being loyal to a brand is being as dumb as a cow. You are loyal to people or things you trust.

PS : be careful : picking faves could be dangerous when working for Interbrand !

20070612
(answer to the question "What is your least favorite brand?" by Interbrand)

That one I can answer a little bit more easily.

Since we're on LinkedIn, I'll start with a shared connection : Hummer.

My hall of shame : Microsoft, Halliburton, Bud, Wal-Mart, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Billy Graham, The Sun (a UK toilet paper brand passing for a newspaper brand), World Wrestling Entertainment, The New York Yankees, The Carlyle Group and the Discovery Institute.

At the risk of infuriating a few contacts, I'll put a slice of Dunkin' Donuts, Taco Bell, A&W Root Beer, Jif et al on top of it (barf bag, anyone ?)

On sustainable arrested development

2007-06-15T16:43:00.000+02:00

20070606
(answer to the question "Sustainable development : illusion or action")

- Most companies are still at the "feel good PR" stage.

- A significant number of them are getting serious, and the past few years brought significant tools (ie labels, environmental tools...), beyond general awareness and a consensus from the public on key issues. Economists are embracing ecology as a key topic, ecology becomes a key issue in economics (see recent reports on the costs of global warming). Beyond the buzz, there are now high expectations for action (from all circles, social, economical and political).

- The swiftest ones have already understood a lot of money could be made, and great competitive advantages taken.

On releasing press releases

2007-06-15T16:39:00.000+02:00

20070606
(answer to the question "Is there still a point to creating press releases?" with all those blogging and social networking tools)

More than ever.

Anything can happen to the multitude of formal and informal messages you (willingly or not) send to the market ; you want to keep a trustable source for yourself as well as for outsiders :

- press releases are a good exercise for your company, to formulate your position and put your action into words, take some distance with your daily routine, look back in the mirror anytime needed (paper and webpages tend to end up in dustbins)...
- medias, bloggers, outsiders want to know your position on key issues, know the official line at any given moment. A company that communicates respects the market, and the market respects a company that disciplines itself.

To me, you have a duty to keep creating press releases. And to study innovative ways of optimizing their diffusion (which leads us to the blogs and social networks thing : there will necessarily be foes out there, and that's a good reason to make new friends).

On Ron Paul for President

2007-06-15T16:35:00.000+02:00

20070607
(answer to the question "How do you feel about Ron Paul as president?")

Reps would be as likely to nominate Ru Paul (if I dare say, a "hole in one" as far as minorities are concerned). I don't think Republicans can select this free thinker, in many ways more Democrat than a few donkeys running for '08. Ron Paul looks like a good man and I give him good credits for Iraq and the Patriot Act, but not so good for economics, abortion, and certain principles. Being 72 doesn't always mean being always wise.

On happiness and business leadership

2007-06-15T16:33:00.000+02:00

20070607
(answer to the question "Do you know any happy business leaders?" - for a book project)

There are quite a few happy business leaders out there. But how about the "ever after" part of the tale ? I guess that could make an interesting chapter to wrap your fairy tales up.

Most biz leaders discover the hollowness of their quest at the end of the corporate road, especially those who didn't create their company. Being a former CEO doesn't mean anything, and even Jack Welch didn't recover from this first death.

Many try to compensate in a different dimension (ie philantropy, the Gates / Buffet syndrom). It depends on the kind of leader : some are born to rule and command, only a few have something that makes them special whatever they do, even when they do nothing, because it is about who they truly ARE.

About think tanks

2007-06-15T16:30:00.000+02:00

20070604
(answer to the question "What is the business model for a Think Tank?")

There is a room between dark conspiration theories and total transparency. Basically, a Think Tank is an Outsourced Lobbying Tool, a Non-Profit Outfit for big profit companies (kind of "His Master's Voice" without the Marconi logo).

Some are Hot Air Factories specifically designed to accelerate Global Warming. The funding system is similar to that of a lobby, the casting generally slightly different. You just have to offer a few big lunches to a few big names.

Some actual non-profit initiatives (people who prefer the think thing to the tank thing) prefer the Foundation business model for an easier financing (in : taxes - out : expenses of VIP members who would not join otherwise) and a clearer legal frame.

On flying comfort

2007-06-15T16:24:00.000+02:00

20070607
(answer to a question / survey on flight comfort - which of the 5 following items are your 2 priorities ? leg room, armrest size, seat width, tray table size, reclines a lot)

1. Leg Room (you don't want to scream each time the guy in front of you reclines)

2. Reclines a lot (you want to rest your back during a long trip without crunching the guy behind you)

Why the 1+2 combo :
- if your legs and back can't take a good rest, neither can you
- I'm not particularily tall (rather avg), but for the price of the ticket, I expect to enjoy my seventh inning / hour stretch without leaving my seat.
- you are neither trapped when seated next to a window, nor feeling your neighbor crawl over you when seated next to a corridor, which solves most guy-seated-next-to-you issues (except for supersized Golden Arches lovers, size matters more vertically than horizontally)

My favorite business publication

2007-06-15T16:18:00.000+02:00

20070531
(answer to the question "What´s your favourite business publication?")

The Economist. They won't tell you everything, but they have a unique way of telling things. You are not compelled to agree with everything but it's never boring. The European / UK origin shows but they cover all areas rather fairly. I remember warning many colleagues about the internet bubble years ago, to no avail. To me that bubble burst around February 1998, when a dramatic @@@@@@@@rgh scream splashed The Economist's cover. I passed that article around and it instantly calmed quite a few gamblers down.

About ideology and leadership

2007-06-15T16:15:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to a question about "Ideology and 'Leadership' in Your World")

Ideology can be a means of leadership (ie to challenge, reach, maintain, strengthen the status), but one doesn't necessarily need it to enjoy leadership. Content generally matters less than the look, or charisma. When both are combined, that can be very efficient and potentially dangerous, depending on the character and the ideology : the first face that generally comes to mind when you mention "ideology" and "leadership" is Adolph Hitler's.

The rencent French presidential elections opposed two styles of leadership and clearly raised the issue of ideology, traditionally a taboo in French politics (it echoes dark periods of our history). Both finalists had a lot of charisma and overused images and symbols, but one would rely on an outspoken and consistent ideology (the winner, Nicolas Sarkozy) while the other (Segolene Royal) avoided the issues because her own camp was too divided to agree on a clear and consistent vision (not to mention the lack of consistence of the candidate herself). The socialists had to admit this failure on ideology cost them the elections. Note that Blair also won 10 years ago on that turf. Time will tell whether Sarkozy can deliver the goods he promised... or the evils he is sometimes stimulating.

To me, true leadership is about changing the ideology, not surfing on it.

Define: hero

2007-06-15T16:14:00.000+02:00

20070601
(answer to the question "What is a hero?")

A hero cannot be self proclaimed and has to be somehow distinguished by someone else. By whom, in which context and on what ground ? Answering to these questions will give you a fair notion of the value and durability of this distinction.

Warning : heroes in mirror are hollower than they appear. By no means can this superficial notion define a being : it is not about what you are, nor even about what you do, but about how you are perceived.

On the border of corruption

2007-06-15T16:12:00.000+02:00

20070601
(answer to the question "Where would you draw the borderline towards "corruption"?")

For me, corruption starts where respect stops. All you have to do is to respect the law, but also your customers, your employees, your partners, your competitors, your environment, yourself...

You may not always win, but there is a room for sane business.

How do you value time ?

2007-06-15T16:11:00.001+02:00

20070529
(answer to the question "How do you value time?")

Time is what you make of it. Time is a measuring tool which may differ from person to person. I don't think one should think of life or love in termes of gallons, cubic centimeters, pounds or whatever.

I don't value the thermometer, I value life itself, and I certainly don't wan't to figure it out that badly / poorly.

The most significant concept in human history

2007-06-15T15:58:00.000+02:00

20070529
(answer to the question "What has been the single most significant concept, idea or notion in human history?")

Humor.

Beyond intelligence and the awareness of death, humor requires the ability of self-depreciation.

On the innovation process

2007-06-15T15:26:00.000+02:00

20070530

(answer to the question "What are the essential elements of the innovation process?" - the creative and synthetizing part)

From experience (as a strategist as well as as an author), I know it takes at least two sets of qualities : at the concept / idea level, and at the communication level. I've always enjoyed the conceptual part, and I have a lot of fun writing. Being an author is a permanent state and writing just an action, but people judge you by your output.

Ideally, there should be a visual / mental "click" from your audience / readers, but it is not always easy to translate your great vision the most efficient way. Pedagogy / communicability is key : your vision should be simple to understand and explain. Some doors can remain open if needed (you cannot embrace every dimensions, solve all questions), but everyone should be able to see what's at stake, share a common ground with all others. Besides, there is certainly no such thing as a "one size fits all" process for innovation, nor a universal way of synthetizing.

Actually, each consulting firm has a method, some are relevant in certain contexts, counterproductive in others. For example, the BCG can be help you bulldoze small bumps on the road and have a big corporation embrace a clear strategy, but when it comes to innovation, you want to protect diversity and be careful not to destroy valuable germs. The devil is in the details but a great value lies in theses details too.

At the end of the day, it is all about making a vision of a piece of knowledge useful, more valuable than it is by itself.

On mankind growing by learning from its mistakes

2007-06-15T15:23:00.001+02:00

20070519
(answer to the question "Do you think that mankind has grown by learning from its mistakes ?")

Our civilization has been surviving for quite a few centuries and won't vanish overnight like the Maya's... unless someone decides to push that darn red button that is. I'd say mankind has grown to the point it became one civilization, and it has no choice but to learn from its mistakes. I don't think mankind has always grown by learning from its mistakes but I know it can't keep growing without it. The XXIst century is key at all levels (environment, economics, politics, religion, health, social divides...).

Such "positive" thinkers as Lobby Dick Cheney could dub Yugoslavia's collapse and the Rwanda or Darfur scandals the "last throes" of the old order (heck : some dictators have been "smoked out" even in Africa), but I'm not so sure. Ten-twenty years from now, we'll eventually have some notions of what can be achieved during this century.

On VCious questions for prospective entrepreneurs

2007-06-15T15:20:00.000+02:00

20070519
(answer to the question "What kind of questions would venture capitalists ask to prospective entrepreneurs?")

In the "simple, to the point" range, I suggest : why ? what ? when ? and most important : who ? (who are you, who is following you, whom are you facing...) what if ?

On brain training

2007-06-15T15:17:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "Is Brain Training fun, fad or a little of both?" and various softwares for soft brains)

To me it's like training in a gym, following a program while checking your heartbeat and the number of calories you're presumably burning... It can be fun and even make sense for people under reeducation, for medical purposes... but this isn't the real thing.

You want to err in open spaces, off the path, work things out with people instead of softwares and machines. Brain is one thing, intelligence another. Try to stimulate your intelligence instead of training your brain. And diversify your programs - reading a good book, listening to great music, that often beats your DS provided you open your mind beyond your eyes.

On books on business knowledge

2007-06-15T15:15:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to a question on the "Pretence of Business Knowledge")

As an author, I don't believe in books. Some people are swallowing books like pills to enhance their performance. I've never heard of a great businessman / manager who learnt from the books.

Experience, sharing views, challenging one's own way of thinking and seeing things, opening up beyond one's business and environment... this is actual business knowledge.

My favorite weather information source

2007-06-15T15:13:00.001+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "What is your favorite weather information source, and why?")

The President of the United States. When he's wearing a flight jacket, I know it's gonna rain bombs. When he's wearing a tux, I know it's gonna rain blunders.

My favorite NGO / charity

2007-06-15T15:10:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "What is your favorite NPO / NGO / Charity? & Why is it your favorite?")

Wal-Mart.
By far the most successful organization when it comes to make third world countries converge with US social standards. Working the other way round proved quite disruptive but efficient.

;)

Is brand loyalty dead ?

2007-06-15T15:09:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "Is brand loyalty dead?")

As Roy E. Disney smartly reminded us, brands are for cattle. If you are loyal to a brand, you are as dumb as a cow. You are loyal to a company that respects something somehow. You know the company wants to make business with you but you don't want to end up as a medium rare steak. I take what I need, you take what is fair. No one loses. You are loyal to a fair partner. Basically, P&G and their likes are still XXth Century foxes in the hen house. This model can't last long.

On the transparency of news reports

2007-06-15T15:05:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "How transparent media Mass in reporting News?")

1) You can have a few hints after checking who owns the said mass media.

2) Anyway, you must understand that there is no such thing as objectivity - reporting news is necessarily subjective. Certain words are written, certain images caught, news are composed, selected, sorted, edited and formated - keyboards, cameras and the humans who operate them are not Godalmighties, even when they have the best intentions.

3) subjectivity is not necessarily bad - the only thing is you must realize it and understand the limits before enjoying the show.

4) You can be both subjective and transparent. The BBC and al Jazeera have different standards but both tend to present the points of views of different sides.

On SWOT analysis

2007-06-15T15:03:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to a question on SWOT analysis templates)

I never used any template for a SWOT. I cannot open up my mind in closed walls. You must have a comprehensive view of your environment, but always a fresh one. You must always challenge it, leveraging on the expertise around you. Do not see your company and your environment as you see it but as your coopetitors would do. And don't see competitors as competitors ; see beyond your market to spot new coopetitors.

Rule number one : have fun. You know you cannot cover every dimension nor every angle so relax and embrace uncertainties. If you are looking for a competitive edge, think ahead.

20070606
(answer to another question on SWOT analysis in general)

SWOT is only a frame, and the value doesn't lie in the frame. Your kid's drawing may look terrific, you probably wouldn't get as much money from it as if you sold your Basquiat over eBay. Besides, SWOT should be open and dynamic, evolutive. It is a (big) picture, but you should be able to see the movement behind, get the notion of what's missing.

Saving the US automobile industry

2007-06-15T15:01:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "What can be done to save the U.S. Automobile Industry?")

Stop thinking as the US Automobile Industry.

Start thinking as mobility service providers in a new, open, competitive but respectful and responsible environment.

On Europe, the Old World

2007-06-15T15:00:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "Europe: how do you see the Old World?")

I see Europe as a chance because of the richness of its cultural diversity and the size and soundness of its common ground. I see Europe at the crossroads of reinvention and disruption.

I see China embracing its own diversity to design a more agile, pervasive and adaptative variety of imperialism.

I see America on the verge of negating diversity and evolutivity - more conservative and monolithic, more inwards than outwards. A Bushite Amerika and a neo-Showa Japan would be the Old World of tomorrow.

Define: power

2007-06-15T14:58:00.000+02:00

Power is about perception. You can feel it when it is at work, but it is much more difficult to tell who has it at other times. You can feel your hair rise when you pass by a small and obsolete power plant because much of the energy is wasted and that's OK because not much is at stake. But while fishing on a quiet lake, you cannot feel the huge potential of the dam you cannot see.

Don't see people as they want you to see them. See them as they truly are, beyond the power the may exert on their environment, including you. And see yourself as you truly are. We all have power within, not all the same, and not the same capacity to control it.

200705
(answer to the question "WHAT IS THIS THING WE CALL POWER? Does it come from OTHERS or does it come from WITHIN US, as a state of mind?")

Define: managing director, managing partner, general manager

2007-06-15T14:56:00.000+02:00

The Managing Director manages the dates of lunches with the Managing Partner. The General Manager manages the rest.

200705
(answer to the question "What is the difference between a Managing Director, a Managing Partner, and a General Manager?")

What is unique in blogging ?

2007-06-15T14:54:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "what is unique in blogging ?")

I use the term "blogule" for my small blogs. Red or white depending on my mood, not very important by themselves but somehow vital to me. As an author, blogging is part of what I call my "junk writing". And I enjoy it because as ugly as it seems, it can taste good and fulfil you. I need to zap from actual writing to junk writing to keep my balance. Because at the same time, blogging is like gymnastics to me. It's a quick fix when I need to stretch or let my mind wander on any topic I want.

You don't have to bother about the structure, nor the big picture. I've been blogging for 4 years but at the beginning, I didn't want to use a genuine blogging platform - that was frustrating and stupid considering the ease of use / instantaneity of blogs.

Define: change

2007-06-15T14:52:00.000+02:00

Change goes beyond trade (giving up something for something else). Change is about abandoning one's very nature, modifying it. You can change your shirt but there's no way back when YOU change. Change has a cost and an impact. It is both a sacrifice and an opportunity. You often grow stronger after a change but you often are weak during the change. Change is somehow more radical than evolution, quicker too.

200705
(answer to the question "CHANGE - What does it mean to you?")

On innovation and branding agencies

2007-06-15T14:50:00.000+02:00

200704
(answer to the question "What are the most important qualities managers want in an innovation and branding agency?")

I prefer smaller structures for reactivity and true innovation - provided the casting and methology don't suck, of course. A big name will do if the aim of the game is just for the manager to have his own concept sold to his own hierarchy.

International reach helps for branding : you don't want to waste time on verifications, and you certainly don't want to end up like another case study (ie Alcatel means "killer" in Arabic, Sega "to masturbate" in Italian).

On the success of reality shows

2007-06-15T14:47:00.000+02:00

200705
(answer to the question "Why do you believe Reality Shows have grown in numbers regarding various subjects, along with the television viewers ?")

It is basically the same trend as on the internet : reality shows have this consumer generated content flavor and give the illusion something is really happening on the screen, something you could be involved in, something you could even be doing yourself. The illusion that at last TV is somehow about me, somehow as interactive as the internet.

The internet positioned TV as a monolithic media for the masses, TV answered with real life real time individuals. People get hooked to it for fear of missing an event, something happening, some naughty movement in front of these fake webcams. Of course everything is set, staged, programmed, scenarized, but it doesn't feel like broadcasting (or better : I'd dare say "downcasting") anymore. Rather like bottomupcasting / grassrootcasting. And it tastes like s..t.

Entrepreneurial culture and market valuations

2007-06-15T14:44:00.000+02:00

200706
(answer to the question "Do you believe that large companies with more entrepreneurial cultures have higher stock market valuations than their more traditional counterparts ?")

To my humble opinion, the stock exchange is not the place where actual business is being done, except for stock traders. If you don't accept that fact, if you don't realize that you are in a different level of reality, you may wake up in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode.

That said, take two companies from the same field and with the same assets. In a rational market, the company with the higher value should be the one with the higher potential to grow beyond its current position.

But the market is not rational, there is no such thing as two similar companies, and communication / propaganda plays too big a role out there, especially where "culture" is involved. Remember the late nineties ?

Define: innovation

2007-06-15T14:41:00.000+02:00

An innovation literally brings something new inside a given environment, which means innovation shouldn't be considered without taking into account its impacts on the said environment, the time factor, the very process of "bringing".

Innovation can be immaterial, like a new way of considering that environment, even using the same old tools (ie your eyes and brain). Sign' o the times : I noted that in today's vocabulary, "progress" turned somehow negative (a colateral damage of the end of the myth of eternal progress during last century) while "innovation" became the new fave. As a matter of fact, innovation is not necessarily positive - the "novation" doesn't necessarily mean "one step forward" like in "progress". Who knows when this beautiful world will fall out of fashion...

200704
(answer to the question "how would you define innovation ?")

On the impacts of new technologies

2007-06-15T14:37:00.000+02:00

200704
(answer to the question "With all this great technology - computers, email, cellphones, IM, YouTube, MySpace, wireless Internet, etc. - where is it taking us? How is it impacting society?")

This question has been answered by countless books and essays. As I feel it, the very texture of society has changed (society as a whole as well as society as a puzzle of societies) and identity crisis is not over yet. The tissue can look much more elaborate, yet it can easily be torn. Societies either lock out to protect themselves, or collapse - the fittest survive, their frontiers blurred and everchanging. No wonder identity became a more complex concept and challenge for individuals as well as for societies...

The technology boom you mentioned is neither good nor bad in itself. It changed our perception of time and space, it changed the way we interact with our environment and with each other It contributes to diversity (ie revival of languages) and speeds up evolutions, but also facilitates globalization and uniformization. It contributes to knowledge, but also threatens intelligence. The sexier virtual worlds become, the duller real ones appear and the more people try to escape. ... and so on....

All this is at least disruptive and upsetting for any society. Gaps and divides are formed and not everybody will adapt, not everybody will follow the same path nor the same pace. More than ever, education is key. Beyond the learning of the tools you mentioned, of course.

India 10 years from now

2007-06-15T14:34:00.000+02:00

200703
(answer to the question "What are the images that come to your mind when you think of India 10 years from now?")

Plenty of hot spots and a few dark pits : a huge, diverse and beautiful powerhouse facing major problems which could endanger its very integrity. Beyond poverty, I'm thinking about terror, separatisms and religious clashes fueled by international fundamentalisms. Nationalism is bound to rise and I do hope it won't be only the wrong kind of nationalism.

Moderates may eventually rise against these attacks on the oldest democracy, and a positive common conscience could emerge as a new power, like South Korea's netizens. I also hope the urban / rural and litterate / illiterate divides will be better dealt with. I see more conglomerates become major players at the global level, but more and more in services instead of industries.

Loosers under capitalism

2007-06-15T14:31:00.001+02:00

200703
(answer to the question "Are you a loser under capitalism ?" - only the fittest survive)

I read some interesting research about evolution and the relation towards risk taking for humans. Our brain couln't evolve as fast as our civilisation, and some of us still need the occasional chill to prove their ability to survive in a prehistoric environment. From that, one may deduce entrepreneurs or extreme sports lovers somehow missed some steps somewhen. They are great survivors where the law of the jungle is applied but global warming means the end of rain forests...

So here is my answer : I must be a loser under capitalism but could turn out to be a winner under evolution... which I don't consider such a sweet victory (ruling over a desert, anyone ?)

About great technos and great business models

2007-06-15T14:27:00.000+02:00

200703
(answer to the question "Does a great business model foster great technology, or does a great technology foster great business models ?")

I've survived a couple of start-ups in the innovation field and I know two things : great technology can be a curse, and failing to deliver a death warrant. If I get your question right, you have both techno geniuses and marketing whizz kids, and you are wondering what a brainy manager would do to get the most value out of this explosive combo.

First : lock patents, don't waste your gems and don't let them go. They shouldn't feel like they are locked in a monolithic joint playing a "us vs them" game. You foster innovative approaches in general and as a general you must take decisions. If time to market is key, keep a playing ground for research - give your techies time to work on pet projects in exchange for the delivery of the dreadful quick-and-dirty gizmo your salesforce requires. Market the smart upgrades while selling the monster. It may work even if you are not Microsoft.

Actually, that's the essence of Google part II (growing into a powerhouse beyond the initial innovation) : the new bricks added to the edifice are either smart tools fresh from the lab or quick and dirty me-too products launched basically to fill the blanks, the time for competitive upgrades to be completed. You may not be able to stretch your staff that far, but at least mentioning Google could help stretch the smile on your investors' face for a while.

Define: intellectual capital

2007-06-15T14:25:00.000+02:00

I would define it as the maximum potential of intangible assets for a given company. Putting a value on a patent is one thing, putting a value on a member of your staff another, not to mention the countless combinations of internal and external networking.

FC Nantes' former soccer coach, Raynald Denoueix, used to say a player costs a lot, another player costs a lot, and what goes between them is unvaluable. One could try building a scoring tool taking into account all variables including the networking abilities but I wouldn't pay much attention to a monodimensional score. To me, it is like IQ : it may look convenient but you can neither sum up nor shrink intelligence into one dimension.

Yet, you are into strategy and development consulting, your clients expect some nice and efficient tools. I would try a spiderweb shaped matrix (ie 5-notch-axis).”

200703
(answer to the question "How would you define & meassure the "Intellectual Capital" of a company?")

Define: intelligence vs information

2007-06-15T14:19:00.000+02:00

=> Intelligence is the capacity to apprehend (ie your environment, other people, situations...), understand and give sense beyond what you see, feel, touch, smell, or hear.

NB : intelligence is not something absolute. you can be very intelligent in certain situations and dumb in others. There is no such thing as one kind of intelligence and IQ is an heresy : you cannot sum it up in one dimension.

=> an information is a message an entity (ie person, network, group) receives from other entities or from its environment (ie it's raining).

NB : the format of the information is very important. Information can be perceived differently by the emitter, the receiver or a third party, it can be altered during the transfer and edited anytime. For instance, this chair is blue but the color blind person will get another information, I say something, you hear something else.

=> Information can be made intelligible for a specific target. I would call that intelligent outformation.

Many people consider the ability to memorize a lot of information as a sign of intelligence - the most clever people I know make complex things look simple - simplicity is not always stupidity but often the key to intelligibility, apprehensibility.

My job used to be providing intelligence for decision makers and convincing them to see beyond the information they asked for. I would industrialize information as much as I could, always keeping in mind the necessity to often change the formats and adapt to a disruptive environment. Managers who stick to a few indicators tend to miss major changes in the market. Pedagogy was also useful to promote human networking within the organization. Intelligence was considered as information gathering in an hostile environment, strategic intelligence became a way of peacefully moving a few steps ahead of competition.

The public is so much overwhelmed by information it cannot see intelligence when it comes across it. Internet is a kingdom of information / disinformation where the public can easily be fooled. There is a realization of that and the emergence of a need for genuine intelligence. Unfortunately, prevails the one who advertizes the best, not necessarily the most relevant.

200703
(answer to the question "intelligence vs information")

Crowdsourcing - innovation accelerator or fad ?

2007-06-15T14:15:00.000+02:00

Crowdsourcing is smarter than it appears and must be handled with intelligence. To me, its pros and cons can easily be visualized : think about a coffee break with scores of people in the same room. Some are from your company, friends or relatives, some just joined from the street below. Their only thing in common is to be interested in the conversation taking place. You will get interesting points of views from experts and ignorants, insiders and outsiders, inconvenient truths and convenient hoaxes... a 3D / 360 vision of the topic. Often uncensored (praise informal gatherings and Coffee Break Allmighty). You can be overwhelmed by it quite easily.

Tools will help you sort the mess, but don't rely totally on them either. Beyond your own judgement, trust that of people and experts you trust. Don't rely fully on crowdsourcing, too. That said, crowdsourcing has already become a very valuable strategic intelligence technique, as well as a wonderful marketing tool (to sell all kinds of things, buzz and disinformation included).

200703
(answer to the question "Crowdsourcing: a massive global innovation accelerator or another hype that will fade away?")

Gadgets - a man thing ?

2007-06-15T14:13:00.000+02:00

200603
(answer to the question "gadgets - is it a man thing ?")

Gadgets don't think. They may be smart but have no emotions. To me, they are a mirror reflecting the power the owner feels / wants to feel on "his / her" environment.

I guess the key is the owner has total control in his relationship with the gadget. It actually becomes "his / her" gadget once "he / she" fully masters, full throttle. People who love gadgets may have either a big surplus or a big deficit in their relationship with fellow humans. They may need a gadget as a certificate. I don't know...

How would I know ? I'm not much into gadgets, but I'm not much of a social animal either... I'm afraid I may be too much in love with my wife, doctor.

Must see films for an alien visiting earth

2007-06-15T14:09:00.000+02:00

200703
(answer to the question "If you were to compile a list of "must see" films that an alien should see when visiting earth, what would you suggest as a top five?")

I guess 2 movies would do. These two answer the 2 key questions any alien would ask :

1) is there intelligent life out there ? => "Airplane!"

2) who's in charge down here ? => (my all time fave) : "Dr. Strangelove or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb"

Define: partnership

2007-06-15T14:07:00.000+02:00

Partnership is a mode of relationship that goes beyond the standard / natural mode usually observed in a given environment.

1) ie in business : beyond sell / buy
2) ie at the personal level : beyond love / hatred, family / friendship
3) ie in the wilderness : beyond symbiosis / parasitism / predation

Binding or not, a partnership is decided by all parties and requires their involvement and agreement.
=> Partnership truly requires intelligence, an understanding of one's environment beyond the natural reach. In a successful partnership, both parties fully understand each other's environment, which generaly includes a new point of view on their selves.

200703
(answer to the question "Partnership - what is it ?")

Define: disruptive innovation

2007-06-15T14:05:00.000+02:00

A disruptive innovation brings an evident solution to a key unsolved question. And a truly disruptive innovation does the same for a key unsolved question that had never been asked before.

Simplicity often comes with a paradigm shift, a total reformulation of the initial question, a complete change of plane ; you have to think out of the box, where old problems offer new solutions, where old constraints open new horizons...

A disruptive innovation changes the very way we consider our environment.

20070612
(answer to the question "What does disruptive innovation mean to you?")

Define: WOM, Buzz, Viral

2007-06-15T14:04:00.000+02:00

. WOM is the descriptive term for one specific medium.
. Buzz focuses on the impact on the environment and generally certain groups of people.
. Viral is more about time, reach and depth, how things spread.

20050721
(answer to a question for a thesis on Viral Marketing for Souki.com - differences between WOM, buzz and viral ?)

About

2007-06-14T18:49:00.001+02:00

This site is to step by step mirror my bilingual personal portal as a back-up*, starting with :

my "blogules" archives for the years 2003 (full list) and 2004 (H1 2004 and H2 2004) - the French version remains to be backed-up, and blogules have their own websites since 2005 (in English and in French)
some inept definitions of various concepts
a few not always snappy answers to not always stupid questions

Other parts of my personal portal other beers cannot reach shall join the party in the future.

Meanwhile, you can browse my other websites :

stephanemot.com (due to traffic, the server is often down)
blogules
blogules (VF)
mot-bile (the click and mortal portal / blog)
footlog (blogules sur gazon)
La Ligue des Oublies (l'Autre Histoire du football)
Seoul Village (Seoul "as it is being")
citizen came (a few stats and profiles of visitors caught in my web)

You can also leave comments on the blogs or contact me through LinkedIn.

Stephane

* since I did the back-up by batch and Blogger only considers the dates of input for each blog, the blogs may not always appear in chronological order. I specified when needed the original dates. I also decided to use only one set of labels, which explains the existence of pages in both French and English.

2004 blogules archives H2 (July - November 2)

2007-06-14T17:51:00.000+02:00

. Red blogule to the Bush System - Prevent a New War of Secession (The Republican Party is bound to lose : either this election or their very soul - 20041101)
. Red blogule to the Alliance of Fanatics - Vote Bush-Bin Laden 2004 ! (a Middle-East politician invites himself to the presidential debate - 20041030)
. White blogule to John Edwards - One heartbeat away (better than Bush being one armpit away from Karl Rove - 20041026)
. White blogule to Republicans for Kerry-Edwards (To me this election mirrors the fight on terror : this isn't a war between America and terrorists but a war on moderate muslims by radical islamists - this isn't a Reps vs Dems thing but an attempted coup of extremists on the GOP, fundamentalists against moderate Republicans - 20041026)
. Red blogule to this "pro-life" President - Stem cells : who's the murderer ? (mass executer in Texas, responsible for tens of thousands of casualties in Iraq : did you say "pro-life" ? - 20041023)
. Red blogule to the diplomacy of coercion - Al Qaeda votes Bush (the biggest diplomatic failure this side of WWII - 20041019)
. Red blogule to the November (c)rush - Comical Ali Burton (Fallujah again - Bush is right when he says we should get rid of the thugs: it's time for him to get the heck outta the White House - 20041016)
. White blogule to the US Prez debates - The 3 winners of last night (the Cards, the Yanks and Kerry - 20041014)
. White blogule to the US Prez debates - The Rock and the snake (after 3 debates : on one side a steady rock, inflexible on principles but animated by positive dynamics, on the other, a snake unable to elevate the debate but when exposing his religious fanatism - 20041014)
. Red blogule to "Lobby Dick" (discussion with a former Halliburton worker in Iraq - 20041013)
. White blogule - putting more pressure on Dubya for debate 2 (Dubya is corrupting America from the inside - time for a change - 20041004)
. White blogule to the first US Prez debate - Masks off (Thursday's debate revealed both candidates as they truly are : an honest man guided by a strong personal ambition but also the values that built America, and a man less and less able to hide his own limits and contradictions. While Kerry decides after a long decision process but never compromises on values, Bush doubts more fundamentally about himself - 20041004)
. Red blogule to W - Bush flip-flopping before the debate (he fueled so much hatred across the muslim world any true democratic process would bring extremists to power - 20040928)
. Red blogule to Allawi - Allawi is the thug ("Saddam Sans Moustache" favored by the US - 20040924)
. Red blogule to "garbage democracy" - Cheney accused in France (trading the Veep with a French VIP - Pinault got Life, Cheney will remain free - 20040924)
. Red blogule to Bush Outlook 2.0 - No to Bush's agenda (imposing impossible schedules, how dares this man who made his own country an outlaw speak in the name of democracy ? - 20040919)
. Red blogule to fanatism (20040911)
. Red blogule to eraserheads - HOW ABOUT THE CHALABI FILES ? (whatever happened to the docs a US commando raided at the blackmailer's office ? - 20040910)
. Red blogule to subliminal ads - Subliminal ads watch (20040914)
. Red blogule to "Dismission Accomplished" - Don't let Bush take the lead and tell more lies about Afghanistan (20040910 x 2)
. White blogule to the preparation of the debates - Reality check (what are Bush's strongest points ? the worst man at the worst place at the worst time knows he's a fake : a weak leader, an amoral person who'd do anything to win, a miserable decision-maker, a fake compassionate, a power addict, a fake Republican, a fake supporter of democracy - 20040910)
. Red blogule to the "Dear Compassionate Leader" - Bush : the opposite of compassion (the great imposture - 20040910)
. White blogule to nickname contests (after "Turd Blossom", I suggest "Dear Compassionate Leader", "The Man Who Sold The War" / "Lobby Dick" - 20040905)
. Red blogule to BUSH'S ADDICTION TO POWER (continued) and (re-continued) (about "Bush On The Couch" by Justin A. Frank - 20040905)
. White blogule to Kerry's biting back - Wake up call (Wake up and look back at what this self-proclaimed "compassionate leader" did of your country at home and abroad! - 20040904)
. Red blogule to BUSH'S ADDICTION TO POWER (The guy may have recovered from a double addiction to alcohol and drugs, he is still deeply hooked to power - Body language betrays the wrong man at the wrong place at the wrong time, a wannabe who should never have been - 20040904 x 2)
. Red blogule to BUSH, THE NEW HUGO CHAVEZ (stop demagogy ! decyphering Dubya's 20001213 acceptance speech and 20010120 inauguration speech - 20040902)
. Red blogule to China's revisionim - No to the Chinese cultural Anschluss (Koguryo / Goguryo : yes to the Korean identity, no to the Chinese supremacy - 20040901)
. Red blogule to the French language - No equivalent to "liberal" (about Bourdieu's "neoliberalism" concept - In French, a "liberal" person is in favor of unleashed capitalism and total deregulation. From an Hegelian point of view, one may think the French are so much enslaved in capitalism their language considers ultimate capitalism as ultimate freedom - 20040901)
. Red blogule to the New Lie - France was not against a war on Iraq if all other options failed (the issue was not about removing Saddam from power but about starting a war with a wrong motive, without any propper peace strategy, but with a clear and immediate danger of fueling terrorism across the planet in general and BRINGING it to Iraq in particular - War isn't only a matter of boys using toys and friends getting contracts - 20040829)
. Red blogule to Bush's doubletalk (a stubborn again Christian, a power abuser, an amoral wannabe who by mistake or theft somehow managed to become the most powerful person in the world - 20040829)
. Red blogule to the Electoral College system - Abolish (I consider the primaries an interesting crash test for a most-powerful-person-in-the-world wannabee but Governors have no right to cook according to their own receipe - 20040829)
. Red blogule to Bush - Stealing words (enough of this imposture - expose him ! 20040829)
. Red blogule to the use of terror - Terrorists and Resistants (my definition of terrorism - slightly different from Dubya's, to wit anyone threatening his reelection - 20040828)
. White blogule to the Young Republicans - Young Republicans Denounce Bush (even Reagan nostalgics would look decent compared to the White House mob - 20040824)
. White blogule to wordsmith.org - online anagram tool (take a break with methane post - 20040823)
. Red blogule to Ralph Nader - Independant days are over (vote Bush-Nader 2004 with the help of such fellow Republicans as Freedomworks / CSE / Citizens for a Sound Economy - 20040822)
. White blogule to the UT Watch - UTIMCO - The Texas chain not only saw but also did the massacre (mass destruction of public funds - the Texas mob at its worst - 20040817)
. Red blogule to The Bush Klan at Work (about Bob Herbert's article "Suppress The Black Vote ?" - you load sixteen votes, whaddya get ? another day older and deeper in jail... - 20040817 x 2)
. Red blogule to POWER OUTRAGES (America, it's time for a wake up call : your president is dangerous and should be kept away from power - 20040816)
. Red blogule to the "COMMANDER IN THIEF" (continued) - (who gives a Hoover Dam ? 20040817)
. Red blogule to the "COMMANDER IN THIEF" (a "Peace President" for a nation in pieces - 20040816)
. White blogule to Fahrenheit 9/11 - THE NEW MOORE'S LAW (double the intensity of the attacks at each new movie, and use the same weapons as Fox News - 20040716) (Published in Newsweek - 20041018)
. White blogule to US GO METRIC (to me, a tourist from planet Zorg, it's like watching a cricket game: exotic terms, old fashioned clothes, strange scores, crazy rules... but everyone looks normal and even the audience seems to understand what's going on - 20040715)
. White blogule to Kerry-Edwards' positive campaign (ok for a good cop - bad cop stunt with Michael Moore, but is that guy strong enough to match Karl Rove's mudslide ? 20040715-19)
. Red blogule to the Israel Factor in the US (Bill Clinton cannot spill his beans because he wants to become USA' First Male First Lady - The ties with Saudi Arabia are not very sane either but can easily be summed up in such units as currencies or gallons - 20040711)

Red Blogule to the Bush system - Prevent a New War of Secession

2007-06-14T17:10:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041101

The Republican Party is bound to lose : they either lose this election or lose their very soul. A Bush reelection would mean the success of the raid of a group of extremists on the GOP. To those who wonder how such a mob of liars, crooks, religious fanatics and extreme right madhatters could ever be reelected, remind them a man like Hugo Chavez managed to get democratically reelected earlier this year.

What would mean a Bush reelection but the risk of a political war of secession across the US ? Moderate Reps and Dems could unite in the Resistance. Whole states could refuse more extremist laws or worse fully comply to them. History proves any people can regress into fascism and never since McCarthy-Hoover has this country been so dangerously close to it - we're not talking neibourhood watch militia : remember Patriot Act I encourages denouncement and Patriot Act II would legalize the deportation of US citizens. Can America afford four more years of Kind Dubya, Lord of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America ? Beyond the man, there is a system of negation of what made this country a great country respected across the globe. What would History think of a people who decides to keep them in power ?

This can be prevented : America must wake up on time and elect a President who respects the values of this country. Vote Kerry.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the Alliance of Fanatics - Vote Bush-Bin Laden 2004 !

2007-06-14T17:07:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041030

(regarding Osama Bin Laden's intervention before the US Elections)

What I saw yesterday was a politician - neither a jihaddist warlord nor a religious leader - inviting himself to the debate, behind his stand. No red tie but as elegant an outfit as Karzai's. He waited for the candidates to use their time up and spill their beans. He's exposing his results and his programs. Facts and figures. No need to talk about his convictions - the message obviously passed earlier during the campaign.

Bin Laden just reminds the American audience he's not at war with the US and that his ennemies are moderate muslims. America was the one to start hostilities, helping Israel attack Lebanon. On September the 11th, Baby Doc paid for Papa Doc. Joseph Goebbels being long gone and Karl Rove being already hired by someone else, I wonder which hotshot propaganda expert this man drafted...

Without spending hundreds of million dollars in campaigning, this man sets the agenda. This is neither about Bush's results nor about Kerry's program. You want to promote democracy ? Be consistent and let the US majority withdraw the troops of Iraq, let the middle east populations, polarized by your fanatism, elect radical leaders... Now that you've done your job beyond my wildest expectations you can leave me alone. You think you're leading the world but you've misled it. Vote Bush-Bin Laden 2004!

SM on a forum

White Blogule to John Edwards- One heartbeat away

2007-06-14T17:06:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041026

Some Bush supporters think John Edwards is too unexperienced to be one heartbeat away from the presidency.

I think John Edwards is a good person and would make a great President.

And I'm much more worried about President Bush being one armpit away from Karl Rove.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the Republicans for Kerry-Edwards

2007-06-14T17:04:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041026

To me this election mirrors the fight on terror.

Regarding the latter, Bush doesn't understand (or pretends not to understand) this is not a religious war between America and the terrorists but a war from radical islamists to moderate muslims. The US have been drafted in order to magnify it but I don't think Bin Laden, even in his wildest dreams, ever hoped America would react as stupidly as this Administration did: instead of fighting extremism and terror they fueled it by launching a religious crusade - the way a medieval leader would have proceeded, not a responsible XXIst century leader.

Regarding this election, the key battle is not about Reps vs Dems: we are witnessing an attempted coup of extremists on the GOP, against moderate Republicans. Should Bush win November the 2nd, there may well be a much deeper crisis within the Republican party than within the Dems, who would unite even stronger as Resistants. Because the Republican Party would lose - if not this election, more fundamentally its very soul.

Kerry proved he has the ability to work hand in hand with Republicans because he is the one candidate to respect the values that built America, and most Republicans share this vision.

You are a Republican and you want to vote for Kerry but you are wondering if it is consistent ? It is, since President Bush is not a Republican. He doesn't respect the Republic (the res publica is about accepting the debate, bringing the issues out there, not about hidden agendas, undiscussed laws, preventing even Republicans from knowing what's going on...) nor the values that earned this country respect from its citizens as well as from other countries. As a Republican, you have a moral duty to protect your country. And the biggest danger it is facing right now is not terror but about the direction it is about to take, about it's very leadership. You are making the right choice for a true Republican.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to this "pro-life" President - Stem cells : who's the murderer ?

2007-06-14T17:02:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041023

Somebody tell me why this "pro-life" President, so much eager to protect life in the form of embryos, is the biggest supporter of death penalty and holds the record for executions in the US.

Somebody tell me why this man, who says every tiny cell counts, doesn't show any remorse when soldiers die because of his failures or kids are slaughtered during his massive bombings to smoke Zarkawi out before November the 2nd.

Somebody tell me why this imposteur, who dares say he defends the values that built America, should even have the slightest chance of fooling the electors once more.

Wake up America !

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the diplomacy of coercion - al Qaeda votes Bush

2007-06-14T17:00:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041019

Look how Dubya tries to draft more leaders behind his reelection bid:
- For over one year and a half, Blair has been coerced into redeploying more soldiers to the Iraqi hot spots. He managed to postpone the decision till now but cannot refuse anymore since Washington imposed an ultimatum. Should he refuse, he would contradict his own defense of the invation and lose next elections. The only reason why he's hesitating now is : "what if this son of a Bush loses his own elections ?"
- Putin says terrorists want his fellow dictator Bush ousted November the 2nd, but why would muslim fundamentalists want to fire their best ally in the world ? To the contrary, they contribute to the climate of fear that keeps this excuse for a Prez rolling in the polls. What will Putin get for casting his ballot ? Expect a global warming of the relationships between him and the US. Expect a generous portion of Youkos to land in certain oily hands. Expect a wider access to Iraqi contracts to Russian investors.
- Look how Powell is travelling across the globe these days. Expect a kind intervention from say Koizumi or Berlusconi, lauding Dubya's stature as commander in chief of the biggest diplomatic failure this side of WWII.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the November (c)Rush - Comical Ali Burton

2007-06-14T16:58:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041016

The US army is carpet bombing Fallujah again. This time the aim is to get Zarkawi before November the 2nd, whatever the cost for the population (and for the image of the US - this is not the deserted mountains of Tora-Bora we're talking about but an Iraqi city where many kids have already been killed by the American bombs).

Significantly, the man has just been put on the list of most wanted terrorists because Bush knows he can get him ("smoke him out"?) on time. But Bush is not your friendly cow-boy hero; he is the corrupted sheriff who invited the bad guys to rule the country.

Again, bringing more chaos and fueling more hatred abroad, hurrying the agendas of the country you invaded is not the most respectful way of salvaging an election. Bush is right when he says we should get rid of the thugs: it's time for him to get the heck outta the White House.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the US Prez debates - The Rock and the snake

2007-06-14T16:56:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041014 (see blogules 2004)

The three debates clearly exposed the characters of both candidates : on one side a steady rock, inflexible on principles but animated by positive dynamics, on the other, a snake unable to elevate the debate but when exposing his religious fanatism.

As Kerry confirmed his Presidential stature, Bush confirmed his smallness. What a contrast between the consistance of the Senator across the 3 debates, and the inconsistance of a next-ex changing roles at each debate, hiding in uncomfortable jokes and winks, cowardly running away from his responsibilities and stubbornly refusing to accept his failures.

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the US Prez debates - The 3 winners of last night

2007-06-14T16:54:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041014

The three undisputed winners of debate #3 are the Yanks and the Cards (which defeated Boston and Houston as the candidates were on stage), and John Kerry, who while the men were watching the play-offs could connect with the feminine part of the audience a much more honest and efficient way than Dubya did in debate 2.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "Lobby Dick"

2007-06-14T16:52:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041013

(discussion with a former Halliburton worker in Iraq, complaining about the way the company behaves)

Taking the money and running, exposing innocents to the consequences of their failures, showing neither remorse nor respect for anyone... no wonder Halliburton picked Lobby Dick as their Prez a few years ago. No wonder the POTUS loves this guy.

Bush & Friends are not only looting Iraq : they're emptying the safes of the Nation. Bush is an expert in transferring public funds to private pockets (remember the Texas Rangers stadium ?).

SM on a forum

White Blogule - putting more pressure on Dubya for debate 2

2007-06-14T16:28:00.000+02:00

20041004

(discussion between prez debates 1 and 2)

Homeland security is one thing, homegrown propaganda another. Kerry should expose W in next debate.

Last thursday, John made a strong point remembering Osama was the one who did 9/11, not Saddam. He has one more move to do in order to complete the home run on this issue.Let's make it clear, with the bold facts :
- because of the Weapons of Mass Disinformation carpeting the US since 9/11, too many US citizen still believe there was a link between Iraq and 9/11
- the intelligence cannot be blamed since the only tiny thread (a meeting in Baghdad) was very early confirmed as a fake by the US as well as by European and Middle East intel services
- the Veep keeps telling lies about it
- the Prez did admit something but not wholeheartedly, and even now keeps leaking fake lapses (oops, did it again during debate 1 - too bad a smart man was in the audience and had the opportunity to talk back)

Here and now, during this very debate and in the name of truth, let Kerry ask Bush to confirm he was wrong when he said there was a link between Saddam and 9/11, and that Dick Cheney, the man who would be President if anything happened to him, is wrong when he maintains it. Now regarding the way this Administration is defending the US : the strategy is totally counterproductive. It is the way a fascist regime would proceed : isolating the country from its partners, depriving citizens from freedom and raising fear across the land with people as respectful of democracy as Hoover or McCarthy, exporting chaos and fueling terrorism abroad and at home with a crusade in the name of God...

The question is not what President Kerry could do to improve this arsenal, but how long it will take for America to fix the mess and restore its pride.

Bush fails to defend the US because he fails to respect its values. He is corrupting America from the inside and should not be allowed to do more harm at the command of the country...

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the first US Prez debate - Masks off

2007-06-14T16:26:00.000+02:00

Archives 20041004

Thursday's debate revealed both candidates as they truly are : an honest man guided by a strong personal ambition but also the values that built America, and a man less and less able to hide his own limits and contradictions.

The thing is the one who doubts is not the one you may think : while Kerry decides after a long decision process but never compromises on values, Bush doubts more fundamentally about himself. His own lies don't fool him anymore and he knows his so called values are just one more set of lies.

For over one year now George W. Bush has been betrayed by his body language : the more the man insists on his confidence, the more his body screams the opposite. Last thursday, this lonely man looked like the tragic buffon success has abandoned. Beyond the loss of the debate (how could a man who refuses the very idea of debate win ?), Bush seems lost for good.

Can his staff manage a spectacular turnaround before next debate - any other way than with more lies in more coward ads that is ? I can't even dare imagining how deep in the mud Karl Rove will have to dig this time...

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to W - Bush flip-flopping before the debate

2007-06-14T16:25:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040928

Funny how Dubya's man in Iraq (the great democrat Allawi formerly known as "Saddam Sans Moustache" in Baghdad) raised the opportunity of an international conference about Iraq just days before the Kerry-Bush debate on international issues.

The French had been asking for such a conference for over one year, but Bush remained deaf to their recommandations. Now the French diplomats are finding ways to postpone this meeting since they do not want the process to be hostage to Bush's reelection bid.

I'm sick and tired of the manipulation of the international agenda by King Dubya of the Banana Republic of the Divided States of America. The truth is Bush failed. He brought chaos instead of democracy. He fueled so much hatred across the muslim world any true democratic process would bring extremists to power. Do the Americans want to be treated as puppets too ? Do they really want four more years of this sick joke ?

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to Allawi - Allawi is the thug

2007-06-14T16:22:00.000+02:00

20040924

The Americans are not told Bush's man in Baghdad was nicknamed "Saddam Sans Moustache" by the Iraqis as Hussein ruled. That he was one of his worst thugs till Saddam decided to mollify the Baath doctrine.

Allawi dares present himself as a hero because of his hostility to Saddam, but he was the one to blow the whistle to the dictator for the uprising attempt in Kurdistan, contributing to the bloodbath.

Now that he has the job he'd been dreaming of for decades (fighting over it with his cousin Chalabi), Allawi is not likely to leave it. He's bound to have the democratic legitimacy he needs because Bush forced elections in Iraq in january so that no opponent has time to make himself known.

Now Allawi can pay Bush back by praising his disastrous attack on Iraq, contributing to his French bashing frenzy or whatever his master sees fit.

Democracy ? No way Jose. Business as usual.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "garbage diplomacy" - Cheney accused in France ?

2007-06-14T16:20:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040924 (see blogules 2004)

"Lobby Dick" could very much be convicted for the Halliburton-Technip scandal (corruption in Nigeria during the late 90s). The French prosecutor is considering asking the presidents of all the companies involved (Halliburton's KBR, France's Technip, Italy's Snamprogetti and Japan's JGC) to testify.

John Ashcroft is to meet France's Minister of Justice, Dominique Perben, on september the 30th. The issue will definitely be raised, and one could envision 2 scenarii :
- the clash : nothing is done to prevent Cheney's embarrassing fate
- the last minute deal : we save your campaign, do something for us (ie cancel that heavy fine you set earlier this year for the French regarding the Executive Life scandal - the person who's supposed to pay the most is a close friend to Chirac).

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to Bush Outlook 2.0 - No to Bush's agenda

2007-06-14T16:17:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040919

Bush keeps on abusing the countries he "liberated" to serve his own agenda. He already "democratically" imposed an impossible schedule for the elections in Afghanistan and Iraq (even if he eventually could not get elections before november the 2nd in Iraq, he managed to get them in january, which is much too soon according to everyone).

Now, just because the heat is on him for the situation in Iraq (and right after the UN wisely remembered the international audience the war was illegal and the january schedule was absurd), he's organizing the Saddam trial for next month !!!

And we still do not know how this trial will be held, since Mr Democracy refuses to abid to international standards and made his own country an outlaw : no to a legal war, no to the international tribunal, no to the Geneva standards - even in the usage of forbidden weapons of destruction (the defragmentation bombs the US and UK used in Iraq, which killed hundreds of people, are strictly forbidden by Geneva)...

How dares this man speak in the name of democracy ?

WAKE UP AMERICA !!! GET THIS DICTATOR OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE !!!! SM on a forum

Red Blogule to subliminal ads - Subliminal ads watch

2007-06-14T16:15:00.000+02:00

20040914

Is anyone making sure there is no remake as far as subliminal ads are concerned ? Four years ago BC would insert a "RATS" for the fraction of a second during a negative campaign on Gore, and he had to withdraw the ad before the scandal went too far. A 2003 experiment proved once more the efficiency of subliminal images to influence elections and I wouldn't be surprised if they gave it one more shot.

For those who wonder how a bold liar could be reelected, don't forget these guys got their masters in Weapons of Mass Disinformation.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to fanatism

2007-06-14T16:14:00.000+02:00

20040911

(discussion on the elections in Afghanistan)

A candidate speaking in the name of religion and defending medieval theories ? No need to go to Afghanistan to get this. Just listen to The Man Who Sold The War...

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to eraserheads- HOW ABOUT CHALABI FILES ?

2007-06-14T16:13:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040910

Remember the spectacular showdown at Chalabi's office, a few monthes ago ? Why do you think the US raided their former partner's place ?The guy was a notorious blackmailer and collected naughty secrets from everyone. He was said to keep track of all US abuses in Iraq, just in case...Now whatever happened to these files?

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to "DEMISSION ACCOMPLISHED" (continued)

2007-06-14T16:10:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040910

(discussion about the media)

You will hear a lot about Afghanistan since Bush has planned presidential elections there for october the 9th - totally insane considering the situation there (and Afghani leaders complain, except the man the US put in power*), but what counts is the nov 2nd elections.

You said it : Afghanistan was a war on terror... not Iraq. But the US didn't invest what they said they would : the country is back to mass production of drug, and anarchy rules across the country. Talibans and intolerance are back, security is inexistant but in certain parts of Kabul. "Dismission accomplished".

Bush waged the war there because he was compelled to. But he used this alibi ticket to ride much further than allowed...

SM on a forum

* there may not be oil in Afghanistan, but there is a power issue as well : Hamid Karzai used to be adviser to UNOCAL - a US oil company with a good position in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico - for a pipeline project.

Red Blogule to "dismission accomplished"- Don't let Bush take the lead and tell more lies about Afghanistan

2007-06-14T16:08:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

Attacking Bush on Iraq is fine, but don't forget Afghanistan's "demission accomplished". Bush wanted free elections to help his reelection, and they will take place on october the 9th. Get ready for more disinformation folks.

What Bush will say : Afghanistan is discovering democracy. For the first time, free elections will be held. 18 candidates prove there is a true democracy on the move. Mission accomplished. + BONUS : by the way, we just arrested Osama in the area! Vote for me!

What we must say about Bush's failure in Afghanistan : "dismission accomplished". Because of the war in Iraq, the US didn't finish the job in Afghanistan. The country didn't receive the help it was supposed to get. Intolerance and insecurity are back, so are the talibans, and the production of drug has boomed as never before. Bush betrayed his promise to Afghanistan, which was supposed to be the priority. Afghanistan was truly about the war on terro, not Iraq. Everybody supported it and French soldiers are still fighting there. But Bush used this alibi ticket for a wilder ride.

What we must know about these elections : most democrats in Afghanistan denounce them as a simple reelection tool for Bush. The country is not ready for elections, the calendar is too short to let a real campaign take place, and most people don't even have any ID in the country. Everything is set to elect Karzai, the man of Washington. Because the world was focusing on Iraq, it was possible to prevent the same from happening there, but at the beginning, Bush demanded elections in Iraq to be held before november 2004 too...

SM on a forum

White Blogule to the preparation of the debates - Reality check

2007-06-14T16:05:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

(discussion about "how would YOU attack Bush?")

I would attack Bush on what are supposed to be his strongest points :

. He is amoral and would do anything to win
.His decision making is catastrophic
.He is not compassionate but makes show of his fake compassion
.He is not clean. He may have recovered from booze and dope but is still badly addicted to power
.He is not even Republican. Not a Dem either. The guy just wishes he were a dictator
.He is not for this space and time. You could find fundamentalist rulers back in the Middle Age, but Bush is the worst man at the worst place at the worst time
.He is not a strong leader. His weakness shows on how he behaves, how he speaks. Body language doesn't lie. Deep inside, he knows he is a fake.

SM on a forum

Red Blogule to the "Dear Compassionate Leader" - Bush: the opposite of compassion

2007-06-14T16:01:00.000+02:00

Archives 20040910 (see blogules 2004)

Imposture again. Would deserve more exposure in the medias.

How dares Bush say he is compassionate after missing such an historical opportunity as the "after 9/11"?

Just remember - it's not that far away: right after America has been struck by the most massive terrorist attack ever, the whole world is with the USA and grieves with them. Beyond terror, there is the hope for a new world: will the international community seize this unique opportunity to do things differently, to move closer to each other, to build a more tolerant and compassionate world ? The very first statesman to visit the US and Ground Zero is a man who as a mayor and Prime Minister, knew all about being hit by terror. A man who knew the worst thing to do was to start a religious crusade and fuel the hatred across the globe. Jacques Chirac offers Bush his full support and will send troops to Afghanistan because the war to the Taliban regime is legitimate for the war on terror.

But the POTUS made the wrong choices. Instead of leveraging on the support of the whole international community, he accumulates mistakes and manages, within a few weeks, to have most countries against the US (and the few leaders backing his crusades don't have the support of their own people). The victim becomes a wreckless outlaw, the criminals become heroes or victims. Bush is killing the 9/11 victims one more time, and will even do it once more during his campaign, using the images of the tragedy for his reelection ads.

The problem is showing compassion is not being compassionate, especially when you're making a show out of your so called compassion. Compassion is not about stealing other people's hearts.

But the American people isn't aware of this imposture. People who know are those who are used and abused by Bush's weapons of mass disinformation:
- look at the grieving 9/11 families opposing this misuse of their pain
- hear the Iraqi soccer players rebel at the Athens Olympics when they hear Bush is trying to take advantage of their successes (Bush eventually canceled his plans to go to Athens and tried to send his dove alibi Powell instead. A series of demonstrations made Powell cancel his trip too)
- listen to the Afghan leaders complain about the october 9 presidential elections (the calendar is totally irrealistic for the country, they know these elections are just another argument for Bush reelection campaign).

SM on a forum