And for the Frenchies ...

la fameuse recette de la dinde au whisky, un classique. For New Year's Eve, I'll tell you what the classic item is for Germany)

Acheter une dinde d'environ 5 kg pour 6 personnes et une bouteille de whisky, du sel, du poivre, de l'huile d'olive, des bardes de lard.
Barder la dinde de lard, la ficeler, la saler, la poivrer et ajouter un filet d'huile d'olive.
Préchauffer le four a 350, pendant dix minutes.
Se verser un verre de whisky pendant ce temps-là.
Mettre la dinde au four dans un plat a cuisson.
Se verser 2 autres verres de whisky.
Mettre le vour a 400 pendant 20 binutes pour la zaisir.
Se bercer 3 berres de whisky.
Après mettons une debieurre, fourrer l'ouvrir et surbeiller la puisson de la tinde.
Brendre la pouteille de biscuit et s'enfiler une bonne rasade derrière la brabate - non - la trabate!
Après environ, bouof... une debieurre de blus ou moins, pencher en direction du vour et s'y rendre. Oubrir la criss de borte du pour et rebourner, mettre l'autre bord- l’asti de guinde. Mettons.
Se pruler la main -f...- avec la tabarnak de borte du vour en la rafermant - ciboere de bâtard.
S'ass...-woyons- s’ass...-ben woyons- s'ass...- woyons, c'qu'al'est, sti! - s'asse...woere- bon!- s'a griss de chaise et se reverder 5 ou 6 whisky de verre... ou le gontraire- ou... cares.
Buire - non - suire - non - cuire - non – ah ben oui, c'est ca : cuire -la bingue bandant 4 heures. 4 heures. Z'est ca.
Et hop....pelai..e, 5 berres de plisse ! Ca vait du bien barou ça passe.
ttttttttttirer le four-re de la dinde.
Se rebercer une tite corchée de puisky - bas trop - tention, zussun droigt ? wop attention- wopokay merci de rien.
Là mon mec, on vazzayer de-suimoabenla- zortir le bour de la-woyons- de caliss m’a tu l'dire- de woyons- de pinde, ça y est! s'cuse,voulais pas dire "de pinde", ce voulais dire, c’est: zordir le dinde de-c'est ca: de dinde- de dinde de nouveau, parce que, laisse-moe faire là, non laisse-moe faire, non gar-moe ben, bon OK, fais-le donc.
Rabasser la dinde qui est, hoonnnn, tombée bar derre. L'ettuyer avec une... -non, l’aut' porte- avec un linge a vesselle et ladeposechappewopelaieoke sur un blat, ou une assiette, ou on s'encriss...
Se péter la gueule a cause du gras sur le sol - p'tain faich, genre de zeremiquecommonpourraitdire- anyway le plancher sti de la puisine et essayer de se relever pour serass... -woyons- se rass... -s’ra pas long- serassss...ssayer. Pas grave.
Décider qu'on est aussi ben a terre, ah pis venir la pouteille debouisky, quins.
Ramper jusqu’au lit et torpir ziss un tipeu, polontan, issintipeupimouettkerect.
Le lendemain midi, manger la dinde froide avec une bonne mayonnaise et prendre l'après-midi pour nettoyer l'esti bordel que t'as fait dans l'cuisine la veille.

Happy party time

I wish you all a very nice Christmas time. I hope you enjoy. Thank you for reading this blog.

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Open Space : still some work to do !

Tired of seeing your colleague, unoccupied, sitting on your desk ? “You’re upset, today ?”. Even more tired of inventing impossible strategies to escape from work before nightfall without hearing another colleague say “so you take your afternoon free ?”. Bad news : the open space, this place of work without walls, has nice days forward. Since 10 years, we don’t even talk about it anymore. It just is. Nobody’s talking about inventing a new space for work. Nevertheless, some associations try to open a debate. Some even write books about it “Must we close the open space ?” or “the open space killed me”. The book places the open space as a symbol of neo management, vaguely transparent, wrongfully without hang ups. The place smells like grilled nem and anyone can participate at the contest of the one who received the biggest quantity of mails, screaming in a falsely annoyed ton : “fuck, 350 mails !”. More than 60% of french firms made the decision of the open space. Benefits for the firm are not really proved, outside the feeling of the managers, convinced that their team won on efficiency. It’s because firms strongly believe that the open space is good for communication and dynamism. But studies show much more diverse realities. It depends of the activity of the company or the age of the employees. Sometimes we think, It’s only a question of costs (open space could allow a reduction of the costs of the square meter up to 10 to 40%) and ideology. Let’s reexaminate. The open space improves communication : for sure, we talk more to a colleague on an open floor than from a closed office to another. We scream more, too. And, talking about communication, don't be shy, we communicate also our stress. It’s what we call, the “cocktail effect”. Everybody’s talking louder because nobody can listen anyone. More exchanges, true, but not of a better quality. Studies show that walls, actually, improve communication at work because It allows intimacy and confidentiality. We mix people to whom we say “you must communicate” but if they open their mouth, they disturb everybody. Strangely, big companies, rich companies or advertising agencies, multiply closed spaces beside big open floors, in order to organize quiet meetings. For the poor ones, the option of the headset, the ipod or hearplugs are still available. That relies straight away to a very strong image of open communication ! The open space erases the hierarchical barriers : an office near the corridor ? you’re a trainee. Back on the window : congratulations for your promotion. The open space is sometimes assimilated to a democratic space : we share the adventure together. But we read very clearly the hierarchical links. The ones who have a portable computer are the ones we give the possibility to extract themselves from the community. The managers have a drawer, even if It is empty. Another example : a company, 450 employees, needed to move. After 30 years of closed offices, they had to move to an open space. The employees said no to the project. The manager said : It will be open space. But he showed some exemplariness : he has a totally transparent office with a opened door. The open space allows more to watch over : It’s the big success of the open space. It’s like the supervisor is in the middle of the star and the “prisoners”, able to be watched over at any time, interiorize this control. Meaning, we are always under the eyes and ears of everybody. And we are, as well, supervisor of the other ones. When your chief is not watching your screen, your colleagues do it for him. It is called the self watch over, It’s very economical and efficient. You have a conversation in an approximate English with a customer and your colleague thinks : “and he said on his CV, he’s fluent in English …”. But the full transparency can turn against its promoters. Because of the open space, people get used to bring a bit of their private life in the middle of their colleagues. It does not disturb very much anymore to see his neighbour, making a booking for holiday flight tickets at work. Maybe not that efficient, the open office. I wish you a good start in the week.

How to cook your gun

Read in the paper, this true story : a young policeman just made his semi-automatic Sig Pro gun melt, putting it in the oven to dry it ! After conscientiously having cleaned it, with soap water, then to have rinsed it, he put it in an electric oven, thermostat at 7. Called on the telephone, he let it there for about 20 minutes, before finding it back, melt, and completely out of use. The policeman explained that he was not the only one to act like this and he did It many times before, but for a shorter time (10 minutes), without noticing anything serious happened. Apparently, in any case, because invisible deformations of the gun’s carcass can appear, making Its use hazardous. This practice seemed to happen a lot with the previous gun of the police, the Mac 50. But there is a big difference between the two guns : the old one is in metal when the new one is in polymeric – a material that hardly can stand the heat of the oven !

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The strip security

The corporeal scanner arrives in France. After conquered the European airports, this security system of a new generation makes an entry in the hexagon. The city of Nice will start the adventure. What is it ? From the first sight, It’s a simple cabin inside the one, passengers who wish to take a flight, have to enter. This is about to replace the actual doors which ring when you have the bad idea of wearing a metal belt. With the corporeal scanner, no need to undress anymore, the machine does it for you. The scanner reveals the anatomy of the passengers thanks to a technic with waves. With this process that shows the passenger’s body, It’s almost impossible to hide something under the clothes. The advantage of this corporal scanner is in Its capacity to detect any type of metal or liquid, and not only iron. The procedure seems easy, the passenger enters in a cabin, arms up and then comes out. During time : 3 seconds. Forget the long queues and not so friendly corporal searching. But this machine brings a new type of problem. The passenger is completely naked. It shows the genitals, the breasts and can even show the implants. The one who will make the control of the images from Its cabin, will be able to watch everyone in Adam and Eve’s clothes. So, security or intimacy ? big dilemma. The first measures try to reassure the public. It’s only a test made with volunteers. Women will be checked by women and men by men. The genitals will be blurred. Images will be immediately deleted. Passengers will not have a long time the choice, anyway. If in France, we are only at the test phase, similar machines work already in London, Amsterdam, and in the United States. In the country of Puritanism, those machines were very badly accepted by the passengers. But this does not stop the government to extend those equipments. I don't exactly see where is the problem. When you go to the pool or at the beach, you are not so afraid to show the most erotic parts of yourself. And if you could even show more, you would. You do, anyway. Furthermore, do you really think that the guy on the other side of the screen will really pay attention to your penis ? Maybe sometimes he will be interested, and if It gives him nice idea to enjoy sex with his half at home, please have a closer look. I still think that if anything has to happen, It will. Simply by the fact, for example, that this kind of control is not made on the luggages ...

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My God ! My husband

It’s (almost) the classical story of conjugal betrayal : a woman surprises her husband cheating on her with a bimbo. She asks to divorce. Small detail : the bimbo is a virtual one. Can a couple can divorce after a fictitious adultery ? It’s apparently the case : A. and B. met themselves, thanks to an internet chat. They seemed to be happy in marriage. They share a passion for “Second Life”, a virtual universe. But destructive passion. Their marriage came to an end a few days ago when A. surprised her husband with another woman while surfing on “Second Life”. A. confirmed she saw her husband on a sofa in the arms of the unknown woman and they were doing together “things that need no comment”. Of course they were doing “it” by avatars. But A. felt herself betrayed. In « Second Life », to be able to make love, you need to buy your genitals. The avatars do not have all functionality at the start of the game and it exists an anatomical equipment to complete, available in different sizes and colours… Some buy penis that can ejaculate. Others take the urine option. Some others choose better to customize their testicles… In order to simulate a sexual intercourse, users control the moves of their character with the mouse. Of course, It looks like a video game : you see your avatar moving, its sex getting hard, its hands going on the other one’s body and bodies getting very close, but the moves stay very simple and all this, is happening on a screen, all at distance. It’s only a visual pleasure, very near of watching porn. The difference is that behind every avatar, there is always a real person. Avatars exchange often nice words together (appearing on top of their head). Sometimes they even speak together (like on the telephone) through microphone. Exchanges are real, even though intercourses are simulated. It happens that users masturbate during those meetings … It is nevertheless impossible to undress an avatar if its owner disagrees. Rapes are so not possible in this virtual game. But some cases of zoophile have been declared and some players condemned for their immorality. Regarding cases of adultery, they are so many that we don’t pay attention anymore : what’s more common than a sex affair in 3D ? the news is that it brings couples to divorce in real life. For the puritans, principal is a woman is unfaithful at the time she thinks at another man than her husband. And men are bastards when they look at a nice girl on the street. So poor those who masturbate wtaching porn ! And what about those who have wet dreams ? When they wake up, full of remorses, they go straight running to church, to confess a mistake they believe they are guilty of… “I betrayed my partner in dreams !”. And even though they would jump over, where would be the mistake ? I know some couples who have an exemplary faithful life : they collect sexual partners as if they were sexual toys. They choose together their lovers, who have to accept the name of the game and to play their role in the erotic scenario with, for example, the shared woman, or the rented one. Sometimes they play the contrary when the wife “gives” her husband. The more they have sex (with many others), the more they love each other (husband and wife). The more they trust each other, the more they become one. It seems to me that there is not a big difference between the virtual copulation and the fantasy of sex together with many others : when it comes to internet or a private sex party, we meet the people in a strict setting with precise rules. I give you pleasure and you give me pleasure in return. After that, I switch off the computer (or “thank you, goodbye, that was cool) and I’m joining now (in the real life) the one who is my beloved, my heart, my angel, my life.

Hot Fuzz

I like very much british comedy and Hot Fuzz is no exception. Mostly because It is never what you expect. Reading the plot, you think "well, another action movie, not really interesting". Wrong, action, yes I agree but with a sense of humor that is much appreciated. Nicholas Angel is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors send him to a place where his talents won't be quite so embarrassing -- the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman. The son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman, Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny's puppy-like enthusiasm only adds to Angel's growing frustration. However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny's dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.

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I know what you did last summer

53% of the French mess around during summer : not very nice … Summer seems to chase all inhibitions of the French. That’s what comes out of a survey, stating that more than half of the French took liberties with morality last summer. 23% of the questioned people in France confirmed they took drugs and 16% being unfaithfull, 4% stole accessories from hotels (come on, we’re not the only ones) and the same percentage didn’t declare everything at the frontier. 3% indicated they drove drunk, 2% didn’t pay some of their drinks and 1% having being rude with inhabitants of a country.

Ouarf. More than half of the tourists would like that pets were more accepted in touristics places. 49% of the tourists having a pet travel with it so It’s not alone at home, survey from tripadvisor.To take the dog or the cat on holidays, tourists rent a house (34%) or go the hotel (24%). 85% use their car and only 36% fly with their pet. The percentage of pet’s owner who abandoned their dog on the road is not mentioned in this study.

All is good : When they talk about where to go on holiday, 93% of the couples agree, says hotels.com. Only 7% confirm having difficulties. Then, when the choice is made, 47% prepare the trip together. 42% of the women declare to take care of the research and the reservation when only 5% give the whole thing to their man.

Shame. American and French tourists are the more iritating ones, again source from tripadvisor, questioning 9000 international travelers. With respectively 18% and 12%. German (10%), British (6%) and Chinese (6%) complete this top 5. What tourists despise the most, arrive on top : children who give foot in the seat. Uncomfortable seats come next and then the ones who talk too loud on the phone. The ones who block the alley in the plane, is also mentioned, when they try to put their luggage and the ones who keep for themselves the arm of the chair.

Crazy. 46% declared not having spent once a lazy morning in bed on holidays, says hotels.com. 36% can’t sleep longer than normal and 10% even put the alarm clock to avoid oversleep.

Good news (for us). Among the 5145 interrogated people for Opinionway in the world, France obtains 19% of the answers before the United States (17%), Australia (13%), Italy (12%) and Spain (9%). We find the best scores in China and Russia. For 41% of the Chinese, France is also the country of leisure and Art de Vivre are the best represented. 25% of the Russians think the same. In Germany, Japan and Mexico, France obtains satisfying points with 17% of the answers in each of the three countries. On the contrary, the less points are obtained in the United States and Great Britain, with only a small 7% in both cases.

It’s ugly being jealous.

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From Romania, with food and rythm

You know, people always say women should be thin
They should be on diet, But I don't care
I just enjoy eating!
I like my coffee with a lot of cream
I like to eat late at night
I like scrambled eggs after a sweet dream
I like potatoes deep fried
I like some sugar in my lemonade
I like hot chicken wings
I like thick cheesecake, but homemade
I like the long-lasting lunch break
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Some girls may think, "This chick's a little big,"Slim girls don't understand--I don't care
Some guys may say, "It's her curves that I dig"
They like the tight pants that I wear
I am Romanian
I love to eat
It's in my genes
I can't control
Look at my curvaceous curves Those models can't compete
I am a woman
No skinny doll
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
You know, people say women should only eat yogurt and strawberries
Ha ha ha ha!
They say a lot of things, but you know--I don't care what people Say about my weight
So if you want to take Me out for a date
Make sure there is enough
Good food on my plate
And maybe I'll let you get
A taste of my cake
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me
Give me the food, I said give me the food
Give me no fruit if you love me

Miss Platnum - give me the food

Luzia

I can't help myself going in new places. Again, the choice in the city is so wide that It never ends. Sometimes bad, sometimes good, It's still interesting to try new things. Last evening, I had an appointment with a friend. We don't see each other a lot, though we live, maybe let's say 20 minutes from each other, but you know, life keeps us busy. Nevertheless, everytime we meet, we want it special, just to enjoy the moment, the good wine, and smoking cigs without having to face the cold outside. So the criterias are : a place we never been to, where they have a choice of red wine, not too far for us to reach, where we can smoke. My friend suggests first to go to Chritsmas markets and drink Glühwein, but I'm not a big fan. And the weather is cold so, just the idea of staying outside drinking, makes me uncomfortable. Second option was Luzia in Kreuzberg. (just noticing It's snowing again !). It is in one of the most crowded street of the area, Oranienstrasse. I like very much this street for Its multi-culti aspects and I love the bar. I noticed It many times when I was passing by but never went into. It has the space and they make no compromise in their choices, meaning that It does not look like any other place where everyone has to fit the picture. You can like it, you can't. I personally do and my friend as well, all this spontaneously. Can't explain, we were just happy to be there. Beside the good atmosphere and energy, you can find your beloved spot. The café is done in a way that you can be in the passage, at the bar, a bit comfy on the other side, you can be higher than anyone (if you're courageous enough to climb the ladder), or watching the movements of the street on the platform. We were in the middle, sitting lazy in armchairs. We ordered the portuguese (light) wine and that was fine. I find the people who serve very friendly and smiling, and that makes a lot. I recognize some faces already seen, so I guess if they go at the same places I'm visiting, this is a good sign. Of course, there is the "I'm here and I'm cool and you recognize me and I recognize you" factor but who cares ? You just feel yourself very much OK in this bar. I read you can have something to eat until late afternoon and cocktails at night while hearing DJ's sets. Next time.

Chez Gino and Sofia

I had 2 weeks ago an argument with one of my colleague at work. This is not good, I know. But sometimes, for whichever reason, you just can't help it. It always starts stupidly, for a thing very little and simple, and suddenly, It's the clash. Then comes shame and because you have to handle the situation the best you can, you try to put back the pieces together. Normally I don't feel myself threatened personally, individually, when something like that happens at work. But this time was different and because I didn't see myself guilty, found that the reaction was far too important in proportion regarding the fact, so I needed my explanation. I don't like having it at the workplace and I believe, in order to have a good understanding, going outside is a good option. We settled an evening dinner together. It can be hell to stay so long in front of someone you have problems with and It can, on the contrary, be too short if you find a nice place to enjoy the meal together with the conversation. That's why the place you choose is important. Some easy and nice looking place, not too far from each other's home, where you know the food is good and not too expensive, and where the wine selection is worth the journey. Among the choice we have in Berlin, the selected one for this evening was "Chez Gino", in Kreuzberg, in Wranglerstrasse. You enter in the bar where you can have a drink to share with your friends, welcomed by the smiling staff. "Chez Gino" has nothing to do with an italian, despite of the name. It's just that the owner, when he took over the restaurant, never changed the name. So don't call the guy at the entrance "Hey Gino, how are you today ?" to make your entrance. You'll lose. If you did not book your table, there is a big chance you will have to look for another location. Second option : because the tables are mostly for 4 or 6 people, you can request the waitress to share a table with some other guests, of course with their approval. It happened to us : one guy alone asked if he could have dinner at our table. He opened his laptop and I hope he could not follow our conversation in french. It's not a big restaurant but It's the kind of place you're just happy to go to. It has this atmosphere of warm easy going moment. And once you open the menu, you enjoy even more. There is a mix of german and french cuisine which is surprising for a german table. Meaning you can order there some rabbit with polenta (my colleague took it), some blood sausage with mash potatoes (I took it). German cuisine has all the makings of perfect comfort food: potatoes, stews, spätzle with melted cheese, flammkuchen (a sort of pizza/flatbread) and so much more. But much German cooking is uninspired and unflavorful. "Chez Gino" works at undoing the wrongs of so many herb and spice wary cooks of yore and presents some of the finest southern German cooking around. Instead of a flammkuchen with the normal speck and onion combination, "Chez Gino" offers one with arugula and delicately cured meat. And while one can hardly go wrong with potatoes and mushrooms, the restaurant offers a more interesting twist with truffled sweet potatoes. The food is always solidly interesting, but never too playful and over-the-top. And the slightly kitschy forest themed wallpaper, as well as the occasional celebrity, reminds you that you’re in Berlin and not Baden. And when you get the possibility to entertain with the 3 cooks, you understand the whole thing : they are from different countries and work together, inventing delicious cooking (can't recall exactly where they're borned, but I'm pretty sure there is a French among them). Then he carries on if the owner decided to sing in the center of the room. Associated to this delicious meal, the conversation went well and the situation went positively in the right direction. So it was time for another glass of Bourgogne. We paid directly at the bar and left a good tip. And because we could not leave each other like that, we decided to have a drink "for the road" as we say. Thirsty a little bit and not in the mood of going far away, why not stepping just opposite the restaurant, in the bar Sofia ? good idea, as I remember, this bar was kind of sad, not particularly welcoming and without a wide range of drinks to suggest. But the owner changed and without making big work, the clientele comes from the neighbourhood (any kind of age, or social environment) and now It's full all evening. Parties are sometimes happening and everyone is smiling. The place is small so It's easy to start talking with the ones seating next to you or ask them to pass the next drinks because you just can't move from where you are. It's a not a nice bar, It's very smoky, toilets are worth the visit but you just enjoy being there and part of the crowd. So after a few more drinks and cigs, It was really time to go back home. Next (early) morning, we both felt dizzy, I must say. But the good point is : problem solved. Back to work again.

The Duchess

The Duchess is a costume drama film based on Amanda Foreman's best-selling biography of the scandalous, 18th-century English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. It was released in September 2008 in the UK. Originally to be directed by Susanne Bier. The Duchess was directed by Saul Dibb. Set at the end of the eighteenth century, The Duchess is based on the life of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. While her beauty and charisma made her name, her extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling and love made her infamous. Married young to the older, distant Duke of Devonshire, intimate of ministers and princes, Georgiana became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operator and darling of the common people. But at the core of the story is a desperate search for love. The film delves into Georgiana’s passionate and doomed affair with Earl Grey and the complex love triangle with her husband and her best friend, Lady Bess Foster. I have the movie in 2 parts with subtitles in whatever language but It's not disturbing. Enjoy The Duchess part 1 and The Duchess part 2.

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