Thursday, November 12, 2009
La môme : une chanteuse exceptionnelle
Edith Piaf - La foule
Hello my friends,
I would like to introduce you today to a very "particular" singer, a french singer who is probably the greatest or one of the greatest singer in France and all over the world !
Édith Piaf, born Édith Giovanna Gassion (19 December 1915 - 10 October 1963), was a French singer and cultural icon who "is almost universally regarded as France's greatest popular singer
Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads. Among her songs are "La vie en rose" (1946), "Hymne à l'amour" (1949), "Milord" (1959), "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960), "l'Accordéoniste" (1941), "Padam...Padam", and "La Foule".
Edith Piaf - La vie en rose
She was born Edith Giovanna Gassion in Belleville, Paris, a high-immigration district. Legend has it that she was born on the pavement of Rue de Belleville 72
She was named Édith after the World War I British nurse Edith Cavell, who was executed for helping French soldiers escape from German captivity.Piaf—a Francilien colloquialism for "sparrow"—was a nickname she would receive 20 years later.
Her mother, Annetta Giovanna Maillard, was of French-Italian descent on her father's side and of Moroccan Berber origin on her mother's. She was a native of Livorno, a port city on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy.
Edith Piaf - Les amants d'un jour
Louis-Alphonse Gassion, Édith's father, was a Norman street acrobat with a past in the theatre. Édith's parents soon abandoned her, and she lived for a short time with her maternal grandmother, Emma (Aïcha) Saïd ben Mohammed
Before he enlisted with the French Army in 1916 to fight in World War I, her father took her to his mother, who ran a brothel in Normandy. There, prostitutes helped look after Piaf.
In 1929, at 14, she joined her father in his acrobatic street performances all over France, where she first sang in public
She took a room at Grand Hôtel de Clermont and separated from him, going her own way as a street singer in Pigalle, Ménilmontant, and the Paris suburbs
She joined her friend Simone Berteaut ("Mômone") in this endeavor, and the two became lifelong partners in mischief. She was about 16 when she fell in love with Louis Dupont, a delivery boy.
At 17, she had her only child, a girl named Marcelle, who died of meningitis at age two.Like her mother, Piaf found it difficult to care for a child while living a life of the streets, so she often left Marcelle behind while she was away, and Dupont raised her until her death. So , her life was very hard and you can see now that it was not easy for her ! she represented the streets and nobody can know what does that mean ! if you didn't live in the streets, i do think that you can't imagine how it is, how rude it is , not only phusically but above all for mental !
Edith Piaf - L'étranger
In 1935 Piaf was discovered in the Pigalle area of Paris by nightclub owner Louis Leplée, whose club Le Gerny off the Champs-Élysées was frequented by the upper and lower classes alike. He persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness, which, combined with her height of only 1.42m, inspired him to give her the nickname that would stay with her for the rest of her life and serve as her stage name, La Môme Piaf
During this time she was in great demand and very successful in Paris
After the war, she became known internationally, touring Europe, the United States, and South America. In Paris, she gave Atahualpa Yupanqui (Héctor Roberto Chavero)—the most important Argentine musician of folklore—the opportunity to share the scene, making his debut in July 1950. She helped launch the career of Charles Aznavour in the early 1950s, taking him on tour with her in France and the United States and recording some of his songs. At first she met with little success with U.S. audiences, who regarded her as downcast. After a glowing review by a prominent New York critic, however, her popularity grew, to the point where she eventually appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show eight times and at Carnegie Hall twice.
Edith Piaf - Non je ne regrette rien
Oh this song is so special, so particular ! listen to it , listen to theses lyrics because what she said is a message of hope , hopeful so very important ! so listen , listen it in french and if you don't manage to understand it , you tell me !I will translate it !
Edith Piaf - Milord
Oh what a song , what a voice, what a woman !!
She was so great so strong, so beautiful ! As we say in french "du pur bonheur"
so enjoy , enjoy and enjoy it more !
Edith Piaf - Her biography
So my friends, here was just an image of a small part of Edith this greatest singer ! she was so great and her career was incredible ! her songs were so pure whereas when you had a look at her she was so weak ! oh thank you Edith thank you
You were, you are and you walways stay a very great and incredible singer !
Thank you so much to offer us your life, your talent ! thank you so much
your voice was very incredible ! we are proud of you
So my friends, i really encourage and invite you to pursue this discover of Edith Piaf , to listen to her songs
byeee
your french reporter
arc
THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHT
By Debbie Bulloch
OK, now for something light and fun.
These two Mercedes Benz commercials remind me of my Dad. Especially the last one, in its German version, reminds me of what my Dad would have done, and said, if I brought a "hippie" home...
MERCEDES BENZ – Past and Future
MERCEDES BENZ - Hippie
OK, now for something light and fun.
These two Mercedes Benz commercials remind me of my Dad. Especially the last one, in its German version, reminds me of what my Dad would have done, and said, if I brought a "hippie" home...
MERCEDES BENZ – Past and Future
MERCEDES BENZ - Hippie
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
GOOD NEWS – BROWN PELICAN OFF THE ENDANGERED LIST
By Debbie Bulloch
The U.S. Department of Interior announced today that the brown pelican will be taken off the Federal endangered list.
“At a time when so many species of wildlife are threatened, we once in a while have an opportunity to celebrate an amazing success story,” said U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in a news release. “Today is such a day. The brown pelican is back!”
The prehistoric looking bird, which have a large presence on Ventura’s Channel Islands, were decimated by the impacts of DDT, which made their eggshells so weak they would crack during incubation.
On Anacapa Island — where there are now an average of 4,500 breeding pairs — there were no successful nests during the hardest-hit years. The bird’s recovery is largely credited to the 1972 ban on DDT, though much of the pesticide still lingers in the environment today.
Wednesday’s announcement is nearly the final step in taking the birds off the list, a process which began last year. It will officially be off the list 30 days after the ruling is published in the Federal Register.
The U.S. Department of Interior announced today that the brown pelican will be taken off the Federal endangered list.
“At a time when so many species of wildlife are threatened, we once in a while have an opportunity to celebrate an amazing success story,” said U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in a news release. “Today is such a day. The brown pelican is back!”
The prehistoric looking bird, which have a large presence on Ventura’s Channel Islands, were decimated by the impacts of DDT, which made their eggshells so weak they would crack during incubation.
On Anacapa Island — where there are now an average of 4,500 breeding pairs — there were no successful nests during the hardest-hit years. The bird’s recovery is largely credited to the 1972 ban on DDT, though much of the pesticide still lingers in the environment today.
Wednesday’s announcement is nearly the final step in taking the birds off the list, a process which began last year. It will officially be off the list 30 days after the ruling is published in the Federal Register.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MUSIC - MOTOWN
By Debbie Bulloch
Here are three selections from one of my favorite Motown R & B groups - The Spinners. For the person who thought that Shinedown and Evanescence was too "emo" for me, you may be right.
Enjoy this little bit of Motown gold!
THE SPINNERS – It’s a Shame
THE SPINNERS – I’ll Be Around
THE SPINNERS – Games People Play
Here are three selections from one of my favorite Motown R & B groups - The Spinners. For the person who thought that Shinedown and Evanescence was too "emo" for me, you may be right.
Enjoy this little bit of Motown gold!
THE SPINNERS – It’s a Shame
THE SPINNERS – I’ll Be Around
THE SPINNERS – Games People Play
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
La grande guerre
Hello my friends,
this is a message from your french reporter, a silly one , not Tintin but maybe one of hi cousin because if you had a look at me, maybe you would think that Tintin is my brother.
Today is a great day as Debbie just wrote before 11th November 1918.
A great day for freedom and for the world that stops this terrible war.
Debbie like always did a very great job and what i want to show you now is what happened in the earth during this war , i want to show you face of men like you and me who were under the ground
We called this war "la guerre des tranchées" and for soldiers it was "l'enfer des tranchées"
enfer means evil.
This war was terrible for men , for humans ! Living during days, weeks, months, and years in these trenchers.
it was awful living in this, living in the earth, in the ground, always sad, and cold, and with blood, sometimes nothing to eat, and with people dying around and peeing everywhere ! oh my god how could have that been possible on our earth !
how is it possible because that continues in other and different ways now !
But my friends, have a look at these pictures and movies and you will discover what really happened in these opening tunnels and how it was an evil !
Some pictures can be hard.
Nos soldats ces héros
Our soldiers - These heroes
Verdun's Battle : a resume of Verdun's battle
LES TRANCHÉES (Capsules du film 'Entre les Lignes')
The trenchers (extract of the movie "entre les lignes"
The hell of verdun 1916
Premier Noël dans les tranchées
First Christmas in the trenchers
A message of hopeful ! the soldiers from each part, the ennemis joined and came together for christmas ! it is incredible but that is the truth and that really shows that a war could be crazy ! they talked together, took coffee tea together and offered each other some gifts ! this was a "trêve"
Souvenirs de la Première Guerre Mondiale
Reminds of WWI
Remember the WWI : please remember this world war I , please remember all these men and women who died during the war ! look at them they are like you and me, they were afraid , there were in the dark but fighting for their country ! they were so courageous so strong but so weak in the same time ! oh my god how is it possible ?
we must pray for them , pray for the soldiers, pray for their family and thank them for what they did !
It was so sad ! i am sad it was a terrible war but they did it !
Listen to the music and look and remember !
We won't never forget you
All rights reserved.
VETERANS DAY - ARMISTICE DAY - REMEMBRANCE DAY
By Debbie Bulloch
World War I, the "war to end all wars," was the most brutal and bloodiest war ever fought by man. Roughly 20 million people died as a result of the hostilities – making WWI the deadliest war on record. In addition to the killed, countless other soldiers and civilians were horribly injured during the war. The use of protracted trench warfare, mechanized armor (tanks), bombing raids using the recently invented airplane and gas (mustard) bombs combined to increase the death and injury toll.
The "War to End all Wars" exacted a horrible toll on the combatant nations. Of the 60 million European soldiers who were mobilized from 1914 – 1918, 8 million were killed, 7 million were permanently disabled, and 15 million were seriously injured. Germany lost 15.1% of its active male population, Austria–Hungary lost 17.1%, and France lost 10.5%. About 750,000 German civilians died from starvation caused by the British blockade during the war.
The war had profound economic consequences. Additionally, a major influenza epidemic spread around the world. Overall, the Spanish flu killed at least 50 million people. In 1914 alone, epidemic typhus killed 200,000 in Serbia.
By the end of the war entire nations had been devastated by the carnage - the world was ready for peace. Finally, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918 an armistice was signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Rethondes, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front. While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the cease fire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.
In 1919 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act approved by Congress on May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
Unfortunately, however, WWI was not the “war to end all wars." Real, lasting peace continued to ellude Europe and the rest of the world. Twenty years later, the same nations who fought in WWI went back to war. On September 1, 1939, following Germany’s invasion of Poland, the world was once again plunged into the dark abyss of war.
Tomorrow, Veterans Day (or Remembrance Day as it is called in parts of the British Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia and the U.K.) will be observed to commemorate all the men and women who have died fighting in wars. In Poland Armistice Day is known as National Day, and more recently as Polish Independence Day. in Poland (also a public holiday) called Polish Independence Day. Armistice Day is an official holiday in France. It is also an official holiday in Belgium, where it is known as the Day of Peace in the Flanders Fields.
In many parts of the world people take a two-minute moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. as a sign of respect for aqll the men and women who have died in armed conflicts. In the U.S. all Federal government offices are closed; likewise, most state and local government offices are closed. The day is generally observed with patriotic speeches and parades where veterans of our country’s most recent wars march.
War is a nasty, brutish and dirty business. Men and women are killed and maimed fighting for causes that, more often than not, they do not understand. Whether war is necessary, or even preventable, is a topic for another day’s post.
Tomorrow I ask each and every one of you who reads this to take a minute to honor the memory of the men and women who have paid with their lives so that we do not have to endure the tyranny of a mad man or the brutality of an ideological system. They died, sometimes-horrific deaths, so that at night you and I can sleep comfortably safe. If you know a war veteran, give him or her a hug and a handshake and thank him for yourself and for your children for their bravery in the face of mortal combat.
Later on, however, I will ask each of you to reflect upon what you have done to stop the reoccurrence of war in our lifetime and in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren. If you have done nothing, then now is the time to take action and eliminate war forever.
Thank you veterans - we will work so that your sacrifice will not have been made in vain.
Editor’s Note: Arc’s comments about the horrible conditions of trench warfare during WWI prompted me to add the following (taken from the Wikipedia):
Trench warfare is mainly associated with World War I, when it lasted on the Western Front from September 1914 until the last weeks of the war. By the end of October 1914, the whole front in Belgium and France had solidified into lines of trenches, as it became clear that infantry assaults were futile in the face of rifle, machine gun and artillery fire. Both sides concentrated on breaking up enemy attacks and on protecting their own troops by digging deep into the ground. Trench warfare was also conducted on other fronts, including Italy and Gallipoli.
Trench warfare has become a powerful symbol of the futility of war. Its image is of young men going “over the top” into a maelstrom of fire leading to certain death, typified by the first day of the Somme (on which the British suffered 57,000 casualties) or the grinding slaughter in the mud of Passchendaele. To the French, the equivalent is the appalling attrition of the “Wringer of Verdun” in which they suffered 380,000 casualties. Trench warfare is associated with needless slaughter in appalling conditions, combined with the view that brave men went to their deaths because of incompetent and narrow-minded commanders who failed to adapt to the new conditions of trench warfare. Class-ridden and backward-looking generals put their faith in the attack, believing that superior morale and dash would overcome the weapons and moral inferiority of the defender. The British and Empire troops on the Western Front are commonly referred to as “lions led by donkeys”.
World War I, the "war to end all wars," was the most brutal and bloodiest war ever fought by man. Roughly 20 million people died as a result of the hostilities – making WWI the deadliest war on record. In addition to the killed, countless other soldiers and civilians were horribly injured during the war. The use of protracted trench warfare, mechanized armor (tanks), bombing raids using the recently invented airplane and gas (mustard) bombs combined to increase the death and injury toll.
The "War to End all Wars" exacted a horrible toll on the combatant nations. Of the 60 million European soldiers who were mobilized from 1914 – 1918, 8 million were killed, 7 million were permanently disabled, and 15 million were seriously injured. Germany lost 15.1% of its active male population, Austria–Hungary lost 17.1%, and France lost 10.5%. About 750,000 German civilians died from starvation caused by the British blockade during the war.
The war had profound economic consequences. Additionally, a major influenza epidemic spread around the world. Overall, the Spanish flu killed at least 50 million people. In 1914 alone, epidemic typhus killed 200,000 in Serbia.
By the end of the war entire nations had been devastated by the carnage - the world was ready for peace. Finally, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918 an armistice was signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Rethondes, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front. While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the cease fire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.
In 1919 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act approved by Congress on May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
Unfortunately, however, WWI was not the “war to end all wars." Real, lasting peace continued to ellude Europe and the rest of the world. Twenty years later, the same nations who fought in WWI went back to war. On September 1, 1939, following Germany’s invasion of Poland, the world was once again plunged into the dark abyss of war.
Tomorrow, Veterans Day (or Remembrance Day as it is called in parts of the British Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia and the U.K.) will be observed to commemorate all the men and women who have died fighting in wars. In Poland Armistice Day is known as National Day, and more recently as Polish Independence Day. in Poland (also a public holiday) called Polish Independence Day. Armistice Day is an official holiday in France. It is also an official holiday in Belgium, where it is known as the Day of Peace in the Flanders Fields.
In many parts of the world people take a two-minute moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. as a sign of respect for aqll the men and women who have died in armed conflicts. In the U.S. all Federal government offices are closed; likewise, most state and local government offices are closed. The day is generally observed with patriotic speeches and parades where veterans of our country’s most recent wars march.
War is a nasty, brutish and dirty business. Men and women are killed and maimed fighting for causes that, more often than not, they do not understand. Whether war is necessary, or even preventable, is a topic for another day’s post.
Tomorrow I ask each and every one of you who reads this to take a minute to honor the memory of the men and women who have paid with their lives so that we do not have to endure the tyranny of a mad man or the brutality of an ideological system. They died, sometimes-horrific deaths, so that at night you and I can sleep comfortably safe. If you know a war veteran, give him or her a hug and a handshake and thank him for yourself and for your children for their bravery in the face of mortal combat.
Later on, however, I will ask each of you to reflect upon what you have done to stop the reoccurrence of war in our lifetime and in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren. If you have done nothing, then now is the time to take action and eliminate war forever.
Thank you veterans - we will work so that your sacrifice will not have been made in vain.
Editor’s Note: Arc’s comments about the horrible conditions of trench warfare during WWI prompted me to add the following (taken from the Wikipedia):
Trench warfare is mainly associated with World War I, when it lasted on the Western Front from September 1914 until the last weeks of the war. By the end of October 1914, the whole front in Belgium and France had solidified into lines of trenches, as it became clear that infantry assaults were futile in the face of rifle, machine gun and artillery fire. Both sides concentrated on breaking up enemy attacks and on protecting their own troops by digging deep into the ground. Trench warfare was also conducted on other fronts, including Italy and Gallipoli.
Trench warfare has become a powerful symbol of the futility of war. Its image is of young men going “over the top” into a maelstrom of fire leading to certain death, typified by the first day of the Somme (on which the British suffered 57,000 casualties) or the grinding slaughter in the mud of Passchendaele. To the French, the equivalent is the appalling attrition of the “Wringer of Verdun” in which they suffered 380,000 casualties. Trench warfare is associated with needless slaughter in appalling conditions, combined with the view that brave men went to their deaths because of incompetent and narrow-minded commanders who failed to adapt to the new conditions of trench warfare. Class-ridden and backward-looking generals put their faith in the attack, believing that superior morale and dash would overcome the weapons and moral inferiority of the defender. The British and Empire troops on the Western Front are commonly referred to as “lions led by donkeys”.
Monday, November 9, 2009
MONDAY NIGHT MUSIC - SHINEDOWN & EVANESCENCE
By Debbie Bulloch
The other day an old friend suggested that I listen to the band SHINEDOWN and especially to their hit “Second Chance.”
Well, I did listen to them, and my friend was right, I like SHINEDOWN’s music and I do like the song “Second Chance.” For my friend then, here is SHINEDOWN.
I’ve also included a clip from EVANESCENCE’s “Bring Me to Life.” The video is very well done - it really matches the mood of the song. My friend likes the group EVANESCENCE, so this is my “thank you” for introducing me to SHINEDOWN.
Enjoy this edition of Monday Night Music!
SHINEDOWN – Second Chance
SHINEDOWN – Breaking Inside
SHINEDOWN – If You Only Knew
EVANESCENCE – Bring Me to Life
The other day an old friend suggested that I listen to the band SHINEDOWN and especially to their hit “Second Chance.”
Well, I did listen to them, and my friend was right, I like SHINEDOWN’s music and I do like the song “Second Chance.” For my friend then, here is SHINEDOWN.
I’ve also included a clip from EVANESCENCE’s “Bring Me to Life.” The video is very well done - it really matches the mood of the song. My friend likes the group EVANESCENCE, so this is my “thank you” for introducing me to SHINEDOWN.
Enjoy this edition of Monday Night Music!
SHINEDOWN – Second Chance
SHINEDOWN – Breaking Inside
SHINEDOWN – If You Only Knew
EVANESCENCE – Bring Me to Life
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