When I'm 50

My first dream was to be a professional football player. I was 10. Then I wanted to be a designer for cars and also for chairs, tables, lamps, couches, and all this kind of 'home design'. I was 13. From then on I've never dreamt of anything else related to work and to a specific job.

Antoine de Maximy's travels around the world are broadcasted on France 5

My dreams now are more 'life experiences' oriented. At the age of 50 I only hope I'll have found the woman my soul and flesh need. I don't want any money, refrigerator, loan, rent, or any kind of business worries.
I wish I'll have played music on stage, coached a high-level handball team, painted on some canvas, read Ulysse, wrote a book, and most importantly traveled a lot all around our fantastic planet. Travel and love. Nothing else. Please. I insist.

Oh and I also wish Earth will still exist (you know climate change, profits, corruption, wars,...).

A flashforward about the Internet

How do you think the Internet will be in the next decades?
The question is asked but the answer seems uneasy to formulate.

The Internet is evolving right now as I'm writing this post. Our knowledges of this media are limited even if we keep ourselves watchful on its evolutions. Social networks, e-shopping, music, books, the Internet includes now everything we new in the 'real world'.

If we let our imagination fly we could imagine a chair on which we would sit down and have our body connected on the Internet. Our brain's activity would be controled so we would be able to navigate on the web just by thinking of it. What I try to imagine here is a fully-involved body. Not only our fingers tipping on the keyboard or our eyes to see the screen. But the depth of our body and its energy.

We never know!

The World in 2050

Temperatures are increasing day after day. Our carbon footprint is no footprint any longer but looks more like the vessel in Indepedance Day, darkening the planet. Water level is going up and some lands are already overwhelmed. Some people have already had to leave their houses and the land they eventually managed to own. Natality is also rising up and we'll (or they will) be up to 9 billion in 2050.

The survivors of the end of this cycle will have to crowd on small emerged plots. Their body will have evolved so they can live in extrem heat such as 61°C and with a fewer need of water per day. Electricity will no longer exist except in their brains. So no television, no mobile phone, no microwave, no light, nothing. What they'll have left to eat will be roots and generally speaking raw material.

People will fight to feed their children. Fight til they die. It will no longer be food riots but food wars as no government will be no longer viable in such a world.

I am very pessimistic when I have to think about our future. Not because I am myself not an optimistic guy but because all the industrial makers want profit and benefit. No sustainability of the human kind and its conditions of living. Nothing is being done to ensure our future. Nothing at all. Nestlé is draining all the lakes on earth, Suez makes the Bolivians pay to get water. Water is the next war. And not a lot will survive.

I encourage you to watch this brilliant documentary 'Water Makes Money' broadcasted on the channel 'Arte' last March.

CV Video Etienne Ster

Here is my video presentation!

 

Thanks for watching!

Some issues of the media coverage during the Vietnam War

On 1 November 1955 the U.S. Forces entered into war in Vietnam to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. Years and millions of deaths later the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 ended the conflict.

The role played by the media in this confrontation was quickly pointed out. In fact it was the first time a war had this media coverage. American citizen would have radio broadcasts and photos to see the supposed reality of the war their soldiers are engaged in. In the previous wars governments could say whatever they wanted to their people. Propaganda was then a national sport. But from then on media coverage brought an other voice to tell the story, an other eye to see it happening.

This is very interesting to notice that the images and oral broadcasts in the Vietnam were in contradiction with the reality of the situation. That is to say that eventhough U.S. Forces were taking over the Vietnamese Army the media coverage was showing the opposite. Instead of helping in building a victory the images led to debacle. This is the time protests became even stronger and artists such as Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix or Bob Dylan publicly took part in these protests.

Vietnam War is a perfect example in order to show what can be the influence and the effects of the media coverage. Making something public always have consequences as the transmitter is never objective. That is to say the message does not exist on its own but is always surrounded by the opinion of its transmitter. The american media coverage didn't show the opposite of the situation on purpose but despite them. This is a lesson that is to be taken. Showing and describing always bring a new sens.

Here is a video you might appreciate.

10 ways to survive on the Internet and make it our own way

1) Ready

Before going on the Internet, be sure you've got your Mountain shoes on. Cause where you're going you need tools, maps, and attention. It's and brand new world that is being offered to your lonely soul. Well, now you're ready let's step to the next commandment.

2) Steady

Take it slowly. Never run too fast or you'll fall down in the blink of an eye. There's no real motorway on the Internet but mostly small and steep ways. As soon as you doubt, take the time to think and avoid a wrong choice. Virus, spam, pornography, many programm can enter your system and destroy it. 

3) Go!

When you know where you're going by clicking on this link or that one then GO for it!

Christophe Lemaitre, a very successfull french runner

4) Thou shalt remain lucid

The Internet is like a crime scene. You have to watch your steps not to destroy evidence. It is the issue of faith and reliability of the person you'd talk to or websites you'd visit.

5) Thou shalt not trust anybody

Everybody is anonymous on the Internet. I could be a 16 years-old girl or a grandpa. I can be anyone I want. So if you do not know who you are talking to, remain lucid (previous commandment) and do not trust anybody.

'Mamika' from Sacha Goldberger

6) Thou shalt be you

But the Internet is not only hell on earth. You can make it your own way. And if you do you'll see how clever your use of the Internet can be. You have a personality so show it!

7) Thou shalt clic and clic and clic

When you're confident, feel free to go from websites to websites, use links as bridges to travel all aroung the Web. This is the best way to discover new people, new films, new albums or find new places to go to in holidays.

Valérie Damidot runs a DIY programm on the french TV

8) Thou shalt customize

DIY! Chose the background of your Gmail account, change the police of the titles in your blog, set up a different homepage when you go on Firefox, and so on.

9) Thou shalt e-shop

Take advantage of what the Internet gives you. Avoid the crowd in shops for the Christmas shopping and rather shop online!

10) Thou shalt turn off your computer

Go back to your mind. This is the only irremediable wealth you'll ever have. Good night.

'Poulet Aux Prunes' ('Chicken with plums') : a breathtaking experience

This morning my alarm clock rang insanely early.
9:45 definitely is insanely early. But sometime you have to fight against the withered mummy your body turned into during the night and be brave enough to get up. Eyes open, shower taken, it's now time for the hit.
A long queue is meandering in the hall of the UGC Rouen (yes, there are cinemas outside Paris. And even in Normandy) as I come in. Loads of people are not working today as tomorrow is a day off. But fortunately the 20th century is the Machines' Century so I don't have to queue with that lazy crowd. In the blink of an eye I've got my ticket in my pocket and begin to move toward my destiny : 'Poulets Aux Prunes'.

The film was released on October 26 and was directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, starring Mathieu Amalric, Edouard Baer and Maria de Medeiros. The story is quite simple to tell : a very famous Iranian violonist, Nasser Ali Khan (played by Mathieu Amalric) sees his violin being broken. He then tries to reach the satisfaction with new violins. But soon he'll have to face the situation : he can't play on any other instruments. This is the time he decides he'll let himself die.

The film is not the long waiting of his death as we see him dying very early. It is rather the story of hopes, love, passion, sadness and laughter. So Nasser Ali being dead we can focus on every single particles composing life. The man sometime shows an evident selfishness or even brutality with his wife (Maria de Medeiros) but this feeling always is contrasted with our understanding for his passion for music and his sensitivity to love.

The images are absolutely brillant and mix comedy with reality with cleverness and skill. If you add it to the terrific performance of all the actors you end up with a magical universe where philosophy, love, beauty and regrets live altogether in a natural peace.
Let's not forget Edouard Baer playing Azrael, the Angel of Death visiting Nasser Ali a few days before he takes him. He also is the voice over telling the story.

'Poulet Aux Prunes' is a simple story in a simple world but affecting complicated souls in their quest for the ultimate achievement. It is also the story of a man dying of love. What could be stronger and deeper in our world of surface?