Dec 11, 2008

Exoplanet may harbour stormy skies : Nature News

OK, so let's summarize this :

We were first told Earth was flat and in any case unique, and that the Sun was unique and revolving around our flat Earth, then we were told that it was the opposite, then we were told that OK, there were millions of other stars but without planets, then we were told that OK, there are millions of planets but only giant ones, then we were told that OK, there are other near earth-size planets but with no trace of methane/carbon dioxide/water and then methane, then carbon dioxide then water are now said to be abundant on exoplanets.

What will they now tell us to deny the probability of zillions of forms of extra-terrestrial life ?

The truth is this : We just come progressively out of darkness. We were just blind, especially since we chose to be guided by blind and dumb quacks. Now that our telescopes become more accurate, we may as well kick their asses...

Nov 13, 2008

Exoplanets finally come into view

Direct Spotting at last ! Hurray ! A 3 planets system ! Wow !
Who said the solar system was unique ? The sun was unique ? The old world was unique ? Earth was flat ? ...and who now says there can't be life elsewhere again ??? The same narrow-minded fucktards forever, huh ?

Thousands of new planets will now be spotted yearly, thanks to specialised space telescopes like European Space Agency's wonderful COROT.

My bet is that these fucktards will soon run out of babble to justify their holy books...

Nov 6, 2008

One more nail in the coffin of US war against drug production

When will they understand that war against drug production is totally inefficient and fosters corruption, fascism and crime and is a mere CIA tool for dirty-tricks aimed at keeping central America in control of US money interests ?
The solution is well-known : free production, that will slash market prices and exhaust the traffic's fuel : Money ! The market law should usefully be applied here, for once !
Time to re-read Raymond Kendall, Interpol's former Secretary General, who was already announcing the failure of the war on drugs in 2004 !

Nov 5, 2008

A most gracious defeat

John McCain acknowledged defeat in the most gracious manner. Not surprising from such a most remarkable man and honourable military officer.
I hail both Obama's victory and McGain grace. A formidable 2008 US presidential election indeed, that will wash the disgraceful stains of the 2004 edition !
The USA, at times, can be be the worst or the best democracy altogether...

Nov 2, 2008

Loving European integration when the going gets tough

So, like these selfish Irish who sought EU integration when they were dirt-poor but reject it when they're filthy rich (thanks to the integration !), now the Danes, who repeatedly snubbed the EURO want to join it as all Scandinavian currencies are crashing ?
What about "Scandinavian superiority" over what they used to call "Esperanto-money" or "Monkey-money" ?!?
Want to know what the monkeys think of you ? Fuck off ! Keep your monkey-crowns and choke on it !

Oct 28, 2008

The McGill Daily - Milky Way may be full of meat - Scitech

Such a simple way to detect photosynthesis on distant exoplanets ! And photosynthesis means...err...LIFE !!!

Oct 20, 2008

Ca y est, je me mets à l'Esperanto


After having travelled all over Europe and North America and living abroad for 6 years, after having been confronted with the dirt-linguistic ignorance of most people and realised how many of our issues actually are linguistic problems, I fully comprehended the potential of Esperanto as the only solution to human concord. I'm starting today. Yet, it's easy.

Après avoir voyagé à travers toute l'Europe et l'Amérique du Nord et vécu 6 ans à l'étranger, après avoir été confronté à l'ignorance linguistique crasse de la plupart de mes contemporains et réalisé combien de nos problèmes sont en réalité des problèmes linguistiques, j'ai réalisé pleinement le potentiel de l'Esperanto comme la seule solution à l'entente entre les hommes. Je commence aujourd'hui. C'est pourtant facile...

Oct 17, 2008

How Long Until We Find a Second Earth ?

At last a comprehensive story describing the international state of the art.
Un hommage mérité à Annie Baglin, la Maman de COROT !

Oct 1, 2008

Colonial clue to the rise of HIV : Eating monkeys was doubly wrong !

It now seems confirmed that humans contracted HIV through eating monkeys. A kind of punishment by mother Nature for eating our own cousins ! A well-deserved punishment in my view, in this perspective !
What will be our next punishment for exterminating Tigers, Whales or Pandas, not talking about the thousand of species we are currently exterminating ? I hope it will be excruciating !

Sep 30, 2008

A Gas Giant At Epsilon Eridani May Harbor Life On Its Moons

Epsilon Eridani is a star only 10 light years away. It is known to have at least one and possibly several planets, one of which is thought to be similar to Jupiter. And now an astronomer suggests that its moons may be in an excellent position to have extraterrestrial life on them!

(Artist’s conception of the Epsilon Eridani system courtesy of CosmicRAY.)

Ray Villard, a blogger at Discovery Channel’s CosmicRAY blog and head of the Hubble Space Telescope’s Public Information Office, has pointed out an exciting fact. One of the explanets around Epsilon Eridani has an orbit which is quite conducive to the formation and survival of life as we know it. The reason has to do with the orbit of the planet and the nature of the star itself. Here’s the skinny (orbital schematic courtesy of Extrasolar Visions):


Epsilon Eridani is a K2 class star; our sun Sol is a G2 class star. These two classes are very similar; thus a planet orbiting within 1 astronomical unit (AU) of Epsilon Eridani could expect to have conditions similar to those of Earth. It turns out Epsilon Eridani B, the only confirmed explanet in the system, does just that. But unfortunately, there is a catch. Epsilon Eridani B has an eccentric orbit, periodicity of 0.7, the most eccentric orbit of any known exoplanet in fact. What does this mean? It means that the planet swings from a distance of about 1 AU to a distance of over 5 AU every 8 years or so. (5 AU is the distance of Jupiter from our sun.) So while a moon of the world might be nice and comfy for part of its year, it would get very cold and dark for a longer part. This is not a good thing for earth-type life!

But…

If the moon had an atmosphere like Venus‘, then much heat would be trapped and not lost during the colder part of the orbit. And computer models show that it is entirely possible for the mass surrounding a Jovian-class exoplanet to coalesce into a single, Mars-sized world that could hold a significant atmosphere. Also, life can exist at much more extreme conditions than previously thought. So the bottom line is that this planet, if it does indeed have a moon of the right type, could definitely be a target for exobiologists once the technology is available to study it.

NASA is Developing a project of Nuclear Fission Reactor for the Moon !


Energy production on the Moon ? And even Mars ? Daring !

Sep 24, 2008

Finland deaths spark gun law call

What's the fucking problem with these nutty gun freaks ? And they brag that Finland has the best education system in the world ! Educating your children to kill each other ?!?
I think the problem with the guns in Finland is the guns....and Finland !
Everybody will notice that this kind of incidents always take place in rich Northern countries : Finland, USA, Germany, Scotland...Why doesn't it happen in Italy, Brazil (where guns are rampant, though) or Greece???
Curiously, the media don't wonder why...I do !
And here is my politically incorrect (as you would expect ^^) interpretation : Protestant culture of individual wealth and personal achievement results in growing isolation and utmost frustration at failure to comply with the projected model. It is the obvious sign of disintegration of the very fabric of such a society. Expect more in years to come...

Sep 22, 2008

Men with sexist views 'earn more'

It pays more to be sexist ?! Well, then I'd better reconsider my views...

Sep 15, 2008

Church of England’s Apology to Darwin

If true, this piece of news is indeed tremendous ! I rejoice in the memory of this wonderful mind who made such a contribution to our understanding of life and our being less stupid. Alas, after all these years, he is still much misunderstood as a massive wave of obscurantism from all sides is rushing on us like never before.

Sep 12, 2008

The problem with Belgium : Bruno Waterfield in Brussels

Un fin observateur anglais, avec lequel je partage une bonne partie de mon analyse du problème belge...mais pas l'optimisme.
La force centrifuge de la séparation politique fondée sur la langue est bien trop forte. Le séparatisme est inscrit dans la constitution belge et pas seulement dans l'esprit pervers de quelques jusqu'au boutistes flamingants qui en tirent parti !
Bye bye Belgium...

systemic - New Horizons : The interstellar challenge

"We’re fortunate that we’ve arrived on the scene as a technological society right at the moment when a stellar system as interesting as Alpha Cen is in the very near vicinity. During the last interglacial period, Alpha Cen did not rank among the brightest stars in the sky. A hundred thousand years from now, the Alpha Cen stars will no longer be among our very nearest stellar neighbors, and in a million years, they will have long since faded from naked-eye visibility. At the moment, though, Alpha Centauri is drawing nearer at 25 km/sec, a clip similar to the Earth’s orbital velocity around the Sun. It’s as if we’re on the free trial period of an interstellar mission…"
Greg Laughlin on Alpha Centauri

Aug 26, 2008

Afghan opium production drops: UN

Why hasn't anybody proposed to engineer a poppy virus or spread a poppy-eating bug ? It is not even mentioned as a possibility in this high-profile report ? Dumbness ? Lack of imagination ?...or complicity ?
So we can eradicate H5N1, the phylloxera or any cereal plague but nothing should be possible when it comes to poppies ? Poppies have no parasite ? Are you kidding ?
If the stakes are so huge, surely the cost of developing such a solution represents a fraction of the cost that opium trade entails, no ?

OK, you know what ? I don't know shit about biology, but I bet that if they give me 1/100th of the drug eradication budgets in the world, I come up with a solution in no time !

Aug 21, 2008

Planets without metal cores may be bad for life - or not....

That's what I love about Science : each new discovery raises new questions and challenges to theories...

Aug 20, 2008

Kosovo illegal UN handover to EU and its consequences in Georgia

Yes, Georgia's President Saakashvili has been stupidly manipulated by both the USA and Russia. Of course, Russia won because, as experienced chess-players, they are better strategists than the stupidly manichean USians who haven't got a clue what the game is about, no more than they had in Iraq or Vietnam !
Yes Georgians have responsibility in starting ethnic cleansing against the Abkhaz, first under Stalin (who was a Georgian and victimized the Abkhaz), but also more recently, when Georgian troops seized and looted Sukhumi in 1992. Now the Abkhaz take a bitter revenge. Who will blame them ? Playing with fire...
But the main responsibility in this war falls on the EU : Georgia pays for the independance of Kosovo, which is both illegal and unfair to the Serbs, Kosovo being the historic heart of Serbia, from which they have been formerly ethnically cleansed by the Ottomans.
So now Russia exerts a legitimate revenge : EU endorsed historical ethnic cleansing in Kosovo ? Then the Russians find legitimate to ethnically cleanse Caucasus from Georgians, who were themselves ethnic cleansers...Now 200 000 people lost their home and land, never to return, as their villages have been systematically burnt down by Moscow's mercenaries. Who will take responsibility in the EU ? Where will the next domino fall in the continuing aftermath of the irresponsible fall of Yugoslavia, then endorsed by Germany and France ? And all the diplomatic theatrical over-activity deployed by Sarkozy and Merkel won't change that reality : both countries are historically responsible for this disaster !
Mr Sarkozy can't read, no more than GW Bush can. Can Angela Merkel ? Because I suggest they read a history book before confronting Russia...and playing with fire with these cunning Georgians.

I also suggest they learn to read twice the russian messages as I do. Here is the latest message by Russia's ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Konuzin :

"The latest bloody events [in Georgia], unfortunately, only proved us right," he added, when asked if Kosovo had enflamed Georgian separatists' calls for independence. "It is not ruled out that the Kosovo precedent will echo in other regions of the world as well."

It can't be clearer, can it ?

Aug 15, 2008

Swedish superiority

Words from a high level Swedish civil servant of the European Commission, having lived in Brussels for the last 11 years :
"Belgium, in terms of development, is 50 years behind Sweden"
Me : "Do you seriously think that ? 50 years is a lot. As a high-level European civil servant, you should better consider other EU members, it's important to integrate, no ?"
She : "We can't integrate with such backward people !"

I checked the Human Development Index (defined by United Nations) for Sweden : It is 0.956, which puts Sweden in 6th position of the world nations behind Ireland. Belgium gets 0.946, which places it in 16th position, ahead of Luxembourg, New-Zealand, Italy, Hong-Kong and...Germany !
If 1/100th of a point mean 50 years backward, then Germany is around 150 years backward behind Sweden, which is well known...
I'm not sure the United Nations Index accounts for stupidity, though...
Hail EU integration ! With such xenophobic civil-servants, we're guaranteed to progress !

I have never heard so many national stereotypes and European internecine xenophobic declarations than since I reside in Brussels. And often from the very mouth of those who are lavishly paid to moderate them. My arms just fall. As a European expatriate used to work and live among other europeans, I am deeply shocked and I demand sanctions against EU civil servants who preach anti-European rhetoric !
With the imminent secession of Belgium on top, Brussels, with its bars and pubs filled with anti-EU propaganda from British far-right UKIP, is becoming shameful to the European integration. At a time when, after Yugoslavia, a new war is raging in Europe, Brussels and Belgium, but also many other EU members, dominated by xenophobia and anti-european feelings, are proving to the world, that no concord is possible between peoples. The very negation of the principles on which EU was based by its founding fathers : Franco-German reconciliation and the renunciation to war and hatred. I'm disgusted !

As for Sweden, I'm not surprised anymore at the progress of its own racist far-right that victimizes the Sami from Lapland.
I had already noticed in the past, through talking with Swedes, though they are great lecturers to others on human rights and tolerance, that the Sami question is absolutely off-limit to them. The very subject is taboo to Swedes. The very mentioning or enquiring about the question instantly triggers their wrath.
In the past, Swedes enjoyed looking down on Finns who they considered inferior. People have the Jews that they can...

And I'm constantly being told here that the French are chauvinists...
France, which is in 10th position on the human development index, so only 40 years backward behind those far superior Swedish gods, according to this well-advised civil servant.
France that remains, paradoxically, one of the most pro-european integration EU member and one of its most active builders.
Vive la France !

Aug 13, 2008

European parliament ceiling collapses

it's actually a metaphor of current EU affairs : paralysis leads to decay. Paralysis in integration of EU defense leads to invasion of Georgia by Russia. Paralysis in adoption of Lisbon treaty leads to mayhem of EU diplomacy, reducing the EU to messenger.
It's high time the house be cleaned.

Aug 12, 2008

Silly european tribalism

This is getting really ridiculous ! So 27 000 inhabitants from Aland are going to seek veto and representation in the EU ? What about Paris with 10 Million ? What about Brittany with 3.5 million ? What about my hometown and Brittany's capital city of 250 000 ? What about all its individual surrounding villages, larger than Aland ?
How ridicule are we europeans going to be when a WAR is currently raging in Georgia on which EU is unable to weigh any influence for lack of unity ?
And I can't buy property or own a business on their tiny islands ?!? And you tell me they're part of EU nevertheless ? What is that contradiction with the very principles of the EU ?
Just fucking kick the rednecks and all these hillbillies out !
As for Finland, they should as well kick them out of Finland as well and get a rest.

Aug 10, 2008

Asserting EU

Latest news suggest that the EU promoters will try to circumvent rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Ireland through Croatia accession treaty.
Although I'm a staunch supporter of the Lisbon treaty, I think it is a very bad strategy :
1) The rejection of the treaty is, in large part, a rejection of EU enlargement, especially since the ungrateful Irish, forgetful of the filthy poverty they were extracted from (I remember it !), don't want to share the fruits that EU lavished on them. So it is a very bad idea to sneak it in through an additional enlargement, especially, in my view, since Croatia, which fascist regime was one of the trigger of the war in Yugoslavia, has demonstrated that it cannot live peacefully with its neighbours and cannot subsequently join a club based on concord.
2) EU should not be "sneaked in". EU values require assertion. I am a proud federalist. I am not ashamed of lusting for more Europe, more integration.
The only solution to the rejection of EU progress is exclusion. Members who don't want to integrate with us should join another club. Not just a slower subset of the EU, but no EU at all ! So much with back-stabbing and snails. We want PROGRESS ! At the time when yet another war is raging in Europe, it is URGENT to sort out the countries that want a strong integrated Europe, including a strong defense and shared prosperity from those who want to remain neutral pigs. Let's kick them out now ! Please go see if it's better out there, I suggest the cosy post-soviet Independent States Community. And don't hesitate to report back !

La supériorité suédoise

Propos qui m'a été tenu par une haut fonctionnaire suédoise de la commission européenne, vivant à Bruxelles depuis 11 ans :
"La Belgique a 50 ans de retard de développement sur la Suède"
Moi : "Vous pensez sérieusement cela ? 50 ans c'est beaucoup. Pourtant, en tant que haut fonctionnaire européenne, vous devriez mieux connaître et apprécier les autres membres, c'est important pour s'intégrer, non ?"
Elle : "On ne peut pas s'intégrer avec des gens aussi arriérés"

Après vérification, le dernier indice de développement humain (IDH, défini par les Nations Unies) de la Suède est de 0.956, ce qui la place en 6ième position des nations du monde derrière l'Irlande, celui de la Belgique est de 0.946, ce qui la place en 16ième position (en recul relatif) mais devant le Luxembourg, la Nouvelle-Zélande, l'Italie, Hong-Kong et...l'Allemagne ! Si 1 centième font 50 ans de retard, alors l'Allemagne aurait plus de 150 ans de retard sur la Suède, ce qui est bien connu...
Je ne suis pas sûr que l'indice des Nations Unies prenne en compte le niveau de connerie, cependant...
Vive l'intégration européenne. Avec des fonctionnaires aussi xénophobes, c'est sûr, on va y arriver !

Je n'ai jamais autant entendu de stéréotypes nationaux et de propos xénophobes intra-européens que depuis que je réside à Bruxelles. Même dans la bouche de ceux qui sont précisément grassement payés pour les modérer. Les bras m'en tombent, tout simplement ! En tant qu'européen convaincu, je suis profondément choqué et je réclame des sanctions contres les fonctionnaires de l'Union anti-européens ou xénophobes !
Avec la sécession de la Belgique par dessus le marché, Bruxelles, avec ses bars et pubs qui distribuent la propagande anti-européenne de l'extrême droite britannique UKIP, sous couvert d'information aux couleurs de l'Europe, est en passe de devenir une honte pour l'intégration européenne. A l'heure d'une dramatique nouvelle guerre européenne en Géorgie, et après le drame Yougoslave, Bruxelles et la Belgique, mais aussi de nombreuses autres nations européennes, sont en train de démontrer à la face du monde, qu'il n'y a pas d'entente possible entre les peuples. Je suis dégoûté !

Quant à la Suède, je ne m'étonne plus des progrès de son extrême droite qui s'en prend aux Sami de Laponie.
J'ai d'ailleurs remarqué par le passé, en conversant avec des Suédois, pourtant grands donneurs de leçons de droits de l'homme, que la question Sami est complètement tabou. Le seul fait de mentionner les droits des Sami provoque instantanément leur colère. Autrefois, les Suédois aimaient bien s'en prendre aussi aux Finnois, qu'ils considèrent inférieurs. On a les Juifs qu'on peut.
Et on me dit constamment ici que les français sont chauvins...La France qui, soit dit en passant est 10ième en IDH, en hausse de 6 places et donc avec seulement 40 ans de retard sur ces surhommes de Suédois, selon cette fonctionnaire avisée. La France qui reste paradoxalement un des pays les plus pro-européens et l'un de ses bâtisseurs les plus actifs !
Vive la France !

Aug 8, 2008

New computer simulations show how special the solar system is

Bad news for SETI, but I am suspicious of "unicity" claims, usually backed by religious zealots who want reality to stick to their book at any price: They told us the Old World was unique, that Earth was at the center of the universe, that the Solar system was the sole planetary system, that Earth was the unique rocky planet...and every fact was disproved. So what now ? Contrary to the scientific method, they design the methods to back their theory, instead of observing nature without prejudice. They WANT us to be unique !
Predictably, this study is backed by no statistical or probability analysis.
Reality is stubborn, however, and whatever they say, the universe comprises hundreds of billions of galaxies that contain hundreds of billions of stars. Searching a needle in that haystack, serious astronomers already evidenced 300 planets using SCIENTIFIC methods of observation, including more and more earth-like (a 1/3 of them, as it is now estimated), although they've been searching very recently and with very poor subsidies so far because the money is diverted to silly and totally useless manned missions to inhabitable solar planets that can be studied as well from afar. This diversion is entirely driven by chauvinism. Astronomy is a SCIENCE, not an extreme-sport !
I'm confident that given the mind-blowing magnitude of the universe and the length of its history, whatever the probabilities, millions of planets will be evidenced if only we dedicate the necessary energy, and I'll slap the next wackoos who will tell us we're unique again with a fish...

Jul 28, 2008

New Technologies Accelerate Search for Earth-Like Planets to Tipping Point

at last, THEY start noticing !
Who will dare conclude that religions are doomed ? I do !
Not only are they late on the event, the media have now no vision anymore...
What can you expect from idiots who missed the cultural revolution in China ?

Jul 24, 2008

India's Dalit icon aims for top job !

if she is not assassinated by upper caste racists before reaching to the position...That's tremendous news ! Hurray !

Jul 23, 2008

Organized pedophilia by Mormons

I hope the bastard will get life in a hard Texas prison along with all his inbred hillbilly accomplices...

Jul 21, 2008

Eldorado


If you're desperate for authenticity, fun and emotion, instead of going to see "bienvenue chez les Chti's", go watch "Eldorado". I loved it! Belgium truer than reality, and the deep soul of men. Both desperate and heartening. Also learn why I detest the countryside.

Jul 19, 2008

Jul 16, 2008

The EU holding the regulations World lead

Who am I to complain ? I'm not Irish nor Pole
That's how I love my EU !
Hello deaf ears ? The EU is good for you, dumb asses !

Jul 12, 2008

The first habitable exo-Earth might be detected from Earth itself

How ironic would it be if an amateur astronomer was the one to find it first ?

8 stars out of 10 to host Earth-size planets

100 billion stars in the Milky way x 80% x 200 billion galaxies...
Where isn't there potential for life wherever one looks ?

Jul 11, 2008

EU to fund maffia clans

Offering half a billion € to Kosovo ? Would you give away 500€ to the maffia ? Well, that is precisely what it equates to...
I rather bet my 500€ that the money will end up in a few clan's leaders deep pockets.

Jul 1, 2008

What is the point of astronomy? - part III | Astronomy Blog


And as Lessing used to say : "What is the usefulness of usefulness ?"
We don't need to justify ourselves, do we ?

Manneken Pis

I say Poland out of the EU !

Enough with these backward nationalist Polish muppets ! Kaczynski and his electors have long ago declared war on the EU, encouraged by British conservatives.
You want to torpedo the EU ? We'll build it OVER you while you enjoy your potatoes !
Go make a union with your former Russian masters ! And feel free to report back whether your interests are best preserved in Moscow or Brussels !

Jun 27, 2008

La sagesse des troupeaux

M'est avis que la Saint-Barthélemy, le National-socialisme et la lapidation de Martin Luther King par les racistes des quartiers blancs sont représentatives de la "sagesse des foules".
63% des américains pensent que le monde a été créé en 6 jours il y a 4000 ans, conformément à la Génèse et que les fossiles datant de millions d'années ne sont que des illusions conçues par leur "Dieu" pour un motif inconnu...
Comme disait Coluche, plus de 2 on est déjà une bande de cons, alors en troupeau, je vous en parle même pas...
Les foules d'internautes seraient moins connes ? ça m'étonnerait !

Jun 24, 2008

Why HARPS revolutionary new exoplanets evidence didn't make it through the media ?

Extrasolar planet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "On June 16, Michel Mayor announced a confirmed planetary system with three super-Earths orbiting this K-type star. Their masses are between 4 to 9 Earth masses and with periods between 4 to 20 days. It is speculated that this may be the first multi-planetary system without any known gas giants. All three terrestrial planets were discovered by the HARPS spectrograph in La Silla, Chile.[51] These three worlds were amongst the first seven confirmed of a panel of 45 candidate planets detected by the HARPS spectrograph on May 28, 2008. The discoveries represented a significant increase in the numbers of known super-earths. Based on this, astronomers now suggest that such low-mass planets may outnumber the Jupiter-like planets by 3 to 1.[52] While more data are needed to confirm the remaining candidates, some news media picked up the story."


Summary : Planets are galore, a third of them are super-Earths, how on Earth did such a tremendous piece of news escape the attention of the media ?

My tentative explanation :

1) Unlike their US NASA counterparts who introduce ET every time they spot a tiny comet, Europeans are just hopeless at communication
2) Media people just don't grasp it. After all, they missed the cultural revolution in China and the discovery of America! What else should we expect ?
3) The public is not interested. I know what you think: what should I expect ?

Jun 17, 2008

Super-Earths galore : One third of all suns hold super-earths !!!

"Clearly these planets are only the tip of the iceberg," says Mayor. "The analysis of all the stars studied with HARPS shows that about one third of all solar-like stars have either super-Earth or Neptune-like planets with orbital periods shorter than 50 days."

A planet in a tight, short-period orbit is indeed easier to find than one in a wide, long-period orbit.

"It is most probable that there are many other planets present: not only super-Earth and Neptune-like planets with longer periods, but also Earth-like planets that we cannot detect yet. Add to it the Jupiter-like planets already known, and you may well arrive at the conclusion that planets are ubiquitous," concludes Udry.

Thank you guys ! I love Europe !

Jun 16, 2008

5 new super-earths in 3 systems discovered !

it is now confirmed that it was not a hoax, eventually.
This is the most tremendous discovery since Gliese 581c and I am proud to be about one of the first exoplanet-news-watcher to announce it and to have detected the news leak before ! Even BBC doesn't know it yet ;-)

Vive les patates !


It's UN potato year

Jun 13, 2008

Oh Kosovo is a mess ? What a surprise !

It is now confirmed that invading former Yugoslavia was the 2d worst decision after the invasion of Iraq...

Lisbon treaty is dumped in Ireland

alright, be damned !

I'm just disgusted !

Dénoncez vos voisins !

Après les voisins juifs, il faut désormais dénoncer les voisins francophones.
Les habitants d'Overijse, héritiers de zélés auxiliaires Nazis, ne se font évidemment pas prier pour aider leur maire Dirk Brankaer. Chassez le naturel...
Et puis c'est vrai qu'en Flandres, on s'ennuie tellement que dénoncer, ça distrait...

Overijse est une commune située entre Bruxelles et la Wallonie, donc passage obligé des francophones...Dénoncer les gens qu'on fréquente tous les jours, c'est encore mieux. Les vaches qui dénoncent les trains...
OberSturmFührer Brankaer devrait consulter le Général Mladic pour réaliser l'étape suivante : Systématiquement bombarder et brûler les maisons et commerces francophones.

Une amie à moi s'est fait récemment prendre à partie par un groupe de flamands dans un supermarché de Beersel, commune voisine, parce qu'elle répondait en français à un appel de sa fille sur son mobile. Bientôt l'étoile (bleue pour les francophones ?)

Veuillez adresser vos dénonciations par email, à taalklacht@gmail.com

Jun 11, 2008

Concentration et créativité : un difficile équilibre

La distraction est bonne pour la créativité et les vieux qui s'intéressent sont plus créatifs que les jeunes monotâches :P

Chances to meet ET drastically boosted

Were we looking in the wrong direction ?

Jun 9, 2008

Ungratefulness

What ?!?
THE country that benefited the most from LAVISH EU subsidies that were most generously offered by WILLING EU citizens, is going to vote NO to the Lisbon treaty ? Is it a joke ?
Want to share your former master's Euro-skepticism ? Better shoot yourself in the foot !
I'll tell you what : If Ireland, in turn, votes NO, I disavow them and will NEVER AGAIN support Ireland in ANY dispute, competition or interest. I'll curse it !
You got my money but you won't get my voice anymore !

Jun 6, 2008

Why bilingual ? Why English ?

Beside my mother tongue, French, I speak English, German and Spanish (in alphabetical order, although in learning order, it is GES and in skill order it is ESG). I also studied Latin, which explains why I understand lots of Italian and Portugese, which are so close to French anyway, especially when written, and Japanese. I can read a little Dutch, mainly through being more or less immersed in a partly Dutch-speaking country, and through extrapolation from English and German, its very cousin languages. Eventually, I can utter and understand a few Breton and Magyar words.
That's all for my language skills, unfortunately, because I really wish I could speak fluent Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Arabic...if I had only time to dedicate to serious learning.
Languages are great. They open one's mind. Words are the basis for thought and the vehicle for cultures, the more words, the more diverse and interesting the thoughts.
So why do I blog in 2 languages ? NOT because I consider English as a universal language. It is NOT. English is a good flexible tool, but it is also extremely awkward because so many different cultures use it in so many different ways that "global-English" sometimes feels as a stodgy porridge.
I deplore the use of low-level English as lingua franca in non-English-speaking areas such as Belgium, or Scandinavia : It serves as an excuse to ignore each other's language and culture and enables a very low level of communication, usually not even mutually intelligible in an oral form.
I remember attending a meeting in an International company where almost everybody was struggling with extremely bad English (the different and sometimes exotic "accents" reflecting where people learnt it : USA, UK, Europe, Africa...) and I remarked that all participants were actually francophones and it would be consequently more "practical" if not abiding by the rule, to discuss in French. How ridiculous these meetings can sometimes be !
I blog in French or English for very practical reasons : I have friends around Europe, the Americas and Asia, and most of them can read English. So whenever a post is of local interest only, I write in French, and when it is of larger interest, I write in English. Confusing ?
Pragmatic !
As a matter of fact, the relative importance of languages in Europe and the world is usually misconceived by most people.
Especially, the "French" have a misconceived reputation of not speaking languages. It is misconceived because 45% of the French speak a second language. But the reputation is spread by Brits and USians because these 45% usually didn't choose the one single language that these can usually understand, ie English, as their 2d language, but rather Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German or Arabic or African languages, at which many French are good. My mother speaks Italian and Spanish. My older sister speaks English, Arabic and a little German. My younger sister speaks English and Dutch. I'm not saying that French people are particularly gifted with languages, I'm saying they're not bad, by comparison, especially if you consider the diversity of language families of their neighbours. It is of course much easier to speak English when you are a native speaker of its closest related languages, Dutch or Danish, than it is to speak Arabic or German when your are a native speaker of a Romance language. And of course, it is much easier when one has a more limited number of neighbours : France has 8 + Mediterranean opposite coast. UK has just 4 across the seas (France, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands). Only 30% of Brits speak a foreign language. Tell me how many of them speak Dutch, Norwegian or Danish ? Zilch !
I used to have a neighbour from the USA in Paris who came to Paris to POLISH his Mandarin Chinese at INALCO...Funny, isn't it ?

To overcome prejudice, I encourage everybody to refer to George Weber’s article “Top Languages: The World’s 10 Most Influential Languages” in Language Today (Vol. 2, Dec 1997)

A major misconception is to consider only first and/or "official" language speakers, when many people on earth speak more than one (like most Swedes also speak "English" and most Algerians also speak "French", although neither language has official status in either country)
if you add the secondary speaker populations to the primary speaker populations, you get the following list sorted by number of speakers:

1. Mandarin Chinese (1.12 billion)
2. English (480 million)
3. Spanish (320 million)
4. Russian (285 million)
5. French (265 million)
6. Hindi/Urdu (250 million)
7. Arabic (221 million)
8. Portuguese (188 million)
9. Bengali (185 million)
10. Japanese (133 million)
11. German (109 million)

So using French and English in my blog I potentially address 705 million people. Not bad. But merely 1/10th of the world's population :( ...
I have a few brazilian readers, and I promiss I will write posts in Portuguese as soon as I feel comfortable with it in order to enlarge my audience ;-)

After weighing six factors (number of primary speakers, number of secondary speakers, number and population of countries where used, number of major fields using the language internationally, economic power of countries using the languages, and socio-literary prestige), Weber compiled the following list of the world's ten most influential languages:
(number of points given in parentheses)

1. English (37)
2. French (23)
3. Spanish (20)
4. Russian (16)
5. Arabic (14)
6. Chinese (13)
7. German (12)
8. Japanese (10)
9. Portuguese (10)
10. Hindi/Urdu (9)

So with French and English, I get 60 points. Not bad ! And an additional 32+ more in my reading the WEB ability ^^ !

Recognition at last for Japan's Ainu

is Japan using this recognition to help in its negotiations with Russia about the future of Kurile Islands ?
After the autonomy of Nunavut, a new dawn for indigenous peoples ? The end of nation-states ?

Jun 4, 2008

A new big-Earth orbiting a tiny star is discovered

A new big-Earth orbiting a tiny star is discovered by MOA-II telescope at the Mt. John Observatory in New Zealand and the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, using gravitational microlensing. Thanks Einstein !

Jun 2, 2008

The 45 new exoplanets mystery thickens...

Following my report of a possible hoax on Wikipedia "Extrasolar planets" article, the entry has now been altered to this :
"2008, announcement of 45 new planet candidates
On May 20, Christophe Lovis of the HARPS team at an international meeting in Boston, Massachusetts announced 45 new planets orbiting around nearby stars, all with masses less than one-tenth Jupiter mass. These were detected by the gravitational tug method using the HARPS located in La Silla, Chile. The discoveries represented a significant increase in the numbers of known super-earths. Astronomers suggest that such low-mass planets may outnumber the Jupiter-like planets by 3 to 1.[51] While the announcement is not yet official (more data are needed to confirm the candidates), some news media picked up the story."

It is fascinating to note that both the date and the author of the discovery have now changed (see my former post)...It seems that the publication method is very unorthodox. Hello SCIENCE !

Anyway, if it is then confirmed that it is not a hoax, it means that the number of exoplanets will suddenly undergo a 15%+ increase to around 330...and ALL super-earths ! Woaw ! I predicted a dramatic increase in the research, but this is now exponential ! Good job HARPS ! I'm happy to pay these taxes !
It also means I noticed an extremely ephemeral wikipedia entry...
I'm praying it is not a hoax...

Hoax suspected in Wikipedia "Extrasolar planets" entry

I found the following new entry on Wikipedia in the "Extrasolar planets" article :
"2008, announcement of 45 new planets
On May 28, Dr. Sara Seager and other IAU members in Boston, Massachusetts announced 45 new planets orbiting around nearby stars, all with masses less than one-tenth Jupiter mass. These were detected by the gravitational tug method using the HARPS located in La Silla, Chile. The discoveries represented a significant increase in the numbers of known super-earths. Astronomers suggest that such low-mass planets may outnumber the Jupiter-like planets by 3 to 1.[51] "


This sounds very much like a hoax to me, since this article was entered on the 8th of May and is backed by no reference link or other scientific announcement from the corresponding sources...

Jun 1, 2008

The masquerade of Macedonian elections

Instant-mix democracy in tribal areas ? Let me laugh ! Macedonia is but a joke country. Where is the Macedonian democratic tradition ? Can anyone name a historical democratic figure from this country ? Otherwise, back to your history books and see why Yugoslavia was necessary !

May 28, 2008

comment la FNAC perd ses clients en ligne

Voici ce que la FNAC m'écrit, tardivement (apparemment, ils ont dû diligenter une enquête - très partielle semble-t-il) en réponse à ma réclamation (voir mes placards précédents):

Cher Monsieur xxxxx,

Je fais suite à votre entretien téléphonique du 22/05/2008 avec notre service clientèle.

Je vous prie d'accepter toutes nos excuses pour la gestion du suivi de commande dont vous avez fait état lors de cet entretien téléphonique.

Je déplore bien évidement que votre mère ai réception la facture de la Wii Fit.

Je souhaite être franche avec vous.

Cette défaillance d'envoi de votre facture est liée à une maladresse humaine lors de la préparation de votre colis.

Je tiens à vous confirmer que nous cherchons à faire de notre mieux et à tenir nos engagements de qualité sur nos livraisons.


Comprenant votre déception, je vous propose un dédommagement d'une valeur de 10 euros sous forme de coupon à usage unique qui pourra être utilisé lors d’un prochain achat.

Si vous avez la moindre question n’hésitez pas à me contacter.

Je suis à votre disposition sur ma ligne directe au 01.53.56.28.15 du lundi au vendredi de 9 h à 17 h.

Cordialement,

yyyyy zzzzz
Chargée de clientèle
Fnac.com


Quelques observations :
1) Je n'ai jamais eu d'entretien téléphonique. Dommage d'utiliser des modèles de lettres inadaptés. Ça manque de vérité.
2) A la 5ième fois, je retrouve ma civilité d'usage, "Monsieur". Aucune explication à l'erreur précédente si irritante.
3) je leur réponds que je n'ai que faire de leur chèque cadeau qui représente 1/36ième de mon achat. La question n'est même pas le montant.

J'ai fermé mon compte FNAC à contrecœur, mais ça suffit comme ça. On ne peut pas éternellement cautionner le manque de professionnalisme.

May 22, 2008

La FNAC s'enfonce

60h que j'ai déposé une double réclamation. Toujours pas d'excuses de la FNAC (voir post précédent). Je reçois une réponse apparemment automatique (personne ne lit les réclamations à la FNAC c'est évident...et c'est atterrant!) :
"Madame xxx (je suis toujours un homme et me suis déjà plaint par 2 fois de l'erreur de civilité),

Je regrette que votre requête n'ait pas été traitée à ce jour.

A l'heure actuelle, si votre dossier n'est toujours pas réglé, indiquez-moi ce qui vous pose souci afin que l'Equipe vous apporte cette fois-ci une solution immédiate.

Si la situation est maintenant résolue, sachez que je regrette vraiment cette réponse tardive.

Cordialement,

Christel Roche
Chargée de clientèle Fnac.com"


Quelle équipe ? Une équipe de robots qui ne lit pas les réclamations et n'en tient aucun compte ? Merci bien.

May 20, 2008

Comment rater un cadeau d'anniversaire avec la FNAC et l'incapacité des enseignes de distribution à prendre en compte l'Europe et la globalisation

Résidant en Belgique et voulant faire expédier un cadeau d'anniversaire pour ses 74 ans, à ma mère qui réside en France , j'ai engagé un véritable chemin de croix : Je voulais lui offrir une Wii Fit pour qu'elle se garde en forme alors qu'elle ne veut pas faire de cours de gym collectifs ou en salle. J'ai donc cherché les éventuels vendeurs de cet article susceptibles de facturer en Belgique tout en livrant en France, ce qui à l'heure de la libre circulation des biens et des personnes dans l'UE me semble être élémentaire. Que nenni !
La Redoute s'en révèle incapable. c'est soit le magasin belge, soit le français, mais on ne peut pas mixer. Invraisemblable pour une entreprise installée à la frontière !
Je me rabats sur la FNAC. Leur formulaire prévoit le cas avec une adresse de livraison possible dans un pays différent de l'adresse de facturation. Je passe donc commande avec enthousiasme, ils sont un peu plus cher que les autres mais l'enseigne FNAC dont j'étais un vieux client français me rassure. Au diable l'avarice !
Ma mère reçoit donc son cadeau...avec la facture !
Furieux de l'apprendre, je clique sur le lien fourni pour les réclamations sur leur email de confirmation de commande. Je tombe sur un formulaire conçu par un abruti décérébré qui me demande de remplir à nouveau toutes mes coordonnées et mon numéro de commande !
Avec la ferme intention d'aller jusqu'au bout de ma démarche, je remplis le formulaire en totalité et j'exige des excuses dans mon mail en ajoutant que le directeur informatique de la FNAC est un âne (personnellement, si j'étais le directeur des ventes ou de la qualité de la FNAC, j'exigerais la tête de cet âne-là !)
Et là, cerise sur le gâteau, je reçois une réponse automatique de leur service client s'adressant à moi comme "Madame". Leur base de données va jusqu'à mélanger la civilité du donneur d'ordre et celle du destinataire ! Comment peut-on être aussi bêêêête ! Est-ce encore possible au XXIième sciècle ??? Y aura-t-il un européen pour nous sauver du ridicule face aux asiatiques qui nagent comme des poissons dans la globalisation ?
AU SECOURS L'EUROPE ! Faites quelque chose ! Que quelqu'un tance ces incapables nombrilistes avant que des chinois ne viennent le faire !

May 16, 2008

Rechercher des exoTerres aqueuses

La lumière des étoiles trahira-t-elle la présence d'eau sur leurs exoplanètes ?
On progresse...de plus en plus :-)

May 12, 2008

Who is Sacred Celtic ?

Following numerous questions about my identity and my pseudo, I decided to reveal more information about myself: Sacred Celtic defines himself as a European citizen of French culture and education. He advocates European federalism against the division of tribes and nations, because as a Celt, he knows very well that divided tribes always fell prey to empires (Gauls to Romans, Irish and Scots to English, Russian principalities to Mongols, ...)

So Sacred Celtic is a Celt ? Well, mainly. Like all French people, a lot of different genes combined to form Sacred Celtic, with probably a large chunk of Gaul blood, ie Celt blood, but also Flemish, Jewish, German, Roman, Spanish, Italian, probably Hun and possibly Arab...The French never were an ethnic group, they are citizens of a nation that doesn't define itself by blood right.

Sacred Celtic what ? Well...err...Sacred Celtic nothing. "Sacred Celtic frog" if you're English, but Sacred Celtic speaks for himself. Sacred Celtic is a male.

Is Sacred Celtic pagan ? No, Sacred Celtic is 200% atheist although he doesn't advocate atheism, out of respect. Raised in a catholic environment by a catholic father and an atheist or possibly agnostic mother, Sacred Celtic respects all respectable religions and creeds in their tolerant forms and associated cult places and religious events : Animism, Buddhism, Christianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Shintoism, Taoism, Totemism, Zoroastrianism...So you will never hear Sacred Celtic sullying or desecrating religions and he doesn't take anti-clerical bigotry.
But Sacred Celtic doesn't respect extremist form of religions intolerant to others as well as commercial scams, pseudo-religions or pseudo-sciences such as Scientology, Moonism, Creationism or Nutritiono-energizingo-Shakra bullshit.
Sacred Celtic is a rational scientist and evolutionist and always reminds everybody that Science is not a creed but a method.

So what is so Sacred about Sacred Celtic ? Well, life is so am I not part of it ^^?

So why is Sacred Celtic named Sacred Celtic ?

A Pictish girlfriend who Sacred Celtic cherishes helped Sacred Celtic find this name, encasing its hidden secret forever.

Where does Sacred Celtic reside ?
He resides in cosmopolitan Bruxelles, part capital city of the European Union and part capital city of soon-to-secede-and-disappear Belgium, at the border between Latinity and Germanity.
From this unique viewpoint, Sacred Celtic decided in 2004 to systematically document and report the 21st century ethnic explosion of Europe.

Is Sacred Celtic a guest in Bruxelles ? No, Sacred Celtic is in Bruxelles of his own choice and because it is his full right.

Addendum :
I'm also frequently being asked whether I like Bruxelles. Yes and no. Bruxelles is a very ugly and derelict urban mess, caused by tasteless sovereigns and federalism that sucks the money out of the city, which explains why Bruxelles streets are never cleaned and rubbish is collected only twice a week.
Bruxelles has however retained a lot of charm, with magnificent Art Nouveau buildings and houses (among which many are left to rot by its inept government), beautiful parks and the palpable presence of its numerous exiled ghosts from the romanticist past...
Bruxelles is also a great Arts scene, much more accessible than Paris.
So Sacred Celtic critically appreciates his home city.

May 11, 2008

Pas de piscine pour les pauvres

il fait beau, comme il n'a pas fait depuis une éternité, il semble, il fait chaud et...la piscine d'Uccle est fermée en ce long week-end de Pentecôte !
Pourquoi ? Ben parce que la plupart des habitants ont des maisons secondaires sur la côte ou ailleurs et en profitent.
Et ceux qui n'en ont pas me direz-vous ? Et bien on leur coupe les loisirs urbains : pas de piscine. Vous n'avez qu'à en avoir une privée, bande de traîne-savates !
Il y a des jours comme ça où on regrette Lénine et le grand soir..C'est en Belgique qu'il fallait faire la révolution et couper quelques têtes uccloises !
Quand chacun aura sa piscine privée et que le reste de la planète n'aura plus d'eau, on fera quoi ?

May 3, 2008

They want to steal our consumer rights !

The most potent power that we are left with in a capitalist society is the power to choose what we buy and who we buy from.
However, in this most free-market economy that I evolve in, this is the 3d time I want to buy a pair of shoes and that I can't find where the shoes have been made in...Neither within the shoes, neither under the soles, nor on the box. I asked the salesman once, and he looked at me like I was a complete idiot, thinking : "who the fuck cares where shoes are made in ?". Obviously HE didn't. Well, guess what ? I DO! And if I was the only one to care I would continue to care anyway. Indeed, it is my choice not to buy shoes from countries and brands that exploit children, that have no workers unions, where there is no democracy and where there is no freedom of choice. So, no, I won't buy your shoes made in China, even though 90% are made in China and even though you hide it, and even though you try to cheat me and abuse my consumer rights by tagging them "styled in Italy", which they do now, if you happen to ignore it ! "Styled in Italy" actually reads "Made in China although we want to hide it from you and we think you are an idiot" and is a gross abuse of EU regulations. I am fed up with it, and although this stupid salesman will never understand why I didn't buy a pair of shoes I fancied from his shop, I will let them know, one way or another, that THIS IS MY RIGHT AND I WILL DEFEND IT !
I don't boycott chinese products just because of inhuman treatment of tibetans, I boycott chinese products also because the chinese government systematically represses trade-unions, jails environment activists and tries to deceit ME as a consumer !

May 2, 2008

Concert Temple à Ruisbroek le 17 mai

Sacred Celtic ira voir jouer son pote Manu à la Salle Concordia de Ruisbroek le 17 mai à 21h

The Labour party got what it deserved

I don't rejoice at the most backward conservative bigots' victory, but Labour got what it deserved after failing and systematically betraying the working class. Gordon Brown now pays for Tony Blair's numerous bills and his own retrograde and antisocial policy, exploiting cheap workers from eastern europe and the indian subcontinent to keep the engine steaming and the property bubble inflating ! What is this for a program for a modern nation's future ? Shame on them !

The EU reacts to european media concentration

"At the same time, the European Commission has launched an independent study on indicators of media pluralism in member states. The commission has said it is to issue a communication on the issue some time this year, to be followed by a public consultation on the topic."

I like to see the EU in its democratic role. Beware Belusconis, Pinaults and Murdochs !

Apr 29, 2008

The old spinsters who should better have had sex

One more reason, if needed, for the English to hate the EU !
Although the Strasbourg decision upheld UK law, no doubt "Brussels" will be held responsible by Murdoch's pit bulls.
Fortunately, the UK property bubble is bursting, and the old spinsters might not be liable to so much tax after all...

Apr 28, 2008

A COLOSSAL squid comes out, at last

I've been waiting for this for years !

"Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis"

I usually hate popular movies, and I always hate that people who have no cinematographic culture at all come and tell what an idiot I am that I didn't go and see the one and only movie that they've seen at the cinema in a year and that they deem 'brilliant'. Meanwhile I've seen a dozen, and I just dont tell them about it...
They usually back their enthusiasm with phrases like "but everybody has seen it except you !". Well, yes, that is why I am an individual and not a sheep, thank you…
"Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis" is the latest such sensation in France and other (limited) french-speaking parts of Europe. The success cocktail, designed by the best marketeers, follows the traditional recipe : Cheap burlesque mockery, a bit of emotion, easy to remember catch phrases...
And you want to know what ? I don't need any of this...I don't need cheap jokes or emotions because I can hear or see they're cheap, so even if I tried my best, it wouldn't work.
Call me a snob if you like,I don't give a damn.
By the way, the film was shot in a flemish-speaking village that doesn't speak "Ch'ti" at all, so the whole "Northern identity revival" bullshit is stained as it overlooked the cultural diversity of the North of France. The director had to apologise to the flemish-speaking community...what an idiot !
And yes, Lille is one of my favourite french cities anyway...it rocks !

Apr 26, 2008

Loi de l'emmerdeur maximum

Pourquoi y a t-il toujours un con pour faire marcher sa tondeuse à gazon dès qu'il fait beau et nous pourrir, ainsi qu'aux oiseaux, la plus que rare partie de jardin ?

Apr 25, 2008

Galaxies too make love

Latest Hubble telescope pictures of galactic collisions
Galaxies love and death dance
Stunning newly released images !

Apr 23, 2008

Bilinguisme des transports à Bruxelles mon cul

Test : allez sur le site de la STIB pour rechercher un trajet en transport en commun
Indiquez un nom de rue en français comme lieu de départ et un nom de rue en néerlandais comme lieu d'arrivée => Le serveur plante. Faites l'inverse => Le serveur replante.
Vous êtes un imbécile car vous êtes tenu de connaître le nom des rues de manière linguistiquement homogène !
Quoi ? Vous ne savez pas que Bodegem s'écrit Bodeghem en français ?!?@§]# Enfin tout le monde sait ça, ça saute aux yeux, espèce d'âne !

Apr 22, 2008

Why I wish Obama will be the next US president

Although I read 2 of his recent biographies in magazines, I must admit I still know little of Barack OBAMA, especially since, as a European, I feel quite disconnected from a half-USian/half-African who grew up in Indonesia and looks like a Harlem preacher.
So why should I wish him to be elected ?
First, just because he is different, just because he grew up abroad, precisely because his mother was a marginal academic turned towards the world, I think OBAMA can cure the number one US illness : Ignorance of the outside world. Surely a guy with such a mother will not candidly believe that he can turn the muslim world into instant democracies just by snapping his fingers...hopefully ! It can't be worse than it is now anyway, for that matter. And if he also believes such nonsense, I won't give a damn any more...
Second, because he is black, and not any black, but a half-African USian, his election would be a shock wave to the world, and especially to the third world, which resents so much the US policies of the last 2 centuries. It will bring the tremendous message to the world that colour doesn't matter anymore, to Africans, to black USians but also to the Caribbean, Central & South America, Asia and...the Muslim world ! And this by far exceeds the symbol that electing a woman would represent. If they haven't held it for themselves yet, women have already shared power in the USA, which is especially true in the case of Hillary Clinton. Coloured people haven't.
The day OBAMA is elected, anti-US activism and subsequent terrorism will plummet, simply because most of it arises from racial or cultural resentment. Africans, Middle-Easterners or South American Indians don't feel 'connected' to the USA. OBAMA's election will suddenly change that dramatically.
Finally, if Barack OBAMA doesn't sound very experienced, he sounds generous, and we can only hope that the vast corruption that currently pervades the USA will be curbed under his presidency and that poor people to which he already dedicated much of his time and energy will eventually have decent healthcare.

Apr 21, 2008

La connerie régionaliste belge contribue au réchauffement climatique

Les taxis de l'aéroport de Zaventem, qui se trouve en dehors des "frontières" de la région bruxelloise, ne sont pas autorisés à prendre des passagers à Bruxelles. Or la plupart de leurs courses sont vers Bruxelles. Moralité, ils reviennent tous à vide, ce qui signifie que le carburant utilisé pour revenir à Zaventem est vaporisé sans aucune justification. Bonjour l'environnement ! Merci le fédéralisme !
La Belgique n'atteindra pas les engagements qu'elle a pris dans le cadre du protocole de Kyoto...on comprend mieux pourquoi !

Apr 14, 2008

Berlusconi 'wins' Italy election

More than ever, italians will get the government that they deserve...a corrupt one, no doubt, up to the level of the TV channels Berlusconi owns, the gutter level, that is.
At least it gives the French the illusion that they have a clean democracy, comparatively. Au royaume des aveugles...

Turkey should let the Kurds loose and join the EU

The Kurds question will continue to haunt Turkey and its EU membership forever. The solution is to let Kurdistan have its independence and get rid of it. Who needs such trouble anyway ? Between sovereignty and modernity, Turkey must choose the latter !

Apr 12, 2008

Ethnic map of Balkans

for those who still are convinced ethnically defined countries make sense...How many more of them shall they carve ?
What about the Aromanians ? The Tatars ?...

BBC NEWS | Europe | Macedonia to hold early election

Dominos continue to tumble
The Pandora box won't shut down anymore...nothing short of the Republic of Igor and Natasha !
Hail the clever politicians who started all this shit !

Apr 10, 2008

Free at last

The independence of Ghent
Congrats to Jan Hoet who illustrated perfectly my theory of "the Republic of Igor & Natasha" which states that there is no end to division, as illustrated by the independence of the illegitimate and ridiculous states of Montenegro and Kosovo.
What next ? Are west flemings going to tolerate such discrimination ? They should ask for independence as well !

Apr 9, 2008

Recession !

Thanks to US rotten credits sold by swiss banks !
UK property bubble is bursting...as I predicted. The UK economy now just relies on cheap labour ! The party is over !

Apr 2, 2008

Les lamentables méthodes de Belgacom

résumé de l'histoire : Je déménage voici un an et demande à Belgacom de transférer ma ligne et mes abonnements (téléphone, Belgacom TV et Internet => je suis le bon client) à ma nouvelle adresse, via un formulaire web spécial déménagement depuis leur site. Ils indiquent : Délai : 5 jours. Je fais ma demande le 10 janvier 2007 pour le 1er février, soit 3 semaines à l'avance. Au 1er février : pas de ligne ! Je passe des heures sur mon téléphone portable (puisque sans ligne fixe) sur leurs serveurs vocaux interactifs qui ne répondent pratiquement jamais en espérant dégoûter les plaignants...au bout de 3 semaines, je tombe sur un type mal aimable qui me dit que Belgacom est en 'période de promotion' et qu'ils ne peuvent pas assurer leurs délais dans ces périodes. Je demande depuis quand ils le sont, et il me répond que c'est permanent et que j'aurais dû le savoir ! Comprenez : Le délai de 5 semaines annoncé n'a JAMAIS à être honoré! Il s'agit donc purement et simplement d'une publicité mensongère. Pendant ce temps, sans connexion aucune, ni TV ni Internet, je reçois ma 1ère facture Belgacom à ma nouvelle adresse : Ils osent me facturer mes abonnements exorbitants alors qu'ils ne m'ont pas raccordé ! Je vois rouge et leur envoie une lettre où j'indique que je n'ai aucune intention de payer un service inexistant. Ils me défalquent ces montant de mon compte...mais toujours pas de raccordement. Au bout de 7 semaines, n'en pouvant plus, je vais à la concurrence : le câble-opérateur VOO qui me raccorde aussitôt. Je suis bien décidé à ne plus jamais avoir à faire à Belgacom de toute mon existence... Que je crois ! 15 jours plus tard, un technicien Belgacom me contacte pour me raccorder. Je lui indique que c'est trop tard et que je me fournis bien légitimement à la concurrence. Belgacom continue à m'envoyer des factures alors que je ne suis pas raccordé...Je les renvoie...on me défalque de nouveau et on s'excuse même...Mais on me facture des frais de rupture d'abonnement !!! Ces gens n'ont aucun complexe. J'envoie une lettre indiquant que je n'ai rien rompu puisque ce sont eux qui ne m'ont jamais raccordé dans un délai raisonnable malgré mes multiples réclamations…Ils me dépêchent un huissier qui me bombarde de menaces. Je réponds à cet huissier liégeois que je veux bien payer s'il me fournit un procès verbal d'installation de ligne à mon adresse. Il reste coi. Un nouvel huissier vient de me déposer une convocation au tribunal de Rhode-Saint-Genèse : Comparution le 10 juin prochain. Je compte me défendre bec et ongles. Comment accepter un tel cynisme, un tel manquement au service des personnes et un tel racket sans se défendre ? Je préfère crever que de payer ces gougnafiers !

Exoplanet - Amateur Detection

Exoplanet - Amateur Detection

François found me a nice tag cloud for my blog !

Merci françois :)

Cinq nouvelles exoplanètes en transit révélées par SOPHIE

277 exoplanètes ! On progresse...

Mar 31, 2008

De Bruxelles à Mons : Axe routier européen…

Départ de Bruxelles : prendre direction Mons/Bergen
10 km plus loin : merde, Mons a disparu !
4 km plus loin : ah ! Mons est revenu, c'est Bergen qu'est plus là...

Quoi, pauvre con de touriste, tu ne sais pas que Mons, c'est Bergen en néerlandais ? Ben nous les belges on le sait tous et on t'emmerde. T'as qu'à pas venir chez nous de France, d'Allemagne, du Luxembourg ou d'Ollande (= les Pays-Bas, ne pas prononcer le H initial). Nous les belges, on veut rester entre nous à nous disputer les panneaux routiers...

Done with Facebook !

I'm done with Facebook and with social networks, at least for a while, and I will play the game again only when techniques are designed to avoid anti-social behaviours.
Since 2004, I was expelled from Orkut twice, moved to lousy Myspace and ended up on even lousier and zombie Facebook.

I moved my things here and will continue to update here from now on and until further notice.

Les drapeaux belges : cache-misère bruxellois

Moi ce qui m'a le plus frappé, dans cette affaire de drapeaux, ce ne sont pas qu'il y en ait sur 5 à 10% des fenêtres bruxelloises, c'est qu'il n'y en ai pas sur 90 à 95%...
Les drapeaux des belgicains sont un rappel que le combat pour la Belgique à Bruxelles est désuet : L'écrasante majorité des bruxellois ne sont pas belges et ils s'en foutent de la Belgique !
D'ailleurs la dispute linguistique belge est absurde dans cette ville ou l'anglais, l'italien, l'arabe ou le turc sont davantage parlés que le néerlandais.
Les étrangers sont la majorité, parce que les belges ont depuis longtemps déserté Bruxelles qu'ils détestent, francophones comme néerlandophones.
Bien sûr, les belges ont gardé à Bruxelles leur patrimoine immobilier qu'ils divisent en parcelles de plus en plus petites à louer aux fonctionnaires européens et leur suite ou aux immigrés marocains et turcs...au même prix qu'ils pratiquaient avant la subdivision...
Ca me rappelle l'histoire de l'épicier Cherkaoui, racontée par le très regretté Pierre Desproges.
Bruxelles, pour les belges, n'est plus que ça : une vache à lait, que la Wallonnie et la Flandre sucent sans fin, l'une en gaspillant la manne européenne, et qui méprise tant Bruxelles qu'elle choisit Namur, pour capitale, l'autre, en prétendant que Bruxelles lui coûte, alors qu'elle fournit 1 million d'emplois à ses travailleurs qui en tirent leurs ressources mais paient leurs impôts…en Flandre (on va pas payer pour ces chômeurs d'étrangers, non mais des fois !).
Un vrai aspirateur à cash. Vraisemblablement le plus gros hold-up du siècle après l'Iraq...mais celui-ci dure depuis des décennies : Des travailleurs de la périphérie qui viennent juste prendre leur paie à Bruxelles le matin, puis repartent le soir, mais ne la visitent jamais et ne connaissent rien, ni de son histoire ni de son patrimoine culturel dont ils n'ont que faire. Ils emmènent leur tartine "avec", comme ça ils dépensent même pas un kopec dedans. C'est une pompe unidirectionnelle...
Ne demandez jamais votre direction à Bruxelles à un salarié flamand, il ne connait que la route pour son village...il suit l'embouteillage...(la file, comme on dit ici !)
Résultat des courses : 23% de chômage à Bruxelles ! Dingue dans un des plus gros réservoirs d'emploi d'Europe ! Ah tu parles pas néerlandais ? Tu parles qu'arabe+berbère+anglais+français ? Ben non, tu peux pas avoir le poste, t'es pas qualifié. Même pour éboueur faut parler néerlandais !
Ne cherchez pas non plus les drapeaux belges en Wallonnie ou en Flandres: Il n'y en a pas. Et s'il y en avait en Flandres, l'auteur serait frappé d'ostracisme. Ils virent même les gosses des terrains de jeux, alors...

Propos rapporté pendant la marche pacifiste Louvain-Bruxelles

Conversation entre 2 flamands :

"c'est pourquoi tous ces drapeaux ici à Bruxelles ?"
"il y a une fête nationale dont je sais rien moi?"
l'autre: "non, j'ai entendu que c'est pour la solidarité avec les walonnes là"
"ah bon? bizarre, quoi!"
"mais sympa"

Sacredceltic loves Fado and Marizaaaaaaaaa !!!

and will attend her Brussels concert on the 6th october with another big fan

Mar 27, 2008

Ils bannissent les enfants

Les francophones bannis des aires de jeux d'une ville flamande

LE MONDE | 27.03.08 | 15h40

Commune verdoyante et privée de charme, Liedekerke, près de Bruxelles, est le théâtre d'un nouveau conflit entre Flamands et francophones. Sur sa vaste aire de jeux, il y a peu d'enfants en ce jour gris et pluvieux. Et il y en aura, bientôt, encore moins : la municipalité a décidé que les 6-12 ans qui ne parlent pas le néerlandais en seront bannis.
"Raison de sécurité", invoque la mairie, détenue par le parti chrétien-démocrate, le CD & V du premier ministre Yves Leterme. Le bourgmestre Luc Wynant a évoqué, mardi 25 mars, la difficulté de gérer des "bandes" d'enfants. Lapsus ? "Ne cherchez pas la petite bête...", ricane une employée municipale qui tente, en vain, de trouver un responsable pour commenter la décision.
Officiellement, l'interdiction a été décidée après un constat effectué à l'été 2007 : sur les 120 enfants présents, 20 ne comprenaient pas les moniteurs. "Cela crée des problèmes et peut s'avérer dangereux", a affirmé Dorette Heymans, adjointe au maire.
Des problèmes ? On n'en a pourtant jamais connu de graves à Liedekerke. Les responsables de l'aire de jeux parlent dès lors d'une mesure préventive et soulignent que certains parents se sont d'ailleurs déjà vu "conseiller" d'aller faire jouer leur progéniture en d'autres lieux.

Mar 20, 2008

Eau et molécule organique détectées sur une exoplanète

Le télescope spatial Hubble a fait la première détection à ce jour d'une molécule organique dans l'atmosphère d'une planète de la taille de Jupiter satellisant une autre étoile. Cette percée est une étape importante dans l'identification éventuelle des signes de vie sur une planète en dehors de notre Système solaire.

La molécule observée par Hubble est du méthane, qui dans les bonnes circonstances peut jouer un rôle majeur dans la chimie prébiotique, les réactions chimiques considérées nécessaires pour former la vie telle que nous la connaissons.


Vue d'artiste de la planète HD-189733b

Cette découverte prouve que Hubble, et les prochaines missions spatiales telles que le James Webb Space Telescope, peuvent détecter des molécules organiques sur des planètes autour d'autres étoiles en employant la spectroscopie, qui décomposent la lumière pour révéler les traces de divers produits chimiques...

Mar 17, 2008

Paris

Du très bon Klapisch, de l'excellent Duris (comme toujours), et une Binoche plus vraie que jamais, à la quarantaine triomphale, le tout avec un Paris magnifique en toile de fond...j'ai pleuré 3 fois...la nostalgie, sans doute...

Mar 12, 2008

Une exoTerre autour d'Alpha du Centaure ?



Une série de plusieurs simulations informatiques réalisées par une équipe d'astronomes de l'Université de Californie de Santa Cruz montre qu'il pourrait exister une exoTerre évoluant autour d'Alpha Centauri B, une des trois étoiles qui forment le système Alpha Centauri. A 4,36 années-lumière, c'est une des étoiles les plus proches de la Terre.

Les simulations ont montré que théoriquement tout est en place autour d'Alpha Centauri B pour donner naissance à une petite planète tellurique évoluant dans la zone d'habitabilité de l'étoile. Ce qui signifie que l'eau à l'état liquide peut exister sur cette planète potentiellement habitable.

Mieux encore, en raison de sa proximité, si cette planète existe elle sera détectable depuis la Terre. Pour cela, un programme d'observation intensif pour surveiller ce qui se passe autour d'Alpha Centauri B a été mis en place au télescope de 1,5 m de l'observatoire américain du Cerro Tololo (Chili).

Bien évidemment, les astronomes n'envisagent pas un seul instant de la voir de façon directe. Ils la découvriront de façon indirecte via la méthode qui utilise la mesure des infimes variations de l'intensité lumineuse de l'étoile parent. Ce mouvement de l'étoile est détecté grâce à l'effet Doppler: les longueurs d'onde du spectre lumineux émis par l'astre se décalent vers le rouge quand l'étoile s'éloigne, vers le bleu quand elle se rapproche. C'est par cette méthode que la plupart des 277 planètes extrasolaires ont été détectées.

Reste que si cette exoTerre existe, cinq années seront au moins nécessaires pour la détecter.

Note

On entend par exoTerres, les exoplanètes similaires à la Terre, c'est-à-dire des planètes recouvertes d'une croûte, d'une masse maximale de deux fois et demie celle de la Terre, évoluant à l'intérieur de la zone d'habitabilité de l'étoile parente et donc potentiellement habitables.

Sacred Celtic aŭdas...

Sacred Celtic ridegas

La fin de la Belgique

Memokado - Mes idées cadeaux

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