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Fabrice's Blog
The "great war", only a century behind us
It is unsettling to consciously realize that there is only one unit of human history (a century) that separates us from the great war (!?). I remember the same odd feeling of History suddenly shrinking to a speck of insignificant duration at the occasion of the bicentenary of the French revolution, which was the first of the decisive turning points leading to our contemporary society: the revolution leading to the first war, the first to the second and the second leading us to where we are now (see Jean Dutour for the details of this sequence would this not be evident). The French revolution, however disruptive and terrible it was, still carried at least the illusion of a step forward. It made such a great impression on such a great man as Victor Hugo. With the first war just behind him, Bernanos, the most visionary writer of his time, was already observing that "le visage du monde devenait hideux" (en). After the second, it was plain for everybody to see its traumatic proportions. In this droplet of time that separates us from the first war, three generations of my ancestors have gone. It almost took me out as well.
My Hospital, July (2018), reading list: Vonnegut
Slaughterhouse-Five is Vonnegut's masterpiece, and the second book of him I read (after Cat's cradle). I enjoyed it so much I naturally turned to the rest of his work, with the anxiety that the minor pieces would not be up to the famous ones (a problem with every author). Vonnegut is a peculiar writer, with strange sci-fi plots and uncanny characters whose recurrences throughout his work make you feel there is a thread to follow. Reading the synopsis of his works does not really make you crave to read them. The titles, in particular, are, to my taste, extremely poor. Even the book covers are, for some reason, repelling. It looks like every care has been taken by both the author and the people in charge of his marketing to make you flee away. It all changes, however, when you open the book and start reading.
- A sum of money is a leading character in this tale about people, just as a sum of honey might properly be a leading character in a tale about bees.
Hearing Big Ben one last time!
How shocking! Big Ben has gone silent until 2021! That's a recording of our last hearing of it:
My May (2017) reading list: on political turmoil
Since I have recently worried more than on average (this is a constant preoccupation) on political turmoil, oppression and dictatorship, etc., in the wake of the American political landscape, brexit, and, of course, the French elections, I have put back at the top of my list some old-time classics that I have wanted to read for a long time, plus a political essay/documentary from someone I personally know:
Darkness at noon.
Things fall apart.
Podemos, la politique en mouvement.
On the coming French 2017 presidential election
In the French presidential debate [1], where the liberal discourse was confronting the nationalistic one, but which everybody agrees was of terrible quality, full of unwarranted aggressiveness, insults, belittling of the other, etc., the pathetic Marine Le Pen had one good rhetorical line: "whoever wins the election, a woman will govern France, either me or Mrs. Merkel" (?!).
In 5 μm GaAs microdisks
Our 2nd edition of Microcavities is going fast towards its 2nd edition.
Our authoritarian democracies going after the puppeteers
Our democracies have little left even of the mere appearance of what they proclaim to be. A recent "incident" in Spain provides a neat illustration of the totalitarian regimes that now rule us. Two puppeteers performing for the Carnival in Madrid were detained by the police and jailed without bail for apology of terrorism [1].
A Brief History of Time's soundtrack
I discovered Philip Glass in 1992, in my Lycée years (secondary school in France) in a beautifully shaped building
that was inspiring for the aspiring scientist.
New Year's Greetings (2016)
The Laussy del Valle family presents you their first New Year's wishes. They are the first because Julia wasn't yet born last year and we weren't a full family without her, who, by Spanish custom, links our name with a soul.
My August reading list: in relation to the Plaza Mayor
In the two weeks of holidays we have in August this year, I will be reading:
- Cuentos del Zodiaco, Fernando Sadot.
- El Hormiguero, Fernando Sadot.
- Terminal Plaza Mayor, José Antonio.
- Sombras de la Plaza Mayor, Rosa Huertas Gomez.
- Rooftoppers, Katherine Rundell.
All these books are related in some (sometimes very indirect) way to the Plaza Mayor de Madrid.
August 1, 1914: as seen from one hundred years.
How do you like your Sherry? Without police intimidation.
When Canalejas was shot in the streets of Madrid at the hands of an anarchist, he was alone. Even if he had been a criminal capitalist (it appears he was not), he died a victim. He was a prime minister.
Per qualche dollaro in più
This morning I filed in a complain at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid train station, one of the many daily examples where ferocious capitalism raised its head way above common sense.
Death of Alain Resnais
The French director Alain Resnais died yesterday.
New Year greetings (2014)
Regardless of a gloomy situation and of everything bad that may/could/can/will happen, one has to strive to be happy, resolutely happy, hopelessly happy, I therefore wish to wish you (no pun intended) a Happy New Year.
To emphasize that, I'll put it apart and in the official languages of our little group:
- Feliz Año Nuevo.
- Bonne Année.
- С Новым Годом.
- Feliz Ano Novo.
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2013
It is great whenever a scientific breakthrough is so big that everybody knows the Nobel prize will be awarded according to the original wish of its atoning patron: to honor those who during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.
Ô malheureux mortels ! Ô terre déplorable !
Voltaire wrote Candide from the shock of hearing about Lisbon's earthquake. This emotion was probably fueled by his rivarly with Rousseau on the question of Christianity. Voltaire's grief was, really, religion.
Spanish manifestation against austerity and corruption (23F)
There was an important demonstration in Madrid and other Spanish cities yesterday, to protest against austerity and corruption.