Friday, November 25, 2011

Weekly Press Review (2011/11/25)

Despite some seemingly (and, I am quite sure, temporary) good news, new and unexpected upheaval is making everyone at work very upset. This continuing situation is utterly depressing, unnerving and rather demotivating. (By Jove, what are they thinking?!) I just hope it will eventually calm down, because some of us cannot take this for long without damages. Luckily we recently had a pay raise... [Update: The rollercoaster ride continues... Up again! Some quite wise decisions averted the crisis and everyone is smilling again!] In other news, I visited the Montreal book fair, I am taking care of my sister's cats for the week and we got the first snow of the season (a couple of inches [5 cm], enough so I had to shovel!). Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the USA: some people are simply thankful to have a job; for my part I am thankful to have found such a nice and affordable house. Happy Thanksgiving! (and, no, this it NOT Turkey's “Independance Day”!) In order to try keeping my spirit up, I am reading some great comics and I am following the news (after the jump):

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Clodjee au Salon: les découvertes

Toutes les années, profitant de la Journée des Professionnels, j'aime bien faire mon tour au Salon du Livre de Montréal. Histoire de conserver un bon aperçu de l'industrie du livre au Québec. C'était très pertinent quand je travaillais dans l'édition et ce l'est toujours maintenant que je travaille en bibliothèques.

Je me souviens que, dans ma jeunesse, j'avais l'habitude de passer une journée entière au salon, déambulant inlassablement dans les allés, en cardo puis en decumanus, de cette cité livresque, à la recherche des derniers trésors. Malheureusement je n'ai plus la même endurance, ni la patience, et après trois heures j'en ai vite fait le tour. Il me semble que je ne vois plus rien. Il y a tellement de livres et de kiosques que nous sommes vite saturés.

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Magazine Is an iPad That Does Not Work!

Someone at the book fair brought to my attention this funny (and viral it seems) video:


Think whatever you want of it, it is cute.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Bonne nouvelle pour Georges

Les efforts des citoyens de l'arrondissement du Sud-Ouest ont porté fruit (voir mon billet Culture? Vous avez dit culture?) et la section adulte de la bibliothèque Georges-Vanier restera ouverte... pour l'instant. Il s'agit en effet d'un moratorium d'un an, le temps de faire de la consultation publique sur le sujet. Les citoyens devront donc rester vigilants...

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Weekly Press Review (2011/11/17)

I took a couple of days off in order to rest my mind a little and to do some housework at home. Not much happened this week, but still there was a few noteworthy news:

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture
Apple, apps and mobile devices news
Books, Digital Edition & Library
Economy, Environment & International Politics
Health, home & garden
Local News & National Politics
Media, Culture, & Society
Sciences & History
Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Girlfriend Experience

“Set in the weeks leading up to the 2008 presidential election, The Girlfriend Experience is five days in the life of Chelsea (adult film star Sasha Grey in her mainstream film debut), an ultra high-end Manhattan call girl who offers more than sex to her clients, but companionship and conversation — “the girlfriend experience.” Chelsea thinks she has her life totally under control — she feels her future is secure because she runs her own business her own way, makes $2000 an hour, and has a devoted boyfriend (Chris Santos) who accepts her lifestyle. But when you're in the business of meeting people, you never know who you're going to meet... ” (Short synopsis from the press kit)

The Girlfriend Experience is definitely not an entertaining movie — which is surprising considering that Steven Soderbergh is an experienced director (who gave us such movies as Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), Kafka ('91), Erin Brockovich (2000), Traffic (2000), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Solaris (2002), and Che (2008)). However, it is certainly an interesting movie and reminds me more of the rather experimental productions from his early career. The movie is shot in video and edited in short sequences that tell the story in a non-linear way. As new characters are introduced you keep asking “ok, who's that guy?”, and “when is this hapenning? Before or after this other sequence?” So it is very confusing and you cannot really enjoy the movie as you would normally do. Fortunately, the subject was interesting enough to keep me trying to make sense of it.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Weekly Press Review (2011/11/11)

Another busy week. All the stress at work is finally getting to me (both mentally and physically). I am feeling really tired and definitely need a few days of vacation. The Holidays will probably be even crazier with all the work to move out the books from the library, so I better get some rest before then. I also just got the flu shot so my entire body hurts. And there's a zillion things that I still have to do in the new house. The heater in the guest room started slightly leaking again; I don't know yet what I'll do with that... The Montreal book fair is coming later this week and I'll probably attend some workshops about children & YA literature just to keep my mind sharp. Finally, I really hate Google: not only they changed the interface of Blogger, but also of Reader, not only making them more confusing but also eliminating the functions I was using to gather my links for this entry. That's why the Shared Items have not been updated in a while, so until I find an alternative solution (I'll investigate Digg, Google+ or others whenever I have time later this week) ALL my suggested links can be found bellow:

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture
Apple, apps and mobile devices news
Books, Digital Edition & Library
Economy, Environment & International Politics
Health, home & garden
Humour

Local News & National Politics
Media, Culture, & Society
Sciences & History
Technology, Gadgets & Internet

Remembering

Today is Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day in the United States). Set on the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I (November 11th 1918) it celebrates the soldiers who died for their country (more generaly in the U.S.A. it celebrates all veterans).

I used to think that such day was not worth remembering, often feigning to have forgotten what it meant. I had this image in my mind of all those very elderly veterans at a ceremony who couldn't really remember why they were there. I thought that the fact Canadian soldiers were mostly used as cannon fodder for the British Empire was not something that should be celebrated. Then again, the poor lads that gave their lives in those wars were oblivious of any political motivation and, after all, their sacrifice should not be forgotten.

So, there we are: have an happy Rememberance Day!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Anecdote of the day

I am exiting the subway station and notice that it is raining outside. Sitting against the wall of the station, under its protruding roof in an attempt to get some protection from the light rain, a young man in worn out clothes is begging. A small black labrador dog is sleeping at his sides. He asks me, “Can you spare some change, sir?” Trying to look contrite, but I am sure I sounded rather smart-assed, I answer him: “Sorry, son, if it's change you want, I cannot help you. Change must come from within.” And I busily continue on my way home.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Épanouissement du DALIAF

Après des décennies de travail acharné, le mythique Dictionnaire des auteurs des littératures de l'imaginaire en Amérique française (ou “DALIAF” pour les intimes) est finalement sous presse! Cela faisait si longtemps qu'on en parlait qu'on se demandait s'il finirait par éclore. C'est compréhensible: toutes les années de nouveaux auteurs sont publiés mais à un moment donné il faut mettre un point final à l'ouvrage. Nul doute que cette attente en valait la peine!

Compilé par Claude Janelle (à qui l'on doit aussi L'Année de la science-fiction et du fantastique québécois, Le XIXe siècle fantastique en Amérique française et La Décennie charnière) et publié par les Éditions Alire (le principal éditeur de paralittérature au Québec, qui est mieux connu pour les romans d'horreur de Patrick Sénécal ou les thrillers des Jean-Jacques Pelletier mais n'en est toutefois pas à la publication de son premier essai), le DALIAF recense la production des littératures de l’imaginaire (c'est-à-dire science-fiction, fantastique et fantasy) produite, entre 1835 et 2008 inclusivement, en Amérique du Nord francophone (mais principalement au Québec) et s'attarde particulièrement aux plus de mille sept cents hommes et femmes qui en sont les créateurs.

Le DALIAF est un ouvrage à la fois bibliographique, biographique et critique. Fort de 535 pages, il est publié en quadrichromie dans un grand format couverture caisse (couverture cartonnée et reliure cousue). Il coûtera 79,95 $ pour la version papier (978-2-89615-074-8) et 49,99 $ pour la version électronique (format pdf, 978-2-89615-479-1). Lancé à la fin du mois de novembre (manquant de justesse le Salon du Livre!?), il sera disponible chez Alire en décembre et en librairies dès janvier 2012. Quoique dispendieux (mais volumineux et en couleur!), c'est un outil de référence essentiel pour tout bibliothécaire, étudiant en littérature, intervenant de l'édition ou simplement amateur extrème du livre québécois. Vous pouvez en avoir un aperçu (en feuilletant un extrait) sur le site de l’Entrepôt numérique ANEL-De Marque.

Et bien sûr, ayant publié quelques nouvelles comme auteur et quelques fanzines ou anthologies comme éditeur, on peut me trouver dans les pages du DALIAF. J'ai bien hâte de voir ça.

(voir aussi mon commentaire détaillé)

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Anecdote du jour

J'entre dans la station de métro en même temps qu'une bourrasque de vent. Je me rends en quelques pas vers l'escalier mécanique que je descends à grande vitesse, pestant contre les gens qui ne respectent pas la tradition de tenir la droite dans les escaliers et couloirs du métro. Je murmure un vague “S'cusé” pour qu'on me cède le passage. Au bas de l'escalier, un camelot de L'Itinéraire, offrant des exemplaires du magazine dans un présentoire suspendu à son cou, répète machinalement “L'Itinéraire! L'Itinéraire!” Je n'y porte aucune attention mais au moment où je passe à ses côtés il m'interpelle: “Monsieur? L'Itinéraire?”. Je lui réponds, avec un air contrit, “Non, désolé, je sais très bien où je vais. Merci.” Et je continue mon chemin, sans ralentir, vers les tourniquets de la station...