L'Indépendant du 4e Arrondissement de Paris

CCCI : A new association : "le 4e au coeur" (The fourth District of Paris in our Heart)

Voici un nouvel article traduit en anglais. Depuis la publication de sa version  en français, les choses ont avancé puisque désormais un blog est ouvert : Le 4e au coeur.

"With my friends Patrice and Avishaï, we published for six months the blog called "Le 4e que j'aime" (The Fourth district* of Paris that I love). The late Raphaël was also part of this blog (I want to remember the memory of this young man who contributed a lot to this project).

To show our attachment to the 4th district of Paris wasn't just a fling but something much more, we have decided to create an association which was officially recognized in november 2008. It is called "Le 4e au coeur" (The fourth district of Paris in our Heart).

"The aims of this associations are :

- to promote the image of the 4th district in its diversity, its cultures, its history and its heritage.

- to encourage the exchanges between the residents by enhancing conviviality.

- to promote international exchanges particuliary twinnings with the quarters of other large cities around the world.

- to better welcome visitors to the 4th district and to enhance our exchanges with them.

- to encourage the type of tourism which respects the daily life of the residents.

- to keep in mind the best interest of the residents"

(extract from the Journal Officiel #50, December 13th 2008, page 6020).

For us, it is important to be interested in our immediate environment, our quarters and, of course, our fellow residents. The priority is not unikely to look out further horizon (The readers of this blog have understood what I'm talking about). Let's begin by solving the problems which are more closer to home. There is already so much to do in the 4th district of Paris.

On tuesday, the 17th of January, we were 16 of us assembled inside a restaurant to form the core of the association which, hopefully, will have a successful future. I have the honor of being the president. A blog has just been published. It allows us to announce the associations'activities.

My blog "L'Indépendant du 4e" will still continue to run in order to express MY personal point of view. That's why I have called it "Independent" because it shows my ideas without having to censor anythink. Yet, I'm aware independence does not mean neutrality.

P.S. : An huge thanks to Avishaï who came up with the logo fot our association.

* Paris is divided in 20 administrative districts called "arrondissements"  in French .

CCLXXXVIII : The 4th district of Paris catches "Obamania"

Reprenant une habitude que nous avions eu à l'époque du blog "Le 4e que j'aime", j'ai décidé de me lancer dans la traduction de certains articles de "L'Indépendant du 4e". Avec l'aide précieuse d'Ellen, une australienne, je commence par cette traduction en anglais de l'article que j'avais écrit à propos de l'Obamania le 7 février 2009.

Here is a post which will please my friend Nizar. I have taken these photos on the corner of rue Saint-Merri and rue du Renard. Another example of "street art" [art de la rue in French] as mentioned in Olivier Francheteau's blog, after the previous post dedicated to a postbox not so far from here but on the corner of rue de la Verrerie.

This poster shows the White House's newest rentee. On the one hand, it may glorify Mr Obama (I had written a post on the November 5th 2008 to offer my salutation for this election). On the other hand, it could also be a parody : Mr Obama is absolutely not superman and to portray him in this way could deceive the public as, the higher the expectation, the higher the risk of failure.

Fortunately, in France, there are still some dedicated left-wing politicians like Jean-Luc Mélenchon who has denounced on his blog the "Obabéats" (the Obama's worshippers) as early as the 18th of January 2009.

In my opinion, even if I don't consider Barrack Obama as superman,  we should have a large interest in his success.

I searched, in vain, for the meaning of initials "M.B W." which are featured on the poster. The only thing I could find was about the "Marine Barracks Washington" but I'm not sure if this is the right link. [even if these soldiers are in charge of the official ceremonies organized by the President, as the French"Garde Republicaine" whose barracks are located in the Fourth district* of Paris].

*Paris is divided in 20 administrative districts called "arrondissements" in French.