Europe's joke

Seems to be the hit of the moment, the official European joke. Let me just copy-paste it for this time! (I don't even bother to apologize for its length 'cause it's really funny!)

"European paradise:

You are invited to an official lunch. You are welcomed by an Englishman. Food is prepared by a Frenchman and an Italian puts you in the mood and everything is organised by a German.

European hell:

You are invited to an official lunch. You are welcomed by a Frenchman. Food is prepared by an Englishman, German puts you in the mood but, don't worry, everything is organised by an Italian.

That joke was proposed by a Belgian as the Official European Joke, the joke that every single European pupil should learn at school. The Joke will improve the relationship between the nations as well as promote our self humour and our culture.

The European Council met in order to make a decision. Should the joke be the Official European Joke or not?

The British representative announced, with a very serious face and without moving his jaw, that the joke was absolutely hilarious.

The French one protested because France was depicted in a bad way in the joke. He explained that a joke cannot be funny if it is against France.

Poland also protested because they were not depicted in the joke.

Luxembourg asked who would hold the copyright on the joke. The Swedish representative didn't say a word, but looked at everyone with a twisted smile.

Denmark asked where the explicit sexual reference was. If it is a joke, there should be one, shouldn't there?

Holland didn't get the joke, while Portugal didn't understand what a "joke" was. Was it a new concept?

Spain explained that the joke is funny only if you know that the lunch was at 13h, which is normally breakfast time. Greece complained that they were not aware of that lunch, that they missed an occasion to have some free food, that they were always forgotten. Romania then asked what a "lunch" was.

Lithuania et Latvia complained that their translations were inverted, which is unacceptable even if it happens all the time. Slovenia told them that its own translation was completely forgotten and that they do not make a fuss. Slovakia announced that, unless the joke was about a little duck and a plumber, there was a mistake in their translation. The British representative said that the duck and plumber story seemed very funny too.

Hungary had not finished reading the 120 pages of its own translation yet.

Then, the Belgian representative asked if the Belgian who proposed the joke was a Dutch speaking or a French speaking Belgian. Because, in one case, he would of course support a compatriot but, in the other case, he would have to refuse it, regardless of the quality of the joke.

To close the meeting, the German representative announced that it was nice to have the debate here in Brussels but that, now, they all had to make the train to Strasbourg in order to take a decision. He asked that someone to wake up the Italian, so as not to miss the train, so they can come back to Brussels and announce the decision to the press before the end of the day.

"What decision?" asked the Irish representative.

And they all agreed it was time for some coffee."

Un poquito de nostalgia

The past few days have been a joy. Sunny, mild, springish. Café Belga put its tables outside on the square. Place Flagey has been a come-and-go of skaters and baby buggies, of street musicians and mums, of students and workers. All enjoying the springish atmosphere, the friterie, the open space and the pond to play with swans and birds. As all good things come to an end, today it started to rain again. I had to feel blue.

And then, out of the blue, I found a lovely surprise waiting for me in my mail box. The German couple we had met in Bolivia finally sent the photos made together in Uyuni! Impossible not to notice how they all look like a foto montage, but surely they have been food for memories and nostalgia! A weird feeling of happyness.

How about being a film music composer?

Charlie Chaplin - This is my song

Since I watched Woman On Top, I have been looking for its soundtrack compilation here and there. It is not that uncommon that I watch a movie and its music remains in my ears for days afterwards…most of the time I don’t even know what I am actually singing or humming. But who is it to play the music? Well, generally orchestras, bands, singers...but they just execute. The right question is actually: who is it to compose the music, to write it, to put musical notes on sheet music?

Composers and songwriters are normally overshadowed behind their famous and catchy music in films, Tv-series and the likes. The theme of Two and a Half Men is now obsessing me, thanks to Grant Geissman, Lee Aronsohn, and Chuck Lorre (who wrote the music) and to Elizabeth Daily and ‘other Studio musicians’ (who performed it). Looking at the show, I actually thought Alan, Jake and Charlie were singing it! Funny, uh?

If Morricone goes with Western’s, Nicholas Hooper is the one of Harry Potter’s films. Maurice Jarre is the one behind epic films such as Lawrence of Arabia or Doctor Zhivago, whereas David Nessim Lawrence is the one of the American-Pie-kind-of-stuff. And who did not enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl by Klaus Badelt, or the music of Gladiator by Hans Zimmer (allegedly the king of music scores)?!? On January 30th, John Barry died. Without him, James Bond would have had all a different sound. The Guardian wrote this music-blog page for him "John Barry: a life in clips" and among his aficionados, one left the closing comment: "if music has the ability to instantly affect the emotional and intellectual state then John Barry is the Grandmaster Wizard". Who's your favourite one?