Rollerblading afternoon

I went rollerblading 12kms with my brother Theo and the dog Toufou, it was very nice! (And even nicer to beat the rain by a few minutes :-)) I love my family and I love the countryside!

Three Penguins in Copper

J'ai offert ces trois pengouins en cuivre à mes trois frères: Je les ai dessiné au Chili, et Alberto et Ivan Navarette, les artistes du cuivre de la "Place des Armes" à Santiago, les ont adapté en cuivre. Alberto dit que ceux sont ses préférés parmi mes dessins, et qu'il compte en faire d'autres copies pour voir si les touristes vont les acheter. Je suis très fier!!!

I offered those penguins in Copper to my three brothers: I drew them while I was in Chile, and Alberto and Ivan Navarette from the "Plaza de Armas" in Santiago adapted them in Copper. Alberto said that those were his favorites of my drawings, and that he would do more copies of them to see if the tourists buy them. I am proud!!!

Stick Figure animation of "Salute to the Sun"

A sequel to this morning's sketch, the animation version.
I thought that this animation software on my cell phone was interpolating between the positions, it seems it does not. Yet I like the ease with which I could do such a short animation, and how it expresses what I wanted in non-verbal style. Maybe I could sketch some courses on Algorithms and Data Structures in non-verbal style too?

Salute to the sun

As it's raining/pouring outside, and I don't have my dear cycling tablet here in France, I thought I would go back to some yoga from a long time ago. I thought I had scaned the pages of my yoga book describing my favorite exercises, but I couldn't find those! I redraw one of them from memory instead, I find it cute.

Any yoga master out there should feel free to correct me of course: this is the sequence I remember as the variant B from the salute of the sun of the school of Ashtanga yoga, but it differs from Wikipedia's description. I tried both and prefer this one, which feels more fluid. Now to breath!

Monsters: Worst Case vs Adaptive Analysis

J'ai réalisé ce dessin pour la couverture de la thèse (d'habilitation à diriger les recherches) que je veut écrire, sur l'"analyse adaptive d'algorithmes et de structures de données". Alberto et Ivan Navarette, les aristes du cuivre de la place des armes à Santiago du Chili, l'ont adapté en cuivre: Je pense que la photo rendra très bien sur la couverture de la thèse! Le monstre de gauche, avec un oeuil et deux jambes, est supposé représenter la manière traditionelle d'analyser l'efficacité des algorithmes, basée sur une seule instance, la pire possible. Le monstre de droite, avec une multitude de jambes et de globes oculaires, est supposé représenter la manière d'analyser les algorithmes et structures de données que je présente et défend, une "analyse adaptative" où l'on considère familles d'instances pour rafiner l'analyse traditionelle dans le pire des cas. Alberto et Ivan ont fait un travail sensationel!

I made this drawing for the cover of the thesis that I want to write, about the "Adaptive Analysis of Algorithms and Data Structures". Alberto and Ivan Navarette, the copper artists from the "Plaza de Armas" in Santiago de Chile, adapted it in copper: I think it will look even nicer on the cover of the thesis! The monster on the left, with one eye and two legs, is supposed to represent the traditional way to analyze algorithms, based on a single, worst possible, instance. The monster on the right, with many eyes and many legs, is supposed to represent the way to analyze algorithms and data-structures that I present and defend, an "adaptive analysis" where one consider families of typical cases to refine the traditional worst case analysis. Alberto and Ivan made a fabulous work!!!!

Salutations from here

France tomorrow !

I am flying to France tomorrow!

End of 2012 CursorLab competition

Yesterday was the finale of the Competition of Android programming organized by Cursor. A group of my students got the second prize, but all projects were impressive, and all the students who managed to build a complete application in just one semester from scratch deserve to be proud of themselves!!!

French Academia

12 years ago, Claire wrote an interesting post on the french academic system. While I disagree with some point of details (the 6 weeks cycle of the coop program and the confusing calendar are [from what I saw in other French universities] oddities, even in France), my conclusions are very similar concerning the most common position, "Maitre de Conférence": comparing my former position in Canada with similar positions that my friends got in France, the salary is half as much, the teaching load is twice as high, the administrative weight is orders of magnitude heavier, and the stress if you are trying to do research is consequent.

I would add a few comments, about the recruiting system: the number of positions allocated to each university is decided by academician in committees at the government level (in Paris), which currently leads to a disequilibrium between the capital and "country-side" universities. As the same schema is reproduced for funding, the system becomes more and more bipolar, with most universities outside of two of the bigger cities concentrating on teaching, and a few having the lower teaching load and the funding required to do proper research.

As the universities don't have too much time for recruiting, all interviews happen at the same time, within the same month nationally, and within a few days for each university. Interview days and time are assigned, and changing them is difficult. You can be interviewed in Marseille (South of France) at 8am and in Rouen (all the way to the North) at 4pm. Also, as the universities don't have too much money either, there is no refund policy of the travel expenses of candidates. In the best case, candidates have 20 mins to present their research program, 10 mins of question, and then the committee listens to the next candidate, in a all-day marathon which leaves the committee members exhausted, obviously not in the best conditions to make any wise judgement. As a consequence, the recruiting decision is most often taken beforehand, and a necessary condition to be recruited is to be already known, to come several times before to give talks in the year before the application.

This situation yields various oddities. When I was applying to various universities in France, a friend told me that I could avoid a long trip to her university: the decision had already been taken and I was not the chosen one. At another university, a hiring was cancelled because such information was leaked to many candidates, to increase the chances of one local candidate to be hired: the recruiting process was done again 6 months later. When discussing about it with some French researchers, I was told that, as candidates are recruited directly with tenure after their PhD or Postdoc fellowship, they should be willing to bear with the recruiting system...

I left France 10 years ago. I am now going back to France for 7 months, to write a thesis of "Habilitation à diriger les Recherches", which would allow me to apply for Professor positions in France (which is only an option, not really a goal yet). It will be the occasion to renew contacts in France, make myself known if I want to apply in the future, and get again a taste at the academic life in France!!!

Packing for 7 months...

Yann Tiersen en Cuivre!

Certains de mes dessins ont été adaptés en cuivre para Alberto et Ivan Navarette, deux artistes Chiliens (père et fils) de la Place des Armes à Santiago. Ils disent qu'ils vont en faire d'autre copies et essayer de les vendre!!!

Some of my drawings were adapted in copper by Alberto and Ivan Navarette, two Chilean artists (father and son) from the "Plaza de Armas" in Santiago. They say that they will make some other copies and try to sell them!!!

J'ai dessiné la pièce ci-dessus le jour du concert de Yann Tiersen à Santiago: la tête est supposé être la mienne, et la scène avec le piano représente mon anticipation du concert. Je pensais demander à Yann Tiersen de signer un autographe sur le dessin, ou lui donner le dessin, mais il y avait bien trop de monde autour de la scène, j'ai fini par gardé le dessin pour moi-même :)

I drew the drawing above in anticipation of Yann Tiersen's concert: the head is supposed to be mine, and the stage with the piano representing my anticipation of the concert. At some point I thought that I might get him to autograph it, or give it to him, but there were too many people pressing around the scene, so I ended up keeping the drawing for myself :)

J'ai dessiné celui ci-dessus après le concert. Chaque animal est supposé carricaturer le musicien d'après son comportement sur scène, et Yann Tiersen est representé par un Kokopeli, rayonnant sur ses musiciens et les spectateurs.

I drew the one above after the concert. Each animal is supposed to carricature the musicians according the behavior they showed on the scene, and Yann Tiersen is represented by a Kokopeli, shining on his musicians and the spectators.

"Tomates Farcies" and "Flores de Tomates"

A new culinary experiment!
My guest loved it!

Art Exhibition

I put some of my art on display... at my office B-)

I just didn't know where to out it while I will be away for 6 months...

If airplanes were managed as websites...

Si les avions se geraient comme des sites ouaib.... Je ne volerai pas avec Air France!

If airplanes were managed as websites... I would not fly with AirFrance!

Si los aviones se manejaban como sitios web... No volaría con Air France!

38+38=(....) 38!!!

(Mais ils m'ont facturé le montant correct)

(They did charge the correct amount in the bill)

(La boleta final da el precio correcto)

Le site Allemano-Chilien d'une companie Française! Qui a dit que le ouaib était Anglais?

The German-Chilean website of a French company! Who said that the web was English?

El Alemana-Chileno sitio de una empresa Francesa! Quien dijo que el Internet era Inglés?

Canadian Driving License!

I received my renewed Canadian Driving License!!!
Now to exchange it in France for a life-long French one.

(I removed the picture as someone in Canada tried to buy a car using this picture as an ID... and now (2021!) someone else tried to sell some game consoles using it.)

Comparative Cooking

One reason I like cooking so much is that it is so much like a scientific experiment (without the hassle to write the results).

For today's comparative cooking : chicken nature, gingembre and spicy (all steamed), with boiled then fried potatoes and tomato.

Bon appétit !

Carricature

This is how N. sees me...
I see my hair a bit darker!

Earthquake / Tremblor

I feel often the ground shaking, mostly because of the big construction site next to my office, the big trucks passing in the street next to my apartment, or because of the big parking behind the supermarket where I usually go.
I can only guess that the fact that the building are earthquake proof means that they are more flexible, more likely to oscillate than to "take it in".

And many, many, many times I wonder if it is the beginning of a big earthquake. Or if my blood pressure is so high it makes me feel shaking. Or if I am imagining things. Not to the point of panicking, but making me a bit nervous, and disrupting my thoughts.

Yesterday was another occurrence. I was in bed, and felt shaking, and I couldn't decide if it was one of those small earthquakes they call tremblors or my muscles having small spasms. The reports didn't say anything so I went back to sleep. But this morning, the reports state that there was a shake in San Antonio, less than 100kms from where I leave: was not my imagination after all...

Jam Session

Yesterday I went to a jam session for a friend 's birthday. We did jazz versions of pump and circumstances, petite fleur, summertime... I was out of practice but I had a lot of fun!

Astronomy

J'ai travaillé sur un problème de géométrie qui pourrait avoir des applications en Astronomie. Est-ce qu'il y a un astronome qui lit ça et qui voudrait en discuter?	I have worked on a computational geometry problem which I think could have applications in Astronomy. Any astronomer out there wants to meet and chat?	Trabaje en un problema de geometría computacional que podría tener aplicaciones en Astronomía. Alguno astrónomo aquí quien quiere juntarse para conversar?

Where to spend my Sabbatical?

In the book "Brain Rules for BABIES", the author John Medina insists among other things about the importance of making children feeling safe for them to correctly develop their brain and learn optimally. Reading the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the fictional notes of a politician on Mars (The martians 4, by Kim Stanley Robinson, chapter 14) and other stories made me think repeatively about the importance of a stable, safe, life (and work, for when the distinction makes sense) environment in enabling adults and children alike to be creative.

I will have the opportunity to take a sabbatical leave next semester, and I wonder where to spend it: in Paris, France, with the opportunity to see my family more often; in Waterloo, Canada, with the opportunity to discuss with colleagues more often; in Santiago, Chile, with a life already optimized?

My objectives will be to extend my previous short (2 pages) survey on adaptive (analysis) of algorithm and reduce my many time started book on the same topic into a full-lenght journal survey/introduction; finish the (too many) journal versions pending on adaptive algorithm, in parallel with the writing of the survey; work on instance optimal results (still completing the survey). Which place will let me reach the best balance?

Chilean Glass by N

N. a tallé un verre pour moi, avec autant de symboles du Chili qu'elle pouvait penser. Il est magnifique!

N. etched a glass for me, with as many Chilean symbbols as she could think of. It is magnificent!

N. tallo un vaso para mi, con tan simbolos Chilenos como podo pensar. Es magnifico!

Je te promet

Je te promets le sel au baiser de ma bouche. Je te promets le miel à ma main qui te touche. Je te promets le ciel au dessus de ta couche, Des fleurs et des dentelles pour que tes nuits soient douces.

I promise you the salt at the kiss of my lips. I promise you the honey at my hand which touch you. I promise you the skyover your bed. Flowers and laces so that you night be calme.

Te prometo la sal en el beso de mis labios. Te prometo la miel en mi mano que te toque. Te prometo el cielo encima de su cama. Flores y cordones para que la noche sea calme.

Je te promets la clé des secrets de mon âme. Je te promets la vie de mes rires à mes larmes. Je te promets le feu à la place des armes Plus jamais des adieux, rien que des au revoir.

I promise you the key for the secrets of my soul. I promise you my life; my laught and my tears. I promise the fire at the place of the weapons. Never ever of the good-byes.

Te prometo la llave de los secretos de mi alma. Te prometo la vida, de mi risas a mis lágrimas. Te prometo el fuego en vez de las armas. Ningunos adios, siempre solamente despedidas.

J'y crois comme à la terre, j'y crois comme au soleil. J'y crois comme à l'enfant, comme on peut croire au ciel. J'y crois comme à ta peau, à tes bras qui me serrent. Je te promets une histoire différente des autres, J'ai tant besoin d'y croire encore!

I believe it is like of the earth, it is like of the sun, I believe it is like in kid, like we can believe in the sky. I believe it is like your skin, in your armes, which squeeze me. I promise one different story, not like another. I need so much to in it!

Le creo como creo en la tierra, como creo en el sol, Le creo como creo en un niǹo, como podemos creer en el cielo. Le creo como creo en su piel, en sus brazos, que me abrasan. Te prometo una historia diferente, no como otros. Necesito tan creer en eso!

Je te promets des jours tous bleus comme tes veines. Je te promets des nuits rouges comme tes rêves, Des heures incandescentes et des minutes blanches, Des secondes insouciantes au rythme de tes hanches.

I promise blue days like your veins. I promise you red night like your dreams of the incandescent hours and the whites minutes, of the carelles seconds in the rithm of your hip.

Prometo días azules como las venas. Te prometo noches rojas como tus sueños horas incandescentes y minutas blancas, segundas sin miedo en el ritmo de tu caderas.

Je te promets mes bras pour porter tes angoisses. Je te promets mes mains pour que tu les embrasses. Je te promets mes yeux si tu ne peux plus voir. Je te promets d'être heureuse, si tu n'as plus d'espoir.

I promise you that my hands will carry you from your fears! I promise you my hands so that you kiss them! I promise you my eyes if you can not see anymore! I promise you that to be happy even it when the hope disappear..

Te prometo mis manos para llevar a tus miedos, Te prometo mis manos para que tu las besan, Te prometo mis ojos si tu no puede ver más, Te prometo ser feliz incluso cuando la esperanza desaparece ..

J'y crois comme à la terre, j'y crois comme au soleil. J'y crois comme à l'enfant, comme on peut croire au ciel. J'y crois comme à ta peau, à tes bras qui me serrent. Je te promets une histoire différente des autres, Si tu m'aides à 'y croire encore.

I believe it is like of the earth, it is like of the sun, I believe it is like in kid, like we can believe in the sky. I believe it is like your skin, in your armes, which squeeze me. I promise one different story, not like another.

Le creo como creo en la tierra, como creo en el sol, Le creo como creo en un niǹo, como podemos creer en el cielo. Le creo como creo en su piel, en sus brazos, que me abrasan. Te prometo una historia diferente, no como otros.

Et même si c'est pas vrai, si on te l'a trop fait, Si les mots sont usés comme écrits à la craie, On fait bien des grands feux en frottant des cailloux. Peut-être avec le temps et à force d'y croire, On peut juste essayer pour voir...

And even if it is not true, if you make too much , if the wirds are worn out, like it was written in chalk. We will make well of the fire by rubbing the pebles! Perhaps with the time in the force to believe in it. We may just try for see...

E incluso si no es verdad, si te le dijeron otros ya, si las palabras están desgastados, como si hubieran sido escritas con tiza. Se hace bein fuego frotando piedras, Tal vez con el tiempo en la fuerza de creer en ella. Podemos intentar para ver...

Et même si c'est pas vrai, même si je mens, Si les mots sont usés, légers comme du vent Et même si notre histoire se termine au matin, Je te promets un moment de fièvre et de douceur, Pas toute la nuit mais quelques heures.

And even if is not true even if it is lie, if the words worn out, light like of the wind, even if our story dessepear in the morning, I promise you a moment of fire and plasure, not the wole night but a few hours.

E incluso si no es cierto incluso si es mentira, si las palabras son gastadas, como la luz del viento, aunque nuestra historia desaparece en la mañana, Te prometo un momento de fuego y placer, no toda la noche pero al menos algunas horas.

Je te promets le sel au baiser de ma bouche. Je te promets le miel à ma main qui te touche. Je te promets le ciel au dessus de ta couche, Des fleurs et des dentelles pour que tes nuits soient douces.

I promise you the salt at the kiss of my lips. I promise you the honey at my hand which touch you. I promise you the skyover your bed. Flowers and laces so that you night be calme.

Te prometo la sal en el beso de mis labios. Te prometo la miel en mi mano que te toque. Te prometo que el cielo encima de su cama. Flores y cordones para que la noche sea calme.

Je te promets - Jean-Jacques Goldman, Patricia Kaas Vidéo 8dreamcatcher8 sélectionnée dans Musique

(Thanks to CourtsOfChaos for the translation in English)

Le rire du JyBy, enfin sur Internet...

#CursorLab - En el GAM exponiendo nuestras ideas en - YouTube

Tantehue

Je me suis échappé de la capitale durant les fêtes nationales du Chili: trop de bruit et trop de travail! J'ai été a la maison de campagne d'un ami, à 1h en bus de Santiago.

I escaped the capital during the national festivities: too much noise, and too much work! I went to the cottage of a friend, at 1h by bus from Santiago.

Me escape de la capital Santiaguina por las fiestas patrias de Chile: demasiado ruido, y demasiado trabajo! Fui a la casa de campo de un amigo, a 1 hora en bus de Santiago.

J'avais Internet G3 (mais presque pas de GPS, ce qui est curieux?), j'ai pu envoyé plusieurs cartes postales digitales via mon téléphone "Galaxy Notes". Un Geek en vacances reste un Geek après tout!

I had Internet G3 (but barely GPS), so I sent many digital postcards using my Galaxy Notes cell phone. A geek on Holidays is still a geek after all ;)

Tenia conexión Internet 3G (pero casi no GPS, lo que me sorprende?), pude enviar algunas postales digitales vía mi celular "Galaxy Notes". Un Geel\k en vacaciones queda un Geek ;)

J'ai enseigné à faire les brownies, et j'ai appris à faire des "empenadas", improvisant une variante de "empenadas" à la pomme, qui a eu beaucoup de succès!

I taught how to cook brownies, and learned how to make empenadas, improvising some mini apple empenadas which had a lot of success!

Enseñe a hacer brownies, y aprendí a hacer empenadas, improvisando una variante, empenaditas de manzana, que tuvo mucho exito!

Ça m'a fait du bien de passe du temps dans la nature, de jouer avec le chien, caresser un lapereau sauvage. Une surprise: le chat de la maison a reçu du lait de la chienne quand il était bébé, et ils continuent la scène maintenant qu'ils sont adultes, ce qui donne une scène assez "érotique" ;)

It felt good reconnecting with Nature, playing with the dog, cuddling a baby rabbit (wild!). A surprise: the cat of the house got milk from the bitch when it was a baby, and they are still at it now that they are adult, making for quite an "erotic" view ;)

Me hizo bien pasar tiempo en el campo, jugar con la perra, encariñar el conejito. Una sorpresa: el gato de la casa recibo leche de la perra cuando era bebe, y ellos siguen con la escena ahora que son adultos, lo que hace una vista un poco "erótica" ;)

Slackline II

Today I managed to make 4 steps on the line!

Slackline!

Dans le parc près de mon bureau, j'avais observé plusieures fois un groupe marchant sur une corde souple: le mois dernier j'avais mon appareil photo, ils m'on autorisés à les prendre en photo.

In the parc close to my office, I had seen several time a group practicing the "slackline": last month I had my camera and they let me take pictures of them.

En el parque O'Higgins cerca de mi oficina vi un grupo de chicos practicando la "slackline": me dejaron tomar fotos.

Ils m'ont aussi laissé essayer de marcher sur la corde, mais il se trouve que je suis très mauvais! Je me rappelle avoir déjà essayé en Allemagne et en France, je veux apprendre!

They also invited me to try, but I am really bad at this! I remember trying in Germany and in France, I want to learn!

También me dejaron probar, pero estoy muy malo! Ya había intentado en Alemana y en Francia, quiero aprender!

On s'est mis d'accord pour nous réunir après les vacances: Je peux leur enseigner à Jongler, le monocycle et les échasses, et ils peuvent m'enseigner a marcher sur la corde :)

We agreed to meet in the future: I can teach them juggling, Unicycling and Stilts, and they can teach me how to walk the slackline :)

Nos pusimos de acuerdo para juntarnos en el futuro: yo puedo enseñarlos malavares, uniciclo y zancos, y ellos me enseñaron a caminar en la slackline :)

Float with Fefe

http://elfefe.zenfolio.com/p1048539614/h43fda440

Tantehue

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