Tag: France

May 4, 2018

Short Story Dispensers Are Finally Coming to the United States!

Have you heard of the insanely cool French craze of short story dispensers? If not, don’t stress, because they’re finally coming to the United States and I, personally, am so excited!

These machines, which were created by the company Short Edition, print out original short stories and poems that vary from one-, three-, or five- minute reads. They are adjustable so you can choose just how long you’d like your short story to be.

The first machine was put up in France in 2015. Shortly after, famed director Frances Ford Coppola ordered his very own for his cafe in San Fransisco.

^{via West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority}

Twenty more machines have been installed across the U.S. and four more are due to be placed in libraries in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and South Carolina. The dispensers print on eco-friendly paper and do not require ink or cartridges of any sort, so there’s really no downside. The machines were created as a means to boost morale around offices, to keep people occupied while waiting in lines, and to remind passersby of the power within storytelling and creativity.

These machines are re-enlivening the written word in a world that’s been overrun by e-books and Kindles. This way, readers can pocket their stories and read them time and time again, or pass them on and share them with a friend.

Thanks to Short Edition, people are given a chance to take a short break from reality and, briefly, dive into another world. Stories were created as a means to take a breath and escape when life gets too stressful, and these machines are giving us back that escape.

Featured Image via CNET

January 30, 2018

‘Fantastic Beasts’ Director Unveils French Word for Muggle!

The term for non-magical folk is “muggle” in the UK, and “no-maj” in the States. Fantastic Beasts director David Yates has revealed that in France, these unfortunates are known as…

In perhaps the most underwhelming revelation about the Potterverse ever, Yates confirmed that the French term for non-magical people is “non–magique.”

Wow, calm down there, you don’t want to get so caught up in your inspired naming of things that you get too cryptic. The fans are an intelligent, not too mention wildly attractive, bunch, but even they might not know what you mean when you’re using such crazy, unfamiliar makey-upy language.

^{Via Giphy}

In slightly more whelming news, he explained to Entertainment Weekly that the Parisian wizarding world is “quite glamorous, it’s quite beautiful.” He said:

There’s a community that lives alongside the muggle community, it’s much freer than in New York, where there’s segregation. Paris is a bit like England, actually, not so hung up about the differences between the two. Magical people can freely move into non-magical communities as long as they’re discreet about their talents…

Well at least they are kind to the dimwitted ‘non-magique’.

Featured Image Via CinemaBlend

January 26, 2018

Plan Your European Excursion With This Interactive ‘Count of Monte Cristo’ Map!

Anybody who’s read The Count of Monte Cristo can confirm that it’s the best. When you read it, it’ll quickly become a favorite. It’ll also leave you with the burning desire to visit France. Alexandre Dumas does such an excellent job of not only plotting Edmond Dantes’ revenge, but glamorously depicting Paris and Rome, as well as the coziness of Dantes’ home of Marseille.

The book is a tome, so you feel totally immersed in Dumas’ Europe by the end of the 1,000+ pages. But, once you’ve finished your journey with the Count, you may want to visit the real-world destinations. While I haven’t booked your Airbnbs yet, I have pointed you in the right direction. So take a journey through Europe along the same path the Count of Monte Cristo took! If you stumble upon any hidden treasure on remote islands, by the way, please remember who gave you the coordinates.

Feature Image Via Unsplash

July 24, 2017

Philosopher Anne Dufourmantelle Dies Attempting Rescue of Children

Author and philosopher Anne Dufourmantelle drowned at Pampelonne beach near St Tropez on July 21st after attempting to assist two children who had difficulty in the water. Dufourmantelle was swept away by a strong current soon after entering the water, and was recovered unresponsive a short time later. The children after whom she had gone were rescued, and are unharmed.

Dufourmantelle penned a number of essays on the importance of risk-taking, as well as a book in 2011, ‘Praise of Risk.’

Image Courtesy of France Inter

In an interview in French publication Liberation, Dufourmantelle is quoted as saying:

It is said: ‘to risk one’s life,’ but perhaps one should say ‘to risk life’, [because] being alive is a risk.

To imagine an enemy ready to attack from time to time induces a state of paralysis, a feeling of helplessness which calls for a maternal response – supposedly all protective. Today, we desire this overprotection.”

French Minister for Culture Françoise Nyssen released a statement declaring Dufourmantelle “a great philosopher who helped us live.”

Her funeral was held today in Ramatuelle, France.

Featured Image Courtesy of Les Séries – ARTE