Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Paris Ghetto!


It's been several mornings that I've passed by this graffiti on my way to the office and every day I wonder who, on earth, could take the time to write "ghetto" on the sidewalk! Anyway, this morning I decided to take a photo, which, don't ask me why, I like a lot. Like in all big cities, in - or around - Paris, we also have areas that some consider to be ghettos. Generally, it's a word associated with poverty, but in the 80's, 3 famous French comedians made what could qualify as a rap song in which they made fun of 3 rich neighborhoods named Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy calling them "C'est mon ghetto" (it's my ghetto). Hard to get if you don't speak French, hilarious, if you do...

75 comments:

  1. a lot of graffiti is pretty un-understandable, but I would really like to know what is meant by this one.
    Nasty or nice?

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  2. So that's the photo taken this morning (wekk, yestersay morning !)

    black & white, graffiti, knelt-down Eric... A real PDP classic!

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  3. Gosh! Welldone GF Alexa
    ....We're in the same minute, but you took me a few seconds ;-))

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  4. Un-understandable? Is it against the rules to make up words, Phx? I also like the b&w (always)—and this was right down where Eric likes to put his camera anyway. Eric -- is it written in chalk or something more permanent? On to the link . . .

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  5. Thib -- we're playing the PDP equivalent of phone tag!

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  6. *well, yesterday !!
    I tried to type too fast......

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  7. Eric, thank you for the link to "Les Inconnus"! That was (and still is) great fun!

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  8. Eric -- just checked out the link and I have to say -- I do speak French, but the way they sing over each other, je n'ai rien compris! But even the idea of a rap song about Auteuil, Neuilly and Passy is pretty funny.

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  9. Alexa, I think they're all gone!
    So let's celebrate your crown with some Champagne... It's obviously the Auteuil-Neuilly-Passy drink ;-)

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  10. I may need to step in here and control you two...but I'm too tired. Good night. Love the photo and story Eric - of course!

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  11. Michael, "salut!...tu...vas...bien...?"
    (see Eric's link)
    And have a good night !

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  12. I'd love to know if this graffiti is meant to be positive or negative too. Just by the way it is painted it seems positive, but who knows.
    Cool perspective Eric.
    & the video is hilarious.

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  13. Ah, right. Neuilly-gettho is like saying "beverly hills, my 'hood" ?
    Love the B&W pic. Well done!

    (Tall Gary was right, the camera is dropped on the ground again ;)

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  14. Ceci est une tentative de gros scandale public parce que ça calme pas mal les gros connards en attendant de trouver un enfin avocat qui réglera ce problème de non respect de mes droits les plus élémentaires et je le conseille à chacun qui peut avoir des ennuis avec ce gros connard de sarkozy ou sa clique de clowns de flics minables : je suis donc en train de régler un petit problème du genre détail avec cette grosse tache de si peu président de la république Française, en lui envoyant un avocat pour mises sous surveillance illégales, lynchage numérique inspiré de bonnes vieilles méthodes qui ne déplairaient pas au ku klux klan, lynchage qui n'a mobilisé personne sur le web ou dans la presse et plagiat vulgaire et ridicule qui passe à la télé, de mes petits textes web.

    Quant a sarkozy, s'il n'aime pas le web, et s'il n'aime pas la rue qui sait, la preuve, très bien se défendre, qu'il la quitte !

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  15. A few years ago there was a guy who did a tongue in cheek rap song about Malibu and talked about it like it was the hood but instead of calling it that he called it the 'Bu. Amusing, too.

    I look at this as thought-provoking graffiti - i.e., what is a ghetto, where are the non-obvious ghettoes of Paris and how do you (dear reader) fit into any particular one? In that regard, I wonder what part of town this little comment was placed.

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  16. In French is the word 'ghetto'? Or did this writer use English?

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  17. I can't help myself, to the non French people, here are the lyrics (and I apologize for this loooong post), because they are PRICELESS.

    "Hé mec
    Je me présente
    Je m'appelle Charles-Henri Du Pré
    J'habite à Neuilly
    Dans un quartier mal paumé
    Je suis fils unique
    Dans un hôtel particulier
    C'est la croix, la bannière
    Pour me sustenter.
    Pas un Arabe du coin
    Ni un Euromarché.

    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: Tel est notre ghetto

    Hé mec, mon nom à moi
    C'est Hubert Valéry
    Patrick Stanislas
    Duc de Montmorency
    A 5 ans et demi
    J'avais déjà ma Ferrari.
    J'pouvais pas la conduire,
    Bien sûr, j'étais trop p'tit!

    As-tu saisi mon pote
    Notre envie de révolte?
    J'ai envie de crier
    "Zut, flûte, crotte, chier... "

    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: C'est pas du gâteau
    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: Tel est notre ghetto.

    Salut, tu - vas - bien ?
    Salut, tu - vas - bien ?

    Y en a marre du Fauchon,
    Du Hédiard, du saumon, du caviar

    Salut, c'est Patrick,
    A l'appareil
    Ouais, c'est Pat',
    Tu vas bien?

    Et moi? Et moi?
    Tu ne sais pas quelle est ma vie?
    A côtoyer Chantal
    Ou bien Marie-Sophie
    A faire le baise-main
    A des pétasses mal baisées
    Enfin, j'ai voulu dire
    A des filles un peu coincées...

    Je veux être un voyou,
    Vrai de vrai hors la loi.
    Mais quand t'es né ici mon frère,
    Vous n'avez pas le choix.
    Y en a marre des Sylvie, des Mylène
    Ségolène, Gwendoline, Eglantine,
    Marie-Chantal...

    Y en a marre, mon frère,
    On a de gros problèmes.
    Y en a marre, mon frère,
    De subir le système.

    Mon avenir à moi est déjà tout tracé :
    Boîtes privées, Science PO, l'ENA ou H.E.C.
    Et dans le pire des cas
    Si je ne travaille pas,
    Faudra que je reprenne
    La boîte de papa.

    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: c'est pas du gâteau
    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: tel est notre ghetto.

    Salut, tu vas bien?

    Nous sommes tous les produits
    D'une société économique dépendante
    Des fluctuations boursières
    Qui déstabilisent le marché.
    Oui mec!
    Et pour sortir de ce carcan
    Educatif, capitaliste
    Il faut savoir dire non, non, non, mec!

    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: c'est pas du gâteau
    Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy: tel est notre ghetto.

    Salut, tu vas bien?

    Nous sommes issus d'une famille
    Qui n'a jamais souffert
    Nous sommes issus d'une famille
    Qu'on ne peut plus souffrir..."

    I do like the graphics of your picture, simple, looks like a Ben painting (French artist), don't you think?!

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  18. Tomate Farcie a dit ça suffit !!!April 22, 2009 at 1:40:00 AM GMT+2

    Ah, qu'est-ce que tu fais chier, Anonyme, à laisser le meme message sur les blogs de tous les expats et maintenant ici aussi?!! Comme je te l'ai dit la dernière fois que tu m'as fait le coup sur mon blog deux fois de suite (et tu continues, je vois), mais disons le en Anglais, ce sera plus marrant pour tout le monde.

    Why don't you grow a pair, get your own damn blog, and post you shit on your own site. How about it, uh?!

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  19. And by the way, this time you forgot "merci pour la liberte de s'exprimer" Except that you do express yourself through other people's blogs, anonymously, so THEY get to take responsibility for your comment, not you. Rolling eyes.

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  20. Grr. I forgot what I was gonna say now. Oh, yeah, love the song, Guille. I'm gonna look for it on uTube to see what it sounds like with music! ;)

    (sorry for the nasty comment there, people. This guy (?) has been littering the expat blogs for A WHILE NOW.)

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  21. Thanks for the lyrics, Guille! That answers my question about the word ghetto.

    Eric, the more I look at this photo, the more I like it. It's subtle and it asks the viewer to contemplate.

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  22. Thanks Guille!
    Great shot Eric. Is it an insult though to the area?

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  23. Tomate Farcie ~ You go girl, I do think it is a good thing I can't read Anonyne's comment.

    The photo is interesting. And I am enjoying every ones comments.

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  24. I think it is interesting that the person who did this wrote in extremely nice "pen"manship --or would it be "paintmanship?--and it is very nicely done. (The photo is equally nicely done, Eric!) Just my wonderings...

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  25. At first I thought that the word ghetto was written with one of those cake icing tubes, but, after all, “C'est pas du gâteau.”

    Thanks for those lyrics Guille. That was fabulous of you.

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  26. c'est vraiment drole:

    Inconnus Auteuil Neuilly Passy

    merci très bien à Guille

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  27. There are lots of reasons to like the photo Eric. One of them I think it's the irony of it. The artist surely had sense of humour and made a strong remark by writing this in the 9th.

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  28. Just got back from the

    Inauguration de l'année de la France en Brésil.

    It was soooo cool!!! It was raining a lot, which was a bit of a downer, but still the fireworks, lights and sounds show was very beautiful all over our big lagoon. It lasted 30 minutes and even the rain didn't stop the people from coming to see it.
    When it was over the crow applauded in awe.
    I'm putting a few pictures on FB. I'm not Eric so very few photos were good. It's nealy impossible to photograph fireworks under the rain!

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  29. So as of today it's official: a little bit of France can be found all over Brasil until november. For cities like Rio and Sao Paulo, not only a little but a lot. We're all about France here these days.
    There are outdoors photo displays from french photographers, french painters (like the french-russian artist Chagall) exhibitions in many museums, there will be an YSL exihibition, french movies festivals, we had the Moulin Rouge last february and so on.

    Yesterday it was a public holiday here which celebrates the movement that lead towards our independence, which was totally inspired by the Frenc Revolution. So to mark this date and the inauguration of this special year, one of our most famous singers sang
    La Marseillaise.

    See Eric, you can come visit Rio you'll feel at home!!!

    ;)

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  30. Sue about your comment yesterday, rest assure I will say hi for you to Madame.
    I bet she has no idea we make so many comments about her!

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  31. Monica, that's so cool!

    Really enjoying the comments today. Tomate, Guille, everyone.

    I'm having computer trouble and it's hard to surf, hard to comment. But I'm here lurking.

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  32. Petrea I know how it is, I have computer trouble most all the time, but even when my face is not showing here cause my Mac is not obeying me and won't publish my comments, I'm still here spying!

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  33. Monica, it sounds really fun. Thank you for the description.

    As to this photo--is that one of the sidewalk toilets? Does that make this location a ghetto? Or just a place where you go to?

    11 days and counting...

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  34. Guille -- merci—you are super! (I kept playing it, mais je n'arrivais jamais a comprendre).

    tomate -- wanted to say it but don't know if I would have -- so I'm glad you did!

    Monica -- that all sounds very cool! (I'm off to Facebook to see.)

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  35. Hahaha!!! The video is hilarious!! What a contrast with someone like Grand Corps Malade, St. Denis

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  36. Alexa, I'm disappointed... you're a New Yorker!! You know, in California, people say that New Yorker are ... ahem.. outspoken.(of course that's because they haven't met Parisians, ahem ;)

    Monica, catch up with you on FB

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  37. One doesn't have to understand French to love the video, Eric! It's delightful.

    Tomate, it's probably a good thing I didn't understand what Anonyme was saying (I tried, but gave up). I have a hard time holding my tongue. Don't know if anyone's noticed that...

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  38. Petra, I didn't notice! :)

    In case you are curious he (?) is just ranting about Sarkozy (ironically I don't have a problem with that, lol) but he goes on about how he wants to sue him, alleges that his "online civil rights" (?) were violated, claims "electronic lynching" and complains that neither the Press nor anyone else noticed. That's pretty much the gist of it.

    What I have a problem with is not so much the rant itself but the fact that he(?) is using the other bloggers as a platform to spew his venom, whether we like it or not, and you find the same copy/paste on the expat blogs, mine included. It's cowardly.

    My guess is that his IP address has been banned everywhere else (earlier rants said something about being banned from dotclear) so he uses our blogs, and doesn't seem to care about what consequences there may be for us.

    That's where I reacted. I've left his first rant on my blog, since I don't moderate the comments, but I asked him politely to knock it off. I guess he feels that he "online civil rights" are more important than ours.

    It's not a bot, it's a person, I'm sure of it and he/she has NO balls if you ask me.

    Soap box free!

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  39. Sh*t, now I've even done his translating for him! ;)

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  40. Maybe it was an e-Graffiti to illustrate Ghetto in the 9th? :)

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  41. A ghetto is "any" isolated or segregated area.The fact that it has come to mean a "slum" area occupied by a minority group or groups speaks volumes.

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  42. Monica, the YSL exhibition was here in San Francisco for months and I missed it! Hope they let you get some good pictures! ;)

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  43. Well I like the photo as well. When I see lone words in places I want to take photos of them as well and usually like the results. I find they have more impact this way.

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  44. Eric, it's a beautiful photo in addition to artistic writing of the subject. {And black and white , sigh!} The scene reminded me of Mr Eternity, a man who used to write the word 'Eternity' in chalk on the pavements of Sydney in beautiful copperplate script even though he could barely write his own name.

    So many funny and interesting comments today ~ many LOLs.

    Alexa, Thib, enjoy your champagne!

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  45. Well, for the 9th, it is entirely fitting, I think.

    Er.. wait, who do we know in the 9th?!

    Uh, oh...

    La gaffe!


    J/K ;) Good morning, Eric :D (sheepish green)

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  46. Er.. wait... if I'm not mistaken, gettho also means "a high concentration of American tourists" in the Latin Quarter, according to Rick Steves.

    (hmmm.. someone definitely should step away from the computer, hehehe)

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  47. ^ true story! (don't ask me to dig it out, though)

    though...
    though...
    though...

    Is there an echo in here?!!

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  48. It's amazing to me that graffiti is tolerated in Paris - even encouraged? It's not here in the UK. I do find it interesting to see... provided it has some art and is not offensive. Is this?

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  49. If you enjoy the Neuilly Auteuil Passy rap, I recommand that you also have a look to their "Rap-Tout" video, which is highly topical here in France, as we are in the tax declaration period ;-((
    "Rap-tout" is a pun: it could be translated as "steal everything", and it's also the french name (Rapetout) of the famous burglar brothers, enemies of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
    I'm sure Guille will find the lyrics for us...

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  50. "Tomate Ca Suffit": j'adore quand tu parles français ;-)

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  51. Tomate, seeing you writing in French was to me, the proof that you were definitely fed up! This kind of comment is sooo annoying. Thanks for the translation héhé.

    I can't think about something else: Ben Vautier the French artist painted it!Check it out!;)
    http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2048/2169512166_dff19819b5.jpg

    Hey guys, does someone know where Coltrane is?

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  52. Of course Thib! And the video too! ;)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-9j9Io-gTk

    "Salut mec, ça va, tu vas bien
    On se présente, mais non tu connais déjà
    On est là pour te pomper
    T'imposer sans répit et sans repos
    Pour te sucer ton flouze
    Ton oseille
    Ton pognon
    Ton pèze
    Ton fric
    Ton blé
    Tes économies
    Tes sous
    Ton salaire
    Tes bénefs
    Tes bas de laine
    Tout ce qui traîne
    C'que tu as sué de ton front
    On te le sucera jusqu'au fond

    On est là partout
    Même quand tu joues
    Pauvre idiot, on est là partout
    Le loto, c'est nous
    Le bingo, c'est nous
    Le tiercé, le quarté , le quinté
    C'est encore nous
    Le quinté plus, on te re-suce

    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Pas possible que t'en réchappes
    Nous sommes les frères qui rapent tout

    T'a pensé à payer ta
    Taxe foncière
    Taxe immobilière
    Taxe professionnelle
    Taxe sur le personnel
    Taxe d'apprentissage
    Taxe si t'es pas sage
    Taxe sur tout ce qui bouge
    Sur tes clopes et sur ton rouge
    Sur tes cachets d'aspirine
    Sur ta vodka, sur ton gin ah ! ah !
    Majorations relevées
    Vignettes et timbres fiscaux
    Cartes grises et assurance auto
    PV droit d'immatriculation
    Crache, crache
    Essence, péage, héritage, partage, ménage, concubinage
    On est là à tous les étages

    Nous sommes URSSAF, CANCRAS et CARBALAS
    Qui que tu sois, quoi que tu fasses
    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Pas possible que t'en réchappes
    Nous sommes les frères qui rapent tout.

    Je t'offre un pot !
    Et oui un pot
    Impôts fiscaux
    Impôts locaux
    Impôts directs
    Et indirects
    Impôts fonciers
    Impôts rentiers
    Impôts sur les grandes fortunes
    Impôts même si t'as pas de tunes
    Impôts sécheresse
    Impôts richesse
    Impôts nouveaux
    Impôts rétros
    Impôts recto
    Impôts verso
    Impôts sur le revenu
    Impôts sur les revenants

    Nous sommes URSSAF, CANCRAS et CARBALAS
    Qui que tu sois, quoi que tu fasses
    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Pas possible que t'en réchappes
    Nous sommes les frères qui rapent tout.

    Penses à nous, penses à nous
    Tu sais ce que ça veut dire IFA
    Impôts forfaitaire annuel
    C'est moi qui l'ai inventé
    Cotisation supplémentaire de 0,1%
    Contribution sociale de solidarité
    Attends, attends, c'est pas fini
    Majorations, relevés
    Charges sociales et plus value
    Cotisation pré-retraite
    T'as pensé à payer la
    Taxe foncière
    Taxe immobilière
    Taxe professionnelle
    Taxe sur le personnel

    On est là pour te pomper
    T'imposer sans répit et sans repos
    Pour te sucer tout ton flouze
    To oseille
    Ton pognon
    Ton pèze
    Ton fric
    Ton blé
    Tes biftons
    Tes ronds
    Tes actions
    Tes sicav
    Ton liquide
    Tes pourliches
    Ton salaire
    Tes bénefs
    Tes magots
    Tes lingots
    Tes napos
    Tes bas de laine
    Tout ce qui traîne
    Ce que t'as sué de ton front
    On va t'le sucer jusqu'au fond

    Nous sommes URSSAF, CANCRAS et CARBALAS
    Qui que tu sois, quoi que tu fasses
    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Pas possible que t'en réchappes
    Nous sommes les frères qui rapent tout.

    Salut !TVA bien !
    Toi qui croyais gagner dans l'ombre
    Tu vas te retrouver avec un prélèvement sans gain

    Nous sommes URSSAF, CANCRAS et CARBALAS
    Qui que tu sois, quoi que tu fasses
    Faut qu'tu craches, faut qu'tu payes
    Pas possible que t'en réchappes
    Nous sommes les frères qui rapent tout.

    Nous comprenons votre douleur
    C'est une triste disparition
    Mais dans votre malheur
    N'oubliez pas de régler vos droits de succession

    Au nom du père, du fisc, du cent pour cif."

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  53. Thanks Guille! Where do you find these lyrics?

    I reckon I spent some time last night -- after my GF lost race ;-)) -- watching at all these videos of Les Inconnus... great fun and good memories...

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  54. Gee 56 comments! The Ghetto inspires you! (And Les inconnus, too!)

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  55. Guille, tu crois pas que tu en rajoutes un peu, là !!!???
    ;-)

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  56. j'aime bien toutes tes photos, éric, un grand merci! celle-ci me fait penser à une photo que j'ai prise à paris il y a trois ans; là, c'était "amour" écrit sur le trottoir. on trouvait partout ce mot à paris sur les trottoirs cette année-là; est-ce que ça continue?

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  57. At first I thought this said "G-hello !" But of course it's "Ghetto" I can see that now.
    Yeah it's the weirdest graffities people stop up to do sometimes.
    Love the B&W and the way it's possible to lurk down the street.

    I don't have time to read all your funny comments today - I'm off to work. So I really think I'm missing out on something here.

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  58. @stellulu : it does.
    Look at Eric's 2008/04/28 photo.
    Ghetto, yeah ... much to say.

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  59. How can telling Eric nice and truthful things be too much, Guille? ;)

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  60. @stellulu visit " this post or type "Amour" in the search box (upper left of the blog)

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  61. Tomate and Alexa I'm sorry the photos I put on FB aren't good... I'm not good at night shots.
    I'll try to put a link there of some nice photos of the event.

    Tomate I'm anxious to the YSL exhibition!

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  62. I always measure and do appreciate every message that expresses a tough thought. And share it.

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  63. When I was in Paris last summer, I took a photo of a "ghetto" graffiti. It was just near the Hotel de Ville. I also made photos of other graffiti, my favorite being the "amour" graffiti that I found on the pavement on the quai next to the Seine. There was a stray leaf near the writing and the pavement yielded a lovely grainy effect....

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  64. Guille -- merci for the other lyrics—they're hysterical! And your follow-up comment to Eric made me laugh too. Too much? Well, not if you really meant it!

    Monica -- night shots are the most difficult for me too. But I got the idea, so thanks!

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  65. He he... yesterday first, and today, back down to my rightful place, the wrong side of a 69!

    My favourite graffiti that I have ever seen in Paris was where some wag had turned a draincover into a perfect set of ribs for a skeleton character he drew on the pavement near the church at St. Germain de Prés. It's gone now, alas.

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  66. "Au nom du père, du fisc"

    Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! hahaha!!

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  67. Guille, Thib : Y'a des fois, ça sort tout seul! ;) Quand par example je fais tomber ma tartine et qu'elle atterit du coté confiture, le premier mot qui sort est bien en Français, si, si! ;)

    :D

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  68. Tomate, alors tout n'est pas perdu!LOL

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  69. oui, c'est ça! merci pour le lien; j'ai découvert ton site Web il y a quelques mois donc je ne savais pas que tu en avais déjà parlé! j'ai mis ma photo d'"amour" comme photo de profile. ;o)

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  70. For some people, they think that grafitti is a vandalism. but, for me, I think that it is an art that we should appreciate it.

    Cheers!
    JOHAN

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