Cob: Lake Erie research housing

[Michael Fitzgerald]

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Fitzgerald [mailto:puppetman at ix.netcom.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 12:36 AM
To: Yun Que
Subject: RE: Cob: Lake Erie research housing


Hi cat and Linda:

The French site actually has a lot of English content. Its a little strange
to have English content under French titles. I tried to copy urls but it
didn't work for some cyberspacey reason. There is a 23 page report under
"Terra" on the home page and then down that page under "Report of the
International Workshop." Back on the home page click on Formation (it means
school courses) on the next page scroll down to India and click on these
classes. It will take you to a lot nice information. Be sure to click on the
photo essays on the upper right. They are fascinating and will all go in my
domes for dummies file. The classes look like they would be sooo
interesting. Anybody up for a group trip to the sub continent?  Back to the
homepage and click on "diffusion" then click on Reaseau d'information Basin.
on the next page click on English for an English version. There is a link to
publications such as Building with Bamboo, Basics of Arches, domes and
Cupolas. and many more that seem interesting. I think I might get one of
each. A little warning: if you find yourself tempted by the videos under the
heading librarie (it means bookstore) none of them are in the NTSC format
that we use in the US. You will see they are in the VHS format and can be
confused with so many tapes that are VHS brand or use VHS somewhere on the
box. Make no mistake VHS formatted tapes do not play on machines in the US.

Cat there is a lot of information here and some of it seems more practical
than other English speaking sites I have visited. They say they are working
on a fully English version of the site and maybe they will have it soon. In
the meantime I will be returning to the site from time to time and if I find
something there that I haven't found somewhere else I will pass it along to
the list-serve. However I am just at the beginning of my research and there
aint much that isn't new to me.

I saw that the Palace at Agbomey in Bénin was in the international register
of earthen architecture. I know it well and have visited it many times. They
have bas reliefs there that are being restored. They are a very interesting
study in oral cultures and the storage of information and patrimonie. I have
a book in French on this aspect of the palace. There was an English version
available in Cotonou and I could probably scrounge up particulars and how to
order if anybody was interested. By the way I will be participating in a
study trip to Benin next summer if anybody wants to visit the royal palace
themselves. You can get college credit and spend a month in a place where
the only stick built buildings are made of bamboo!

I have a very cheap translation program and anybody interested in the
internet should probably have one too. Here is an example of the French text
translated by machine. You will see that it is not very good but that you
can get the gist of what is being said. If you find a spot where you just
can't understand what it is they are saying and you think its the key to all
your building woes, I will see if I can help.
En effet, le laboratoire mène, simultanément à son travail de recherche,
d'autres activités qu'il considère comme indissociables, à savoir
l'enseignement, l'assistance technique et la diffusion d'informations. Il a
toujours intégré dans son action une importante dimension de formation dans
la double perspective de favoriser le développement des connaissances, la
maîtrise du matériau terre, l'amélioration de l'architecture de terre et de
contribuer à la recherche de solutions concrètes aux problèmes de l'habitat
économique. Il organise et assure des enseignements hautement spécialisés
qui, ces dernières années, connaissent un développement très net et une
diversification intéressantes.

Translated:

In fact, the laboratory takes, simultaneously to his research work, of other
activities that it considers as simultaneously, to know the teaching, the
technical assistance and the broadcasting of informations.  It always
integrated in his action an important formation dimension in the double
perspective to favor the development of the knowledge, the mastery of the
material earth, the improvement of the earth architecture and to contribute
to the research of concrete solutions to the problems of the economical
habitat.  It organizes and assures highly specialized teachings that, the
latter years, know a very net development and an interesting
diversifications.

By the way Cat don't worry about butchering the language. I have it on good
authority that American accents and the American's inimitable mangling of
their language is very sexy to a lot of Francophones.

Hope this helps
Michael Fitzgerald
Anthropologist/Woodcarver/Puppetmaker

 snip
Cat here, did you send this to Lake Erie?  Did you look at the site?  I have
always wanted to speak French but I have difficulty with English!  If I ever
get to France it would be better to be a complete idiot, and stay mute, then
make enemies by butchering their marvelous language!!
 snip
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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Michael Fitzgerald 
[mailto:puppetman at ix.netcom.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 05, 2003 12:36 
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Yun Que<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: Cob: Lake Erie research 
housing<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Hi cat 
and Linda:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The 
French site actually has a lot of English content. Its a little strange to have 
English content under French titles. I tried to copy urls but it didn't work for 
some cyberspacey reason. There is a 23 page report under "Terra" on the home 
page and then down that page under "Report of the International Workshop." Back 
on the home page click on Formation (it means school courses) on the next page 
scroll down to India and click on these classes. It will take you to a lot nice 
information. Be sure to click on the photo essays on the upper right. They are 
fascinating and will all go in my domes for dummies file. The classes look like 
they would be sooo interesting. Anybody up for a group trip to the sub 
continent?  Back to the homepage and click on "diffusion" then click on 
Reaseau d'information Basin. on the next page click on English for an English 
version. There is a link to publications such as Building with Bamboo, Basics of 
Arches, domes and Cupolas. and many more that seem interesting. I think I might 
get one of each. A little warning: if you find yourself tempted by the videos 
under the heading librarie (it means bookstore) none of them are in the NTSC 
format that we use in the US. You will see they are in the VHS format and can be 
confused with so many tapes that are VHS brand or use VHS somewhere on the box. 
Make no mistake VHS formatted tapes do not play on machines in the US. 
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Cat 
there is a lot of information here and some of it seems more practical than 
other English speaking sites I have visited. They say they are working on a 
fully English version of the site and maybe they will have it soon. In the 
meantime I will be returning to the site from time to time and if I find 
something there that I haven't found somewhere else I will pass it along to the 
list-serve. However I am just at the beginning of my research and there aint 
much that isn't new to me.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I saw 
that the Palace at Agbomey in Bénin was in the international register of earthen 
architecture. I know it well and have visited it many times. They have bas 
reliefs there that are being restored. They are a very interesting study in oral 
cultures and the storage of information and patrimonie. I have a book in French 
on this aspect of the palace. There was an English version available in 
Cotonou and I could probably scrounge up particulars and how to order if anybody 
was interested. By the way I will be participating in a study trip to Benin next 
summer if anybody wants to visit the royal palace themselves. You can get 
college credit and spend a month in a place where the only stick built buildings 
are made of bamboo!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I have 
a very cheap translation program and anybody interested in the internet 
should probably have one too. Here is an example of the French text translated 
by machine. You will see that it is not very good but that you can get the gist 
of what is being said. If you find a spot where you just can't understand what 
it is they are saying and you think its the key to all your building woes, I 
will see if I can help. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003>
<P align=justify><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>En effet, le 
laboratoire mène, simultanément à son travail de recherche, d'autres activités 
qu'il considère comme indissociables, à savoir l'enseignement, l'assistance 
technique et la diffusion d'informations. Il a toujours intégré dans son action 
une importante dimension de formation dans la double perspective de favoriser le 
développement des connaissances, la maîtrise du matériau terre, l'amélioration 
de l'architecture de terre et de contribuer à la recherche de solutions 
concrètes aux problèmes de l'habitat économique. Il organise et assure des 
enseignements hautement spécialisés qui, ces dernières années, connaissent un 
développement très net et une diversification intéressantes. <SPAN 
class=056265602-05062003> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P align=justify><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN 
class=056265602-05062003>Translated:</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P align=justify><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN 
class=056265602-05062003>In fact, the laboratory takes, simultaneously to his 
research work, of other activities that it considers as simultaneously, to know 
the teaching, the technical assistance and the broadcasting of 
informations.  It always integrated in his action an important formation 
dimension in the double perspective to favor the development of the knowledge, 
the mastery of the material earth, the improvement of the earth architecture and 
to contribute to the research of concrete solutions to the problems of the 
economical habitat.  It organizes and assures highly specialized teachings 
that, the latter years, know a very net development and an interesting 
diversifications.  </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></P></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>By the 
way Cat don't worry about butchering the language. I have it on good authority 
that American accents and the American's inimitable mangling of their language 
is very sexy to a lot of Francophones. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003></SPAN><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT face=Arial 
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial 
color=#0000ff size=2>Hope this helps</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial 
color=#0000ff size=2>Michael Fitzgerald</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial 
color=#0000ff 
size=2>Anthropologist/Woodcarver/Puppetmaker</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV><FONT 
face=Tahoma><SPAN class=056265602-05062003></SPAN></FONT>
<DIV><BR><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2> snip </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=056265602-05062003></SPAN>Cat here, did you send this to Lake 
Erie?  Did you look at the site?  I have always wanted to speak French 
but I have difficulty with English!  If I ever get to France it would 
be better to be a complete idiot, and stay mute, then make enemies by 
butchering their marvelous language!!<BR><SPAN class=056265602-05062003><FONT 
face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2> snip </FONT></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>