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[Reflection] #20: Offshore Craftsmanship: between authenticity and economic logic
I was recently asked why I didn’t want to act as a middleman between Vietnamese artisans and French consumers, offering custom products comparable to those from luxury brands. On the surface, the idea seems noble: highlighting Vietnamese craftsmanship, building a bridge between two cultures, and encouraging more humane trade. Yet, this proposal makes me deeply uncomfortable. Looking closer, this approach still fits within the classic frameworks of consumerism : it’s still purchasing power and value for money that guide buying decisions. If craftsmanship itself were truly at the heart of the matter, consumers would choose to support local artisans—in France, for example (incidentally, the technical skill of French artisans in…
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Mini road trip in the Netherlands: Tulips, Edam, Giethoorn, Zaanse, Amsterdam
Now that we live in Lille, it’s easier for us to explore the northern countries. From Lille, we can take the train, but it’s excessively expensive and takes forever. JB and I decide to go for a Flixbus, even if it means leaving the day before and adding a hotel night, it’ll still be much cheaper than taking the train or the plane. We’re even surprised that JB has vacation time while he’s still on probation, but his company wanted everyone to take vacation before a certain date, so here we are, forced to “go on vacation”. A concept we no longer knew during those 8.5 years of freelancing around…
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[Practical Guide] Tulip Festival in Amsterdam 2025 (Netherlands): Keukenhof & Access to the Fields
That’s it, the famous park Keukenhof has opened its doors: from March 20 to May 11, 2025, the whole world comes to admire millions of tulips, of all varieties and all colors near Amsterdam. How to make the most of it? We have just spent a few wonderful days in Lisse and Amsterdam, and here are our best tips. Accommodation It’s better to choose accommodation around Amsterdam During tulip season, accommodations are sky-high. But Dutch public transport is plentiful, and shuttle buses are set up to make your travel easier. So instead of staying in the center of Amsterdam at a premium (count €200/night), you can choose the following cities…
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My Current Favorites – [April 2025]: Books, AI, The White Lotus, Mattress Topper
Here are my current favorites. Book “Mastery” “Reaching Excellence” by Robert Greene (Amazon link, Fnac link) is a guide to developing mastery, mastery, based on the study of the paths of geniuses, artists, and innovators throughout history. Greene explores the idea that mastery is not an innate gift reserved for an elite, but a state accessible to everyone through a patient, strategic, and passionate approach. I came across this book because I had big doubts about my ability to learn sewing. I’ve been doing it for 2 months now, and I find that everything I make is ugly; I started doubting my dexterity, and I find sewing strangely more difficult…
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reMarkable Paper Pro Review: way too expensive
The reMarkable Paper Pro was released in September 2024, and I wanted to give you an honest review as I did for the reMarkable 2. I waited for bug fixes, software stability, and faster shipping times before taking the plunge and purchasing it. And here it is, the long-awaited article, with a small comparison between reMarkable 2 vs. reMarkable Paper Pro in case you’re hesitating between the two. I’d like to clarify that I have no affiliation with reMarkable. I purchased this tablet with my own money. The Advantages of reMarkable reMarkable sells tablets equipped with E Ink screens, designed for taking notes, drawing, reading, and annotating books and documents.…
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How to read Kobo books on reMarkable 2 and reMarkable Paper Pro
Here’s how to remove DRM protection from an ebook purchased via Fnac/Kobo and convert it to a format compatible with your reMarkable. 1. Download the ebook Go to your account page Fnac https://secure.fnac.com/account/ebooks, then click on “Download the ebook”. This will give you a .acsm file. 2. Open the file with Adobe Digital EditionsInstall for free Adobe Digital Editions (if not already done) and open the .acsm file with this software. Adobe Digital Editions may ask for your Fnac credentials. Make sure the book opens correctly in Adobe Digital Editions on your computer before proceeding. 3. Download PDFMate eBook ConverterDownload and install the software for free PDF Mate Ebook Converter…
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Attending an RC Lens match at the Stade Bollaert
A little post to remember it by. A few weeks after attending a Champions League match in Lille, I’m looking into options for attending a match in Lens. Lens is renowned for having one of the best crowds in France, and there aren’t many matches left before the end of the season. I’m targeting the match between Lens and Saint Etienne, scheduled for a Sunday afternoon. Since I don’t drive, this means I can take public transport. My works council occasionally offers tickets for Lens, but unfortunately, this match isn’t included. The Stade Bollaert has a capacity of 38,000, with 29,000 Lens season ticket holders. That leaves only a few…
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6 Exclusive Features of the reMarkable Paper Pro
I’ve listed 26 features of the reMarkable 2 here, which also apply to the reMarkable Paper Pro. However, thanks to its more advanced hardware, the reMarkable Paper Pro offers some exclusive features. I’ll present them to you here. 1/ Sleep & Wake with a Magnetic Folio This feature was already present on quite a few e-ink readers, but it’s only now making its appearance on the reMarkable Paper Pro. Using the brand’s official magnetic folios, or even some compatible models (like this one on Amazon), you simply close the folio and the tablet automatically goes to sleep. And when you open it, it wakes up immediately.No more pressing the power…
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[Review & Verdict] reMarkable Paper Pro, colors at a premium
The reMarkable Paper Pro came out in September 2024 and I want to give you an honest review, just like I did for the reMarkable 2, but I wanted to wait for the bug fixes, software stability, and faster shipping before taking the plunge and getting one for myself. And here it is, the long-awaited article, with a little reMarkable 2 vs. reMarkable Paper Pro comparison in case you’re torn between the two. I want to clarify that I have no affiliation with reMarkable. I bought this tablet with my own money. The pros of reMarkable reMarkable sells tablets with an E ink screen, designed for note-taking, drawing, reading, and…
