DAVID LETTERMAN - THE END

By Bernard Bujold (leStudio1) - David Letterman, 68, has performed countless times (over 6000 shows) but will repeat no more after next May 20 - 2015, when he will preside over his last episode of “Late Show,” the CBS franchise he established and has hosted since 1993. 
Here a full interview with him by the NYT. Also on CBS Television, Monday May 4, will be a Special Tribute to David at 9.30 pm.
Pictures 1 to 6: David Letterman;
SEE INTERVIEW BY THE NEW YORK TIMES;

PARTI QUÉBÉCOIS 2015 - A RACE TO FINISH

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
Following the abandonment of Bernard Drainville from the race for the leadership of the Parti Québécois, a new CROP survey tell about the lost of momentum by Pierre Karl Peladeau to eventually overcome the current Prime Minister. 
According to the the survey, PKP would get 30% of votes at a general election against Philippe Couillard who would get 33%. The large rise compared to the previous survey is the one of Alexandre Cloutier who  is almost on par with PKP with 28% of the votes. 
The survey put Bernard Drainville third with only 24% of the votes and his election as PQ leader would have allowed Couillard majority victory. 
His decision to quit the race is then entirely justified... 
If the population does not favor Pierre Karl Peladeau as a potential Prime Minister, members of the PQ do it because 39% of them would have elected him as leader. 
The leadership race is far from over and will now continue between two candidates, Pierre Karl Peladeau against Alexandre Cloutier. Everything now depends on the energy reserves that Alexander has in reserve... 
The first round of voting will be held from Wednesday, May 13 to Friday, May 15.  If no candidate obtains 50% + 1 of the votes cast, a second round will be held between Wednesday May 20 to Friday, May 22.
To be continued. 
Photo 1: Horse Racing;
Photo 2: Pierre Karl Peladeau;
Photo 3: Alexandre Cloutier;
Photo 4: Pierre Karl Peladeau and Alexandre Cloutier;
SEE POLL CROP ;

MONTREAL POLICE DISGUISED AS HOMELESS TO MONITOR DRIVERS ...

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
The technique is not very honest, but Montreal police officers disguised themself as homeless with an empty glass for walking and begging near the cars stopped at red lights to see if the drivers used their cell. If a driver was at fault, another officer came out of a hiding place to formalize ticket... 
According to the police spokesman, Ian Lafreniere, the trick is perhaps not very conventional but it worked... No way to cancel tickets distributed, but there will be no more disguise Lafreniere said. No details were revealed about the money raised by the disguised policeman as homeless during the quest from motorists...
Photo 1: Car of the Montreal police;
Photo 2: A real homeless;
Photo 3: Ian Lafreniere spokesman of the Police of Montreal;
SEE STORY LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL ;

THE BOOK OF SUMMER 2015: DENIS MONETTE - ENSEMBLE POUR TOUJOURS

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
My friend, the journalist and author Denis Monette (78 years) has just published his autobiography (EMSEMBLE POURN TOUJOURS) which will be available in bookstores from April 30. 
Denis is one of Quebec's artistic journalism pioneers and he was one of the first to bring us the life of the stars from Hollywood. He wrote in all some 25 books that sold to date more than one million copies. 
If I had to recommend a book for the summer season 2015 (including cold spring we live...), I would suggest the autobiography of Denis. 
The book of 560 pages, including 24 pages of personal photos, reads like a novel. The work is filled with interesting anecdotes that make us enjoy life. 
Congratulations on this new book!
Photo 1: Cover of the book;
VIEW SITE BOOK DENIS MONETTE ;

CARDINAL JEAN-CLAUDE TURCOTTE - CHAPEL OF REST CEREMONY

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte body was on view Thursday, April 16, 2015 at the Montreal Basilica. 
Personally, I am not a practicing Catholic but I was in my childhood. I have always kept an interest in the mystery of religions in general and, as I often mention, I grew up in a presbytery in the Gaspé peninsula surrounded by the Catholic religion (my aunt was the servant of the village priest). 
In the case of Cardinal Turcotte, I knew him even if I did not frequented him often. He liked to discuss with reporters and he was one of the great friends of Michel Vastel and Ben Weider, two people I knew more personally. 
I never attend any funeral, except very few exceptions, but I wanted to pay a last visit to the Cardinal and I went to the vigil in the Chapel. A special ceremony (Vespers) was celebrated to pay homage and close exposure of the body. An evening at the Chapel is relaxing as there is a big difference between a Chapel of rest and a funeral home in the sense that there is no crying in the chapel compared to the funeral home. The atmosphere of the chapel is quiet and a sort of well-being is felt for those present opposed to the exhaustion that causes a visit to the funeral home. But I hate the habit of Catholic continually shaking hands. I'm more of Obama fashion and of the light contact with both fists. What do you want, I have fear of germs! 
Finally, the big question that no human, believer or atheist, has no answer for: "Is there another life after death?" 
Unfortunately for everyone, it takes dying to know the real answer...
Photo 1, 2 and 3: Ceremony body on view of Cardinal Turcotte;
Photo 4; Church Marie-Reine-du-Monde;
Photo 5: Cardinal Jean Claude Turcotte;
SEE PHOTOS CHAPEL OF REST; 
SEE COMMENT ON CARDINAL DEATH ;

VALENTINA LISITSA - A REAL WOMAN...

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
Some morning when you look at the news of the day, you discover amongst the many bad stories a sort of magic beauty that you did not know even existed! 
It's happened to me with the pianist VALENTINA LISITSA who has seen her scheduled Toronto concert cancelled by the organizers because of some comments made on Twitter by Valentina about politics in Ukraine.
As a musician, Valentina is a true virtuoso and, on top of it, she has political opinions... 
One could say that she is a strong woman! A real one!
In any case, I am now a true fan of Valentina and I joined the over 9 millions viewers of her interpretation of Beethoven Moonlight Sonata her YouTube!
Picture 1, 2 and 4: Valentina Lisitsa;
Photo 3 : Music cover album;
Photo 5: Avatar of Valentina Lisitsa Twitter account;
SEE STORIES THE GLOBE AND MAIL;
SEE WEBSITE VALENTINA LISITSA;
SEE BEETHOVEN MOONLIGHT SONATA YOUTUBE;
SEE TWITTER ACCOUNT VALENTINA LISITSA;
SEE FACEBOOK ACCOUNT VALENTINA LISITSA;

CARDINAL JEAN-CLAUDE TURCOTTE (1936-2015)

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, who always identified himself as a simple worker of his Catholic church, died early on the morning of April 8, 2015 at the age of 78. 
Turcotte had a practical vision of his church and he loved life in a simple way. He liked to just take a few days holiday during at the cottage of his family and ride on his bicycle. He had a strong build and younger he was athletic, even practicing amateur boxing... 
He also had a passion he sometimes discussed with friends: reading detective novels and thrillers! I offered him one day as friendship a copy of A REAL MAN by Tom Wolfe. He later sent me a note saying that he liked it... 
Photos 1 and 2: Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte;
Photos 3 and 4: Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde in Montreal;
Photo 5; Cover of True Man by Tom Wolfe;
SEE STORY LA PRESSE ;

MIKE DUFFY AND THE OTHERS...

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
Who knew Mike Duffy would be a pariah one day? 
When he was a journalist, you could not beat him as the perfect example of the idol of the people (English Canada). He was admired and respected! 
I know something about it because I knew him directly while I was stationed in Ottawa at the time of Brian Mulroney (1984). Mike was "THE STAR" of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. 
In 2015, Mike Duffy is pilloried and Justice will try to send him to prison. Will it succeed? 
The trial began Tuesday, April 7, 2015, which is expected to last more than 40 days and will give Duffy the chance to explain try to refute the 31 charges of fraud, embezzlement and corruption. 
But what is obvious is the instability of the idols and role models in our society. 
Those like Gilles Vaillancourt, Guy Turcotte, Jacques Delisle, Lise Thibault, Vincent Lacroix, Joel Legendre and many more! If there is a conclusion to be drawn is that the glory is veey precarious and artificial ... 
Photos: 1,2 and 4: Mike Duffy;
Photo 3: Gilles Vaillancourt, Lise Thibault, Joel Legendre, Guy Turcotte, Jacques Delisle and Vincent Lacroix;
SEE STORY LA PRESSE; 
SEE STORY THE GLOBE AND MAIL;

THE ART OF JOURNALISM... ACCORDING TO ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
A very interesting report is published on the Rolling Stone magazine website and written by the Columbia School of Journalism about the failed story by the Rolling Stone magazine (Issue of December, 4, 2014) concerning rape on an university campus. 
This Columbia's report could and should be a guide for all journalists! 
The main advice and conclusion of the report is about better fact checking by journalists and by editors... 
Picture 1: Logo Rolling Stone;
Picture and 3: Journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely;
Picture 4: Cover Rolling Stone magazine issue December 4, 2014;
SEE WEBSITE ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE AND SPECIAL REPORT;

LITTLE SELF-DEFENSE COURSE ABOUT INTELLECTUAL THINGS...

By Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
A Facebook friend recently suggested I read this book: PETIT COURS D'AUTODÉFENSE INTELLECTUELLE ( in french) by Normand Baillargeon about the manipulation that can be found in mathematics, the words and the media in general. I did not know the book but after having read it, I must admit that this is an extremely interesting book to read if you are looking for the truth... 
Photo 1; Book cover;
VIEW SITE BOOK;

REV. ROBERT H. SCHULLER - A MAN OF GREAT INSPIRATION...

Par Bernard Bujold (LeStudio1) - 
The legendary TV Pastor Robert H. Schuller died yesterday on Thursday April 2, 2015 at age of 88. 
At one point, he was one of the most popular TV Preachers in the world and he was invited to preach from Washington to Russia. His church was called the CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL and his weekly tv program: HOUR OF POWER.
As popular as he was during his time, he died in a humble hospital-care facility in Artesia, California totally broke financially. 
Personally, I discovered him in 1984 during a trip to Florida and I read many of his books as well watching him every Sunday on TV. I was a fan until a couple years before he retired in 2006 and when his son took over the church. One could say that his retirement was the beginning of the end for the Church that he created. 
God Bless you Rev. Robert H. Schuller and thanks for your many inspiring messages! 
Pictures 1 and 2: Robert H. Schuller;
Picture 3: Robert H. Schuller with his son Robert Jr.;
Picture 4: Robert H. Schuller with Wife Arvella Schuller who died Feb. 11, 2014;
Picture 5: Robert H. Schuller and one of his many best-selling books;
SEE OBITUARY THE NEW YORK TIMES;

COTE DE PABLO - AN ACTRESS GREATER THAN ONE ROLE

By Bernard Bujold (leStudio1) - 
The series The Dovekeepers with Cote de Pablo presented on CBS ( April 1 and 2, 2015) will have proved that de Pablo is greater than one role as an actress. The loved and strong TV character of Ziva David on NCIS was identified closely with Cote de Pablo and when she left the series, some critics thought that it will be the end of it all. The series survived and so de Pablo. The story of her new character in The Dovekeepers was about love, women power and war in 70 A.D. between the Roman Army and the Jewish rebels in Masada. The series was more about love than war and Cote de Pablo succeeded perfectly in her role. 
For those interested in the story of Masada, the novel tell more than the TV series. This ancient village of Masada, the former summer retreat of King Herod, is today one of the most important tourist attractions in Israel, after the City of Jerusalem which however hold inside its wall the historical starting point for three distinct religions: Jewish, Christians and Muslin. Masada is fully part of the Jewish history, even if some historians argue that the Jewish rebels did not suicided themselves in Masada as the legend tell it but many Jewish people believe this historical event very much. 
But the most important for now is to congratulate Cote de Pablo and welcome her back in the business of TV and acting. 
Photo 1: Book cover of The Dovekeepers;
Photo 2,3,4 and 5: Images from the TV Series;
Photo 6: Cote de Pablo;
SEE CBS PRESS RELEASE;