Latest news with #Gros
LeMonde
4 days ago
- Sport
- LeMonde
'The scar will never heal': French athletes who fell short at the Paris Olympics face delicate path to recovery
Saturday, August 10, 2024. A scream echoes through the corridors of the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines outside Paris. Mathilde Gros has just been eliminated from the individual sprint event. "At that moment I told myself it wasn't possible, that the pain would never go away," recalled the French athlete, who had claimed the world title in the event in 2022. Two days earlier, the track cyclist had already failed to reach the Keirin final. As happened in Tokyo in 2021, she left the Olympic Games full of regret and without a medal. "Something broke inside me, even though I had dreamed of this competition for years." In other words, ever since Paris was officially named host city in September 2017. In front of a home crowd, the French delegation earned 64 medals – their highest total since the 1900 Games. But heartbreak was inevitable for Gros and so many others on the team. Many athletes had to cope with unprecedented pressure, then a sudden media silence as cameras turned to the smiles on the podium. "There is disappointment in that moment, but you have to make sure not to bring down the mood of the team, to keep the sadness for [your] room and be in good spirits at mealtimes," recounted triathlete Dorian Coninx, who finished 27 th in the individual race less than a year after being crowned world champion. The athlete from southeastern France did not have the luxury of leaving the capital after his disappointment. He had to stay ready in case he was called on to replace a member of the mixed relay team. "I didn't think about it, I just followed the others at training on autopilot. Those were five tough days."
Spectator
18-06-2025
- General
- Spectator
The importance of feeling shame
In several homilies, the late Pope Francis spoke of the 'grace of feeling shame'. What a strange idea! Nobody wants to feel shame. Adam and Eve, after all, first felt shame only after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Shame was God's punishment: they felt ashamed of what had never troubled them before, namely their nakedness and their sexual desires. But what the Pope meant, I think, is absolutely salutary for our age. Shamelessness is ubiquitous. It is the accelerant of social media that encourages us to narcissistically fire up our victimhood to a gimcrack blaze. It is why so many of us are chained to the brazen idea that we can never be wrong. It's the seeming life strategy of the most powerful man on Earth. In our fallen world, very few pray to God for the grace of shame, or otherwise come to feel ashamed. But for the French philosopher Frédéric Gros in this elegant book, it would be good if more did. Being a secular Parisian penseur, of course, Gros doesn't think we need God-given gifts. But we do need grace of some kind to confront our shame. He writes: The decision to confront [shame] amounts to a commitment to inner transformation. And this is where grace comes in, for it can be extremely difficult to completely eradicate the temptation to be lenient on oneself… We need external assistance, because otherwise it is too easy to downplay things. Without the help of others, that's to say, it's hard not only to develop a conscience but also to shine the light of that conscience on oneself – to expose what one might downplay as a peccadillo and instead see it as shameful. Both Christian spiritual advisers and Freudian shrinks, Gros notes, have delighted in the human capacity to blush. To feel a burning sensation in your throat and cheeks suggests something about you is wrong. That may well be the first step to purification, or at least ethical compunction. Instead, what most are happy doing is shaming others, revelling in schadenfreude. Hence the story told in Jon Ronson's harrowing look into the social media abyss, So You've Been Publicly Shamed. The PR executive Justine Sacco, before boarding her flight from London to Johannesburg in 2013, tweeted: 'Going to Africa. Hope I don't get Aids. Just kidding. I'm white!' By the time she landed 13 hours later, what Gros calls 'a deluge of digital hatred was raining down on her'. Staff at her hotel threatened to strike if she was allowed to stay there. Her South African family shunned her and she lost her job. Even though Sacco deleted her tweet and account, someone posted: 'Sorry @JustineSacco, your tweet lives on forever.' True enough. One stupid, racist and otherwise hurtful message defined this woman for all time. One might feel sorry for Sacco (as well as hoping she has the grace to feel shame), and wonder why so many who joined the Twitter pile-on didn't look into their own hearts. Maybe those jonesing for the hit of another's misfortune should better do the hard work of developing humility, restraint and shame. Gros, best known for his delightful A Philosophy of Walking, has written another lovely little book that might start toxic haters on a different path. But I boggled at its subtitle: 'A Revolutionary Emotion.' One might think that experiencing shame isn't revolutionary but a terrible thing to feel. Consider rape victims, whose testimonies included here show how we feel shame for things of which others should properly feel ashamed. Or think of poor Annie Ernaux. The Nobel Laureate recounted in her memoir A Woman's Story how at school a fellow pupil recoiled because her hands smelled of bleach. Little Annie, you see, had washed her hands in the kitchen sink, only to learn that bleach was a marker of social class. The life she once took to be normal turns shameful. Her schoolmates consider that she lives in a shabby grocery-cum-café frequented by drunks and that her diction needs work. Sensitised to shame, she averts her eyes when her mother uncorks a bottle of wine, trapping it between her knees. 'I was ashamed of her brusque manners and speech, especially when I realised how alike we were.' Shame is different from guilt, Gros explains. One feels guilty about what one has done. By contrast, shame is 'the state of being able to conceive oneself only within the constraints… imposed by another'. That is to say, shame is catalysed by others, particularly voyeurs – a very French theme. In Being and Nothingness, Jean-Paul Sartre imagines a Peeping Tom looking in at the keyhole of somebody's apartment. He only feels shame when he finds himself observed by a third party. Shame is a mirror others hold up to us to make us realise what we are. Or what they think we are. How, then, can feeling shame be a good thing? In his fabulous book Shame and Necessity, the late philosopher Bernard Williams gave us a clue. He cited Ajax rousing his friends to battle in the Iliad: Dear friends, be men; let shame be in our hearts…Among men who feel shame, more are saved than die. Ajax regarded shame as the desirable compunction that stopped one from fleeing battle like a coward, that steeled one to fight and perhaps die honourably before the approving gazes of one's comrades. The Greeks called shame aidos and made it a goddess whose name also means modesty, respect and humility. But we aren't ancient Greeks. They lived in a society of honour; we in one of shameless disinhibition. Gros writes that shameless behaviour is 'an absence of reserve. I flaunt myself, my qualifications, my personality, my success, my private life and my body'. We all know people like that. Perhaps you voted for them. Contrast such shamelessness with what James Baldwin felt one day strolling past newsstands on a Parisian boulevard. A single image screamed from the world's papers: 15-year-old Dorothy Counts being spat on and reviled by a white mob as she became the first black pupil admitted to a North Carolina high school. 'It made me furious, it filled me with both hatred and pity,' wrote Baldwin. 'And it made me ashamed. Some one of us should have been there with her!' Gros glosses Baldwin's fury, suggesting it was not just the feeling of shame of a black American looking back to his hated homeland and wishing he were there to support the poor African-American girl (which is what I took Baldwin to be saying), but as a stain on humanity, shaming each of us. 'What did I do to prevent this?' Gros writes. 'Nothing.' We should blush for shame. Nietzsche thought shame was a poison, and his Übermenschen were utterly shameless (no wonder Hitler liked Thus Spake Zarathustra). We have become too Nietzschean. We need the wisdom of the ancient Greeks and of the late Pope, or to read this elegant book. In any event, we need to blush more.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Police officer allegedly provides gun for man to shoot neighbor's dogs
GLENMORA, La. () — Three people, including a police officer, have been arrested after the officer allegedly provided a gun used to kill two dogs, authorities said. The Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office received a complaint May 22 that alleged that two dogs had been killed May 25, and the killings had possibly been aided by the Glenmora Police Department. Investigators said the owner of the dogs was leaving their residence for an unknown amount of time, and asked their neighbor, later identified as Shyana Marie Bordelon, to care for their two small house dogs while they were away. At some point, Bordelon decided that she no longer wanted to take care of the two animals, officials said. Bordelon and her son, identified as Murray Joseph Gros, contacted Glenmora Animal Control to remove the dogs from the residence. Animal Control did not take the animals because there was no reason to do so, as she had admittedly been given the responsibility of care and the dogs did not belong to her, officials said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now At this point, investigators said Bordelon and Gros contacted the Glenmora Police Department and Officer Steven Ware responded. The subjects were allegedly advised by Ware that they could shoot the two dogs, to which they replied that they did not have a firearm. Ware returned to the Glenmora Police Department where he retrieved a personal rifle which he provided to Gros. Gros then shot both dogs and buried them, authorities said. Gros then returned the rifle to Ware. Steven Ware, 33, of Oakdale, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count each of malfeasance in office, criminal conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Ware was released Wednesday on a $12,500 bond. Shyana Bordelon, 47, of Glenmora, was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of criminal conspiracy. She booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center where she is being held on a $7,500 bond. Murray Gros IV, 26, of Glenmora, was arrested Tuesday charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of criminal conspiracy. He is also being held on a $7,500 bond. Sheriff's Detectives said the Glenmora Police Department has been cooperating fully with their investigation. This is still an active, ongoing investigation. Anyone with any information relating to these crimes are asked to contact Detective Ryan Lewis, Criminal Investigation Division-Glenmora Substation, at 318-748-4226. Republicans express concern over debt ceiling increase 5 easy ways to avoid consuming microplastics Russia launches air strikes against Ukraine Crowley man killed in Thursday truck crash in Acadia Parish Lawmakers push forward with budget bill Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Iberia Parish residents grow frustrated after continuous flooding
IBERIA PARISH, LA (KLFY) — Residents are experiencing déjà vu as this is the second time in just a few weeks that Iberia Parish has been impacted by flooding waters and residents are growing weary of the repercussions. The heavy rainstorm blew through a lot of Acadiana especially in Iberia Parish. Multiple roads in the parish were deemed impassable with multiple inches and in some areas feet of water building up. Rocky Gros is a resident over Iberia parish along Hazard Road. He said it floods along his street every time it rains. '(You got) cars stuck in the water here, and they are getting towed out. It's the same thing over and over.' Gros said. Heavy storms causing flash flooding this morning Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest These Iberia Parish roads are closed due to flooding Wednesday morning Both Gros and other residents along Hazard Road are growing frustrated. They understand while mother nature is a big factor, something still needs to be done before it's too late. 'It floods everybody's yards,' said Gros. 'You call for help and nobody tries to fix it.' Willis Touchet has been living at his house on Hazard Road for over 40 years. 'I was talking to my wife about that. We might have to move. ' Touchet said. To stay up to date on the weather and road closures, be sure to stay tuned to both Iberia Parish Government Facebook page and for details. Latest news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Euronews
21-03-2025
- Science
- Euronews
A new perspective: How Earth observation helps tackle global challenges
ADVERTISEMENT The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite, in 1957, forever changing history. The satellite remained in orbit until January 1958. It provided valuable data on atmospheric density and served as a crucial test for future space technologies. Nearly seven decades later, satellites have become an integral part of our daily lives, powering global positioning systems (GPS), providing weather forecasting, and monitoring climate change. Their multiple applications have drawn interest from private companies and public administrations that are interested in building policies and technologies from satellite data. The European Union, for instance, has Copernicus, the largest Earth observation programme in the world. Led by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), Copernicus was established in 2014 and now provides freely accessible data. But how does Earth observation really work? And what challenges can it help us solve? To answer these questions, Euronews Tech Talks spoke with Jean-Christophe Gros, the EU programme coordinator at the European Space Agency (ESA). What is Earth observation? Earth observation is the practice of studying our planet from space using satellites, which can be launched both in Earth's orbit and in polar orbit. Gros explained that Earth observation relies on various techniques. These include radar satellites, which can see through the clouds and operate at night; optical satellites, which capture high-resolution images of the Earth's surface; and satellites with spectrometers, which are crucial for atmospheric monitoring. All these technologies are key to looking at the Earth from a different perspective and can help us address the most pressing challenges of our time. For instance, satellite imagery can monitor rising sea levels and predict and track floods, landslides and wildfires. 'We are also doing a lot of monitoring in terms of (...) the concrete impact on populations. Where to build a city, where not to build a city, if we can anticipate that this part of the map will be flooded or not,' Gros said. Images from the US Landsat-8 satellite illustrate the scale of the Valencia disaster, with images from 8 to 30 October. USGS, processed by ESA Earth observation and greenhouse gas emissions Earth observation also plays a role in detecting greenhouse gases, gases that absorb Earth's radiation and reflect it back, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. Methane is one of these gases. Colourless and odourless, it is produced by both natural and human activities, and it accounts for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Experts say satellites can help to spot methane leaks. ADVERTISEMENT For instance, in March 2023, Emily Dowd spotted a methane leak in the area of Cheltenham, in the United Kingdom. The then PhD researcher was observing a landfill near the town via a GhGSat satellite when she noticed the leak, which came from a factory. '(Methane) has a 20-year global warming potential, which is 82 times greater than carbon dioxide. Being able to find gas leaks or leaks of methane is important for reducing human impact on climate change,' Dowd told Euronews Next. To identify the methane leak, Dowd used GHGSat, a constellation of satellites of a Canadian data company capable of detecting methane with a high spatial resolution of 25 metres. GhGSat receives data from other satellites like Copernicus' Sentinel 5P, designed to monitor a wide range of gases on a global scale. ADVERTISEMENT Global overview showing the location and magnitude of all 2974 methane super-emitter plumes detected in 2021 using the Copernicus Sentinel-5P Tropomi instrument ESA On top of methane, ESA is working on its mission to monitor and track carbon dioxide with the project CO2M. CO2M is planned as a three-satellite mission to measure the greenhouse gas with very detailed images, and its first satellite is expected to be launched in 2025.
