You dont have to translate.

But you are correct.  They have to start thinking outside the box, or fall to a second class status.

You don't even need translation, the drawing is enough!

Hehehe.....that IS pretty rude.

The French have been whining since I was a child, and they'll STILL be whining when I'm old and grey.  It's a national pastime, I think. 

Then again, they might self-destruct before then. 

Dr Guy, I dont know if they even realize that, they keep thinking about receiving allowances without doing any work or sacrifices. I think they're to used to being assisted.

You are chugging down hill through a tunnel, and your speed is good, and all systems are go.  Everything is fine!

it is not until you hit bottom that you realize you have no way to get up the next hill.  France is close to the bottom.

a great majority of teachers are socialists who encourage the youth to go down in the streets whenever there's a minor change that exposes them. They think that makes them heroes.

I know someone who's a profeesor at a university in Paris, and he is almost exactly as you described. He talked one time about going on strike because his retirement (and all university employee's retirements) was going to be whittled away...so he and his secretary went out to protest. She was quite proud of the bruises she got at the hands of the gen d'arme, apparently, and he was proud that he encouraged her to go out and protest.

so, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about.

nothing like his generation that protested for more freedom back in May 1968.

That was not back then, that was the here now.  I am sorry that my view is so negative.  But I cannot see their way out because they cannot see it.

Il n’y a, je crois, nul pays au monde où l’on trouve tant de contradictions qu’en France. [Voltaire]
I don't think that there is any country in the world where you will find so many contradictions as France.

Tout homme a deux pays, le sien et puis la France. [Henri de Bornier]
Every man has two countries, his own and France.

Comment diable voulez-vous gouverner un pays où l’on compte 365 sortes de fromages ? [Charles de Gaulle]
How the hell can you govern a country where they have 365 different kinds of cheese?


Ah yes, I've been missing the frog-bashing, the blood(less) sport du jour for American conservatives.

Forgetting how much you have in common, and what the young republic owed to the French in its struggle to survive, France - so 'disloyal' over Iraq and daring to oppose anglo-saxon economic wisdom has become the poster child for the folly of refusing American leadership. That France has problems is glaringly obvious; that America and most other nations also do, should be also. And if you really aren't sure about America and France having "much in common" then consider these words:

Comment définir ce gens qui passent leur dimanche à se proclamer républicains et leur semaine à adorer la reine d’Angleterre,
How to define a people who spend their Sunday proclaiming themselves republicans and their week adoring the Queen of England'

qui se disent modestes mais parlent toujours de détenir le flambeau de la civilisation,
who call themselves modest but are always speaking of holding aloft the torch of civilisation

qui placent la France dans leur coeur mais leurs fortunes à l’étranger,
who place France in their heart, but their fortunes abroad

qui détestent que l’on critique leurs travers mais ne cessent de se dénigrer eux-même ?
who hate having their idiosyncracies criticised but never cease to denigrate themselves. -

Bisous à tous

The main problem with France is that they have no rallying point. The people there know things have to change but they are afraid of their future. And there is very little trust in the established political parties, so the people just try to hold on to the things/rights they currently have. It is a very natural reaction. What France needs is a strong leader who can inspire the people again and make the necessary changes in the country. Like Thatcher did in the UK. And it propably will require some significant disaster for such a leader to emerge.

But despite all, the big French companies appear to be doing allright. So it is not a complete basket case yet

France is a country best served radiated.

Hi Maurice, thank you for the insightful comment. It's true that the different parties have dont gather around a one leader, and they actually make a fool of themselves most of the time. Just look at the 'guignols' which is a caricature of the current events. Their main puppets are the politicians, heh! Anyway as for a one strong leader I'm afraid LePen could be that one. But I hope not...

The big french companies are probably doing ok now, but for how long? I saw a documentary the other day. It compared the building activity in America and in France. It showed that the americans built a level per week and the french a level per month. The quality was the same (supposedly) the only thing that changed was the working hours. It's just an example among others and it's probably not the best one. But you get the point.

Dr Guy:
Oh yeah btw, I should have mentionned that I am French, and that I live on a French Island. So I'm not bashing for the sake of it. I'm just a bit disgusted with how things are going at this point.

Moderateman:
What about the french wine, and cheese, and croissants?? lol

Rightwinger:
I think the government can have a role, but it shouldnt handle everything of course. The problem with the french is that when you give them a thumb, they want the whole arm. And to get the whole arm they throw tantrums, lol!

I hope a great leader will find the right balance between liberalism and socialism because i think we need both. But how the hell you mix the two without contradicting yourself, I have no idea tho ...

Haha! Thanks DrGuy, flatteur...

Hey my article is in the Featured JoeUser Articles!!! Weeeheee!

WTG!!!!!!

Moderateman: What about the french wine, and cheese, and croissants?? lol

I am currently boycotting all french products, because they as usual sold us out just before the mess in Iraq started, they said they will fight with us, then did what they do best surrendered before they even went there. baah!