Liberte, Fraternite, Egalite

[scracha]

I think we should show support for our Parisian comrades by going on Strike too. I for one think the way the government is handling the current economic crisis (i.e. doing absolutely fuck all) is appalling The French are doin it, most of Eastern Europe are doin it so why aren't we? Time to storm ze beehive?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7857435.stm

Huge crowds have taken to the streets in France to protest over the handling of the economic crisis, causing disruption to rail and air services.

Unions said 2.5m workers had rallied to demand action to protect wages and jobs. Police put the total at 1m.

But despite the show of public support, the strike appeared to be falling short of the paralysis forecast by unions.

Regional trains and those in and around Paris were hit, and a third of flights from Orly airport were cancelled.

Forty per cent of regional services were running, train operator SNCF said, and 60% of high-speed TGV services. Three-quarters of metro trains were running in Paris.


Strikers march in Lyon on 29 January 2009

In pictures: French strike
Economic woes at heart of strike
France takes strike in its stride
Paris's second airport was heavily hit by the strike, but flights out of the larger Charles de Gaulle hub were experiencing only short delays, AFP news agency said.

Schools, banks, hospitals, post offices and courts were also hit as workers stayed at home. Officials said just over a third of teachers and a quarter of postal and power company workers were on strike.

Overall, the government estimated that a quarter of the country's public sector workers had joined the action, which was called by eight major French unions. The unions put the figure higher.

A spokesman for the CGT union told AFP that 2.5m people across the country had taken part in the day's protests. French police put the number at just over 1m.

CGT leader Bernard Thibault called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to recognise the gravity of the situation and "reassess his measures" to deal with the economic crisis.

In Paris, police said some 65,000 demonstrators had joined a march from the Place de la Bastille towards the centre of the city.

There were reports of violent outbreaks on the outskirts of the protest as it reached central Paris, with dozens of youths throwing bottles and lighting fires in a main shopping street.

Police in riot gear charged the youths, pushing them back on to the Place de l'Opera where the crowds were gathering, but the situation remained volatile, AFP said.

Earlier, some 25,000 to 30,000 people rallied in the city of Lyon, according to organisers and police.


Striking is... the national sport, a selfish and narrow-minded way of dealing with just about any disagreement
Brigitte Cavanagh, Paris

French strikes: Your views
In Marseille, organisers and the authorities disagreed, with the former putting the number of demonstrators at 300,000 but the police estimating 24,000 had taken part.

The protests are against the worsening economic climate in France and at what people believe to be the government's poor handling of the crisis.

Opposition Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry said people were out in the streets "to express what worries them: the fact that they work and yet cannot make ends meet, retired people who just can't make it [financially], the fear of redundancies, and a president of the Republic and a government that just don't want to change policy".

According to a 25 January poll by CSA-Opinion for Le Parisien, 69% of the French public backs the strike.

"I'm tired and frozen after waiting half-an-hour on the platform," commuter Sandrine Dermont told AFP as she arrived by train in Paris.

"But I'm prepared to accept that when it's a movement to defend our spending power and jobs. I'll join the street protests during my lunch break," she said.

Hit hard

Many people are furious that Mr Sarkozy said there was no money left to raise wages and consumer spending power, but nonetheless managed to find billions of euros to bail out floundering French banks, says the BBC's Emma-Jane Kirby in Paris.

The walk-out has affected transport, education and postal services throughout the country, our correspondent says, and is the biggest one-day strike since Mr Sarkozy took up office.

With unemployment looking likely to reach 10% next year, she says, the protesters hope he will drop his programme of cost-cutting reforms and focus instead on protecting workers' jobs and wages.

Commuters at St Lazare station in Paris

Mr Sarkozy cannot ignore this demonstration of anger, our correspondent adds. Street protests have repeatedly brought down French leaders and Mr Sarkozy does not want his government added to that list of casualties.

"We want to show how the people are dissatisfied with the situation at the moment," Thierry Dedieu of the CFDT general workers' union told the BBC.

People had the feeling they were paying for a crisis they were not responsible for, he added.

But earlier in the week, French Finance Minister Eric Woerth condemned the strike organisers, accusing them of scare-mongering during a time of economic uncertainty.

"There are other ways to make oneself heard than striking," he said.

"Blocking a country, preventing transport from working, bothering people when they are still extraordinarily worried and fearful of the future, is adding fear on top of fear, worry on top of worry."

[Flatcap]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys

[Mully]

Isn't striking to protect your job much like screwing for virginity?

[ManDownUnder]

Don't see what all the fuss is about personally.. the govt. should just print more money.

[yod]

bollocks

the frogs aren't happy unless they're marching up and down the champs elysee, it's in their culture to eat cheese and surrender err I mean, protest

[yod]

Don't see what all the fuss is about personally.. the govt. should just print more money.

and give it to me, of course

[Slyer]

Don't see what all the fuss is about personally.. the govt. should just print more money.
I can't tell if you are serious... hope not.

[ManDownUnder]

I can't tell if you are serious... hope not.

Hitler, Mugabe... two fine examples from history...

[Swoop]

Fuckin' froggie cunts. Get back to work!

They are only truly happy when sitting down with a bottle of wine or when they are on strike, which tends to be every second week.

Cheese eating surrender monkeys.:spanking:

[Hitcher]

One should invent a name for the phenomenum that requires, in comparatively short order, the expression "cheese-eating surrender monkey" to be included into any discussion involving the French. Something implying limited imagination and ill-informed stereotyping could be appropriate.

[Mully]

One should invent a name for the phenomenum that requires, in comparatively short order, the expression "cheese-eating surrender monkey" to be included into any discussion involving the French. Something implying limited imagination and ill-informed stereotyping could be appropriate.

I believe it's know as "The Simpsons phenomenum"

Similarly, dolphins can be referred to as "Hoop jumping tuna munchers"

[Hitcher]

I believe it's know as "The Simpsons phenomenum"

Similarly, dolphins can be referred to as "Hoop jumping tuna munchers"

Brilliant! At least I hadn't heard that one a gazillion times before (or indeed once for that matter).

It's now official. The test will be whether I can recall that the next time CESM appears...

[Manxman]

I think we should show support for our Parisian comrades by going on Strike too. I for one think the way the government is handling the current economic crisis (i.e. doing absolutely fuck all) is appalling The French are doin it, most of Eastern Europe are doin it so why aren't we? Time to storm ze beehive?

I suspect this govt is not doing anything concrete, because it has some time on its side. The tsunami of the financial crisis has not yet hit NZ (but will), so the urgency is less immediate - they almost have the luxury of sitting back and picking the best recovery plans from around the world and implement them as and when required.

Right now, we're not seeing 1000's of jobs being lost in NZ, waves of mortgage foreclosures (there are some, of course) interest rates are now at their lowest level for many a moon (ideal if you're a counter cyclical buyer...) and the government is making noises about keeping people in jobs.

In many ways, if consumers around the world simply stop buying altogether, then there's actually not a helluva lot we can do to prevent jobs being lost (for example, in dairy).

If the government are smart, they'll use this as an opportunity to create new markets, which are less discretionary in nature, or where future competitive advantage can be gained when (if) things come right.

Edit: looks like Allan Bollard has been reading this thread: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4833894a13.html

[007XX]

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite...mon cul! *s'cuse my french*

However sadly unsubstanciated, this should be the only kind of protesting we should be hearing about...It'd be more effective too me thinks :p

http://munndanities.blogspot.com/2008/12/hoping-that-liberte-egalite-nudite.html

[Mikkel]

There is some historic evidence to suggest that we actually shouldn't do anything to face the economic crisis. As usual trying to dick around with the market forces is not going to provide a long term solution - you're much more likely just to get your fingers burned.

Don't change your lifestyle too much, just accept that there's going to be somewhat less money to go around for a while. Sadly, accepting our lot without pissing and moaning excessively doesn't seem to be the strong point about western culture.

As for striking - it certainly worked wonders for the british car industry.

[pritch]

I'm in full accord with the French in this matter, if not much else... :whistle:

Unfortunately though I find I'm currently far too busy to go on strike. (My boss may disagree, appearances could suggest I'm on strike already...)

Would it be possible for me to nominate one of our unemployed persons or sickness beneficiaries, if not actually committing a crime at that particular moment, to stand in (sit in?) on my behalf?

[davereid]

Don't see what all the fuss is about personally.. the govt. should just print more money.

That is exactly what they are doing. The OCR is an indicator of how much money the Government is prepared to print - the lower it goes, the faster the printing-presses are rolling.

This is Keynesian economics - the government prints more money. It finds its way into the economy as Govt Bonds, Govt spending, or by loans to banks to finance the deficit between the money the banks have loaned, and the banks cash reserves.

Its actually a form of taxation, described by my Keynes himself as being a tax so clever that less than one in a million would realise he was being taxed.

[Slyer]

Yep, taxing by lowering the value of their money.

[Manxman]

I'm in full accord with the French in this matter, if not much else... :whistle:

Unfortunately though I find I'm currently far too busy to go on strike. (My boss may disagree, appearances could suggest I'm on strike already...)

Would it be possible for me to nominate one of our unemployed persons or sickness beneficiaries, if not actually committing a crime at that particular moment, to stand in (sit in?) on my behalf?

If ya gonna put any energy into your response to the 'economic crisis', can I suggest you get some mates together and go stateside to kick those well paid bankers arses that created all this mess in the first place.

Far more effective, if not satisfying.:yes:

[Lias]

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/images/frenchy.jpg

[MisterD]

One should invent a name for the phenomenum that requires, in comparatively short order, the expression "cheese-eating surrender monkey" to be included into any discussion involving the French. Something implying limited imagination and ill-informed stereotyping could be appropriate.

Stereotyping the Frogs is an important part of my Anglo-Saxon cultural birthright. Don't try to take it away from me!


Q: How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris?
A: Nobody knows, it's never been tried.

[Clockwork]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys


S'funny, call them Surrender Monkeys but they take less shit from their Governments than we do!

[Xile]

ok...
First, not only Paris bt the whole France in on strike.
Second, fucking Nicolas 'bullshiteur' Sarkozy is a dangerous cunt who, because he failed getting France out of the crisis, is cutting out any opposition both at the governement and by selecting himself the director of the public television channels and press in general. And so on...Only way to protest now is strike, even for opposition politicians :(((
Third, our cheese is kicking the ass of your cheese haha! :Punk:
Finally, strike is a tradition in France lol, especially train drivers. I would even say it's a national sport lol! :p

I should stay in NZ :love:..getting scary over there now...

*gone hide somewhere...dont throw banana at me please*

[Mully]

OK try this:

Go to Google. Type in "French Military Victories" and hit "I'm feeling lucky"

Enjoy

[Mikkel]

S'funny, call them Surrender Monkeys but they take less shit from their Governments than we do!

Yes, their own government.

Roll a foreign one across the border and they'll play along quite nicely.

[Skyryder]

The French Republic was born through striking against the monarchy, it's in their blood. Ours was born from sheep farmers breeding sheep.


Go figure.


Skyryder

[McJim]

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite...mon cul! *s'cuse my french*

However sadly unsubstanciated, this should be the only kind of protesting we should be hearing about...It'd be more effective too me thinks :p

http://munndanities.blogspot.com/2008/12/hoping-that-liberte-egalite-nudite.html
That protest is worthess without pics.

[McJim]

Stereotyping the Frogs is an important part of my Anglo-Saxon cultural birthright. Don't try to take it away from me!
.

Hahah - I shall not try - I shall Succeed! I loved to play this game with my Anglo Saxon colleagues in London.

The Angles came from France and the Saxons came from Germany. This means that you my friend are half German and Half French - the real English are Celts and the Real Scots are Woad (Picts).

enjoy your camembert and bratwurst!

[Mikkel]

The Angles came from France and the Saxons came from Germany. This means that you my friend are half German and Half French - the real English are Celts and the Real Scots are Woad (Picts).

Not to be pedantic, but...

That's not strictly correct - Angles came from Angeln in northern germany.

Also, the invaders from normandy lead by Wilhelm the Conquerer were Normans - essentially resettled Vikings from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Furthermore, the celtic culture originated in central Europe. Actually, it's all pretty complicated... ok, let's forgo historical correctness and stay with the perceived stereotypes.

FUCK THE FRENCH WHAT HAVE THEY EVER DONE FOR US? If they aren't eating animals not suited for food they're busy blowing up pacific islands with nuclear weapons or trading with corrupt regimes such as Iraq. And they don't know how to make cars either...

[McJim]

Not to be pedantic, but...

That's not strictly correct - Angles came from Angeln in northern germany.

Also, the invaders from normandy lead by Wilhelm the Conquerer were Normans - essentially resettled Vikings from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Furthermore, the celtic culture originated in central Europe. Actually, it's all pretty complicated... ok, let's forgo historical correctness and stay with the perceived stereotypes.

FUCK THE FRENCH WHAT HAVE THEY EVER DONE FOR US?

Butt out bacon boy - Can't you see I'm baiting Englishmen? :rofl: I don't have any kebabs I can refuse to sell them so I have to bait them in other ways. Fuxache - it's getting harder to be a troll these days. Gimme back my bridge!

[Mikkel]

Butt out bacon boy - Can't you see I'm baiting Englishmen? :rofl: I don't have any kebabs I can refuse to sell them so I have to bait them in other ways. Fuxache - it's getting harder to be a troll these days. Gimme back my bridge!

Sorry, I didn't want to be Mr. Killjoy. Thought it would be pretty easy to bait the englishmen without distorting historical fact - after all they are all half-nun half-danish ;)

One thing I'm missing from old europe - the middle-east immigrant doner kebabs... A bit like buying a lotto ticket - either you have to rush to the toilet or you don't. Nevertheless tasty enough to risk it - and the best hangover food ever.

[SARGE]

I believe it's know as "The Simpsons phenomenum"





"We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it."
---- Marge Simpson



"The French are a smallish, monkey-looking bunch and not dressed any better,
on average, than the citizens of Baltimore. True, you can sit outside in
Paris and drink little cups of coffee, but why this is more stylish than
sitting inside and drinking large glasses of whiskey I don't know."
--- P.J O'Rourke (1989)





Next time there's a war in Europe, the loser has to keep France

[Lias]

Fuck France.. They have _so_ much to answer for.


Invading England
Siding with the Yanks in their rebellion against the crown and allowing the USA to be created
The Treaty Of Versailles (France wrote the parts of the treaty meant to cripple Germany forever, and IMHO the french are directly responsible for the events that led to the nazis coming to power and WW2 happening)
Speaking French
Fucking up Dien Bien Phu so badly
Having hairy unshaven women
Striking all the time
Pacific nuclear testing
Rainbow Warrior bombing
Eating snails
Poodles
Renaults
Berets
Nearly as arrogant as yanks


I could go on.. also, cheese eating surrender monkeys

[Xile]

Fuck France.. They have _so_ much to answer for.


Invading England
Siding with the Yanks in their rebellion against the crown and allowing the USA to be created
The Treaty Of Versailles (France wrote the parts of the treaty meant to cripple Germany forever, and IMHO the french are directly responsible for the events that led to the nazis coming to power and WW2 happening)
Speaking French
Fucking up Dien Bien Phu so badly
Having hairy unshaven women
Striking all the time
Pacific nuclear testing
Rainbow Warrior bombing
Eating snails
Poodles
Renaults
Berets
Nearly as arrogant as yanks


I could go on.. also, cheese eating surrender monkeys

i guess there is no point in trying to defend each of those point, as some people seem to have pretty defined ideas of what is a french person without having meet any or having visiting france for more than 3 days.
However, you'll learn that there is no such thing as a hairy french woman, that our cars are all good, french is a beautiful language, that invasions between england and france last for a couple of centuries. Then, i admit, french people are arrogant, that we fucked up with the rainbow warrior and nuclear testing, etc.
But then, have you ever try a real french kiss? try real french food, baguette, cheese and saucisson? Who was against the war in Iraq?
and for WW2 i think we paid the consequences by a lot of blood.

Now obviously i'm french: does nt mean i agree with all the actions of my governement, and it is a little bit more time to do mistake for France than a young country like NZ (which i love by the way).

[scracha]

i guess there is no point in trying to defend each of those point, as some people seem to have pretty defined ideas of what is a french person without having meet any or having visiting france for more than 3 days.


Here here. Kiwi's are far too apathetic about letting big business and government order them around. Bet if the Frenchies had got here first :-

there'd be none of this Waitangi bollocks to erm...celebrate.
there'd be a civilised drinking culture with a couple of vino's at lunchtime (at 1/4 of the price) and bars open until whenever the customers like
there'd be better cars (sure, they'd run on a sniff of diesel and not be as reliable but the government would subsidise buying a new one every 3 years anyway)
there'd be better looking women
vowels would be pronounced properly (i.e. not all upper)
there'd be better food
there'd be (better) dress sense
there'd be a working public transport system
we'd know how to kick a round football properly


and best of all

the speed limit would be 130, not as strictly enforced and cops would signal for you to wheelie and go faster when you pass them.


Viva la france

[Xile]

Here here. Kiwi's are far too apathetic about letting big business and government order them around. Bet if the Frenchies had got here first :-

there'd be none of this Waitangi bollocks to erm...celebrate. (ahem..we got here first actuaally, translated oral maori language into a written language...see in lil museum in Russel)
there'd be a civilised drinking culture with a couple of vino's at lunchtime (at 1/4 of the price) and bars open until whenever the customers like Yeah!
there'd be better cars (sure, they'd run on a sniff of diesel and not be as reliable but the government would subsidise buying a new one every 3 years anyway)
there'd be better looking women Hehe..i know..lol :devil2:
vowels would be pronounced properly (i.e. not all upper)
there'd be better food Yeah!
there'd be (better) dress sense Yeah!
there'd be a working public transport system Yeah!
we'd know how to kick a round football properly (and the oval one too..sometimes..)


and best of all

the speed limit would be 130, not as strictly enforced and cops would signal for you to wheelie and go faster when you pass them. I tried that with a cop: 'u know, being french, itsnot long im here, im used to the 130 speed limit in france etc etc'..that did not work :(


Vive la france

thanks for that scratcha :hug: felt a bit lonely there...

[McJim]

i guess there is no point in trying to defend each of those point, as some people seem to have pretty defined ideas of what is a french person without having meet any or having visiting france for more than 3 days.
However, you'll learn that there is no such thing as a hairy french woman, that our cars are all good, french is a beautiful language, that invasions between england and france last for a couple of centuries. Then, i admit, french people are arrogant, that we fucked up with the rainbow warrior and nuclear testing, etc.
But then, have you ever try a real french kiss? try real french food, baguette, cheese and saucisson? Who was against the war in Iraq?
and for WW2 i think we paid the consequences by a lot of blood.

Now obviously i'm french: does nt mean i agree with all the actions of my governement, and it is a little bit more time to do mistake for France than a young country like NZ (which i love by the way).

Personally I'd be proud of bombing the Rainbow Warrior. Greenpeace are a bunch of reactionary fuckwits who can't get any simple fucken facts straight before they galavant off with their bandwagon. Vive la France!

[Slyer]

Greenpeace are a bunch of reactionary fuckwits who can't get any simple fucken facts straight before they galavant off with their bandwagon. Vive la France!
Wish everyone would realise this.

[Lias]

i guess there is no point in trying to defend each of those point, as some people seem to have pretty defined ideas of what is a french person without having meet any or having visiting france for more than 3 days.

Admittedly I've never been to france, but 3 members of my family have, as well as a few friends and based on what they've said I have no desire to ever go there.


Who was against the war in Iraq?

You want bonus points for being scared of going to war?


Now obviously i'm french:

My commiserations!

Personally I'd be proud of bombing the Rainbow Warrior. Greenpeace are a bunch of reactionary fuckwits who can't get any simple fucken facts straight before they galavant off with their bandwagon.

Wish everyone would realise this.
I agree greenpeace and their ilk really do need blowing up, but I'm just pissed the frenchies did it in our ports, and the way they did it was cowardly. They should have just shot them out of the water with frigates around muroroa atoll :-) None of this skulking around with bombs in the night cloak and dagger shit, if your going to attack someone you do it to their face, not stab them in the back.

[SARGE]

i guess there is no point in trying to defend each of those point, as some people seem to have pretty defined ideas of what is a french person without having meet any or having visiting france for more than 3 days.


dont worry.. they do it with Yanks too

[merv]

I'm glad they waited until I got out of France before they did this. Everything went smoothly on our holiday and that's the way we like it.

I have never thought striking achieves anything for the strikees.

[007XX]

That protest is worthess without pics.

I couldn't agree more


Not to be pedantic, but...

That'd be a new concept for you...don't fall off your chair eh! :p


FUCK THE FRENCH WHAT HAVE THEY EVER DONE FOR US? If they aren't eating animals not suited for food they're busy blowing up pacific islands with nuclear weapons or trading with corrupt regimes such as Iraq. And they don't know how to make cars either...

well, let's see...

Pasteurization, the diesel engine, and (amongst other things)...THE BIKINI:

The bikini was an invention created in France in 1946, named after the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the site of atomic bomb testing. The French inventors were Jacques Heim and Louis Reard.

http://inventors.about.com/od/frenchinventors/Inventions_of_France_French_Inventors.htm

Let's not forget the great Mr Jacques Cousteau. I was lucky enough to meet this great man as a little girl when he visited Noumea and I'll never forget how wonderfully inspiring he was. I am glad to see the next 2 generations of his family are carrying on his legacy.

Anyway, moral: Settle petal, we're not all bad eh!


thanks for that scratcha :hug: felt a bit lonely there...

C'mere sweetpea...:hug:

[Mikkel]

That'd be a new concept for you...don't fall off your chair eh! :p

I have very rarely had that much to drink... In fact I can not remember a single time I've fallen off my chair.


Pasteurization, the diesel engine, and (amongst other things)...THE BIKINI:

The bikini was an invention created in France in 1946, named after the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the site of atomic bomb testing. The French inventors were Jacques Heim and Louis Reard.

http://inventors.about.com/od/frenchinventors/Inventions_of_France_French_Inventors.htm

Let's not forget the great Mr Jacques Cousteau. I was lucky enough to meet this great man as a little girl when he visited Noumea and I'll never forget how wonderfully inspiring he was. I am glad to see the next 2 generations of his family are carrying on his legacy.

Anyway, moral: Settle petal, we're not all bad eh!

:crazy: Are you ok dear? :scratch:

How often do you see me start a post with all caps? :whistle:

Anyway, moral: France is a great country with a rich history in both the fields of arts, science, politics and cheese-eating-surrender-monkering. :yes:
Besides, it's always easy taking the piss out of the french - and I am lazy, so I do.

[Hitcher]

In fact I can not remember a single time I've fallen off my chair.

How many times have you fallen off your chair?

[scracha]

How many times have you fallen off your chair?

I can't remember falling off my chair either, but the bruises the next day prove I sometimes do.

[McJim]

I can't remember falling off my chair either, but the bruises the next day prove I sometimes do.

Y'don't just fall off your chair - you fall off yer bike. How embarassing is that?

[007XX]

:crazy: Are you ok dear? :scratch:


I'm more than ok dahling...I got a set of little legs and arms kicking inside of me and making me smile every hour of the day, so I'm on top of the world really.

But I couldn't help myself from replying the way I did :lol:


How many times have you fallen off your chair?

The man is deceptively capable under the influence...at least of remaining the right way up. As far as being coherent though...:whistle:

[Mully]

I got a set of little legs and arms kicking inside of me and making me smile every hour of the day


Like in that movie, Alien?

[007XX]

Like in that movie, Alien?

:laugh: A little bit eh! i must admit the comparison has crossed my mind a couple of times...