French humour

[Hitcher]

The French fry came from Belgum!!!

And Belgium is a country created by the English to annoy the French...

[MikeL]

"Allons enfants de la patrie..."

Today is 14 July.

Vive la France!!

(Opens another bottle of Chateauneuf du pape to accompany the roquefort, camembert, bleu de Bresse, gruyere... how did that last one sneak in? It's Swiss, dammit.)

[Lou Girardin]

No pat'e de foie gras? Or did the force feeding scene in French Leave put you off?

Almost completely off topic, who thinks the Marseillaise and the Amerikan anthem are the best national anthems?

[jrandom]

Almost completely off topic, who thinks the Marseillaise and the Amerikan anthem are the best national anthems?

'Deutschland über Alles' has always been my favourite, music-wise.

I can't hear The Star Spangled Banner these days without remembering that German soldier in Saving Private Ryan standing in a grave, trying to remember the words in front of several Garands...

[Lou Girardin]

'Deutschland über Alles' has always been my favourite, music-wise.

I can't hear The Star Spangled Banner these days without remembering that German soldier in Saving Private Ryan standing in a grave, trying to remember the words in front of several Garands...

He did remember Betty Boop, what a dish though.
That situation would focus your thoughts quite well, wouldn't it?

[moko]

Almost completely off topic, who thinks the Marseillaise and the Amerikan anthem are the best national anthems?

French one`s o.k.,dont know for sure but read somewhere that some of it is considered racist for some reason.American one pisses me off like just about most things about the bully-boy of the western world.Brit anthem is truly nauseating,we should have been a republic centuries ago.
With your grasp of history Lou would you agree that the "American" war of independence was as much a protest by British republicans settled there against the monarchy as anything else?,bearing in mind that "Americans" of the time were either recent settlers or people with only a couple of generations living there.

[MikeL]

French one`s o.k.,dont know for sure but read somewhere that some of it is considered racist for some reason.American one pisses me off like just about most things about the bully-boy of the western world.Brit anthem is truly nauseating,we should have been a republic centuries ago.
With your grasp of history Lou would you agree that the "American" war of independence was as much a protest by British republicans settled there against the monarchy as anything else?,bearing in mind that "Americans" of the time were either recent settlers or people with only a couple of generations living there.

AFAIK there's nothing racist in the Marseillaise. It does however contain (as you would expect) some fairly strong language, being basically a hymn to liberty and a denunciation of oppression. It refers to the enemy "slitting our wives' and children's throats" and "watering our fields with their impure blood". In the latter phrase the words "un sang impur" might be construed as a reference to inferior race but in the context of the Revolution this is highly unlikely - it's almost certainly an allusion to the monarchy.

The War of Independence started out as a tax revolt ("no taxation without representation!") but the intransigeance and incompetence of George III and his advisors, combined with the increasing estrangement of the colonists for various reasons (there had been British settlements in Nth America since 1620 - more than just a couple of generations) deepened the rift and like the French Revolution it came to be seen as a struggle for freedom against tyranny and oppression. In hindsight it could have been avoided. Now in one of history's many ironies the British people are struggling to retain their own independence in the face of American imperialism...

[moko]

In hindsight it could have been avoided. Now in one of history's many ironies the British people are struggling to retain their own independence in the face of American imperialism...

With you on most of that Mike but the real threat here is from the European Union,an institution so corrupt that it`s own auditors have refused to "sign off" it`s accounts for the last decade as the "numbers never add up".This bunch of cowboys can and do over-ride the British legal system and constitution on a regular basis.While being totuted as "good for Britain" by self-serving scum we put 2 BILLION pounds more into it than they graciously pay back while expecting us to be grateful.While Eastern European countries have their infrastructure replaced with my money this country goes to the dogs while politicians queue up to jump on the gravy-train.

[MikeL]

With you on most of that Mike but the real threat here is from the European Union,an institution so corrupt that it`s own auditors have refused to "sign off" it`s accounts for the last decade as the "numbers never add up".This bunch of cowboys can and do over-ride the British legal system and constitution on a regular basis.While being totuted as "good for Britain" by self-serving scum we put 2 BILLION pounds more into it than they graciously pay back while expecting us to be grateful.While Eastern European countries have their infrastructure replaced with my money this country goes to the dogs while politicians queue up to jump on the gravy-train.

I see your point about the EU and I agree that it must be very frustrating, particularly since there was a lot of opposition back in the 60s and 70s to Britain joining precisely because of this sort of problem. But for better or for worse the U.K. is now pretty well committed to Europe and I suppose you just have to try to minimize the negative economic and bureaucratic effects. I would still rate American cultural imperialism as a worse threat...

[moko]

The EU is widely hated but then so was the invasion of Iraq however those with the power wanted both so both we got.There`s actually quite a backlash agaisnt American culture here,largely because of the war,partly because many see it as shallow and meaningless to this country.In fact it`s becoming common for attitudes once reserved for the French and Germans to be aimed at the U.S. Any U.S. war movie is routinely trashed by the media,Americans are stereotyped as fat,stupid and scared.Even McDonalds is feeling the heat and what was once considered "cool" is now "That Yank shit" and many will buy exactly the same kind of food anywhere but from them.

[Lou Girardin]

But, the advent of huge EU subsidies to various countries, especially Eire, has seen terrorism fade away there. It does seem that wealthy countries with low umemployment are not the best breeding ground for violent radicals.
Sounds like money well spent to me.

[moko]

But, the advent of huge EU subsidies to various countries, especially Eire, has seen terrorism fade away there. It does seem that wealthy countries with low umemployment are not the best breeding ground for violent radicals.
Sounds like money well spent to me.

Not sure where you got that info from Lou.Eire is the Republic Of Ireland as opposed to Northern Ireland which is a British province.Eire came about after a war with Britain.As you say it`s received huge subsidies and has done very well,they are however very worried that with new countries coming into the EU the same industry that came in on the back of those subsidies will just as quickly head for Eastern Europe and more tax-payers cash.The I.R.A. and the government of Eire clashed(I`ll skip the history lesson)and they solved that particular problem by executing several of the I.R.A.leadership.They still exist but as one of the several Mafia-type gangs the country is plagued with.Terrorism in the North continues,though no-where near the same level as in the past,from both "factions".Both in reality being more comncerned with extortion,pornography,drugs e.t.c. than any high ideals.People in the North are sickened by the Brit Governments asserting that everything there is Hunky Dory,that`s a long way from the truth and paramilitary thugs still rule housing estates by fear and there`s a real fear that Blair and co turn a blind eye as long as it`s only "local" murders,knee-cappings e.t.c.
In Spain the Basque seperatists are still going strong,Italy had the Red Brigades,Germany Bader Meinhoff,France Action Direct.Most of Europe has organised Right-Wing groups that carry out terorist acts against ethnic minorities.Britain has Combat 18,the scary low-key guys,and Class War,their left-wing opponents,both specialise in violence,vandalism and intimidation as do the Animal Rights group who`s bombs and targetting techniques point to people with a worryingly high level of skill at what they do.I think you`ll find the more affluent countries have more of a problem,not less.

[Lou Girardin]

The IRA used the south as a safe zone, that's why the border areas were so dangerous. The demise of Red Brigade, Bader Meinhof, et al. tends to support the argument that radicalism is born of poverty, frustration, unemployment, etc.
You can see a similar effect in the worldwide reduction in property offences as unemplyment decreases.