TV Coverage of French Unrest on Fox News

Fox News | 3.18.06 | ohioWfan

[Cvengr]

I hear the French police torture their victims in the Bastille by threatening to shave their underarms and trim their leg hair. Bastards....

[DogBarkTree]

I might watch later but I wont really care. Well, I might care enough to ROFLMAO!

[billbears]

The main aspect of the bill that the protestors are upset about is the first two years of the job. Apparently the bill states that an employer can fire an employee under 26 years old during his/her first two years on the job without explanation.

They better get this cleaned up PDQ. I'm planning on going to Paris on vacation at the end of May :)

[ohioWfan]

They're protesting a measure which would allow employers to fire young workers within two years of hiring them. Sheesh.

Yeah............SHEESH!!

[texianyankee]

I know he wrote an op-ed piece a few months ago in the nyslimes about how America should pattern itself on the French society and their great family values. Of all things!

Give me a bit and I will see if I can google it.

[jazusamo]

It's a good thing those others weren't in office then and it doesn't look like Chirac has been very successful. It's hard for me to understand how France and many other European countries have taken the road they have.

[hole_n_one]

[ohioWfan]

The only time I was in Paris was in the summer of 1968.

Got teargassed because of nearby riots. Seriously. I did.

[ohioWfan]

Thanks!

[NautiNurse]

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Can hardly believe my eyes. I've never seen so many cops.

You think the average Frenchie will compare this response to that of the riots of the Moslems?

[ohioWfan]

Well, it's funny and pathetic at the same time............and surreal when you realize what it's all about.

[lilylangtree]

Was thinking the same thing.

[texianyankee]

Here ya go -

French Family Values

By PAUL KRUGMAN Published: July 29, 2005 Americans tend to believe that we do everything better than anyone else. That belief makes it hard for us to learn from others. For example, I've found that many people refuse to believe that Europe has anything to teach us about health care policy. After all, they say, how can Europeans be good at health care when their economies are such failures?

Now, there's no reason a country can't have both an excellent health care system and a troubled economy (or vice versa). But are European economies really doing that badly?

The answer is no. Americans are doing a lot of strutting these days, but a head-to-head comparison between the economies of the United States and Europe - France, in particular - shows that the big difference is in priorities, not performance. We're talking about two highly productive societies that have made a different tradeoff between work and family time. And there's a lot to be said for the French choice.

First things first: given all the bad-mouthing the French receive you may be surprised that I describe their society as "productive." Yet according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, productivity in France - G.D.P. per hour worked - is actually a bit higher than in the United States.......

[blake6900]

Let me see if I've got this right: These are the "sophisticated, enlightened, intelligent" people we Americans should be more like?!

What happened? Did the French farmers take a day off from striking and blocking traffic? I'm surprised the French police haven't surrendered.

[ohioWfan]

Yep. A NEW one.

I didn't see a thread on today's developments, so I thought I'd get one started.

The French 'youths' at it again.

[Sarah]

on thursday they had already started, closing down the whole Cours de Vinciennes. I didn't have my camera, and I have had a hard time following this because there are so many different protected contracts here.
There is the 'hiring of someone on unemployment' where the govn't pays half the salary for a year or so, and then there is a first contract deal. Job security is for life pretty much, unless of course there is a downturn in the economy and then there is no problem.
I've always found that the French have an very serious approach to their professions, despite the security, especially since job performance is so closely watched and only those appropriate are tapped to prepare for their famous concours- in order to move up.
Also there is a mandatory expense on annual training of employees that really keeps everyone on top of their field.
I just won't tow the 'France sucks' line, although I have my differences with the culture.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

French rioting because their welfare payments haven't been increased by 25% this year?

[texianyankee]

Here's the link to that op-ed piece by krugman, if you want to read the entire thing...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/29/opinion/29krugman.html?ex=1280289600&en=3c228241f02da3b6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[billbears]

Well I'm visiting England for the week and figured I would take a day to ride the train over to Paris and back. Leaves London at 5:30 AM and leaves Paris to come back at 8:30 PM the same day. I just want to visit Notre Dame at least once in my life.