Grief-Stricken And Ashamed, France Comes Home From Holiday And Reclaims Her Dead

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8-31-2003 | Kim Willsher

[boxerblues]

Even after worldwide coverage of record deaths the French still did not think to contact their families to see if they needed help, amazing.

[Ronin]

Knowing the French, they will try to blame this on Bush somehow.

[Cicero]

Not even the end of the world would prevent the French from taking their August vacations.

[strela]

Some politicians are blaming the families. Many elderly people appear to have been left alone because, in July and August, France virtually shuts down as families go on holiday.

And from the alleys of Paris to the vineyards of Bordeaux, the people cry out in hate and anger against the real villain ...

"BOOSH! BOOSH! BOOSH! ..."

(sarcasm OFF)

[Marylander]

This makes it official. France is a third world country.

[dennisw]

On the bright side, more empty apartments for the Arabs with their 6 kids to move into. And Arabs are used to the heat. (/sarcasm)

[JudgemAll]

Ah yes, this praised social healthcare, universal "free" health care and great French doctors strikes again... except they forgot to staff nurses and get the AC going amongst other hygiene issues.

[D. Brian Carter]

Maybe not Bush directly, but certainly on the US... you know we're responsible for global warming, right?

[dennisw]

This makes it official. France is a third world country...........

With whatever money they have, 3rd world countries take better care of their elders.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

See, I told ya so.

[livius]

Too sad. Too true.

[StormEye]

"Hubert Falco, the secretary of state for the elderly"...

Got to be kidding.
I wonder if there's a "secretary of state" for people with bad teeth or dandruff?

[JudgemAll]

On the bright side, more empty apartments for the Arabs with their 6 kids to move into. And Arabs are used to the heat.

And with the 35 hour a week that destaffed nurses in the summer, allowing people to take extended holidays to make up for the year's "over"time, will also yield plenty of opportunities for arabs wishing to work in the black market.. even in health care in the end because deliverers and caterers are such... yep free French health care at work staffed by cheap labor and arabs.

[jocon307]

I still can't beleive how cool Europe is, I mean temperature-wise. I can't believe 104F is the hottest on record and that all these poor folks died.

This summer was very cool here in the NYC area, but we often have heatwaves like the one in France. I suppose they just are not used to it. Of course sometimes people die in heatwaves here, maybe a handful, a dozen maybe, not tens of thousands. And it is NOT air conditioning. I grew up in Manhattan, I'm 46 years old, and for most of my life I never had an air conditioned home, in fact I used to not take vacation in the summer so as to be able to stay in the air conditioning at least at work.

Did all these elderly people really die because their families abandoned them? That would really be quite an indictment, especially when you place alongside some things I've read about how the elderly don't want to go to the hospitals in Holland, fearing they'll be euthanized whether they desire it or not.

Sometimes I think that Europe really is dying, mentally and spirtitually dying.

[EggsAckley]

"It is not up to the state to take care of our elderly. It is up to us."

WOW! What a NOVEL idea!

[McGavin999]

"More than 11,000 deaths - that's four times the World Trade Centre."

Yes, but ours were killed by murderers who slammed planes into a building. Theirs were killed by thoughtless, selfish families who couldn't be bothered to take care of the people who took care of them. TWO WEEKS later 300 people hadn't been claimed by their families yet? Guess they got a discount on their travel expense and couldn't give up that bit of money to come home early to take care of business.

The french are a totally dispicable people.

[AngrySpud]

" ... Europe is dying ... "

I'm sure the heat wave didn't stop at France's borders, but affected other countries, too. How come I haven't seen a single article bemoaning elderly deaths elsewhere?

[dennisw]

Achmed the disorderly orderly.

[Malesherbes]

Yes (Oui), of course it's Bush's fault, because he is responsible for global warming, having refused to sign the Kyota Treaty and de-industrialize the U.S.