oh. shit.

May 6, 2007

oh. shit.

Filed under: misc — petiteanglaiseparis @ 8:01 pm

Comments (207)

207 Comments

Everything alright?

Comment by Gruntled — May 6, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Je suis d’accord. Le succès du PS n’aurait pas été beaucoup plus rassurant, mais que ce que M. Sarkozy ne nous dit pas de son programme ne nous offre pas un avenir très radieux.

By the way, thanks for your blog. I love the way you write.

Comment by Frédéric Séraphine — May 6, 2007 @ 7:14 pm
Oh dear have you bloggers block again?

Comment by tillylil — May 6, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Oh man!!
I liked Sego. Sarko’s smugness will be UNBEARABLE now.
Grrr.

Comment by petite ecossaise — May 6, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
Comme tu dis “Oh SHIT.”
!!!!!!!!!

Comment by mariloo — May 6, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
You can’t just leave it at that!

Hope everything is ok :/

Comment by Daniel — May 6, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
Oh. Shit. Yes, indeed. :-/

Comment by landrellec — May 6, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Please don’t tell me your only copy of your book just got deleted because of a computer crash…? It’s not too late to switch to Mac :) (I just did ;) Feeling ree-heeally smug about the whole thing too.

Hope everything is ok by the way :) Let us know soon.

Comment by Valkyrie — May 6, 2007 @ 8:43 pm
But would the alternate really have been that much better?

Comment by samantha — May 6, 2007 @ 8:45 pm
Sorry!

Comment by Bob — May 6, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
Well, we knew it was coming. Just hope he tones it down a bit now.

Comment by Charlie — May 6, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
I haven’t been following French politics closely enough to know whether to be surprised by this result or not, but my reaction to it is the same.

Comment by Almost American — May 6, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
As we were in Paris today, we are now watching the channel in the hotelroom.
I would have liked Sego to win as it would have been good to have a woman for a change… But then, what do I know?
I am not french, I don’t live in France, so do I have to say anything?
I think a lot of french voted for Sarkosy as the least worse of the two…
Which is in fact not a real choice…

So, I guess it is “shit” indeed…
Lots of bla bla bla on tv already…

Comment by photocat — May 6, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
Shame on you, France.

Comment by Dom — May 6, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
Gutted.
French living in the UK and still, S H I T.

Comment by B. — May 6, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
I could not agree more! We are now seriously in the merde. Won’t be planning to come back and live in France for another 5 years.
Only thing to do now: drowning our sorrows…

Comment by Pepette — May 6, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
I agree. :-(

Comment by Sara — May 6, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
The frog in my life is depressed now…after trudging through the rain to cast his vote for Royal at the local embassy. To say the least, he’d say this is tragic!

Comment by aminah — May 6, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
couldn’t have said it better…

Didn’t like Royal much, but I never had the impression she hid much. What scares me about NS is the feeling he’s hidden a lot, until now.

Comment by tom — May 6, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
What a gem….either Royal who would lead France to collapse or Sarkozy who would shake it up….

Royal

Comment by Voyager — May 6, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
Yikes! The Karcher cleaning, tough talking, xenophobe!

Comment by Zerlina — May 6, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
Please explain oh shit: how about Sarkozy 1, Royal nul points?

Comment by H — May 6, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
He’s not perfect by anymeans but for those of us who have small businesses and struggle along on a shoestring wondering everymonth how we’re going to pay the very high social security payments there is a glimmer of hope.If he can reduce these payments by half to nearer the UK level there will be a lot more people hired and jobs created.I’m sure a lot of people who have voted him in are the small shop ,restaurant and café owners who serve you every day but admit to it they probably won’t!!!
Ségo has been very admirable in saying how she will share out the nations wealth but never a word on how it’s going to be created.I don’t have the vote here but it will be interesting to see if Sarko does give the economy a much needed push and if the French will let him reform without too much social mayhem.BTW if I had a cushy functionnaire job for life as have a lot of my French hubby’s family of course I’d have voted for Ségo.But then the famous Trou dans La Sécu might widen to completely bankrupt the state!Interesting times!!!

Comment by Carol — May 6, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
bugger.

or, as Lord Blackadder would say, ‘it rhymes with clucking bell’.

Comment by Marcos — May 6, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
At the risk of being out of order, I would like to point to people who don’t follow French politics that Ms Royal has been beaten in the presidential elections. I don’t think Petite is ill or anything of the sort. Ideally, she will tell us more. You could also try following the sidebar link to “salut”. Oh, I am in trouble now :-)

Comment by Pierre L — May 6, 2007 @ 9:44 pm
I thought the same thing. I felt uneasy about Sego but Sarko scares the hell out of me. Reminds me of a mini-Le Pen. Scary right-wing monster.

Comment by amy — May 6, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
Can we not set up a Republic Of Expat Bloggers In France and declare our independence from France? Like, straight away?

Comment by Iain — May 6, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
>> Oh. merde.

Let me know if you prefer to come back to England, and I’ll get the spare room ready ;-)

Comment by oxo — May 6, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
I second that merde.

Comment by magillicuddy — May 6, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
shit, shit, shit, shittity, shit.

Comment by Lesley — May 6, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
Ready for five long years.
My daughter thought your image was that of Mr Bean….Thinking of that, they do look alike don’t they?

Maria

Comment by Maria — May 6, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
Party at the concert at Concorde tonight like it didn’t happen …

(and hope for the best.)

Comment by Jt — May 6, 2007 @ 10:48 pm
I know that the French economy is in dire straits. I would love to pay less in tax and social security – although I can’t see that happening – and I didn’t think much of either candidate as neither seemed to have anything like a coherent programme. But the man is odious, slippery and self-serving and has some extremely dubious views on immigration and freedom of the press (to name but two examples). Every time I see his smug, self-satisfied face on TV, I have to change the channel.

Let’s just hope that, like Chirac, he recedes into the background as president and just concentrates on running up preposterous grocery bills.

Comment by petite — May 6, 2007 @ 10:55 pm
Why do you care? You’re not even French. If Sarko can lift the bureaucracy away from French businesses then that’s got to be a good thing.

Comment by Jeremy Jacobs — May 6, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
Er, why do I care? Because I live here. My daughter is schooled here. I pay taxes here. I watch the police hassle people in my neighbourhood based on the colour of the skin. How could I not care?

Comment by petite — May 6, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
Why do the French depresessingly conform to type and expectation? Although apparently we’re meant to be thrilled because Monsieur Sarkozy is not a francais francais. Well whoopy do, he’s not Monsieur Le Pen. Je suis d’accord Petite Anglaise.

Comment by featherduster — May 6, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
tonight sucks. and so do the next 5 years or more

Comment by est — May 6, 2007 @ 11:08 pm
Better than that unqualified socialist alternative!!

Comment by iain — May 6, 2007 @ 11:10 pm
and in his first public comments after being elected, he talks about French friendship with America.

shouldn’t he be speaking about French concerns such as the economy, unemployment, immigration, etc etc?

instead he wags his happy little tail so as hoping to replace Blair as Bushie’s poodle.

*eyeroll*

wish y’all the best of luck. i was rooting for Royal.

Comment by AlieMalie — May 6, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
I think your “Oh. Shit” sums it up pretty well, Petite. As a fellow anglophone ex-pat living in France and fighting like hell to keep my right to stay here, I am both sickened and saddened by tonight’s electoral results (although I agree with a few other readers here who state that Sego’s platform wasn’t all peaches and cream, either). My French hubby and I are now wondering to ourselves what the immigrations laws are like in Canada… Hang in there, Petite.

Comment by Sara in Melun — May 6, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
In the 5th constitution, a president is supposed to be more of a thinker than someone who runs the country. The prime minister is supposed to do that. The president is meant to give the guide lines, and deal with foreighn affairs. The debates we’ve seen these last few weeks haven’t been proper presidential debates. I don’t think this is what De Gaulle wanted the 5th constitution de be interpreted.
Mr Sarkozy is too american for me. He copies their politics and nearly called them France’s best ates on TV just a few hours ago! (a slight West Country exageration there). No, I’m gutted really. He said that there’s nothing more beautifull than leaving money to our children when we die (in the debate), and even that it’s the goal in life (in “Face à la une”), I just can’t agree with that! Giving a proper edcation nd affection to my children is far more important. He also wants all kids to come back home with their homework done. Which basically means that the arents shouldn’t really intefere with school work. It seems like everything has to involve money, we’re forgetting proper values like education…

I’m not sure the other solution would have been much better. I knew before hand that I would have been gutted either way.

‘cours you have the right to care!

Comment by Gravesen — May 6, 2007 @ 11:34 pm
Feels like a bad hangover that’s gonna last 5 years… Plus he’s supported by artists like Mireille Mathieu, Faudel, Johnny… With Royal even the concerts are more fun!
Seriously though, I hope the left strikes back at the légistalives. And I’m hoping the PS will be reformed, we really need this. I feel bad for my country tonight but I know it also means that many disappointed people will commit themselves into really doing things to change the way we do and involve ourselves into politics now. At least, we’ve acquired that…
As far the next 5 years, we better have a good sense of humour cause it’s gonna be much needed.

Comment by Marie — May 6, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
don’t know anything about french politics, but this sounds exactly the same as the night harper was elected over here in canada…..right down to a friendship with america. oh, dear.

Comment by 'b — May 6, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
I can relate. I haven’t been following the election that closely, but my hubby said he sounded like President Bush in many ways.

If that’s the case, this is awful.

Comment by Diane — May 7, 2007 @ 12:03 am
Oh shit is right. But are we really surprised?
P.S. I had the same “oh shit” moment after Bush got elected. Both times. So I know how it feels.

Comment by The Bold Soul — May 7, 2007 @ 12:04 am
I don’t like Ségo. I was pro “Strauss Khan”…Sarkozy is so scary…I don’t have so much faith in the “new France” …I feel sad that we are on the right wing for that long :-( and he won this election…

Sakina

Comment by Sakina — May 7, 2007 @ 12:04 am
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this one Petite….To have a fear of rioting breaking out after a democratic election in a democratic country means that some serious changes have to be made and Sarko seems like a brave enough guy to do it. I say Go Sarko! Maybe with him in office I can actually get a better paying job in France soon! Anyway the alternative wasn’t much better from what I heard from her.

Comment by Anna — May 7, 2007 @ 12:15 am
Well I’m quite new on this but let’s try…
I just wanted to ask if they used the same process to clone Dolly and to clone Blair to get Sarkozy???
Anyway as setting up in business couldn’t choose anything else could I?

Comment by Flying Bat — May 7, 2007 @ 12:24 am
As they say, Petite. A country gets the leader it deserves. It’ll be minorities and working people who’ll be the losers.
Problem was the stark choice between the extreme left and extreme right. A feature of French politics I’d reckon.

Comment by AussieGil — May 7, 2007 @ 12:42 am
And then she noticed that half today’s readers came from Le Figaro magazine.

Hello people. You might prefer Loïc Le Meur’s take on today’s events. But I shan’t link to him.

Comment by petite — May 7, 2007 @ 12:57 am
Half your readers – that’s scarey.

But not as scarey as Sarko.

The British left used to say of Thatcherism, “It couldn’t happen in France, the left is too organised and has a tradition of rebellion.”

I think he’s in for a rough ride; so is the left.

Now where did I put the Michelin guide?

Comment by andrew — May 7, 2007 @ 1:28 am
What a pity! France is going worse and worse, I hope that the first riots which are currently taking place in some big cities won’t be as huge as last time ( when he used the word “KARCHER” to qualify people who live in surburbs!)
PS: Ptit’anglaise j’ai repris la photo pr la mettre sur mon blog :)Hope you don’t mind…

Comment by Patron90 — May 7, 2007 @ 2:17 am
If he’s anything like John Howard (Australian right-wing prime minister), you’ll have a better chance of getting a job, but –

– you’ll get paid less (forget about paid overtime or extra pay for public holidays)

– you’ll have to work on a public holiday or get sacked

– you can get sacked at a moment’s notice, and can’t complain

– prices will go up – but all the extra money will go to the employers.

Brave New World indeed.

Comment by Anne — May 7, 2007 @ 2:31 am
I think both candidates were piss poor choices, and I find the fact that the French actually voted for this guy ironic at best since they’re so critical of the US and our gov’t/policies and Sarkozy is favored by the US administration and thought to be “pro-America” (certainly more so than Royal).

I told my guy earlier today that I’m happy that this guy was elected ONLY because it shows that we’re not the only country that can make an idiotic choice.

I understand that the French want to improve their economy and tax situation…but Sarkozy is clearly not a man of the people and he was not a proper choice for even MOST of the needs of the Republic. This whole election was just one hilarious show of buffoonery, really.

I was always told that France was supposed to be a country of great thinkers…after this election (the ENTIRE election, all candidates included), I’m inclined to dispute this idea.

Comment by Mlle Smith — May 7, 2007 @ 3:40 am
Predictable results – France is quite a conservative country and was not ready for a woman president – but not exactly pleasing all the same. Then again, I cannot help feeling he is a minor improvement on the current incumbent of the post. It’ll be interesting to see whether Chirac gets prosecuted for his various “magouilles” now… And no, I am not coming from Le Figaro mag – wouldn’t be seen dead reading it, online or as hard copy!

Comment by Ariel — May 7, 2007 @ 3:42 am
sad day for the France today…

Comment by Eric — May 7, 2007 @ 5:04 am
Your daughter is “schooled” here?

Comment by F. Indres — May 7, 2007 @ 5:53 am
OH ok, I’ve woken up now, right the Presidential election..um, well unfortunately I’m not as informed as I thought I was, so if you say S.hit, then s.hit it is!! Anything that can make riots break out in Paris is s.hitty by any means. (by the way I had no idea what you were talking about because my feed reader didn’t get the pic that you posted…)

Comment by Valkyrie — May 7, 2007 @ 6:34 am
I felt the same sense of dismay when Bush was elected, not once but twice. I certainly don’t think he has helped the States while he was president. It will be interesting to see what is down the road for France. My French husband is expecting many strikes as Sarko tries to impose his changes.

Comment by Linda — May 7, 2007 @ 7:14 am
You’re so right! I’m so disappointed! I just don’t understand what happened to the world! Look at all the leaders: bush, Blair…

Comment by Zeina — May 7, 2007 @ 7:19 am
“oh.shit.” pretty much sums it up perfectly

Comment by lapagefrancaise — May 7, 2007 @ 8:04 am
Je suis d’accord.

Comment by Jim — May 7, 2007 @ 8:14 am
Like him or loathe him, Sarkozy ran an intelligent and masterfully-orchestrated (if cynical) campaign. Ségolène Royal may well have beaten a different candidate, but Sarko has a messianic glint in his eye of a kind that has appealed to many in the past.

I am interested to see whether he will attempt to use the momentum of this election result to steamroll (à la Thatcher) France’s unions and other powerful lobbies, or alternatively, will now return the clothes blithely borrowed from the Front National before steering a less provocative centre-right path…

Comment by Ajay — May 7, 2007 @ 8:40 am
C’est la vie.

Comment by bonkers — May 7, 2007 @ 8:53 am
its fantastic you speak up in the way you do. I wished others did when I was being bullied because of the colour of my skin. Thankyou petite for bothering and speaking out in the way you do!

Comment by aminah — May 7, 2007 @ 8:53 am
I would like to point out how well dressed Mr Sarkosy is (and his handsome brother Eric). Facists were always the most stylish leaders. Nazis always had the best boots.

Comment by Peggy — May 7, 2007 @ 8:58 am
‘France was not ready for a woman president’ (55)… no country would have been ready for a woman president like Ségo.

France had to shoose between two evils: one who doesn’t know what to do except please the voters and the other who knows only too well what he wants. -I think it is better to get some right things done than none whatsoever.

Comment by E.T. — May 7, 2007 @ 9:12 am
e.e. cummings said it best:
“a politician is an arse upon which everybody has sat except a man”.
They are all self serving petty politicians. It does not really matter which one of them wins, and that’s true in France as it is in the UK and elsewhere.

Comment by Danny — May 7, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Well, it can’t be any worse than the prospect of having Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. I think I’m going to have to move to France if THAT happens…..

Comment by Andy Greig — May 7, 2007 @ 9:36 am
it is really oh shit. people who likes him are businesspeople who cares about their money more then their fellow beings, and greedy pensioners who want a calm france. why dont they say it straight: throw out the immigrants!
and they support sarkos laws where children who shoplift(its a phase, like any other) get registered at the police, and in the future they cannot get proper jobs. for stealing some gadgets when they were kids?!?!?!?!?

what the young people from the suburbs need is not a president who thinks they are scums, but one who gives them hope and faith for the future. sarko only gives hope to those in business.

maybe sego wasnt the best for france, but sarko is just a proper face of monsieur jean-marie le pen!

Comment by caroline — May 7, 2007 @ 9:41 am
how can he be like Le Pen?
Sky News reckons he is the son of a Hungarian Immigrant!!
This couldn’t have been timed better, I’m moving to France in September!!

Comment by gerbil — May 7, 2007 @ 10:07 am
Stick to writing about your kid and being shagged in work time leave real life to the grown ups.

Comment by Uncle Norman — May 7, 2007 @ 10:16 am
It undermines my faith in humanity that he got through the first round, just like all the lies that have come out of no. 10 in the last few years undermine that faith.

Comment by Despina — May 7, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Hehe – that says it all doesn’t it? But what choice did they have?

Comment by colourmecrazy — May 7, 2007 @ 10:24 am
eh. he’ll be hated no matter what he does, whether it’s groceries or karchering.

my major concern is education– and cath, if you want your daughter to get a decent post-bac education in france, it really is for the best that control of the country stay out of the hands of the far-left and their unions. because I can tell you now– if little tadpole doesn’t make it into one of the grands écoles (or the conservatoire, the way she’s going), she’s fucked. you’ll have to send her to the US or UK for a decent college education.

Comment by maitresse — May 7, 2007 @ 11:21 am
French voters were asked to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. They went for the lesser of two evils.

Quick analysis:
– Sarkozy is a slicker politician, more spin and better briefed
– Socialists went for the wrong candidate, they should have picked DSK
– Socialist programme is stuck in the 70s and that’s why they just can’t win a presidential election. Even if the Right has demonstrated no admirable qualities during its last five years in government, people don’t trust the socialists to do any better (that’s quite a condemnation).

The gnome’s more fascist pronouncements dismay me and worry me, as they would anyone. But I’ve found it impossible to take Ségolène seriously, she just wants to mother the whole country. I just hope that Nicolas can demonstrate moderation and tolerance and maybe even deliver on his election promises.

As for the mercifully few rioters last night, all they have done is to donner de l’eau à son moulin for Sarkozy. He will be able to say, in that condescending manner of his, “look at this people, see how they behave when things don’t go their way. What have I been telling you? Am I not right?”. It’s known as an own-goal.

Comment by Lis of the North — May 7, 2007 @ 11:43 am
To Uncle Norman, who wrote : “Stick to writing about your kid and being shagged in work time leave real life to the grown ups.”

I thought having sex and kids was the exclusive preserve of grown-ups (aka adults), by definition…

Comment by Ajay — May 7, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Hello Gerbil (and Hello petite !)
Hitler had Jewish origins.

Pisohe

Comment by Pisohe — May 7, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Merci Petite Anglaise. De tout mon coeur.

Comment by Fauvette — May 7, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
Hey look.. Uncle Norman did a fly by shooting.

Comment by Ri — May 7, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
I don’t think Sarko is the kind of man to sit around and do nothing and that is exactly why he was elected by the majority of the French people.

Comment by Pumpkin — May 7, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
Hi Petite Anglaise…

J’ai vécu 3 ans en France (je viens de Belgique), j’ai travaillé rue d’Enghien, à côté du QG de campagne de Sarko et j’ai aussi eu peur de lui, de sa façon d’abuser des forces policières, de faire régner l’ordre par la terreur.

Mais avec du recul (depuis que je vis à Londres en fait) je me dis que la France a vraiment besoin de quelqu’un qui a des idées plus “capitalistes”! Moi j’en ai marre de cette France que je considère comme “communiste révolutionnaire”, de ces français qui ouvrent la bouche pour réclamer, comme des petits oiseaux. Tout leur est dû : ils veulent beaucoup (de l’argent et aussi de la sécurité pour le travail, le logement, la santé…) mais aussi travailler le moins possible… Après le Non à la Constitution Européenne, je me suis sentie honteuse d’être en France, et j’espère que quelqu’un comme Sarko pourra faire changer les mentalités en France et rendre les Français plus dynamiques, plus offensifs économiquement… plus Européens!

Bref, l’espoir fait vivre…

Bonne journée à toi Petite Anglaise, profite de la vie et surtout : continue à écrire, j’aime vraiment te lire!

Melanie (http://mel-in-london.blogspot.com)

Comment by Mel — May 7, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Watch out for vertically challenged men especially those who wear stacked shoes!

Comment by tillylil — May 7, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
People like Uncle Norman sadden me:(

Comment by Maxi — May 7, 2007 @ 1:14 pm
Get lost Uncle Norman!

Comment by Emma — May 7, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
67/ET,

My French boyfriend said the exact same thing about the possibility of a female president in France. Last night, he laughed and said France is simply not yet ready for a female president and not ready to take a woman seriously in that regard.

I’m inclined to agree, judging from the French media coverage and especially because of the extremely defined role French women have in French society…

a role French women seem to actually enjoy…

Comment by Mlle Smith — May 7, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
Where the hell do you get a name like Segolaine?
*scratching of heads*

Comment by cream — May 7, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
Oh s*** indeed! If French Presidents have had a tendency towards kingship, à la Mitterand, why do I feel Sarkozy is more of a closet dictator? Actually, forget the closet bit.

What really got me was his post-win speech. He said something about people understanding what a day it was “in the life of a man”. Oh yes… I just forgot X millions of French people had just voted in a political election. Political representaion should be about serving the people – and yet he blabbers on in his usual egotistical way…

To Gerbil:

While Sarkozy may be a son of a Hungarian immigrant, his father left them.

Sarkozy is said to feel considerable resentment about the matter. He has allegedly said that: “What made me who I am now is the sum of all the humiliations suffered during childhood”.

That and a complex about his height. That might put him in the same “flawed masculine character” box as Napolean and Hitler…

Comment by Miss Fifi — May 7, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Dear petite

I can only say that I were going to live in France “oh shit” would be my reaction to Sarkozy’s election.

It may be that he has all kinds of notions for the future. We’ve just had ten years of that drivel in Britain from Tony Blair, not to mention the Iraq war, etc. Frankly if I see any more of Blair after he goes shortly it will be altogether too soon. But electing Sarkozy does show you can get worse.

From here in York, he seems a real piece of work. I wouldn’t want to live in a country where he ran the police, let alone with him in the Elysée.

It’s not so much his ideas, bad enough though many are, as his attitudes. It is not that he is wrong, though he is. It is that he is nasty, and au fond he simply does not care that he is.

Segolène Royale didn’t seem capable of running a good campaign, and had traditional flaws of the old Left in France, but I would have voted for her every time.

John Norris

Comment by John Norris — May 7, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Pisohe:

oh shit. bodes well doesn’t it..

Comment by gerbil — May 7, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
C’est vrai qu’un peu de libéralisme ne va pas faire de mal à la France sclérosée par la pensée unique socialo-communiste.

Comment by Vilay — May 7, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
Last night innocent people in place de la bastille were attacked by the CRS who threw tear gas filled grenades to disperse the crowds. The press has hardly mentioned this unrest which shows that already they are scared of bad mouthing Sarko. In my eyes 53% v 47% is very close – theres only a 4% difference, those who voted Royal represent a massive amount of people and those who oppose Sarko have the right to air their views, isnt that what democracy is all about? The press is hailing the victory of democracy but in reality freedom of speech has already being stifled just hours after Sarkozy’s victory. Democracy should be about respecting the choice of the people, all of the people, not just those on the side of the victor. The treatment of anti-sarkoites last night was disgusting.

Comment by A — May 7, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
This blogging lark is so easy. I post two words and a picture, and you write 100 comments. Maybe I should retire?

On a more serious note though, I’m working flat out towards a Friday deadline for draft two and I’ll do my best to post, but things are a bit fraught at this end!

Comment by petite — May 7, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
The French are going to have to work now.
Did you really think that a wealthy bourgeoise was going to put the country back on track by forcing everyone to work 35 hrs and not more and increase the number of civil servants (already 27% of the French working population).

The French have been wanting a real change since 1974. Now they are complaning because they are having a real change. This guy is going to give this country the shake up it needs to finally embrace the 21st century and the economical realities of capitalism.

Back to work, Frenchies, the holiday’s over.

Comment by Boris — May 7, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
I agree with E.T. and Lis of the North.

Plus Sego should have positively presented and promoted her own policies instead of making personal attacks on Sarko.

Would have been intersting to see how the world would have evolved with women presidents in France and USA and the German Chancellor. Oh well…

Comment by Jude — May 7, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Doesn’t look good, does it?

The political situation, not your deadline, I mean ;)

Comment by Le Meg — May 7, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
#78 Pisohe (good name) “Hitler had Jewish origins”.

Yeah, right. Hitler’s mother was the illegitimate daughter of a Jewish maid. He did not know his grandmother or have any exposure to Jewish life or culture. So hardly accurate to describe him as of “Jewish origins”.

The majority of English people have a European grandparent or great-grandparent. They are not described of as being of French/German/Spanish etc etc origin.

PS What on earth has Hitler got to do with it anyway?

Comment by Jude — May 7, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
Good luck with your Friday deadline, Petite! Still can’t wait for the book, of course…

Comment by Pierre L — May 7, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
I wouldn’t bother clicking on the link to Uncle Norman’s site. I just have and it’s a load of tosh, with some particularly offensive ‘humour’. He seems like a complete moron … and he can’t even spell Petite properly.

As for what is happening in France- quel désastre. And it’s really coming to something when a British Labour PM makes clear that Sarkozy was his preferred candidate.

Time to leave the country, Petite! ;-)

Comment by Stratfordgirl — May 7, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more, Petite. And I am not talking about a love hangover. http://cyberfrance.blogspot.com/2007/05/hangover.html

Comment by Lost in France — May 7, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
Don’t worry, it is ok, he is not so tyranic. Just an action man so many people are afraid to have to live differently… i am waiting some results before critisize him…

Comment by aurelux — May 7, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
Sarko may be a son of immigrant, but please remember his grandparents were aristocrats and not your usual immigrant.

Comment by nerd — May 7, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
If only the first round of voting would eliminate all but THREE candidates. This would have given a fairer choice in both this election and in 2002 when the left were deprived of their candidate and forced to vote right to avoid le Pen.

Comment by sablonneuse — May 7, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
why don’t you all watch V for Vendetta, that is Sarko’s dream.

Comment by caroline — May 7, 2007 @ 4:59 pm
oh shit indeed… saddening though not unexpected…

How I wish I was there…

Comment by stinkerbell — May 7, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
That Boris poster, “back to work, Frenchies” ??? – it ‘aint Boris “Blonde Bombshell” Johnson by any chance?

Comment by Miss Fifi — May 7, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
the funniest comments are by people who -for some reason- don’t connect the post’s title with the photo and ask something like “what??!! what happened? are you ok? tell us more? did your book go wrong? di your computer crash?” hahahah

Comment by Stavroulix — May 7, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
To Miss Fifi: No no, not him. Although I find him amusing.

Just a French guy who left France a long time ago.

The point is that it is a nation where work is not exactly high on the priority list, but where everybody complains that they don’t earn anough, or that their purchasing power is not big enough (and I couldn’t agree more).

My heart’s always been on the left, but I just reckon that France needs a good shake up and that out of both candidates, only Sarko is able to reverse things. Italy, Spain, Belgium, the UK, Germany, everyone is ahead of France. Yet, you look at the country, its diversity, its amazing technologies and you wonder why it’s not leading Europe instead. France is a depressed society and I don’t think Royal would have made things better, that’s all.

Sarko is probably a blessing in disguise, but most lefties aren’t able to see beyond the tip of their nose, so all we hear is criticisms and nothing constructive. I’ve heard this all my life, my parents were CGT and hardcore Commies, so I have, over the years, managed to make myself a very good opinion. of their way of thinking.

One last thing. I’ve witnessed that wherever I’ve lived – UK, Australia, USA – with a solid education one can get a solid job, and a solid income. This hasn’t been possible in France for a good 15 years. That’s the very reason why I left in the first place.

Comment by Boris — May 7, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
Sarkozy won, let’s be fair-play, and do like he said :
La France aimez la, ou quittez la !
I’ll sure do, but I’m not gone yet, and as long as I’m here I feel like a stranger in my own country, I don’t understand France’s choice at all.
To me, there is a billion reasons to bann this man from the presidency.
The France that has elected Sarkozy, I can’t love her.
It’s like a love story ending sadly.
So I’ll leave my country for real, but not because of him.
Because the love story of my life, whom isn’t french and has no end.

Comment by Cédric — May 7, 2007 @ 6:36 pm
Comment #70, I beg to differ, but shop-lifting in children is NOT a phase like any other. It is a crime that only some people commit. My friends and I never did shop-lift growing up, perhaps because there was nothing to shop-lift, or that we were brought up to be very afraid of certain things. And I will not call it a normal phase if (God forbid) any of my children should do it. That will be making excuses for them.

Comment by Kuukie — May 7, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Oh shit c’estça l’humour british???

Comment by jeannot12 — May 7, 2007 @ 9:00 pm
Sigh…wish it had been Beyrou, he’s kind of sexy in an old man sort of way.

Comment by Princesse Ecossaise — May 7, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
Or is it Bayrou? I can’t remember…I never paid much attention to the spelling of his name ^_^

Comment by Princesse Ecossaise — May 7, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
please!!!!! Hitler, Nazi, Napoleon,give me a break, France wants a change from the ultra high taxes and stagnant economy, and France elected the only leader with enough balls to attempt it! Racist? Can’t France select it’s immigrants like other countries such as Canada, Australia, and the USA. .and ironically, I believe he’s the only politician that has advocated an “affirmative action” programme to help immigrants get a head start. Most readers of this blog I believe are Anglo expats residing in France! If you don’t like the politics here, bloody leave. You will still be miserable back home, but at least you will have an excuse, wherever the hell you’re from.

Comment by iain — May 7, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
:(

All I heard on the radio on the morning was, “France’s control has moved forcefully to the right”, they read some famous Left-wing paper (I won’t even try to spell it). All I can say is, I’m sorry to hear about this too :(

Comment by localfreak — May 7, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
#99 – Stratfordgirl is absolutely right. I couldn’t believe the Blair video.

#94 – Boris means to say, the poor of France will have to go back to work. As to the rich, I am sure that Sarko will help them become richer without lifting a finger.

#92 – A: see my post on the helicopter going over my head here in Toulouse last night. http://cyberfrance.blogspot.com/2007/05/apocalypse-now-or.html. CRS were everywhere here as well.

#86 – Mlle Smith — your boyfriend is probably right about France which is why I think that the South West of this country (the part that voted for Segolene) should secede and join Spain — apparently a hipper place these days.

Oops, better stop. I just rememebered this isn’t my blog!

Comment by Lost in France — May 7, 2007 @ 10:43 pm
i must say that my job would be way easier if I had sarkozy to draw instead of our portuguese lot. he has THE most caricaturable face I have ever seen! (this week, anyway!)

Comment by lucy blogzira — May 8, 2007 @ 12:29 am
what a bunch of moanin’ gits!…;

at least give the man a bleedin’ chance!!!

(once he returns from Malta, that is)

Comment by frimou — May 8, 2007 @ 2:19 am
Are most of the people opposed to Sarko those that are leeching off the to-date, very generous French social system and afraid their Golden Goose is about to fly away? I just heard of a new book out in France (sorry but I don’t know the name) about some guy who’s been cheating the system and collecting unemployment and getting all sorts of perks and discounts for decades. We all know he probably didn’t want Sarko elected in case Sarko decides to limit how long people can get unemployment! The people who voted for Sarko are the retired, business owners, and those working in private companies while the unemployed and young kids afraid of working harder than their parents and maybe not having a cushy government job-for-life voted for Sego. The cushy French system only works as long as the citizens respect that system. Once everyone starts getting lazy and starts taking too much advantage of the generosity of the government then this Utopia cannot long be sustained. But this is just my American living in France opinion so if someone can set me straight I am all ears.

Comment by Anna — May 8, 2007 @ 3:39 am
Democracy, it’s bound to piss you off sooner or later, but it’s better than the alternatives. Perhaps oh shit would be best directed at a democracy which descends into tantrum .. er, no, that’s not it .. rioting over unfavorable election results. Grow up, get into politics if you are unhappy with the results, but just think that it is democracy and big business that has lifted more people out of poverty than all the social programs throughout human history, so hate and writhe against it, but realize that you owe it every bit of your comfortable life (along with the ability to oh shit over unpleasant election results). Every bit of the money for socialist society programs, soft socialism or regular socialism, is a result of some leader’s business acumen within a democracy.
What is it you would want for the country’s government to be?
Interestingly, I often clicked into your and other french blogs to get a take on the campaign, but found nary a word here during the campaign.

Comment by gussie — May 8, 2007 @ 6:48 am
Just watched your video clip and got a wonderful insight into your day to day life. Random thought– you were criticized (by some bizarre reader, months ago) for moving your daughter into that part of town? I envy where you live! You seem to inhabit a beautiful, charming part of Paris…and you have what comes across as an enviable daily existence.

(I live in a seaside California town. I would trade you.)

Comment by Tulie — May 8, 2007 @ 8:02 am
‘A’ said, “In my eyes 53% v 47% is very close – theres only a 4% difference, those who voted Royal represent a massive amount of people and those who oppose Sarko have the right to air their views, isnt that what democracy is all about?”
It’s 6% (53-47=6) which equates to around 3.5 million people. Hardly insignificant.
Oh and whining about failed democracy from the losers corner, on the heels of a free and fair election is pretty lame. Be glad you don’t live somewhere like North Korea or Zimbabwe.

Comment by bonkers — May 8, 2007 @ 9:17 am
No way. Sarko is going to be a good thing for France in the long run. The election of Sego would have simply been a confirmation of the status quo, with France once again putting off much needed reforms and ignoring the fact that its books simply don’t balance. At the end of the day France cannot afford to pay for itself, and all Sego was offering was an extension of the current system. Sarko may not be the nicest, warmest politician ever seen, but he does offer the country the best hope of curing its current, long standing malaise.

Comment by David in London — May 8, 2007 @ 10:17 am
#122 — that’s right bonkers — that same democracy gave us W. Bush.

Comment by Lost in France — May 8, 2007 @ 10:31 am
I was going to ask you how two words and a picture go you 124 comments – but you said as much yourself a few comments back!

Good luck with the drafts for Friday though.

Nuisance about the French tax system1 Apparently Ireland is kind to artistic types on tax. Does anyone know?

Comment by Sally Lomax — May 8, 2007 @ 10:43 am
I was going to ask you how two words and a picture go you 124 comments – but you said as much yourself a few comments back!

Good luck with the drafts for Friday though.

Nuisance about the French tax system! Apparently Ireland is kind to artistic types on tax. Does anyone know?

Comment by Sally Lomax — May 8, 2007 @ 10:44 am
I have one word for all the (French speaking) Sarkofans, or at least, one video :

Maybe Sarko will be good for the economy (although I doubt it), but think about everything else… This man was the first non-Le Pen person in recent history who was able to say such things without provoking any reaction, and… who even got elected. Shame on us, really.

Comment by Liza — May 8, 2007 @ 11:06 am
To Sally Lomax: Yes, Ireland grants tax relief to “artists” which they define widely. But the exemptions are coming to an end, so if you want to benefit would suggest you find out soon. Otherwise, they impose a flat 12% tax on businesses, so it remains emormously advantageous (if you don’t mind 360 days of rain every year…). There’s the Guiness, of course…

Comment by Teaperson — May 8, 2007 @ 11:06 am
#123 – David in London: “Sego would have simply been a confirmation of the status quo” ?!?

The status quo is five years of government with Sarkozy’s party (the party that Sarkozy eventually led) — the UMP — able to do just about anything they wanted in parliament, including stifling debate. How does Sarkozy teflon-slip away from his record, PR his way into being a candidate for change, and how does Ségo become status quo?!?

Comment by Lost in France — May 8, 2007 @ 11:06 am
Yes, we are all fucked! Me and my wife are already looking into possibilities of moving to Canada.

Comment by nerd — May 8, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Status quo:

vast taxation
over-generous welfare state
economically crippling 35 hour working week
etc etc..

i.e. everything that France can either no longer afford or is causing the economy to stagnate.

Chirac generally chose to maintain the status quo. Royal would have extended these social policies and exacerbated the economic malaise that the country finds itself in. Sarko has made a huge noise over this reformist ‘work more earn more’ mentality and offers the best hope for a rejuvinated France.

Comment by David in London — May 8, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Petite’s blog has sunk.

A writer who headlines an article with two words without uppercase :). Is that supposed to be journalism, a commentary – very short sighted?

As well known as Petite, justifyably or unjustifyably, has become, this entry does not speak well of you publically.

I had expected you to have written an intelligent, thoughtful, well written piece for your audience, instead two “cheap” words.

And as one contributor states, the man hasn’t has day one. Give him time to work, then condone or condemn. He is good for the upper class, which you have stated you are not one of, nor have any desire to be. And it’s the upper class who HAVE the funding to drive enterprise.

Chez

Comment by Chez — May 8, 2007 @ 11:49 am
Petite — Broadly: I agree. (But never mind that. How is the Tadpole’s lip???)

Teaperson / 128: The definition of “artist” isn’t all that wide. And you must also convince the people up in Dublin Castle that your work is of “redeeming social value”. This can take months. (I sat for a looooong time wondering if all that Star Trek work was going to qualify.) And if you do qualify, *only* your work from your artistic labors qualifies for the tax exemption.

Balance against that: the wildly rising cost of living here, and the inability (without heaps and heaps of cash) to afford to buy a house of a decent size almost anywhere… and Ireland isn’t the bargain it used to be twenty years ago. Alas.

Comment by Diane Duane — May 8, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
he’s a nutter. and has intimidated the french press while minister of the interior to the extent that very few of them are brave enough to say so – but they all know it. i confidently predict big trouble ahead.

Comment by rivergirlie — May 8, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
That’s what voting and democracy is all about, Petite.

Comment by Jean-Luc Picard — May 8, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
Hi Sally Lomax. You’re right – Ireland is great for tax exemptions for artists. Sure I’m fairly certain that Bono hasn’t paid tax here ever. Then when the Irish Government tried to make him pay a few bob in taxes a while back he shot off the Netherlands like a bullet…

Comment by Grandmistress — May 8, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
#131 – David in London: well I guess we can agree to disagree. The difference being, I am in France where these policy and governance issues have the most impact and (I assume) you are in London.

In any event, I side with Petite.

Comment by Lost in France — May 8, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
#132 What about freedom of speech? Surely the sheer amount of comments provoked by the above blog show that decent debate is alive and well – we should be welcoming such debate not criticising it.

Comment by A — May 8, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Grand français living in England… Just discovered your blog. Voted Sego on Sunday, and now being happy to live on this side of the Channel.

Comment by Jean-Luc — May 8, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
That, Lost in France, is the beauty of a free thinking, democratic society, and long may it continue.

The fact that Petite and I have differing political opinions does nothing to detract from the high esteem in which I hold her.

Agree with Sarko or not, I’m with the comments above that think everyone should give him a chance before they condemn him. If he can get growth up, unemployment down, cut France’s deficit, and trim the cost of the social welfare system, I think everybody should have some ground to be impressed.

Comment by David in London — May 8, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
@nerd: It’s sad that you would chose to move when things are getting difficult and when France needs people to be there…

Comment by anony — May 8, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
Chez, (#132)

I am assuming that your comment is being made with your tongue bolted firmly in your cheek……;-) However, should it not be, this tried and true saying may be in order when reading Petite’s entry again: “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

As for the election of Sarkozy, as I am not in France, I am ill equipped to comment on the impact of his election. The idea that he is totally “pro-American,” I think is a bit of an overstretch. I saw him in an interview with Charlie Rose (A PBS talk show host, for those who do not know him.) about 2 months ago. While he admires many things about the US, and definitely wants to change the welfare state in France, (really not a bad idea.) at the end of the day I suspect he will do what is in France’s best interests, and not what is in the interests of the US. I suspect that how this shakes out in regard to foreign policy will be tested soon enough.

Comment by Dave of the Lake — May 8, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
And, on my last note……..(you may have to register for the NY Times to view it, but it is a free registration.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/world/europe/08france.html?hp

Comment by Dave of the Lake — May 8, 2007 @ 3:56 pm
I’m truly amazed at the tenor of the comments, it’s like visiting an alternate universe where everyone lives in a fluffy cloud and the blue meanies have taken over and we’re all gonna die. LOL, your Sarko would pass for a flaming lefty in America.

He doesn’t propose to stop the train wreck, merely slow it down yet the palpitations of the left are severe and real. Dictator? Slimy?

Settle down children, try to comprehend the death spiral you’re in, your Sarko may be your last hope.

Comment by Woody — May 8, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
Indeed.

Comment by meredic — May 8, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
As a friend wrote me from Paris “the French always copy the worst American things”, “now we have our compassionate conservative.” Well, as hurricane Katrina showed us, the ‘compassionate’ part doesn’t surface very often. Yes, France has higher unemployment than either the US or UK, but a lower rate of poverty (growing & deepening in both US & UK), comparable wages on most levels, and a healthier populace. So, the big & little uber-capitalist applaud France for growing up and selecting Sarkozy, someone who will know how to put a real squeeze on the poor and working class. After all, you can’t create more billionaires if all that public money goes to the welfare of the state, and not into subsidizing wealth for a few.

Comment by Suttree — May 8, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
I’m doing my degree in the UK at the moment, and I did have a plan to move to France once I’d finished. This might change things – I would have voted for Sego, as Sarkozy has too much right wing in him to be a safe choice. Even if the the other two haven’t much experience to back them up, I’d rather chance that than risk civil war – which looking at the photos on stinkerbell’s link, is what the emotions were running to that night. I have to spend my third year (2009) at university in France, so I guess time will tell. I can’t help feeling that I’ll prefer living somewhere else after that.

Comment by Nicole — May 8, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
Well, all we have to look forward to in the U.K. are grabbing Gordon or dippy Dave.

Comment by PB — May 8, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Nicole, are you for real?

He’s a politician, not a genocidal maniac..

it’s not like France has just voted in Heinrich Himmler or anything…

‘too much right wing in him’??? My God, the guy is centre right. Jean-Marie Le Pen he ain’t.

This is getting hysterical. If this is the reaction on the forum’s this afternoon, you’d think there’d be mass panic on the streets of Paris tonight. But there isn’t. Unless the 47% that voted Sego have descended into the shelters now..

Comment by David in London — May 8, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
Le 20e arrondissement a voté pour Ségo à 64,63% (c’est son meilleur résultat à Paris) : Belleville RULES! (unfortunatelly, we also have to cope with the 16th, 7th and 8th, where people voted for Sarko by 75 to 80%)

Comment by Marie — May 8, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
Petite, I’m sure you did not intend your blog to be instantly turned into a insult-hurling political “commentary” festival. There are lots of interesting (and less interesting) blogs about the subject (in French). You might want to direct those who want to vent to places like the well-named NRV, for example (http://birenbaum.blog.20minutes.fr/).

Meanwhile, if you want your opinion to count, you have to re-activate your citizenship effort. Long and annoying, but if you don’t linger too much you probably could get registered in time for the… 2012 election (deadline is Dec 31, 2011). Good luck and best wishes for Tadpole’s healing lip.

Comment by ontario frog — May 8, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
je ne suis pas d’accors, je pense que sarko est la meilleur chose qui puisse arrivé a la france.
et puis je doute que ta ségo est vraiment eu la grandeur d’ame d’honnoré sarko si elle avait gagné les éléctions.
il faut une personne a poigne pour redrssé notre pays et non et jolie sourir trafiqué .

for my part i believe in sarko!!

Comment by coline — May 8, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
To chez (#132), are you serious?
“I had expected you to have written an intelligent, thoughtful, well written piece for your audience, instead two “cheap” words.”

This is one of the most humourous, interesting & well-written blogs I’ve come across. To suggest that Petite is somehow obliged/required to post extensive commentary on every current affair simply as she has an audience is ever so slightly bizarre.

Comment by le sagittaire — May 8, 2007 @ 7:30 pm
Where’s Trevor when we need him?

Comment by Welsh Cake — May 8, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
Thank you Sagittaire. Apart from anything else, you will see that I posted at 20h01, one minute after the grand unveiling of the results on TV.

Comment by petite — May 8, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Fed up with those cliches in US, UK and some french press about a vanishing France, those lazy frogs, their long vacations, their overweighted public services and so on.

Work productivity per hour : France is second in the world slightly behind Denmark, before UK and USA.
France: 4d exporter after US, Germany, Japan and before UK (And don’t talk rubbish about so-called “supporting exports towards dictatorial regimes”:
Partners: Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, US 7.2%, Belgium 7.1%)
Foreign investment in France: € 88.4 billion. 3d after US and Japan (What the hell would all those US and worldwide investors do in a so-called “economically dying France”?)
More?
Overweighted public sevices? “France has the best healthcare system of the world” World Health Organization:
Life expectancy: Male: 76 / Female: 83 per 1000 (US 75/80, UK 76/81)
Child Mortality: M: 4 / F: 3 per 1000 (US 8/7, UK 6/5)

More reviews and digits? I have plenty of it!
http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2007/5/4/113029/9034

Dan Dx
(Shit! 5 years of that little Berlusconi clone!!! I love your comment, Petite!!!)

Comment by DanDx — May 8, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
So if I make my joke about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves today, it might not go down too well with DanDx…

“Hey Ho Hey Ho it’s off to work we go” being “… on rentre du boulot” in the French version.

I’m sorry, but I thought that was hilarious the first time Tadpole sang it to me.

Comment by petite — May 8, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
Sitting over here in SoCal, USA–where all health insurance is attached to one’s current job & is totally non-portable–with my French & American passports, living in a leaky-roofed beater trailer because it ONLY costs $650 a month in rent and $50 in utilities from my $2200 after-tax, take home pay, with my French husband who has now had time to have both a near fatal heart attack (2002) and prostate cancer (2004), I have to marvel at the posts generated by Petite Anglaise’s guingnol and two word reaction to Sarkozy’s election.

I figure if the entire world has had to live through George W. Bush then France can manage to live through France’s George Bush, III. I was one of the people who actually sat through all the post-election follow-up and heard, as did some of you, the national acceptance speech by Sarkozy, in which the third paragraph consisted of a suck up to the USA. That alone should have put the entire nation on notice. But, that said, and fortunately, one man does not a country make, hopefully, the upcoming legislative elections will give the French people an opportunity to maintain some balance as reflected by the map of France and the national election results. The country is fairly evenly split and the French will continue to be French regardless of Sarkozy’s election.

But, you should be afraid in France if the USA is supposed to be a role model for economic development. I beg to differ strongly with the individual who thinks that a good education in the US is a guarantee of a good job or middle-class status. A good education is a guarantee of student loan debt. A good job is only as good as it lasts, until the stockholders want more profits and it’s time to send the work off to India or the Philippines. New Orleans is never coming back and the people who had good jobs there have now had no health insurance for almost two years. Home foreclosures in the State of California among the “middle-class” are exploding. The U.S. Senate caved to the banks’/credit card companies’ lobbies demands that personal bankruptcy protection be eradicated for the common man–ENRON wannabes may, however, continue to go bankrupt, taking us with them. The number one cause of bankrupty in the U.S. is medical bills, with loss of employment being next on the list.

ALL property is now seen as “reserved” for the highest bidder–the elderly on fixed incomes are not immune to eviction, as have not been the poor, women, and/or children, for time out of mind. French HLMs would be castles to the old, poor, and single-parent families with children in the USA. Very few people in the USA are part of any organized group who is capable of speaking on behalf of its members–police unions, fire department unions, nurses unions, teachers unions, and perhaps a few more–to negotiate living wages, proper work conditions, retirement packages, or health coverage. Most people are John/Juan and Jane/Mari Does/Gomezes, like me, who go to work, hope for the best, and hang on to dead-end jobs to maintain modest health insurance benefits. Company health insurance is going the way of the dodo bird. Currently, health insurance for my 71 yr old husband and my 54 yr old self would cost $1500 per month on the open market, if we could get it–which we most assuredly could not due to “preexisting” conditions. The U.S. public and the AMA are currently suing Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the grossly rampant practice of rescinding health insurance policies when claims are made for cancers, brain tumors, you name it!!!

Many people are now on the “global warming” improvement bandwagon but no one is speaking about population control, including the French. I’m sorry to blather, but “this way lie monsters” if you are looking at the USA as a role model. In 1989 a two bedroom/1 bath apartment was available to rent for $630 per month in SoCal. The same apartment, 18 years later, costs $2100 per month with 10% annual rent increases as the norm. Tenants rights are virtually non-existant throughout the land, and it is locally determined, not a national right. There is no such thing as “affordable” housing–homes that cost $250,000 18 years ago cost $750,000–if you could find one. Please tell me who the rich people are who bought the coast between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. A house is no longer a home, it is an investment. Without homes there are no communities. Without communities there is no advocacy for one’s neighbors who are in worse shape than one’s self.

Sometimes pithy onliners just don’t cut it and gawd help everyone in France if Sarkomerica is planning to tout the values of the USA as something worth emulating for the French. “This way lie monsters, matey.”

By the way, please don’t feel sorry for me, personally. I bought a little row house in boonville France for the price of a crappy American car, managed to stay employed, did not end up bankrupted by medical bills or unemployment, have no credit card debt, and was educated in the old timey, dumpy public school systems of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and California in the days when, upon graduating from high school, one could actually read, write, do arthimetic, and think critically. I also did not afford myself the luxury of children. However, the sad truth of all that is that it was mostly a question of pure dumb luck.

A living wage, security from capricious termination, affordable housing, national medical care, public transportation, a sound public education, home grown food, are all things devoutly to be wished for and in the USA they are reserved for the rich.

Comment by Petite Tête — May 8, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
I once worked for Sarko for a day, and he was horrible.

Still, he might be the lesser of two weevils.

Comment by Claire — May 8, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Re: 158

One wonders why you stay in the United States another minute.

Comment by Woody — May 8, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Petite Tete: Are you for real? You own a house in France but instead choose to live a shitty life in a trailer in the US? Doesn’t make much sense to me. What are you doing in California if you think France is better and your husband could have free and better health care in France? The French Gov would pay for you to stay in an HLM chateau and you wouldn’t be stuck in a dead-end job!

Comment by Sally — May 8, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
“So if I make my joke about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves today, it might not go down too well with DanDx…”

As long as it’s a joke about Sarko, do it now! Within some days, the new administration plans to issue rationing coupons on jokes about the Chief. The only jokes allowed without restictions will be the kind “Snow White and the Seven Elephants” (Would be nice, sung by Tadpole)
:-)

#160 Woody and #161 Sally
Obvious lack of compassion or “solidarité” (What’s the neocon word for it?)
“You love it or you leave it!” (Reminds me someone…)

Comment by DanDx — May 8, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
Anybody who has a six-figure book deal and lives in France is better off with Sarkozy than with Royal.

Comment by Frogsmoker — May 8, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
Well, maybe money isn’t everything?

Comment by petite — May 8, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
Re: 162

It was a sincere question. She’s married to a 71 year old French citizen who’s health is “pre-existing” according to her narrative, can’t get insurance, living in a hovel in California yet owns a home in France.

Unless her husband is a fugitive from French justice (or we don’t know the whole story) there doesn’t seem to be any reason not to retire to France, suck up some of that free government money and sit in clinic waiting rooms all day.

Let’s try to restrain ourselves from name calling (what *is* a neocon?) in deference to our charming hostess who probably becomes faint at such low tactics.

Comment by Woody — May 9, 2007 @ 12:07 am
And dare I suggest that the six-figure book deal is probably over a certain period of time and does not translate to a lot of instant cash.
Petite, you have worked hard to get to a stage where two words and a picture yield 165 comments. Well done!

Comment by Pierre L — May 9, 2007 @ 12:47 am
I think the most-used last words heard on the aircrew voice recorder are (you guessed it) Oh. Shit! They’re entirely appropriate to this politician.
Sarko’s economic program makes sense only as a vote maximising exercise. When he relies on it to rebuild France’s short-lived European hegemony he’s toast. He’s given it all away before he’s got it. All that’s left is tax cuts. It worked in the US for a while but France ain’t America and besides, the US is in for a big bust-up when the Bush Imperial experiment finally goes the way of all empires. Petite Tête’s Letter from America spells out the terrible truth on the ground – it’s out there and it’s for real. US blue collar hourly wage rates haven’t risen in real terms since the 1970’s and blue collar consumption growth simpkly mirrrors their rising indebtedness and falling pension provisions. Now the same financial malaise is hitting the salaried middle classes. Big employers are strangled by the cost of health insurance. The collapse of the neocon dream spells big trouble – and now Sarko wants in!? Big mistake. Oh. Shit!

Comment by andrew — May 9, 2007 @ 1:54 am
To Drowning Dave – please do not confuse brevity (post #142) in the place of wit and it’s counterpart curtness in the absence of wit, not at all the same creature. I’m sure we’d all welcome your analysis of how the perfunctory “oh shit” could be semantically culled into the witticism column. In the meanwhile, less elevated minds will be forgiven for seeing in her expositorily-challenged remark the sort of blather that the chattering classes so vacuously ape.

Comment by SW France — May 9, 2007 @ 4:43 am
#163: Possibly people with six-figure book deals also appreciate living in a society with high-quality public services (strikes and bureaucracy notwithstanding^^), a sense of community that has not yet eroded to the same extent as in the UK for example, and a huge choice of often-free grassroots cultural events and associations (e.g. my daughter’s horseriding lessons cost €7/hour and I pay an annual subscription of €55 for my archery club, which provides all equipment. These are not concessionary rates, btw.).
Fortunately, quality of life is not measured solely in terms of one’s own personal bank balance. :-)

Comment by Ajay — May 9, 2007 @ 8:05 am
Pierre L you have it about right. A salary rather than a windfall. Security, as opposed to untold riches.

But having said that, we are getting rather off topic…

Will try to write something new soon, and normal service most definitely resuming next week.

Comment by petite — May 9, 2007 @ 8:29 am
Why does everyone think that it would be oh so easy for Petite Tete to just upsticks and go. God knows what her circumstances are but try and shift an elderly man, recovering from cancer to a foreign country, where perhaps he wouldn’t speak the language nor have any friends – then should he die, leave his wife alone in a foreign land. Besides, for people who literally have no cash – two flights to France from California and setting up a new life would cost one a few thousand green dollars. My heart goes out to them..

Comment by Welsh Cake — May 9, 2007 @ 9:10 am
Je t’ai découverte par TF1… mais non ta peau n’était pas horrible… Tu es restée naturelle… Par contre dommage que je ne parle pas beaucoup l’anglais ce qui rend difficile la lecture de tes aventures… a quand une traduction en français ?
Continue.

Comment by Estelle — May 9, 2007 @ 11:42 am
Please may I point out that the Sally on 161 is not me!! I completely agree with Welshcake: a few hundred or thousand dollars when you have none is too much. I just hope things improve for you!

And Petite – I agree with Pierre. You’ve worked hard to get this far. Well done! And although, as you said, this book deal really provides you with an income for over the next period, hopefully one day it will be made into a film, ad that will allow you to stay writing, and not having to work elsewhere, in between books. The best writers should be allowed an opportunity to write for a living I think!

Comment by Sally Lomax — May 9, 2007 @ 11:58 am
No 127 – Liza, thank you for your video. The analysis is enlightening, perhaps more people should take the time to have a look at that video. It might open a few eyes…

As for the tax break situation in Ireland, my uncle is an artist (painter) and could not afford to buy a house until my grandfather died and left him his inheritance.

Comment by Donta — May 9, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
Crottes, indeed.

Comment by Roads — May 9, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
#165 “Let’s try to restrain ourselves from name calling (what *is* a neocon?) in deference to our charming hostess who probably becomes faint at such low tactics.”

Woody, what “name calling”???
Please, open Wikipedia and search “neocon” or “neoconservative” or “Leo Strauss”, or :-) follow that link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neocon

Petite, I’m sorry to add one more post to an already huge thread.
(Putain !!! 5 ans !!!) Oops… Désolé again :-D

Comment by Dan Dx — May 9, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
Sarkozy is not another Bush cause first of all he was against the war in Irak, second he does not believe in God as Bush does taking advantage of weak and uneducated people!!! Anyways if you dont like him just leave the country.Because you must admit you are just here for the benefits. I might like just like you the benefits but i was born in France, worked for the last 20 years and voted for Sarkozy not only for his programme but because i am fed to see that those that are always complaining are not french! God bless!

Comment by francoise — May 9, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
Re: 176

Yes, that is the actual definition of neo-conservative and as such has so little to do with your usage I thought perhaps you might be using it as a “catch all” pejorative for anything that has that tell tale whiff of conservatism.

Well, now that you’ve looked it up I’m sure you’re glad to know what it really means.

Comment by Woody — May 9, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
It seems everyone in here hates Sarkozy….I wonder who actually voted for him.

Comment by Yellow — May 9, 2007 @ 9:00 pm
That caricature just made me realize…

Sarkozy looks a LOT like my last driving instructor…

Yeah, he was a git.

I failed, twice.

Ugh.

Comment by Pirate — May 9, 2007 @ 10:16 pm
#177 — my goodness Françoise — un peu américaine? loosely translated, you say “France, love it or leave it”!

Comment by Lost in France — May 9, 2007 @ 11:32 pm
Françoise #177
I’m french, proud of it, working hard, paying plenty of taxes but happy of it because I see my money everywhere in a Social State my parents have built and I’m ready to struggle for. You don’t like it? Prefer the jungle? I won’t tell you “go to Africa, there is plenty of jungle up to there” because I’m a democrat! Your side won, OK! I won’t leave that country in your hands forever! See you for the next ballots!

Lost in France, #181
Françoise “un peu américaine?” No, I don’t think so. A bit “Bushist” but all american are not that way. Let’s say “lepenist” maybe. And you know, Sarko’s think tank ideology is not far from some kind of “light” or “lowfat” lepenism. Search Google and french Wikipedia for “Mouvement Occident”…

Yellow #177
To make it short: mainly middle and high classes, aged more than 55, from east and southeast of the country and from small and middle towns. (It reminds me another country… As the saying runs here: On everything, France is always 5 years late behind USA)

Woody #178
Happy to have been helpful, in case of need don’t hesitate to ask.

Comment by Dan Dx — May 10, 2007 @ 2:31 am
I’m sorry for the people who are writing unkind things to your post, I’ve been seeing this happen across the board on so many expat in France blogs etc, Sarkozy really seems to bring out the worst in people, manifested on a very small scale but a variety of extensive flame wars! It’s like he’s opened the floodgates to mean-spiritedness or some such, or the excuse for it. Or maybe I’m just used to living in Australia, the land of apathy, where no one defends the government, yet no one does anything about it?

Comment by rochelle — May 10, 2007 @ 4:13 am
Lest there be any misunderstanding, the purpose of my post was to illustrate why it would be a mistake to use the USA as a role model for any changes in France. Thank you, Andrew #167, for your translation of my message.

I, personally, am treading water just fine. I actually like the trailer, given the alternatives–although I had already picked out a ROSS cart for my wordly belongings in the event that I couldn’t get the trailer. I have had a plan for about 10 years. The house in France is just one part of it. I wanted to simply express my concern for what appears to be a notion on the part of Sarkozy and his ilk that the USA merits emulation in terms of solving social problems. The USA has not solved a social problem since my own mother was a single parent with 3 children and no safety net. But, back then, we were non-traditional and easy to write off. Nowdays we would be the norm, though still easy to write off.

I find Françoise’s #177 response rather comical in a sad way–an “American” in the USA is a person with a US passport or a permanent Resident Alien card. I don’t think the French have evolved to that point in their perception of their co-citizens and resident aliens–if I catch her drift. I was born in the USA, so I guess I’m an “Américaine de souche” but, then, so is Barak Obama. I’m sorry to disabuse anyone of their fantasies, but if you work 20 years in the USA, you have only the “benefit” of whatever you have been able to squirrel away, if you were lucky enough to have escaped downsizing or the abandonment of your pension plan by your employer to the U.S. pension insurer or catastrophic illness in your loved ones or yourself. The only reason I bring up any of these unpleasant little wrinkles in the fabric of the American Dream is because I have received visitors from abroad for a long time and, unless they majored in PoliSci and read Howard Zinn & Noam Chomsky, they don’t have a very realistic understanding of the U.S.

I have a job, the job has insurance attached, if I lose the job I have the “right” to pay $600 per month for COBRA coverage for 6 months to cover my non-criminal-in-any-country French husband and myself. The COBRA could be extended up to 18 months but, if I became self-employed because I couldn’t secure other employment, I could not get an insurance policy to cover us for less than $1500 per month, which I can’t write off on my taxes, and then I couldn’t get it anyway because my husband already had a heart attack and prostate cancer. He’s in great shape but those are pre-existing conditions and they won’t insure you with them. Health care in the USA is lovely, if you can get it. That’s why the model for health care in the USA is not a role model to which France should aspire, for the sake of its citizens.

Coming to France is a given for me and Petite Taupe. The stuff is packed, the container is on order, the house is paid for, the car is parked at my sister-in-law’s in Etampes. I’ve had a French passport in my pocket for 9 years–although I was much more excited about receiving my Carte Nationale d’Identité–I’m registered with the French Consulate in LA as a Frenchwoman abroad, I’ve spent 20 years speaking French to a Parisian from the 14th arrondissement who didn’t speak a word of English when he got off the plane in San Francisco, my name is on the checks for the BNP, and I’ve even got the driver’s license exchange slight-of-hand set up, but all of that lovely stuff doesn’t change one thing about the concern that I feel for those I will leave behind.

I won’t even start on the issue of immigration here or there. You’d all vote to have me banned from your playground.

I wish you lovely French experiences whatever your status! And congratulations and thanks to Petite Anglaise for hosting such a chouette salon.

Comment by Petite Tête — May 10, 2007 @ 4:38 am
A lot of French people I know think exactly like Francoise. Can you really blame them? You think people in the UK and US would want (or put up with) having their hard-earned money going to support unemployed, whining foreigners? I doubt it.

Comment by Anna — May 10, 2007 @ 5:00 am
Congrats for your prime time, however, despite the “oh shit”, middle june is gonna be pretty decisive about how the drawf is gonna “rule da french world”… June is gonna be full of surprises hopefully
Being the first man in “our” country is a thing, but the “legislatives” are gonna be decisive… Will he show that smiley face that we know, or, will he have to deal with what is real.
I don’t fancy him that much, and am very curious on the results of “legislatives” because even though he’s elected as the man to lead that country, will he have the support he thinks he desevres…

Honestly, I think about moving to another country (being used to that kindda runnin’ away), anbd build life where it may be worth it, instead of loosing time here, where “hoping” is oversold, would it be by sarko, or the fancy lady talking empty things…

France? Nice country to live in so far… For how long? I came back from london on sunday nite with a twisted ankle, and even elevators were already on strike at gare du nord.
Fear what’s gonna happen in then next comming weeks. However the richness, cultural, ethnical or economical, is Paris still the place to be? Hard to value. However, still a bet.

The choice still exist: is it worth staying here, believing things are gonna get better (are we gonna be like, in switzerland where even dogs have detectors in the arse, or are we gonna keep the great chance we have, which is partly having a nice environment for growing creative artists(based on thruth living (such as you, Petite (yes I can use many brackets)))), OR shall we froggies move where it’s worth growing childs and living?
“Oh Shit” is statement, and reality may be that within a week, we will all rediscover what walking more is.
Well, let’s just all just walk, and meet at terraces and thank the dwarf for giving an opportunity to meet, drink a few drinks, and realise that living here is a choice we can afford.

Comment by Mardo — May 10, 2007 @ 5:26 am
Petite Tete and Petite Taupe,
May I wish you every happiness in your new life in France and may your husband’s health be more robust as the days go by. Your story is both inspirational and sobering, it was very interesting to read. Bon chance!

Comment by Welsh Cake — May 10, 2007 @ 8:47 am
The economy needs help and Ségo’s camp wouldn’t have saved it. If Sarko is so “un”popular, well, I think we can thank the media for that (which is, correct me if I’m wrong, largely leftist in this country).

Did you hear anything negative about Ségo coming out of Sarko’s camp? Just once?

And finishing her campaign by “threats”… excuse me warnings of violence in the streets?… Sounds to me like she was giving the green light to her supporters. A self fulfilling prophecy if you will.

It’s not very sporting if you ask me.

In fact, if I may, it’s downright childish. I’m sincerely very glad that she didn’t win.

Also… and out of curiosity… what were you going to post if Ségo won? Same title with her puppet or something else?… ;-)

Comment by JChevais — May 10, 2007 @ 11:25 am
I have followed the French election and whether or not the right or the wrong person won (depends entirely on what side of the spectrum you’re on), I thought what was incredibly refreshing about the French election was that 85% of the electorate turned out to vote. That’s HUGE. The fact that you had two very clear choices has polarised people to think their vote actually matters, so they have gone out to exercise it in droves. Here in the UK our political leaders are fighting so hard to control the middle ground it is nigh on impossible to know who is stealing whose clothes from one day to the next. Voter apathy is rampant, and in a society where extremes on both sides seem to be gaining momentum, I would say very dangerous.

As one who was deeply depressed at how well le Pen did last time, I am hugely relieved that he has been kicked out of touch. I don’t know if Sarkozy is going to turn out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but I do think (sorry to all of you who might disagree) that France’s employment laws do need to be changed for the country to go forward. Which isn’t to say that I necessarily like M Sarkozy himself.

It might not be the right result, but at least it was a democratic one.

Comment by Jane Henry — May 10, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
dan dx #
why do socialists always resort to name calling when they dont get it their way? Calling sarkozy’s supportors lepenists it’s like calling Sego’s supportors stalinists or soviets? France voted for change and France is going to change!

Comment by francoise — May 10, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
OOh Shit like u say…. no comments on him…

Thanks for ur blog and good luke for ur next busy futur…!!!

Comment by Alex — May 10, 2007 @ 3:06 pm
bonjour…

Comment by Finally_Connected — May 10, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Here is an alternative view from Gaping Void on the election.

I like his stuff and he has a real talent for cutting to the chase, on any subject.

He doesn’t disappoint here, either, with this controversial view. But do please remember that any opinions expressed do not necessarily coincide with … etc. etc..

Comment by Roads — May 10, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
#190 – Françoise: I am sure that France will change, as you said. But perhaps in a negative way, into a place that those of us who chose to come to France, who work here, who volunteer and who contribute to the society will not like.

Comment by Lost in France — May 10, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
Lost in France #194

why being so negative are you sure you’re not French?
“a pessimist sees the difficulty in evry opportunity an optimist sees an opprotunity in evry difficulty”
Sir winston Churchill

Comment by francoise — May 10, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Francoise,

It’s funny, these bleeding heart Britons, Americans, Canadians, Australians and leftist French natives cry about a new leader “with balls” jeopardizing their comfy little social net – lazy bastards, but won’t repatriate home because even under a horrible, facist, “bush loving (and I mean the American president, not his bedroom behaviour)” dictator such as Sarkozy, the social benefits here in France will still be second to no one!!

Comment by iain — May 11, 2007 @ 2:29 am
@all the “sarkozystes” (meaning sarko supporters): Could you explain me why, if Sarko and the right is sooo good at tackling economical problems, France has just met again the level of unemployment it had under socialist led Jospin government,in 2002, despite 5 years of right wing governement with NS as “state minister”?
Could you explain me also why at least 3 known economists (picketty being the most famous) have been supporting the PS economical proposals and none the UMP’s (apart from company bosses, who are NOT economists thank you?)
I’ll settle for these two answers at the moment, but I have more… ^^

Comment by javi — May 11, 2007 @ 3:02 am
FYI Petite Tete: France may be trying to copy American ways but some of America is also trying to copy some of the best of France. Soon (if not already) it will be required for every resident in Massachusetts to have health insurance and it will be subsidized by the State for those who can’t afford it. I have heard bad things before from the French about healthcare in California but please realize that this is NOT something that can be generalized to every state in the US.
Also, a $600 COBRA payment seems very high. I would only have to pay $177 a month for mine. I think your employer has to continue to subsidize you, by law, for a while after you leave.

Comment by Anna — May 11, 2007 @ 3:11 am
Oh yess ^^ !

Comment by Felix — May 11, 2007 @ 8:03 am
If I had the right to publish Plantu cartoons on my blog I would. A recent one shows Sarko as a magic act, and during the election campaign even his staff tried to tone him down on his economic promises they knew you could not meet.

#195 – Françoise: I am not totally pessimistic for I know that shortly I will be telling you “I told you so.” At least there will be some minor pleasure in saying that even if the house is burning down.

#196 – Iain: I must be one of the very few left not to have a safety net so I have no idea about the jibberish that you are writing.

Comment by Lost in France — May 12, 2007 @ 12:11 am
Iain #196

I doubt that testicles would be the more adequate parts of human body involved in the art of government. In my humble opinion, brain (You know, the stuff between the ears) and some heart also would seem more adapted to the office, won’t you agree?

Dear Françoise,

When in the deep of the night I hear a cheeping, I feel allowed to think: It’s a bird. Isn’t it?
As when I read in your posts: “if you dont like him just leave the country” or “you must admit you are just here for the benefits” or “those that are always complaining are not french” my choice of inferences is indeed very restricted. Isn’t it?

Comment by Dan Dx — May 12, 2007 @ 12:40 am
Yes!!! I’m the #200 !

Comment by Dan Dx — May 12, 2007 @ 12:44 am
“Yes!!! I’m the #200 !”

No!!! You are not!

Comment by bonkers — May 12, 2007 @ 9:55 am
I suppose you’d rather be living under sharia, submitting to the whims of your new Islamofascist masters.

This is probably the first sensible result that the French electorate has ever produced.

Comment by John Bullshit — May 12, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Bonkers #203
S**t! I’ve been #200 during 20 minutes only, Sarko rules Sarkoland for 5 years, really bad week!

Comment by Dan Dx — May 12, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
#205 — Dan Dx — at least I (and not Françoise) am the #200!

Comment by Lost in France — May 13, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
I volunteered to be King, but that had no success, damn frenchs…

Comment by King negrito — May 13, 2007 @ 11:39 pm