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#51 2005-12-13 03:07:44

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

Re: Froggy's

:shock:  $45/ month for cable TV?

I'd thought you guys got it for free, what with all the commercials being forced through your retinae...

In Belgium it's around 12Euro a month... American cableproviders laughing all the way to the bank...

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#52 2005-12-13 06:55:02

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,989

Re: Froggy's

Cindy's is actually cheaper than here in NH by about 15 for the cable. On the internet not I pay about 10 but this is using dial up with the phone being about 30.

Just got bit though recently at home with third party phone charges all dated for 9/11. Where supposedly the phone company claims that while I am on the internet that I can stir execute dialer programs without terminating my ISP dialup connection. The only way that I can see it as happening is at the ISP site with there connection node since there ISP using a specific phone number set and special program to gain a socket into the interanet.

It cost me about an extra 100 for all the charges that were tabulated on 3 monthly bills by the phone company. So temporarily my phone and my dialup computer access from home are teminated until the issue is resolved.

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#53 2005-12-14 06:21:23

clark
Member
Registered: 2001-09-20
Posts: 6,362

Re: Froggy's

But none of this answers the pressing question on my mind...

Do the French have to pay to watch a Jerry Lewis telethon?!

We in the States don't.  lol

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#54 2005-12-14 06:26:36

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO
Please would you tell me if
unlimited homephone calls + cable TV + unlimited 10.Mbps Internet for about 30$ per month would be seen as expensive in USA ?

*No; it'd be a bargain.
--Cindy

Lo Cindy

Thanks, 30€ per month for unlimited homephone calls + cable TV + unlimited 10Mb/s DSL internet is now the average price in France in the metropolies.
The problem is that you can't get that in the country yet. It'll take five more years to have every small country towns and villages to be that equipped.

As you know, we're supposed to be a technologically declining country  wink

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#55 2005-12-14 06:32:10

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

But none of this answers the pressing question on my mind...

Do the French have to pay to watch a Jerry Lewis telethon?!

We in the States don't.  lol

We'd love to have Jerry Lee Lewis as a main guest for one of our telethons. big_smile
This year, maybe because many donated for Indonesia quake and tsunami, last year donation amount reccord for mucoviscidose research telethon wasn't beaten  :oops:

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#56 2005-12-14 06:48:11

clark
Member
Registered: 2001-09-20
Posts: 6,362

Re: Froggy's

So a semi-serious question...

While France and America play the part of bitter partners, I believe our two nations and peoples are more similar than many people (in either nation) generally acknowledge.

There are few other places in the world where the people have a love of country and love of life that equals that of an American or a Frenchman. Just my personal opinion.

So my question is, given that the US has had a few centuries to subsume local identity into a national one; how do you feel about becoming a pan-European?

Do you think the nations of the EU will homogenize to a certain degree, and lose some of that vitality and identity that marks them as seperate? Or do you believe that, at least in the case of France, the cultural weight of your country will survive and remain?

Already we can see some shifts in values and perspectives among the newer generation who are growing up in the shadow of the the pan-EU dream. How will France, as a way of life, remain relevant? Does it need to?

Just some friendly questions from the ignorant American with socks up to his knees.

"That's the problem with foreign countries- full of foreigners." -An overheard American standing in line for a passport.  big_smile

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#57 2005-12-14 07:12:20

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

Hi Clark
We're bitter partners because, in fact, we're so close.

For instance, frenchies do understand New-Yorkers much more easily than Brits  when they speak, there is some kind of convergence of american english with french.

European peoples will not melt in an european identity because we have choosen to keep and protect all european langages in European institutions, even if the main work language is euroenglish. What wasn't the case in USA till quite a recent time.
For instance, I can read spanish, portuguese, italian and romanian, understanting 70% of the meanings (after all, these are latin originated languages) , and when I hear German I never studied, I'm able to separate correctly words in their speech, just because I often watch foreign cable TV channels.
Sorry I've got to leave, be back latter on

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#58 2005-12-14 07:19:38

clark
Member
Registered: 2001-09-20
Posts: 6,362

Re: Froggy's

Well, with New Yorkers, it is all body language and an occasional bat.  lol

Communication is very easy that way.

As for the Brits, half the time I don't know what they are saying, but suspect it is infused with subtle irony or sarcasm. We can always find common ground beating up on the English! Afterall, that is what brought our two countries together in the first place.  wink

I think it is wonderful that you are able to operate in multiple languages! However, doesn't that ability, and the need for that ability, reduce the importance of everything French? It becomes less important to know French, and more important to know languages other than French... so in essence, the local identity becomes less important than the larger identity that allows you to operate any any EU country.

No?

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#59 2005-12-14 07:55:02

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO
Importance of french will come back if ever we're are abble to keep our economic, science and research ranking.
Don't forget that about 100 million peoples out of France have french as national language, mainly in Africa.

For the so-called Euro-US shift of values, don't you think that it's much thinner than the differences between your's and the middle-west US country men ?
Don't you think that almost all world big metropolies citiezns will finally share the same values ?

You know what ? Many Europeans and other migrants that choosed to live in France say:
"This is a bullshit country  big_smile, but after all, we love to live here"
The immigrated origin youth which whistled the french national anthem and set fires in the french suburbs, were in fact deseperate to feel a rejection from the french society.
We have to make a special integration effort, to begin with our parliament which have almost not any immigrated people representative.
We have one black town mayor among 36000 communities mayors !

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#60 2005-12-14 08:07:56

clark
Member
Registered: 2001-09-20
Posts: 6,362

Re: Froggy's

Don't forget that about 100 million peoples out of France have french as national language, mainly in Africa.

But that is kind of my point, they have it as a national language, but a pan European Union undermines the need for French as a national language. For lack of a better term, most of the national languages in Europe are in danger of becoming little more than "provencial" as Euro-linguish takes root. This will further divide the local countryside and the semi-nomadic metropolitan areas that are nowhere, and everywhere at once.

I am in agreement with you regarding the shared values being greater for those who live in a cosmopolitan center, as opposed to isolated bastions of homgenity that are boderline xenophoboic.  big_smile

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#61 2005-12-14 16:44:12

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO

But that is kind of my point, they have it as a national language, but a pan European Union undermines the need for French as a national language

Well, french remains the second european work langage, and is still choosen as a sophisticated language by students.
In long sentences, such as textes of laws, french is quite more precise than english, because qualifiquier adjectives do combine with the words, so that if a text may be interpretated in two divergent ways in English, the french understanding of the french  version of a european law or rule will be mostly accepted as the reference.

Another point is a very active french movie industry which collaborate closely with many countries as producer. An example is "Commissaire Maigret" TV serial which were filmed in Poland and in Czech Republic because many buildings there still looks like french 1950 years buildings.

And back to economics, powerful french supermarkets groups and automobile industry spread in eastern Europe, where french exportations have been multiplied by four since these countries joined EU. Many french farmers do settle in eastern Europe bringing money in obsolete and poor farming regions which have to upgrade to european hygiena and productivity standards. If USA is the world first agro-industry exporter in volumes, France is the first in value.
Even british agro-industry leaders oppose to a stop in subventioning french farmers because they can get cheap supplies. For instance, 80% of scotch whisky production rely on french wheat malt. (Scots supply pure spings water big_smile and work)

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#62 2005-12-14 18:46:22

Grypd
Member
From: Scotland, Europe
Registered: 2004-06-07
Posts: 1,879

Re: Froggy's

For instance, 80% of scotch whisky production rely on french wheat malt. (Scots supply pure spings water big_smile and work)

Yep, and if you add in the fact that we mature the stuff in all those old barrels that you used to make Brandy with and cannae use again, heh heh.

Still from this rather northern bit of Europe and without anything like the views that southern and middle England dominate British politics we are not exactly sure in which way Europe is heading. People trying to make it more a closer body (not necassarily a unified power) have recieved major blows this last year. But that of the more independent minded pro european trade zone group have also had a bad year.

The ones who wanted out of Europe have had highs and lows too so just exactly what is the common consensus as to Europes future. In short I dont think there is one most countries that form the "eurozone" still remain with there own cultures and opinions and it will take a few generations before a true European culture is formed.


Chan eil mi aig a bheil ùidh ann an gleidheadh an status quo; Tha mi airson cur às e.

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#63 2005-12-15 11:29:26

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,989

Re: Froggy's

I am sure that many have tried to forget that this happened but here is the story as told by those that were there.

Homemade French film about suburban riots draws applause

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#64 2006-01-07 16:54:49

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO

Please would you tell me if
unlimited homephone calls + cable TV + unlimited 10.Mbps Internet for about 30$ per month would be seen as expensive in USA ?

*No; it'd be a bargain.
My husband and I pay:
$25.00 per month unlimited homephone calls
$45.00 per month cable TV (regular programming; no additional fancy packages)
$21.00 per month for internet access
-Cindy

Some change: unlimited phone calls is for national as well as international calls if not towards portable phones  smile

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#65 2006-01-23 13:43:59

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO
In a recent european poll, the spanish men answers to the poll made of them the first lovers with the highest supposed copulation rate in Europe...

...SO

Do you have any idea on why they have the lowest natality rate in Europe...




























... when the Froggies have the highest one ?    wink

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#66 2006-01-23 17:34:05

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

Re: Froggy's

Duh... Obvious answer:

The French go on a holiday to Spain and... (I won't go in further detail, already on the brink of censor-material)

wink

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#67 2006-01-23 18:38:05

Commodore
Member
From: Upstate NY, USA
Registered: 2004-07-25
Posts: 1,021

Re: Froggy's

That wouldn't have anything to do with some laws that drew the ire of the Vatican, would it?  wink


"Yes, I was going to give this astronaut selection my best shot, I was determined when the NASA proctologist looked up my ass, he would see pipes so dazzling he would ask the nurse to get his sunglasses."
---Shuttle Astronaut Mike Mullane

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#68 2006-01-24 08:01:12

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

Duh... Obvious answer:
The French go on a holiday to Spain and...
wink

big_smile


but, only 10% froggies go abroad for hollydays  :cry:

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#69 2006-01-24 18:29:02

Commodore
Member
From: Upstate NY, USA
Registered: 2004-07-25
Posts: 1,021

Re: Froggy's

Duh... Obvious answer:
The French go on a holiday to Spain and...
wink

big_smile


but, only 10% froggies go abroad for hollydays  :cry:

Oh theres a joke there begging to be told.  lol


"Yes, I was going to give this astronaut selection my best shot, I was determined when the NASA proctologist looked up my ass, he would see pipes so dazzling he would ask the nurse to get his sunglasses."
---Shuttle Astronaut Mike Mullane

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#70 2006-02-07 14:03:58

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

Re: Froggy's

De Villepin, what a sick *sshole...

If he goes through with this, he is making a whole generation of people throwaway 'human resources'
I can imagine business salivating over his plan, now they could hire someone, and throw 'em out when they're used up, great.

I hope France sees some serious rioting over this shit.

`This is how we blend the need for flexibility with the aspiration to more security,'' de Villepin said in an interview on Europe 1 radio Sunday. ``We are bringing more guarantees to employees at each step of the process. This is the most social project ever proposed.''

Bastard.

For people going 'huh'?

The measure would allow companies with more than 20 employees to fire workers aged 25 or younger within their first two years on the job with little notice and a small severance package.

In effect that'd mean if you're younger than 26 you can forget to find a job with a reasonable amount of security... Forget planning for a future.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4689498.stm for more info...

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#71 2006-02-07 14:43:51

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO Rxke
More than 70% froggy public opinion oppose Villepin projects...
One more year of Chirac social regression before presidential elections.
Rightist policy will be swept out

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#72 2006-02-07 17:29:12

Commodore
Member
From: Upstate NY, USA
Registered: 2004-07-25
Posts: 1,021

Re: Froggy's

By the sound of it you've got a some sort of monolithic national labor union.

We've all seen what they've done lately.


"Yes, I was going to give this astronaut selection my best shot, I was determined when the NASA proctologist looked up my ass, he would see pipes so dazzling he would ask the nurse to get his sunglasses."
---Shuttle Astronaut Mike Mullane

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#73 2006-02-08 03:30:32

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO

By the sound of it you've got a some sort of monolithic national labor union.

No more.
We had, it was the "CGT". It was teared apart post WWII when the CIA money funded "Force Ouvrière" and christian Church funded "CFTC", a christian trade union to break the powerful marxist lead "CGT" trade Union monopoly.
Since there are half a dozen weak trade unions which compete and are very divided.
There is a strong attachment of the french public opinion for welfare state.

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#74 2006-03-14 12:25:15

DonPanic
Member
From: Paris in Astrolia
Registered: 2004-02-13
Posts: 595
Website

Re: Froggy's

LO

Latest Polls:
approval:     Bush 34%, Chirac 33%
disapproval: Bush 59%, Chirac 57%

roll

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#75 2006-03-14 13:03:10

Rxke
Member
From: Belgium
Registered: 2003-11-03
Posts: 3,669

Re: Froggy's

De Villepin and Cheney? Any numbers on that?

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