Author Archive
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
Amazing story: Infant in Paris falls 7 stories, bounces and lives!
An astounding story of fast thinking and fantastic luck.
A baby boy survived a fall from a seven-story window in Paris by bouncing off a café awning and into the arms of the doctor who saw the infant fall Monday evening.
The 18-month-old toddler was playing unsupervised with his 3-year-old sister when the accident occurred.
If you click through, the other amazing coincidence is that the cafe was closed for a holiday and the awning should have been folded up. It had jammed and had been left open.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News by Paul
Monday, November 1st, 2010
French politics will not be swayed by Bin Laden tape, Sarkozy says – CNN.com
The other report cited was Christian Science Monitor; this from CNN which is more ominous:
Paris, France (CNN) — The French government will not be swayed by a threatening message apparently recorded by Osama Bin Laden, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday.
“It goes without saying that France does not let its politics be dictated by anyone, and certainly not by terrorists,” Sarkozy said while attending the European Union summit in Brussels Friday.
Bin Laden warned France to get its troops out of Afghanistan and not to oppress Muslims at home in a tape broadcast by the Al-Jazeera network Wednesday and authenticated by the French Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News by Paul
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
France to leave Afghanistan – Bin Laden attack cancelled?
France denies any connection between its decision to remove troops from Afghanistan in 2011 and Osama bin Laden’s pledge to attack French troops.
Interesting turn of events. I’m happy that the threat may be decreased, but it’s hard not to be a bit cynical about the timing. I don’t think we should any longer be occupying Afghanistan either, but I don’t think bowing to the demands of Bin Laden is exactly the way I’d go about announcing a departure. But I’m not the King of France either, so what do I know?
No Comments » - Posted in In the News by Paul
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
New Bin Laden Tape Warns France
This is not a happy development since we’re three weeks from our annual Thanksgiving trip to Paris.
PARIS — Osama bin Laden warned France in an audiotape broadcast by Al Jazeera television on Wednesday that it would face killings and kidnappings if it did not withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
He also justified the kidnapping of five French citizens in Niger last month, saying that France mistreated its Muslims.
“The equation is very clear and simple: as you kill, you will be killed; as you take others hostages, you will be taken hostages; as you waste our security we will waste your security,” Mr. bin Laden said.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News by Paul
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010
Good news/Bad news – no more smoking outside French cafés
Well, no more heaters that allow folks to sit outside and smoke. Paris is moving to ban outdoor heaters at sidewalk cafés.
I’ve heard more and more that these propane heaters are the single worst thing many homes have in the way of polluting devices. Still, I guess like wood-burning fireplaces, it’s sad to see them go.
France long held out against the smoking bans being enacted worldwide in public places, but finally caved in three years ago. But while the inside of Left Bank cafés has been less foggy, the café-clope (coffee and cigarette) culture of the city has continued to thrive by simply spilling into the streets, thanks to the gas heater.
No Comments » - Posted in Culture,Understand France and the French by Paul
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010
French expect Americans to come back to Paris
MSNBC reports that last year, American tourism was down 40% versus a decade ago. Worse, the Paris tourism office says 2009 traffic was down another 3.4% versus the prior year.
Surprisingly, while we only read of a double-dip recession, French tourism officials expect that Americans will be coming back “as the the U.S. economy improves. I have no doubt they are correct, but I don’t thing that will mean in 2011.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News by Paul
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
What’s the deal with the Rentree this year?
Paris has been deserted until today, the last day before school officially starts. In other years, we noticed an increasing activity each day leading up to school day. This year though, things are different. Several hypotheses: 1. Many people without kids still have this week off and are Still lazing on the beach somewhere. 2. [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Culture,Understand France and the French by Paul
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Current postage rates from France to the US?
Are these the current postage rates in France?
Standard first-class letters (20g or less) and postcards within France cost €0.56; to continental European countries (from Scandinavia to Portugal), Baltic states, Greece, and the British Isles €0.70; to other European or Eurasian countries (Iceland, Russia, etc.), Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand) €0.85.
1 Comment » - Posted in In the News,Understand France and the French by Paul
Friday, August 13th, 2010
Movie Love for Paris, City of Klieg Lights – NYTimes.com
We will be in Paris next week. I can hardly stand the long times between being there, the place where I feel the most “at home.” Well, at home, because it’s all so familiar and doesn’t change like everything here does. Through a viewfinder of any type, it still looks like the black and white images from the first Truffaut movies I saw 30 years ago.
Good article here from today’s NYT on Paris in the movies. I don’t have a 16mm, but may bring a big Nikon for once, now that I’m not carrying little kids in my arms half the day.
No Comments » - Posted in In the News,Movies, film, and photography by Paul
Monday, August 2nd, 2010
Bad news on apartment rentals
To the dismay of everyone in the travel industry other than hotel executives, Gov. David Paterson of New York has signed legislation outlawing the rental of apartments in New York — which means primarily New York City — for periods of less than 30 days.
This is very bad news for family tourists everywhere who’ve recently discovered the joys of renting an apartment for the week, rather than a hotel room. As parents of two small children, I wouldn’t say that the availability of apartment rentals is the difference between going or not, but it is often the difference between having a good time versus a nightmare of four people crowded into an over-priced hotel. Not only do apartment rentals mean not paying for a lot of hotel amenities that go unused by families, they also provide a kitchen, which helps families stay away from hotel restaurants and the dreaded $10 glass of orange juice.
