Article

2005-10-04 International-UN-NGOs

On world stage, France's role is audience favorite

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Posted by anonymous5089 2005-10-04 07:24|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "The EU is seen as using soft power and diplomacy
Is that a fact? I call it short sightedness, cowardice, appeasement, and spinelessness.
There really is a frightening amount of stupid people in this world.

Posted by JerseyMike 2005-10-04 08:53|| 2005-10-04 08:53|| Front Page Top

#2 See! We're still important! Really! We are! The world loves us! We have "cachet"! PIPA says so! Whoever they are! So THERE, foolish Americains!

Posted by France 2005-10-04 08:55|| 2005-10-04 08:55|| Front Page Top

#3 soft power and diplomacy

Also known as not having any credible military or economic ability. When all you have is a hammer, everything in the world looks like a nail.

Posted by Ebbeagum Spainter8781 2005-10-04 09:17|| 2005-10-04 09:17|| Front Page Top

#4 JersyMike, I think some 70% of the world is blindingly stupid.

Posted by mmurray821 2005-10-04 09:18|| 2005-10-04 09:18|| Front Page Top

#5 France is beloved because they have shown that a first world nation can be as corrupt as a third world nation.

Posted by rjschwarz 2005-10-04 09:27|| 2005-10-04 09:27|| Front Page Top

#6 Remember, the Frogs are the home of postmodernism (Derrida, Lyotard and their ilk) which is all about surficial, not depth. Who needs an army, an economy, or moral fortitude when you can have postmodern power: art, culture, fashion, cuisine! Vive l'image!

Posted by Spot">Spot 2005-10-04 10:22|| 2005-10-04 10:22|| Front Page Top

#7 Ask me about French culture in 30 years. It will be all about muezzin calls, burkha fashion, and tabouli. Oh, and the branding will be Islamic Chic.

Posted by ed 2005-10-04 10:47|| 2005-10-04 10:47|| Front Page Top

#8 When all you have is oxymoronic soft-power, everything in the world looks like a negotiation.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2005-10-04 12:08|| 2005-10-04 12:08|| Front Page Top

#9 French movies are admired worldwide for their subtlety and depth; French fashion houses dress the rich and powerful worldwide; and the lure of French art and cuisine fascinated foreigners long before Paris stood up to Washington politically.

But when it's time to put their money where their mouth is, they watch Hollywood movies over French by 100 to 1, they wear Levis over berets by 100 to 1 and they eat at McDonalds over Maxim's by 100 to 1. The French market segment is high end snoots who have more money than they know what to do with and are easily parted from it. The French wine industry is finding this out with a vengeance.

Posted by Tholuling Snolugum9825 2005-10-04 12:51|| 2005-10-04 12:51|| Front Page Top

#10 Or, put another way, "The French willingness to stand up and be a rooster, to take a stand and get up someone's nose, is a big strength."

Especially if there's a kickback or a to be made from the "sale."

Who are these people?

Posted by ArmChair in Sin">ArmChair in Sin 2005-10-04 14:06|| 2005-10-04 14:06|| Front Page Top

#11 Especially if there's a kickback...to be made from the sale.

PIMF

Posted by ArmChair in Sin">ArmChair in Sin 2005-10-04 14:14|| 2005-10-04 14:14|| Front Page Top

#12 To "get up someone's nose" is not an American expression. JFM would know best, but I suspect that Mr. Miller has been spending some quality time in La Belle France of late.

Posted by Secret Master 2005-10-04 15:19|| 2005-10-04 15:19|| Front Page Top

#13 It is not French expression either: the closest we have involving noses is "mustard is raising in my nose" (I am getting angry).

Posted by JFM">JFM 2005-10-04 15:30|| 2005-10-04 15:30|| Front Page Top

#14 It's British English:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv180.shtml

Posted by Darrell 2005-10-04 15:40|| 2005-10-04 15:40|| Front Page Top

#15 Interesting. Thank you, gentlemen.

"mustard is raising in my nose"

I like that. It's very descriptive.

Posted by Secret Master 2005-10-04 15:54|| 2005-10-04 15:54|| Front Page Top

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