Oui mes amis, that sign does indeed say "Museum of Welfare."
Posted on 05/08/2008 3:25:01 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Why is the capital of French snobbery starting to look like a mini-America?
A city like Paris never stands still. The dollar may be down, but America is up. France prides itself on its exquisite culture--especially in comparison with ours--but American technology and American ways are spreading throughout the world, even here. People in Paris see an easier lifestyle, and the young in particular are ready for a change. Despite their severe criticism of the United States, that's where many want to go.
McDonald's and Starbucks are thriving and multiplying all over Paris. The first McDonald's (pronounced McDoze) opened in 1971, the first Starbucks in 2004. The risk was even greater for Starbucks because French and American political relations at that time were not friendly. And, despite reputed French antipathy toward fast food and American lifestyle, both firms have been prospering. Starbucks was wise enough to hire the Gaston Lenotre to cater their croissants and pain au chocolat, and the price is right. With the sacred French two-hour lunch disappearing, McDonald's offers a hearty, fast meal at any hour of the day. To top it all off, both chains rent wee-fee (our wi-fi) time in their comfortable leather chairs. Café life--the holy symbol of Paris--has a new kind of competition.
The biggest change is the ban on smoking in public places, announced by former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin in October 2006. When America led the way, France smiled condescendingly at our Puritan ways. Only the Americans. It can't happen here. A café without smoking is not a café. Cafés will go out of business. People will stay home and watch television. The culture of France was at stake. Today, France's public interiors are smoke-free.
(Excerpt) Read more at tnr.com ...
“...the young in particular are ready for a change”
Cool. Can we export the Obamas to France?
“Despite their severe criticism of the United States, that’s where many want to go.”
Typical hypocrisy.
merde
There are plenty of American things worth exporting. McDonald’s is not among them.
Oui mes amis, that sign does indeed say "Museum of Welfare."
I always ask this question whenever the European hatred of McD’s is mentioned, but if there is a market for fast food in Europe, and Europeans don’t like McD’s, why don’t they come up with fast food concepts they like better? Their citizens can then patronize those places and ignore McD’s.
BUMP!
I was on a train from the West Midlands to London a few years ago. I don’t know from where it had originated but there were a few twenty-somethings already on it. I overheard them enthusiastically discussing their plans. Amongst the first things they were going to do: go to KFC for dinner. They couldn’t wait!
I wondered if Paris was becoming more like Morocco, given all the Arabs living there.
Radio France denounces capitalism:
State-owned voice calls it ‘social disease’
World Net Daily | 4/23/08 | Franklin Raff
Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 06:45:18 PM by FrPR
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2013289/posts
If only it was just in a museum
“I always ask this question whenever the European hatred of McD’s is mentioned, but if there is a market for fast food in Europe, and Europeans don’t like McD’s, why don’t they come up with fast food concepts they like better? Their citizens can then patronize those places and ignore McD’s.”
Oh, I agree completely. It’s just not a worthy export. Honestly, given the choice, I’d make all the McDonald’s on earth disappear. Granted, I wouldn’t be in favor of the government doing it. Just Casper, Supreme Master of the Universe for a Day.
:)
Working in healthcare and dealing with another obese patient, it gets to you. I’m sorry, I’ve had it up to here with 275 pound women. (We won’t discuss the ones that get much bigger than that all too frequently)
Yes, that’s not McDonald’s fault. Yes, my hatred is somewhat irrational. Doesn’t make it go away. :P
“Oui mes amis, that sign does indeed say “Museum of Welfare.””
The “Musée de l’Assistance Publique” is about public hospitals and orphanages, from the church-run institutions to the state-run ones, and about the History of medicine...
I just hope that America has better to export than MCDonald’s in order to show this supposed “cultutal superiority”.
Anyway, this is nothing new. MC Do works well wherever it’s located. BS food, but CHEAP. And this is what the youth are all searching for in this world.
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