Monthly Archives: August 2007

More images from the book “Elle” here. French cartoonist Frédéric Boilet is one of the few western comics artists having made it as a mangaka in Japan. In 2001, on the occasion of the simultaneous publication in France and Japan … Continue reading →

In the 20th arrondissement of Paris: anonymity is guaranteed… Source (on Flickr)

There was a time when Americans wanted to drive French cars. This advert dates from November 1969. This horse is better than most 1970 cars We are not joking. The run-of-the-mill 1970 car is an affront to progress. It’s too … Continue reading →

Crowing cockerels, braying donkeys and chiming bells are part of rural life… Neo-rurals told to “listen with respect” or go elsewhere: The mayor of a French village has forbidden complaints about farmyard noises, in a pre-emptive strike against a growing … Continue reading →

The French won’t like it when they find out that the plumber they’ve just named as the best in their country is from Manchester, UK. President Nicolas Sarkozy will present the prestigious title Meilleur Apprenti de France – the Best … Continue reading →

You’re looking too high. It’s the tag on my bum that should excite you. Welcome to the “interactive digital communication era”: Denim Code is a new French brand of jeans that claims to have [quote] “come up with a revolutionary … Continue reading →

Amsterdam-based French product designer Naomi Thellier de Poncheville created this door handle in the shape of a human hand. I’m sure it’s original, but I’m trying to imagine the gymnastics required by left-handed people to open that door… Official site … Continue reading →

The Xrep is an electronic bullet, which doesn’t kill. So they say. Next month, Taser, the maker of the Taser X26 gun, will demonstrate its latest invention to French police: the Xrep non-lethal bullet. On impact, the bullet releases an … Continue reading →

Google Ads may be a billion dollar business, but sometimes they miss their target. While I did a search for “lentille blonde” (a certain type of lentils – the vegetable), Google decorated the search page with advertisements for contact lenses. … Continue reading →

Private underground parking near Paris. The guy who painted those arrows on the road and placed the traffic sign must be hiding behind a tree to film the accidents! Source (Flickr)

Jacques Tati as Monsieur Hulot – the eternal French screw-up. A bit of France-bashing – by Europeans! The San Francisco Chronicle quotes a survey of 1,500 European hotel managers, and reports that the Americans are “really liked” abroad. Americans were … Continue reading →

Mandy wants that nobody can find her. In France? Johnny Depp already lives in France, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are looking for a castle here, and now actress/singer Mandy Moore is planning to make the move. I’ve never heard … Continue reading →

Puzzling skin color changes in Africa: French petrochemical company Total sells bottled gas to customers in Cameroon, Africa. I copied these images from a safety instructions leaflet, explaining how to use the bottles properly. The one thing that puzzles me … Continue reading →

How many presidents allow themselves to be photographed like a mobster? French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at the end of his US vacation that France is popular again in the United States and hailed the countries’ “terrific” relationship. “France is … Continue reading →

In The Times: The world’s strangest laws According to this article, it’s illegal in France to name a pig Napoleon. Thank Dieu, George Orwell wasn’t French when he wrote is famous novel Animal Farm. In the book, a pig named … Continue reading →