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Archive for June, 2007

Parkour: Throwing Yourself Against the Wall

Parkour (sometimes abbreviated to PK) or 'l'art du déplacement (English: the art of displacement) is a physical activity of French origin, the aim of which is to move from point A to point B as efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome […]

Posted: Sat 30-Jun-07 under People, Created in France

Weekend Reading

Here's the first part of this weekend's articles about France and the French:
Streisand given French Legion of Honor medal (MSNBC)
Barbra Streisand performed her first-ever concert in France this week — and was rewarded with a medal of the Legion of Honor. French President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded the medal to Streisand in a ceremony Thursday. “You […]

Posted: Sat 30-Jun-07 under General

Taser Guns - soon for women?

I don't think this is a healthy development:
French gendarmes have begun training to use the controversial crowd control weapon, the Taser.
The gun fires two wires which penetrate clothing. They deliver 50,000 volts, which briefly paralyses the nervous system. Victims say it is like being hit by a heavyweight boxer, although the makers insist it's not […]

Posted: Sat 30-Jun-07 under Society, Oops

Bargain Flags

It looks like they can't get rid of them:
Are you dying to wave the French flag? Get one on Amazon. For just $2.99 you get a 3 x 5 ft Polyester flag with 2 brass grommets. That's $17 off the $19.99 list price.
Add $2.99 and they even send you a German flag with it.
Still too […]

Posted: Sat 30-Jun-07 under General

Potter-talk dictionary for French wizard buffs

French kids can't wait for the translation:
Three weeks before the release in Britain of the very last Harry Potter book, a publisher in France has released a special English to French dictionary to help French Potter-buffs plough their way through the much-anticipated English-language edition.
"More and more readers don't have the patience to wait for the […]

Posted: Sat 30-Jun-07 under Language

Visit the Bolero Gallery

Even if you have no idea who Ravel was and what Bolero is, you'll recognize the music when you hear it.
French composer Maurice Ravel wrote this magical piece of music nearly 80 years ago, and even today it is among the highest royalty-earners in France.
I invite you to discover this masterpiece in the […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under Art & Heritage, Created in France

Clashing with French bureaucracy

BBC Correspondent says 'Au revoir' to Paris
After four years on the job, BBC's Caroline Wyatt leaves Paris behind her. On the BBC site, she expresses her feelings, and writes about her experiences with the French public service. A quote:
My first clash with French bureaucracy came in my first week, with the carte de sejour - […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under Society

Bordeaux is now a World Heritage site

The 18th century facades of Bordeaux center.
Since yesterday, Bordeaux has become a World Heritage site
The World Heritage Committee has just inscribed 22 new sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List. After the additions made this year, UNESCO's World Heritage List numbers 851 properties including 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties.
Among the new sites […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under Art & Heritage, Environment & Health

French oldtimer could fetch $2 million

The world’s oldest running car is a French one - and it's for sale
The catchy-sounding De Dion-Bouton et Trapardoux was built in France in 1884. Among its many credentials, “La Marquise” is a steam-powered four-wheeled car that is believed to have won the first automobile race.
Top speed on the car is a startlingly high 38 […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under History, Created in France

Zero amnesty: 100 million euros saved

Out of luck: Sarko wants your money.
Each time a new president is elected, the French expect to get amnesty for their traffic fines. No luck this time.
Nicolas Sarkozy has decided to break with the tradition and insists that 3 million outstanding parking tickets must be cashed.
In the run-up to the elections many offenders decided […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under Economy & Biz, Oops

The noisy price of living a rural life

If you can't stand the crowing stay out of the French countryside
The French cockerel (or coq gaulois) is more than a national symbol, it is an emblem of rural life in La France Profonde.
So the nation watched with interest when a 70-year-old woman and her son in rural Alsace went to court accusing a neighbour's […]

Posted: Fri 29-Jun-07 under Oops

When red can be considered white enough

The Wimbledon dress code is strict - to some degree
French tennis star Tatiana Golovin caused a stir at Wimbledon, when she showed that she wore a pair of shocking red knickers.
The Wimbledon dress code specifies that all players wear white. Ladies usually assume that this also applies to their underwear, which is difficult to hide […]

Posted: Thu 28-Jun-07 under People, Events, Oops

Ratatouille star of the French stews

Scene from the movie Ratatouille, copyright Disney/Pixar.
As Disney film arrives, this vegetarian delight is easy to put together
Perhaps this is the year we credit an animated rat with teaching us how to spell ratatouille (pronounced ra-ta-TOO-ee).
Remy, a foodie rat who would be a chef, and ratatouille, the famous French dish, star in the Disney animated […]

Posted: Thu 28-Jun-07 under Food, Drink & Smoke

Nitrates in the water, pesticides in the air - welcome to healthy France

Intensive agriculture is taking its toll:
Nitrates in drink water

The European Commission is planning to punish France hard for not doing enough to stop polluting drink water sources in Brittany. They're looking at a 28 million euro fine.
For 20 years, the French have been told to reduce nitrate levels in drink water to less than 50mg/l, […]

Posted: Thu 28-Jun-07 under Environment & Health

Euro Cookery: Irish wants Brits to eat French

Irish-born cookery writer Trish Deseine sells her books in France like hot cakes.
Now, she's written her first cookbook in English, for a British audience. The title "Nobody Does it Better" refers to French women in the kitchen. Each chapter aims to show what makes the French home cook so skilled: shops wisely, knows her […]

Posted: Thu 28-Jun-07 under Food, Drink & Smoke

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