[theoconbrio]

They're going to have to pry the Roquefort from my cold, dead hands. Anyone want to join me in a Roquefort smuggling operation? Surely we could get some help from our friends to the north.

http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/market-movers/2009/03/12/roquefort-math?tid=true

We're just ten short days away from R-Day -- the day at which tariffs on imported Roquefort surge to 300%, and the incomparable French sheep's-milk blue becomes, to all intents and purposes, unavailable in the USA. Liz Thorpe of Murray's Cheese does the math, and explains how a product which wholesales for €5 per pound in Europe becomes a cheese retailing for something in the $60 range by the time it reaches American shores, thanks to this horrible tariff. Isn't repealing this tariff a no-brainer for the food-friendly Obama administration? Why hasn't it been done yet?

 

[Ender's Mom]

+1000

this thread is about cheese right?

 

[Golfgirlrobin]

+1000

this thread is about cheese right?

You're from Wisconsin, you should be -1000.

 

[kaisdad]

Why do you Americans still have such a hate-on for the French?

 

[theoconbrio]

Why do you Americans still have such a hate-on for the French?

Something having to do with rugged individualism. And possibly Jerry Lewis.

 

[kaisdad]

Well, so long as it isn't Celine Dion's fault.

 

[theoconbrio]

Well, so long as it isn't Celine Dion's fault.

I believe you've suffered enough at her hands. It's up to you to do what's right.

 

[HersheyK's Dad]

Why do you Americans still have such a hate-on for the French?

Because they are arrogant assholes and it has nothing to do with their government or cheese.

Company I worked for rented time on some equipment at Air Canada on weekends. I flew into Montreal every weekend for several months to work there. One trip I forgot to bring a Philips screwdriver with me. I went over to one of the techs there and tried to ask if I could borrow one. I got a response in French that I took to mean he didn't speak English. I tried making sign language, drew a picture, nothing. Nada! Finally another tech says, 'Pierre, He is from the US. He doesn't speak any French. He is paying to use equipment that we aren't using on the weekends.' The ******* then says in perfect English with no accent, 'Do you need a size 2 or size 3 Phillips screwdriver.' Let me repeat, because they are assholes.'

I ran into two similar occurrences when on a cruise in the Caribbean at stop at French islands. Asked how much in dollars, just got a hand held out for my money that he would then count out. When I said, 'If you can't tell me the price in dollars, I don't need to buy it.' At which point the conversation continued in perfect English, assholes. Their business is totally dependent on tourists, mostly from the US, and they play their games. Assholes!

 

[Labradorable]

Because they are arrogant assholes and it has nothing to do with their government or cheese.

Company I worked for rented time on some equipment at Air Canada on weekends. I flew into Montreal every weekend for several months to work there. One trip I forgot to bring a Philips screwdriver with me. I went over to one of the techs there and tried to ask if I could borrow one. I got a response in French that I took to mean he didn't speak English. I tried making sign language, drew a picture, nothing. Nada! Finally another tech says, 'Pierre, He is from the US. He doesn't speak any French. He is paying to use equipment that we aren't using on the weekends.' The ******* then says in perfect English with no accent, 'Do you need a size 2 or size 3 Phillips screwdriver.' Let me repeat, because they are assholes.'

I ran into two similar occurrences when on a cruise in the Caribbean at stop at French islands. Asked how much in dollars, just got a hand held out for my money that he would then count out. When I said, 'If you can't tell me the price in dollars, I don't need to buy it.' At which point the conversation continued in perfect English, assholes. Their business is totally dependent on tourists, mostly from the US, and they play their games. Assholes!

I was in Ottawa once, which is a fairly french speaking part of the country, and I was shopping with friends. My friend very politely walked up to a sales clerk and asked him in english about a product and the guy mumbled something in french and ignored my friend. We knew he spoke english because we had heard him speaking english to another customer. I walked up to him and greeted him in french, he was all smiles and started to respond (in french) so I asked him if he spoke english, he said yes. Then I grabbed my friend and said "well then I guess you'll have no problem answering my friend's question". He was ticked, but my friend got his question answered. We bought nothing.

 

[dweck]

Someone tell Nance to stay out of this thread.

That said, I had a similar situation while in Paris on a weekend (was living in London as an exchange student). Same deal: One of our group asked a stranger -- using French and struggling for 10 minutes straight -- for directions. Guy stood there and let him sweat. And then answered in perfect English.

What's the deal w/that?

You'd think that after we gave them their own Disneyland, that they'd be grateful.

 

[HersheyK's Dad]

Someone tell Nance to stay out of this thread.

That said, I had a similar situation while in Paris on a weekend (was living in London as an exchange student). Same deal: One of our group asked a stranger -- using French and struggling for 10 minutes straight -- for directions. Guy stood there and let him sweat. And then answered in perfect English.

What's the deal w/that?

You'd think that after we gave them their own Disneyland, that they'd be grateful.

The English and US literally saved their ass in WWII, what makes you think that Disneyworld would change their attitude.

 

[TangerineFizz]

I love the French.

Nathan - have you ever seen any episodes of Chef! the BBC comedy? you should watch the episode where England bans unpastuerized Stilton. It's fricken hilarious.

 

[Ender's Mom]

I love the french cheeses.

 

[kelli]

I don't think a language one speaks is a qualifier for being rude.. plenty of assholes who speak english, people.

 

[bearsdad]

I don't think a language one speaks is a qualifier for being rude.. plenty of assholes who speak english, people.

Isn't that the truth

 

[BigBrownDog]

Wouldn't a French speaking person in Canada be CANADIAN? Maybe a Candian ******* then?

Lots of Americans do have a hate on for the French. I think it is well founded. I've known more than a few French college students on my campuses who have consistently been pretty negative about America (and not just about the former Pres and the government). I stood behind a couple of young French tourists waiting to get on a whale watching excursion out of Boston and listened to them ripping on the US and Americans for about 20 minutes. But for the fact that my sons were witnesses and I want them to think me a rational person they would have both been swimming in Boston Harbor.

Please pass the Freedom Fries.

 

[joflake]

It's their attitude, not they're language.

 

[BoatDog]

Kel - you are right - and the "French" Canadians were perhaps just rude people - but the French, as a nation, are horrible to Americans...for whatever reason you want to justify.

 

[Tundra Aries]

Why do you French still have such a hate-on for the Americans?

There I fixed it for you!

 

[joflake]

There I fixed it for you!