What Do the French Know that Americans Don't?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 4:09pm

At the end of Julie & Julia, it says that Julia Child died at 92 and her husband died at 92.

They were in France eating all that food with cream sauces and butter as well as smoking and drinking. Julia does not look like the type that would jog the Champs-Elysees, so how were they able to eat that food and live into their 90s?

Posted: 8/15/09 at 4:22pm

What Do the French Know that Americans Don't?

Well, to start with:

`1) George Bush is a moron
2) There was no point to war with Iraq.
3) Butter makes everything better.
4) There really is no point showering unless you're REALLY dirty.

What have I missed?

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 4:46pm

To answer the question - I believe their diet is generally more healthy than ours - and while it may contain more fats, it has less processed foods, and I believe do not have the huge portions that we do. Eating seems to be more of an art/pastime, and food is savored. It is not about quantity, but quality. I would hazard to guess that things like high fructose corn syrup does not overwhelm their food supply like it does here.
French Diet.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 4:57pm

Moderation and hubris, to name only two things.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 5:02pm

Now THAT'S funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 5:13pm

Coming to Broadway Yikes

Mrs R lived in France for a year & said one thing about the French is they do not take daily showers as they think it ruins their skin.While staying in a dorm there, she was approached by another girl who wanted to know if she showered daily due to a skin condition.

This is not all french but enough French to ......

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/15/09 at 6:17pm

I have a French friend who once said they don't get fat, but they all have . . . "Oh, what is that word? You know, your foot hurts--like Henry VIII?"

"Gout?"

"Ah, oui."

Posted: 8/15/09 at 7:01pm

How to cook green beans.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 10:11am

HEALTHCARE! That's what they know that us Americans don't! If this is socialism, I WANT IT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNR_6UuVl4s&feature=

Show this to these town hall idiots who are screaming just because Fox and Cry Baby Beck tell them to!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 10:33am

You can have Socialism. If you want more than 1/2 your salary to go to the government be my guest.

Won't leave to much for Broadway tickets however. By the way, to think all those who are protesting are doing so because FOX or Beck told them to do so is the most inane thing I have ever heard. The FEDS have done such a wonderful job on Medicare right? Are the Blue Dog Dems stooges of FOX also? It is a bad plan. It is not thought out & Obama wants to rush it thru without debate because the more people see what is in it, the more they don't like it

By the way, many of those demonstrating now voted for Obama. Are they now FOX stooges also? Dissent started this country.

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 10:33 AM

[romantico]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 10:46am

Roxy, have you ever gotten anything right? Did you watch the video? 1/2? Really? The French pay less than we do and look how it's run over there.We pay twice as much than they do and we still have 46,000,000 uninsured in this country. Oh, but wait a minute. You HATE that. That's socialism. They are French, and we are suppose to hate the French!


Most protesting are plants and YOU KNOW IT! Spin all you like! Like I have said before, where were all these people for the past 8 years? Obama has been in office for 6 months now and you and your followers think all these problems are just since January.LOL!You know whats insane? Beck and his followers like you! You idiots are blaming Obama for things your beloved Bush and the Republicans did. Obama is trying to fix things and clean up the mess your guy made and you are having a fit.

Your LIE about those demonstrators who voted for Obama is just pathetic and you know it. I guess Freedomworks is all in my imagine,huh? I guess Dick Army and these lobbyist are innocent and there has not been one single plant at any of these town hall meetings. My God, do you really believe this crap? What about that video are you against? Did you even watch it? I know you and the conservatives HATE the French and all, but your own ignorance clouds your thinking sometimes.

Your post is filled with lies Roxy.Like most Republicans, you are terrified. FEAR FEAR FEAR! Make everyone afraid. Kill Grandma, Obama bad, Republicans good and so on. Republicans were also against medicare and social security. I assume you have no use for them, huh?Turn off Fox and Hate radio.

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 10:46 AM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 10:57am

Roxy, you sound like a selfish, bitter human being.

I pay a lot in taxes (I would hazard much more than you do), and I understand that the system has to be fixed, not only to help those who don't have care, or who have insufficient care, but to help me and those behind me. The current system is untenable. I have friends who have put off getting new jobs, or going out on their own, simply because of the health insurance issues. Others I know have put off treatment until they are old enough to qualify for Medicare.

Getting sick should not bankrupt those who do not have insurance. We are a better country than that.

I personally think we should add a sin tax to many of the items we consume (such as candy from vending machines, cigarettes, alcohol, candy, gas, chips - food with high fructose corn syrup) that add to medical problems and disease. This might not only deter consumption, but provide a financial base for medical care.

We need to do something - what ideas do you have? Or, are you content to have your medical care, and not care if your neighbor goes without?

[romantico]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 11:03am

Roxy, thought I would share this with you.Of course, you will say it's not true, email it to a conservative so they can tell you how to respond and attempt to debunk it.Isn't it amazing how praising the French seems to just piss of Republicans and push them over the edge?

Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican
By John Gray
Cincinnati, Ohio

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

Its noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark.)

He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show, the host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.) Joe agrees: "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 11:39am

My only complaint with the health care bill is that it seems to leave those over 65 in the dark. (And I've heard this complaint from almost every retiree, both Republican and Democrat. I live in an older neighborhood)

To me, that's basically saying that at 65 you aren't worth trying to take care of...and that's not true at all. Dad had a major heart episode when he was 67, and probably should have died from it. If the US were like Canada, France, England, etc. where they have a nationalized health care, he'd be gone now. Instead, he's lived, and is in the best health he's been in in years. He'll also get to see me graduate college.

Before I'll support nation-wide health care, the age cap needs to be removed.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 12:32pm

"Eating seems to be more of an art/pastime, and food is savored."

In the UK it is often said that the French live to eat, whilst the British eat to live. I'm sure that could be adapted:

the French live to eat, whilst the Americans eat to...

Any suggestions for completion?

[D2]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 12:37pm

..."blotation," to quote Mrs. Lovett (in the film version.)

Updated On: 8/16/09 at 12:37 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/16/09 at 12:40pm

I don't understand your point Husk (And I am not trying to be snarky) - Your dad should have Medicare, which provides health care coverage. The Bills is not touching the benefits received under Medicare, but is trying to save money and remove some of the inefficiencies in the system.

I think you are making assumptions about whether he would still be alive had he lived in those other jurisdictions, unless you have some empirical evidence to support your statement.

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 1:41am

In France, food portions tend to be smaller.

They don't snack on potato chips and such all day long.

[scott68]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 2:24am

Simon Doonan's book Eccentric Glamour, which I read like it's the Bible (except Simon acknowledges his inconsistencies), has a fantastic chapter about the French, essentially saying that they know how to tell Americans how to eat despite the fact that their "wisdom" is no more than common sense.

But don't let me interrupt the political flame-fest, please. Carry on!

[romantico]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 6:41am

AT least they have common sense. We don't even have that.What does it say about us that when we get angry and upset we have to rename French fries to Freedom fries?That was when the so called "grown Ups" were in charge by the way.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:11am

I'm all for an intelligent debate over healthcare, but that doesn't seem to be happening right now in this country. The far right and the insurace lobby are using scare tactics, and the media is eating it up. I think I favor a public option, and I don't think it necessarily leads to single payor, but if it does, then so be it. We pay our taxes and our kids are offered free education, but private schools still survive, and many people shell out big bucks to send their kids there. It's a sin that our country pays more for healthcare than any other nation, and despite that fact, we're less healthy, have shorter life expectancy, and have tens of millions uninsured.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:24am

Like I said, if France is considered a socialist country,I'll take it.Isn't it funny how we were willing to accept help from these "socialist's" during the lead up to the war in Iraq? Hypocrites pick their friends and enemies depending on which direction the wind blows.The Republicans know that fear tactics and repeating lies until people are brainwashed works.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:30am

Just a little info:

Socialized medicine - the docs, nurses, etc are employees of the government. This is the UK approach, and no one on either side is proposing this. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

Socialized healthcare - the docs, nurses, etc are NOT employees of the government. Insurance is provided by the government as a single payor. This is the Canadian approach, and this is what folks are saying will be the inevitable conclusion of any public option.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:33am

MB - I agree with you there. Even if there were a public option, employers would still offer benefits to employees to attract the best and the brightest. There might be two levels of healthcare - those with a basic government plan, and those with more robust private plan, but I would be fine with that - I just want to get some basic healthcare services to those in need to prevent future costs of illness and disability. Not to mention the limitation health insurance has on our markets. Friends do not leave jobs and engage entrepreneurial efforts because they have a pre-existing condition and/or cannot get coverage. Healthcare is dictating many people's job and economic decisions.

How many wonderful business have not been start-up because of healthcare concerns? I would guess thousands, if not more.
Updated On: 8/17/09 at 09:33 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/17/09 at 9:42am

A little more info. For the most part, the senators who are dominating the healthcare debate come from relatively small states (population-wise). If you look at the numbers, these senators get HUGE donations from the insurance lobby, disproportionately large due to their relative small campaign coffers. In other words, if you had insurance (or any other lobby) money to influence congress, your best bang for the buck is small state senators.