Sarkozy and Bruni rumoured to be having affairs

From the day of their first public date at Disneyland Paris, this thing has always been scripted like a fairy tale. Looks like there is trouble in the Magic Kingdom.

French media is falling all over itself with rumours that first couple Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni are both in affairs. Carla Bruni is supposedly having an affair with musician Benjamin Biolay, and Sarkozy is having an affair with Ecology Minister Chantal Jouanno.

Expectations of fidelity were always a pretty slim chance with Bruni who, before her marriage to Sarko, told an interviewer: “Monogamy bores me terribly.”

They're French........so it's OK.
As the saying goes......to have a mistress is French, to be caught with a mistress is American. When one marries one's mistress one creates a vacancy.

Lingerie shows right on the street in Paris

How about some sex-laced advertising from the French Aubade lingerie campaign which has a woman pimping the lingerie from an apartment above a busy street where passersby can watch her silhouette behind a window curtain.

When she's done prancing around in the room, she unveils herself and then closes the blinds revealing the brand name.

More Global Warming in Paris and Brussels

Early winter snows forced French authorities to close the Eiffel Tower on Thursday and disrupted transport as northwest Europe shuddered under a pre-Christmas cold snap. Much of the north of the country awoke to find a seven-centimetre (three inch) blanket of snow, which delayed flights from Charles de Gaulle airport by up to two hours.

The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors, and train and bus services were delayed in many areas, as daytime temperatures dropped below zero for the first time in the year and black ice coated northern roads.

Snow also fell in Britain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands and weather experts forecast worse to come, with disruption especially in Scotland and northern England.

The northern Netherlands experienced the worst falls in four years, with snow up to 25 centimetres deep in places, the national weather service said, while all bus services in the region were cancelled.

In Belgium black ice turned roads into skating rinks, particularly the Brussels ring road and the motorway from the capital to Lille in northern France.
Numerous flights were cancelled and delayed at Brussels airport. Traffic Centre had registered 500 kilometres of traffic standing idle on the roads, with train, tram and bus delays making the chaos complete.

Europe loves Obama......but not "that" much!

European Union leaders are holding their annual attempt at pumping life into the EU economy, trying to make it the most competitive in the world by 2010.

The EU today threatened legal action and retaliatory measures against the US if the Obama administration enshrines a "Buy American" clause in its multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package.

The Euros are now discovering what that "change" part, of the Hope and Change, was all about.

It's a little bit hard to swallow this rhetoric from the European Union to express outrage at American protectionism, when that is typically their forte.

Last summer, PepsiCo was thought to be interested in buying up the French dairy company Danone. The French went apeshit.
Soon after, the French government came up with 11 strategic commercial sectors that should be protected from foreign takeovers. Economic patriotism was the new rallying cry.....Buy French. FINANCIAL TIMES

A Little Snow in Belgium...is a BIG Problem

A small amount of snow in Belgium, can cause big problems, as they are not really used to dealing with it. Eurostar trains were delayed here for hours Monday and Tuesday, although most of it seems to be leaving this afternoon.

VIDEO OF MORNING RUSH HOUR

France and the UK got hammered though, with areas in the UK getting more snow than they've had in 20 years.......

Anybody seen Al Gore this winter, or is he buried under the rising polar ice cap?

USA looks pretty good as Europe meltsdown

As bad as the economy is in America, the situation is much worse in the Europe. Iceland is bankrupt and the government has been toppled. France and Latvia are facing rioting in the streets. Other European governments are watching their currency value collapse and unemployment rise to staggering levels.

France paralyzed by a wave of strike action, the boulevards of Paris resembling a debris-strewn battlefield. The Hungarian currency sinks to its lowest level ever against the euro, as the unemployment figure rises. Greek farmers block the road into Bulgaria in protest at low prices for their produce. New figures from the biggest bank in the Baltic show that the three post-Soviet states there face the biggest recessions in Europe.

This is not a cumlitive effect.....this all happened in just the last week. Just goes to show what I've always said about the news media and politics in Europe...they love to focus their populace on everything bad about the US, to keep them from seeing how bad it actually is in their own backyard. Any wonder why they love Obama so much?

Nine year old...just nails Édith Piaf

I'm not into the reality TV shows at all, in fact I've never seen an entire show. My wife though, along with the rest of the country, stays home Saturday nights to watch "Star Academy", which is the French Version of "American Idol".

Last weekend they had a new show on France 1, basically a kids version of American Idol, that reminded me of the Arthur Godfrey show, which was a little before my time, but I've seen clips. The kids are really entertaining because it's all spontaneus, not the fifteen minutes of fame these attention whores are looking for on these adult shows.
The interviews after the their talent display are almost as funny. I couldn't find a video, but their was one six year old girl who did a great hula hoop display, and then couldn't stop moving her hips as she was being interviewed. Pretty soon the interviewer was moving his hips too, and it was better than the act.

Below is a video from the show of a nine year old who sings Édith Piaf......incredibly well. If you are not familiar with Édith Piaf's voice.......which I'm sure is most readers of this blog...... watch the commercial for the French Lotto above first. It's not only very funny, but you get a good idea of her voice as well.

Now watch Justine, a nine year old with a big future...........

No more traveling with my stash...I guess

During an international police anti-drugs operation Saturday night 856 people in Belgium were found to be in the possession of narcotics. Eleven people will have to answer to the public prosecutor.
The raid in Belgium was part of an international operation. Operation 'Etoile' includes police from France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, as well as 700 Belgian police and customs officials. The controls focused on narcotic trafficking and drug tourism. They took place along major motorways, in trains, buses and clandestine outlets where narcotics are sold.

In Belgium the controls took place around Antwerp, Ghent, Dinant, Namur, Liège, Tournai, in Limburg along the border area with the Netherlands, and at the coast. 2500 vehicles and 3400 people were inspected. 11 kilos of cannabis, 373 grams of heroine, 68 grams of cocaine, 245 of hallucinogenic mushrooms and 740 cannabis seeds were seized. 31 illegal arms were also discovered and 12 vehicles seized.
The Belgian federal police are very enthusiastic about the cooperation between the participating countries and the results it has yielded.

Paris is not Burning

There has been a tremendous amount of coverage over the whole Olympic torch fiasco that occurred yesterday in Paris. I'm not in the position to go over the whole thing again, apathy and a lack of concern about the subject prohibit me from indulging this. However, I have come up with a few key points that I have observed that I would like to share with you, things the media haven't noticed.

This is the hardest the French have ever fought to keep anyone out of Paris.
Not one Frenchman surrendered to the torch (although it is believed many collaborated with it)
Policemen that wear rollerblades do not instill fear.
Considering how hard it has been for the French coppers to stop French youth from lighting fires over the past three years, it's bizarre that now they are trying to keep a torch lit so desperately.
The only North American city that the torch will be brought to will be San Francisco. A city that has never had an Olympics, and has a history of violent protests. Although, on the other side, they do have their share of giant flamers.

The World's most Expensive Champagne

In yet another way for those who want to show their useless, but expensive bling and excess..... Pernod Ricard is launching a new champagne at a price that will make Cristal and Dom Perignon look like two-buck Chuck.

The world's most expensive champagne, popping the records at 4,166 euros (6,485 dollars) for a personalised bottle of bubbly, goes on sale Thursday targeting a "super-rich" global elite.

The limited edition 12-bottle box sets of Perrier-Jouet champagne will be priced at 50,000 euros, according to French drink firm Pernod-Ricard. Sales will be limited to a "community of super-rich" consumers in theUnited States, Britain, Japan, China, Russia, Switzerland and France.

"We are going to sell these box-sets to 100 people around the world who will have a chance to customise their own champagne, the ultimate luxury,"said Perrier Olivier Cavil, head of communications at Perrier-Jouet. "Each buyer will come to Epernay, in eastern France for a one-on-one meeting with our cellar master Herve Deschamps, and will personally add a 'liqueur' to personalise the bottles," he said.

YOU WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED IF YOU DIE HERE!

The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them.

In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."

STORY

Outlet Shopping in Belgium

Belgium has two outlet centers with another on the way. The discounts aren't huge, but it's a nice little daytrip through some great countryside.

All the participating brands offer their previous collections (often from last season) at prices around 30% less than normal retail price. Anne Fontaine, Barbour, Essentiel, Bellerose, Petit Bateau, Levis, Chine, Donaldson and many others can be found here.

As well as fashion stores you can shop at lingerie, accessories and interior decoration stores. For the end of year festivities, Maasmechelen Village Outlet Shopping will host several events such as a Christmas market given visitors an opportunity to taste Christmas specialties. Prices are even more insane during the sales (70-80% reductions) ?

The first in Flanders is known as Maasmechelen Village, and is the largest outlet shopping attraction in Belgium. Located at the crossroads of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is twenty minutes from Maastricht and just one hour from Antwerp, Brussels, Düsseldorf and Cologne.

For the French speaking part of the country, Factory Shopping at Messancy has recently increased in size and doubled the number of stores (Pepe Jeans, Kipling, Le phare de la Baleine, etc). The village of Messancy is situated in the heart of southern Luxembourg province, close to the town of Arlon, in the borer region between Belgium, France and Luxembourg

The Puegoet Pyrotechnics are on display again!

"The night was relatively calm, without notable incident,” reports a spokesman for the French national police. Sure sounds like it to me!
Vandals torched 372 cars as France celebrated the New Year ...
Cars are burned fairly regularly in France, for good reason I might add. They're French cars! ... At the height of the 2005 riots as many as 1,400 cars were attacked in overnight violence.

In protests over Sarkozy’s election last May, demonstrators set fire to 730 vehicles. Right now, the only thing hotter than these car-b-ques is Sarko's girlfriend
Meanwhile, France has now banned smoking in cafes and bars. Lighting up a heater will get you fined.

Miss France Nude.....not quite!

The recently crowned Miss France, Valerie Begue (from the island territory of Reunion) stirred quite the controversy, and a few other things.....when she won the crown and then was forced to contend with the publication of a few clothed-but-suggestive photographs. But, sacre bleu! This is France.

Valerie Begue did a photoshoot for Entrevue magazine that included a shot of her in a Christ like pose in a swimming pool, and because of that she’s now banned from competing in beauty pageants. But she gets to keep her Miss France title, so I’m not sure how rough of a punishment that really is, since I’m assuming that’s kind of the highest level she could expect to achieve anyway, right?

THE PICTURES

Sarko......You da Man!!

This man has a smile on his face for good reason. Apparently the way the couple has chosen to publicize their relationship is through a highly visable visit to – where else – Euro Disneyland. Given the French perception of “Sarko L’American,” this will jack the the press coverage. Perhaps Sarko just couldn’t resist the irony – debuting your glamorous model girlfriend by taking her on a visit to one of the tackiest places on earth.

She has previously dated Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Donald Trump (she was drunk) and Kevin Costner.

Although I'm not going to post any pictures of Carla Bruni nude, I could direct you a bit. I think I've seen Laura Bush in an outfit like the one pictured

here also.

Really....The French...you're kidding me!

France's hotel and restaurant staff are some of the surliest in the world and a quarter of hotels are in disrepair, the industry's watchdog has admitted.

The report said that poor wages and only basic training available to staff explained complaints of the "chronic incompetence of staff, or of a disagreeable or impersonal welcome".
As well as concerns about an indifferent welcome - which often amounts to no more than the raising of an eyebrow or puckering of the lips by a haughty maître d, regular complaints refer to long waits for service.

READ THE TELEGRAPH

Paris is Burning ......again!

The return of the YOUEEs (Youths of Undetermined Ethnic Extraction).

The Peugeot Pyrotechnics are off and running in Paris again. Fires raged and mobs rioted in the Paris suburbs Monday night after two boys, aged 15 and 16, died when their mini-motorcycle hit a police car. At least sixty policemen have been injured, and a school gym has gone up in flames.

Le Parisien reports that they burned down a Peugeot dealership, sacked a train station and shops, tore up a McDonald’s, stole the day’s receipts and attacked customers, smashed and burned cars, and are still going strong. I think the cars were all 2003's, its probably the only way to get them off the lot.

Violence is spreading from Villiers le Bel to a dozen neighboring communities. The insurgents are using firebombs, iron rods, baseball bats, and firing buckshot.

So is Baghdad now safer than Paris? Oh, the irony. Go get 'em, Sarko!

PAJAMAS MEDIA

Fight for Kisses

Sigmund Freud might have something to say about the new Wilkinson campaign from France that exploits Edipus Complex to promote a razor, but ask any new dad - there's an element of jealousy when the little 'bundle of joy' gets more love and attention than you do and Wilkinson taps into this.

In a world of razor ads that make me generally scream and throw something at the television, this is brilliant! VIEW VIDEO

France to annex Belgium

Well not quite, but the French public seems ready for it. Here are the results of a just released Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche, taken on November 8th.

Very favorable 10%

Rather favorable 44%

Rather unfavorable 18%

Not at all favorable 23%

No opinion 5%

Someone should ask the Belgians first. Here are just a couple of the comments on the poll listed above.

"Still it would be necessary to ask the Wallonians if they wish for it! As for me, I am a Belgian francophone and I refuse to become French!"

"No thank you. We do not want to live in North Africa!"

Meanwhile, up north.......Almost half the Dutch population is positive towards a merger between the Netherlands and Flanders. The newspaper DAG reported this on Monday after an opinion poll by Maurice de Hond.
The poll showed that 45 percent of the Dutch would support a union with Flanders. The majority however, 49 percent, would be opposed to such a merger. The supporters are largely people who would vote for Geert Wilders. It is remarkable that 80 percent of the respondents said they "liked Flemings."
The opinion poll is a reaction to the government crisis that has dragged on for months in Belgium. The Walloons and Flemings have been unable to form a government since elections in June because of fundamental disagreement on the future of the country.

I don't get it, she's not that hot.

The rumors have been flying about an official separation and a possible divorce between Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia. This abridged article is from Yahoo, but it appears that the news was originally published in a local paper from Lorraine: L'Est Républicain:

Sarkozy's wife in 'exile' as divorce rumours grow, from the Telegraph