Carnie: I think that someone who hates the country where he lives, disrespects the flag and anthem, must go away from this country and it's not worth to spend money for a DNA test.

crosseyed: I must admit I prefer to keep my money for toilet paper too.

Result of the French elections : our president will be Macron.

PaoloRus: Here in France we have never seen such disparate results. Before, there was always at least one of the big political parties for the second round, but not today. Here, many people don't agree with European policy and don't want politicians with problems with the law. I wonder what the outcome will be.

PaoloRus: Marine Le Pen ?! You mix all people !

Bernice: Here, Ethanol is used by communities. People don't like it because it smells bad , so they don't buy cars with this energy.
Yes, it's cheap when you buy the energy but the cost for the maintenance of the vehicle is higher.

Artful Dodger: Yes, of course, always !

Artful Dodger: We tried to develop it here but no success : needs a lot of lands to cultivate the colza and finally, there's pollution because of the fertilizers used during the farming !
Now, the mode, here, is the solar energy, for houses.

Bah, the same in France. They don't want to reduce the taxs.

Artful Dodger: There was a special offer about the gel for hair.

Artful Dodger: Oh yes !
But I prefer the one on your pic, specially the blue hair.

Artful Dodger:

Artful Dodger: No, they go to the same hairdresser !

GT: Feel free to give your opinion.

GT: Yes.
I said it was an american reaction, because we often read in french newspapers : " American people do a boycott on this.... " and they give the name of a product.
Now, we are used to read this.

Actually, French troops are in Iraq and soldiers risk losing their life. Do you think it's logical to do a boycott in these conditions ? The life of these soldiers have no worth ?
French consumers won't avoid US products as McDonald's and Coca-Cola, because for us, politics and consumption are two different things. This kind of reaction is typically American ; French people don't think like that : they like eating so they will avoid a product only if it's dangerous for the health.

We do it in France for students in the last class of the scondary school (children are about 14 - 15 years old). And condoms and contraceptive pills are free for them.
But, I think that, in France, people are less practising with religion than in USA.

Übergeek 바둑이: In France, the scarf is authorized. The niqab isn't authorized because we don't see the person at all, even not the eyes.
The problem began when some young girls, at school, said : " I can't do sport, because of my religion ". Here, school is public, so the government didn't want differences between students : each one had to do sport (except because a physical problem).

Artful Dodger: Oh yes, but I just wanted to specify the origin of the discussion here in France.

Artful Dodger: The context of the discussion was about the wearing of the niqab in public places, particularly in schools. A law has just been voted, now it's forbidden.

SL-Mark: I like very much this story !

In France, it's rather difficult to get a gun, but the murderers often use a knife, so.... I agree with Übergeek : the real problem lies in human nature itself.

In France, it's more difficult to buy a weapon but it's not a problem for me : I don't use some !
Anyway, I could take the sickle for my garden and easily kill someone with it !
The important question is : why do people buy weapons ?

Vikings: What you're saying is rather shocking ! I agree with (V) : I think security people employees aren't child molesters !!!
I think, today, there are enough technical methods to see if a bomb is hidden somewhere, like
this room used in french airports.

Artful Dodger: You know, I TOTALLY agree with what you say, especially when you say : " Only the most needy and unable to work would get a lifetime of help. Others would only get temporary help and then they would be charged for paying back the government ". I don't imagine myself to ask something and I work since the end of my studies (I had to pay myself) and I've always paid taxes for others !
But it's perhaps (we read it, I don't know if it's true !?), to avoid that these persons have illegal jobs, and they don't steal (or less).

Artful Dodger: Yes, there's assistance for people who have incomes lower than 460 Euros for a single, 690 Euros for a couple, and this increases with children : example : 828 Euros for a couple with a child (under 18 years old) : it's the RSA.
But all the incomes of the family are in this amount. Example : a couple and the man earns 490 Euros, so they will receive 200 Euros but not 690 Euros.
For people who don't work (except if they are very ill), they have to look for a job and to prove it, a insertion contract is signed, and they have a personal adviser. Every 3 months, the situation of the person is studied.
People under 26 years old can't have this assistance except if they are alone with children.
Do you have the same in your country ?

Artful Dodger: To receive the " green " card (for 75 %), you have to work about 6 months minimum, and for the other (for 25 %), you receive it as soon as you have paid your contribution.

Artful Dodger: I'm not payed back, because I don't pay : I've 2 cards (one for the 75 % and the other for the 25 %) that I give and the pharmacist puts the cards in a device and then he receives money.

Übergeek 바둑이: I totally agree with what you said : the 2 systems are necessary.
And, as you said, in every case, we have to pay : either a tax or a contribution to a private company.

Bwild: My government pays nothing : every month a part is taken from my wage. All the salaried employees have to pay every month, even they are ill or not. And if you don't work, so don't contribute, you have no insurance at all (not 75 % and not 25 %). Children are with their parents under 18 years old. After, they have to pay a part, even they work or not, so you see, actually, I have to pay for my son 18 years old who is student at the University.

Artful Dodger: I've forgotten to answer to this question.
Not exactly. The general rate for paying back is 75 % for a visit to the Doctor. If you don't want to pay the 25 %, you have to suscribe a private insurance you pay every month. Most of people do that. Anyway, you always pay 1 Euro in a visit, it's an obligation, with insurance or not.
But in reality, it's more complcated : all the medecine aren"t payed back at the same level : some at 20 %, others at 40 %, other at 75 %. And it's the same for the Doctors who are " specialist ", according to the category they belong. It's the reason why people pay a private insurance in order to get 100 %.
And if you decide to go and see a " specialist " and that your " general " Doctor doesn't agree, you won't be payed back at all.
When you go to hospital, it's the same, but if someone has no money for paying, he's sure to get a treatment.

Artful Dodger: The tax care depends on the product (or the service charge) sold. It's more important for luxury products.
And income tax depends on your wage and the number of your children (children when they can't provide for themselves and under 20 years old), tax about the house depends where you live (a big city or not for example).
And don't speak about tax on petrol !

And for you ?

Artful Dodger: When you say it like that, it's better. But political men say that but don't really do it. Here, there will be always some help for people who have difficulties, even the government isn't socialist (as actually).
And don't believe the decrease in the statutory working hours (we spoke about before) was only for the salaried employees. Many companies have made this to their advantage : for example, a member of my family doesn't works 35 h/week but 30 h when the
production is low and 40 h when it's high, and no possibility of vacation during this period.

Artful Dodger: No, what you're saying is absolutely wrong ! I'm not in a socialist system ! As I said before I've just a little money (150 Euros) for my 2 children, but that's all. I must work to get money, I pay taxes and I had to ask a credit to buy my house. Where is the difference with the way you live ?
I agree with (V) when he says : " Have we at the moment any country that could be called strictly socialist or of a free market nature. "

Übergeek 바둑이: Your general analysis is rather good, and I thank you for this commentary, but I don't totally agree with, only on a few details :

- In France, the unemployement is about 10 % of the active population : sometimes less, sometimes more but the variation is little : about 1 to 1,5 %. We have also a system for counting unemployed persons which is different from other countries in Europe : example : if someone works 70 % of the time and says " I look for a job with a time 30 % more or else 100 % ", he's considered as un unemployed person. So, you see the notion of unemployement is very wide and I could give you other examples if necessary.

- When you speak about benefits when a couple has a child : paternity leave is very recent and the father gets only 11 days with the mother. And with only 1 child, there's no family allowance, it begins with 2 children and it's not very important (example : for my 2 children, I receive about 150 Euros (210 $) and my elder son is student and believe me, I don't make benefits !).

- About the last strikes in France : the problem doesn't come only from the retirement age. The president Sarkozy has a very authoritarian politics and rejects the dialog with the labor unions. When we see the opinion polls, people rather agree to raise the retirement age but not for the hard jobs, for example the building trade. But the government doesn't want to hear that.

- About the decrease in the statutory working hours (a shorter work week), it hasn't really changed for many people, because many companies have decided to maintain the same length and to give breaks. I'm in this case : I work during 38,5 h instead of 35 hours per week, and I've sometimes the possibibily to reduce this length. It gives me a benefit of about 10 days in the year, but some of these days are choosen by the employer.

As you can see, it's not simple !

Artful Dodger: The social welfare hasn't changed since many years. You know, in France, people are rather against the changes. However the government is (socialist or not), there are no big differences in your current life.

Artful Dodger: No, I can't let you say this, for 2 reasons :
(1) actually, the french government isn't socialist but UMP (on the opposite) since several years,
(2) you absolutely don't know how it works in our lives everyday.
Please, don't say generalities about France which can be wrong, but give accurate examples we can speak about.

(V): The comparison is funny.

(V): Impossible to discuss with him : he sees nothing, he hears nothing. It's the reason why so many people are actually on strike.

See the news about strikes in France :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11580492

Bernice: 65 it's very late.

Bernice: Ah yes. So, you can retire when you want ?

Bernice: We have to contribute, to work, during minimum 40 years and it will be 41 years in 2012.
And for you, how many years ?

Bernice: The minimum we have is :
for 1 person : 708,96 €uros/month (973,98 $)
for 1 couple : 1157,47 €uros/month (1590,15 $)

Bernice: The government pays a pension but it's not very simple because people also get a particular pension scheme according to the job they had before.

Bernice: Yes, here workers are on strike since 9 days, the situation is difficult, there are many manifestations, and workers have blocked refineries so it becomes difficult to get petrol for the car. It's also difficult to travel because actually very few trains.
French people don't want to work after 60 because they want to live as they want, to travel, to make things they don't have time to do when they work.
The problem is also that our president Sarkozy does as he was deaf and rejects all the negotiations, even for hard jobs as building jobs.