Interesting view of America from French media. The Western Europe I lived in the 1970s pre-fall of the wall, no longer exists. However, the propaganda fed there has not reached much of Eastern Europe. One of my family member in laws told me on a visit to Slovakia how much he admired Trump. That attitude reflects that of many of my large family living in the city of Košice. Will Europe’s hedonism run its course or will this decadence prevail? Hard to say.
Merci Jarrell, Unfortunately, The Western Europe I lived in the 1970's & 80's is now but a dream. I lived 5 years in Brussels in the 1980's and the mess in the offices of EU bureaucrats dates to even before then. But I loved Brussels for its extraordinary culture and gastronomy (equal to French cuisine in many places)--I don't think the Marxists in the EU have ruined that----yet! CJC
Thanks for sharing the challenge explaining "Trump" to international friends, who have been saturated with only the Leftist media version of the person, the underlying American movement and America herself. A sign of how much damage is let loose in this still relatively new Age of Information.
I was living in Europe during the Bi-Centennial (1976) and there was quite a frenzy over the celebration at that time. A reappraisal of the post WWII version of conquering-hero America was very much going on at that time. It will be interesting to see how, or if, the upcoming 250th US Anniversary offers new opportunities for a "friendly" reassessment of our now often strained relationships - Europe and America.
Or has America moved demographically in such new directions over the past 50 years, the 250th nation's birthday will be of far less importance even here. I look forward to it being a time for an honest re-appraisal of America's place now in world history. WWII turned the world upside down for America. America turned the world upside down pushing its 2020's draconian global "covid" hysteria response.
What will be our own 250th reassessment of America's exceptional experiment in self-government, now that it has sunk into an institutionalized deep state. America is still a beacon to the world as shown by continued immigration pressures and patterns; yet our openness makes us also easy to attack. While our institutions that once supported liberty have fossilized into something far worse than a corrupted inbred monarchy.
Calla, do people in France still talk about the original promise of the French Revolution? What lessons affect them today from its own rapid demise into its Reign of Terror? Or do they have a greater capacity, as your column just highlighted, to stick to what they do best - enjoy the bounty from their blessed piece of real estate called France. I'd like to see America also go more in that direction.
Merci J.L. For your take. I think when it comes to the "finer things in Life" most French are still very aware of their unique place. But I have the feeling in their knowledge of history, many French learned it from Asterisk. Nevertheless, most French children are taught to memorize lines from the great French poets and their cursive writing and their grasp of French grammar from the age of seven is impressive. I learn new French words and expressions every day---even "colorful" ones--- from my young (8 and 11) grandchildren. The other day, I asked my 11-year-old grandson to name 6 French cheeses and he gave me 10 without hesitation. But then his parents are in wine and, as every Frenchman or woman will tell you, you can't have one without the other. As for the French impression of 2025 America, I think the French are so brainwashed by anti-American media, that they are clueless about the "real" America. Nevertheless , the young French still would like to go to New York, L.A. and Miami and are completely ignorant of the crime in American cities and the horrific immigrant problem ---even though major French cities are experiencing the same problems. I could go on--- but I am in Switzerland for a week and enjoying the Swiss ability to still "get it right" and "keep it simple", even though surrounded by chaos. There's a story there! Happy New Year, Calla
JL - the slide jerk Biden and the Dems have imposed on our beautiful country - woke, DEI, trans-gender, the country overrun with illegal foreigners, pissing money away on everything in sight etc. is gonna change _quick_ when Trumpy gets in. His first time around was training wheels. Now that he knows how it all works and the sort of people who can get the job done we’ll start to see _major_ changes happen fast!
Thanks for the fun story of your wine experience in France. Pinot Noir started out as my favorite wine during my younger years. I didn't realize Trump was referred to as the "Orange Man." Learn something new every day. For whatever reason, I rarely sip on anything alcohol, but a taste of pinot noir sounds good right now.
As much as I enjoy a glass of red at the end of the day, and with a meal, I have decided to head into 2025 substantially limiting my alcohol consumption. Reasons one might want to limit alcohol range from trying to maintain healthy weight, to losing weight, to avoiding the subtle addiction, of which we are all aware. I keep seeing articles in the medical literature suggesting that zero alcohol is the safest amount. I have much preferred the concept that a little alcohol was somehow healthy. This debate is not likely to end any time soon. It’s interesting that our new president limits his dietary preference to Diet Coke, and tells the story of how alcohol messed up his brother’s life.
I saw a man earlier this year who ended up hospitalized with the consequences of years of alcohol abuse. As I discharged him home, I pointed out the obvious to him and his wife. He had to completely stop all alcohol forever, and she needed to stop the codependent behavior by buying it for him. Figuring out how to deal with alcoholism is a challenge, and many turn to Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill Wilson founded the organization years ago, based on realizing his need for supernatural help- his “Higher Power” - AKA God. Like many originally good ideas, AA can be secularized by people who want to be god themselves. This is the essential human fallacy. I once had a man tell me his higher power was a chair across the room.
I suggested to my patient, as he headed home, that he seek out counsel from someone who actually experienced healing from alcohol addiction, by means of a relationship with the Creator of the universe and His Son, whose birth we have just celebrated. Our pastor pointed out that those going through the SB Rescue Mission who are most likely to conquer substance abuse do so by means of the radical transformation of personal salvation based on faith in God. Always enjoying a play on words, my parting advice to my patient was “less Jack, more Jesus.”
Merci, Bill! You might like to try my son-in-law' s (Brian Sieve) wines from Racine vineyards in Lompoc. He and Étienne deMontille ( who is his boss here in Meursault, though the vineyards are in Volnay) have joined with 2 celebrated French winemakers to make the Racine wines. Some high-end SB eateries carry them. In any case, if you google Racine in Lompoc you'll get the scoop. CJC
Some random thoughts: all of life's pleasures, sensual and spiritual, can be enjoyed without dulling one's senses via alcohol. One thing I have in common with Trump: neither of us drink alcohol, as we've seen the horrible effect it has on family members. On the other hand, I'm no prohibitionist, my motto is "drink to your heart's--and liver's--content, but let's stop pretending that the "wine tasting" culture confines their habit to their homes, as we know perfectly these wine bars are all about attracting people from afar who drive to these places, get drunk, then drive home.
France: Brigitte Bardot got in a lot of trouble c.2002 when she was sounding the alarm about the tsunami of radical Islam coming into her country, and was fined by the loving, tolerant, progressive French government. Then around 2005 something like 1200 cities were on fire as these radicals set fire to neighborhoods. I reckon she didn't have to say "I told you so"
I remember even back prior to that time reading about all the crime in Stockholm, Sweden, caused by the same problem: the suicidal immigration policy of that country.
Is it virtue-signaling per post-WW2 guilt over the atrocities of the Nazis? (How ironic that these Islamic radicals target Jews, but I guess Germany feels its Woke immigration policy makes up for the 11 million murdered by the Nazis, six million of them Jews? I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me.
Meanwhile Right Wing nationalism is on the rise in the U.S. and in much of Europe, and people wonder why, and again, if one's social life and identity revolve around the pride they take in consuming alcohol, please remember that it makes you unsafe to drive, and if for some reason an emergency comes up where you MUST drive someone or evacuate while impaired, good luck with that.
Keep writing. LOVE your articles and how you draw us in! We were with friends for dinner from the UK. And having just come back from Ireland and Prague, Austria and Hungry in October, I announced to them “that I now know why Europe
Is anti-Trump or Republicans. They looked at me and I went on to say that the BBC and CNN lies to them daily. And how could anyone have an informed opinion when they didn’t know the truth!” They just looked at me and were silent. Their silence reminded me of being in a Cult and you don’t want to hear what your parents are warning you of!
Interesting view of America from French media. The Western Europe I lived in the 1970s pre-fall of the wall, no longer exists. However, the propaganda fed there has not reached much of Eastern Europe. One of my family member in laws told me on a visit to Slovakia how much he admired Trump. That attitude reflects that of many of my large family living in the city of Košice. Will Europe’s hedonism run its course or will this decadence prevail? Hard to say.
Merci Jarrell, Unfortunately, The Western Europe I lived in the 1970's & 80's is now but a dream. I lived 5 years in Brussels in the 1980's and the mess in the offices of EU bureaucrats dates to even before then. But I loved Brussels for its extraordinary culture and gastronomy (equal to French cuisine in many places)--I don't think the Marxists in the EU have ruined that----yet! CJC
We used to visit historic towns in Belgium, especially Brugge. My uncle, killed at the Battle of the Bulge, is buried in Liege.
Thanks for sharing the challenge explaining "Trump" to international friends, who have been saturated with only the Leftist media version of the person, the underlying American movement and America herself. A sign of how much damage is let loose in this still relatively new Age of Information.
I was living in Europe during the Bi-Centennial (1976) and there was quite a frenzy over the celebration at that time. A reappraisal of the post WWII version of conquering-hero America was very much going on at that time. It will be interesting to see how, or if, the upcoming 250th US Anniversary offers new opportunities for a "friendly" reassessment of our now often strained relationships - Europe and America.
Or has America moved demographically in such new directions over the past 50 years, the 250th nation's birthday will be of far less importance even here. I look forward to it being a time for an honest re-appraisal of America's place now in world history. WWII turned the world upside down for America. America turned the world upside down pushing its 2020's draconian global "covid" hysteria response.
What will be our own 250th reassessment of America's exceptional experiment in self-government, now that it has sunk into an institutionalized deep state. America is still a beacon to the world as shown by continued immigration pressures and patterns; yet our openness makes us also easy to attack. While our institutions that once supported liberty have fossilized into something far worse than a corrupted inbred monarchy.
Calla, do people in France still talk about the original promise of the French Revolution? What lessons affect them today from its own rapid demise into its Reign of Terror? Or do they have a greater capacity, as your column just highlighted, to stick to what they do best - enjoy the bounty from their blessed piece of real estate called France. I'd like to see America also go more in that direction.
Merci J.L. For your take. I think when it comes to the "finer things in Life" most French are still very aware of their unique place. But I have the feeling in their knowledge of history, many French learned it from Asterisk. Nevertheless, most French children are taught to memorize lines from the great French poets and their cursive writing and their grasp of French grammar from the age of seven is impressive. I learn new French words and expressions every day---even "colorful" ones--- from my young (8 and 11) grandchildren. The other day, I asked my 11-year-old grandson to name 6 French cheeses and he gave me 10 without hesitation. But then his parents are in wine and, as every Frenchman or woman will tell you, you can't have one without the other. As for the French impression of 2025 America, I think the French are so brainwashed by anti-American media, that they are clueless about the "real" America. Nevertheless , the young French still would like to go to New York, L.A. and Miami and are completely ignorant of the crime in American cities and the horrific immigrant problem ---even though major French cities are experiencing the same problems. I could go on--- but I am in Switzerland for a week and enjoying the Swiss ability to still "get it right" and "keep it simple", even though surrounded by chaos. There's a story there! Happy New Year, Calla
JL - the slide jerk Biden and the Dems have imposed on our beautiful country - woke, DEI, trans-gender, the country overrun with illegal foreigners, pissing money away on everything in sight etc. is gonna change _quick_ when Trumpy gets in. His first time around was training wheels. Now that he knows how it all works and the sort of people who can get the job done we’ll start to see _major_ changes happen fast!
Thanks for the fun story of your wine experience in France. Pinot Noir started out as my favorite wine during my younger years. I didn't realize Trump was referred to as the "Orange Man." Learn something new every day. For whatever reason, I rarely sip on anything alcohol, but a taste of pinot noir sounds good right now.
As much as I enjoy a glass of red at the end of the day, and with a meal, I have decided to head into 2025 substantially limiting my alcohol consumption. Reasons one might want to limit alcohol range from trying to maintain healthy weight, to losing weight, to avoiding the subtle addiction, of which we are all aware. I keep seeing articles in the medical literature suggesting that zero alcohol is the safest amount. I have much preferred the concept that a little alcohol was somehow healthy. This debate is not likely to end any time soon. It’s interesting that our new president limits his dietary preference to Diet Coke, and tells the story of how alcohol messed up his brother’s life.
I saw a man earlier this year who ended up hospitalized with the consequences of years of alcohol abuse. As I discharged him home, I pointed out the obvious to him and his wife. He had to completely stop all alcohol forever, and she needed to stop the codependent behavior by buying it for him. Figuring out how to deal with alcoholism is a challenge, and many turn to Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill Wilson founded the organization years ago, based on realizing his need for supernatural help- his “Higher Power” - AKA God. Like many originally good ideas, AA can be secularized by people who want to be god themselves. This is the essential human fallacy. I once had a man tell me his higher power was a chair across the room.
I suggested to my patient, as he headed home, that he seek out counsel from someone who actually experienced healing from alcohol addiction, by means of a relationship with the Creator of the universe and His Son, whose birth we have just celebrated. Our pastor pointed out that those going through the SB Rescue Mission who are most likely to conquer substance abuse do so by means of the radical transformation of personal salvation based on faith in God. Always enjoying a play on words, my parting advice to my patient was “less Jack, more Jesus.”
Merci, Bill! You might like to try my son-in-law' s (Brian Sieve) wines from Racine vineyards in Lompoc. He and Étienne deMontille ( who is his boss here in Meursault, though the vineyards are in Volnay) have joined with 2 celebrated French winemakers to make the Racine wines. Some high-end SB eateries carry them. In any case, if you google Racine in Lompoc you'll get the scoop. CJC
Some random thoughts: all of life's pleasures, sensual and spiritual, can be enjoyed without dulling one's senses via alcohol. One thing I have in common with Trump: neither of us drink alcohol, as we've seen the horrible effect it has on family members. On the other hand, I'm no prohibitionist, my motto is "drink to your heart's--and liver's--content, but let's stop pretending that the "wine tasting" culture confines their habit to their homes, as we know perfectly these wine bars are all about attracting people from afar who drive to these places, get drunk, then drive home.
France: Brigitte Bardot got in a lot of trouble c.2002 when she was sounding the alarm about the tsunami of radical Islam coming into her country, and was fined by the loving, tolerant, progressive French government. Then around 2005 something like 1200 cities were on fire as these radicals set fire to neighborhoods. I reckon she didn't have to say "I told you so"
I remember even back prior to that time reading about all the crime in Stockholm, Sweden, caused by the same problem: the suicidal immigration policy of that country.
Is it virtue-signaling per post-WW2 guilt over the atrocities of the Nazis? (How ironic that these Islamic radicals target Jews, but I guess Germany feels its Woke immigration policy makes up for the 11 million murdered by the Nazis, six million of them Jews? I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me.
Meanwhile Right Wing nationalism is on the rise in the U.S. and in much of Europe, and people wonder why, and again, if one's social life and identity revolve around the pride they take in consuming alcohol, please remember that it makes you unsafe to drive, and if for some reason an emergency comes up where you MUST drive someone or evacuate while impaired, good luck with that.
Keep writing. LOVE your articles and how you draw us in! We were with friends for dinner from the UK. And having just come back from Ireland and Prague, Austria and Hungry in October, I announced to them “that I now know why Europe
Is anti-Trump or Republicans. They looked at me and I went on to say that the BBC and CNN lies to them daily. And how could anyone have an informed opinion when they didn’t know the truth!” They just looked at me and were silent. Their silence reminded me of being in a Cult and you don’t want to hear what your parents are warning you of!
Happy New Year madamn!
Merci Elyse. Oui! Cult is a perfect word for those who continue to suffer from TDS! Calla