What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

[don]

July 7, 2009
France, Unlike U.S., Is Deep Into Stimulus Projects

By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

FONTAINEBLEAU, France — French workers normally take off much of the summer, but this month, there is something of a revolution going on here at this former royal chateau roughly 30 miles southeast of Paris. The throngs of tourists will be jostling alongside stonemasons, restoration experts and other artisans paid by the French government’s $37 billion economic stimulus program.

Their job? Maintain in pristine condition the 800-year-old palace of more than 1,500 rooms where Napoleon bid adieu before being exiled to Elba and where Marie Antoinette enjoyed a gilded boudoir.

Besides Fontainebleau, about 50 French chateaus are to receive a facelift, including the palace of Versailles. Also receiving funds are some 75 cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris. A museum devoted to Lalique glass is being created in Strasbourg, while Marseilles is to be the home of a new 10 million euro center for Mediterranean culture.

All told, Paris has set aside 100 million euros in stimulus funds earmarked for what the French like to call their cultural patrimony. It is a French twist on how to overcome the global downturn, spending borrowed money avidly to beautify the nation even as it also races ahead of the United States in more classic Keynesian ways: fixing potholes, upgrading railroads and pursuing other “shovel ready” projects.

“America is six months behind; it has wasted a lot of time,” said Patrick Devedjian, the minister in charge of the French relance, or stimulus. By the time Washington gets around to doling out most of its money, Mr. Devedjian sniffed, “the crisis could be over.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/bu...l?ref=business

[Master Shake]

Re: What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

By the time Washington gets around to doling out most of its money, Mr. Devedjian sniffed, “the crisis could be over.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/bu...l?ref=business

I doubt that.

[metalman]

Re: What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

July 7, 2009
France, Unlike U.S., Is Deep Into Stimulus Projects

By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

FONTAINEBLEAU, France — French workers normally take off much of the summer, but this month, there is something of a revolution going on here at this former royal chateau roughly 30 miles southeast of Paris. The throngs of tourists will be jostling alongside stonemasons, restoration experts and other artisans paid by the French government’s $37 billion economic stimulus program.

Their job? Maintain in pristine condition the 800-year-old palace of more than 1,500 rooms where Napoleon bid adieu before being exiled to Elba and where Marie Antoinette enjoyed a gilded boudoir.

Besides Fontainebleau, about 50 French chateaus are to receive a facelift, including the palace of Versailles. Also receiving funds are some 75 cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris. A museum devoted to Lalique glass is being created in Strasbourg, while Marseilles is to be the home of a new 10 million euro center for Mediterranean culture.

All told, Paris has set aside 100 million euros in stimulus funds earmarked for what the French like to call their cultural patrimony. It is a French twist on how to overcome the global downturn, spending borrowed money avidly to beautify the nation even as it also races ahead of the United States in more classic Keynesian ways: fixing potholes, upgrading railroads and pursuing other “shovel ready” projects.

“America is six months behind; it has wasted a lot of time,” said Patrick Devedjian, the minister in charge of the French relance, or stimulus. By the time Washington gets around to doling out most of its money, Mr. Devedjian sniffed, “the crisis could be over.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/bu...l?ref=business

um... ah...

“America is six months behind; it has wasted a lot of time,” said Patrick Devedjian, the minister in charge of the French relance, or stimulus. By the time Washington gets around to doling out most of its money, Mr. Devedjian sniffed, “the crisis could be over.”

wtf? if the crisis could be over without the stimulus money, why use it???

[GRG55]

Re: What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

July 7, 2009
France, Unlike U.S., Is Deep Into Stimulus Projects

By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

FONTAINEBLEAU, France — French workers normally take off much of the summer, but this month, there is something of a revolution going on here at this former royal chateau roughly 30 miles southeast of Paris. The throngs of tourists will be jostling alongside stonemasons, restoration experts and other artisans paid by the French government’s $37 billion economic stimulus program.

Their job? Maintain in pristine condition the 800-year-old palace of more than 1,500 rooms where Napoleon bid adieu before being exiled to Elba and where Marie Antoinette enjoyed a gilded boudoir.

Besides Fontainebleau, about 50 French chateaus are to receive a facelift, including the palace of Versailles. Also receiving funds are some 75 cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris. A museum devoted to Lalique glass is being created in Strasbourg, while Marseilles is to be the home of a new 10 million euro center for Mediterranean culture.

All told, Paris has set aside 100 million euros in stimulus funds earmarked for what the French like to call their cultural patrimony. It is a French twist on how to overcome the global downturn, spending borrowed money avidly to beautify the nation even as it also races ahead of the United States in more classic Keynesian ways: fixing potholes, upgrading railroads and pursuing other “shovel ready” projects.

“America is six months behind; it has wasted a lot of time,” said Patrick Devedjian, the minister in charge of the French relance, or stimulus. By the time Washington gets around to doling out most of its money, Mr. Devedjian sniffed, “the crisis could be over.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/bu...l?ref=business

You have to hand it to the French. First they facelift a bunch of ancient rockpiles, then they create a world class museum devoted to an iconic French manufacture, and top it off with yet another cultural centre.

I can hardly wait to visit them all. Let's see, how shall we get there?
Train? Naw, the train drivers are bound to go on strike, stranding us all at the peak of the tourist season.
Air? Nanoseconds after the train drivers walk out the air traffic controllers will shut down the system in sympathy...but will expect to continue to be paid since they aren't actually on strike.
That means we drive, right? Only if the farmers haven't dumped EU subsidized ag produce all over the motorways and blocked off the remaining lane with their tractors.

Anybody want to venture a guess why it's a Tour de France?

[LargoWinch]

Re: What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

Sometimes, fiat can be a little "artificielle"

[rjwjr]

Re: What Do They Know, Mon Ami?

French industriousness and swiftness?! Maybe Sarkozy is the true president of change.