Here are the actual numbers related to US trade with France. It is down overall, but the world economy is down, so this trend doesn't necessarily mean what some people presume them to mean. c.i.
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4279.html
Tartarin
All I did was ask the question. According to some of the reports it has had an effect. I have no doubt it will soon pass as these things always do.
au1929 wrote: According to some of the reports it has had an effect.
And exactly that was my question: what reports? And did they (HOW?) include the high EURO?
Here's the stats on US trade balance with Japan to compare with US trade balance with France. Somebody may be able to arrive at some conclusions from this comparison. c.i.
www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5880.html
Why would I let a bunch of Frenchmen influence either my buying or my travel habits? Historically, there is much to dislike about the French. But that is certainly not going to keep me from visiting France or from purchasing anything that says 'Made in France' on it.
Freedom fries? I thought it was a joke. I've never actually seen or heard anyone call 'em that.
The powers that be changed the menu in the Pentagon and then told the world. I believe, unless others followed suit, the pentagon is the only place that offers a full selection of 'freedom' food.
It was the menu in the congressional dining room that started this, and I honestly believe the sillyness spred to Air Force One, and probably the pentagon too. I've never heard a real human use the term either.
at the local diner where i often have lunch they have a sign on the wall that says "we serve french fries-freedom is the way we live"
Was just listemning to the Hector Berlioz arrangement of the Marseillaise being played on my local NPR station in celebration of Bastille Day today. Haven't noticed that the French Library on Marlborough Street has put out any extra security. In Boston, we have a long tradition of friendship with the French. Paul Revere was of French extraction.
I have heard many people using the term "freedom fries" while not using it in jest. I have witnessed "freedom poodle" as well.
I live in the biggest military complex on earth (San Diego) so that might explain some of it.
I think this attempt to boycott French products is a childish snit by a very small minority of shallow and vindictive Americans I really do not know how many French products I buy and I'm not much of a wine drinker either. But I'm not going to consciously change by buying habits in show support for a misguided US policy.
My heart goes out to you, Craven.
Walter from the Article I noted.
According to a recent poll conducted by New York-based worldwide public relations firm Weber Shandwick, more than one in three Americans are still less likely to buy French products.
That is just one of the articles on the subject I have seen in the last weeks.
au, That's a real stupid poll if I ever heard of one. How many people do you think actually buy French products? duh.....
C.I.
You may not be aware of this but the French restaurants in NY were shall I say sucking wind for a while.
Oh, French restaurants in NYC? When you said one out of three Americans, a quick math translates that into over 93 million Americans that are boycotting French products. Sure. Wanna buy a nice bridge on prime land in Montana?
c.i.
French products may be more plentiful in NYC. Here in my new very small nothern california home town, I can find french products in my good cookware store, a fancy linen place, and the good wine shop. Ah, yes, in two grocery stores, one which unexpectedly sells Perrier. Plus the videos at the most foreign film oriented of the video places, and a few at Blockbuster. I can find italian items at some of the same places, and relatively few German items.
Never mind, the list could go on, little Swedish import, and so on. This is small town america, and the adventurous items we have seem to be good California cheeses, etc.
au
Indeed, 93 million boycotting US-Americans are a vote.
dyslexia wrote:at the local diner where i often have lunch they have a sign on the wall that says "we serve french fries-freedom is the way we live"
I like that! Now that's my kind of sign ;-)
C.I.
Quote:According to a recent poll conducted by New York-based worldwide public relations firm Weber Shandwick, more than one in three Americans are still less likely to buy French products.
To begin with I did not say. Those were the results of the poll. In addition the question was would you be less likely to buy French products. I find it no surprise that one out of three people said they were. No more of a surprise than that Bush had a better than 60% approval rating.
As to the French restaurants in NY, one of the few places in the US where you will find many, at the height of the controversy with France they were standing practically empty.
Those are the facts. Your disdain not withstanding.
