Thursday, September 14, 2006

Command and control


Lest you moan about the regulations concerning small businesses in your country, take a look at this. It's quite a good summation of one of the major problems regarding 'free enterprise' in France, and I suggest that it is more than likely at the root of France's inbuilt objection to foreign businesses. I look at the number of French owned organisations in the UK and then compare the uproar when a foreign business tries to take over a French company here in France. Its not by chance they have a 'Foreign Legion'. The French State has a very firm control over its business community, a power that it will not relinquish easily. Somebody once posed the question, 'Is France the only communist state that has ever succeeded?' The more I live here, the more I understand that statement. This country is certainly different. Interesting.


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Jan (a favourite photo above) went into hospital this afternoon for a minor op that had been put back from last week, because of the infection in her leg. She's in the wars at the moment, poor thing. This operation is a sort of look see and test. Nothing to be too worried about unless you want to worry about me having to look after myself! Added to that we didn't sleep at all well last night because of a violent thunderstorm that raged all night. At one point the clap of thunder was so loud and so close that we both lifted off the bed (about time too - Ed.) We were up and down all night but the dogs didn't seem too perturbed at all.

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