Frenchy68

You should add Colombian to the list... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

WTF are penquins? "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Going through a post-birthday depression, uh? "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Try a whole country! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

The problem goes deeper than that. Employers' payroll taxes in France I believe are around 53%. That combined to the fact that it is extremely hard to get rid of an employee who is not wanted/needed makes for an atmosphere not really enciting to hiring new people. The new law allowed employers to "test" employees for a defined period of time. What would most certainly have happened is that the vast majority of people hired under the agreement would have been laid off at the end of the try out period and replaced by another person under the same contract. There would have been many exceptions, I am sure. The root of the problem in France stems, IMO, in two categories: - the fact that it is extremely hard to take back something that people have grown to take for granted (job security being a major social issue in France). - the fact that for decades, diplomas have been advertised as the sure ticket to a good job. That was true in the 50's and 60's, not so much since then. So today's youth does what it considers "its part", meaning graduating from high school, then off to college for several years to obtain the precious diplomas. However, once the courses completed, they find out that there is very little work available, as the turn around in jobs in France is extremely low, and they find themselves in some internship program that can last for years. And that's what makes them go down in the streets and protest. I don't think it was directed at the actual law as much as it was an expression of its frustration. There is a major social and society problem in France today, and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Damn! I thought this was a thread about sex, and instead I find myself in the middle of a spelling bee contest. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

And W went to Iraq!

Got married at 20. Then again at 28. And will again at 38. Will check in with you when I'm 43.

Although it could become a dangerous tool... Since in most countries the head of the ruling government is also at the head of the armed forces, it would be tempting for such leader to use such service as an endoctrination tool. I believe that the armed forces should remain out of politics, and think that the temptation to politicize them would be great if people serving were the only ones with any political power once their out of duty... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Silly, that is a dumb suggestion. Everyone knows that microwaves are to be used to dry hair (and occasionally wet poodles), but not to heat up helmets. Bob, it may work better if you polish your helmet prior to heating it up. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

There are different types of Visas, but the H1 Visa allows for foreigners to work and reside temporarily in the US while performing activities for which they have "special abilities". Quotas were raised in the late 90's I believe by congress, to answer the demand of the dotcoms. 2 years ago, it was brought back to it's old lower level. Quota is usually filled within 8 hours of the opening period. Which, in the particular case of the industry in which I work, translated into major outsourcing to foreign countries such as Australia, NZ, and some of the EU countries, since talent could not legally be "brought" into the US. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Stupid fuckers! Don't them frogs know that burning cars and businesses is only considered civilized and socially acceptable when a local sports team wins a championship! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Innocents should be patched up back together and revived. Guilty parties should remain dead and split into different entities.

Are cults illegal is Germany? "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

I disagree with this statement. I do not believe that a militaristic type society is necessarily a healthy society. I have friends who have served (some still are serving), others who haven't, and some never would. I can not tell that one kind is "better" than the other, nor that one kind has better social skills than the other. I think it has a lot more to do with character and personality than having to do with what you learn at boot camp or in the trenchees. Both "kind" I consider great people though. MHO. In regards to the statement in the original post, I do agree that when one joins the military, he/she should be ready to see combat time. Joining merely for the lure of scholarship or other advantages is, IMO, understandable, but somewhat foolish. In the same token, recruiters should not lure people to join using such baits. I do not know whether they do or not, but if they do, it is wrong. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Happy Birthday Nate. I hate you for being a kid though. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

As The Wolf would say: "Well, let's not start sucking each other's dicks just yet". "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Good question. Much like someone dying in a bizarre gardening accident. Can the surviving spouse sue the garden? I wonder why I'd think these two topics are related actually... Never mind, I'll go back in my hole and smell the glove. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Yes we do! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Damn! And I was hoping he proved people DO go up when the parachute opens! "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Fighting jet lag in an editing room in LA But should be Pa(r)tty time in a couple of hours... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Since you put it so nicely... On a plane in 12 hours. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Cool! Any down side to it though? "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

And we'd better wake the fuck up... yes, that includes Bush and the current admin who are seemingly doing NOTHING about it. Actually, considering how many times Bush has visited China since first elected (3 times I believe), I would hardly say his administration is not paying attention to China. The thing is, China has very little imperialistic intentions militarily. However, it undestands its current and potential economic power, and knows that it is on a (hopefully peaceful) clash course with the US. Strengthening enemies of your rivals is a very old way to deflect attention and fight a proxy war. All countries have used this tactic and still do. Nothing new here. I doubt the US supprted Taiwan since 1949 because of its democratic values... "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Can she cry if she wants to? Happy B-day Darcy. "For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."