Anglo Saxons poised to despoil France

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Well, we did it with Germanic barbarians before (the Franks), and I don't see why it wouldn't have worked again!

You're doing it with all those perfidious shopkeepers who are buying retirement and holiday homes in France....

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by molly bloom
You're doing it with all those perfidious shopkeepers who are buying retirement and holiday homes in France....

Nah, we only accept them for their shopkeeper's money. We are most efficient when we take them at the cradle (or at least when we convert people still able to reproduce)

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Spiffor

Nah, we only accept them for their shopkeeper's money. We are most efficient when we take them at the cradle (or at least when we convert people still able to reproduce)

I was converted many years ago- I think it was those Cadinot films I watched, or possibly Juliette Greco or Francoise Hardy.

Or that Pont L'Eveque I tried, or the pain au chocolat, or Francois Villon's poetry.


The seductive guiles and wiles of the bouillabaisse vendors....

[Az]

Well, we did it with Germanic barbarians before (the Franks), and I don't see why it wouldn't have worked again!

aren't you the Germanic barbarians?

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Oerdin


That's because most of our trade imbalance comes from two places. 1) Oil imports which we're going to keep buying no matter the cost. 2) Asian imports.

The Asians (especially the Chinese) either officialy peg their currency to a fraction of the dollars value (making their currency artificially low) or they go the Japanese route of talking their currency down and using their central bank to try and keep the dollar high. If China stopped cheating with its intentionally devalued currency then two things would happen.

1) Manufacturers from outside China would find it easier to compete against artificially low priced Chinese made goods. 2) Foreign made goods would be more competitive in Chinese markets.

Right now the Chinese are behaving like unfair trading partners by intentionally devaluing their currency and distorting international trade. This effectively shifts Chinese unemployment problem to other countries by goosing Chinese exports, however, it is time China's trading partners demand they stop cheating and play fair.

Till now, it was considered that the currency ruling adopted by a country was part of the sovereignty of this country, and this is still considered by the FMI; and the WTO has no ruling regarding the currency rules.

But you say that this has to be changed, because the US are no longer pleased with it. The dollar could no longer be pegged by a country without a US authorisation on the rate; this has necessarily for consequence that no country would adopt a system that is under the authority of a foreign country. The real meaning of this new policy is that the US are giving up the world role of the dollar. I am sure the néocons will love it.

You explanation of the trade imbalance which would result from the oil and asian imports is not convincing : the Euroland is also importing oil and asian goods, and this does not create a dangerous imbalance despite the high value of the Euro which makes difficult the exports when the US exports should develop easily with a dollar very low.

Contrary to your opinion, the Chinese unemployment problem is not solved by the peg and it is one of the reason why the yuan has not yet been revaluated.

Foreign made goods imported in China would be more competitive on Chinese markets would be true only if China did not import almost only goods that are not produced locally; who would be interested in importing in China goods that are already locally made, even after a revaluation of the yuan?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Well, we did it with Germanic barbarians before (the Franks), and I don't see why it wouldn't have worked again!

So it would become Nazi France?

[Dracon II]

Originally posted by Lefty Scaevola
The Norman aristocracy and much of there military class were recently descended for Viking conquerors/overlords. 'Norman' means northman and 'Normandy" means: Land where the vikings kicked our worthless frog butts and set up a duchy.

They were Vikings by origin yes. But by the time of William the Bastard they were culturall French, pretty much... sharing the religion, the language, and they were pioneers of one of the most pure and effective forms of Feudal government at the time... surely not due to their Viking heritage.