Sorry France, We’re a Little Busy Over Here…..

I know that our government rolled out a stimulus package and that several businesses have taken advantage of it; unfortunately we’re still running a little behind one of our European counterparts, France. We did have a new administration to put into place and Vice-President Biden admitted that they read the economy wrong. So now we have to catch up and turn things around. The New York Time’s cover story regarding France’s stimulus packages showed a picture of a man repairing a column on the Grand Commun near the Palace of Versailles. The article stated that French workers who are accustomed to taking the summer off will be working to keep French chateaus, cathedrals and museums in good repair – we must not disappoint the tourists! Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t people still flock to the Coliseum in Rome? It’s still a ruin, right? I heard there’s a tower in Pisa that isn’t even standing upright and people visit it year ‘round! Those crazy Italians are just so gimmicky!

One of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s advisors, a Mr. Devedjian, stated that the US is six-month’s behind in doling out the monies from our stimulus package. Hmm, let me think what we were doing six months ago, oh yes, replacing a President, forming a new administration and still keeping an eye on the rest of the world in case they got into trouble and needed us to DO SOMETHING! Uh huh. Thanks for giving us a minute to catch our breath. We are using our stimulus packages for saving as many of the little guys as possible, the ones that have been in business for years, have paid their taxes religiously; the ones that have served the people in their community. And yes, we’ve been trying to save our automakers too. We have directed money away from those places that are less crucial in today’s world, libraries (unfortunately, but people don’t need them the way they used to), museums and less needed city services (many communities had no fireworks this year) to name a few.

The thing about European countries like France is that there aren’t so many small businesses. There are artisans, to be sure, but by and large Europe counts on tourists. Repairs on their major sightseeing stops is compulsory to keep their nations’ coffers filled. We, on the other hand, have always been the work horse population of the world. No other country’s inhabitants work as hard as Americans work. So forgive us if our priorities are slightly different. You, dear France, must roll your stimulus monies out now to get your country’s attractions in place for the tourists. Excuse us, if we take our time to try to fix some of the underlying problems that caused this mess in the first place and save people’s long-term livelihoods. We don’t need to repair the aesthetics of it. It is what it is.

gloria

A car giant crumbles and bargains in Hamptons’ rentals!

I have New Times alerts sent directly to my cell phone and last night was surprised at a few minutes to midnight that my phone beeped and there was the news that GM’s assets were approved to be sold off to a new government-backed company. I immediately mused to my boyfriend “I wonder if that means China?” I giggled and then realized that it wasn’t all that funny. Our trade deficit with China is so large that our children’s children’s children will inherit the legacy. Lucky them.

On a more positive note, you can rent a home in the Hamptons (probably not beach front at this point) for a lot less than you could in the past. Along with your low-priced two-month rental fee of $225,000 you can get a facelift and a private staff to help you recuperate. I’m already in the car.

A sound artist has done a clever thing in New York. He’s taken recordings that he’s gathered from the pedestrian tunnel just north of the Central Park Zoo, edited them and is now piping the recordings back into the tunnel. While I think that it’s probably kind of interesting to listen to, I also like the sound of my footsteps and the birds as I walk through the tunnel. Mind you I haven’t been there in a while, but in the times that I’m the lone soul traversing through the expansive dome, the sound of my sneakers crunching leaves and stones sends a little tickle through me. I’ve often imagined the rest of world has disappeared or I’m hiding from deadlines, phone calls or my loved ones who are just getting on my nerves a bit that day. It’s my guilty little pleasure when I’m in New York that calls to me in my hotel room until I return to pay homage. And now it’s filled with sound…..that isn’t normally there…. that doesn’t happen by chance. Okay, so I’m trying to say it’s not organic.

Anyone that knows me knows that my preference is “organic” in just about anything — and that I can too put down my Blackberry….. as long as I know where it is!

gloria