Just because they are burning less cars does not mean things have settled down. There might just be less cars left to burn. Besides, the American media wants to portray France in the best possible light.

See my thread on that topic:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/250353-pro-french-media.html

Besides, things could be calming down until they can get AK47's and RPG's into the country...

Well, my Grandmother worked as a caregiver, well into her 80, her choice , some people enjoy working. She even mowed her 1/2 yard (she wouldn't let anyone else do it, said that it helped her stay in shape) until she had a kidney removed at 80 (finally then she let me do it or let me hire someone when I was out of town). Point is, there are many people who feel empty and useless unless they are working. Nobody who really wants to improve is stuck in low paying jobs, if they use their head and work hard, they can move up, it is poor decisions (drugs, having a bunch of kids, spending all your money on drugs buying things they don't need or can't afford). My great Aunts deceased husband didn't have a college education, started working for Standard Oil at a gas station in the 30s, when SO offered to double what you bought in stock with payroll deduction way back them, he did the max amount he could, they lived very modestly, he retired from there in the mid 90s, had lived in the same house for over 50 years, I guess I don't need to tell how they ended up. On the education, there are Pell Grants and many grants, both public & private, my club sponsors some too.

Legion - note the "But not really". The AP and much of the media is spinning or ignoring this. You are right.

"Well, my Grandmother worked as a caregiver, well into her 80, her choice..."

Byron,
Kudos to your GM. However, getting a job presumes one has the opportunity to seek employment w/o obstacles or barriers. With a reported 30% unemployment rate, something is holding them back. Laziness is a superficial answer.

Sherwood

Ok, because wages are so artificially high in France, no businesses want to be there, hence no jobs. It's a BAD system destined to collapse.

Ditto with my Republican grandmother (one time Democrat). She works at See's Candies in Las Vegas.

Funny thing was that she took care of people younger than her:D If it wasn't for lung cancer, she would have kept working. Funny, you say that presumes one has the opportunity to seek employment w/o obstacles or barriers , I was brought up to create opportunity if it wasn't there, and there are many many ways to do that, from cutting lawns to washing cars (if there are any left). But the fact that these idiots in france are burning down pre-schools shows what kind of trash they are.

Byron,
People are pissed. That's apparent. I'm going to wait and see before passing judgement. The next step is to stop the destruction. Strange, the looting part of "burning and looting" doesn't seem to be a part of the usual urban (in this case, suburban) gangster-unrest profile.

Obviously, there shouldn't be any justification for burning down a school (unless the school was worthless anyway. Who knows?). And placing one's childhood environment in current day France isn't quite the same is it? I don't think many govt. subsidized tenement blocks have personal lawns and the people with cars probably don't have the spare $$ to pay some kid to detail their shiny, late model Citroens. If all your neighbors are on govt. handouts, who can afford to employ others?

Few societal problems have simple solutions. It probably goes further than lazy people burning down cars and buildings because they're lazy. That takes some effort and motivation and for sure, a high level of frustration with the current situation, whatever that is.

I'm leaning further away from my friend's interpretation of a minnie Islamic jihad at this point, but if the French govt. doesn't resolve this satisfactorily, many may become extremists.

Sherwood

Is it the racist French who liked the cheap immigrant labor but won't let their children participate fully in society?

Is it the socialist mindset that has bought off a generation of young people with a $1000 month dole + other freebies, but now they are getting bored and restless? Not to mention work rules and regulations that are anti-employment.

Is it immigrants that came over in such large numbers and from a culture very, very different that do not want to lose their ethnic and religious identity?

I don't know the answers, but I am glad I aint living there..:confused: