The Off Topic Topic

[Sheilbh]

In addition to people jumping off Durdle Door meaning two air ambulances had to land on the beach and everyone had to crowd into a tight space, it also turns out that in lockdown we've forgotten how to take our rubbish with us and leave the beach how we find it
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-52890608?ns_mchannel=social&ns_linkname=english_regions&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_dorset

[merithyn]

Not to leap to Tyr's defence here, but surely England isn't the only country where the French have a reputation for being rude. I find that very hard to believe.

I used to believe the rudeness thing, until I went to France.

[Josquius]

I live with a francophone :p

[The Brain]

I live with a francophone :p

You built it from Nokia and Motorola parts?

[Valmy]

I live with a francophone :p

You lucky bastard.

[merithyn]

I didn't really notice the rudeness, as such, in Paris.  Sure, some of the service folk in the heavily-saturated tourist area felt a bit brusque, but I wouldn't label that as rude.  One cafe we stopped out outside the tourist area had a little trouble handling our non-French speaking, but adapted quite well and were very polite.

The service folks were also overwhelmed with tourists, during a train strike. And still, none of them were rude. Not American-friendly, but definitely not rude by any stretch of the imagination.

[crazy canuck]

American friendly is a bit off putting though - its more like the customer is always right, better keep smiling, kind of friendly.

[HVC]

When I was in paris, some 16 years ago* I ran across some rudeness when I spoke English or my attempts at "Quebec French", but it was less noticeable if I spoke a weird Portuguese/French combination they were fine.

Outside of paris, and especially in the south, everyone was lovely.


*Fuck I feel old

[Sheilbh]

Agreed on Americans. And I've limited experience but found British terms plus American service can quickly spiral. "How's your food?" "It's fine thanks." Multiple visits to try and work out what's wrong with the food before I realised my mistake  

[Admiral Yi]

When I was in Aix I was strolling by the late night croque monsieur joint one evening and the shop guy was yelling at a pair of German tourists.  They had asked for sandwiches a jambon and the shop dude was yelling "AVEC QUOI???  AVEC QUOI??"  I.e. butter or mustard.  Gave a thought to helping out but for some reason I just bailed.  Don't know if they ever got their sandwiches.

[Josquius]

A wonderful story about the perils of outsourcing.

https://www.live5news.com/2019/10/30/man-hired-hitman-who-hired-hitman-who-hired-hitman-who-hired-hitman-who-hired-hitman-who-snitched/

[Duque de Bragança]

When I was in Aix I was strolling by the late night croque monsieur joint one evening and the shop guy was yelling at a pair of German tourists.  They had asked for sandwiches a jambon and the shop dude was yelling "AVEC QUOI???  AVEC QUOI??"  I.e. butter or mustard.  Gave a thought to helping out but for some reason I just bailed.  Don't know if they ever got their sandwiches.

The ™French Experience™ demands butter; Germans would probably go for Senf, though it is stronger in France than the sweet they have in Teutonia.

[derspiess]

Question for US lawyer types-- Does a business face potential legal trouble if they advertise and charge different prices for customers based upon race?

Reason I ask is that a local business I like and support is offering free meals for African-Americans tomorrow. I'm sure their heart is in the right place, but the practice of charging differently based on race does not seem legal to me.

I know some places have experimented with asking white customers to pay more, but this is different.

[crazy canuck]

Question for US lawyer types-- Does a business face potential legal trouble if they advertise and charge different prices for customers based upon race?

Reason I ask is that a local business I like and support is offering free meals for African-Americans tomorrow. I'm sure their heart is in the right place, but the practice of charging differently based on race does not seem legal to me.

I know some places have experimented with asking white customers to pay more, but this is different.

Russian Trolls are really getting desperate these days

[Maximus]

Russian Trolls are really getting desperate these days

As long as it pisses off the right people.