Thanksgiving in Paris
Virgin Vacations is offering travel packages from the U.S. to Paris to spend Thanksgiving. The travel deal starts at $749 and includes:
Solar Blimp From NYC to Paris (Rests on Land or Water)
From cleantechnica:
“A Spanish company called Turtle Airships is working on plans to build a luxurious solar-powered blimp which can take passengers from New York to Paris.
Perhaps the only thing cooler than being powered by lightweight photovoltaic cells, this airship is also designed to rest on land or water.
The first blimp prototype will be propelled in two nontraditional ways. The outside of the ship will be covered with Cadmium-Indium-Germanium (CIG) photovoltaic cells, picked for their their light weight. The cells should generate enough power to move the blimp at around 40 mph in average conditions, or at around 70 horsepower. Meanwhile, a diesel drivetrain will generate the rest of the power, and ideally the designers will look to an adapted hybrid electric model for that. And because blimps fly at low altitudes, they don’t have to deal with problems that plague diesel engines at elevations over 30,000 ft.
The only thing currently keeping this visionary project from flying is…”
Continue reading
“Do We Believe What We Know?” Yann Arthus-Bertrand at TED
In Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s most recent TED Talk, he discusses his three most recent projects on humanity and our habitat. You’ll be glued to the aerial photographs in his series “Earth from Above
,” personal interviews from around the globe featured in his web project “6 billion Others,” and his soon-to-be-released free movie, “Home (produced by Luc Besson),” which documents human impact on the environment through breathtaking video. Home’s global premiere is tomorrow, June 5, which is World Environment Day.
A Naked Pole Vaulter in Paris 
Not that you need another reason to love Paris, but I thought this would be an important addition to the list. Track athlete, Romain Mesnil, for some reason, decided to run naked in the streets of Paris with his … pole. Honestly, we don’t mind. If he needs some publicity, he should have it. Watch the video.
The Squirrel Chronicles Part 3
The squirrels are getting bolder, closer and more curious about who is leaving walnuts for them every day. Here’s Part I and Part 2.
Friday France Photo: He’s Back 
Can you tell? There’s not a whole lot of excitement goin’ on chez nous these days. Anyway, the little guy from the other day is back. Actually, I think this might be a different one. It’s hard to tell; they all look pretty much the same (sorry, squirrels!). The walnuts have made the French squirrel news because I saw four squirrels around our house yesterday. That, I think, is a bit too much.
Friday France Photo: No Swimming Allowed 
Protect Nature / Respect the Environment / No Swimming Allowed
tags: signs, photos of france
Seeing the Camargue on Horseback 
Although there are many ways to explore the Camargue, France’s sprawling area of protected marshland, my personal recommendation would be to see it on horseback. That is, if you’re up for that kind of thing.
Because the Camargue is designated as a botanical and zoological nature reserve, it seems fitting to try to see it all the while respecting nature and the wildlife all around. I love riding and I’d been wanting to go horseback riding for ages, so this was the perfect opportunity, and for me, the perfect way to see the Camargue. If riding on a big animal’s back is not your cup of tea, you have many options: jeep safaris, organized tours, and my second choice for seeing the area, bicycling. With many areas of the Camargue being off-limits to motorized traffic plus the advantage of such a flat terrain, you’re good on bike. Hills will NOT be a problem. Hiking’s also a good choice but you must be in enormously great shape to cover a lot of ground, and to run away from charging wild bulls. Just kidding.
photo from Les Arnelles
Looking for places to rent a horse to ride will not be a problem; they are everywhere. Just check out the place and owners a bit and examine the health of the horses. We visited three places before choosing Les Arnelles. The people working there were great, the horses were well taken care of, and since we had specific areas we wanted to see, they let us customize our ride.
If you plan on taking photos on horseback, I’d recommend bringing a small camera that you can use easily with one hand. I made the mistake of bringing my large camera, which is a little too clunky and heavy to use with one hand (carrying reins in the other hand), which is why I took very few pictures. Also, along the way, I lost my lens cover while we’d been galloping for a stretch. Doh!
NOTE: Don’t forget the mosquito repellent! Also try to bring some binoculars.
Les Arnelles
Route d’Arles
13460 Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer France
Tel: +33 (0)603 892 379 | +33 (0)686 601 515 | +33 (0)490 978 286
Website: Les Arnelles
tags: france, camargue, horseback riding camargue
1600 Pandas at Trocadero, Paris 
WWF France (World Wildlife Fund) is turning 35 years old. Remembering their 35 years of struggle to save natural habitats and wildlife, and their 35 years of helping to protect biodiversity, the WWF is taking their icon/mascot, the panda, as a theme to “celebrate” these 35 years of combating the disappearance of pandas and thousands of other species of animals in danger. There are only 1600 pandas left on earth because Man has accelerated their extinction. The exhibit of 1600 pandas at the Trocadero is a call to action for each person to do their part in helping to reverse the deterioration of our natural environment.
1600 Pandas – WWF
Trocadero, Paris
October 18, 2008
10am – 5pm
tags: france, french, pandas, wwf, trocadero
The Best Time to See Pink Flamingos in the Camargue Before we get into Pink Flamingos, the non-John Waters
and non-plastic-lawn-decor-in-Florida versions, let’s talk about the Camargue.
The Camargue is a vast, triangle-shaped stretch of isolated roads, fresh and salt water ponds, salt flats, rice paddies, tall reeds, and nationally protected plains in the south of France (below Arles) – about 360 square kilometers / 930 square miles between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the River Rhône delta. Approximately a third of the Camargue is either lakes or marshland, with the central portion of the Camargue being a protected haven for wild birds. The area is home to over 400 different species of birds. It’s also the main habitat for the famous Toro Camargue (The Camargue Black Bulls) and Le Camargue (White Mane gray horses called Camargue Horses in English), but by far, there’s only one species of birds that steals the main stage here: the pink flamingo. People from all over the world flock to France just to see them.
Camargue’s pink “greater” flamingo, the “Phoenicopterus Roseus” officially, is the largest species of flamingo. Their plumage is pinkish white with black and crimson wings and their unusually shaped pink and black beak acts as a sieve designed to separate mud from food. They honk rather ungracefully and sound similar to the honks of geese. They are very sociable animals and fly in large flocks, and will not breed unless there are huge numbers of flamingos around them, which finally leads to the point of this post!
The best time to see flamingos according to experts is during their reproduction process. Oui, mating season! When is that? In the Camargue, it is recommended to see the flamingos during the winter months, any time between November and March. However, THE most ideal time to visit is actually in January and February according to the Parc Ornithologigue, (where we saw the flamingos) just 4 kilometers from the center of Saintes Maries. 10,000 flamingo couples gather around to do their thing. This is apparently amazing to see, from what we hear if not for watching an incredible amount of flamingos in one place at the same time, but also for a peeping tom chance to become a voyeur to witness their sexual activities en masse. Another great opportunity is to watch the pink flamingos take off in flight, all together. This happens at sunset. So, ultimately, the very best time to see the flamingos in the Camargue is in January or February when the sun sets. You can easily spend a few hours at the Parc Ornithologigue beforehand. Just make sure to time it right.
The non-breeding flamingos hang out in the Camargue a good part of the year so you will be sure to see some during most of the year, but their numbers will vary depending on what time of year you visit. Go during sun set!
A Last IMPORTANT NOTE: The Camargue is also home to some seriously vicious mosquitos. They are gargantuan and relentlessly evil. So please be prepared to use repellent. Lots of it. Everywhere. Even if you are wearing thick clothing, they will bite you through jeans. If you happen to forget yours, you can ask the people at the entrance for repellent. They will kindly let you use theirs for free.
Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau
Route d’Arles
13460 Saintes Maries de la Mer
Tél : 04 90 97 82 62
Admission: 7 €, 4 € (10 year-olds and under)
Open all year. Hours: Vary so please contact them for hours.
tags: france, camargue, pink flamingos, best time to see pink flamingos, Parc Ornithologigue, mating season, bird watching
Orange to Rate Environmental Impact of Cell Phones, But What About Health Impacts of Cell Phones? Sunday October 05th 2008, 4:55 am
Filed under:
articles,
daily life,
environment,
french laws,
games/software/tech,
health,
nature,
news,
products,
shopping,
weirdFrom macworld:
“Network operator Orange will rate the environmental impact of the fixed-line and mobile phones it sells, it said Friday.
The company will publish eco-ratings for the first 30 products on its French Web-site in mid-October and will extend it to all the products it sells next year, it said.
Orange is the brand used by France Télécom for its mobile phone and Internet access activities in France, the U.K. and other European countries. Orange is the exclusive service provider for Apple’s iPhone in France; it also provides iPhone service in Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Liechtenstein, Romania, and Slovakia.
Orange’s ratings initially concern its French stores and networks, and are based on five indicators, compiled by the company BIO Intelligence Service:
* CO2 assessment, a measure of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the phone’s manufacture and use;
* Energy efficiency, a gauge of the phone’s power consumption and of any features that allow consumption to be reduced;
* Resource preservation, a broad rating of whether the materials used to make the product are nonrenewable or whether, like the gold and tantalum used in electrical connections and capacitors, they come from what Orange describes as “sensitive economic or social environments”;
* Limitation of dangerous substances, a measure of whether the phone avoids the use of toxic chemicals—although the most dangerous of these are already prohibited by European Union law;
* Waste reduction, a rating of whether the device can be repaired and whether it or its packaging can be recycled.
Orange’s program, developed in conjunction with environmental group WWF, could give the French government some food for thought.
After the success of an eco-tax to penalize buyers of polluting vehicles and reward purchasers of vehicles with lower CO2 emissions, the government had talked of extending the measures to other products. Those plans were postponed last month because, the government said, there were no clear environmental criteria for products other than cars.
In France mobile phones—and most other electrical and electronic goods—are already subject to a special tax called “eco-participation,” intended to fund recycling of the products at the end of their lives. Although the current eco-tax on mobile phones differs from that for, say, photocopiers, it’s the same for all models of phone, and at just €0.01 (US$.01), is nowhere near enough to influence customers to choose more environmentally friendly products.”
tags: france, french, orange, iphone, environmental impact of cell phones
Removing Facial and Body Hair From bbcnews:
“…They are angry that the law does not allow them to use more modern hair-removal techniques on their clients.
It follows a series of prosecutions for professional misconduct against beauticians for using laser and “intense pulsed light” treatments.
Under a 1962 decree these more sophisticated methods are the preserve of qualified dermatologists.
But France’s National Confederation of Beauty Institutes (CNAIB) protests that customers nowadays expect the latest epilation technology, like “flash lamps”.
On Monday hundreds of beauty workers – estheticiennes – demonstrated outside the health ministry in Paris to demand that the industry’s governing regulations be brought up to date.
They accuse dermatologists and other professional groups of waging a turf war to keep out new competition.
“French beauticians are the only ones in Europe…..” Continue reading
tags: france, french, beauticians, protest, hair removal
Moules Frites in Saintes-Maries de la Mer Wednesday October 01st 2008, 8:02 am
Filed under:
Cote d'azur/Riviera,
cultural differences,
daily life,
food and drinks,
Languedoc-Roussillon,
nature,
Provence,
restaurants,
tips,
travel and places,
travel tip
The dish, Moules Frites (mussels and fries), is practically an institution in France, which should be reason enough to sample some while you’re here, best eaten near the sea of course. These are from a brasserie called Le Belvedere in the southern seaside town, Saintes-Maries de la Mer, which is considered the capital of the Camargue.
We had a nice view of the beach and sea, sitting outside in the warmth of the provencale sun, munching on our moules and perfectly fried fries. (The restaurant had friendly service and reasonable prices, too.) What a great way to forget about the global financial deterioration spreading quickly around world…
Le Belvedere
21 Avenue de la plage
13460 Saintes-Maries de la mer France
Tèl : 04.90.97.92.87
tags: france, french, camargues, Saintes-Maries de la Mer, moules frites, Le Belvedere , beach
Apples 
We heart Apple season (well I guess we heart all seasons) where we live and this wheelbarrow is about the third one of apples we’ve harvested in the last month or so – from only one tree. By the way, if we didn’t live here in the countryside I probably wouldn’t even be familiar with the French word for wheelbarrow, which is une brouette, just in case you were wondering. My city dwelling family members in the U.S. tease me about this to no end (because I used to be such a die-hard city person), and they sometimes tell people that I am a farmer now. I’m not but I’m actually fine with that.
So many people just leave their apples to drop off and rot on the ground, I mean hundreds upon hundreds of precious, yummy pesticide-free apples, which makes no sense to me but whatever. We can never have enough apples; bring ‘em on, we say.
So far, I’ve only made pectin (with the greener ones), apple compote, and lots of apple (plus other fruit and veggie) juice, but I really would like to try to make some chaussons aux pommes (French apple turnovers) and some tartes aux pommes (apple tarts/pies). You know, do something French with these apples, since they’re French afterall. Maybe I’ll try making something this weekend if I’m not too lazy.
tags: france, french, apples
Le vin de merde Wednesday September 17th 2008, 1:03 pm
Filed under:
advertising & marketing,
cultural differences,
daily life,
food and drinks,
funny,
Languedoc-Roussillon,
nature,
news,
products,
Provence,
shopping,
weird,
wine
Tired of the constant criticism aimed at the wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, specifically that the wines were “crap,” an independent vintner responded with a revolutionary and rebellious idea and created, “Le vin de merde” (Shit wine). The wine label will be hard to miss if you ever see it on a shelf because there’s a big fat fly on it as if it were sitting on a pile of poo. Brilliant and funny publicity stunt. The wine, however, is supposedly not crappy at all. Would make a fun dinner party gift.
tags: france, wine, le vin de merde, great publicity stunt, shit wine
[via Canal+]
Another Radioactive Leak but it’s in the Same Place, Really 
This time the uranium leak is in Pierrelatte, which actually shares the same nuclear power facilities as Tricastin, where the last two leaks were found, but the media has been suspiciously removing “Tricastin” from this news and are making people think that Pierrelatte is not in the same place. Well, it IS in the same place.
Tricastin and Pierrelatte are villages next to each other and they share the same nuclear power site, referred to as “Tricastin-Pierrelatte.” Pierrelatte happens to be in the Drome department and Tricastin is in the Vaucluse department but they are literally “across the street” from each other. Areva, the company responsible for the nuclear power plants, is the very same company responsible for all of the other uranium leaks in the area, and again is saying that it is a “small” leak and therefore of little consequence.” YEA RIGHT. article (in French)
Links: more uranium leaks, Greepeace suing Areva
tags: france, real estate, uranium, contamination, radioactive leaks, tricastin, pierrelatte, corporate lies
The Village of Cap d’Agde, Where Being Nude is the Law 
Before the weather gets too chilly, I thought I’d mention the village of Cap d’Agde, where being butt naked is obligatory. If interested, you’ll still have time to enjoy the sun à poil (in your birthday suit).
The village of Cap d’Agde, also called, “The Naked City,” is a seaside port and resort along the Mediterranean not far from the cities of Carcassone, Nimes and Montpellier. (in the Hérault department, in the région of Languedoc-Roussillon). It is supposedly the world’s largest naturist village. “Naturism,” which many people call nudism, is legal so it isn’t uncommon to see families walking around naked in supermarkets, shops, banks, restaurants, hotels, hairdressers, camp sites, etc. The beach in Cap d’Agde, which extends across 3 kilometers of beach, enforces a “nudity mandatory” policy, which means you MUST be nude there. I’m not sure what happens if you have any clothes on. Do the police rip them off of you? Are you arrested for wearing a sock? What happens in the COLD winter?
So anyway, this is a place where you can literally let it all hang out, perfect for an even tan with no bathing suit lines. Definitely not for everybody, and for the most part, it’s really no big deal – But don’t be led to think it’s entirely a wholesome place to vacation with the kids. Cap d’Agde is a lot of things.
While it IS perfectly okay to vacation here with kids, the place fulfills a whole spectrum of expectations, primarily regarding sexual satisfaction. For example, during the day families and kids are at the beach to have fun in the sun, but at the same time, others may be scouting the territory to find potential sexual partners for the evening or couples will be looking for other couples to switch partners with. Say, you’re invited to a party one night in the village. It would very a rare occasion if that party didn’t involve gratuitous non-committal sex with multiple partners. In other words, it has some innocence but on the other hand, anything goes. So with all the swingers clubs scattered amidst the family shops and restaurants, and the people, voyeurs and all (yes there are naked voyeurs here), it all seems pretty relaxed. For some reason these two incongruous communities: happy family fun and the old school naturists, and the sex motivated swingers with pierced genitals, work harmoniously side by side.
tags: france, travel, nude beaches, cap d’agde, naturism france, naked city
La vie des animaux selon les hommes 
The life of animals according to man. Funny French vignettes here. (You don’t need to know how to speak French to understand these.)
[via]
tags: france, La vie des animaux selon les hommes, comedy, skits, french
The Mystery of Mushrooms in France Sunday August 10th 2008, 10:00 am
Filed under:
conspiracy theories,
daily life,
environment,
food and drinks,
Languedoc-Roussillon,
nature,
news,
politics,
products,
Provence,
shopping,
weird
“Paris Mushrooms, it’s when they’re in your mouth that they’re the happiest.”
Aside from this ad promoting Champignons de Paris (button mushrooms) in France being very, very cute, I’m wondering why the mushroom industry (if there’s a mushroom industry) needs to advertise in the first place. Is there an overproduction of mushrooms? I rarely see ads for other veggies like cucumbers or celery or artichokes or for any veggies, ever; really, this is strange to me. Is there a silent mushroom consumption grève (strike) or something? … So much so that mushroom farmers need a push from ads?
Just a couple of weeks ago, our neighbors asked us if we had any extra mushrooms they could borrow because they couldn’t find any anywhere near our neighborhood. My sweetie, being even more of a conspiracy theorist than I am (yea, I know! unbelievable but true!), suggested that the radioactive leaks lately have been compromising the mushrooms, which perhaps were then removed from the market. Apparently, mushrooms excessively absorb radiation, which is an enormous help to people around…unless they eat those mushrooms…
tags: france, mushrooms, champignons de paris, radioactive contamination, uranium leaks
[ad via]
Herpes Killing Young French Oysters 
From reuters:
“A herpes virus is killing young oysters in France because they have spent too much energy developing their sexual organs rather than their natural defenses, an oyster crisis team has found.
Scientists have spent weeks investigating a mysterious surge in mortality among the mollusks that the French love to devour with lemon and white wine.
France’s main marine research institute, Ifremer, set up the crisis team on July 3 and its members have been working flat out to understand why 40 to 100 percent of oysters aged 12 to 18 months were dying in all but one of France’s breeding areas.
An Ifremer spokeswoman said on Monday the team had established that a virus called Oyster Herpesvirus type 1, or OsHV-1, was killing young oysters, helped by unfavorable weather conditions that had weakened the mollusks.
“We had a warm winter followed by a rainy spring, which caused high levels of planktonic plant life to develop,” spokeswoman Johanna Martin said.
“This meant that the oysters were particularly well fed and spent a lot of energy developing their sexual organs to the detriment of their natural reserves, leaving them vulnerable to OsHV-1,” she said.
There is no cure for OsHV-1.
Ifremer is continuing its investigations and admits that other factors could be contributing, such as toxic seaweed or Vibrio Splendidus, another virus present in France this year.
France produces about 110,000 tonnes of oysters a year, according to Ifremer data. It is the world’s fourth biggest producer after China, which alone accounts for 83 percent of world production, followed by Korea and Japan.
All of France’s oyster breeding areas, of which 90 percent are on the western coast, are affected by high mortality rates except one area at Arcachon in the southwest. Scientists do not know why Arcachon oysters have been spared.”
AGAIN! Nuclear Waste LEAK 
A so-called NEW uranium leak near Avignon was reported just a week ago, and now there’s yet another nuclear power plant that is leaking. This time it’s at a plant that is actually not very far from the other leaking plant – in Romans-sur-Isere, both managed by the unscrupulous, Areva. The suits are saying AS USUAL, that this leak is not dangerous to humans and can not harm the environment. I’d like to ask, will they drink the water?
Does this remind anyone of various past events assessed by other evil corporations? Remember how the tobacco industry said that there is absolutely no link between smoking and cancer? I saw the excellent French documentary (Tabac, le grand conspiration) on the tobacco industry just the other night on TV showing old cigarette commercials: “Cigarettes are good for you!” “Cigarettes make you feel better!” “More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette.” “Cigarettes have absolutely no effect on your health!” Please. How could companies get away with this type of criminal activity? How can they continue to do so even today? Easily.
Also remember, they claimed that ASBESTOS was perfectly SAFE! Tell that to all the millions of people who died from asbesto poisoning or mesothelioma, who are now dying of cancer from it.
There aren’t just two power plants in France that are leaking, and those aren’t new leaks. (France 2 interview with Roland Desbordes explains) Additionally, there are a lot more leaking hazardous materials into the environment and drinking water, and have been doing so for a while now.
With the nuclear power plant companies claiming that “all is well and there’s no need to be concerned about the uranium that has leaked into the environment. This is a MINOR event and humans are totally safe from this! There’s no impact!” – and on the other side with scientists declaring that these leaks are hazardous and certainly NOT safe for humans and the environment. Who would YOU believe?
My point: If you’re traveling in these areas or anything near a nuclear power plant, simply be aware of the risks. Check the CRIIRAD site, which is the Independent Commission For Radioactivity Research and Information. (In French)
Link: nuclear power in france, radiation leak in Normandy, 2nd Nuclear Power Plant Leak in July (in German), ridiculous old smoking ads, 10 bizarre cigarette commericials
tags: france uranium leak nuclear power plants radiation corporate lies areva nuclear waste
