How about a different headline:

"TESTIMONIALS NEEDED!!!! Oh, by the way, since I used up all the room asking for the above, here's a bullshit letter that should have gone to trash."

I thought, from the original headline it was the letter writer who wanted testimonials on how to get rid of mice! Really Cary, I'm so disappointed. How is that you could have thought of publishing this letter? Were you worn out from begging for testimonials for your book?

I really like your column, and read it religiously everyday. But this one was out of line. I feel disrespected as a reader and I feel like I wasted my time today. I would have preferred if you had published two separate articles today, one for the plea for testimonials and another (much better) letter with its usual (much better) reply.

Sign me, En Provence waiting for tomorrow to be a better day.

I've lived in France for the past two years. It's a whole lot different over here. Everyone I know has a savings account, and I mean everyone. These are not people who make a lot of money, some are just getting by, but they take a portion of their earnings every month and put it away.

Credit cards and loans are pretty hard to get here. The banks are strict and they really want to make sure you can pay this loan back. And man the French are frugal. They turn off the lights every time they leave the room. They drive small cars, mostly diesel, almost no one I know even has a clothes dryer! Water is treated like gold and refrigerators are small.

Yeah, consumerism exists but it's on a much smaller scale than in the States. The French really like their expensive wardrobes! They also have big screen TVs and the latest computers. And they tend to spend their money on nice vacations. But that's the kicker; they spend THEIR money, not some imaginary euros in a small plastic rectangle. They save up, and they buy. And if they put something on credit, it's for three months and they make big payments. All the home loans I've heard of are for 15 years.

I can't imagine their president telling them to go out and buy. It's a part of their culture to be penny wise. Something they're proud of, along with national health care and the 35 hour work week. Now, I can't say that France is a perfect country, their umemployment hovers around 10 percent, their administrative and social services costs are high and their GNP is pretty low. A lot of people are fed up with that and it looks like Sarkowzy is going to try to make some drastic changes but the French are a vocal, concerned, politically active country with an 80 percent voter turnout. We'll see.

I definitely think credit is too easy to get in the States. Credit card and loan companies need to be more closely regulated so people aren't encouraged to spend more than they have. Again, we'll see.

I sold my house--paid off all my credit cards, student loans and other debt--and moved here. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had the forethought and opportunity to experience a wholly different way of life. I don't know if I'll ever go back.