Dearest Andrew,

Your prescription for the French economy is touchingly naive. The French, you see, have a fully functional democracy that responds to the will of the people. If any government were to "tear up" the social contract, they would be voted out of office so fast your head would spin around. And if the government tried a fait accompli American style? The sound of the guillotine would once again ring through the streets of Paris.

And rightfully so.

But don't feel bad. Living as you do in a nation of sheep and lemmings, you can't be expected to what it's like in a nation of lions.

Most Sincerely and Respectfully Your's,

Rob,

I'm not sure you read to the end of the piece, or if there is some other disconnect. Because a: it is clearly not my prescription, but that of an columnist who I disagree with. And b: the last line of the piece agrees with exactly what you say in your letter... So... huh?

Not to mention that Wal-Mart, at its humble beginnings, actually ripped off a lot of ideas from... a French company!

I have heard that Sam Walton, when he got started in the supermarket business, actually copied most of the ideas of Carrefour, the #1 French retailer and a huge European player. Carrefour is well-known for paying rock-bottom salaries and pressuring its suppliers to get the best deals.

What Wal-Mart did was add to the Carrefour model a great IT infrastructure, to make sure every products are delivered 'right-on-time' and even lower wages. Apart from that, the basic ideas are Carrefour's.

Sorry, I can't find reference for this right now, but I'll look for it if you want.

Check out the article in today's NYT (online) By DAVID BARBOZA.

Maybe globalization is already a big part of our "virtual" world.

The job math details omit loss of businesses and jobs outside the

county of location. Here in Kansas, one Mal-Wart sucks spenders

from 6-10 surrounding counties, closing stores and eliminating jobs

area-wide.

Andrew,

I apparently misjudged the tone of your essay, especially the last sentence. I thought you were engaging in snark. My apologies.