6 ms·

I'm cracking up laughing here. Here's some perspective for my fellows 'mericans who haven't been to this part of the world. English people love to pan everythin

I'm cracking up laughing here. Here's some perspective for my fellows 'mericans who haven't been to this part of the world. English people love to pan everything French for any reason whatsoever. Most English folk will openly say, "I hate the French" - they don't actually hate the French. It's just that they really, really get off on having a laugh at anything and everything French. I was cracking up laughing when I saw the headline - and then saw it was from the Guardian. The article's probably all correct, but the really gratuitous tone the author takes, like he's glad the conference was a mess because it made him able to write this article hardcore "taking the piss" out of the conference? Yup, it's an England thing :) I love it, and mind you, I'm a quarter French and a quarter English so I'm pretty neutral in the whole affair.

peakok 18y ago
I'm French and I enjoyed the article. This Loic LeMeur guy has always been a self-proclaimed ambassador of whatever he wants, but he's just blow hard. He needs the bad press so he'll disappear sooner (I hope so). And you're right about the gratuitious French bashing, it's a cultural thing and it takes part on both sides of the Channel, there's nothing to be offended about, it's funny if you take the right stance.
- staunch 18y ago
  Loic LeMeur is the European answer to Jason Calacanis.
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    Together at last: http://www.onemanandhisblog.com/images/2007/Loicandjason.jpg http://www.onemanandhisblog.com/images/2007/Loicandjason.jpg
    - Shamiq 18y ago
      Someone please make a secondary market for karma. This one deserves more. Jason, as great of a guy you are...
    - pchristensen 18y ago
      Wow, he looks frighteningly like Vin Diesel.
  - jasonmcalacanis 18y ago
    Hey! easy there fella.... we had screaming wifi and internet at www.techcrunch50.com !!! (for 2.5 out of three days that is!). Note: I've figured out how to get wifi to work at a conference.... run ethernet cables to everyone's seat. Seriously, that's how we've solved the problem. I've told the tech people every year that wifi sucks for large groups, it doesn't handle 1-3k connections in a 30,000 square foot room and that ethernet cables are rock solid. every time the techs fight me, every time I force them to run ethernet and every time i'm right. very frustrating... i will NEVER use wifi as anything other than a backup at a conference. Run ethernet cables people... it's really that simple. also, get three different connections and run three separate networks for each 1/3rd of the conference. then if things go down at least 2/3rd of the people are up.
    - fallentimes 18y ago
      Running ethernet cables is a great idea, but I don't think he was talking about the conferences.
- fallentimes 18y ago
  If it makes you feel better his startup his failing badly.
  - gruseom 18y ago
    Judging from the one instance of this type I've observed up close, it doesn't much matter if your startup is failing badly. You simply switch to "teaching" other people how to do startups. One thing that characters like this have in common with upper managers in large corporations is a remarkable ability to frame failures as successes, at least in terms of promoting themselves personally... which is what they really care about.
    - gruseom 18y ago
      Looking this over, I want to clarify: when I said "characters like this", I meant, "characters of the type we're talking about". I'm not making any point about the individual named in the thread, whom I don't know and haven't observed, and for all I know may be unfairly put in this category.
  - sgrove 18y ago
    I can't imagine that would make anyone feel better. I enjoyed following his videos when I was first starting up, and his energy is certainly infectious. Since his layoffs I've had a bit of a more dour opinion of him, as it seemed opportunistic, and he does tend to jetset quite often. That said, I hope he does well. I can't see the value in what he does, but then I'm not likely his target market (though I certainly tried Seesmic, and tried to like it). And I haven't a clue as to where the revenue stream was supposed to materialize (product placement? Brand communication channel?) But as an entrepreneur, I would hate to see him fail badly, as you put it - his family is here, he's put a lot of effort, etc. Although I suppose you didn't explicitly state that you take pleasure in watching another who's risked quite a bit fail spectacularly, I thought I might just drop my two cents.
    - fallentimes 18y ago
      The other commenters reflect my thoughts. While I don't enjoy watching startups fail, it really rubs me wrong when people are too busy going to conferences/twittering/emailing/whatever instead of working on their startup. If you can't do, teach.
- vorador 18y ago
  You're wrong ! Loïc LeMeur created the Web 3.0 !
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    Oh no...I don't even know what Web 2.0 means yet. Though apparently I'm the cofounder of a "Web 2.0 company".
    - prakash 18y ago
      you are lucky!
    - mikeyur 18y ago
      No one really knows what it means, it's fairly open ended to be honest. Also, checked out your startup. 2 thumbs up :)
    - Prrometheus 18y ago
      I think web 2.0 means that you don't make money. I think you're running a web 1.0 company/
  - cabalamat 18y ago
    If I think up some pretentious-sounding buzzwords, can I invent Web 4.0?
- michaelneale 18y ago
  Yes it makes for some great laughs. I am a fan of "Yes Prime Minister": Humphrey: "If the French have the bomb, we must have the bomb" PM: "But isn't the Russians we are worried about"? Humphrey: "well yes, right now, but what about the last 1000 years?"
patio11 18y ago
I think there is a similar streak in the American national character (although I we'd probably phrase it as "I hate France", which is a distinction with a difference). Freedom fries, etc. We know we've been bffs for a few hundred years now and if someone attacked France the same folks who voted for "freedom fries" would be the first ones suggesting we come to France's aid. They would add "Like we always do", of course, and give France guff about it for the next century or so. But we kid because we love 'em, even though they are cheese-eating surrender monkeys. (Google it.)
- PieSquared 18y ago
  Yup, that's true... Such as this: Go to google, type in "french military victories", and press I'm feeling lucky. It takes you to a french parody site, suggesting that you meant "french military defeats".
  - patio11 18y ago
    That one is chuckle worthy but I think this is the absolute pinnacle of the genre: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/france.html http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/france.html About the only think it leaves out is the American Civil War, where France was initially rooting for the Confederacy. The later reverted to type: switch sides after the battle is won and take credit for the victory. (Jokes aside, the UK performed similarly that time.) See, e.g., http://www.civilwarhome.com/europeandcivilwar.htm http://www.civilwarhome.com/europeandcivilwar.htm
- ObieJazz 18y ago
  There's an even stronger streak with regard to Canada. Jon Stewart the other day said that Canada's chief national export is "jokes that they are the butt of."
ErrantX 18y ago
This is so true :) I love french people personally (sorta). But to admit to it in the UK is still a hangable offence you know! And us brits wonder why people dont get our humor "lets be really rude to them! good joke yes?? haw haw" ;) :D
- FraaJad 18y ago
  Brit and you say "humor"? I doubt it old chap.
  - parenthesis 18y ago
    Well, I'm British, yet I sometimes find myself using US spellings when posting in an online place with lots of Americans.
    - FraaJad 18y ago
      I'm an Indian and I'm trying to keep the British spelling alive. Let's have some fighting spirit here, shall we :p
    - ErrantX 18y ago
      Dude I totally have the same problem. I even started using the word Dude when not stoned :o
gaius 18y ago
"A war with France is traditional, but with Paris, unthinkable" -- Jane Austen (IIRC)
mattmaroon 18y ago
We Americans do too. In high school my history teacher liked to ask the French students "how do you say I surrender in French?" We hold WWII over them the way you do Waterloo. Some take it too far and start using the term "Freedom Fries".

peakok 18y ago

I'm French and I enjoyed the article. This Loic LeMeur guy has always been a self-proclaimed ambassador of whatever he wants, but he's just blow hard. He needs the bad press so he'll disappear sooner (I hope so). And you're right about the gratuitious French bashing, it's a cultural thing and it takes part on both sides of the Channel, there's nothing to be offended about, it's funny if you take the right stance.

staunch 18y ago
Loic LeMeur is the European answer to Jason Calacanis.
- fallentimes 18y ago
  Together at last: http://www.onemanandhisblog.com/images/2007/Loicandjason.jpg http://www.onemanandhisblog.com/images/2007/Loicandjason.jpg
  - Shamiq 18y ago
    Someone please make a secondary market for karma. This one deserves more. Jason, as great of a guy you are...
  - pchristensen 18y ago
    Wow, he looks frighteningly like Vin Diesel.
- jasonmcalacanis 18y ago
  Hey! easy there fella.... we had screaming wifi and internet at www.techcrunch50.com !!! (for 2.5 out of three days that is!). Note: I've figured out how to get wifi to work at a conference.... run ethernet cables to everyone's seat. Seriously, that's how we've solved the problem. I've told the tech people every year that wifi sucks for large groups, it doesn't handle 1-3k connections in a 30,000 square foot room and that ethernet cables are rock solid. every time the techs fight me, every time I force them to run ethernet and every time i'm right. very frustrating... i will NEVER use wifi as anything other than a backup at a conference. Run ethernet cables people... it's really that simple. also, get three different connections and run three separate networks for each 1/3rd of the conference. then if things go down at least 2/3rd of the people are up.
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    Running ethernet cables is a great idea, but I don't think he was talking about the conferences.
fallentimes 18y ago
If it makes you feel better his startup his failing badly.
- gruseom 18y ago
  Judging from the one instance of this type I've observed up close, it doesn't much matter if your startup is failing badly. You simply switch to "teaching" other people how to do startups. One thing that characters like this have in common with upper managers in large corporations is a remarkable ability to frame failures as successes, at least in terms of promoting themselves personally... which is what they really care about.
  - gruseom 18y ago
    Looking this over, I want to clarify: when I said "characters like this", I meant, "characters of the type we're talking about". I'm not making any point about the individual named in the thread, whom I don't know and haven't observed, and for all I know may be unfairly put in this category.
- sgrove 18y ago
  I can't imagine that would make anyone feel better. I enjoyed following his videos when I was first starting up, and his energy is certainly infectious. Since his layoffs I've had a bit of a more dour opinion of him, as it seemed opportunistic, and he does tend to jetset quite often. That said, I hope he does well. I can't see the value in what he does, but then I'm not likely his target market (though I certainly tried Seesmic, and tried to like it). And I haven't a clue as to where the revenue stream was supposed to materialize (product placement? Brand communication channel?) But as an entrepreneur, I would hate to see him fail badly, as you put it - his family is here, he's put a lot of effort, etc. Although I suppose you didn't explicitly state that you take pleasure in watching another who's risked quite a bit fail spectacularly, I thought I might just drop my two cents.
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    The other commenters reflect my thoughts. While I don't enjoy watching startups fail, it really rubs me wrong when people are too busy going to conferences/twittering/emailing/whatever instead of working on their startup. If you can't do, teach.
vorador 18y ago
You're wrong ! Loïc LeMeur created the Web 3.0 !
- fallentimes 18y ago
  Oh no...I don't even know what Web 2.0 means yet. Though apparently I'm the cofounder of a "Web 2.0 company".
  - prakash 18y ago
    you are lucky!
  - mikeyur 18y ago
    No one really knows what it means, it's fairly open ended to be honest. Also, checked out your startup. 2 thumbs up :)
  - Prrometheus 18y ago
    I think web 2.0 means that you don't make money. I think you're running a web 1.0 company/
- cabalamat 18y ago
  If I think up some pretentious-sounding buzzwords, can I invent Web 4.0?
michaelneale 18y ago
Yes it makes for some great laughs. I am a fan of "Yes Prime Minister": Humphrey: "If the French have the bomb, we must have the bomb" PM: "But isn't the Russians we are worried about"? Humphrey: "well yes, right now, but what about the last 1000 years?"

patio11 18y ago

I think there is a similar streak in the American national character (although I we'd probably phrase it as "I hate France", which is a distinction with a difference). Freedom fries, etc. We know we've been bffs for a few hundred years now and if someone attacked France the same folks who voted for "freedom fries" would be the first ones suggesting we come to France's aid. They would add "Like we always do", of course, and give France guff about it for the next century or so. But we kid because we love 'em, even though they are cheese-eating surrender monkeys. (Google it.)

PieSquared 18y ago
Yup, that's true... Such as this: Go to google, type in "french military victories", and press I'm feeling lucky. It takes you to a french parody site, suggesting that you meant "french military defeats".
- patio11 18y ago
  That one is chuckle worthy but I think this is the absolute pinnacle of the genre: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/france.html http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/france.html About the only think it leaves out is the American Civil War, where France was initially rooting for the Confederacy. The later reverted to type: switch sides after the battle is won and take credit for the victory. (Jokes aside, the UK performed similarly that time.) See, e.g., http://www.civilwarhome.com/europeandcivilwar.htm http://www.civilwarhome.com/europeandcivilwar.htm
ObieJazz 18y ago
There's an even stronger streak with regard to Canada. Jon Stewart the other day said that Canada's chief national export is "jokes that they are the butt of."

ErrantX 18y ago

This is so true :) I love french people personally (sorta). But to admit to it in the UK is still a hangable offence you know! And us brits wonder why people dont get our humor "lets be really rude to them! good joke yes?? haw haw" ;) :D

FraaJad 18y ago
Brit and you say "humor"? I doubt it old chap.
- parenthesis 18y ago
  Well, I'm British, yet I sometimes find myself using US spellings when posting in an online place with lots of Americans.
  - FraaJad 18y ago
    I'm an Indian and I'm trying to keep the British spelling alive. Let's have some fighting spirit here, shall we :p
  - ErrantX 18y ago
    Dude I totally have the same problem. I even started using the word Dude when not stoned :o

gaius 18y ago

"A war with France is traditional, but with Paris, unthinkable" -- Jane Austen (IIRC)

mattmaroon 18y ago

We Americans do too. In high school my history teacher liked to ask the French students "how do you say I surrender in French?" We hold WWII over them the way you do Waterloo. Some take it too far and start using the term "Freedom Fries".