I am unsure what your point is. I caught the last half. Found it interesting. I particularly think that they did a good job explaining the secularism issue.

Regarding the cosmetics, it seems fair game to me. The US have similar rules to limit import of French liquors and I am sure there are other examples. I agree that the French smoking policies suck. In restaurants it looks like they locate the fans so that it sucks the air from the smoking area and blow it into the non-smoking one!

Not sure that hatred is exchangeable with concerned. If you (in the US) received goods/services that fell below your country's safety guidelines would you accept them? I draw an anology from when childrens toys were coming in from ROC had dolls eyes attached to the faces with 3" pins. The safety council had them withdrawn from shops and subsequently banned.

It seems to me that the example of "cosmetics with minute (parts per million) carcinogenic ingredients" failed to meet that country's legislation. I'm surprised Hans, that you need reminding that Euope is a combination of a multitude of very different countries and that very few are Anti-American, per se.

They love us-just hate us making war. I'm sure there is a strong anti-war contingency in the U.S. too. As are the Microsoft monopoly getting blocked, I would support most monopolies being blocked as a monopoly does not create a very desirable situation for anyone outside of the company that holds it.

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

It seems when markets impose their ( odd ) rules to limit competition of other countries. Like Russia buys U.S. chicken ,the locals Russian farmers throw a red flag that they think it has too high a hormone level . As far as french wine ,I find it almost anywhere at a reasonable price. The E. U. has most of Europe as members with some of the eastern block countries joining in a year or so . My friends from Europe find less " things to take home " as they can get it cheaper there". Just my observation

 
Europe is a combination of a multitude of very different countries and that very few are Anti-American, per se.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They are pro American $$,, anti war

The Brits are with us, most others are half hearted as far as war. Anti war here gets tangled with politics - friend that went - religions - / I see both sides . My point was that the E.U. changes its spec,s on imports to block U.S. products , Sure japan subsidizes its rice, other countries have health and safety concerns with good reason . That did not seem be the case with their restrictions.

It appeared that the French thought we mixed church and state, with G W Bush's remark of "We will win the war with gods help " as Osama says " ALA will help us defeat the infidels "I guess he has no state.

With its growing size ,the E.U. can wield its power with its euro dollar value.

My point was that the E.U. changes its spec,s on imports to block U.S. products

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Would not most countries be expected to protect their home markets, and therefore jobs and home economy, from cheaper imports from abroad? Seems a not entirely unreasonable action.

---

"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

Can't see any hatred either. Restrictions like that are very normal and common practice throughout the world. I used to work for an American company over here in GER. We produced certain parts which were then sent to the US for further assembly. I remember our forwarder complain about Amercan customs restrictions and regulations, which made transporting/ exporting to the US more than complicated.



Apart from customs duties, which are made in order to protect own economies, more and more regulations come into place which make international business complicated, but which also support own market standards.

And as I said before: everwhere throughout this globe! ...Hatred?

---

---------------
If you ever want to know what an "eggman" is, then simply click here....http://www.emu5.de

I'd suspect that hate toward America will dissipate very quickly once Trump is gone.

Does the USA have rules regarding products??

The rest of the world are wondering why the USA is so afraid of Kinder eggs

Try finding some decent french brie (among others) here.

They love us in many ways but hate us even more for a couple of reasons: For one, our unrefined and base culture is still all-pervasive in many respects (France even has a language board to make sure "English-isms" or "Americanisms" or other linguistic influences don't further degrade its language), and that angers them.

For another, they realize that without us there would be no "Europe," at least as the Continent is understood to be "Europe" today. Instead, there would be a German Europe under Nazi hegemonic influence (or whatever the Nazis would have evolved into, post-WWII) or there would be a Soviet Europe under Russian communist hegemonic influence, or a combination of both if the two powers had ever learned to coexist with each other (doubtful).

The fact they weren't strong enough on their own to fight off those two malign influences, and that the déclassé Americans had to save them, galls them to no end. ;-)

---

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Sure, but what does that have to do with a thirteen year old thread?

Bush had just been reelected when this thread was written!

Dubya wasn't particularly popular in Europe or worldwide at the time either. Seems to be a Republican thing.

Holy thread resurrection. How did you go about mining this 13 year old thread up and why?

.

Wan't me who mined it. I just responded not realizing it.

Ah, well the response directly above your initial comment was from 2005, so yours was the first comment from 2018. Must have gotten bumped up on the board forum for some other craziness not related to activity.

Anyway, was just curious, so nevermind.

.