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[woolybanana]

Hope the exam results are as you hope.

I've forgotten which State you are in. Perhaps something local so one can get a flavour of daily life. If you have time, of course.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I'm in a right state! ;)

New Jersey, home of The Soprano's, Boardwalk Empire, Real Housewives of New Jersey (arrrghhh!) and the girlfriend of course :)

I'm expecting A's from 3 of my 4 subjects, and for maths, I think I bombed out with a B.

[woolybanana]

I guess B is a real bomber!!

 

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]I'm in a right state! ;) New Jersey, home of The Soprano's, Boardwalk Empire, .[/quote]Grrr - please stop right there.  Due to Mr Murdoch, we can't get HBO stuff any more over here as the whole back catalogue, and all the new programmes too, have been bought for Sky Atlantic.  [:@]

Glad to read that you're  still calling maths, maths, btw.[:)]

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I can't understand why they call it math though. Makes no sense to me.

However, I do understand why they spell certain words with a 'z', like civilization. I still prefer the English spelling on that, but at least there is some logic in that.

[woolybanana]

tradition or logic? The former has something to offer too!

[woolybanana]

On this special day, I have blogged again.

[Loiseau]

Oh dear, I seem to have got in a tangle commenting on the blog itself, so will do so here. 

Well said, Wooly.  It's easy to condemn collaborators, but I often think one might have been tempted along all sorts of avenues if one's country were occupied.
I passed several French war memorials today, with fresh wreaths of flowers placed and fresh flags a-flutter.
Have you visited the Sentier du Souvenir outside Aizenay?  It's a very moving commemoration of an American aircrew shot down over France.

Angela

[idun]

When I was a girl my Dad would say exactly the same to me. It would upset me and felt traitorous of him to think that some people might have acted so badly. I just didn't like the idea that people would collaborate. Later I understood and some would have, as people did in most european countries.

I often wondered what my my french neighbours and their families did during the war, but I never asked.

[woolybanana]

Those I have asked were rural folk, and they replied simply that they kept their heads down and survived.

Though an uncle of my ex wife, a Belgian, was tortured and sent to a concentration camp. Her father hid from forced labour, had fake papers and worked away from his home and family for three years or so, but was denounced by his sister-in-law who was supposed to have been collaborating horizontally.

Many years ago I owned a house near Liège which had false walls in the cellar which had been used to hide Allied airmen who were being got back to UK.

[KathyF]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Those I have asked were rural folk, and they replied simply that they kept their heads down and survived.....[/quote]

The same in our bit of southern Manche, Wooly. The little commune our house is in was hammered to bits during the German counter-attack in August 1944, as testified to by the civilian names on the war memorial.  Our cottage, just outside the bourg, was hit by a shell during a tank battle and burnt out inside. Our elderly neighbour was a teenager than and remembers vividly just trying to keep going....

[idun]

We lived in Vichy France. The germans took over eventually and there was torture done in our Mairie if what I was told is to be believed. There are plenty of things about the resistance in the region, and I know that there was resistance. It was the 'who' was brave enough to resist, that I never found out.

And the collabos, well the priests and the catholic church were still doing it in the mid 1990's, hiding Paul Touvier, how disgraceful and rupugnent was that.

I remember visiting the Vercor Mountains in our early days in France and being told that german cars still had their tyres spilt, don't know if it still goes on or not, although one of my best friends is from the Vercors and has family there, I'll have to ask if she ever knew about it and if it still happens.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

It's funny, I always thought Vichy France was free until very recently.

Of course the Nazi's were going to put in a puppet leader, why wouldn't they?

[woolybanana]

For those who are interested, I have done a bit of a blog about Richelieu.

[idun]

And you didn't say a thing about the 'fromage a raclette' he produced. Probably his greatest coup? apart from that rose which sounds superb.

[woolybanana]

Yes, he was a great patron of the arts and an epicure, but unfortunately, not in the Vendée. I've not tasted the cheese though and am disinclined to as I am off cheese long-term, unfortunately.

[idun]

Actually it isn't the best of the raclettes, but pas mal quand meme.

Sorry I shouldn't be so flippant about such a man as Richelieu, he strikes me as the sort of bloke who would turn in his grave and reek terrible vengance............. if that were possible![:-))]

[powerdesal]

I like the play on words there, he would certainly 'reek' after all this time (or maybe not).

[woolybanana]

Yes, he was one of those many faceted people who are, perhaps, thankfully, rare. I guess he had enough power to do pretty much as he liked, always dangerous.

[idun]

[:D] Even I can do a little word play sometimes!

Pity that people, as rare as he, who become so powerful do not put their power to  'good', what a different world it would be.

[woolybanana]

Well, from a different viewpoint, one could say that he did do so.

[idun]

So, 'good' being done, counters the 'bad' that was done? That wasn't quite what I meant, well, or would hope for.

[woolybanana]

Nothing is either totally good or bad, light or dark, but shades of grey!

[idun]

I don't believe in total good, but I do know that total bad exists, there can be black and not very dark grey. That is why I 'hope' for total good, without holding my breath[:(]

[woolybanana]

For the erudite amongst us I have blogged again: a little feathered problem this time.

Ahh, I so wish Normie was here to read it, but I understand that the boarding charm school where he has been doing an extended course have held him back for extra tuition!