Huge issue in France and the not surprising effect is that most college grads want safe jobs in the government bureaucracy if they can get one at all. French parents worry they are preparing their kids for a lifetime of unemployment, made worse by a lack of ambition and risk-taking. PARIS (Reuters) - France's youth unemployment rate rose to a record 25 percent in the third quarter, well above the European average, and the overall jobless rate remained stuck at 9.7 percent in the latest gloomy news for euro zone growth. The jobless rate among people aged 15-24 years rose from 24.2 percent in the preceding April-June quarter, the highest level on records going back to 1975, data showed on Thursday.

Why is now that it seems every other country and city comes up with bigger ideas than we see in America?

This big weather balloon in Paris changes color with the air quality. I hope it doesn't become a fixture as old as the Tour Eiffel, but I love the vision of this other-worldly object floating above the city. Paris, London, K-L, Shanghai...the list goes on and on of cities breaking the horizon with new ideas.

The other report cited was Christian Science Monitor; this from CNN which is more ominous:

Paris, France (CNN) -- The French government will not be swayed by a threatening message apparently recorded by Osama Bin Laden, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday.

"It goes without saying that France does not let its politics be dictated by anyone, and certainly not by terrorists," Sarkozy said while attending the European Union summit in Brussels Friday.

Bin Laden warned France to get its troops out of Afghanistan and not to oppress Muslims at home in a tape broadcast by the Al-Jazeera network Wednesday and authenticated by the French Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

France denies any connection between its decision to remove troops from Afghanistan in 2011 and Osama bin Laden’s pledge to attack French troops.

Interesting turn of events. I'm happy that the threat may be decreased, but it's hard not to be a bit cynical about the timing. I don't think we should any longer be occupying Afghanistan either, but I don't think bowing to the demands of Bin Laden is exactly the way I'd go about announcing a departure. But I'm not the King of France either, so what do I know?

This is not a happy development since we're three weeks from our annual Thanksgiving trip to Paris.

PARIS — Osama bin Laden warned France in an audiotape broadcast by Al Jazeera television on Wednesday that it would face killings and kidnappings if it did not withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

He also justified the kidnapping of five French citizens in Niger last month, saying that France mistreated its Muslims.

“The equation is very clear and simple: as you kill, you will be killed; as you take others hostages, you will be taken hostages; as you waste our security we will waste your security,” Mr. bin Laden said.

[From New Bin Laden Tape Warns France - NYTimes.com]