Saturday March 18th.

Reuters, one of those two bastions of respectable wire services pumping out articles of interest and giving them the glorified status of importance for over 4000 years, reports from Paris what we here at TVFR brought to you last week - because we're just that damn good - that the students in Paris will do anything to avoid anything that gives the impression of being self responsibility.

Mainstream news aint got nuthin on TVFR.

Click here to see much anguish and turmoil and people with their mouths open.

"The protesters demand that Villepin withdraw a new youth job contract, known as the CPE, which lets firms fire workers under 26 without explanation in their first two years on the job. He launched it to spur reluctant employers to take on new staff.

See? Nothing's changed since you heard it here first. It's no wonder they lost the war.

Well to be honest we do rip our articles from reputable sources so in a way they "cover" the article first but we are the first to give you the . I do like how this article actually mentioned the terms of the law though, the last article just mentioned how ticked off these lazy students were. Still the only people who have anything to worry about are the teenagers (for whom it would be rare to hold a job for 2 years anyway) and the uneducated people (for whom it would be rare to hold a job for 2 years). This law is very much one that passed here to lower the working age to 12 and have a starting wage implemented (six Canadian dollars per Canadian hour) and still I don't see 12 year olds working anywhere nor do I see people all that discouraged to work their first three-hundred hours at six bucks. Truth is these laws just make kids and young adults more employable.

Now, even I don't know what to make of this next item...

"WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- After a week of wrangling between the United States and other U.N. Security Council members, the council Friday discussed a draft statement on Iran`s nuclear activities behind closed doors, but was still not ready to adopt it. The hold-up was a familiar one: differences over the right diplomatic language. The Bush administration, backed by France and Britain, wants to send a strong message to the ruling ayatollahs: Russia, China, and other council members were reluctant to push the Iranians too far. "

The right diplomatic language???

Where every word - such as the words appearing in a dictionary or a thesaurus of admirable content - is dutifully explained and systems of redundance implemented. These words are said again in many different ways to accomplish redundance.

~

Sport:

Isn't Australia doing rather well at the Commonwealth Games being held here in my hometown... Smugness is its own reward sometimes.

Go take some pictures of it you lazy prude.

At the conclusion of Day 3 of competion, Australia have won more gold medals than England, India, Scotland and South Africa (who are 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th on the medal tally) COMBINED.

Cheaters, I'll bet koalas are a steroid masking agent.

Smoke that one, Anton.

I'll tell you what you can smoke on Paul.

(Oh, and we beat South Africa by a record 7 wickets in two and a half days of a five day match in the first Test at Durban yesterday too.)

Cricket talk, If you don't understand it, you are not alone. If you don't understand it and you are Australian, what the hell is wrong with you.

Australians all let us rejoice...

~

Oh me oh my, I would hate to be a member of the government in France right now.

Business Week reports from the hotel room of a couple of Reuters reporters (where it's more or less safe) that a copyright amendment law adopted Friday would end Apple's hegemony over music file formats, giving rivals access to the most popular music download site - iTunes - for use in their own crappy players.

I have had a warranty application in the works at Apple since September 29th 05 and my Ipod hasn't worked since the second week of August. This post however stirred me into calling them again (Attempt 5 or something) whereupon I got the same cheery girl as last time. I let her have it, then I let my Dad have a go at her. According to Marie I should have my box within 2 days (Direct courier, no cost to me) I have the patience of a humble ghost so she is lucky. I have however been telling people about my dismay and turning heads to alternative media players.

The Frenchies think this will put an end to anti-competitive practices. Sony thinks Anton's word-of-mouth anti-advertising will put an end to iPod. The French government is on Anton's side. I couldn't care less either way. I still have a Walkman.

Personally I am a huge fan of French labour laws, if you are French, know French people from France or visit France often you will know how they manage sales dates and the like to keep the integral small businesses - like the one-shop dress makers and jewelers in Paris - intact and profitable. It would also rock to be able to play OGM's on my iPod.

An Apple spokesperson whom shall remain nameless was overheard in the corridors of TVFR as saying "Fuck 'em, well just pack up, leave France and take our bloody iPods with us."

I can't believe you just made up an French Apple spokes person.

Who said I made him up? Next you'll be telling me I'm not really having lunch with Charles De Gaulle next Thursday.

I't aint exactly fair that Apple have to give up their empire, but this can only help Apple grow iTunes for other media devices and hopefully have them build new colours of the "pods" (the big ones)

So those rioting students, when they hear about this little number, are going to be doubly pissed because they won't be able to drop by the internet cafe on their way to the protests to download the latest from iTunes. They'll be stuck listening to Plastic Bertrand's Ca Plane Pour Moi until their eyes bleed.

You're always listening to that song... hypocrite.

Contre nous de la tyrannie, n'est pas?

Parle STFU?

Non.

Au revoir les pommes d'iPod.