[bru]

I'm not surprised by such a comment, but finding it on HN saddens me.

xenophoby? Oh USA, building a wall to keep your neighbours out of your lawn, please tell me more!

Our economy? Of course American governement-sponsored 'liberalism' is a beacon for the free world, and dissidents are morons. Please have a look at this recent article by Paul Krugman: The Plot Against France[0].

Your high-skilled French friends? I have the luck to be put in that population. What I see around me is that we travel and work world-wide, until we start a family most of the time.

0: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/opinion/krugman-the-plot-a...

[witek]

I don't live in the US, I'm much closer - in London (apparently, the sixth largest French city). I'm not arguing the fact that it can be a lovely country for a French citizen and that you may want to retire there, given the generous benefits you'd be receiving.

However, I know from a few of my friends, who were settling in France for personal reasons, how painful the immigration process can be, especially if you're not white/caucasian.

[bru]

>you may want to retire there

Having kids and retiring usually do not happen at the same time.

>a few of my friends, who were settling in France for personal reasons

So they're not French. Your first comment is definitely wrong then.

I believe they were referencing the circulaire Guéant[0], which comes from the previous government, wronged many skilled workers & French companies as well -- it sets a 'national preference' for hiring.

0: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulaire_du_31_mai_2011

[witek]

Apologies, different sets of friends :]

Set nr 1: French people in London Set nr 2: Non-French people trying to settle in France

Yes, I heard French support for families with children is spectacular. That's what I meant. I just don't understand how it can continue. I lived in a few countries and the French "balance sheet" just doesn't make intuitive sense to me.

[judk]

Europe has an ocean to keep most of its poorer would-be neighbors away. You can't wave away geography. The US is comparable to Europe, not one country in Europe.

[mavroprovato]

Which is this ocean you are talking about? Because Europe has only the Atlantic Ocean on its West and the nearest countries on the Other side of the Atlantic are the US and Canada.

[jff]

Perhaps the Mediterranean? They call it a "sea" if you want to be pedantic.

[mavroprovato]

Yes they call it a sea, because it is not an ocean, I don't understand why you call me a pendant. More importantly though, you might not be following the news in Europe, but many immigrants try to cross the Mediterranean in order to get into Europe, and many unfortunately die. So it is not that it keeps anyone away.

[jff]

I brought up the Mediterranean specifically because of the news reports I have heard about all the people dying while trying to cross. If "many unfortunately die", it sure as fuck seems to be keeping some people away, by killing them. I'll also assume that the serious danger of crossing the sea prevents some people from doing it.

[bausson]

It is pedantic because their are no sea where he lives, so making the distinction is (from his point of view) somewhat useless

[judk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean

PG's scale of levels of disagreement in discourse, that's like a negative 4.