Grinding to a Halt

France is in the grips of a strike that has all but shut down the country. Transportation services are crippled, and once again the students in the country's universities show that while they may have educations, they aren't smart by any stretch of the imagination. They're striking over the fact that the educators are looking to get funding from non-governmental sources.

Perish the thought that the French academics might seek fellowships, research grants, and other opportunities from the private sector. Sacre bleu!

If you're in France, you have a better chance of finding out what's going on with the strikes by reading this blog than you are trying to find a newspaper to read because the strikes are affecting the publication and distribution of newspapers:

Citizens anxious to read about the impact of the strikes found no solace at the newsstands Tuesday for they remained empty because distributors are protesting over the reform of their highly regulated sector.

Smokers are about to be given an opportunity to quit cold turkey as well:

Smokers are also being hit. They're being told to load up on cigarettes before Wednesday, when operators of Bar-Tabacs -- or cafés that sell coffee, cigarettes and lottery tickets -- plan a demonstration against new anti-smoking laws.

The workers' paradise known as France is slowly imploding with strikes and demonstrations, because of a refusal to deal with the realities of an economy that simply cannot support the union demands and work rules that stifle innovation and growth.

UPDATE:
No Pasaran has more on the deteriorating situation in France. Just keep scrolling.