French discontent

Renaud Fessaguet, writing in this Guardian savages the French way of life, from the political elite ("aging, arrogant and cynical") and French leaders who don't speak English ( "an ignorance which makes them unable to understand the buzz of the global world, forcing them to depend on secondhand information.") to French unions ( "stubborn"). Having said all that, he was, if you can believe it, for the EU constitution that would have effectively codified French input and influence in the European Union, inflicting the French mediocrity and political duplicity on the European Continent. He can be forgiven. He is a journalist and producer so intellectual integrity isn't a requirement of his profession. Nevertheless, he speaks volumes about the discontent in France.

He could well have been speaking of our own elites.

The dictatorship of diplomas, the system which demands a formal qualification for any job, which ignores raw talent, however extraordinary it might be, has produced a terrible paradox, empowering mediocrity and irresponsibility, a whole mentality overshadowing the schools, judiciary, media and, ultimately, our national life.

That's one article Jim Romensko won't be linking to.