Congratulations! As a lifelong Times reader I have enjoyed your reporting for decades - always thoughtful, provocative and insightful!
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thank you mr dricks!
Congratulations. Possibly one of the most interesting group of attendees for an investiture. Stories and anecdotes must surely have abounded.
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Congratulations, well done. well won. And that nice little red thread on the lapel is classy, so understated they have to ask what it is. And you get to tell. What a treat.
Congratulations! As a long-time American expat in the Paris area (l'Essonne) I've much enjoyed and admired your incisive writing on and in France - well-deserved honor!
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To toast with "decent champagne" is well deserved. To toast with "decent French Champagne" is redundant.
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d'acc
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Merveilleux! Dry wit and dry wine aside, what a great and fun career. But since brevity is the essence of wit, and it takes about 1/3 more text to write something in French than in English, you should enjoy your new post in the London. On the down side, the British are simply more fundementally anti-semitic at their core than are the French. Far more actually. Please report on that difference.
Congratulations !
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Félicitations!
5
"Then we lifted our glasses and toasted with decent French champagne."
Apart from being a reader of the newspaper I have no connection with this story.
However, the word "decent" seemed odd.
No adjective, or one like "great" would seem more appropriate. "Decent" reads like a weak backhanded compliment.
Apart from being a reader of the newspaper I have no connection with this story.
However, the word "decent" seemed odd.
No adjective, or one like "great" would seem more appropriate. "Decent" reads like a weak backhanded compliment.
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Ian, I took it much more positively than you. Perhaps you run in better circles than I. For me, "decent" means not the best but not the usual swill served at celebrations, either.
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Not all champagne is decent but all champagne is French, right?(See AOC -- appellation d'origine contrôlée). The adjective that doesn't belong is "French", as it's redundant.
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I'm a little disappointed that someone who clearly knows a lot about France would consider it necessary to add the adjective "French" to the name of the wine "Champagne," which is completely redundant. All Champagne is French Champagne, as there is no Champagne region outside of France.
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I was expecting Mr. Erlanger to say he turned down the honor! THAT would have been a much more memorable column!
As he noted himself, there are 75,000 chevaliers roaming the streets everyday, one can hardly go into a sanisette in Paris without bumping into one coming out.
Mr. Erlanger would have greatly distinguished himself by his refusal than his acceptance. Thomas Piketty of international economic fame was the latest to turn it down, though he was criticized for his humble brag, since he issued a press release announcing his refusal.
For sure, if humble old me were nominated, I would certainly accept and create dedicated Facebook and Twitter accounts just bragging about it, because, in the words of Golda Meir, "Don't be so humble - you are not that great", which is exactly what I would have written if Mr. Erlanger had indeed turned the French Legion down.
So, congratulations on an honor I will never even get a chance to turn down.
As he noted himself, there are 75,000 chevaliers roaming the streets everyday, one can hardly go into a sanisette in Paris without bumping into one coming out.
Mr. Erlanger would have greatly distinguished himself by his refusal than his acceptance. Thomas Piketty of international economic fame was the latest to turn it down, though he was criticized for his humble brag, since he issued a press release announcing his refusal.
For sure, if humble old me were nominated, I would certainly accept and create dedicated Facebook and Twitter accounts just bragging about it, because, in the words of Golda Meir, "Don't be so humble - you are not that great", which is exactly what I would have written if Mr. Erlanger had indeed turned the French Legion down.
So, congratulations on an honor I will never even get a chance to turn down.
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Felicitations ......... and thanks for all you've contributed , sharing our wonder-full country and culture ..............
3
Congratulations. Truly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTsg9i6lvqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTsg9i6lvqU
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And well deserved! How fun.
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Art Buchwald would be proud of you.
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i miss him!
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Surely this was well deserved. I am happy to see that some did not prefer the use of freedom fries. Developed countries differ on 5% of issues. So it is nice to see people being honored for their promotion of that little bit of diversity in a positive manner.
Mazel tov - I guess!
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Congratulations! Not sure if this is urban legend but I hear if you display the Legion d'honneur medal prominently you may be able to ride free on the Paris metro. However, it may increase your chances of getting mugged, so even if true, use this purchasing power with care ...
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Anyone can ride for free to nowhere when the Paris subway is on strike. If it is not on strike this week it will be next week. It's June and in June we, the singes capitulards bouffeurs de fromage, have better things to do than drive a train underground!
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Not sure if that is true, how would you even get through the turnstiles? Many of the stations no longer have anyone in the booth 24 hours a day.
Maybe modern Legion of Honor medals have a transit chip built inside so the chevalier can swipe his medal on a bus or subway for a free ride.
3